ONCE MORE ON COCKBURN ISLAND
"Who's that on board the _Gadabout_?" roared the captain. "What are you
doing there, you lubber?"
"I guess you know who I am," replied the man on deck, who now the boys
were convinced was indeed the mysterious stranger.
Both boys were startled, as they looked into the face of the captain, who
was now rowing swiftly toward the little motor-boat. Whether the
expression on his face was one of anger or of fear was not known by
either. The man, however, was keenly excited and his anxiety to gain his
boat became apparent with every stroke of his oars.
In a brief time he swung the skiff alongside the _Gadabout_ and without
making any effort to board the boat the captain roared, "What are you
doing on board there?"
"I came back to get something that I thought might be here, which I
didn't take with me," said Mr. Button quietly. It was manifest from his
appearance that he was in nowise alarmed by the noisy questions of the
captain of the _Gadabout_.
"Well, did you find it?" demanded the captain.
"I cannot say that I have--as yet."
"I guess that depends on what you're looking for," said the captain, his
voice becoming lower, although his excitement was still manifest.
"I didn't suppose there would be any such feeling over my coming back to
your boat. I have known of other men who neglected to take some things
with them when they left home, to say nothing about a motor-boat."
"Did you say you found it?" again demanded the captain.
"I found something that will do me just as well."
For a moment the two men stared at each other, the captain still keenly
suspicious or angry, while the expression on the face of Mr. Button was
one which the boys were not able to understand. To all appearances he was
unruffled by the noisy queries of the captain, and yet what was behind it
all no one could say.
There was nothing, however, more to be done and in a brief time Mr.
Button stepped into his skiff in which the man, who was to be his guide,
was still seated. Without any delay the guide picked up his oars and
resumed his rowing.
Meanwhile the captain remained standing on the deck of the _Gadabout_,
glaring at the departing skiff, although he did not utter any sound until
the man of whom he was suspicious or afraid had rounded the nearest
point.
"Better get your leaders, captain, because we want to start," suggested
Fred impatient over the long delay.
"Humph," grunted the captain. Nevertheless he disappeared below and in a
brief time came back to the deck with a box in his hands.
"That's the same box you took out this morning, isn't it, Captain?"
laughed John.
"What's that you say?" roared the sailor.
"I said, isn't that the same box of leaders that you took out this
morning?"
"Well I'll have to own up that it is," said the captain. "I had it in my
pocket all the while and I thought I dropped it overboard. We'll make up
for lost time now, so get aboard, both of you."
To the surprise of the young fishermen, however, the captain did not
return to the ground over which he had been fishing at the time of his
unexpected return to the _Gadabout_. Instead, he followed swiftly in the
direction in which Mr. Button had disappeared. Both boys questioned him
sharply concerning the change in their plans, but the only reply their
guide made was to explain that he thought the fishing was likely to be
better in the direction in which he was going than where they had been
before.
Fred winked slyly at his companion when several times the captain ceasing
his efforts took a glass and drank of the waters of the lake and then
taking from his pocket a jointed telescope gazed long and earnestly in
the direction in which they were moving.
"What's the trouble, Captain? What are you looking for?" demanded Fred.
"I wanted to see if that man's got on my ground."
"Do you see him anywhere?"
"No, I don't. I wish I did."
"Who is he, anyway?" inquired John. "You seem to have a pretty wholesome
respect for him."
"What's that you say? What's that you say?" demanded the captain sharply,
as he glared at John.
"Why, what I said," explained John, "was that you seem to be very much
impressed by him. Do you know who he is?"
"I don't know nothin' about him," retorted the captain, resuming his
occupation once more.
When at last the captain declared that they had arrived at the grounds he
was seeking the boys renewed their attempts of the morning. For some
reason, however, all their efforts were unavailing. Either the fish were
not there, or they were not biting.
"I believe, Captain," said John, at last, "that you were more interested
in following that man than you are in getting a good shoal for us to fish
over."
"What's that you say?" retorted the captain. "It's no such thing. It's no
such thing. I don't care about that man any more than I do about--you."
"You have a strange way of showing it, then," suggested Fred with a
laugh.
"I tell you what I'll do, boys," said the captain at last. "If we don't
have any luck here by noon I'll take you across the channel and we'll try
it 'long Cockburn Island."
"But we haven't any right to fish there. That's in Canadian waters," said
John quickly.
"Well, I have a permit," explained the captain.
"Good for us, too?" inquired Fred.
"Yes, good for you, too."
Both boys were somewhat dubious as to the extent of the permission
secured by the captain, but they made no protest. Swiftly the little boat
was rowed across the intervening waters and in a brief time, under the
shelter of the bluffs of the island they were seeking, preparations were
made for resuming their sport.
"We don't want many fish just now," said the captain.
"That's lucky for us," laughed Fred.
"What I mean is, that we want something for dinner, but that's about all.
After dinner we'll see what we can do with our luck."
When the time came for landing, the captain turned to the boys and said,
"Before I start a fire I want to go up to that house yonder for a
minute."
"We'll go with you," suggested Fred, winking at John as he spoke.
"No, no," said the captain sharply. "You stay right here on the shore. If
you want to you can start a fire and have things goin' so that when I
come back everything will be ready."
"What do you suppose is the matter with the captain?" inquired John after
the departure of their guide.
"Why he's either afraid of or he doesn't like that Mr. Button. Maybe he's
the man that wrote that letter."
"More likely he's the man that the other fellow wrote the letter about,"
laughed John. "I think myself that the old fellow will bear watching."
"I haven't seen anything in him that I thought was wrong," said Fred.
"Naturally he doesn't waste very much affection on the officials of the
law."
"I don't see why he shouldn't," broke in John. "Unless there's something
wrong with him."
"There may be something wrong as far as the law is concerned, but I guess
the old fellow himself thinks he's right. You know there are a good many
people that do that."
"What do you suppose he's up to?"
"I don't believe anybody knows, not even the captain himself. I guess
it's his general principles. He's opposed to everything."
"Do you think this Mr. Button is anything more than he appears to be?"
"I'm not sure," said Fred thoughtfully. "It may be that he knows a good
deal more than he explains and it may be that letter he got, which was
sent to me first, has made him suspicious of the captain. I don't myself
believe there's anything the matter with the captain anyway."
"Look yonder!" said John quickly, dropping the fish, which he was
cleaning, as he spoke. "Isn't that Mr. Button himself?"
Hastily looking in the direction indicated by his friend Fred was silent
for a moment and then said, "That's just who it is. What do you suppose
he's doing here on this island?"
"He isn't on the island yet. I'll tell you later what he does, that is,
if he lands. Don't let him see us."
Hastily moving behind the high bushes, though neither boy could explain
just why he did so, they watched their fellow-guest, as his skiff was
swiftly sent ashore and Mr. Button himself stepped out upon the land.
It was plain that he was not aware of the presence of the boys and that
all his movements were being keenly watched.
The interest of the boys, however, was speedily increased and in a brief
time both were highly excited when they saw Mr. Button take from his
pocket a revolver, which he inspected carefully and after he had returned
it to its place he at once started toward the house in the distance.
It was the same rude, little shanty in which the boys had found refuge
the preceding day. Now, however the sun was shining brightly and the
clear waters of the lake were reflecting its beams. There were no signs
of life about the house on the shore, but both boys excitedly watched Mr.
Button as he made his way across the fields and after a brief time
approached the side door of the house and then entered the little
building.
"Let's go up to the house, too," suggested Fred quickly.
"What for?"
"Why, there's no reason why we shouldn't go and if there's any fun going
on we want to be on hand."
"I'm with you," said John cordially, and as soon as they had banked their
fire both boys started across the open field toward the house in the
distance.
"I'm telling you," said Fred in a low voice, "there's something going on
up in that house."
"You always make a mountain out of a mole hill."
"Well, perhaps I do, but I'm sure there's something doing and they may
need us before long."
"Yes, probably they are wondering now why we don't come," laughed John.
"Just you wait," retorted Fred. "You'll see I'm right."
"If I thought you were, I know of one fellow who wouldn't go near that
house."
"But you're going just the same," said Fred positively.
There was no delay and after the boys had crossed the field they
approached the kitchen-door of the rude, little house where Fred made
known their presence by his noisy summons.