STRATEGY
"Bill, Bill, we've found Tony! Saw him a little in the dark and talked
to him. We're going to get him out, Bill!" And Gus, after bursting in
with this good news, told his chum and old Dan all about it. Then they
held a council of war.
It was pretty certain that the Malatesta had no means of radio
communication, as they could not have burdened themselves with the
apparatus, nor could they have confined their communications to one
person. That they were seeking ransom money was also pretty certain, and
they were in a position to get it, too.
Bill, Gus and old Dan laid some plans, carefully considered from every
angle, and with the impetus of youth to be acted upon at once. Having
put their transmitting station in operation, Bill got busy on the wires,
and on a wave length of 360 meters, began broadcasting notifications to
Mr. Sabaste and to the police relative to Tony's whereabouts.
"Mr. Angelo Sabaste, do not send ransom money. Mr. Angelo Sabaste, do
not send ransom money. Please convey this message to Mr. Angelo Sabaste,
banker, of New York City, do not send ransom money. Police departments
and coast patrol, send swift vessels all along the coast to Lower Point
Gifford, and the lower inlet to head off any foray from the sea on the
part of those who may have caught this; also to prevent escape of
kidnapers from the inlet.
"Send men to surround the point and cut off escape by land along the
peninsula north of the inlet; also to watch the lower thoroughfare. Some
men meet the senders of this at Oysterman Dan's, in neck of woods above
Lower Point Gifford, to raid kidnapers' roost from there, and effect
rescue of young Anthony Sabaste.
"Station men and vessels to-night. Watch all landing places around Lower
Point. Be prepared for trouble. Kidnapers armed and will shoot. Anthony
Sabaste in small cabin in pine woods about one mile north of inlet. Hard
place to find. Guarded by three men.
"This is William Brown speaking, at Oysterman Dan's cottage--for
Augustus Grier, also. Have situation well in hand. Please radio reply at
once."
Bill switched off his batteries and clamped the 'phones of the receiver
to his ears. He had to listen in for but a few moments.
"Police Department, City. West Rural Section speaking. We are in direct
communication with East State Mounted Force and contingents and will
relay, acting in unison. Also in communication with coast patrol who
also have your radio, no doubt, and will act independently. We are
sending men and will make raid in morning, closing in north of Lower
Point. Men sent to Oysterman Dan's house to-night. Coast patrol will
also go out to-night. Will advise you personally in the morning. Have
Dan send boat for men across thoroughfare to Stone Landing. If men not
there by three A.M., go to Possum Beach and wait."
Bill still listened and the message was repeated, almost verbatim; then
silence. He communicated the information to Gus and old Dan, and the
oysterman went off to tidy up his boat for the trip. Bill and Gus
decided to snatch a little sleep. Old Dan, who had napped in the
afternoon as usual, agreed to wake them before he left at about two
o'clock, which he did.
"Bill, I've got a hunch we are going at this thing a little too fast,"
said Gus.
"How too fast? We can't delay at all, can we?"
"But suppose, when the police make their raid, these Malatestas get
desperate and mad enough to kill Tony? They're a bad lot. I've a notion
we ought to get Tony out of there before----"
"The iron gets too hot, eh? I guess you are right, Gus."
"Look, Bill, here's a scheme. What if we work it this way?" Gus
proceeded to outline a plan with every detail of which Bill agreed; and
it called for action.
Taking the revolver and some extra cartridges, Bill hobbled along by
Gus, who gave him a lift, now and then, piggy-back. The boys made their
way south for more than a mile along the thoroughfare swamp edge. Then
they turned sharply on a path across the wooded peninsula to the beach,
and went another half mile among the dunes. A very tall pine tree
against the sky-line gave Gus his bearings. A little below that they
stopped, and Bill found a comfortable hiding-place among scrub pines,
with the boom of the breakers in his ears and the sea breeze keeping off
the mosquitoes.
Gus cast about silently for the path that led in to the kidnapers'
cabin. Finding it with some difficulty in the darkness, he noted certain
landmarks and went back to Bill. Agreeing on signals in whispers, Gus
went back to the path and struck a match, whereupon Bill fired a shot,
and immediately afterward, another. Then Gus swiftly made his way
directly toward the cabin, and when near it, called softly:
"Hello, hello, you fellers! It's me, Sam."
There was a very profound silence for a few minutes. Gus called again:
"Hello! It's me, Sam. Don't shoot!"
And very much with his heart in his mouth, but still determined, he
advanced, crouching low so that a bullet would most likely pass high
over him. Suddenly a figure appeared directly in front of him and a
flashlight was thrown in his face for an instant. Gus knew that he had
been identified.
"Lay low," he whispered, not forgetting to keep up the dialect. "They're
out there, somebody--sneakin' along in the open. I seen 'em an' let fly
at 'em an' they shot back, but I run on down the woodses. Git yer gang
an' come along so's we kin head 'em off if they start in here."
"How we do that? We stay here an' fight 'em, eh?"
"An' that'll give 'em the lay o' this place. We want t' draw 'em up the
beach. Chase along up through the woodses an' come out 'bout a mile
above and shoot oncet er twicet. Two of us kin do that an' two kin lay
out yan at the end o' the path an' watch fer any of 'em startin' in this
away, an' then you kin lead 'em off. See? That's the way the smugglin'
fellers do it."
The plan must have looked good to the fellow still in the darkness; Gus
did not know to whom he was talking, but he heard the man walk away
rapidly. He waited, as though on pins, and in a moment three figures
loomed before him, one voice questioning him again. The boy tactfully
repeated his suggestions--then turned back with them as they started
forward, evidently agreeing.
One fellow, Gus could see, was rubbing his eyes. All carried guns.
Two men kept to the path that led toward the beach edge of the woods.
Another and Gus went straight on. Presently Gus suggested that they stop
and rest awhile; then move on farther up, stop, scatter a little, and
listen. He would sneak out into the open, he said, and look around.
There was no danger of his being seen. It would be best to remain thus
for an hour or more--perhaps till morning, mosquitoes or no mosquitoes.
A grunt signified agreement.
The boy crept out toward the dunes and on, until he felt sure he could
not be heard. Then, with the smooth, hard sand for a track he ran,
softly on tiptoe, until once again he came below the tall pine. A low
hiss thrice repeated was answered, and he found Bill in the same spot.
"They're all stuck along in the woods yonder," Gus whispered. "If you
hear them moving off toward the cabin again, shoot. If they go on, shoot
twice. If they come your way, lie low. Here goes for Tony, old scout!"
Gus had some difficulty getting to the cabin from the south side. He
missed it once, got too far into the woods, turned, regained the dunes,
struck in again and this time started to pass within a few yards of it,
but by merest chance saw the gable end against the sky.