"And now," demanded Lawyer Crane, in his calm, heavy voice, "may I ask
what all this chaos and confusion is about?"
"In just a minute or two, sir, I'll be hugely delighted to have you
listen," Halstead answered. "But I want to get out of this cove and
clear of coast shoals and ledges first."
Joe had already begun to make the engine "kick" somewhat, and the boat
was moving fast, leaving behind her a graceful swirl of water. Jed,
after coiling the stern-line, had come forward, and, though he asked no
questions, that youth was whistling a ditty of fast movement, the surest
sign of all that he shared in the unknown excitement.
"There she is!" cried Halstead, suddenly, taking his right hand from the
wheel to point out over the water.
"She?" repeated Mr. Crane. "Who?"
"That boat! Don't you see the steam launch with the yellow hull?"
The launch was some two or more miles away, heading over the waters in a
direction that would carry her past the northern end of Martha's
Vineyard. Mr. Crane adjusted his glasses, staring hard. At last he made
out the low-lying hull.
"I see some sort of a craft out there," he replied slowly. "But I must
congratulate you on having very good eyes, Captain Halstead, if you can
make out the fact that she is painted yellow. However, what have we to
do with that boat?"
"We're going after her," responded Tom, briefly. He was wondering just
how to begin the wonderful story of his late adventure.
"Going after her?" repeated Mr. Crane, in slow astonishment. "Why, I was
under the impression that your present task related to carrying me over
to Mr. Dunstan's home."
"That comes next," replied Tom. "Mr. Crane, hardly twenty minutes ago I
was aboard yonder boat, and was talking with Master Ted Dunstan."
The lawyer gasped, then rejoined, slowly:
"That's a most remarkable statement, to say the least."
But Joe Dawson and Jed Prentiss, who knew Halstead better, were staring
at him with eyes wide open and mouths almost agape.
"I saw Ted Dunstan," repeated Tom, firmly. "Moreover, he gave me the
jolt of my life."
"Did he incidentally throw you overboard?" asked the lawyer, eyeing
Tom's wet garments. The sun and wind had dried the first great surplus
of water out of them, but they were still undeniably more than damp.
"That was all part of the experience," Halstead answered, annoyed by the
impression that the lawyer thought him trying to spin a mere sailor's
yarn. "Do you care to hear what happened, sir?"
"Why, yes, assuredly, captain."
Tom reeled the story off rapidly. The lawyer gasped once or twice, but
certainly the young skipper's wet clothing gave much of an appearance of
truth to the "yarn."
"And now, sir, what do you think of Master Ted's claim that he was
having the time of his life, and was hiding by his father's orders?" Tom
wound up, inquiringly.
"Really, I shall have to think it all over," replied the lawyer
cautiously. "And I shall be much interested in hearing what Mr. Dunstan
has to say about it all."
"Say, that's queer," broke in Joe, suddenly, staring hard at the launch,
now not much more than half a mile distant.
"What is?" asked Halstead, who had kept his mind on what he was telling
the lawyer.
"That launch is following an almost straight course. Yet I don't see a
soul at the wheel, nor a sign of a human being aboard," Joe replied.
"Say, there isn't anyone in sight, is there?" demanded Jed, stopping his
whistling and staring the harder.
"It will certainly complicate the adventure," commented Lawyer Crane,
"if we overhaul a craft navigated by unseen hands."
Halstead didn't say any more. He didn't like the half-skepticism of the
legal gentleman. The young skipper held straight on until they were
astern of the yellow-hulled launch and coming up on the windward
quarter.
"Get out on the deck forward, Jed," directed, Halstead. "Stand up as
straight as you can, and get the best look possible as I run up close.
See if you can spot anyone hiding in the boat."
"Look out," cautioned Joe Dawson, dryly, as Jed Prentiss started to
obey. "Someone on the other craft may open fire."
Jed halted, rather uneasily, at that sinister suggestion. Then, meeting
Tom's firm glance, the boy got well forward and stood up, while Joe
dropped down into the engine room to meet any order that might come
about stopping speed.
"I hardly fancy anyone aboard that boat would dare threaten us with
firearms," said the lawyer, slowly. "There are too many witnesses here
to risk such a serious breach of the law."
"Mm!" chuckled Captain Tom grimly, to himself. "I wonder if this learned
gentleman imagines that everyone has the wholesome respect for the law
that possesses him?"
He leaned forward, to reach the bell-grip, steering, after the
"Meteor's" headway had been all but stopped, so that they would pass
within a dozen feet of this mysterious craft.
"Say," hailed back Jed, "I don't believe there's a soul on board that
craft. I can see the bottom of the inside of the boat."
"Get the boat-hook, then," ordered Halstead. "We'll lay alongside and
make sure that she's deserted."
Jed jumped down nimbly. Apparently he was glad to provide himself with
so handy a weapon as the boat-hook. With this he stepped out forward
again. Tom ran the Meteor in until the two craft almost bumped.
"Ugh!" grunted Jed. "It looks almost uncanny to see that engine pumping
right along with no sign of human care."
Gradually he drew the bow of the moving launch closer.
"Go aboard," directed Tom.
Jed stood up high on his toes, to take a last careful look. Then he
leaped to the other craft, bounding down into her cockpit. There he
stood still for a few moments, tightly gripping the boat-hook in an
exaggerated attitude of defence.
"Are you afraid?" hailed Halstead.
"Well," admitted Jed, candidly, "I've no notion for being pounced on or
shot from ambush."
"That would have happened already, if it was going to," Tom rejoined
with a smile. "Stop the engine, and then we'll make fast and all come on
board."
That Jed accomplished with one hand, while Joe did the same with the
"Meteor's" engine. Then Prentiss reached over with the boat-hook,
gradually hauling the smaller craft up to the "Meteor."
Leaving Joe behind on deck, the young skipper followed into the launch.
A quick search made it plain that there was no human being in either the
forward or after cubby.
"The wheel was spiked," discovered Tom. "You see, the boat was started
on her course and then her spiked wheel held her rather close to it.
Whoever was aboard, after having fixed wheel and engine, got off. This
was done to fool us, and we've had a fine old chase."
Lawyer Crane, on the deck of the "Meteor," opened his mouth. He was
about to offer an opinion, but thought better of it and closed his lips.
"Mr. Crane," asked Tom, after a few moments, "what are our rights? We
can take this abandoned boat in tow, can't we, and take her over to Mr.
Dunstan's pier?"
"Clearly," assented the lawyer, slowly. "And there's a right to salvage
if the owner of this derelict appears and claims the boat."
Tom clambered back aboard the "Meteor," and, going aft, threw a line to
Jed, who made fast around a butt at the bow of the launch. Then Jed came
back.
"Now, Mr. Crane," smiled Captain Tom, "we are again at your orders.
Unless you think of something better, we can keep on to Nantucket."
"Decidedly," replied the lawyer. "We must acquaint Mr. Dunstan with this
whole prepos--unaccountable story."
As soon as the "Meteor" was well under way, on her homeward course,
Halstead called down:
"Joe, I've stood this drenched clothing as long as I think is good for
me in this sea wind. Take the wheel, please, and I'll go below and get a
rub and some dry clothing."
"I'm going down with you," broke in Jed. "There's hot water, and you
ought to have some coffee."
Jed even helped vigorously in the rub-down. Tom's teeth were chattering
at the outset, but the friction warmed his blood. He put on dry
clothing, of which he had enough aboard. And now Jed came out of the
galley with a cup of steaming coffee.
"Say, Jed, what made you look so skittish when you boarded that other
boat?" asked the young skipper, smiling. "Were you really afraid?"
"Afraid?" repeated Jed, looking sheepish. "Well, Tom, I'll tell you how
it is. When there's no danger near, and I'm thinking over brave deeds,
I'm a regular hero, and no mistake. But when I get right down where I
think some one may be a going to open on me with both barrels of a
shotgun, then I get--well, I won't say afraid, but tormentingly
nervous!"
Halstead laughed heartily.
"I guess that's the way with the whole human race, Jed. The man who lugs
off the reputation for being brave is the man who won't run, because he
is ashamed to let anyone see how mortally afraid he is."
"But what do you make of Ted Dunstan's queer talk?" asked Jed Prentiss.
"Do you believe his father really did give him orders to go off with
that crowd?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Halstead answered. "Mr. Dunstan is our
employer."
"But young Ted always has been a mighty truthful boy," pursued Jed,
wonderingly. "Oh, it's all mighty queer, whatever's the truth."
"I guess we'd better let it go at that last statement," proposed Tom;
"at least, until we've heard what Mr. Dunstan has to say."
With three or four caps of coffee down, Halstead felt so much warmer
that he returned to deck to take the wheel. The "Meteor" was necessarily
going much more slowly than usual, with her tow astern. The trip was
bound to be such a long one that Jed started things in the galley, then
went back through the passageway to the cabin, where he set the folding
table with a white cloth. When Lawyer Crane seated himself at supper he
was astonished to find how excellent a meal could be prepared in short
time aboard this craft.
It was nearing dark when Captain Halstead guided the "Meteor" in toward
the Dunstan pier.
While the boat was being made fast by Joe and Jed, Mr. Crane stepped
hurriedly ashore.
"Come along, Captain Halstead," said the man of law. "Mr. Dunstan must
hear your remarkable story without a moment's delay."