There was plenty to do by the time the boys got back to the pier. Jed,
lone-handed, was pumping gasoline into the tank through the strainer.
Several barrels of the oil had been sent down to the water front.
Stripping off their coats, Tom and Joe turned to and helped.
Bouncer, the bull pup, was on hand also, chained in the engine room. In
view of the late near-tragedy Mr. Dunstan had decided to keep the dog
aboard, at the home pier, hereafter, and had brought Bouncer down
himself.
"We'll finish this job Jed, if you'll turn to and cook up a quick
supper," proposed Halstead.
"Anything on?" asked Jed, looking keenly at them.
"I shouldn't wonder," nodded the young captain.
Jed asked no more questions, but got a tempting supper ready in close to
record time. As they were eating Tom told Jed, in low tones, the little
they had discovered.
Briefly, it was this: The Dunstan gardener and greenhouse man was a
Frenchman named Gambon. He was a quiet, even sulky fellow, who had made
no friends among the other employes of the place. Mr. Dunstan had once
rebuked the Frenchman for some carelessness. Michael had seen Gambon
shake his fist after the employer as the latter was going away. This had
happened four months ago.
There was not very much in that alone. But Gambon, who lived in a little
two-room cottage all by himself, and who had no work to occupy him
evenings, had always been in the habit of smoking and reading, then
retiring early. For more than the last fortnight, however, Gambon had
left the place every evening. Sometimes he was gone an hour; sometimes
he had not returned until late. Two nights after Ted's disappearance
Michael, who had reported to Mr. Dunstan concerning the Frenchman's
actions, had been authorized to follow Gambon. The Frenchman, however,
merely went to the Park in Nantucket and sat for a couple of hours on
one of the benches, smoking and seemingly dreaming. Mr. Dunstan, when
this tame fact was reported to him, pooh-poohed Michael's suspicions and
forbade him to watch the Frenchman any longer.
"For," said Mr. Dunstan, "watching any man long enough is likely to make
a half-rascal of him."
"But, Captain Tom, when a very quiet man suddenly changes the fixed
habits av year-rs," said Michael earnestly, "then there's likely a
strong reason for it, and maybe a bad one."
These were the facts that Tom and Joe now rehearsed, in undertones, to
Jed.
"Does it look likely, from that," asked Prentiss, "that Gambon would
steal down here in early morning and pump our tank dry?"
"Michael saw him standing on the wharf this morning, smoking," replied
Halstead. "Michael thought we must be up and about, though, so he didn't
pay any attention to the Frenchman."
"Kind of a hazy clue, altogether, isn't it?" queried Jed.
"It's enough to be worth looking into," Tom replied earnestly. "Do you
realize that to-morrow is the last day that Mr. Dunstan has to get Ted
before the probate court! That, if he doesn't do it to-morrow, the big
inheritance of millions goes by the board? So anything is big enough to
work on to-night. It's our last chance. Now Mr. Dunstan has assured me
that the 'Meteor' won't be ordered out to-night. Joe and I are going to
watch the Frenchman. Jed, you'll want to stay right here by the boat and
keep a sharp eye on it, for Gambon may not be the one who is trying to
put the 'Meteor' on the scrap heap. You'll have Bouncer to help you.
Even if it came to taking the boat over to Wood's Hole, on a changed
order, you're equal to it, aren't you?"
"Just give me the chance!" cried Jed. "I'd welcome it."
As soon as dark fell Joe stole across the grounds at the further end,
stationing himself by the road. Tom, on the other hand, hid himself not
far from Gambon's little cottage. This was the plan of the chums to
prevent the Frenchman from giving them the slip, in case he had any
suspicions. There was still a light in Gambon's cottage. After half an
hour, however, the light vanished. Then Gambon came out, carrying a
thick walking stick.
Tom watched the Frenchman until he was out of sight. Then after him the
young skipper went on tip-toe. It was not difficult to keep quietly on
the trail, for the gardener appeared far from suspicious.
Then, minutes later, Joe stepped out from behind a tree, touching Tom
lightly on the arm. They went along together.
"It's easy so far," whispered Halstead.
"May be a reason," answered Joe. "Our Frenchman may have nothing to
conceal. Perhaps he's only going courting."
As Michael had reported, the gardener's route lay along the highway to
Nantucket. The lights of the little town were in sight when Halstead
suddenly gave Joe a nudge. Both dodged behind bushes. For the Frenchman
had stepped off the road under some trees. First looking around him,
Gambon next bent over, moving a stone twice the size of his head. He
picked up a piece of paper. Tom and Joe were breathing hard by this
time.
Carefully replacing the stone, Gambon struck a match, scanning the piece
of paper he held in his hand. In another instant he touched the flaming
match to a corner of the paper, watching it burn up.
"Confound him for that!" muttered Tom in his chum's ear.
Gambon was coming back now. The two friends crouched lower behind the
bushes. By them walked the Frenchman, looking straight ahead. As soon as
it seemed wise to do so the chums started after him. They saw him,
however, return to his cottage, where he lighted his lamp, smoked and by
and by extinguished the light and went to bed.
"We've found the spy," groaned Tom, as the two chums neared the pier.
"It's fearful luck, Joe, that we couldn't have known about him before.
But it's too late now for the knowledge to do us any good. To-morrow is
the last day for Ted Dunstan to show up. After we see that the boat and
Jed are safe I'll run up to the house for a moment and see Mr. Dunstan."
When Tom told their employer, a little later, what they had discovered
that gentleman at first appeared considerably interested.
"I'm afraid, though, Halstead," he commented, "that we're all of us
inclined to suspect anything and anyone. Gambon is a bachelor and has
saved a goodly bit of money. What more likely than that he may be
courting a sweetheart? That would be a likely enough place for her to
leave a note for him. Perhaps it was only a note as to an engagement
that had to be broken for this evening, for, as you say, Gambon came
right back. Whatever the note was about we'd probably feel rather
ashamed if we forced the Frenchman to tell us about it. By the way, I am
going to bed at once, now, for at at half-past five in the morning I
shall want to start for Wood's Hole. I've heard from Crane again, and
he's coming over with me at full speed, in order to be in court with me.
We're going to see if we can't get an adjournment for one day. Of
course, there seems little hope of it, as the terms of the will are so
exacting. Oh, Halstead, I made a huge mistake in letting the matter go
so long!"
There were tears in Mr. Dunstan's eyes. Halstead, much touched, bade his
employer goodnight, returning to the boat.