ON BARTER ISLAND
"All you have to do is to get off at Sawyer Island, our next landing,
and walk back to this inlet."
"Can we go by land?" asked Alvin.
"No trouble. There are two or three bridges to cross and you may have a
little tramping to do at the end of your journey, but it is easy."
"How far is it?"
"Something like three miles--perhaps a little more."
"That's nothing for us; we shan't mind it."
"It will carry you close to darkness, but that need make no difference.
The sky has cleared somewhat, but I don't believe you will have any
moonlight."
"That may be an advantage; at any rate let us hope so."
Sawyer Island, possibly a tenth as large as Barter, had been in sight
for some time, and the steamer speedily drew up beside the rather
rickety landing. It happened that no passengers and only a few boxes of
freight were taken aboard. Only three persons left the boat--the two
youths and the gentleman in a gray suit, who seemed to spend most of his
time in reading the Lewiston _Journal_. This fact led Alvin and Chester
to look at him with some interest. He carried a small handbag, and
appeared to be confused after stepping ashore. He looked about for a
minute or two and then addressed the agent, an elderly man with a yellow
tuft of whiskers on his chin, no coat or waistcoat, a pair of trousers
whose tops were tucked in his boots, and a single suspender which made
the garments hang lopsided in a seemingly uncomfortable manner.
"I beg your pardon, friend, but isn't this the Isle of Springs?"
"Not much," replied the agent, with a grin that displayed two rows of
big yellow teeth. "This is Sawyer Island."
"My gracious! you don't say so!" exclaimed the new arrival in no little
astonishment. "How is that?"
"It's 'cause it happens to be so; can't you read?"
"What do you mean by such a question?"
"There are the words painted on the front of that shanty in big enough
letters to read as fur as you can see 'em."
The man glared at them.
"Was there ever such stupidity? If I signalled the steamer do you think
she would come back and take me up?"
"I rayther think not, but you might try it."
And he did try it. Snatching off his hat he swung it over his head and
shouted at the top of his voice.
"Hold on there! You've left me behind! Come back!"
Several deck hands on the boat must have seen the frantic passenger, who
ran to the edge of the wharf, and added his handbag to the circlings,
while he kept up his shoutings. Alvin and Chester, as much amused as the
agent, fancied they could see the grins on the faces of several of the
men on the steamer. One of them waggishly crooked a forefinger as an
invitation for him to come aboard, but none the less the boat steamed
straight on to the Isle of Springs.
"You might swim, stranger," suggested the agent.
Ignoring the sarcasm, the other asked:
"Can't I hire a boat to take me across?"
"No diffikilty if you've got money."
By this time the youths felt that they had had enough of the scene, and
turned to follow the road nearly to the other side of the island, where
it joined the one leading to Hodgdon Island and then extended across
that to the bridge connection with Barter. They had made so careful a
study of the map that they had no fear of going wrong. They might not
have been in such haste, had not the afternoon been drawing to a close
and night certain to be near when they should reach their destination.
The day was comparatively cool, for be it remembered that while we are
smothering with summer heat in States farther south, there is little of
it on the coast of Maine, except occasionally during the middle of the
day.
Something more than half a mile brought the youths to the first turn,
when they went due north to the skeleton-like bridge which joins the two
islands that have been named. They had walked so briskly that upon
reaching the farther end they paused for a brief breathing spell.
Naturally they looked about them--across the comparatively narrow strait
to Hodgdon Island, to the right toward the mainland, and westward in the
direction of the Sheepscot River. Leaning against the railing, they next
gazed back over the bridge which they had just trodden. At the end was a
man resting like themselves and in the same attitude.
"It's odd that he is the first person we have seen since we started,"
remarked Alvin. "Since we didn't meet him he must be going the same way
as ourselves."
"Neither of us is doing much going just now," said Chester. "Have you
thought, Alvin, that we haven't a pistol between us?"
"What of it?"
"We may need it before we are through with this business."
"I remember father telling me that when he was a young man he visited
Texas and at Austin had a long talk with Ben Thomson."
"Who was Ben Thomson?" asked the wondering Chester.
"One of the greatest desperadoes that that State ever produced. He
looked like a dandified young clerk or preacher, but it was said of him
that in all his career he never missed the man at whom he fired. The
governor found him a pleasant fellow to talk with and they became quite
chummy. When asked his advice about carrying a revolver, Ben told him
never to do it--at least while in Texas. 'If you do,' said Ben, 'it will
be the death of you as sure as you are now alive. You can't draw half as
quick as the bad men whom you are likely to run against, and the fact
that you are carrying a gun will bring the other's acquittal in any
court where the case may be tried. But if you are unarmed, no one will
molest you, for only the meanest coward will attack an unarmed man.'
Now, what I think is, that we are safer without a revolver than with
one. Neither of us is an expert and we should have no show with these
post office robbers if we got into a fight where guns were used."
Chester was not satisfied with this view of the situation.
"From what I have heard, such persons don't wait to find out whether
another is armed before firing upon him, and in spite of what you say, I
wish I had a loaded Smith and Wesson, or a Colt in my hip pocket."
"Well, you haven't nor have I. The governor has no patience with this
fashion among boys of carrying deadly weapons. The temptation to use
them when there is no need is too great."
Chester shook his head in dissent, and as they resumed their walk
discussed the near future, for it was prudent to do so. After they had
crossed the second bridge at the northern end of Hodgdon Island, he
said:
"It can't be much farther to that inlet where we may or may not find the
_Deerfoot_. It is time we made up our minds what to do. Suppose we come
upon your boat with the thieves in charge, shall we tell them they have
been very naughty and must go away and let us have the property without
making any fuss?"
Alvin laughed.
"Maybe that's as good a plan as any. I believe I can convince them that
the wisest thing for them to do is to turn the boat over to us and clear
out."
"If they are desperate enough to rob post offices and steal a motor
launch, they are not the ones to give it up for the asking. There!"
exclaimed Chester stopping short, "we forgot something."
"What is it?"
"We meant to have telegrams sent out to different points from Boothbay
Harbor, asking lots of persons to keep a lookout for the _Deerfoot_."
"What's the need of that when we have found her?"
"It isn't certain we have found her, but it can't be helped now."
They resumed their walk, and in due time trod the soil of Barter Island,
by crossing another long wooden bridge. They had met on the way a
rickety wagon, a carriage and one automobile, but no person on foot. A
mile or so farther they came upon a hamlet, where it seemed prudent to
ask a few questions. Night was so near that it was important that they
should make no mistake in their course. They learned that from this
cluster of houses a single highway led to the western coast of Barter
Island. Barely a half mile beyond the terminus of this road was the
inlet upon which they had centered their hopes. Mr. Richards had told
them that they would have to tramp this distance, but would probably
find a path which would make the task easy. Although minute knowledge
was necessary to enable one to speak definitely, yet Mr. Richards
reminded them that the fact of there being dwellings at varying
distances all along the coast proved that there must be means of
communication between them.
The boys knew they were within a half mile of the inlet when they paused
more to consult than to rest. The road was lined on both sides by a
vigorous growth of fir. To the rear it reached several hundred yards
nearly straight, but curved sharply a little way off in front. By
accident, Chester's face was turned toward the road behind them. The two
had not spoken a dozen words when Chester remarked without any
excitement:
"I wonder who it is that's coming this way; probably some countryman or
fisherman." Alvin looked back.
"I don't see anyone."
"He dodged to one side among the trees when he saw us."
"What made him do that?"
"I wish I knew."