"It must be Bert!" cried Fleet.
"I don't know," said Chot. "I wish we had a light. I expect we'd better
make for the canoes."
"Help, help!" came the cry again, this time fainter than before.
"Wait," said Hoki.
He dashed into the lodge and turned a button that flooded the gallery
with light. Then the boys saw him spring to a small contrivance on one
end of the verandah, and which until now had passed unnoticed by them.
The next instant they knew it was a small searchlight, for a streak of
white light shot suddenly out on to the river, moved here and there
under Hoki's skillful manipulation, then settled down upon a spot where
the figure of a man or boy could be seen clinging to the bottom of an
upturned skiff.
"Now, go," said Hoki. "I wait by light."
"And I'll stay with you," said Fleet, and Chot nodded a vigorous assent.
Chot, Tom and Pod ran quickly down to the bank where they had left their
canoes, and pushing them into the water, paddled rapidly in the
direction of the light.
"That doesn't look like Bert," said Tom.
"Help, fellows--I'm all in," said the voice again, and there was
something strangely familiar about it.
"That doesn't look like Bert," said Tom, again, "and it isn't Bert."
"No; it's--it's Truem Wright!" cried Chot, as the canoes drew closer.
"It's Truem all right," growled that person.
"Well, what do you think of that?" cried Pod.
"I don't think much of it," said Truem. "I'm glad I've found you
fellows. Been searching for you the whole afternoon. But help me out of
this--this water's pretty cool for an evening bath."
Chot and Tom, one on either side, steadied Pod's canoe until Truem could
crawl in. Then Chot secured the painter of the upturned skiff and the
canoes started for the landing again, Chot towing Truem's upturned boat.
The boys were curious to know what had happened to Truem, but decided
not to question him until he had been supplied with dry clothes.
Hoki turned off the searchlight as the boys climbed the steps leading to
the verandah, and came forward to see if he could be of assistance.
Truem shook hands with Fleet, as Chot turned to the Jap.
"You might find a suit of old clothes, some underwear and anything
that's handy, Hoki," said Chot.
"I find plenty," was the Jap's reply. "You wait."
They heard him rummaging in Mr. Lawrence's room and finally he emerged
with all the necessary articles. Chot and Tom then took Truem into their
room where, when he had stripped, they rubbed him with a rough towel
until his skin fairly shone.
A little later, when the boys were again on the verandah, Truem told his
story.
"I arrived at Clayton on the New York side, yesterday morning," he said.
"Of course, I had no idea where you fellows were, so one place was as
good as another to make a start from--in fact, I've had better luck
finding you than I thought I should. I took a little passenger launch
from Clayton over to Wellesley Island. The launch only went as far as
Westminster Park, however, so I bargained with a boatman for a skiff. He
wouldn't rent to a stranger, so I bought it outright.
"That was yesterday afternoon. I spent the night on a little island
where a party was camping. They generously shared what they had with me
and gave me a place to sleep. I told them I was hunting you fellows, and
that you would probably be in one of the most secluded parts of the
river, so they directed me this way. I rowed in and out around the
islands all day until about an hour ago, when I caught sight of the roof
of this lodge. Well, I was two miles away, and it was growing dusk. I
wondered if I'd be able to keep a course for the place. Then your lights
came on and I steered my course by that.
"As I passed that island to the north of you, I heard men talking in low
tones, and thought once I'd stop and ask who lived over here. But I
decided to keep on, for the men, whoever they were, had no lights out,
and I didn't like to stop without knowing something about whom I was
going to meet. So I started around the east end of this island, judging
from the lights where the front of the building was, and as I lay off
the island out there wondering where I'd better land, I heard some sort
of a boat coming toward me in the dark. It was a big rowboat. She had no
lights out; neither had I. Well, she hit me, bowling me over in a hurry.
There were three men in her, I believe. I heard a low laugh as she swept
by and was lost in the darkness. Then, I shouted for help."
"In what direction was the other boat going, Truem?" asked Chot.
"I should say that she was heading around the east point there toward
the north island. The oars were muffled, and she came upon me before I
knew it."
"That sounds rather suspicious," said Tom. "Muffled oars and no lights.
That's in strict disobedience to the navigation laws, I am sure. Looks
like there's something shady going on around here."
"Sh!" cried Chot. He looked quickly around to see if the Jap was in
earshot. But Hoki was in the kitchen preparing some lunch for Truem, and
could not hear.
Then, in low tones, the boys told Truem of their adventures since
arriving at Winnsocket Lodge, ending with the disappearance of Bert.
"That's the strangest part of all--how Bert could disappear so
mysteriously," said Truem. "Are you sure there's not some sort of a
secret door in the cellar?"
"We've been over every corner of it," said Chot.
"Well, we'd better go over it again by daylight."
"We will. What bothers me is why Bert ran into the lodge so quickly.
Something must have startled him into action, for he motioned to us to
come and disappeared inside like a flash."
"Well, it's too deep for me," said Fleet. "I'm afraid something has
happened to him."
"And I'm afraid to go to bed to-night," said Pod.
"That suggests to me that it will be a good plan to sit up, two at a
time, and watch," said Chot.
"Including Hoki?" inquired Tom.
"Yes; I'll take the Jap as my partner. We'll stand the first watch till
twelve; then Tom and Pod can take it up till three, and Truem and Fleet
can watch from three till daylight."
"That's a good plan," said Tom. "If there's anything going on around
here--and we are positive that there is--we'd best find out about it as
soon as we can. We don't want to spoil our vacation. Who knows, to-night
some of us may get a clue to Bert's disappearance."
While Truem was eating his lunch, Chot explained matters to Hoki, and
asked the Jap to stand the first watch with him.
"Oh, sirs," he said, trembling as he surveyed them, "it is better that
all go to bed and peacefully slumber. May be if you sit up you will
great dissatisfaction have, perhaps danger, before morning."
"Look here, Hoki," said Chot, sternly. "What do you know about this
lodge?"
"Oh, nothing, sirs; I request that you belief have."
"Well, there are some mighty strange things going on in this vicinity.
One of our number has mysteriously disappeared--before our eyes, you
might say. Don't you think you could make a pretty good guess as to what
has become of him?"
"Don't me ask, sirs," replied Hoki. "See, I prostrate my bended knees on
the carpet you before that you believe me when I say I nothing know."
The Jap spoke earnestly, as he fell into a kneeling posture in front of
Chot.
"Get up, Hoki," commanded Chot. "There is no need to kneel. We'll take
your word for it."
But it was easily apparent that Hoki knew more than he would tell. He
was afraid, no doubt, of Mr. Lawrence. Beg and plead with him as they
might during the rest of the evening, he maintained the strictest
secrecy. Anything he knew of the lodge--anything of the mysterious
happenings of the previous day and night--would remain locked within his
breast. Hoki was at least faithful to his master, and the boys admired
him for it.
"Well, we won't ask you anything more, Hoki," said Chot, finally.
"I thanks make, sir."
"But you must stand watch with me till midnight."
"Oh, no, sir; I protest that--"
"Protesting will do no good. If we agree not to question you, you must,
in turn, agree to aid us all you can without betraying your master."
The Jap said nothing more, but wandered around with a scared look on his
face. From the top to the bottom of the house, he went, now pacing
restlessly up and down the big hall, now climbing the stairs to the
upper floor, then down again and on to the verandah.
"I'm afraid Hoki will bear watching," said Chot, who had been observing
his movements.
"I don't believe he'd attempt any violence," said Tom.
"No; on the contrary, I believe he likes us and would be glad to help
us. But something frightens him and makes him hold his tongue. Mr.
Lawrence, for instance, may have sworn him to secrecy on some sacred
Japanese oath, which Hoki would rather die than break. I have heard of
such things."
"If he'd only tell us what he knows of Bert's disappearance, I wouldn't
ask him a thing about his master," said Fleet.
"No; I'd be willing to take Bert and quit the lodge," said Pod.
"Not I," said Chot "This mystery has aroused my curiosity, and I mean to
see the bottom of it before I stir off the island. No matter how strange
things may seem, there is a plausible explanation for everything and
we've got to find it."
"Chot is right," said Truem; "there's nothing supernatural about this.
Someone is working a mighty clever scheme--that's all. I, like Chot,
want to get at the bottom of it."
"And I," said Tom.
"Oh, you fellows needn't think Pod and I are going to leave you in the
lurch," said Fleet. "We're in the thing till the finish, even if it's
our finish too."
"We know that," said Chot. "You fellows who are to stand the later
watches had better get some sleep. It's nine-thirty. I'll corral Hoki
and try and cure him of his nervousness. Then I'll put out the lights
and see if I can discover any deep, dark mysteries!"
Pod shuddered slightly at Chot's words, but Chot laughed.
"Of course you fellows will sleep in the downstairs room, so as to be
handy if I want you," he said. "If you hear the sound of a scuffle or a
revolver shot, you'll know there's something doing."
So the other boys went off to bed, Tom and Pod taking the room occupied
the previous night by Chot and Tom, and Truem and Fleet using the one
occupied by Bert.
"Here, Hoki," said Chot. "Come out and sit down."
The Jap came silently on to the verandah. He did not seem inclined to
talk, and Chot decided not to force the conversation. He preferred to be
silent, anyway, that his ear might catch any unusual sound either in or
out of the lodge.
The evening passed without incident until nearly twelve, and Chot arose
with a yawn to awaken Tom and Pod, when, as he stepped into the hall, he
heard a faint cry coming apparently from the basement. He listened
intently. The voice was that of Bert Creighton, and it sounded miles
away.
"Chot! Tom! Help!" it said. "I'm caught--I'm caught! Help! Help!"
Chot lost no time in acting; springing quickly to the room occupied by
Tom and Pod, he threw open the door and cried out for them to get up.
Then, turning on the lights in the hall, he hurried toward the door
leading into the basement, while Hoki, in apparent terror, crouched on
the stairway leading above.