When Mr. Lawrence entered the diningroom the following morning to greet
his young guests, he was surprised to observe Lieutenant Winters and two
men from the "Lucia" seated at his table. Hoki had prepared breakfast at
Chot's request, and the boys were all instructed to act as if nothing
unusual had occurred.
The boys greeted their host with a cordial "Good morning," as he entered
the room, looking spick and span in a light duck suit. Then Chot arose.
Lieutenant Winters and his men also got up.
"Mr. Lawrence," said Chot, "you left us in charge of Winnsocket Lodge,
so when these gentlemen arrived yesterday in a boat, and signified their
intention of awaiting your return, I invited them to partake of our
hospitality. Was I right?"
"Perfectly," replied the smuggler chief. "Winnsocket Lodge has always
been noted for its hospitality."
"This, then, is Lieutenant Winters of the United States revenue boat,
'Lucia'," Chot continued.
Both Mr. Lawrence and the lieutenant bowed.
"I have a few matters of importance to discuss with you, Mr. Lawrence,"
said the lieutenant.
"Pray, be seated," said the master of the lodge, in a courteous tone.
"After breakfast I shall be most happy to talk to you."
There was nothing in his tone to indicate that he felt any uneasiness
over the visit of the revenue men. On the contrary, he appeared to be in
particularly jovial spirits, for he fell to laughing and chatting gaily.
Lieutenant Winters and the boys, not to be outdone entered into the
spirit of the occasion, and the meal passed off pleasantly, Hoki serving
in his best style and earning many golden opinions from his master and
the others for his fine cooking.
The meal over, the entire party adjourned to the spacious living-room of
the lodge, where, after offering the officer and his men some of the
best of his cigars, Mr. Lawrence said:
"Lieutenant Winters, I should be blind, indeed, did I not divine your
purpose in visiting Winnsocket Lodge."
"I have no desire, sir, to keep my purpose a secret."
"Well, before we settle the matter that lies between us, let me ask you
if you have heard of Stanwood Gray?"
"Many times," returned the officer, rather surprised at the question. "I
doubt if there is a man in the United States revenue or secret service
who has not heard of him, though I dare say few have seen him."
"He is, then, a person of some note?"
"He is probably the most efficient man now in the service of the United
States government," returned Lieutenant Winters.
"H'm, yes--I see. You will pardon me for seeming inquisitive, and
particularly when you have come to question me, rather than allow me to
question you, but are you not comparatively new to the service on the
St. Lawrence?"
"Yes, sir; I have been here only a few months," replied the lieutenant.
"H'm, yes; transferred from the gulf service, I believe?"
"Why, yes, but I was not aware that such knowledge was in your
possession."
"I know a great many things, Lieutenant Winters, that I am not credited
with knowing. I know, for instance, that when you were transferred to
this part of the country, you were given a letter to be delivered in
person to Stanwood Gray, if you chanced to meet him."
"I--I--why, I beg your pardon, sir, but--"
The lieutenant paused in confusion.
What manner of man was this smuggler chief, who knew so many of the
government secrets? No wonder he had been able to so long elude the
officials.
Mr. Lawrence suddenly arose. The lieutenant got up just as quickly, and
his hand flew instinctively to his belt, where it reposed lightly on the
handle of his revolver.
Mr. Lawrence laughed.
"You will have no need for your weapon, lieutenant," he said, smiling.
"I am not at all the dangerous man I may seem to you; and it may
surprise you to learn that Lawrence is not my real name."
"That does not surprise me in the least, sir--in fact, I had already set
it down as an alias."
"But what if I were to tell you that I am Stanwood Gray?"
"I would say to you, 'Prove it'."
"That, perhaps, can be done easier than you imagine. You were given a
secret code by which you might determine at any time the true identity
of any man you suspected of being the secret service man. You might with
profit, try that code on me."
The lieutenant seemed dazed. Could it be possible that Lawrence, the
smuggler, was indeed none other than the famous Stanwood Gray? He would
try the code and see.
Drawing himself erect, the lieutenant saluted three times in rapid
succession. In response Mr. Lawrence saluted twice.
"Can you direct me to the gate?" inquired the lieutenant.
"The gate is four leagues from the south buoy," returned Mr. Lawrence,
in language which, to the astonished boys, was unintelligible, but the
meaning of which Lieutenant Winters seemed to fully appreciate.
"When was the wreck?" he asked.
"On May the 10th."
"Will you show me the buoy?"
"I will."
Without further ceremony Mr. Lawrence unbuttoned his vest, and took from
an inside pocket what appeared to be a small vial. In this vial was a
piece of paper, several inches in extent, but which had been rolled
tightly to allow its passage through the neck of the little glass tube.
This paper Mr. Lawrence handed to Lieutenant Winters, who seized it and
eagerly scanned its contents. It proved to be a certificate of
identification, carried by secret service men, and shown only upon the
most imperative occasions. The certificate was made out in the name of
Mr. Stanwood Gray!
"I believe you now, Mr. Gray, but I wish to say that I have never been
more completely surprised in my life," said Lieutenant Winters.
"Then you will readily appreciate the fact that I have to be in a
position at all times to become a surprise, both to my friends and to
those who are not my friends."
"I do appreciate that."
"And now," said Stanwood Gray, as he noticed the surprised looks on the
faces of the Comrades and their chums, "a few words of explanation from
me will not come amiss."
"You will pardon me a moment, I know, Mr. Gray," said the lieutenant,
"but are you aware that the smugglers have been captured?"
"No; I was not aware of it. When did it occur?"
"Within the last two days, and it was encompassed by your guests, the
boys, without further aid."
"Then if I have surprised you by revealing my true identity, you have,
in turn, surprised me by this piece of good news. Boys, I congratulate
you, and I trust that you are not still wishing that I were a smuggler."
"No; it was one of the biggest disappointments we had ever known when
suspicion was connected with you," said Chot.
"Well, perhaps you'd better let me tell my story."
They eagerly agreed, and he told how he had taken the lodge some two
years before with the intention of breaking up a notorious band of
smugglers. There had been at least a dozen in the band at that time,
making their rendezvous on the north island.
Stanwood Gray had won their confidence and good will after much effort,
by constructing the secret passage and explaining to them the advantages
of getting goods across the line by such a method. He was finally looked
upon as their leader. Gradually, then, the band had dwindled, as he had
captured the smugglers one by one when away on his mysterious trips,
carrying to the remainder of the band various stories concerning the
death or disappearance of their comrades.
"You will wonder, no doubt, why I have allowed the band to remain in
existence so long. It is because there are a number of prominent men
behind the smuggling on whom I have never succeeded in collecting
evidence. I am happy to say, however that now my proofs have about been
completed, and within the next two weeks I expect to make some
accusations that will cause a sensation in the newspapers."
The boys were allowed to question Mr. Gray at will. Hoki, they learned
had never suspected his true identity. When told that they were
arranging to send the Jap to Winton, Mr. Gray expressed his pleasure and
said that he would have been forced soon to dispense with his services.
"What I fail to understand, Mr. Gray," said Lieutenant Winters, "is how
you managed to get away with the spoils and return the smugglers enough
money to keep them satisfied."
"Money to satisfy the smugglers was often taken from a reserve fund
which is kept for such purposes, while the smuggled goods were delivered
to parties in the states, minus the duty. In order that this arrangement
should not become known to the smugglers, I was forced each time to
dispose of the goods to different parties."
"And the motor-boat which you are using--that is in your private
service, I suppose?"
"Yes. And that reminds me that I should send for the boat, as I shall be
forced to leave the island at once."
"I will save you the trouble of sending for it," said Lieutenant
Winters, with a smile. "When you landed I flashed a signal to the
captain of the 'Lucia' and he overhauled your craft. She is now lying
alongside the government launch in the cove on the east end of the
island."
"Your plan was very well carried out, and does you great credit. The
proper authorities shall know of your good service," said Stanwood Gray.
"Thank you, sir," responded the lieutenant, greatly pleased.
"And as for the boys who have been my guests," said Mr. Gray, "they,
also, shall be remembered in a very substantial manner."
"We have often wondered why you ever took us in at all," said Chot.
"Because affairs were approaching a crisis in my case against the
smugglers, and I felt that upon my return from this trip I might need
your service--and then, as I explained before, I am very fond of boys."
Mr. Gray decided not to see or speak to the captured smugglers.
"Let them still think of me as Mr. Lawrence, and that I have been
captured and taken away," he said, and Lieutenant Winters agreed.
Stanwood Gray left the lodge again that night, leaving the boys in full
charge. Following, shortly, went Lieutenant Winters in the "Lucia," with
the smuggler captives.
"I don't know when I shall return," said Mr. Gray, just before his
departure, "but until I do the lodge is in your care. If you run short
of provisions, Hoki knows where to get more, and you can have them
charged to me. Should you be forced to leave before I get back, lock the
lodge, leave the key at this address, and send me a wire at this one. It
will be forwarded to me wherever I may be. Now, enjoy yourselves, and be
comforted by the thought that you will be disturbed no more by midnight
prowlers--at least, none of the smuggler variety."