A PRISONER OF WAR.
With the disappearance of the launches our lads realised that it was
time to make new plans for immediate action. So, as they walked slowly
back towards the village, they earnestly discussed the situation.
"It is too bad that I have drawn you into such a scrape," said White,
"and the very first thing for me to do is to make an effort to get you
out of it. So, if you like, I will drive you over to the station this
afternoon, where you can take the morning train for St. Johns."
"No," replied Cabot, "that wouldn't do at all. In the first place, you
didn't draw me into the scrape. I went into it with my eyes open, and
am quite ready to stand by what I have done. In fact I rather enjoy it
than otherwise. At the same time I do not propose to be arrested if I
can help it, and for that reason do not care to visit St. Johns at
present. Even at the railway station we should be very likely to meet
and be recognised by some of our recent unpleasant naval acquaintances.
Besides, I am going to see this thing through, and shall stand by you
just as long as I can be of any service, for I hope you don't think so
meanly of me as to imagine that I would desert in the time of his
trouble the fellow who saved my life."
"I never for one moment thought meanly of you," declared White, "and I
know that in rescuing you from that raft I also gained for myself one
of the best friends I ever had. For that very reason, though, I don't
want to abuse your friendship."
"All right," laughed Cabot. "Whenever I feel abused I'll let you know.
And now, it being settled that we are to fight this thing out together,
what do you propose to do with the pack we have worked so hard to make?"
"I don't know," replied White, despondently; "but, as it is legally
your property, I think you ought to decide what is to be done with it."
"Nonsense!" retorted Cabot. "It no more really belongs to me than it
does to that black-faced Frenchman. At the same time I'd fight rather
than let him have it."
"I'd toss every case into the sea first," cried White, "and everything
the factory contains besides."
"'Same here,' as the Englishman said; but I guess we can do better than
that. Why not accept Captain Bland's offer, and trade it to him for
groceries?"
"I thought you were opposed to receiving smuggled goods?"
"So I am on general principles," admitted Cabot, "but circumstances
alter cases. I consider the highway robbery that two of the most
powerful nations of the world are attempting right here a circumstance
strong enough to alter any case. So I would advise you to accept the
only offer now remaining open. You will at least get enough groceries
to keep your family supplied for a year."
"I should say so, and for two years more, provided the goods didn't
spoil."
"Then you might sell what you couldn't use."
"Where?" asked White. "Not in Newfoundland, for they would be seized
as contraband in any part of the island. Besides, you seem to forget
that as both of us are liable to arrest, we are hardly in a position to
go into the grocery business just at present."
"That's so. Well, then, why not carry them somewhere else in the 'Sea
Bee'? To Canada, or--I have it! You said something once about making
a trading trip to Labrador, and now is the very opportunity. Why
shouldn't we take the goods to Labrador? I don't believe we'd be
arrested in that country, even for smuggling, and they must need a lot
of provisions up there. It's the very thing, and the sooner we can
arrange to be off the better."
"But you don't want to go to Labrador," protested White.
"Don't I? There's where you make a big mistake; for I do want to go to
Labrador more than to any other place I know of. Also I would rather
go there with you in the 'Sea Bee' than in any other company, or by any
other conveyance. So there you are, and if you don't invite me to
start for Labrador before that brass-bound navy chap has a chance to
arrest me, I shall consider myself a victim of misplaced confidence."
"I do believe you have hit upon the very best way out of our troubles,"
said White, thoughtfully. "If I could arrange to leave mother, and if
the Yankee captain would make a part payment in cash, so that she and
Cola could get along until my return, I believe I would go."
"You can leave your mother and sister now as well as when you went to
St. Johns, and better, for I am sure David Gidge would look out for
them during the month or so that we'll be away."
"But David would have to go along to help work the schooner."
"I don't see why. You and I could manage without him, and so save his
wages, or his share of the voyage, which would amount to the same
thing. If one man can sail a 30-foot boat around the world alone, as
Captain Slocum did, two of us certainly ought to be able to take a
50-foot schooner up to Labrador and back. Any way I'm game to try it,
if you are, and I'd a heap rather risk it than stay here to be
arrested. There is Captain Bland now. Let's go and talk with him."
The Yankee skipper stood near the shattered door of the factory in
company with a number of villagers, all of whom seemed greatly
interested in something going on inside. As our lads drew near these
made way for them, and Captain Bland said:
"'Pears like the new owner is making himself perfectly at home."
Inside the factory the Frenchman Delom, who had remained behind to make
good his claim to the confiscated property of his rival, was too busily
at work to pay any attention to the disparaging remarks and muttered
threats of those whom he had forbidden to enter. He had collected all
the tools and lighter machinery into a pile ready for removal, and was
now marking with his own stencil such of the filled cases as remained
on the lower floor.
So dreaded was the power of France on that English coast that up to
that moment no one had dared interfere with him, but Cabot Grant was
not troubled by a fear of France or any other nation, and, as he
realised what was going on, he sprang into the building. The next
instant our young football player had that Frenchman by the collar and
was rushing him towards the doorway. From it he projected him so
violently that the man measured his length on the ground a full rod
beyond it.
Livid with rage at this assault, the Frenchman scrambled to his feet,
whipped out an ugly-looking knife, and started towards Cabot with
murderous intent.
[Illustration: Livid with rage, the Frenchman whipped out an
ugly-looking knife.]
"No you don't," shouted Captain Bland, and in another moment Monsieur
Delom's arms were pinioned behind him, while he struggled helplessly in
the iron grasp of the Yankee skipper.
"I think we'd better tie him," remarked the latter quietly. "'Tain't
safe to let a varmint like this loose on any community."
White produced a rope and was stepping forward with it, but Cabot took
it from him, saying: "For the sake of your family you mustn't have
anything to do with this affair." So he and Captain Bland bound the
Frenchman hand and foot, took away his knife, and carried him for
present safe keeping to a small, dark building that was used for the
storage of fish oil. Here they locked him in, and left him to meditate
at leisure on the fate of those who have done to them, what they would
do to others if they could.
"Well," said Captain Bland, at the conclusion of this incident, "you
young fellers always seem to have something interesting on hand; what
are you going to do next? Are you going to skin out, or wait for the
return of the French and English fleets? I'd like to know, 'cause I
want to be getting a move on; but if there's going to be any more fun I
expect I'll have to wait and take it in."
"I expect our next move depends very largely on you, captain," replied
White. "Are you still willing to trade your cargo for our pack?"
"I might be, and then again I mightn't," answered the Yankee, as he
meditatively chewed a blade of grass. "You see, the risk of the thing
has been so increased during the past two days that I couldn't make
nigh so good an offer now as I could at first. Also, here's so many
claiming the pack of this factory that I'm in considerable doubt as to
who is the rightful owner. First there's the Baldwin interest and the
American interest, represented by you two chaps. Then there's the St.
Johns interest, represented by that travelling man; the British
interest, which is a mighty powerful one, seeing that it is supported
by the English navy; the French government interest, which is likewise
backed up by a fleet of warships, and the French factory interest,
represented by our friend in limbo, who, though he isn't saying much
just now, seems to have a pretty strong political pull. So, on the
whole, the ownership appears to be muddled, and the pack itself subject
to a good many conflicting claims. I expect also that the factory
workmen and the lobster catchers have some sort of a lien on it for
services rendered."
"Look here, Captain Bland," said Cabot, "we understand perfectly that
all you have just said is trade talk, made to depreciate the value of
our goods, and you know as well as I do that they have but one rightful
owner."
"Who is that?" asked the skipper with an air of interest.
"Mrs. William Baldwin."
"But I thought she deeded the property to you."
"So she did; but as I am not yet of age that deed is worth no more than
the paper on which it is written."
"You don't mean it. What a whopping big bluff it was then!" cried
Captain Bland, admiringly. "Beats any I ever heard of, and I'm proud
to know 'twas a Yankee that worked it. What you say does alter the
situation considerable, and I'd like to have Miss Baldwin's own views
on the subject of a trade."
In accordance with this wish an adjournment was made to the house,
where Mrs. Baldwin assured the Yankee skipper of her willingness to
abide by any agreement made with him by her son and Mr. Grant.
"Which so simplifies matters, ma'am," replied the captain, "that I
think we may consider a trade as already effected, and make bold to say
that this season's pack of the Pretty Harbour lobster factory will be
sold somewhere's else besides Newfoundland."