CONCLUSION.
LEO had taken the dogs with him on the boat, but on landing, he found
that they were practically useless, for they did nothing but scamper
madly after the rabbits with which the island swarmed, and would not
put nose to the ground for the bear's scent.
So the men divided and went hunting in couples, searching for any
footprints or signs of the lost Jacob.
At last one of them called out, "Whether the bear's here or no, here's
the punt, at least."
And, sure enough, there it was, drawn up close into a little cove, and
made fast to a bush.
"And now for the thief!" said Leo. "If we don't find old Jacob, at
least we shan't go back empty-handed."
For a long time Leo and Davey and their attendants searched the island
without result. So far, they had not seen even a footprint to show that
Bruin was here; but then most of the ground was rock, on which the
passing foot would make no impression.
At last, however, Leo and Davey came upon a lower and less rocky part
of the island, where there was quite a growth of trees. And here, under
a fine elm, lying fast asleep on the soft moss, they found one of the
fugitives—the two-legged one.
"This should be the thief, Davey boy," said Leo. "Pity we can't see his
face, but he's covered it up with his arm, till one can't make out so
much as the tip of his nose. Just keep an eye on him, will you? While I
go and fasten that punt on to our boat, or he may manage to give us the
slip and make off with it."
So Davey stood by the sleeper, and as he gazed down on him, and noticed
the misshapen shoulders, the short neck, and curved limbs, the long
gaunt arms and crooked fingers, he recognised the figure of Tom Hughes.
By his side was a package tied up in waterproof cloth, and Davey,
remembering that the smugglers occasionally used the rocky recesses of
St. Margaret's as a hiding-place for such goods as they were prevented
from carrying to Hoyle's Mouth, understood that Tom, with his usual
keen eye to business, had come over here for the double purpose of
escaping from the hands of the police and of obtaining some of the
smuggled property wherewith to repair his fallen fortunes. Yes, it was
plain enough to Davey, who had such good reason to know Tom thoroughly,
that the lad was at his old tricks again, of helping himself to any
articles he coveted.
"Come along, Davey," said Leo, returning after only a short absence.
"The punt's safe, and now we're after Jacob again. The men have found
the print of his feet on the little strip of sandy beach the other side
of this point, and he's hiding somewhere near, I'm pretty sure. Have
you got his collar and muzzle?"
"Yes," replied the boy. "But what about Tom?"
"Tom? What Tom?"
"Why, this chap asleep here is Tom Hughes, the fellow that ran away
when I did, and got me into no end of trouble, and—why, Harry, it was
Tom that Ahab got hold of in the cave last night."
"What? This same lad? And now he's stolen the punt?"
"Yes, it's the same," replied Davey.
"Oh, let him sleep. He's safe enough now we've got his boat; he can't
get away. Come, Waif."
But Leo and Davey had not been gone a quarter of an hour, when a heavy,
shuffling step came cracking and crunching the dry underwood, and an
enormous brown bear approached the sleeper, and thrusting his huge
muzzle under the lad's arm, began to sniff inquisitively at the face
beneath.
Thus rudely aroused, Tom awoke and started up, and Jacob politely drew
back a pace. But the lad did not wait to see what Bruin was going to
do. Panic-stricken and bewildered as he was, he had just presence of
mind enough to snatch up his bundle and throw it in the animal's face,
thereby diverting Jacob's attention from himself for a minute.
During this minute of grace, he made a dash to a neighbouring tree, and
began to climb it as nimbly as a cat, his long arms giving him a secure
hold. And by the time the bear had torn the bundle to pieces with claws
and teeth, finding nothing for his trouble but lace and cigars, at
which he only sullied in disgust, Tom was perched in a convenient fork,
and feeling quite safe.
Probably he would not have felt so safe and happy had the study of
Natural History formed any part of such small learning as he had
acquired.
However, this lesson was to be taught him by experience, and we
may judge of his horror when Jacob, having in his disgust and
disappointment made shreds of the bundle, trotted leisurely up to the
tree, walked round it several times, sniffing in a very unpleasant
manner, and then commenced to climb slowly up its stout stem.
Tom would have screamed for help had he imagined that anyone was within
hearing on the island. As it was, feeling himself alone with the
formidable brute, he did what he could in his own defence, though his
utmost was very little. He snatched off his cap, and throwing it down
at the bear, he shouted as loudly as he could, hoping to frighten him.
But Jacob, well accustomed to noise in the circus, took not the
slightest notice. He just glanced at the cap as it fell, and then went
clambering on with clumsy ease, though whether he was following Tom as
friend or foe only his master could have told.
Happily that master was not far-off, and Tom's yells were heard. Just
when Bruin was within a few feet of the lad's perch, and Tom had
given himself up for lost, Leo, Davey, and some others of the party
came running up, and soon put an end to this novel and interesting
bear hunt. A touch or two with a long whip enforced Master Jacob's
obedience, and coming down much more quickly than he had scrambled up,
he was easily muzzled and chained and led away to the boat by Leo,
while the men, acting under his orders, got Tom down from his perch,
tied his feet and hands, carried him to the shore, and laid him in the
stolen punt, which they towed behind them while they started again for
the mainland, the bear swimming alongside while his master held the
chain.
Arrived on shore, Tom, in spite of his entreaties, was handed over to
the indignant owner of the punt, to be dealt with according to his
deserts, while the tamer and his company conducted their big truant in
a very dripping and crestfallen condition back to Tenby.
It was just before the circus troupe left Tenby for Bristol again, that
two items of news reached Davey.
One was that Captain Smythe, of the "Dart," had been severely injured
by an accident, and was laid up in a hospital at a French port, whither
his wife had gone to tend him. Also that poor, mad Mrs. Grey had died
quite suddenly, and that Johnnie had gone abroad to find employment, as
the gang of smugglers was broken up, and Captain Smythe was selling the
schooner and dismissing her crew.
What became of Spankle, Davey did not hear till later, but he was
glad to know then that the traitor had done no good for himself by
his attempt to betray his mates; for as he had in no way helped on
the ends of justice, and had, moreover, on his own confession, been a
confederate of free traders, he was made to serve his time in prison
with hard labour, and was told, by way of comfort, that he ought to be
thankful to get off so easily.
And now what remains to be told? Surely there is no need to describe in
detail the return to Bristol, the joyful welcome accorded to the two
prodigals by Uncle Zach and Aunt Patty, or the loving way in which all
the past was forgiven and forgotten.
Harry Coleman was too restless a creature to remain long anywhere, and
he and his animals soon moved away with the circus troupe. But Davey
was only too glad to rest in quiet after all his wanderings, and his
series of uncomfortable adventures had amply sufficed to cure his old
faults of waywardness and wilful disobedience. When he finished his
schooling, he obtained a capital situation, and eventually became the
support of the uncle and aunt to whom he owed so much.
Not only was David Coleman well-to-do, so far as worldly goods are
concerned, but he was also a thoroughly right-minded and God-fearing
man, whose influence was all for good, and for good only. And when
he had children of his own, he would often on winter evenings gather
them about him, and tell them the story of the adventures of his
youth, his running away, his scrapes, the smugglers, his meeting with
his brother—in fact, all that has been told in these pages about the
Mystery of Hoyle's Mouth.
THE END.