THE WIRELESS MESSAGE
FOR the rest of that day the ship had a measure of quiet, just for a
change. The storm kept on with its former severity and there was more or
less discomfort. Meals had to be eaten standing up, and life lines had
been run along the deck to support the one who ventured along the decks
forward or aft. Marie was not allowed to leave her father's cabin again
while the storm lasted. Considerable time had been lost, owing to the
trouble caused by the bear, so the ship was put to full speed.
Of late the boys had taken the keenest sort of interest in the wireless
outfit with which the ship was equipped. They spent much of their
leisure time with the wireless operator. Steve had learned part of the
Morse alphabet and occasionally he tried to operate the key.
Two days later, as they were sitting in the wireless room, where the
operator, with feet on his desk, was telling them a story of a wreck
that he had been in on the Atlantic when he was operator on a liner, a
flash from the switchboard told them that they had picked up a wireless
from another ship or station.
The operator quickly adjusted the receiver over his head, listened a
moment then threw his key open. A few quick sentences were crashed
forth, the aërials above the deck of the ship snapping out the message
in sundry vicious cracklings.
Steve tried to catch the drift of what was being said, but it was too
fast for him. He could not hear what the operator was receiving, but
after a while the operator picked up his pencil and began writing
industriously.
Glancing over the man's shoulder Steve's eyes caught a few words that
caused him to lean forward with renewed interest. Then he sat back,
possessing himself in patience until the message should have been
finished.
"That's strange," said the operator, laying down his head piece.
"What is it?" questioned Bob.
"Nothing much. It is just a message I picked up about some fellow that
the police want."
"Well, it isn't I, that's sure," said Jarvis with a confident laugh.
"It is--but here, read it for yourself."
Steve read the message out loud.
"'Wanted: One, Gus Collins, for complicity in a post-office robbery at
Elgin on the night of June third. Collins has been a sailor and is said
to be on one of the ships on the lakes. About five feet ten in height,
gray eyes, blonde hair. Has a peculiar stoop to his shoulders, and a
habit of peering up suspiciously, but not meeting the eyes of the person
he is talking to. Five hundred dollars reward offered for his capture by
the post-office department.'"
"I'd like to make that five hundred," laughed Jarvis.
Steve did not reply at once. His face was serious. He was thinking.
"Well, there is one thing certain, Mr. Gus Collins isn't on this ship,"
announced the operator, hanging up his headstall. "Funny message to send
out. Skippers of these boats have something else to do besides hunting
down criminals for the post-office department."
Rush nodded thoughtfully.
Somehow, the description of the man seemed to strike a familiar chord in
him. He could not help feeling that he had seen some one who in a
measure answered that description.
"Ever seen him, Bob?" questioned the lad.
Jarvis shook his head.
"Wouldn't have recognized him if I had seen him. Say!"
"Well?"
"Maybe the bear is Collins in disguise."
There was a laugh at this. Rush read the message over again.
"Shall I take it up to the captain?"
"Yes, if you will."
Steve did so. Captain Simms read the alarm message through twice.
"Pshaw!" he grunted. "Let the government find its own criminals. It
doesn't hire me to be a policeman. How's the bear?"
"I haven't heard him complain any since we put him back," answered Steve
with a grin. "How did he get out, do you think?"
"The cage tipped over in a roll of the ship. No more wild animal shows
on this ship. Are you going to try to earn that five hundred dollars?"
demanded the skipper, changing the subject abruptly.
"I had not thought of doing so. You do not think he is on your ship, do
you?"
"If he was you'd catch him, even if you had to bait him with raw beef.
Say, are you going to stay with me?"
"Why, I am not thinking of leaving, Captain Simms."
"I don't mean now. Of course, you wouldn't leave me in the middle of the
season. You're too square for that. I mean at the end of the season?"
"Of course, we shall have to work during the winter. We can't afford to
lie around in idleness."
"Yes, of course. But what about next season?"
"That is a long way off," smiled Rush.
"Will you come back with me next year?"
"I could not promise. Frankly, Captain, I wish I might stay with you. I
like the life and I should be happy to spend the rest of my days on the
water, were it not for one fact."
"What is that?"
"There isn't much of a future to the lake business."
Captain Simms nodded.
"Nothing beyond being a captain. That's the stone wall we butt against
sooner or later, if we are lucky enough to get that far. I don't blame
you, but I am sorry. I was in hopes you would stay with us another
season."
"This season is young yet. Perhaps you may be glad to get rid of me
before the end of it," laughed Rush.
"No danger of that. But I am going to make it worth your while to stay,
you see if I don't. Tell the operator to send back word, to the man that
sent out this message, that we haven't got any safe crackers on board
the 'Richmond.'"
"Very well, sir."
Steve picked up the message and left the cabin. He walked thoughtfully
aft to his own state room, where he found Jarvis getting ready to go on
duty. Rush sat down to study the description of the much-wanted
criminal.
"I can't get it out of my mind that I know that man." he muttered. "I
know I have seen him somewhere. But where? Pshaw! Why should I trouble
myself about the matter? I'm no policeman, and I don't want to earn any
money at the price of another man's liberty."
"What's the matter--gone crazy?" demanded Jarvis, eyeing his companion
suspiciously. "They say it's a sure sign, when a fellow gets the habit
of talking to himself."
Rush laughed heartily.
"Then both of us must be in the same boat, for I heard you mumbling to
yourself this very day."
"When?"
"At the time the bear was chasing you."
"Huh!"
"Bob, listen."
Steve read out the message, slowly, giving emphasis to that part
describing the man wanted by the government.
"Think hard, now. Isn't there some one whom you have seen that answers
that description, the stooping shoulders, the peculiar way of glancing
up from under the half-closed eyelids----"
"Nobody but Smith."
"Smith!" Rush gazed at the other boy blankly.
"That's so; he does rather answer the description."
"Of course he isn't the man."
"Perhaps not."
All the rest of the day Steve thought over the contents of that message
and the suggestion made by Jarvis. He did not see the stoker, however,
until the following morning, just as Steve was coming off duty.
"Morning, Smith," greeted the lad, bending a scrutinizing gaze on the
surly fireman.
"Morning," mumbled the other.
"By the way, old chap; were you ever in Elgin?"
Smith gave the lad a quick, sharp look.
"What are you getting at?"
"Do you know a man named Collins--Gus Collins?" persisted the Iron Boy.
"Co--Co--Collins?"
"Yes, a fellow who was interested in cracking a post-office safe out in
Elgin----"
"It's a lie!" exploded the stoker, straightening up suddenly, his face
flushing and his features working convulsively.
"Ah! Then you do know something about this man, Collins, eh?"
"Ye--no, I don't know anything about him. I've heard of him, that's
all. Now you let me alone, or----"
"Smith, you saved my life. I'm not such a cur as to forget that. I think
you have something to say to----"
"I ain't got anything to say to you."
"Oh, yes, you have. Come with me to my cabin, where we can talk without
interruption. It may be worth your while."
"I won't go!"
Smith raised a hand as if he would strike the boy whose finger-tips were
resting on the stoker's shoulder.
"You come with me!" commanded Steve, placing a firmer grip on the
shoulder of the stoker. In that way, and without further resistance,
Steve led him to his own stateroom.
"Sit down! Now tell me all about it."
The fireman's face was sullen and rebellious.
"There--there ain't nothing to tell," answered the man in a low,
half-angry voice.
"You are Gus Collins! I know you, now. I was sure I had seen the man
whose description was sent out by the police and the government
officials."
The stoker's face went ghastly.
"Yes, I am. Now what are you going to do about it?" he demanded, rising
to his full height, standing over Rush in a threatening attitude.
"I am going to talk with you for the present. I think I have a right to
do that, and see if there isn't something I can do for you after all you
have done for me. Sit down, Gus."
With a bewildered look on his face, the stoker sank into the chair.
"Tell me the whole story, Gus," urged Rush gently. "You need not be
afraid of me. I am your friend, no matter what you have done."
For a full five minutes Collins did not speak. It was plain to the
keen-eyed boy before him that the man was battling with himself and was
trying to decide what his course of action should be.
"Did you have any part in the robbery of that post-office?" urged Steve.
"_No!_" fairly shouted the stoker.
"Then you have nothing to fear."
"Yes, I have, too. I've got everything to fear. I'm a bad man, and----"
"Perhaps you were, but you have wiped that all out by your heroic act
in----"
"Boy, I've served time in Joliet. I'm an ex-convict. I stole something
once when I didn't know what I was doing. They put me away for five
years for that little job. While I was in prison my temper got the best
of me one day, and I hurt a man, and----"
"You don't mean you----"
"No, I didn't kill him, but I was used worse than a little yellow dog
after that. What little good there was in me was beaten out of me,
and--never let your temper get the best of you, boy. It's an awful thing
to have a temper like mine."
Steve nodded.
"Well, I got out. My time was up."
"When was that?"
"This spring. I was dogged from the time I left the prison until one day
I managed to give them the slip, and----"
"You mean the police were following you?"
"Yes; spotting me."
"What for?"
"To see that I didn't get into any mischief. The last time they saw me I
was in Elgin. I left on the six o'clock train, after throwing the
spotters off. That night the post-office there was cracked. I read about
it in the papers next day, and I knew they'd put it on me. I got clear
of the place as soon as possible, shipped up the lakes from Chicago;
then got in with this crowd. Now I'll be sent back to Joliet again."
"Perhaps not; not if you are innocent."
"I am as innocent as you are, Steve Rush. Help me, boy! Help me to get
away. They'll nail me this time, sure. They've got the line drawn on me
fair and square. They sent out that alarm you've got in your hands
there. Help me to get away in the small boat to-night and I'll make
shore and disappear. I'll fool them. I did you a good turn. Do a great
one for me, now!"
"Yes, Gus; I will do you a turn, but I won't help you to escape. That
would be a foolish thing to do. The police would get you sooner or
later, and your flight would be the very worst thing possible for you
when they did get you."
"You won't help me?"
"No, not in that way."
"How then?"
"I shall have to think it over, but if you are innocent, have no fears,
for you shall be freed of the accusation. I must talk with the
captain----"
Collins started to protest.
"No one else on board shall know of it except my friend, Jarvis, and he
is true-blue. When we have you freed I will see to it that you get a
berth on this or some other boat, for life, if you want it."
Collins shook his head.
"No; they'll fire me when they find out I've done time. Nobody wants an
ex-convict. They drive a man to the dogs after once he's fallen----"
"Here's one man who won't drive you, Gus Collins. Here's one man who's
going to stand right back of you and see that you get fair play. Then
you're going to hold your head up and be a man with other men. You leave
it all to me, will you? Will you promise to do so?"
Collins eyed the bronzed, manly face before him, for a full moment; then
he stretched out an impulsive hand.
"Put it there, little pard! I'll stand up, even if I do time for it, if
it'll please you any. You're the pluckiest, the squarest bunch of muscle
that I've ever come up with!"