When the tall leader spoke in that stern voice, evidently his men knew
better than to put up any further complaint. They both passed out, and
Jack could hear Antoine making his way down the broad trail to gain a
point where, hidden himself, he could still watch the trio of modern
motor boats, and discover the first indication of any desire on the part
of the crews to come ashore.
It was surely growing very interesting. Jack felt that he was being
treated to a real life drama of the most thrilling description. When the
boys decided to come to the St. Lawrence river for their summer outing,
not one among them dreamed that before they left that region of many
islands they would have run up against a series of strange adventures
well worthy of being given a place in the log of the motor boat club.
Indeed, all the trouble they had anticipated was possibly frequent
ructions with Tricky Clarence and his side partner, Bully Joe Brinker.
At thought of the two a sudden idea seemed to flash through the mind of
Jack. He remembered the event of the dark boat, when Herb and Dick were
given such a fright. At the time he had wondered whether Clarence, on
his own account, could have ventured to dash by at full speed, and come
within an ace of smashing into the Comfort. The new idea was along the
line that perhaps the two boys might have fallen into the hands of the
smugglers, who were using the Flash to suit their evil purposes!
It was so stunning a thought that Jack felt his very breath taken away.
Yet after all was there anything utterly improbable about it? These men
must be daring after their fashion. They were being hunted all the time
by shrewd government agents; and consequently must adopt new methods of
carrying on their business.
And if it were indeed true, would it not account for many things--the
white face of Clarence at the time he passed the boys who were
fishing--his refusal to even answer the wave of the hand they gave
him--he may have been in no position at the time to appear jovial, or
even half-way friendly.
Voices again!
Jack moved up to his crack, prepared to see all there was going on. Such
a glorious opportunity did not come across the path of most fellows, off
on their summer vacation; and he ought to improve the golden chance to
the limit.
It would be folly not to admit that the boy was trembling as he crouched
there, for he never denied the fact himself. But after all it was more
the excitement of the adventure than any bodily fear on his part that
caused this.
He had hardly settled himself comfortably when through the doorway came
a stooping figure. It was a man bearing a package on his back. This he
deposited on the earthen floor, and turned to assist a second fellow
whose bundle seemed of even larger dimensions than the first.
One of them had also fetched a shovel along, which had a long handle.
This the leader seized upon eagerly, and commenced digging in a certain
corner, first removing the accumulated straw, which was apparently used
as a means for hiding signs of recent disturbance.
Jack's eyes grew hot with straining at the little crack; but he could
not draw himself away; it was all so thrilling, so picturesque, that he
must continue to look, no matter what the discomfort.
Now, the man with the shovel had succeeded in arriving at what seemed to
be the lid of a large box. He lifted this, and one of the men tossed his
bundle into a yawning aperture.
Here the stuff would lie unsuspected, until some time when the
opportunity seemed ripe to dispose of it, when the deal would be
completed.
Jack wondered what could be in those packages; undoubtedly something of
particular value, since these men would never venture to take such
chances of capture for a trifling gain.
He also found himself guessing whether the strange "professor," whom he
now knew to be a government agent, could be watching all these
operations from some other friendly crack across the way.
What would he do? Having witnessed all he wished, would the other
attempt to arrest these fellows? Since there seemed to be something like
half a dozen of the smugglers it hardly seemed likely he would go to
such extremes. Possibly he might be satisfied to capture the spoils,
after the men had departed; and trust to future good fortune to arrest
the delinquents later on.
One of the men left the cabin, probably to return to the upper end of
the island, where the boat lay from which these packages of goods had
been carried. He was in an ugly humor, judging from his manner. The
stubborn way in which the motor boat boys stuck to that cove was giving
these worthies a tremendous lot of unnecessary work; and it was no
wonder they felt badly disposed toward Jack and his chums.
Five minutes later the second man was sent off, leaving the leader there
to finish up the job of smoothing off the earth and replacing the broken
straw as before.
When he had finally completed his task it would require a practiced eye
to notice anything queer about the floor of the cabin.
Then he, too, prepared to depart. Jack saw him stoop down and take hold
of the lantern, which had all this while been resting on the ground. In
his other hand he carried the long-handled shovel with which the digging
had been done.
The tall man straightened up suddenly, and his manner was that of one
who had been startled. Jack knew why he should act in this way, for the
same sound that had come to the man's ears had also reached his.
It was a shrill whistle, twice repeated, and it came from the same
direction in which the two men had gone a short time before.
Undoubtedly it was a signal denoting urgent need of haste. The actions
of the tall smuggler would indicate as much; for he dashed out of the
cabin like a shot, and Jack heard the thud as he threw the shovel into
the shrubbery surrounding the lone hut.
Then followed the crashing of bushes as the man started by a circuitous
route toward the upper end of the island. He must know every foot of the
ground, and by taking to the open beach, could gain a given point much
sooner than one who kept to the thick undergrowth.
Jack saw the lantern had been hastily dropped, though it was still
burning. He was trembling with excitement, and feeling very much as
though he wanted to yell at the top of his voice as he picked up this
abandoned tool of the discovered smugglers.
He could hear the boys talking down there where the trio of motor boats
were anchored; and could imagine how they must be wondering what all the
racket on the island meant; while Josh would doubtless start in to tell
them how he, Jack, had persisted in going ashore.
Some one was coming, for Jack could hear quick footsteps near by. He
still held his Marlin gun, but was loath to even threaten to use it. Nor
was there any need, for a moment later the moving dim figure took form,
and proved to be no other than Professor Marshland.
At sight of Jack standing there, lantern in one hand and gun in the
other, the gentleman allowed something like a grim smile to creep over
his face, even as he came hurrying up, almost out of breath from his
exertions.
"Do you know what it all means, Jack?" demanded the other, as soon as he
reached the side of the boy.
Jack nodded his head eagerly.
"I was looking in through a crack, and saw what that man did. But I'm
sorry he got away from you, sir," he replied.
"I managed to capture the two fellows who left the hut!" the government
agent exclaimed. "My Indian has meanwhile overcome the chap who was sent
to watch your boats. But unless I can overtake the ring leader of the
bunch, I shall feel that my work has not been wholly a success."
"He headed for the upper end of the island," Jack put in.
"Yes, and I have reason to suspect that the other two men are there with
the boat. You will be surprised when I tell you that they actually
turned pirates and captured the speed launch which you told me belonged
to an acquaintance of yours."
"The _Flash_," echoed Jack. "No, I am not surprised, for I had begun to
suspect something like that. They must have made Clarence threaten to
run us down, hoping we would pull up anchor, and get away. But if that
is so, you could never hope to overtake them in that slow little boat of
yours."
"Well, I should say not!" declared the other.
"Now, if it were the _Wireless_, for instance, you might have some
chance," Jack went on.
"Which is just the point I wanted to put up to you boys," cried the
government agent, eagerly. "Would you be willing to assist me run that
clever scoundrel down? Do you think George would care to try conclusions
with the _Flash_?"
At that Jack laughed.
"Why, sir," he declared, "he's been just wild for the chance, ever since
we first set eyes on that narrow boat. He believes he can beat her out
in a race. Suppose you come down with me right now, and we'll ask him."
"Thank you, Jack; it was a lucky day for me when I ran across you boys.
But let us lose no time; for doubtless they'll be off as soon as they
can, knowing that the game is now up, and all that remains to them is
escape."
Nothing loth, Jack accompanied him as he started along the broad trail
leading down to the cove. He could readily understand now that the
revenue man must have investigated to some purpose that day while at the
cabin; and knowing there were no smuggled goods in the cache then, had
laid his plans to come back in the night, in the expectation of catching
the rascals in the act; which was just what he had done.