THE JOURNEY BEGINS.
"Well, boys," said the professor, "have you had enough breakfast?"
"I don't know whether I have had enough or not," responded Jo. "But I'm
afraid I can't eat any more."
"That's bad," remarked the professor. "I'm afraid there is something
wrong with you. Still, if you go on deck, perhaps you will be better by
dinner time. But while we are down here you might pick out your
staterooms. This is the captain's room, and this is mine. That is the
engineer's room. But you can take any of the others you want."
Looking over the rooms about which there was really little choice, Jo
and Tom selected one to their liking, and Juarez decided on the
invitation of John Berwick to room with him as he was going to act as
assistant engineer on the voyage. This left Jim with a cabin to himself.
The boys had but just settled the matter when they were startled by a
series of loud and angry exclamations from the professor.
"Now, what do you think of that?" he cried, when the boys rushed into
the saloon where he was standing holding up his handbag in which a long
slit had been cut with a sharp knife.
"Their audacity passes all bounds!" he went on wrathfully. "They have
got it at last."
"What is lost?" asked Jim.
"The chart, the map of the island," replied the professor. "I don't know
as it will do any one else much good. Besides the points of the compass
it has only mystifying figures on it, but it's a bad loss for all that."
"Are you sure it is gone?" asked Jim.
"Well, it isn't here," replied the professor. "Fortunately, I can
remember the latitude and longitude, which is really the important
thing."
"What was the paper like?" put in Tom.
"It was just a rude chart," answered the professor. "It was in a flat
box. I put it in the box to keep it safe from getting wet or worn out. I
got tired of carrying it with me so I put it in the bag last night, not
intending the bag should get out of my sight. And I don't know when it
did."
"Looks as if we had spies all around us," said Jim.
"It certainly does," agreed the professor. "But now that we are on the
yacht we will be safe."
"Humph!" muttered Tom, who had just returned to the cabin after a
moment's absence, "I'm not so sure about that, but," he continued, "was
the box anything like this?" He held up to their gaze a thin oblong tin
box.
"Why, it looked like that!" exclaimed the professor, taking the box Tom
offered to him. "Why, it is it! What are you doing with it?"
"I found it in my bag this morning," explained Tom. "I thought that it
belonged to Jo, and that he had dropped it in by mistake."
"I suspect that is just what I did in an absent-minded spell this
morning," said the professor. "The joke is on me, boys. Perhaps it is a
lucky thing that I did it, for I think now, seeing this slit in my bag
that the best thing I can do is to have you take care of it for me."
"Don't you think you had better keep it?" protested Jim.
"Not after this experience," replied the professor, holding up the cut
bag. "Besides, I think it will be decidedly safer with you."
"Very well, then," replied Jo. "We will do our best to take care of it."
"I know that," said the professor.
Jo and Tom spent the morning going over the yacht getting acquainted
with its equipment and with the crew. The latter were mostly Hawaiians
with one Irishman, an Englishman and the Mexican steward. Juarez was
busy down in the engine room with Berwick, and Jim and the professor
were in consultation in the cabin over their plans to outwit Broome.
"The Marjorie of Liverpool," remarked Tom. The speaker was standing on
the after deck studying the vessels in the harbor. He read the name he
spoke through a pair of binoculars. It was a small steamship anchored
not far from the Storm King. They had passed it early in the morning on
their way to the yacht, but he had not noticed it particularly until
now.
"I wonder where she came from, and where she is going?" went on Tom.
"From Liverpool, I suppose," replied Jim, who had joined them, "and
quite likely she is going back again."
"Wonder how she got way out here?" continued Tom.
"You are full of wonder to-day," laughed Jim. "Steamships go anywhere
and everywhere. Here comes the captain. We can ask him."
"What is it you want to know?" inquired the captain, who had overheard
Jim's remark.
"We were just talking about that steamship there, the Marjorie, and
speculating as to what she is and what she's doing here."
"It's pretty hard to tell that," replied the captain, after taking a
look through the glasses. "She's English built and rigged, that's
certain, but I don't know what she's doing so far from her home port."
"She has good lines and looks as though she might have speed,"
criticized Jim.
"Ay, ay, lad, ye're right there," agreed the captain. "She looks like a
cross between a yacht and a trader. I suspect that is what she is, a
trader."
"She seems to have a big crew for a trader," said Jim, who had been
studying the vessel while talking. "And she looks as though she might
carry a pretty heavy armament, too."
"Have you noticed that?" observed the captain. "Ye have a good eye, lad,
and a quick mind. I was just thinking the same thing myself. I wouldn't
wonder if she was doing some contraband trade down the coast. I see she
is going out, soon."
"How do you know?" asked Jo.
"She is getting steam up."
"So is the Sea Eagle," exclaimed Tom. "They have started their fires.
She must be going out, too."
"Looks like it," put in Jo. "There is Broome now, with some of his men."
Pulling along close under the stern of the Marjorie, there was seen a
small boat in which was Captain Broome with his chief subordinates.
"See anything of Manuel in their boat?" asked Jo.
"No," replied Tom. "He isn't in the boat. They must have left him
behind."
"He must have been drowned," said Jo.
"I don't know about that," replied Tom, "but it is certain he isn't in
the boat; there are four men besides the captain and on top of their
other baggage is a big hamper."
"How's the engine, Mr. Berwick?" asked the professor of the engineer,
calling down into the engine room.
"All right now, sir," replied the engineer. "We are just going to get up
steam."
"Very good," said the professor. "Keep it up, for we may want to start
any minute. Keep your eyes on the Sea Eagle, captain, and let us know if
she shows signs of getting under way."
"Ay, ay, sir!" responded the captain.
"Feel any better now, Jo?" asked the professor, with a smile, "it is
pretty near time to eat again."
"I'm all right again now, professor," responded Jo.
"Better get ready then, for I hear Pedro rattling the dishes down
there."
"I think"--began Tom, when they were down in their staterooms taking a
washup before the noon meal.
"That it is time for dinner," interrupted Jo.
"No, sonny," replied Tom. "My thoughts are not as your thoughts, always
on the gross material, but--" Going to the door, he called Jim into the
room. Then, after a look into the saloon, closed the door.
"Hist!" whispered Jo. "The plot thickens."
"What is it now, Tom?" asked Jim.
"I think"--began Tom, in a low tone.
"You said that before," interrupted Jo. "But I don't believe it."
"That it would be a good plan," continued Tom, "to hide the chart in
some safe place."
"Not half a bad idea, don't you know," drawled Jo, "but where is that
safe place?"
"I have an idea," went on Tom.
"Clutch it before it gets away," advised Jo.
"That we can make a secret closet where we can put it."
"That is a good scheme," agreed Jim, "if--"
"Hear! Hear!" broke in Jo.
"Here, as well as anywhere," replied Tom.
"What is your plan?" asked Jim.
"I was thinking of making a secret drawer or closet in this cabin."
"Do you think we could do it?" asked Jo.
"I don't know," replied Jim. "We can tell better after we try. The proof
of the--"
"Eating is in the pudding," interrupted Jo.
"Let's go ahead and do it."
"Where do you think is a good place to make it?" asked Tom, looking
around the room, which was paneled in mahogany. "We might take up a
board in the floor."
"But some one might get at it from underneath," objected Jo.
"No danger of that," replied Tom. "Who is going to look for it?"
"Well, if there is no danger of anyone looking for it, what is the use
of hiding it?" demanded Jo.
"That's right," agreed Jim. "If we are going to do it at all, let's do
it thoroughly. If we can take out one of the panels, we can make a dandy
place."
"That's the idea," chimed in Tom.
"I think we can take out one of these panels," continued Jim, examining
the wainscoating carefully, "but we must first get the professor's
permission."
"We will ask him the first thing after dinner," cried Tom.
"And there is dinner, now," said Jo, as the sound of a gong resounded
through the air.
The professor was an interesting dinner companion, and even though all
felt that serious business was ahead of them, no reference was made
thereto. At the conclusion of the meal Jo said:
"Professor Feather--"
"Ingstone," broke in Jim.
"Haughleigh," added Tom.
"I'm all broke up," laughed the professor.
"Can we make a hiding place in one of our staterooms?" asked Jo.
"Why, I suppose so," replied the professor. "What do you want to do,
play hide and go seek?"
"In a way," laughed Jim. "We want to make a secret place in which to
keep the chart."
"Oh, I see," interrupted the professor quickly. "By all means."
"You see, we can--"
"That will do," returned the professor with another laugh. "If you are
going to make a secret place the fewer who know of it the more it is of
a secret. Keep it to yourselves."
"Even from you?"
"From every one," said the professor emphatically. "If you need any
tools or anything get them quietly."
The brothers lost no time, but at once set about making a place of
concealment. Jim, who, of the three had the more genius for mechanics,
taking the initiative in the work, studying carefully the artistically
constructed paneling to settle upon a plan.
"Do you think it can be done so that it won't be seen?" asked Tom.
"Yes," decided Jim. "I think so. By taking off this moulding, we can saw
through the edge of the panel, put on leather hinges, and I can make a
spring catch. Then replace the moulding and it will never show."
"That will be easy," asserted Jo.
"Glad you think so," retorted Jim. "It will have to be done as nicely as
the original work."
"When are you going to begin?"
"Now," answered Jim. "Only one can work at a time, so you may as well go
on deck. I will start the job. I will take one of the panels near the
floor. After I have started, we can take turns at the work. When we
begin, we want to finish as soon as possible."
"All right," returned Jo. "Let it go."
When the others had gone, Jim secured from the engineer such tools as he
needed, and returning to his room, closed the door. He selected a panel,
and was about to take off the molding when he heard some one moving in
the cabin. Whistling carelessly he opened the door of his room, but
there was no one near. The steward Pedro, was busily employed at the far
end of the room, and the mate was just entering the cabin.
"Strange," mused Jim. "There doesn't seem to be anyone acting
suspiciously. I was sure, though, that there was some one near the door
just now." He then called to Jo, and arranged that he should stay in the
cabin on guard.
Jim returned to his task, and with infinite care removed the molding
from the panel. Then he called Tom below, and working alternately, in a
short time they had made the secret opening to the compartment. As it
was between the wall of the stateroom and the planking of the vessel,
and being inaccessible from any other point, it seemed absolutely safe.
The work under Jim's direction had been so deftly done that it could not
be detected. It was opened by pressing a spring made of wire and placed
in an adjoining panel.
Fastening the box containing the chart with a strong cord, it was
lowered into the aperture and the cord fastened to a hook at one side of
the opening.
"There," said Jo, when the box had been lowered, and the place closed.
"It will take more than a wizard to find that."
"It looks that way," agreed Tom, "but--"
"Oh, you're a regular goat with your buts," cried Jo. "What is the
matter with it?"
"Nothing," said Tom. "It is all right, but some people can see through a
stone wall."
"Of course they can if it has holes in it, but there ain't any holes in
this."
This task ended, they went on deck, where they found the professor and
the captain intently watching the Sea Eagle, which had steam up and
seemed to be about to get under way.
"I was just going to call you," said the professor. "I think that the
next act is about to begin."
"Good!" cried Jim. "Let's hope they will find something doing that is
not down on the program."
"Isn't it rather late to start?" asked Berwick, who had come out of the
engine-room, leaving Juarez in charge.
"Not if you are ready," was the professor's answer.
"I suppose they think they can slip away from us in the dark," chuckled
Jim.
"It will be something of a surprise if they find us at the Bay when they
come," said Jo.
"Engine all right, Mr. Berwick?" asked the professor.
"Working splendidly," replied Berwick.
"Very well, then," replied the professor, "we will get off at once. I
see that the Sea Eagle is going to start. Will you give the word,
captain?"
The captain passed the order to the boatswain, and an instant later, the
crew striking into a chant began to wind up the anchor chain, and in a
few moments came the call:
"Anchor apeak, sir!"
"Anchor's fast!" called the boatswain.
"Ready at the wheel," directed the captain from the bridge, where he was
standing with the professor. The captain rang the bell in the engine
room, the propeller revolved, slowly at first, then more quickly, and
the Storm King, gathering momentum, was headed through the channel's
mouth for the open sea. The voyage had begun. Anticipations and hopes
ran high. What would the outcome be?
"My, but it is good to get the smell of the salt again," cried Tom.
He and Jo were standing in the bow of the boat, taking in long breaths
of the salt air which blew in their faces. The spray from the waves, as
they curled away from the bow, dashed over them.
"And there is better still to come," added Jo.
"Why, here comes the Marjorie," cried Tom. "We are all moving out at
once."
The party on board the Storm King had been so much interested in getting
under way and in watching the Sea Eagle, that they had forgotten the
other vessel until Tom had noticed it following in their wake about a
mile behind. Gaining the open sea, much to the surprise of those on
board the Storm King, the Sea Eagle was headed directly to the north
under full speed, the heavy volume of smoke from her funnel trailing
behind like a cloud.