CAPTURED AND RECAPTURED
Unfortunately for Ben Wilford, he had heard Mr. Sherwood inform
Lawry of his intentions in regard to the purchase and transportation
of the gold. Before the _Woodville_ reached Burlington, the
dissolute young man had resolved to obtain the money if possible,
prompted partly by revenge, and partly by the desire to possess so
large a sum, with which he could revel in luxury in some distant
party of the country. It must be confessed that this resolve to
commit a crime was not simply an impulse, for the young man who leads
a life of indolence and dissipation is never at any great distance
from crime. Ben had been schooling himself for years for the very
deed he now determined to do.
With more energy and decision, Ben was, in other respects, the
counterpart of his father. His moral perceptions were weak, and the
dissolute life he led had not contributed to strengthen them. He was
the antipode of Lawry, who had been more willing to listen to the
teachings of his mother.
Ben had resolved to commit a crime, but he had not the skill or the
courage to do it alone. When he went on shore at Burlington, he met
two of his former boon companions, with whom he had often tippled,
gambled, and caroused. One of them had been a fireman, and the other
a deck-hand, on board a steamer with Ben, and he knew them
thoroughly. By gradual approaches he sounded them, to ascertain their
willingness to join him in the robbery. The gold converted into
currency would give them seven or eight thousand dollars apiece, and
the temptation was sufficiently strong to remove all prudential
obstacles.
While the _Woodville_ was absent on her trip to Port Kent, the
details of the robbery had been settled. The confederates sat on the
corner of the wharf and arranged their plans, which were mainly
suggested by the one who had been a fireman. The scheme was to be
executed while the boat lay at Port Rock, and the two men whom Lawry
had seen with his brother were his associates in the intended crime.
Ben had concealed them in the forehold of the steamer. While the
excursion-party were going on shore at the gangway abaft at the
wheels, and all hands had gone aft to witness their departure, Ben
had called them from their hiding-place, and sent them on the wharf,
where he soon joined them. From a point near the head of the pier,
where they were not observed, they waited till Mr. Sherwood and Lawry
had gone, and all was quiet on board of the steamer.
"Now is our time," said Ben nervously; for he was not familiar
enough with crime to be unmoved by the desperate situation in which
he had placed himself.
"Is the coast clear?" asked the fireman.
"Yes," replied Ben, whose teeth actually chattered with apprehension.
"Who is there on board now?"
"No one but the engineer and the fireman, except two boys," answered
Ben. "They were all going to turn in as soon as they got to the wharf."
"The firemen are both men, but I reckon they won't fight; all the
rest are boys."
"One fireman and two boys have turned in by this time," added Ben.
"Then there is no one up but the engineer and one fireman?"
"No."
"Where is the gold, Ben?"
"In the starboard saloon stateroom."
"All right; have your pistols ready, but don't use them, for it will
be bad for us if we have to kill any one."
The party walked down to the _Woodville_. All was still on
board of her, except the sound of escaping steam. Ethan stood sentry
at the door of the stateroom containing the gold, and the man on
watch in the fire-room was busy reading a newspaper. It was not
sunset yet, but the crew of the _Woodville_ had been worked so
hard for three days that those off duty could sleep without an opiate.
"Put on that hatch," said the fireman, who became the leading spirit
of the party, as he pointed to the companion-way of the forehold,
where the hands slept.
Ben obeyed the order without making any noise, and then the party
went aft, where Ethan was keeping guard over the treasure.
"Good evening, Ethan," said Ben, with more suavity than he was in
the habit of using.
"Good evening," replied the engineer.
"Haven't turned in yet?" continued Ben.
"No."
"Going to start at midnight, I hear."
"Yes."
"Some friends of mine wanted to look over the boat; I suppose I can
show them through."
"I don't know; Captain Lawry can tell you," answered Ethan, who did
not like Ben, and was not favorably impressed by the appearance of
the other men.
Ben walked aft into the saloon, followed by his companions. Ethan
was sitting in a chair by the side of the stateroom door. The fireman
passed round behind, and suddenly fell upon him, throwing him on the
floor and pinioning his arms to his back.
"What are you about?" cried Ethan, struggling to release himself.
"Help! help!"
"Stop his mouth!" said Ben fearfully.
Vainly poor Ethan endeavored to shake off his assailants; his arms
were tied together behind him, and a handkerchief stuffed into his
mouth. In this condition he was lashed to a stanchion, so that he
could move neither hand nor foot.
The commotion of this outrage attracted the attention of Mrs. Light
and the two waiter-girls, who were employed in the lower cabin. The
fireman exhibited a pistol to them, drove them below again, and
threatened to shoot them if they made any noise. A similar
demonstration quieted the fireman, and compelled him to return to the
fire-room.
"The job is done," said Baker, the leader of the enterprise.
"But we haven't got the money," added Flint, the deckhand.
"We don't want that yet. It is safe where it is. Now both of you to
your stations," continued Baker; and he went down into the fire-room.
Ben's station was in the wheel-house, Flint's at the fasts, and
Baker's at the engine, as it appeared from their subsequent
movements; and it was evident, from the operations in progress, that
the villains intended to make their escape in the steamer. Baker
stopped the hissing steam which was going to waste, and compelled the
fireman to renew the fires.
"Be lively!" shouted Ben, from the wheel-house, as he discovered
Lawry on the shore, hastening back to the steamer with his bundle of
clothes.
"All ready!" replied Baker, finding there was steam enough to start
the boat.
Flint had already cast off the fasts, without waiting for orders,
and was standing on the forecastle, as impatient to be off as a man
can be who is engaged in the commission of a crime.
Ben rang the bell to back her; the wheels turned, but as the stern-line
had been cast off, her bow was not carried out from the wharf.
By this time Lawry had discovered that the _Woodville_ was in
motion. He was astonished and alarmed, though he was far from
surmising that his boat had been captured by robbers. Running with
all his speed, he reached the head of the wharf just as the boat had
backed far enough to permit Ben to see him, and for him to see that
Ben was at the wheel. Then he realized that his brother was engaged
in another conspiracy.
Notwithstanding his extensive knowledge of "steam-boating" in
general, Ben Wilford was a very unskillful pilot. If he had
understood the management of a boat half as well as Lawry, the
nefarious scheme might have been successful. He saw his brother; he
did not wish to have him come on board, for Lawry might be so
obstinate as to induce one of his dissolute companions to fire at
him. He rang the bell to stop her, and then to go ahead, at the same
time putting the helm hard aport.
The _Woodville_ went forward, and as she met the helm her bow
came round, and she was headed out into the middle of the lake. As
she went ahead, her stern swept in a circle within a few feet of the
wharf, just as Lawry, breathless with haste and alarm, reached the
end of the pier. The little captain knew nothing of the state of
things on board, except that his brother Ben was at the wheel, which,
however, was a sufficient explanation to him. The _Woodville_
was going, and he could not let her depart without him. Dropping his
bundle, he leaped to the plankshear, grasping the rail with both
hands. Jumping over the bulwark, he stood on the guard from which
opened the windows of the saloon.
Neither of the three conspirators were in a situation to see this
movement on the part of Lawry. Ben was too much occupied in
steering--for he was not a little fearful of getting aground in some
shoal water between the ferry and the wharf--to notice anything; but
as soon as he had obtained his course, he looked for his brother on
the pier. He was not there; but Ben did not suspect that he was on
board the _Woodville_. Baker, who knew just enough about an engine to
stop and start it, was working the valves with the bar; and he could
think of nothing else. Doubtless he was conscious by this time that
he had "taken a big job," in assuming the control of the engine.
Lawry was bewildered by the situation. When his feet struck the
deck, his first impulse was to rush up to the wheel-house, and
confront the difficulty as the case might require. He started to
carry out his purpose, when he happened to look through one of the
saloon windows, and discovered Ethan, with the handkerchief in his
mouth, tied to the stanchion. Deeply as he sympathized with his
friend in his unpleasant position, he was still cheered by the sight,
for it assured him that the engineer had been faithful to his duties,
and was not a party to the conspiracy.
The little captain went round and entered the saloon by the door,
without being seen by either of the conspirators. He removed the gag
from Ethan's mouth, and proceeded to unfasten the cords with which he
was bound.
"What does all this mean, Ethan?" demanded Lawry, in excited tones,
and almost crying with vexation.
"Hush! Do they know you are here?" asked the engineer.
"I think not; I don't know."
"Keep still, then. They are after the gold."
"Who are they?"
"Ben and two other fellows. I don't know them."
"We'll stop this thing very quick," said Lawry.
"They are armed with pistols, and threatened to shoot all hands. Be
careful, Lawry, or you will get a bullet through your head."
"What shall we do?" demanded the young pilot.
Ethan was an accomplished strategist. He led the way to the lower
cabin, where the terrified women had been driven by the ruffians.
"If any of those men ask for me, tell them I got loose, jumped
overboard, and swam ashore," said Ethan.
"Law sake!" exclaimed the cook.
"Don't tell them I am here, at any rate."
"I won't. Massy sake! What are we comin' to?"
"Don't be alarmed; we will take care of these villains before we
have done with them," added Ethan.
"Hush! There's some one coming," said one of the girls; and the
heavy tread of a man was heard on the deck above them.
Ethan and Lawry had only time to crawl into one of the berths, where
Mrs. Light covered them with bedclothes, before Flint came down into
the cabin.
"See here; we haven't been to supper, and we want some," said the
ruffian, as he descended the steps.
"What are you goin' to do with us?" demanded Mrs. Light.
"Don't be scart; we won't hurt you," replied Flint.
"But where you goin'?"
"Up to Whitehall. When we get there, you can go where you please.
Now, get us some supper; the best there is on board--beefsteak and
coffee."
"Well, I suppose I can get you some supper; but I don't like such
carryin's on," replied Mrs. Light.
Flint left the cabin, after he had given his order. On his way
forward he looked into the saloon, and discovered that their prisoner
was missing. Search was immediately instituted; but Mrs. Light, as
instructed by Ethan, declared that he had got loose and swam ashore;
she had seen him through the stern-lights. The rascals finally
accepted this explanation, after searching on deck for him.
Mrs. Light went to the kitchen to get supper for the rogues, while
the girls set the table. The cook presently returned to the cabin,
and told Ethan where each of the robbers was stationed; but being
unarmed, there seemed to be no way of making an attack upon them
where the ruffians could not rally to the support of each other.
"We must settle this business down here, Lawry," said Ethan, when
they had come out of their hiding-places.
"They will have to come to supper one at a time," added the little
captain.
"Exactly so; and this will be the safest place to do the job. We
want a rope," added the engineer, with a businesslike air.
"I'll fetch you a rope," said Mrs. Light.
"Do; bring me the small heave-line, on the guard by the saloon doors."
The cook went on deck, and after a visit to the kitchen, returned to
the cabin with the line indicated under her apron. In about half an
hour supper was ready for the villains, and one of the girls informed
Baker, who was still on duty in the engine-room, that it was waiting
for them. The engineer called Flint, and told him, as the boat was
out in the middle of the lake, the engine would need nothing done to
it, and directed him to stand at the door, so that the fireman below
should not attempt to defeat their plans. He then went to the cabin
for his supper.
Ethan and Lawry had concealed themselves behind the curtains of a
tier of berths, directly in the rear of the chair where Baker was to
sit at the table. In his hand Ethan held the heave-line, at one end
of which Lawry had made a hangman's noose. Mrs. Light and the girls
had been instructed to rattle the chairs, make as much noise as they
could, and otherwise engage the attention of the robber, as soon as
he sat down to the table.
Baker came down the stairs, and one of the girls began to rattle the
chairs, Mrs. Light to move a pile of plates, and the other girl to
arrange the dishes on the table. "Will you have some coffee?"
demanded Mrs. Light, without giving him time to notice anything in
the cabin.
"Of course I will," growled Baker.
"Shall I give you some beefsteak?" asked one of the girls.
"I'll help myself."
"If you want some fried eggs I'll get some for you," added the cook,
rattling the dishes again.
Baker was not permitted to say whether he would have any fried eggs
or not, for at that moment Ethan crept from his concealment, whatever
noise he made being drowned by the clatter of the dishes and the
rattling of the chairs. Stealing up behind Baker, who was intent only
on beefsteak and coffee, he slipped the hangman's noose over his
head, and hauled it tight. The robber attempted to spring to his
feet, but Ethan hauled him over backward on the floor. At the same
time Lawry threw the end of the line over a deck beam, extended
across the skylight, and began to "haul in the slack."
The villain attempted to cry out; but the sound only gurgled in his
throat. He grasped the rope with both hands; but the choking already
received had taken away his strength, and he was unable to make any
successful resistance. While Lawry kept the rope so taut that Baker
could not move, Ethan tied his hands behind him, though the man's
struggles were fierce, and the engineer was obliged to use a rolling-pin,
supplied by Mrs. Light, before the conquest was complete. The
ruffian was securely bound and gagged; but the cook and the girls had
nearly fainted while the struggle was going on.
Baker, thus gagged and bound, was rolled into one of the lower
berths. He had been nearly choked to death by the rope, and several
hard knocks he had received on the head had rendered him partially
insensible, so that he was not in condition to make any further
resistance. Ethan had taken possession of his pistol, and, as a
matter of precaution, threatened to blow out his brains if he made
any noise.
"Massy sake!" groaned Mrs. Light. "I never did see! You've taken my
breath all away!"
"Don't make a noise," said Ethan.
"I couldn't have struck that man as you did," added Lawry.
"If you had been through what I have, out West, it would come easier
to you," replied the engineer. "We must go through the whole of it
once more."
One of the girls was then sent to call Flint, and directed to assure
him that such was the order of Baker, who had gone to the wheel-house
for a moment, and would immediately return to the engine-room. The
deck-hand was too much in a hurry for his supper to question the
order, and went directly to the cabin. The noise made by Mrs. Light
and the girls prevented him from hearing the heavy breathings of
Baker, and he was an easier victim than his companion in crime had
been. He was choked, gagged, bound, and his pistol taken from him. By
this time these two ruffians, if they could think at all, could not
help believing that the way of the transgressor is hard.
From regard to the feelings of Lawry, Ethan decided that Ben should
not be subjected to this harsh treatment. He was still in the
wheel-house, not suspecting that his nefarious scheme had been wholly
defeated.
The work was accomplished, and the pilot and engineer went on deck.
Ethan repaired to his post and stopped the engine. Ben half a dozen
times demanded, through the speaking-tube, what the matter was; but
receiving no answer, he came down himself to ascertain the cause of
the sudden stoppage of the boat.