For several minutes Will Bertram was kept busy answering his brother’s
rapid questions. He told Alan of all that had occurred, and the latter
expressed the keenest satisfaction at the result of Will’s shrewdness
and patience.
“We sent a ship in pursuit of the yacht after it left Portland,” he
explained to Will.
“Are you going to the boat?” asked Jack.
“No; to the police station first.”
Here the officer in charge was made acquainted with all the recent
facts of the case.
A detail of men were sent with Captain Bertram and his friends.
When they arrived at the yacht Morris and his companions were
handcuffed and brought on deck.
The former did not speak a word, but glared in silence at Alan.
He knew that he was foiled in all his evil plans, and his heart was
filled with hatred toward those he had wronged.
Captain Bertram dismissed Will’s assistant, the farmer’s son, with a
moneyed reward for his aid.
The yacht was taken in charge by the police, who at once marched their
prisoners to the station.
Here Morris was searched. To Will’s amazement the most persistent quest
failed to reveal Captain Morris’ well-filled pocket-book.
He now wished he had taken it when the opportunity had presented itself.
Morris’ eyes gleamed with satisfaction as Will said to Alan:
“He had a pocket-book containing money he openly boasted was indirectly
the proceeds of the oil he stole from the Albatross.”
“You won’t find it, either,” cried Morris, malignantly.
They were forced to remain in the dark as to its mysterious
disappearance, and Morris and his accomplices were taken to the cells
of the station.
From the station Captain Bertram, Jack and Will repaired for the office
of the insurance company.
Here Alan consulted with the officers, who decided to prosecute Morris
for sinking the Golden Moose and attempting to collect the insurance
money fraudulently.
They advised Captain Bertram to at once begin a civil suit for the
recovery of the amount Morris had received from the stolen whale oil.
He told him he could seize on the yacht until the case was tried in
court.
They made a last visit to the police station before leaving Portland.
The officer then informed Captain Bertram that one of the prisoners
wished to see him.
“Which one?” asked Alan.
“The man they call Parker. He seems very uneasy and has been upbraiding
Morris for getting him into trouble. Will you see him?”
“Yes.”
Parker was brought from the cells, and asked to see Alan alone.
They were shown into a private room.
“Well, what is it?” inquired Alan.
“I wanted to say that I had nothing to do with all Captain Morris’
schemes.”
“You were in his confidence all the time,” replied Alan.
“That may be, but I didn’t help sink the ship. I have a proposition to
make to you.”
“What is it?”
“If you won’t prosecute I’ll tell all about the Captain’s schemes.”
“I know them already.”
“I’ll tell you who the Captain is he divided with on the oil, and you
can make him pay it back.”
Alan was silent.
“I’ll also tell you where Morris hid his pocket book.”
“I can’t agree to compromise a crime,” said Alan, “but if you try
to repair your wrong I will try to make your punishment as light as
possible.”
“All right, Captain. I hope you will. I never would have stayed with
Morris, only he knew I had been in jail and threatened to have me
arrested again.”
“And the pocket book?”
“Here it is. Morris handed it to me while the officers were not
looking.”
Alan left the pocket book with the police, and that night he and Will
and Jack started homeward bound for Watertown.