AT THE INLET
"SLOW down," said Detective Calvert as the launch drew near the southern
end of Barter Island. Captain Alvin did as requested and all eyes were
fixed upon the inlet.
"If that boat should happen to come out while we are in sight," added
Calvert, "pass up the river, as if you had no interest in it."
"But if it should happen to be there?" said Alvin, repeating the question
he had asked before.
"We can't know until we have turned in, and then it would not do to
withdraw, for that would be the most suspicious course of all. You have
as much right to go thither as anyone. Act as if you were merely looking
in out of curiosity; make a circuit of the islet and then come back and
go on up the Sheepscot toward Wiscasset."
It was at this moment that Mike Murphy asked a question whose point the
others were quick to perceive.
"If the spalpeens are there, will ye let 'em have a sight of yersilf?"
"No; I shall drop down and hide, for if they noted that you had me for a
passenger they might smell a rat, but would think nothing of seeing you
three, for they know you travel together."
As the launch drew near the opening, Alvin slackened her speed still more
until she was not going faster than five or six miles an hour. There was
an abundance of sea room and he curved into the passage with his usual
skill. The four peered intently forward and had to wait only a minute or
two when the boat had progressed far enough to give them a full view of
the crescent-like cove, which extended backward for several hundred yards
and had an expansion of perhaps four hundred feet. In the very middle was
the islet, in the form of an irregular oval, containing altogether barely
an acre. As has been said, it was made up of clay and sand with not a
tree or shrub growing, and only a few scattered leaves of grass, but
there was no sign of life on or about it.
Alvin sheered the boat close to the shore, and continued slowly moving. A
glance downward into the crystal current showed that the depth was fully
twenty feet, so that it was safe for the largest craft to moor against
the bank.
"Here's where the _Water Witch_ lay," said Alvin. "Do you wish to land,
Mr. Calvert?"
He was standing up and scrutinizing the little plot as they glided along
the shore, but discovered nothing of interest.
"No; there's no call to stop; we may as well go back."
"Do ye obsarve that six-masted schooner wid its nose poked under the
bushes in the hope of escaping notice?"
As Mike Murphy asked the question he pointed to the southern shore of the
inlet, where all saw the little rowboat in which Detective Calvert had
visited the spot and which had been used later for a similar purpose by
Alvin and Chester. It was drawn up so far under the overhanging limbs
that only the stern was in sight. It seemed to be exactly where it had
been placed by the boys after they were through with it.
It was on the tip of Alvin's tongue to refer to the incident and to ask
something in the way of explanation from their companion. Instead of
doing so, the latter surprised both by saying:
"That must belong to somebody who lives in the neighborhood."
The remark sounded strange to our young friends and both remained silent
waiting for him to say more, but he did not. He sat down again, facing
the Sheepscot, and lighted one of his big black cigars. He crossed his
legs like a man of leisure who was not concerned by what had occurred or
was likely to occur.
The incident impressed Alvin and Chester unfavorably. Mike, not having
been with them at the time, knew nothing of it. To each of the former
youths came the disquieting questions:
"Does he believe we did not know him that night? Does he think neither of
us suspected what he did? _Is he what he pretends to be?_"
These queries opened a field of speculation that was endless, and the
farther they plunged into it the more mystified they became. Alvin would
never stoop to ask favors of this man. He was trying to aid him in
carrying out a good purpose, and he must "be on the level," or the
Captain would have nothing to do with him or his plans.
"The first proof I get that he is playing double," muttered Alvin, "I'll
order him off the boat and never let him set foot on it again, and, if he
belongs to that gang of post office robbers, I'll do everything I can to
have him punished."
One of the most discomforting frames of mind into which any person can
fall is to see things which make him distrust the loyalty of one upon
whom he has depended. It might be Alvin Landon was mistaken and Stockham
Calvert was in reality a Pinkerton detective whose sole aim was to bring
these criminals to justice; but, as I have shown, the full truth was
still to be learned.
And Chester Haynes' feelings were the same as those of his chum. He
glanced at the man who was puffing his perfecto, and wondered who he
really was and what was to be the end of this curious adventure upon
which he and Alvin had entered.
It was a brief run out to the Sheepscot, and the _Deerfoot_ headed up the
river again toward Wiscasset. A steam launch was seen off to the left and
a catboat skimmed in the same direction with our friends. Both were well
over toward Westport, the left-hand bank, and slight attention was given
them.
The _Deerfoot_ had not reached the upper end of Barter Island when Alvin
from his place as steerer called out:
"That looks like the boat we are hunting for."
Running closer in to the right shore than the _Deerfoot_, a second boat
was visible whose similarity of appearance caused astonishment. The bows
of the two being pointed toward each other, the view was incomplete at
first, but since the speed of each was all of ten miles an hour, they
rapidly came opposite. Alvin sheered to the left, so as to make an
interval of a hundred yards between them. Chester had caught up the
binoculars and kept watch upon the launch, his companions doing what they
could without the aid of any instrument.
"It's the _Water Witch_!" said Chester excitedly.
A minute before he did so, Detective Calvert quietly slipped from his
seat to the floor, removed his hat and cautiously peered over the
taffrail. But he did not cease smoking his huge cigar, and it struck
Alvin when he looked around that his head was high enough to be in plain
sight of anyone watching from the other craft.
Mike Murphy caught the stir of the moment.
"How many passengers do ye obsarve on the same frigate? It seems to me
there be only two."
"That is all that are visible," replied Chester, holding the glass still
leveled.
"Thin they must be them two that we had the shindy wid the ither night!"
"Undoubtedly; in fact I recognize the one you pointed out at Boothbay."
"And the ither must be the ither one."
"There is every reason to believe so."
"Thin----I say, Captain," said the agitated Mike, turning to Alvin,
"would ye be kind enough to run up alongside that ship?"
"Why do you wish me to do that?"
"I wish--that is--I wud like to shake hands wid that gintleman and ask
him how his folks was whin he last heerd from them. Just a wee bit of
friendly converse betwaan two gintlemen--that's all. Come now, Cap, be
obliging," continued Mike, in a wheedling tone which did not deceive his
superior officer.
"I faal a sort of liking for the young gintleman and should be much
pleased if ye would give me a chance to have a few frindly words wid
him--I say, Cap, ye're losing vallyble time, fur we're passing each ither
fast."
"No, Mike--not to-day; I have no objection to your having a little
'conversation' with Mr. Noxon or his companion, but this isn't the right
way to go about it."
"I hope ye didn't suspict that I had any intintion of saying harsh
wurruds to them, Cap!" protested the Irish youth, in grieved tones.
"Not words particularly, but there would be enough rough acts to make
things lively. Chester, let me have the glasses, while you take the wheel
for a few minutes."
They hastily exchanged places, and steadying his position, Alvin pointed
the instrument at the receding launch. Detective Calvert still knelt on
the floor and peeped over the side of the boat. He did not ask for the
binoculars nor did the owner offer them to him.
Suddenly Alvin slipped down beside his friend in front and passed him the
instrument, as he resumed the wheel. While doing so, he whispered in a
voice so low that no one else could hear what he said:
"Look just behind the fellow who is steering. He's Noxon, I'm sure! Study
closely and let me know whether you see anything suspicious."
Wondering to what he referred, Chester complied. While doing his best to
learn what his friend meant the latter whispered again:
"If you see anything, be careful to let no one besides me know what it
is."
Chester nodded, with the glasses to his eyes. The opportunity for
scrutiny was rapidly diminishing. Chester held the binoculars level but a
minute when he lowered them again. The commonest courtesy compelled him
to offer them to the detective.
"Maybe you can discover something," remarked the youth as he passed them
over. The posture of the man gave him the best chance he could ask, and
he carefully studied the receding boat until it was so far off that it
was useless to continue.
"Did you notice anything special?" asked Chester.
"I saw nothing but those two young men, with whom as I learn from the
Captain he had an affray some nights ago."
Chester leaned over and whispered to Alvin:
"I saw it plainly."
"What?"
"A man crouching down among the seats as Calvert did and peering over
like him."