THE LONE GUEST
The _Deerfoot_ glided through the smooth waters, and while the afternoon
was still young rounded to at the wharf, below the long wooden bridge
which spans the stream at Wiscasset, and made fast where a score of other
boats of all sizes and models were moored. Several large vessels were
anchored farther out and Captain Alvin Landon had to slow down to thread
his way among them. There was plenty of room, and the launch was tied up
opposite a small excursion steamer which was to start southward an hour
later. A tip to the old man who was looking after a number of yachts
assured the safety of the last arrival from molestation.
The possibility that the _Water Witch_ had preceded them to Wiscasset
caused a scrutiny of the various craft in sight by the Captain and his
crew, including Detective Calvert, but nothing was seen of the boat.
"She is miles off down stream," was the remark of the officer, "and for
the present is out of the running."
The four walked up the easy slope to the main street, along which they
passed to the leading hotel for dinner. They were a little late and when
they went into the spacious dining room found a table by themselves. The
only other occupant was a tall, angular man of about the same age as
Calvert, similarly attired and apparently giving his sole attention to
the meal before him. He nodded to the group in a neighborly way, but did
not speak.
When the four took their places at the small table, Calvert faced this
person a short distance away; Chester Haynes sat with his back to him,
thus confronting the detective, while Mike and Alvin occupied the
respective ends of the board. These details sound trifling, but they had
a meaning. Calvert thus distributed his companions apparently off-hand,
but the seating of himself as mentioned was done with a purpose. Chester
then, from the position he occupied, was the only one of the other three
who observed anything significant in that action and in what followed.
In the first place, the officer raised his glass of water, and while
slowly drinking looked over the top at the lone guest. Chester noticed
that he sipped the fluid longer than common, gazed at the stranger and
deliberately winked one eye. What response the other made of course could
not be seen by Chester.
"The two are acquaintances," was the conclusion of the lad, "and they
don't wish anyone else to know it."
He was curious to know whether Alvin and Mike had noticed anything of the
by-play. The Irish lad for the time devoted himself to satisfying his
vigorous hunger and cared for naught else. The same was to be said of the
Captain. Chester remained on the alert.
Several trifling incidents that occurred during the meal, which was
enlivened by the wit of the Irish lad, confirmed Chester in his first
suspicion. Calvert tried to divert possible suspicion by cheery remarks
and pleasant conversation as the meal proceeded.
"I am sure, Mike, you never had any such feasts in the old country."
Having said this, the detective coughed several times and held his napkin
to his mouth, but Chester knew the outburst was forced, and was meant to
carry to the other man, who rather curiously coughed the same number of
times immediately afterward.
"A message and its reply," was the thought of Chester, "but I have no
idea of what they mean. Mr. Calvert doesn't wish me to see anything and I
won't let him know I do."
Meanwhile, Mike made his response to the inquiring remark of Calvert:
"Ye're right, me frind, as Hank McCarthy said whin dining on one pratie
and a bit of black bread, calling to mind his former feasting in his own
home. Which reminds me, Mr. Calvert, to ask, did ye iver see the heart of
an Irishman?"
"I'm not quite sure I grasp your meaning, Mike," was the reply, while
Alvin and Chester looked up.
"I can bist explain by a dimonstration, as the tacher said whin I asked
him what was meant by the chastisement of a school lad. Now, give heed,
all of ye, and I'll show ye what I meant by the sinsible inquiry."
Among the different articles of food on the table was a dish of "murphy"
potatoes with their "jackets" on. That is, they had not been mashed or
peeled, though a strip was shaved off of each end. They were mealy and
white, and Mike had already placed several where they were sure to do the
most good. The tubers in boiling had swollen so much that most of the
skins had popped open in spots from the richness within.
Mike reached over and carefully selected a big murphy, which he held with
the thumb of his left hand and fingers circling about it. The upper end
projected slightly above the thumb and forefinger, as if peeping out to
watch proceedings. The three stopped eating for the moment and watched
the youth. While doing this, Chester glanced for an instant at the face
of the officer, and saw him look quickly across the room and telegraph
another wink.
Like a professional magician, Mike was very deliberate in order to be
more impressive. The true artist does not overlook the minutest point,
and he daintily adjusted the potato, shifting it about until it was
poised exactly right. Then he slowly raised his open right hand, with the
palm downward, until it was above his head. Like a flash he brought it
down upon the upper end of the tuber, which shot through the loose
encircling grasp as if fired from an air gun. The skin remained, but the
potato itself whisked down upon the table with such force that it popped
open, and lo!
"There's the heart of an Irishman--Begoora! but I'm mistook!" exclaimed
Mike in dismay, for when the tuber burst open the interior was black with
decay!
Calvert threw back his head and roared, and Alvin and Chester came near
falling from their chairs. Even the man at the other table joined in the
boisterous merriment, which was increased by the comical expression of
Mike. With open mouth and staring eyes he sat dumfounded. For once in his
life he was caught so fairly that he was speechless.
The deft little trick he had performed many times, but never before had
he been victimized by what seemed to be a rich, mealy potato. He couldn't
understand it.
Oddly enough the stranger was the first to recover his speech. He must
have had little liking for Hibernians, since he called:
"You're right, young man! You showed us the heart of a real Irishman!"
With lower jaw still drooping, Mike turned his head and stared at the
speaker. He yearned to crush him with a suitable reply, but all his wit
had been knocked out of him by the cruel blow of fate. However, it could
not long remain so. He picked up the fragments of the potato, fumbled
them reprovingly and gravely laid them on the tablecloth beside his
plate. Then the old grin bisected his homely face, and addressing the
three, he said:
"I made a slight mistake, as Jerry Sullivan said whin he stepped out of
the third story windy thinking it was the top of the stairs. If it's all
the same to yees, we'll now give our attintion to disposing of the
remaining stuff on the boord."
Out of curiosity, the four cut in two each of the potatoes left in the
dish. Every one was as sound as a dollar, whereat all laughed again, Mike
as heartily as any.
"It'll be a sorry day whin I can't take a joke, as Jim Doolin said
smiling whin his frinds pushed his cabin over on top of him as he lay
sleeping behind it, but I was niver sarved such a trick before."
Chester thought the unanimous merriment caused by Mike's mishap would
open an acquaintance between the lone guest and the others, but nothing
more was said by the respective parties, nor did the watchfulness of the
youth detect any further signals while at the table. Evidently an
understanding had been brought about, and nothing else was required.
The meal finished, the four rose to leave the dining room. While there
may have been nothing meant by Calvert's action in dropping to the rear,
Chester was alert and glanced back as they walked into the hall outside.
He was rewarded by seeing the officer turn his head for an instant and
give a slight nod. No doubt it was meant for the guest left behind, whose
response was invisible to all except him for whom it was intended. The
individual must have been blessed with a good appetite, or he followed
the sensible policy of lingering long over his meals, since he began
eating before the little party and continued after their departure.
Reaching the pleasant, shady avenue, the four strolled through the town
and when tired came back to the hotel and sat down. Chester was on the
lookout for the stranger, but nothing was seen of him. What did it all
mean and what was the cause of the secrecy between him and Stockham
Calvert?
"If he chooses to explain I must wait until he is ready," was the
decision of Chester.
The afternoon was well forward, when they walked down the slope to the
wharf, where the _Deerfoot_ awaited them. Alvin made a hasty inspection
of it and found everything seemingly all right. As they were about to
step aboard, the officer said:
"I shall have to bid you good-by for awhile."
"Why is that?" asked the Captain, in surprise.
"You remember I told you it was likely, but I hope soon to meet you all
again."
Nothing could be said by way of objection, and he stood on the wharf as
Alvin seated himself after adjusting the plug and swinging over the
fly-wheel. The boat circled out into the broad stream, and all waved
their hands to the officer, who responded similarly. Then he turned about
and went slowly up the slope, probably to the hotel where they had dined.
When everything was moving easily, and the boat was gliding down stream,
Chester sitting directly beside his chum told him all that he had
observed in the dining room. Mike had gone to the stern of the launch and
sat down in his favorite position, with his feet curled up under him.