DARE'S STORY
Dare related the events which had culminated in his dramatic meeting
with Ben, when they returned on board the _Nancy_.
"When I left the quay I went straight across to the barber's," he
told Ben. "He's a funny chap; smells like anything of scent; and
talk--my word! he gets round a subject in the most complete way."
"I know," put in Ben; "I went over and asked him if he'd seen you."
"Ah, you did. Well, when I entered the shop he was busy shaving a
sailor; American, I think. I sat down to wait my turn, and began
looking at a paper to pass the time. While I was doing that and
having a look round in between whiles, I began to listen to the
barber, who was talking at a fearful rate.
"He talked about the weather, the town, the number of ships in the
harbour, the state of his trade, and gradually he got more personal
and began to try and pump the sailor. But the sailor wasn't having
any. All he answered was yes and no, and sometimes he didn't even
bother to say that. But the barber didn't mind; he kept on. And
finally he began to talk about hair; that was when he had finished
shaving the man, and had suggested a hair-cut. The sailor told him
to go ahead, and go ahead he did, cutting the hair and talking about
it at the same time.
"'Mais it is the hair most distinctive,' he said, in that funny way
he speaks English. It certainly was distinctive, that hair; like a
carrot for colour, and as wiry as nails. The sailor grunted.
"'Yes, it is the hair distinctive and original!' went on the barber;
'the colour, ah! it is not often one sees such in St. Pierre.'"
Knowing how red-headed chaps hate to have anyone mention the colour
of their hair, I was half expecting that sailor to punch the barber
one in the jaw. But all he did was grin.
"'Only one head is there to compare it with in St. Pierre,' went on
the barber, who seemed really enthusiastic. 'Only one head, and that
of a Frenchman.'
"'Never heard of a Frenchman with red hair before,' said the sailor.
"'There are many such in Normandy, oh yes. But this man I speak of
he is only half French. He is part English, is the excellent
Capitaine Pierre,' said the barber.
"When I heard that name I pricked up my ears. You never can tell, I
thought; this might be the very Pierre Madame Roquierre was talking
about.
"'That accounts for it,' said the sailor and I waited to hear what
the barber would say. If he'd known how curious I was he couldn't
have been more provoking, for what does he do but jaw about racial
characteristics as revealed in the colour of complexion, hair, and so
on, talk which the sailor couldn't understand even if he'd been
listening. I got tired of hearing the jabber, and began to look at
my paper again. By and by the sailor left, but there were two others
before me. I didn't mind, as I had nothing to do, so I killed time
by looking at my paper and looking out of the window alternately.
The window, as you may have noticed, overlooks the square. And while
I was looking out over the square I saw a tall man swaggering down
the middle of it. And he had red hair!
"I know it was jumping to conclusions, but no sooner did I see him
than I thought, 'That's Pierre!' and I made a bee-line for the door.
"Once out in the square I set about dogging the fellow, and a pretty
chase he led me. He crossed the square, taking his time, visited a
dock, two cafés, and finally he walked along the waterfront towards
Roquierre's. He stopped to speak to a man on Buyez's wharf, but
didn't stay long before he was off again. I was getting fond of the
game by that time, and I forgot the hour, my hair-cut, and my
appointment with you, so keen was I on finding out something about
the fellow before I lost him.
"I thought he was bound for Roquierre's at first, but he turned off
the waterfront into a side street, and pulled up in front of a
grog-shop called Boitet's. I don't know if you know it?"
"Aye," said Ben, "I've been there. Well, what then?"
"He went in," continued Dare, "and after awhile I followed. It was
easy enough. There was quite a crowd there drinking, and although I
look pretty young, no one stared because there were Frenchmen there
who looked no older than I did.
"This Boitet place is not like Roquierre's, as you know. It's
smaller and it's divided into two or three sections by thin
partitions, which don't go as high as the ceiling and not quite as
far along as the bar. The sections look like cubicles with one end
knocked out.
"I couldn't see the red head in the section I entered, but as it was
the closest to the door and I knew that he would have to pass by it
on his way out, I didn't bother to look in the other cubby-holes to
see where he'd got to. Besides, it would have looked too suspicious
to go about staring into places.
"I sat down at a table set against the partition separating the first
section from the second, and ordered one of those sirops, like I had
at Madame Roquierre's, to pass the time.
"While I was sipping it and taking a look round, the red head turned
up at the bar and began talking to the proprietor. His back was
towards me. He stayed there talking quite a while, and every now and
then he would look towards the door as though he was expecting
someone, and sure enough he was.
"The door opened to let in a little bow-legged man with wide flaps of
ears and a mouth that looked like a big slash right across his face.
As soon as he saw Pierre he went up towards him, and touching his
sou'wester said something that I couldn't hear. Pierre didn't say a
word, but led the man to a seat in the cubicle next mine. By the
greatest good luck they were not far away from me, and they spoke
English. I took advantage of my position to lean back against the
partition, and although there were some words I missed, I heard
enough to gather the sense of all they said.
"Pierre started it.
"'When did you get in, Bagley?' he asked.
"'A half-hour ago,' answered the man. 'Thurlton come with me--he's
mindin' the boat. I come right ashore and walked straight here.'
"'How is everything?'
"'Couldn't be bettered,' declared Bagley. 'Sure, the coast is as
quiet as an old maid's backyard.'
"'That fellow hasn't been making any more trouble, I hope?'
"'Not he, cap'n. Sure, he's a sick man. He'll know better than to
be pokin' his nose in other people's business again, I warrant.'
"'Don't be too sure. I know that fellow by reputation. He's
dangerous, whether he's got a cracked head or not. But let him look
to himself if he interferes with me.'
"I tell you what, Ben, it made me think a bit the way he said that.
I didn't feel a bit too comfortable myself. The man called Bagley
laughed.
"'That's the talk, cap'n. But there's little chance of that fer a
while, anyhow.'
"'Good. Now what about the tides?'
"'It's low water as near as you wants it at eleven o'clock to-morrow
night.'
"'And smooth water?'
"'Aye, with the wind drawin' more off shore. That easterly kicked up
a bit of a lop, but it's gone now.'
"'Well, we're loaded and ready,' said Pierre, 'and waiting on the
weather. If it's in our favour you can expect us at eleven to-morrow
night. Have all the shore hands ready. There's a heavy night's work
in front of us. I'm going to run two or three bumper cargoes and
then lay off a bit, to give the Revenue snifters time to get tired of
laying for us. Once we have the stuff cached there's nothing to
worry about. For although you trapped that Nosy Parker on the
Spaleen road there's not a chance in a thousand of anybody ever
happening on the place.'
"'Aye, that's so, cap'n. Sure, it was made for the business. The
fools could pass us by sea and land and never know we was there.'
"'Now look here, Bagley, there's one thing I'm not easy about. Are
you sure the shore gang is on the square?'
"'As sure as you're sittin' there, cap'n.'
"'Then how came there to be six cases missing in the last accounting?'
"'Sure, there's always a few breakages, and you knows yourself how
many a bottle goes to wet a customer's whistle at the time of selling
him the stuff.'
"'Admitted,' said Pierre, 'but let there be less breakages in future.
Understand me, Bagley?'
"'Aye, I'll see to it, cap'n.'
"They were silent for a while, as though they were drinking deeply;
then Pierre started again.
"'Mind you,' he said, 'I'm not the man to bother about a case or two
going the usual way--but no more than that. There's not a better
paid crew on the Island than my lot, not to mention their shares of
the profits. And, after all, who takes all the risks? I do. And
who plans the business, and buys the stuff and gets a good cut off
Giraud? Why, I do. It's easy enough to peddle the stuff when it's
ashore, but it's no easy thing running along that infernal coast on
dark nights with no lights showing, and making in with no more than a
few inches of water to spare under the boat's keel.'
"'Aye, you've reason to say so, cap'n,' agreed Bagley. 'But it ain't
all fun fer me ayther, keepin' the shore gang bunch up to the mark.
And if one of 'em was to squeal, where would I be?'
"'Where you'd deserve to be,' said Pierre. 'Hang me, do you think
I'd put up with you a minute if you couldn't keep their tongues still
in their heads? And what do you mean by talking of squealing,
anyhow? Do you mean to say there's a chance of them doing so? For
if there is, by the living image, I'll put the fear of the old 'un
into them to-morrow night.'
"'Be aisy, cap'n, be aisy,' said Bagley, as though he was half
scared. 'Sure, 'twas only a supposition of mine. There's no one
goin' to squeal.'
"'You'll be the first to pay if anyone does, I tell you that, Bagley.'
"'Ah, sure, don't I know? Be aisy, now, cap'n, be aisy.'
"'All right. I hear you. Now get back to the coast and be ready for
us. And double the look-outs at the cache. I don't feel too safe
since that nosy beggar turned up.'
"'I'll do it, cap'n. I'll be leavin' in a hour at most.'
"'And why not now?'
"'Sure, cap'n, a man must needs eat at times,' protested Bagley.
"'Well, hurry up then,' said Pierre, and I heard them push back their
chairs. They both came out and made for the door. A man waved to
Bagley as he passed, and Bagley, with a glance at Pierre, went up to
him.
"The man must have asked him to stay and have a drink or something,
for Bagley answered: 'Sure, I've no time. I have to be gettin' back.
Payter is in a bad temper.' And then he followed Pierre.
"I realized then what I'd half guessed since the beginning of their
talk, that Pierre was Payter. The English for Pierre is Peter, but
an Irishman like Bagley would naturally pronounce it Payter. I
followed the two till they separated at the quay, then I tagged on to
Pierre again. I wanted to find out as much as I could while I had
the chance. As it happens, he made straight for Giraud's. I waited
till he'd been in the shop a few minutes, then I strolled in myself
and stepped right into your arms. The rest you know."
Ben was considerably impressed by Dare's story, and when it ended he
gave expression to his feelings in his own peculiar way.
"That's what you might call a stroke of luck," he declared
enthusiastically. "Here's news for the cap'n."
"Not yet," said Dare.
"An' why?"
"Well, what have we got to tell him, except that we've found out who
Payter is?"
"Not much, 'tis true."
"Exactly. We knew there was a cache before, and that's all we know
now. It's no good telling father about Pierre unless we can manage
to have him caught red-handed. And before we can do that we must
know where that cache is. That's our job and we've got to do it.
I'd give anything to be able to make father's coup possible."
"Same here," declared Ben. "The question is, how?"
"Well, we've got to think about that. We've not done so badly so
far."
"Aye. But there was luck in it. Still, the luck may hold."
"I very nearly boiled over when I heard them call father a Nosy
Parker. Well, Mr. Pierre, look out for yourself, that's all I can
say."
"He seems a bad lot," remarked Ben.
"He's a dangerous man," declared Dare.
"There's no doubting it," admitted Ben. "If we knowed where he was
going to land we could telegraph the cap'n and have him behind the
bars pretty quick."
"If----" said Dare. "From this time on," he added, "we've got to
keep watch on the _Mary_ day and night."
"And what about when she leaves harbour?"
"We'll follow her. Are you willing, Ben?"
"More than willin'."
Their watch began next day. There was not much activity on board the
_Mary_, and Ben rightly conjectured that the crew was sleeping in
preparation for the night's work. The weather continued mild, and
favourable to the smugglers' purpose, and there seemed no reason to
doubt that she would leave harbour that night. Dare and Ben made
their preparations accordingly.
"There's one thing knocks me," said Ben, "and that's the talk about
the tide. Why wait fer low water when low water means, as Payter
said, that there'll only be a few inches under her keel?"
"I was thinking of that too. It doesn't seem reasonable, does it?"
"Nary a bit," declared Ben with conviction.
"That's another mystery we've got to solve. And that reminds me,
Ben, we didn't say anything to dad about the ovens."
"What ovens?"
"You know what that fellow said on board the _Glenbow_--that there'd
be smuggling in Saltern while there was an oven in the Bay."
"Oh, aye. I remembers now. But it's my belief that man was drunk.
What can ovens have to do with the matter, as I said to him?"
"I don't think he was joking or drunk, now. You said yourself he
seemed to know something. I wish we'd mentioned it to dad. It might
have been a good clue."
"You could write him a line."
"We'll wait until we get back from our trip to-morrow. We might have
bigger news to write then."
"Here's hoping. There's only one thing bothers me and that is, will
the _Mary_ be the beat of the _Nancy_? If so, we ain't got much
chance of keepin' in her company."
"Well, as it's a short trip and she's not due till eleven p.m. it's
not likely that they'll drive her much. That ought to give us a
chance to keep in with her."
"It won't be easy," said Ben, "and that's a fact. But there, we've
had the luck so far, and it may hang on to us. I expect she'll leave
around dusk," he went on to say. "That'll give her plenty of time.
Payter won't risk not turnin' up on the hour. Like as not he'll be
ahead of time. He'll draw in to the land, douse his lights and stand
by."
"All the better for us if he does. If the place is near Saltern we
might get a chance to slip into the harbour and give the warning."
"And the cap'n laid up in his bed!"
Dare's face fell.
"It had slipped my mind. Well, there's no use in meeting trouble
half-way. The thing to do is to manage by hook or by crook to get
some idea of where that cache is. We can think about what we'll do
then afterwards. Our best chance is in trying to dog the _Mary_ like
we did her skipper."
"Not a doubt of it," agreed Ben.
"There's nothing we've forgotten? We're all ready to leave harbour?"
"We're all set," said Ben.
"Well, we haven't got much longer to wait."
They kept to the _Nancy_ all day. During the afternoon there was
some slight activity on board the _Mary_. Pierre was seen to go on
shore and to return twice in three hours. Then there was once more a
cessation of movement, and the calm that precedes action lay over the
ship. Not over the harbour, however. A nice breeze from the
south-west kept up its strength and showed no sign of dying out with
the approach of night.
At six o'clock Dare, watching the _Mary_, saw a haze of smoke issuing
from her quarter, about half-way down to her waterline. This puzzled
him at first. Then he turned to Ben, enlightened.
"She's got an engine, petrol-burning," he said. "That'll make it
hard for us if there comes a calm."
Ben sniffed at the weather, lifting his nose to the sky dog-fashion.
"Rest easy," he said, "the wind will last."
"I've a hunch she'll leave soon," returned Dare, and went below to
put on a jacket. He had not been there three minutes when Ben showed
his head down the companion-way.
"The crew's on deck, breakin' out the anchor."
Dare went up, and looking to where the _Mary_ lay, saw the foresail
being hoisted by a deck engine.
"You're the skipper, Ben," he said. "Give the orders."
Ben, fastening down the flap of his sou'-wester, nodded.
"We don't want to tag her too close. We'll give her a mile or so to
start with. In this light wind the _Nancy_ can keep up with her
easy, unless they start that contraption of an engine."
"Why not leave ahead of her?"
"That would never do. No, we got to take our chance and trail her.
There! She's driftin'. Now the wind's got her sails. Stand by to
cast off."
Half an hour later the two boats had passed the harbour rock and were
heading for Saltern Bay.