RANDY VISITS HIS HOME
As soon as he returned to the steamboat, Randy acquainted Captain
Hadley with all he had seen and heard and gave the captain the card of
the merchant.
"You have done well, Randy," said the master of the steamboat. "I fancy
this will cook Mr. Amos Bangs's goose."
At Nyack, Mr. Shalley came on board and heard what our hero had to say.
"I am glad you have a witness," said he. "I have heard of Mr. Budmister
before."
"A good business man," said Captain Hadley. "He will make a good
witness--if the case comes to a trial."
But it never did come to a trial. Andrew Shalley received one letter
from a lawyer, threatening the suit, and in return wrote back the
particulars of what Randy had learned, and added that if he heard any
more of the matter he would bring suit against Amos Bangs for
conspiracy to defraud. There the matter ended.
The captain was so pleased that when Randy asked for a three-days'
leave of absence, that he might visit his home, it was readily granted.
The boy was also given some extra pay for his work at Catskill.
Randy's homecoming brought a warm smile to the faces of his father and
his mother. His mother kissed him tenderly and his father shook hands.
"How are you feeling, father?"
"I am almost well, Randy. I expect to go to work next week."
"But not in a cellar," said the son, quickly.
"No, Mr. Jackson is going to build a wing on his house and has given me
the whole contract."
"That is good."
"I will be able to make more money than if I was working for a boss,"
went on Mr. Thompson.
"Well, you won't be sorry for that," said Randy, with a smile.
He found matters on the farm moving along nicely. The late vegetables
were coming in well and their neighbor, Jerry Borden, had given them a
helping hand.
"Say, you're a-gittin' to be a regular sailor, ain't you?" said Sammy
to Randy.
"Hardly a sailor," answered Randy, with a laugh. "I am a steamboat
deckhand."
"It's about the same thing. Wish I was a sailor."
"Maybe if you sailed on the ocean you'd get seasick, Sammy."
"I wouldn't, nuther. I was readin' about Robinson Crusoe onct. I wish I
was cast away on a barren island. It would be lots of fun."
"Especially if you had nothing to eat and to drink."
"Oh, I'd get something from the ship, as Crusoe did."
"If the ship didn't go down in the middle of the ocean."
"When I was on the island I'd sleep every morning as long as I wanted
to."
"What would you do if the savages came after you?"
"I'd fight and kill them all--that is, all but one. I'd want that one
for my man Friday."
"He ain't going to be no sailor," broke in Mrs. Borden, who overheard
the conversation. "He is going out to hunt eggs an' he is a-goin' to do
it right now, or I'll get the whip."
"I'll get the eggs," answered Sammy, and hurried off without further
delay.
"That boy is crazy to go somewhere all the time," said Mrs. Borden. "He
doesn't seem to like the farm a bit."
"Better let him look for work somewhere," said Randy. "Maybe it will
cure him of some of his notions."
"Maybe," sighed the mother.
All too soon Randy's visit had come to an end. He remained at the
little farm over Sunday, going to church with his father and his
mother, and left for the Hudson River early Monday morning.
Several days passed quietly and once more our hero fell into his
routine work. Jones was sick, so the deckhands had a little more to do
than usual. Randy pitched in with vigor, much to the satisfaction of
Malloy and Captain Hadley.
One day, while handling baggage at the dock in New York, Randy was
surprised to see Amos Bangs and a stranger come aboard. He soon lost
sight of the pair and did not see them again until the middle of the
afternoon, when he discovered them in a corner of the cabin, talking
earnestly.
"It is queer Mr. Bangs should use this boat--after his quarrel with
Captain Hadley and Mr. Shalley," said our hero to himself.
He had occasion to pass the pair a little later and was surprised to
hear the name of Mr. Bartlett mentioned.
"Don't worry; we'll down Bartlett easily enough," said the strange man,
a fellow with bushy black whiskers.
"I hope so," answered Amos Bangs.
Curious to know what they could be saying about Jack's father, and
remembering what he had heard in the past, Randy walked outside of the
cabin and close to a window which was wide open. From this point he
could hear what was said without being seen very readily.
"I don't like the way matters are standing," he heard Amos Bangs say.
"We must make our position more secure, Tuller."
"I don't see how we are to do it," answered the man with the heavy
whiskers.
"I wish I could get Bartlett to sell his stock and sign over all his
interest."
"Can you do that without making him suspicious of what is going on?"
"Humph! He is suspicious already, that's the trouble."
"Does he know about the deal with Kastner?"
"I think not."
"It will be a blow, when he hears of it."
"I don't intend he shall hear of it just yet. If I had Robinson where I
wanted him, I'd go ahead."
"Can't you get him?"
"Get him? I don't dare breathe a word to him." Amos Bangs laughed. "And
the funny part of it is, Bartlett thinks Robinson is in with us."
"You are sure of that?"
"Dead certain."
"Then you must keep Bartlett and Robinson apart."
"If I can."
"What did you do with the papers you took from Bartlett's desk?"
"They are in my safe at home."
"Why don't you destroy them?"
"I will, some time."
"It is dangerous to leave them around."
"I am the only person who knows the combination of the house safe. The
papers can't get out without me."
So the talk ran on for a good hour, during which time Randy heard many
things which appeared to be of value to Mr. Philip Bartlett. Then the
two men arose and went to the smoking room, and that was the last our
hero saw of them until they left the boat, half an hour later.
The talk he had heard set Randy to thinking. Plainly Amos Bangs and his
companion were a pair of rascals and were trying to defraud Mr.
Bartlett out of some if not all of his belongings.
"I'll have to call on Mr. Bartlett and tell him what I have heard,"
Randy told himself.
"See here!" called out Peter Polk, striding up as Randy was going to
the lower deck. "What are you loafing around here for?"
"I am going below now," answered our hero.
"You can't shirk your work that way, Thompson." The purser came closer.
"Listen," he whispered. "After this you keep your nose out of my
business."
"I didn't know I had my nose in your business, Mr. Polk."
"Oh, you can't fool me, Thompson. I know it was you went to Captain
Hadley with the story of how I was treating my relatives."
"You mean the Clares?"
"Of course I do. After this you keep your mouth shut," pursued the
purser. "If you don't--well, you'll wish you had, that's all." And
Peter Polk went away in extremely bad humor.