The "Crusoe Mystery" Deepens
"Now, where have you boys been? Did those men take you away? Where did
they take you? Did you escape? How did you escape?"
This rapid-fire succession of questions was hurled by Cub at Hal and Bud
as they approached the place where Mr. Baker was quizzing his prisoner
under the protection of the boy sentinel against a surprise attack from
the prisoner's friends. Some of these questions were encouraged by nods
and smiles of assent to preceding interrogatories.
"Yes, yes, but one question at a time," Hal replied. "You're on the
right track, Cub, but that isn't the way to get our story out of us. I
see you have one of the rascals a prisoner. Keep him. He's the worst of
the bunch."
The "rascal" winced at the characterization.
"Who are they, anyway," asked Cub. "What are they doing here? Do they own
this island?"
"Now, you've added three more questions," Hal remarked with a smile, for
he was much pleased at the opportunity to tease the tall and usually
super-wise youth in something of the latter's characteristic manner. "We
can't answer all your questions, Cub, but we know there's a mystery about
this fellow and his friends, and I suppose we'll have to wait for your
father's mathematics to solve it."
"Was it those four men who made prisoners of you?" inquired Cub, who, in
his eagerness to get some definite information, resolved to ask one
question at a time and pursue his inquiry in an orderly manner.
"Yes," Hal replied.
"They grabbed me first while I was down at the landing," put in Bud, who
was almost as impatient to tell the story as Cub was to hear it. "I went
down there when I saw a rowboat pulling up and didn't recognize the men
in it until they came ashore. I thought they were still on the island,
for when they left us a few hours before, they didn't go toward the
landing, and we didn't see them go toward it since then. I hollered when
they grabbed me, and Hal came rushing to see what was the matter."
"Yes, and then I ran back to the radio table and telegraphed to Max Handy
at Rockport," added Hal, taking up the narrative at this point and
indicating a disposition to volunteer details more readily. "While I was
still in the act of sending, two of the them appeared and seized me. They
took me into their rowboat with Bud at the landing and rowed to a yacht
almost a duplicate of Mr. Perry's. We were confined in the cabin until
after dark and then put ashore on an island half a mile from here. That
was the last we saw of them."
"But how did you get away?" asked Cub.
"We flagged a motor boat just a little while ago. There were two men and
two boys in it. We told them our story and they volunteered to bring us
back here and see if you had returned. Hello, Uncle James," addressing
Mr. Baker and seizing the latter by the hand. "I didn't recognize you at
first, though I knew you were coming."
"Where is Alvin?" asked Mr. Baker anxiously. "Didn't you see him on the
island over there?"
"No," Hal replied with a look and tone of surprise. "That is another
desert island--not a person there."
"What does that mean?" demanded Mr. Baker, turning to the prisoner. "You
told us all three of the boys that you took away from here were together
on that island over there."
"I didn't mean that," the fellow snarled, with something of a look of
confusion, however.
"Well, what did you mean?"
"I meant they were on two islands not far apart; the other fellow is on
the island a little further on."
"Is that motor boat that brought you here down at the landing yet?" Mr.
Baker inquired.
"Yes," Bud replied.
"I wonder if we couldn't induce them to make a run over to the island
where this fellow says he left my son and bring him here."
"I think they'd be glad to do it," Bud replied. "They seemed to be
very much interested in this affair and offered to do anything they
could to help us."
"All right; suppose you go down there and tell them the situation. I
suppose we could wait till Mr. Perry gets back, but I can't stand any
delay that isn't absolutely necessary."
"Why, where has your father gone, Cub?" asked Hal.
"He started out to get police help," answered the boy addressed. "His
first call was to be at Rockport, but no doubt he'll come right back here
when he gets the message I sent for him. I telegraphed to our wireless
friend, Max Handy, and asked him to go down to the docks and tell father
what happened since he left. He's on the way now; maybe he's talking to
father this minute."
"What was it that happened?" Bud inquired.
Cub gave a description of the visit of the four "owners" of Friday Island
and the dispute that resulted in making a prisoner of one of them and
sending the other three away on a mission of restitution.
"I thought when I just saw you come up from the landing that they had
released you according to agreement," he added; "but on second thought, I
decided they couldn't have had time to do that; besides, when they left
us they went in the other direction."
"No, they didn't have anything to do with it," Hal assured his friend.
"You'd better tell the truth about where my son is," warned Mr. Baker,
addressing the prisoner. "I won't stand any more trifling from you."
"He's there unless somebody took him off the island, same as these boys
were taken off the island we put them on," declared "the captain" in
sullen tone and manner.
"Well, it'll be an unhappy circumstance for you if we don't find any
evidence of their having been there," Mr. Baker remarked.
"I think we'd better take him along with us," said Hal. "Then there'll be
no doubt about our going to the right island. Come on, Bud; let's go down
to the boat and tell Mr. Leland and Mr. White what we want to do."
Hal and Bud were soon out of sight on their way to perform the mission
they had imposed on themselves, and a few minutes later they returned
with one of the motor-boatmen, a clean-cut athletic man of middle age,
wearing a tan Palm Beach suit. Hal introduced him as Mr. White.
"The boys have told us all about your trouble," he said, addressing Mr.
Baker; "and we'd like to do all we can to help you out. They tell me that
your son is believed to be on an island about a mile from here, and that
this prisoner of yours knows exactly where that island is. Well take him
along with us and make him make good."
"I'm very much obliged to you," said Mr. Baker warmly. "I've promised
this fellow that if he returns my son to me, I'll let him go, so the
instant you find my son you may turn him loose."
"I don't believe he ought to be turned loose," declared Mr. White
energetically. "I believe he ought to be made to pay the penalty of his
crime--kidnapping. However, we'll do as you say. Come along, my fine
fellow," he added, taking the prisoner by the arm. "We'll keep those
hands of yours securely tied behind your back, so you can't get into
mischief."
With these words, he led "the captain" toward the landing, followed by
Hal and Bud.
Half an hour later they returned, with the prisoner, his hands still
shackled with the rope strands. They had been unable to find Mr.
Baker's son on the island where the prisoner said he and his companions
had left him.
Meanwhile Mr. Perry had returned in the Catwhisker to Friday Island. He
was accompanied by Max Handy and a Canadian government officer.