HOMEWARD BOUND--CONCLUSION
The report was true, the tug contained Fred, Songbird, and Harold
Bird, and as soon as these three made out who were on board of the
_Mermaid_ they set up a cheer. Then the sails on the steam yacht were
lowered and the tug came alongside. In a minute more Fred was scrambling
on deck, followed by the others.
"Alive! All of you!" cried Fred. "Oh, this is the best news yet!"
"And we are glad to see you alive too," cried Tom. "We were afraid
the _Mascotte_ had been lost."
"Well, we came close to it," said Songbird. "And when we got in to
port some of the passengers had the captain arrested for ill treatment.
But we didn't wait for that. We were wild to know what had become of
you, and so we chartered this tug and began a hunt. You were lucky
to be picked up by such a nice craft as this."
"We weren't picked up,--we picked ourselves up," answered Dick.
"Why, what do you mean?" asked Harold Bird, in puzzled tones.
"We found this steam yacht on the water deserted--not a soul on board."
"You don't mean it!" ejaculated Fred. "What's her name?"
"The _Mermaid_."
"Creation!" shouted Harold Bird. "Why, that's the steam yacht was
advertised in all the newspapers some weeks ago. She was missing,
and the club that owns her offered a reward of five thousand dollars
for information leading to her return."
"Well, we picked her up as a derelict," said Tom. "And we'll claim
salvage accordingly. But how did she disappear?"
"It's a long story. She was left in charge of an old man, and he went
off and got intoxicated. Then a storm came up and they found the old
man in a rowboat and the steam yacht missing. She must have blown
and drifted far away on the gulf. But it's queer she wasn't sighted
before."
"Maybe she was, but nobody thought she was deserted," said Sam, and
his idea was probably true.
Thus far Dan Baxter had kept in the background. When he came forward
there was more astonishment, and our friends had to tell about the
arrival of Sack Todd and the others, and of what had been done since.
"I want you to understand that Dan helped us a great deal," said
Dick, to Fred and Songbird. "He isn't the fellow he was. He has
changed so you would hardly know he was the same person. I think he
is really on the right track at last."
"It seems too wonderful to be true," was Fred's comment.
Dan Baxter was much interested in meeting Harold Bird, and while the
others were talking in one part of the deck he called the young
Southerner to one side.
"Mr. Bird, you know who I am, and I suppose you have no use for me,"
began the former bully. "I am sorry I went in with those men who
stole your gasoline launch. If I had my choice again I shouldn't do
such a thing. I am very sorry, and I am glad you got your boat back.
But I want to speak to you about something else. I was going to write
you a letter when I got the chance, but I'd rather tell you what I know."
"What you know?" repeated Harold Bird, somewhat puzzled.
"Yes. Since I have been traveling with Gasper Pold and Sack Todd I
have learned a great deal, and much of it concerns yourself and your
father."
"My father!" gasped the young Southerner.
"Yes."
"What do you know of him? Is he alive?"
"I think he is--at least Gasper Pold said he was."
"Pold! What does he know about it? Where is my father?"
"As near as I know, your father is in Mexico, at a place called
Troxapocca. He is somewhat out of his mind, and Pold told Sack Todd
he was working around a hotel there, doing all sorts of odd jobs. He
goes by the name of Bangs--why, I don't know."
"Is it possible! I must look into this without delay."
"And then there is something else I want to tell you. I heard Todd
and Pold talking about it when they thought they were alone. Todd
accused Pold of having killed an old man, a hunter, in the woods,
because the old hunter had vowed to expose one of Pold's lottery
swindles. It came out in the talk that Pold had really done the deed
and had put the dead hunter on a rock, where he was shot at by your
father. Your father didn't hit the body, but he thought he did, and
thinking he had killed this old man was what made your father crazy."
"I know it! I know it!" cried Harold Bird. "What a vile deed to do!
And did Pold admit his guilt?"
"He did, but he warned Sack Todd to keep quiet about it. That was
one of the things that turned me against that gang. They were altogether
too bad for me. From that moment on I was sorry I had gone in with them."
"This fairly staggers me, Baxter. You--you must help me prove
this--after I have found my father, or before."
"I will, Mr. Bird--I'll do all I can to make things right again,"
answered Dan Baxter, earnestly.
When the others heard of Dan Baxter's revelation they were almost as
much astonished as Harold Bird. They were glad to learn that there
was now a likelihood of clearing the young Southerner's father of
the crime of which he had been accused, and all trusted he would soon
be able to locate Mr. Bird and nurse him back to mental and physical
health.
Those on the tug were called on board and then Sack Todd was allowed
to come on deck, followered by the two sailors. All were made prisoners.
Then Gasper Pold and Sid Jeffers came up and were handcuffed.
Gasper Pold was amazed to find himself confronted by Harold Bird,
and when accused of the shooting of the old hunter broke down utterly.
He thought Sack Todd had exposed him, and a bitter war of words
between the pair followed.
"You have done me a splendid service, Baxter," said the young
Southerner, after the excitement was over. "I shall not forget you.
When the proper time comes, if you need legal aid, I'll see to it
that you have a first-class lawyer."
"Thank you," answered the former bully, humbly. "I only did my duty,
which I should have done long ago."
It was found that the _Mermaid_ belonged to persons living at Mobile,
and accordingly the steam yacht and the tug were headed for that
port. The run did not take more than twenty-four hours and when the
_Mermaid_ appeared she created considerable excitement. One of the
owners, James Morrison, soon came to take charge, in the name of the
yacht club, and he assured Dick and the others that the club would
pay anything that was fair for the return of the vessel.
"We have found one thing that bothered us," said Dick. "Perhaps you
can explain it. In a locker we found a picture of Harold Bird and
also a picture of his father."
"I know nothing of them. I did not know Mr. Bird at all."
"I will have Harold show you his father's photograph. Perhaps you'll
recognize him."
The picture was shown and James Morrison uttered a cry of astonishment.
"I know that man, but his name was not Bird. It was Bangs. He worked
on the yacht for awhile--queer sort of stick--and he left rather
suddenly."
"It was Mr. Bird. He went crazy over some personal trouble, and Harold
has been looking all over for him. He was last heard of in Mexico.
But this clears up the mystery of the photographs," Dick added.
And now let me add a few words more and then bring to a close this
tale of "The Rover Boys in Southern Waters."
As soon as they arrived at Mobile the Rover boys sent telegrams to
their folks at home and also to the ladies and girls at the Bird
plantation, telling of the safety of the entire party.
Sack Todd, Gasper Pold, Sid Jeffers, and the two sailors were locked
up. Nobody attempted to have Dan Baxter arrested, nor did the former
bully of Putnam Hall try to run away.
"I have made up my mind to take my medicine and I am going to do it,"
he said, almost stubbornly.
"What a change in him!" was Tom's comment. "The fellows at Putnam
Hall won't believe it when we tell them."
"Here is the whole thing in a nutshell," said Sam. "Dan has found
out that there is absolutely no happiness or satisfaction in being
dishonest. Even when he had money he didn't enjoy it--he told me so
himself. He said there was many a day when he would have preferred
being with the old crowd, even without a cent in his pocket."
As soon as he could Harold Bird set off for Mexico. A week later he
sent Dick Rover a telegram stating that he had found his father and
was taking him home. It may be added here that, cleared of the
suspicion that had hung over his name, Mr. Bird speedily recovered
from his insanity, and became the prosperous planter he had been in
years gone by.
When Sack Todd, Gasper Pold, and Sid Jeffers were brought to trial
Dan Baxter was a witness against each one. For the shooting of the
old hunter Pold received a life sentence in prison, and for their
various misdeeds Todd and the mate of the _Dogstar_ received ten and
twenty years respectively. Solly Jackson was also a witness against
Todd and Pold and was not prosecuted.
"What are you going to do about Dan Baxter?" asked Songbird of Dick,
one day.
"I am going to do nothing," answered Dick, firmly. "If you want to
prosecute him you can do so."
"He expects to be placed on trial."
"Well, he'll have to find somebody else to prosecute him."
"I shan't do anything, Dick. Why, he isn't the same chap he used to
be. He's as meek as any fellow I ever met."
In the end nobody prosecuted Dan Baxter, and he was allowed to go
his own way. The Rovers talked the matter over and one day they sent
for the former bully and asked him how much money he had on hand.
"I've got exactly two dollars and a quarter," was the answer. "I am
looking for work, but I haven't found anything yet," and Baxter's
face grew red and he hung his head.
"We have made up a purse for you, Dan," said Dick, kindly. "Those
folks who owned the yacht gave us ten thousand dollars for bringing
her in safely. I have had a talk with our crowd, and we are going to
stake you for a fresh start."
So speaking, Dick handed out a new pocketbook. But Dan Baxter put
his hands behind him.
"Thank you very, very much," he said, huskily, "but I don't want you
to--to give me a cent--not a cent, understand? If you want to make
me a loan, well and good. But I shan't take it if it's a gift."
"Well, we'll call it a loan then," said Tom, who stood by.
"And you can pay up whenever you please," added Sam.
Dan Baxter took the pocketbook and opened it.
"Why, ifs full of bills!" he gasped.
"Yes, a thousand dollars, Dan. We want you to make a good start while
you are at it," explained Dick.
The face of the former bully became a study. His eyes grew moist and
his lips quivered. He had to turn away for a moment, for he could
not control himself.
"You're the best fellows in the world--the very best," he murmured,
presently. "A thousand dollars! And you were going to give it to
me--not loan it to me! I'll never forget that, never, if I live to
be a hundred. But I am not going to take all that money--it's too
much of a temptation. Let me have a hundred as a loan, and that's all."
This he stuck to, and in the end the hundred dollars was counted out
and Baxter placed it in his pocket.
"This will take me to Philadelphia," he said. "There I can get hold
of some money that is rightfully mine, and then I'll return the loan.
After that--well, after that I am going far away, to try to make a
man of myself."
"We wish you luck, Dan," answered Dick, gravely.
"Indeed we do," added Sam and Tom.
There was an awkward silence. Then Dan Baxter pulled himself up,
hesitated, and held out his hand.
"I don't know when we'll meet again," he said. "Good-by."
"Good-by," said each of the others and shook hands warmly.
The former bully walked to the doorway and there hesitated again.
"Please do me one favor," he said, his face growing red. "When you
meet the Stanhopes and the Lanings tell them I am very sorry for what
I did, and that I wouldn't do it again for the whole world. And tell
Captain Putnam that, too." And then he went out, closing the door
softly behind him. They listened to his footsteps, and as they died
away each heaved a deep sigh.
"I am sorry for him," said Dick.
"I pity him from the bottom of my heart," came from Sam.
"And so do I," added Tom. "Poor chap, I hope he does make a man of
himself." It was a long time before they saw Dan Baxter again.
What to do with the houseboat they did not know, but soon came a
message from their Uncle Randolph, stating they might sell the craft.
They found a ready purchaser at a fair price, and then joined the
Stanhopes and the Lanings at the Bird plantation.
"Oh, how glad I am that you are safe!" cried Dora to Dick, when they
met. "It seems an age since you went away."
"So it does--with so much happening," answered the eldest of the
Rover boys.
"Are we going home now?" asked Sam.
"We'll have to," answered Tom. "We ought to be at our studies this
minute."
"Yes, because you love study so!" cried Nellie, mischievously.
Two days later found them on a river steamer that was to take them
up the Mississippi as far as St. Louis, where they were to take the
Limited Express for New York.
"Well, I suppose our good times and our adventures are over now,"
said Sam. But he was mistaken. Good times and strange adventures
still awaited them, and what some of these were will be told in the
next volume of this series, to be entitled "The Rover Boys on the
Farm; or, Last Days at Putnam Hall."
The whole party remained in St. Louis one day. Then they sped eastward
on the Limited, and the following evening found them on their way to
Valley Brook farm, the Stanhopes and Lanings having decided to stop
off there for at least a day or two.
"It will feel fine to get home again," said Sam, as the train rolled
into the Oak Run station. "Hurrah! here we are at last!"
"And there are father, Aunt Martha, and Uncle Randolph to meet us!"
exclaimed Tom.
"Hullo, everybody!" called out Dick, and tumbled out of the train,
to kiss his aunt and shake hands all around. "Home again, and glad
of it!"
"And we are glad to see you all!" answered his father. And then there
was general rejoicing, and here we will take our leave.
THE END