XVII--PETER COTTERELL
Next morning the four campers, following the suggestion made by thesea-captain on the Barmouth wharf, resumed their search for theCotterell treasure. David treated the whole matter as a joke; he thoughtthat either the story about Sir Peter having hidden his silver plate wasa legend without any foundation in fact, or that one of the family hadfound the treasure and disposed of it. Tom leaned to the same opinion,although he did not say so as openly as did David, perhaps because hesaw that both John Tuckerman and Ben thought the treasure was yet to befound. Ben was still as positive as ever, and argued that if Sir Peter'splate had ever been discovered that fact would certainly have beenmentioned in Crusty Christopher's notebooks.
They examined the chimney-breast in the kitchen and dining-room, lookingfor any possible hiding-place. They went all over the house again,looking for any secret door or panel that they might have missed before.They tapped the walls and they measured them; but nowhere could theyfigure out such a place as they were hunting. Finally Tuckerman said, "Idon't see how we can search anywhere else, unless we do as Davesuggested--pull the house down--and I don't want to do that."
"The house is worth more than the treasure," said Tom.
"That's so," Tuckerman agreed. He frowned and bit his lip. "I don't liketo be stumped, that's the long and short of it. I don't like to admitthat I can't work out the puzzle."
"Puzzles never bother me," said David. "I think they're stupid things. Inever want to know the answer to any of the problems in the algebrabooks. What good does it do you to know them? Of course some people getso hipped over knowing the answers they can't eat till they find themout--whether a dog or a rabbit will reach a given point first, thingslike that, or about men rowing a boat against the tide; but they don'tget me the least little bit excited. Leave them to Benjie, I say."
And that was what they did. They left Ben up in the attic, the last roomthey had searched. Attics fascinated Ben. In a way they were likepuzzles; there were so many odds and ends that needed putting together.He walked idly about, looking at chairs and tables that had lost some oftheir legs, at statuettes that were broken and disfigured, until he cameto the window that opened to the east. There he stopped in a brownstudy.
A distant sail caught his eye. It reminded him of something. Oh, yes,from the window he could see the line of the little island where theyhad found the fishing-smack at anchor the night before. He couldn't tellif this sail belonged to the smack; it was too far away; but the sightof it started a train of thought he had been working over that morning.
He went downstairs and was glad to find that the others had left thehouse. In the living-room he took the two pieces of parchment from thedrawer of the secretary and carefully copied the writing on them on alarge sheet of paper. This he laid on the lid of the desk and put aninkstand on the paper. Then he returned the pieces of parchment to thedrawer.
Satisfied with this, he went outdoors and crossed the island to thebeach where he had found the chest. He sat on a log, and waitedpatiently. Presently he saw a sail, to the east; and this time he feltfairly sure that it was the same fishing-smack that they had chased theprevious night.
He jumped up and began to burrow in the crevice between the rocks. Hedid not attempt to pull the chest out; it was too heavy for him to dothat unaided; but he kicked his heels and pushed himself in. And after awhile he pushed himself out again and stood up. Looking at the smack, hedecided that she was near enough for anyone on her deck to havewitnessed his strange performance.
The next step in his plan came when the dishes had been washed afterdinner. He proposed that they should sail over to the little island andsee if the smack was still in the neighborhood.
"After the thieves, are you?" asked David. "Now see here, my lad, if weshould find them, what then? Are you going to step aboard and tell themthey're arrested?"
"Dave's had enough of his friend Sam," said Tom. "He thinks if Sam meetshim again he'll get a belaying-pin on the back of his head."
"Benjie wants to argue with them," said David. "I'll admit I'd like toget square with the rascal, but I don't see how we can do it that way."
"If Dave's sure it's the same boat," suggested Tom, "we might notify thepolice at Barmouth."
"Well," said Ben, "the only way to make sure that Dave's right is tosail around and look at her in daylight."
"That sounds sensible," Tuckerman agreed. "We needn't get into any kindof a scrap with them."
So the _Argo_ set sail and cruised eastward; but although she roundedthe other island several times that afternoon her crew caught no sightof the bark they were looking for.
When they got back to their own island they found Lanky Larry and BillCrawford fishing from the pier. The canoe in which they had paddled overfrom Camp Amoussock floated at the landing-stage.
"If you're after cunners," said Ben, "you ought to try the rocks on theocean side; if it's flounders you're trying to tempt you won't find themnear the pier."
"We didn't really come over here to fish," responded Bill, "but wealways carry a couple of lines in the canoe; that is, when it doesn'tupset. We came over to invite you four fellows to the water sportsto-morrow morning. We've got a fine program, and you can enter any ofthe events when you get there."
"I guess the Professor will want to enter the tub-race," said Tom with agrin.
"Maybe I will," agreed Tuckerman. "Well, mates, how about it? Theinvitation sounds very good to me."
Tom and David both nodded and said they would like to go. "You'd bettercount me out of it," said Ben. "I've got a date for to-morrow."
"Date?" inquired Tom. "What sort of a date? With a lady or a man?"
"A date with myself." Ben looked a trifle embarrassed. "I've gotsomething on hand I meant to do in the morning."
"Shucks!" exclaimed David. "All right, Bill, we'll be over right afterbreakfast. And we'll bring Benjie along. You might enter him in thefancy diving contest."
Bill and Lanky pulled in their fishing-lines and embarked in theircanoe. The campers started to get supper. But Ben, making an excuse thathe thought he must have mislaid his pocket-knife in the house, hurriedthrough the woods to the beach at the northern end. So far as he couldsee no one had been there since he had left in the morning; the chestwas still in the crevice between the rocks.
That evening Ben prowled about the island. He went to Cotterell Hall, hewent to the beach at the north again, he kept a watchful eye for sailsin any quarter. When he came back to camp the other three had turned in.And being very sleepy, he followed their example.
He was up at dawn next morning, and again made his rounds. The paper hehad placed on the lid of the secretary was apparently untouched, thechest was still in the crevice. Breakfast was waiting when he returned."Now, Benjie," said David, "get busy with the bacon. We're going over toCamp Amoussock, and we want you to show those fellows your famousflip-flap."
"You go along without me," Ben urged.
"No, sir," said David. "This is a sporting proposition, and it's up toevery man to do his bit."
So Ben went along with the others.
All of Camp Amoussock was in bathing-suits, and the four guests wereshortly attired likewise. Then began all sorts of water sports. Tom andDavid and Ben went in for most of the swimming races and the divingcontests. Tom took second place in the fifty-yard race, and Ben won thecompetition for fancy diving. When they came to the tub-race JohnTuckerman entered his name.
Amid shouts and cat-calls a dozen tubs set out from the float. The racewas to be around a buoy and back to the starting-place. Tuckermanpaddled easily, keeping his tub out of the course most of the otherswere taking. Two tubs jostled, and two boys were upset into the water.Bill Crawford rounded the buoy first, then a small, red-headed boy whosat very still, barely patting the water with careful finger-tips.
"Here comes the Professor!" cried Tom from the beach. "Keep it up, keepit up, Professor! You're doing wonders!"
Tuckerman reached the buoy.
He had found it fairly easy to keep astraight course, but now he had to steer to the left. To do this hetried to give a sidewise sweep with his foot. The tub rocked, rolled. Heattempted to counter-balance; and then he was in the water, splashingabout and trying to get hold of the tub.
He flopped up on one side, only to slip over on the other. The tub mighthave been greased, so difficult was it to make the round thing stay inone position for more than a minute. At last he gave up trying to makeit behave, and swam, pushing it before him, until he could touch bottomwith his feet.
"Never mind, Professor," said David, as the bedraggled Tuckerman walkedup on the beach. "Many a man has found a tub-race his Waterloo."
There were cheers from the float, and all turned to look. Bill Crawfordand the red-headed boy were now neck and neck. Someone shouted, "Now'syour time to spurt, Bill!"
Bill spurted. His tub lost its balance; Bill somersaulted backward intothe water. The red-headed boy just managed to avoid Bill's splashing andpaddled along more cautiously than ever, hardly touching the water now,just directing his course with his fingers and toes.
Up to the float he came. He grasped the edge, and a moment later the boyand the tub were on the float, and the race was won.
"The Tortoise wins!" cried Lanky. "Good old Tortoise! He may be slow,but he gets there away ahead of the Hare."
Then came dinner, and then the _Argo_ set sail again. "Now, Benjie,"said David, "you can keep that date you were telling us about. My word,but you look impatient."
Ben was impatient. He sat in the bow, keeping a lookout for a certainsail.
There were no boats to be seen, however, nearer than a three-mastedschooner that moved like a pasteboard ship along the rim of the horizon.The _Argo_ appeared to have that part of the off-shore ocean entirely toherself, and except for the swish of the water against her side therewas no noise to break the quiet of the summer afternoon.
The island stood out in its shades of green against the brilliant bluesky. The house was a patch of white as the sailboat drew up to the pier.The landing made, the four campers went ashore. Ben started up the pathtoward the house, and the others, as people are apt to do when someoneleads the way, followed without any definite object in mind.
Ben had almost reached the front steps when the door of Cotterell Hallopened. He stopped in surprise; and so did the other three.
A man in colonial costume, buff-colored coat and breeches, with athree-cornered hat in his hand, stepped out at the front door.
The man made a bow and held out his hat in a gesture of welcome. "I giveyou a good-day, gentlemen," he said. "What fortunate chance brings youto Peter Cotterell's door?"
Tuckerman took it on himself to answer. Returning the bow, he said, "Thegood ship _Argo_ has brought four adventurers to your island, worthysir. We trust we do not trespass."
The gentleman in buff stood with his hat at his hip. "You're not fromthe town of Barmouth?" he asked.
"Oh, no," said Tuckerman, and added, "Your island looked so invitingthat we made bold to come ashore."
"I'm glad you're not from Barmouth," said the gentleman. "I have nostomach for those folks, rebels against His Britannic Majesty's lawfulgovernment. To visitors such as you my island and my house are alwaysopen. Will you come in and refresh yourselves?"
"You are very good, Sir Peter," said Tuckerman, with a smile.
"Why do you call me 'Sir Peter'?"
"I understood that was your title."
The gentleman frowned. "I believe that some of the rebels call me that,because of my loyalty to the King of England. However, it is anhonorable title. I have no objection. Yes," he added, "you may call meSir Peter. I like the sound."
"Well then, Sir Peter," said Tuckerman, "I think we'll accept yourinvitation with the greatest pleasure."
The gentleman on the step stood aside, and the four marched into thehouse. Sir Peter indicated a room on the left. They went into the largedrawing-room, and Ben, casting a hasty glance at the secretary, saw thatthe paper he had placed on the lid was still there.
"Be seated," said Sir Peter. He stood for a moment near the portrait onthe wall, and the campers saw how much his face and figure and the cutof his clothes resembled those of the man in the picture. He caughttheir eyes comparing him with the portrait. "Yes, my picture," he said."It's considered a rather fair likeness." And he added deprecatingly,"Of course no one can ever judge a likeness of himself."
He pulled a bell-rope that hung by the big fireplace. "I can offer you aglass of negus," he continued. "Something unusual, that I get from theBarbadoes."
A moment later a dark-skinned servant--mahogany-hued in fact--came intothe room and received his master's orders.
"Will any of you take snuff?" asked Sir Peter, when the servant hadwithdrawn. He produced a small silver snuff-box from his waistcoatpocket.
He passed the snuff-box, but each of his guests declined. Ben, lookingup with a grin, asked, "Does your servant come from the Barbadoes, SirPeter?"
"Why yes, he does." Sir Peter helped himself to a pinch of snuff, thendusted his coat with a fine cambric handkerchief. "An excellent servant,too. Indeed, I am much pleased with all my service, from my stewardJames Sampson down."
"James Sampson!" exclaimed Ben, his eyes dancing. "Where have I heardthat name before?"
At this point the servant reappeared, bearing a lacquered tray on whichwere five glasses and a decanter. He set the tray on a table, and as SirPeter filled the glasses the servant handed them to the guests.
The refreshment was delicious. None of the boys had ever tasted anythinglike it before, but all of them declared it fine. Sir Peter poured asecond glass all round, and then, when the servant had left again, thegentleman in buff seated himself in an arm-chair, swung one leg over theother, and beamed at his new friends. "As you say, the negus isexcellent," he observed, "but several glasses will, to use a somewhatcommon expression, begin to make one see things."
"We're seeing things already," put in David.
Sir Peter disregarded this remark. He twisted his glass in his fingers."As it happens, I'm particularly glad that you arrived here to-day," hecontinued. "I have a number of guests here. I am giving an entertainmentthis evening. The guests are at present on the upper floors."
There was a light tap of heels in the hall. Sir Peter looked toward thedoor. "Here comes one of them--a lady." He stood up, and the campers didlikewise. "Ah, it's Mistress Penelope Boothby," Sir Peter declared witha bow.
A young woman stood in the doorway, a very lovely young woman in aflowered silk gown. She courtsied down to the floor, then with a lightlaugh exclaimed, "Oh la, Peter Cotterell, whom have you here? What oddcostumes the gentlemen wear!"
Peter Cotterell's Treasure Page 17