IX
THE WAY OUT
"I've been thinking," said Croyden, as they footed it across the Severnbridge, "that, if we knew the year in which the light-house waserected, we could get the average encroachment of the sea every year,and, by a little figuring, arrive at where the point was in 1720. Itwould be approximate, of course, but it would give us astart--something more definite than we have now. For all we knowParmenter's treasure may be a hundred yards out in the Bay."
Macloud nodded. "And if we don't find the date, here," he added, "wecan go to Washington and get it from the Navy Department. An inquiryfrom Senator Rickrose will bring what we want, instantly."
"At the same time, why shouldn't we get permission to camp on the Pointfor a few weeks?" Croyden suggested. "It would make it easy for us todig and investigate, and fish and measure, in fact, do whatever wewished. Having a permit from the Department, would remove allsuspicion."
"Bully! We're fond of the open--with a town convenient!" Macloudlaughed. "I know Rickrose well, we can go down this afternoon and seehim. He will be so astonished that we are not seeking a politicalfavor, he will go to the Secretary himself and make ours a personalrequest. Then we will get the necessary camp stuff, and be right on thejob."
They had passed the Experiment Station and the Rifle Range, and wererounding the shoal onto the Point, when the trotting of a rapidlyapproaching horse came to them from the rear.
"Suppose we conceal ourselves, and take a look," suggested Macloud."Here is a fine place."
He pointed to some rocks and bushes that lined the roadway. The nextinstant, they had disappeared behind them.
A moment more, and the horse and buggy came into view. In it were twomen--of medium size, dressed quietly, with nothing about them toattract attention, save that the driver had a hook-nose, and the otherwas bald, as the removal of his hat, an instant, showed.
"The thieves!" whispered Croyden.
"Yes--I'll bet a hundred on it!" Macloud answered.
"Greenberry Point seems far off," said the driver--"I wonder if we canhave taken the wrong road?"
"This is the only one we could take," the other answered, "so we mustbe right. I wonder what that jay's doing?" he added, with a laugh.
"Cussing himself for----" The rest was lost in the noise of the team.
"Right, you are!" said Croyden, lifting himself from a bed of stonesand vines. "Right, you are, my friend! And if I had a gun, I'd give theCoroner a job with both of you."
Macloud looked thoughtful.
"It would be most effective," he said. "But could we carry it offcleanly? The law is embarrassing if we're detected, you know."
"You're not serious?" said Croyden.
"I never was more so," the other answered. "I'd shoot those scoundrelsdown without a second's hesitation, if I could do it and not becaught."
"A trifle unconventional!" commented Croyden. "However, your idea isn'thalf bad; they wouldn't hesitate to do the same to us."
"Exactly! They won't hesitate--and, what's more, they have the nerve totake the chance. That is the difference between us and them."
They waited until they could no longer hear the horse's hoof-falls northe rumble of the wheels. Then they started forward, keeping off theroad and taking a course that afforded the protection of the trees andundergrowth. Presently, they caught sight of the two men--out in theopen, their heads together, poring over a paper, presumably theParmenter letter.
"It is not as easy finding the treasure, as it was to pick my pocket!"chuckled Croyden. "There's the letter--and there are the men who stoleit. And we are helpless to interfere, and they know it. It's about asaggravating as----" He stopped, for want of a suitable comparison.
Macloud only nodded in acquiescence.
The men finished with the letter. Hook-nose went on to the Point, andstood looking at the ruins of the light-house out in the Bay; the otherturned and viewed the trees that were nearest.
"Much comfort you'll get from either," muttered Croyden.
Hook-nose returned, and the two held a prolonged conversation, each ofthem gesticulating, now toward the water, and again toward the timber.Finally, one went down to the extreme point and stepped off two hundredand fifty paces inland. He marked this point with a stone.
Bald-head pointed to the trees, a hundred yards away, and shook hishead. More talk followed. Then they produced a compass, and ran theadditional distance to the North-east.
"Dig! damn you, dig!" exclaimed Macloud. "The treasure's not there."
"You'll have to work your brain a bit," Croyden added. "The letter'snot all that's needed, thank Heaven! You've stolen the one, but youcan't steal the other."
The men, after consulting together, went to the buggy, took out twopicks and shovels, and, returning to the place, fell to work.
"Did you ever see such fools?" said Macloud. "Dig! damn you, dig!"
After a short while, Bald-head threw down his pick and hoisted himselfout of the hole. An animated discussion followed.
"He's got a glimmer of intelligence, at last," Croyden muttered.
The discussion grew more animated, they waved their arms toward theBay, and toward the Severn, and toward the land. Hook-nose slammed hispick up and down to emphasize his argument. Bald-head did likewise.
"They'll be doing the war dance, next!" laughed Macloud.
"'When thieves fall out, honest men come by their own,'" Croydenquoted.
"_More_ honest men, you mean--the comparative degree."
"Life is made up of comparatives," said Croyden. "What's the matternow?" as Bald-head faced about and stalked back to the buggy. "Has hequit work so soon?"
"He has simply quit digging a hole at random," Macloud said. "My Lord,he's taking a drink!"
Bald-head, however, did not return to his companion. Instead, he wentout to the Bay and stood looking across the water toward the bug-light.Then he turned and looked back toward the timber.
He was thinking, as they had. The land had been driving inward by theencroachment of the Bay--the beeches had, long since, disappeared, thevictims of the gales which swept the Point. There was no place fromwhich to start the measurements. Beyond the fact that, somewhere nearby, old Parmenter had buried his treasure, one hundred and ninety yearsbefore, the letter was of no definite use to anyone.
From the Point, he retraced his steps leisurely to his companion, whohad continued digging, said something--to which Hook-nose seeminglymade no reply, save by a shovel of sand--and continued directly towardthe timber.
"Has he seen us?" said Croyden.
"I think not--these bushes are ample protection. Lie low.... He's notcoming this way--he's going to inspect the big trees, on our left....They won't help you, my light-fingered friend; they're not the rightsort."
After a time, Bald-head abandoned the search and went back to hisfriend. Throwing himself on the ground, he talked vigorously, and,apparently, to some effect, for, presently, the digging ceased andHook-nose began to listen. At length, he tossed the pick and shovelaside, and lifted himself out of the hole. After a few moregesticulations, they picked up the tools and returned to the buggy.
"Have they decided to abandon it?" said Croyden, as they drove away.
The thieves, themselves, answered the question. At the first heavyundergrowth, they stopped the horse and proceeded carefully to concealthe tools. This accomplished, they drove off toward the town.
"Hum!" said Macloud. "So you're coming back are you? I wonder what youintend to do?"
"I wish we knew," Croyden returned. "It might help us--for quitebetween ourselves, Macloud, I think we're stumped."
"Our first business is to move on Washington and get the permit,"Macloud returned. "Hook-nose and his friend may have the Point, forto-day; they're not likely to injure it. Come along!"
They were passing the Marine Barracks when Croyden, who had beenpondering over the matter, suddenly broke out:
"We've got to get rid of those two fellows, Colin!"
"Granted!" sai
d Macloud. "But how are we to manage it?"
"We agree that we dare not have them arrested--they would bloweverything to the police. And the police would either graft us for allthe jewels are worth, or inform the Government."
"Yes, but we may have to take the risk--or else divide up with thethieves. Which do you prefer to do?"
"Neither!" said Croyden. "There is another way--except killing them,which, of course, would be the most effective. Why shouldn't weimprison them--be our own jailers?"
Macloud threw away his cigarette and lit another before he replied,then he shook his head.
"Too much risk to ourselves," he said. "Somebody would likely be killedin the operation, with the chances strongly favoring ourselves. I'drather shoot them down from ambush, at once."
"That may require an explanation to a judge and jury, which would be atrifle inconvenient. I'd prefer to risk my life in a fight. Then, if itcame to court, our reputation is good, while theirs is in the rogues'gallery."
"Where would you imprison them?" asked Macloud, dubiously.
"That is the difficulty, I admit. Think over it, while we're going toWashington and back; see if you can't find a way out. Either we mustjug them, securely, for a week or two, or we must arrest them. On thewhole, it might be wiser to let them go free--let them make a try forthe treasure, unmolested. When they fail and retire, we can begin."
"Your last alternative doesn't sound particularly attractive to me--orto you, either, I fancy."
"This isn't going to be a particularly attractive quest, if we want tosucceed," said Croyden. "Pirate's gold breeds pirate's ways, Ireckon--blood and violence and sudden death. We'll try to play itwithout death, however, if our opponents will permit. Such title, asexists to Parmenter's hoard, is in me, and I am not minded torelinquish it without a struggle. I wasn't especially keen at thestart, but I'm keen enough, now--and I don't propose to be blocked bytwo rogues, if there is a way out."
"And the way out, according to your notion, is to be our own jailers,think you?" said Macloud. "Well, we can chew on it--the manner ofprocedure is apt to keep us occupied a few hours."
They took the next train, on the Electric Line, to Washington, Macloudhaving telephoned ahead and made an appointment with SenatorRickrose--whom, luckily, they found at the Capital--to meet them at theMetropolitan Club for luncheon. At Fourteenth Street, they changed to aConnecticut Avenue car, and, dismounting at Seventeenth and dodging acouple of automobiles, entered the Pompeian brick and granite building,the home of the Club which has the most representative membership inthe country.
Macloud was on the non-resident list, and the door-man, with the memoryfor faces which comes from long practice, greeted him, instantly, byname, though he had not seen him for months.
"Yes, Mr. Macloud, Senator Rickrose just came in," he said.
They met the Senator in the Red Room. He was very tall, with a tendencyto corpulency, which, however, was lost in his great height; verydignified, and, for one of his service, very young--of immenseinfluence in the councils of his party, and the absolute dictator inhis own State. Inheriting a superb machine from a "matchlessleader,"--who died in the harness--he had developed it into a wellnigh perfect organization for political control. All power was in hishands, from the lowest to the highest, he ruled with a sway as absoluteas a despot. His word was the ultimate law--from it an appeal did notlie.
"How are you, old fellow?" he said to Macloud, dropping a hand on hisshoulder. "I haven't seen you for a long time--and, Mr. Croyden, Ithink I have met you in Northumberland. I'm glad, indeed, to see youboth." He touched a bell. "Take the orders!" he said, to the boy.
"Senator!" said Macloud, a little later, when they had finishedluncheon. "I want to ask a slight favor--not political however--so itwon't have to be endorsed by the organization."
The Senator laughed. "In that event, it is granted before you ask. Whatis it I can do?"
"Have the Secretary of the Navy issue us a permit to camp on GreenberryPoint."
"Where the devil is Greenberry Point?" said Rickrose.
"Across the Severn River from Annapolis."
Rickrose turned in his chair and glanced over the dining-room. Then heraised his hand to the head waiter.
"Has the Secretary of the Navy had luncheon?" he asked.
"Yes, sir--before you came in."
The Senator nodded.
"We would better go over to the Department, at once, or we shall misshim," he said. "Chevy Chase is the drawing card, in the afternoon."
The reception hour was long passed, but the Secretary was in and wouldsee Senator Rickrose. He came forward to meet him--a tall, middle-aged,well-groomed man, with sandy hair, whose principal recommendation forthe post he filled was the fact that he was the largest contributor tothe campaign fund in his State, and his senior senator needed him inhis business, and had refrigerated him into the Cabinet for safekeeping--that being the only job which insured him from being acandidate for the Senator's own seat. It is a great game, is politics!
"Mr. Secretary!" said Rickrose, "my friends want a permit to camp fortwo weeks on Greenberry Point."
"Greenbury Point!" said the Secretary, vaguely--"that's somewhere outin San Francisco harbor?"
"Not the Greenberry Point they mean," the Senator replied. "It's downat Annapolis--across the Severn from the Naval Academy, and forms partof that command, I presume. It is waste land, unfortified and windswept."
"Oh! to be sure. I know it. Why wouldn't the Superintendent give you apermit?" turning to Macloud. "It is within his jurisdiction."
"We didn't think to ask him," said Macloud. "We supposed it wasnecessary to apply direct to you."
"They are not familiar with the customs of the service," explainedRickrose, "and, as I may run down to see them, just issue the permit tome and party. The Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee is inspectingthe Point, if you need an excuse."
"Oh, no! none whatever--however, a duplicate will be forwarded to theSuperintendent. If it should prove incompatible with the interests ofthe service," smiling, "he will inform the Department, and we shallhave to revoke it."
He rang for his stenographer and dictated the permit. When it came in,he signed it and passed it over to Rickrose.
"Anything else I can do for you, Senator?" he asked.
"Not to-day, thank you, Mr. Secretary," Rickrose answered.
"Do you actually intend to come down?" asked Macloud, when they were inthe corridor. "That will be bully."
He shot a look at Croyden. His face was a study. Hunting the Parmentertreasure, with the Chairman of the Naval Affairs Committee as adisinterested spectator, was rather startling, to say the least. TheSenator's reply reassured them.
"Impossible!" he said. "The campaign opens next week, and I'm drawn asa spell-binder in the Pacific States. That figurehead was ruffling hisfeathers on you, just to show himself, so I thought I'd comb him down abit. You'll experience no difficulty, I fancy. If you do, wire me, andI'll get busy. I've got to go over to the State Department now, so I'llsay good-bye--anything else you want let me know."
"Next for a sporting goods shop," said Macloud as they went down thesteps into Pennsylvania Avenue; "for a supply of small arms andammunition--and, incidentally, a couple of tents. We can get a fewcooking utensils in Annapolis, but we will take our meals at CarvelHall. I think neither of us is quite ready to turn cook."
"I am sure, I'm content!" laughed Croyden. "We can hire a horse andbuggy by the week, and keep them handy--better get a small tent for thehorse, while we're about it."
They went to a shop on F Street, where they purchased three tents ofsuitable size, two Winchester rifles, and a pair of Colt's militaryrevolvers with six-and-a-half inch barrels, and the necessaryammunition. These they directed should be sent to Annapolisimmediately. Cots and blankets could be procured there, with whateverelse was necessary.
They were bound up F Street, toward the Electric Station, when Macloudbroke out.
"If we had another man with us, yo
ur imprisonment idea would not be sodifficult--we could bag our game much more easily, and guard them moresecurely when we had them. As it is, it's mighty puzzling toarrange."
"True enough!" said Croyden, "but where is the man who istrustworthy--not to mention willing to take the risk, of being killedor tried for murder, for someone else's benefit? They're not many likeyou, Colin."
A man, who was looking listlessly in a window just ahead, turned away.He bore an air of dejection, and his clothes, while well cut, werebeginning to show hard usage and carelessness.
"Axtell!" Macloud observed--"and on his uppers!"
"There's our man!" exclaimed Croyden. "He is down hard, a little moneywith a small divide, if successful, will get him. What do you say?"
"Nothing!" replied Macloud. "It's up to you."
Axtell saw them; he hesitated, whether to speak or to go on. Croydensolved the question.
"Hello! Axtell, what are you doing here?" he said, extending his hand.
Axtell grasped it, as a drowning man a straw.
"You're kind to ask, Mr. Croyden! Mighty kind in one who lost so muchthrough us."
"You were not to blame--Royster's responsible, and he's gone----"
"To hell!" Axtell interrupted, bitterly. "May he burn forever!"
"Amen to that wish!" Croyden smiled. "Meanwhile, can I do anything foryou? You're having a run of hard luck, aren't you?"
For a moment, Axtell did not answer--he was gulping down his thoughts.
"I am," he said. "I've just ten dollars to my name. I came herethinking the Congressmen, who made piles through our office, would getme something, but they gave me the marble stare. I was good enough totip them off and do favors for them, but they're not remembering menow. Do you know where I can get a job?"
"Yes--I'll give you fifty dollars and board, if you will come with usfor two weeks. Will you take it?"
"Will I take it?--Well, rather!"
"What you're to do, with Mr. Macloud and myself, we will discloselater. If, then, you don't care to aid us, we must ask you to keepsilence about it."
"I don't want to know anything!" said Axtell. "I'll do my part, and askno questions--and thank you for trusting me. You're the first man sinceour failure, who hasn't hit me in the face--don't you think Iappreciate it?"
"Very good!" said Croyden. "Have you any other baggage?" nodding towarda small bag, which Axtell had in his hand.
"No."
"Then, come along--we're bound for Annapolis, and the car leaves in tenminutes."
In Her Own Right Page 9