The Rival Campers; Or, The Adventures of Henry Burns

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER IX. SETTING A TRAP

  When the boys had at length gathered around the table in theold-fashioned kitchen of the Warren cottage and had drawn thewindow-shades, they proceeded to examine the box. It was an ordinaryshallow tin box, such as a business man might keep odds and ends ofpapers and cash in. It was fastened with a small padlock. After trying tounlock this with every key they could find in the house, and withoutsuccess, young Joe produced a file, and with this filed through the smallstaple in the box.

  When the cover was thrown back there was disclosed a layer of finecotton, like jewellers' cotton, and when this was lifted out there camefrom the box a myriad of tiny flashes of light. The inside of the box wasfairly ablaze. Countless little flashes of light danced and twinkledthere.

  "Hooray!" cried George Warren. "We have the stolen jewels, and nomistake. Just see how these sparkle." And he lifted up a necklace ofdiamonds, that blazed in the light of the lamp like a ring of fire. Theysparkled and gleamed like little stars, as the boys passed them from handto hand.

  "Mercy on us!" cried a pleasant voice, all of a sudden; and Mrs. Warren,who had been awakened by the sound of their voices and had hastilydressed, entered the kitchen. "Is this den the cave of the fortythieves?" she asked, smiling, and then, as she caught sight of theglittering gems, she exclaimed, anxiously: "Why, boys, what on earth doesall this mean?"

  "It means, mother," answered George, "that Henry Burns has done what thedetectives have been trying to do ever since the robbery at Benton. Hereare the stolen diamonds, and Henry will take them to town to-morrow andclaim the reward."

  "Only on one condition," interrupted Henry Burns. "I don't stir one stepto secure the reward until it is agreed that it shall be evenly dividedbetween us all. You fellows have just as much claim upon it as I, and,unless every one of you solemnly swears to take his share, I shall nevertake one cent of it."

  And every one of them knew that he meant exactly what he said.

  Early next morning Henry Burns and George Warren stood upon the wharf,awaiting the arrival of the boat for Mayville. The boat connected therewith a train that would arrive in Benton during the forenoon. Henry Burnscarried in one hand a small satchel.

  "I had hard work to persuade old Witham to let me go," said Henry Burns."He didn't see what I wanted to go poking off to Benton for. Said Ibetter stay here and save my money. As it is, I've got to go and call onan aged aunt of Mrs. Carlin and spend the night there. Well, I guess Ican manage to amuse myself, even there. I'm likely to see a few otherpeople before I get back, eh, George?"

  "I know one man who won't turn you out-of-doors, when you produce thosediamonds," answered George.

  "Well, George," returned the other, "you mustn't lose sight of thisstranger, although I almost know he won't attempt to leave the island forseveral days. I remember that yesterday he got a letter, and I have nodoubt it was from his confederates, saying when they would arrive. Theyare coming in a sailboat, for he has said so. Now, if they were comingto-night or to-morrow, he would not have hidden that box over there inthe old house. You may be sure he did not expect them for a day ortwo,--but still you boys must keep him in sight, for one never knows whatis going to happen.

  "If he goes over to the bluff, you know what to do. You must get CaptainSam, the constable, to have him arrested at once. By to-morrow night I'llbe back with everything arranged to capture the whole three. I think youand I will see lively times around this harbour before many days areover."

  "Speak of the evil one and he appears," said George Warren. "And, as trueas I live, here comes Mr. Kemble. You do the talking, Henry, for I feelas though I should give him cause for suspicion if I said a single wordto him."

  "Leave him to me," replied Henry Burns. "He's playing a bold game, and somust we;" and, as the stranger guest hobbled down to the wharf, groaningand wincing, as though racked with pain, Henry Burns gave him a cheerygreeting.

  "Good morning, Mr. Kemble," said he. "I see you're out bright and early.I declare, you have begun to look better already than you did the nightyou arrived."

  "Oh, I'm very miserable--very miserable," answered Mr. Kemble, mostdejectedly. "My rheumatism is something awful. I'd give everything Ipossess in the world if I could run around and be as active as you youngmen."

  "You will, I'm sure, in a few days," answered Henry Burns.

  "How's that?" asked the man, turning upon Henry Bums sharply, while astrange look, that he could not conceal, stole over his face.

  George Warren turned away precipitately, and, taking a fishing-reel fromhis pocket, dropped a line over the side of the wharf.

  "There's something peculiar in this island air," continued Henry Burns,looking Mr. Kemble full in the eye, with the most innocent expression onhis face. "No matter how bad a person feels when he first comes here, itputs new life into him. The first thing he knows he begins to feel likerowing boats, and going fishing, and all that sort of thing. I come heresick every summer, and I go away feeling strong."

  "Well," replied Mr. Kemble, uneasily, but looking relieved, "I hope itmay do as much for me. If it does, I'll buy a cottage here."

  "You won't find any cottages to sell, I'm afraid," said Henry Burns. "Butthere are several old farmhouses that could be bought cheap, and theymake over as good as new."

  "Humph! I'm not looking for old farmhouses," said Mr. Kemble, gruffly;and then, as the whistle of the boat sounded suddenly from behind thebluff, he added, "But I must be getting back to the hotel. I'm notfeeling well to-day, at all."

  "Any errand I can do for you in the city?" Henry Burns called after him.

  But Mr. Kemble was hobbling away as fast as he could, and did not heed.

  "I fancy he would feel worse if he could see what I've got in thissatchel," chuckled Henry Burns, as Mr. Kemble went on toward the hotel,somewhat faster than he had come down. "Did you notice how suddenly hehad to leave when he heard the boat's whistle?"

  "Yes,--but what on earth were you thinking of, Henry, talking as you didto him?" said George. "It scared him in an instant when you told him hewould be running around in a few days as lively as any of us. I almostbelieve he half-suspects something."

  "How can he?" replied the other. "Perhaps my remark about his runningaround in a few days may have startled him at first. That was a suddenjolt to his guilty conscience. But, upon reflection, he decided it wasonly a coincidence. Then he did look a little queer when I spoke offarmhouses, didn't he?"

  "He certainly did," said George. "What possessed you to do it? You mightupset everything."

  "No," answered Henry Burns. "He don't suspect us. By the way, do youremember how we got into this thing in the beginning?"

  "Why, what do you mean?"

  "If I remember rightly," said Henry Burns, speaking with a slight drawl,"we started out last evening to have some fun. My little chat with ourfriend is the nearest approach to fun that this scrape has afforded me sofar."

  "That may have been fun for you," said George. "To my mind it was verymuch like playing with fire; but here's the steamer. You've got my noteof introduction to father?"

  "Yes, I've got everything all right. Now keep your eyes open and expectme to-morrow night." And Henry Burns crossed the gangplank to thesteamer.

  The train from Mayville to Benton reached its destination at eleveno'clock, and at that hour in the forenoon Henry Burns walked briskly outof the station. Half an hour later he stood in the waiting-room at thewealthy banking-house of Curtis & Earle.

  "Well, what do you want, young man?" asked an important and decidedlyofficious attendant, bustling up to him.

  "This is Mr. Curtis, I presume," answered Henry Burns, blandly, but withthe faintest suspicion of a twinkle in his eye.

  "No, it isn't," said the man, abruptly, and looking a little foolish asseveral other attendants tittered audibly. "And, what's more, you cannotsee Mr. Curtis, for he is just preparing to leave for the day."

  "But I must see him," insisted
Henry Burns. "I've got some very importantinformation for him. Have the kindness to take this in to him," and hehanded the surprised attendant a card upon which he had written in aclear but boyish hand:

  _Henry Allen Burns Private Detective_

  The attendant took the card, read it with a grin, looked at the boy, asif puzzled what to make of him, shrugged his shoulders and left the room.Presently he returned.

  "Mr. Curtis would be greatly obliged if you would call to-morrow," hesaid. "He is going out of town to-day."

  "I must see him at once," said Henry Burns, firmly.

  "Impossible--" but at this moment the door of the banker's private officeopened, and a voice said: "Show Mr. Burns in."

  Henry Burns entered. He saw before him a tall, well-built man, smoothshaven, with black, piercing eyes, and a firm, decisive mouth. He had onhis hat and gloves, and carried a light coat on his arm, as though aboutto leave his office.

  "You will oblige me by stating your business as quickly as possible,young man," he said, "as I am about to take a train out of the city.

  "I see by your card," he continued, gravely, "that you are a privatedetective. I suppose you are aware that I am a busy man, engaged inimportant affairs, and have no time in office hours for pleasantries."

  "If I had said an amateur detective I should have been more correct, sir,since this is my first case," answered Henry Burns, calmly. "It is sovery curious, however, that I feel certain it cannot fail to interestyou."

  "But will you tell me why it should interest me, and not keep mewaiting?" exclaimed the banker, in a tone of impatience. Evidently he didnot for a moment connect the boyish figure before him with any possiblerecovery of his lost jewels.

  "I will," replied Henry Burns, speaking deliberately. "Last night someother boys and I watched a man bury a small tin box in the cellar of adeserted house. When the man went away we dug it up. I have the box here;would you like to see it?"

  Henry Burns calmly opened the satchel.

  But the banker sprang up from the chair in which he had seated himself,and exclaimed, excitedly:

  "What do you mean--let me see it--quick!"

  Henry Burns passed him the box, and with nervous fingers the banker brokethe twine with which the boys had secured it. The next instant he haddrawn the necklace from the box and held it up, while his hands trembled.

  "They're Alice's diamonds, as I hope to live," he cried, unmindful ofHenry Burns's presence for the moment. "And the rings and thebrooch--everything--everything is here."

  "Why," he exclaimed, "the best detectives in this country are working onthe case, but I had already begun to despair of ever seeing the jewelsagain. They are exceedingly valuable, but, besides that, as they werewedding presents to my wife from me, we both prize them far beyond theirreal worth.

  "But be seated. I shall postpone my trip out of town, you may be sure.And now let me hear the story of your discovery."

  In the calm, graphic manner characteristic of him, Henry Burns told thestory of the night's adventure.

  "Splendid!" exclaimed the banker, as the boy concluded. "You have indeedacted as efficiently as the best detective could have done. We are boundto capture the robbers. Burton must know of this at once."

  He rang for an attendant, and, after writing a note, dispatched him withit. At the expiration of about half an hour the attendant returned, andushered into the room a man of medium height, of light complexion, withsteel-blue eyes, and a face that impressed Henry Burns at once asdenoting great daring and coolness. The banker introduced him as Mr.Miles Burton, of a secret detective bureau.

  "Here's a young man, Burton," said the banker, smiling, "who, I take it,has some inclinations for your line of work. In fact, here is prettyconvincing proof of it." And the banker pointed to the box of jewels.

  Mr. Miles Burton looked nonplussed. He stared at the box in amazement fora minute, and gave a low whistle. Then he laughed and said: "I havealways maintained that luck is a great factor in detective service,though I am ready to give a man his due for a good piece of work. Ineither case, you have my congratulations, young man, for a half athousand dollars is just as good whether it comes by luck or shrewdness,or both."

  The detective listened with the keenest attention as Henry Burns repeatedthe story he had told the banker. He made him give the minutest detailsof Mr. Kemble's personality, at the same time suggesting features whichHenry Burns corroborated.

  "It's just as I thought from the start, and just as I told you, Mr.Curtis," he said. "The man is undoubtedly George Craigie, who is knownamong his class as the 'Actor,' because of his cleverness inimpersonating one character, and then utterly dropping out of sight andappearing as some other person. We want him on a score of charges, twobank robberies, attempted murder, several house burglaries, and otherthings. His picture is in the Rogues' Gallery, but he has the art ofchanging his expression and appearance so completely that, although Ihave seen him twice since that was taken, at neither of those times didhis countenance resemble his photograph. However, I feel positive fromwhat this young man tells me that it is none other than he. And as forhis confederates, I can readily guess who they are. They are two Bostonmen, and are, no doubt, on their way to the island now in the yacht. Inthis case, we cannot act any too soon; and I shall ask Detective Burns,who is familiar with the ground, to be my right-hand man in theexpedition."

  "You can count on me," replied Henry Burns, with a smile at the titleconferred upon him, and who was, truth to tell, vastly flattered. "I cananswer, moreover, for several good assistants, if you need them."

  "Well," said Mr. Miles Burton, rising to go, "I will meet you at thetrain that leaves here to-morrow afternoon. By to-morrow night I hope tohave some men on Grand Island who will give a pleasant little surprise toMessrs. Craigie & Co.;" and, bowing courteously, he took his leave.

  "There's a surprising lack of jealousy in that man Burton," remarked thebanker, when he had gone. "He is disappointed to have the robbers slipthrough his hands, and a little chagrined, I know, to have them caughtthrough the aid of a party of boys; but he took pains not to show it,and, what's more, he will always give you the credit for it when hespeaks of it. That's the kind of a man he is. He is as smart as a steeltrap, too, is Burton, and has done me good service twice before.

  "But let us not wait longer. I am going to take you home with me todinner, and have you spend the night at my house. We shall feel moresecure, I assure you," he continued, smiling, "with a detective under ourroof."

  Henry Burns declined, saying he was not dressed for such hospitality, butthe keen eye of the banker had long before taken note of his neat andgentlemanly appearance, and, moreover, liked the looks of the boy'sclear-cut features, and the way he had of looking one fair in the eye,with a calm but manly and courageous glance. So he waived the boy'sobjections, and they entered the banker's carriage and were driven to thefinest home Henry Burns had ever visited.

  Perhaps they didn't make him at home there when Mr. Curtis had told thestory of the finding of the jewels hidden in the cellar; and perhapsHenry Burns, to his confusion, wasn't embraced by the banker's wife, andperhaps he wasn't made a hero of by the banker's two pretty daughters,who shuddered at the story of the man in the cellar, and who made HenryBurns tell it over and over again.

  In short, he was treated with such wholesome and charming hospitality asto set him to wondering, after it was all over and he had gone to bed,whether he had not missed something in his solitary life, brought upwithout the love of father, mother, sister or brother, in a home wherenoise and cheerfulness were outlawed.

  He was up bright and early the next day, and he and the banker went tosee Mr. Warren, who was let into the secret, and the reward of fivehundred dollars was, through him, placed to the credit of the boys. Thenthere was the aged aunt of Mrs. Carlin to call upon, and the time passedquickly till it was time for the afternoon train.

  It was about two o'clock in the afternoon when Henry Burns boar
ded thetrain in the company of Miles Burton.

  "Now," said the detective, as the train rattled noisily on its way, "Ihave been in Mayville and know several parties there, but the island isnew to me. However, you can explain it to me from this map," and Mr.Burton unrolled a map of the bay and island from his pocket. "I shallpick up three of my men, whom I have ordered to meet us, in Mayville. Oneof them came all the way down from New York with me to help me work upthis case. It is my opinion he traced this man Craigie to Mayville andlost track of him there. The man must have vanished, as he has done sooften before.

  "We will go over to the island to-night in a launch. Then we shall needsome one to guide us to what you call the haunted house."

  "I will meet you in the road by Captain Hervey's house, right at the veryhead of the island," said Henry Burns. "It is the first house you come toon landing at the outermost point. You cannot miss it."

  "But how will you get there? It is a long trip up the island."

  "I will come on my bicycle."

  "Capital! You will go direct to the island, then, by the night boat,arriving there, you say, at six o'clock. You will see just how the landlies, so you can tell us, when we meet again. And you will instruct yourfriends to keep close to Craigie, so he won't be over there at the houseto meet us on our arrival. We want to do the welcoming for him, and nothave him do it for us. Two of the men I shall bring are somewhat familiarwith the island and know one or two parties there; though I am not surethey know where the haunted house is.

  "One of you boys must have a boat always in readiness somewhere up thecove, on which you say this house fronts, so that, the minute this manmeets his confederates aboard the yacht, one of you can slip across thecove and let us know of it, in case we have missed them.

  "Act carefully, and everything will be well; but once give them cause forsuspicion and they are dangerous men to deal with. I have a little scoreof my own to pay them,--but that's a long story, and I'll save it foranother time. Now let's go over this map, so I'll be sure of my ground."

  When the train left Mayville, Miles Burton, with a hurried handshake,left Henry Burns. It was a little after six o'clock when the latterstepped ashore at Southport, where the boys were waiting for him, uponthe wharf.

  "Everything is all right," said George Warren, in answer to Henry Burns'squestion. "He was not on the roof at all during last night, for wedivided up into watches and kept a lookout from Tom's tent. He evidentlyknows about what time his friends are to arrive."

  "How is Colonel Witham?" asked Henry Burns. "Has he pined away any duringmy absence?"

  "Not any to notice," replied Tom Harris, "but he has gone away, down theisland, to be gone two days. You must stop with us to-night at the tent,and the boys are all coming over to the tent now to eat one of Bob'sprime lobster stews."

  So the crowd marched on Bob, and found him down on the beach to the rightof the tent, presiding over an enormous kettle, which was hung over theglowing coals of a fire of driftwood, and from which there arose such asavoury odour of stew that, in a burst of enthusiasm, they seized uponthe stalwart young cook, and, raising him on their shoulders, bore himwith hilarious shouts three times around the fire, much to the apparentdiscomfiture of the quiet Bob.

  Then they sat about the fire while Tom brought some tin plates and spoonsfrom the tent and acted as waiter, and Bob produced a pot of hot coffeeand some bread. It seemed as though nothing had ever tasted so good. Theycalled for stew till Bob's stout right arm almost ached with wielding thelong-handled tin dipper that served them for a ladle.

  The sun sank while they sat about the glow of coals, and, by and by, themoon rose slowly over the distant cape and poured a flood of soft lightover the waters of the bay. They remembered that night long afterward,for its soft lights and its silent, mystical beauty. The moon was at itsfull, and the tide crept up on the beach almost to the bed of coals thatremained from the fire and still showed red. The islands far off acrossthe bay seemed to have drifted nearer in to shore, and showed clear anddistinct.

  Henry Burns's story of the day's adventures lost nothing of its interest,told down there on the shore by the firelight and under the stars. Hisaccount of his visit to the banker's, and how he had gained admittance toMr. Curtis's private office, filled them with glee.

  "I should have liked to see him when he opened that box," said young Joe."Didn't he look surprised, though, Henry?"

  "Rather," said Henry Burns.

  "And the banker's daughters,--were they pretty, Henry?" asked Tom.

  "I didn't notice particularly," said Henry Burns.

  "Henry never does notice those things," said Arthur, dryly.

  "Oh, no, never!" said young Joe.

  "You fellows will notice something, if you don't let up," said HenryBurns, getting a little red in spite of himself.

  Then he told them all that he had learned from Mr. Miles Burton about theman Kemble, who was not Kemble at all, but one Craigie, and a desperateman; and all about the plans that were now to be put into operation tocapture Craigie and whosoever should come to meet him.

  The money, too, that had come to each one of them, as his share of thereward, seemed like a fortune, while no expedition that they had everheard or read of seemed half so full of mystery and danger as that uponwhich they were now entering.

  Sometime between ten and eleven o'clock Henry Burns left them, and,proceeding to the hotel, unlocked a door in the basement, got out hisbicycle, and rode away. In a little more than half an hour afterward hehad dismounted from his wheel at Captain Hervey's house, four miles fromthe hotel, on the western side of the island, near the head. The housewas closed, as the captain and his family were away at sea. Down at theshore was an old boat-house, where Henry Burns left his bicycle. He saton the edge of a bluff overhanging a landing-place for boats, and waitedfor the launch. He could see her lights already, out on the bay, and itwas not long before the little craft had come to shore. Four mendisembarked, and the launch steamed away again.

  "Hello, Private Detective Burns," said Miles Burton, laughing, as he cameup the ladder from the landing. Then he added, as he introduced theothers to the boy, "This is a rival to Inspector Byrnes of New York.

  "We owe him a good turn, Mason," continued Miles Burton, "for findingCraigie for us."

  The man addressed as Mason was the detective that had followed Craigie asfar as Mayville.

  "Yes," he replied, shaking hands with Henry Burns, "we've been after hima long time."

  The other two men, whose names were Stapleton and Watkins, also shookhands with the boy. They were sharp-eyed, athletic-looking men, whoseappearance on the island boded no good to one Craigie, alias Kemble.

  Under the guidance of Henry Burns they all set off down the road for adistance, then turned from it and made their way through the fields andpatches of woods toward the bluff. It was hard walking there in thedarkness, through thickets and over little knolls, with which some of thepastures were dotted, and it was nearly one o'clock in the morning whenthey reached the old haunted house.

  The house looked even less inviting than ever in the waning moonlight,with its sagging roof, dull and broken window-panes, and doors unhinged.Still, to those free from superstition and not fearful of ghosts, itoffered a sufficient shelter on a summer night, and they entered at arear doorway, after making a cautious reconnoisance to make certain thatthere was no one within.

  Then, having shown them where the jewels had been buried, and pointingout the location of a spring of good water near the house, Henry Burnsleft the four detectives to accommodate themselves to their lodgings andwent down to the shore. There in the shadow of a bluff he found Tom andBob waiting for him in the canoe, as they had agreed.

  When the canoe grated on the sand in front of the tent, Henry Burns, wornout with his travels, was fast asleep. So Tom and Bob, by way of a joke,lifted up the canoe with its sleeping occupant and carried it to the doorof their tent. They thrust it inside as far as it would go, laid HenryBurns out flat in the bottom of
it, made him comfortable with blankets,without waking him from his heavy sleep, and let him slumber on.