by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XVIII.
DORY LOCKS HIS PASSENGERS INTO THE CABIN.
Ten dollars! And this sum was to be made with the Goldwing. It would paynearly one-fourth of what she cost, and add ten dollars to the sum hewas to have the happiness of giving to his mother.
"I don't understand yet why I am let off," said Dory, after he hadrecovered from his amazement at the prospect of earning ten dollars.
"You are let off because you didn't do it," replied the landlord,laughing. "I am sorry we accused you, but it looked bad for you at thefirst of it. Peppers and Moody will tell you all about it after you getinto the boat. We have an early dinner ready, and you must dine beforeyou go."
In addition to all this, the landlord invited him to come to his housewhenever he was in Plattsburgh, and make himself at home there. Thehotel-keeper dined with them, and he asked Dory a great many questionsabout the boat. Was she a dangerous boat?
"Any boat will tip over if you don't handle her right," replied Dorysagely. "I sailed her across the lake yesterday when it blew a younghurricane, and she is as safe as any boat I ever was in."
The young skipper proceeded to explain what had made the Goldwing sounruly. He had overcome the difficulty, and he was sure that she was assafe as any boat on the lake. He had perfect confidence in her, and hewas willing to have her tested in any weather by any boatman on thelake.
"Pearl Hawlinshed wanted to buy her; and he claims to be the greatestboatman on the lake, and knows his way all over it from Whitehall to St.Johns," added the hotel-keeper. "He knows just where the bottom is inevery place."
"I think he does," replied Dory, laughing. "I know he found it yesterdayand to-day. Any fellow knows just where the bottom is, but he don'talways know how far it is from the top."
"I often have parties here who want a boat and a skipper; and I may beable to turn some business into your hands, Dory," added thehotel-keeper.
"Thank you, sir: that's what I want every day in the week, exceptSunday," replied the skipper of the Goldwing.
After dinner Dory and his passengers went to the wharf, and in a fewminutes they were standing up the lake. The wind was considerablyfresher than it had been in the morning, and the Goldwing made about sixmiles an hour. The bad reputation of the boat had made some impressionupon Peppers, and at first he was very shy when she heeled over underthe influence of the smart breeze.
Dory soon satisfied him that the boat would not upset, with any thinglike fair treatment. He explained and illustrated the lee-helm business.With the tiller fast in the comb, he allowed the craft to have her ownway. At the next gust she threw her head up into the wind, and spilledall her sails. This satisfied both of the passengers, and theymanifested no more timidity.
In an hour and a half the schooner was up with Stave Island. Thedetective had asked the skipper half a dozen times if he could see anything of the Missisquoi; but the islands had concealed her from view, ifshe were still on the shoal. A few minutes more would enable him toanswer the question. Dory's passengers had plied him so closely withquestions since they started, that he had forgotten all about the matterthe officer was to explain to him; but the expectation of soon seeingPearl brought it back to his mind.
"You haven't told me yet why I was charged with taking Mr. Moody's moneyfrom his room," said he.
"One reason was, that you were seen about the hotel, near Mr. Moody'sroom; and the other was, that you had money enough to buy this boat,"replied Peppers. "But I was satisfied that you didn't take the money assoon as I got the facts from Moody."
"It was a lucky thing for you, my boy, that I fixed things as I did,"added Moody.
"How did you fix things?" asked Dory.
"I have just started the business of making tomato-wine for sickness. Isold two hundred dollars' worth of it in Plattsburgh, part of it to goto New York. The merchant gave me a check for the money, and I went tothe bank to cash it. I received forty brand-new five-dollar bills,"Moody explained, producing one of the bills. "I am trying to advertisemy business all I can; and I had a rubber stamp made, which the agentdelivered to me the day I got my money. I went to my room, and stampedevery one of those new bills with my business card in red ink. That isthe way I know the bills when I see them."
"And that is the reason why you wanted to see all the five-dollar billsI had," added Dory.
"But we had looked over the bills you paid for the boat before," saidthe detective. "We have been looking for bills with this red stamp uponit since yesterday noon."
"Have you found any?" inquired Dory with interest.
"I found two of them. We have got to the southward of Stave Island now.Can't you tell whether that steamer is in sight now?"
"Yes, sir: there she is, just where we left her this morning," repliedthe skipper, as he glanced in the direction of the shoal. "I think PearlHawlinshed has had a good time there all day."
"How far off is she?" asked Peppers.
"About two miles, but we shall reach her in twenty minutes. Where didyou find the two bills with the stamp on them?" asked Dory.
"Can they see us on board of that steamer, Dory?" asked the detective,without heeding the question.
"They can see the boat; but of course they can't tell who is in her twomiles off," replied Dory.
"I am afraid I shall have some trouble with Pearl, Dory," said Peppersanxiously. "The landlord was to give you ten dollars if you put me inthe same boat with Pearl."
"I think I shall earn the money without any trouble," replied Dory,laughing with delight at the bright prospect before him.
"But, Dory, it makes some difference to me in what boat I happen to beput with him, though you will earn your money all the same," added theofficer.
"All I can do is to put you on board of the Missisquoi. Of course Ican't put Pearl Hawlinshed on board of this boat if he is not willing tocome."
"But I don't want to be put on board of the Missisquoi," protestedPeppers. "There is where the rub comes. I am an officer in Plattsburgh,but not in the State of Vermont. I can't arrest Pearl over here."
"Arrest him! Are you going to take him up?" asked Dory, not a littleastonished at this revelation.
"I am not going to do it over here; and he may make me no end of troublewhen he sees how the land lays," added Peppers; and at the same time hesat down in the bottom of the standing-room.
"What are you going to arrest him for?"
"For stealing Moody's money!" exclaimed the detective desperately. "Ididn't mean to tell you the whole story just yet, but you have draggedit out of me. Drop down here, Moody."
The loser of the money obeyed, though he seemed to be as much in thedark as to the object of the movement as the skipper. Dory was worriedat the words of the officer; for, if he would not go on board of thelittle steamer when he went alongside of her, he might not be able toearn the promised reward.
"What is all this for, Mr. Peppers?" asked Dory, quite as anxious toearn his money as the detective was to secure his prisoner.
"Can't we go into the cabin, and shut the doors, Dory?" asked Peppers.
"You can; but that would bring the boat down by the head so much thatshe won't work well. If you want to do that, I will shift the ballast,"replied Dory.
"I don't want Pearl to see me until we get him into this boat. It won'tdo for me to take him out of the steamer over here. I am afraid to doit. Shift your ballast, and then I will fix it up with you," added theofficer.
"Fix up the ballast!" exclaimed Dory, who did not care to have any onemeddle with the ballast but himself.
"No, no! Fix up a plan to get Pearl into this boat. Don't try to be sothick, Dory," replied Peppers impatiently.
The skipper could not leave the helm to move the ballast, and neither ofhis passengers knew any thing about a boat. But the men shifted thefifty-sixes under the direction of the skipper. Five of them werecarried farther aft, and the passengers took their places one in eachberth in the cabin.
The doors opening into the standing-room were closed, but t
he slide wasleft open till the schooner came alongside the Missisquoi. The mendeclared that they were very comfortable in their quarters, and Dorycould not see why they should not be. He did not think there was anybetter place in the known world than the cabin of the Goldwing.
"Now, how are we to get Pearl into this boat?" asked Peppers, with hishead at the opening by the slide.
"I don't think you will have any trouble about that," replied Dory. "Hewanted me to take him on board this morning, but I believe he will takethe boat away from me as soon as he comes on board."
"Don't you be alarmed about that, Dory. I can take care of him when Iget him within reach of my hand," added the detective.
"I believe he is as ugly as sin itself, and I think he hates me worsethan he does the Evil One himself. I have given him a big run the lasttwo days, and I gave him a chance to find the bottom twice."
"I will look out for you, Dory. I don't want him to know we are on boardof the boat till we get over to the other side of the lake," addedPeppers. "He will look into this cabin the first thing he does after hecomes on board. Can't you give us the key, and let us lock ourselves in,Dory?"
"You can't lock the doors on the inside," answered Dory. "When the slideis drawn, a hasp comes down from it, and all the doors are fastened witha padlock."
"Then why can't you lock us in? You won't tip the boat over while we arein here, will you?" asked the detective, as he thrust his head out farenough to enable him to see the steamer, which was not more than aquarter of a mile distant by this time.
"I will agree not to tip you over; but I can't tell what else mayhappen, if I take such a fellow as Pearl Hawlinshed on board."
"If you have any trouble with him, all you have to do is to unlock thedoor, and let us out; and we will take care of you."
"All right! I am satisfied to do any thing you say," added Dory, as hewent forward, drew the slide, and locked his passengers into the cabin.
By the change in the position of the ballast the boat was kept in goodtrim. She dashed merrily through the water, and in a few minutes moreshe was describing a circle around the grounded steamer.