“When did you land the crowd on the island?”
“About nine o’clock this morning.”
“Were you going back there later?”
“No, they said it wouldn’t be necessary.”
Dick walked to the rail of the schooner and beckoned to the captain of the steam tug.
“This captain says he landed the crowd on Chesoque Island,” he called out. “Do you know where that is?”
“I know where she is,” put in Larry Dixon, as Captain Wells hesitated in thought. “The lobster catchers used to have a hangout there.”
“Where is it?” asked Captain Wells, and the old tar described its location as well as he could.
“Reckon I could pick it up, from what the man says,” said the captain of the tug, to Dick.
“All right then,” answered the eldest Rover. He turned again to the captain of the schooner. “Now listen to me. I know you and I know your boat. If you have told me the exact truth, well and good. If you haven’t—well, you’ll have to take the consequences, that’s all.”
“I didn’t abduct nobody. I only did a job and got paid for it,” muttered the captain.
“Where are you bound?”
“Portland.”
“And after that?”
“Going to—er—take a load of lumber down to Newark, New Jersey.”
“Very well—then we’ll know where to locate you. Come on!” added Dick to his brothers.
“You can rely on me,” said the captain, and spoke quite respectfully. “I’ll tell all I know, and so will my men.”
“Hello, Jack!” cried Larry Dixon to a sailor on the schooner, and the fellow addressed waved his hand.
“I’ll talk to that man a minute,” said Dick, to the captain. The latter wished to demur, but Dick gave him no chance. The fellow was told to go aboard the tug, and there Larry Dixon asked him to tell his story. The sailor had little, however, to add to what his captain had said, excepting that the landing at Chesoque Island had been made in something of a hurry.
“Here’s a dollar for you,” said Dick, on parting. “Whenever the schooner makes a landing anywhere, you send me word where she is,” and he gave the tar his home address and also the address of a hotel in Portland.
“Don’t try to get me into trouble and I’ll tell you everything I know!” shouted the captain of the schooner, as the steam tug went on its way.
“I’ll remember you!” answered Dick, somewhat grimly. He did not know whether he could trust the captain or not.
Leaving the entrance to Portland Harbor, the tug steamed up into the waters of Casco Bay, that beautiful spot with its scores of verdant and rocky islands. As it was the height of the summer season they passed many pleasure boats, big and little. Once they passed an island where a big picnic was in progress and they heard the music from a band quite distinctly. They also passed Peak’s Island where there was a big, round-topped structure, which the captain of the tug said was a famous summer theater.
“A fellow could certainly have a dandy time here, cruising around among the islands,” was Tom’s comment.
From Larry Dixon the boys learned that Chesoque Island was away from most of the others, lying far out in the Bay. It was a rocky place, and there was a story that once a band of smugglers had used it for a rendezvous. It was also said to be inhabited by numerous snakes.
“Excuse me, but I don’t want to run up against any snakes,” said Sam, shuddering.
“Neither do I,” added Tom.
“No snakes shall stop me from trying to locate Mrs. Stanhope,” said Dick. “More than likely the story about snakes has little foundation to it.”
“Like the story about the snakes back of Putnam Hall,” said Tom. “Old Farmer Landell said there were thousands of ’em, and he and his son killed exactly five, and only little ones at that.”
Presently a distant shore loomed up and after an examination Larry Dixon declared it was the island for which they were seeking.
“Are you sure?” questioned Dick. “This is very important, and we don’t want to make any mistake.”
“I know the spot,” answered the old tar. “See that old building? The lobster catchers used to use that. And see that rock? There is where the old John Spurr struck, in a storm one winter.”
“Well, I don’t want to strike anything,” said Captain Wells, and ordered the engineer to reduce speed. Then, with great caution, they approached what had once been a good dock, but one which was now practically in ruins.
“Hello, there’s a motor boat!” cried Sam, as they came closer. Then all looked and saw that a gaudily-painted motor boat was tied up on one side of the old dock.
“Say, that looks like the motor boat Koswell, Larkspur and that stranger had!” ejaculated Dick.
“It is the same!” shouted Tom. “There is the name, Magnet. Now what do you think of that!”
“What do I think?” said Dick. “I think they must be here.”
“With Sobber and the others?”
“I don’t know about that. I didn’t think they knew Sobber.”
As the steam tug drew up on the other side of the dilapidated dock, those on board saw three persons rush from the old building nearby. They were Koswell, Larkspur and the fellow who had been running the motor boat.
“Say, I won’t have this!” roared Koswell. “You get out of here, and be quick about it!”
“Can’t we stop ’em from landing?” asked Larkspur. He was plainly scared.
“You can’t land here!” called out the young man who had run the Magnet. “This is private property. I forbid you coming in.”
“Private property?” called out Captain Wells.
“That is what I said.” And now the young man turned to his companions and a whispered, but animated conversation ensued.
“Who are you?” asked Dick.
“I am Alfred Darkingham. This island belongs to my uncle, John Darkingham. He gave us permission to come camping here, and said we needn’t let anybody else come ashore. I forbid your making a landing.”
“That’s the way to talk, Alf!” cried Koswell, in a low, but earnest voice. “Make ’em stay away.”
“Yes! Yes! don’t let ’em come ashore!” added Larkspur.
“Mr. Darkingham, I’d like to talk to you,” said Dick, as the steam tug bumped against the dock.
“Don’t you listen to him, Alf!” cried Koswell. “He only came to make trouble.”
“Make him go right away,” added Larkspur.
“I want you to leave,” ordered Alfred Darkingham. Evidently he was a close crony to the boys who had run away from Brill.
“I want to ask you a few questions,” pursued Dick, firmly. “And I’ll not go away until you answer them—and maybe not then.”
“This is private property, and—”
“You said that before. What I want to know is, Do you know the other persons on this island?”
“There are no other persons.”
“I believe otherwise. A lady has been abducted, and I have every reason to believe she was taken to this island.”
“Nobody here. I was here yesterday, and all of last week, and I know.”
“I think they brought the lady here this morning, about nine o’clock. I’d like to search the island for her.”
“It’s a trick!” cried Larkspur. “It’s a trick to get ashore and play us foul! Don’t you let ’em land!”
“There is nobody on this island but ourselves,” said Alfred Darkingham. “You can take my word for that.”
“Will you let me make a search?”
“I will not. I want you to go away, and at once. This is private property, and if you try to land I’ll have the law on you!” And as he spoke the young man looked not only at the Rovers but also at the captain of the steam tug.
CHAPTER XXV
ON CHESOQUE ISLAND
For a moment there was silence. Dick looked at Alfred Darkingham and then at Captain Wells.
“What do you think of this?” he asked of the captain of the tug.
The captain shrugged his shoulders.
“You do as you think best, Mr. Rover,” he said slowly. “He can certainly have us arrested if we land without permission. And the authorities have been pretty strict lately—so many folks landing where they hadn’t any business to.”
“But if Mrs. Stanhope is here?”
“He says there is nobody but his crowd on the island.”
“They may be in hiding,” suggested Tom.
“If they are, they’ll take good care to keep out of your way—if such a thing is possible.”
“Let us leave!” put in Sam, in a low voice. “I’ve got a plan that may bring results.”
“What?” demanded Dick.
“I’ll tell you as soon as we are out of hearing,” returned the youngest Rover.
The steam tug was backed away from the dock. Koswell and Larkspur grinned in triumph.
“Don’t you think of coming back!” shouted Koswell.
“If you do, remember we are armed,” added Larkspur.
“We’ll remember what you have done—don’t forget that,” answered Dick, with some bitterness. It worried him greatly to have the search for Mrs. Stanhope delayed.
“Now, what is your plan?” asked Tom of Sam, as soon as they were a goodly distance from the island.
“I propose we sail away and pretend to be going back to Portland. Then we can turn and come up on the other side of the island.”
“They’ll watch for us,” said Dick.
“We might land at night.”
“Yes, we could do that. But if we wait, we may be losing valuable time.”
“I’ll run for the next island and sail around that,” said Captain Wells. “That may throw them off the scent.”
It took the best part of half an hour to gain the next island and round a convenient point. Here the tug was stopped, that they might decide on their next move.
“Oh, come on, let’s do something!” cried Tom. “Let us sail for the other side of that island and chance it! If they come after us, we can easily steam away again.”
So it was decided, and rounding the island they were at, they set a new course, so that they might reach Chesoque Island at a point directly opposite to where the dock was located. In the middle of the island were several rocky hills, so that the view from one side to the other was completely shut off.
“I’ll have to be careful here,” said Captain Wells, “I can’t afford to strike on the rocks. Those chaps would let us drown before they would come to our assistance.”
The steam tug came in slowly. It could not reach the island proper, but stopped at the first of a series of rocks.
“Let me have one of those pistols,” said Dick, to the captain, and the weapon was handed over. Then Tom and Sam also armed themselves.
“You had better stand off,” went on Dick to Captain Wells. “If we want you we’ll fire three shots, or wave a handkerchief.”
“Say, don’t you want me along?” asked Larry Dixon. “I’d like a scrap, if it comes to that.”
“Come along if you want to,” answered Dick. He saw that though the sailor was old he was strong, and not afraid to take his own part.
The boys and the tar lost no time in jumping from one rock to another until the main portion of the island was gained. Then they ran for the shelter of some bushes. In the meantime the steam tug moved away to such a distance that those aboard could be seen with difficulty.
“Now, if the others didn’t see us land, we are all right,” cried Tom.
“We don’t want to make any noise,” cautioned Dick. “Remember, they may be on the watch for us—Koswell and his cronies, and the Sobber crowd too.”
“Do you think Koswell and Larkspur would give aid to those other rascals?” asked Sam.
“I think they’d do almost anything to make trouble for us, Sam. You can see how bitter they acted at the dock.”
With caution the party of four began a tour of the island. They moved from the shelter of the bushes to a thicket of pines, and then climbed along a ridge of rough rocks.
“I’ll crawl to the top,” said Dick. “Then I’ll have a pretty good chance to look around.”
At the top of the ridge, however, he found the view somewhat disappointing. There were other ridges, and several thickets of pines and hemlocks, and at one point what looked to be a cliff with some caves beneath.
“It will take some time to explore this island,” said he, as he came down. “I don’t wonder that the smugglers used to use it. It’s got a number of dandy hiding places.”
“How in the world did the Sobber crowd learn of it?” asked Sam.
“I think I can answer that,” said Tom “Josiah Crabtree once taught in a Portland school and he used to put in his summers on an island in this bay. More than likely, in cruising around, he heard of this island, and when he plotted to abduct Mrs. Stanhope he made up his mind it would be just the spot to bring her to.”
“All providing she is here,” added Sam. “We haven’t proved that yet.”
They moved on, and passed another ridge of rocks. Then they came to a well-defined trail, running from one end of the island to the other.
“Let us follow this,” said Dick. “If there are any buildings near the centre of the island they’ll likely be on this road.”
“Here is a spring!” exclaimed Sam, a minute later. “Say, that water looks good. I am going to have a drink.”
All stopped to quench their thirst, for the day had been warm in spite of the breeze that was blowing.
“Look!” cried Dick, as he pointed at the wet ground. “Somebody has been here before us.”
“That’s so!” returned Tom. “Now, if we were only Indians, we would know whose footprints those were and would follow ’em.”
Dick and Sam got down to examine the footprints. The majority of them were of good size, but a few were small, the heel marks especially so.
“I believe those marks were made by a woman’s shoes!” murmured Dick. “And if so—”
“They were made by Mrs. Stanhope!” finished Sam. “Dick, I think we’ve struck the right trail!”
“This proves that what that young fellow of the motor boat said was not true,” said Dick. “Other folks are on this island.”
“Let us follow up the footmarks!” cried Larry Dixon. “Come on, messmates, to the rescue!” And he waved a stick he had picked up.
To follow up the footmarks was not easy, for they led from the dirt to the path and then to some smooth rocks. But they managed to get the general direction, which was something.
“I wonder if it would do any good to set up a yell,” said Tom. “Maybe Mrs. Stanhope would hear it, and answer it.”
“If she got the chance.” said Sam. “If she didn’t, all the yelling would do would be to let our enemies know we were here.”
“No, we had better go ahead as quietly as we can,” said Dick. “If possible, we want to take them unawares.”
Much to their surprise, at the other side of the smooth rocks was another path, running between a thick growth of pines. Here the going was somewhat uncertain, and they had to proceed slowly, for fear of stepping into a crevice and twisting an ankle.
“If they brought Mrs. Stanhope this way, it must have been very hard on her,” murmured Tom.
“Listen!” exclaimed Sam, suddenly, and held up his hand.
All became silent, and listened with strained ears. But the only sounds that reached them was the breeze through the trees, and the washing of the waves on the rocks.
“What was it, Sam?” asked Dick, in a whisper.
>
“I thought I heard a call.”
“You must have been mistaken.”
“Maybe I was, but—There it goes again!”
“That’s so!” exclaimed Tom. “Somebody is calling from the other side of this patch of trees.”
“It is Jerry Koswell,” said Dick.
“Who is he calling to?” asked Sam.
“I don’t know. Keep still and maybe we’ll find out.”
And then all listened with bated breath for what might follow.
CHAPTER XXVI
A TALK OF IMPORTANCE
“I say, you on the rocks! Come down here and let us talk to you!” shouted Jerry Koswell.
“Who are you. What do you want?” asked a voice that was strange to the Rovers.
“We want to know what you are doing on this island?” demanded another person, Alfred Darkingham.
“What business is it of yours?”
“What business?” shouted Darkingham, wrathfully. “A good deal of my business. This island belongs to my uncle and you have no right here.”
“Oh, is that so!” exclaimed the stranger. “I didn’t know that this island belonged to anybody in particular.”
“Well, it does. Who are you anyway?”
“Oh, my name is of no account, since we are not acquainted,” answered the stranger. “If this is your island, I suppose the only thing for me to do is to get off of it.”
“What are you doing here?”
“Why—er—only looking around,” stammered the stranger.
“Are you alone?”
“Can’t you see that I am?”
“How did you get here?” asked Larkspur, who had come up. “We didn’t see you land.”
“Oh, I came in a—er—in a motor boat, run by a friend of mine. He—er—he said he would call for me later,” stammered the stranger.
The Rover boys listened to this conversation with interest, and gradually drew closer, as the stranger came from the rocks to talk to Darkingham and the others.
“Say, are you the fellow who abducted a lady!” cried Larkspur.
At this direct question the stranger started. “Why—er—what makes you ask—er—that question?” he stammered.
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