“Will you let me speak to Mrs. Stanhope?”
“And poison her mind against me? Indeed not!”
“Where is she?”
“She is in safe hands.”
“In your hands?”
“No, in the hands of a very estimable lady, who is doing all that is possible to make her comfortable.”
“Is she well?”
“She is—er—a little bit fatigued by her journey, that is all. She will be quite herself after she has rested for a few days.”
“Mr. Crabtree, you had no right to abduct her.”
“Who says I abducted her? She accompanied me willingly, Rover.”
“I do not believe that, and never will believe it. You mesmerized or hypnotized her, or something of the sort. I know your tricks of old.”
“Ha! don’t dare to talk to me in that fashion!” stormed Josiah Crabtree. “Don’t you dare to do it!” And coming closer he shook his fist in Dick’s face.
“You’d not do that if I were free, Josiah Crabtree!” cried the youth, defiantly.
“Say, we can’t afford to waste time in talk!” interrupted Tad Sobber. “I reckon the best thing we can do with this fellow is to make him join his brothers.”
“And then—” went on Crabtree, and finished in a whisper which Dick did not catch.
A few minutes later Dick was led back into the cavern towards the pool into which his brothers had fallen. Sobber carried a torch, that threw a flickering light throughout the dismal underground opening.
“Help! help!” came faintly from the bottom of the pool, and looking down those on the rocks high above saw Sam and Tom standing there, in water up to their knees.
“Hello!” cried Dick. “Are you all right?”
“We would be, if we could get out,” answered Tom.
“Hello! It’s the Sobber crowd, with Dick!” murmured Sam.
“I don’t think they are going to aid us,” returned Tom.
A few words passed between Sobber, Crabtree, and Pally, and then while two of the evildoers held Dick the third cut his bonds.
“Now, then, you can join your brothers!” cried Sobber, and gave Dick a shove that sent him headlong. Down he came with a tremendous splash, and then the waters of the pool closed over him.
“You cowards!” shouted Tom, in a rage. “I shouldn’t treat a dog that way!”
“You shut your mouth!” yelled back Tad Sobber. “It serves you right—for following us.”
“Some day you’ll be in jail, Tad Sobber!” shouted Sam. “It’s where you belong.”
All waited for Dick to come up, but second after second passed and the eldest Rover boy failed to appear.
“Something is wrong!” gasped Tom, in alarm. “Maybe his head struck on the bottom,” cried Sam. “If he is dead, you’ll pay the penalty!” he cried, to those on the shore of the rocky pool.
All were worried, for those above had not expected anything of this sort to happen. They looked down, but could see nothing of Dick.
“I’m going to hunt for him!” cried Tom, and leaving the rocks upon which he was standing, he swam with all haste in the direction of the spot where his big brother had gone down. Seeing this, Sam followed his example.
“Perhaps we had better be getting out of here!” muttered Jim Pally, turning pale.
“No! no! let us see if they bring Dick Rover up!” answered Tad Sobber, hoarsely.
The firebrand was swung into a larger blaze and the glare cast on the waters. As the rays lit up the weird scene, Tom set up a sudden shout.
“There he is!”
“Where?” demanded Sam.
“Over yonder! I just saw him bob up. Quick, Sam, before he goes to the bottom!”
The brothers swam to the spot indicated by Tom with all possible speed, and Tom made a dive under the surface. When he came up again he had hold of Dick’s left foot.
“I’ve go—got him!” he gasped. “Hel—help me!”
For reply Sam ranged up by his brother’s side, and between them they raised Dick up and swam with him to the spot where the water was shallow. Then they stood there, in water up to their knees, supporting Dick as best they could. The oldest Rover boy was all but unconscious.
“Going to help us?” yelled Tom, to their enemies.
“What’s the matter with him?” asked Tad Sobber.
“Oh, I fancy he was only shamming!” came from Josiah Crabtree. “Come on away.”
“Don’t you dare to leave us here!” cried Sam.
“Help us out,” came from Tom. “It is your duty to do it.”
“Not much!” answered Tad Sobber, with a sneer. “You can help yourself—if you can!” And with these words he walked away, in company with Crabtree and Pally, leaving the Rovers to their fate in the water and the darkness.
CHAPTER XXIX
A MINUTE TOO LATE
“Of all the rascals!” murmured Tom, as the light faded from sight.
“They are the worst!” supplemented Sam. And then he added: “How do you feel Dick?”
“Oh, I—I guess I’ll come around!” murmured the oldest Rover boy. “But I came pretty close to being drowned!” he added, with a shudder. “I struck something and it about stunned me, and I swallowed a lot of water.”
Tom and Sam continued to hold up their brother until Dick had recovered sufficiently to support himself. As they stood on the submerged rocks, they listened for some sound from their enemies, but none came.
“Maybe they have left the cave,” suggested Sam, after ten or fifteen minutes had passed.
“This is a fierce place,” was Tom’s comment. “It’s just like a great big well!”
“And we are like the frogs at the bottom of the well!” added Dick, grimly. He felt a little weak, but otherwise was all right.
“I looked around when we had the light of that torch,” said Tom, “but I didn’t see any place where a fellow could climb out, did you?”
“Nary a spot, Tom,” answered Sam. “The walls were all as smooth and as slippery as glass.”
“Do you think they mean to leave us here to die?” asked Dick.
“I shouldn’t think they’d be as heartless as all that,” came from Tom. “They’d be afraid of consequences.”
An hour went by—just then it was an age—and at last the boys saw a glimmer of light approaching. It flickered and flared over the walls for fully a minute and then commenced to fade.
“Somebody went past, through the main cave!” cried Tom. “Wonder who it was?”
“The Sobber crowd most likely,” returned Dick.
“But it might be somebody else!” cried Sam. “I’m going to yell and find out.”
He raised his voice in a loud call, and Tom and Dick joined in. Several minutes went by, and they called again. Then they saw the flickering of the light once more.
“Who is there?” came faintly to their ears.
“This way! This way!” shouted one Rover boy after another.
“Be careful of where you step!” cautioned Tom.
“Where are you?”
“This way!” they answered, and kept calling until the light of a ship’s lantern came into view, and they saw Captain Wells and Larry Dixon approaching.
“Well, I never!” ejaculated the captain of the steam tug, as he came to a halt on the brink of the blackish pool. “How in the world did you git down there?”
“Help us out first, and then we’ll tell you,” replied Dick, quickly.
“Didn’t you meet our enemies?” asked Tom.
“Nary a soul have we met since we landed,” answered the captain.
“Which way did you enter the cave?” asked Sam.
“By the slit in the rocks—where you came in,” answered Larry Dixon. “I watched you disappear, and afterwards I heard s
ome yelling. Then I got scared and ran down to the shore and signalled for the steam tug to come in. I told the cap’n all I knew, and he came ashore with a lantern to see what was wrong—and here we be.”
“You’ve come in the nick of time,” said Dick. “Our enemies, the Sobber crowd, are here, and they left us as you see us. I rather think they have Mrs. Stanhope and that fortune here, too, but I am not certain. Help to get us out of here, and we’ll get after ’em without delay.”
“Don’t know how we are going to help you without a rope,” said the captain.
“I saw some rope, down in the big part of this cave,” said Larry Dixon. “Let me have the light an’ I’ll fetch it in a jiffy!”
He took the light and was off on the run. When he returned he was out of breath. In his hands he held several pieces of good, stout rope, parts of the same rope which had been used to make Dick a close prisoner.
“We can splice these,” said the old tar, and while Captain Wells held the lantern, he tied the bits together. Then both he and the captain allowed one end of the rope to dangle down into the hole, while they braced themselves and held on to the upper portion.
“Is it long enough?” asked Captain Wells.
“I think so—I’ll see,” cried Tom, and leaving the rocks he swam over to the rope. He was just able to reach it, and being something of an athlete, went up the rope hand over hand, with his feet against the rocks for added support.
“Now you go, Dick!” cried Sam. “If you are weak and fall, I’ll catch you.”
It was quite a task for Dick to gain the rocks at the top of the pool and once he came close to giving up and slipping back into the water. But he was gritty, and Tom assisted him by leaning down on his breast and extending a helping hand. Then Sam came up, and the three Rovers stood beside the two men who had come to their rescue.
“Phew! I am glad we are out of that!” murmured Sam, as he looked back at the cold and gruesome waters.
“We don’t want to stay here!” cried Dick. “We want to get after the Sobber crowd—before they have a chance to leave the island!”
“How can they leave the island?” questioned Sam. “I don’t think they have a boat. I haven’t seen any.”
“But Jerry Koswell’s crowd has a boat, Sam—that swift motor craft.”
“Do you think they would aid such criminals as Sobber and Crabtree?”
“They might—just to get the best of us.”
“Then the sooner we get after our enemies the better.”
“Where are your pistols?” asked the captain of the steam tug.
“Mine was taken from me by Sobber,” answered Dick.
“And ours are at the bottom of the pool,” added Sam. “We both dropped ’em when we plunged into the water.” And then he and his brothers acquainted Captain Wells and the old sailor with the particulars of their adventures since entering the cavern.
“Well, I still have my pistol!” cried Captain Wells, grimly.
“And I’ve got a good club,” came from Larry Dixon.
“We can arm ourselves with clubs,” said Dick. “But the main thing just now is to keep those rascals in sight. If they slip us, there will be no telling where they will go to.”
With eyes and ears on the alert, the whole party made its way through the big cave, coming out of the main opening, not far from where the campfire still lay smouldering.
“They certainly left in a hurry,” remarked Tom, as he gazed around. “They didn’t wait to pick up all of their provisions.”
“I guess they got scared,” murmured Dick. “Well, they’ll get more scared when they find we are so close on their heels.”
“Where do you suppose they went to?” asked the captain.
“I don’t know. But I think the best thing to do is to go down to where that motor boat was tied up. I don’t think they can leave unless they use that boat—unless, of course, they have some craft we haven’t as yet seen.”
There was a well-defined path running from the cave down to the shore of the island. This they followed, through the patch of woods and over some rocks. Then they came to an opening where were located several dilapidated buildings. Not far from one building were the remains of a recent camp.
“I believe this was the camp Darkingham and those with him made!” ejaculated Dick. “They have gone—maybe they have left the island!”
“Come on, I don’t like this!” put in Tom, and broke into a run for the old dock, and the others followed on his heels.
They were still a hundred yards from the dock when Tom let up a shout:
“There they are!”
“Where?” asked Dick.
“In the motor boat!”
“Who?” questioned Sam.
“The Sobber crowd—and they have Mrs. Stanhope with them.”
“Stop! stop!” yelled Dick, at the top of his voice. “Stop, I tell you! Mrs. Stanhope!”
“Oh!” came from the lady, as she espied the Rovers. “Save me! Save me! Don’t let them take me further away!”
“Put on all speed!” roared Tad Sobber, to Pally, who was at the engine. “Crowd her to the limit! They are after us!”
“Here we go! Hold fast everybody!” answered Pally, and the next moment the motor boat shot out into the waters of Casco Bay.
CHAPTER XXX
BACK HOME—CONCLUSION
“Too late!” groaned Dick. “Oh, why didn’t we get here a minute sooner!”
“Stop, you rascals!” sang out Captain Wells. “Stop, or I’ll fire!” and he raised his pistol.
“Don’t shoot! You might hit Mrs. Stanhope!” whispered Dick.
“I only want to scare ’em,” muttered the captain of the steam tug.
The motor boat gathered headway rapidly, and soon was out of range of the pistol. The Rovers saw that the craft contained Tad Sobber, Jim Pally, Josiah Crabtree and Mrs. Stanhope and another woman, probably Mrs. Sobber.
“Wonder what has become of Koswell, Larkspur and that Darkingham,” said Sam.
“I don’t know, and I don’t care, just now!” returned Dick. “Captain, we must follow that boat without delay. If they get out of our sight we may never get another chance to rescue Mrs. Stanhope!”
“I’ll get after ’em as soon as I can,” returned the master of the steam tug.
But to start a pursuit was not so easy, from the fact that the tug lay on the other side of the island and could not be signalled.
“Tom and I can go after the tug,” said Sam. “The rest of you can try to keep that motor boat in sight;” and so it was arranged.
The two Rover boys skirted the south end of Chesoque Island. They kept on a run, and on turning a corner of rocks, plumped fairly and squarely into Koswell, Larkspur and Darkingham, who were talking earnestly among themselves.
“They said they would send the boat back sure,” Koswell was saying, when Tom almost ran him down.
“Hello! you here!” cried Tom, and then, as Koswell grabbed him by the arm he added: “Let me go!”
“Not so fast!” roared Koswell. “Bart, catch the other fellow!”
“I will!” muttered Bart Larkspur, and caught Sam by the arm.
What followed, came with such swiftness that both Koswell and Larkspur were taken completely off their guard. Tom drew back and hit Koswell a blow in the nose that sent him staggering back against the rocks and made the blood spurt freely. Sam, seeing this, also struck out, reaching Larkspur’s left eye, and putting that optic in deep mourning. Larkspur fell back on Darkingham, and for the moment there was great confusion.
“Skip! We don’t want to be delayed!” cried Tom, to his brother, and on they went again, before their enemies had time to recover.
Inside of five minutes they came in sight of the steam tug. Those aboard were on the watch for the return of Captain Wells, and the e
ngineer had a full head of steam up, to use in case of emergency.
“Quick!” cried Tom, as he and Sam rushed on board. “Captain Wells and my brother want you on the other side of the island at once!”
“We’ll get there as quick as the propeller can take us,” said the mate, and the engineer nodded to show that he understood. The tug backed away from the island, and in a moment more was on the way to the old dock.
“Say we gave Koswell and Larkspur something to remember us by,” remarked Sam, grimly.
“So we did,” answered Tom, with a grin. “Wish it had been ten times as much!”
“They and that Darkingham must have loaned the motor boat to the Sobber crowd.”
“Most likely Sobber paid ’em well for its use. He could do it easily—out of that fortune.”
As the steam tug rounded the end of the island, Tom and Sam were just able to see the motor boat in the distance. It seemed to be heading for the mainland.
“All aboard!” sang out Tom, as they ran up to the old dock. But this invitation was unnecessary, for Dick, Captain Wells and Larry Dixon leaped on the deck as soon as the craft was close enough.
“Now then, after her!” sang out the eldest Rover boy. “Crowd on all steam! I’ll pay all expenses, and more!”
“Even if she blows up?” queried the captain, with a bit of dry humor.
“Yes, even if she blows up, Captain! Oh, we must catch them!” added Dick, pleadingly.
“We’ll do our level best, Mr. Rover. Nobody could do more.”
Soon the throbbing of the engine showed that the tug was running under a full pressure of steam. The spray dashed all over the craft and those on board, but to this nobody paid attention. Every eye was riveted on the craft ahead.
Those on the motor boat were equally eager, and watched the pursuit with chagrin.
“Do you—er—think they will catch us?” asked Josiah Crabtree, nervously, not once but several times.
“I don’t know—I hope not,” answered Pally.
“Can’t we run faster?”
“I am crowding her to the limit now.”
“Do you know about motor boats? Perhaps Mr. Sobber knows more.”
“I don’t,” answered Tad Sobber. “Wish I did.”
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 235