CHAPTER XPREPARING FOR PURSUIT.
“What?”
Hodge literally staggered. He clutched Frank’s arm, as if for support.
“It can’t be true!”
“It is!”
“How do you know?”
“Look for yourself. She is not where she was anchored.”
“But the tide has changed since we left her. She must have swung round into another position.”
“That’s all right. I have looked for her in the position she would occupy. She is not there.”
Browning came loafing round the corner, grumbling as he approached.
“Now, this is a great note!” he growled. “How are we to get on board—walk?”
“You would have quite a walk to-night,” said Frank, huskily.
“Eh?”
“TheWhite Wingsis gone.”
“What?”
“That is right.”
“Gone? How?”
“Stolen!”
The big fellow leaned against the building, utterly overcome for the time. Diamond and Hans came up, and Frank explained the situation.
“I feared it!” grated the Virginian.
“Shimminy Gristmas!” gurgled Hans. “Did dot yotch valk avay py himseluf alone alretty?”
“How do you know the yacht was stolen, Merry?” asked Browning. “It may have broken from anchorage with the turning of the tide, and drifted away.”
Frank shook his head.
“That was not possible. The small boat went with theWhite Wings. Both were stolen.”
“Who by?”
“Parker Flynn!” cried Jack Diamond.
“Why, the fellow is dead—drowned,” said Browning.
“Not much! He is alive, and he has that yacht. That drowning business was a trick. Find Parker Flynn, and you will find theWhite Wings.”
“I will find them both,” declared Merriwell, with quiet determination. “Parker Flynn shall not escape me a second time!”
“How can you follow him?” asked Bart.
“I will follow him if I have to fly!”
All knew Merriwell was in earnest.
Frank determined to make sure the yacht was stolen, and so he searched around till he found a boat that he could use. He and Diamond got in and rowed off into the fleet of yachts. They could see nothing of theWhite Wings, and, as they were rowing about, they were hailed from another yacht.
“What are you chaps looking for?” asked a voice.
“For my sloop,White Wings,” answered Merry.
“What? Are you the fellow who owns her?”
“I am.”
“Well, she’s gone.”
“I see she is, but I’d like to know where she is gone.”
“I can’t tell you that, but three fellows came off to her two hours ago, got up the anchor, hoisted sail and made down the bay. I watched them, because their actions were suspicious, and it was remarkable that they should start out at such an hour. I hailed them once, but they didn’t pay any attention to me.”
“That settles it!” exclaimed Frank. “TheWhite Wingsis stolen! I am much obliged to you for the information.”
“Don’t mention it. I’m sorry I didn’t know those chaps were stealing her. I might have found a way to stop them.”
Frank and Jack rowed ashore.
“She was stolen, fellows,” said Merriwell. “We found a man who saw her when she was taken. I shall start in pursuit of her in the morning.”
“How?” asked Hodge.
“I will find a way.”
They walked up into the city, Frank hurrying forward in advance. The Windsor Hotel had not closed for the night, and they went in there, where Frank registered for them all.
“Now,” he said, “you had better go to sleep, fellows. I have some work to do myself, but you can’t help me.”
“I couldn’t sleep if I tried,” declared Diamond. “Let me go with you.”
“All right; but the others must turn in and try to sleep.”
“What are you going to do, Merry?” asked Hodge.
“I am not certain yet what I shall do. Sleep, as I have told you. I shall try to get some sleep myself before morning.”
He seemed as calm as possible, now. To look at him and hear him speak, a stranger could not have dreamed that he had just met with such a loss.
Diamond asked no questions as he and Merriwell left the Windsor. Jack was confident that Merriwell knew what he was about.
Frank proceeded straight to the home of Howard Dustan, despite the hour, and rang the bell. Ten minutes later he was talking with Howard himself.
“What is this you tell me?” cried Dustan, in amazement. “Your yacht stolen?”
“Yes. It was taken while we were at the party to-night. I suppose it was careless to leave it unguarded, but I fancied Parker Flynn was out of the way, so there was little danger that it would be molested. But Martin Woodock warned me to-night that Flynn was alive and in Belfast.”
“Good gracious! What will you do?”
“Pursue the robbers.”
“How will you do it?”
“I have come to you to help me. I want to hire a small, fast steam launch. Do you know where I can get such a boat, and have it ready to leave at sunrise to-morrow?”
Dustan whistled, and appeared thoughtful.
“I am not certain,” he said, slowly. “My uncle owns such a boat, but I do not think you can get her, for he always goes with her, and he is ill in bed.”
“Does your uncle live in the city?”
“Yes.”
“How far away?”
“About a mile.”
“I know it is asking considerable of you, Dustan, but it will be a great favor if you will go with me to your uncle’s house. I wish to get a boat before morning, for I don’t want the curs who stole my yacht to get too much of a start. Perhaps I can fix it so your uncle will let me have his launch.”
“I doubt it, but I will go with you.”
Howard retired into the house to get his coat and hat, for he had come out in his shirt sleeves. He was not gone more than two minutes.
Twenty minutes later the boys had obtained admission to the home of Howard’s uncle, and Frank was talking to the sick man. At first it seemed that Merry would not be successful, but he produced five hundred dollars in money, which he agreed to leave in the man’s possession to insure him against any damage to the launch, and he offered a remarkable sum per day for her use. Howard used his influence, and, at last, Frank won.
“It will be necessary for Howard to go with you,” said the man, “for he is commissioned to run such a boat, and you are not.”
“I shall be only too glad to go,” declared Dustan.