CHAPTER VIII.
WHAT BECAME OF BART.
When Merriwell recovered a light was glaring straight into his eyes, causing him to blink. He saw four rough-looking men around him, and realized that he was in the cabin of the mysterious vessel.
One of the men was Capt. Horn, and, on closer view, he looked more the ruffian than he had seemed at a distance. His beard was black as ink, while his huge nose was turned up and his nostrils were wide open, like the mouths of two black funnels. He showed his teeth as he saw the captured boy look up.
“It seems to be raining boys to-night,” he said, with a sneer. “Well, I can take care of ’em as fast as they come.”
Frank looked at the others, and quickly decided that they were fit followers for such a captain.
“Excuse me,” he said, with an effort. “Just dropped in. Thought I’d come aboard and see how much you’ll ask to take me to New York. Must have slipped on the stairs—or something. Don’t seem to know what happened. First thing I knew I fell, and then—here I am.”
“Cute, ain’t ye!” sneered Capt. Horn. “Think you’ll make me swaller that, I suppose! Think I’m a durned fool! Made a mistake this time—biggest mistake of your life.”
“You may be right,” acknowledged Frank, promptly. “It’s just like me. Seems to come natural for me to make mistakes. Made a mistake when I joined that picnic excursion. Made another when I let the boat go off without me. And now you say I made another when I came aboardto see if you won’t take me back to New York. I am getting it in the neck, sure.”
“What’s this you’re trying to tell, anyway? Spit it out. How’d you happen to be on the island?”
“Came down on an excursion, got left, and here I am. I’ll pay well if you’ll take me to New York.”
Capt. Horn pulled his beard and glared at Frank.
“What sort of an excursion?” he asked. “One of the regular kind from New York?”
“Of course,” answered Frank, thoughtlessly.
“You’re a liar!” said the man with the black beard, instantly. “Knew it all the time.”
“Thank you,” answered Frank. “You are polite.”
“I saw you on the small boat to-day,” said Capt. Horn. “You wanted to come on board then. How you ever succeeded in doing so now is more than I can tell, but you’ll be sorry for it. When you go back to New York the tide will take you there.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
“Feed you to ther fish, durn ye! It’s no use to ask you questions, for you’ll lie faster than I can ask ’em. Lies won’t do ye no good.”
“Sorry about that,” was Frank’s cool retort; “but it’ll save me a heap of trouble to invent ’em. Shan’t have to rack my brain to get ’em up.”
Capt. Horn looked at the boy in astonishment. Frank was a cool customer for his years.
Merry was securely bound, as he had already discovered. The men lifted him and flung him into a berth, where he was left to his thoughts, which might have been more pleasant.
Frank’s head had been injured in the fall, and it throbbed painfully, but he made no murmur.
The men talked a while, and then fell to playing cards.Three of them played, while the fourth remained on deck to watch.
Frank could see nothing of the captives.
The night wore on. Capt. Horn arose and looked into Frank’s face. The boy’s eyes were closed, and he was breathing steadily and regularly.
“Never saw anything like that!” exclaimed the captain. “The youngster is asleep! He is a cool one!”
The watch on deck was changed, and the men took turns in guarding Frank.
Toward morning, after going on deck, Capt. Horn announced that the wind had changed, and they could get out of the cove.
Merry still seemed to be sleeping when all the sailors went on deck to get up the anchor and make sail.
Barely were they gone when Frank was startled by a voice that called:
“Hello, Merry!”
“Eh?” exclaimed Frank. “Who are you?”
A head rose up from the opposite berth. The light shone full on the face of the person in that berth, and Frank Merriwell came near shrieking:
“Bart Hodge!”
Frank was incredulous. He could not believe the evidence of his eyes. He was almost inclined to think himself staring at a phantom.
“Hodge—impossible!”
“Not a bit of it,” assured the voice of Hodge himself. “I am here, but I’m tied, like yourself, and it strikes me we are in a mighty bad scrape.”
“But—but we thought you dead,” said Frank. “We felt sure you were dead. How do you come to be here?”
“That’s an easy one. When theJolly Sportslammed up against this vessel I thought she was a goner, and I made a scramble to get on board here, expecting the restof you to follow. I was astonished when you failed to do so, and I looked down to see nothing of the boat. She was gone, and I did not know but what she had gone to the bottom with the whole of you. They have kept me here ever since, for I was knocked over and tied up with ease, like the fool that I am! I’ve tried to get away, but it’s no use. Then I heard you captured, and saw you dragged in here.”
This was very astonishing, but Frank Merriwell’s heart was filled with thankfulness to know that Hodge still lived. Hastily they talked over what had happened since theJolly Sportwas driven into the cove before the gale.
“Merry.”
“Yes, Bart.”
“Got a surprise for you.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t want to tell you now, but I know the captives—Capt. Horn’s captives. We must do something for them. You are full of schemes, old man; can’t you plan something now?”
“I can plan enough, but the trouble is to put the plans into execution. Where are the captives?”
“Beyond that door there.”
Frank saw a door at the farther end of the cabin. He had not noticed it before.
At this moment one of the sailors came down from above. The sound of hoisting the anchor had stopped, and it was evident that the man popped down to take a look at the captives and make sure they were all right, for he stopped but a moment.
Soon the boys realized that the vessel was under way. They could tell by the motion.
Capt. Horn came down.
“Hello, cap,” called Frank. “Whither away?”
“Out to sea,” was the surly answer. “Going to drop you over where it is deep.”
“Couldn’t persuade you to change your mind about that? I don’t want to be dropped overboard.”
The man grunted. After a time another man came below. Capt. Horn rolled into a bunk and slept.
Frank strained and worked at his bonds. At first it seemed that he simply made them cut deeper and deeper into his wrists without loosening them in the least. After a time, he began to fancy he was making some progress.
If he could get his hands free he felt sure he would be able to liberate Hodge. Between them they could make a fight for life and liberty.
Hours passed. Capt. Horn got up and went on deck, accompanied by the man who had been in the cabin with him. Then the other two men came down and turned into the bunks. They seemed exhausted, and quickly fell asleep.
Morning dawned.
With the coming of dawn, Frank succeeded in getting one hand free. Then it was not long before he was entirely free, and he hastened to release Hodge.
Bart was palpitating with excitement.
“What’ll we do, Merry?” he asked, in a whisper.
“First set the other captives at liberty,” said Frank. “We must work lively.”
“Steady, then,” warned Hodge. “No matter whom you see, do not utter a cry. Here, tie this handkerchief over your face to your eyes.”
“What for?”
“So the captives will not raise a cry when they see you.”
Both boys tied handkerchiefs over their faces, and then Frank approached the door. This was bolted and hasped. There was no lock upon it. It did not take Frank long toshoot back the bolt and release the hasp. Then he slowly opened the door, and looked into the small room beyond.
An old man was sitting helplessly in the corner, and a young girl, pale and wan, with tangled curls of yellow, lay on a bunk. The old man raised his head, and the girl looked up.
Frank recognized them both, and, despite the warning Hodge had given him, came near uttering a shout.
Before him were Capt. Justin Bellwood and his daughter, Elsie!
Elsie Bellwood was there—Elsie, his old-time friend, who was so dear to him! She was a captive in the power of those ruffians!
That thought was enough to make Frank furious and desperate. He suddenly felt that he was able, single-handed, to conquer all the ruffians on that vessel.
With his hand he motioned for Capt. Bellwood and Elsie to come forth. They realized that Frank was not one of the ruffians, and Elsie sprang up.
“Come out here,” whispered Frank. “We want you to help us capture this vessel.”
New life and hope sprang up in the heart of the old sea captain. He responded eagerly.
“Here,” whispered Merry, pointing to the sleeping sailors, “watch those fellows, and do not hesitate to crack them over the head if they awaken. Take this stool, Capt. Bellwood, and give it to them if necessary. We are going on deck to tackle Capt. Horn and the other fellow.”
The man nodded. He took the stool and stood ready. Then, to Frank’s surprise, Elsie picked up a heavy boot as a weapon and stood over the other man.
“Come!” whispered Frank.
With Hodge at his heels, he crept swiftly up the companionway. A peep on deck showed him one man at the wheel, while Capt. Horn was near. The vessel was plungingthrough a sea of rolling billows, the aftermath of the storm.
Capt. Horn’s back was turned.
“Now is our time!” hissed Frank, as he tore the handkerchief from his face and cast it aside, fearing it might hamper him in some way.
Then he leaped on deck, with Bart close behind him, and they rushed at the two men.
The man at the wheel saw them, and uttered a cry. Capt. Horn whirled in a moment.
With loud shouts the boys rushed forward and Bart grappled with the sailor at the wheel.
Horn managed to avoid Frank’s rush, and Merry saw him tugging at his hip pocket. That was enough to indicate that he was trying to draw a weapon.
Snatching up a belayingpin, Frank did not hesitate in attacking the ruffian with the black beard, who succeeded in pulling forth the weapon his hand had sought.
Before Capt. Horn could use the revolver, Frank leaped forward and struck the weapon from his hand. A second blow, delivered with all the strength and skill the young Yale athlete could command, stretched the ruffianly commander of thePirateupon the deck.
A coil of rope was close at hand, and, with the aid of that, Merry quickly bound the fallen man. Then he hastened to the assistance of Bart, who was having a fierce battle with the other sailor.
The two boys succeeded in downing the ruffian after a time, and then they tied him, as they had tied the captain.
Frank secured Horn’s revolver, and Bart obtained a knife from the other sailor. The wheel was set and lashed, and then both hastened below.
Capt. Bellwood and Elsie were still standing over the sleeping sailors, who had not been disturbed by the encounter that was taking place on the deck.
At sight of Frank, Elsie uttered a cry of amazement and joy, and nearly swooned. That cry aroused the men, but when they sat up one was astonished to find himself looking into the muzzle of a revolver, while the keen blade of a wicked-looking knife menaced the other.
They were so astonished that they were incapable of offering resistance, and were easily captured.
Capt. Bellwood’s story was simple, but interesting. Being a follower of the sea, it was not strange that he should acquire information purporting to reveal the whereabouts of Kidd’s buried gold. His secret was known to another sailor, and that sailor shipped with Capt. Horn. Then Justin Bellwood and his daughter were lured to New York, and induced to board thePirate, where they became Horn’s captives. Horn knew every inch of the sound, and he set about forcing Capt. Bellwood to reveal his knowledge of the supposed hiding place of Kidd’s treasure. Capt. Horn also made love to Elsie, nearly driving her mad with fear, so that she attempted to jump overboard, an act that was witnessed by the boys on board theJolly Sport.
Fortune had worked in a singular manner to bring about the undoing of Capt. Horn. When the ruffian and his crew were made secure, Capt. Bellwood took command of thePirate, running her back into the cove where Diamond, Browning and Rattleton were stranded. The reappearance of the black schooner with Merriwell and Hodge on board nearly paralyzed the three lads with amazement. It took considerable explaining to make clear to them how such a thing had come about.
Capt. Bellwood carried the boys over to New Haven, where he turned Capt. Horn and his crew of ruffians over to the authorities. It may be as well to add here that it afterward developed that Horn was a most notorious sound smuggler. He was tried and convicted and sent to prison. His men all received short sentences.
Justin Bellwood was not able to recover Kidd’s treasure, although he tried to find it. Filled with superstitions, he sometimes wondered if the treasure had not been spirited away in some uncanny manner on the night that Horn tried to dig it up.
As for the boys who sailed out of New Haven harbor that warm April day, they had a story to tell that was marvelous, and not even Frank Merriwell’s reputation for veracity could make all who heard it believe it fully.