LUCK—OR ILL-LUCK?
When Matt and Dick reached the top of the ridge they could see their Dutch chum prancing around on the beach. He was on the side of the island directly across from the cove, and the object, whatever it was, that claimed his attention seemed to be lying in the sand.
"Look, vonce!" he bawled. "Come here kevick und see vat I haf foundt!"
Full of wonder, Matt and Dick raced down the slope.
"What is it, Carl?" demanded Matt.
"Feetprints," cried Carl, "yah, so helup me! Vat you t'ink oof dot?"
Carl was right. There were footprints in the damp sand, together with other marks, which proved that a boat had grounded and been drawn up on the shore.
"Some one has paid this island a visit," said Matt, "and not very long ago."
"No doubt of it," averred Dick. "That boat must have put in here some time yesterday. Where did the men come from and where did they go?"
He tried to follow the footprints up the knoll, but they faded out before he had got half a dozen yards from the edge of the water.
"There were three men," said Matt, studying the marks, "and they landed, stayed a little while, and then shoved off again."
"But what did they stay for?" queried Dick; "what brought them here?"
"That's something we don't know, but the fact that the island has been visited seems to prove that it lies in the track of ships trading among the other islands. We'll get a white flag well up toward the top of one of those palm trees as soon as we can. Did you find anything else on the island, Carl?"
"Nod a t'ing," replied Carl. "I valked all aroundt it, und it ditn't dake more as fife minids to do it. Sooch a leedle islandt you nefer see. Led's ged oop der flag, for der kevicker vat somepody sees it, und dakes us off, der pedder vat I shall like it. I couldn't findt some cafes, neider."
"You were looking for a cave, eh?" asked Dick.
"Yah, so. I t'ought meppy dis mighdt be Durtle Islandt afder all, aber oof it iss, it don'd got any cafes."
"This island is too far north to be the one Townsend told us about, Carl," said Matt.
"I haf made oop my mindt about dot," returned Carl, as he followed Matt and Dick back up the knoll, "und I don'd t'ink dere iss any Durtle Islandt, or iron chest, or nodding. It vas all a foolishness und some bipe treams."
Matt and Dick put on their clothes and set about the work of putting up their distress signal.
From the canvas shelter which Matt had made for the Hawk a long streamer was cut. Thereupon Dick climbed the palm and tied the flag to it just under its tufted top. As the breeze opened the flag out, the boys stood off and surveyed it with a good deal of satisfaction.
"If any ships pass this island, and those aboard can see the palms," declared Dick, "they're bound to see that flag; then, if they're human, they'll send a boat ashore to investigate."
"If anything can help us," returned Matt, "that will. It's about all we can do, anyhow. Come on, now, and let's get something to eat. After that, you fellows can fix up a camp while I begin taking the car of the Hawk apart and making it ready for removal from the island."
The water cask was nearly full, which was a fortunate thing, considering that there did not appear to be a drop of fresh water anywhere on the island. The boys ate and drank sparingly, intending to husband their supplies so that thirst and starvation might not stare them in the face if their stay on the island was prolonged beyond the time they hoped and expected.
Following the meal, Carl and Dick took the canvas shelter designed for the Hawk and a coil of rope and made their way to the palm trees. Matt, opening the tool box in the car of the air ship, secured a wrench and set about taking the car apart.
Although he worked rapidly, it was dusk before he had finished his work. But the work had been well done. The motor had been taken out, the car had been divided into its various sections, the cordage had been neatly coiled, and the silken envelope had been carefully folded and bound with ropes into a compact bundle.
Another scanty meal was indulged in by the chums, and then all three made their way to the palms and crawled into the makeshift tent which Carl and Dick had constructed between two of the trees.
The events of the day had been exciting and all three of the boys were completely fagged.
"Great Bahama Island can't be very far from here, mate," said Dick, as he settled himself down on the warm sand. "Those men that landed in that boat may have come from there."
"It doesn't make much difference where the people come from, Dick," answered Matt, "so long as they find us. I haven't any desire to be hung up here for two or three weeks. We've got food and water enough to last us for six or seven days, if we use it sparingly, but after that there's no telling how we'd get along."
"Oof dere vas some pread-fruit trees," struck in Carl, drowsily, "und a shpring oof fresh vater, it vould be easy enough to ged along."
"There goes Carl with his bread-fruit again," laughed Dick. "But I don't think we'll have to worry much over the chuck question. There'll certainly be a boat along before the week is up."
"I vonder vat Downsent vill t'ink ven he don'd see us coming pack like vat he expects?" said Carl. "He vill feel pooty pad mit himseluf, I bed you, oof ve don'd show oop in a few tays."
"He's certainly fallen afoul of some mighty tough luck," went on Dick. "He must have been working for several years on theGrampus, and he no more than gets her finished when along comes Jurgens with his gang and cuts her out. But, as I said, Townsend could have saved himself all this trouble if he had jugged Jurgens the time the fellow was found going through his desk."
"All that isn't worrying me so much," said Matt, "as the trouble we had with the Hawk. I'm through making ocean voyages in air ships. They're all right on the land, but when you take them out over a big stretch of water you're running too heavy a risk. And we got to this island by the skin of our teeth, Dick. If it had been a little farther off we'd never have made it."
"I wouldn't have given the fag end o' nothing, one while, for our chances of getting out of that fix alive. But fate is always springing surprises on a fellow. I'm beginning to think with Carl, Matt, that you can't dodge your luck, no matter what you do. But, tell me, whatdid you think of Townsend's boat? You were aboard her for a while and must have found out something about the craft."
"I know theGrampushas a strong steel room under her deck," said Matt, "and that she has an arrangement for firing torpedoes. Apart from that I know very little about the boat. I'd like to have a chance to take my time and examine her, but that opportunity, I suppose, will never come my way."
Carl had ceased to take a part in the conversation, and his snores were echoing through the tent. Matt and Dick presently fell asleep also, and when Matt awoke he found some one shaking him.
He opened his eyes and sat up.
"That you, Dick?" he asked, astonished to find that it was daylight.
"Aye, aye, messmate," replied Ferral, "it's Dick, all right enough. Come out of the tent—I've a surprise for you."
"What is it?" asked Matt, getting to his feet; "good luck or bad?"
"That's hard to tell, offhand. Come out and see for yourself. All I can say is, you're going to find something you didn't expect."
Dick's excited manner, and his veiled hints, aroused Matt's curiosity. Following Dick out of the tent, Matt swept his gaze in the direction of his chum's pointing finger.
The next instant Matt gave a startled jump.
"TheGrampus!" he muttered, dazedly, rubbing his eyes and staring again.
There could be no mistake. In the cove, and close ashore, could be seen the rounded deck of a submarine. The conning tower was clear of the water, and on its curved side was painted in unmistakable letters the word, "Grampus."
But where had the boat come from? And what was she doing there?
"Get Carl," Matt whispered, "and duck over the ridge out of sight. I'll join you in a minute."
Without waiting for Dick to answer, Matt turned and sped toward the place where he had left the piled fragments of the air ship.
A box of supplies stood near the gasoline motor. Opening the box, Matt removed the two revolvers and the box of cartridges. Slipping the cartridges into his pocket, he leaped to the top of the ridge, dodged over it, and then made his way along the opposite side toward the place where Dick and Carl were waiting for him.
The presence of theGrampusin the cove might mean either good luck, or ill, for the castaways; but if good luck could be helped any by energetic measures, Matt was determined to turn the call of the submarine at the island to the advantage of himself and his friends.
Coming close to the spot where Dick and Carl were kneeling and peering excitedly over the ridge, Matt knelt down beside them and likewise began to watch.
TheGrampuswas in those waters for a purpose; and the only way to discover what that mission was, was by keeping track of Jurgens and his men.
A MOVE AND A COUNTERMOVE.
"When did you first see theGrampus, Dick?" asked Matt, still watching for some sign of life about the submarine.
"She came up about a minute before I called you," replied Dick. "I awoke, saw the sun shining, and stepped out of the tent. About the first thing my eyes rested on, when they turned toward the cove, was that red ball on top of the staff. The submarine wasn't in sight, but that red ball was just awash and moving toward the shore. I hadn't a notion what it could be, and as I stood and looked the ball rose out of the water. Then theGrampusshoved her wet deck into sight, and I made a jump for the tent to get you."
The red ball to which Dick referred was fastened to the end of a staff that was planted in the submarine's deck. Matt was equally at a loss to understand what use the ball could possibly serve.
"Meppy," said Carl, who was always ready with a theory of his own, "der pall is to schare avay der sharks. But for vy has derGrambuscome here ven she iss due at Durtle Islandt? Has somet'ing gone wrong mit Jurgens' galguladions?"
At that moment the top of the conning tower was pushed upward, and the head of Jurgens appeared over the rim. The head rose until Jurgens was half out of the tower. The boys could see that he was curious about the tent under the palm trees. He would lift his eyes to the fluttering white flag, and then he would drop them to the tent. Finally Jurgens got out on the submarine's deck.
"Whistler!" the boys heard him call.
A moment later Whistler showed himself. He likewise surveyed the camp of the castaways. After that he and Jurgens talked together, but their voices were pitched in too low a key to carry to the ridge.
At last Jurgens and Whistler gave over their talk. Jurgens began climbing down a ladder over the forward end of the boat, and Whistler got out of the tower and pushed after him.
The bow of theGrampushad grounded on the bottom. Jurgens, stepping from the ladder in water waist-deep, began wading ashore. Once on the beach, he waited for Whistler to join him.
"They're going to investigate our camp," whispered Matt.
"Oof dey come near enough to investigate us," returnedCarl, "den, py shinks, ve vill put dem bot' oudt oof pitzness."
"Why not lay them by the heels, matey?" queried Dick, excitedly. "There are three of us and only two of them, and we've got a couple of guns. We could do it easy."
"It's their move," answered Matt, "and if we could make a countermove that would help us get hold of theGrampus, we would not only do a good stroke of work for Townsend, but for ourselves, into the bargain. TheGrampuscould take us away from here—to Turtle Island, if we wanted to go there—and then to Palm Beach."
As Matt went over the possibilities that followed in the wake of a successful attack on theGrampus, his brain fired with a resolve to carry out a countermove, even if he and his chums had to take some risks in order to do it.
"Jurgens is going into the tent," whispered Dick, "and Whistler is moving in the direction of the Hawk. He's not able to recognize the air ship, taken to pieces as she is."
"Right here's our chance," murmured Matt. "Follow me, both of you, and come quietly. Dick, you take this revolver. No noise, now, for everything depends upon the care we exercise in making this part of our countermove."
Jurgens was already so close to the tent that the canvas walls were between him and that part of the ridge where the boys were hiding. Whistler was walking directly away from the palm trees, so that his back was turned to the boys.
Matt crawled over the top of the ridge, then got to his feet and glided noiselessly toward the nearest wall of the tent. He could hear Jurgens poking around inside, and could even follow his movements as his head and shoulders brushed against the sloping canvas.
Dropping to his knees, Matt quickly lifted the lower edge of the canvas and rolled inside. Jurgens was passing that spot, at the moment, and Matt kept on rolling. His body struck against Jurgens' legs with sufficient force to overturn him. He gave a yell as he dropped, but the next moment his frantic shouts were stifled by Carl and Dick, who, by that time, had also pushed under the bottom of the tent.
"Hold him tight," whispered Matt, posting himself at the tent opening. "Here comes Whistler, and we've got to have him, too. You take care of Jurgens and I'll look after Whistler."
Matt had hardly finished speaking before Whistler rushed into the tent. He carried a revolver in one hand, and Matt, with a quick blow, dashed the weapon from his fingers. Whistler started back with an oath, only to find the muzzle of a six-shooter staring him in the face.
"Steady!" snapped Matt. "Try to yell, or to run away, and it will be the worse for you. Down on the ground, Whistler—face down!"
"What are you tryin' to——"
"Down, I tell you!"
The weapon almost touched Whistler's face. His gaze traveled along the barrel to the keen gray eyes back of it, and he dropped to his knees and sprawled forward at full length. As he did so, he made an attempt to grasp the weapon Matt had struck from his hand, and which was still lying on the sand.
But Carl was near enough to grab it away.
"No, you don'd," growled Carl, "nod as anypody knows of. Lay dere, und lay keviet. Vat's der next t'ing, Matt?"
"Go for a rope, Carl," answered Matt; "better get two ropes."
"Dot's me," and Carl sprang up and raced off toward the place where the different parts of the Hawk were piled.
He was back in a minute. Then, while Matt held Whistler under the point of the six-shooter, and Dick did the same by Jurgens, Carl tied the hands of each at his back, and used the free end of the rope to bind each prisoner's feet at the ankles.
"Now," proceeded Matt, "gag each of them. We can't have any yelling while we're doing the rest of our work."
Dick cut two strips of canvas from the tent wall, and these were tightly bound between the prisoner's teeth.
"How vas dot?" exulted Carl, standing over the prisoners when they had been bound and gagged. "You vill sic some more dogs on me, vill you, Churgens? Vell, I don'd t'ink! You ditn't make mooch ven you grabbed dot baper of Downsent's und run off mit it, hey?"
"We've no time for useless talk, Carl," spoke up Matt, sharply. "Only part of our work is done—the smallest part; the biggest thing of all lies ahead of us."
"What's that, matey?" queried Ferral.
"The recapture of theGrampus."
Matt was cool enough, but his words were startling.
"How can ve do dot?" returned Carl.
"By boarding the submarine and getting busy," Matt replied.
"Jurgens must have several men there, Matt," said Dick.
"They're probably looking after Townsend's three men. If we can release Cassidy, Burke and Harris, our force will be plenty large enough to take care of this gang of ruffians."
Although it was impossible for either Jurgens or Whistler to move or speak, yet they could hear well enough, and the work Matt was suggesting to his friends caused them to mumble behind their gags and to writhe about angrily.
"If we win," went on Matt, briskly, "we've got to hurry. Come on, pards," and he flung out of the tent and raced down the beach.
There was no one in sight about theGrampus. The cover of the conning tower was still pushed back, but itwas clear to Matt and his chums that the rest of Jurgens' men were busy below.
Quickly, and with as little noise as possible, Matt, Dick and Carl waded out to theGrampus. Matt was first to reach the ladder at the bow, and he swung up it lightly, crossed the deck and climbed into the conning tower.
An iron ladder afforded him means for descent into the hull of the boat, and the lunettes, or little windows, in the sides of the tower lighted his way downward.
At the bottom of the ladder he stepped into a steel chamber. The only articles of furniture in the chamber were a table and a chair. The top of the table was covered with a black hood which fell downward from the ceiling. Just then Matt had no time for investigating things he did not understand.
As he stood for a moment at the foot of the ladder, trying to hear something that would give him a clue as to where he should go, a door suddenly opened behind him. He whirled about, but before he could make a move to protect himself a heavy fist leaped out at him. He dodged to one side, but the blow caught him in the shoulder, whirled him half around and drove him with stunning force against the steel wall.
Taken at a disadvantage, as he had been, Matt would have paid dearly for his daring work had not Ferral, at that instant, dropped from the conning tower squarely upon the head and shoulders of the man who had made the attack on Matt.
The weight of Dick's body hurled the fellow to the floor, and before he could recover his wits Dick had snatched from his fingers a knife which he had pulled from the breast of his coat.
"Avast, there, you swab!" threatened Dick, waving his revolver in front of the scoundrel's face. "Are you hurt, Matt?" he added, keeping his eyes on the man, but addressing his chum.
"Shaken up a little, Dick, that's all," Matt answered; "but it might have been a whole lot worse if you hadn't dropped in on us. Where's Carl?"
"He's coming."
"How many men did Jurgens leave on this boat?" Matt asked, bending over the man on the floor.
"More'n you kin handle," was the surly response.
"We'll see about that. Keep him there, Dick, while I go forward and see what I can find."
Passing through the open door in which the man had appeared so suddenly, Matt found himself in the passage along which he and Holcomb had been led to the torpedo room in the bow. Matt was not going to the torpedo room just then, for he had begun to wonder whether Cassidy, Burke, and Harris might not be confined in the steel chamber where he and Holcomb had been placed on being brought aboard theGrampus.
Whirling to the left, he made in the direction of the chamber.
MOTOR MATT'S SUCCESS.
The door to the steel chamber, as Matt remembered it, opened directly off the end of the narrow passage. The corridor was lighted with a couple of incandescent lamps so that Matt had no trouble in seeing what he was about.
Just as he laid his hand on the door Carl came into the passage. Matt turned to his chum, laid a finger on his lips in token of silence, and beckoned him to come close.
Just as Carl drew near Matt pushed open the door. Instantly there was a rush of feet and the young motorist was thrown heavily back against the Dutch boy. They both went down together on the steel floor; and, at the same moment, the electric lights faded out, leaving the corridor in darkness.
Only one man had rushed from the room at the end of the passage—of that Matt was positive. Where he had gone Matt did not know, but as soon as he could extricate himself from his entanglement with his Dutch pard the young motorist pushed on through the darkness and entered the chamber.
"Vere you vas, Matt?" called Carl, stumbling along the corridor. "It vas so tark I don'd peen aple to see my handt pehind my pack. Vich vay dit you go?"
"This way, Carl," shouted Matt.
"Vere iss der feller vat knocked us down?"
"I don't know, but it's a cinch that he's somewhere in the boat. He can't get away without passing through the room where Dick is, and, if he tries that——"
Matt broke off his words with an exclamation. He had stumbled over something on the floor.
Going down on his knees he groped over the object with his hands and discovered that it was the form of a man, as helplessly bound and gagged as were Jurgens and Whistler, in the tent on the island, at that moment.
With his hands Matt twisted the gag from the man's lips.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"Cassidy's my name," was the breathless answer; "and who are you?"
"Motor Matt."
"Great hullaballoo!" muttered Cassidy. "How'd you get here?"
"There's too much of it to tell, just now. Where are Burke and Harris, Cassidy?"
"Right here alongside o' me. We've been trussed up like this for a day an 'two nights, an' my legs an' arms feel like they was paralyzed. Is Nemo, Jr., with you, Motor Matt?"
"No—only my two pards, Dick Ferral and Carl Pretzel. Jurgens and Whistler are captured, and we left them tied up, on the island."
"You never!" gasped Cassidy.
"That's the way of it," answered Matt. "How——"
"Well, if I ain't clean beat I don't want a cent. How'd you ever manage to do it?"
"How am I to get the lights turned on, Cassidy? I'd like to see what I'm doing."
"I could tell you how to turn on the lights, Motor Matt, but you'd be somethin' of a spell finding the place in the dark. Better cut me loose and leave that part of it to me. I'll snap on the lights while you're freein' Burke and Harris."
This advice seemed sound, and Matt used his knife carefully on the ropes that secured Cassidy's wrists and ankles.
He could hear Cassidy getting up, and his exclamation of relief was loud and hearty.
"Now, by thunder," growled Cassidy, "we're havin' our innings. I reckon Jurgens'll find that his high-handed game o' his ain't all one-sided. I'll go turn on the lights, Motor Matt," and Cassidy could be heard leaving the room and passing into the corridor.
Matt and Carl groped about until they had found the other two prisoners, and while they were freeing them the lights were suddenly turned on.
"I'm Burke," said one of the men.
"Harris, that's me," said the other.
"How many men did Jurgens have on the submarine with him?" asked Matt.
"The' was four of 'em," replied Harris, standing erect and rubbing his cramped limbs. "The three that come first an' pulled the wool over Cassidy's eyes with that letter, an' then Whistler. That's all of 'em, Motor Matt."
"Jurgens and Whistler have been captured," went on Matt, "and one of my friends has another in the room below the conning tower. That leaves two more. Have you any idea where they are?"
This question was answered by a terrific clamor from some point in the forward part of the ship. Above the noise broke the sudden report of a revolver, echoing loudly between the steel decks and bulkheads.
"Here they are, men!" came the voice of Cassidy, husky and breathless as though he was fighting. "Here's t'other two of 'em in the torpedo room, tryin' ter get out the bow port."
"The torpedo room!" shouted Burke.
"Hike for the torpedo room!" roared Harris.
The two men flung past Matt and Carl and raced along the corridor.
"I guess there are enough of them to capture the two remaining members of the gang, Carl," said Matt. "Pick up some of those ropes and we'll go and put them on the fellow Dick is standing guard over."
"Dot's me!" boomed Carl, gathering up the ropes and hurrying after Matt.
They found that Dick still had his prisoner safely in hand.
"He nearly slipped his hawse, though," said Dick, "when the lights went out, but I hung to him until the lights were turned on again. Did you find Cassidy, Burke and Harris, Matt?"
"Yes," answered Matt. "They were in the same room where Holcomb and I were put when Jurgens brought us aboard theGrampus. We've released the three of them and they are now making prisoners of the two last members of Jurgens' gang. They're fighting in the torpedo room."
"Glory!" cried Ferral. "If any one had told me we could have done this, I wouldn't have believed it. It's the biggest thing we've yet passed to our credit, matey."
"Well, before we congratulate ourselves too much, suppose we make sure of the prisoners we have? Get the ropes on that fellow, Dick, and then you and Carl drag him to the room from which we just took Cassidy, Burke and Harris. I'm going to the torpedo room and see how matters are progressing."
While Carl and Dick were busy with their prisoner, Matt made his way forward along the passage to the torpedo room. When he opened the door and stepped into the place he found that the scrimmage was all over. Cassidy, Burke and Harris had captured the two men and were busy making them secure. Leaving the work to Burke and Harris, Cassidy arose to his feet and stepped close to Matt.
"Your hand, youngster!" said he, cordially, reaching out one of his paws. "You've turned a big thing—I don't know how big, nor how you done it, but I reckon all that'll come out afore long. These fellers," and here Cassidy waved an angry hand toward the two prisoners, "was two of the three that breezed up to me on the wharf at the Inlet an' flashed a letter that claimed to be from Nemo, Jr. The letter informed me that the three men had been hired for part o' the crew o' theGrampus, an' that they was to come aboard and I was to show 'em the ropes. Well, they got me. I ain't overly good at reading writin', but I managed to make out what that letter said an' didn't have sense enough to know it wasn't writ by the cap'n's hand.
"Them three Injuns come aboard. I took one of 'em to show him the ropes, Burke took another, and Harris took the third. The same thing that happened to Harris an' Burke likewise happened to me. When I wasn't lookin', the gent I was conductin' around an' explainin' things to rapped me over the skull from behind. When I come to I was in the torpedo room, along with Burke an' Harris. Bymby we was took out o' here into the periscope room, an' from there into the foc'sle, which ain't a foc'sle at all in the original meanin' o' the word, but which we calls that on account o' it's bein' sleepin' quarters fer the hands.
"A little later theGrampusgot under headway, an' then I was waited on by Whistler an' conducted to the motor at the p'int of a gun an' told to keep the motorgoin' and obey orders. There wasn't anything else for me to do. The boat was in the hands of the enemy. Jurgens had got the best of the old man, an' I knowed what Jurgens' game was.
"One of Jurgens' men watched me handlin' the motor, an' finally made out to take it hisself. Then, when that happened, I was taken back to the foc'sle an' the lashings was put onto me again. Bymby, Harris and Burke was brought in an' treated in the same way. Like me, they had learned some o' Jurgens' men how to do the work on theGrampus, an' we was sidetracked because we wasn't needed an' couldn't be trusted."
"How did Jurgens come to stop at this island?" Matt asked.
"He seen the white flag an' got curious."
"How did he see the flag if theGrampuswas under water?"
"Through the periscope."
"Is that red ball on top of the staff the periscope?"
"It's part of it. Jurgens seen the flag through that, an' bein' of a cur'ous disposition he put in to investigate. Three of the gang was left to look after Burke, Harris an' me, an' Jurgens an' Whistler went ashore. Now, son, you can open up an' explain how you happened to be on the island, an' how you managed to capture Jurgens an' Whistler, so——"
"I think you'd better go ashore and get Jurgens and Whistler, Cassidy," interrupted Matt. "If we left them there too long they might succeed in getting away. You'll find them in a makeshift tent, by the three palm trees."
"We'll get 'em, Matt, but fust off we'll carry these two fellers to the foc'sle. Drag 'em along, Burke, you an' Harris," Cassidy added to his mates.
The men were dragged to the steel chamber and thrown into it to keep Ferral's prisoner company. This done, Cassidy, Burke and Harris climbed out of the conning tower, descended the ladder and went ashore.
A FEW SURPRISES.
There were a few surprises in store for Motor Matt and his friends. The first one was sprung when Cassidy, shouting loudly from the beach, called Matt to the top of the conning tower and reported that there was no one in the makeshift tent.
Matt was dumbfounded for a moment.
"Jurgens and Whistler were there," he asserted. "We left them tied hand and foot and gagged when we came out to theGrampus. If they're not in the tent, Cassidy, then they must have freed themselves and gone off somewhere on the island. The island isn't so big but what you can find them."
"They're not on the island," asserted Cassidy. "We've combed it from end to end, an' we're ready to swear there ain't a livin' soul on the island but us three."
"It couldn't be that a boat has put in and taken them off, Cassidy," went on Matt. "No boat would have had time to do that. You'll certainly find them on the island if you look sharp."
Cassidy and his mates took another turn about the island, but with no better success. Jurgens and Whistler had mysteriously disappeared.
Giving up trying to locate the missing scoundrels, Matt had Cassidy, Burke and Harris tote the various parts of the air ship out to theGrampus. Some of the parts were loaded inside the boat, and the rest—too large to come down the hatch in the conning tower—were roped to the rounded deck.
This method of loading made it necessary for theGrampusto keep on the surface of the water all the way to Palm Beach. Matt, however, had another plan in mind before going to Palm Beach, and as soon as the Hawk had been safely loaded he had a talk with Cassidy in the periscope room and led up to his plan. The result was another surprise for the three chums—one that was well-nigh overwhelming.
"I suppose you know, Cassidy," observed Matt, "why Jurgens stole theGrampus?"
Cassidy cocked up his eyes shrewdly at Matt.
"I know," said he, "but I don't reckon any one else does, exceptin' Cap'n Nemo, Jr., hisself."
"That's where you're mistaken, Cassidy," returned Matt. "Captain Nemo, Jr., or Mr. Townsend, as we have come to call him, told me and my pards all about it."
"Then I reckon that's the fust time he ever let the thing out."
"He had to tell us," went on Matt, "because he wanted to use our air ship in order to get to Turtle Key. With the Hawk, Townsend thought he could reach the Key before theGrampusgot there, and that we could then lie in wait for Jurgens and his men."
From this point, Matt rehearsed the adventures that had overtaken him and his chums and Townsend, bringing the recital down to the point where Jurgens and Whistler had been captured, and the attack made on the submarine.
Cassidy, Burke and Harris listened to the story with intense interest. When Matt was through, exclamations of wonder and surprise went up from the three men.
"Never heard of anythin' like that, dashed if I have!" averred Harris.
"Sounds like a fish story," asserted Burke, "only it has the facts to bear it out."
"You lads have gone through a lot for Cap'n Nemo, Jr.," said Cassidy, "an' you've not only done a lot for him, but you've likewise done a little somethin' for us fellers."
"How's that?" asked Matt.
"I'm purty sure Jurgens was plannin' to maroon us on the island, here. He an' his men had found out from us all they wanted to know about runnin' the ship, an' so, havin' no use for us, they wouldn't bother to keep us around. Yes, I'm sartain they was goin' to turn us adrift on the island; but you an' your mates, Motor Matt, saved us from that."
"Of course," said Matt, "we've got to go back to Palm Beach."
"Nacherly," agreed Cassidy, "if the old man is there. We'll take him, busted ankle an' all, into theGrampusan' snatch him back to Philadelphy, or wherever else he wants to go."
"Before we do that," said Matt, "why can't we finish up this work for him?"
"I don't savvy what you mean," said Cassidy. "Ain't the work about all finished? You've got the boat back for him, an'——"
"But why not find Turtle Key, look into that cave and then go back able to report to him that there's no iron chest on the island."
The eyes of all three of the men grew wide as they surveyed Matt.
"Great sandpipers!" exclaimed Cassidy, "didn't you hear about that? I supposed you knowed."
"Supposed I knew what?" demanded Matt.
"Why, about that iron chest."
"What about it?"
"You come with me, son," and Cassidy reached for Matt's arm and led him out of the periscope room and into the corridor.
Halfway along the passage was a door leading off to the right. Cassidy opened this door, revealing a closet-like room with a box in its centre. On the box rested an ancient appearing iron chest, some twelve inches long and twelve inches square.
"What's that?" asked Matt.
"Can't ye tell by lookin' at it?" cried Cassidy. "Why, that's the iron chest that all this pother has been about."
"I knowed dot!" breathed Carl, from behind Matt, "I hat some feelings in my pones dot dere vas a chest like vat der baper say."
"Where did the chest come from?" continued Matt.
"From the cave on Turtle Key," explained Cassidy. "Jurgens went there an' got it. We was on our way north ag'in when Jurgens sighted that white flag o' your'n through the periscope an' put in at the island to investigate."
Cassidy laughed.
"Ye can see what that investigation cost him," he finished. "He lost theGrampus, and the iron chest. Motor Matt and his mates, by recapturin' theGrampus, got the hull bag o' tricks for the old man. Mebby he won't be tickled!"
"Wished I was Motor Matt," sighed Burke. "The old man's rich, an' he's allers full o' gratitude when any one does anythin' fer him."
"He can't do anything more for me than what he's agreed to," declared Matt, "and that is to pay my pards and me five thousand for the use of the Hawk."
"Well," said Cassidy, "if that's how you stand we'll let it go at that; but hadn't we better be thinkin' of gettin' back to Palm Beach? Cap'n Nemo, Jr., 'll be lookin' fer ye, an' if you don't show up he'll be worryin'."
"We'll start at once," answered Matt. "All I was delaying for was to get you to go to Turtle Key after the iron chest. Now that it isn't necessary to go there, the quicker we get to Palm Beach, the better."
"Go to your stations, men," said Cassidy to Burke and Harris. "By the same token, I'll go to mine."
Cassidy dropped down below into a small room which contained the gasoline motor, Burke went away to some other part of the ship and Harris climbed into the conning tower. The top of the tower was lowered, and Harris, peering through the lunettes, began communicating the outlook to Cassidy by means of push-buttons.
The fabric of the submarine began to shake and quiver under the spur of the engine. Slowly she backed off the shallow bar where she had grounded, gained deep water, turned and started out into the open sea.
"The trip back to Palm Beach," Harris called down to Matt and his chums, "is to be made with the deck awash. If we was to submerge theGrampus, I'd have to give Cassidy his orders by means of the periscope. There's push-buttons along the edge of the table, an' I can communicate with the engine room from there just as well as from up here."
Matt pushed his head under the black hood of the periscope. The top of the table he found to be a mirror, and upon it was reflected the surface of the sea from theGrampusas a focal point clear out to the horizon's edge.
"This is a fine craft," spoke up Ferral, who had been strolling through the submarine. "That Captain Nemo, Jr., has surely got a head on him to be able to get up such a boat."
"I'm hoping, Dick," said Matt, "that we'll become better acquainted with theGrampus. Just now, though, I'd like to see if we can't get a little information out of the three men in the strong room."
Matt led the way to what Cassidy had called the "foc'sle," and the three boys were soon looking down on the scowling faces of the prisoners.
"You're the men who captured theGrampusin the Inlet at Atlantic City, are you?" queried Matt.
"Don't talk with him, men," said one of the prisoners sharply to the others. "Whatever you say he'll use against you. Jest remember that and keep mum."
"Did you go to Atlantic City with Jurgens' moving-picture outfit?" Matt went on.
"Mebby we did an' mebby we didn't," answered the fellow who had arrogated to himself the post of spokesman. "We ain't tellin' anything we know an' you ain't findin' anything out, see? Take a sneak and leave us alone. You've raised hob with us and that ought to satisfy you."
"Have you any idea what became of Jurgens and Whistler?" Matt went on. "We captured them and left them on the island, but they vanished mysteriously, leaving you three men to bear the consequences of the lawless work Jurgens set on foot."
"We don't know anything about where Jurgens an' Whistler have gone," replied the prisoner. "If they've fooled you, I'm mighty glad of it."
That was all the satisfaction Matt could get. The escape of Jurgens and Whistler was bothering him not a little, and it was past his comprehension how the two men could have made such a complete get-away from the island.
As they themselves were the only ones who could explain it, the manner in which thecouphad been accomplished seemed likely to always remain a mystery.
TheGrampuswas five hours making the trip across Florida Straits. When she tied up off Palm Beach it was midnight, and Matt, Dick and Carl bunked aboard the craft and went ashore in the morning with Cassidy to pay their respects to Townsend.
MATT TAKES TOWNSEND'S ADVICE.
Townsend was on the road to rapid recovery. He was feeling a hundred per cent. better than he had been when Matt and his pards left him, two days previously, and if it had been possible to use his lame foot he would have been up and around.
He was not surprised to see Motor Matt and his friends, because he had expected Matt to make the trip to Turtle Key and back in safety; but he was surprised to see Cassidy enter his room with the young motorist.
"What's this?" cried Townsend, hoisting up on his elbow and staring at Cassidy. "Is that you, Cassidy?"
"Big as life, cap'n," grinned Cassidy.
"Where'd you come from?"
"From theGrampus."
"And where's theGrampus?"
"Layin' off the town."
"Did you get her away from Jurgens?"
"Motor Matt was the one that got her away from Jurgens."
Townsend fell back on his pillow and centred his attention on Matt.
"There's a yarn back of all this, if I'm any prophet," said Townsend, "and for two days I've been hungry to have some one talk to me. Here's your chance, King."
Matt seated himself by the bedside and proceeded to relate the experiences through which he and his friends had recently passed.
Townsend listened with rapt interest. Not a word escaped him, and occasionally he asked a question to bring out some point which Matt had not made quite clear.
When Matt had finished there followed an interval of silence. Townsend did not seem to be greatly impressed, despite the intense interest he had shown while the narrative was going forward.
"Nothing so very wonderful about all that," said Townsend, presently, "when you consider who was playing the chief part in the game. It's just about what I should expect of Motor Matt. I'm sorry for the trouble you had with the air ship, Matt, and shall consider myself under obligations to make up to you any extra expense you may incur in getting the Hawk back into shape. When I hired you to take me to Turtle Key I had no intention of allowing you to run the risk of losing the Hawk.
"And the Man from Cape Town told the truth, after all! I hadn't the least idea that there was a vestige of truth in that wild yarn of his. The iron chest has been found, but what we discover in the chest is liable to be another matter. I doubt if there is anything in it of any value; nevertheless, I am bound by promise to take the chest to New Orleans and open it in the presence of a certain lady there whose name was given me by the Unknown. It looks like a lot of foolishness, to me, but I've started the game and will have to go through with it. I'm very sorry," and here a heavy frown crossed Townsend's face, "that Jurgens got away from the island. The other men will be transferred from theGrampusto the jail, here, and they will be dealt with according to law, but it is the ringleader we ought to have. How do you think he managed to escape from that island, Matt?"
"He must have got away in a boat," replied Matt, "although where Jurgens and Whistler got the boat is something of a puzzle."
"Well, the two scoundrels have gone, and justice will be cheated for a while longer; but, mark me, sooner or later their time will come. And I have an idea, Matt, that you and I will be concerned, in some manner, with the final act of their vicious careers. What will you do now?"
"Repair the Hawk and go back to Atlantic City."
"Can you repair the Hawk here?"
"Easily."
"Then why go back to Atlantic City?"
Matt stared at Townsend.
"That's a good place to make money," said he, "and the Hawk has become quite popular at the resort."
"It won't be so popular from now on, mark what I say."
"Why not, Mr. Townsend?"
"Why, because people will learn how the gas bag sprung a leak and nearly caused you and your friends to lose your lives. That is what will injure the Hawk's popularity. If you return to Atlantic City people will be afraid to make any ascensions with you. Can't you see how it will be?"
There seemed to be a good deal of logic in Townsend's remarks, although Matt thought he was a little too comprehensive in saying thateverybodywould be afraid of the Hawk.
"We'll show the people," declared Matt, "that the Hawk is perfectly safe."
"We can explain," put in Dick, "that we ran into a tree and made a hole in the bag. That ought to show people that the accident wasn't the Hawk's fault."
"It ought to," insisted Townsend, "but it won't. People don't stop to make any fine discriminations in such matters, and if an accident happened to the Hawk once, they will argue, it's liable to happen again. Now, I want to give you some advice, Matt, and if you follow it you will profit by it. Cassidy and I, together with Burke and Harris, are going to leave here this afternoon in theGrampusfor New Orleans. I can be carried down to the boat, and I will feel a heap better in theGrampusthan I will in this hotel. In two or three days we will be in New Orleans. While we are making the journey, you and your friends, Matt, will be here, getting the air ship in shape. My advice to you is this: Don't leave Palm Beach until you hear from me. I have a scheme floating around in my brain and I am going to telegraph you just as soon as it takes a little more form so I will know just what I want to do, and to have you do.
"That's my advice. Stay here until you get word from me. That's all I'm going to tell you, and you and your friends can take the advice, or leave it, just as you think best. But if you don't take it, you will live to regret it."
This was odd talk for Mr. Townsend. First he tried to discourage Matt and his friends from returning to Atlantic City, and now he was seeking to keep them in Palm Beach for an indefinite period.
But all the boys had confidence in Townsend. Each of them believed that he was planning something for their benefit, and they were disposed to do as he suggested.
Townsend took his departure from Palm Beach just as he said he would do. Bearing the iron chest with him, he took theGrampusand started for New Orleans.
Meanwhile, Matt and Carl and Dick got busy with the Hawk. The craft was put together again, the motor replaced, the envelope repaired, and in two days everything was in readiness for a return to Atlantic City—if the boys chose to go there.
"Vat do you subbose id iss dot Misder Downsent vants mit us?" asked Carl.
"Give it up, matey," answered Ferral. "I can't smoke his weather roll, but, all the same, I give him credit for meaning well."
"Shall we wait here any longer," inquired Matt, "or start back to Atlantic City? Time means money to us, you know, and the longer we wait, the more we lose—that is, if we don't intend to follow Mr. Townsend's advice."
"It's one too many for me, matey," said Ferral. "You're the longest-headed chap in the bunch, and suppose Carl and I leave the decision entirely with you?"
"If that's the way you feel," laughed Matt, "we'll stay right here and give Townsend all the chance he wants to communicate with us."
Two days after this conference, a telegram came from New Orleans. It was addressed to Matt, signed by Townsend, and read as follows:
"Come to New Orleans at once, and come in the Hawk. I need your aid, and am willing and able to pay for it."
"Come to New Orleans at once, and come in the Hawk. I need your aid, and am willing and able to pay for it."
"Dot's righdt to der point, und no misdake!" chuckled Carl. "'I vant your aid und am villing to pay for it.' Dere's no gedding aroundt dot, eh?"
"Hardly," laughed Ferral. "What are we going to do, Matt?"
"Do as the telegram says and start for New Orleans immediately," returned Matt.
"Iss dere any vay ve can go dere mitoudt trafeling ofer der ocean?" asked Carl, with signs of trepidation.
"Sure there is, Carl," said Ferral. "I wouldn't go myself if we had to travel across the Gulf of Mexico. But we don't have to. We can follow the land around."
The start was made that afternoon, and, although this following of Townsend's advice led Motor Matt and his friends into experiences as novel as they were dangerous, yet none of them ever regretted taking the trip around the Gulf coast to the Crescent City.
THE END.
THE NEXT NUMBER (13) WILL CONTAIN
Motor Matt's Queer Find;
OR,
THE SECRET OF THE IRON CHEST.
The Hut by the Bayou—Yamousa—The Attack On the Car—Smoke-pictures—A Queer Find—Foul Play—Dried Frogs, and Luck—The Plotters—The Head of Obboney—On the Trail—A Black Mystery—At Close Quarters—Three in a Trap—An Astounding Situation—The Treasure—Diamonds Galore.
The Hut by the Bayou—Yamousa—The Attack On the Car—Smoke-pictures—A Queer Find—Foul Play—Dried Frogs, and Luck—The Plotters—The Head of Obboney—On the Trail—A Black Mystery—At Close Quarters—Three in a Trap—An Astounding Situation—The Treasure—Diamonds Galore.
NEW YORK, May 15, 1909.
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From Sebenane to Thamasetse, both of which are pools of water situated on the old Hunter's road from Francistown to the Zambesi, is, roughly speaking, seventy-five miles. Since the railway has been opened up between Francistown and Buluwayo this road is never used, and is practically deserted. We had started very early in the morning. Just about sunrise I heard a rustle in a bush close to the road, writes Arnold W. Hodson in theField. Thinking it was only a steinbuck or a duiker, I paid no attention till I heard the animal bound away, when it struck me as making rather a loud noise for so small an antelope. I then caught sight of a yellow object moving parallel to the road and saw it was a lioness.
She bounded into the road and stood looking at me. I had my thick gloves on, as it was very cold, and in consequence rather fumbled pulling off my night protector, which, to save time, I dropped on the road instead of putting into my pocket. My pony, however, began to pirouette round in circles, and before I could get him in hand the lioness bounded away. I galloped after her down the road, but she soon got into the thick bush, where we lost her.
We got to Thamasetse the next day and found old lion spoor, but none fresh. Some days afterward one of the bushmen appeared and reported that the lions were at Thamasetse. I got ready as soon as possible and left that evening with one native. We rode all through the night and arrived at our destination the next afternoon. The lions did not come down to drink till the third night, when in the morning we found their spoor still fresh and damp. We followed it up carefully, going through thorn bush.
We got so close to them once or twice that we could hear them growling (there were five altogether), but the wind changing, they smelled us and made off and although we followed them up for some distance we did not catch sight of them again. Eventually we had to give it up.
The following day we found the spoor of one male and one female, and followed them up for about twelve to fourteen miles. We would come to a place where they had been sleeping, and then, evidently smelling us, we would see how they had become uneasy and gone on a short distance, where they had slept again. This went on till we had gone too far and had to go back.
After this experience I decided to try different tactics, so we dug a hole fifteen yards from the water, in which I intended to watch that night. We made the hole as inconspicuous and secure as possible, and then went around to the outside pools and filled them all up, so that the lions, if they wanted to drink, would have to come down to our water. At sundown I took up my position in the kadiri (the native name for "game hole"). A few hours afterward some sable and roan antelopes came down to drink, and it was a very pretty sight to watch them.
They approach the water carefully and when quite close suddenly bound away. My opinion is that they do this to see if by chance there is a lion in the water hole, because the latter lie up close to the edge of the pool in the shadow of the bank and then spring on the game when it drinks. The mere fact of their bounding away would probably entice the lion forth. The sable antelope seemed to me to be always more cautious than the roan antelope. One of the former, a female, came twelve times to the water and dashed away each time. Of course she may have just smelled me, which would have accounted for it; but I do not think she did, for she eventually drank.
I kept watch night after night, and although I saw plenty of game, no lions came. It was very lonely by oneself in these holes, and the cries of the wolves and jackals are at times very uncanny. One evening at dinner time just as Ranchubu, my servant, was bringing in the soup, one of my little bushmen, a splendid little chap of about 14 and very plucky, who was going down to the water to fill his billy, suddenly commenced yelling with all his might "Newe! Newe!" (leopard, leopard), and then, still shouting, commenced running after it across the veld. I snatched up my rifle and calling to the dogs rushed after him. Luckily, I had on a pair of light running shoes instead of my usual heavy shooting boots, so was easily able to keep up with the others who had joined us.
We must have gone about three miles when we heard the dogs barking and knew that they had bayed the leopard. In a few minutes it would be quite dark, so I put on a fresh spurt to try to get a shot while I could see my sights. The leopard was standing outside a thick patch of bush with the dogs, furiously excited, surrounding him. After several shots and misses, the leopard breaking away each time, a lucky shot struck him in the neck and killed him.
I was glad the matter ended as it did, for I found that two of my previous shots had hit him, and it is seldom that a wounded leopard does not attack his assailant. It is curious that he did not take to a tree, as is nearly always the case when chased by dogs. He was an excellent specimen of a large male. We got back to the camp about 9 p. m., a very jubilant party, and when I had had my supper I again took up my position at the water hole. Plenty of game came that night, but no lions.
The next day was very hot and oppressive, and we felt sure that if lions were anywhere near they would come down that night to drink. I took up my position soon after sundown, and about 12 o'clock, as we had no meat, shot a male sable antelope. He was mortally wounded and ran about sixty yards to die, when, as I discovered, in the morning, he was pounced upon by a lioness and immediately killed. I heard nothing and saw nothing till about 3 a. m., when I heard lap, lap, lap from the pool in front of me.
I knew by the noise the beast was making it could be nothing else but a lion, but for the moment I could see nothing, as it was in the pool, and from the position I could only see an animal as it came in or went out. At last the noise stopped and a shadowy figure came out of the pool. It stood for an instant on the edge silhouetted against the sky. I could not distinguish whether it was a male or a female, but there was no doubt it was a lion, and, as it turned out afterward, a female. I brought my rifle in line with the object and fired. I knew at once I had hit by the terrific growls that followed. I hastily fired again and the brute lay down, all the time growling terribly, so much sothat it woke up all the natives in my camp, some distance away.
As soon as it was light I could see her ears moving and fired again, this time hitting her just below the head, which finished the matter. She was a splendid specimen of a lioness. My first shot had hit her in the neck, and the second in the stomach. Her skin was perfect and very glossy. We found the remains of the sable antelope she had killed about eighty yards away, and saw by the spoor that there had been at least six lions around the pool that night.
They had evidently been frightened by the fate of the lioness and had not come down to drink. We followed the spoor of a lion and a lioness. After we had gone a short distance the bushman pointed to a tree and showed us where the lion had been standing up on his hind legs clawing it. He said that the lion was looking around for the lioness I had shot and was very angry at being disturbed from his feast of the sable antelope. We went on mile after mile, but a breeze springing up behind us we had to go back.
That night I again sat up at the water hole, but saw nothing more exciting than a few sable and roan antelopes. The next day it was again very hot, and at night I went down to the hole full of hope that the lions would come back. About 1 a. m. I heard a rustle and saw a leopard going into the pool, walking very quietly and without the least idea of my near presence. She disappeared into the pool, but I could not hear her drinking, as I had heard the lioness two nights before. She soon came out and stood for a few minutes on the bank; I fired and she bounded away. My bullet went through her body and she was found next morning a few yards distant. She was very prettily marked, in good condition.
About 3 a. m. the same morning I could hear some animals at the remains of the sable antelope. The cracking of the bones was one of the most horrible noises I have ever heard. I made sure that the lions had come back, and expected them when they had finished their feed to come down and drink; but they did not come, and in the morning we found that they were jackals that had been eating the meat during the night.
I continued to sit up at nights, but the lions did not return. On the third evening just before going down to the game hole the leader came running into camp and said that he had heard the cries of a dying sable antelope, so we went out as quickly as possible to the place, and on getting near to it heard the peculiar half growl, half bark uttered by wild dogs. There were four or five of them. They did not run away when they saw us, but bounded a few yards and then turned round and looked at us, all the time making a hideous noise. I shot one of them and the rest then decamped. This wild dog appeared to me to be differently marked from one I had shot a few weeks before more to the southwest. These brutes do no end of damage among game, and the bushmen say that sometimes if they are disturbed in their orgies they will attack a man. They certainly look fierce enough to do so.