Whilehis chums were making up the sleep they had lost, Walter took the Roberts launch and ran over to Palm Island. Brief as had been their stay on the little isle, he had grown quite fond of it and his anger rose as he viewed the work of the wreckers. The vandals had done their work well. Not a stick remained standing of the former cozy, little cabin. The wharf, too, was gone, even its posts had been hacked short off at the surface of the water.
Leaving the scene of the ruin, Walter hobbled slowly over the little island looking all about with thoughtful interest. At last, he made his way back to the launch and returned to the Roberts camp.
His companions were awake and stirring about. Chris was busily engaged in cooking dinner, while the rest were applying salve and bandages to their sore hands.
Charley greeted his chum with an affectionate smile. "How's the foot?" he inquired.
"Coming on all right," said Walter, cheerfully. "How about you, feeling better?"
"Feeling fine and dandy," declared the other, "and I am as hungry as a wolf. I remember you had some bad news to tell me. Let's hear it. I feel able to face all kinds of trouble now."
"I don't know as it is exactly bad news for us," said his chum. "In a way it doesn't concern us at all, unless we want to make it our business."
"You are getting my curiosity aroused," Charley laughed. "Let's hear this news of yours."
"The night you all left me in Clearwater, I did not go to a boarding house to stop. It had cost quite a bit to have my ankle fixed up and I did not have much money left and I was afraid to spend what little I had, for I knew, if you fellows were not successful in your trip, there was going to be mighty hard times ahead. I went out on the dock and looked around but I didn't quite fancy sleeping there so I went back uptown and hung around until the stores closed. I was getting pretty sleepy by this time, so I went down again to the bay and looked around until I found what I wanted, a skiff pulled up high and dry on the sand. There were some old nets in the bottom and I crawled in, stretched out on one of the nets, and pulled the other one over me, getting my head under a seat to keep out the dew. I went to sleep as cozy as a bug in a rug. I don't know how long I had slept when I woke up to the sound of voices. Four men were sitting on the edge of my skiff talking together. It was toodark to see their faces but I knew one of the voices. It was Hunter's and you can bet your life I laid mighty still and listened.
"They were talking about us at first and it made my blood boil to hear them chuckling over the harm they had done us, but there was nothing I could do but lay quiet and stand it. They talked about the cache and wondered where we had hidden the liquor. At last they came to what, I guess, was the real object of their meeting where no one could hear them. Having disposed of us, as they thought, they have arranged to bring in another large lot of aguardiente."
"When?" Charley demanded, eagerly.
"To-night. They expect the schooner at the island at about midnight. They talked it over and arranged all the details of the job before they separated."
"To-night at midnight," Charley mused. "We had better go right over and tell the sheriff."
"That was the first thing I thought of," Walter said. "I was up at his house by sunrise the next morning but it was no use. His wife told me he was very ill and could not be seen."
"Queer, he is never around when that smuggling is going on," observed Charley, suspiciously. "I wonder if it can be that he is standing in with the smugglers for a share of the profits."
"Not Sheriff Daley," spoke up Bill Roberts,warmly. "He is as square a man as ever lived. Queer, though," he added, slowly, "I saw him just the day before and he looked the picture of health, but then, it may be appendicitis or some such sudden illness that's struck him."
"It's too bad," said Captain Westfield. "It leaves those rascals free to carry out their devilment. Of course, it's none of our business, but it seems wrong to have such things going on."
"No, of course it is none of our business," Charley agreed, hesitatingly. "How many of them are there in it, Walt? Did you hear?"
"Only the four that met," his chum replied. "They were discussing getting a couple more men to help, but Hunter objected as it would mean more division of the profits. He said the schooner's crew could help land the stuff."
"Did he say how many were on the schooner?" Bill Roberts inquired.
"Four men and a boy," replied Walter.
"Well, as you have all said, I reckon it is none of our business," Bill observed.
They sat in thoughtful silence for a few minutes.
"It would be hard on Hunter's wife, if he was caught," Charley said, finally.
"It would be the best thing that could happen for her," Bill declared. "She is a good woman. She works like a slave to support them both.Hunter blows in all the money he makes and lives on her earnings. He beats her like a dog, too."
"The brute!" Walter exclaimed, hotly.
"Dar's five hundred dollars to be gib to de one what catches de booze sellers, ain't dey?" Chris inquired. "'Pears like hit would be a powerful good thing for some one to cotch him an' send all dat money to dat poor woman."
Captain Westfield looked from one to the other with a sheepish grin. "Thar isn't any use of our saying it's none of our business," he said. "Down deep in his heart each one of us knows it is his business. It's always aman'sbusiness to stop wrong-doing."
"Right you are," agreed Bill Roberts, with gruff heartiness. "I know we are all thinking about the the same things. It isn't so much that this man and his gang are breaking the law that counts, it's the misery and suffering which he causes that calls for action. There have been ten men killed in the fish camps here the past year, and what caused the killing? Rum, rum brought in and sold by Hunter. And that isn't all the misery he's caused. Think of the beaten wives and neglected children. It's time there was a stop put to it."
"Yes," Captain Westfield agreed. "We are as much our brother's keeper as in the days of Cain."
"I guess we are all pretty well agreed," smiled the practical Charley. "The question is, how arewe going to take them. There are nine of them and only seven of us. Of course one of them is only a boy, but then, Walt is pretty well crippled up."
"I'll be right there when the fun begins," his chum said, determinedly. "What if they are two more in number. We will be well armed, and surely a surprise counts for something. I went over the island while you were all sleeping and planned it all out. There is only one piece of the beach where a boat can land safely. There is a group of palmettoes close to it. Now what I planned is this. We had better start out in the launch early and run straight out of the pass as though we were going out to the reef. Once we get behind the island, and out of sight of Clearwater, we'll skirt the shore and run around to the north end. There's a little cove there where the launch will be hidden from both the gulf and the bay. When dark comes we can hide in the clump of palmettoes and wait. When they get to work in earnest, we can slip out and take them by surprise. Then five of us can keep them quiet with the rifles, while the other two tie them up. Once we have got them secure, we can load them into the launch, carry them straight to Tampa and turn them over to the sheriff there. How does that strike all of you?"
"It sounds simple enough," Charley said, doubtfully, "too simple, in fact."
"What fault can you find with it?" Walter demanded.
"None," his chum answered, "only I have a hunch that Hunter is too clever and cunning a rascal to be caught so easily."
"Have you any better plan to suggest?" Walter asked.
But Charley had not, nor did any of the others, so, after some discussion, Walter's plan was adopted.
As soon as dinner was over, some lunch was packed into a basket, and storing it and the loading rifles in the launch, they steered boldly out of the inlet. As soon as the island was between them and Clearwater, however, they shifted helm, and hugging its shore, ran down to its northern end.
Here they found the little cove Walter had mentioned. Running the launch into it, they anchored and waded ashore. They placed their launch and rifles in the clump of palmettoes, and then there was nothing to do until the coming of night, except to pass the time away as best they could. By keeping on the gulf side of the island, there was no danger of their being seen from Clearwater, and this they were careful to do. A swim in the clear, warm water and the picking up of curious shells on the beach served to while away the balance of the afternoon. As soon as dark came, they retired within the clump of palms. With the going down of thesun came the rising of the moon. It was nearly full and its rays lit up the little island almost as brightly as day. Our little party welcomed its tropical radiance for it would allow them to see without being seen.
The hours slipped slowly away. At first some attempt was made at story-telling and conversation, but soon all lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Each realized that they were about to engage in a desperate undertaking. In fact, it was almost a foolhardy act they contemplated. The smugglers had all the advantage in point of force. They were eight, able-bodied men beside the boy, and it was more than likely that all of them would be armed. Of their own party, the three Roberts boys were really the only active men. Charley, though unusually strong for his age, was only a boy, while the captain, vigorous though he still was, was getting well along in years. Walter was practically helpless with his broken ankle, while Chris was too small to be of much help where strength was required. But for the advantage that would lie in taking the smugglers by surprise, they were more likely to be the captured than the captors.
These reflections and the long, expectant waiting were beginning to tell on their nerves, when they heard the welcome put-put of a distant launch.
"They are coming, at last," said Charley, with a sigh of relief. "I can recognize that exhaust.The Hunters launch is the only one that sounds just like that."
"The schooner must be somewhere near but I don't see her lights," Walter observed.
"Why, thar she is," exclaimed the captain, "sneaking inshore like a thief in the night."
Sosilently that they had been unaware of her approach, the strange craft had stolen in like a phantom ship to within two hundred yards of where they lay concealed. She now lay directly in the moon's path and its rays so bright set out every rope and sail in dark relief. Not a light shone aboard. Her captain had evidently been made wary by his former alarm and was taking all possible chances against drawing the attention of others.
As silent as a ghost ship the graceful craft crept in to within a cable's length of the beach. Then, with a faint creak of traveling blocks she rounded gracefully up into the wind and a muffled splash told that her anchor had been dropped.
She made a beautiful sight laying, swan-like, full in the glowing pathway of the moon, her great white sails quivering in the gentle breeze.
"The bird is ready to flit away at the first alarm," whispered the captain. "See, he has got his anchor hove short and has taken in none of hissails but the jib. He could get under way again in half a minute. He's wary all right."
"We had better not talk any more," cautioned Charley in a whisper. "Sound carries a long ways over the water and the launch is nearly here."
With nerves at highest tension the little party waited.
The loud throbbing of the launch's engine suddenly ceased. There came a splash from a dropped anchor, and more splashing as its crew waded ashore. Then came a murmuring of voices and the sound of footsteps, and the watchers drew further back into their hiding place as four figures came into view. They passed so close to the bunch of palms that their features were plain to the hiders. One was Hunter, himself, the other three they recognized as members of his gang.
The four hurried down to the water's edge.
"Ahoy," Hunter hailed the schooner. "It's all right. Come ashore."
"Are you sure no one else is around?" cautiously inquired a voice from the schooner.
The response had been in perfect English but something in the tones and the faint foreign accent made the chums stare at each other as though they had heard a voice from the grave.
"No, there's no one here but ourselves," Hunter replied, impatiently. "Do you think I would be here if everything wasn't all right? Come, get amove on you, and hustle that stuff ashore. There's a lot to do, and it ain't many hours till daylight."
Those on the schooner fell to work with feverish haste. A small dingy carried on deck was launched over the side. Two figures leaped into it and received the cases, two others brought up from the hold.
As soon as the dingy was loaded, the two on deck scrambled aboard and one sculled her into shore.
The moment she grounded, the captain leaped ashore. "Here is part of our goods," he said smoothly. "We can bring it all in in three more trips."
"Good," Hunter growled. "Come, unload it. What are you waiting for?"
"Only for our money, kind sir," said the schooner's captain, in smooth, suave tones which stirred in the chums old, cruel memories. "I think it would be best for each boat-load to be paid for as it is brought in."
"Don't be a fool, man," said Hunter, roughly. "We can settle up when the job is done. We have got no time to waste, now."
"Pay before unloading," insisted the captain of the schooner, politely. "Gentlemen in our business cannot be too careful. Of course I know you are the soul of honesty, but you are forgetful, my good friend. You have never remembered to pay me for that last lot I brought you."
"How many cases?" Hunter demanded, with an oath, as he pulled out a greasy roll of bills.
"Twenty cases, one hundred dollars," said the stranger.
Hunter counted out the bills, and the schooner captain recounted them carefully and thrust them into his pocket.
"You are still forgetting that little bank account of a hundred dollars," he remarked, pleasantly. "Surely, now is a splendid time to settle it."
Hunter's face grew livid with anger, but he controlled his temper with an effort. He was quick to realize that he could only lose by a display of anger. The man already had a hundred dollars of his money, and still remained in possession of the liquor.
The chums in their concealment chuckled inwardly at his plight. At last the rascally fisherman had met his equal in cunning.
Grudgingly, he counted out another hundred dollars which the smuggler pocketed with a mocking bow of thanks.
"It's a pleasure to do business with a spot-cash gentleman like you," he declared. "Now, you may have your liquor, and there's three more boat-loads, just as good, at a hundred dollars a load."
"You'll have to help us carry it up to the cache," Hunter growled. "There's too much of it for us four to get out of the way before daylight."
"Always glad to oblige such a pleasant gentleman," said the smuggler, swinging a case up on his shoulder. "Many hands make light work." His companions silently followed his example, each shouldering a case and the fishermen similarly loaded fell in behind them.
Hunter and one of his gang brought up the rear. As they came alongside the clump of palmettoes, Hunter nudged the man ahead.
"Drop behind a bit," he said, softly.
The man slowed his walk.
"That fellow's got too much of our money to get away with it," he declared in tones too low to reach those ahead.
The man nodded. "We've got to take it from him," he agreed.
"We'd better wait until all the stuff is landed," planned Hunter. "We'll jump him just as he gets ready to leave and make him shell out. He can't make any trouble about it. He dasn't make any kick to the authorities. Tell the rest of the boys when you get a chance."
The whispered conference had taken less than a minute but the alert smuggler glanced suspiciously back at the two plotters and they quickened their steps.
"Our work is half done for us if they are going to fight amongst themselves," exulted Charley, as the procession passed out of hearing. "We hadbetter wait till the trouble starts and then come down on them."
"Did you notice that smuggler captain's voice?" asked Captain Westfield, eagerly.
Walter's eyes were gleaming. "It's Manuel George, the Greek interpreter," he exclaimed, softly. "The rascal that caused us so much misery and stole our schooner from us."
"And that's our dear old 'Beauty' lying out there," declared Charley, a thrill in his voice. "We have got to take her, if we risk our lives doing it. But here they come back again."
The smugglers were losing no time but working with all possible rapidity. The first dingy load was quickly transferred to its hiding place and a second load brought ashore, the smuggler captain insisting on his pay before a case was unloaded, a third load quickly followed the second, and just as the morning star began to show in the east, the fourth and last load was brought ashore.
To the hidden watchers it seemed a century of waiting. With the coming of the last load, the tension became almost unbearable. A few minutes now would decide whether or not they were to recover their dearly loved ship which they had long since given up as lost, to them, forever.
The fisherman and smuggler captain seemed to be in excellent spirits as the work progressed. They laughed and joked with each other, but it seemed toCharley, keenly observant, that their gaiety was forced. He imagined a sinister note under their high spirits and the watchful, alert smuggler captain, for all his affected friendliness, seemed to be watching every movement of the fishermen. All were working at top speed now to complete the unloading before day, and the pile of cases in the dingy rapidly diminished.
As the carriers passed back and forth to and from the new cache they were making, there would be a few minutes each trip when they were far enough away from the concealed ones for the little party to hold low, whispered conversation.
"We want to act all together," Charley said, during one of these intervals. "When I say, 'Now', we will cover them with our rifles and step out upon them. I am going to wait till the last minute to give the word. If they have a mix-up and get to fighting among themselves, it will make our job doubly easy."
As the procession passed by on its last trip, the lad chuckled softly.
"That Hunter is certainly one clever rascal," he whispered. "Did you notice he and his men head the procession this trip for the first time?"
"I don't see the advantage in that," Walter remarked.
"Don't you? Why, they will be the first to unload and consequently the first to turn back. Thatwill put them between the Greeks and the dingy. Something is going to happen pretty quick. Be ready. Here they come back."
Empty-handed, the eight were returning to the beach chatting gaily together. As Charley had prophesied, Hunter and his three companions were well in the lead. At the dingy bow, the four turned and gathered close together.
The Greek captain was quick to notice the move. A few words in Greek brought his men crowding around him. If he felt any fear, however, it did not show in his face or manner.
"Our agreeable business is pleasantly ended, gentlemen," he said, smoothly. "When will you want more of the liquor, Mr. Hunter?"
"Won't want any more," Hunter growled, surlily. "The game's too risky. There's too many getting on to it. It's time to quit."
"Very well," said the smuggler, coolly. "Now, we must bid you good-by, gentlemen, and be on our way."
"You Greek fool," Hunter snarled. "Do you think you are going to leave here with all that money? Hand it over, quick!"
"Out of the way!" cried the Greek captain, as he leaped forward, followed by his men.
In a second smugglers and fishermen were mingled together in a fierce struggle.
"Now," called Charley, clearly, and his companions stepped forth with leveled rifles.
"Hands up—all of you," he shouted.
The fighting instantly ceased and the surprised combatants turned to face the new enemy.
Then came an interruption that struck both parties with fear and dismay.
From the gulf rose a huge, bat-like thing which swept down upon them with a whirling, sucking mumble.
"De haunts," shrieked Chris, and fled as fast as his shaking legs would carry him.
Theothers were hardly less frightened than the little darkey. The Greeks fell to their knees and mumbled prayers, while the fishermen stood white-faced and panic-stricken. Even the party with the rifles in their hands felt a thrill of fear as the gruesome object swept down on them. Suddenly the whirling sound ceased and the creature of the night glided down to the ground before them.
"A hydroplane," cried Walter, with a sigh of relief, fervently echoed by his companions.
From the air-ship stepped out three men, two of whom they recognized with a thrill of joy. They were Sheriff Daley and his deputy. The third man was a stranger to them.
The three approached the panic-stricken group of smugglers with drawn revolvers.
"I arrest you all in the name of the United States of America," announced the stranger, throwing back his coat and showing a marshal's star. "Put the handcuffs on them, Sheriff Daley."
The sheriff stepped back to the hydroplane andbrought out a bunch of jangling handcuffs which he proceeded to lock on the cowering captives who offered no resistance.
"Take them down to their launch and run them over to Clearwater, Sheriff," the stranger directed, as soon as the job was done. "Keep them guarded close till evening, then we will take them on to the Federal prison in Atlanta. I will follow you in the hydroplane in a little while. I have a few words to say to our friends here before I leave."
As soon as the sheriff was gone with his prisoners, the stranger turned to our friends with a smile.
"There is considerable explaining to be done, gentlemen," he said, pleasantly. "Let's go out aboard the schooner where we will be more comfortable."
Chris was called down from the top of a tall palmetto where he had taken refuge and the bewildered party followed the stranger aboard the dingy and were soon standing on the deck of their well-beloved "Beauty." The boys felt a lump in their throats as they looked upon the familiar, beautiful ship. The captain was here and there and everywhere over her deck. Examining everything like a parent with a long lost child.
"They haven't harmed her at all," he declared, with joy. "Only painted her over a different color and altered the rigging to disguise her. No wonder we thought she looked familiar to us."
It was with reluctance that the delighted old sailor obeyed the marshal's summons down into the cabin.
"My friends, you have unknowingly made me a lot of trouble and pretty nearly caused me a failure," the stranger said, when they were all seated around the cabin table.
"We will have to ask you to explain," Charley said. "We are all thoroughly bewildered."
"I suppose things do seem rather mixed up to you," smiled the stranger. "Well, I will try to make everything plain. For some time the government has been receiving complaints of liquor being smuggled into various places along the West coast, and at last, I was assigned to trace up the smugglers and this seemed to me to be as likely a place as any to start my investigations. Well, it didn't take long to determine who disposed of the liquor here, but it was quite another thing to discover the identity of the smugglers. I had a pretty full description of the schooner from several parties who had seen her hanging around at different places along the coast. One man had even seen the crew and he described them to me pretty accurately. But when I tried to find out who were the schooner's owners and what port she hailed from I ran against a snag. No ship answering her description was registered in either America or Cuba. Quite by chance, when in Tarpon Springs, I heard of yourlost ship, and the description of her and the Greeks on her, tallied so exactly with the schooner and the smugglers that I was convinced that they were one and the same. Having got a clue to the smugglers and the receivers, the next thing was to catch them in the act. I took up my residence in Tarpon Springs with a friend who happened to be an enthusiastic air man, and went to work. I spent most of my nights on the island going there after dark in my friend's hydroplane. I was getting along very nicely when you took up residence on the island and upset my plans. I was quite out of patience that first night when you were the means of frightening the schooner away. And then when you found the cache of liquor, I almost gave up hope. I was afraid you would ring in the local authorities and that they would mess up things without the evidence necessary to convict the offenders. To discourage them at the start, if they should take any action, I removed the liquor from the cache. In fact, I was almost as anxious as Hunter to have your party leave the island. However, all's well that ends well, and I have got the rascals at last, where they cannot escape long jail sentences. I was posted on to-night's doing through having easy access to Hunter's mail when it passed through the post-office. An accident to the hydroplane's engine came near making me too late to take the rascals in charge. As it is, I will have to have the testimonyof your party taken down in writing to-morrow, for I did not see the actual handling of the smuggled goods myself. And now, I guess that is the whole story. It will doubtless explain many things which have puzzled you."
"Then it must have been you whom Chris took for a ghost?" Walter said.
"And you are the one who brought us the liquor and the doctor when Walter was so ill," Charley exclaimed.
"I plead guilty to both charges," said the marshal, with a smile. "One other thing I would mention that is important to you," he added. "In smuggling cases, the government usually seizes the vessel, but in this case, you, the real owners, are so entirely innocent of wrong-doing, that I am going to assume the responsibility of leaving you in uninterrupted possession of your vessel. And now, I am thoroughly tired out and so I'll wish you good night, or rather good morning. Meet me in Clearwater this afternoon and we will finish up our business together."
When the marshal was gone and the Roberts boys had departed for their camp, the four chums sat in happy content in the "Beauty's" cozy cabin.
"Pinch me that I may make sure I am not dreaming," Walter sighed, blissfully. "All this seems too good to be true."
"If you are dreaming, I am, too, and do not want to be wakened," Charley said. "Gee! a few weeksago we had nothing but the clothes on our backs. Now we have over two thousand dollars in cash and a ship that we can easily sell for three thousand dollars more, and best, of all, we have been able to assist the Roberts, who were so friendly to us when we sorely needed friends, to a share in a part of our good fortune."
"It's the good Lord's kindness," said Captain Westfield, reverently. "Let's thank him for the blessings he has showered upon us."
All were silent for a time after the heartfelt prayer was ended. At last Walter said, practically:
"What shall we do now? No use to start fishing again, it's only a few days till closed season."
"I can tell you what we had better do, next," Charley said, rising.
"What?" his chum demanded.
"Turn in and get a good sleep," Charley responded, yawning.
And safe in their bunks, dreaming blissfully of the future, we must for the present leave our four friends.
What the future held in store for them our readers can discover in the next volume of their adventures: "The Boy Chums Conquering The Wilderness; or, Charley and Walter Amongst the Seminole Indians."
THE END.
Transcriber's Notes:Original text did not have a Table of Contents. One was created by the transcriber to aid the reader.Obvious punctuation repaired.Page 1, "Chnms" changed to "Chums" (The Boy Chums' Perilous Cruise)Page 22, "comforable" changed to "comfortable" ( a comfortable, home-like)Page 90, "know" changed to "knew" (chum knew what he)Page 131, "somethink" changed to "something" (children or something)Page 144, "Monays" changed to "Morays" (Morays, a kind of salt)Page 149, "Permangate" changed to "Permanganate" (Permanganate of potash)Page 221, "dopped" changed to "dropped" (dropped off to sleep)Page 226, "contracted" changed to "contacted" (wires contacted and)Page 227, "appetities" changed to "appetites" (appetites of wolves)Page 232, "riggled" changed to "wriggled" (which wriggled at their)Page 243, "fesh-water" changed to "fresh-water" (fresh-water oysters, upon)Page 253, "tattoed" changed to "tattooed" (tattooed on his back)
Transcriber's Notes:
Original text did not have a Table of Contents. One was created by the transcriber to aid the reader.
Obvious punctuation repaired.
Page 1, "Chnms" changed to "Chums" (The Boy Chums' Perilous Cruise)
Page 22, "comforable" changed to "comfortable" ( a comfortable, home-like)
Page 90, "know" changed to "knew" (chum knew what he)
Page 131, "somethink" changed to "something" (children or something)
Page 144, "Monays" changed to "Morays" (Morays, a kind of salt)
Page 149, "Permangate" changed to "Permanganate" (Permanganate of potash)
Page 221, "dopped" changed to "dropped" (dropped off to sleep)
Page 226, "contracted" changed to "contacted" (wires contacted and)
Page 227, "appetities" changed to "appetites" (appetites of wolves)
Page 232, "riggled" changed to "wriggled" (which wriggled at their)
Page 243, "fesh-water" changed to "fresh-water" (fresh-water oysters, upon)
Page 253, "tattoed" changed to "tattooed" (tattooed on his back)