A little while later the Baxters reached the cave where Tom and Sam had been held prisoners.
The sailor who had been left bound had long since been released, so the place was deserted.
"Look out for snakes," said Dan. "We had better light torches."
This was done, for it was now dark under the trees.
Hiding in a thicket, Dick and Peterson saw the Baxters enter the cave. The pair remained inside for fully quarter of an hour, and came out looking much disappointed.
With torches close to the ground they searched for Sam and Tom's trail.
"Here are footprints!" exclaimed Arnold Baxter, at last. "They are not made by men, either."
"They must be the boys'," answered Dan. "Come on, let us follow."
"It is very dark, Dan. I'm afraid we'll have to wait until morning."
Nevertheless, the pair passed on, and again Dick and Peterson came behind.
Hardly three rods had been passed when Dan Baxter let out a cry as some small wild animal dashed across the trail. The bully turned to run, and discovered Dick ere the latter could hide.
"Dick Rover!" he gasped.
"Rover!" cried Arnold Baxter. "What are you talking about, Dan?"
"Here is Dick Rover! And that lumber fellow is with him."
"Impossible! Why, Rover, where did you come from?" And Arnold Baxter came up, hardly believing his eyes.
"We were following you, Arnold Baxter," answered Dick quietly.
"For what?"
"To see what you were going to do next?"
"Have you found Sam and Tom?" questioned Dan quickly.
"Dan, be still!" thundered his father. "You are always putting your foot into it."
"I reckon you chaps are fairly caught," put in Luke Peterson.
"Caught?" came from both, in a breath.
"Yes, caught," said Dick. "We did not follow you for nothing."
"Perhaps you are the ones who are caught," said Arnold Baxter, with a sickly smile.
"Hardly," and Dick showed his pistol. "We are well armed, ArnoldBaxter, and will stand no fooling."
"We are armed, too—" began Dan, but his parent stopped him.
"Of course you came to this island on a boat of some sort," went on the elder Baxter.
"How else could we come? The mainland is miles away."
"Where is your boat?"
"Not far off, and well manned, too," added Dick. "We came not alone to capture you, but also thePeacockand all on board."
At this announcement the faces of the Baxters fell, and Dan actually trembled.
"Where is your boat?" repeated Arnold Baxter.
"As I just told you, not far off. The question is, will you submit quietly, or must I summon help?"
"Submit to what?"
"Submit to being taken to our boat."
"You have no right to make me go to your boat."
"I'll be hanged if I'll go," growled Dan.
"And you may be shot if you don't go," answered Dick significantly. "I know you well, and I shall take no further chances with you. Now will you go or not?"
"I suppose, if we don't go, you'll bring some officers here to compel us to do as you wish."
"Exactly."
"You may as well give in," said Peterson. "This island is not large, and even if you try to run away you'll be found, sooner or later. ThePeacockis probably already captured, and those on our boat will see that no other boat comes near here until we have you safe on board. The jig is up."
"I won't give in!" cried Arnold Baxter. "Come, Dan!" He caught his son by the arm, and both turned and sped into the nearest brush.
It was dark, the torches having died low, and before Dick could shoot, even if he wished to do so, the pair of rascals were out of sight.
"Stop!" said Dick to Peterson, who was for following them up. "We can do nothing in the darkness. Let them go. To-morrow is another day. Let us return to theRocketand take steps to capture thePeacock."
"Yes, and we must get back to Larry," said the lumberman.
It was no easy matter to find their way back to the treasure cave, and they missed the direction half a dozen times. When they did get back it was so gloomy in the bushes that they had to call out to Larry, in order to locate him.
"Gracious! I was afraid you would never come back," said the youth.
"We've had quite an adventure," replied Dick, and related the particulars.
Larry's ankle was somewhat better, and by leaning on both Dick and Peterson he managed to hobble along to where theRocket'ssmall boat had landed them.
The steam tug was close at hand, and they were soon on board.
"Is the screw repaired?" was Dick's first question.
"Not quite, but it will be inside of half an hour," answered JackParsons.
"Have you seen anything of thePeacock? She is sailing around the island."
"No, haven't seen any sail since you left. We—"
A cry from the lookout interrupted the captain.
"Here comes thePeacock!"
The report was true, and all crowded forward to catch sight of the schooner in the darkness.
The stars made it fairly light on the water and, as the schooner came up close to the steam tug, Dick made out several figures on board.
"Ahoy, what tug is that?" came from the schooner.
"TheRocket" answered Parsons. "What schooner is that?"
To this there was no answer.
"What are you doing here?" asked Captain Langless instead.
"We are in trouble," returned Parsons, after whispering with Dick.
"What's up?"
"We've had a breakdown."
"Seen anybody from the island?"
"Why, we thought this island was deserted."
"So it is."
"Come up closer and give us a lift."
"Can't, we are behind time now."
Then, without warning, a Bengal light was lit on board of the schooner. A large reflector was placed behind the light, which was thus cast on the deck of theRocket. At once Dick, Peterson, and the others were exposed to the gaze of Captain Langless.
"Ha! I suspected as much!" roared the master of the schooner. "Sheer off, Wimble, or the game is up!"
The helm of thePeacockwas at once thrown over, and she began to move off. A stiff breeze caused her to make rapid progress.
"Stop!" cried Dick. "Stop, or we will fire on you!"
He had scarcely spoken when the report of a pistol rang out and a bullet cut through the air over his head.
"Let that be a warning to you to leave us alone!" cried CaptainLangless.
Then the schooner increased her speed, the flare from the Bengal light died out, and soon thePeacockwas lost to view in the darkness.
"How is this for a turn of fortune?" remarked Tom, as he and Sam stood on the deck of theWellingtonand watched the shore of Needle Point Island fading from view in the distance.
"It's all right, if only we can make those Canadians obey us," replied the youngest of the Rovers. "They don't seem to like matters much. They look dark and distrustful."
"I don't think they'll make trouble, Sam."
"Josiah Crabtree seems thoroughly cowed."
"Don't trust him. He is worse than a snake in the grass and he hates us worse than poison."
The two paced the deck thoughtfully. Mrs. Stanhope was still in the cabin, in the company of one of the sailors' wives, while the former teacher of Putnam Hall also kept out of sight.
"This seems an old tub of a boat," went on Tom, a few minutes later. "I wonder that Crabtree didn't hire something better. She just crawls along, and no more."
"Probably he got the boat cheap. He always was the one to go in for cheap things." And in his surmise the lad was correct.
It was not long before one of the Canadians took hold of a hand-pump near the bow of the boat and began to pump the water out of the hold.
"Hullo, your old tub leaks, eh?" said Tom.
"Yees, heem leak some," answered the fat Canadian. "Heem want some what-you-call-heem, tar; hey?" And he smiled broadly.
"Any danger of sinking?"
At this the Canadian shook his head. Then he went to pumping at a faster rate than ever.
"I believe he is afraid," said Tom to Sam. "She must leak fearfully, or he wouldn't pump up so much water."
"Well, the journey to the mainland won't last forever—that's one satisfaction, Tom. I reckon the tub is good for that much of a run. I don't care what becomes of her after we are ashore."
"Nor I. She can sink if she wishes, with Crabtree on board, too."
"Sink!" cried a voice behind them. "Is there danger of the ship going down? I noticed that she was leaking yesterday."
It was Josiah Crabtree who spoke. He had just come up and he was very pale.
"I guess she'll keep up a few minutes longer," said Tom soberly.
"A few minutes! Oh, dear! if we did sink what would become of us?"
"Why, if we did sink we'd sink, that's all."
"I mean, if the ship sunk what would we do?"
"You might wade ashore, if your legs are long enough."
"But this is no joking matter, Thomas. The lake is very deep out here."
"Then you had better find a life-preserver."
Josiah Crabtree gave something of a groan and moved away. He did not know whether Tom was poking fun at him or not. Yet he did search for a preserver—and in doing that he was wiser than the boys had anticipated.
Presently the wind veered around and the yards came over with a bang. TheWellingtongave a lurch, and there was a strange creaking and cracking far below the deck. The Canadian pumped more madly than ever, and shouted to his companion in French.
"Is she leaking worse?" asked Tom.
The Canadian nodded. Then theWellingtongave another lurch, andTom noticed that her bow gave an odd little dip.
"Filling with water, I'll be bound," he muttered, and running to the hatch he sounded the well hole. There were sixteen inches of water below. Soon it measured seventeen inches.
"We've sprung a bad leak," he announced to Sam. "It looks as if we might go to the bottom."
"Oh, Tom, you don't mean it!"
"Yes, I do."
"Can't we turn back? The island isn't more than two miles off. It may be safer to go back than to keep on."
"Exactly my idea, Sam. I'll speak to the Canadian about it."
The fat sailor was still pumping, but his face was full of despair.
"De ship he go down," he gasped. "We drown in ze lake!"
"Better turn back to the island," returned Tom. "And lose no time about it."
"Yees! yees! zat ees best. We turn heem back!"
The Canadian shouted to his companion, who was at the wheel, and then left the pump to attend to the sails. At once Tom took his place at the pump, at the same time calling to Sam to go down for Mrs. Stanhope.
"Tell her to come on deck," he said. "And find some life-preservers, if you can."
"What of the rowboat?"
"It's as rotten as the ship, Sam. We'll have to swim for it, if this tub sinks."
Sam disappeared into the cabin and Tom turned to the pumping. Never had he worked so hard, and the perspiration poured down his face. Soon Mrs. Stanhope appeared, her face full of fear.
"Oh, pray Heaven we do not go down!" she murmured. "How far are we from land?"
"We have turned back for the island," answered Tom, hardly able to speak because of his exertions. "We are not much more than a mile away."
"A mile! And how long will it take us to reach the island?"
"About ten minutes, if the wind holds out."
TheWellingtonwas now groaning and creaking in every timber, as if she was aware that her last hour on the surface of the lake had come. She was, as Tom had said, an old "tub," and should have been condemned years before. But the Canadians were used to her and handled the craft as skillfully as possible. They, too, provided themselves with life-preservers and, when Sam relieved his brother at the pump, Tom did likewise.
As she filled with water the ship moved more slowly until, despite the breeze, she seemed to merely crawl along. It was now growing dark and the island was not yet in sight.
Sounded again, the well hole showed twenty inches of water. At this the fat Canadian gave a long sigh and disappeared into the forecastle, to obtain a trunk and some of his other belongings. Sam had already brought on deck the things belonging to Mrs. Stanhope.
At last the fat sailor uttered a welcome cry. "The island! The island!"
"Where?" questioned the others.
The sailor pointed with his hand. He was right; land was just visible, and no more. Then of a sudden came a crash and a shock which threw all of those on board headlong.
"We have struck a rock!" yelled Josiah Crabtree. "We are going down!" And in his terror he leaped overboard and struck out wildly for the distant shore.
Sam was also ready, in a moment, to spring into the water, but Tom held him back. TheWellingtonsettled and swung around, and then sheered off the rock and went on her way. But it was plainly to be seen that she could float but a few minutes more at the most.
"There is a sandy shore!" cried Tom to the Canadians. "Better drive her straight in and beach her!"
"Good!" said the fat sailor, and spoke to his companion in French. Then, as well as they were able, they brought the water-logged craft around to the wind. Slowly she drifted in, her deck sinking with every forward move. Then came a strong pull of wind which caught the sails squarely and drove them ahead. A grating and a slishing followed, and they ran up the muddy shore and came to a standstill in about three feet of water.
"Hurrah! saved!" shouted Sam. "My, but that was a narrow escape!"
"Where is Mr. Crabtree?" asked Mrs. Stanhope anxiously. "Oh, do not let him drown!"
They looked around and saw him in the water not a hundred feet away, puffing and blowing like a porpoise.
"Save me!" he screamed, as soon as he saw their safety. "Don't let me drown!"
"You're all right," returned Tom. "It's shallow here. See if you can't walk ashore."
Josiah Crabtree continued his paddling, and presently put down his feet very gingerly. He could just touch the bottom. Soon he was in a position to walk, and lost no time in getting out of the lake and coming up to the bow of theWellington.
"Oh, dear, this is dreadful!" he groaned, with a shiver. "Throw out a plank that I may come onboard."
"Thought you were tired of the old tub," said Tom dryly.
"I thought she was surely going down, Thomas. Please throw out a plank, that's a good boy."
The Canadian got the longest plank at hand and, resting one end at the bow, allowed the other to fall ashore, in a few inches of mud and water. Then Josiah Crabtree came up the plank on hands and knees, looking for all the world like a half-drowned rat.
"Well, we are no better off than we were before," remarked Sam, after Josiah Crabtree had disappeared in the direction of the cabin and the two boys had walked forward by themselves.
"No, we are no better off, but we have succeeded in rescuing Mrs.Stanhope from old Crabtree's clutches, and that is something."
"True, but supposing we fall in the hands of the Baxters and CaptainLangless again?"
"Can't we hold them at bay, if they try to come on board this tub?"
"Perhaps. But we can't remain on board theWellingtonforever."
Now that the danger was over the lads found that they were hungry, and called upon the sailors to bring out what food the craft afforded. They made a hearty meal, in which Mrs. Stanhope joined. Josiah Crabtree was not invited, and had to eat later on with the sailors and the one sailor's wife.
"This wreck may throw us together for some time, Crabtree," said Tom, later on, when he and the former school-teacher were alone. "I want to warn you to behave yourself during that time."
"I know my own business," was the stiff reply.
"Well, you keep your distance, or there will be trouble."
"Can I not speak to Mrs. Stanhope?"
"When she speaks to you, yes. But you must not bother her with your attentions. And if you try your hypnotic nonsense we'll pitch you overboard," and so speaking, Tom walked off again. Josiah Crabtree looked very black, nevertheless he took the youth's words to heart and only spoke to Mrs. Stanhope when it was necessary.
By the time supper was over it was night and time to think of getting some rest. The boys took possession of one of the staterooms on board, and arranged that each should sleep five hours, Tom taking the first watch. Mrs. Stanhope soon retired, and so did Josiah Crabtree and one of the Canadians.
Tom found the fat Canadian, the man to remain on deck, quite a sociable fellow, and asked him much about himself and how he had come to hire out with Crabtree. He soon discovered that the Canadians were honest to the last degree, and had gone in for the trip thinking all was above-board.
"I soon see ze man haf von bad eye," said the Canadian. "I tell Menot I no like heem. Now he has brought ruin on our ship."
The Canadian imagined that Crabtree had hypnotized the sailing qualities of theWellingtonas well as cast a spell over Mrs. Stanhope, and Tom saw no reason, just then, for saying anything to the contrary.
"You must watch Crabtree," he said. "Don't let him get you in his power. Stick by me and my brother, and you will be all right," and the Canadian promised.
"But who vill pay for ze ship?" he questioned dolefully. "'Tis allMenot and myself haf in ze worl'!" And he shook his head in sorrow.
"We will pay you well for whatever you do for us. The balance you must get out of Crabtree." Then Tom gave the fat sailor a five-dollar bill, and from that moment the pair were warm friends.
Feeling that Crabtree would not dare to do much as matters stood, Tom did not take the trouble to arouse Sam when he turned in, and the brothers slept soundly until some time after sunrise.
"Say, why didn't you wake me up?" asked Sam in astonishment. "You didn't stay up all night, did you?"
"Not much!" answered Tom, and spoke of the Canadian, whose name wasPeglace.
"Well, what's to do?"
"I must confess I don't know. I suppose the Baxters and CaptainLangless are on the search for us."
"More than likely."
"Then we had better lay low until some vessel comes to rescue us."
"I don't think very many ships come this way."
"Neither do I, but we won't despair. Come, I'm hungry again," and they stirred around to get breakfast.
An examination showed that theWellingtonwas hard and fast in the mud, and likely to remain exactly as she stood for an indefinite time. Wading around in the water below, the Canadians reported several planks broken and wrenched loose, and that immediate repairs seemed out of the question.
"Ze ship ees gone," said Peglace sadly. "We air like zat man, what-you-call-heem, Crusoe Robinson, hey?" And he shook his head.
"Well, I hope we don't have to stay as long on this island as Robinson Crusoe remained on that other," remarked Sam. "Tom, I'm going for a walk on shore."
"Can I go with you?" put in Josiah Crabtree humbly. "I am tired of this ship's deck."
"All right, come on."
"I will remain with Mrs. Stanhope," said Tom. "Don't go too far, Sam."
Sam and the former teacher of Putnam Hall were soon over the side. The boy came down the plank easily enough, but Crabtree slipped and went into the water and mud up to his knees.
"Ugh! I am always unfortunate!" he spluttered. "However, since the weather is warm, I don't think I'll suffer much."
At a short distance up the beach there was a headland, covered with tall trees. Sam decided to make his way to this.
"I'm going to climb the tallest of the trees and look around," he said."You can go along, if you wish."
"I will go, but I cannot climb the tree," answered Crabtree.
To get to the headland they had to make a detour around a marshy spot and then climb over a number of rough rocks. The exertion exhausted Josiah Crabtree, and he soon fell behind.
Reaching the headland, Sam gazed around anxiously. He could see a long distance to the north and the west, but not a sail was in sight.
"ThePeacockought to be somewhere around here," he told himself, and then, coming to a tall tree with low, drooping branches, he began to climb to the top.
It was a difficult task, for the tree was a thickly wooded one and a veritable monarch of the forest. But he persevered, and at last gained the topmost branch.
Here the view of the island and its vicinity was much extended, and he could see not only the bay where thePeacockhad been at anchor, but also several other harbors.
"ThePeacockis gone!" Such were the first words which escaped him. "She must have left the island altogether!"
With anxious eye he turned his gaze to the other harbors, and suddenly gave a start.
"A steam tug! How lucky!" He had discovered theRocket, which was just getting up steam in order to follow thePeacock; the screw being now repaired and ready for use.
As fast as he could he descended to the ground, his one thought being to tell Tom of his discovery, and to either get to the steam tug or to signal those on board, so that the tug might not leave the island without them. He had noticed the black smoke curling up from the stack, and knew that this betokened that steam was getting up.
"Sam Rover!"
The voice came from behind the rocks, like a bolt out of the clear sky.Then Dan Baxter rushed forward, followed by his father.
Sam was taken off his guard, and before he could do anything theBaxters had him by both arms and were holding him a prisoner.
"Let me go!"
"Not much!" came from Arnold Baxter. "Where are your brothers—I mean," he added, in some confusion, "where is Tom?"
"Find out for yourself, Arnold Baxter. Let me go, I say!" And Sam began to struggle.
"Daniel Baxter, is it possible!" came in Josiah Crabtree's voice, and he emerged from the brushwood. "What an extraordinary meeting!"
"I should say it was!" responded the bully. "Where did you spring from?"
"Perhaps, Daniel, I can ask the same question."
"Is Tom Rover with you?"
"No, he is on a ship which is beached a short distance from here."
"Alone?"
"No, with some Canadians and—er—Mrs. Stanhope."
"Oh, I see! the same old game," growled the bully. "Anybody else on the boat?"
"No."
"If that's the case we are in luck," came from Arnold Baxter. He gazed at Crabtree sharply. "Do you know where this lad came from?"
"What do you mean?"
"He and his brother Tom escaped from us. We brought them here,"
"What! I thought they had followed me andMrs. Stanhope."
"Hardly." Arnold Baxter proceeded to bind Sam's arms behind him. "Dan, take him to yonder tree and tie him fast." Then he walked away to talk to Josiah Crabtree.
The conversation which followed lasted for quarter of an hour. What was said Sam could not make out. The boy wanted to get away, but was helpless, and now Dan Baxter took away the pistol with which he had provided himself. A little later the Baxters and Crabtree moved toward the wreck, leaving him bound to the tree, alone.
Tom was pacing the deck of the wreck in thoughtful mood when, on looking up, he saw Josiah Crabtree coming back alone.
"Where is Sam?" he called out.
"Samuel wishes you to join him at the headland," replied Crabtree. "He thinks a boat is coming around the other side of the island."
"Did you see it?"
"No, my eyesight is failing me and I had no spectacles along."
"Well, you can go back with me," said Tom, to make sure that the former teacher should not bother Mrs. Stanhope during his absence from theWellington.
"I calculated to go back," responded Crabtree.
Telling Mrs. Stanhope that he would soon return, Tom left the wreck and followed Josiah Crabtree around the marsh land and over the cocks.
So long as Crabtree was in front poor Tom did not anticipate any treachery, consequently he was taken completely by surprise when the Baxters fell upon him from behind and bore him to the ground.
"Don't!" he cried, and tried to rise. But Dan Baxter struck him a heavy blow with a club, and then pointed the pistol at his head, and he had to submit.
When he was a prisoner Josiah Crabtree came back, his face beaming sarcastically. "The tables are turned once more, Thomas," he said. "We are masters of the situation. How do you like the prospect?"
"What have you done with Sam?"
"We have taken care of him," answered Arnold Baxter. "And we'll take good care of you after this, too."
Tom said no more, but his heart sank like a lump of lead in his breast. The talk of a ship being in sight must be a hoax, unless Crabtree referred to thePeacock.
The Baxters had a small bit of rope remaining, and with this they tied Tom's hands behind him. Then he was made to march to where Sam was a prisoner.
"What, Tom! you too?" cried the youngest Rover. And then he felt worse than ever, for he had hoped that his brother might come to his rescue.
Both boys were tied to the trees, but at some distance apart. Then, without delay, the Baxters and Josiah Crabtree hurried off toward theWellington. The Baxters had heard that the boat was not much damaged, and thought that it might be possible to patch her up sufficiently to reach the mainland, and to do this ere Dick Rover and his party discovered them. For thePeacockand Langless Arnold Baxter now cared but little.
"She has left the bay," he said to Dan, "and more than likely has abandoned us."
The Canadians were surprised to see Josiah Crabtree returning with two strangers, and Mrs. Stanhope uttered a shriek when confronted by the Baxters.
"I must be dreaming," she murmured, when she had recovered sufficiently to speak. "How came you here?"
"We are not answering questions just now, madam," said Arnold Baxter. "We wish to patch up this boat if we can, and at once," and he called the Canadians to him.
As can be imagined, the sailors were dumfounded, especially when told that the Rover boys would not be back, at least for the present. They shook their heads.
"Ze ship cannot be patched up," said Peglace. "Ze whole bottom ees ready to fall out."
Arnold Baxter would not believe him, and armed with lanterns he and Dan went below to make an examination.
"What does this mean?" demanded Mrs. Stanhope of Crabtree, when they were left alone. "What have you done with the Rover boys?"
"Do not worry about them, my dear," said the former teacher soothingly."All will come right in the end."
Then he began to look at her steadily, in an endeavor to bring her once more under his hypnotic influence. But, without waiting, she ran off and refused to confront him again.
"Follow me and I will leap into the lake," she cried, and fearful she would commit suicide, he let her alone.
The examination below decks lasted nearly an hour, and was far from satisfactory to Arnold Baxter. He felt that theWellingtonmight be patched up, but the work would take at least several days, and there was no telling what would happen in the meantime.
"Dick Rover and his party are sure to find us Before that time," saidDan.
"I am afraid so, Dan. But I know of nothing better to do than to remain here."
"We might find thePeacockand make a new deal with CaptainLangless."
"Langless is a weak-hearted fool, and I'll never trust him again. We would have done much better had we hired a small boat which we could ran alone."
"But what shall we do, dad?"
"I think we had best go into hiding in the interior of the island. We can take a store of provisions along from this boat."
"Shall we take the Rovers with us?"
"We may as well. We can't let them starve, and by holding them prisoners we may be able to make terms with Dick Rover and his friends."
"That's an idea. I reckon Dick will do a lot rather than see Tom andSam suffer."
"To be sure."
"Where do you suppose Dick Rover and his friends are now?"
"Somewhere around the island, although I have seen nothing of their boat."
By noon the Baxters had completed their plans and left the boat, carrying with them a load of provisions wrapped up in a sheet of canvas. They invited Josiah Crabtree to go with them, but that individual declined.
"I cannot take Mrs. Stanhope along," he said, "and I will not desert the lady."
"As you please," replied Arnold Baxter.
"What are you going to do with Tom and Sam Rover?"
"Take them with us. If you see anything of Dick Rover, don't say anything about us."
"I don't wish to see Dick Rover," answered Josiah Crabtree nervously.
"If the Dick Rover party leaves the island, we'll come back," put inDan. "In the meantime, if I was you, I'd lay low."
Soon the Baxters were out of sight, and then Josiah Crabtree turned to have another talk with Mrs. Stanhope, in the meantime setting the Canadians on guard, to watch for and hail any passing sail which might appear.
In his wandering on the island Arnold Baxter had stumbled across a convenient cave near the headland where he had encountered Sam Rover, and thither father and son now made their way.
The cave gained they put down their bundles, which included a quantity of rope, and then started for the headland to bring in Tom and Sam.
The headland gained, a surprise awaited them. Both boys had disappeared.
"Tom, we are in a fix."
"So it would seem, Sam. Who ever dreamed of running across the Baxters in this fashion?"
"We are in the hands of a trio of rascals now, for Crabtree is as bad as the others."
"Perhaps, but he hasn't the nerve that Arnold Baxter has. What shall we do?"
"Try to get free."
"I can't budge an inch. Dan Baxter took especial delight in tying me up."
"I can move one hand and if—It is free! Hurrah!"
"Can you get the other hand free?"
"I can try. The rope—that's free, too. Now for my legs."
Sam Rover worked rapidly, and was soon as free as ever. Then he ran over to where Tom was tied up and liberated his brother.
"Now, what shall we do?"
"I move we go after the people on that steam tug and get them to help us rescue Mrs. Stanhope."
"That's a good idea, and the quicker we go the better."
Sam remembered very well in what direction he had seen the tug, and now set a straight course across the island to the cove.
But the trail led over a hill and through a dense thicket, and long before the journey was half finished both lads were well-nigh exhausted.
"We ought to have followed the shore around—we would have got there quicker," panted Tom, as he fairly cut his way through the dense brush-wood.
"I hope there are no wild animals here."
"I doubt if there is anything very large on the island. If so, we would have seen it before this."
So speaking, they pushed on once more. The woods passed, they came to a swamp filled with long grass. They hurried around this, and then into the forest skirting the lake shore.
At last the cove came into sight. Alas! the steam tug was nowhere to be seen.
"She has gone!" groaned Sam. "Oh, what luck!
"I can't see a sign of her anywhere?" returned Tom. "She must have steamed away right after you came down the tree."
"More than likely."
Much disappointed and utterly worn out, they cast themselves down in the shade to rest. As they rested they listened intently, but only the breeze through the trees and the soft lap-lap of the waves striking the rocks reached their ears.
"I never thought a spot on our lakes could be so lonely," said Sam at length. "Why, it's as if we were in the middle of the Pacific!"
"I trust no harm befalls Mrs. Stanhope, Sam. Perhaps it is our duty to go back to her, in spite of the danger."
"I was thinking of that, too. But we are only two boys against two men and a boy, and they are armed."
"I think the Canadians will prove our friends in a mix-up. They hateCrabtree, for they half fancy he bewitched their boat."
"We might go back on the sly and do some spying."
"That is what I mean."
But they were too tired to go back at once, and spent a good hour near the beach. Close at hand was a tiny spring, and here they procured a drink of water and took a wash-up, after which they felt somewhat better.
They were about to start on the return when Tom suddenly plucked his brother by the sleeve.
"Somebody is coming," he whispered. "Let us hide."
They had scarcely time to get behind some brushwood when the Baxters came into view, moving very slowly and gazing sharply around them.
"I don't see a thing, dad," came from Dan Baxter in disgusted tones. "I don't believe they came this way."
"They certainly didn't go back to that old boat," replied ArnoldBaxter. "Let us take a walk along the beach."
"I am tired to death. Let us rest first."
So speaking, Dan Baxter threw himself on a grassy bank overlooking the lake, and Arnold Baxter followed.
Both were out of sorts and did a large amount of grumbling. The father lit a short briar-root pipe, while the son puffed away at a cigarette.
"I'd give a hundred dollars if a boat would come along and take us to the mainland," observed the father. "I am sick and tired of this game all through."
"So am I sick of it, dad. We made a mistake by ever coming East, it seems to me."
"If I could get to the mainland I might make money out of it even so,Dan. Anderson Rover may have sent that ten thousand dollars to BayCity, after all. He thinks an awful lot of his sons, and won't want ahair of their head harmed."
"So the money was to go to Bay City. You didn't tell me that before."
"I wanted to keep the matter secret."
"Who will receive it there?"
"A man I can trust."
"Oh, pshaw! you needn't be so close-mouthed about it," growled the son, lighting a fresh cigarette.
"Well, the man's name is Cowdrick—Hiram Cowdrick. He comes fromColorado, and used to know the Roebuck crowd."
"I suppose old Rover was to send the money in secret?"
"Certainly. I wrote him a long letter, telling him that if there was the least effort made to follow up the money on his part the lives of his sons should pay the forfeit."
"That's the way to put it, dad. I shouldn't wonder if old Rover sent the money on."
"I'd soon find out, if I could get to shore. If I had the money the boys could rot here, for all I care."
"Thank you for nothing," muttered Tom, under his breath. "Just you wait till I have a chance to square accounts, that's all!"
"Hush!" whispered Sam. "They must not discover us." And then Tom became silent again.
"Josiah Crabtree is in a fix, too," went on Dan, with something of a laugh. "He don't seem to know what to do."
"Where is Mrs. Stanhope's daughter?"
"I don't know. If Crabtree marries Mrs. Stanhope, it will break Dora all up."
"Well, that isn't our affair. But it is queer we should run together on this island. We can—What is that? A sail!"
Arnold Baxter leaped to his feet, and so did Dan. Tom and Sam also looked in the direction pointed out.
There was a sail, true enough, far out on the lake. All watched it with interest and saw it gradually grow larger. Evidently the craft was heading directly for the island.
"She is coming this way, dad!" almost shouted Dan.
"It looks so to me," replied Arnold Baxter, with increasing interest."And she isn't thePeacock, either."
"No, she's a strange ship—a sloop, by her rig."
The Baxters watched the coming sail eagerly, and it must be confessed that the Rover boys were equally interested.
"If the folks on that boat are honest, they will surely help us against the Baxters," murmured Sam.
"Just what I was thinking," replied his brother.
At last the vessel was near enough to be signaled, and, running to a high rock overlooking the water, Dan swung his hat and a handkerchief in the air.
At first the signals were not seen, but at last came a voice through a speaking trumpet.
"Ahoy, there!"
"Ahoy!" shouted Dan. "Come here! Come here!"
"What's the trouble?"
"We are wrecked. We want you to take us off."
"Wrecked?"
"Yes. Will you take us off?"
"Certainly."
Slowly, but surely, the sloop drew nearer. She was a fair-sized craft, and carried a crew of three. The men seemed to be nice fellows, and not at all of the Captain Langless class. Soon the sloop dropped anchor close in shore and the mainsail came down at the same time.
"So you have been shipwrecked?" said the master of the sloop, a young man of apparently twenty-five, whose name was Fairwell.
"Yes," answered Baxter senior.
"Your own boat, or some large vessel?"
"Our own boat. We were out on a little cruise when we struck something in the dark and our craft went down almost immediately. Fortunately we were not far from this shore, or we would have been drowned. Where are you bound?"
"Nowhere in particular. How long have you been on the island?"
"Since night before last?"
"All alone?"
"Yes."
"Had anything to eat?"
"Well—er—not much," stammered Arnold Baxter. "We found some wreckage with some bread and a few cans of sardines, but that is all."
"Then I reckon you won't go back on a square meal?" laughed Fairwell.
"Indeed I won't!" put in Dan, bound to say something.
"We would like to get back to the mainland as soon as possible," went on Arnold Baxter. "I am from Chicago, and must attend to some banking matters. My name is Larson—Henry Larson of State Street."
"Well, Mr. Larson, we'll get you to the main shore as soon as we can; that is, providing the lady who has hired this sloop is willing to go on without stopping here. I reckon this young man is your friend?"
"He is my son. And you are—?"
"Randy Fairwell, at your service, sir. It's too bad you were wrecked, but you can be thankful your life was spared. Seen anybody around here since you've been ashore?"
"Not a soul."
"Nor any sail?"
"Nothing. It has been very, very lonesome," and Arnold Baxter shook his head hypocritically.
Tom and Sam listened to this talk with keen interest. Tom now nudged his brother.
"This has gone far enough," he whispered. "Those men seem all right andI'm sure will prove our friends. I'm going to show myself."
"Wait till the Baxters go on board," replied Sam. "Otherwise they may take it into their heads to run away again."
A few words more followed between those on the sloop and the Baxters, and then the latter ran on the deck of the sloop by means of a plank thrown out for that purpose.
Then Tom came forward, stick in hand, and Sam followed.
"Hold those men!" he cried. "Don't let them get away from you!"
Of course the men on the sloop were much astonished, both by the boys' sudden appearance and by the words which were spoken.
"What's that?" called out Randy Fairwell.
"Those Rover boys!" ejaculated Arnold Baxter, and his face turned white.
"I said, Hold those men!" repeated Tom. "Don't let them get away from you."
"What for? Who are you?"
"Those fellows are rascals, and the father is an escaped prison-bird," put in Sam. "Hold them or they will run, sure."
"It's false," burst out Dan Baxter. "That fellow is crazy. I never saw him before."
"I guess they are both crazy," put in Arnold Baxter, taking the cue from his son. "Certainly I never set eyes on them before."
"Do not believe one word of what he says," said Tom. "His name is not what he said, but Arnold Baxter, and he is the man who got out of a New York prison by means of a forged pardon. You must have read of that case in the newspapers last summer?"
"I did read of it," answered Randy Fairwell. "But—but—" He was too bewildered to go on. "Where did you young men come from?"
"We were carried off in a schooner hired by these rascals and put in a cave on this island. We escaped only after a hard fight."
"But why were you carried off?" asked one of the other men on board of the sloop.
"These Baxters wanted to get our father to pay them money for our safe return."
"A kidnapping, eh?"
"It's a—a fairy story, and these fellows must be stark mad!" cried Arnold Baxter. "I give you my word, gentlemen, I never set eyes on the chaps before. Either they are escaped lunatics or else their lonely life here has turned their brains."
For a moment there was a pause; Sam and Tom standing at the end of the plank, clubs in hand, and the Baxters on the deck of the sloop, surrounded by the three men who had been sailing the craft. Those of the sloop looked from one party to the other in bewilderment.
"Well, I must say I don't know whom to believe," said Randy Fairwell slowly. He turned to the boys. "Who are you?"
"Tom Rover, and this is my brother Sam," answered the elder of the pair.
"I never heard the name before," said Arnold Baxter loftily.
"They don't appear to be very crazy," put in one of the men, whose name was Ruff.
"That's true, but they must be crazy or they wouldn't address my father and me in this fashion," said Dan Baxter.
"They can talk all they please," retorted Sam. "But if you let them escape, you will make a great mistake."
"Here is a fair suggestion," said Tom. "Take us all to the mainland and to the nearest police station. The authorities will soon straighten out this tangle."
"That certainly seems fair," muttered Randy Fairwell.
"I say these boys must be crazy," blustered Arnold Baxter. "If you take them on board, the chances are they'll try to murder us."
"I don't want to sail with a couple of crazy fellows," put in Dan, scowling darkly at the Rovers.
"We might keep a close watch on them," suggested Ruff.
"And keep a close watch on the Baxters," added Tom.
At this moment the door of the tiny cabin of the sloop opened, and a girl came out, rubbing her eyes as if she had been taking a nap, which was a fact.
She stared at the Baxters like one in a dream, and then gave a sudden cry of alarm.
"Is it you!"
"Dora Stanhope!" ejaculated Tom and Sam in a breath.
Then the girl started and turned her eyes ashore. "Tom Rover! And Sam!Where in the wide world did you come from?"
The Baxters fell back, almost overcome, and the father clutched the arm of his son savagely.
"We've put our foot into it here," he muttered.
"Who would have supposed that she was on this boat?" came from the son.
"Do you know these folks, Miss Stanhope?" questioned Randy Fairwell.
"Yes, I know all of them." answered the girl, when she had somewhat recovered from her surprise.
"Of course she knows us," put in Tom, "and she knows those rascals, too; don't you, Dora?"
"Yes, Tom. But how did you come here?"
"It's a long tale, Dora. But just now I want you to help me bring the Baxters to justice. They are trying to make out that they are all right and that we are crazy."
"Crazy! The idea! Indeed, Mr. Fairwell, these boys are not crazy. They are my best friends. They are Tom and Sam Rover, and they are brothers to the Dick Rover I told you about."
"And what of these fellows?" questioned the master of the sloop.
"This man is an escaped prisoner, and this is his son, who is also wanted by the authorities, I believe."
"Trash and nonsense!" stormed Arnold Baxter, hardly knowing what to say. "This is simply a plot against us." He caught his son by the arm. "Come, we had better be going, since we are not wanted here."
He leaped upon the plank and Dan came after him.
"Get back there!" roared Tom, standing at the outer end of the plank."Another step and I'll crack your head open, Arnold Baxter!"
And he swung his club in the air defiantly.
"Out of my way, or I will fire on you!" answered Arnold Baxter, and started to draw his pistol.
"Oh, don't!" screamed Dora, and covered her face with her hands.
"We want no shooting here—" began Randy Fairwell, and then stopped short in wonder.
For reaching down, Tom had suddenly given the end of the plank a wobble. Before they could save themselves, the Baxters, father and son, pitched with a loud splash into the lake.
"Good for you!" cried Sam. "If only they don't try to shoot when they come up."
There was a commotion in the water and mud lining the shore, and slowly the Baxters appeared to view, covered with slime and weeds, and both empty-handed, for Dan had not had time to draw his weapon, and that of the father lay somewhere on the bottom.
"Now do you surrender, or shall I do a little shooting?" said Tom sternly, although he had no weapon.
"Don't shoot me, please don't!" howled Dan, his last bit of courage deserting him.
The father said nothing, but looked as if he would like to annihilate both of the Rovers.
Randy Fairwell turned quickly to Dora Stanhope.
"You are certain these people are bad?" he said.
"Yes, yes; very bad!" answered Dora, and continued: "You can believe all the Rovers tell you concerning them."
One end of the plank still rested on the sloop, and Fairwell quickly placed the board in position again.
By this time the Baxters were crawling out of the lake. Sam caught hold of Dan while Tom tackled the father.
With a heavy boathook in his hand Randy Fairwell now ran ashore, followed by Ruff.
"You had better give up the fight," said Fairwell to Arnold Baxter. "If you are in the right, you shall have justice done to you."
"I will never give in!" growled Arnold Baxter savagely, and did his best to get away. Seeing this, Sam let Dan go and started in to help Tom. The struggle lasted several minutes, but Fairwell put an end to it by catching Arnold Baxter from behind and holding him in a grasp of iron, and then the rascal was made a close prisoner by being bound with a rope.
"Now for Dan!" cried Tom, and turned around, to find that Dan Baxter had taken time by the forelock and disappeared. It was destined to be many a day before any of the Rovers set eyes on him again.
"Dan is gone!"
"Which way did he go?"
"I don't know."
"He ran up the shore, in that direction!" called out Dora, pointing with her hand.
Leaving Arnold Baxter in the grasp of Fairwell and Ruff, Tom and Sam hurried off.
But Dan Baxter had disappeared in a perfect wilderness of rocks and bushes and could not be located.
"Never mind," said Tom; "let him go, if he wants to remain on this lonely spot."
All were soon on board the sloop, and Tom and Sam told their tale, to which Dora, as well as the others, listened with close attention.
"Then my mother is safe!" burst out the girl. "Thank Heaven for that!"
"She was safe when last we saw her," said Tom. "I guess the best thing we can do will be to get back to the wreck of theWellingtonwithout delay."
"Yes! yes! take me to my mother at once. I have been hunting for her ever since she disappeared."
"But how did you happen to come here?"
"I found out that Josiah Crabtree had hired theWellington, and day before yesterday we ran across a steamboat which had sighted the schooner headed in this direction."
"How did he get her away in the first place?"
"We were stopping at a hotel in Canada and I went out to do some necessary shopping. When I got back my mother was gone. She had received a bogus note, written I presume by Crabtree, asking her to come to me at once, as I had been taken sick in one of the stores. I immediately hired a detective, Mr. Ruff here, and we tracked Mr. Crabtree to the lake."
"Good for you, Dora,—a man couldn't have done better," cried Sam so enthusiastically that Dora had to blush.
"But now I want to get to mother without further delay."
"Let us set sail at once, then," said Tom. "The distance to the wreck is not over two miles."
Without delay the anchor was hoisted, the mainsail set, and the sloop left the shore. She was a trim-built craft, and under a good breeze her bow cut the shining waters of the lake like a knife.
The only one on the boat who was not in good humor was Arnold Baxter.When he got the chance he called Tom Rover to him.
"Rover, what do you intend to do with me?" he asked.
"We intend to hand you over to the authorities."
"You are making a great mistake."
"I'll risk that."
"If you'll let me go I'll promise to turn over a new leaf, and, more than that, I'll help your father to make a pile of money out of that mine in Colorado."
"Your promises are not worth the breath they are uttered in, ArnoldBaxter. You belong in prison, and that is where you are going."
At this Baxter began to rave and utter words unfit to print. But Tom soon stopped this.
"Keep a civil tongue in your head, or we'll gag you," he said, and thenBaxter relapsed into sullen silence.
The breeze was favorable, and it was not long before the sloop rounded a point of the island and came in sight of theWellington.
"Let us surprise old Crabtree," suggested Sam. "We can keep out of his sight until the last moment."
Tom was willing, yet Dora demurred, wishing to get to her mother as soon as possible. Yet, as they drew closer, the girl stepped behind the cabin for a minute.
"A ship!" cried Peglace, who was on watch on deck. "A ship at last, and coming to shore!"
He uttered the words in French, and they speedily brought to the deck his companion and his companion's fat wife.
"A ship, sure enough," said the other Canadian, while his wife shed tears of joy.
Josiah Crabtree had just been interviewing Mrs. Stanhope in the cabin. He was trying again to hypnotize her, and she was trying to keep from under the spell.
"A boat must be coming, by the cries," said the former teacher. "I will go to the deck and investigate."
He ran up the companion way, and Mrs. Stanhope followed. The lady felt weak and utterly discouraged.
"If I only had Dora with me!" she murmured to herself.
"Did you speak?" asked Crabtree, looking over his shoulder.
"Not to you," she answered coldly.
Soon Crabtree was at the stern. The sloop came closer, and a rope was thrown to theWellingtonand made fast by the Canadians. The smaller craft drew so little water that she did not ground, even when lying at the larger ship's stern.
"Hullo!" began Josiah Crabtree, addressing Randy Fairwell. "This is most fortunate."
"I see you are wrecked," returned Fairwell calmly.
"Exactly, sir—a very unfortunate affair truly. Will you rescue us?"
"Anybody else on board?"
"Yes, a lady to whom I am engaged to be married," and Crabtree smiled blandly. "Will you come on board?"
"I guess I will," answered Fairwell. "Eh, Mr. Ruff?"
"Yes," answered the detective, and leaped on the deck of the wreck.
By this time Mrs. Stanhope was on deck also, gazing curiously at those on the sloop.
"I believe this is Mr. Josiah Crabtree?" went on Ruff coldly.
"Eh? Why—er—you have the advantage of me!" stammered the former teacher of Putnam Hall, falling back in dismay.
"Are you Josiah Crabtree or not?"
"I am; but—"
"Then consider yourself my prisoner, Mr. Crabtree."
"Your prisoner!"
"That is what I said."
"But why do you say I am arrested? Who are you?"
"You are arrested for plotting against the welfare of Mrs. Stanhope there and Dora Stanhope, her daughter; also for forging Dora Stanhope's name to a letter sent to the girl's mother."
"It is false. I—I—Oh!"
Josiah Crabtree staggered back, for Dora had run forward. In a second more mother and daughter were in each other's arms. An affecting scene followed. Josiah Crabtree turned a sickly green, and his knees smote together.
"I—er—that is, we—the lady and myself—there is some mistake." He tried to go on, but failed utterly.
"You fraud, you!" cried Tom, and came forward, followed by Sam. "Now, Josiah Crabtree, we are on top, and we mean to stay there. Mr. Ruff, you had better handcuff him."
"I will," returned the detective, and brought forth a pair of steel "nippers."
"Handcuff me!" groaned Crabtree, "Oh, the disgrace! No! no!"
"You ought to have thought of the disgrace before," was Ruff's comment, and the next minute the handcuffs were fast on the prisoner.
A shout was now heard from one of the Canadian sailors. He was pointing to the north of the island, where a steam tug had just hove into sight.
The tug was coming on rapidly, and as she drew closer Tom and Sam made out a youth standing on the cabin top, eagerly waving his hand to them.
"Dick!" cried both of the Rovers. "Dick, by all that is wonderful!"
It was indeed Dick and theRocket, and soon the steam tug came up to the stern of the sloop and made fast.
"Tom and Sam, and safe!" burst out Dick, and then his eyes fell upon the Stanhopes. "Dora!" He shook hands and blushed deeply, and so did the girl. "Why, I never expected this!"