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diff --git a/77177-0.txt b/77177-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a33f10 --- /dev/null +++ b/77177-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7164 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77177 *** + +[Illustration: Illustrated title page.] + + + + + _THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ + + BEAR AND FORBEAR; + + OR, THE + + YOUNG SKIPPER OF LAKE UCAYGA. + + BY + + OLIVER OPTIC, + + _Author of “Army and Navy Stories,” “Great Western Series,” “Onward + and Upward Stories,” “Woodville Stories,” Famous “Boat-Club + Series,” “The Starry-Flag Series,” “Young America + Abroad,” “Lake Shore Series,” “Riverdale Story-Book,” + “Yacht-Club Series,” and “The + Boat-Builder Series.”_ + + + BOSTON: + LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. + NEW YORK: + CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM. + + + + + Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by + WILLIAM T. ADAMS, + In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the + District of Massachusetts. + + + ELECTROTYPED AT THE + BOSTON STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY, + No. 19 Spring Lane. + + + + + TO + + _HELEN HAMLIN_, _FRANK HAMLIN_, _JARVIS L. CARTER_, + _EDWARD STETSON_, _CHARLIE HAMLIN_, _ISAIAH STETSON_, + _ADDIE HAMLIN_, _MARY STETSON_, + + AND “A THOUSAND AND ONE OTHER BOYS AND GIRLS” OF THE + CITY OF BANGOR, WHO SENT ME A BLACK BEAR, IN TOKEN + OF THEIR LOVE AND ESTEEM, ADMONISHING ME + NOT TO EAT HIM, BUT TO INSTRUCT AND + TO PRESERVE HIM FROM THE EVILS + OF THIS WICKED WORLD, + + This Book + + IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED. + +Though I did not eat him, nor any part thereof, and his life was too +short to permit him to profit by any instruction I might have been able +to give him, yet he is preserved from “the evils of this wicked world” +at the rooms of the Society of Natural History, and I hope my readers +will profit by the story he suggested. + + O. O. + + + + +_THE LAKE SHORE SERIES._ + + + 1. _THROUGH BY DAYLIGHT_; or, The Young Engineer of the Lake Shore + Railroad. + + 2. _LIGHTNING EXPRESS_; or, The Rival Academies. + + 3. _ON TIME_; or, The Young Captain of the Ucayga Steamer. + + 4. _SWITCH OFF_; or, The War of the Students. + + 5. _BRAKE UP_; or, The Young Peacemakers. + + 6. _BEAR AND FORBEAR_; or, The Young Skipper of Lake Ucayga. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +“BEAR AND FORBEAR” is the sixth and last of the Lake Shore Series, and +was one of the serials which appeared in Oliver Optic’s Magazine. The +story itself is complete, and independent of its predecessors, though +the characters that have been prominent in the other volumes of the +series are again presented, to be finally dealt with according to their +several deserts. The writer has endeavored to show that fidelity to +duty prospers even in this world, and that evil doing brings pain and +misery; and if he has awarded “poetical justice” to each, it will only +make the contrast the more evident. + +The author has endeavored to make a proper use of the Christian precept +which forms the principal title; and he trusts that his readers, both +young and old, will be able to deduce the moral from the story, and, +profiting by it, be enabled to avoid such disagreeable ruptures as that +which threatened the peace of the two communities in the story, but +which the “two bears” happily prevented. + +In closing this series, the author desires once more to thank his +juvenile and his adult friends for the kind consideration they have +always extended to him, and for the increasing favor bestowed upon his +efforts to please and to instruct. + + HARRISON SQUARE, BOSTON. + June 1, 1870. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + CHAPTER I. PAGE + ON BOARD THE BELLE. 11 + + CHAPTER II. + A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. 22 + + CHAPTER III. + AN ANGRY GUARDIAN. 33 + + CHAPTER IV. + FIRE ON THE LAKE. 45 + + CHAPTER V. + THE RESCUED PASSENGER. 57 + + CHAPTER VI. + THE ENGLISH LORD AND THE DRUMMER. 69 + + CHAPTER VII. + MISS DORNWOOD’S STORY. 82 + + CHAPTER VIII. + THE STRANGE BOAT. 94 + + CHAPTER IX. + THE ROBBERY OF THE CENTREPORT BANK. 107 + + CHAPTER X. + THE ROBBERS SEPARATE. 119 + + CHAPTER XI. + A LITTLE SPARK KINDLES A BIG FIRE. 131 + + CHAPTER XII. + THE LANDING OF THE ROBBER. 142 + + CHAPTER XIII. + TOM WALTON WOUNDED. 153 + + CHAPTER XIV. + THE ROBBER TAKES THE BACK TRACK. 164 + + CHAPTER XV. + THE ROBBER IN A TRAP. 175 + + CHAPTER XVI. + SHOWERS OF ROCKS. 187 + + CHAPTER XVII. + A BLOW WITH THE BOAT-HOOK. 198 + + CHAPTER XVIII. + AT THE CATARACT HOUSE. 209 + + CHAPTER XIX. + THE OTHER BANK ROBBER. 221 + + CHAPTER XX. + THE END OF LORD PALSGRAVE. 232 + + CHAPTER XXI. + THE ADVENTURES OF NICK VAN WOLTER. 243 + + CHAPTER XXII. + COLONEL WIMPLETON’S WRATH. 254 + + CHAPTER XXIII. + MAJOR TOPPLETON EXPLAINS. 265 + + CHAPTER XXIV. + BEAR AND FORBEAR. 276 + + CHAPTER XXV. + MISS DORNWOOD’S GUARDIAN. 287 + + CHAPTER XXVI. + THE YOUNG SKIPPER OF THE BANSHEE. 298 + + + + +BEAR AND FORBEAR; + +OR, + +THE YOUNG SKIPPER OF LAKE UCAYGA. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ON BOARD THE BELLE. + + +“Wolf, I am about ready to buy this boat, if you are about ready to +sell it,” said Tom Walton, as we were sailing up the lake in the Belle. + +“I’m quite ready to sell it to you, Tom,” I replied. + +“You ought to own her by this time, Tom,” added Waddie Wimpleton, who +was one of the party. + +We were going up the lake to have a good time; in other words, it was +vacation with me. When Tom Walton spoke, I was thinking of the events +of the past, as the sail-boat glided swiftly over the clear waters +of Lake Ucayga. I was the general agent of the Union Line, which now +included the Lake Shore Railroad and the Ucayga Steamboat. The two +_millionnaires_, who had fixed their residences on opposite sides of +the lake, at the Narrows, where it is only one mile wide, had been +the most bitter enemies for years, taking up the hatchet after a long +period of the most intimate and friendly relations. Major Toppleton had +built the Lake Shore Railroad as a plaything for the students of the +Institute established on his side of the lake, in order to give them +a thorough and practical knowledge of railway business. The idea had +grown on his hands till the road had become a very important channel +of travel. Buying up the stock of the old steamers on the lake, he +had obtained the control of them, and ran them in connection with the +railroad. This movement gave Middleport, on the major’s side of the +lake, a very great advantage over Centreport, where Colonel Wimpleton +resided. + +Then the two great men became rivals for the business of the lake; and +the colonel built a large and splendid steamer, to run in opposition +to the railroad, which, by its great speed and elegant accommodations, +had carried the day against the railroad. The students of the Wimpleton +Institute were formed into a company, and nominally managed the affairs +of the steamer, thus obtaining an insight into the method of conducting +business in stock companies. I had been a kind of shuttlecock between +the rival magnates, and had been successively employed and discharged +by each. The war between the two sides of the lake had extended to +the families of the principal parties, and the inhabitants of the +large towns in which they lived. The two sons of the great men had +been particularly hostile; but, having mended their ways, and, from +vicious, overbearing, tyrannical young men, becoming kind, gentle, and +noble, they buried the hatchet, and their relations were pleasant and +friendly. By their indirect efforts, with some help from me, the feud +between the fathers had been healed, and they were now warm personal +friends. The railroad and steamboat lines had been united, and were now +running in connection with each other. + +I am not disposed to say much about my own agency in bringing about +this happy state of things, though I had labored patiently and +persistently for years to accomplish the result. I was happy in the +achievement, and not inclined to apportion the credit of it among +those who had brought it about, except to award a very large share of +it to the sons of the two magnates. The two lines had been running +in connection about two months. As the general superintendent of the +united line, I had gone over the entire route daily until everything +worked to my own satisfaction, as well as to that of the traveling +public. As captain of the steamer, I had been constantly employed all +winter, and I felt disposed to play a few days. It was vacation at +both the Institutes, and Tommy Toppleton had gone to one of the great +watering-places with his father and mother, though the time fixed for +their return had arrived. Waddie Wimpleton had accepted an invitation +to spend a few days on a cruise with me up the lake. We intended to +live on board of the Belle, and spend the time in fishing, sailing, and +rambling through the wild region. + +I had bought the Belle at auction, at a time when I was out of +employment, having been discharged by Major Toppleton from my situation +as engineer on the Lake Shore Railroad. She had cost me a very small +sum, compared with her value, and I intended to make my living by +taking out parties in her. But, as I was very soon appointed to the +command of the steamer, I employed Tom Walton to run her for me; and he +paid me a portion of the receipts. He had done well for himself, and +well for me, in her. Tom was a very honest, industrious, and capable +fellow, and supported his mother and the rest of the family by his +labor. I had told him I would sell the Belle to him at a fair price, +any time when he wished to buy her. I had been rather surprised that he +did not avail himself of this offer, for my share of the earnings of +the boat had already paid me double the amount she had cost me. + +“I think of going into the general navigation business,” said Tom, with +one of his good-natured laughs; “and if I can buy her, I will do so.” + +“You can, Tom,” I replied. + +“My mother has been sick a good deal for the last two years, and it +took about all I could make to take care of the family, or I should +have bought her before.” + +“I’ll trust you, Tom,” I added. + +“I don’t want anybody to trust me, except to keep the folks from +starving. I didn’t mean to buy that boat till I had money enough to pay +for her. I’ve got a little ahead now.” + +“How much have you, Tom?” I asked. + +“I haven’t enough to bust the Middleport Bank yet. You’ve used me first +rate, Wolf, and I don’t mean to cheat you on this boat. After all, +whether I buy her or not rather depends on what you ask for her.” + +“You shall have her for what she will bring at auction.” + +“What will she bring at auction?” + +“I don’t know.” + +“I don’t think I can buy her, then, for I know a man in town who will +start the bidding at one hundred and fifty.” + +“Do you? Well, I had no idea any one would give that for her,” I +replied. + +I saw that Tom was troubled, though he still kept his face alive with +his usual smile. I would have given him the boat at once, only the +offer to do so would wound his pride and hurt his feelings, for, poor +as he was, he had the instincts of a gentleman. + +“I shall make money by buying the boat, Wolf, and I want her badly, but +not enough to run in debt for her,” added he. + +“Suppose we do as Major Toppleton and Colonel Wimpleton did on the +steamers.” + +“What’s that?” + +“Mark.” + +“I’m willing to mark; but I’m afraid I can’t hit your figures, Wolf, +for the Belle is a valuable piece of property. I ought to know that, if +no one else does.” + +“You write what you are willing to give, and I will write what I am +willing to take. If my figures are lower than yours, they shall be the +price of the boat, and the trade is completed.” + +“Your figures?” + +“Yes.” + +“Why not my figures, if they are higher than yours?” + +“If you give all I ask, that’s enough. If my figures are higher than +yours, we will split the difference,” I continued, handing him a pencil +and paper. + +“That’s fair, so far as I am concerned; but don’t you cheat yourself, +Wolf,” replied Tom, taking the paper and making his figures upon it, +after considerable hesitation. + +“You needn’t worry about me, my dear fellow. Give your figures to +Waddie. He shall stand between us,” I added, as I wrote my own +valuation, and handed it to him. + +“There is considerable difference in your estimates,” laughed Waddie. +“What am I to do?--split the difference?” + +“Not unless my figures are higher than Tom’s.” + +“They are not, Wolf. Tom’s are a mile and a half higher than yours.” + +“Then the boat is sold at my price,” I added. + +“Cheap enough!” exclaimed Waddie. + +“What are the figures?” asked Tom. + +“You marked one hundred and fifty dollars, Tom, and Wolf marked fifty +dollars. So the Belle is sold.” + +“So am I,” said the skipper. + +“Are you not satisfied?” + +“No; I feel just as though I had been overreached. See here, Wolf +Penniman; I didn’t mean to have you give me this boat.” + +“I haven’t given her to you.” + +“I supposed you would ask three or four hundred dollars for her.” + +“I am satisfied, Tom. I have made money out of her, and now I get back +all she cost me.” + +“But don’t you think it’s an insult to the Belle to sell her for fifty +dollars?” laughed Tom. + +“If she does not complain, you need not.” + +“Wolf, I don’t feel exactly right about it. I have a kind of an idea +that you have taken pity on me, for a poor, miserable fellow as I am, +and given me the boat.” + +“No such thing, Tom!” I protested. + +“Didn’t I say there was a man in town that would bid a hundred and +fifty dollars on her if she was put up at auction?” + +“I don’t know him, Tom; and I’m afraid he would not use her kindly. The +Belle is yours.” + +“I can afford to give you a hundred for her without busting the +Middleport Bank. Don’t you think I’d better do it?” + +“Certainly not, Tom. A trade is a trade.” + +“But I feel just as though I had stolen her.” + +“Don’t feel so, my dear fellow. I will give you a bill of sale when +I can get something to write it with. It’s all right now, Tom. ‘Be +virtuous and you will be happy,’ and your boat will sail all the faster +for it.” + +“I am happy, Wolf I have saved up about one hundred and fifty dollars. +I thought that would almost buy the Belle. Now I’m just a hundred in. +I’m going into the general navigation business, and I want some more +boats, to let, and I’m lucky enough to have the capital to invest in +them. I shall buy some row-boats, for there are lots of people that +want to hire them.” + +“I have no doubt you will do a good business letting boats, Tom. Rowing +is a great art, and a healthy one. But have good boats. Don’t buy poor +ones because they are cheap.” + +“Not I, Wolf; my boats shall be first chop, ‘A, No. 1, prime.’ But I +suppose you gentlemen want some dinner--don’t you?” + +“We do want some dinner, Tom,” I replied. “I make a business of +attending to that matter every day.” + +“Exactly so, Wolf. That’s just what you thought the last time you +thought so.” + +“Eating dinner I have always found to be a healthy amusement, and I +intend to follow it up as long as I live, and can get any dinner to +eat,” I replied. + +“You will always get it, Wolf, for you are a rich man now; and you will +die worth a million, if you don’t die before you have a million. Now, +if you will take the helm, you shall have a beefsteak and some baked +potatoes, first chop, A, No. 1, prime, in about half an hour, more or +less, but rather more than less.” + +I took the tiller, and Tom went into the cuddy to prepare the meal. In +half an hour, more or less, we had the beefsteak and baked potatoes, +smoking hot, done to a turn, and just as nice as the best hotel in the +country could furnish. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. + + +We left Middleport early in the morning, and when we dined, we were +above Priam. We intended to land at a point near the residence of my +old friend Captain Portman, to enable me to call upon him. We arrived +at this point early in the afternoon. Waddie was not acquainted with +my friend, and did not care to call upon him; but he decided to take a +walk on shore, and we proceeded together till we came to the entrance +to Captain Portman’s grounds. He was a wealthy gentleman, who had +chosen this wild region for his residence, for he was a genuine lover +of the beauties of nature, and enjoyed them as much in the winter as +the summer. + +The country was exceedingly wild and rugged. The rocks rose in +precipitous steeps at times, and there was a profusion of cascades +and cataracts. One might follow a stream through the depths of the +primeval forests, and find it leaping from the precipices a dozen times +in a single mile. In the midst of this magnificent scenery Captain +Portman had built his mansion, selecting a rugged steep for its site; +and here Nature and Art had joined hands to increase the loveliness of +the place. Half a mile from his house, on the road to Priam, was the +Cataract House--a hotel which had received its name from a grand and +beautiful waterfall in the vicinity. At this house, during the summer, +many wealthy people boarded. + +When we reached the road which leads from Hitaca to Priam, Waddie +turned to the right and I turned to the left. I was about to enter +the rustic gateway which opened into the estate of Captain Portman, +when I was startled by a succession of shrill screams. I saw Waddie +spring into the woods which bounded the road on the left. The voice +of the person in distress--for I supposed no one would scream unless +in distress--was that of a female. Of course I was interested; and, +turning from the gateway, I rushed down the road, and followed Waddie +into the woods. + +[Illustration: A NEW ACQUAINTANCE. Page 24.] + +I had made such good time that I overtook my fellow-voyager before he +reached the scene of the adventure. The trees were very large, and the +grove had been cleared up on the ground for the convenience of the +visitors at the Cataract House, so that we could see some distance; and +we soon discovered the person who had uttered the terrific screams. +She was a young lady, elegantly dressed, and apparently not more than +seventeen years old. + +“Help! Help!” she cried, as she stood apparently paralyzed. + +But we could see nothing to alarm her, though we discovered a young +gentleman in the distance “making tracks” in the direction of the hotel. + +“What is the matter with her?” asked Waddie. + +“I don’t see anything to frighten her.” + +“I do,” added Waddie, as we stepped forward, and discovered a small +black bear, which a huge tree had before hidden from our view. + +“A bear!” I exclaimed. + +The creature stood up on his hind legs, and was reaching forward with +his right fore paw towards the young lady, while the left was dropped +at his side. For my own part, I do not remember that I had ever even +seen a bear before, and I confess that I did not like the looks of him. +Whether Waddie shared my feeling or not I do not know; but he quickened +his pace, and soon placed himself by the side of the interesting +sufferer. Neither of us had a club, knife, or other weapon, and we were +not in condition to face a wild beast. + +“Save me!” gasped the young lady. + +“I will conduct you to the hotel, if you please,” said Waddie, hardly +noticing the bear, which still sat upon his haunches, with his right +paw extended towards the terrified maiden. + +“O, dear me! I cannot move,” sighed she. + +Waddie took her by the arm, and supported her. As they moved off, the +bear followed. + +“He’s coming!” cried the lady; and, afraid that the awful monster would +pounce upon her behind, she halted and faced him again. + +The moment they stopped, Bruin stood up on his haunches again, and held +out his paw as before. I came to the conclusion that if he intended to +eat any one up, he would have begun before this time, and I ventured +to place myself between him and the lady. This brave movement on my +part seemed to afford the lady some relief; but she clung to Waddie as +though she expected to be devoured, brown silk dress, laces, ruffles, +and all. The bear looked at me a moment, as I stood about a rod distant +from him. Dropping upon all fours again, he cantered towards me. I was +inclined to beat a retreat, but somehow the animal did not seem to be +as ferocious as wild beasts have the credit of being, and, though it +required no little resolution on my part, I decided to stand my ground. + +The bear was about the size of a full-grown Newfoundland dog, but +broader across the back, and much heavier, weighing, I judged, over a +hundred pounds. He opened his mouth as though in the act of laughing. +I had had no experience with wild animals, but I had an idea that they +howled and made a “general row” when they were savage, and intended to +do mischief. After the first sight of the bear, my courage gradually +increased, and I am happy to say that I did full justice to my valor +on this occasion. I did not run away. The bear came close to me, and +then erecting himself again, he extended his right paw as before, +looking up into my face as pleasantly and cunningly as though he had +been a playful child. + +The fellow evidently means something by his action; but I was not +sufficiently skilled in bear nature to comprehend him. He was not +savage, and did not exhibit the slightest intention to use the fine +rows of elegant teeth which he displayed. This assurance was very +comforting to me. I retreated two or three paces as a strategic +movement, in order to develop the further intentions of the enemy, if +he was an enemy. The rascal followed me, again stood up, and presented +his paw. + +“Don’t be afraid, miss. He will not hurt anything,” said I, as the +young lady was again alarmed by the last move of the bear. “He is quite +harmless.” + +“I am afraid he will bite me!” gasped she; and she would not have +suffered any more if she had already been bitten. + +“Shall I leave you, Wolf?” asked Waddie. + +“Yes, certainly; the bear is as harmless as a kitten,” I replied. + +“Allow me to conduct you to the hotel,” added Waddie, gallantly. “I +suppose you are staying at the hotel.” + +“Yes; I had been walking with Lord Palsgrave, when that awful creature +came upon me,” she replied. + +“Whom did I understand you to say you were walking with?” + +“With Lord Palsgrave.” + +“Ah, then you are English people?” added Waddie, who was doubtless duly +impressed with the quality of his new acquaintance. + +“Lord Palsgrave is English, but I am not.” + +“If you will allow me, I will conduct you to the hotel.” + +“I am so frightened, I fear I cannot walk so far.” + +“You need not leave on account of the bear,” I interposed. “He is as +gentle and tame as a baby kitten.” + +By this time I had discovered what Bruin meant by his mysterious +movement with the right fore paw. When I had worked my courage up to +the sticking point, I extended my hand towards him, to see if he would +snap at it. If he did, I concluded that I should use a big stone which +lay on the ground at my feet. If he wanted to fight, I felt that, in +the cause of a terrified maiden,--very pretty, too, at that,--I could +afford to test the relative hardness of the bear’s head and the rock. + +But I wronged him. The bear had no belligerent intentions. He was +evidently a good fellow in his way; and, if bearish in his manners, he +was friendly in his disposition. Instead of snapping at my hand, he +reached forward his paw, and I realized then that he only desired to +shake hands with me. I had learned a sufficient amount of politeness to +accommodate him in this respect, and when I took his paw he bowed his +head several times, to indicate his pleasure at making my acquaintance. +I could not suffer myself to be behind him in courtesy, and I bowed as +often as he did. + +I heard Waddie laughing heartily, and turning round, I saw that the +young lady was beginning to smile at the passage of compliments +between me and the bear. I must say that I was delighted with my new +acquaintance, he was so very polite and well mannered. But I had not +yet measured the depth of his affection for me. He was not satisfied +with merely bowing and shaking hands with me, but insisted upon hugging +me. First he embraced my arm, and then my body, though I did not +yet feel quite well enough acquainted with him to endure the final +transport of his devotion. I shook him off, and he tumbled upon the +ground. Then he began to roll over, as a dog is taught to do, making +the most extravagant demonstrations of affectionate regard towards +me. In a few moments I was rolling on the grass with him, and I felt +confidence enough in his good intentions to return his embraces. I put +my hand in his mouth, but he did not bite; and though his sharp claws +were rather trying to the nap of my coat, he used them only in sport. + +“Won’t you come up and shake hands with him, Miss--” + +“Miss Dornwood,” she added, supplementing my question. “No, I thank +you. I thought he was a wild bear.” + +“No, he is as tame as a kitten. He only wanted to shake hands with you. +I am sure he would not hurt any one.” + +“He is real funny; and I wish I dared to play with him,” added she, +shrinking back, as Bruin followed me a little nearer to the place where +she stood. + +“Don’t bring him any nearer, Wolf,” laughed Waddie. “‘Distance lends +enchantment to the view.’” + +I sat down upon a rock, and continued to play with the bear, while +Waddie and Miss Dornwood watched the sport at a respectful distance. + +“I don’t know what I am to do with this fellow, now I have made his +acquaintance,” I continued, as I tumbled him over upon the ground when +his embraces became a little too ardent. “I see by the looks of his +neck that he has been in the habit of wearing a collar.” + +“If you will only keep him away from me, I don’t care what you do +with him,” said Miss Dornwood. “I don’t think they ought to let such +creatures wander about these grounds, for it is almost as bad to be +frightened to death as to be eaten up.” + +“Where is the gentleman who was with you?” asked Waddie. + +“He went to the hotel after a vehicle, for we intended to take a ride +along the lake when we saw this road. We only arrived this morning, and +we find it a very beautiful region.” + +“There come three men,” added Waddie, pointing into the woods. + +I recognized Captain Portman as one of them. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +AN ANGRY GUARDIAN. + + +“How do you do, Captain Penniman? I am delighted to see you,” said +Captain Portman, coming up to me, and extending his hand. + +As I took his hand, a burst of laughter from Waddie and Miss Dornwood +attracted my attention. Turning my head to ascertain what amused them, +I saw the bear standing on his hind legs, and extending his paw, as he +had done to me, evidently wishing to shake hands with the new comer. +Captain Portman took his offered paw, and gave Bruin a warm greeting. + +“So, my old rogue, you have got away again,” said he, as he patted the +bear on the head. + +“You seem to be acquainted with my old friend here,” said I. + +“Yes, he belongs to me; but he bothers me sadly,” replied Captain +Portman. “Unless we buckle his collar very tight, he slips it over his +head; and if it is tight, it worries him and makes him cross. He has +got out of my grounds several times, and frightened strangers staying +at the hotel. The landlord says he will shoot him, if he finds him +loose again.” + +“He frightened this young lady,” I added. + +“I am very sorry,” said Captain Portman, turning to the lady. “He is +entirely harmless.” + +“I see he is now, sir; but I supposed he was a wild bear,” replied Miss +Dornwood. + +“When I knew he was loose, I hastened to find him, lest the landlord +should put his threat into execution,” continued Captain Portman, +caressing the bear. “He makes so much trouble that I am afraid I shall +have to get rid of him; but I do not like the idea of killing him while +he makes himself so agreeable. If you will take him, Wolf, I will give +him to you, for I know you will treat him kindly.” + +“Thank you, sir, I should be delighted to own him,” I answered. “I have +a nice place for him at home.” + +“You shall have him.” + +“He and I will be warm friends.” + +And Bruin, as if he comprehended the new relation between us, gave me +one of his warmest hugs. + +“How do you happen to be here, Wolf, without calling upon me?” asked +Captain Portman. + +“I was just going up to your house when I heard this lady scream, and I +hastened back to her assistance.” + +“Gallant as ever,” said he, laughing. “Then I shall see you again +to-day.” + +“Yes, sir. I will call at your house in the course of the afternoon.” + +“My men will take care of the bear for you till you are ready to return +to Middleport, if you desire.” + +I assented to this arrangement, and the two men who came with Captain +Portman took charge of the bear, though he was very unwilling to be +separated from me. I should have gone with the captain, but I desired +to see Lord Palsgrave, for whom Miss Dornwood was waiting. I had +never seen a live lord, and I was anxious to behold the phenomenon. I +supposed he would soon appear with the vehicle for which he had gone. + +“I am very much obliged to you for the service you have rendered me, +gentlemen,” said she, as the party moved off with the bear. + +“Not at all,” replied Waddie. “I am very glad, for one, to have served +you.” + +“And I have made an excellent friend by the adventure,” I added. + +“Do you refer to the bear, or to me?” said Miss Dornwood, archly. + +“I confess that I referred to the bear.” + +“I hope you will include me.” + +“Then I have made two excellent friends.” + +“Lord Palsgrave seems to be a long time obtaining the vehicle,” she +added, glancing towards the road. + +“Is Lord Palsgrave an old gentleman?” I asked. + +“Dear me! No,” replied Miss Dornwood, with a blush. “He is only +nineteen.” + +“Nineteen! Well, I had an idea that lords were always old men.” + +“Not at all. Lord Palsgrave is quite a young man.” + +“Was it he we saw going towards the hotel when you screamed?” + +“Yes; he left me only a few moments before I saw the bear.” + +I came to the conclusion, guided partly by the blush which mantled her +cheek when she spoke of him, and partly by the fact that his lordship +was only nineteen, that he was a lover; and I was rather sorry that +she was already entangled, for I thought Waddie regarded Miss Dornwood +with more interest than I had ever before seen him look upon a young +lady. She was certainly a very pretty girl, and I did not blame Lord +Palsgrave for taking a fancy to her. + +His lordship did not come with the vehicle, though an hour had elapsed +since his departure, and Miss Dornwood was beginning to be impatient. +We did not think it was polite to leave her, and we continued to talk +about the bear, Lord Palsgrave, and such other topics as we could find +available. While we were thus engaged, I saw a lady and gentleman +approaching us. As they came nearer, the latter disengaged himself from +his companion, and hastened to the spot where we stood. He was a young +man of twenty-five, and looked very cross. I did not like the looks of +him, and I saw that Miss Dornwood was very much disturbed by his coming. + +“What are you doing here, Edith?” demanded he, bestowing a +contemptuous glance upon Waddie and myself. + +“I am waiting for Lord Palsgrave,” she replied, her cheek flushed, and +her lips trembling. + +“Who are these persons?” continued he. + +“I do not know who they are, but they have been very kind to me, and I +am very grateful to them.” + +“No doubt you are!” sneered the gentleman; and I realized that we had +encountered another bear, though not so well behaved as the first +had been. “Do you pick up acquaintances in this manner without my +knowledge?” + +“Why, Charles!” + +I saw that Miss Dornwood was greatly agitated and deeply grieved at +this ungentle treatment, and I did not wonder at it. + +“What are you doing here?” he continued, rudely. + +“I am waiting for Lord Palsgrave.” + +“I don’t wonder that Lord Palsgrave does not come, if he sees you +engaged in this manner. Do you put yourself on familiar terms with +entire strangers?” + +“How rude you are, Charles!” exclaimed Miss Dornwood, struggling to +repress her tears at his unkind treatment. + +“I beg your pardon, sir,” interposed Waddie; “but there was another +bear--there was a bear in the woods here. The lady encountered him, and +we came to her assistance.” + +“A bear!” sneered the gentleman. + +“A bear, sir!” repeated Waddie, with emphasis. “It is true, he was a +tame bear, but he frightened the lady, and her screams attracted our +attention.” + +“If you have rendered her any assistance, I am obliged to you for it,” +said the gentleman, coldly. “Edith, go back to the hotel.” + +“Lord Palsgrave told me to meet him at the road when he came with the +carriage,” pleaded the young lady. + +“I insist that you return to the hotel,” added the gentleman, almost +fiercely. “I have forbidden your making acquaintances without my +knowledge.” + +“I couldn’t help it, Charles.” + +“Will you return to the hotel?” + +“No; I will not, Charles! I will not be treated in this rude manner +before strangers,” she replied, bursting into tears, and retreating a +few paces from her tormentor. + +“So, miss! Do you dare to disobey me?” demanded he, his checks red with +anger. + +“I will not be treated in this manner before strangers,” she replied, +with spirit, as she wiped away her tears. + +“What will Lord Palsgrave say when he finds you making friends so +easily?” + +“I don’t care what he says; but I will not be treated like a little +child, Charles Overton.” + +“We will see! Will you return to the hotel, or shall I carry you +there?” said the brute, stepping towards her. + +“Neither, Charles,” she answered, retreating a step or two before him. +“These young gentlemen came to my assistance when I needed their help, +and I am very grateful to them.” + +“I trust you have thanked the young gentlemen for their service.” + +“I have.” + +“That’s enough, then. Now you will return to the hotel.” + +“I will not, Charles Overton. I have obeyed you in all things; but when +you insult me before strangers, and insult them too, I will not endure +it.” + +“Very fine, Edith! But you will return to the hotel, and obey me now, +as you always have done.” + +“I shall return to the hotel when I am ready to do so, but not before;” +and Edith looked as though she meant all she said. + +Behind all this there was evidently a history of which Waddie and +I were entirely ignorant. I concluded that the irritable gentleman +was the young lady’s guardian, and was doubtless armed with proper +authority to command and control her. But she was not less than +seventeen, and certainly she was entitled to some consideration from +him. As she had suggested, he treated her like a little child, and his +conduct was rude and ungentlemanly in the extreme. I sympathized with +Edith; but I did not deem it proper or prudent to interfere. I saw that +Waddie, who was naturally rash and impetuous, found it exceedingly +difficult to restrain himself under the provocation. + +“Edith, you shall obey me!” exclaimed Mr. Overton, springing towards +her, with the intention of dragging her back to the hotel. + +“I beg your pardon, sir,” interposed Waddie, stepping between the angry +guardian and his ward. “I hope you will not use any violence.” + +At that moment I heard a kind of clattering noise, and turning, I saw +the bear rushing at railroad speed towards us. He had doubtless escaped +from Captain Portman’s men, and had come back to renew the agreeable +acquaintance he had made. Now, Mr. Overton happened to be the nearest +person to him as he approached the group, and Bruin leaped up to him, +and placed his paws upon the arm extended to grasp Edith. Perhaps he +thought the parties were playing, and he wished to have a hand in the +game. + +Mr. Overton evidently had not seen the bear till he felt his paws upon +his arm. A man who is a tyrant is necessarily a coward; and turning +his head, the savage guardian saw the bear, with his mouth open. His +expression was one of abject terror, and, starting back, he shook the +playful animal from him. Bruin immediately stood up, and extended his +paw, as though he were ready to make friends with all mankind. To my +surprise, Miss Dornwood grasped the paw with her gloved hand, and shook +it warmly. Probably she thought that, between the two bears, he was +the less savage and bearish. + +“You do not seem to like him any better than I did at first,” said +Edith, glancing at Mr. Overton, who had retreated to a safe distance. +“I suppose I am forbidden to make his acquaintance, but I shall do so.” + +Bruin had doubtless been trained to respect ladies, and did not offer +any rough familiarities to her, as he had to me. He stood up before +her, and received her caresses with a good-natured grin. Mr. Overton, +seeing that the bear did not proceed to eat any of us up, regained his +sell-possession. + +“If you wish to avoid trouble, Edith, you will go to the hotel at +once,” said he, renewing the attack. + +“I shall not go,” she replied, earnestly. + +“Then I shall lead you there.” + +And stepping forward to enforce his threat, the bear, perhaps thinking +he meant to have a frolic, sprang upon him with extended paws. + +“Take him away! Take him away!” cried Mr. Overton, utterly unable to +appreciate the familiar overtures of the bear. + +“He will not hurt you, sir.” + +“Take him off--will you?” gasped he, in terror. + +“Here, Bruin, come here,” interposed Edith, pulling him by the neck. + +The bear turned to her, stood up, and extended his paw to her. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FIRE ON THE LAKE. + + +I began to think my bear was as fickle as human beings, for he seemed +to have taken quite a fancy to Edith. Certainly, in this respect, I was +willing to believe he was a bear of excellent taste. + +He did not offer to hug her arm, or to take other liberties with her, +but was very affectionate, while he was very circumspect. Mr. Overton +did not again attempt to use force with the young lady while she was +thus guarded. + +“Let the ugly beast alone, Edith!” growled her disconcerted guardian. + +“He behaves very well now, Charles, and I am not afraid of him.” + +“Once more, are you going to the hotel, or not?” + +“Very soon I am, if Lord Palsgrave does not appear,” she replied, still +caressing Bruin. + +“I think, Waddie, I will go up to Captain Portman’s, His men are coming +again after the bear, and I will take him along with me,” I interposed. +“Come, Bruin, old fellow, don’t you know me?” + +I put my hand upon his head, and he leaped upon me, as though he was +heartily glad to renew the acquaintance. + +“I am going to the hotel, Miss Dornwood,” said Waddie, touching his cap +to the young lady, and moving in the direction indicated. + +She placed herself at his side, and they started together. + +“You are not going with her, sir,” said Mr. Overton, angrily. + +“Then she will go with me.” + +“You young puppy!” + +“Gently, if you please, sir,” added Waddie, quietly. + +“Stop, Edith!” commanded the guardian. + +“You told me to go to the hotel, Charles, and I am going,” she replied. + +“Not with that young man.” + +“That shall be as he pleases.” + +“No; it shall be as I please. Stop, sir! Do you hear me?” cried Mr. +Overton. + +“If I understand the matter, sir, you have no control over me, if you +have over this lady,” replied Waddie, turning around to address the +guardian. + +They continued on their walk, followed by Mr. Overton, who was +presently joined by the lady he had left when he came forward to +discipline his ward. They soon disappeared among the trees, and I made +my way to the mansion of Captain Portman, where I spent a couple of +hours very pleasantly. I told him about the adventure we had had with +Edith and her guardian. + +“I pity the poor girl,” I added; “for this Mr. Overton is a petty +tyrant, who must make her very uncomfortable.” + +“Doubtless it is very unfortunate for her; but it is one of those cases +with which outsiders cannot meddle,” replied my friend. + +“I think he would have dragged her up to the hotel by force, if the +bear had not interfered.” + +“Well, the interference came better from the bear than from you.” + +“Do you think one ought to stand by, and see a man abuse a young lady +without taking her part?” I inquired, with considerable interest. + +“That’s a hard question to answer, Wolf. The gentleman is her guardian, +and has authority over her; but if he were actually abusing her, I am +inclined to think I should interfere on my own responsibility. Yet it +is not prudent to meddle with things of this kind.” + +“I am afraid Waddie will meddle,” I added. + +“He seemed to be rather interested in the young lady.” + +“He should be very careful what he does.” + +“I must go over to the hotel, and see that he does not get into +trouble.” + +“But you will come and spend the night with me, Wolf.” + +“We intended to sleep on board of the Belle.” + +“I shall be very glad to see you and Waddie to-night, and I hope you +will spend a day with me before your return home.” + +“Thank you, sir. I will do so, if possible,” I replied. + +I walked to the hotel, and found Waddie on the piazza. He looked very +nervous and uneasy, and I was afraid something had happened. + +“Where is the young lady?” I asked. + +“She is in the house,” he replied. “I was hoping I should see her +again. There is something wrong somewhere, Wolf. A man don’t treat a +young lady like that unless there is something wrong.” + +“It is hardly proper for us to meddle with the matter,” I suggested. + +“I don’t purpose to meddle with it, unless he abuses her before my +face. If he does that, I shall feel justified in protecting her; for a +man has no right to abuse even his own child. But I should like to know +something more about the matter,” continued Waddie, warmly. + +“Did she say anything to you on your way up to the hotel?” I asked. + +“Not a word. We were talking about the bear all the way. Her guardian +followed close to us. I know by her sad manner that she is in trouble +all the time. After the brute spoke to her as he did, my sympathies +were all with her.” + +“I don’t think we shall be likely to see her again. This men is +evidently her guardian, and he will take care that she does not come +out of her room again to-day.” + +“I would give a good deal to know what the trouble is between them. He +must be some relation to her, or she would not call him Charles.” + +“Very likely. Did you see Lord Palsgrave?” I inquired. + +“Not a lord,” laughed Waddie. “I asked the landlord about him, and was +told his lordship had taken a horse and buggy, but had not been seen +since. Mr. Overton appears to be a little worried about him; but I +don’t believe he has run away.” + +“I think we shall have to give up the idea of seeing the show +to-night,” I suggested. + +“We shall be about here a few days, and we will come up to the hotel +again,” replied Waddie. “I am ready to go down to the boat when you +are.” + +“I don’t think there is anything more for us to say or do here;” and we +started for the lake. + +Tom had put the Belle in good order during our absence, and caught some +fish for supper. While he was cooking them, we sat in the cabin, and +told him our adventure in the woods, informing him that he would have a +black bear for a passenger on the return voyage. + +“If he only behaves himself, I don’t care what he is,” laughed the +young skipper. + +“If he don’t behave well, you must bear with him,” said Waddie. + +“I’ll do that, for I can’t bear to quarrel with anybody, even if he is +a bear,” added Tom. + +“It is barely possible that he may help you, for he can bear a hand in +an emergency,” I continued. + +“Does he wear gloves?” asked the skipper. + +“No.” + +“How can he bare a hand, then?” grinned Tom. “However he will make a +good barometer.” + +“He knows _weather_--it rains or not.” + +“By the way, Wolf, is he barefooted?” inquired Tom. + +“Yes, and barefaced.” + +“Can he sing?” + +“Certainly; he is a barytone. But, punning aside, I must go home a day +sooner, and build a house for him.” + +“Baronial halls!” exclaimed Waddie. + +“Forbear!” I added. + +“What’s for bear?” asked Tom. “Beefsteak?” + +“Not an ounce; he must have no meat. It would make him savage, and then +he would eat up all the cats and kittens in the neighborhood, if not +the children,” I replied. + +“Don’t make a bugbear of him, Wolf,” added Waddie. + +“Fish ready!” shouted Tom. “Bear this dish to the table, if you please.” + +“Let the table bear it,” said Waddie. + +“The fish smells good, and I think my stomach will bear some of it,” I +added, as we seated ourselves at the table. + +The odor of the dish before us did not belie its quality, and we +ate a very hearty supper. For a vacation, this kind of life exactly +suited me. I enjoyed the sailing and the fishing very much, and it was +delightful o put in at the various points and ramble on shore, while +sleeping in the little cabin of the Belle added a new excitement to the +cruise. I had begun to think Ucayga Luke was rather too small to afford +full scope for the pleasures of such an occasion; and I thought, when +I was able, and had the time, a yacht cruise on the ocean would suit +me exactly. But the lake was certainly very pleasant, and I was not +disposed to complain. + +When we had finished our supper, Waddie and I adjourned to the +standing-room, in order to give Tom a chance to wash his dishes and put +the cabin in order; for three persons about filled it, so that there +was little space for one to move around. It was nearly dark, and there +was a fresh breeze on the lake. We enjoyed the scene very much, for +certainly there is no more beautiful region in the whole world than +that which surrounded us. The hills and the precipitous rocks were in +strong contrast with the water. The Ucayga was just passing the point +where we lay, though on the other side of the lake. Coming from the +opposite direction was a tow-boat, dragging slowly after her a fleet of +canal-boats. + +Waddie and I continued to pun on the bear till the last glimpses of +twilight were fading out behind the hills on the opposite shore of +the lake. Tom had made up our beds in the cabin, and we were thinking +of playing a game of chess, which I had just begun to learn under the +pleasant instruction of Grace Toppleton. The lamp on the foremast +burned brightly, and the little cabin looked very cosy and attractive. + +“What’s that?” exclaimed Waddie, suddenly, as a yell from the fleet of +canal-beats, which had just passed our anchorage, started us from the +quiet of our situation. “By the great horn spoon, one of the boats is +on fire!” + +“That’s so!” added Tom, nervously. “What shall we do?” + +“I don’t know that we can do anything,” I replied, as my companions, by +their looks, appeared to appeal to me. “It burns like tinder. I think +she must have petroleum, or something of that kind, on board.” + +The fire blazed up very suddenly, and it was plain to me that she had +some combustible materials on her deck. The hands on the other boats +made haste to cast off the fasts which connected the burning craft to +their own, in order to prevent the flames from spreading. At the same +time, the tow-boat increased her speed to drag the other canal-boats +out of the way of their dangerous companion. + +“Get up your anchor, Tom. Let us go out there, and see what we can do,” +said I. “The thing appears to be drifting this way, and we may be +burned up if we stay here.” + +“My sentiments exactly,” replied Tom, as he sprang to his cable. + +“Stand by the jib-halyards, Waddie,” I added, removing the stops from +the mainsail. “Up with it!” + +We were all thorough boatmen, and in half a minute we had the Belle +under way. As the burning canal boat was dead to windward of us, we +had to stand away from her, in order to beat up to her position. As +soon as Tom had set the jib, he took the helm, while Waddie and I +seated ourselves to watch the progress of the flames. By this time +the steamer, having dragged the other canal-boats out of the reach of +possible danger, had stopped her wheels, and was getting out a boat to +visit the doomed vessel, for such she was by this time, as her deck was +covered with one sheet of flame. + +“Help! Help!” shouted some one from the boat. + +“By the great horn spoon, there is some one on board of her!” exclaimed +Waddie, springing to his feet under the excitement of the moment. + +“I do not see any one,” added Tom. “Of course those who were on board +left her before she cast off from the other boats. They had only to +step from one deck to another.” + +“Help! Help! Save me!” again shouted the unseen person. + +“He must be in the cabin,” I suggested. “The wind drives the flame +right over the hatchway, so that he cannot escape.” + +“What shall we do?” demanded Waddie, appalled by the prospect of a +human being perishing in the flames before our eyes. + +“Run up to windward of her, Tom,” said I. + +He obeyed, and by the time the Belle reached her bow, I had the cable +ready to make fast to her stern. + +[Illustration: FIRE ON THE LAKE. Page 56.] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE RESCUED PASSENGER. + + +The stern of the burning canal-boat was to windward, so that the flames +were driven over the entrance to the cabin. I made fast the cable of +the Belle to the bow of the burning craft. + +“Now, Tom, take the wind on your port beam, and let her drive as hard +as she will.” + +“I see; you want to sling her round.” + +“Yes, Waddie, you and I will help her with the oars, for it will be a +hard pull to swing that heavy canal-boat.” + +We took the oars; and, when the Belle came up with a jerk, which nearly +threw us overboard,--for the wind was quite fresh,--we strained our +muscles at the oars. + +“Pull, Waddie!” I cried, anxiously, for I felt that the safety of +the man in the cabin of the burning boat depended entirely upon the +success of our movement. + +Tom helped Waddie with one hand, while he steered with the other. +Though the burning boat was very long and heavy, it did not require +much power to turn her, balanced as she was on the water. The sails of +the Belle pulled strong, our efforts at the oars increased the force, +and we soon had the satisfaction of seeing that we were accomplishing +our purpose. As soon as the vessel began to turn, her inertia being +overcome, the work was easy, and we whirled her on her axis like a top. + +“Hold on, now!” I shouted, boating my oar. “She will swing the rest of +the way without any help. Come about, Tom, and run up to her bow before +the fire makes it too warm there to cast off the cable.” + +“Won’t you bring my hatchet out of the cook-room, Wolf?” added Tom. + +I brought a small hatchet from the cuddy, which Tom used in splitting +up his wood. + +The canal-boat continued to swing under the impetus we had given her. +As soon as she had turned into a position so that the wind struck her +broadside, and carried the flames away from the cabin door, we saw a +man rush up the steps. + +“There he is!” shouted Waddie. “Bear a hand, Tom! Let her drive.” + +“She is driving all she will,” replied Tom. “Wolf, we won’t wait to +untie that cable; just chop it off with the hatchet when I luff her up.” + +“Help! Help!” shouted the man on the after-deck of the canal-boat. + +“We will be there in a minute!” shouted Tom. “Keep cool!” + +“It’s rather a warm place to keep cool in,” suggested Waddie. + +“Now, luff up, Tom, and we will get clear of the cable.” + +He put the helm hard down, and, as the boat came up into the wind, +the cable lay across the forward deck of the Belle. With one blow +of the hatchet I severed it, about thirty feet from the bow of the +canal-boat, so that Tom lost only a small portion of his line. The man +on deck had seated himself at the extreme end of the boat, with his +legs hanging over the water, in readiness to leap into the lake, if +the flames were again driven upon him. But the combustible material +seemed to be amidships, though the wood-work was now well kindled, and +the great volume of the flame was at this part of the boat. Tom ran the +Belle around under the stern of the burning vessel, and I fastened the +boat-hook to it, as she lost her headway. + +“Drop down,” said I to the person above. + +He first threw a black leather travelling-bag upon the forward deck, +whose contents rattled as though it were filled with old iron. With the +assistance of Waddie and myself, he came down himself, and stepped into +the standing-room. I picked up his valise, as Tom filled away again, in +order that it might not be lost overboard when the Belle heeled over +under the pressure of the sails. + +“You came out of a warm place,” said Waddie, as the stranger seated +himself. + +“Not very warm,” he replied. “I was in the cabin, and there was no fire +down there.” + +“But there would have been very soon.” + +“No doubt of that. There are two windows in the stern, but, as I +cannot swim, I did not like to jump out into the water,” continued the +stranger. + +“You take it very coolly,” said Tom, with a grin. + +“I don’t know that I was afraid of anything. I supposed those other +canal-boats were close by, and as soon as I saw or heard any one, I +meant to jump into the water, and let him pick me up.” + +“Was there no one with you on board?” asked Waddie. + +“Yes, a whole family; but they were on deck when the fire broke out, +and had only to step on board one of the other boats by her side. I +have been travelling a great deal lately, and I was tired and sleepy; +so I lay down in a bunk, and went to sleep. When the fire broke out, +the men yelled, and that waked me up. I sprang for the stairs, but +a sheet of flame lay right over the cabin doors, and I couldn’t go +through. So I shut the doors, and went to the windows. I yelled with +all my might, to let the boatmen know where I was; but none of them +came near me. Then I tried the doors again, and found the fire was +blowing off in another direction.” + +“That was after we had swung the canal-boat around,” interposed Waddie. + +“I did not know what did it, but when it was safe to do so I went on +deck.” + +“How did the boat catch afire?” asked Tom. + +“I don’t know. There is half a dozen barrels on deck, and they smelled +like petroleum. Very likely some smoker dropped his match into the +stuff. I heard something which I took to be the bursting of one of the +barrels; at any rate, they made a jolly fire. But now I am out of the +scrape, I don’t know that I care.” + +“It won’t be pleasant for the owner to have his property destroyed,” +suggested Waddie; and I think none of us were pleased with the selfish +remark of the stranger. + +The person whom we had rescued from the burning boat was a young man, +not more than twenty-five. He was very well dressed, and I judged from +his air and manner that he had seen the world. He interlarded his +narrative with much offensive profanity, with which I do not care to +soil my pages. On the whole, he did not produce an agreeable impression +upon any of us. + +“Have you got that man out of the cabin?” shouted a man in the boat +from the steamer. + +“Yes, he is safe,” replied Tom. “Why don’t you bring up your steamer, +and put the fire out?” + +“No use; we couldn’t put it out now.” + +“Haven’t you a fire engine on your tow-boat?” I asked. + +“No; it is broke down.” + +I was inclined to agree with the speaker, who was the captain of the +steamer, that it was useless to attempt to extinguish the fire, for the +canal-boat was now one mass of flame. She was drifting rapidly towards +the shore, and I was afraid she would set the woods on fire, for the +bushes hung over the bank, so that the flame would be blown directly +into them. + +“Will you go on board one of those canal-boats, sir, or shall we put +you on shore?” asked Tom, addressing our passenger. + +“I don’t know. I have had about enough canal-boat for one day,” he +replied, shrugging his shoulders. + +“I will do just as you say,” added Tom. + +“Is there any hotel around here?” inquired the stranger. + +“Yes, a first-rate hotel, not far from the falls,” added our skipper, +pointing in the direction of the spot. + +“Then I will go there.” + +“All right,” answered Tom, heading the Belle towards the shore. + +“My name is Schleifer,” continued the stranger. “I am a drummer for a +hardware house in New York.” + +This seemed to be a satisfactory explanation to me of the nature of the +contents of his travelling-bag, which had rattled like old iron when he +threw it upon the deck, and which I found, when I lifted it, was very +heavy. + +“I got into Hitaca too late to take the boat down the lake, for I +expect to sell some goods at the towns below. I had taken all the +orders I could get in Hitaca a few days before; so I had nothing to do, +and wanted to get to Middleport. I didn’t like the idea of lying around +Hitaca till the next morning; so I thought I would try a canal-boat, +just for the novelty of the thing.” + +“Well, how did you like it?” asked Waddie. + +“I liked it well enough till the fire interfered with the tranquillity +of my dreams; but I did not even get singed; so I have no reason to +complain.” + +By this time the Belle had reached the shore at the point off which she +had been moored before. The burning canal-boat had grounded just above +us, on a shoal place. As her combustibles on deck had been consumed, +the flames were not so fierce, and did not reach the shore. + +“I suppose I’m a lucky dog,” said Schleifer, as Tom lowered his sails, +having made fast to a tree on shore. “My life is not insured, and it +would have been an ugly investment for any office half an hour ago.” + +“Thank God for preserving your life,” I added. + +“That’s all very well; but I thank my own coolness that I wasn’t fool +enough to rush on deck, where the fire would have made an end of me in +a minute and a quarter. Do you happen to have any whiskey on board of +this craft?” + +“Not a drop,” replied Tom, promptly. “We haven’t any use for the +article, and we don’t keep it.” + +“They keep it at the hotel--don’t they?” + +“I suppose they do. I never called for any,” added Tom. + +“Are you the skipper of this craft?” asked Schleifer, in a kind of +contemptuous tone. + +“I am; and the craft is a good deal better than the skipper.” + +“That may be; and, if you don’t take any whiskey, I should say you were +half right, at least. I should think, with so much cold water under you +and all around you, you would want a little drop of whiskey, just to +help keep up an equilibrium, you know.” + +“I find that people who take whiskey find it the most difficult to keep +up an equilibrium.” + +“Every one to his fancy; but I can’t sell goods without a little +whiskey. I generally carry a pocket pistol in my bag; but it got +smashed against the hardware, the other day, and I’ve been dry ever +since.” + +“That was because you did not keep up the equilibrium,” laughed Tom. +“What kind of hardware do you sell, Mr. Schleifer?” + +“Iron, of course.” + +“Pickaxes and crowbars?” + +“Not exactly. I couldn’t carry samples in my bag very well. I think I +will try to find that hotel now. Did I understand you to say that you +were the skipper of this boat?” + +“I have that honor; and I wouldn’t swap it off to be governor of the +state,” replied Tom. + +“Do you keep her to let?” + +“That’s what I keep her for.” + +“She is a good-looking boat; but I should like her better if she +carried a little whiskey on board,” said Schleifer. “Haven’t you just a +thimbleful, say forty drops, in the medicine chest?” + +“Not the twentieth part of a drop.” + +“How long does it take you to run from here down to Cent-- down to +Middleport?” asked the drummer. + +“That depends on the wind.” + +“Well, as the wind is to-night.” + +“I could fetch it in four hours. The wind would be fair after I got by +Priam.” + +“Well, skipper, seeing it’s you, I will give you a five-dollar bill if +you will land me in Centre-- I mean in Middleport.” + +“Well, seeing it’s you, Mr. Schleifer, I won’t do it.” + +“Not for five dollars?” + +“No, nor for ten. My boat is engaged to these gentlemen for the rest of +the week.” + +“We will let you off, Tom,” whispered Waddie. + +“I don’t want to be let off.” + +“I have an invitation from Captain Portman for Waddie and myself to +sleep at his house,” I added. + +“Is that so? Then I will take him down to Centreport for ten dollars.” + +“Middleport,” said Schleifer. “I will give you five.” + +“No; nothing short of ten for a night run down the lake. I like to +sleep a little once in a while.” + +After some bickering the drummer agreed to give ten dollars for his +passage; but he insisted upon going to the hotel first for a “drop of +whiskey.” + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE ENGLISH LORD AND THE DRUMMER. + + +“I couldn’t go to sleep to-night without a drop of whiskey, and I must +have some,” said Schleifer. “It won’t take me long to go to the hotel.” + +“Do you know the way?” inquired Waddie. + +“No; but I can find it.” + +“We are going up that way. We will show you the road.” + +“I don’t need any help. I can snuff a place where they sell whiskey two +miles off,” replied the commercial gentleman, coarsely. + +He went on shore, taking his bag with him, and made his way up to +the road which led to the hotel. Waddie and I walked up to Captain +Portman’s house; but he was not at home, though the servant said he +would return soon. He had probably gone over to the hotel, which he +generally visited in the evening. We did not care to remain if Captain +Portman was not at home, and we walked towards the hotel, expecting to +meet him there. + +“Why didn’t that fellow go to Middleport in the tow-boat, if he wanted +to go there?” said Waddie, who had taken a strong dislike to Tom’s +passenger. + +“I suppose he was afraid of being blown up, or burned up,” I replied. + +“He did not even take the trouble to thank us for saving him from the +flames.” + +“Probably he does not think we saved him from anything but a wet +jacket,” I suggested. + +“Even that is worth acknowledging.” + +“These drummers live on brass, and this fellow is in the hardware line.” + +“Waddie! Is that you?” called Tom Walton, as he rushed up to us when we +came down the hill from Captain Portman’s mansion. + +“Yes, it is I. What’s the matter, Tom?” asked Waddie. + +“A young woman just came down to the boat, and said she wanted to see +you very bad,” replied Tom, with no little excitement in his manner. + +“A young woman! Who is she?” + +“I haven’t the least idea; but she has a nobby look, as I made her out +in the dark. She wanted you so bad that I told her I would try and find +you.” + +“Who can it be?” said Waddie. + +“Probably Miss Dornwood,” I suggested. + +“But she would not be out of the hotel at this hour in the evening.” + +“Her relations with her guardian were not very pleasant, you know,” I +added. + +“Well, we will go down and see her, at any rate;” and we walked towards +the moorings of the Belle. + +“Waddie, you must be very careful,” said I, not at all pleased with the +complications which seemed to be before us. + +“Careful? What do you mean, Wolf?” + +“If I am not mistaken, the question which we attempted to dodge once +before this evening will come up again.” + +“What’s that?” + +“When Mr.-- What’s his name?” + +“Mr. Overton,” added Waddie, supplying the name I had forgotten. + +“When Mr. Overton attempted to compel Miss Dornwood to return to the +hotel, you stepped between him and her. If the bear had not made a +scene just at that moment, there might have been a quarrel between you +and the guardian.” + +“You are too cautious, Wolf. I wouldn’t stand by and see him abuse the +young lady. Why, Captain Portman said he should interfere, and take the +responsibility,” protested Waddie. + +“I would interfere if there were any real abuse, Waddie; but I think +it is better to wait for a pretty strong provocation before you meddle +with family affairs.” + +“I will be as careful as I can, Wolf; but when I see a young lady +persecuted by a cruel guardian, it isn’t exactly my style to take it +coolly.” + +“We don’t know anything about the facts yet, and you must remember that +there are two sides to every story.” + +“I will try to remember it. But I don’t see what she wants with me.” + +“Very likely she has had some trouble with her guardian, and wants your +assistance.” + +“If I can assist her, I shall certainly do so. I think that Overton is +a brute, whatever his relations to the lady may be.” + +By this time we were near the boat, and I repeated, in a low tone, my +caution to Waddie. I saw that he was very much interested in the young +lady, and, aware of his impetuous character, I was afraid he would be +too forward in rendering assistance to her. Miss Dornwood stood upon +the shore near the boat. As we approached her, I saw that she was very +much agitated, and I regarded this as altogether in her favor. + +“Good evening, Miss Dornwood,” said Waddie. + +“I do not know what you will think of me,” she replied, in trembling +tones. “I am very much alarmed.” + +“What is the matter?” asked Waddie, in a tone which was calculated to +assure her. + +“I wished to see you very much, for you were so kind to me that I was +sure you would assist me.” + +“I should be very glad to assist you, if it is in my power to do so.” + +“You said you had a boat. I suppose this is the one.” + +“It is not mine, though we came up the lake to-day in her.” + +“Do you know where the town of Ruoara is?” asked the young lady, as she +glanced around her in terror. + +“I do, very well indeed. It is only eight miles from my home,” replied +Waddie. + +“I wish to go there very much,” continued she, earnestly. + +“To-night?” + +“Yes, to-night--immediately.” + +“That’s very unfortunate, for the skipper has to take a gentleman to +Middleport,” replied Waddie. + +“O, dear! What shall I do?” exclaimed the young lady. “I must go at +once.” + +“Perhaps you can go in the boat with the gentleman as far as +Middleport, and--” + +“Who is the gentleman?” interposed she, anxiously. + +“I don’t know him. He is a commercial agent.” + +“I cannot go with a stranger,” said she, shaking her head in a very +positive manner. + +“Am I not a stranger?” + +“No; I learned, after we parted this afternoon, that you were the son +of a very influential gentleman, and you were kind enough to step +between me and my guardian, when he intended to lay his hands upon me.” + +“Who told you this?” + +“The landlord. He said your friend was Captain Penniman; and I was +sure, after the service you had rendered me, that you would again be my +friend, and help me to get to Ruoara.” + +“Won’t you sit down in the boat?” added Waddie, stepping on board of +the Belle. + +“No, I thank you. I do not wish to meet any strangers,” replied Miss +Dornwood. “I know you think I am very bold; but I should not have come +to you if I had not known who you were.” + +“If you will not go with the gentleman, I do not see what I can do for +you. There is no other sail-boat here.” + +“I suppose I must return to my prison,” said she, bursting into tears. + +“Do not weep,” interposed Waddie, moved by her grief. + +“Mr. Wimpleton, I envy the poor man’s daughter who is surrounded by +good and true friends,” sobbed she. “I will go back to my prison.” + +“What do you mean by your prison?” inquired Waddie. + +“My guardian sent me to my room, and then locked me in it. I cannot +endure such indignities. I am going to leave him. I am going to work +for my daily bread in a factory, in a shop--anywhere that I can earn +enough to support me.” + +“Is your situation so desperate as this?” + +“It is, indeed! If I had no spirit at all, perhaps I could endure it.” + +“There comes some one,” interposed Tom Walton, who had walked up to the +road, as soon as he understood the case, in order to warn us of the +approach of his passenger. + +Without another word, Miss Dornwood fled like a frightened fawn in the +direction opposite that in which Schleifer was approaching. Waddie, +deeply interested in her case, followed her, intent upon assisting her +to the extent of his ability. + +“There is some one with him,” said Tom, as I joined him, half way +between the lake and the road. + +“Perhaps you are to have two passengers,” I suggested. + +The drummer and the person who was with him halted in the road, and +seemed to be engaged in a very earnest conversation. We could not hear +a word they said, but it was evident that they had not met for the +first time, and that they were not talking about the sale of hardware. +It was too dark to see any more than the form of Schleifer’s friend. + +“You wait here,” said he, after the conversation had continued a few +moments. + +“Hurry up,” replied the other person, whose voice seemed to be familiar +to me, though I could not identify it. + +As the drummer approached, we retreated towards the boat. + +“Hallo, there, skipper!” shouted he. + +“Are you ready?” asked Tom, as we stopped, and waited till he came up. + +“If it’s all the same to you, I won’t go down the lake to-night. I +met a friend of mine at the hotel, and I want to stay with him till +to-morrow.” + +“All right,” answered Tom. + +“A trade’s a trade. I agreed to give you ten dollars for the trip. +If you will call it five, and not go, I shall be satisfied,” added +Schleifer. + +“I don’t want any five, if you don’t go,” replied Tom. “I only want +what I earn.” + +“But I am willing to compromise.” + +“I don’t compromise. We will call it square as it is. If you are +satisfied, I am.” + +“Well, I shall want your boat another time, and I’ll make it right with +you then,” added the drummer, as he turned to leave. + +“It’s all right now.” + +“That’s lucky for Waddie,” I suggested. + +“It works first rate. Now, if Waddie wants to take the lady to Ruoara, +the boat is all ready.” + +“But where is he?” + +“They haven’t got a great way yet.” + +“Probably she will go towards the hotel. You follow them, Tom, and +I will go up this way,” I replied, moving in the direction which +Schleifer had taken. + +I soon discovered the drummer and his friend walking rapidly towards +the hotel. I was a little curious to know who the person was whose +voice had sounded so familiar to me, and I quickened my pace, hoping +the lights in front of the hotel would enable me to obtain a clear view +of him. I followed them closely; but before reaching the hotel they +turned in at a road which led to the stable in the rear. Before I could +come up with them, they had seated themselves in a light wagon, which +must have been ordered before, and drove off. + +“Who are those gentlemen?” I asked of the stable-keeper, who stood in +the yard with a lantern in his hand. + +“One of them I never saw till now; the other is stopping at the hotel, +and is a big gun,” he replied. + +“I know the taller one. Who is the other?” + +“He’s the big gun. He came this morning; but no one found out what he +was till after dinner.” + +“What is he?” + +“He’s the big gun. He’s an English lord. I forget what they call him.” + +“Lord Palsgrave,” I suggested. + +“That’s the name. He’s a nobby fellow, and spreads his dollars with a +looseness.” + +“Where is he going now?” + +“To Priam, I reckon. He said he should not be back till to-morrow +morning; and there is to be a big dance there to-night. But I wonder he +didn’t take the young lady with him, who came with his party.” + +I walked round the hotel, in order to intercept Waddie and Miss +Dornwood; but I saw nothing of them, and I concluded that Tom had +already overtaken them. After the information I had obtained from the +stable-keeper, my idea of an English lord was considerably modified. +He was on good terms with a hardware drummer, which did not seem to be +exactly consistent with his exalted position. But it was possible that +the drummer was a baron or a marquis in disguise, though the clatter of +his hardware samples did not tend to prove it. + +I continued my walk towards the lake, and presently met Waddie and Miss +Dornwood. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +MISS DORNWOOD’S STORY. + + +As soon as I saw and recognized Waddie and Miss Dornwood, they turned +out of the road with the evident intention of avoiding me. + +“Waddie!” I called to him. + +Hearing my voice, they returned to the road, assured that I was not the +brutal guardian whom the young lady had so much reason to shun. + +“Haven’t you seen Tom?” I asked. + +“No.” + +“He is looking for you.” + +“We heard some one behind us, and turned aside till he had passed,” +added Waddie. “What does he want?” + +“The drummer has concluded not to go to Middleport to-night.” + +“And can you have the boat?” inquired Miss Dornwood, eagerly. + +“The boat is certainly available,” I replied. “But do you really wish +to make a trip of thirty miles on the lake in the night?” + +“I am afraid of nothing but the tyranny of my guardian,” she responded, +promptly. + +“Where is Tom?” inquired Waddie. “We will lose no time.” + +“I will find him. If he passed you, he must be near the hotel.” + +They walked towards the boat, and I returned to the hotel, where I +found Tom, and we soon joined Waddie on board of the Belle. We were +all ready to start; but I confess I was very much troubled about the +circumstances of the voyage. The mainsail was flapping in the fresh +breeze; but I was somewhat afraid that Waddie was getting himself, and +perhaps me, into a scrape. + +“Are you going, Waddie?” I asked, in introducing what I wished to say. + +“Certainly I am.” + +“I hope you will go with me. I should not feel safe without you,” added +Miss Dornwood. + +“Won’t you go too, Wolf?” asked Waddie. + +“I should be glad to have you,” continued the young lady. + +“I am not perfectly clear in regard to this matter,” I suggested. + +“Pray do not stay here any longer,” interposed Miss Dornwood. “If my +guardian should discover my absence, I’m afraid he would come down here +to look for me. Please to go out upon the lake, and I will tell you all +my story. Then, if you will not assist me, we can return.” + +“Shove off, Tom,” I replied. + +The skipper ran up the jib, and the Belle, gathering headway, stood out +into the lake. + +“I think you are very cautious, Captain Penniman,” said Miss Dornwood. + +“I am sure my friend here does not wish to do anything wrong,” I added. + +“I will bear all the blame,” said Waddie, warmly. “I think I can find +friends for Miss Dornwood without going so far as Ruoara.” + +“Where?” I asked, curiously. + +“At my father’s house.” + +“I shall not be obliged to trespass upon the kindness of your father’s +family, Mr. Wimpleton,” added Miss Dornwood. “My friends in Ruoara will +not hesitate to receive me into their house, though they know all the +circumstances of my situation.” + +“Who are they?” I asked. + +“Mr. Pinkerton and his family. Do you know them?” + +“Very well indeed. Ben Pinkerton’s father,” added Waddie. + +The Pinkertons were of the highest social standing in Ruoara, and I was +almost willing to believe that there could be no harm in conveying the +young lady to such friends as they were. + +“Emily Pinkerton was my schoolmate at the academy, and before my father +died, our two families became quite intimate,” continued Miss Dornwood. +“Emily was at my guardian’s house last spring with her father and +mother, and they know all about the circumstances.” + +“Do they think it is proper for you to leave your guardian?” + +“Mr. Pinkerton told me himself to come to his house whenever I could +not endure my guardian any longer. I should have gone there before if +I could have got away.” + +“Are your father and mother both dead?” I inquired. + +“Both of them. I am going to tell you the whole history of our family. +I am seventeen now, and Mr. Pinkerton says I am old enough to think for +myself. I believe I am.” + +“I should say you were,” I replied. + +“My mother was married twice,” Miss Dornwood began. “Her first +husband’s name was Richard Overton, and they had one son, Charles +Overton, who is now my guardian. His father died when he was only four +years old. Two years after his death, my mother was married again, to +Edward Dornwood, my father. He was a wealthy man; but he was deformed, +and in very poor health. I wish I could tell you how much I loved him, +and how devoted he was to me. Even the great hump upon his back was not +a deformity in my eyes. But, feeble as he was, my mother was the first +to pass away, and died when I was only eight. I hardly remember her. I +have no doubt she loved me as a mother should love a child; but I know +she used to scold me very severely, and I recollect this more clearly +than anything else. + +“My father never spoke an unkind word to me. When I did wrong, when I +fretted, he looked so sad,--sometimes actually shedding tears,--that +it became a positive terror to me to displease him. When he became so +feeble that he could not leave the house, I spent all my time out of +school with him. His eyes failed so that he could not see well, and, +for hours together, I used to read books to him which had not the least +interest to me. I can truly say, that I was never so happy as when with +him.” + +“Where was this Charles Overton all this time?” I asked, as she paused +to wipe away her tears. + +“He lived near us, and professed a very deep interest in my poor dear +father, and in me too, for that matter. His father had died a poor +man, and he was a clerk in a store. He used to come in every day, and +express so much solicitude for my father and his affairs, that we were +all deceived in him. We thought he was a good man, but really all he +cared for was my father’s money. By degrees he won his confidence; +and, though he had never treated me as a sister when we were children +together, I was very grateful to him for the care he bestowed upon his +step-father. + +“When I was about fourteen years old, my father began to fail in health +very rapidly, and it was evident to himself, as it was to the rest of +us, that he could not last many months longer. With a calmness which +seemed to be awful to me, he spoke of leaving the earth to join the +angels in heaven. I wept bitterly at the thought of parting with him; +but he suffered so terribly that I finally became reconciled to his +going, for I realized that my loss, even in a worldly sense, would be +his gain. Then he told me about his property, and asked me if I should +like to have Charles for my guardian. + +“I was fifteen years old, but I knew little or nothing about business. +I was entirely satisfied to have Charles an my guardian, though I +hardly comprehended what his relations with me in that capacity were +to be. The next day came the lawyers, and my father made some changes +in his will, which had been written years before. In a word, he named +Charles Overton as my guardian, and made him the executor of his will. +I am sure he charged him to be very kind to me, and to take good care +of my fortune. But my father lived nearly a year after he had settled +up his worldly affairs, during which Charles was as devoted to him and +me as the most loving son and brother could be. He came to our house to +live, in order that he might better attend to the wants of the invalid, +and resigned his situation in the store so that he could devote all his +time to this duty. + +“I will not try to tell you the sad story of my father’s death. He +passed away, and ceased to suffer. We laid him in the silent tomb, and +life was not to me what it had been before. I had lost my greatest +earthly comfort, and, young as I was, I looked forward with joy and +hope to the time when I should join my father in heaven. But this +sadness wore away, though I have not ceased, and never shall cease, +to think of my father as an angel, even when he was upon the earth. +Charles Overton took charge of everything, and came into actual +possession of the house in which I had lived all my life. It was more +than six months after my father’s death when he spoke to me about +business. Then he showed me my father’s will, and read it to me. He +described the legal forms through which he had passed, but I could not +understand them. + +“My father gave him twenty thousand dollars in his will, and a fixed +salary for doing the business of his estate until I was of age. After +giving many legacies to charitable objects, the residue of his fortune +was given to me. I was told that I was the heiress of two hundred +thousand dollars. But there was one very singular clause in the will, +to the effect that, if I married without the consent of Charles +Overton, I was to receive fifty thousand dollars, and the residue of +the fortune was to go to my half brother. I was astonished and shocked +at this part of the will. I asked Charles to let me see it. Certainly +it was all written down as he had read it; but it seemed incredible to +me that my doting father had intended to subject me to such a condition. + +“About this time Charles Overton began to exercise his authority over +me. He resorted to every expedient in his power to annoy me, and make +me miserable. He succeeded, too, in making me as unhappy as I could +wish any human being to be, if he were my worst enemy. I could not +divine his object; but, between him and his wife, I had hardly a day +of peace from one year’s end to the other. I was not permitted to go +into company, nor to visit those who had been my friends and companions +during the latter years of my father’s life. I was not allowed even to +take a walk without some one to attend me, and see that I made no new +acquaintances, nor met any old ones. I may say with truth that I have +been a slave now for nearly two years. + +“I remonstrated and protested against this treatment; but Charles +explained that he was only carrying out the wishes of my father that he +should watch over me with the utmost care. It was only when I believed +I comprehended his motives, that I ventured actually to resist him. I +refused to obey him, and went out when I could find an opportunity. I +was fully persuaded that he intended to break me down and wear me out, +so that he could get my fortune.” + +“But why is he so particular that you should make no acquaintances?” +asked Waddie. “If you should be married without his consent, he will +get most of your fortune.” + +“Mr. Pinkerton told me that clause would not stand the test of the law. +But I do not think of being married either with or without my half +brother’s consent,” added Miss Dornwood, with much embarrassment. + +She paused a few moments, and looked over the side of the boat into the +water. I realized that it was a great trial to her to feel obliged to +tell this long and painful narrative. + +“I have not told you the worst yet,” she continued. “I was satisfied +that Charles Overton wanted my money; that he was plotting day and +night to obtain it. Doubtless what he termed my obstinacy worried him. +He is a man of no principle whatever, and I am sure he is equal to any +crime he has the courage to perpetrate. About three weeks ago, while we +were at Cape May, we met Lord Palsgrave. While we were bathing in the +surf one day, a wave lifted me off my feet, and carried me out of my +depth. I could swim, and was not at all alarmed; but his lordship swam +out to me, and, in spite of my protest, insisted upon saving me from a +watery grave. I thanked him for his good intentions, though I did not +need his services; and from that time to this he has clung to me. I +must tell the whole truth: he proposed to me, and I promptly rejected +him, for I did not like him. My intimacy with him assured me there was +not much difference between a lord and a boor. My guardian did like +him, if I did not, and declared that his lordship was the only man who +could marry me with his consent. I was persecuted on this subject till +I was disgusted with it.” + +And then the poor girl burst into tears again. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE STRANGE BOAT. + + +Miss Dornwood was evidently contrasting her present situation with the +happiness which had been her portion during the lifetime of her father. +It was not strange that she wept, as she compared the tenderness of her +devoted parent with the harshness and brutality of Charles Overton. +I had seen enough of him to convince me that she had not exaggerated +the truth, and I was so moved by her story that I was ready to do as +much as Waddie to assist her. There was nothing said, therefore, about +returning to the hotel, and the Belle dashed on her course over the +waves. + +Tom Walton sat at the helm, drinking in every detail of the young +lady’s story, but still, from the force of habit, working the boat with +the nicest skill. He made long tacks, and had run nearly over to Port +Gunga, so that from this point he could lay a course directly through +the Narrows, about fifteen miles distant, without cramping her. + +“Do you think his lordship is really a lord?” I asked, when Miss +Dornwood had become quiet, and we ceased to hear her sobs. + +“I suppose he is. I have no reason to doubt it,” she replied. “He +showed me a letter from his father the other day.” + +“Who is his father?” + +“The letter was signed ‘Dumford.’ He explained that his father was +Earl of Dumford, and taking his father’s second title, he was called +Lord Palsgrave. I know nothing about these things, and really feel +no interest in them. He talks about the nobility of England with a +familiarity which indicates a thorough acquaintance, and, as I know +nothing about the matter, he might do so with entire impunity. He +clings to me all the time. I cannot go out of the house that he does +not follow me. He has not left me for so long a time since we first met +as he did to-day, when I encountered the bear. Indeed, I have not seen +him since; but, then, I was shut up in my room.” + +“How did you get out of your prison?” inquired Waddie. + +“As soon as it was dark, I went out of the window upon the roof of the +piazza, and entered one of the entries by another window. Passing down +the back stairs, I came to the grove, and made my way to the place +where I had seen your boat. Now, all I ask of you is, to convey me to +Mr. Pinkerton’s house. I will give you no further trouble.” + +“Indeed, I shall be very glad to serve you to any extent you may +require,” said Waddie. + +“Thank you; but I shall not have to trouble you any further, and I will +pay the boatman for what he has done.” + +“Not a penny for me, miss. I should blush if I could take any money for +a job of this kind,” protested Tom. + +“I really cannot see what motive your guardian has for compelling you +to marry this lord,” I added, changing the topic. “He will consent to +this, and his consent prevents him from reaping any benefit under your +father’s will.” + +“I do not understand it myself,” replied Miss Dornwood. + +“It would be his policy to withhold his consent, whoever the person may +be.” + +“So it seems to me; but I hope I never shall see Lord Palsgrave again. +Charles knows that I dislike him, and this may be the reason why he +persecutes me.” + +“Miss Dornwood, I don’t believe this Palsgrave is a lord any more than +I am,” I ventured to remark. + +“Why, what makes you think he is not?” she asked, astonished at my +violent conclusion. + +“I saw him get into a buggy and drive off with the drummer that we took +out of the burning canal-boat.” + +“Is that so?” inquired Waddie. + +“His voice sounded a little familiar to me, as I heard him speak to the +hardware man.” + +“Are you sure it was he?” said Waddie. + +“I did not know who it was then; but when I saw them drive off +together, I asked the stable-keeper who he was. He assured me it was +the English lord. I don’t think the nobility of England, as a general +rule, run with hardware drummers.” + +“Did the drummer really go away with his lordship?” added Waddie, +rubbing his hands, as though he were delighted with the fact; and +I think by this time he had some idea himself of defeating the +matrimonial project of Lord Palsgrave. + +“I could not have been mistaken.” + +“A man is known by the company he keeps, and if that Schleifer isn’t a +scoundrel, I will never ask the privilege of guessing again. But you +must be tired by this time, Miss Dornwood.” + +“I am, indeed, very tired. I am not strong, and the excitement of this +day has fatigued me very much,” she replied. + +“There is a nice little cabin forward, and you shall have it all to +yourself. It is now only ten o’clock, and we shall not reach Ruoara +before one or two. You can go to sleep just the same as though you were +on shore.” + +“I could not go to sleep, even if I were at home.” + +“Well, you can lie down and rest yourself,” persisted Waddie. + +After much persuasion she consented to occupy the cabin, and, as she +entered, Waddie closed the doors, for there was sufficient ventilation +through the blinds in them. As the Belle flew on her course, dashing +the spray smartly over her bow, we sat by the side of the skipper +discussing Lord Palsgrave. Certain I was that his voice had sounded +familiar to me; but I labored in vain to fasten it upon any person I +could recall to mind. + +We heard nothing of our lady passenger, and we concluded she had gone +to sleep. Tom began to gape fearfully, and I felt very sleepy myself, +while Waddie was as wide awake as ever. At the suggestion of the +latter, Tom and I wrapped ourselves up in our overcoats, and stretching +ourselves upon the scats, went to sleep, leaving him at the helm. It +was not necessary that all of us should keep awake, and Waddie agreed +to call one of us to take his place in a couple of hours. I do not +thick my position was a very comfortable one, for I dreamed that an +enormous black bear had squatted down upon my stomach, and insisted +upon shaking hands with me. But my hands seemed to be tied behind me, +so that I could not comply with his bearship’s civil demand; and the +next best thing I could do was to struggle to free myself from the +weight that rested upon me, and made me feel very uncomfortable. I +continued to labor in this manner, when, instead of throwing off the +bear, I smashed the boat beneath me, with a loud crash. I waked under +this shock, and started to my feet to escape drowning in the lake. + +“Boat ahoy!” shouted Waddie, as I stood up. + +Then I realized that the Belle had actually struck something, the shock +of which had become part of my vision. + +“What’s the matter, Waddie?” asked Tom Walton, who had been aroused by +the crash. + +“I ran into a boat just now,” replied Waddie, straining his eyes to +penetrate the gloom which surrounded us. + +“Where is it?” I asked. + +“I don’t know. I can’t see it, but I hear the stroke of oars.” + +“What boat was it?” + +“I don’t know, I only got a glimpse of her, as she slid off to leeward +of us.” + +[Illustration: THE STRANGE BOAT. Page 101.] + +“Where are we?” + +“Right in the Narrows. Finding I was running too close to the +Middleport side, I let out the sheet and kept her away. In an instant I +struck the boat. There were two men in it, and that is all I know about +it. Hold on!” exclaimed he. “Take the helm, Tom, and I’ll light up the +lake.” + +Waddie had brought with him some bengola lights, with which he purposed +to try an experiment in fishing. Taking one of these, he placed it on +the well-trap to keep it from burning the deck, and set it on fire. The +bengola blazed with a brilliant light, and the lake was illuminated +from one side to the other, for in the Narrows it was only a mile wide. + +“There it is!” shouted Tom, pointing to a small row-boat, in which were +two persons, pulling with all their might towards the Centreport shore. + +“Keep her away, Tom,” said I, earnestly. “I want to see who they are.” + +Tom let out the sheet, and put the helm up; but the boat disappeared +behind the steamboat wharf before we could get near enough to see the +faces of the two men. + +“No use; they are ashore by this time,” said Waddie. + +“I don’t see what anybody should be crossing the lake for at this time +of night,” I added. “It is half past twelve.” + +“There is something mysterious about that boat,” said Waddie, shaking +his head. “The men were not pulling when we struck the boat; if they +had been I should have heard them, and not run into her. When they saw +or heard the Belle, they must have stopped pulling. They didn’t speak, +or make any sound.” + +“Of course they must have had a purpose in acting so,” I added, not a +little perplexed by the mystery which seemed to surround the movements +of the men. + +“Why didn’t they speak after I hailed them? If they had been honest men +they would have said something after the bump the Belle gave them,” +added Waddie, much excited. + +“I am afraid there is something wrong,” I continued. + +“I don’t know why there should be,” interposed Tom Walton. “It isn’t so +very strange that a boat should cross the lake in the night. Perhaps +the men are going after a doctor for some one that is sick.” + +“Why didn’t they speak when I hailed?” insisted Waddie. “Any honest man +would have sung out when we ran into his boat.” + +“Perhaps they were frightened,” suggested Tom. + +“They did not pull like men who were alarmed when we saw them.” + +“Well, I thought they did pull just like men who were scared. They made +good time.” + +“I’m not satisfied, and I should not be surprised to ace some building +blaze up in a few moments,” persisted Waddie. + +This remark corresponded with my own thoughts. We were both thinking of +fires, for in all the towns upon the lake there had been a large number +of them within a few months, all of which were believed to have been +caused by incendiaries, though no one could comprehend the motives of +the miscreants who set them. In Centreport and Middleport several barns +and storehouses had been destroyed, and I was persuaded that the two +men in the boat were incendiaries. + +“Shall I head her for Ruoara?” asked Tom, while we were discussing the +matter. “We are going to leeward now.” + +“No; run her for the steamboat wharf at Centreport,” I replied. “I am +going ashore to see what those men are about.” + +“All right,” added Tom, as he peered through the gloom to make out the +wharf. + +“What do you say, Waddie? Will you land with me?” I asked, as we +approached the wharf. “Tom can land Miss Dornwood at Ruoara, and take +us on board when he returns.” + +“I don’t know, I don’t exactly like to leave her, since she depends +upon me for assistance,” answered Waddie, hesitating. “If the +Pinkertons should happen to be away, she might wish to take some other +course.” + +“I’ll tell you what will do just as well,” interposed the skipper. “I +will go with you, Wolf, and Waddie can sail the Belle down to Ruoara.” + +“That will fit the case exactly,” replied Waddie, as the boat rounded +to at the landing-steps. + +Taking our overcoats, Tom Walton and I went on shore. Still we heard +nothing from Miss Dornwood, and we thought she was sleeping very +soundly, if the shock of the collision had failed to wake her. We went +upon the wharf, but we could see nothing of the two men. + +“I wonder what boat they came over in,” said Tom, as he descended the +steps to satisfy himself on this point. + +“Do you make it out?” I asked, following him half way down. + +“Yes, it is the Grace’s tender,” answered he. + +“There will be a fire over here soon--you may depend upon it,” I +continued, as we walked up the steps again. “Nothing would suit me +better than to get hold of the villains.” + +“I am with you there, Wolf,” added Tom, earnestly. “But, after all, it +isn’t so strange that a boat should cross the lake even at midnight.” + +“Certainly there is nothing strange in the crossing of the boat, but +there is something very strange in the conduct of those men. It is the +most natural thing in the world for men to sing out when a boat runs +into them; but these men did not open their mouths. When the Belle +approached them, their boat was lying on the water, and they were +perfectly silent, evidently trying to avoid being seen. If they had +pulled straight across the lake, like honest men, I shouldn’t have +thought anything of their being out at this time of night.” + +“Perhaps you are right,” added Tom. + +“At any rate, we can take a turn around the town, where the barns and +storehouses are, and see if we can find them.” + +We walked along the street by the side of the lake, looking carefully +into all the lanes and by-places. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ROBBERY OF THE CENTREPORT BANK. + + +Tom Walton and I went entirely around the town of Centreport, visiting +every part where there were detached buildings which presented to the +incendiary favorable opportunities for plying his infamous trade. The +main street, on which were located the principal churches, the bank, +the post office, the library, and other public buildings, was so +densely populated that the miscreants could not work to advantage. So +far as we could discover, not a soul was stirring in the place. We saw +nothing of the two men, and when we returned to the steamboat wharf, +Tom was rather disposed to make fun of my fears. + +“We haven’t seen a spark of fire yet, Wolf,” said he, as we seated +ourselves on a box, much fatigued after the long tramp we had taken. + +“That’s very true, and I am willing to give it up, and to believe there +will be no fire in Centreport this time,” I replied. + +“It was a wild goose chase.” + +“Perhaps it was; but it may be that our coming on shore has saved some +building from destruction,” I reasoned. “If we did not see the rogues, +they may have seen us, and kept out of the way.” + +“That may be, and then again it may not be. In any opinion, the two +persons in that boat were a couple of honest men who had been courting, +and sat up rather later than they meant to. Probably they knew the +Belle, and did not want us to know who they were, for fear they would +get blackguarded,” replied Tom, with an expansive gape, which I could +hear, if I could not see. + +“You are ingenious, Tom, and very likely your explanation of the +mystery is a reasonable one,” I added, with a yawn as expansive as that +of my companion. + +“What time is it now?” + +“I don’t know; about two, I should think.” + +“Look at your watch,” added he, striking a match to afford me the +needed light. + +“Half past two,” I answered, consulting my watch. + +“I’m as tired as a dog,” added Tom. + +“So am I.” + +“I suppose Waddie will not be back before five o’clock. He must see the +young lady up to Mr. Pinkerton’s house.” + +“I do not expect him before that time.” + +“Well, Wolf, I move you we take a nap,” continued Tom, stretching +himself. “Here’s the Raven, and we can bunk on board of her.” + +“Her cabin is locked.” + +“The standing-room is not, and we can lie down, as we did in the Belle.” + +I approved the suggestion. We had our overcoats with us, and both of us +were tough and hardy. We wrapped ourselves in the coats, and he took +one seat while I took the other. Neither of us needed rocking, and we +dropped asleep as readily as though we had been in our own beds on +shore. By the side of the Raven, which was Waddie Wimpleton’s boat, lay +the tender of the Grace, in which the strange men had crossed the lake. +If they intended to return to Middleport in her, they could not very +well get off without waking us. + +I do not know what it was that aroused me in the morning, but the +moment my senses came back to me, I was conscious that there was a +grand commotion in Centreport. It was broad daylight, and I heard +people shouting in the street above the wharf. I waked Tom, who had not +been disturbed by the noise that had aroused me. + +“Whats the row?” asked he, springing to his feet. + +“I heard some one shouting up in the street. I should not wonder if +there was a fire, after all.” + +“A fire!” + +“I don’t know. We will go up and see what the trouble is. There is some +kind of a row in town, at any rate.” + +We walked up the wharf; but we heard no more shouting. The Grace’s +tender lay alongside the Raven, just as it had been when we went to +sleep, and of course the strange men had not returned to Middleport +in it. Just at the head of the wharf, and within twenty rods of the +moorings of the Raven, was the house of Captain Synders, the constable +of Centreport. As we approached it, we saw that officer rushing out +in hot haste, buttoning his vest, as though he had not been allowed +sufficient time to complete his toilet. I at once reached a correct +solution of the noise which had disturbed my slumbers. Some one had +been pounding at the door of the constable’s house, and shouting for +him. + +“What’s the matter?” I inquired, as we ran forward and overtook him. + +“They say the Centreport Bank has been robbed,” replied Captain +Synders, with all the excitement of manner which such a discovery was +likely to create in a dignitary of his importance. + +“Robbed!” exclaimed Tom. + +“Robbed!” I repeated. + +“That’s what they say, and I suppose it’s true, for Gibson, the porter +of the bank building, came down to call me. He was almost crazy.” + +Captain Synders quickened his pace, and we followed him to the bank. +Gibson had already called Mr. Barnes, the cashier, who arrived about +the same time that we did. He was terribly excited, as well he might +be, and proceeded at once to examine the vault, which opened from the +banking-room. The double doors were open, as the robbers had left +them, and Mr. Barnes entered, intent upon ascertaining what loss the +bank had sustained. My heart beat quick, also, for I had ten thousand +dollars in bonds in the bank, which had been presented to me by Colonel +Wimpleton. A similar princely gift from Major Toppleton had been +deposited in the Wimpleton Bank for safe keeping. I was actually worth +more than twenty thousand dollars, but I could not help feeling just +then that riches take to themselves wings and fly away. + +The cashier made a hasty examination of the drawers in the vault. All +of them had evidently been opened, and valuable papers were scattered +like chaff through the little apartment. The robbers evidently did not +intend to encumber themselves with any useless documents. + +“All the money is gone,” said Mr. Barnes, with a gasp. + +“All your specie?” I asked. + +“No; not all of it. I suppose it was too heavy for them,” he replied, +examining the boxes which had contained the gold, at the bottom of the +vault. “They have taken a great deal of it. All the bank notes are +gone. They have made a good haul.” + +“How much do you suppose they have taken?” inquired Captain Synders. + +“I can’t tell; but not less than sixty thousand dollars.” + +“Good gracious!” exclaimed the excited constable. + +“I did not believe that this vault could be opened by any burglar,” +added the cashier, as he turned to the riven doors. + +A hole had been cut in the outer one, and screws applied by which the +bolts on it had been doubled up and wrenched off. The robbers were +evidently accomplished mechanicians, and had probably come a long +distance, from some one of the great cities, to do the job. They had +entered the building through a back window, by taking out the screws +in the hinges of the shutters, and then cutting through the glass to +unfasten the sash. + +“The men we saw on the lake did this job,” said Tom. + +“What men?” demanded Captain Synders. + +We related our adventure in the Narrows in the night, and no one +doubted that the two strange men were the robbers. + +“What sort of men were they?” asked the cashier. + +“We couldn’t see them very plainly. When we had lighted the bengola +they were too far off to be identified,” I replied. “We supposed they +came over to set fires, and we walked all around the town to find them, +if we could.” + +“What time was this?” inquired the constable. + +“After twelve--about half past twelve,” I replied. + +“Well, what’s to be done?” said the cashier, appealing nervously to the +officer. + +“I will look over the vault again, and see if I can find anything that +will afford me a clew to the robbers.” + +We went to the vault again, and Mr. Barnes picked up the papers on the +floor. Among them were my bonds, none of which had been taken, for the +simple reason that the villains could make no use of them. Nothing +could be found to afford any clew to the robbers. There was no stray +button, piece of cloth, nor any of the tools with which they had worked. + +“I don’t think they had been gone long when I came,” said the porter. +“I heard a noise on the back side of the building when I was opening +the front door.” + +“Why didn’t you say so before,” replied Captain Synders, savagely. +“Have we been fooling away our time while the rascals were in town?” + +“I didn’t think of it till just this minute,” pleaded Gibson. “I didn’t +think anything of it at the time, and when I went in and found the bank +had been robbed, I was so scared I couldn’t think of anything else.” + +“What sort of a noise did you hear?” demanded the constable. + +“I don’t know just what it was. It was a kind of a shuffling noise. +Perhaps the robbers had thrown their traps out the window, and were +flying round to pick them up.” + +“You are smart!” sneered Captain Synders. “Why didn’t you go round to +the rear of the building, and see what it was?” + +“Because I didn’t think anything at all about it,” replied Gibson, who +was terribly frightened by the charge that he had failed to do his +whole duty. “I don’t go and look into everything whenever I hear a +noise--do you?” + +“I do, when a bank has been robbed.” + +“Well, I didn’t know a bank had been robbed when I heard that noise.” + +“Gibson did the best he knew how,” added the cashier. “If the robbers +left only half an hour ago, they cannot have gone far by this time.” + +“That’s so!” exclaimed Captain Synders, as he bolted out the door. + +“Where are you going?” shouted the cashier. + +“After a horse.” But he did not wait to answer any questions in regard +to his intended movement, and we were left in the dark. + +“Synders is a blockhead,” said Mr. Barnes. “He will make a great stir, +and that is all he will do.” + +“He will not be likely to catch the burglars,” I replied; for I had a +poor opinion of the constable’s capacity to work up a case. “It’s a +pity we haven’t a smarter man.” + +We went out of the bank to the rear window, where the villains had +entered the building. The ground was much beaten and tracked, and I +was soon able to identify the footprints of the two men. I found the +track by which they had come to the building, and that by which they +had left it. The latter only interested me, and I traced it as far as I +could. It led me through a narrow and circuitous alley, which conducted +to a street back of the main one of the town. I satisfied myself that +the villains had approached the bank in this direction. + +“Tom, whoever robbed the bank, they were not strangers in Centreport,” +said I to the skipper, after the cashier had gone to secure the +valuable papers which were scattered about the vault. + +“What makes you think so?” asked Tom. + +“Strangers could not have found their way through these back alleys.” + +“Who do you suppose they were?” + +“I have no idea,” I replied, still studying the ground, at the junction +of the alley with the back street, in order to ascertain in what +direction the robbers had departed. “I can’t think of any one who is up +to a deed of this kind.” + +“Here’s the track!” cried Tom. “They went down towards the steam mill.” + +One of the burglars wore a boot with irons on the outside of the heels, +the print of which enabled us to follow them; but when we came to a +street more travelled and harder than the other, we could no longer +trace it. But we were satisfied that the rogues had gone down to the +lake. There were no boats below the steamboat wharf, that we knew of, +and we concluded that they must have returned as they came. We hastened +towards the public landing. + +“There they are!” shouted Tom, as we reached a point in the street +which extended along the bank of the lake from Colonel Wimpleton’s +mansion, from which we could see the end of the wharf. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE ROBBERS SEPARATE. + + +Tom Walton pointed to the tender of the Grace, in which a young man +was pulling across the Narrows with all his might. He was already so +far from us that we could not make him out. We ran with all our speed +towards the wharf; but we were obliged to pass behind some buildings, +and lost sight of the retreating robber in the boat. It was still early +in the morning, and no one in this part of the town was stirring. + +“I am afraid we are too late,” said Tom, as we turned the corner at the +steamboat wharf. + +“If we can only see them so that we shall know them, we shall have some +chance,” I replied. + +“There goes the Raven!” shouted my companion, as we saw Waddie’s +sail-boat shooting out from the wharf. + +“Who is in her? Isn’t it some one after that fellow in the tender?” + +“I don’t know; it may be,” replied Tom, as we halted, out of breath, at +the end of the wharf. + +By this time the man in the row-boat had nearly reached the other side +of the lake. I could only see that he was a young man, well dressed, +and rather slender in stature. He had taken off his coat, and was +bareheaded. The other man, in the Raven, seemed to take particular +care that he should not be scrutinized by any person on shore. He wore +a shaggy old coat, and a dilapidated Panama hat; but these articles +belonged to Waddie, who kept them in the boat for use when he went +fishing or sailing. The robber in the Raven had evidently availed +himself of these garments to disguise his person as much as possible. + +He was a good boatman, and handled the Raven with much skill. He had +left the wharf under mainsail only; but as soon as he was clear of the +shore, he ran up the jib, and headed the boat up the lake. I did not +readily see why the rogues had separated at this point, whether it was +to divide their pursuers, or whether they wished to go to different +parts of the country. The Raven and the tender were the only boats at +the wharf, and I finally concluded that they had taken this course +to prevent the sail-boat from being used in the pursuit, as well as +to divide the attention of the pursuers, for I was satisfied that +they were conscious of having been discovered. In order to obtain the +tiller, the hat, and the coat, the man in the Raven must have broken +into the cabin; but this was a trivial achievement to one who had set +at defiance the huge lock of the bank vault. + +“We are standing here like fools!” exclaimed Tom, as we were watching +the two boats, though we had hardly wasted a minute in this way. + +“We have no boat to follow them,” I replied. “But there comes the +Belle,” I added, as I glanced up the lake. + +The sail-boat was not half a mile distant, and we had been so intent +upon observing the movements of the robbers that we did not see her +before. The breeze was even fresher than it had been during the night, +and she was rushing over the waves with a huge bone in her mouth, +at a speed which would soon bring her to the wharf. The man in the +tender landed at the wharf in Middleport, and with his hat and coat in +his hand, walked up the wharf. Though we lost sight of him, we were +confident that he would be overtaken. There were but three roads by +which he could leave the town, if he left it at all, and men with fast +horses could make his chances of escaping very small. + +“Hurry up, Waddie!” shouted Tom, as the Belle neared the wharf. + +“Shall we try to follow both of them, or only one? That’s the question +now,” I added. + +“Both of them, of course,” replied Tom, eagerly. “I will chase the +Raven in the Belle, and you or Waddie can follow the fellow that went +over in the tender.” + +“Good! That is the plan.” + +“Hallo, there! Have you seen anything of them?” shouted Captain +Synders, as he drove his horse swiftly down the wharf. + +“Yes, seen them both,” I answered. “One has crossed over to Middleport, +and the other is in the Raven.” + +“Good gracious!” exclaimed the excited constable. “Get me a boat, and +row me over to the other side as quick as lightning.” + +“We have no boat; but there comes the Belle. She will be here in half a +minute.” + +“But I am going to chase the Raven in the Belle,” interposed Tom, who +had worked himself up to a high pitch of excitement at the prospect of +the thrilling race before him. + +“I must get across the lake somehow,” added the officer. + +“What’s the matter?” demanded Waddie, as he rounded the corner of the +wharf, and headed the Belle up to the landing-steps. + +“The bank has been robbed,” returned Tom, as we all rushed to the +stairs. + +“By the great horn spoon!” ejaculated Waddie. + +“Sixty thousand dollars gone,” added Tom. + +“You don’t mean so!” + +“It’s as true as preaching. One of the robbers has taken the Raven, and +the other has crossed to Middleport.” + +“By the great horn spoon!” repeated Waddie, so startled by the +intelligence that he could only give expression to his feelings in his +favorite phrase. + +“Hurry up!” shouted the constable, as we all tumbled into the boat. + +Captain Synders told the man who had come with him in the wagon to +drive the horse back to the stable, and inform the bank people where he +had gone. + +“What’s to be done?” demanded Waddie, as he shoved off the Belle. + +“Put me across the lake in double-quick time,” replied the constable. + +“No; run down to your father’s house, and take another boat,” added +Tom. “I shall lose sight of the Raven if you keep me to go over there.” + +“That’s it. We have another sail-boat there, and it won’t take three +minutes longer,” added Waddie, as he headed the Belle in the direction +indicated. + +“That won’t do,” protested the constable. “I shall lose the fellow on +the other side.” + +“And I shall lose the fellow on the lake,” retorted Tom. + +“But I am the constable of Centreport,” puffed the captain. + +“Tom is right,” I interposed. “The fellow on the other side can’t get a +great way. The Raven is a faster boat than the Belle, and--” + +“We will settle that question to-day,” interposed Tom. “It’s going to +be breezy, and we shall see which is the best boat. That fellow handles +the Raven as though he knew how; but, if I don’t beat him, I’ll sell +the Belle for two cents.” + +The constable yielded the point at my suggestion, and in a couple of +minutes Waddie ran the boat alongside the little pier near his father’s +house. + +“Which of you is going with me?” demanded the constable, as he stepped +ashore. + +“I will,” replied Waddie. “Hold on just one minute, Tom. I have +something for you.” + +Waddie rushed into a building adjoining the billiard house, where he +kept his property. I sprang on board of the sail-boat at the pier, and +hoisted the mainsail. Tom gave an extra pull at his peak-halyards, +which Waddie had not fixed to suit him. + +“Here, Tom, take this. You may want to use it,” said Waddie, returning +and handing the skipper a revolver--the one with which I had had some +experience a few years before. + +“Thank you, Waddie,” replied Tom. “Probably that fellow in the Raven +has some of these playthings, and this one may come handy to me.” + +“Here is a box of cartridges.” + +“All right; I know just what to do with them. Is any one going with me?” + +“I am,” I replied, jumping into the Belle again. + +“You are the man for me, Wolf,” added Tom, as he shoved off. + +The constable and Waddie pushed off the other sail-boat, and headed +her towards Middleport. There was certainly a lively prospect of an +exciting chase, both upon the land and the water. I had just taken the +helm of the Belle, in order to permit Tom to adjust the sails with the +nicest care, when Colonel Wimpleton appeared upon the shore. + +“Hold on, Wolf!” shouted he. “I want you.” + +“Botheration!” exclaimed Tom. “I shall never get off.” + +“One of the robbers is in that boat,” I replied, pointing to the Raven. + +“I want you to get up steam on the Ruoara and chase her,” added the +colonel. + +“I suppose I must go ashore, Tom,” I continued to the skipper, as I ran +the Belle up to the wharf again. + +“All right; I will fight it out alone if I get near enough to the +rascal,” answered Tom, who always made the best of everything, however +unfavorable the circumstances. + +I leaped ashore, and pushed off the bow of the boat, so that the +skipper was detained hardly a moment. Setting the helm, he adjusted his +sheets, gave a pull at the jib-halyards, and the Belle flew off like a +rocket, with the fresh breeze on the quarter. + +“This is very awkward business for me, Wolf,” said Colonel Wimpleton, +as we started for the steamboat wharf. + +“It is awkward for all, I suppose, who have money in the bank,” I +replied. + +“It is particularly so to me. I have to pay twenty thousand dollars +to-day, and all the cash balance in the bank has been swept away,” he +added. “I must pay this money to-day, or be dishonored. Indeed, I would +rather lose twice the amount than fail to do so.” + +“Very likely you can get the amount from the Middleport Bank,” I +suggested. + +“Perhaps I can; but twenty thousand dollars is a large sum to obtain +without any notice whatever. I sold some bonds the other day to provide +for this payment, and now those villains have cleaned out the bank.” + +“They may be caught before night,” I added. “I think their chances of +escaping are very small.” + +“I don’t know about that,” replied the magnate, shaking his head. “If +that fellow in the boat is hard pressed, he will run ashore, and take +to the woods, and, having the start, he will make good use of his time.” + +“Tom will see where he lands, and he will follow him to the end of the +world.” + +“Probably the other robber has a fast horse on the other side of the +lake, and Captain Synders is a clumsy fellow.” + +“But Waddie is with him.” + +“Waddie has not had much experience in chasing robbers. I hope he will +not expose himself, for these villains are probably well provided with +pistols.” + +“Waddie has one of his revolvers, and Tom has the other.” + +“It is dangerous business to deal with these desperate fellows, and I +want a strong force to make the matter sure. I sent immediately for the +engineer of the Ruoara, but found he had gone to Gulfport, and would +not return until it was time to make his first trip. The fireman is +getting up steam, but we had no one to run the boat.” + +By the time we reached the steamboat wharf, all Centreport was aroused, +and we found a crowd of men on the pier. The cashier had a party ready, +and was embarking in a boat for the other side, to assist Captain +Synders in the pursuit beyond Middleport. I went on board of the +Ruoara, and attended to the engine. + +“How long before you will be ready to start, Wolf?” asked the colonel, +as the cashier’s party was about to push off. + +“In about half an hour, sir, though this boiler is rather slow.” + +“I must provide for my payment to-day, and I will go and see Major +Toppleton. Run the boat over to the wharf on the other side when you +are ready, and take me on board,” added he, as he left me. + +I was rather afraid his pride would not permit him to apply to Major +Toppleton for assistance, even in the emergency which had so suddenly +been crowded upon him; but I had no doubt the latter would be glad to +serve him. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +A LITTLE SPARK KINDLES A BIG FIRE. + + +Before we had steam enough to start the Ruoara, her regular engineer +arrived, and I was relieved from duty in this department. In obedience +to the instructions of Colonel Wimpleton, I took the helm, and ran +the boat over to the other side of the lake. I saw the great man of +Centreport on the wharf, as we approached, and I knew him well enough +to understand at once that something had gone wrong with him. He was +walking, at a hurried pace, back and forth across the end of the wharf. +He frequently compressed his lips and pursed up his mouth. Yet the +worst I feared was, that he had not been able to find Major Toppleton, +in order to make his application for assistance. + +The boat ran up to the pier, and still the colonel rushed back and +forth across the wharf, apparently making mouths at the evil destiny +which confronted him. He did not seem to be in any hurry to pursue +the thief who had stolen his money, or even to take any notice of the +steamer which was ready to do his bidding. I had not seen him in such +a frame of mind for two months, and it really gave me much anxiety. +If the great man was angry, he was liable to do something which would +endanger the pleasant relations which now happily subsisted between the +two sides of the lake. + +I left the pilot-house as soon as the forward hawser was made fast, +and took position on the hurricane deck, in plain sight of him, in +readiness to receive his commands, whatever they might be. I looked +up the lake to see how Tom Walton progressed with the chase; but both +of the sail-boats had disappeared in the haze of the morning, or had +gone behind the point at Gulfport. I did not think the steamer and the +_posse_ on board of her would be likely to render much assistance in +catching the bank robber, unless she started very soon; but the colonel +still paced the wharf. I observed that he cast an occasional glance up +the pier, but his actions were all a mystery to me. At last he halted +near the gangway of the boat, and, after gazing attentively towards +the head of the wharf for a moment, he rushed, with an appearance of +desperation in his manner, on board of the steamer. + +“I can’t wait any longer, Wolf; cast off,” said he. + +I had not the least idea what he was waiting for; but I repeated the +order he had given me to the captain of the boat, who was on board, and +in another moment we were headed up the lake. I ought to say that these +ferry boats were a part of my charge, and their commanders looked to +me for directions. The colonel remained on the forward deck, resuming +his walk there with as much zeal as he had manifested on the wharf. I +am sorry to say that he looked decidedly ugly, and I began to fear that +he had had a falling out with Major Toppleton, and that there was more +work for the young peacemakers to do. + +Some one had said, within a short time, that Captain Wolf Penniman +had a great deal of influence over both the magnates, and that he +even twisted them around his little finger, as though they had been +boys. For my own part, I could not see it, for I was absolutely afraid +of both of them--I mean, afraid of offending them in some manner. I +certainly treated them both with the most profound respect, and never +ventured upon the slightest familiarity with them. When I felt it to +be my duty to speak, I did so. Whatever influence I had over them was +really through their own sons and daughters. As I had been at times on +good terms with both, I was the medium of communication between them; +and it was presumed to be my influence, when it was actually that of +Tommy and Waddie. + +I wanted to know what the matter was with the colonel, yet I had +not the assurance to ask him. But I hoped he would tell me, and, as +there was no one else on board to whom he would be likely to speak, +I expected him to do so. I waited a while on the hurricane deck for +his wrath to subside, and then I went below, where he could see me, +and where, if he wished to do so, he could mention what it was that +troubled him. I passed him on the forward deck, and seated myself on +the rail near the bow, on the lookout for the Belle and the Raven, +which I hoped soon to see again. + +“Wolf,” said the colonel, after he had gradually worked forward till he +came to the place where I was seated. + +I turned and looked at him. It did not appear to me that his wrath had +sensibly subsided, for his under lip was projected far out beyond the +upper one, and I had learned to interpret this as a bad sign. + +“Wolf, I have been trying for two months to believe that Toppleton was +a good friend of mine,” he added, after one of his ominous pauses. + +“I have been able to believe it without trying very hard,” I ventured +to reply; for an equivocal answer, under the circumstances, looked +criminal to me. + +“It is not so. For dinner parties, and drumming through the streets, +with all the parade of friendship, he’s all right; but when you come to +the real, substantial thing, it is all a humbug with him.” + +“I am sorry you think so,” I replied, deeply grieved to have my worst +fears realized. + +“I should not think so, if I could help it,” he added, biting his lip. +“I went to Toppleton and told him what had happened, and that I had to +pay twenty thousand dollars to-day.” + +“Of course he was willing to accommodate you,” I suggested, in order to +draw him out. + +“Not at all. Instead of that, he began to hem and ha, and make +apologies,” replied the colonel, with intense disgust. + +“I am very much surprised.” + +“So was I,” added the colonel, dryly. + +“But he must have some good reason,” I intimated. + +“What good reason can he have? Do you suppose, if he came to me under +such circumstances, I would make any apologies? No! I would give him +the money without winking, even if I broke the Centreport Bank.” + +“But what did he say, sir?” I inquired, not quite willing to believe +that Major Toppleton would be behind the colonel in good intentions. + +“What did he say? Why, he began to make excuses. He told me he had +hastened home to pay a note of thirty thousand dollars for railroad +iron, which became due to-day, and the payment would use up his entire +balance in the bank.” + +It seemed to me that this was a tolerably good excuse, though I did not +venture to say so while the great man was so excited. + +“Didn’t I understand you to say that you were waiting on the wharf for +something?” I asked. + +“I was waiting for Toppleton. He said he would see the cashier of the +Middleport Bank, and ascertain what could be done. He told me he would +see me on the wharf in ten or fifteen minutes.” + +“Perhaps he could not find the cashier.” + +“Perhaps not,” sneered the colonel. “I don’t think he wanted to see him +very badly.” + +“I am satisfied Major Toppleton will do all he can,” I added. + +“If he means to do so, he has an awkward way of showing it. In my +opinion he is selfish, and does not act like a genuine friend.” + +“I think you wrong him, Colonel Wimpleton.” + +“No, I don’t! Isn’t there fifty thousand dollars in the Middleport +Bank?” continued he, warmly. “Isn’t there enough to pay his note and +mine?” + +“I know nothing about it; but I think you and Major Toppleton need a +couple of bears between you.” + +“A couple of what?” demanded the colonel, sternly. + +“A couple of bears,” I replied, laughing. + +“Bears?” + +“Yes, sir.” + +“What do you mean by that, Wolf?” + +“One is _bear_, and the other is _forbear_.” + +“I don’t want any moral lessons, Wolf, from you.” + +“Excuse me, sir; but I meant no offence.” + +“You need not presume to lecture me on my duties.” + +“Captain Portman presented a black bear to me yesterday, and that +bear was indirectly the cause of my being here last night, when these +robbers crossed the lake. Bears have been uppermost in my mind since +that event.” + +“Without any fault on my part, I am put in a tight place. I have +no claim upon Toppleton, it is true; but, if he were the friend he +pretends to be, he would help me bear my burden to-day. That is the +only bear I want to know anything about at the present time. I am +mortified and disgusted with myself to think I said anything to him +about the matter.” + +“But you did not even wait to hear what he would do, or what he could +do.” + +“I waited fifteen minutes, and he knew I was in a hurry. In my opinion, +he did not mean to see me again. I call it shabby treatment, and +Toppleton won’t make anything by it. No, he won’t!” continued the +colonel, working himself up into a passion. “I tell you what it is, +Wolf; I have been a fool to think that man was my friend, or that he +could be anything different from what he has been for the last dozen or +fifteen years. The union line won’t last much longer, Wolf.” + +Turning on his heel, he walked aft, shaking his head in the fury of his +wrath. Certainly the relations between the two magnates were again in +a very perilous condition, and my heart rose to my throat, so much did +I dread the consequences of the colonel’s wrath. He was an impulsive +and unreasonable man. It would not be unlike him to notify the major at +once that the two lines would no longer run in correspondence. I should +not have been surprised, at that moment, to receive an order to run the +Ucayga through to the lower end of the lake, even without notifying +the Railroad Company. Such a step was a calamity to be feared. + +“Wolf, I shall put more money into Toppleton’s pocket in one year by +giving him the through passengers on the railroad, than I asked him to +lend me,” said the colonel, as he again came up to the place where I +sat. + +“I think it is rather necessary to know what Major Toppleton intends to +do before you condemn him,” I suggested. + +“I don’t care what he intends to do, so long as he did not come up to +the mark. I shall not take money out of my pocket, and put it into his, +after this.” + +He walked off again, leaving me to consider how small a spark could +kindle a great fire. I was afraid he would order me to notify the +Railroad Company that the present arrangement was to be discontinued. +He was excited now, and I wished to get out of his way before he +directed me to do any disagreeable thing. By this time the boat was +approaching Gulfport, and I hoped soon to see the Belle; and the sight +of her would be likely to change the subject. I concluded to go on the +hurricane deck; but as I passed the colonel, he stopped me. + +“Wolf, I must be at Middleport at nine o’clock to take the train for +Ucayga,” said he. “I must raise the money to pay the note, though I +cannot be on time.” + +“We have an hour to spare, sir, and within that time we shall know what +is to be done,” I replied. “I have no doubt Tom Walton has given the +fellow in the Raven a hard run.” + +“The Belle!” shouted the captain of the boat, as we came up with the +point below Gulfport. + +“There they are! Tom is crowding him hard, and the fellow is making for +the shore below the town!” I added. + +In a short time the steamer came within hailing distance of the Belle; +but the water was too shallow for her to run in towards the shore. It +was decided that I should join Tom in the Belle, while a party was +landed above and below to surround the robber if he took to the shore, +as he plainly intended to do. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE LANDING OF THE ROBBER. + + +The steamer ran ahead of the Belle as far as the depth of the water +would permit, so as not to delay the latter unnecessarily. I dropped +into the jolly-boat, which was towing astern, with a couple of deck +hands at the oars; and the moment the steamer stopped, we cast off. +Pulling to a point in the path of the Belle, the men lay on their oars +till she came up. Tom luffed up a little, and I sprang on board, so +that she lost hardly a moment. + +“Good! I’m glad you’ve come, Wolf; for that rascal is going ashore, to +take his chances there,” said Tom, as I leaped aboard the Belle. “Just +set up on the weather side, and keep as still as a mouse--as still as +two mice.” + +I took the place assigned to me, and kept as still as I was desired to +be. The boat which had put me on board returned to the steamer, and +she ran up the lake about a mile, where she landed a part of the force +on board. Coming about, she steamed up to the wharf at Gulfport, where +she sent on shore the rest of the men. Colonel Wimpleton could not wait +for the issue, and the steamer then started for Middleport, in order to +enable him to raise the money to pay his note. + +Less than half a mile from the shore of the lake there was a road which +led from Gulfport to Port Gunga, which was to be the line of attack for +the pursuers. About twenty of them had volunteered for the service, +and they were to be scattered along the road, so that it would be +impossible for the robber to pass this line. If this one had the money, +or any considerable portion of it, with him, the chances were decidedly +in favor of obtaining it in season to pay the colonel’s note. + +The Belle was about half a mile from the shore when I went on board of +her, and the Raven was about half way between her and the land. Above +Gulfport the lake was bordered for some distance by a perpendicular +cliff of rocks, from twenty to fifty feet high; but below it there was +in some places a kind of shelf or beach, formed by the crumbling of +the rock and earth above it. There were not many places where a boat +could land when the wind was fresh, as on the present occasion, and +these were hardly available to a person not acquainted with the coast. +The cliff, which extended for several miles along the lake, could be +climbed only in a few places. The robber’s chances of getting away +from us, therefore, were not first rate. And then if he succeeded in +climbing the cliff, he was sure to be confronted by the force along the +road. + +The Belle was doing her prettiest, and from the beginning had been +gaining upon the Raven, for the wind was too fresh for the latter, +though the rascal on board of her handled her exceedingly well. Tom +Walton was cool enough to work the boat to the best advantage, and his +whole soul was in the business he had in hand. + +“You have been beating him, Tom,” said I, as a splash of spray ducked +both of us. + +“I have gained half a mile on him since we started,” replied Tom, +without taking his eye off the chase. + +“That fellow sees it, and understands the situation. Probably he will +smash the Raven in making a landing.” + +“He won’t unless he wants to do so. Let that fellow alone. He knows +what he is about, and there isn’t a better boatman on the lake or in +the state than he is. He’s as cool as a cucumber, and when he sees the +right place to land, he’ll go ashore,” added Tom, who could not help +admiring the robber’s skill, in spite of his crime. + +The villain certainly compelled the Raven to do her best, and if the +breeze had not been too heavy for her to carry sail, he would have run +away from his pursuer. As it was, he was obliged to touch her up, and +let out the sheet when the fresh flaws came, which materially retarded +her progress. Both boats dashed furiously on their course towards the +shore. We saw the robber stand up in the stern-sheets of the Raven, as +she came within hailing distance of the land, evidently for the purpose +of examining the prospect ahead. The rocks did not appear to suit his +fancy, for he let out his sheet, and stood farther up the lake. + +“Do you see that, Wolf?” exclaimed Tom, as the fellow put his helm up. + +“I was in hopes he would try to land there, for the cliff is fifty feet +high,” I replied. “And he couldn’t get ashore without smashing the +Raven.” + +“Didn’t I tell you he knew what he was about? Wolf, in my opinion, we +are no match for that fellow, and he will get away from us,” added Tom, +shaking his head significantly. + +“If he gets away from us, he won’t escape the twenty men who are on the +lookout for him in the road.” + +“I’m not so sure of that. A fellow who is smart enough to make his way +through a couple of iron doors, and sail the Raven as that chap does, +can do almost anything.” + +“Don’t give it up yet, Tom.” + +“Give it up! I’ve no notion of giving it up. I’ll follow him from Dan +to Beersheba, till the sun goes down on the other side of the Cape of +Good Hope. But he’s smart, if he is a villain; that’s what I mean to +say.” + +“There’s no doubt of that, Tom; and we must be smart, too,” I replied. + +We had gained nothing since I came on board the Belle, or not more +than enough to make up for the moment lost by luffing up. The Raven +was still about a quarter of a mile ahead of us. Her skipper was now +sailing her along the coast, on the lookout for a convenient place to +land. Under the lee of the shore the wind was less gusty, and I was not +sure that she was not now gaining upon us. Out in the middle of the +lake, where the sea was heavy, the Raven did not behave so well, and it +was possible that the robber intended to continue the cruise under the +lee of the shore. + +“Wolf, he’s smart!” ejaculated Tom, after we had followed the fellow a +few moments under the lee of the rocks. “He’s gaining on us, as sure as +you live!” + +“Do you think so, Tom?” + +“I know it.” + +“Then keep her away a little more, and run out into the lake, where you +will get the full force of the wind.” + +“That’s the idea! I was just thinking of doing that,” replied the +skipper, as he followed the suggestion. “Let her slide! I’d give two +and sixpence if I only had a gaff-topsail to help her along a little +more. I always intended to have one as soon as I bought her.” + +“It wouldn’t help her much.” + +“Yes, it would, Wolf. One square foot of sail up by the topmast, where +it would get all the wind there is going, is worth two down by the +boom. That’s so! By Jim Hill, Wolf, that fellow knows what he is about!” + +“Of course he does!” + +“But don’t you see what he is up to, Wolf?” + +“He is up to getting away.” + +“Yes; but he is not going on shore till he gets beyond the place where +the steamer landed those men. That’s just what he is up to now. He saw +her land them, the same as I did.” + +Doubtless it was very important to fathom the purpose of the robber; +but, as it was soon demonstrated, we were not skilful enough to do so. +Tom had run the Belle out into the lake till she rolled and pitched +heavily in the sea. In doing so he had increased the distance between +her and the Raven, though, half a mile ahead, the trend of the coast +would drive the latter out so as to compensate for the loss, if she +continued on her present course. While we were comforting ourselves +with the prospect of this advantage, the Raven suddenly hauled her +wind, and ran by the shortest line for the shore. + +“There she goes!” shouted Tom, grasping the main sheet with a kind of +desperation, and putting down the helm. + +“That fellow knows this shore as well as I do,” I added, as Tom headed +the Belle towards the chase. “He has chosen the best place to land on +this side of the lake.” + +It was the spot where the steamer had landed a portion of her _posse_. +There was a kind of gully in the precipice, through which the water +from the hills made its way into the lake. In fact it was the outlet +of a brook, which was dry, however, except in the wet season. A boat +of the size of the Belle or the Raven could run into the inlet about +her length, so that a person could step over her side upon the shelf of +rock and earth beneath the precipice. + +The cliff was hardly fifty feet high on each side of the indenture in +the rock, and it was rather a difficult task to climb up from the +shelf, though a bold person could do it. Twenty rods above this point, +however, there was an easy ascent to the summit of the precipice by +a zigzag path up the rocks. If the robber was acquainted with the +locality, as he appeared to be, he would make for this path. His boat +was headed towards this landing-place, and we watched his movements +with the most intense interest. As it was probable that the men on +shore had not stationed themselves below this point, I was obliged +to acknowledge to myself that the villain’s chances of escaping were +better than I had believed at any time before. + +It was possible that he had discovered this available landing-place +from his position in the boat, and that he was not aware of the +existence of the zigzag path. He ran the Raven into the outlet of +the brook, lowering the jib and mainsail as he approached the narrow +opening, so that the boat lost her headway in season to prevent any +injury to her hull as she grounded in the shoal water. The rascal +leaped lightly on shore, with a travelling-bag in his hand, which I had +no doubt contained the plunder from the bank. He paused on the shelf +below the cliff, glanced at the Belle, and then at the precipice. He +did not appear to be in a great hurry, and examined the means of ascent +to the land above with deliberate care. His action assured me he knew +nothing of the path, and the prospect seemed to brighten. + +Tom decided to land at a point below the gully, in order to save time, +and to enable us to choose our own means of approaching the robber. +I lowered the jib and mainsail, and Tom ran the Belle upon an abrupt +gravel beach, about twenty rods below the gully. We landed, and hauled +the boat as far up on the shore as our united strength would permit. I +deemed this a prudent measure, after certain experience I had had of a +similar nature. Tom took from his pocket the revolver which Waddie had +given him, and which he had fully charged with patent cartridges on his +cruise up the lake, and we hastened to the gully. + +The robber was climbing the cliff, and had already nearly accomplished +the ascent. The rocks at the side of the ravine had crumbled away so +that the first part of the way was comparatively easy. At the top grew +some bushes on the verge of the cliff. He had reached one of these, and +had thrown his left arm around one of them. He had evidently caught +hold of a root of this bush, which projected over the cliff, and hauled +himself up by main strength to his present position, where he seemed to +be resting after his violent exertions. He had swung his travelling-bag +over his shoulder with a string. + +“Shall I fire?” said Tom, producing his pistol. + +“No. We don’t want to kill him,” I replied, appalled at the idea of +taking the life even of a robber. + +Tom seemed to be of my mind, and rushed towards the cliff. I followed +him. He easily accomplished the greater part of the ascent, and was +almost within reach of the dangling legs of the robber, when the +villain aimed a revolver at him, and fired. Tom released his hold upon +the rocks, and would have fallen over backwards if I had not caught him +in my arms. + +[Illustration: THE ROBBER FIRES AT TOM. Page 152.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +TOM WALTON WOUNDED. + + +I was appalled at the calamity which had befallen Tom Walton, +and deplored the want of caution with which we had conducted the +enterprise. Of course we understood that the bank robber was armed, and +the fact occurred to me as we approached the gully; but when I saw him +suspended by the arms to the bush on the brink of the precipice, I did +not consider him in condition to use a revolver. I am as much afraid of +a pistol as any other prudent person, and I do not, as a general rule, +think it advisable to stand before the muzzle of such a weapon when it +is loaded, and in the hands of a desperate man. + +If I had been called upon to express an opinion, I should have said +that it was simply impossible for the robber to use his weapon. Tom and +I expected to overtake him before he could get over the brink of the +precipice, seize him by the heels, and drag him down from his perch. +When he came down, I intended to throw myself upon him, and choke +him till he was willing to hold still and have his arms tied behind +him with the cord by which he had slung the travelling-bag over his +shoulder. I could not see how this nice little plan was to fail, and we +began to ascend the precipice. I felt reasonably sure that we should +make a victim of the villain. + +I was not only appalled, but astounded, when Tom came over upon me. It +was disaster and defeat at the same time, and at that moment I only +hoped the robber would not take the trouble to fire again. He did not, +being apparently satisfied with the mischief he had done. I was afraid +Tom had received a mortal wound, and I thought of nothing but him. I +was standing on the gradual ascent of the steep, where the earth and +rocks had caved down from above, so that I had a good foothold, and was +fortunately able to save my friend from going over backwards. I held on +to him, and retreated to the level ground below. + +“Good Heaven, Tom!” I exclaimed. “The villain has hit you.” + +“Never mind it, Wolf. Don’t make a row. It isn’t bad,” he replied, with +a cheerful smile, as he placed his right hand on his left arm above the +elbow. + +“Where did it hit you?” I asked, with the most intense anxiety. + +“Here,” he answered, indicating the place on his left arm. + +“I was afraid it had gone through your body.” + +“No; but it took all the starch out of my arm, so that I could not hold +on to the rock--that’s all.” + +I heard a scrambling above, and looking up, I saw the robber drag +himself over the brink of the cliff. It required a tremendous muscular +effort for him to accomplish the act. Without asking my advice this +time, Tom raised his pistol and fired; but only the legs of the rascal +were visible, and these immediately disappeared, so that I concluded he +was not hit. + +“I ought to have fired in the first of it,” said Tom, as he restored +the weapon to his pocket. + +“I am sorry now that you did not; but I did not exactly like the ilea +of killing the man,” I replied. “But how is your arm?” + +“That will do very well. It is bleeding a good deal, and don’t feel +first rate. But come; let’s follow that fellow. I want to put one of +these little pills into him.” + +“No; let me bind up your arm first,” I insisted. “It may stop the +bleeding. Take off your coat, and let me see what it is.” + +“But the robber will get away while we are fooling here.” + +“No matter if he does. You may lose your arm if we neglect the wound. +Off with your coat.” + +It was not so easy for him to take off his coat, but with my assistance +it was removed with some difficulty. I found that the bullet from the +pistol had ploughed a wound diagonally along the fleshy part on the +inner side of the arm. It must have passed very near his body, and I +regarded it as a narrow escape from a mortal injury. I tore off a piece +of his shirt, and scraped some lint from it, which I placed upon the +wound in order to stanch the bleeding, and then bound my handkerchief +around it. + +“That’s it, Wolf. You were cut out for a doctor. It feels first rate +now,” said he; but his face was paler than usual, and I saw that he +was suffering much pain. “Come, now; let’s see where that fellow has +gone.” + +“I’m afraid you are not in a condition to chase a robber, Tom.” + +“Yes, I am. I’ll follow him to the other side of sundown,” he replied, +leading the way to the zigzag path. “I don’t want to kill him; but, if +one of these bullets will travel faster than I can, he shall have the +benefit of it. Come on, Wolf.” + +Tom certainly had pluck enough--more than I should have had with such +an ugly wound in my arm. I followed him up the path, and we soon +reached the high ground above the lake. + +“Now don’t be rash, Tom,” said I, placing myself ahead of him. “That +fellow has at least five more balls in his revolver, and if we get +shot, we can’t do any good.” + +“My pistol will carry as far as his I reckon, and it is a poor rule +that won’t work both ways. If I see him again, I shall give him some,” +replied Tom. + +“Don’t you feel weak, Tom?” + +“No, not much; at any rate, I’m good for ten miles. Do you see anything +of the villain?” + +“Not a thing. We will go over to the other side of the gully, and we +may be able to trace him.” + +We hastened to the place indicated. On the brink of the precipice the +ground was considerably stirred up by the violence of the robber’s +struggle to attain the summit of the cliff; but we could find no other +trace of him. The region above the lake was a pasture, and the short +grass afforded no impress of his footsteps. The country was wild and +rugged, with plenty of bushes and trees to afford concealment to the +robber. Between us and Gulfport there was a wood. + +“We are not much wiser now we are up here,” said Tom. “What shall we +do?” + +“I think we had better move towards the Gulfport road. We can find some +of our people there, and notify them that the robber has landed here.” + +“That fellow’s smart, and in my opinion he will be on the lookout for +our people,” added Tom, as we moved towards the road. “He’ll work up +towards Port Gunga, because he will think the men are in the other +direction. We shall do better if we divide; you go up to the road, and +I will follow up the shore.” + +“I don’t believe in separating. What could either of us do alone, if +one of us should happen to see him?” I replied, not wishing to leave +Tom in his wounded condition, though his plan was certainly the better +one. + +“One of us could follow him and keep the run of him just as well as +two. There isn’t any need of looking into his pistol barrels, you know.” + +“I’ll change your plan a little, and then we will adopt it. You shall +walk towards the road, and tell our people the robber has landed, and I +will go up the lake.” + +“It’s all the same to me; but, if you are going that way, you shall +take this pistol,” replied Tom, handing me the weapon. “Don’t be +afraid to use it, Wolf, if you get a chance. You are a little too +tender-hearted for this kind of business.” + +“I will use it, if I get a chance to stop him in that way,” I answered, +as I took the pistol. + +We separated, and I pursued my way in the direction of Port Gunga, +which was about five miles distant. Tom walked due east towards the +road, where I expected he would meet some of the _posse_ who had been +landed to intercept the robber. He soon disappeared among the bushes +and trees. But he was hardly out of sight before he called to me. I +halted, and presently I saw him and Mr. Bradshaw, a deputy sheriff, who +had taken charge of the _posse_ which had come up in the steamer. + +“Have you seen anything of him?” asked the sheriff, as we met near the +gully. + +“Not since he climbed up the cliff,” I replied. + +“You ought to have fired at him the moment you saw him,” added the +officer. “You mustn’t mince matters with such fellows. It is better to +shoot him than to be shot by him.” + +“We did the best we knew how,” interposed Tom. + +“Of course you did. However, we are pretty sure of him, for I have sent +our folks up the Port Gunga road, and they are certain to head him off. +I wouldn’t give two cents for his chances,” continued Mr. Bradshaw, +confidently. + +“Well, what shall we do?” demanded Tom, impatiently. + +“As you are hurt, you had better take your boat and go home,” added the +officer. + +“Not I,” protested the plucky skipper. “I’m going to stay to see the +fun, and help bag the game.” + +“Just as you like, but you must look out for your arm.” + +“I’m all right. Wolf fixed my arm as good as a doctor could.” + +“Well, we will follow up towards Port Gunga, and see that the robber +does not take the back track when he finds our folks in front of him,” +said the sheriff, as we started in the direction indicated. “I waited +on the bluff here till I saw where the rascal was going to land, and +then I stationed my men where they could trip him up.” + +“Why didn’t you bring them up to the cliff, and head him off when he +landed?” I inquired, disposed to be critical in my turn. + +“Why didn’t I? Because our people were more than a mile from here,” +replied the sheriff. “You see we expected he would land half a mile +farther down the lake. I had to go and tell them where to look for him; +and though I have been in a hurry, I have but just returned.” + +“If you had been on the cliff when the fellow landed, you could have +fixed him,” I added. + +“But I didn’t know what he was going to do till he did it.” + +“You did the best thing you knew how,” said Tom. + +“Of course I did.” + +“That’s just what we did; and I don’t think it pays to tell what might +have been done,” continued Tom, who was always disposed to take things +as he found them, and blame no one for what could not be helped. + +“It will all come out right. We are sure of him,” said the sheriff. +“But I think we had better spread out a little. You take the shore +of the lake, Wolf; you go to the left, Tom; and I will take a course +between you. If either of you see him sing out.” + +This was good policy, and it was promptly adopted. I walked over to the +cliff by the lake, and following the shore, I soon reached a high point +of land, which commanded a view for a considerable distance. I halted +to take a careful survey of the region, hoping I might discover the +fugitive; but I could see nothing. There was a tall tree on the top of +the hill, which I climbed in order to obtain a still better view. I +could see Tom and the sheriff, but no one else. I began to fear that +the robber understood the situation better than we supposed, and had +adopted some plan which had not been anticipated by any of us. So far, +I surveyed only the region which the fugitive was expected to traverse. +Before descending the tree, I turned my gaze in the direction we had +just come. + +I saw the robber, and called with all my might to Tom and the sheriff. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE ROBBER TAKES THE BACK TRACK. + + +I was never more vexed and disconcerted in my life than when, from the +tall tree on the hill, I discovered the robber. I think the tones in +which I yelled to Tom and the sheriff betrayed the disgust I felt at +the unsatisfactory situation. The officer’s confident prediction was +set at nought, for the robber had evidently not gone fifty rods from +the point where he landed and climbed the cliff. As Tom had so often +suggested, the fellow was smart, and knew what he was about. + +When I saw the robber, he was on the shelf below the cliff where he had +landed, in the very act of hoisting the mainsail on board of the Raven. +He worked rapidly, yet with a kind of deliberation and care which +required nothing to be done over a second time. His object in landing +may have been simply to get rid of his pursuers on the lake, though it +was possible his had ascertained the impracticability of escaping in +the direction he had apparently chosen. But his operations looked to +me just like a flank movement. He had seen the steamer land a force, +and then depart down the lake. Being closely pursued by the Belle, he +had landed to balk Tom and me; and now, having sent all his pursuers on +shore, he had them just where he wanted them. He could now cross the +lake in the Raven, and make his escape on the other side. It looked to +me just as though we had lost him, and I did not believe the money in +the rogue’s travelling-bag would be used that day to pay the colonel’s +note. + +The robber hoisted the mainsail, and then the jib, of the Raven. Then, +with a sinking of the heart I saw him hasten towards the place where +the Belle lay. I understood his purpose, and I trembled for Tom’s +boat. Of course he foresaw that it would be used to pursue him, and he +intended to set her adrift, or disable her so that she would not be +available for use against him. I saw him put his shoulder to her stem, +and attempt to push her off. I concluded from this that he intended to +tow the Belle out into the middle of the lake, and leave her there, or +possibly scuttle her. + +He made a desperate effort to shove her off the ground, but without +success. Tom and I had hauled her nearly out of the water, and she +was too heavy to be launched again by one person. I fancied that the +fellow swore some in his disappointment, and I congratulated myself +upon the happy thought which had induced me to haul her so far out of +the water. I wondered what the fellow would do next, for I could not +believe he would leave while the Belle was in condition to pursue him. +I was curious to know what he would do next; but I was already blaming +myself for staying so long in the tree, and I descended. Before Tom and +the sheriff could reach me, I was running with all my might towards the +zigzag path. + +I soon reached a point where I could see the operations of the robber +again, which had been hidden from me after I descended the tree. He +was running from the Belle to the Raven. In his hand he carried the +travelling-bag, which he appeared not to leave behind him for a single +instant. But then, to my intense mortification, if not horror, I saw a +dense smoke rising from the cuddy of the Belle. + +The villain had set her on fire! + +Tom kept a supply of shavings and light kindlings in the cook-room, and +there was a tin match-box attached to the mast. The scoundrel had found +everything convenient for the execution of his vile scheme, and the +beautiful Belle was in imminent peril of being totally destroyed. I had +reached the head of the zigzag path when I discovered the fire, and I +was hopeful that I might be in season to extinguish it before the boat +was entirely disabled. The robber leaped into the Raven, and pushed off +with a celerity which seemed to insure his safety. + +I rushed down the steep path to the shelf below. I wanted to do some +desperate thing, for I was so vexed I could hardly contain myself. I +had the revolver which Tom had given me in my hand, and I discharged it +at the rascal in the Raven; but I might as well have fired at the moon, +for the pistol would not carry half the distance. The robber took no +notice of me, and did not even condescend to return my shot. He let +out his sheet, and the Raven went off flying, with the fresh breeze +nearly aft, and by the time I reached the gully, he was forty rods from +the shore. + +Though I had nearly exhausted my breath in running, I did not abate +my speed till I reached the Belle. I leaped on board, and seized the +bucket which was under one of the seats. I dashed several pailfuls of +water into the cuddy, which put a quietus on the fire. The robber had +simply lighted the shavings in the box which had been built in the +head. Hardly more than two minutes had elapsed from the time the fire +was set till I reached the Belle. The combustibles in the wood-box +blazed furiously; but the fire was confined principally to them, though +I found the ceiling and the under side of the deck planks were charred. +With a bucket of water and a dipper, I put out every spark of fire. + +I could not push the boat off alone, but I hoisted the sails, so that +she would be ready to start as soon as Tom and the sheriff arrived. +By the time they were coming down the path, I had rigged the pump, in +order to remove the water I had thrown into her in putting out the +fire, as soon as she was under way. + +“Take hold here, Mr. Bradshaw!” I shouted, when the sheriff and Tom +came within hail of me. + +The official was puffing like a grampus, and he looked as thoroughly +disgusted as a deputy sheriff could be. He put his shoulder to the bow +of the Belle, and we shoved her off into the lake. Tom sprang on board, +and took his accustomed seat at the helm. The officer was placed on the +port side, and I took position at the pump which I had rigged for use, +after I had shoved the boat clear of the shore. She filled away, and we +started about a quarter of a mile behind the Raven. If there was any +difference at all in the wind, it was stronger than it had been earlier +in the morning, and this fact improved our chances. + +I had made fast the sheets, so that for the present Tom had nothing to +do but steer. He said nothing about his wound, but I could see that +it gave him much pain, and I hoped I should be able to induce him to +abandon the pursuit when we reached the other side of the lake, if the +robber led us in that direction. + +“This is a pretty kettle of fish,” said the sheriff, as soon as he had +recovered his wind. + +“I told you that fellow was smart,” replied Tom, with his gaze fixed +steadfastly on the Raven. + +“How in the world did he get back here without our seeing him?” + +“We did not look where he was.” + +“Where did you first see him, Wolf?” asked the officer. + +“He was on the shore here, getting the Raven ready to be off. I +shouldn’t have seen him if I hadn’t climbed a tree.” + +“It was lucky you thought of that. But where was the fellow while we +were beyond the cliff?” + +“In my opinion he has not been fifty rods from the place where he +landed,” I replied. “There are plenty of places among the rocks where +he could hide. I think it is very likely he concealed himself in the +gully, and as soon as he found we were at a safe distance from him, he +concluded to cross the lake, where there is no one to pursue him.” + +“He’s smart,” repeated Tom. “That will do, Wolf; don’t pump any more. +You keep her wabbling so that she don’t do her best.” + +“Let me take the helm, Tom,” I suggested. “I’m afraid you will make +your arm worse.” + +“No, I thank you. I can get as much out of the Belle as anybody else; +but you may stand by the sheets, if you like, for I can’t use my left +arm very well.” + +“Just as you say, Tom,” I answered, taking a seat by his side, where I +could reach the sheets. + +“Now keep still, and don’t move one of your little fingers,” said Tom. +“I’ll give him some. If I don’t, the Belle isn’t a lady. Let out that +jib-sheet about an inch and a half, Wolf.” + +“All right,” I replied, obeying the order. “You are putting a fine +point upon it, Tom.” + +“I must have her just so when she does her best. Mr. Bradshaw, will you +move forward about six inches? That’s it; now she is just as I want +her. Don’t she spin!” exclaimed Tom. + +“She is doing first rate, and so is the Raven.” + +“Wait a bit till she gets out a little farther. She will have to duck +under when she gets the full weight of the breeze. By the way, Wolf, is +she burned much in forward? I didn’t stop to look in.” + +“Very little. I think you can make her as good as new in half an hour,” +I answered. “The robber spent some time trying to shove her off, +before he thought of setting her on fire. I was just at the path when +I saw the fire. It had not been burning more than two minutes when I +threw on the first bucket of water.” + +“Now she is getting it savage,” said Tom, as the wind drove the Raven +down to her gunwale in the waves. “See that! He had to luff her up. He +lost a little on that.” + +Both boats had the wind on the quarter, and the Raven was leading the +way directly across the lake to High Bluff, just below Priam. She was +jumping up and down on the waves like a feather, and it was evident +enough that she could not carry all sail. Her skipper had been obliged +to luff her up so as to spill the mainsail, and then we saw that he +had let his jib-sheet run out so that the head sail did not draw. As +soon as the flaw had spent itself, he kept her away again, with the jib +still shaking. + +“It was a great mistake that the steamer went back,” said the sheriff. +“If we only had her here, she would make short work of that boat.” + +“Don’t say anything more about mistakes, Mr. Bradshaw,” replied Tom. + +“Well, I think it was a mistake to let her return,” persisted the +officer. + +“If that steamer had been out here, the robber would have taken some +other course. We have all made mistakes enough, but we have done the +best we could, and it’s no use for the pot to call the kettle black.” + +“Do you see what that fellow is up to now?” I interposed. + +“I think I do,” replied Tom. “He sees the gully on the upper side of +High Bluff, and, if I mistake not, he is going to run in there.” + +“If he does, that will be his last blunder,” I replied. + +“Why so?” inquired the sheriff, who was not familiar with the locality. + +“He can run his boat into the gully on either side of the bluff; but +he can no more climb up to the high land above than he can shin up a +rainbow,” said Tom. “I only hope he will run in there.” + +“He may find a way to get out of the gully,” I suggested. + +“He can’t do it. It isn’t in the power of man to get up.” + +“But you know there is a crooked path to the top.” + +“That’s very true; but the path is just on the side of the lake, and +you can’t reach it from the gully on either side. If he strikes the +middle of High Bluff on the lake side, he can go up. If he runs into +the gully, he can’t,” answered Tom. + +The Raven was running directly towards High Bluff. If he did not know +of the path to its summit, he would not be likely to suspect its +existence from anything he could see; and we waited, with intense +anxiety, to ascertain what course he intended to take. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE ROBBER IN A TRAP. + + +In a short time we were satisfied that the robber intended to run +the Raven into the gully on the upper side of High Bluff. Certainly +no more inviting prospect could have been desired by a man in his +situation; for the entrance was broad and free from peril, promising a +good landing-place to the voyager, as, indeed, there was, though his +troubles would commence after he left his boat. Tom had explored the +locality thoroughly, and was sure that the man could not get out of the +gully. + +The battle between the friends of Tommy Toppleton and the rebels had +been fought at High Bluff, as detailed by my friend Ned Skotchley, and +the tradition among the students was, that the gully was impassable +except by the bridge, and that its sides were absolutely perpendicular. +If the robber would favor us by running into this trap, we felt +reasonably certain that we should be able to bag the game, although +I could not help dreading his pistol, when we drove him into close +quarters. I did not wish to be shot myself, and I was equally averse to +having so good a fellow as Tom Walton shot again. + +“There he goes into the south gully!” exclaimed Tom, as the Raven +passed clear of the foot of the path to the summit of the bluff. “We +have him now.” + +“Not quite,” I suggested. + +“I am sure a man can’t climb up the side of the gully,” protested Tom. + +“That fellow has a bag full of tools, which he used in breaking into +the bank.” + +“What good will tools do him?” demanded Tom. “Will they help him shin +up a rock?” + +“Perhaps they will. I think, if I had his traps, I could get out of the +gully; and I don’t believe in trusting anything to luck this time. We +must try and be as smart as that fellow is, and make no mistakes.” + +“I don’t see how he could get out of that place, even if he had a whole +chest of tools,” persisted Tom. “He can only come out the way he went +in. That is the only way I could ever get out of that hole.” + +“The robber had a long cord, with which he slung his bag over his +shoulder. He used only one end of it, and it may be fifty feet long, +for aught I know. There are plenty of stout bushes, no doubt, hanging +over the hole.” + +“That’s so; and the tree that Briscoe’s fellows crossed upon still lies +across the gully.” + +“Exactly so. And how deep is the gully under this tree?” + +“Twenty or twenty-five feet, I should say.” + +“Then he can tie a stone to the end of his cord, throw it over the +trunk of the tree, and let it come down on the other side. That’s easy +enough--isn’t it?” + +“I should say it was,” replied Tom, fully comprehending my suggestion. + +“Then, if he can’t go up the cord hand over hand, he can fix some +sticks in the line, and go up comfortably. But very likely the fellow +has a rope-ladder in his bag.” + +“I guess he wouldn’t stop to put any rounds in his ladder,” laughed Tom. + +“He has chisels and such things in his bag, at any rate. He could stick +these into the chinks of the rocks, and go up on them without much +trouble, and without much loss of time. No, Tom; we must be ready to +head him off when he tries to get out of the gully.” + +“Yes; but if we leave the boat, he will serve us the same trick he did +on the other side,” said Tom. + +“We will make no mistakes this time. Run for the foot of the path, Tom. +Shall I take in the jib?” + +“Yes, take it in, Wolf,” replied Tom, for we were within a few rods of +High Bluff. + +I lowered the jib, and made everything snug forward. + +“Now let go the mainsail-halyards,” added the skipper; for, as the wind +was blowing directly on shore, we were obliged to take in all sail. + +I took the boat-hook, and fended off as the Belle grounded on the beach. + +“Now what’s to be done?” demanded Tom, nervously. + +“Let Mr. Bradshaw go on the bluff,” I continued. + +“What, alone?” asked the sheriff. + +“Why not? I am willing to go alone,” I replied. “You will have all the +advantage of the robber. If he attempts to climb up, you can knock +him, even without being seen yourself. All you have to do is to keep +yourself in a safe position, and watch him.” + +“What are you going to do?” inquired the officer, apparently not very +well satisfied with the arrangement. “Do you mean to make me fight it +out alone?” + +“Just as soon as the robber leaves the Raven, we are going to drag her +out of the gully, and put her where he can’t get at her again. That’s +the idea, and we have the worst part of the work to do.” + +“It won’t take both of you to do that.” + +“Tom has but one arm to help himself with, and can’t do this job alone. +If you are afraid to go upon the bluff, I will go, and you may help Tom +take the Raven,” I replied. + +“Afraid! I am not afraid.” + +“Then hurry up, or the fellow will get out before you are in position +to do anything.” + +“Which way do I go?” said he, stepping on shore. + +“Follow the path, and when you are on the bluff, move to the gully on +the left, and then continue till you can see or hear the fellow,” I +replied, hoisting the mainsail of the Belle again. “You can’t go wrong, +and you will be as safe as though you were at the other end of the +lake.” + +“I think a man who talks as big as he does ought to have a little more +pluck,” said Tom, as the sheriff disappeared in the windings of the +steep path. + +“I don’t blame him much. It isn’t pleasant to be shot.” + +“I don’t think it is; and I ought to know as well as any of you.” + +“That’s so, Tom. You are the hero of this enterprise.” + +“Pooh!” snuffed Tom. “Flatten down that mainsail, Wolf.” + +“Ay, ay! down it is,” I answered, hauling in the sheet, and crowding +off the head of the boat. + +The skipper ran the boat out into the deep water, and then continued up +the lake till the Belle had reached the upper side of the gully, where +we could see the position of the Raven. + +“Now, steady, Tom. We are not going into that fellow’s pistol barrels, +you know. Luff her up, and let us see where he is before we go in.” + +He threw the Belle up into the wind, out of pistol range of the Raven. +The latter had grounded where the gully contracted its width. Her sails +had not been lowered, for the robber evidently intended to abandon her +at this point. + +“Do you see the rascal?” asked Tom. + +“No; he isn’t in sight; but he may be in the cuddy.” + +“I guess not. He wouldn’t box himself up in such a place. He has left +her.” + +“Probably he has; but we will make sure of it before we go in.” + +From the point where the Raven had grounded there was a gradual ascent +in the ravine, down which flowed the waters of the brook; but there was +room enough on the bottom to walk dry shod round to the deep water on +the other side. We concluded that the robber had left the boat, and +gone to the upper part of the gully, to find a place where he could +reach the ground above. We waited long enough to satisfy ourselves +that he was not in the boat, and then stood in towards the head of the +gully. In a few moments we reached the Raven. She was deserted and +empty, and I lost no time in pushing her off. Taking her painter on +board of the Belle, we towed her out into the lake. + +“That job is done, and I don’t believe the robber will sail in the +Raven any more to-day,” said Tom. + +“Now what shall we do with her?” I asked. + +“We will anchor her just as far from the shore as her cable will reach +bottom.” + +This was less than a quarter of a mile from the bluff, and we soon +had her anchored where it was impossible for her to be reached by the +robber. + +“I don’t think we have made any mistake this time, Wolf; though, if we +have, we won’t say anything about it,” said Tom, as we ran towards the +shore again. + +“Perhaps not; but we haven’t captured the robber yet,” I replied. + +“We know where he is, at any rate.” + +“That’s so. If the sheriff keeps both eyes open, he won’t get out of +the trap. But he will shoot any of us who come within reach of his +bullets.” + +“Well, we won’t go within reach of them, then,” added Tom. “But what +shall we do with ourselves now?” + +“I don’t know that we can do anything better than to cruise up and down +off the mouth of the gully.” + +“That won’t do any good.” + +“I don’t know about that. The rascal might find some logs in the gully, +and make a raft, if we don’t keep watch of him on this side. How does +your arm feel, Tom?” + +“It aches; but I can stand it first rate.” + +“I may as well go on the bluff, and see what Mr. Bradshaw is about, if +you can run the Belle off the gully alone.” + +“O, I can! I could work her up to Middleport without any help.” + +“Then I will go ashore. You might anchor off the gully.” + +“No. I will stand off and on, where I can see the fellow if he come in +sight.” + +The Belle was run up at the foot of the path to the bluff, and I +landed. The boat worked well under the mainsail alone, and Tom stood +off with this sail only. I made my way up the steep path, and soon +reached the high ground. I discovered the sheriff over by the bridge +which led from the bluff to the road. He was lying on the ground, and, +as I approached him, I saw him glance over the cliff into the ravine. +He had his pistol in hand, and was trying to get a shot at his intended +victim. + +“Where is he?” I asked, as I joined the officer. + +“The last I heard of him, he was down here,” replied the sheriff, +pointing down into the ravine. + +“What is he doing?” + +“I don’t think he is doing anything just now. Between you and me, I +believe I wounded him.” + +“I didn’t hear you fire.” + +“I have popped at him twice. I could hear every step he took, and I +followed him all around the bluff. I got a sight of him twice, and +fired both times.” + +“What is he doing?” + +“Probably he is keeping himself in a safe place. I haven’t heard +anything of him for some time.” + +“Isn’t he at work in some other place?” + +“No; I don’t think he can move without my hearing him.” + +“We will stir him up a little,” I added, taking a good-sized rock, and +rolling it over the precipice. + +I heard it drop upon the rocks below, but no other sound came from the +chasm. + +“That’s a good idea. I didn’t think of that,” said the sheriff, as he +proceeded to roll rocks into the abyss, which, however, appeared to +produce no effect upon the robber, at least so far as dislodging him +was concerned. + +“I will cross the gully,” I continued. “Then we shall have one on each +side, and he cannot so easily conceal himself.” + +“Cross the gully!” exclaimed the sheriff. “How can you do that?” + +“There is a bridge,” I replied, pointing to it. + +“Yes; but the moment you show yourself on that bridge, the villain will +put a bullet through your brains,” added the officer. + +“I will see that he is not in a position to do that before I cross.” + +I crawled upon my hands and knees to the brink of the abyss, and +assured myself that the robber was not where the sheriff supposed he +was. I then crossed the bridge, and began to move in the direction of +the tree which lay across the chasm. I had not taken ten steps before a +bullet whizzed uncomfortably close to my ears. Luckily it did not hit +me; but, deeming discretion to be the better part of valor, I was not +ashamed to lie down upon the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +SHOWERS OF ROCKS. + + +Stealing a cautious glance over the brink of the precipice, I +discovered the robber coiled up under a projecting rock, about five +rods from the place where the sheriff had been looking for him. It was +ticklish business, though, after I had heard one bullet whistle by my +ears, I felt more like a veteran, and found my courage increasing. +Still I was careful not to expose my head again to the robber’s aim, +for I had a certain regard for my head, and the contents thereof, which +made me rather tender of it. It may not have been a very good head, +but it was the best one I had, and I did not like to have it damaged, +for no one could give me another if I lost it. Besides, I was afraid +it would hurt Grace Toppleton’s feelings, as well as my own, to have a +hole through my head. + +I lay upon the ground and did not deem it prudent to attempt to obtain +a second glance at the robber at once. But I kept this position only +long enough to consider what I should do next. I crawled back a little +way from the ravine, where I could lift my body up without being seen +by the villain. I then made signs to the sheriff on the other side to +indicate to him the precise location of the fugitive. He understood me +perfectly, and, guided by my signals, he advanced to that part of the +bluff directly over the robber’s head. When he had reached the right +spot, I nodded my head to signify the fact. + +The bluff was well supplied with rocks, and the sheriff followed up +the tactics I had suggested, by rolling them over the brink of the +precipice. It was evident enough to me that the robber could not stand +this sort of treatment for any great length of time; for, though none +of the rocks thrown into the chasm were larger than a man’s head, they +were heavy enough to smash a man’s skull after falling from fifteen to +twenty feet. Of course the chances of hitting him with stones rolled +blindly into the ravine were not very good; but, if we followed up the +shower, he was in danger of being hit sooner or later. + +“Pitch them in, Mr. Bradshaw!” I shouted. “Give him plenty of them.” + +“Where is he now?” asked the sheriff. + +“He isn’t far from you. Let him have a shower of them,” I added. + +Taking a position myself far enough from the gully to be out of reach +of the robber’s pistol, I began to help my companion on the other side, +and for a few minutes we rained down the rocks into the chasm with +a zeal which threatened to bury the victim beneath them. But, as we +heard nothing of him, I concluded, after a time, that he had changed +his position, or that his head had been broken, and we suspended the +assault when we were tired of the hard work it involved. + +I then crawled up to the chasm as close as I dared to go, and listened +attentively for any sound which might indicate the robber’s presence; +but it was his policy to keep entirely still, and I obtained no +information. The sheriff did the same thing on his side of the gully, +and we occasionally glanced at each other for intelligence. As we +continued the search, and our excitement increased, both of us became +more venturesome. We were soon reminded again of the folly of exposing +our heads to the fire of the desperado in the chasm. I saw the sheriff +dodge, and heard the crack of a pistol in the chasm. + +“All right!” shouted Mr. Bradshaw to me. “Nobody damaged. He’s right +under you, Wolf.” + +“I know where he is now,” I replied; and I renewed the assault with a +volley of rocks. + +The sheriff did the same, and there was a heavy shower of stones into +the abyss. We followed it up for half an hour, throwing the missiles +in different places for several rods, so as to cover any change of +position the robber might make. But the labor was heavy, and seemed to +be unprofitable, while we were working in the dark. Making a signal to +the officer to continue the assault on his side, I walked down to the +bridge, where I could look into the chasm, and be out of the reach of a +ball from the robber’s pistol. From this secure position I obtained a +full view of the rascal. He was crouching under the overhanging cliff, +at least five rods from the place where the sheriff was throwing over +the rocks. The desperado raised his pistol, and fired as soon as he saw +me; but I knew the weapon would not carry half the distance, and I was +brave enough not to flinch. + +I was tired of carrying on the war in this blind manner. I had been on +the bluff over an hour, and nothing had been accomplished. I crossed +the bridge, and walked up to the place where the sheriff lay. I had an +idea, which I hoped would bring matters to an issue. + +“Hold on, Mr. Bradshaw,” said I, as I approached him. “You are wasting +your ammunition. The fellow is a hundred feet from you.” + +“This is hard work,” replied the sheriff, wiping the perspiration from +his brow. + +“Yes, and almost useless. I don’t believe we have hit him a single +time.” + +“I thought he must be smashed to jelly by this time.” + +“No; he is crouching under an overhanging rock, out here,” I added, +pointing to the place where I had seen him. + +“Hold on, then, and I will give him some more,” said the zealous +officer. + +“No, let him rest a few minutes. One of us must keep watch of him at a +safe distance from his pistol,” I continued, picking up a little stick +from the ground. “Let us have some signals. I will go down where I can +see him, and direct you so that you can throw the rocks in where he is.” + +“Good! I like that,” replied the officer. + +“When I raise this stick, it means farther from me; when I lower it, +nearer to me. When I carry it out to the right, it means on your side +of the chasm; when to the left, on the other side,” I proceeded, +suiting the action to the word. + +“I understand. Up means farther off; down, nearer to you; right, nearer +to me; left, farther from me. That’s a good idea, Wolf, and we shall +smash him this time.” + +“And when you are in the right place I will raise both hands,” I added. + +I returned to the bridge, and looked for the robber again. He was not +in the place where I had last seen him, and I concluded that, as he +had explored the gully from the point where he landed, he had gone in +the direction of the fallen tree over the chasm. Taking the side of +the gully opposite that on which the sheriff was, I followed it in the +direction of the tree. There was a turn in the gully, and I was obliged +to fall back into the road which lay near it, in order not to expose +myself. I soon reached a point where I could see the fallen tree. The +robber was directly under it, busily at work doing something which I +could not see. + +I raised my hand with the stick in it as high as I could, to indicate +to the sheriff that he had a considerable distance to go. He increased +his speed, and when he reached the tree, I raised both hands, the +signal that he was in the right place. But by this time he needed no +telegram from me; for, precisely as I had suggested that he would do, +he threw his cord over the trunk of the fallen tree. The officer saw +the line, and taking position at a safe distance, he began to pour in +the rocks with a vigor which threatened to annihilate the robber, and +bury him beneath the _débris_. I had a fair view of the whole scene. +The desperado was trying to climb up his rope, and had actually begun +the ascent, when he suddenly dropped upon the ground. It was plain +enough to me that a rock had hit him. + +“Hold on!” I shouted, at the top of my lungs, for I did not wish to +have the fellow unnecessarily injured. + +The sheriff promptly suspended his operations, and I ran with all speed +to the fallen tree. Mr. Bradshaw lay down on his stomach, and crawled +towards the chasm. As I approached, I saw him retreat a little, which +assured me the fugitive was not killed. + +“He hasn’t got enough yet,” said the sheriff, as I arrived on the other +side of the chasm; and he immediately launched another rock into the +abyss. + +“Hold on!” shouted the robber. + +“What do you want?” demanded Mr. Bradshaw. + +“Don’t throw any more rocks down,” replied the rascal, in a tone which +indicated that he was in pain. “You have broken my shoulder now.” + +“Do you surrender?” called the sheriff. + +“Yes.” + +“All right; throw up your pistol, then.” + +“I can’t throw it up--my shoulder is broken,” answered the robber. + +I happened to have a fish-line in my pocket, one end of which I threw +into the chasm. + +“Tie your pistol to this line,” I added, “and I will haul it out.” + +I heard him moving in the gully, and I crept forward to as point where +I could see him. He was tying the pistol to the fish-line. + +“Pull it up,” said he. + +I drew up the revolver, and put it in my pocket. I then dropped +down the line again, and directed him to send up his other pistol. +He persisted that he had only one, and I told him to send up his +cartridges, and any knife he had about him. He attached a box of +cartridges and a small bowie-knife to the line, which I drew up. + +“Now come up yourself,” said Mr. Bradshaw. “But I want you to +understand, if you attempt any treachery you are a dead man.” + +“I can’t get up,” replied the robber. “My shoulder is broken.” + +“If his shoulder is broken, he can’t very well shin up that rope,” I +added. + +“How shall we get him out?” asked the sheriff. + +“We can take him off in the boat,” I replied. “Indeed, that’s the only +way we can get him out, unless we hoist him out with his line.” + +“As we must return to Centreport in the boat, that will be the easiest +way,” replied the sheriff. + +I crossed the chasm on the trunk of the tree, and, after a short +consultation with the sheriff, it was agreed that he should remain +on the bluff, and see that the robber did not escape while we were +bringing up the Belle, and that I should go with Tom, and take him on +board at the place where he had landed. If we both left the bluff, he +might still be smart enough to escape, in spite of his injury. + +I hastened down the path, and, hailing Tom, was soon on board of the +Belle. I told the skipper we had damaged the robber so that he was +willing to surrender, and had given up his pistol, which I exhibited. +By the time we reached the point in the gully where the Raven had +grounded, the robber had arrived there, and the sheriff at the point on +the bluff above him. On the way, I had loaded all the barrels of the +robber’s revolver, and held it in my hand. But the desperado seemed to +be very badly injured, and I was obliged to help him into the boat. He +seated himself opposite me, and I put his travelling-bag in the cuddy. + +Pushing off, Tom headed the Belle out into the lake, in order to take +a tack so as to reach the foot of the path, and receive the sheriff +on board. Under the lee of the Raven, the skipper put the helm down, +and I went forward to clear away the jib. While I was thus occupied, +the robber made a sudden spring at Tom, and taking him up in his arms, +tossed him into the lake. The deed was done in the twinkling of an eye. +The robber then made a leap towards me. + +[Illustration: THE ROBBER MAKES A NEW MOVE. Page 197.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +A BLOW WITH THE BOAT-HOOK. + + +The robber appeared to be suffering so much from the injuries in +his shoulder that I had not considered him capable of giving us any +further trouble; and when I went forward to clear away the jib, I +put the revolver in my pocket. I did not suppose a man who declared +that his shoulder was broken would make an attack upon us, and I had +relinquished the precautions adopted when the desperado came on board. + +I was astounded and horrified when I saw Tom pitched into the lake +with so little ceremony. I saw the robber spring towards me, and I +fully comprehended his purpose. He doubtless intended to throw me +overboard also, and then seek some more available landing-place than +he had chosen before. I had only time to pick up the boat-hook, when +I divined his plan, before he was upon the half deck. I had been too +tender-hearted and forbearing before, but now I was desperate, when I +saw poor Tom floundering in the lake, wounded, and hardly able to help +himself. + +Swinging the boat-hook over my head, I sprang towards the robber; and, +clearing the fore-stay, I brought it down upon his bare pate with a +force that felled him to the floor of the standing-room. He attempted +to dodge my blow, but the boom swung round and held him so that he +could not avoid it. I hit him fairly with the heavy iron at the end of +my weapon, and he dropped as an ox does under the butcher’s axe. + +“I think you will lie still for a while now,” said I, glancing at him, +as I hastened to the helm. + +The Belle had lost her headway when Tom was removed from the helm, and +I was fortunately able to reach him with the boat-hook. I extended it +to him, and he grasped it with the hand of the uninjured arm, I pulled +him in, and helped him on board. + +“Are you hurt, Tom?” I asked, anxiously, as soon as I had dragged the +skipper into the standing-room. + +“No, I guess not,” he replied, shaking the water from his hair. “That +fellow wouldn’t have done that it I had only had two arms, instead of +one. It was a shabby trick he played me.” + +“I think he will have a sore head after this.” + +“I saw you crack him with the boat-hook.” + +“I gave him a stunner.” + +“Did you kill him?” + +“I don’t know. He hasn’t moved since he fell.” + +Gathering up the sheet, which had run out in the scrape, I headed the +boat for the foot of the path, where the sheriff was waiting for us. I +had heard him yell when the robber tossed Tom into the lake, and I had +no doubt he was gratified with the turn I had been able to give to the +affair. + +“How do you feel, Tom?” I asked, when I had put the Belle on her course. + +“First rate, Wolf,” he replied; but his looks and actions belied his +words. + +“No, you don’t, Tom. You are suffering.” + +“Well, to tell the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, that villain +gave my sore arm an awful twist, and it don’t feel as good as it did.” + +“Let me get the sheriff on board, and then we will run for Priam, where +we can have something done for you.” + +“O, never mind me, Wolf. I’m so glad we have got our man, that I don’t +care much for anything else,” replied Tom. + +“I’m afraid you will take cold, and have a bad arm, if something isn’t +done for it.” + +“I should rather laugh to see myself taking cold,” added Tom. “Why, +I’m in the water half the time, and I feel just as good when I’m wet +through as when I’m dry.” + +“I don’t care what you say; I intend to take good care of you, Tom,” I +replied, as I lowered the mainsail, and ran the boat up at the foot of +the path. + +“You have had a narrow escape,” said the sheriff. + +“Yes; but an inch is as good as a mile. We are all right now. Hurry up, +Mr. Bradshaw. We are going up to Priam.” + +“To Priam?” + +“Yes; I’m going to have Tom taken care of before I do anything more.” + +“But I don’t want to go to Priam.” + +“Leave you here, then, if you like,” I replied. + +“But I want to take that man up to Centreport.” + +“On board, or I will shove off without you.” + +The sheriff stepped into the boat, and began to talk about his +prisoner; but I headed the Belle for Priam, in spite of his objections. + +“That fellow begins to move,” said Tom. + +The robber rolled over and put his hand to his head. Then he heaved a +long sigh. Tom took the helm, at his own desire, and the sheriff and I +raised the desperado, and laid him on one of the seats. The blood was +flowing down the side of his head, and we found an ugly wound where I +had hit him. The blow had stunned him; but he was beginning to revive. +The sheriff washed his head, and bound a handkerchief over the wound, +which I judged was not a serious one. In a short time he was able to +sit up, and the officer put a pair of handcuffs upon his wrists. + +“I suppose it is all up with me now,” said he, after he had surveyed +the situation, and glanced particularly at the handcuffs. + +“You may us well hang up your fiddle now,” added Tom. “How is your +shoulder?” + +“My shoulder is sore, but I think I could use it again if there was a +good chance,” said he, biting his lips. “What are you going to do with +me?” + +“I’ll take good care of you now,” replied the sheriff. + +“Don’t be rough on a fellow.” + +“By gracious! I’ve seen this fellow before!” exclaimed Tom, suddenly. +“It’s Schleifer, that hardware drummer, as sure as you live!” + +I looked at him carefully, and was satisfied that Tom was right. But +he was very much changed. His face was covered with smut and dirt. His +dress, which had been carefully adjusted when we saw him before, was +now deranged and soiled. He had evidently used a good deal of oil in +cutting the hole through the door of the bank vault, and had daubed his +face all over, so that he looked like a machinist just from the shop. +As I looked at him now, I was not surprised that we had not recognized +him. + +“Schleifer it is, if you believe that is my name,” he replied. “Names +are cheap.” + +“Where is the other fellow?” asked Tom. + +“I hope he has been smarter than I have,” answered the robber, gloomily. + +“You have been smart,” added Tom. + +“If I had not run into that infernal hole, I should not have been here.” + +“Who was that man with you?” I asked, recalling the scene in front of +the stable at the hotel, on the preceding evening. + +“Who is he? You can ask just as many questions as you please; and I +can answer just as many as I like,” replied he. “But we won’t quarrel +because I have been unfortunate. It’s a great pity that a young man +like me should be sent to the jug for the best part of my life. Can’t +we make a trade?” + +“What do you mean by a trade?” asked the sheriff. + +“I’ll be fair with you,” continued the robber. “I have in my bag about +thirty or forty thousand dollars--I don’t know how much. We didn’t +stop to count the money. Call it forty thousand. Here are four of us, +and that’s just ten thousand apiece. In other words, if you will let +me off, I will give you ten thousand apiece, whether I have anything +myself or not.” + +“That’s a pretty good offer,” said the sheriff, who had probably never +seen ten thousand dollars in his life. + +I did not care to discuss such a question, and therefore said nothing. + +“It won’t compromise you in the slightest degree,” continued the +robber, evidently encouraged by the remark of the officer. “Just run +the boat up to the shore, and I will take care of myself. All you have +to say is, that you could not catch me. You can put a shot or two +through your hat, and through your coat, to prove that you have not +been backward in following me up.” + +“Ten thousand dollars is a good deal of money to a poor man like me,” +added Mr. Bradshaw. “It is more money than I ever expected to see at +one time.” + +“It will not be the first time such a trade has been made,” urged the +robber. + +“What do you say, Wolf?” added the sheriff turning to me. + +“I don’t say anything,” I replied. + +“Here is a good chance to make some money.” + +“I can tell you of a better chance.” + +“What’s that?” + +“Go up and rob the Middleport or the Ucayga Bank. If you do the job +well, I have no doubt you can make fifty thousand by it.” + +“Of course I wouldn’t rob a bank,” he replied, laughing. + +“You might as well as make a trade with this fellow. It’s all the same +thing.” + +“You really don’t suppose I meant to do such a thing,” said he, with a +sickly smile. + +“Come, what do you say?” persisted the robber, glancing anxiously +ahead, for we were rapidly approaching Priam. + +“We will not say anything more about it,” replied the sheriff. + +And he did not. I will not say whether, if the sheriff had been alone, +he would have made such nefarious bargain as that suggested by the +robber; but I considered it better that he was not alone. Schleifer +pressed the subject; but Bradshaw was now indignant at the idea, and +finally it was dropped. The sheriff behaved rather nervously; but I +could not tell whether it was because he was losing a chance to make +his fortune, or was afraid he had committed himself. + +“Do you suppose they have caught the other fellow?” asked Tom, as we +approached Priam. + +“If they haven’t, they will catch him,” I replied. + +“What makes you think so?” demanded the robber. + +“I know all about him now,” I answered. + +“You don’t know so much as you think you do.” + +“I think I shall be able to find Lord Palsgrave,” I added. + +“Bah! You will find him as you did me--by accident, if you find him at +all. If I had not run into that hole, you would not have seen me again. +I was a fool that I did not cut a hole in the bottom of this boat, +instead of trying to burn her.” + +“We all make blunders,” I suggested. + +“Yes, you have made your full share,” sneered he. “Do you know where I +was when you were looking for me on the other side? I’ll tell you. I +was in that gully, listening to what you said.” + +The robber was evidently trying to comfort himself in his misfortune, +and he regaled us, until we reached the wharf, with a recital of the +manner in which he had balked us. He wanted to know how we happened to +be in the Narrows at midnight, but I did not care to enlighten him. We +landed at Priam, and went up to the hotel, the sheriff guarding his +prisoner with the greatest care. The intelligence of the robbery of the +bank had already reached the town, for Captain Synders and Waddie had +passed through the place several hours before in pursuit of the other +robber. + +I sent for a doctor as soon as we reached the hotel, and obtained a +supply of dry clothing for Tom. In a short time I had made him very +comfortable, The physician dressed his wound, and declared that it was +not serious, though it would give the patient some trouble. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +AT THE CATARACT HOUSE. + + +It was decided that the sheriff should return to Centreport with his +prisoner in the Ucayga, which left Hitaca at one o’clock, and would be +at Priam before two. The doctor insisted that Tom should keep quiet +for two or three days, and he reluctantly consented to return in the +steamer, while I went up the lake to the Cataract House, to see what +had become of Lord Palsgrave. + +Soon after we arrived at the hotel, Schleifer declared that he was +nearly starved, for he had not eaten anything since he had taken his +supper the evening before in Hitaca. I ordered an early dinner for the +whole party, and the robber’s handcuffs were removed to enable him to +use his knife and fork; but both the sheriff and myself had a revolver +by the side of our plates, and the rascal made no attempt to escape. + +While we were at dinner, Captain Synders and Waddie arrived, on their +return from the pursuit of the other robber, They had not been able to +obtain the slightest clew to him in this direction, and had come to the +conclusion that he had gone towards Ucayga; but a party had been sent +in that direction, and it was hoped he had been captured. + +“How far did you go, Waddie?” I asked. + +“We went about a mile beyond the Cataract House,” he replied. “We could +not find the slightest trace of him.” + +“Did you stop at the Cataract House?” + +“Yes, a few minutes.” + +“Did you see Mr. Overton?” + +“No; but the landlord told me he was out looking for Miss Dornwood, who +disappeared last evening very strangely,” replied Waddie, chuckling, +“Lord--What’s his name?” + +“Lord Palsgrave,” I added, with interest. + +“Lord Palsgrave was helping him in the search.” + +“Indeed!” I exclaimed, “All right!” + +“What’s all right?” + +“Lord Palsgrave.” + +“What of him?” + +“He’s your man.” + +“What do you mean?” demanded Waddie, unable to comprehend my rapid +suggestions. + +“You have not seen the robber we captured, Waddie. I had forgotten +that. You must go in and look at him.” + +“Why?” + +“He is an old acquaintance of ours.” + +“The robber?” + +“Yes; in a word, it is the hardware drummer that we took from the +burning canal-boat,” I replied. “His mission in Centreport was to rob +the bank.” + +“Now I remember the fellow said he wanted to go to Centreport, half a +dozen times, and as often corrected himself, and made it Middleport. +You don’t say that drummer is the fellow!” + +“It’s a fact; and, if the drummer was one of them, it follows that Lord +Palsgrave is the other.” + +“By the great horn spoon!” ejaculated Waddie. + +“It’s as clear as mud,” I added. “I saw his lordship and the drummer +leave the stable together in a vehicle.” + +“But how could he get back here? That’s what bothers me. We came down +by the direct road, and could not get any traces of him.” + +“I don’t know how that is, but I am satisfied his lordship is one of +the men who robbed the Centreport Bank. I am going to the Cataract +House in the Belle. Captain Synders had better go with me, for I am +sure Lord Palsgrave is our man.” + +“All right; and I will go also,” replied Waddie. + +We went into the hotel, and my friend was fully convinced of the +correctness of my theory when he saw and recognized the drummer. +Schleifer, or whatever his name was, continued to be boastful and +defiant. He was a hard villain, and seemed to take great pleasure in +informing us how he had cheated us in the pursuit. When we went in, he +was telling the sheriff that, though he had been hit on the shoulder +by a stone, he was not much hurt, and had concluded that his chances +were better in the boat than in that dismal hole. We did not pay much +attention to him, however; and, after Waddie and Captain Synders had +dined, we embarked in the Belle for the Cataract House. + +“I don’t understand how the other robber can be down here,” said the +constable when we were under way. “In fact, I don’t believe he is here.” + +“You shall be satisfied on that point before night,” I replied. + +“It would be a feather in our caps if we should happen to catch him,” +added the captain. + +“If he don’t get frightened and clear out, we shall have him before +night,” I replied. + +Indeed, I wondered that his lordship had the temerity to remain in the +vicinity after the crime in which he had been engaged, and I suggested +to my companions that we should proceed with the utmost caution, and +capture him before the news of Schleifer’s mishap reached him. The wind +was still fair and fresh, and we made a quick run to our destination. +We landed at a point some distance above that from which we had started +the night before, and, taking a path through the woods, proceeded to +the stable in the rear of the hotel. I wished to ascertain when and how +his lordship had returned. I did not like to have the constable exhibit +himself, and I left him in the grove, though he grumbled not a little +at being compelled to play an inferior part in the transaction. I found +the stable-keeper, who knew me very well, and being in a position to +send customers to the hotel, I was treated with much consideration. + +“You remember that I was here last evening?” I began, after he had +greeted me. + +“Yes, you were asking about that lord who is stopping in the house.” + +“Exactly so. I never happened to meet a live lord, and I am rather +anxious to see one. Has he returned yet?” + +“Yes; he came back this morning, about eight o’clock.” + +“Did the other gentleman return with him?” I asked. + +“No; did you know him?” + +“I had seen him before. Do you know where they went?” + +“Over to Highlandville, Lord Palsgrave said he had been over there to +see a friend be met in England last year.” + +His lordship was certainly very obliging to state his business so +definitely to the stable-keeper; and I was rather desirous of knowing +who his friends in Highlandville were. This place was about five miles +back from the lake. + +“Do you know where he is now?” I continued. + +“He and another gentleman took a team this forenoon, and went away. +They have not returned yet.” + +“Who was the other gentleman?” + +“Mr. Overton, I think; at any rate, it was the one who came with +him,” replied the stable-keeper. “I reckon there is some trouble in +the family, Captain Penniman. The young lady who came with the party +cleared out last night, and they have been looking for her all day. I +believe they have gone to Hitaca this time.” + +The stable-keeper wanted to tell me all about the young lady, who had +“cleared out;” but as I knew more of the matter than he did, I was +not anxious to hear the story. The only point in his narrative that +interested me was the statement that the young lady was supposed to be +insane, being subject to this malady. I concluded that this was an +invention of Mr. Overton, put forth for the purpose of concealing the +real trouble. + +“There they are now!” said the stable-keeper, as a team drove up to the +side door of the hotel. “I thought they would be back by dinner time.” + +One of the gentlemen alighted from the vehicle, and went into the +hotel, while the other drove the horse up to the stable. The latter +was Mr. Overton, and as I did not care about being seen before we were +ready to put the bracelets on the wrists of his lordship, I left the +stable, and moved towards the grove where I had left my companions. But +the horse, when headed towards the stable, smelt his oats, and started +off rather suddenly, and Mr. Overton drove him around the hotel to +prevent the animal from turning too short a corner. I did not observe +where he went, and as I was hastening to the grove, I met him in the +road, where I could not avoid him without jumping over the fence, which +my dignity would not permit me to do. He recognized me at once, and +stopped the horse. + +“I wish to see you, young man,” said he, in an arrogant tone, as he +stepped out of the vehicle. + +One of the hostlers came to the place, and took charge of the horse, so +that he was relieved of all care on his account, and able to give his +whole attention to me. I nodded to him, as he spoke, to indicate that I +was ready to hear him. + +“You are one of the persons who were with my ward, Miss Dornwood, +yesterday afternoon?” he continued, pulling off his glove. + +“I am one of the persons,” I replied. + +“You are the owner of a boat?” + +“No, sir, I am not.” + +“One of your party is?” + +“One of my party is.” + +“Where is that boat now?” demanded he, beginning to be a little excited. + +“She lies over by the shore yonder.” + +“Where?” repeated he, sternly. + +“If you wish to see her, I will take you to her,” I replied, +good-naturedly, for this is my policy when other people are angry. + +“I don’t wish to see her; I only want to know where she is.” + +“Well, sir, she is not a half a mile from here.” + +“Hasn’t she been away somewhere?” + +“I believe the lake is free for her to go wherever her skipper chooses +to take her,” I replied, prudently. + +It occurred to me that Lord Palsgrave might be interested to know where +the Belle had been, and I was afraid some information might be conveyed +to him before I was ready to have him receive it. + +“You don’t answer my question,” said Mr. Overton, savagely. + +“I don’t consider myself under any obligation to answer your questions, +especially when you propose them in this offensive manner,” I replied, +mildly. + +He bit his lips, and perhaps he recognized the force of my remark. + +“I have a purpose in putting these questions,” he added, more gently. + +“I can’t help it if you have, sir.” + +“In a word, the young lady whom you assisted has run away. Do you know +anything about her?” + +“For the present, sir, I decline to answer.” + +“Which means that you do know something about her.” + +“You may draw your own conclusions.” + +“Let me tell you, young man, that Miss Dornwood is my ward, and under +my authority. Lord Palsgrave and myself have been searching for her all +the forenoon.” + +“Indeed! Is Lord Palsgrave much interested in her?” I asked. + +“He is to be her husband, and of course he is very anxious in regard to +her.” + +“If he is to be her husband, I should think he might be anxious,” I +added, coolly. + +“He is very much distressed, and if you know anything about her, you +will do him a very great favor by informing him where she is.” + +“I should be happy to oblige his lordship.” + +“Lord Palsgrave is compelled to start for New York this afternoon, upon +important business, and he is very anxious to know what has become of +Miss Dornwood before he leaves.” + +“I should think he would be. Then he is going away on important +business,” I repeated, glad to know the fact. “Will you introduce me to +his lordship?” + +“I will.” + +“I will tell him where the lady is.” + +“Very well; you shall see him at once.” + +“I will meet you at the hotel in a few moments,” I replied, moving +towards the place where I had left Waddie and Captain Synders. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE OTHER BANK ROBBER. + + +I called Captain Synders and Waddie from their hiding-place, and +hastened to the hotel, intending to reach it about as soon as Mr. +Overton, for I was rather fearful that his lordship would take the +alarm, and leave before I had an opportunity to introduce him to the +constable. + +“I promised to tell Lord Palsgrave where Miss Dornwood is,” said I, as +we hurried towards the rear entrance of the hotel, while Mr. Overton +had gone to the front door. “Have you any objection, Waddie?” + +“I don’t know that I have. It is useless to try to hide her from him,” +he replied, as we entered the hotel. + +I saw Mr. Overton go into the parlor; and, after placing the constable +where he would be available when his services were needed, Waddie and +I followed the anxious guardian. We found him talking to an elegantly +dressed lady, who, I concluded, was his wife. + +“Lord Palsgrave is not here just now,” said Mr. Overton, as we +approached the spot where he stood. + +“He has gone up stairs to dress for dinner,” added the lady. “He said +he would be down in a few moments.” + +“We are somewhat in a hurry,” I continued, anxiously; for I was afraid +his lordship might obtain a hint of the presence of a constable on the +premises. + +“If you are in a hurry, it will be quite as proper for you to impart +your information to me,” said Mr. Overton. + +“I promised to give it to Lord Palsgrave only,” I added, wishing him to +understand that I would give it to no other person. + +I was very much afraid of making a blunder. Of course his lordship, +having just returned from robbing a bank, would naturally be very +excitable and suspicious. I walked across the room with Waddie, in +order to obtain an opportunity to speak with him in private. + +“Go to the office, Waddie, and ascertain the number of Lord Palsgrave’s +room, and don’t let him leave the house,” I said to him, in a low tone. +“Don’t say anything unless he attempts to leave.” + +“I understand,” replied Waddie, as he left the parlor to execute his +mission. + +“I hope you will not leave till you have seen Lord Palsgrave,” said +Mr. Overton, perhaps afraid that I should follow the example of my +companion. + +“I will not, sir,” I answered, walking with him over to the place where +the lady was seated. + +“We are very anxious indeed about Miss Dornwood,” he added; “but more +for her own sake than for any other reason. She is young and giddy.” + +“I think you need not be disturbed about her.” + +“How can we help being worried about her?” said the lady. + +“Well, madam, I can assure you she is with excellent people, who will +be very careful of her.” + +“Did I understand you to say that you conveyed Miss Dornwood away in +your boat?” asked Mr. Overton. + +“Whatever the facts may be, I did not say so. Did I understand you to +say that Miss Dornwood is engaged to Lord Palsgrave?” + +“I did say so.” + +“I suppose you have been acquainted with his lordship for a long time, +then?” + +“No, only a few weeks.” + +“Of course you are satisfied that he is what he represents himself to +be.” + +“What, Lord Palsgrave?” demanded Mr. Overton, with a frown. “Why do you +ask such a question?” + +“I suppose you are aware, sir, that all people who pass themselves off +as noblemen in the United States are not really so.” + +“I think such a suggestion is an insult to his lordship. Did Miss +Dornwood intimate to you that Lord Palsgrave was an impostor?” + +“She did not. On the contrary, I am confident that she believes he is +just what he claims to be.” + +“There can be no doubt about that. May I ask if you know anything about +Lord Palsgrave?” + +“I do know something about him, though I have not yet even met his +lordship.” + +“I think you ask rather remarkable questions concerning him. But here +comes his lordship,” added he, as an elegantly-dressed young gentleman +entered the parlor. + +Mr. Overton hastened to meet Lord Palsgrave, and spoke to him for +a moment in private. While they were thus engaged, Waddie entered +the room, and came to my side. We had an opportunity to examine his +lordship’s elegantly-fitting garments, which were certainly very +creditable to his tailor. I had obtained a single glance at his face, +and if his voice had been familiar to me, there was also something in +his looks which seemed to remind me that I had seen him before, though +I did not then recognize him. + +Lord Palsgrave was in full dress, with a white vest and black dress +coat. His patent-leather boots were unexceptionable, and his pants +were a capital fit. From his neck an eye-glass dangled at the end of a +silken cord. He wore a light mustache, which had evidently been colored +within a recent period, and every hair on his head was adjusted with +the nicest care. If I had met him in the street I should have called +him a dandy without any compunction of conscience. I wish to say that I +have since seen a live duke and a live earl; but both of them, though +they looked and acted like gentlemen, were very plainly dressed. + +“He’s a swellish-locking fellow--isn’t he?” said Waddie, as he joined +me in the parlor. + +“The chief end of man with him is to keep up appearances,” I replied. + +“I think I have seen that fellow before.” + +“So do I, but I can’t make him out.” + +“Did you get a good view of him, Wolf?” + +“I only obtained a single glance at his face when he came in; but I +pity Miss Dornwood if she is compelled to throw herself away upon such +a puppy as he.” + +“That match will be broken up, I think.” + +“Did you see him up stairs, Waddie?” + +“No. I knocked at his door, and satisfied myself he was in his room; +but I cleared out as soon as he answered me. I did not let him see me +when he came out.” + +“Where is Captain Synders now?” I asked. + +“I told him to stand by the door when I came in, and he is all ready to +pounce upon his victim.” + +“Here comes Mr. Overton,” I added, as his lordship turned and walked +over to the place where Mrs. Overton was seated. + +“Excuse me, but I have not your name,” said Mr. Overton. + +“Captain Penniman,” I replied. + +[Illustration: THE INTRODUCTION. Page 227.] + +I walked with him into the immediate presence of his august lordship. + +“Lord Palsgrave, Captain Penniman,” said Mr. Overton. + +His lordship had adjusted his eye-glass as he raised his head from the +lady. + +“Captain Penniman!” exclaimed he; and his face turned as red as a blood +beet. + +“Nick Van Wolter!” I almost shouted, as I recognized the distinguished +nobleman. “I hope your lordship is quite well.” + +“By the great horn spoon! It is Nick Van Wolter!” cried Waddie. + +“Do you know these persons, Mr. Overton?” said his lordship, recovering +his self-possession, and adjusting his eye-glass with particular care. + +“I do not.” + +“Don’t you know me, Lord Nick Van Wolter?” I asked, laughing heartily +at the airs of his lordship. + +“Certainly not,” he answered. + +“Then I have the advantage of your lordship.” + +“So have I,” added Waddie; “and that’s two against one.” + +“Who are these persons?” demanded his lordship, still squinting at us +through his eye-glass. + +“I don’t know them; but one of them informs me that he knows where +Miss Dornwood is, and is willing to inform your lordship,” replied Mr. +Overton. + +“I am that person, and I shall be happy to give his lordship all the +information in my power,” I answered. + +“What do you know of the lady?” asked his lordship, in supercilious +tones. + +“She went down the lake in the Belle last night--his lordship knows the +Belle very well.” + +“The belle--pray, sir, do you refer to Miss Dornwood?” said Lord +Palsgrave, squinting at me through the glass. + +“I do not. I refer to the sloop boat Belle, in which your lordship has +sailed more than once.” + +“What do you mean by that, fellow?” + +“Come, Nick, this farce is played out.” + +“Nick! What do you mean, fellow, by applying such an insulting epithet +to me?” exclaimed his lordship. + +“I hope you will treat Lord Palsgrave with proper respect,” interposed +Mr. Overton. + +“Well, sir, I happen to know that Lord Palsgrave and Nick Van Wolter, +the son of the present captain of the steamer Ucayga, are one and the +same person. In other words, Mr. Overton, he is a humbug.” + +“Fellow!” ejaculated his lordship. “How dare you insult me?” + +“O, I dare, it you call the simple truth an insult,” I replied. + +“I will not endure this insolence,” said his lordship, rushing towards +the door. + +“Yes, you will,” I interposed, placing myself before him. + +“I will call the landlord, and have you ejected from the premises.” + +“Not yet. I will send for the landlord, and save you that trouble. +Waddie, will you call him?” and I nodded to him to indicate that +Captain Synders might also be introduced. + +By this time there was a great excitement in the parlor. The guests +of the house who were waiting for dinner had become interested in the +affair. Nick Van Wolter, while he still attempted to maintain his +assumed character, was evidently very much disconcerted, and was +thinking how he should get out of the room, and make his escape. When +Captain Synders entered the parlor, his jaw fell. + +“Nick Van Wolter, as true as you live,” said the constable, as he came +in, Waddie having previously informed him who the victim was. + +“Captain Penniman, you promised to tell his lordship where Miss +Dornwood is,” interposed Mr. Overton. + +“I am entirely willing to do so,” I replied. “But I am surprised to +find that his lordship does not remember the Belle. Why, when his +lordship and the other gentleman--who, I believe, does not pretend to +be a lord--were crossing the lake last night, after midnight, the Belle +actually ran into his boat. I will add that Miss Dornwood was on board +of the Belle at the time, though she was asleep in the cabin.” + +“His lordship in a boat?” repeated Mr. Overton. + +“Exactly so; and if his lordship will pardon the freedom of my speech, +he and the other gentleman--who is not a lord--robbed the Centreport +Bank of fifty or sixty thousand dollars.” + +“Robbed a bank!” exclaimed Mr. Overton. + +Lord Palsgrave’s face was deadly pale, and his frame quivered with +emotion. + +“His lordship is well acquainted with Captain Synders, constable of +Centreport, who is here for the purpose of arresting him.” + +“O, yes! I know his lordship like a book,” replied the constable. “I +have known him for a good many years, and I’m sorry to say, I never +knew much good of him.” + +At this moment the gong for dinner sounded; but none of the guests in +the parlor manifested any disposition to regard the summons. + +“I have heard enough of this nonsense. Mrs. Overton, allow me to escort +you to the table,” said his lordship, trying to stiffen his joints +again, as he stepped up to the lady, and extended his arm to her. + +“I hope Mrs. Overton will excuse your lordship, for we have not +finished our business yet,” I remarked, as the constable stepped up to +his victim. + +His lordship was evidently very much disgusted and disheartened. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE END OF LORD PALSGRAVE. + + +“Landlord, I have been outrageously insulted in your house, and if you +do not instantly expel these insolent persons, I shall be obliged to +leave myself,” said Lord Palsgrave, approaching the landlord, who had +just arrived at the scene of the excitement. + +“Not just yet, I guess,” replied Captain Synders, who did not permit +his victim to get out of the reach of his arm. + +“I know nothing about this business,” replied mine host. “Captain +Synders is a constable, and I presume he knows what he is about.” + +“I do know just what I’m about,” added the constable. + +“I think it is quite proper for the officer to show his warrant,” added +the landlord. + +“I haven’t any warrant; but we don’t let a bank robber escape for the +want of one.” + +“At least you ought to show some ground for arresting this gentleman.” + +“I’m going to search him, and if I don’t find twenty or thirty thousand +dollars in bills of the Centreport Bank upon him, I shall be willing to +wait till I get a warrant, before I take him.” + +“Search me! Do you think I will submit to such an unheard-of +indignity?” demanded his lordship, stamping his foot with rage, which, +however, was manufactured for the occasion. + +“I guess you will, Nick,” quietly replied the constable. + +“Don’t call me Nick, fellow,” foamed the victim. + +“Captain Penniman, before you proceed to extreme measures in my house, +I hope you will give me some assurance that there is no mistake about +the person,” interposed the landlord. + +“I demand it as my right,” added Lord Palsgrave. “I will appeal to +the British minister at Washington, who is a particular friend of my +father.” + +“I shall be very happy to satisfy you, and all present, that there +is no mistake in regard to the person,” I replied. “A man who called +himself Schleifer--though that is probably not his real name--was +taken out of a burning canal-boat on the lake, last evening, by our +party. That man was one of the bank robbers.” + +“I never saw or heard of such a man,” protested Lord Palsgrave, +violently. + +“I beg his lordship’s pardon, but he rode away from the stable of this +hotel with that man. The stable-keeper assured me the person who went +with him was Lord Palsgrave. I am sure they went off together. The +other man has been arrested.” + +I saw that his lordship was startled by this information. + +“Did you recognize Lord Palsgrave in the vehicle with the other man?” +asked the landlord. + +“I did not, for I could not see his face,” I replied. “But I did +recognize the man who has been arrested, and the stable-keeper said the +other one was his lordship.” + +“As you did not identify Lord Palsgrave yourself, there may still be +some mistake.” + +“There is a mistake,” said his lordship, warmly. + +“Further, this person is not Lord Palsgrave, but Nick Van Wolter, the +son of Captain Van Wolter of the Ucayga. Here are three of us who have +known him for years.” + +“If that’s the case, I have nothing to say,” added the landlord. + +“Come, Nick, let’s see what you have in your pockets,” said Captain +Synders. + +“Landlord, will you suffer this indignity to be inflicted upon me in +your house?” appealed Nick. + +“I haven’t anything more to say about it. Dinner is ready, ladies and +gentlemen,” he replied. + +But no one was disposed to dine while the issue was pending. + +“Mr. Overton, I assure you this is an outrage,” protested Nick. + +“If you are not what you represented yourself to be, I have no sympathy +with you,” replied the gentleman addressed, who evidently thought it +necessary to free himself from any suspicion of complicity with the +bank robber. + +Nick glanced around the room with all the dignity he could summon to +his aid, and then made a leap towards one of the open windows. The +vigilant constable was too quick for him, and placed a heavy hand upon +him. + +“Don’t be in a hurry, Nick,” said the officer, taking from his pocket a +pair of handcuffs. + +“What have you there?” demanded Nick. + +“Only a pair of irons!” + +“Irons! Has it come to this? They will pierce my soul!” exclaimed his +lordship, who had evidently borrowed this fine expression, as he had +his knowledge of heraldry, from the novels he had read. + +“They won’t touch your soul, Nick; I’m only going to put them on your +wrists, so that you will hold still, and not jerk about so,” added the +constable, as, with some force, he snapped the irons upon his prisoner. +“Now, we want to know what you have in your pockets, Nick. It’s no use +to jerk; you can’t get away.” + +Captain Synders searched his pockets, but did not find anything to +implicate him in the robbery; but he took possession of a bunch of +keys, which he handed to me, and requested me to examine the prisoner’s +effects in his room. The landlord went with us, and we opened his trunk. + +“These are the clothes he had on last night,” said I, taking from the +trunk a tweed suit. “You see they are very much soiled with smut and +oil.” + +“Do you find any tools?” asked the landlord. + +“No; I think the other robber provided them,” I replied, as I pulled +all the clothing out of the trunk. + +In the bottom of it I found a packet done up in brown paper. It was +about the length and width of a bank note, and I was sure it contained +money. I opened it. + +“There’s no mistake about that,” said the landlord, as I came to the +bills. “Centreport Bank,” he added, looking at the face of the notes. + +“I was sure of my man. See here,” I replied, pointing to the address +of the cashier on the brown paper, which had probably enclosed some +article sent to Mr. Barnes at the bank. + +“That’s a pile of money,” added the landlord, as I turned over the +notes. + +“I judge, from what the other robber said, that there must be twenty or +thirty thousand dollars.” + +We returned to the parlor, and exhibited the result of the search. +There was no longer any doubt as to the guilt of his lordship, and the +guests went to their dinner, congratulating themselves, perhaps, that, +after all, Lord Palsgrave was not “the biggest toad in the puddle.” +Mr. Overton, however, did not go with them, but paced the room in high +excitement. It was easy to understand that the situation was very far +from being agreeable to him. + +“Well, I suppose we may as well be getting back to Centreport as fast +as possible,” said Captain Synders, who was probably in a hurry to +march his prisoner in triumph into the town. + +“His lordship has not dined yet,” suggested Waddie. + +“I don’t want any dinner,” said Nick, bursting into tears, as the +extent of his reverses crowded upon his mind. + +Half an hour before, every one treated him with profound respect and +great consideration; now every one despised him, and looked down upon +him with contempt. His tears were moving, and, as he had laid aside +his lordly airs, we were not disposed to ridicule him. If he had been +sincerely repentant over his crime, instead of being sorry for its mere +exposure, we could have pitied and sympathized with him. + +“Take me away from here as quick as you can,” added Nick. “I hope you +will let me go to my room and change my clothes.” + +“That suit is good enough,” replied the constable. + +“I would rather not go to Centreport in this dress.” + +Waddie and I interfered in his favor, for we were not disposed to +increase his suffering, and the constable consented to take him to his +room to clothe himself in a more becoming suit. + +“Captain Penniman, you have not told me yet where Miss Dornwood is,” +said Mr. Overton. + +“I did not agree to tell you, but only your friend,” I replied. + +“He is not my friend now. He is an impostor,” added Mr. Overton, warmly. + +Nick glanced at him as he uttered these words, and appeared to regard +the epithet as very unkind from him. + +“Tell him, Wolf,” said Waddie. + +“Miss Dornwood is at Mr. Pinkerton’s, in Ruoara,” I added. + +The guardian bit his lip, and seemed to be very much disconcerted. +His plans for the fortune, as well as those of Nick, were doubtless +very much deranged. He said no more, and Captain Synders conducted +his prisoner to his room. As the injury which Tom Walton had received +rendered it doubtful whether we should return to complete my vacation +in this part of the lake, I concluded that I would take my bear home +in the Belle. I promised to meet the rest of our party at the boat in +a short time, and hastened over to Captain Portman’s. I found him at +home; and, as we walked out to the quarters of Bruin, he told me he had +another bear on his hands. + +“Another!” I exclaimed. + +“Yes, the twin brother of mine,” replied Captain Portman. “Major +Tompkins, a friend of mine in Hitaca, brought them down from the woods, +where an old hunter had reared them as pets. They amused him so much +that he bought them to keep in his garden; but the illness of his wife +compelled him to go to Europe, and as he expected to be absent two or +three years, he gave one to my neighbor, Mr. Walker, and the other to +me. Mine has never been cross, though they say the other one has been +a little ugly; but found they had almost choked him by buckling the +strap too tight around his neck. He has been as pleasant as a kitten +since he has been here. Now, Wolf, if you want both of them, you shall +have them.” + +I did not want both of them, and I was rather embarrassed by the +offer; but when we reached the quarters of the two bears, I changed +my mind. I saw them play together, and I laughed till my side ached +at their gambols. It was a pity to part two such excellent friends, +and I decided to accept Captain Portman’s offer. I stepped up to the +one whose acquaintance I had made before. He appeared to recognize me, +stood up, and presented his paw. The other had been trained in like +manner, and performed the same trick. I shook hands with them, and +found they were both ready for a frolic, in which, however, I had not +time to engage. + +I told the two men whom Captain Portman called where the Belle lay, +and they led the bears down to the lake, while their employer walked +with me. I related to him the particulars of the bank robbery and the +capture of the robbers. He was very much astonished to learn that the +lord at the hotel was one of the criminals. + +When we reached the lake, I found Captain Synders and Waddie with the +prisoner, who was still in irons. The constable was very impatient, and +when he saw the two bears, which were to be his fellow-passengers, he +declared he would not go in the boat with them. Indeed, I found myself +that two bears were rather too many for the space the Belle afforded; +but Captain Portman relieved me of the difficulty by promising to send +one of his men to Middleport with them in the steamer the next day. + +Captain Synders embarked his prisoner, and we were soon driving down +the lake. Nick Van Wolter was the image of despair. The brilliant +calculations for the future had utterly failed, and instead of marrying +an heiress, he was to spend a long time in the penitentiary. I have no +doubt he was willing to believe that “the way of the transgressor is +hard.” + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE ADVENTURES OF NICK VAN WOLTER. + + +“Wolf, you have been a thorn in my path,” said Nick Van Wolter, as the +Belle stood down the lake. + +“Do you regard me as the author of your misfortunes?” I inquired. + +“Certainly I do.” + +“You are mistaken. You are the author of them yourself, Nick.” + +“I don’t think so. Everything was going very well with me till you came +up here,” he added, bitterly. + +“I did not instigate you to rob the bank.” + +“No; but I should have got off if you had not turned up.” + +“You don’t seem to think that your crimes are the cause of your +misfortunes, Nick. If you had been an honest and upright young man, I +could not possibly have done you any harm.” + +“That may be true, but you have upset all my calculations.” + +“You should not have had any such calculation as the robbing of a bank.” + +“Well, I suppose it will not make any difference now. This is the end +of me,” he replied, as the tears filled his eyes again. “Ten or twenty +years in prison is not a pleasant thing to think of.” + +“You ought to have thought of that before you robbed the bank.” + +“Of course I had, but I didn’t. I hadn’t the least idea that I should +be detected. I didn’t think it was possible; and it wouldn’t have been, +if you had kept out of the way.” + +“You were blind, Nick. Murder will out. Those who commit great crimes +are almost always discovered. I don’t believe a man who commits a crime +has more than one chance in a hundred of escaping the consequence of +it, even in this world,” I added, warmly. + +“Do you think any one would have suspected me of robbing the bank if +you had been out of the way, Wolf?” + +“I think it would have come out. There is always a screw loose +somewhere in this kind of business. You did not know I was near the +hotel till Mr. Overton introduced me.” + +“Yes, I did; I saw you yesterday afternoon, when you landed at the +grove. I saw Waddie coming towards the place when Miss Dornwood and +myself were walking. I was afraid he would see me, and I told the lady +I would get a team and drive her along the shore road, if she would +wait where she was.” + +“We saw you hastening towards the hotel,” said Waddie. + +“I heard Miss Dornwood scream, and saw the bear before her, but I could +not return because you were there. I stepped back into the grove, and +saw all that passed.” + +“And you expected to marry Miss Dornwood?” I asked. + +“Yes, I expected to do so, though she refused me once. Mr. Overton +assured me he could make it all right, and I had no doubt he would. The +girl was pretty and interesting.” + +“Did Mr. Overton know you were not what you represented yourself to +be?” I inquired, finding that Nick was disposed to be communicative. + +“Of course I never told him who I really was; but, after the talk +we had together at Cape May, I think he understood the matter well +enough. It was very fine for him to call me an impostor, after we had +understood each other for a month,” replied Nick, sourly; and he seemed +to be as much disgusted with Mr. Overton as with me. + +“You had an understanding with him, then?” + +“It was not in black and white; but I knew what he meant, and he knew +what I meant.” + +“What did he mean?” I asked. + +Nick hesitated, and looked in the bottom of the boat, as if considering +whether he should answer the question or not. + +“I think Mr. Overton has used me in a shabby manner,” said he, at last. +“He did not even offer to help me out of my trouble, but called me an +impostor. I don’t know that I am under any obligation to conceal his +tricks.” + +“If he means any wrong towards Miss Dornwood, you ought not to conceal +it,” added Waddie. + +“She is a good girl, and I liked her. I don’t wish her any harm; and +that is what Mr. Overton means. He intends to rob her of her fortune.” + +“Are you sure of that, Nick?” + +“I am. I’ll tell you the whole story, Wolf; and if you have a chance to +do me a favor, I hope you will do it.” + +“I shall be glad to do anything that is right for you,” I replied. + +“I don’t want to be paraded through the streets of Centreport, and +stared at by all the folks I used to know,” said Nick, glancing at the +constable, as though he knew him well enough to understand that he +would make the most of his victim. + +The prisoner evidently expected me to save him from this painful +exhibition, and I was willing to do so if it was in my power. + +“I don’t owe Mr. Overton anything, certainly,” continued Nick. “I could +have choked him when he introduced you to me, Wolf.” + +“Didn’t he speak to you beforehand about me?” I asked. + +“Not a word. Do you think I should have showed myself to you? Not at +all. If I had known you were in the house, or anywhere near it, I +should have taken myself off. When I came back in the morning, Mr. +Overton told me your boat was gone, and he could not find any of the +party who belonged to her. This made me perfectly easy. I was going to +New York this afternoon, and I had no more idea of seeing you than I +had of meeting the Queen of England.” + +“By the way, Nick, how did you get back to the hotel?” inquired Waddie, +who had been much mystified on this subject. “We sent two men by the +upper road, and Captain Synders and myself came by the shore road.” + +“When I met Cutter last night--” + +“Who?” + +“Cutter--the man who went down to Centreport with me.” + +“Schleifer,” I added. + +“He has as many names as a Spanish Infante,” said Nick. “When I met +him, we changed our plans. He was to go to Middleport as quietly as he +could, and took a canal-boat, so as not to let many people see him. +You know how he happened to come ashore here. I was to meet him on the +wharf at Middleport, as soon as everything was still, and I intended +to drive down after dark, so that no one could see me. After Miss +Dornwood came back to the hotel, and Mr. Overton had locked her into +her room, I went down to the bar to get a glass of wine, for I was +alarmed, and wanted something to raise my spirits. I met Cutter there, +and he decided to ride with me to Middleport. + +“I took a team, and told the stable-keeper I should not be back till +late, if I returned before morning. I drove to Highlandville, where we +put the team up at one stable, and hired a horse and buggy at another. +At Middleport, where we arrived at half past eleven, I put the team in +the shed at the store near the head of the wharf. I knew just where to +find a boat, and we started to cross the lake. In the darkness I made +out a sail-boat, going through the Narrows. She was close aboard of us +when I discovered her. Then the sail-boat kept away a little, and ran +into us.” + +“Did you know what boat it was?” asked Waddie. + +“I did not. I knew the Belle was up the lake, and it did not occur to +me that it was she, even when the fireworks blazed up. We ought to have +given up the job then, but Cutter said it was all right. We got out of +the way as quick as possible. We walked over to the Institute, and soon +saw the sail-boat go down the lake. We were satisfied then, and went +to the bank. We approached the building by the back way, and did the +job. It took so long to cut the hole through the door, that we did not +finish till nearly daylight; and even then we heard the porter in the +building. + +“In a few minutes there was a commotion, and we realized that our +work had been discovered. I led the way to the steam-mill by the back +alleys, hoping to find a boat there. We were disappointed, and as there +was no one in the way, we hastened to the steamboat wharf. I jumped +into the tender of the Grace; but Cutler said he would not leave the +Raven, which lay there, for some one to use in following us. We decided +to separate then, in order to divide and bother our pursuers. I pulled +across the lake, and got my horse at the shed. I took the upper road; +but the horse was not fast, and I soon heard the rattle of a wagon +behind me. Seeing a road into the woods, I drove in, taking care to +remove the tracks of the wheels and the horse, so that they might not +attract the attention of my pursuers. I suppose they had not heard the +rattle of my vehicle, for presently they passed my hiding-place at a +furious speed. + +“Resuming the road, I continued on my way, and reached Highlandville +without seeing any person. Returning the horse I had hired here, I +obtained the one I had driven from the hotel, and went leisurely back +without seeing any of the pursuers. I believed I was all right then; +and I should have been, if Wolf had not crossed my path.” + +“Did you divide the money?” asked the constable. + +“No; we each took what we happened to have. Cutter carried the gold +in his bag. We were to meet in New York, and make a fair division, +expecting the newspapers to tell us how much the bank had lost, so that +neither could cheat the other.” + +“Where have you been since we parted above Hitaca, Nick?” I inquired, +in order to bring him back to the Overton business. + +“I went to Philadelphia first. I meant to go into some kind of +business, and save the money I had; but, while I was at a hotel in +the city, I met Cutter, who persuaded me to visit a gambling saloon, +where I lost about half of my money. I found that Cutter was employed +by the establishment to visit the hotel, and bring in customers. I had +wit enough to stop playing when I found it was a losing game. Cutter +took a fancy to me, and put me in the way of making a little money at +this gambling house. I was employed as ‘a young gentleman from the +country.’ When any one came in, I was allowed to win largely, for the +encouragement of other young men from the rural districts, but of +course my winnings went back to the banker. + +“As the season advanced, a gambling house was opened at Cape May, and +Cutter and myself went down to influence customers. I did not like the +business, and he was dissatisfied with his salary. He informed me that +he had been a machinist, and through many stages the conversation went +on till he told me he meant to make a grand strike by emptying the +vault of some bank. He talked to me about the plan for weeks before +I would consent to have anything to do with it. Then I suggested the +Centreport Bank. All this time we boarded at the best hotel, and no one +except an occasional victim knew who or what we were. We bathed in the +surf, danced, dined, and flourished in the drawing-rooms. + +“There was a rumor about the hotel that an English lord, _incog._, was +staying there. Every one wanted to penetrate the mystery; but, if there +was any lord there, he kept his own secret. As a joke, Cutter whispered +confidentially to some of the guests that I was the lord. I soon found +that I was treated with great consideration, though, as my friend +had not told me what his was about, I did not understand the reason. +Fathers and mothers introduced me to their daughters, and I was a lion +in spite of myself. Among those to whom Cutter had imparted the great +secret was Mr. Overton, and I made the acquaintance of Miss Dornwood. +Will you give me a drink of water, Wolf? I feel quite faint,” said +Nick, who was really very pale. + +I brought him some water, and also some crackers and cheese, for I knew +he had not been to dinner; but he would not eat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +COLONEL WIMPLETON’S WRATH. + + +Nick soon declared that he felt better, and continued his story. + +“I was very much pleased with Miss Dornwood, especially when I learned +that she had a fortune of two hundred thousand dollars. A few days +after I was introduced to her, I had the pleasure of saving her from +drowning while she was bathing in the surf. She was not as grateful to +me as I supposed she would be, but I hoped soon to win her regard. One +day Mr. Overton came into the gambling saloon where I was employed. I +was engaged in inducing a man from the country to play, and I did not +notice the presence of the guardian of Miss Dornwood for some time. He +knew enough of the world to understand my position. If I had seen him +sooner, I should not have committed myself. But Mr. Overton did not +seem to have any less regard for me, when he met me about the hotel, +and encouraged my advances to Miss Dornwood. + +“I told Cutter what I was doing in this direction. He laughed, and +informed me of the practical joke he had played upon me. He advised me +to follow up the affair, and not to take the trouble to deny that I was +an English nobleman. I was pleased with the attentions bestowed upon me +by the guests, and was not disposed to ruin myself in their estimation. +I continued to be very devoted to Miss Dornwood; and, as her guardian +and his wife would not permit her to make other acquaintances, watching +her every moment of the time, I was almost her only companion. I gave +up my place in the gambling saloon, lest it should compromise me, and I +had plenty of time to give to Miss Dornwood. She seemed to like me very +well, and I soon proposed to her; but, to my chagrin and astonishment, +she gave me a decided refusal. + +“I did not believe she meant it, and I was confident that I could +change her mind in due time. After this she tried to avoid me; but I +managed very carefully, devoting myself quite as much to the guardian +as to the ward. Miss Dornwood certainly treated me very kindly, though +she was rather shy. Mr. Overton thought she was making too many friends +at Cape May, and decided to spend a few weeks at Newport. The family +went there, and Cutter and myself went also. On the journey I thought +Miss Dornwood had relented towards me, and soon after our arrival I +had a talk with Mr. Overton, in which I boldly pleaded for the hand +of his ward. He had no objections, and told me that, according to the +terms of Mr. Dornwood’s will, his ward could not marry unless with the +guardian’s consent, without losing three fourths of her fortune. + +“The conversation was a long one, for Mr. Overton was very guarded in +his remarks; but I understood him perfectly, even while he did not +fully commit himself. He said that, as usual, some very extravagant +reports had been circulated in regard to the extent of her fortune. He +did not wish to have any mistakes or disappointments, and he told me he +would give me on our wedding day fifty thousand dollars. He wished to +be distinctly understood that this was all she was entitled to; and he +added that, as I was an English nobleman, money could not be any object +to me. I did not deny that I was a lord, and told him I was satisfied +with the dowry of his ward. I understood Mr. Overton as well as he +understood me; and I was satisfied I could obtain the rest of Miss +Dornwood’s fortune after our marriage. + +“Life at Newport made sad inroads upon my funds, and it was necessary +for them to be replenished very soon. I intended to obtain my supply +from the vaults of the Centreport Bank, and Cutter and I completed our +plans for the job. I suggested to Mr. Overton that the Cataract House +was a capital place to spend a few weeks, when he spoke of leaving +Newport, and it was decided that we should go there. Cutter and I +agreed upon the night for the visit to the bank, but we separated +before we reached the Cataract House. You know the rest of the story, +Wolf.” + +“Did you really expect to marry Miss Dornwood?” asked Waddie, who +appeared to be disgusted with the conceit of Nick. + +“Certainly I did; and I think she had changed her views since she +refused me.” + +“Did you acknowledge that you were a lord?” + +“When we went to the Cataract House I did. Cutter wrote me some +letters, and insisted that I should do so, because it would prevent +suspicions in regard to us.” + +“I believe you are only nineteen, Nick: did you intend to marry +immediately?” I inquired, rather amused at the calculations of the +strategist. + +“No; not at once. I expected to get twenty or thirty thousand dollars +from the bank, and to spend a year or two in Europe, as Mr. Overton +talked of going there. Well, a change has come over my dreams,” added +Nick, sadly, as he glanced at the irons on his wrists. “I did not see +how anything could go wrong, and yet everything has failed me.” + +His case was only a repetition of the common experience of evil-doers. + +Night came on, and the wind, which had blown fresh all day, subsided, +so that we did not reach our destination till after nine o’clock in the +evening. Captain Synders took his prisoner to the town lock-up for the +night, and the next day conveyed him to the county jail, to await his +examination and trial. + +The day had certainly been an eventful one, and I was very much +fatigued; but I was not willing to go home until I had seen Colonel +Wimpleton. I was anxious to know whether the Union Line was to be +broken up, and the war between the two magnates resumed. I hastened +with Waddie to the house of the great man. We found him in his library. + +“Ah, Wolf, I didn’t expect to see you to-night; but I heard at Ucayga +that you had captured one of the robbers, and recovered part of the +money,” said he. + +“We have captured both of the robbers, and recovered all the money,” I +replied. + +“Indeed! You have done well.” + +“I don’t mean to say I have done all this,” I protested. “I think Tom +Walton has done the most, and fared the hardest.” + +“I heard he was shot in the arm.” + +“Yes, sir;” and I explained the nature of his wound. + +“I was told that Waddie and Captain Synders could find nothing of the +other robber.” + +“We could not; but Wolf knew just where to put his hand upon him,” +added Waddie. “We found him at the Cataract House; and who do you +suppose he is, father?” + +“I haven’t any acquaintance among that class of people, and could not +be expected to know him.” + +“It is Nick Van Wolter.” + +“Nick!” exclaimed the colonel, with a frown. + +“Yes, sir, it is Nick, otherwise Lord Palsgrave,” laughed Waddie. + +The colonel was anxious to learn the particulars of the capture of +the robbers, and Waddie and I related the adventures of the day. I +delivered to him the package of money found in Nick’s trunk, which had +been intrusted to me by the constable. + +“You have had a stirring time of it,” said Colonel Wimpleton, when we +had finished. “I have been in Ucayga all day, and did not know what +was going on. I had not been in the house an hour when you came. I had +considerable difficulty in raising the money to pay my note.” + +“Have you seen Major Toppleton?” I asked, though it required some +courage to ask the question, for I dreaded another explosion. + +“Seen him! No!” replied Colonel Wimpleton, rising hastily from his +chair, and beginning to march up and down the library. “I have heard +from him, though. He was at Ucayga this morning, raising money, to +prevent me, I firmly believe, from getting what I wanted. There was +almost a panic in money matters at Ucayga to-day. Toppleton got all +he wanted, and came down by the ten o’clock train, and everybody was +short by the time I arrived, But I raised the money, and paid my note. +He came over to see me, after his return, I learn,--to apologize, I +suppose, for his shabby conduct. He wanted to see me very much, I am +told.” + +“Perhaps he came over to bring you the money you wanted,” I suggested, +very mildly. + +“Not he!” sneered the colonel, determined to put the worst possible +construction on the actions of his former rival. + +After a longer experience of human life than I had at that time, I am +satisfied that it is always the safest way to credit other people, +especially friends, with good intentions. Those who believe that others +mean well are seldom disappointed; and it is equally certain that those +who do not believe others mean well, as seldom fail to realize their +expectations. The very want of trust and confidence in others begets +suspicion and evil dealing, while most people are ashamed to fall below +what others give them credit for. + +“Toppleton is not the man I took him for,” added the colonel, after +pacing the room for a time in silence. “As soon as practicable, Wolf, +our boat must go through from Hitaca to Ucayga.” + +“Don’t do that, father,” interposed Waddie, as much alarmed as I was. + +“It shall be done, Waddie. We can take all the through travel on the +lake, and I shall no longer put money into Toppleton’s pocket.” + +“But, father, you judge Major Toppleton too harshly.” + +“No, I don’t. When I go to a friend in such an emergency as that of +this morning, I do not like to have him make excuses, and put me off,” +replied the colonel, bitterly. + +“We must bear and forbear, at least until we know what others mean.” + +“So Wolf says; but I don’t want to hear any such stuff,” added the +magnate, angrily. + +It was useless to say anything more, and Waddie had the good sense to +hold his peace. We left the room together, and, tired as we both were, +we could not separate for the night till we had thoroughly considered +the perilous situation. + +“I think myself it was rather shabby of the major to leave my father in +the lurch, after what had happened,” said Waddie. + +“So it was, if he did leave him in the lurch; but we must hear the +other side of the story. It appears that Major Toppleton came over to +see your father this forenoon, after he had been to Ucayga to raise +money.” + +“My father is rather hasty in his conclusions sometimes, and I hope the +major will be able to explain his conduct.” + +“It is doubtful whether he obtains an opportunity to explain,” I added. + +“We must be peacemakers again, Wolf.” + +“We can’t do much in an affair of this kind. I think, if your father +had waited a little longer this morning, instead of leaving Middleport +without seeing the major, all would have been well.” + +“Let us hope for the best, Wolf; and in the mean time don’t say a word +about breaking the union to any one.” + +I promised to keep still, and we separated. I went home, crossing the +lake in the Belle; but, in spite of the good fortune which had attended +our efforts in the pursuit of the robbers, I had not been so sad for +many a day. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +MAJOR TOPPLETON EXPLAINS. + + +I slept soundly enough that night, in spite of my anxiety concerning +the perilous condition of the relations between the two sides of the +lake. In the morning I called upon Tom Walton. His wound was doing very +well, and he was quite comfortable. He was astonished when I told him +that Nick Van Wolter was the other bank robber, and that he was Lord +Palsgrave. But I was in a hurry to see Major Toppleton, and I could not +stay long, though I gave Tom a bill of sale of the Belle, and received +the payment for her. + +I found the magnate of Middleport at home, and of course I had to tell +him all about the bank robbers before anything could be said, though +I had become rather tired of the subject, especially with another and +more interesting one uppermost in my mind. + +“You had a breezy time of it, Wolf,” said the major. + +“Rather exciting, sir.” + +“Where was Colonel Wimpleton all day? I could not find him.” + +“He was at Ucayga, looking up the money to pay a note which came due +yesterday.” + +“Precisely so; he came over to see me about it in the morning. He was +in a tremendous hurry, and very much excited about the robbery,” added +the major. + +“He was excited about something else when I saw him.” + +“You don’t mean--” + +“O, no, sir,” I promptly interposed, when I saw that he supposed the +magnate of Centreport had been drinking again. “Nothing of that kind.” + +“You understand me. Well, I am glad that he has not fallen back. Your +remark startled me, Wolf.” + +“I am afraid the colonel is not as kindly disposed towards you as +formerly.” + +“Why, what’s the matter?” demanded the major, evidently alarmed at my +suggestion. + +“I think there is a misunderstanding. He came over to see you +yesterday morning, and he thought you were not inclined to assist him +in the emergency.” + +“What an idea! I intended that his note should be paid, even if my own +was not, though I hurried home to attend to the payment of it. This is +very strange,” mused the major. “I was not aware that I said or did +anything that could give offence to him.” + +“I am confident there has been a mistake; but I do not know that I +ought to repeat anything he said to me.” + +“In the interest of peace and friendship you may do so, Wolf. What did +he say?” asked the major, anxiously. + +“He said that when he informed you he had a note of twenty thousand +dollars to pay, and that the bank had been robbed, instead of helping +him out, you answered that you had a note to pay yourself.” + +“I certainly did tell him that I had a large sum to pay; but I also +told him that I would see what could be done. I invited him to +breakfast with me, and told him I would go and see the cashier of our +bank. I did not suppose he had any doubt of my willingness to help +him; and the only question with me was, how it was to be done. He was +in a desperate hurry, and could not wait a minute. The steamer was +coming over after him, before she went up the lake in pursuit of the +robber. I told him then that I would see him on the wharf in ten or +fifteen minutes, and hastened to find the cashier. He was not at home; +but I soon found him, and learned that the funds in our bank were not +sufficient to pay both notes. I immediately decided to raise the amount +needed to pay the colonel’s note, in Ucayga. I sent an order to Lewis +Holgate to get up steam on the dummy, and then went as fast as I could +walk to the wharf. The steamer was just leaving the pier when I came in +sight of it.” + +“The colonel waited for you till the time expired,” I added. + +“I was not five minutes behind time. The absence of the cashier had +detained me a little, but I could not help it. However, I supposed the +colonel would return before eleven o’clock to raise the money to pay +his note.” + +“He was very much excited about it.” + +“I am really very sorry. Perhaps I did not speak as explicitly as +I ought to have done; but it never occurred to me that he would +misunderstand my motives. The dummy ran down to Hitaca as a special +express to convey me. I raised the money, and returned by the ten +o’clock train. The steamer had come back from up the lake; but I could +not find Colonel Wimpleton. In the afternoon I heard that he had +gone to Ucayga, and I was on the lookout for him till the last train +arrived. The money has been in our bank since eleven o’clock yesterday, +and I have a check for the amount in my pocket now.” + +“The colonel was rather too hasty in his conclusions. The steamer +returned to Middleport at ten, and he took the train for Ucayga, where +he raised the money and paid the note himself.” + +“I regret that he has any feeling on the subject,” added the major, +with much anxiety. “I must go over and see him.” + +“I am afraid your meeting will not be a pleasant one.” + +“I will state the facts just as they are, and I hope he will see +that there has been a mistake. The Ucayga is coming in, and the ferry +steamer will start in a few minutes.” + +We walked down to the wharf together. My two bears had just been landed +from the steamer, in charge of one of Captain Portman’s men. They were +very tractable, and were the centre of attraction on the wharf. They +were willing to shake hands with everybody, and seemed to be enjoying +themselves very much. I took charge of one of them, while the man +retained the other, and we led them towards my father’s house, followed +by a large escort of loafers and juveniles. We had a small barn on the +place, in which we secured the bears. + +My sisters were very much afraid of them, and my mother declared she +could not have the brutes on the place; but I hoped all of them would +think better of it, and make friends with my pets. After the man had +gone, I brought out my carpenter’s tools, and proceeded to fit up the +barn for the accommodation of the bears. The animals were so full of +fun they would not let me work, and I was obliged to tie them to a +tree in the garden. My mother and my sisters stood at the windows +of the house watching them; but I could not induce them to make the +acquaintance of my new friends. When I found that my sisters were +really afraid of the bears, I was rather sorry I had brought them home. + +While I was at work I was surprised by a visit from Colonel Wimpleton +and Waddie. As they entered the yard, both bears stood up, and offered +to shake hands with the visitors. Waddie accepted the proffered paw, +but the colonel was more particular in the choice of his acquaintances. + +“Have you seen Major Toppleton this morning?” I inquired of the colonel. + +“No; and I have no desire to see him,” replied the magnate, coldly. + +“He went over to see you about nine o’ clock.” + +“I was not at home. Have you done anything about the steamer, Wolf?” + +“No, sir. What do you wish to have done?” + +“Didn’t I tell you yesterday what I wished to have done?” + +“I haven’t done anything yet, sir.” + +“I told you to make the new arrangement.” + +“I hope you will see Major Toppleton before anything is done.” + +“I shall not see him,” answered the colonel, sourly. “You may notify +the Railroad Company that the present arrangement will be discontinued, +say from the first of next month.” + +“Of course I shall do as I am directed, but I am quite sure there is a +misunderstanding between you and the major.” + +“I don’t care to argue the matter. What are you going to do with these +bears, Wolf?” + +“I’m going to keep them as pets.” + +At this moment the one which had frightened Miss Dornwood stood up, and +expressed a desire to shake hands with Colonel Wimpleton. + +“They are perfectly harmless, sir,” said I, seeing that the great man +was in doubt. + +“Won’t they bite?” + +“No, sir.” + +Thus assured the colonel took the offered paw of the bear, and in a +few moments they were excellent friends, for Bruin’s ways were very +winning. Waddie was playing with the other, and both my visitors were +very much interested in the animals. While they were occupied in this +manner, Major Toppleton presented himself in the yard. + +“Good morning, colonel,” said the major. + +“Good morning,” replied the magnate of Centreport, very stiffly. + +“I heard you were here, colonel, and I came up to see you. I looked for +you all day yesterday, and have been looking for you all the morning.” + +“Sorry you gave yourself so much trouble.” + +I saw that Major Toppleton was nettled at the coldness of his +reception, and I was afraid he would be angry. As he approached the +bears, both of them rose and offered their accustomed greeting. The +major shook hands with both of them, for he had already made their +acquaintance on the wharf. + +“When I went down to the wharf yesterday, your steamer had been gone +only a few moments,” continued the magnate of Middleport. “I was sorry +that I missed you.” + +“It didn’t make any difference,” said the colonel. “You will attend to +the matter of which I spoke to you, Wolf,” he added, edging off towards +the gate. + +“Perhaps it didn’t make any difference to you, but it did to me,” +continued the major. “I am afraid I did not, in the excitement of the +moment, express myself as clearly as I should have done.” + +“As clearly as was necessary. I understood you perfectly,” replied the +colonel, still edging towards the gate. + +“Then you understood that I intended to raise the money you wanted.” + +“No, I did not. You told me you had a note to pay yourself, and that +was as much as to say you could do nothing for me.” + +“There was, indeed, a mistake then; and I am very sorry that I did not +express myself more clearly.” + +“I paid my note, and nothing more need be said about the matter,” +growled Colonel Wimpleton. + +“My dear colonel--” + +“Don’t ‘dear’ me after this.” + +I trembled for the major when this rude remark was uttered, for +his temper was not always to be depended upon, and certainly the +provocation was very strong. I never saw a better opportunity to get +up a quarrel, and nothing but a little forbearance on the part of the +only one of the two who seemed to be capable of exercising this virtue +could ward off the calamity. The colonel was unreasonable; but the +major felt that he had not plainly stated his intentions. As usual, +there was blame on both sides. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +BEAR AND FORBEAR. + + +“Colonel Wimpleton, there has been a misunderstanding between us,” said +the major, with dignity. “I feel that I am not without blame.” + +“I don’t demand any apology,” added the colonel. + +“I wish to make an explanation. If after that you are not satisfied, I +will not complain.” + +“I don’t ask any explanation.” + +“But I desire to make one, if you will do me the favor to hear it,” +continued Major Toppleton, taking from his pocket the check he had +drawn the day before, and handing it to the colonel. + +“It is too late,” said the latter, as he glanced at the check. + +It was written yesterday at eleven o’clock, and the money was in the +bank to cash it. If I failed to say yesterday morning that your note +should be paid whether mine was or not, I failed to say all that I +felt and all that I intended.” + +“You didn’t say that,” replied the colonel, relaxing the frown upon his +brow a little. “You simply told me you had a note to pay, but would see +what you could do.” + +“I ought to have said more, for I meant more. When I found you had +gone, I went express to Ucayga, and raised the money for you, returning +to Middleport at eleven.” + +“Did you really raise the money for me?” + +“I did, as I intended to do from the first.” + +Colonel Wimpleton’s face was changed, and had almost relaxed into a +smile. + +“I didn’t understand you,” said he. “When you said you had a note to +pay, I took it as an excuse for not helping me out of my difficulty.” + +“I certainly did not offer it as such. I was thinking only of the +manner of raising the money for you. When I came back from Ucayga, +I deposited the money I had brought with me, wrote this check, and +hastened over to Centreport to find you. I failed to see you, but I was +on the lookout for you all the rest of the day.” + +Major Toppleton explained his position as fully as he had to me. The +colonel was satisfied, for he could not be otherwise, when he found +that the former had done all that a friend could do to aid him. + +“Major, I wronged you, and I’m sorry for it,” said Colonel Wimpleton. +“I ought to have given you credit for good intentions, at least. Wolf, +you needn’t attend to that matter of which I spoke to you.” + +I wanted to give three cheers, and I should have done so, if I had +not wished to conceal from the major the length to which the colonel +had carried his resentment. As it was, I vented my delight in a grand +frolic with the bears. + +“Colonel, I am sorry that I failed to tell you what I intended to do,” +added the major. “I don’t blame you for the construction you put upon +my words.” + +“But I blame myself. It all looks plain enough to me now, though it +did not before. Forgive me, major, and I promise never to misjudge you +again.” + +“And I hope you will forgive the stupid manner in which I answered +you yesterday morning,” added Major Toppleton. + +[Illustration: BEAR AND FORBEAR. Page 279.] + +“Here is my hand, major.” + +As they stepped forward to shake hands, they came near the two bears. +Both of the bruins immediately abandoned their play, stood up, and each +extended his paw to the magnate near to him. The two gentlemen laughed +heartily as they saw the bears; but they shook hands with each other, +and then with their humble imitators. + +“This suggests some names for your pets, Wolf,” said Waddie, laughing. + +“I thought of that before. This is BEAR,” I replied, putting my hand +on the head of my first acquaintance; “and this is FORBEAR,” I added, +taking the other by the paw. + +“Bear and Forbear,” said Colonel Wimpleton. “You have preached that +sermon to me once, Wolf; but I was not in the humor to hear it. I +appreciate the two bears better now.” + +“And you will bear with me next time I make a blunder, and seem to +stand in a doubtful position,” added Major Toppleton. + +“Most assuredly I will, if you forbear, as you did to-day, when I made +rude and ungentlemanly speeches to you.” + +“I think those two bears will make a team which will drag any man +through the world with peace and comfort,” I ventured to add. + +“You are right, Wolf. I must have those two bears,” said the colonel. + +“Well, sir, my mother and sisters are afraid of them, and I don’t know +that I shall be able to keep them here.” + +“I meant bear and forbear,” laughed the colonel. + +“Those are the names of these bears.” + +“Well, I should be very happy to have the live bears, for whenever I +see them, they will remind me of the lesson I have learned to-day.” + +“You have a nice place for them over in your grounds; and I suppose I +can see them there whenever I wish.” + +“Certainly you can.” + +“If they should get loose when I am away, they would frighten the whole +neighborhood, for we have no man to see to them,” I added. + +My mother and my sisters would be delighted to get rid of them; and I +was afraid they might do mischief in my absence. Besides, there was +such a striking fitness in presenting them to the magnate of Centreport +under the circumstances, that I could not have resisted the inclination +to dispose of them in this manner, even if they had not promised to be +a nuisance to me. It was a fortunate circumstance that the explanation +and reconciliation had taken place in the presence of the bears, for +the association would always be remembered by the colonel. + +I presented the bears to him. + +The two magnates departed together, and Waddie and I were to remove +Bear and Forbear to their new home. + +“I didn’t know my father was coming here when we crossed the lake,” +said Waddie. “I came to see you about another matter.” + +“What’s that?” + +Waddie blushed. + +“I thought we ought to go down to Ruoara and call upon Miss Dornwood,” +said he, with some hesitation. + +“Of course you are moved in this matter by a sense of duty,” I +laughingly replied. + +“Not wholly, Wolf; but I should like to know how she is after her +cruise.” + +“No doubt you would.” + +“You may laugh at me if you like, Wolf; but I think Miss Dornwood is a +very pretty girl.” + +“And a very good girl too, Waddie, which is more and better.” + +“I’m going down to Ruoara, and wish you would go with me.” + +“I will.” + +“We must get the Belle, for the Raven, you know, is moored off High +Bluff.” + +We called upon Tom Walton to obtain the use of the boat, and then led +the bears down to the shore of the lake, where the Belle was moored. +“Bear” went on board very readily, but “Forbear” did not seem to like +this mode of conveyance, and declined to take the place assigned to +him. Waddie, impatient to reach Ruoara, was disposed to pitch him into +the standing-room by force; but I entreated him to forbear. While he +was hoisting the mainsail, I coaxed the animal; and seeing his brother +so comfortable in the boat, he finally yielded his own inclination to +mine, and went on board. I fastened them so that they could not fall +overboard if they engaged in a frolic on the passage, and Waddie pushed +off. + +When the Belle began to jump on the waves in the Narrows, Forbear +exhibited some signs of terror, and was inclined to make himself +unhappy; but he soon took part in the game between Bear and myself, and +we reached the Centreport shore without any difficulty. I found it was +best to bear even with a bear, and to forbear as long as forbearance is +a virtue--which is much longer than many people are willing to believe. +We marched the interesting couple up to a rustic deer house, in the +grounds of Colonel Wimpleton, which had been designated as their future +abode. We made them comfortable, and then left them to enjoy life as +they could, and to enforce the great moral lesson which their names +illustrated. + +“I meant to have been in Ruoara before this time,” said Waddie, as he +led the way to the lake at a pace which was trying to my legs. + +“What’s your hurry, Waddie?” + +“I am afraid Mr. Overton will be there before us.” + +“What if he is?” + +“I wish to have Miss Dornwood and her friends understand all about her +guardian before he sees her again.” + +“She evidently understands him quite as well as any one else,” I +replied, as we embarked in the Belle, and Waddie took the tiller. + +“We have the benefit of Nick’s revelation, and I think that is enough +to condemn him.” + +“I don’t think Nick’s testimony is worth much, though I have no doubt +it is all true. I agree with you that it will be well to have Mr. +Pinkerton informed in regard to Nick’s trade with him.” + +“I wonder what Mr. Pinkerton will do?” added Waddie. + +“That will depend upon what Mr. Overton does. I judge, from the temper +of Miss Dornwood, that she will refuse to live with her guardian again.” + +“I hope we shall get there before he does.” + +“Probably we shall. It was too late for him to come up in the afternoon +boat when we left the Cataract House. It is not likely that he took +the morning boat to-day, and we shall be in Ruoara before he can get +there, if he takes the afternoon steamer.” + +But Waddie was nervous and uneasy. He talked about Miss Dornwood during +the rest of the passage, which, however, was not a long one. We landed +at the wharf, and hastened to the house of the Pinkertons, where we +were kindly welcomed by all, including Miss Dornwood. Mr. Overton had +not been seen or heard from. + +“I am very glad to see you again, Mr. Wimpleton,” said Miss Dornwood; +“for I want to thank you and your friend again for the kind service you +rendered me.” + +“We were very glad of the opportunity to serve you,” replied Waddie, +blushing; and I could not help realizing that my friend was “fatally +insnared.” + +“But where is my other friend, the skipper of the Belle, as you called +him?” asked the young lady. + +“He was shot in the arm yesterday by one of the bank robbers.” + +“I am so sorry! We heard all about your capture of the robber.” + +“There was a report this forenoon that the other robber had been +caught,” said Mr. Pinkerton. + +“Yes, sir; he was captured in the afternoon, at the Cataract House,” +replied Waddie. “All the money has been recovered.” + +“That’s very fortunate.” + +“Who do you think the other robber was, Miss Dornwood?” asked Waddie. + +“I have no suspicion.” + +“Lord Palsgrave.” + +“Lord Palsgrave!” exclaimed she, her cheeks reddening with confusion. + +“And Lord Palsgrave turns out to be the son of the very worthy +commander of the Ucayga--Nick Van Wolter.” + +Of course we were obliged to tell the whole story, and by the time it +was finished, dinner was ready; and before we had finished that, a +servant announced Mr. and Mrs. Overton. + +There was a prospect of a lively breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +MISS DORNWOOD’S GUARDIAN. + + +Waddie and I, in the course of our narrative, had fully informed Mr. +Pinkerton in regard to the relations of Nick Van Wolter with Mr. +Overton. + +“Now, Captain Penniman, you and I will see Mr. Overton. Waddie, if +you will go to the office of my lawyer, Mr. Bayard, and state to him +all the facts in the case, you will oblige me very much,” said Mr. +Pinkerton. “In about half an hour return with him.” + +“I will do so with pleasure,” replied Waddie. + +“Perhaps Miss Dornwood had better go with you. She can tell a part of +her story to better advantage than you can.” + +Waddie was still better pleased with this arrangement, and they left +the house by the side door, so as not to be seen by Mr. Overton in the +library. I followed Mr. Pinkerton into the presence of the guardian +and his wife. I bowed to them as I entered, but they evidently were +not pleased to see me. + +“I am informed that Miss Dornwood, my ward, is in your house, sir,” Mr. +Overton began. + +“Not at this moment, though she is within call, and will be here in +half an hour,” replied Mr. Pinkerton. + +“You are aware, sir, that I am her legal guardian?” + +“I am, sir.” + +“Permit me to say, sir, that your conduct in harboring and encouraging +her in her present vicious course is entirely unjustifiable,” continued +Mr. Overton, sternly and severely. + +“Permit me to say, sir, that I take an entirely different view of the +matter,” added Mr. Pinkerton, very courteously. + +“Then you take a very extraordinary view of it.” + +“There is room for some difference of opinion on this subject, and, +until better informed, I shall be obliged to retain my own view.” + +“Miss Dornwood ran away from me. Are you aware of this fact, sir?” + +“I am; you locked her into her room, and she escaped. With the +assistance of some good friends, she came here, where I purpose to +have her remain as long as she is pleased to do so.” + +“Allow me to remind you again, sir, that I am her legal guardian.” + +“Allow me to remind you, sir, that you have abused your office.” + +“That is a very strong statement, Mr. Pinkerton,” replied the guardian, +who seemed to be surprised at the charge. + +“I have no doubt it can be fully proved, Mr. Overton. A young lady +of seventeen is legally an infant, but not morally. The duties of a +guardian are those of a father.” + +“I have endeavored to be as a father towards her,” added Mr. Overton, +who was plainly unprepared for the step which Mr. Pinkerton’s remarks +foreshadowed. + +“Do you think a father would lock his daughter of seventeen into a room +in a hotel?” + +“If she disobeyed him--yes.” + +“Or drag her by force through the grounds of a public hotel?” + +“The law would justify him in doing so, if she refused to obey his +reasonable commands.” + +“Perhaps it would; I will leave that matter in the hands of the +lawyers. Certainly, if the young lady were not absolutely vicious, +the moral sense of the community would not justify either father or +guardian in the use of force.” + +“She is absolutely vicious,” answered the guardian, boldly. + +“Sir, you insult her!” said Mr. Pinkerton, indignantly. “I know her +well; and a more gentle, modest, and well-behaved girl does not live in +this country.” + +“She impudently refused to obey me.” + +“Only after you, in the presence of the young gentleman who had +assisted her in her peril and terror, had treated her in the most +outrageous manner; after you had ordered her to the house, like a +child. Your conduct was that of a common bully.” + +“Sir!” + +“I wish to be entirely frank with you, sir. You have made her life +miserably unhappy by your petty tyranny and contemptible espionage. You +have not treated her with any of the consideration due to a young lady +who has entered her teens,” continued Mr. Pinkerton, calmly. + +“Am I to understand, sir, that you intend to remove me from my office +of guardian on these grounds?” + +“No, sir, not exactly on those grounds. The law, in most if not all the +states, provides that when a guardian becomes ‘evidently unsuitable’ +for the discharge of his duties, he shall be removed.” + +“Do you think I am an unsuitable person?” demanded Mr. Overton, who was +very nervous and much alarmed. + +“I do so consider you, sir.” + +“If you think I am too strict with her, though I have only acted for +her welfare, I will be less so in the future,” said Mr. Overton, who +now seemed disposed to compromise. + +“Miss Dornwood says she will never live with you again under any +circumstances, even if she is obliged to earn her own living.” + +“Is her will to be the law?” + +“She is entitled to be consulted. But here she comes, and on this +subject she may speak for herself. The gentleman with her is Mr. +Bayard, her legal adviser and mine.” + +Miss Dornwood, attended by Waddie and the lawyer, entered the library. +Mr. and Mrs. Overton bowed coldly as they entered. The young lady was +very much embarrassed, and seated herself as far from her guardian as +the size of the room would permit. + +Mr. Pinkerton informed the legal gentleman what had thus far +transpired. Mr. Bayard, who by this time fully understood the subject, +explained the law, and said that Miss Dornwood could petition the Court +of Probate, or Surrogate, to remove the guardian, and appoint a new one. + +“Prepare the papers as soon as convenient, Mr. Bayard,” said Mr. +Pinkerton. + +“The petition must be presented to the court having jurisdiction in the +cause when the will of Mr. Dornwood was admitted to probate. Perhaps +Mr. Overton would prefer to resign his office of guardian, which it is +competent for him to do,” added the lawyer. + +“No, sir; I don’t intend to do that,” replied Mr. Overton. + +“Such a course might be best for you.” + +“Gentlemen, you speak to me as though I were a monster, and not a +gentleman; as though I were guilty of some base crime,” protested Mr. +Overton. + +“That is precisely the view I take of it, after listening to Miss +Dornwood’s statement, and that of Mr. Wimpleton.” + +“Sir, do you mean to insult me? I am not on trial.” + +“You are not, but you ought to be,” coolly retorted the legal gentleman. + +“If there is any law in the land--” + +“Plenty of it,” interposed the cool lawyer. “As the attorney of Miss +Dornwood, I only hope you will commence the proceedings. You are +excited, sir. Pray keep calm.” + +“Can I keep calm while I am charged with a base crime?” fumed Mr. +Overton, rising from his chair, and pacing the room in his wrath. + +“I see that you do not understand the case. Let me refresh your memory, +and point out to you the bearings of some of your actions. In the first +place, you went to the Cataract House with a couple of bank robbers.” + +“Only one, sir,” I suggested. + +“With one, then; that is just as bad.” + +“But he was an impostor, and I did not know that he was not what he +represented himself to be,” replied the guardian. + +“I think you did. You must have known that he was a common blackleg, +for you saw him plying his trade in a gambling saloon at Cape May. You +had an understanding with him, after you had seen him at the gambling +table,--not as a visitor, but as one who was plundering a victim,--that +he should marry your ward, and that he was to accept, as her dowry in +full, fifty thousand dollars, though the young lady’s fortune was four +times that amount. You made this bargain with the blackleg and bank +robber.” + +Mr. Overton was very red, and then very pale. His limbs were shaky, and +he was obliged to resume his chair. He attempted to defend himself, and +declared that the testimony of a bank robber against a gentleman in his +position would prove nothing. + +“I grant that it is a very poor kind of testimony,” replied Mr. Bayard. +“But, so far as it can be confirmed by other witnesses, it will be +useful. Did you not tell Miss Dornwood that you would not consent to +her marriage with any other person than this bank robber and blackleg?” + +“The gentleman came to me as an English lord, and I thought it was a +good match for her.” + +“Lord Palsgrave!” laughed the lawyer. “You knew very well that he was +not a lord. You do not answer my question, Mr. Overton.” + +“I am not on trial.” + +“Will Miss Dornwood answer?” + +“He did tell me that I could marry only Lord Palsgrave with his +consent,” replied she, with a blush; and it was plain enough that she +had never thought of marrying anybody. + +“Do you intend to drag all this matter into the court?” demanded Mr. +Overton. + +“Undoubtedly; and we intend to examine Mr. Dornwood’s will very +critically, especially that part of it relating to the consent of the +guardian to Miss Dornwood’s marriage. We believe it has been tampered +with.” + +Mr. Overton appeared to be stunned by this declaration. Doubtless, like +all other evil-doers, he supposed that his deeds were entirely covered, +and that no one suspected him of anything wrong. He was unable again +to regain his self-possession, and Mr. Bayard restated the grounds on +which he proposed to proceed. + +“I will resign,” gasped he, at last, after his wife had whispered in +his ear. + +“That is the most prudent step you can take,” added the lawyer. + +“I wish you to understand that I do not resign because I have done +anything wrong, but because I do not wish to have my name publicly +connected with a bank robber. I did not know what he was,” protested +Mr. Overton. + +“Yon can put any construction you please upon your own conduct,” said +Mr. Bayard. “It will be necessary for you to render an account of all +your expenditures as the guardian of Miss Dornwood, and deliver her +property into the hands of your successor.” + +“That’s a gratuitous insult,” replied the crestfallen guardian. + +But a time was fixed for the transaction of this important business, +and Mr. Overton agreed to be present with his resignation. He and his +wife departed sadder and wiser than they came. As there was no doubt +in the minds of any of us that he had intended to rob his ward of the +greater portion of her fortune, we did not pity him. + +Waddie devoted himself assiduously to Miss Dornwood during the rest of +our stay at Mr. Pinkerton’s, and it was quite late in the evening when +we returned to Middleport. The next day we went up the lake again, and +Waddie sailed the Raven down to Centreport. After this he went down +the lake as far as Ruoara about every day. At the end of a fortnight, +however, when Mr. Pinkerton and Miss Dornwood went to her residence +to attend the proceedings at the Surrogate Court, Waddie consented to +finish the vacation with me in the upper waters of the lake. Tommy +Toppleton went with us this time; Tom Walton was again able to take his +place at the helm, and we had a splendid time. + +We were obliged to attend court at the examination of the bank robbers, +who were fully committed for trial. Subsequently they were convicted, +and sentenced to twenty years in the penitentiary. + +Mr. Pinkerton was appointed the guardian of Miss Dornwood, after the +resignation of Mr. Overton; and the Raven plied very regularly between +Ruoara and Centreport. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE YOUNG SKIPPER OF THE BANSHEE. + + +“What boat’s that?” said Tom Walton to me, as we walked down to the +shore where the Belle was moored. + +“That’s the Banshee,” I replied, quietly. + +“Never heard of her.” + +“She is new--just finished.” + +“She’s a first-rate boat, and has a bully name,” added Tom, as he +critically surveyed the new craft. + +The Banshee was larger than the Grace, and was really a magnificent +boat. Tom was delighted with her, and expressed his admiration in the +warmest terms. I am willing to acknowledge that there was a conspiracy +against Tom; but the time for springing the trap upon him had not quite +arrived. I had engaged him to take out a party to sail that day. We +went on board the Belle; but Tom kept one eye on the Banshee all the +time. + +“Can’t we go aboard of her, Wolf?” asked Tom. + +“We haven’t time now. There comes Major Toppleton, with his family; and +we have to go over to Centreport for the rest of the party.” + +“I should like to ask how large a party you intend to take out in the +Belle. There are five of the Toppletons, and you and I make seven.” + +“We will go over and see how many there are on the other side,” I +answered quietly. + +We crossed the lake, and found five Wimpletons, Miss Dornwood, and Miss +Pinkerton. + +“Good gracious, Wolf!” exclaimed the skipper, in a low tone, and with a +look of infinite embarrassment. “The standing-room of the Belle won’t +hold but ten, and they are crowded at that. We can’t carry them all, +Wolf.” + +“We will try, at any rate.” + +“Try! You might as well try to put a ton of hay into an egg-shell. You +can’t do it. You must sail the Raven, and carry part of them.” + +“We will take them over to the other shore, and then decide what shall +be done,” I added, as Tom ran the Belle up to the landing steps. + +The party entered the boat, and when they were seated, the +standing-room was quite full, for the ladies were considerably expanded. + +“Where do you intend to put the other five, Wolf?” whispered Tom, when +we were under way. + +“I don’t think we can put them into the Belle,” I replied. + +Tom was very much troubled, and worried sorely. Why had I not told him +that our party was to consist of all Middleport and all Centreport? +He would have engaged another boat. He did not believe he had “feed” +enough on board for such a crowd. He continued to fret, in his +good-natured way, until we were within hailing distance of the Banshee. + +“The Toppletons have all gone on board of that new boat,” said Tom. + +“They probably want to see her. Suppose we run alongside, and take a +look at her,” I suggested. + +“I should like to see her, first rate,” answered the skipper. “You +didn’t tell me whose boat she was, Wolf.” + +“She was built for Captain Portman.” + +“She’s a regular out-and-outer; and she will sail like sixty. Look at +that bow! She is sharp enough to cut cheese with; but she has plenty of +beam, and won’t be crank.” + +Tom ran the Belle under the stern of the Banshee, and came up at the +accommodation steps on the port side. Like a gallant skipper as he was, +Tom assisted the ladies on board of the new boat, and then stepped on +deck himself. We walked about the beautiful craft, and the skipper +examined everything with a critical eye. Passing down the fore-hatch, +we entered the cook-room, which was fitted up with every convenience. + +“I should like to be the cook on board the Banshee,” said Tom, as he +examined the appointments of the kitchen. + +“Wouldn’t you rather be the skipper?” I asked. + +“Perhaps I would, but I never expect to go skipper of such a nobby +yacht as this.” + +“Possibly you may,” I added, as we passed into one of the two +state-rooms which occupied the middle of the vessel. + +“What’s this for?” + +“This is the captain’s room.” + +“First rate,” said Tom, with enthusiasm. + +We went into the other state-room, and then passed into the main cabin, +which was large enough to contain four berths. The floor was richly +carpeted, and the table was provided with racks and water pitcher. +There was an abundance of lockers and closets, which were stocked with +dishes and stores. Rich hangings partially concealed the berths, and +everything was as luxurious as the parlor of a gentleman’s house. Tom +gazed with admiration and delight at the elegant appointments of the +cabin. By this time the entire company had assembled in this stately +apartment, and all of them were watching Tom. No one noticed any of the +rest of us. + +“Why, they are getting her under way,” said Tom. “Hadn’t we better be +off?” + +“Not just yet,” I replied. + +“But I’m afraid the Belle will be in her way.” + +“It’s all right;” and I proceeded to point out the conveniences on +board of the yacht. + +In a few moments we heard the rattle of the jib, and the Banshee was +off. + +“I think we will go on deck now,” I continued. + +“Why, she’s off now!” exclaimed Tom, springing to the steps. “Where’s +the Belle?” + +“She is moored all right, Tom,” I interposed. “The ladies have +concluded to go in the Banshee if you will take the helm.” + +“O, this was the game--was it?” laughed Tom. “I didn’t see how you +expected to carry fourteen in the Belle. I’ll take the helm, and glad +of the job.” + +All the party followed him to the standing-room. Joe Poole, who had +formerly sailed with Tom and me in the Grace, had the helm. There were +also two men on the forecastle, coiling up the jib-halyards. + +“Here, Tom,” I interposed, as he was about to take the helm from Joe +Poole. “You didn’t look at this arrangement for the spy-glass.” + +I pointed to the glass, which was secured on a couple of spring +brackets, so that it could not be moved from its place by the pitching +of the vessel. Under it was a large silver plate, upon which an +inscription was engraved. It was placed directly over the entrance to +the cabin, and in calling Tom’s attention to the spy-glass, I intended +he should see this plate. All the party in the standing-room were +watching him with the most intense interest and delight. + +“Good gracious, Wolf!” shouted the skipper, his eyes opening till they +were as large as the hawse-holes of the yacht. + +I thought he would be crazy, he was so astonished and delighted. The +inscription on the plate was as follows:-- + +“_Presented to Captain Thomas Walton by the Directors of the Centreport +Bank, in testimony of their high appreciation of his gallant conduct +and skilful management in the capture of the robbers of their Bank._” + +“I say, Wolf, won’t you make a little speech for me?” said Tom. + +“Make it yourself, Tom. There is the president of the bank,” I replied, +pointing to Colonel Wimpleton. + +“Colonel Wimpleton, this is handsome of you, and I thank you ten +thousand times--call it ten million times. If my heart were as big as +the moon, it would shake all over with gratitude. I don’t deserve +this, but I am the happiest skipper that ever trod a plank.” + +The entire party clapped their hands, and seemed to be almost as happy +as Tom was. + +“The money which that robber had in his bag would pay for a dozen such +yachts as this; and it would have been lost without you,” said Colonel +Wimpleton. “It’s only a salve for your wounded arm.” + +It was some time before Captain Walton was in condition to take the +helm, he was so excited. He went all over the Banshee again, and I +attended him. + +“So you were fooling me all the time, Wolf,” said he. “But you said she +was built for Captain Portman.” + +“So she was; but as it was rather late in the season for him, he was +kind enough to let the colonel have her, and another will be built for +him before spring.” + +“She’s a bully boat.” + +“She will make your fortune, Tom, for people will like her.” + +“That’s so. I can let the Belle, and run the Banshee myself.” + +Tom finally cooled off enough to take the helm. He was the lion of the +day, and he handled the yacht so as to call forth the admiration of the +party. Colonel Wimpleton had consulted me in regard to the reward for +Tom, and I had suggested the yacht, because I knew she would enable him +to make a great deal of money. The magnate could not wait for a boat +to be built, and Captain Portman, to whom I applied for information +in regard to the cost of the Banshee, enabled him to obviate this +delay. Certainly Tom could not have been better suited if he had been +consulted. He was very grateful, and very modest, winning the regard of +all on board. + +We sailed up to the Cataract House, where the company dined; after +which the excursion was continued to the head of the lake. All had a +splendid time; and, as Grace Toppleton was present, it was one of the +happy days of a lifetime to me. We landed Miss Dornwood and her friend +at Ruoara, and came to anchor off Middleport before dark. + +The Banshee was immediately in great demand. Applications for her came +from every town on the lake; and when the season closed, Tom had money +enough to pay a quarter down on a house he bought for his mother. Joe +Poole ran the Belle when a skipper was needed by her party, and half a +dozen row-boats added to Tom’s income. One of his brothers attended to +the letting of the boats, and the next season Tom did a large business. +The family, by the exertions of Tom, was now on the high road to +prosperity. + + * * * * * + +A lapse of five years has produced no change in the pleasant relations +between the two sides of the lake, though it has witnessed many +changes in the circumstances of those who have figured in my story. +The Union Line is still a unit. The Lake Shore Railroad does a large +business. Captain Van Wolter still commands the Ucayga, and the only +sorrow of his life is the fact that his son has fifteen long years of +imprisonment before him. All the old students have left the Institutes, +and new ones have taken their places. + +Tom Walton, with a great pair of bushy whiskers, still runs the +Banshee, and makes money in the boat business. He has built a very +comfortable double house near his boat pier, and lives in one side +himself, while his mother occupies the other. He is married, and is +regarded as one of the solid men of Middleport; he can no longer be +called “The Young Skipper of Lake Ucayga,” though his heart is as young +and fresh as ever. + +There have been quite a number of new houses erected in Middleport +and Centreport. Near the mansion of Colonel Wimpleton is the elegant +house of Mr. Waddie Wimpleton. Miss Dornwood that was, Mrs. Wimpleton +that is, lives there, of course, and is highly esteemed by everybody +in town, not only as an elegant lady, but as a useful and benevolent +woman. By the side of this house is another, occupied by Mr. Thomas +Toppleton, for his lady desired to live near her mother and brother; +and it was whispered that her husband thought his chances of being +sent to Congress from the district in which Centreport was situated +were better than in the one to which Middleport belonged. At any rate, +Tommy has political aspirations, and is a rising man; and I am only +sorry that I shall not have the opportunity to vote for him when he is +nominated. + +On the other side of the lake, between the mansion of Major Toppleton +and the shore, stands what I regard as a very pretty house. It was +erected by the major for the use of his oldest daughter, and we live +there. I shall be happy to introduce Mrs. Penniman to any of my friends +who call. I wish to say, aside, so that she will not hear me, that I +think she is even prettier now than she was on the day when I first +saw her, and helped her into the engine-room of the dummy. She is very +happy, and I am sure I am. Her father bestowed a very liberal dowry +upon her when we were married, and I have doubled my little fortune in +five years, so that we are abundantly provided with this world’s goods. + +I am still the general agent of the Union Line, but I am not obliged +to work very hard. I am interested in several railroads, including the +Great Lake Shore in Ohio, which had the audacity to steal our name. My +father still runs the engine of the Ucayga, in connection with Christy +Holgate, who has been true to his high Christian aspirations. Lewis +Holgate did not turn out very well. He was discharged from his place on +the Lake Shore Railroad, and the last I knew of him, he was “firing” on +one of the main lines. + +My mother comes over to our house almost every afternoon, where she is +always warmly welcomed by Grace, who loves her almost as much as I do. +I often think, when I see her, that the Bible lessons she taught me +have been the foundation of all that I am or ever shall be. I shudder +when I think where I might have been without her; and I do not think +it egotism for me to say, in view of the facts that the principle of +“Love your enemies,” which she imparted to me, was the basis upon which +the present happy peace between the two sides of the lake rested; for +Waddie and Tommy confessed that they had learned the lesson from me. +She is a good mother, and I shall love, and cherish, and pray for her +as long as I live. + +The two bears are still alive, though the fun is all gone out of them. +They are now grave, sedate, and dignified bears, and as such, are fit +symbols of the Christian sentiment they represent. I am grateful to +them for the good they have unconsciously done, and I never call them +by any other names than BEAR and FORBEAR. + + + + +Transcriber's Notes + + + • Italic represented with _underscores_. + + • Small Capitals converted to ALL CAPS. + + • Illustrations relocated close to related content. + + • Obvious typographic errors silently corrected. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 77177 *** |