At the Black Rocks Part 9

And the breakfast! It was without parallel. The schooner was held by its anchor inside the bar, and the boys in the morning visited their provision-baskets, and brought off such a heap of delicacies that the light-keeper declared it to be the "most satisfyin' meal" he had ever had inside those stone walls.

About nine o'clock he said, "Now, boys, I expect the tug-boat will be down with that schooner. When the cap'n of the tug-boat has carried her through the channel, I will signal to him--he and I have an understanding about it--and he will come round and tow you up, I don't doubt. You might be a-watching for her smoke."

Soon Dab Richards, looking up the harbour, cried out, "Smoke! she's coming!"

Yes, there was the tug-boat, throwing up a column of black smoke from her chimney, and behind her were the freshly-painted hull, and new, clean rigging of the lately launched schooner. The boys, save Dave, went to the _Relentless_, as the light-keeper said he would fix everything with the tug-boat, "make a bargain, and so on," and Dave could hear the terms and accept them for the party if he wished. The light-keeper had also promised in his own boat to put Dave aboard the tug.

But what other tug-boat was it the boys on the _Relentless_ saw steaming down the harbour? They stood in the bow and watched her approach.

"She looks as if she were going to run into us," declared d.i.c.k.

"She certainly is pointing this way," thought Johnny.

"Our friends may be alarmed for us," was Dab's suggestion.

This could not be, the other boys thought, and they dismissed it as a teasing remark by Dab. And yet the tug-boat was coming toward them like an arrow feathered with black smoke and shot out by a strong arm.

"It is certainly coming toward us," cried d.i.c.k in alarm. Who was it his black eyes detected among the people leaning over the rail of the nearing tug-boat?

He looked again.

He took a third look.

"Boys," he shouted, "put!"

How rapidly he rushed for a hatchway, descending an old ladder still in place and leading into the schooner's hold! Fear is catching. Had d.i.c.k seen a policeman sent out in a special tug to hunt up the boys and secure the vessel? Johnny Richards flew after d.i.c.k. Jimmy Davis followed Johnny. Dab was quickly at the heels of Jimmy. Down into the dark, smelling hold, stumbling over the keelson, splashing into the bilge water, and frightening the rats, hurried the still more frightened boys.

"Who was it, d.i.c.k?" asked Dab.

"Keep still boys; don't say anything."

"Can't you tell his name?" whispered Johnny.

There it was, down in the dark, that d.i.c.k whispered the fearful name.

When the tug-boat, the _Leopard_, carrying Dave neared the schooner, the captain said, "You have another tug there. It is the _Panther_."

The _Leopard_ hated the _Panther_, and would gladly have clawed it out of shape and sunk it.

"I don't understand why the _Panther_ is there," said Dave; "I really don't know what it means."

"You see," said the master of the _Leopard_ fiercely, "if that other boat is a-goin' to do the job, let her do it (he will probably cheat you). I can't fool away my time. The _Sally Jane_ is waitin' up stream to be towed down, and I would like to get the job."

"We will soon find out what it means, sir. Just put me alongside the schooner."

"I will put my boat there, and you can jump out."

Who was it that Dave saw on the schooner's deck? Dave trembled at the prospect. He could imagine what was coming, and it came.

"Here, young man, what have you been up to? A precious set of young rascals to be running off with my property. I thought you said you would be particular. The state prison is none too good for you," said this unexpected and gruff personage.

"Squire Sylvester," replied Dave with dignity, "just wait before you condemn after that fashion; wait till you get the facts. I did try to be particular. I don't think it was intended when it was done; boys don't think, you know--"

"When what was done?"

"Why, the anchor lifted--weighed--"

"Anchor lifted!" growled Squire Sylvester. "What for?"

"Just to see it move, and have a little ride, I think."

"Have a little sail! Didn't you know, sir, it was exposing property to have a little sail?"

Here the squire silently levelled a stout red forefinger at this opprobrious wretch, this villain, this thief, this robber on the high seas, this--with what else did that finger mean to label David Fletcher?

"But the anchor was dropped again, and it was thought, sir, that it--that it would stop--"

"And the vessel did not stop! Might have guessed that, I should say.

You got into deep water."

"We were going to hire the _Leopard_ to tow it back, and any damages would have been paid. I am very sorry--"

"No apologies, young man. What's done is done. I have got a tug-boat to take the vessel back."

"And you don't want me?" here shouted the captain of the _Leopard_.

"Of course not," muttered the captain of the _Panther_, showing some white teeth in derision.

"I don't know anything about you," said Squire Sylvester to the captain of the _Leopard_; "this other party may settle with you."

"I'll pay any bill," said Dave to the _Leopard_, whose steam was escaping in a low growl.

"Can't waste any more time," snarled the _Leopard_. He rang the signal-bell to the engineer, and off went his tug.

"Well, where are your companions?" said Squire Sylvester to Dave.--"O Giles," he added to the _Panther_, "you may start up your boat if you have made fast to the schooner."

"Weigh the anchor fust, sir."

"Oh yes, Giles."

The anchor weighed, the _Panther_ then sneezed, splashed, frothed, and the _Relentless_ followed it. Squire Sylvester declared that he must find the other runaways; that they must be on board the schooner, and he would hunt for them. He discovered them down in the hold, and out of the shadows crawled four sheepish, mortified hide-aways.

And so back to its moorings went the old schooner.

Back to his office went Squire Sylvester, mad with others, and mad with himself because mad with others.

Back to their homes went a shabby picnic party, and after them came a bill for the expense of the _Relentless's_ return trip. It costs something in this life to find out that the thing easily started may not be the thing easily stopped.