Four Afloat Part 38

"Well, you came pretty near to doing it. I never saw a more outlandish object than you were when you came through the door!"

"Why didn't you go back to the cove yesterday afternoon?" asked Nelson.

"I was bell-boying," answered Tom calmly. "Besides, you fellows were having your joke and I thought you might as well enjoy it."

"It would have served you jolly well right," replied Bob severely, "if we'd gone on and left you."

"I wouldn't have cared."

"Oh, no, I suppose not," said Nelson sarcastically. "I'd like to know what you'd have done."

"Stayed right there until I'd made another dollar or two and gone on to New York to Dan's house."

"Huh! Dan's father would have thrown you off the doorsteps! Think he'd have taken in such a looking thing as you were?"

"I'd have risked it," laughed Tom. "When's Dan coming back?"

"To-morrow morning. And as soon as he does we're going to make trades for New Haven. I'm tired of loafing around here doing nothing but hunt for idiots," said Nelson.

"Meaning me, dearie?" asked Tom. "Hope you choke. Say, can we get back to the boat to-night? It's raining harder than ever."

"What time is it?" asked Nelson. "Got your watch on, Bob?"

"Quarter to twelve," answered Bob. "I vote we stay here and be as comfortable as we can. Is there any more wood?"

"Plenty. There are two or three old gunny sacks around and we can spread those out, put our oilskins on top and sleep finely. We can spread Tommy's blanket over us."

So, after building the fire up high, they followed Nelson's plan and, lying close together for warmth, were soon asleep, with the rain pelting a lullaby on the leaky roof.

They awoke shivering at seven o'clock and started back to town. The sun was out bright and a mile of the muddy road warmed them up. They reached the hotel at half-past eight and went through the entire bill of fare.

But it took time and consequently it was almost ten when they crossed the railroad tracks at the station and walked down the wharf. They had left Barry on board the evening before and Bob was calling himself names for deserting him for so long when Nelson, who was a few yards ahead, uttered a cry of astonishment and stopped dead in his tracks.

"What's the row?" asked Bob, hurrying to his side.

Nelson looked dazedly at Bob and then at the water below them. And Bob and Tom, following his eyes with their own, understood. The _Vagabond_ had disappeared.

CHAPTER XXI-TELLS OF THE SEARCH FOR THE _VAGABOND_

"Are you sure you left her here?" asked Tom. "Don't be a fool, Tommy, if you can help it," answered Bob shortly. "Of course we're sure."

"Then-where is she?"

"Well, if we knew we wouldn't be standing here answering your idiotic questions," replied Nelson. After which he and Bob, each having sat on Tom, regained some of their equanimity.

"You don't suppose anyone has swiped her, do you. Nel?" Bob asked anxiously.

"Looks like it," was the answer. "Only-how could they get in to start the engine?"

"Are you sure you locked the door?"

"Positive. And here's the key. And the only other one is in the cabin, unless Dan has it; he had it a couple of days ago."

"They might have burst the locks, I suppose," said Bob. But Nelson looked doubtful.

"They might break the padlock on the hatch, but the door lock is a pretty stiff one to get at. I suppose they might have picked it, though."

"Maybe they didn't start the engine," said Tom. "Maybe they just towed her away as she was."

"That's right, Tommy!" exclaimed Bob. "That's just about it. If she's been stolen that's the way they've done it. Besides, even if anyone could get the door open Barry wouldn't let them stay in the engine room long enough to turn the wheel over. He'd scare 'em out in no time. He wouldn't let anyone but you or Tommy or me go down those stairs."

"Or Dan," suggested Tom thoughtfully.

"Dan, of course," answered Bob.

"And Dan had the other key, maybe," continued Tom.

"Yes, I think so," said Nelson. "By Jove, Tommy, you're right! Perhaps Dan has gone off with her!"

"Nonsense!" said Bob. "He wouldn't know how to start her, to say nothing of running her after she was started!"

"I'm not so sure," answered Nelson. "He's watched things pretty carefully lots of times, come to think of it. Besides, it wouldn't make much difference to him whether he knew how or not. If he wanted to do it he would, and he's a lucky beggar."

"But could he have got back as early as this?" asked Bob.

"Let's go over to the station and find out," suggested Tom.

"You and Bob go," Nelson said, "and I'll see if I can find anyone around here who saw the _Vagabond_ go out." At the station Bob consulted the ticket agent.

"First train leaves New York at 4.54," said the agent, "and arrives here at 9.45."

"He wouldn't take that," said Bob to Tom. "He'd have to get up at four o'clock. Besides, we were at the wharf at a quarter to ten. What's the next one?"

"Eight o'clock from New York, arriving here 10.45," answered the agent.

"Another at 10.00, arriving 12.45, another at 10.02, arriving--"

"Thanks," interrupted Bob. "Those would be too late. There's no train, then, except the 4.54 which gets here before 9.45?"

Their informant shook his head impatiently and they moved aside.

"That disposes of Dan," said Bob. "It isn't the least bit likely that he'd get up at four o'clock to take a slow train when he could wait until eight and get one reaching here only an hour later. And if he has taken the eight o'clock he won't be here for nearly three quarters of an hour. So it looks as though some one had deliberately run off with the boat."

"Gee!" said Tom. "Won't we be in a fix? Do you suppose we'll ever find it and get it back?"

"I don't know," replied Bob. "I should think, though, that a thirty-six-foot launch would be a pretty hard thing to hide."