Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 12

"I am afraid she will get off ahead of you, and you may have some trouble in following her."

"Well, I shall attempt it. Come; we'll get a cab, and go to the bank at once. The transfer must be made in a hurry, and I must get my party together without the loss of a moment."

They hastened off the pier.

Coming toward them they saw a cab that looked somewhat bruised and battered, one of its lamps having been smashed and one side damaged.

"I believe it is the very cab in which I pursued Lord Stanford!" cried Frank. "Yes, I know it is! And there is Barney coming, too!"

The Irish boy was on foot, limping along painfully, but he waved his hand in a cheerful manner when he saw Frank, shouting:

"Hurro, me b'y! It's nivver a bit can yez kill Barney Mulloy at all, at all!"

Then the Irish boy hurried forward, still limping, and excitedly asked:

"Pwhere be they, Frankie? Is it th' shlip they gave yez, me lad? Musha!

musha! it's bad luck we had!"

"They got away for the time," said Frank, swiftly; "but I am going to follow them in a yacht I have just bought."

"A yacht? Ye've bought a yacht? It's jist loike yez! Ye'd be afther buying a stameboat av it wur necessary!"

Then Barney recognized Chandler as one of the men who had hastened to their aid in the Chinese theatre.

"An' is it your yacht he's bought?" asked the Irish lad. "It's nivver Oi saw th' bate av this! An' th' droiver says ye'll have ter pay fer his smash, though it's litthle his cab wur damaged."

The driver stopped at the curb and began to bemoan the fate that had befallen him.

Frank cut him short.

"Give us a rest!" he exclaimed. "You were paid to take chances, and it is not my fault if you upset by turning a corner too sharply. It's a wonder you escaped arrest for reckless driving."

"I should have been pulled, sir," said the driver, "but it happened I knew the officer who saw the affair. But I'll have to pay for the damage done to the hack, sir, and I'm a poor man with a wife and five children to support."

"Here is the ten dollars I promised you if you would get me to the water front inside of twenty minutes," said Frank, as he handed over a bill, which the driver eagerly grasped. "Do you want to earn ten more? That will make twenty-five, and will pay you well for everything, damage and all."

"Tell me how I can make ten more."

"By taking us to the Nevada Bank in a hurry."

"Get in."

The door of the cab was jerked open, and Frank urged Chandler and Barney in. He paused to say to the driver:

"Every minute is precious. You know I pay right off the reel if you give satisfaction. Do your best."

The door slammed, and away went the cab.

"Barney," said Frank, when they were started, "this cab will land us at the corner of Montgomery and Pine streets, where I shall leave it to complete my business with Mr. Chandler. I want you to stay in the cab, which will take you to my hotel. You are to tell the boys I have bought a yacht, and every man must be on board ready to sail before noon. Get them together, have Rattleton settle the hotel bill, and see that they are all ready to get out of the place, for I shall want them to start the instant I appear."

"Did yez ivver hear th' loikes av it?" gurgled the Irish lad. "Oi nivver knew anybody to do anything in such a rush in all my loife."

"A rush is required in this case, or Lord Stanford will get too much the start of me."

Frank finished giving Barney instructions during the ride, and before the bank was reached, the Irish lad knew exactly what was expected of him.

When the bank was reached, Frank and Chandler got out. Frank gave the driver the promised money, and added something to pay him for taking Barney to the hotel.

This was done without waste of time, and then Merriwell led the way into the bank.

Business in the bank was soon concluded, and when Frank again reached the pier at the foot of Taylor Street, having in his pocket a paper that showed he had paid one thousand dollars for the yacht _Greyhound_, seven boys were there to greet him.

Jack Diamond started in to grumble, but Frank cut him short.

"Not a word!" he said, sharply. "All who wish to go with me without question are welcome; any who do not wish to do so are at liberty to remain behind."

As he spoke he was eagerly looking for Lord Stanford's yacht, which was gone from its place of anchorage. An expression of great satisfaction, of positive joy, escaped his lips when he saw far out toward the Golden Gate a sloop-rigged craft that he believed was the Englishman's boat.

"Thank goodness the breeze has fallen!" he muttered. "She has not been able to get out of the harbor."

Three minutes later Frank had bargained with a boatman to set the whole party on board the _Greyhound_.

This was not necessary, however, for he discovered the small boat beside the pier, Chandler having come off in it.

However, as the bargain was made, the man took off all but three of the boys. Frank, Bart and Barney used the small boat.

Frank was wondering at the non-appearance of the former owner of the yacht, as Chandler had stated he would be on hand to see if there was any of his personal property on the _Greyhound_ that he wished to take away.

"I can't wait for him," Merry decided. "It was odd he did not keep with me. As I had a little business to look after, and was in a rush, I presume he did not care to chase me around, and he thought I would not be able to get here as soon as this."

Immediately they were on board, Frank set each one at some task, and put them on the jump.

"Do you see that small white yacht that is trying to beat out past the point?" he asked.

"Yah," nodded Hans, "we seen dot."

"Yah!" exclaimed Frank, whose spirits were rising now they were on board the _Greyhound_ and Lord Stanford had not been able to get out of sight and give them the slip. "What do you mean by addressing the captain in that manner, sir? Yah! Who ever heard of a sailor saying 'yah' to his superior officer! You should say, 'Ay, ay, sir.'"

"Vale, I d.i.n.ks me I said dot der next times, Vrankie."

"'Vrankie,'" shouted Merriwell. "Who ever heard anything like that?

Think of a common sailor addressing the captain of a vessel by his front name! Have a little more respect, young man!" he suddenly thundered, as if greatly enraged. "If you are not careful, you shall be placed in irons and thrown into the hold!"

Hans gasped for breath and began to tremble.

"Dunder und blitzens!" he murmured. "Vat vos der madder mit dot poy! Uf dis been der vay he done as soon as we get der vater on, der next time I took a sail mit him I vas goin' to sday ad home. Yah!"

Frank pointed out Lord Stanford's yacht to the boys, and told them that he did not wish to lose sight of it.