Owen Clancy's Happy Trail Part 9

"Who said Gerald and Bob were with me?" returned Burton sullenly.

"You said something before we got out of the boat which proved to me that Gerald Wynn was here with you. And, if Gerald is here, Katz is along, too. Why are you in this place?"

Burton did not answer.

"Why did one of you write that letter to Hill and try to get him to San Diego?"

Still nothing from Burton.

"Did you fellows bring the fifteen thousand with you?"

Clancy's voice was sharp as he put this question.

"It must be clear to you," returned Burton, "that I haven't any of that fifteen thousand. If I had, do you think I'd be divin' for quarters?"

The motor wizard seated himself on a bowlder. The sun was hot, but a cool breeze from the sea tempered its warmth. As he stared at the stubborn face of Burton, his eyes hardened.

"Hank," he went on, "I haven't any cause to love you, or Gerald Wynn, or Bob Katz. One of you put a bullet into my shoulder, at the old adobe near Wickenburg. The three of you, also, made off with fifteen thousand dollars belonging to me and to Lafe Wynn. Now I can put you through for all that, and put you through good and hard. Even if I can't get hands on Gerald and Katz, I've got you securely. Do you want to save yourself, or don't you?"

"Save myself? How?"

"Why, by helping me get back that stolen money. Tell us where Gerald Wynn and Katz are hiding themselves, where the money is, and how we're to get hold of it."

"Think I'm a squealer?" demanded Burton indignantly.

"Where are your clothes?" Clancy asked.

"Boltwood knows."

The motor wizard walked down to the water's edge.

"Boltwood," said he, "I want you to go and get Burton's clothes. Also get from Ike the clothes belonging to Hill and me. Bring them back here.

And--listen! Don't say a word to anybody about what happened.

Understand?"

"I don't know what's happened, or what's goin' on now," answered Boltwood, "so how can I talk?"

"Just remember that, then. Here's a five-dollar gold piece for you. Do as I tell you and you'll be all right. Do something else, and you'll find yourself in more trouble than Burton is in."

"I'm no fool, I guess," mumbled Boltwood, pouching the gold piece. "I don't pry into things that ain't my business. I'll row across and get the clothes."

He sprang into the boat, pushed off, and began using the oars vigorously. The motor wizard turned thoughtfully and walked back to the place where he had left Hill and Burton.

Hank Burton had issued his defiance. He was not a "squeeler," but he was apprehensive regarding Clancy's next move.

"What're you goin' to do?" he asked.

"I'm sending for your clothes," was the reply.

"Then what?"

"Why, then I'll find some place where I can make a complaint against you. You think more of your pals liberty than you do of your own. But that's your lookout, not mine. If you want to go to jail and leave Gerald Wynn and Bob Katz free to spend that fifteen thousand, why, have it that way."

Clancy's tone was relentless. Burton knew enough of the motor wizard to understand that he would do what he said he would.

The chap in the bathing suit walked back and forth among the rocks for a few moments, then, finally, he flung up his hands helplessly and halted in front of Clancy.

"You've got the whip hand, as usual," said he, with a tinge of bitterness. "I'll exchange what I know for my liberty. What am I to tell you?"

CHAPTER VIII.

TREACHERY THAT SUCCEEDED--AND FAILED.

The motor wizard congratulated himself, for a moment, that he had won Hank Burton over to his side in the argument. But only for a moment.

Even as Clancy was getting ready to frame his first question, Burton took to his heels and ran like a deer toward the other side of Sugarloaf Rock.

On that side, three persons had landed in a small boat. They had secured their boat by twisting the painter around a rock, and were now climbing Old Sugarloaf.

Burton must have seen this landing party while walking back and forth and turning Clancy's proposition over in his mind. He had gained a little time by seeming to fall in with Clancy's desires, but now the mask was dropped.

"Consarn the critter!" whooped Hiram. "Stop him, Clancy, stop him!"

This is exactly what Clancy was trying to do, but the feat was physically impossible. Burton had too long a lead.

s.n.a.t.c.hing the painter from the rock, the fleeing rascal sprang into the boat, picked up the oars and was twenty feet from sh.o.r.e before Clancy and Hill came to the water's edge.

"Guess again!" taunted Burton, applying himself vigorously to the oars.

"This island ain't so big!" shouted Hiram furiously. "The steamer for San Pedro has gone, and there's no other boat for the mainland until to-morrow. You ain't out o' this yet, Hank Burton!"

What Burton thought regarding this did not appear. He put all his energy into his rowing and was soon halfway across the bay.

"If we'd toted a popper," bewailed Hiram, "this couldn't have happened.

"Popper?" questioned Clancy.

"Meanin' gun. With a six-shooter we could have drawn a bead on Mister Man in the boat and fetched him ash.o.r.e. Blame it! I sure hate to see him get away after bein' to so much trouble ketchin' him."

The motor wizard felt in the same way, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. Mynie Boltwood got back from the other side of the bay with a load of clothes, and Hill removed his wet garments, wrung them out, dried them in the sun, and was soon back in his complete wardrobe, and but little the worse for his drenching.

Clancy, hoping to develop something in the nature of a clew, searched the pockets of Burton's clothes. He found nothing to repay his search.

"Now," inquired Hill gloomily, "what's the next step?"

"We came here to find your father, Hiram," Clancy answered, "and suddenly got switched off into another trail. Now we'll get back to the work that originally brought us to the island."

"And let that bunch o' grafters go?"