Ruth Fielding on the St. Lawrence Part 15

"Humph!" grunted Chess. "You don't suppose they would welcome any spies if they are smugglers, do you?" he asked.

"But what do they smuggle? Diamonds? Precious stones?"

"Don't know. Maybe. There is a heavy internal revenue tax on diamonds,"

Chess said.

"Goodness! wouldn't Helen like to be here."

"She'd want to go ash.o.r.e and take a hand in it," grinned Copley. "I know her."

"Yes, Helen is brave," admitted Ruth.

"Humph! She's foolish, you mean," he declared. "Whatever and whoever those fellows are, they would not welcome visitors I fancy."

Their launch had been drifting by the island, the upper ridge and trees of which they could see quite plainly. Suddenly a breath of wind--the forecast of the breeze that often rises toward daybreak--swooped down upon the river. It split the mist and revealed quite clearly the upper end of the island where Ruth had interviewed the queer old man, and which Copley's launch had now drifted past.

A light showed suddenly, and for a few moments, close to the water's edge. It revealed enough for the two in the drifting launch to see several figures outlined in the misty illumination of the light.

There was the bow of the mysterious boat close against the landing place.

At least three men were in the boat and on the sh.o.r.e. Ruth could not be sure that either of them was the old man she had spoken with.

But she and Chess Copley saw that they were unloading something from the boat--square, seemingly heavy boxes, yet not so heavy that they could not be pa.s.sed from hand to hand. One was about all the weight a man might easily lift.

"What do you suppose those boxes are?" whispered Ruth, as the Copley launch drifted into the mist again and the end of the island and the other boat were blotted out of sight.

"Give it up. Provisions--supplies. Maybe they are going to camp there.

Lots of people camp out on these smaller islands."

"The King of the Pipes will have something to say about that," laughed Ruth. "One thing sure about it," she added the next moment, as Chess started his engine again. "Those boxes don't contain diamonds."

"I should say not!"

"So if we saw smugglers they are smuggling something besides precious stones," said the girl gaily. "Won't Helen be interested when I tell her!"

CHAPTER XIV

A DEMAND IS MADE

Helen had gone to bed when Ruth went into their bedroom that morning, and either she was asleep or did not want to speak to her chum. Ruth felt that, after what had gone on at the ball at Alexandria Bay, she had better not wake Helen up to tell her about the strange launch that had landed at the Kingdom of the Pipes.

And in the morning the att.i.tude of both Helen and Tom closed Ruth's lips on all subjects. The twins were plainly offended. Why? Because Ruth had shown ordinary interest in other people besides themselves!

At least, that is how Ruth saw it. She thought it very silly for Helen to be jealous. Tom's jealousy was another matter; but he had brought the situation on himself.

For once Ruth was determined not to give in, as she so often did when Helen showed spleen. Fortunately, Ruth was busy with her picture work, so she had good reason to excuse herself from much a.s.sociation with the Cameron twins during the next two days.

Then something happened to give them all an entirely different topic of thought and conversation. That day had been spent in taking close-ups and scenes under the canvas and gla.s.s roof of the make-shift studio that had been built at the camp. The great pageant of historical times along the St. Lawrence was moving swiftly on its way. The scenes of a picture are seldom taken in any sequence at all, but Mr. Hooley had gone so far now that the bulk of the scenes had been filmed; and as they had been run off in the little projection room, both Mr. Hammond and Ruth had expressed their approval of almost every finished length of celluloid.

The work was practically over for the day at four o'clock and the actors in their costumes--especially the Indians, including Wonota and her father--made a brilliant picture as they wandered about the lawns and in and out of the several bungalows on the island.

From the direction of Chippewa Bay appeared a chugging motor-launch that came directly to the dock. It was not one of the hired launches used by the picture company, nor were those in the launch men who had anything to do with Mr. Hammond's corporation.

But when Ruth idly looked into the launch from her seat with Helen and Miss Keith and Mrs. Paisley on the porch of their house, the girl of the Red Mill got up suddenly, uttering an astonished exclamation:

"That horrid man again!"

"Hoity-toity!" exclaimed Mrs. Paisley. "What man deserves such a t.i.tle as that, Miss Fielding?"

"That Bilby!" exclaimed Ruth. "I just felt it in my bones--like Aunt Alvirah--that that creature would annoy us again."

"Then you are not disappointed," said Helen drily. "Is that the fellow--that big gawk in the blue suit?"

"No, no! I don't know him," said Ruth. "The little fat man tagging after the big fellow."

For two men from the launch had now stepped ash.o.r.e. In accordance with orders from Mr. Hammond, the visitors were stopped at the head of the dock. n.o.body was allowed on the island without invitation or a permit.

"Let me tell you," said the man in blue pompously, "that I am a county officer. You'd better have a care, young fellow."

"Say! I don't care if you are the King of the Yaps," said Willie, the boatman. "I have my orders. This is private property. Stay where you are--right where you are, mind!--till I send for the boss."

"You send for them two Injuns--that is who our business is with," put in Bilby. "That Totantora and Wonota. I want to see them--not that Hammond."

Ruth had run to another house to warn those very individuals to get out of the way and to keep out of sight until Bilby's visit was over. She did not know, of course, who the big man in blue was.

The latter was inclined to be pompous and commanding, even when Mr.

Hammond came down to the head of the dock to see him. It was evident that Bilby's money felt warm in the deputy sheriff's pocket, and he was determined to give the little fat man full weight for his cash.

"This here business is something that can be settled without any row, Mr.

Hammond--if that's your name," said the officer, puffingly.

"It is my name, all right," returned the president of the Alectrion Corporation. "And I don't expect any row. What do you want--and that fellow behind you?"

Horatio Bilby grinned rather sheepishly. "Well, you know, Mr. Hammond, all's fair in love and war."

"This is certainly not love," said the moving picture man. "Now, what do you both want?"

"You are ordered to bring two people into court," said the deputy sheriff, "and show cause why they shouldn't be handed over to Mr. Bilby pending certain proceedings to break their contract with you."

"Blunt enough," admitted Mr. Hammond, but without excitement. "Let's see: You have a paper of some kind, I suppose, to serve on me?"

"I've a summons for you," said the officer, drawing forth some papers, "and I propose to take the two Indians back to the Bay with me."

"You can serve me, and I will arrange for my representative to appear for me in your court," said Hammond. "But Totantora, to whom I suppose you refer, is a citizen of the United States, and you will have to find him to serve him."