The Corner House Girls on a Houseboat Part 37

"Oh, shall we be able to move soon?" asked Mrs. MacCall, coming out on deck.

"We hope so," answered Ruth, as she went on board and told of the visit to the cabin, while Neale hurried to the engine room to see what success Hank had met with. The mule driver had succeeded in getting the monkey wrench out from under the flywheel, and the craft could move under her own power once she was afloat.

"What's the matter with Neale?" asked Mrs. MacCall, while the men were in the woods getting the poles. "He looks as if all the joy had departed from life."

"I'm afraid it has, for him," said Ruth soberly. "It seems that his father is located near here--on Cedar Island--and is poor."

"Nothing in that to take the joy out of life!" And Mrs. MacCall strode away.

"Well, being poor isn't anything," declared Agnes. "Lots of people are poor. We were, before Uncle Peter Stower left us the Corner House."

"I think Neale fears his father may have had something to do with-- Oh, Agnes, I hate to say it, but I think Neale believes his father either robbed us, or knows something about the men who took the jewelry box!"

"But we know it isn't true!" exclaimed Agnes.

"Anyway, the Klondike trip was a failure."

"Yes, and I'm so sorry!" exclaimed Agnes. "Couldn't we help--"

"I think we shall just have to wait," advised her sister. "We can talk to Mr. Howbridge about it after we find out more. I think they are going to move the boat now."

This task was undertaken, and to such good advantage did Mr. Martin and his sons work, aided, of course, by Neale, Mr. Howbridge and Hank, that the _Bluebird_ was soon afloat again.

"Now we can go on, and when I get back home I'll send you a doll and a p.u.s.s.y cat!" offered Dot to Henry.

"And I'll send you two p.u.s.s.y cats!" Tess said to Tom.

The young men laughed, their father joining in.

"How much do I owe you?" asked the lawyer, when it was certain that the houseboat was afloat, undamaged, and could proceed on her way.

"Not a cent!" was the hearty answer of Mr. Martin. "We always help our neighbors up here, and you were neighbors for a while," he added with a laugh.

"Well, I'm a thousand times obliged to you," said the guardian of the Corner House girls. "Our trip might have been spoiled if we couldn't have gone on, though I must say you have a delightful resting spot in this island."

"We like it here," admitted the fisherman, while his sons were looking over the houseboat, which they p.r.o.nounced "slick."

Neale seemed to have lost heart and spirit. Dot and Tess, of course, did not notice it so much, as there was plenty to occupy them. But to Ruth and Agnes, as well as to Mr. Howbridge, Neale's dejection was very evident.

"Is the motor all right?" asked the lawyer of Neale, when the Martins had departed with their dog.

"Yes, she runs all right now."

"Then we might as well head for Cedar Island," suggested the lawyer.

"The sooner you find your father the better."

"Yes--I suppose so," and Neale turned away to hide his sudden emotion.

Once more the _Bluebird_ was under way, moving slowly over the sparkling waters of Lake Macopic. All traces of the storm had vanished.

"Mrs. Mac wants to know if we are going to pa.s.s any stores," said Agnes, coming up on deck when the island on which they had been stranded had been left behind.

"We can run over to the mainland if she wants us to," the lawyer said.

"Is it anything important, Agnes?"

"Only some things to eat."

"Well, that's important enough!" he laughed. "We'll stop at that point over there," and he indicated one. "From there we can make a straight run to Cedar Island. You won't mind the delay, will you?" he asked Neale, who was steering.

"Oh, no," was the indifferent answer. "I guess there's no hurry."

They all felt sorry for the lad, but decided nothing could be done. Mr.

Howbridge admitted, after Ruth had spoken to him, that matters looked black for Mr. O'Neil, but with his legal wisdom the lawyer said:

"Don't bring in a verdict of guilty until you have heard all the evidence. It is only fair to suspend judgment. It would be cruel to raise Neale's hopes, only to dash them again, but I am hoping for the best."

This comforted Ruth and Agnes a little; though of course Agnes, in her loyalty to Neale, did not allow doubt to enter her mind.

The point for which the boat was headed was a little settlement on the lake sh.o.r.e. It was also the center of a summer colony, and was a lively place just at present, this being the height of the season.

At the point were a number of stores, and it was there the supplies for the Scotch housekeeper could be purchased. Ruth and Agnes had made their selections and the things were being put on board when a number of men were observed coming down the long dock.

One of them wore a nickel badge on the outside of his coat, and seemed to have an air of authority. Neale, who had been below helping Hank store away some supplies of oil and gasoline that had been purchased, came out on deck, and, with the girls and Mr. Howbridge, watched the approach of the men.

"Looks like a constable or sheriff's officer with a posse," commented Ruth. "It reminds me of a scene I saw in the movies."

"It is an officer--I know him," said Mr. Howbridge in a low voice. "He once worked on a case for me several years ago. That's Bob Newcomb--quite a character in his way. I wonder if he remembers me."

This point was settled a moment later, for the officer--he with the nickel badge of authority--looked up and his face lightened when he saw the lawyer.

"Well, if it ain't Mr. Howbridge!" exclaimed Mr. Newcomb. "Well now, sufferin' caterpillers, this is providential! Is that your boat?" he asked, halting his force by a wave of his hand.

"I may say I control it," was the answer. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cause then there won't be no unfriendly feelin' if I act in the performance of my duty," went on the constable, for such he was. "I'll have to take possession of your craft in the name of the law."

"What do you mean?" asked Mr. Howbridge, rather sharply. "Is this craft libeled? All bills are paid, and I am in legal possession. I have a bill of sale and this boat is to be delivered to a client of mine--"

"There you go! There you go! Ready to fight at the drop of the hat!"

chuckled the constable. "Just like you did before when I worked on that timber land case with you. But there's no occasion to get roiled up, Mr.

Howbridge. I only want to take temporary possession of your boat in the name of the law. All I want to have is a ride for me and my posse. We're on the business of the law, and you, being a lawyer, know what that means. I call on you, as a good citizen, to aid, as I've got a right to do."

"I recognize that," said the lawyer, now smiling, and glancing at Ruth and the others to show everything was all right. "But what's the game?"

"Robbery's the game!" came the stern answer. "We're going to round up and close in on a band of tramps, robbers and other criminals! They have a camp on an island, and they've been robbin' hen roosts and doin' other things in this community until this community has got good and sick of it. Then they called in the law--that's me and my posse," he added, waving his hand toward the men back of him. "The citizens called in the law, represented by me, and I am going to chase the rascals out!"

"Very good," a.s.sented Mr. Howbridge. "I'm willing to help, as all good citizens should. But what am I to do? Where do I come in?"

"You're going to lend us that boat," said Constable Newcomb. "It's the only large one handy just now, and we don't want to lose any time. As soon as I saw you put into the dock I made up my mind I'd commandeer the craft. That's the proper term, ain't it?" he asked.