The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 3

"You mean a shanty?"

"I don't care what you call it, but I see smoke coming out of the chimney. We'll go up there and get somebody to help us."

Moved by a common impulse both boys started in the direction of the strange house. Neither was aware that they were entering upon an experience that was to be as mysterious as it was trying.

CHAPTER III A MYSTERIOUS HOUSE

The sun was shining brightly as the boys moved across the island in the direction of the place they were seeking. As they stopped occasionally to look back over the waters of the lake, they saw that the waves still were tipped with white and the waters still were rough.

"I wish I knew where the other fellows are," said Fred, once more stopping to look out over the waters that now were reflecting the light of the afternoon sun.

"They are all right," said John, confidently. "I told you both the _Gadabout_ and the other skiff are around the point."

"I know you told me so, but that doesn't make it so," said Fred, still unconvinced by the confident manner of his companion.

"Look yonder, will you!" said John abruptly as he pointed toward the house they were seeking. "I'm sure there is somebody in there."

"It doesn't look as if it would hold together long enough to let any one stay very long inside," laughed Fred.

"We'll find out anyway pretty quick who it is."

In a brief time the boys arrived at the rear of the little house, which was not much more than a shanty in its appearance. They found that their surmise that smoke was rising from the chimney was correct. There could be no doubt that some one was within the building.

Once more the boys turned and looked anxiously toward the lake, eager to discover if any trace of their missing friends could be seen. The waters already were becoming smoother and the rays of the sun were almost blinding as they were reflected by the shining waters.

"What shall we do?" said Fred in a low voice. "Shall we rap?"

"Of course we'll rap," retorted John. "You talk as if you didn't know what the customs of civilized countries are."

"Is knocking one of them?" inquired Fred demurely.

"It certainly is."

"Well, then, I guess I don't live in the place you are talking about, for n.o.body has rapped at our door at home for the last ten years. Not since we have put in electric bells."

"It's hard work to keep up with you," said John, not strongly impressed by the attempt of his friend to be facetious. "But we'll knock here anyway."

Advancing to the kitchen door, John rapped loudly to proclaim the presence of visitors.

A silence followed the summons and when several seconds had elapsed John repeated his knocking. Still no one came to welcome them, and then, glancing behind him at his friend, John demurely raised the latch and opened the door.

Fred at once followed and the two boys found themselves in a low, rude kitchen. The stove was in one corner and it was plain now that the smoke they had discovered was rising from it through the chimney. Upon the stove several cooking utensils were to be seen, but as yet no person had announced his presence in the little building.

"There must be somebody here," whispered Fred.

"Of course there is."

"Well, why doesn't he show up?"

"He will be here in a minute."

But when several minutes pa.s.sed and still no one made known his presence, John decided to announce their arrival in other ways.

"h.e.l.lo!" he called, and then as his hail was not answered he repeated the summons in tones still louder. "h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo!" he shouted again.

While he was speaking both boys were glancing toward the rude stairway that led from the room to the small loft. They had surmised that the occupants of the house might have been caught in the storm as they themselves had been, and were in the upper room changing their clothing.

"Who are you?"

Startled by the unexpected sound both boys turned quickly about and saw standing in the doorway of the kitchen a man plainly puzzled by their unexpected appearance.

Neither of the boys ever had seen him before. He was apparently fifty years of age, strong, and his face bronzed by sun and wind. There was an expression in his face, however, that was puzzling to both boys. He glanced quickly from one to the other and for a moment the boys suspected that he was prepared either to leap upon them or precipitately flee from the spot, they could not decide which.

The man was well-dressed and it was plain that he was not an ordinary inhabitant.

"We got caught in the storm," explained John hastily. "We landed down here and then we saw this little house and we thought perhaps we could come up here and dry out."

"Anybody with you?" inquired the other man, still gazing keenly at both his young visitors.

"n.o.body but the mate."

"Mate of what?"

"The _Gadabout_."

"Did you come over from Mackinac Island?" demanded the man quickly.

"Yes, sir," said Fred. "We started this morning about four o'clock."

"And you came over with Captain Hastings?"

"Yes, sir. We got caught in the storm out here around the point and we couldn't get back to the _Gadabout_, so the mate just let our skiff drive before the wind and the boat was stove in when we finally landed in that little cove out yonder."

"Where is the mate now?"

"We don't know. He went ahead of us and the first thing we knew he disappeared from sight."

"Was he on sh.o.r.e here?"

"Yes, sir, we landed, as I told you, in that little cove and while we were getting ash.o.r.e we lost the mate. We don't know where he went."

"And you say there were others with you?"

"Yes, sir," explained Fred, "there were two other boys and they went out with the captain."