The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 4

"What happened to them in the storm?"

"We don't know. We wish we did," said John soberly.

"Oh, they're all right," broke in Fred. "The _Gadabout_ and the skiff were both beyond the point when the storm broke and they had no trouble in keeping to the lee of the point."

"This fire feels good anyway," said John, whose long, attenuated frame was trembling with cold, in spite of the warmth which had followed the shower.

"Sorry, boys, that I cannot give you a change," said the man, smiling dryly as he spoke. As he was a man who weighed at least 190 pounds, while John's form towered at least six inches higher and his weight was at least seventy pounds less, the idea of either wearing the clothing of the other was so ludicrous that Fred laughed aloud at the suggestion.

"That's all right," said John quickly. "All we want is a chance to dry out before the mate gets back."

"How are you going to get back to Mackinac?"

"I don't know," said John ruefully. "We thought that perhaps the mate could get word to the _Gadabout_ and the motor-boat would stop for us."

"How can he get word to the _Gadabout_?"

"I'm sure I don't know," said Fred. "We don't know anything about this part of the country. It's the first time we ever were here. We thought perhaps the captain might know some point where he could signal. It isn't more than two or three miles across, is it?"

"Not here," responded the man. "But you are cold and I shouldn't be surprised if you were both hungry. I've seen fellows at your age who sometimes were afflicted in that manner. I'll put some more wood on the fire and we'll dry you out and then we'll see what we can do."

Placing his hands together in a peculiar manner the man whistled through them and in response, in an incredibly short time, a little j.a.panese serving man appeared.

"Mike," said the man, "see if you can't find something for these hungry young fellows to eat. They were caught in the storm and their boat was wrecked down here in the cove."

The j.a.panese laughed loudly at the explanation and then quickly turning about departed from the house.

"What do you say his name is?" inquired Fred.

"We call him Mike."

"I never heard of a j.a.panese with that name."

"Well, I don't suppose that is his full name. That's a mouthful and I don't often speak it. He has been with me for several years and when he first came some one named him Mikado, that was shortened to Mik, and of late that's been gradually changing to Mike."

"Then he wasn't born in Ireland?" laughed John.

"No, he belongs to the Sunrise Kingdom. He will have something for you to eat very soon. I have been coming here for several years now every summer."

"Where is your home?" inquired John.

"That's hard to say. I was born on the ocean when my father and mother were coming from England. My father was French and my mother was Russian.

We lived in the States two years after I was born and then we went to Bermuda a year or two and finally we wound up in Brazil. From Brazil we moved to Sweden and then went to Constantinople. After my father and mother died I came to England and then moved to Montreal. Now, if you can tell me where I belong and what I am you'll do better than I have been able to do for myself."

"I think you're a first cousin of the Wandering Jew," laughed Fred.

"Perhaps I am more like the Man Without a Country," said the man soberly.

"I have come up here from Montreal every summer for the last few years."

"Why, how do you get here?" inquired Fred.

"I come up the Ottawa River from Montreal and then I leave the river at Mattawa. It is easy going then from Lake Nippising, across the Georgian Bay, and from Georgian Bay into Lake Huron doesn't take very long. Have you ever been there, boys?"

"Where?" inquired Fred.

"Georgian Bay."

"No, sir."

"Then you have missed one of the prettiest spots in America. I never tire--"

The man stopped abruptly as the mate of the _Gadabout_ suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Without waiting for an invitation he at once entered the room and then to the surprise of the two boys extended his hand and received from his host a small package which he quickly thrust into the pocket of his coat.

The action although simple in itself nevertheless was surprising to the boys. It was manifest that the mate already was acquainted with the occupant of the house and also that he was having relations with him.

Just what these were neither of the boys understood, but before many days elapsed they both were keenly excited by the recollection of the simple exchange which they had just seen in the kitchen of the old house on the sh.o.r.e of c.o.c.kburn Island.

CHAPTER IV THE COMING OF THE GADABOUT

It was quickly manifest to the two interested boys that the mate and their host were well acquainted with each other. Puzzled as they were to account for the familiar greeting it was not long before John whispered to his companion, "I suppose that man has been coming here so many years that he knows all the men on the lake. That must be the reason why they know each other so well."

"I guess that's right," said Fred, who was watching the men with an interest which he was not entirely able to explain even to himself.

The mate was endeavoring to speak in whispers, but his voice was so penetrating that it carried into the remote corners of the house, although no one was able to distinguish the words which he spoke.

By this time the boys were dry once more and as they prepared to depart, the j.a.panese servant unexpectedly returned. In his hands he was carrying a tray on which there were numerous tempting viands. Both boys watched the lithe little man as he speedily cleared the table and then deposited upon it the plates and food which he had brought.

"You're not going now," said their host to the two boys. "You're just in time for afternoon tea."

"We didn't know that you served anything like that," laughed Fred. "I think we'll both be glad to stay and accept your invitation, shan't we?"

he added as he turned to John.

"I'm sure we shall," replied John, with a sigh which caused the others in the room to smile at his eagerness.

The movements of the little j.a.panese speedily convinced the boys that he had had long experience in the work he then was doing. Deftly and silently he attended to all the wants of the guests and not many minutes had elapsed before, responding to the influence, both Fred and John were in better spirits.

Turning to the mate, John said, "Don't you think it is time for us to find out what has become of the other boys?"

"Don't you worry none about them," said the mate. "I guess the cap knows how to take care of them."

"But we don't know where they are," suggested Fred. "We don't know how we are going to get back to Mackinac. We're sure they'll be anxious about us and I know we are about them."

"Don't you worry none," retorted the mate. "They'll be coming this way pretty soon. I can tell the toot of the _Gadabout_ if Gabriel was blowing the whistle. They'll be here very soon, but I think by and by it may be a good thing for us to go down to the sh.o.r.e and watch a little if we don't hear the whistle calling pretty soon."