The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 5

The entire party still was seated about the table. Relieved by the confidence of the mate in the safety of their friends and of the _Gadabout_, both John and Fred became more intent listeners to the conversation which was occurring between the men.

"That Mackinac Island," suggested their host after a time, turning to the boys, "is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Ever been there before?"

"No, sir," replied Fred. "This is our first visit."

"Don't you like it?"

"Very much. There are no two days alike. We have been up the river, down the sh.o.r.e of Lake Michigan and to-day we came over here to Drummond Island to try the fishing."

"And pretty nearly had a shipwreck, didn't you?" asked the mate.

"Yes, if you can call a skiff that was smashed a shipwreck."

"The skiff isn't smashed," drawled the sailor. "She's just stove in.

We'll have her fixed up in no time and she'll be as good as ever."

"I'm fond myself of Mackinac Island," continued the host. "I go over there some days and shut my eyes and try to imagine what it was like so many years ago when it was first discovered by the French."

"They didn't hold it very long," suggested John.

"No, and we didn't either."

"Nor did the British in the War of 1812. They got it away from us just as they got it away from the French years ago. But after that war was ended it came back to us and n.o.body has been able to lay hands on it since."

"You stay there all winter?" inquired the host, turning to the mate as he spoke.

"I do that."

"I guess it's pretty cold," suggested Fred.

"You don't need to 'guess' and you don't need to say 'pretty.' It's just cold. It's so cold that when you toss an egg up into the air it just freezes and stays there."

"It couldn't stay there," said John.

"Why couldn't it?" declared the mate. "I guess I know what I am talking about."

"Why, the attraction of gravitation would pull it to the ground."

"That's all right," roared the mate, "but the attraction of gravitation is frozen too. Yes, I've seen with my own eyes eggs staying right up in the air and the air itself all froze up and the attraction of gravitation froze too."

"That must be a great sight," laughed Fred.

"It is, and you can't see it anywhere except on Mackinac Island."

"What do you do with yourself all winter?" demanded John.

"Get ready for summer."

"And then when summer comes you work all the while getting ready for the winter, don't you?"

"Yes, that's just it," acknowledged the sailor soberly. "It just seems as if all the time n.o.body had a chance to live, but he just plans to get ready for it."

As the conversation continued John became more and more thoughtful and silent. Several times he had been startled by sounds which he had heard in the room directly above that in which they were a.s.sembled. Twice he suspected that some one had come to the head of the rude little stairway and was listening to the sounds of conversation below.

On each occasion it had seemed to him that he had heard the sound of a rustle of a woman's dress. But of all this he could not be certain and even if his surmise had been correct he had no reason to be more suspicious of their host.

Indeed his suspicions might not have been aroused had not he intercepted a look which the man gave his j.a.panese servant, which caused the latter quickly to go to the head of the stairway.

John was deeply interested and striving to appear indifferent watched keenly the face of the j.a.panese when the latter returned to the room and was positive that he saw the little, brown man shake his head slightly in response to a question in the eyes of his employer.

Such actions might be entirely natural, and John tried to a.s.sure himself that there was no cause for his increasing suspicions that something was not right in the strange house on the sh.o.r.es of c.o.c.kburn Island.

He had no opportunity to explain his suspicions to Fred, however, for just then the sailor said, "It is time for us to go back and keep a lookout for the _Gadabout_."

Acting at once upon his suggestions the two boys arose from their seats.

Cordially thanking their host for his kindness in receiving them into his house and providing for their wants, they soon departed, following the mate as he led the way to one of the higher bluffs along the sh.o.r.e.

"I don't know that man's name yet," said John to Fred.

"That's so," acknowledged Fred. "We don't know who he is, do we? Well, it's as broad as it is long, for he doesn't know our names either."

"Probably we never shall see him again anyway, so it won't make any difference, but I should like to know more about him."

"He seems to have been in several parts of the world, doesn't he, Jack!"

"He surely does. I don't wonder that he can't tell what nationality he is."

"Look out on the lake," suggested Fred. "It's as calm as a mill pond."

"Yes," acknowledged John. "It's so smooth that if one didn't know, he wouldn't believe it possible for it to stir up such a gale as we saw there a couple of hours ago."

"Well, there's one comfort," said Fred. "If it doesn't take very long for a squall to come, it doesn't take very long for it to go either. So we're just about as well off as when we started."

"Except our fish," suggested John.

"Well, we're carrying back some fish, though they don't show. I don't think I ever ate so much fish in my life as I did this noon. I think the pickerel will hold a revolutionary congress--"

"Look yonder!" interrupted John quickly. "Isn't that the _Gadabout_?"

Fred instantly looked in the direction indicated by his companion and far away saw the faint outline of a small boat which plainly was headed in the direction of the bluff. "Yes," he said after a brief silence. "I believe that's the _Gadabout_."

"Probably they are out looking for us. I hope the boys won't be worried."

"You needn't be afraid of Papa Sanders being worried," laughed Fred. "As long as he and Grant are in some dry place and don't have to think of any work they won't trouble their heads about us, you may be sure about that."

"They ought to be ashamed of themselves if they are not," replied John half angrily. "But they certainly are coming this way," he added a moment later.

"Yes, and they see us, too," said Fred quickly, as he pointed to the mate, who, in advance of them, had arrived at the bluff and was waving a signal.