The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 6

This signal consisted of a large piece of cloth that had at one time been white, attached to a long pole. The sailor was waving this back and forth in such a peculiar manner that the attention of the boys at once was drawn to his actions.

"What's he trying to do?" whispered John to Fred.

"Trying to signal the _Gadabout_."

"Yes, but what's he doing it in that way for?"

"Well, I don't know, Jack. You're always suspicious of somebody. Probably the captain doesn't know that he is doing anything out of the ordinary."

Whatever the explanation may have been, in a brief time the _Gadabout_ was seen approaching the bluff on which the sailor and the two boys now were standing.

The skiff in which their friends had been seen was in tow and soon after it was discovered both Grant and George were seen in the bow of the swift little motor-boat.

"That's good. That's a relief," said John when he was convinced that his friends were on board.

"Probably they feel the same way now that they have seen us."

"We'll know about that very soon."

CHAPTER V A PERPLEXING LETTER

It was decided to leave behind them the skiff that had been wrecked and as the boys ran down to the sh.o.r.e they saw that the beautiful little boat had been drawn up on the land.

"That can be fixed all right," said the mate in response to the question of the boys. "The frame's all good."

Neither of the boys, however, heard his words as they both climbed into the skiff, which Grant had rowed ash.o.r.e.

"Where were you, fellows?" he asked as he grasped the oars and headed the little boat once more for the _Gadabout_.

"We went ash.o.r.e. The mate just let us drive before the wind. We couldn't do anything against it."

"Yes," added Fred. "We stove in the boat when we tried to land. The waves were a million feet high."

"How high?" laughed John.

"Well, they were pretty nearly ten feet anyway."

"That's about as near as you get to things, isn't it?" remarked John.

"Well, you know what I mean."

"I don't care what you mean as long as you're both safe. The captain was afraid you might capsize."

"You mean he was afraid we would be capsized," retorted Fred.

"May be that was it. At all events he was afraid you would go into the water and he knew you couldn't take care of yourselves if you did."

"h.e.l.lo," exclaimed John abruptly. "Here comes our recent host. I wonder what he wants now."

As he spoke John pointed toward the sh.o.r.e from which the man in whose house they recently found refuge was seen approaching in a skiff. Just where his boat had been kept was not plain to either of the boys. There was no boathouse on the sh.o.r.e and few places where the craft might have been sheltered.

"I guess he has forgotten something," laughed Fred, "or he's after us.

John, did you take anything from the table when you left the house?"

"Nothing except what I had already taken inside," retorted John.

In response to the call of the man the departing _Gadabout_ was delayed until he came alongside. There was a whispered conversation between him and the captain, which lasted only a few minutes. What was said could not be heard by the boys, although John was really trying to discover what the subject of the conversation was, at the same time doing his utmost to appear indifferent.

Fred, who understood the peculiarities of his companion, laughed silently as he saw John's actions and shook his head warningly.

Quickly, however, the captain turning about gave the order to start and almost as if it had been hurled forward by some powerful and unseen hand the graceful little boat suddenly started swiftly on its return to Mackinac Island.

The speed of the motor-boat was much greater than in the morning. Indeed as the time pa.s.sed and the graceful little craft darted over the surface of the water the boys looked at one another in amazement. The water seemed almost to rise and be parted by the bow. It rushed past them with a noise that was loud and almost confusing. Still the speed of the _Gadabout_ increased. The roaring of the waters and the occasional call of the captain were all that could be heard and in a brief time the boys abandoned all attempts to speak to one another.

Darkness had fallen when at last they arrived at their destination. The lights of the many windowed hotels and of the cottages along the road were shining in the evening darkness. There was yet time, however, for the boys to obtain dinner and in a brief time all four were seated about the table, which had been a.s.signed them when first they had arrived.

Fred was the last to enter the dining-room and as he did so his companions saw that something had greatly amused or pleased him.

"Look here, fellows," he said as he seated himself at the table. "See what I have got."

Drawing from his pocket a letter, which he explained he had received from the clerk on his way to the dining-room, he placed the sheet of paper on the table and began to read,--

Sir,--I am one good american Citizen and I will do not the other Strangers peoples Cheat us My duty Me oblige to let you know which Cheater the U. S. Secret Contraband the man is it one British have one store in Chicago and one other store in Montreal Canada. This man make her Business in this Way. he order her goods to come from Paris france to Montreal Canada and ther he pay duty Very Cheap and then he express her goods to the boarderings of the untied States and then he took the Said goods and giving to the Cariage Man and the Cariag Man in the nighte time he Carry them With other different things eggs and other things lik that in many Barrel and the goods Mixed With Them So the goods entre in united States in the Way the dessert.

respectfully yours truly, American Brother.

"What do you think of that?" demanded John as he extended his hand and received the letter.

"I don't know what to think of it," laughed Fred. "What do you think of it?"

"It's too much for me," said Grant. "I don't believe even papa here knows what it means."

"But it was sent to me," said Fred. "At least the directions are to Mr.

F. b.u.t.ton, and that's my name."

The boys were still laughing and talking about the strange epistle which Fred had received when at last they withdrew from the dining-room and selected four chairs near together on the broad piazza.

They had not been seated very long before the clerk of the hotel approached the group and said to Fred, "I think I gave you a letter which belongs to some other man."

"I guess you did," laughed Fred. "I don't think it belongs to me anyway.

Is this the letter?" he added, as he held forth the epistle which had been the cause of so much mirth among the boys.

"I don't know whether it is or not," replied the clerk. "All I know is that there is another man here, whose name is almost like yours. He is Mr. Ferdinand b.u.t.ton. That letter was directed to Mr. F. b.u.t.ton. As you had been here longer than he I thought it was for you."

"Well, it isn't," said Fred. "If it was my letter I would read it to you, but I guess it belongs to Ferdinand, so you had better take it and give it to him." Laughingly Fred held out the letter which the clerk took and at once withdrew from the place.