The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 9

"Better start," retorted the commander of the motor-boat. "There's no fishing here and I told that man there wasn't, but he doesn't seem to pay no attention."

"That's his own fault," laughed Grant. "Go on with us."

Still manifestly reluctant the captain at last started the engine but the _Gadabout_ had not gone more than a few yards before he again stopped the boat and said, "We might as well try it here as anywhere."

"But you said the fishing here wasn't any good," protested Fred.

"It'll do no harm to try it."

In accordance with the captain's words the _Gadabout_ was anch.o.r.ed, and as soon as the young fishermen were separated into two parties as they had been the preceding day, the two skiffs were soon prepared for the sport of the morning.

The captain, who now was rowing the boat in which John and Fred were seated, had rowed one hundred yards from the _Gadabout_ and the boys both were trolling. Still the captain watched the skiff in which Mr. b.u.t.ton had departed as long as the little boat could be seen. Even the _Gadabout_ now was soon lost to sight.

"I'll have to have a fresh bait," said Fred, who had been the first to have a strike. He reeled in his line and swung the hook around for the captain to bait it. A moment later the captain abruptly changing his position dropped overboard the box which contained the leaders.

"There I've gone and done it!" he said. "Lost every leader! There is nothing to do, boys, except to go back to the _Gadabout_ and get some more. I'm sorry, but it won't take long."

"Nothing else to be done," said John, "so the sooner we get back the better."

No one in the little boat spoke while the captain rowed swiftly back to the motor-boat.

The surprise of the boys was great when they drew near the little _Gadabout_ to discover that a skiff had been made fast alongside the boat.

"Whose skiff is that?" demanded John abruptly. "We didn't leave any boat here."

The captain without replying increased the speed at which he was rowing and as he drew near the _Gadabout_ the boys were startled when they saw peering from the companionway the face of Mr. Ferdinand b.u.t.ton.

CHAPTER VII ONCE MORE ON c.o.c.kBURN ISLAND

"Who's that on board the _Gadabout_?" roared the captain. "What are you doing there, you lubber?"

"I guess you know who I am," replied the man on deck, who now the boys were convinced was indeed the mysterious stranger.

Both boys were startled, as they looked into the face of the captain, who was now rowing swiftly toward the little motor-boat. Whether the expression on his face was one of anger or of fear was not known by either. The man, however, was keenly excited and his anxiety to gain his boat became apparent with every stroke of his oars.

In a brief time he swung the skiff alongside the _Gadabout_ and without making any effort to board the boat the captain roared, "What are you doing on board there?"

"I came back to get something that I thought might be here, which I didn't take with me," said Mr. b.u.t.ton quietly. It was manifest from his appearance that he was in nowise alarmed by the noisy questions of the captain of the _Gadabout_.

"Well, did you find it?" demanded the captain.

"I cannot say that I have--as yet."

"I guess that depends on what you're looking for," said the captain, his voice becoming lower, although his excitement was still manifest.

"I didn't suppose there would be any such feeling over my coming back to your boat. I have known of other men who neglected to take some things with them when they left home, to say nothing about a motor-boat."

"Did you say you found it?" again demanded the captain.

"I found something that will do me just as well."

For a moment the two men stared at each other, the captain still keenly suspicious or angry, while the expression on the face of Mr. b.u.t.ton was one which the boys were not able to understand. To all appearances he was unruffled by the noisy queries of the captain, and yet what was behind it all no one could say.

There was nothing, however, more to be done and in a brief time Mr.

b.u.t.ton stepped into his skiff in which the man, who was to be his guide, was still seated. Without any delay the guide picked up his oars and resumed his rowing.

Meanwhile the captain remained standing on the deck of the _Gadabout_, glaring at the departing skiff, although he did not utter any sound until the man of whom he was suspicious or afraid had rounded the nearest point.

"Better get your leaders, captain, because we want to start," suggested Fred impatient over the long delay.

"Humph," grunted the captain. Nevertheless he disappeared below and in a brief time came back to the deck with a box in his hands.

"That's the same box you took out this morning, isn't it, Captain?"

laughed John.

"What's that you say?" roared the sailor.

"I said, isn't that the same box of leaders that you took out this morning?"

"Well I'll have to own up that it is," said the captain. "I had it in my pocket all the while and I thought I dropped it overboard. We'll make up for lost time now, so get aboard, both of you."

To the surprise of the young fishermen, however, the captain did not return to the ground over which he had been fishing at the time of his unexpected return to the _Gadabout_. Instead, he followed swiftly in the direction in which Mr. b.u.t.ton had disappeared. Both boys questioned him sharply concerning the change in their plans, but the only reply their guide made was to explain that he thought the fishing was likely to be better in the direction in which he was going than where they had been before.

Fred winked slyly at his companion when several times the captain ceasing his efforts took a gla.s.s and drank of the waters of the lake and then taking from his pocket a jointed telescope gazed long and earnestly in the direction in which they were moving.

"What's the trouble, Captain? What are you looking for?" demanded Fred.

"I wanted to see if that man's got on my ground."

"Do you see him anywhere?"

"No, I don't. I wish I did."

"Who is he, anyway?" inquired John. "You seem to have a pretty wholesome respect for him."

"What's that you say? What's that you say?" demanded the captain sharply, as he glared at John.

"Why, what I said," explained John, "was that you seem to be very much impressed by him. Do you know who he is?"

"I don't know nothin' about him," retorted the captain, resuming his occupation once more.

When at last the captain declared that they had arrived at the grounds he was seeking the boys renewed their attempts of the morning. For some reason, however, all their efforts were unavailing. Either the fish were not there, or they were not biting.

"I believe, Captain," said John, at last, "that you were more interested in following that man than you are in getting a good shoal for us to fish over."