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 shore of Cockburn Island.
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 Japanese 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 Japanese 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 shore and watch a little if we don’t hear the whistle calling pretty soon.”
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 shore 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 nobody 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 nobody 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 assembled. 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 Japanese 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 Japanese 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 assure himself that there was no cause for his increasing suspicions that something was not right in the strange house on the shores of Cockburn 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 shore.
“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.
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.”
It was decided to leave behind them the skiff that had been wrecked and as the boys ran down to the shore 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 ashore.
“Where were you, fellows?” he asked as he grasped the oars and headed the little boat once more for the Gadabout.
“We went ashore. 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.”
“Hello,” exclaimed John abruptly. “Here comes our recent host. I wonder what he wants now.”
As he spoke John pointed toward the shore 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 shore 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 passed 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 assigned 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. Button, 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 Button. That letter was directed to Mr. F. Button. 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.
It was not long afterward before a stranger approached the boys who were still seated and said, “One of you, I am afraid had a letter to-night which belonged to me.”
“Yes, I guess we did,” said Fred quickly, rising as he spoke. “My name is Fred Button and the clerk said that this letter was meant for Mr. Ferdinand Button.”
“That’s my name,” explained the stranger, “and the letter was for me. Did you read it?”
“I shall have to acknowledge that I did,” answered Fred. “I didn’t suspect until I had done that that it really belonged to any one else.”
Somewhat confused by his confession Fred noted the bearing of the man before him more carefully.
It was plain to him now that the stranger was quiet in his manner, gentlemanly in his bearing and possessed of a quick intelligence that enabled him to perceive many a thing which his younger companions might have lost. The stranger was about thirty-five years of age and his bronzed face was nearly the color of that of the captain of the Gadabout.
“Have you been here long?” inquired John.
“I came this morning.”
“I thought perhaps you had been on the lake—”
“I have been on the lake,” interrupted the stranger. “Indeed, I spend much of my time on the lake. I am sorry you had the misfortune to receive this letter which apparently was meant for me.”
“What makes you so sure it was for you?” inquired Fred laughingly. “It was signed ‘American Brother’ and was simply addressed ‘Sir.’ Perhaps it was meant for me after all.”
“No, the letter is mine,” said the man quietly and as he spoke the four boys were aware that he intended to retain possession of the perplexing missive.
That he was able to do so was manifest in the breadth of his shoulders and the evidences of strength which were apparent as he turned and walked away.
“Whew!” whispered Grant. “I guess that man could tell some stories if he wanted to.”
“I hope he will want to,” said George. “I know I want to hear them.”
The conversation turned from the stranger who had claimed the letter to plans for the following day and then when two hours had elapsed all four boys, thoroughly tired by their experiences of the day, sought their rooms.
The following morning John was surprised when he first went down to the lobby to discover there his host of the preceding day.
At first John suspected that the man intended to ignore him, for he advanced toward him with outstretched hand to express his surprise at the unexpected meeting. The stranger, however, turned abruptly away. Abashed by the action John’s face flushed and he watched the man when he slowly walked out to the piazza and seated himself near the entrance.
Turning to the clerk John said, “Who is that man?”
“I do not know,” replied the clerk. “I have seen him here several times this summer.”
“How many years have you been coming here?” broke in John.
“Fourteen.”
“And you never saw this man until this summer?”
“No. Why?”
“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to know. I had an idea somehow that he belonged to this part of the country and that perhaps he was here every summer.”
“No, sir,” answered the clerk. “This is the first summer he has shown up on Mackinac Island.”
“You mean it is the first time he has shown up at your hotel,” suggested John.
“No, I don’t mean anything of the kind. I mean just what I say, that this is the first summer he has been seen on the island.”
John said no more and turned away. He had decided that he would go out to the piazza and see if this mysterious man was still there. Was it possible that he had been mistaken? Was not this the man who had received them in his strange house on Cockburn Island the preceding day? If any questions concerning the identity of the man remained in John’s mind they were quickly dispelled when he glanced toward the dock and there saw the newcomer talking to the captain of the Gadabout.
At that moment the other three boys approached the place where John was standing and declaring that they were hungry demanded that he should at once go with them to the dining-room.
While the boys were seated in the dining-room they found Fred’s namesake, as they now called Mr. Button, seated near them at a small table. Apparently, however, he ignored their presence and paid no attention to what they were saying.
Convinced, that peculiar as the man’s actions were they had nothing to fear from him, the boys soon gave their undivided attention to their breakfast and to discussing their plans for the coming day.
“It is agreed,” said Fred, “that we are to go back to Drummond Island, isn’t it?”
“That’s right,” said George. “We shan’t get as early a start this morning but we ought to do as much as we did yesterday.”
“I hope,” said Grant, “that we shan’t have any such storm.”
“And I hope,” joined in John, “that we don’t have any more of these mysterious events that took us over to Canada and made us afraid there is somebody watching us.”
“It’s only a guilty conscience that is afraid,” retorted Fred, “but we’ll go to Drummond Island and the sooner we can get started the better it will be. We’re late as it is.”
When the boys departed from the dining-room they stopped together on the piazza to discuss one or two further details in connection with their proposed trip.
To their surprise Mr. Ferdinand Button approached the group and said, “Pardon me, but did I understand you to say that you were going to Drummond Island?”
“Yes, sir,” said Fred promptly.
“I chanced to overhear your remarks while I was at breakfast and I thought perhaps you might be willing to give me a lift.”
“Do you want to go there?” asked John.
“Near there,” said the stranger quietly. “I find there isn’t another motor-boat to be had. I am going to take a skiff and my man and if you can find a place for us on board your motor-boat I shall gladly bear my part of the expense and also appreciate your courtesy very much.”
“Of course you can come,” said Fred quickly.
“I shall not trouble you about coming back. I may not be ready to come when you are, or I may want to come before you do. In either event, I want to pay for my share of the Gadabout for the day.”
“We’ll talk about that later,” said Fred. “Are you ready to start?”
“Yes, my man is at the dock with his skiff.”
“All right,” said Fred. “Go right down there and we’ll all be down in a minute.”
“Well, Captain,” said John, when the boys approached the dock and found their boat already at hand. “We’re going to take a couple more passengers.”
“Who are they?” growled the captain.
“Why, this man, Mr. Button. He wants us to take him over to Drummond Island. He doesn’t know whether he will come back again with us or not.”
“My guide says he will ride in the skiff,” suggested Mr. Button.
“That won’t be necessary, unless he wants to,” said Fred.
“That’s the way we’ll go,” said Mr. Button quietly, and at once the five passengers took their places on board the swift, little Gadabout.
“What’s the matter with the captain?” whispered Grant in a low voice to Fred as soon as the motor-boat had put out from the dock.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Look at him, that’s all. He’s grouchy or else he’s afraid. He looks to me as if he wasn’t very enthusiastic over the addition to the list of passengers.”
“It doesn’t make any difference whether he is or not. We chartered the boat and can do what we please with it.”
Whether or not the captain was suspicious of the newcomer, the boys gave no further attention to him. In a brief time they were drawn to the newcomer, whose knowledge of the region and whose stories of the early days at once appealed strongly to his young listeners.
“Yes, sir,” said Mr. Button. “There have been some stirring scenes up around Mackinac Island. To my mind it is one of the most beautiful spots in the United States, and, standing just as it does where the lakes join, I do not wonder that the Indians did not want to give it up and that the French and English fought over it the way they did. There’s a very interesting story of the defense of the old fort. It is published I believe, in a little pamphlet and my advice to you is to get a copy and read it before you go home.”
“We’ll do that,” said Grant enthusiastically.
“When we get back,” laughed George, “Grant’s head is going to be so full of the information that he has picked up about the lakes and Mackinac Island, that the rest of us won’t have to do any work, except to keep him quiet.”
“By the way, Mr. Button,” said Fred, “did you find out anything more about that letter?”
To the surprise of the boys the captain appeared at that moment, glaring angrily at Fred and turning about several times after he had started back to his place at the wheel.
“It was a strange letter,” said Mr. Button, “but I am accustomed to such things. It is a part of my business.”
All four boys looked at him questioningly, but he smiled slightly without satisfying their curiosity at the time.
“As I was saying,” he continued, “there have been some very exciting adventures around Mackinac Island. Perhaps I will tell you something about them before long. Just now I should like to have you tell me about your trip yesterday. Did you have good luck?”
“It depends upon how you look at it,” said John with a laugh. “We caught all the fish we wanted for our luncheon, but we had a terrific thunder storm out there that drove us ashore in the afternoon. At least Fred and I were driven ashore.”
“You were wise lads to run before the gale.”
“You needn’t charge us with the wisdom,” laughed Fred. “It was the mate that had it. We were lucky enough to have him with us and he took us ashore over at Cockburn Island. We weren’t so lucky when we landed, though, because our skiff was all stove in and we had to leave it when we came away.”
“How did you get away?”
“Why, the other fellows took the Gadabout and began to look for us after the storm died out and then they came ashore for us in their skiff.”
“How far is it between Drummond Island and Cockburn?”
“Two or three miles. That’s about all, isn’t it, Captain?” said John turning abruptly about as the captain’s face once more was seen peering eagerly at the company seated in the stern.
“That’s about it,” drawled the captain. “Have you never been there?” he added, looking directly at Mr. Button as he spoke.
“I’m looking forward with great pleasure to the trip,” replied Mr. Button, quietly, apparently ignoring the question that had been asked. “You don’t think we are likely to have another storm, to-day, do you?”
“No,” said the captain abruptly, as once more he turned to his work.
“Tell me about Cockburn Island,” said Mr. Button, speaking to the boys. “Is it inhabited? Are there many people living there?”
“I don’t know,” said John. “We didn’t see very much of it. We found a little shanty, or shack, not far from the shore and when we saw smoke coming out of the chimney we went up there thinking that we might dry our clothes, for we were wet through.”
“Did you find anybody there?”
“Yes, that’s the strange part of it,” explained John. “The old shanty, that looked almost as if it would fall to pieces, was pretty well fixed up inside. There was a man there and he had a Japanese servant. Indeed, I am sure I saw the man at the harbor this morning. At least I thought it was the same man, but he didn’t speak to me, so I couldn’t be sure after all.”
Conversation ceased for a time and it was not until they had arrived off the shore of Drummond Island that Mr. Button said, “I think I will leave you here. I want to thank you again for your kindness in bringing me.”
“Where are you going?” demanded the captain, who again approached the group.
“I’m going to leave the Gadabout here,” explained Mr. Button.
“Where you going? There’s no good fishing here.”
“I’m going to trust my guide for that,” explained Mr. Button, pointing as he spoke to the man in whose skiff he was to depart. This man was now seated in his little skiff about one hundred feet astern of the Gadabout.
“Fetch him up then,” said the captain. “I’ll stop the Gadabout and let you off.”
In spite of the captain’s manifest effort to appear at ease it was plain to his young passengers that he still was angry or alarmed over the presence of Mr. Ferdinand Button. What the connection was between the two not one of the boys was able to conjecture.
Their attention, however, was speedily drawn to the skiff which Mr. Button now hauled in and as soon as it was drawn alongside he stepped lightly on board.
It was impossible for any of the boys to see the face of the guide, who at the time was bending low over a box which contained the fishing tackle. It was only later when John reminded the other boys of the strange coincidence between the excitement of the captain and the inability of all to see the face of the guide in Mr. Button’s boat, that they recalled it.
“There isn’t any fishing here,” again shouted the captain.
Apparently Mr. Button was not greatly impressed by the knowledge of the captain, for ignoring his words, he seated himself in the stern of the skiff and prepared to begin his trolling.
Meanwhile the Gadabout was belying her name, as now she was only drifting slowly with the current.
“Come on, Captain,” called Fred at last. “We’re ready to start.”
“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 anchored, 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. Button 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 Button.
“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. Button 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. Button 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. Button 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. Button 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 glass 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.