CHAPTER VI
THE PLIGHT OF THE "_ARROW_"
Hours later, when the _Arrow_ was finally clear of the bar, sheveered around and made down the coast, passing the little bay wherethe canoe had landed. So occupied with the distressing problem ofHugh's disappearance had her crew been,---for not one of the partycould believe him drowned,---and so busy in trying to keep the sloopfrom being pounded to pieces by the waves while stranded, that no oneaboard had noticed the canoe on its return trip across the strait.
When sailing order had been restored and Captain Vinton had ceasedto rage and swear at the mischance, his one idea was to return tothe waters where he knew the _Petrel_ was cruising. Strange to say,he was the only one who guessed that Hugh had fallen into the handsof "coast-prowlers" as he called them,---with adjectives too lurid tomention!---and was, being held captive lest he betray their plans.With this idea in mind, he was determined to bring the revenue cutterto Hugh's rescue; he knew the _Petrel_ could cope with the situation.
By an unlooked-for stroke of fortune, he had not gone very far downthe coast before he sighted the cutter, and soon he brought the_Arrow_ within hailing distance. He communicated the news to theofficers on board, and a sort of council of war took placeimmediately. Together, they were not long in forming a plan ofreprisal.
It was decided that they should proceed forthwith to a small fortressa few miles southward, where a squad of regulars was stationed. Theplace was called Fort Leigh, but it scarcely deserved the name, beingin reality only a temporary camp located on the site of an oldfortification which had been a military headquarters during theSeminole wars. Its nearness to the vicinity in which, according tothe _Petrel's_ reliable information, the smugglers were operating wasthe reason why all decided to go there for assistance.
Lieutenant Driscoll was in command at the fort and he could be countedon to bring the smugglers to terms.
"Why, it's the most high-handed piece of knavery I've heard of formany a long day!" he exclaimed when the information formation wasbrought to him by Vinton and the others. "Those scoundrels must havetheir nerve, all right, to kidnap a young fellow merely because theydidn't want him to tell tales!"
"It's an outrage!" agreed Norton emphatically. "But we've got to getbusy right away, Lieutenant. What are we going to do about it?"
"You're right. We must lose no time," replied Driscoll directly."We'll set out this very hour and invade the haunts of gang. They'renot many miles from here, I'm told, hiding in the Everglades. Comewith me; I'll have my men ready in half an hour.
"You boys'll go along, of course," he added. "If we have to pitchcamp for a night or two, while we're hunting them, we'll need youfor signalers or scouts, or for picket duty."
"Picket duty?" echoed Chester.
"Yes, both in camp and along the line of march. I presume you allare willing to serve?"
"Yes, sir; we certainly are!" came the eager chorus. Then, abashedat their lack of military formality, the speakers saluted in moresoldierly fashion and stood at attention, awaiting orders.
These were soon given, and after a hurried preparation the wholeparty---with the exception of three privates who remained at thefort---sallied forth against "Bego's gang." It was decided not to goon board the _Petrel_ for the few miles' trip back along the coast,but to use the _Arrow_, instead; for the latter would not be soeasily recognized by the smugglers.
"No doubt they'll have pickets posted at different points nearDurgan's settlement, if, as we suspect, they have a rendezvousthere," said Lieutenant Driscoll. "But we'll camp tonight onPalmetto Key, cross over to the shore the first thing to-morrowmorning-----"
"Before daylight?"
"Of course; and then we'll land on 'em, hot-and-heavy. I count ontheir trying to ship a cargo to-morrow night, when there'll be nomoon."
"I understand," said Norton. "Will you permit me to make a suggestion,Lieutenant Driscoll?"
"By all means, my dear sir. What is it?"
"Well, the fact that you mentioned their pickets gave me an idea thatit would be well if you sent some of us,---say these scouts and myself,for instance,---over to the mainland to-night to act as pickets foryou fellows encamped on Palmetto Key."
"An excellent idea! But how do you propose to communicate with us,in case there should be anything doing to-night?"
"By means of bonfires on the shore, or by wig-wagging with torches."
"I thought you would say that!" exclaimed the lieutenant heartily.
"You mean---you don't approve of that part of the plan?"
Lieutenant Driscoll laughed.
"Oh, not at all! That is, I meant only that I was pleased to discovera civilian who knows anything about signaling."
Amused at the lieutenant's patronizing comment, Norton merely smiledin his good-natured way, though he would fain have answered moresharply. Alec and Billy glanced at him and then at each other, andAlec whispered:
"I guess the lieutenant doesn't know that Boy Scouts are expected tobe pretty efficient signalers, does he, Bill?"
To which Billy responded with a snort:
"What he doesn't know would fill a book!"
Fortunately these remarks were not heard by anyone but Dave, for thelieutenant and Norton were arranging a system of signals to be usedin case of necessity. Meanwhile, with Vinton at the helm, and themen of Driscoll's company crowded on the deck of the sloop talkingwith the other scouts, the trim little _Arrow_ was making good speedover the blue water. Billy and Alec walked restlessly up and downthe deck, their minds busy with thoughts of Hugh, for whom they feltno little anxiety.
"Wonder what he's doing now?" said Alec.
"I'd give anything to know for sure that he's alive and safe!" wasBilly's rueful rejoinder. "I've heard all sorts of stories aboutwhat rough-necks like those smugglers do to any one that butts in ontheir game!"
"You don't believe they'd kill him?"
"No-o, hardly that. But they might----"
"The worst of it is," interrupted Alec, "we don't even know that he'salive. He might have been drowned or-----"
"I won't believe that, Alec! I can't believe it!"
"But you said just now-----"
"I don't know what I said or what I meant!"
"Calm down, Billy, old scout! You're all upset."
"Who wouldn't be, I'd like to know?"
"I don't blame you," said Alec in genuine sympathy. "We all are, youknow; but we've got to keep our heads, and we mustn't despair."
"Yes, you're right, Alec."
There was a brief silence, while the two friends stood by the railwatching the low-lying shore slip past them as the _Arrow_ flewonward. Then Billy spoke again, and his voice was steadier.
"We're going to find Hugh and get him out of danger," he said quietly,"so let's get ready to do our level best."
"I'm with you, Bill! That's the stuff. That's the way to feel! Why,it helps a lot not to lose hope at the start! Come on, let's find outwhat we're going to do first."
Mark Anderson came over to them just then, tugging at his cap to keepit from being blown away.
"We're almost at Palmetto Key now," he said. "Whew! I'll be glad whenwe're off this boat on dry land,---and _doing_ something! Thiscruising-around-while-you-wait gets my nerve! I've had about enoughof the salt water, anyway. When we get Hugh back, me for the choo-choocars home to Santario!"
It was a natural impatience, and some of the boys shared it for thetime being. They might change their minds later, they agreed, but atpresent most of them were of Dave's opinion of the cruise---"Heapmuch trouble, not much fun." However, the prospect of excitement anda possible encounter with smugglers on the outskirts of the Everglades,cheered them considerably.
Gliding through the channels between islands and keys, and keepingout of sight of watchers on the mainland as far as possible, the_Arrow_ finally cast anchor off Palmetto Key nearly opposite Durgan'scove, and the boat made two trips ashore with Norton and the boys.Dave went with them, of cour
se, for he was thoroughly familiar withthat section of the coast. Each was armed with a revolver and a beltof cartridges, but orders were given that there should be no shootingexcept in self-defense or as a last desperate resort to make "the gang"deliver up their prisoner.
They landed on a little grass-covered peninsula about a hundred yardsfrom the cove, and immediately began to look around them for goodstation points to observe the movements of "the enemy." The ground inthat locality was somewhat higher than the surrounding expanses, andtherefore less swampy; but there were numerous little zigzag ditches orwatercourses in which the tide rose until it overflowed the banks.
"We'd better not linger here," said Norton.
"When the tide comes in, this little point of land will be under water."
"No, no," said Dave, shaking his head. "Safe here---see!" He pointedto the dry grass blades on which were no traces of brine. "You stayhere. Me and Billy go get canoe."
"Canoe? Where can you get one?"
Again Dave pointed, this time to a group of three ramshackle cabinsjust visible through the bushes. In one of those cabins Hugh waseven then a prisoner. Had Dave or Billy known this, they would nothave hesitated to swim to the place, if need be to say nothing of thedifficulty of going there and "borrowing" a canoe, in which they allcould approach the smugglers' headquarters.
Dave explained that the cabins on the cove were called "Durgan'ssettlement," and that the place bore a bad reputation. He added thatto his certain knowledge the revenue men had intended for some timepast to raid the place, and that they had waited only for more proofthat the smugglers foregathered there.
Having assured the others that he and Billy would soon return withsome kind of a canoe or boat, Dave set forth, accompanied by Hugh'schum. The others, separating, took up their positions where theywere concealed by the long grass, but where they had a good view ofthe islands and straits, the cove, and the three cabins.
They were now pickets on duty.