CHAPTER XVII--MYSTERY
"Mr. Lawrence has left the island!" Chot exclaimed, and again Hokinodded.
"He said tell young gentlemens take much possession, and he will eitherreturn or come back before long," said the Jap, gravely.
In spite of the fact that they were surprised at the sudden turn ofevents, the boys were forced to laugh at Hoki's quaint methods ofspeech.
"I understood he was not to go away until to-day," said Chot.
Hoki shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
"I hesitate to express myself," he said; "at same time, must have beento-day when he left, sirs, for clock had some time past chimedmidnight."
"That's so," said Tom. "It must have been three o'clock at least when wewere up the last time. Er--Hoki, did your master leave in a motor-boat?"
"I am pleased to explain to you that he did," was the Jap's reply.
"I heard that boat," said Fleet. "The chug-chug of the engine woke meup. I don't know what time it was but it must have been getting ontoward morning."
Then Fleet caught a significant look from Chot, and said no more.
Breakfast was eaten in silence, save for desultory comment on what theywere going to do during the day. There was plenty of fishing tackle inthe lodge, they knew, and Fleet and Pod decided that they would try andland some of the denizens of the St. Lawrence.
"Hoki, can you go fishing with us?" Fleet asked, as the Jap come intothe diningroom again, bearing a large platter of pan-cakes.
"I will take pleasure in accepting of kind request," said he. "I be finefisherman--sometimes," and he grinned broadly.
Tom and Chot decided to paddle around the island in their canoes, whileBert elected to stay at the lodge and read, as Mr. Lawrence's libraryheld forth great temptations.
"I've had enough paddling for sometime," he said, "and I'm going to takeit easy for a day or so."
That is the way matters were arranged for the day's pleasure, and aboutnine o'clock, Pod and Fleet, having selected what tackle they neededfrom Mr. Lawrence's plunder room, went off to the other end of thelittle island, about a hundred yards distant from the lodge. Hoki wentwith them.
Chot and Tom got into their canoes and paddled along the shore in theshade of the trees, taking care to keep within easy distance of thelodge.
The last the boys saw of Bert he was stretched out in a hammock on theshady side of the verandah, with one of Victor Hugo's volumes in hishand.
Finally, having paddled around to the end of the island, and teasedFleet and Pod because, as yet, no fish had taken their hooks, Chot andTom decided to cross the intervening space of a quarter of a mile toanother island, which looked cool and inviting with its massive shadetrees and short, green grass.
As they went they glanced up at the lodge and saw Bert still in thehammock; but one hand was extended over the side now, and in this heheld the book.
"Asleep!" said Chot, and Tom nodded, smiling.
"It's drowsy weather. He'd have felt much better to have come with us."
"Well, he didn't think so, and everyone to his own taste," Chot replied.
Reaching their destination, the boys drew their canoes up on the bankand lay down on the soft grass. They had a plain view of the front ofWinnsocket Lodge, as well as of the boys fishing on the end of theisland.
"This wouldn't be a bad spot for a camp," said Chot, as he let hisglance roam around. "If Mr. Lawrence returns before we are ready toleave the islands, we can come over here and pitch our tent."
"That's a good plan," said Tom. "It would surely be comfortable out inthe open here."
"Say, it's funny, isn't it?" mused Chot.
"I don't see anything funny."
"Well, queer, then."
"What's queer?"
"Why, the way Mr. Lawrence left the lodge?"
"In the motor-boat, you mean?"
"Not that so much, but why didn't he wait till daylight?"
"I couldn't say, Chot; it's too much of a problem for me. What were thenoises in the night? Had Mr. Lawrence anything to do with them? Whatthis and what that? One might go on asking questions forever, butfinding the answers is another matter."
"Well, he must have had urgent reasons for leaving at that time ofnight. No man wants to have his sleep disturbed to take a journey thatcan just as well be taken by daylight."
"Then I suppose this was a journey that couldn't be taken by daylight."
They were still discussing the matter of their host's disappearance, andthe strange noises of the night, when they were startled by a yell fromBert, and turning their gaze in the direction of the lodge, saw himstart up from the hammock and stand for an instant in a listeningattitude. Then, looking over toward them, he beckoned to them in such avigorous way that they knew he meant come at once. As they pushed theircanoes into the water and jumped aboard, they saw him dash madly intothe lodge.
Fleet, Pod and Hoki had heard the cry, and dropping their fishingtackle, they, too, rushed toward the lodge Pod leading by severallengths.
"Something wrong, sure," said Chot, between clenched teeth. "A littlefaster, Tom; we may be needed."
The other boys reached the lodge first and disappeared within just asChot and Tom were pulling their canoes up on the island. When they hadnegotiated the slight rise and entered the building, there was no one tobe seen.
Fleet came perspiring out of the basement a moment later, followed byPod and Hoki. Their faces were white and they were shaking in everylimb.
"What's the matter?" Chot demanded, seizing Fleet's arm and shaking himviolently.
"It's--it's Bert," was the reply.
"Well, what about him? Where is he?"
"We don't know; we can't find him. Did you hear him cry out?"
"Yes; and we came as quickly as we could. He must be in the lodge."
"No," said Pod, firmly; "he isn't. We've searched it from top tobottom."
"Well, you searched too hurriedly then. Come, Tom; let's see if we canfind the meaning of all this."
"Surely; he's bound to be here. Let's go into the basement first."
"All right. Are the lights on below, Hoki?"
"Yes, sirs; all on," was the Jap's reply. "We find them on when wereturn to lodge."
"You found them on?" Chot exclaimed.
"Yes, sirs."
"Shows, then, that Bert went below. Come on, Tom. You other fellows cancome or not, as you chose."
"No, no," said Hoki, with a shudder. "I not care to go--I know--I know!You go, sirs; Hoki stay behind."
The boys exchanged glances. The Jap was visibly frightened, and itoccurred to Chot and Tom that perhaps he knew more about WinnsocketLodge than he cared to tell.
"I'll go with you," said Pod.
"Well, you stay with Hoki, Fleet," said Chot, winking significantly, andthe fleshy lad nodded. He knew that wink; it meant, "And watch him,too."
It was as Hoki had said; the lights were all on in the basement. Theywere controlled by a little button at the head of the basement stairs,and Bert, if he had rushed suddenly below, could easily have turned it.Either this was what had happened, or it had been turned on by otherparties before Bert entered the lodge.
The boys could not prevent a creepy sensation from possessing them, asthey moved slowly down the stairs into the big cellar. A breath of coolair met their nostrils as they reached the foot of the steps and glancedabout them.
"Bert--oh, Bert!" Chot called. His voice echoed and re-echoed throughthe place, but there was no response.
"That strange," said Tom.
They explored the cellar from one end to the other, but no trace oftheir missing chum was found. They searched diligently for a secretdoor, though where it could possibly have led had they found it, theycould not imagine.
"Well, there's no use staying down here any longer," said Chot. "Berthas disappeared, that's all, and, very likely, of his own free will."
"I don't know about that," said Pod, with a dubious shake of the head.
"Well, I don't see w
hat could have happened to him," said Tom.
"There's no way to tell what has happened unless we can first decidejust why he cried out, then dashed so hurriedly inside," said Chot. "Hewas excited--that we know--and the most natural surmise is that he heardsomeone rummaging about the basement."
They returned to the first floor of the lodge, and found Fleet and Hokieagerly awaiting them. From the expression on Fleet's face they knewthat nothing unusual had happened while they were below.
The top story was then gone over, with the same result. Either throughhis own volition or by some means which the Comrades were unable atpresent to fathom, Bert Creighton had mysteriously disappeared.
"I knew you wouldn't find him," said Fleet. "He's just gone--that'sall--vanished into thin air. I don't know what we'll ever say to hisfolks."
"Oh, shut up with that sort of chatter," said Chot, severely. "You makeme tired! Nothing serious has happened to Bert."
"Then where is he?" demanded Fleet, his voice quivering with suppressedexcitement.
"That's what we'll have to find out. We can't do it in a minute; we'veno Sherlock Holmes among us. This much I know, though: No matter howunnatural this may seem, it has happened in a perfectly natural manner,and we'll find a way to solve it."
"Well, you've more confidence in your solving abilities than I have,"said Fleet.
"You're scared--that's what's the matter with you."
"I'm not!"
"Oh, very well; deny it, if you want, but we'll draw our ownconclusions, just the same."
Fleet subsided at this, and the boys seated themselves on the verandahto await lunch which Hoki said he would prepare at once.
The mystery of the lodge did not interfere with their appetites, andthey continued to discuss Bert's disappearance as they ate. They triedto make some connection between the noises in the night, Mr. Lawrence'sdeparture in the motor-boat, and the disappearance of their chum, but,try as they might, they could form no plausible connection.
They decided to leave the lodge no more until the mystery was solved, sothey hung around all the afternoon, half-expecting Bert to make hisappearance and explain away the things that perplexed them. Butsupper-time came, and no Bert.
At six they ate again, Hoki preparing a meal fit for a king. They wereliving off the fat of the land, so to speak, and had Bert been withthem, they would have been perfectly happy.
After dinner they sat on the verandah and watched it grow dark--notwithout a feeling of dread, though, it must be admitted. All sorts ofthings might happen in the lodge under cover of darkness. They knew notwhat to be prepared for, but something seemed to tell them that aboveall places, the basement was the one spot to keep their eyes on.
"Hoki," said Chot, suddenly, when the Jap had finished the kitchen workand joined them on the verandah, "are there any guns about the place?"
"Oh, yes, sirs; as many as six, sirs. Would you have them delivered?"
"Where are they kept?"
"In my master's private chamber, if you please, sirs."
"Then lead the way to them, Hoki. Come, Tom! The rest of you stay heretill we return."
They followed the Jap into the lodge, and, true to his word, Hoki founda case containing six revolvers in Mr. Lawrence's apartment.
The boys appropriated them all, loading them carefully, and placed anextra supply of cartridges in their pockets. Tom and Chot took tworevolvers each, dividing the other two with Fleet and Pod, together withcartridges and orders to keep the weapons handy for instant use.
The revolvers gave the boys a certain feeling of security that had beenabsent before, and they were just settling comfortably down on theverandah when they were startled by a voice from the river. Somewherebetween Winnsocket Lodge and the island to the south a man or boy was indeep trouble. They could tell that from the mournful tones which reachedthem.
"Help, help!" said the voice. "Come quick! Help, help!"