CHAPTER XII
THE MAN WITH THE BLUE MOON SWEATER
Now, it happened that Jack had made this astonishing discovery evenbefore Buster could have done so, for he was so much quicker than thefat boy to observe things, and never had there been a sweater made justlike that one with the blue moon on its front.
Jack also knew that the chances were Buster would be apt to saysomething out loud in his astonishment at seeing his lost property onthe back of a prowler, possibly the very man who had stolen theirintended supper.
And as the leader of the motor boat boys was as quick as a flash to act,no sooner had this idea entered his brain than he stretched out his armactually across Herb, and reaching the fat boy, managed to clasp hishand squarely over his mouth.
From the fact that Buster's lips were twitching at that very second, itseemed evident that he had just been on the point of giving vent to hisfeelings by some such blunt expression as:
"Well, would you see the nerve of that, now?"
Instead he was brought to a sense of the necessity for complete silence;and as Buster was not at all devoid of common sense he managed to bottleup his excitement somewhat.
But now the man had dropped down on all fours again, and seemed to bemoving along with considerable dispatch. Jack had seen that the fellowhad eyes only for the motionless figures at the fire; and also thatsomething approaching a grin had broken out on his heavy face when hesaw how inanimate they were.
His movements were certainly suspicious, and those that would indicatean intention of thievery. Certainly no honest man would come stealinginto a strange camp in this fashion.
What could he want? If this were the same rogue who had made way withthe food Josh placed on that flat stone, perhaps he believed that itwould be just as well to strike while the iron was hot, and there seemedto be abundant supplies lying around loose. If he were a shiftlessfisherman, such as sometimes used to gather here on this island, Jackhad been told, why, he might believe that all was fish that came tohis net; and seeing the food that had been carried ashore, lying sotemptingly around, canned stuff, and all that abundant means couldsupply, he was now bent on making a haul.
That was Jack's first idea, for the man seemed to be crawling toward thepile of groceries when discovered. But now he had shifted his coursesomewhat, so that it was at a tangent with his first line of advance.Was he simply trying to avoid contact with the sleepers, or did he havesome other reason for altering the direction of his coming?
Jack's interest began to increase by leaps and bounds. He realized thatperhaps the intruder might be looking forward to something of fargreater advantage than a mere carrying off of eatables. Yes, he washeading now toward the shore where the white motor boat was tied up! AndJack suddenly recollected that one of his companions had suggested thatthe robbers kept their treasure-trove aboard the craft. That was afterthe discovery of the hoax connected with the buried box.
But then how could this rough fellow have any suspicion concerning theplunder taken from the bank? He surely could not, and must be intendingto go aboard simply under the belief that fatter pickings were to befound on the little vessel just then totally unguarded.
Now he was at the river bank, with nothing to interfere with his plan ofboarding the tied-up boat. Of course his progress had been followed byevery one of the six pair of eyes belonging to the boys hiding in thebushes, and it would be needless to say that by now all of them guessedwhat his destination was.
Jack felt a pair of knuckles industriously digging at his side which heknew must belong to George. The impulsive one was in this mute fashionvoicing his desire to know what Jack meant to do about it; and doubtlesshoping that they would be given permission to make some sort of moveafter the thief had fully vanished over the side of the white boat.
But Jack paid no attention to the nudges. He was thinking just then whata queer old mix-up the whole affair was getting to be; when one robberattempted to ply his trade upon another of the same sort.
Now they could see the shadowy form passing from the bank on to thegunwale of the boat. The fact that the side of the craft chanced to beso very white did much to throw the climbing figure out in relief. Thenhe disappeared and everything was as it had been; only they knew anintruder had boarded the boat, and must be rummaging around in search ofsomething which doubtless he expected to find there.
Still the two near the dying camp fire had shown no sign of life. Theyseemed to be sound asleep, and utterly unconscious of the fact that anenemy had crept into their midst, bent on pillage.
Jack thought fast, and indeed, there was good reason why he shoulddo so. Should they attempt to warn the two nestled there amidst theblankets, and put them wise to the fact that they were in danger ofbeing robbed? That would only disclose their presence to the fugitivesfrom justice, as they had been terming the owner of the white boat, andhis companion Jenks. And if they were the men who had looted the bank upat Lawrence, why try and save their ill-gotten plunder?
Really, it would appear to be just as well that they let this adroitsecond thief get the treasure in his possession, and then proceed totake it from him in turn. Besides, it might be policy to reduce thenumber of those against whom the boys would have to pit themselves; andone must be reckoned just the half of two.
That was the way Jack found himself putting it, as though he had toreduce the whole thing to argument. And it was surprising how manydifferent things could force themselves into his mind in just a briefspace of time. He could imagine the last creeper to have come safely offthe white boat, with the treasure in his possession, perhaps evenwalking close by where they crouched; then would be given a signal thatmust result in his being attacked from every quarter at once; and surelywith six of them to assist, he must be easily pulled down.
But wait, there was no need of getting so far afield, when the manseemed to be still busying himself aboard the white motor boat someway or other. While they could not see him, it was noticed that thenarrow-beamed boat was shaking more or less, as though some one weremoving about aboard.
Buster must recognize a very familiar movement in this, because therewas the cranky Wireless, always ready to accommodate itself to theactivities of any one who had the misfortune to pass any length of timeon board, either as passenger, crew or skipper.
Should that heavy-set man, called Jenks by the other, chance to awakenabout this time, perhaps there would be something doing speedily, for hehad all the looks of a stayer in a fight, and once he detected thepresence of the interloper, woe be to him. But there had not been theslightest movement to either of the sleepers; and if the intended robberof thieves was to be balked in his designs, it looked as though Jackand his chums would have to prove themselves equal to the occasion.
And so Jack's conclusion seemed to be that it might pay them to getsomewhat closer to the river bank, so that should the unknown finish hiswork aboard, and start to make his escape, they could head him off thebetter.
It was not really necessary for him to communicate all this to eachone of his chums. When they saw him start to make a move they wouldunderstand what was intended, and govern themselves accordingly.
Jack raised himself to his hands and knees. Then he commenced to workhis way along, with the tied-up boat as his ultimate destination.
Just as he had anticipated, every one of the other fellows started in toimitate his actions. All they wanted was an example, and they were readyto follow suit. You have seen the whole flock of sheep follow thebellwether over a low fence; and that was about the same way George andJosh and the rest did right then and there.
All went smoothly for a certain length of time; perhaps as much as threeor four minutes may have passed along. Then something happened that wascertainly not down on the bills; and coming so unexpectedly must havegiven the boys a severe shock.
Without warning there burst upon the night air a loud and sonorous"ker-chew!" Why, it was deep-toned enough to have awakened the SevenSleepers of old; and certainly the precious pair ove
r there by the firecould not help but be electrified by the explosion.
It was not a thunder clap, though some of the creeping boys might haveso considered, when first it broke upon their startled hearing. No, itwas only Buster Longfellow sneezing.
This was an old weakness of Buster's. He was wont to sneeze on any andall occasions, and many times in his past history had he been brought toa knowledge of the fact that it was a habit calculated to get a fellowinto all sorts of trouble. Remember that time he threatened to upsetGeorge's boat when one of these fits happened along? Well, there werenow even more dire possibilities in store for the unlucky originator ofthat tremendous sneeze, than he cared to look in the face.
In the first place it aroused the two at the fire. They could be seensuddenly sitting up straight, and looking all around them, as thoughhalf expecting to discover strangers in the camp, who according to theircalculations could have no business there.
Then a head was seen to rise hurriedly above the gunwale of the whitemotor boat, showing that the fellow who had gone aboard, had beendisturbed in the midst of whatever he was doing. Of course it was to beexpected that he would spring over the side, and make a streak for it,intending to find shelter in the covert of nearby bushes.
Nothing of the sort happened.
On the contrary, while he did immediately expose himself in full view itwas to carry out an entirely different line of energy.
Jack was just in the act himself of standing up and directing hiscomrades as to what they should do in order to cut off the other'sescape, when he saw there was going to be nothing doing in that line.
For the man had leaned quickly over the side, and made a sweep with hishand at the little hawser holding the boat snug against the bank. Hemust have had an exceedingly sharp-bladed knife there, for it cutthrough that rope as though the cable were made of sand. And at the samemoment the white motor boat started to swing free from the shore of theisland.