CHAPTER XXV.
THE RAFT AND THE SHOW-BOAT CHANGE CREWS.
It must be remembered that while Winn would have recognized Mr. Gilder,he had not seen the other "river-traders," Plater and Grimshaw. Ofthese two, the former had not set eyes on the lad whose raft they hadstolen; but the latter had caught a glimpse of him, and now, as henoted Winn's startled glance into the interior of the "shanty," itflashed into his mind who this intrusive boy was.
The "river-traders" had not really expected Winn to follow them. Theyimagined that after he escaped from the island, which they hoped hewould not do for several days, he would be glad enough to make the bestof his way home. Still, they had taken the precaution of disguisingthe _Venture_ by throwing the wheat overboard, tearing down thebuildings in which it had been stowed, and erecting a tent in place ofone of them. As they were well provided with various changes of wigsand beards, they felt quite safe until Billy Brackett boarded the raftfor the second time, and made inquiries for one having three"shanties." Then they realized that a search was being made for them,or, at least, for the craft from which they were operating.
They felt somewhat easier when one of their number, detailed to watchthe movements of their unwelcome visitor, returned and reported that hehad gone back up the river. Still, they thought it well to again alterthe appearance of the raft by removing the tent, and so lengthening the"shanty" as to materially change its aspect. They also allowed theraft to drift night and day for nearly five hundred miles without apause. Then, again feeling safe from pursuit, they tied up just belowthe City of Alton, Illinois, and prepared to resume their dishonestbusiness.
Their plan of operations was to purchase goods wherever they stopped,but always in such small quantities that for the bills they tendered inpayment they received a certain amount of good money in change. Alittle farther along they would offer the goods thus accumulated forsale so cheaply that they readily disposed of them. In this way theynot only did a thriving business, but kept up the appearance of beingwhat they claimed to be--"river-traders" and raftsmen.
In this wicked scheme of cheating and stealing, Plater and Grimshawfelt no scruples nor regrets; but with Mr. Gilder, especially after hismeeting with Sabella, the case was different. He was a man ofgentlemanly instincts, and was a skilful engraver, who had worked inthe Government Printing-office at Washington for several years. Therehe was extravagant, got into debt, yielded to the temptation to make afortune easily, and became a counterfeiter. The present undertakingwas his first experience in that line of wickedness, and he was alreadyheartily sick of it. While on the island, where his part of the workwas engraving and printing, he had not realized the contemptible natureof his unlawful business. He had merely been filled with pride in hisown skill, which feeling his associates took good care to encourage byartful praise.
When he met Sabella, it flashed across him for the first time that hisown little girl, far away in an eastern city, was the daughter of acriminal, and from that moment he was a changed man. Through the longdays and longer nights, as the raft drifted down the great river, thesethoughts were ever with him: "What will she say when she finds it out?How will she act? Will she ever kiss me, or even speak to me again? Ihave made her very name a disgrace. What shall I do to wipe it out?What shall I do?"
His companions noticed his strange mood, and jeered at him, but failedto change it. Finally they became suspicious, and held secretconsultations as to how they should rid themselves of him. Theyfinally determined to accomplish this in some way at St. Louis, and somatters stood when they made their stop at Alton. Here they intendedremaining until they had transacted a satisfactory amount of business.Thus, on the foggy morning following Don Blossom's escape from the_Whatnot_, Messrs Gilder and Plater had gone into the town tofamiliarize themselves with its localities, while Grimshaw was left tolook out for the raft. Now Winn Caspar had accidentally discovered it,and recognized it as the _Venture_.
He did not know the man standing in the doorway and looking socuriously at him, nor did he suppose himself known by the other. So,with a great effort, he strove to conceal the tumult of his feelings,and to appear natural and self-possessed. He answered the man's curtinquiry regarding his business there by saying, in as pleasant a toneas he could command, that he was searching for a lost monkey, which hethought might have taken to the timber beside which this raft wasmoored. "You startled me by throwing open your door so suddenly justas I was about to knock," he continued; "but you haven't seen anythingof a stray monkey this morning, have you?"
"Not until this moment," answered the man, surlily, "and I don't wantto see any more of him. Good-day."
With this he slammed the door in the boy's face, and then, stealing ontiptoe to a window, watched for his departure from the raft.
To say that Mr. Grimshaw was rendered uneasy and apprehensive by thissudden appearance of one whom he suppose to be hundreds of miles away,and who was also the very person he was most anxious to avoid, would byno means express his feelings. He was so terrified and unnerved thatfor a moment he thought of leaving the raft to its fate, and makinggood his own escape while he had time. Then he wondered if it wouldnot be better to cast it loose and drift away through the fog to somenew hiding-place. It would never do to go without his partners,though; for, in the first place, he could not manage the raft alone,and in the second there was no knowing what Gilder would do if hethought himself deserted and perhaps betrayed. No, he must find hisassociates without delay, and warn them of this unexpected danger. Hewondered if the boy were alone. Perhaps he had friends in hiding nearby, to whom he had gone to report. In that case his own safetydemanded that he discover them before they reached the raft. The boyhad already disappeared in the timber, and there was no time to be lostin following him.
Thus reasoning, Grimshaw left the "shanty," locking its door behind himas he did so, and springing ashore, hastened up the trail, along whichWinn had disappeared a few seconds before. It took him about threeminutes to reach the far edge of the timber and outskirts of the town.Here several streets began, and as he could not follow them all, he wasbrought to a halt. Which way should he go now? He had seen nothing ofthe boy, whom he certainly ought to have overtaken before this, nor ofany other person. Could he have passed them? Where should he look forGilder and Plater? Would it not be better, after all, to await theirreturn on the raft? Of course it would. He had been a fool to leaveit, and now his best plan was to get back to it as quickly as possible.
These thoughts occupied less than a minute, and so impatient was theman to regain the raft he had just left that inside of two minutes morehe again stood on the river-bank. He had been gone barely fiveminutes, and in that time he had not seen a human being. Now he couldnot see the raft. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. He could see afew rods of water, but beyond that the fog was impenetrable. Heshouted, but there was no answer. Perhaps this was not the place. Heran a little way up the shore, and then as far in the oppositedirection, but without success. Then he returned to hisstarting-point, and found the end of a rope. It was attached to atree, and had been cut. It was a bit of the line that had held theraft, and the raft was gone.
The blow was a heavy one, and for a few minutes Grimshaw stood like onewho is stunned. The loss of that raft, under the circumstances, meantruin. It meant the loss of everything he had or cared for in theworld. At first the realization of this loss rendered him speechless.Then he began to rave and revile his own carelessness. After a fewminutes devoted to this he again started up the trail. He wasdetermined to procure some craft and start in instant pursuit of theraft. He would go in company with his partners if he ran across them,but alone if he did not. Before he reached the far edge of the timberhe met Plater running and breathless.
"Get back to the raft!" shouted the new-comer. "They're after us!"
"They've got us," was the bitter answer. "At least they've got theraft, and we must hunt some boat in which to follow them at once."
/> A few words more explained the situation, and, angry as he was, Platerdid not stop to waste time in idle reproaches just then. He onlysaid, "It's that sneak Gilder's doings, I'll bet my pile."
Grimshaw agreed to this, and as they hurried along they both thought oftheir partner as floating down the river on the raft in company withtheir enemies and glorying over their discomfiture.
"We'll get even with him, though," growled Plater.
"Yes, we _will_," snarled Grimshaw.
And then they met the object of their anger hurrying away from thelevee which they were approaching.
"Where are you fellows going?" he cried, and then, in a lower tone, headded, "We've got to get out of here in a hurry, for they are in thisvery town and looking for us. I've just come from their boat."
"Who have they left aboard?" asked Grimshaw.
"Only a child," was the answer.
"Let us take a look at it, then, so we will know it as well as you thenext time we see it."
So Mr. Gilder went back to point out the _Whatnot_ to his companions,and when they sprang aboard and began to cast off the lines that heldit to the levee he followed them, with a vague idea of protectingSabella.
The next moment, Solon, who had just finished hitching up Reward, wasstartled by the ringing of the engine-room bell. It was the signal togo ahead. Thinking that the others must have returned and were readyto start, he obeyed it. Thus the _Whatnot_, in full possession of the"river-traders," moved slowly out into the stream, and again started inpursuit of the raft she had followed for so long.