CHAPTER XXIX
THE RAID
Daylight was breaking when the boys ran into the cove near the ranchafter a quick passage and saw Mr. Oliver standing on the beach.
"I've been looking out for you rather anxiously," he said when he hadshaken hands with them. "Has Barclay been successful?"
"No," said Harry, "not altogether. Some of the dope men got away at thefirst place where they landed."
Mr. Oliver looked rather grave at this. "How many of them escaped?"
"I don't know exactly. The messenger said several. Besides, the crew ofthe schooner abandoned her, and it seems likely that they got ashore.That would make two parties who may have joined each other."
"Ah!" said Mr. Oliver; "it's a pity in various ways! How did Barclay geton at the other end?"
"I can't tell you. He didn't expect to make the seizure until night whenthe dope men's friends would be waiting for the schooner to run in, andhe sent us off in the afternoon."
"It was wise of him," Mr. Oliver answered. "In the meanwhile your aunthasn't cleared breakfast away, and as I expect you're ready for it we'llgo in at once."
During the meal they gave him an outline of their adventures, to whichhe listened thoughtfully. Then he said:
"You had better lie down and get a sleep. We'll have another talk aboutit later on."
"I think I'd rather work," said Frank. "We got some sleep in turns lastnight, and I don't feel like lying down. The fact is," he addedhesitatingly, "we've been doing something or other so hard since we wentaway that I don't think I could leave off all at once. I feel strung upyet and I'd rather keep busy."
Mr. Oliver smiled understandingly. "That's sensible. There's nothing asgood as your regular work for cooling you off and helping you to getcalm again; but if you like you can take a note over to Webster and youneedn't hurry back if he asks you to have dinner with him. Then thereare two or three stumps you may as well grub out."
They set out soon afterward and Frank, for one, was glad of the walk. Hehad been cramped on board the sloop, and the excitement of the last fewdays had told on him. He was nervously restless and felt that it wouldbe useless to lie down until he was physically worn out. When hementioned it to Harry the latter confessed to a similar sensation, andadded that they had not yet finished with the dope men.
Mr. Webster was at work in his clearing when they reached it, but hewalked with them to his house, dropping Mr. Oliver's note into the stoveas soon as he read it.
"You'll have dinner before you go back and tell your father I'll comealong," he said. "Would you like to take that single gun with you,Frank? Harry still has the other one."
Frank said that he would be very glad, but his companion broke in:
"What did dad ask you to come over for?"
"He wasn't very precise," answered Mr. Webster evasively. "He'llprobably tell me more when I'm at the ranch."
As it was evident that he did not mean to be communicative, they atetheir dinner without asking any further questions, but when they werewalking home through the bush Harry smiled at his companionsignificantly.
"What do you make of the whole thing?" he asked.
"I don't know," said Frank. "Your father looked troubled when he heardthe dope men had got away."
"He did," assented Harry. "Then he sent over for Webster, who wouldn'ttell us what he was wanted for, though he made you take that gun along."
Frank knitted his brows.
"Well," he said thoughtfully, "it's only an idea of mine, but it'spossible that the fellows who escaped might make an attack upon theranch out of revenge. Now if we allow that the schooner had been drivingalong before the wind for some time after she was abandoned--and severalthings pointed to it--one would fancy that the men who left her musthave landed not very far from the spot where Barclay's men tried toseize them. It seems to me the first thing they'd do would be to attemptto join the rest so as to be strong enough to resist a posse sent out tohunt them down. It would be clear that somebody had given them away andthey'd no doubt blame your father. Of course they suspected himalready."
"You've hit it," said Harry, whose face grew stern. "If they come alongthere'll be trouble, but we'll make some of it. I don't feel kind to thedope men after that sight in the schooner's cabin."
Frank thought that his companion wore very much the same look as hisfather had done on the morning when he stood beside the fallen horsewith the smoking pistol in his hand.
"I expect they'll be desperate now," he said, but Harry did not answer,and they walked on a little faster.
On arriving at the ranch they set about grubbing up the stumps andmanaged to get one big one out during the few hours' daylight thatremained, but neither of them were sorry when Miss Oliver called themin to supper. Frank, however, stood still a moment or two, glancingabout him and leaning upon his grubhoe. There was not a breath of windstirring, and the firs rose in dense shadowy masses against a soft graysky. The light was fading off the clearing, the rows of stumps had grownblurred and dim, and it was impressively still. The whole surroundingslooked very peaceful; one could imagine them steeped in continualtranquillity, but Frank remembered the broken mower and became vaguelyuneasy. Besides, he could not get the scene in the schooner's cabin,where the dead man lay fallen forward across the table, out of his mind.Then Miss Oliver called him again, and making an effort to throw offthis exceedingly unpleasant train of thought he strode quickly towardthe house.
They sat about the stove after supper, and Frank fancied that Mr. Oliverwas listening for something now and then, but for a while no sound rosefrom the clearing. He made the boys give him a few more particularsabout their adventures.
"What do you suppose Barclay meant when he said that we would not besorry we had brought the schooner in?" asked Harry.
"Well," his father replied, when he had considered a moment, "the vesselwas abandoned when you fell in with her. If she had been employed in alegitimate trade you could have enforced a claim for your services andyou would have had no difficulty in getting a large share of her value.The affair, however, is complicated by the fact that she was engaged insmuggling, because, while I don't know much about these matters, I'minclined to believe that would warrant the revenue authorities in eitherseizing her altogether or holding her as security for a heavy fine.Still, even in this case, you should have a claim and I've no doubt thatBarclay will look after your interests."
"Have you any idea what our share would be?" Frank asked eagerly.
"I could only make a guess. As she seems to be a comparatively newvessel and is probably in good repair except for the damage she receivedon the night in question I think you could hold out for two thousanddollars. It's quite possible that she only started a plank or two, and anew mainmast wouldn't cost a great deal."
"Two thousand dollars!" and Frank gasped with astonishment.
"I believe the award depends upon the value of the services rendered andthe hazard incurred," Mr. Oliver answered with a smile. "There seemsvery little doubt that the vessel would have gone to the bottom if youhadn't fallen in with her, and I expect any arbitrator would admit thatin running alongside and getting on board her in a heavy sea you did adangerous thing. Jake, of course, would take a share, though his wouldbe a smaller one than yours; but Barclay will be able to tell you moreabout it than I can. We must get his advice as soon as possible."
Shortly afterward Mr. Webster arrived carrying a rifle, and Frankobserved that Mr. Oliver was glad to see him. They, however, onlydiscussed fruit growing and the price of stock, and when by and by theboys became drowsy Mr. Oliver told them that they had better go to bed.
The boys were about to withdraw to their room, when Harry had a suddenthought.
"Where's the dog?" he asked.
"In the stable," said Mr. Oliver dryly. "We have kept him there the lastfew nights."
It occurred to Frank that this had been done as a precaution, since thestable and barn stood close together at some little distance from thehouse, but Harry mad
e some careless answer and they turned away towardtheir room. When they reached it Harry sat down on his bed and his facelooked grave in the lamplight.
"Dad's expecting trouble," he said. "You noticed that all the guns werelaid handy and there was a lot of shot as well as rifle shells spreadout loose on the shelf."
"Do you think the dope men will come to-night?"
"I can't say. I wouldn't be astonished if they did. Anyhow, I'm deadplayed out and we can go to sleep, because dad and Webster mean to situp all night. I don't know whether you noticed that the coffee pot wason the stove and dad had his cigar box out."
Frank had not noticed it, but he had already discovered that in somematters his companion's eyes were sharper than his own. He, however,made no comment, for a heavy weariness had seized him at last and he wasglad to get his clothes off and go to bed. He was soon asleep and somehours had passed when he felt Harry's hand upon his shoulder. Raisinghimself suddenly, he looked around. The room was very dark, and he couldhear nothing until a door latch clicked below and he fancied that heheard stealthy footsteps outside the building.
"You had better get up and dress as quick as you can," said Harry."That's Webster crossing the clearing. Dad slipped out a minute or twobefore him."
Frank scrambled into his clothes and followed Harry to the window, wherethey leaned upon the ledge. There was no doubt that somebody was movingaway from the house, because they could hear the withered grass rustleand now and then the faint crackle of a twig, but they could see nothingexcept the leafless fruit trees and the black wall of bush shutting inthe clearing.
Then a savage growl that sounded dulled and muffled broke out from thestable, and Frank felt a little quiver run through him. The sound diedaway and he found the heavy silence that followed it hard to bear, buta few moments later the dog growled again and then broke into a seriesof short, snapping barks.
"If he gets loose somebody's going to be sorry," said Harry with aharsh, strained laugh. Then he gripped Frank's arm hard. "Look yonder!"
A yellow blaze suddenly leaped up beside the barn and grew brighterrapidly, until Frank made out a man's black figure outlined against it.He seemed to be throwing an armful of brush or withered twigs upon thespreading fire, and Frank swung around toward his companion.
"Hadn't we better shout or run down?" he asked.
"Wait," said Harry shortly. "Dad's already on that fellow's trail."
He was right, for while the figure bent over the fire a thin streak ofred sparks flashed out from among the fruit trees and the crash of arifle filled the clearing. The man leaped back from the fire, ran a fewpaces at headlong speed, and vanished suddenly into the shadow.
"He's not hurt," Frank said hoarsely.
"Then it's because dad didn't mean to hit him," Harry answered. "Thatwas a warning."
"He doesn't seem to be going to put out the fire."
"No," said Harry with the same strained laugh, "dad knows too much forthat. Those logs are thick, they won't light easy, and it's only alittle pile of small stuff that's burning. Dad has no use for standingout where those fellows can see him unless it's necessary. In themeanwhile the dope men don't know where he is and that's going to worrythem."
Frank could understand this. It seemed very likely that the small firewould burn out before the logs caught, and it was clear that the men whohad made it could not run back into the light to throw on more brushwoodwithout incurring the hazard of being shot. On the other hand, Mr.Oliver would have to face the same peril if he approached to put itout. From this it seemed very probable that both he and the dope menwould wait to see what the result would be.
In the meanwhile the crash of the rifle had had a curious effect onFrank. It was the first time that he had ever seen a shot fired in angerand he was sufficiently well acquainted with Mr. Oliver's character tofeel certain that if the warning failed to prove efficacious the nextbullet would not go wide. He felt his nerves tingle and caught hisbreath more quickly, for it seemed highly probable that he might beshortly called on to watch or, perhaps, take part in some horriblething. He did not mean to shirk it, but at the same time he wasconscious that he would have greatly preferred to be standing beside theschooner's wheel while she lurched over the big foaming seas.
The suspense became almost intolerable as he watched the fire, whichpresently sank until at last only a feeble, flickering blaze was left.Then a figure sprang out of the shadow and ran toward it carryingsomething in its arms. The next moment there was another crash in adifferent part of the clearing from where they had heard the first shot,and the figure, dropping its burden, vanished suddenly.
"That's Webster," said Harry dryly. "I'm not sure that he meant tomiss."
In the meanwhile the savage barking of the dog, whom they had scarcelynoticed during the last few moments, once more forced itself upon theirattention.
"Why doesn't your father let the dog get after them?" Frank asked.
"I don't know," Harry answered. "It's possible he'd rather not have themrouted out from among the trees. If it were only daylight we could standthem off! Have you your watch?"
Frank took it from his pocket and rubbed a sulphur match in nervoushaste. It went out and he struck another with quivering fingers. A paleglow of light sprang up and he held the watch close against it.
"Only four o'clock!" he announced. "There'll be more than three hours'darkness yet."
Harry made no answer, and except for the barking of the dog there wassilence for a minute or two. It was Frank at last who broke it.
"I can't stand any more of this," he said. "Let's go down."
His companion seemed to hesitate. "It's not nice, but I don't know whatto do. Aunt's in the house, and though Jake's on the lookout somewhereI've a notion that dad would call us if he meant us to come." He brokeoff and added in a very suggestive tone, "I don't--want--to stay in."
"We could go as far as the door, anyway," Frank persisted.
They slipped out of the room and made for the kitchen very quietly, butFrank was a little astonished when they reached it, because though therewas no lamp burning the front of the stove was open and the faint glowwhich shone out fell upon Miss Oliver who was sitting close by. A riflelay upon the table at her side and Jake's shadowy figure showed up nearthe open window.
"Where are you going, Harry?" she asked.
Harry stopped and leaned upon the table. "Out into the clearing a littleway. After that, I don't know. I don't want to spoil dad's plans bybutting in before it's necessary, but I wish he'd told us what to do.You won't mind if we go?"
"I've Jake--and this," Miss Oliver answered, quietly pointing to therifle. "On the whole I think I'd just as soon you tried to find out whatis going on, but keep out of sight while you're about it and becautious."
They slipped out, and when they stopped at a short distance from thehouse Frank touched his companion.
"Can she shoot?" he asked.
"It's my opinion that she'd beat you at it every time," said Harrycurtly.
He raised his hand as though to demand silence, and they both stoodlistening, but there was deep silence now, for the dog had ceased tobark. It was difficult to imagine that somewhere in the shadowy clearingthere were a number of men watching with every sense alert.
"I think the first shot came from the other side of the fruit trees.We'll look in among them," said Harry.
Treading very softly, they made for the trees, which were young and hadshed their leaves, but their trunks and branches, massed in long rows,offered concealment. They would not entirely cover up the figure of anyone standing among them, but they would break its outline, which isalmost as effective since, as Frank had already learned, it issingularly difficult to recognize an object when one can only see a partof it. Besides, the sky was overcast and there was no moon visible.
The boys walked a few steps and stopped again to consider. It was asstill as ever, and there was nothing to guide them in deciding where Mr.Oliver or Mr. Webster might be, while they recognized that any noi
sethey made would probably be followed by a rifle shot. The smugglers andranchers would naturally be listening for the least sound that mightbetray each other's presence. The first incautious movement wouldtherefore lay either party open to attack, and Frank could understandthe smuggler's hesitation in making another attempt to burn the barn,since, apart from any noise they made, the figure of the man who startedthe fire would be forced up clearly by the light. Indeed, he fanciedthat so long as the two men kept still their opponents must do the same.
In the meanwhile he found it singularly difficult to crouch in the grasswaiting and listening. It would have been much easier to move forward,even at the hazard of drawing the smuggler's fire upon himself, but asthis was out of the question he restrained the desire to do so by aneffort of his will. To hasten an attack would interfere with Mr.Oliver's plans, and there was no doubt that the odds against the rancherwere already heavy. Frank, however, could not keep his heart fromthumping painfully or his fingers from trembling upon the gun barrel.Never had time seemed to pass so slowly.
Several minutes dragged by and still no sound rose from the surroundingfruit trees or shadowy clearing. It almost seemed as if Mr. Oliver andhis opponents meant to lie motionless until the morning, which Frankrealized was a good deal more than he could force himself to do.