CHAPTER XVIII
READY FOR A CRUISE
"They're slowing up!" cried Jerry. "They're going to stop! We'll get'em now!"
Sure enough the _Dartaway_ was slackening speed. She was headed towardshore. The _Terror_ was gaining rapidly now. Chief Dalton stood up anddrew his revolver in preparation of capturing the motor boat thieves.
But now the _Dartaway_ was so near shore that the men in her couldalmost leap to the bank. They could be seen turning the wheel so as tothrow the craft parallel with the shore.
"They're going to jump! We'll lose 'em!" cried Ned.
"Let 'em go," advised Bob. "All we want back is our boat and we'll getthat."
"That may suit you but it doesn't me," spoke the chief of policegrimly. "I'm after thieves and I'm going to get 'em. They may not bethe men I want, but I'll catch 'em just the same and find out whatthey're up to."
But it looked as if the chief would have no easy task to secure themotor boat thieves. For, the next instant the pair leaped ashore,splashing through the shallow water near the edge, and leaving the_Dartaway_ to continue on from the momentum it had gathered.
With a whirl of the wheel the _Terror_ was headed toward shore. Thechief and some of his men prepared to make a quick landing.
"As soon as we get ashore I'll have the engineer put you out whereyou can get your boat," the chief said. "I've got to take after thosefellows!"
"We'll be with you as soon as we secure the _Dartaway_!" cried Jerry.
"That's what!" chimed in Ned and Bob.
With drawn revolvers the chief and his men leaped toward shore, notwaiting until their boat was at the bank, but splashing through thewater as the thieves had done. As soon as they were off the engineer ofthe _Terror_ put his craft after the boys' boat.
In a little while the boys were aboard. They soon satisfied themselvesthat no great damage had been done, nor had anything of value beentaken. The thieves had evidently made themselves at home, since thelockers were pretty well emptied of food.
The _Terror_ had put back to where the chief and his men disembarked.Jerry set the engine of the _Dartaway_ going and soon found it was ingood order. Then, with Ned at the wheel, the craft was turned aroundand headed back toward where the thieves had jumped off. The boyslanded at about the same spot, and moored their craft to a big tree.
"Look there!" exclaimed Jerry pointing to a soft place in the mud onthe river's bank.
Ned and Bob glanced to where he indicated. There in the soil were themarks of several large foot-prints, and, conspicuous among them wereseveral in the sole of which was the mark of an arrow, made in hobnails.
"The same man who took our boat stuck by her until the end," saidJerry. "Come on; let's go after the chief."
Calling to the engineer of the _Terror_ to have an eye on their boat,the boys raced up the bank and across the fields in the direction thepolice posse had taken. As they started to run they heard the sound ofseveral revolver shots.
"They're fighting!" cried Jerry. "Come on!"
The boys needed no urging. They raced at top speed in the directionof the shots. As they topped a small hill they could see in a valleybelow them, two roughly dressed men running away from the chief and hisofficers, who were a quarter of a mile behind. As they watched they sawthe chief raise his revolver and fire twice into the air.
"He don't want to hit them, he's only trying to scare them intostopping!" cried Ned. "Come on!"
Down the hill they raced, losing sight of the pursued and the pursuersas they got below the hill top. Still they could hear the shouts of thepolice.
The chase was now on in earnest. But it was a stern one and likely toprove a long one. The boys, in about five minutes, caught up to one ofthe officers, and raced along with him. They could hear the crashingof the underbrush as policemen ahead of them raced through it. Thechief fired several more shots, but, the boat thieves were not to beintimidated, and did not halt.
In a little while the boys came up to the chief. He and the leaderswere panting from the run.
"Have you lost them?" asked Jerry.
"I'm afraid so," said the chief. "They turned into a swamp, and I'm notfamiliar enough with it to make it worth while to go in. I'm goingto get help from the local authorities and surround the place. Thenperhaps I can catch them."
"Can we take any message for you?" asked Jerry. "I think we'd better begoing back. It's getting dark and I don't suppose you can do anythingmore this evening."
"I don't believe I can," admitted the chief. "I guess we'll all goback. I've done my part in this. Let the local constables finish whereI left off. I've run their men to cover now let 'em get 'em out."
"Anyhow you got back our boat for us," said Jerry, "and we're muchobliged for that."
Rather tired from the chase and the excitement, the boys and thepolicemen retraced their steps to the river. They found the two boatsawaiting them.
"Did they do any damage to your craft?" asked the chief of Jerry.
"None that I could notice, but I didn't make a close examination,"replied the boy. "Come aboard, you've never been on her."
"Thanks," replied the chief, and, as his men got into the _Terror_, hestepped into the _Dartaway_. As he did so he uttered an exclamation.
"What's the matter? Is she leaking?" asked Jerry in alarm.
"No, but see what I found!" the chief said, holding up a small objecthe picked from the cockpit of the _Dartaway_.
"What is it?" asked Ned.
"A diamond ring," said the chief. "It is one of several stolen,together with the money, from the Northville store. There's no doubtnow but that the motor boat thieves and those who robbed the store arethe same. My! But I wish I could have caught them!"
He placed the ring in his pocket, and, after a look over the boys'craft, prepared to return to his own.
"Maybe the thieves left some cash behind as well as a ring," suggestedJerry.
"No such luck," the chief made answer as he went over the side. "Well,are you boys going down the river?"
"I think we'll put up at the hotel in Northville, if there is one,"said Jerry. "It's too long a trip to go back to Cresville to-night."
"That's a good idea," said the chief. "I think I'll do the same.Just come along with me and I'll see that you are accommodated withlodgings. I'll swear you in as my deputies," he said with a laugh, "andit won't cost you anything. Besides I may need your help."
Just as the two boats were making ready for the trip down the riverthere was a movement on shore. The bushes parted and a roughly dressedman, with what seemed to be a week's growth of beard on his face,stepped out.
"Can any of you gentlemen oblige a poor tired wayfarer with a lift downthis placid stream?" he asked with a bow which took in both parties.
At the sound of his voice the boys started. They wondered where theyhad heard those tones before.
"Who are you and what do you want?" asked the chief sternly. "Theydon't deal very lightly with tramps in these parts. You'd better clearout. We're police officers."
"Glad to meet you. I am the Duke of Wellington," said the tramp in airytones.
At that answer the chief gave a start, and then tried to appear asif nothing had happened. But Jerry who was watching intently, saw analmost imperceptible sign pass between the chief and the ragged man.
"Oh, if you're the Duke, I suppose we'll have to accommodate you," thechief replied. "You can come in my boat if you want to."
Then, to the no small astonishment of the policemen, the tramp climbedaboard the _Terror_, which, with a throb of the engine started downthe river. The _Dartaway_ put after her at full speed.
"Well, I must say we've had plenty of excitement for one spell,"observed Jerry.
"And there may be more," said Ned.
"What makes you think so?"
"Because of that tramp," and Ned indicated the one aboard the _Terror_."There's something strange about him. Does he remind you of any one?"
"There!" exclaimed Jerry. "I was wondering
where I had heard that voicebefore. He's the tramp who was asleep on the hay barge. I wonder whathe's doing around here, and so friendly with the police."
"There's something behind all this," observed Ned. "We must keep oureyes open."
The boys' craft soon caught up to the police boat which was moreheavily laden, and the two proceeded down the stream toward Northville.It was after dark when they tied up at a dock, and, making their boatsnug proceeded to follow the lead of Chief Dalton.
"Is it safe to leave our boat here?" asked Jerry.
"I guess so," replied the officer. "I'm going to have a man on guardall night. I guess the thieves won't come back. Come ahead; we'll go tothe hotel and have supper."
Jerry and Bob walked on ahead with the main body of policemen, but Ned,who lingered to get from the locker a better coat than the one he waswearing, the other boys having changed garments before, found himselfclose behind the chief and tramp who were walking up from the rivertogether.
"Any luck?" Ned heard the chief ask the ragged man in a low voice.
"I think I've discovered the cave where they hide the stuff," was thecautious rejoinder. "It's about where--"
In his eagerness to walk softly and hear what was being said, whichperhaps he had no right to do, Ned stepped on a piece of wood thatbroke with a sharp crack. The two men turned suddenly.
"As I was saying," the tramp spoke suddenly in a loud voice, evidentlyfor the benefit of any listeners, "I have tramped many weary miles, andhave eaten scarcely anything. I am too ill to work, and I don't knowwhere I am to sleep to-night."
The jingling sound of money passing from the chief's hand to that ofthe tramp could be heard.
"Now you'd better clear out of here," said the police officer sternly."It isn't a healthy place for tramps. If I catch you loafing around I'mgoing to lock you up."
"You'll never catch me," the tramp said with a laugh as he moved awayin the darkness. "I'll clear out."
"Odd character," the chief remarked turning back to Ned. "Sometimes Ifeel sorry for those fellows. Some of 'em are all right, but luck isagainst 'em. Well, I expect you are hungry."
"Oh I can eat a little," replied Ned, puzzling his brains over thestrange scene he had witnessed. But the chief was evidently notinclined to talk about it, and Ned did not feel like asking.
In a little while the whole party was at the hotel, where a meal wasserved. Then the boys, having sent telegrams home, stating they wereall well and would be home the following day, went to bed.
The next day they returned Mr. Johnson's boat and went home.
For a week after this the boys dug away at their examinations and,though they were, perhaps, thinking more of what they would do invacation than about their studies, they all managed to pass with goodaverages.
"Now for a long cruise down to Lake Cantoga!" exclaimed Jerry on theafternoon of the last day of school. "I'm going to tie a stone to mybooks and anchor 'em out in the middle of the river. When I want 'emagain I hope the fishes will have eaten 'em up!"
The boys arranged to leave the Tuesday following the last Friday atschool. Bob and Jerry were early down at the boathouse that morning.Ned had promised to be on hand early but, for some unaccountable reasonwas late.
"I wonder what's keeping him," said Jerry.
"Here he comes now," spoke Bob, "and he's running as if something hadhappened."