CHAPTER XXVII
NED AND BOB CAPTURED
It was a little lonesome for the two boys after Jerry had gone. For aslong as possible they listened to the exhaust from the motor boat. Whenthat died away, and silence, broken only by the lap of the water, andthe occasional note of a bird getting ready to seek its nest for thenight, settled down, that part of the lake was not the most pleasantplace in the world.
"Well, we'll have supper, go to bed, and it won't seem so long," saidBob. "I wish this robbery business was all cleared up. I'm afraidsomething may happen."
"Oh, you're getting nervous," remarked Ned.
"Well, maybe I am," admitted Bob, "but I can't help feeling thatsomething is going to happen."
After a simple but substantial meal the boys brought some blankets upfrom the bunks and made beds on the deck, in the shelter of the awningwhich stretched from the forecastle to the galley amidships. They werenot long in falling asleep, as they were worn out by the events of theday, as well as being rendered drowsy by the open air and wind.
It was about an hour past midnight when there echoed over the lake,in the vicinity of the island near which the schooner was hidden, themuffled throbbing of a motor boat. It was not speeding, as could betold by the intervals between the explosions. Sometimes they died awayaltogether, and silence ensued.
It was in one of these intervals, which betokened that the engine hadstopped and that those in the boat were listening intently, that someone in the craft dropped an object that awoke the echoes.
"What's the matter back there?" exclaimed a harsh voice.
"Oh, Noddy dropped his gun butt," some one replied.
"I couldn't help it, Bill, honest I couldn't," whined Noddy. "Itslipped out of my hand."
"Keep quiet!" exclaimed the one who had first spoken. "If you don'tknow how to handle a gun let it alone. Then keep still. Do you want tobring the whole lake down on us? Above all, don't yell out names likethat."
"All right, I'll be careful," said Noddy in a whisper.
"It's so fearful dark I can't see where the channel is," said the manwho was steering the motor boat. The craft, which was a large one, heldfive men, besides Noddy Nixon, who, if he had been kidnapped by the"River Pirates," seemed to enjoy being in their company.
If Ned and Bob had been on watch they would have seen, coming over thewater toward the sailing vessel a small dark object. They would haveheard the throb of the motor in the boat, which was more plain, nowthat it was in the open. But they were both, snoring away, blissfullyunconscious that their enemies were so close at hand.
Nearer and nearer came the boat, the man in the bow watching with eagleeyes as the schooner loomed out from the dark shadows of the woods.
"Any signs of anything suspicious?" asked Bill Berry, who stood nearNoddy.
"Not as I can see," came the whispered answer. "But we'll take nochances. I'll stop the engine now and we can row up the rest of theway. Then we'll go aboard cautiously."
Propelled by the oars, which were kept aboard the motor boat in case ofemergencies, the craft made scarcely a sound as it slipped through thewater. A few minutes later it slid alongside the schooner.
"Hold her steady," said the man in the bow. "I'll go up the ladder andsee if the coast is clear."
Over the side he stepped, dropping softly to the deck. Then every senseon the alert he moved forward. As he came around the galley he dimlysaw, stretched out under the awning, the sleeping boys.
He listened a moment, and then softly crept nearer. Now he couldhear the heavy breathing of the sleepers that told they were soundlyslumbering.
"I'm going to chance it," the man said softly to himself. "I've got toknow who they are."
He struck a match and, shading the flame with his hands, held it asclose as he dared to the sleeping ones. At once the man started backwith a half-smothered exclamation.
"Two of the boys!" he muttered. "They found us after all, and are onguard. Lucky for us they're asleep. What shall we do?"
It did not take the man long to make up his mind. He went softly to theside of the schooner, and was soon back in the motor boat.
"Well, Paxton, what's the verdict?" asked Bill Berry. "Any one aboard?"
"Softly!" exclaimed Paxton. "We've got our work cut out for us. Two ofthose boys are asleep on deck. Now here's my plan."
"Hadn't we better get out while we have the chance?" asked one of thegang. "This game is getting too hot. There may be only two boys asleepon deck, but who knows but what there are some police in the cabin?"
"With the hatches shut on this hot night?" asked Paxton. "I guess not.I'm sure there are only the two lads, and we've got 'em just where wewant 'em."
"What you goin' to do?" asked Bill.
"We're going to tow the schooner away from here," replied Paxton. "Looklively now. Some of you go ashore, and cast off the lines. We'll need'em for a tow rope."
"What about the boys?" asked Bill.
"We're going to take 'em along with us," replied Paxton. "If they walkinto the spider's web they can't complain if the spider eats 'em.Lively now, but walk as though you were treading on eggs."
In a few minutes two men who went ashore, the motor boat having beenmoved so they could easily land, had cast off the ropes. Then theywere unbent from the cleats, and reeved together to make a long towline. One end of this was fastened to a capstan in the bow, and theother to bitts in the motor boat.
"Now if you're all ready go ahead," said Paxton in a whisper to hiscrew. "I'm going to stay aboard the schooner to attend to the boyswhen they wake up. Bill, you'd better steer. Pull the schooner rightout into the middle of the lake. If they raise a row there it can't beheard."
The motor boat was worked around, by means of the oars until it was inthe narrow channel through which the schooner had come. Then it waspropelled ahead by the same means until the tow rope was almost taut.This was done so that when the engine was started the noise of theexplosions might be farther away, and so less likely to wake up thesleepers.
Waiting aboard the sailing craft, Paxton heard the distant sound ofthe motor getting into action. Then the rope stretched out, and theschooner began moving slowly through the water. As it gathered headway,Paxton went to the wheel and kept her on the course, taking sight bymeans of a lantern he had directed Bill Berry to place on the stern ofthe motor craft. In ten minutes the schooner was well out on the lake,which at that late hour, or rather early one, for it was about threeo'clock in the morning, was deserted.
Leaning against the wheel Paxton filled his pipe with tobacco andapplied a match. It was drawing good, and he was beginning to feel morecomfortable in spite of the cold and the hard work he had done thatnight, when one of the sleepers stirred.
"I guess we'll have a scene now," muttered Paxton, as he lashed thewheel to keep the schooner on a straight course down the lake, in whichdirection the motor boat was towing it. A second later Bob sat up.
"Hello!" he exclaimed. "What's up. I say, Ned, wake up! We're adrift!"
"What's that?" cried Ned, rubbing his eyes, and jumping to his feet."Adrift? Why so we are. We're out in the middle of the lake."
It was getting a little lighter and the mist was lifting somewhat.
"In the middle of the lake?" repeated Bob in bewilderment as he too goton his feet and stood beside Ned. "Why I didn't know there was currentenough in the lake to carry us this far out."
"There isn't!" exclaimed Ned. "There's something wrong here. Hark!Isn't that a motor boat?"
The faint throb of the craft towing the schooner could be heard.
"It is, sure enough," came from Bob. "Can't be Jerry back already."
"No, it isn't Jerry," spoke Paxton, from where he stood at the wheel,being somewhat hidden from the sight of the boys. "It's some friends ofmine."
"Who are you?" asked Ned, walking in the direction of the voice.
"Never mind who I am," replied the man. "You'll learn soon enough. Butfirst you'll have to learn a little bit about how we do th
ings aboardship. So stop just where you are, young man. If you come any nearer itmight be dangerous for you. This part of the vessel is sacred to thecaptain and his friends. For the present you represent the crew, andthe crew's place is forward.
"So just march over to the fo'castle, and stay there until I tell youto come aft. Take your beds with you, if you like, and bunk there."
"You seem to be running things with a pretty high hand," said Ned.
"Well, I guess I've got a right to. This is my ship. I didn't inviteyou to come aboard. But now you're here you may not find it so easy toget away. I may like your company."
"Are you aware that we have proof that you and your gang was concernedin the robbery of my father's store?" asked Ned.
"I'm not good at answering riddles," replied Paxton, composedly smokingaway. "Now you do as I say before I get mad and cause you trouble."
The schooner was now well out in the middle of the lake. It was gettingquite light, but the boys could see no help at hand. The motor boat wassteadily towing away.
"What shall we do?" asked Bob of Ned, in a low voice.
"I don't see anything but to do as we're told," answered Ned. "Nochance of help now."
They moved forward. At that moment Paxton placed his fingers to hislips and gave a shrill whistle.
A few minutes later the motor boat was alongside the sailing vessel.Bill Berry and another man scrambled aboard.
"Help me tie up these lads," said Paxton. "Then we'll take them aboardthe motor craft. When that's done start towing again."
For an instant Bob and Ned had a wild thought of resisting the gang,or at least jumping overboard and swimming to escape. But a moment'sreflection showed how futile this would be.
Believing discretion the better part of valor at that time, theysubmitted quietly while the three men bound their arms. Then they wereled to the side, helped over and were soon seated in the stern of themotor boat.
Paxton and Bill Berry remained on board the schooner, and were joinedby Noddy, who said he did not want to stay in the smaller craft.Then, as the sun was peeping up over the distant hills, the towingwas resumed, the schooner being pulled directly up the lake, andapproaching the western shore in a long curve. Bob and Ned were in thehands of their enemies.