CHAPTER XXI
THE BREAKDOWN
"Well, he hasn't come back yet."
"No. It's sort of queer, too. I wonder where he can be keepinghimself, all day?"
"Maybe those fellows have got to him after all."
Jack Kimball and his chums, landing at the fisherman's dock from the_Dixie_, thus commented when they paid another visit to Denny's cabin,and found him still absent.
"No, I don't imagine anything has happened," said Jack. "You know heoften goes off and stays a long time in his boat. He's got a crazysort of motor in it, that runs about as often as the one does in the_Lassie_. He may be stuck somewhere."
"Or else waiting the turn of the tide," suggested Ed.
"That's right," chimed in Dray. "I've heard him say that certain fishwon't bite when the tide's running out, and that you can catch othersonly when it's coming in. Maybe he is hanging around for that."
"Then he ought to be back soon," declared Jack, "for the tide turned ahalf-hour ago."
"If he's far out in the bay it will take him a long while to come in.His boat doesn't make very good time," observed Walter.
The boys walked around the cabin. It was closed and locked, and thewarning note they had left for the fisherman was still pinned to thedoor.
"Which shows that those men haven't been here," said Jack. "That makesme fear that they may have gotten to him before us."
"Why so?" asked Ed.
"Well, it's evident that the men haven't been here since the girlsgave us the alarm. If they had they'd have torn up that note. Then,too, you'd think, if they were going to try to make Denny do what theywanted in the way of giving testimony, they'd be getting at it. Hegoes to bed early, as everybody around here knows, and locks up. Ifthose fellows wanted to get at him without breaking in they'd comeearly. All of which makes me think that they may already have had aserious interview with him."
"I hope not," observed Walter. "I'm more inclined to believe that he'sout on the bay somewhere. If he is he's all right."
"Say, fellows, I've got an idea!" cried Jack.
"Hold fast to it--they're scarce," remarked Ed.
"No, but seriously. Suppose we cruise about a bit. We needn't go farfrom the shore, and we can have an eye on the cabin. In case Denny isout on the water we may pick him up. Then we could tell him what wason, and warn him. We could do it even better than on shore here, forthere's no telling but what some of those fellows may be in hidingaround here," and Jack cast a look about. It was dark, but a full moonwas coming up to make a light that revealed most objects.
"Then if there is a possibility that someone may be in ambush here,"said Walter, "we'd better keep a bit more mum. But I think Jack's planis a good one. Let's cruise about a bit, but keep within sight of thecabin."
No one had any objections so, after making a casual search about thecabin, and not finding anyone in hiding, the boys again got aboard the_Dixie_ and started to cruise on the bay, that was now sparkling inthe moonlight.
Jack and his chums kept a careful watch for Denny Shane's boat. Therewere several motor craft out, for the night was one that invited tripson the water--calm and still, with a gentle breeze that had in it thetang of salt mingled with the sweet odors of Summer.
"I feel just like singing," remarked Ed, after a pause during whichthe _Dixie_ cruised about, not too far from the cabin.
"Have some regard for our feelings," begged Jack. "Remember that weare under a great strain."
"And Ed would be, too, if he sang," said Walter. "At least I wouldfeel constrained to remonstrate with him."
"Huh! Think no one can sing but yourself!" retorted Ed.
"Moonlight always did have a queer effect on him," remarked Jack.
Round about they cruised, and they were thinking of returning to makesure that Denny had not reached his cabin by some other route, unseenby them, when the motor of the _Dixie_ gave a combined cough, groanand sneeze, and stopped short.
"There she goes!" exclaimed Ed.
"You mean there she _doesn't_ go!" corrected Walter.
"Get the talcum powder," suggested Jack.
"I'm sure Dray didn't use the tooth brush on her before we came out,"spoke Jack, accusingly.
The boys had a way of doing the most absurd things, from a mechanicalstandpoint, whenever their motors refused to mote. They would dusttalcum powder on the cylinder tops, or tie a piece of baby-blue ribbonon the pet-cock when they had exhausted every other means of making arebellious motor operate.
And the odd part of it was that, often, when they had done theseseemingly silly things, the boat would start. So they were rathersuperstitious about it, and they did carry a tin of talcum powder withthem, much to the amusement of the girls.
In turn the usual sources of trouble were looked for and eliminatedone after the other.
No wires seemed to have broken, the current was good, the vibratorbuzzed when the contact was made and there was plenty of gasoline inthe tank.
"Put in a new spark plug," suggested Jack.
"New ones went in to-day," answered Dray. "They can't have sootedalready. It isn't there."
"Give her a little more air," proposed Walter. "I think she's gettingtoo rich a gasoline mixture."
"I'm not going to touch the carbureter!" declared the young owner ofthe _Dixie_. "It was trouble enough to get her fixed before. Hand methat talcum." Gravely he dusted some on the pump rod.
Then another attempt was made to start the motor, but it only sigheddismally, and refused to do its duty.
"I say!" cried Jack, looking up from where he had been examining thecarbureter with an electrical pocket flash, "we're drifting out tosea!"
"So we are!" agreed Ed. "Say, can't you get her going?"
"Can't seem to," replied Drayton. "I'll sell this boat and get anotheras soon as I can. She's a nuisance!"
"Well, we sure are broken down," sighed Jack, "and how we are going toget back to the cabin is more than I can figure out."
"Let's whistle for help," suggested Walter.
"Look!" exclaimed Jack, pointing in the direction of shore. "There's alight in Denny's cabin!"
They all looked, and saw a flickering gleam of fire near the shackthat had been deserted all day.
"Something's doing!" cried Ed. "And we're stuck out here!"