CHAPTER XVIII. THE THREE CONSPIRATORS.
Harry made his way down to the dock, where the boat had been left, with"both eyes open," as the saying goes. He did not fear that he would misssighting whoever came off the _River Swallow_ as soon as they were surethat the boys had gone up town. Of course he was assuming that Malvinand the man he was certain he had spied earlier that day, would leavetogether. If they did this, even if they vacated the motor craft beforehe reached it, there was only one road that they could follow, and thatwas the street down which Harry was walking, the only thoroughfare thatled to the dock.
As he hurried along, many thoughts surged into the lad's mind. What washe to do in the event of the mysterious "third man" actually leaving theboat?
"I guess my best plan will be just to stick to their heels wherever theygo," he said to himself. "Yes," he went on, busily turning matters overin his mind, "that's the scheme. While Ralph and Harry are looking afterthings in town, this end of the game is up to your Uncle Dudley."
As he neared the wharf, Harry became aware that great excitement andbustle were going forward there. The down river passenger boat had justarrived, and a number of people were struggling to disembark by way ofthe gang plank, while an equally determined crowd was striving to get onboard. Suddenly the boy became aware of three figures among the crowd,whom he recognized instantly.
The trio was composed of Malvin, Hansen and another man.
As Harry saw this third member of the group, he almost gave vent to aninvoluntary cry of recognition.
The stranger was the same man whom they had encountered on WindmillIsland on the eventful previous night.
There was no mistake. Harry recognized instantly every feature of thefellow's face, which had been etched upon his mind with all thevividness of a photograph.
Harry's pulses bounded as he made this discovery. So, then, it appearedthat Ralph had been right. Unquestionably a link did exist betweenWindmill Island and Malvin, and also, apparently, Hansen, although theboy was morally certain that the obtuse Norwegian was merely aninsignificant pawn in whatever mysterious game was being played byMalvin and the other man.
"Well, this is a discovery," gasped the boy as he watched the threetalking earnestly together, not far from where the _River Swallow_ laytugging at her moorings.
Then, like a galvanic shock, another thought flashed through his mind.
The third man,--the man of the island,--was also, almost withoutquestion, the fellow whom Harry had seen slip along the deck and vanishdown the forescuttle, when the Border Boys appeared to board the _RiverSwallow_ some time before they were expected.
The elation of this revelation was still stirring in the lad's mind,when the three men, who seemed oblivious of the crowd about them,suddenly shoved their way through the press, and, walking side by side,set off up the road that led toward town.
This was insubordination of the rankest sort on Malvin's part. He hadbeen told by Ralph to stay by the boat. Now Harry's mind alternatedbetween indignation and curiosity as he saw the trio coming toward him.Near where he stood was a big pile of empty boxes and barrels. It wasthe work of only an instant for him to slip adroitly behind these andeffectually conceal himself as the men advanced toward him.
They were talking earnestly and eagerly. As they came abreast of Harry'splace of concealment, he heard Malvin's voice. The fellow evidently didnot fear detection or eavesdroppers, for he was talking in a bold, loudvoice.
"A lucky thing I hid in that shrubbery and overheard every word theyoung whelps were saying," he was exclaiming. "Otherwise we might havewalked right into a trap. What do you advise doing, Hawke?"
"So the man of the island is named Hawke, is he?" thought Harry, as helistened with every instinct strained. "Well, that's one discovery, Mr.Malvin. Another one is that I was not mistaken when I thought I heardsomething in the shrubbery this afternoon."
"Give me time to breathe a bit after my confinement in that gasolinecompartment," rejoined Hawke in a surly manner. "I thought I'd suffocatein there. That inquisitive young brat stayed down in the forepeak toolong to suit me, I can tell you."
"Well, it was a good thing I gave you warning by shouting, 'Look outbelow,'" rejoined Malvin; "otherwise all our plans might have beenupset."
Hansen's voice halted the two worthies just as Harry feared they wereabout to get out of earshot.
"Hold on, you fallers," he heard the Norwegian say, "vile I skoll gatlight by my pipe."
"Hurry up, then. We've work ahead of us," came Malvin's voice. "Thosebrats are off up town to try to talk to Jim Whey. We want to get aheadof them."
"If that boy talks, I'll----" Hawke's voice trailed off in a threateninggrowl.
"If that boy talks, I'll----" Hawke's voice trailed offin a threatening growl.]
"So Jim Whey is the name of that lad you said was your son till wecalled your bluff," thought Harry, as he listened while the Norwegianstruggled to get a light in the brisk breeze that was blowing.
"Pshaw! That lad won't be able to talk for some time to come, if he wasas badly hurt as you told me," said Malvin, reassuringly. "It was rightafter I'd slipped my anchor and given the kids the go-by that I heardthe explosion and saw the flash. I always told you to be careful aboutthat dynamite, Hawke."
"It was Rawson that would have it stored there," grumbled the other. "Hehad a crazy notion that some time we might make a submarine mine out ofit, and make things hot for anyone who came snooping around WindmillIsland uninvited. How was I to know that that crazy dog would comegalloping into the shack and upset the lamp and blow everything toKingdom Come? If the boy and I hadn't skinned out as soon as ithappened, we'd neither of us be on earth to-night. I wonder where the_Artful Dodger_ was when things exploded?"
"I don't know," responded Malvin; "we'd sighted her not long before, andshe played the phosphorescent trick, the light stunt and all, but itdidn't scare those pesky kids, except one of 'em who swore she was aspook!"
Hawke burst into a laugh. Harry's ears burned as he heard.
"I wish they were all like that," continued Malvin. "Confound them, theyran me out of a good job, and we can't use the _River Swallow_ any morein our work. And not content with that, they've got to start chasing the_Artful Dodger_ now."
"Well, they'll chase her a precious long time before they get anysatisfaction," responded Hawke; "and then it's liable to be in reverseEnglish. Rawson isn't the sort of man to stand for any monkey business.He'd as lief send 'em all to the bottom as eat, I reckon."
"Yes, that's Rawson," agreed Malvin. "Well, Hansen, got your light?"
"Aye, aye," growled the Norwegian.
"Then come on. We've wasted too much time already."
The trio struck off up the road toward the town. Harry, after waitingwhat he deemed a safe period of time, slipped from his place ofconcealment and followed them.
His brain was fairly in a whirl with what he had overheard. It explainedmany things.
Judging from what the men had said, the "spook motor craft" was calledthe _Artful Dodger_ and was engaged in some nefarious business, as,indeed, the boys had already guessed. A man named Rawson was in commandof her, and he was evidently a desperate character. The mention of thesubmarine mines, the explosive for which had been detonated by accident,amply demonstrated that.
Moreover, Malvin must have visited the island the night before, afterthey had left with the boy, and taken Hawke on board the _RiverSwallow_, concealing him in a small space under the gasoline tanksforward. Nor was this all. The injured lad, Jim Whey, was clearly a cogin the machine somewhere.
Also, judging from what he had overheard, Jim Whey knew much of themachinations of the gang of which, apparently, he was an unwillingmember. Otherwise, why should the men have feared that he might talk tothe lads who had rescued him? That Jim had revelations of importance tomake, was clear from what had been said.
"I'll have to hurry up and meet the others," exclaimed Harry to himselfas h
e hastened along, taking care to keep a safe distance behind thethree men he could see ahead of him.
"My! I guess I've got something to tell them that won't sound like anyghost story from Spook Land!"