CHAPTER XIX. RALPH GETS A TELEGRAM.
Harry met his friends at the telegraph office after he had tracked thethree men from the _River Swallow_ to a telephone pay station, the sameone, in fact, from which Malvin had called up the Mercy Hospital. Hisexcited face at once showed them that he had news of importance tocommunicate, and they listened eagerly to his story, standing outsidethe place so as to be sure there were no eavesdroppers about. Ralph hadalready sent his telegram and was to have an answer in an hour.
Harry Ware wasted no words in telling his experiences. His narrative wassoon over, and Ralph suggested an immediate start for the policestation.
"We surely have got enough evidence against the gang now to warrantinforming the police," he said. "Of course, we've no idea what sort ofwork this _Artful Dodger_ and these men are engaged in. But we know itis something unlawful, and that is excuse enough for us to let thepolice know what is going on."
They were not long in reaching the police station, a solid-looking graystone building with two lights burning in front of it. They ascended aflight of stone steps and entered the place, which was empty except fora stout sergeant seated behind an oak desk. As soon as he spoke, theboys discerned that he was a recent importation from England.
"Is the inspector in?" asked Ralph.
"The h'inspector h'is h'in, but h'I dunno h'if you can see 'im. W'at'syer business, coveys?" inquired the sergeant, twisting a big mustacheand looking important.
"It's--it's of a private nature," said Ralph, who was spokesman of theparty.
"Ho, dear! Private, h'is h'it? Well, h'I'll notify the h'inspector,h'and per'aps,--mind, h'I don't say for certain,--per'aps 'ee may seeyou to-morrer."
"But we must see him to-night. It's important, I tell you," cried Ralphto the apathetic official, who appeared to be about to go to sleep.
The reply to this was unexpected.
"Yankees, h'ain't yer?" asked the sergeant.
"Yes; Americans, that is. What of it?"
"Ow, nuffin. H'only you Yanks h'are h'always in such a bloomin' 'urry."
"Naturally we are in a hurry. We are on the trail of some malefactors.Some bad men. They are engaged in some sort of nefarious business, andwe thought it our duty to notify you at once."
"H'oh, h'is that so? W'at 'ave they been a-doin' h'of?"
"Why, we don't exactly know. You see----" began Ralph in explanation.But the sergeant cut him short.
"So you don't h'even know w'at they've been a-doin' h'of, hey? H'Ithought there was something precious h'odd h'about this 'ole business.Look 'ere, young chaps, 'ow do you suppose we can h'arrest thesemen,--h'even supposin' there h'are h'any such persons,--h'unless we knoww'at they've been a-doin' h'of?"
"That's for you to find out," cried Ralph, growing rather heated, forthe sergeant's manner implied that he did not place much credence in theboy's story.
"Ow! For h'us to find h'out, h'is h'it?"
"Of course. We have reported them as suspicious persons. If we can seethe inspector, I will give him full details."
"You will, will yer. Well, that's bloomin' condescending h'of yer. Theh'inspector 'as to go to a dawnce ter-night, and h'if yer wants ter see'im, you'll 'ave to come around to-morrer."
"You refuse to let us see him, then?"
Ralph was red hot by this time.
"H'I do, yes. By wurtue of the h'authority in me wested. H'as h'if h'I'ddisturb 'im for a bunch h'of kids!"
"You may be sorry," warned Ralph. "In our opinion, there is some work ofgrave import going forward,--probably smuggling,--although of that weare not certain."
"Oh, what's the use of talking to him!" exclaimed Persimmons, glaring atthe placid sergeant. "Thank goodness, we're Americans and get after ourlaw-breakers, instead of going out to pink teas when there is work to bedone!"
"Yes, I guess the American police and Custom officials keep their eyesopen, in which respect they offer a refreshing contrast to the Canadianauthorities," sputtered Harry Ware equally irritably.
"Oh, keep quiet, boys. What's the use of talking!" said Ralph with ahelpless look.
"H'ow, no. Talk all you want to, mates," said the cockney sergeant."H'it h'amuses me, don'cher know."
"Well, what do you know about that!" gasped Harry.
"M' dear young chaps, h'I know nothing whatever h'about h'it," repliedthe sergeant.
Fairly baffled by such obtuseness, which seemed impossible to be naturaland therefore only assumed to irritate, the boys left the policestation.
"Well, what shall we do now?" asked Harry hopelessly. "I guess we are upa tree for fair."
"I don't see it in that light," responded Ralph. "On the contrary, theseobstacles make me all the more determined to nail this crowd and findout what sort of crooked work they are up to. We'll go back to thetelegraph office and find out what reply I've got from dad at Montreal."
"And then?"
"Well, I've got a plan if you fellows will consent to it."
"We're in on anything you suggest, Ralph," responded Harry, whilePersimmons vigorously nodded his endorsement to that.
"Well, then, fellows, my plan is this. It's plain there is no usewasting time on Canadian officials. Therefore we've got to rely on theAmerican authorities."
"Looks that way," agreed the others.
"All right, then. We'll leave here for Piquetville without sayinganything to Malvin about our destination. We'll anchor off shore thereand go up to the dock in the tender. You can explain that the engineshave gone wrong, Percy. Then we'll communicate our suspicions to theauthorities and bring them off to the anchored _River Swallow_. In thatway we can nab the whole bunch."
"Including the third man,--Hawke?" asked Harry anxiously.
"Including him, I hope. It's my notion that Hawke has some articles ofvalue on his person which are to be smuggled, and that Malvin took himoff the island after the hut blew up for that purpose. It's likely thatHawke was to be hidden on our island till a chance came to smugglewhatever they are transporting illegally across the border.Circumstances prevented this, and so Malvin concealed him on the _RiverSwallow_. I'll wager that he'll be on board to-night by the time we getdown to the dock."
Talking thus, the three lads were not long in reaching the telegraphoffice.
Ralph entered the place eagerly.
"Any reply to that message I sent a while ago to Montreal?" he askedanxiously.
The operator glanced up at him with an odd look.
"Why, yes," he said, "one came a few minutes ago."
He handed him a pink telegraph form with a recurrence of his odd look.Ralph noticed it, but it was not until he had glanced over the despatchthat its significance burst upon him like a thunderclap. No wonder theoperator had had a queer expression on his face! This was the message:
"Am under arrest here. Suspected of diamond smuggling. Don't worry. It looks like a joke on the authorities.--Dad"