CHAPTER XXIII. THE MISSING BOAT.
"So these boys are off the _River Swallow_?" asked Chief InspectorBarrett of the U. S. Customs service as he gazed at Harry Ware and PercySimmons.
They stood before him in his private office, whither they had beenescorted by the official who had met them on the wharf. Both boys wereindignant. The manner in which they had been treated had not served tosoothe their feelings. They had, in fact, been looked upon asmalefactors, when, in reality, they had come ashore for the purpose ofexposing a gang of rascals. It was a strange trick that Fate had playedupon them.
"What have we done?" demanded Harry Ware angrily.
"Yes, you'd think we were criminals from the way we've been treated,"seconded Percy Simmons.
"Now, now, keep cool," conciliated the inspector. "We've had our eye onthe _River Swallow_ for some time. To-night we heard from Canada thatshe was to touch in here to-night with gem smugglers on board. We'vebeen on the lookout for the gang that is suspected for some time."
"And you mean to say you think that we have anything to do with it?"gasped Harry angrily.
"I didn't say so. But I'd like you to explain a few things."
"Very well. But please hurry. We have left a friend on board the _RiverSwallow_ with three desperate men. We want to hurry back. We had countedon your assistance."
"Well and good, and you shall have it. I think it only fair to informyou that Dexter Island has been shadowed for some time. A motor crafthas been seen visiting there at night. We suspect the boat to be oneused by the diamond smugglers. The _River Swallow_ has been used toconvey the gems to this side. Doubtless you young men are not aware ofthe extensive range of gem smuggling operations on the Canadian border.In that case, let me inform you that the duty on cut gems brought intoAmerica is sixty per cent. ad valorem. You can see, therefore, what afortune these gem smugglers can make by evading the lawful duty."
"And in the meantime," said Harry sarcastically, "the men you want,--orat least a part of the gang,--are on board the _River Swallow_."
"What's that? What do you mean?" demanded the inspector quickly.
"I'd have explained sooner, if you'd let me," said Harry dryly.
He proceeded at the inspector's direction to give him a hasty sketch ofthe events that had led up to the present night. The inspector listenedwith interest at first and then with absorption.
"Give me a description of this man Hawke," he said.
Harry described the man as well as he could.
"Jennings," exclaimed the chief inspector, "this Hawke is La Rue, thehead and front with Rawson of the whole gem smuggling gang! I'm sure ofit from the description. You will accompany these young men to theirboat. Take Adams and Prescott with you. Arrest all three of the men. Sofar, I know nothing of Malvin or Hansen; I suspect they are mereunderstrappers. Bring them here at once. Hurry now."
"Yes, sir. Come along, young men," said Jennings, preparing briskly toexecute his chief's orders.
"And Jennings."
"Yes, sir."
"You had better be armed. Tell the other men to take weapons, too. LaRue is a desperate man and the others may give you trouble, also."
Jennings and the two boys hurried off. Harry Ware and Percy Simmons weredelighted at the turn affairs had taken. The arrest of Hawke,--or togive him his real name, La Rue,--was at hand. Before long, by theirinstrumentality, the gem smugglers would be safely in the hands of thecustoms officials.
Only one doubt assailed them as Jennings hastily summoned his two aides.Would they be in time? The knowledge that Ralph had been left alone onthe _River Swallow_, without weapons to defend himself, and in thecompany of three men who had good reason to fear the worst from theboys' visit ashore, had a disquieting effect upon them.
As they hurried through the streets, they wished that Jennings wouldmake even more haste.
When they reached the main custom house, where Adams and Prescott, whowere on night duty, were to be picked up, a low, rumbling sound camefrom the northern sky.
Jennings glanced up quickly. To the north the stars had been blottedout. Heavy clouds had rolled up obscuring them. As the boys followed thedirection of Jennings's gaze, they saw a sudden lambent flash, as yetfar off, flare up and vanish on the cloud bank.
"Lightning!" exclaimed Harry.
"Yes, we're in for a storm, I guess," said Jennings. "We get them prettybad up this way when they do come, too."
"Regular hummers, eh?" asked Harry.
"I guess that's the word for it. The old timers say that they follow theriver. I don't know how that may be, but I do know that I never sawworse electric storms than we get right along the St. Lawrence."
Adams and Prescott, who had received directions by telephone from theinspector's office, were ready and waiting for them when they arrived atthe custom house. They were placed in possession of the facts of thecase by Jennings, as they and the boys hastened to the yacht club dock.
Both were warm in their praises of the way the boys had handled thesituation, and waxed humorous over their practical arrest as suspects.Percy and Harry, however, failed to see anything screamingly comicalabout it.
The dock was reached and then and there the party received a bigsurprise.
The lights of the _River Swallow_ were not in sight!
So far as could be observed, no boat lay at anchor where the boys hadleft the speedy craft.
A search conducted from the motor tender only confirmed their worstfears. The _River Swallow_ had vanished, and on board her was Ralph,alone and in the power of the gem smugglers.