CHAPTER XV.
WHAT THE LAME MAN KNEW.
Dick was not aware that his brothers had been captured until some hoursafter the sailing of the schooner. He headed for a part of the riverwhere several small craft were moving about, and was just about toclimb up the spiling of one of the docks when a lighter hit him andknocked him senseless.
"We've struck a boy!" shouted a man on the lighter, and then rushedforward with a boathook. As soon as he caught sight of Dick he fishedthe youth from the water and hurried ashore with him.
The shock had not been a heavy one, but the lad was weak from swimmingwith his clothes on, and he lay like a log on the flooring of the dock.This alarmed the men from the lighter, and they hastily carried him toa nearby drug store and summoned a doctor. From the drug store he wasremoved to the hospital.
When he was strong enough to go about his business he found it wasnight. Yet he lost no time in making his way to the docks, on a searchfor his brothers.
The search was, of course, useless, and much depressed in spirits hefound himself, at sunrise, on the waterfront, seated on the stringpieceof one of the long piers.
"They must have either been captured or drowned," he mused dismally."And the _Peacock_ is gone, too. What shall I do next?"
It was far from an easy question to answer, and he sat motionless forthe best part of half an hour, reviewing the situation. Then he leapedup.
"I must get the authorities to aid me," he thought. "I should have donethis before."
He walked along the docks until he came to a street leading to thenearest police station. He now realized that he was hungry, butresolved to postpone eating until he had put the authorities on thetrack of the evildoers.
As he was turning a corner he almost ran into a colored man going inthe opposite direction. The colored man stared at him, then let out awild cry of delight.
"Massah Dick, or is I dreamin'?"
"Aleck, by all that's wonderful! Where did you come from?"
"From de yacht, ob course, Massah Dick. But--but--dis knocks disniggah, suah! I dun fink yo' was on dat udder ship."
"I was on it, but I escaped yesterday, while the schooner lay in theriver yonder."
"An' where am Tom and Sam, sah?"
"That I don't know. They left the vessel with me, but we becameseparated in the water."
"Perhaps da dun been cotched ag'in," and Pop's face took on a soberlook.
"That is what I am afraid of."
"Didn't see nuffin ob 'em nowhere?"
"No. I was hit by a lighter and knocked senseless."
"Whar's dat dar _Peacock_?"
"Gone, too."
"Wot you spects to do?"
"I was going to inform the authorities. We must find Tom and Sam."
"Dat's right, sah."
"Where is the _Swallow_?"
"Tied up jest below heah, sah. Dat dar Luke Peterson is a-sailin' obher wid me."
"Good. Perhaps he can help us in the search. He knows these waterswell, so he told me."
Together the pair made their way to the police station, where they toldtheir stories to the officer in charge.
An alarm was at once sent out, and the river police were set to work tolearn what had become of the _Peacock_ and her crew.
But all this took time, and it was past noon when word came in that theschooner had been seen moving up Lake St. Clair on the afternoon of theday before.
Then word was telegraphed to Port Huron to stop the craft, and on hisown responsibility Dick offered a reward of one hundred dollars for thecapture of ship and master.
But all this came too late. Losing no time, Captain Langless had hadhis craft towed to a point fifteen miles beyond Port Huron, and hadthen let the tug go, and steered a course known only to those on board.
The tug did not return to Port Huron until the next day, and itscaptain did not know how much the _Peacock_ was wanted untiltwenty-four hours later. Thus the schooner obtained a free and clearstart of thirty-six hours over those who were in pursuit.
"We are stumped," groaned Dick, when word came back from Port Huronthat the _Peacock_ had passed that point long before. "Thatschooner now has the whole of Lake Huron before her, and there is notelling where she will go. Perhaps the Baxters will land in Canada."
"I don't think so," answered Luke Peterson. "American vessels comingin-shore are closely watched, you know, on account of the smugglingthat is carried on."
"Then the smugglers between the United States and Canada are still atwork."
"Indeed they are, more so than the average American has any idea of. Iused to be in the customs service, and I know."
"Where do you suppose Captain Langless will go to?"
"Ah, that's a question, Rover. The lake is over two hundred miles long,and I've heard tell that there are over twenty-five hundred islands,large and small. That's a pretty good place for a ship to hide in, eh?"
"And you reckon the _Peacock_ will go into hiding?"
"More than likely, while these Baxters carry out their little game--thatis, providing your brothers are on board--and I fancy they are. Ican tell ye, I fancy they are a tough crowd all around."
"Well, one comfort, the _Peacock_ won't get very far anywherealong shore without being spotted, for the police have sent the news toall principal places."
"Well, that's a good plan. Now if we could only follow that schoonerup--"
"Will you go with me in a hunt? I will willingly pay you for yourservices."
"I will. But we ought to have a steam tug instead of a yacht."
"I will charter one. I have already telegraphed to my father for thenecessary funds," returned Dick, and he told the truth. The longtelegram had gone an hour before. He had also sent word to Larry Colby,telling of the turn of affairs.
The telegram to Mr. Rover brought a characteristic reply, running asfollows:
"I send you the money you want. Be careful and keep out of danger. Willcome on by the first train."
The message to Larry Colby brought that student up to Detroit on thefirst train from Sandusky.
"I know just the steam tug you want," said Larry, when the situationwas explained. "It is rum by old Jack Parsons, who knows my fatherwell. I know he will do all he can for you, if he is paid for histime."
Larry Colby undertook to hunt up the tug, which was named the_Rocket_, and found her tied up at one of the city docks. Heintroduced Dick, and before the hour was out a bargain was struck withJack Parsons which was satisfactory all around. Parsons knew LukePeterson, and said he would be glad to have the lumberman along on thehunt.
"He knows this lake as well as I do, and between us we ought to findthe _Peacock_, sooner or later," said Parsons. He had heard aboutthe raft disaster on Lake Erie, and was pleased to be able to informPeterson that his friend Bragin was safe. The tug, however, which hadbeen towing the raft, was laid up in Buffalo for repairs.
At first Dick thought to remain in Detroit until his father's arrival,but then he realized that it would be best for one of them to remain onshore while the other went on the hunt on the lake.
"We will sail at once," he said to his companions, but this could notbe, since Aleck had not yet provided all of the necessary provisionsfor the trip.
While the colored man was completing his arrangements a newsboy came toDick with a note, running as follows:
"If you want news of the _Peacock_, and will promise not to harmme, come with the boy to the old grain elevator. The boy knows theplace."
Dick read the note with interest, and then showed it to Peterson.
"Perhaps it's a trap," said the lumberman. "I wouldn't go alone, if Iwere you."
"I will go," answered Dick, "but I wish you would follow me up on thequiet," and so it was arranged.
When Dick reached the place mentioned he found it practically deserted.
"Who gave you that note?" he asked of the newsboy.
"A man. Here he comes, now."
The newcomer proved to be a lame man, who had in fo
rmer years been asailor. He lived in a shanty behind the grain elevator, and he came toDick with difficulty.
"Come into my shanty and I'll tell you what I know," said the lame man."I'll not hurt you, so don't be afraid," and he hobbled off again.
Waving his hand to Peterson, who was in the distance, Dick followed thelame man and sat down on a bench in front of the shanty, the oddindividual seating himself on a stool opposite.
"Want to find Captain Gus Langless, eh?" said the lame man, closing oneeye suggestively.
"Yes."
"I read of the case in the papers. He's a bad un, eh?"
"What do you know of the case?" demanded Dick impatiently. He realizedthat he had a decidedly queer individual with whom to deal.
"Know everything; yes, sir, everything. Jock Pelly don't keep his earsopen for nothing, not me. An' I said to myself when I read the papers,'Jock, you've learned something of value--you must sell the news,' saysI to myself."
"But what do you know?"
"Gettin' to that, sir; gettin' there fast, too. Did you offer a rewardof a hundred dollars?"
"Yes."
"Who's going to pay that amount? It's a pile of money, a hundreddollars is."
"It will be paid, you can be easy on that point."
"Well, supposin' a man is lame and can't go after those rascals? Whatdoes he git for puttin' somebody on the track?"
"If you put me on the right track, I'll give you fifty dollars."
"Dead certain?"
"Yes. Now where has the _Peacock_ gone to?"
"Needle Point Island," was the abrupt answer. "Go there, an' you'llfind the _Peacock_ and her crew, sure."