CHAPTER XVI.
OFF FOR NEEDLE POINT ISLAND.
"Needle Point Island?" repeated Dick.
"Exactly, sir--Needle Point Island. Most of the lake pilots know it."
"How far is it from here?"
"About sixty miles."
"And how do you know the _Peacock_ has gone there?"
"Overheard Captain Langless talking about it, yes, sir--overheard himtalking to a man named Baxter and a man named Grimsby--he as used to bea smuggler. Langless used to be in with Grimsby, although few know o'that. They talked a lot, but that wouldn't interest you. But the factthat they are goin' to Needle Point Island interests you, eh?"
"When did you hear this talk?"
"The morning you escaped from the schooner, accordin' to thenewspaper."
"Where did you hear it?"
"Up on the other side of the elevator. The men came out of one o' thesaloons to talk it over."
A long conversation followed, and Dick became more than half convincedthat what Jock Pelly had to relate was true.
The man described the Baxters clearly, showing that he had really seenthe pair, and also described Captain Langless' appearance on themorning in question.
"I will follow up this clew," Dick said, when ready to depart.
Jock Pelly caught the youth by the arm.
"Hold on!"
"What do you want now?"
"My reward. Don't I get that fifty dollars?"
"You do, if I catch the captain and his schooner."
"That aint fair--I ought to have the money now."
"I must prove what you have told me first You may be all wrong in yoursuppositions."
Jock Pelly's face fell.
"'Taint fair--I ought to have the money now. Maybe you won't ever comeback."
"Don't alarm yourself, my man. If the information is of real value,you'll get paid for it. Here is something on account."
Dick slipped a five-dollar bill into the old man's hand, at which JockPelly's face relaxed. A few minutes later the elder Rover had joinedLuke Peterson and was telling the lumberman what he had heard.
"Needle Point Island!" exclaimed Peterson. "Yes, I know the spot Yearsago it was a great hanging-out place for smugglers. But our governmentcleaned out the nest."
"Then it is likely that this man told the truth?"
"I don't know as Captain Langless could find a better hiding place. Theisland is in the shape of a five-leaf clover, and the bays are allsurrounded with tall trees and bushes, so that a vessel could be hiddenthere without half trying. Besides that, the island is a rough one,full of caves and openings, and that would just suit a crowd holdingthose boys prisoners."
When the pair reached the _Rocket_ a consultation was held, and itwas decided to start for Needle Point Island on the following morning.Jack Parsons said it would take from five to six hours to reach thelocality.
Now that Dick had received what he thought was definite information, hewas anxious to go to the island that had been mentioned, consequentlythe night proved a long and sleepless one to him. He awaited furthernews from his father, but none came.
But information did come which disturbed him not a little. He wasspeaking to Larry before retiring, and from one thing to another theconversation drifted around to Mrs. Stanhope, the widow who lived nearPutnam Hall, and her pretty daughter Dora. As old readers know Dick wastremendously interested in pretty Dora, and had done much to keep herfrom harm.
"Before I came on, I heard that the Stanhopes had started on a trip forthe lakes," said Larry. "They left Cedarville secretly, and I got thenews quite by accident from Frank Harrington, who happened to see themoff."
"I knew they were going, sooner or later," replied Dick. "Mrs. Stanhopewas rather ill, as you know, and needed a change of some sort."
"I was wondering if she didn't want to get out of the way of JosiahCrabtree, who is just out of prison," continued Larry. "Oh, but wasn'the a slick one for getting around the widow--when he learned she washolding all that money in trust for Dora."
"He's something of a hypnotist, Larry--that is why Dora fears him. Sheis afraid he will hypnotize her mother into doing something she will besorry for afterward."
"Do you really suppose he has so much influence as that?"
"He has when Mrs. Stanhope is not feeling well. The stronger she is,the less he seems to affect her. By the way, have you heard from oldCrabtree since he was let out of jail?"
"Yes; some of us boys met him at Ithaca one Saturday. We started tohave a little fun with him, asking him why he didn't come back to theHall and ask Captain Putnam for another position, and how he liked livecrabs in his bed. But he flew in a rage and threatened to have us allarrested if we didn't clear out, so we had to drop it. But I'll tellyou one thing, Dick; I'll wager Crabtree's up to no good."
"Oh! he might possibly turn over a new leaf."
"Not he; it isn't in him. He was always a sneak, like Baxter, only abit more high-toned, outwardly."
"I am anxious to know if he is aware where the Stanhopes have gone to?"
"I think he could find out if he tried hard. They made a mistake thatthey didn't go traveling before he got out of jail."
"They couldn't go, on account of Mrs. Stanhope's health. She had arelapse just about the time Crabtree's term was up. But he had betternot bother them again, or--"
"Or what, Dick? Will you get after him again?"
"I will if I can, and I'll send him to jail for the rest of his life."
The _Rocket_ was to sail at six in the morning, and long beforethat time Dick and Larry, with the others, were on board. Jack Parsonsreached the tug at the last moment, having had some private businesswhich required his attention.
The day was fair, with a stiff breeze blowing, which was good for the_Peacock_, as Dick observed, if she was still sailing the watersof the lake.
Jack Parsons knew Needle Point Island as well as did Luke Peterson, andthe former said he had stopped at the place only a few months before.
"I thought it was deserted," he said. "The old cave the smugglers usedto use was tumbled in and overgrown with brush."
The run to Port Huron occurred without incident, and a little whilelater the _Rocket_ was steaming merrily over the clear waters ofLake Huron.
Had it not been for his anxiety concerning his two brothers, Dick wouldhave enjoyed the scene very much. The _Rocket_ was a fine tug, andcut the water like a thing of life. She carried a crew of five, allyoung and active fellows. This made the party eight, all told, and asDick and his friends were armed and the tug boasted of several pistols,a gun, and a small cannon, those on board felt themselves able to copewith the enemy, no matter what occurred.
"We can't get there any too soon for me," said Dick to Luke Peterson."There is no telling how cruelly Sam and Tom are being treated, nowthat they made the attempt to run away."
"I hope your father doesn't give the rascals any money before we have achance to catch them," returned the lumberman.
"I think he will wait to hear from me, after he reads the letter I leftfor him at Detroit. He is as down on the Baxters as I am."
"When we come in sight of the island we'll have to move with caution,"went on the lumberman. "If we don't, Captain Langless may lay low andgive us the slip in the dark."
"Are there any other islands close to Needle Point?"
"A dozen of them, and some with just as good hiding places, too. That'swhy the smugglers used to hang out in that locality. They are idealplaces for smugglers' caves and the like, I can tell ye that," and LukePeterson nodded his head sagaciously.
At noon Parsons announced that they were within three miles of NeedlePoint Island. Dinner was ready, but it must be confessed that Dick wasalmost too excited to eat. Half a dozen vessels had thus far beensighted, but not one which looked like the _Peacock_.
He was finishing up a hasty repast when a cry came from the deck.
"Needle Point Island is in sight!" announced the lookout, and a momentlater he added: "A schooner
bearing away to the bay on the east end!"
"It must be the _Peacock_!" ejaculated Dick, and rushed to thedeck to learn the truth.