Comrades on River and Lake

  CHAPTER XXI--AT BAY

  Let us leave the boys in the cellar and see what Chot and Truem weredoing in the passageway, as well as the cause of the revolver shot whichhad been audible to those above.

  After closing the massive door and fastening it securely, Chot and Truemwaited silently in the passageway for the developments they were surewould not be long in coming.

  After a few minutes they heard sudden footsteps in the room beyond thedoor, then some one began rattling the door in a strenuous effort to getout. Of course, this was the fourth member of the smuggler quartet, whohad escaped down the trap when Pod switched on the lights. But Chot andTruem, not knowing how their chums were faring in the basement, thoughtthe entire band of smugglers was making an effort to escape.

  So when the door began to tremble, Chot called in a loud tone:

  "Stop, or I'll shoot you through the door!"

  Evidently surprised at finding enemies in the passageway, as well as inthe basement, the man inside ceased his efforts. But he said nothing,and after a short pause, Chot said again:

  "Do you surrender?"

  "Yes," came the voice from within.

  "Well, we're going to open the door, and you're to come through withyour hands in the air--and _empty_! Do you understand?"

  "Yes."

  "You agree?"

  "Yes."

  "All right; Truem, open the door just enough to let him through," saidChot, taking up a position half behind the door, his revolver ready foruse.

  Truem did as requested, and the form of a man came quickly through, andseeing Chot, leveled a revolver at him and fired.

  But Truem had seen the move, and he knocked up the smuggler's arm. Thebullet whistled harmlessly against the ceiling of the passageway. Thenthe smuggler found that he had tackled more than he could handle, forboth boys leaped on him, threw him quickly to the floor, and choked himinto complete submission.

  "I surrender," he cried faintly, as Chot's grip tightened on his throat.

  "You told us that before, then tried treachery," said Truem. "Don't letgo of him, Chot."

  But such an appealing look came into the man's eyes that Chot, aftertaking his revolver, and feeling in his pockets for other weapons,released him and jumped to his feet.

  The smuggler was dazed. His head had struck the stone floor with nogentle force, and he gasped slightly as he drew his lungs full of air.

  "You've got me, all right," he said. "There ain't no more fight in me."

  "Where are the others?"

  "In the same fix, I guess. I was the last man through the trap, and justas I was about half way up, some feller switched on the lights andcovered my three pals. Then I dropped back. I didn't know there wasanyone on this end."

  "The boys must have captured the other men," said Truem.

  "Suppose you go to the trap and call while I watch our friend here,"said Chot.

  Truem nodded and sprang instantly away. He had no difficulty in findingthe stairs leading above, and ascending part way, he called:

  "Tom--oh, Tom!"

  "Well, what is it?" Tom replied.

  "It's Truem. Have you got the smugglers?"

  "We have three of them."

  "Well, Chot and I have the other man. There were only four."

  "I knew you were lying to me," Truem heard Tom say to one of the menabove. Then he called down to Truem:

  "You fellows can bring your prisoner up through the trap."

  "All right," shouted Truem; "we'll be there in just a minute."

  He communicated Tom's request to Chot, and the latter marched hisprisoner into the chamber. Then Truem pushed the trap-door open, and inthis way the boys ascended into the basement of the lodge, revolversready for any emergency.

  But they saw that their chums had indeed been successful in theircapture of the other smugglers, Fleet having completely disarmed the menwhile Tom and Pod covered them. The smugglers were now huddled togetherin one corner, and the man brought up by Chot and Truem was placed amongthem.

  "Now, to rescue Bert," said Chot.

  "I s'pose that's your pal that we've got on the other island?" said theleader of the smugglers.

  "Yes."

  "Well, you'll never get him, for there's ten men over there, and they'llbe coming to see what's wrong with us in a few minutes."

  "And they'll find out," said Tom. "But I don't believe your story of tenmen. You told us a lie before, and the man who lies once will lie asoften as the occasion demands."

  "Leave it to me," said Chot, "and don't fail to keep a strict watch onthese men. If I need you I'll let you know through the speaking tube."

  "Let me know, anyway, when you get away with Bert," said Tom.

  Chot nodded his head and descended quickly into the lower chamber. Itwas but the matter of a minute to run down the passageway to where Hokiwas still sitting in the canoe.

  "It's me, Hoki," said Chot. "Did you think I had deserted you?"

  "No think so," replied the Jap. "You, sirs, must have had pretty much ofa fine time."

  Chot laughed and explained to Hoki what had happened. The Jap couldhardly contain himself for joy, but became still at Chot's request, as,picking up a paddle, Chot sent the big canoe away from the shore, headedtoward the north island.

  Fearing that some of the smugglers' companions might be waiting on theshore for their comrades' return, Chot sent the canoe around to the sideof the island.

  Before landing he lay for the space of several minutes listeningintently for some sign of the presence of other smugglers. But theisland was dark and still, so making the canoe fast to a small tree onthe shore, he and Hoki effected a landing, and stood considering thebest method to accomplish the purpose for which they had come.

  The island was heavily-wooded and presented many difficulties to Chotand the little Jap. They had no means of knowing any of the plans of theisland, and were in complete ignorance as to the location of thesmugglers' quarters.

  But they had come for a purpose, and starting blindly ahead toward thecenter of the island, Chot softly told the Jap to follow.

  They made very little noise, and held their revolvers ready for use.

  Reaching the top of an incline, similar in many respects to the one onwhich stood Winnsocket Lodge, they paused perplexed. The island was nota large one, and Chot felt that they must be in close proximity to thesmugglers' rendezvous.

  "See!" whispered Hoki, suddenly. "Light!"

  Following the direction of the Jap's extended finger, Chot saw a yellowstreak, seemingly in the ground a few yards distant. Closer examination,however, revealed a huge wooden door leading into the hillside, andpeering through the crack Chot saw a sight which amazed as well asdelighted him.

  Sitting on a stool in one end of the apartment, his hands bound behindhim, was Bert Creighton, while nearby, reading by an ill-smelling oillamp, was a man--apparently the only member of the smuggler band left onthe island.

  "Hoki, when you open the door, I'll rush in and cover him," said Chot.

  "With greatest of pleasure," replied the little Jap, and seizing thehuge door by a strap which hung outside, he gave a strong pull. Theportal swung wide, and Chot, revolver in hand sprang through the openinginto the smugglers' chamber.

  "Hands up!" he cried, covering the smuggler before the latter could makea move toward his own weapon.

  "Chot!" cried Bert, starting up. "Hurrah!"

  "Cut Bert loose, Hoki," commanded Chot, still keeping his eye on thesmuggler, who was so surprised he was for a moment speechless.

  "What does this mean?" he cried out, at last.

  "It means that the smugglers of the St. Lawrence are a thing of thepast," Chot replied, as he grasped Bert's outstretched hand. "We haveyour pals, safe and sound. Are there any more of you?"

  "Yes; lots of us," responded the man. "There's two of them behind younow."

  Chot smiled, but did not turn.

  "You can't fool me by that old ruse," he said.

  "He lies, anyway," said Ber
t. "If you've got the four men who went tothe lodge you've got them all. What are you going to do with this man?"

  "Put him with the rest."

  "But how?"

  "I'll show you. Where's the speaking tube?"

  Bert pointed it out, and calling up Tom, Chot informed him of thesuccess of the trip to the north island, and asked him to send Pod overin his canoe for the prisoner.

  "Tell him to head straight across for the island," he said.

  Turning out the light in the chamber, and lighting a lantern for use onthe shore, the boys went out, closing the door. With Hoki and Bertguarding the smuggler, Chot went back to where he had left Fleet'scanoe, entered it, and paddled around to the other side of the island,just as he heard Pod calling out to know where to land.

  Chot gave him directions to head for the light, and a few minutes laterthe smuggler, bound hand and foot, was bundled into Pod's canoe, and thelittle fellow was paddling back toward the lodge, while Bert, Chot andHoki followed in Fleet's larger craft.

  There was a scene of rejoicing at the lodge that night. The prisonerswere all securely bound, and the boys took turns in guarding themthrough the night.

  Bert told his story before the boys retired. He had been aroused fromhis sleep in the hammock by strange noises in the lodge, and had criedout almost before he realized it. Then, believing that some of themysteries that had puzzled them were about to be solved, he had runinside, motioning Chot and Tom to follow. The smugglers had evidentlythought the boys all out of the lodge, for Bert surprised them, as wellas himself, by dashing in among them. Then he had been taken captive andcarried out through the tunnel, the trap-door dosed behind leaving notrace.

  "Had you fellows looked out of the rear window you could have seen themcarrying me across to the north island in their boats," said Bert.

  "We were too busy speculating as to what had become of you," smiled Chot"I'm glad we have you safely back."

  As Hoki was getting breakfast the following morning, the boys werestartled to hear several blasts from a boat's siren, and looking outfrom the verandah of the lodge they saw a motor-boat about two-thirds ofa mile distant, and headed straight for the island.

  "It's Mr. Lawrence!" cried Chot. "Act as if nothing has happened,fellows, and we'll nab him, too!"