CHAPTER XXIV--CONCLUSION
Young Halstead started and paled, as any one else would have done atsuch awesome information. Then he forced a sneer to his lips.
"Are you foolish enough to think, Don Emilio, that you are going to beallowed to escape to-night? You will sink the 'Meteor?' Perhaps, butwhat will you do with that United States cruiser over there off the portbow?"
As he pointed and spoke, Don Emilio and the two seamen rushed to theport rail. Tom was quick to seize the chance that he had made. Soonerthan trust himself in Don Emilio's hands, he would risk the dangers ofthe deep.
When Don Emilio turned back Halstead was no longer on board. Leaping tothe starboard rail, Tom had sprung as far out as he could, and thewaters had closed over him.
In taking this desperate leap Tom had calculated, as well as he could,on avoiding the suction of the tug's propellers. As he struck the waterhe fought against that suction, and soon felt himself beyond it.
When he came to the surface the fast-going tug was so far ahead thatAlvarez could not make out so small an object as the boy's head throughthe darkness and at the distance.
"Oh, the young fool has preferred drowning to going to Honduras!" criedAlvarez, turning to the seamen. "Very good; let him have his choice."
Tom, however, had no immediate plan of drowning. He was an expertswimmer, and with the sea as smooth as it was to-night not even hisclothing hampered him much. In fact, he did not waste much strength onswimming, but soon allowed himself to float, treading water whenever itbecame necessary.
When the tug was leaving the wharf the young skipper was rather certainhe had heard revolver shots, which would quickly bring the law's wholefighting force together.
"They'll come hustling along in the 'Meteor,'" thought the boy. "If Ican only make myself seen it will be easier to be picked up than to swimashore."
Nor was it long ere he beheld the rays of a searchlight flashing overthe water. The searchlight came nearer. Halstead felt certain that therays came from the boat that was usually under his command.
"Lawrence knows I was lugged aboard the tug, and Joe knows me wellenough to know I'd jump sooner than stay with that crowd," was theopinion with which Halstead comforted himself.
Nor was he disappointed. After a little the rays of the searchlightshone in his eyes, forcing him to close them. But he waved one handaloft. Nearer came the "Meteor," and nearer, until Halstead saw that theboat was heading straight for him. Speed was shut off, while hailssounded from the motor boat's deck. The trim little craft, moving underheadway only, came close alongside, while Jed tossed a line over.
"Good old Tom!" cheered Jed. "Now, if you're fit, swim for it"
So Tom Halstead, dripping, but triumphant and vengeful, returned to hiscommand.
"Take charge, captain, if you feel like it," urged Lawrence, and Tom,after casting aside his water-soaked coat, stepped to the wheel. "Keepright on after that tug," added the inspector. "I'll swing thesearchlight for you."
"I must caution you, though," spoke Captain Halstead, after he had givenJoe the go ahead word, "that the tug carries a two-inch gun and plentyof shells. Alvarez assured me that they'd sink you."
"I don't believe they'll dare," rejoined Mr. Lawrence, grimlycompressing his lips. "However, keep right on after them, and we shallsee."
The tug was quickly picked up by the searchlight.
"Whew! How she's cutting the water!" exclaimed Mr. Lawrence. "That tugwas surely built for fast work. She's easily an eighteen-knot boat."
While the chase kept up, Tom detailed his brief adventure aboard thefilibustering craft.
Though the tug was showing fine speed, the "Meteor" was so much fasterthat at last the motor boat, dead astern, was within half a mile.
Bang! came a sharp report over the water, following a sharp, red flashfrom the tug's cannon.
"Blank charge--no shell," commented Inspector Lawrence, coolly.
Holding the searchlight to the tug's after deck, however, the inspectorand his friends saw two men again loading the brass cannon.
There was another flash, a report, and a projectile whizzed by to thestarboard of the motor boat.
"They seem to mean business, Joyce," muttered the inspector. "You knowwhat comes now."
Joyce and his comrade disappeared into the cabin, swiftly returning withrepeating rifles that they had brought aboard.
Tom, in the meantime, had slowed down the speed of the "Meteor." Tothose aboard the tug it might have looked as though the officers weregiving up the pursuit.
"Go ahead, now, captain," directed Mr. Lawrence. "Right after thescoundrels at full speed."
As the "Meteor" once more cut the water, showing that she could easilyoverhaul the tug, Alvarez and two of his men were shown in thesearchlight rays to be returning to their cannon.
"Open up on them, but just pester them," directed the inspector. "Don'ttry to hit them unless they insist on loading their piece."
Zip! zip! zip! Bullets struck the deck house and side rails of the tugas the two United States officers fired rapidly.
Alvarez, at the first fire, pulled off his hat, waving it defiantly. Butnow the continuous fire from the motor boat drove all three from thegun. They fled forward.
"Close right in alongside," ordered Mr. Lawrence grinning. "Joyce andthe other man are experts at the rifle game."
It took but a few minutes to close the gap between tug and motor boat.As the "Meteor" ran up to port of the filibusters Captain Jonas Frenchwas the only man showing beside the seaman in the pilot house.
"We're going to run alongside and board you!" yelled the inspector. "Wewon't have any nonsense, either. It will be worse for you if you tryit."
"What are your orders?" asked Captain Jonas, resignedly.
"Stop your speed and reverse. Then lie to and wait for us to board."
"Aye, aye, sir," growled French, in the tone of a man who had played andlost. The tug soon lay motionless on the water, while the "Meteor"ranged in alongside. Lawrence and his two comrades stepped over thetug's rail first. Then Deputy Warren and his three brother officersfollowed. They represented only the county authorities, but had comealong to make the force stronger.
As the two craft fell away again Tom waved his hand banteringly toAlvarez, now out on deck and being searched for weapons.
"Sorry, Don Emilio, that I couldn't spare the time to go to Honduraswith you," called the young skipper. "But stay with us here in Americafor a while."
Saluting with their whistles the two craft parted company, the "Meteor"returning to the Dunstan place with only her regular crew aboard.
Few words are needed to complete this present narrative of the doings ofthe Motor Boat Club boys.
Master Ted Dunstan, of course, entered in upon the first portion of hisgreat inheritance, and is now earnestly proceeding to fit himself, inevery way possible, for a cadetship at West Point, preparatory tobecoming an officer in the Army. In time he will unquestionably qualifyto inherit the great fortune that was bequeathed him under such unusualconditions. It was afterwards proven, and most satisfactorily, thatTed's Uncle Gregory had no part in the plot against the boy. Thatconspiracy was hatched in the fertile brain of Don Emilio Alvarez.Further, it may be stated that Gregory Dunstan has sold his plantationin Honduras, and that he is never likely to become again mixed up in arevolution in Honduras, for he has become again a resident ofMassachusetts. Alvarez, probably, was all along the cause of GregoryDunstan's mixing in the politics of Honduras, and Don Emilio had hoped,by throwing the great Dunstan fortune to Uncle Gregory, to put it wherethe Honduran politicians could draw upon it.
Farmer Sanderson did not leave on the tug, but was arrested at his ownhome. He was afterwards sentenced, in a United States court, to serveone year in prison for aiding the filibusters. Captain Jonas French andAlvarez were each sentenced to serve two years, while the otherHondurans received a year apiece. The mate and crew of the tug weredischarged from custody, as it was considered they had not beenplotters, bu
t had merely signed for a cruise, as they might have doneaboard any other vessel. Gambon escaped, but was lately injured in arailway wreck, and is now crippled for life.
Horace Dunstan, as he promised, did not prosecute through the Statecourts. He was well pleased at the happy ending of the whole affair, andconsidered that Alvarez and the others had been sufficiently punished.Pedro, a Jamaica negro who had afterwards gone to Honduras to live, andthus spoke both English, and Spanish, was one of the Hondurans toreceive a year's sentence, as his connection with the Alvarez crowd wasfully established.
The yellow launch that Tom was instrumental in seizing was afterwardsclaimed by, and surrendered to, a boat-owner up the coast who had rentedthe boat to Captain Jonas French.
Tom and Joe? They are still the leading members of the Motor Boat Club.Jed was also admitted, and is one of the most expert of the youngmembers.
Horace Dunstan rewarded everyone who had anything to do with theliberation and protection of his son. Tom, Joe and Jed were all offeredmuch larger rewards than any one of them could be induced to accept. Yeteach of the boys, in the end, accepted a sum that provided not only agood time at once, but also for each a tidy little reserve fund in bank.
Here we will take leave of the three boys amid Nantucket surroundings.They will be heard from again, however, at a later date, in a furthervolume, filled with their exciting adventures, under the title: "TheMotor Boat Club Off Long Island; Or, A Daring Marine Game at RacingSpeed."
THE END.