CHAPTER IV
CONCERNING A LOST CHANNEL
The men from the steamer took possession of the _Rambler_ impudently,acting like ignorant men clothed with small authority. The boys wereordered to the cabin and the door locked.
"We left our manacles on board the Sybil," one of the men announced,"or we'd rig you out with some of the King's jewelry."
"We'll overlook the slight for the present," Case flared back, "butyou be sure and bring the jewels at the first opportunity."
"You'll get them quick enough," snarled one of the men. "Three daysago we received notice that you were coming, and we've been watchingfor you ever since. You came along just in time to be nicely trapped."
"Do you mean that you were watching for the _Rambler_?" asked Clay,lifting his voice in order that he might be heard through the glasspanel of the door. "I'd like to have you tell me about that."
"No one knew the shape you would come in," was the gruff reply. "Weonly knew that a band of pirates and wreckers who had been luringvessels on the rocks along the bay was preparing to visit the St.Lawrence. Perhaps you will tell me where you stole this fine boat?"
"They must have a big foolish house in this province," Alex taunted,"if all the King's officers are as crazy in the cupola as you are."
"Let them alone," urged Clay. "No use in talking to men of theirstripe. Wait until we get to the captain of the steamer."
The sailors continued to question the boys, resorting now and then toinsulting epithets, but the lads sat dumbly in the cabin until thearrival of Captain Morgan, in charge of the steamer Sybil. To expressit mildly, they were all very much elated at the appearance of CaptainMorgan, who unlocked the cabin door, called them out on deck andgreeted them pleasantly. They all wanted to shake hands with him.
"It seems," Clay said to the captain, as the latter motioned to thesailors to move up to the prow, "that your men have captured a band ofbold, bad men. It was a daring thing for them to do!"
The captain laughed until his sides shook, and the men, gathered onthe forward part of the deck, scowled fiercely, to which the captainpaid no attention at all.
"Perhaps there is an excuse for the men," Captain Morgan finally said,suppressing his laughter. "We heard firing as we came up the river,and wreckers are known to be about."
"If you have any doubt as to the presence of wreckers," Clayexplained, "just send your ruffians over on the island. The men whodid most of the shooting are there. They may also be able to find theashes of the signal fire the outlaws lighted."
"That will be good exercise for them," Jule cut in, "and perhaps theywon't be so brave when they find they haven't boys to deal with."
"Do you mean to tell me that the wreckers are now on the island?"asked the captain. "If they are, we may yet be able to make acapture."
"They were on the island just before you came up," Clay answered, "andI presume they are there yet. We'll help you take them."
The captain laughed and looked critically at the slender, well-dressedyoungsters, then his eyes turned to the white bulldog and the bear,now sniffing suspiciously at his legs.
"It seems to me," he said, "that I have heard of this outfit before!When I came aboard I thought I recognized the name of the _Rambler_.This menagerie of yours settles the point. You brought Captain Joe,the dog, from Para, on the Amazon and Teddy, the cub, from BritishColumbia."
"You've got it," Alex cried, "but how did you come to know so muchabout us? We rather expected to get away from our damaged reputationsup here," he added with a wink and a grin.
"You have long been famous in these parts," the captain answered,"Ever since the _Rambler_ came riding up to the Newfoundland coast ona flat car. It is a wonder that my men did not recognize you."
"I don't believe they can read," laughed Alex. "Suppose you send themover on the island to see if they can recognize some of the outlaws."
One of the sailors approached Captain Morgan, saluted, and pointed tothe narrow channel between the island and the mainland. The sun wasnow shining brightly in the sky, and the whole landscape lay brightunder its strong and rosy light. Half way across the channel, its raysglinted on splashing oars, and from the shore came hoarse commands.
"There are men leaving the island, sir," the sailor said. "Perhaps wedid get hold of the wrong fellows."
"I should think you did," laughed the captain, "but there may be timeto correct the error. Signal to the steamer for more men, and driftdown in your boats. You may be able to capture some of those outlaws,and," he added with a smile as the sailor turned away, "don't forgetthat there is a reward offered for every one of them."
"Perhaps we'd better go with the men," suggested Case. "We aren'tanxious to get where there's shooting going on, but we need themoney."
"I prefer," the captain replied, "that you come on board the Sybilwith me. I'll have the cook get up a fine breakfast, and you boys cantell me all about your river trips. I have always been interested insuch journeys and have long planned to take one myself."
The boys readily agreed to this arrangement, Alex declaring that itwould save the washing of at least one mess of dishes, and all weresoon seated in the captain's cosy room.
"I'll wait here an hour," Captain Morgan said, "to give my men achance to gather in some of the rewards, but after that I must be onmy way. We shall be late now, on account of this delay."
The boys briefly described their river trips on the Amazon, theColumbia, the Colorado and the Mississippi, and were rewarded with abreakfast which Alex admitted was almost as good as he could cookhimself.
"And now," Clay said, as they all stood on the deck, watching thesailors returning empty-handed from their quest of the outlaws, "Iwish you would tell me what all this rural free delivery businesswe've encountered means. We've been puzzling over it all night."
As he spoke he handed the first letter--the one delivered by themysterious canoeist--to the captain, who smiled as he looked at it.
"I'll tell you about that," he said. "There is a man over in Quebecwho claims that he owns about half of the province under a grant ofland made to Jacques Cartier in 1541 by Francis I. of France. Thisgrant, or charter, he claims, was confirmed to his family, theFontenelles, in 1603 by Samuel de Champlain, who was sent to Canada byde Chaste, upon whom King Louis XIII. had generously bestowed abouthalf of the new world.
"Fontenelle claims that all the kings and presidents of France from1541 down to the present time have confirmed this grant so far ascertain mineral and timber properties are concerned. For yearsFontenelle has been trying to gain possession of the original charterbrought to this country by Cartier, but has never succeeded."
"Would he secure a large amount of property if he found it?" askedAlex. "How did it ever become lost?"
"It disappeared from Cartier's hands," was the reply. "It is believedthat the recovery of the original charter would make the Fontenellesvery wealthy, especially as the family jewels, worth millions offrancs, are said to have been lost with the important document."
"I think they had their nerve to send family jewels to America in1541," Case cut in. "Might have known they would be lost."
"You must remember," Captain Morgan replied, "that for years duringand following the reign of Francis I. the protestant persecutions keptFrance in a turmoil. It was hinted that the Fontenelles did not favorthese persecutions and that the jewels were shipped to the new worldfor greater safety. What I am telling you now, remember, is onlytradition, and not history. To be frank with you, I will say that Idon't believe it myself. It is too misty."
"It is interesting, anyway," Clay declared, "and I'd like to hear moreabout it, but tell me this--why should the Fontenelles, or theiragents, send this letter to us? And why should they send it, if atall, in so mysterious a manner?"
"I have heard," Captain Morgan replied, "that an expedition for therecovery of this original charter was being fitted out at Quebec. Yourboat may have been mistaken for the one carrying the searchers."
"Searching in t
his wild country?" questioned Alex. "Where do theythink this blooming charter is, I'd like to know?"
Captain Morgan took the crude map into his hands and pointed to anegg-shaped peninsula reaching out into the St. Lawrence between themouths of two rivers.
"There is said to be a lost channel somewhere in that vicinity," hesaid, "and tradition has it that the papers and the jewels were hiddenon its shore. The searchers, for years, have been in the hope offinding this lost channel. They have never succeeded."
"Then we're almost on the ground," cried Jule. "Where do we go toreach this peninsula? We might be lucky enough to find this channel."
"It doesn't exist," smiled Captain Morgan. "Every inch of that countryhas been gone over with a microscope, almost, and there is no lostchannel there. At least, it can't be found."
"There is one on the map, anyway," Alex observed.
"Well," Clay laughed, "we have been mixed up with some one else'saffairs on every one of our river trips, and we may as well keep upthe record, so I propose that we spend a few days looking for thislost charter and these family jewels."
The boys all agreed to the proposition, and even Captain Morgan seemedto gain enthusiasm as they talked over their plans.
"I wouldn't mind being with you," the captain said, "but of course, Ican't go. However, if you keep on across the river, straight to thenorth, you'll come to the egg-shaped peninsula. Keep to the right ofit, and you'll enter a broad river. This map shows you where the lostchannel is claimed to have existed. Go to it, kids, and good luck gowith you!"
"Now then that point is settled," Clay smiled, taking the secondletter from his pocket, "tell us what this means."
Captain Morgan looked over the paper carefully before making anyreply. His face clouded and an expression of anger came to his eyes.
"The fact of the matter is," he said, "that for two hundred years theFontenelles have met with opposition in their search for the lostchannel. Some of the land claimed under the charter is now held byinnocent purchasers who believe their title to be perfect.
"There is no doubt that such might come to a fair understanding withthe Fontenelles if the charter should ever be found, but it is allegedthat an association has been formed by the wealthier persons who areinterested to defeat any attempt made to discover the charter. Theyclaim, of course, that with the charter in their possession theFontenelles would be able to make their own exorbitant terms."
"I knew it!" Alex cried. "We are in between two hostile interestsagain! It always happens that way. But we like it!"
"I have been thinking," Captain Morgan went on, "that the men whoattempted to wreck the _Rambler_ are not river pirates at all, but mensent here to obstruct, as far as possible, those in search of the lostchannel. It certainly looks that way."
"Well," Clay remarked, "they haven't got any motor boat, and we've gotone that can almost beat the sun around the earth, so we'll just runaway from them. In an hour after you leave here, we'll be in the eastriver looking for the channel which is said to have connected it inpast years with the one paralleling it on the west."
The sailors who had been searching now reported to the captain that nostrangers had been seen by them on the island, and it was agreed thatthe outlaws, whether wreckers or men employed to obstruct the searchfor the lost channel, had taken to the south shore. Captain Morganshook the boys warmly by the hand as they parted.
"If you say any more about your plans," he said, "I'll be going withyou. Already I can sense the smoke of your campfire, and smell theodor of the summer woods. There are fine fish up in those rivers,boys, great shiny, gamy things that fight like the dickens in thestream and melt like butter in the mouth."
"We'll send you out some," promised Clay, and the steamer's boatcarried the boys back to the _Rambler_.
The needed repairs were soon accomplished, and when night fell themotor boat lay under a roof of leaves in a deep cove on one of therivers behind the egg-shaped peninsula. Just above the anchorage thewater tumbled, from a high ledge. The boys had no idea of remaining onboard that night, so they built a roaring campfire on shore andstretched hammocks from the trees.
"Right here," Clay said as the moon rose, "right about where we aresitting, there may be a lost channel!"
"That's all right," grinned Alex, "but I don't see myself getting verywet sitting on it."
"I don't blame any old channel for getting lost in this wild country,"Case contributed. "We'll be lucky if we don't get lost ourselves. Hearthe owls laughing at us!"
"I've been listening to the owls," Clay said, "and I have concludedthat they are fake owls. If you'll listen, you will hear signals."
The boys listened for a long time, and then above the rush of theriver and the murmur of the leaves in the wind, came a long, low callwhich seemed to them to be a very bad imitation of owl talk.