CHAPTER IX
ON CREST ISLAND
"What do you mean?" cried the girl, impressed by Tom's strange manner.
"Why, didn't you hear? This jeweler had been going about collectingwork for repairing, and left a lot of it in a box in his boat. Thenhe was called away suddenly, and remained away over night. A floodcame up, swept his boat away, wrecked it on Crest Island, and we fourfellows found it there. But the jewelry case was empty. Didn't you hearthat--and about the Boxer Hall cups?"
"I believe I did," answered Ruth, slowly. "But I did not know then, thatmy brooch was in that box. Oh, Tom, do you suppose it could be on CrestIsland?"
"I don't know, Ruth. The box was empty when we found it, and we thinksomeone located it before we did, and rifled it."
"Oh, Tom, my dear pin! If grandmother hears I've lost it she'll neverforgive me--and then her pearls, too; not that I care so much aboutthem, but this pin was given her by her husband, when they werecourting, and she thought the world of it. It was made abroad, of apeculiar pattern, and never could be replaced. It was an heirloom, andshe must have thought a lot of me to let me take it.
"Oh, I just can't bear to tell her it is gone! Maybe we can find it.Perhaps it is on the island yet. Maybe it dropped from the box. Tell me;was Phil along when you found the box?"
"Yes, but of course he didn't know that anything of yours was in it."
"Then please don't tell him. He might think I ought to tell grandmotherabout it--he's so peculiar. And I _will_ tell her, if worse comes toworst, and I can't get it back. But, oh, Tom! do you suppose it could beon the island?" and she looked eagerly at him.
"If it's there I'll find it!" declared the tall pitcher, perhaps withmore zeal than discretion.
"And don't you tell a soul!"
"I won't," he promised.
"Could you take me with you, Tom? I'd like to help you hunt for it."
"Of course," he said, promptly. "The weather is getting fine now. We'llrow over to the island some day, and make a search. But that pin isn'tgoing to be easy to find."
"No, I realize that, Tom. But it will make me feel better to help lookfor it. Oh, how careless of that jeweler to leave his things in theboat!"
"It was, in a way, but he could not tell he was going to be summonedaway, nor that the flood would come. I feel sorry for him."
"So do I, but--I want my brooch back," and Ruth smiled at Tom. "Nowdon't say anything, and don't notice my new pin--at least in front ofPhil," she stipulated. "If I can get the old one back, then it willbe time enough to tell him. Oh, here he comes now, with Madge. Yes, Ithink the dance will be perfectly fine!" exclaimed Ruth, in loud tones,to change the conversation for the benefit of her brother and Madge.Tom took his cue instantly, and the four were soon engaged in a livelyconversation, Ruth, meanwhile, telegraphing signals to Tom with hereyes, while she arranged a bit of her lace collar over the new pin, sothat her brother would not notice it.
Plans for the dance being duly made, the boys took a regretfuldeparture. But it was high time, for Miss Philock sent one of theteachers to Ruth and the girls, to tell them that visiting hours wereover.
"Until the next time!" called the girls, as the boys walked off.
"And, Tom," whispered Ruth, "don't forget."
"I'll not!" he promised.
"Hello, what's up between you and Sis?" asked Phil, quickly.
"Oh, we're just arranging a little expedition," was the answer of hischum.
But Tom could not carry out his plan of taking the girl to Crest Islandthe next day. It rained, and baseball practice was ordered in the cageat the gymnasium.
As I do not, in this book, intend to devote much space to baseball atRandall (seeing that I have fully discussed several games in other booksof this series), it is sufficient to say that all of our friends playedon the varsity nine, together with some new students, and that Randallbade fair to win the championship at this time. Which she later did,though not without hard work.
Then came several days of practice in the eight-oared shell, and inthe four, the double, and singles, which had, in the meanwhile, beenreceived. There was much enthusiasm, and Mr. Lighton had to press inas coaches some post-graduate students who knew rowing fairly well.But he himself gave his time to the eight. A number of other lads hadbeen tried in it, and among those who had taken the first practice spinseveral shifts in position were made.
But at last a fine, warm, sunny Spring day came, and Tom, after an earlylecture one afternoon, arrayed himself in a costume suitable for rowing,and, with some cushions under his arm, set off for the boathouse.
"Whither away?" asked Phil, as he surveyed his chum.
"Oh, out for a row," and Tom strove to make his voice indifferent.
"With cushions; eh? Want any company?"
"No, thanks, old man. No offense, of course," he hastened to add,"but----"
"None taken!" exclaimed Phil. "Guess I'll go get a girl myself."
As Tom neared the boathouse he met Sid and Frank.
"Want me to pull an oar?" asked the former, as he saw the tall pitcher.
"No. I can manage," and Tom proceeded to get out a light boat.
"I say, old man," put in Frank, with a wink at Sid. "Lend me one ofthose cushions; will you. I'm going----"
"You're going to get one of your own!" interrupted Tom. "I need these."
"You mean the lady does," added Sid, with a laugh. "Go on, you olddeserter. We'll be going out in the shell, later."
"Will you?" exclaimed Tom. "I wonder if I'd better--Oh, go and be hangedto you!" he added. "I'll get practice enough," and he got into the boatand rowed away.
"Wonder where he's going?" spoke Frank.
"Give it up," replied Sid. "Let's find Phil, and get ready for a spin."
Meanwhile Tom made good time to Fairview, and found Ruth awaiting him,he having previously telephoned to her to be in readiness.
"Oh, Tom, I wonder if we will have any luck?" she exclaimed, as they setoff, her three girl chums watching her curiously.
"I hope so," he answered, "but, really, I can't hold out much. A broochis so small, and Crest Island is rather large. But we'll look near theplace where the box lodged. The pin may still be there."
It was not a short row to Crest Island, but Tom did not mind it. Indeedhe was rather sorry when the place was reached.
He lost no time in proceeding to the spot where he and his chums hadpicked up the jewelry box. The place seemed just the same, with noevidence of any other visitors. It was rather early for the Summercrowds to come, and none of the several cottages had opened.
The two spent some time in making a careful search, beginning at thepoint where the wrecked boat had been found, and working along bothshores--that is, after a search at the spot where the box had beenpicked up. But no brooch rewarded their efforts.
"I guess you'll have to wait until the other things are located," saidTom. "Your pin may be among them."
"Let's walk on a little farther," proposed Ruth. "I want to look atMadge Tyler's cottage."
"Has Madge a cottage here?" asked the lad, in surprise.
"Her people have taken one for the Summer. Madge has invited us girls tospend several weeks with her. Where are you boys going this vacation?"
"To Crest Island!" replied Tom promptly, though, a moment before, he hadhad not the slightest idea.
"Oh, you're just _saying_ that!" challenged Ruth.
"No, really I'm not!" he insisted. "If you girls are going to cottagehere, I don't see why we can't camp. Other fellows do."
"Oh, it would be nice, of course," she admitted, as they strolled along."There's the Tyler place," called Ruth a little later. "I recognize thedescription. Isn't it lovely?"
"Fine!" agreed Tom. "And that looks like a good camping place," and heindicated a spot not far off.
They soon gave up looking for the lost brooch, which, as Ruth said, waslike searching for a needle in a haystack. They strolled some distanceon the island, admiring the Summer cottages that would
soon be open, andthen turned back.
Not far from the spot where Tom and his chums had found the rifledjewelry box Tom saw a sort of shack, or small hut, off between the trees.
"I wonder whose that is?" he ventured. "Let's go take a look."
"It doesn't seem very inviting," returned Ruth. "Perhaps some boatmenlive there."
The shack was deserted, but a look through the grimy windows showed thatit probably had an occupant, for there were some dishes on a table, somepans on a rusty stove, and, in through another room, could be seen somebunks.
"Probably a caretaker for the cottages," suggested Ruth, as she restedher hand on a window-sill, and idly pulled out some threads that hadcaught in a splinter. "Rather a strange sort of caretaker," she went on,"who wears silk--see, these are silk threads," and she held up a number,brightly colored.
"Where did you get those?" asked Tom, and the girl started at thestrange note in his voice.
"On the window sill," she explained. "Why?"
"Oh--nothing," was his answer, but she noted that he took the threadsfrom her, and carefully put them in a card case. "They might do to makea fishing fly with," he explained, after a pause.
"Oh," she said.
They strolled around to the front door of the building to find itlocked.
"There's someone's card," remarked Ruth, as she touched a bit ofpasteboard with the toe of her shoe. "Maybe it was on the door, tellingat what hour the person who lives here would return."
"Maybe," agreed Tom, stooping to pick it up. "I'll fasten it back again.I wonder who does live here?"
Idly he turned the card over. Then he started in surprise, for the namethat met his eyes was:
_Reginald Boswell_
"Who is it?" asked Ruth. "Anyone I know?"
"I--I fancy not," answered Tom, still staring at the card. "I wonder howthat got here?" he mused. "And I wonder who lives in this shack?" andputting the bit of pasteboard in his pocket, he swung around.
"I guess we'd better be getting back," he said to Ruth. "It's gettinglate, and it's a bit of a pull. I'm sorry we couldn't find your brooch."
"So am I," she admitted, with a sigh. "But it can't be helped. Oh, _how_can I tell grandmother?"
She took Tom's arm, as the way was rough. They had not gone many feetbefore they heard someone approaching, tramping through the underbrush.
"Who can that be?" asked the girl.
"I don't know--we'll look," whispered Tom.