CHAPTER XXXIII
MENDEZ EXPLAINS
"Come on, Boswell!"
"Row hard!"
"You've got to row!"
"It's your last chance!"
Thus his mates encouraged the Randall lad in the single shell, asthe three craft swept on up to the finish line in front of the newboathouse. But it was not to be. Boswell pulled with all his strength.Never had there been seen a better exhibition on Sunny River, but itwas too late. His little hesitation when he had called to Mendez--theexcited state of his mind, in wondering at Tom's accusation--allcontributed to his defeat. The slight delay was fatal.
"Oh, row! Row!" implored Bean Perkins. "Give him a song, fellows!" andthat grand Latin chorus of the ancients pealed out.
But it was not to be. Fairview was leading, with Boxer second and poorBoswell third. And in this order they finished, giving Fairview herfirst win of the day, and Boxer her first defeat. As for Randall, oncemore she tasted bitterness.
"Three cheers for Boswell!" called someone, and, though he was nofavorite, no one could withhold from the measure of praise due him forhis plucky effort. Few knew what had contributed to his defeat. Evenhis rivals, hearing him call to the man on the bank, only thought himshouting to some friend, and thought how foolish he was thus to wastehis precious time and energy. But it was none of their business, and sothey rowed on to defeat him.
"Never mind!" consoled Mr. Lighton. "You rowed the best you could,Boswell, I have no doubt. It was a fair race."
"I--I could have won," he panted, and there were some smiles from thosewho thought it but part of his usual boastfulness. But Boswell paid noattention to them. He was seeking out Tom Parsons, and the Mexican.
"Get ready for the eight-oared race now," directed some of theofficials. "Randall, is your crew ready?"
"All ready," answered Mr. Lighton.
"Ready," answered Pinky Davenport, for Boxer Hall.
"All ready," assented Roger Barns, for Fairview.
Boswell made his way through the press of rowers and spectators,whispered comments following him. But he paid no attention.
Into the dressing room he strode, where the crew of the eight were justfinishing a little conference with their coxswain, Jerry Jackson.
"Parsons, a word with you!" exclaimed Boswell, rather haughtily.
"As many as you like--after the race," said Tom, coldly. He still heldclenched in his hand the brooch. He made up his mind to get it to Ruthbefore he went off in the launch that was to take him and his mates tothe starting point. He had no pocket in which to put it, he could notrow holding it, and he wanted to conceal it from Phil.
"No, now!" snapped Boswell. "Something unexpected came up as I was onthe course. I think it is due to me to allow me to explain how I came bythat----"
"Here!" exclaimed Tom, anxious that Phil should not listen. "Make itbrief. I can't understand what you have to explain, though."
"You'll soon know--someone else will explain, too. He will be hereshortly."
"Ready for the eight! Ready for the eight!" came the summons fromwithout.
"Get together, fellows!" called Captain Frank Simpson. "And for the loveof Randall row as you never rowed before."
"Don't hang back when I call for the spurt," added the coxswain.
"Ready for the eight! Ready for the eight!" again came the summons.
"Come on!" ordered Frank once more, looking over to where Tom andBoswell were standing, apart from the others.
"Get a move on, Parsons," directed Dutch. "If we win you'll be the firstover the line, being in the bow. Come on." Tom had again been made bowoar.
"No, wait a minute!" implored Boswell. "I want to say something,Parsons."
"Won't after the race do? I can't listen now. Besides I've got to giveRuth----"
"It's about her I want to explain. Hang it, man, it won't take a second."
"Is Boswell in there?" called someone at the door of the dressing room.
"Yes--yes!" eagerly assented the rich lad.
"There's a fellow out here wants to see you," went on one of therubbers. "Some sort of a foreigner. Says you told him to come hereand----"
"Yes! Yes! Let him in!" cried Boswell. "It's someone I want to see!"
There was a little stir about the doorway and a man strolled in.
"Senor Boswell," he began, "you have sent for me, and----"
"Mendez!" gasped Tom.
"Mendez!" echoed Sid, Frank and Phil.
"Yes, Mendez," spoke Boswell. "Now, Parsons, I think he'll tell you thatI bought that brooch from him. Show him the pin!"
"I--er--" began the tall pitcher, and then realizing that concealmentfrom Phil was no longer possible, he held out the trinket.
"Ruth's brooch!" cried her brother. "How in the world did you get it?What does it all mean?"
"It's a long story," said Tom. "We haven't time for more than a fractionof it. Boswell had the pin. He says----"
"I say I bought it of Mendez, and he'll tell you the same thing!"interrupted the rich lad. "Did I not?" and he appealed to the Mexican."Didn't you bring this to me to-day?"
"Senor Boswell is right," assented the foreigner. "I have sold manythings to Senor Boswell. He say for me to look for an old-fashionedbrooch for him, like one his mother has, and he show me a jewel of therespected Mrs. Boswell, which I have also procure for him. I get thisother one from Senor Blasdell, from whom I take over the take-care workon Crest Island."
"Blasdell!" cried Tom. "Did he sell you this brooch, Mendez?"
"The senor says what is correct."
"But where did _he_ get it?"
"I don't know."
"Look here, Mendez," burst out Tom, "do you know anything about theFarson jewel robbery--about the Boxer Hall cups--about the pawn tickets?Do you?"
"On my honor, senor, no!" and the man bowed low. He seemed at ease, andto be speaking the truth.
"But why did you leave the island so suddenly?"
"Ah, senor, I will tell you. I will confess. In my country we donot--that is, we who are of my class--we do not consider it a crime tosmuggle--ah, well, a few cigars. I was guilty of that here. I smugglesome here and I sell them in my little store on what you call--er--theedge, is it not?"
"The side," murmured Phil.
"Yes, I thank the senor. I sell smuggled cigars on the side. It is not agreat crime, I think. But one day word comes to me in the hands of a boyfrom a friend, that the government of your country is about to squeezeme--am I right?"
"I guess you mean 'pinch'--arrest," suggested Sid.
"Yes, that is it. I am to be pinched--Oh, what a language! Now I have nodesire to be pinched, for what I, personally, do not consider a crime.So I flee--I vamoose. I go, and take all I can with me. Then, later,when it has all been blown up----"
"Blown over," suggested Frank.
"Blown over, yes, I thank you. When it is all blown over I come back.I have no more smuggled cigars. I am not in danger of being pinched. Icome back to open my little store, and be the take-care man on CrestIsland.
"As for the gold pin, some time after I leave, so that I may not bepinched, I meet in New York the Senor Blasdell. He greet me kindly andsay to me do I not want to buy of him a gold pin. I deal in jewelry onthe edge--I mean side--and I remember that Senor Boswell have commissionme for an old-fashioned pin. I think I have just what he want. I buy itfrom Senor Blasdell, and bring it to Senor Boswell at his college here.That is all," and he bowed to all.
"That's how I got the pin," said Boswell, coldly, looking at Tom. "Ihope you are satisfied."
"Of course," murmured Tom. "But I don't understand. Where is Blasdell?Where is that rascally pawnbroker? Where is the rest of the jewelry, andthe Boxer Hall cups?"
"Say, what are you anyhow, Tom--a riddle reader?" demanded Dan Woodhouse.
"What is all this Chinese puzzle about, anyhow?" asked Jerry Jackson."If we're going to row to-day----"
"Faith we'd better be gettin' at ut!" cried Bricktop, with a twinkle inhis blue ey
es.
"Where's the Randall eight?" cried the voice of Mr. Lighton. "Why aren'tyou out here? We're waiting."
"We're coming!" exclaimed Tom. "Fellows," he added, turning to the fourof the crew who were not in on the secret, "we'll explain later. I'llsee you after the race," he called to Boswell.
"As you please," was the cool answer.