CHAPTER XXII A CHASE UP THE COAST
"You saw her sail for Portland!" cried Sam.
"Less than an hour ago?" exclaimed Tom.
"Where from?" queried Dick, quickly. "Hurry up and tell me--it will bemoney in your pocket."
"The Mary Delaway sailed from Cruser's dock," answered the old sailor."That's about four blocks from here. I can show you the place. But youcan't get aboard, messmates--she's gone."
"We must catch her!" ejaculated Dick. "No matter at what cost, we mustcatch her. How can we do it?"
"Can't we follow her in a motor boat, or a steam launch?" asked Tom.
"You can follow her in a tug," said the old tar. "But she is out of sightnow."
"Do you know where she is going to land in Portland?" asked Sam.
"No."
"Do you know anybody on board?"
"I know Jack Crumpet. He sailed in the old Resolute with me. I went tosee him--that's how I know the Mary Delaway sailed."
"You were on board?" asked Dick.
"No, I wasn't--I saw Jack on the dock. He said as how the cap'n had givenorders for nobuddy to come aboard--why, I don't know."
"Well, I know," muttered Dick. "It was to keep their villainous doingssecret. Who did you see on the schooner?"
"I saw several men and two ladies. One lady looked kind of excited."
"It must have been Mrs. Stanhope!" murmured Dick. "Come!" he cried. "Letus get some kind of a boat and follow that schooner."
The Rover boys were accustomed to quick action, and they had suppliedthemselves with plenty of ready cash to use in case of emergency.Consequently, it was an easy matter for them to pick up a steam tug atone of the docks. The captain said he would willingly follow up the MaryDelaway and try to overtake her if he was paid for it.
"Will you go along?" asked Dick, of the old tar. "I want you to aid inpicking up that schooner. You know her by sight. I will pay you goodwages."
"I've signed articles for a trip to Africy, starting next week Thursday,"answered Larry Dixon, for such was the sailor's name.
"We'll get you back long before that time," answered Dick. "And pay you anice salary in the bargain."
"Then I'm your man, messmate," responded Larry Dixon.
While the steam tug was getting ready to leave, Dick called up Spud onthe telephone and acquainted their college chum with what had occurred.
"When will you be back?" asked Spud.
"I don't know," replied Dick. "Better not wait for us. This may prove along chase."
"Well, I hope you rescue the lady, get back the fortune, and land thoserascals in jail," said Spud.
The steam tug carried a crew of six, all good, strong, hearty fellows. Ina few brief words Dick and his brothers explained to the captain howmatters stood, and Captain Wells promised to aid them all he could inthwarting the plans of the evildoers. He was armed, and said he couldlend the Rovers some pistols if they wanted them.
"I reckon the Mary Delaway will take the regular route to Portland--thatis, so far as the wind will allow," said the owner of the tug. "We'llfollow that route just as fast as our steam will permit. But let me giveyou a tip. Perhaps it will be better for you to merely follow 'em toPortland, and have them locked up when they reach that place. If youtackle 'em on the high seas they may show fight and get the best of you."
"I'll think that over," answered Dick, slowly. "But meanwhile crowd onall steam and get after them. Never mind using up your coal--we'll payfor it."
The docks were soon left behind, and the black smoke pouring from thefunnel told how the fireman was doing his best to make steam. But it wasnow late, and it would soon become a problem, as to whether it would beadvisable to run so fast during the night. They might pass the schoonerwithout knowing it.
"I'll leave the matter to you, Captain Wells," said Dick, after talkingthe matter over with his brothers. "I'll pay you your regular price forchartering the tug, and one hundred dollars additional if we succeed inrescuing Mrs. Stanhope."
"I'll do my level best for you, Mr. Rover," responded the captain. "I'lltalk to my crew." And he did, promising each man an extra five dollars ifthey succeeded in doing what the Rovers desired. As a consequence everyman, including Larry Dixon, was constantly on the lookout for the MaryDelaway.
Inside of an hour Boston Harbor had been left well behind, and then thebow of the steam tug was turned up the coast in the direction ofPortland, about a hundred miles distance. The day was now over and thelights on the tug were lit.
"Don't see anything of the Mary Delaway yet," remarked Larry Dixon. "I'mafraid we'll have to shut up shop till mornin'."
"Could the schooner reach Portland by that time?" asked Sam.
"She'd be there early in the morning," answered the old sailor.
"Then we had better run for Portland, too," said Tom. "We might hangaround outside the harbor on the watch."
It was a clear night, with no moon, but with countless stars bespanglingthe heavens. The boys and some of the others remained on the watch,although they could see but little.
"It would be great if we had a searchlight," said Sam.
"Just the thing!" cried Tom. "But we haven't any, so what's the use oftalking about it?"
"Might as well try to get some sleep," said Captain Wells, about nineo'clock. "I can call you if anything turns up."
"We'll stay up a couple of hours yet," answered Dick, although theexcitement of the day had worn him out.
But not a sight of the schooner was seen, and one after another the Roverboys laid down to get a few hours' sleep. Captain Wells allowed them torest until six o'clock. By that time they were standing around near theentrance to Portland harbor.
"See anything yet?" asked Dick, as he sprang up from the berth upon whichhe had been resting.
"Not yet," answered the captain of the tug.
"You don't think they got here ahead of us?"
"No, for we have been here for several hours."
The boys got up and washed, and then had breakfast. In the meantime thesteam tug cruised around, and those on board watched eagerly for a signof the Mary Delaway.
Thus two hours passed. As the time went by the three Rovers grew moreanxious than ever.
"What do you make of this, Dick?" asked Tom.
"I don't know what to make of it, Tom."
"It looks to me as if they had given us the slip," said Sam.
"If they didn't come here, where did they go to?"
"I don't know. What did that scrap of paper say?"
"That spoke of Slay's Island. But none of the men on this tug ever heardof such a place."
"That is not to be wondered at, Dick," went on Sam. "I understand thereare scores of islands in Casco Bay. It isn't likely these men from Bostonwould know the names of all of 'em."
They remained around the entrance to Portland harbor until noon and thenDick ordered the captain to run in and land them.
"You might go up and down the docks a bit," he said. "They might haveslipped us after all." They entered the harbor, passing the oldlighthouse, and soon were within easy reach of the docks. They looked onall sides for the Mary Delaway, but in vain.
"We have missed her!" groaned Dick.
"What are you going to do next?" questioned Tom.
"See if I can't find out in some way where the schooner went to--and alsofind out where Slay's Island is located."
"We might get a map of Casco Bay. That would have the names of theislands on it," suggested Sam. "I know there are a great many of 'em,some of 'em quite small and others very large."
At last they started to go ashore. They ran up to a dock where the tugwas in the habit of landing when at Portland, and the boys walked to thegangplank that was put out for them.
"Look! look!" cried Tom, suddenly, and pointed to a motor boat lyingalongside the steam tug.
"Well, I never!" gasped Sam.
The motor boat was a craft of fair size, and very gaudily painted, i
nred, blue and yellow. It was piled high with suit-cases, bundles andfishing outfits. At the wheel was a tall young man, smoking acigarette--a stranger to the Rovers. In the bow, also smoking, were twoother young men, Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur.