The Ocean Wireless Boys on the Pacific

  "Gentlemen, the age of miracles has not passed," he said. "When Readyfirst opened the paper, I thought I recognized a peculiar handwriting. Iwas not wrong. This message was written by my brother!"

  CHAPTER XVI.--ALIVE ON THE SEA.

  "Incredible!" exclaimed Captain Sparhawk, unable to think of anythingelse to say at the astounding information.

  "But, nevertheless, true. Sparhawk, this message confirms the truth ofyour theory about 'Bully' Broom. That rascal attacked and overcame theunsuspecting crew of the _Centurion_, and obtained the 'Tear of theSea'."

  "The infernal scoundrel," breathed Captain Sparhawk. "There is notanother man in the South Seas who would have dared such a coup. But doesthe message give any clue to your brother's fate, sir?" he addedrespectfully.

  The millionaire's face glowed and suddenly lost its careworn look.

  "That's the best part of it," he explained. "But come to my cabin,captain--yes, Ready, you and Raynor may come, too," he added as heintercepted anxious looks on the boys' faces.

  Inside the cabin the millionaire spread on the table the yellowed,scribbled bit of paper that just then meant more to him than anydocument he had ever seen in his life.

  "I'll read aloud," he said, and then, in a clear voice, he recited thecontents of the missive.

  "Any one finding this please notify my brother Jacob Jukes of New York, who will reward him lavishly for the trouble. This is being written on board 'Bully' Broom's schooner, _South Sea Lass_. We are all prisoners and the 'Tear of the Sea' is in the ruffian's possession. We are being taken, as I overheard, to Bomobori, in New Guinea, with what object I cannot say. May Heaven help us in our desperate strait. I am throwing this, with a prayer to Heaven that it may be found, from the window of the cabin in which I am confined.

  Jerushah Jukes."

  "I know Bomobori well," exclaimed Captain Sparhawk, as Mr. Jukesfinished reading. "I was there in '87 and again in '89."

  "What sort of a place is it?" inquired Mr. Jukes.

  "Not much of a town," was the reply. "It is at the mouth of a river thatpenetrates a wild country. If 'Bully' Broom wished to hide his captives,he could not have taken them to a better place."

  "Sparhawk," and the millionaire's voice was vibrant with determination,"how long will it take us to get there?"

  "I should say not more than a week. But we should have to re-coal atTahiti if we are to make the run at top speed. How about that, Raynor?"

  "You're right, captain," said the young engineer. "I'll guarantee to runthe _Sea Gypsy's_ engines faster than they were ever run before, butI've got to have the coal to do it with."

  "That steamer is through coaling us now?" asked the millionaire, afterhe had made a few calculations on a scrap of paper.

  "They emptied the last of their load an hour ago," said CaptainSparhawk.

  "Good," was Mr. Jukes' response. "Send the captain to me and I will givehim my check. Raynor, how soon can you have steam up?"

  "In an hour, sir," responded the young engineer.

  "Splendid; make all the time you can. Every moment is valuable now.Ready----"

  Jack was all attention. Into the millionaire's manner had come a snapand a grip of affairs that had not been there since they had sailed. Hehad something tangible to go upon now, and was plainly prepared to makethe most of it.

  "Ready," he went on, "I want you to raise Tahiti at once. Order coal tobe ready for us when we arrive and have a force of men engaged to hustleit on board without loss of time."

  "Yes, sir," rejoined Jack, hurrying from the cabin.

  Within a few minutes the entire atmosphere of the ship appeared to becharged with electricity and bustle. Black smoke volleyed from the stackand the roar of escaping steam soon came from the relief pipe. Anai andhis companion, almost in tears at the thought of parting with the boys,were sent ashore, and final preparations made for the start.

  Shortly before sun-down Raynor reported all ready in the engine room.

  "Very well, captain," said Mr. Jukes, "you may get up your anchor."

  The necessary orders were soon given and as the chains rattled homethrough the exhaust pipes the yacht swung her bow gracefully seaward. Abig crowd of canoes and the small tramp, which had also taken up anchor,accompanied her some distance out to sea.

  The natives raised their voices in melancholy songs as they paddled, andfrom time to time cried out:

  "Come back, white men."

  Among them Jack and Raynor recognized Anai and the other young Kanaka.Both lads felt a genuine regret at leaving the brave, likeable youngnatives, but ahead of them they felt lay experiences which for the timebeing put all other emotions out of their minds. The _Sea Gypsy_,rushing ahead at top speed, soon left the rusty tramp, her consort, farbehind. By dark only the summit of the island was visible on thehorizon. It sank quickly from sight, and when the first stars appearedthe _Sea Gypsy_ was alone on the sea.

  CHAPTER XVII.--AN ENCOUNTER AT BOMOBORI.

  It was on a clear day a little more than a week later that the lookoutannounced land dead ahead. All on board knew that it must be New Guinea,the wild and little known country where Mr. Jukes had confident hopes offinding his lost brother. Captain Sparhawk made an excellent"land-fall," as sailors call it, and by night they came to anchor offBomobori.

  It was a beautiful scene. The waves dashed against a golden strand.Behind lay vast and mysterious forests, looking dark and uninviting inthe evening light. Beyond the forests rose great mountains veiled in thebluish mist of the far distances. As darkness fell, the lights ofBomobori began to twinkle, casting reflections in the still waters ofthe harbor and river, the mouth of which latter could be seen to thenorth of the town.

  "Well, I'm ready to go ashore," remarked Raynor, as he joined Jack ondeck at the conclusion of his duties in the engine-room. "It willcertainly feel good to put foot on shore once more."

  "Indeed it will," agreed Jack, warmly. "I'm anxious to get a look at NewGuinea too. It's a country about which very little is known--I mean sofar as the interior is concerned."

  "Well, we are likely to have plenty of opportunity for exploration,"said Raynor. "I heard Mr. Jukes telling the captain that he believed,from what he had heard about 'Bully' Broom at Tahiti where he is wellknown, that the rascal has a secret hiding place in the interiorsomewhere."

  "Then it's likely to take a long time to locate him," said Jack. "Thisis a pretty big country and very densely wooded, with big mountains andrivers galore. I'm afraid it's a needle and hay-stack job."

  "I expect Mr. Jukes means to get a clue in Bomobori, where Broom isprobably well known," hazarded Raynor.

  "That is probably his idea," said Jack. "Anyhow, he is not a man whowould give up his purpose for any ordinary difficulties."

  It was decided not to leave the yacht till the morning. It can well beimagined then that the sleep of the boys that night was not as sound asusual. Both lay awake wondering what lay before them, and whether theywould succeed or fail in the mission, for that evening Mr. Jukes hadappointed them members of the expedition, and declared that he wouldrely upon them to the uttermost to aid him.

  It was then that Jack had made a suggestion. The yacht was to be left inthe harbor with a crew to guard her, but communication with her might beimportant, even necessary, if they were driven to some other part of thecoast and were unable to return to Bomobori.

  Jack's suggestion was that, with the spare parts of the ship's wireless,of which a big stock was carried, he should construct a portable radioapparatus by means of which they could at all times be in touch with theyacht. He had an idea that he could do this easily. Thurman, who hadbeen conducting himself in an irreproachable manner, could be left incharge of the _Sea Gypsy's_ plant with perfect safety, the boy feltconfident. And so, subject to his success with a portable set, it wasarranged.

  "This doesn't appear to be much of a town," observed Raynor, as they
landed the next day, a little before noon, in a warm, gentle shower ofrain such as frequently swept across the island at that time of theyear.

  "Well, you could hardly expect to find it a New York or London, youknow," rejoined Jack.

  In truth Bomobori was a very fair specimen of a town in that section ofthe world. Along the water front, back of which squatted a line oftin-roofed warehouses, were moored native craft from up the river withbamboo cabins and great lattice sails that housed a whole family ofnatives. In spite of the rain it was warm and steamy, and a strangeassortment of odors greeted their nostrils as the boat was run up to theprincipal dock and made fast.

  The population was a very mixed one. Pallid white men, who looked likeFrenchmen for the most part, rubbed elbows on the water front withChinese, Lascars, Malays, Javanese and the wild-looking Papuans from theinterior with their frizzed hair and ornamental cloaks of bird skins andlong spears. Here and there a stout German in white ducks waddled bywith a sun-helmeted Englishman. There appeared to be quite a lot oftrading going on.

  But they were anxious to hurry on to the hotel where Mr. Jukes hoped tobegin the inquiries which he was sanguine would result in his findinghis brother. The hostelry for which they were bound lay some squaresback from the water front. It was situated, like most tropical hotels,in a park in which flowers and shrubs of all kinds grew luxuriantly, andbright colored birds flew with harsh cries, like (bright) jewels, amongthe brilliant foliage. It was a two-story affair in front of which afountain plashed coolingly in the hot, heavy air. Verandas, upon whichevery room opened, completely surrounded each story.

  They entered the office where the hand baggage they had brought waspicked up by barefooted, white-garmented servants. Mr. Jukes was bendingover the register writing his name and those of his party when Jackcaught sight of somebody lounging in a bamboo chair in the reading roomthat nearly took his breath away.

  "Well, if that isn't----"

  "What is it, Jack?" asked Billy quickly.

  "Look at that chap there reading a paper. It's Donald Judson--DonaldJudson, as sure as you're a foot high!"

  CHAPTER XVIII.--DONALD JUDSON AGAIN.

  Jack was right; the boy sitting in the reading room was indeed theformerly ne'er-do-well son of the man who had headed the plot to stealthe naval code, though what he could be doing in Bomobori neither of theboys could guess. But so changed was he in appearance from theflashily-dressed, aggressively-conceited Donald Judson they had known,that for a moment both boys doubted the evidence of their eyes.

  Donald had always, in the past, been inclined to dudishness in hisclothes. Now his clothing was dilapidated and torn, his shoes were oldcanvas ones that looked ready to fall apart, and he had a scarecrow of abattered straw hat on his head.

  Moreover, his face was careworn and his cheeks hollow and one eyeappeared to have suffered a blow of some sort for it was blackened andswollen. Altogether he was a most woebegone looking specimen ofhumanity, and the boys wondered he was suffered about the hotel.Donald's presence there, however, was later accounted for, althoughthis, of course, the boys did not know, by a long tale of disaster andsuffering he had sustained while gold hunting in the interior. Donaldsaid he was expecting remittances from America and on this account hadbeen accommodated with quarters.

  "My gracious, what a change," exclaimed Billy under his breath. "Helooks like a regular scarecrow."

  "He must have been in mighty tough luck," rejoined Jack. "But what beatsme is what he is doing here. It's a very odd coincidence that we shouldrun into two of our old enemies on this trip."

  "It is, indeed. But see, he is looking at us. I suppose we ought tospeak to the poor chap."

  Donald had dropped his paper and was staring straight at the two lads asif they had been ghosts. Then he got to his feet and came toward them.

  "Jack Ready!" he exclaimed, "where did you come from?"

  "We might ask the same question of you, Judson," said Jack,"but--er--you'll excuse my saying so, but you look as if you'd been inhard luck lately."

  "I have been, oh I have been," said Donald, in a voice far differentfrom his old bragging one. "I got out of a job and shipped for a sailor.I'd heard it was a fine life. The ship I was on sailed away fromHonolulu while I was still ashore after overstopping my leave. Then Igot a job on a schooner that had a bad reputation, when I was nearlystarved, but I had to live somehow. The captain of the _South Sea Lass_was a brute. He----"

  "Here, hold on," cried Jack, seizing his arm which was thin and bony,"was his name Broom----"

  "Yes. 'Bully' Broom. He is little better than a pirate. He treated meworse than a dog, and finally, after blacking my eye, put me ashore hereseveral days ago. He----say, hold on, what's the matter?"

  Jack and Billy had seized him one on each side and were dragging himacross the floor of the hotel office.

  "There's somebody here we want you to tell your story to," explainedJack. "It'll be worth something to you, but be sure to tell the truth."

  "As if I could lie, no matter what I said about that wretch, 'Bully'Broom," declared Donald. "I'm sure he was mixed up in some illegalbusiness. Why we put into an island called the Pommer-Pommer----"

  "The Pamatous?" came from Billy.

  "That's it."

  "And some men were taken prisoners from a schooner called the_Centurion_?" demanded Jack.

  "Yes, but see here Ready, how in the world----?"

  "Never mind that. What became of those prisoners?"

  "He locked them up in cabins. He said that they were bad men and pearlrobbers and that he was bringing them to justice."

  "Did you ever talk with them?"

  "No; except one, and I never got a chance to say much to him. Broomwatched me very closely. He'd have murdered me if he'd thought that Iwas trying to pry into his affairs."

  "What was the name of the man you talked to?"

  "He was a kind of a leader of the party, I guess," was the reply. "Iused to take him his meals and there were precious few of those too, forwe were on short rations ourselves."

  "But his name--his name?" demanded Jack.

  "Oh, Flukes--something like that, anyhow. I never was good at names."

  "Was it Jukes?"

  "That was it," cried Donald, snapping his fingers.

  "Well, boys, what's the matter?" demanded the missing man's brother ashe finished with the register and turned amazedly to face his two youngfollowers grasping Donald's ragged figure on each side as if they had aprisoner in custody.

  "Mr. Jukes, this boy has seen and talked to your brother within the lasttwo weeks," was the announcement from Jack that sent the millionairestaggering back against the hotel desk, for once in his life giving wayto uncontrolled amazement.

  CHAPTER XIX.--HE TELLS A STRANGE STORY.

  "Bless my soul," he exclaimed, when he found breath, "you boys arealways digging up somebody. Who is this?"

  He regarded the ragged figure of the unfortunate Donald with somedisapprobation. Jack explained, and then Donald, stumbling andstuttering somewhat under Mr. Jukes' steady eye, told his story.

  "But you have not told us the most important part of it all," said themillionaire, as he concluded. "Where was my unfortunate brother taken toby this ruffian?"

  "That's just what I don't know, sir," rejoined the boy. "You see, theytook good care I shouldn't know too much about their operations. All Iknow is that I heard them saying something about 'up the river.'"

  "Meaning this river--the Bomobori?" asked Mr. Jukes.

  "I suppose so."

  "Do you know where the schooner is now?" was the millionaire's nextquestion, but Donald did not. All he knew was that, after landing him inBomobori, 'Bully' Broom had departed under cover of night. Where he hadheaded for was a mystery.

  Jack whispered something to the millionaire when Donald had concludedhis narrative and Mr. Jukes put his hand in his pocket and drew out somecoins. Then as he moved off Jack rather hesitatingly said to Donald:

  "Yo
u've had a hard time of it for money, I suppose?"

  "Hard? That's no name for it," exclaimed the other. "That rascal Broomnever gave me a cent, though when he shipped me he promised me wages. Ifyou hadn't arrived I don't know what I should have done."

  "Well, we are willing to let bygones be bygones," said Jack.

  "It wouldn't be fair to be rough on a fellow who is down on his luck,"muttered Donald rather grudgingly. "And--and I guess I've learned alesson, fellows."

  "By the way, Donald," said Jack, handing the boy the coins Mr. Jukes hadgiven him, "here is something from Mr. Jukes to help you along for thepresent. I am sure he will see to it that you do not suffer any morehardships in return for the valuable information you have given us."

  The destitute lad's face brightened wonderfully. The money--about twentydollars--was more than he had seen in a long time. He fingered the coinsgreedily.

  "I--I'm much obliged to you and to your friend, too," he muttered rathershamefacedly, "and--er--I'm sorry I ever played you mean tricks."

  "Never mind about that now," said Jack, cutting him short. "My advice toyou is not to hang about here, but to get a job on the first ship thattouches here and go home."

  "I'll go down to the shipping offices right now and see what the chancesare," promised Donald, and with a new spring in his step he started outof the hotel.

  "What a change," exclaimed Jack, when he had gone. "I never thoughtDonald Judson could become so humbled."