CHAPTER VII.
A PLAN THAT FAILED.
Motor Matt was as profoundly surprised at the way matters were fallingout as were McGlory and Lorry. As McGlory had said, fate seemed to haveselected Matt for the particular work of recovering Lorry's money.
"This is luck!" whispered Lorry. "If you can get back that money forme, Motor Matt, I'll give you five dollars."
"Don't strain yourself, George," grinned McGlory.
"I will," declared Lorry. "But you've got to get it back to-night.There's a boat for the Sandwich Islands to-morrow, and that's the one Iwas planning to take."
"You're not going to emigrate, George," asserted McGlory. "We need youright here in the United States for a spell yet."
Matt gave the cowboy a swift and expressive look.
"I think, Joe," said he, "that Lorry has been dictated to too much.Leave him alone and let him make his plans."
McGlory stared incredulously.
"That's the talk," expanded Lorry, puffing up like an angry tomtit."I'd been bossed altogether more than was right or necessary. Fromthis on I'm my own master. You've got a little sense, Motor Matt. Igive you credit for that, anyhow."
"Thanks," answered Matt, with an irony so slight Lorry let it getpast him. "Will you stay right here in this hotel while Joe and I aregetting the money for you?"
"Sure, I will! But I want it to-night."
"We'll get it as quick as we can. Red-whiskers, otherwise John Smith,may not have it about him, so it may be some time before we can layhands on it."
Lorry's face fell at this.
"You'll get it, though, won't you? You've got to get it. Do that for meand I'll give you five dollars apiece."
"Fine!" rumbled McGlory, with a wink at Matt. "If George's generosityever strikes in it'll bother him worse than the measles. How didRed-whiskers know we were here, pard?"
"Probably he traced us through the _Sprite_," answered Matt. "He foundthe launch at the foot of Clay Street, and Ping must have heard us tellthe cab driver to drive us to the Bixler House. Ping, of course, toldthe fellow."
"And he sent the boy with a note, knowing it wasn't healthy to comehimself!" crowed McGlory, slapping his hands. "The old rooster didn'tknow how we had tangled up with George--Ping didn't tell him that."
"We haven't much time to work our plan, Joe," said Matt, starting forthe door. "You'll stay right here Lorry, until you hear from us?"
"Of course," answered Lorry. "All I want is that money. Get it so I cansail for Honolulu to-morrow."
"We'll do the best we can," replied Matt, as he and McGlory left theroom and the hotel.
"You've got me guessing good and plenty, pard," said the cowboy, whilehe and Matt hurried toward the water front and the foot of Clay Street."It wouldn't be right to let George pull out for furrin parts."
"Of course not!" answered Matt.
"But you told him----"
"That he had been dictated to too much. You see, Joe, I wanted toreassure him, as much as I could, so he'd be sure and stay at thehotel. After we recover the money we can do with that cousin of yourswhatever we think best."
"That's you! Shucks! Now, I reckon, you understand how much tact I'vegot. But George--say, ain't he the limit? But he'll not be absent awhole lot at the wind-up, I can promise you that. I'm in this to helpUncle Dan and Aunt Mollie, and you can bet your moccasins that whatGeorge wants or don't want won't cut much of a figure in the finalscramble. But, tell me: Do things always come your way, like this? Asthis business opens up more and more, the strangeness of it makes myskin get up and walk over me with cold feet."
"Well," laughed Matt, "just so you don't get 'cold feet' yourself."
McGlory chuckled.
"I come from a country," said he, "where it's too hot for chilblains.But what's the plan?"
"We'll get a policeman," answered Matt, "and have him keep in thebackground while we're talking with Red-whiskers. As soon as we're surehe's the man we want, we'll signal for the officer to come forward andtake him in tow."
"Keno! We'll let the law juggle with Red-whiskers. But wouldn't ithave been better to let the law get in its work at Turk Bremer's?There'd be plenty of light there so we could see what's doing."
"Those dives on the 'Front' are dangerous places, Joe, and it's wellfor us to leave them alone. As it is, we'd better walk in the middle ofthe road when we get to Clay Street."
"Surely, surely. I reckon your head's as level as they make 'em. How amI for a pard, anyhow?"
"A One," said Matt heartily.
"Shake!" cried McGlory, and they stopped to seal their friendship witha cordial grip.
When close to the "Front" they encountered a policeman and told him asmuch as necessary in order to get him to lend a helping hand.
"If we're going to make an arrest," demurred the officer, "we ought tohave a warrant."
"There's no time for that, officer," said Matt.
"Well, let me see that note this chap you call Red-whiskers sent by theboy."
Matt passed it over, and the policemen withdrew into the glare of astreet lamp to read it.
"This here is pretty good evidence that you're handin' me a straightstory," said the officer, returning the note, "but I'm a gopher if I'dhelp you on such a showing if it wasn't that you're Motor Matt. Yourpicture was in the papers"--here he gave Matt a swift sizing--"andthere's no doubt but you're the fellow. Heave ahead, and don't pay anyattention to me. When I'm needed just yell 'Come on!' and I'll be inthe game before you can say scat."
Matt and McGlory continued on, taking the middle of the street untilthey reached the "Front." Here, as they passed along the docks withtheir masses of shipping, they kept a sharp watch for the man they wereseeking. For some distance they followed the docks without success,passing the dozing form of Ping Pong curled up at the foot of the postto which the _Sprite_ was moored. Ping did not see them, and they didnot let him know they were passing.
"The Chink stacks up pretty well for a heathen," commented McGlory;"and he's bound to go on your pay roll, Matt, whether you want him ornot. If he was any----"
"Hist!" warned Matt, his quick eye observing a dark figure emergingfrom the shadows on the right.
The form came close and halted in front of the two boys, not far froma flickering light. It was the form of a tall man, in a slouch hat anddark, respectable clothes. He had a beaklike nose and red whiskers,but it was too dark for the boys to see the mole mentioned by Lorry.However, there was no doubt about his being the man.
"Motor Matt?" inquired the stranger briefly.
"Yes," replied Matt.
"Well, I'm the man that wants the trunk check. The railroad peoplewon't let me have the trunk unless I pass over that brass tag. Mightyaccommodatin' set, I must say."
"Is your name John Smith?"
"Didn't I put that to the note?" demanded the other. "What's that gotto do with it, anyhow?"
"Not much, but I'd like to have you tell me where Ross and Kinky are,and----"
The fellow muttered an oath and jumped back. His hand, at the sameinstant, darted toward his hip pocket.
Matt had mentioned "Ross" and "Kinky" merely to make assurance doublysure. The man's actions proved that he was one of the three thieves,and that he had come prepared for anything that might develop to hisdisadvantage.
McGlory, watching Red-whiskers like a hawk, jumped for him and grabbedthe hand that was reaching for his hip. Matt likewise jumped forward.
"Come on!" he cried to the officer.
A tramp of running feet was heard--but the sounds came from twodirections, from behind the red-whiskered man and also back of Matt andMcGlory.
Another moment and Matt saw two figures leaping out of the heavyshadow. One of them came on toward the place where the boys werestruggling with Red-whiskers and the other turned aside and set uponthe policeman. Matt heard a scuffle, a sound of angry voices, and thena _thump_ as of a savage blow.
Before he could draw a full breath, a heavy fist had struck him in theshoulder and
thrown him reeling backward.
"It's a fall!" panted a husky voice. "Cut for it, on the double quick.The launch--it's the only thing for us."
Three figures leaped away along the docks. They were the three men,Red-whiskers, Kinky, and Ross--for, in Matt's mind, it was clear thatthe two latter had been in hiding, waiting to help their pal if heneeded it.
The suggestion about the launch aroused Matt's fears for the _Sprite_.He started toward the place where the launch was moored, but haltedwhen he saw the three men vanishing in another direction.