Finding the Lost Treasure

  CHAPTER XXV LOBSTER POTS

  "What are you doing with those?" demanded a rough voice so suddenly thatDesire dropped the marker she held, and gave a little scream, while Renerolled over and lay with his head on the unfortunate jellyfish. Jack, theonly cool person of the group, replied quietly, "Getting them ready tosink."

  "You get yourself ready to go along with me. These belong to SimonDenard, and you've no right to touch 'em. So come along."

  The man laid a heavy hand on Jack's arm, and attempted to jerk him offsomewhere.

  "I know they belong to Simon," replied Jack. "We're friends of his, andhe has lent us the place for a few weeks. We're going to live here, mysister and I." Jack gazed calmly into the dark, determined face and keenblack eyes confronting him.

  Desire was too frightened to utter a word, and stood at her brother'sother side, holding fast to his coat. Rene suddenly recovered his voiceand began to cry.

  "Hush your noise!" ordered the man, without turning his head; and sogreat was the child's astonishment that he really _did_ stop.

  "There's no need of getting excited about this," said Jack. "You caneasily prove that I'm telling the truth if you'll ask Mrs. Chaisson,Simon's daughter, and--"

  "I've no time to be running to Yarmouth; and it's a likely story anyway,"answered the man shortly.

  None of them saw Rene get up and run toward the road, where he saw a manpassing by; so when he now hurried across the sand as fast as his shortlegs could move, dragging his captive by the arm, they all looked up inastonishment.

  "Hullo!" cried the newcomer, "what's the matter here, Marvine?"

  "The young fellow claims old Simon lent him the outfit. Did you everhear--"

  "Maybe he did," interrupted the other man indifferently, his blue eyesroaming from one face to another. "Saw all these folks here yesterdaywith the old man and his daughter."

  "Did, eh? Well, maybe it's as he says then," letting go of Jack's arm ashe spoke. "How'd you happen to be stopping here?"

  "The kid dragged me off the road saying someone was going to carry awayhis brother."

  "Well," said the man called Marvine, turning to Jack and Desire, "sorryto have bothered you. No harm meant. Was only looking out for Simon'sthings."

  "Quite all right," replied Jack. "I suppose you do have to be careful."

  The two strangers strode out to the road again without further farewell,and were soon lost to sight. Desire sank down on the sand as if she couldnot stand another minute.

  "I'm most awfully sorry you were so frightened, dear," said Jack, sittingdown beside her and taking her hand in his, while Rene piled on top ofhis brother, crying exultantly, "I saved you, Jack; didn't I?"

  Desire soon recovered her composure and got up to continue her work; butalthough he did not comment on the fact, Jack saw that her hands werestill a bit shaky. Presently he suggested--"Hadn't you better go in andstart supper, Dissy? Rene can help me finish here."

  "Sure," agreed the small boy importantly. "I can help Jack."

  Desire went in, and the two boys sank the pots and set the markers, Jackof course doing most of the work, but Rene fully convinced that hisbrother could never have managed without his aid.

  "There are some other pots right next to where Simon told me to putours," observed Jack, as they were finishing supper.

  Rene was so sleepy that he had left the table and curled himself up in anold rocker to take a nap.

  "Oh, I do hope that they don't belong to either of those awful men whowere here this afternoon," said Desire with a shudder.

  "They're rough, of course, but they weren't really so bad, Desire. Theyhave to protect their interests, and of course were looking afterSimon's. I hardly think, though, that either of them is our next-doorneighbor. The hut beyond here looks deserted, but the pots and markersare there all right."

  Desire took the tiny bedroom, and the boys had a couple of cots in theother room. Everybody was tired out with the unaccustomed work andexcitement, and slept heavily until far later than usual. Jack, who wasthe first to waken, looked across at the other cot to see if Rene wasstill asleep, and was astonished to see that the cot was empty.

  "Now where is that rascal?" he thought, crossing the room to the outsidedoor, which was ajar.

  He glanced out and saw his brother calmly playing in the sand a shortdistance from the hut.

  "Don't go any farther away, Renny," he called softly, hoping not todisturb Desire.

  "No," replied the child, vigorously slapping the sand into shape.

  "What's the matter?" called Desire, who had wakened instantly at thesound of his voice.

  "Nothing at all. Renny got up ahead of us and went out to play in thesand. He's quite all right."

  "But what time is it?"

  "You'd never guess. It's eight o'clock."

  "Why, Jack, how dreadful!"

  "Not at all; it's quite all right. There's nothing to hurry us here. Takeyour time. I'll set the coffee on."

  "We're certainly fashionable folk this morning," laughed Desire when,half an hour later, the three sat down to breakfast. "Renny, your feetare all wet," as the child's foot touched her under the table. "Let mesee."

  "No!"

  "Rene," ordered Jack, "turn and stick your feet out."

  Slowly, most reluctantly, the boy obeyed; and Desire exclaimed withdismay. He was wet to the waist. Their backs had been turned when he camein, and he had slid into his place at the table with all possible haste.

  "How did you get like that?" asked Jack, but Rene only hung his head.

  "Answer me, Renny."

  "Went in the water."

  "But haven't I told you _never_ to go into the water alone?"

  The child nodded.

  "You'll have to go back to bed," decreed his brother sternly, getting upfrom the table. "Sit still," he directed Desire. "I'll attend to him."

  "Hadn't you better put him in my room?" she asked.

  "If you don't mind," replied Jack, leading the reluctant youngster fromthe room.

  After a short interval he returned to resume his interrupted breakfast,saying as he sat down, "After we finish I'll take him something. It willdo him no harm to wait a while. He's certainly always getting intodifficulties."

  "But it's quite a while now since he has done anything really bad,"objected Desire; "and he loves the water so, it must be quite atemptation."

  "I know, but his going in like this by himself might result in seriousconsequences; and I intend to keep him in bed most of the day. But youdon't need to stay in the house all the time. He's perfectly safe herealone, and I'm sure he won't get up without permission. I laid heavypenalties on such a procedure."

  At this point there was a sharp knock at the door, and when Jack openedit, a short, grey-bearded man stood before them. Not liking the look inthe stranger's eyes, Desire crossed the room and stood beside herbrother. Were all the people they were to meet on this ventureundesirable? How she wished they had never heard of the lobster business!