CHAPTER XVIII
FAILURE
"Boys, if you could only get moving pictures of the capture of thewreckers!"
Thus exclaimed Mr. Ringold when his two young employees told of theplans afoot and asked to be excused from work a little longer.
"It would be great," admitted Joe.
"But we'd need a powerful light," said Blake, "and if we had that itwould warn the men we're after."
"That's so," spoke the theatrical man. "I guess it's out of thequestion. But you have done such wonderful work so far, that I'd likeyou to keep it up. A film of the capture of wreckers would make anaudience sit up and take notice."
"I guess I'll have to invent some sort of a light that would make itpossible," put in Mr. Hadley; "but I'm afraid I can't have it readyto-night."
"Then you don't mind if we go?" asked Blake.
"No, indeed!" exclaimed Mr. Ringold, "and I wish you all success."
"It's going to be a dark night," remarked Blake, a little later, as heand Joe were on their way to the lighthouse. It was early evening, butthe sky was clouding over and a wind was coming up that sent the bigbillows bounding up on the sand with a booming noise like the dischargeof distant cannon.
"Yes, we'll have to sort of feel our way along," said Joe. "But I guesswe can find the place, all right."
"I hope so. But I wonder if the men will come back after the alarm wegave 'em?"
"That's hard to tell, Blake. And yet they might; for, though they sawus, they may think we were only a couple of lads out for a stroll, whoaccidentally stumbled on their hiding place. In that case they wouldn'tthink we'd give any alarm, and they'd go on with their plans."
"That's so. Well, we'll see what happens. I hope there aren't too manyof them, so that our men can handle them."
"That Tom Cardiff can get away with a couple on his own account, andwith the life saver, and the secret service men, not to mentionourselves, Blake, I guess we'll make out all right."
"I reckon you and I together, Joe, can account for at least one," andBlake looked quizzically at his chum.
"I feel almost as if I could handle one alone, when I think of how theygot my father into trouble," replied the other. "I'm going to give agood account of myself, if I get the chance."
"Same here. Well, there's the lighthouse just ahead, and two or threemen waiting for us. I guess they're the ones we are to go with."
This proved to be the case, and a little later the boys were repeatingto the life saver, and two secret service men, such parts of their storyas Mr. Stanton and Tom Cardiff had omitted or forgotten.
"Well, if we're all ready, we may as well start," proposed Sam Wilton,one of the government agents. The other was Jerry Boundley, while thename of the life saver was Frank Hale.
"Yes, it's quite a tramp," said Tom Cardiff, "and the wreckers may bethere now. Several small trading vessels are expected up the coast thisweek, and some may be due to-night. Though seeing that a storm is comingup, they may keep so far out from shore that they won't see the falselights, in case the wreckers try to work them.
"This is about as wicked a piece of work as could well be done, tryingto wreck vessels this way. A sailor has to depend absolutely on thelights, under certain conditions, and if they're wrong, it's likeleading a blind man into danger. So let's get after 'em and stop theirwork!"
The men well knew the way nearly to the place where the boys haddiscovered the wreckers at work, and so they would not have to rely onJoe and Blake to guide them until they were almost there.
"When you see that you are close to the place," said Tom Cardiff, "youboys go ahead, and we'll trail along after you. And keep mighty quiet,too. If we can catch these fellows actually in the act of showing afalse light, so much better for the chances of convicting them."
They went on in the darkness. Back of them, as they mounted the hillwhich ended in the high cliff, could be seen the flashing light tendedby aged Mr. Stanton.
"He's right on the job," remarked Tom Cardiff. "Even if he's an old manhe'll stay up all night to attend to that light, to see that it'strimmed properly, that the machinery is working, that there's oil in thereservoir, and that the lenses are clean. That light is just like a sonor daughter to him. He can't bear to have anything happen to it and thevery idea of any scoundrels trying to wreck vessels by means of a falsebeacon riles him up considerable."
"I should think it would," agreed Mr. Wilton. "Well, if we can catchthese fellows we'll put 'em where they can't do any more harm. And Ihope we'll get back in time, so Mr. Stanton won't have to stay up allnight."
"I hope so, too," put in Tom Cardiff. "He isn't equal to the task."
"We're getting close to the place now," said Blake, in a low voice alittle later.
"Then you boys come up here," ordered Tom Cardiff, who, in a measure,was a sort of leader. "And everybody keep quiet. Don't talk, except inwhispers, and make as little noise as you can."
Cautiously they advanced, the boys in the lead. The lads recognized,even in the darkness, some of the larger landmarks they had passed intheir flight that afternoon.
"Hold on a minute, and listen," suggested the life saver. "Maybe we canhear them talking."
They paused, but the only sound that came was the booming of the surf onthe rocks below.
"Can you see anything of a light?" asked Mr. Boundley.
"Not a thing," replied Joe, glancing all about him.
"Look up," directed Tom Cardiff. "That's the best way to locate a lightthat you can't see directly. You may catch its reflection on the nightmist."
But the night was black all around them. Not a gleam could they makeout. Once more they advanced until Joe and Blake recognized the placewhere they had been hiding, and whence they had looked into the openplace where the wreckers had been putting up their false light.
"It's here!" whispered Blake.
"Just ahead there," added Joe.
"Get ready, men!" exclaimed Tom Cardiff, in a tense whisper. "We'll rush'em before they know it--if they're here."
Stout clubs had been brought along in anticipation of a hand-to-handstruggle, it being decided that these weapons were best, safest and mosteffective at close quarters.
"All ready?" asked the leader.
"Yes--yes!" came the answers.
Blake leaned forward, cautiously parted the bushes and looked toward theopen space. He had heard nothing, and seen nothing, and yet he knew thatthe men might be hidden about, and that the lantern might not yet belighted.
"Come on!" cried Tom Cardiff, and together they leaped from their placeof concealment.
There was a moment of silence, and then a disappointed exclamation burstfrom the lips of the assistant lighthouse keeper.
"They're not here!" he declared. That was evident, for there had beenno response as the searchers burst out.
"Are you sure this is the place?" asked Mr. Wilton, turning to the boys.
"Positive," answered Joe.
"Here's the pile of rocks on which the lantern was set," added Blake.
"But there's no lantern here now," said Tom Cardiff.
"Then they've skipped!" declared the life saver. "They got suspiciousand left, taking the lantern with 'em!"