CHAPTER XVI.
CONCLUSION.
As day followed day and week followed week, bringing no sign of anyfurther trouble with the Sons of the Rising Sun, Motor Matt and hisfriends realized that, beyond all doubt, they had worsted their wilyfoes, and perhaps had taught them a lesson which they could ponderwisely.
At Panama, which was almost the same as United States soil, the boystook shore leave, turn and turn about. From this place Matt sent acablegram to Captain Nemo, Jr., at Belize.
"On the last leg of our journey. All well and _Grampus_ as fit as a fiddle. Telegraph me at Acapulco."
"Too bad that old canal wasn't finished," observed Dick, as the_Grampus_ left Panama, "at the time we left Belize. We could have comethrough it, if it had been, and saved a month's time and all thatmix-up with the Japs."
"That wasn't the point, Dick," spoke up Glennie. "This trip has been inthe nature of a try-out for the _Grampus_. The government wanted to seewhat she could do--and I guess the government will know when my log isread at headquarters."
"You're giving us a good report, Glennie?" laughed Dick.
"As good as I can make it."
"Then that means a sale of the boat, without a doubt."
"I understood that my report was to be final. I've had the cruise ofmy life with you motor boys, and I almost hate to reach San Francisco,because we'll have to separate there."
"You're an A One comrade, Glennie," said Matt heartily, "and you neednever look for a pal while this outfit of motor boys is around."
"My sentiments to a t, y, ty," averred Dick.
"Und mine, too, py shinks!" cried Carl.
Glennie was deeply touched. At the beginning of the cruise there hadbeen some hard feelings between him and Dick and Carl, but as they hadcome to know each other better the unpleasantness had worn away.
All four of the lads were now loyal friends, having undergone perilsand dangers shoulder to shoulder, and so each had tried the other's andhad not found them wanting.
At Acapulco Matt was confidently expecting to receive a message fromCaptain Nemo, Jr. In this, however, he was disappointed. There was nomessage for him. Matt could not understand the reason and was prone tothink dire things.
"Captain Nemo, Jr., would surely have answered that message I sent himfrom Panama," said Matt, "providing he had received it."
"Sure he would," agreed Glennie; "and the fact that you did not get ananswer is proof that the captain did not receive your message."
"Aber vy ditn't he receif id?" asked Carl.
"That's the point that alarms me, friends," went on Matt gloomily. "Youknow we left the captain sick at Belize; too ill, in fact, to come withus on the _Grampus_. We haven't heard a word from him since the cruisebegan, and it may be that his sickness terminated fatally."
This thought cast a depression over the motor boys. Captain Nemo, Jr.,was a good friend of theirs, and all of them liked him. The _Grampus_was the triumph of the captain's career, and if he was to be strickendown just as the boat, in charge of the motor boys, was to passsuccessfully through the Golden Gate, the elation Matt and his friendswould otherwise feel must give way to dejection and sorrow.
The victory of this successful cruise was entirely theirs, but the lossof Captain Nemo, Jr., would rob the victory of all pleasure for them.
But the gloom that accompanied the submarine from Acapulco northwardwas lost in rejoicing at San Diego; for no sooner had the _Grampus_anchored in the bay off the latter place than no less a person thanCaptain Nemo, Jr., himself, rowed out and came aboard.
The captain was well and hearty, and his delight in welcoming the boyswas boundless.
He looked over the boat and complimented all hands on her efficiencyafter such a long cruise--the longest and hardest any submarine hadever made; and in the periscope room, until long into the night, thecaptain sat wide-eyed and absorbed, listening to the adventures ofthose whom he had commissioned to take the _Grampus_ from Belize toMare Island.
When all had had their say, and the recital was done, there followed aperiod of silence. The captain was the first to speak.
"A hundred thousand dollars, my lads, is a great deal of money; butif I had been able to look ahead and learn what dangers were to besetyou on your long journey, I would not have allowed you to startfor a million. I had some inkling of this Japanese business, for Iwas offered two hundred thousand for the _Grampus_ by the Japanesegovernment. I chose to deal with the navy department of my own country,even at a direct pecuniary loss to myself. My refusal to sell to theJaps brought a threatening letter from the Sons of the Rising Sun, butI treated it with contempt. I should have taken you into my confidenceregarding this Japanese matter before you left Belize, but I thought itof no moment and hesitated to alarm you by even mentioning it."
"It's all but over now, captain," laughed Matt lightly, "and I thinkwe are all of us better for the experience. I know I wouldn't sell thebenefit that has accrued to me from this cruise for a lot of money."
"Nor I," said Dick.
"Me, neider," chirped Carl.
"Let me go on record, too," put in Glennie.
"I'm glad you all feel in that way about it," said the captain.
"By the way," asked Matt, "why didn't you answer the cablegram I sentyou from Panama, captain?"
"Principally because I never received it," was the smiling response."Where did you address the message, Matt?"
"To you, at Belize."
"Why, I left Belize a week after you did! It was my intention all alongto leave Central America, work up into the States, and then meet youhere and take the last lap of the cruise with you."
"It was a mighty big relief to see you come aboard at this port," saidMatt. "I hadn't the least idea what was the matter."
"You had a guess that I had taken the One-way Trail, hadn't you, Matt?"jested the captain.
"I didn't know but that might have happened."
"In that event," said the captain, "I had already made a will wherebyyou boys were to receive the whole amount to be paid by the government.So, you see, my being alive has cost you a pretty pile."
"The money doesn't count, captain," declared Matt stoutly.
"No? Well, money usually counts in this world, Matt--in fact, it cuts apretty wide swath in every direction."
"It is secondary, captain, to the idea of 'making good.' When we leftBelize I vowed that we'd make good and prove that your confidence inus wasn't misplaced. We've all had that in mind before anything andeverything else."
"It's a good trait in you," replied the captain, "and in any young man,to love a piece of work for itself, and, money apart, centre every hopeon making a success of it. That's the spirit that brings its reward,not only in money, but in self-approval, which is something money can'tbuy. Every one who went around South America on the _Grampus_ willfind, I think, that I know how to be grateful; this, while of secondaryimportance to the consciousness of duty well performed, will be asubstantial acknowledgment of the debt I hold myself under to all ofyou.
"In San Francisco the _Grampus_ will be sold. The motor boys willgo one way, Captain Nemo, Jr., another way, and Speake, Gaines, andClackett still another. But I hope that this will not be the last ofour associations, but that we shall sometime come together again andrenew our friendships, which have been so firmly woven together by thiscruise of the _Grampus_, and the persistent and successful effort ofthe king of the motor boys to _make good_."
With the hearty echoes this sentiment received still lingering inour ears, the hour seems propitious for taking leave of Matt and themotor boys, while they are at the threshold of another of their manyvictories.
THE END.