CHAPTER XIX
THE CACHE
Mr. Oliver came home soon after the boys' visit to the island, and whenhe had heard Harry's narration of their adventures he made him tell itover again in the presence of Mr. Barclay, whom he had brought back withhim. They were sitting in the log-walled kitchen in the evening withtheir chairs drawn up about the stove, and Mr. Barclay, holding his pipein his hand, listened gravely.
"Well," he said, when Harry had finished, "you seem to be considerablymore fortunate in these matters than I am. You have seen the schoonerseveral times, and other interesting things, while I haven't even had aglimpse of the man with the high shoulder yet. I suppose I'll have toadmit at last that I've been upon his trail for some time and have madesome progress."
"You might as well have admitted it in the beginning," retorted Harry."Some folks progress slow."
Mr. Barclay's eyes twinkled. "As a rule, it's difficult to hustle theGovernment of the United States, and I'm inclined to think the samething applies to that of other countries. However, as I said, we havegot ahead a little at the other end. For example, we have a tolerablyaccurate notion where the dope goes."
"Then why don't you corral everybody who has anything to do with it?"
Mr. Barclay's gesture seemed to beg the boy's forbearance.
"It's a sensible question. For one thing, strictly speaking, it's not myparticular business which is really to sit in an office and dictateinstructions most of the time. To some extent, these jaunts I've hadwith your father have been undertaken by way of innocent relaxation,although they may prove useful in case certain gentlemen send me along alist of peremptory questions on which they want reports. They do thingsof that kind now and then."
"I didn't think it was your business to take a smuggler by the neck andhaul him along to the sheriff," said Harry with a reproachful air."Still, you could call out your subordinates and send them off to roundup the dope crowd, couldn't you? There must be some official machineryfor doing that kind of thing."
"There is," assented Mr. Barclay, refilling his pipe. "The trouble isthat it makes a certain amount of commotion, and when silence isimportant you have to be careful how you set it to work. As a rule, it'swiser to have everything ready first. The most careful plans failsometimes if your assistants are more keen than judicious. That"--and hesmiled at the boys--"is why I was dubious about taking you into myconfidence before."
"Thank you, sir," said Harry with ironical courtesy. "Do you mind makingwhat you mean to do a little plainer?"
"I'll try. In the first place, smuggling doesn't seem to be considered acrime unless you're caught at it. In fact, a Government of any kind isgenerally looked upon as fair game, and few people think much the worseof a man who succeeds in doing it out of part of its revenue. How farthat idea's right or wrong doesn't concern me. What I must do is toprevent it from being acted on too often, and, taking the notion forgranted; we don't want to put the laugh upon ourselves if it can beavoided."
Harry made a sign of comprehension. "Still, if you sent your people downhere they should be able to corral part of the gang."
"I agree with you," Barclay answered dryly. "It's possible, anyway--butwhat would the result be? Three or four persons of no importance mightbe seized, the rest would get away with a warning, and our plans wouldall be sprung." Then the stout, good-humored man seemed to change, forhis expression suddenly hardened and a look which the boys had nevernoticed there before crept into his eyes. "No, sir. We want them all,and when we move we expect to gather in the whole rascally combination."
"How can we butt in?"
"With your father's permission, you might, in the first place, invite meto an evening's flight shooting."
"Wouldn't it be better to go across the island in the daytime with thedog and Jake and a couple of spades?"
"No," replied Mr. Barclay. "If my opinion's of any value, I don't thinkit would be wise. Besides, I understand that the best time for getting ashot at flighting ducks is in the twilight."
Miss Oliver laughed softly. "Enterprise is a good thing, and so isself-confidence," she broke in. "On the other hand, I fancy that one canhave too much of them, and a headstrong impatience is one of the faultsof the young West."
Mr. Oliver looked at Harry, who grew a trifle red.
"There's truth in that," he remarked. "On the whole it might be betterto leave all arrangements to the man in charge and just do what hesuggests."
"Sure," assented Harry, and as he offered no more suggestions the matterwas decided with a few more words.
Late in the next afternoon the boys set out with Mr. Barclay in thesloop, and as what wind there was blew off the land they crept alongclose in with the beach, which was high and rocky and shrouded withthick timber. When they drew abreast of the island the tide was higherthan it had been on the last occasion, but Mr. Barclay said that theyhad better leave the sloop in the little bay in front of them and crossthe channel in the canoe. He was a heavy man, and when he cautiouslydropped into the craft her stern sank ominously near the water.
"You'll have to get farther forward and sit quite still," said Harry ina tone of authority, but with an amused look.
He took his place astern with Frank, who picked up the other paddle, inthe bow, and a stroke or two drove them out into the rippling tide. Itwas growing dark, though the sky overhead was softly blue and there wasa glimmer of pale saffron around part of the horizon. To the eastwardthe moon was just appearing above a bank of cloud. The wind, which hadfreshened, blew very cold, and Frank shivered until the paddling warmedhim and he found that he could spare no thought for anything else. Thetide was running over the shallows with a ripple that splashedperilously high about the side of the deeply loaded canoe, and now andthen whirling eddies drove them off their course. Once, too, they ranaground, and Harry had to get in knee-deep to shove the craft off, whilewhen they approached the end of the island they had to struggle hard forseveral minutes against the stream which broke into little frothingwaves, during which the canoe got very wet. They came through, however,and reaching smoother water ran the canoe in and pulled her out, afterwhich Frank was about to walk off up the beach when Harry stopped him.
"One learns by experience, and I don't feel like swimming," he observed."We'll carry her right up and hide her in the bushes."
They did so with some difficulty and Harry afterward waited until Mr.Barclay spoke.
"We came out shooting," said the latter. "I don't see any reason why weshouldn't get a duck."
He turned to Harry, as if to ascertain whether he objected to this, butthe boy laughed.
"If you don't know of any, I needn't bother about the thing," heanswered. "There's a moderate breeze right off the beach and the gunscouldn't be heard far to windward."
"I'm not sure I'd mind them being heard if anybody chanced to be about.It might save the inquisitive stranger from wondering what we were doinghere, and the excuse strikes me as a nicer one than going swimming lateat night in front of a Siwash rancherie."
Harry chuckled. "Wait until you fall over your boot tops into a pool, orfollow a crippled duck through the water."
"I shall endeavor to avoid the first thing," said Mr. Barclay. "There'sa remedy for the other, so long as I've two assistants."
They went back to the beach and waited there some time until Frank hearda regular beat of wings, and a drawn-out wedge of dusky bodies appearedabove the trees dotted upon the sky. He was farthest from them and hewatched Mr. Barclay, who had brought a gun with him, standing, anindistinct, half-seen figure thirty or forty yards away. At last the manthrew up his arms, there was a quick yellow flash, a crash, and then asecond streak of flame leaping from the smoke. After that there followedtwo distinct and unmistakable thuds, and Frank pitched up his gun asHarry fired. He heard two jarring reports and running forward saw Mr.Barclay pick up a bird that had fallen almost at his feet.
"There's another over yonder," the latter remarked.
Harry found it in a minute or two and handed
it to him.
"One with each barrel!" he said, and added with a rueful laugh, "I don'tsee any more about."
"Then I think we'll take a look around the island," Mr. Barclayanswered.
He left the beach with the boys, but they dropped behind him and let himtake the lead when they reached the scrubby firs which were scatteredmore or less thickly about the rocky ground. Frank fancied that Harryhad some reason for doing this and the supposition was confirmed whenMr. Barclay stopped a moment beside a brake of withered fern and then,after stooping down, carefully skirted it as he went on again. The skywas clear, and though the moon was in its first quarter it shed a faintelusive light.
"That man can shoot, and it looks as if he was quite as smart at pickingup a trail," said Harry in a low tone. "Anyway, if I'd been looking fora stranger's tracks I'd have tried yonder fern and I'd have been asparticular not to smash any of it down as he was. I've an idea he musthave chuckled sometimes when I got guying him." He paused and addedthoughtfully, "It's the kind of fool thing you're apt to do unlessyou're careful."
After this they spent a considerable time wandering up and down aportion of the island, though Frank fancied that Mr. Barclay, who askedHarry a question now and then, had some purpose that guided him. Themoonlight was too dim and the shadows among the trees too dense for himto follow a trail steadily, but he seemed to be prospecting for likelyplaces where footprints or broken-down undergrowth might be found. Atlength they reached a little stony hollow, with a rock that rose somesix or seven feet on one side and dark firs clustering close about it.Here Mr. Barclay stopped and looked about him before he turned to Harry.
"Now," he said, "this is a spot that could be easily described andlocated by anybody who happened to be told about it. That rock wouldmake a first-class mark. If you had anything to bury for somebody elseto dig up, where would you put it?"
Harry walked about the place, stepping carefully upon the stones andavoiding the scattered underbrush, until he reached a clump of witheredfern.
"Right here," he replied, and kneeling down pulled some of the yellowfronds about. Then he looked up sharply. "This stuff's very dead andit's lying flat," he exclaimed. "Farther on the stems aren't broken andsome of them don't seem quite dried up yet."
Frank acknowledged that these were things he would not have noticed, butMr. Barclay nodded.
"Somebody else may have fixed on the same spot as you have done," hesaid. "It's possible, though I don't think it's more than that. Theremight be half a dozen similar places on the island, but if you'll handlethe fern carefully it wouldn't do any harm to make a hole."
They had brought a light spade with them, and after Harry had clearedthe ground Frank set to work with it. He had taken out only a fewshovelfuls of soil and shingle when he gave a cry of surprise as hestruck something that seemed more solid.
Harry and Mr. Barclay stooped down beside him. The latter struck a matchand lighted a piece of paper he took from his pocket, and before it wentout Frank had cleared the soil away from the top of a small wooden case.
"It's rather more than I could have reasonably expected," said Mr.Barclay, "but when you haven't much to act upon it's wise to make themost of what you've got and leave the rest to chance. Now you may aswell shovel that dirt back."
"Aren't you going to take the thing out?" Frank asked in astonishment.
"No," replied Mr. Barclay, "I don't think it's necessary. It wouldn't bethe first time I'd seen opium and we don't want to leave too plain atrail behind us. As we have spent some time on the island already,hadn't you better get to work?"
Frank flung back the soil and when he had finished Harry replaced theloose fern which he had carefully laid aside. He did not, however, seemsatisfied with the way he had arranged it and when he looked up at Mr.Barclay his manner was diffident.
"I'm afraid I can't do any better in the dark," he said.
"It will probably be dark when the next man comes along," Mr. Barclayanswered. "Anyway, the first breeze of wind or heavy rain willstraighten things up. In the meanwhile we'll get back to the sloop."
They turned away, but they had scarcely gone a hundred yards when Mr.Barclay put his hand into his pocket and stopped.
"I've dropped my pipe," he said. "It was rather a good one."
"Then I know where it is," Frank broke in. "You must have pulled it outwith the paper. I heard something fall, but I was too interested tobother about it. If you'll wait, I'll go back and get it."
The others sat down when he left them, but he spent some minutesscrambling about near the fern before the faint gleam of a silver bandupon the pipe caught his eye. Picking it up he turned back to rejoin hiscompanions, and a few moments later he reached an opening between thefirs by which they had left the hollow. The trees rose in black andshadowy masses on either side, but their ragged tops cut sharply againstthe sky, and a faint, uncertain light shone down into the gap betweenthem. Soon after he strode into it Frank stopped abruptly, for there wasa crackle of dry twigs and a soft rustle somewhere in front of him, andhe could think of no reason why Harry or Mr. Barclay should come back.If they had wanted him to do anything they could have called him.
He felt his nerves tingle as he stood and listened. The sound had ceasedand he could only hear the wind among the firs whose tops rustledeerily. But presently the unmistakable fall of a heavy foot came out ofthe shadows. Then he shrank back instinctively a pace or two into deepergloom, for there was no doubt that somebody was approaching, and whilehe waited a black figure appeared in the opening not far in front ofhim. The faint light was behind the man and he showed up against it dimand indistinct, but Frank realized that he was not Mr. Barclay. Helooked taller and less heavily built. Then the boy dropped noiselesslyand held his breath, for a brittle branch had cracked under him. Thestranger stopped and seemed to be gazing about him.
He moved on again, however, and Frank turned his face toward the ground,fearing that it might show white in the gloom, but it was only by adetermined effort that he held himself still and mastered the desire tocrawl back farther into the shadow. He knew that if he yielded to it hewould be on his feet in another moment and might break away into thebush or do something else which he would afterward regret. He realizedthat Mr. Barclay and Harry must have seen the stranger and had for somereason kept out of sight and let him go by.
In the meanwhile the man was drawing nearer and Frank made out that hewas carrying something. It seemed almost impossible that he could passwithout seeing the boy, and the effort it cost the latter to lie stillbecame more arduous. It would have been an unspeakable relief even tospring up and face the stranger with empty hands. Then he drew level,and once more Frank set his lips as he listened to the footsteps. Atevery moment he expected them suddenly to stop. They continued, however,and although, since he dared not turn, he could not see the man now, itwas clear that he had passed.
Frank waited a minute or two longer and then rose softly with a gasp offervent relief. He was annoyed to feel that he was still quivering withthe tension and he stood still a few moments to regain his composurebefore he went quietly back toward his companions. As he neared the spotwhere he had left them Mr. Barclay stepped out from behind a tree.
"You met that man?" he asked.
"Yes," said Frank, "that is, I saw him coming and kept out of the way.He walked close by me and I think he was carrying a spade."
"He was," Mr. Barclay assented. "I was afraid he might surprise you, butwe couldn't shout and warn you without alarming him, which I didn't wantto do for one or two reasons. We'll wait here until he's through withthe business that brought him."
He drew Frank farther back among the trees and soon after they sat downa faint rustling followed by a clatter of stones reached them from thehollow. There was no doubt that the man was digging up the case. Harry,who was lying near Frank's feet, moved restlessly and at length he rose.
"That fellow's certainly one of the gang," he said. "I don't see why weshouldn't get him. Frank and I could work around behind
the hollow andhead him off while you walk in."
"Well," said Mr. Barclay dryly, "what would follow?"
"You could have him sent up."
"I daresay I could. What would be the use of it?"
"You'd have got one of them, anyway."
"Sure," said Mr. Barclay, "and I'd have scared off all the rest. Isuppose I must be greedy, but I wouldn't be content with one bushchopper who probably only takes a hand in now and then. As I believe Itold you, I'm after the whole gang."
Harry said nothing further for a while, and then he stopped andlistened.
"He's coming back," he whispered.
The sound of footsteps came out of the shadow, and presently Frank sawa dusky figure pass among the trees carrying something upon its shoulderbesides the spade. They waited until there was silence again and thenmoved quietly back to the beach, from which they saw a canoe cross thechannel. Half an hour later they paddled across and duly reached thesloop.
"If that man had known she was here he would probably not have gone,"Mr. Barclay observed. "As he didn't see her when there was a littlelight left, it's reasonable to suppose he couldn't have noticed hercoming back in the dark, and on the whole I'm satisfied with the resultof the trip. But it might be better if you went somewhere else for yourflight shooting after this."
Then they set the mainsail and started back for the cove, keeping closein along the beach.