CHAPTER XII.
GRATTAN'S TRIUMPH.
Motor Matt understood the situation. The full realization came to himwith something like a shock. In some way Grattan had secured the aidof the owner and crew of the _Iris_ in carrying out his villainousdesigns. He had triumphed, for he had only to have Matt searched inorder to secure the ruby.
Philo Grattan was an educated fellow, and could be a man of pleasingaddress when he so desired. In almost any honest line of work he couldhave distinguished himself, for his ability was high above the average.Yet, like so many others equally gifted, he had been drawn toward alife of crime.
"Motor Matt," said he, in a tone and with a manner that was friendly,"we meet again. The pleasure, on your part, I presume, is unexpected,and perhaps of a doubtful quality, but so far as I am concerned, Iassure you that this renewing of our acquaintance leaves nothing to bedesired."
"Not a blessed thing," struck in Bunce, contorted with inward mirth,"sink me, if it does!"
Grattan dropped a heavy hand on the mariner's shoulder.
"Keep a still tongue in your head," he ordered sternly. "I'm able to dothe talking."
"Then," and Matt turned toward Pardo, "this is simply a plot you haveengineered to get me into the hands of Grattan?"
"Simply and solely," was Pardo's cheerful answer.
"Pardo is my friend," explained Grattan. "He lives in Albany, when he'sat home--but he's rarely at home. He has been fortunate, of late, insundry little ventures, and happened to be well supplied with money.No sooner had I lost my buckthorn cane, there in the old sugar camp,at Purling, and been made aware of the fact that the Eye of Buddha hadbeen found, than I communicated with friend Pardo. I had met him inAlbany on my way to the Catskills, so I knew he was at home. He met mein my temporary camp, and agreed to charter the _Iris_ to help me downthe river and out of the country after I had got back the ruby. The_Iris_, together with a crew of men on whom we can depend, has beenawaiting my convenience for the past two days. Of course," and Grattanshowed his teeth in a smile, "my friend's name is not Pardo, any morethan mine is Grattan, or than this salt-water bungler on my left isnamed Bunce."
Although Matt followed Grattan closely, he had, at the same time, beencovertly using his eyes.
The door leading into the stateroom behind him was closed. On the otherside of it he knew there was one brawny ruffian, and perhaps two.Beyond the saloon's forward bulkhead he could hear the purring motor.There, he inferred, was the engine room and the galley, with anotherman who could be "depended on." At the steering and engine controls onthe after deck was surely another man, and probably one on the deckoverhead.
He and McGlory were hemmed in on all sides. There must have been,counting those in the saloon, all of seven or eight men against them.So far as Matt could see, the case was hopeless.
Matt's covert looks had not escaped the keen eyes of Grattan. Thescoundrel seemed able to read even the young motorist's thoughts.
"Don't think of escape, Motor Matt," said he. "That is entirely out ofthe question. Neither you nor your friend are in any danger. I thinktoo highly of you to rob the world of so much talent and ingenuity.Let us have another friendly and intimate chat such as we had in theold sugar camp. I do not object to telling you things of great momentto me, because I have already taken measures to make the knowledgeharmless. I escaped from the sugar camp, did I not? And all I told youthen did not in any way hamper me in proceeding with my plans. I amwilling to be equally frank now, in the hope that you, on your part,will give me some of your confidence.
"You thought Tsan Ti, the mandarin, had started for San Francisco withthe ruby. Orientals are crafty. He gave it out that he was going to SanFrancisco, and immediately started for New York. I had him followedfrom the Hotel Kaaterskill, and shadowed while in New York. The manwho served me was clever, but not clever enough to keep Tsan Ti fromlearning that he was under espionage. The mandarin became nervous. Hedid not appeal to the police, as his heathen mind counsels him to havenothing to do with the peace officers who serve the foreign devils. Buthe had his man, Sam Wing, and other Chinamen, continually guard him.One of these Chinamen was faithless. Some of my money, expended by theman I had set to watch Tsan Ti, bought him. This Chinaman was CharleyFoo, and he betrayed the mandarin's trust for the sum of ten silverdollars.
"Charley was in the room with Tsan Ti when the ruby was boxed, wrappedand addressed to Motor Matt. Charley, also, went with Tsan Ti and SamWing to the express office, and saw the package sent. Then, quitenaturally, Charley told my man, and my man telegraphed Pardo atHudson, and Pardo got the message to me, out there in that lonelyravine.
"Then I began rehearsing Bunce in his part. Bunce is a naturalblockhead, and I was three hours teaching him what he was to say anddo. As an example of his folly, I will say that it was Bunce who stolethe speeder. The owner of the machine was inspecting a bit of sidingthat wound around a low hill. The speeder was on the main track. AllBunce had to do was to get aboard, switch on the gasoline and thespark--and there you are. But why did we need the speeder when we hadtwo good motorcycles? Bunce can't tell. He doesn't know. He has a lowmind, and the itch to steal unimportant things runs in his blood--andhas more than once proved embarrassing to me.
"However, I saw a chance to use the speeder in beguiling you to myravine. The motorcycles would only have carried two, and there wereto be three of you, including Bunce. Besides, the machines might havearoused your suspicions. So the speeder was used, and Pardo went overthe hill with Bunce and helped him hide the speeder within an arrowflight of the Catskill railroad yards.
"Bunce took a risk. He knew it. I impressed upon him the fact that, ifhe did not carry out his programme with earnestness, you would make aprisoner of him and turn him over to the police. We knew Tsan Ti hadwritten that you must keep the ruby about you, and leave it nowherefor security. I flattered myself you would bring the gem with you,concealed somewhere upon your person. But Pardo, wearing clothes whichmade him look vastly different, saw you leave the little box with thehotel clerk. Instantly Pardo ran ahead of you to the place where Buncewas waiting, and told him. The seeming failure of our plans threw Bunceinto a panic--you can expect so little of Bunce in a pinch!--and hewould have thrown over the whole matter, then and there, had not Pardoadvised him. 'Take them out into the hills,' said Pardo, 'and leavethem stranded there while you get away to the ravine and tell Grattan.Grattan will know what to do.' And Grattan did."
An ironical smile crossed the face of the strange man, and he paused aspace. When he continued, his manner was again easy and vivacious.
"Ah, those section men! They helped gain time for me, and affordedBunce his opportunity to get away from you. Bunce fled--you know how.He came to me and told me about the box, the box Motor Matt had leftwith the hotel clerk to be put in the safe. A fountain pen and a sheetof letter paper sufficed for the letter. I have seen your written name,Motor Matt, and when I have once seen a person's handwriting, I cancopy it from memory after a lapse of one year or ten. Some say it is agift.
"We had sharp work ahead of us, Bunce and I. We rolled out of theravine on our motorcycles, gained the river bank below Catskill andsignaled the _Iris_. Pardo came ashore in the tender, and he loaned ushis motor-man for the work that claimed us. You know how he got thebox, and we know what it contained--cotton wadding, but no ruby. MotorMatt, I could have shaken your hand and congratulated you--if you hadbeen near and I had had time.
"A few rebuffs are what I need to bring out the best that is in me.Quick as a flash I thought of the motor-man's sick father in Buffalo,and Pardo's call at your hotel to get you to take the _Iris_ to NewYork. Shall I call it an inspiration? I believe it amounted to that.
"Bunce and I, snugged away in this saloon, slept and waited for theissue of our scheming. Pardo came to report that you would be aboardthe _Iris_ at eight-thirty. I was almost sure of success, but notcertain. You have a way, Motor Matt, of disappointing people like me,and I was not counting positively upon success until I had you
in myhands.
"Well, here you are. I have only the kindliest feelings toward you, butyou know what I want, and what I want, in this instance, I am going tohave."
Grattan got up and stood beside the table, a superb figure of a manwhose head just cleared the deck above.
"I have devoted time, and study, and faced dangers innumerable," heproceeded, betrayed into passionate vehemence, "to secure the Eye ofBuddha! I have beaten down every obstacle, and secured the stone onlyto lose it; now it is mine again, mine. Motor Matt," and he stretchedout his hand, "I will trouble you for the Eye of Buddha!"