The Adventure Club Afloat

  CHAPTER XI

  PURSUIT

  Whatever had happened, one fact was plain, and that was that the smallerof the two cruisers was not swinging at anchor where they had left her.Nor could they see her anywhere. That she had dragged her anchor wasimpossible, since the harbour was almost land-locked and the night wasstill, with hardly enough breeze to stir the water. After the first fewminutes of stunned surprise the twelve boys, gathered on the_Adventurer_, held council. It was Phil who eventually summed up thesituation quietly and tersely as follows:

  "The boat's gone. She isn't in the harbour, because if she were we couldsee her. Either she's been taken off as a joke or stolen. I can'timagine anyone doing it as a joke. In any case it's up to us to findher. We went ashore about eight, and it's now ten to eleven. It'sprobable that whoever swiped her waited until we were safely ashore andout of the way. I mean, they probably allowed us at least half an hour."

  "They were probably watching us," suggested Steve.

  "Why didn't they take this one instead of the other?" asked Cas Temple.

  "Perhaps," replied Steve, "because they found the control locked. Allthey had to do on the _Follow Me_ was break the padlock on the companionway doors. Still, that's just a guess. They may have preferred the_Follow Me_ for some other reason."

  "Never mind that," said Joe impatiently. "The question now is how we'reto find her. Go ahead, Phil."

  "I was going to suggest that we inquire among the other boats betweenhere and the harbour entrance. Two or three still have lights aboard.Maybe they saw the _Follow Me_ pass out."

  "Somebody look after the tenders," said Steve briskly. "Haul ours outand tie the other astern. Give her a short line, so she won't switcharound and fill with water. All ready, Joe?"

  Five minutes later the _Adventurer_ slid through the still water towardthe mouth of the harbour. On her way she stopped twice to shoutinquiries, and the second time a sleepy mariner, leaning, in pajamasacross the rail of a small launch, supplied the information they sought.

  "Yes, there was a cruising motor-boat went by about nine, or a littleafter, headed toward the Pier Head. I didn't notice her much, but shewas painted dark. Come to think of it, it must have been pretty nearlyhalf-past, for I remember hearing three bells strike just afterwards."

  "You didn't see her after she went by here?" asked Steve.

  "No, I was getting ready for bed and saw her through a port. Anythingwrong?"

  "Nothing," replied Steve dryly, "except that she belongs to us andsomeone's evidently stolen her. Thanks very much. Good night."

  "Good night," was the answer. "I hope you get her."

  "Well, we know she got this far," said Joe, "but--um--which way did theytake her when they got outside?"

  "That's the question," said Harry Corwin. "They might have gone acrossto Provincetown and around the Cape, or taken her up the shore or down.I guess the best thing for us to do would be to hike back and give thealarm. If we telegraphed--"

  "She went north," said Phil with conviction.

  "How do you know?" demanded Joe.

  "I don't _know_, but think a minute. If you were stealing a boat you'dwant to keep out of sight with her, wouldn't you?"

  "Suppose I should."

  "Then you wouldn't mess around in Cape Cod Bay. You'd set a course asfar from other craft and harbours as you could. If they went souththey'd be among boats right along, and they'd know that we'd work thewires and that folks would be on the lookout."

  "Then where," began Steve.

  "Let's look at the chart from here north," said Phil. The cover of thechart box was thrust back and the lamp lighted and as many as could doso clustered about it. Phil traced a finger across Massachusetts Baypast the tip of Cape Ann. "There's clear sailing for ninety miles or so,straight to Portland, unless--How much gas has she aboard, Harry?"

  "Only about twelve gallons." It was Tom Corwin who answered. "We weregoing to fill again in the morning."

  "How far can she go on that?"

  "Not more than seventy at ordinary speed, I guess. She's hard on gas."

  "Good! Then she'd have to put in at Gloucester or Newburyport orsomewhere."

  "Unless she ducked into Boston Harbour," said Steve. "I dare say shecould tuck herself away somewhere there quite safely. A coat of whitepaint would change her looks completely."

  "That's possible," agreed Phil, "but painting a boat of that size wouldtake a couple of days, wouldn't it? It doesn't seem to me that they'dwant to take the chance."

  "Then your idea is that they're on their way to Portland?"

  "Somewhere up there. They'd argue that we wouldn't be likely to look forthem so far away."

  "Well, here we are," said Steve. "We've got to go one way or another."The rougher water outside was making the _Adventurer_ dip and roll. "Asfar as I can see, Phil's theory is as good as another, or maybe better.Shall we try going north, fellows?"

  No one answered until, after a moment's silence, Perry remarkedphilosophically: "I don't believe we'll ever see her again, but we can'tstop here, and we were going northward anyhow."

  Murmurs of agreement came from the others. The only dissentient voicewas Bert Alley's. "_I_ don't see your argument," he said. "If I had swipedthe _Follow Me_ I'd hike out for New York or some place like that andrun her into some little old hole until I could either change her looksor sell her."

  "And be nabbed on the way," said Joe.

  "Not if I stayed at sea."

  "But you couldn't stay at sea if you had only twelve gallons of gasolineaboard. Wherever she's going, she will have to put in for gas beforelong." Phil stared thoughtfully at the chart. "I'll allow," he went on,"that she may have gone any other direction but north. For that matter,she may be anchored just around the corner somewhere. It's all more orless guesswork. But, looking at the probabilities, and they're all we'vegot to work on, I think north is the likeliest trail for us to take."

  "Right-o," said Steve, turning the wheel and pointing the boat's slimbow toward Gurnet Point, "We've got to take a chance, fellows, and thislooks like the best. In the morning we'll get busy with the telegraphand tell our troubles, but just now the best we can do is keep a sharplookout and try to think we're on the right course. I'm going to speedher up, Joe, so you might dab some more oil and grease around your oldengine."

  "All right. You fellows will have to clear out of here, though, while Iget this hatch up. Some of you might go forward and keep your eyespeeled. I don't suppose, however," he added as he pulled the enginehatch up, "that they'll show any lights on her."

  "Not likely to," agreed Harry Corwin. "They'll run dark, probably, untilthey get near a harbour. Look for anything like a boat, fellows. It's amighty good thing we've got this moonlight."

  "Yes, and we'll have to make hay while the moon shines," added WinkWheeler as he climbed out of Joe's way, "for it won't last much longer.It'll be as dark as pitch by one or two o'clock, I guess."

  "Well, we've got a searchlight," said Perry.

  "There's no need for more than three of us to stay up," said Steve."I'll keep the wheel and Joe will stay here with me. Phil, you take thewatch for a couple of hours and then wake someone else."

  "Huh!" said Perry. "I'm not going to bed! Who wants to sleep, anyway?"

  Apparently no one did, for although presently the dozen fellows weredistributed over the boat, not one went below. Phil and Han stretchedthemselves out at the bow, Steve, Joe, Harry and Tom Corwin and CasTemple remained on the bridge deck and the rest of the company retiredto the cockpit, from where, by looking along the after cabin roof, theyhad a satisfactory view of the course. Perhaps one or two of the boysdid nod a little during the next two hours, but real slumber was farfrom the minds of any of them. The _Adventurer_ was doing a good twentymiles an hour, the propeller lashing the water into a long foaming paththat melted astern in the moonlight. Ossie busied himself in the galleyabout midnight and served hot coffee and bread-and-butter sandwiches.Only once was the _Adventurer_ changed from her course, whi
ch Steve hadlaid for Gloucester, and then the light which had aroused theirsuspicions was soon seen to belong to a coasting schooner beating herway toward Boston. Of small boats there were none until, at about oneo'clock, when the two white lights of Baker's Island lay west by northand the red flash on Eastern Point showed almost dead ahead, Phil calledfrom the bow.

  "Steve, there's something ahead that looks like a boat or a rock. Canyou see it?"

  "Which side?"

  "A little to the left. Port, isn't it? Han doesn't see it, but--"

  "I've got it," answered Steve. After a moment he added with conviction:"It's a boat. Has she changed her position, Phil?"

  "Not while I've been watching. Looks as if she was going about the sameway we are." The others came clustering forward from the stern to stareacross the water at the dark spot ahead which, in the uncertain light ofthe setting moon, might be almost anything. If it was a boat, it showedno light. Anxiously the boys watched, and after a few minutes Steveannounced with quiet triumph:

  "We're pulling up on her, fellows, whoever she is!"

  "She's the _Follow Me_," declared Harry Corwin. "She must be, or shewouldn't be running without lights."

  "We'll know before long," said Steve. "I wish the moon would stay out alittle longer, though. Joe, try the searchlight and see if you can pickher up."

  But the craft ahead was a good mile away and the _Adventurer's_ smallsearchlight was not powerful enough to bridge that distance with itswhite glare. "They're making for the harbour, anyway," said HarryCorwin, "and so she can't get away from us if we lose her now." Even ashe ended the last pallid rays of the moon vanished and they foundthemselves in darkness save for the wan radiance of the stars. Lightsunnoticed before sprang up in the gloom along the shore and a dimradiance in the sky showed where the town of Gloucester slumbered.

  "If they double on us now we'll lose them," muttered Steve. "Put thatlight out, Joe. We can see better without it."

  "How far off is the harbour?" asked Harry.

  "About two miles. You can hear the whistle buoy. That white light to theleft of the red flash is the beacon on the end of the breakwater." Hemoved the helm a trifle and examined the chart. "There are no rocks,anyway, and that's a comfort. I can't say I like this running at night.How far away was she when the moon went back on us, Harry?"

  "Oh, three-quarters, at a rough guess."

  "Nearer a mile and a quarter, I'd say. Well, if she doesn't dodge alongshore we'll have her in the harbour. Always supposing, that is, that shereally is the _Follow Me_."

  "She can't be anything else," answered Harry. "No sensible skipper wouldgo ploughing around at night without a light. Hello! Isn't that a lightthere now?"

  "Where? Yes, you're right! She's lighted up at last! Afraid to go inwithout lights, I dare say, for fear of arousing suspicion. I'm gettingto believe she _is_ the _Follow Me_, Harry."

  "I haven't doubted it once. Do you suppose she knows we're after her?"

  "She knows we're here, of course, but she can't be certain we're afterher. Still, turning that searchlight on was a sort of give-away. If shereally does go inside it's just because she's afraid of her fuel givingout. We'd better anchor as far out as we can and keep our eyes openuntil daylight comes."

  "She couldn't get gas before morning, I guess," said Joe. "Looks to meas if, if she _is_ the _Follow Me_, they've run themselves into a trap!"

  "Hope so, I'm sure," said Wink Wheeler. "If we've caught her we'vecertainly been lucky, fellows!"

  "Don't count your chickens until they're hatched," advised Ossie. "Maybeshe isn't the _Follow Me_ at all."

  "I can't see her light now," called Phil from the bow. "Hold on, there'sa green light, I think! No, I guess I was wrong. Can't see anything now,Steve. Can you?"

  "No, she's turned and run inside back of the breakwater. Keep your earsand eyes open for that whistling buoy, Phil. I want to pass it to port."

  "It's pretty near. There it is now! Look!"

  "I've got it! All right. Now it's straight for the white beacon." Stevesighed relievedly. "No use hurrying any longer, I guess." He eased thethrottle back and the _Adventurer_ slowed her pace. "Have a look at thechart, Harry. Isn't there a buoy near the end of the breakwater?"

  "Yes, a red spar buoy."

  "What's the depth just inside?"

  "Four fathoms, shoaling to one."

  "Good enough. We'll drop anchor just around the breakwater and train thesearchlight across the channel. I don't believe, though, they intend torun out again before morning. All I'm afraid of is that they swung offwhen darkness came and are sneaking around the Cape."

  "I'll bet anything we'll find her at anchor when daylight comes,"replied Harry. "She had only enough gas for seventy miles, and she'sgone about sixty at top speed. We've got her, Steve. Don't you worry."

  "Hope so. Get your bow anchor ready, Han, and stand by to heave. Whenyou let go make as little noise as you can. I'm going to turn thelights out, fellows, so don't go messing about or you may walkoverboard. Switch them all off below, Ossie, will you? If those chapshave anchored just inside the breakwater there's no sense in lettingthem know that this is the _Adventurer_. Got your anchor ready, Han?"

  "Ay, ay, sir!"

  "All right. Don't let your windlass rattle. Keep quiet, fellows."Suddenly all the lights on deck save that in the binnacle went out,leaving the boat in darkness. Nearby the red flash of the lighthouseglowed periodically, while, ahead, shone the white beacon. In silencethe _Adventurer_ drew nearer and nearer to the latter, put it abeam andthen swung to starboard. "Let her go, Han," called Steve softly. Thoseon the bridge deck heard the faint splash of the hundred-pound navyanchor as it struck the water. Han crept back and swung himself down tothe bridge.

  "All fast, sir," he reported.

  Somewhere in the darkness at the head of the harbour, where tinypin-pricks of light twinkled, a town clock struck two.