CHAPTER IX
A BREAK DOWN
Captain Alvin was keenly interested in the story of Chester Haynes. Headmitted that he had noticed nothing peculiar, and it was evident thatMike had been equally blind to the events passing under their eyes.
"It is plain," said Alvin, "that although Calvert told us a good manythings about himself, there is a good deal more he didn't tell."
"What do you make of it all?"
"That man who was in the dining room with us may have been anotherdetective or----"
"Or what?" asked Chester, observing the hesitation.
"I hate to say what comes into my mind, but every now and then a queersuspicion steals over me that Calvert is deceiving us and is not what heclaims to be."
"In other words, he is a member of the gang whom he pretends to behunting down."
"I am ashamed to confess it, but such has been my fear at times. Andyet," the Captain hastened to add, as if regretting his unworthythoughts, "it seems impossible, when we call to mind all he did and howhe has acted from the first of our acquaintance with him."
Chester was thoughtful for a moment or two.
"I made up my mind after that rumpus down stream when he saved Mike froma bad beating, that he was just what he said, though I won't deny thatmore than one thing he has done--such as following us from Sawyer Islandto the inlet where the _Water Witch_ lay, and his behavior on theroad--had a queer look. But what's the use of speculating about it?Sooner or later we shall know the truth, and, if we don't, I can't say Imuch care. Which course will you take in going home?"
"I haven't any choice; have you?"
"Suppose then you follow Back River, and around Cape Newagen home. That'sa pretty good run, and at the rate we are going we sha'n't get therebefore dark."
"Have you any reason for the choice?"
"Only that we may catch sight of the _Water Witch_, from which we partedin those waters. If we do, we shall have to hold Mike in leash."
So it came about that the _Deerfoot_ turned into the headwaters of BackRiver, passing Cushman Point through the Cowseagan Narrows, and into themore open waters below. Three or four miles farther would take them toMontsweag Bay, of which mention has been made, that body of water beingtwice or thrice as wide as the river.
Suddenly Chester asked an odd question:
"Do you think the launch was injured by that spurt this forenoon?"
"She ought not to have been, for she has gone through the strain morethan once and for a longer time. Why do you ask?"
"Somehow or other, it seems to me she isn't running exactly right."
"What is wrong?"
"I can't put my finger on it; I may say I _feel_ it--that's all."
"Well, you are right, for I have had the same misgiving ever since weleft Wiscasset. I have tried to figure it out, but can't and am waitingfor it to develop, hoping all the time it won't--hello! there it comes!"
While the speed of the boat was not affected, the engine began hissingwith vicious persistency.
"Take the wheel, Chester, while I look around."
He first examined the spark plugs, knowing that if one was broken theresult would be what had just taken place, but all were intact. He hadturned the switch, stopping the motor, and next inspected the valve capswhere a fracture or loosening would have caused the hissing. They weresound and tight and the gaskets where the exhaust and intake pipesconnected with the cylinders were tight.
"I've found it!" he called to Chester. "It's an open compression cup,which is easily fixed; I am glad it is nothing worse."
Remembering the lessons he had been taught, the young Captain sooncorrected the fault and resumed progress. The launch, however, was helddown to a comparatively slow pace, for the slight slip naturally causedmisgiving. Several minutes passed with all going well.
"It seems to me safe to give her more speed," said Chester. "At this ratewe sha'n't reach home until late at night."
"All right; turn on more power--no, don't! _Ouch!_"
Alvin snapped his fingers, as one does when they are burned. He hadplaced them upon the exhaust pipe, which was growing red hot.
"Shut her off! The mischief is to pay."
Knowing from the gesture of the Captain what was the matter, Chesterasked, as he obeyed the request:
"What causes that?"
"There is either something wrong with the water pump, the spark isretarded, or a lack of sufficient lubrication, causing the motor to heat.It will take some time to find out and we shall have to drift forawhile."
"Why not run to land and tie up? We may get in the way of some of theboats steaming up or down the river if we stay out here."
Alvin scrutinized the eastern bank, which is the upper portion ofWestport, and much nearer than Wiscasset township opposite.
"The water is so deep that I suppose we can touch the bank anywherewithout risk to the hull. All right; feel your way in."
The turning of the boat naturally stirred Mike's curiosity and he cameback to learn the cause, which was soon explained to him.
"Ye have me consint, since I obsarve there's a bit of a town not far offwhere we can git enough food to keep off starvation."
Fir, spruce and pines line the shore of this part of Westport, the groundrising moderately inland. A half mile, more or less, from the river, runsthe public highway from Clough Point, the northern extremity of Westport,almost to Brooks Point at the extreme southern end, the distance beingsomething like fifteen miles, the entire length of the island.
The village to which Mike Murphy alluded stands alongside this road, ahalf mile from the shore of Back River. There was enough rise to theground to show the church steeple and the roofs of the higher buildings.Perhaps it will be well to give it the name of Beartown, and to say thatit numbered some five hundred inhabitants. Although its main interest waswith the highway alluded to, yet it had considerable trade with theriver, up and down which boats of different tonnage steamed, sailed orrowed during the day, and occasionally at night. A well-marked road ledfrom a wharf to the village. Over this freight was drawn to and fro inwagons, and some of the less important steamers halted for passengers wholiked that way of going up or down stream.
Alvin and Chester thought it better not to stop at the public wharf,where they were likely to be in the way of larger craft and might drawunpleasant attention to themselves, while engaged in repairing thelaunch. Accordingly, the latter timidly approached the land, severalhundred yards below the wharf. The water possessed that wonderfulclearness which is one of its beautiful peculiarities in Maine. The boatwas far out when the change was made in her course, but she had not gonefar when, looking over the side, the dark, rocky bottom was plainly seenfully thirty feet below. There was slight decrease in this depth untilthe boat was within a few yards of land. Even then, it must have beentwenty feet at least, the bottom sloping as abruptly from the shore asthe roof of a house. Consequently the approach was safe and easy.
In such favorable conditions there was no difficulty in laying the launchnear the bank, where, as in former instances, she was made fast by thebow line looped around a sturdy spruce more than six inches in diameter,and the anchor out over the stern. Chester tied the knot securely, andstepped back to give what help he could to Alvin, who was busy with theengine. Mike looked on and remarked that, although he knew nothing at allabout the various contraptions, he held himself ready to give valuableadvice whenever it was needed.
"Being as mesilf ain't indispinsable just now, 'spose I strolls up to thecity nixt door and make a few more new acquaintances."
"There is no objection to that," replied the Captain, "but be sure tocome back before dark."
Mike sprang lightly to land and set off on his journey of discovery. Itwill be recalled that our friends were some distance from the highwayconnecting the wharf and town and therefore he had to thread his wayamong the trees to reach the direct route to the village. There was notrouble in doing this: the trouble came afterward.
Alvin and Chest
er gave the lad no thought, for he surely was old enoughto take care of himself, and there was nothing in the situation to causeany misgiving. Their ambition was to get the engine of the launch inshape. With painstaking care and the expenditure of more time than wasexpected, Alvin finally discovered that the heat of the exhaust pipe wasdue to the clogging of the pump with weeds, and not to the lack oflubrication or the retarding of the spark.
To the disgust of both, when a test was made with the launch still heldimmovable, and the heating was overcome, explosions in the mufflerdeveloped.
"Now we must find whether that is caused by a cylinder missing fire andpumping the gas into the muffler."
"How will that do it?" asked Chester, who, while a good motor boat pilot,possessed less practical knowledge than his chum.
"The charges which I spoke of are ignited from the heat of the nextexhausted charge. It may be the exhaust valve is stuck or does not seatproperly, or the gas mixture is too weak to fire in the cylinder, or thespark may be insufficient or over-retarded. It is a job to get thatstraightened out, and when that is done, perhaps something else will turnup, but we may as well tackle it at once."
It was fully dark before the difficulty was remedied by a carefulreadjustment of the carburettor. Repeated tests were made, and everythingfound to be right.
"At last!" said Alvin, with a sigh of relief. "And now we are ready to gohome. But where is Mike?"