THE LAUNCH BOYS' ADVENTURES IN NORTHERN WATERS
CHAPTER I
A PROPOSAL AND AN ACCEPTANCE
Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes were having a merry time in the home ofMike Murphy, when a servant knocked and made known that a caller wasawaiting Alvin in the handsome bungalow belonging to his father. I havetold you how the boys hurried thither, wondering who he could be, and howthey were astonished to find him the "man in gray," who had becomestrangely mixed up in their affairs during the preceding few days.
But Alvin was a young gentleman, and asked the stranger to resume hisseat, as he and Chester set the example. They noticed that the visitorwas without the handbag which had hitherto seemed a part of hispersonality. Self-possessed and vaguely smiling, he spoke in an easy,pleasant voice:
"Of course you are surprised to receive a call from me." He addressedAlvin, who replied:
"I don't deny it. Heretofore you have seemed more anxious to keep out ofour way than to meet us."
"I admit that it did have that look, but the cause exists no longer."
This remark did not enlighten the youths. Chester for a time took no partin the conversation. He listened and studied the man while awaiting anexplanation of what certainly had the appearance of a curious proceeding.
"I don't understand what could have been the cause in the first place,"said Alvin, "nor why my friend and myself should have been of anyinterest at all to you."
The other laughed lightly, as if the curt remark pleased him.
"I have no wish to play the mysterious; my name is Stockham Calvert."
It was Alvin's turn to smile, while Chester said meaningly:
"That tells us mighty little."
"I am one of Pinkerton's detectives."
The listeners started. They had never dreamed of anything of this nature,and remained silent until he should say more.
"You are aware," continued the mild spoken caller, "that there have beena number of post office robberies in the southern part of Maine duringthe last six months and even longer ago than that."
The boys nodded.
"A professional detective doesn't know his business when he proclaims hispurpose to the world. He does so in the story books, but would be a foolto be so imprudent in actual life. Consequently you will think it strangefor me to take you into my confidence."
"I don't doubt you have an explanation to give," suggested Alvin.
"I have and it is this. Without any purpose or thought on your part youhave become mixed up in the business. The other night you gave me greathelp, though the fact never entered your minds at the time. You locatedtheir boat in a small inlet at the southern extremity of Barter Island."
At this point Chester Haynes asked his first question:
"How do you know we did?"
Mr. Stockham Calvert indulged in a low laugh.
"Surely I did not follow you thither without learning all you did. Yourconversation on the steamer gave me the information I wished. I did notexpect you to succeed as well as you did."
"Why did you avoid us? Why didn't you take us into your confidence fromthe first?" asked Chester.
"I had several reasons, but I see now it would have been as well had Idone so. However, let that go. My errand here to-night is to ask youwhether you will not assist me in running down these criminals."
The abrupt proposition caused a start on the part of the youths, wholooked wonderingly into each other's face. It was Alvin who replied:
"Assist you! What help can _we_ give?"
"You have the fleetest motor boat on the Maine coast. It must be capableof twenty miles an hour."
"It is guaranteed to make twenty-four."
"Better yet. These men have a boat which closely resembles yours."
"And its name is the _Water Witch_," said Chester. "I wish Captain Landoncould run a race with it."
"He can have the chance if he will agree."
"I fail to see how. Those men after committing their crimes are not goingto spend their time in running up and down the Sheepscot or Kennebec."
"Not wholly, but I don't see any particular risk they incur in doing so.If they are pressed hard they can put into some bay or branch or inletand take to the woods."
"Still I do not understand how we can help you, Mr. Calvert," said Alvin.
"It is possible you cannot, but more probably you can. While cruising inthese waters, we may catch sight of their boat, and you can see theadvantage of being able to outspeed it. But do not think I am looking fora battle between you and me on the one hand, and the criminals on theother. I wish to employ the _Deerfoot_ as a scout. I can't express myselfbetter than by that word."
Whatever the right name of the caller might be, he was a good judge ofhuman nature. He saw the sparkle in the eyes before him. While the ladswould not have been averse to a scrimmage, neither dared incur such riskwithout the consent of his father, and you do not need to be told thatsuch consent was out of the question.
"As I understand it, then, our boat promises to be useful to you solelyon account of its speed?" said Alvin inquiringly asked the detective.
"Precisely. What is your answer?"
The young Captain looked at his second mate.
"How does it strike you, Chester?"
"I'm with you if you wish to make the experiment. If things don't turnout as we wish we can withdraw at any time."
"Of course I shall expect to pay you for your services----"
"Then you will be disappointed," interrupted Alvin crisply. "The_Deerfoot_ isn't for hire, and if we go into this it will be for the funwe hope to get out of it."
"I think I can guarantee you some entertainment. I presume you two willbe the only ones on the boat beside myself."
"You mustn't overlook my first mate, Mike Murphy. It would break hisheart if we should go on a cruise and leave him behind."
"I am afraid he is too impetuous and too fond of a fight."
"He may have a weakness in those directions, but his good nature, pluckand devotion to my friend and me more than make up."
"It strikes me----"
"I can't help how it strikes you," broke in Alvin, who did not intend toaccept any commands at this stage of the game. "Mike goes with uswherever we go."
"I feel the same way," added Chester. "The _Deerfoot_ can never brave theperils of the deep short-handed. The first mate is indispensable."
"As you please then. When will you be ready to start?"
"When do you wish us to start?"
"Say to-morrow morning?"
"This is so sudden," said Alvin, whose spirits rose at the prospect ofthe lively times ahead. "We ought to have a little while to think itover. However, if my second mate, who generally has views of his own,will agree, we'll get under way to-morrow after breakfast."
"I'm wid ye, as Mike would say."
"Suppose, Mr. Calvert, we leave it this way: if we decide to go into thisbusiness, we'll make the venture to-morrow morning."
"I shall stay at the Squirrel Inn to-night and be on the wharf a littlebefore nine, on the lookout for you. If you do not show up then or soonafter I shall not expect you. Your boat will be in plain view all thetime, so I shall see you when you start."
"Why not stay with us over night? We shall be glad to have you do so,"was the hospitable invitation of Alvin Landon.
"Thank you very much," replied Stockham Calvert, rising to his feet; "butI came over in a rowboat which is waiting to take me back. I engaged myroom at the inn this afternoon."
He bade them good night and walked briskly down the slope. The boys stoodin front of the bungalow until they heard the sound of the oars and sawthe dim outlines of the boat and its occupants heading eastward towardthe twinkling lights from the inn and cottages on Squirrel Island.
"What do you make of it all?" asked Alvin of his chum, when after someminutes they returned to the big sitting room.
"I don't know how to answer you," replied Chester. "It looks to me as ifwe are bound to have lively ti
mes before we get through with thebusiness. But, Alvin, all the time that man was talking I felt a curiousdistrust of him. He said he is a detective, but I'm not sure of it."
"Suppose he belongs to the gang that is playing the mischief with UncleSam's post offices in this part of the Union?"
"If that were so, what in the world can he want of you and your boat?"
"Because of its fleetness it may serve him when he needs it. However, Idon't see that any harm can come to it or to us. He can't pick up thelaunch and run away with it and he would find it hard to do so with us."
"Not forgetting Mike Murphy."
"Then you accept his proposal?"
"Not I, but we together."
"All right; it's a go."