CHAPTER XXII
A STARTLING DISCOVERY
Nothing was more natural than that Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes shouldbe concerned for the safety of the motor launch _Deerfoot_. It had beenstolen from them once in simple wantonness by two young men who hadnothing to do with the post office robberies. The motive for a similartheft was now much stronger. It was evident that the criminals had cometo Beartown, or as near to it as they could come, by water, and theirboat was somewhere in the neighborhood. They were likely to discover the_Deerfoot_, if they had not already done so, and knowing its superiorspeed, would either make use of or disable it so it could not be employedfor pursuit.
Alvin and Chester kept to the road which connected the landing with thevillage, for it was much easier thus to advance than to pick their waythrough the pines and firs. They did not meet a solitary person, for thenight was well along and daybreak near. When the rickety frame workloomed up in the moonlight, they turned off into the shadow of the woodand moved with the utmost care. All the time they kept within sight ofthe gleam of water. Alvin was in advance, with his comrade close upon hisheels.
"Hello! here she is!" was the pleased exclamation of the Captain a fewminutes later.
"Has she had any visitors while we were away?" asked Chester, as the twostepped down to the margin of the river.
"I see no signs of it, but we shall have to examine further."
The launch lay as close to shore as it had been possible to bring her--soclose indeed that the two stepped aboard without use of a plank. Theposition of the moon in the sky was such that the shadow of the trees wascast several feet beyond the boat, which, as a consequence, was wrappedin obscurity. Peering here and there, the youths began a visual searchfor the evidence they did not wish to find. Alvin tried the covering,which had been drawn over the cockpit, preliminary to taking the bunch ofkeys from his pocket. It slid back easily.
"I thought I locked that," he said in surprise.
"I remember you went through the motions, but you must have missed it."
"So it seems."
He stepped over, seated himself and grasped the steering wheel.
"Nothing is wrong here----"
"Hark!" whispered Chester.
The two listened and heard the muffled exhaust of a launch not far off.
"It comes from down stream," said Chester.
"It's their boat!" exclaimed the excited Alvin. "They are hurrying off."
"Let's chase them!" added Chester, catching the glow of his chum.
"All right! Light up and cast off."
LIKE A SWALLOW SKIMMING CLOSE TO THE SURFACE.]
Chester quickly fixed the lights, sprang from the taffrail to shore,untied the loop of rope, flung it on deck and leaped after it. Alvin hadopened the forward deck, which covered the engine, climbed down andaround to the front and started it. Then throwing in the clutch the boatquickly caught the impulse, and the Captain steered away from shore.While lying against the bank the nose of the launch was pointed up theriver, and since the noise showed that the other boat was speeding downstream, it was necessary to head in that direction. The sweeping circlecarried the craft far out into the moon glow and the Captain turned onfull power, sending the boat southward like a swallow skimming close tothe surface.
"They got the idea yesterday that the _Water Witch_ is faster than the_Deerfoot_. That was a cute idea of Calvert, but they will soon learntheir mistake. Do you see anything of her lights?"
Chester stood beside him in the cockpit, with one hand grasping the topof the wind-shield, while he peered into the sea of illumination throughwhich they were plunging.
"Not yet," he answered "but we must be gaining fast."
The water curled over in a graceful half circle as it was split apart bythe sharp prow. Some of the spray was scattered over him, thoughotherwise the river was as calm as a millpond. The tide was at its turn,so there was no current. Alvin held to the middle of the river, where heknew it was very deep, and he would have timely notice of everyobstruction that could appear.
Now that the two were fairly started upon the singular chase, they hadtime to speculate as to its probable result. They had not a firearm onthe boat nor had they ever had one aboard. They were chasing a party ofcriminals who were sure to be well armed. Suppose our young friendsovertook them, what could they do?
Alvin had a dim idea that having drawn near enough to discover the _WaterWitch_, he would keep in sight until others could intervene. His boatwould follow whereever the fugitive dare lead, and would never give up.If our young friends could not attack, they could point out the way forothers. Should the criminals run into shore, where there was a chance oflanding without being observed, the pursuers could be at their heels, andthrough the nearest telegraph station raise the hue and cry that wouldquickly end in their overthrow.
"It is strange," reflected Alvin, "that while we have not meant to haveanything to do with those scamps we are continually running into them,while Detective Calvert, who is in this part of the world for thatpurpose, can't put his hand on them. If he and his friend, whom we saw atWiscasset, and who is an officer of the law also, were here, we should besure of doing the right thing. As it is, it's all guesswork."
"Light ahead!" suddenly called Chester beside him.
"Where away?"
"Right ahead, but closer in shore on the left."
Alvin leaned forward and gazed intently.
"You are right," he added as he saw a white light low down on the water."Now we'll show those fellows what the _Deerfoot_ can do when she tries."
He flirted over the little lever controlling the power, and instantly theengine responded so fiercely that the launch shivered from stem to stern.It bounded forward like a hound freed from the leash, the bow rising fromthe impulse, as if it would leap clear of the water, and seeminglyshooting over it, like an iceboat driven in a hurricane.
But the launch in front was no laggard. Whether she increased her speedat sight of the light which was seemingly hustling down the river afterher, or whether she simply held her former rate, she was going at atremendous pace. Soon leaving Long Ledge on their right, the pursuer shotinto the broader waters of Montsweag Bay, only to find the white lightseemingly as far off as ever. Possibly the pursuers had gained something,but not enough to be perceptible.
"They have seen us," said Chester, from his station at the front, "andare putting in their best licks. We must be going the limit."
"That is twenty-four miles, but we're not making it, Chester."
The second mate pulled down his cap more snugly, for the motionless airwas turned into a gale, and looked back.
"What do you mean? The _Deerfoot_ is eating up water."
"That may be, but she isn't getting there as she ought to," insistedAlvin, who, of course, was more familiar with his boat. "Something is thematter with her. She seems to be doing her best, and yet she lags."
"Do you think it because of her trouble yesterday?"
"It must be, but I was sure she was shipshape when we left her lastnight. See whether we are gaining."
Chester spent several minutes in studying the position and progress ofthat white light, which was gliding with swift smoothness over the water,and hugging the bank all the while. When he spoke it was doubtfully.
"Perhaps we have gained a little, say about six inches."
Alvin groped about him for the binoculars, which he had left on the seatat his side. By turning the glass over when in use, one could availhimself of the night lens, which was helpful in the gloom. But he did notfind it.
"That's queer," he muttered; "I am sure I laid it there. I wonder ifanyone visited the boat while we were away."
"By gracious!" called Chester from his station; "I believe she hasstopped!"
"Make sure of it. I should think they would put out their stern light ifthey wanted to elude us."
"Likely they don't care. Yes; she has run into shore, where there seemsto be some sort of landing."
Alvin swun
g over the wheel so as to approach directly from the rear.Since the other boat had become motionless, he slackened speed to savethe strain upon his own.
Everything was now in the vivid moonlight. The launch drew steadily up tothe landing where the other boat had halted. Two men were observed movingabout as if making ready to tie up for the remainder of the night. Theyshowed no interest in their pursuers, and Alvin sheered off slightly soas to pass at a distance of several rods, and while doing so he made anexasperating discovery.
The craft which he had been pursuing with so much zest was not the _WaterWitch_, but a small runabout capable of high speed. The couple on boardgave no attention to the larger craft, and the chagrined Alvin turnedfarther out into the bay and gradually headed up stream again. Chestercame back from the front and chuckled:
"What a wild goose chase! The next thing to do is to make after the_Nahanada_ or the _Gardiner_. There will be as much sense in the one asthe other."
Observing the change of course, Chester inquired:
"Where to now?"
"We may as well go back and pick up Mike. It seems to be growing light inthe east."
"So it is; a memorable night in our experience is drawing to a close."
"I say, Chester," called the Captain, "I am sure someone was on this boatwhile we were away at Beartown."
A sudden suspicion took form in his mind.
"Is there enough light for you to see the name on the bow?"
"Of course."
"Take a look and tell me what it is."
Chester carefully leaned over and studied the gilt letters painted on theright of the prow corresponding to those on the left. Then hestraightened up with a gasp:
"As sure as I'm a living sinner it's the _Water Witch_!"