CHAPTER VIII
THE LONE GUEST
The _Deerfoot_ glided through the smooth waters, and while the afternoonwas still young rounded to at the wharf, below the long wooden bridgewhich spans the stream at Wiscasset, and made fast where a score of otherboats of all sizes and models were moored. Several large vessels wereanchored farther out and Captain Alvin Landon had to slow down to threadhis way among them. There was plenty of room, and the launch was tied upopposite a small excursion steamer which was to start southward an hourlater. A tip to the old man who was looking after a number of yachtsassured the safety of the last arrival from molestation.
The possibility that the _Water Witch_ had preceded them to Wiscassetcaused a scrutiny of the various craft in sight by the Captain and hiscrew, including Detective Calvert, but nothing was seen of the boat.
"She is miles off down stream," was the remark of the officer, "and forthe present is out of the running."
The four walked up the easy slope to the main street, along which theypassed to the leading hotel for dinner. They were a little late and whenthey went into the spacious dining room found a table by themselves. Theonly other occupant was a tall, angular man of about the same age asCalvert, similarly attired and apparently giving his sole attention tothe meal before him. He nodded to the group in a neighborly way, but didnot speak.
When the four took their places at the small table, Calvert faced thisperson a short distance away; Chester Haynes sat with his back to him,thus confronting the detective, while Mike and Alvin occupied therespective ends of the board. These details sound trifling, but they hada meaning. Calvert thus distributed his companions apparently off-hand,but the seating of himself as mentioned was done with a purpose. Chesterthen, from the position he occupied, was the only one of the other threewho observed anything significant in that action and in what followed.
In the first place, the officer raised his glass of water, and whileslowly drinking looked over the top at the lone guest. Chester noticedthat he sipped the fluid longer than common, gazed at the stranger anddeliberately winked one eye. What response the other made of course couldnot be seen by Chester.
"The two are acquaintances," was the conclusion of the lad, "and theydon't wish anyone else to know it."
He was curious to know whether Alvin and Mike had noticed anything of theby-play. The Irish lad for the time devoted himself to satisfying hisvigorous hunger and cared for naught else. The same was to be said of theCaptain. Chester remained on the alert.
Several trifling incidents that occurred during the meal, which wasenlivened by the wit of the Irish lad, confirmed Chester in his firstsuspicion. Calvert tried to divert possible suspicion by cheery remarksand pleasant conversation as the meal proceeded.
"I am sure, Mike, you never had any such feasts in the old country."
Having said this, the detective coughed several times and held his napkinto his mouth, but Chester knew the outburst was forced, and was meant tocarry to the other man, who rather curiously coughed the same number oftimes immediately afterward.
"A message and its reply," was the thought of Chester, "but I have noidea of what they mean. Mr. Calvert doesn't wish me to see anything and Iwon't let him know I do."
Meanwhile, Mike made his response to the inquiring remark of Calvert:
"Ye're right, me frind, as Hank McCarthy said whin dining on one pratieand a bit of black bread, calling to mind his former feasting in his ownhome. Which reminds me, Mr. Calvert, to ask, did ye iver see the heart ofan Irishman?"
"I'm not quite sure I grasp your meaning, Mike," was the reply, whileAlvin and Chester looked up.
"I can bist explain by a dimonstration, as the tacher said whin I askedhim what was meant by the chastisement of a school lad. Now, give heed,all of ye, and I'll show ye what I meant by the sinsible inquiry."
Among the different articles of food on the table was a dish of "murphy"potatoes with their "jackets" on. That is, they had not been mashed orpeeled, though a strip was shaved off of each end. They were mealy andwhite, and Mike had already placed several where they were sure to do themost good. The tubers in boiling had swollen so much that most of theskins had popped open in spots from the richness within.
Mike reached over and carefully selected a big murphy, which he held withthe thumb of his left hand and fingers circling about it. The upper endprojected slightly above the thumb and forefinger, as if peeping out towatch proceedings. The three stopped eating for the moment and watchedthe youth. While doing this, Chester glanced for an instant at the faceof the officer, and saw him look quickly across the room and telegraphanother wink.
Like a professional magician, Mike was very deliberate in order to bemore impressive. The true artist does not overlook the minutest point,and he daintily adjusted the potato, shifting it about until it waspoised exactly right. Then he slowly raised his open right hand, with thepalm downward, until it was above his head. Like a flash he brought itdown upon the upper end of the tuber, which shot through the looseencircling grasp as if fired from an air gun. The skin remained, but thepotato itself whisked down upon the table with such force that it poppedopen, and lo!
"There's the heart of an Irishman--Begoora! but I'm mistook!" exclaimedMike in dismay, for when the tuber burst open the interior was black withdecay!
Calvert threw back his head and roared, and Alvin and Chester came nearfalling from their chairs. Even the man at the other table joined in theboisterous merriment, which was increased by the comical expression ofMike. With open mouth and staring eyes he sat dumfounded. For once in hislife he was caught so fairly that he was speechless.
The deft little trick he had performed many times, but never before hadhe been victimized by what seemed to be a rich, mealy potato. He couldn'tunderstand it.
Oddly enough the stranger was the first to recover his speech. He musthave had little liking for Hibernians, since he called:
"You're right, young man! You showed us the heart of a real Irishman!"
With lower jaw still drooping, Mike turned his head and stared at thespeaker. He yearned to crush him with a suitable reply, but all his withad been knocked out of him by the cruel blow of fate. However, it couldnot long remain so. He picked up the fragments of the potato, fumbledthem reprovingly and gravely laid them on the tablecloth beside hisplate. Then the old grin bisected his homely face, and addressing thethree, he said:
"I made a slight mistake, as Jerry Sullivan said whin he stepped out ofthe third story windy thinking it was the top of the stairs. If it's allthe same to yees, we'll now give our attintion to disposing of theremaining stuff on the boord."
Out of curiosity, the four cut in two each of the potatoes left in thedish. Every one was as sound as a dollar, whereat all laughed again, Mikeas heartily as any.
"It'll be a sorry day whin I can't take a joke, as Jim Doolin saidsmiling whin his frinds pushed his cabin over on top of him as he laysleeping behind it, but I was niver sarved such a trick before."
Chester thought the unanimous merriment caused by Mike's mishap wouldopen an acquaintance between the lone guest and the others, but nothingmore was said by the respective parties, nor did the watchfulness of theyouth detect any further signals while at the table. Evidently anunderstanding had been brought about, and nothing else was required.
The meal finished, the four rose to leave the dining room. While theremay have been nothing meant by Calvert's action in dropping to the rear,Chester was alert and glanced back as they walked into the hall outside.He was rewarded by seeing the officer turn his head for an instant andgive a slight nod. No doubt it was meant for the guest left behind, whoseresponse was invisible to all except him for whom it was intended. Theindividual must have been blessed with a good appetite, or he followedthe sensible policy of lingering long over his meals, since he beganeating before the little party and continued after their departure.
Reaching the pleasant, shady avenue, the four strolled through the townand when tired came back to the hotel and
sat down. Chester was on thelookout for the stranger, but nothing was seen of him. What did it allmean and what was the cause of the secrecy between him and StockhamCalvert?
"If he chooses to explain I must wait until he is ready," was thedecision of Chester.
The afternoon was well forward, when they walked down the slope to thewharf, where the _Deerfoot_ awaited them. Alvin made a hasty inspectionof it and found everything seemingly all right. As they were about tostep aboard, the officer said:
"I shall have to bid you good-by for awhile."
"Why is that?" asked the Captain, in surprise.
"You remember I told you it was likely, but I hope soon to meet you allagain."
Nothing could be said by way of objection, and he stood on the wharf asAlvin seated himself after adjusting the plug and swinging over thefly-wheel. The boat circled out into the broad stream, and all wavedtheir hands to the officer, who responded similarly. Then he turned aboutand went slowly up the slope, probably to the hotel where they had dined.
When everything was moving easily, and the boat was gliding down stream,Chester sitting directly beside his chum told him all that he hadobserved in the dining room. Mike had gone to the stern of the launch andsat down in his favorite position, with his feet curled up under him.