The Outdoor Chums on the Lake: or, Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island. Allen Quincy
he replied warmly.
“Then it was a passenger, you think?” demanded Frank, determined to get at the bottom of this new mystery.
“Well, none of my pay passengers. Listen and I’ll tell you. This being the first trip this year we were not so particular about taking pay. At Newtonport a couple of tramps got aboard. When I went to collect their fares they said they had no money, but wanted to get across the lake to Centerville. Rather than have a disturbance on board I allowed them to remain, cautioning them to stay below near the engine.”
“Perhaps you are right, Captain; but what could be their object in firing your boat?” asked Frank.
One of the passengers hurriedly approached at this moment. He was plainly much excited, and as the fire was completely out it could not have been from that cause.
“Captain, before you get into Centerville I demand that you have every person on board this boat searched!” he exclaimed vigorously.
“Searched, Mr. Pemberton – what do you mean?” exclaimed the captain, in dismay.
“Because, sir, my luggage has been opened while we were all excited about the fire, and my property scattered about. I have been robbed of something that was worth considerable money to me, sir. And I intend to hold you and your steamboat company liable for damages!” he cried indignantly.
The captain looked at Frank – here then was an explanation of the sudden fire!
CHAPTER II – TWO CLEVER ROGUES
“This is a serious charge, Mr. Pemberton!” said the captain, in a low voice.
“But I mean it, every word, sir. I tell you I have lost certain articles that represent a large amount of money to me. And I shall proceed against your company unless they are recovered,” declared the passenger, angrily.
Frank believed he recognized in this party a traveling agent who visited the jewelers in the lake towns several times a year. This being the case it was easy to understand that the packet which he complained was stolen, might have contained precious stones, or something along that line.
“Stop and make sure before you say that, Mr. Pemberton,” remarked the captain, turning pale at the threat; for under the circumstances such an action against the company might lose him his comfortable berth.
For once his good-heartedness seemed to have placed him in a predicament. According to the plain rules of the company it should have been his business, upon being refused the proper fare by the two ugly tramps, to have called upon his crew to assist him in putting them ashore, or getting rid of them somehow, even if he had to throw them overboard.
“I know just what I am saying, sir; the packet is gone, and I am ready to swear that I left it in my bag,” replied the other, firmly.
“But consider, sir, that in all this excitement a man might lose his head. Just as likely as not you may have done something with the packet yourself. It would seem to be the first thing a man might think of.”
Captain Amos was arguing with a view to shifting the blame; but he had a positive customer to deal with in Mr. Pemberton. The other shook his head and frowned.
“I insist upon every one being searched before they leave the boat,” he said. “No honest person will object to such a course, I feel sure; and it is the only safe way. And you yourself should be the one to do the job, Captain, in the interest of your company – of course with the assent of the passengers and crew.”
The commander of the boat somehow at this juncture looked at Frank, just as if he sought advice from this source.
“It is the right thing to do, Captain,” that party hastened to say, “and as for my two chums and myself we would like you to begin right now with us.”
“There is no necessity in your case, my boy; for you have been under my eye all the time you were aboard, and we owe you much,” the gentleman hastened to exclaim.
“Nevertheless, if any are to be searched all should be without a single exception, to make it fair. But it strikes me, Mr. Pemberton, that the captain already has a pretty good idea as to who took your valuables, if they have been stolen, and not lost overboard in the confusion,” remarked Frank, calmly.
The traveling jeweler whirled upon the officer.
“How is this, Captain?” he demanded, anxiously.
“We were just wondering how the fire started,” the other explained, “and I declared it could not have come from any carelessness of my crew, and that there was no chance of an accident. In a word, sir, I vowed the fire must be of incendiary origin. Frank, here, and his friends were asking what reason any one would have for setting this boat on fire, when you rushed up stating your loss.”
“I begin to grasp your meaning. It implies that in order to cover up their robbery the thieves started this fire, thinking that if the boat burned no one might be the wiser. That looks very plausible. Did I understand this boy to say you had an idea concerning the identity of the criminal?” Mr. Pemberton asked eagerly.
“Yes, I believe I have,” said Captain Amos, sturdily.
“Then I demand that you place him under arrest immediately, before he can escape with my property. Is there more than one concerned, do you think? Ah! I have an idea I know whom you mean – the two tramps who came aboard at Newtonport?”
“Exactly. They are the ones I suspect. It would be easy to start such a blaze undetected, for no one would be dreaming of such rascality,” replied the officer.
“And taking advantage of the sudden confusion,” went on the passenger, “when men and women were shouting, and rushing frantically about, they must have searched my luggage purposely, knowing that I was carrying a valuable packet in my bag.”
“That would appear to cover the case, sir. In the light of this explanation do you still insist upon every one being searched?” demanded Captain Amos.
Mr. Pemberton also looked toward Frank, although, perhaps, unconsciously. The latter smiled and hastened to remark:
“I really believe that what the captain says may be the true explanation of both the fire and the robbery, Mr. Pemberton. And in that case the arrest of the tramps will bring your valuables to light.”
“Provided they have not gone overboard by accident,” the captain could not resist saying, with pointed emphasis.
The passenger shook his head doggedly, and said:
“There is not the slightest chance of that, sir. I vow I was not once near the spot where my luggage was piled up from the first cry of fire until just now, when I went to see that my things were safe. Surely I would know it if I had gone there.”
“Besides, Captain, unless I’m mistaken this gentleman was the only one among the passengers who seemed to have his senses; I am sure I saw him helping to pass the buckets of water along,” remarked Frank.
“Right you are, son,” said the gentleman, with a faint smile; “for that is a fact. I forgot that I even had any luggage aboard, and the cries of those poor frightened women got on my nerves so that I was bound to do all I could to assist in saving the boat. Now, Captain Amos, I am disposed to go as easy with you as possible, but something must be done before you order the boat into Centerville!”
“I’m willing to do anything that seems right, only tell me what you wish,” replied the officer, promptly.
“If those ugly-looking customers are guilty, they must be apprehended before they have a chance to secrete the goods,” vouchsafed Mr. Pemberton.
“I agree with you. The only question is, ought we try and do it here, or wait until we reach the wharf, where we will find the constable waiting, as he always is when the Eastern Star arrives?”
“It might be safer to wait,” admitted the passenger, “but in that event the rogues will be given a chance to hide the packet, perhaps, about the boat, trusting to getting it another time. Then, as we would have no evidence that they were guilty, we could not hold them.”
“What