It was a hard thing for the grasping man to do, but he finally consented; and taking him into his buggy, Mr. Avery drove off in search of the boys.
Judd was found in the village, but would consent to no settlement until his partner was found. There was little prospect of finding Budd until he returned from his peddling trip, and Mr. Benton groaned more and more as the hours ran by and he knew it was adding to the amount he should have to pay the officer. But he soon found that amount was but a trifle compared with what he should have to pay before the young firm consented to his release.
About two o"clock Budd came back to the village, where he had agreed to meet Judd in antic.i.p.ation of the very event for which his presence was now desired. The lads had time to talk the matter over before they saw Mr. Benton, and when he appeared they were ready to state their terms.
After listening to Mr. Benton"s proposition to return the boats, Budd, as spokesman for the firm, replied:
"Mr. Benton"s act not only caused us a great deal of personal annoyance, but it interfered with our business arrangements. Again, we do not know how soon he may annoy us in some other way. We propose to make this affair a good lesson to him, and we will therefore settle it on three conditions:
"First, that he shall return the boats unharmed to our dock at the island.
"Second, that he pay all costs that have accrued on account of his arrest.
"Third, that he pay us twenty-five dollars for the annoyance and business delays he has caused, and give bonds for his future good behavior.
"These are the only conditions on which we will settle, and he can accept them or stand his trial in court."
After a great deal of protestation Mr. Benton agreed to all but the giving of bonds for his good behavior, and as he solemnly promised to let them alone in the future, the lads yielded. The money was paid to them, the costs were settled, the boats returned before night, and the young firm withdrew their complaint.
"You have completely silenced one of your enemies, Budd," remarked Judd, that evening. "Now, if only some opportunity will come for you to bring Bagsley into a spot where you can dictate your terms, your triumph will be complete."
"I hope it may," was the response.
That opportunity was nearer at hand than either of the lads thought, for on the following Monday the whole community was startled by learning that the most daring robbery ever committed in that vicinity had taken place some time between the hours of twelve o"clock on Sat.u.r.day night and six o"clock on Monday morning. A jeweler"s store on the main street of the village had during that time been entered and completely gutted.
Watches, gold and silverware, jewelry and precious stones, had been carried away to the amount of over five thousand dollars.
The store ran back from the main street to a narrow alley. A window opening on this alley had been forced, the safe blown open, and all the stock of any real value carried off. The work had evidently been done by experts, and they had disappeared without leaving a single trace behind them.
Budd learned of the robbery about ten o"clock on Monday morning. He had gone over to the village in the sloop to make a deposit of money and checks at the bank, for the young firm had reached the dignity of having a bank account, and while in the banking-rooms had his attention called to a poster which had already appeared about the village. It read:
$1,500 REWARD.
One thousand dollars will be paid for the arrest and conviction of the burglars who entered our store some time between the hours of twelve o"clock on Sat.u.r.day night, June 24th, and six o"clock on Monday morning, June 26th. Five hundred dollars additional will be given for the return of the goods that were carried off, or ten per cent. of that amount for each thousand dollars worth of goods restored.
Respectfully, CLAPP & ST. JOHN.
After inquiring of the bank-teller more of the particulars respecting the robbery, Budd went around to the store and made a careful examination of the premises. He found the shutter of the window had been opened by forcing some powerful instrument under the iron bar that ran across the outside, and thus prying the bar out of its socket. Then a pane of gla.s.s had been cut out as neatly and deftly as the one over at the island. The fastening of the window had in this way been reached, and the window shoved up. As soon as Budd had noticed these details he left the building and started down toward his boat.
"That was the work of Bagsley and his gang," he murmured, "and our opportunity, if we can only find them, has come."
CHAPTER XV.--BUDD ENTRAPPED.
Just before Budd reached the wharf he noticed another poster tacked up on the side of a storehouse, and paused to read it, that he might be sure of the terms under which the reward was offered.
As he stood there a well-dressed stranger came up behind him, and also paused to read the notice.
"That is quite a reward," he remarked, after reading it; "a nice little sum for some one to earn. Do you know whether any particular persons are suspected of the crime?"
"They are simply believed to have been experts," answered Budd.
"It was a neat job, that"s a fact," said the man, complacently.
Then as Budd turned away he asked, politely:
"Do you know of any one about the wharf here who has boats to let?"
"I have a sloop," replied Budd, "that I use to take out sailing-parties."
"Is it near here? Could I see it?" asked the man, looking Budd carefully over from head to foot.
The lad led the way down to the dock and pointed out the Sea Witch.
"She would do nicely," said the man, jumping into her and examining her cabin. "Is she a fast sailer?"
"Nothing of her size on this bay can overhaul her," replied Budd, with a touch of pride.
"Indeed!" remarked the man, with apparent satisfaction. "What do you ask a day for her use?"
"We never let her except myself or my partner go with her," explained Budd, "and our prices depend on the party and the time we are gone."
"Which of course is a very nice way to arrange it, I"m sure," said the stranger.
"Well, to come to business. My name is Wilson--Thomas Kortright Wilson--a direct descendant of James Wilson, of Philadelphia, one of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and once a Judge of the United States Supreme Court. Doubtless you have heard of him;" and Mr.
Wilson said this with an air and tone that implied "You are very ignorant if you have not."
Budd modestly admitted that he had heard of that distinguished gentleman, and then his companion went on:
"I am camping out with a party of friends upon Patience Island. We have been there a week, but we can stand it no longer. It is horribly lonesome there; not a house on the island, not a solitary person there but ourselves. There is no gunning or fishing worth speaking of, and this morning the boys voted for a change, and sent me over here to hire a boat to take us and our camping outfit to Block Island, so I rowed over in that boat," and Mr. Wilson here pointed to a small skiff a few rods below the wharf, "and walked up the street till I met you. It is wonderful good fortune that I should have run in with you at once. Now, what will you ask to move our camp?"
"How many are there in your party, and how much of an outfit have you?"
asked Budd.
"There are five of us, and we have only a few traps; you can carry everything at one trip," said Mr. Wilson, briskly.
"I ought to have five dollars," Budd declared: "and I shall have to go home before I can make the trip."
"Well, can you go right after dinner?" asked the stranger.
"Yes, at one o"clock I"ll be here," said the lad.
"All right; we"ll give you your price. Meantime, where can I get a good dinner?"