asked Hodge, eagerly.
"Of course I do not know any better than yourself, but I have a suspicion."
"What do you think?"
"Yaw!" cried Hans; "vat do I think?"
"I believe some kind of unlawful business is carried on there, and for that reason the criminals are using every means to frighten away anybody who might prove troublesome or inquisitive."
"Then will it pay us to be troublesome and inquisitive?" said Diamond.
"That is the very matter we are here to discuss. The girls and Miss Gale are comfortably located here at Green"s Landing, and they will be able to amuse themselves for a day or two. If we wish, we can run down to Devil Island every morning and return here every night. I am willing to confess that my curiosity is aroused, and I would give something to solve the mystery of the place; but I do not wish to drag any of my friends into danger where they do not wish to go."
"I hardly think there is one in this party who will not stand by you wherever you go, Merriwell," said Bart, quickly. "You can count on me."
"I knew it."
"And me," grunted Browning.
"I thought so."
"Und I vos anodder!" exclaimed Hans.
"That is good."
"Don"t think for a moment that I will go back on you," said Diamond. "I started on this cruise with the intention of staying with you, and I shall."
"Good. That part of it is settled. I have said that the mystery of that island belongs to me, and I will solve it. I mean to keep my word."
"Vale," said Hans, "I never knowed yourseluf ven you didn"d keep your vord, Vrankie. But maype you don"d vant to took some more chances uf peing runned ofer a railroat on?"
"Hardly. We have a fair breeze. Shall we run down to the island this forenoon?"
"Come on," said Diamond, suddenly. "If we have a mystery to solve, the sooner we get after it the better."
There was a thump against the side of the yacht, and a voice called:
"Ahoy on board there! I want to see the captain of this craft."
CHAPTER XXII.
THE MAN IN GRAY.
When Frank reached the deck he saw a jolly-looking little man in gray clothes coming over the rail. Beside the yacht lay a dory, in which sat a fisherman who had rowed the old man off to the _White Wings_.
"Dang a dory," exclaimed the little man in gray, with a chuckle. "She may be all right to row round in on a troubled sea, but she"ll tip quicker"n scat if you step up on the side of her. This one near spilt me into the drink after I was alongside here. What I want is a flat-bottomed scow or raft. I hope this yacht is good and steady, for I"m going to take a cruise in her."
"You are?" gasped Frank, smiling. "Well, that is cool."
"Of course," nodded the little man, brightly. "Everything around me is cool, even to my name, and that is Cooler--Caleb Cooler."
"I like your nerve!"
"I thought you would, though I have seen people who didn"t like it. Some folks are fussy--here, my man," turning to the boatman, "here is the fifty cents I promised you if you would set me on board here. I shan"t want you any more. You may go."
"Hold on," came firmly from Frank, who also spoke to the man in the dory. "I think Mr. Cooler is mistaken. He will want you--to take him ash.o.r.e again."
"Oh, no--no, indeed," chuckled Mr. Cooler, pleasantly. "You are quite wrong, young man. I am going to Devil Island with you."
"The--the--d.i.c.kens you are?" exclaimed Frank. He came near using another word in the place of "d.i.c.kens," for now he was literally astounded.
"Oh, yes," nodded the queer old man, still laughing. "I won"t be a bit of bother. In fact, you will find me mighty jolly company. Tickle me gently, and I am more fun than a variety show. I have been paid in my day to travel around with folks just to amuse them. I"m sure death to the blues, and I am better than all the doctor"s medicine you ever took."
"Well, I haven"t the blues, and I am not in need of medicine."
"Say you so? You"re in luck. You do look cheerful and healthy, that"s a fact."
"But I have some curiosity."
"Glad to know you are troubled by something."
"Yes, I am curious to know how you happened to come aboard this yacht in order to get to Devil Island."
"Why, aren"t you going there?"
"Perhaps so; but how do you know it?"
"Feller told me so."
"When?"
"Little while ago."
"Where?"
"Up at Jobbins" store."
"What kind of a fellow? How did he look?"
"Looked as if some chap had swatted him with a brick right on the bridge of his proboscis, for it had a strong list to starboard, and one of his eyes was keeping watch at the end of it, while the other eye was on guard to see that no more bricks were coming in that direction."
"The man with the c.o.c.k-eye!" exclaimed Merriwell.
"Sure as you live!" cried Hodge, who had followed Frank to the deck.
"It"s Hicks."