And knowing this, would it not be the easiest thing for them to gauge their time of flitting by the closeness of the coming host? Jack thought so, even while still exerting himself to the uttermost in order to get to the sh.o.r.e as speedily as possible.
Ah! now he could see more light ahead, which told in so many words that they must be close to the river again. Their troubles were behind them now; that is, insofar as they concerned navigating the dense jungle that covered the island of the bad name.
Those still ahead would be of an entirely different nature, and might consist of running up against the desperate thieves.
Just then Jack heard a voice, a very gruff voice, which he recognized as belonging to the man who had run off with the white boat.
"That all, Jim?"
The speaking of that name thrilled Jack, for only too well did he remember that it was mentioned in the newspaper article describing the robbery; and if he had had the slightest doubt before as to the ident.i.ty of the precious pair, it was now a thing of the past.
If the man addressed made any sort of reply Jack failed to catch it. He hoped, however, that it would be of a negative character--that they might still have something more to do; because Jack had located the voice, and was of the impression that it came from a little further up the narrow beach. They had come fairly close to the spot where the transfer of belongings was being made, but did not hit on it exactly.
And it is an old saying that a miss is as good as a mile; at any rate it would likely prove such in this case.
And so they presently burst out of the cover, and found themselves looking on the moonlit surface of the flowing Mississippi again.
Jack, Jenks, George and Josh had somehow come out in a clump, with Andy close at their heels. None of them more than cast a fleeting glance out on the dancing water, for they could see immediately that there was nothing calculated to interest them there.
Jack immediately turned up the beach, and started to sprint, for it was open here, and the absence of obstacles offered them a splendid chance to do something worth while.
There happened to be a little point setting out just above, on which grew some stunted trees and considerable brush. This helped to make a cove, perhaps something like the one which the boys had selected as their harbor, and in which the three motor boats rested snugly even then.
And as the two fugitive thieves had chanced to come down that side of the island they must have picked this out for a stopping-place, where they could hide their craft.
Rapidly did the running Jack, backed up by his allies, near this point of land. Once it was reached, and he believed he would be able to see what lay beyond; though somehow Jack did not appear to entertain any doubt as to the nature of this discovery.
He had already reached its outer edge, and in another ten seconds must have been able to push directly through, when, just as he feared, he heard sounds that announced the finish of that stage of the game.
The loud crackle of a motor"s exhaust broke the silence; and from the rapidity with which it worked he knew that the engine had been started at almost full speed.
"Oh! rats!" burst out George, who had been doing his best to get alongside Jack, and succeeded too, "they"ve got away from us!"
They kept on running, however, and speedily broke through the fringe of shrubbery that shut off their view. As they did so it was to hear a loud hoa.r.s.e laugh, that came rolling in from the water, and to see a white boat rushing away over the glistening surface of the river.
CHAPTER XVI
IN HOT PURSUIT
"It"s all off!" grunted Josh, evidently vastly disappointed by the outcome of their adventure.
"Yes, they"ve given us the slip!" declared Jack, who was already trying to think up some new plan whereby they might further harra.s.s the bold thieves who had thus far carried things all their own way.
"How"d you come to let "em go?"
This from the panting Buster, and he really meant it, too, which was the strangest part of it all; he had come rumbling along like an ice-wagon, as Josh was accustomed to saying, swinging that long club of his in a way that was as dangerous to friends as foes.
"Huh! let "em!" Josh went on to say, mockingly. "I like that, now, sure I do. As if we had anything to do with their skipping out. They were ready to flew the coop when they heard us a-comin", and only had to start the engine. Jenks, here he got that fixed a little too soon. If he"d only let her go till morning he"d not be minus a boat now, see?"
All of which was true, but n.o.body sucked any consolation out of it. When a horse has been stolen, how little the unlucky owner cares when some neighbors come along and show him how he might have avoided his loss; what he thinks of most of all is the matter of getting the lost animal back again into his barn.
And Jack was built that way. He seldom spent any time mourning over the milk that was spilt; but immediately proceeded to try and remedy conditions.
One thing sure, if ever they hoped to give these fellows any further trouble, it would not be accomplished by sitting down, and trying to discover why they could not have navigated that little patch of timber faster; or pushed through at a more direct line, so as to have saved that fatal angle.
The mill will never again grind with the water that is past--how frequently Jack could remember hearing his teacher in school say that; and he had often applied it to his own actions.
No, the robbers were done with that island, and had also abandoned their own boat, for it could be seen tied up there, just ahead. If they were to be met again it must be on the river.
That would mean a hot pursuit on the part of the motor boat boys; and this was what Jack was turning over so quickly in his mind while he stood there looking out after the disappearing craft.
"Oh! they left it after all!" exclaimed Algernon, as he too came up, considerably the worse for wear, because of the frequent arguments he had had with various unseen branches and logs and such things, in his hasty run.
"He thinks that white boat is his," exclaimed Josh, pointing as he spoke, "but that"s all wrong, Algernon, and you"re off your trolley, sure. They had one of the same color, if not as good a boat as yours; and they"ve kindly left it for you, with their compliments. That was about what he meant when he shouted across the water, you know."
"Jack, what are you thinking about now?" demanded George, who knew from the signs that the other was turning some sort of idea over in that active mind of his.
"I was wondering whether we wanted to take another turn with these fellows, that"s all," replied Jack, immediately.
"But--they"ve cleared out, you know!" said Buster, blankly, as he looked over the bright surface of the river, as though wondering however a fellow was going to walk on the water.
"Well, haven"t we got boats to follow them with?" demanded Josh, who was quicker-witted than his stout chum.
"And one of "em a crack-a-jack for speed," added George, proudly.
"When it"s going, you mean, George," corrected Josh; at which sly thrust the party indicated simply curled his lip, and disdained to reply.
"Well, whatever we decide to do, the sooner we settle the matter the better," remarked Jack, impatiently, something rather uncommon with him.
"Sure thing, because they"re putting up a hefty run of it right now, and can do it right along with that boat," added Josh.
"What speed can she make, Algernon?" queried George.
"Fifteen miles an hour when she"s run by one that knows how to handle her; but by myself I could never beat eleven at the best," came the frank admission, which told just why he had hired the mechanician to accompany him in his run down river in compet.i.tion with another "chappie" who also owned an expensive boat.
"Huh! I have had eighteen, and I think nearly twenty out of mine," said George, trying to seem as though he were not boasting, but simply telling the plain truth, "and I think she could do that last, with the current to help out. So you see we"d be apt to come up on those fellows hand over fist. All of you could pile aboard the Wireless with me, and given an hour or so, I reckon we"d bring up alongside your stolen property, Algernon."
At that there was a scornful outbreak from Buster.
"Glory, don"t I see this whole bunch aboard your Wireless, though? It"d be a sight to make a feller weep, the way they"d have to sit in the middle, and never so much as wink an eye for fear they"d turn the speed boat upside-down. Excuse me from being in the party, George. I like your boat all right--from a distance. If I had company I"d rather stay on this blessed old island than get on the Wireless with such a crowd as this. Please let me go with you, Herb, if I have to be taken along."
"Sure we will," said George, cheerfully, "and only too glad of the chance. But if we"re going to do any chasing after that runaway it"s time we made a start."
"Then come on, everybody!" cried Jack, once more starting away on a run, and this time following the beach down toward the lower end of the island.
The whole eight of them were immediately in motion. As before, Buster and Algernon quickly fell behind, though they persisted manfully, and meant to come up before the boats could be poled out of the cove and the start made.