"It"s too much for me," he declared. "It"s a mystery, indeed. But I am not going to puzzle over that phase of the matter now. What I am interested in is in getting on the ground."
Frank, who had been lost in thought, spoke up unexpectedly.
"Captain Folsom," he said, "isn"t it pretty certain such a move would not be carried out except by a man high in the councils of the smugglers?"
"I should imagine so."
"And he would not run the risk of discovery and capture without some very good cause?"
"True."
"Then," said Frank, "is it possible his reason for this act is to drive the guards away or take them prisoner in order to obtain temporary possession of the house and remove incriminating papers--perhaps, from some secret repository--which the smugglers failed to take away or destroy when Lieutenant Summers captured the place last week?"
The others were silent a few moments. Then Captain Folsom said:
"Perhaps, you are correct. Certainly, your theory is plausible. And it would account for such a rash step being taken, by the smugglers."
Further general discussion was abandoned, as Lieutenant Summers felt his services were needed on deck. The boat was nearing Starfish Cove.
Night had fallen. Another half hour would bring them in sight of the strand. Captain Folsom went with the boat"s commander to discuss campaign plans. The boys were left to themselves.
"Who do you think this mysterious man behind the operations of the liquor runners can be?" Frank asked, as they leaned in a group apart on the rail, watching the phosph.o.r.escence in the water alongside.
"I haven"t the least idea," confessed Jack.
"Nor I," said Bob. "Unless, after all, it is Higginbotham."
"No," said Frank, "Captain Folsom declares it cannot be he, that he himself is not a wealthy man, and that he probably is only an agent."
"The little scoundrel," exclaimed Bob. "He"s a smooth one to take in Mr. McKay like that. Dad always speaks of Mr. McKay very highly. Think of Higginbotham playing the perfect secretary to him, yet behind his back carrying on such plots as this."
The beat of the engines began to slow down. They were stealing along as close to the sh.o.r.e as Lieutenant Summers dared venture with his craft. Not long before, on this same coast, although not this very spot, Eagle Boat 17 had run aground in the shallows during a fog, between East Hampton and Amagansett. It behooved the Nark to proceed with caution.
The boys were in the bow now, peering ahead. Starfish Cove was very near. Ahead lay the nearer of the two horns enclosing it. Gradually the little bay opened out around the point of land, and a dark blot showed in the water. The moon had not yet risen high, but it was a Summer night and not dark.
Suddenly, from the bridge, the glare of the great searchlight carried by the Nark cut through the darkness like the stab of a sword.
Lieutenant Summers directed it be played full upon the dark blot ahead, and instantly the latter stood out fully illumined. It was a sub chaser.
Smoke was coming from her funnel. She had steam up. She was preparing to depart. There were a score of figures on her deck. But what delayed her departure was the fact that she waited for a small boat, dancing across the water toward her from the sh.o.r.e. The latter caught full in the glare of the searchlight contained a pair of men tugging frantically at the oars, and a third seated in the stern, grasping the tiller ropes and urging the rowers to exert themselves to the utmost.
He wore a cap pulled far down to obscure his features, and did not look up as did his companions when the light smote them.
There was excitement among those on deck of the strange sub chaser.
Men ran here and there, as if undirected, not knowing what to do.
"He"s running away," cried Frank, suddenly. "Look. In the small boat."
He pointed. True enough, the man at the tiller had swung her about for sh.o.r.e, and the rowers were bending their backs as they sent her along on the opposite course. Moreover, a few strokes more would interpose the strange sub chaser between her and the Nark, and whoever was aboard would escape.
It was a time for quick action. Lieutenant Summers was equal to the occasion. Unknown to the boys, he had ordered the three pounder unlimbered, and now sent a shot ricochetting so close to the small boat that the oarsmen were spattered by the spray and the boat rocked violently. Nevertheless, exhorted by their commander, the rowers, who had ceased at first, bent anew to their oars. Another moment, and they were under the stern of the strange vessel and temporarily safe from danger of shot.
Jack, who had been watching developments breathlessly, ran to the bridge, and called:
"May I make a suggestion, sir?"
"What is it?" asked Lieutenant Summers.
"Whoever is in that boat is heading for the other horn of land enclosing the cove," said Jack, speaking rapidly. "He will land far out on a narrow peninsula. If we send a boat ash.o.r.e, on a tangent, we can strike the base of the peninsula in time to cut off his escape by land."
"Good," cried Lieutenant Summers. "I"ll order the boat out at once. Do you go in it and point the way."
CHAPTER XXIV
THE MAN HIGHER UP
The menace of the shot under her stern, while intended to bring-to the small boat, had the effect of overaweing the strange sub chaser also.
As Jack at the tiller, with four men bending to the oars and making the boat sweep through the water at a tremendous rate, pa.s.sed close astern, he was half fearful a demonstration would be made against them. Nothing of the sort occurred, however, and not even a curious pair of eyes stared at them from the rail.
This was to be accounted for partly by the fact that, immediately after launching and sending away Jack"s boat, Lieutenant Summers dropped another overside from the davits, and, accompanied by Captain Folsom, headed directly for the ladder of the strange sub chaser, which was down. And those aboard had eyes only for him.
At the last minute, just as he was about to enter his boat, he saw Frank and Bob watching him longingly from the rail. He smiled.
"Want to come along?"
Did they? The two chums tumbled down the ladder and into the boat so quickly that the invitation was barely uttered when they already occupied seats.
"Let us have a pair of oars, sir," said Bob, "for we can row, and otherwise, if you brought other oarsmen in, we would be in the way."
"Very well," consented Lieutenant Summers. However, he detailed two sailors to take the other pair of oars.
The boat bearing the boarding party drew up at the floating stage and quickly Lieutenant Summers bounded over the rail, followed by Captain Folsom, Bob and Frank, and the two sailors. The boys drew up in rank with the latter, while the two leaders advanced a few steps. Nearly a score in number, the crew of the strange sub chaser were grouped at the foot of the bridge. None coming forward, Lieutenant Summers said sharply:
"Lieutenant Summers, U. S. N., come aboard. Who commands here?"
There was no response. Instead, a struggle seemed to be going on within the group, as if one of its members were trying to escape and the others were restraining him. At a sign from Lieutenant Summers, the sailors loosed the automatics swinging in holsters about their waists, and prepared for trouble.
"We"d stand a fine chance of getting shot without being able to talk back," whispered Frank to Bob. "Neither of us armed."
"Huh," Bob replied, out of the side of his mouth. "I"d grab me somebody"s gun."
The flurry, however, was short-lived. Suddenly, a shrinking figure was expelled from the group of men, as if shot from a cannon"s mouth. The searchlight from the Nark was playing full upon the scene.
"There"s your man," cried a voice, from the group. "Tryin" to hide, he was."
The man looked up, fear and defiance in his features. He was Higginbotham.
"Ah," cried Captain Folsom, sharply, taking a step forward, "so it is you."