Vance Barnum

“ But there was danger, too, for the rain was pouring in through the opening in the roof—a veritable stream of water, probably diverted from some puddles that had gathered from the heavy downpour. And to climb up through this, along a muddy, slimy slope, was no easy task. But it was their only means of escape, for back of them the tide was still rising relentlessly.
"All ready, Andy?" called Frank.
"As ready as I ever shall be," was the grim answer.
"Well, don't move except when you see where you're going by means of the flashes. It's the only safe way. Go ahead; I'll follow." ”

“ Andy stepped on a shell, not seeing it, and it broke under his weight with a sharp, crackling sound.
Like a flash the man leaped up, and fairly sprang out of the boat. He stood confronting the Racer boys.
"Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded sharply. Then, as he recognized them, he added: "Oh, it's you two again. Didn't I warn you to stop following me?"
"We didn't choose to," retorted Frank calmly. "We've found you after a good deal of trouble, and we intend to end this mystery now. A boy's life—the life of Paul Gale—hangs in the balance." ”

“ It was chilling them, yet they dared not move much for fear of toppling off the narrow ledge.
Frank did not answer. He was busy trying to think of some way of escape. Yet, rack his brain as he did, no way out of the cave seemed possible. Were they doomed to die there?
"Can we climb any higher?" asked Andy, after another period of silence. "If we could, we might get out of reach of the water, even when the tide is full. Let's turn on both our lights and look at the wall back of us." ”

“ A short distance away was a dory, containing one person, and it needed but a single glance from the eyes of the Racer boys to tell them it was indeed the tall, dark stranger who had acted so oddly after questioning them about Paul Gale. The man was rowing slowly and awkwardly, as if unused to the exertion, but as the sea was fairly calm he was not having a hard time, especially as the dory was built for safety.
"Think he sees us?" asked Andy.
"No, but he'll hear us if you don't talk lower," objected Frank.
"Sounds carry very far over water."
"All right," whispered the younger lad. ”

“ For they intended to make a half circuit of the island that day, and they figured that night would find them too far away from their camp to make it practical to return.
"We'll eat and sleep wherever we are when it's dark," decided Frank.
Their search that day was as fruitless as fore. Not a vestige of the man or boat to be seen. They made a sort of shelter of driftwood and seaweed before darkness fell, and built a rousing fire in front of it, where they sat and talked until it was time to turn in. ”

“ Frank saw his object, and uttered a warning cry.
"Keep away!" shouted the elder lad. "If he hits you it will be all day with you!"
"That's what it will!" yelled the infuriated man.
"Watch me!" cried Andy with a laugh. "I didn't learn to throw a lasso for nothing." He swung the noose in a circle about his head, and, as the man raised his feet in the air, to ward off any personal attack, Andy skillfully tossed the coils about his feet. They fell around the shoes, and in an instant Andy had pulled his end of the rope taut, making two coils about the prisoner. ”

“ There was another movement on the outskirts of the throng, and someone pushed his way in.
"It's dad!" cried Bob. "Hey, dad!" he shouted. "These men are going to take our whale! We just towed it in, Frank and Andy Racer and me! Can these men take it?"
"Of course we can, kid!" cried one of the fishermen. "Get out of the way, if you don't want to be knocked down."
"Oh, it's you, is it, Jack Kett!" ”

“ CHAPTER XVII ON CLIFF ISLAND "Why didn't we think before of going to the island?" asked Andy, as he and his brother sat in the train on the way to Mardene.
"Give it up," answered Frank. "But, as the captain says, it would be just the place for a criminal to hide. Hardly any boats stop there if they can help it, unless they want shelter from a storm, and it's out of the line of regular travel. Still, we may not find our man there."
"Yes, but it's a good chance. There's a fine wind to-day, and we oughtn't to be a great while running to the island." ”

“ He seemed strangely confused.
"We rescued the boy, and he is up at our house," said Frank quickly. "We have been trying to pick up the wreck of the boat and learn who the boy is. He has lost his memory."
"Lost his memory!" the man exclaimed, and he actually appeared glad of it.
"Yes, he doesn't remember even his name," explained the elder Racer lad. "But now we can solve the mystery as you know him. You say his name is Paul. What is his other name? Who are you? Don't you want to see him? We can take you to him—to Paul."
The brothers eyed the man eagerly. On his part he seemed to shrink away. ”

“ The tide's out, and it's shallow here. Pull to one side, Andy—the race is off. Pull out, I tell you!" and Frank swung his skiff around with sudden energy.
"I am not! I'm going to get a nearer view of the whale!" cried Andy. "Maybe he's hurt, or perhaps there's a harpoon with a line fast to it in him. We might get hold of it and—"
"Yes, and go to kingdom come. Nixy! Get out of the way while you've got time. Jinks! He's coming on faster than ever!"
Frank's manner so impressed his brother that the younger lad now began to swing his craft around. ”

“ There's lots going on, and we'll soon be back—if we have luck," commented Andy.
"Queer about that Paul," spoke Bob. "You haven't seen anything more of that strange man; have you?"
"No, and I'm afraid we won't, either," declared the elder Racer boy. "It seems to be a mystery we'll never solve. If we could only find that missing motor boat it might help some. But I guess that's sunk, though it was floating when we took Paul aboard our craft."
The boys rowed slowly about the spot where the whale had gone down, casting eager glances from time to time at the rolling billows. ”

“ It was a good idea, for the speedy craft of Mr. Lacey, as it proved to be, could not have come in very close. But the raft made a good landing float.
"Well, Andy and Frank!" exclaimed Mr. Racer, when he could grasp their hands. "You've given us a fine scare."
"We didn't mean to," spoke Andy.
"And we have the man who caused all the trouble," added Frank. "He's a prisoner, dad. See, Paul. Here's the man we've been after."
Paul Gale pressed to the side of the motor craft as it floated near the raft. At once a strange change came over the lad's face. His cheeks flushed and his eyes grew bright. ”

“ There was room for the trio of lads to handle sweeps.
"Sure, most anyone would want a whale," replied Bob. "It'll be worth a lot of money to the fertilizer factory, and then there's the oil."
"Then there's the whalebone," put in Andy eagerly. "We ought to get a lot of money for that."
"This kind of a whale doesn't have the sort of bone that is valuable, I believe," suggested Frank. "It's only for the oil that they're hunted. But still, if we can get this one we ought to knock out a pretty penny."
"If there was a lump of ambergris in it we all be millionaires!" exclaimed Andy eagerly. ”

“ What happened, Andy?" Frank asked.
"Don't ask me. Come on home," replied his brother, limping away, while Miss Mabel smiled and turned aside. Chet Sedley grinned. It was the first and only time he had unwittingly gotten the better of Andy Racer.
"I told you not to play any more jokes," spoke Frank, as he walked along at his brother's side. "You never can tell when they're going to come back on you."
"Oh, say, let a fellow alone; can't you?" expostulated the younger lad.
"Does it hurt you very much?" inquired Frank. ”

“ But it only to come face to face with a solid wall of rock.
"No use trying to get through there," said Andy. "We must try to move the big rock."
"We can't," spoke Frank. "I think——" But he never finished that sentence. Instead focused his light down on the stone floor of passage in the cave. A thin stream of water trickling along it.
"Look! Look!" whispered Andy.
"Yes," answered his brother in a low voice. "The tide is rising. It's running into the cave, and we—we're trapped here, Andy. No wonder that man said it was the last time. We're trapped by the rising tide!" ”

“ There is not much excitement in a sailing race, as the boys very soon found out. There was nothing they could do, which would have been the case in a motor craft, to add to their speed. All they could do was to sit and let the wind carry them. And they were glad to see that the breeze was continually freshening.
"There'll be another gale before night, if this keeps up," predicted
Frank.
"Let it," assented Andy. "The Gull likes heavy weather, and we can stand it."
"Yes, but father and mother will be worried about us. If it comes on to blow too hard we'll have to turn back." ”

“ CHAPTER XVIII "THERE HE IS!" "Well, what's the first thing to be done?" asked Andy, after he had assisted Frank to pull the boat up on the beach beyond high-water mark.
"There's plenty to do," declared his brother. "In the first place we've got to decide whether we'll stay on shore over night, or sleep on the boat. If we stay on land we've got to bring our grub ashore. Then, the next thing is to map out a plan so we can search the island, and not go over the same ground twice." ”

“ It was not without much labor that the boys succeeded in getting the heavy mass of driftwood down where the tide would float it for them. The man watched them with a scowling face, occasionally muttering to himself.
"Better take something to eat along with us; hadn't we?" asked Andy, when they were waiting for the rising tide.
"Sure," assented Frank. "We may not be picked up until along toward night. And we'll want water. Lucky we've got some empty cracker tins to carry it in." ”

“ As Andy had said, his skiff was in pretty good condition. This was due to two causes. The blow of the whale's tail had been a glancing one, and the skiff had an unusually high freeboard, so that though it was splintered down to the water edge, not much of the sea had entered.
"I believe she'll float when I'm out of it so she'll ride higher," declared the younger lad. "Take me into your boat, and maybe we can tow mine in and fix it up. It's too good to lose."
"That's right. Wow! But you had a narrow escape!" and Frank looked very grave as he assisted his brother into the undamaged craft. ”

“ And I don't want you boys tackling any more whales," Mr. Racer added decidedly, as he gazed at his sons a bit sternly.
"No, indeed!" their mother hastened to add. "I should have died of nervousness if I had known they went out again, after that dreadful fish smashed Andy's boat."
"A whale's an animal, not a fish, mother," said the younger lad as he gave her a kiss. "We are going to capture that one and sell its oil."
"Don't you dare venture whale-hunting again, or we'll go straight back to New York, and that will be the end of your vacation," she threatened.
"That's right," added Mr. Racer. ”

“ They came nearer to the feebly swimming lad.
"There he goes—he's sunk—he's under!" yelled Andy, peering beneath the boom.
"Too bad!" muttered Frank. "We're too late!"
Eagerly he looked into the tumult of waters Then he uttered a joyful cry.
"There he is again! He's a plucky one. We must get him, Andy!"
"But how? I daren't steer in any closer or I'll have a hole in us and we'll go down."
"We've got to save the poor fellow. I wonder who he is?"
"It's tough," murmured Andy. "See, the fire on the motor boat seems to be out."
"Yes, probably the explosion blew it out. The boat floats well. ”

“ I've got some prime lobsters that a fellow gave me. They're all alive. Won't you take some along?"
"Well, we generally can eat them," spoke Frank. "And my mother is very fond of lobster salad."
"Don't say another word," exclaimed the lighterman. "Here you are," and he drew forth a basket from under a pile of bagging at the foot of the mast. "Take 'em along."
There were a dozen fine, large lobsters in the basket as Andy ascertained by a peep, and then after thanking the man for them, and making sure that the hatch cover was on tight, the brothers rowed back to their craft. ”

“ The little craft took the water easily and was soon riding under the stern of the Gull. Frank and Andy slid down the rope falls, after tossing two pairs of oars into the boat, and unhooked the blocks, leaving them dangling to be used on their return to hoist the boat up to the davits again.
"We're coming!" yelled Frank, in answer to another frantic appeal for aid. "How many of them are there?"
"About a million snakes and ten thousand monkeys!" was the frightened reply. "Come on! I can't hang here much longer." ”

“ He disappeared beneath the green waves with their crests of foam, and for a moment Andy anxiously watched for his brother. Then he saw him reappear, and strike out strongly toward the other youth. Frank was an excellent swimmer.
"That's the way to do it!" murmured Andy, admiringly. "If anybody can save him, Frank can."
The younger lad was braced against the tiller, standing in a slanting position, his feet planted firmly in the cockpit, while he payed out the rope, one end of which was about Frank's waist, and the other made fast to a deck cleat. ”

“ It doesn't matter if it's dirty. Every second counts now. Get the wagon."
"Right away!" cried the old sailor, who did a general clamming and fish business. He hurried off in the direction of his store and stable, impressed by the words and energetic actions of the Racer boys. "Hi there, Bob!" the captain called to his son, whom he saw approaching. "Bring Dolly an' the rig here as quick as you can! Frank an' Andy Racer went out an' brought back a dead motor boat—leastways I mean a fellow that was nearly killed in one. Bring up the rig jest as she is! Lively!" ”