Wyn Roosevelt

“ The yacht was now rolling and pitching on the heavy seas, and the blasts of wind were becoming stronger and more angry, whistling through the rigging with the shrill sound of a gigantic fife.
“Shall we take in another reef?” shouted the mate.
“No. Put two men at the wheel and tell them to work lively! Jim, a few words with you.”
A brief conference followed, then taking his station amidship, with Jim well forward, the captain shouted his orders to the sailors and helmsmen. ”

“ I begin to feel a hollowness in my interior that needs attention. Suppose we postpone explanations until we have had something to eat.”
“Now, you’re talking sense,” agreed Tom. “And we’ll hunt up the professor and have him, too.”
“The professor!” exclaimed Jim. “Who is he?”
“Oh, the professor with a name as long as the alphabet,” replied Jo. “He can explain better than we can.”
“The professor with the long name!” cried Jim and Berwick simultaneously. “What do you know about such a man?”
“Nothing,” replied the boys, “except that he has engaged us to go on the Storm King for a treasure hunt. ”

“ Lake Winnipeg is a veritable ocean. Its waves rival those of the salt sea in magnitude, and they break upon a shore composed in many places of sand and pebbles. If we sail straight out upon it, the shore behind us sinks in the horizon; but [Pg 137] no opposite shore rises to view, and the unbroken circle of sky and water is presented to our gaze, as it appears on the great ocean itself. ”

“ Pulling along close under the stern of the Marjorie, there was seen a small boat in which was Captain Broome with his chief subordinates.
“See anything of Manuel in their boat?” asked Jo.
“No,” replied Tom. “He isn’t in the boat. They must have left him behind.”
“He must have been drowned,” said Jo.
“I don’t know about that,” replied Tom, “but it is certain he isn’t in the boat; there are four men besides the captain and on top of their other baggage is a big hamper.”
“How’s the engine, Mr. Berwick?” asked the professor of the engineer, calling down into the engine room. ”

“ At the moment his name was called, he sprang from the bushes, laden with botanical specimens, and crying, ‘Stop! stop! I’m coming,’ he rushed down to the boat of which he had the special charge, and leaped in. Five minutes more, and the brigade was sweeping down the Saskatchewan, while the men bent hastily to their oars, and filled the shrubbery on the river’s bank and the wide prairies beyond with the ringing tones of one of their characteristic and beautiful canoe songs.
“The sun was flooding the horizon with gold as it sank to rest. ”

“ Jo walked quietly to the stern of the boat, and leaning over the rail looked down. The stern windows of the cabin afforded a view of the pursuing vessel, and where the signals could be observed, but he could not see if anyone was there.
Something did attract his attention, however, though it only impressed itself on his mind as an odd chance. A keg was floating in the wake of the Storm King, but most unusual things are sometimes seen on the surface of the ocean, hundreds of miles from land. ”

“ Well, I guess between the two of us we can manage one young cub, eh mate Marion?”
There was no reply, but doubtless the mate acquiesced by a motion of the head.
“I warn you, Captain Beauchamp, that although he is young, Jim Darlington is a difficult one to handle,” cautioned the steward.
“Jim Darlington!” gasped the captain. It was his turn to be surprised. “I thought he was dead.”
“On the contrary, he is very much alive, as are the other Frontier Boys.”
“Well, I’ll be blessed,” said the captain, “the old innkeeper and the Senor’s man told me all the party had gone up with the old hulk.” ”

“ The mysterious arrival was puzzling Captain Beauchamp and his company, who, indeed, took the new arrival to be the Storm King. This Jim readily determined by the talk of those leaning against the deck rail.
“Are you sure that no lights are showing below?” It was Beauchamp’s soft voice.
“There are no lights lit on board, sir. Your orders were that none should show in this harbor.”
“Then they can’t locate us in the dark. Before dawn have all the guns looked over and everything made in readiness for an attack.”
“Is that young fellow worth fighting for?” asked the mate. ”

“ Jo finally gasped.
“Not yet. Not yet,” repeated Jim, but even as he spoke there came from the lugger the sound of a most terrible scream. Human voice could not give utterance to sound more horrible. All the party in the boat and the swimmers in the water turned toward the direction from which it came to note the cause.
At the cabin window in the stern of the abandoned vessel was a face distorted by agony. The person’s arms were flung wildly about. It was the Mexican dwarf. ”

“ With a shrill cry of fear, the man tries to unloosen the deadly folds, grasping the slimy serpent about the throat in a desperate clutch. But all in vain. They writhe and struggle, but neither relax their hold, and they fall to the ground beneath the arching palms. ”

“ Meantime, Jim took the professor aside, and together they went to the deck above, and then climbed quite away up into the ship’s rigging.
When they were absolutely alone, Jim said, “Whom do you suspect, professor?”
“I can think of only one person,” was the answer. “Beside you boys and myself, only four people have access to the cabin. I do not suspect the captain or the steward. Berwick you have confidence in. May it not be the mate?” ”

“ There was a brief interval of suspense, then there was observed, moving toward the shore from under the lea of the lugger, a small boat. In it were three persons, all well known to Jim. The Senorita sat in the stern, and so was facing them. At the oars was a big fellow with a bristling red moustache, close-cropped hair, and evil looking black eyes. An equally big, red haired woman, Big Annie, the captain’s sister, was in the bow. This woman, as Jim knew from sad experience, was as powerful as a man. ”

“ The barometer rose shortly and climbed up as rapidly as it had earlier fallen. In a brief time the skies had cleared and the wind settled to a steady breeze.
“It seems to me,” said the professor, looking about him, “that it was a difficult thing to get in here, but to get out is going to be a more difficult one.”
“It will be all right,” replied the captain, “if Berwick will fix up that old tea kettle of his and give us some steam.” Then addressing the engineer, “Can’t you do this while we are in here?”
“Maybe I can,” replied the engineer, “if there is no more of the devil’s handiwork. ”

“ None were surprised at early dawn to observe the Sea Eagle riding quietly at anchor well toward the inner shore of the harbor, and some two and one-half miles distant.
Alongside of the Sea Eagle was a boat of nondescript appearance, the one they had seen the night before, and it was evident that the masters of the two ships had business of importance in hand.
“By Jove, old fellow,” cried Berwick, addressing Jim, “you were right after all. It is her, all right. We had better be getting ready.”
“Better go fully armed,” advised the professor. “You know that they are a pretty tough lot.” ”

“ Three of the boats ran down in grand style, and reached the foot in safety. Berry and I were in the last boat. The steersman stood up in the stern with his hands resting on the long heavy sweep, while his gaze was directed anxiously towards the boiling flood into which we were just entering. The bowman, an immensely powerful man, stood up in front, with a long strong pole grasped in both hands, ready to fend off from the sunken rocks. The men sat in their places, with their oars ready for action.
“‘Now, boys, look out,’ cried the guide, as we plunged into the first billow of the rapids. ”

“ It need only to be recalled that the Sea Eagle on leaving the harbor headed north, and when the captain was satisfied that he was not followed the ship’s course was altered.
“The little Mexican was right. Them boys are looking for the gold,” the captain decided, rubbing his gorilla-like hands together with satisfaction.
The next day, however, when the Sea Eagle had entered San Matteo Bay and Captain Broome discovered the Storm King, he almost exploded with wrath. But the dwarf, who had been standing on the afterdeck, and with a spy-glass watching the other boat, had seen the boys go on shore. ”

“ She is to be seen by me before the money is given up. She is to be near at hand. I am to see her, it is promised, sitting in a small boat near the shore, and in the care of a good woman who has been her companion.”
Jim could not restrain a laugh. The idea of applying any such word as “good woman” to the virago on board the Sea Eagle.
“Captain Broome’s sister?” suggested Jim, inquiringly.
“Captain Broome’s sister,” repeated the Senor. “It is not possible. The captain is a comrade, a friend, engaged by me to carry arms and armament to my confreres in Cuba. ”

“ That’s too clumsy, anyway. And,” he went on after a moment’s pause, “I don’t believe you could have done it. Jim Darlington is too smart for you.”
If it was the captain’s intention to arouse all [Pg 110] the malignity and vindictiveness of the hunchback’s nature to the utmost, he certainly succeeded. The dwarf’s eyes blazed with fire, his form trembled with rage and his voice when he spoke resembled more the hiss of an angry snake than the utterance of a human being.
“Leave him to me now,” he hissed. “I will make an end of this Senor James and his whole tribe.” ”

“ Jo asked.
“We have only this man’s word, and in a sense his word is valueless, but he can go with us and we can deal with him accordingly, if he tells not the truth.”
“What’s happening on the Marjorie?” asked Berwick.
The steward did not know. He told of liberating Jim, who had gotten into the Sea Eagle’s dory, and had ordered the two Swedes who manned the oars, and who of course did not know him, to row him ashore. The steward, filled with remorse for his treachery to the professor, had later swam to the land and, uncertain what to do, now really welcomed his capture. ”

“ Well, we on Rarihue concern ourselves but little with the outside world. Rarihue has no harbor and only small boats can effect a landing. Excepting for Bohoola the island we are on, and one other uninhabited island, there is no other land within two hundred miles. We are not a fighting people, and have no real need to be. I’ve taught them to fight only for their homes. But if I can help you in any way, be assured of my willingness.”
The professor told of his own ship, and the harbor where it was anchored. ”

“ There was scarcely a man among them now who could be regarded as moderately sober. The majority were immoderately intoxicated. They were singing ribald songs and the recitative, between the melodies was composed of oaths such as Jim had never heard. The men in the long boat did not succeed in getting clear of the Sea Eagle without some violent altercations, first with the Swedes and then among themselves. The jovial songs were quickly abandoned in favor of yells and shouts and threats, oars were freely and indiscriminately used, and there seemed to be a breaking of heads all around. ”

“ Supporting himself with his hands he crept around the base of the boulder and soon got a broader outlook. His gun, as too great a handicap to carry on his trip, he discarded, carefully secreting it.
A considerable interval must have elapsed since he received that paralyzing abrasure from the rock against which he had struck, for the sun was gone and a melancholy gloom was settling over the wild landscape. Assuredly he must be moving. [Pg 203] Those unscrupulous cutthroats would stop at nothing. And was not Jim, his dearest and most admired friend, in danger? ”

“ Jo and Juarez made a long detour inland and on their return reported many interesting sights, but no sign did they find of inhabitants. They had climbed to a high altitude, reaching the uppermost point by a circuitous route, but descending again by a rugged route much shorter but very difficult to negotiate.
“Phew!” exclaimed Tom, on coming on deck the following morning as the sun like a ball of fire was showing in the eastern horizon. “It is going to be a corker to-day, all right. Why, even the ocean is sizzling.” ”

“ I thought the whole lot of skeletons were coming after us, but I don’t believe they could do any puffing or snorting. It’s time we were getting along.”
“We will be ready for them this time, whatever they are,” determined Jim, who had been lighting torches so that each could be supplied with one.
“Come on then,” said Jo. “We must keep together and be on the lookout.”
Arming themselves each with a heavy fagot which made a serviceable club, the four bent their footsteps in the direction of the chamber of weird experiences. ”