Going down the bay a mile, he ran the boats into a secluded bay adjacent to his own land, and then tramping up to his house for chains and padlocks, he fastened them all securely. Then he tramped up the hill to his house chuckling to himself:

"I've not only got twice the value o' them thirty dollers, but I've taken away every means for the boys to leave the island."

CHAPTER XIV.--TWO OPPORTUNITIES.

When Mr. Benton, in his chuckling, had declared that he had taken away every means the young firm had for reaching the main sh.o.r.e, he overlooked two important facts: first, that the island at its nearest point was not over a half-mile from the main-land; and, second, that there was an abundance of material on the island from which to construct a temporary float, even were there not other ways of effecting a landing.

Now the events of the previous chapter, it will be remembered, occurred on a Thursday; consequently the next day was Friday, and the young firm's greatest salesday of all the week. The trial and the incidents antecedent to it had greatly hindered the lads' work, also; and when they retired at an early hour on Thursday night, therefore, it was with a determination to be up the next morning long before their usual time, which was in no sense late.

There was, moreover, a special reason for the boys to be up early this particular morning, for a telegram the day before had brought an order for an extra supply of fish to be shipped that morning by the earliest train to the city. That train left at six o'clock, and the fish must be packed and at the depot before that hour. So it happened that the lads were up at a little past three o'clock, and breakfast was eaten and they were out at the wharf before four.

Immediately after their first exclamations of surprise at the disappearance of the boats Judd asked:

"Who do you suppose has taken them, chum?"

"One of two parties," responded Budd, promptly; "either Bagsley and his gang, or Mr. Benton."

"It makes a vast difference to us which," remarked Judd, with his favorite whistle. "How are we going to find out which party it was?"

"By using a little reason, first of all things," said Budd, with a smile. "There are some things that make it improbable that it was Bagsley and his companions. To have taken the boats they must have been prowling around here before last night, and that isn't likely, for with our sharp lookout we would have discovered some trace of them. Again, if it were him and his crew, they must have discovered that you were my only companion here, and they would have done something more serious than simply to take the boats. I don't say that these are positive proofs that they are not the ones who have taken the boats, but they make it look at least improbable. Then, again, if it were those fellows, they have carried out 'the little job' they talked of, and used the boats as a means of escape. If we don't hear within a few hours of some burglary near at hand, I shall feel conclusively that they are not guilty of this act."

"You think, then, that Benton has done it?" inquired Judd. "What could have been his object?"

"Just this," replied his partner, earnestly: "He left the house angry that he had been baffled in his purpose. Coming down by the wharf, here, he thought of the boats, and has taken them, either to hold them until I pay him the thirty dollars he has asked for, or by shutting us on the island and hindering our work he hopes to find a partial revenge for his disappointment."

"But don't he know it was a theft?" asked Judd, hotly.

"He probably don't call it so, and may not really mean to keep the boats; but the law will put that interpretation upon his act, and that gives us a great opportunity."

"What do you mean?" asked Judd, a little mystified.

"To have him arrested, and, even if we do not push the matter to the end, frighten him so thoroughly he will let us alone after this;" and Budd went on to explain that this had been Mr. Wright's way of dealing with the man.

"But before we can do this we will have to get ash.o.r.e, and then our fish must be at the depot before six o'clock," said Judd, dryly.

"I know it," a.s.sented his comrade, "and we must stop this talk and go ash.o.r.e. Once on sh.o.r.e, you must go to the village and get Ben Taylor's boat for the day and come back here. Meanwhile I will go down along the sh.o.r.e, and see if Mr. Benton has taken the boats down to that little cove adjacent to his farm. I'll try and be back at 'The Hummocks,' so you can pick me up as you come down with the boat. It is about four o'clock, now, and by five we must be back here; then, by stirring lively, we can get the fish packed and down to the depot in time for the train."

"You talk just as though we could go right over to the main sh.o.r.e without the slightest trouble," said Judd, laughingly. "Are you going to walk over?"

"No," said Budd, briefly; "but I'm going to put my clothes into our smallest tub, and pushing that ahead of me, swim over. We could, of course, make a raft, but we haven't the time for it;" and Budd ran back to the house, appearing again in a moment with the tub.

He found his companion already undressing, and not three minutes had elapsed before both boys, pushing the tub before them, were swimming for the nearest point of the main sh.o.r.e. They were equally good swimmers, and in about fifteen minutes reached the point, and dressing, each hurried off his appointed way.

Budd's way was down across "The Hummocks" to "the narrows," which he was obliged to swim; but as the distance was short, he managed to do it carrying his clothes in a bundle on his head. Dressing again, he ran along the sh.o.r.e to the cove he had mentioned, and laughed aloud when he came to the boats so securely padlocked.

"My dear Mr. Benton," he said, mockingly, as he started back up the bay, "had you hitched them with a tow-line I would not have disturbed them.

You will yourself be glad to bring them back before the day is over."

He re-swam "the narrows," and reached the point of land opposite the island before Judd had returned. But he had not long to wait; and when he had taken a seat in Mr. Taylor's yawl with his partner, under their united strokes the light boat sped through the water like a racer. With quick and dexterous hands the fish were packed, and ten minutes before the appointed hour the box was landed at the railroad station.

Budd had told his chum, as soon as he had rejoined him, of the discovery he had made, and so the young partners went directly from the depot to the house of the proper officer for swearing out a warrant against Mr.

Benton, and in half an hour Mr. Avery, the constable, was driving toward that gentleman's residence with the warrant in his pocket.

Arriving at the farm a little past seven o'clock, he was told that Mr.

Benton had gone down to the sh.o.r.e. He followed him down there, and found the unsuspecting man standing by the stolen boats.

"Good-morning, Mr. Benton," he said. "You have quite a collection of craft here. Isn't that Boyd & Floyd's sloop and yawl?"

It seems almost incredible that Mr. Benton did not even now suspect the officer's errand, or the nature of his own act; and realizing this, Mr.

Avery enjoyed the situation immensely.

"Well, yes," a.s.sented the farmer. "Ye see, Budd owes me, an' I thought I'd take his sloop until he paid me."

"But running off in the night with another person's property is not a legal way to collect one's debts," said the officer, dryly, "and I am obliged to arrest you for stealing those boats. You will hardly deny the theft now, since your own confession;" and the officer took out his warrant.

Mr. Benton fairly shook with excitement and rage.

"Me 'rested!" he cried. "Who's dared to do it?"

"I have," remarked the officer, quietly; "and you can come along with me without fuss or I'll put these on you;" and he took a pair of iron bracelets from his pocket.

For the first time comprehending the real situation into which his thoughtless act of the night before had brought him, the man turned pale and stammered out the words:

"But I didn't really mean to keep the boats. I only took them to bring Budd to terms, an' then I was goin' to let him have them ag'in."

"It looks as though you did mean to keep them; you certainly have secured them very thoroughly," responded the officer, significantly.

"But as to your real motive, you can settle that with the Court. But I cannot stop here talking with you. Would you like to go to the house and change your clothes before you go with me, Mr. Benton?"

"Go where with you--up to the village?" asked he, quickly.

"No; I've got to take you to the county jail. Your offense, owing to the amount you have taken, is made returnable to the Court of Common Pleas, and that does not sit until September. I shall have to take you to the jail until the time for your trial," explained Mr. Avery.

Dazed and overwhelmed at the prospect before him, Mr. Benton followed the officer back to the house.

"See here," he said, as they reached the threshold and a sudden hope came to him, "can't I settle this with the boys? I don't want to go to jail. I've no one to look out for things, it's a'most hayin' time, and I want to be here to home. I'll take the boats right back, if ye say so."

"You will have to see the lads for yourself," said Mr. Avery, shortly.

"Can't you take me where they are an' let me talk it over with them?" he asked, eagerly.

"Yes, if you will pay for it," consented Mr. Avery. "My orders were to arrest you and carry you to jail, and that is all the law will allow me to collect fees for; but if you will pay me for my time, I'm willing to ride around with you all day."

"How much will ye charge?" asked Mr. Benton, cautiously.

"Thirty cents an hour," said the officer, looking at his watch.