Mr. Avery and the captain discussed the plan at some length. It would involve hard work, but would offer two special advantages: They would approach the sloop from a quarter that danger would be the least suspected, and hence the chances of success would be materially strengthened. Again, in case of discovery, a force would be on both the sea and the land side of the Sea Witch, and the burglars would be less likely to escape. With a little change in the details, Judd's suggestion was adopted.

The captain went back to the tug and gave orders for her to go around to the other side of the island; he then returned to the sh.o.r.e, and under the united efforts of the trio the yawl was carried over to the cove and safely launched there. Then the lad was sent down to the southern point to watch for the arrival of the tug. When a light was flashed three times in succession from her starboard quarter he was to know that she was in readiness and waiting only for a return signal to steam down into the cove. Going back with this information to Mr. Avery and Captain Bradley, the boat was then to be shoved off and the visit to the sloop made.

Judd reached the point safely and began his watch. A half-hour pa.s.sed, and then through the darkness he saw the light of the tug for a brief moment as she rounded the southern end of Cuttyhunk and came due north.

She came slowly, that as little sound as possible might escape her, and another half-hour elapsed before he received the signal. Then every light about the vessel suddenly went out, and the most watchful observer would not have suspected she was lying in wait there.

Rising from the ground, Judd swiftly but noiselessly went along the sh.o.r.e toward the place where his companions were waiting for his return.

He had nearly reached the spot where he thought the boat ought to be, when a dark form rose up suddenly before him.

"Captain," he exclaimed, in a low tone.

"Yes," was the reply, and Captain Bradley stepped along to his side. "I thought you were long in coming," he then explained, "and so had started to look you up."

"Has there been any movement on the part of the burglars?" the lad asked, as they now went on to the boat, where they found Mr. Avery.

"None," replied the captain. "We occasionally hear sounds of laughter, and think they are all in the cabin, and the question arises whether we had better go off at once or wait until all is quiet on the sloop."

"They will be likely to set a watch later," said Judd quickly. "If we can run off now and get under the starboard side of the sloop without being discovered, I will agree to shut down the hatch and fasten it before a single one can escape. We shall then have them at a disadvantage, and can compel them to come out one by one, and disarm and bind them."

"Well, we will try it," was the decision of his companions, and the boat was pushed off and slowly sculled by Captain Bradley toward the sloop.

Mr. Avery sat amidships, while Judd occupied the extreme bow. All had their revolvers in readiness and were alert for the very first indication that they had been discovered.

Silently the boat approached the sloop, which swung bow toward it. In and under the shadow cast even in the darkness by her bow the yawl swiftly shot, and then stopped. The voices of the burglars could be distinctly heard, and they were evidently making the night ring with their songs and laughter. Sounds of drinking and feasting suggested, also, that they were still at their supper. No one was on deck, and no thought of capture had apparently come to the robbers' minds.

Again the yawl moved silently forward, and paused under the starboard quarter of the sloop, and just adjacent to her cabin. Judd knew his time for action had come, and he arose and braced himself for it.

The opening into the cabin was for convenience and ventilation made in two parts--one upright, the other horizontal. The upright portion was a door, and swung upon hinges from the starboard side of the cabin toward its larboard end. The horizontal part was a sliding hatch at the top of the cabin, and to close it, it had to be shoved toward the stern-end of the cabin, directly over the upright, where it fastened down into its place with an iron clamp. Both swinging door and sliding hatch were made of solid wood, and when closed and fastened could not easily be opened from the inside of the cabin.

All this Judd knew; and he was, moreover, at the one point where he could reach both parts that were to be closed without himself being seen. For a brief moment he steadied himself on the bow of the yawl; then laying one hand on the rail of the sloop, he jumped lightly on board. His weight swayed the craft somewhat, but before the burglars, surprised at the sudden lurch, could spring even to their feet, he had reached the opening. In an instant his left hand swung-to the upright door and his right hand shoved the slide into place; down came the clamp with a jerk; the iron bar was thrust into the socket, and all was secure before the burglars had recovered from their first shock of surprise.

Loud curses now followed, and heavy blows were struck upon the closed door. Then a voice cried:

"Open that hatch, or we'll fire through it!" and the click of a revolver was heard.

"Two can play at that game, my hearties," rang out the voice of the stalwart captain as he sprung on board, followed by Mr. Avery.

Then he drew his revolver and fired twice in the air. It was the signal for the tug to approach.

These movements on the part of the captors were not without their effect on the imprisoned men. A silence suddenly fell upon them, broken at length by the leader of the gang asking:

"Who are you, and what do you mean by closing us up in here? You will find it is a joke we will not stand."

"And you will find it is no joke at all," responded Mr. Avery, promptly.

"I am an officer in pursuit of you on three or four charges, the last and least of which is running away with this sloop. We have a tug close at hand, and outnumber you in men and weapons, as well as in the advantage of situation. So I advise you to keep perfectly quiet."

The sound of the approaching tug was plainly discernible, to confirm his words, and silence again fell on the discomfited burglars.

"We are in Ma.s.sachusetts waters; how dare you trouble us?" one of the men, after awhile, called out.

"I believe a man has a right to his property wherever he finds it,"

responded Mr. Avery, coolly; "and one of the owners of this sloop is on board now. We are just going to hitch on to the craft, at his request, and tow her home. It is your misfortune to be in her just at this time, but we cannot stop now to let you get off. As to your arrest, we'll see to that when we are in Rhode Island waters."

The tug had now come alongside of the captured vessel, and her anchor was weighed and she was lashed to the larger boat, so that a pa.s.sage from one to the other could be easily made. Then the word was given, and the Thetis steamed rapidly off on her return.

When out so far from land that any escape of the prisoners was impossible, the door of the sloop's cabin was unfastened, and the men were ordered out one lay one. Bagsley and the leader of the gang showed a little disposition to fight at first, but when their three comrades yielded they evidently thought discretion the better part of valor, and sullenly obeyed.

Each one, as he came out, was disarmed and bound; then all were returned to the cabin of the sloop. Bagsley, when he first caught sight of Judd Floyd, seemed to think that he was Budd Boyd, but learned his mistake at once when he was questioned as to Budd's whereabouts, and angrily refused to tell. One of his companions, however, revealed that the lad had been left bound on Patience Island, and Mr. Avery consented, at Judd's urgent request, to visit the island early in the morning and release Budd.

At midnight, or a little after, the Thetis was in Newport. A strong guard was placed over the captured men, and Mr. Avery and Judd took possession of two of the tug's bunks, and slept soundly until early morning. Then a breakfast was furnished the prisoners one by one, after which they were again bound securely and replaced in the cabin of the sloop. Mr. Avery drew his check for one hundred dollars and gave it to Captain Bradley; then he and Judd entered the sloop and set sail for Patience Island.

As they came out of the east pa.s.sage they saw a boat with a single occupant crossing over from Prudence Island toward the south end of Hope, and the moment it turned and was pulled rapidly for the latter Judd suspected who the occupant was. When a little nearer, he was sure it was Budd, whom he was seeking, and who had in some way escaped from his bonds; so he sent forth the three yells that he knew his partner would recognize, and which caused him to turn about, and with both surprise and joy come on to meet the approaching sloop; a surprise and joy that was destined to merge into a feeling of triumph when he learned what and whom the sloop contained.

CHAPTER XIX.--MR. JOHNSON IS ASTONISHED.

The Sea Witch was luffed up into the wind as Budd came alongside, and in another moment he had leaped on board of her, and was shaking hands with his chum and with the constable. A single glance through the open door of the cabin now revealed to him the prisoners, and too full of happiness at the sudden revelation to speak, he turned toward Judd an inquiring look.

"Yes," he said proudly, at once interpreting his partner's look, and understanding something of his feelings, "we have got the burglars, their booty, and all their traps."

"Tell me about it," Budd managed to say.

"No, your story comes first," remonstrated Judd.

So Budd began with his meeting of Mr. Wilson at the village the afternoon before, and told all he had pa.s.sed through until he had run in with the sloop. When he had done, Judd and Mr. Avery together gave him a full account of the chase and capture of the burglars from the moment that Judd had discovered them running away with the Sea Witch.

Then Judd said:

"We were on our way up to Patience Island to release you, after which we were going into Hope Island to notify Mr. Johnson of the burglars'

capture. Mr. Avery thinks much of the camping stuff they have was taken from his house, and that he may wish to bring action against them simultaneously with Clapp & St. John. Now that we have met you, however, we are saved the trip up to Patience, and we will go directly over to Hope Island."

"Run over to Prudence and let me return this boat first," said Budd. "I don't need it now, and it will save a trip over here on purpose to bring it."

"So it will," a.s.sented Judd; and the sloop was headed in that direction.

The farmer was surprised to have his boat returned within a half-hour of the time it had been taken, but opened his eyes in wider astonishment when Mr. Avery, who was acquainted with him, gave him a full account of Budd's experiences and showed him the prisoners.

The run across to Hope Island was made in less than another half-hour, and Budd, at the request of his companions, who knew he had special reasons for seeing Mr. Johnson, landed and went up toward that gentleman's residence.

As he approached the building he could not help noticing the changes that had taken place since he was there scarcely a week before. The shutters were off of the house, windows were open, lawns were mown, chairs and settees were out on the veranda, and everywhere there were signs of occupancy.

Walking boldly up to the front door, Budd rang the bell. A servant answered his ring, and the lad politely asked her if Mr. Johnson was at home.

"Yes, sir," she replied; and then, evidently thinking from the boy's appearance he was looking for work, she added, "but he has all the help he desires."