CHAPTER XVIII-THE MYSTERY DEEPENS

"It must be Bert!" cried Fleet.

"I don't know," said Chot. "I wish we had a light. I expect we'd better make for the canoes."

"Help, help!" came the cry again, this time fainter than before.

"Wait," said Hoki.

He dashed into the lodge and turned a b.u.t.ton that flooded the gallery with light. Then the boys saw him spring to a small contrivance on one end of the verandah, and which until now had pa.s.sed unnoticed by them.

The next instant they knew it was a small searchlight, for a streak of white light shot suddenly out on to the river, moved here and there under Hoki's skillful manipulation, then settled down upon a spot where the figure of a man or boy could be seen clinging to the bottom of an upturned skiff.

"Now, go," said Hoki. "I wait by light."

"And I'll stay with you," said Fleet, and Chot nodded a vigorous a.s.sent.

Chot, Tom and Pod ran quickly down to the bank where they had left their canoes, and pushing them into the water, paddled rapidly in the direction of the light.

"That doesn't look like Bert," said Tom.

"Help, fellows-I'm all in," said the voice again, and there was something strangely familiar about it.

"That doesn't look like Bert," said Tom, again, "and it isn't Bert."

"No; it's-it's Truem Wright!" cried Chot, as the canoes drew closer.

"It's Truem all right," growled that person.

"Well, what do you think of that?" cried Pod.

"I don't think much of it," said Truem. "I'm glad I've found you fellows. Been searching for you the whole afternoon. But help me out of this-this water's pretty cool for an evening bath."

Chot and Tom, one on either side, steadied Pod's canoe until Truem could crawl in. Then Chot secured the painter of the upturned skiff and the canoes started for the landing again, Chot towing Truem's upturned boat.

The boys were curious to know what had happened to Truem, but decided not to question him until he had been supplied with dry clothes.

Hoki turned off the searchlight as the boys climbed the steps leading to the verandah, and came forward to see if he could be of a.s.sistance.

Truem shook hands with Fleet, as Chot turned to the j.a.p.

"You might find a suit of old clothes, some underwear and anything that's handy, Hoki," said Chot.

"I find plenty," was the j.a.p's reply. "You wait."

They heard him rummaging in Mr. Lawrence's room and finally he emerged with all the necessary articles. Chot and Tom then took Truem into their room where, when he had stripped, they rubbed him with a rough towel until his skin fairly shone.

A little later, when the boys were again on the verandah, Truem told his story.

"I arrived at Clayton on the New York side, yesterday morning," he said.

"Of course, I had no idea where you fellows were, so one place was as good as another to make a start from-in fact, I've had better luck finding you than I thought I should. I took a little pa.s.senger launch from Clayton over to Wellesley Island. The launch only went as far as Westminster Park, however, so I bargained with a boatman for a skiff. He wouldn't rent to a stranger, so I bought it outright.

"That was yesterday afternoon. I spent the night on a little island where a party was camping. They generously shared what they had with me and gave me a place to sleep. I told them I was hunting you fellows, and that you would probably be in one of the most secluded parts of the river, so they directed me this way. I rowed in and out around the islands all day until about an hour ago, when I caught sight of the roof of this lodge. Well, I was two miles away, and it was growing dusk. I wondered if I'd be able to keep a course for the place. Then your lights came on and I steered my course by that.

"As I pa.s.sed that island to the north of you, I heard men talking in low tones, and thought once I'd stop and ask who lived over here. But I decided to keep on, for the men, whoever they were, had no lights out, and I didn't like to stop without knowing something about whom I was going to meet. So I started around the east end of this island, judging from the lights where the front of the building was, and as I lay off the island out there wondering where I'd better land, I heard some sort of a boat coming toward me in the dark. It was a big rowboat. She had no lights out; neither had I. Well, she hit me, bowling me over in a hurry.

There were three men in her, I believe. I heard a low laugh as she swept by and was lost in the darkness. Then, I shouted for help."

"In what direction was the other boat going, Truem?" asked Chot.

"I should say that she was heading around the east point there toward the north island. The oars were m.u.f.fled, and she came upon me before I knew it."

"That sounds rather suspicious," said Tom. "m.u.f.fled oars and no lights.

That's in strict disobedience to the navigation laws, I am sure. Looks like there's something shady going on around here."

"Sh!" cried Chot. He looked quickly around to see if the j.a.p was in earshot. But Hoki was in the kitchen preparing some lunch for Truem, and could not hear.

Then, in low tones, the boys told Truem of their adventures since arriving at Winnsocket Lodge, ending with the disappearance of Bert.

"That's the strangest part of all-how Bert could disappear so mysteriously," said Truem. "Are you sure there's not some sort of a secret door in the cellar?"

"We've been over every corner of it," said Chot.

"Well, we'd better go over it again by daylight."

"We will. What bothers me is why Bert ran into the lodge so quickly.

Something must have startled him into action, for he motioned to us to come and disappeared inside like a flash."

"Well, it's too deep for me," said Fleet. "I'm afraid something has happened to him."

"And I'm afraid to go to bed to-night," said Pod.

"That suggests to me that it will be a good plan to sit up, two at a time, and watch," said Chot.

"Including Hoki?" inquired Tom.

"Yes; I'll take the j.a.p as my partner. We'll stand the first watch till twelve; then Tom and Pod can take it up till three, and Truem and Fleet can watch from three till daylight."

"That's a good plan," said Tom. "If there's anything going on around here-and we are positive that there is-we'd best find out about it as soon as we can. We don't want to spoil our vacation. Who knows, to-night some of us may get a clue to Bert's disappearance."

While Truem was eating his lunch, Chot explained matters to Hoki, and asked the j.a.p to stand the first watch with him.

"Oh, sirs," he said, trembling as he surveyed them, "it is better that all go to bed and peacefully slumber. May be if you sit up you will great dissatisfaction have, perhaps danger, before morning."

"Look here, Hoki," said Chot, sternly. "What do you know about this lodge?"