Then as if afraid that the listeners would not catch the force of his words, he added:

"A Joo, as ye may know, doesn't ate pork."

Detective Calvert slapped the lawyer on the shoulder.

"Try him again."

"No; I have had enough." Then raising his hat and bowing in salutation, Westerfield offered his hand to the lad, who shook it warmly.

"You're too much for me, Mike. I'm proud to take off my hat to you."

"And it's me dooty to be equally respictful, as me dad said whin the bull pitched him over the fence and stood sc.r.a.ping one hoof and bowing from t'other side."

While still in the boat, Alvin and Chester had returned the salutation of Calvert. The Captain remained seated at the wheel, but the second mate stepped out on the float and a general introduction followed. The detective and he went aboard and sat down on one of the seats. Mike kept them company, and throwing in the clutch, Alvin guided the launch into the s.p.a.cious waters outside, all three waving a salute to Westerfield, who stood on the float and watched them for some minutes.

Detective Calvert had the good sense fully to admit Mike Murphy to his confidence, though he had hoped at first he would not be a member of the party. Alvin Landon gave the man to understand that he was not hiring out his boat, but was conferring a favor upon the officer, who had the choice of rejecting or accepting it on the terms offered. While Calvert could not doubt the loyalty of the young Hibernian, he distrusted his impulsiveness. But as I have said, having decided upon his line of conduct, he did not allow himself to show the slightest degree of distrust.

Mike on his part was tactful enough to act as listener while the man made clear his plans. He did not ask a question or speak until addressed. The launch moved so quietly that Alvin, with his hands upon the wheel and scanning the water in front, heard all that was said by the others, and when he thought it fitting took part in the conversation.

Instead of returning to Southport, the Deerfoot circled Cape Newagen, which you know is the southern extremity of that island, and entering the broad bay, headed up the Sheepscot River, over the same course it had followed before.

"Mike was not with you," said Detective Calvert, "when you traced the other launch into that little inlet at the lower end of Barter Island.

That boat stayed there overnight and may still be there, but probably is not."

"Suppose it isn't there?" said Chester.

"We must find out where she is. That is the chief reason for my presuming upon the kindness of the Captain to lend me the help of his launch. In other words, it is my wish that the _Deerfoot_ shall serve as the Scout of the Kennebec."

"A romantic t.i.tle," remarked Alvin, over his shoulder, "though we are not cruising on the Kennebec, but up the Sheepscot."

"No doubt we shall have to visit the larger river. And then, you know,"

added Calvert, with a smile, "the name I suggest sounds better than the other."

The launch required no special attention just then, and, with one hand on the steering wheel, Captain Alvin looked around:

"Mike, what do you think of it?"

"Arrah, now, what's the difference what ye call the boat? At home, I was sometimes referred to as the Queen of the May, and again as the big toad that St. Patrick forgot to drive out of Ireland, but all agraad that I was as swate under one t.i.tle as the ither."

"Suppose the _Water Witch_ happens to be where Chester and I saw her at night?" asked Alvin of their director.

"We shall have to decide our course of action by what develops."

Neither of the youths was fully satisfied with this reply. They could not believe that a professional detective would come this far upon so peculiar an enterprise without having a pretty clear line laid out to follow. It may have been as he said, however, and he was not questioned further.

The day could not have been finer. The threatening skies of a short time before had cleared and the sun was not obscured by a single cloud. Though warm, the motion of the launch made the situation of all pleasant. Since there was no call for haste, Calvert suggested to the Captain that he should not strain the engine, and Alvin was quite willing to spare it.

The time might soon come when it would be necessary to call upon the boat to do her best, and he meant she should be ready to respond.

Past the Cat Ledges, Jo and Cedarbrush Islands moved the _Deerfoot_ like a swan skimming over the placid waters. Then came Hendrick Light, Dog Fish Head, Green Islands and Boston Island. Powderhorn was pa.s.sed, and then they glided by Isle of Springs, which brought them in sight of Sawyer. A little beyond was the inlet where they had seen the _Water Witch_ reposing in the darkness of night.

CHAPTER III

AT THE INLET

"SLOW down," said Detective Calvert as the launch drew near the southern end of Barter Island. Captain Alvin did as requested and all eyes were fixed upon the inlet.

"If that boat should happen to come out while we are in sight," added Calvert, "pa.s.s up the river, as if you had no interest in it."

"But if it should happen to be there?" said Alvin, repeating the question he had asked before.

"We can't know until we have turned in, and then it would not do to withdraw, for that would be the most suspicious course of all. You have as much right to go thither as anyone. Act as if you were merely looking in out of curiosity; make a circuit of the islet and then come back and go on up the Sheepscot toward Wisca.s.set."

It was at this moment that Mike Murphy asked a question whose point the others were quick to perceive.

"If the spalpeens are there, will ye let 'em have a sight of yersilf?"

"No; I shall drop down and hide, for if they noted that you had me for a pa.s.senger they might smell a rat, but would think nothing of seeing you three, for they know you travel together."

As the launch drew near the opening, Alvin slackened her speed still more until she was not going faster than five or six miles an hour. There was an abundance of sea room and he curved into the pa.s.sage with his usual skill. The four peered intently forward and had to wait only a minute or two when the boat had progressed far enough to give them a full view of the crescent-like cove, which extended backward for several hundred yards and had an expansion of perhaps four hundred feet. In the very middle was the islet, in the form of an irregular oval, containing altogether barely an acre. As has been said, it was made up of clay and sand with not a tree or shrub growing, and only a few scattered leaves of gra.s.s, but there was no sign of life on or about it.

Alvin sheered the boat close to the sh.o.r.e, and continued slowly moving. A glance downward into the crystal current showed that the depth was fully twenty feet, so that it was safe for the largest craft to moor against the bank.

"Here's where the _Water Witch_ lay," said Alvin. "Do you wish to land, Mr. Calvert?"

He was standing up and scrutinizing the little plot as they glided along the sh.o.r.e, but discovered nothing of interest.

"No; there's no call to stop; we may as well go back."

"Do ye obsarve that six-masted schooner wid its nose poked under the bushes in the hope of escaping notice?"

As Mike Murphy asked the question he pointed to the southern sh.o.r.e of the inlet, where all saw the little rowboat in which Detective Calvert had visited the spot and which had been used later for a similar purpose by Alvin and Chester. It was drawn up so far under the overhanging limbs that only the stern was in sight. It seemed to be exactly where it had been placed by the boys after they were through with it.

It was on the tip of Alvin's tongue to refer to the incident and to ask something in the way of explanation from their companion. Instead of doing so, the latter surprised both by saying:

"That must belong to somebody who lives in the neighborhood."

The remark sounded strange to our young friends and both remained silent waiting for him to say more, but he did not. He sat down again, facing the Sheepscot, and lighted one of his big black cigars. He crossed his legs like a man of leisure who was not concerned by what had occurred or was likely to occur.

The incident impressed Alvin and Chester unfavorably. Mike, not having been with them at the time, knew nothing of it. To each of the former youths came the disquieting questions:

"Does he believe we did not know him that night? Does he think neither of us suspected what he did? _Is he what he pretends to be?_"

These queries opened a field of speculation that was endless, and the farther they plunged into it the more mystified they became. Alvin would never stoop to ask favors of this man. He was trying to aid him in carrying out a good purpose, and he must "be on the level," or the Captain would have nothing to do with him or his plans.