"I must say I don't make sure whither it's a picter of yersilf, Mr.

Calvert, or a view of an automobile trying to climb a tree."

"What did I tell you, Orestes? Isn't he bright?"

"An unnicessary question," said Mike loftily; "as Auntie McCaffry would answer if ye asked her which was the handsomest and cutest and smartest one among her three guests."

"Noxon," said Calvert, with a smile over the repartee of the Irish lad, "do either Kit Woodford or Graff Miller know your right name?"

"They never asked me and it was never given in their presence."

"You said as much before. Do they know where you came from?"

"They haven't the slightest knowledge. I am as unknown to them as regards my real ident.i.ty as if I never existed."

"That will help my plan, which, I may say to you and Mike, is simply this: get you out of this neighborhood to your home. There, of course, you will a.s.sume your true ident.i.ty and no one need ever be the wiser."

"What of the testimony of Woodford and Miller when they are released from jail?"

"You and they will be so much older that neither will recognize the other. Have no fear on that score. The thing is to run you out of the State of Maine. The hunt for these post office robbers has become so hot that it isn't going to be an easy job, but I believe I can work it.

There's some sort of a mix-up of motor boats, which as yet I can't get the hang of, but when I do I shall try my plan. Mike, how was it you were here with Noxon when I called? Can you tell me anything about your launch or the _Water Witch_?"

Thereupon the Irish youth related his story, and when it was finished the detective smiled.

"If I'm not mistaken that is going to help us a big lot."

CHAPTER XXIX

"THE BEAUTIFUL ISLE OF SOMEWHERE"

Detective Stockham Calvert was quick to make deductions and as quick in adapting himself to circ.u.mstances. He had said he did not expect to have the help of Orestes Noxon--as we must continue to call him--in capturing the two criminals, but ten minutes later he made a radical change of plans. He meant to make use of the young man, in his pursuit of the post office robbers.

"We must leave here at once," he announced in his crisp manner.

"Searching parties are out and some of them are likely to call here at any time. Since Noxon worked with his face masked, except when the slip occurred last night, it is not likely, he would be recognized by any of those who are looking for him. But there is a risk which we must avoid."

Mrs. McCaffry made strong objection to their leaving before the dinner hour, but the officer a.s.sured her it could not be helped. He and Noxon compelled her to accept liberal tips, but she refused to take the last remaining quarter of Mike.

"The same would bring me bad luck," she said, with a shake of her head.

"How could it do that whin it brought me the bist of luck, being I came to your door?" asked the youth, trying to press it upon her; but she would not consent.

"Ah," he said, "it's mesilf that's of no more account than a naught wid no circle round it."

Instead of following the path that led to the highway and so on to Beartown, Calvert turned into the woods through which his companions had made their way to the humble but hospitable home.

"We'll keep clear of the village," he explained, "for every one there is in a fever of excitement, and although I can do my part in the way of prevarication, I don't wish to be driven to the limit, when it might not, after all, avert trouble."

The fogs which often plague the coast of Maine and vicinity have a habit of sometimes leaving as suddenly as they come. It was a great relief to the party when they dived in among the pines and firs to find that the gloomy dampness had lifted and the sun was again shining from a clear sky. It impressed all as a good omen.

Noxon's rest and care for his injured leg had been of great benefit. The rising inflammation had gone and the pain was trifling. If they did not walk fast, he was sure it would give him no anxiety.

Calvert took the lead, with Noxon next and Mike Murphy at the rear. The last was highly pleased to see his young friend walk without a perceptible limp.

The leader kept his bearings so well that when within an hour he reached the sh.o.r.e of the Back River, it was at the spot he had in mind. There was the runabout in which he and Warner Hagan had come from Wisca.s.set, and the owner was calmly smoking his brier wood pipe, content to wait indefinitely when he was well paid for so doing. He lay a few rods south of the landing, and just below him was the _Water Witch_, with Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes on board, wondering what in the world had become of Mike Murphy. The youths had tried to open communication with the master of the runabout, but he had been warned by his two pa.s.sengers to tell nothing to anyone, and he glumly refused to talk. Chester had set out in quest of the missing Mike, going as far as the village. All he could learn there was that his friend had left a good while before and no one knew anything of him. The second mate went back to his Captain, and the two were so impatient that they were half inclined to leave without him, when lo! he appeared with Calvert and Noxon, coming from among the trees as if he had been absent only a few minutes.

Then followed full explanations, and you can imagine the astonishment of Alvin and Chester. They were sure of the ident.i.ty of Noxon when he first appeared, but were considerate and said never a word that could hurt his feelings.

"You ran away with their launch," added Calvert. "They ran away with yours, and you and they met as you were coming back. But for the fog you would have seen each other, for you must have pa.s.sed quite close. The beauty of it is," said the officer, with a flash of his keen eyes, "that while they have gone far away we know exactly where. My friend Hagan and I, with Noxon as our guide, are going to scoop them in."

He thought it best not to affect too much mystery.

"They pa.s.sed down Montsweag Bay clear to Knubble, through Goose Rock Pa.s.sage into the Sheepscot, and up that to the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere. Most folks don't know the exact location of that sweet spot, but we know--thanks to Noxon--the lat.i.tude and longitude of ours, which the same is the port we are heading for."

The plan was simple. Noxon, who was familiar with the running of the _Water Witch_, was to act as engineer and steersman. Calvert and Hagan would be the only pa.s.sengers, and the prize would be Kit Woodford and Graff Miller.

"And phwat's to become of us?" asked Mike.

"That depends upon how you behave yourself. If you grow tired of waiting, take a walk up to Beartown, have dinner with Mrs. Friestone and then come back and wait for a few days and nights till you see us again."

"That's aisy, as I told me taicher whin she asked me how much two and two made and I informed her the same was five."

"But Mr. Hagan isn't here," reminded Chester.

"He will be very soon. Meanwhile, I'll say a word to my man."

He walked to the runabout, where he told its owner he might return to Wisca.s.set as he was not needed further. He added a dollar to the price agreed upon and the man bade him good-by. Hagan, who had gone off on what might be called a reconnaissance, justified the faith of his partner, for he came forward, and thus the party was complete.

The distance was shorter by way of the Narrows and down the Sheepscot than by the route just named. Accordingly, the _Water Witch_ headed north, while the _Deerfoot_ it will be remembered went south. The difference was not much, the real reason why the course was taken being of another nature. If the _Water Witch_ had set out to search for the other boat, with no knowledge of its destination, it would have prowled to the southward, inspecting all likely hiding places on the way, with a strong chance that she herself would be detected and her purpose read before she discovered the fugitive. By taking the northern route this handicap would be avoided. They could make much better progress and not be seen until it was too late for the criminals to escape.

Thus Alvin Landon, Chester Haynes and Mike Murphy were left on the sh.o.r.e of the Back River, near Beartown landing, without any launch and compelled to pa.s.s the time as best they could. They decided to spend a few hours in the village.

They appreciated the reason why Calvert would not have their company. He was plunging into a venture where deadly weapons were likely to be used, and their lives would be endangered. The affair was really none of theirs. Besides, their presence would be a serious handicap and might prove fatal to success.

The _Water Witch_ soon shot past Cushman Point, pa.s.sing the runabout so close that the officers exchanged salutations with the man who had brought them from Wisca.s.set. Calvert and Hagan sat side by side, both puffing heavy black cigars, the smoke of which as it streamed astern might have suggested that the launch was impelled by steam instead of gasoline. She ran smoothly, and Noxon, with a pale face, his hands grasping the wheel, steered as skilfully as Alvin Landon had directed the swifter _Deerfoot_. He had done it many times and had no fear. The young man had come to the parting of the ways, and nothing could turn him back.

His resolution was due to the wound, which had distressed him so much when he hobbled to the home of Mrs. McCaffry that he believed for a time he was near the end of life, and when one reaches _that_ point he is sure to do some serious thinking.

Just above Clough Point, marking the northern extremity of the large island of Westport, the _Water Witch_ turned eastward through the Narrows and headed straight south down the Sheepscot River to its destination some ten miles away. Noxon seated with his hands upon the wheel remained silent. The officers spoke to each other now and then in low tones, but most of the time left him to his meditations. He held the boat to moderate speed, for there was no call for haste. She was running easily, but a glance by the young man into the gasoline tank showed the supply was low, and he wished to avoid stopping at any of the landings to renew it. Besides, high speed is always a strain upon an engine, and he was nervously anxious to prevent a breakdown at a critical point in the enterprise. His familiarity with the launch made him cautious.

While Calvert and Hagan were following a clearly defined plan, they knew "there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." They had high hopes of finding the other boat at the spot which Calvert had facetiously named the Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, but it might well happen that they would be disappointed. At the first sign of danger the _Deerfoot_ would run away and her superior fleetness would leave her pursuers hopelessly behind. Above all, it was important that the criminals should not discover their peril in time to get away.

"Noxon," said Calvert, leaning forward, "let us know when we are near the cove."

"We are within less than a mile of it now. It is just ahead on the right."

Each officer flung his stump of a cigar overboard and slipped from his chair to the bottom of the boat. Inasmuch as their interest was centred on one side of the boat, they crowded each other a little. They removed their headgear and permitted only their crowns to show a few inches above the rail as they peered over. They held themselves ready at the same time to duck into complete invisibility.