CHAPTER V

THE LOSER OF THE RACE

A long, low bridge connects the western projection of Westport with Woolwich on the opposite bank, beyond which spreads Montsweag Bay, narrowing to Back River, which, as has been explained, joins the Sheepscot.

The draw had just been swung open when our friends came in sight of the bridge, and saw the _Water Witch_ pa.s.sing through. The bridge tender immediately began turning his lever with which he closed the draw. Alvin whistled to signify that he wished to follow the other, but seemingly the man did not hear him. His back steadily rose and fell, as he worked the handle of his contrivance, and the movable section of the structure slowly swung back in response.

"Isn't that lucky now!" was the sarcastic exclamation of Mike.

"Why?" asked Chester.

"He wants to hilp ye fall back further behind the ither boat."

"There may be something in that," the Captain replied.

None the less, Alvin continued his tooting, without abating his speed.

The tender, however, did not mean to tantalize them, and all quickly saw the cause of his action. A heavily loaded wagon had come upon the bridge from the Woolwich side, and waited while the draw was held open. The driver must have had a "pull" with the attendant, who immediately closed the draw so he could cross before the second boat pa.s.sed through.

At this juncture fate showed how perverse she can be when in the mood.

Directly over the draw, something connected with the wagon or the harness of the team got askew and the driver paused to set it right. Possibly it was pretence on his part, for many men will do such things, but, all the same, he took ten minutes before he climbed back on his seat and started his horses forward again. Alvin reversed the screw, so that the launch became motionless when a few yards from the bridge.

I am afraid the driver purposely delayed the _Deerfoot_, for when Mike shouted an angry reproach, he looked around, put his thumb to his nose, twiddled his fingers, and then moved slowly over the rattling planks toward Westport.

"I suggist that ye turn about, Captain, and scoot for home," was the ironical advice of the Irish youth.

"For what reason?"

"I'm afeard that man is real mad and he might take it into his head to git down off his wagon and saize aich of us by the nape of the neck as the boat goes through, and slam us down so hard he'd jar us."

"Better wait, Captain, till he's a little farther off," advised Calvert; "there may be something in what Michael says."

As for Mike, feeling he could not do justice to the subject, he held his peace for the moment.

Gliding through the draw and entering Montsweag Bay, the occupants of the _Deerfoot_ were surprised to see nothing of the other launch. She was as invisible as if she had been scuttled and sunk in fifty feet of water.

The right sh.o.r.e above the structure, belonging to Westport, slopes to the right, and something like a half mile above, this course is at right angles to the stream. It is really a peninsula, there being an inlet more than a mile long which divides it from the rest of Westport. This little bay is spanned by a bridge which forms a part of the highway that pa.s.ses over the longer structure already referred to.

When Mike found the _Water Witch_ had vanished, he pretended to be vastly relieved. He had dropped into his chair and now straightened up.

"But ain't we lucky?"

"Why so?" asked Calvert.

"If we hadn't been stopped at the bridge the ither boat might have broke down and we'd come up wid the same, and those chaps would have give us all a good spanking."

"I am glad you are becoming so prudent," said Calvert, with an approving nod. "We must take Michael with us whenever we are likely to run into danger. Captain, if you don't mind, you might tune up your boat a bit."

"Better wait," suggested Mike, "fur ye might gain on t'other one."

Alvin now put on the highest speed of which the _Deerfoot_ was capable.

The bow rose, the stern settled down in the water, and the spray was flung high and splashed against the wind-shield. The exhaust deepened to a steady roar, and the broadening wake was churned into a ma.s.s of tumbling soapy foam. The whole boat shivered with the vibration of the powerful engine. She was going more than twenty miles an hour--in fact, must have approached her limit, which was four miles faster. Alvin had attained such a tremendous pace only a few times in his practice and did not like it. Though his instructor had a.s.sured him that the launch was capable of holding it indefinitely without injury, he feared a breakdown or the unnecessary wear upon many parts of the engine.

He kept up the furious speed until they curved around the upper part of the peninsula and saw the expansion above, all the way to Long Ledge, where Back River begins. He had been confident of catching sight of the _Water Witch_, but she was nowhere in sight.

The natural conclusion was that the launch had taken on a higher burst of speed--probably the limit--and gone so far that by still keeping near the sh.o.r.e she had placed several miles behind her--enough to carry her out of the field of vision.

"Keep it up till we catch sight of her again," suggested Calvert. "I believe there are no more bridges between us and Wisca.s.set."

Some three or four miles were pa.s.sed at high speed, when they reached a portion of the river which opened a view of still greater extent. They saw two small sailboats at a distance, and a little steamer puffing northward, but nothing of the _Water Witch_.

"You may as well slow down," remarked the detective, who, guarding a match with his hands behind the wind-shield, proceeded to light another cigar.

"What do you make of it?" asked Alvin, turning his head, as the pace became slower than before.

"We have pa.s.sed the other boat; she is behind us instead of in front."

"What shall we do?"

"For hiven's sake don't go back," protested Mike. "Ye might find her--and then what would become of ye?"

The detective now gave his view of the situation.

"If we should turn round and find that boat, those on board would know we were looking for them. We don't wish to give that impression, at least for some time to come. While we were going in one direction and they in another, they challenged us to a race. Any two boats might have done the same in the circ.u.mstances. We have to accept defeat and that's all there is to it."

Calvert looked at his watch.

"It is near noon; if you all feel as I do you would welcome a good dinner."

"That's the most sensible sense that I've heerd since we started,"

remarked Mike, who was as hungry as his companions.

"It is not a long run to Wisca.s.set," said Alvin; "and there's more than one good hotel there."

"I'm thinking that at the speed ye're going, we'll hardly arrive in time for supper. There must be some place betwixt here and the town where we can git enough to stay the pangs of starvation till we raich Wisca.s.set."

"We shall pa.s.s several landings, and there are farmhouses along sh.o.r.e where I'm sure the folks will be glad to accommodate us."

The others were not much impressed with Mike's plan, but since there was plenty of time at their command, they fell in with it. Alvin suggested that all should keep a lookout for an inviting dwelling, when, if a good landing could be made, they would stop and investigate.

Chester offered to relieve his chum at the wheel, and Alvin was quite willing to exchange places with him. The occurrences of the last hour or more, together with what was said by Detective Calvert, had increased the confidence of the youths in him. True, they could not understand the full object of this cruise up the river, after gaining sight of the launch and the occupants for whom he had been searching. They were content to await explanation on that point, but Alvin determined that one or two things which puzzled him and Chester should be cleared up.

"Accepting what you said last night at my home, Mr. Calvert, I must say for myself and friend that we do not understand some of your actions.

Perhaps you won't mind explaining them."

"I shall be glad to do so, if it is prudent at this time."