Part 18 (1/2)
”Yes; I know the stream. Hardly more than a creek,” replied Mr.
Seaton.
”Any deep water there, sir?”
”For only a very little way in. Then the stream moves over a pebbly bottom like a running brook.”
”Then it looks, sir, as though Lemly--if he's aboard--plans to run in there and hustle ash.o.r.e.”
”Or else stay and fight,” hinted Powell Seaton. ”The place is lonely enough for a fight, if the rascals dare try it.”
”Hepton!” summoned Halstead, a few moments later. ”Don't you think you'd better get up your rifle? You don't need to show it, but someone may send us a shot or two from the drab boat.”
Hepton sprang below, bringing up both rifles. Crouching behind the forward deck-house, he examined the magazines of both weapons.
”We're carrying load enough for a squad o' infantry,” laughed Hepton, showing his strong, white teeth. ”Let those fellers on the Drab try it, if they want to see what we've got.”
The seventy-footer was shutting off speed now, going slowly into the mouth of the little river. Almost immediately afterwards her reverse was applied, after which she swung at anchor.
Tom, too, without a word to Hank, who stood by the wheel, reached over, slowing the ”Restless” down to a gait of something like eight miles an hour.
”What's the order, sir?” he asked, turning to Mr. Seaton. ”Are we to go in and anchor alongside?”
”I--I don't want to run you young men into any too dangerous places,”
began Powell Seaton, hesitatingly. ”I--I----”
”Danger's one of the things we're paid for,” clicked Tom Halstead, softly. ”It'll all in the charter. Do you want to go in alongside?”
”I--I----”
Bang!
The shot came so unexpectedly that the motor boat boys jumped despite themselves. Hepton c.o.c.ked one of the rifles, and was about to rise with it, when the young skipper of the ”Restless” prodded the man gently with one foot.
”Don't show your guns, Hepton,” murmured Tom. ”Wait until we find out what that shot was meant for.”
No one now appeared on board the drab seventy-footer. There had been no smoke, no whistle of a bullet by the heads of those on the bridge deck of the ”Restless.”
”That was intended only to make us nervous,” grinned Captain Tom.
”Or else to show us that they have fire-arms,” suggested Seaton.
”Well, sir, I'm headed to go in alongside, unless you give me other orders,” hinted the young skipper.
”Cover about half the rest of the distance, then reverse and lie to,”
decided Powell Seaton. He now had the extra pair of marine gla.s.ses, and was attentively studying both the boat and the sh.o.r.e nearby.
Tom took the wheel himself, stopping where he had been directed. So neatly was headway corrected that the ”Restless” barely drifted on the smooth water insh.o.r.e.
There was now remaining less than an hour of daylight.