Part 14 (2/2)
”That comes next,” replied Tom. ”Mr. Crane, hardly twenty minutes ago I was aboard yonder boat, and was talking with Master Ted Dunstan.”
The lawyer gasped, then rejoined, slowly:
”That's a most remarkable statement, to say the least.”
But Joe Dawson and Jed Prentiss, who knew Halstead better, were staring at him with eyes wide open and mouths almost agape.
”I saw Ted Dunstan,” repeated Tom, firmly. ”Moreover, he gave me the jolt of my life.”
”Did he incidentally throw you overboard?” asked the lawyer, eyeing Tom's wet garments. The sun and wind had dried the first great surplus of water out of them, but they were still undeniably more than damp.
”That was all part of the experience,” Halstead answered, annoyed by the impression that the lawyer thought him trying to spin a mere sailor's yarn. ”Do you care to hear what happened, sir?”
”Why, yes, a.s.suredly, captain.”
Tom reeled the story off rapidly. The lawyer gasped once or twice, but certainly the young skipper's wet clothing gave much of an appearance of truth to the ”yarn.”
”And now, sir, what do you think of Master Ted's claim that he was having the time of his life, and was hiding by his father's orders?” Tom wound up, inquiringly.
”Really, I shall have to think it all over,” replied the lawyer cautiously. ”And I shall be much interested in hearing what Mr. Dunstan has to say about it all.”
”Say, that's queer,” broke in Joe, suddenly, staring hard at the launch, now not much more than half a mile distant.
”What is?” asked Halstead, who had kept his mind on what he was telling the lawyer.
”That launch is following an almost straight course. Yet I don't see a soul at the wheel, nor a sign of a human being aboard,” Joe replied.
”Say, there isn't anyone in sight, is there?” demanded Jed, stopping his whistling and staring the harder.
”It will certainly complicate the adventure,” commented Lawyer Crane, ”if we overhaul a craft navigated by unseen hands.”
Halstead didn't say any more. He didn't like the half-skepticism of the legal gentleman. The young skipper held straight on until they were astern of the yellow-hulled launch and coming up on the windward quarter.
”Get out on the deck forward, Jed,” directed, Halstead. ”Stand up as straight as you can, and get the best look possible as I run up close.
See if you can spot anyone hiding in the boat.”
”Look out,” cautioned Joe Dawson, dryly, as Jed Prentiss started to obey. ”Someone on the other craft may open fire.”
Jed halted, rather uneasily, at that sinister suggestion. Then, meeting Tom's firm glance, the boy got well forward and stood up, while Joe dropped down into the engine room to meet any order that might come about stopping speed.
”I hardly fancy anyone aboard that boat would dare threaten us with firearms,” said the lawyer, slowly. ”There are too many witnesses here to risk such a serious breach of the law.”
”Mm!” chuckled Captain Tom grimly, to himself. ”I wonder if this learned gentleman imagines that everyone has the wholesome respect for the law that possesses him?”
He leaned forward, to reach the bell-grip, steering, after the ”Meteor's” headway had been all but stopped, so that they would pa.s.s within a dozen feet of this mysterious craft.
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