Part 22 (1/2)
”Will you step this way a moment, sir? I wish to speak to you in private.” With this he led the way into a room behind the office, where, after the other had entered, he closed the door.
”What's up?” asked the young engineer, wondering at these proceedings.
”Have you or any of your companions any counterfeit money in your possession?” asked the operator, abruptly.
”No--that is, yes. One of my friends has quite a lot of it that was pa.s.sed on him for genuine this morning, and I have a few samples for purposes of comparison.”
”But you haven't pa.s.sed, or tried to pa.s.s, any of it in this place?”
”Certainly not! Why do you ask such a question?”
”Because I have taken a liking to you. Have not you in your possession a note of identification from a certain Iowa Sheriff?”
”Yes; I have such a note from a Sheriff named Riley, of Dubuque; but how did you know anything about it?” asked Billy Brackett, greatly surprised.
”In a very simple way. Sheriff Riley happens to be my brother, and he wrote to me all about your little affair up the river. So I know you to be an honest man, and want to give you a warning. You may be very sure, however, that I should not do so were I not confident of your innocence.”
”Innocence of what?”
”Pa.s.sing counterfeit money. A good bit of it has suddenly appeared in circulation here, and your raft has been identified by some men from up-river as one on which suspicion has already fallen in connection with a similar state of affairs elsewhere. You have made a good many purchases to-day, and at least one bad bill has been traced directly to you. Of course you may have received it in change, and pa.s.sed it again unknowingly. I believe that is how it happened. If I did not, I should hold my tongue and let you suffer the consequences. In addition to this, all sorts of queer stories regarding you have been circulated about town to-day, and such a feeling has been aroused against you that a number of the worst characters in the place have determined to pay your raft a visit to-night. I don't know what they intend doing, nor do I think they know themselves, but I am certain if they find you the result will be most unpleasant. They are to be led by a couple of strangers, who have been secretly watching you all day. These men claim to be 'river-traders,' who have suffered serious losses through you, including that of the raft now in your possession, which, they say, was stolen from them. I can't tell you how I gained all this information, but it is at your disposal. If I were in your place, I would take advantage of the darkness to drop down the river, and I wouldn't lose any time about it either.”
”You advise me to run away like a coward, instead of remaining to defend myself against these abominable and absolutely unfounded charges!” exclaimed Billy Brackett, indignantly. ”I shall do nothing of the kind.”
”Not 'run away;' simply continue your voyage before it is unpleasantly interrupted,” returned the other, with a smile. ”If you remain until morning, your raft, with its contents, will certainly be destroyed by an unreasoning mob, at whose hands you and your companions may suffer bodily injury. In this case action would come first and inquiry afterwards. I am convinced you could easily prove your innocence, but doubt if you could obtain any redress for the losses you would have suffered in the mean time. Now I must get back to my desk. You will of course act as you think best, but I sincerely hope that you will accept my advice, and decide that an honorable retreat is better than a lost battle.”
”But there is Solon, the man whom I telegraphed to join us here. I don't expect him before morning.”
”Why, he is here already! Haven't you met him! He arrived on the evening train, and came in here to inquire where you could be found. I gave him directions, and started him off not fifteen minutes ago.”
”I don't see how he managed it,” said Billy Brackett, who had been thinking rapidly while the other spoke; ”but if he is already on board there is no reason why our departure should be delayed. Therefore I am almost inclined to accept your advice, for which, as well as for your timely warning, I am sincerely grateful. I will, at any rate, get back to the raft at once.”
With this the young man shook hands with the operator, and left the office.
”There!” exclaimed the other, looking after him with a relieved sigh; ”I believe I have done that young fellow a good turn. At the same time I have given myself a chance to capture the thousand-dollar reward that Ned wrote about, and which I was afraid this chap was after for himself.”
As for Billy Brackett, the more he reflected upon the situation, as he hastened towards the place where the raft was moored, the more puzzled he became as to what course he ought to pursue. He now had not only Winn, the raft, and himself to consider, but Glen and Binney, and the valuable instruments belonging to General Elting. Certainly it would not do to allow these to fall into the hands of an excited and irresponsible mob. Still, the thought of running away was hateful.
As he neared the raft an undefined apprehension caused him to quicken his steps; and at the sound of Binney Gibbs's shout of warning, he broke into a run. Then he heard another shout of ”Hol' on, Ma.r.s.e Winn!
I comin'!” and the noise of a struggle, in another moment he was in the thick of it.
Solon had reached the raft just in time to save Binney, who he thought was Winn, from being dropped overboard by Plater, the ”river-trader.”
The old negro attacked the big man so furiously with tooth and nail that the latter gave the lad in his arms a fling to one side, sending him cras.h.i.+ng with stunning force against the ”shanty,” and devoted his entire attention to this new a.s.sailant. He had just stretched Solon on the deck with a vicious blow of his powerful fist, when Billy Brackett appeared and sprang eagerly into the fray. Even Plater's brute strength was no match for the young engineer's science, and the latter would have gained a speedy victory, had not Grimshaw, who had been engaged in casting off the lines that held the raft to the bank, come to his partner's a.s.sistance.
Now, with such odds against him, Billy Brackett was slowly but surely forced backward towards the edge of the raft. In another moment he would have been in the river, when all at once two dripping figures emerged from it, scrambled aboard, and with a yell like a war-whoop, ranged themselves on the weaker side. A few well-planted blows, a determined rush, and the struggle for the possession of the raft was ended. The fighting ardor of Messrs. Plater and Grimshaw was being rapidly cooled in the icy waters through which they found themselves swimming towards the sh.o.r.e. At the same time the _Venture_ was gaining speed with each moment, as, borne on by the resistless current, it drifted out over the mingling floods of the Ohio and Mississippi.
Billy Brackett, still panting from his exertions, was bending over Binney Gibbs, who was struggling back to consciousness. Solon was sitting up, tenderly feeling of his swollen features, and declaring, ”Dat ar man hab a fis' lak de hin laig ob a mewel.”
Glen and Winn had manned one of the sweeps, and were trying to get the raft properly headed with the current. Thus the voyage was really begun, and the young engineer, who hated to run away, was spared the necessity of making a decision. It was a start, too, with all hands on board. To be sure, two of them were battered and bruised, while two more were soaked to the skin; but all were there, and none was greatly the worse for the recent exciting experience.
Suddenly Billy Brackett spoke up and asked: