Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence

“Don’t give yourself any more uneasiness on that score, Josh,” Jack urged. “If there ever was a ghost anywhere near this place it took wings long ago, when the thousands of summer tourists began coming here for their vacations. What with the big hotels, and the hundreds of cottages perched on the islands, small chance a poor spirit would have today.”

While he said nothing more about the three boats with their unfriendly crews, Jack did not entirely forget them. Perhaps there might have been some deep reason for the strange actions of these men. Perhaps – but then, without any foundation for a theory, what was the use bothering himself forming any such?

The night came on; but even while they were eating supper a change had begun to take place in the weather conditions. Nick’s prediction of a beautiful moonlight night gave promise of being far from the actual fact; for clouds had drifted over the heavens, some of them dark and threatening, though as yet broken.

“We may get a storm before morning,” observed George, looking up.

“And I wager Jack foresaw that same thing when he picked out this cove for our anchorage,” declared Herb. “You notice that it is to the eastward of the island; and don’t you see about all the storms up here come out of the west. In that way we will be protected against a heavy blow.”

Jack might have kept still, and allowed his chums to heap honors on his unworthy head; but that was not his style.

“Hold on, you’re doing me too much credit, boys,” he observed frankly. “I took to this cove just because it looked good to me, and never for a minute thinking how it would serve us in case of a blow. But just as Herb says, we are protected here, and that’s another reason for not changing, as Nick hinted we should do.”

They ate supper before the dusk turned into night, and the whippoorwills were calling from back on the wooded island, to be answered from the further Canada shore.

The three boats were close enough together to allow the boys a chance to exchange any remarks they wished.

“Better get ready in case we have a downpour tonight,” remarked Jack, as he cast a look upward to where the moon was just starting to peep out from behind a threatening bank of clouds.

“For one I’m glad I got that hole in my tent mended in time,” observed Herb.

“Me too,” spoke up Buster, “because, you see, it was so nicely fixed right over my poor head. Think of a stream turned on while you slept! Ugh! when I take my cold baths I’ll choose my time.”

“I’ve known when you didn’t all the same,” ventured George, chuckling.

“That’s mean of you,” Buster replied, reproachfully, “bringing up old happenings. Yes, I did fall overboard into the river; but who wouldn’t, in that cranky speedy boat of yours, shivering and jumping to beat the band. Why, hello! what ails Josh there?”

“Yes, what are you staring so hard at, Josh?” demanded George, turning his head.

“Didn’t any of the rest of you see it?” asked the other, eagerly.

“See what? Are you beginning on that ghost racket already?” insinuated Herb.

“Ghost nothing,” exclaimed Josh; “and yet truth to tell it did glide out of sight behind the point yonder like a phantom boat. Then the moon went under, and I lost it again!”

CHAPTER VIII – IN THE MIDNIGHT WATCH

Everybody sat up and took notice when Josh delivered himself after this strange fashion. If it had been a mere glimpse of some white object which he claimed to have seen ashore they might have smiled, and let it go at that. But a boat was a different proposition. They were interested in boats; and indeed, expecting sooner or later to be visited by a certain dark craft, fashioned along a piratical type.

“Where did you see it, Josh?” asked George, hastily jumping to his feet; and almost taking a header into the water; for his delicately balanced speed craft did not allow such energetic movements with impunity.

“Well, give a feller a chance, won’t you?” grumbled the other, as he clutched the brass railing just in time to save himself. “I’m not in such a hurry to go after the phantom boat as to want to swim! Besides,” he added, as an afterthought, “I haven’t forgotten that savage musky Jack brought in today. If they hang out around this region you don’t catch Josh Purdue doing any bathing, not much.”

“But tell us, where did you see this queer boat that moves along as silent as a specter?” asked Nick.

“Didn’t you get on to what I said?” continued the other, impatiently. “Around that point yonder it seemed to glide. I lost it in the shadows.”

“Listen to him hedge, fellows!” cried Nick. “Now he says it ‘seemed to glide.’ That is as much as saying he ain’t sure whether he was awake or dreaming.”

“I tell you the boat was there,” Josh persisted; “and if the mean old moon hadn’t just bobbed behind that cloud up yonder, all of you might have had a chance to glimpse her.”

“But you had one look at her, didn’t you?” asked Jack.

“Sure I did. And because I didn’t hear any noise of a motor I just had to stare,” came the ready reply.

“Was it a white pleasure boat?” continued Jack.

“Not much. I could have seen that sort right along, moon or no moon. I know what you’re thinking, Jack.”

“All right. Was it a dark-colored launch, then?” the other demanded.

“This time it’s yes – a long, low, narrow craft, that seemed to just spin along like a shadow itself. But I know it was a boat, because I could see the water curling over, where the bow cut through,” Josh went on.

“You hear that, fellows?” Jack remarked. “And of course, you understand what it means to us?”

“That boat was the Flash, and Clarence has found us out at last?” said George; not without a trace of eagerness in his voice; for so well had his speed launch been behaving of late that he was anxious to test her against the newer craft of Clarence Macklin.

“Just like him to come sneaking around at night to see how he can do us some rotten injury,” grunted Nick.

“Lit him thry it, that’s all,” remarked Jimmie, popping his head up. “I’m thinkin’ the gossoon will be sorry for it, wan way or t’other.”

“But that means we shall have to keep watch, doesn’t it, Jack?”

Of course it was Herb who said this, for he might be set down as the most timid of the six boys; though there had been times in the past when even Herb had risen to the occasion, to prove that he could show valor.

“No doubt about that,” returned the other, seriously. “You know the benefit we found in being prepared when on that trip to Dixie land. It pays to be ready for trouble. Meeting it half way often ends in victory. Oh! yes, the squad will have to turn out, and take turns tonight.”

All this had been carefully arranged beforehand. Jack knew his crowd, and also what little failings they might be apt to develop. For instance, he understood that it was hardly the part of wisdom to allow Nick to stand his spell of sentry duty alone. However willing the fat boy might declare himself he was apt to be overcome by drowsiness and fall asleep at his post.

“Think we’d better move out a bit from the shore?” asked Josh, after they had talked matters over for a further spell, and looked in vain for the mysterious dark motor boat to appear again around the point of the wooded island.

“What for?” asked George.

“Sure, the howlding’s foine roight here,” asserted Jimmie, who had personally seen to it that the Tramp’s anchor was well placed; though it could be readily tripped in case of a sudden need for a move during a storm.

“But to tell the honest truth, fellows, I don’t just like the looks of this old island here,” admitted the cook of the Wireless, boldly.

“I don’t see anything the matter with it?” remarked George. “In fact, simply because it seems deserted is no reason we ought to cut loose, and change moorings. If it belonged to some millionaire, and had a cottage perched on the rocks, the chances are ten to one we’d have been asked to move long before now.”

“I agree with George,” Jack remarked. “And that was the main reason why I determined to come here, where it looked so attractive. When fellows are off on a little trip like this, the very places they should avoid are those where too much civilization is found. Give me the wild spots every time.”

“Oh! well, I withdraw my motion then,” grumbled Josh. “But don’t blame me if anything happens, that’s all.”

“Would ye be afther listenin’ till him?” exclaimed Jimmie, hilariously. “Sure he do be thinkin’ still about that banshee. And Jack, since ye are to sthand watch wid Josh, be warrned in toime, to look out for throuble. If wishin’ would bring ghosts it’s me honest belafe Josh would raise a whole raft of thim.”

But in talking of many other things the boys soon seemed to forget about these fears on the part of the one who confessed to a belief in hobgoblins.

When several of the inmates of the gathered boats started to yawn at a tremendous rate, word was given that they turn in.