The Motor Boat Club at Nantucket: or, The Mystery of the Dunstan Heir

“Positive of it, sir,” came emphatically fromEngineer Joe.

“Then that oil must have been pumpedquietly out of the tank while you three sleptalmost the sleep of the dead,” exclaimed theowner.

“It was pumped out very early in the day, too,” Tom insisted. “Such a big quantitycouldn’t have been pumped anywhere exceptoverboard. It would have taken several barrelsto hold what was in the tank. Yet, by thetime we were on deck, at a little after noon, there wasn’t a sign of gasoline anywhere on thewater about us. The tide had carried it away.”

“I suppose anyone could have operated asteam-engine over your heads and you boyswouldn’t have heard it this morning, you wereso sound asleep,” mused Mr. Dunstan. “Yetit was in broad daylight that you berthed theboat. It must have been a daring man whowould have come down openly through thesegrounds on such an errand.”

“Unless – ” began Halstead thoughtfully.

“Well, unless – what, captain?”

“Mr. Dunstan, it’s possible, isn’t it, that oneof your men about the place may be disloyal toyou? Such a man may have done this thingeither to help your enemies, or to satisfy somespite against you.”

“I can’t think of a man in my employ I’d suspectof such a thing,” murmured the troubledman.

Plainly the owner was not the man to discussthis suspicion with. Toward dark, however,Tom and Joe went to one man on the placewhom they believed to be above all suspicion.That was big Michael, the coachman. WithMichael, they discussed the matter long andearnestly.

Though the honest coachman could tell themnothing definite, Tom Halstead went away fromthat talk on a new scent of danger ahead.

Dawson, too, was thinking hard, and, as aconsequence, was even more quiet than usual.

“I’m afraid it wouldn’t be much use to goto Mr. Dunstan with this,” sighed the youngcaptain. “We’ll just keep our eyes open.”

CHAPTER XVI – FOLLOWING UP THE CLUE

There was plenty to do by the time theboys got back to the pier. Jed, lone-handed, was pumping gasoline into thetank through the strainer. Several barrels ofthe oil had been sent down to the water front.Stripping off their coats, Tom and Joe turnedto and helped.

Bouncer, the bull pup, was on hand also, chained in the engine room. In view of thelate near-tragedy Mr. Dunstan had decidedto keep the dog aboard, at the home pier, hereafter, and had brought Bouncer down himself.

“We’ll finish this job Jed, if you’ll turn toand cook up a quick supper,” proposed Halstead.

“Anything on?” asked Jed, looking keenly atthem.

“I shouldn’t wonder,” nodded the young captain.

Jed asked no more questions, but got a temptingsupper ready in close to record time. Asthey were eating Tom told Jed, in low tones, the little they had discovered.

Briefly, it was this: The Dunstan gardenerand greenhouse man was a Frenchman namedGambon. He was a quiet, even sulky fellow, who had made no friends among the other employésof the place. Mr. Dunstan had once rebukedthe Frenchman for some carelessness.Michael had seen Gambon shake his fist afterthe employer as the latter was going away. Thishad happened four months ago.

There was not very much in that alone. ButGambon, who lived in a little two-room cottageall by himself, and who had no work to occupyhim evenings, had always been in the habit ofsmoking and reading, then retiring early. Formore than the last fortnight, however, Gambonhad left the place every evening. Sometimes hewas gone an hour; sometimes he had not returneduntil late. Two nights after Ted’s disappearanceMichael, who had reported to Mr.Dunstan concerning the Frenchman’s actions, had been authorized to follow Gambon. TheFrenchman, however, merely went to the Parkin Nantucket and sat for a couple of hours onone of the benches, smoking and seeminglydreaming. Mr. Dunstan, when this tame factwas reported to him, pooh-poohed Michael’s suspicionsand forbade him to watch the Frenchman any longer.

“For,” said Mr. Dunstan, “watching anyman long enough is likely to make a half-rascalof him.”

“But, Captain Tom, when a very quiet mansuddenly changes the fixed habits av year-rs,”said Michael earnestly, “then there’s likely astrong reason for it, and maybe a bad one.”

These were the facts that Tom and Joe nowrehearsed, in undertones, to Jed.

“Does it look likely, from that,” askedPrentiss, “that Gambon would steal downhere in early morning and pump our tankdry?”

“Michael saw him standing on the wharfthis morning, smoking,” replied Halstead.“Michael thought we must be up and about, though, so he didn’t pay any attention to theFrenchman.”

“Kind of a hazy clue, altogether, isn’t it?”queried Jed.

“It’s enough to be worth looking into,” Tomreplied earnestly. “Do you realize that to-morrowis the last day that Mr. Dunstan has to getTed before the probate court! That, if hedoesn’t do it to-morrow, the big inheritance ofmillions goes by the board? So anything is bigenough to work on to-night. It’s our last chance.Now Mr. Dunstan has assured me that the ‘Meteor’won’t be ordered out to-night. Joe and Iare going to watch the Frenchman. Jed, you’llwant to stay right here by the boat and keep asharp eye on it, for Gambon may not be the onewho is trying to put the ‘Meteor’ on the scrapheap. You’ll have Bouncer to help you. Evenif it came to taking the boat over to Wood’sHole, on a changed order, you’re equal to it, aren’t you?”

“Just give me the chance!” cried Jed. “I’dwelcome it.”

As soon as dark fell Joe stole across thegrounds at the further end, stationing himselfby the road. Tom, on the other hand, hid himselfnot far from Gambon’s little cottage. Thiswas the plan of the chums to prevent the Frenchmanfrom giving them the slip, in case he hadany suspicions. There was still a light in Gambon’scottage. After half an hour, however, the light vanished. Then Gambon came out, carrying a thick walking stick.

Tom watched the Frenchman until he was outof sight. Then after him the young skipperwent on tip-toe. It was not difficult to keepquietly on the trail, for the gardener appearedfar from suspicious.

Then, minutes later, Joe stepped out from behinda tree, touching Tom lightly on the arm.They went along together.

“It’s easy so far,” whispered Halstead.

“May be a reason,” answered Joe. “OurFrenchman may have nothing to conceal. Perhapshe’s only going courting.”

As Michael had reported, the gardener’sroute lay along the highway to Nantucket. Thelights of the little town were in sight when Halsteadsuddenly gave Joe a nudge. Both dodgedbehind bushes. For the Frenchman had steppedoff the road under some trees. First lookingaround him, Gambon next bent over, moving astone twice the size of his head. He picked upa piece of paper. Tom and Joe were breathinghard by this time.

Carefully replacing the stone, Gambon strucka match, scanning the piece of paper he held inhis hand. In another instant he touched theflaming match to a corner of the paper, watchingit burn up.

“Confound him for that!” muttered Tom inhis chum’s ear.

Gambon was coming back now. The twofriends crouched lower behind the bushes. Bythem walked the Frenchman, looking straightahead. As soon as it seemed wise to do so thechums started after him. They saw him, however, return to his cottage, where he lighted hislamp, smoked and by and by extinguished thelight and went to bed.

“We’ve found the spy,” groaned Tom, as thetwo chums neared the pier. “It’s fearful luck,Joe, that we couldn’t have known about him before.But it’s too late now for the knowledge todo us any good. To-morrow is the last day forTed Dunstan to show up. After we see that theboat and Jed are safe I’ll run up to the housefor a moment and see Mr. Dunstan.”

When Tom told their employer, a little later, what they had discovered that gentleman at firstappeared considerably interested.

“I’m afraid, though, Halstead,” he commented,“that we’re all of us inclined to suspectanything and anyone. Gambon is a bachelorand has saved a goodly bit of money. Whatmore likely than that he may be courting asweetheart? That would be a likely enoughplace for her to leave a note for him. Perhapsit was only a note as to an engagement that hadto be broken for this evening, for, as you say,Gambon came right back. Whatever the notewas about we’d probably feel rather ashamed ifwe forced the Frenchman to tell us about it. Bythe way, I am going to bed at once, now, for atat half-past five in the morning I shall want tostart for Wood’s Hole. I’ve heard from Craneagain, and he’s coming over with me at fullspeed, in order to be in court with me. We’regoing to see if we can’t get an adjournment forone day. Of course, there seems little hope ofit, as the terms of the will are so exacting. Oh,Halstead, I made a huge mistake in letting thematter go so long!”

There were tears in Mr. Dunstan’s eyes. Halstead, much touched, bade his employer goodnight, returning to the boat.

CHAPTER XVII – JOE PLAYS JUSTICE A SCURVY TRICK

Over a sea “as smooth as glass,” thatfateful Monday morning, the “Meteor”made a dashing run to Wood’sHole. It was just five minutes of seven by theclock when the swift craft tied up at the villageon the mainland.

All through the trip Horace Dunstan had remainedseated in one of the armchairs in thecockpit aft. His head had been bowed in sorrow.His face was haggard and ashen, for hehad not slept through the night.

On the pier awaiting him stood Mr. Crane, his lawyer, and Musgrave, who had been incharge of the force of detectives who had beenvainly seeking the young heir.

“You have not a word of hope, of course, gentlemen?” asked Mr. Dunstan in a weak voice.

“There is no news whatever,” replied Musgrave.

“Our only hope,” added Crane, “lies in thebarest possibility that the court may find somelegal excuse for adjourning the matter for a fewdays and giving us a chance for a longer hunt.”

“May I put in a word?” asked Tom, who hadbeen standing close by.