The Merry Anne 28
"I have told all I know."
"Oh, of course,--that's just as you like."
They were silent again for a few moments. Then Dick spoke up. "You feel
pretty sure about their being in Canada, don't you?"
"Have you thought of anything else?"
"Yes. Where is the other revenue cutter now?"
"The _Porter?_ At Buffalo, I think,--or Cleveland, or Detroit."
"And she's about twice as fast as the _Foote_, isn't she?"
"Just about."
"Well, now, supposing they weren't sure but what she would be sent up
here too? It was as likely as not."
"It should have been done."
"Then wouldn't they have been fools to have put right out again to cross
the Lake--with one steamer coming down on 'em through the Straits and
another coming up from Detroit?"
"Fools or not, they did it. We know that much."
"Do we?"
"_Don't_ we!"
"I don't see it."
"Don't you see what they've done? They have left your schooner here and
gone off in Spencer's.
"Who has?"
"Look here, Smiley, you are on the wrong side of this case. You ought to
be working for the government."
"I may be before I get through with it. You see what I'm driving at,
don't you?"
"About yourself?"
"Hang myself. About Spencer."
"And McGlory?"
"No, not McGlory. Just Spencer."
"Why not McGlory?"
"Just this--"
Wilson approached. "There's nobody here, Bill."
"Wait over there a minute, Bert, with the boys. Go on, Smiley."
"McGlory is a sailor; Spencer isn't. McGlory would feel safer on a boat;
Spencer knows these woods like a book. Do you follow?"
"Go on."
"Now, I'm just as sure as that I'm sitting here, that when it came to a
crisis like this, those two would disagree."
"And you ought to know them."
"I know McGlory. He isn't the kind that takes orders from anybody, drunk
or sober. And from the look I had at old Spencer, I don't think he is
either. He looked to me like a cool hand. Quiet, you know, with a sort
of cold eye. It doesn't sound like Spencer to put out into the Lake with
revenue cutters closing in all around him."
"But does it sound like McGlory?"
"Exactly. He's bull headed."
"Then you think the other schooner _was_ here?"
"More than likely."
"And McGlory took it and Spencer didn't?"
"That's getting near it."
"And who wrote that note?"
"I don't know. I never saw Spencer's writing, and McGlory's only once or
twice. It's written rough, but it looks familiar, somehow."
"McGlory's work then, likely?"
"Maybe."
"But what object would Spencer have in staying behind? Where could he
go?"
"He could get out of Michigan and down to Mexico without one chance in
a hundred of being caught--not unless you had men on every train in the
United States."
"You mean he would make for a railway?"
"Yes."
"But he would have to go to Alpena to do it."
"Not a bit. He needn't go anywhere near the coast. There's a town called
Hewittson, on the Central Road, about fifty miles back in the woods,
southwest of here. It's the terminal of a branch line, and it's the
nearest point."
"Even then he would have to go through Detroit or Michigan City, where
we _have_ men."
"No, he wouldn't. He could get over to the Grand Rapids and Indiana with
a few changes and without passing through a single big town. When he
once got down there in Indiana, you would have a pretty vigorous time
catching him."
Beveridge mused. "This is all very interesting, Smiley, but it is hardly
enough to act on."
"Isn't it, though? What earthly good could you do on the water that
Captain Sullivan couldn't do just as well without you? There he is with
his men, and he ought to do what you tell him."
"I don't know about that," said Beveridge, with a smile.
"Anyhow," Dick went on eagerly, "the old _Foote_ isn't going to make any
more miles an hour for having you on board."
"There's something in that. You seem to be keen on this business."
"Keen! Good Lord, man! don't you see the position I'm in? Don't you see
that my only chance is to help you run this down and get at the facts?
Honest, I don't see what you could lose by taking a flier overland to
Hewittson. It's just one more chance opened up for you, and you ought to
take it."
"How did you happen to know so much about these railroads up here?"
"You didn't suppose I had my eyes shut when I was looking at that chart
the other day, did you?"
"It seems to me you took in a lot in a thundering short time."
"Of course I did. It is my business to take in a lot when I look at a
chart."
"Well, this is interesting, Smiley. I 'll think it over. Come on, boys."
The sailors rowed them back to the steamer; and the special agent
was promptly closeted with Captain Sullivan. He laid out the whole
situation, suggesting that the Captain keep a close watch on the Burnt
Cove region and that he leave a launch at Spencer's. The fugitives
had left nearly all they had, even to clothing, behind, and it was
conceivable that they might return.
"I wish," he added, as he rose to go, "that I could call on the county
authorities. Wilson and I may have our hands full if we meet them."
"You think you'd better not?"
"Hardly. It is even chances that they are mixed up in the business some
way. Spencer has known them longer than we have."
He left the Captain's stateroom, and found Smiley waiting for him by
the wheel-house. "There's one thing I didn't say when we were talking,"
began the prisoner, looking with some hesitation at the agent.
"What's that, Smiley? Speak up. I'm starting now."
"You're going to try it, then?"
"Yes."
"Will you take Pink and me with you?"
Beveridge straightened up and flashed a keen, inquiring glance through
Dick's eyes, down to the bottom of his soul. Dick met it squarely.
"By Jove!" said Beveridge.
Not a word said Smiley.
"By Jove! I 'll do it!"
Dick turned away, limp.
"Smiley!"
He turned back.
"Where's Harper?"
"Down below."
"Bring him to my stateroom. Be quick about it."
A very few moments more, and Dick and Harper knocked at the special
agent's door.
"Come in."
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