CHAPTER I – THE BURNING STEAMBOAT

“Hurry up, and give the signal, Frank!”

“Yes, let’s get the agony over with – either Bluff is a better all-round paddler than I am, or else he has to take water, that’s all!”

“Please hold your horses till I get a good focus on you, fellows!” called Will Milton, the official photographer of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club.

He stood on a little private dock, overlooking Lake Camalot, and manipulated his camera with the air of a professional.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to wait a bit now, boys,” replied Frank Langdon, the judge, who was also seated in a cedar canoe very like those of the contestants, only it was built for two, his mate being Will.

“What’s gone wrong now, Frank?” demanded Jerry Wallington, with his double-bladed paddle poised for the first dip.

“Why, look at the Eastern Star– she’s making her first Spring trip around the lake, and heads in a line to cut you off your course,” declared the referee.

“So much the worse for the poor old boat; we’ll just have to run her down,” calmly observed the youth called Bluff.

“I was only thinking of your being swamped in the rough water she leaves in her wake. Better relax your muscles for a few minutes, you impatient braves.”

“Talk to me about your hard luck, what d’ye think of that? Why, the plagued old boat’s just gone and stopped where she blocks us off in our little spin,” grumbled Jerry, in plain disgust.

“That settles it, then; we’ll surely have to sink her,” remarked Bluff.

“Hold on before you think of that. I’m afraid there’s something wrong aboard, for Captain Amos would never stop out there on the lake – at least I never knew him to do such a thing before,” said Frank, standing up in the canoe to see better.

“Say, fellows, isn’t that smoke coming out of the cabin?” demanded Will.

“Smoke – why, perhaps the old tinderbox is afire!” ejaculated Bluff.

“Let’s paddle out and see; perhaps we can be of some help!” cried Jerry.

“Come on, then!”

“Hey! you fellers hold on; where do I come in?” shouted Will.

“You stay on the dock and get a snapshot of the whole circus!” answered the unfeeling Jerry, as he spurted away, urging his dainty craft along with rapid strokes of his spruce blade.

“Marooned, I declare,” muttered Will; “but perhaps I can improve the opportunity and get a picture that will go down in the history of steamboating on Lake Camalot.”

The three lads fairly flew over the intervening water, which was almost smooth, as the breeze hardly created a ripple on the surface.

Frank, having a larger boat to manage, fell behind a trifle; but his arms were seasoned in all manner of work, and he kept tagging along close in the rear.

Apparently there was need for alarm, as the smoke had rapidly increased in volume, and was now pouring out of the little steamer.

At the same time they could plainly hear the shouts of excited men; while the shriller voices that arose told that there were women passengers aboard.

Dashing up to the side of the boat the boys scrambled aboard, hastily securing their canoes to any object that promised temporary anchorage.

Then they hurried to the cabin.

Here they found a scene of the utmost confusion. Men were trying to dash buckets of water upon the fire, which seemed to have gotten quite a foothold. It even looked as though the first trip of the little Eastern Star this season would prove to be her last.

Captain Amos was plainly badly rattled by this sudden emergency, though he was working like a trooper to extinguish the flames, and leading his two assistants, the engineer and deckhand, in gallant rushes almost into the fire, where the contents of the buckets they carried seemed to do little or no good.

Frank Langdon was possessed of a cool head in emergencies that called for tact. He made an astonishing discovery as soon as he arrived upon the scene of action. This consisted of the fact that in the tremendous excitement, with the passengers shrieking in his ears, the captain had entirely forgotten the fact that the boat was equipped with fire extinguishers.

“Here, fellows, get busy, strap this on my back, and then get another. We’ve got to put out this fire or some one will be burned to death, or drowned. Don’t let any woman jump overboard!” he exclaimed.

Jerry and Bluff seemed to catch some of the spirit that animated their leader. They succeeded in fastening the extinguisher to his back, even though their hands trembled while so doing.

No sooner had this been done before Frank was off, rushing directly toward the spot where the flames seemed to have taken hold most fiercely.

It was rather appalling, but somehow or other the sight of the brave boy, equipped for mastering the mounting flames, caused a little cheer to arise from the excited passengers.

As soon as the prepared liquid from the little apparatus began to spread over the fire, its ardor was immediately checked. By the time Jerry rushed alongside, similarly equipped, Frank was getting the better of the conflagration.

“Don’t stop with the water, Captain Amos!” shouted Frank, knowing that if their extinguishers gave out before the fire was fully under control it might spring up again into new life.

“Away, boys! Hand up the buckets!” cried the captain.

Several of the male passengers, having by now partly recovered from their panic, started in to assist. Between the whole lot the water came faster, and in less than ten minutes the fire was practically out.

There had been some damage done, but nothing to seriously injure the steamboat; and a carpenter could make repairs while the vessel was covering a few daily runs in this balmy April weather.

Captain Amos now found a chance to rush up to Frank, and shake his hand vigorously.

He was a bluff chap, not much older than Frank, a very good steamboatman, only that he seemed apt to lose his head in a crisis, which after all, must be a grave fault.

“Bully for you, Frank! Your coming saved the boat, I believe. I’ll never forget it, I tell you. Was just about to lay hold of those fire extinguishers when your crowd forestalled me. It was a rough deal all around. With those women shrieking, and holding on to me, begging me to save them, a fellow might be excused for being a little slow to do the right thing. And you, too, Jerry and Bluff – shake hands!”

“What set the boat afire?” asked the curious Bluff, immediately.

The captain shook his head.

“I don’t believe it was an accident. We have always been mighty careful about leaving any waste around where it could start into a flame. Besides, if you notice, boys, you can see that it started close to the cabin, and not near the boiler.”

Captain Amos involuntarily lowered his voice and glanced suspiciously around while speaking. His manner thrilled the boys as they had seldom been before.

“Not an accident! Tell me about that, will you? Do you mean that you believe some one set the boat afire?” exclaimed Jerry.

“Don’t speak so loud, please. That is what I think. Unless it was intentional, I can’t imagine how the thing started,” answered the young captain, who was still much excited after his recent experience.

“But it seems monstrous. Who would be guilty of such a terrible thing?” asked Frank, possibly dimly suspecting that the other might be seeking to cover up some lack of proper caution on his part, though that was not like Amos Short.

“Say, did your crew mutiny?” gasped Bluff, whose eyes were wide open with wonder over this new development of the affair, and who had lately been doing considerable reading of sea tales.

“Well, hardly. I only have the engineer, an old faithful fellow; the pilot, who stuck to his post through it all, and would have run us ashore if the worst came; and one deck hand, a darky,” he replied warmly.

“Then it was a passenger, you think?” demanded Frank, determined to get at the bottom of this new mystery.

“Well, none of my pay passengers. Listen and I’ll tell you. This being the first trip this year we were not so particular about taking pay. At Newtonport a couple of tramps got aboard. When I went to collect their fares they said they had no money, but wanted to get across the lake to Centerville. Rather than have a disturbance on board I allowed them to remain, cautioning them to stay below near the engine.”

“Perhaps you are right, Captain; but what could be their object in firing your boat?” asked Frank.

One of the passengers hurriedly approached at this moment. He was plainly much excited, and as the fire was completely out it could not have been from that cause.

“Captain, before you get into Centerville I demand that you have every person on board this boat searched!” he exclaimed vigorously.

“Searched, Mr. Pemberton – what do you mean?” exclaimed the captain, in dismay.

“Because, sir, my luggage has been opened while we were all excited about the fire, and my property scattered about. I have been robbed of something that was worth considerable money to me, sir. And I intend to hold you and your steamboat company liable for damages!” he cried indignantly.

The captain looked at Frank – here then was an explanation of the sudden fire!

CHAPTER II – TWO CLEVER ROGUES

“This is a serious charge, Mr. Pemberton!” said the captain, in a low voice.

“But I mean it, every word, sir. I tell you I have lost certain articles that represent a large amount of money to me. And I shall proceed against your company unless they are recovered,” declared the passenger, angrily.

Frank believed he recognized in this party a traveling agent who visited the jewelers in the lake towns several times a year. This being the case it was easy to understand that the packet which he complained was stolen, might have contained precious stones, or something along that line.

“Stop and make sure before you say that, Mr. Pemberton,” remarked the captain, turning pale at the threat; for under the circumstances such an action against the company might lose him his comfortable berth.

For once his good-heartedness seemed to have placed him in a predicament. According to the plain rules of the company it should have been his business, upon being refused the proper fare by the two ugly tramps, to have called upon his crew to assist him in putting them ashore, or getting rid of them somehow, even if he had to throw them overboard.

“I know just what I am saying, sir; the packet is gone, and I am ready to swear that I left it in my bag,” replied the other, firmly.

“But consider, sir, that in all this excitement a man might lose his head. Just as likely as not you may have done something with the packet yourself. It would seem to be the first thing a man might think of.”

Captain Amos was arguing with a view to shifting the blame; but he had a positive customer to deal with in Mr. Pemberton. The other shook his head and frowned.

“I insist upon every one being searched before they leave the boat,” he said. “No honest person will object to such a course, I feel sure; and it is the only safe way. And you yourself should be the one to do the job, Captain, in the interest of your company – of course with the assent of the passengers and crew.”

The commander of the boat somehow at this juncture looked at Frank, just as if he sought advice from this source.

“It is the right thing to do, Captain,” that party hastened to say, “and as for my two chums and myself we would like you to begin right now with us.”

“There is no necessity in your case, my boy; for you have been under my eye all the time you were aboard, and we owe you much,” the gentleman hastened to exclaim.

“Nevertheless, if any are to be searched all should be without a single exception, to make it fair. But it strikes me, Mr. Pemberton, that the captain already has a pretty good idea as to who took your valuables, if they have been stolen, and not lost overboard in the confusion,” remarked Frank, calmly.

The traveling jeweler whirled upon the officer.

“How is this, Captain?” he demanded, anxiously.

“We were just wondering how the fire started,” the other explained, “and I declared it could not have come from any carelessness of my crew, and that there was no chance of an accident. In a word, sir, I vowed the fire must be of incendiary origin. Frank, here, and his friends were asking what reason any one would have for setting this boat on fire, when you rushed up stating your loss.”

“I begin to grasp your meaning. It implies that in order to cover up their robbery the thieves started this fire, thinking that if the boat burned no one might be the wiser. That looks very plausible. Did I understand this boy to say you had an idea concerning the identity of the criminal?” Mr. Pemberton asked eagerly.

“Yes, I believe I have,” said Captain Amos, sturdily.

“Then I demand that you place him under arrest immediately, before he can escape with my property. Is there more than one concerned, do you think? Ah! I have an idea I know whom you mean – the two tramps who came aboard at Newtonport?”

“Exactly. They are the ones I suspect. It would be easy to start such a blaze undetected, for no one would be dreaming of such rascality,” replied the officer.

“And taking advantage of the sudden confusion,” went on the passenger, “when men and women were shouting, and rushing frantically about, they must have searched my luggage purposely, knowing that I was carrying a valuable packet in my bag.”

“That would appear to cover the case, sir. In the light of this explanation do you still insist upon every one being searched?” demanded Captain Amos.

Mr. Pemberton also looked toward Frank, although, perhaps, unconsciously. The latter smiled and hastened to remark:

“I really believe that what the captain says may be the true explanation of both the fire and the robbery, Mr. Pemberton. And in that case the arrest of the tramps will bring your valuables to light.”

“Provided they have not gone overboard by accident,” the captain could not resist saying, with pointed emphasis.

The passenger shook his head doggedly, and said:

“There is not the slightest chance of that, sir. I vow I was not once near the spot where my luggage was piled up from the first cry of fire until just now, when I went to see that my things were safe. Surely I would know it if I had gone there.”

“Besides, Captain, unless I’m mistaken this gentleman was the only one among the passengers who seemed to have his senses; I am sure I saw him helping to pass the buckets of water along,” remarked Frank.

“Right you are, son,” said the gentleman, with a faint smile; “for that is a fact. I forgot that I even had any luggage aboard, and the cries of those poor frightened women got on my nerves so that I was bound to do all I could to assist in saving the boat. Now, Captain Amos, I am disposed to go as easy with you as possible, but something must be done before you order the boat into Centerville!”

“I’m willing to do anything that seems right, only tell me what you wish,” replied the officer, promptly.

“If those ugly-looking customers are guilty, they must be apprehended before they have a chance to secrete the goods,” vouchsafed Mr. Pemberton.

“I agree with you. The only question is, ought we try and do it here, or wait until we reach the wharf, where we will find the constable waiting, as he always is when the Eastern Star arrives?”

“It might be safer to wait,” admitted the passenger, “but in that event the rogues will be given a chance to hide the packet, perhaps, about the boat, trusting to getting it another time. Then, as we would have no evidence that they were guilty, we could not hold them.”

“What do you say, Frank?” asked the captain, turning to the leader of the chums, and by that action admitting that he entertained great respect for the opinion of the boy who had done so much to save the steamboat.

“I think the gentleman is right,” came the quick response.

“That we ought to search the tramps now,” queried the captain, anxiously; for he felt certain that this move would bring on a fight, which might add still further to the excitement of the already terrified women aboard.

“Undoubtedly. Just as he says, they might think it good policy to conceal their plunder somewhere about the boat, hoping to get it later on, after the excitement had died out. And if you want any help in doing that same thing, Captain, count on myself and two chums.”

The answer came so readily from the lips of the canoeist that Captain Amos was almost overcome. He thrust out his hand impulsively, exclaiming:

“Say, that’s awful kind of you, Frank. We may need your assistance, for, to tell the truth, those hoboes looked mighty tough, and I reckon they’ll put up some sort of a fight before giving in. I only hope they don’t happen to have any sort of guns about them. Wait till I call up Simmons the engineer, Codding the pilot, and Adolphus the coon deckhand. If Mr. Pemberton gives us a hand we will have eight to cow the rascals.”

“We will need the whole bunch if they are half as tough as you say, Captain,” declared Jerry, anxious to be heard.

The captain beckoned, and a negro boy came running up.

“Go and tell the pilot and engineer to come here at once, and you accompany them,” he said.

“Yas, sah!” replied the willing worker, shooting away with a look of curiosity toward the others, as if wondering what new trouble had arisen.

“That boy was working all the time, I believe,” said Mr. Pemberton, thoughtfully.

“Who, Adolphus?” asked the captain; “every minute at my side; and I’d trust him with every penny I owned. But here he comes, and both men are with him. Now we can get ready to look for those ragged tramps, and corner them.”

“H’m! when did you see them last?” asked Frank, starting suddenly, as if he had made an unpleasant discovery.

“Certainly not since the cry of fire first broke out. But what makes you ask such a question, Frank?” demanded the captain, showing new alarm.

“Well, I have an idea that it may be some little time before you get a chance to round those scamps up, and proceed with your search. They are the busy boys all right, and while we’ve been talking matters over here the hobo couple have been doing things. Look there, Captain, half way to the other shore, and tell me what you see!” and Frank pointed as he spoke.

Immediately a chorus of exclamations arose.

“As sure as you live, there they go like hot cakes!” cried Bluff.

“Talk to me about nerve, if they haven’t ‘cribbed’ Frank and Will’s double canoe!” came from Jerry’s lips, as he stared at the retreating object.

“And just notice, fellows, that both of them paddle as if they knew all about canoes. Those hoboes have done some camping in their day, as sure as you live!” observed Frank, always on the lookout for these telling points.

“Say, do we stand here and let them get clean away without lifting a hand?” exclaimed Bluff, piteously.

“Hardly. Into your canoes, boys, and after the thieves at full speed!” cried Frank.