Dave Porter on Cave Island: or, A Schoolboy's Mysterious Mission

“A ship!” cried Roger.

“But not the Golden Eagle!” returned Dave. “It must be the vessel that was to stop for the Englishmen.”

“It is! It is!” bawled Giles Borden. “And look, there they are on the shore, ready to embark, all of them!”

“Yes, and Jasniff is with them!” added Dave, Phil, and Roger in a breath.

CHAPTER XXVIII – IN WHICH THE ENEMY SAILS AWAY

It was a startling discovery, and for the moment Dave and the others did not know what to do.

“Do you see anything of Captain Sanders, or Smiley?” questioned our hero.

“Not a thing,” returned the senator’s son. “It’s strange, too.”

“Oh, cannot we stop them in some manner?” pleaded Giles Borden.

“Come on – we’ll do what we can!” cried Phil.

“That’s the talk!” put in old Billy Dill. “Oh, for a gatling gun that we might train on ’em!” he added.

All were calculating the distance to the shore. Between them and the water was a slight hollow, overgrown with brushwood and vines. How long would it take to find a path through that hollow?

“No use in staying here,” was Dave’s comment. “We’ll get there somehow. But keep out of sight, if you can. We don’t want them to discover us until the last minute.” All moved forward toward the hollow. By walking well over to the left they managed to keep a distant row of palms between themselves and those who were at the water’s edge.

But progress was slow, as all soon discovered. The hollow was a treacherous one, full of soft spots and pitfalls. Less than a hundred feet had been covered when two of the sailors went down up to their waists, and a second later Roger followed.

“Hold on, Roger! I’ll help you!” cried Dave, and he and Phil ran to their chum’s assistance. They did not dare to go near the soft spot and so all they could do was to throw the senator’s son a stout vine for use as a rope, and then haul him out by sheer strength. In the meantime the others went to the rescue of the two sailors, and they were hauled out in similar fashion.

“This island certainly is the limit!” gasped Roger, when he was on firm ground once more. “I wouldn’t live here if they made me a present of the whole thing!”

“That’s right,” returned Phil. “Because, if you lived here, you might some day find yourself buried before your time!” And this quaint way of expressing it made all of the boys grin in spite of their excitement.

Beyond the hollow another difficulty confronted them. Here were some sharp rocks, with deep cuts between. They had to climb over the rocks with extreme care and do not a little jumping, all of which consumed much valuable time.

“They’ll be off before we can reach them!” groaned Dave. “Oh, do hurry, fellows!”

“I’m coming as fast as I can!” answered Phil.

“So am I,” added Roger.

“You ought to shoot at them, if they won’t stop,” put in Merwell.

“I’ll do what I can,” answered our hero. He was wondering how far the present situation would justify the use of firearms.

At last the rocks were left behind, and the crowd found themselves in the fringe of palm trees lining the sandy shore.

“Do you see them?” queried Phil, who was getting winded from his exertions.

“No, I don’t,” returned Dave. He had looked up and down the sandy strip in vain for a sight of the Englishmen and Jasniff.

Beyond the beach was the reef with the ever-present breakers and far beyond this the ship they, had before sighted. The schooner lay-to with all sails lowered.

“There they are!” suddenly shouted Billy Dill. “Too late, boys, too late!”

“Where? where?” came in a shout from the lads and from Giles Borden.

“Look out there, by the reef. Don’t you see the small boat in the breakers?” went on the old sailor, pointing with his bronzed hand.

All gazed in the direction he indicated, and Dave and Giles Borden could not repress a groan of dismay. For, riding the swells of the ocean, could be seen a small boat, manned by two sailors. In the boat sat four passengers.

“That’s Jasniff, I am sure of it!” cried Phil.

“And those three men are the fellows who robbed me!” muttered Giles Borden. “Oh, what luck! Ten minutes too late!”

“Can’t we follow them in some way?” asked Roger.

“I don’t see how,” answered Dave. “Our rowboat is on the other side of the island. Besides, even if we had a boat, I don’t believe we could catch them before the schooner got underway. Oh, isn’t it a shame!” And Dave fairly ground his teeth in helpless dismay.

“If we had a cannon!” murmured old Billy Dill. “A shot across the bow o’ that craft would make the cap’n take warnin’, I’m thinkin’!”

“Do you suppose any other boat is handy?” asked the Englishman.

“We might look,” returned the senator’s son.

All were about to run out on the beach when Dave suddenly called a halt.

“Don’t do it,” he said. “If we can’t follow them, it will be best for the present not to show ourselves.”

“How’s that?” demanded Giles Borden. “It’s a bloody shame to let them go in this fashion.”

“If they see us, they’ll know we are after them and they’ll sail away as fast as possible,” went on our hero. “If they don’t see us, they may take their time in getting away, and that will give us so much better chance to catch them.”

“Dave is right!” cried the senator’s son. And the others agreed with him, and all kept concealed behind the row of palms and the brushwood and rocks. From that point they watched the small boat gradually approach the schooner until it was alongside. Then a rope ladder was lowered and the passengers mounted to the deck, after which the rowboat was drawn up on the davits.

“What ship is that?” asked Phil.

“She is named the Aurora,” answered Giles Borden.

“The Aurora!” exclaimed Billy Dill. “Do ye mean the Aurora, Cap’n Jack Hunker?”

“Yes, that’s the captain’s name.”

“Why, I know him!” went on the old tar. “Sailed with him once, in the Peter Cass, – afore he took command o’ the Aurora. Say, Dave, he used to be a putty good man. I can’t see how he would stand in with sech fellers as Jasniff an’ them thievin’ Britishers.”

“Perhaps he doesn’t know what scoundrels they are,” returned our hero.

“Oh, they haven’t told him the truth, depend upon that,” said Giles Borden. “They have fixed up some story to pull the wool over his eyes. Most likely they’ll tell him that I am the rascal of the party and that is why I am to be left behind.”

“If the captain of the Aurora is all right, it may pay to signal to him,” mused Dave. “I wish I had known of this before.”

“See! see! they are hoisting the sails!” cried Phil.

“If you are going to signal to the schooner, you had better do it pretty quick,” advised Roger.

“I think I will. It can’t hurt much – they are going to sail away, anyhow. Come on.”

All ran out on the sandy beach, and Dave discharged his shotgun twice as a signal. The others waved tree-branches and brushwood, and Phil even lit some of the latter, to make a smudge.

But if the signals were seen, no attention was paid to them. Those on the schooner continued to hoist the sails, and presently the Aurora turned away, leaving Cave Island behind.

As the schooner moved off Dave’s heart sank within him. On board of the craft was Jasniff, and the rascal had the larger portion of the Carwith jewels in his possession.

“It’s a shame!” burst out Phil. “Oh, why didn’t we get hold of Jasniff when you collared Link!”

“Where is your own ship?” asked Merwell. “Why don’t you find her and follow that crowd?” He felt as sour as ever over the thought that he had been captured while his companion in crime had escaped.

“I wish the Golden Eagle would come in,” answered Dave. “I can’t understand what is keeping her, unless she suffered from that storm and had to lay to for repairs.”

“And where do you suppose Captain Sanders and Smiley are?” put in Roger.

“I don’t know. They may have fallen into one of the caves, or they may have been made prisoners by those who have sailed away.”

“Prisoners? I never thought of that!” exclaimed Giles Borden. “Yes, it would be just like Geswick and those other scoundrels to treat them in that fashion.”

“Well, it won’t do us any good to remain here,” went on our hero. “We may as well scatter and see if we can’t locate the captain and the others.”

This was considered good advice and tired as the crowd was, all went on the hunt, some up the shore and some down, and the others inland.

Dave and Roger walked down the shore, why neither could exactly tell. They passed the palms and brushwood, and leaving the sand, commenced to climb over some rocks. Then Dave began to shout.

At first no reply came to his calls, but presently he heard a groan, coming from behind the rocks.

“Let us see what it means!” he exclaimed to the senator’s son, and they hurried in the direction of the sound with all speed.

Back of the rocks was a grove of plantains, and in the center was the remains of a thatched hut, evidently built by natives years before. On the ground in front of this hut lay Captain Sanders and the sailor, Smiley. Each had his head bound up and each was nursing a bruised ankle.

“Captain Sanders!” cried Dave, in astonishment.

“Dave Porter!” returned the commander of the Golden Eagle, joyfully. “My, but I am glad you have come!”

“You are hurt?”

“Yes. Those scoundrels attacked us from behind and knocked us senseless.”

“You mean those three Englishmen?”

“Yes, and that fellow Jasniff was with them.”

“But your ankles are hurt, too?” went on Dave.

“We hurt them when we fell into one of the beastly caves, or holes. We were following Jasniff and the Englishmen, and also looking for you and the others. Then those rascals got behind us in some way, and the first thing I knew I got a whack behind the ear that knocked me unconscious.”

“And I got the same,” said Smiley. “Oh, I wish I had my hands on those villains!”

“They have sailed away,” said Roger.

“Away!” cried the captain. “How?”

In a few brief words our hero and his chum told of the advance to the beach and of what they and the others had witnessed. Captain Sanders shook his head, soberly.

“That’s too bad,” he said. “They’ve got a good start and it will be hard to follow them.”

“How can we follow them, when the Golden Eagle isn’t here?” said Dave.

“But she is here – on the other side of the island.”

“Oh, are you sure?” cried our hero.

“Yes. I saw her coming in, – when we were on one of the hills. She was minus her foretopmast, which shows she must have suffered some in that hurricane.”

“If that’s the case, let us get to her with all possible speed, go aboard, and follow the Aurora,” returned Dave.

CHAPTER XXIX – A CHASE ON THE OCEAN

It took the best part of the afternoon and evening to get the whole party together again, and send word to the mate of the Golden Eagle to bring the vessel around to that side of Cave Island. And while this was being done the hurts Captain Sanders and Smiley had received were cared for as well as the means at hand permitted.

The captain and the wounded sailor had a long story to tell, of how they had followed the three rascally Englishmen and Nick Jasniff, and how the latter had made a compact with the others, so that they would take him with them when they left the island.

“The Englishmen were a bit afraid of the captain of the Aurora,” said Captain Sanders, “and we overheard them discuss the situation. They knew the captain would want to know what had become of the fourth man he had left here. At last they resolved to try a trick, but they weren’t sure it would work. But evidently it did, for the schooner has sailed.”

“What was that trick?” asked Dave.

“It seems that when Mr. Borden was on the Aurora he had a headache from the sun and wore smoked glasses. Is that right, sir?”

“It is,” answered Giles Borden. “The glare on the waves was beastly, and I wore the smoked glasses all day long.”

“Well, the rascals planned to have Jasniff impersonate Mr. Borden. One of them, Geswick, exchanged coats and caps with him, and lent him a pair of smoked glasses, and he was to tie up his cheeks and pretend to be suffering from toothache, and keep to his stateroom as much as possible during the trip.”

“Oh, what a thing to do – impersonate me!” roared Giles Borden, in a rage. “Just wait till I confront him!”

“Yes, you’ll have to wait,” put in Phil, dryly.

“Did you find out where they were going to sail to?” asked Dave, eagerly.

“To San Juan, on the island of Porto Rico. But they may make some stops on the way.”

“San Juan,” mused Roger. “That’s a good many miles from here. Perhaps the Golden Eagle can catch the Aurora before she gets there.”

“If they went to San Juan direct I’d advise waiting till they got in that harbor before I’d do anything,” said Captain Sanders.

“Why?” asked the boys.

“Because it is one thing to stop them on the high seas and another to stop them in United States waters. Remember, Porto Rico is now a part of Uncle Sam’s domain.”

“Yes, I’d rather go at them there than on the high seas,” answered Dave. “But they mustn’t get away again, no matter where we have to tackle them,” he added, determinedly.

It was impossible to transfer those ashore to the Golden Eagle during the darkness, because of the danger in the breakers, so they had to wait until daylight before departing.

Among those to go were, of course, the sailors who had come ashore from the wreck of the Emma Brower. Captain Sanders told them they could remain on the island if they wished, but they set up an immediate protest.

“It’s not a fit place for any man,” said one of the tars. “There is very little game and not much fruit, and one is continually in danger of falling into a hole or a cave. I’ll go to Porto Rico gladly, and so will my mates, and we’ll work our passage, if you’re willing.”

“All right,” said Captain Sanders. “But you’ll not have much to do, as we have about all the hands we need.”

When aboard the ship, the captain and the boys listened to the story the mate had to tell. Then they learned that the storm had blown the Golden Eagle many miles from Cave Island, and in trying to avoid some of the keys of another island, the vessel had lost the top of one of the masts and the rudder had been damaged. This had necessitated much delay, which accounted for the non-appearance of the vessel when expected.

While making repairs, the vessel had been passed by a tramp steamer bound for Trinidad. The captain of the steamer had asked if he could be of assistance, and after being told no, had given the information that he had picked up three rowboat loads of passengers and crew from the ill-fated Emma Brower. It may be mentioned here that another boat load from the same vessel managed to reach another island in that vicinity, and in the end it was learned that the going down of the bark was unattended with the loss of a single life.

With so many on board, the accommodations on the Golden Eagle were somewhat crowded. The sailors went with Billy Dill into the forecastle, while Giles Borden was asked to share Captain Sanders’ stateroom. What to do with Link Merwell became a question. In one sense he was a prisoner, yet Dave hated to treat him as such.

“There is the extra pantry,” said Captain Sanders. “We can clean that out and put in a cot, and he can use that,” and so it was arranged, much to the relief of all of the boys. The pantry had a grating, opening on the main passageway, so it made a fairly comfortable stateroom, although rather hot.

“Well, I suppose I’ve got to take my medicine, when we get back,” grumbled Link Merwell, when given his quarters.

“What else could you expect?” returned Dave. “If this was my affair alone, Link, I might let you go, now you have given up the jewels. But what is to be done is for Mr. Wadsworth and the authorities to say.”

Merwell had confessed that he and Jasniff had taken the skates and other things at Squirrel Island, and told where they had been left, in a barn along the river, and how they might be recovered. He had also admitted impersonating Dave on several occasions and ordering goods in our hero’s name, and doing other mean things of which he had been suspected, and said he was heartily sorry for his actions.

Soon the Golden Eagle was ready for the departure from Cave Island. As the sails were hoisted the boys gathered on deck to take a last look at the remarkable spot.

“It is really and truly Cave Island,” declared Dave. “I don’t believe any other place in the world is so full of caves and holes!”

“I am glad the volcanoes didn’t get busy while we were there,” remarked the shipowner’s son.

“So am I,” added Roger. “The caves and holes were bad enough, without adding other perils.”

“Dave, do you think we’ll catch that schooner?” went on Phil, after a pause, during which the boys watched the ship drawing away from the island.

“I sincerely hope so,” was the serious reply. “If we don’t, and Jasniff gets away, this mission down here will have proved almost a failure.”

“Then you think Jasniff has the most of the jewels?”

“Yes. If you’ll remember, the jewels that were taken were valued at about seventy-five thousand dollars. Well, I have looked at the jewels I got from Link, and so has Mr. Borden, who knows something about gems, and we have come to the conclusion that those Link turned over to me are not worth over fifteen thousand dollars. That means that Jasniff has about sixty thousand dollars’ worth.”

“Isn’t that like Jasniff!” cried the senator’s son. “Always wanted the big end of everything! It’s a wonder he and Link didn’t quarrel before.”

“They did quarrel, and Link wanted to leave him several times, but didn’t dare, for Jasniff threatened to expose him. In one way, I am sorry for Link, – but, of course, he had no right to commit such a deed.”

After Cave Island was left in the distance, Captain Sanders had a long conference with Giles Borden concerning the Englishmen who had robbed him. Later a general talk took place between the pair and the boys.

“I am afraid we’ll have to trust to luck to catch the Aurora or locate her,” said the captain, finally. “She may go to San Juan and she may go elsewhere.”

“If we pass any other vessels, can’t we ask if they saw the schooner?” ventured Dave.

“Certainly.”

The day went by and also the next. Link Merwell kept to himself, only speaking when addressed. He felt his position keenly, and would no doubt have given a great deal if he could have cleared himself. He was learning that the way of the transgressor is hard.

On the third day, early in the morning, they passed a big barkentine bound for South American ports. Greetings were exchanged, and Captain Sanders asked concerning the Aurora.

“Yes, we met her,” was the reply. “Yesterday, about two bells in the afternoon watch.”

“Did she say where she was bound?”

“Bound for San Juan, Porto Rico.”

“Direct?”

“Yes. She was going to stop elsewhere, but the captain allowed he’d make straight for San Juan,” added the captain of the barkentine, through the megaphone he was using. Then, after a few words more, the two vessels separated.

“It’s San Juan sure!” cried Dave. “From what Mr. Borden and Billy Dill say of Captain Hunker he would not tell a falsehood. I guess the best thing we can do is to sail for that port.”

“I think so myself,” returned Captain Sanders.

The chase was now a definite one, and Dave felt much relieved. He wondered if they would be able to overtake the Aurora before Porto Rico was reached.

“We can do that with ease,” answered Captain Sanders when questioned. “But even so, she may not stick to just the course we take, and we may pass her in the night. So don’t worry if we don’t see or hear anything before San Juan is reached.”

“I’ll try not to worry,” answered our hero. Yet he could not help it, for so much depended on the successful outcome of his mission. He knew that those at home must be in deep distress, and he could picture the anxiety of Mr. Wadsworth and his wife and Jessie, and also the anxiety of his own folks.

“Oh, we’ve got to catch Jasniff and get back those jewels!” he told himself. “We’ve simply got to do it! I won’t give up, if I have to follow him around the world!”

It had been warm, but now the weather changed and a strong breeze made living far more comfortable. The breeze was favorable to sailing, and the Golden Eagle plowed the deep at a good rate of speed. Many of the islands of the Lesser Antilles were passed, and some truly dangerous reefs, and then the course was straight for the harbor of San Juan, on the northeastern coast of Porto Rico.

They had seen nothing so far of the Aurora, but on the afternoon of the last day out they were passed by a freight steamer from the south and received word that the schooner was not far away and making for San Juan.

“I guess we had better go right in and get the authorities to take hold,” said Captain Sanders. “This is no matter for us to handle, now we are in United States waters once more.”

Dave agreed; and as soon as possible they entered the harbor and went ashore. It was an easy matter to notify the harbor police, and inside of two hours half a dozen officers of the law were detailed to make the necessary arrests. Dave and Giles Borden and Captain Sanders went with them, leaving Phil, Roger, and the others aboard the Golden Eagle.

The patrol boat of the harbor police had to remain on the watch all night and half the next morning before the Aurora was sighted.

“There she is!” cried Dave, at last, and Giles Borden echoed the words. Then the patrol boat lost no time in steaming alongside of the schooner.

“Hello, what’s wanted?” demanded Captain Hunker, as he saw the officers of the law.

“We’ll come aboard, captain,” said the officer in charge.

“What’s the matter?”

“We are after four of your passengers.”

At that moment somebody appeared near the rail, to learn what the shouting meant. It was Nick Jasniff. He gazed at the officers of the law and then at Dave. As he recognized our hero his face fell and he looked totally dumfounded.

CHAPTER XXX – HOMEWARD BOUND – CONCLUSION

“Jasniff, I want to see you!” shouted Dave.

“What do you want of me, Dave Porter?” returned the big youth, as boldly as he could.

“You know well enough.”

“Humph! You think you’ve got me, don’t you?” sneered Nick Jasniff, and then he left the rail of the vessel and disappeared down a companionway.

By this time the officers of the law were boarding the Aurora, accompanied by Giles Borden and Captain Sanders.

“Where are those bloody rascals who robbed me?” exclaimed the Englishman, excitedly. “Just let me get my hands on them!”

“I don’t understand this!” returned the captain of the schooner, in surprise. “You’ll have to explain.”

“You have three Englishmen aboard here – fellows you took to Cave Island when I was with them.”

“Say, you’re that fourth man!” gasped Captain Hunker. “But that other chap, – the fellow with smoked glasses, who had his face tied up – ” He did not know how to go on.

“He impersonated me, the villain! But I am after the others, for they robbed me of over a thousand pounds, don’t you know!”

“Where are your passengers?” demanded the officer in charge of those from the patrol boat, sternly.

“If they are not on deck they must be below, – they had no chance to leave the ship,” answered Captain Hunker. “This gets me!” he went on, weakly. “I thought they acted rather strange, but I supposed they were nothing but a crowd of weak-minded critters hunting for pirates’ gold.”

At that moment Geswick, Pardell, and Rumney came on deck, having heard the tramping of feet overhead and wondering what it meant. Almost before he could speak, Giles Borden had Geswick by the throat and was shaking him violently.

“Will rob me, and leave me a prisoner in that cave!” he roared. “I’ll teach you a lesson! Give me my money, you bloody scoundrel!” And then he banged Andrew Geswick’s head against a mast.

“Ho, let up!” yelled the criminal. “Let up, I say!” And he tried to squirm away. But it was useless, and in a minute more one of the officers of the law handcuffed him, and Pardell and Rumney were also secured.