CHAPTER XVI

FIRE ON BOARD

But this time it proved to be the other way about. The two mysterious men, at the sight of the boys, dived back into the woods again, and showed no desire to come to closer acquaintance with them. Instead of taking after the four chums, the men acted as though they feared pursuit.

"They're running away from us!" exclaimed Frank. "I guess we haven't anything to fear from them."

Suddenly, through the forest, there sounded a shrill steam whistle.

"What's that?" asked Ned.

"Captain Wiggs, signalling to us," replied Frank. "I guess we've stayed in the woods too long. Come on."

"Maybe it's the smugglers' boat," suggested Fenn.

"I guess not," Frank remarked. "They've been signalled to keep off. That was the _Modoc's_ whistle. I recognized it."

Frank's words proved correct, for, when the boys reached the shore, they again heard the signal, and saw steam coming from the whistle pipe of the vessel on which they were cruising.

"Look there!" exclaimed Frank, pointing off to the left. The boys glanced in the direction, and saw a boat. From the funnels black smoke was pouring, as if every effort was being made to get up steam. "That's the smugglers' craft, very likely," the lad went on. "She's making fast time away from here."

Captain Wiggs listened gravely to what the boys had to tell him. He agreed with Frank, that the smugglers of Chinese had tried to make a landing, but, evidently, had been frightened off.

"What will they do now?" asked Ned.

"Change the landing place to some other locality," replied the captain. "Up or down the coast. Up, I should say, seeing the way that steamer's headed," and he pointed to the craft, with the black smoke hanging like a cloud over it. The vessel was almost out of sight.

"What will they do with the clothes?" asked Bart.

"Oh, they'll take 'em along. Probably that's what the two men came to get, when they saw you and ran away. It's a well organized business, this Chinese smuggling, and there is a lot of money in it--for the agents. They are probably saying all kinds of mean things about you, for breaking up their plans."

"Then I hope they don't catch us alone off in the woods, sometime," remarked Fenn. "That Chinese didn't look like a very pleasant fellow to meet after dark; especially if he had a grudge against you."

"I think you've seen the last of 'em," declared Captain Wiggs. "If I thought it worth while I'd notify the government authorities, but, by the time I could get a message to 'em, the smugglers will be miles away. There's no telling where they'll land next time. The steamer will hang around the coast, until it gets a signal all is clear. Then the pig-tails will be dumped into a boat, rowed ashore, and the vessel will scoot off for another load in Canada."

The anchor was broken out, hoisted, and soon, under a good head of steam, the _Modoc_ was proceeding over Lake Superior at a fast rate, for, though he carried no perishable freight, and had no special date of arriving at Duluth, Captain Wiggs believed in doing what he had to do as quickly as possible.

That night Fenn, who was not sleeping as soundly as he should, in consequence of having eaten too much supper, was awakened by hearing a peculiar buzzing noise. At first he could not locate it, and then, after sitting up in his bunk, he decided it came from the stateroom adjoining his, and which had no occupant this voyage.

"It sounds like a hive of bees," he said to himself. "I wonder if the captain can have any in there."

Then the absurdity of such an idea was apparent to him, and he smiled at his notion. Still the buzzing continued, growing louder. Fenn was wide awake now.

"Maybe something is wrong with the ship," he reasoned. "That sound might be water coming in through a leak. I think I'll tell the captain."

He got up, and, moving about his stateroom, in search of his trousers and slippers, he knocked a glass out of the rack.

"What's that?" called Frank, who was a light sleeper.

"It's me," replied Fenn.

"What's the matter? Sick?"

"No, but I heard a funny sound, and I want to find out what it is. Maybe the boat's sprung another leak."

"Oh, you're dreaming," commented Frank. "Go back to bed."

"Well, you come in here and listen, if you think I'm dreaming," retorted Fenn.

Frank jumped out of his berth and came into his chum's room. The buzzing had increased in intensity, and Frank had no difficulty in hearing it.

"What did I tell you?" asked Fenn, in triumph.

"It is a queer sound," admitted Frank. "What's in that next room?"

"Nothing, that I know of. I passed it this morning, the door was open, and it was empty."

"Then let's have a look," suggested Frank, stepping out into the passage.

"Maybe you'd better--maybe it's a--" stammered Fenn.

"Well, what?" demanded Frank. "Are you afraid?"

"Maybe it's an infernal machine those smugglers put aboard," went on Fenn. "It sounds just like one."

"How do you know how an infernal machine sounds?" asked Frank.

"Well, I mean like I've read of their sounding."

"Oh, that's different. But this is no such thing. Besides, how could the smugglers get one aboard? They haven't been near the ship."

This was, of course, unanswerable, and Fenn followed Frank into the corridor, and to the door of the stateroom, whence sounded the peculiar buzzing noise. As they stood outside the portal it could be heard more plainly.

"Here goes!" whispered Frank, turning the knob.

Both he and Fenn started back in surprise, at the sight which greeted them. There, sitting in a steamer chair, in a big red bath robe, was the invalid, Mr. Ackerman. On the bunk in front of him was a small box, from which extended cords, terminating in shining metal tubes, which he held in his hand. The buzzing was coming from the small box.

"Oh, boys, I'm glad to see you!" exclaimed the man who thought he was sick.

"What's the matter?" asked Frank, in some alarm.

"I'm taking a current of electricity, from my medical battery," was the answer.

"Electricity?" repeated the two chums, in questioning accents.

"Yes, from the battery. You see I couldn't sleep, and I often find a current of electricity is beneficial. I did not want to awaken Captain Wiggs with the buzz of my machine, for it makes quite a noise, so I brought it into this empty stateroom. I hope I didn't disturb you."

Mr. Ackerman did not wait for the boys to answer. Instead he continued:

"But I'm glad you came in. I want to take a stronger current, and it goes better if I have some one to share it with me. If you will be so kind, you can each take one of the tubes in your hand, and I will take hold of your other hands. Thus we will form a circle, with me in the center. I think I shall be able to get a current then, that will cause me to go to sleep."

The boys were a little apprehensive, for, though they had taken electric "shocks" at school, during the experiments, they did not care for the amusement. However, they did not like to refuse, so, rather gingerly, Fenn grasped one handle, and Frank the other. Mr. Ackerman then did something to the battery which made it buzz louder than ever.

"All ready," he announced, as he grasped Fenn's right hand in his left and Frank's left in his right.

The instant that he did so it seemed as if the trio had been hit by something. They all doubled up, the arms of the boys and the invalid jerking like the legs of a frog.

"Ow!" cried Fenn.

"Let go!" called Frank.

But there was no need for any one to let go. With an exclamation of great astonishment, Mr. Ackerman jerked his hands from the involuntary grip of the boys'. That at once broke the circuit, and the current ceased to have any effect. The machine was still buzzing away, however.

"Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" murmured the invalid. "I meant to turn on the weak current, and I turned on the strong one! Did you get bad shocks, boys?"

"Did we!" exclaimed Fenn. "Say, it feels as if I had eaten some strong horse-radish by mistake."

"It seems as if a mule kicked me," remarked Frank, rubbing his arms.

"I'm very sorry," apologized Mr. Ackerman. "I really did not intend that. I hope you believe I did not." He seemed quite distressed over the happening.

"That's all right," spoke Fenn, good-naturedly. "We know it was an accident."

"Rather a fortunate accident, too," went on the invalid. "My nerves are much calmer now. I really think I shall be able to go to sleep. I must have taken the right kind of a current without knowing it. I'll do it the next time I find myself too wakeful."

"Please excuse us from helping," begged Frank, with a smile. "It's a little too much."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't think of shocking you again," said Mr. Ackerman as he began to take the battery apart for packing. "I shall take the current alone. But there, I must not talk or I shall be awake again. I must hurry and get to sleep."

"Isn't he the limit!" exclaimed Fenn, when he and Frank were back in the stateroom again. "He thinks that was fun for us."

The electrical treatment appeared to improve the sick man, for, the next day he was much better, and even laughed and joked about the night's experience.

The _Modoc_ continued on her course, putting many knots behind her, and the boys were more and more delighted with their cruise, which every day revealed to them new beauties of scenery.

One afternoon, when they were within a day's travel of Duluth, Captain Wiggs, who was sitting on deck with the four chums, arose suddenly and began to sniff the air.

"What's the matter? Is the cook burning the steak?" asked Fenn.

"Something's burning," answered the commander, with a grave face.

A moment later a sailor, much excited, came rushing up on deck.

"Fire in the forward hold, sir!" he called.