CHAPTER XX.

MORE MEMBERS OF THE NAUTIFELERS CLUB.

"That's the Marian, without a doubt," said Mr. Jepson. "She is going down the lake."

"She is not headed for Split Rock Point, as she would be if she were going down the lake," added Dory, after they had watched the steamer for some time. "There! She is changing her course now, and she is headed directly for Camp-Meeting Point. It looks as though she intended to take a hand in this business."

But they continued on their way, and Dory hoped to come across the two robbers before the steamer had time to interfere in the business. Before they reached the place where Mack and Chuck had taken to the woods, the Marian was off the end of the peninsula. She did not run for the La Motte, as Dory supposed she would, and kept off so as to pass the point. Then she disappeared behind the high land.

"She is not going to meddle with the schooner," said Dory. "I don't understand her movements at all."

"I am sure I don't," added the machinist.

"No matter; and I am glad she has given the schooner a wide berth."

They struck into the woods, and walked a long distance without seeing the two robbers of whom they were in pursuit. Dory had become so desperate that he shouted several times, using the names of both Mack and Chuck; but he obtained no response to his calls.

"They can't be about here, or they would answer me when I call them by name," said he, very much puzzled at the situation.

"They must have gone some other way," suggested Mr. Jepson.

"At any rate, they are not here, and we had better return to the schooner."

They retraced their steps till they came to the narrow part of the peninsula, and there was a cart-path to the end of it.

"They must have taken this road," said Mr. Jepson. "We had better follow this road a while before we give up the search."

"I don't see what they could be doing down there. But we will look over this region a little, and we can strike through to the beach when we like," replied Dory.

When they had gone a few rods, they came to a sandy place in the cart-path, and Dory brought his Indian craft to bear upon it. He found the footprints of two persons in the wet soil, both of them headed towards the outer extremity of the point.

"That makes it plain enough that they have come this way. I have looked for tracks before, and I could not find any," said Dory. "But we are making a blunder in the light of this information. These fellows will get down to the boat before we are there, and we shall be left out in the cold. I never thought of their coming this way, for the peninsula is very narrow."

This logic was decidedly startling to the intended thief-takers; and Dory broke into a run on the instant, and dashed through the woods towards the beach. The machinist followed him. If they had been astonished at any time during the morning at what they saw, they were infinitely more so when they came out of the woods where they could see the schooner.

On the beach abreast of the vessel they discovered, not only the two persons they were searching for, but what looked like a crowd of people to Dory's excited imagination.

He counted not less than seven men. They were in the act of putting the tender into the water, and evidently intended to go on board of the La Motte. They no longer hesitated to show themselves to the party, whoever they were.

"I don't understand this at all," said the perplexed leader of the enterprise.

"I am no better informed," replied the machinist. "But I think we had better return to the woods, and keep out of sight until we know more about this party."

"Perhaps you are right," replied Dory, adopting the suggestion.

Returning to the shelter of the trees, they moved forward till they came to a place where they could obtain a better view of the party.

"I want to know whether Mack and Chuck are in this party," said Dory in a whisper. "Yes, there they are. But who are the other fellows?"

"I shall have to give it up. They all seem to be on good terms. I thought it might be a party from the Marian, but I saw her running for Thompson's Point a few minutes ago. Whoever they are, they don't belong to the school."

"Certainly not."

"I can't stand it any longer, and I am going down to see them," continued Dory, as he examined his revolver; and the machinist did the same.

"Of course, the two who were in the boat with you this morning, will know you, Dory," said the instructor.

"I can't help it if they do: I am going down to see them. I can't imagine what the five new fellows can be, and I am determined to find out."

"The whole seven of them seem to be engaged in an argument just now," added the machinist, as he followed Dory out of the woods.

As they came near enough to identify the two Dory had seen in the boat, the argument seemed to wax very warm. Mack was the principal speaker on one side of the question. He pointed with vehemence at the lake, and the shores near him; and Dory concluded that they were engaged in a nautical discussion.

"I tell you, we can't get the vessel out of this place," said Mack warmly, when Dory came near enough to hear what he said. "The wind is blowing very fresh right on the shore, and she is not more than fifty feet from the beach."

"If you hoist the sails, there is wind enough to make her go, isn't there?" demanded one of the new-comers.

"There is wind enough to make her go ashore all in a heap," replied Mack smartly. "You don't know the first thing about handling a vessel, Fred Ripples!"

Fred Ripples! That was the name of the signer of the letter. He was one of the remaining members of the Nautifelers Club, who were to join the rest of the party at Ticonderoga or Westport. Dory looked at Mr. Jepson, and Mr. Jepson looked at him. How in the world had the new members come to Camp-Meeting Point?

The members of the club on the beach were too busy with the argument to notice the approach of Dory and the machinist. Doubtless Mack and Chuck had told the new-comers of the "break" the night before, and of the disappearance of the leader of the enterprise. But none of them had any reason to suspect that Angy had been captured.

"Is that you, Dory?" demanded Mack, as he happened to turn his head far enough to see him.

"What have you done with Angy?"

"I haven't done any thing with him," replied Dory, when the gaze of the whole party was fixed upon him.

It was a hard question under the circumstances, and Dory was not at all inclined to answer it.

"You were in the boat with him when Chuck let go of the painter, and came off this way."

"We landed in a creek, and went on shore. We sat on a log some time, while he rested himself: then he went off, and I have not seen him since," replied Dory, telling the literal truth.

"But where is he now?" demanded Mack, beginning to be furious.

"I don't know."

But it was deception all the same, though it was the literal truth. Mack and Chuck asked him a great many questions, but they could not get any thing out of him. Mr. Jepson was a man he met over in the woods.

"Then, Angy must be in the woods now," said Mack, as the conclusion of the whole matter. "We must find him, and we may as well begin at once."

"If you go far enough, you will be sure to find him," added Dory; but his statement was not very definite, and the robbers were not likely to go as far as the lock-up in Genverres to look for him.

"Where did Angy leave the tender when he landed?" asked Mack, who was far from satisfied with the result of the examination.

"In a creek, which you will find near the bight of the bay."

"How came the boat here, if he left it in a creek?"

"Of course, Sang and Wick must have come ashore after we did, and they found the boat," Chuck was kind enough to interpose before Dory could answer the question, or attempt to evade it.

"But how could they get ashore when they had no boat, and no raft even?" demanded Mack, who spoke in the imperative mood.

"What do you suppose they moved the schooner close to the shore for, if it wasn't to enable them to land?" asked Chuck, in a triumphant tone; for he was nettled at the imperious tones of Mack. "They found the boat, but they did not find Angy. Here is the tender to prove it."

"They didn't go far to look for Angy, or we should have seen them. But we are wasting time, and we must be on the lookout for Angy."

"I must have a drink of beer before I go, for I am about used up," added Chuck.

They launched the boat; and when they were in it, they upset it. Dory wanted to go on board with them, and he offered to handle the boat. He put them on the deck of the La Motte, but it was a big boat-load. They all rushed to the cabin. Dory drew the slide, and fastened the cabin-door so that they could not get out.

But the hatches were off, and the machinist was stationed at the opening with his revolver in hand. Dory was sure they could not get out by the companion-way, and he made haste to get under way, slipping the cable. The members of the Nautifelers Club were so devoted to their beer, that they did not seem to be aware that they were imprisoned in the cabin. They were quite noisy, and appeared to be bent upon having what they called "a good time," whatever became of Angy.

Mr. Jepson was a mechanical genius, and he soon found a way to cover the hatches. The jib was set, and then the La Motte did very well.