CHAPTER XXIII.

THE MISSING BOAT.

“So these boys are off the _River Swallow_?” asked Chief Inspector Barrett of the U. S. Customs service as he gazed at Harry Ware and Percy Simmons.

They stood before him in his private office, whither they had been escorted by the official who had met them on the wharf. Both boys were indignant. The manner in which they had been treated had not served to soothe their feelings. They had, in fact, been looked upon as malefactors, when, in reality, they had come ashore for the purpose of exposing a gang of rascals. It was a strange trick that Fate had played upon them.

“What have we done?” demanded Harry Ware angrily.

“Yes, you’d think we were criminals from the way we’ve been treated,” seconded Percy Simmons.

“Now, now, keep cool,” conciliated the inspector. “We’ve had our eye on the _River Swallow_ for some time. To-night we heard from Canada that she was to touch in here to-night with gem smugglers on board. We’ve been on the lookout for the gang that is suspected for some time.”

“And you mean to say you think that we have anything to do with it?” gasped Harry angrily.

“I didn’t say so. But I’d like you to explain a few things.”

“Very well. But please hurry. We have left a friend on board the _River Swallow_ with three desperate men. We want to hurry back. We had counted on your assistance.”

“Well and good, and you shall have it. I think it only fair to inform you that Dexter Island has been shadowed for some time. A motor craft has been seen visiting there at night. We suspect the boat to be one used by the diamond smugglers. The _River Swallow_ has been used to convey the gems to this side. Doubtless you young men are not aware of the extensive range of gem smuggling operations on the Canadian border. In that case, let me inform you that the duty on cut gems brought into America is sixty per cent. ad valorem. You can see, therefore, what a fortune these gem smugglers can make by evading the lawful duty.”

“And in the meantime,” said Harry sarcastically, “the men you want,—or at least a part of the gang,—are on board the _River Swallow_.”

“What’s that? What do you mean?” demanded the inspector quickly.

“I’d have explained sooner, if you’d let me,” said Harry dryly.

He proceeded at the inspector’s direction to give him a hasty sketch of the events that had led up to the present night. The inspector listened with interest at first and then with absorption.

“Give me a description of this man Hawke,” he said.

Harry described the man as well as he could.

“Jennings,” exclaimed the chief inspector, “this Hawke is La Rue, the head and front with Rawson of the whole gem smuggling gang! I’m sure of it from the description. You will accompany these young men to their boat. Take Adams and Prescott with you. Arrest all three of the men. So far, I know nothing of Malvin or Hansen; I suspect they are mere understrappers. Bring them here at once. Hurry now.”

“Yes, sir. Come along, young men,” said Jennings, preparing briskly to execute his chief’s orders.

“And Jennings.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You had better be armed. Tell the other men to take weapons, too. La Rue is a desperate man and the others may give you trouble, also.”

Jennings and the two boys hurried off. Harry Ware and Percy Simmons were delighted at the turn affairs had taken. The arrest of Hawke,—or to give him his real name, La Rue,—was at hand. Before long, by their instrumentality, the gem smugglers would be safely in the hands of the customs officials.

Only one doubt assailed them as Jennings hastily summoned his two aides. Would they be in time? The knowledge that Ralph had been left alone on the _River Swallow_, without weapons to defend himself, and in the company of three men who had good reason to fear the worst from the boys’ visit ashore, had a disquieting effect upon them.

As they hurried through the streets, they wished that Jennings would make even more haste.

When they reached the main custom house, where Adams and Prescott, who were on night duty, were to be picked up, a low, rumbling sound came from the northern sky.

Jennings glanced up quickly. To the north the stars had been blotted out. Heavy clouds had rolled up obscuring them. As the boys followed the direction of Jennings’s gaze, they saw a sudden lambent flash, as yet far off, flare up and vanish on the cloud bank.

“Lightning!” exclaimed Harry.

“Yes, we’re in for a storm, I guess,” said Jennings. “We get them pretty bad up this way when they do come, too.”

“Regular hummers, eh?” asked Harry.

“I guess that’s the word for it. The old timers say that they follow the river. I don’t know how that may be, but I do know that I never saw worse electric storms than we get right along the St. Lawrence.”

Adams and Prescott, who had received directions by telephone from the inspector’s office, were ready and waiting for them when they arrived at the custom house. They were placed in possession of the facts of the case by Jennings, as they and the boys hastened to the yacht club dock.

Both were warm in their praises of the way the boys had handled the situation, and waxed humorous over their practical arrest as suspects. Percy and Harry, however, failed to see anything screamingly comical about it.

The dock was reached and then and there the party received a big surprise.

The lights of the _River Swallow_ were not in sight!

So far as could be observed, no boat lay at anchor where the boys had left the speedy craft.

A search conducted from the motor tender only confirmed their worst fears. The _River Swallow_ had vanished, and on board her was Ralph, alone and in the power of the gem smugglers.