Go Ahead Boys and the Racing Motorboat Part 9

"Here," called Fred, running ahead of his companions. "What are you doing in that boat?"

"Who are you?" demanded one of the occupants, turning and facing Fred as he spoke.

"That's my boat," declared Fred.

"You don't say so!" replied the man in shrill tones, at which his companions laughed loudly.

For a moment Fred stopped and stared blankly at the men, who had apparently made themselves fully at home on board his motor-boat. The awnings had been taken in and the self-invited guests had been examining various parts of the fleet little craft.

"Did you ever hear," continued the spokesman, "that possession is nine points of the law and that the tenth isn't worth fighting about? Maybe we'll ask you to prove that this boat is yours. According to the records of my private secretary this here yacht is mine. I'm goin' on a cruise up to Buffalo and I have invited a few o' my pals to come along with me."

The men were a brutal and powerful lot. Every one showed the effect of the night which he had spent in the bar-room. The boys were powerless to compel them to leave the boat if they did not choose to do so.

The predicament in which the Go Ahead boys now found themselves seemed to appeal strongly to the men on board. They laughed loudly and the leader who had spoken before, said, "Why don't you come on board? If this boat is yours all you have to do is to come and take it."

"It is, all right. That is our boat," said Fred.

"If you don't get out I shall have to get some one to put you out."

"Don't be so unkind, mister," retorted the leader, while his companions again united in a shout of glee. "There aren't many men around this place that will want to undertake that job. If you would really like to have us go ash.o.r.e it seems to me the best plan would be for you to come and throw us out."

Once more the unwelcome guests laughed loudly at the words of their leader, while the confusion among the Go Ahead boys became more marked.

Withdrawing a few feet from the bank Fred called his companions about him and in low tones they discussed the course of action which they ought to follow.

"We had better go up and get the constable," suggested John. "Get out a warrant for these men. They won't make any trouble even if the constable comes down alone."

"I'm not so sure," said Fred. "What do you think, Grant?"

"I don't believe the men intend to stay on board," replied Grant. "They probably were attracted by the appearance of the Black Growler and when they saw us coming they put up a bold front and just tried to scare Fred."

"What do you think is the best thing to do?" inquired Fred.

"My suggestion is to go back to the boat, not have much to say to the men and get ready to start. They won't bother us, at least I don't believe they will."

"What shall we do if they make trouble?"

"It will be time enough to decide that when we have to," replied Grant.

"I'm sure they won't make any trouble after they see that we are going to start."

"All right, we'll try it," said Fred dubiously, and once more returning to the place where the Black Growler was awaiting them, the three bags which contained the belongings of the boys were placed on board and ignoring the bantering of the men, they at once prepared to cast off.

"You don't mean to say we're going to start now, do you?" inquired the leader.

"Yes," said Fred shortly.

"Why, we didn't think you'd go for an hour yet. We haven't got our trunks."

Again his companions laughed loudly at the wit of their leader, but as yet not one of them had made any move to leave the boat.

Fred's alarm was plain in spite of the boldness with which he cast off the bow line. Grant already had performed a similar service with the stern line and the boys were now ready to depart.

"It's nice of you to invite us to go along with you," said the leader.

"This is a purty little boat and me and my pals will enjoy a ride in her."

"We're going to start now," said Fred quietly, striving to conceal his fear.

"Why, I guess we're ready, aren't we?" said the leader as he glanced at his companions.

"I reckon we are, cap'n," replied one of the men.

The six men occupied most of the available s.p.a.ce on board the little boat. Striving to appear indifferent to their presence Fred advanced to the wheel, turned on the power and prepared to depart.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COMING OF THE CALEDONIA

In response to Fred's action there was a loud shout of protest from the men on board. Every one still was manifesting the effect of the drunken spree through which they had pa.s.sed the preceding night. As yet, however, they had not offered any violence and although Fred's heart was beating rapidly he resolutely stuck to his task and in a brief time the Black Growler darted forward like a thing alive.

For a moment the uninvited pa.s.sengers apparently were startled by the unexpected action of the young captain. They speedily recovered, however, from their surprise, and one of the men turning to the leader said, "My, ain't she purty, Jim!"

"She is that," replied Jim promptly. "She looks better than she did when I took my last trip to Niag'ra. When I left my house on Fifth Avenoo I didn't think she'd ever measure up to what she was that time, but she is goin' one better. Yes, sir, she's all that you say she is."

Still the men did not interfere with Fred in his management of the motor-boat. Apparently too they did not have any objection to the voyage. Indeed the Go Ahead boys already were aware of the fact that every one of their self-invited guests had brought a small bundle with him. They naturally inferred that these bundles contained most of the earthly possessions of their noisy pa.s.sengers.

"How is it, Jim!" called another of the men. "Isn't it about time we had breakfast?"

"That's right," spoke up another. "I'm hungry, too. Seems to me I would like one o' them grape fruits."

"Grape fruits? You don't know what they be," retorted Jim.

"You tell us what they be," responded the man, unabashed by the rebuke of the leader.

"Don't you know?" retorted Jim scornfully. "Why grape fruit's the stuff that grows on grape vines."

"Get out!" said the other one. "I guess I know enough about the country to know that grapes grow on grape vines."

"In course they do," acknowledged Jim, "but this isn't grapes, this is grape FRUIT. It takes a special vine to grow it."

"Does it grow right on the vine?"

"In course it does. What do you think, it grows under the ground like tomatoes?"

"Tomatoes don't grow under the ground," spoke up another of the party.

"It's potatoes that grow under the ground."