The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 15

George was the first to break the silence, when, leaning toward his friends he said in a whisper, "He's veering off to the left now. Do you see what he's doing?"

"So we are," replied John after the boys had carefully looked ahead.

"That must mean that we are headed for the Canadian sh.o.r.e somewhere."

"I don't know where we are headed," said Grant, "but we're going to get there pretty soon. I wish I knew what the trouble is."

"You don't suppose Mr. b.u.t.ton is crazy, do you?" suggested Fred.

"I don't know," replied Grant soberly. "Most of the people that have his name are candidates for insane asylums."

"You are safe in making that remark now," retorted Fred. "I shan't forget it, however. You wait until we go back to Mackinac--"

"I'm afraid if you wait until then," broke in George, "you'll forget all about his kind words. You don't suppose this fellow is really crazy, do you? He acts like a man beside himself."

"That's as true as you live," said John in a whisper. "I'm wondering if we ought not to jump on him all together and take the wheel away from him."

"They say a crazy man is ten times as strong as a man who isn't crazy,"

suggested Fred. "I don't believe we had better attempt that, yet awhile, anyway."

"What's become of his man?" inquired Grant abruptly. "He isn't on the boat."

"That's right," responded the boys all together, after they had glanced all about the boat, as if they were expecting to discover the guide whom Mr. Ferdinand b.u.t.ton had taken with him when the party had set out from Mackinac Island.

"We're four to one anyway," said John. "I'm not in any hurry yet to try to do anything violent, but if the worst comes we ought to be able to handle him. There's a fellow for each foot and each hand and between us we ought to be able to take care of him."

Meanwhile the swift little _Gadabout_ was speeding forward, as if it was governed by a spirit of its own. The water rushed past the stern, boiling and singing on its way. The eyes of the boys, more accustomed now to the dimness of the light, saw no objects in whichever direction they glanced over the dark waters. And the speed of the motor-boat was unchecked.

Still the _Gadabout_ swept forward in its course. Not once did Mr.

Ferdinand b.u.t.ton give any token to indicate that he was even aware of the presence of the boys on board the boat. He had not once glanced behind him and if he was looking steadily ahead, the boys, who frequently glanced in that direction, were unable to discover any object toward which he was guiding his course.

Silence fell upon the little group seated in the stern of the motor-boat, and the depression which rested upon all alike seemed to deepen with the pa.s.sing moments.

Suddenly the speed of the _Gadabout_ slackened. A moment later the engine ceased to go and although the motor-boat was still moving swiftly forward it was doing so because of the headway under which it had been speeding.

Instantly every boy leaped to his feet and stared blankly into the faces of his companions. In spite of the dimness of the light the alarm which every one felt was manifest and for a moment there was silence deep and intense.

"What's that?" demanded Fred, who was the first to speak.

"I give it up," replied John. "There's something happened."

"You talk like a philosopher," said George impatiently. "As if we didn't know that! What's wrong, Mr. b.u.t.ton?" he added in louder tones.

"I'm not sure," replied Mr. b.u.t.ton, who now turned and joined the boys.

"I cannot quite make out whether our gasoline has given out or whether a blade in our propeller is broken."

"If our gasoline is gone," said Grant, "we're likely to be out here on the lake for some time."

"Yes, and if a storm comes up," added Fred, "we're going to have troubles of our own."

"Don't begin to borrow troubles," said Mr. b.u.t.ton in a tone of irritation. "They may come, but it will be time enough to face them when we have to."

"But what are we going to do?" demanded Fred.

"I'm going to have one of you boys get into the skiff with me and I'm going to try to find out if anything is the matter with the blades."

"I'll find out," said George, "what the supply of gasoline is."

Taking his place on board the skiff, which was in tow, John seized the oars while Mr. b.u.t.ton seated himself in the bow.

In a brief time the motor-boat was motionless and then pus.h.i.+ng the bow of the skiff against the stern of the _Gadabout_, Mr. b.u.t.ton, who had taken off his coat, rolled back his sleeves and began to investigate the condition of the blades.

"There," he said abruptly, "it is what I feared. There's something wrong there."

"What can we do?" inquired John.

"I don't think we can do anything until it is light."

"Then we'll just drift about over the lake."

"That's it exactly."

"But suppose a storm comes up?"

"But suppose it doesn't? There isn't anything we can do to bring it on or to keep it away. We'll have to take things as they come."

"It will be a hard job for the Go Ahead Boys to hang out here all night.

We aren't used to that."

"It will be a good time to learn it," replied Mr. b.u.t.ton dryly, as pulling himself alongside the motor-boat he directed his companion to step on board, an example which he himself followed a moment later.

"The gasoline is out," said George.

"Are you sure?" inquired Mr. b.u.t.ton quickly.

"Yes, sir. I am sure."

"Then we're in a worse plight than I thought we were," said Mr. b.u.t.ton, "for there's something wrong with the blades."

"I guess it won't make any difference whether the blades are right or wrong, if there's no gasoline to drive the engine," said Fred disconsolately.

"We cannot do anything but wait," said Mr. b.u.t.ton. "The morning will be here before long."

"And so won't breakfast," said Grant dolefully.

"We'll have no trouble," explained Mr. b.u.t.ton, "just as soon as it is light. Somebody will be out here fis.h.i.+ng and we'll get help."

"But we don't want to wait until morning," protested Fred.