The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 28

"My father."

"Does he live on Fifth Avenue, New York?"

"He does not," said Fred slowly.

"Oh, I thought maybe he did," sniffed the woman. "That's the kind of watches they have in New York City. It isn't the kind that most of the roustabouts carry on the lakes."

"But I'm not a roustabout," said Fred.

"You don't need to say what you are," said the woman. "All I can say is that I shan't take that watch. I don't want the police in here."

"Police!" exclaimed Fred. "What do you mean? What would the police come for?"

"For one thing they would come for the watch and another thing they would want would be the fellow that took it."

"Did you think I stole that watch?" demanded Fred.

"I'm not saying nothing," said the woman. "All I say is that if any boys on the lake are seen carrying watches like that it is most generally known how they got them. My advice to you is to stick that watch in your pocket again and don't let anybody see it while you're in Sault Ste.

Marie."

"You needn't trouble yourself any more," said Fred as he took the watch and thrust it again into his pocket. Then turning to John he said, "Come on, Jack, we won't stay here another minute."

When the boys were once more on the street Fred's indignation soon gave way to a feeling of alarm. Not only were they without any means of securing breakfast, to say nothing of their pa.s.sage back to Mackinac Island, but also they might be regarded as suspicious characters.

Evidently the woman keeper of the restaurant had believed they had stolen the watch.

"Never mind, Fred," suggested John. "It will all come out right. We'll try it again."

"We might p.a.w.n the watch," said Fred thoughtfully.

"But there's no p.a.w.n shop open."

"Well, there probably will be a little later. There must be a good many such shops in a place like this. I'm getting hungry."

"So am I," said John fervently, "but that doesn't do me any good. There's another restaurant down yonder," he added quickly, pointing down the street as he spoke. "It's almost light now and we might try it there."

"All right," said Fred. "I'm not very hopeful, but they can't do any more than throw us out."

"Unless they arrest us as suspicious characters," suggested John somewhat ruefully.

"We'll never know until we try anyway," said Fred resolutely. "Come on, Jack, we'll soon know what is going to happen to us. If we get into jail we'll have to telegraph the boys to bail us out."

"But we don't know where the fellows are," declared John.

"That's as sure as you live. I had almost forgotten about that. We certainly are having our troubles on this trip, aren't we?"

By this time the boys had stopped in front of the restaurant they were seeking and at once entering they looked quickly about the room for the proprietor.

CHAPTER XX PENNILESS

At once advancing toward the man whom they discovered walking about the room Fred said quietly, "My friend and I are in trouble. We were out in a skiff yesterday and the little boat got to leaking so badly that we both of us had to stay in the water. We were there a half-day, and then we were picked up by a boat which did not stop at Mackinac Island and brought us straight through to Sault Ste. Marie."

"Where were you?" inquired the man suspiciously as he glanced keenly at Fred.

"We were staying at Mackinac Island, but had gone over across to one of the islands on the Canadian sh.o.r.e."

"What were you doing there?"

"Looking for our friends."

"Where were they?"

"That's what we were trying to find out," said Fred ruefully. "There were two other fellows with us and they got lost."

"And you want me to give you some breakfast, is that it?" said the proprietor abruptly.

"No, we don't want you to 'give' us anything," retorted Fred. "I have got my watch here and I thought perhaps if I left it as security you would let us have some breakfast. We'll send you the money just as soon as we can go back to Mackinac. These clothes we have on," he added as he perceived that the man was closely regarding their outfit, "were given us by the sailors that rescued us. We have got some different clothes down at the dock, but they were soaked through and so some of the crew fixed us up as well as they could."

"What boat did you come on?"

"I don't know," said Fred, "it was almost dark and we weren't thinking about the name, we were so anxious to be taken on board. After we had been in the water as long as we were we didn't stop for little things like that. Will you take the watch and let us have some breakfast?"

Extending his hand the man took the watch and then examined it with interest.

"That's a good watch," he said after a brief silence.

"Of course it is," said Fred. "My father gave it to me."

"You are sure that's the way you got it?"

"I'm telling you the truth," said Fred seriously. He was in no mood now to resent any implications as to the method by which the watch had come into his possession. The odor of breakfast was strong in the room and the appet.i.tes of both boys were so keen that other things were ignored.

"Yes, I'll take your watch," said the man. "You give me your name and address."

As soon as these had been given the boys seated themselves at one of the tables and in a brief time were served with a simple breakfast. It was marvelous, however, the amount of food which was eaten by the hungry lads. It had been a long time since they had tasted anything of the kind and even the proprietor laughed as he saw the simple breakfast disappear.

At last, when the boys could eat no more and they were preparing to depart, the proprietor said, "Did you tell me that you were staying at Mackinac Island?"

"Yes, sir," answered Fred.

"At one of the hotels?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then my advice to you is to telegraph there for money."