The Boy Aviators' Flight for a Fortune Part 25

"It's all clear enough," exclaimed Ben bitterly. "Those ruffians got ahead of us. That 'Cadian took them to the scene of the wreck and they've rifled it."

"That was undoubtedly a black pearl he held up," said Dr. Perkins in a faint voice. "I suppose they gave him that for guiding them here."

The sudden shriek of a high-crested kingfisher made them look up suddenly. The bird was darting from tree to tree on an island at a little distance. Suddenly something that lay at the foot of a tree caught Ben's sharp eyes.

"What's that? That glittering thing yonder?" he exclaimed, pointing.

"Easy enough to see," said Dr. Perkins, starting up the _Sea Eagle_ for the little island.

"It's a diving helmet!" cried Frank as they drew closer to the object, "just look, the rascals must have left it there after they got the treasure out of the sunken wreck. I guess they thought that as they were so rich they need not bother with it."

They landed on the island as disconsolate and downcast a band of treasure hunters as ever set foot on the site of a treasure trove.

Abundant evidences of a camp were all about them. The ashes of a fire, and sc.r.a.ps of food and paper. One of these caught Frank's attention. It was a fragment of newspaper, and what had challenged Frank's notice was that a band of red ink had been drawn around some printing on it. Frank read the marked portion with a somewhat vague curiosity. For the moment he did not realize what an important clew he had stumbled upon. Then it rushed upon him with full force.

Ben and the others were on the sh.o.r.e of the island pointing down into the muddy waters of the bayou.

The earth was trampled in the vicinity, and showed plainly that the miscreants who had stolen the treasure had carried on their operations from that point of the bank.

"Down thar somewhar' lies the wreck of the _Belle of New Orleans_," said Ben, shaking his head dolefully, and pointing into the black current; "but it ain't going to do us no good, mates. It ain't going to do us no good; them sea skunks has got ahead of us for fair."

It was at this point that Frank's shout interrupted them.

"What is it?" cried Dr. Perkins.

"This paper. Come here. I think it's a clew to where they have gone."

They crowded about him while Frank read out from the marked paper.

"'The new South American Commerce Company's steamer _Buenos Aires_ sails to-morrow for the latter port. She is a fast, capable craft and will make a direct run to the Argentine. The inauguration of this service is a distinct addition to the commercial importance of New Orleans and establishes new trade relations with South America.'"

"Very pretty," said Ben; "but what does it prove?"

"Yes, I don't see much of a clew in that," put in Harry.

But Frank raised his hand to command silence.

"Listen a minute," he said. "Of course, I may be altogether wrong, but it seems to me that the reason this paragraph is marked is because those fellows meant to sail on this very boat."

Ben brought his hand down on his knee with a resounding whack.

"By hookey, lad!" he roared; "that's reason. That's solid sense and reason."

"What is the date of that paper?" asked Dr. Perkins.

"Luckily the paragraph was torn off from the top of the page," said Frank, "and the date of the issue is legible. It is dated yesterday."

"Then the _Buenos Aires_ sailed this morning?"

"Yes; that's the way it looks."

"And while we are wasting time here she is heading down the river for the open sea," groaned Harry.

"Can't we wireless to New Orleans and find out?" asked Pudge.

"That's a mighty good idea, Pudge," said his father, "but the set we have on the _Sea Eagle_ wouldn't carry as far as that."

"Then let's get on board again and fly back as quickly as possible. We are only wasting time here," said Frank.

His suggestion was quickly acted upon, and the voyagers reembarked. They were a very different party from the pleasantly excited expedition that had set out that morning so full of hope and enterprise. Frank alone kept up his spirits. He sat constantly at the wireless as they winged their way back to New Orleans, incessantly trying to get into communication.

At last he caught the operator of the Harbor Master's office. Instantly he flashed his query:

"Did _Buenos Aires_ sail this a. m.?"

"Yes. s.h.i.+p sailed early to-day."

"Where will she be now?"

"About off Fort Jackson, near the mouth of the river," came the reply.

"She has wireless, but it is out of order, so that I can't tell you exactly where she is right now."

"Thanks!" flashed Frank and disconnected.

He quickly communicated his tidings, and immediately a hasty, excited consultation followed. The result of it was that Dr. Perkins decided to ground the _Sea Eagle_ in Algiers. This done, Ben would swear out a warrant before the most available justice, and then, if they could find a deputy nervy enough to make the trip, he was to be taken on board the _Sea Eagle_ and the _Buenos Aires_ overtaken before she got beyond the jurisdiction of the State.

But after landing in Algiers these plans were changed. It was decided instead to swear out a federal warrant, as there was grave danger of the s.h.i.+p getting out of the State's power before they could overtake her. On the extraordinary circ.u.mstances being related to him, the U. S.

Commissioner at New Orleans readily granted the warrant for the arrest of all three of the rascals. It now remained only to find a Deputy U. S.

Marshal courageous enough to make the trip through the air.

The only one available seemed a bit doubtful.

"A trip in an aeroplane!" he said. "I've never taken such a journey and I'm scared of the blessed things. You see, I've got a wife and family, and--"

"Don't be afraid. There's really no danger, and we'll be over water most of the way," urged Dr. Perkins.

The deputy seemed to come to a sudden conclusion. His eyes snapped and his lips tightened.

"All right, I'll go with you!" he suddenly cried. "Wait till I 'phone the missus and I'm your man. Those rascals played you a mean trick, and I'd like to see you win out."

The hearts of the adventurers gave a bound of hope. There was a chance of seeing justice come into its own, after all.

The _Buenos Aires_, a fine s.h.i.+p of five thousand or more tons, dropped rapidly down the river. She had few cabin pa.s.sengers, and of these only three were on deck. The remainder were in their cabins putting their belongings to rights.

These three men were the elder Daniels, his loutish son and Duval. But they all wore smart new clothes, and Duval had shaved off his mustache.

As for the two Daniels, it is an example of what clothes can do to say that they looked more like prosperous, rather countryfied commission dealers than rugged fishermen from Maine.

"Let's have a look at them pearls again," Daniels was saying, after he had given a cautious glance about him to make sure they were not observed.