  While the boys were seated in the dining-room they found Fred’s namesake, as they now called Mr. Button, seated near them at a small table. Apparently, however, he ignored their presence and paid no attention to what they were saying. Convinced, that peculiar as the man’s actions were they had nothing to fear from him, the boys soon gave their undivided attention to their breakfast and to discussing their plans for the coming day. “It is agreed,” said Fred, “that we are to go back to Drummond Island, isn’t it?” “That’s right,” said George. “We shan’t get as early a start this morning but we ought to do as much as we did yesterday.” “I hope,” said Grant, “that we shan’t have any such storm.” “And I hope,” joined in John, “that we don’t have any more of these mysterious events that took us over to Canada and made us afraid there is somebody watching us.” “It’s only a guilty conscience that is afraid,” retorted Fred, “but we’ll go to Drummond Island and the sooner we can get started the better it will be. We’re late as it is.” When the boys departed from the dining-room they stopped together on the piazza to discuss one or two further details in connection with their proposed trip. To their surprise Mr. Ferdinand Button approached the group and said, “Pardon me, but did I understand you to say that you were going to Drummond Island?” “Yes, sir,” said Fred promptly. “I chanced to overhear your remarks while I was at breakfast and I thought perhaps you might be willing to give me a lift.” “Do you want to go there?” asked John. “Near there,” said the stranger quietly. “I find there isn’t another motor-boat to be had. I am going to take a skiff and my man and if you can find a place for us on board your motor-boat I shall gladly bear my part of the expense and also appreciate your courtesy very much.” “Of course you can come,” said Fred quickly. “I shall not trouble you about coming back. I may not be ready to come when you are, or I may want to come before you do. In either event, I want to pay for my share of the Gadabout for the day.” “We’ll talk about that later,” said Fred. “Are you ready to start?” “Yes, my man is at the dock with his skiff.” “All right,” said Fred. “Go right down there and we’ll all be down in a minute.” “Well, Captain,” said John, when the boys approached the dock and found their boat already at hand. “We’re going to take a couple more passengers.” “Who are they?” growled the captain. “Why, this man, Mr. Button. He wants us to take him over to Drummond Island. He doesn’t know whether he will come back again with us or not.” “My guide says he will ride in the skiff,” suggested Mr. Button. “That won’t be necessary, unless he wants to,” said Fred. “That’s the way we’ll go,” said Mr. Button quietly, and at once the five passengers took their places on board the swift, little Gadabout. “What’s the matter with the captain?” whispered Grant in a low voice to Fred as soon as the motor-boat had put out from the dock. “I don’t know. Why?” “Look at him, that’s all. He’s grouchy or else he’s afraid. He looks to me as if he wasn’t very enthusiastic over the addition to the list of passengers.” “It doesn’t make any difference whether he is or not. We chartered the boat and can do what we please with it.” Whether or not the captain was suspicious of the newcomer, the boys gave no further attention to him. In a brief time they were drawn to the newcomer, whose knowledge of the region and whose stories of the early days at once appealed strongly to his young listeners. “Yes, sir,” said Mr. Button. “There have been some stirring scenes up around Mackinac Island. To my mind it is one of the most beautiful spots in the United States, and, standing just as it does where the lakes join, I do not wonder that the Indians did not want to give it up and that the French and English fought over it the way they did. There’s a very interesting story of the defense of the old fort. It is published I believe, in a little pamphlet and my advice to you is to get a copy and read it before you go home.” “We’ll do that,” said Grant enthusiastically. “When we get back,” laughed George, “Grant’s head is going to be so full of the information that he has picked up about the lakes and Mackinac Island, that the rest of us won’t have to do any work, except to keep him quiet.” “By the way, Mr. Button,” said Fred, “did you find out anything more about that letter?” To the surprise of the boys the captain appeared at that moment, glaring angrily at Fred and turning about several times after he had started back to his place at the wheel. “It was a strange letter,” said Mr. Button, “but I am accustomed to such things. It is a part of my business.” All four boys looked at him questioningly, but he smiled slightly without satisfying their curiosity at the time. “As I was saying,” he continued, “there have been some very exciting adventures around Mackinac Island. Perhaps I will tell you something about them before long. Just now I should like to have you tell me about your trip yesterday. Did you have good luck?” “It depends upon how you look at it,” said John with a laugh. “We caught all the fish we wanted for our luncheon, but we had a terrific thunder storm out there that drove us ashore in the afternoon. At least Fred and I were driven ashore.” “You were wise lads to run before the gale.” “You needn’t charge us with the wisdom,” laughed Fred. “It was the mate that had it. We were lucky enough to have him with us and he took us ashore over at Cockburn Island. We weren’t so lucky when we landed, though, because our skiff was all stove in and we had to leave it when we came away.” “How did you get away?” “Why, the other fellows took the Gadabout and began to look for us after the storm died out and then they came ashore for us in their skiff.” “How far is it between Drummond Island and Cockburn?” “Two or three miles. That’s about all, isn’t it, Captain?” said John turning abruptly about as the captain’s face once more was seen peering eagerly at the company seated in the stern. “That’s about it,” drawled the captain. “Have you never been there?” he added, looking directly at Mr. Button as he spoke. “I’m looking forward with great pleasure to the trip,” replied Mr. Button, quietly, apparently ignoring the question that had been asked. “You don’t think we are likely to have another storm, to-day, do you?” “No,” said the captain abruptly, as once more he turned to his work. “Tell me about Cockburn Island,” said Mr. Button, speaking to the boys. “Is it inhabited? Are there many people living there?” “I don’t know,” said John. “We didn’t see very much of it. We found a little shanty, or shack, not far from the shore and when we saw smoke coming out of the chimney we went up there thinking that we might dry our clothes, for we were wet through.” “Did you find anybody there?” “Yes, that’s the strange part of it,” explained John. “The old shanty, that looked almost as if it would fall to pieces, was pretty well fixed up inside. There was a man there and he had a Japanese servant. Indeed, I am sure I saw the man at the harbor this morning. At least I thought it was the same man, but he didn’t speak to me, so I couldn’t be sure after all.” Conversation ceased for a time and it was not until they had arrived off the shore of Drummond Island that Mr. Button said, “I think I will leave you here. I want to thank you again for your kindness in bringing me.” “Where are you going?” demanded the captain, who again approached the group. “I’m going to leave the Gadabout here,” explained Mr. Button. “Where you going? There’s no good fishing here.” “I’m going to trust my guide for that,” explained Mr. Button, pointing as he spoke to the man in whose skiff he was to depart. This man was now seated in his little skiff about one hundred feet astern of the Gadabout. “Fetch him up then,” said the captain. “I’ll stop the Gadabout and let you off.” In spite of the captain’s manifest effort to appear at ease it was plain to his young passengers that he still was angry or alarmed over the presence of Mr. Ferdinand Button. What the connection was between the two not one of the boys was able to conjecture. Their attention, however, was speedily drawn to the skiff which Mr. Button now hauled in and as soon as it was drawn alongside he stepped lightly on board. It was impossible for any of the boys to see the face of the guide, who at the time was bending low over a box which contained the fishing tackle. It was only later when John reminded the other boys of the strange coincidence between the excitement of the captain and the inability of all to see the face of the guide in Mr. Button’s boat, that they recalled it. “There isn’t any fishing here,” again shouted the captain. Apparently Mr. Button was not greatly impressed by the knowledge of the captain, for ignoring his words, he seated himself in the stern of the skiff and prepared to begin his trolling. Meanwhile the Gadabout was belying her name, as now she was only drifting slowly with the current. “Come on, Captain,” called Fred at last. “We’re ready to start.” “Better start,” retorted the commander of the motor-boat. “There’s no fishing here and I told that man there wasn’t, but he doesn’t seem to pay no attention.” “That’s his own fault,” laughed Grant. “Go on with us.” Still manifestly reluctant the captain at last started the engine but the Gadabout had not gone more than a few yards before he again stopped the boat and said, “We might as well try it here as anywhere.” “But you said the fishing here wasn’t any good,” protested Fred. “It’ll do no harm to try it.” In accordance with the captain’s words the Gadabout was anchored, and as soon as the young fishermen were separated into two parties as they had been the preceding day, the two skiffs were soon prepared for the sport of the morning. The captain, who now was rowing the boat in which John and Fred were seated, had rowed one hundred yards from the Gadabout and the boys both were trolling. Still the captain watched the skiff in which Mr. Button had departed as long as the little boat could be seen. Even the Gadabout now was soon lost to sight. “I’ll have to have a fresh bait,” said Fred, who had been the first to have a strike. He reeled in his line and swung the hook around for the captain to bait it. A moment later the captain abruptly changing his position dropped overboard the box which contained the leaders. “There I’ve gone and done it!” he said. “Lost every leader! There is nothing to do, boys, except to go back to the Gadabout and get some more. I’m sorry, but it won’t take long.” “Nothing else to be done,” said John, “so the sooner we get back the better.” No one in the little boat spoke while the captain rowed swiftly back to the motor-boat. The surprise of the boys was great when they drew near the little Gadabout to discover that a skiff had been made fast alongside the boat. “Whose skiff is that?” demanded John abruptly. “We didn’t leave any boat here.” The captain without replying increased the speed at which he was rowing and as he drew near the Gadabout the boys were startled when they saw peering from the companionway the face of Mr. Ferdinand Button. |
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