Fighting for fortune or, Making a place for himself
vicinity, so that before seven o’clock people had begun to throng about
the pier, many of them anxious to make the initial trip, while the
others came as curious onlookers.
Jack Carboy watched this throng with keen interest, ever and anon
giving expression to his feelings in one of his quaint expressions.
But finally he grew anxious about Dean, and as the hour began to draw
towards a close without bringing the young commander, he became excited:
“By the horn of Neptune!” he stormed, “here’s a gale! Ship ready to
sail and no skipper.”
“Blow your trumpet, you water-soaked old salt, and be hanged,”
exclaimed a bystander. “Where under the sun did you get washed in here?”
Jack Carboy glowered upon the speaker with a look of contempt,
murmuring as he moved away something about a “pollywog in a mud puddle.”
Then he hailed with joy the return of “Captain Mercer,” and
preparations for the start of the _Spray_ was no longer delayed.
Amid wild shouts and prolonged huzzas the new steamer started upon her
first trip, carrying with her not only a big crowd of passengers, but
the good wishes of the thousands who would be only too glad to know
that at last, proper accommodations for travel had been secured on the
lake.
Colonel Darringford, still under the influence of liquor, witnessed
these demonstrations.
“That boy!” thinking even then of his bargain with Tim Downey, “he has
betrayed me. Hallo, Rodney! Where are you going?”
“On board the _Warrior_, governor, of course. What a fuss they make
over that new boat. I can’t see that she is more than an ordinary tub.”
The _Warrior_ was soon upon her way, following nearly in the wake of
the new steamer, which was soon lost to the sight of the lookout. Nor
did the old boat again come in sight of her rival upon the trip.
The _Spray_ fulfilled the expectations of her master and crew, even
Jack Carboy gladly boasting that she was worthy of “bigger seas than
the land-locked puddle.”
The grandest sight was when they reached Millville. While her owner
had maintained silence in regard to his intentions, it was generally
known that the boat would soon be ready for its first trip, and that
morning before Dean had started with the steamer, a dozen telephone
messages had been sent over the wires, and the town was all agog over
the new arrival.
Some one, determined that a reception fitting the occasion should be
made, hastily got the members of the local band together, and when the
_Spray_ came in sight of the wharf, it seemed as if the whole town had
poured out to meet it.
The band was playing “See, the Conquering Hero Comes!” and everywhere
manifestations of pleasure and rejoicing were to be seen. There were
few, indeed, so stupid that they could not see that a new day had
dawned for Millville.
In all the town there was no prouder person than Judge Oglesby, who,
from the vantage ground of his own wide veranda, watched the scene.
With him were his wife and Evaline and Manly. In fact, this little
group had been the first to discover the appearance of the steamer, as
they had looked down the lake through the glass.
“Will Dean come up here?” asked Eva.
“Pardon me, my child, but Captain Mercer. Doubtless he will pay us his
respects.”
“I cannot quite get into the habit of calling Dean ‘captain’,” replied
Evaline.
“How I wish I was down on the shore!” cried Manly, enthusiastically.
“See how many people there are all along the dock. Hear the band
playing. Was there ever such a day in Millville, papa?”
“Never, my son, never,” and if there was a ring of triumph in his
voice, the speaker certainly had a right to feel elated over the
success of his plans.
“You may run down to the shore if you want to, Manly, and escort the
hero up here as soon as he is at liberty to come.”
Manly needed no urging to do this. With a cheer that would not have
been received without a rebuke under ordinary circumstances, he ran
down the pathway, soon disappearing from the view of the watchers.
It was half an hour later, a half-hour which seemed very long to the
impatient waiters, before Captain Mercer and his young escort were seen
coming toward the house.
The crowd had dispersed somewhat from the scene at the water’s edge,
but the band was still playing as Dean, proud, yet timid in the midst
of these honors, was met by Judge Oglesby and his family.
“Allow me to congratulate you, Captain Mercer, upon your successful
maiden trip. May it be an example of the many which are to follow. I
felt confident that we should succeed.”
“This is the happiest day of my life,” declared Eva, timidly, as she
advanced to offer her congratulations. “I think that all Millville has
joined with us in expressing their sincere gratitude over this event.”
Dean murmured his thanks for her kind words, as he clasped her hands,
and felt that her appreciation had made it the happiest day of _his_
life.
Before more could be said, Mrs. Oglesby interrupted them by saying:
“There is a call at the telephone from Springfield, Martin.”
“Some trifling business matter. Do not let it interfere with the
happiness of this occasion while I answer it.”
While the judge was gone only a few minutes, when he returned to join
the little group his countenance had a serious expression in marked
contrast to its recent display of joy.
“It seems, Dean, you did not call upon Messrs. Brown, Sewall and
Company in regard to paying for the steamer as you were intending to
do,” he said.
Suddenly a vague fear came into the heart of Dean Mercer, as he
hastened to reply:
“I did, Judge Oglesby. That is, one of the firm came aboard the _Spray_
and I paid him there.”
“I felt sure you would not neglect so important a trust. There has been
some oversight in the affair. I will ’phone to them. Who was it called?”
“Mr. Sewall himself.”
“Then it must be all right. I will explain.”
CHAPTER XI.
UNDER SUSPICION.
An ominous silence fell upon the little group while Judge Oglesby
carried on his conversation with the person in Springfield. One and all
listened with deep interest to the answer he gave to the words of the
unseen, and to them, unheard speaker.
“Yes, he is here,” finally said the judge. “I will have him come to the
’phone if you wish.”
A moment later he said to Dean:
“They would like to talk with you, Dean. I do not understand this at
all.”
Dean quickly stepped forward, and as he placed the receiver to his ear
the voice asked:
“Are you sure Captain Mercer paid the money to Mr. Sewall?”
“This is Captain Mercer talking now, sir. I paid Mr. Sewall the money
by a check made payable to me from Judge Oglesby,” replied Dean. “I
endorsed the check and he gave me a receipt signed by your firm.”
“Impossible, Captain Mercer. This is Brown talking, and Mr. Sewall is
present. He says he was not on board the _Spray_. We did not think it
was necessary to run after the money, as we knew Judge Oglesby was able
to pay.”
A five minutes’ conversation followed, but nothing could be learned to
explain the situation. If Messrs. Brown, Sewell and Company told the
truth, as no one doubted, Dean had been imposed upon by some dishonest
person. It was a trying situation for him.
“Let me see if I can get any one at the bank,” said Judge Oglesby.
“Though it is not bank hours, some one may be there.”
“Hello, is this the Atlas Bank?” he called, a few minutes later, after
securing a connection.
“It is.”
“Is Mr. Hume, the cashier, there?”
“He is. Hold the wire a moment and I will call him.”
“We are in luck,” declared the judge aside to Dean. “If that check has
not been presented for payment, I will stop it and we shall be all
right.
“Hello! I am Mr. Hume, Judge Oglesby. What is it?” said a voice at the
other end of the wire.
“Has there been a check presented at your bank to-day signed by me, and
endorsed by Dean Mercer?”
“There has. Captain Mercer called in person this morning very soon
after the bank was open. He presented a letter from you, which we have,
and received the cash in large bills at his own request. I hope, judge,
everything is all right.”
“I am afraid there is something wrong about this. Captain Mercer is
here and says he did not call at your bank. The person must have been
an impostor.”
“I do not see how that could be, judge. I remember speaking to him
myself, congratulating him on the fine appearance of the new steamer.
If there is anything wrong we will try and help you straighten it.
Young Mercer was a stranger to us, but your letter seemed sufficient
guarantee of his honesty. Perhaps he has deceived you.”
“I am not ready to think that. How long shall you remain in the bank?”
“Half an hour.”
“I may call you up again within that time. Good-by.”
“Good-by.”
“There is something wrong about this, but what, I cannot tell,” said
Judge Oglesby, as he hung up the receiver and turned to converse with
the anxious party about him.
“I can see now I did wrong in paying the money to the man without
further proof of his identity,” acknowledged Dean.
“His receipt is made out on one of the company’s blanks,” said the
judge. “It is a serious situation, but until--Whew! here comes
Montague. I wonder what has put him into such a state of excitement.”
In the changing excitement of the preceding scenes, Dean had quite
forgotten about the disappearance of Marcus Ellison. But it came back
to him very vividly now, and he anticipated the purpose of the lawyer’s
abrupt appearance.
“I want to see Dean Mercer, if he is here,” cried Mr. Montague, as soon
as he could get his breath enough to speak.
“Here he is to answer for himself,” declared the judge.
“Durand has ’phoned me that those papers and money have not been given
to him, Dean,” cried the lawyer, without stopping to reply to the judge.
“I know it, Mr. Montague,” replied Dean. “I was coming to see you as
soon as I could. I did not have time to see Mr. Durand, or ’phone to
you.”
“Why haven’t they been delivered, boy? Every day in this matter is of
vital importance.”
In as few words as possible Dean then told of the disappearance of
Marcus Ellison with the money and papers, while his listeners looked
upon him in silence until he had finished.
It is unnecessary to record the half-hour’s conversation that followed.
Of course, it threw no light upon the real situation. In this case
no blame could be attached to Dean, though he already felt that, in
addition to the other matter, unless some good reason should develop
explaining Marcus Ellison’s mysterious disappearance, the two singular
and unfortunate incidents were going to be connected.
The successful trip of the new steamer was overshadowed completely by
these unexpected matters.
“I must go down on the _Spray_ to-morrow morning,” affirmed Judge
Oglesby. “I shall sift this affair to the bottom.”
“I must go to Springfield, too,” declared Mr. Montague. “The loss of
that money will be a serious handicap to me. But worse than that is the
loss of those papers, which mean the life of Robert Ellison. Unless
I can find them, he will go to the electric chair, though he is an
innocent man.”
“I will do all in my power to help in this matter,” said Dean. “If
there is nothing further I can do here, I must return to the _Spray_,
where I am needed.”
“Yes; do not fail in your duty there,” said the judge.
Though it may have been simply the imagination of Dean in his nervous
state, he could not help thinking that there was a hidden meaning in
the remark to him.
The finger of suspicion was pointed at him.
Eva had disappeared from sight, as he left the house, but he was
pleased to find her waiting for him near the fountain at the turn of
the walk. She advanced with extended hands, saying: