Part 11 (1/2)
”Didn't he give any hint of where this fight and robbery had taken place?” asked Fred
”No, except that Mark says the man often spoke of Bartanet Shoals Of course, that
Still, judging from where the boat was found, it probably was somewhere within fifty miles of here”
”Fifty miles,” murmured Bill ”That's an awful lot of territory to cover”
”Wasn't there anything in the little boat to give a clue?” asked Teddy
”Not a thing except that it had the naer_' painted on the stern That showed that it e boat of that na else that ive us a hint?” asked Lester ”Try to remember, Dad”
”Well,” mused his father, ”I didn't question him very much at the time, because I felt as he did, that it was just the foolish raving of a man as out of his head”
”How far is Milton from here?” questioned Bill
”Only a matter of twenty-five o over and see Mark the first chance we get,” said Lester decidedly ”He ree that ood idea,” co pretty old now and histhat will be of use At any rate there's no har to ith now,” said Fred cheerily ”We've been able to check up Ross' story and know that he wasn't drea Then, too, we have the naomery when he was set adrift, if that's the way he came into the open boat”
”But there must be more,” persisted Lester ”What did you old wasn't buried but that it was hidden?”
”You're right,” admitted his father, ”there is more that happened some time later”
CHAPTER XI
THE SMUGGLERS' FLIGHT
The boys were all on edge as they awaited further developo,” resumed Mr Lee, ”an old sailor, named Tom Bixby, who had sailed on the same shi+p withthat I had charge of the lighthouse came over to see lad to see hiether
”He stayed here a couple of days and one night he told e story
”It see out of Halifax She had been rather short-handed, and the skipper had been worrying about where he could get enough sailors to work his craft
”While he was casting around, he was surprised and glad one day to have half a dozen burly fellows coe They told a story of just having finished a trip on a tramp from Liverpool, and as they were all ether on the same shi+p
”The captain didn't ask any question--no captain ever does when he happens to be short-handed--and he signed the ht the shi+p hove her anchor and put out to sea
”They were to go around Cape Horn, and it would be at least two years and ain
”Toood, s queer about them They didn't ether in a little knot when they were off duty and talk in whispers It seeether