CHAPTER XIII.
EVENTS OF A DAY.
“What the dickens is the matter, Nick?”
It was Frank Alden who asked the question, and its anxious tone was caused by Nick’s long, woebegone face. He had just appeared at the old house, which was still the home of the three adventurers.
Nick told his story, and if ever there were three startled and interested listeners to a recital they were certainly Frank and Will Alden. Nick took them through all the exciting events at the broker’s office.
“And what became of the admiral?” Frank asked, when Nick had finished his narrative of the events of which the reader is cognizant.
“They took him to a hospital.”
“Where?”
“I could not learn.”
“Why, Nick!” exclaimed the other boys, in a tone of rebuke.
“I couldn’t help it,” Nick explained. “They got me out of the office--sent me on an errand, and when I returned the admiral was gone--taken away in an ambulance, I heard. The office was locked up, and there was nothing for me to do but come home.”
“That’s too bad,” said Frank. “But I don’t see that you are to blame.”
“Of course you are not, Nick,” chimed in Will.
“Boys,” said Nick, “I’m terribly cut up about it. It seems as if the old man’s misfortune is my own.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
“In a way, yes; for my father was part owner in the treasure.”
“I know what I’d do!” cried Will.
“What?” asked Nick eagerly.
“I’d--I’d have those men arrested.”
“Who?”
“Vail and Loucks.”
Nick smiled at Will’s greenness.
“What would you have them arrested for, Will?” he asked.
“For stealing the paper.”
“I couldn’t prove that.”
“Then have them arrested for knocking down the admiral.”
“They would deny it all and get me into trouble,” replied the keen but cautious Nick.
“One thing is certain,” said Will. “I wouldn’t work another day for such villains.”
“I don’t think that would be a good plan, either,” returned Nick.
“What! You don’t mean to say you’re going to stay in their office after all that has happened?”
“I certainly am,” replied Nick calmly.
“But they are the wickedest kind of men.”
“I know it, Will, and it’s just on that account I’m going to remain in their employ.”
“I understand what you mean, Nick!” cried Frank.
“Do you?”
“Yes. You’re going to stay there and keep an eye on them.”
“You’ve hit it. Don’t you see now, Frank?” said Nick. “Unless some one watches them, and beats them in their scheme, they will succeed.”
“Then you’re going to watch them?”
“Yes; and I’m going to beat them, too,” Nick answered confidently. “Look here. This is their game, as I figure it out: They mean to rob the admiral by sending for the treasure or going to it themselves. They don’t suspect how much I heard and know. Don’t question me any more, boys. I want to think.”
So the boys let him alone. Not only did Nick think, but he acted, as well, that very evening. He went out and bought a pen, ink, and some paper, and by the light of the candle wrote a long letter to Captain Eccles, at Parkdale.
He related all that had occurred since his arrival in the city, for he knew that it would prove of the utmost interest and importance to the captain. He mailed the letter that night. It asked Captain Eccles’ advice, and suggested that he come to New York, find his friend, the admiral, take charge of the $5,000 belonging to him, which Nick had, and help Nick to regain possession of the stolen letter. He wrote out a careful description of the place where the boys were making their home, so that the captain might find it easily.
When his letter was in the mail box Nick set his mind at work to devise some means of getting hold of the stolen writing. He realized that this would prove a very difficult task, for he had shrewd as well as unscrupulous men to deal with. He decided that his stay in the broker’s office would be very brief, once he had gained possession of the all-important letter.
Frank and Will had been offered work in a printing establishment, so the boys all left their temporary home early the next morning.
Nick arrived at the broker’s office on time. After Mr. Loucks got there the lad went into the private room of the head of the concern to tidy up the desks. Although he kept a watchful eye, he saw no traces of the tragedy of the night before, and caught no sign of the letter stolen from Admiral Semmes.
Evidently Loucks had not the faintest suspicion that Nick knew anything at all of the important events attending the visit of the old sailor, for he scarcely noticed the boy that morning, and treated him carelessly.
Nick, on his part, was on the alert. He had resolved to hear the first words exchanged by Vail and his confidential man when they should meet. And luck was with him, for when the two came face to face for the first time since the admiral was taken to the hospital, Nick happened to be in his little messenger’s closet, where he could hear as well as see.
The broker’s countenance was pale and wore a worried look, and Nick guessed that he had passed a sleepless night.
“What news, Loucks?” he asked eagerly.
“About--our man?”
“The admiral--yes.”
“All charming and serene,” Loucks answered, with a crafty wink and a chuckle.
Nick noted that he was more familiar than ever in his manner toward his employer. He said neither “Sir” nor “Mr. Vail.” Evidently the comradeship of crime had broken down the last barrier of respect between these two.
“What do you mean?” Vail demanded, in a low tone.
“Haven’t we got everything our own way?”
“Explain.”
“Why, you have the paper.”
“Yes--the treasure clue.”
“The hospital has the man. The situation looks pretty good to me.”
“Did you go to the hospital this morning?” Vail asked, after pondering the other’s words a moment.
“Yes.”
“How is he?”
“Nothing to be feared from that quarter.”
“Why?”
“The man is a raving maniac.”
Vail, not yet wholly hardened to guilt, quailed a little at this.
“Well,” he said presently, as if to still the voice of conscience, “we didn’t make him a maniac.”
“Of course not,” chimed in Loucks, with a grin. “It was an accident.”
“And as Semmes owes us some back interest----”
“Very far back, and very misty, Vail,” put in the other, whistling lowly.
The broker frowned at the other’s familiarity, but did not rebuke him with words.
“Well, it’s a pity to have all that treasure lying idle,” he went on.
“Right you are.”
“Especially at this time.”
“When we need the money.”
“Exactly. No one knows about it but us.”
It was Nick’s turn to smile, and he did so, taking in every word they uttered, although, in his closet, he seemed to be paying attention to nothing in particular.
“One thing is certain,” Loucks said. “The admiral will never be able to claim anything in this life.”
“But suppose, by an unlucky chance, he should?” said Vail anxiously.
“That chance is so long as not to be worth thinking about,” returned the broker’s associate. “But if ever he should claim it, isn’t one-eighth of it ours?”
“I suppose so,” replied Vail absently.
“No one even knows that the admiral is at the hospital. He seems to have no friends or relatives. His partner is dead.”
“Captain Collins?”
“Yes.”
“But his son lives. Funny he stumbled across us, eh, Vail? Little he suspects, though. Well, go on.”
“So I have decided to act.”
“At once?”
“Yes.”
“How? Go for the treasure?”
“Exactly.”
“Not yourself?”
“Yes, myself. Why not?”
“But the office business here?”
“You must take care of that.”
“We need money.”
“Raise it by a loan for a year on the Speedwell estate.”
“We can do that.”
“Long before it is due I will have returned with the treasure.”
“If you don’t get wrecked.”
“Oh, I don’t worry about that.”
“But you’ve got to find the treasure,” remarked Loucks.
“I can’t fail.”
“Are the directions explicit?”
“Very.”
“Where is the letter?”
“I put it in my private box in the vault.”
“We divide on the result, don’t we?” asked Loucks greedily.
“Dollar for dollar.”
“Good. That is fair, and I am with you to the end. Now, what is the program?”
“To raise money, first.”
“I’ll attend to that.”
“To get the business here in running shape for a year.”
“Money will do it.”
“To buy or charter a ship.”
“That’s easy.”
“Secure a crew.”
“Yes.”
“And start for the treasure island.”
A visitor on business here interrupted the colloquy, and that was all Nick heard spoken by the plotters that day that bore on the subject so prominent in his mind.
Later, however, he overheard a brief conversation that startled him. Loucks, opening a letter that had come in the mail, uttered an ejaculation of dissatisfaction.
“Bad eggs from a broken basket!” he cried savagely.
“What’s the matter, Loucks?” asked Vail.
“A young scapegrace relative of mine in trouble, and he is being sent to me to reform.”
“Who is he?”
“His name is Jack Benson.”
Nick Collins started.
“He’s been getting in serious trouble. Ah, I have it. He might be useful on a ship, and a cruise at sea might steady him down somewhat. Could he not go with you?”
“Well, we’ll see about it,” replied Vail carelessly.
All that day the broker was busy figuring and writing, and seemed to be anxious to complete all the office work so as to get time to attend to preparations for the voyage for the treasure.
Nick did his work that day in a mechanical sort of a way. He had yet to accomplish the task he had set for himself--the wresting of the admiral’s letter from the hands of his enemies.
Nick’s heart failed him when, at about three o’clock that afternoon something happened to indicate that Captain Eccles, even if he came to the city at once, would arrive too late to prevent the success of the plotters’ schemes.
The secret of the treasure was henceforth a divided secret, for when Vail left the office for the day Loucks went stealthily to the vault and returned soon after with a folded paper. It had a yellow covering--it was the halved letter of Admiral Semmes.
Evidently Loucks was guilty of double-dealing, and unknown to Vail had a key to his private box. Nick saw him proceed to copy the paper, letter for letter. The wily Loucks apparently intended to make sure that his individual rights should be protected.
He returned the letter to the vault and folded the copy and placed it in his pocket with a sinister smile of satisfaction.
Then he came to Nick, his hat and gloves in hand.
“I’m going home for the day, Nick,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
“And the bookkeeper may remain some time. You wait until he goes and see that the vault is securely locked, and notify the janitor to close up.”
“I will, sir.”
Loucks departed. Nick glanced into the countingroom. There was but one person there, the bookkeeper poring over his ledgers.
A wild impulse thrilled Nick to a desperate movement. The vault door was ajar as Loucks had left it. Within that vault was the broker’s private box which contained the clue to the treasure.
Could he but obtain that, and place it and the money in Captain Eccles’ hands, what better outfit for a voyage in quest of the treasure could they ask?
Even if Vail and Loucks, relying on the copy to pursue the same course, should be rivals in the quest, what chance for success had they against a skilled mariner like Captain Eccles?
It would only be a question of speed and activity. The temptation was too great to be resisted. The paper in the vault belonged to Admiral Semmes. His friend and partner was Captain Eccles. Nick determined to secure it.
Once that resolve was made he was reckless of consequences. He stole cautiously toward the vault.
The bookkeeper seemed about to close his books, but he did not glance toward Nick, and the latter kept on his way.
He was all atremble with suspense, fear and uncertainty. The venture was a bold one. A new employee of the place and comparatively unknown, if discovered in the vault his presence there would be regarded as having a criminal purpose.
He reached the iron door and pushed it quickly, gently back. He crossed the threshold and then the stone floor.
Around, on all sides, were wooden shelves, and boxes, and rows of pigeonholes. Account books, tin boxes, small safes, and bundles of papers were arranged in bewildering confusion.
He had seen the tin box which Vail sometimes brought to his desk from the vault, but there were several like it, and he could not in the dim light of the place distinguish the one he sought.
Besides, even if he succeeded in finding it, he knew that it would be locked and time and patience would be required to get access to its contents.
He felt discouraged and disappointed. He had half a mind to abandon his hastily formed project as impossible, and even started to leave the vault.
Then he recoiled in terror.
Hasty footsteps were coming toward the vault.
“The bookkeeper,” murmured Nick, in affright. “I shall be discovered.”
He could not hope to escape through the open door without being seen.
He glanced wildly about him. The bookkeeper had probably come after a book and would soon return to his desk.
If he could hide safely during his brief visit Nick felt assured that he could later escape unperceived.
There was a kind of cabinet at one end of the vault that was partly empty. It contained only a few rolls of paper--plans, maps, and the like. To this refuge Nick sprang quickly, hid himself within its narrow confines, and drew close the door.
The bookkeeper entered the vault with an armful of books and threw them on a shelf. Then he started to leave the place. Nick uttered a sigh of relief, but in the next instant a gasp of dismay and alarm.
As the bookkeeper left the vault he closed the ponderous outer door securely, making the boy a prisoner.