CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR.

Wade Brooks was hardly satisfied with the situation. He was in great danger of being sent back to live with Obed Swikes. He had plenty to eat on the cutter, and he had fared pretty well on board of the “Moonlight.” He could not endure the idea of returning to his former comfortless home, where he had been both starved and abused. He dreaded the cold of winter even more than the hunger of the summer, though it was both cold and hunger in the winter. He had tried to get work in New York without success; and he had not a cent of money to buy him a piece of bread.

It might be possible for him to escape from the cutter, or from those who attempted to take him back to Midhampton; but this was only jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire. The poor boy was sadly perplexed by the situation. It was cold and hunger if he went back to his former home, and it was starvation if he did not go there.

Lon and Matt were troubled in about the same way, though the food problem did not disturb them. They had money to buy what they wanted to eat; but Wade had been rich twice, and had three times lost all his money, for it was “just his luck.” If Lon and Matt went back to their homes, they had to answer for burning the barn, and taking the money from the closet over the mantle-piece. If they staid in New York, the police would by this time be on the lookout for them. If they could get out of the cutter, and on board of a steamer bound to some place in the south, they might keep out of sight till their money was all gone; and then all they had to do was to go home and take the consequences.

But the consequences did not trouble them much as Lon reasoned, their parents would be so glad to see them back, that they would let them off easy. This time they could not charge Wade Brooks with stealing the two hundred dollars; for he was not in the town when the deed was done. Even Obed Swikes would be compelled to believe his son was the thief.

Mr. Wallgood occupied a state-room by himself in the cabin, the door of which was kept open all night, with a man to watch him, lest he should repeat the experiment of attempting to jump overboard. The three stowaways were berthed in the steerage. The strictest watch was kept in every part of the vessel, and there was no chance for them to get out of her.

When the cutter came to anchor in the night, Mr. Wilkins, the first lieutenant, had been sent on shore by the captain; but no one was informed in regard to the nature of his mission. At daylight he returned, bringing with him the morning newspapers. He reported to the captain as soon as he came on board.

“The papers of this morning have a full account of the disappearance of the cashier of the Walnut National Bank of Midhampton,” said Mr. Wilkins, when the captain asked him into his state-room, where he was still in bed. “The account says that Capt. Trustleton was in New York at the time the absence of the cashier was discovered; but he was telegraphed for, and immediately returned. It appears that the amount of the defalcation is one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

“But the cashier has but one hundred thousand,” added the captain.

“I think the fifty thousand was the amount he had taken before he left, and which made his departure necessary.”

“Very likely. The boy Brooks told me he heard the cashier say he had loaned money to the captain of the ‘Housatonic,’ which belonged to the bank. Did you ascertain where Capt. Trustleton was?” asked the captain.

“Yes, sir: he is at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, where he arrived in the midnight train. The papers say he traced the cashier and his wife and another woman to the night-train for New York, and followed them the next night, just a day behind. The police were at work on the case all day yesterday. I wrote a note to Capt. Trustleton, informing him that his presence was desired on board of the cutter as early in the morning as possible; and I directed the night clerk to deliver it to him in person at six o’clock in the morning; and he will be here, I think, by seven.”

“Is the father of the other boy with him?” inquired the captain.

“I think not: the register of the hotel indicates that Capt. Trustleton is the only guest from Midhampton,” replied Mr. Wilkins.

“I thank you, Mr. Wilkins, for the thorough manner in which you have done your work; and I recommend you to turn in.”

The first lieutenant accepted this advice, and all was still about the cabin of the cutter again. At six o’clock Wade Brooks had slept all he could, and turned out. When he went on deck, the watch was washing down the decks; but he saw no chance to go on shore. Several boats were fast to the swinging boom; but the officer of the deck stood where he could see all that was going on.

At seven he was asked to breakfast at the captain’s table. Lon and Matt were there also; but the defaulter had not yet left his room, at the door of which the sentinel still stood. Wade ate a very hearty meal; for he felt that this one might be the last he would get that day, for he intended to take French leave as soon as he found a chance to do so. Before the meal was finished, Mr. Wallgood came out of his room, looking very pale and haggard, as though he had not slept any during the night. Wade ended his breakfast, and went on deck.

When he came out of the cabin, he saw a boat approaching the cutter; and, as it came nearer, he recognized Capt. Trustleton in the stern-sheets. He was amazed to see him so early in the morning; and he concluded that his business related to the cashier, though he could not see how he should know he was on board of the cutter. The president of the bank did not know that the defaulter was on board; but Mr. Wilkins had intimated to him, that the captain of the cutter wished to see him in relation to the robbery of the bank.

Mr. Graves was in charge of the deck, and he had been instructed to admit Capt. Trustleton on board. As soon as he came on deck, the first person he identified was Wade Brooks.

“How came you here, Wade Brooks?” asked the visitor, who was as much astonished to see the boy as the boy was to see him.

“It would take some time for me to tell the story,” replied Wade; “and I guess the captain of the cutter wants to see you, sir.”

“Have you seen any thing of Alonzo, my boy?” inquired the president anxiously.

“Yes, sir: Lon and Matt Swikes are at breakfast in the cabin.”

“Then it seems that you went with my son.”

“No, sir: I did not. I haven’t had any thing to do with them. Lon and Matt hid in the ship ‘Housatonic,’ and were found on board. That was the ship Mr. Wallgood was in.”

“Mr. Wallgood!” exclaimed Capt. Trustleton. “Have you seen him too?”

“Yes, sir; and he is in the cabin, eating his breakfast,” replied Wade, who knew this would be good news to the president of the bank.

“Is it possible?”

“It’s so, sir. Mr. Wallgood was going to the coast of Africa in the ‘Housatonic;’ but the cutter found him out, and brought him back, with all the money he had taken from the bank.”

“Well, this is good news that I did not expect,” added Capt. Trustleton.

“Here comes the captain of the cutter, and he will tell you all about it,” added Wade.

The president of the bank introduced himself to Capt. Singleton. They sat down by themselves, and the latter told the whole story.

“Now, sir, I want to say in conclusion, that you owe the discovery of the defaulter to the Brooks boy,” said the captain of the cutter; “and I have found that he told me the truth in all matters.”

“I will make it all right with him,” said the president. “Wade tells me that my son and another runaway boy are on board.”

“Yes, sir; and your son charges Wade Brooks with the stealing of two hundred dollars.”

“I know that the charge is false,” replied Capt. Trustleton earnestly. “The Swikes boy stole the money from his father; and I have no doubt that my son divided it with him. The Brooks boy was not in Midhampton when the money was taken. Even the boy’s father believes he is guilty now.”

Presently Lon and Matt came on deck; and of course they were surprised to see Capt. Trustleton there. The father treated his son very sternly, telling him that he had disgraced himself and his family. For the first time Lon felt sorry for what he had done.

“How much of the stolen money have you left?” asked Capt. Trustleton.

“Not much,” answered Lon evasively.

“Don’t answer me in that way, Alonzo!” said his father severely. “Tell me the truth at once.”

“I have over ninety dollars, and Matt has about the same,” replied Lon, alarmed at the unusual severity of his father.

“Give it to me.” Lon obeyed, and gave his wallet to his stern parent.

“Give me yours, Matthew,” added the captain, turning to Matt.

Matt was afraid to refuse, and gave up the old wallet he had taken, with the money it contained. Lon and Matt both protested that they had no more; but Capt. Trustleton was not satisfied till he had searched them both.

“Now, if you attempt to run away again, I will hand you over to the police, and let you stand your chance of serving out a term in the penitentiary,” added Capt. Trustleton.

The cashier was completely overwhelmed when he met the president of the bank face to face. He trembled like an aspen, though the captain was more gentle with him than he had been with his son. But he was determined that the defaulter should pay the penalty of his crime. He was handed over to the proper officers, and in due time was sent to Midhampton to be tried for his offence; and was sent to the State Prison for a term of years, in spite of all the influence that could be brought to bear in his favor.

Capt. Trustleton and the three boys landed, and went to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.