| Show a 1 f end Out b bu OeL Georte e ethe Ethelbert the ert Walsh M i o AK stance COPYRIGHT W ON THE ISLAND SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS Fishing FIshing In Idle fashion Cashion from a private dock Dick Van Ness watches a n ship the Pelican which ho he recognizes as th his fathers father's yacht before his death and financial reverses forced him to part with it A man whom he hears a girl Mr who 1 0 B Blake accompanies i oc f lands ands J s st t from him address the r yacht as The Tho girl drops her handbag inthe Inthe in inthe the stream and Dick recovers It Thanking him she gives him her visiting card She In is Alice Cutler niece of Stephen Cutler successful business rival of or the theelder theelder theelder elder Van Ness Dick overhears a conversation between Blake Blako and Captain Brent of or the Pelican Pelican Peli- Peli can which tells him the yacht acht is bound on a voyage of or ture Dick determines to conceal conceal conceal con con- ceal himself and sail sail sail-a a stowaway stow stow- away with away with the party Stephen Cutler invalid comes aboard with his niece and the ship sails In his retreat Dick overhears overhears overhears over over- hears conversations between Blake Blatta and Captain Brent which appear to denote something sinister CHAPTER IV IV-C IV Continued IV-Continued Continued 4 Yes yes If Jt nothing happens The b barometers barometer's falling a little but I guess well we'll get ahead of any storm It seems to be breaking behind u us Instead of ahead bea There was a second or two of si sJ si- l lence nce Then Blake added nde- You understand Just what to do When I give the signal you you yo must sail away Dont Don't stop to ask questions and dont don't mind what others sn say Get Getoff Getoff off r at once and hang around Marsh Harsh inlet until you get a wireless from me me Suppose your our wireless a ashore hore dont don't work It will work Ill I'll see to hat Im I'm something of an expert If anything's wrong with it Ill I'll soon repair It Dont Don't worry vorry about that You think you OU can keep the ol old man quiet I Ilie lie He wont won't wO won bother me In any y was as the quiet reply accompanied Dick Dick- Imagined by a smile of conf confidence Well Well good tood night We dont don't want to be seen together alone cI shant shan't speak to you again unless the others othel are around Dick heard them move mo across across the cabin In opposite directions Captain Captain- Brent went outside on the deck and Mr Blake crept back to his state state state- room Dick forgot his cigarette and permitted permitted permitted per per- the light to go out lIe He was pondering the words of the two men They puzzled him him and awakened In his mind the old suspicion that there was something In the cruise not put putdown putdown down lown In the itinerary of Steve Culler Cutler I Ill I'll It he hc decide de de- decided I Iguess guess sleep over o cide smiling Maybe Ia be I wont won't show m myself self quite yet Blakes Blake's a slick chap and Brent Drent looks like a prize fighter r lIe He slept fitfully until morning nn and with the dawn of a a- a anew new da day came a anew anew anew new resolution He lIe would see the adventure ad ad- adventure venture through as planned and not expose his hand until the they landed In Inthe Inthe Inthe the hope that he would overhear more conversation oD to enlighten him he kept his ears open every ery time nn anyone one entered entered entered en en- the cabin but as It was a 0 beautiful beautiful beau benu day most of the passengers remained remained remained re re- on the deck and nothing of ot consequence happened It was late in the afternoon when a commotion on deck aroused him kiln Prom From the tramp or of many feet reet he lie concluded that something unusual had happened but Jut he was a little disappointed when Alice Allce Cutler passed through the cabin find and nd said to her maid Get my things ready really Marie Well We'll Jan land before dark Once again the tile desire to step out of his hiding biding place surged up In Dick b hilt t lie he suppressed it Now that relief from his bli Intolerable position was In sight he didn't want to make fc 11 t bad break brenk If the family landed before dark the yacht would be he partly deserted and the opportunity of stealing forth unobserved unobserved un- un observed cd would come to him h Half an hour bour later the screw of ot the yacht sl slowed wed Its revolutions Dick Judged they were approaching land or passing through some crooked channel chan chan- chanuel Del uel that required caution The en en- room gine-room room ne-room bell clanged repeatedly and the yAcht varied its speed accordingly Then Th came a slight Jar and tion Sharp orders from Brent Drent another another an un- other and then the tile propeller I ceased Its lt activity They were at Valhalla Val Val- al- al halla and the voyagers were landing Dick listened Impatiently to the bustling bustling bustling bus bus- commotion outside until It sub sub- sided He waited a full tull halt half hour after that to make sure they were ashore Then Then he quietly touched the spring t. t controlled on trolled the secret panel and andA ande A e latter flew tle open he craned his head forward The cabin was empty With a smile of or relief he stepped out One Olle foot had scarcely touched the carpeted hoor poor when a 0 shriek that filled tilled the the cabin with echoes startled him Around round the way way from froni him with her hac hack back t the opposite wall crossing herself her her- self with both hands stood Marie Marje her eyes bul bulging Ing with fear Cear She had bad seen him emerge from the dusty compartment compartment compart compart- ment materializing out of ot a n blank wall as It were and all nIl the superstition tion of ot her nature was aroused Shriek after shriek filled the cabin Dicks Dick's first Impulse was to step back and hide again but the girls girl's discovery of him made that course impracticable He lie closed the panel with a touch of ot the spring and sprang back Into the gloom of ot the cabin The door of a n stateroom n stood open and through Ithe It Ithe itlie he lie plunged without looking around At almost the same Instant Captain Brent Drent appeared In the cabin and demanded demanded de de- of ot the maid the matter matter matter mat mat- ter What're you yelling for Marie was unable for tor a few seconds to recover her wits She kept on shrieking and crossing herself until the skipper shook her by hy the arm Quit that I he commanded Shut up and tell me what's the matter A ghost captain she stammered between veen chattering teeth It come rIght right Ight out of the wall come wall come come Ghost your grandmother 1 I growled Brent Drent Now Dick waited to hear no more The stateroom he was in opened directly upon the deck decle He lIe slipped the catch noiselessly and stepped out It was dark and there was no one on that side of ot the yacht In the gloom he saw the dark outlines of trees and rocks with Ith the land rising abruptly from the water to a sort of peak t topped off ocr by a low rambling structure structure ture ure whose chimneys stood silhouetted against the sky sly like gaunt fingers Lights twinkled here and there In Inthe inthe the he distance some stationary others moving and voices broke the stillness occasionally as mr one called to another At his left the phosphorescence of the ocean gleamed fitfully in the half light The yacht had landed at a dock that jutted far tar out Into the water Dick glanced at the Ule end measured the he distance to the Island and decided that his safest way would be to drop overboard and swim ashore The commotion commotion commotion com com- motion In the cabin co caused used by Maries Marie's screams had extended to the dock and running feet feet could be heard op- op pr Climbing over the the- rail rall he lowered himself with a rope until his bis feet to touched ched the water He lie shivered a little lit lit- little I tf tle at the chill chIlI and then dropped noiselessly in the tile cold brine and began swimming quietly toward the shore Maries Marie's alarm after all nIl helped him for It drew th of or the whole crew to the cabin a an he one thought of searching the outside of It pick Dick was pulling 1 himself upon a 0 arock arock r rock rock ck completely sheltered from view He Ite sat there sat there wringing his clothes wh when n Marie accompanied by Brent crossed the gangplank nn and landed on the dock She was still protesting that she had seen a n ghost lIe He carte came right through the wall Brent Drent she moaned I nearl nearly fainted when I saw him You better not Cutler you saw a ghost on his yacht acht If you on dont don't want to be fired tired replied Brent Now get up rip to th the house or Miss Cutler will will Captain Interrupted a a voice out ont of the darkness all nil this noise about Mr Cutler sent me down to inquire Dick Dick- recognized the- the voice olce of ot Mr make Blake ill a I e. e Nothing but a h hysterical woman growled Brent Drent She thought she saw something something-a. a ghost ghost and and she let out a 0 shriek like a 0 fog whistle Hustle her herup herup up to her mistress 1 I got eno enough gh to do without looking after her Oh Mr Blake walled Marie on my word and honor I sow V something u a a man man man- man man- v- v Thought you said It was a ghost jeer Jeered d Brent Drent Well Vell Well sir it Jt I was was was' wasa n a. a man mar ghost a ghost a atall tall tun jyoung amen linin man with 10 dark hair and black blackeyes e eyes es with with with-with with a a- a white face Brent i nt laughed hoarsely We got ot a al alot alot l lot t At o dark dar m men nien n In th the crew crew Marie Marie- Marie eo goo lookers good lookers 1 too I I never v r. r s saw v v him before i hewa he hewa wa pot not In the tile crew crew lIe He was ns different differ differ- ent r ent-r-a gentleman Blake and aud the captain exchanged glances and the latter fatter finally said Well ell if It hes he's aboard Marie Ill I'll find nd wh when n I do Ill I'll bring him up IP for tor you pu lot Identify If ties lies a n gentle gentle- gentleman gent man he lIe wont won't t try try to frighten you youa youn a n al but between you ou and me Ule am and the fishes I dont don't believe belle there was anybody If It there was wa It It Was os one o othe ot of the r w. w Brt r H turned and and d away Marie shuddered Shuddered and murmured Oh Ohno no no sir he wasn't one of the lie crew I know all nil of them G Go up to the house Marie make Blake interrupted sharply Your mistress Is waiting for you CHAPTER V VIn VIn In the darkness Dick timid had h little op opportunity op- op P to explore his surroundIngs surrounding with any degree of ot satisfaction am and andaI aI f 0 sw rather than risk discovery through blundering he contented himself with watching the yacht tied up at the dock until the moon came up Then with Its ra rays ras s making everything as clear as day he climbed the rocks and cautiously made his way In tale Hie direction dl dl- of ot the house It was a big rambling affair In the moonlight low Jow of ot roo roof but spread out over o so much ground that It Jt bulked large arge and formidable It blended so sowell sowell well with the rocks and trees that It seemed a part purt of ot the landscape growing grow- grow ing ng naturally like a huge mushroom from rom the ground Itself Lights twinkled in different win windows dows doves but a portentous silence seemed to o brood over o It t. t There were no voices to 0 break the silence i no lau laughter no music nothing of ot human origin Dick concluded that the occupants were vere SQ tired with their long sea trip that hat rest and sleep were demanding their heir attention This conclusion seemed corroborated when the lights In n the windows began to go out one oneat oneat oneat at a n time until the great building was wrapped in gloom The lust last light to be extinguished was wason wason wason on the upper floor In the front of the building When it disappeared Dick shivered ere slightly as If left su suddenly enly In Inho tho ho cold But Du almost Immediately It flared up again brighter than before It seemed for an Instant that an Increase of ot Its candlepower had been miraculously given to It It twinkled brilliantly for fora a moment and then went out again This did not startle Dick but when Jt it t appeared again nn and went out as before before before be be- fore lie ie blinked lie He stared at the window window winlow win- win dow low watching for Its reappearance It came In time twinkling an Instant as ns before and then went out for tor the thelast thelast last ast time Looks like a signal of some kind lie he le mused the words of ot Blake make to Captain Brent he be swung around and glanced down at nt the dock A peculiarly bright light was shining from the masthead o of the yacht acht and andas andas andas as Dick looked Jt It dipped three times Omes then remained motionless hats Brent Drent answering he said First up at the window and then down at the yacht he glanced watching watch watch- Ing ng for a n renewal of ot the signals but they were not repeated The house bouse was wrapped In darkness and the lights on the yacht stationary But Dut the latter did not remain so BO for long While Dick looked they began began began be be- gan moving mo seaward gliding through he the darkness with an almost Imperceptible imperceptible Imper imper- motion Captain Brent Drent evidently evidently evi evl dently had received his signal from Crom Mr Ir Blake and was leaving with the yacht for tor Marsh Inlet there to wait for further orders by wireless I wonder woner what it all means Dick mused I suppose I ought to arouse old man Cutler and tell him himlie him lIe He was suddenly cut short by two sh shadows dows moving across the moonlit way in his direction He fie had bad barely time to duck behind a clump of bushes before the they were upon pon him Dick caught sight of a man man and woman but their Identity was uncertain until they began to talk I tell you Marie Mr Blake was sa saying a little irritably you must be careful or you ll o spoil the whole plan sor for or us If It you appear too familiar with me me Miss Alice Allee will take talc notice It t was risky for you jou to call me out Suppose shed she'd caught t you at my door What t tiff re ence ce does it Jt make If she did l 1 was the the uTi r k-r k You love me me dont don't you ou Then Villi lie e matters Miss Cutler has hns her lovers I 1 dont don't see why I cant can't have mine too I Dont talk that way Marie interrupted in Jh Blake harshly We cant can't be ordinary lovers not lovers not here 1 i Wh Why n not t We were In the cIr Why is s it different down here Isn't Isit the moonlight beautiful Yes replied Blake moodily I Ia a 0 good night for sailing Captain will of sight long before mo too Ing lag Where Is he going not going not bt tn home No hell he'll hang around until I wi him out hIm out of sight of ot course Ill I'll him b by wireless lIe He suddenly and asked How does J JAlice Alice Allee take tale it She doesn't anything of ot course does she No Wh Why should sh she But Dut in morning shrugging shrug shrugging ln her shoulder It may be different She was furl turl when she found the servants Wert Veri here Now the scene Is to the mysterious Island What the plot TO BE DL CONTINUED |
