CHAPTER XX
LAW AND LIBERTY
The first thing Captain Sackett did was to look up Dick Reed, who corroborated Anne’s story, and added some important details which she had forgotten. “You come along with me,” said the Captain, “and we’ll catch those moonshiners redhanded, I guess.” The Captain also took Hugh and Victor, saying it would do no harm to have two young soldiers along, in case of accident. Besides the boys, he picked up two of his neighbors, big Bill Chatto the butcher and Lonny Maguire.
Dick was a proud boy that day, to be guide of such a party of veterans, about to show them something which he had discovered by himself; though he did not fail to give Anne credit for the original suggestion.
Captain Sackett’s motor boat already trailed a dory to be used for landing. But at Dick’s suggestion they carried also his canoe, he explaining that with it they could make a swift and silent entrance to that mysterious cove where the moonshiners carried on their lawless business. When the party had almost reached the cove they anchored the motor boat, and divided their forces. Dick took Captain Sackett and Hugh into the canoe, the others following more leisurely in the dory. Swiftly and quietly Dick traced the way between the reefs that concealed the entrance, enjoying the Captain’s amazement that this hiding-place had escaped his notice all these years. He had passed the shore a thousand times on his fishing trips. But only when you approached it in the right way, close up under the rocks, could you spy the cove, open and deep, penetrating the side of the mountain as if a giant had split it with his sword.
The beach was deserted. It was high tide, and the entrance to the cave was lapped by the waves. Some barrels and broken boxes were piled up just above the tide line, perhaps waiting to be shipped. Presently Hugh’s sharp eyes spied a boat moored in the shadow of some spruces close to the shore where the water was deep.
“The men are up in the hut, I guess!” whispered Dick. “We’ve got ’em!” It was a thrilling moment for him. The others seemed excited too, especially Bill Chatto, who turned purple in the face. Very quietly they all landed and drew up the boats on the sand. They made sure that the cave was empty, then in single file they entered the path which Dick showed them, creeping like cats so as not to make the least noise. Captain Sackett led the way, carrying his rifle ready. Hugh and Victor followed with their revolvers. The others armed with axes and carrying ropes brought up the rear.
Presently they came in sight of the hut. But before they spied the curl of smoke coming from the chimney they knew they were not alone in these woods. The hut was occupied. The sound of rough men’s voices quarreling came to them down the path. They lay low in the bushes, listening, while the shouts rose higher and higher. Evidently the men were quite off their guard, so secure were they in this lonely spot. The visitors could see the open door of the hut, and presently out of this door a man came staggering, with a small keg in his hands. He had evidently been drinking. He was coming down the path straight towards where the officer of the law and his party were concealed.
“I know him! Wait till he gets close,” the Captain whispered to the others. “When I give the signal you two lads and I will trip this one up and make a rush on the hut; then you fellers with the ropes can tackle him.”
And that was what happened. “Now!” the Captain whispered, when the tall stranger was only a few feet away. The dazed man was so surprised at the sudden onrush that he staggered and stumbled straight into the arms of the waiting fishermen, whose task was thus made easy. The Captain and the two war-veterans kept on to the hut and burst in at the open door. Everything inside was in great confusion. Bottles, kegs and jugs were overturned and dripping. Broken glass littered the floor. A second man was sitting at the table drinking out of a bottle and banging the boards with his fist, when the party rushed upon him. Before he had a chance to seize a rifle from the wall they had his arms bound. And presently the two men were sitting handcuffed and helpless but roaring at one another outside their hut, guarded by the fishermen, while Captain Sackett, Dick and the two ex-soldiers searched the cabin.