“It is near noon; if you all feel as I do you would welcome a good dinner.”
“That’s the most sensible sense that I’ve heerd since we started,” remarked Mike, who was as hungry as his companions.
“It is not a long run to Wiscasset,” said Alvin; “and there’s more than one good hotel there.”
“I’m thinking that at the speed ye’re going, we’ll hardly arrive in time for supper. There must be some place betwixt here and the town where we can git enough to stay the pangs of starvation till we raich Wiscasset.”
“We shall pass several landings, and there are farmhouses along shore where I’m sure the folks will be glad to accommodate us.”
The others were not much impressed with Mike’s plan, but since there was plenty of time at their command, they fell in with it. Alvin suggested that all should keep a lookout for an inviting dwelling, when, if a good landing could be made, they would stop and investigate.
Chester offered to relieve his chum at the wheel, and Alvin was quite willing to exchange places with him. The occurrences of the last hour or more, together with what was said by Detective Calvert, had increased the confidence of the youths in him. True, they could not understand the full object of this cruise up the river, after gaining sight of the launch and the occupants for whom he had been searching. They were content to await explanation on that point, but Alvin determined that one or two things which puzzled him and Chester should be cleared up.
“Accepting what you said last night at my home, Mr. Calvert, I must say for myself and friend that we do not understand some of your actions. Perhaps you won’t mind explaining them.”
“I shall be glad to do so, if it is prudent at this time.”
“You will pardon me for saying that in our opinion you acted foolishly when you followed us off the steamer the other day at Sawyer Island, pretended you had made a mistake in landing there, and then dogged us to that little inlet. We saw you several times, but you either wished or pretended you wished to keep out of our sight, as, for instance, after crossing that long bridge from Hodgdon to Barter Island. You followed us, but when we stopped at the side of the road to wait for you, you slipped among the trees and made a circuit round the spot. Why did you do that?”