Half an hour behind Schofield came the Burns boat, but in that time Code Schofield had already hurried ashore in his dory and clinched his sale price with Bill Boughton, who also assured him of the bonus offered for the first vessel in.
Like Code, the first thing Nat did, when his schooner had come up into the wind with jib and foresail on the run, was to take a dory ashore. In 277 it, besides himself, was a man. These two encountered Code just as he came out of Boughton’s store.
The second, who was tall and broad-shouldered, threw back his coat and displayed a government shield. Then he laid his hand on Code’s arm.
“Captain Schofield,” he said, “you are under arrest!”
CHAPTER XXIX
A FATAL LETTER
For the last of many days the light-housekeeper had watched from his aerie for the coming of the fleet––and had not been disappointed.
His horse and buggy stood by the tower doorstep, and into it he leaped, whipping up the horse with the same motion. Then down the road he had flown like Paul Revere rousing the villagers, and followed by an excited, half-hysterical procession of women and children.