It was out of Peggy’s hands, however. If the girls had never started to find a mystery out for themselves, the result would have been the same.
Before midnight men were hidden in the pirates’ cave, for Tom had fortunately been appointed watch there. Whether tide and hour would permit entrance by water or by plank and the door, they were ready. Tom Carey could tell them little this time, for plans were known only to Bill. The rest followed his orders.
One government boat was to take the yacht, another was to follow the schooner, and lest slippery Bill should escape in the launch, provision was made for that. It was hoped that the entire number of aliens, high and low, might be transferred to the yacht first because of its size. No interference was to be made until after that occurred. Mr. Tudor told Elizabeth that the smugglers were doubtless hoping for fog to conceal their activities.
The first excitement at the Eyrie occurred about ten o’clock that night, when Dalton, uneasy, sauntered down to their cove and discovered the Sea Crest foundered, not in very deep water to be sure, but it was an unwelcome calamity. The Swallow was floating, but Dalton examined it to find that someone had begun to cut a hole in it. “My coming probably frightened the man away,” Dalton reported at the Eyrie. “They do not want the Sea Crest abroad to-night.”
It did grow somewhat foggy, though not enough so to annoy what boats were out upon the bay. Long since the “engine trouble” of the yacht had been overcome and it had steamed away, up the coast and out of sight. Now, shortly after midnight it appeared, regardless of who might see it, well lighted, its pennants waving in honor of distinguished guests. It approached the bay, at full speed and cutting the waves valiantly.
CHAPTER XX
CAPTURE
Peggy and Jack, at Steeple Rocks, had gone to watch for the yacht at the tops of the steps which ran down to the dock where the yacht was expected. At the sight of it, Jack waited, but Peggy hurried in to announce the arrival. Mrs. Ives and Madame Kravetz were sitting in the drawing room, while Timmons, the butler, was in the hall.
“The yacht is coming,” said Peggy in her clear voice, “all lit up and everything. It just passed another vessel that was going along and it’s coming into the bay! Shall I tell Jack to light the lights outside?”
“Timmons will do it. Timmons, rouse the maids if they are drowsy.” But Mrs. Ives wondered at the alarmed expression on the face of the butler, and that Madame Kravetz went outside immediately. Mr. Ives and the Count had gone out to the yacht in the morning, ostensibly to go to the port where he was to meet his guests. Some train must have been late to delay them this long, or perhaps the engines had not worked properly. It was all decidedly queer. She looked at Peggy.
“What’s the matter with ’em?” bluntly asked Peggy.