CHAPTER IX.
A YANKEE TRICK.
It had been the custom of the Club, during their sojourn under Mr. Wilbur’s roof, to pass the hours that intervened between dark and bedtime on the veranda, singing songs, or listening to the stories of one of the sheep-herders. It was to be Fowler’s business to separate Walter from his companions, and, under pretence of telling him something that it was very important he should know, conduct him down a shaded lane a short distance from the house. Bob was to be concealed somewhere along the route, and when they passed his ambush he was to jump out, collar them both (for reasons of his own Fowler wished to have it appear that he was in no way connected with the plot), and march them down to the river-bank, where the boat was waiting for them.
The Club, who had gone off somewhere on purpose to be rid of the young Englishman, were absent so long that Fowler began to be very uneasy, fearing that they might stay until so late an hour that it would be impossible for him to carry out his part of the programme. But they came shortly after dark, to the clerk’s great relief, and after disposing of a hearty supper gathered on the veranda as usual. Fowler had more difficulty in persuading Walter to “take a walk” with him than he had anticipated. The captain’s nephew had taken a great dislike to the clerk, for some reason, and wanted little to do with him; but he yielded at last, and Fowler took him by the arm and led him toward the lane.
As bad luck would have it, they encountered Archie Winters, who was also out for an after-supper stroll. On Walter’s invitation he joined the two and walked with them. This did not suit Fowler. It was a larger party than he had bargained for. Bob had but two hands, and Fowler did not see how he could manage three persons with them. Either Walter or Archie might elude his grasp and slip away in the darkness, and that would be a misfortune. As soon as he had made good his escape he would go straight to the house, tell what had been going on in the lane, and that would lead to an investigation which would probably result in the discovery of the fact that the schooner was missing. That was a matter that must be kept secret as long as possible, in order to give the managers a good long start. After thinking over these points for a few minutes, the clerk turned and went back up the lane again with Walter, paying no further attention to the movements of Archie, who, he hoped, would soon get tired of his walk, and leave the coast clear for him.
“I don’t want to speak in the presence of a third party,” said Fowler. “We’ll come back as soon as Archie goes away.”
“Why not tell me now?” asked Walter. “We are alone.”
“I know, but it is a long story, and it will take me half an hour to go into all the details.”
“Oh, let it go till morning then. I am too tired to spend half an hour more in walking.”
“Perhaps I can tell it in ten or fifteen minutes,” said Fowler.
“Let it go until morning,” repeated Walter.