“Aha!” interrupted Wilson. “I begin to see into things a little. But how did Mr. Bell know that Chase was left in command of the yacht?”
“He didn’t know it—he only guessed it from seeing him so active in setting things to rights.”
“Don Casper,” repeated Perk. “His name is on those boxes in the hold. Who is he?”
“He’s the man to whom we deliver our weapons, and he sends them to the rebels. As I was saying, Mr. Bell wrote this note to Chase, asking him to bring all the crew of the vessel to assist in releasing Fred, and another to Don Casper, and hired the darkey to deliver them and take the boys out to the Don’s in his wagon. But when the mate, who had the management of the affair, reached the yacht, he found that Tomlinson and his crowd, whom he supposed to be visitors from some neighboring vessel, were a part of the crew, and of course he had to get rid of them in some way; so he invited them down to the Stella to get breakfast. Then he went back, gave the negro the notes, and he took Chase and Wilson out to Don Casper’s. After that, the mate returned to the yacht, and taking some arms and ammunition, stowed them away on board the yacht, and wound up by stealing your clearance papers, which Mr. Bell destroyed.”
“And much good may the act do him,” exclaimed Eugene, angrily.
“All’s fair in war,” replied Pierre. “You came here to get us into trouble, and of course if we could beat you at your own game, we had a perfect right to do it.”
“No, you hadn’t,” retorted Wilson. “We were engaged in lawful business, and you were not.”
“No matter; we make our living by it. As time passed, and you did not come back and sail out so that the officers could board you—”
“But why were you so very anxious to have us go out?” asked Walter. “Simply because you wanted us captured?”