Dick Hamilton's Steam Yacht; Or, A Young Millionaire and the Kidnappers

by Howard Roger Garis

Newton and Murdock, who were shrewd scoundrels, figured that when the parent of the kidnapped boy learned that he was gone, he would reveal his true name, and that Dick would thus discover his relative. The kidnappers also thought that nothing would be more natural than that the young millionaire would offer the use of his yacht to aid his mother's relative recover his son.

Things turned out just as the scoundrels desired, though not exactly in the order on which they counted, for Dick did not discover his relatives' identity until on the island.

But he did sail for the lonely place, as we have seen, and Uncle Ezra, and the men whom he had hired, were on the watch. The crabbed old man thought that if he could capture Dick's yacht, it would so discourage his nephew that he would give up the cruising notion, and so save his money.

Watching their opportunity, Newton, Murdock and the others stole out from their hiding-place, when Dick and his companions were ashore, seeking for the Cuban, and captured the Albatross, as I have said. They had no intention of leaving the young millionaire and his friends to starve, for Mr. Larabee insisted that they must return, and take off his nephew after a few days. They knew there was food enough on the island to last them all for some time.

But dissensions arose among the scoundrels, when they had put out to sea, and quarrels delayed the return of the yacht to the island. In the meanwhile, the Princess had been sold, and the entire party went aboard the Albatross, the captain and crew of which, with the exception of the cook, were kept close prisoners.

Finally, Mr. Larabee, anxious about his nephew, prevailed upon Newton and the others to return to Stone Island, but Dick and his chums had set off on their raft. Not finding the young millionaire, and fearing that the entire party had perished, Mr. Larabee was a very much frightened man. He did not know what to do, fearing to return home, and face Mr. Hamilton, yet dreading to leave the vicinity of the island, where he had left his relative after confiscating his yacht.

So the crabbed old man, and his companions cruised about, hoping to hear some news from the marooned party, yet being afraid to venture into port to make inquiries, for they reasoned that search would be made for them, because of the kidnapping. Thus they sailed aimlessly about until the Golconda sighted them, and, suspecting from the manner in which she headed directly for them, that she was looking for them, Murdock and his cronies turned and fled, Mr. Larabee urging them to speed away from what he feared would prove to be the grip of the law.

The rest is known; how Mr. Larabee, leaning too far over the rail, to watch the chase, fell overboard and was rescued by the vessel Dick had hired. Captain Barton told how he and his crew, about this time, broke from their prison, having sawed their way out by tools furnished by Hans, the cook. They had a hard, desperate, but short struggle to subdue Murdock and his men, but succeeded the more easily as the firemen and engineers were becoming dissatisfied with Mr. Larabee's treatment of them.