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"What are you doing here, Sam?" "Where'd you find the 'Hoppergrass'?" "Why aren't you at Rogers's Island?" "Why didn't you come back to Lanesport?" "Why did you try to run away from us?" "Who are those fellows in the dory?" The last question struck me as the one to be answered.
Daddles went for the clams, after the latter had changed his bathing-suit for a shirt, and a pair of duck trousers. Captain Bannister sailed the "Hoppergrass" quarter of a mile below the beach, put about, and came back in time to pick them up when they returned in the tender. Mr. Daddles was interested in the idea of a clam-chowder.
Of course they did not find me at the Eagle House, so they decided to make for Rogers's Island. They were on their way when they sighted us. It was our action, in altering our course, that made them think there might be something in the theory that the "Hoppergrass" had been stolen by the burglars.
Can't you get it now?" I did get it that time, and we took it back to the "Hoppergrass." "You ought to have gaffed it, you know," remarked Jimmy. Captain Bannister climbed on board. "Come on, boys," he said, "we want to get under way while this breeze holds. It don't amount to much now. Sam, you take Clarence ashore, and get back as quick as you can.
While he was down there, hunting for it, his brother and I watched the yacht and the two smaller sailboats behind us. The yacht and the boat which came from the direction of Rogers's Island were so situated that a line drawn between them would have formed the base of a triangle at the apex of which was the "Hoppergrass." The other small boat was half a mile or more behind the yacht.
He left the "Hoppergrass" at the wharf, and came up into the town. When he returned, an hour later, his boat had disappeared. One or two men had seen it sail down the river, but in the fog had not noticed who was on board. The Captain "flew round like a coot shot in the head," declared our informant.
"There's someone on board her," said Jimmy Toppan. "Yes," replied Captain Bannister, "it's Clarence. He's havin' some breakfast, I guess. He helped me bring her up river last night, and he slept on board. He aint goin' with us, but he'll help us with this stuff." Then he shouted: "Hey! Clarence!" The "Hoppergrass" was Captain Bannister's boat, he had just bought her.
No one on the "Hoppergrass" was as much interested in this as the Captain and I. So while we talked with the boy, Ed Mason and Jimmy Toppan walked up town to get some supplies, while Mr. Daddles or Billy Hendricks, rather and the two Kidds went to see Mr. Kidd at his office. We had invited all three of them to come with us and finish the week on the "Hoppergrass."
Then I told them about my adventures with the gold makers, and Spook to the Captain's great delight related the troubles of the Kidd brothers on board the "Hoppergrass." Toward five o'clock we got a breeze, and half an hour later sailed up the river again, to Lanesport. "We won't land at Mulliken's Wharf," said Captain Bannister, "I'm kinder superstitious 'bout that."
But Hilda declined to be "jumped out;" and barely touching the proffered hand, sprang lightly to the ground. "Now, Marm Lucy," said Farmer Hartley, "let's see you give a jump like that. 'Tain't so long, seems to me, sence ye used to be as spry as a hoppergrass." Dame Hartley laughed, and climbed leisurely down from the cart.
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