Fenn Masterson's Discovery Part 21

"I'm going to," announced Fenn, decidedly.

"Yes, you're going to do a lot," returned Ned, with a laugh. "You were going to collect minerals, but I haven't seen you stowing any away lately, for your collection."

"That's so, I forgot all about 'em," admitted Fenn. "I've got lots of time, though. You can't get any minerals out here," and he motioned to the expanse of water that surrounded them. "But I'm going to look into this Chinese business, though."

"How?" asked Frank. "We're going farther and farther away every minute."

"That's all right. We can come back," announced Fenn.

"I thought you were going to Bayville to see Mr. Hayward, and--er--Miss Ruth," went on Bart. "Especially Ruth."

"Well, I may yet," replied Fenn. "Bayville isn't so far from here. In fact it's within a short distance of where we anch.o.r.ed in that bay."

"How do you know?"

"I asked the captain," replied Fenn. "I was thinking of taking a boat and rowing there, if we'd stayed long enough."

"But how do you figure on getting there now?" asked Ned.

"I'm coming back, after we get to Duluth," was the answer. "Captain Wiggs has got to remain there for some time, and I don't see what there is to keep us. It's a city, and we've had enough of city life for a while. I was going to propose that, after we'd been there a couple of days, we go off on a little side trip, coming back in time to go home on the _Modoc_."

"Good idea!" exclaimed Bart. "We could go on a little camping expedition."

"That was my idea," added Fenn. "We've got enough money with us to hire a tent and a small outfit, all we'll need for a week or so. We've been camping in the woods before, and we know how to take care of ourselves.

This cruising business is fine, but it's too lazy a life to suit me."

"No, I s'pose we haven't had any excitement since we started," commented Frank sarcastically. "There was the elevator fire, those men chasing us; Ned nearly being pulled overboard with a fish; getting caught in the lock; the steamer on fire and the queer men on the cliff. Oh, yes, we've lived a very quiet and sedate life since we left home, Oh, yes, exceedingly quiet."

"Well, I mean--Oh, you know what I mean," said Fenn. "We need more action--the kind we'll get if we go off on a trip by ourselves."

"That's right," agreed Ned. "I'm with you, Stumpy. The sooner the quicker."

"When do we get to Duluth?" asked Bart.

"Very soon now," answered Captain Wiggs, who, coming up behind the boys, overheard the question. "I suppose you are all ready to enter port?" and he looked quizzically at the boys.

"Ready. How do you mean?" asked Fenn.

"Why you can pa.s.s the quarantine regulations, I suppose? Let me look at your tongues!"

The boys were so surprised that, hardly knowing what they were doing, they stuck them out for the captain's inspection.

"Bad, very bad," he murmured. "I'll have to attend to this at once." And he laughed heartily.

"Sold again!" exclaimed Frank, as he drew in his tongue. "I thought we were going to get even with him."

"So we are," declared Bart. "If not now, on the trip home. We owe him another one now."

They were soon busy getting things in shape to go ash.o.r.e and, when the _Modoc_ tied up at a big wharf, they were all ready to go to the hotel the captain had recommended, there to stay a couple of days, until they could start on their little exploring expedition.

The captain had offered no objection to this, and had told them the best route to take.

"But you must be back in time to sail with me on the homeward trip,"

cautioned the captain, mentioning the date and time he expected to start. "I'll not wait for you, remember. The _Modoc_ suffered very little damage from the fire. Less than I feared and there will be no delay."

"We'll be here on time," Fenn a.s.sured him.

The boys spent two busy days preparing for their side trip, and, bright and early one morning, they took a train that was to convey them to a little settlement, whence they were to start for a jaunt through the woods, carrying their simple camping outfit with them.

CHAPTER XIX

FENN BECOMES ILL

"Well, now, what's our program?" asked Frank when the four Darewell chums were in the railroad train, speeding through the outskirts of Duluth. "I s'pose Fenn will make a bee line for Bayville and see Ruth."

"I intend to go there, not only to see Ruth, but to see her father,"

announced Fenn coolly. "It's no more than right, is it? He invited us to come and see him, if we ever got out this way, and here we are. It would be mean not to pay a visit."

"Oh, yes, Stumpy," remarked Ned. "We know just how you feel about it,"

and he laughed, whereat Fenn blushed, for he was rather sensitive concerning his liking for young ladies.

"Leaving Mr. Hayward out of it, what do you intend to do, after we've got our camp established?" asked Frank, looking at Fenn, with whom this idea had originated.

"I'm going to see what those men were doing on the cliff," was the decided answer. "Maybe they were Chinese smugglers. If they were--"

"Yes, if they were I s'pose Stumpy will climb up there single handed, make 'em all prisoners, and then write a half-dime novel about it," put in Bart.

"Not exactly," answered Fenn. "I don't see what's to hinder me giving information to the government, though, about the smugglers, if that's what they are. I understand there's a reward for that sort of information, and I could use a bit of spare cash as well as any one."

"That's so!" exclaimed Ned. "I didn't think about that. I'm with you, Stumpy."

"You'll want half the reward, I guess," interjected Bart.

"Sure," said Ned. "Who wouldn't? Why can't we all go in on this thing?"

"Of course we can," declared Fenn. "We'll go camping somewhere back of that cliff, and then we can--"

"Hus.h.!.+ Not so loud!" suddenly cautioned Frank. Then, bending his head closer to his chums, as they were sitting in two seats facing each other he added: "There's a man a couple of seats back who's been watching us pretty sharply ever since we began talking this way. I don't like his looks."

"Where is he?" asked Fenn in a whisper.

"Don't look now," replied Frank, making a pretense of pointing out the window at a bit of scenery. "He's staring right at us. It's the man with the light hat, with a white ribbon band on, whom I mean. You can size him up as soon as he turns his head."

The boys cautiously waited for an opportunity, and took a quick inspection of the man Frank had indicated. He was a total stranger to the four Darewell lads, as far as any of them knew, but it did not take long to disclose the fact that the man was much interested in them.