The Go Ahead Boys on Smugglers' Island Part 29

"I hadn't thought of that," said Fred quickly. "That's the very thing we'll do. Come on, Jack," he added, turning to his companion. "We'll go to the telegraph office right away. Will you tell us where it is, please?" he asked of the restaurant keeper.

Stepping outside his door the proprietor pointed to the office and after they had thanked him for his kindness John and Fred at once started for the place.

Their troubles, however, were not ended, for again they found their appearance decidedly against them. The telegraph operator refused to take any message that should be paid for at Mackinac. He also refused to listen to any of their explanations and in response to the appeals of the boys explained that he had to be governed by the rules of the office.

Even with all their protests and pleadings the boys were unable to induce the operator to change his decision. He still refused to accept the message and as the boys were without money it was impossible for them to prepay it.

Fred and John when they withdrew from the telegraph office were not so disconsolate as they had been when they had met their first rebuff. The ample breakfast they had secured had done much to bring back their courage and again they were Go Ahead Boys in earnest.

On the sidewalk the two boys stopped once more to think over their difficult condition.

"What shall we do now?" asked John.

"Anybody can ask questions," laughed Fred. "If I could answer it I would be very glad to."

"Have you anything to suggest?"

"Yes," replied Fred quickly as a sudden inspiration came to him, "it can't be very far from here to Mackinac Island. Suppose we go back to the dock and see if we can't arrange for our pa.s.sage."

"They will meet us with great enthusiasm," said John laughing slightly as he spoke. "Probably they'll hail us as the very fellows they have been waiting for."

"But we won't look so much like tramps when we get our other clothes on."

"Maybe not," a.s.sented John, "but we'll have to find that out later. Come on back and we'll see what we can do now."

When the boys returned to the dock their anger was almost as great as their surprise when they discovered that the boat in which they had come had resumed its voyage.

"And they said," declared Fred bitterly, "that they were going to hang up here six hours. They have gone in less than three."

"Well, they are paid for our pa.s.sage anyway. They have got two suits of clothes and that's something."

"It is that," said Fred smiling ruefully as he spoke. "Just now I think it's a good deal. When I look at the things you have on, Jack, and then think of that beautiful suit sailing away over Lake Superior, I'm almost ready to weep!"

"Don't! Don't!" said John. "It doesn't affect me that way. When I see you as you are now and then think of you as I have seen you all dolled up and even your shoes polished, to say nothing of that red necktie you wear so frequently, I don't feel like weeping, I feel like yelling."

"It doesn't make any difference," said Fred. "Our boat's gone. Now what is the best thing for us to do?"

"To go ahead," said John.

"Come on then," said Fred briskly.

Together the two boys made inquiries at various places, but did not discover any boats leaving in the near future that would land them at the place they were seeking. After several inquiries they were directed to the office of the great steamboats, which made the long voyage from Buffalo to Duluth and return. The appearance of the boys, however, was so markedly against them that they were unsuccessful in arranging for their pa.s.sage.

"It looks as if the Go Ahead Boys had gotten to the end of their journey," said John when the boys once more were on the street.

"Don't you believe that for a minute," said Fred. "The only time it is necessary for a man to show that he has any grit is when he is in trouble. If there weren't any hard things to be done there wouldn't be any need of a fellow bracing up to do them. If everything was smooth and easy all the time everybody would get along. It's just because the way is a little hard that there's need for us to go ahead. We'll find a way yet, Jack. Come on back to the dock."

Neither boy was disheartened when after three or four more attempts to arrange for a pa.s.sage they found even their strongest pleadings without avail.

"We're simply up against it," said John.

"And that's the time to go ahead," declared Fred. "Come on and we'll try that fellow yonder." As he spoke he pointed toward a motor-boat at the lower end of the dock on which the boys were standing. The boat was old and greatly in need of paint. A disconsolate appearing individual whom the boys suspected to be the owner, manager, chief stockholder and captain of the little craft sat on the dock swinging his long legs over the water.

The boys were able to see that the man had bright red hair and that his face was covered with huge freckles or splotches of a dark, reddish brown hue. He was apparently about thirty years of age, long, ungainly and awkward in his every action.

"Let's go see him," suggested Fred.

"He doesn't look as if he knew enough to run a boat even to the bottom,"

responded John, nevertheless joining his friend as they advanced toward the man.

"You didn't expect the most intellectual individual in the world to be running a tub like that, did you?" demanded Fred, as they came nearer and obtained a closer view of the peculiar individual. "If he knew more he wouldn't be around here in a worn-out old tub."

"Go ahead," laughed John, "I'll leave the interview to you."

"I'm glad to see that you have come to your senses at last," declared Fred soberly. "It's a good thing sometimes to know that you don't know."

"That's right," retorted John, "and it's better yet not to know so many things that aren't so."

"You just listen," said Fred, as he turned toward the stranger who had glanced at the approaching boys and then resumed his former position.

"Good morning," called Fred cheerily.

"Hey?" answered the man.

"I said good morning," repeated Fred striving to speak cheerfully.

"I hadn't noticed. Is it?" said the man glancing toward the sky as he spoke. "Most of these mornings up here have been foggy. We have had the worst weather this summer I ever see. Seems to get worse all the time."

"Don't you know that Ruskin says there isn't any bad weather? There are just different kinds of good weather."

"Ruskin, who's he? I never heard tell o' him."

"He doesn't live here at the Sault," acknowledged Fred. "Never mind the weather. What I want to know is can you take us in your motor-boat to Mackinac Island?"

"I guess I can," said the man whose little reddish brown eyes narrowed as he gazed shrewdly at the boys as he spoke. "Depends on whether you got the price or not."

"How much will you charge to take us?"

"Both of you?"

"Yes."

"I'll charge ten dollars."

"All right, we'll pay it."

"Will you pay it now?"