The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

HAMPTON OF “Oh, we might have known it!” he wailed. ‘The man is too shrewd to be caught napping.”’ “But you can’t start up a house-boat at a moment’s notice, as you would a racing launch!” Jerry protested. “It has to be towed from place to place, you know; and it moves slowly.” On sudden impulse he started and ran along the shore, followed by his com- panion, and knocked at the door of the big . house-boat that was drawn up on the land. He had improved his appearance in a measure while in the taxi, and the pleas- ant-faced woman who had welcomed him on the occasion of his adventure with Kingsale was no less cordial when she came to the door. She was busy with preparations for breakfast and her sleeves were rolled to the elbow, but she cour- teously invited the two men in. Jerry demurred politely. ‘“‘We came up here,” he said, “‘to pay an early call on the gentleman that occupied the house-boat just off shore, but the boat is gone. I thought you might be able to tell us something about it.” From the woman’s manner it was evi- dent that she was not in Exmoor’s confi- dence, and she appeared eager to give in- formation. “T own some of these house-boats and rent them for the season,” she said, “but that gentleman came here in the boat and got leave to anchor here; that’s all. I never saw much of him, and I didn’t hap- pen to hear who he was. He used to come and go, sort of irregular; sometimes he’d be away from his boat for two or three days. After a while a young gentleman came and stayed with him.” “Ves, I know that,” interjected Jerry. “T thought you might be able to tell me when the boat was taken away.” “Oh, it was towed away early this morning; the sun had scarcely risen,” she answered readily. “If I hadn’t been up earlier than usual, I shouldn’t have known anything about it. I heard an automobile up on the street, and when I looked out I saw the two gentlemen and a lady come THE HEIGHTS. 73 down and go out to the house-boat in the gentleman’s little boat. Right away after that—so soon that I hadn’t stopped look- ing—a good-sized motor-boat came up the river, hitched on and towed ’em away. I guess they had it engaged all ready to do the job.” “They went up the Hudson, I sup- pose?” queried Jerry, trying to conceal his agitation. “Oh, no, they didn’t,” said the woman. — “Seems they were headed for the Sound— round City Island, or somewhere like that, I guess. The motor-boat took ’em away in pretty good shape, and they went right down under the bridge.” “Tf would like to overtake them if I could,” announced Jerry calmly. “I can run an ordinary motor-boat myself. I wonder if I could hire one around here anywhere?” ‘““There’s our old one, right there at the landing,” she said quickly. “If you can run it all right yourself, it'll only be two dollars an hour. I'll send my son out to fill the tank right away.” | Delroy produced some money and they paid her in advance for three hours; then, while the young man made the boat ready they went back and dismissed the taxicab. Delroy was a trifle timorous about em- barking on such an expedition, but when Jerry swung out from the landing in good form and started down the river at a lively clip he was reassured. - They were silent for the most part, Del- roy sitting in the stern and scanning the stream ahead, while Jerry devoted himself to the motor and tiller. They flew under the bridges and dodged the scows and barges of the river traffic without curtail- ing their speed. “What chance have we of catching them?” Delroy asked dully, after a long silence. | “Every chance,” Jerry replied, “unless they pull into some dock and conceal the boat. No matter how fast their motor craft is, the house-boat can’t be made to give up her resistance any more than any scow.” we EOPMICLOOOLX< (C@