"Weel," replied the engineer with fearful deliberation, "I canna say.But I hae received na orders to that effect.""Can't you whistle her in for me?" asked Thorpe.
"I canna," answered the engineer, promptly enough this time.
"Why not?"
"Ye're na what a body might call freight.""No other way out of it?"
"Na."
Thorpe was seized with an idea.
"Here!" he cried.See that boulder over there? I want to ship that to Mackinaw City by freight on this boat."The Scotchman's eyes twinkled appreciatively.
"I'm dootin' ye hae th' freight-bill from the office," he objected simply.
"See here," replied Thorpe, "I've just got to get that boat.It's worth twenty dollars to me, and I'll square it with the captain.
There's your twenty."
The Scotchman deliberated, looking aslant at the ground and thoughtfully oiling a cylinder with a greasy rag.
"It'll na be a matter of life and death?" he asked hopefully."She aye stops for life and death.""No," replied Thorpe reluctantly.Then with an explosion, "Yes, by God, it is! If I don't make that boat, I'll kill YOU."The Scotchman chuckled and pocketed the money."I'm dootin' that's in order," he replied."I'll no be party to any such proceedin's.
I'm goin' noo for a fresh pail of watter," he remarked, pausing at the door, "but as a wee item of information: yander's th' wheestle rope; and a mon wheestles one short and one long for th' boat."He disappeared.Thorpe seized the cord and gave the signal.Then he ran hastily to the end of the long lumber docks, and peered with great eagerness in the direction of the black smoke.
The steamer was as yet concealed behind a low spit of land which ran out from the west to form one side of the harbor.In a moment, however, her bows appeared, headed directly down towards the Straits of Mackinaw.When opposite the little bay Thorpe confidently looked to see her turn in, but to his consternation she held her course.
He began to doubt whether his signal had been heard.Fresh black smoke poured from the funnel; the craft seemed to gather speed as she approached the eastern point.Thorpe saw his hopes sailing away.
He wanted to stand up absurdly and wave his arms to attract attention at that impossible distance.He wanted to sink to the planks in apathy.Finally he sat down, and with dull eyes watched the distance widen between himself and his aims.
And then with a grand free sweep she turned and headed directly for him.
Other men might have wept or shouted.Thorpe merely became himself, imperturbable, commanding, apparently cold.He negotiated briefly with the captain, paid twenty dollars more for speed and the privilege of landing at Mackinaw City.Then he slept for eight hours on end and was awakened in time to drop into a small boat which deposited him on the broad sand beach of the lower peninsula.
Chapter XXII
The train was just leisurely making up for departure.Thorpe, dressed as he was in old "pepper and salt" garments patched with buckskin, his hat a flopping travesty on headgear, his moccasins, worn and dirty, his face bearded and bronzed, tried as much as possible to avoid attention.He sent an instant telegram to Wallace Carpenter conceived as follows:
"Wire thirty thousand my order care Land Office, Detroit, before nine o'clock to-morrow morning.Do it if you have to rustle all night.Important."Then he took a seat in the baggage car on a pile of boxes and philosophically waited for the train to start.He knew that sooner or later the man, provided he were on the train, would stroll through the car, and he wanted to be out of the way.The baggage man proved friendly, so Thorpe chatted with him until after bedtime.Then he entered the smoking car and waited patiently for morning.
So far the affair had gone very well.It had depended on personal exertions, and he had made it go.Now he was forced to rely on outward circumstances.He argued that the up-river man would have first to make his financial arrangements before he could buy in the land, and this would give the landlooker a chance to get in ahead at the office.There would probably be no difficulty about that.The man suspected nothing.But Thorpe had to confess himself fearfully uneasy about his own financial arrangements.That was the rub.
Wallace Carpenter had been sincere enough in his informal striking of partnership, but had he retained his enthusiasm? Had second thought convicted him of folly? Had conservative business friends dissuaded him? Had the glow faded in the reality of his accustomed life? And even if his good-will remained unimpaired, would he be able, at such short notice, to raise so large a sum? Would he realize from Thorpe's telegram the absolute necessity of haste?
At the last thought, Thorpe decided to send a second message from the next station.He did so.It read: "Another buyer of timber on same train with me.Must have money at nine o'clock or lose land."He paid day rates on it to insure immediate delivery.Suppose the boy should be away from home!
Everything depended on Wallace Carpenter; and Thorpe could not but confess the chance slender.One other thought made the night seem long.Thorpe had but thirty dollars left.
Morning came at last, and the train drew in and stopped.Thorpe, being in the smoking car, dropped off first and stationed himself near the exit where he could look over the passengers without being seen.They filed past.Two only he could accord the role of master lumbermen--the rest were plainly drummers or hayseeds.And in these two Thorpe recognized Daly and Morrison themselves.They passed within ten feet of him, talking earnestly together.At the curb they hailed a cab and drove away.Thorpe with satisfaction heard them call the name of a hotel.
