Dave Porter in the South Seas/Chapter 22
CHAPTER XXII
ABOUT SOME MISSING MEN
The hotel proved to be a one-story building of Spanish architecture, with numerous small windows and a rather low door. It was presided over by a round-faced Englishman, who stared at Billy Dill curiously when the old tar presented himself.
"Do you remember me, Mr. Chadsey?" asked the sailor.
"I do," was the answer. "You were here some years ago. But I cannot recall your name."
"Billy Dill."
"Oh, yes, yes; you were with Mr. Porter and Mr. Lemington," returned the hotel-keeper.
"That's it. I am looking for Mr. Porter now."
"Sorry, but he isn't here."
"Isn't here?" cried Dave, and his heart sank. "Isn't he in town at all?"
"No, he left the island a couple of months ago."
"And where did he go to?"
"I don't know. He said something about going to Sobago Island and something about going to Australia, but where he really did go to, I have not learned."
"This young man is very much interested in meeting Mr. Porter," explained Billy Dill. "His name is Porter, too, and I reckon they are related. Have you any idea where we can find out where Dunston Porter went?"
"Might find out at the shipping offices."
"Why, of course!" exclaimed Dave. "Let us go to the different offices at once."
Billy Dill was willing, and without loss of time led the way to the street upon which the majority of the shipping of Cavasa Island was booked. The offices were mostly small and rather dirty, and around them hung sailors and other men, of various nationalities, and some of them far from preposessing in their general appearance.
They visited two offices without success, and then came to a place located on a corner, with doors on both streets.
"Hello!" cried Roger. "There is Mr. Van Blott just ahead of us! Is this the shipping firm with which Mr. Lawrence does business?"
"I don't think it is," answered Billy Dill.
"Then what is he doing here?"
"Must have a little business of his own," said Dave. "But I don't care. Come along." Just then he was thinking only of his personal affairs.
They entered the office, which reeked of tobacco smoke and the smell of rum. In the rear was another office, and they were just in time to see the supercargo go into this, shutting a partition door behind him.
Looking around, Dave saw a clerk at a corner desk looking over some papers with an elderly German.
"I will be at liberty in a few minutes," said the clerk, in broken English. "Please to take seats," and he pointed to a couple of low benches set against the wall and the partition.
Billy Dill sat down on the bench along the wall and Dave and Roger upon that next to the partition, which was not over seven feet in height. Save for the rattling of the papers at the corner desk the office was very quiet, and the boys readily heard the talk going on behind the partition.
"So you really have some goots on board?" came in a somewhat German voice. "I vos afraid you vould not bring any."
"Didn't I say I'd bring them, Baumann?" returned Jasper Van Blott. "I've got them, and the only question is, how am I to get them here, and when are you going to pay me?"
"I pay so soon as de goots is here," said the German shipping agent. "I not pay a dollar before."
"But you will send your men down to the dock?"
"Oh, yes, I do dot. Vot dime you vonts dem, hey?"
"To-morrow morning at eight o'clock, sharp. Tell them to watch me, and when I wave my handkerchief they can come forward and get the goods."
"How many poxes vos dere?"
"Sixteen, all told. You want to be careful and caution your men. I don't want Captain Marshall to learn what I am"
The boys heard no more, for at this juncture the clerk came forward, having finished his work at the corner desk.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, blandly.
"I am looking for a man who is supposed to have left Cavasa Island by steamer, or sailboat, about two months ago," said Dave. "His name is Dunston Porter. Can you tell me if he shipped from here?"
The clerk looked over a book he drew from a desk.
"I see nothing of the name," he said, after a pause.
"You would have the name, if he had taken passage from here?" questioned Roger.
The clerk nodded. Then, when he found that he could do nothing more for them, he dropped into an easy chair, lit a black-looking cigar and took up a newspaper.
"There is one more shipping office," said Billy Dill, as he led the way to the street. "We'll go there."
"Dave, did you hear that talk in the back room?" questioned the senator's son, as they were hurrying down the street.
"I did."
"What do you think of it?"
"I think the supercargo is up to some game, and we must tell Phil and Captain Marshall."
"That's just my idea, too, Dave. Let me see, the name of the firm was Baumann & Feltmuller, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
They were soon at the last of the shipping offices. Here the clerk could scarcely talk English, and they had to call in the services of a gentleman who chanced to be present and who could speak the native tongue. A booking list was consulted, and it was announced that Dunston Porter had taken passage for Nanpi, on Sobago Island, just six weeks before.
"Six weeks!" cried Dave. "I hope he is there still. Now, how can I communicate with him, Roger?"
"You can send him a letter," answered Roger. "But you must remember that the Stormy Petrel is going to Nanpi as soon as her cargo for this town is unloaded."
From the shipping clerk they learned that Dunston Porter had gone to Sobago alone—that is, without his partner, Mr. Lemington. A further searching into the shipping lists revealed the fact that the partner had sailed for Australia seven weeks past.
"I reckon they dissolved partnership," observed Billy Dill, "an' one went his way, an' tudder the other way. An' I likewise guess they didn't git thet treasure."
There was now nothing to do but to return to the bark, and this they did without delay. The boys found that Captain Marshall had gone ashore on business, and so called Phil aside and related to him what had been heard in the office of Baumann & Feltmuller.
"You are right—there is something in the wind," said the shipowner's son. "I wish the captain was here, so I could consult with him."
"He'll be back soon, won't he?" questioned Roger.
"He said he might not be back until late this evening."
Phil was interested in what Dave had to tell about Dunston Porter, and said he would urge the captain of the Stormy Petrel to set sail for Nanpi at the earliest possible moment.
It was not until ten o'clock that Jasper Van Blott came back to the bark. He immediately walked up to the first mate and the pair engaged in conversation for some time. Then the supercargo went to bed, and Roger and Dave did the same. Phil sat up, reading and awaiting the captain's return.
It was almost seven o'clock when the country boy sprang up and awakened the senator's son. Both hurried into their clothes and then into the cabin, where they met Phil, whose face was full of worry.
"What's the matter?" asked both.
"Captain Marshall hasn't come back yet."
"Hasn't come back?" ejaculated Dave. "Do you mean to say he stayed away all night?"
"Exactly; and I don't know what to make of it."
"Did he say he might remain away?" came from Roger.
"No."
"Where did he go?"
"I don't know, and neither does Mr. Shepley."
"What will you do about" began Dave, and cut himself short, as Jasper Van Blott came into the cabin.
"Mr. Van Blott, do you know anything about the captain?" questioned Phil.
"I do not," was the short reply.
"It is queer that he should stay away all night."
"Oh, captains like to have good times occasionally," continued the supercargo, with a sickly grin.
"If you mean by that, that Captain Marshall went off to have a good time, as you put it, I do not think so," returned Phil, coldly. "He is not that sort."
"Perhaps you know him better than I do," flared up the supercargo.
"I know that he is a man who sticks to his duty, Mr. Van Blott. Something has gone wrong, or he would be back."
"As you please." The supercargo paused. "Well, it doesn't matter much," he continued. "I know what to do, and I am going ahead without waiting for him."
"You mean about unloading?"
"Yes."
"Would it not be better to wait until Captain Marshall returns?"
"No, it would only be a waste of time."
No more was said just then, and a few minutes later breakfast was announced. As soon as it was over, Phil called his chums aside.
"I wish you'd do me a favor," he whispered.
"Go ashore and try to hunt up the captain. He must be around somewhere. I will try to hold the supercargo back as much as I can."
Dave and the senator's son were willing, and in less than ten minutes were on the dock and moving for the streets beyond.
"Where are those boys going?" asked Jasper Van Blott, coming up to Phil.
"They are going to look for Captain Marshall."
"Humph!" muttered the supercargo, and said no more.
"I think we had better wait until the captain returns," went on Phil.
"I am not going to wait," snapped Van Blott. "I am going to get that cargo ashore as quickly as it can be done."
And fifteen minutes later the hatches were opened and the work of getting out the boxes, barrels, and casks began.