The Bell Buoy; or, the Story of the Mysterious Key

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THE BELL BUOY; OR, THE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS KEY. " PUTTING OUT ALL HIS STRENGTH, HE DRAGGED HIS SISTER OVER THE BULWARK." [p. THE BELL BUOY; OR, THE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS KEY. BY F. M. HOLMES, Author of "Plucky Rex," &-c. FRONTISPIECE BY W. RAINEY, R.I LONDON : S. W. PARTRIDGE & CO., 8 & 9, Paternoster Row, E.C. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. IN SERIOUS TROUBLE 7 II. THE ODD LADY 16 III. THE "FROLIC" 25 IV. A FALL 34 V. BLOGGS'S "VERDICKS" 42 VI. THE STRANGE POSTCARD 51 VII. A STRANGE SOUND FROM THE BELL-BUOV . 60 VIII. A "FIX" INDEED 69 IX. WHO DROPPED THE KEY ? ... 78 X. TO CLEMENTS' SIDING 86 XI. THAT "FUNNY PERSON" AGAIN 95 XII. THE ANGRY BULL 102 XIII. A RIDE TO THE RED SAND Ill XIV. A SPILL 119 XV. THE MYSTERY AS GREAT AS EVER .... 129 XVI. THE WANFLETE AGAIN 135 XVII. THE CHAIR CARRIAGE I44 XVIII. THE STORY ON THB WANFLETE .... I53

Chapter I. In Serious Trouble

" V/JI'H Y» what is the row with Maudie, *XA' father ? " " She is in serious trouble, my boy." " Hush, Clanson ! How often have I told you not to speak in that manner ? What is the row, indeed ! You should say, What is the difficulty with Maudie ? " " Oh, that seems so long, aunt, and the other word comes so easy — before I know it ; but, really, what is the matter with Maudie ? " " She is to be expelled from school," said the lady shortly. "What?" And Clanson opened his eyes so wide that his brows seemed to touch the top of his forehead. " Expelled from school ? There must be some mistake ! " " Unfortunately, it seems quite clear," and the lady sadly shook her head till the corkscrew curls all round danced dolefully. " She will be home at mid-day," said his father. " She leaves Silverlea by the early train."

"Home! — mid-day! Then Maudie can come out for a sail with me ! " cried Clanson. " Hush, Clanson ! Really, you must not make so much noise. And you do not seem to think of the disgrace your sister is in ; you only think of carrying her off to play, as if nothing had happened." " Oh, aunt, I don't really think Maudie has done anything disgraceful. There is some mistake, and it will cheer her up to come with me in the boat." " Well, your father must decide," exclaimed the lady, glancing at her brother, who sat looking very thoughtful at the table, eating his breakfast. " I think she ought to be punished, and kept in disgrace until she confesses." "But I don't believe she has done anything to confess, aunt," exclaimed Clanson ; " so how can she confess ? " " I am afraid it is only too clear that she is guilty," answered his aunt.

" She rackets about at home with you, and becomes a perfect tom boy ; then she forgets herself when she goes to school, and does things in haste that she ought not." " Well, aunt, being a tom-boy isn't disgraceful. What is this dreadful thing that she has done ? " " I should not advise so much severity if she were to confess," said the lady, speaking to her brother and not answering Clanson. " But she must acknowledge her fault." " But suppose that Maudie is innocent, Henrietta," said Clanson's father quietly, looking up at his sister with calm, grey eyes. " I have never known Maudie to tell a falsehood yet." " But it seems so clear, Edward," replied his sister. " It does seem clear against her, I admit, in one way," answered he ; " and yet — and yet — I hesitate to believe it when she denies it so positively."

" What is it that they say she has done, father ? " asked Clanson again. " We do not think it well for you to know," said his aunt ; " at least, not at present." " Well, father, may Maudie come with me in the boat this afternoon ?" asked Clanson. " I cannot fix it now, one way or the other," answered his father gravely. " We must try to be just and kind, Henrietta," he continued, looking at his sister. " If we think that Maudie is guilty, we ought not to allow her to enjoy herself in the boat with her brother on the very first afternoon she is at home in disgrace ; but '—but, if she is not guilty — and I really doubt it — then, poor child, she will want cheering up, as Clanson says. I fear she has suffered severely." There was a sorrowful pause, and then the irrepressible Clanson asked — " May I go with you to the train, father, to meet Maudie ?

" " Oh, your lessons, my boy ! " said his aunt. " You must be busy over them, especially as you are to have a half-holiday this afternoon." " But Mr. Glanville says I have really been making progress lately," protested Clanson ; " and I will put on a spurt, so as to finish all my work a little sooner. It will only be half-an hour earlier, father, to go with you." " Well, if Mr. Glanville says you have finished all your work satisfactorily you may go. But, mind, no skipping." " No, father." " And you may tell Bloggs to bring the waggonette round at a quarter-past twelve." "Yes, father," and Clanson rose to depart " One thing more, my son. If we should allow Maudie to go with you this afternoon, I think it would be better for you not to speak to her about — about her return home." " Yes, father."

And the boy hurried away. A few minutes afterwards he had plunged into the mysteries of Virgil, and Euclid, and French verbs with his tutor. This term he was studying at home a few hours daily, for a short time previously he had been prostrated by an exhausting attack of fever; and the doctor had thought it wiser that he should not return to the big public school until his strength was fully established. He was now quite well, but the term was nearing its close, and it had been decided that he should remain until after the holidays. The morning seemed to pass very slowly to Clanson — it is a way that mornings have when boys are at school — and Mr. Glanville seemed particularly exacting ; but a quarter-past twelve struck at last. "Has he done all his work thoroughly?" asked Clanson's father, entering the room a few minutes afterwards, and buttoning on a pair of driving gloves.

" Yes, I think so," replied the tutor. " It might be better if he translated these fifty lines of Latin again. But to meet his sister I think we can excuse him a little earlier ; and he really has worked fairly well to-day." " I am glad of it," said his father. " You may come then, Clanson." While Clanson was hustling away his books and papers, Mr. Glanville remarked lightly — " Miss Maud is returning early for her holi days." " Yes, a few weeks earlier than usual," replied the father shortly. "We shall be having a young lady named Etta Lynne to stay with us in the holidays. She attends the same school as your daughter, Mr. Urquhart, so that will be pleasant for both. We must arrange some nice picnics and parties in the holidays, Clanson." " Yes, sir. "And when does Etta come?" asked Mr. Urquhart, foreseeing trouble ahead.

" When the school closes for the term — quite at the end of July." Mr. Urquhart seemed rather annoyed. " Come, Clanson," said he abruptly ; " are you ready? Good morning, Mr. Glanville." And as he was driving to the station, he remarked to his son — " It is very vexing to have news of Maudie's expulsion brought to our very doors, so to speak, by this child who will stay at Mr. Glanville's." " Oh, perhaps she won't know much about it, father," said Clanson cheerfully. "Anyhow, I don't believe Maudie has done anything very wrong, and I shall act as if I believed her innocent. So I do not care for any Etta Lynnes." The whip cracked smartly, and the horse bounded forward. " We shall be late for the train if we are not quick," said Mr. Urquhart. The station could be reached almost as speedily by walking across fields and by-paths as by driving along the high road, and Clanson used sometimes to cut across that way quickly to the station.

It was a terminus, and he was fond of going thither and watching the shunting of carriages and goods waggons, and the arrival and departure of trains. Something of interest to him seemed always to be proceeding there. " I wonder if old Bob Smithson will be down to-day," he remarked. "And who is Bob Smithson?" asked his father. "He is a jolly fellow — a regular brick! He is one of the engine-drivers, who often comes down here. To-day is not his day; but the men come sometimes out of their turn. I never understand exactly why ; but it is something to do with other trains — special excursions, and so forth — on the main line, I believe." " Why, how do you know all this ? " " Oh, I pick it up from the men. There are three engines that regularly come down here, and sometimes others. But the three regulars are the ' Pegasus ' — that's Bob Smithson's ; the ' Serpent,' that's Tom Nokes's — I don't care much for Tom Nokes ; and the ' Buffalo ' — that's Bill Renton's — he's all right too; but Bob Smith son's the best — he is a brick !

He gives me rides on his engine when he is shunting the goods waggons." " Oh ! " said his father. " Ought that to be allowed ? " " Yes, indeed, father ; I am sure you would not mind — he is really a good fellow. I told him that the name of his engine meant ' winged horse,' and he was very pleased and said it was a very good name for Peg — he always calls his engine Peg, for short ; and I'm sure, father, he is as fond of his engine as you are of your horse ! " " I daresay he is. Hullo, there is the train coming." They had just rounded a corner in the road which brought them into full view of the station and the railway line running into it. " We shall be in time," said Clanson ; " they will wait a few minutes outside the station to take tickets." Mr. Urquhart urged his horse forward, and in another minute or two the waggonette stood near the station.

A boy held the creature's head, and Mr. Urquhart and Clanson went on to the platform, there to anxiously await the arrival of the carriages which were slowly rolling in towards them. Eagerly the two scanned the carriage windows as they passed. " There she is ! " cried Clanson, hurrying forward.

CHAPTER I

I. THE ODD LADY. aOULD that tear-stained, woe-begone, shrinking face belong to the bright, fear less sister whom Clanson remembered but a few months ago ? With admirable tact, however, he made no reference to her altered appearance, but sprang forward at once — even before his father — to welcome her with a bright smile and cheery boyish greeting. She took his hand and clung to it tightly, but scarcely spoke as she alighted from the carriage. Then she looked up shyly at her father, as if half afraid of what he might say, or do. He bent down and kissed her kindly, and said, " Come along, and let us see to your luggage," almost as though there was nothing wrong. So between father and brother she walked along the platform, gulping down her sobs and trying hard not to shed tears. Everybody seemed to know Mr. Urquhart and his children, and to have a word with them ; but at last they found themselves in the waggonette, driving homeward.

" Well, and was Bob Smithson on the engine to-day, Clanson ?" asked his father. " No, not to-day. It was Tom Nokes's turn with the ' Serpent,' and he was there. I am glad Bob has not come, because now he is likely to be down the day after to-morrow in his proper turn." " Who is Bob Smithson ? " asked Maudie. So Clanson had to explain to her who that interesting individual was, and as the brother and sister talked cheerfully together, their father was glad to see some of the heavy gloom vanish from his daughter's face. But presently her countenance clouded over again, as she said timidly — "How is Aunt Henrietta? Does she think I — I — am guilty?" " Maudie," said her father very kindly, but also rather solemnly, " tell me yourself, honestly, are you guilty ? " " Oh, father, could you think I would keep on denying it if I did do it ?

" And she looked up at him reproachfully with tears in her eyes. "No, my dear," and he bent down and kissed B her tenderly ; " but I wanted to hear straight out from you, yourself. You have never told me a falsehood yet, and I believe what you say." " I had nothing whatever to do with it, father," she said quietly ; " but once they worried me into saying I did." " Why, how was that ? Miss Botcherby did mention in her letter from Silverlea that you had confessed once, and afterwards denied it." " Yes, it was like this. That nasty, horrid Etta Lynne " " Etta Lynne ! " exclaimed Clanson. " Yes, what do you know about her ? " asked Maud quickly. " Nothing, only she is coming to stay at the Glanvilles' presently." " Is she ?" exclaimed Maud in dismay. " Oh, yes. Well, we don't mind ! Fire away, Maudie.

What about Etta ? Sorry I interrupted. Etta " " Yes, Etta came to me one day — nasty, sly thing ! — when I was dreadfully worried, and said she was sure that if I would only confess, Miss Botcherby would forgive me and nothing more would be heard of it; and so, for the sake of peace and quietness, I just said I did do it." "You should not have said that," remarked her father gravely. " No, I know I should not, and I was sorry for it, and said so afterwards; but Etta and several of them, they all pin me down to that now, and so — so here I am." And she burst into a flood of tears. " Oh, don't cry; don't cry! " exclaimed Clan son hastily. " Try and not think anything more about it. Look here ; will you come out in our new boat this afternoon ? Father says you may if you like — don't you, father ?

She is called the Frolic : she is a stunner, I can tell you. You've not forgotten how to steer, I hope ? " " I think not, Clan," she answered sadly. " Let me see : you move the rudder this way when you want to go to the right ; and so, when you want to go to the left." "No, no; just the other way about," replied he, laughing. " Oh, of course. How stupid of me ! I expect this wretched affair has made me forget." " You will soon get into it again," said Clan son encouragingly. " It will be a beautiful afternoon, I expect, and perhaps we will get the sail up and the trawl-net out. W'hat fun if we catch enough fish for breakfast to-morrow morning ! " " I expect you are very clever at trawling now," said Maudie. " No ; I have not had much practice with the net lately." " Does Aunt Henrietta think like you ?

I mean, does she say I am guilty ? " asked Maudie again presently. " Oh, she will be all right," answered Clanson evasively. " Your aunt will be very kind and tender," said her father. " She loves you very much, and does a great deal for you, and you must be loving and obedient to her." " But does she think me guilty ? " persisted Maudie. " I am not absolutely certain that she does ; but if so, I don't think she will when she hears all you have to say from your own lips, Maudie." " Need I say anything about it to aunt ? " she asked. " Well, well ; we shall see," said her father. " Do not be afraid of your aunt, Maudie ; and wait until you hear what she says to you about the matter. " Oh, I say, look here ! " cried Clanson, who was bent on diverting his sister. " Here is a funny person coming.

She says she can never see anybody, because she is always packed up ready to move ! " " Always ready to move ! " exclaimed Maud. " How very funny ! " " Yes, Aunt Henrietta was going to call the other day, but she — that is, this person who is coming — said, ' Oh, please don't, because my things are all in cases and boxes ready to be moved.' And she has told several people the same thing, but she never does move ! " " Does she live in a house of her own then ? " " Oh, no, she is in lodgings at old Miss Dawson's the dressmaker's. She has been there about six months — went there just before your last holidays. She seems quite a lady, but she is very odd." " Yes, I should think so," said Maudie. " What is her name ? " " Miss Mason, and she generally wears that black silk hat and black silk dress.

Hullo ! she wants to speak to us." The lady was indeed standing still in the narrow lane, with her hand raised as though asking them to stop, and Mr. Urquhart pulled up at once. " Good day, Miss Mason," said he. " Good day, Mr. Urquhart ; excuse me for stopping you, but I thought you would not mind my asking you, now I have met you, if you would kindly lend me your horse and cart to move my things ? " " Yes, certainly," replied Mr. Urquhart good naturedly, " if the horse is not engaged. When do you want it ? To-morrow ? " " Oh no, not to-morrow. I — I cannot say exactly when. But I am all packed up ready to move. I do not get on very well with Miss Dawson, and I thought, as there are no furniture vans about here, that you would not mind my asking you." " Not if you give us ample notice," said Mr. Urquhart with a smile.

" My horse has a good deal to do." " Thank you, thank you, Mr. Urquhart," replied the lady with some dignity, and almost as though she were conferring a favour, instead of asking one. "This is very neighbourly of you, and I may say it is quite in keeping with what I have heard of you. They all say you are so neighbourly. Good day. Ah ! and who is this little lady ? " she added just as she was about to pass on, and as though her eyes had then lighted upon Maud for the first time. " Is this your daughter ? " " Yes, this is my daughter, Miss Mason ; and here is my son also." " He has been at home for some weeks, I have heard ; but your daughter — she has not been at home, I think ? " " No, she is just returning from boarding school." " Oh ! Very early for the holidays, is it not ? " The remark was natural enough, but it brought a quick flush to Maud's cheeks and a look of vexation to her face.

But the little old lady gave no sign of having noticed these things. She gathered up her skimp skirts of old black silk, and shaking her prim little black curls which bordered her thin cheeks under her hat, she said — " I should be pleased to see you, my dear, but just now I am not in a fit state to receive visitors : I am all packed up to move. Good-bye ! " And slightly bending her head she passed quickly down the road, while Mr. Urquhart sent on his horse again. " Is she not a very odd lady ? " asked Clanson, laughing. " Very," answered her sister, her eyes filling with tears ; " but how vexing for her to notice that I have come home so early ! Everybody will notice it, and they will think there is some thing wrong — I know they will ! " "Oh, nonsense!" said Clanson cheerily. " Never mind what they think ; we will go on and do our best, and never mind other people's thoughts."

" That is the way, my boy : look on the bright side," said his father. " Ah ! here is Aunt Henrietta." A turn in the road brought them in full sight of their house, and the lady was waiting for them at the garden gate.

Chapter III. The

" FROLIC." " '■ IATHER says we may go this afternoon; » I so may we have dinner at once, auntie ? " It was Clanson who burst forth thus, directly his father pulled up the horse before the gate. For the moment, however, his aunt took no notice of his question, but advanced towards her niece and held out her hand. "How are you, Maud?" she said. "I am very glad to see you, though I wish the circum stances of your home-coming had been dif ferent." Poor Maud ! her emotion at this greeting was so great that she could not answer. She seemed choking, and could hardly keep back her tears. In silence she climbed down from the carriage and kissed her aunt, and then turned to enter the house. But Clanson was by her side in a moment. " I say, Maudie," he cried, " come and look at the fowls: the chickens have grown so large since you saw them last.

And, auntie," turning round then to Miss Henrietta, " may we have dinner at once ? Father says we may go this afternoon." " Have you really given them permission ? " asked that lady quietly of her brother. " Yes, I think they may go," said Mr. Urquhart. " Poor little Maud ! She is dreadfully cut up, and Clanson is doing his best to cheer her." " Well, if you really think it best," said Miss Henrietta. Then, raising her voice, she cried to her nephew and niece, " We will have dinner in a quarter of an hour. Be sure to be in your places in good time." No need for a second reminder that day. Clanson, with his spirits all alive at the prospect of the afternoon, was early in his seat, and he saw that Maudie was also in her place. No word was spoken about her return ; indeed, the conversation was purposely carried into other channels to divert her mind, and at length Clanson and his sister set off for the boat.

" I expect to be coming to the river bank this afternoon," said their father. " I have to go to the White Field, so perhaps I may see you." " All right, father, and we will take you on board," cried Clanson. " Be sure you don't go too far down — too near the sea," exclaimed Aunt Henrietta ; " and you must return not later than six." So with a brighter smile on her face than her father had seen on his daughter's countenance that day, Maudie and her brother departed. Their house was not far from the river, and they very speedily reached the boat. " What a beauty ! " cried Maud. " Yes, isn't she ? " answered her brother ; " and she will sail like the wind. Come on ! " And he leaped on board and held out his hand for his sister to follow. In another minute he had unslipped the " painter," or boat-rope, and pushed off with an oar.

" Tide is going out," said he : " we shall not need to row much ; and the wind, too, is in our favour. Shall we put up a sail, Maudie ? Will you steer? " " Well, just remind me how to do it," she said half-timidly, " until I get into the way of it again. Let me see, you do so, don't you, when you want to go to the right ? " Clanson gave her the necessary directions, and then taking the sculls pulled a few hard strokes. "Now we shall do," he said contentedly. " The wind and tide will take us along. I will hoist sail, and then we will cast out the fishing trawl. Isn't it jolly ? " His sister assented with alacrity. Her spirits rose as the beautiful little boat began to speed along in the strong fresh air and bright sunshine ; and the waves rippling beside the vessel seemed to laugh in the full enjoyment of life.

Clanson had been out in a boat so often, and had become so well practised in rowing and sailing, for a youth of his age, that his father felt no fear in allowing him to be out alone with his sister. Moreover, Maudie herself had been accustomed, in her days before boarding-school and in her holidays, to be much on the river ; and the children had been brought up near it, and had taken to it almost as ducks to water. By dint of pulling and hauling at the ropes, Clanson hoisted up one of the sails, and the little craft felt the effect at once by heeling over somewhat and scudding along with increased speed. " Ah ! you must alter the helm a trifle now," he cried ; " she is feeling the wind a good deal." " Is there not almost too much sail ? " his sister said. " Cannot you tie up a reef, or whatever you call it, to make the sail smaller ?

" " It will be all right if you steer right," answered Clanson cheerily ; " but I will take in a reef or two, and she will also slow down speed a bit when we get the trawl out." And he began to clew up the little sail. " Oh, how delightful it is here! " cried Maudie, lying back in complete enjoyment. " No worrying, no teasing, no Miss Botcherby, no Etta Lynne. Oh, it is nice ! " And she closed her eyes to listen to the lulling melody of the rippling water against the boat, or opened them to glance delightedly at the pleasant sunshine, and the shore, and the sparkling waves around. Now, too, her gaze rested on her beloved brother, who with intent face and absorbed in his work was getting out his trawl-net and preparing it to drop it into the water. "There, that is ready!" he cried at length.

" Now, Maudie, see it fall; " and he stood in the stern with the net balanced on the boat's rail. The net, of course was a very small one : the sturdy fishermen of the wild North sea would have smiled at it as a mere toy ; nevertheless, it had given a good deal of healthy amusement, and some instruction also, to its young owner. It had a light iron bar which scraped along the bottom of the river, and above the bar the mouth of the net was kept open by very strong iron wire which was bent down on either side to meet the bar. Behind this framework streamed the net, as it was dragged along by the boat, and swept up anything which came in the way. Plop ! the net had fallen, and the little boat soon felt the strain of dragging it through the water. Her speed slackened, and she commenced to rock slightly from side to side.

" Now she will bear the full sail," cried Clan son, and he proceeded to shake out the reefs again, and even to haul up another small sheet. " How long do you leave the trawl-net down ? " asked Maudie. " All depends," said her brother ; " perhaps twenty minutes, perhaps forty. If once anything gets in, it is not likely to get out again." " And what will be caught ? " laughed Maud. " One shrimp ? " Her spirits were rising rapidly under the joyous influences of the scene, and she laughed merrily. " Oh, we shall catch some dabs or flounders, I hope," answered Clanson. " Very nice they are when fried for breakfast ; and perhaps an eel or two." " Well, anyhow, there is time for us to have these cakes now," she said, opening a paper bag their aunt had given her. So while they talked and laughed merrily they ate their cakes, and the rising wind and tide swept their little boat fast onward toward the sea.