CHAPTER XXXIX
THE PRISONERS
For several minutes Will Bertram was kept busy answering his brother’s rapid questions. He told Alan of all that had occurred, and the latter expressed the keenest satisfaction at the result of Will’s shrewdness and patience.
“We sent a ship in pursuit of the yacht after it left Portland,” he explained to Will.
“Are you going to the boat?” asked Jack.
“No; to the police station first.”
Here the officer in charge was made acquainted with all the recent facts of the case.
A detail of men was sent with Captain Bertram and his friends.
When they arrived at the yacht Morris and his companions were handcuffed and brought on deck.
The former did not speak a word but glared in silence at Alan.
He knew that he was foiled in all his evil plans, and his heart was filled with hatred toward those he had wronged.
Captain Bertram dismissed Will’s assistant, the farmer’s son, with a moneyed reward for his aid.
The yacht was taken in charge by the police, who at once marched their prisoners to the station.
Here Morris was searched. To Will’s amazement, the most persistent quest failed to reveal Captain Morris’ well-filled pocketbook.
He now wished he had taken it when the opportunity had presented itself.
Morris’ eyes gleamed with satisfaction as Will said to Alan:
“He had a pocketbook containing money he openly boasted was indirectly the proceeds of the oil he stole from the Albatross.”
“You won’t find it, either,” cried Morris, malignantly.
They were forced to remain in the dark as to its mysterious disappearance, and Morris and his accomplices were taken to the cells of the station.
From the station, Captain Bertram, Jack, and Will repaired for the office of the insurance company.
Here Alan consulted with the officers, who decided to prosecute Morris for sinking the Golden Moose and attempting to collect the insurance money fraudulently.
They advised Captain Bertram to at once begin a civil suit for the recovery of the amount Morris had received from the stolen whale oil.
He told him he could seize on the yacht until the case was tried in court.
They made a last visit to the police station before leaving Portland.
The officer then informed Captain Bertram that one of the prisoners wished to see him.
“Which one?” asked Alan.
“The man they call Parker. He seems very uneasy and has been upbraiding Morris for getting him into trouble. Will you see him?”
“Yes.”
Parker was brought from the cells and asked to see Alan alone.
They were shown in a private room.
“Well, what is it?” inquired Alan.
“I wanted to say that I had nothing to do with all Captain Morris’ schemes.”
“You were in his confidence all the time,” replied Alan.
“That may be, but I didn’t help sink the ship. I have a proposition to make to you.”
“What is it?”
“If you won’t prosecute I’ll tell all about the Captain’s schemes.”
“I know them already.”
“I’ll tell you who the Captain is he divided with on the oil, and you can make him pay it back.”
Alan was silent.
“I’ll also tell you where Morris hid his pocketbook.”
“I can’t agree to compromise a crime,” said Alan, “but if you try to repair your wrong I will try to make your punishment as light as possible.”
“All right, Captain. I hope you will. I never would have stayed with Morris, only he knew I had been in jail and threatened to have me arrested again.”
“And the pocketbook?”
“Here it is. Morris handed it to me while the officers were not looking.”
Alan left the pocketbook with the police, and that night he, Will, and Jack started homeward bound for Watertown.
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