CHAPTER XVII. SURPRISES.

"Halt!"

The command came like the crack of a pistol. Facing Ned stood a sentry in the uniform of the Coast Artillery. In his hands he gripped a carbine with a sinister-looking, blue-steel bayonet attached to its barrel.

"Here's where you turn back, friend, and pronto, too," grinned the sentry. He was a young fellow, with light blue eyes, stupid in expression, and a nose of the type generally described as "pug."

"I've got to get to the fort, I tell you," protested Ned.

His voice came from his parched throat like the cracked, whistling accents of a very old man. His clothes were torn in places from the beach plums, through which he had come with furious[Pg 137] haste, his eyes were red-rimmed and wild, and his hat was gone.

The sentry regarded him contemptuously. But his was a lonely post, a quarter of a mile out on the sandy Neck, and he decided to waste a little time with this peculiar stranger.

"Say, friend, you don't want the fort. It's your cage you want. Why don't you go right back to the Bronx, climb in, and shut the gate?"

"Look here," protested Ned, "I'm Lieutenant Strong of the Navy, at least I hold that temporary commission. I've been attacked by rascals while on duty and I'm suffering frightfully from thirst."

"I guess you are suffering from thirst," grinned the sentry. "Be a good boy and get back to the bug-house now, or I'll have to help you."

He glanced significantly at his bayonet.

"Great Scott! Do you think I'm crazy!" cried poor Ned.

[Pg 138]

"Think it?" the sentry raised his thin, pale eyebrows, "I know it, old pal. Run along and roll your hoop now, and don't give me no more trouble. If I was to let you into the fort, I'd be put in the guard-house for a month for letting a crank through."

"But I'm Lieutenant Strong, I tell you——"

The sentry interrupted by tapping his forehead.

"Sure you are. That's all right. You can be the President if you like; it's none of my funeral."

There was a sort of soothing intonation in his voice, as if he were trying to quiet a fractious child. The stupidity of the fellow almost drove Ned wild.

He plunged a hand into his pocket. He would show the fellow by documents that he was not an impostor.

"I'll show you papers that will prove who I am," he exclaimed.

Then, with a sudden chill of horror, he recollected[Pg 139] that all his papers—none of them, luckily, very important ones—had been taken from him by Saki and Kenworth. The sentry was watching him, as he frantically searched, with an amused expression.

"Say, what kind of a game are you trying to work, Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines?" he asked.

"It's not a game, I tell you," cried Ned furiously. "Those rascals who tied me took my papers. They have run off with them——"

"I guess it's you that have run off from your keepers," said the sentry, nodding his head sententiously.

It was hopeless. Even Ned, sore pressed as he was, saw that. The man was convinced that he was a crank or a crazy man of some sort and would have no dealings with him. Ned spied a canteen hung round the man's shoulder.

"At least, you'll give me a drink," he almost begged, so keen was his need.

[Pg 140]

"It ain't the sort of drink you want. Nothing but water," said the artilleryman.

"Good heavens, man, that's what I want!" rasped Ned through his parched lips. "Give me just a little. Then I'll go."

"Well, if that's all, drink hearty," said the man, in more friendly tones.

He cast a look behind him to make sure he was not observed, and then, unslinging his canteen, he passed it to Ned. The water was warm and tasted leathery, but to Ned it was unspeakably delicious. He threw back his head and let it stream over his parched palate and down his cracked throat.

"Cracky! I can hear it sizzle!" exclaimed the sentry. "Go on, take it all if you need it as badly as that. I ain't that thirsty, and besides I'll be relieved in a short time."

Ned needed no second invitation. He drained the canteen to the last drop.

"I'm ever so much obliged to you," he said[Pg 141] turning away; "maybe some day I'll be able to reward you with more than thanks."

"That's all right," replied the sentry heartily. "I hope you'll get over that bug of yours about being a lootenant. Why, friend, you might be an orficer in Coxey's army, but I guess that's the only branch of the service you ever had any dealings with."

Ned said nothing in reply, but with a wave of his hand walked off. He had plenty of opportunity, as he plodded along the Neck, for philosophical reflections on the part that clothes play in this world. Had he worn his uniform, he could have marched past the sentry without question. But, as it was, the man more than suspected him of being an escaped lunatic.

Ned's intention in going to the fort had been to establish instant communication with the authorities and warn them to look out for Kenworth and Saki. Of course, the fort was technically the enemy's country, but the lad rightly[Pg 142] deemed that the capture of two such renegades as the Jap and the midshipman took precedence of every other consideration.

Now, as he made his way back over the shifting sands, his mind was busy revolving plans for the arrest of the two who had served him in such rascally fashion.

Musing thus, he was pressing steadily on, when, on topping a rise, he came in sight of a small, sandy cove. Drawn well up into it was a sharp-bowed motor boat. A long engine hood forward showed that she carried powerful engines. On shore, beside her, lay a figure dozing in the shade. The tide rippled pleasantly and the sand alongside the beached craft afforded a cool resting place.

"The very thing!" exclaimed Ned. "Goodness knows how long it would take me to walk to Civic Island. Some time, anyhow, even if I felt in the humor to do it. I'm pretty sure those[Pg 143] rascals must have made for there, and if I hurry up I might catch them yet."

"Hello, there!" he hailed, running down the bank to where the man lay. "Can you start your motor on the jump? I'm in a big hurry and——"

At the sound of a voice the dozing man rolled over.

Right then Ned experienced the surprise of his life. The man was Saki!

The shock of this discovery had hardly had time to sink in, and the two were still staring at each other, when from the boat came another voice.

"If you're in a big hurry, come right aboard and save us the trouble of fetching you."

Ned looked up from Saki and faced Kenworth. The renegade midshipman was regarding him with a sardonic grin. Ned saw that he held a revolver. The weapon was pointed straight at the Dreadnought Boy's heart.