“The coast is clear now,” said Enoch. “Pass up your trunk, and we’ll carry it to the street and see if we can find a carriage to take us to the depot. Jones, you stay here and keep an eye on the schooner.”
Lester was so impatient to be off, that he wasted no time in taking leave of his friend Jones. He gave his hand a slight shake, said he hoped to meet him again at no distant day, and then turned to assist Enoch in getting his trunk over the side. They found a carriage at the nearest stand, and in a quarter of an hour more Lester was sitting in the waiting-room at the depot, with his check and a ticket for Cairo in his pocket.
“Well, good-by,” said Enoch, holding out his hand.
“You are not going away now?” exclaimed Lester, beginning to grow frightened again. “I thought you would stay and see me off.”
“Why, it will be two hours before the next train starts for Baltimore, and I must be well on my way home by that time,” replied Enoch. “You are not afraid to stay alone? Barr won’t come up here; you needn’t worry about that. I will keep my eyes and ears open, and if I see or hear anything of Don, I will drop you a line. Good-by, and good luck to you.”
Seeing that his companion was bound to go whether he liked it or not, Lester reluctantly pronounced the parting words, and Enoch vanished through the door. If Lester could have seen him as he ran down the street, he would have said that Enoch was in a great hurry to start for home, but he would have shot wide of the mark. Enoch was determined that he would not see home again until he had found out whether or not Don Gordon was a prisoner on that coaster, as Barr’s actions led him to believe. If he were, he (Enoch) would have him released at once, or he would have Barr arrested for conspiracy, abduction, slaughtering ducks with big guns, and for almost everything else that was against the law.
“Don’t do that,” remonstrated Jones, who listened in great amazement, while his friend unfolded his plans. “If you do, he will certainly make you suffer for it.”
“Can’t help it if he does,” answered Enoch, who was brave in every cause he espoused, whether good or bad. “I have played a mean part toward Don and Bert, just because I disliked Egan without a cause, and wanted to show that I was a friend to Lester, and if I can make amends for it in any way, I am going to do it, I don’t care a snap what happens to me.”