"Probably a summer boarder from across the lake."
"Hardly, sir. He came from the direction of the village and acts
queerly."
I flung myself down on the pier and crawled out to where Ijima lay.
Every pier on the lake had its distinctive lights; the Glenarm sea-mark
was--and remains--red, white and green. We lay by the post that bore
the three lanterns, and watched the slow movement of a rowboat along
the margin of the school grounds. The boat was about a thousand yards
from us in a straight line, though farther by the shore; but the
moonlight threw the oarsman and his craft into sharp relief against the
overhanging bank. St. Agatha's maintains a boathouse for the use of
students, and the pier lights--red, white and red--lay beyond the
boatman, and he seemed to be drawing slowly toward them. The fussy
little steamers that run the errands of the cottagers had made their
last rounds and sought their berths for the night, and the lake lay
still in the white bath of light.
"Drop one of the canoes into the water," I said; and I watched the
prowling boatman while Ijima crept back to the boat-house. The canoe
was launched silently and the boy drove it out to me with a few light
strokes. I took the paddle, and we crept close along the shore toward
the St. Agatha light, my eyes intent on the boat, which was now drawing
in to the school pier. The prowler was feeling his way carefully, as
though the region were unfamiliar; but he now landed at the pier and
tied his boat. I hung back in the shadows until he had disappeared up
the bank, then paddled to the pier, told Ijima to wait, and set off
through the wood-path toward St. Agatha's.
Where the wood gave way to the broad lawn that stretched up to the
school buildings I caught sight of my quarry. He was strolling along
under the beeches to the right of me, and I paused about a hundred feet
behind him to watch events. He was a young fellow, not above average
height, but compactly built, and stood with his hands thrust boyishly
in his pockets, gazing about with frank interest in his surroundings.
He was bareheaded and coatless, and his shirt-sleeves were rolled to
the elbow. He walked slowly along the edge of the wood, looking off
toward the school buildings, and while his manner was furtive there
was, too, an air of unconcern about him and I heard him whistling
softly to himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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