Later despatches received at Baton Rouge, so the New Orleans journal
said, might or might not clear up the mystery of the stolen yacht's
disappearance, although the senders seemed much excited. One story
from a down-river point, brought in by an excited negro, told of a
dozen bottles found floating in the bayou. The negro, however, had
broken them all open, and declared they had contained nothing but bits
of paper, which he had thrown away. He also told a wild story that the
plantation store at Hamlin's Landing, on Bayou Henry, had been looted
in broad daylight, by a young man and a boy, apparently members of the
pirate crew. The younger of the two ruffians was masked, and on being
asked for pay for gasoline, refused it at the point of his weapons,
declaring that pirates never paid.
While no attention should be paid to rumors such as the latter, the
despatches went on to say, it was obvious that a most high-handed
outrage had been perpetrated. It was supposed that the swift yacht had
been hurried forward, and had passed New Orleans in the night. Once
out of the river, and among the shallow bays of the Gulf Coast, the
ruffians might, perhaps, for some time evade pursuit, just as did the
craft of Jean Lafitte, himself, a century ago. Meantime, only the
greatest anxiety could pervade the hearts of the friends of these
ladies thus placed in the power of ruthless bandits. Such an outrage
upon civilization could, of course, occur only under the
administration of the Republican party. The journal therefore
hoped:--and so forth, and so forth.
"Peterson," said I, after digesting this interesting information,
"you've read this. What have you to say?"
Peterson was more despondent even than was his wont. "It looks mighty
bad, Mr. Harry," said he, "and I don't profess to understand it."
"Did you order the supplies?"
"Oh, yes, but they may forget to send them after all."
"It is your intention to stick by me, Peterson?"
"Well, there must be some mistake," he said, "but I don't see what
else I can do."
"There is a mistake, Peterson," said I. "This is more newspaper
sensation. Mr. Davidson is excited over something he doesn't
understand. If I had him here now I could explain it all easily. But,
before the matter can be explained in this way, we must wait until
this excitement dies down. Why, at this gait, it would hardly be safe
for either of us to be recognized here in town. We might be arrested
and put to a lot of trouble. The best thing we can do is to run on
down the river and wait until Davidson gets down and until we get this
thing adjusted. That is why I wanted the supplies to-night."