CONCLUSION.

LEO had taken the dogs with him on the boat, but on landing, he found that they were practically useless, for they did nothing but scamper madly after the rabbits with which the island swarmed, and would not put nose to the ground for the bear's scent.

So the men divided and went hunting in couples, searching for any footprints or signs of the lost Jacob.

At last one of them called out, "Whether the bear's here or no, here's the punt, at least."

And, sure enough, there it was, drawn up close into a little cove, and made fast to a bush.

"And now for the thief!" said Leo. "If we don't find old Jacob, at least we shan't go back empty-handed."

For a long time Leo and Davey and their attendants searched the island without result. So far, they had not seen even a footprint to show that Bruin was here; but then most of the ground was rock, on which the passing foot would make no impression.

At last, however, Leo and Davey came upon a lower and less rocky part of the island, where there was quite a growth of trees. And here, under a fine elm, lying fast asleep on the soft moss, they found one of the fugitives—the two-legged one.

"This should be the thief, Davey boy," said Leo. "Pity we can't see his face, but he's covered it up with his arm, till one can't make out so much as the tip of his nose. Just keep an eye on him, will you? While I go and fasten that punt on to our boat, or he may manage to give us the slip and make off with it."

So Davey stood by the sleeper, and as he gazed down on him, and noticed the misshapen shoulders, the short neck, and curved limbs, the long gaunt arms and crooked fingers, he recognised the figure of Tom Hughes. By his side was a package tied up in waterproof cloth, and Davey, remembering that the smugglers occasionally used the rocky recesses of St. Margaret's as a hiding-place for such goods as they were prevented from carrying to Hoyle's Mouth, understood that Tom, with his usual keen eye to business, had come over here for the double purpose of escaping from the hands of the police and of obtaining some of the smuggled property wherewith to repair his fallen fortunes. Yes, it was plain enough to Davey, who had such good reason to know Tom thoroughly, that the lad was at his old tricks again, of helping himself to any articles he coveted.

"Come along, Davey," said Leo, returning after only a short absence. "The punt's safe, and now we're after Jacob again. The men have found the print of his feet on the little strip of sandy beach the other side of this point, and he's hiding somewhere near, I'm pretty sure. Have you got his collar and muzzle?"

"Yes," replied the boy. "But what about Tom?"

"Tom? What Tom?"

"Why, this chap asleep here is Tom Hughes, the fellow that ran away when I did, and got me into no end of trouble, and—why, Harry, it was Tom that Ahab got hold of in the cave last night."

"What? This same lad? And now he's stolen the punt?"

"Yes, it's the same," replied Davey.

"Oh, let him sleep. He's safe enough now we've got his boat; he can't get away. Come, Waif."

But Leo and Davey had not been gone a quarter of an hour, when a heavy, shuffling step came cracking and crunching the dry underwood, and an enormous brown bear approached the sleeper, and thrusting his huge muzzle under the lad's arm, began to sniff inquisitively at the face beneath.

Thus rudely aroused, Tom awoke and started up, and Jacob politely drew back a pace. But the lad did not wait to see what Bruin was going to do. Panic-stricken and bewildered as he was, he had just presence of mind enough to snatch up his bundle and throw it in the animal's face, thereby diverting Jacob's attention from himself for a minute.

During this minute of grace, he made a dash to a neighbouring tree, and began to climb it as nimbly as a cat, his long arms giving him a secure hold. And by the time the bear had torn the bundle to pieces with claws and teeth, finding nothing for his trouble but lace and cigars, at which he only sullied in disgust, Tom was perched in a convenient fork, and feeling quite safe.

Probably he would not have felt so safe and happy had the study of Natural History formed any part of such small learning as he had acquired.

However, this lesson was to be taught him by experience, and we may judge of his horror when Jacob, having in his disgust and disappointment made shreds of the bundle, trotted leisurely up to the tree, walked round it several times, sniffing in a very unpleasant manner, and then commenced to climb slowly up its stout stem.

Tom would have screamed for help had he imagined that anyone was within hearing on the island. As it was, feeling himself alone with the formidable brute, he did what he could in his own defence, though his utmost was very little. He snatched off his cap, and throwing it down at the bear, he shouted as loudly as he could, hoping to frighten him.

But Jacob, well accustomed to noise in the circus, took not the slightest notice. He just glanced at the cap as it fell, and then went clambering on with clumsy ease, though whether he was following Tom as friend or foe only his master could have told.

Happily that master was not far-off, and Tom's yells were heard. Just when Bruin was within a few feet of the lad's perch, and Tom had given himself up for lost, Leo, Davey, and some others of the party came running up, and soon put an end to this novel and interesting bear hunt. A touch or two with a long whip enforced Master Jacob's obedience, and coming down much more quickly than he had scrambled up, he was easily muzzled and chained and led away to the boat by Leo, while the men, acting under his orders, got Tom down from his perch, tied his feet and hands, carried him to the shore, and laid him in the stolen punt, which they towed behind them while they started again for the mainland, the bear swimming alongside while his master held the chain.

Arrived on shore, Tom, in spite of his entreaties, was handed over to the indignant owner of the punt, to be dealt with according to his deserts, while the tamer and his company conducted their big truant in a very dripping and crestfallen condition back to Tenby.

It was just before the circus troupe left Tenby for Bristol again, that two items of news reached Davey.

One was that Captain Smythe, of the "Dart," had been severely injured by an accident, and was laid up in a hospital at a French port, whither his wife had gone to tend him. Also that poor, mad Mrs. Grey had died quite suddenly, and that Johnnie had gone abroad to find employment, as the gang of smugglers was broken up, and Captain Smythe was selling the schooner and dismissing her crew.

What became of Spankle, Davey did not hear till later, but he was glad to know then that the traitor had done no good for himself by his attempt to betray his mates; for as he had in no way helped on the ends of justice, and had, moreover, on his own confession, been a confederate of free traders, he was made to serve his time in prison with hard labour, and was told, by way of comfort, that he ought to be thankful to get off so easily.

And now what remains to be told? Surely there is no need to describe in detail the return to Bristol, the joyful welcome accorded to the two prodigals by Uncle Zach and Aunt Patty, or the loving way in which all the past was forgiven and forgotten.

Harry Coleman was too restless a creature to remain long anywhere, and he and his animals soon moved away with the circus troupe. But Davey was only too glad to rest in quiet after all his wanderings, and his series of uncomfortable adventures had amply sufficed to cure his old faults of waywardness and wilful disobedience. When he finished his schooling, he obtained a capital situation, and eventually became the support of the uncle and aunt to whom he owed so much.

Not only was David Coleman well-to-do, so far as worldly goods are concerned, but he was also a thoroughly right-minded and God-fearing man, whose influence was all for good, and for good only. And when he had children of his own, he would often on winter evenings gather them about him, and tell them the story of the adventures of his youth, his running away, his scrapes, the smugglers, his meeting with his brother—in fact, all that has been told in these pages about the Mystery of Hoyle's Mouth.

THE END.