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diff --git a/15831-0.txt b/15831-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6bfdb26 --- /dev/null +++ b/15831-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7086 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 15831 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file + which includes the more than 300 original illustrations. + See 15831-h.htm or 15831-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15831/15831-h/15831-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/15831/15831-h.zip) + + + + + +THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN BOY + +Or + +The Camp at Willow Clump Island + +by + +A. RUSSELL BOND + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Fun in Swimming.] + + + +New York +Munn & Co., Publishers +1906 + +Copyright, 1905, by +Munn & Co., New York + +Press of +The Kalkhoff Company +New York + + + + +PREFACE + +All boys are nature lovers. Nothing appeals to them more than a summer +vacation in the woods where they can escape from the restraints of +civilization and live a life of freedom. Now, it may appear to be a +bit of presumption to attempt to advise the boy camper how to spend +his time. Surely the novelty of outdoor life, the fascinating charm of +his surroundings, will provide him plenty of entertainment. + +But, after all, a camp generally affords but two major amusements, +hunting and fishing. These have been fully covered by a vast number of +books. However, there is another side of camp life, particularly in a +boys' camp, which has been very little dealt with, namely, the exercise +of one's ingenuity in creating out of the limited resources at hand such +devices and articles as will add to one's personal comfort and welfare. +It is, therefore, the aim of this book to suggest certain diversions of +this character for the boy camper which, aside from affording him plenty +of physical exercise, will also develop his mental faculties, and above +all stimulate that natural genius which is characteristic of every +typical American boy. To this end the story contains descriptions of a +large collection of articles which can be made by any boy of average +intelligence, not only in the camp but at home as well. + +The use of a narrative to connect the various incidents marks a +departure in this class of book, and it is believed that the matter will +thus be made more realistic and interesting. In all cases full +directions are given for making the various articles. While it is not +presumed that the directions will be slavishly followed, for this would +defeat the general aim of the work, yet all the principal dimensions are +given so that they can be used, if desired. + +I beg to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr. Daniel C. Beard and Mr. Henry +D. Cochrane in supplying a number of photographs. The directions for +making the lee boards (page 119) were obtained from data furnished by +the latter. Many of the details recorded in the chapter on Tramping +Outfits are to be accredited to Mr. Edward Thorpe. In the preparation of +this book I have received valuable assistance from my colleague, Mr. A. +A. Hopkins. + +A. RUSSELL BOND. + +New York, October, 1905. + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER I. + PAGE + +"BILL" 17 + +The Old Trunk. Christmas Vacation. "Bill's" Skate Sail. Willow +Clump Island. Organizing the Society. + +CHAPTER II. + +SKATE SAILS 26 + +The Double Swedish Sail. The Single Swedish Sail. The Lanteen +Sail. The Danish Sail. Bat's Wings. + +CHAPTER III. + +SNOW SHOES, SKIS AND SWAMP SHOES 35 + +Chair Seat Snow Shoe. Barrel Stave Snow Shoe. Barrel Hoop Snow +Shoe. The Sioux Snow Shoe. The Iroquois Snow Shoe. The Ainu +Snow Shoe. The Norwegian Ski. The Swamp Shoe or Swiss Snow +Shoe. + +CHAPTER IV. + +TENT MAKING 44 + +Farewell Meeting. Word from Uncle Ed. The Canvas Tent. +Adjustable Ridge Pole. Tie Blocks. The Annex. + +CHAPTER V. + +PREPARING FOR THE EXPEDITION 53 + +Tent Fly. Provisions and Supplies. Umbrella Rib Crossbow. +Megaphone. The Scow. + +CHAPTER VI. + +OFF TO THE ISLAND 63 + +A Unique Alarm Clock. The Trip to the Island. Preliminary +Exploration. A Rustic Table. The Small Filter. The Barrel +Filter. The _Klepalo_. + +CHAPTER VII. + +SURVEYING 73 + +The Surveying Instrument. Spirit Levels. The Tripod. Surveyor's +Chain. Surveyor's Rod. A Simple Method of Surveying. Mapping +the Island. + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SWIMMING 84 + +Swimming on a Plank. Shooting the Rapids. Restoring the +Drowned. How to Work over a Patient Alone. + +CHAPTER IX. + +BRIDGE BUILDING 95 + +The Spar Bridge. The Rope Railway. The Suspension Bridge. +The Pontoon Bridge. The King Rod Truss. Stiffening the Bridge. +The King Post Bridge. + +CHAPTER X. + +CANVAS CANOES 109 + +Uncle Ed's Departure. A Visit from Mr. Schreiner. The Sailing +Canoe. Stretching on the Canvas. The Rudder. The Deep Keel. +Canoe Sails. Lee Boards. Indian Paddling Canoe. + +CHAPTER XI. + +HOUSE BUILDING 124 + +The Grass Hut. The Goblins' Dancing Platform. Dutchy +Takes a Dare. A Path Up the Fissure. Rope Ladders. The +Derrick. The Tree House. Sliding Doors. + +CHAPTER XII. + +TROUBLE WITH THE TRAMPS 138 + +The Scow is Stolen. A Council of War. Vengeance. A Double +Surprise. Tramp-proof Boat Mooring. + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WIGWAGGING AND HELIOGRAPHING 144 + +Wigwag Signals. The Wigwag Alphabet. Abbreviations. Wigwagging +at Night. The Heliograph. The Single Mirror Instrument. +The Sight Rod. The Screen. Focusing the Instrument. Heliograph +Signaling. The International Telegraph Code. The Double +Mirror Instrument. + +CHAPTER XIV. + +ICE BOATS, SLEDGES AND TOBOGGANS 158 + +Breaking Camp. The Ice Boat. The Sledge. The Toboggan. +The Rennwolf. Ice Creepers. + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE SUBTERRANEAN CLUB 171 + +A Cave-in. Excavating for the Cave. Covering the Cave. The +Big Bug Club. Midnight Banquets. The Club Pin. The Combination +Lock. + +CHAPTER XVI. + +SCOOTERS 183 + +A Sail in the Scow. Our Craft Strikes the Ice. The Scooter Scow. +A Sprit Sail. Scooter Sailing. A Meeting of the Society. An +Interview with Mr. Van Syckel. The Scooter Canoe. + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN ARCTIC EXPEDITION 193 + +Willow Clump Island in Winter. Kindling a Camp Fire. The +Outdoor Fireplace. A Stone-paved Fireplace. A Cold Night in +the Hut. Mountain Climbing. A Poor Shelter. A Costly Camp +Fire. A Friend in Time of Trouble. + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TRAMPING OUTFITS 203 + +Sleeping Bags. Bill's "Mummy Case." The "A" Tent. A +Camp Chair. A Camp Bed. The Camp Bed in a Shower. A +Nightmare. Pack Harness. Riveting. + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LAND YACHT 215 + +The Frame of the Yacht. A Simple Turnbuckle. Stepping the +Mast. Mounting the Frame on Bicycle Wheels. The Tiller. A +"Leg-of-Mutton" Sail. A Sail Through the Country. + +CHAPTER XX. + +EASTER VACATION 224 + +Bill's Cave. The Barrel Stave Hammock. The Barrel Armchair. +The Summer Toboggan. Tailless Kites. A Five-foot Malay Kite. +An Eight-foot Malay Kite. The Elastic Belly Band. Putting the +Kites to Work. The Diamond Box Kite. + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE WATER WHEEL 240 + +The Water Wheel. Surveying for the Water Wheel. Towers for +the Water Wheel. The Wheel. The Buckets. The Paddles. +The Receiving Trough. Setting Up the Towers. Mounting the +Water Wheel. Cooling the Filter Barrel. The Canvas Bucket. +Mr. Halliday's Water Wheel. + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE LOG CABIN 254 + +Foundation of Log Cabin. A Logging Expedition. The Log Raft. +The Sail-Rigged Raft. Building the Log Cabin. The Roof of +the Log Cabin. Door and Window Frames. The Fireplace. +The Proper Way to Build a Stone Wall. The Floor of the Cabin. +The Door Hinges and Latch. The Window Sash. Bunks. Stopping +up the Chinks. + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE WINDMILL 273 + +Digging the Well. The Windmill Tower. The Crank Shaft. The +Wind Wheel. A Simple Brake. The Pump. Pump Valves. +Action of the Pump. + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE GRAVITY RAILROAD 283 + +The Car. The Flanged Wheels. Car Axles. Mounting the Wheels. +The Railway Track. The Carpenter's Miter Box. Laying the Track. +The First Railway Accident. Testing the Track. + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE CANTILEVER BRIDGE 292 + +Frames for the Cantilever Bridge. Erecting the Towers. Setting up +the Frames. Binding and Anchoring the Structure. The Center +Panels of the Bridge. A Serious Interruption. Dispossessed. +Farewell to Willow Clump Island. Reddy's Cantilever Bridge. + + + + +[Illustration: Map of Willow Clump Island and Vicinity.] + + + + +THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN BOY. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +"BILL." + + +"Bill," he was it, the Scientific American Boy, I mean. Of course, we +were all American boys and pretty scientific chaps too, if I do say it +myself, but Bill, well he was the whole show. What he didn't know wasn't +worth knowing, so we all thought, and even to this day I sometimes +wonder how he managed to contrive and execute so many remarkable plans. +At the same time he was not a conceited sort of a chap and didn't seem +to realize that he was head and shoulders above the rest of us in +ingenuity. But, of course, we didn't all have an uncle like Bill did. +Bill's Uncle Ed was one of those rare men who take a great interest in +boys and their affairs, a man who took time to answer every question put +to him, explaining everything completely and yet so clearly that you +caught on at once. Uncle Ed (we all called him that) was a civil +engineer of very high standing in his profession, which had taken him +pretty much all over the world, and his naturally inquisitive nature, +coupled with a wonderful memory, had made him a veritable walking +encyclopedia. With such an uncle it is no wonder that Bill knew +everything. Of course, there were some things that puzzled even Bill. +But all such difficulties, after a reasonable amount of brain-work had +failed to clear them, were submitted to Uncle Ed. Uncle Ed was always +prompt (that was one thing we liked about him), and no matter where he +was or what he was doing he would drop everything to answer a letter +from the society. + + +THE OLD TRUNK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 1. The Old Trunk in the Attic.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 2. The Black Walnut Box.] + +But hold on, I am getting ahead of my story. I was rummaging through the +attic the other day, and came across an old battered trunk, one that I +used when I went to boarding-school down in south Jersey. That trunk was +certainly a curiosity shop. It contained a miscellaneous assortment of +glass tubes, brass rods, coils of wire, tools, fish hooks--in fact, it +was a typical collection of all those "valuables" that a boy is liable +to pick up. Down in one corner of the trunk was a black walnut box, +marked, with brass letters, "Property of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I." +On my key-ring I still carried the key to that box, which had not been +opened for years. I unlocked the box and brought to light the "Records +and Chronicles of the Society for the Scientific Investigation, +Exploration and Exploitation of Willow Clump Island." For hours I pored +over those pages, carried back to the good old times we used to have as +boys along the banks of the Delaware River, until I was brought sharply +back to the present by the sound of the dinner bell. It seemed that the +matter contained in those "Chronicles" was too good to be kept locked up +in an old trunk. Few boys' clubs ever had such a president as Bill, or +such a wonderful bureau of information as Uncle Ed. For the benefit of +boys and boykind in general, I decided then and there to publish, as +fully as practicable, a record of what our society did. + + +CHRISTMAS VACATION. + +This was how the society came to be formed. Bill, whom I met at +boarding-school, was an orphan, and that's why he was sent to +boarding-school. His uncle had to go down to Brazil to lay out a +railroad, I believe, and so he packed Bill off to our school, which was +chosen in preference to some others because one of the professors there +had been a classmate of Uncle Ed's at college. Bill roomed with me, and +naturally we became great chums. When Christmas time came, of course I +invited him to spend the holidays with me. My home was situated in the +little village of Lamington, on the Jersey side of the Delaware River. +Here we arrived late at night on the Saturday before Christmas. A cold +wind was blowing which gave promise of breaking the spell of warm +weather we had been having, and of giving us a chance to try our skates +for the first time. True to our expectations, the next day was bitterly +cold, and a visit to the canal which ran along the river bank, just +beyond our back fence, showed that quite a thick skim of ice had formed +on the water. Monday morning, bright and early, found us on the smooth, +slippery surface of the canal. "Us" here includes, in addition to Bill +and myself, my two younger brothers, Jack and Fred, and also Dutchy Van +Syckel and Reddy Schreiner, neighbors of ours. It was the custom at the +first of December every year to drain out most of the water in the +canal, in order to prevent possible injury to the canal banks from the +pressure of the ice. But there was always a foot or two of water +covering the bottom of the canal, and this afforded a fine skating park +of ample width and unlimited length, while the high canal banks on each +side protected us from the bitter wind that was blowing. Toward noon, +however, the wind shifted and swept at a terrific rate down the narrow +lane between the canal banks. We could scarcely make headway against the +blow. It was too much for Bill, who wasn't as used to skating as we +were. He sat down in a sheltered nook and commenced to think. When Bill +sat down to think it always meant that something was going to happen, as +we soon learned. + +"Say, Jim," said he to me, "have you got any canvas up at the house?" + +"No," I replied. "What do you want it for?" + +"I want to rig up a skate sail. If you have an old sheet, that will do +just as well." + +"Well, I guess I can find you an old sheet. Do you think you can make +one?" + +"Sure thing," answered Bill, and off we went to the house, where I +received my first lesson on the practical genius of my chum. + + +"BILL'S" SKATE SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 3. Laying Out the Sail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 4. The Tape Tie Strings.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 5. "Bill's" Sail Complete.] + +The old sheet which Mother furnished us was laid out on the floor and +two corners were folded over to the center, as shown in the drawing, +making a triangle with base 7 feet long and sides each about 4 feet 6 +inches long. The surplus end piece was then cut off, and a broad hem +turned and basted all around the edges of the triangle. Bill wanted to +work the sewing machine himself, but Mother was afraid he would break +something, so she sewed down the hem for us. Then, under Bill's +supervision, she re-enforced the corners by sewing on patches of cloth. +Along the diagonal a strip of heavy tape was sewed, leaving loops at +intervals, which afterward were cut and provided means for tying the +sail to the mast. Tie strings of tape were also sewed at the corners, as +shown in the illustration, and then a trip was made to the garden in +search of suitable spars. A smooth bean pole of about the right weight +served for the mast, and another stick with a crotch at one end served +as the boom or cross-spar. The spars were cut to proper length, and the +sail was then tied on, as illustrated, with the crotch of the cross-spar +fitted against and tied to the center of the mast. A light rope, long +enough to provide plenty of slack, was tied to the ends of the mast to +assist in guiding the sail when in use. In the meantime I had procured +another sheet from one of our neighbors, and Bill helped me make a sail +for myself. It was not until long after dark that we finished our work. + + +WILLOW CLUMP ISLAND. + +The next day we tried the sails and it didn't take me very long to learn +how to steer the device. The wind had changed again and this time blew +up the canal. We took the line of least resistance, and went skimming up +the ice lane like birds for several miles before we realized how far we +were getting away from home. As we rounded a bend in the canal, much to +my astonishment, I saw just before us the bridge at Raven Hill, eight +miles from our town. We started to go back, but the wind was too strong +for us, and there wasn't much room in which to do any tacking; nor could +we make any progress when the sails were folded. I began to get +extremely tired and rather exasperated at Bill for not having thought of +the return trip before he led me such a hot pace up the canal. But Bill +was getting tired, too. + +"Look here, Jim," he said, "we haven't covered a mile, and I'm worn +out." + +"Why in thunder didn't you think of this before we started?" I returned. + +"How much money have you with you?" was the reply. + +"What's that got to do with it?" + +"I'll tell you in a minute. How much have you?" + +A careful search of my dozen odd pockets netted the sum of twenty-seven +cents. + +"I have fifty-nine," said Bill, "and that makes eighty-six altogether, +doesn't it? Isn't there a railroad depot near here?" + +"There is one at Raven Hill, and the next is at Lumberville. That is +about eleven miles from home." + +"Well," said Bill, "at three cents each per mile that would amount to +sixty-six cents. Let's sail on to Lumberville and then take the train +back." + +On we sped to Lumberville, only to find that the next train was not due +until noon, and it was now just half past ten. + +Time never hung heavy on our hands. Out on the river we espied an +island. I had heard of this island--Willow Clump Island, it was +called--but had never been on it; consequently I fell in with Bill's +suggestion that we make it a visit. Owing to the rapids which separated +the island from the Jersey shore, we had to go up stream a quarter of a +mile, to where a smooth sheet of ice had formed, over a quiet part of +the river; thence we sailed down to the island along the Pennsylvania +side. + +"What a capital island for a camp," cried Bill, after we had explored it +pretty thoroughly. "Have you ever been out camping?" + +I had to confess I never had, and then Bill gave me a glowing account of +his experiences in the Adirondacks with his uncle the year before, which +so stirred up the romance in me that I wanted to camp out at once. + +"Shucks!" said Bill, "We would freeze in this kind of weather, and +besides, we've got to make a tent first." + +We then sat down and made elaborate plans for the summer. Suddenly the +distant sound of a locomotive whistle interrupted our reveries. + +"Jiminy crickets!" I exclaimed. "That's the train coming through +Spalding's Cut. We've got to hustle if we are to catch it." + +We were off like the wind, and a merry chase brought us to the +Lumberville depot in time to flag the train. We arrived at Lamington at +half past twelve, a trifle late for dinner, rather tired and hungry, but +with a glowing and I fear somewhat exaggerated account of our adventure +for the credulous ears of the rest of the boys. + + +ORGANIZING THE SOCIETY. + +The camping idea met with the hearty approval of all, and it was decided +to begin preparations at once for the following summer. Dutchy, whose +father was a member of a geographical society, suggested that we form a +society for the exploration of Willow Clump Island. By general +acclamation Bill was chosen president of the society, Dutchy was made +vice-president, Reddy was elected treasurer, and they made me secretary. +It was Dutchy who proposed the name "The Society for the Scientific +Investigation, Exploration and Exploitation of Willow Clump Island." It +was decided to make an expedition of exploration as soon as we could +make skate sails for the whole society. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +SKATE SAILS. + + +The duties of the secretary, as defined in the constitution which Dutchy +Van Syckel drew up, were to keep a record of all the acts of the +society, the minutes of every meeting, and accurate detailed +descriptions of all work accomplished. Therefore, while the rest of the +society was busy cutting up old sheets, levied from the surrounding +neighborhood, and sewing and rigging the sails under Bill's direction, +I, with pad and pencil in hand, took notes on all the operations. + + +THE DOUBLE SWEDISH SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 6. Dimensions of Double Swedish Sail. N. B.--The mark +(') means feet and (") means inches.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 7. Halyards Looped onto Pole.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 8. The Double Swedish Sail.] + +Bill evolved some new types of sails which differed materially from the +type described in the first chapter. One was a double sail--"the kind +they use in Sweden," he explained. One of the sheets which the foraging +party brought in was extra large; it measured approximately two yards +and a half square. This was folded on itself, making a parallelogram +seven feet six inches long and three feet nine inches wide. The sheets +we had were all rather worn and some were badly torn, so that we had to +make our sails of double thickness, sewing patches over the weak spots. +A broad hem was turned down at each end, and heavy tape was sewed on, +leaving loops as before, to attach them to the spars. This reduced the +length of our sail to seven feet three inches. The end spars were spaced +apart by a light pole about ten feet long, to which they were tied at +the points of intersection. The spars were also braced by halyards +looped over the ends of the pole in the manner indicated in the drawing +(Fig. 7). It took a crew of two boys to manipulate this sail. In use, +the pole of the rig was carried on the shoulders, and the sail was +guided by means of ropes attached to the lower corners of the vertical +spars. These ropes in nautical language are called "sheets." The boy at +the rear was the pilot and did the steering, because his position behind +the sail gave him an unobstructed view in all directions. When changing +tack the sail was lifted overhead to the other side of the crew. + +[Illustration: Fig. 9. Changing Tack.] + + +THE SINGLE SWEDISH SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 10. The Single Swedish Sail.] + +Another sail of similar form, but for use of one boy only, is shown in +Fig. 10. This had a height of six and one-half feet at the forward end +and three feet at the rear; and its length was five feet. This sail was +very satisfactory in light winds, owing to its great area. In use we +found that it was very important to keep the lower edge against the leg, +as indicated by the arrow. The rig was manipulated just like the double +Swedish sail, lifting it over the head when it was desired to change +tack. + + +THE LANTEEN SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig 11. The Lanteen Sail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 12. Hinge for Spars.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 13. Leather Mast Step.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 14. Wooden Mast Step.] + +The lanteen sail we found to be a very good rig. It was made in the form +of a triangle, measuring eight feet on one side, seven and one-half feet +on another side and six and one-half feet on the third. The six and +one-half foot side was secured to a boom, and the seven and one-half +foot side to a yard. The yard and boom were hinged together by a leather +strap nailed on as shown in Fig. 12, and to this hinge a rope was +attached, which served as a sheet. These spars were secured to a mast +erected perpendicularly to the boom and intersecting the yard a little +above its center. We had had some trouble with the first sails we made +in keeping the base of the sail against the body, and to overcome this +difficulty Bill proposed tying the bottom of the mast to the leg. This +was a rather risky thing to do, as we learned later, for in case of +accident it would be difficult to get clear of the sail. It was Reddy +who finally solved the problem by rigging up a step for the mast. It +consisted of a leather tag tied to the leg, and provided with a hole +into which the bottom of the mast was fitted. To prevent the mast from +slipping too far into the step the lower portion of it was whittled +down, leaving a shoulder which rested on the leather. Bill later devised +another step, which consisted of a wooden block (Fig. 14) strapped to +the leg and formed with a shallow socket to receive the end of the mast. + + +THE DANISH SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 15. The Danish Sail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 16. Topsail of the Danish Rig.] + +But the most satisfactory sail we found to be the Danish sail, though it +was not until we had served quite a long apprenticeship and sustained +many pretty bad falls that we mastered the art of manipulating these +sails properly. Our ideas on this sail were obtained from a French +illustrated paper which Dutchy Van Syckel picked up in his father's +library. This sail was formed with a topsail so arranged that it could +be lowered when the wind was too strong. The dimensions of the sail as +we made it are given in the drawing (Fig. 15). The top of the sail was +lashed to a spar, which was connected by a short stick to another spar +tied to the mainsail about eighteen inches lower down. The sail was +strengthened with an extra strip of cloth along the lower spar, and the +tie strings were applied in the usual way. The connecting stick, or +topmast we may call it, was hinged to the lower spar by means of a short +piece of leather strap, which was passed round the spar in the form of a +loop and its two ends nailed to the bottom of the topmast. The topmast +extended above the upper spar a short distance, and to this we fastened +the flag which our society had adopted. A couple of strong cords were +secured to the center spar to provide for fastening the sail onto the +skater. Tied to the lower corners of the mainsail were two sticks which +were used for guiding the sail when in flight. + +[Illustration: Fig. 17. Before the Wind. Fig. 18. Topsail Lowered. Fig. +19. Skating against the Wind. Fig. 20. On the Port Tack.] + + +The different methods of sailing with this rig are shown in Figs. 17-20. +When sailing with the wind the skater would stand very erect, bending +backward in proportion as the wind blew fresher. By inclining the sail +in one direction or the other, the skater could tack to port or +starboard. When moving against the wind by skating in the usual way, the +body was bent forward in such manner that the sail lay horizontal, so +that it would not offer a purchase for the wind. + + +BAT'S WINGS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 21.] + +One more sail deserves mention. It was Bill's idea, and it came near to +ending his career the first day he tried it. It had no spars at all, but +was merely a strip of cloth of somewhat triangular shape. The upper side +was tied to the head, and the two corners to the wrists, while the lower +portion was tied to the ankles. This converted him into a huge +white-winged bat. Bill had to try it at once, even though the rest of +the sails were not finished, and a very comical spectacle he made as he +flapped his wings in his endeavors to tack. When the wind was too strong +for him he had merely to drop his arms and thus lower sail. At length he +became tired of holding his arms out at full length, and I got him a +stick to put over his shoulders and rest his arms on. But that stick was +Bill's undoing, for coming around a sudden bend in the canal he caught +the full force of the wind, which knocked him flat on his back before he +could disentangle himself from the stick and lower sail. It took us some +time to bring him back to consciousness, and a very scared lot of boys +we were for a while. However, the lesson was a good one, for after that +we were very cautious in experimenting with sails that had to be tied +on, such as the Danish rig and the lanteen rig, before Reddy invented +the mast step. + +It was not until the day after Christmas that the sails were all +completed, but then there was scarcely any wind blowing and we could not +attempt the expedition to the island. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +SNOW SHOES, SKIS AND SWAMP SHOES. + + +The next day, Sunday, it began to snow, and we realized that our chance +of skating up to Willow Clump Island was spoiled. All the afternoon it +snowed, and the next morning we woke to find the ground covered to a +depth of eight inches and snow still falling. But who ever heard of a +boy complaining because there was snow on the ground? Here were new +difficulties to overcome, new problems to solve, and new sports provided +for our amusement. There was no disappointment shown by any of the +members of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I., as they met in the woodshed +immediately after breakfast to discuss proceedings for the day. There +seemed to be but one way of reaching the island, and that was by means +of snow shoes. Bill had only a vague idea of how snow shoes were made. + + +CHAIR SEAT SNOW SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 22. Chair Seat Snow Shoe] + +The first pair was made from a couple of thin wooden chair seats which +we found in the shed. They proved quite serviceable, being very light +and offering a fairly large bearing surface. The chair seats were +trimmed off at each side to make the shoes less clumsy, and a loop of +leather was fastened near the center of each shoe, in which the toe +could be slipped. This shoe possessed the disadvantage of being too flat +and of picking up too much snow when used. + + +BARREL STAVE SNOW SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 23. Barrel Stave Snow Shoe.] + +Another pair of shoes was made from barrel staves. At first one stave +was made to serve for a shoe, but we found that two staves fastened +together with a pair of wooden cleats were much better. Jack was the +proud inventor of these shoes and insisted that they were far more +satisfactory than the elaborate ones which were later devised. + + +BARREL HOOP SNOW SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 24. Barrel Hoop Snow Shoe.] + +Now that Jack had shown his ingenuity, Fred thought it was his turn to +do something, and after mysteriously disappearing for the space of an +hour we saw him suddenly come waddling back to the shed on a pair of +barrel hoops covered with heavy canvas. He had stretched the canvas so +tightly across the hoops that they were bent to an oval shape. It was +claimed for these shoes, and with good reason, that they were not so +slippery as the barrel stave shoe, for they permitted the foot to sink +slightly into the snow. + +After dinner, Dutchy came back with a book of his father's, a sort of an +encyclopedia in which several different kinds of snow shoes were +illustrated. Reddy, whose father owned a sawmill, volunteered to provide +us with strips of hickory from which to make the frames. + + +THE SIOUX SNOW SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 25. Sioux Shoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 26. Frame of the Sioux Shoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig 27. Web of the Sioux Shoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 28. Weaving Needle] + +The Sioux snow shoe was the first type we tackled. Two strips of hickory +4 feet long and 3/4 inch square in section, were bent over a pair of +spreaders and securely fastened together at each end. The spreaders were +about 12 inches long and located about 15 inches apart. They were +notched at the ends, as shown in Fig. 26, to receive the side strips, +which were not fastened together until after they had been nailed to the +spreaders. We found that the most satisfactory way of fastening together +the ends of the hickory strips was to bolt them together. When the frame +was completed, we began the tedious process of weaving in the filling or +web of the snow shoe. First we cut notches in the edges of the +spreaders, spacing these notches an inch apart. Then we procured several +balls of heavy twine at the corner store. Tying one end of the cord to +the right side stick about three inches below the forward spreader, we +stretched a strand down to the notch at the left end of the lower +spreader. The strand was drawn taut, and after making several twists +around it the cord was tied to the left side stick three inches above +the spreader. From this point the cord was stretched to the notch at the +right end of the upper spreader, twisted several times and brought back +to the starting point. The cord was now wrapped around the side stick +for a space of about an inch, and then carried down to the second notch +on the lower spreader, whence it was woven through the other two strands +and tied about the left side stick about four inches from the spreader. +Thus the weaving continued, passing the cord alternately over and under +any cross strands encountered. In order to make the left side correspond +with the right, a separate cord was wound around it, filling up the +space between the strands of the web. The filling above and below the +spreaders could not be so methodically done, but we managed to weave the +strands quite neatly with about the same mesh as used at the center. To +facilitate the weaving we improvised a rough needle of a piece of wire. +The latter was bent double to receive the cord which was wedged in +between the two arms of the needle. + + +THE IROQUOIS SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 29. Bending the Hickory Strips.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 30. Frame of Iroquois Shoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 31. Iroquois Snow Shoe.] + +But the best snow shoe we made was the Iroquois shoe. The frame of this +shoe was made of hickory strips of the same width and thickness as used +in the Sioux shoe, but 8 feet long. The strips were bent in a loop and +the ends were bolted together. How to bend the wood without breaking it +seemed a very difficult problem. Wood, we knew, could be easily bent +without breaking if boiled or steamed for a while; but we had nothing +large enough in which to boil a strip of wood 8 feet long. Bill hit upon +the plan of wrapping the stick with burlap and then pouring boiling +water on it until it became sufficiently soft to bend easily. An old +oats-sack was cut up into strips and wound onto the hickory sticks for a +distance of 18 inches at each side of the center. We then repaired to +the kitchen to do the steaming. The hickory stick was held over a large +dish-pan filled with boiling water, and from this we dipped out the +water and poured it slowly over the burlap wrapping of the stick. After +a little of this treatment the stick was sufficiently steamed to permit +of bending to the required shape. The ends were then firmly secured by +means of bolts passed through bolt holes which had been previously +drilled. The frame was completed by fitting the spreader sticks in +place, after which it was laid away to dry. When the frame was perfectly +dry we started weaving the web. In this case, however, instead of cord +we used cane strips, which we had bought from a chair caner. This +necessitated drilling holes in the side sticks to receive the cane +strips. The web consisted of strands crossing each other diagonally, as +illustrated. Our second pair of Iroquois snow shoes was made with a web +of rawhide which we bought from a hardware store at Millville. + + +THE AINU SNOW SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 32. Ainu Snow Shoe.] + +One of the snowshoes described in the book was very much like Fred's +barrel-hoop snow shoe in appearance. According to the description, it +was a type used by the Ainus, a peculiar people living in the cold +northern islands of Japan. As the shoe seemed quite simple and rather +unique, we thought we would make one like it. Two hickory strips each 4 +feet long were bent to a U-shape and lashed together, forming an oval +about 2 feet 6 inches long by 18 inches wide. The frame was held to oval +shape by tying the sides together. Then the filling was woven in, +running the strands diagonally, as shown in Fig. 32. + +We had excellent weather for snow shoes after that snowstorm. A thaw +followed by a cold spell caused a thick crust to form on the snow which +would nearly hold us up without the aid of our snowshoes. We were rather +awkward with those shoes for a while, trying to keep them clear of each +other, and we found it particularly hard to turn sharply without causing +one shoe to run foul of the other. But with a little practice we soon +felt quite at home on them. In order to prevent cutting the web with our +heels, we found it necessary to wear rubbers. + +[Illustration: Fig. 33. The Norwegian Ski.] + +Our vacation came to an end before we were prepared for the expedition +to Willow Clump Island. But before leaving the subject on snow shoes, +two more shoes remain to be described, namely the Swiss snow shoe and +the Norwegian ski. The Swiss shoe was made during the summer and the ski +during the following winter. + + +THE NORWEGIAN SKI. + +[Illustration: Fig. 34. Bending the Ski.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 35. The Ski Stick.] + +The Norwegian ski was made of close-grained wood, 1 inch thick, 3-1/2 +inches wide and 6 feet long. About 18 inches from the forward end the +wood was planed down to a thickness of 1/4 of an inch. This end was +placed in the dish-pan of boiling water, and in a short time it was +pliable enough to permit of bending. It was secured in the proper bent +position by slipping the toe end of the shoe between the banisters on +the back porch and nailing a cleat back of the heel end. When the ski +was perfectly dry the toe strap was nailed on just back of the balancing +point, and also another strap, to be secured about the ankle. Then a +cleat was nailed onto the ski to fit against the heel of the shoe. In +use we found it best to cut a groove in the bottom of the ski, so as to +give us a better grip on the snow in climbing up hills. With the skis we +had to use short poles or "ski sticks" to assist in starting, stopping +and steering when coasting. The ski stick was a bean pole provided with +a wooden block near the lower end, to prevent it from being forced too +far through the snow. + + +THE SWISS SNOW SHOE OR SWAMP SHOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 36. The Swiss Snow Shoe.] + +The Swiss shoe was made primarily to assist us in exploring some boggy +land a short distance up the river from our island. The original swamp +shoes were made from the bottoms of two old baskets, and they worked so +admirably that it was decided to equip the whole society with them. +Uncle Ed, when told about them, informed us that that was the kind of +snow shoe used in Switzerland. Of course, we could not afford to destroy +a pair of baskets for each member of the club, and so we had to weave +the shoes from the willows which grew on the island. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +TENT MAKING. + + +We had a farewell meeting of the society the evening before Bill and I +had to return to boarding-school. At this meeting plans were made for +the Easter vacation. We also considered the matter of getting parental +permission for our summer outing. So far we had been afraid to breathe a +word of our plans outside of the society, since Fred had said something +about it in the presence of Father and had been peremptorily ordered to +banish all such hair-brained, Wild West notions from his head. We +realized from that incident that the consent of our parents would not be +so very easily obtained. But Bill came forward with a promising +suggestion. He would write to his Uncle Ed and see if he couldn't be +persuaded to join the expedition. At first we demurred. We didn't want a +"governor" around all the time. But Bill assured us that his uncle was +"no ordinary man"; that he would not interfere with our plans, but would +enter right into them and give us many valuable pointers. Though not by +any means convinced, we told him to go ahead and invite his uncle, as +that seemed about the only means of winning over our fathers and +mothers. The society was then adjourned until our Easter vacation began, +each member promising to earn and save as much money as he could in the +meantime to buy the materials for a tent and provisions for the summer +outing. + + +Word From Uncle Ed. + + +[Illustration: Fig. 37. Breadths sewed together for Roof and Side Walls +of Tent.] + +Bill's letter to Uncle Ed was answered as quickly as the mail could +travel to Brazil and back. Uncle Ed heartily approved of our plans, and +said that he would be delighted to join the expedition. He could not be +on hand before the 1st of July, but that would give us plenty of time to +make all necessary preparations. He told us not to worry about gaining +the consent of our parents. He would write to them and see them all +personally, if necessary to win their approval. + + +THE CANVAS TENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 38. The Sail Stitch.] + +When at last spring arrived and we returned to Lamington on our Easter +vacation, quite a sum of money had been collected, nearly $15.00, if I +remember rightly; at any rate plenty to buy the materials for a +good-sized tent and leave a large surplus for provisions, etc. Bill +figured out on paper just how much canvas we would need for a tent 7 +feet wide by 9-1/2 feet long, which he estimated would be about large +enough to hold us. It took 34 yards, 30 inches wide. Then we visited the +village store to make our purchase. Canvas we found a little too +expensive for us, but a material called drill seemed about right. It +cost ten cents a yard, but since we wanted such a quantity of it the +price was reduced to a total of $3.00. We repaired to the attic to lay +out the material. + +[Illustration: Fig. 39. Cutting out the Door Flaps.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 40. Sewing on the Door Flaps.] + +First we cut out four lengths of 5 yards and 26 inches each. The strips +were basted together, lapping the edges 1 inch and making a piece 17 +feet 2 inches long by 9 feet 9 inches wide. Mother sewed the breadths +together on the machine, using a double seam, as in sail making; that +is, two parallel rows of stitching were sewed in, one along each +overlapping edge, as shown in Fig. 38. A 1-inch hem was then turned and +sewed at the ends of the goods, so that the piece measured exactly 17 +feet long. It served for the roof and side walls of the tent. Our next +operation was to cut three strips 11 feet long, and sew them together +with a double seam as before. This piece was now slit along the center +line _m_, Fig. 39, making two lengths 3 feet 8 inches wide. The +strips were then cut along the diagonal lines _a a_, forming the +end walls or doors, so to speak, of the tent. In sewing on the door +flaps we started first at the bottom of the side _c_, sewing it to +the side edge of the main piece, as shown in Fig. 40, and running the +seam up for a distance of exactly 3 feet 6 inches. After all the door +strips had been sewed along their _c_ edges the sewing was +continued up the diagonal or _a_ edges. In cutting out the door +pieces we had allowed 1 inch on each side for hems and seams, so that +the door pieces met without lapping at the exact center of the main or +body piece, that is, at the peak of the tent. + +[Illustration: The Wall Tent Set Up in the Back Yard.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 41. Adjustable Ridge Pole.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 42. The Tent Set Up.] + +Our next step was to fasten the necessary ropes and loops. Ten 8-foot +lengths of light rope were procured. These were fastened at the top of +the side walls, that is, 3 feet 6 inches from the ends of the main or +body piece, one at each corner and one on each seam. The cloth was +strengthened at these points with patches sewed on the inside. At the +bottom of the side walls we sewed on loops of heavy tape. These were +spaced about 15 inches apart. Along the _b_ edges of the door +pieces tie strings of tape were fastened. A rope 15 feet long was +attached to the peak at the front and at the rear of the tent. The front +and rear posts of the tent were made from scantlings measuring 2 by 4 +inches, which were procured from Mr. Schreiner's lumber yard. They were +planed smooth and sawed off to a length of 7 feet 6 inches. A slot was +cut in the end of each stick to a depth of 6 inches and measuring +slightly over an inch in width. For the ridge pole a strip 1 inch thick, +2-1/2 inches wide and 10 feet long was secured. This was fitted into the +slotted ends of these posts, where it was fastened by wooden pegs +slipped into holes drilled through the ends of the posts and the ridge +pole. A number of these peg holes were provided, so that if the canvas +stretched the ridge pole could be raised or lowered to prevent the walls +from dragging on the ground. We set up the tent in our back yard to see +if it was properly constructed. Twelve stakes were required, ten for the +sides and one for the ridge stays at the front and rear. The side stakes +were driven into the ground at a distance of about 8 feet from the +center of the tent. First we tied the guy ropes to the stakes, but later +we found it much easier to secure them with tie blocks. + + +TIE BLOCKS. + + +[Illustration: Fig. 43. The Wood Tie Block.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 44. The Wire Tie.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 45. Bottom of Tent Wall.] + +These were made of wood 1/2 inch thick, 1 inch wide and each measured 3 +inches long. A hole was drilled into the block at each end and through +these holes the rope was threaded. A knot in the rope then held the end +from slipping out. The loop between the two holes, or the bight, as +sailors would call it, was now slipped over the stake, and the rope +hauled tight by drawing up the tie block, as shown in Fig. 43. A still +later improvement consisted in making ties of stout galvanized iron +wire, bent to the form shown in Fig. 44. The wooden ties were apt to +swell and split open when exposed to the weather, while the wire ties +could always be relied upon. + +The walls of the tent were held down along the bottom by railway spikes +hooked through the tent loops and driven into the ground. Wooden pegs +with notches to catch the loops would have served as well, but Dutchy +happened to find a number of the spikes along the track and in his usual +convincing manner argued that they were far better than pegs because +their weight would hold the cloth down even if they were not firmly +embedded in the ground. + + +THE ANNEX. + +We were surprised to find out how small the tent was after it was set +up. We could see at once that when we had put in all the stores and +provisions we would need, there would not be room enough for six boys +and a man to stretch themselves out comfortably in it. Bill had +evidently made a miscalculation, but he suggested that we remedy the +error by building an annex for our kitchen utensils and supplies. + +[Illustration: Fig. 46. Cutting out the Annex.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 47. The Annex Applied.] + +This gave us a two-room tent, which we found to be quite an advantage. +Twelve more yards of drill were bought and cut into two strips, each 17 +feet 2 inches long. The breadths were then sewed together, and the ends +turned up and hemmed to make a piece 17 feet long and 4 feet 9 inches +wide. Tape loops were then sewed on as before, and ropes were fastened +on at the top of the side walls, that is, 3 feet 6 inches from the ends +of the strips. We thought it would be better to have a slanting ridge on +the annex, so we cut out a wedge-shaped piece from the center of the two +strips, as shown by dotted lines _B B_ in Fig. 46. This +wedge-shaped piece measured 2 feet at the outer end of the annex, and +tapered down to a point at the inner end. The canvas was then sewed +together along these edges. Tie strings were sewed to the inner edge of +the annex and corresponding ones were attached to the main tent a little +ways back from the edge, so that the two could be tied together, with +the annex lapping well over on the roof and side walls. A notch was cut +out of the peak of the annex, so that it could be tied around the rear +post of the tent, and notches were cut at the top of the side walls to +permit passing the cloth around the wall ropes. Instead of supporting +the ridge of the annex on a ridge pole, we used the rear guy line of the +tent, propping it up with a scantling about 5-1/2 feet long. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +PREPARING FOR THE EXPEDITION. + + +School closed on the 21st of June that year, just ten days before the +expected arrival of Uncle Ed. The first thing we did was to set up our +tent in the back yard and camp out so as to become acclimatized. It is +good that we did this, for the very first night a heavy summer shower +came up which nearly drenched us. The water beat right through the thin +canvas roof of our tent. Had we been able to afford the best quality of +canvas duck, such an occurrence would probably have been avoided. But we +solved the difficulty by using a tent fly; that is, a strip of canvas +stretched over the tent and spaced a short distance from it to break the +fall of the rain drops. + +[Illustration: Fig. 48. The Wall Tent with the Fly fastened on.] + + +TENT FLY. + +[Illustration: Fig. 49. The Fly Ridge Pole.] + +Again we had to visit the village storekeeper; this time we bought out +his whole remaining stock, sixteen yards of drill. This was cut into +four-yard strips, which were sewed together as before and the ends +turned up and hemmed. Tie strings were sewed to the ends of the strips +so that the fly could be tied to the wall ropes of the tent. At the +ridge the fly was supported about six inches above the tent rope by a +second ridge pole held by pegs in the top holes of the tent posts. + + +PROVISIONS AND SUPPLIES. + +The ten days before Uncle Ed arrived were busy indeed. We had to gather +together the necessary provisions and supplies. Our personal outfits +were very simple. Each member supplied himself with a change of +underwear, a bathing suit, a blanket and a toothbrush. A single comb and +brush served for the entire society, and was used on Sundays, the only +day we really dressed up. All the rest of the time we lived in our +bathing suits, except, of course, on cold rainy days. Our kitchen outfit +consisted of a large cooking pot, two kettles, a frying pan, a coffee +pot, a small oil stove, a half-dozen each of plates, cups, saucers, +knives and forks, a dozen spoons, two tablespoons, and, in addition, +several large plates and bowls for pantry use. We also took with us a +dish-pan and several dish-towels. For our larder we collected the +following: A bag of flour, ten pounds of sugar, two pounds of salt, +three pounds of coffee, four pounds of oatmeal, four pounds of butter, +two pounds of lard, six pound of beans, six pounds of rice, three pounds +of bacon, six cans of condensed milk, a dozen eggs, box of pepper, and +several jars of canned peaches and pears, and also a half dozen glasses +of jelly. + +It was Dutchy who suggested that we have a chicken yard, in connection +with our camp, to supply us with fresh eggs. It was a capital idea, and +by the dint of some coaxing we managed to secure the loan of a half +dozen hens and a rooster. + +Our miscellaneous list included a spade, pick and shovel, an ax, a +hatchet, two large pails, a barn lantern, a can of kerosene, a dozen +candles, a cocoa box filled with matches, a pair of scissors, needles, +buttons, pins and safety pins, a spool of white and another of black +cotton, fishing tackle, a roll of heavy twine, a coil of rope, and a set +of dominoes and checkers. But most important of all was a chest of tools +belonging to Reddy. These were all collected when Uncle Ed arrived. +Dutchy also contributed a large compass, which we found very useful +later on, for surveying the island. + + +CROSSBOW. + +Reddy had a shotgun which he wanted to bring along, but my father, and +Dutchy's as well, wouldn't let us go camping if there was to be any +gunpowder along, so we had to leave it behind. Of course we didn't miss +it at all when we got to the island, because there was so much else to +do; but we all agreed with Dutchy, that "it wouldn't be no sort of a +scientific expedition without takin' a gun along." As a substitute I +suggested a bow and arrow. They all laughed at such a "kiddish" idea; +all but Bill, I mean. + +[Illustration: Drifting down the Schreiners' Brook.] + +[Illustration: Paddling in the Old Scow.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 50. Binding the Bow.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 51. The Trigger.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 52. The Trigger Set for Firing.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 53. The Umbrella Rib Crossbow.] + +"It ain't such a bad notion," said he, "only a crossbow would be better. +I've seen them made out of umbrella ribs so they'd shoot like greased +lightning." Of course we had to have one of these wonderful weapons. +Down in the ash heap we found two broken umbrellas with 27-inch ribs. +Bill selected ten good ribs, from which he wrenched off the spreaders +with a pair of pliers. The ribs were then bound together by winding +stout twine around them. The winding was very evenly and closely done, +so that the cord completely covered the ribs, making a solid rod of +spring steel. But before winding we had laid in between the ribs a piece +of heavy twine, to which the bowstrings could be tied after the bow was +all wound. The stock of our crossbow was cut out of a board of soft wood +1 inch thick to as near the shape of a gun as we could get it. A hole +was drilled through the muzzle end to receive the bow, and then the +bowstring was tied fast. Along the upper edge of the barrel a V-shaped +channel was cut. The channel was not very deep, only enough to receive a +tenpenny nail with the head projecting half-way above the sides. A notch +was cut across the barrel, through this channel, at the trigger end, and +a trigger made of heavy iron wire, bent to the shape shown in Fig. 51, +was hinged to the gun by a bolt which passed clear through the stock and +through both eyes of the trigger. By using two nuts on the bolt, and +tightening one against the other, they were prevented from working loose +and coming off. When we wanted to fire the gun the bowstring was drawn +back, and held by slipping it into the notch, and a nail was laid in the +channel with its head against the bowstring. Then, on pulling the +trigger, the bowstring was lifted out of the notch, and sent the nail +off sailing. The long-grooved barrel insured a very good aim. + + +MEGAPHONE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 54. The Megaphone.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 55. Layout of the Megaphone.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 56. Brass Fastener.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 57. The Mouthpiece.] + +Another device we made in preparation for the expedition was a +megaphone. A sheet of light cardboard 30 inches square was procured. At +the center of one edge a pin was stuck into the cardboard, then a piece +of stout thread was looped over the pin and the two ends were knotted +together just 5 inches from the pin. Another knot was also made 29 +inches from the pin. Now, with a pencil hooked into the loop, and +resting first against the inner knot and then against the outer one, two +arcs were drawn on the paper, one of 5-inch radius and the other of +29-inch radius. A line was now drawn from the pin to the point where the +longer arc met the right hand edge of the paper, and a dotted line was +drawn from the pin to a point 1-1/2 inches from the edge at the other +end of the arc. From a point 1 inch to the left of the pin we then drew +a line to the left end of the arc. With a scissors we cut the cardboard +along the arcs and straight lines, all but the dotted line, leaving a +piece of the shape shown in Fig. 55. This piece was rolled into a cone +with the right edge lapped over the left edge and lying against the +dotted line. In this position it was held by means of several brass +fasteners of the kind shown in Fig. 56. + +A mouthpiece was formed out of a block of wood in which a large hole had +been drilled. The block was then cut away until the walls were quite +thin. The hole was reamed out at the top, as shown in Fig. 57, and the +outer surface was tapered so that the small end of the megaphone would +fit snugly on it. + +We planned to reach our camping grounds by way of the canal, and had +provided for that purpose a large scow, which we expected to tow up to +Lumberville and drag over to the river. + + +THE SCOW. + +[Illustration: Fig. 58. Side pieces of the Scow.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 59. Frame of the Scow.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 60. Nailing on the Bottom.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 61. Sockets for Rowlocks.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 62. Thole Pin.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 63. Nailing on the Decks.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 64. The Oar.] + +Our scow was made as follows: Two 3/4-inch pine boards, 12 inches wide +and 12 feet long, were selected from Reddy's father's lumber pile. These +were used for the side pieces of the boat, and we tapered them off at +the end to a width of 3-1/2 inches. This was done by making a straight +cut from the end to a point three feet back along the edge of the board +and then rounding off the edge with a draw-knife. When one board had +been shaped, it was used as a pattern for the other, which was thus cut +to exactly the same size. For the end pieces two strips, 4 inches wide +and 2 feet 10-1/2 inches long, were sawed out of a 1-inch board. Then +for the bottom we procured a number of 3/4-inch boards, 12 feet long and +8 inches wide, which we cut into 3-foot lengths. At Bill's suggestion, +before nailing the parts together, we secured some strips of flannel, +which were saturated with paint, and laid between the seams so as to +make the boat perfectly water-tight. The side and end boards were then +nailed together, with the strips of flannel between, the side boards +overlapping the end boards, as shown in Fig. 59. After planing down the +end boards until their edges laid flush with the edges of the side +pieces, the bottom boards were nailed on, strips of cloth being inserted +between them, as well as along the edges of the side and end boards. To +brace the bottom a 3/4-inch board was placed at the center, inside the +boat, and bent down against the floor, to which it was nailed with wire +nails. The nails were driven into the board from the outer side of the +boat and were clinched inside. Along the upper edges of the side boards +two strips 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick were nailed. Two notches were +cut in the inner side of each strip before it was nailed on. The notches +were 1/2 inch deep, 1-1/2 inches wide, 3 inches apart and about 5-1/2 +feet from the stern end. When the strips were nailed in place these +notches formed sockets to receive the rowlocks. A strip was also nailed +across the stern of the boat and formed with two central notches, to +receive the rowlocks for a steering oar. This strip, however, was 3 +inches wide, and projected 1 inch above the end board, so as to lie +flush with the deck boards, which were later applied. Six thole pins, +1/2 inch thick, 4-1/2 inches long and 2 inches wide, were cut out of an +oak board. The lower end of each pin was reduced to a width of 1-1/2 +inches for a length of 2 inches. The thole pins were then fitted snugly +in the notches. Two cleats, nailed to the side boards inside, 7 inches +below the upper edge, served to support a seat board 1 inch thick and 2 +feet 10-1/2 inches long. The aft edge of the seat was about 10 inches +forward of the rowlocks. The boat was completed by nailing on a couple +of deck boards at each end. The oars were made of 2-inch pine boards, 5 +feet long and 5 inches wide. They were blocked out at Mr. Schreiner's +sawmill and then shaped and smoothed down with a draw-knife and +spoke-shaved. They were 1-1/4 inches at the handle and 2 inches +immediately below, tapering down to a diameter of 1-1/4 inches at the +top of the blade. The blades were 18 inches long, 5 inches wide, and +planed down to a thickness of 1/4 inch along the edges. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +OFF TO THE ISLAND. + + +The morning of July 2d dawned bright and clear, but long before daybreak +the members of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I. were astir. The jolly red +sun peeping over the eastern hills witnessed an unaccustomed sight. Six +greatly excited boys were running back and forth from the barn to the +canal, bearing all manner of mysterious bundles, which were carefully +deposited in a freshly painted scow. Yes, all six of us were there. + + +A UNIQUE ALARM CLOCK. + +We hadn't expected to see Reddy Schreiner at such an early hour, for he +was always a sleepyhead, and no alarm clock would ever wake him. But +this was an exceptional day, and, besides, Reddy was quite an original +chap. He had taken one of the borrowed roosters into his room the night +before, and when, early in the morning, Mr. Chanticleer had mounted the +footboard of the bed, flapped his wings and given vent to his opinion of +a boy who persisted in sleeping at that late hour of the day, the noise +was too much for even Reddy's drowsy sensibilities. + +[Illustration: Fig. 65. Off to the Island.] + + +THE TRIP TO THE ISLAND. + +[Illustration: The Ledge below the Goblins' Platform.] + +[Illustration: The Camp at Willow Clump Island.] + +Our scow was not large enough to carry all the things we had to take +with us, but as Mr. Schreiner was going to take Uncle Ed up in his +wagon, we left the rest of our luggage for him to bring along. We boys +walked the eleven miles up the canal to Lumberville, towing the barge. +It was a tiresome task; but we divided the work into two-mile shifts, +two boys towing at a time and then each taking a mile ride as steersman +in the boat. It was about noon when we arrived at Lumberville, and then +we had to unload our boat before we could haul it out of the canal and +down to the river. The river on the Jersey side of the island was so +shallow that we waded across, pushing the boat ahead of us. The current +was too swift to permit of rowing, and it was rather hard for us to keep +our footing. But we managed to reach our destination finally without any +mishap. The island was thickly wooded, except for a small clearing where +we landed. The first thing we did was to unpack our eatables, and Jack, +the cook, soon had an appetizing pan of bacon and eggs sputtering on the +kerosene stove. + +[Illustration: Fig. 66. Dragging the Scow over to the Island.] + + +PRELIMINARY EXPLORATION. + +As no better position offered at the time we pitched our tent in the +clearing, pending a thorough search for a more suitable place elsewhere. +Around the tent we dug a trench about a foot deep to prevent water from +entering our quarters when it rained. It was about time for Uncle Ed and +Mr. Schreiner to appear with the rest of our luggage, so we did not have +time to do much exploring, but sauntered southward along the shore, +always on the lookout for their arrival. About a quarter of a mile from +the tent we came across the wreck of an old bridge, which had been +washed down by some freshet. This was a great find, and served us many +purposes, as will appear later. + +While we were examining the wreck we heard a distant "halloa" from the +mainland. There was Uncle Ed sitting on a pile of goods on the railroad +bank looking for all the world like an Italian immigrant. We answered +with a shout and scrambled back to the clearing. Then we ran splashing +through the water, pushing the boat before us. It didn't take us long to +load up and carry him back to the island. + + +A RUSTIC TABLE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 67. The Rustic Table.] + +Uncle Ed entered into our fun at once. He was as enthusiastic as a boy +over the surroundings, and when we told him of the old bridge he started +right off to investigate, taking the ax with him. Soon he had pried off +a number of the planks, which we used for a flooring to our tent. Then +he built us a table out of four forked sticks, driven into the ground, +and supporting two cross sticks, on which a pair of planks were laid. + + +THE SMALL FILTER. + +"Well, now, boys," said Uncle Ed, wiping the perspiration from his +forehead, "I am as thirsty as a whale. Where do you get your drinking +water? Is there a spring on the island?" + +We told him that we used the river water. + +[Illustration: Fig. 68. The Small Filter.] + +"What, river water! That won't do at all," he cried. "You'll all have +the typhoid fever. We must build a filter. I brought some charcoal with +me for this very purpose." + +Taking one of our pails he broke a hole in the bottom of it and stuffed +a sponge in the hole. A layer of small stones was then placed in the +pail, over this a layer of broken charcoal with the dust carefully blown +out, then a layer of clean sand, and finally a layer of gravel. Each +layer was about two inches thick. The pail was suspended from a branch +in a cool place and proved an excellent filter, the water trickling out +through the sponge being perfectly pure and sweet, no matter how dirty +it had been when poured in; but the capacity of the filter was too +small, and Uncle Ed said he would make us a larger one on the morrow if +no spring was discovered in the meantime. + +The sun was getting low in the west, and we therefore postponed the +exploration of our island until the following day. We had been up since +four o'clock that morning and had done some pretty hard work; so, +immediately after supper, we turned in and, lulled by the murmuring of +the river, were soon fast asleep. + + +THE BARREL FILTER. + +[Illustration: Fig. 69. The Barrel Filter.] + +Immediately after breakfast the next day we started out in two parties +to search the island. The only discovery of any moment was that made by +Dutchy's party, which found a small island separated from ours by a +narrow channel, through which the water ran like a mill-race. No spring +was discovered, so Uncle Ed had to construct his large filter. Bill and +I went over to Lumberville in search of a couple of cider barrels and a +pailful of charcoal. The barrels were placed one on top of the other +after cutting a large hole in the top of the lower barrel, and a smaller +one in the bottom of the upper one. The latter opening was covered by an +inverted saucer. Over this we spread a 3-inch layer of coarse sand, then +a 2-inch layer of charcoal, a 4-inch layer of clear, sharp sand, and a +2-inch top layer of gravel. The lower barrel was provided with a faucet, +through which we could draw off the filtered water as desired. In order +to keep the water cool we placed the filters in a shady place near the +river, and piled up earth around the lower barrel. + +"Now, boys," said Uncle Ed, "form in line there, and we will go through +a fire drill." + +He arranged us about five feet apart in a line extending from the filter +to the river. We had six pails, and these Dutchy filled one at a time, +passing them up the line to Reddy, who emptied them into the upper +barrel and then threw them back to Dutchy to be refilled. Working in +this way it did not take long to fill up the filter, and the burden of +keeping the barrels full, instead of falling on one person, was shared +alike by all. + +[Illustration: Fig. 70. Filling the Barrel.] + + +THE KLEPALO. + +Our camp outfit was further augmented by a dinner call. We discovered +the necessity of such a call on our very first day of camping. Dutchy +was so excited by his discoveries of the morning that he started out +alone in the afternoon to make a further search. The rest of us were +lazy after the noon meal, and were lolling around taking it easy during +the heat of the day, and discussing plans for the future. But Dutchy's +energetic nature would not permit him to keep quiet. He took the scow +and waded with it against the strong current to the deeper and quieter +water above the island. Then he rowed a long way up stream. He was gone +all the afternoon. Supper time came and still he didn't appear. The sun +was high, and I presume he didn't realize how late it was getting. +Finally, just at sunset, he came drifting down with the current, tired +and hungry, and ready for a large meal. But we had finished our supper +an hour before, and poor Dutchy had to be content with a few cold +remnants, because the cook had declared he wouldn't prepare an extra +meal for a fellow who didn't have sense enough to know when it was meal +time. + +Then it was that Uncle Ed bethought himself of the _klepalo_. + +"You ought to have some sort of a dinner call," he declared, "so that +any one within a mile of camp will know when dinner is ready." + +[Illustration: The _Klepalo_.] + +"Did you ever hear of a _klepalo_? No? Well, I was down in +Macedonia a couple of years ago inspecting a railroad, and I stopped off +for the night at a small Bulgarian village. The next day happened to be +a _Prasdnik_, or saint's day, and the first thing in the morning I +was awakened by a peculiar clacking sound which I couldn't make out. +Calling my interpreter I found out from him that it was a _klepalo_ +for calling the people to church. The people there are too poor to +afford a bell, and so in place of that they use a beam of oak hung from +a rope tied about the center, and this beam is struck with a hammer, +first on one side, and then the other. Sometimes an iron _klepalo_ +is used as well, and then they strike first the beam and then the iron +bar, so as to vary the monotony of the call. I found that the wooden +_klepalo_ could be heard for a distance of about one and a half +miles over land, and the iron one for over two miles. Now we can easily +make a wooden _klepalo_ for use in this camp, and then if Dutchy, +or any of the rest of us, keep within a mile and a half of camp there +won't be any trouble with the cook." + +So we built a _klepalo_, getting from Lumberville a stick of +seasoned oak, 1-1/2 inches thick, 6 inches wide and 4 feet long. A hole +was drilled into the stick at the center, and by a rope passed through +this hole the beam was suspended from a branch overhanging the camp. +Jack, the cook, regularly used this crude device to call the hungry +horde to meals. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +SURVEYING. + + +One of the first things we did after getting fairly settled in our new +quarters was to make a complete survey of Willow Clump Island and its +immediate surroundings. Our surveying instruments were made as follows: + + +THE SURVEYING INSTRUMENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 71. Baseboard of the Surveying Instrument.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 72. Sighting Blocks on the Baseboard.] + +Out of a 1-inch board we cut a base 15 inches long and 4 inches wide. In +the center we sawed out a circular opening of about 3 inches diameter +and covered this at the bottom by a circular piece 1 inch thick and 5 +inches in diameter, thus forming a socket in which our compass fitted +snugly. A hole 1 inch in diameter was drilled through the center of this +circular piece to receive the pivot pin of a tripod. Across each end of +the baseboard we secured a block 4 inches long, 2 inches wide and 1 inch +thick. A 1-inch sight hole was drilled through each block at its center. +A ring of cardboard, on which Uncle Ed marked with radial lines the 360 +degrees of the circle, was placed over the compass socket, with the zero +and 180 degree marks pointing toward the sight blocks. The outer faces +of the end blocks were now wet with mucilage and a hair was stretched +vertically across the center of each sight hole. The hairs were then +adjusted by sighting through the holes and moving the nearer hair +sidewise until it was exactly in line with both the zero and the 180 +degree marks on the cardboard. Then a hair was stretched horizontally +across the center of each sight hole. Great care was taken to place the +hairs at exactly the same height above the baseboard. To protect the +hairs after they were adjusted, they were covered with a piece of glass, +which was secured in place by tacks driven into the wood with their +heads projecting over the edges of the glass. + + +SPIRIT LEVELS. + +From one of his pockets Uncle Ed produced two small bottles, the kind +used for holding homeopathic pills. These he filled nearly to the top +with water, corked them and wedged them into grooves cut lengthwise in +the baseboard at opposite sides of the cardboard ring. These grooves +were filled with putty, and to make sure that the bottles were level +with the baseboard the latter was floated on a bit of quiet water and +the bottles were pressed down at one end or the other until the bubble +within rested at the exact center. + + +THE TRIPOD. + +[Illustration: Fig. 73. The Tripod Head.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 74. The Tripod Leg.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 75. The Surveying Instrument Complete.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 76. The Protractor.] + +The tripod head was formed of a wooden disk 5 inches in diameter, with a +wooden pin projecting from its center adapted to engage the hole in the +circular piece above referred to. To the bottom of the tripod head were +nailed three blocks 2 inches long and 1 inch square in cross-section. +The tripod legs were made of light strips of wood, 3/8 inch by 1 inch by +5 feet long, which we secured from one of the mills at Lumberville. Each +leg was formed of two of these strips, nailed securely together to +within 20 inches of the top. At the upper ends the strips were spread to +receive the blocks on the tripod head. In this position they were held +by headless wire nails driven into the ends of the blocks and fitting +into holes drilled in the strips. For a plumb line we tacked a cord to +the center of the tripod head, and attached a good-sized sinker to its +lower end. In connection with this plumb line we occasionally used a +protractor consisting of a semicircle of cardboard 5 inches in diameter, +on which the degrees of the circle were marked off with radiating lines, +as illustrated in Fig. 76. By holding the straight edge of this +protractor against the base of the tripod, and noting the number of +degrees between the 90 degree mark and the plumb line, we could tell at +a glance at what angle from the horizontal the instrument was tipped. + + +SURVEYOR'S CHAIN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 77. The Surveyor's Chain.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 78. Forming the Links.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 79. A Double-Ringed Link.] + +We made a surveyor's chain of wire links, each 12 inches long, instead +of 7.92 inches, which is the length of a standard surveyor's link. The +wire we used was No. 16 galvanized iron, which was rather stiff and +difficult to bend. In order to make all the links of exactly the same +size and shape we used a form, around which they were bent. The form +consisted of a 1-inch board in which two 1/2 inch holes were drilled, +just 11-1/2 inches apart, measured from their centers. An oak pin, 1/2 +inch in diameter, was driven into each hole and projected about an inch +above the board. Two blocks of oak were secured to the baseboard, just +before each pin, as shown in Fig. 78. This form gave great satisfaction. +A groove was cut in the side of one of the pins to receive the ring of a +completed link, while the wire was passed through this ring and bent +around the peg to form the ring of the new link. After each link was +formed it was carefully measured, and, if too long, was shortened by +flattening the rings endwise, or, if too short, was lengthened by +pinching together the sides of the rings. There were fifty links in our +chain, and every tenth one was formed with a double ring at the end, so +as to distinguish it from the rest (see Fig. 79). + + +THE SURVEYOR'S ROD. + +[Illustration: Fig. 80. Cutting Out a Disk.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 81. The Sighting Disk] + +[Illustration: Fig. 82 Nut Fastened in Block.] + +We completed our outfit by making a surveyor's rod out of a straight +stick of wood about 6 feet long. A target or sighting disk was mounted +on the stick. This disk was 6 inches in diameter, and was sawed out of a +6-inch square board by making straight cuts across the corners and then +smoothing off the edge to a perfect circle with a draw-knife. The +thickness of the disk was only 1/2 inch. At the back of the disk we +fastened a block of wood with a slot cut in it to receive the rod, as +shown in Fig. 81. To hold the disk at different heights on the rod a +small bolt was used. The nut on this bolt was slipped into a hole on the +block at the bottom of the slot and held in place by driving in nails +about it, as illustrated in Fig. 82. The bolt was then passed through +the hole and threaded through the nut, with its inner end bearing +against the rod. The disk could thus be held at any desired position by +tightening up the bolt. A piece of white paper was now pasted over the +disk. The paper was marked off into quarters, and opposite quarters were +painted black so that it would be easy to sight, from a distance, the +exact center of the target. + + +A SIMPLE METHOD OF SURVEYING. + +Of course, none of us had studied trigonometry, but Uncle Ed devised a +very simple method by which we could determine distances quite +accurately without much figuring. + +"If you will tell me the length of one side of a triangle and the angles +it makes with the other two sides," said Uncle Ed, "I'll tell you the +length of the other two sides and the size of the third angle. This is +how I will do it: + +[Illustration: Fig. 83. Diagram of Our First Lesson in Surveying.] + +"Say the line is 6 inches long and one angle is 35 degrees, while the +other is 117 degrees. Let us draw a 6-inch straight line. This we will +call our base line. Now we will place the base edge of our protractor on +the base line with its center at the right hand end of the line. At the +37 degree mark we will make a dot on the paper so, and draw a line from +the right hand end of the base line through this dot. Now we will do the +same thing at the opposite end, making a dot at 107 degrees from the +line, and draw a line from the left hand end of the base line through +this dot. + +"If we extend these lines until they intersect, we will have the +required triangle, and can measure the two sides, which will be found to +be about 12 inches and 8 inches long, and the third angle will measure +just 26 degrees. It doesn't make any difference on what scale we draw +the triangle, whether it be miles, yards, feet, inches or fractions of +an inch, the proportions will be the same. If the base line had been 6 +half-inches, or 3 inches long, and the same angles were used, the other +two lines would measure 12 half-inches, or six inches, and 8 +half-inches, or 4 inches. If the base line were 6 quarter-inches long, +the sides would be 3 inches and 2 inches long. + +[Illustration: Fig. 84. Determining the Distance to the Tree.] + +"Now, for example, I am going to measure the distance to that tree over +there. Get out your chain and measure off a straight line 10 feet long. +Now, I'll set the surveying instrument with the plumb-bob right over the +end of this line, and sight through the two sight holes until I bring +the two vertical hairs in line with each other and the tree. Look at the +compass needle. It points to the 173 degree mark on the cardboard ring. +Now, Bill, you hold the rod at the other end of our base line while I +swing this instrument around and sight it. There, the needle points to +92 degrees, and subtracting this from 173 the difference, 81 degrees, is +the angle at the right end of our base line. We'll do the same thing at +the other end of our line. See, the compass needle points to 189 +degrees, and now sighting to the pole at the other end of the line we +find that the needle points to 268. The difference, 79 degrees, is +therefore the size of the angle at the left end of our base line. Now we +will draw this out on paper, as we did our first triangle, using +quarter-inches to represent feet. Our base line was 10 feet long, and we +will therefore draw a line 10 quarter-inches, or 2-1/2 inches long, on +our drawing board. On this line we will construct the triangle, using +the angles 81 and 79 degrees. There, that's how our triangle looks, and +the right hand side measures 7-1/4 inches, while the left hand side +measures 7-5/16 inches. That is, 29 quarter-inches for one side and +29-1/4 quarter-inches for the other. As each quarter-inch represents a +foot, you will find that the tree is about 29 feet from the right end of +our base line and 29 feet 3 inches from the left hand end. Of course, +our instrument is not perfect, neither is our drawing; but if you +measure it off with the chain you will see that I am not very far from +correct." + + +MAPPING THE ISLAND. + +Most of our surveying was done by actual measurement, the surveying +instrument being used only to determine the exact direction of the +measurement. However, there were some measurements which we could not +make directly with the chain. For example, we wished to know just how +far it was from our tent to the Jersey shore of the river. We measured +off a base line along our shore 400 feet long and sighted to a point +directly across the river from our tent. The angle in front of our tent +was 90 degrees, and at the other end of the base line was 73 degrees. +When we drew out our triangle on the scale of 100 feet to the inch we +found that the shorter side directly in front of the tent was almost +exactly 13 inches long. This meant that the river at this point was +1,300 feet wide, nearly a quarter of a mile. On the other side of the +island we found, in the same way, that the river at its narrowest point +was about 500 feet wide. This portion of the river we named Lake Placid, +as the water was very still and quite deep. This was due to a sort of +natural dam formed at the lower end of our island. The small island that +Dutchy found was kite-shaped, with a tail of boulders which extended +almost all the way across to a rocky point on the Pennsylvania shore. +The channel between "Kite Island," as we called it, and Willow Clump +Island was not more than fifteen feet wide in some places, and through +this the water swept with a swift current down past a narrow neck of +land to join the main current. This narrow stretch of land we named the +Tiger's Tail, owing to its peculiar shape. It was in the hook at the end +of this tail that we discovered the old bridge wreck above referred to. +From the tip of the Tiger's Tail to Point Lookout, at the extreme upper +end of Willow Clump Island, it was a little under a half-mile. The shore +all along Lake Placid was very steep, except near Point Lookout. At one +place there was a shallow bay which we called the lagoon. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +SWIMMING. + + +[Illustration: Fig. 85. The Diving Tree.] + +Lake Placid was a favorite swimming place for us. We used to plunge in +from the branches of a tree which overhung the water a little ways above +the lagoon and made a natural springboard. We could all swim like ducks, +except Dutchy, who couldn't do anything but paddle. However, Uncle Ed +was an expert, and he took Dutchy in hand and soon made a pretty good +swimmer out of him. He also taught us some fancy strokes. Of course I +took no record of these lessons. You would hardly expect me to sit on +the bank with a book in hand jotting down notes while the rest were +splashing around in the cool water having the best of fun in the world, +and even if I had, I wouldn't republish the notes here, because whoever +heard of a boy learning to swim while reading a book on the subject? A +beginner had better leave books alone and plunge right into the water. +He will soon learn to keep himself afloat and can then practise any +fancy strokes that he sees others try. Then, again, don't try to learn +in shallow water, because you will never do it. Of course it doesn't pay +to jump into water that is over your head unless there is a good swimmer +near by to help you out. But you will never learn to swim until you have +become accustomed to putting your head under water. You can not swim +with a dry face. The first time we went swimming, we couldn't persuade +Dutchy to try it. The water was deep right up to the very bank and he +had never been in over his head. Instead he sat up in the diving tree +swinging his feet and trying to hide the fact that he was having a dull +time. + +"Say, we've got to douse that fellow," said Reddy. + +"You're right; he needs a wash," said Jim. "Let's sneak up behind him +and chuck him in." + +They landed a little ways up the stream behind a large bush and then +crept down stealthily on their victim. But Dutchy had his suspicions +aroused and saw them coming. He scrambled out of the tree in a jiffy and +tore off into the woods as fast as his legs could carry him. + + +SWIMMING ON A PLANK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 86. Swimming on a Plank.] + +We didn't expect to see him again that afternoon, for the pace he was +leading should have carried him miles in no time; but while he couldn't +swim, Dutchy had his own ideas of fun on the water. It was about twenty +minutes later that we saw him coming down-stream lying full length on +one of the 2-inch planks taken from the bridge wreck. He was paddling +himself along with arms and legs hung over the sides of the plank. We +all gave him a cheer, and then started out to have some fun with him. We +tried to pull him off his raft, but he stuck on like a leech. It was +only when we made his craft turn turtle that Dutchy got his head under +water. But it wasn't a moment before he scrambled back on top again, +gasping and sputtering to get the water out of his nose and mouth. + +Uncle Ed all this time had been sunning himself on the bank, when +suddenly he uttered a shout of warning. We were right at the mouth of +the mill-race. For the moment we forgot about Dutchy, and swam out for +shore. Before we realized it Dutchy was caught in the current, and was +being swept full tilt down the stream. My but wasn't he scared. I can +see him yet clinging for dear life to the plank, his face the color of +ashes and his eyes bulging out in terror. First he tried to make for the +bank, but the water was so swift that when the front end of the board +struck land the rear end swung around in a circle, carrying him on +again, but backward this time, before we could reach him. Two or three +more times the plank struck the bank and turned him around, while we +raced along the high bank, scrambling down to catch him every time he +headed for shore, but each time just missing him. Then he swung out past +the Tiger's Tail into the open river just above the rapids. Fortunately +he was going along headforemost this time, and Uncle Ed, who had just +arrived, panting and breathless, from running, shouted to him to keep +his head and steer for a narrow opening between two jutting boulders. I +don't know whether Dutchy did any steering or not, but the raft shot +straight through the opening, and was lost in a cloud of spray. In a +moment he reappeared below the rapids, paddling like mad for a neck of +land on the Pennsylvania side of the river. + +Dutchy would never own up that he was afraid. He never told a lie under +other circumstances, but when it came to a question of courage he had +the habit of stretching facts to the very limit. Even in this case, he +said that he started out with the idea of shooting the rapids, and if we +hadn't flustered him so, he would not have bumped into the bank and +turned about so many times. Dutchy was a very glib talker. He nearly +persuaded us that it was all done intentionally, and his thrilling +account of the wild dash between the rocks and through the shower of +spray stirred us up so that we all had to try the trick too. + + +SHOOTING THE RAPIDS. + +The next day, while Uncle Ed was taking a nap, we stole off to the upper +end of Lake Placid, each one towing a plank. We needn't have been so +afraid of Uncle Ed, for we found out later that he intended to try a +plank ride through the rapids himself next time he went in swimming. +Down Lake Placid we paddled in single column to the mill-race. In a +moment the current had caught us and we were off. I shall never forget +the thrilling ride down the swirling mill-race, the sudden pause as we +shot out into the open river, the plunge between the boulders and the +dive through the spray. It was all over too soon. Something like +coasting--whiz, whiz-z-z, and a half-mile walk. Were it not for the +trouble of hauling the planks back by the roundabout course along the +Pennsy shore we would have thought shooting the rapids a capital game. + + +RESTORING THE DROWNED. + +[Illustration: Fig. 87. Pressing the Water out of the Stomach.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 88. Expanding the Chest.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 89. Squeezing out the Air from the Lungs.] + +It was on the second day after Dutchy's exploit of the rapids that Bill +came so near drowning. He probably would have drowned if Uncle Ed hadn't +been on hand to work over him. Bill was a fine swimmer, but even the +best of swimmers will sometimes get a cramp, so it is never safe for any +one to go into the water without some one at hand to help him out in +case of accident. In the present case Bill was doing some fancy strokes +by himself over near the Pennsy shore, while the rest of us were +watching Uncle Ed give Dutchy a lesson in swimming. All of a sudden Bill +threw up his hands and sank. I happened to glance up as he did it. We +thought he was fooling at first, but soon made out that he was in +genuine trouble. Uncle Ed dropped Dutchy to my tender care, and raced +over with a powerful stroke to the spot where he had last seen his +nephew. He failed to find him on the first dive, but the second time was +successful and he carried the lifeless body to the Pennsylvania shore. +In the meantime I had landed Dutchy and with the rest of the boys had +crossed the lake. Uncle Ed first laid Bill on his back and hastily wiped +dry the mouth and nostrils. Then he pried his jaws apart, holding them +open with a piece of wood wedged in between the teeth. After which he +turned him on his face over a log which was placed under his stomach. By +stomach I do not mean the bowels, but the real stomach, which lies just +under the ribs in front. Then he pressed with a good weight on the back +directly over the log for nearly a minute, causing the water to flow out +of the mouth. Dutchy had by this time rowed across in the scow, in which +fortunately there happened to be some of Uncle Ed's clothing. This he +took and rolled into a bundle, then Bill was laid on his back over the +roll of clothing, which was arranged to raise the pit of his stomach +above the rest of his body. Uncle Ed now wrapped a handkerchief around +his forefinger, and with it wiped out Bill's mouth and throat. Reddy, +who was the least excited of the lot, was told to draw Bill's tongue +forward so as to prevent it from falling back and choking the windpipe. +This he did with the dry part of the handkerchief, drawing the end of +the tongue out at the corner of the mouth, and holding it there while +Uncle Ed and I started the pumping action, which produced artificial +respiration. I was directed to grasp Bill's arms just below the elbows, +and swing them vertically in an arc until the hands met the ground again +above the head. This expanded the chest. Uncle Ed at the same time stood +over the body with his elbows on his knees and hands extended, as +illustrated in Fig. 88. Then I swung the arms up and back to the sides +of the body, but just before the hands touched the ground Uncle Ed +seized the body in both hands just below the ribs, and as soon as I +touched the arms to the ground he swung forward with all his weight on +his hands, squeezing the waist and pushing upward so as to force out the +air in the chest. Then he slowly counted, one, two, three, four, all the +time steadily increasing the pressure, until at the signal four, with a +final push, he shoved himself to the first position, shown in Fig. 88. +At the same signal I drew the arms up again over the head, and held them +there while Uncle Ed again counted four; then I returned the arms to the +sides, and Uncle Ed repeated the squeezing process. These movements were +continued for about three minutes, and then Bill gave a short, faint +gasp. We kept on with the artificial respiration, assisting the gasps, +which gradually grew stronger, until they had deepened into steady +breathing. Then we stripped off the wet bathing suit, and wrapping Bill +in Uncle Ed's clothing, laid him in the bottom of the boat. While Dutchy +hurried the boat across, Uncle Ed rubbed the patient's arms and legs. +The rest of us swam over and ran for blankets from the tent. Bill was +wrapped in one of the blankets and the other was used as a stretcher, on +which we carried him to the tent. Then one of us was sent post-haste +across to Lumberville for some whiskey, which was diluted in hot water +and given the patient a teaspoonful at a dose, every fifteen minutes at +first, and then at less frequent intervals. Uncle Ed kept Bill in bed +all the next day for fear of congestion of the lungs. He told us that +unless the patient kept perfectly quiet for a couple of days, he was +liable to be seized with a sudden attack of hard breathing that might +choke him to death in a short time. To stop such an attack he told us +that the best plan was to apply a mustard plaster to the chest, and if +the patient commenced to gasp, to start pumping the arms and squeezing +the waist so as to help him breathe. After Bill had come around and was +himself again Uncle Ed gave us a thorough drill in methods of restoring +the drowned. He laid down on the grass and made us practise on him the +various directions which he gave us. + + +HOW TO WORK OVER A PATIENT ALONE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 90. Working alone over a Patient.] + +"If you boys hadn't been so excited," he said, "I would have made you +rub Bill's body and limbs while we were pumping the air into him, but I +knew you would get in the way, and be more of a bother than a help. You +must learn to be calm in any accident; excitement doesn't pay. Keep +steadily and slowly at your pumping, for you might have to do it for +four hours before the patient comes to." He taught us just how to swing +the arms and squeeze the ribs to best advantage, and how to hold the +tongue without getting in the way of the arms as they were pumped back +and forth. There was also a special way of rubbing the arms and legs. +The limbs were always rubbed upward, or toward the body, with the bare +hands, or a dry cloth if there was one at hand, but this all had to be +done without interfering with the pumping action. "If the patient +doesn't come around in five minutes," he said, "turn him on his face +again over the roll of clothing, or any other suitable substitute, and +press out the water from the stomach, rolling him first to one side and +then to the other; be sure to get all the water out." When we had +learned our lesson well, Uncle Ed took Dutchy for his patient, and +proceeded to show us how a man could work over him alone. First he went +through the operation of squeezing the water out of him, and drying his +nose and mouth, much to the patient's discomfort; then he drew Dutchy's +tongue out of the corner of his mouth, holding it there by closing the +jaws on it, and holding the jaws together by passing a handkerchief over +his chin and lapping it over his head. After that he began to pump, +seizing the patient's arms and swinging them up over the head and back, +as before. Just as the arms were dropped back to the sides of the body, +he squeezed them in against the ribs, at the same time drawing upward +toward the head and counting four each time, as he had done before. But +the lesson was abruptly interrupted by Dutchy, whose imagination was +worked up to such a pitch that I actually believe he thought he had been +drowning. Anyway, he squirmed out of Uncle Ed's grasp, and wouldn't play +patient any longer. For several days after that we couldn't persuade him +to venture near deep water. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +BRIDGE BUILDING. + + +Willow Clump Island was, for the most part, a trackless wilderness, and +as soon as we had made our map we laid out roads to the different +important points. Our main highway ran from Point Lookout to Tiger's +Tail. This road was made rather winding, to add to its picturesqueness, +and from it a number of shorter roads branched off. + + +SPAR BRIDGE. + +[Illustration: Figs. 91 and 92. Frames for the Spar Bridge.] + +[Illustration: Fig 93. The Spar Bridge.] + +We ran a bridge across the mill-race at its narrowest point. This bridge +was made of trees which we had cut down in making our road. It was quite +a piece of engineering, built under Uncle Ed's guidance. Two frames were +made of the shape shown in Figs. 91 and 92. The side sticks were 15 feet +long and spaced about 10 feet apart at the base by crosspieces. At the +upper end one frame was made 6 feet wide and the other 5 feet wide. The +side and cross spars were mortised together and secured by lashing a +rope around them. To make the frames more rigid we braced them with +diagonal braces nailed on. When completed we set the frames up on +opposite sides of the stream and with ropes carefully lowered their +upper ends until they interlocked, the side spars of each frame resting +on the cross spars of the other. In the angles formed by the crossing +side spars a center spar was laid, and a number of floor beams or spars +were stretched to this from the opposite shores. On these a flooring was +spread made of saplings, cut and trimmed to the right size. A rustic +railing on each side of the bridge completed the structure. + + +THE ROPE RAILWAY. + +[Illustration: Fig. 94. The Swing Seat.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 95. Tying the Ropes to the Seat.] + + +The mill-race was crossed further down by a rope line on which we rigged +a traveling carriage. A light manila rope was used, anchored to a tree +at each side about fifteen feet from the ground. A pulley block with a +wheel or sheave 4 inches in diameter was mounted to travel on the rope. +Suspended from this block by means of fall and tackle was a swing seat. +This, as shown in Fig. 94, was merely a board fastened with four rope +strands to the ring of the tackle block. A single rope was used, with +the ends tied firmly together. The loop thus formed was passed through +the ring of the tackle block and the opposite ends were twisted over the +ends of the seat board in the manner illustrated in Fig. 95. The tackle +blocks were quite small, having 2-inch sheaves, and they, together with +the large pulley or "traveling block," as we called it, cost us about +$2.50. Two light ropes were fastened to the large traveling block, each +rope long enough to reach across the stream. The ropes extended to +opposite anchorages, where each was passed over a branch of the tree and +belayed on a cleat within easy reach. A fellow could draw himself up +clear of the ground by pulling on the free end of the fall, as a painter +does; then tying the swing fast in this position, he would pull himself +across the stream by means of the rope stretched to the opposite +anchorage. The swing could be drawn back by the next one who wanted to +cross. We also used this aerial line for transporting loads from one +island to the other. + +[Illustration: Fig. 96. The Rope Railway.] + + +SUSPENSION BRIDGE. + +[Illustration: Fig 97. Barrel-stave Flooring.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 98. The Suspension Bridge.] + +Our aerial railway didn't last long. We soon tired of it, and instead +utilized the materials for a rope suspension bridge. We procured from +Lumberville half a dozen old barrels and used the staves as a flooring +for the bridge. The staves were linked together by a pair of ropes at +each end woven over and under, as indicated in the drawing Fig. 97. +Notches were cut in the staves to hold the ropes from slipping off. The +flexible flooring thus constructed was stretched across the river and +secured to stakes driven firmly in the ground. A pair of parallel ropes +were extended across the stream about three feet above the flooring, +with which they were connected at intervals of five feet. The bridge was +25 feet long, and while rather shaky, owing to the fact that there were +no braces to prevent it from swaying sidewise, still it was very strong +and did excellent service. + + +PONTOON BRIDGE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 99. The Pontoon Bridge.] + +At the head of the mill-race, where the channel was fifty feet wide, we +built a pontoon bridge. We were fortunate in securing six good cider +barrels at low cost, also a quantity of "slabs" from one of the sawmills +of Lumberville. "Slab" is the lumberman's name for the outside piece of +a log which is sawn off in squaring up the sides. We made a raft of +these materials and floated them down the river to Lake Placid. The +bridge was made by anchoring the barrels in the channel about eight feet +apart, and laying on them the floor beams, which supported a flooring of +slabs. The floor beams were narrow planks 1 inch by 4 inches, taken from +the bridge wreck, and they were placed on edge to prevent sagging. Of +course we had no anchors for securing the barrels, but used instead +large stones weighing about 100 pounds each, around which the anchor +lines were fastened. We found it rather difficult to sink these +improvised anchors at just the right places, for we were working at the +very mouth of the mill-race, and were in constant danger of having our +scow sucked down into the swirling channel. Once we were actually drawn +into the mill-race and tore madly down the rushing stream. By Bill's +careful steering we managed to avoid striking the shore, and just as we +were off the Tiger's Tail Reddy succeeded in swinging a rope around an +overhanging limb and bringing us to a sudden stop. A moment later we +might have been dashed against the rocks in the rapids below and our +boat smashed. Shooting rapids in a scow is a very different matter from +riding through them on a plank. + + +THE KING ROD TRUSS. + +Our bridge building operations were not entirely confined to the island. +Two of them were built on the Schreiner grounds at Lamington. Reddy +Schreiner's home was situated a little distance above the town where +Cedar Brook came tumbling down a gorge in the hills and spread out into +the Schreiners' ice pond. Thence it pursued its course very quietly +through the low and somewhat swampy ground in the Schreiners' back yard. +Over this brook Reddy was very anxious to build a bridge. Accordingly, +before returning to school in the fall Bill made out a careful set of +plans for the structure, and after we had gone the rest of the society, +under Reddy's guidance, erected the bridge. + +[Illustration: Fig. 100. The King Rod Bridge.] + +The structure was a cross between a suspension bridge and a spar bridge. +The banks of the stream were so low that, instead of resting the floor +of the bridge on top of the inclined frames, as we had done over the +mill-race, it was suspended from the spars by means of wires. The +crossing ends of the spars were nailed together and their lower ends +were firmly planted about four feet apart in the banks of the brook. A +stick nailed to the apex of each pair of spars served temporarily to +brace them apart. The center cross beam of the bridge was now suspended +from the spars by means of heavy galvanized iron wire (No. 14, I should +say). The beam was hung high enough to allow for stretch of the wire, +making the roadway incline upward from both sides to the center. Aside +from carrying the floor of the bridge, this beam was used to brace the +inclined spars when the temporary crosspiece was removed. The ends of +the beam projected about thirty inches beyond the bridge at each side, +and they supported braces which extended diagonally upward to the +crossing ends of the spars. When this was done the temporary crosspiece +above referred to was removed. As the span between the center cross beam +and the banks was a little too long to provide a steady floor, a couple +of intermediate cross beams were suspended from the inclined spars. The +floor beams were then laid in place and covered with a flooring of +slabs. + + +STIFFENING THE BRIDGE. + +The bridge was a pretty good one, except for a slight unsteadiness +between the center and either end. When Uncle Ed saw it he showed us at +once where the trouble lay. Our intermediate cross beams were hung from +the center of the spars, and consequently made them bend, because the +strain came across their length, while at the center of the bridge there +was no chance for the spars to bend, because the strain was exerted +along their length, that is, it tended merely to push the ends of the +spars deeper into the banks. To remedy the trouble he proposed propping +up the center of each spar with a brace running from the center +crosspiece. The dotted lines in Fig. 100 show how these braces were +applied. They made the floor perfectly solid throughout, and gave the +bridge a much better appearance. Uncle Ed told us that the structure +might be called a "king rod truss," except that in place of rods we had +used wires. + +[Illustration: The King Rod Bridge.] + +[Illustration: The Bridge over Cedar Brook Gorge.] + + +THE KING POST BRIDGE. + +The other bridge on the Schreiner property was built in the following +summer, just before we started on our second expedition to Willow Clump +Island. It spanned the brook at the gorge, and was therefore a more +difficult engineering feat. Mr. Schreiner himself asked us to build it, +and we felt greatly honored by the request. A search was made in the Van +Syckel library for a suitable type. At last we found one that seemed +properly suited to the requirements. It was called a "king post truss," +and was very similar to the king rod bridge. While the design of the +bridge was simple, yet it required some ingenuity to put it together. In +setting up the other bridge the scow had been anchored in the center of +the stream and used as a working platform, from which it had been an +easy matter to put the various parts together. In this case our scow was +obviously of no use, so we laid a couple of long logs across the chasm, +and a few slats were nailed across them to provide a temporary bridge or +working platform. The platform sagged considerably at the center, +because the span was fully eighteen feet; but the logs were large, and +we knew they were strong enough to support our weight. However, as an +extra precaution, we tied the ends to stakes driven in the ground, so +that they could not possibly slip off the banks. + +[Illustration: Fig. 101. The King Post Frame.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 102. The King Posts Set in Position.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 103. The Permanent Cross Beam Made Fast.] + +First we set about constructing the king posts, which were made as shown +in Fig. 101. Two stout posts 7 feet long were connected at the top by a +tie stick, which spaced them 4 feet apart. To make a secure fastening +they were notched together and strengthened with diagonal braces. Each +king post was notched on opposite sides, at about thirty inches from the +top. A temporary tie piece was also nailed across the lower ends of the +king posts. The frame thus formed was set up at the center of the span +and temporarily held by nailing the lower tie piece to the working +platform. Four stout spars were now cut, each about fifteen feet long. +Taking a pair at a time, we planted their lower ends firmly in the +opposite banks and sawed off their upper ends until they could just be +hammered into the notches in the king post. This required careful +fitting, but by making the spars a little too long to start with, and +then shaving them down with a draw-knife, we managed to make fairly good +joints. A couple of long wire nails in each spar made the structure +perfectly secure. The king posts were now sawed off just above the +temporary tie piece, and the permanent cross beam was fastened to these +ends with straps of heavy wire wound tightly about them. The working +platform sagged so much that we were able to lay this cross beam above +it. From the ends of the cross beam diagonal braces extended to the king +posts (Fig. 103). Our working platform was now removed and replaced with +the permanent floor beams, which were firmly nailed to the center cross +beam and to the inclined spars at the shore ends. The floor beams were +quite heavy and needed no support between the king posts and shore. A +rustic floor was made of small logs sawed in two at Mr. Schreiner's +sawmill. Light poles were nailed to the flooring along each edge, giving +a finish to the bridge. We also provided a rustic railing for the bridge +of light poles nailed to the king posts and the diagonal spars. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +CANVAS CANOES. + + +Like all inhabitants of islands, we early turned our attention to +navigation. Our scow was serviceable for transporting materials back and +forth across the strips of shallow water between our quarters and the +Jersey shore. We never attempted to row across, because progress would +have been entirely too slow, and we would have drifted down to the +rapids long ere we could reach the opposite side. But on Lake Placid +matters were different. Although there was no settlement near us on the +Pennsylvania shore, to occasion our crossing the water for provisions +and the like, yet the quiet stretch was admirably suited to boating for +pleasure, and mighty little pleasure could we get out of our heavy scow. + + +UNCLE ED'S DEPARTURE. + +Owing to a sudden business call Uncle Ed left us after he had been with +us nearly three weeks. But, before going, he explained carefully to Bill +just how to construct a canvas canoe. Jack, the cook, who was anxious to +lay in a second supply of provisions, accompanied Uncle Ed as far as +Millville, the next town below Lamington. Here Uncle Ed bought five +yards of canvas, 42 inches wide, several cans of paint and a quantity of +brass and copper nails and tacks. These supplies, together with the food +provisions that Jack had collected, were brought to us late in the +afternoon by Mr. Schreiner. Mr. Schreiner also brought the necessary +boards and strips of wood for the framework of our canoe. + + +A VISIT FROM MR. SCHREINER. + +We invited Mr. Schreiner to spend the night with us, and this he did +after fording with some difficulty the swift-running river. In the +morning we showed him our quarters, our filter, the roads we had built, +the spar bridge across to Kite Island, our surveying instrument and the +chart we had made of the vicinity. He was greatly pleased with our work, +and it was then that he gave us an order for the bridge over the gorge. +From that day on he became our staunchest ally, so that when my father +and Mr. Van Syckel complained that we were loafing away a lot of time +which could be more profitably spent in study or work, Mr. Schreiner +stood up for us and declared that our experiences on the island were +doing us far more good, both physically and mentally, than any other +work that they could conceive of; that before condemning us they should +pay us a visit and see how we were employing our time. + + +THE SAILING CANOE. + +[Illustration: Exploring the River in the Indian Canoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 104. Stern Post of the Canoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 105. Stern of the Canoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 106. Center Form.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 107. Bulkheads.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 108. Center Braces.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 109. Top View of the Canoe Frame.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 110. Side View of the Canoe Frame.] + +Immediately after Mr. Schreiner's departure we started work on the +canoe. A strip of spruce 1 inch thick, 3 inches wide and 12 feet long +served as the keelson. At the stern a post 1-1/2 inches thick, 3 inches +wide and 13 inches high was secured to the keelson with brass screws. +This was braced as indicated in Fig. 104. At the bow a stem piece was +attached to the keelson. This stem was cut to a somewhat semicircular +form, as shown in Fig. 105. The outer edge was tapered with a draw-knife +to a thickness of 1/4 inch and a brace was nailed to the inner edge. Our +next work was to cut out three forms, one of the shape shown in Fig. 106 +and two like that shown in Fig. 107. The first form was set up on the +keelson midway between the stem and stern, and the other two were spaced +about four feet each side of the center form. The center form was used +only for shaping the frame of the boat, and was not intended to be +permanently affixed to the canoe. Therefore, we fastened it to the +keelson very lightly, so that it could be readily removed. The other two +forms, however, were made permanent parts of the frame, serving as +bulkheads. The gunwales were now secured in position. These were of +spruce 3/4 inch thick and 2 inches wide. The ends were beveled off so as +to neatly fit the stem piece and the stern post, to which they were +fastened by brass screws. Then we applied the longitudinal strips, or +rib bands, which were of 1/4-inch thick spruce 1 inch wide. Ten of these +bands were used, equally spaced apart on the center form, to which they +were lightly tacked; but they were nailed securely to the bulkheads and +the stem piece and stern post. The cross ribs were made of barrel hoops +which we had soaked in water for a day or so to render them pliable +enough to be bent into place. These hoops were split to a width of 1/2 +inch, and secured first to the keelson, then to the longitudinal strips +and finally to the gunwales. Copper tacks were used for nailing the ribs +in place, and these were long enough to be passed through the rib bands +and clinched on the outside. Forty cross ribs were nailed on, and at the +center of the canoe they were spaced about three inches apart. The +center form was then removed and cut along the dotted lines shown in +Fig. 106. The semicircular pieces thus obtained were now strengthened +with strips on their inner edges, and wedged in between the keelson and +the gunwales, to which they were nailed, as shown in Fig. 108. A pair of +cleats nailed to the cross ribs served as supports for the seat of the +canoe. The frame of the boat was completed by nailing in place two deck +beams of 1/2-inch square pine and four corner pieces between the +gunwales and the bulkheads, so as to make an elliptical well hole or +deck opening. Before laying on the canvas covering the edges of the +gunwales, keelson, deck beams, stem and stern posts were smoothed down +with sandpaper. + +[Illustration: Fig. 111. Lacing the Canvas on the Frame.] + + +STRETCHING ON THE CANVAS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 112. Tacking the Canvas to the Keel.] + +The frame was laid in the center of the canvas and the latter drawn +around it. Then with a large needle and strong twine we sewed both edges +of the cloth together with long stitches, lacing the canvas over the +frame as a shoe is laced over a foot. This done, the boat was turned +deck downward and the canvas was tacked to the keelson. In each case, +before driving in a tack a daub of white lead was applied, to +water-proof the spot. At the stem and stern a gore (narrow triangular +piece) was cut out of the canvas so as to make it lie smooth on the +frame, and white lead was painted in between the overlapping edges. The +canoe was then turned deck upward and the lacing tightened, while we +carefully worked out all wrinkles in the cloth. After tacking the canvas +along the gunwales on the outside, it was trimmed off, leaving +sufficient margin to be brought over the gunwales and tacked inside. Two +triangular pieces were cut out for the decks, and these were lapped over +the outer canvas and tacked to the gunwales. A narrow molding along the +edge of the boat served to cover the tack heads and added a certain +finish to the canoe. A keel plate 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick was +attached to the outside of the boat, and then, after wetting the canvas, +it was given a coat of white lead and oil. When this was perfectly dry +it was sandpapered and the second coat applied. + + +THE RUDDER. + +[Illustration: Fig. 113. The Rudder.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 114. The Rudder Hinge.] + +The canoe was now complete except for the rudder, which was cut from a +1/2-inch board to about the shape shown in Fig. 114. Strips 1-1/2 inches +wide and 1/2 inch thick were nailed to each side of the blade, forming a +post, to the top of which a crosspiece or tiller was fastened. A cleat +nailed to the pillar at each side of the rudder post served to greatly +strengthen the joint. The rudder was hinged to the canoe by a rod, which +passed through four brass screw eyes, two threaded into the rudder and a +corresponding pair screwed into the stern. For convenience in steering +we ran our tiller rope clear around the boat, through screw eyes in the +gunwales and a pulley at the stem, so that the steersman could guide his +craft from any point in the canoe. + + +THE DEEP KEEL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 115. Bottom of Canoe, Showing Deep Keel.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 116. End View, Showing Deep Keel.] + +We planned to use our canoe as a sailboat, and had to provide a deep +keel, which, for convenience, was made detachable. This keel was 6 +inches wide, 1/2 inch thick and 6 feet long, and was fastened at the +center of the canoe. Screw eyes about twelve inches apart were threaded +alternately into opposite sides of the keel plate. Corresponding hooks +were attached to the keel in position to hook into the screw eyes, and +thus hold the keel firmly in place. + + +CANOE SAILS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 117. The Mast Step.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 118. The Mainsail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 119. The Mizzen Sail.] + +Our boat was fitted with two masts, a mainmast and a mizzen or dandy +mast. The former was 6 feet long and the latter 4 feet long, and each +measured 1-1/2 inches in diameter at the base, tapering to about 1 inch +diameter at the upper end. They were held in brass bands, or clamps, +bent around them and secured to the bulkheads, as shown in Fig. 117. The +sails were of the lanteen type. The mainsail measured 8-1/2 feet along +the boom, 9-1/2 feet along the yard and 10 feet at the leach. The +dimensions of the mizzen sail were: along the boom, 5 feet; along the +yard, 5-1/2 feet; and at the leach, 6 feet. The boom was attached to a +strap of leather on the mast, and was thus given freedom to swing around +in any desired position. The yard was similarly attached, and was raised +by a cord, which passed through pulleys at the top and at the base of +the mast and extended to a cleat within easy reach of the occupant of +the boat. A double paddle was fashioned from a board 1 inch thick, 6 +inches wide and 6 feet long. The blades were shaved down to a thickness +of 3/8 of an inch at the edges. + +It will be observed that we used no iron in the construction of this +boat. Uncle Ed has warned us not to, because iron rusts out so easily +and is apt to damage both the canvas and the wood with which it is in +contact. + +[Illustration: Fig. 120. The Double Paddle.] + +A canoe is rather a tipsy thing to sail in, as we soon learned, and it +was lucky that we could all swim, else our vacation might have ended +very tragically; for the very first time Bill and I tried the boat an +unexpected gust of wind struck us and over we went. We were very poor +sailors at first, but it didn't take us long to catch on. + + +LEE BOARDS + +One thing that bothered us greatly in sailing was the keel of our canoe. +It was forever getting twisted, particularly when we tried to make a +landing. There were only a few places along the island where the water +was deep enough to permit our coming right up to shore without striking +the keel. The fastening was not very strong, and every once and awhile +it would be wrenched loose. The matter was made the subject of a special +letter to Uncle Ed, and in due time his answer was received. As usual, +he offered a first-class solution of the difficulty. "Don't use a keel," +he wrote; "lee boards are much better." Then he went on to explain what +was meant by lee boards: "The leeward side of a boat is the opposite of +the windward side; that is, that side of the boat which is sheltered +from the wind. Lee boards, then, are boards which are hung over the lee +side of a boat to prevent it from drifting to leeward, and they serve to +take the place of a keel or centerboard." + +[Illustration: Fig. 121. A Lee Board.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 122. Section of the Canoe, Showing Lee Board.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 123. The Lee Boards in Use on Canoe.] + +Following Uncle Ed's direction we fastened a strip of wood across the +canoe about six feet from the bow, nailing it firmly to the gunwales. +This provided a support to which the lee boards were secured. The lee +boards were paddle-shaped affairs of the form and dimensions shown in +Fig. 121. Each paddle near the top was hinged to the end of a board +three inches wide and a foot long. The paddle was held at right angles +to the board by means of a hook. Each board was fastened with door +hinges to a baseboard which extended the width of the boat and was +attached to the crosspiece of the canoe by means of a couple of bolts. +The bolt heads were countersunk, so that the hinged boards could lie +flat over them. To the top of each lee board two ropes were attached, +one passing forward around a pulley and thence back to a cleat within +easy reach of the occupant of the canoe, and the other passing directly +back to this cleat. By pulling the former rope the lee board was lifted +out of the water, while the latter rope was used to swing the board into +working position. When tacking to port (left), the board on the left +side of the canoe was lowered and the other was raised, as shown in Fig. +123, and when tacking to the starboard (right) the board on the right +side was lowered, while the left one was raised. + +[Illustration: The Indian Canoe Fitted with Lanteen Sail and Lee Boards.] + + +THE INDIAN PADDLING CANOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 124. Center Form.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 125. Intermediate Form.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 126. The Stem Piece.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 127. Skeleton Frame of Canoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 128. Section at Center of Canoe.] + +Our sailing canoe proved such a good one that we decided to build a +second. This was to be much lighter, for paddling only, and of the true +Indian shape, with wide, bulging sides and raised stem and stern. The +dimension of the forms used are given in Figs. 124 and 125. These forms, +it will be observed, were notched to receive the keelson and gunwales. +The keelson was formed of 1-inch spruce 3 inches wide and 10 feet long. +The stem and stern, which were both of the same shape, were cut from a +12-inch board to the form shown in Fig. 126, and were firmly secured to +the keelson. This made the boat 12 feet long. The forms were then set in +place on the keelson, one at the center and the others three feet each +side. The gunwales were formed of 3/4-inch by 2-1/2-inch spruce, and the +twelve rib bands used were of the size used in our first boat. As none +of these forms was to remain in the boat, nails were driven very lightly +into them, with heads projecting so that they could easily be withdrawn +when it was time to remove the forms. The cross ribs were passed under +the keelson inside of the rib bands and outside of the gunwales, as +shown in Fig. 128. After they were set in place and firmly secured with +copper tacks, a band was nailed to the keelson to form the keel. To +produce the raised stem and stern, four wedge-shaped pieces were nailed +to the tops of the gunwales, as indicated in Fig. 129. The forms were +then removed and were replaced with cross sticks braced between the +gunwales. The center cross stick was provided with two corner pieces, as +shown in Fig. 130, adapted to fit under the gunwales and against the rib +bands. The canvas was then applied in the manner described before, but +was tacked to the upper edge of the gunwale instead of the outer side, +and the tacks were covered by a half-round molding which extended around +the entire boat. After the lacing was cut the edge of the canvas was +secured to the under edges of the gunwales. The canoe was then completed +by fastening on a 1-inch square keel and treating the boat with two +coats of paint. The paddle was a duplicate of the one described in +connection with the sailing canoe. + +[Illustration: Fig. 129. Wedge Pieces at the Ends.] + +I remember that we eventually equipped our paddling canoe with a sail +and a pair of lee boards, though no record of this fact appears in the +chronicles of the society. + +[Illustration: Fig. 130. The Cross Braces.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +HOUSE BUILDING. + + +One afternoon Fred, who had waded over to Lumberville after some +provisions, came splashing back holding aloft a large square envelope. +It was from Uncle Ed and contained a photograph of a group of Wichita +Indians building a large grass lodge. In a brief explanatory letter +Uncle Ed suggested that we build a similar hut on our Island. + + +THE GRASS HUT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 131. Making the Frame of the Straw Hut.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 132. Doorway of the Hut.] + +The grass lodge appealed to us as very picturesque, and we set to work +immediately on its construction. We made our hut much smaller, however, +only 12 feet in diameter, and 8 or 9 feet high. First we procured two +dozen light poles between 10 and 12 feet long. These we set up about 18 +inches apart in a circle like a stockade, the sticks being buried in the +ground to a depth of 12 inches. At one side a space of 3 feet was +allowed for a doorway. Inside the stockade we erected a working platform +of planks supported on barrels, and standing on this we took two +opposite poles, bent them inward and lashed their upper ends together. +Then a second pair of opposite poles were similarly bent inward and +tied, and so we proceeded until the entire stockade had been converted +into a dome-shaped cage. Around these poles we laid lighter sticks, or +bands, tying them at the points of intersection. At the doorway two +posts were set firmly in the ground, projecting upward to a height of 4 +feet. A lintel nailed across the top of the posts completed the door +frame. Sticks were nailed to the lintel and to the side posts, extending +to the main frame of the hut, to which they were tied. We were now ready +to thatch our hut. Reddy and Dutchy went over to Lumberville for several +bales of straw. We tied the straw in bunches and applied it to the +frame, copying, as best we could, the process illustrated in the +photograph. + +But for its location the hut would have proved a very serviceable +habitation. In order to have a good, dry dwelling without laying down a +board flooring, we had selected for its site the sandy shore at Point +Lookout. This part of the island was not sheltered with trees, and the +hot sun beat down on our hut so strongly that we found the quarters very +uncomfortable indeed. It was this fact that led to the construction of a +tree hut--a building that would be perfectly dry and yet shaded and +cool. Bill had read of such houses in the Philippines and felt confident +that we could build one. We couldn't decide at first where to locate our +hut until Dutchy moved that we build it in the gnarled oak tree +overlooking the "Goblins' Dancing Platform." Immediately the motion was +seconded and unanimously carried. + + +THE GOBLINS' DANCING PLATFORM. + +Just above the town of Lumberville there was a cliff which rose sheer +200 feet above the level of the river. So perpendicular was the cliff +that a stone dropped from the overhanging ledge at the top would fall +straight down to the railroad track below without touching a twig in its +course. Back of this broad ledge there was a very peculiar formation. A +column of stone rose abruptly 40 feet higher and was topped with a large +slab about 12 feet in diameter. This was known all over that region as +the Goblins' Dancing Platform. The only possible way of gaining the +summit of the column was by climbing a scraggly oak tree which grew on +the high ground back of the pillar, crawling out on an overhanging limb, +and then dropping down to the platform below. It was in this oak that we +decided to build our house. It was a very inaccessible spot, and to +reach it we had to make a wide detour around the back of the hill, and +through the fields of a cranky farmer, who more than once threatened to +fill us with bird shot for trespassing on his property. How were we to +carry all our building materials up to this great height? One would +think that the difficulties would be enough to discourage us, but not so +with the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I. Nothing daunted us. + + +DUTCHY TAKES A DARE. + +Our first task was to try some other approach to the top of the cliff. +At one side of the overhanging ledge there was a fissure in the rocks +which ran from the base of the pillar to the foot of the cliff. Down +this zigzag crevice Dutchy had scrambled, one afternoon, on a dare. We +were rather frightened when he started, because it was a very hazardous +undertaking, and we watched him anxiously, peering over the edge of the +precipice. By bracing his back against one of the walls of the rock, and +digging his feet into the niches and chinks of the opposite wall, he +safely made his way to a shelf about half-way down, where he paused to +rest. From that point on the fissure widened out, and a steep, almost +vertical incline, sparsely covered with vegetation, led to the railroad +track below. I think he must have become rather frightened at his +position, because he hesitated long before he resumed his downward +course, and when he finally did make the attempt his foot slipped upon +the moss-covered rocks and down he fell, scratching and clawing at every +shrub within reach. Believing him to be killed, we rushed down the hill +and around to the foot of the cliff. It probably took us about fifteen +or twenty minutes, though it seemed ages before we came upon our +venturesome comrade coolly trying to pin together a rent of inconvenient +location and dimensions in his trousers. + +"Say, Dutchy, are you killed?" cried Bill, breathlessly. + +"Killed, nothing," he replied, with scorn. "I suppose you fellows think +I had a fall. Well, I didn't." + +"You didn't, eh? We saw you slip." + +"Oh, go on. I came down that way on purpose. There was no use in picking +my way down like a 'fraid cat, when I could just as well take a smooth +and easy toboggan slide on the bushes all the way down." + +Smooth and easy toboggan slide! Well, you should have seen the hillside. +The course was well defined by the torn and uprooted shrubs and the pile +of branches and vines at Dutchy's feet. Whether the hare-brained Dutchy +really imagined he could glide easily down on the shrubbery, his frantic +movements on the way certainly belied his story, and when, the next day, +we proposed that he repeat the trick, somehow he didn't seem to be very +enthusiastic on the subject. + +[Illustration: Wichita Indians Building a Straw Hut.] + + +A PATH UP THE FISSURE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 133. The Jacob's Ladder.] + +It was up this fissure that we decided to haul materials for our tree +hut. Our first task was to build steps and ladders in the steepest +parts. We had no tool for cutting out niches in the rock, but wherever +natural depressions were formed we wedged in sticks of wood between the +side walls to serve as ladder rungs. If no such niches appeared for +considerable height, we would stretch a rope ladder to the next fixed +rung. In most places the natural formation of the rock was such as to +afford sufficient footing. + + +ROPE LADDERS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 134. Rope Ladder.] + +The rope ladders were made of two parallel side straps, tightly +stretched between the fixed sticks, and then at intervals of fifteen +inches we inserted the ends of the ladder rung between the strands of +the rope. Below and above each rung the rope was bound with cord. The +rungs were notched at the ends to prevent them from slipping out. + +[Illustration: Fig. 135. A Ladder Rung.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 136. The Derrick.] + +After providing a means for scaling the cliff (we called it the Jacob's +Ladder), we were still confronted with the problem how to cart our +building materials to the top. It was a very hard task and you couldn't +have hired us to do it under any other circumstances. First, Bill +planned out on paper just how the house was to be built, and we cut all +the pieces to the right size so as not to carry up any superfluous +matter. When all was ready the boards and sticks were loaded on the +scow, and ferried over to the cliff. Then we carried them on our backs, +three or four at a time, up the slanting hillside to the first ledge. +From there up, owing to the steepness of the ascent, we had to employ +different tactics. + + +THE DERRICK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 137. The Derrick in Use.] + +A derrick was constructed of two sticks 10 feet long, which were bolted +together at the top, and secured about five feet apart at the bottom by +a cross piece, as shown in Fig. 136. The derrick was then taken apart +and with some difficulty hauled piecemeal up to the next ledge above. +Here it was put together again. The fall and tackle used in our aerial +railway was attached to the apex of the derrick, and the latter was then +erected with the legs set into depressions in the ledge and the upper +ends slanting outward but kept from falling over the edge by a rope tied +to one of the fixed rungs set in the fissure. With this derrick we +hoisted up the boards in a few hauls. The job was a very ticklish one, +but Bill used the greatest care to prevent accident. The derrick, rope +and tackle were carefully tested before used, and as soon as the load +was attached to the lower pulley block the two who did the loading were +instructed to crawl back into the fissure so as to be out of danger in +case anything gave way. At one time a stick which had been carelessly +tied did fall, and it might have badly hurt some one had we not observed +this precaution. When we had raised the material to the second ledge we +transferred operations to the top ledge, and when the materials had been +hauled up to this point we finally rigged up our fall and tackle in the +old oak tree itself. + + +THE TREE HOUSE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 138. Main Girder of the Tree House.] + +[Illustration: Fig 139. Top View of the Platform.] + +The tree had two large limbs which extended out at a wide angle from the +main trunk. Across these two limbs, at about seven feet out, we laid our +first girder, nailing it securely in place. Then to the main trunk we +nailed the second girder on a level with the first. Diagonal braces were +extended from the trunk to support the ends of this girder, and a tie +piece was nailed to the braces, as shown in Fig. 138, to prevent them +from spreading. The girders were rough sticks about 4 inches in diameter +and 10 feet long. We cut flat faces on them at the points where they +were nailed to the tree, and then, to make them doubly secured, we +nailed cleats, or blocks of wood, to the tree under them. The floor +beams were then laid across and nailed to the girders. They were cut to +a length of 10 feet so as to project beyond the outer girder to provide +for a piazza overhanging the Goblins' Platform. Six floor beams were +used, spaced 20 inches apart. All branches projecting up between the +beams were then cut away and a flooring of slabs was laid on. To the +main trunk six feet above the flooring, a stick or (to use the technical +term), "wall plate," was nailed on, and its ends were supported by +upright posts resting on the platform. Thirty inches from the outer end +of the platform two more posts were erected eight feet high and secured +by sticks nailed across from the other posts, and also by a second wall +plate connecting their upper ends. Four more posts were erected, one +between each pair of the corner posts, and then we were ready to enclose +the framing. + +[Illustration: Fig. 140. The Frame of the House.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 141. Nailing on the Clapboards.] + +The sidewalls were first clapboarded, because we were afraid the roof +would not hold us until the framing had been strengthened by nailing on +the siding. Slab boards were used for this purpose. Beginning at the +bottom, the boards were laid on, each lapping over the one below, as +shown in Fig. 141, so as to shed water. In each side we cut a window +opening and nailed on a window casing of the type shown in Fig. 142, +which will be described in a moment. As soon as the clapboards were +applied, we nailed on the rafters and then applied the roofing. The same +principle was here used for shedding water. The lowest board was first +laid on, and then the others were successively applied, each lapping +over the one below. + +[Illustration: Fig. 142. The Window Casing.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 143. The Window Sash.] + +The window casings we used each consisted of a frame about 15 inches +square, but with the upper and lower pieces extending 12 inches beyond +one of the side pieces. On these extended pieces a slideway was formed +for the window sash by nailing on two strips of wood about 3/4 inch +square and over them a pair of wider strips projecting inward, so as to +overlap the edges of the sash. The window sash consisted of a frame +13-1/2 inches square, made of 3/4-inch square strips over which canvas +was tightly stretched and tacked. A spool was nailed on at one side for +a handle. These windows were closed only in rainy weather, to keep the +water out. + + +SLIDING DOORS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 144. Section of the Door and Frame.] + +We had two doors; one at the back of the house, from which a ladder +extended down to the ground, and another opening out onto the veranda, +from which we dropped a ladder down to the Goblins' Dancing Platform. In +order to save space we used sliding instead of swinging doors. The back +door frame was 5-1/2 feet high and the front door frame 6 feet high. The +doors were mounted on the outside of the building. The side posts of +each frame were 2-1/2 feet apart, and the lintel and sill extended 3 +feet beyond the side post at one side. The upper face of the lintel was +planed down perfectly smooth, and its edges were tapered off to make a +track for the rollers on the door. The rollers consisted of two spools, +which turned on tenpenny nails driven into the top of the door. At the +lower end two more spools were mounted, turning on nails driven in the +bottom edge of the door. The rims of the spools extended slightly beyond +the outer face of the door and rolled against the sill. To keep the +water from leaking in at the top a slanting board was fastened above it, +as shown in Fig. 144. The back door was similarly constructed. Our tree +house was completed by a running balustrade around the veranda. + +It strangely happened that just after our tree house had been built we +received a photograph from Uncle Ed of a Filipino tree house made of +bamboo. + +[Illustration: A Filipino Bamboo Tree House.] + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +TROUBLE WITH THE TRAMPS. + + +We were a proud lot when the house was finally completed. From the +veranda we had an excellent view up and down the river. We could see our +camp on the island and keep watch of our goods. Late one afternoon +Dutchy and I were lolling about on the Goblins' Platform, idly watching +a hawk soaring above us. The rest of the boys had returned to the island +in canoes an hour before and left the heavy scow for us to row back. It +was drawing near supper time and we had about decided to start for home, +when I chanced to see a scow up the river. It looked exactly like ours, +and in it were two men, evidently drunk, from the way they carried on. A +glance showed me that our scow was not at its moorings. How were we to +reach the camp? One of the men had evidently seen us and was pointing us +out to his companion. We rushed down the Jacob's Ladder, but by the time +we reached the river bank they were in midstream and heading rapidly +northward. Our shouts merely brought forth derisive laughter. We were +certainly in a predicament. First we ran back up the cliff, and tried +from there to gain the attention of the rest of the fellows. They +evidently saw us but couldn't make out what we wanted. Then we ran down +to a point opposite the island and called to them. But the wind was +against us and we couldn't make them hear, so we had to plunge in and +wade across. + + +A COUNCIL OF WAR. + +Immediately we summoned a war council. Dutchy and Jack were chosen by +lot to guard the camp, while the rest of us started in pursuit in +canoes. By the time we got under way the sun had dropped back of the +Pennsylvania hills and the shadows were climbing slowly up the Jacob's +Ladder. Swiftly we paddled up-stream, keeping close to the western +shore, where the water was very quiet. We didn't expect to go far, +because there were rapids less than three miles up, and we were sure +that no tramps would ever be ambitious enough to row a heavy scow +against the swift current at that point. As we rounded a sharp bend in +the river, we noticed a camp fire a few hundred feet further up, around +which five or six men were lounging, and there, just below them, was our +scow. What were four boys to do against six grown men? We were each +armed with a club, and could have made a pretty good fight if necessary, +but after a whispered consultation we decided it would be best to wait +until dark, when we could creep up quietly and steal away unnoticed with +our boat. + + +VENGEANCE. + +It seemed as if darkness never would come. It was scarcely dusk when our +patience gave out and we paddled up stealthily, hugging the shore. Bill +gained the scow unnoticed, but just as he was about to push off he +discerned the body of a man within. It was one of the tramps lying there +in a drunken stupor. What was to be done? Every moment was precious. A +yell from the fireside decided him. With a mighty push he launched the +boat out into the current, while we threw him a line and towed the boat +out to midstream. With a volley of curses the men sprang up and pelted +us with stones. But they were poor shots, and we escaped without serious +injury. Our prisoner, in the meantime, was snoring heavily in the scow +undisturbed. We took him down-stream and then unceremoniously picked him +up and dumped him overboard within a few feet of the shore. It was a +rude awakening, and nearly frightened the wits out of the man. But it +brought him to his senses, and in a moment we were dodging more stones, +sent with such good aim that we had to lie flat in the bottoms of the +boats until the current carried us out of reach. + + +A DOUBLE SURPRISE. + +It was now quite dark, and we had some difficulty in groping our way +back to camp. There was no moon and the stars were obscured by clouds. +Our only course was to follow the shore line until we got around the +bend, and then we steered for the beacon fire, which, by prearrangement, +had been kindled on Point Lookout. But the spirit of mischief was in us. +We thought we would have some fun with Dutchy. We could see him +silhouetted against the blaze. Jim and I hung back in the canoes, while +Reddy and Bill went on with the scow, splashing their oars and shouting +and singing in disguised voices, like drunken men. Dutchy was evidently +very much agitated. His "Hello, there! Boat ahoy!" was greeted with +derisive yells. + +[Illustration: Fig. 145. A Joke on Dutchy.] + +"Say, we'll lick the life out of you, the same as we did them other +kids," shouted Reddy. + +This was too much for Dutchy. He ran for all he was worth, yelling for +Jack to come quick. + +We had a merry laugh over the situation when suddenly the tables were +turned. Something whizzed past Bill's ear; I was stung on the arm with a +heavy nail; a large stone hit the scow; Reddy had his hat knocked off, +and Fred upset his canoe trying to duck out of reach of the invisible +missiles before we could make our assailants understand that we were +friends and not the tramps. The joke was on us after all. We hadn't +counted on Dutchy's accurate aim or Jack's skill with the crossbow. + + +TRAMP-PROOF BOAT MOORING. + +[Illustration: Fig. 146. A Tramp-proof Mooring.] + +Around the camp fire that night we discussed our adventures and made +plans to prevent their recurrence. It was evident, for one thing, that +we would have to moor our boats off shore in such a way that they would +be out of reach of meddlesome persons, and yet could be drawn in toward +shore by any one who knew how. This was the way we did it. A pair of +galvanized iron ring bolts were procured on Jack's next trip to +Lamington for provisions, also a light rope about forty feet long. The +ring bolts were screwed into a pair of stout anchor stakes about two +feet from their lower ends. The rope was passed through the rings and +the ends were joined by tying them to a galvanized iron link. Then it +was soaked for a while to shrink it before it was set in place. After +the rope had shrunk sufficiently, the two stakes were driven into the +bed of the river, one close to the bank and the other far enough out to +hold the rope belt clear of the bottom. Both stakes were sawed off under +water, just above the ring bolts, so that they were hidden from sight. +When we wanted to moor our boats we secured their anchor ropes or +"painters" to the link. A large stepping stone marked the spot were the +inner stake was driven, and standing on this stone we were able to reach +down and haul in on the lower strap of the belt to draw the boat out a +safe distance from shore, and then when we wanted to use our boat again +we would haul in the upper strap to draw the boat in toward shore. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WIGWAGGING AND HELIOGRAPHING. + + +Our tramp adventure was really quite a blessing to us, for it taught us +the necessity of a good signaling system between the Goblins' Platform +and the island and led to our learning how to wigwag, and later to the +construction of a heliograph. Uncle Ed, when he read of our experience, +sent us the U. S. Army "Manual of Signaling." Fred, the tailor of our +camp, made us two white flags with red centers. Each flag was two feet +square and was fastened to a light staff about five feet long. Then we +got out the manual and practised sending signals, at first within +shouting distance, until we got to be quite expert. + + +WIGWAG SIGNALS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 147-150. Ready, First Movement, Second Movement, +Third Movement.] + +There were only three different movements that could be made with flags, +but in the book different combinations of these movements were given to +represent each letter of the alphabet and the numbers from 1 to 0. All +these movements were begun and ended by holding the flagstaff upright, +directly in front of the body, as shown in Fig. 147. The first movement +was to swing the flag down to the right and back (Fig. 148), the second +to the left and back (Fig. 149), and the third forward and back (Fig. +150). The following table gives the different combinations used for +various letters: + +The Wigwag Alphabet. + +A 22 J 1122 S 212 +B 2112 K 2121 T 2 +C 121 L 221 U 112 +D 222 M 1221 V 1222 +E 12 N 11 W 1121 +F 2221 O 21 X 2122 +G 2211 P 1212 Y 111 +H 122 Q 1211 Z 2222 +I 1 R 211 tion 1112 + +Numerals. + +1 1111 4 2221 8 2111 +2 2222 5 1122 9 1221 +3 1112 6 2211 0 2112 + 7 1222 + + +[Illustration: Fig. 151. The Signal for Letter "B."] + +The numbers 1, 2 and 3 indicate respectively the first, second and third +movements. For instance, A was represented by the combination 22, which +means that the flag must be swept to the left and back twice. B is +represented by the combination 2112, that is, a sweep to the left, two +sweeps to the right and a final sweep to the left, as shown in Fig. 151. +The end of a word was represented by a sweep forward and back; the end +of a sentence by two sweeps forward and back, and the end of a message +by three sweeps forward and back. It will be noticed that the same +combinations are used for 2 and Z, 3 and _tion_, 4 and F, 5 and J, +6 and G, 7 and V, 9 and M, and 0 and B. The following abbreviations were +given in the Manual: + +Abbreviations. + +a after n not ur your +b before r are w word +c can t the wi with +h have u you y yes + +These abbreviations saved a lot of time, for when we wanted to signal +the word _after_ instead of spelling it out--22-2221-2-12-211-3--we +used the signal for A--22--followed by 3 to signify that it was the end +of the word. Before was represented by 2112-3, _your_ by 111-211-3, +etc. It took quite a little practice to learn the different +combinations. Fred and Reddy soon became experts, and could flash the +signals back and forth at a great rate. + + +WIGWAGGING AT NIGHT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 152. Wigwagging at Night.] + +At night we used a torch in place of a flag. The torch consisted of a +roll of dried birch bark tied with wire to the end of a staff. It was +found necessary to place another torch on the ground directly in front +of the signaler so as to fix a central point and enable one to determine +whether the moving torch was swung to the left or right. A later +improvement was to use three lanterns, one in each hand and one attached +to the waist to fix the central position. It was quite an advantage to +have a lantern in each hand, for it saved changing over from one to the +other when a second movement followed a first or a first movement a +second. + + +THE HELIOGRAPH. + +The book that Uncle Ed sent us had in it a description of a heliograph, +that is, an instrument for sending signals with flashes of sunlight. +Although our wigwagging system was good enough for our requirements, yet +we thought it would be more scientific to use the sun instrument, and +besides, the latter could be used for signaling many miles. + + +THE SINGLE MIRROR INSTRUMENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 153. Trunnion for Mirror.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 154. The Single Mirror Instrument.] + +The first thing we did was to procure a small mirror about 4 inches +square, mounted in a wooden frame. Then we got a pair of small square +head bolts about 1/4 of an inch in diameter and 1 inch long, also two +strips of brass 1/2 inch wide and 3 inches long. In the center of each +brass strip we drilled a hole just large enough to admit the shank of +one of the bolts, and then the strips were fastened with screws tight +against opposite edges of the mirror frame, with the heads pressed +against the frame and the shanks sticking out at each side, as shown in +Fig. 153. These projecting shanks served as "trunnions" (that is, +pivots) for the mirror to turn on when it was mounted in place. After +the trunnions had been set in place we made a peep hole in the center of +the mirror by cutting out a piece of the wooden back of the frame and +scratching away the silver from the back of the glass. Only a very small +hole was required, about 1/8 inch in diameter. Great care was taken to +have the unsilvered spot exactly on a line with the trunnions and just +half-way between them. This done, we took two sticks of 3/8-inch wood, 1 +inch wide and 3-1/2 inches long. In the upper end of each stick a slot +was cut 1/2 inch deep and 1/4 inch wide. Into these slots the trunnions +of the mirror were placed, and then the nuts were screwed tightly on, +clamping the sticks against the sides of the mirror. The sticks were now +connected by nailing a 1/2-inch strip at the bottom, and braced by a +couple of corner pieces. This formed a swiveled frame for the mirror, +which was clamped to the base of the instrument by means of a bolt 1-1/2 +inches long. The bolt passed through the bottom board of the frame, +squarely under the peep hole of the mirror and through the baseboard of +the instrument near one end. The baseboard was 2 inches wide, 10 inches +long and 3/4 inch thick. + + +THE SIGHT ROD. + +[Illustration: Fig. 155. The Sight Rod.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 156. Nut Set in Baseboard.] + +At the end opposite to where the mirror frame was swiveled we mounted a +sight rod, which was merely a round stick of wood 1/2 inch in diameter +and about 8 inches long. We cut the stick from one of the rounds of an +old broken chair. The upper end of the rod was whittled to a point and +one side was flattened as shown in Fig. 155. Out of a piece of heavy +white cardboard we cut a round disk about 1/4 inch in diameter, with a +shank 1 inch long sticking out at one side. This was fastened with a +single tack to the flattened end of the rod in such a position that the +point lay exactly against the center of the disk. The disk could then be +turned up or down, to cover or uncover the point of the rod, as desired. +The rod was fitted snugly into a hole in the baseboard, and could be +raised or lowered to any extent desired, but we had to provide some sort +of an arrangement for making it stay where it was put. A small hole was +drilled from the edge of the baseboard through to the hole in which the +rod was fitted. A square socket was chiseled out around the small hole +to receive a nut. The nut was firmly wedged in and held in place by +driving in nails along the edges. A bolt or machine screw was threaded +through the nut, so that its inner end pressed against the sighting rod. +By tightening this screw the rod could be secured at any height desired. + +The instrument was mounted on a tripod similar to the one used for our +surveying instrument. To this it was attached by means of a bolt, which +passed through the center of the baseboard and the tripod head. + + +THE SCREEN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 157. Section through Shutter.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 158. General View of Screen.] + +The screen, or shutter, of the heliograph was mounted on a separate +tripod, so as to prevent shaking the mirror when it was operated. It was +made something like a window shutter. We cut out two slats, each 2-1/2 +inches wide and 6 inches long. They were made of hardwood 3/8 inch +thick. The upper and lower edges were tapered down to a thickness of +3/16 inch. Light nails were driven into the slats at the ends, and the +nail heads were then filed off so that the projecting ends formed +trunnions for the slats to turn on. The slats were linked to a +connecting rod with double point tacks. A small double point tack was +driven into the upper edge of each slat about 1/2 inch from the right +hand end. Then through each of these tacks we hooked a second double +point tack and drove it into the rod. The tacks on the rod were placed +just 2 inches apart. A substantial frame was then made of 3/4-inch stuff +1-1/2 inches wide. The frame was square, with an opening that measured 6 +inches each way, into which the slats were fitted. Before nailing the +frame together we drilled holes in the side pieces for the trunnions of +the slats to turn in. These holes were just 1-3/4 inches apart. After +the slats had been set in place, the frame was fastened together and +then nailed to a baseboard, which was fastened by a bolt to the tripod. +The shutter was operated by a key something like a telegraph key. It was +made of a narrow stick of wood hinged at one end to the lower strip of +the shutter frame, and a spool sawed in two was fastened to the other +end to serve as a handle for the key. A string connected the key with +the connecting rod. The slats were kept closed by a spring, which was +fastened at one end to the connecting rod and at the other to the top of +the frame. At first we used a rubber band for this purpose, but it soon +wore out, so we then made a spiral spring out of stiff spring brass wire +by wrapping it around a pencil. When the key was pressed down the slats +would be turned open, as shown in Fig. 159; but as soon as the key was +released the spring would pull them back again. + + +FOCUSING THE INSTRUMENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 159. The Heliograph in Operation.] + +We were now ready to commence operations with our instruments. The +heliograph was set up on the ledge at the top of the cliff. First the +disk was turned down, uncovering the point of the sighting rod. Then +Bill sighted through the unsilvered spot in the mirror and shifted the +rod up and down until the tip end came squarely in line with the door of +our straw hut, where Jack was seated, notebook in hand, to take down our +message. Reddy stood by him with his wigwag flag to answer back. When +the instrument was properly sighted the shutter was set up directly in +front of it and the sighting disk turned up to cover the point of the +sighting rod. Then came the rather troublesome task of focusing the +mirror. The mirror reflected a square panel of light, in the center of +which there was a small shadow spot made by the unsilvered peep hole. +The object was to get this shadow to fall on the center of the sighting +disk. We knew that then the mirror would reflect the sunlight squarely +on the straw hut. We found it quite easy to direct this shadow spot to +the disk by holding a sheet of paper in front of the mirror six or eight +inches away, and following up the spot on the paper until it reached the +disk. + + +HELIOGRAPH SIGNALING. + +[Illustration: Fig. 160. Top View, showing position of Mirror and +Shutter.] + +When at last we succeeded in properly focusing the mirror Bill pressed +the key down three times, sending three quick flashes to Jack as a +signal that he was ready to begin. Reddy wigwagged back O. K., and then +the first heliographic message was sent from the ledge to the island. It +was a rather mixed-up message, and kept Jim and Reddy wigwagging back +and forth very strenuously to straighten matters out. It was my duty to +keep the mirror focused. As the sun moved across the sky the shadow spot +would move off the disk, and I had to keep shifting the mirror to bring +the spot back where it belonged. We used the International Telegraph +Code, which we had been studying every evening for a week, but it was +many weeks before we learned how to use it correctly, even slowly. The +International Telegraph Code is as follows: + +A и- B -иии C -и-и D -ии +E и F ии-и G --и H ииии I ии +J и--- K -и- L и-ии +M -- N -и O --- +P и--и Q --и- R и-и +S иии T - U ии- V иии- W и-- +X -ии- Y -и-- Z --ии +1 и---- 2 ии--- +3 иии-- 4 ииии- 5 иииии +6 -ииии 7 --иии 8 ---ии +9 ----и 0 ----- + +The three short flashes Bill sent represented the letter S, which stood +for the word "signal." A was formed by a short flash followed by a long +flash; B by a long flash followed by three short ones, and so on. The +key was held down three times as long for the long flash as for the +short one. We found the best way of learning to send the signals +properly was to count 1 for each short flash, and for each pause between +parts of the letter, and 3 for each dash and for each pause between +letters. Between words we counted 6. Thus, for the letter A the key +would be down when we counted 1, up when we counted 2, down while we +counted 3, 4, 5, and up while we counted 6, 7, 8, for the pause after +each letter. It was rather a confusing code, I admit, but in time we +mastered it, all but Reddy and Fred, who never would learn, but instead +used the wigwag code, letting a short flash stand for 1, a long flash +for 2 and a double long flash for 3. + + +THE DOUBLE MIRROR INSTRUMENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 161. The Double Mirror Instrument.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 162. Top View, showing position of the Two Mirrors +and the Screen.] + +Our heliographing instrument did excellent service sending flashes from +the cliff to the island, but we couldn't make it work very well sending +messages from the island to the cliff, because we had to face almost due +north, and then the sun was nearly always at our backs and couldn't +shine squarely on the mirror. This led to our building a double mirrored +heliograph the following summer. To begin with, we built an instrument +which was the exact duplicate of our first heliograph; then, in +addition, to fit in the socket of the sighting rod, we rigged up a +second mirror, which was mounted in exactly the same way as the first. +The second mirror was called the station mirror, and differed from the +other, or sun mirror, in having a small patch of white paper pasted at +the center instead of a peep hole. When using this instrument, we set it +up so that the station mirror faced the ledge, then by sighting through +the hole in the sun mirror at the reflection in the station mirror we +could see just what was in focus. The station mirror had to be moved +until the patch at its center hid the ledge from view. After that the +sun mirror was shifted until the shadow spot fell on the white patch of +the station mirror. When once the station mirror was focused, it could +be clamped tightly in place by screwing up the trunnion and swivel nuts. +But the sun mirror had to be constantly shifted to keep the shadow on +the patch. Another way of focusing the mirrors was to stand behind the +instrument with the head close to the station mirror, shift the sun +mirror until the entire station mirror was reflected in it, with the +white patch squarely over the unsilvered spot; then still looking at the +sun mirror, the station mirror was shifted until the reflection of the +distant station was brought squarely in line with the unsilvered spot on +the mirror. The station mirror was now firmly bolted and the sun mirror +adjusted until the shadow spot fell on the paper patch. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +ICE BOATS, SLEDGES AND TOBOGGANS. + + +As our vacation was drawing to a close, we began to make plans for the +Christmas holidays. Our previous Christmas vacation had been so +completely taken up with preparations for the trip to Willow Clump +Island that we had had no time for the trip itself. We resolved this +time to have everything ready beforehand, so that we could spend the +entire two weeks in solid pleasure. Our skate sails and snow shoes were +stored in the attic, ready for use. If we were to make a trip in the +snow we would need a sledge, and then, too, we wanted to make an ice +boat. It would hardly pay to build these on the island and then cart +them home, so it was decided to break up camp a couple of weeks before +school commenced. + + +BREAKING CAMP. + +Consequently, on the first day of September we gathered up our +belongings, corraled our chickens, packed our goods, and the next day +started for home. Mr. Schreiner, in response to a letter from the +secretary, came down with a large wagon in which the majority of the +things were packed. The rest of our luggage was stowed in the scow and +the canoes, and these were towed down the canal, as before. We reached +home late in the afternoon, tired and hungry. It was a treat to sit at +the table again and eat some of Mother's appetizing dishes. And say, +wasn't that pie great, though! My, how ravenous we were! And then a +soft, comfortable bed with spotless white sheets and pillow cases. How +soundly we did sleep that night! You can just bet we were all glad +enough to get back to civilization, though, of course, no one could have +dragged out the confession from a single one of us. + + +THE ICE BOAT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 163. The Backbone.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 164. Frame of the Ice Boat.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 165. Runner Shoe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 166. The Rudder Shoe.] + +School commenced on the 20th of September that year, so we hadn't much +time to spare. Work was begun immediately on the ice boat. Our first ice +boat was rather a crude one. A 2 by 4 inch scantling 14 feet long was +used for the backbone of the boat. The scantling was placed on edge, and +to lighten it and improve its appearance it was tapered fore and aft +from a point 4 feet from the bow end. The thickness of the ends of the +backbone was but 2 inches, as shown in Fig. 163. To the under edge of +the backbone, 5 feet from the forward end, a crosspiece was nailed. This +crosspiece was a 1-inch board 6 inches wide and 9 feet long. Braces were +then run from the ends of the crosspiece to the forward and rear ends of +the backbone, and at the rear end several boards nailed across the +braces served as a seat for the boat. + +Our next task was to rig up the runners. For these we used skates, which +were so arranged that we could remove them whenever we wanted to. Three +blocks of wood were used for the runner shoes. Two of them were cut from +a 2 by 4 scantling and measured a foot in length. The third block was +only 1 inch thick, but was otherwise of the same dimensions. The skates +were laid face downward on the blocks with the clamping levers open; +then we marked the places where the clamping jaws touched the wood and +drilled holes at these points. The forward end of each block was also +tapered off to fit flat against the face of the skate. Then by inserting +the jaws in the holes and closing the levers, the skate was clamped to +the block, just as it would be to a shoe. The two 2-inch blocks were +bolted to the ends of the crosspiece, but the third block needed further +attention, as it was to be used for the rudder or steering runner. + +[Illustration: Fig. 167. The Tiller.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 168. Drilling the Mast Step.] + +The rudder post was shaped from a block of hardwood 3 inches square and +10 inches long. Two inches from the lower end saw cuts were made in the +side of the block to a depth of 3/4 inch. Then with a chisel the sides +were split off, forming a large pin with a square shank 8 inches long. +Next the corners of the shank were cut off, rounding it to a diameter of +1-1/2 inches. The runner block was fastened securely to the head of the +rudder post with screws. A 1-1/2-inch hole was now drilled into the +backbone at the stern end to receive the rudder post. A tiller was next +cut out of a 1-inch board to the shape shown in Fig. 167. A slot was cut +in the end of the tiller, and the latter fitted snugly over the top of +the post, where it was held in place by screws threaded in through the +sides. + +[Illustration: Fig. 169. The Mainsail.] + +The mast of our boat was a pole 8 feet long, tapering from a diameter 2 +inches at the base to 1-1/2 inches at the top. A step for the mast was +cut from a 2 by 4 block 8 inches long. A 2-inch hole was drilled into +the face of this block. We had no drill large enough to bore this hole, +but accomplished the same result by drilling eight 1/2-inch holes inside +of a 2-inch circle (Fig. 168), and then used a chisel to cut off the +projecting pieces. The mast step was firmly bolted to the backbone at +its thickest part, that is, just four feet from the forward end. The +mast was braced with stay ropes stretched from the top to the forward +end of the backbone and to the ends of the crosspiece. A 9-foot pole, +tapering from 1-1/2 inches to 1 inch in diameter, was used for the boom +of the mainsail, and for the gaff we used a 6-foot pole of the same +diameter. + +[Illustration: Fig. 170. Jaws of the Boom.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 171. A Cleat.] + +The dimensions of the mainsail are given in Fig. 169. For mast hoops we +used curtain rings. Five were attached to the sail along the luff, and +one was fastened with a piece of leather to the end of the gaff. We used +a different scheme for holding the boom to the mast. The forward end of +the boom was flattened at the sides and a couple of cheek blocks were +bolted on, forming jaws of the shape indicated in Fig. 170. The jaws +were whittled out to fit nicely around the mast, and were kept from +slipping off by a piece of rope passed around the mast and threaded +through the ends of the cheek blocks. Half a dozen small pulley blocks +were now procured, of the type used on awnings. A rope called the throat +halyard was strung from the throat or forward end of the gaff through a +pulley block near the top of the mast, and led down to the backbone, +where it was "belayed," or wrapped around a cleat. The cleat, which was +whittled out of a stick of wood, was made in the form indicated in Fig. +171. A short length of rope was strung through a pulley block and tied +with some slack to the upper end and to the center of the gaff. This +rope is called a "bridle," and to the pulley block on this "bridle" a +rope was attached called the "peak halyard." The peak halyard was passed +through a pulley block at the top of the mast, and belayed on a cleat at +the side of the backbone. For the main sheet (that is, the rope used for +guiding the mainsail) two pulley blocks were fastened to the backbone, +one just in front of the seat and the other a few feet further forward, +and two more were lashed to the boom, midway between these blocks. The +sheet was fastened near the aft end of the backbone and then strung +through the blocks in the order illustrated, the free end of the sheet +being brought back to the seat, where a cleat was provided, to which it +could be secured when desired. + +[Illustration: Fig. 172. The Jib-sail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 173. The Ice Boat Completed.] + +The jib-sail was now cut out to the dimensions given in Fig. 172. The +foot of the sail was lashed to a jib-boom 3 feet 4 inches long. The +jib-boom was attached to the backbone at its fore end by means of a +couple of screw eyes. The eye of one of these was pried open, linked +through the other and then closed again. One of the screw eyes was now +screwed into the head of the jib-boom and the other was threaded into +the end of the backbone. The upper corner or "head" of the jib was tied +to a jib-halyard, which passed through a block at the top of the mast, +and was secured on a cleat on the backbone. On the jib we used two +sheets. They were attached to the end of the jib-boom and passed on +opposite sides of the mast through blocks on the crosspiece to the stern +of the boat, where separate cleats were provided for them. + +This completed our ice boat, and a very pretty little boat she was. It +was with great reluctance that we furled the sails, unstepped the mast, +and stowed away the parts in our attic until old Jack Frost should wake +up and furnish us with a field of smooth ice. + + +THE SLEDGE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 174. A Spacing Block.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 175. The Runners and Rails Spaced Apart.] + +Our sledge was patterned after a picture of one used by Peary in one of +his Arctic expeditions. First we got four strips of hickory 1 inch +thick, 1-1/2 inches wide and 8 feet long for the runners and side rails. +Beginning 18 inches from the ends, each stick was tapered gradually to a +thickness of 1/2 an inch. Then we made eight spreaders or spacing +blocks, each 1-1/2 inches thick, 2-1/2 inches wide and 11 inches long. +In each end a notch 1/2 inch deep was cut to receive the runners and +side rails. In the edge of each block, midway of its length, a slot 1 +inch deep was cut to receive the cross sticks of the sledge. First we +nailed the runners and rails to the blocks, fastening them with screws, +spacing the blocks 16 inches from the ends, and 20 inches apart from +center to center. Then we bent the ends of the rails and runners +together, fastening them with bolts, as in Fig. 175. Four crosspieces, +or floor beams, were cut out of a 1-inch board, each 2 inches wide and +30 inches long. These were fitted into the slots in the space blocks and +secured with screws. A cross stick was also fastened between the rails +and runners at the forward end. On the floor beams we nailed a flooring +of 1/2-inch slats, 2 inches wide and 6 feet long. At the rear end these +slats projected 8 inches beyond the last space block and over them a +cross slat was nailed. A stick of hickory 4-1/2 feet long was soaked in +hot water, as described on page 39, and was bent to an U-shape. The ends +were then fitted over the first cross stick, and under the first floor +supports, and securely nailed in place. Another stick of hickory 6 feet +long was similarly bent, and the ends slipped over the rear cross slats +and fitted against the rear space blocks, in which position the stick +was securely nailed. + +[Illustration: Fig. 176. The Sledge.] + +It was our intention to shoe the runners with strips of brass, but these +were not procurable in our village, and we had no time to go down to +Millville. However, the village blacksmith came to our rescue and shod +our sledge with sleigh runner iron. + +We had planned to make two more devices for our winter sports--a +toboggan and a peculiar looking contrivance called a "rennwolf," a +picture of which Dutchy happened to unearth in one of his father's +books. Unfortunately Bill and I had to return to school before either of +these was completed. However, the work was entrusted to Reddy, who was +quite handy with tools, and Jack, who was made secretary _pro +tempore_, took notes on the work. + + +THE TOBOGGAN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 177. Tying Down the Head Piece of the Toboggan.] + +The toboggan was made of light flexible hickory boards, 1/4 of an inch +thick, 6 inches wide and 8 feet long. Three of these boards were used, +and they were fastened together with cross sticks or battens, about 3 +inches wide and 1/2 an inch thick. There were six of these battens +spaced about 15 inches apart, and secured to the floor boards with +flathead screws introduced from the under side and countersunk so that +the heads would not project below the bottom of the toboggan. At the +forward end we screwed on a head piece of oak, 3/4 of an inch thick, +1-1/2 inches wide and 20 inches long. The head piece was fastened to the +under side of the boards, so that when they were curved up into a hood +it would lie on top. The ends of the head piece, which projected 1 inch +each side of the boards, were notched to hold the rope, which was tied +fast after the boards had been steamed. The boards were steamed by +wrapping them in burlap for a distance of 2 feet from the forward end, +and pouring boiling water over them, as was done with the snow shoes +(page 39). Before bending the boards we had fixed screw eyes in the ends +of each batten, except the forward one; a rope had been strung through +these screw eyes and the ends were now tied to the head piece and drawn +tight so as to bend the boards into a graceful curve. In this way the +ropes were of service not only for curving the front end into a hood, +but also for side rails, to hold on by when shooting swiftly around +curves. + +[Illustration: Fig. 178. The Toboggan.] + + +THE RENNWOLF. + +The runners of the rennwolf were made of hickory strips, 1 inch thick, 2 +inches wide and 8 feet long. At their forward ends these strips were +tapered down to a thickness of 1/2 an inch and curved upward. About 30 +inches from the rear end of each runner an upright post was nailed. The +post was 3 feet long and was braced by a diagonal brace 24 inches long, +as shown in Fig. 179. A tie bar was nailed to the post about 6 or 8 +inches from the bottom and connected with the forward curved end of the +runner. + +[Illustration: Fig. 179. Dimensions of Rennwolf.] + +The two runners were now placed parallel to each other about 18 inches +apart, and connected by four cross bars, one at the forward end, and +three on the upright posts, in about the positions illustrated. The +upper cross bar was extended 6 inches beyond the posts at each side, and +served as a handle for guiding the queer craft. An 18-inch square board +was used for the seat of the rennwolf. It rested on the second cross-bar +of the post about 12 inches from the runners, and the forward end was +supported on legs nailed to the tie bars. On each runner back of the +posts a loop of leather was nailed, large enough to receive the toe of +one shoe. + +When using this odd sled one foot would rest on the runner with the toe +in the strap, and by kicking out against the snow or ice with the other +foot the rennwolf would be made to spin along at a rapid rate. Of +course, when coasting both feet would rest on the runners and the sled +was steered by an occasional side push at the right or left. Owing to +the great length of the runners the rennwolf would easily ride over +uneven surfaces and thin spots in the ice. + +[Illustration: Fig. 180. The Rennwolf in Use.] + + +ICE CREEPERS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 181. The Ice Creeper.] + +In order to provide a better hold for the propelling foot, we fastened +around the toe a strap of leather, through which a number of long tacks +projected. Their sharp points would stick into the ice, and prevent the +foot from slipping. The seat of the rennwolf was convenient for carrying +a coat or any light luggage, and it was often used to give a friend a +very exhilarating ride. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE SUBTERRANEAN CLUB. + + +I am afraid we were not very glad to get back to school that fall. It +seemed very hard to give up the sport we had been having, and our heads +were brimful of new schemes which we could hardly wait to put into +practice. But we soon learned that there are many things that could be +done during recreation hours at school. We had intended building a cave +on our island that summer, but our vacation came to an end before we got +around to it. There seemed no reason why we shouldn't dig one in the +woods at the back of the schoolhouse. + + +A CAVE-IN. + +Bill had read somewhere that if you dig a cave under a tree the roots of +the tree will support the ground on top and make a natural and +substantial roof. It sounded very reasonable, we thought; in fact, we +never questioned the truth of the statement, because we had somehow +gotten the notion that books were never wrong, and that whatever was set +up in type must surely be so. But events proved that the man who wrote +that book had never attempted to build a cave in the manner he +described, at least not in the loose, sandy soil of south Jersey. A +large spreading cedar was selected as the tree which should support the +roof of our cave. It was situated on a mound at the edge of the woods. +First a passageway, or ditch, was dug at the bottom, and then we begun +tunneling in the side of the mound under the roots of the tree. For a +while the ground above held, and our tunnel had reached a length of +about four feet, when suddenly, without the slightest warning, the sandy +soil gave way and we were engulfed. Bill, who was furthest within the +cave, was almost entirely covered, while I was buried to the shoulders. +A crowd of boys came to our assistance and dug us out. Poor Bill was +almost smothered before they scooped the sand away from around his mouth +and nose. The boys made slow work of it, having to dig with their hands +and a couple of shingles, because the two spades we had were buried with +us at the bottom of the cave. + +Of course, this little episode gave us a scare, but it was only +temporary. We swore every one to secrecy, so that Mr. Clark, the +principal, wouldn't hear of the mishap and suppress any further cave +building. It was obvious that the only roof we could depend on for our +cave would be a wooden roof. If we had been at Willow Clump Island we +would have gotten any amount of slabs from the lumber mills across the +river. + +One of our schoolmates, a day scholar, came to the rescue. His name was +Chester Hill, a little bit of a chap, about the shortest for his age +that I have ever seen. His name was so at variance to his size that we +called him "Hillock," for short. Now Hillock lived on a farm about eight +miles from school, and used to drive in every day on a farm wagon. He +had helped us dig the cave under the cedar tree, and when he learned +that we would need some lumber to build a safe cave, he told us that he +had an uncle who owned a lumber mill on the Morris River, from whom he +was sure we could get all the slabs we wanted. Of course, we were +delighted, and laid our plans for an elaborate cave house. Hillock +promised to be on hand on the following Saturday afternoon with his load +of lumber. + + +EXCAVATING FOR THE CAVE. + +We immediately set out to make the necessary excavation. The side of a +bushy knoll was chosen as a suitable site. First we carefully +transplanted the bushes that grew in the square we had marked out for +the cave, and cutting the sod into squares, piled it all neatly to one +side. Then we shoveled away the top-soil and heaped it up for future +use. After that we dug away the sandy subsoil. The cave proper we +planned to make about 8 feet by 10 feet, with a passageway 2 feet wide +and 6 feet long, leading in from a large bush at the base of the knoll. +Our excavation was therefore somewhat T-shaped (see Fig. 182). At the +deepest part we had to dig down about 10 feet. + +[Illustration: Fig. 182. Excavation for the Cave.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 183. Framework of the Cave.] + +The digging was all done by Saturday, when Hillock pulled up with a big +load of slabs. Slabs are a very unsatisfactory kind of wood for most +purposes. Being the outside cut, they are usually very irregular and +weak in spots. In many places they are almost clear bark. Of course, had +our pocketbooks permitted, we would have used stout scantlings for the +corner posts of our cave house and substantial boards for the walls, +roof and flooring, but we had to be content with materials at hand. +Eight of the best slabs were selected for our corner posts; four of them +we cut to the length of 8 feet and the others to a length of 6 feet. The +long slabs were set up at the rear of the cave, two at each corner, one +flat against the rear wall, with its edge buried in the corner, and the +other against the side wall, with its edge tight against the rear slab, +as in Fig. 183. The same was done at the forward corners with the +shorter slabs. A couple of slabs were now set up on each side of the +passageway, and a corresponding pair against the rear wall. The upper +and lower ends of the uprights were then connected with slabs, called +stringpieces. + +[Illustration: Fig. 184. The Siding and Flooring.] + +The sides were now boarded up with upright slabs nailed to the +stringpieces. An opening 3 feet 6 inches high was left in the forward +wall for a passageway. Several slabs were now placed on the edge across +the bottom of the cave, to serve as floor beams, upon which a flooring +of slabs was laid. Next the rafters were set in place, one on each +upright slab. Slots were cut in the ends of the uprights to receive the +rafters, which were slabs placed on edge. As the forward uprights were 2 +feet shorter than the rear ones, the rafters were given a good slant, so +that the roof would properly shed any water that might soak in through +the ground above. + +[Illustration: Fig. 185. Notching in the Rafters.] + +The roof was laid on the same way that we had made the roof of our tree +house; that is, a slab was first nailed at the forward end of the +rafters with its edge projecting far enough to make a good eave; then +the second slab was nailed on, with its edge overlapping the first, and +a third with its edge overlapping the second, and so on with the rest. +At the rear end of the roof a hole was cut, into which we fitted a piece +of stovepipe. We didn't plan to have a fire in the house, but set the +stovepipe in place to provide the necessary ventilation. As the pipe had +an elbow in it, there was no danger of rain or dirt falling through it. +The upper end of the stovepipe was concealed among some rocks at the top +of the knoll. + +A suitable flooring was now laid in the passageway, and the sides were +boarded up to a height of 2 feet from the floor at the entrance to a +height of 3 feet 6 inches at the inner end. A roof of slabs was nailed +on, and then we were ready to cover our slab house with dirt. + + +COVERING THE CAVE. + +We avoided piling on the dirt very deep, because there was danger of +breaking in the roof with a heavy load. A thin layer of sand covered +with the top-soil brought up the level to about that of the rest of the +knoll. Then the sod was laid back in place and well watered, and the few +bushes planted back in their original positions. Our sodding should have +been done in the spring for best results. The frost soon killed the +grass, and the bushes withered away. But a few cents' worth of grass +seed was sowed in, and in time gave the knoll a very natural appearance. +A bush at the bottom concealed the entrance of the cave, so that no one +who was not in the secret would have suspected that beneath that +innocent looking knoll were gathered the members of the "Big Bug Club." + + +THE BIG BUG CLUB. + +[Illustration: Fig. 186. A Section through the Completed Cave.] + +Of course, we had to organize a secret society, to occupy our +subterranean dwelling. In that I fear we overstepped the rules of the +school. Of course, Mr. Clark knew of our cave, in fact he visited us +there once, lowering his dignity sufficiently to squeeze into the narrow +passageway, and playing Bill a game of chess at our club table. He +seemed quite pleased with our work, and complimented us very highly on +the masterful way in which we had built the underground house. We told +him that we had organized a club of the older fellows to play indoor +games and have occasional spreads, but we did not tell him that most of +our spreads were held at the dead of night, when there was no moon and +the stars were hidden by clouds. At 10 o'clock each night the bell rang +for us to turn out our lights, and after that the six members would +each, in turn, keep a half-hour watch, that is, first one would sit up +and try to keep awake for half an hour, after which he would waken the +next fellow, who at the end of a half hour would rouse the third, and so +on, until 1 o'clock, when the sixth watcher would wake up the entire +club. Then we would all creep out the back window in the hall, onto the +roof of the rear annex of the schoolhouse, and thence climb down a rope +ladder to the ground. + + +MIDNIGHT BANQUETS. + +I suppose we could have just as easily have tiptoed downstairs and out +the back door, but it would have spoiled the romance of it all. The +absolute stillness and the pitch-black darkness of the night were +awe-inspiring. The roll of a pebble or the crack of a twig under foot +would set us all atingle as we stole out to our cave house. Sometimes +the night was so black that we could hardly find the entrance of the +cave. Once inside, in the light of a few candles, the nervous tension +was relieved, and we reveled in a banquet of cold victuals and dainties, +purchased out of the monthly club dues. Our meetings in the cave lasted +scarcely half an hour. In fact, the meeting, and even the banquet, were +mere incidentals. The main enjoyment consisted in stealing out to the +cave and back again, always at the risk of getting caught. Usually when +we got to bed again we would be too excited to fall asleep right away, +and when we did finally drop off our sleep was so sound that several +times the breakfast bell caught one or more of us still napping. + + +THE CLUB PIN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 187. The Club Pin.] + +The only other charm our secret club afforded was the wearing of a +mysterious club pin. It was a silver beetle, with the letter G engraved +on the head and the letter B on the body, while down the center of the +back was the letter I (see Fig. 187). In public we called ourselves the +G. I. B.'s, but it was only the initiated members who knew that these +letters were to be read backward, and, with the beetle on which they +were engraved, signified the "Big Bugs." Of course, we had some secret +signs and signals, a secret hand grasp, a peculiar whistle as a warning +to run, another meaning "lie still," and a third signifying "all is +well." + + +THE COMBINATION LOCK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 188 The Notched Washers.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 189. Washers Fastened on Spools.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 190. The Combination Lock.] + +We found it necessary to close the entrance of our cave with a door +fastened with a padlock, so as to keep meddlers out. The entire school +had watched us build the cave house, and, of course, knew just where our +entrance lay. Then, in addition to the outer door, we put in another +one, half-way down the dark passageway. On this Bill rigged up a simple +combination lock which would baffle any one who managed to pick the +padlock. This inner door opened outward. It was hinged to the floor of +the passageway, and swung up against a frame set in the passageway. At +the top was a board whose lower edge lay flush with the edge of the door +when it was closed. For the combination lock we used a couple of spools, +each with one head cut off and the central hole plugged up with a stick +of wood. In the floor and the top board of the frame, holes were drilled +just large enough for the shanks of the spools to fit snugly in them. +Next we made a trip to a hardware store for a file and a couple of large +copper washers, about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. The washers were +fastened to the inner ends of the spools after they had been pushed +through the hole. The washer on the door came just to the edge of the +door, while the other extended below the door frame and lapped under the +door washer. Then in the edge of the washer on the frame a notch was +filed, while in the other washer two notches were filed, so as to leave +a tooth which fitted snugly into the notch of the first washer (see +Figs. 188, 189). The door was locked by turning both the washers until +the notch and tooth came in line with each other, then pushing the tooth +through the notch, and turning the washers so that the frame washer +hooked over the door washer. Then the door could be opened only when the +tooth and notch were brought in line. + +On the head of each spool we pasted a disk of white cardboard, the edge +of which was graduated, as in Fig. 190. Then we had a secret +combination, say 11-19, which meant that when the spools were turned so +that the number 11 on the door spool came in line with the number 19 on +the frame spool the tooth and notch would be in line, and the door could +then be opened. Of course, this combination was known to the members of +the club only, and any one outside who tried to open the door might have +tried for some time without bringing the tooth and notch into line with +each other. Occasionally we changed the combination by loosening the +screws which held the washers, and turning them so that the notch and +tooth came opposite different numbers on the dials. This was done so +that if any one should chance to learn our combination he could not make +use of it very long. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +SCOOTERS. + + +"Hello, Dutchy! What in thunder have you got there?" + +It was Bill who spoke. We were on our way home for the winter holidays, +and had been held up at Millville by Reddy Schreiner, who had informed +us that Dutchy was down by the river with the boat to give us a sail up +to Lamington. + +A vision of a fleet ice boat skimming up the river at express train +speed swam before our eyes. But the next moment, as we turned the corner +into River Street, we were surprised by the sight of our old scow just +off the pier at anchor, and in open water. It was rigged up with a jib +and mainsail, which were flapping idly in the wind. It had also been +altered by decking over the top, with the exception of a small cockpit, +evidently for the purpose of keeping out the water when she heeled over +under the wind. We were disappointed and quite annoyed at not finding +the ice boat on hand; furthermore, our annoyance was considerably +heightened by Dutchy's broad grin of evident delight at our +discomfiture. "The river wasn't all frozen over," he explained, "and we +couldn't bring the ice boat down, so we rigged up the scow and she came +down splendidly." + + +A SAIL IN THE SCOW. + +There was nothing to do but to jump in, though I, for one, would have +taken the train in preference had there been one inside of two hours. +Dutchy, however, seemed to be in a surprisingly good humor, and kept up +a lively chatter about things that the club had made in our absence. The +skis, which have already been described on page 42, had been built under +Reddy's guidance, and they had already used them on Willard's Hill, +coasting down like a streak and shooting way up into the air off a hump +at the bottom. Then there was the toboggan slide down Randall's Hill, +and way across the river on the ice. + + +OUR CRAFT STRIKES THE ICE. + +Dutchy talked so incessantly that we hadn't noticed the field of ice +which we were nearing. Just at this point Bill turned around with an +exclamation. + +"Here, Dutchy, you crazy fellow, where are you going to? Hard to port, +man--hard aport--or you will crash into the ice!" + +But Dutchy only grinned nervously. + +"I tell you, you will smash the boat!" Bill cried again, making a dive +for the steering oar; but just then the boat struck the ice, and both +Bill and I were thrown backward into the bottom of the boat. But the +boat didn't smash. + +[Illustration: A Sail on the Scooter Scow.] + +There was a momentary grinding and crunching noise, and, much to my +surprise, I found that the old scow had lifted itself clean out of the +water, and was skating right along on the ice. Then Dutchy could control +himself no longer. He laughed, and laughed, as if he never would stop. +He laughed until the steering oar dropped from his hands, and the old +scow, with the head free, swung around and plunged off the ice ledge +with a heavy splash into the open water again. Then Reddy, who was +almost equally convulsed, came to his senses. "Now you've done it, +Dutchy; you're a fine skipper, you are! How do you expect to get us back +to shore again?" The steering oar was left behind us on the ice, and +there we were drifting on the open water, with no rudder and no oar to +bring us back. + + +THE SCOOTER SCOW. + +[Illustration: Fig. 191. Scow with Runners nailed on.] + +The only thing we could do was to wait until the wind or current carried +us to the ice or land. In the meantime Dutchy, who had suddenly sobered +down when we took our water plunge, explained how he had rigged up the +scow to travel both on ice and on water. He called the rig a sled boat, +but the name by which such a rig is now known is a "scooter." It was +Dutchy's idea primarily, but Reddy had engineered the work. Along the +bottom of the scow two strips of hickory had been nailed to serve as +runners. The hickory strips had been bent up at the forward end, as +shown in Fig. 191. Each runner was shod with a strip of brass, fastened +on with flathead screws, which were countersunk, so that the heads +should not project below the brass. This virtually made a sledge out of +the old scow, and didn't spoil it for use on the water. + + +A SPRIT SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 192. Mainsail of Scooter Scow.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 193. The Snotter.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 194. Jib-sail of Scooter Scow.] + +A sprit sail and jib were rigged up. The dimensions of these sails, +which were taken from a book in Mr. Van Syckel's library, are given in +the illustrations. A sheet of heavy muslin was made to measure 7 feet +square, as indicated by dotted lines in the drawing; then the corners +were cut off along the full lines shown in the illustration. The edges +were now hemmed all around, and the lower edge of the sail was lashed to +a boom, 7 feet 6 inches long. To the luff were attached a number of mast +rings, which were slipped over a stout mast projecting about 5 feet 6 +inches above the deck of the boat. The peak of the sail was held up by a +spar called a sprit. The sprit was sharpened at each end, and the point +at the upper end was inserted in a loop of heavy cord fastened to the +peak of the sail, while the lower point of the sprit rested in the loop +of a rope on the mast, called a "snotter." The snotter was a short piece +of rope with a loop at each end. It was wrapped around the mast, as +shown in the drawing, with one loop holding it in place, like a slip +knot, and the other supporting the end of the sprit. A single halyard +was used to raise this sail. It was attached to the boat and passed over +a block in the mast. When raising the sail it was first partly hoisted, +then the sprit was hooked in the loop and the snotter, after which the +throat halyard was drawn taut. Then the snotter was pulled up the mast +as far as it would go, flattening out the sail. The jib-sail was made +out of the large corner piece left when cutting the mainsail. The +dimensions of the jib-sail are given in Fig. 194. It was such a small +sail that no boom was used with it. In place of a rudder the steering +oar had to be used. This was made of a rake handle with a large trowel +blade fastened to the end of it. The sharp blade cut into the ice, and +so steered the scow when it was running as an ice boat, and in the water +the blade offered sufficient resistance to act as a rudder. + + +SCOOTER SAILING. + +But to return to our sail home to Lamington, we were not out on the open +water long before the current carried us back to the ice ledge. Reddy +jumped off and soon returned with the steering oar; then we proceeded on +our way homeward, now in the water and now on ice. Once or twice the +scow was unable to climb out of the water, because she had not +sufficient headway, and was clumsy and heavy with four boys aboard. Then +we had to push off until we could get a sufficient start. It struck me +that while Dutchy was quite clever to think of such a rig, yet it was +very clumsy and capable of much improvement. Bill wasn't saying very +much all this time, and I could see he was doing a lot of thinking. +Evidently he was planning some improvement, but Bill was a very +considerate fellow, and did not want to spoil Dutchy's pleasure just +then by telling him how much better a scooter he might have built. It +wasn't until after supper, when a meeting of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. +I. was called, that Bill came out with his scheme. + + +A MEETING OF THE SOCIETY. + +"Why not mount the sailing canoe on runners, instead of the scow? You +would have a very light rig then, and it would sail like a streak." + +"Mr. President," said Reddy, "your plan sounds first-rate, but how are +you going to fasten runners onto the canoe?" + +"I've thought all that out," replied Bill. "If we can only get hold of a +pair of sleigh runners it won't take long to rig up the sled boat." + +Dutchy, who had looked rather crestfallen at a suggestion of an +improvement on his pet invention, now suddenly brightened up. + +"I know where we can get the sleigh runners!" he exclaimed. "Dad has an +old ramshackle sleigh in the barn that is just falling to pieces with +dry rot. I'll ask him for it to-night." + +"Do you think you can get it?" inquired Bill. + +"I guess so," Dutchy answered, rather doubtfully. "But say, suppose we +send a delegation to see him about it?" + + +AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. VAN SYCKEL. + +This was agreed upon, and in the morning, as soon as breakfast had been +downed, the entire society marched in a body into Mr. Van Syckel's +library. I was appointed spokesman, with Bill to back me, while the rest +of the party were strung out behind, with Dutchy bringing up the rear. +Mr. Van Syckel was not the man to take much interest in boys' work, but +we happened to strike him at the right moment, and before our interview +was over we had told him all our experiences of the summer before and +all our plans for the future. Then we did a good turn for Dutchy, too. +Mr. Van Syckel had always considered his boy a "know-nothing," and was +very much surprised to find that he had invented the scooter scow. Why, +he actually seemed proud of his son, much to Dutchy's embarrassment. +After that there was no trouble about getting the sleigh runners, and +Mr. Van Syckel forgot the objections he had offered at first. + + +THE SCOOTER CANOE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 195. Runners of Scooter Canoe.] + +Naturally we were very much elated at our success, and straightway made +for the barn, where we began operations on the scooter canoe. The sleigh +was an old-fashioned affair, with rather broad wooden runners. First we +removed the body of the sleigh, and then the runners were cut down to a +height of about 15 inches. We spaced them apart about 28 inches, and +connected them with four crosspieces at the top. The runners were now +placed over our larger canoe, with forward ends about on a line with the +mast, and the crosspieces were fastened with screws to the gunwales. As +an additional security, a pair of crosspieces were now run under the +canoe at each end and fastened with screws to the keel. At the bow the +keel was shod with a strip of brass. The rudder was taken off the boat, +and an oar lock was fastened to the stern to hold the steering oar. In +place of lee boards we nailed a couple of thin boards over each runner, +as shown in the drawing. We were in a hurry to finish this, as our +vacation was short, so we used on the scooter canoe the sails that we +had made for our ice boat. This required a bowsprit, but as we had +little time to spare we used the jib-boom of the ice boat, nailing it to +the deck beam of the canoe. We decided that the jib-sail could be used +without a boom, as we had done with the scow. The mast was braced by +stays attached to the ends of the runners and bowsprit. This spread of +canvas was far greater than that originally provided for sailing the +canoe, but the heavy runners on each side helped to keep the boat on +even keel, and then to further balance the sail a board was nailed +across the aft end of the boat. This overhung the runners about 18 +inches each side, and in a strong wind we could sit out on the windward +end of this board, thus preventing the scooter from heeling over too +far. + +[Illustration: Fig. 196. The Scooter Canoe.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +AN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. + + +As soon as our scooter canoe was completed we prepared for the +long-planned winter expedition to Willow Clump Island. The weather +conditions were ideal. We had had ten days of steady cold weather, which +had followed a heavy fall of snow, so that we could tramp up the island +on snow shoes, or we could use our scooter canoe and scooter scow on the +river. It was out of the question to use our skate sails or the ice boat +on the river, and the canal would be serviceable only in case the wind +should blow from a southerly quarter. But we stowed them on the sledge +for use on Lake Placid. + +On the Tuesday morning following Christmas we made the start. Bill in +the scooter canoe and Dutchy in the scooter scow sailed up the river, +and the rest of us, on snow shoes, took the tow path of the canal, +hauling the sledge along. We carried provisions for a week and a good +supply of blankets. The island was reached without mishap, except that +Dutchy had to be helped several times in dragging the heavy scow around +the rapids. Bill reached the island long before we did, and after +unloading the canoe came racing back under a stiff breeze for a second +load. Then he took his turn at hauling the sledge, while Reddy sailed +the reloaded scooter canoe up to the island. + + +WILLOW CLUMP ISLAND IN WINTER. + +We brought no tent with us, as we expected to take up our quarters in +the straw hut. When we reached the hut we hardly recognized it. It was +almost completely covered with snow and looked like an Eskimo house. The +snow had drifted well up over the north side, completely closing the +entrance. We had to set to work at once with a shovel and open up a +passageway, and then we had to shovel out a large pile of snow that had +drifted into the hut from the open doorway. + + +KINDLING A CAMP FIRE. + +In the meantime Jack scoured the island for some dry wood. In this he +was not very successful, because everything was covered with snow, and +when he tried to kindle a fire in the open space in front of our hut he +found the task an exceedingly difficult one. Unfortunately we forgot to +bring the oil stove with us, and the prospect of something warm to eat +was exceedingly remote. We hadn't yet learned the trick of building a +camp fire in wet weather. After exhausting our stock of paper Fred and I +started over to Lumberville for several newspapers and a can of +kerosene. We went to old Jim Halliday's, who had befriended us on one or +two occasions the previous summer, and made known to him our troubles. + +"What! A can of oil to build yer fire with? Well, ye won't git it from +me. I know a man as got blowed up apourin' oil on a fire. Why, shucks, +boys, you don't need no oil ner paper nuther on that there island. Its +chuck-full of silver birch trees, and there ain't no better kindlin' +than birch bark." + +Birch bark! Why, yes, why hadn't we thought of that? We had used it for +torches the summer before and knew how nicely it burned. So back we +skated to camp, and then, peeling off a large quantity of bark from the +birch trees around us, we soon had a rousing big fire in front of the +hut. + + +THE OUTDOOR FIREPLACE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 197. An Outdoor Cooking Fire.] + +But there were more things to be learned about open fires. In our summer +outing Jack had done most of his cooking on a kerosene stove, and he +soon found that it was a very different matter to cook over an +unsheltered fire. The heat was constantly carried hither and thither by +the gusts of wind, so that he could scarcely warm up his saucepans. We +had to content ourselves with cold victuals for the first meal, but +before the next meal time came around we had learned a little more about +fire building. Two large logs were placed about 10 inches apart, and the +space between them was filled in with pieces of bark and small twigs and +sticks. The back of the fireplace was closed with stones. One touch of a +match was enough to kindle the fire, and in a moment it blazed up +beautifully. The logs at the sides and the stones at the back prevented +the wind from scattering the flames in all directions, and a steady +draft poured through the open end of the fireplace and up through the +heart of the fire. The side logs were so close together that our cooking +utensils could be supported directly on them. + + +A STONE-PAVED FIREPLACE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 198. A Stone-paved Fireplace.] + +The following summer we continued our open fireplace experiments. +Instead of using logs we drove stakes into the ground, forming a small +circular stockade about 2 feet high and 3 feet in diameter. A paving of +small stones covered the floor of the fireplace, and a lining of stones +was laid against the wall. The stakes were driven in on a slant, as +illustrated in Fig. 198, so as to better support the stone lining. A +break in the stockade at one side let in the necessary draft. Two of the +stakes on opposite sides of the fire were made extra long, and were +crotched at their upper ends. They served to support the cross stick +from which our kettles were hung. This form of fireplace was more +satisfactory for baking than the one in which logs were used for the +side walls, because the stone lining retained the heat much longer. To +bake biscuit, a pot of beans, or the like, the ashes would be drawn away +from the stone paving and the pot placed directly on the hot stones, +after which it was covered with hot embers and ashes. + + +A COLD NIGHT IN THE HUT. + +But to return to our experiences on the island. We found it very cold on +the first night in the hut. We were afraid to build a fire inside lest +the straw thatchings would catch fire, and so we huddled together in the +corner, rolled up tightly in our blankets. But it was cold, +nevertheless. We had no door to close the opening into the hut, and +instead had piled up branches of cedar and hemlock against the doorway. +But a bitterly cold northwest wind was blowing down the river, and we +couldn't keep warm, no matter what we did. Most of the boys were ready +to go right home, but we stuck it out until the morning, and then after +we had toasted ourselves before a blazing bright fire, and had eaten a +hot breakfast, we forgot much of the discomfort of the night and were +ready for more "fun." We thought we would spend the next night in our +tree house, and so, right after breakfast, we packed up our blankets and +some provisions and started for the Jacob's Ladder. + + +MOUNTAIN CLIMBING. + +Each fellow was provided with a pair of ice creepers of the same sort as +we had used in connection with the rennwolf (see page 170). In addition +to this each boy was provided with a home-made alpine stock, consisting +of a stout wooden stick in the end of which a large nail was driven and +the head filed off. Thus equipped we came to the foot of the cliff, and +much to our delight found it one mass of ice from top to bottom. Now was +our chance to try some Swiss mountain climbing. Bill took the lead, with +an old hatchet in his hand, to hack out any necessary footholds in the +ice wall, and the rest of us strung out behind him tied to a long rope, +each boy about 10 or 12 feet from the one ahead. Bill cautioned us to +keep our distance, holding the rope taut in one hand, so that if a +fellow stumbled he could be kept from falling either by the one in front +or by the one behind. + +"Besides," he said, "if the rope drags on the ice, it is liable to be +cut or worn so that it will break when any strain was put on it." + +Now, one would think from all these precautions that we were launched on +a perilous expedition. That was the impression we were trying to make on +ourselves, though, as a matter of fact, any one of us could have climbed +the cliff unaided and without any ice implements if he had used ordinary +care not to slip on the ice-clad ladder rounds or the snow-covered +ledges. + +[Illustration: Fig. 199. Winter Expedition to the Goblins' Platform.] + + +A POOR SHELTER. + +The climb was without mishap and we reached our tree house, only to find +it so badly racked by storm and weather that it was clearly out of the +question to attempt to spend the night there. The wind howled around the +house and whistled through dozens of cracks and chinks that had opened +in the walls. All that we could do, therefore, was to turn back to the +island and make the best of our straw hut again. On the way, however, we +stopped at Lumberville for some straw to be used for bedding. The +afternoon was spent sailing around on Lake Placid and the large smooth +stretch above the island. + + +A COSTLY CAMP FIRE. + +After supper Bill and Reddy went into the hut to arrange the straw +bedding, while the rest of us gathered wood for a huge bonfire in front +of the hut. The wind was blowing right down the river and we expected it +to carry the warmth of the fire into the hut. The fire was built some +distance in front of the doorway, so as to prevent the hut from catching +fire. But we had evidently miscalculated the strength of the wind, for +no sooner was the fire fairly started than a shower of flaming brands +was blown right into the hut. In a moment the straw blazed up, cutting +off all escape for Bill and Reddy. Fortunately the framing was not +strong and the frost had loosened up the foundations, so that a few +frantic kicks opened an exit in the rear of the hut just in time to save +our comrades from cremation. Once it was fairly started we were +powerless to put out the blaze until the hut was ruined. The snow that +covered the walls checked the fire somewhat, but the thatching burned +from the inside, melting the snow and dropping it suddenly into the +flaming straw bedding on the floor. As we sat in a gloomy ring about the +camp fire, watching the tongues of flame play about the charred ribs of +our hut, we had reason to be thankful that the wind had played its +pranks before we turned in for the night. What a risk we had run of +being all burned to death! It made me shudder to think of it. Well, our +hut was burned. What next? That was the question put before the society. + +[Illustration: Bill Gets Tangled up with His Skis.] + +[Illustration: Warming the Lunch on a Cold Day.] + +"Might build a snow hut," suggested Dutchy. + +"Now, be sensible," answered Reddy. "We can't build a snow hut in five +minutes." + +"The best plan," I volunteered, "would be to go over to Jim Halliday's +and ask him to let us sleep in his barn." + +Immediately the suggestion was acted upon. + + +A FRIEND IN TIME OF TROUBLE. + +Old Jim Halliday greeted us very gruffly. He said he wouldn't have us in +his barn. "You'll be amussin' up the hay so't wouldn't be fit fer the +horses to eat. Any boy that is fool enough to build a fire on a straw +bed ought to go right home to his mother, and he hadn't oughter be +trusted with matches, nuther. He might get his fingers burned." + +But I caught a twinkle in the old man's eyes and wasn't surprised to +have him end his lecture by taking us into the kitchen and seating us +around an old-fashioned log fire while "Marthy," his daughter, made us +some hot coffee to take the chill out of our bones. We didn't sleep in +the barn that night. The Hallidays had only one spare bed, hardly enough +for six boys, and the old man didn't want to be partial to any two of +us, but his daughter solved the difficulty by dragging down two large +feather mattresses and laying them on the kitchen floor in front of the +hearth. + +Before bidding us "good night," Mr. Halliday put on his sternest +expression and bade Marthy clear out all the matches from the room. + +"Jest as like as not they'll set fire to the house," he growled. "I +expect this is my last night on airth." And then, with a solemn warning +not to hang our clothes on the flames, and to "keep them feather beds +offen the embers," he left us to a comfortable night's rest. + +In the morning, after we had disposed of all the hot griddle cakes we +could eat, and had sincerely thanked our host and hostess for their +hospitality, we wended our way back to the island, silently packed up +our goods and started home for Lamington. + +"Well, this isn't going to happen again," was Bill's comment. "Next year +we'll have a log cabin on the island." + +[Illustration: Fast Asleep in a Sleeping Bag.] + +[Illustration: How the Pack Harness was Worn.] + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +TRAMPING OUTFITS. + + +Our winter expedition to Willow Clump Island filled us with a wholesome +respect for Arctic explorers. If we could find it so uncomfortable with +the thermometer only at 10 degrees above zero, what would it be to +endure a temperature of 40, 50 or even 60 degrees below zero? We were +interested to learn how they managed to stand it. This led to a study of +the subject in Mr. Van Syckel's library. + + +SLEEPING BAGS. + +In one of the books Dutchy came across the description of a sleeping +bag. It was made of reindeer's skin sewed into a large bag with the fur +side turned in. This bag was large enough to hold three or four +sleepers, and each man was covered with a pair of woolen bags, one bag +slipped inside the other. The woolen bags were made of blankets sewed +together and provided with flaps at the upper ends to cover the head of +the sleeper. + +Of course, we had to make a sleeping bag, too. The innermost bag was +made of an old quilt and the next one of a blanket that we were +fortunate enough to get hold of. But when it came to the reindeer skin +we were balked, until we happened to run across a piece of rubber +sheeting at the village store. This was a lucky find, for I doubt if one +country store in a hundred carries such stock. The piece was just large +enough to cover the blanket bag and allow for an ample flap to cover the +head. To be sure, this furnished a shelter for only one person, and +there were six in the society. It was clear that the treasury could not +afford the expense of six sleeping bags; but as such a device would be +useful only under very unusual circumstances we decided that two +sleeping bags would be all the society would need. We had been rather +curious to explore the country back of the hills on the Pennsylvania +side of the river, and with some light provisions and these sleeping +bags strapped to the back a couple of boys could make quite an extended +tour, unmindful of weather conditions. On real hot nights a fellow could +get into the quilt bag and sleep on the blanket and waterproof bag. In +cold weather the combination of all three bags provided sufficient +warmth. The rubber bag would protect the sleeper from any moisture in +the ground, and would also keep him thoroughly dry, even in a pouring +rain. + + +BILL'S "MUMMY CASE." + +[Illustration: Fig. 200. Bottom Piece of Sleeping Bag.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 201. Top Piece of Sleeping Bag.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 202. Headboards.] + +Our second sleeping bag was Bill's own design, and was, in many +respects, an improvement on the first, though it looked ridiculously +like an Egyptian mummy case. The inner bags were just like those of the +first sleeping bag, but as there was no more rubber sheeting in town we +had to make the outer bag of enameled cloth, such as is used for +carriage curtains. Out of this cloth Bill cut a piece of the shape shown +in Fig. 200 to serve as bottom, sides and ends of the sleeping bag. The +bag was sewed wrong side out; that is, the piece was laid with enameled +side up, and then the corners were sewed together after painting the +seams with white lead. Then a top piece was cut out, of the size +indicated in Fig. 201. The edges were hemmed over a piece of rope, which +thus formed a corded edge. Now, with the enameled side of the cover +piece turned inward, its edges were sewed to the edges of the first +piece. The bag was now turned inside out, so that the enameled surface +lay on the outside and the seams turned inward. The corded edge on the +cover piece lapped over the sides, forming a watershed. + +[Illustration: Fig. 203. The Mummy Case.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 204. Sleeping Bag in Use.] + +It was Bill's idea to rig up the flap in such a manner that it would not +lie against the face, so that the sleeper could have plenty of fresh +air, even in rainy weather. This required the use of two headboards, of +the form shown in Fig. 202. The headboards were connected at the bottom +by a thin board, and to this framework the sides of the bag were nailed. +To the end flap several cleats were nailed, adapted to fit into notches +cut in the headboards. The cleat at the end of the flap was laid on +edge, as shown, and fitted into deep notches in the headboards just +above the edge of the cover piece. This held the flap securely, +preventing it from flying open in a heavy wind. At the same time the +small space between the flap and the cover piece allowed for an ample +supply of fresh air. When using this sleeping bag, if there was any +indication of a shower, we took care to have the head pointed to +windward so as to prevent entrance of rain through this air space. + + +THE "A" TENT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 205. The "A" Tent.] + +In connection with the sleeping bags it may be well to describe here a +curious shelter Dutchy and I came across in one of our tramps. It was +just about dusk one day when we discovered a temporary camp at which a +couple of men were preparing dinner. They informed us that they were +naturalists on a two weeks' outing. At their invitation we joined camp +with them. They had a small "A" tent of balloon silk, under which they +kept their provisions. The tent had no ridge pole, but was supported +instead by a rope stretched between two trees (see Fig. 205). + + +A CAMP CHAIR. + +[Illustration: Fig. 206. The Camp Chair.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 207. Pockets in the Canvas Back.] + +The camp was also furnished with an easy canvas chair, made by driving a +couple of short posts in the ground for front legs and a pair of longer +ones for the back. A piece of canvas was hung over these posts, forming +both seat and back. The posts were driven into the ground on a slant, as +illustrated in Fig. 206, and the canvas was formed with pockets at the +corners which were hooked over these posts. This made a very comfortable +chair, though, of course, it was fixed to one spot. When the men moved +camp they would carry with them only the canvas piece, and at the next +stopping place new posts were chopped and used for legs. + +[Illustration: Waiting for a Bite.] + +[Illustration: Temporary Shelter under an "A" Tent.] + + +THE CAMP BED. + +[Illustration: Fig. 208. Canvas Bed.] + +But what interested us most was the form of bed they had. This, like the +chair, consisted of a piece of canvas arranged to be supported on posts +cut from the woods in the neighborhood of the camp. The canvas piece was +3 feet wide and 6 feet long, with a wide hem at each side, forming +pockets through which poles were passed, as in a stretcher. The ends of +the poles were supported on posts driven into the ground. The poles were +also propped up at the center, as shown, the pockets being cut away and +bound, so as not to permit any wear on the canvas. To prevent the posts +from leaning inward under the weight of the sleeper, they were braced +apart by cross sticks. + +[Illustration: Fig. 209. Bed Set up on Posts.] + + +THE CAMP BED IN A SHOWER. + +[Illustration: Fig. 210. A Poncho.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 211. Camp Bed in the Rain.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 212. Umbrella with Fly.] + +As a precaution against rain, a tall post was set up at the head and +another at the foot of the bed, and a rope was stretched over the posts +with the ends fastened to stakes driven into the ground. Over this rope +a rubber "poncho" was laid to keep off the rain. A "poncho," by the way, +is a blanket of rubber cloth about 4-1/2 feet wide and 6 feet long, in +the center of which is a slit through which you can put your head; then +the rubber cloth falls over you like a cape, as in Fig. 210, and makes a +perfect protection against rain. The ponchos these men had were not +quite long enough to cover the whole bed, so they fastened umbrellas to +the head posts, as shown in Fig. 212. During a shower in the woods the +rain comes straight down in large drops, caused by the water collecting +on the leaves. To prevent these large drops from splashing through the +umbrellas, they laid pieces of cloth over the umbrellas, which served, +like the fly of a tent, to check the fall of rain drops. + + +A NIGHTMARE. + +I slept in the mummy case that night and Dutchy in the first sleeping +bag. It must have been about midnight when I was awakened by a most +unearthly yell. It sent the cold chills running up and down my back. A +second scream brought me into action, and I struggled to throw back the +head flap, which had become caught. It seemed an age before I could open +it and wriggle out of the bag. Dutchy was sitting up in bed with a look +of horror on his face, and his whole body was in a tremor of fear. One +of the men dashed a glass of water in his face, which brought him back +to his senses. It was only a nightmare, we found. Dutchy dreamed he had +been injured in a railway accident and had been taken for dead to the +morgue. He tried to let them know that he was alive, but couldn't utter +a sound, until finally he burst out with the yells that roused the camp. +Then, as he awoke with the horror of the dream still on him, his eyes +fell on the two stretcher beds that looked like biers and the black +coffin-like sleeping bag. It was not much wonder that Dutchy was +frightened. The camp did certainly have a most ghastly appearance in the +vague moonlight that filtered through the trees, and it must have been +still more gruesome to see the coffin and biers suddenly burst open and +the corpses come running toward him. To prevent any further nightmare we +set Dutchy's sleeping bag under the "A" tent, where he would be saved +the horror of again waking up in a morgue. + + +PACK HARNESS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 213. Pack Harness.] + +In the morning our friends broke camp and started westward. Dutchy and I +watched them packing up their goods into a couple of very compact +bundles, which they strapped to their backs with a peculiar pack +harness. I took careful note of the way the harness was put together, +and when we returned to the island we made two sets for use on our +tramping expeditions. A canvas yoke was first cut out to the form shown +in Fig. 213. We used two thicknesses of the heaviest brown canvas we +could find, binding the two pieces together with tape. The yoke was +padded with cotton at the shoulders and a strap was fastened to each +shoulder piece. These were arranged to be buckled to a pair of straps +fastened to the back of the yoke and passing under the arms. Riveted to +these straps were a pair of straps used for fastening on the pack. The +yoke straps were attached with the rough side against the yoke, while +the pack straps were riveted on with the rough side uppermost, as +indicated in the drawing. + + +RIVETING. + +[Illustration: Fig. 214. Riveting the Straps Together.] + +The method of riveting together the leather straps may need a word of +explanation. A copper rivet was passed through a hole in the two straps; +then the washer was slipped over the projecting end of the rivet. This +washer had to be jammed down tight against the leather, and to do this +we drilled a hole of the diameter of the rivet in a block of wood, and +putting this block over the washer, with the end of the rivet projecting +into the hole, we hammered the block until the washer was forced down +tight against the leather. Then taking a light tack hammer we battered +down the end of the rivet onto the washer. Care was taken to do this +hammering very lightly, otherwise the end would have been bent over +instead of being flattened. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE LAND YACHT. + + +Only one thing of importance occurred between our Christmas holidays and +Eastertide: this was Bill's invention of the tricycle sailboat or land +yacht. We had returned to school with sailing on the brain. Our skate +sail served us well enough while there was any ice, but as spring came +on we wished we had our canoe with us, or even the old scow to sail on +the lakes near the school. Once we seriously considered building a +sailboat, but the project was given up, as we had few facilities for +such work. But Bill wasn't easily baffled, and I wasn't surprised to +have him come tearing into the room one day, yelling, "I've got it! I've +got it!" In his hands were two bicycle wheels, which I recognized as +belonging to a couple of bicycles we had discarded the year before. + +"What are you going to do with them?" I inquired. + +"I'm going to make a tricycle sailboat." + +"What?" + +"A tricycle sailboat, a land boat, or anything you've a mind to call it. +I mean a boat just like our ice boat only on bicycle wheels instead of +skates. We can sail all over south Jersey on the thing. Come on down and +help me build it." + + +THE FRAME OF THE YACHT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 215. The Backbone and Crosspiece.] + +I followed him to the shed at the back of the school and found that he +had already procured a couple of scantlings for the frame of the boat. +The sticks were 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide. The backbone was cut +to a length of 10 feet, and a 5-foot link was sawed off for the +crosspiece. The two pieces were securely nailed together about 3 feet +from the forward end of the backbone. The crosspiece was set on edge, +but a notch was cut in it about 1 inch deep to receive the backbone. We +might have braced the frame with wooden braces, as in the ice boat, but +we thought that this time we would vary the design by using wire bracing +instead, thus making the frame much lighter. I asked Bill how he +proposed to tighten the wire. Turnbuckles were the thing, but I knew +that they were rather expensive. + +"Just you leave that to me," said Bill. "I've a scheme that I think will +work out all right." + + +A SIMPLE TURNBUCKLE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 216. An Eye Bolt.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 217. Stretching the Guy Lines.] + +At the hardware store of the town we bought a pound of No. 16 iron wire, +eight large screw eyes and six eye bolts, with nuts and washers. Both +the screw eyes and eye bolts had welded eyes and the shanks of the eye +bolts were 6 inches long. A pair of screw eyes were now threaded into +the backbone at each side about 18 inches from the end, and at each end +of the crosspieces an eye bolt was fastened. I began to see Bill's plan. +He was going to draw the wire taut by tightening up the nuts on the eye +bolts. To get the best effect the hole for the eye bolt had to be +drilled in on a slant, so that the bolt would pull directly in the line +of the wire. To get just the right angle we ran a cord from the screw +eye on one side to the point where the bolt was to be inserted, and +traced its direction on the crosspiece. The hole for the eye bolt was +now drilled parallel with the mark we had traced. The same was done at +the other end of the crosspiece. A pair of screw eyes were now screwed +into the backbone at the fore end and a pair of eye bolts were set at a +corresponding angle in the ends of the crosspiece. The crosspiece was +notched at each side so that the nuts and washers on the eye bolts would +have a square seating. Then we stretched on the wire guy lines, drawing +them as tight as possible, with the eye bolts held in place by a turn or +two of the nuts, after which we screwed up the nuts as far as we could, +thus drawing up the wire until it was very taut. This done the second +nut was threaded onto each bolt against the first so as to lock it in +place and prevent it from jarring loose. + + +STEPPING THE MAST. + +[Illustration: Fig. 218 The Frame with Wire Braces.] + +Our next task was to step the mast. We found in the shed an old +flagstaff 15 feet long and 3 inches in diameter. The lower end of this, +for about a foot, we whittled down to a diameter of 2 inches, and drove +it into a hole in the backbone 12 inches from the forward end. The mast +was stayed by a wire stretched from the head to an eye bolt at the fore +end of the backbone. The end of the mast which projected below the +backbone was stayed with wire running forward to an eye bolt and aft to +a screw eye on the backbone, and also with a pair of wires running to +screw eyes threaded into the crosspiece near the ends. We couldn't very +well use eye bolts on these wires except at the fore end, but we +stretched the wires as tight as possible before the screw eyes were +screwed all the way in, and then, as we turned the screw eyes, the wire +was wound up on them and drawn fairly taut. Fig. 219 shows a side view +of the frame, and wires marked 1 and 2 are the same as illustrated in +Fig. 218, which is a top or plan view of the frame. + + +MOUNTING THE FRAME ON BICYCLE WHEELS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 219. Bracing the Mast.] + +We were now ready to mount the frame on the bicycle wheels. We used only +the front wheels of the bicycles with the forks in which they were +journaled. The shanks at the top of the forks were firmly driven into +holes in the crosspiece near the ends. For the steering wheel Bill took +the front fork and wheel of his new bicycle, letting the shank into a +hole at the stern end of the backbone. + + +THE TILLER. + +[Illustration: Fig. 220. The Tiller.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 221. The Seat.] + +For a tiller we used a piece of an old rake handle. A small hole was +first drilled into the handle and the end of the stick was then split +through the hole, permitting the projecting shank of the fork to be +driven tightly into the hole. The split wood was now tightly closed onto +the shank by means of a bolt (see Fig. 220). In the rubbish heap we +found an old chair. The legs were sawed off and the seat was then firmly +nailed to the backbone. The back of the chair was cut down so that it +just cleared the tiller. + + +A "LEG-OF-MUTTON" SAIL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 222. Leg-of-Mutton Sail.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 223. The Sailor's Stitch.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 224. Laying Out the Sail.] + +Everything was now completed but the sail. This was a triangular or +"leg-of-mutton" affair, of the dimensions given in Fig. 222. It was made +of light canvas, 30 inches wide, of which we bought 14 yards. Out of +this we took one strip 18 feet long, one 13 feet, one 8 feet, and one 3 +feet long. We had no sewing machine, and therefore had to sew the strips +together by hand. The selvedge edges of the strips were lapped over each +other about an inch and then they were sewed together sailor fashion, +that is, each edge was hemmed down, as shown in Fig. 223. The strips +were sewed together so that at the foot each projected at least 21 +inches below the next shorter one. This done, the sail was cut to the +dimensions given, allowing 1-1/2 inches all around for the hem. The hem +was turned over a light rope, forming a strong corded edge. At the clew, +tack and head loops were formed in the rope which projected from the +canvas, and at intervals along the foot the canvas was cut away, +exposing the rope so that the sail could be laced to the boom, as +illustrated. The boom was a pole 11 feet long attached to the mast by +means of a screw hook threaded into the end of the boom and hooked into +a screw eye on the mast, after which the screw hook was hammered so it +would close over the screw eye to keep it from slipping off. The sail +was raised by a halyard passing over a block at the top of the mast. The +sheet was fastened near the end of the boom, passed through a block on +the backbone, back of the tiller, and through another block on the boom, +and was led to a cleat within easy reach of the chair seat. + + +A SAIL THROUGH THE COUNTRY. + +[Illustration: Fig. 225. A Sail on the Land Yacht.] + +Our land yacht proved to be quite a successful craft in the flat country +around the school. Of course, we could not sail everywhere; a country +road is too narrow for any tacking when it comes to sailing against the +wind. We hadn't thought of that when we made our trial trip. A strong +east wind was blowing and so we ventured forth on a road that led due +west from our school. Off we sped before the wind for two miles, until +we came to a sharp turn in the road. Then we began to think of turning +homeward. But this was a very different proposition. The wind was dead +against us and to try to tack from side to side of the road was useless, +because we would hardly get under way on one tack before we had to swing +around on the other tack, losing all our momentum. It ended up by our +lowering sail and ignominiously trundling the yacht back to school. +After that we carefully selected our course, and never sailed away from +home before the wind unless we knew of a roundabout way that would lead +us back to port on a couple of reaches (long tacks). + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +EASTER VACATION. + + +Just before Easter that year Bill's Aunt Dorothy invited him to spend +Eastertide with her and bring along his roommate. I accepted the +invitation with alacrity. Bill had once spent a whole summer at his +aunt's home, and when we arrived there he had many old haunts to visit. +We spent the first day rambling through the woods, in the hills and back +of the house. + + +BILL'S CAVE. + +He introduced me to a cave which he believed was known to only two other +boys, both of whom had since moved to New York city. The mouth of the +cave was almost closed by a large boulder that had lodged in front of +it. We had to climb to the top of this rock, and then letting ourselves +down with a rope we slid down the sloping rear face of the boulder into +a crevice in the rocks. Then after squirming under a ledge we emerged +into a large chamber, which appeared to be as dark as night after our +sudden entrance from the outer light. + +[Illustration: Fig 226. Sliding Down into the Cave.] + +Bill lighted a candle which projected from a chink in the wall. By its +light I saw that there was a pool in the center of the cave fed from a +spring at one point. From the pool the water trickled off into a tiny +stream to the mouth of the cave, where it was lost in a crack in the +rocks. The water was ice cold and clear as crystal. Around the pool were +several chairs and a table made by Bill and his two friends. That was +evidently where Bill had gotten his idea of a subterranean club. + + +THE BARREL STAVE HAMMOCK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 227. The Barrel Stave Hammock.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 228. Tying the Staves Together.] + +Hanging between a couple of projecting rocks was a hammock made of +barrel staves. The hammock was a very simple affair, made by drilling a +1-inch hole in each end of each barrel stave. The staves were then +connected by two ropes on each side, woven alternately in and out +through these holes, that is, one rope would be passed down through one +stave, up through the next, down through the third, etc., and through +the same holes another rope would be threaded in and out but in the +opposite direction. The end staves of the hammock were provided with +double holes, as shown in Fig. 228, so as to make them lie flat, then +the ropes were threaded through them. + + +THE BARREL ARMCHAIR. + +[Illustration: Fig. 229. The Armchair Frame.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 230. Casters on the Chair.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 231. Tacking on the Straw Sandwiches.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 232. The Barrel Armchair.] + +Aside from the hammock and the rustic furniture there was a fine +armchair, made from a barrel that had been sawed off, as in Fig. 229, to +form the arms and back. The barrel was raised from the ground by setting +it on a couple of boards arranged in the form of a V. Then a caster was +fastened to the point of the V and another at each end, making a +three-legged chair of it. The chair was upholstered with ticking stuffed +with straw. First a piece of ticking large enough for the back was laid +on the ground and covered over with an even layer of straw. Over the +straw a second piece of ticking was laid, making what Bill called a +"straw sandwich." This was nailed to the chair back along the edge and +at the bottom, drawing the cloth as taut as possible. To make a better +finish for the chair, the ticking was covered with dark red denim. Then +strips of braid were laid on the chair back, crossing each other like a +lattice. At the crossing points of the braid brass-headed tacks were +nailed right through the sandwich into the wood, producing the padded +upholstered effect. Next a long, thin sandwich was made to run along the +edge of the back, and another one to run around the chair just below the +seat, also a couple of small sandwiches to cover the legs and the +brackets leading to them. These were all covered with denim before being +tacked to the chair and then they were bound with tape at intervals to +produce the padded effect. The rest of the woodwork was covered with +denim, and a neat ruffle made by Aunt Dorothy hung about the bottom of +the chair. A thick, round sandwich was now made to cover the seat board. +This was also given a padded effect by binding it with tape. The seat +board was not nailed to the chair, but rested on four cleats nailed to +the barrel on the inside. When the seat was lifted out it uncovered a +shallow chest in which various things could be stored. + + +THE SUMMER TOBOGGAN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 233. The Summer Toboggan.] + +Bill informed me that he and his two chums used to spend hot summer +afternoons in this cool place whittling out various ornaments and making +furniture for the cave. In one corner were a number of home-made +amusement devices, one of which struck me as rather odd. It consisted of +a pair of large barrel staves, hollow side up and connected with two +short boards, as in Fig. 233. Bill said it was a summer toboggan, to be +used on grass instead of snow. I had never heard of such an affair, and, +of course, had to have a demonstration. Bill went to the top of the hill +and from there coasted down the grassy slope in fine style. + + +TAILLESS KITES. + +"There's a better place over on the other side of the hill," he said, +and led the way to his favorite coasting spot. But here our attention +was diverted from coasting by the curious sight of a full-grown man +flying a kite. We found out afterward that he was a Professor Keeler, +who had made a great scientific study of kites. Professor Keeler was +very affable, and we soon got acquainted with him. His kite was way up +in the air, almost out of sight, and was pulling like everything. +Neither Bill nor I could hold it long. But the most remarkable part of +it all to me was the fact that the kite had no tail. I had heard of +tailless kites made like a box, but this one appeared to be very much +like the kites I had made in my younger days, and I well knew the +importance of a long tail to keep such a kite steady. We asked the +professor about it, and were informed that this kite was of the Malay +type, which is so designed that the cloth bellies out into pockets on +each side of the central stick or backbone, and these pockets balance +the kite while the backbone acts as a rudder. + +Finding that we were interested in the subject he gave us full +instructions for making kites from 5 to 8 feet long, and these I jotted +down for future use. In a 5-foot kite he said the stick should be 3/8 +inch thick and 1/2 inch wide, in a 6-foot kite 7/16 inch thick and 9/16 +inch wide, in a 7-foot kite 5/8 inch thick and 3/4 inch wide, and in an +8-foot kite 3/4 inch thick and 1 inch wide. On the following summer we +built a 5-footer and also an 8-footer. + +[Illustration: Fig. 234. Coasting in Summer.] + + +A FIVE-FOOT MALAY KITE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 235. Tying on the Cleats.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 236. Hook on the Vertical Stick.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 237. Double Hook.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 238. Connection at Corner.] + +For the 5-foot kite we used two sticks of hickory 3/8 of an inch wide, +1/2 an inch thick, and each 5 feet long. According to directions, one +stick was laid across the other at a point two-elevenths of its length +from the top. Two-elevenths of 5 feet is a little less than 11 inches, +and so we fastened on the cross stick 11 inches from the upper end of +the backbone. The sticks were not nailed together, because this would +have weakened the frame just at the point where it was under the +greatest strain. Instead we followed the professor's directions and tied +cleats to each stick, as shown in Fig. 235, so as to form sockets. Then +the sticks were laid across each other, each stick fitting into the +socket of the other, just like a mortised joint. A coat of shellac on +the bottom of each cleat glued it temporarily to the stick, after which +it was very tightly bound with fine cord. The stick and cleats were now +thoroughly shellaced. The end of each stick was tapered off to receive a +brass ferrule of the kind used on chisel handles. They can be bought at +any hardware store. At the end of the backbone we fastened hooks made of +brass, bent to the form shown in Fig. 236. The cross sticks were also +provided with hooks, but these were double, as shown in Fig. 237, so +that a hook lay on both the front and the rear side of the frame. + +[Illustration: Fig. 239. Bending the Cross Stick.] + +The frame was covered with a kind of cloth called "percaline." The cloth +was hemmed along each edge over heavy picture wire, and at each corner +the wire was twisted around a small solid ring of brass. The rings were +now slipped over the hooks on the frame and then the cross stick was +bowed back by fastening a wire to the rear hooks and drawing it taut. +Professor Keeler told us to tighten this bowstring until the distance +from the wire to the cross stick at the center was equal to one-tenth of +the length of the stick. As our sticks were each 5 feet long we +tightened the wire until the cross stick bowed out 6 inches, as in Fig. +239. The belly band of the kite was fastened at one end to the lower end +of the backbone and at the upper end to a wire hook at the juncture of +the two sticks. The hook was fastened to the cross stick by flattening +the ends and running them under the cord used for binding on the cleats +(see Fig. 240). A buttonhole was made in the cloth covering to let this +hook project through. The belly band was just long enough, so that it +could be stretched over to one end of the cross stick, as in Fig. 241, +and at this point, that is, 30 inches from the upper end of the belly +band, a brass ring was made fast, to which the main kite string was +tied. The kite possessed the advantage that it could be quickly taken +apart and folded into a small space. + + +AN EIGHT-FOOT MALAY KITE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 240. Belly Band Hook.] + +Our 8-foot kite was made in the same way only the sticks were 3/4 inch +thick, 1 inch wide and 8 feet long. The cross stick was fastened 17-1/2 +inches (two-elevenths of 8 feet) from the top of the backbone and it was +bowed back 9-1/2 inches (one-tenth of 8 feet). The wire in the hem of +the covering was a double thickness of the heaviest picture wire +obtainable. + +[Illustration: Fig. 241. The 5-foot Malay Kite.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 242. Malay Kite with Elastic Belly Band.] + + +THE ELASTIC BELLY BAND. + +An important change was made in the belly band of the kite. The lower +strand was made elastic by tying it fast to a number of heavy rubber +bands, as in Fig. 242. When flying the kite, if a sudden, strong puff of +wind struck it, the elastic belly band would give, tilting up the lower +end of the kite so that the wind passed under; but as soon as the gust +had passed the rubber bands would draw the lower end of the kite back +against the wind. The elastic belly band had the effect of making the +kite rise almost vertically. Sometimes it would even sail square +overhead. The 8-foot kite was a very powerful one. To hold it we had to +use a very strong cord, the kind used by upholsterers for tying down the +springs in a chair or a sofa. + + +PUTTING THE KITES TO WORK. + +Bill tested the strength of the kite once by hooking a spring scale to +the kite string. The scale was made to register weights up to 25 pounds. +But our kite yanked the pointer immediately past the 25-pound mark as +far as it would go. We judged from this that the kite would lift at +least 40 pounds. Such a pull as this it seemed a pity to waste, but how +to utilize the power was a problem until one day, when the kite was +soaring up on a south wind, Dutchy suggested that we tie it to one of +the canoes and go sailing up-stream. We tried the trick at once, but it +didn't work very well, because the canoe was too light. The kite would +drop unless there was a heavy pull on the string. We had better success +with the scow, however, which provided a sufficient drag on the kite, +and with the two kites to pull us we sailed a long ways up-stream, +drifting down with the current when we had gone as far as we cared to. + + +THE DIAMOND BOX KITE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 243. The Scow Towed by Kites.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 244. Cleat for Spreader.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 245. Corner Stick and Spreader.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 246. The Narrow Frame.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 247. Tacking on the Cloth.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 248. Forked End of Long Spreader.] + +Professor Keeler also gave us instructions for making a diamond-shaped +box kite, and though we never built one, it may not be amiss to publish +his instructions here. I quote from the chronicles of the S. S. I. E. E. +of W. C. I.: + +"Materials: Four sticks, 1/4 inch thick by 5/8 inch wide by 44 inches +long, for the corner sticks. Two sticks, 1/4 inch thick by 5/8 inch wide +by 15 inches long, for the short spreaders. Two sticks, 1/2 inch square +by about 38 inches long, for the long spreaders. Two strips of cloth 81 +inches long, hemmed at each edge to a width of 13 inches. Whittle out +twelve cleats to the form shown in Fig. 244. At the ends of the 15-inch +spreaders nail cleats on each side with long wire brads, so as to form +forks, as shown in Fig. 245, in which two of the corner sticks are held. +The short spreaders are fastened to the corner sticks, 7 inches from the +ends, with brads driven through the cleats, making the frame (as in Fig. +246). To prevent the frame from skewing off sidewise it should be braced +with wire running diagonally across from one corner stick to the other. +Ordinary soft stovepipe wire will do. Care must be taken to have the +spreaders meet the corner sticks squarely or at right angles. Now take +one of the cloth strips and sew its ends together to form a band. The +end should be lapped about an inch and fastened with the sailor stitch +(see Fig. 223). The same should be done to the other cross strip, and +then each band should be marked off with pencil lines at four points, +all equidistant from each other. The two bands may now be tacked to the +two ends of the frame with opposite pencil lines over the edges of the +corner sticks, as in Fig. 247. The two remaining corner sticks are then +nailed to the bands at the two other pencil lines. These corner sticks +will now be braced apart by the long spreaders, which are notched to the +right length to stretch the cloth taut. A cleat is nailed over each +notch, as shown in Fig. 248, forming forks to hold the corner pieces. +The long spreaders are now forced down until they meet the short +spreaders, to which they are tied with waxed string. The long spreaders +may be nailed to the corner sticks by driving brads right through the +cloth into the cleats and the sticks. The belly band may be fastened to +any one of the corner sticks at the spreaders, and from the points where +it is tied it should measure about 45 inches in length. The point where +the main string should be attached to the belly band may be best +determined by experiment." + +[Illustration: Fig. 249. The Diamond Box Kite.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE WATER WHEEL. + + +Summer found us again on Willow Clump Island with heads full of new +ideas. Bill had come across an old copy of Ewbanks' "Hydraulics" in the +school library. It was a book describing machines of the +ancients--principally devices for raising water. Rather dry reading, I +thought, even though it was a wet subject; but Bill seemed to find it +absorbingly interesting. I came in late one afternoon, after a glorious +game of baseball, only to find Bill poring over the yellowed leaves of +the "Hydraulics" as fascinated as most fellows would be over a detective +story. It exasperated me to note that he thought more of this old book +than he did of our baseball team. + +"Bill," I exclaimed, "what's got into you? I can't for the life of me +see what is so entertaining in that prehistoric book." + +"Oh, go way. Don't bother me," was the surly reply. + +But I wouldn't be put off that way. Quickly I snatched the book from his +grasp and threw it out the window. + +"Now, sir," I cried, "maybe you will kindly explain to me why you +persist in studying that old volume, to the neglect of our baseball +team." + +"Don't get so excited, old chap," he replied. "That book is all right. +I'm studying up some new schemes for next year's expedition to Willow +Clump Island. Why, there are lots of things in that old book that we can +make." And he proceeded to unfold his plans, sketching out some curious +designs of water wheels and pumps. + +By the time school closed for the summer Bill had thoroughly digested +that volume, and was ready to reconstruct many of the ancient machines. + + +THE WATER WHEEL. + +Our first work on reaching the island was to erect a water wheel, or +"noria," as it was called in the book, in front of the camp. It had been +a great nuisance to keep our filter barrel full. Every few days we would +have to form a bucket brigade, passing pails of water up the line until +the barrel was filled. Now Bill proposed to do away with all this bother +and let the river do the work for us. + + +SURVEYING FOR THE WATER WHEEL. + +We first determined the height of the upper filter barrel above the +level of the river. This was done with our surveying instrument, which +was set level with the top of the barrel. We sighted with the instrument +to a long pole that was held upright at the edge of the water. The pole +had been marked off into feet with white chalk marks, and on sighting +through the sight holes we found that the hairs came in line with the +eleventh chalk mark. The top of the filter was, therefore, 11 feet above +the level of the river. Bill figured that it would be necessary to +construct a wheel about 15 feet in diameter in order to raise the water +to the proper height. + +[Illustration: Fig. 250. Surveying for the Water Wheel.] + + +TOWERS FOR THE WATER WHEEL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 251. Frame for Large Tower.] + +First we built the towers to support the wheel. One tower was 16 feet +high and the other only 10 feet. The large tower was made something like +a very tall and narrow saw-horse. Two stout poles 17 feet long were +flattened at their upper ends and nailed together, with the ends +projecting about a foot, as shown in Fig. 251. At the bottom these poles +were spaced 8 feet apart by a cross bar, and about 9-1/2 feet from the +bottom a pair of boards were nailed to opposite sides of the pole to +serve as supports for the axle of the water wheel. Another pair of +17-foot poles was now similarly fastened together and then the two pairs +were spaced about 12 feet apart and connected at the top and bottom with +boards. + +[Illustration: Fig. 252. The Large Tower.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 253. V-shaped Trough.] + +At the top two smooth boards were used and these were nailed to the +inner sides of the projecting ends, which were tapered off. In this +manner a V-shaped trough was formed. The boards were firmly nailed +together at their meeting edges so as to prevent them from warping +apart. A diagonal brace at each corner made the wedge-shaped tower very +substantial. A number of cleats nailed to one of the poles provided a +ladder by which we could mount to the top of the tower. The shorter +tower was a three-legged affair, made of three 12-foot poles. At first +two of these were flattened and nailed together at their upper ends, and +they were braced at the top and bottom. The third leg was then nailed in +place and braced by cross bars connecting it with the other two poles. + + +THE WHEEL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 254. The Small Tower.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 255. The Hub.] + +We were now ready to make the wheel. From Lumberville four 1/2-inch +boards, each 3 inches wide and 15 feet long, were procured; also a bar +of iron 3/4 of an inch in diameter and 2 feet long. At the center of one +of the boards a block of wood 4 inches long and 4 inches in diameter was +nailed on for a hub. A 3/4-inch hole was now drilled through this hub +and the board. Holes were also drilled into the other boards at their +centers. Then they were all strung onto the bar and spaced like spokes +at equal angles apart. Bill had figured it out some way that the ends of +the boards should be just about 5 feet 10-1/2 inches apart. When the +boards were all arranged we nailed them together at the center, and +connected the ends with narrow tie boards, as indicated in Fig. 256. + + +THE BUCKETS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 256. The Water Wheel.] + +Eight large tomato cans were now procured and fastened to the spokes at +the ends on the inner side, that is, the side the hub was nailed to. We +couldn't very well nail on the cans, so we punched two holes in the side +of each can and then secured them to the spokes by passing bolts through +these holes and the boards. + + +THE PADDLES. + +[Illustration: Fig. 257. A Paddle.] + +Then we cut sixteen paddles of the form shown in Fig. 257. Eight of +these were 12 inches long, and the rest measured 18 inches. A slot 3 +inches deep was cut in each paddle of just the right width to slip over +the tie boards. The shorter paddles were fastened on just back of the +spokes, and the rest were secured half-way between each spoke. The +paddles were braced by stretching a wire from one to another all the way +around the wheel. + + +THE RECEIVING TROUGH. + +[Illustration: Fig. 258. How the Paddles and Cans Were Attached.] + +[Illustration: Fig 259. The Receiving Trough.] + +Our next task was to nail the receiving trough in place on the higher +tower. We set up the towers on land and mounted the wheel between them +with the axle resting in the crotch of the short tower and in a deep +notch cut in the cross boards of the larger one. The cans on the wheel +faced the larger tower, but the hub at the center and a block nailed to +the larger tower spaced the wheel far enough out so that the cans did +not strike the tower as they revolved. We carefully measured the +distance between the spokes and the larger tower, and then built a +square trough of a size to just fit into this space. This trough was +nailed across the end of the V-shaped trough on top of the tower, but a +notch was cut in the side so that the water would pour from the square +or receiving trough into this V-shaped one. The square trough was about +8 feet long and its sides were 12 inches high; but at the ends we had to +cut them down to a height of but 6 inches, so as to permit the cans to +pass without hitting them. + + +SETTING UP THE TOWERS. + +Our filter was located nearly 20 feet from the end of the river, and in +order to get a good current of water to revolve our wheel we had to +place it about 15 feet from shore. This necessitated building a trough +line 35 feet long. Ten feet of this line were already provided in the +top of the tall tower. This tower was now set up in place with the legs +firmly wedged into holes excavated in the bottom of the river. The legs +on the shore side were sunk a little deeper, so as to tilt the trough +slightly shoreward. The outer end of the trough was about 12 feet above +the level of the water. We needed but one more tower to support the +remainder of the trough line. This tower was built like the first one, +but was much shorter, as it was erected on land and the level of the +trough at the top had to be 5 or 6 inches lower so as to make the water +flow. We connected the towers by another V-shaped trough section. This +we nailed to the under side of the first trough and to the inside of the +second trough. The latter was then in the same way connected by a trough +section with the upper filter barrel. We now rigged up our shorter tower +about a foot from the taller one, wedging in the legs so that the top +came level with the slotted boards of the other tower. + + +MOUNTING THE WATER WHEEL. + +Then came the task of mounting our wheel in place. We were working in a +pretty strong current and found it no easy matter. In the first place, +the wheel was floated down to the towers, but there it got jammed and we +couldn't lift it up. One of the paddles was broken and a bucket wrenched +off before we could disentangle the wheel from the towers, and then the +wheel was carried quite a distance down-stream before we could drag it +in to shore. + +Our next attempt was more successful. This time we anchored the wheel so +that it just cleared the towers, then fastening a couple of long guy +ropes to it, we raised the wheel on edge, while a boy stood on each side +holding the ropes to keep the wheel steady. The anchor rope was now +slowly paid out and the wheel was rolled in between the towers. This +done, the wheel was lifted up and the axle rod was pushed in, with the +ends of the rod resting in slots of the boards on the tall tower and in +the crotch on the shorter one. To prevent the axle rod from working +endwise out of its bearings, we nailed pieces of wood across the crotch +and the slots against the ends of the rod. Then we cast off the anchor +rope and our wheel started work, the cans dipping up the water as they +were carried around by the wheel and pouring it out of the top into the +receiving trough, from which the water flowed down into the filter +barrel. + + +COOLING THE FILTER BARREL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 260. The Water Wheel in Action.] + +The trough line was very leaky and a great deal of water splashed out of +the buckets. But for all that, within a few moments our barrel was full +and overflowing. We hadn't figured on its filling so rapidly, but we +soon found a way of utilizing the surplus water. It was led to a +half-barrel in which we washed our dishes, and from there it flowed +through a ditch back to the river. The water for the wash barrel was +taken from the top of the upper filter barrel. But we let the lower +filter barrel flow over so that it would be kept wet on the outside. Our +filter was fortunately placed at a point where a good breeze struck it, +and we shoveled away the earth that had been piled around it so that the +wind playing on the wet barrel evaporated the moisture, making the water +inside very cool. + + +THE CANVAS BUCKET. + +[Illustration: Fig. 261. Bottom of Bucket.] + +This same trick was used for cooling our drinking water whenever we went +off on an expedition away from camp. We had a heavy canvas bucket, the +kind used on ships. We would fill this bucket with water and then hang +it up in the wind. The water seeping out of the pores of the bucket +would be evaporated by the wind, and this would, in a few moments, make +the water inside delightfully cool. Such buckets may be bought for $1.50 +to $2.00 apiece, but ours was a home-made affair, and made somewhat +differently from the store kind. The canvas used was the heaviest we +could find. A piece 9 inches in diameter was cut out for the bottom. A +ring 7 inches in diameter, made of heavy brass wire, was laid on the +canvas, and the cloth was turned over it and sewed down the inside of +the ring. For the sides of the bucket we cut a piece 14 inches wide and +23 inches long. The upper edge was strengthened by a piece of light rope +held in place by hemming the cloth over it. The lower edge was now sewed +to the bottom, just inside the wire ring and then the ends of the piece +were joined, completing the sides of the bucket. The bail of the bucket +was formed of a piece of rope fastened to the roped upper edge of the +bucket. + +[Illustration: Fig. 262. The Canvas Bucket.] + +But to return to the current wheel; the day after it was completed, when +I went over to Lumberville for the mail, I was met by old Jim Halliday, +who wanted to know what sort of a rig we had out on the river. I told +him, and after a dint of much persuasion, induced him to take a ride +back in the scow with me. He had never visited our camp and hadn't +realized how handy we were with the tools, because, with the exception +of the current wheel, all our work had been done on the opposite side of +the island. We made him a guest of honor, showing him over the whole +place. The bridges struck him as remarkably clever, but what pleased him +most was our current wheel. + +"I swan," he said. "Ef that ain't jest the thing I have been awantin' +for the past twenty year. What'll ye sell me the hull plant fer, boys?" + + +MR. HALLIDAY'S WATER WHEEL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 263. Mr. Halliday's Water Wheel.] + +We thought he was fooling at first, but when he had assured us that he +was in earnest, Bill told him that we needed our own plant, but we could +build him a similar and even better current wheel for any amount he +thought it was worth to him. The figure settled on was six dollars (a +dollar apiece) for our work, Mr. Halliday paying for the material. It +was not a large sum, but it seemed a lot to us, and considering the +scarcity of money in that region it was pretty generous pay. We built +Mr. Halliday's current wheel just like our own, except that the paddles +were much broader, and instead of using cans for the buckets Mr. +Halliday supplied us with small dinner pails. The method of fastening on +the pails is shown in Fig. 263. A stick was nailed across the end of +each spoke and the bail of the pail was held by a screw eye threaded +into this stick. The pails would hang straight, holding all the water +without spilling a drop until the receiving trough was reached. This +trough was fastened high enough to strike the bottom of the pails as +they went by, tipping them over and emptying them of their contents. +From the trough the water ran directly into a large cider barrel and +from here was carried through a pipe to Mr. Halliday's barn. A stopcock +was here provided so that he could turn the water on or off, as he +desired. The use of pails was a great improvement on tin can buckets. +Fully three times as much water was poured into the receiving trough, +because not a drop was spilled out on the way up. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +THE LOG CABIN. + + +Immediately after fitting out Jim Halliday with his water wheel we set +to work on our log cabin. As a model we had a photograph of a log hut +which Uncle Ed had sent us. As the cabin was designed particularly for +use in winter time, we decided that it should be located where it would +be sheltered from the northern winds and would be exposed to the sun. +The ideal spot seemed to be on the southern shore of Kite Island, which +was backed by a thick grove of trees but gave an unobstructed view in +front for a distance of about four miles down-stream. + + +FOUNDATION OF LOG CABIN. + +First we staked out the plan of the house. It was to be 12 feet long by +10 feet wide, so we leveled off a space of this area, and at the +corners, where the greatest weight of the building would come, large +rocks were embedded in the ground. + + +A LOGGING EXPEDITION. + +The logs for the house were cut from a tract of wooded land about five +miles up the river, belonging to Mr. Schreiner. To be sure we could have +cut the timber from our own island, but when Reddy had said something to +his father about our building a log cabin, Mr. Schreiner had warned us +not to cut down any of the trees without the owner's permission. All we +could learn about the owner was that his name was Smith, and that he +lived somewhere in New York city. It seemed unlikely that he would ever +have anything to say about our cutting down a few trees, but rather than +run any risk Mr. Schreiner advised us to make use of his woods for any +timber we might need. Accordingly we started out early one morning on a +logging expedition. We had no apparatus for handling any logs more than +6 or 8 inches in diameter, and Bill reckoned it out that we would have +to have about fifty logs of this size for the sides of the building +alone. This did not mean that fifty trees had to be chopped down, +because we could usually cut two logs from a single tree. As the logs +would have to overlap about a foot at each corner, we had to cut the +longer ones to a length of 14 feet and the others to a length of 12 +feet. Aside from these we had to have several 16-foot logs for the roof. +Only the straightest logs were chosen, and while Bill and Reddy wielded +the axes the rest of us hacked off the small branches with hatchets and +hauled the sticks down the river. Here we tied them together to make a +raft. + + +THE LOG RAFT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 264. Tying the Logs Together.] + +This was done by running a pair of ropes alternately over and under the +logs at each end (see Fig. 264). About fifteen were thus fastened +together, and then as an extra precaution a log was laid across each end +of the raft and tied fast. As soon as we had cut enough timber for our +first raft, we all ceased work, to take a ride down the river on the +logs. Two of us, armed with poles, were to do the steering. There was +one spot in the river of which we were rather apprehensive. That was a +bit of shallow, swift water three miles from camp. A line of rocks +jutted up from the river, forming a natural dam which was broken only at +the eastern end. The water swirled madly through this opening, and +veering off a huge rock which lay directly in front of the gap turned +sharply westward. As we neared this dam the river became deeper and +deeper, until finally we could no longer reach bottom with the poles, +and could not properly steer the boat. For some time we drifted +helplessly round and round in the still water above the dam. Then +suddenly the current caught us and we swept like a shot for the opening. +The gap was quite wide, and had we only thought to provide ourselves +with oars we could have steered the raft clear of the rocks below, but +we were entirely at the mercy of the current, and with a terrific crash +we were hurled head on against the boulder. + +[Illustration: Getting Dinner.] + +[Illustration: The Photo after which Our Log Cabin was Modeled.] + +Just what happened then I can not say. When I undertook to record the +incident in the chronicles of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I., I found +there were five entirely different versions of the affair besides my +own. I knew that immediately after the shock I found myself struggling +in the water just below the rock over which I must have been slung by +the force of the impact. Dutchy declared up and down that he had sailed +fifty feet in the air astride of a log. Bill had been almost stunned by +a blow on the head and was clinging desperately to a jagged projection +of the rock. The ropes that had held the raft together had parted, +scattering the logs in all directions, and I could see the rest of the +crew hanging on to them for dear life. + +Shouting to Bill to let go his hold on the rock. I swam over and caught +him as he drifted down, then I helped him ashore. Leaving Bill to +recuperate I rushed down the bank, shouting to the others to paddle the +logs over toward shore. Then I plunged in, and pulling myself up on the +nearest log, paddled shoreward as we had done on the planks when +shooting the rapids. In this way one by one we corralled the logs, and +after tying them together again resumed our voyage down the river. We +now had no swift water to fear and were able to guide the raft +successfully down to Lake Placid. But here we moored it, not venturing +to take it past the mill-race until we had gotten the oars from the scow +and nailed on oar locks at each side and the rear, so that we could +properly row and steer the raft safely to Kite Island. + + +THE SAIL-RIGGED RAFT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 265. A Sail-rigged Raft.] + +When we went up the river again we carried the oars with us, also the +sail and mast belonging to our ice boat, as there was a good breeze +blowing down-stream. Our second trip was more successful. The mast was +stepped in a small but solid box nailed to the logs. In the top of this +box a hole was cut for the mast to fit into and then the mast was braced +with guy lines. We came down the river in fine style, steering straight +for the opening in the dam, and just as we were about to shoot through +Reddy and I plied the oars for all we were worth on the port (left) side +so as to swing the raft around past the boulder. However, we didn't +escape entirely without accident, for the raft rode up on a submerged +ledge, dipping the starboard side clear under water and nearly tipping +us over. But in a moment the raft had righted itself and we had smooth +sailing for the rest of the way. + + +BUILDING THE LOG CABIN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 266. Foundation Logs Notched.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 267. Foundation Logs Fitted Together.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 268. A Corner of the Log Wall.] + +Our third expedition completed the number of logs we required for the +log cabin. Two large 12-foot logs were chosen for the foundation logs at +the front and rear of the building. The logs were flattened along the +bottom so that they would have a firmer bearing on the ground, and +particularly on the corners, where they rested on foundation stones. +Each log was now notched about a foot from the ends. The notches were 8 +inches long and about 2 inches deep. Care was taken to place those on +one log squarely opposite the notches on the other. A pair of 14-foot +logs were now laid across the foundation logs and rolled along them +until another half-turn would have dropped them into the notches (shown +in Fig. 266). Then notches were cut in the 14-foot logs to correspond, +so that when the final half-turn was given one notch would fit over the +other, making a mortise joint (Fig. 267). When the side logs were in +position notches were cut in their upper surface to receive a pair of +12-foot logs which were rolled onto them, notched and dropped into +place. Then another pair of side logs were laid on, and so the work +progressed. The notches in each log were cut to a depth equal to +one-quarter the diameter of the log; that is, if the log was 8 inches in +diameter the notch was made 2 inches deep, and if 6 inches in diameter +it was cut to a depth of 1-1/2 inches. When the logs were laid in place +no space intervened between them, as will be clearly understood by +reference to Fig. 268. + +We found, after a few logs had been set in place, that our cabin was +growing faster at one end than at the other. The trouble was that our +logs were not of uniform diameter throughout, and we had been laying the +butt ends, which were larger, all at one end of the building. So we had +to take down the logs and relay them with the butt end of the front +foundation log at one end and that of the rear foundation log at the +other. Then the cross logs were laid on with their butt ends on the +small ends of the foundation logs. The next end logs were laid with +their small ends on the butt ends of the cross logs, and so on, taking +care never to lay the butt end of one log across the butt end of +another. In this way the walls were built up evenly to a height of 3 +feet. + +[Illustration: Fig. 269. Piece Cut Out to Admit Saw.] + +We had planned to make a large open fireplace in the cabin, and this +necessitated cutting an opening in the rear wall. But we did not want to +cut the opening until the wall was built up to its full height lest it +might buckle while the remainder of the logs were being placed in +position. So we merely cut a piece out of the top log to make room for a +saw when we were ready to cut the complete opening. As our fireplace was +to be 5 feet in width, a 5-foot piece was cut out of the center of the +log. Then the ends were supported by cleats nailed on each side, as +shown in Fig. 269. This done the building was continued as before, but +as the walls grew we found it more and more difficult to raise the logs +to position. We could not lift them directly to the top of the wall, but +had to roll them up on "skids"; that is, on a pair of 14-foot logs which +were laid against the top of the wall. When the walls had reached a +height of about 5 feet above the foundation logs, a length 4 feet 9 +inches long was cut out of the top log to allow space for sawing out the +front door and window, and also a 30-inch piece was cut out for the side +window. Cleats temporarily held the sawed ends of the logs, while the +walls were carried on up to a height of a little over 6 feet from the +foundation logs. + + +THE ROOF OF THE LOG CABIN. + +[Illustration: Fig. 270. Skids] + +Then we started laying the roof. A 16-foot log was now notched in place +at each side, with its forward end projecting about 3 feet over the +front of the cabin to form a shelter in front of the building. A pair of +12-foot logs were then laid in position. The next pair of 16-foot logs +were laid about 20 inches in from the sides, and after a pair of the +cross logs had been set in place a third pair of logs were laid about 40 +inches from the sides. Finally, a single 16-foot log was set in place at +the center, to serve as the ridge beam of the roof. The roof logs were +all carefully tested to see if they were sound before we laid them in +place, because we did not want to run any risk of the roof falling in, +particularly in the winter time, when it would be heavily covered with +snow. A chalk line was drawn from the ridge beam to the lower roof beam, +and the cross logs were sawed off along this line, as indicated in Fig. +271. Several slabs were now procured and laid across the roof beams to +serve as rafters. These rafters projected about 18 inches beyond the +side walls of the cabin, so as to support the eaves. Over the rafters we +laid a roofing of slabs, starting with the bottom and lapping them, as +we had done on our tree house. + +[Illustration: Fig. 271. How the Roof Logs were Laid.] + + +THE DOOR AND WINDOW FRAMES. + +We were now ready to cut out and frame the doors and window openings. +The front window of the cabin was to be close beside the door, so we +merely widened the door opening at the top to include the window opening +as well (see Figs. 271 and 272). The door was made 2-1/2 feet wide, and +was cut down to the foundation logs. The window opening was cut to a +depth of 24 inches. Before sawing out the opening we wedged pieces of +wood between the logs along the line we were to follow with the saw, so +as to keep them in place. After the opening had been made a couple of +stout boards were nailed to the sawed ends of the logs at each side, to +hold them securely in place and make a suitable framing for the door. +The cleats were then removed. The foundation log and the one at the top +of the opening were flattened, to serve as the sill and lintel of the +door. Between the door and window a short post was wedged in place. This +post was flattened on opposite sides, so that the door jamb could be +nailed against it on one side and the window frame on the other. The +side window was next cut out and framed. After it had been framed it +measured 2 feet square. + +[Illustration: Fig. 272. The Finished Roof.] + + +THE FIREPLACE. + +Then came the task of building our fireplace. First we sawed out the +opening, cutting right through the rear foundation log. Then we gathered +from the river a large number of the flattest stones we could find. With +these we planned to build the three outer walls of our chimney. But the +question of getting mortar to bind the stones together bothered us for a +while. + +"If only we could find a bed of clay. Don't any of you know of one +around here?" queried Bill. + +But none of us remembered seeing any clay bed in the vicinity. + +"If we were in south Jersey now," I said, "we could use some of that red +mud they have down there. It sticks like the mischief to shoes and pant +legs. I bet it would hold those stones together." + +"Red mud? Why there's plenty of it over the hill, back of Lumberville," +said Reddy. "All the roads over there are red shale roads, and I saw +some red banks along the river when we went after the logs." + +That was just what we wanted. The banks Reddy referred to turned out to +be genuine red shale, and soon we had ferried several scow loads of the +stuff down to Kite Island. When the shale was wet it made quite a sticky +mortar. The foundations of the chimney were laid in a trench about 2 +feet deep, and the side walls of the chimney were carried inside of the +cabin and covered the ends of the logs at the chimney opening. The side +walls extended outward a distance of 3 feet, where they were joined by +the rear wall of the chimney. + + +THE PROPER WAY TO BUILD A STONE WALL. + +In making our chimney we could not rely on the red shale to hold the +stones as firmly as good lime mortar would, so we had to be careful that +each stone, as it was laid, had a firm bearing. The stones were embedded +in a thick layer of mud, and if they showed any tendency to teeter we +propped them up by wedging small stones under them until they lay solid. +Another thing that we were very careful about was to "break joints"; +that is, to keep the joints in each layer of the stones from coinciding +with those in the next layer, above or below. To make sure of this we +made it a point to lay a stone over each joint in the top of the wall +and then to fill in the space between the stones with smaller stones. In +this way the wall was made very substantial. + +[Illustration: Fig. 273. How to Build a Wall.] + +When the masonry had been carried up to the top of the chimney opening, +a heavy timber about 12 inches wide was laid across the walls close +against the wall of the building. This was to support the fourth wall of +the chimney, and so we flattened its upper surface. To prevent it from +catching fire it was covered with a thick plastering of mud, and then to +keep the mud from cracking and flaking off we procured a piece of tin +and tacked it over the log. The tin also extended over the top log of +the opening. Then we went on with the building of the chimney walls, +carrying them up about a foot above the ridge of the roof. Our chimney +was completed by paving the bottom with stones, well packed in mud and +nicely smoothed off to make the hearth. The hearth extended about 18 +inches into the cabin, and was framed with logs, as shown in Fig. 275. + + +THE FLOOR OF THE CABIN. + +A number of logs were now laid on the ground to serve as floor beams. +Slabs were used for the floor. We had some trouble in making the floor +perfectly even, because the floor beams were rather irregular, and a +great deal of time was spent in smoothing the logs off to a common +level. If we had the work to do over again we would have bought two or +three planks and laid them on edge to support the flooring. + +[Illustration: Fig. 274. Building the Chimney.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 275. Section through the Fireplace.] + + +THE DOOR HINGES AND LATCH. + +[Illustration: Fig. 276. The Door Hinges.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 277. The Latch Guard.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 278. Door Catch.] + +A door was now constructed by battening together a number of slabs. In +place of a hinge a hole was drilled into the sill and another into the +lintel directly in line with it. Two sticks of wood were then whittled +to fit snugly, but without jamming, into these holes. These sticks were +then nailed to the inner face of the door, with their whittled ends +projecting into the holes, forming pintles on which the door could turn. +A narrow strip of wood was nailed to the outer jamb for the door to +close against. The latch consisted of a stick of wood, fastened to the +door at one end with a nail. It hooked onto a catch whittled out of hard +wood to the form illustrated in Fig. 278, and nailed to the jamb. Then +to keep the latch from dropping too far when the door was open, and to +guide it when slammed against the catch, we whittled out a guard piece +to the form illustrated in Fig. 277, and nailed this to the door, with +the latch projecting through the slot of the guard. A string was now +fastened to the latch and passed through a hole in the door. A block was +tied to the end of the latch string to prevent it from slipping back +through the hole; but at night, when we did not want to be molested by +any intruders, we untied the block and drew in the latch string. + + +THE WINDOW SASH. + +[Illustration: Fig. 279. The Latch.] + +For our windows we made wooden sashes which fitted nicely into the +window openings. A small hole was drilled through the sash at each side +into the frame, and nails inserted in these holes held the sash in +place, and served also as hinge pins for the sash to turn on. The sash +could be taken out at any time by removing these nails. As we could not +afford to use glass for our windows, we covered the sashes first with +cloth, and later, when it occurred to us that in winter time it would be +difficult to keep the cold air out, we used oiled paper. + + +BUNKS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 280. Hinged Window Sash.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 281. Bunks.] + +Our next work was directed toward providing sleeping accommodations in +the log cabin. A large log was laid on the floor the full length of the +cabin, as far out as possible without interfering with the opening of +the front door. Stakes were laid across this log, with their opposite +ends wedged in between the logs of the wall. A nail or two in each slab +held it in place. This formed a sort of shelf 12 feet long, which was +divided at the center to form two bunks, each wide enough for two +persons. But as there were six of us in the society, we had to provide +two more berths. A stout post was set into a hole in the ground, and +nailed firmly at the bottom to the lower berth log and at the top to one +of the roof beams. This post supported a second berth log, which +extended the full length of the building at a height of about 3 feet +from the floor, and was wedged at the ends between the logs of the +house. Cleats were nailed to the walls under this berth log to make it +perfectly secure. Then slabs were nailed across it to form the two +bunks. + + +STOPPING UP THE CHINKS. + +The log cabin was completed by stopping up all the chinks between the +logs of the walls. Strips of wood and bits of bark plastered with mud +were driven into all the cracks and crevices until everything was made +perfectly tight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +THE WINDMILL. + + +When our log cabin was completed we immediately transferred our camp +from the tent to the hut. But at the very outset we were confronted with +the problem of getting drinking water. We hadn't thought of that before. +It was easy enough to move the filter barrels, but when it came to +moving the water wheel we could find no suitable place for it anywhere +near the log cabin. The water of Lake Placid was too quiet, while the +mill-race and the rapids on the other side of Kite Island ran so swiftly +that we were afraid the water wheel would be swept away with its course. +The matter was carefully considered at a special meeting of the society. +It occurred to Bill that we might build a windmill in place of the water +wheel, and use it to pump water from a well which could be dug near the +hut. + +"We wouldn't have to use a filter, then," he said. + +"Why not?" I asked. + +"Why, because the sand of the island will strain out all the dirt in the +water. You see, the water in the well will have to soak in from the +river, and by the time it gets through all the gravel and sand between +the river and the well it ought to be filtered pretty clear." + + +DIGGING THE WELL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 282. Digging the Well.] + +That sounded logical, and so we adopted the plan at once. We chose a +spot quite near the hut for our well. When we had dug down about 6 feet +we struck water, but continued excavating until the water lay 3 feet +deep in the well. While making the excavation we shored up the sides +with planks, to prevent the loose soil from falling in on us and +smothering us, as it so nearly did when we were digging our first cave. +By "shoring," I mean we lined the walls with planks, which were driven +into the ground with large wooden mallets. The planks were braced apart +with sticks at frequent intervals. As the well hole grew deeper we had +to rig up a bucket to haul the dirt out. Our bucket was a soap box +attached to a rope, which passed through a pulley at the top of the +well. The pulley was supported by a tripod made by firmly lashing +together the upper ends of three stout poles and spreading their lower +ends far enough apart to straddle the mouth of the well, as shown in +Fig. 282. After the well had been carried down to a sufficient depth, we +began laying the stone wall, which was to form the permanent lining. We +knew that the wooden walls would not do, because they would soon decay. +Our stone wall, which was built up of flat stones like the chimney of +the log house, was not very strong, I fear, and had not the soil around +it been pretty firm it would probably have caved in. However, if it +served no other purpose, it formed a fairly good finish for the well. + + +THE WINDMILL TOWER. + +[Illustration: Fig. 283. Frame for the Tower.] + +The mouth of the well was carefully covered with planks while we +constructed the windmill above it. For the tower of the windmill we +chose four long sticks. They must have measured about 16 feet in length, +and were from 4 to 6 inches in diameter. With them we made two frames of +the form given in Fig. 283, using slabs to brace them apart. These +frames were now set in position, with their lower ends firmly planted in +holes in the ground, and the tower was completed by nailing on a number +of diagonal braces. A couple of boards were nailed across the upper ends +at opposite sides, and holes were drilled through them to provide +bearings for the wind wheel shaft. + + +THE CRANK SHAFT. + +[Illustration: Fig. 284. The Crank Shaft.] + +The shaft was a piece of heavy iron rod which we procured from the +blacksmith at Lumberville. Under Bill's direction the blacksmith +hammered a U-shaped bend at the center of the shaft, so as to form a +crank, and then he flattened the rod near the ends (see Fig. 284). When +the shaft was set in its place these flat spots lay just outside of the +bearing boards, and then, to keep the shaft from sliding back and forth +in its bearings, we fastened on two clamps over these flattened parts. +The clamps were made of pairs of hardwood blocks bolted together in the +manner indicated in Fig. 285. + + +THE WIND WHEEL. + +[Illustration: Fig. 285. A Clamp.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 286. Wedge for Wind Wheel.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 287. Spokes of Wind Wheel.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 288. Wind Wheel Blade.] + +Our next task was to construct the wind wheel. First we procured three +boards, each 3 inches wide and 3-1/2 feet long. A 1/2-inch hole was +drilled in the center of each board, and then, with these holes +coinciding, the boards were nailed together, with their ends projecting, +like spokes, equally distant from each other. Six wedges were now made +of the size indicated in Fig. 286. These were made of a 2 x 4-inch +scantling, sawed diagonally in two and then planed down to the given +dimensions. The wedges were now nailed firmly to the spokes, as shown in +Fig. 286. For the blades we used six thin boards, each about 4 feet +long. Each blade measured 10 inches in width at the outer end, and +tapered down to a width of 3 inches at the inner end, as illustrated in +Fig. 288. The blades were now securely nailed to the wedges, and their +outer ends were braced together by means of wires stretched from the +forward edge of each blade to the rear edge of the next one ahead. The +wheel was then fitted onto the shaft and nailed to one of the clamps. In +this way it was practically keyed to the shaft. + +We did not make any vane for our windmill. It did not need any. The wind +nearly always blew either up or down the river, more often up the river, +for the prevailing summer winds in that part of the country are +southerly. But, aside from that, east and west winds could not very well +reach us on account of the hills on both sides of the river. The wheel +was set facing the north, because the strongest winds came from that +direction, and as an extra brace against these winds we stretched wires +from the projecting end of the shaft to the center of each blade. + + +A SIMPLE BREAK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 289. The Wind Wheel.] + +A brisk northerly wind was blowing when we set the wheel in place, and +it began to revolve at once, before we could nail it to the clamp. To +stop it we nailed a stick of wood to the tower, so that its end +projected in the path of the blades and kept the wheel from turning +around. This brake was swung up to the dotted position illustrated when +we were ready to have the wheel revolve, but it could be thrown down at +any time to stop it. + + +THE PUMP. + +[Illustration: Fig. 290. Side View of the Wind Wheel, showing Brake.] + +Our pump was made of a galvanized leader pipe; that is, a pipe used to +carry off rain water from the roof of the house. The pipe was only about +8 feet long, and so we had to piece it out with a long wooden box pipe. +A block closed the lower end of this box, and the leader pipe fitted +snugly into a hole in the block (Fig. 291). A spout was set into the +upper end of the box pipe to carry the water to the cask, which was to +serve as our water reservoir. + + +THE PUMP VALVES. + +[Illustration: Fig. 291. The Box Pipe.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 292. The Lower Valve.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 293. The Piston Valve.] + +We plugged the bottom of the leader pipe with a block of wood, in the +center of which a large hole was drilled. The hole was covered with a +piece of leather nailed at one side, so that it could lift up to let +water into the pipe. The piston was made of a disk of wood of slightly +smaller diameter than the inside of the pipe, and over it was fastened a +piece of leather just large enough to fit snugly against the walls of +the pipe. This piston was fastened to a wooden rod long enough to reach +from well within the pipe to the wind wheel shaft. A strip of brass was +bent over the crank, or U-shaped bend in the shaft, and its ends were +fastened to the rod. + +[Illustration: The Old Windmill at Work on a Lumberville Farm.] + + +ACTION OF THE PUMP. + +[Illustration: Fig. 294. Connection of Rod and Crank.] + +It was rather a crude pump, but it did all the work we required of it. +As the wheel went around the crank shaft would move the piston up and +down. Whenever the piston went down, the air in the pipe would press up +the edges of the leather disk and squeeze past (see Fig. 295). Then when +the piston came up again, the leather disk, being backed by the wooden +disk beneath it, was kept flat, so that no air could force its way back +into the pipe. This made a partial vacuum in the pipe, and the water +from the well rushed up through the valve at the bottom to fill it (see +Fig. 296). When next the piston went down the bottom valve closed and +more air forced its way past the piston. Then on the next upward stroke +more water flowed into the pipe, until, after a number of strokes, all +the air was pumped out and the water which took its place began to force +its way up past the piston and eventually to flow out of the spout into +the cask. + +Our old windmill was sold to a farmer near Lumberville when we broke +camp that fall. We carted it over and set it up for him. A number of +years later I saw it still faithfully at work pumping water for his +cattle. The original pump had been worn out and a new one substituted, +but otherwise the old windmill remained just as we had first rigged it +up. + +[Illustration: Fig. 295. Fig. 296. Action of the Pump.] + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +THE GRAVITY RAILROAD. + + +"About all we lack now," said Dutchy, when the windmill had been +completed, "is a railroad." + +"Then suppose we build one," was Bill's unexpected rejoinder. + +We all thought he was joking, but he wasn't. + +"I don't mean a steam railroad," he said, "but a gravity railroad." + +"A what?" + +"A gravity railroad. Oh, you know what that is--a roller toboggan--the +kind they have down at Coney Island." And he went on to explain how we +could rig up a simple roller toboggan on our island. + +His plan was to build an inclined trestle on the high ground just below +the lagoon, and then run wooden tracks along the shore down to the +pontoon bridge, and across the mill-race to Kite Island. We started +first to dig a road down to the bridge, because the bank was quite high +at this point. The task was rather greater than we anticipated, but we +kept steadily at it until we had cut a fairly good road through the +bank, though the grade was rather steep. + +Before proceeding with the trestle and track we thought the best plan +would be to build our car, and then we could use it as a gauge to +determine how far apart the rails should be set. + + +THE CAR. + +[Illustration: Fig. 297. Putting the Car Body Together.] + +First we got a 2 x 4-inch scantling, and cut from it two lengths, each 4 +feet 6 inches long. These were laid on edge just 30 inches apart, and +then a number of boards were nailed across from one scantling to the +other and sawed off flush with their edges. The floor thus formed was +now turned over so that the scantlings lay uppermost and the sides of +the car were then nailed on with their edges overlapping the ends of the +floor boards. The sides, which were about 18 inches high, were each made +of two boards firmly battened together. Great care was taken to securely +nail both the flooring and the sides to the scantlings, because these +scantlings were to carry the wheels of the car. The car body was +completed by nailing on the end pieces which overlapped both the +flooring and the side walls. + + +THE FLANGED WHEELS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 298. The Car Wheel.] + +Next we sawed out the wheels of our car. From a board of hardwood 3/4 of +an inch thick four disks, 12 inches in diameter, were sawed out. Then +from a board 1 inch thick four 9-inch disks were sawed out. We cut these +disks in the same way as we had made the disks for our surveying rod +(see page 78), by making cuts across corners and finally smoothing off +the angles with a draw-knife. A half-inch hole was now drilled in the +center of each disk. Then on each large disk a smaller one was placed, +with the center holes of the two coinciding and the grain of one lying +across the grain of the other. In this position they were firmly nailed +together, making a wheel like those used on a railway car, with the +small disc forming the tread of the wheel and the large disk serving as +a flange. + + +THE CAR AXLES. + +[Illustration: Fig. 299. Car Body with Axles in Place.] + +For the car axles we bought four 1/2-inch bolts, 6 inches long, with two +washers and two nuts for each bolt. In each side of the car, about 8 +inches from the ends, we nailed face blocks; that is, blocks of wood for +the wheels to bear against. These face blocks were only 1/2 inch thick. +Then in these blocks holes were drilled which were carried clear through +the scantling. The holes were just large enough for the bolts to fit +snugly in them. The bolts were inserted from the inside, so that their +threaded ends projected out at each side of the car. A patch of wood was +nailed to the scantling over each bolt head to prevent the bolt from +slipping back into the car. Then the wheels were mounted on these bolts, +which served as axles. + + +MOUNTING THE WHEELS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 300. Section Showing How to Fasten on the Wheel.] + +First a washer was placed on the axle, then the wheel was applied, with +the larger or flange disk against the face block, after which another +washer was slipped on. A nut was screwed against this washer just +tightly enough to keep the wheel snugly in place, and yet let it turn +freely on its axle. Then to keep this nut from shaking loose a second +nut was screwed on against it. While one fellow held the first nut from +turning, another screwed the second nut against it as tightly as he +could. The second nut is technically known as a "jam nut," or "lock +nut." The car was completed by laying a couple of boards across from one +scantling to the other to serve as seats. + + +THE RAILWAY TRACK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 301. The Inclined Trestle.] + +[Illustration: Fig. 302. Joints of the Track.] + +The trestle was now begun. First we erected a level platform, which was +to be the starting point of the railway. This was made very substantial +by planting the corner posts firmly in the ground and then bracing them +together with diagonal braces. A couple of planks leaning against the +platform at one side provided a convenient means for mounting to the +top. From the platform the trestle ran down at an easy incline to the +ground. It was made of 2 x 4-inch scantlings supported at intervals on +posts driven into the ground. The opposite posts were firmly braced with +boards fastened diagonally across them. The scantlings were to serve as +rails, and so we fastened them at the proper distance apart with ties +nailed to the under side. But to be sure that the rails were not too far +apart or too close together, the car was rolled over the track and the +rails were set to keep the tread disks of the wheels on them and the +flange disks just clear of their inner edges. The ends of the rails were +cut off at an angle, making a slanting joint, as shown in Figs. 301 and +302. They were fastened firmly together by nailing a piece of board on +the bottom and also on the outer side. + + +THE CARPENTER'S MITER BOX. + +[Illustration: Fig. 303. Carpenter's Miter Box.] + +To make sure that the ends were all cut to the same angle, we made a +carpenter's "miter box." Two sideboards were nailed to a baseboard, +making a trough large enough for the scantling to be set in it. Then we +sawed through the sides of the trough at an angle of 45 degrees. When we +wanted to cut the end of the scantling at an angle it was placed in the +trough, and with the saw set in the saw cuts, as a guide, we were sure +that they would all be cut at the same angle. + + +LAYING THE TRACK. + +[Illustration: Fig. 304. How the Track was Anchored.] + +From the bottom of the inclined trestleway we continued the track down +the slope to the river; but for the sake of economy, instead of using 2 +x 4-inch scantlings for the rails, we bought a number of 2-inch planks +at Lumberville, and had them sawed up into strips 2 inches wide. These +2-inch square rails were fastened together with slabs nailed on at +frequent intervals. To maintain the proper gauge the car was rolled over +each pair of rails, which were nailed first at the ends and center. To +anchor the track we drove short posts into the ground so that their +upper ends lay flush with the surface. A post was provided under each +joint and one under the center of each rail, and then the slab ties were +nailed securely to these posts. In imitation of a full-sized railway, we +made it a point to "break joints" on our track; that is, to make the end +of one rail come in line with the center of the opposite rail, as shown +in Fig. 302. Our track was continued across the pontoon bridge and ran +around the west shore of Kite Island. The track was straight as far as +the shore of Kite Island, whence, by an easy curve, it was carried +around to the log cabin. + + +THE FIRST RAILWAY ACCIDENT. + +Dutchy was the first one to try the railway. He sneaked back to the +platform while the rest of us were putting a few last touches on the +track. The first we knew the car came tearing down the track at full +speed, with Dutchy yelling at the top of his voice for us to get out of +his way. Bill was on the bridge when the car came along and he had no +time to run for shore, but with great presence of mind he jumped into +the water and clung to one of the barrels. But the joke of it all was +that Dutchy himself got a wetting too. The track at the middle of the +bridge was not quite true to gauge. It was this very spot that Bill was +fixing up when Dutchy came along. The end of a rail was bent in far +enough to catch the flange of one of the car wheels, and in a moment +Dutchy, car and all, was slung head over heels into the mill-race. +Fortunately no serious harm was done. Dutchy landed a little ways +down-stream, and Reddy, by quick work, managed to rescue the car just as +it was floating off under the suspension bridge. The car was undamaged +except that the flange of a wheel was split off. + +Of course, Bill was as mad as a hornet at Dutchy, and expressed his +feelings in no mild terms. But his anger was somewhat tempered by the +fact that Dutchy received as bad a punishment as he had inflicted. + +[Illustration: The Start of the Gravity Railroad.] + + +TESTING THE TRACK. + +We had to cut a new flange disk for the broken wheel, and to prevent the +flanges from splitting off again we nailed a batten across the inner +face of each wheel extending down to the very edge of the flange disk. +This batten was fastened on across the grain. When everything was +completed the car was started down the track empty to see if it would +keep the rails. It went beautifully as far as the bridge, but was too +light to run much beyond. The next time we loaded it up with stones and +had the pleasure of watching it sail down hill, across the bridge and +vanish out of sight around the shore of Kite Island. That was +demonstration enough. We knew it would carry us safely and it did. The +next time we tried it four of us piled into the small car, and in a +moment we were off on a most thrilling ride, which ended right in front +of the log cabin, where the car came to a sudden stop after riding off +the end of the rails and plowing through the sand for a short space. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE CANTILEVER BRIDGE. + + +There is one more piece of work done by our society which yet remains to +be described, and that is the cantilever bridge. This we all voted to be +the greatest of our achievements on the island. To be sure, it was Uncle +Ed's design, but I think we justly deserve credit for the masterful way +in which it was erected. In our search for types of bridges before +building the king post bridge, we came across a simple cantilever bridge +that didn't look very difficult to construct. To be sure, none of us +knew a thing about stresses and strains, and ingenious though we were, +Bill realized that the task of designing a cantilever bridge was far +beyond him. Nevertheless, we were sure we could build one if only we had +a good set of plans. A letter was therefore mailed to Uncle Ed, asking +him for the required details. The answer came promptly from Western +Australia, asking us to send him the exact width of the water we wished +to span, the depth of the water, the distance from the top of one bank +to the top of the other, and the exact height of the banks above water +level. We decided we would build the bridge across the mouth of the +lagoon. The distance here between the two banks measured a little over +60 feet. The banks were very precipitous, and rose 13-1/2 feet above the +level of the water. All these details, together with soundings of the +bottom, all the way across, were sent to Uncle Ed, and on the day after +our railway was completed quite a bulky package was received in answer. +It contained complete directions for building the bridge of wooden +frames, which were so designed that they needed merely to be hooked +together to form the bridge, though to make the structure perfectly safe +Uncle Ed cautioned us to tie the frames together wherever they met. + +I am half afraid to tell my readers how to build this bridge, as it +required the utmost care, and had to be built just so to avoid disaster. +Bridge building is a serious business, and I would not advise any one to +attempt building this, of all bridges, who does not propose to follow +instructions implicitly. Uncle Ed told us that if we built it properly, +and with sound timbers, we would find the bridge strong enough to +support a dozen boys, but he warned us not to crowd more than that +number on it. + + +FRAMES FOR THE CANTILEVER BRIDGE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 305. A Frame (make four).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 306. B Frame (make four).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 307. C Frame (make four).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 308. D Frame (make four).] + +The frames with which the cantilever bridge was built were made of +saplings from 3 to 4 inches in diameter. We procured them from Mr. +Schreiner's lands up the river. In making the frames the sticks were +fastened together with 1/2-inch bolts 6 inches long. It was quite a +strain on our pocketbooks to buy these bolts, but Uncle Ed had written +that nails or spikes would be useless to stand the strains of so large +a bridge, and that if we could not get any bolts we had better give +up the idea of building a cantilever bridge. To make sure that we +made no mistakes, Uncle Ed had made a drawing of each different +size of frame we would need, designating each with a different +letter, and then these same letters were marked on a general +view of the bridge, so that we would know exactly where the +frames belonged. These drawings are reproduced here in Figs. 305 +to 316 and 318. We had to make four frames each, of the _A_, _B_, +_C_ and _E_ sizes, two each of the _F_, _G_ and _L_ sizes and +one each of the _H_, _I_, _J_ and _K_ sizes. Of the _D_ frames +two were made with the ends cut away on the outer half, as illustrated +in Fig. 308, and two were cut away at the inner side, the reason for +which will appear presently. When fastening the timbers together we cut +notches in each stick, as shown in Fig. 317. The depth of each notch was +just one-quarter the diameter of the stick; that is, the notch was 3/4 +of an inch deep in a 3-inch stick and 1 inch deep in a 4-inch stick. +Care was taken not to exceed this depth, for fear of weakening the +sticks. In the case of frame _D_, the sticks were not notched or +mortised together. It will be noticed that the measurements are given to +the inner edges of the sticks in some cases, and to the outer edges in +others. The reason for this, as Uncle Ed explained it, was because +the thickness of our sticks would vary considerably, and it was +important that many of the measurements be exact, otherwise the +frames would not fit into each other as they should. Another +thing to which he called our attention was the fact that frames +_A_, _B_, _E_, _F_, _H_, _K_ and _L_ were stiffened with cross +braces, while the rest were not. The braced frames, he wrote, were those +which would be under a compression strain, while the others would be +under tension; that is, when any weight was placed on the bridge it +would push against the ends of the braced frames, trying to crush them, +but would pull on the unbraced frames, trying to tear them apart. In +fact, the bridge would have been just as strong had we used heavy iron +wire in place of the unbraced frames, and the only reason Uncle Ed did +not recommend our doing so was because we had no simple way of +stretching the wire taut. + +[Illustration: Fig. 309. E Frame (make four).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 310. F Frame (make two).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 311. G Frame (make two).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 312. H Frame (make one).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 313. I Frame (make one).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 314. J Frame (make one).] + +[Illustration: Fishing off the Cantilever Bridge.] + +[Illustration: The Cantilever Bridge in Reddy's Back Yard.] + + +ERECTING THE TOWERS. + +[Illustration: Fig. 315. K Frame (make one).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 316. L Frame (make two).] + +[Illustration: Fig. 317. Notching the Sticks Together.] + +We built the complete set of frames before attempting to erect the +bridge. Then we began by building the towers. Two _A_ frames were +set on end and spaced 4 feet apart at the top and 5 feet apart at the +bottom, measuring not from the inner but from the outer edges of the +frames. In this position they were connected by short spars, notched in +place. The notches for these connecting spars will be seen in Fig. 305 +on the main or vertical timbers of frame _A_, just below the upper +and middle cross sticks and above the lower cross sticks. The upper +connecting spars were wedged tightly under the cross sticks, and served +as an additional support for them. Diagonal braces were nailed from one +frame to the other, as illustrated in Fig. 318. The towers were built on +opposite banks, at the mouth of the lagoon, and when completed we +lowered them carefully down the banks into the water. According to +directions they were to be set just 30 feet apart, measuring from the +center of one tower to the center of the other. The water was quite +shallow where the towers rested, but the bottom was pretty firm. Holes +were dug in the bottom for the legs of the tower to set into, and then +large stones were piled around each leg to provide a firm foundation for +the towers. + + +SETTING UP THE FRAMES. + +[Illustration: Fig. 318. View of Part of the Bridge, with Letters +Indicating the Various Frames.] + +A _B_ frame was now hauled out to one of the towers and lifted by +its narrower end, with fall and tackle, until its lower tie piece rested +on the projecting ends of the center crosspieces of the tower. The upper +end of the frame was held against the top of the tower, while a _C_ +frame was hooked over the upper ends of the tower legs; then frame +_B_ was allowed to swing outward until its smaller end locked with +the outer end of frame _C_. It will be observed in Fig. 306 that +the upper crosspiece or tie piece of frame _B_ was fastened to one +side of the vertical sticks and the lower tie piece to the other side. +This was done purposely, so that when the frame was set in position the +bottom tie piece would be on the lower side of the frame and the top +piece would lie on the upper side, as shown in Fig 318, or, better +still, in Fig. 319. The rest of the frames were all arranged to be set +in place with their tie pieces on the lower side, or facing the towers, +as will be clearly understood by examining the illustrations. As +soon as the _B_ and _C_ frames were set up on one side of the +tower, another pair of _B_ and _C_ frames was set up on the other +side of the same tower. A cantilever bridge must always be built +out on both sides of the tower at the same time, otherwise it +will be overbalanced on one side and topple over. After the +_B_ and _C_ frames were in place we took two _D_ frames, with +oppositely cut ends, and rested their tie sticks on the top of the +tower, just under the ends of the _C_ frames. The ends of the two +_D_ frames overlapped at the center of the tower, and, as one was +cut away at the outer side and the other at the inner side, they fitted +neatly together and were fastened with bolts. The _D_ frames were +supported near their outer ends with _E_ frames, which rested +on the _B_ and _C_ frames. Fig. 319 shows an _E_ frame set +in position on the landward side of the tower, while two of the boys +are climbing out on the opposite _B_ and _C_ frames preparatory to +setting up the other _E_ frame. A cross stick was now bolted to +each _D_ frame, just beyond the upper ends of the _E_ sticks. +This done, the frame _F_ was hooked in between the ends of _B_ +and _C_, at the shoreward side of the tower, and its outer ends +were supported by frame _G_, which was hooked over frame _D_ +and the upper ends of frame _E_. The frame _L_ was then rested +on the ends of frame _F_ and _G_, and supported the shore end +of frame _D_. A stick nailed across frame _D_ on each side of +the upper ends of frame _L_ served to hold the latter in place. + + +BINDING AND ANCHORING THE STRUCTURE. + +[Illustration: Fig. 319. Preparing to Put an E Frame in Place.] + +As the different frames were coupled together, we bound the overlapping +ends with soft iron wire. The place where frames _B_, _C_, +_E_ and _F_ came together was quite a vital point, and we took +pains to make the wire binding at this place doubly strong. As soon as +the _L_ frame was in place we anchored the bridge to shore by +running wires from the ends of the _D_ frame and the ends of the +_G_ frame to stakes driven into the banks. The frames on the second +tower were now similarly erected and anchored, after which we were ready +to put in the center panels of the bridge. + + +THE CENTER PANELS OF THE BRIDGE. + +First, the frame _H_ was wedged into place and thoroughly fastened +by a liberal winding of wire. Next the frames _I_ and _J_ were +set in place, and in order to do this we had to remove the upper tie +pieces of these frames. Then one frame was hooked in the other, and the +two were carried out on the scow under the center of the bridge. Ropes +were tied to the ends of the two frames, and they were lifted together, +like a wide _V_, to the position shown in Fig. 318, after which the +tie pieces were bolted on again, resting against the ends of the +_E_ frames. As an additional security, two sticks were bolted to +the under side of the frame _H_, one at each side of the _I_ +and _J_ frames. The bridge was then completed by wedging the frame +_K_ under the ends of the _D_ frames, and also placing a stick +across each tower under the joints of the _D_ frames. We planned to +run our gravity railway across this bridge, moving our platform and +trestle to the opposite bank; so instead of flooring our bridge with +slabs, we fastened ties across at intervals of 15 or 18 inches. These +ties were sticks 3 inches in diameter, which were secured to the +_D_ frames. + + +A SERIOUS INTERRUPTION. + +[Illustration: Fig. 320. A General View of our Cantilever Bridge.] + +We were just preparing to lay the tracks across the bridge when we met +with a serious interruption. Mr. Halliday had told us that a few days +before our arrival that summer Mr. Smith, the owner of the island, and +another man had paid a visit to the place. Jim Halliday himself had +rowed them over, and learned from their conversation that Mr. Smith was +trying to sell the island, and that the stranger, a Mr. Gill, was a +prospective purchaser. All summer long we had been dreading the return +of this customer, though, as time passed without his putting in an +appearance, we almost forgot the incident. But now, at the end of +August, just as we had about completed our cantilever bridge, who should +arrive but this very man Gill and three other men with a large tent and +camping outfit. It was a sorrowful crowd of boys that watched the wagon +with their belongings ford the shallow water over to our island. We felt +that the island was ours by right of discovery and occupation, but we +were powerless to force our claims. And what if they did not insist on +our leaving the island? It would not be the same place with strangers +around to meddle with our things. + + +DISPOSSESSED. + +But the new owner of the island was even more of a boor than we had +anticipated. As soon as he landed he wanted to know what we were doing +on his property, and peremptorily ordered us off. Bill answered that we +were camping there, and politely asked if we couldn't stay out the +summer. But Gill would not listen to the idea. We must get off the +island that very day or he would see to it that we did. + +I tell you it made us boil. We were just itching to give the pompous +little man the sound thrashing he deserved, but knew that we would stand +a very small show against his three powerful companions. At any rate, we +were determined not to leave at once. Instead, we repaired to Kite +Island, taking our belongings with us. Then we cut away the suspension, +spar and pontoon bridges, so that we would not be annoyed by any of the +Gill crowd. We were resolved that they should not benefit by any of the +things we had built. + +At the dead of night we paddled back to Willow Clump Island, crept past +the slumbering intruders and waded out to the old water wheel. After a +good deal of exertion we managed to dislodge the smaller tower, letting +the wheel drop into the river and float away. Then we made for the +cantilever bridge. It didn't take us very long to cut away the wire +bindings, unhook the frames and drop them into the lagoon. But the task +was quite a perilous one, as the night was pitch black. Finally, nothing +remained of the bridge but the two towers, which were left as monuments +to mark the spot where our last piece of engineering on the island was +done. + +[Illustration: Building the Cantilever Bridge over Cedar Brook.] + + +FAREWELL TO WILLOW CLUMP ISLAND. + +We spent several days on Kite Island, knowing that we were safe from +intrusion, because the Gill crowd had but one boat, and that was on the +Jersey side of the island. We felt confident that they would not take +the trouble of wading around Point Lookout with their boats, as we had +done; nevertheless, to prevent a surprise, we kept a sentry posted on +the Lake Placid side of the island and gathered a pile of stones for +ammunition. But our fun was spoiled, and we finally decided to break +camp and bid farewell forever to Willow Clump Island and its vicinity. +Our goods were ferried over to Jim Halliday's farm, where we were given +shelter. The windmill, as I have already stated, was sold to a farmer at +Lumberville, and we were kept busy for several days carting it over and +setting it up in place. When everything had been done we stole back to +Kite Island and set fire to the log cabin. The next day Mr. Schreiner +took us home in a couple of his wagons. Thus ended our "investigation, +exploration and exploitation of Willow Clump Island." The work of two +summers was practically all destroyed in a few days. + + +REDDY'S CANTILEVER BRIDGE. + +I believe I have given a careful account of everything that was recorded +in the chronicles of the society. We were too discouraged to undertake +anything new in the two weeks before school opened. I presume I might +mention here Reddy's cantilever bridge, which, however, had really +nothing to do with the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I., because our society +was formally disbanded the day before Bill and I returned to school. +About a month after leaving home I received a letter from Reddy +inclosing three interesting photographs, which are reproduced herewith. +Reddy certainly had the bridge fever, because soon after we had left he +started to work, with the rest of the boys, on a cantilever bridge +across Cedar Brook. The brook was entirely unsuited to such a structure, +because the banks were very low; but he made the towers quite short and +built an inclined roadway leading up to the top of them. The legs of the +towers were driven firmly into the bank, making them so solid that he +thought it would be perfectly safe to build the frames out over the +brook without building them at the same time on the shore side. But +he had made a miscalculation, for when a couple of the boys had +crawled out on the _B_ and _C_ frames to set up an _E_ frame the +structure commenced to sag. The trouble was remedied by propping up the +tower with a stout stick driven into the river bottom and wedged under +the upper tie piece of the tower. The towers were really too short to +make a well proportioned bridge, for the panels had to be made very long +and narrow, so as to reach across. But on the whole it was a very +creditable structure when completed, though it had only half as long a +span as our cantilever bridge over the lagoon. + + + + +INDEX + +A + "A" tent, 207 + Abbreviations, wigwag, 146 + Accident, railway, the first, 290 + Ainu snow shoe, 41 + Alarm clock, a unique, 63 + Alphabet, wigwag, 145 + Alpine stock, 198 + Anchoring cantilever bridge, 303 + Annex, the, 50 + Arctic expedition, 193 + Armchair, barrel, 227 + Axles of railroad car, 285 + +B + Bags, sleeping, 203 + Banquets, midnight, 179 + Barrel armchair, 227 + Barrel filter, 68 + Barrel hoop snow shoe, 36 + Barrel stave hammock, 226 + Barrel stave snow shoe, 36 + Bat's wings, 33 + Bed, a camp, 209 + Bed in shower, 210 + Belly band, elastic, 235 + Bending wood, 39 + Bicycle wheels, mounting frame on, 219 + Big Bug Club, 177 + "Bill," 17 + Bill's cave, 224 + Bill's skate sail, 21 + Binding cantilever bridge, 303 + Blades of wind wheel, 278 + Boat, ice, 159 + Boat mooring, tramp-proof, 142 + Boat, scow, 59 + Box kite, diamond, 236 + Box, the black walnut, 19 + Brake for wind wheel, 278 + Bridge building, 95 + Bridge, cantilever, 292 + Bridge, king post, 105 + Bridge, king rod, 102 + Bridge, pontoon, 101 + Bridge, Reddy's cantilever, 308 + Bridge, spar, 95 + Bridge, stiffening, 104 + Bridge, suspension, 99 + Bridge wreck, 66 + Bucket, the canvas, 251 + Buckets for water wheel, 246 + Bunks, 270 + +C + Camp bed, 209 + Camp bed in shower, 210 + Camp, breaking, 158 + Camp chair, a, 208 + Camp fire, a costly, 200 + Camp fire, kindling, 194 + Canoe, Indian paddling, 121 + Canoe lee boards, 119 + Canoe rudder, 115 + Canoe, the sailing, 111 + Canoe sails, 117 + Canoe, scooter, 190 + Canoe, stretching on canvas, 114 + Canoes, canvas, 109 + Cantilever bridge, 292 + Cantilever bridge, anchoring, 303 + Cantilever bridge, binding frames, 303 + Cantilever bridge, center panels, 304 + Cantilever bridge, frames for, 293 + Cantilever bridge, Reddy's, 308 + Cantilever bridge, setting up frames of, 300 + Cantilever bridge towers, 299 + Canvas bucket, 251 + Canvas canoes, 109 + Canvas, stretching on canoe, 114 + Canvas tent, 46 + Car axles, 285 + Car for gravity railroad, 284 + Car, mounting wheels on, 286 + Carpenter's miter box, 288 + Cave, Bill's, 224 + Cave, covering the, 177 + Cave, excavating for, 173 + Cave, framing, 174 + Cave-in, a, 171 + Center panels of cantilever bridge, 304 + Chain, surveyor's, 77 + Chair, a camp, 208 + Chair seat snow shoe, 35 + Cheek blocks, 162 + Chinks in log cabin, stopping up, 272 + Christmas vacation, 19 + Clamp for crank shaft, 276 + Clapboards, nailing on, 135 + Cleat, a, 163 + Climbing, mountain, 198 + Clock, a unique alarm, 63 + Club, the Big Bug, 177 + Club pin, 180 + Club, the Subterranean, 171 + Code, International Telegraph, 155 + Combination lock, 181 + Council of war, 139 + Crank shaft, the, 276 + Creepers, ice, 170 + Crossbow, 55 + Crossbow trigger, 57 + Cutting out disk, 78 + +D + Danish sail, 30 + Derrick, the, 131 + Diamond box kite, 236 + Digging the well, 274 + Disk, cutting out, 78 + Disk, sighting, 79 + Dispossessed, 306 + Diving tree, 84 + Door hinges, 269 + Door latch, 269 + Doors, sliding, 136 + Double mirror heliograph, 156 + Double surprise, 140 + Drill, fire, 69 + Drowned, how to restore, alone, 92 + Drowned, restoring the, 89 + +E + Easter vacation, 224 + Elastic belly band, 235 + Expedition, Arctic, 193 + Expedition, logging, 255 + Expedition, preparing for, 53 + Exploration, preliminary, 66 + +F + Farewell to Willow Clump Island, 307 + Fastener, brass, 58 + Filter, the barrel, 68 + Filter barrel, cooling the, 250 + Filter, the small, 67 + Fire drill, 69 + Fireplace of log cabin, 265 + Fireplace, outdoor, 195 + Fireplace, stone-paved, 196 + Fissure, path up the, 129 + Flanged wheels, 285 + Fly, ridge pole, 54 + Fly for tent, 54 + Fly, umbrella with, 211 + Focusing heliograph instrument, 153 + Frame on bicycle wheels, 219 + Frames for cantilever bridge, 293 + Frames of cantilever bridge, setting up, 300 + Friend in time of trouble, 201 + +G + Goblins' Dancing Platform, 126 + Grass hut, 124 + Gravity railroad, 283 + +H + Halliday, Jim, 194 + Hammock, barrel stave, 226 + Harness, pack, 212 + Heliograph, the, 147 + Heliograph, double mirror, 156 + Heliograph instrument, focusing, 153 + Heliograph screen, 151 + Heliograph sight rod, 150 + Heliograph signaling, 154 + Heliograph, single mirror, 148 + Hinge for spars, 30 + Hinges, door, 269 + House building, 124 + House, log, 254 + House, the tree, 132 + Hut, cold night in, 197 + Hut, log, 254 + Hut, straw, 124 + +I + Ice boat, the, 159 + Ice boats, sledges and toboggans, 158 + Ice, craft strikes the, 184 + Ice creepers, 170 + Indian paddling canoe, 121 + Instrument, double mirror, 156 + Instrument, single mirror, 148 + Instrument, surveying, 73 + International Telegraph Code, 155 + Iroquois snow shoe, 39 + Island, mapping the, 82 + Island, off to the, 63 + Island, trip to the, 64 + +J + Jacob's Ladder, 129 + Jaws of boom, 162 + Jib-sail for ice boat, 164 + Jib-sail for scooter scow, 187 + Jim Halliday, 194 + +K + King post bridge, 105 + King rod truss, 102 + Kite, diamond box, 236 + Kite Island, 83 + Kite, Malay, 5-foot, 231 + Kite, Malay, 8-foot, 233 + Kites, putting to work, 235 + Kites, tailless, 229 + _Klepalo_, the, 70 + +L + Ladder, the Jacob's, 129 + Ladders, rope, 130 + Lagoon, the, 83 + Lake Placid, 83 + Land yacht, 215 + Land yacht, a sail on, 222 + Lanteen sail for canoe, 117 + Lanteen skate sail, 29 + Latch, door, 269 + Latch string, 270 + Lee boards, canoe, 119 + "Leg-of-mutton" sail, 220 + Levels, spirit, 74 + Lock combination, 181 + Log cabin, 251 + Log cabin, building the, 259 + Log cabin door hinges, 269 + Log cabin door latch, 269 + Log cabin door and window frames, 263 + Log cabin fireplace, 265 + Log cabin, floor of, 267 + Log cabin, foundation of, 254 + Log cabin, roof of, 262 + Log cabin, stopping up chinks, 272 + Log cabin window sash, 270 + Log raft, 256 + Logging expedition, 255 + +M + Mainsail for canoe, 117 + Mainsail for ice boat, 162 + Malay kite, 5-foot, 231 + Malay kite, 8-foot, 233 + Mapping the island, 82 + Mast of land yacht, stepping, 218 + Mast step, ice boat, 161 + Mast step, leather, 30 + Mast step, wooden, 30 + Megaphone, 57 + Megaphone mouthpiece, 58 + Midnight banquets, 179 + Mill-race, the, 88 + Mirror instrument, heliograph, 148 + Miter box, carpenter's, 288 + Mizzen sail of canoe, 118 + Mooring, tramp-proof boat, 142 + Mountain climbing, 198 + Mouthpiece of megaphone, 58 + "Mummy case," 204 + +N + Needle, weaving, 39 + Night, cold, in the hut, 197 + Nightmare, a, 211 + Noria, 241 + Norwegian ski, 42 + Numerals, wigwag, 145 + +O + Oar, the, 61 + Off to the island, 63 + Organizing the society, 25 + Outdoor fireplace, 195 + Outfits, tramping, 203 + +P + Pack harness, 212 + Paddling canoe, Indian, 121 + Paddles for water wheel, 246 + Panels, center, of cantilever bridge, 304 + Path up the fissure, 129 + Patient, how to work over, alone, 93 + Pin, the club, 180 + Plank, swimming on, 86 + Platform, Goblins' Dancing, 126 + Point Lookout, 83 + Pole, ridge, 48 + Poncho, 210 + Pontoon bridge, 101 + Poor shelter, a, 199 + Preparing for the expedition, 53 + Protractor, the, 76 + Provisions and supplies, 54 + Pump, the, 279 + Pump, action of, 281 + Pump valves, the, 280 + +R + Raft, log, 256 + Raft, sail-rigged, 258 + Railroad car, 284 + Railroad car axles, 285 + Railroad flanged wheels, 285 + Railroad, gravity, 283 + Railway track, the, 287 + Railway accident, the first, 290 + Railway, rope, 97 + Railway spikes, 50 + Rapids, shooting the, 88 + Receiving trough for water wheel, 247 + Records of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I., 19 + Reddy's cantilever bridge, 308 + Rennwolf, the, 168 + Restoring the drowned, 89 + Ridge pole, 48 + Ridge pole, fly, 54 + Riveting, 213 + Rod, heliograph sight, 150 + Rod, surveyor's, 78 + Rope ladders, 130 + Rope railway, 97 + Rowlocks, sockets for, 60 + Rudder, canoe, 115 + Rudder shoe, ice boat, 160 + Runner shoe, ice boat, 160 + Runners of scooter canoe, 190 + Runners of sledge, 165 + Rustic table, 66 + +S + S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I., records of, 19 + Sail, jib, for scooter, 187 + Sail, "leg-of-mutton," 220 + Sail, mizzen, of canoe, 118 + Sail-rigged raft, 258 + Sail, sprit, for scooter, 186 + Sail stitch, 46 + Sail through the country, 222 + Sailing canoe, the, 111 + Sailor's stitch, 221 + Sails, canoe, 117 + Sails for ice boat, 162 + Sandwiches, straw, 227 + Schreiner, a visit from Mr., 110 + Scooter canoe, 190 + Scooter sailing, 188 + Scooter scow, 185 + Scooters, 183 + Scow, the, 59 + Scow, a sail in, 184 + Scow, scooter, 185 + Scow, stolen, 138 + Screen, heliograph, 151 + Seat, swing, 97 + Shaft, the crank, 276 + Shelter, a poor, 199 + Shooting the rapids, 88 + Sight rod, 150 + Sighting blocks, 74 + Sighting disk, 79 + Signaling, heliograph, 154 + Signals, wigwag, 144 + Simple method of surveying, 79 + Single mirror heliograph, 148 + Sioux snow shoe, 37 + Skate sail, bat's wings, 33 + Skate sail, Bill's, 21 + Skate sail, Danish, 30 + Skate sail, double Swedish, 26 + Skate sail, lanteen, 29 + Skate sail, single Swedish, 28 + Skate sails, 26 + Ski, Norwegian, 42 + Ski sticks, 43 + Skids, 262 + Slabs, 101 + Sledge, the, 165 + Sleeping bags, 203 + Sliding doors, 136 + Snotter, 187 + Snow shoe, Ainu, 41 + Snow shoe, barrel hoop, 36 + Snow shoe, barrel stave, 36 + Snow shoe, chair seat, 35 + Snow shoe, Iroquois, 39 + Snow shoe, Sioux, 37 + Snow shoe, Swiss, 43 + Snow shoes, 35 + Society, meeting of, 189 + Society, organizing the, 25 + Spar bridge, 95 + Spars, hinge for, 30 + Spikes, railway, 50 + Spiral spring, 153 + Spirit levels, 74 + Spring, spiral, 153 + Sprit sail, 186 + Stepping mast of land yacht, 218 + Stitch, the sail, 46 + Stitch, sailor's, 221 + Stick, ski, 43 + Stiffening the bridge, 104 + Stone-paved fireplace, 196 + Stone wall, how to build, 266 + Straw hut, 124 + Straw sandwiches, 227 + Subterranean Club, 171 + Summer toboggan, 229 + Supplies and provisions, 54 + Surprise, a double, 140 + Surveying, 73 + Surveying, first lesson in, 79 + Surveying instrument, 73 + Surveying, a simple method of, 79 + Surveying for water wheel, 241 + Surveyor's chain, 77 + Surveyor's rod, 78 + Suspension bridge, 99 + Swamp shoe, 43 + Swedish sail, double, 26 + Swedish sail, single, 28 + Swimming, 84 + Swimming on a plank, 86 + Swing seat, 97 + Swiss snow shoe, 43 + +T + Table, a rustic, 66 + Tailless kites, 229 + Telegraph Code, International, 155 + Tent, the "A", 207 + Tent, annex, 50 + Tent, canvas wall, 46 + Tent fly, 54 + Tent making, 44 + Testing the track, 291 + Thole pins, 61 + Tie block, wood, 49 + Tie, wire, 50 + Tiger's Tail, 83 + Tiller, ice boat, 161 + Tiller of land yacht, 219 + Toboggan, the, 167 + Toboggan, the summer, 229 + Tower, the windmill, 275 + Towers of the cantilever bridge, 299 + Towers for water wheel, 243 + Towers of water wheel, setting up, 248 + Track, laying the, 289 + Track, the railway, 287 + Track, testing the, 291 + Tramping outfits, 203 + Tramp-proof boat mooring, 142 + Tramps, trouble with, 138 + Tree, diving, 84 + Tree house, the, 132 + Trigger for crossbow, 57 + Trip to the island, 64 + Tripod, the, 75 + Trouble with tramps, 138 + Trunk, the old, 18 + Truss, king rod, 102 + Turnbuckle, a simple, 216 + +U + Umbrella with fly, 211 + Umbrella rib crossbow, 55 + Uncle Ed, word from, 45 + Uncle Ed's departure, 109 + +V + Vacation, Christmas, 19 + Vacation, Easter, 224 + Valves, the pump, 280 + Van Syckel, interview with, 189 + Vengeance, 139 + Visit from Mr. Schreiner, 110 + +W + Wall, how to build, 266 + Wall tent, 46 + Water wheel, 241 + Water wheel buckets, 246 + Water wheel, construction of, 245 + Water wheel, Mr. Halliday's, 252 + Water wheel, mounting the, 249 + Water wheel paddles, 246 + Water wheel receiving trough, 247 + Water wheel, surveying for, 241 + Water wheel, towers for, 243 + Water wheel towers, setting up, 248 + War, council of, 139 + Weaving needle, 39 + Well, digging the, 274 + Wheel, the wind, 276 + Wheels for gravity railroad, 285 + Wheels, mounting, on car, 286 + Wheels, mounting frame on, 219 + Wigwag abbreviations, 146 + Wigwag alphabet, 145 + Wigwag numerals, 145 + Wigwag signals, 144 + Wigwagging and heliographing, 144 + Wigwagging at night, 147 + Willow Clump Island, 23 + Willow Clump Island, farewell to, 307 + Willow Clump Island in winter, 194 + Wind wheel, 276 + Wind wheel blades, 278 + Wind wheel brake, 278 + Windmill, 273 + Windmill tower, 275 + Window hinge, 270 + Window sash, log cabin, 270 + Wings, bat's, 33 + Wire tie, 50 + Wood, bending, 39 + Wood tie block, 49 + Word from Uncle Ed, 45 + +Y + Yacht, land, 215 + Yacht, land, frame of, 216 + + + + +The Most Popular Scientific Paper in the World + +SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN + +Established 1845 + +Weekly, $3.00 a Year; $1.50 Six Months + +This unrivaled periodical is now in its sixtieth year, and, owing to +its ever-increasing popularity, it enjoys the largest circulation ever +attained by any scientific publication. 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