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diff --git a/22279-8.txt b/22279-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6d14cb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/22279-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5083 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys, by Silas K. Boone + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys + The Birch Bark Lodge + +Author: Silas K. Boone + +Release Date: August 8, 2007 [EBook #22279] +[Last updated: March 15, 2011] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHIL BRADLEY'S MOUNTAIN BOYS *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +[Illustration: HAVING SECURED A GOOD SUPPLY OF BAIT, THEY STARTED FOR +THE CANOE] + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +The Mountain Boys Series + +PHIL BRADLEY'S MOUNTAIN BOYS + +Or +The Birch Bark Lodge + +By +SILAS K. BOONE + +The New York Book Company +New York + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Copyright, 1915, by +The New York Book Company + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER PAGE + + I Bound for Lake Surprise 11 + II Lub and the Mother Bobcat 21 + III A Mystery, to Start with 33 + IV The Figure in the Moonlight 46 + V The Sudden Awakening 59 + VI Getting Rid of an Intruder 72 + VII On the Border of the Lake 84 +VIII The Mountain Boys in Camp 97 + IX The 'Coon Photographer 112 + X Finding a Sunbeam 121 + XI An Encounter in the Pine Woods 134 + XII When Two Played the Game 143 +XIII How "Daddy" Came Back 156 + XIV The Puzzle of It All 169 + XV After the Storm 181 + XVI Peace After Strife--Conclusion 194 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + +PHIL BRADLEY'S MOUNTAIN BOYS + +CHAPTER I + +BOUND FOR LAKE SURPRISE + + +"Phil, _please_ tell me we're nearly there!" + +"I'd like to, Lub, for your sake; but the fact of the matter is we've +got about another hour of climbing before us, as near as I can reckon." + +"Oh! dear, that means sixty long minutes of this everlasting scrambling +over logs, and crashing through tangled underbrush. Why, I reckon I'll +have the map of Ireland in red streaks on my face before I'm done with +it." + +At that the other three boys laughed. They were not at all unfeeling, +and could appreciate the misery of their fat companion; but then Lub had +such a comical way of expressing himself, and made so many ludicrous +faces, that they could never take him seriously. + +They were making their way through one of the loneliest parts of the +great Adirondack regions. There might not be a living soul within miles +of them, unless possibly some guide were wandering in search of new +fields. + +The regular fishermen and tourists never came this way for many reasons; +and the only thing that had brought these four well-grown boys in the +region of Surprise Lake was the fact that one of them, Phil Bradley, +owned a large mountain estate of wild land that abutted on the western +shore of the lake. + +All of the lads carried regular packs on their backs, secured with bands +that passed across their foreheads, thus giving them additional +advantages. In their hands they seemed to be gripping fishing rods in +their cases, as well as some other things in the way of tackle boxes and +bait pails. + +Apparently Phil and his chums were bent on having the time of their +lives upon this outing. Laden in this fashion, it was no easy task they +had taken upon themselves to "tote" such burdens from the little +jumping-off station up the side of the mountain, and then across the +wooded plateau. There was no other way of getting to Lake Surprise, as +yet, no wagon road at all; which accounted for its being visited only +by an occasional fisherman or hunter. + +Each year such places become fewer and fewer in the Adirondacks; and in +time to come doubtless a modern hotel would be erected where just then +only primitive solitude reigned. + +Of course Lub (who at home in school rejoiced in the more aristocratic +name of Osmond Fenwick) being heavily built, suffered more than any of +his comrades in this long and arduous tramp. He puffed, and groaned, but +stuck everlastingly at it, for Lub was not the one to give in easily, no +matter how he complained. + +Besides these two there was Raymond Tyson, a tall, thin chap, who was so +quick to see through nearly everything on the instant that his friends +had long ago dubbed him "X-Ray," and as such he was generally known. + +The last of the quartette was Ethan Allan. He claimed to be a lineal +descendant of the famous Revolutionary hero who captured Ticonderoga +from the British by an early morning surprise. Ethan was very fond of +boasting of his illustrious ancestor, and on that account found himself +frequently "joshed" by his chums. + +It happened that Ethan's folks were not as well off in this world's +goods as those of his chums; and he was exceedingly sensitive about this +fact. Charity was his bugbear; and he would never listen to any of the +others standing for his share of the expense, when they undertook an +expedition like the present. + +Ethan was a smart chap. He knew considerable about the woods, and all +sorts of things that could be found there. And he had hit upon an +ingenious method for laying up a nice little store of money whereby he +could keep his savings bank well filled with ready cash, and thus +proudly meet his share of expenses. + +In the winter he used to spend all his spare time out at a farm owned by +an uncle, where he had traps, and managed to catch quite a few little +fur-bearing denizens of the woods. Then in the summer and fall he knew +just where the choicest mushrooms could be picked day after day in the +early morning. He also had several deposits of wild ginseng and golden +seal marked down, and many pounds of the dried roots did he ship to a +distant city to be sold. + +His success was enough to turn any boy's head, since he seemed to +receive a price far above the top-notch quotations for such things. The +head of the firm even took occasion to write, congratulating him on +having sent a fox skin (really a dark red), which he claimed was as fine +a _black_ fox as he had ever seen, and worth a large sum of money. On +another occasion it was to say that the dried ginseng Ethan had shipped +was simply "magnificent," and that they took pleasure in remitting a +price that they hoped would inspire him to renewed efforts. + +Alas! how poor Ethan's pride would have taken a sad tumble had he ever +so much as guessed that this very accommodating fur and root dealer was +in reality an uncle of Phil Bradley, and that the whole thing was only a +nice little plot on the part of the other three boys to assist Ethan +without his knowing it. + +That proved how much they thought of their chum; but should he ever +discover the humiliating truth there was likely to be some trouble, on +account of that pride of Ethan's. + +It happened that Phil was an orphan, and had been left a very large +property, the income from which he could never begin to spend in any +sensible fashion. That accounted for his desire to assist Ethan; and +while he felt that it was too bad to play such a trick, there seemed to +be no other way in which the end they sought might be attained. + +Raymond's folks, too, were wealthy, and he had really been sent up into +the clear atmosphere of the Adirondacks to improve his health. Although +the doctors did not really say he was threatened with signs of lung +trouble, they advised that the boy, who had grown so fast at the expense +of his strength, should live out of doors all he could for a year or +two. He would then be able to catch up in school duties with little +trouble. + +The other three had by degrees come to look upon Phil as their leader; +and indeed, he had all the qualities that go to make a successful pilot. +They delighted to call themselves the "Mountain Boys." Really it had +been Ethan Allan who originated that name, and no doubt at the time he +had in mind those daring heroes of Revolutionary days who made +themselves such a terror to the British under the title of "Green +Mountain Boys." + +Among other properties of which the Bradley estate consisted there was a +tract of several thousand acres of wild land bordering on this +mysterious Lake Surprise. Phil had heard a number of things about it +that excited his curiosity. He had so far never set eyes on the place; +when one of the other chums happened to suggest that it might make a +splendid little outing, if they started to look in on the lonely estate. + +One thing led to another, with the result that here they were heading +toward the lake, and following a dim trail which had been described by +an old guide who could not accompany them on account of other pressing +engagements. + +The boys were pretty good woodsmen, all but Lub, and they had not +doubted their ability to find the lake. + +"I think we're in luck about one thing," X-Ray was saying, as he toiled +along sturdily, and wishing that he had as much stamina as Phil or +Ethan; for somehow his legs seemed a bit shaky after so long and +difficult a tramp, with all that burden piled on his back. + +"As what?" asked Ethan, giving Phil a nudge, and thus calling attention +to the fact that by degrees the puffing Lub had actually gone ahead, +fastening his eyes on the winding trail, and evidently feeling that he +was becoming quite a woodsman. + +"Why, about that cabin the old guide Jerry Kane told us was on the shore +of the lake. It'll save us building one, you know, if it's in any kind +of a decent condition," the tall boy went on to say. + +"Yes, that's a fact," Phil himself remarked; "I've been thinking so +right along. I only hope we won't find some fishermen camped in it. Kane +said that once in a long while some guide took a party over to Surprise; +but that the tramp was so hard few gentlemen cared to try for it. There +are lakes all around that offer just about as good fishing." + +"I should think there'd be some pretty fine hunting around up here," +remarked Ethan. "I've noticed quite a few signs of deer, and that was +certainly the track of a big moose we saw. I'd like to run across one of +that stripe. Never saw a wild moose in all my life." + +"I wouldn't be surprised if some of us do meet one while we roam the +woods around the little lake," Phil told him. "If I'm that lucky I want +to take a picture of the beast, to add to my collection." + +"And I reckon, now," suggested X-Ray, "that nearly every night you'll be +setting traps, not to catch wild animals, but to make them take their +own pictures. That's the main reason why you've come up here, isn't it, +Phil?" + +"Well, you know it's a sort of hobby of mine, and I've got all the +apparatus for taking flashlight pictures along with me. I started in to +the business just to kill time; but let me tell you it grows on a +fellow like everything. I'm something of a hunter myself, but this +shooting with a camera beats anything else all hollow. Besides, you get +your game, and yet don't injure it, which is the best of all." + +Ethan laughed, and shook his head. + +"But your pelts don't bring you in the hard cash, Phil, like mine do," +he went on to say, with a touch of genuine pride in his voice. "S'pose +now I'd just snapped off that black fox's picture instead of getting his +paw in my steel Newhouse trap--it might have been all very well, but I'd +be several hundred dollars shy right now." + +X-Ray Tyson chuckled; but the other frowned and shook his head. It would +never do to get Ethan's suspicions aroused. He was terribly persistent, +and once on the scent would never give up until he had unearthed their +clever little plot. Then good-by to peace among the Mountain Boys, for +Ethan would never be apt to forgive them the deception. + +"That's the main thing, after all, Ethan," Phil added. "One man's food +is another man's poison. You enjoy your way of doing things, and I +understand how that is, for I'm something of a hunter of small game +myself; but I find more real delight in surprising a keen-nosed fox, or +a night-roaming raccoon, and getting his photo than in blowing them over +with a charge of shot." + +"Think there could be any bear up around here, Phil?" asked Lub, over +his shoulder. + +"I wouldn't be surprised, and if we run across tracks I'll add to my +collection." + +"Mebbe we ought to have fetched a gun along," suggested X-Ray, who was +not much of a hunter himself, though fond of any kind of game when it +was cooked at a camp-fire. + +"Well, that would have brought us into trouble with the game wardens," +Phil replied. + +At this point they were interrupted by a cry from Lub, who was on his +hands and knees in the midst of the scrub, where he had evidently caught +his foot in a vine, and gone sprawling down on account of his +clumsiness. + +High above the exclamation from the lips of their fat companion they +could hear a fierce growling sound, and about ten feet beyond Lub they +saw the crouching body of a very large and angry bobcat, with blazing +yellow eyes, and every hair on its back standing up on edge, as it got +ready to spring. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +LUB, AND THE MOTHER BOBCAT + + +"Keep still, everybody!" said Phil, grasping the perilous situation +instantly. + +"Gee whiz! look at its eyes staring, will you?" gasped X-Ray, appalled +by the ferocious aspect of the crouching beast, which was squatted on a +log just a few paces beyond poor kneeling and terrorized Lub. + +"Phil, oh! Phil, tell me what I ought to do!" they heard the fat chum +saying in rather a faint voice; all the while doubtless keeping his +strained eyes glued on that dreadful apparition. + +"It's a mother wildcat, and she's got kits somewhere near by," Phil was +saying steadily. "That's what makes her so fierce in the daytime. Lub, +can you hear me plainly?" + +He did not elevate his voice in the least, not wishing to do anything +out of the ordinary so as to excite the angry beast further, and cause +it to jump. + +"Yes, sure I can; go on and tell me, Phil," whined the other, +appealingly, and remaining on his hands and knees as though absolutely +incapable of moving. + +"Don't be alarmed," Phil went on to say. "I've got my revolver in my +hand, and if it comes to the worst I'll shoot. The other boys will yell +like everything, too, and that might make her sheer off. But first try +and back up, just as you are. Careful now, and do it as easy as you can, +Lub." + +They saw the fat boy begin to cautiously extend one foot backwards. When +there came a warning snarl he instantly stiffened out as though he had +been turned into stone. + +"Try it some more," Phil told him, "go carefully, but never mind the +growls. When she sees you're retreating she'll be satisfied, let's +hope." + +So Lub did as he was told, for his nature was rather docile. It could be +seen that he was holding himself in readiness to flatten out on his +stomach in case of hostile demonstrations on the part of the wildcat. No +doubt he expected that he could in this way manage to protect his face +from her claws; while the pack on his back would serve him in good stead +there. + +Phil, however, had rightly gauged the intention of the mother beast. +She was only standing up for her whelps, and so long as they were not +placed in peril she did not mean to attack that crowd of two-legged +enemies. + +The further Lub got away from the danger zone the more rapidly he began +to move his plump legs. Presently he felt Ethan lay hold of his foot, at +which he gave a gasping cry, under the impression that it must be the +mate of the enraged bobcat which had attacked him from the rear. + +"It's all right, Lub," Ethan hastened to say, reassuringly, for he had +not intended to frighten the other; "you're among friends now; and see +there how the old cat slinks away, still growling and looking daggers at +us with those yellow eyes of hers. Wow! she would have given us a warm +time of it, I'm telling you!" + +"Did you get her photo, Phil?" demanded X-Ray; "because I heard the +click, after you'd swung your little camera around." + +"Yes, when I saw that she didn't mean to tackle us," replied the other, +"I remembered that I ought to have something to show for Lub's +adventure. Guess you'll be glad to have a print of your friend, Lub; +it'll be a nice thing to look at on a hot summer day; because you'll +always have a chill chase up and down your spinal column, when you +think what would have happened if you'd come to close quarters with that +cat." + +"And talk about the map of Ireland on your face," added Ethan; "more'n +likely you'd call it one of Europe, with every river plainly marked." + +Lub was mopping his face with his red bandanna. All the color had fled, +leaving him as white as a ghost; but under the manipulation of his +handkerchief that was being speedily rectified. + +"I think I'll drop back a bit, and let some of the rest of you fellows +take the lead from now on," Lub told them, contritely, "I ought to have +known better than to try and show off when I'm such a greeny about +following a trail." + +"You were doing all right," Phil told him, "and making a good job of it +up to that time. Who'd ever expect that we'd run across a bobcat in the +middle of the afternoon; and one that had kits at that? I'd have had +just as bad a shock as you got, Lub, if it was me in the lead. No need +of feeling ashamed; the sight of that thing was enough to give any +hunter a bad scare, especially if he had no gun along." + +This sort of consolation served to make poor Lub better satisfied; +though doubtless he would continue to feel unusually nervous for some +little time. If a chipmunk stirred in the trash under a dead tree Lub +was apt to draw a long breath, and involuntarily shrink back behind one +of his companions. + +"Guess we'd better make a detour around that bunch of scrub, eh, Phil?" +remarked Ethan, sagely. + +"Well, it would be a wise thing to do," chuckled the other; "because +just now we haven't lost any bobcat that we know about. The trail seems +to be heading pretty straight right here; and chances are we'll have +little trouble running across the same some little ways on." + +Both he and Ethan took a good survey of their surroundings, but +evidently the wildcat was still hiding amidst that scrub, for they saw +nothing of her again while making the half circuit. + +"Now keep your eyes peeled for the trail again, Ethan," advised Phil, +when they were well around on the other side of the danger spot. + +Lub managed to push along until he could find himself in the midst of +the bunch. He cast numerous side glances in the direction of that +disputed ground, as though half anticipating seeing a whole army of +ferocious bobcats come leaping forth, all with blazing yellow eyes and +stubby tails. + +Nothing of the kind happened, however, and presently Ethan was heard +calling: + +"Here's your old trail, Phil, as plain as print. And d'ye know, there's +only one thing I'm sorry about, which is that you didn't think to snap +off a picture with our chum on his hands and knees backing off, and the +cat on the log." + +"Well, I'm glad myself there wasn't any chance to keep that accidental +tumble of mine as a perpetual joke," said Lub, indignantly. + +"Nothing to be ashamed about at all, Lub," remarked X-Ray; "and I reckon +now if it had been Ethan himself who stumbled when he caught his foot in +a vine, and then found himself face to face with a mad cat he'd have +been near paralyzed too." + +This seemed to mollify Lub somewhat, though he hardly liked that +reference to his having been paralyzed very much. + +They pushed on resolutely and the minutes passed. Phil on hearing Lub +puffing and seeing that X-Ray lagged a little, cheered both of them up +by declaring that the time was now short. + +"It wouldn't surprise me a whit," he said, cheerily, "to get a glimpse +of the lake any time now, through the trees. Unless all my calculations +are faulty we must be on my land right now." + +"That sounds good to me, Phil," asserted X-Ray, joyously, as he took a +fresh spurt, and no longer limped as though he had a stone bruise on his +heel. + +Even Lub grinned until his red face looked like a newly risen sun. + +"We'll all be mighty glad to get there, believe me!" he declared; "and +think of the jolly time we'll have preparing our first supper in the +woods. This big aluminum frying pan of Phil's has kept digging me in the +ribs right along, until I'm afraid there's a black and blue spot there; +but I mean to take my revenge good and plenty when we fill it full of +onions and potatoes and such fine things. Take another squint ahead, +Phil, and see if you can't give us real good news." + +"Well, just as sure as anything I see what looks like water!" called out +Phil, with an eager tremor in his voice. + +"Whereabouts, Phil? Oh! I hope now, you're not joshing us?" Lub +demanded. + +"Stop just where you are, everybody," the pilot of the expedition told +them, "and watch where I'm pointing. If you follow my finger you can see +if I've made a mistake or not. How about it, X-Ray? You've got the best +eyes of the crowd, I guess." + +"It's water, all right, Phil," replied the other, glad that he could be +accounted as best in something. + +"And that means Lake Surprise, doesn't it?" questioned Ethan Allan. + +"Yes, because it's the only body of water for miles around here," Phil +continued. "That's one reason they let it alone so much. Other lakes lie +in bunches, and a canoe can be taken over a carry from one to another in +the chain; but Surprise is an awful lonely sheet of water." + +"And that's how it must have got its name," added Ethan. "All the while +nobody dreamed there was any such lake up here; and then all at once a +wandering guide must have run headlong on the same, to his surprise." + +"Wish we were there on the bank right now," grunted Lub. + +"Another mile, perhaps half of that, ought to take us to the water," he +was assured by Phil; "and you see we are coming in from the west, which +is all right, too, because my land lies on the western shore; and that +cabin must be somewhere just ahead of us." + +"Hurrah!" shouted Ethan, unable to keep from giving expression to his +delight any longer. + +The others felt pretty much the same way, and joined in a series of +joyous whoops. + +"Now, everybody put his best foot forward, and we'll soon be there," +urged Phil; "the worst is behind us, you know." + +"That's a heap better than having it yet to come!" declared X-Ray, +feeling that with the goal in sight he should be able to hold out. + +They plodded along for some eight minutes or more, frequently catching +glimpses of the lake beyond, and knowing that they were rapidly +approaching its border. All at once X-Ray gave a cry. + +"Tell me, what is that I can see over there, Phil; looks for all the +world like a shack made of silver birches! See how the sun shines on its +side, will you? Is that your cabin, do you think, Phil?" + +"Just what it must be, X-Ray," the other told him; "they've nailed birch +bark all over the sides of the log hut, you see, just to make it look +rustic." + +"Then we'll have to call it Birch Bark Lodge!" burst out Lub, who had a +little vein of the romantic in his disposition. + +"That sounds good to me!" declared Ethan. + +"It goes, then, does it?" asked the delighted Lub, beginning to believe +he must be waking up, to have any suggestion of his so quickly and +favorably seized upon. + +"Sure thing," said X-Ray Tyson. "Hurrah for Birch Bark Lodge, the home +in the wilderness of the Mountain Boys." + +"Don't be too quick to settle that sort of thing," advised the more +cautious Phil. "For all we know there may be somebody ahead of us in the +shack; and you know we couldn't well chase 'em out." + +"But see here, Phil, if the cabin stands on your ground of course it's +your property by right of law, no matter whoever built the shack in the +start. He was only a squatter at the best," and Lub looked wise when he +laid down this principle in common law which is often so exceedingly +difficult to practice in the backwoods, where right of possession is +nine points of the law. + +"Yes," Phil told him, "but there's always a rule in the woods that +governs cases like this, no matter who owns the land. First come, first +served. If we find that shack occupied by some sportsmen and their +guides, why, we'll have to chase along and put up one for ourselves +somewhere else." + +"Huh! I don't like to hear you say that," remarked Lub, who would +possibly have liked to enter into a discussion along the line of right +of property, only none of the others cared to bother with such a +question, particularly after what Phil had said. + +They pushed on and approached the cabin. One and all were looking +eagerly to discover any signs of occupancy, and greatly to their +satisfaction no dog came barking toward them, nor was there even a +smudge of smoke oozing out of the mud-and-slab chimney that had been +built up alongside the back of the shack. + +"I guess it's all hunk," admitted Ethan, with a sigh of relief, as they +drew near the partly open door. "See that gray squirrel running along +the roof, would you? He wouldn't be doing that same if folks were +around." + +"Oh! that depends on what kind of folks," remarked Phil. "For my part I +never yet would shoot little animals around camp. I like to see them +frisking about too much to want to eat them up. But as you say, it looks +as if we had the cabin to ourselves, after all, for which I'm glad." + +"Tell me about that, will you?" muttered Lub, also showing positive +signs of satisfaction. + +All of them pushed into the cabin. + +"Why, this is _just_ the thing!" cried Ethan Allan; "see the bunks along +one side of the wall, boys,--two, three, four of them, if you please." + +"Just one apiece for us, and I choose this because it looks more roomy, +and better fitted for a fellow of my heft than any of the rest!" Lub was +heard to say. + +They immediately began to unfasten the straps that held their packs in +place. + +"Hey! what're you doing, starting a fire already, Phil?" called out +Ethan, noticing that the other was bending over the hearth. + +For answer Phil beckoned to the others to approach closer. + +"There's something queer happened," he told them, with a frown on his +face; "just bend down here, Ethan, and put your hand in these ashes, +will you?" + +"Why!" exclaimed Ethan, immediately, "they're warm right now, would you +believe it?" + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A MYSTERY, TO START WITH + + +While Ethan, Phil and X-Ray Tyson seemed to grasp the true significance +of this astonishing discovery, Lub as yet had not managed to get it +through his head. He was a little dense about some things, although a +clever enough scholar when at school. + +"The ashes warm, you say, Ethan?" he burst out with. "Now, that's a +funny thing. What would make them hold heat that way, when there's not a +sign of anybody around?" + +"There _has_ been somebody here, and only a short time ago, don't you +see?" explained Phil. + +"And like as not they heard us cheering when we glimpsed the lake, and +cleared out in a big hurry," Ethan went on to say. + +"Cleared out?" echoed Lub'. "Well, why should they run from us, tell me? +We don't look dangerous, as far as I can see. We wouldn't bother hurting +anybody; and didn't Phil say a while back that if we found some +fishermen in his shack we'd just shy off, and build one for ourselves?" + +"Yes, but these people didn't hear Phil say that; we were half a mile +and more away from here at the time," explained X-Ray. + +"And they couldn't begin to tell just who was coming," added Phil. + +"It might be!" exclaimed Ethan, "that they took us for game wardens. +Mebbe now they've been shooting deer out of season, and got cold feet +when they knew some people were coming in to the lake." + +Phil nodded his head in the affirmative, when he saw that Ethan was +looking to find out just how that suggestion struck him. + +"I rather think you've struck the right nail on the head there, Ethan," +he told the other. "It seems the most reasonable explanation for their +clearing out in such a big hurry." + +"They tried to put the fire out too, didn't they, Phil?" + +It was X-Ray Tyson who asked this. Those keen eyes of his had made +another discovery, and he was even then pointing the same out to his +chums. + +"Yes, I had noticed that some one had certainly thrown water on the +fire," said Phil. "You can see where it washed the ashes off this +charred piece of wood; and besides, it made little furrows in the +ashes." + +"That's an old trick in the woods," remarked Ethan, with a superior air; +"fact is, no true woodsman would think of breaking camp without first +making sure every spark of his fire was put out. Lots of forest fires +have come from carelessness in guides leaving red cinders behind them." + +"Yes," Phil added, "because often the wind rises, and whirls those same +cinders to leeward, where they fall in a bunch of dry leaves, and begin +to get their work in. But when people live in cabins they seldom bother +wetting the ashes, unless they've got a mighty good reason for wanting +to hide the facts." + +"And these people did," added Ethan, conclusively. + +"Let's look around some," suggested X-Ray. + +Two of the others thought this a good idea, for they immediately started +a search of the interior of the cabin, their idea being to find some +clue that might tell just who the late mysterious inmates were, and why +they had fled so hurriedly. + +Lub may have been just as curious as his mates; but he was very tired +after the long and arduous walk, so that apparently he believed three +could cover the field just as thoroughly as four. At any rate he showed +no sign of meaning to quit his seat upon the rude stool he had found; +but leaning forward, watched operations, at the same time rubbing his +shins sympathetically. + +"What's this on the peg up here?" exclaimed X-Ray, the very first thing. + +"Looks like some sort of a hat to me," remarked Ethan. + +"Just what it is; but say, take notice of the size, will you? It's a +_child's_ hat, as sure as you live! Why, there must have been a child +along with the lot!" + +"That's queer!" Lub observed, not wanting to be wholly ignored. + +"Game poachers they may have been," muttered Ethan, "but if there was a +little chap along, there must have been a family of 'em. See if you +could pick up such a thing now as a hair-pin, or any other woman +business." + +They went to scrutinizing the cracks of the floor more closely than +ever. That suggestion on the part of Ethan was worth trying out. Of +course the presence of any little article like a hair-pin would show +that a woman had been there. + +"I don't hear anybody sing out!" remarked X-Ray Tyson, presently; "and +on that account it looks like we hadn't discovered anything worth +mentioning. What gets me is, however could they have cleaned the old +shack out so quick, and never left anything worth mentioning behind +'em?" + +"From the time we sighted the cabin, back to when we first whooped, +couldn't have been more'n eight minutes, I should think," Lub gravely +announced. + +"Lots could be done in that time," asserted Phil; "but all the same I am +bothered to know why they'd be in such a rattling big hurry. It might be +they knew about us being on the way longer than eight minutes." + +"Who would have called 'em up on the phone, and mentioned the fact?" +asked X-Ray, meaning to be humorous. + +"Well, one of the lot may have seen us miles back, and put for the cabin +by some short-cut we don't know anything about," Phil told him. + +"That could be, of course," admitted Ethan, after considering the matter +seriously. + +"Mebbe we'll never know the truth, which would be too bad," Lub +continued; for a mystery was a source of constant anxiety to him; he was +so frank and straightforward himself that double dealing seemed foreign +to his nature. + +"Well, as we didn't come all the way up here just to worry our heads +over guessing hard problems, I guess we won't lose any sleep," Ethan +went on to say, in his easy-going way. + +"I'm wondering what made all these burns on the floor," Phil told them; +"and on this table, too. In these days people don't mold bullets like +they used to years ago, when the pioneers were settling the wilderness; +and yet that's what it looks like to me." + +"The place isn't as clean as it might be," Ethan now remarked, "and the +first thing we'll have to do in the morning will be to tidy up. I'll +make a broom out of twigs, like I've seen poor emigrants do. It answers +the purpose pretty well, too." + +He was prying around in one of the bunks while saying this, as though he +had suspicions; which Lub, who was anxiously watching him, hoped in his +heart might turn out to be groundless. + +Phil had turned to other things, and was proceeding to undo his pack. +This caught Lub's eye, and caused the worried expression on his face to +give way to one of pleasure. He knew that such a move meant it was +getting time for them to think of supper; and Lub was always ready to do +his part toward providing a meal; oh, yes, and in disposing of the same, +too. + +"Wow! you quit too soon!" suddenly yelped X-Ray, who had continued +prowling on hands and knees after Phil and Ethan had stopped searching +the floor. + +"Found something, have you?" asked the former, without looking up from +his job of opening the contents of his pack. + +"Is it worth a hair-pin, X-Ray?" chirped Ethan, who had been gathering a +handful of timber in a corner where a lot of wood lay in a pile, ready +for burning. + +"You could buy a thousand with it, I reckon!" was the astonishing +declaration of the finder, which remark caused every one to immediately +take notice. + +The boy with the sharp eyes was holding something up between thumb and +forefinger. It shone in the last rays of the setting sun, as they came +into the cabin through a small window in the western side. + +"Why, what's this mean?" ejaculated Ethan; "looks like you've gone and +struck a silver mine, X-Ray! That's a half dollar, ain't it? D'ye mean +to say you found it on this same floor?" + +"Just what I did, and deep down in a crack, where it must have slid, so +nobody noticed it!" exclaimed the other, exultantly. "Now, needn't all +get busy looking, because I reckon it's the only coin there is. That's +my reward for keeping everlastingly at it. You fellows are ready to give +up too easy. Say, did you ever see a brighter half dollar than that? +Looks like she just came from the mint, hey?" + +"Perhaps it did!" said Phil, solemnly. + +When he said that the others all focussed their eyes on Phil's face. +They knew he would not have spoken in such a strain unless he had some +good reason for saying what he did. + +"Explain what you mean, please, Phil; that's a good fellow," urged Lub. + +X-Ray was not so dense, for he instantly exclaimed. + +"Why, don't you see, Phil reckons that this half-dollar may have been +coined right here in this birch bark cabin!" + +"Whew! counterfeit, is it?" gasped Ethan, whose breath had almost been +taken away with the momentous discovery. "Then I guess I ain't going to +bother getting down on my knees, and doing any hunting for bogus money." + +The finder apparently did not much fancy having his prize counted so +meanly. He immediately proceeded to bite the coin, and then started to +ringing it on the hard surface of the oak table that had all the +scorched spots on it, mentioned by Phil. + +"It _tastes_ good; and listen to the sweet ring, would you, fellows?" +X-Ray hastened to say. "If it's a punk fifty-center, then it's the +greatest imitation ever was. I'd just like to have a cartload of the +same; I think I'd call myself rich." + +"If there's any suspicion fixed on the coin," Lub observed, ponderously, +just as he had heard his father, the judge, deliver an opinion in court, +"I'd rather be excused from carrying it around on _my_ person. The law, +you know, does not look upon ignorance as innocence. Better toss that +thing as far away as you can in the morning, X-Ray. I'd hate to think of +you doing time for having it in your possession." + +"Hanged if I do," muttered the other. "I'm all worked up now over it, +and mean to get the opinion of Mr. Budge, the cashier of our bank. He +can smell a counterfeit as soon as he sets eyes on one. He'll fix all +that up, believe me." + +"But, Phil," Ethan remarked, just then, "what was that you were saying +about all the scorched places on the table? If these people were not +molding bullets they may have been using melted metal for another +purpose, and one not quite so lawful, eh?" + +"It looks a little that way, I must say," Phil admitted. + +"Give us something to do prying around while we're up here," suggested +X-Ray; "seeing if we can run across their _cache_ where they've gone and +hid away their molds, and other stuff." + +"Oh! now you're only guessing," Lub told him. "It may be they were game +poachers after all, no matter if the coin is a bad one. I'm sorry this +had to crop up the first thing, when we aimed to have such a jolly time +of it here." + +"We'll have that, all right, whether or no," said Phil; "and first of +all let's get busy with our duffle. If we're going to live in this shack +it's our duty to make it look like home to us. Ethan, suppose you attend +to the fire, and the rest of us will take care of the cooking." + +"That's the ticket!" Lub ventured; "if I can do anything to help just +let me sit here, and peel potatoes, or make the coffee. I'm pretty +tired, you know; and besides it seems to me I get in everybody's way +when I move around." + +"Because you occupy so much room, Lub," X-Ray told him, cheerfully; "but +it's all right, and we'll find some use for your hands. How about water; +shall I take our collapsible pail and fetch some from the lake?" + +Upon being told that some one must go, the spry lad darted out of the +door, and reappeared a few minutes later with a brimming pail. + +"I want to tell you all that it's going to be a dandy night," he +chortled as he set the pail carefully down so that Lub, who was holding +the aluminum coffee pot in his hands, could easily reach it; "moon's +just coming up over across the lake, and about as full as could be." + +"Well, some of the rest of us are hoping to be in the same condition +before a great while," Ethan ventured, as he stepped over to the door, +and looked out, to immediately add: "I should say it is a glorious +sight, with that yellow streak shining across the water, and the little +wavelets dancing like silver. Phil, this is the greatest place ever. If +you hunted a whole year you couldn't beat it. And we ought to have the +time of our lives while we're up at Birch Bark Lodge." + +All of them were filled with delight. Being only boys, and with no +particular cares weighing heavily on their minds, they refused to see +any cloud on the horizon. Everything was as clear and lovely as the sky +into which that full moon was climbing so sturdily. + +Soon the delightful odors of supper began to pervade the atmosphere. +That made it seem more than ever like a real camp. Lub was doing his +share of the work like a hero. They had found a place where he could sit +at one side of the fire, and here he attended to the coffee, as well as +looked after the big saucepan of potatoes and onions that had been +placed on the red coals. Lub's round face was about as fiery as the +blaze that crackled and danced at the back of the hearth; and he often +had to mop his streaming brow; but he stuck heroically at his task to +the bitter end. + +Then came his reward when they sat around, and every fellow had a +heaping pannikin between his knees, or on the small table, flanked by a +cup, also of light aluminum, filled with coffee. + +Seeing that they were all helped Phil knocked on the table, and held up +his cup. + +"Before we take our first bite, fellows," he went on to say, solemnly; +"I think we ought to drink to the success of our camping trip up here +in the Adirondacks proper. Coffee is the only proper liquid to drink +that toast in, so up with your cups, every one. Here's to the Mountain +Boys, and may they enjoy every minute of their stay at Birch Bark +Cabin!" + +"Drink it down!" cried X-Ray Tyson, noisily. + +With that they took the first swallow of the nectar that Lub had brewed. +Never had its like been tasted at home, amidst prosaic surroundings; +there was something in the atmosphere of the mountains that made +ordinary things assume a different aspect; their hard tramp had aroused +their appetites amazingly, and just then those four boys were ready to +admit that this was the life worth while. + +For the next half-hour they sat there on such stools as they could find, +and proceeded to "lick the platter clean;" inasmuch as there was not a +particle left when they had finished supper. But even Lub confessed that +he had had quite enough. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE FIGURE IN THE MOONLIGHT + + +"You couldn't beat this much, I'd say, if you want to know my opinion," +Ethan was remarking, after they had finished the meal and were taking +things easy. + +"Of course we all feel pretty much the same way," admitted X-Ray Tyson; +"but I'd be a whole lot better satisfied if I knew about that bright new +half-dollar. Is it a good one, or a bunker?" + +"Chances are we'll hear no end to that squall all the time we're up +here," Ethan went on to say, with a pretended look of disgust on his +thin Yankee face. "Whenever you do get a thing on your mind, X-Ray, you +sure beat all creation to keep yawping about it. Forget that you ever +picked up the fifty, and let's be thinking only of the royal good times +we're meaning to have." + +"What can that sound be?" suddenly remarked Lub, who had been listening +more or less apprehensively for some little time now; "seems like some +one might be sawing a hole through the wall. Course, though, I don't +believe that for a minute; but all the same it's a queer noise. There, +don't you hear it?" + +There did come a distinct little "rat-tat-tat," several times repeated. +No one who was not deaf could have helped hearing such a distinct sound; +but Lub could not see that any of his mates seemed bothered. + +"May be that old gray squirrel gnawing somewhere," suggested X-Ray; +"they've got long teeth like a rat, and can chew a hole through any sort +of board." + +"Now, I'd rather believe it was the wind," said Ethan, who had a pretty +good knowledge of woodcraft in all its branches, and was therefore well +fitted to give an opinion. + +"Why, how could the night wind make that sort of scratching sound?" +asked Lub, doubtless wondering whether the other were simply guying him +because of his being a greenhorn. + +"Oh! the broken end of a branch might be rubbing against the roof of the +cabin," Ethan told him. "I've known that to happen lots of times. There +she hits up the tune again, you notice, Lub." + +"Yes," added Phil, nodding his head approvingly, "and if you listen, +every time that scratching sound comes you can hear the wind soughing +through the tree-tops. That ought to prove it." + +Still Lub seemed hard to convince, seeing which Ethan jumped up. + +"Just stir your stumps, Lub, and come outside with me," he said, +positively. "I want to prove what I said, and you've got to be shown." + +Lub saw there was no getting around it, and much as he disliked making a +move when he was settled so comfortably, he managed to scramble to his +feet. + +Once out in the bright moonlight and practical Ethan was quick to +discover the source of the peculiar and often recurring noise. + +"You see, Lub," he went on to say, "there's your saw at work right now. +Just as I told you it's a branch that's been worn off to a stub by this +scraping. Every time there's a fresh gust of wind it waves back and +forth, and scraping against the roof makes that funny sound. Now, I hope +your mind's easy, Lub, and that you'll sleep decent to-night." + +"I hope I will," replied Lub, earnestly, at the same time remembering +about the bunks, and what one of the others had said with regard to +house-cleaning in the morning; "but say, it is a fine night, ain't it, +Ethan. Listen to the frogs singing their chorus in some little bay of +the lake." + +"Yes," remarked Ethan, quickly, "I was listening to their serenade. Some +busters in that lot, too, because you can hear 'em calling more-rum, +more-rum' in the deepest bass. That always stands for the big bullfrogs. +I ought to know, because I'm an experienced frog-raiser. Cleared +sixty-seven dollars from my little pond this very summer; but I've never +seen frogs'-legs quoted _quite_ so high as that Mr. Brandon the +restaurant man down in New York pays me. I guess he favors me a mite +just because he happens to know some friends of Phil's." + +Lub knew all about it, but he never let even a chuckle escape from his +lips. + +"Well, in that letter you had from him which you showed me," he +observed, "he said he'd never had such fine frogs'-legs before, and +wanted to make sure to keep getting all you had to sell. A dollar a +pound is a cracking high sum, sure it is, but then good things always +bring fancy prices." + +That frog pond of Ethan's went with his many other ways for making +spending money. It required almost no time at all to run it. When he +found an opportunity he caught frogs wherever he could find them, and +put them into his preserve. Then, on feeling that he had the right kind +of goods for a gilt-edge market he would make a shipment of a box of +"saddles" neatly arranged, so that they were attractive to the eye of +the proprietor of the fashionable restaurant in far-off New York. + +Phil had recommended Ethan to try that place, and had even given him +permission to use his name as a recommendation. Ethan never knew that +the same mail had carried a letter from Phil to Mr. Brandon, who was an +old friend of his, making arrangements to stand for the difference +between the market price of frogs'-legs and the fancy sum he was to send +Ethan every time he shipped him a box. + +While Lub was standing there, and apparently enjoying the sight of the +moonlight dancing on the water of the lake near by, he was at the same +time casting occasional apprehensive glances around him. + +The woods looked mysterious enough and gloomy too, for the moon had not +risen far in the heavens, and the shadows were long and abundant. + +Several times he fancied he saw something moving there on the border of +the dense growth. Finally he appealed to Ethan, because he had +considerable respect for the opinions of his chum, who had studied woods +lore so long. + +"You don't think now, that any of that crowd we scared away from the +cabin would come sneaking back to spy on us, or try to steal any of our +things?" he asked, trying to appear as though such an idea was furthest +from his own thoughts. + +"Well, I hadn't bothered with such a thing as that, Lub, but now that +you mention the same I can't see why they should. We haven't got +anything along worth stealing; and if they are afraid of the officers of +the law, as counterfeiters, or game poachers, why, they'd want to get as +far away as they could. So I wouldn't let that keep me from sleeping a +wink." + +"Oh! I don't mean to," Lub hastened to exclaim, stoutly; but all the +same as he followed Ethan back through the cabin doorway the very last +thing he did was to take a parting survey of the forest fringe, and +shrug his fat shoulders. + +"Seems like it was getting right noisy out there, Ethan," remarked +X-Ray, when Lub had carefully pushed the door shut, and both of those +who had just entered found places again in the half circle before the +red embers of the fire. + +The interior was only dimly lighted, because they only had a single +lantern to do duty. But then it served them amply, because no one meant +to try and read; and whenever a fresh lot of wood was thrown on the +coals it flashed up brilliantly. + +That firelight was a part of the charm of the whole thing. They could +have lamps, gas, or even electric light at home any time they wanted; +but only under such conditions as these was it possible to enjoy the +mystic firelight. + +"Why, yes," Ethan replied, "I guess the woods folks are waking up. You +can hear crickets a fiddling away for dear life, and other sorts of +insects besides. Then there's a pair of screech owls calling to each +other; a whip-poor-will whooping things up; and most of all the frogs +have started in to get busy with their chorus. And say, I'm going to +promise you a feast to-morrow night." + +"Frogs'-legs, you mean, I take it, Ethan." Phil quickly exclaimed, +looking pleased at the prospect. + +"Yes, because there's some corkers out there; and leave it to me to get +'em. I'm an authority on frogs'-legs, you know. And when they fetch a +dollar a pound every time, you c'n see that they ought to be reckoned a +treat." + +"A dollar a pound, did you say?" demanded X-Ray, as if he fancied he had +not heard aright; whereat he had his shins kicked by Lub, who happened +to sit next to him, as a warning that he was treading on perilous +ground. + +"Why, yes, that's the price I always get!" declared Ethan, loftily. "You +see, it pays to do things up in style. My shipments look so attractive +to Mr. Brandon that he says it is a pleasure to just open my box. Of +course all of you fellows like frogs'-legs?" + +Phil and X-Ray Tyson immediately declared they believed they could never +get enough of the dainty. + +"To tell you the honest truth," said Lub, contritely, "I never tasted +any that I know of. My folks don't seem to care for queer things." + +"Queer things!" almost shouted Ethan; "well, I like that now! Why, don't +you know that frogs'-legs are as delicate as squab. You'd think you had +a spring chicken, only when you come to think, it has just a _little_ +taste of fish about it." + +"Oh! my, I don't know as I'd fancy that very much," complained Lub. + +"Huh! I know you better than to believe that, Lub," he was told by the +other; "and I'll just have to make sure to lay in a plenty, because I +c'n see you passing in your platter seven times, to say: 'Please see if +there isn't just one more helping for me, won't you, Ethan; they're the +finest things I ever set my teeth in, and that's no lie!'" + +"Well, wait and see, that's all," Lub concluded. "I'm willing to be +convinced. I mightn't care for a thing like that at home, with a white +tablecloth, silver, and cut glass all around me; but then it's a +different case when you're up in the woods, with your camp appetite +along, and going just half crazy because supper is so slow cooking, with +all those odors stealing to your nose. Try it on me, Ethan; I'd be +willing to taste even dog just once, if I was hungry, and met up with a +bunch of Indians." + +"I'm not afraid of the verdict," announced the boy who raised frogs, and +thought he had a right to know considerable about them, since he topped +the market with the gilt-edge prices he received. + +So they talked, and joked, as the evening wore along. Several times +they caught Lub in the act of yawning, and he was of course immediately +poked in the ribs as they besought him to please not swallow the cabin +while about it. + +"But I tell you I am sleepy; and no matter what the rest of you say I'm +going to get my bunk made up. I want to be in apple-pie shape for +to-morrow, for I expect it's going to be a red-letter day with us." + +Each of them had carried a warm blanket in their pack, which was one +reason for the bulk of these burdens. They had not been quite as heavy +as they looked; doubtless the greatest load consisted of canned goods, +and food of various kinds, which they would not have to pack out of the +woods again. + +Lub was somewhat fastidious about how he wanted his bed made up. Three +separate times did he pull it to pieces again, to start in afresh. + +"Hey, stop bothering so much with that!" X-Ray Tyson called out, having +been observing what the other was doing. "You certainly are the greatest +old woman I ever ran across, Lub." + +"And you'll never make a woodsman, as long as you're so finicky, +either," Ethan warned him. "'The happy-go-lucky kind is best in the +end. They give their blanket a fling, and just crawl under. And they +sleep the soundest too." + +"Oh! well, I'll learn some day, perhaps," said Lub, not at all +disconcerted by all this raillery, for it fell from him as water does +from a duck's back. "But I've got it fixed to suit me at last. This +bunch of dead grass rolled in the pillow slip I fetched will make me a +dandy pillow. I'm glad you gave me a hint to bring one along, Phil." + +"Old woodsmen use then? boots for a pillow," chuckled Ethan, which +remark caused the particular Lub to shudder, and shake his head, as +though he began to despair of ever reaching that point where he could +claim to be a seasoned veteran. + +While the others were again indulging in some sort of discussion, Lub, +thinking he was unobserved, sauntered over to one of the little windows +which the builder of the birch cabin had arranged so that he might have +light, and yet shut out the cold air of winter. + +"Oh, come here, won't you, Phil; there's somebody walking along by the +trees, and standing still to watch the cabin every once in a while!" + +When Lub said this in a voice that trembled with excitement the other +three boys of course hastened to scramble to their feet and reach his +side. + +"Whereabouts, Lub?" demanded X-Ray Tyson, eagerly, as he pressed his +nose against the glass, and occupied so much space in doing so that he +prevented the others from having a chance to see fairly; so that Phil +and Ethan deliberately drew him to one side. + +"There, over yonder where the moon shines between the little +second-growth trees!" the discoverer went on to say, huskily, and +pointing a trembling stubby finger as he spoke. "There, didn't you see +then, boys?" + +"There certainly is something, and it moved!" admitted Ethan. + +"Oh! it's a man, I'm telling you!" hissed Lub; "didn't I see him plain +as the nose on your face, X-Ray, and that's going some. He was moving +along where the shadows die out. Now he's past that place. It's a man, +believe me; and he's meaning to sneak in here to-night, to rob us. +There, see him moving again, will you?" + +"Yes, I do believe it is a man, bending over at that," agreed Phil. + +"He's moving off, seems like," observed X-Ray, who had not altogether +fancied Lub's allusion to his nose, because it _was_ rather large. + +"Mebbe he's seen us peeking out and thinks it's time he sheered off?" +suggested Ethan. + +"Had we better collar him, Phil?" asked X-Ray, who was inclined to be +very quick in his actions, and often without due thought making some +move he was likely to regret later. + +"No, that would be silly," decided Phil. "The only weapons we've got +consist of one revolver, a couple of camp hatchets, and some hunting +knives. How do we know what he might do, or how many of them there may +be? Let him look at the cabin, and then go away. I don't think we'll be +bothered by anybody." + +"And I'm not going to lie awake thinking about it," said Ethan. "If he +comes in here, and finds anything worth while, we could surround him and +make him go shares, you know." + +"There, he's moving off at last," said Lub; "but I don't like all this +mystery. Who is he, and what does he want? We'd be happier if we moved +on, and built a cabin somewhere else." + +"What!" exclaimed the belligerent X-Ray, "clear out when Phil owns the +whole shebang, and has invited us up? Well, I guess not!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE SUDDEN AWAKENING + + +"Thought you meant to go to bed, Lub?" said Ethan, some little time +afterwards, as they were all sitting around again. + +"Oh! somehow I seem to have gotten over my sleepy spell," admitted the +other, frankly; "perhaps it was the excitement over seeing that prowler +outside that did it. I'm as wide awake as a hawk right now." + +"Well, it's just the other way with me," X-Ray remarked, yawning almost +as furiously as Lub had been doing before; "I'm getting dopey, and mean +to turn in pretty soon. If nothing else happens to bother, nobody's +going to hear a word from me after I hit the hay." + +Lub looked at him painfully, but he did not think it best to ask further +questions lest he stir up a hornets' nest. There was something on Lub's +mind. Phil understood this from various signs. He began to get an +inkling as to what its nature might prove to be, when several times he +saw the other lean forward and look long and earnestly up the chimney. + +"What d'ye expect to see up there, Lub?" asked Ethan, who had also it +seemed been watching the other. "This isn't the time for old Santa Claus +to come down with his pack of toys. His reindeer need snow for their +sledge, you know." + +"Will you let the fire go out when we turn in, Phil?" asked Lub, +ignoring all such little annoyances as this. + +"Why, I suppose so," he was told. "If it was cold weather it might be a +different thing; but to-night is pretty warm, and we'll get little air +in here, with the door closed. Yes, the last wood has been thrown on the +fire; and to tell the truth there's only a handful more in the house, +which we'll save to start things with in the morning." + +"What did you ask that for, Lub?" + +X-Ray made this inquiry. He realized that the other must have something +on his mind, or he would not have spoken as he did. And X-Ray was +curious to know what its character might turn out to be. + +"Oh, nothing much; only it strikes me that's a whopping big chimney, +that's all," replied the other, a little confused. + +"I see what you mean," said Phil; "you're thinking that even if we do +close the door as we intend, if a thief wanted to get in here he could +creep down such a wide-throated chimney? Well, I shouldn't be at all +surprised if he could, providing he took the notion." + +"I hate to think of being sound asleep, and not know a single thing +about it," pursued Lub, "You know how I caught that darky stealing our +chickens last winter? I set a trap for him, and gave him such a scare +that he just crouched in a corner of the coop with all the hens cackling +like mad, till father went out and got him by the scruff of the neck." + +"Mebbe you'd like to set one of your fine traps here then, Lub," +suggested Ethan. + +"I think I could do it, if the rest of you didn't object," Lub pursued. + +"Please yourself," said Phil. + +"I'm off to bed right now," added X-Ray Tyson, "so you c'n have the +whole blooming field to yourself. Be sure you don't get nabbed in your +own contraption, Lub. Now, you may smile at my saying that, but it +wouldn't be the first time a bitter got bitten." + +Both Phil and Ethan began to stretch, and exhibited other positive signs +of being ready to turn in. It would appear that none of the rest of them +gave much thought to the possibility of their having unwelcome visitors +during the night. Lub envied them their calm indifference; but he felt +that he would not be doing his whole duty unless he carried out that +idea of the trap. + +He saw Phil saunter over to the door, which, with something of an effort +he managed to get to close tight enough so that the bar could be dropped +into place. That avenue seemed quite safe; and as the windows had each +one a couple of stout bars fastened across them, it looked as though +there could be no ingress unless the intruder were a mere child, or else +made use of that wide-throated slab-and-hard-mud chimney. + +The other boys were more or less amused to see what the ingenious Lub +was doing, in order to further his plot. First of all he arranged the +stools and other bulky objects that he could gather about the room in +such fashion that they formed a species of rude barricade on either side +of the hearth, where the red embers still held forth. + +"Looks like a regular wild animal trap, all right!" Ethan sang out, as +though more or less surprised that Lub should know as much as he did +about such things. "That forces the intruder to step out in the middle; +and I guess now that's where you're going to fix things to give him a +warm reception, eh, Lub?" + +"You wait and see," was all the other would say. + +They quickly understood what he had in mind. Everything they had along +in the shape of cooking utensils, that would be apt to make a jangling +noise if thrown down, was utilized. The big frying pan crowned the +pyramid, and Lub was very particular just how he placed this, so that +the least jar was apt to dislodge the aluminum skillet, which would be +certain to arouse even the soundest sleeper when it rattled on the +floor. + +"Don't kick over our grub that we've got piled up close by you there, +Lub," warned X-Ray, after chuckling to see how the other was making such +elaborate arrangements; for he did not have the remotest idea they would +amount to anything in the end. + +"That ought to finish your trap, Lub, I should think," said Phil, who +was almost ready to climb into his bunk, having removed most of his +clothing, and arranged his sleeping quarters in a jiffy; he too had a +small pillow-slip filled with some of the hay, upon which he expected to +rest his head comfortably. + +"Why, yes, I don't seem to think of anything else we've got that would +help to make a big noise," the other replied, soberly; "what with four +cups, as many platters, the coffeepot, and the frying pan ought to make +plenty of racket. But say, you should have seen the heap of tin-pans I +piled up the time I caught that chicken thief." + +"If you had much more than this lot," Ethan announced, "I don't wonder +the poor critter was scared nearly stiff, and could only crouch there +till your dad came and arrested him." + +"And on my part," said X-Ray Tyson, with another wide yawn, "I only hope +there doesn't anything happen to start that pyramid tumbling, that's +all. If I was dreaming of something lovely it'd sure be a shame to get +waked up by such a row, and to find that it was all brought about by a +pannikin slipping out of place." + +"No danger of that happening," Lub told him; "I've tested it all, and +you can depend on things holding." + +By slow degrees all of them managed to get settled down. Even slow +moving Lub was finally snug in his bunk, though he had to shuffle around +for some time while settling himself into the most comfortable position. +Ethan threatened all sorts of dire things unless he stopped moving +about, because it happened that the sleeping place chosen by the fat +camper was just above his. + +"I c'n hear it creakin' like anything," announced Ethan; "and if you +keep up that squirming business much longer, Lub, I tell you she'll come +down on me. Think I'm hankering about being smashed flatter'n a pancake, +do you? I don't see why you had to go and pick out one of the upper +berths, just because you imagined it was a mite bigger'n any other. +'Tain't fair, I tell you. Go easy now, and quit that moving about. If +you've got the itch say so, and we'll rub you down with something. Stop +it, right now!" + +Perhaps being scolded in this fashion had some effect upon Lub. At any +rate he concluded that what couldn't be cured would have to be endured. +So he did his level best to forget all about possible night visitors of +all types, and tried to lose himself in sleep. + +Phil had put out the lantern the last thing. He kept it close by his +hand, with matches where he could produce a light in a hurry, in case +one was required. + +The fire had burned low. Now and then a little flame would spring up and +make a faint buzzing sound. Once or twice when this occurred Phil saw +Lub raise his head and look earnestly toward the chimney; but he must +have finally decided that it was an innocent noise, for with its second +repetition he failed to move. + +"He's off," Phil told himself, with a slight sigh of satisfaction, for +from the way Lub was acting he had begun to fear they were in for a bad +night of it. + +Lying there Phil rested his head on his arm and looked out into the +cabin. When the dying flame occasionally leaped up and burned fitfully +for a dozen seconds or so he liked to watch it, and also glance around +him as well as he was able. + +Phil fairly loved everything that had to do with outdoor life. The dank +odor of the woods filled him with a sense of delight that he could never +find words to describe. He believed it must have come down to him from +some long line of ancestors, this love for Nature, and a desire to +commune with her. + +Fortune had been kind to him in giving him the means to enjoy such +outings; and it added much to his satisfaction to have these fine +fellows along with him. They were very dear to Phil. Not one of them +would he have willingly missed if such a disaster could be avoided. + +Then as he lay there waiting until the drowsiness overtook him again, he +allowed his fugitive thoughts to once more wrestle with the mystery +connected with the late occupants of that birch bark cabin. Who could +they be, and whither had they flown at the approach of himself and three +chums? + +It was hardly any accident, for all the signs pointed to a flight that +bordered on panic. Whoever they were they must have some good and +sufficient reason for fearing the advent of strangers. That could only +mean they dreaded the strong arm of the law; that there was _some_ +reason why they wished to keep from contact with all whom they did not +know. + +Well, Phil concluded, there was no use of bothering about them. They had +taken a hurried departure, and that was the end of it. He had reason to +believe that a child had been there, and possibly a woman as well. +While they had not found such tell-tale evidence as a hair-pin, still +the little silver thimble which he himself had discovered on a shelf +just before retiring, and which he had not mentioned to the others, +because he hated to get Lub wide-awake again, seemed to be pretty strong +evidence that way. + +When he found himself yawning again Phil decided it was time he closed +his eyes, and allowed his senses to steal away. The fire had ceased +flaring up, and was dying out rapidly, though the ashes would likely +retain some of their heat until well on toward dawn. + +The last Phil remembered was listening to the weird call of that +persistent whip-poor-will, perched in some neighboring tree, and sending +forth its shrill discordant cries. + +Twice after that he awoke, and found all well. He could hear the steady +breathing of his comrades near by; and Lub, lying flat on his back +perhaps, was making a grating noise not unlike a snore. + +The second time Phil struck a match, one of the silent kind, and took a +look at his watch, curious to know how the night was wearing away. He +found it was two o'clock, and that the guess he had made was not far +amiss. + +It took him some little time to get asleep again after that, but in the +end he managed to accomplish it. Daylight would be coming by four +o'clock and as the novelty of the outing was still upon them, it was to +be expected that the boys would want to be up with the birds--that is, +all but Lub, who loved sleeping better than plunging into the lake for +an early morning swim. + +It was fated, however, that they were not to be allowed to slumber +calmly on until the approach of the sun hurried the round moon out of +sight below the western horizon. + +A most unearthly racket sounding awoke every one. If an earthquake had +occurred it could hardly have created a greater noise. And the big +frying pan proved that the supreme confidence which Lub had placed in +its ability to jangle had not been in the least overdone; for it +certainly played a fandango as it pitched over on the hard floor of the +cabin, and danced some sort of jig, with other things adding their +little mite to swell the chorus. + +Four fellows came tumbling out of their bunks as one. + +"Phil, oh! Phil, strike a light!" cried one. + +"Where's my gun?" growled X-Ray Tyson, thinking that in this way he +must give fresh alarm to the bold intruder, whoever he might prove to +be. + +"Phil, the thief has come down the chimney, just as I feared!" called +Lub, who in the darkness hardly knew which way to look. + +As he managed to get his bearings to some degree he was sure he could +detect a man on his hands and knees crawling over the floor. At the same +time he heard a whining sound, as well as what seemed to be scratching; +and it struck terror to the heart of poor Lub. He fancied that others +were without, waiting for the first thief to open the door, in order +that they too might rush in, and help make prisoners of the four +Mountain Boys. + +Just then Lub to his great relief saw a tiny flame spring up close by. +This he knew must be a match in the hand of Phil Bradley, who was +meaning to light his lantern. + +To Lub it seemed an age before the flame was communicated to the wick, +and yet it could only have been a comparatively few seconds, no longer +than Phil would have taken under ordinary conditions. His hand did not +tremble appreciably; and while in an undoubted hurry he went about his +self appointed task with a deliberation that promised a successful +result. + +Then came the snap as the globe was pressed into place. The room was no +longer in darkness. It was possible to see; and with his heart feeling +as though it were trying to climb up in his throat Lub fixed his eyes on +the spot where he had discovered that moving, creeping object. + +What he saw thrilled him through and through, so that for the life of +him Lub could not move, or even utter a sound above a whisper. Nor were +the other boys much better off, to tell the truth, for they all stood +there as though rooted firmly to the spot. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +GETTING RID OF AN INTRUDER + + +"Whoo! it's a bear!" yelped Lub, who looked as though his eyes were +trying to pop out of his head. + +"Tell me, am I seeing things? Is this a wild dream, or am I gazing on a +real, live, woolly bear?" cried X-Ray Tyson. + +Just then, as though suspecting that the clustered boys had evil designs +on him, the small black bear actually growled, and showed its white +teeth. + +"Here, keep back, you!" exclaimed Ethan; "we haven't lost any bear that +we know about. Where'd you come from anyhow, and what d'ye want here?" + +"Ethan--don't you see, he came down the chimney!" gasped Lub. + +"Just what he must have done," added Phil, who was gripping the only +firearm they owned, and wondering what effect a peppering of its tiny +missiles would have on the tough hide of a black bear. + +"I bet you he was nosing around up there, and smelled our grub," +suggested X-Ray, a sudden gleam of light dawning upon him. + +"And leaning too far over while he sniffed, he just _fell in_; that's +what you mean, don't you?" demanded Lub. + +"Looks that way," assented the other; "but what under the sun are we +going to do about it, I'd like to know? He don't mean to crawl up again +like he came down. See how he acts; I bet you he got scorched, because +there's still some red coals in the fireplace, you notice." + +The four boys were huddled in a bunch. It seemed like a case of "in +union there is strength" with them just then. And the bear stood where +he had been at the time of first discovery. He had his snout thrust out, +and was "sniffing" at a great rate. Perhaps it was the human odor that +interested him, though Lub got an idea in his head it may have been the +food that was so close by. + +"Phil, do you think he'll attack us?" Lub asked. + +"I hardly think so," replied the other, steadily, after closely +examining the appearance of the intruder; "that is, if we keep from +making him more furious than he is now." + +"Guess he's some surprised to find himself shut in with four husky +boys?" suggested Ethan. + +"And say, he looks kind of small to me," observed X-Ray. + +"I was just going to tell you that," Phil went on to say; "I believe +it's only a two-thirds grown cub after all." + +"But even at that he's a dangerous customer, with those sharp claws, and +his ugly white teeth," protested Lub. + +"That's right," added Ethan. "If we tackled him, chances are we'd be +sorry for it, unless we had something to knock him on the head with. +That makes me think of my bully little camp hatchet. Watch me sneak it +right now!" + +He started to move softly toward the spot where he had discovered the +article in question. The bear began to growl more fiercely than ever. + +"Careful, Ethan," cautioned Phil; "take it slow, and duck back just as +soon as you've hitched on to the hatchet. Stop and wait till he cools +down. Now, only one more step; then you can lean over and reach it." + +All of them fairly held their breath, for it was a toss-up as to whether +the suspicious bear would conclude to attack Ethan or not. The growls +and sniffing continued, but the boy managed to get his fingers fastened +upon the handle of his tool. + +"Now, back up!" Phil told him. + +Step by step Ethan pushed away from the dangerous locality. The bear did +not attempt to follow, but resumed his former way of pushing out his +snout, and sniffing. Something evidently smelled mighty good to him, Lub +thought. + +"This is all very well," ventured X-Ray Tyson, who had also managed to +arm himself with a billet of wood, "but somebody tell me what the end's +going to be. Do we have to camp outside in the cold, cold world; or will +we invite Mr. Bear to skip? That's what I want to know. Phil, how about +it?" + +By now Phil had realized that unless they did something to provoke the +bear to extremes they did not need to fear an encounter with his sharp +claws. A bright idea had struck him, which he hastened to bring to the +notice of his chums. + +"If ever we go to tell this story, lots of fellows will give us the +merry laugh, you understand, boys," he remarked; "and if you're all +willing, I'd like to settle it so we'd have the best of proof that a +bear _did_ come down our chimney in the night time." + +"Phil, do you mean that you want to snap off a flashlight picture of +the beast backed up against our fireplace?" demanded X-Ray Tyson, as +quick as anything. + +"That's what I meant," he was immediately told. "See, here's the whole +apparatus ready for business. All I'd want you to do would be to turn +down the lantern when I gave the word." + +"I'll look after that part of it," agreed X-Ray, instantly. + +"And I'll hold my hatchet, ready to whack him square between the eyes if +he tries any football rush on us," Ethan remarked, grimly. + +"What can I do to help?" demanded Lub, weakly, yet evidently not +relishing the idea of being utterly ignored in all these valorous +preparations. + +"If you want to have a place in the lime light, Lub," ventured X-Ray, +sarcastically, "s'pose then you just step up and engage the bear in a +catch-as-catch-can wrestling match. It'll be a splendid chance to prove +to every fellow at home how you had more nerve than any of the rest of +us!" + +Of course Lub knew this was all spoken in satire. + +"You'll have to excuse me this time, X-Ray; I wouldn't want to run a +chance of spoiling Phil's picture for anything. Guess I'll crawl up in +my bunk again, so as not to take up so much space. I'm afraid that if +Ethan gets to swinging that wood chopper around recklessly he might +gouge me." + +Meanwhile Phil had arranged his little apparatus as he wanted, aiming +directly at the bear. He knew that it was focussed just right for a +short distance, because all that had been fixed previously, it being his +intention to have small animals snap off their own pictures at about the +same focussing point, by pulling at a baited trigger that was attached +to the flashlight cartridge by a cord. + +"All ready, X-Ray?" he asked, presently. + +"Yep--let her go, Phil!" + +As he spoke the holder of the lantern turned down the flame. Immediately +the interior of the cabin became almost pitch dark. The bear could be +heard sniffing as before, and evidently regaining some of his courage, +which must have received a rude jolt following that plunge down the +chimney. + +Suddenly there was a blinding flash. It was all over in a second, but +the boys could hear the bear scrambling on the hearth. Perhaps the +coals burned his feet again, and forced him to abandon any idea of +trying to escape by the same means he had employed in reaching the +interior of the shack. + +"Light up again!" ordered Phil; "it's all over!" + +So X-Ray again turned up the wick of the lantern. The bear was standing +there, growling, and looking more belligerent than before. Evidently he +did not altogether like this sort of treatment. That dazzling flash had +blinded him. It may have made him think of the lightning that went with +a storm; and there was now no friendly hollow tree into which he could +creep; only those strange, two-legged creatures whom instinct told him +were enemies of his race. + +"Looks almost ready to tackle us, don't he, Phil?" chirped Lub, from the +security of the second-story bunk. + +Ethan was swinging that shining hatchet wickedly back and forth. + +"He'd better not, if he knows what's good for him," he was saying, with +determination written upon his set jaws and flashing eyes; "I'd just +like to get one good belt at him square between those wicked little eyes +of his. We'd have bear steak for breakfast, let me tell you." + +"But remember that the law is on bears yet, and if we killed him we +might run up against a game warden and be arrested!" Lub warned him; for +Lub was always well posted on all matter that pertained to the law, as +became the son and heir of a well-known judge. + +"We don't want to fight except there's no other way," said Phil; who +wished to restrain both Ethan and X-Ray; for he knew they were apt to be +impulsive, and it would not take much to precipitate a battle royal with +the four-legged visitor. + +"But what's the answer, then?" demanded the latter chum, indignantly; +"do we sit down and watch him gobble all our fine grub without lifting a +hand to stop him? Say, I'd be ashamed to tell the story afterwards; and +him only a half-grown bear in the bargain." + +"He don't seem to like that smoke you made, Phil?" remarked Lub, who had +an unusually fine place for observation, being elevated above the heads +of his crouching chums. "Couldn't you keep that going, and just force +him to climb up the chimney again?" + +"My flashlight cartridges are too valuable to be wasted like that, Lub," +he was informed by the other boy. + +"Then isn't there some way he could be made to retreat?" asked X-Ray. +"What if the whole four of us started to advance, shooing with our +hands, and whooping things up, wouldn't he just understand that he _had_ +to climb, whether he got his toes scorched again or not?" + +Phil shook his head. + +"I've got another idea, and it's so simple I only wonder nobody thought +of it before," he told them. "The rest of you stay here where you are." + +"I object, if you're meaning to tackle the varmint alone and +single-handed, Phil!" X-Ray burst out with. + +"I'm not quite so simple as all that," Phil flashed back at him; "you +can see I'm heading the other way." + +"Oh! I know what he means," burst out Lub just then; "it's the door! +Phil's going to take down that bar we pushed in place, and open up. +Hurrah! that sounds good to me! Phil knows how to do the trick. You +trust him every time, and you'll never get left." + +Of course it was all simple enough now, and if Lub could see through it +the other pair could also. To be sure, Phil meant to swing wide the +door, and thus invite the departure of their unwelcome guest. + +They saw him reach the front of the cabin. The bear was apparently +suspicious of any sort of movement, and continued to growl +threateningly. So long as he did not actually start to make an attack +Ethan believed he could afford to remain idle, and hold his ground. + +Phil appeared to be having some little trouble about getting the bar +loose. The door did not shut closely, and it had taken the combined +strength of two of them to fasten it securely. + +"Give it a hunch, and then slip the bar up, quick, Phil!" called out +Lub; for as he had helped close it he knew best how the thing could be +done. + +Phil made a third attempt, and this time succeeded, for they saw him +open the door, and then back away, still gripping the stout bar in his +hands, as though he considered it worth having in an emergency. + +"There you are, Mister; now please get a move on you!" called Lub. + +The animal must have already sniffed the outer air, to judge from his +actions. He may have also suspected some sort of cunning trap, for he +did not immediately start on a rush toward the gap in the wall. + +"He guesses you're laying for him, Phil," Ethan remarked; "p'raps you'd +better back up and join our squad here. There's another upper berth, if +so be you think you'd like to join our brave chum Lub." + +"Huh! think you're smart, don't you?" muttered the one referred to; but +evidently the slur cut to the quick, for what did Lub do but bundle out +of his bunk and actually take his place in line with the others, as +though to show them that at least it was not _fear_ that had caused him +to climb up out of the way. + +"I guess he's going to make the run for it!" exclaimed X-Ray Tyson. +"Everybody start to waving their arms when he comes, and keep him going. +Whoop! hurry up your stumps, old bear; this is a white man's cabin, and +you're not wanted!" + +All at once the beast concluded it would be wise for him to accept of +the one lone chance for escape. That open door, and the sweet smell of +the outside air appealed irresistibly to his nature. + +"There he comes, boys!" snapped Ethan; and with that they all began to +make extravagant gestures, at the same time using threatening language +that must have appalled the poor bear, could he have understood its +meaning. + +Snapping and growling he scuttled past the line of excited boys, headed +for the open door. He presented such a ferocious aspect that none of +them cared to do the slightest thing to bar his forward progress; +indeed, just the contrary seemed to be the case. Something must have +influenced Lub, for that worthy actually stepped forward out of line; +and as the beast shuffled hastily past he let drive with his right foot, +just for all the world as though he were trying for a drop kick on the +gridiron, with three thousand breathless spectators watching to see if +he would make the goal. + +Then the bear, thus urged on by every possible means, went hastily +through the open door, and was seen no more. The cabin was once again in +their undisputed possession. + +"Three cheers!" shouted X-Ray Tyson, who after the manner of boys in +general, was so completely filled with enthusiasm that he could only +think of one way in which to get rid of the surplus "steam," which was +by shouting. + +The others joined in the noise, and if any one happened to be within a +mile of that birch bark cabin just then, before the break of day, he +must have been greatly mystified to understand what all the racket could +be about. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +ON THE BORDER OF THE LAKE + + +"Did you all see me kick him out?" proudly demanded Lub, who evidently +believed that by this action he had established his reputation for +bravery beyond all dispute. + +"Sure, we did," declared Ethan, "and he must have been some surprised +bear when he felt your heft slam up against him. You'd better look out +if ever you meet up with that chap again, Lub; they say bears have got +wonderful memories, and he'll never forgive such an insult." + +The door was fastened again, and the boys climbed into their blankets, +for the night air coming in had given them something of a chill. + +"No need of trying to go to sleep again," announced Phil; "because +daylight'll be along in seven winks. Fact is, I thought it looked that +way in the east when I shut the door, though the moon shining like it +does fools you some. But it's after four, and dawn comes early these +summer days." + +Leaving the lantern burning, they lay there and talked matters over. All +of them had been so worked up, what with that sudden awakening, and the +row that followed, that they would have found it difficult to have +resumed their interrupted sleep even though several more hours must +elapse before morning. + +Lub felt that he had been fully vindicated. + +"You fellows thought it smart to laugh at me when I hinted we might have +a thief come down the chimney, but see what happened!" he went on to +say, desiring to rub it in a little. + +"Well, of course none of us ever thought a yearling bear would drop on +the roof from a limb of a tree, and smelling our grub down the chimney +lean so far over that he'd pitch headlong in," ventured Ethan, who had +apparently figured it all out, and knew just about how the thing +happened. + +"If a bear can do it, any sort of animal, or even a bad man might follow +suit," suggested X-Ray Tyson, wickedly. + +Lub took up the dare instantly. + +"Just what I was thinking," he hastened to say; "and you mark me that +when morning comes I'm going to climb up on the roof and look around. +Leave it to me to fix something across the vent of that old chimney, so +even a 'coon couldn't squeeze through." + +"Like as not you'll smother us with the smoke!" grumbled Ethan. + +"Not much I will," he was promptly assured; "I know enough for that. If +I had a piece of heavy wire-mesh like's on the windows of our stable at +home, it'd be the ticket; but as it is I'll have to use something else. +I mean to sleep nights without thinking that all sorts of ferocious wild +beasts are aiming to drop in on us without invitations." + +When they saw that the dawn had really come the boys began to move +around. Phil led the way to the border of the lake near by and they took +an early morning duck. The water was pretty chilly, but then growing +lads can stand almost anything. No doubt some of them may even on a dare +have braved a skim of new ice on a pond in the early spring. + +After a bit, when they had finished their dressing, preparations for +breakfast came next in order. Things began to look decidedly comfortable +about that time. They forgot all unpleasant things, and the rattle of +tongues would have made any one believe in the story of the Tower of +Babel. + +Every one had his plans laid out, and numerous pet schemes to work. Phil +of course meant to roam around the neighborhood, and see what +discoveries he could make in connection with the haunts of small +animals, or places where they "used," to speak after the manner of a +hunter or trapper. + +If he could find such a favorite spot it was his plan to set his trap on +the succeeding night, with the intention, not of harming the creature, +but getting him to touch off the flashlight, and thus take his own +picture. + +Lub's enthusiasm seemed to have petered out, in that he manifested no +immediate intention of climbing to the roof of the cabin. The truth of +the matter was, Lub always showed a disposition to put things off; +procrastination was one of his greatest faults, even as too much haste +had always been X-Ray Tyson's besetting sin. There was the whole day +before him; so what need of undue speed. Taking things easy had become +second nature with Lub. Besides, as a final argument, he had gorged +himself with the fine breakfast, which of course he had helped to cook; +and it would be too bad to risk indigestion while on this outing. + +So Lub just lay around, and bothered some of the others by asking +innumerable questions. Still, he was always willing to assist if called +upon, and for that he was forgiven his lazy habits. + +It was toward the middle of the morning when Phil came back again, after +roaming around. His manner gave them to understand that he had met with +some success. + +"Find any place to make your lay-out to-night, Phil?" asked Lub. + +"Yes, one splendid spot where a 'coon seems to travel down to the +water's edge, to fish, or something or other," Phil replied. "You can +see his tracks going and coming as plain as anything. I've marked a +place where I can tie my camera, and fix the bait so he'll have to be in +range when the flash comes. This afternoon I'm meaning to go further +afoot, and see if I can run across bigger game." + +"You certainly look as if you enjoyed this sort of thing," ventured Lub, +a little enviously; for he often wished that he had it in him to love +tramping, and all that pertained to woodland sports. + +"Why, it seems to grow on you," admitted Phil, with considerable +animation. "In the start I didn't care a great deal about it, and +sometimes called myself silly to want to spend so much time trying to +circumvent little animals, and get a flashlight picture of them. It's +hard work, too, because they're not only shy but cunning as well. What +little I've managed to do along that line has made me keen on the +subject. And right now I believe I'd rather shoot a moose with a camera +than with my Marlin rifle." + +Ethan laughed a little, and shook his head. + +"I confess that I don't understand it, Phil," he went on to say. "The +real thrill must be lacking. You can only get it when you're bent on +bagging your game. That's the thrill that comes down to us from our +savage ancestors who had to live by hunting." + +"I'm able to judge of that, Ethan, because I've tried both ways; and I +give you my word I feel just as much pleasure when I'm trying to outwit +a cunning fox as you do when you trap one. I get his picture, and you +have his pelt, that's all the difference." + +"Well," replied Ethan with a grin, "when that same pelt brings you in +more than a cool three hundred, it makes considerable difference in the +end." + +Lub began to make faces, and swallow very fast at hearing that, as +though he had come near choking; but in fact it was to keep from +chuckling, and thus arousing suspicion in the mind of the hoodwinked +Ethan. + +"I noticed you down on your hands and knees, Ethan, over where we +thought we saw that moving figure of a man last night," Phil went on to +say, changing the subject hastily, partly from the same reason that +influenced Lub to cough and gasp; "did you find out anything?" + +At that the other assumed a mysterious air. + +"Well, first of all, we weren't mistaken, you want to know, boys," he +remarked. + +"Then it was a sure-enough man?" asked Lub, beginning to be deeply +interested. + +"That's what it was," Ethan assured him. "I found his trail as easy as +turning over my hand. Even followed it some ways off, but lost the same +among the rocks. When we saw him turn away he didn't come back again, +but kept straight on." + +"He must have been watching us through one of the windows?" suggested +Lub. + +"If he was, he made up his mind we were too many for him to tackle, and +that he had better clear out for good," Ethan continued, as though he +had been figuring it all out beforehand, and had his mind made up. + +"Do you think he could have been the same party who was in our cabin +before we came along, Phil?" asked Lub. + +"It looks that way," the other told him. "If this man had just been a +stranger, up here to try the fishing, or something like that, he would +have knocked on the door, and tried to make our acquaintance. As it was, +he watched us, and then cleared out." + +"Let's hope he won't think to come back again," Lub pursued. + +"Better hurry and get that strainer fixed on the top of our chimney, +Lub," advised Ethan, a little maliciously; "first a bear, and the next +thing to drop down on us might be a real man." + +"Oh! leave that to me," the other assured him; "I haven't quite figured +it out in my mind just how I'll fix it, but after lunch I'll get busy. +And believe me, when the Fenwick screen is applied, not even a 'possum +or a squirrel can invade our cabin home. It'll be impervious to man or +beast." + +"Better get out a patent right away on the thing then, Lub," he was +advised by the scoffing Ethan, "or some wise duck will be stealing the +idea from you." + +"Where's X-Ray?" asked Phil, suddenly noticing that the fourth member of +the camping expedition was missing. + +Ethan looked at Lub, inquiringly. + +"You see I was so busy reading the signs of that trail I never once +thought a thing about any one else. Lub, you must have seen where he +went, didn't you?" + +"Last I saw of him he was down on the lake shore," replied the other. +"He had his fishing rod along, and I understood him to say he meant to +look for some grasshoppers or crickets or something for bait, because he +felt trout hungry." + +"X-Ray has a weakness for fish, you know," Ethan declared. "He said he'd +be the boss fisherman of the bunch while we were up here, and even dared +me to take him up, the one to win who could show the greatest number, +biggest variety, and the heaviest fish of all that were taken. I think +I'll go him, if I can find time to bother." + +"And I'll encourage you both to the limit," chuckled Lub; "because that +means we're bound to have all the fine trout we can eat while we're +here. May the best man win. I know how to cook 'em to beat the band, by +rolling each trout in cracker crumbs, and then frying in hot grease from +fat salt pork. Makes my mouth fairly water just to mention it." + +"We won't forget that, Lub," Ethan told him; "and you can consider that +you're hereby appointed the official fish frying man of the lot. For if +there's anything I hate to cook it's fish. Eating's another story, and I +always try to do my duty there." + +"I thought I heard some one call out then," said Lub, looking around +him. + +"Must have been a crow cawing, or a gray squirrel barking," suggested +Ethan. + +They listened for a dozen seconds, but heard nothing. + +"I reckon I was mistaken about it," admitted Lub, finally; "only I +wondered if X-Ray could have tumbled into any sort of trouble. He's spry +enough as a rule, and not built like me." + +"No danger of him not letting off a whoop if he ran up against anything +like a rough deal," Ethan ventured. + +"Still, no harm done if we stepped down to the edge of the water, and +took a little look around," suggested Phil. "We've none of us paid any +attention to the lake so far, only to take that early morning dip in the +same. It seems to be about a quarter of a mile across to the further +shore, and with lots of bays and nooks, as well as points of land +jutting out like fingers. I'd think it was a splendid piece of water for +trout; and I'm glad I own some land fronting on Lake Surprise." + +As they turned in the direction of the edge of the water Lub's eyes were +frequently cast upward toward the rude chimney that surmounted the back +of the cabin wall. Evidently he was endeavoring to figure out just how +he might accomplish the task he had taken upon his shoulders, and +arrange things, so that while the smoke had free access to the open air, +all manner of intruders would be kept out. + +When Lub did undertake anything, no matter how simple, he was apt to +throw his whole heart and soul into the accomplishment of the same. To +him it meant that his reputation was at stake; unless he made good his +chums would have the laugh on him for a long time to come. + +Ethan happened to be in the lead as they advanced. That may have +accounted for the fact that it was him who brought them to a sudden +standstill by throwing up a warning hand, and exclaiming sharply: + +"What's that I hear? Sounds mighty like the drip of a paddle to me!" + +"And there's a line moving out from the shore!" added Phil, pointing; +"there's _something_ back of that point, and moving in the water. +Perhaps it may only be an old mother duck with her little brood. No, +there it goes again. Ethan, you're right about it; that's the dip of a +paddle!" + +"Whoever's got a canoe up here, they're heading this way, because you +can see from the ripples," Ethan continued, eagerly; for versed in many +of the secrets of woodcraft the boy was quick to notice which way the +successive ripples were moving. + +"Watch now, because he's going to push out from behind that tongue of +wooded land!" said Phil, sharply. + +All of them stood there as if rooted to the spot. Their eyes were glued +on the point mentioned by Phil, and back of which must be the canoe that +was sending all those ripples forth, away from the land. + +"There it comes!" breathed Lub, who was holding his breath, and +consequently getting, frightfully red in the face. + +They could see the raised prow of what looked to be a genuine birch bark +canoe poke in sight. In these modern days when even the Indians up in +Maine manufacture up-to-date canvas canoes by the thousand, it is a rare +event to run across one made of birch bark. The trees that are large +enough for the purpose have about all been destroyed, so the Indians +claim, which accounts for the revolution in canoes. + +Further and further moved the boat. Now half of its length was seen, +then two-thirds, and finally the stern had passed the end of the point. +The three watchers could now see that it was being softly driven by a +paddler who sat in the stern, and wielded a single blade. + +All of them stared, and Lub, strange to say was the first to find +utterance so as to voice his surprise. + +"Why, Phil, Ethan, don't you see who it is?" he ejaculated; "who but our +chum, X-Ray Tyson, sitting there as big as life, and heading straight +toward us! Where under the sun d'ye reckon he found that canoe; and +whose can it be?" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE MOUNTAIN BOYS IN CAMP + + +"Whoopee! Hello, X-Ray, where'd you pick it up?" + +When Ethan called this out the paddler waved at them, and laughed. + +"Wait till I push her nose up on that fine sandy beach, and I'll tell +you all about it, boys," he answered. + +Two minutes later and the prow of the birch bark canoe glided softly up +on the shore. Laying his paddle down in the boat X-Ray proceeded to pass +along toward the bow, so that he could step out without getting his feet +wet. Meanwhile Lub was looking the canoe over, noting that it seemed to +be in very good condition, and not at all weather worn, as though it had +been lying in the bushes for several winters and summers. + +"I ran across her," the finder started in to explain, "while I was +pushing along through the scrub, meaning to get to a certain point. I'd +picked up some hoppers and crickets, and wanted to give the trout a try, +to see if they were hungry. Whoever owned the boat had hid her away; and +not so long ago, either, for there was a wet streak on her keel that no +rain had made. She was lying bottom-up, of course." + +"Have you been fishing in the canoe all this time?" asked Phil, sniffing +the air, and then stepping forward to look for himself; upon which X-Ray +bent over and lifted out a string of a dozen pretty fair-sized trout. + +"How's that for a starter, eh, Ethan?" he demanded joyously. "Think you +can beat that for a beginning? Right back of that point there's the boss +bay; and say, you couldn't drop in a stone without hitting a trout, +they're that thick. I stuck right in the same place all along; no need +to move around." + +"You got a fine mess, though I believe I could eat that many myself," +ventured Lub, eyeing the string hungrily. + +"Oh! we can get all we want," he was told; "it's only a question of +finding the bait. They're just asking to be taken on. It's hit and come +with them as soon as you drop your line in. The bait hardly sinks a foot +before it's taken. I never saw anything like it in all my life. And +fight, say, they bent my rod double lots of times. I lost more'n I +saved." + +"But about the canoe," Phil went on to say, "the chances are it must +belong to whoever was in our cabin before we came." + +"That stands to reason, seems to me," Ethan agreed. + +"Well, he had the use of your shack, goodness knows how long, Phil," +said Lub, with an imitation of his father's solemn manner when +delivering an opinion from the bench; "and it's only fair you have the +use of his boat. Tit for tat, you know. One balances the other. Besides, +we are not supposed to know whose boat it is." + +"There's something else I wanted to tell you about," remarked X-Ray. + +He was thrusting a hand inside his coat as he spoke; and when it came +out again the others saw that it held something like a buff colored +envelope, torn open. + +"Now, I found this same when I was nosing around," he explained. "It was +caught tight away under this seat in the bow, and must have been blown +there by the wind." + +"Looks like one of those telegraph envelopes," remarked Lub. + +"Which is exactly what it is," said X-Ray Tyson, as he offered the +object in question to Phil. "There's an enclosure inside; read it, and +see what you can make of the same. It got me balled up a whole lot, I'm +telling you." + +Phil quickly had the enclosure out. It was a printed form, and had a +message written upon it. + + "John Newton: + Winchester, N. Y. (hold until called for). + + "Stay where you are. Search grows warmer daily. Too bad for + both you can't compromise. + + "RUTGERS." + +Phil read it all out slowly, and Lub listened very seriously. + +"First," Phil went on to say, "the man's name, or the one he goes by +right now, is John Newton. It may be assumed, and I 'reckon the chances +are all that way. He seems to be in hiding, just as we thought. This is +a friend who's warning him not to think of leaving his nest yet awhile. +The question is, what terrible thing has he done, and who's hunting for +him?" + +"If you asked me," ventured Lub, composedly, "I'd say it was all as +plain as print. This man must be a counterfeit money-maker. The Secret +Service people are looking for him everywhere, because, like as not he's +big game. And you can see how this Rutgers, who is of course a chap of +the same kind, is telling him how hot the hunt is getting to be." + +"It does look a little that way," admitted Phil; "there's only one thing +that bothers me." + +"Go on and explain what you mean," urged Ethan. + +"The last part of the message doesn't seem to go with that sort of an +explanation," said Phil. + +"As how? Read it again, and let us see, Phil," Lub requested. + +"'Too bad for both you can't compromise.' Now, the Government never +allows itself to enter into any bargain where a rascal can get off. He +may turn State's evidence against his pals, and in that way get lighter +punishment; but there can be no such a thing as compromising a felony +against the United States Government!" + +"Phil, you're right about that, and I know it!" declared Lub, +ponderously. + +"I'll keep this telegram, if you've no objection," Phil continued; "and +try to hit on some other sort of explanation later on. If we only had +the key, this mystery would all be simple enough, I'm thinking." + +"Well, what matters most to us is that we've got the canoe, and can find +lots of uses for the same while we're up here at Lake Surprise," +commented X-Ray. + +It was decided a little later on, after the trout had been prepared, +that as the fish looked so inviting, they might as well start right in +by having a feast at noon. + +"Well, anyway, it'll get us fixed for better things later on," sighed +Lub, as he contemplated the three that would fall to his portion, and +noted how small a mess that was going to be. + +However, he did prove that he knew how to cook them splendidly. When +handed around they were well browned, and as sweet as could be. Every +one complimented Lub on his feat, and begged him to keep up the good +work, which he readily agreed to do, never once appearing to realize +that he was proving an "easy mark." + +During the meal he was joked more or less about not having made a start +with his screen on top of the chimney, and this must have spurred him +on to showing his chums that he had conceived a clever scheme looking to +that end. + +First of all he managed to roll several logs against the lower part of +the cabin. These upon being lifted in a pile formed a means for climbing +up on to the roof. Without some such assistance Lub would have had no +end of trouble in getting started on his self chosen job. + +The others paid little or no attention to what he was doing, since they +had various plans for passing the afternoon away. In fact, while Phil +meant to take a wider detour of the neighborhood, to look for signs of +game he could photograph, X-Ray had badgered Ethan into agreeing to +accompany him out on the lake, to see which would catch the greater +number of fish before evening came on. + +They were now industriously searching for grubs, crickets, grasshoppers, +or even angle worms, so as to tempt the fat trout to take hold. + +It was while this was going on that a muffled cry came to their ears. + +"Listen! wasn't that some one calling for help?" demanded Ethan, +scrambling to his feet, with a can that had held Boston baked beans in +his hand, into which he had been introducing crickets, and such things, +it having only small holes punched in its sides, besides the larger one +which he kept stopped with a handful of grass. + +"There it goes again," said X-Ray, turning all around, as though so +bewildered that he could not place the direction from which the call +came. + +"Look at Phil, will you, how he's putting for the cabin!" ejaculated +Ethan. + +"Do you think it can be a bear, or a panther, or anything like that; and +is he meaning to shut himself in?" asked the other, his voice showing +signs of trembling in spite of his well known bravery. + +"Shucks! no, don't you see he's aiming to reach the back of the cabin, +where Lub's heaped up that stuff? He's meaning to climb on the roof! It +must be Lub's fallen part-way down the old chimney, and stuck there. +Hurry and let's get along to help pull him out!" + +With that they started on a mad run. As the shack was close at hand they +managed to arrive at almost the same time Phil clambered on the roof. + +For such nimble fellows the task of mounting to the roof was not a +difficult one. When they reached there they found that Phil was leaning +over, and seemed to be giving directions. + +"Is it Lub; and has he fallen down inside?" asked X-Ray, quickly, hardly +knowing whether to burst out into a laugh, or look sorrowful. + +"Yes, and it happens that he's stuck there in such a way he can't go +down any further, and isn't able to climb up. You hold on to me, both of +you, while I lean in and see if I can get hold of his hands." + +"Tell us when to yo-heave-o, will you, Phil?" + +"Something'll have to come; only I hope we don't pull his arms off!" +chuckled Ethan, beginning to see the humor of the situation, now that it +looked as though Lub was not hurt in any way, only "discommoded," as he +afterwards called it. + +So while Phil leaned over, and thrust himself part-way down into the +gaping aperture, his two comrades, seizing hold of his lower +extremities, prepared to pull with might and main. + +"Now, get busy!" they heard a half-muffled voice say, and at that X-Ray +and Ethan began to tug. + +There was heard considerable groaning and puffing, but they were not to +be denied. Slowly but surely Phil's body was coming upward, until +finally the head of Lub appeared above the top of the slab-and-hard-mud +chimney. + +"I know it's a tough joke on me, boys," he said, humbly enough, after he +had clambered on to the roof, and rubbed some of his scraped joints with +more or less feeling; "but after all it was an accident." + +"How was that, Lub?" asked X-Ray, examining a number of stout stakes +which apparently had been cut to certain lengths, and were intended to +be fastened crossways in the chimney, being pounded into position with +the hatchet. + +"Why, I had one of those prison bars in position, and unfortunately +leaned too hard on the same," Lub explained. + +"The pesky thing betrayed your confidence, did it?" demanded Ethan. + +"Just about how it happened," the other continued, frankly. "I must have +tried to save myself, more through intuition than because I had time to +think about it. Anyway I got doubled up somehow; and that's the reason I +stuck in the flue. One thing I'm glad of, and that is you fellows were +close by, and could hear me yelp. If you'd gone off I might have had to +stay there all afternoon; and let me tell you it would have been no +joke." + +"Ready to give it up as a bad job, are you, Lub?" questioned X-Ray. + +"What, me quit for a little thing like that?" burst out the other; "I +should hope I was a better stayer than that, boys. It only makes me +clinch my teeth, and resolve to conquer or die." + +"Well, please don't die in our chimney flue," begged Ethan; "because you +know we need it to keep our fire going, so we can cook three meals a +day. I think you must have pounded that first bar down a little too far, +that's all, Lub. Better luck next time!" + +They left him industriously at work. Having found to his sorrow where +his mistake was, Lub would be more careful in the near future. And when +he finished his task no 'coon or squirrel would find it possible to have +access to the cabin by means of the chimney, unless they first gnawed +through the parallel bars. + +Shortly afterwards, having succeeded in procuring a good supply of bait, +the two ambitious fishermen pushed off in the bark canoe. Ethan held the +paddle, for he was a master-hand at this sort of work, and could propel +such a light running boat with the deftness of an Adirondack guide, +hardly a ripple being stirred, with the paddle never once taken from the +water. + +Then Phil wandered off, after giving Lub directions for summoning them +back should any necessity arise, which of course they had no reason to +believe would be the case. + +Engrossed in his work of hunting high and low for signs of his quarry +Phil passed an hour or more. Then he returned to camp, and found Lub +resting after his labors, having completed his task. From his manner it +was easy to see that he felt quite well satisfied with what he had done. + +Later on they heard loud calls, and saw the other boys coming in. X-Ray +was wielding the spruce blade now; and in the bow Ethan held up two long +strings of glistening and still squirming trout, as trophies to their +united prowess with hook, rod and line. + +"It's beginning to get pretty warm work between us," said X-Ray, as they +stepped ashore. "I got nineteen this afternoon while Ethan he reached +twenty-six; so even with my twelve before that I'm only five ahead in +the count. All trout, so variety isn't in the game yet. He hooked a +sockdolager, but his line broke. Yet I'm willing to admit he's got one +there that goes ahead of any I've taken. Get the scales and we'll +measure up, Ethan." + +Lub rubbed his hands together when he learned how much in earnest the +rivals were becoming. + +"I reckon now, Phil," he said aside to the other, "we're just going to +feast on these here trout all the time we're stopping at your hotel. +Encourage 'em to keep the game going. First we'll make out to think +Ethan is bound to win; and then we can switch off on to X-Ray." + +"You're getting to be a regular schemer, Lub," commented Phil, though he +took occasion later on to follow out the advice given, and thus increase +the seeds of rivalry between the fishermen. + +They had a glorious mess of trout for supper, and even Lub owned up that +it was utterly impossible for him to stow away another one, so that +several had to be wasted. None of them had yet shown any signs of +becoming tired of the deliciously browned trout, and Lub even declared +that if they would get him up betimes in the morning he would fry +another batch. + +"The night favors my plan, because you see how it's clouded up," Phil +was saying, as he prepared to go and set his trap. + +"That is, you mean you need darkness, because your camera has to be set +ready to take the picture," Lub remarked. + +"Well," said Phil, "that's the way photographers do when taking an +interior, but I've got an arrangement attached to my camera that works +different. When the animal pulls the string that is connected with the +flash light apparatus he does something more. He exposes the plate for +just a quarter of a minute." + +"A time exposure, you mean," remarked Ethan. "If you've no objections, +Phil, I think I'd like to go along, and see how you set the thing." + +Phil looked pleased. + +"Only too glad to have you, Ethan," he told the other. + +Ethan had been the one who only lately had scorned the idea that any +hunter could find so much delight in "shooting" game with a camera as in +other days he had done with a gun. + +Phil began to feel encouraged. He knew only too well, from his own +personal experience, that once the seed had taken root it was bound to +sprout and grow rapidly. + +Ethan's genuine love of all out-doors, together with a nature that could +not be called cruel, would make it fallow ground that the seed had +fallen upon. Results were sure to follow. + +So Phil led the way to the place where he had discovered that one or +more of a colony of 'coons had actually made a trail leading to the +lake, going and coming so many times. + +He had half jokingly declared that they went down when fish hungry to +look for an unwary trout. Whether this could really be so or not Phil of +course was in no position to prove. + +"But they do eat fish," Ethan remarked, as they walked along together; +"I've seen a big buck 'coon snatch one out of the water. Some people say +they bob the end of their striped tail on the surface as they sit on a +log, and in that way lure a fish close in. As I never saw such a thing +you'll have to take the story with a grain of salt." + +He was really very much interested in the way Phil set his trap, and +asked a lot of questions, all of which the other obligingly answered. + +And after everything had been arranged the two chums who had such a +mutual love for the Great Outdoors walked back to the Birch Bark Lodge +in company. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE 'COON PHOTOGRAPHER + + +"Lightning! Why, we're going to have a storm!" exclaimed X-Ray Tyson. + +They were all beginning to feel somewhat tired, and Lub must have had as +many as six or seven little "cat-naps." The fire was burning cheerily +and the interior of the cabin pretty close, despite the fact that the +door had been left wide open. + +"Well, let her rain," muttered Lub. "We haven't anything to get wet, +outside of our canoe, and it won't hurt that." + +Phil had arisen to his feet. There was a peculiar smile on his face, +Ethan saw. He looked satisfied about something. + +"I hope you fellows can spare me the lantern for a little while," he +said. + +"Well, that's queer!" observed Lub, in bewilderment. + +"What's doing, Phil?" demanded X-Ray Tyson. + +"I think I'll go out and get my camera," the other returned. + +Then Ethan chuckled. + +"I thought that was what it must have been, Phil," he observed, dryly. + +"Oh! I see," Lub went on to say; "afraid of the rain, of course. Well, I +suppose it would ruin the thing to get it wet." + +"Too bad you've had all that work for nothing, Phil," yawning as he said +this X-Ray tried to look sympathetic; but was really too sleepy to be +anything but ridiculous. + +"Oh! I don't know about that," Phil told him, as he picked up the +lantern; "I've got a hunch that the thing's been played to the end of +the string." + +Ethan chuckled some more. Both Lub and X-Ray opened their eyes and began +to realize that there was something more to this thing than they had +grasped. + +"Whatever can you mean by that?" asked Lub; while the fourth boy, +quicker to catch things, cried out: + +"Oh! then that wasn't a flash of lightning after all, Phil?" + +"After a kind, it was," Phil went on to say. "In fact, I believe my trap +has been sprung. Mr. 'Coon was early on the trail to-night. I'd better +go and see. If the thing's happened, no need of leaving the camera out +all night, and take chances of a shower. Coming along with me, Ethan?" + +"Sure thing!" declared the other, who had only been waiting for an +invitation, as Phil very well knew from the eager look in his eyes. + +They soon arrived on the spot. + +"It's all right," observed Phil, immediately. + +"Trap's sprung, you mean?" asked his comrade. + +"Yes, you can see where the bait has been carried away from the place +where I fixed it," he was told, as Phil pointed out where the cord ran. + +"I guess the flash gave the poor old 'coon the scare of his life," Ethan +went on to say, considerably amused. + +It was an object with Phil to encourage this interest on the part of his +chum. Accordingly, after gathering up the camera and flashlight +apparatus he had Ethan closely examine the marks that were plainly seen +about the place where the bait had attracted the attention of the little +animal. + +As has been said before, Ethan was a practical woodsman, and knew a +great deal about all things connected with outdoor life. Trailing had +long been one of his particular hobbies; hence, he was able to tell just +what must have happened there. + +"Here's where the 'coon came along, just as he'd likely done on many +another night when he felt fish hungry. And about here, Phil, he began +to get a whiff of that green corn you fetched with you to use as bait." + +"How do you make that out?" asked the other, partly for information, and +also with the idea of keeping up Ethan's interest, which he could easily +see was growing right along. + +"Why, the marks have a different look," Ethan explained. "He stopped +right here to sniff, and then went forward on the run, all caution +thrown to the winds." + +"That took him up to the bait?" suggested Phil. + +"Yes, and you bet he didn't waste a single second laying hold of the +same," Ethan ventured, positively, just as though he might be watching +the entire performance with his own eyes, instead of figuring it out. + +"Like as not it's been a long time since this particular 'coon had a +chance at an ear of juicy green corn," observed Phil. "Perhaps he never +even saw one before, but his instinct told him what a good thing was +when he ran across it." + +"As he began to pull at the cob, meaning to carry it off to his den, +there came that dazzling white flash," Ethan continued. + +"It petrified the 'coon for the instant," explained Phil, "that happens +in nearly every case. If you look close you'll find that the animal +always has a startled expression. I rather think any of us would if a +flash like that blinded us just when we'd started to pick up the biggest +watermelon in the patch." + +"It frightened Mr. 'Coon away, of course," said Ethan. + +"But he may sneak back here again before morning," laughed Phil. "You +can see where his teeth cut into the green corn, and the memory of that +one taste will make him ready to take chances again." + +He dropped the half ear of corn on the ground as he spoke. + +"You mean that the poor old chap isn't going to be cheated out of his +fine treat, eh, Phil?" + +"He deserves something," was the reply, "because I reckon he's given me +a cracking good picture. I want him to know I appreciate his pull at my +latch string." + +This closed the incident, but on the way back Ethan continued to ask +numerous questions. These the other always answered to the best of his +ability, for it was his desire to interest Ethan more and more. + +And Phil felt satisfied when, just before they arrived at the cabin +Ethan gave expression to an admission: + +"Well, I'm ready to own up, Phil, that if for any reason I couldn't have +a gun, or use one because the law was on all game, I _might_ take some +stock in hunting by flashlight, and with a camera." + +"And the knowledge you have, Ethan, of wild animals' ways would make you +a master hand at the game, if ever you bothered taking it up." + +"Think so?" remarked the other, naturally pleased at this sort of +appreciation on Phil's part. + +"I'm sure of it," he was told. + +Nothing more was said at the time. Phil felt positive, however, that he +could count on Ethan's coöperation so long as they remained at Birch +Bark Lodge. + +It was not long before they all sought their bunks. + +The night passed without any alarm. Lub had assured his comrades they +need have no fear of any unwelcome guest dropping down the chimney +again. He had insured against such an event happening; and apparently +felt the utmost confidence in his own invention, for he seemed to drop +asleep almost as soon as he settled down in his blanket. + +Again in the morning they enjoyed their plunge in the lake, although Lub +had to be strongly urged before he consented to join them. + +When he mentioned trout he was gently but firmly told that it was folly +to whip a willing horse. + +"Don't let's have fish every meal," urged X-Ray Tyson, "or we'll all be +sprouting gills and dorsal fins and scales. Once a day after this ought +to satisfy the trout hunger. Now it seems to me that's a bully good fire +for camp flapjacks." + +"Just what it is," agreed Ethan with enthusiasm. + +"That suits me all right," Phil agreed, "and we all know the kind you +can make, Lub. If you want any help, call on me." + +"Oh! it's only a pleasure to me, so long as I know my efforts are +appreciated," said Lub, just as they all knew he would. + +The flapjacks must have been good, for not a piece of one was left after +the four boys had finished breakfast. And they even had the audacity to +bait Lub on top of it. + +"Don't care how soon you repeat that mess, Lub," observed Phil. + +"Never tasted their equal," confessed Ethan. + +"And as for me," said the wicked X-Ray, "I'll sure dream of the treat +to-night, see if I don't." + +Whereupon, of course, Lub set about figuring out just how the little +sack of self-raising flour would hold out, if he made flapjacks every +single morning of their stay in camp. + +Lub was a lovable camp mate, and so easily imposed upon. But then his +chums were just as ready to do things for him in turn. + +Later on in the morning, seeing that the rival fishermen had started out +again to depopulate the lake, and Lub was busy cleaning up around the +cabin, Phil took a notion to wander off. + +He meant to cover quite some little territory this time, his object +being to see if he could catch a glimpse of a deer. Of course he carried +his camera along, because it was always possible that some good chance +might arise where he could use it to advantage. + +Phil believed in being ready. He was a hunter, and knew how exasperating +it was to run across tempting game when one's gun had been left at home. + +Half an hour later he found himself wandering through a section of woods +that looked very promising. He fancied he caught a sound, and it was of +such a peculiar nature that Phil stopped still to listen. + +Yes, it was not the "whiff" of a startled deer or moose, but struck the +astonished boy more like the wailing cry of a distressed child. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +FINDING A SUNBEAM + + +At first Phil found it hard to believe he heard aright. + +"I've known cats to make sounds like a baby crying, when they were +facing each other, and ready to scrap," he told himself. + +The more he listened the stronger grew his conviction. + +"Even if it turns out to be a pair of spitting young bobcats," he +concluded, "I'd like to snap 'em off. As to a child, what would one be +doing away up here in this wilderness, unless--by George, now, that +might be it." + +He had suddenly remembered how they found the little cap, yes, and a +baby silver thimble in the cabin. + +It was no trouble at all to locate the source of the sounds. The sobs +continued as he advanced. In a few minutes Phil was gazing with +considerable surprise upon a figure outstretched on the ground. + +He could see it was a little girl, possibly four years old. She had +golden curls, and when she looked up suddenly at hearing his footsteps +Phil discovered that she was as pretty as a fairy. + +Just then she looked a little forlorn, since her face was soiled from +the dirt, and tears had made furrows down her cheeks. + +She scrambled to her feet, and seemed hardly to know whether to try and +run away, or put her childish trust in this strange boy. + +Now Phil was always a favorite with younger children. They all loved him +because he had such a pleasant face, engaging laugh, and seemed to know +just how to appeal to a child's heart. + +Few boys care to bother with little tots; they only appear as a nuisance +in their eyes. Phil, however, was different. + +"Hello! here, little girl, what's all the trouble about?" he asked, +cheerily; and somehow there must have been magic in his voice, for the +look of fear left the child's face immediately. + +She recognized a friend in need. As a rule children, just the same as +most dogs do, have an instinct that tells them who to trust. + +"I'se losted!" she said, simply, with a little sob in her voice. + +Phil had now reached her side. She did not shrink from him as he bent +down and put his hand gently on her curly head. Something that she saw +in his kind eyes, perhaps the vein of sympathy so pronounced in his +tones, told her this strange boy could be safely trusted. + +"Now, that's too bad," Phil went on to say, just as if he himself had +been "losted" and hence knew how it felt. "But who are you lost from?" + +"Daddy," she said, simply, as though taking it for granted that every +one must know who was implied by that term; because to her mind there +was only one "daddy" on earth. + +Phil believed he saw it all now. The man who had occupied the cabin, had +this child with him. For some unknown reason he had taken alarm, perhaps +because of their coming to the lonely lake, and made a hurried change of +base. + +Why he had prowled around on that first night it was of course +impossible for the boy to say, unless he simply meant to satisfy himself +with regard to their intentions. + +And now the little girl had managed to lose herself in the woods. No +doubt the father would be searching everywhere for her. + +Phil thought it all over, even while he was soothing the child and +telling her he would see to it that she found "daddy" again. + +He could not leave her there in the open pine woods, that was sure, and +since there could be no immediate way of learning the present abode of +the mysterious man, the only thing left for Phil to do was to take the +little girl to camp with him. + +In due time no doubt the father was sure to turn up there to claim the +child. They would try to convince him that it was none of their business +what made him hide away from his fellows as he was doing. + +So Phil made up his mind. + +He had by this time managed to distract the child's thoughts from her +troubles. Indeed, this was no difficult task for Phil Bradley. Already +she had laughed at something he had said. When Phil heard what a sweet +laugh that was he immediately told himself: + +"I warrant that there's a man chasing wild through the woods right now, +trying to find this little sunbeam. I know I'd be, if I missed a merry +laugh like that at my fireside." + +"My name is Phil," he told her, "and won't you tell me yours?" + +"Why, it's Mazie," she quickly answered. + +"Mazie what?" he continued. + +"No, just only Mazie," the little girl told him positively. + +Phil was baffled, for he had hoped to learn "daddy's" name. He did not +attempt anything further along that line. + +"Now, Mazie," he went on to say, "you'll come with me, won't you? You +must be hungry, and want some lunch. We'll find daddy pretty soon, you +know, and you wouldn't want to stay out here in the woods all by +yourself?" + +She looked alarmed at the mere suggestion of such a thing. It pleased +the boy to notice how eagerly she seized his outstretched hand, to which +she clung confidingly. + +"Oh! no, 'cause I'm afraid. I saw a bear, a big bear once. Daddy shooed +it away from our house. And oh! it whiffed and whiffed just awful. +Please take me with you--Phil." + +"Just what I'll do, Mazie. You see I have three friends, all boys who +will be glad to see you. And when daddy comes he can take you back +home." + +"Home!" + +The child repeated the word after him. There was a bewildered look on +her face. Phil judged from this that some memory was awakening. + +"Home--daddy--muzzer!" he heard her say almost in a whisper. + +"Oh! you didn't tell me that your mother was up here, too; is she with +daddy, Mazie?" Phil asked her, as they walked slowly along. + +She looked up. The wistful glow in her eyes gave the boy a strange +feeling. + +"Oh! no. Muzzer gone far away. She never come to her little girl now," +he heard her say; and somehow the thought that she meant her mother was +dead kept Phil from questioning her any further. + +The little thing had evidently already recovered from her recent grief. +She trusted in Phil, and believed that it would only be a matter of a +short time before he would bring "daddy." + +In her eyes Phil was a magician. Nothing could be beyond his power to +accomplish. That is what the faith of a child means. + +She prattled all the way along, and yet it was pretty much about the +woods, the flowers she liked to pick, the noisy scolding squirrels, and +how daddy had always watched over her so carefully since they came up +here, ever and ever so long ago. + +Not once did she refer to any former life. It seemed to be in the nature +of a closed book with the child. + +Phil was waiting to see how she acted when they came in sight of the +cabin, for he felt sure she must recognize it. She pointed to several +things, even telling him that the tree with the dead top was where +"bushy-tail" lived and had a family, so daddy said, and daddy knew +everything. + +All at once the child gave a cry. She had discovered the cabin. + +"Oh! I live here!" she burst out, and disengaging her hand from that of +her champion she flew to the open door and burst in, shrilly crying: + +"Daddy! Daddy!" + +Imagine the astonishment of Lub. He happened to be sitting tailor +fashion on the floor sewing a button on that he had burst off, Ethan +told him when he gorged so much the evening before. + +Hearing a flutter, and then that cry in a childish voice, Lub turned to +see what he thought at first must be a specter. + +The little girl was abashed to find only a stranger there. Her sudden +hopes being so suddenly dissolved brought the tears again into her +eyes. + +But Phil quickly managed to brighten her up. And Lub was ready to do +almost anything to please the little miss, even to trying to stand on +his head had she demanded it. + +Then along came the other fellows. Of course both of them were as much +astonished as Lub had been, but at the same time showed that they were +not sorry to have such a little sunbeam around. + +Among themselves, of course, they talked it all over, and knew that +Mazie must be the child who had been the sole companion of the lonely +occupant of the cabin. + +"Too bad if it turns out he's a scoundrel, and a law breaker, with such +a bully little girl belonging to him." + +X-Ray Tyson said this, looking as he spoke at the suspiciously new coin +he had picked out of a crack in the floor, and which he fully believed +had been molded right there in that isolated cabin. + +"Don't count too much on that," remarked Phil; "you can tell that she +loves daddy above everything on earth. He can't be so _very_ wicked, I +guess." + +As the day wore on all of them took turns in amusing the little girl. +She proudly showed them a number of things that she had been in the +habit of playing with when she "lived here." + +Not once did she speak of a former life. Everything seemed to be +associated with "daddy." And as the other boys had been told by Phil +what he thought in connection with her mother being dead, of course they +were careful not to mention the word, for fear it might cause her sudden +grief. + +During the afternoon her merry laugh was heard frequently. Childish +troubles soon fade away. And surely a little girl could not wish for a +better lot of "big brothers" than these four boys seemed to be. They +anticipated her every wish, and after a while Mazie even seemed to look +upon them in the light of old and tried friends. + +Phil had arranged it that while their little guest honored them with her +company she was to have his bunk. He could make himself fairly +comfortable on the floor, somehow. A bunch of hemlock browse would do +for a mattress, and if the fire was kept up a blanket was hardly +necessary. + +Phil felt a little fearful that at night she might miss a familiar +figure, and cry herself to sleep wanting "daddy." He was agreeably +disappointed, however. Mazie ate supper with her protectors, and cuddled +down in the arms of Lub, to whom she had taken a great fancy. Perhaps it +was because he had so much to do with the getting of meals, although it +was hardly a fair thing to say that, because Lub was kindness itself. + +There she was finally discovered fast asleep. Lub insisted on them +leaving her with her head on his shoulder for a long time. + +Finally, Ethan and Phil having come back, after setting the flashlight +arrangement in a new place, they managed to carry the sleeping child to +the bunk provided, without arousing her. + +The night passed quietly. + +Phil would not have been surprised had a heavy summons on the door +brought them all to their feet, and upon opening up to find an almost +distracted man anxiously inquiring as to whether they had seen anything +of a lost child. + +Nothing of the kind occurred. + +Wherever "daddy" could be searching for the missing one as yet he failed +to turn his attention to the cabin where until recently he had lived in +retirement, a hermit, as X-Ray Tyson called him. + +Another dawn came. + +Breakfast was prepared in almost abject silence. The little girl was +still sleeping. All of the boys had tiptoed up and taken a peep at her +lying there, as though hardly able to believe it could be so. + +Phil had washed her face and hands the first thing, and with her rosy +cheeks and lips, with the masses of golden, natural curls she certainly +looked, as Lub expressed it, "pretty enough to eat." + +So breakfast was prepared almost in silence. When any of them found +occasion to speak it was laughable to see how they got their heads +together and whispered. + +Just before Lub had breakfast ready to serve, Mazie called out to Phil, +and was soon ready to sit down at the table with two of her newfound +friends, there not being room for all. + +X-Ray, thinking to pick up some information, called the child's +attention to the scorched places on the heavy board, apparently done +with molten metal. + +"See what daddy did!" he went on to say; and immediately the others, +guessing his game, waited to see the result. + +The little girl looked from X-Ray down to the scarred surface of the +table. She shook her head vigorously in the negative, and looked +indignant. + +"Daddy didn't!" she exclaimed, with a vigor that settled that question. + +"These marks were here when you came, were they, Mazie?" asked Phil. + +This time she nodded her little curly head in the affirmative. + +No more was said. X-Ray took out his new fifty cent piece and looked +hard at it--but if he half intended asking the child whether she had +ever seen any like it he changed his mind. Perhaps he did not fancy +looking into those clear blue eyes, and coaxing the child to +unconsciously betray her "daddy." + +After breakfast the boys started to do various things. Ethan and X-Ray +Tyson were more than ever bent upon fishing. They counted exactly even +now, and the excitement was running high. + +"But after this," said Ethan, who had the soul of a true sportsman, "we +mean to put back all the ordinary trout that are uninjured. We're no +fish hogs, you must know. We'll carry the little scales, and the foot +rule along, so as to measure what we take." + +"That's a sensible arrangement," Phil told them; "but then it's only +what I would have expected of you, Ethan." + +They were still gathering bait close by the cabin when there broke out a +terrible din. + +"It must be Lub!" exclaimed Ethan. + +"Yes, I saw him wandering off in that direction a bit ago," added X-Ray. + +"What can have happened to him?" exclaimed Phil, his mind running to +panthers, ferocious bobcats, hungry bears, and even an excited father, +wild with searching for his lost child. + +"There he comes now!" cried Ethan. + +"How funny he acts," X-Ray went on to say. + +Indeed, Lub was carrying on as though he had gone suddenly crazy, +leaping up into the air, threshing with his arms, and prancing madly to +and fro. All the while they could hear him letting out hoarse yells. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AN ENCOUNTER IN THE PINE WOODS + + +"Help! Chase 'em off, somebody! Help a fellow, won't you? Ouch! they're +murdering me by inches. Oh! my stars, what can I do?" + +"It's hornets!" shrieked X-Ray, always as quick as a flash. + +"Mebbe a swarm of yellow jackets!" suggested Ethan. "I can see something +whirling around over his head. Gee! what if he runs here and gives us a +dose? The cabin for mine." + +"Hold on," called out Phil, taking in the situation, and then raising +his voice he shouted to the terrified Lub: "Throw off your hat as you +run. There, that'll attract some. Now your coat. Never mind a sting or +two, but do as I say." + +Lub, accustomed in matters of this kind to letting some one else do his +thinking for him, hastened to obey. + +Immediately afterward he was heard calling piteously: + +"There's some after me yet, Phil, and oh! how they do hit you! I'm +beginning to swell up right now. How'll I get away from the swarm, Phil? +You tell me what to do, and quick!" + +"Run for the lake and jump in!" called out Phil. "Duck under, and keep +there as long as you can stand it." + +Without thinking twice, and only too willing to blindly obey, Lub +galloped straight to the shore of the lake. He happened to strike a +little bank, where the water was quite deep. + +"Here I go!" they heard him shout, and then came a tremendous splash. + +"Oh! my!" gasped X-Ray, "that settles our fishing for this morning! +He'll scare every trout in the lake with his threshing around!" + +Ethan was bubbling over with laughter, and even Phil had hard work to +keep from giving a shout when upon reaching the shore they saw what was +going on. + +Lub stood in water up to his chin. He kept bobbing his head in an +anxious effort to locate any determined insect that still hovered near +by. Occasionally he would duck entirely out of sight, and move along a +dozen feet, as though in hopes of eluding the enemy in this way. + +Taking pity on the poor fellow Phil assured him the coast was clear, +and that he was safe in coming out. + +Such a woe begone figure he presented. + +It seemed like a shame to laugh, but the boys could not have helped it +had their lives depended on keeping sober faces. + +Besides looking like a drowned rat, poor Lub found that his face was +already swelling up. His jaws looked as they may have done when he had +the mumps. One eye threatened to be lost altogether, on account of the +puffiness all around it. His nose had received due attention, and even +his hands had failed to come through the scorching fire unscathed. + +Despite all this Lub tried to grin, although the effort was, as X-Ray +said pretty much of a "ghastly failure." + +"I know I'm a sight to behold, fellows," whimpered Lub. "I guess I +deserve all I got, too, for being such a fool. But how was I to know +that old hornets' nest almost lying on the ground under the bush was +_loaded_!" + +"What did you take it for?" asked Phil. + +"Why," replied Lub, "I supposed it was a regular giant puff-ball, one of +the toad-stool kind that go off with a crack and a puff of smoke when +you kick 'em." + +"Then you actually kicked it?" cried Phil. + +"Just what I did--oh! murder!" gasped Lub, feeling of his enlarged head +in dismay. + +"And it went off, all right, I bet you?" asserted Ethan, uproariously. + +"A million of 'em came hustling out and started to eating me up," Lub +went on to explain, plaintively. "I killed 'em in droves, but there was +always a fresh lot. Then I ran--you saw how I had to carry on. Guess it +wasn't any laughing matter to _me_! And it isn't right now. If I keep on +swelling like I am I'll bust. Talk to me about having the big +head--bein' President of the United States wouldn't make my cranium +swell any more. Phil, ain't you going to do something for a chum that's +had trouble?" + +"Sure, I am," announced Phil, readily. "Ethan, find some mud, and let it +be clay if you can. Hurry and get it here. While you're doing it I'll +take the sting out with ammonia. It's lucky I thought to fetch some +along." + +Lub only too willingly put himself wholly in the hands of his friends. +The ammonia smarted at first, but by degrees the pain began to +disappear, as the poison was neutralized by the remedy. + +"I have to be careful not to let a drop of it get in your eyes, because +it would smart terribly," Phil told the patient. + +"Yes, I know even now how a dog feels when you squirt some of this stuff +in his eyes with those little ammonia pistols," Lub remarked. + +The process was continued until Ethan arrived with the clay. + +This was fastened on the best way possible by the use of Lub's big red +bandanna handkerchief. + +Phil had insisted on taking a snap shot of the victim of the hornets +before he had his face bound up. He also got another view after this +operation had been completed. + +"I'm doing this partly for your own good, Lub," he explained. "Perhaps +it'll make you feel bad to see how pride always swells before a fall. +But then it's going to be a valuable lesson to you." + +"And you'll never kick again before you're dead certain what kind of a +puff-ball it is, because some happen to be inhabited," X-Ray told him. + +As Lub would very likely not be fit for anything during the rest of that +day, Phil took charge, while the rival fishermen were out in the canoe. + +All the while he enjoyed having the little girl around. She seemed like +a real ray of sunshine. + +"Whatever will we do without her, Phil, if her father blows in here any +time and carries her off?" + +Lub said this in a muffled tone, for he was tied up good and fast, but +he meant every word of it. + +"Perhaps we might get him to let her stay with us," said Phil, showing +that he, too, had been thinking along those lines; "if one of you +fellows agreed to give up your bunk to 'daddy' and sleep on the floor +with me." + +"I'd do that, and more, for the sake of keeping her here," declared Lub. + +The fishermen reported at noon. + +X-Ray seemed in high spirits, and Ethan correspondingly depressed. It +was easy to see which way luck had gone that morning. + +"Well, there's another day coming," said Phil, hopefully. + +"Yes, and I mean to start in and show him a few wrinkles from now on," +Ethan declared; at which the other laughed scoffingly as he remarked: + +"Oh! so you've just been playing off all this time, have you? Seemed to +me you put in your best licks right along. I'll have to think up a few +dodges myself, if that's the game." + +"Everything square and above board, boys," warned Phil. + +"As fair as can be, Phil. Neither of us would want to play a mean +trick," said Ethan, and his rival echoed his words. + +After lunch Phil told them it was their turn to look after the camp +while he took a stroll. + +"Be careful about letting Mazie stray off," was what he told them the +last thing, ere starting away, camera in hand. + +He had managed to develop his two flashlight pictures, and so far as he +could tell from the films they appeared to be clean-cut good ones. Ethan +after inspecting the negatives had expressed the opinion that they +looked "fine." + +From various indications Phil began to believe he had the other +interested in the work, and that it would not be long before Ethan might +be counted as one of those who call it fascinating. + +Phil was thinking of all this as he walked along. Numerous other things +came into his mind also. He even wondered whether some accident might +not cause him to come upon Mazie's father, and what "daddy" would prove +to be. + +Somehow the boy had come to believe the man could not be bad, or he +would never have held the affection of that dear little heart; and he +knew from many signs that Mazie certainly fairly worshiped her father. + +Altogether the trip up to Lake Surprise was turning out delightfully all +around. + +There might be a few things associated with it that would not always be +a happy memory with some of his chums. For instance, there was the +episode of the hornets' nest which poor Lub had kicked on the impulse of +the moment, thinking it only a harmless "puff-ball." He would shiver +every time some buzzing sound reminded him of his wild flight; but even +then Lub had learned a lesson he could never forget. + +Phil kept his camera ready for instantaneous use. He knew that if by any +great good luck he "jumped" a deer that had been lying down, and +sleeping in the heat of the day, it would require considerable presence +of mind and a quick action in order to snapshot the animal at close +quarters. + +Being somewhat of an experienced hunter, Phil had been careful when +starting out to head into the wind. This was done so that a deer would +not discover his presence through any sense of smell, until he was close +up. + +Once given a fair chance, and he believed he was capable of handling the +situation. + +As luck would have it his course took him through the very same neck of +the woods where on the previous day he had found Mazie, only now he had +gone half a mile and more beyond that spot. + +All at once as Phil carefully pushed through a screen of bushes he heard +a scrambling sound. Some animal jumped to its feet, and Phil, as he took +note of the dun color, the immense size, the mule-like ears, the square +muzzle and the two-thirds grown horns knew that he was face to face with +the king of the Adirondack woods--a bull moose! + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +WHEN TWO PLAYED THE GAME + + +The moose looked at Phil, and Phil stared at the moose. Both of them +seemed to be equally surprised at the unexpected meeting. + +Apparently Phil was the first to recover, for the sharp little "click" +of his camera shutter acting, after he had quickly drawn a head on the +bulky animal, told that he was true to his instinct as a Nature +photographer. + +It may be that even that little snapping sound angered the moose; or +possibly he was just in a mood for trouble. The rutting season was well +over by this time of year, and his horns had grown fairly stout, so that +they could be trusted to do good service in battle. + +Phil never knew. In fact he had no opportunity to make inquiries, or +conduct any sort of an investigation. All he became aware of suddenly +was that the bull moose had lowered his head, and started toward him at +a full gallop. + +Now Phil may at times have been called a bold sort of a boy, but he also +had a pretty well defined streak of caution in his make-up. Those +towering horns had an ugly look to him. He could easily imagine how +inconvenient it would seem to feel them brought into personal contact +with some part of his body, with all that muscular power of the big +animal butting them on. + +There was only one thing left for Phil to do, and that was to make +himself scarce around that neighborhood as quickly as possible. + +Although the boy had never in all his life witnessed such a thing as a +genuine bull fight, he understood that the first thing to be done was to +dodge. The moose was so close to him that he knew he had very little +chance of outstripping those long legs in fair flight. + +With this partly formed plan in his head Phil ducked to the left, and +started to run. He could have no real motive in choosing this side, +because there was no time to take even a quick observation, and form a +plan of action. + +As it turned out luck favored him in making this hasty choice on the +spur of the moment. Had he turned to the right he would have been +compelled to cover such an extensive strip of open ground that his +fleet-footed enemy must have easily overtaken him. That would have +forced Phil to make another side movement, or else be caught up in +those branching horns. + +He knew what this latter must mean, and that once he found himself +knocked down and rendered helpless, he would be rolled along, prodded +wickedly, and even jumped upon in the endeavor to disable him. + +On the left, though, there were trees close to him that offered some +sort of refuge. Phil, hearing the moose putting after him at full speed, +hastened to swing his body around the first of the trunks he came to. It +would offer a barrier against the attacks of the animal until he could +get his wits about him, and figure out some plan. + +A minute later and the moose was chasing him around the tree in a merry +way. All the games Phil had ever played with his schoolmates in days +gone by were not a circumstance to the one he found himself engaged in +with that determined animal. The more he was disappointed at reaching +his supposed enemy the greater became the fury of the moose. He stamped, +and whistled, and butted his head against the tree; after which he would +start on another fast trot around it, the performance consisting of +perhaps a dozen or a score of circles. + +Phil had the inner ring, and could of course move much faster around +than the enemy. Still, it was not long before he became heartily tired +of that continual and useless work. It began to make him dizzy, too. He +found himself wondering whether the moose meant to keep going in these +spirals until he had exhausted the boy; and how long it was possible to +keep this sort of thing up before he fell over. + +It was in vain that he shouted in the face of the animal; the sound of a +human voice did not seem to have any effect, unless it was to make the +beast show fresh animation, as though spurred on to renewed vigor. + +"However am I to get the better of the old fool?" Phil asked himself +between his puffs; for this happened after he had been chased another +dozen times around the well-worn path. + +There was a breathing spell, as the moose halted for a brief time. Phil +did not cherish any hope or expectation that the beast meant to retire, +and leave him to himself. In fact he began to believe the big animal was +having the time of his life, and enjoying it immensely. + +"Which is more than I can say I'm doing," Phil grumbled; "this +ring-around-the-rosy business is played out, and I've just got to find +some way to stop it." + +Taking advantage of the breathing spell he cast a hurried look back of +him. Of course he did not dream that such a thing as help could come; on +the contrary his only expectation was that he might find some way by +means of which he could extricate himself from his dilemma. + +"Bully! if I can only make that clump of small trees I ought to manage +it!" was what Phil exclaimed. + +There was no time for more just then. Mr. Bull Moose was ready for +another frolic, having freshened up. So again they chased madly around +that tree, the hoofs of the animal tearing up the ground until it looked +as though he had made a regular race-track there. + +When finally the new inning came to a close Phil was fairly panting for +breath, and more dizzy than ever. + +"A few more turns like that would do me up!" he gasped; and then gritted +his teeth with a determination to make the break he had figured on. + +Fortunately the moose always seemed to come to a stand at about the same +spot. This brought the little clump of trees exactly behind Phil, which +fact would give him a chance to get fairly started before the moose +became aware of his intention. + +Taking in a long breath the boy suddenly darted away. + +He instantly heard the moose rushing after him. The distance was short, +and so Phil managed to swing around his new shelter, with those ugly +horns not more than five feet behind him. + +Well, that was all the margin he needed for safety. The new barrier +would cause him to cover much more ground with every revolution; but +then it was not his purpose to keep this up any longer than was +absolutely necessary. + +A great wave of relief swept over the boy when he managed to slip in +between two of the small trees, and found that he was well protected on +all sides from the enraged animal's horns. + +In vain did the moose attempt to insert his head between the trees. Phil +kicked at him, and continued his shouts. By now he was beginning to feel +that the advantage was swinging over to his side. He had done nothing to +incur this hostility on the part of the animal, and was surely entitled +to the privilege of defending himself as best he could, even to the +extent of inflicting injury on his four-footed enemy. + +Perhaps at some time in the past a monster tree had been cut down on +this spot, and these second-growth saplings had sprung up in a circle +that was wide enough to afford a nimble boy shelter. The towering horns +of the moose, more than anything else, rendered it difficult for him to +reach Phil. + +This second stage of the affair was a decided improvement on the first, +Phil assured himself. At the same time he was not satisfied. He failed +to see the fun of being kept a prisoner, cooped up in that limited space +for perhaps hours. It was no fault of his that the moose chanced to be +in an ugly humor; and just then, if Phil Bradley had had any sort of +firearm along he would have felt justified in dispatching that furious +animal. Game laws are good things, but even they must be broken when +one's life is placed in jeopardy. + +Besides his pocket knife Phil had nothing on his person that could be +called a weapon. For once he had even left his hunting knife at the +cabin, and bitterly he repented of his unusual thoughtlessness. It would +never happen again he told himself, when he realized how helpless he +was. + +When the moose again started trying to get at him Phil conceived a new +hope. It was in the shape of an inspiration, and he watched eagerly in +the expectation that such a thing might come to pass. + +What if the moose did find a way to crowd his head between two of the +trees, by slanting it sideways; what if in his stupidity he was unable +to extricate it again, and could only tug frantically backwards becoming +excited and helpless? + +That would be turning the tables in great shape. Phil had seen cows +confined in stall yokes somewhat after that fashion. He also knew how +green turtles are captured in large mesh nets down along the Florida +coast streams like Indian River; for the stupid creature, having passed +its flippers through the net, and being unable to continue the forward +movement on account of the bulging shell, simply keeps trying to urge +itself on, and never dreaming that it could back out by reversing its +flippers. + +There was one particular place where Phil thought the chances seemed +fairly good that the horns of the moose might pass through, provided he +turned his head the proper way. + +In order to try out his scheme he did all in his power to coax the +animal to begin operations in that section. For a while it seemed as +though the moose persistently avoided the larger opening. Everywhere +else he struggled the best he knew how to reach the prisoner of the +saplings, even pawing viciously at him with his hoofs. + +"I must make a big bluff of meaning to slip out through that hole," Phil +told himself; "and when he gets around there perhaps he'll fall into the +trap." + +This he immediately started to carry out. It worked like a charm, too, +for he had barely time to dodge back into his asylum when his captor +came up against the tree next the wider opening with a bang. + +After that Phil easily led him into making a fresh effort to insert his +horned head through that opening. Eagerly the boy watched every move on +the part of the determined animal. Twice it looked as though success was +about to crown the effort of the moose. + +"Keep going!" Phil told him, encouragingly, as he tapped the animal's +nose with the toe of his shoe, just to keep his temper up, so he might +not get weary of his task; "one good turn deserves another. The third +time takes the cake. Just manage to get your old horns through first, +and then you can push that big head after, as easy as pie. That's the +way. Whoop! he's really done it!" + +Of course the moose could not understand the explicit directions which +Phil was only too willingly handing him; but by some chance he did +manage to get his obstructive horns through, and then follow with his +head; though his shoulders would prevent him from going only so far. +Phil thought he had been neatly trapped, and his next move was of course +to slip out of the circle by another exit. + +"Wonder now if I dare skip out, and leave him there?" + +Phil asked himself this as he saw that the moose had already taken the +alarm over his condition, and was acting wildly, twisting his head in +every direction, and straining to drag it out. + +"What if his horns gave way, or broke off? Oh! that time he came within +an ace of getting free! He may be smarter than a turtle, and remember +how he pushed in. I'd be in a bad box if he did get free, and chased +after me again lickety-split!" + +Phil believed it was his best policy to stay there, and watch a while +longer, just to see what the animal would do. If some time passed, and +the moose did not seem able to extricate himself from his sad dilemma, +then Phil believed he could take his hurried departure; though he meant +to snap off a picture of the animal first. + +"Might as well do that same now, while I have the chance," he went on to +say; and stepping well back to where he could get a fine view of the +imprisoned moose, he again made use of his camera to advantage. + +Hardly had he done so than he saw the animal twisting his head again in +a way that threatened to bring about the catastrophe which Phil dreaded. +In fact the boy had only time to once more hurriedly gain the shelter of +the clump of trees when he saw the moose withdraw his head from its +yoke. + +"Well, it looks like you might be a smart one," muttered Phil, as he +found himself once more fast in the trap, with the enraged animal +striking at him with his hoofs, and making all sorts of queer noises +that might be taken for threats. + +When this had gone on for nearly half an hour, and there was no sign of +a cessation, Phil started to exercise his wits again. First he began an +investigation of his pockets to see if there might not be some means for +bringing this ridiculous and uncomfortable situation to an end. + +"What's this?" he exclaimed, as he drew forth a small package and stared +at it, as if unable on the spur of the moment to understand what it was +or how it came to be there; then it flashed upon him, and he gave a wild +shout of joy. + +"Why, would you believe it, this must be the little paper of black +pepper I had in my pack. Lub was asking for some this morning, while +cooking breakfast; and when he handed it back to me I must have dropped +it in my pocket without thinking what I was doing, meaning to put it on +the shelf when I stood up. Hurrah! if ever a pinch of pepper was worth +its weight in gold that time is now. It seems mighty cruel to do such a +thing, but what else is left to me?" + +Of course it was an easy thing to get close enough to the moose to +scatter some of the pepper over his head. It did seem a cruel thing to +do, and Phil would never tell the story without a feeling of shame; but +he considered that his life was at stake, and hence he was justified in +going to such extreme measures. + +The actions of the bull moose immediately told that the siege was going +to be called off without delay. He shook his head, snorted furiously, +and then turning galloped away. Phil saw him collide with a tree before +he passed from view, and the sight caused him to utter an exclamation of +pity. + +"But he'll pull through it in time," the boy was saying, as he came out +of his place of refuge; "by to-morrow it'll be pretty nearly over. I +wonder if he's learned a lesson, and will give two-legged strangers a +wide berth after this. Well, it was all his own fault. He had no need to +get into such a tearing rage because I took his picture. But let me tell +you I'm as tired as if I'd been running a ten mile race. Every muscle in +my body aches from the sudden jumps I had to give." + +Phil felt that on the whole he had come out of the scrape with honors. +And whenever he looked at that picture of the moose with his head fast +among the saplings, it would be apt to remind him forcibly of the +adventure. + +"No more tramping for me to-day," he continued, shaking his head; "I've +had good and plenty of it. The rest can wait for another time. Even if I +didn't snap off another view all the time I was up here I'd feel it paid +me to come; but I've got a few more cards up my sleeve to play. That +flashlight business is going to pan out just great, I can see. Now to +head for home. I can imagine how the boys' eyes will stare when I tell +them what I've been up against, and prove it with that picture." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +HOW "DADDY" CAME BACK + + +In order to see more of the country Phil took a notion to change his +course while heading for the home camp. This turned out to be another of +those little things that occasionally happen by accident, but which +afterwards seem to have been inspired. + +He had not been walking along more than ten or twelve minutes before he +came to a sudden pause. + +"What under the sun could that have been," he asked himself, listening +intently; "sounded as near like a regular groan as anything could be." + +Ridiculous as it might seem, Phil even thought of the suffering moose, +and wondered whether the distressed animal could have taken shelter in +that thick copse, to moan with pain. Then again he heard the strange +sound. + +"It must be some one's lying there, and in pain!" Phil observed, though +the idea gave him a thrill of apprehension. + +He stepped closer, and when for the third time the same type of noise +welled out of the bushes he made bold to call: + +"Who's there? Do you need any help?" + +There was a rustling sound. Then the bushes parted, and he saw a man's +face peering at him. Phil could not remember ever having seen that face +before, and yet it struck him that he ought to be able to give a good +guess who the other was going to turn out to be. He had Mazie in his +mind just then; her "daddy" was the only man known to be around that +neighborhood. + +The other beckoned to him, and as Phil approached he went on to say, in +a voice that was half muffled, both with pain and anxiety: + +"Oh! I'm glad that you've come, boy. My leg is broken, and I've got to +the point where I can't seem to drag myself another yard. I'm hungry +too, and crazy for a drink of water. But I was just making up my mind I +might as well give up, and be done with it; because if she's dead +there's no use of my living!" + +That settled one thing in Phil's mind. The man was Mazie's father. +Already the boy could see that he did not have the look of a villain. +Pain and want had made deep lines on his face, but somehow Phil believed +the other was all right. + +He could easily imagine what the father must have suffered both in body +and mind, with his little daughter lost in that big wilderness, and a +broken leg preventing him from searching for her, as he would have +wanted to. + +Evidently he must be relieved in his mind as speedily as possible. + +"Do you mean Mazie?" Phil asked. + +The man stared hard at him. Then, as hope struggled into his almost +broken heart he burst out with: + +"Why do you ask me that? How do you know her name? Oh! boy, boy, tell me +she is safe--that you or some of your friends have found my darling +child!" + +At that Phil nodded quickly in the affirmative, and the man fell +backwards as though about to faint from sheer joy. But it was not so, +for he struggled up once more to his former sitting posture, as Phil +bent over him. + +"Safe, Mazie safe after all! Oh! it seems that I must be dreaming, it is +too good to be true! Tell me in plain words, I beg of you, boy!" + +"She is at the cabin with us, and perfectly well," Phil went on to say, +plainly. "I found her crying in the woods. Are you her 'daddy'?" + +"Yes, and I have been trying to crawl all the way to the cabin, dragging +this wretched leg after me," the man told him; "it seemed as if it would +kill me with the pain, but as long as I was able I kept it up, for +something seemed to tell me my only hope was there. I meant to beg you +to scour the woods, and call her name everywhere. Oh! it is a wonder my +hair hasn't turned white with what I have suffered, mostly in mind, for +I could stand the rest without whimpering. Mazie is safe! Oh! I see now +what a fearful wrong I have done. I vow to repair it as soon as I can +travel." + +"Will you let me take a look at your leg?" asked the boy. + +"Only too gladly, if you think you can do me any good," he was instantly +told. "My one longing now is to get to where the child is. To have her +in my arms I would endure any torture there could be." + +"I happen to know a little about such things, and perhaps could do you +some good," Phil went on to tell him. "Then there happens to be a little +spring back a short distance for I had a drink there, and the water's +icy cold. I'll fetch you some before I hurry to the cabin to get help." + +"You are kind, boy; what shall I call you?" asked the man; and evidently +from his looks, speech, and manners he was a gentleman, Phil realized. + +"My name is Phil Bradley," he said, as he bent down to see what he could +do for the injured limb; "there are four of us up here for a little +outing. I happen to own a patch of ground bordering on Lake Surprise, +and that birch bark lodge is on it." + +The man muttered something to himself, and Phil thought he caught the +one word "fool." Perhaps he was taking himself to task for acting so on +impulse when first discovering the coming of the strangers, whom he must +have believed were persons whom he had reason to distrust. + +All that could be left until later for discussion among himself and his +three chums; Phil felt that his present business was to succor the +wounded man. + +He found that there was a compound fracture of the bones of the lower +limb, not far from the ankle. The man must have caught his foot somehow, +and pitched forward heavily. + +"Once we get you to the cabin, sir, and I'm sure I can set the bones, +and ease your pain greatly," he told the other, presently. + +"That satisfies me," the man remarked, closing his lips as though he +felt that he could stand anything, now that Mazie was safe. "Please make +all the haste you possibly can. Minutes will seem like hours to me until +I feel her dear little arms around my neck." + +"First I must get you a drink," Phil told him; and without waiting to +see or hear anything more he darted off, all his own weariness utterly +forgotten in this one desire to render first aid to the wounded. + +He had no trouble doubling on his own trail, and thus finding the +spring. Since there was no other means for carrying water Phil dipped +his hat in, and was soon back alongside the injured man, who drank +greedily of the cold fluid, and seemed greatly refreshed in consequence. + +"Now I'll run in the direction of the cabin," Phil observed, after he +had in this fashion relieved the pressing needs of the other. + +"Are you sure you can find me again?" asked the man, anxiously. "If you +are in doubt call out, and I'll try to answer. I heard shouts a little +while back, but my throat was too dry for me to make a sound above a +groan." + +"You heard me having a little circus with an angry bull moose that had +me backed up behind a tree," Phil told him; "but never fear about my +being able to come straight here. I'm woodsman enough for that, and take +my bearings as I go. Look for us to come inside of an hour, sir." + +With that he was off on a run. Just as he had said with such assurance, +he had his bearings, and knew just which way to go in order to reach +home. Before twenty minutes had elapsed Phil burst upon those comrades +who were clustered in front of the cabin, watching the little girl do +some cunning dance steps which she could hardly have learned up there in +that wilderness. + +Judging from his excited condition that Phil had met with an adventure +of some sort, the boys began to ask numerous questions. + +"Never mind what it's all about, fellows," he told them. "I want Ethan +and X-Ray to come with me right away. Lub, you look after the cabin, and +Mazie. Ethan, fetch your camp hatchet; and we will need some ends of +rope. Hurry, both of you! I'll explain after we're on the run!" + +The blank expression on poor Lub's face told better than words what he +thought of being left out in the cold that way. Still, he was so +accustomed to doing what he was told that such a thing as rebellion +never once entered his head. Besides, he must have realized that some +one had to stay with the child. And when it came to sprinting, as Phil +seemed to think was going to be necessary, Lub was not built for quick +action or long continued running. + +Phil had hardly time to draw a dozen long breaths before the other boys +announced that they were ready to accompany him. + +Wonder was written in big letters all over their faces. The little Phil +had said must certainly have aroused their curiosity until it reached +fever heat. + +"Now, for goodness' sake open up, and tell what all this is about, +please, Phil!" begged X-Ray Tyson, as they ran along in company. + +It was no time to even mention anything concerning the stirring +adventure with that stubborn and combative moose bull. Later on he could +relate the story, and perhaps show them the pictures he had taken, to +prove his marvelous tale. + +"Man up in the woods here a ways, with a broken leg!" he started to say. + +"Whee! is that so?" exclaimed Ethan. + +"Mazie's 'daddy' for a cookey!" cried X-Ray, always the first to alight +on a solution to a puzzling question. + +"Yes, that's who he is," Phil went on, jerking out his words somewhat, +because he was using up his wind in running. "He broke it while hunting +for the child; and has been nigh crazy ever since. Struck him he might +get help from us. Started to actually drag himself all the way there. +Petered out in the end. Bad shape, too, but think I can pull him through +all right!" + +"You want us to help get him home; is that it, Phil?" demanded Ethan. + +"Yes, we've just got to do it. Poor fellow needs lots of attention. He'd +likely die if left much longer. I think gangrene would set in, and +finish him. Glad I fetched along my little medicine case, with bandages +and such things. Thought one of us might get into trouble, and need it. +Handy thing to have around in the woods." + +"It sure is," agreed X-Ray Tyson; "but how can we carry a man all the +way to the cabin, Phil? If he's that bad hurt it's going to be a hard +job." + +"Huh! see this hatchet?" demanded Ethan, flourishing the article in +question before the eyes of the other. "Well, with that sharp edge it +won't be a hard thing to tinker up some kind of stretcher. That's what +Phil had in mind when he told you to fetch some rope ends along." + +"Just what I did," Phil assured them; "but hold on now, and save your +breath for running; you'll need it all. We'll get there in ten minutes +more, I think." + +About that time had elapsed when Phil sighted the spot where he had left +the wounded man. He knew it from the land marks he had impressed on his +mind. And both going and coming the boy had maintained a constant watch, +so as to make sure that he continued in the direct line he had laid out. + +"There he is!" he suddenly exclaimed, as he saw a hand feebly waving +from the covert of bushes. + +"Oh! I'm glad you've gotten back again!" the wounded man told Phil. "It +has seemed ages since you left; but I watched the sun, and knew that the +hour had not passed that you said it might take. These are your friends, +are they?" + +"Yes, Ethan Allan and Raymond Tyson. We mean to get busy, and make some +sort of a litter that will do to carry you on. Let's see, you begin and +cut some poles, Ethan." + +As the boy with the camp hatchet knew just what sort to select, he was +soon busily engaged in chopping down small saplings. As these were +trimmed of branches, and cut in proper lengths the other boys began to +splice them together. + +After all it was not a hard task. Although possibly none of them had +ever built such a thing as a stretcher, they knew in a general way how +it must be done in order to accommodate a wounded man. There were four +handles by means of which it could be gripped and carried. These two +main braces of course were extra strong, and made of hickory. Then the +others were shorter and not so thick, so that the body of the stretcher +might bend somewhat. + +When the thing was completed the boys found some hemlock browse, with +which they made as soft a bed as possible. + +"Now, if you can stand for it to let us lift you, we'll soon be on our +way," Phil went on to say to the injured man. + +"I can stand anything but continued suspense," the other declared, +bravely. + +They could see that he had to shut his teeth tightly together in order +to keep back his groans while they were lifting him as gently as they +could. But despite his white face the man tried to smile at Phil when he +saw the look of pity on the boy's face. + +"Don't mind me--I'm all right--you're doing famously--I'll never, never +forget it, either!" he said, between breaths. + +Phil took one end, that nearer the patient's feet, while the other boys +managed the second pair of handles between them. The stretcher had been +made purposely narrow at the foot, so that one bearer could handle it. + +"If you get tired, sing out, Phil, and we'll change all around," X-Ray +remarked. + +It was not hard work after all. The man happened to be of medium weight, +and not unusually tall, so with only two short resting spells they +carried their burden all the way to the shore of the lake. + +How eagerly he leaned over one side of the stretcher, and strove to +catch a first glimpse of his child, over whose fate he had been almost +losing his mind while lying there, wounded so grievously in the pine +woods. + +Lub heard them coming. He stared almost stupidly at first, hardly +understanding what it was they were carrying. Perhaps Lub even thought +it might be that pugnacious half-grown bear cub, which had attacked Phil +in the forest and suffered in consequence. + +He quickly understood differently, however. There was a flutter near +him, a swift patter of childish feet flying over the ground, a gasping +cry, and then little Mazie was clasped in the eager arms of the man on +the litter. Regardless of the pain his exertions were causing him the +father pressed his darling to his heart, while a look of supreme joy +came upon his white face. + +Then Phil had to bend over and unwind the arms of Mazie from the neck of +"daddy," for he suddenly discovered that what with his emotions and the +agony of his broken limb the man had fainted dead away. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE PUZZLE OF IT ALL + + +"What d'ye make out of it all, Phil?" + +When Ethan asked this question two days had elapsed since they brought +the wounded man to the cabin. Much had happened during this time. In the +first place Phil had proven himself a splendid amateur surgeon, for he +had set the broken bones, and attended to securing splices so that they +would be kept in proper position while the mending process continued. + +Of course this was somewhat old-fashioned, because a doctor would have +set the limb in a plaster cast; but Phil's way promised to answer for +all practical purposes. + +The man had improved remarkably. He was even cheerful, though at times +Phil had seen him shake his head, and could hear him sigh. This was +always while he was watching Mazie; and it did not require much to tell +the boy that whatever was upon the man's troubled conscience concerned +his child. + +"It's pretty hard to say, Ethan," he told the other; "I can't make up my +mind that's he's any sort of a scamp. His actions tell us that, you +know." + +"And it's hard for me to believe that any man who loves a child as he +does that one of his, can be a bad man," Ethan declared, emphatically. + +"Yet you saw how he turned red in the face when I handed him the +telegram, and explained how we found it caught under the bow seat of his +birch-bark canoe," continued Phil, looking troubled. + +"What was it he mumbled at the time; I didn't quite get it?" Ethan +asked. + +"He admitted," the other explained, "that the message had come to him. +He also said that was not his real name, but one assumed for a purpose, +of which he was now heartily ashamed." + +"That sounds queer, don't you think, Phil?" + +"Why, no, I can't say that I do," Ethan was told. "Any of us might do +something on the spur of the moment that we found reason to feel sorry +for afterwards. Only the other day I bitterly repented of insulting that +noble old bull moose by daring to snap my camera at him point-blank, +didn't I? He made it pretty warm for me, I tell you." + +"But this mysterious man must have done something dreadful, to have him +say he was so repentant!" persisted Ethan. + +"You're only jumping at conclusions," he was told, bluntly. "I heard him +say at the time he was lying there in the pine woods and suffering, that +he realized he had done somebody a great wrong, and that if he lived he +meant to right it. Now, according to my notion, that was a fine thing +for him to say." + +"Mebbe so," remarked Ethan. "I've heard my father say that the best men +are those who've been through the fire, done some wrong, and repented, +so that they think they must spend the rest of their lives making good. +And between us I kind of fancy Mazie's daddy. He seems to be a pretty +nice man." + +"Mazie evidently thinks there isn't another like him in the whole +world," Phil told him; "look at her now as she sits there holding his +hand. Why, Ethan, believe me, I can see what looks mighty like a tear +running down his cheek. Yes, there, he wiped it away, and shook his +head. That man's made up his mind to some big sacrifice, you mark my +words." + +"Then it must be in connection with Mazie," added Ethan, quickly; +"because the sun rises and sets with her, in his opinion." + +"I wonder now," began Phil, with lines on his forehead, as though a +sudden idea had flashed into his mind that he hardly knew how to handle. + +"What are you thinking about?" inquired Ethan, who knew the signs. + +"But then there's no doubt he's her father, so that could hardly be," +Phil went on to say, as though crushing the suspicion that had arisen. + +"Well, what about it, Phil?" + +"Oh! I just happened to wonder if he could have stolen the child from +some one, and had now made up his mind that it was wicked, and she must +be returned. But then, how could a father be tempted to steal his own +child? I reckon that must have been a silly notion. Let's forget it." + +"Like as not we'll never know," Ethan observed, a little provoked, it +seemed, on account of not being able to solve the mystery that +surrounded Mazie and her "daddy;" for Ethan above all things hated to +give a puzzle up as beyond his power. + +"Wait and see," the other advised him. "As it is now, he feels under +some obligations to the lot of us, and may think we deserve to hear his +story before we get him down to civilization again." + +"Some obligation?" repeated Ethan. "Well, it's my honest opinion he owes +you his life! If you hadn't found him when you did, he'd be dead right +now. And then about that job of setting the bones in his leg, you did +yourself proud there. It'd be a queer thing, and ungrateful in the +bargain, if he said good-by, and never once opened up to explain +things." + +"It isn't going to bother me a bit," Phil told him. + +"Now, is that a hint that I'm foolish to keep it on my mind?" asked +Ethan. + +"If the shoe fits, put it on," his chum told him. "But one thing sure, +he'll never be able to walk on that leg by the time we expect to start +home." + +"Which I take it means we'll either have to carry him all the way down +to the village on that stretcher, if it takes two days; or else one of +us go after a team." + +"Without any road up here," Phil explained, "it would be a hard job to +get horses to the lake. And then the going would be so tough he'd suffer +terribly. So as near as I can see it looks as if we'd have to work that +stretcher again." + +"Huh! I like that!" grunted Ethan, though he must have meant it in +sarcasm, for his tone showed anything but enthusiasm. "We all +congratulated ourselves on the way up here on the fact that we'd have it +easy going out of the woods, because all that canned stuff and other +grub would be devoured. And now by jinks! if we don't have to lug a +_man_ out. Whee!" + +"But there's no other way, Ethan; and you'd be the last fellow to vote +to leave him behind, if I know you," ventured Phil. + +"Sure, I would, and don't you mind how I grumble every little while, +Phil. My grandfather on my mother's side was a whaler, and I guess now I +must have inherited his sailor way of growling. I try to cure myself of +the habit, but she will break out once in a while. It's harmless, you +know; it comes from the mouth but not from the heart." + +Phil laughed softly. + +"I haven't chummed with you as long as this not to know you like a book, +old fellow," he said, affectionately, as he laid a hand on the other's +shoulder. "We've had some pretty good times, together with X-Ray Tyson +and jolly old Lub; and we hope to enjoy a lot more. Wait till we get +down there on Currituck Sound this fall, when the ducks are arriving in +flocks. You know I've got the finest little shooting-box located there +you ever heard tell of. And, say, perhaps we won't have the grandest +time going." + +"I hope nothing will keep us from going along with you, that's all," +said Ethan, drawing a long breath; for gunning was his one particular +hobby, and the prospect of a week or two on those famous ducking-grounds +appealed irresistibly to his hunter's heart. + +"This has been the hottest day we've struck since we came up here," said +X-Ray Tyson just then, as he came sauntering up, wiping his forehead +with his big red bandanna. + +"Yes, and unless I'm a poor weather prophet," added Phil, taking a look +aloft as he spoke, "we're just about due for a whacker of a storm. No +leaving my camera out-of-doors this night, I tell you." + +"We'll all be glad of a decent roof over our heads, if she comes on to +blow and rain great guns," Ethan remarked. + +"How about the pictures you were printing a while ago, Phil; turn out +well?" asked the last comer. + +"See for yourself," he was told, as Phil drew a little book out of his +pocket, among the leaves of which he had a number of fresh prints. + +"Well, that one of the moose poking his head between the little trees is +a jim-dandy, let me tell you!" declared X-Ray Tyson. "Every wrinkle of +his hide shows as plain as it could. And say, here's one showing Ethan +and me carrying the litter, with Mazie's daddy on the same. I didn't +know you snapped that off." + +"You've had great luck so far in all your pictures, haven't you, Phil?" +Ethan went on to say. + +"No complaints from me," he was told; "and I do feel I've been in great +luck, as you say. I've got on the track of a fox, and pretty soon I hope +to have his smart phiz along with the rest." + +"It'll be a prize collection yet, take that from me," X-Ray announced. + +"The funny part of it," continued Ethan, "is the fact that while you'll +have all these pictures, most of the originals you've never seen. That +comes of fixing it so they press the button, and do the flashlight act +themselves." + +"Saves a heap of trouble," commented X-Ray, sensibly. + +"Of course the main thing is," Phil went on to say, "that you couldn't +get that class of Animated Nature picture in any other way. I'd hate to +stick it out all night, waiting for Mr. 'Possum or Br'er Rabbit to +breeze along, so I could flash him. Besides, the most wary of all, Br'er +Fox, wouldn't come within a hundred feet of a human scent. They've got +too keen noses for that. And yet I expect to show a fox picture soon." + +"I wish I had one of that dandy black fox I trapped last winter, and the +pelt of which brought me over a cool three hundred," remarked Ethan; and +X-Ray was heard to take a quick breath as though given a little shock; +at the same time winking aside toward Phil, who frowned, and shook his +head threateningly. + +They did not share that enthusiasm with the proud trapper, over that +particular foxskin; simply because they knew it was a very poor specimen +of its kind, and by rights not worth one-tenth the amount of the check +which Ethan had received from the dealer in the distant city--Phil's +uncle, though Ethan never dreamed of such a dreadful thing. + +"Well, it strikes me you're a pretty clever weather man after all, Phil, +because I certainly heard far-away thunder right then," and X-Ray as he +said this pointed up at the heavens, which were heavily overcast with +dark clouds. + +"Let's get busy then, and see that everything is snug," Phil suggested. + +"First of all we must get Mazie and her daddy housed," Ethan remarked. +"By using the pair of rough crutches I made him, and with some help, he +manages to get about after a fashion, though he'd be better keeping +still some days yet. But he's such an active man it's hard to tie him +down." + +"He told me," Phil informed them, "he had that boat carried away up here +on the back of a guide; and that another man brought his grub, blankets +and outfit. You know we went and got all the duffle from the place he'd +hidden it when he left here, a regular cave in the rocks; and everything +looks like the party who bought the same had money to burn." + +"Yes, he admitted that much to me," said Phil. "He also said those marks +were on the table when they came. One of the guides told him a story +about some men who were up two years ago, and arrested by government +agents. He thinks they may have been bogus money-makers. When I showed +him the fifty-cent piece X-Ray found he tried it every which way, and +said it was probably counterfeit, though as clever an imitation as he +had ever seen. But there's another grumble of thunder, boys, so let's +get to work." + +With the four of them hustling, things were speedily arranged. After the +lame man and Mazie had been assisted under cover, the boys started to +lay in plenty of fire-wood to last them a couple of days. There could be +no telling how long the storm might linger--perhaps there would be only +an hour of furious bombardment; and then again it was likely to rain +heavily for days. Adirondack storms have a pretty bad name, as all will +agree who have ever experienced their vigor and fury. + +X-Ray even climbed up on the roof, and proceeded to patch one corner +that he imagined needed repairs. + +"I'm not like the backwoodsman who never seemed to get his leaky roof +mended," X-Ray announced, from his elevated position; "and when they +came to ask him the reason he says, says he: 'When it rains I carnt mend +it; and when the weather's dry, what's the use?' The time to do it is +when you hear the thunder warning you there's something great coming." + +"It's getting closer all the while," commented Phil, as a louder burst +came to their ears. + +"And listen, what's that other sound we hear?" asked X-Ray Tyson, about +ready to descend from his perch. + +"Why, that's wind!" announced Ethan. + +"Whew! it must be a hurricane then, for I thought that was a freight +train. I'm glad we haven't any big tree hanging over us that'd be in +danger of falling. And I'm also pleased to know our Lodge is so well +protected by evergreens and birches. They'll serve as a wind-break." + +"There's the rain; and as the wind is pretty fierce, we'd better adjourn +to the cabin," and Phil led the way, with the others at his heels. + +Hardly had they entered than there was a vivid flash without, followed +by a crash that shook the humble cabin. Then with a shriek the wind +swooped down, the rain began to fall in sheets and the storm was on. + +They had seen ordinary storms many times, but one and all were decidedly +of the opinion that this was something beyond the common. When X-Ray +called it a hurricane he was not far out of the way. + +Every little while they could hear a crash somewhere near by that +sounded like a big tree falling; and in fact they understood that this +was what was taking place; all of which made them doubly glad they had +so good a shelter. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +AFTER THE STORM + + +"Such a night I've passed; never slept a wink!" groaned Lub, as he +dangled his feet over the side of an upper bunk, and held a heavy head +between his hands. + +"Well, all I can say is that you made so much noise snoring I couldn't +hear the wind blow at times; so explain that away if you can. Jump down +there, and stop shutting off what little light there is from me." + +That was X-Ray Tyson talking. As Ethan had insisted on making himself a +sleeping place on the floor alongside Phil, X-Ray had pre-empted his +bunk, giving his own to the wounded man, while little Mazie had the +second upper one. + +It had indeed been a terrible night. + +With little cessation the storm had held forth. At times Phil, lying +awake because it was impossible to get the clamor out of his mind, +wondered if there would be any decent-sized trees left in the North +Woods by the time things settled down quiet again. + +He and Ethan were up and busily engaged getting some breakfast ready. It +was as much as they could do to see, so dim was the light; and they did +not dare use the lantern, because their supply of kerosene was limited. + +"How'd you like to have been caught out in that whooper, eh, Lub?" asked +Ethan, as the other continued to yawn, and rub his reddened eyes, though +still occupying his position there on the edge of his berth, X-Ray +having crawled out below. + +"Please excuse me from answering that question," the other replied. "I +never'd have survived it, I reckon. Bad enough to be in a dinky little +twelve by twelve cabin, let alone a hollow tree, or a make-shift under a +shelving rock." + +"Now, none of your making fun of Birch Bark Lodge," warned X-Ray; "it's +been a hunky-dory refuge, all right, don't forget it. And say, not a +drop leaked in on us through that bad part in the roof. Shows what a +little common-sense can do for things, don't it?" + +"All I can say," remarked Phil, from over the fire, "is that I'm sorry +for any one who might be unlucky enough as to get caught in that +howler. If they missed being struck by lightning, they ran a big chance +of getting crushed under a falling tree." + +"Yes," added Ethan, "and at the best they'd be soaked through and +through. It's no fun to feel that way all night. You start to shivering, +and then like as not your teeth rattle together like you've heard the +minstrel end-man shake his bones when he sings. I've had a little +experience, and I know what I'm talking about." + +The man in the lower bunk had been listening to all this conversation. +Phil noticed he seemed to have an additional line across his forehead. +Perhaps the storm had also kept him awake. Possibly he had often thought +of how uncomfortable it would be for any one he happened to know, who +might have been caught in the open woods by the howling gale. + +They were eating breakfast some time later, when the man from his bunk, +since he preferred to lie there while so many were around the small +cabin, called out to Phil. He had long since recognized the patent fact +that the Bradley boy was a leader of his set; and that the other three +only too gladly looked up to Phil, not on account of his being +independent with regard to means, but because he had the attributes of +leadership in his person. + +"Do you think the storm has slackened for good, Phil, or will it come +back again for another siege? It seems to me the wind has changed, and +is blowing much more evenly." + +"When I took that look out just a bit ago," Phil told him, "I noticed +several pretty good signs that seemed to tell we had got to the wind-up. +It wouldn't surprise me, because these hard storms are not the ones that +last for days. We could go out now, if we didn't mind getting wet from +the dripping of the trees." + +The man had something on his mind, Phil saw. During the night he must +have been thinking deeply. Perhaps conscience was gripping him more than +ever, and the coming of that fearful storm had been the "last straw on +the camel's back." + +"I hate to ask any further favors of you, Phil," he finally said, with +an effort, "but a great fear has taken hold of me during the night. With +every fresh howl of the wind I seemed to hear a cry for help! It almost +set me wild. If I had not been such a cripple I believe I must have +dashed out of the cabin, and spent the remainder of the night wandering +around, searching the woods." + +The rest of the boys stared at him. Perhaps it may have occurred to one +or more of them that Mazie's father was losing his mind. But Phil knew +there was something back of it all. He had been trying to study the man, +figure out what ailed him, and why he had been hiding himself and the +child away up in this solitude. + +"Were you expecting _some one_ to come up here looking for you, sir?" he +asked, boldly, remembering what the contents of that telegraph message +had been. + +"Yes, that's what has been worrying me," admitted the man, acting as +though he knew the time had come when he must explain away at least a +part of the mystery that surrounded him, if he expected these friendly +lads to assist him further. + +"An enemy, most likely?" continued Phil, seeing the other hesitate. + +At that there was a heavy intaking of the breath, and then the man went +on to say: + +"No, hardly that. I would not like to give it so harsh a term. Say a +friend from whom I have been estranged, and who I believed had wronged +me; though of late my eyes have been opened to my own faults, and I have +repented of many things done in the heat of temper." + +"And you believe then that this friend may have engaged a guide--that it +is at least possible they were not far away from here when the storm +broke. You fear they may have been caught and made to suffer; is that +it, sir?" + +Phil was handling the affair wonderfully well, his chums thought, as +they listened to all that was being said. + +"That is what I have cause to fear," the other went on to say, quickly. +"Through the livelong night of tempest I have fancied I heard their +cries for help, and oh! how they crucified me! It would be a terrible +punishment on my head if some tragedy had taken place in the pine woods +last night; and Mazie--" his voice failed him in his emotion, and he did +not finish his sentence. + +"Do you want us to go out and see if there are any signs of strangers on +the trail leading up here, the one we followed all the way from the +village many miles off?" Phil asked; and his manner was so reassuring +that the wounded man immediately nodded his head in the affirmative. + +"It would be a fitting climax to all you and your fine chums have done +for me and mine," he told them, with tears in his eyes. + +"Shucks! that wouldn't be such a great job," Lub hastened to say, before +any one else could talk; "and I volunteer to be one of the party right +now." + +"But you'd get all wet, Lub, you know," expostulated Ethan. + +"What of that?" came the indignant response; "am I made of salt, or +sugar? Haven't I been soaked before? If I could stand jumping into the +lake with my clothes on, when the hornets tackled me, I ought to be able +to take a little sprinkling, hadn't I?" + +"We'll all go, so as to spread out considerable," suggested X-Ray Tyson, +who, truth to tell, was a little afraid of being left to look after +things at the lodge. "I'm needed because I've got the sharpest eyes; +Ethan might have a chance to bring some of his woodcraft into play; Phil +is the one to run things; and Lub, well, he spoke first, and ought to +have a show." + +"Knowing what we'll be up against," said Phil, "we can arrange +accordingly, so when we get back we'll have something dry to put on. +Before we start we'll get Mr.--Mr. Newton out, and fixed before the +fire, so he can feed it as often as he pleases." + +The man had flushed when Phil purposely hesitated about calling the name +that had been given in that message. + +"Call me Alwyn Merriwell from now on," he hastily told them. "That is my +real name. The time has passed for all deceit and assumed names. I have +made up my mind to do what is right for--for the other party, no matter +what pain and suffering it brings to me." + +A short time later the boys began to prepare to start out. Phil saw that +their injured guest was really working himself up into a fever over the +anxiety he was enduring. His thoughts during the night had had a strong +effect upon him. He may even have dreamed something dreadful had really +happened, and it haunted him. + +Acting on Phil's advice the others dressed lightly. This would allow of +leaving certain parts of their clothing behind, to be resumed on their +return. + +"We will be moving all the time, and can keep warm enough, even while +wet to the skin," he told them, as they started forth, after saying +good-by to Mazie, who was content to sit alongside her "daddy," holding +his hand, and prattling constantly as was her pretty way. + +Phil had managed to cover his little camera, so that he could take it +along. + +"Like as not we'll run across some effects of the hurricane that we'd +like to remember," he explained, when X-Ray looked questioningly at the +camera. "There must be places where trees have been thrown down in all +sorts of twisted shapes; and those sort of things always make the boss +pictures, you know." + +They followed the trail. It was very faint in many places; but then +Ethan could be depended on to find it whenever a cry arose that it was +lost. Phil, too, had his bearings pretty well in hand, though as a rule +he allowed Ethan to swing things, for he saw that it was giving him no +end of pleasure to thus exercise his knowledge of woodcraft. + +For a full hour they pushed on. The sun peeped out every little while, +showing that Phil had guessed rightly when he said the storm was a thing +of the past. The leaves still dripped, though not so copiously as at +first. Lub even boasted that he seemed to be drying off faster than he +got wet. That fact apparently occupied more of his attention than other +matters. + +"How far ought we go, do you think, Phil?" inquired X-Ray Tyson; "not +that I'm getting tired at all; but I just asked for information." + +"Another half-hour, and then we'll call it off," he was told. "By that +time we'll have covered a number of miles. If this--er--friend of Mr. +Merriwell's is anywhere around, and able to make us hear, we'll come on +the party." + +"Beats me to understand what it all means," grumbled Lub. "And d'ye +know, I've got a good suspicion that you've tumbled to the game, Phil." + +"I've been told no more than the rest of you," the other replied; "and +my guess may be wide of the mark; so just now I'm not going to say +anything more. But you can see from the way he keeps looking at Mazie +she's got something to do with it all. When he talks about having to +make a terrible sacrifice it means giving her up." + +"Gee whiz! I never once thought of that!" burst out Lub; "now I bet you +the little tot's got a grandfather who's been left the child by her +mother when she died. Is that the answer, Phil?" + +"I refuse to say, Lub. Ethan and I have been talking it over, and we've +come to a certain conclusion; but wait a little, and we'll explain. We +may find the person he seems to be expecting. Perhaps he received a +later message, and which warned him his presence up here was known." + +Lub relapsed into silence. It could be seen, however, that he was +pondering over matters, for that serious look on his usually placid face +betrayed the fact. + +They continued to push forward, and kept up a constant watch for any +sign that would indicate the presence of strangers. This might be the +smoke of a fire, or the sound of an ax. + +"How would it do to let out a whoop every little while, Phil?" suggested +X-Ray Tyson; "for all we know they might have lost the trail in the +storm, and be somewhere to one side. It'd be a mean thing if we passed +'em by without knowing it." + +"That isn't a bad idea," Phil told him; "so start in right away with a +yodel." + +This was all the other was waiting for, and he accordingly lifted up his +voice in a loud shout. Any camper hearing it would understand that the +call was meant for a friendly one, and must hasten to reply. + +"There, wasn't that an answer; or do they have echoes as wonderful as +that up here in the North Woods?" demanded X-Ray, excitedly. + +"It was a shout, all right," Ethan told him, positively. + +"And came from over on our right," added Phil, pleased at least that all +their labor had not been for nothing. + +"Let's mark the trail so we can be sure to find her again," Ethan +continued; always cautious about letting a good thing slip him. + +This being done by means of a certain tree that all of them felt sure +they must easily recognize, even at some distance, the four Mountain +Boys turned toward the spot where that faint "hallo" had come from. + +Presently keen-eyed X-Ray Tyson told them he saw smoke. + +"That's right," admitted Ethan, when he had followed the extended finger +of the other chum; "and of course it means they've got a camp fire +burning; though after all that rain it'd take a good woodsman to know +where to find dry wood, except in the heart of some stump. Let's hurry +up and get there." + +He kept watching as he went on. It would grieve Ethan sorely should he +find at any time they were actually lost, and after he had taken so many +precautions in the bargain. + +"I can see somebody moving around there," announced X-Ray, soon +afterwards; "and it's a man, too. Seems to be a guide, if his looks +count for anything." + +They kept heading straight toward the small cheerless camp in the +drenched woods. All the while Phil was expecting to hear his chums, +saving possibly Ethan, give utterance to low cries of surprise. + +"There's somebody lying down on the other side of the fire, boys," +continued the one with the hawk eyes. "That smoke keeps shifting around +so much I don't seem to be able to glimpse as well as--say, what d'ye +think, fellows, I declare if it ain't a _woman_!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +PEACE AFTER STRIFE--CONCLUSION + + +Lub uttered a gurgle to indicate his consternation. Ethan and Phil +exchanged knowing looks, as though to say it was coming out just as they +had figured. + +The guide was a dark-faced native. He had evidently been having a hard +time of it during that terrible storm, with possibly an hysterical woman +on his hands, and no proper shelter. He waved his hand at the boys, and +looked pleased to see them coming to their relief. + +As they entered the camp they saw that the woman was sitting up. She +looked as though she could not have stood much more. In spite of all the +Adirondack guide may have done in trying to shield her from the torrents +of rain, she had been wet through and through. Even sitting close to the +fire for a long time had not caused her to stop shivering. + +"We've come down here to see if we could help you any," Phil said the +first thing, when he and his chums reached the fire. + +"How'd ye know we was around these diggin's?" asked the guide, as though +puzzled. + +"We've got a gentleman in camp with a badly broken leg, and he asked us +to come," Phil went on to say, narrowly watching the eager face of the +woman, who he could see was by breeding a lady, and a very handsome one +too no doubt, though just at that time she looked woe-begone, with her +long hair hanging down her back to dry, and her khaki outing skirts +bedraggled. "He's been worrying all the night, and nearly crazy because +he was afraid some one would be caught in the storm, some one he +expected was coming to find him." + +Waves of color passed over her face as she heard how the gentleman had +been so deeply concerned. + +"Would you mind telling me his name?" she asked Phil; and somehow the +boy was reminded of Mazie when he looked more closely at her. + +"He has been calling himself John Newton all along," he remarked; "but +just this morning he admitted that his real name was Merriwell--Alwyn +Merriwell." + +She drew a long breath. Her eyes were as bright as stars as she +hurriedly went on to ask another question; and both Phil and Ethan knew +exactly what this would be before she had uttered a single word. + +"Is there a little girl with--Mr. Merriwell? Oh! please tell me +instantly, for I am crazy to hear!" + +"Yes, and her name is Mazie!" Phil immediately replied. "We found her +lost in the woods, and took her to our camp. Then later on we ran across +him. He had broken his leg while searching for her, and tried to crawl +miles, thinking to get help from us so as to find her. He came near +dying, too." + +She dropped her head in her hands, and they could see that she was +crying very hard. Whether it was through sheer thankfulness because of +what she had heard concerning the presence of the child, or from some +other reason, Phil could not quite understand. But he believed it was +all going to turn out splendidly. + +Presently she looked up, and smiled bravely through her tears. Phil +could see that a new happiness had come upon her; and he guessed the +cause. + +"I am Mazie's own mother," she said, to the astonishment of Lub, who up +to then had not been able to figure things out correctly; "there was a +terrible misunderstanding between my husband and myself. The court gave +me charge of our child. His love for Mazie was an absorbing passion, +even greater than my own. One day she disappeared, and we had reason to +suspect that he had taken her away, so that she could be with him. Ever +since I have sought far and wide to find them, but until lately without +avail." + +She stopped speaking, and seemed to be thinking for a minute; then went +on, for of course none of the boys had ventured to say a single word: + +"Of late I have learned through the death of a wicked person that I had +wronged my husband dreadfully. I am only waiting to see him to ask his +forgiveness; and unless he has lost all his love for me we may undo the +wretched past, and start all over again, with Mazie the bond between +us." + +She had said quite enough for them to understand. Phil was wondering +whether they might not have to construct another litter in order to +carry the lady all the way to the distant camp. + +"Oh! have no fears for me," she hastened to tell him, when he started to +speak of such a thing. "I feel as though I could walk from now to +sunset, and not grow weary, knowing that Mazie, and Alwyn, are at the +end of the trail. We cannot start too soon to satisfy my yearning heart. +I could almost fly as though I had wings." + +And, indeed, there was no difficulty in her keeping up with them. The +new hope of happiness, after all these dreary months of wretchedness, +buoyed her heart up as possibly nothing else could have done. + +Before noon had arrived they drew near the cabin under the hemlocks and +birches. The sky had cleared, and the sun shone warmly. All nature +looked bright again after the storm. + +"Listen!" cried the lady, suddenly. + +It was the sweet childish voice of Mazie they heard, singing one of her +little songs, which the boys had never tired of hearing. Imagine how it +affected the mother, separated from her darling so long. + +She could not be longer restrained, but rushing ahead passed inside the +cabin. The boys purposely loitered. When finally they ventured to enter +it was to find the lady on her knees, with the arms of the child tightly +clasped about her neck. She had one of the wounded man's hands in hers; +and apparently the breach between them had been healed, for he was +looking upon mother and child with a love light in his eyes. + +This influx of guests was getting serious, X-Ray and Lub had a regular +argument as to which one should surrender his bunk to Mazie's mother. +She would not hear of any such thing, however, and insisted that there +was plenty of room for both Mazie and herself in the one bunk. + +And after she had recovered from her exposure Mrs. Merriwell insisted on +making herself useful, both in the way of a nurse, and in helping with +the cooking. As for Mazie's "daddy," he no longer looked the unhappy man +the boys had considered him; since he was not going to be called upon to +make that terrible sacrifice which he had considered was his duty. + +This new arrangement left the boys more opportunity to prosecute their +various pleasures. Lub had begun to show a decided interest in certain +things connected with woodcraft, so that Ethan only too gladly accepted +every chance to explain how to follow a trail, what certain signs stood +for, what was the best way to make a fire in a storm, and dozens of +other things equally as interesting. + +Of course Phil was more than ever engaged with his flashlight +photography. He had secured a startling picture of the red fox whose +tracks he had discovered; and this spurred him on to greater things. +Often Ethan kept him company, and showed that he had really started to +take a deep interest in this newer method of hunting without a gun. + +Mr. Merriwell steadily grew better. He hopped around by the aid of his +crutches, and hoped to be able to walk some by the time the Mountain +Boys thought of leaving the North Woods for their home town, which was +further south, though still in the uplands. + +Josh Maxfield, the guide, stayed with them. He made himself useful, and +Ethan managed to pick up quite a fund of information from the +experienced native, who had been born and bred in the pine woods. + +Many were the cheery evenings they all spent, in front of the cabin if +it happened to be warm, or before the fire if the night air was chilly, +as often turned out to be the case. Josh had plenty of interesting +stories to tell. Mazie in particular was keenly interested in his +accounts of how the black bear outwitted the honey bees that had made +their hive in an old hollow tree; so that he usually secured a sweet +treat as long as he could reach in with his paw, and tear the heavily +laden combs out. + +All too soon did the days pass, until finally it was decided that they +must be starting back over the old trail. + +Every one would be sorry indeed to say farewell to Birch Bark Lodge. The +Merriwells made Phil promise to send them a set of all his pictures, and +in particular the one that showed the dear old cabin. + +"It stands for our new life," said the gentleman, as he sat there one +arm around his wife, and the other about Mazie; "and every time we look +at it our vows will be renewed. Besides, all the happy things that have +happened here must rush over our memories. Yes, it will be our standard +cure for the blues." + +Although the lame man was getting around pretty well, Phil knew he would +never be able to stand such a long and arduous journey as the one they +had ahead of them. Accordingly they made over the stretcher, with the +help of Josh, and meant to carry it along. Of course once they managed +to reach the village, where there would be a road leading out of the +wilderness, and possibly some sort of vehicle to hire, things would be +much easier. + +"One thing sure," said Phil, as they got ready to clear out one bright +morning, "I've had glorious good luck in taking all the pictures I did. +Why, I've beaten my highest expectations three times over. The +collection will fill a new album; and right in front I'll have stamped +in letters of gold: 'Memories of Birch Bark Lodge.'" + +"Yes, we'll never forget what a grand good time we've all had up here," +affirmed Lub, who seemed to feel the breaking away even more than any of +his chums; "and often when I'm snuggled down between common every-day +sheets at home I'll dream of my fine bunk, and the way my blanket kept +me warm." + +"And what came down the chimney one night," added X-Ray Tyson; "not to +mention what _tried_ to come down the next day. Oh! we'll all enjoy +remembering things. And I don't believe we could ever have such a +magnificent time together again." + +"Don't be too sure of that," Phil told him. "I can see some other +outings ahead that may even turn out to be jollier than this one, +though it seems hard to think it now. Let's give the old cabin a last +salute, boys. Three cheers and a tiger for Birch Bark Lodge!" + +They were given with a will. Even little Mazie added her childish treble +to the volume of sound that went up. + +So they pulled out, and left the old cabin tenantless. The gray +squirrels could run over the roof with impunity now; Br'er 'Coon might +wander along his trail down to the water's edge to do a little fishing, +without having a sudden blinding flash startle him out of his seven +senses; while Br'er Fox need not skulk in the dense covert for fear of +meeting roving boys. + +But the bear that had fallen down the chimney, and the lordly moose had +better make themselves scarce in that particular neighborhood; because +ere many moons had waxed and waned Josh intended coming back again to +look them up; and the law would no longer protect the shy inmates of the +North Woods against the "sticks that spat out fire and stinging +missiles" whenever they were pointed straight. + +The man with the broken leg soon gave out, and had to take to the +stretcher. The sturdy woods guide carried one end and the boys took +turns helping out, so they got along very well. + +Mazie and her mother walked alongside, though from time to time the +little sprite would insist on taking Phil's hand; or it might be that of +stout Lub. She had made him promise he would send her his picture when +he got home; and Lub always grinned when X-Ray Tyson or Ethan tried to +joke him about his "new girl." + +They arrived at the mountain village, and a vehicle was obtained by +means of which all of them could get out of the region, and in touch +with civilization. When it came to saying good-by to the Merriwells the +boys found it very hard. The gentleman declared they would see them all +again as soon as he found himself perfectly well; for he wanted to know +their families; and doubtless meant to inform these good people as to +the extent of the debt of gratitude he owed Phil Bradley and his +Mountain Boys. + +That still more thrilling happenings were in store for the boys whose +fortunes we have been following in the pages of this volume the reader +will learn upon securing the next story of the Series, now published +under the title of "Phil Bradley at the Wheel; or, The Mountain Boys' +Mad Auto Chase." + +THE END + +----------------------------------------------------------------------- + +The Mountain Boys Series + +1. PHIL BRADLEY'S MOUNTAIN BOYS +2. PHIL BRADLEY AT THE WHEEL +3. PHIL BRADLEY'S SHOOTING BOX +4. PHIL BRADLEY'S SNOW-SHOE TRAIL + +These books describe with interesting detail the experiences of a party +of boys among the mountain pines. + +They teach the young reader how to protect himself against the elements, +what to do and what to avoid, and above all to become self-reliant and +manly. + +12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume; postpaid + +The New York Book Company +201 East 12th Street--New York + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Phil Bradley's Mountain Boys, by Silas K. 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