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diff --git a/37486.txt b/37486.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c1a6b41 --- /dev/null +++ b/37486.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6937 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Outdoor Chums on the Lake, by Quincy Allen + +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: The Outdoor Chums on the Lake + Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island + +Author: Quincy Allen + +Release Date: September 20, 2011 [EBook #37486] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +[Illustration: THERE WERE A FEW SHOUTS FROM THE SHORE.] + + + + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS + ON THE LAKE + + OR + + Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island + + By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN + + AUTHOR OF "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS," "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE + FOREST," "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF," ETC. + + _ILLUSTRATED_ + + NEW YORK + GROSSET & DUNLAP + PUBLISHERS + + + + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES + + By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS + Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE + Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST + Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF + Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME + Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness + + _12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price, per volume, 40 cents postpaid._ + + GROSSET & DUNLAP + PUBLISHERS NEW YORK + + COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP + + _The Outdoor Chums on the Lake_ + + + + + CONTENTS + + CHAPTER PAGE + I The Burning Steamboat 1 + II Two Clever Rogues 10 + III the Tell-tale Picture 19 + IV The Paddle To Wildcat Island 30 + V A Strange Happening 41 + VI Frank Makes a Guess 49 + VII Exploring the Island 60 + VIII Old Enemies Appear 69 + IX Guardians of the Camp 78 + X Frank Tries To Figure It Out 87 + XI Recovering a Stolen Boat 98 + XII Down the Slope 106 + XIII The Wild Man Develops an Appetite 114 + XIV Bluff Takes Chances 122 + XV Playing the Game 131 + XVI Signs That Spelled Trouble 142 + XVII Deeper Into the Jungle 151 + XVIII Under the Cabin Wall 169 + XIX Holding Bluff In 169 + XX The Escape Of Jerry 177 + XXI The Last Straw 186 + XXII Holding the Fort 194 + XXIII the White Flag 203 + XXIV A New Alarm 212 + XXV The Rescue--Conclusion 221 + + + + +THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE + + + + +CHAPTER I--THE BURNING STEAMBOAT + + +"Hurry up, and give the signal, Frank!" + +"Yes, let's get the agony over with--either Bluff is a better all-round +paddler than I am, or else he has to take water, that's all!" + +"Please hold your horses till I get a good focus on you, fellows!" +called Will Milton, the official photographer of the Rod, Gun and Camera +Club. + +He stood on a little private dock, overlooking Lake Camalot, and +manipulated his camera with the air of a professional. + +"Sorry, but you'll have to wait a bit now, boys," replied Frank Langdon, +the judge, who was also seated in a cedar canoe very like those of the +contestants, only it was built for two, his mate being Will. + +"What's gone wrong now, Frank?" demanded Jerry Wallington, with his +double-bladed paddle poised for the first dip. + +"Why, look at the _Eastern Star_--she's making her first Spring trip +around the lake, and heads in a line to cut you off your course," +declared the referee. + +"So much the worse for the poor old boat; we'll just have to run her +down," calmly observed the youth called Bluff. + +"I was only thinking of your being swamped in the rough water she leaves +in her wake. Better relax your muscles for a few minutes, you impatient +braves." + +"Talk to me about your hard luck, what d'ye think of that? Why, the +plagued old boat's just gone and stopped where she blocks us off in our +little spin," grumbled Jerry, in plain disgust. + +"That settles it, then; we'll surely have to sink her," remarked Bluff. + +"Hold on before you think of that. I'm afraid there's something wrong +aboard, for Captain Amos would never stop out there on the lake--at +least I never knew him to do such a thing before," said Frank, standing +up in the canoe to see better. + +"Say, fellows, isn't that smoke coming out of the cabin?" demanded Will. + +"Smoke--why, perhaps the old tinderbox is afire!" ejaculated Bluff. + +"Let's paddle out and see; perhaps we can be of some help!" cried Jerry. + +"Come on, then!" + +"Hey! you fellers hold on; where do I come in?" shouted Will. + +"You stay on the dock and get a snapshot of the whole circus!" answered +the unfeeling Jerry, as he spurted away, urging his dainty craft along +with rapid strokes of his spruce blade. + +"Marooned, I declare," muttered Will; "but perhaps I can improve the +opportunity and get a picture that will go down in the history of +steamboating on Lake Camalot." + +The three lads fairly flew over the intervening water, which was almost +smooth, as the breeze hardly created a ripple on the surface. + +Frank, having a larger boat to manage, fell behind a trifle; but his +arms were seasoned in all manner of work, and he kept tagging along +close in the rear. + +Apparently there was need for alarm, as the smoke had rapidly increased +in volume, and was now pouring out of the little steamer. + +At the same time they could plainly hear the shouts of excited men; +while the shriller voices that arose told that there were women +passengers aboard. + +Dashing up to the side of the boat the boys scrambled aboard, hastily +securing their canoes to any object that promised temporary anchorage. + +Then they hurried to the cabin. + +Here they found a scene of the utmost confusion. Men were trying to dash +buckets of water upon the fire, which seemed to have gotten quite a +foothold. It even looked as though the first trip of the little _Eastern +Star_ this season would prove to be her last. + +Captain Amos was plainly badly rattled by this sudden emergency, though +he was working like a trooper to extinguish the flames, and leading his +two assistants, the engineer and deckhand, in gallant rushes almost into +the fire, where the contents of the buckets they carried seemed to do +little or no good. + +Frank Langdon was possessed of a cool head in emergencies that called +for tact. He made an astonishing discovery as soon as he arrived upon +the scene of action. This consisted of the fact that in the tremendous +excitement, with the passengers shrieking in his ears, the captain had +entirely forgotten the fact that the boat was equipped with fire +extinguishers. + +"Here, fellows, get busy, strap this on my back, and then get another. +We've got to put out this fire or some one will be burned to death, or +drowned. Don't let any woman jump overboard!" he exclaimed. + +Jerry and Bluff seemed to catch some of the spirit that animated their +leader. They succeeded in fastening the extinguisher to his back, even +though their hands trembled while so doing. + +No sooner had this been done before Frank was off, rushing directly +toward the spot where the flames seemed to have taken hold most +fiercely. + +It was rather appalling, but somehow or other the sight of the brave +boy, equipped for mastering the mounting flames, caused a little cheer +to arise from the excited passengers. + +As soon as the prepared liquid from the little apparatus began to spread +over the fire, its ardor was immediately checked. By the time Jerry +rushed alongside, similarly equipped, Frank was getting the better of +the conflagration. + +"Don't stop with the water, Captain Amos!" shouted Frank, knowing that +if their extinguishers gave out before the fire was fully under control +it might spring up again into new life. + +"Away, boys! Hand up the buckets!" cried the captain. + +Several of the male passengers, having by now partly recovered from +their panic, started in to assist. Between the whole lot the water came +faster, and in less than ten minutes the fire was practically out. + +There had been some damage done, but nothing to seriously injure the +steamboat; and a carpenter could make repairs while the vessel was +covering a few daily runs in this balmy April weather. + +Captain Amos now found a chance to rush up to Frank, and shake his hand +vigorously. + +He was a bluff chap, not much older than Frank, a very good +steamboatman, only that he seemed apt to lose his head in a crisis, +which after all, must be a grave fault. + +"Bully for you, Frank! Your coming saved the boat, I believe. I'll never +forget it, I tell you. Was just about to lay hold of those fire +extinguishers when your crowd forestalled me. It was a rough deal all +around. With those women shrieking, and holding on to me, begging me to +save them, a fellow might be excused for being a little slow to do the +right thing. And you, too, Jerry and Bluff--shake hands!" + +"What set the boat afire?" asked the curious Bluff, immediately. + +The captain shook his head. + +"I don't believe it was an accident. We have always been mighty careful +about leaving any waste around where it could start into a flame. +Besides, if you notice, boys, you can see that it started close to the +cabin, and not near the boiler." + +Captain Amos involuntarily lowered his voice and glanced suspiciously +around while speaking. His manner thrilled the boys as they had seldom +been before. + +"Not an accident! Tell me about that, will you? Do you mean that you +believe some one set the boat afire?" exclaimed Jerry. + +"Don't speak so loud, please. That is what I think. Unless it was +intentional, I can't imagine how the thing started," answered the young +captain, who was still much excited after his recent experience. + +"But it seems monstrous. Who would be guilty of such a terrible thing?" +asked Frank, possibly dimly suspecting that the other might be seeking +to cover up some lack of proper caution on his part, though that was not +like Amos Short. + +"Say, did your crew mutiny?" gasped Bluff, whose eyes were wide open +with wonder over this new development of the affair, and who had lately +been doing considerable reading of sea tales. + +"Well, hardly. I only have the engineer, an old faithful fellow; the +pilot, who stuck to his post through it all, and would have run us +ashore if the worst came; and one deck hand, a darky," he replied +warmly. + +"Then it was a passenger, you think?" demanded Frank, determined to get +at the bottom of this new mystery. + +"Well, none of my pay passengers. Listen and I'll tell you. This being +the first trip this year we were not so particular about taking pay. At +Newtonport a couple of tramps got aboard. When I went to collect their +fares they said they had no money, but wanted to get across the lake to +Centerville. Rather than have a disturbance on board I allowed them to +remain, cautioning them to stay below near the engine." + +"Perhaps you are right, Captain; but what could be their object in +firing your boat?" asked Frank. + +One of the passengers hurriedly approached at this moment. He was +plainly much excited, and as the fire was completely out it could not +have been from that cause. + +"Captain, before you get into Centerville I demand that you have every +person on board this boat searched!" he exclaimed vigorously. + +"Searched, Mr. Pemberton--what do you mean?" exclaimed the captain, in +dismay. + +"Because, sir, my luggage has been opened while we were all excited +about the fire, and my property scattered about. I have been robbed of +something that was worth considerable money to me, sir. And I intend to +hold you and your steamboat company liable for damages!" he cried +indignantly. + +The captain looked at Frank--here then was an explanation of the sudden +fire! + + + + +CHAPTER II--TWO CLEVER ROGUES + + +"This is a serious charge, Mr. Pemberton!" said the captain, in a low +voice. + +"But I mean it, every word, sir. I tell you I have lost certain articles +that represent a large amount of money to me. And I shall proceed +against your company unless they are recovered," declared the passenger, +angrily. + +Frank believed he recognized in this party a traveling agent who visited +the jewelers in the lake towns several times a year. This being the case +it was easy to understand that the packet which he complained was +stolen, might have contained precious stones, or something along that +line. + +"Stop and make sure before you say that, Mr. Pemberton," remarked the +captain, turning pale at the threat; for under the circumstances such an +action against the company might lose him his comfortable berth. + +For once his good-heartedness seemed to have placed him in a +predicament. According to the plain rules of the company it should have +been his business, upon being refused the proper fare by the two ugly +tramps, to have called upon his crew to assist him in putting them +ashore, or getting rid of them somehow, even if he had to throw them +overboard. + +"I know just what I am saying, sir; the packet is gone, and I am ready +to swear that I left it in my bag," replied the other, firmly. + +"But consider, sir, that in all this excitement a man might lose his +head. Just as likely as not you may have done something with the packet +yourself. It would seem to be the first thing a man might think of." + +Captain Amos was arguing with a view to shifting the blame; but he had a +positive customer to deal with in Mr. Pemberton. The other shook his +head and frowned. + +"I insist upon every one being searched before they leave the boat," he +said. "No honest person will object to such a course, I feel sure; and +it is the only safe way. And you yourself should be the one to do the +job, Captain, in the interest of your company--of course with the assent +of the passengers and crew." + +The commander of the boat somehow at this juncture looked at Frank, just +as if he sought advice from this source. + +"It is the right thing to do, Captain," that party hastened to say, "and +as for my two chums and myself we would like you to begin right now with +us." + +"There is no necessity in your case, my boy; for you have been under my +eye all the time you were aboard, and we owe you much," the gentleman +hastened to exclaim. + +"Nevertheless, if any are to be searched all should be without a single +exception, to make it fair. But it strikes me, Mr. Pemberton, that the +captain already has a pretty good idea as to who took your valuables, if +they have been stolen, and not lost overboard in the confusion," +remarked Frank, calmly. + +The traveling jeweler whirled upon the officer. + +"How is this, Captain?" he demanded, anxiously. + +"We were just wondering how the fire started," the other explained, "and +I declared it could not have come from any carelessness of my crew, and +that there was no chance of an accident. In a word, sir, I vowed the +fire must be of incendiary origin. Frank, here, and his friends were +asking what reason any one would have for setting this boat on fire, +when you rushed up stating your loss." + +"I begin to grasp your meaning. It implies that in order to cover up +their robbery the thieves started this fire, thinking that if the boat +burned no one might be the wiser. That looks very plausible. Did I +understand this boy to say you had an idea concerning the identity of +the criminal?" Mr. Pemberton asked eagerly. + +"Yes, I believe I have," said Captain Amos, sturdily. + +"Then I demand that you place him under arrest immediately, before he +can escape with my property. Is there more than one concerned, do you +think? Ah! I have an idea I know whom you mean--the two tramps who came +aboard at Newtonport?" + +"Exactly. They are the ones I suspect. It would be easy to start such a +blaze undetected, for no one would be dreaming of such rascality," +replied the officer. + +"And taking advantage of the sudden confusion," went on the passenger, +"when men and women were shouting, and rushing frantically about, they +must have searched my luggage purposely, knowing that I was carrying a +valuable packet in my bag." + +"That would appear to cover the case, sir. In the light of this +explanation do you still insist upon every one being searched?" demanded +Captain Amos. + +Mr. Pemberton also looked toward Frank, although, perhaps, +unconsciously. The latter smiled and hastened to remark: + +"I really believe that what the captain says may be the true explanation +of both the fire and the robbery, Mr. Pemberton. And in that case the +arrest of the tramps will bring your valuables to light." + +"Provided they have not gone overboard by accident," the captain could +not resist saying, with pointed emphasis. + +The passenger shook his head doggedly, and said: + +"There is not the slightest chance of that, sir. I vow I was not once +near the spot where my luggage was piled up from the first cry of fire +until just now, when I went to see that my things were safe. Surely I +would know it if I had gone there." + +"Besides, Captain, unless I'm mistaken this gentleman was the only one +among the passengers who seemed to have his senses; I am sure I saw him +helping to pass the buckets of water along," remarked Frank. + +"Right you are, son," said the gentleman, with a faint smile; "for that +is a fact. I forgot that I even had any luggage aboard, and the cries of +those poor frightened women got on my nerves so that I was bound to do +all I could to assist in saving the boat. Now, Captain Amos, I am +disposed to go as easy with you as possible, but something must be done +before you order the boat into Centerville!" + +"I'm willing to do anything that seems right, only tell me what you +wish," replied the officer, promptly. + +"If those ugly-looking customers are guilty, they must be apprehended +before they have a chance to secrete the goods," vouchsafed Mr. +Pemberton. + +"I agree with you. The only question is, ought we try and do it here, or +wait until we reach the wharf, where we will find the constable waiting, +as he always is when the _Eastern Star_ arrives?" + +"It might be safer to wait," admitted the passenger, "but in that event +the rogues will be given a chance to hide the packet, perhaps, about the +boat, trusting to getting it another time. Then, as we would have no +evidence that they were guilty, we could not hold them." + +"What do you say, Frank?" asked the captain, turning to the leader of +the chums, and by that action admitting that he entertained great +respect for the opinion of the boy who had done so much to save the +steamboat. + +"I think the gentleman is right," came the quick response. + +"That we ought to search the tramps now," queried the captain, +anxiously; for he felt certain that this move would bring on a fight, +which might add still further to the excitement of the already terrified +women aboard. + +"Undoubtedly. Just as he says, they might think it good policy to +conceal their plunder somewhere about the boat, hoping to get it later +on, after the excitement had died out. And if you want any help in doing +that same thing, Captain, count on myself and two chums." + +The answer came so readily from the lips of the canoeist that Captain +Amos was almost overcome. He thrust out his hand impulsively, +exclaiming: + +"Say, that's awful kind of you, Frank. We may need your assistance, for, +to tell the truth, those hoboes looked mighty tough, and I reckon +they'll put up some sort of a fight before giving in. I only hope they +don't happen to have any sort of guns about them. Wait till I call up +Simmons the engineer, Codding the pilot, and Adolphus the coon deckhand. +If Mr. Pemberton gives us a hand we will have eight to cow the rascals." + +"We will need the whole bunch if they are half as tough as you say, +Captain," declared Jerry, anxious to be heard. + +The captain beckoned, and a negro boy came running up. + +"Go and tell the pilot and engineer to come here at once, and you +accompany them," he said. + +"Yas, sah!" replied the willing worker, shooting away with a look of +curiosity toward the others, as if wondering what new trouble had +arisen. + +"That boy was working all the time, I believe," said Mr. Pemberton, +thoughtfully. + +"Who, Adolphus?" asked the captain; "every minute at my side; and I'd +trust him with every penny I owned. But here he comes, and both men are +with him. Now we can get ready to look for those ragged tramps, and +corner them." + +"H'm! when did you see them last?" asked Frank, starting suddenly, as if +he had made an unpleasant discovery. + +"Certainly not since the cry of fire first broke out. But what makes you +ask such a question, Frank?" demanded the captain, showing new alarm. + +"Well, I have an idea that it may be some little time before you get a +chance to round those scamps up, and proceed with your search. They are +the busy boys all right, and while we've been talking matters over here +the hobo couple have been _doing_ things. Look there, Captain, half way +to the other shore, and tell me what you see!" and Frank pointed as he +spoke. + +Immediately a chorus of exclamations arose. + +"As sure as you live, there they go like hot cakes!" cried Bluff. + +"Talk to me about nerve, if they haven't 'cribbed' Frank and Will's +double canoe!" came from Jerry's lips, as he stared at the retreating +object. + +"And just notice, fellows, that both of them paddle as if they knew all +about canoes. Those hoboes have done some camping in their day, as sure +as you live!" observed Frank, always on the lookout for these telling +points. + +"Say, do we stand here and let them get clean away without lifting a +hand?" exclaimed Bluff, piteously. + +"Hardly. Into your canoes, boys, and after the thieves at full speed!" +cried Frank. + + + + +CHAPTER III--THE TELL-TALE PICTURE + + +Once again all was excitement aboard the steamboat. + +Jerry and Bluff dropped into their frail craft with the practiced +balance of experienced canoeists. Frank did not mean to be left behind +in the wild race, managed to occupy a place in the craft of Jerry. He +seized upon the single paddle, intending to work his passage, and make +up for the additional burden. + +As they started off they could hear the captain giving orders to the +crew. + +"He means to turn the boat around, and start after the thieves himself!" +cried Jerry, as he dipped his double-blade swiftly on one side and then +the other. + +Both little mosquito craft were by this time fairly flying through the +water. As those who wielded the paddles faced forward they were able to +see what progress they made all the time toward overhauling the escaping +hoboes. + +"Not much hope," declared Frank, finally. + +"They're two-thirds of the way in to shore. We are gaining, but not +enough by half to overhaul them," announced Bluff, making valiant +progress. + +"Tell me about this, but I hope Will sees his opportunity to snap off a +good view. This has your race beat to a frazzle, Bluff!" shouted Jerry. + +"There comes the steamboat! The captain is heading to cut them off," +said Frank. + +"But he's too far away. Besides, it's too shallow in there, and if he +knows his business he'll never try to go much closer. A fire is bad +enough, not to speak of a stranded boat," observed Bluff. + +The two men in the double canoe were working like steam-engines to make +progress. They handled the paddles fairly well in unison, and as Frank +had said, showed a familiarity with the blades that spoke of former +experiences. + +As the three boys paddled on they saw the leading canoe shoot up on the +shelving beach. Then the tramps scrambled ashore. + +"Hold on there, you!" bellowed Bluff, in his excitement; "we want to +talk with you!" + +For answer the two men only made derisive motions. Then they vanished in +the thick timber. + +"They're gone, all right, boys. I reckon it will take some hunting to +find such slippery rascals again," remarked Frank, with a laugh; for it +was not his packet that had been stolen, and he had no reason to be +deeply concerned. + +"What will we do now?" demanded Bluff, looking as disappointed as though +he had just lost a race. + +"Recover our canoe, and put across the lake to where Will stands on that +dock." + +"But see here, Frank, do you mean to let those fellows get away?" asked +Jerry. + +Jerry was always the impulsive one of the four chums. His characteristic +temperament often got him into hot water. Only the preceding Fall when +the boys had taken a trip into the woods, owing to a storm unroofing the +Academy at Centerville, as narrated in the preceding volume of this +series, entitled "The Outdoor Chums; or, First Tour of the Rod, Gun and +Camera Club," he had found himself precipitated into numerous +difficulties because of this failing. Frank was frequently compelled to +restrain this impulsiveness on the part of his chum. On this camping +trip they had met with many strange adventures, including an invasion of +the camp by a wildcat, a bear and also some enemies who wished to do +them harm by setting fire to their tents; Jerry had lost himself in the +forest and encountered numerous exciting adventures, and there had +followed a series of mishaps that had all winter long given the chums a +subject for entertainment and discussion. + +Frank was pleased to find that the tramps had not been vindictive enough +to try and do any harm to the frail craft in which they had made their +escape from the steamboat. + +For this he was disposed to feel a little kindly toward them. It also +made him more convinced than ever that they must have a tender spot in +their evil hearts for a canoe, and could not bear to smash up such a +delicate little craft. + +The steamboat was lying off-shore, and our boys headed in such a +direction that they could talk back in answer to any questions asked by +the captain. + +"Did they get clean away?" called the commander of the boat, using his +hands in lieu of a megaphone. + +"I reckon they did, Captain. They skipped into the timber, and that was +the last thing we saw of them," replied Frank, pausing for a minute in +his labor. + +"That's bad. We were in hopes you could capture them," said the other, +looking plainly worried over what future troubles were in store for his +company. + +"Boys, I thank you for the trouble you took, and hope to see you again," +shouted Mr. Pemberton. "I'm going to get off at Centerville, and engage +the sheriff to hunt high and low for those rascals. If you hear of +anything, please look me up. It is mighty important that I recover +possession of that missing packet." + +"All right, we'll be glad to do so, sir. We expect to spend the Easter +holidays in the woods somewhere along the lake, and it's just possible +we may run across those two hoboes again," answered Frank, dipping his +paddle in deeply again, and sending his boat after those of his +companions that were flying on ahead. + +They allowed him to catch up, for Jerry wanted to ask a question or two. + +"Say, do you really suppose we could meet with those scamps again?" he +said, eagerness showing in his eyes; for Jerry loved excitement, though +fond of calling himself a square sportsman, always giving the game every +possible chance. + +"About one chance in ten; still, it's there. If they hang around here +for any reason, and we're in the woods, you can see we might run across +the couple," replied the other, quietly. + +"Talk to me about your volunteer fire companies, I reckon we've got a +cinch on the prize for rapid work," cried Jerry. "Only for you, Frank, +that blessed old _Eastern Star_ was sure bound to go up in smoke. The +company ought to vote you a medal." + +"And there's poor Will standing on the deck waiting for us to come in +and tell him what all this fuss is about," remarked Bluff, as they drew +near the shore. + +"Hello! you runaways, what in the wide world was all that row out +there?" demanded the stranded canoeist, as the others glided in close to +the little wharf upon which he was sitting with his legs dangling over, +and the precious camera gripped tight in his hands. + +"All sorts of things happening. The boat was on fire, and Frank here +settled that by grabbing up an extinguisher and turning the hose on the +flames, while the crew was handling the buckets. The whole thing would +have gone up if we hadn't arrived just in time. Then there was a robbery +aboard," said Bluff, eagerly. + +"What! a robbery? Do you really mean it?" gasped Will. + +"Certainly. A jewelry salesman had a valuable packet stolen from his +stateroom. It is believed that the fire was started just to cover the +robbery. While we were talking over matters, trying to get the facts +straight, and decided on arresting a couple of hoboes aboard who were +suspected of doing the job, they ran away with the double canoe, and +escaped into the woods across yonder," went on Frank. + +"Two hoboes! Why, I saw them standing at the side of the steamboat +looking down at the canoes. They'll appear in the picture I took just +then, for the smoke was rolling up, and the view was magnificent," +declared Will. + +Frank started and looked hastily out upon the lake. + +"I'm afraid it would be too far to recognize the features of any one, +even if you caught a first-class view," he remarked. + +"Still there's a little chance. A magnifier or reading-glass might bring +it out strong enough. Anyhow, I'm going right home and make the try, +fellows. My roll is finished, and I might as well develop it now as +later." + +"Bring it around to-night when we meet at my house to talk over our +camping trip for the Easter holidays," said Frank. + +"Where do you think we'll go, boys?" asked Bluff, anxiously. + +"For myself I'm in favor of Wildcat Island at the southern end of the +lake. Somehow, nobody ever goes there, and we could have a great time, I +imagine," remarked Frank. + +"Yes, especially with the wild man that they say has his den somewhere +on that same old island," remarked Bluff, shrugging his shoulders, as if +the idea did not strike him favorably. + +"Talk about your circus, a wild man appeals to me every time!" said +Jerry. "I'm in favor of going there, particularly because it offers a +chance for excitement. Suppose we captured this _thing_ and found that +it was a big monkey or orang-outang that had escaped from some menagerie +long ago, wouldn't that be something to shout over? Me for Wildcat +Island. How about you, Will?" + +"To tell the truth I've always wanted to get some good views of that +lonely place, and I'll vote in favor of going there," returned the young +photographer. + +Bluff turned anxiously toward Frank. + +"Are you backing these desperate schemers up in this madness, Frank?" he +asked. + +"Well, I'd like to explore that place very much. No one has ever done +it, so far as I can learn. Some say the island is haunted; others that +there are rattlers in plenty there, besides furious wildcats; and then +there's this story told about a wild man who has been seen several times +on the shore of the island. Why, yes, I'm in favor of going there +to-morrow, when we start out." + +Bluff threw up both hands. + +"I give in. Three against one settles the matter for keeps. Wildcat +Island it is then for the Easter camp. But I refuse to accept any of the +responsibility for whatever may happen," declared Bluff, firmly. + +"Speak to me about a quitter, will you? Listen to him knuckling down +before we even make a start. He claims to have bigger lungs than me, +does he? I'll have to admit that he can make a lot more noise when it +comes to squealing." + +Bluff Masters turned upon the other indignantly, as he exclaimed: + +"Wait and see who turns white first when that wild man bobs up. My lungs +are in better shape than yours, and I can prove it any old day. There +goes Will off, and I'm for following him. Bring a print of each picture +around to-night, old chap." + +"Sure. And let's hope they turn out decent," answered the other, waving +a hand as he moved away in the direction of town, leaving it to Frank to +paddle the big canoe to the landing where they kept the cedar craft when +not in the boathouse of the club. + +Frank was a busy fellow during the remainder of the day. He had the job +of laying in the stores that were to see them through a whole week in +camp; and when four boys get out in the open for that length of time it +is simply astonishing what an amount of food they can dispose of. + +But Frank had spent many a night under canvas and bark covers in Maine, +and, in fact, there was little about camping he did not know. At the +same time he always made it a point to ask questions whenever he ran +across any one who had also been through the mill; for in this way even +veterans may learn new wrinkles by exchanging ideas. + +About eight o'clock, Jerry and Will came in together, as they lived +close to one another. Bluff was not a minute behind them, anxious for a +view of the pictures that had been taken that day. + +"Say, how did they turn out?" he demanded, as soon as he entered the +room where Will was opening an envelope, and Frank handling a large +reading-glass. + +"Just bully, that's what. Never got better results. The water was in a +beautiful ripple, you see, and that always adds to a picture. Here, take +a look, fellows," with which remark Will scattered a lot of prints on +the table. + +He had certainly become quite a clever hand at both developing his films +and printing his pictures, for the results were as clear as a bell. + +"They do look fine," commented Frank, as he commenced to shuffle them +over; "and the smoke is pouring out of that old steamboat at a great +rate. I'm looking for the one you spoke about, where those hoboes are +standing in the sunlight on the edge of the burning boat. Here it is. +Jerry, you would be apt to know better than I could if either of these +fellows has a familiar face. Take a look." + +"If he don't, perhaps I may. I've lived around here three days longer +than he ever did," grumbled Bluff. + +Jerry bent down closer and continued to stare through the reading-glass. + +"Talk to me about your luck, boys, this beats the band!" he exclaimed. + +"Do you recognize one of them, then?" asked Frank, eagerly. + +"Sure I do, and I'm surprised Captain Amos didn't. The dumpy one is +Waddy Walsh, the bad egg, who was sent to the reform school three years +ago. He must have escaped somehow, and joined the army of tramps on the +road," declared Jerry, positively. + + + + +CHAPTER IV--THE PADDLE TO WILDCAT ISLAND + + +"Waddy Walsh!" exclaimed Bluff, showing sudden interest. "Let me look, +Jerry!" + +"Will you give an honest opinion, regardless of any bias, one way or the +other?" demanded the other, whose father was a leading lawyer in +Centerville. + +"Of course I will. What do you take me for, anyway?" replied Bluff, +aggrieved. + +"Then look, and tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the +truth," and Jerry handed him the reading-glass. + +"Well, what's the verdict?" asked Frank, after Bluff had studied the +picture for a full minute. + +"I won't be as positive as our friend here, but I'm inclined to think +that it may be Waddy, all right; anyhow, he's about his size, and +there's something in his way of standing that reminds me of the fellow," +announced Bluff. + +"Talk to me about your hedging, what d'ye think of that? Of course it's +Waddy, as big as life, grown somewhat, and with torn clothes and dirty +face; but I'd know his attitude among a dozen. Consider that point +settled, Frank." + +"Well, it doesn't matter much to us at all. If the sheriff, Mr. Dodd, +manages to catch up with the runaways, Mr. Waddy will have a chance to +go back to where he came from--the reform school. Now, let's drop those +two, and talk over our proposed visit to Wildcat Island," remarked +Frank. + +"Have you got all the supplies?" asked Will. + +"Here's the list. Look it over, and if anybody wants to suggest other +things all they have to do is to put them down. We're willing to lug +stuff there to the limit of our canoes," answered Frank. + +When they had made all arrangements the meeting was adjourned to the +time when they expected to start from the boathouse just after noon on +the following day. + +"How about the weather--do we go, regardless?" asked Will, again. + +"True canoeists laugh at the weather. Come rain, come storm, they buck +up against whatever the day brings forth. At one, then, every fellow be +on hand. I'll have the supplies there before that. I've got a surprise +in store for you boys, too," remarked Frank. + +"Tell me about that, will you; he's going to let us lie awake all night +trying to guess the great conundrum. Say, it hasn't anything to do with +the girls coming over some day to take dinner with us, has it?" asked +Jerry. + +"Oh! say, that would be immense, only too good to be true," cried Bluff, +who, be it known, was rather inclined to be sweet on Frank's only +sister, Nellie. + +"They've promised to come, all right; but this has nothing to do with +that. You just wait and see, that's all I'll say. Now come into the +front room, fellows. Nellie has had several friends over, and we're +going to make a delightful evening of it." + +Frank would not listen to any protest, but ushered his three chums into +the parlor where they found four lively girls enjoying themselves with +music, and waiting for the meeting of the club to come to an end. + +For the next hour they romped as only a lot of young people may, for +whom the morrow has no terrors. Will's twin sister, Violet, was, of +course, there, as were Mame Crosby and Susie Prescott, the former of +whom was never so happy as when teasing Jerry, and getting him to +"spout" after the fashion of his learned father when pleading for a +prisoner before the bar. + +It was about half-past ten that they separated, after enjoying some +simple refreshments in the way of cake and lemonade. + +The boys saw the girls home, Will taking his sister; while Bluff, +secretly informing Nellie Langdon that he only did it out of pure +courtesy, saw that Susie was properly escorted through the quiet streets +of Centerville, and reached her father's house in safety. + +When Frank reached the boathouse, just at half-past twelve on the +following day, he found all of his companions there ahead of him. + +"You slow coach, think we've got the whole afternoon to get started?" +demanded Bluff, who was bustling around as usual, yet accomplishing very +little. + +"Well, if you examine closer you'll find that I've been here most of the +morning, and packed the things in several bundles. These go in the big +canoe; those yonder you must stow away, Bluff, while Jerry will take +care of the rest," replied Frank, paying little attention to the way in +which he was addressed, because he knew it was mere talk, and no slur +intended. + +"Sure you didn't miss anything?" asked Jerry, smiling grimly; for he +pretended to scorn this wholesale carrying of stuff into the woods, and +always declared he could exist happily with a blanket, a coffee-pot, a +frying-pan, some salt and pepper, coffee and ship biscuit, depending on +rod and gun to supply all else. + +Nevertheless, when the "duffle" was lugged into the woods he considered +it a sacred duty to do his utmost to lessen the supplies, possibly for +fear they would have to "tote" them out again, as Bluff used to +sarcastically remark. + +"Not that I know of. If you are afraid, why we might go over the list +again, and see what else we can use," said Frank, with a wink toward +Will. + +"I beg of you don't. My poor canoe would sink of fright or freight. +Besides, I want you to notice that it's kind of rough out on the lake, +and as it stands we're taking big chances of being swamped. Come on, +fellows, load your cargo!" called Jerry. + +"What's this funny bundle in our boat?" demanded Will, suddenly. + +"Ask no questions and I'll give you no yarns. Just possess your souls in +patience, and you'll see after a while," came Frank's answer, as he went +on loading systematically, taking heed of the fact that they would need +to buck up against some rather heavy seas from the south while on the +way, and that everything must be protected from the wet by covers. + +"I bet it's a new patent stove he's got along," suggested Will. + +"Oh! that's in my boat already. It burns kerosene, and makes a blue gas. +Frank says it's the boss in rainy weather, with those aluminum camp +kettles for cooking. I reckon it must be a box of cake and pies the +girls have supplied," ventured Bluff. + +"You're away off, for they're going to bring those things when they +come. Besides, this isn't in the shape of a box at all," laughed Frank. + +"That's a fact, and it looks more like a spare blanket or two," came +from Jerry. + +"Well, give it up, boys. I don't believe you'd guess in a month of +Sundays. Now, are you all ready?" queried the leader of the club, as he +took up his paddle and prepared to look after the port side while Will +worked the starboard. + +Frank, being the more experienced of the twain, had the stern seat, as +that is usually considered the post of greater responsibility in +clearing rocks while running rapids, and generally guiding the craft. + +"Say when!" called Jerry. + +"The _Red Rover_ is ready to meet the storm!" announced Bluff, whose +little craft had a narrow band of red around its gunwale. + +"Go!" + +The four paddles dipped deeply into the water, and simultaneously the +little canoes started into the teeth of the wind. There were a few +shouts from the shore, and considerable waving of snowy 'kerchiefs from +a group of girls standing before Frank's house, which latter brought a +series of salutes from the paddlers until the commodore of the flotilla +sternly warned them that unless they paid more attention to what they +were doing an upset would mark the beginning of their Spring outing. + +After that they kept their eyes straight ahead. And, indeed, there was +really need for all attention, since the waves were running quite high +for such small vessels to meet. Still, a canoe, if properly handled, can +live in a sea that will sink a much larger boat; since the tiny cedar +craft mounts to the crests of the waves with the buoyancy of a cork. + +They paddled strenuously for an hour toward the south, and by that time +were beginning to feel their muscles growing somewhat sore. The season +was young, and they had not as yet become wholly accustomed to hard +manual labor, though all of them used the school gymnasium through the +winter months in the endeavor to keep in condition. + +"Talk about your combers, these are the real thing," grunted Jerry, as +he shot up on the crest of a wave, from which exalted position he had a +fleeting view of the island dead ahead; and was then swept down into +what seemed to be a valley. + +The fact that each boat was so heavily laden added to the danger of +their swamping if once they turned sideways to the seas, or broached to; +but the boys were conscious of this ever-impending peril, and fought +tooth and nail to prevent it. + +Wildcat Island was quite a large piece of ground, standing in the lake +at some little distance from either shore, but much nearer the western +one, that upon which the town of Newtonport was situated, with its +distant range of hills, called the Sunset Mountains by the natives. + +This island lay not far from the foot of the lake, while another, going +by the name of Snake Island, was situated close to the lumber camp at +the head of the body of water, which was some ten miles long by between +one and two wide. + +With a strong south wind blowing, a heavy sea could be kicked up, though +naturally this would be found much worse the farther up the lake one +went. + +"Ten minutes more will see us there, boys!" shouted Frank. + +He feared that one of the other paddlers might be getting pretty near +his last effort, and wished to encourage the balance of his chums to +renewed efforts. + +"We're all right; don't worry about us," called back Bluff, who happened +to be a little bit ahead. + +He had hardly spoken than he came close to the verge of disaster. To +make his voice carry the better, Bluff had half turned his head, and in +doing this lost his advantage just a trifle. So it came that the next +sea struck the _Red Rover_ on the forward port side, instead of head on. +This caused the frail canoe to sheer out of her course, amid frantic +efforts of her wearied skipper to regain a straightaway heading; and +only for the fact that a second sea did not follow closely on the heels +of the first, he might have met with an upset. + +Presently they ran into the lee of the island, where the water was +smoother. + +This revived the flagging energies of Bluff and Jerry, always rivaling +each other in whatever they attempted; so they set up a little race for +the shore. + +"Who won, Frank?" demanded Bluff between gasps, as all of them landed. + +"Well," remarked the other, with a sly wink at Will, which at the time +the latter did not fully understand, though its import was made plain +later, "I'd declare it a dead heat! You two fellows are so evenly +matched it's hard to decide which is the better." + +"All but our lung capacity; there I've got him beaten every time," +insisted Bluff. + +"You have, eh? Wait until the opportunity comes, and you'll just see how +easy I put you on the mat. Ashore it is, my hearties! We're castaway +sailors for a week!" exclaimed Jerry, suiting the action to the word, +and dragging his canoe up on the little shelving beach, beyond which lay +the bristling thickets, hiding all the mysteries of Wildcat Island. + +"Monarch of all we survey. Here we hide from the world, and forget dull +care," sang Will, prancing about to ease up his strained muscles. + +"Here, lend a helping hand, you shirk!" called Frank, who was dragging +the big canoe ashore alone. + +Suddenly there was a shriek from Will that made the others spring up. +Frank's hand involuntarily reached out for the double-barreled shotgun +that lay in its waterproof case on top of the stuff in his canoe. + +"Look! look! the wild man!" shouted Jerry. + +They all saw a hideous face framed among the branches and twigs of the +thicket close by. One second only was it in view, hardly long enough for +them to make out that it was human rather than that of an immense ape. +Then the ugly face vanished from their sight, leaving the four canoeists +gaping at each other as though unable to positively decide whether they +had really seen the mysterious wild man of the island, or something +which their imaginations had conjured up instead. + + + + +CHAPTER V--A STRANGE HAPPENING + + +"Did you see him, boys?" exclaimed Will, who was shivering as if he had +just run across a ghost. + +"Why, to be sure," replied Frank, laughing a little forcedly; for the +sight of that hideous face had given him a shock. + +"Then it was so, after all. I began to believe I was just imagining +things. Oh! what a magnificent opportunity I missed. How can I ever +forgive myself?" groaned Will, showing signs of disgust. + +"Opportunity for what--capturing the terrible wild man?" cried Bluff, +aghast at what seemed the audacity of his ordinarily peaceable chum. + +"Certainly not. But if I had only been ready I could have taken his +picture to show the folks at home. My stars! what a great feat that +would have been," sighed the disappointed photographer, shaking his +head. + +"Tell me about that, will you? There was my uncle laughing at me when I +mentioned about this same wild man of the island. He declared it was +only some innocent animal, or else an old woman's tale. But every one of +us saw him, and we've not been ashore five minutes, either," declared +Jerry. + +"I foresee some stirring times for us here, what with the snakes, if +they are to be found, the ferocious wildcats they tell about, and now +this mysterious wild man," remarked Frank, soberly, as he began to take +the bundles out of his canoe and place them high and dry up on the +shore. + +"Are we going to stay?" asked Bluff. + +"Why, to be sure we are. Talk to me about your brave men, I like to hear +a fellow speak about being scared away by the first sight of some poor, +harmless chap. Perhaps it's another of Mr. Smithson's crazy people, +escaped from the asylum over at Merrick, and hiding out here." + +On their camping-out trip of the preceding autumn they had met with a +remarkable personage who persisted in declaring that he was the famous +Prince Bismarck, and who eventually turned out to be an escaped inmate +of the asylum at Merrick, some miles away. + +A keeper named Smithson had engaged them to help him capture the +demented one, and this was what Jerry was referring to when he spoke. + +"I wouldn't wonder but what that may be true," remarked Frank, +seriously; "but no matter, we are not the kind to run at a shadow. We +laid out this trip to spend our Easter holidays on Wildcat Island, and +it's got to be something pretty threatening that will frighten us off." + +"Hear! hear!" exclaimed Jerry. + +"That's the stuff!" declared Bluff, thinking that he could not afford to +let his rival take all the credit for valor. + +"But I'll never get another opportunity to take his picture," complained +Will. + +"How do you know? Man alive, there may be no end of stirring times +coming, with that same old hermit figuring in the circus. Perhaps the +scent of our coffee and bacon will bring him back into touch with +civilization; why, he may even walk into our camp, and try to make +friends, when he gets a whiff of onions frying," and Frank slapped his +chum on the back as he spoke along this line. + +"Oh! well, if you think that way I'll keep up my hopes. And you just +remember that if I seem to be hugging this little snapshot contrivance +closer than usual, why, I'm only keeping in readiness for instantaneous +work. A fellow has to be pretty quick on the trigger to get a picture of +a wild man, you know." + +They soon had the boats unloaded. + +"Pull them out, fellows. I've brought along the chains and padlocks +belonging to each boat. Having a canoe stolen isn't such fun, even on a +ten-mile lake like Camalot," ventured Frank, as he produced the articles +in question, and proceeded to fasten the canoes together, at the same +time making sure they were chained to the sturdy root of a nearby tree. + +"He thinks of everything," admitted Will, in admiration. + +"Don't you believe it for one second. I forget many things; but as they +said a wild man inhabited this bit of island, I wanted to make sure he +did not run off with any of our boats, and perhaps our supplies." + +"All the same, it took your long head to think of such a thing, old +chap. Now, I defy any one to hook our boats. Besides, we don't mean to +ever leave the camp unguarded; and I guess you expect to put up the +tents close by here?" said Jerry. + +"It looks good to me," replied Frank, casting another glance at the +little open spot close to the beach, which seemed an ideal place for a +canoeist's camp, having a splendid view of the lake, stretching almost +ten miles away to the north. + +The four were soon as busy as beavers. + +They already knew how to erect the tents, which had a fly that could be +lowered in front in severe weather, and a ground cloth of waterproof +material, quite an addition to the comfort of the interior. + +Jerry worked just as hard as the rest, although every now and then +pretending to laugh at all this fuss, when a humble shack of branches +ought to serve any fellow who called himself a true sportsman. + +By the time the fireplace had been built of stones, over which several +stout steel bars rested, upon which the cooking utensils would set, the +Spring afternoon was drawing to a close. + +"What will we have for our first supper?" Bluff asked; for he did not +mean to let Jerry carry off all the honors in the cooking line this +trip. + +Secretly Bluff had been getting the hired girl at his home to teach him +some of the kitchen lore, and he had a few surprises up his sleeve which +he intended to spring upon his unsuspecting chums when the occasion came +around that he was left alone in charge of the camp. + +"Nobody thought to bring a steak this time," ventured Frank; "so if +you're all agreeable, I say that we begin our cooking with a little +canoeist's menu something along this order: Tea, succotash, a can of +corned beef, fresh bread and butter, and finish with a jar of preserves +and cake from home. How does that strike you?" + +"It suits me. And as the sun is sinking low, the sooner we get to work +the better," declared Bluff, readily enough; for he was fairly ravenous, +and kept wetting his lips like a hungry dog that scents a rich, juicy +bone. + +"Talk about your feasts, what could equal that programme? Me for the +corned beef every time. Why, it's my best hold, and I just worship +it--hot, cold or medium. How do you stand, Will? Any further +suggestions?" + +"Well, I brought some imported Switzer cheese along, and you know, +fellows, I'm particularly fond of it; so if it's just the same to you, +I'll add that to the list," replied the one addressed. + +"Oh, my! that's what I get for speaking too hastily. Now I shall +certainly be punished. I suppose as long as that cheese lasts my +appetite will vanish at every meal. I only hope that gay old wild man +takes a fancy to it, and elopes with the whole blessed bunch. Why didn't +you fetch limburger and kill us outright, instead of our dying by +inches? But it will help draw the wildcats around, that's one comfort," +groaned Jerry. + +Preparations for supper went on apace. + +They had set the tents at the base of a little bluff; for Wildcat Island +was a singular formation, being quite hilly in parts. Indeed, some +people were fond of comparing it to the volcanic islands that suddenly +rise up out of the sea in regions like the Alaska coast; and as +frequently vanish in a night. It was moreover heavily wooded, and the +rank vegetation made it anything but an easy task to do any exploring. + +Frank had calculated that this steep bluff overhanging the camp would be +of considerable benefit to the expedition should a severe storm set in +from the west. + +As the boys busied themselves with various tasks they chatted and joked +after their custom. + +The stew of succotash and corned beef, which Frank had called the +Canoeist's Delight, was now ready. He set it aside on a stone to cool a +trifle while the table was being prepared. + +"How's the coffee getting on, Jerry?" asked the chief cook of the +evening; for they usually changed around, and gave each fellow a chance +to show what he knew along the line of preparing appetizing dishes, or +of exposing his ignorance, which method of procedure naturally created +some rivalry. + +"Just about ready. I've allowed it to boil furiously three times, and +settled it with a dash of cold water on each and every occasion. Talk to +me about the nectar of the gods, this suits me all right." + +"Oh! please hurry up. I'm almost trembling with eagerness, after sitting +here and sniffing those delicious odors for so long a time," pleaded +Will, who happened to have nothing to do with the supper on this +occasion, his time coming on the morrow. + +But they gave him no heed, those unfeeling wretches. + +The one who camps out must expect to prove himself a hero daily by +conquering his appetite and holding it in check with a firm hand until +the head chef declares that all is ready for the feast to begin. + +Frank had just finished placing the aluminum plates and cups, and was +about to reach out for the kettle of steaming stew, when to his +astonishment he found the stone, where he had laid it, empty. + +Thinking that one of the others might be playing some trick, he opened +his mouth to remonstrate, when a cry from Will caused him to turn his +eyes upward. + +There he saw the little kettle swinging in mid-air, and being drawn +hastily upwards by some unseen mysterious agency! + + + + +CHAPTER VI--FRANK MAKES A GUESS + + +No one seemed able to say a single word. + +Standing or crouching there, with staring eyes those four lads watched +the marvelous ascent of their supper. It was as though an unseen hand +had reached down and plucked the kettle from the rock to carry it +heavenward. + +Now it had reached the level of the top of the bluff, and as they +continued to gape, an arm was thrust hastily out from the rank +vegetation that grew there; they saw eager fingers clutch the kettle, +and then it was drawn from their sight. + +"Tell me about that!" gasped Jerry, as soon as he could catch his +breath. + +Bluff made a dive for Frank's gun. His own repeating shotgun was at +home, out of commission, for which Jerry, who hated the modern arm as +the devil is said to hate holy water, never ceased to give thanks. + +But Frank caught his arm. + +"No, I wouldn't do that, Bluff. We can afford to lose our stew, for +we've got plenty more behind it. We can even let the little kettle go, +if necessary; but we should hate to have any man's life on our hands, no +matter if he is a crazy being." + +"Did you see him, Frank?" exclaimed Will, in great excitement. + +"No more than the rest of you. An arm came into view, and the kettle was +drawn in. Somebody is going to enjoy a fine supper to-night. Perhaps the +poor fellow has not tasted decent food for ages. Much good may it do +him," said Frank. + +"What are you going to do about it, then?" demanded the warlike Bluff. + +"Well, the best thing is to open another can of succotash and one of the +corned beef, since we seem to have set our minds on that stew," smiled +Frank. + +He immediately started operations. + +"But are we going to sit here like a lot of babies while that scamp runs +off with our supper?" demanded Bluff, indignantly. + +"And he's stolen one of your charming little aluminum kettles, too, +Frank," put in Will, in added horror. + +"Well, there are plenty more where that came from, and an indulgent dad +will, I am sure, supply me with all I want; but I should hate to have to +tell him that I had filled a poor demented being with bird-shot just +because the tantalizing odor of my favorite canoeist stew had tempted +him beyond endurance." + +"How do you think the beggar ever did it?" asked Jerry at this juncture, +as he craned his neck to look straight upward. + +"I think I can see how. I noticed a cord of some sort. Evidently he had +a hook attached. This he passed over that branch of a tree sticking out +from the top of the bluff, so that the kettle might be kept away from +the face of the cliff as it rose, and in that way prevented from +spilling its coveted contents," replied the one addressed. + +"Talk to me about your aeroplanes, that was an ascension to beat the +band! Wow! I had a chill run up and down my spinal column, for I give +you my word, fellows, at first I really thought of ghosts, and that some +invisible agency had reached down and gobbled our supper." + +"And I thought I was dreaming--that I'd fallen asleep by the fire, and +you had eaten up all the stew, while Bluff was throwing up the empty +kettle to practice shooting at, like he did our wash-basin that other +time," admitted Will. + +"And that chap was angling for the bale of our kettle while we sat here +and never once suspected what was going on. Say, we're a husky lot of +tenderfeet. Why, some night a thief will come and steal the blankets off +us, and no one be the wiser until morning," declared Bluff, in disgust. + +After a while the second kettle of stew was pronounced ready. It was +laughable to see how those four crowded around to protect it against an +invading force; and what suspicious looks they cast upward at the brow +of the innocent little bluff. + +But there was no further manifestation of the Presence near them. Jerry +kept an eye on the coffee-pot, and was ready with a keen-edged knife to +immediately proceed against any dangling cord and hook that might come +in sight. + +They enjoyed the supper in spite of the uncanny feeling that this +unprovoked and early attack had produced. + +"Who was it predicted that the odors of our cooking would stir up the +old hermit, and awaken his appetite for the things of the civilized +world? Frank, it was you. And sure enough that's what came to pass. He's +got tired of feeding on roots and birds' eggs and fish," remarked Will, +feeling better after he had quieted the gnawings of his appetite. + +"Provided that it was the so-called wild man," said Frank, quietly. + +At which remark there was a chorus of cries. + +"It certainly must have been a human being and not an animal. Even an +educated ape or chimpanzee could never have had that cord and hook and +managed it as this chap did. What do you mean by doubting it, Frank?" +demanded Bluff. + +"Yes, tell us what you've been thinking?" asked Will. + +"Say, that gives me an idea. I wager I can guess what he's got in mind," +ventured Jerry, looking exceedingly wise. + +"Well, go on then," from Frank. + +"The two runaway tramps!" + +"Jerry, that head of yours will get you into trouble some day. You are +too good a guesser," laughed Frank. + +"Then that was it? You think the tramps have come over here to Wildcat +Island to hide while the sheriff is hunting the woods high and low for +them? I declare, if that's so it means warm times in store for us," +exclaimed Will. + +"Talk to me about your war scares, what could equal that? Why, we'll +capture the blooming hoboes, and let Mr. Dodd know there are others +besides himself who can do things." + +"What makes you think that?" pursued Bluff, who always wanted to know +the why and wherefore of everything, he being the Doubting Thomas of the +quartet. + +"I may be mistaken, remember; for I'm just speculating, you see. In the +first place, I doubt if our wild man would be provided with such a +convenient cord and hook. Then again I saw that arm, and it was covered +with a sleeve that looked wonderfully like that of the taller tramp's +coat, a dun-colored affair." + +"Bravo! Frank's logic carries the day. I'm going to take it for granted +that we are entertaining angels unawares on this blessed old island," +cried Will. + +"Angels?" snorted Jerry. "Talk to me about that, will you? They must +have had their wings singed, then, or else they'd have flown down and +scooped our grub instead of using a measly old string. Angels! Wow! +Will's turning poet as well as artist." + +"I know one thing, boys, and that is we'll have to keep watch and watch +every night from now on. If the tramps are here they'll steal everything +we own, given half a chance," from Bluff. + +"That's a good idea, and we'll arrange that one must be on guard for two +hours at a stretch. Besides, it will make the camp seem more military," +said Frank. + +"I rather like the idea, and ask to be appointed the first keeper of the +watch," spoke up Will. + +An arrangement was soon completed. By means of a system each of the boys +would be on duty as a guard two hours of the night. This would cover the +time from ten to six, which allowed the sleepers ample time to +recuperate. + +They passed a pleasant evening despite the many suspicious glances cast +aloft from time to time. Finally Jerry began to yawn. + +"Say, fellows, as I'm the last to go on duty, I guess I'll turn in. +To-morrow I mean to collect a lot of hemlock browse for a bed; but +to-night it's me on the cold, hard ground, with only my good blanket +under and above." + +"Not a bit of it, old chap. Here's where my surprise comes in. Now, you +and our good friend Bluff here have been sighing for a chance to prove +which one possesses the biggest lungs. I'm going to give you a chance to +make good," announced Frank. + +"Hurrah! count me in, whatever it is," exclaimed Bluff, jumping up, as +Frank began to undo the mysterious bundle that had excited their +curiosity earlier. + +"Here you see a couple of the finest rubber air-cushion mattresses ever +made for the use of campers. Each can be extended so that two can sleep +on it. Now, I'm going to spread these out here ready. You two will lie +down on your chests, and wait till I give the signal, and then blow for +all you're worth. The first one whose mattress is filled with air will +be proclaimed the victor," said Frank. + +Jerry and Bluff threw themselves prostrate instantly, eager for the +trial, and each filled with a determination to settle the matter for all +time. They did not see the sly wink Frank gave Will, nor hear the +chuckling sound of amusement that escaped from the lips of that camper +as he half turned his head away. + +"Go!" + +Frank stood there as referee and timed the contestants, who puffed and +blew with all the vigor of their young lungs, until both mattresses +stood out just as full as they could stand. + +"How is it?" wheezed Bluff, looking up, red in the face. + +"Do I win?" gasped Jerry, too exhausted to do more than roll over. + +"Gentlemen, it has been a remarkable contest all around. I am forced to +call it a draw for to-night, as you both came under the wire at the same +time. It is simply wonderful!" announced the judge, gravely. + +Will mutely held up his hands, but whether to express his admiration for +the capacity of the contestants' lungs or for the astonishing ingenuity +of Frank, could not be told. He knew that they would never have any +trouble about getting those two air mattresses filled each night, for +the eager rivals could hardly wait for turning-in time to come, so +anxious were they for a new trial of lung capacity. + +Frank had not camped in Maine for nothing. He afterwards admitted in +secret to Will that he had witnessed a similar trick being played upon a +couple of guides, and had never forgotten it. + +"Just you wait until to-morrow night, and I'll show you," grunted Jerry, +as he rolled over to woo the goddess of slumber. + +"Then you'll have to go a notch better than you did just now, that's +what," was the pugnacious reply of his rival. + +"How does it go, Jerry?" asked Will, whose watch came first, and who was +handling Frank's gun a bit nervously, for he was a poor shot. + +"Fine. Frank, you deserve the united thanks of the club for thinking of +such things as these. Talk to me about your bed of hemlock browse, it's +all good enough to read about, but this is solid comfort!" said Jerry. + +"That settles it. They must be great when such a simple-minded sportsman +as you would praise them. Here goes, fellows," and Frank lay down. + +Ere long the camp was quiet, save for the strenuous breathing of Bluff, +who persisted in lying on his back, and gently snoring. Will sat out his +watch and then awoke Frank, whose turn came after him. + +It was just about midnight when he took up his station where he could +see all that went on in the camp. He meant to keep a good watch, +because, if those rascally tramps were really on the island it was more +than possible that they would sooner or later try to make another raid +on the larder of the boys in order to satisfy their hunger. + +The moon had risen long before, but was hidden behind a bank of heavy +clouds. + +Frank was trying to figure out how he ought to act under such +conditions. He had said that he did not want to do the tramps bodily +injury if it could be prevented, but at the same time there might arise +conditions that would necessitate prompt and severe measures of +reprisal. + +He would not like to shoot unless the object of his anger were at a good +distance so that the bird-shot would not severely injure the object of +his attentions. + +Frank had his back against a tree, and could observe the entire camp as +he sat there with the minutes passing. Strange noises came from the +interior of the island, but this lad had spent so many nights under +canvas that most of them were familiar to him as the cries of owls or +nighthawks, perhaps quarreling raccoons or an opossum objecting to a +rival's attentions to his mate. + +But when he had been sitting there fully an hour Frank's attention was +called to a slight movement in the bushes on one side of the camp. + +Thrilled with expectancy he watched the leaves, and kept his fingers +upon the triggers of the gun that lay across his knees, ready for an +emergency. + + + + +CHAPTER VII--EXPLORING THE ISLAND + + +Again the bushes moved. Undoubtedly there was some person or animal +advancing in the direction of the twin tents, with the intention of +securing a coveted article of food. + +Frank never moved, only watched, and presently he chuckled softly to +himself, for he had caught a glimpse of two yellow, glowing balls of +light that shone in the semi-darkness under the trees like globes of +phosphorus. + +"Our first wildcat, come to see what sort of fellows have invaded its +territory. Well, I believe in giving all strangers a warm reception, and +here's to you, old chap." + +As he thought thus he gently began to elevate his gun. The invader +meanwhile had continued to advance until its whole crouching figure was +plainly outlined. + +[Illustration: HE DODGED JUST IN TIME TO ESCAPE THE FURIOUS LEAP OF A +WILDCAT.] + +The crash of the gun brought the other three out of the tents in a mad +scramble, under the impression that either the wild man or the two +hoboes had invaded the camp. + +"Where are they? Let me get a crack at the scamps!" shouted Jerry. + +There was an angry snarl, and he dodged just in time to escape the +furious leap of a wildcat that had been crouching on some part of the +lower bluff, entirely unseen by the sentinel. + +Jerry was as quick as lightning with his gun. He whirled around and let +go almost before any of the others had discovered what object it was he +had dodged. + +"Talk to me about that, will you," exclaimed the marksman, as the +riddled "varmint" tried to leap again, and fell back to breathe its +last; "where was Frank all the while--what did he fire at, tell me?" + +"This," remarked the other, quietly, stepping forward and picking up a +monster of a bobcat that had lain, unnoticed by Jerry, amid the leaves +still covering the ground from the previous Fall. + +"Two of the critters! What do you know about that--a pair the very first +night! Well, I reckon this old island was well named, after all. No +wonder the boys never wanted to land here, even in the daytime. But I'd +rather it was cats than wild men, or thieving hoboes." + +After a search had failed to reveal any more of the "pestiferous cats," +as Jerry delighted in calling them, the three boys crawled back under +their blankets again, for the night air felt chilly, after being +snuggled down so warmly. + +No more alarms came that night, and later on the sky cleared, allowing +the moon full sway. + +As daylight advanced long before Jerry's watch was over, it became a +part of his duty to resuscitate the fire, and begin to get ready for +breakfast. + +They had laid out numerous things to be done on this day. First of all +it was decided that two of them must hunt in company; and even those +left in camp were not to separate more than they could help. Of course +it might be necessary for one of the stay-at-homes to launch a canoe and +try the fishing, if they expected to extend the variety of food in the +larder; but there must be no solitary wandering about the strange +island. + +Frank and Jerry were chosen to make an exploration that day. They could +start in and easily go around the island, exploring every part of it, +and learning considerable about its secrets. + +If the tramps were really hiding here, possibly some evidence of their +presence would be found, the embers of a fire it might be. + +Frank was somewhat provoked about the happening of the preceding night, +and even thought it might be advisable to move the camp away from that +bluff. The others convinced him, however, that they were just as safe +there as in any other locality, and so he did not persist in this idea. + +He did climb to the top of the bluff to examine the ground. Here Jerry +joined him after a little. + +"Any signs?" asked the latter, swinging over to where Frank knelt. + +"Plenty. Here they crouched and watched us." + +"Then there were more than one?" asked Jerry, eagerly. + +"You can see the marks of two separate pair of shoes; and one of them +small enough to belong to your Waddy Walsh. I think you said he was a +squatty chap, and used to boast of his delicate hands and feet," +continued Frank, pointing. + +"You're right. And that settles one thing. The hoboes stole our kettle, +and not any wild man. I reckon they're a little afraid of us, seeing +we're armed, and they may not be. Wonder what they thought we were +shooting in the night?" + +"All I hope is they'll give us a wide berth after this. If they keep on +trying to make us feed them, it's going to spoil our outing some, I +fear," remarked Frank, as he started to descend the bluff again. + +After a serious consultation the party separated. + +Frank and Jerry started off along the shore, heading to the west. + +"If all goes well look for us some time before sunset. We've got a lunch +along and want to do the job up brown while we're at it, you know," said +Frank, as he turned to wave his two comrades farewell. + +"Good luck!" called Bluff, who was washing the dishes. + +Snap! + +"I've got you as you appear starting off on the great exploring +expedition, fellows. If by any evil chance you never show up again, that +picture will be cherished by your relatives," called Will. + +"Talk to me about your croakers, will you? That's a pleasant send-off, +now," said Jerry, as he fell in beside his chum, and lost sight of the +cheery camp. + +They found the going rather rough at times, and what with climbing over +obstacles and cutting a passage through creepers that trailed down from +the trees at such times as they pushed in from the shore, progress was +rather slow. + +At noon they had not gone more than a third of the way around the +island. + +"Here's a good place to rest. I move we sit down, eat our grub, and take +a few winks. I didn't get much sleep last night, and feel dopy," +remarked Jerry. + +Truth to tell, Frank was not unwilling to comply. He was sleepy himself, +and the April sun seemed unusually warm at this time of day. + +"Just as you say. That snack of crackers and cheese and cold tongue +would strike me about right. Down it is, then," he replied, dropping on +the green grass. + +They drank from the lake when thirsty, for the water was pure and cold. +After finishing their frugal meal the two lay back to rest. Frank +watched the clouds passing over for a time, but finally his eyes closed +and he slept. + +"Here, get up!" he heard some one say close to his ear. + +Jerry was yawning and stretching. The sun seemed to be pretty well down +the first half of the western heavens. + +"How long have we been asleep here?" demanded Jerry, curiously. + +"I'm ashamed to say several hours. It's now three," laughed his comrade. + +"Then we'd better be on the jump if we expect to get around the blessed +old island to-day. I won't hear of going back after starting out with +such a grand hurrah." + +Frank was quite of the same opinion. Accordingly the two pedestrians +began to move along their way, following the shore line save in certain +places where something out of the usual run attracted their attention. + +All the while they were on the keen watch for any signs that would +indicate the presence of human beings on the island. + +Being able to keep track of their progress by watching the shore of the +mainland, they knew when they had reached a point half way around. + +"Now we're on the home stretch," announced Jerry, as he looked over the +lake in the direction of its southern terminus, not more than a quarter +of a mile off. + +"But the worst is yet to come," laughed Frank, simply to hear Jerry +groan, and not because he really believed it to be the case. + +A short time later they were tempted to enter the depths of the timber +again to investigate some curious formation that Frank believed might be +an Indian mound. + +"I'd like to dig into it some time, and satisfy my curiosity," he +declared. + +"It makes a bully support for a fellow's tired back, I know," said +Jerry, as he spread himself upon the ground. + +"Well, take a little rest, then, while I examine that other rise over +there. It looks larger than this one, and if my suspicions prove true +there ought to be a jolly lot of relics dug out of these mounds." + +"All right, Frank, I'm agreeable. Don't forget me, and go back to camp +alone, you know," said Jerry, laughing, as he stretched himself out. + +"I declare if the fellow isn't thinking of taking another nap. Well, we +may see fit to keep you on duty the whole of to-night, so prepare +yourself." + +With which warning Frank walked away. He arrived at the larger mound, +and was so deeply interested in examining the same that the minutes +crept along unheeded. He heard the cries of hawks quarreling in some +nearby tree; then again sounds as of small animals snarling came from +the brush beyond; but Frank paid little heed to any of these things. + +Finally he aroused himself. + +"Come, this won't do. I must get back to Jerry, and we'll have to do +some hustling to reach the camp by dusk," he exclaimed. + +When he arrived at the other mound he was surprised not to find his chum +lying there sleeping. Jerry had vanished in a most incomprehensible +manner! + +At first, Frank thought the other might be trying to play one of his +practical jokes upon him. He called, but there came back no answer. + +Then he dropped down to examine the ground, having been tutored by the +Penobscot Indians of the northern woods; and, finding tracks, he knew +that the worst had happened. Jerry had undoubtedly fallen into the hands +of their foes! + + + + +CHAPTER VIII--OLD ENEMIES APPEAR + + +"Bend your head a little. Now, look pleasant, as a fellow should after +slaying a couple of ferocious wildcats. Ready? Then here she goes!" + +Snap! + +Bluff had been posing, with Jerry's gun in his hands. At his feet, +artistically stretched out, were the two defunct invaders of the night +camp. Will had his camera in position, and was taking a snapshot of the +mighty Nimrod. + +"After all it's only a big fake, for I never had a hand in the killing +at all," declared Bluff, with a laugh. + +"Fake? No more than most of the pictures you see, where some well-known +person is photographed with a big bear at his feet, or perhaps it's a +moose. I guess I know. But it gives me a picture, and neither Jerry nor +Frank would bother posing. You're really the only accommodating pard in +camp, Bluff," remarked Will. + +"Oh, rats! you only say that because you can smooth me over, and get me +to consent to helping you out in these dreadful frauds of pictures. I +reckon I'll never hear the last of it if Mame Crosby ever learns how I +stood for this, when others claimed the game," grunted Bluff. + +"But I thank you ever so much, old fellow; you're so obliging," said +Will. + +"Well, I'd like to get one of the boats out, and try the fish. What are +you going to do, now?" asked the other. + +"I'll tell you. I've got some flashlight contrivances here that have +been used successfully, they tell me, in making wild game photograph +themselves. Just think how great that would be. The thing is set with a +sort of trigger, you see. As the 'coon or other beast creeps up along +the log to get the piece of meat, he crosses a string that sets the +flash afire. It's all over in a second, and there's your nice picture of +Mr. Coon sitting up and looking startled." + +"Huh! you believe you can do all that, do you?" asked Bluff, the +skeptic. + +"Why not, when others have met with great success. I've read up on the +subject, and think I've got it all down pat. Anyhow, no harm done in +trying." + +"Of course not. Well, I'm going to leave this gun of Jerry's in your +charge, as I'll hardly need it out on the lake. First I expect to dig +some worms, and then try for the perch, just to see if they've wakened +up from their winter's nap." + +"You won't go far away, I hope?" remarked Will, a little nervously. + +"See that point yonder? Well, off that I believe the perch are waiting +for me. I remember catching a bully mess there last Spring when several +of us came down here fishing. If you want me at any time just give a +call and I'll be with you in a jiffy." + +So Bluff went off to dig his worms in a promising spot, while Will began +to get things in readiness for the clever little trick he intended to +play upon B'rer 'Coon or Mr. 'Possum. + +Half an hour later Bluff was anchored off the point. He found the perch +ravenous, as they usually are after a winter's sojourn under the ice; +and it kept him busy right along pulling in the wriggling, barred +poachers, or baiting the hooks they denuded. + +It was getting along toward noon when he fancied he detected the odor of +cooking in the air. + +"Let him have a try at it; I guess it's up to Will to show how much he +has learned in the cooking line since last Fall. He's a green hand, and +it's about time he took hold. I'm comfortable here. When grub's ready +he'll call me," was what the sly Bluff was saying to himself, as he kept +his back turned toward the camp, and continued to tempt the perch. + +"Hey! you, Bluff!" came a shout just then. + +"What d'ye want, bothering me in that way?" demanded the fisherman. + +"For goodness' sake come ashore and give me a hand. I can't find any +more dishes, and the pesky thing still keeps bubbling over. Come quick, +or we'll be smothered under a mountain of it!" shouted the one on shore. + +"Now what under the sun has the fellow been up to?" said Bluff to +himself, as he pulled in his anchor, and used the paddle to urge the +canoe ashore. + +When he strode into the camp a minute or so later he stared, and then +burst into a shout of laughter as he dropped upon the ground and rolled +about. + +"Well, I don't see anything so funny about it," declared Will, in an +aggrieved tone as he looked at the various kettles and dishes heaped +high with boiled rice, and the kettle on the fire still pouring up its +white contents like a miniature volcano in action. "I never knew rice +would expand like that. Why, it's dreadful the way it keeps boiling +over. What can we do to hold the stuff?" + +"Say, how much did you put in the kettle?" gasped Bluff, when he could +speak. + +"All there was, and even then I wondered if there would be any left for +the rest." + +Bluff acted as though he would have a fit. + +"All there was," he shouted, "that beats anything I ever heard. And +Frank said the grocery-man had doubled his order, and put up _four +pounds_! Say, we'll have rice every way under the sun up to the day we +pull up stakes and get out of here. Still she boils! If you don't take +care the blooming thing'll put the fire out." + +Finally he condescended to help poor Will, and some of the rice was +scooped out of the kettle, relieving the congestion. Still, what to do +with the vast quantity of half-cooked rice was a question calculated to +appall Will during the balance of the day. + +He finally compromised by secretly burying a large portion where he +calculated none of his chums would find it again. + +Bluff assisted in getting some lunch ready, and Will was very meek after +that experience. He grimly determined that he would pay more attention +to what the others were doing when preparing meals, and by degrees learn +the secret of cooking. + +"Did you get your little game trap set?" asked Bluff after they had +eaten, and lay around taking it easy. + +"Everything is ready for the coming of the night. I'll expect to find +the cheap little camera which I brought along for that especial purpose, +doing its work. No matter, it's worth a trial, anyway. Nothing ventured, +nothing gained," remarked Will. + +"Rice, for instance," ventured Bluff, turning his head to look at the +great snow-white heap that covered a spread-out newspaper nearby, since +they had to empty the cooking utensils which Will had filled one after +the other. + +"Oh! I admit that was a fine joke on me, all right, and I suppose I'll +have to just stand the digs of the boys for a while. But it's spurred me +on, and sooner or later I'm bound to be a _chef_ worth mentioning. I +guess they haven't found any sort of game on their trip around the +island, do you?" + +"I heard no shot to tell of it," admitted Bluff. He was lying on his +back and apparently ready for a nap. + +"It was some hot out there on the water, son, and I'm inclined to be +dopy. Please keep on guard while I take a dozen winks," he said, pulling +his hat over his face. + +His dozen winks stretched out for some two hours. During this time Will +busied himself in reading a little book on camp cookery which he had +brought along. It looked as though he were about to study up on the +subject in earnest. + +Finally Bluff gave a grunt, began to move and stretch himself, and then +sat up. + +"Hello! I guess I must have been asleep," he remarked. + +Will drew out his little nickel watch and surveyed it. + +"Two hours and thirteen minutes to the dot. A few winks, eh? When am I +going to get my chance to indulge?" he demanded, sternly. + +"Now, if the spirit moves. But I see you have been busy 'conning' that +volume of camp recipes. Any dishes that call for rice there, because +we've got it and to spare. I always liked boiled rice, with sugar and +milk, even the condensed kind; but there can be too much of a good +thing. I'll be like the old dominie soon whose people fed him on rabbit +every place he went." + +"How was that?" asked Will. + +"Never heard that story? Well, you see, they knew he liked rabbit, so +every place he ate, his host made sure to have his favorite dish. Of +course the good man hated to tell them that he was getting sick of the +taste of rabbit; so what d'ye think he finally hit on as a delicate way +of getting a change?" + +"I give it up; now tell me," declared Will. + +"When he found it before him the next time he bowed his head and this +was the grace he said: 'Of rabbits young, of rabbits old; of rabbits +hot, of rabbits cold; of rabbits tender and rabbits tough, I thank the +Lord we've had enough!'" + +"That must have fetched them, all right. Now, if any one puts up a howl +here about rice, I'm going to bury the balance of it, mark my words. +What ails you, Bluff?" demanded Will, as his companion started half to +his knees, and crouching there stared through the leaves of the +low-growing trees that concealed the camp from the lake. + +"Look yonder, and see! H'sh! not another word!" he murmured. + +Will crept to a place beside him, and, finding an opening, also used his +eyes to advantage. What he saw would have annoyed any of the boys, +considering the fact that they had hoped for a period of peace while +camping on Wildcat Island. + +A large rowboat was just passing that side of the island. It had come +from up the lake somewhere, and was filled with a crowd of rough-looking +boys. + +"Pet Peters and his crowd again. They gave us all the trouble they could +last Fall when we were in camp above the lumber docks, and now they've +hunted us up again to annoy us," breathed Will, as soon as he saw who +occupied the rowboat. "But Andy Lasher isn't with them--he's away on a +visit, somebody told me." + +Bluff had reached out and picked up Jerry's shotgun. + +"They seem to be looking in here pretty hard," continued Will. + +"I guess they know we're here, and they've got some mean trick up their +sleeve; but possession's nine points of the law, and we don't get out to +please those rowdies," said Bluff between set teeth. + + + + +CHAPTER IX--GUARDIANS OF THE CAMP + + +"Do you believe they mean to land here?" asked Will, his voice trembling +a bit. + +"I did; but it looks as if they've thought better of it, for now the old +boat's moving on. They'll land, all right, and try some game on us +to-night, likely," answered the other, who had pushed the gun forward as +if meaning to make use of it should the necessity arise. + +Bluff was a reckless fellow at times, and inclined to be fiery, though, +like most of his kind, his temper was quickly subdued, and he easily +became repentant. + +"But perhaps they're only down here for a row; or, it may happen that +they mean to get a mess of those fine perch," suggested Will. + +"Perhaps, but all the same, I saw that old tent of theirs sticking up in +the bow of the boat," declared Bluff, positively. + +"Oh! then that settles it. Well, it looks as though we might have a +lively enough time of it, after all. What with the wild man, those two +thievish tramps, the wildcats that live on the island, and now, last but +not least, the Pet Peters crowd that used to train with Andy Lasher. Can +we ever go anywhere and be let alone?" complained Will, who loved peace +above all things. + +"Well, I don't mind it much. We came out for some excitement, and it +looks as if we were going to get our fill," said Bluff, who was built +more upon the adventurous model than his companion. + +They watched the boat as long as it remained in sight. + +"Seemed to me they were heading in for the shore just before they +disappeared," suggested Bluff, finally, as he turned and looked at his +mate. + +"I admit that it looked that way to me. Then we might as well take it +for granted that they're going to make camp on the island. I wonder----" +mused Will, fingering his pet camera reflectively. + +"What now?" demanded the other suspiciously. + +"The idea struck me that perhaps I might creep close enough to their +camp to get a snapshot. You know those I have of that crowd are in +sections, either running away, or doing some sort of stunt. I'd like to +have one that showed them up seated around their fire, and planning +mischief." + +"You'll do nothing of the sort, my lad, at least not while I'm left in +charge of the camp. What sort of fellow are you, anyway? You profess to +be afraid of the crazy man that is said to be on this island, and you +know those brutes yonder would be only too glad to beat you up if you +fell into their hands; yet you propose spying on them without a thought +of the danger." + +"Oh! but that was to get a picture, you see," explained Will, as though +such a laudable motive might be sufficient to make any one valiant. + +Bluff looked at him, and shook his head. + +"They'll sure have you over in that sanitarium at Merrick, before long, +for you show all the signs of getting looney. I tell you what I'm going +to do," he said. + +"Well, go on. You're hardly complimentary, you know; but I consider the +source." + +"While you remain here, I'm going to climb up to the top of this bluff. +Perhaps I can get a sight of their landing-place. It may even be that I +shall discover signs of our two pards making their weary way around the +end of the island, yonder." + +"And if there is a good chance for a view, call me up with my camera, +will you?" + +"Sure. You settle down here. I'll take the gun along. I can defend the +camp just as well up there as below. Don't worry about that, my boy." + +And Bluff started off. + +When he reached the top of the abrupt rise he did have a splendid view +of the lake and the distant shore, but could see little of the island. + +"No good for taking pictures, pard. Just you stay down there, and I'll +join you after I've looked through my marine glasses a little," he +called down. + +Frank had brought along a good pair of glasses belonging to his father; +and with these Bluff now scanned the shore line as far as he could see +it. He was in hopes of discovering some sign of the two explorers around +the point; or possibly locating the camp of the Peters crowd. + +The big rowboat he did see on the beach, and there were signs of smoke +among the trees close by, so that he decided where the town bully and +his followers had taken up their temporary quarters. + +"Wonder if they dare attack us in the night?" was what Bluff was saying +to himself as he once more commenced to descend the bluff. + +His mind went back to their previous experiences with these same boys. +The rowdies had tried to burn their camp; they had stolen whatever they +could lay hands on, and made themselves disagreeable until the +conversion of their leader, at that time Andy Lasher, by Jerry, who had +saved his life when he was caught under a fallen tree, had changed the +complexion of things. + +Under the rule of the new leader, Pet Peters, these fellows would be +equal to any deed of misconduct just so far as they dared. The fact that +the four chums never went into camp without guns of some sort might make +them cautious; but that would be the only thing. + +Will bombarded him with questions when he came down. + +"Did you see Frank and Jerry?--was the camp of those fellows in +sight?--could I get any sort of picture, if I climbed up?" so he went on +until Bluff called a halt. + +"Nothing doing at all. Just stay here where you're well off. We've got +our hands full to guard this camp. I'm wondering what keeps the boys so +long, that's all," he said. + +But the minutes lengthened into hours and still there were no signs of +the explorers. Bluff and Will started to get supper ready. Neither of +them felt very gay, for a shadow seemed to be resting upon the camp. + +The sun had set behind the mountains in the west, and with the gathering +of the dusk their fears increased. + +"Something dreadful must have happened to them," said Will, looking +alarmed. + +Bluff tried to laugh it off, saying: + +"Humbug! What could happen to those two chaps? They're up in all that +pertains to the forest, and they've got a gun along, too. It's you and I +that may well be called the babes in the woods. We know precious little +between us; but you just bet nobody can give us points on how to cook +rice." + +But Will was too much worried to even show signs of anger or reproach. + +"What if they don't come at all? What if both fellows disappear +mysteriously as if they were swallowed up in the earth? We'll feel +pretty tough telling their parents the sad news. I kind of wish now we +hadn't come," he remarked dolefully. + +"Just let up on that tune, will you? Think of the pictures you have +already secured, and the others coming. Why, the boys might have been +delayed by a dozen things. Make up your mind they're all right and will +pop in on us at any minute." + +But despite Bluff's attempt to cheer his mate up, Will kept watching the +bushes in the light of the rousing fire they kept going, as if hoping +against hope that his prediction of evil might not be fulfilled. + +They waited until the supper began to get cold. + +"We'll have to eat by ourselves, I reckon, partner. Those other chaps +have given us the cold shake for just now. But they'll be along after +awhile, never fear," said Bluff, putting on a bold face, even while his +heart was troubled. + +Will was seriously alarmed, but he tried not to show it, out of pride. +So there the two poor fellows sat as the time passed, trying to assume a +nonchalance that neither of them really felt. + +Twice they started up as some sound arose to startle them. Once it was a +shrill cry from the neighboring woods, and Bluff laughed to recognize +the solemn "whoo-whoo" of an owl; the other time it was some equally +harmless source from which the alarming sound sprung. + +The idea of spending the night by themselves was far from pleasant. +Neither of them wanted to sit up, and yet they dared not lie down and +try to sleep. + +"This isn't so very much fun," grumbled Bluff, as he held on to the gun +and continued to stare about him at the changing shadows that seemed to +flutter around the outskirts of the camp. + +It had been a question of dispute between them as to whether they should +keep up a good fire or allow it to dwindle down. Will was for having a +roaring blaze that would serve to warn all evildoers and trespassers +that they were awake and on the watch. On his part Bluff declared it +would draw trouble; so they compromised by allowing the fire to die +partly down. + +"Say, it must be getting awful late," remarked Will, stifling a yawn. + +"Why don't you lie down and get some sleep, then?" expostulated the +other; "I'll stand guard, and nothing is going to happen." + +"Of course not, but you see I know I couldn't sleep a wink thinking +about those two poor fellows, and wondering what has happened. Do you +suppose they could be drowned, Bluff?" asked Will, in an awe-struck +voice. + +"Aw, get out with your gloomy ideas. Drowned--those fellows drowned--not +on your life. They have some good reason for not showing up. I don't +know what it is, but you'll see when they do come. Don't get timid, +Will." + +"Timid! Who's showing the white feather, I'd like to know. Why, I'm not +afraid of anything that could happen here. You never saw me shake unless +it was with the cold. What is there to fear, after all? Just lie down if +you feel like it, and---- What's that?" + +Will gave vent to a half-muffled yell when a sudden vivid flash +dispelled the darkness around them, as if lightning had cut the gloom of +night. + + + + +CHAPTER X--FRANK TRIES TO FIGURE IT OUT + + +Frank was sorely perplexed. He felt sure that Jerry must have fallen +into the hands of some enemies while he was busily engaged in examining +the second Indian mound. Perhaps it might be that he had even heard the +low cry of his chum when the others seized upon him, but in his +ignorance had supposed it to be the call of a bird in the brush. + +He tried to read the signs the best he could. + +"There's that same small footprint, showing that the two tramps have +been here. Were they watching for us, or did we just happen to drop in +upon some favorite hiding-place of theirs? They saw a chance to get my +pard while I was away with the gun. And now what will they do with him?" + +So he pondered as he stood there looking around at the dense foliage +that gave no hint as to where these lawless characters could have taken +poor Jerry. + +Frank searched high and low as the minutes passed, but without any +success. He saw the coming of night with uneasiness. + +"This is a nice pickle for me. Trying to warn the others, and I fall +into the pit myself the first one. But they wouldn't dare hurt Jerry. We +haven't done them any harm. What they really want, I imagine, consists +of our guns and food. Then they could hold out for a long campaign in +the woods, and snap their fingers at the sheriff and his posse. Like as +not, in the morning they'll try to open communications with us and offer +Jerry in exchange for our things." + +The thought gave him pain. Never before had he known just how much he +thought of the missing boy. + +Then he remembered that he had two other chums. + +"They'll be worried too. Perhaps I'd better be getting back to camp to +relieve their distress of mind. It will be all right in the morning, no +doubt. And there's always a chance that Jerry may be able to give the +rascals the slip. He can duck first-class when he wants to, whether it's +playing hockey or prisoner's base." + +Getting what small consolation he could out of this, Frank now set about +heading for the camp. He had ventured far into the interior of the +island, and only for the fact that the stars were shining brightly +above, he might have further mixed matters up by getting thoroughly lost +himself. + +There were times when he found it all he could do to push his way +through the dense vegetation which obstructed his passage on every side. + +But having taken his bearings, he knew he was slowly but surely drawing +nearer the point where their camp lay. The bluff stood up against the +star-bedecked sky at such times as he found a clear spot and could catch +a view. + +Frank happened to have an unusually large supply of matches with him. He +always carried some when in the woods, but that morning he had taken up +quite a bunch from the receptacle Jerry had made to hold them near the +entrance to their tent. + +Consequently he was able to strike one every little while when some +peculiarly knotty problem presented itself for solution. + +It was while standing in a little glade that he ignited one of the +matches in order to glance at his watch, more than anything else. His +attention was immediately attracted toward something on the ground. + +"The ashes of a fire, without a doubt. That proves the presence of human +beings on the island; and I guess an escaped lunatic would never be +guilty of making a fire. Oh! those two hoboes are here, all right. If I +could only get word to Mr. Dodd now, he would surround the island, and +capture them easily. But if they hurt my chum they'll pay dear for it," +he muttered. + +The ashes were stone cold, as he discovered upon placing his hand upon +them, Indian style. Perhaps a red native of the North Woods could have +even told just how long it had been since fire lingered among the dead +embers; but it was more than the boy was able to do. + +Again he pushed forward. Rounding the bluff, he now headed straight for +the camp. + +Perhaps he found himself entertaining a desolate hope that, after all, +Jerry might have played a little trick on him, running off, and making +camp while he lingered. Frank knew about the old game of "holding the +bag," where boys coax a green comrade to go out into the dark woods far +from home, and leave him holding a sack over the end of a hollow log +while they pretend to scare up the rabbits or other game, but in reality +go home; but he did not think Jerry would play such a lark when things +looked so serious around them. + +He wondered why he did not see something of the fire. + +Surely nothing could have happened to the two in camp? That would be +worse and worse, for it was bad enough to think of Jerry in the hands of +those rascally hoboes, without adding to the horror. + +Now he was crawling up near the place under the shelter of the bluff, +craning his neck eagerly for some sign of the boys. At first he could +not see them. The fire was burning low, and that was a sign he did not +like. + +Frank began to feel a cold sensation creep over him. It was beginning to +seem so sinister and awe-inspiring that he was deeply impressed. + +Then he caught the low buzz of voices, and, listening, was cheered to +recognize the tones of Will as he made his boast. + +When that sudden amazing flash came, Frank crouched there as if +transformed into a pillar of salt, like Lot's wife. For the life of him +he could not understand what had happened. He thought he heard a +scuffling sound on the other side of the camp, but was not sure. Then +Will spoke up, his voice quivering with alarm: + +"Oh! what was that, Bluff? Did any one shoot, or was it lightning? I +didn't hear the thunder, did you?" + +"Hang the luck, that gave me a bad start, as sure as you live. And to +think, after all, it was only that beastly old flash you arranged to +make some animal take a photograph of himself! A few times like that and +we'll both be fit to go over to the Merrick Asylum, that's what." + +"My camera set for a flashlight picture? Why, of course! How silly for +me to be startled! But I should have remembered it in a few seconds, +anyhow. Thank you for reminding me of it. And it worked, you notice, +Bluff. You laughed at the idea, but I guess I've got the 'coon's +picture, all right," laughed Will, hysterically. + +"What's that over on the other side, yonder? I would swear I saw +something moving there. Listen, and tell me if you can hear him +breathing before I let go!" exclaimed Bluff, excitedly. + +"Hold on there, Bluff, don't you dare fire! It's me, and I'm hiding +behind this tree for fear of being punctured by a load of shot!" called +a voice. + +Will gave vent to a gurgle of delight, and seemed to try to hug himself. + +"Thank goodness, it's Frank. They've returned at last to a cold supper. +Welcome home, boys. We've been looking for you this long while," he +said. + +"Why, he's alone!" exclaimed Bluff, in surprise. + +"Yes, and I've got some bad news for you, fellows," said Frank, coming +up. + +"About Jerry?" demanded Bluff. + +"Yes, he's gone!" continued the newcomer, dejectedly. + +"Gone!" echoed Bluff. + +"Goodness gracious! what's happened?" ejaculated Will, clutching hold of +the newcomer's sleeve, as though his knees suddenly grew weak. + +"Disappeared, and I'm seriously afraid that those miserable hoboes have +caught him," declared Frank. + +"Caught him--but they're not cannibals--they couldn't eat poor Jerry!" +came from the bewildered Will, at which Bluff gave a contemptuous laugh. + +"Why, of course not, silly. Frank means they've caught Jerry, intending +to make him valuable some way; ain't that it, Frank?" he said. + +"Just what I mean. They may try to dicker with us for some provisions. I +rather guess they're some shy in that line. Or, it may be they want us +to clear out. Any way you fix it the thing has a bad look, and promises +to break up our pleasant little outing." + +"It's a beastly shame. I'd just like to get hold of those tramps. +Wouldn't they be headed for the lock-up in Centerville in a hurry!" +growled Bluff. + +Frank looked at him seriously as if contemplating some move. + +"Well," said he presently, "I don't know but what it will come to it +that you can have a hand in their removal." + +"What d'ye mean?" demanded the other, instantly. + +"It may be that between now and morning I'll ask you to make a little +journey." + +"Looking up the hoboes?" asked Will, aghast. + +"Well, hardly. This trip would be by water, and in a canoe," replied +Frank. + +"Oh! I catch on, all right. You think some one ought to go back to town +and let the sheriff know that his game can be found here on Wildcat +Island?" said Bluff. + +"Just so, but please lower your voice; there's no telling who may be +hiding in the bushes around here. Those hoboes want something we've got, +and they mean to have it if possible. Perhaps it may be food, and, +again, I've thought, they may envy us the possession of guns." + +"Well, I think the idea is a good one; somebody ought to go," pursued +Bluff. + +"Then it ought to be you. Who can paddle a canoe better than you, Bluff? +Besides, Frank is needed here on the island. Something might come up +that neither you nor I could settle," remarked Will. + +"I suppose so. Let me know what you decide, Frank, and you'll find me +willing," continued Bluff. + +For answer the other simply squeezed his hand. He was considerably +worried over the mysterious absence of Jerry, and realized that the game +they were playing was a much more serious one than any that had as yet +claimed their attention. These disreputable rascals were desperate; they +had done something calculated to send them to the penitentiary for a +term of years, and would try their best to avoid punishment. + +"There's one thing good, Bluff, if you do go: you won't have to paddle +along in the dark," said Will, presently. + +The others glanced toward the east, where the light of the moon was just +beginning to appear along the horizon. + +Even as they stood there and talked in low tones the silvery face of the +moon pushed up into view. Being some days past her full, she was shorn +of a portion of her circuit; but still promised a flood of light during +the balance of the night. + +Somehow even this circumstance seemed to give the boys new +encouragement. + +"Things never look quite so bad when you can see what's what," was +Will's way of mentioning this circumstance. + +"Suppose you come and sit down, Frank. Both of us are just dying to hear +all about what happened to you and Jerry," said Bluff, presently. + +"There's precious little to tell, but what there is you shall hear, +boys. I'm ashamed to say that it was while I was a little ways off, +examining some curious mounds, made perhaps by the old Indians, that +this thing happened to our chum. But let's sit down here, and I'll tell +you all about it." + +In a low tone he started to detail the few things that had marked the +circuitous journey of himself and Jerry, while the others hung upon +every word, anxious to hear the thrilling denouement where he found the +comrade who had shared his adventures, missing. + +Just as he reached this point, and they were all worked up over it, +Bluff gave a sudden jump. On the spur of the moment Frank supposed he +had become so nervous over the description that he could no longer sit +still. He was therefore astounded to hear his chum cry out: + +"Looky there, boys! As sure as you live, some miserable reptile is +getting away with the canoe I used in fishing, and left pulled up on the +beach!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI--RECOVERING A STOLEN BOAT + + +"After him!" exclaimed Frank, as he also sprang to his feet. + +"Stop the scoundrel!" echoed Will, a bit slower at getting in motion. + +Of course Frank never once dreamed that it could be any other than one +of the two hoboes. They needed various things, and a boat might be among +the number, although evidently they must have had a craft of some sort +in order to reach the island in the beginning. + +The moon was half hidden among a few floating clouds that hung close to +the horizon, but gave plenty of light for them to see what was going on. +The bold thief must have been prowling around in the vicinity of the +camp, trying to get a chance to make way with something. + +Even as they looked he was shoving the canoe in the water. Then he +tumbled into it rather awkwardly, which was a pretty good sign that he +knew little about balancing in one of the cranky little craft. + +"Where are the other boats--get the key to unlock them!" exclaimed +Frank. + +"I've got it right here--this way, fellows!" echoed Bluff. + +He was already bending over the bunch of boats consisting of the mate to +the stolen craft and the big double canoe. + +Frank snatched up a paddle and bounded over to where his comrades knelt. +As soon as Bluff threw the chain aside the other snatched up the single +canoe, rushed straight to the water's edge and launched it. All this had +taken but a comparatively few seconds to transpire. Indeed, the thief +was not fifty feet away at the time Frank threw himself into the other +craft. + +Bluff and Will drew up on the edge of the water. + +"Mind the camp! Get the guns secure! This may be a clever trick to draw +attention away from the tents! I'll take care of the thief, fellows!" + +Frank's voice boomed over the lake. Already he was sending his paddle +deep into the water, and urging his frail craft onward with constantly +increasing speed. + +"He's right. We must guard the camp! This way, Will--pick up Frank's +gun, and keep watch. We can have one eye on the lake and the other +here!" called Bluff, who was quick to catch on to a thing once he heard +it. + +So they stood there on the border, each making quick turns of the head +in order to see all that went on. + +If any thief entered that camp just then, calculating on having a clear +field for his operations, he was likely to soon regret his temerity, for +the boys were tremendously aroused, and Bluff had an impetuous nature. + +Meanwhile Frank was pushing onward with furious zeal. + +He could see that he was gaining with every stroke. The occupant of the +other canoe seemed to be paddling desperately, but he evidently did not +know just how to get the best results from his labor. His craft wobbled +considerably; that is, it headed from one side to the other. + +As a result Frank was rapidly overcoming the distance that had in the +start separated him from the unknown. + +He anticipated that at the last the other would try and turn to the +shore with the idea of making a hurried landing. In order to cut him off +from such safety Frank kept in-shore, where he could interpose should +the enemy try that game. + +"I've got him!" was what he was saying to himself, over and over. + +The thought gave the boy a fierce satisfaction. He now began to wonder +just how he was going to recover the boat. Would the rascal dive +overboard at the last, or put up a desperate fight to retain possession +of his prize? + +Frank held to the belief that it was one of the hoboes. That meant he +would find himself opposed to a man accustomed to defying the law and +ready to commit even a crime in order to retain his liberty. + +"He's a coward, anyhow, or he wouldn't run that way," he assured +himself, as he worked harder than ever at the paddle. + +Now he was close upon the other. Too late the thief tried to head +shoreward, and escape in that way. Frank saw his opportunity to cut him +off; and again the race started straightaway over the moonlit lake. + +Those on the shore at the camp could no longer see the rival canoes. The +moonlight was deceptive; and, besides, the fiercely paddling twain had +turned the point. + +But a new light of a fire had dawned upon the vision of Frank, which he +knew came from the camp of the Peters crowd; for the boys had, of +course, told him about the arrival of these rough customers on the +island. + +"I declare, I believe it must be one of that lot, and not the tramp +after all," he muttered, as he again cut the other off from heading +ashore. + +This put a new face on matters. + +He no longer hesitated about coming to conclusions with the thief. If, +after all, it was but a boy like himself, he could not meet him any too +soon to satisfy his desires. + +Observing the fellow's manner more closely now, he was not long in +determining upon his identity. + +"It's Pet Peters himself. And he's getting worried to know just what +he's going to do to save himself and the stolen canoe, too. I'd better +end this agony with a rush, and here goes!" + +So saying, he now headed directly for the other craft, rushing forward +with furious speed that gave the finishing touch to the alarm of the +pursued one. + +In vain had Pet tried to outwit him; he had been caught every time, and +forced to keep in the open. Even when he attempted to hold his own +straight ahead it was to see the distance cut down steadily. + +Before now he had tried conclusions with Frank Langdon, nor was he +hankering after a repetition of his previous experiences. The memory of +sundry bruises had never entirely left him; and it looked as though the +other might be more angry on this occasion than ever before. + +"Hold up there, you thief! I've got you cornered!" called Frank, as he +pushed still nearer. + +Pet ceased paddling. After all it was just as well, for he had lost hope +of evading this persistent pursuer in the race. + +He clutched his spruce paddle fiercely in his hands. If it came to the +worst he could perhaps use the same as a weapon of defense. It had +failed him in its legitimate channels, but could he give the other one +smart blow on the head with its edge, no doubt Frank must be put out of +the running. + +And Pet Peters had no scruples on the score of delicacy. He was +accustomed to rough methods of carrying his point. A blow on the head +usually concluded any argument in which he might be engaged. + +"Keep back, you!" he yelled. + +Frank saw that he was now standing rather unsteadily in the canoe. He +smiled grimly, for he knew that the game was in his hands. Any fellow +who is so foolish as to stand upright in so frail a vessel places +himself in a position where he is apt to receive a sudden and unexpected +bath. + +Frank was still advancing in a line as though he calculated to come +alongside the other boat. That was evidently just what the bully +expected him to do, and to meet which anticipated emergency he was now, +as he thought, fully prepared. + +"Get out of that boat, and in a hurry, you!" cried Frank. + +He was speaking more to hold the attention of Pet than because he +expected the other to obey him. + +"Keep back, I tell yuh, Langdon, er it'll be the worse for yuh!" +bellowed the other, at the same time making several vicious sweeps +through the air with his poised paddle, as if to emphasize his +pugnacious intentions. + +The act came very nearly being his undoing, for he staggered and had to +even make a quick clutch at the gunwale of the canoe to keep his +balance. + +Frank saw his chance. He was by this time close enough to put his little +scheme into practice. That canoe had to be recovered one way or another. +If Pet refused to surrender his ill-gotten plunder peaceably, then it +was high time other measures were brought into play. + +With a sudden turn Frank headed his boat straight at the side of the +other. He meant at the last instant to turn far enough to give but a +slanting blow, not desiring to injure the second canoe by smashing in +the delicate ribs. + +[Illustration: PET PETERS TOOK A HEADLONG PLUNGE OVER THE SIDE.] + +Too late did Pet realize how completely he had placed himself in the +power of his more expert adversary, who had handled canoes so long that +he was perfectly at home in one. + +"Hey, you, keep away!" + +It was the despairing wail of a quitter. Even before the prow of Frank's +craft was in collision with the side of his own, Pet knew that he was +about to experience a tremendous shock against which he would be given +no chance to prepare himself. + +In his sudden terror his first act was to let fall the paddle which he +had intended to use in knocking Frank out. Then he tried to get hold of +both gunwales, so as to brace himself against the shock. + +It was too late, however. A second more and he might have done +something, but by that little space of time he lost. + +Bang! came the stem of Frank's canoe against the second boat, which was +tilted half way over under the impact. Pet Peters took a headlong plunge +over the side and disappeared under the moonlit waters of the lake with +a tremendous splash! + + + + +CHAPTER XII--DOWN THE SLOPE + + +Frank laughed. He really could not help it, the sight of Pet going +overboard with such a great tossing of arms and legs was so comical. But +at the same time he did not forget to reach over and reclaim the +floating paddle. + +He was already holding on to the recovered boat, when, with a great +splurge and splashing, Pet appeared on the surface of the water, +swimming as well as his clothes would permit. Fortunately the fellow was +a regular water-dog, and able to easily sustain himself under any +circumstances when in the lake; though doubtless he found his bath +rather cold at this early season of the year. + +"Think yuh done sumpin smart, I reckon, Langdon! I'll get even with yuh +for it, see if I don't!" he snorted, sustaining himself by vigorous +strokes. + +"Better get ashore before your clothes drag you down. Do your blowing +afterwards, Peters. You're a thief, that's all, and ought to be landed +behind the bars for such work as this. Go on, now, before I get real mad +and chase you ashore." + +Possibly the fellow feared that Frank might take a notion to do as he +threatened, for he had a healthy respect concerning the other's prowess. +At any rate he started to swim away with lusty strokes. One might have +thought a bear was in the water, such was the noise he made. + +Frank found the painter of the recovered canoe. This he fastened to a +cleat, and then, making a turn, headed back to the camp. + +Those who were anxiously listening caught a glimpse of the two boats as +they turned the point. + +"He's got it back all right!" cried Will, in excitement. + +"Bully for Frank! He's equal to the whole Peters crowd!" called Bluff; +from which it could easily be understood that neither of these boys had +been in any doubt as to whom they had to thank for the stealing of the +boat. + +Frank landed in a few minutes. Beyond breathing a little harder than +usual he showed no signs of his recent chase. + +"This time we'll make sure that all the boats are fast. It was a bad +break for you to leave that one loose. But we have had so many strange +things happen since we landed on Wildcat Island that a fellow can hardly +be blamed for letting a cog slip occasionally. Lend a hand, Bluff," said +Frank. + +That was his way. He realized that no one could be perfect, that he +sometimes made mistakes himself, and others should be forgiven if they +occasionally neglected to do the things that were expected of them. + +And that was the secret of why the other fellows all admired Frank above +any of their companions: he could forgive another's fault, but was very +severe with himself when he happened to fall short. + +They secured the boats and carried the paddles into camp. + +Will seemed inconsolable. He had heard that tremendous splash, and +already understood what had caused it. + +"Oh! if I could only have caught that fellow just in the act of taking +that header, what a beaut it would have been. Too bad that such glorious +chances escape me all the time," he moaned. + +But the others had too serious a problem to consider to pay much +attention to the complaints of the amateur photographer. + +"How about going to Centerville?" asked Bluff, as they sat there near +the revived camp fire to talk it over. + +"That can wait a while. Plenty of time between now and morning, Bluff," +answered the one addressed, as he poked the fire reflectively. + +"But you've got something on your mind," argued Bluff, shrewdly. + +"What makes you think that?" demanded Frank, smiling. + +"I can see it in your eyes; they give you away. So let's hear what it +is, for you see we're all equally interested," replied his chum, +eagerly. + +"Well, of course it's about Jerry," began Frank. + +"That goes without saying. You're not thinking of starting out in the +night to make another hunt for him, are you?" demanded Will, arousing to +the fact that perhaps he might be left alone in camp, and under the +circumstances he would not enjoy that very much. + +"Somehow a new idea has flashed into my head. I don't know that there is +anything to it, but somehow I'm unable to dismiss it. The fact of Pet +Peters being bold enough to sneak up here and try to make way with one +of our canoes gave me this thought," said Frank. + +"Go on, please," urged Will, while Bluff awaited the disclosure with +equal anxiety. + +"Perhaps those fellows are responsible for Jerry's disappearance!" + +"What! the Peters crowd? Strange that none of us thought of that +before," declared Bluff. + +"Then you agree with me that there is a chance that way?" asked Frank. + +"I wouldn't put it past them a minute," replied Bluff. + +"But what would they want with him? They're not so desperate as the +hoboes, and, besides, you remember that Mr. Dodd warned them he meant to +run the lot in if they kept pestering us," ventured Will. + +"Oh! that was away last Fall. Those fellows have forgotten all about +that by this time. Frank, I'm inclined to agree with you. In that case, +what had we better do? Take the guns and make a sudden attack on their +camp?" + +Bluff, always ready for trouble, reached out his hand toward Jerry's gun +as he spoke, showing his willingness to follow up his suggestion by +immediate action. + +"Not so fast, my hearty. If we attacked their camp and then found that +they had nothing to do with Jerry's kidnapping we'd be in a nice pickle, +wouldn't we? After that they could say we were a lot of savages, as well +as they." + +"But something should be done!" expostulated Bluff. + +"And I propose to do it. In other words I mean to take a little stroll +around the point, and see what their camp looks like," remarked Frank, +rising. + +"If you find they've got our chum, promise to come back for us. We want +to have a hand in bringing about his release. You will, won't you, +Frank?" asked Bluff. + +"I promise you, boys. Keep Jerry's gun with you, and stay on guard. +Don't shoot in a hurry, because you might pepper me, and that's +something I object to. Now I'm off." + +"Good luck to you, Frank, and take care of yourself," said Will. + +Frank made his way into the brush. He could have approached the other +camp with far less trouble had he chosen to keep along the edge of the +water. It struck him, however, that the enemy might anticipate a raid of +some sort after their recent miserable attempt to cripple the members of +the Rod, Gun and Camera Club in their resources, and be on the watch for +stragglers along the beach. + +They would possibly not dream that any one would take all the trouble to +push through the dense brush, and climb the hill, at the base of which +they had squatted upon landing. + +Frank was in no hurry. He knew that Pet's companions would be all +excited over his bedraggled condition when he reached shore. Still, it +was hardly probable that they would venture to take up the cudgels, and +attempt any more mischief, that night at least. + +He remembered what a healthy respect these fellows entertained for the +guns in the possession of the club members. They were more apt to take +it out in making all manner of tremendous plans against the peace of the +campers which they would hardly be likely to carry out when their anger +had had a chance to cool. + +As he drew near the place, Frank found that a little hill interposed, +just as the abrupt bluff did in the case of their own camp. This he +would have to climb ere he could look down upon those he had come to +observe. + +There was more or less difficulty in reaching the top of this little +elevation. + +"They must go around here when entering the woods," Frank concluded, +after he had finally gained the top of the rise. + +He hardly liked the idea of returning along the same difficult lines; +but when he felt this disinclination he was really worrying over +something that was fated never to come about. + +By degrees he pushed forward until he found himself on the edge of a +little declivity. Down below he could see the old dingy tent which he +knew so well, also the fire of the Peters crowd. + +The boys were gathered around, watching Pet, partly disrobed, trying to +warm himself near the blaze; but if he was shivering outwardly with the +cold, he seemed to be burning within, to judge from the motions he made +while talking. + +"Evidently Pet is making a vow to settle my hash the first time we meet. +But I don't seem to be trembling, that I can discover. I know Pet of +old, and how easy he can change his mind," Frank told himself, as he +watched. + +Unable to see just as well as he wished from where he first knelt, he +moved a little to the left, as that seemed to promise a better view. + +It was the last straw upon the camel's back. Already, though Frank did +not know it, the treacherous soil was giving way under his weight, and +this move on his part aggravated the trouble. + +He felt himself slipping, tried to catch hold of a nearby bush, which +gave way in his frenzied grasp, and down the steep incline he plunged! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII--THE WILD MAN DEVELOPS AN APPETITE + + +"Great smoke! what's that?" + +"It's the wild man, fellers!" + +"Run, afore he gits yuh!" + +There was an immediate scramble among the adherents of Pet Peters. What +they had heard about the wild man of the island had kept them on edge +throughout the entire length of their short sojourn; and now, when this +sudden object came rolling down the incline into their very camp they +were panic stricken. + +Pet himself was just as frightened as any of his mates. He had been +sitting by the fire, drying his back, having removed his coat and +trousers meanwhile. As the alarm sounded he tried to get to his feet so +as to join in the hasty flight, but, as might be expected, his legs +became twisted, and consequently he fell in a heap. + +"Wow! keep off'n me, you! I ain't done nuthin'!" he yelled. + +It was his customary plea when caught doing something wrong. + +Frank had by this time reached the bottom of the incline, for which he +was not at all sorry. He had not been seriously hurt by his rough +tumble, and, thinking only of keeping himself aloof from these ugly +spirits, he managed to scramble to his feet after some fashion. + +Through it all he had kept a firm grip on his gun, as though he knew +what protection he could count on from that source. + +There was another grand picture that escaped Will, and which he would +never cease to lament the loss of--Frank regaining his feet, those +fellows scampering away in several directions, and Pet on his knees, +holding one arm up as if to ward off some evil blow which he expected to +descend. + +"Hey, it's only Langdon! Kim back here, yuh cowards!" bellowed Pet, as +soon as his startled eyes could tell him the truth. + +And the others, halted in the midst of their mad flight, looking back, +saw that instead of the terrible hairy wild man of their dreams it was +indeed only a boy who stood there, and he the one they hated most of +all. + +So they came straggling back, some looking sheepish over their recent +scare, while others scowled as if in an ugly temper. + +"Wot yuh want here, Langdon?" demanded Pet, bridling up as he saw that +much was expected of him by his followers. + +It was unfortunate that this should happen so soon after he had been +making such enormous threats about what he was going to do to Frank when +next they met. + +What could a fellow do anyway when he was minus his coat and trousers, +as well as shoes? + +Frank had recovered his lost breath by now. + +"Well, I might have strolled over here just to ask whether you had +arrived safely after your swim; and to express a hope that you might not +take cold. It's pretty early in the season to go in, you know," he said +smoothly. + +The others looked at each other as if they hardly knew what to make of +it. Somehow this Langdon always did seem to have the advantage whenever +they came face to face. In the canoe he was Pet's master, because he +felt quite at home there, while the other did not. Now, here ashore, he +held something in his hands which none of them liked the looks of--a +double-barreled shotgun. + +"Aw, go chase yerself! 'Twan't that as fetched yuh here. Think we +scooped sumpin, an' yuh come sneakin' round tryin' tuh see," snarled the +shivering Pet. + +"Come up to the fire and keep warm. It's your fire; I don't lay any +claim to it. Perhaps you fellows think I slid down that toboggan track +on purpose? Well, you've got another guess coming, then. I have more +respect for my clothes than to try such things, as a rule." + +Frank was talking for a purpose. He did not expect to enter the camp of +the enemy when he parted from Will and Bluff; but now that circumstances +beyond his control had caused such a move on his part, he meant to take +full advantage of it. + +Before he left, he expected to know positively what they had in that +tent. If Jerry was found there, a prisoner, he must be set free, no +matter what happened after such a move. + +So, as he talked he kept moving a little at a time in the direction of +the said tent. If the others noticed his action they could not give any +sort of guess as to what he was after. Besides, he kept that gun always +half raised, and moving back and forth, from side to side, so that it +covered the entire bunch. + +"Jest yuh make tracks outen here, Langdon. Yuh ain't wanted, see? This +here's our camp, an' yer intrudin'," chattered Pet, who was compelled to +creep closer to the fire, for he was shivering as though he had the +ague. + +"Oh! I'm going right away, boys. I assure you I haven't the least +intention of staying and putting you to any inconvenience. Just a little +social call, you understand, Pet. I couldn't bear the thought that +possibly you were still floundering around out there on the lake. Glad +to know you arrived," Frank continued, now close to the flap of the +tent. + +The others had unconsciously followed him, so that with the exception of +Pet the whole of the camp's inmates were clustered just in front of the +intruder. + +As he uttered the last word, Frank suddenly stooped. He had seen his +chance, and meant to investigate the interior of that tent. + +To his dismay it was far from light inside. He could just make out +objects dimly. There might be a prostrate figure on some of the dirty +blankets strewing the ground, for all he could say. + +Determined to make sure, he immediately darted inside the tent. A chorus +of excited exclamations arose from the half circle of roughs outside. + +"He's a-goin' ter steal our blankets, that's what!" shouted one. + +"Don't let him, fellers!" whooped Pet, dancing from one bare foot to the +other in his excitement, but not offering to lend a hand in corralling +the intruder. + +"Hey, you, wot yer want in there?" howled another, looking around for a +cudgel that might come in handy. + +Then Frank emerged. He still kept his handy gun in evidence, seeing +which the others backed away again, not being quite so eager as they +imagined to come to hand-grips with this determined boy. + +Frank was disappointed. He had failed to find the slightest trace of his +missing chum in the tent of the Peters crowd. This seemed to prove that +they knew nothing about the kidnapping of Jerry. + +Under the circumstances he thought it might be just as well to explain +his queer move a little. The knowledge might hasten the departure of +these rowdy fellows, and purge the island of their presence. + +"I'll tell you what I was looking for. One of my chums has strangely +disappeared, and we thought that perhaps you had him here. That's all. +But I find you haven't; which makes me believe he's fallen into the +hands of that wild man, or else the two hobo thieves who robbed the man +on the steamboat; because we happen to know they're here on this +island." + +"Wot's that?" demanded Pet, anxiously. + +"Why, you heard about the two tramps on the _Eastern Star_, didn't you?" + +"Yuh mean the fellers as collared the roll o' Mister Pemberton?" asked +Pet, forgetting to even shiver, in his new excitement. + +"Yes, and they're here on this island right now, hungry and desperate," +continued Frank, thinking it good policy to rub it in good and hard +while he was about it. + +"Here on this yer island--them desperadoes are?" gasped one. + +"That's easy to say, Langdon; but how d'ye know?" demanded Pet. + +"Well, we've seen them, for one thing. Then they robbed us of a kettle +with our supper last night. Let a cord down from the top of the cliff, +and caught the bale of the kettle with a hook. First thing we knew, our +supper was sailing up, and that was the last we ever saw of it," replied +Frank, now beginning to edge toward the beach, as he had suddenly +decided to return by an easier path than the one he had taken in coming. + +Then the boys looked at each other uneasily. + +"A wild man loose here; an' now them two desperate critters huntin' +round fur anythin' loose. Say, fellers, it's up ter us ter git outen +this in the mornin'," said Pet, shaking his head with determination. + +And not one of his mates lifted his voice, even in a whisper, +contrarywise. Indeed, to tell the truth, they looked as though the hours +that must elapse ere they departed hence would fairly drag along. + +Frank, believing that he had reached a point where he could boldly make +his exit from the hostile camp, was just in the act of backing away when +he saw something that gave him a shock. + +"Say, look yonder, you fellows, what's happening to your provision +basket!" he exclaimed, pointing with his gun. + +Every boy whirled around, and as he did so a concerted howl went up, +partly of rage, though terror could be plainly detected in the chorus. +There was a swiftly moving figure carrying off the big basket in which +all the balance of their supplies happened to be gathered. And such a +figure--whether a wild man or a gigantic ape--it would be impossible to +say, for in the quick glimpse which Frank had of it ere the Thing +vanished among the bushes he could only positively say that it seemed to +be covered with hair, and when its face was turned it looked a cross +between that of a demented human being and a great ape! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV--BLUFF TAKES CHANCES + + +There never was such a frightened group of fellows as that crowd when +they saw their basket of provisions vanish in the grip of this +awful-looking object. + +For a few seconds they seemed too astonished to even move, and the thief +had actually gone out of sight in the brush before the first boy made a +jump after him. + +Whether it was a touch of valor that actuated him, or the desire to get +back the precious basket that held their food, it would be hard to say. + +"Look out!" shouted Frank, who had seen something descending along the +face of the little rise. + +Even as he spoke a shower of stones, together with lumps of earth, fell +with a great clatter. Somebody was bombarding the camp from above! It +looked as though the wild man must have had wings to reach that spot, if +the missiles came from him. + +By this time Pet himself was in full flight. He had snatched up his +loose garments from the sticks on which they were drying at the fire, +and made for the shelter of the bushes on the other side of the camp. + +The rest scampered this way and that, one even hiding inside the tent, +while a couple of others tried to budge the heavy boat that had been +drawn up high and dry on the shore, as if seriously considering the +chances of flight. + +Frank saw his opportunity to get away, and was not slow to avail himself +of it. + +"Thanks, awfully, Mr. Wild Man; I'm indebted to you," he laughed, as he +started along the little beach, headed for his own camp. + +He knew his chums would be dreadfully anxious by this time. They must +have surely heard the excited cries from the other camp, and would be +alarmed lest something had happened to him. + +As he drew near he whistled. This was a signal that Bluff should +recognize, and which would tell him who approached, so that he would not +be tempted to fire, or make any threatening demonstration. + +"Welcome back, Frank!" exclaimed Bluff, as he appeared in sight. + +"Sure, we're glad to see you safe and sound. From the racket we began to +be afraid that you'd got into trouble," observed Will. + +"The trouble seemed to be on the other side, boys. They've fared worse +than we did. In our case it was only a kettle full of stew; but they +lost everything!" + +"What's that? Do you mean somebody cribbed their grub?" demanded Bluff. + +"Just what happened, and right under my eyes, too. I saw it done. Oh! +what you missed then, Will! If you could only have snapped off that +picture, there wouldn't be a single soul in Centerville doubt the story +about the wild man," said Frank. + +"Wild man! Do you mean to say he entered their camp while you were +there?" + +"And actually grabbed up their stuff under your eyes? Then you can tell +us what he looked like. Was it really a man, or an animal, Frank?" +questioned Bluff, excitedly. + +Frank shook his head, as he replied: + +"There you've got me, for just on the spur of the moment I couldn't say +positively. He walked on two legs, and seemed like a man; but looked +like a great big chimpanzee, or an ape, I've seen do tricks at the +circus. Anyway, he was a terrible object, and sent a shiver over me." + +"Gracious goodness! and he stole their provisions, you said?" exclaimed +Will, involuntarily looking around as if he half expected the dreadful +wild man to rush into view right then and there. + +"Everything they had, I imagine. One good thing, it will make them get +out in the morning, and for that we're obliged to the wild man. If only +Jerry were here, now, I'd be feeling first-class," resumed Frank, with a +sigh. + +"But I don't understand why he'd enter their camp when he could have +gotten a lot of much better grub right here in ours," said Bluff, +shaking his head. + +"Well, you see, he's evidently afraid of our guns; and, perhaps, he +happened to know that they had none over yonder," explained Frank. + +"But is that reasonable? Would a crazy man stop for such a little thing +as that? It strikes me this raid on their eating department looks like a +set-up job." + +"There now, Bluff, you've set me to thinking again. I neglected to tell +you all that happened. When the hairy monster was making off with the +basket, one of the boys started after him; and then and there a shower +of stones and dirt came down from above, and fell all around him. After +that there was a quick scattering," remarked Frank. + +"Evidently the wild man had a friend close by; he wasn't alone then. +Say, perhaps he's formed a league with those ugly hoboes. They're all a +hungry lot, and ready to steal anything that comes along in the way of +grub." + +"Again you may be right, Bluff. If you keep on guessing I'm sure we'll +know all about the whole business soon," laughed Frank. + +"But how about that other scheme of yours?" asked Bluff. + +"What's that--the trip to town?" + +"Yes. Haven't changed your mind about it, eh, Frank?" asked the other. + +"Are you willing to make the attempt?" queried Frank, promptly. + +"Try me, that's all. Now that the old moon's up it will be just fun. I +can make it in a little time, and hunt up the sheriff. Why, the lot of +us may even be back here by morning, boys," replied Bluff, +enthusiastically. + +He always went into anything with his whole soul, though perhaps his +ardor might cool sooner than the grim determination of Frank, or even +Jerry. + +"That would be fine. Well, since you don't object, suppose you get the +canoe ready. Will and I will remain to watch the camp, because we seem +to be surrounded by a raft of enemies, all eager to do us a bad turn if +they can. With Jerry missing, the case looks serious, and something must +be done to round these bad men up." + +Bluff immediately jumped up and hurried over to where the three canoes +were fastened together with the chain and padlocks. He proceeded to get +his own boat free from all entanglements, and presently had it launched +upon the water. + +Then he came back for the paddle and to receive any parting instructions +Frank might see fit to give him. + +"Make reasonably good time, Bluff, but don't push yourself, mind. +There's no such great hurry as all that. When you get to town go right +away to police headquarters and see if you can find Mr. Dodd." + +"What if he happens to be away?" asked Bluff, wishing to be prepared for +any emergency that might chance to arise. + +"Then wait as long as you can for him. Should you get tired in the end, +leave a letter to be delivered as soon as he shows up; then return to us +here. It may be possible, even as you hint, that the sheriff is away +hunting the woods to the south for those two rascally, thievish hoboes. +That's all, Bluff. Good-by, and good luck!" + +Bluff shook hands with each of his chums. Then he gave his canoe a push +that started it going out, sprang in over the stern with the accurate +balance of an expert, picked up his paddle and commenced his moonlight +cruise back to town. + +Frank and Will stood there watching him as long as they could see the +dark object upon the moonlit water of the lake; then they turned and +silently entered the camp once more. + +From somewhere out upon the great stretch of water came the strange cry +of a loon that had lingered ere going to its northern summer home. The +sound was particularly mournful, it seemed to Frank. + +"Can he make it, do you think?" asked Will, who seemed unusually worried +to-night; for all these stories about wonderful chances which he had +lost had begun to work upon his mind. + +"Without the slightest doubt. Why not? There's no sea running, the wind +has died away to a whisper, and the moon is bright. Why, Bluff would +like nothing better than a circuit of the entire lake at such a time," +replied Frank. + +"I was just wondering whether anything might get after him on the water, +that's all," remarked the other. + +"Chuck that sort of talk. Don't be a pessimist, Will. Of course he can +make it, and, perhaps, as he says, they may all be here by morning, +ready to gather in those clever rascals," declared Frank, stoutly. + +"But why do you suppose they ever came here to Wildcat Island to hide?" + +"I've been thinking about that. There's that Waddy Walsh you speak +about--since he has lived here he possibly knows something about this +place. Then again they may have heard about the wild man, and how the +island is shunned by every one in the neighborhood. In that case, you +see, it would offer a splendid hiding-place for a couple of men trying +to escape the sheriff." + +"Frank, you just seem to hit on the right thing. That must be the fact. +And our coming here rather upset their plans," said Will. + +"Yes, but it gave them a supper last night. They must have been too +hurried in their flight to lay in any stock of food. Perhaps they +intended going across to the mainland from time to time, and stealing +chickens from the farmers." + +"I'll be jiggered if I can see how there could be any connection between +those scamps and that wild man with the hairy hide. Perhaps it was an +ape, and he has a mate on the island. Would you shoot him if you saw +him, Frank?" + +"H'm, that depends. Certainly not unless I thought my life was in +danger. I say that, because I really believe myself that it is a human +being. And I have a little suspicion that is hardly strong enough as yet +to mention, but which I intend to think over. But let us settle down and +take things as comfortable as we can. I'll stand watch for a while, and +then let you take my place. Lie down and rest, Will." + + + + +CHAPTER XV--PLAYING THE GAME + + +"Hello! Frank!" + +"What now?" and the one addressed sat up suddenly, wide awake it seemed. + +"It's morning," said Will, "and I'm tired of keeping watch, that's all." + +Frank laughed good-naturedly. + +"That's quite enough, old fellow. Time I was up and about, for this +promises to be a day that we may mark with a white stone in the log of +our outing. The sun is going to get in sight presently. No signs of +Bluff coming back?" + +"He hasn't arrived. I didn't look out over the lake yet. Seems to be +something of a haze, or morning fog on the water, so you can't see very +far," replied Will. + +Frank stepped to where he could have a clear, unobstructed view up the +lake. As his chum had said, there were patches of fog rising off the +water, but this was vanishing rapidly. Already one could see for quite +some distance. + +"See anything, brother?" called out Will, who was already beginning to +put the coffee in the pot. + +He had been on duty for several hours, and felt a bit hungry. Boys can +eat six times a day when in the woods, for the open air seems to develop +most tremendous appetites. + +"Nothing except the solitary old loon that kept up such a screeching +last night," replied the lookout, shading his eyes with his hand, the +better to look. + +"I don't like that. Hope nothing has happened to poor old Bluff." + +"There you go again. What could happen to him? He's a cracking good +swimmer, and even if he had an upset, which is most unlikely, he would +hang to his canoe. The boat couldn't sink with metallic air-chambers at +both ends," answered Frank. + +"But surely he's had plenty of time to get there and back?" + +"Granted; but you heard what I told him--to wait for a reasonable time +if he found the sheriff away. No doubt Mr. Dodd is out searching high +and low for the very fellows we know to be here on Wildcat Island. Give +Bluff more time. Take my word for it, he will show up when he gets good +and ready, if not with the posse, then alone. Bluff doesn't like to be +left out in the cold when there's anything of a rumpus going on. Want +some help getting breakfast, Will?" + +"Perhaps so, unless you are contented to eat cold boiled rice; we've got +plenty and to spare of that dish," answered the novice cook, with a +grin. + +"I rather think that would be a poor breakfast dish. The stomach wants +something warm about this time. Are all the eggs that we brought gone?" +asked Frank. + +"I saw several in the coffee can just now. Somebody stuck them in there +to keep from breaking them, I guess. How will you have yours?" answered +Will. + +"Leave it to me, and I'll see that we have an appetizing mess. An omelet +for mine, I think. But after all, I don't seem so very hungry. Worrying +about Jerry has somehow affected my spirits, and a fellow can't eat much +when he feels downcast." + +In spite of all drawbacks both boys did full justice to the breakfast +that was spread on the table after a little while. Will kept tabs on +whatever his companion did. + +"I'm going to learn how to cook everything that one would be apt to want +in a camp; and if you don't mind explaining I'll begin right now to take +a few lessons," he said as Frank started to break the eggs into a +pannikin, preparatory to beating them up, and adding the shredded bits +of ham they had left over from the previous day. + +When the meal was finished and the dishes and cooking utensils properly +washed up, Frank sat down to wait for Bluff to appear up the lake, while +Will vanished inside the tent to bother with his films. + +He had brought along an apparatus whereby he could develop these, no +matter as to the time or conditions--daylight being just the same as +darkness. + +Frank heard him talking to himself inside the tent, but paid no +attention to what he was saying, for at that moment he noticed a moving +object up the lake, which he really believed might be the canoe of his +chum, Bluff, returning alone. + +If this proved to be the case another disappointment awaited the +campers, and the rescue of poor Jerry might again be postponed to an +unknown time. The sheriff being away, no one could tell when he would +receive the letter Bluff was to leave for his perusal, and hence it +might be many hours ere a move was made. + +By that time the hoboes could have quitted the island and lost +themselves in the dense woods of the mainland, while Jerry's +hiding-place would remain unknown, so that he might even die of neglect. + +The coming of Will broke in upon Frank's gloomy communion. + +Apparently Will had some reason for excitement. He was holding a +developed film in his hand as he rushed up to Frank. + +"What do you think it was set my flashlight trap off last night?" he +demanded. + +"A 'coon, doubtless--that seems most likely," answered the other, +carelessly. + +"Guess again," + +"'Possum--wildcat--surely not a bear, though I did hear quite a scramble +over in that quarter at the time? Go on and tell me," said Frank. + +For answer Will held the film up so that it was between the light and +the eyes of his companion. + +"It's been in the hypo, and is fixed, but not thoroughly washed; but you +can see for yourself," he exclaimed triumphantly. + +Frank gave an exclamation. + +"Why, you caught a man!" + +"Yes, and his face is turned exactly toward the camera. The snap made +him look, and with the flash he was indelibly impressed on the film. +What is more, if you look at it on the other side and partly turned +away, you can see the positive of his face as plain as day. It's Waddy, +all right. I got him!" laughed the photographer, in glee. + +"Well, that's worth something. I'm beginning to realize the tremendous +possibilities of a camera at times. That evidence would be accepted in +court as conclusive. Go, and wash the film carefully, Will. If you fail +to get a few great scenes, you don't lose everything, it seems." + +"Isn't that the Peters tribe setting sail, Frank?" + +"Why it is, as sure as you live. I wonder they stayed so late. They must +be pretty hungry by this time if that educated ape got away with all +they had. Perhaps we might have made a master stroke if we'd gone over +this morning with an offering of some bacon, coffee and such things. Too +bad neither of us thought of it before." + +Will looked strangely at his companion. He could not wholly understand +the impulses that guided the actions of the other. His experience in the +world had not been as varied as that of the boy from Maine, or he might +have realized what was meant; though possibly the act of kindness might, +after all, have been wasted on those tough young citizens. + +"They're going home, all right, and good riddance. If we could only get +rid of the balance of undesirable people on this same island, there +might be a chance for us to finish up our outing in peace," he remarked +bitterly. + +"I hope they don't give Bluff any trouble," said Frank, as if musing. + +"Bluff--is he in sight, then?" demanded his comrade, eagerly. + +"Yes, over there, and coming," replied Frank, pointing to the advancing +canoe. + +"Here are your glasses. Suppose you take a look and see." + +Will handed over the marine glasses as he spoke. As he adjusted them to +his eyes, Frank swept one glance at the coming Bluff. Then he turned his +attention to the departing disgusted campers. + +"Something has been going on among those fellows, I declare," he +announced. + +"What do you mean?" asked his companion, in surprise. + +"They seem to have been up against it, or else having a fight among +themselves. I can see a couple who have bandages about their heads, and +one seems to be holding his arm mighty tenderly. I believe it is +broken." + +"You don't say? Well, come to think of it, I do remember hearing +something of a commotion a while back, but thought they were only having +their usual rough-house time. Please let me look, Frank." + +A minute later he uttered an exclamation. + +"What now?" it was Frank's turn to ask. + +"Seems strange to me. I think there must be one of them lying down in +the bottom of the boat," returned Will. + +"That would indicate something pretty serious. Perhaps they've had a +fight with those hoboes, or it may have been our wild man. But what +makes you think such a thing, Will?" + +"I counted seven of them when they came, and so did Bluff. Now there are +only six in sight, and as you say, three of them are fit for the +hospital. Where can the seventh be?" + +"Perhaps the hoboes got him, just as they did Jerry. If so, what under +the sun can their scheme be? Why load down with a variety of +Centerville's leading citizens when they find it so hard to provide food +for themselves?" + +"I give it up. The conundrum is too much for me. But I think my idea is +more apt to cover the truth, and that the seventh boy is laid out in the +boat, wounded, or perhaps dead," continued Will, in an awe-struck tone. + +"Oh! I hope not the latter. They're a rough bunch, but they've had +little opportunity to learn better, and we mustn't be too hard on them. +Such fellows can do things that would be little short of a crime for +those of us who have decent homes and indulgent parents. Bluff seems to +be coming along rather slowly, don't you think?" + +As Frank said this his companion turned the glasses upon the canoe. + +"Something has happened to him. Perhaps his paddle has broken; I +remember it gave way while we were coming here, and he spliced it +yesterday. Yes, that must be what ails him," he exclaimed. + +"That's too bad," observed Frank, looking at the other boats, as though +wondering whether it might be worth while to launch one, and speed out +on the lake to the assistance of the chum who was coming. + +But the distance was too great, and he could not hope to reach the scene +before whatever was fated to happen had occurred. + +"Why do you say that Bluff could get here with only a piece of his +paddle?" remarked Will. + +"If those ugly chaps let him. See, they have already changed their +course several points. They mean to intercept him." + +"You don't think they'd bother with him, do you?" cried Will. + +"I'm afraid they're in a bad humor, and ready to tackle anything that +offers a chance to work off old scores. If Bluff only had his paddle in +decent order he could laugh at them. How foolish of him to take only his +single blade along." + +Frank now clapped the glasses to his eyes again. + +"Look at that, will you? Why, the breezy chap doesn't even think it +worth while to turn and run, or even try to slip past. He's coming +directly on, and in another minute will run slap into that rowboat, +loaded with toughs. I'm afraid there's going to be a bad spill for our +headstrong chum," he sighed. + +"Perhaps he is only holding himself in reserve, and means to make a +spurt for it at the very last second. Bluff is smart, I tell you. He +knows what those boys are up to, and is far from being asleep. Tell me +what he is doing, Frank. I can hear them shouting angrily at him now. +Oh! I wish we were out there to help him." + +Will even forgot his natural timidity, and had the chance been given +him, would doubtless have proven a hero in defense of his chum. + +"He seems to have stopped paddling altogether. Now he reaches down into +the bottom of his canoe after something. He is aiming it at them--it's +his paddle--no it isn't either--as sure as you live, he's got that +repeating-gun of his!" + +Even as the excited Frank spoke, over the water they heard a distant +voice shout: + +"Hands up! you sharks, or I'll pepper you good and hard. Six shots I've +got here, as fast as I can pump the lever. Hands up! I say, every one of +you!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI--SIGNS THAT SPELLED TROUBLE + + +"Look! they're doing it, too, Frank! Oh! what luck! Good for Bluff!" +ejaculated Will, hardly able to control himself in his excitement. + +"Just as sure as you live, they are. They knew Bluff meant business when +he said that. Why, even the wounded fellow has his one well arm raised. +It's great!" + +Frank generously handed the glasses to his comrade, whose hands trembled +so that he could hardly hold them to his eyes. + +"What's he doing now, Will?" + +"Seems to be holding that blessed gun with one hand, and paddling softly +with the other. Ain't he the real thing, though? And once we doubted +whether he would be just the right sort of fellow to be a member of the +club. I'm proud of good old Bluff, and that's a fact!" cried Will. + +"So say we all of us. He must be past the other boat by now; isn't he?" + +"Yes, and has laid the gun down, but where he can grab it up in a hurry +if necessary. Pet and his crowd have resumed rowing, too, as if going +ashore. They don't seem anxious to call out at Bluff just now. Jerry +used to say that terrible gun would frighten game to death; but even +Jerry would have to admit that it's worth while, if he could only be +here, to see this lovely sight. Oh! why didn't I have my camera ready? +What a good picture that would have been," sighed the official +photographer of the club. + +"Too far away to make out what was going on, my boy. But I only wish +Jerry could have been here to see it. That would relieve me of my +anxiety," said Frank. + +The canoe kept moving straight toward them, while the heavily laden boat +continued over the lake toward the western shore. + +Not even a derisive howl was sent after Bluff. He seemed to have +effectually cowed the rowdies. Perhaps it was the last straw that broke +the camel's back, and they had really gone through so much lately that +the limit had been reached. + +Bluff presently landed directly beside his chums. + +"Well done, old fellow!" said Will, hastening to pat him on the back. + +"It was as fine a piece of bluff as I ever put up," grinned the paddler +as he stepped ashore, holding the redoubtable gun in his hand. + +"How so?" demanded Will, curious to know. + +"Why, the gun isn't in a condition to use. I had it at a locksmith's, +and thought I'd bring it along if he had mended it. Said he had, but +didn't have time to finish putting all the parts together again. I said +I could do that easily enough in camp, and fetched it along," replied +the other, chuckling. + +"Then it wasn't loaded at all?" asked Will. + +"Of course not; but then they didn't know that, you see. It was a case +of where ignorance was bliss. Answered the purpose all right. You +noticed they let me alone." + +"Now I see where you got your name; but that was a time when bluffing +was worth while. Come and sit down here and have some breakfast," +remarked Frank. + +He was looking closely at the returned wanderer, as if trying to decide +whether he brought good news or bad. + +"Tell me first, have you heard anything from Jerry?" demanded the other. + +"Not the least thing. But I've been making up a plan that it seems we +will have to follow, since you come back alone," observed Frank. + +Of course this was an invitation for Bluff to unload, and tell what he +had accomplished besides getting his gun just before starting back. + +"Sheriff out hunting the hobo thieves, just as you feared. No one could +say as to when he would return. Might be in an hour, and again, perhaps, +it would not be for the balance of the day," he began. + +"You waited until you got tired and then left a note for him?" asked +Frank. + +"Just what I did, fellows. The whole community is aroused. Seems like +these two hoboes must be yeggmen for keeps. At any rate several +robberies occurred on the night following the affair on the steamer. A +farmer reported that his place was entered and some money and other +things taken. Then the thieves broke open the storage warehouse over in +Newtonport, and rummaged through a lot of stuff. No one knows what they +took there, but they left everything in a great upset. The local militia +company in our town is out helping the sheriff hunt!" + +"Say, things seem to be stewing at a great rate," gasped Will. + +"And to think that the nervy chaps responsible for it all are here on +this very island near us. Yes, more than that, we've had experiences +with them, and even now they undoubtedly are holding our poor chum for +ransom, or some other purpose," declared Frank, shaking his head. + +"Do you think Mr. Dodd will come?" asked Will. + +"He certainly will, as soon as he knows. Why wouldn't he when the men +he's on the lookout for are here waiting for him?" replied Bluff, +beginning to eat. + +"You said you were thinking up a plan, Frank?" suggested Will, turning +eagerly to the chum upon whom the rest were accustomed to rely in +emergencies. + +"Well, I leave it to the rest of you whether we do it or not. The +conditions are peculiar. We want to search for poor Jerry, and yet if we +leave our camp unguarded, those savages may steal the whole outfit. Then +again, Will naturally doesn't want to stay here alone while Bluff and +myself do the hunting. I can see only one way of fixing it." + +"All right. I'm willing to do anything you say," remarked the one who +had a cup of coffee up to his lips, and was drinking the contents with +supreme pleasure. + +"Ditto here, Frank," from Will. + +"This idea I had was to break up our camp, stow all the stuff in the +canoes, and then have Will paddle far out on the lake with the whole +outfit, where he could wait to see what happened. Nothing could reach +him there, and we would be free to follow up our plan. How about that, +fellows?" asked Frank. + +Will glanced out on the lake. + +"All right. It looks like it would be quiet enough, and if a big wind +does come up, I can paddle the string over to the shore and get under +the lee," he said. + +"Call it settled, then. And now, while Bluff is finishing his breakfast, +you and I can be taking down the tents and stowing them away," observed +Frank. + +"Oh! I'm about through now, but give me a little time to get my gun +together, boys. It may come in handy, who knows," remarked Bluff. + +"This is kind of tough, taking down tents when our little outing is +hardly half through with," complained Will, as he labored pulling up +tent pegs. + +"Oh! it may be only temporary. If Mr. Dodd comes and rounds up those +hoboes as we expect, there's nothing to prevent our pitching camp again +right on the old spot, and enjoying another two days or so of this +business," came from Frank, who was under the falling canvas, working +like a beaver. + +Things were quickly accomplished. The more one camps the easier it is to +stow things away in their proper places; and Frank was always particular +about doing this, as a labor-saving device. + +Hardly an hour after the coming of Bluff and the space was bare. All the +"dunnage" had been snugly packed in two of the canoes, while Will was +ready to enter the other and convoy the string out on the bosom of Lake +Camalot. + +They made him take Jerry's gun as a means of protection. On his part, +Will entrusted his precious camera to the tender mercies of Bluff, in +hopes that the other might find some chance to snap off a few striking +pictures while engaged in his search for Jerry. + +"And it isn't like your gun, remember, for it's loaded," he remarked. + +"Well, my repeater is now. And perhaps when Jerry learns what a part it +has had in his rescue he may stop sneering at it as a modern joke," said +Bluff. + +After Will had started, and gone some little distance out on the lake, +the two others left the deserted camping-ground. + +"Where away first?" asked Bluff, willing to leave these matters to his +friend, whose experience up in Maine was apt to prove valuable now. + +"Let's make along the beach for the place where those chaps were," +replied Frank. + +"Oh! I see. You think we may find the trail of the wild man there?" + +"I'm curious to see what it looks like, that's all. After that, I think +of making for the place where I lost Jerry. We've had no rain since, and +it seems to me we ought to take up the trail at the place I lost it. +I've since figured out how I came to go wrong that time, and if we have +good luck, we ought to be able to follow it straight to the place +they're staying at." + +It took them but a short time to reach the late camp of Pet Peters and +his cronies, which was full of signs of a hasty departure. + +"I wonder what could have happened here?" mused Frank, as he looked +around. + +"Seems like they must have been having a high old time. There's a +remnant of a hat, and I declare if this isn't piece of a coat sleeve. It +was a fight, Frank, I tell you!" exclaimed Bluff, convincingly. + +"Just as I suspected, but, of course, we may never know what caused it, +and whether they were just indulging in a little racket among themselves +or with the two hoboes. They had little left that would induce those +rascals to attack them, seems to me," remarked Frank. + +"Listen! what was that?" suddenly asked Bluff. + +Both boys stood motionless, with heads cocked on one side, straining +their ears to catch a repetition of the sound that had come to them. + +Quickly they heard it again. + +"Say, it seems like a groan to me," whispered Bluff, with eyes aglow. + +"Just what I thought. There! that time I located it, Bluff. Come over +here. Good gracious! what do you think of that?" + + + + +CHAPTER XVII--DEEPER INTO THE JUNGLE + + +"Why, it's a boy!" exclaimed the horrified Bluff, as he stared at the +object from which the sounds proceeded. + +"And tied to a tree, too! You know him, Bluff; look again!" remarked +Frank. + +"Say, it's sure Tom Somers, one of Pet Peters' crowd. What under the sun +does it mean, Frank?" exclaimed the other, startled and mystified. + +"Just what I said. They must have had a monkey-and-parrot time among +themselves, and the Tom Somers' section got the worst of it. You see the +result--they've gone off and left this fellow fastened here as a +punishment for his rebellion." + +"But--this ain't out West, or in the Cannibal Islands. Wake me up and +tell me if I'm seeing things. What! do you mean to say those savages +would leave Tom here to starve to death?" gasped Bluff. + +"Oh! no, some of them would come back by to-night or to-morrow to let +him off. I imagine this is only some of Pet's miserable work. He's a +cruel monster. I thought Andy Lasher bad enough, but it turned out that +he had a speck of good in him, and Jerry touched it when he saved his +life that stormy night. But Pet is mean and revengeful, a sneak, and a +coward at heart." + +"There. I believe he has just discovered us," said Bluff. + +The boy who was fastened to the tree gave a groan, and then called out: + +"Say, fellers, you wouldn't go and leave me here like this would you? +Set me free anyway, and I kin shift for myself somehow; but it's tough +to be tied up like a dog, an' all because I knocked Pet down when he +called me a name I won't take off any man or boy. Jest slice a knife +over these ropes, won't you, please?" + +He did not whine, but asked the favor in a fairly decent way. + +"Of course we will, Tom Somers. You've always been an enemy of mine, but +that's no reason we should leave you like this. There you are!" + +Frank purposely allowed his chum to do the cutting. He knew that there +had in the past been more or less bad blood between these two lads, and +he had in mind a possible repetition of the singular friendship that had +sprung up between Jerry and Andy Lasher after the time when the former +saved the life of the town bully. + +"That's 'white' of you, Bluff, and I ain't the feller to forget it, +neither," was what the late prisoner said as his bonds fell away. + +"You look bruised more or less, so I take it there must have been quite +a fight here before they went away?" remarked Frank, questioningly. + +The other grinned, though the effort must have pained him not a little, +on account of the many scratches and gouges on his face. + +"Did they? Well, I should smile, pardner. I only had one husky chap to +stand by me, against five; but we pretty nigh cinched things. Pet Peters +said he'd get even with me by leavin' me here a spell, to tempt that +wild man. But I had hopes some of you fellers might top the rise and +give me a helpin' hand." + +"Oh! I remember now, you're the chap who was out West for a year herding +cattle. I notice it in your speech," said Frank, smiling. + +"It gets in the blood, when you mingle some with them gents. I try to +break off when the fellers kid me, but it crops out when I ain't +thinkin'. But say, it was 'white' of you to do this, an' I ain't got any +call to ask favors of your crowd either." + +A sudden thought struck Frank. + +"See here, you say you're grateful; will you prove it?" he asked. + +Tom Somers thrust out his chest as he immediately replied: + +"I'm a maverick if I don't; try me!" + +"Then listen. You heard me say that our chum Jerry had strangely +vanished yesterday while we were in the woods. I have good reason to +believe those two hoboes laid hold of him, for some reason or other," +Frank started. + +"Ransom--the old, old game, perhaps?" suggested the other, quickly. + +"Well, I hardly think it is quite so bad as that; but they wanted to +hold him as a sort of hostage, perhaps, threatening us if we didn't get +off this island. No matter what their reason, they've got our chum, and +now we mean to try and release him. That's why we're here." + +"And you want me to help? 'Course I will, and only too glad to have the +chance. If it's a trail to foller, why I picked up lots of points out +there on the Texas plains, and just you set me on the track," said Tom, +pulling on a tattered coat that had been taken from him ere he was +fastened to the tree. + +"Then let's begin right here and see if there is any trail where your +grub basket went off last night!" remarked Frank. + +At that Tom started and turned a little pale. + +"You said the hoboes, pard, and not that man-monkey," he stammered. + +Plainly he had conceived a great fear regarding the mysterious object +that had appeared in the camp, and vanished with their provisions. + +Frank laughed. + +"Make your mind easy, I'm not intending to follow him. We expect to go +to the place where my pard vanished yesterday, and take up the trail +there. I followed it a while, but night was coming on and I lost it. You +may do better, Tom," he said. + +"But you mentioned that hairy monster, didn't you?" queried the other, +uneasily. + +"I only want to examine the track he left, so as to settle in my mind +whether it was really a crazy human being or a big ape. Come over here +and let's see." + +"Huh! none of our fellers ever thought of lookin' around. A snake-whip +couldn't a-coaxed 'em over this way. Like as not they expected the +varmint was lyin' in the bushes, waitin' to jump out again. But I don't +pull leather when I give my word." + +He threw himself prostrate on the ground. In less than three minutes an +exclamation announced that he had found what he sought. Frank dropped +beside him. + +"There she is, and a jim-dandy of a track, too, plain as the hoof marks +of a cayuse around a snubbing post!" he exclaimed, pointing. + +"Just as I thought, a man's shoe, and an unusually big one. That settles +one thing in my mind. It is no escaped ape that runs wild on this +island. It may be a lunatic that has got away from the asylum over at +Merrick, or----" + +Frank did not finish his sentence, but nodded his head as though the +thought that had flashed into his mind pleased him. + +"That all here?" asked the other, a little nervously, although +apparently relieved to learn that it was not a wild animal he had seen +on the preceding night. + +"Yes, I'm entirely satisfied. Now let us find the place where those +Indian mounds are, and we can get on the trail without delay," answered +Frank, leading the way. + +It took him fully an hour to accomplish this. First they had to return +to the spot at the foot of the bluff where the canoeists' camp had +lately stood. Here his own trail was taken up, and Tom Somers proved to +the satisfaction of the others that he did know considerable about +following tracks through thickets and woods, for he led them unerringly +until finally Frank saw the two mounds. + +"There they are," he said, in a low voice. + +Bluff pushed his gun forward menacingly. + +"Where?" he demanded in a hoarse whisper. + +"Oh! I mean the two Indian mounds, not the hoboes. Come over here and +see the trail made as they went away," replied his chum, quickly. + +When the boy who had spent a year on a Texas ranch punching cattle saw +the marks, he announced it as his opinion that they had been made by two +parties besides Jerry. + +"I reckon your chum was snoozing some when they jumped his claim. He +kicked and put up a right husky fight, but they was too much for him, +and choked him off. I reckon one of them must a-been a boy, and the +other a big man, judgin' from the marks. Then, when they had reduced him +to quiet they just snaked him off." + +"That's what I thought--the big brute carried Jerry on his back, for +there are no signs of my chum's footprints around. Now, let's start off. +I'm anxious to know the worst, no matter what it is!" cried Frank. + +Bluff brought up the rear. It was anything but light under the dense +growth of trees and clinging vines. At times the tracker had to get down +close to the ground in order to see what he wanted. + +Bluff had slung his gun over his shoulder by the strap, and was holding +Will's camera in his hands, wondering if he had not been foolish to +bring such a silly thing along with him on so serious an errand. + +The deeper they penetrated into the interior of the island the denser +the undergrowth seemed to become, until at times it was only with the +utmost difficulty they pushed their way through. Others having gone +ahead of them made it a trifle easier, perhaps; at least Tom Somers said +so in a whisper. + +"Perhaps we're gettin' clost to the place, now, pardners; so we'd better +take our time an' not hustle too much. Don't speak above a whisper, +either," he said, as he parted the bushes in front. + +Even as he did so Frank heard him utter a low exclamation, not of fear +so much as of disgust. One look told the other what it meant, and he, +too, feared that their plans would all be disarranged through an +accidental meeting with a resident of the jungle, who seemed disposed to +dispute their further progress. + +There was the biggest wildcat Bluff had ever seen in all his life +squatted on the low limb of a tree, growling angrily, and with it claws +digging into the bark after the manner of a cat that is getting ready to +jump, and will not be stopped! + +True, Frank could easily have raised his gun and shot the ferocious +creature dead in its tracks; but such an explosion must warn the enemy +of their presence in the vicinity, and effectually prevent any surprise. + +It looked like a serious problem, and yet it must be solved immediately +unless they wanted to experience an encounter at close quarters with +that fury. + +"Hold up! give me a chance. Duck your heads, fellows; I'm going to +flashlight the critter!" exclaimed Bluff. And even as he spoke, there +was a sudden startling illumination that lit up the immediate vicinity +like day. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII--UNDER THE CABIN WALL + + +"So-long!" exclaimed the ex-cowboy, as he dropped to the ground. + +Frank did not know just then whether Tom Somers was trying to evade an +expected attack from the big cat, or had been startled and alarmed by +the suspicious "click" behind him, instantly followed by that electric +flash. + +"He's gone!" whispered Bluff, excitedly. + +Frank breathed a sigh of relief. The day had been saved by Will's +inoffensive camera after all, for there was no alarm, and they had +escaped an encounter with the poisonous claws of that beast of prey. + +"And I bet I got a dandy picture of him, too, for Will. Say, this isn't +so bad, after all. Perhaps there can be some fun hunting with a camera," +pursued Bluff. + +"Silence, Bluff. Let's lie here a bit and listen. I hope we didn't +happen to be so close to their camp as to let them see that flash +through the trees," whispered Frank, dropping down. + +Five minutes later they once more began to creep forward. At the +suggestion of Tom Somers, all of them were now on their knees, Bluff, as +before, bringing up the rear. + +It was very thrilling work, and Bluff found himself trembling with +excitement as he trailed after his companions. + +"Sure he's a peach at this sort of business, and it was a bully streak +of luck when we ran across the poor wretch tied up to a tree," he was +saying to himself, as he watched Tom Somers gliding along, keeping an +eye on the ground, and sometimes almost poking his nose against the +earth in order to solve a knotty problem. + +He hoped they would run up against no more bobcats. While fortune had +smiled upon them on that last occasion, perhaps the same good luck might +not always be their portion; and Bluff found no desire in his heart for +a tussle at close quarters with the owner of a set of claws such as +these beasts sported. + +Frank and the other fellow seemed to be conferring in low whispers, and +hence he crept up to learn what was in the wind. + +"See anything, Frank?" he asked eagerly, as he pushed in beside his +chum. + +"Softly, Bluff. Yes, if you look through this little opening you can see +it, too." + +"Why, it's a house--a sort of old cabin, more like," said Bluff, as he +peeped. + +"That's just what it is. Now, search your memory, both of you--do you +ever recollect hearing about any one living on Wildcat Island?" asked +Frank. + +"Sure I do, now that you ask. There was a queer man once who used to +live like a hermit here. That was years ago. They found his skeleton in +his cabin. Nobody ever knew what he died of, but it was alone, excepting +for his dog, that ran wild till he was shot by a duck-shooter," +whispered Bluff. + +"Glory! this here place is some on thrills," grumbled Tom Somers. + +"Never mind the things that are dead and gone. We have more to fear from +those that are living. It looks as though the tramps have taken up their +quarters in the deserted shack of the old hermit, doesn't it, Tom?" +asked Frank, in the ear of the other. + +"It sure does, for a fact. Like as not the whole outfit is quartered +there right now. And somehow I got a suspicion that our grub meandered +this way, too. Seems like I see a familiar Boston baked-bean can lying +there by the door, where they hustled it out after eating the contents." + +Frank made no reply to this insinuation. Whatever he thought he kept to +himself. + +"Oh! I wonder is Jerry there?" said Bluff, longingly, but managing to +keep his tones lowered. + +"That is something we mean to discover before a great while. I leave the +manner of our approach entirely to Tom here," declared Frank. + +The outcast from Pet's camp had proven his ability to be of great +assistance to them, and Frank believed in encouraging a fellow. His +words doubtless gave the other more or less satisfaction. When a boy +feels that he is wholly trusted, he is very apt to do his level best. + +"First of all I reckon there's a better way to crawl up close to the +shack than this one we're on. So let's trail around to the other side, +fellers," he said. + +They succeeded in reaching the point he had in view. Even Bluff could +see the wisdom of the move. The undergrowth was much more dense here, +and extended quite up to the wall of the dilapidated cabin. + +They could see that the new occupants had done some little rough +tinkering in order to make a roof that would shed water reasonably well. +From this it was easy to conclude that Waddy Walsh and his partner did +not know just how long they might have to utilize this place as a +hide-out, and thought it best to be ready to stand a rainy siege such as +the Spring was apt to produce at any day. + +Frank felt Bluff clawing at his legs. There was something in the act to +tell him his chum was desirous of speaking to him, and he allowed the +other to pull up alongside so they could put their heads together. + +"What is it?" he asked. + +"Didn't you hear it?" queried Bluff, as if surprised. + +"What? I heard nothing." + +"All that whistling on the lake. Sounded to me like that little tug, +_Rainy Day_, that tows the lumber down to the outlet. She was close by, +too," replied Bluff. + +"It must have been away off, for I didn't hear a bit of it. Perhaps it +was the tug, too; but she belongs up at the other end of the lake. What +could bring her down here?" + +"I had an idea that perhaps the sheriff and his posse might be aboard +her," ventured Bluff, and he was instantly seized by his comrade. + +"That's just what it meant. I hope Will's met them and told how the land +lies here. If that is true it means the beginning of the end?" whispered +Frank. + +"And perhaps we may be back in our good old camp by night time, who +knows?" answered the other, joyfully. + +Still, neither of them had the slightest thought of relaxing their +efforts with regard to investigating the interior of that cabin, and +ascertaining whether their comrade was being detained there against his +will, perhaps in bonds, that cut his flesh cruelly. + +Tom had noted the fact that the others were holding a little powwow, and +hence he did not push on so as to leave them. In fact, Tom was not at +all particular about quitting the society of these stout-hearted fellows +even for a minute, while in such a ghostly neighborhood. Tom believed in +spirits, and the story Bluff had told about that skeleton was ever +before him. + +When they began to advance once more, he also started off. + +They were now so close to the cabin that if any one had been talking +aloud inside those old moss-grown walls the boys could not have failed +to hear the sounds. + +There had been a window, but it was closed with a bunch of dead grass, +and, of course, none of the boys thought of trying to remove this +obstacle in connection with their obtaining a view of the interior. The +only other opening, no doubt, was the door, which was allowed to remain +wide open all the time for air and light. + +Dare one of them crawl around the corner of the cabin and try to look in +at that entrance? The risk seemed almost too much. Still, Frank +remembered that they had two guns among them, while, so far as they +knew, the hoboes possessed none; at least they had shown nothing of the +sort thus far. + +He had been thinking this over, however, and concluded that it hardly +stood to reason that such desperate characters as these two, one an +escaped reform school inmate and the other a yeggman tramp, would be +entirely without some means of defence. Perhaps one of them might have a +revolver which he had up to now kept out of sight for some reason. + +Tom was pulling at Frank's trousers entreatingly. Catching his +attention, he made a gesture with his hand, as talking was now out of +the question. + +Following the line of his pointing finger, Frank saw what had attracted +the eye of the boy who had been West. Some animal had for a time used +the hut as a lodging-place, and as the door at the time may have been +closed, had dug a tunnel under the wall at the back of the place. + +Possibly the men inside had filled the hole up beyond the wall, but they +had paid no attention to that which lay beyond. + +Frank caught the idea instantly. It was to begin to tunnel under the +wall, drawing away the earth piecemeal until an opening was made, when +one of them might crawl through and make discoveries. + +The idea appealed to him somehow or other, and, handing his gun silently +to Tom, he set to work lifting handfuls of loose dirt, and gradually +scooping out quite a hole. It was easy work because the place had only +recently been filled in. As he worked he wondered what sort of an animal +had made the tunnel under the wall; perhaps a wildcat, or it might have +been a 'coon, hardly a bear, though such big game could be occasionally +met with around Lake Camalot, especially along the headquarters of +Lumber Run up at the other end of the body of water. + +The minutes passed in this way. Several times Frank caught some sound +beyond the wall, but could not make out what it might mean. He felt +positive, however, that it was the home of the hoboes he had reached, +and not a hiding-place of that strange creature so like a gigantic ape, +but which wore shoes like a man. + +Now he felt the earth growing lighter, as though he might be coming +close to an end of his strange task. He was still digging away, eager to +learn whether his plan could be carried out, when without the slightest +warning something that moved came in contact with his flesh, and he felt +his fingers seized by a human hand! + + + + +CHAPTER XIX--HOLDING BLUFF IN + + +Frank involuntarily tried to draw his hand back. + +The grasp of the unknown, however, was too strenuous, and he could not +do so unless he created such a disturbance as must have aroused any +sleeper nearby. Besides, a wild suspicion had flashed through his mind. +Perhaps this was his chum Jerry, trying to escape from his place of +confinement. + +He squeezed the fingers that clutched his. It was a sign manual used in +the secret society to which both of them belonged in the Academy at +Centerville. To his great delight the secret grip was returned +immediately. + +Then it _was_ Jerry! He was alive, and even at that moment endeavoring +to get away from those who were holding him against his will! + +Frank felt like shouting aloud, so great a sense of gratitude swept over +him; but fortunately he did not give way to such foolishness. + +He put his head deep down into the hole he had made and whispered, +making just the faintest sound possible: + +"Jerry!" + +"Frank!" came back like the sighing of the wind up in some of those +lofty trees that overhung the lonely cabin with such a bad name. + +Then the last doubt vanished. It only remained to get Jerry out of that +place as soon as possible. Why, left to himself he seemed able to force +his way to freedom, and with what aid they could extend surely only a +few minutes would be needed to accomplish it. + +Even as he thought thus, he felt his hand violently thrust back. At the +same moment there was the sound of heavy voices in the cabin. Evidently +one or both of the tramps must have entered the second room and +discovered Jerry on his knees engaged in tunneling out. + +There was no sound of a blow struck. Had there been, Frank could never +have contained himself, but regardless of consequences must have rushed +around to where the door lay, and burst into the place. + +As it was, he backed away and joined his comrades, who, it can easily be +understood, were more than curious to know what all this meant. + +"Is he in there?" demanded Bluff, close to the ear of his chum. + +"Yes, I whispered his name and he answered by saying mine," came the +thrilling reply. + +"Good! good! let's storm the measly old rookery, and hold up those +hoboes at the muzzle of our guns. We've got the men, and we've got the +guns!" said Bluff; but his comrade drew him down again ere he could rush +forth. + +"Wait! Be cool. This is no time to make mistakes. I thought of that, but +they've shut the cabin door. Perhaps they begin to suspect some of us +are around. It may be they even heard Jerry whisper my name. All we want +to do is to see that they do him no injury. After a while the sheriff +will be along to take care of these jail-birds, all right," Frank went +on. + +He said no more, because they once again began to move farther away from +the cabin walls. There was a chance, however, that one of the ferocious +inmates might come out to investigate the conditions, so Frank did not +want to go so far that he could not hold the fellow up and cause a +surrender. + +"What can we do now?" asked Bluff, as they crouched in a thick jungle, +with the cabin lying on their left, and only some twenty paces off. + +"Watch and wait. If one of them comes out we'll make him a prisoner. The +door is there, and no one is likely to escape us. Keep ready for a quick +move, both of you," whispered Frank in return. + +"Oh! I saw something moving up in that big tree--the one that is half +dead," came from Tom just then. + +"Where at in the tree?" demanded Frank, ready to examine into anything +that happened to come before their attention, no matter how odd. + +"Say just where that gaping hole lies--about ten feet up. The blame +thing's hollow, that's a cinch, and some critter's got a nest in it. +Maybe an owl, but I'd rather believe 'twas a cat, or perhaps a real +b'ar. Looky, there she is again!" + +Each of them had his eyes glued upon the spot indicated in his low-toned +communication by the ex-cowboy. There certainly was something moving, +for while the light was not very strong at that particular place, still +they could see an object projected from the gap. + +Quickly it pushed farther out, and there dawned upon their startled +vision the same ape-like creature that had terrorized the camp of Pet +Peters' crowd on the previous night. It seemed, as near as they could +judge in that uncertain light, to be covered with hair, just as a +chimpanzee would be, and its face was in keeping with the remainder of +its hideous form. + +Bluff and Tom crouched there and shivered as they watched this awesome +figure scramble down from its perch by the aid of the broken dead limbs. +It dropped lightly on the ground with a grunt, and then scurried off +through the undergrowth. + +Tom gave a sigh of relief. + +"It's gone, and I'm mighty near the stampedin' point myself," he +admitted. + +"Why, it was that wild man, as sure as fate. Oh! how Will must carry on +when he knows I had such a _glorious_ chance to get him, and lacked the +nerve," whispered Bluff, still shaking with excitement, or something +else. + +"It's just as good you didn't," snickered Frank; "for the sound would +have betrayed us to the chaps in the cabin." + +"You seem to be tickled about something--suppose you tell a fellow what +you see funny about that awful monster? I'd like to laugh too, but I +declare if my lips ain't frozen stiff. Is it a wild man, or a beast? +Why, I tell you his body is covered with reddish hair, and his face, +will I ever get it out of my mind?" + +Bluff was plainly much excited, but Frank seemed quite cool. + +"Never mind. Later on I may tell you something I've thought of. But he's +gone, I suppose, and we can consider the cabin again," replied Frank. + +"Why not rush it? Given a log, and I vow Tom and I can knock in that old +door just like you'd smash an egg," pleaded the impatient Bluff. + +"That would be poor policy. In the first place those are desperate men, +who are wanted for robbery, and they know the jail is fairly itching to +hold them. Consequently they're ready to take all sorts of chances +before giving up. I wouldn't put it past them to fire on us, to wound, +at least, if not worse." + +"But look here, they haven't got any guns, have they?" demanded Bluff. + +"We only guessed that they hadn't, but we can't be sure. Such ugly +customers are hardly likely to go without some means of defense, and Tom +here will back me up in that. Besides, they've certainly got our chum," +declared Frank, seriously. + +"Perhaps you're right, Frank, but I'd be willing myself to take all the +chances in a mix-up with that crowd," grumbled poor Bluff, who always +seemed to be close upon the border of an opportunity to do something, +only to have the glorious prize snatched from his hands. + +He looked longingly toward the lonely cabin, as though he yearned to +have a shy at that ricketty door. According to his mind, once it was +down those tramps would be only too glad to throw up their hands, just +as Pet Peters and his crowd had done when he covered them on the lake. + +Frank himself hardly knew what action to take. + +"If I only thought they wouldn't take it out on poor Jerry, I'd be +tempted to let Bluff work his bold little trick. But I'm afraid. I know +what such men can do, with a long prison term staring them in the face. +Some of them would just as soon he hung for a sheep as a lamb," he +muttered. + +"Do you really think they'd hurt Jerry?" asked Bluff, solicitously. + +"What do you know of that Waddy Walsh?" + +"He was always a cruel chap, that's a fact. I've known him to torture a +dog in a terrible way. That was really why he was sent away. Nobody +could do anything with him; even the town authorities had to give up the +job," replied Bluff. + +"There you are, then. Now, he's hitched up with a rascal much worse than +himself, from all accounts. Think of those bold robberies all around. I +tell you that pair make a desperate team, and I shiver to think of what +they could do to Jerry if hard pushed. Perhaps, after all, we'd +better----" + +What Frank was about to suggest was never spoken. Tom Somers jerked his +arm to signify that he had better cease whispering; and as Frank twisted +his head around to see what had happened to alarm their new comrade, he +discovered moving figures approaching from the same quarter they had +themselves come out of. + +His first thought was that Sheriff Dodd had arrived with his posse. +Indeed, it was only with a supreme effort that he refrained from leaping +to his feet and wildly beckoning. Then he was glad he had been guilty of +no such foolish act, for he learned that this was far from being the +truth. + +"They've come back!" exclaimed Tom, in a low tone, yet plainly +disturbed; "looks like they wanted to make sure of me, and had follered +us here so as to corral me!" + +Then Frank understood. The flight of Pet Peters and his followers had +been, after all, something of a bluff, for they had again left the +western shore and landed on Wildcat Island; more than that, they were +even now creeping toward the cabin, as if bent upon some desperate +undertaking! + + + + +CHAPTER XX--THE ESCAPE OF JERRY + + +"One, two, three, four!" + +Frank was counting the shadowy figures that came flitting closer, +stooping over as they advanced, some carrying cudgels, and others +different kinds of weapons as if they expected trouble presently. + +"Five, six--what, seven, yes, and eight! Where did they pick up the +other two members of the crowd?" he was saying to himself as he gazed +from his snug retreat. + +Then he noticed that a couple were armed with guns. This gave him a clue +which he easily followed to a logical conclusion. On the western shore +of the lake Pet and his disgruntled followers must have run across a +couple of their cronies, who were apparently out hunting, though the law +allowed of no shooting of game at this time of year. + +These fellows may even have been acting with the sheriff, who had +offered a certain reward for the apprehension of the hobo thieves. Upon +exchanging stories it may have been decided to return to the island in a +bunch, and make a bold attempt to round up the tramps, who were believed +to be without any guns. That reward would look big in the eyes of these +fellows. + +No doubt the presence of the old cabin was known to these boys, and they +had guessed that their quarry might be found hiding there in the heart +of the jungle. + +Frank laughed to himself at this new complication. It began to look as +if Waddy and his pal would soon be between a lot of fires that must +scorch them, whichever way they turned. + +He put a hand cautiously on Bluff. That individual was so impulsive +there could be no telling just how he might act, and this touch would +serve to calm him down. + +The flitting figures had now all passed the hiding boys, avoiding the +dense thicket in which they were crouching, as there were easier +passages around. Looking out, Frank could see them moving around the +cabin, as if trying to ascertain some weak place where an entrance could +be effected. + +"Huh!" grunted Bluff, a little incautiously it seemed, "they're going to +do what I wanted to try--make an entrance. Some of them have gone to +pick up that log, and others are peeking in at the window, where the hay +sticks out. If it was bigger they'd just like to crawl through. And we +sit here like a set of babies. Huh!" + +"Hold up, now, and consider. What's to hinder our letting them do the +work, and then when they go to reap the results we can just step up and +take the plum away," cautioned his comrade. + +"I see. Like the monkey that got the cat to pull his hot chestnuts out +of the fire, eh? Talk about Jerry being a lawyer, he ain't in the same +class with you, Frank." + +"Watch!" was all the other replied to this shower of bouquets. + +"Something's going to happen to them fellers around there before they +know it," remarked Tom Somers, grimly, though, of course, he followed +the example of the others and kept his voice down to the lowest possible +notch. + +"What makes you say that?" asked Bluff, always eager for information. + +"I seen something poking up along the roof. I reckon one of them hoboes +is going to come out up thar, and drop something down on Pet and the +fellers. Gee! but don't I hope he slams it in hard. It'd make my cuts +sting a heap less if I see them guys have to take to the tall timber." + +Tom was feeling vindictive, and really, after having seen his bruises, +and remembering how shabbily he had been treated by his pards, Frank +could hardly blame him for such a desire. Tom was only human, after all. + +Still, what he had said aroused the curiosity of both Frank and Bluff. +They riveted their attention upon the roof of the cabin. As stated +before, this being badly dilapidated, the hoboes had spent some time +patching the same the best they knew how. + +It was even now in a shaky condition, and apt to give way if any daring +soul ventured to put his weight upon it. + +At least Tom was right, for they quickly discovered that a certain +portion of this roof was actually moving, and even as they looked what +seemed to be a human arm was thrust through. Some one was evidently +making an opening, removing the pieces one by one at a place where they +had been fastened across a former hole. + +Frank felt that there was something more about this than appeared on the +surface. He also noted that the fellows on the ground had by now become +aware that they were apparently about to be menaced from above; for he +saw them crouching down under the spot from whence the pieces were +falling, their eyes turned upward. + +Then a head was finally thrust up through the opening. Bluff gasped +again. It seemed as though he were bound to get shock after shock. + +"Get next to that, will you?" he whispered in Frank's ear, as he +clutched his sleeve and jerked hard; "why, it's our chum Jerry! Oh! +ain't he the candy kid, though?" + +"Hush!" said the other, giving him a push, to keep him from rising in +his excitement. + +"Well, I take off my lid to him, anyway," whimpered Bluff, unable to +give proper expression to his feelings. + +The boy whose actions they were watching seemed to have made up his mind +that he must get out of that cabin some way or other. He had been halted +in his tunneling operations, and perhaps there was some reason why he +might not resume them, or try and open the door; but Jerry evidently +could not be held in restraint. + +It was possible that his captors were dozing, and, taking advantage of +the opportunity, he was about to quit their company by means of the hole +he had made in the roof. + +Now his body had appeared. He was testing the rotten timbers first to +make positive that they would hold him. + +Bluff hardly breathed as he stared as well as he could, for it was half +dark here, even in the daytime. He knew that a mutual surprise awaited +all the persons taking part in that little drama, when Jerry reached the +edge and looked over. Those crouching below expected to see one of the +tattered hoboes, while possibly Jerry hoped he might find his chums +awaiting him. + +"It's coming!" Frank heard him say, as he fumbled around for something; +but he was so much interested himself that he did not give Bluff a +second thought. + +Then the creeping boy on the low roof of the cabin reached the edge. +They saw him stretch his neck so that his head projected over; and there +he remained, as if frozen stiff by the strange sight that greeted him. + +It was not so gloomy there alongside the shack but that his keen eyes +could see, under the heavy growth of rank trees, the many faces +up-turned toward him. At the same time, Pet and his mates made the +astounding discovery that it was Jerry Wallington, after all, who had +been about to descend in this peculiar way. + +Too late, Frank realized what was coming. He heard the old familiar +"click" close to his ear, and a thrill of alarm shot through his frame; +but ere he could even wink, much less make the slightest movement, the +thing was done. + +Bluff had fired another cartridge connected with that camera of Will's. +Recognizing the proper elements for a powerful flashlight picture in the +remarkable combination before him, he had proceeded to carry out Will's +instructions, regardless of consequences. + +Some of the clustering boys seemed ready to scamper off, but the voice +of Pet recalled them to a sense of their duty. Besides, the prospect of +becoming lost in those gloomy woods was not very flattering, and they +huddled together. + +"Hey, don't yuh let that skeer yuh, fellers. It's on'y some of that +crazy Will Milton's photergraphy business. Stick to it, and get that +reward. Don't a single one of yuh dar' to run!" was what he shouted. + +The situation was rather embarrassing for Jerry. He seemed to be between +two fires as it were. If he came down, these angry boys stood ready to +attack him; while to stay where he was meant that the hoboes would be +able to reach him. + +Frank began to wonder whether the time had not come for them to enter +the game and stand by their chum. He had even arisen to his feet to make +a forward movement when he saw that as usual, Jerry had his wits about +him. + +The boy on the quivering roof of the old shack was edging his way along. +He appeared to be aiming for a certain spot where a big tree swept its +branches down so as to brush the roof. + +It offered a refuge for any one who could neither come down nor remain +where he was, and Jerry knew he could make it. Now he reached the +nearest limb, and like a monkey scrambled upward. The one who caught him +after that would have to be nimble indeed. + +"Hurrah!" shouted Bluff, unable to restrain his admiration for the +presence of mind on the part of his chum. + +Perhaps, given time, and the Peters crowd might have attempted some +further hostile move, looking to the capture of the boy who had just +gained his freedom from a prison. Frank was grimly making up his mind +that, no matter what happened, he did not mean to stand idly by and see +Jerry fall into the hands of these fellows. + +"Say, are you going to rush 'em?" demanded Bluff, fairly wild to make a +charge. + +"Not unless they start after Jerry. Just now they seem to be bent on +capturing our friends, the hoboes, and we can afford to let them fight +it out until both sides are exhausted, when our time will come. There +they go at the door with the log as a battering ram! Whoop! what do you +think of that?" + +Frank's last exclamation was caused by a sudden movement on the part of +the besieged; for the door had suddenly opened, and a pan of hot water +was thrown out on the huddled holders of the log. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI--THE LAST STRAW + + +"Ouch! I'm scalded!" + +"Skidoo, boys! there's more a-comin'!" + +"Why didn't ye shoot, Bill, when ye had the chance? Gee! the skin's +a-peelin' off me nose a'ready!" + +No sooner had Waddy Walsh thrown the pan of hot water upon the advancing +group that carried the log than he bolted inside again, and the bar was +heard falling back of the door. + +Then they heard the young savage laugh loud and long. It was this sound +that aroused the passions of the crowd. They no longer thought of +flight. With the burning sensation that came with the hot water +application, each fellow ached to be revenged. The worst of it was, most +of them knew Waddy well, and indeed he had once been a member of this +same crowd. + +Down went the log to the ground. All thought of using it as a battering +ram had left them now. + +"Git behind the trees, fellers. It's us to the foolish house if we let +that Waddy Walsh ketch us ag'in," shouted Pet, who was rubbing his face +quite as vigorously as his comrades in misery. + +Upon this they hustled for shelter. Each boy took to a tree that +happened to come handy, and feeling safe from a further bombardment they +gave vent to their feelings in all sorts of characteristic shouts. + +Frank was feeling a bit anxious about Jerry. What if these reckless +spirits, aggravated by their hot reception, should try to take it out on +the person of the boy they hated? Two of them carried some manner of +shotguns, and there was no telling what they might not be tempted to do. + +When, however, he looked anxiously up into the tree where he had last +seen Jerry, to his delight he found that the other had vanished +completely from sight. + +"Where's he gone?" asked Bluff, at this moment, he having apparently +likewise just discovered the absence of the other chum. + +"I don't know. Perhaps he's only hiding behind the trunk of the tree, or +he may have found it hollow, like that other one, and slipped in. Watch +what those fellows are up to. If they make a move to shoot at Jerry, +we'll have to put in our oar," Frank answered with considerable feeling. + +Pet Peters' crowd was plainly at a loss to know how they ought to +proceed. They saw that hundred dollars reward dangling temptingly before +their eyes, and could not bear the thought of letting it pass without +straining themselves to the utmost to win it. All sorts of things they +had wanted so long could be bought with that easy money, and they were +not yet ready to give up their chances. + +"Hi! Bill, you an' Sim git over here. I wanter have a spiel with yuh. +Them guns orter fetch our game out on ther knees, if yuh on'y use 'em +steady. Kim over, an' you, too, Miser Lee. P'raps I kin use yuh!" + +It was Pet bawling out, and that his word carried weight was manifest by +the way in which the three fellows addressed hastened to cross over to +where he stood back of the big tree that had the gaping hole in its +trunk ten feet from the ground. + +Frank could see them talking earnestly, and gesticulating as if to +emphasize their words. Finally Pet seized the gun that one of the others +carried, and taking a quick aim at the cabin he pulled the trigger. + +"Bang! bang!" went both barrels. + +The dead grass vanished from the little window under the charges of shot +at such close quarters. + +"Kim out o' that, an' surrender to the law!" bellowed Pet. + +Frank laughed to himself at the words; it was more than comical to hear +this boy, whose contempt for law and order had made him a marked +character in Centerville, so loudly proclaim his sudden conversion. + +Silence followed this peremptory command. Those within the cabin either +did not care to answer, or else could not. + +"Say, Pet, p'raps ye did for 'em that time?" suggested one of the +others. + +"Git out! Thar wa'nt no chance of that happenin'. Waddy just wants tuh +fool us. He allers was that ways, yuh know," answered Pet; but it was +plain that the awful suggestion rather awed him. + +"Shall I shoot, Pet?" asked the other owner of a gun, dubiously. + +"'Course yuh must. Think I'm goin' tuh do all the work. Blaze away both +of ye, so long as ye got a shell left. Anyhow, p'raps we kin put in a +claim fur part o' the reward, fur holdin' 'em here. Go on, Sim, I tell +yuh!" + +So Sim began to bombard the wall of the cabin. He made mighty sure not +to fire in at that little gaping hole where the dead grass had hung +until Pet knocked it through with his shot. If so be any damage was done +to the inmates Sim did not mean to be accused as the guilty one. + +Things seemed pretty lively for a time, with those two guns rattling +away as fast as the owners could reload. From behind their trees the +balance of the attacking crowd watched to see if there came any white +flag of surrender. Beyond the boom of the guns, however, not a sound was +heard, unless the excited voices of the eager boys were taken into +consideration. + +Bluff was plainly nervous. He tried to get up several times, and as +often Frank pulled him down again. + +"I just can't stand it, with all that racket going on. Why don't we have +a share in it?" he begged, piteously. + +"Because we don't want to expose our hand. Give those silly chumps time +and they will play the game to suit us. Wait till their last shell has +been fired; then we control the situation. See?" whispered his comrade, +soothingly. + +"Frank, you hit me again that time. What a goose I am. Why, of course +that's the racket for us. Let 'em go on and roll their hoop!" answered +Bluff, who at least was always ready to admit the error of his ways when +convinced. + +The shooting soon came to an end, for neither Sim nor Bill seemed to +have any great amount of ammunition with them. + +"That's my last shell!" declared the former, presently. + +"An' I got my last in the gun. Shall I use 'em, Pet?" demanded the +other. + +"'Course, an' send it in the windy this time," growled the one +addressed. + +But Bill was too shrewd for that, and proceeded to sprinkle his bird +shot over the surface of the ancient logs. + +"Now we control the situation. Our guns are not useless, if theirs are!" +exclaimed Frank, with a chuckle. + +Still he did not seem in any hurry to open hostilities. Perhaps he hoped +these eight followers of Pet might find a way to capture the hoboes, +upon which they could appear on the scene and menace the enemy until +they were glad to run away, leaving the fruits of their victory in the +hands of Frank and his friends. + +"Pet's up to something tricky. I bet it's the old game of firing the +shanty. You remember, Frank, how he tried to burn us out last Fall when +we were in camp. There goes some of the lot creeping up with armfuls of +leaves. Say, are we going to stand by and see it done?" queried Bluff, +warmly. + +"At the last minute we can stop it. When Pet starts up to strike a +match, then we'll take a hand. No hurry. The chaps inside won't thank +us, remember. It's out of the frying-pan into the fire with them," came +from his companion, who was observing all that went on with a critical +eye. + +"Looks like they meant to have a big enough pile of leaves there," said +Bluff, as the line of creeping forms kept depositing more and more fuel +close to the wall of the cabin. + +"Yes, and I reckon she'd burn like tinder if once started. Suppose those +two hoboes rushed out suddenly, do you suppose Pet and his crowd have +got sand enough to tackle them?" asked Frank of the recruit on his other +side. + +"They want that reward bad, I reckon, and would do some tall fightin' to +get it. Fightin' is ther main suit, ye know," answered Tom Somers, as he +caressed the cut on his face tenderly. + +"Now they've stopped piling up the leaves. Looks like they expected Pet +to go in and put a match to the bunch. He don't appear to hanker after +the job, but to back out would put him on the blink with the crowd. +There, Frank, he's going to make the riffle, you see. Now, what?" panted +Bluff, again seeking to rise, as he fumbled his gun nervously. + +"There's no need of our doing anything, after all," remarked Frank. + +"Then you mean to let 'em set the cabin on fire, and perhaps roast the +poor hoboes before our very eyes?" exclaimed Bluff, in dismay. + +"Not at all. I only mean that the job of frightening the bunch off is +going to be taken out of our hands, for that wild man is coming back!" + +"You don't say? Where--point him out to me, Frank. Oh! if I could only +get a chance to snap him off; but, just like the luck, the last +flashlight cartridge is gone. Ginger! I see him now. Ain't he a terror +though? And won't they go into fits when he rushes 'em? There he comes, +as sure as you live! Wow! watch the circus, boys. My! my! ain't I glad +I'm here to see this!" + +Tom Somers had said that his former teammates loved nothing better than +a fight, but there were evidently times when such a condition of affairs +was far from their thoughts. Such seemed to be the case now, for as they +heard the shrill whoops of the outlandish hairy figure that came +prancing headlong toward them, every boy took to his heels in a mad +flight, heedless alike of direction or obstacles in the way, so long as +he could escape a close encounter with that terrible creature. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII--HOLDING THE FORT + + +"Look at them run, Frank! Such a scared crowd of singed cats! Did you +ever see such a sight? But where is that old wild man gone?" exclaimed +Bluff, who had arisen fearlessly to his feet the better to watch the mad +flight of Pet Peters and his cronies through the dense thickets. + +"I couldn't say, Bluff. I was too much taken up with the way some of +those boys banged headlong into the trunks of trees to notice anything +else. Did you see, Tom?" + +"He climbed the same old tree, and popped into that hole like a +jack-in-the-box," declared the one addressed, quickly. + +At that Frank laughed again and again, though Bluff looked at him as if +hardly understanding what there was about the manner of the wild man's +disappearance to amuse his chum so. + +"Jerry!" he called presently. + +"Tell me about that, will you?" a familiar voice said, and they saw the +object of their solicitude clambering down from a tree not far away from +the house. + +In another minute the three chums were shaking hands with a vim. It was +certainly good to see Jerry again, and Bluff could hardly keep from +embracing him. + +"Did they treat you mean, old pard?" he asked, looking darkly toward the +cabin, as if meditating an immediate assault if Jerry complained. + +"Well, it wasn't a nice experience, I tell you; but on the whole they +didn't kick me more than a dozen times, and I reckon I sassed 'em enough +to expect that. Glad to see you again, fellows, I tell you. Who's this? +Hello! what's Tom Somers doing with chums of mine, I'd like to know?" +demanded the escaped captive, curiously. + +"He had a fight with the rest, and they left him on the island, tied to +a tree?" explained Bluff, eagerly. + +"Oh; yes, I see, and you rescued him, so that out of gratitude he joined +forces to storm the stronghold of the common enemy. Say, this beats +anything we ever met up with. That wild man is sure the greatest thing +that ever came over the pike," and to Bluff's surprise Jerry also had a +fit of laughing. + +"You fellows seem to be tickled over something that I don't just grab. I +didn't think you were the kind to laugh at a poor, silly fool that has +escaped from the asylum, and imagines, perhaps, he's Father Adam in the +woods," he complained. + +At which remark the others had another burst of laughter. Frank looked +at Jerry, made a gesture with his head, and placed his finger on his +lips to indicate silence, upon seeing which, Jerry nodded and grinned. + +"Tell us about your experiences, will you?" asked Bluff. + +"Only a few words. The rest will have to keep until we're settled around +the fire in camp," returned Jerry. + +"But we have no camp, now," retorted Bluff. + +"What's happened? Did those criminals burn you out, boys?" asked the +other, with clenched hands; for he had a few things he prized among the +traps they had carried along with them, and the loss of which would be +deeply regretted. + +"No, but we decided that while off hunting for you we couldn't leave +Will there alone; so we dug up stakes, piled the 'duffle' in the canoes, +and he's off somewhere on the lake waiting a signal to land again," +remarked Frank. + +"Great scheme. I can guess in whose brain it originated. But you don't +know how bully it is to see you again, fellows. Hang it, if it doesn't +seem like a month since I saw you last. And as to feed, I've just had a +few things pushed into my mouth as if I were a bird in a nest. I'm just +longing for a decent meal again." + +"What happened while I was examining that Indian mound?" asked Frank. + +"I was dozing when something landed like a thousand of brick on my +chest. For the life of me I couldn't say a single word. I guess I must +have fainted, though perhaps I ought to be ashamed to admit it. Next +thing I knew I was being toted off on the shoulders of the big tramp, a +fellow called Biffins, who, I expect must be a yeggman, because he +seemed to know all about blowing open safes in country stores, and such +things," went on Jerry. + +"Just to think of it, and carrying you on his shoulders like a log!" +palpitated Bluff, listening with eagerness to these disclosures. + +"They fetched me here to this cabin, and kept me tied up part of the +time. That night was a long horror to me. Sometimes they were in with +me, and again off somewhere. In the morning I saw that they had made a +raise of some provisions, and it was then they fed me like a baby." + +"But you got your hands free after a while, didn't you?" asked Bluff, +too anxious to wait until the other reached this point. + +"To be sure, and commenced that tunnel. You see, the hole in the wall +was too small to crawl through, and they were in the other room where +the door lay. When I caught hold of a hand I seemed to guess instantly +that it must belong to one of you fellows, and then the signal squeeze +told me so. Biffins caught me just then, and threw me aside. They filled +up the hole and drove some stakes down alongside so I couldn't tunnel +any more. After that I thought of the old roof, for it was full of +holes. So I climbed up and got out that way." + +Jerry showed by his actions that he did not wish to talk any longer on +the score of his adventures. He kept looking toward the cabin +suggestively. + +"What do we do now, fellows? Want to trek back to the shore and leave +these two in peace?" he asked. + +"Not for me," answered Bluff, readily enough; "I say that after the way +they held you a prisoner it's our duty to turn the tables on the +rascals. We've got 'em in a hole, and all we have to do is to wait until +Mr. Dodd comes." + +Jerry glanced inquiringly toward Frank. + +"Yes, we heard whistles a bit ago, and imagine the posse must have +landed. If we could only communicate with them in some way now, and get +them to come here, we might hold the fort meanwhile." + +Frank looked at Tom Somers as he spoke. The other could not mistake his +meaning. + +"Oh! I'll go, all right, if so be you write a little note to the +sheriff. Him an' me ain't on the best terms, I reckon," grinned that +worthy. + +"Done. Got a pencil with you, Bluff--mine seems to have disappeared." + +The pencil being forthcoming, Frank dashed off a few lines to Mr. Dodd, +and signed his name. + +"Sure you can get to the beach, Tom?" he asked. + +"Easy as fallin' off a log. I'm off, then, fellers." + +Saying which, Tom entered the bush, and disappeared from view. + +"Now, what is the programme?" asked Bluff. + +"Wasn't that a boat whistle again? It seemed to come from another +quarter, too?" remarked Frank. + +"I heard it, all right. Perhaps the tug is circling the island so as to +make sure the thieves get no chance to make off," suggested Jerry. + +"You're right, that is just what their programme must be. Meanwhile +they've landed the posse to search the whole place over. I hope Tom +meets up with them in good time," continued Frank, earnestly. + +"There's somebody shouting in the woods," remarked Bluff. + +"Oh! that's the Peters tribe trying to get together again. Reminds me of +a covey of quail that has been flushed and scattered, calling to each +other from the brush," laughed Frank. + +"Will they come back here again?" Bluff continued. + +The others exchanged looks, and chuckles followed. + +"Talk to me about your sprinters, I don't think you could hire any one +of those same chaps to come within fifty yards of this place after the +scare they got!" exclaimed Jerry. + +"And the dose of hot water in the bargain. My! but they must feel sore! +I saw several bang headlong into trees as they galloped away. There will +be some lumps as big as goose-eggs among that crowd to-night. And, after +all, they don't get even a look-in on that prize money," chuckled Bluff. + +"I've got a proposition, fellows. If the reward should happen to come +our way I move we turn it over to Tom Somers. His family is poor, and +perhaps this may be the turning point in Tom's life, who knows?" said +Frank. + +"Hear! hear! Them's my sentiments!" cried the impulsive Bluff. + +"Ditto," echoed Jerry; for since they all belonged to families of wealth +the promise of a reward held no attraction for Frank and his chums. + +"But perhaps if we simply hold these chaps where they are the sheriff +may claim he did the bagging of the game; how about that?" asked Bluff. + +"You mean we ought to try and make them surrender to us?" + +"If it could be done. I've got an idea in my head. You'll say it isn't +original, and perhaps the trick they were going to play may have had +something to do with it. But suppose they made a sneak while we talked +here and left us to hold the bag?" + +"No danger of that, Bluff, while we keep a watch on the door. Presently +we can circle around the old rookery and make sure that they don't take +up your plan of tunneling out. Jerry, I'm going to keep an eye on this +tree with the hole in it. If our friend, the wild man, ventures forth, +it shall be my pleasant task to hold him up. What do you say?" + +Bluff looked at Frank as he made this remark, with uneasiness in his +eyes. + +"Seems to me you ain't afraid of anything, Frank. That crazy man gets on +my nerves, and I don't think I could stand for a tussle with him at +close quarters. Better be careful how you let him get hold of you. They +say these lunatics are just as strong as grizzly bears, and this one +must be, to see the way he swung about in that tree like a big ape. Ugh! +Excuse me!" + +Bluff shuddered as he spoke, and consequently did not see the look that +passed between his two chums, and which was more of amusement than +concern. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII--THE WHITE FLAG + + +"What time of day is it?" asked Jerry presently. + +He had evidently lost all track of time while a prisoner in the cabin. + +"Just ten o'clock," replied Frank. "What's become of your watch, pard?" + +"Decorating the vest of Waddy, just now, though I have hopes of wearing +it again after he's tired of it," grinned Jerry. + +"Hope we get fixed up again before night. I'm thinking all the while of +a bully camp dinner. Say, wasn't this the day the girls promised to come +over and bring us some home grub?" asked Bluff suddenly. + +"Just as you say, and they'll be along this afternoon on schedule time. +Too bad if they have that long row for nothing. I expected to have +dinner waiting for them when they got here, and then we could take them +home in the canoes. This rumpus has upset all our plans," remarked Frank +dismally; for secretly, Violet Milton had promised to cook a dish that +was an especial favorite of his and bring it over, to prove her +accomplishments in the culinary line. + +"Oh, I hope it may all turn out right yet. Now, that reminds me of my +plan. If we could only force these two rascals to surrender it would +shorten our stay out in the bush, and we could make for the beach, call +Will ashore, and have our tents up again in a jiffy." + +"Talk to me about your persistent youngsters, ain't he all to the good, +though? What is this jim-dandy plan of yours, Bluff? Suppose you give us +a look-in, so we can cheer you on, or condemn it as altogether too +ridiculous?" suggested Jerry. + +"Smoke!" + +"You mean, make it so uncomfortable for the hoboes that they'll be glad +to come out and hold up their little hands for us--is that the +programme?" + +"Well, don't you think it would work, Jerry?" demanded the originator. + +"Who's going to do the smoking act? Tell me that." + +"That's easy. Count on me, if you don't mind holding my gun while I +chase around and gather some stuff that will smolder and not blaze up. +Some green weeds make a bitter smoke that smarts the eyes dreadfully. +I'll try that on. Those tramps may be able to stand for a good deal, but +if they stay in that place long they'll feel like a couple of smoked +hams," declared the energetic Bluff. + +"Oh, so far as that goes, I'm only too willing to grab a good old gun +again. I reckon you let Will have mine," observed Jerry as he relieved +the other of the repeating shotgun. + +"And you won't feel disgraced because it happens to be one of those +pump-guns?" Bluff took occasion to remark, maliciously. + +"Circumstances alter cases. This is one. I've no doubt that a gun like +this can be very useful at times. Anyhow, I'm open to a trial. Just let +those hoboes show up and try to attack us, and if I don't fill their +miserable bodies full of bird shot, then it's twenty-three for mine. +Now, watch him begin his new job, Frank." + +"You saw what happened to those other boys when they started to rush the +door with that log battering-ram, didn't you, Bluff? Perhaps they've got +more hot water handy. Look out for it, my son," warned Frank. + +"Oh, I'm onto that racket. I can dodge any Niagara that comes. Besides, +I don't mean to give 'em more of a chance at me than I can help. One of +you keep watch on the door, and if they start to open just bang away in +the air to tell that we mean business. Here goes, boys." + +So Bluff commenced moving hither and thither under the trees, searching +for just the kind of wood he wanted. It was his intention to start his +fire alongside the tree that grew nearest to the cabin wall. Then, after +he had it smoking at a furious rate he could push the whole mass under +the structure with a long stick. + +For some time he worked. Not a sound or a sign of life came from the +cabin. If Waddy Walsh and his pal, Biffins, were still inside, they knew +how to keep quiet. + +By this time our friends had become convinced that the hobo couple could +not be in possession of any kind of firearm, for they would surely have +made some use of the same at the time Pet Peters and his crowd pushed +them so warmly. + +Feeling sure of this, Bluff worked openly, only keeping behind the trees +whenever he approached close to the hut, for fear lest a sudden shower +of scalding fluid should greet him. + +Frank and Jerry had separated, each watching a side of the cabin. Frank +also kept close to the tree which had sheltered the singular being whose +coming on the scene had completed the fright of Pet Peters and his +cronies. From the way he cast frequent looks up at that yawning cavity +it would seem as though he half anticipated a reappearance of the +remarkable creature that had vanished inside the tree. + +Finally Bluff seemed to have arranged the little pile of material to +suit. + +"Here she goes, fellows! Look out, now! There may be something doing. +Hold 'em up if they rush me!" he called, as he applied a match. + +The stuff burned briskly at first. When he had allowed it to gain what +headway he deemed sufficient, Bluff began to cover the fire with the +green weeds brought for the purpose. + +"Wow!" shouted Jerry, as a wavering breeze carried some of the dense +smoke over to his station. "That's the limit! Ought to be a State's +prison offense for any one to make such a smudge as that. You'll +suffocate the poor guys--that's what!" + +But Bluff only grinned, and labored on. He had a long pole in his hands, +with which he was shoving the smoldering mass over so that it would pass +under a certain part of the cabin. Here there was a friendly opening +ready to receive it. + +Bang! went a gun. + +The cabin door, which had started to open, was hastily shut, although, +of course, Jerry had fired above the roof. + +"How does it work?" shouted Bluff, thinking more of his gun in the hands +of the one who had always detested it than his own danger from hot +water. + +"Great!" answered Jerry as he let another shot loose, having, as he +thought, detected a movement of the door again. + +Thinking they had drawn his fangs, those in the cabin now really opened +the door, to get a chance to deluge Bluff, when, to their amazement and +alarm, Jerry turned loose a third shot. The door shut, this time to open +no more for that purpose. + +"Now what do you say?" roared Bluff. "What could you have done with one +of your old measly two-shot guns, eh? Tell me that." + +"I take back all I ever said against the bully thing. Three more shots +waiting for you, Mister Hobo. Just show your nose, and see!" exclaimed +the marksman. + +"Mark the window, Bluff!" called Frank just then. + +Thus warned in time, Bluff was able to scurry around the protecting +trunk of the tree as an arm was projected from the small opening, and, +as before, a pan of steaming water dashed all around him. + +"Tell me about that, will you?" jeered Jerry, who guessed what had +happened, though it took place on the other side of the cabin. + +Bluff started pushing his mass of smoking weeds forward again. + +"Never touched me!" he shouted in his excitement. + +By this time the rank smoke had begun to ooze up through the floor of +the old cabin. Doubtless there were plenty of gaping cracks between the +puncheon boards to allow of a draught. Just how long the inmates could +stand this sickening cloud was a question. + +"Say! ain't this the real thing? Perhaps the sheriff would like to take +a few lessons from our chum Bluff on how to smoke hams. Listen, will +you! The poor guys are sneezing to beat the band. Keep up the good work, +pard, and you'll force their hand. Get ready to cover 'em, Frank. I +reckon something's bound to happen soon." + +"Hey, you Waddy! Show up with the white flag, and we quit!" called Bluff +from behind his refuge. + +He was rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke, for while he had +claimed to have escaped entirely, some of the splashing water had +dropped on his skin and left an impression in the shape of a red mark. + +"A white flag--that's the game! Might as well do it right while we're at +it, boys. Come out, Waddy! We want you, and we mean to get you! Three +more charges in this elegant pump-gun, and all for you. Do you +surrender?" shouted Jerry. + +It was happiness to Bluff to hear this scoffing sportsman chum of his +thus praise the hitherto detested repeating gun, and he danced around +almost recklessly, such was his delight. + +But no more charges of scalding water belched out of that small window. +Perhaps the two unfortunates within had all they could attend to trying +to breathe in that sickening, smoke-laden atmosphere. + +"Keep up the good work, Bluff. It's immense," encouraged Frank, who +really believed that, after all, the other had hit upon a clever way to +force a surrender on the part of the defiant hoboes. + +Suddenly the energetic fireman gave a loud cheer. + +"They shove out the white flag! They surrender! What d'ye think of my +plan, now, fellows? There's Waddy waving it out of the window! Don't +shoot the poor duck--he's pretty near all in, and blind with the smoke!" +he whooped. + +It was so. + +Perhaps the article that the boy tramp was waving wildly out of the +small opening may have hardly deserved the name of white flag, but his +intentions could not be doubted. + +Smoke had won against stubborn grit, and the hoboes were ready to throw +up their hands! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV--A NEW ALARM + + +"Do you give up, Waddy?" demanded Frank, menacingly holding his gun +leveled. + +"Oh, we'll hands up, all right. Both of us are on the blink with the +smoke, and nigh blind. Call it off, fellers," whined the owner of the +dirty face in the opening, while he coughed several times to emphasize +his words. + +"All right, then. Now, tell Biffins that we want him out first, and if +he tries to run, it's a charge of bird shot for him in the rear. Get +that?" + +"Sure. No danger of us doin' anythin'. We're so near blind we couldn't +run if we wanted to." + +The head vanished. Ten seconds later the door was thrown open and a big +man staggered into sight, reeling as if he were intoxicated. The two +fugitives had stubbornly stuck to the cabin through all, until nearly +dead for fresh air. + +[Illustration: AS HE CAME, THE MAN HELD BOTH ARMS ALOFT.] + +As he came, the man held both arms aloft. Apparently he knew what was +wanted, and did not mean to encourage these young hunters to try a shot +at his person. + +"Lie down on the ground, on your face!" shouted Frank. "Now keep your +hands stretched out that way. Don't dare move, or it will be bad for +you, Biffins. Now, Waddy, your turn!" called Frank again. + +A second figure came into view, groping, as if utterly blind. He, too, +was compelled to drop on the cool earth, where he could gulp in great +breaths of the fresh air, of which they were in such dire need. + +From three directions the boys approached. + +"Hurrah! We bagged 'em!" shouted Bluff. + +Frank said nothing. It was not in his nature to exult over a fallen foe, +though he did not blame the more impulsive Bluff for his evident +delight. + +From one of his pockets he produced some stout cord. He certainly had +never dreamed what a singular use he would find for this when placing it +there. + +"Watch them both, Jerry. Now, Biffins, put your hands behind you, +crossed. I'm going to tie them so. It's no use thinking of doing +anything. You couldn't escape, even if you got away from us, for the +sheriff has this island surrounded, and he is on the way here, right +now, with his posse. Perhaps you might be shot down in the woods. There, +you won't break that, I reckon, in a hurry." + +He turned his attention to the second rascal. Waddy Walsh had reached a +point in his reckless career where he did not care much what happened to +him. Having in a measure recovered from the suffocating fumes of the +smoking weeds, he even twisted his head half way around to jeer at +Jerry. + +"Helpin' to arrest your old pard, hey, Jerry? That's kind of you, now. +I'll be likely to remember it, old feller, when I get out again," he +said. + +"I reckon you won't have a chance to get out in a hurry, Waddy. I'm +ashamed to admit that I did once go out with you, till you took to +stealing, and I had to cut you off my visiting list. Hear that shooting, +boys? The sheriff's posse must be in the woods nearby, right now, and +coming this way. I reckon Tom found 'em, all right." + +"Well, let 'em come. We're ready to hand the prisoners over to the +lawful officers. Say, but this has been a fierce time all around. We +never thought, when we started out to camp on Wildcat Island, that we'd +pass through such a string of adventures. Where are you going, Frank?" +said Bluff, as the other started to enter the cabin, the smoke having +settled somewhat, after the smoldering weeds were dragged away from +under the wall. + +"Just to look around a little, that's all. Please stay with Jerry," came +the answer, as Frank vanished within. + +Presently he came out again. He had a bundle under his arm, wrapped in a +newspaper, and of which he seemed especially careful. Jerry looked at +him, and received a nod in return, which he seemed to understand full +well, for he asked no questions. + +"Here's the packet Mr. Pemberton lost, and I suppose the valuables are +all safe inside, eh, Waddy?" he said, holding up something small he +carried. + +"Never touched a thing in it. Them other pieces of silver we swiped out +of the farmhouse, and anything else you find come from that storage +house over in Newtonport. We was after something big there, but missed +it," admitted the boy from the reform school, with unblushing +effrontery. + +Loud calls were now heard close by. Bluff lifted his tuneful voice and +shouted: + +"This way, Mr. Dodd. Everything lovely, and the goose hangs high. We've +got 'em safe and sound. Here's your men, sir. Step right up and put the +irons on 'em!" + +Biffins had not said a word up to now. The smoke had taken all desire to +talk away from him; but he proved that he could swear like a pirate. No +doubt what galled him most of all was the fact that his capture had been +brought about through the instrumentality of a parcel of boys. + +The crashing of the undergrowth became plainer. Then a party of men +could be seen hurrying forward as fast as the tangled thickets would +allow. + +Mr. Dodd, the sheriff, was at their head. As he saw the two tramp +thieves lying on the ground, helpless, he gave a roar. Rushing up to the +boys, he shook the hand of each one in turn. + +"Bully work, boys! I'm proud to know you, proud to say you live in the +same town as I do! Hello, Biffins! So it's you, eh? Well, this time +we've got you dead to rights, and you don't get off. And here's Waddy +Walsh, broke loose from the school he was sent to to learn to become a +decent man. Back you go, my fine lad, this time to stay." + +So he rattled on, as he proceeded to clap a pair of neat steel bracelets +on the wrists of each of the prisoners. + +After that he went into the cabin and thoroughly searched it. + +"I reckon we've got all the plunder they had, and now it might be a good +thing if we burned this old rat trap of a nest to the ground. It's got a +bad name, and if tramp thieves have taken to lodging here, the sooner it +goes, the better." + +Under the orders of the sheriff, some of the posse started things +moving. In a short time the old cabin was a mass of flames. They made +sure that the fire could not extend to the surrounding forest, which was +just beginning to be covered with an early crop of new leaves. Then the +whole company started through the thickets, headed for the shore. + +"Hang the luck! We forget one thing, after all!" said Bluff suddenly. + +He had been so busy getting several pictures of the burning cabin that +for the time being all other things had escaped him. + +"What was that?" asked Frank, winking at Jerry knowingly. + +"The wild man! We forgot to get him out of that hollow tree!" exclaimed +Bluff. + +"Well, it's too late now. For one, I object to walking back there. +Besides, we must hustle in order to make camp again against the coming +of the girls," observed Frank seriously. + +"But ain't we ever going to know what the mystery of that queer creature +must be? Perhaps we'd better write to that keeper we met before, Mr. +Smithson, and let him know. Then if he's shy a member of his happy +family of lunatics, he'll know where to hunt for him," Bluff went on +innocently. + +"A bully good idea, and you can do the writing when we get home, if you +feel that way," said Frank, with a face that was as sober as that of a +judge, while Jerry had to turn his head away to keep from laughing +outright. + +"But about the girls, fellows! Do you know they may not come, after all. +Perhaps the folks have heard about the lively times down here on Wildcat +Island, and put a veto on the outing. Then, again, you can hear the wind +in the tops of these tall trees, so there must be whitecaps on the lake. +It would be risky for a lot of girls to embark on so long a trip," +observed Jerry. + +"Well, boys, we're going to turn aside here, and make for a point where +the tug is to meet us. I want to thank you again. Don't forget there's a +nice little hundred waiting for you when you want to claim it," said Mr. +Dodd, after a bit. + +"We've decided that you are to turn that reward over to Tom Somers here. +He was a great help to us, and we'd like his family to get the hundred, +Mr. Dodd," said Frank. + +Tom started to say something, then broke down, and could only look at +each of the three boys with his heart in his eyes. + +"Now for the place again. It's tenting once more on the old campground +for us, fellows. I hope Will has had the sense to cross over after he +saw the tug come, and the posse come ashore," remarked Frank. + +They pushed through the dense growth stubbornly, and in the course of +time realized that they were drawing near the open. + +"One more rush, and we can pass around that big bluff and see our place. +There's the lake, and whitecaps, too. Too bad the girls can't be with +us. What a yarn we'd have to tell 'em, eh, fellows?" said Frank, +laughing. + +"Thunder!" exclaimed Bluff just then. + +"What's happened to you, old sport?" asked Jerry. + +"Look here, through this opening! Ain't that the boat with the girls, +out there in that jumping sea? And side on, part of the time. +Something's happened to 'em, that's what, as sure as you're born!" +ejaculated Bluff. + +The others looked, and also uttered exclamations of dismay, while Frank +called out: + +"They seem to have only one oar, and Nellie's trying to steer with that. +Much she knows about sculling! Oh! They were nearly over that time! My +heart's in my mouth. Run for the shore, boys! If only Will has come in +with our canoes!" + +And plunging like mad through the remaining brush, the three lads broke +out upon the little beach, just where they had first landed when coming +to Wildcat Island to camp. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV--THE RESCUE--CONCLUSION + + +"Will's here!" shouted Jerry, as they broke cover. + +"Into the canoes, then, as fast as you can!" exclaimed Frank. + +He had given one frantic look out on the lake. This had shown him that +as yet the helpless boat containing the four girls had not capsized, +though with every wave it seemed liable to turn over, having broached to +in the heavy running seas. + +The way they threw out the contents of the canoes was a caution. +Packages fairly covered the little beach, to the bewilderment of Will, +who just then came out of the bushes, where he had been placing his +first load, and who must have believed at first that his three chums had +gone stark mad. + +Then the canoes were launched. This in itself was no easy task, but +Frank and his chums were experts at handling the small craft, and had +often practised all manner of tricks with the boats while in swimming. + +Through the breaking surf that rushed up on the shore they ran with the +canoes. Then jumping in, they seized the paddles, and started to work +furiously. + +Success attended their efforts, and presently they were moving swiftly +toward the rolling rowboat, in which crouched the four frightened girls. + +"Sit down, and keep still! We'll get you all right!" bawled Frank, as he +saw one of the girls make an effort to use the remaining oar. + +So they came alongside. Frank breathed a prayer of thanksgiving when his +hand caught the gunwale of the skiff. + +"I've got the boat to hold two of you. Nellie, can you climb over, if I +hold on tight?" he asked his sister; "and you, too, Violet, will you +dare?" + +Nellie made the change easily enough, and then came Will's sister. +Meanwhile, the other boys had decided to convoy the rowboat in with its +remaining passengers, rather than attempt the risky task of transferring +them out there on the rough lake. + +They made fast, one on either side, and began to paddle with the waves. +In this way the entire number finally found themselves safely ashore. + +"We hardly expected you'd try it in this wind," said Frank, as he helped +Violet up the beach to the deserted camp. + +"But the wind came up after we started, and we couldn't go back to save +our lives, you see," she explained, laughing a little hysterically. + +"But what does this mean? Where is your camp, boys? It looks as though +everything is done up just as you left home," said Mame Crosby, as she +eyed the many packages which the others were now busily gathering +together. + +At that they all looked at each other and burst into roars of laughter. + +"It's a long story, girls, and we'll spin it while we sit around the +fire having dinner. As it's now long past noon, and there's a heap to do +getting the camp fixed again, you must excuse us. Bluff, start the fire +going, and the girls can help us out by taking charge of dinner while we +build our camp," said Frank. + +Things began to assume the old-time air in less than half an hour. Of +course, the girls chattered like magpies as they worked, but all their +appeals for information fell on deaf ears until they were sitting +around, in picnic style, enjoying the splendid dinner, which was helped +out by the delicious things brought from home. + +"And to think how near we came to feeding the fishes with these, too," +said Susie Prescott, as she helped Will to a second portion. + +"Now please take pity on us, and explain what has happened. We're just +dying by inches to know. What was that tug doing down here, with all +those men? And unless I'm mistaken, I saw Mr. Dodd, the sheriff, aboard. +He was out hunting those two bad tramps who robbed the steamboat. Oh, +boys! Do you mean to say you have had anything to do with them?" + +Nellie had brought it to the point where explanations must be in order. +So the story was told in detail. Sometimes one of the campers related a +certain part, and then another took it up from where he left off. + +"And with what views Bluff took for me, I'll have enough to illustrate +the whole performance. A few I've missed, and they will always haunt me. +Altogether it's been a remarkable series of adventures," declared Will +enthusiastically. + +"The most astonishing that will ever come our way, I reckon," said Jerry +with emphasis. + +But though they did not dream of it at that time, there were still +stranger things fated to befall the four chums ere many months had +passed. These happenings of vacation time will appear in the next volume +of this series, to be entitled "The Outdoor Chums in the Forest; or, +Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge," which will tell of the weird experiences +our friends met with while investigating the greatest mystery that ever +troubled the neighborhood of Centerville. + +The merry party had just about finished their dinner when Bluff once +again began to take his comrades to task for not thinking to rout the +wild man out of his hole in the tree while they had the help of the +sheriff's posse. + +"It's a chance we'll never have again, and no doubt the poor old fellow +would be better off if turned over to Mr. Smithers, at the asylum. Have +any of you girls heard of a lunatic at large since winter?" he kept on, +until both Frank and Jerry could stand it no longer. + +"It's a shame to keep you in the dark any longer, Bluff. To tell you the +truth, we captured that wild man," said Frank as soon as he could +control his face. + +"Captured him? When? How? Where? You've been having a joke all to +yourselves. It's time you let me in, boys," he said positively. + +Frank ripped open the newspaper package he had carried all the way from +the lone cabin in the jungle. Then he held something up that first +provoked exclamations of wonder and then shrieks of laughter from the +girls. Bluff turned red in the face, but being good-natured, he finally +joined in the mirth. + +"So that's what it was, eh? That big tramp dressed himself up in that +monkey skin they stole from Dr. Aiken's collection, over in the +store-house, when they entered. Waddy knew about the story of the wild +man said to be on this island, and meant to have Biffins play the part +to frighten off any posse that might land. A clever idea, yes; and I +guess he did have considerable fun with it," Bluff went on. + +"Jerry knew, of course, for he was a prisoner, and saw the fellow +dressing to carry out the part; but I gave him the wink, and he kept +quiet," said Frank. + +"But how did you know?" demanded Will. + +"I just guessed it. Sort of put two and two together, you see. The +footprints gave me a clue. Then I watched the fellow carefully when he +was coming out of the tree, and going in later. I believed it was a man, +and he seemed to know too much to be a lunatic; but I thought I'd have a +little fun with you and Bluff." + +"Into the tree, yes, but how do you explain that? We saw him go in that +hole in the hollow stump, and he didn't come out again, yet Biffins was +in the cabin when my stinging smoke made them surrender. There's +something queer about that." + +"You're right there is, Bluff. I saw how the thing was done when I went +inside the cabin, after they had been made prisoners. In the front room +was a hole in the floor. I jumped in that, and found, just as I +expected, that it was a nice little underground tunnel leading to that +hollow tree. Years ago, the man who lived there must have constructed +that as a means of escape from some imaginary danger. When Biffins +entered that tree he simply kept along until he reached the cabin; but +neither of them dared try to escape that way, because they saw me +standing guard," remarked Frank calmly. + +"Well! Talk about your mysteries, this one beats the band! But that +fellow who died in the cabin did have a reason to be afraid, Frank. I +understand he turned out to be a man who was wanted for a capital crime +down in New York City. Perhaps he dreamed of the time when he should be +tracked to his hiding-place, and meant to have a chance for escape," +observed Jerry. + +They passed the hairy disguise around. Bluff even stood up to show how +it had fitted the big man, at which Will uttered a cry of delight. + +"Oh! now I know how I can get a picture of the wild man for our +collection. Bluff, some day won't you just put that thing on, and let me +snap you off? It will be a real kindness, and I think you will be +pleased with the result," he exclaimed. + +At which poor Bluff glared at him, and subsided, while the girls went +into new spasms of laughter. + +Dinner was made as elaborate as possible, and in spite of what had +happened the girls and the boys did full justice to all that was set +before them. As they ate they talked the happenings over again. They all +had fun with the disguise, and when one of the girls tried it on, +everybody screamed with laughter. + +"The wild girl from Peru," said Frank. + +"The Wildcat Island belle," came from Jerry. + +And then another shout of laughter arose. + +Dinner over, the boys gallantly ferried the girls over to a dock at +which the steamboat would stop on her round of the lake. Here they +laughed and joked until the _Eastern Star_ came along, when the four +girls started home. + +Captain Amos leaned over the rail and heard the news with delight, +saying: + +"Glad to hear it, fellows. Knew those hoboes would regret it if ever +they ran across the tracks of you four. So they're in the lock-up by +this time, and Mr. Pemberton's packet of jewelry is recovered. Hurrah +for the Rod, Gun and Camera Club!" + +So the little steamboat sheered off, the paddles began to beat the +water, and our boys waved their hats in farewell as the girls returned +the salute with their dainty handkerchiefs. After which, Frank and his +chums headed once more for Wildcat Island to finish their Easter outing, +so strangely interrupted. + + THE END + + + + +THE TOM SWIFT SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +These spirited tales convey in a realistic way the wonderful advances in +land and sea locomotion. Stories like these are impressed upon the +youthful memory and their reading is productive only of good. + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR CYCLE + Or Fun and Adventure on the Road + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS MOTOR BOAT + Or The Rivals of Lake Carlopa + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIRSHIP + Or The Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SUBMARINE BOAT + Or Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RUNABOUT + Or The Speediest Car on the Road + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIRELESS MESSAGE + Or The Castaways of Earthquake Island + + TOM SWIFT AMONG THE DIAMOND MAKERS + Or The Secret of Phantom Mountain + + TOM SWIFT IN THE CAVES OF ICE + Or The Wreck of the Airship + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS SKY RACER + Or The Quickest Flight on Record + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS ELECTRIC RIFLE + Or Daring Adventures in Elephant Land + + TOM SWIFT IN THE CITY OF GOLD + Or Marvelous Adventures Underground + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS AIR GLIDER + Or Seeking the Platinum Treasure + + TOM SWIFT IN CAPTIVITY + Or A Daring Escape by Airship + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS WIZARD CAMERA + Or The Perils of Moving Picture Taking + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GREAT SEARCHLIGHT + Or On the Border for Uncle Sam + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS GIANT CANNON + Or The Longest Shots on Record + + TOM SWIFT AND HIS PHOTO TELEPHONE + Or The Picture that Saved a Fortune + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St. New York + + + + +THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +In these stories we follow the adventures of three boys, who, after +purchasing at auction the patents of a moving picture house, open a +theatre of their own. Their many trials and tribulations, leading up to +the final success of their venture, make very entertaining stories. + + THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' FIRST VENTURE + Or Opening a Photo Playhouse in Fairlands. + + The adventures of Frank, Randy and Pep in running a Motion Picture + show. They had trials and tribulations but finally succeed. + + THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS AT SEASIDE PARK + Or The Rival Photo Theatres of the Boardwalk. + + Their success at Fairlands encourages the boys to open their show at + Seaside Park, where they have exciting adventures--also a profitable + season. + + THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS ON BROADWAY + Or The Mystery of the Missing Cash Box. + + Backed by a rich western friend the chums established a photo + playhouse in the great metropolis, where new adventures await them. + + THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' OUTDOOR EXHIBITION + Or The Film that Solved a Mystery. + + This time the playhouse was in a big summer park. How a film that + was shown gave a clew to an important mystery is interestingly + related. + + THE MOTION PICTURE CHUMS' NEW IDEA + Or The First Educational Photo Playhouse. + + In this book the scene is shifted to Boston, and there is intense + rivalry in the establishment of photo playhouses of educational + value. + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS SERIES + +By VICTOR APPLETON + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +Moving pictures and photo plays are famous the world over, and in this +line of books the reader is given a full description of how the films +are made--the scenes of little dramas, indoors and out, trick pictures +to satisfy the curious, soul-stirring pictures of city affairs, life in +the Wild West, among the cowboys and Indians, thrilling rescues along +the seacoast, the daring of picture hunters in the jungle among savage +beasts, and the great risks run in picturing conditions in a land of +earthquakes. The volumes teem with adventures and will be found +interesting from first chapter to last. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS + Or Perils of a Great City Depicted. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE WEST + Or Taking Scenes Among the Cowboys and Indians. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS ON THE COAST + Or Showing the Perils of the Deep. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN THE JUNGLE + Or Stirring Times Among the Wild Animals. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS IN EARTHQUAKE LAND + Or Working Amid Many Perils. + + THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS AND THE FLOOD + Or Perilous Days on the Mississippi. + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE BOYS OF COLUMBIA HIGH SERIES + +By GRAHAM B. FORBES + +Never was there a cleaner, brighter, more manly boy than Frank Allen, +the hero of this series of boys' tales, and never was there a better +crowd of lads to associate with than the students of the School. All +boys will read these stories with deep interest. The rivalry between the +towns along the river was of the keenest, and plots and counterplots to +win the championships, at baseball, at football, at boat racing, at +track athletics, and at ice hockey, were without number. Any lad reading +one volume of this series will surely want the others. + + The Boys of Columbia High; + Or The All Around Rivals of the School. + + The Boys of Columbia High on the Diamond; + Or Winning Out by Pluck. + + The Boys of Columbia High on the River; + Or The Boat Race Plot that Failed. + + The Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron; + Or The Struggle for the Silver Cup. + + The Boys of Columbia High on the Ice; + Or Out for the Hockey Championship. + +12mo. Illustrated. + +Handsomely bound in cloth, with cover design and wrappers in colors. + +Price, 40 cents per volume. + +Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York + + + + +The Outdoor Chums Series + +By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN + +The outdoor chums are four wide-awake lads, sons of wealthy men of a +small city located on a lake. The boys love outdoor life, and are +greatly interested in hunting, fishing, and picture taking. They have +motor cycles, motor boats, canoes, etc., and during their vacations go +everywhere and have all sorts of thrilling adventures. The stories give +full directions for camping out, how to fish, how to hunt wild animals +and prepare the skins for stuffing, how to manage a canoe, how to swim, +etc. Full of the very spirit of outdoor life. + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS + Or, The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club. + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE + Or, Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island. + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST + Or, Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge. + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF + Or, Rescuing the Lost Balloonists. + + THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME + Or, Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness. + +12mo. Averaging 240 pages. + +Illustrated. Handsomely bound in Cloth. + +Price, 40 Cents per Volume + +GROSSET & DUNLAP, NEW YORK + + + + +The Young Reporter Series + +BY HOWARD R. GARIS + +The author is a practiced journalist, and these stories convey a true +picture of the workings of a great newspaper. The incidents are taken +from life. + +12mo. Bound in Cloth. Illustrated. + +Price, 40 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + FROM OFFICE BOY TO REPORTER + Or The First Step in Journalism. + + LARRY DEXTER, THE YOUNG REPORTER + Or Strange Adventures in a Great City. + + LARRY DEXTER'S GREAT SEARCH + Or The Hunt for a Missing Millionaire. + + LARRY DEXTER AND THE BANK MYSTERY + Or A Young Reporter in Wall Street. + + LARRY DEXTER AND THE STOLEN BOY + Or A Young Reporter on the Lakes. + + +The Sea Treasure Series + +By ROY ROCKWOOD + +No manly boy ever grew tired of sea stories--there is a fascination +about them, and they are a recreation to the mind. These books are +especially interesting and are full of adventure, clever dialogue and +plenty of fun. + +12mo. Bound in Cloth. Illustrated. + +Price, 40 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + ADRIFT ON THE PACIFIC + Or The Secret of the Island Cave. + + THE CRUISE OF THE TREASURE SHIP + Or The Castaways of Floating Island. + + THE RIVAL OCEAN DIVERS + Or The Search for a Sunken Treasure. + + JACK NORTH'S TREASURE HUNT + Or Daring Adventures in South America. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP, NEW YORK + + + + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS + +For Little Men and Women + +By LAURA LEE HOPE + +AUTHOR OF "THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES" + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +Copyright publications which cannot be obtained elsewhere. Books that +charm the hearts of the little ones, and of which they never tire. Many +of the adventures are comical in the extreme, and all the accidents that +ordinarily happen to youthful personages happened to these many-sided +little mortals. Their haps and mishaps make decidedly entertaining +reading. + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS. + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRY. + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORE. + +The demand for this series has been so great that the author has yielded +to many requests and has added two volumes as follows: + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOL. + + Telling how they got home from the seashore; went to school and were + promoted, and of their many trials and tribulations. + +THE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGE. + + Telling of the winter holidays, and of the many fine times and + adventures the twins had at a winter lodge in the big woods. + + +THE DOROTHY CHESTER SERIES + +By EVELYN RAYMOND + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 60 CENTS, POSTPAID + +Two companion stories for American girls, by one of the most popular +writers of fiction for girls' reading. They are bright, winsome and +thoroughly wholesome stories. + +DOROTHY CHESTER. The Haps and Mishaps of a Foundling. + + The first volume tells how Dorothy was found on the doorstep, taken + in, and how she grew to be a lovable girl of twelve; and was then + carried off by a person who held her for ransom. She made a warm + friend of Jim, the nobody; and the adventures of the pair are as + interesting as they are surprising. + +DOROTHY CHESTER AT SKYRIE. + + Shows Dorothy at her country home near the Highlands of the Hudson. + Here astonishing adventures befell her, and once again Jim, the + nobody, comes to her assistance. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP, 526 WEST 26th ST, NEW YORK + + + + +THE RISE IN LIFE SERIES + +By Horatio Alger, Jr. + +These are Copyrighted Stories which cannot be obtained elsewhere. They +are the stories last written by this famous author. + +12mo. Illustrated. + +Bound in cloth, stamped in colored inks. + +Price, 40 Cents per Volume, Postpaid. + + THE YOUNG BOOK AGENT + Or Frank Hardy's Road to Success + + A plain but uncommonly interesting tale of everyday life, describing + the ups and downs of a boy book-agent. + + FROM FARM TO FORTUNE + Or Nat Nason's Strange Experience + + Nat was a poor country lad. Work on the farm was hard, and after a + quarrel with his uncle, with whom he resided, he struck out for + himself. + + OUT FOR BUSINESS + Or Robert Frost's Strange Career + + Relates the adventures of a country boy who is compelled to leave + home and seek his fortune in the great world at large. + + FALLING IN WITH FORTUNE + Or The Experiences of a Young Secretary + + This is a companion tale to "Out for Business," but complete in + itself, and tells of the further doings of Robert Frost as private + secretary. + + YOUNG CAPTAIN JACK + Or The Son of a Soldier + + The scene is laid in the South during the Civil War, and the hero is + a waif who was cast up by the sea and adopted by a rich Southern + planter. + + NELSON THE NEWSBOY + Or Afloat in New York + + Mr. Alger is always at his best in the portrayal of life in New York + City, and this story is among the best he has given our young + readers. + + LOST AT SEA + Or Robert Roscoe's Strange Cruise + + A sea story of uncommon interest. The hero falls in with a strange + derelict--a ship given over to the wild animals of a menagerie. + + JERRY, THE BACKWOODS BOY + Or the Parkhurst Treasure + + Depicts life on a farm of New York State. The mystery of the + treasure will fascinate every boy. Jerry is a character well worth + knowing. + + RANDY OF THE RIVER + Or the adventures of a Young Deckhand + + Life on a river steamboat is not so romantic as some young people + may imagine, but Randy Thompson wanted work and took what was + offered. + + JOE, THE HOTEL BOY + Or Winning Out by Pluck. + + A graphic account of the adventures of a country boy in the city. + + BEN LOGAN'S TRIUMPH + Or The Boys of Boxwood Academy + + The trials and triumphs of a city newsboy in the country. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP, NEW YORK + + + + +The Enterprise Books + +Captivating Stories for Boys by Justly Popular Writers + +The episodes are graphic, exciting, realistic--the tendency of the tales +is to the formation of an honorable and manly character. They are +unusually interesting, and convey lessons of pluck, perseverance and +manly independence, 12mo. Illustrated. Attractively bound in cloth. + +Price, 40 Cents per Volume. Postpaid. + + Moffat, William D. + THE CRIMSON BANNER. A Story of College Baseball + + A tale that grips one from start to finish. The students are almost + flesh and blood, and the contests become real as we read about them. + The best all-around college and baseball tale yet presented. + + Graydon, William Murray + CANOE BOYS AND CAMP FIRES. + + In this book we have the doings of several bright and lively boys, + who go on a canoeing trip and meet with many exciting happenings. + + Harkness, Peter T. + ANDY, THE ACROBAT. Or, With the Greatest Show on Earth + + Andy is as bright as a silver dollar. In the book we can smell the + sawdust, hear the flapping of the big white canvas and the roaring + of the lions, and listen to the merry "hoop la!" of the clown. + + Foster, W. Bert + THE QUEST OF THE SILVER SWAN. A Tale of Ocean Adventure + + A Youth's story of the deep blue sea--of the search for a derelict + carrying a fortune. Brandon Tarr is a manly lad, and all lads will + be eager to learn whether he failed or succeeded in his mission. + + White, Matthew, Jr. + TWO BOYS AND A FORTUNE. Or, The Tyler Will + + If you had been poor and were suddenly left a half-million dollars, + what would you do with it? That was the problem that confronted the + Pell family, and especially the twin brothers, Rex and Roy. A + strong, helpful story, that should be read by every boy in our land. + + Winfield, Arthur M. + BOB, THE PHOTOGRAPHER. Or, A Hero in Spite of Himself + + Relates the experiences of a poor boy who falls in with a "camera + fiend," and develops a liking for photography. After a number of + stirring adventures Bob becomes photographer for a railroad; thwarts + the plan of those who would injure the railroad corporation and + incidently clears a mystery surrounding his parentage. + + Bonehill, Captain Ralph + LOST IN THE LAND OF ICE. Or, Daring Adventure Round the South Pole + + An expedition is fitted out by a rich young man and with him goes + the hero of the tale, a lad who has some knowledge of a treasure + ship said to be cast away in the land of ice. The heroes land among + the wild Indians of Patagonia and have many exciting adventures. + +GROSSET & DUNLAP, NEW YORK + + + + +THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SERIES + +By LAURA LEE HOPE + +AUTHOR OF "THE BOBBSEY TWINS SERIES." + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID. + +The adventures of Ruth and Alice DeVere. Their father, a widower, is an +actor who has taken up work for the "movies." Both girls wish to aid him +in his work. At first, they do work in "parlor dramas" only, but later +on, visit various localities to act in all sorts of pictures. + + THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS + Or First Appearance in Photo Dramas. + + Having lost his voice, the father of the girls goes into the movies + and the girls follow. Tells how many "parlor dramas" are filmed. + + THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT OAK FARM + Or Queer Happenings While Taking Rural Plays. + + Full of fun in the country, the haps and mishaps of taking film + plays, and giving an account of two unusual discoveries. + + THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS SNOWBOUND + Or The Proof on the Film. + + A tale of winter adventures in the wilderness, showing how the + photo-play actors sometimes suffer. The proof on the film was most + convincing. + + THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS UNDER THE PALMS + Or Lost in the Wilds of Florida. + + How they went to the land of palms, played many parts in dramas + before the clicking machine, and were lost and aided others who were + also lost. + + THE MOVING PICTURE GIRLS AT ROCKY RANCH + Or Great Days Among the Cowboys. + + All who have ever seen moving pictures of the great West will want + to know just how they are made. This volume gives every detail and + is full of clean fun and excitement. + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH SERIES + +By GERTRUDE W. MORRISON + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +Here is a series full of the spirit of high school life of to-day. The +girls are real flesh-and-blood characters, and we follow them with +interest in school and out. There are many contested matches on track +and field, and on the water, as well as doings in the classroom and on +the school stage. There is plenty of fun and excitement, all clean, pure +and wholesome. + + THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH + Or Rivals for all Honors. + + A stirring tale of high school life, full of fan, with a touch of + mystery and a strange initiation. + + THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON LAKE LUNA + Or The Crew That Won. + + Telling of water sports and fun galore, and of fine times in camp. + + THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH AT BASKETBALL + Or The Great Gymnasium Mystery. + + Here we have a number of thrilling contests at basketball and in + addition, the solving of a mystery which had bothered the high + school authorities for a long while. + + THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON THE STAGE + Or The Play That Took the Prize. + + How the girls went in for theatricals and how one of them wrote a + play which afterward was made over for the professional stage and + brought in some much-needed money. + + THE GIRLS OF CENTRAL HIGH ON TRACK AND FIELD + Or The Girl Champions of the School League. + + This story takes in high school athletics in their most approved and + up-to-date fashion. Full of fun and excitement. + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE OUTDOOR GIRLS SERIES + +By LAURA LEE HOPE + +AUTHOR OF THE EVER POPULAR "BOBBSEY TWINS BOOKS" + +12mo CLOTH, ILLUSTRATED. + +PRICE PER VOLUME 40 CENTS, POSTPAID + +These tales take in the various adventures participated in by several +bright, up-to-date girls who love outdoor life. They are clean and +wholesome, free from sensationalism, absorbing from the first chapter to +the last. + + THE OUTDOOR GIRLS OF DEEPDALE + Or Camping and Tramping for Fun and Health. + + Telling how the girls organized their Camping and Tramping Club, how + they went on a tour, and of various adventures which befell them. + + THE OUTDOOR GIRLS AT RAINBOW LAKE + Or Stirring Cruise of the Motor Boat Gem. + + One of the girls becomes the proud possessor of a motor boat and at + once invites her club members to take a trip with her down the river + to Rainbow Lake, a beautiful sheet of water lying between the + mountains. + + THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A MOTOR CAR + Or The Haunted Mansion of Shadow Valley. + + One of the girls has learned to run a big motor car, and she invites + the club to go on a tour with her, to visit some distant relatives. + On the way they stop at a deserted mansion, said to be haunted and + make a most surprising discovery. + + THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN A WINTER CAMP + Or Glorious Days on Skates and Ice Boats. + + In this story, the scene is shifted to a winter season. The girls + have some jolly times skating and ice boating, and visit a hunters' + camp in the big woods. + + THE OUTDOOR GIRLS IN FLORIDA + Or Wintering in the Sunny South. + + The parents of one of the girls have bought an orange grove in + Florida, and her companions are invited to visit the place. They do + so, and take a trip into the wilds of the interior, where several + unusual things happen. + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE DICK HAMILTON SERIES + +By HOWARD R. GARIS + +A SERIES THAT HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR + + DICK HAMILTON'S FORTUNE + Or The Stirring Doings of a Millionaire's Son. + + Dick, the son of a millionaire, has a fortune left to him by his + mother. But before he can touch the bulk of this money it is + stipulated in his mother's will that he must do certain things, in + order to prove that he is worthy of possessing such a fortune. The + doings of Dick and his chums make the liveliest kind of reading. + + DICK HAMILTON'S CADET DAYS + Or The Handicap of a Millionaire's Son. + + The hero is sent to a military academy to make his way without the + use of money. Life at an up-to-date military academy is described, + with target shooting, broadsword exercise, trick riding, sham + battles etc. Dick proves himself a hero in the best sense of the + word. + + DICK HAMILTON'S STEAM YACHT + Or A Young Millionaire and the Kidnappers. + + A series of adventures while yachting in which our hero's wealth + plays a part. Dick is marooned on an island, recovers his yacht and + foils the kidnappers. The wrong young man is spirited away, Dick + gives chase and there is a surprising rescue at sea. + + DICK HAMILTON'S FOOTBALL TEAM + Or A Young Millionaire on the Gridiron. + + A very interesting account of how Dick developed a champion team and + of the lively contests with other teams. There is also related a + number of thrilling incidents in which Dick is the central figure. + + DICK HAMILTON'S AIRSHIP + Or A Young Millionaire in the Clouds. + + Tells how Dick built an airship to compete in a twenty thousand + dollar prize contest, and of many adventures he experiences. + +12mo. Handsomely printed and illustrated, and bound in cloth stamped in +colors. Printed wrappers. + +Price, 60 Cents per volume, postpaid + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + +THE FAMOUS ROVER BOYS SERIES + +By ARTHUR W. WINFIELD + +American Stories of American Boys and Girls + +A MILLION AND A HALF COPIES SOLD OF THIS SERIES + +12mo. Cloth. Handsomely printed and illustrated. + +Price per vol. 60c., postpaid + + THE ROVER BOYS AT SCHOOL + Or The Cadets of Putnam Hall + + THE ROVER BOYS ON THE OCEAN + Or A Chase for a Fortune + + THE ROVER BOYS IN THE JUNGLE + Or Stirring Adventures in Africa + + THE ROVER BOYS OUT WEST + Or The Search for a Lost Mine + + THE ROVER BOYS ON THE GREAT LAKES + Or The Secret of the Island Cave + + THE ROVER BOYS IN THE MOUNTAINS + Or A Hunt for Fame and Fortune + + THE ROVER BOYS ON LAND AND SEA + Or The Crusoes of Seven Islands + + THE ROVER BOYS IN CAMP + Or The Rivals of Pine Island + + THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER + Or The Search for the Missing Houseboat + + THE ROVER BOYS ON THE PLAINS + Or The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch + + THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS + Or The Deserted Steam Yacht + + THE ROVER BOYS ON THE FARM + Or The Last Days at Putnam Hall + + THE ROVER BOYS ON TREASURE ISLE + Or The Strange Cruise of the Steam Yacht + + THE ROVER BOYS AT COLLEGE + Or The Right Road and the Wrong + + THE ROVER BOYS DOWN EAST + Or The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune + + THE ROVER BOYS IN THE AIR + Or From College Campus to the Clouds + + THE ROVER BOYS IN NEW YORK + Or Saving Their Father's Honor + + THE ROVER BOYS IN ALASKA + Or Lost in the Fields of Ice + +Grosset & Dunlap, 526 West 26th St., New York + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Outdoor Chums on the Lake, by Quincy Allen + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE *** + +***** This file should be named 37486.txt or 37486.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/4/8/37486/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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