Kitabı oku: «The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview», sayfa 4

CHAPTER XIII.
JERRY’S SHOT

Jerry realized that he and his friends were in great peril. What the savage beast outside was he could not tell, but it looked large and powerful in the gloom beyond the camp fire.

There was no time to lose if anything was to be done.

Luckily, before lying down, the young oarsman had loaded his gun and hung it up on the front pole of the tent, within easy reach.

Sitting up, he now took the weapon and pulled back the trigger.

The click reached the ears of the animal outside, and once again it let out that peculiar sound, neither grunt nor growl.

Then Jerry put the gun to his shoulder, and, taking aim at one of the shining eyes, fired.

Bang!

The report of the firearm caused Harry and Blumpo to spring up in wild alarm.

“What’s the matter?”

“Heaben sabe us!” moaned Blumpo.

“A wild animal outside,” cried Jerry. “Get your gun, quick!”

Harry leaped for his weapon.

“What is it?”

“I can’t make out.”

Reloading as rapidly as he could, our hero dashed into the open. A howl of pain told he had hit his mark. The beast had turned and was crashing through the brush close to the rocks.

“Let us find out what it was!” cried Harry.

“Doan go!” moaned Blumpo. “You will git chewed up!”

And then he dove back into the tent for his “hoss” pistol and his rusty spear.

Catching up a blazing brand, Jerry threw it into the brush. By the light they saw the creature crouching on a rock.

Bang! bang!

The two guns spoke simultaneously. Harry hit the beast in the shoulder. Jerry’s shot was more effective for it struck in the neck, and with a snarl the creature leaped into the air and fell – dead.

“You’ve settled him!” cried Harry. “Come on and inspect him.”

“Wait and load your gun first,” cautioned our hero. “He may have some fight in him still.”

The weapons were put in order, and then, with firebrands to light the way, they moved forward to inspect their victim.

It was a large and heavy boar.

“A wild hog!” shouted Jerry. “My, what a big fellow he is!”

“I thought it was a bear,” said Harry. He was somewhat disappointed.

“He was savage enough, at all events,” replied Jerry. “These wild hogs put up a terrible fight, father says.”

“Oh, I know that. Wasn’t Dick Harben’s uncle killed by one? Well, he’s dead enough and we have meat to last a month.”

“Pretty strong eating,” smiled Jerry.

They called Blumpo. The homeless youth was delighted over the dead animal.

“‘Ham’s de best ob meat,’” he sang. “I’ll soon fix him up, see if I don’t.”

The boys were glad that it was getting toward morning, for the excitement had taken all the sleep out of them. They replenished the fire, and sat around waiting for daybreak.

As soon as the sun rose, Blumpo prepared breakfast, while Jerry and Harry took a plunge into the lake. It was great sport, and they remained in the water until Blumpo called them.

That day the boys tramped nearly two miles around the island. They took their guns with them and came back with their game bags full of birds. Returning, they were thoroughly tired out, but nevertheless resolved to set a watch.

“Four hours each,” said Harry, and this was agreed to.

But nothing happened to disturb them, and on the following night the watch was abandoned.

The boys put in nearly a week in hunting, fishing, swimming, and lying around, and they enjoyed every minute of the time.

Nothing had been seen or heard of the hermit who was supposed to inhabit the island, and they began to think that no such person existed.

Neither had they heard anything more of Si Peters and his crowd, and they fancied they were safe from molestation.

Sunday passed quietly, and on Monday morning Jerry proposed they take along a game bag full of provisions and climb to the top of the rocky hill in the centre of the island.

“We must go to the very top before we leave,” he said.

The game bag was filled with eatables, and cups, plates, etc., and then they tied up the tent flaps and drew the boat still higher up out of the water.

The first quarter of a mile of the journey was easy enough, but after that they struck the rocks, and climbing became more and more difficult with every step.

“Phew! but dis am work!” puffed Blumpo. “Dis boy’s most tucked out!”

“We’ll take a good long rest at noon, Blumpo,” said Harry.

Up and up they went until Jerry, who was in advance, came to a sudden halt. A deep split in the rocks barred his further progress.

“Will we have to go back?” asked Harry, anxiously.

“It looks like it.”

“Can’t we leap over?”

“We might try. I can, if you are willing to follow.”

“I kin jump dat easy enough,” put in Blumpo.

Jerry stepped back, and running a few feet, made the leap in safety. Harry followed, and then both boys waited for Blumpo Brown to join them.

The homeless youth measured the distance with his eye and came on like a steam engine.

But just before he reached the edge of the split he slipped and went headlong. Unable to stop himself, he crashed down into the opening head first.

In going over the rocks he twisted himself partly around.

With one hand he caught hold of a frail bush growing among the rocks.

His left foot caught in a crevice, and there he hung, unable to help himself, and with death staring him in the face!

CHAPTER XIV.
THE HERMIT OF THE ISLAND

“He’ll be killed!” yelled Harry.

His face was deadly white.

“Help me!” came faintly from Blumpo.

Before the others could realize it, Jerry had leaped back to the other side of the opening. Catching hold of a jutting rock with one hand, he grasped Blumpo’s wrist with the other.

“Now let go below and I’ll haul you up, Blumpo,” he said.

The frightened youth did as requested, and slowly but surely Jerry dragged him up to a safe spot.

“Good for you, Jerry!” shouted Harry.

“By golly! but dat was a close call!” shuddered the homeless youth.

Then, with tears in his big, honest eyes, he wrung our hero’s hand.

“You dun sabed my life, Jerry!” he declared solemnly. “I won’t forgit dat, neber!”

The nervous boy was averse to attempting a second jump, and so the party walked along the opening until a much narrower spot was reached.

Once over, the upward climb was again begun. By noon they reckoned that they were within half a mile of the top. But all were exhausted, and glad enough to rest and take a bite to eat.

A fine spring was found, and here they washed up and quenched their thirst before resuming the journey.

They found a large quantity of huckleberries growing on the hillside, and these made very acceptable eating.

“A fellow could put in a month here,” remarked Jerry. “But, heigho! the vacation will soon be ended, and then for school again.”

The rest over, they went up and up again.

“Beat you to the summit!” cried Jerry, and started up the last stretch on a rush. Harry followed, and Blumpo was not far behind.

What a splendid panorama was spread before them! They could see clear to either end of the lake and off to the hills east and west.

“I see the church steeple!” cried Jerry.

“Look! look!” exclaimed Harry, suddenly.

He pointed down the lake to where a yacht was bowling along before the breeze.

“Si Peters’ boat!”

“I wonder if Peters knows we are still on the island?” mused Jerry.

“I reckon he does.”

“It’s a wonder he and his crowd never came up to make more trouble for us.”

“Perhaps he dun got scared at dis hoss pistol ob mine,” put in Blumpo.

To him that “hoss” pistol was a mighty weapon, greatly to be feared.

A little back of the summit of rocks was a grassy plateau, and here the boys decided to camp for the night.

“What a beautiful place for a picnic!” said Harry.

“Rather hard to get to, though,” returned Jerry. “I wonder if there is a spring handy?”

“A spring away up heah!” exclaimed Blumpo. “Yo’ expect watah to run up hill? Ha, ha!”

“Yes, Blumpo; strange as it may seem, the finest springs are found at the very tops of mountains. Come on and look for one.”

The homeless youth showed his surprise, but he readily joined in the hunt, and so did Harry. There was a patch of brush behind the plateau, and this they skirted. Ere long Jerry found a tiny rivulet flowing in a well-worn hollow.

“The head of this rill of water will bring us to the spring,” he said.

They began to follow the watercourse. It led around half a dozen big rocks.

“Halt!”

All three of the boys sprang back in amazement. From whence had that unexpected command proceeded?

“Halt, I say!”

They stopped short.

“Who are you?” asked Jerry quickly.

“I am the Lonely Man. Leave me!”

“The Lonely Man,” repeated Jerry.

“Yes. Depart, my boys, at once.”

“Are you the man they call the hermit of the island?” asked Harry.

“I presume so. Now leave me. I have not spoken to other men for years.”

“We would like to get a little water first, if you please,” said Jerry. “Surely so good an old man as you will not refuse us that.”

This way of talking evidently struck the hermit’s fancy, for there was a rustle of bushes, and the hermit of the island stepped into view.

All of the boys stared at him in blank amazement. He was a reddish-black individual, with snow white hair and long flowing beard.

Blumpo grew so frightened that he immediately fell on his knees.

“De voodoo doctor, suah!” he muttered.

Like many other ignorant people, he was very superstitious and believed in charms and voodooism.

“We are sorry to have disturbed you in your lonely retreat,” began Harry. “But we – ”

“Say no more, my boy. Get the water you need and depart.”

“We will.”

Harry and Jerry turned toward the spring and quietly filled up the big tin can they had brought along.

The old hermit watched them curiously.

“You look like good boys,” he said. “I want to ask a favor of you.”

“What?” asked both boys in a breath.

“I wish to end my days here undisturbed. Will you promise not to reveal my dwelling place to your friends?”

“I am willing to say nothing,” said Jerry, promptly.

“So am I,” returned Harry.

The old man looked much relieved.

“And how is it with you?” he went on, turning and walking to where Blumpo had his head bent low on the ground.

“Please, sah, don’t charm me, sah! don’t cast no spell ober me!” howled Blumpo. “I ain’t dun nuffin’ ’deed I ain’t. I’se de best boy in Lakeview! Ain’t I, Harry? Ain’t dat de truf, Jerry?”

“I will not harm you, so do not be afraid,” said the hermit with a faint smile on his reddish-black face.

“I won’t tell a t’ing! not a word, sah, hope ter die if I do!” went on Blumpo, still keeping his face down.

He was afraid that if he looked at the hermit he would be bewitched.

“Blumpo, get up!” said Harry, sharply. “Don’t make a fool of yourself. This gentleman is not going to hurt you. Stand up and be a man.”

Thus spoken to, the homeless boy arose slowly to his feet. His knees were still trembling, and he needed but little incentive to take to his heels.

“I have not seen a colored or an Indian boy in years,” went on the old hermit. “If you are an honest boy let me take your hand.”

He advanced, and with his knees knocking together Blumpo put out his hand and looked the old man in the face.

The next instant the hermit gave a leap back in profound astonishment.

“Abraham! As sure as the sun shines! And I thought he was dead!”

CHAPTER XV.
THE HERMIT’S SECRET

All three of the boys were much mystified by the old hermit’s words.

“He must be a little off in his head,” thought Harry.

“Who is Abraham?” asked Jerry.

“This is Abraham!” cried the hermit. “Are you not Abraham?” he went on to Blumpo.

“I reckon not, sah. I’se jess plain Blumpo Brown.”

“Blumpo Brown! Ha! how well I remember that name! You are indeed Abraham, and I am your father!”

And the hermit caught Blumpo in his arms. It is needless to say the youth was frightened and bewildered.

“Come to my cave and I will tell you all,” went on the hermit, and he dragged Blumpo along.

Jerry and Harry willingly followed. They found that the old man had quite a comfortable place among the rocks. It was elaborately furnished, showing that the hermit was well-to-do.

They all took seats on some skins thrown over rude couches. The hermit made Blumpo sit close to him.

“My name is Daniel Brown,” he began. “And you, Blumpo, are my only son. Your full name is Blum-pou-la-hau, – the Indian for boy-of-the-laughing-face, – for, you know, you have much Indian blood in your veins.”

“Dat’s what folks said I had,” said Blumpo.

“I thought you were dead – that you had been drowned. It was this drove me to make a hermit of myself.”

Then the old hermit went into many particulars, to which all listened with great interest.

Blumpo could scarcely believe his ears. His face began to expand, and a smile broke out on it, the like of which had never before been seen. He was a homeless waif no longer. He had found a father.

Jerry and Harry talked to the old hermit for an hour and more. They found him peculiar in his ideas, but with a warm heart.

Before they retired for the night Daniel Brown came to the conclusion to give up his dwelling on the top of the mountain.

He said he would build a cabin down by the lakeside and there he and Blumpo could live like ordinary people.

“I have several thousand dollars saved up,” he said, “so we will not want for anything. I will buy a boat, and Blumpo can make a living by letting her out to pleasure parties.”

“Dat will suit me exactly,” cried Blumpo.

“But you must also go to school in the winter,” went on Daniel Brown. “And you must drop that dialect, and not say dat for that.”

“Golly! but won’t I be eddicate!” murmured Blumpo. “Say, Pop maybe I kin hab – I mean have – a new suit, eh?”

“Two of them, Abraham,” said the hermit; and then all hands laughed.

It was well for the boys that they were housed in the hermit’s dwelling, for that night a terrible thunder storm came up. The wind howled and shrieked around the mountain top, and continued until dawn.

“If we had been on the plateau we would have been blown off into the lake,” said Harry, at breakfast.

By nine o’clock it cleared off and at twelve the mountain was as dry as ever. They packed up, and, accompanied by the hermit, set off, for the old camp.

Daniel Brown knew every inch of the mountain and under his guidance they reached the bottom much quicker than they would otherwise have done.

As they were trailing through the woods toward the camp, Harry suddenly put up his hand.

“Listen! Don’t you hear some persons talking?” he asked.

“Where can it be?” asked Jerry.

“Down by the camp,” said Blumpo.

“Si Peters’ crowd, I’ll bet a new hat!” cried Jerry. “Come on, all of you!”

The young oarsman broke into a run, and Harry and Blumpo came after, with the hermit lagging on behind. A turn in the brush brought them in sight of the camp.

There were Si Peters, Wash Crosby, and four others in the act of shoving Harry’s craft into the water.

“They intended to run off with our boat!” yelled Jerry. “Stop, there, you thieves!”

“Stop, or we’ll fire on you!” added Harry.

The Peters crowd were surprised and alarmed. They hesitated for a moment.

“Go ahead, don’t mind them!” howled Si Peters. “Quick, fellows, shove out to the yacht!”

Before Jerry and the others could reach the spot the big row-boat was afloat. The Peters’ crowd leaped on board and quickly shipped the oars.

“Stop, or we’ll fire on you!” sang out Harry again.

“Fire and be blowed!” howled Wash Crosby.

Bang! went Harry’s gun, and the shot rattled all around the row-boat.

But now a turn of a headland took the craft out of range.

“Follow me!” said Jerry, as he leaped across the camp to where they could again catch sight of the craft.

Over the rock and through the brush they stumbled, a distance of two hundred feet. Then the shore of the lake was again reached.

But, alas! before they could do anything the Peters crowd was entirely out of range. They saw the big row-boat taken over to where the yacht lay at anchor. Harry’s craft was tied fast to the stern and the Rockpointers clambered aboard their own vessel.

“Good-bye and good luck to you!” cried Si Peters, mockingly. “Hope you fellows enjoy playing Robinson Crusoe. We’ll come back for you some time next year.”

And then the yacht sailed away, leaving those on the island to their fate.

CHAPTER XVI.
AN EXCITING CHASE

For the moment the boys did not know what to do. Si Peters and his crowd had run off with their row-boat, and how to get to the mainland was a serious question.

To swim the distance would be a dangerous undertaking, and there was no telling how long it would be before another craft should come along to take them off.

But the hermit solved the problem.

“If you want to follow those boys you can take my boat,” he said.

“Have you a boat?” asked Jerry, quickly.

“Certainly, although I use it but sparingly, and then only at night.”

The hermit led the way to the lower end of the island. Here in a water-cave rested a long, round-bottomed row boat, containing two pairs of oars.

“Just the thing!” cried Jerry. “Come on, Harry!”

He and his chum leaped in. Blumpo looked at his newly found father.

“I will go along if you wish,” said the hermit.

In five seconds more all four were in the boat, which was then shoved out into the lake.

With Jerry and Harry at the oars, they made good progress in the direction of Si Peters’ yacht.

All were armed, and Blumpo occupied the time in seeing that every weapon was ready for use.

“The wind is dying out,” said Harry. “That is in our favor.”

“They have not more than half a mile start,” rejoined Jerry. “We ought to catch up in half an hour.”

It was evident that those on the yacht did not anticipate pursuit, for it was not until the distance between the two craft had been considerably lessened that they showed signs of alarm.

“They see us!” cried Blumpo. “Shall I give ’em a shot?”

“No; wait,” replied Jerry.

The wind had now gone down almost entirely, and the yacht’s sails were flapping idly.

Si Peters and Wash Crosby were evidently alarmed at the turn affairs had taken, and they called their chums around them for consultation.

“We can’t do anything while the wind is down,” said Crosby.

“Let’s get out and row,” suggested Graves, who was one of the number.

“Can we tow the yacht?”

“We can try.”

This was decided on, and all of the crowd leaped into Harry’s boat. They brought the craft around to the yacht’s bow, and then every one took an oar.

“See, they are hauling off the yacht!” cried Harry. “They mean to get away somehow.”

“We’ll race them,” replied Jerry.

They bent to their oars and made the old hermit’s boat fairly fly through the water. Slowly they crept nearer and nearer. It was an exciting chase.

“Take my place, Blumpo!” cried Jerry, at last, and the boy willingly obeyed.

Jerry leaped into the bow, and taking up his gun pointed it at Si Peters’ head.

“Si Peters!” he called-out, “do you see this gun? Unless you stop rowing I’ll fire at you, no matter what the consequences are.”

Si Peters turned deadly white, for he was in reality a big coward.

“Do you hear me?” went on Jerry. “One – two – th – ”

“Stop! don’t shoot!” yelled the Rockpoint bully, and he held up his oar.

“Now, Wash Crosby, you stop rowing, too!” went on Jerry.

“Think you are boss, eh?” sneered Crosby.

“I am. Up with the oar!”

Crosby hesitated, and then his oar went up beside Si’s. The others became badly frightened and also stopped rowing. In a moment more the hermit’s craft was beside the big row-boat.

The Rockpointers gazed at the white-haired man in astonishment. They wanted to know who he was, but just then had other matters to attend to.

“You think you own the earth when you have a gun!” howled Si Peters to Jerry.

“We’re on top, that is certain,” responded our hero. “Say, Harry, supposing we get on the yacht and make them row us back to the island?”

“Not much!” growled Wash Crosby.

“Just the thing!” cried Harry.

Still keeping the Peters’ crowd under guard, Jerry and his friends boarded the yacht.

Then, much against their will, they made the others turn about and drag them back to where they had started from, towing the hermit’s craft behind.

Peters and Crosby were in a perfect rage, but could do nothing, as Jerry pretended to be very savage and itching to shoot them.

The island reached, Jerry made the Peters’ crowd beach the boat and clean her.

“Now take your yacht and begone!” he commanded, and the crowd hurried off in double-quick order. As the yacht drifted away the hermit laughed heartily.

“Cleverly done!” he said. “Jerry Upton, you are a smart lad.”

The boys spent one more day on the island and then left for home. The hermit went along, and created some surprise when he appeared on the streets of Lakeview with Blumpo, his son.

All the boys were glad that the homeless youth had found a father, who would endeavor to make something out of the good-natured and honest lad.

There was also a surprise for our hero and Harry.

Si Peters and his gang had been arrested for burning down a barn belonging to Harry’s father.

The Rockpoint lads tried to beg off, but the authorities took the matter in hand, and every one of them was sent to the reformatory.

This ended the rivalry for the time being between Lakeview and Rockpoint and, as a consequence, the autumn and winter which followed were comparatively quiet. But stirring events were on the way, as the chapters which follow will testify.