Budd Boyd's Triumph; or, The Boy-Firm of Fox Island

by John Kendrick Bangs

  CHAPTER VIII.--THE LOST OX-CART.

  It is Saturday, the seventeenth of June, and therefore just four weekssince the new firm was fairly organized. The partners still use thisday of the week for their special home duties. Let us, then, cross overto the island, take a peep at them, and see how they prosper.

  As our visit is through the mind only, we will go to the house first.The windows and doors are open, and the balmy air of the early summer iscirculating through the rooms with its life-giving and purifying powers.This suggests that the lads cannot be far away, though we do not findthem within the building. They will not, however, object to our_mental_ inspection of the premises, and therefore we may safely enter.

  This room is the kitchen, reaching across the whole width of the house,and occupying what may be termed the west end of the structure. Wenotice that the carpetless floor is still damp, where it has beenscrubbed to snowy whiteness; the stove shines with its glossy blackness;pots, kettles, dishes, chairs and table are all in place, and an air ofexquisite neatness pervades the room.

  Passing to our right we enter the sitting-room, not so large as thekitchen, and occupying the southeast corner of the house. There is acarpet on the floor--the only one Judd's mother possessed. A smalltable stands in the center of the room, and on it rests a lamp, a paperor two, and some books. A few cane-seated chairs, an old-fashioned androomy lounge, and curtains at the two windows, complete the furnishings.

  Back of the sitting-room is the bedroom, just large enough to containthe bedstead, the washstand, the bureau and two chairs. One thing,however, attracts our special attention. The bed is not a merecollection of blankets, thrown together and never disturbed. On thecontrary, it would rival the thriftiest housewife's for its plumpfeather-bed, its white sheets and pillow-cases, and the neatness withwhich it is made. All the rooms, in fact, have by their neat appearancedisclosed to us what we have already suspected--the lads have here _ahome_, and not a mere abiding-place.

  As we leave the house by the kitchen door we find just at the westernend of the building a huge pile of stove-wood; and north of this,between the house and well, a small garden-patch, already green with itsvegetables. Judd had begun this before Budd came; then it was enlargedsomewhat, and now promises to be an important item toward their support.

  Trusting the reader is not tired with this lengthy description, andassuring him it is really necessary for the better understanding of thechapters that are immediately to follow, we will go on with our story.

  Taking the well-beaten path running west from the kitchen door we aresoon at the wharf, where we find the young partners busily at work.Judd is repairing one of their pound-nets, which he has spread out uponthe grass just back of the dock. The hole is a large one, for a ten-footshark went through the pound the morning before, letting out no oneknows how many fish, and compelling the lads to take up the net forextensive repairs; but they know this is a circumstance they mustoccasionally look for, and Judd's cheery whistle, as he works, showsthat he has met with no special discouragement in the mishap.

  Budd is on board the sloop, which is anchored a little north of thewharf and within its shelter, scrubbing down her deck. Before a greatwhile he finishes, and jumping into the yawl, sculls it rapidly to theshore. As he passes the outer end of the dock he pauses a moment andbends down to look underneath it. Then he brings the boat up into theopening, and catching hold of the top planking calls out:

  "I say, Judd, I'm going under here to take a look at the cart-bed. Imeant before this time to have taken it across to 'The Hummocks,' whereMr. Benton could get it. Perhaps I can do it to-day."

  "Hold on a few minutes," responded Judd, looking over to where hispartner was, "and I'll go with you. You'll need help, and a lanternalso. Go to the house and get that, and a stout rope; by that time I'llbe through here."

  Budd secured the yawl and went on to the house. Meantime Judd's needleflew swiftly in and out, and when his chum arrived with the necessaryarticles the last stitch in the seine had been taken.

  Entering the boat, the lads pushed slowly in under the wharf, and sooncame to the cart-bed which had brought Budd so providentially over tothe island. It had been partly filled with sand by the tides, and wascovered with a green slime; but the boys were dressed for dirty work,and soon got the unwieldy body in a condition to launch. Then hitchingthe rope to it, they fastened the other end to the yawl and slowly rowedout, dragging the cart-bed after them.

  They now took it on shore, and with sand and broom and water scoured ituntil thoroughly clean; then they again fastened it to the yawl andstarted for "The Hummocks." It was a long pull and a hard one, but atlength their task was accomplished, and the cart-body was safely landedon the north hummock and dragged up above high-water mark.

  "There," said Budd, panting with his exertions; "I wish I could find theunder-gear, and then I could return the whole vehicle to its owner, safeand sound."

  "Possibly we might find it if we searched for it," replied Judd, walkingdown to the roadway between "The Hummocks" and where his comrade hadbeen swept off. Turning about, he looked off toward the island."There," he said, with a wave of his hand--"a straight line from heretouches the open end of the dock. Along that line somewhere you werethrown into the cart-bed, probably as it came to the surface; andbeneath that spot, or somewhere near it, lies the wheels. How far offshore were you when that happened?"

  "I can't tell," answered Budd. "It seemed to me a terrible longdistance, and yet it may not have been. If we only had a water-glass wemight row over to the island from this point, examining the bottom ofthe bay the whole distance."

  "What is a water-glass?" asked his chum, with interest.

  "I think I can make one," replied Budd, with energy. "You want a boardtube about eighteen inches deep, with a glass set in at one end. Youthen put your face at the other and put the glass end a little beneaththe surface, and the bottom of the sea for some distance around can beseen."

  "We'll make one right away and try it," declared Judd, with enthusiasm."If it works well, we can use it for a good many purposes. There is aneight-by-ten pane of glass over at the house. Is that large enough?"

  "I think so--come on," responded his companion; and the next moment theyawl was on its way back to the island with a speed that fairly made thewater foam at its bow.

  It took but a half-hour to make the glass. Four boards of the requisitelength were nailed together, forming a tube of just the size to take inthe pane of glass at one end. A half-inch inside of this end a row oftacks were driven nearly to their head; then the glass was carefullydropped down until it rested upon them. Another row of tacks drivenjust outside of the glass completed the arrangement for holding it inplace, and the instrument was finished. It now only remained to try it,and Budd ran down to the yawl, followed by his chum. They pushed theboat forty or fifty feet off shore, and put the water-glass to its test.To their delight it proved a perfect success, and through it the tiniestobjects on the sea-bottom were clearly discernible.

  "We had better go over to the point where the cart was swept off intothe bay, to begin our search. Doubtless the under-gear is nearer thatshore than this," suggested Budd.

  His companion made no objection, and for the second time that morningthey crossed to "The Hummocks."

  Once opposite the road-bed, Judd took both oars and backed water slowlytoward the wharf on the island, while Budd sat in the stern of the yawl,and with his head in the tube watched the bottom of the bay.

  Rod after rod was gone over, when Budd suddenly removed his head fromthe tube with an exclamation of surprise.

  "I say, Judd, the bottom here is covered solid with scallops, and thebed seems to extend as far as I can see in either direction."

  "Let me see," answered Judd, pulling in his oars and joining hiscompanion at the stern of the boat.

  Taking the glass, he examined the sea-bottom for some minutes intently.

  "It is as you say," he exclaimed, joyfully. "Let us s
ee if we can findthe size of the bed. Row, if you will, to the south, while I watch."

  Budd good-naturedly took the oars and pulled in the direction indicated.He had gone about fifty feet when Judd motioned him to stop.

  "The bed ends here," he explained, removing his head from the glass."Now row slowly east."

  Budd did as directed for ten or twelve rods; then Judd again motionedhim to stop.

  "That is the width of the bed," he explained. "Now row north."

  Again the boat shot in that direction, and for a long distance, untilJudd shouted:

  "Hurrah!"

  "What is it?" asked Budd, excitedly.

  "That ends the bed; and did you ever see such a one before? It must beall of two hundred feet in width and four or five hundred in length, andthat means bushels of scallops and many a dollar for us when the law isoff in September."

  Budd needed no further explanation from his partner. He had heard himsay again and again that they must keep a sharp lookout for the beds ofthese valuable bivalves, and here was a tremendous one right almost attheir island. He, too, joined in his companion's hurrah.

  "I guess the glass has paid for its construction already," he commented,joining his chum at the stern.

  Almost unconsciously he took the glass and looked through it. The yawlhad drifted a little to the right of the place where Judd had given hishurrah, and was almost directly in line of the island's wharf. Buddlooked but an instant, then he sprung to his feet and swung his hat.

  "Judd," was his astonishing declaration, "those cart-wheels are justbelow us, and at the very north-east corner of the scallop-bed. Thesea-bottom goes off suddenly, and the wheels are down the bank, and thetongue is almost upright in the water!"

  "You don't say so!" cried Judd, no less elated than his comrade. Thensuddenly he added: "That explains, too, chum, how the cart-bed wasthrown off, and it must have been somewhere near here you were tossedwithin it."

  "Yes," assented Budd; "but how are we going to get the gear on shore?"

  "Let me take a look at it," said Judd.

  It took a moment or two to locate the under-gear, and then Judd examinedthe sea-bottom carefully. He finally arose from the examination with theair of one who had come to a decision.

  "Give me that rope," he said.

  Budd handed him the rope that had been used to drag the cart-bed over to"The Hummocks."

  Making a running-noose in one end, Judd lowered it into the water, atthe same time directing Budd to hold the yawl steady. Again and againhe seemed to get his rope in the position he desired, but it slippedaway. Finally he gave a quick jerk, and then a cry of exultation.

  "My noose has caught over the tongue and back of the iron clevis, and nopower can pull it away. Let us see now if we can start the wheels."

  He fastened the rope at the stern of the yawl and took one oar. Buddtook the other, and together they pulled with all their strength; butthe wheels did not move. After several fruitless attempts to start theponderous under-gear the lads gave it up, and looked around for someother way of accomplishing their purpose.

  "If it was not so far off shore," remarked Budd, "we could run our ropein there and hitch a pair of oxen to it, and then I guess the wheelswould have to come."

  "What the oxen can't do our sloop can," said Judd with animation.

  "What is that?" asked Budd.

  "Furnish us with power," was the reply. "See--the wind is rising. Byafternoon we will have a strong breeze from the southwest. We'll comedown here with the sloop, make fast, and take our first tack to thenortheast; that will haul the wheels out from the sand in which they areimbedded. Then we'll make a tack due west and run the wheels just asnear inshore as we can with the sloop; after that we can use the yawl tofinish the work."

  A piece of board that lay in the bottom of the yawl was fastened as abuoy to the rope, and then the lads returned to the island, to waituntil the rising wind had reached a sufficient velocity to warrant theirundertaking.

  It was not far from three o'clock that afternoon when they boarded thesloop and ran down to their improvised buoy. Another rope was fastenedto that which had already been attached to the cart-tongue, and this,after its other end had been made secure to the stern of the sloop, wascoiled in such a way that it would easily pay out as the boat ran offbefore the stiff breeze.

  As soon as all was in readiness the head of the Sea Witch was broughtround before the wind and her full sails spread. Away she went like anarrow, and the rope uncoiled with a swiftness that made the lads bracethemselves for the shock they knew would immediately come. But it wasnot so much of a shock as they had anticipated. The rope suddenlystiffened, there was a quick jerk, and then the sloop kept on hercourse, her speed somewhat diminished by the load she was evidentlytowing behind her.

  "We have started them," the boys cried simultaneously; and then Judd,who was at the helm, brought the sloop around on her downward tack.

  With no apparent difficulty the Sea Witch dragged her load, and skirtingthe shore, she was run down until nearly opposite the smaller hummock.Then she was anchored, and with the yawl the lads completed the work oflanding the under-gear. Then they dragged the wheels up to thecart-bed, and the long-separated parts were once more united.

  "Now," said Budd, as he gazed at the restored vehicle, "I believe I willgo up to the next farm and get a yoke of oxen, and surprise Mr. Bentonby bringing it home. That will end the business, and I shall have agreat load off my mind."

  "While you go up for the oxen, I'll take the sloop back to the islandand return in the yawl," said Judd. "I want to go with you and hearwhat the old man will say."

  Budd got the oxen and yoked them to the tongue. The iron pin that he hadso hastily pulled out at the time he had been swept away was gone, andhe was obliged to make a wooden one before he could secure the yoke. Hehad barely got it done when Judd returned, and they drove off for Mr.Benton's.

  They found him at home, on their arrival, and he came quickly out to seehis long-lost cart. The rays of the sun had nearly dried its exterior,and it scarcely looked the worse for its hard usage. Over and over theman examined the vehicle, but said not a word until Budd took off theoxen. Then his eye caught sight of the wooden tongue pin, and he asked,sharply:

  "Where's the iron pin that was in there when you lost the cart?"

  "On the sea-bottom, I suppose," answered Budd. "You didn't expect me tohang on to it, did you?"

  "No," said the man, slowly, "but I should 'a' thought ye'd 'a' got meanother."

  "How much will one cost?" asked Budd, in disgust.

  "As much as a quarter," replied Mr. Benton.

  "Here it is," said Budd, handing that amount to him, "and I hope you arenow satisfied?"

  "Yes, unless"--rather hesitatingly--"unless ye've a mind to pay me ferthe time it has been gone."

  "I won't pay you a single cent for it! I haven't used your cart!"responded Budd, out of all patience.

  The lads then turned and left the man, who had in no way thanked themfor restoring his cart, nor seemed to appreciate the toil they hadundergone for its restoration.

  It was night before the boys had returned the borrowed oxen to theirowner, paid for their use, and reached their boat. Almost out ofpatience with themselves for having neglected some of their own work torender a favor to an ungrateful man, they embarked and rowed rapidly forthe island. Reaching the wharf a few minutes later, they secured theboat and started for the house. Suddenly Judd caught his companion'sarm, saying:

  "What light is that?"

  Only a few rods off shore, and coming directly for the island, was alight. Soon it was near enough for the lads to distinguish, even in thedarkness, a boat containing three men, one of whom was in the bow, andheld a lighted lantern in his hand. As the boat reached the shore theyheard this man distinctly saying:

  "This is the island, and the house is a few rods in that direction.We'll find a good shelter for the night, and may perhaps find it worthour while to keep quietly
here for some time."

  Budd drew his chum back into the shadow of an adjacent tree andwhispered:

  "Let us find out who they are before me make ourselves known."

  Then the two lads crept carefully along the western shore of the islanduntil opposite the house; then they crossed their garden-patch andconcealed themselves behind the huge wood-pile, waiting for thenew-comers to approach, and wondering what purpose had brought them tothe island.