by Kirk Munroe
CHAPTER X.
A NIGHT OF STRANGE HAPPENINGS.
Winn's preparations for the night were of the simplest description,because he had so little to prepare. The boy tried to console himselfwith this thought. "If I had provisions I should have to cook," hesaid to himself; "and if there is one thing in this world meaner thananother it is cooking. I never realized before what mother has to gothrough with every day. Never complains of it, either. She's aregular angel, though, and things always seem to go right with her.Now with boys it's just the other way. See what a fix I've got intoall on account of being a boy, and trying to do things. Seems to methat Gilder must have been a pretty patient sort of a boy to learn tocook the way he does. I wonder if he ever gets into scrapes? He'd bein one if he was in my place now, and I wish I knew how he'd get out ofit."
While thus thinking Winn was by no means idle. He cut a number ofbushes and leaned them against the ridge-pole of the "traders'" tent,the frame of which they had left standing. This shelter was soarranged as to form a wind-break on the north side of the fire, thegrateful warmth being thus reflected from its inner surface. An armfulof twigs and another of dry grass formed the boy's bed, and a drink ofriver-water his supper. He had thought of passing the night in thelog-hut; but as darkness came on he could not bear the thought of itslonesomeness. It was bad enough to be alone on the river-bank, with abroad expanse of star-dotted sky to look at; but that forlorn littlehut, shut in on all sides by the dark forest! Ugh! It made him shiverto think of it. No; he was decidedly better off where he was, and evenif his father came along during the night, which Winn did not thinkprobable, he could not fail to see the notice posted beside thesignal-fire. It was important that he should remain near his new rafttoo, so that at the first streak of daylight he could board it and beoff.
After a while the lonely lad fell into a sleep filled with troubleddreams. An owl came and hooted above him; the night wind sighedweirdly through the tall timber behind him; while queer gurglings,mysterious splashings, and other strange sounds came from theswift-flowing river close at hand. Although none of these soundswakened the boy, they tinged his dreams with their uncanniness.
For some hours he slept, and then woke with a start. He was sittingbolt upright, and felt certain that something cold and wet had justtouched his face. He put a hand to his cheek. Yes, there was a wetspot. What were those two bright points shining in the dim fireglow!They looked like eyes. Winn sprang to his feet. At his movement theglowing eyeballs vanished. Some animal uttered an indescribable sound,something between a bark and a snarl, there was a rustling of deadleaves, and then all was still.
While the boy stood trembling with the vague fear that alwaysaccompanies a suspected but unknown danger, and staring blankly intothe darkness, there came to his ears from the forest depths a soundthat was almost as terrifying as the recent presence of the unknownanimal. It seemed a mingling of howls, cries, and groanings. It roseand fell, now loud, and then almost inaudible; but it always came fromthe direction of the deserted log-hut. At length it ceased, and nowWinn noticed for the first time that a faint light was beginning totinge the eastern sky above the tree-tops.
"Daylight is coming," thought the boy, "and it is high time for me tobe off." He was glad of an excuse for leaving a place that had all atonce become filled with such unexplained terrors. Feeling his waycautiously to the river-bank, he reached the little raft withoutmishap. It took him some time to get it clear of the boom; but atlength he succeeded, and with a very decided feeling of relief hepushed off into the current, and proceeded on his journey.
Winn's spirits rose as his clumsy craft moved out from the heavyshadows of the island, and he began to whistle to convince himself thathe had not been afraid of anything after all. Suddenly he heard lowvoices close beside him, a dark object dashed up to his raft, and adazzling light was flashed full in his face. The next instant two mensprang to his side, threw him down, searched him for arms, secured hisknife, which was the only thing resembling a weapon that he possessed,and forced him into a large skiff containing several other men.
"Close the lantern," ordered one of these in a low but stern voice,"and pull for that fire on shore. No doubt we'll bag some more of themthere." Then to Winn the man said, "So you thought you could give usthe slip, did you, young fellow? Well, you found us up too early,didn't you? Now the best thing you can do is to afford us all possibleaid in capturing the rest of your gang. It'll count big in your favorwith the Judge, I can tell you. How many are there on the island?"
"I don't know what you mean--" began Winn, indignantly; but a heavyhand was instantly clapped over his mouth.
"Shut up!" whispered the man, hoarsely, but with terrible distinctness."If you speak another loud word I'll brain you. You'll find out what Imean when we've landed you safely in Dubuque jail. Now answer me in awhisper. How many of your pals are on the island?"
"I haven't any pals," replied Winn, putting as much force into hiswhisper as he dared, "and there isn't any one on the island. This isan outrage, and--"
"That will do," answered the man, sternly. "If that's the tone you aregoing to take, we don't want to hear any more of it."
Just then the bow of the skiff was run on the bank, and the man,grasping Winn's arm, stepped ashore, saying, "Now make yourself useful,young fellow, and lead us to your mint or den or whatever you call it.If you don't want to I'll find a way to compel you, and if you try anylow-down tricks, I'll make you wish you'd never been born."
"Do you mean the log-hut?" asked Winn.
"Yes, if that's what you call it; but you want to get a move onto youin a hurry."
Bewildered and indignant as he was, Winn was yet cool enough to realizethe folly of resistance. He also reflected that when these men foundthe hut deserted, and that there was no one besides themselves on theisland, they would be willing to listen to his story. At any rate, solong as he was in their power it was best to do as they directed. So,with the leader's hand still grasping his arm, the boy led the way intothe narrow trail that he had already traversed so often.
Proceeding slowly, and with such extreme caution that not a soundbetrayed their presence, the men followed in single file. At the edgeof the little clearing Winn halted, and was about to speak, when a handwas again clapped over his mouth with the force of a blow.
"Whisper!" came the order.
"Well there's your hut," whispered the boy, as soon as he was given thechance, "and if you find any one in it, then I'm a liar, that's all."
The hut was plainly visible by the firelight that streamed from itsopen window. Winn wondered at the brightness of this light, for itseemed as though the fire he had left there the evening before ought tohave burned out long ago. He also wondered that he did not rememberhaving closed the door. As no light came from its direction, itcertainly appeared to be closed now. As these thoughts flashed throughthe boy's mind, the man who held him, and who was evidently the leaderof the party, whispered,
"You say there isn't anybody in there, but it looks to me as if therewas. Anyhow, we'll find out in another minute, and if you've led usinto a trap or played us false, I'll see that you swing for it, or myname's not Riley. Bill, you stay here and see that this chap doesn'tput up any game on us while we surround that den of thieves. Have yourguns ready for use, men."
Although all this was spoken in a whisper, inaudible beyond itsimmediate group of hearers, there was no mistaking the man's sternmeaning, and Winn experienced an uneasy dread such as he had notheretofore felt throughout this strange adventure.
Suppose there should be some one in the hut? Suppose the"river-traders" had returned to the island and should resent thisintrusion even to the point of resisting it? In such a case what wouldhappen to him? If his captors were triumphant they would declare hehad led them into a trap, for doing which they had promised to hanghim. If, on the other hand, the "river-traders" had returned andshould make a successful fight, would not their wrath also be direct
edtowards him for leading their assailants to the hut? In either case,it seemed to the bewildered boy that his position was decidedlyunpleasant, and he awaited the immediate developments of the situationwith no little anxiety.
Those who had followed him had disappeared like shadows, and Winn couldnot detect a sound save the suppressed breathing of the man who hadbeen detailed to guard him, and who now held his arm.
Suddenly a dog's bark broke the stillness, and a loud challenge,followed by a pistol shot, rang out through the night air. There was aconfused trampling; the forest echoed with a roar of guns; the door ofthe hut was burst open, and a furious rush was made for the interior.
In his excitement Winn's guard loosed his hold of the boy's arm andtook a step forward, the better to distinguish what was going on.
Winn was free, and acting upon the impulse of the moment, he slippedbehind a great tree-trunk, stole noiselessly a few paces farther, andthen dashed away with the speed of a deer back over the trail leadingto the river. He did not pause when he reached the camp in which hehad passed the night so unhappily, but bounded down the bank to thewater's edge. Here he cast loose the painter of the skiff that hadbrought Mr. Riley and his men to the island, and, with a mighty shovetowards the channel, gave a spring that landed him at full length inits bottom. Here he lay breathless and almost motionless for the nextthirty minutes, or until his craft had drifted below the tail of theisland, and was spinning down the main channel of the great river.