CHAPTER VI
OFF FOR THE LAKE
Although the members of the Go-Ahead Club--some of them, at least--hadexpressed the wish that the time to start for Lake Honotonka was alreadyat hand, the remaining days of May and the busy month of June slippedaway speedily. At odd hours there was a deal to do to prepare for theouting which the girl canoeists longed to enjoy.
Wyn received several letters from Polly Jarley, more hopeful lettersthan she might have expected considering the situation in which theboatman's daughter was placed. Evidently Polly was trying to live up toher "rechristening."
In reply Wyn made several arrangements for the big outing which sheconfided only in a general way to the club. Polly had selected abeautiful spot just east of the rough water behind Gannet Island, andnot half a mile from her father's boathouse, for the camping place ofthe Go-Ahead Club, and she wrote Wyn that she had stuck up a signpre-empting the spot for the girls from Denton.
It was arranged with the Busters, who would go up to Lake Honotonka thesame day as the Go-Aheads, to send the stores together by bateau. Wynarranged to have the girls' stores housed by the Jarleys, for she didnot think that the canvas of either the sleeping or the cook-tent wouldbe sufficient protection if there came a heavy storm.
The boys had picked their camping place the year before. They would goto the far end of Gannet Island, where there was a cave which promised afairly good storehouse for their goods and chattels. They proposed toerect their one big tent right in front of this cavity in the rock--inconjunction therewith, in fact. There was a backbone of rock through thecenter of the island in which Professor Skillings, as a geologist, wasvery much interested, and had been for a long time.
To purchase the stores cost considerable money. The girls had to do itall out of their own pockets, and to tell the truth some of them had tomortgage their spending allowance for the entire summer to "put up"their pro rata sum for these supplies.
"Papa says it is going to cost me as much as though I were spending thesummer at Newport," Percy Havel said, with a sigh.
"_My_ folks have expressed some surprise," admitted Mina Everett."They thought we were going to camp out _al fresco_; but they canscarcely believe now that we are not going to live upon _pate de foiegras_ and have a French chef to get up the meals."
"My father began to say something about the cost the other night,"giggled Frank Cameron. "But I put the stopper on poor pa very quickly. Itold him that I'd willingly give up the camping-out scheme if he'd buy atouring car. I said:
"'Pa, I've figured the whole thing out, and we can do it easily enough.The car, to begin with, will cost $5,000, which at six per cent, is only$300 a year. If we charge ten per cent, off for depreciation it willcome to $500 more. A good chauffeur can be had for $125 per month, or$1,500 per year. I have allowed $10 per week for gasoline and $5 forrepairs. The chauffeur's uniform and furs will come to about $200. Now,let's see what it comes to. Three hundred, plus five hundred, and thenthe chauffeur's salary at----'
"'Don't bother me any more, my dear,' says pa. 'I know what it comesto.'
"'What _does_ it come to, Pa?' I asked. 'How quick you are atfigures!'
"'My dear,' he said, impressively, 'it comes to a standstill right hereand now. We will have no touring car. I'll say no more about theGo-Ahead Club.'
"Oh, you can manage the grown-ups," concluded Frank, with a laugh, "ifyou go about it right."
The bateau of stores went up the Wintinooski two days before the girlsand boys were to start; yet for fear that all might not have gone rightwith the provisions, Wyn insisted that each member of the Go-Ahead. Clubpack in her canoe the usual "day's ration" that they had been taughtshould always be carried for an emergency.
"It only adds to the weight," grumbled Grace. "And dear knows, the oldblankets and things that you make us paddle about, makes the going hardenough."
"That's it--kick!" exclaimed Frank. "You'd kick if your feet were tied,Gracie."
"Assuredly!" returned the big girl.
"Now, don't fuss at the rules of the club that have long ago been votedupon and adopted," said Wyn, cheerfully. "We do not know what is goingto happen. Somebody might hit a snag. It would take hours to makerepairs--perhaps we would have to camp for the night somewhere on theway. We want to be prepared for all such emergencies."
"Well, the Busters aren't loading themselves down with all this truck,"declared Grace, with, vigor.
"That's all right. Let us be the wise ones," laughed Wynifred. "The boysmay want to borrow of us before we get to Lake Honotonka."
"Why, Wynnie!" cried Bess Lavine, "if you are expecting all sorts ofbreakdowns and misfortunes, I shall be afraid to start at all."
"Guess I'll go on with Aunt Evelyn to the Forge, and send my canoe bytrain," laughed Percy Havel. "Wyn's got us drowned already."
But on the morning of the departure not one of the girls prophesiedmisfortune. As for the boys, they were bubbling over with fun.
Professor Skillings was going to paddle up the river with them, althoughMrs. Havel would take the afternoon train to the lake. The professor hadgone on ahead; but Dave Shepard arranged the two clubs in line and boysand girls marched through the streets and down to the river, beinghailed by their friends and bidden good-bye by their less fortunatemates.
Somebody started singing, and the twelve young voices were soon in therhythm of "This is the Life!" Dave and Tubby were ahead, their paddlesover their shoulders, each carrying his blanket-roll in approved scoutfashion. The roll made Tubby Blaisdell look twice his real size.
As the party struck across the sward toward the boathouses Dave suddenlydropped his paraphernalia and started on a run for the river.
"Hi, there!" he shouted. "The professor is in trouble, boys!"
The Busters bounded away after him, and the girls, catching theexcitement, followed along the bank of the swiftly-flowing Wintinooski.There was Professor Skillings in his canoe, drifting rapidly into themiddle of the current, and plainly without his paddle. Indeed, thatuseful--not to say necessary--instrument, capped the pile of ProfessorSkillings' impedimenta on the bank. He had evidently--in his usualabsent-minded manner--stepped into his canoe and pushed off from shorewithout getting his cargo aboard.
Amid much laughter Dave and Ferd Roberts got a skiff and went aftertheir teacher. Professor Skillings chuckled at his own troubles.Although he was well past the meridian of life, he had neither lost hissense of the ridiculous nor his ability to laugh at a joke when it wason himself.
While the boys were rescuing their friend and mentor, the Go-Ahead Clubproceeded to get out their own canoes and load them. The weight had tobe distributed in bow and stern of the light, cedar craft; but Wyn andher mates had practised loading and launching their boats so frequentlythat there was little danger of an overset now.
Grace was still growling about the food and cooking apparatusdistributed among the canoeists. Wyn said, laughing:
"That is still the bone of contention; is it, Gracie?"
"What _is_ a 'bone of contention'?" demanded Mina, innocently.
"Why, the jawbone, of course, silly!" cried Frank.
"Don't you mind about my jawbone, miss!" snapped Grace.
"Oh, don't let's fight, girls," Mina said, soothingly.
"Better a dinner of herbs with contentment than a stalled ox and troubleon the side," misquoted Frank.
The six girls quickly shot their canoes out into the stream. At thispoint the current was swift; but above Denton the river broadened intowide pools through which the current flowed sluggishly and it would beeasier paddling.
The girls set into a steady stroke, led by their captain, and passed thepretty town in a few minutes. Wyn could see the upper windows of herhome and noted a white cloth fluttering from one. She knew that hermother was standing there with the field-glasses and Baby May. Perhapsthe little one was trying to see "sister" through the strong glasses.
So Wyn pulled off her cap and swung it over her head and the six canoesimmediately fel
l out of alignment.
"Don't do that, Wyn!" shouted Bess. "Those boys will catch up with us."
"Well, we want them to; don't we?" asked the captain of the Go-Aheads,good-naturedly. "We're going to lunch together, and if we make the poorboys work too hard they'll eat every crumb we've got and leave nothingfor poor little we-uns."
"So _that's_ why you made us bring all this food?" demanded Bess,in disgust. "Can't those boys feed themselves?"
"Oh, they'll do their share," Wyn replied, laughing. "You'll see. Don'tyou see how heavily laden Tubby's canoe is? I warrant he has enoughluncheon aboard for a small army."
"I can't look over my shoulder--I never can," quoth Bessie. "Paddling acanoe takes more of my attention than riding a bicycle."
"Or a motorcycle. Those things are just awful," cried Mina Everett.
"Shucks!" exclaimed the lively Frankie. "A motorcycle is only anordinary bicycle driven crazy by over-indulgence in gasoline."
"How smart!" cried Bessie. "But you'd better save your breath to coolyour porridge----"
"Or, better still, to work your paddle," commented Grace, with a swiftglance behind. "Those Busters are coming up the river, hand over fist."
"With poor Tubby in the rear, of course," said Frank, glancing back."The tide is certainly against _him_."
"Oh, dear me!" giggled Percy, "poor Tubby was more than 'tide' last weekwhen he took Annabel Craven out on the river. Did you hear about it? Youknow--the night before graduation."
"I believe that fat youth is sweet on Annabel," announced Bessie,shaking her head seriously.
"What do you suppose Ann thinks of Tubby?" cried Grace.
"You know how it is," chuckled Frank. "Nobody loves a fat boy. Go on,Percy. What happened to poor old Tubby?"
"Why, he inveigled Annabel down to the river and got her into a boat andwas going to row her around in the moonlight. You know it was just ascrumptious night."
"M-m-m! wasn't it?" agreed Frank.
"Well," said Percy, "Tubby got in without overturning the boat andsettled to work. The current was pretty swift and he struck right outinto it and headed up stream.
"And there he tugged, and tugged, and tugged, giving all his attentionto the oars and having none to spare for Annabel. By and by, after Tubbyhad tugged, and grunted, and perspired for half an hour, he said:
"'Say, I never saw anything like this current to-night--not in all myborn days! I've been pulling like a horse for half an hour and I don'tsee that we've made as much as a dozen feet!'
"And then Annabel spoke up real pretty, and says she:
"'Oh, Mr. Blaisdell! I've just thought of something. The anchor felloverboard some time ago and I forgot to tell you. Do you suppose itcould have caught on something?'"
The other girls were intensely amused at this, for they all appreciatedAnnabel Craven's character as well as poor Tubby's good-naturedblundering. But while they laughed and chattered in this way the Busterscrept steadily up on them.
"I told you how it would be," said Bess, tartly, "if we didn't hurryup."
"What's the matter with you girls?" demanded Dave Shepard. "One wouldthink you were sent for and couldn't come, by the way you paddle. You'llget to the lake before noon at this rate."
"Not much danger of that, Davie," returned Wyn. "And you know we agreedto stop at Ware's Island for lunch."
"Oh, I wish that was right here!" grunted a voice from the rear, whereTubby Blaisdell was paddling away with almost as much splashing as asmall side-wheel steamer.
"My goodness, boy!" cried Ferd Roberts. "You're not hungry so soon, areyou?"
"Soon?" repeated Tubby, with disgust "It's so long since breakfast thatI've forgotten what I had to eat."
"What do you want to eat, Tubby?" asked Frank, giggling.
"Not particular. Anything--from a marshmallow cake to a tough steak,"grunted the fat boy.
"Tubby wouldn't be as particular as the grouchy gentleman who went intothe restaurant out West and ordered a steak," chuckled Dave. "After thewaiter brought it the customer tried his knife on it and then called thewaiter back.
"'Say!' he objected. 'This steak isn't tender enough.'
"'Not tender enough, stranger?' returned the cowboy waiter. 'What d'youexpect? Want it to hug an' kiss yer?'"
When the laugh on Tubby had subsided Professor Skillings said, with atwinkle in his eye:
"Our friend, Blaisdell, should be able to exist some time on hisaccumulation of fat. He ought not to seriously suffer from hunger asyet."
"Like a camel living on its hump--eh?" said Wyn. "How about that,Tubby?"
"I'm no relation to a camel--I tell you that," snorted the fat boy, withdisgust.
"Then Mr. Blaisdell might imitate some insects; mightn't he, ProfessorSkillings?" suggested Frank, with a sly look. "You know there areinsects that live on nothing."
"On nothing?" exclaimed the professor, quickly. "Oh, no, young lady, youare mistaken. That is quite impossible."
"But, Professor! A moth lives on nothing; doesn't it?"
"No, indeed. How could that be?" cried the scientific gentleman, greatlyperturbed by Frank's apparent display of ignorance.
"Why, moths eat holes; don't they?" chortled Frank. "Surely 'holes' area pretty slim diet."
Professor Skillings led the laughter himself over this simple joke. Buthe added:
"I fear I should not be able to interest you in science, Frances."
"Not in summer, sir--oh, never!" cried Frank. "I refuse to learn asingle, living thing until school opens again next fall."
In spite of Tubby's complaints, the canoeing party sighted Ware Islandin good season for luncheon. This was a low, wooded spot around whichthe Wintinooski--split in two streams--flowed very quietly. The countryon both sides was cut up into farms, with intervening patches of woods,dotted with ferns, and was very beautiful.
There was a little beach on one side of the island, with a green, shadedbank above. This was a favorite picnicking spot for parties from Denton;but our friends had the island all to themselves this day.
The girls had been as far as this island before in their canoes; butnever beyond. From this spot on the journey up the Wintinooski would beall new to Wyn Mallory and her chums.
The canoes were hauled up out of the water and the boys skirmished forfuel while the girls got out the luncheon. Ferd Roberts wasfire-builder, and Grace, who hated that work, watched him closely,marveling how quickly and well he constructed the pyre and had a blazemerrily dancing among the sticks.
"Doesn't that beat all!" cried Grace. "You must love fires as much asNero did."
"Nero? Let's see--he was the chap that always was cold; wasn't he?"queried Ferd, grinning.
"Nope!" broke in Frank. "That was Zero. You _will_ get your ancienthistory mixed, Ferd!"
The luncheon was quickly laid, and Tubby was not the only one who did itjustice. But Bessie Lavine continued to act disagreeably toward theboys. She was "forever nagging," as Dave said; and sometimes there was aspark of fire when she managed to get one or another of the boys "mad."
Professor Skillings wandered off with his bag and little geologicalhammer and Tubby rolled over on his back under a shady bush and went tosleep.
"Pig!" ejaculated Bess, in disgust. "That's all boys think of--theirstomachs."
"Oh, don't be so hateful, Bess," advised Frank. "Come on; the rest of usare going to walk around a little to settle our luncheon, beforetackling the paddles again."
"Humph! with the boys?" snapped Bess, seeing Wyn start off with Dave byher side. "Not me, thank you!"
"All right," chuckled Frank Cameron. "You can keep Tubby company."
But that suggestion made Bess even more angry, and she went off with hernose in the air, and all alone. But as the crowd of young folk camearound the east end of Ware Island, they, saw Bess standing upon thebrink of a steep bank, under a small tree, where the water had washedout a good deal of the earth in a sort of cave beneath where she stood.
"Hi, Bessie! get back from there!
" shouted Dave, warningly. "That placeis likely to cave in."
"Then you certainly _would_ get a ducking," added Frank.
"Pooh! I guess I know what I'm about," said the girl. "I'm no baby."
"You're acting like one," growled Dave. "That place is dangerous."
"It's not, Mr. Smartie!" cried Bess, and she stamped her foot in anger.
And just as though that had been the signal for which it had beenwaiting, several square yards of the steep bank, with the tree she wasclinging to, slumped down into the river.
The girls screamed, while the boys bounded forward toward the spot whereBessie had disappeared.
"Oh, Dave!" cried Wyn. "Save her! save her! She can't swim very well.She will be drowned!"
Wyn's Camping Days; Or, The Outing of the Go-Ahead Club Page 6