by Nell Speed
CHAPTER XV
BABES IN THE WOOD
The pull up that mountain was about the hardest one any of those youngpeople had ever had. As a rule Lil and Lucy required no help from theboys, as they prided themselves upon being quite as active as anymembers of the opposite sex, but now they were glad of the assistancethe boys shyly offered.
"Just catch on to my belt, Lil; I can pull you up and carry the grapesand my gun, too," insisted Frank, while Skeeter made Lucy take hold ofhis gun so he could help her.
"We are most to the top now," they encouraged the girls. Their way layover rocks and through brambles, as they had given up trying to keep toa trail since the trails seemed to lead nowhere. They argued if theycould get to the top they could see where they were.
The top was reached, but, strange to say, it wasn't a top, after all,but just an excrescence on the side of the mountain, a kind of a hump.It led down sharply into a dimple covered with beautiful green grass,and then towering up on the other side of this dimple was more and moremountain.
"Well, ain't this the limit? I didn't know there was a place like thison our mountain!" exclaimed Frank.
"Th'ain't! This is no more our mountain than I'm Josephus," saidSkeeter.
"Do you think we are lost?" asked Lil.
"Well, we are certainly not found," and Skeeter's young countenance tookon a very grim expression.
"Somebody please kick me, and then I'll feel better," groaned Frank.
"Why kick you? You didn't lose us; we lost ourselves," said Lucy.
"You just say that to keep me from feeling bad. I said all the time wewere on our own mountain and I was certainly the one to suggest ourclimbing up to the top. I don't see how or when we managed to get inthis mix-up."
"You see, we were down at the foot of the mountain and we must havespilled over on another one without knowing it. They so kinder runtogether at the bottom," soothed Lucy.
Lil was so worn out after the climb that she could do no more than sinkto the ground; but she smiled bravely at poor self-accusing Frank as shegasped out:
"What a grand, romantic spot to play 'Babes in the Wood'! I bid to be ababe and let you boys be the robins."
"In my opinion it is nobody's fault that we have got lost, but lost weare. Of course Frank and I ought to have had more sense, but we didn'thave it, and I reckon what we ain't got ain't our fault.--But if itwasn't our fault for losing you girls, it is sure up to us to get youhome again and now we had better set to it somehow."
Skeeter deposited his gunnysack of squirrels beside the one of grapesand threw himself down beside Lil on the green, green grass of theunexpected dimple.
"Well, Lil and I are not blaming you. If we haven't got as much sense asyou boys, I dare one of you to say so. We could have told we weregetting lost just as much as either one of you, and it is no more yourbusiness to get us home than it is our business to get you home, is it,Lil?"
"I--I--reckon not," faltered Lil; "but I've got to rest a while before Ican get myself or anybody else home." Poor Lil! She was about all in butshe kept up a brave smile.
"There must be water here or this grass would not be so pizen green inAugust," said Skeeter. "Let's go find the spring first, Frank." The boyswanted to get off together to discuss ways and means and hold a councilof war.
"Say, Skeeter, what are we going to do?" asked Frank, as they made for apile of rocks down in the middle of the dimple, where it seemed likely aspring might be hidden.
"Darnifiknow!"
"Do you know it's 'most night? I thought when we got to the top therewould be lots of light, but all the time we were coming up the sun wasgoing down, and blamed if it hasn't set now."
"Yes, and no moon until 'most morning. What will Miss Douglas and MissHelen say to us?"
"I'm not worrying about what they will say, but what will they think? Iam afraid Lil can't take another step tonight. She is game as game, butshe is just about flopped."
"We might make a basket of our hands and carry her thataway," suggestedSkeeter.
"Yes, we might! Lil is not so big but she is no dollbaby, and I don'tbelieve we could pack her a mile if our lives depended on it."
"Well, what will we do? Can you think of anything?"
"Well, I think that one of us must stay with the girls and the other onego snooping around to try to find somebody, a house, or something. Youstay with them and I'll go. I bid to!"
"All--right!"
But Skeeter did think, considering he was at least two months older thanFrank and at least three inches taller, that he should be the one to gothe front. The role of home guard did not appeal to him much, but when afellow says "he bids to," that settles it.
The spring was found down low between the rocks--such a clear, cleanspring that even the greatest germ fearer would not hesitate to drink ofits waters.
"Look, there's a little path leading from the other side! It must gosomewhere!" cried Frank.
"Yes, it must go somewhere just as all the trails we have followed todaymust--but where? Don't tell me about paths! They are frauds, delusionsand snares. I reckon there won't be any supper for us tonight, so Imight just as well fill up on water," and Skeeter stooped and drankuntil his chum became alarmed. Skeeter's capacity was surely miraculous.
"Let's not tell the girls we might not be able to get back before night.It might get them upset," cautioned Frank.
They reckoned without their host, however, in this matter. When the boysreturned to the forlorn damsels bearing a can of water for theirrefreshment, the can having been discovered by the spring, they foundthem not forlorn at all. They had spunked up each other and now werealmost lively. Lil was tired and pale and Lucy had a rather bedraggledlook, but they called out cheerily:
"What ho, brave knights!"
"Listen! Don't you hear a strange sound, kind of like music without atune?" said Lucy.
There was a sound, certainly. It might be the wind in the pines and itmight be a giant fly buzzing in a flower that had closed its doors forthe night.
"It is coming closer," cried Lil. "Maybe it is the bold brigands who areto bear us off to captivity in their mountain fastnesses. I tell you, ifthey want me they will have to bear me. I can't hobble."
Just then there came through the scrub growth on the opposite sideof the green dimple where our young people had made their temporaryabiding place, a strange figure. It was a tall, lean young man dressedin a coat of many colors, a shirt that seemed to be made of patches, notwo patches of the same color and none of them matching the originalcolor of the shirt, which was of a vivid blue. His trousers were ofbright pink calico, the kind you see on the shelves of country storesand that is usually spoken of as "candy pink." His head was bare; hishair long and yellow. A large tin bucket was hung on his arm while hediligently played a jew's-harp.
The effect of this strange figure was so weird as it appeared throughthe gathering twilight that the girls could hardly hold in the screamsthat were in their throats. They controlled them, however, so that theyonly came out as faint giggles.
The music of the jew's-harp can be very eyrie in broad daylight whenmade by an ordinary human being; but just at dusk in a mountain fastnesswhen four young persons have decided they are lost and may have to spendthe night in the woods, this music, coming from such a strange, motleyfigure, seemed positively grewsome.
"Speak to it!" gasped Lucy.
"'Angels and ministers of grace, defend us! Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned, Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked, or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape, That I will speak to thee,'"
spouted Skeeter.
The youth stood still in his path but went on with his weird near-tune.Skeeter approached him and the others followed, although poor Lil foundherself limping painfully.
"Please, we are lost!"
"Oh, no, not lost, for I have found you uns. We uns is always findin'."His voice had an indescribable softness
and gentleness and his blue eyesa far-away look as though he lived in some other world. "Only t'otherday we uns 'most found a great bird floating in the sky, but it flewaway. We uns thought at first it was lost but it wasn't. If it had abeen lost, we uns would have found it. A great big bird, bigger'n abald-headed eagle, bigger'n a buzzard."
"Now that you have found us, what are you going to do with us?" askedLil.
"Oh, what we uns finds, we uns hides ag'in. Thar's a hole in themounting whar we uns puts things."
"Uhhh--a brigand, sure enough!" whispered Lucy.
"But you wouldn't put us there, because we are alive. You have a homesomewhere near here, haven't you?" asked Frank. But the half-wittedfellow shook his head sadly.
"We uns ain't got no mo' home since they came and found my maw--theycame and found her and hid her in the ground. We uns must have lost herand never can find her--but there are lots of other things to find," andhis blue eyes that had looked all clouded at the sad thought of neverfinding his mother, now began to sparkle. "Only this evening we unsfound the prettiest light in the sky--it's gone now--gone--before weuns could hide it in the hole, but we uns will find another."
"Where do you live?"
Skeeter asked it gently.
"Oh, we uns lives with the spring-keeper."
"The spring-keeper! Who is he?"
"Oh, we uns found him when they took my maw! He is a little daffy--thatis what folks say, but we uns can't see but he is as smart as them whatlaughs at him."
The young people were quite aghast at the news that the person with whomthis strange being lived was considered daffy. The boys had their doubtsabout the advantage of asking shelter in a house where two crazy peoplelived, but perhaps the spring-keeper was not crazy, after all. Thisyoung man certainly seemed harmless enough, and perhaps he could showthem the way to Greendale.
"Does the spring-keeper live far from here?" asked Lil.
"Oh, no, just round the mounting. We uns will show you uns the way."
He filled his bucket at the crystal spring and then led the way alongthe narrow path.
"Who taught you to play the jew's-harp?" asked Lucy.
"Nobody! We uns just makes the music we uns finds in the trees. We unscan make the tune the bee tree makes, too. We uns can do so many things.We uns made these pants and every day we uns sews a pretty new color onthis shirt. The spring-keeper fetches pretty cloth from the store andsometimes we uns sews quilts. Look, thar's the place whar thespring-keeper lives when he ain't a-tendin' to his business."
"What is his business?" asked Frank.
"We uns done told you he's a spring-keeper. Be you uns daffy, too?"
That made them all laugh, and then the guide laughed too, delightedly.
"Now we uns is found some happiness!" he exclaimed. "The spring-keepersays that is all that's worth finding. He says he has found it but henever laughs like that. He just smiles but never makes no music whenhe's happy. But neither does the sunshine."
The cabin which they were approaching was different in a way from theusual one found in the mountains. It was made of logs and had theoutline of the ordinary abode of the mountaineer, but a long porch wentalong two sides and this porch was screened. Screening is somethingalmost unheard-of with the natives, although the flies abound in themountains as well as in the valleys. A little clearing around the cabinwas one great tangle of flowers: golden glow, love-in-the-mist, fouro'clocks, bachelor's buttons, zenias, asters, hollyhocks, sunflowers,poppies, cornflowers, scarlet sage, roses and honeysuckles. Some greedybees were still buzzing around the roses, although the sun was down andit was high time all laborers were knocking off for the night. There wasa light in the cabin which sent a very cheering message to the foot-soretravelers--also an odor of cooking that appealed very strongly to all ofthem but sent Skeeter off into an ecstasy of anticipation.
The guide put down his bucket of water and placing his jew's-harp to hislips gave a kind of buzzing call. Immediately an old man came out of thedoor.
"Is that you, Tom Tit?" It was such a kind, sweet voice that the fourwere made sure they were right in coming to his abode.
"Yes, Spring-keeper, and we uns found something."
"I'll be bound you have! What is it this time? Another aeroplane or arainbow?"
"No, it is four laughs, look!"
The old man did look, and when he saw the wanderers, he hastened out tomake them welcome. Never was there a more charming manner than his. Nowonder the half-witted youth thought of the sunshine in connection withhis smile.
He was tall and stalwart, with a long gray beard that could only beequalled by Santa Claus himself. His hair was silver white and hischeeks as rosy as a girl would like to have hers. His eyes were gray andso kind and twinkling that all fear of his being crazy was immediatelydispelled from the minds of our young people.
"They thought they were lost but they were wrong--we uns found 'em."
"Good work, Tom Tit! And now what are we to do with them?" he asked,although he did not wait to find out what his poor companion had in hisbefuddled mind but ushered them to the porch, where he made the girlscomfortable in steamer chairs and let the boys find seats forthemselves.
Their story was soon told and much was their amazement to learn thatthey were more than ten miles from Greendale.
"You must have been walking all day in the wrong direction. No wonderthis poor little girl is limping. Now the first thing for us to do is tohave something to eat."
"Ahem!" from Skeeter.
The spring-keeper smiled.
"Ah, methinks thou hast a lean and hungry look."
"Hungry's not the word. Starving Belgium is nothing to me. I feel asthough I had had nothing to eat since yesterday."
"Oh, Skeeter! Think of all that lunch!" exclaimed Lil, lolling backluxuriously in the steamer chair with grass cloth cushions tucked inaround her. "Why, Mr.--Mr.--Spring-keeper, he has done nothing but eatall day!"
"We think it is very hard on you for all of us to come piling in on youthis way," said Lucy.
"Hard on us! Why, Tom Tit and I are so happy we hardly know what to doto show it," said the old man kindly. "But you must excuse me while I goprepare some food for you."
"But you must let us help!" from the girls, although Lil was ratherperfunctory in her offers of assistance. She felt as though nothingshort of dynamite could get her out of that chair.
"No, indeed! Tom Tit and I are famous cooks and we can get somethingready in short order."
"Please, sir," said Frank, who had been very quiet while the others weretelling their host of their adventures, "I--I--must not stop one momentto eat or anything else. I want you to tell me how to find my way backto Greendale so I can tell the people at the camp that Lucy and Lil areall right. They were put in our charge, and I must let them know."
"Of course, I am going, too," put in Skeeter, "but I thought I might eatfirst."
Everyone had to laugh at poor Skeeter's rueful countenance. Thespring-keeper smiled broadly, but he patted Frank on the back.
"Have you a telephone at camp?"
"Yes, we had to put one in."
"Well, then, we'll just 'phone them even before we begin to cook ourfeast."
"'Phone! Have you a telephone here?" exclaimed Lucy.
"Yes, my dear young lady. I love the wildwood, but I have to know what'sgoing on in the world. A man who does not take the good the gods providehim in the way of modern inventions is a fool. I may be a fool, but I'mnot that kind of a fool."
"Lucy, you had better do the 'phoning so they'll know you girls aresafe, first thing," suggested Frank.
"Yes, and it had better be done immediately," said their host. "Centralin the mountains goes to roost very early, and you might not getconnection. I'll call up Greendale and make them give me the camp."
Connection was got without much trouble and Lucy took the receiver.
"Hello! Is that Camp Carter? Well, this is me."
"Lucy! Is it you?" in Helen's distracted tones from the other
end.
"Yes, it's me, and all of us are all right, but we are going to spendthe night out."
"Out where?"
"About ten miles from Greendale!"
"You mean outdoors?"
"Oh, no; with a spring-keeper!"
"A what? Oh, Lucy, are you crazy? We are so uneasy about all of you, weare nearly wild! It's dark as can be and we are trying to keep it frommother and father that you have not come home. Tell me where you are.Speak distinctly and loudly and stop giggling." Of course the usualgiggles had rendered Lucy unable to speak.
"Here, Skeeter, come and tell her!" she gasped.
"Hello, Miss Helen! I'm Skeeter. The girls are all right. Yes, Frank andI are, too. We got lost somehow and never did find Jude Hanford's, butwe found a kind gentleman who lives 'way over on another mountain and heis going to feed us right now."
"Who is the gentleman?"
"Mr. Spring-keeper is his name."
"You can't get home somehow tonight?"
"No'm! Lil is mighty tired and will have to rest up some. We'll be hometomorrow. You mustn't worry about the girls--they're all right and thegentleman is bully. We'll tell you all about it when we see you. Say,Miss Helen, the lunch was out of sight."
"You bet it was when once Skeeter got his hooks into it," mutteredFrank. "The supper will be, too, in no time."
"Well, good-bye, Skeeter! We are still trusting you and Frank to takecare of our girls and bring them back safely. I knew all the time youwere doing your best, although I was uneasy about all of you. I wasafraid you had shot each other or snakes had bitten you or something."
"Not on your life! We shot some squirrels and got you some fox grapes,though. Good-bye! Good-bye!"
"I tell you, Miss Helen is a peach," he added to Frank, after he hung upthe receiver. "She is still trusting us."