by Quincy Allen
CHAPTER XV--PLAYING THE GAME
"Hello! Frank!"
"What now?" and the one addressed sat up suddenly, wide awake it seemed.
"It's morning," said Will, "and I'm tired of keeping watch, that's all."
Frank laughed good-naturedly.
"That's quite enough, old fellow. Time I was up and about, for thispromises to be a day that we may mark with a white stone in the log ofour outing. The sun is going to get in sight presently. No signs ofBluff coming back?"
"He hasn't arrived. I didn't look out over the lake yet. Seems to besomething of a haze, or morning fog on the water, so you can't see veryfar," replied Will.
Frank stepped to where he could have a clear, unobstructed view up thelake. As his chum had said, there were patches of fog rising off thewater, but this was vanishing rapidly. Already one could see for quitesome distance.
"See anything, brother?" called out Will, who was already beginning toput the coffee in the pot.
He had been on duty for several hours, and felt a bit hungry. Boys caneat six times a day when in the woods, for the open air seems to developmost tremendous appetites.
"Nothing except the solitary old loon that kept up such a screechinglast night," replied the lookout, shading his eyes with his hand, thebetter to look.
"I don't like that. Hope nothing has happened to poor old Bluff."
"There you go again. What could happen to him? He's a cracking goodswimmer, and even if he had an upset, which is most unlikely, he wouldhang to his canoe. The boat couldn't sink with metallic air-chambers atboth ends," answered Frank.
"But surely he's had plenty of time to get there and back?"
"Granted; but you heard what I told him--to wait for a reasonable timeif he found the sheriff away. No doubt Mr. Dodd is out searching highand low for the very fellows we know to be here on Wildcat Island. GiveBluff more time. Take my word for it, he will show up when he gets goodand ready, if not with the posse, then alone. Bluff doesn't like to beleft out in the cold when there's anything of a rumpus going on. Wantsome help getting breakfast, Will?"
"Perhaps so, unless you are contented to eat cold boiled rice; we've gotplenty and to spare of that dish," answered the novice cook, with agrin.
"I rather think that would be a poor breakfast dish. The stomach wantssomething warm about this time. Are all the eggs that we brought gone?"asked Frank.
"I saw several in the coffee can just now. Somebody stuck them in thereto keep from breaking them, I guess. How will you have yours?" answeredWill.
"Leave it to me, and I'll see that we have an appetizing mess. An omeletfor mine, I think. But after all, I don't seem so very hungry. Worryingabout Jerry has somehow affected my spirits, and a fellow can't eat muchwhen he feels downcast."
In spite of all drawbacks both boys did full justice to the breakfastthat was spread on the table after a little while. Will kept tabs onwhatever his companion did.
"I'm going to learn how to cook everything that one would be apt to wantin a camp; and if you don't mind explaining I'll begin right now to takea few lessons," he said as Frank started to break the eggs into apannikin, preparatory to beating them up, and adding the shredded bitsof ham they had left over from the previous day.
When the meal was finished and the dishes and cooking utensils properlywashed up, Frank sat down to wait for Bluff to appear up the lake, whileWill vanished inside the tent to bother with his films.
He had brought along an apparatus whereby he could develop these, nomatter as to the time or conditions--daylight being just the same asdarkness.
Frank heard him talking to himself inside the tent, but paid noattention to what he was saying, for at that moment he noticed a movingobject up the lake, which he really believed might be the canoe of hischum, Bluff, returning alone.
If this proved to be the case another disappointment awaited thecampers, and the rescue of poor Jerry might again be postponed to anunknown time. The sheriff being away, no one could tell when he wouldreceive the letter Bluff was to leave for his perusal, and hence itmight be many hours ere a move was made.
By that time the hoboes could have quitted the island and lostthemselves in the dense woods of the mainland, while Jerry'shiding-place would remain unknown, so that he might even die of neglect.
The coming of Will broke in upon Frank's gloomy communion.
Apparently Will had some reason for excitement. He was holding adeveloped film in his hand as he rushed up to Frank.
"What do you think it was set my flashlight trap off last night?" hedemanded.
"A 'coon, doubtless--that seems most likely," answered the other,carelessly.
"Guess again,"
"'Possum--wildcat--surely not a bear, though I did hear quite a scrambleover in that quarter at the time? Go on and tell me," said Frank.
For answer Will held the film up so that it was between the light andthe eyes of his companion.
"It's been in the hypo, and is fixed, but not thoroughly washed; but youcan see for yourself," he exclaimed triumphantly.
Frank gave an exclamation.
"Why, you caught a man!"
"Yes, and his face is turned exactly toward the camera. The snap madehim look, and with the flash he was indelibly impressed on the film.What is more, if you look at it on the other side and partly turnedaway, you can see the positive of his face as plain as day. It's Waddy,all right. I got him!" laughed the photographer, in glee.
"Well, that's worth something. I'm beginning to realize the tremendouspossibilities of a camera at times. That evidence would be accepted incourt as conclusive. Go, and wash the film carefully, Will. If you failto get a few great scenes, you don't lose everything, it seems."
"Isn't that the Peters tribe setting sail, Frank?"
"Why it is, as sure as you live. I wonder they stayed so late. They mustbe pretty hungry by this time if that educated ape got away with allthey had. Perhaps we might have made a master stroke if we'd gone overthis morning with an offering of some bacon, coffee and such things. Toobad neither of us thought of it before."
Will looked strangely at his companion. He could not wholly understandthe impulses that guided the actions of the other. His experience in theworld had not been as varied as that of the boy from Maine, or he mighthave realized what was meant; though possibly the act of kindness might,after all, have been wasted on those tough young citizens.
"They're going home, all right, and good riddance. If we could only getrid of the balance of undesirable people on this same island, theremight be a chance for us to finish up our outing in peace," he remarkedbitterly.
"I hope they don't give Bluff any trouble," said Frank, as if musing.
"Bluff--is he in sight, then?" demanded his comrade, eagerly.
"Yes, over there, and coming," replied Frank, pointing to the advancingcanoe.
"Here are your glasses. Suppose you take a look and see."
Will handed over the marine glasses as he spoke. As he adjusted them tohis eyes, Frank swept one glance at the coming Bluff. Then he turned hisattention to the departing disgusted campers.
"Something has been going on among those fellows, I declare," heannounced.
"What do you mean?" asked his companion, in surprise.
"They seem to have been up against it, or else having a fight amongthemselves. I can see a couple who have bandages about their heads, andone seems to be holding his arm mighty tenderly. I believe it isbroken."
"You don't say? Well, come to think of it, I do remember hearingsomething of a commotion a while back, but thought they were only havingtheir usual rough-house time. Please let me look, Frank."
A minute later he uttered an exclamation.
"What now?" it was Frank's turn to ask.
"Seems strange to me. I think there must be one of them lying down inthe bottom of the boat," returned Will.
"That would indicate something pretty serious. Perhaps they've had afight with those hoboes, or it may have been our wild man. But whatmakes you
think such a thing, Will?"
"I counted seven of them when they came, and so did Bluff. Now there areonly six in sight, and as you say, three of them are fit for thehospital. Where can the seventh be?"
"Perhaps the hoboes got him, just as they did Jerry. If so, what underthe sun can their scheme be? Why load down with a variety ofCenterville's leading citizens when they find it so hard to provide foodfor themselves?"
"I give it up. The conundrum is too much for me. But I think my idea ismore apt to cover the truth, and that the seventh boy is laid out in theboat, wounded, or perhaps dead," continued Will, in an awe-struck tone.
"Oh! I hope not the latter. They're a rough bunch, but they've hadlittle opportunity to learn better, and we mustn't be too hard on them.Such fellows can do things that would be little short of a crime forthose of us who have decent homes and indulgent parents. Bluff seems tobe coming along rather slowly, don't you think?"
As Frank said this his companion turned the glasses upon the canoe.
"Something has happened to him. Perhaps his paddle has broken; Iremember it gave way while we were coming here, and he spliced ityesterday. Yes, that must be what ails him," he exclaimed.
"That's too bad," observed Frank, looking at the other boats, as thoughwondering whether it might be worth while to launch one, and speed outon the lake to the assistance of the chum who was coming.
But the distance was too great, and he could not hope to reach the scenebefore whatever was fated to happen had occurred.
"Why do you say that Bluff could get here with only a piece of hispaddle?" remarked Will.
"If those ugly chaps let him. See, they have already changed theircourse several points. They mean to intercept him."
"You don't think they'd bother with him, do you?" cried Will.
"I'm afraid they're in a bad humor, and ready to tackle anything thatoffers a chance to work off old scores. If Bluff only had his paddle indecent order he could laugh at them. How foolish of him to take only hissingle blade along."
Frank now clapped the glasses to his eyes again.
"Look at that, will you? Why, the breezy chap doesn't even think itworth while to turn and run, or even try to slip past. He's comingdirectly on, and in another minute will run slap into that rowboat,loaded with toughs. I'm afraid there's going to be a bad spill for ourheadstrong chum," he sighed.
"Perhaps he is only holding himself in reserve, and means to make aspurt for it at the very last second. Bluff is smart, I tell you. Heknows what those boys are up to, and is far from being asleep. Tell mewhat he is doing, Frank. I can hear them shouting angrily at him now.Oh! I wish we were out there to help him."
Will even forgot his natural timidity, and had the chance been givenhim, would doubtless have proven a hero in defense of his chum.
"He seems to have stopped paddling altogether. Now he reaches down intothe bottom of his canoe after something. He is aiming it at them--it'shis paddle--no it isn't either--as sure as you live, he's got thatrepeating-gun of his!"
Even as the excited Frank spoke, over the water they heard a distantvoice shout:
"Hands up! you sharks, or I'll pepper you good and hard. Six shots I'vegot here, as fast as I can pump the lever. Hands up! I say, every one ofyou!"