CHAPTER V
TWO MEN
"And the red oar won out," Cora remarked, looking at the old relicwith something akin to reverence. "Perhaps, after all, there issomething in luck."
"Looked like it," agreed Denny. "And after we got back Len couldn'tpay any attention to the half-frozen men, or to me, that had beenpretty well chilled--all he could do was talk about the luck of thatoar."
"I don't blame him," Freda put in. "Your rope had nearly burned, yourlight oar broke, one of the heavy pair went overboard and this one didmost of the work getting back, I suppose."
"Right," said Denny, "for while we had another pair to work with, theywere slim, and weak, but that fellow, it sure was tough then; butlately when I take it down it seems to have shrunk, for it's gettin'lighter, somehow."
"And how did you come to get it?" asked Cora.
"That's the end of my story," said Denny. "When Len was taken verysick, of course I used to stay with me friend as much as I could."
Freda unconsciously pushed her chair nearer the old man. Surely tohear of the last days of her good grandfather's life was a matter tooimportant to pass over lightly.
"Your father was livin' then, Freddie," Denny went on, "and a finehealthy young man, too."
"Father died so suddenly," said Freda, "mother hardly ever speaks ofhis death. She always seems overcome after talking of it."
"That was a sad thing," Denny digressed. "To go off in the morning,a-whistlin' and happy, and to be brought home without a word in him.Freddie, dear, I oughtn't to talk of it."
Freda brushed aside a tear. Her father's death had been caused byapoplexy, when she was but a mite of a child.
"But the queer part of it was that your grandfather seemed to think Iwould outlive his son, and John such a strappin'-lookin' fellow,"resumed Denny. "Len called me to him, and him sick and miserable, andhe says: 'Denny, John's not as strong as he looks, and I want you todo all you can to help Louisa,' (your mother of course, Freddie), 'forshe has the child to raise,' he said. Well, he wouldn't let meinterrupt him when I tried to speak of John. He would have it that Ishould keep an eye to things. Your grandfather Lewis left me nopapers, however--I supposed John had them--but he left me the old redoar. He had fairly been playin' with it for years, always polishin' itor shapin' it off here or there. I often look at the marks of hisknife on it, and wonder why he seemed fond of it."
"I am sure," said Freda, earnestly, "you have kept your promise, UncleDenny. Mother often speaks of how good you were when I was small.Father never had any papers about grandfather's land; all he hadrelated to family keepsakes. The strange part of it all is to me thata man of grandfather's intelligence should be so remiss about hisproperty claims."
"But, Freddie, you don't understand. There seemed no need for deedsand mortgage papers then about here. Everybody knew everyone else, andthings seemed to be solid forever. But now them plagued landfellows--well, they've got a good cheek, is all I can say." And heemptied an unsmoked pipe of tobacco in his indignation.
"But we are going to get after them," Cora declared. "We want to goslowly, and, if possible, find out what their intentions are. Findwhat sort of company they claim to have, in the first place, and ifthey are an honorable set of men they ought to make open claims,instead of sneaking around, and trying to find out things that mightcause a flaw in the title. I am suspicious, for one," she finishedsignificantly.
"Well, good luck to your spunk," said Denny, "and I never knew thelike of it to fail. But say, tell me about the boat. What did the ladsthink of the fixin's?"
"Oh, it was the greatest fun," Freda replied. "They could not imaginehow we ever thought of using the cylinder water for a dishwatersupply. I never gave it away that you suggested it to Cora'smechanic."
"And I want to thank you, Mr. Shane----"
"Mr. Shane!" Denny interrupted. "Say, if you call me that I'll thinkI'm reading me own death notice in the _Beacon_."
Cora laughed at this, and agreed he should be "Uncle Denny" to her aswell as to the others of the neighborhood.
"But it was splendid of you to have the boat all ready for us when wecame. I did not suppose Freda had a chance to get down to it before weloomed up."
"You don't know the risin' hour for us folks at the Bay," returnedDenny, with a sly wink. "Freddie couldn't stay abed when the sun isbeckonin' on the waves; could you, Freddie?"
"Oh, the early Summer mornings are beautiful," replied Freda, "and Iam sorry I had to lose so many of them. Who's that? The girls, lookingfor us! There's Bess puffing, and Belle--fluffing. I do think they arethe most attractive pair."
Cora smiled, for her own devotion to the Robinson twins was onlyparalleled by the twins' devotion to Cora.
"Cora! Freda!" called youthful voices from the path. "Where are you?"
"Come in--do!" answered Denny, who always had a spare chair forvisitors.
"Oh, we can't," replied Belle. "Cora, the boys are threatening to takeout the _Chelton_. And oh! I'm completely out of breath. It's dreadfulto try to hurry through the sand."
"Indeed they shall not take the _Chelton_ out without my permission,"Cora declared. "When we make our initial trip I intend to command it.For one thing, Uncle Denny is to come along; for another--well, that'sto be a little surprise. This afternoon at two exactly--will you come,Uncle Denny?"
"I will that," the old sailor replied. "I think it would be a goodthing to have a little weight, like my old head, in her when shestarts out. Them laddies are always up to pranks."
"Oh, we are just crazy to get out on the water," Bess put in, "andwhat do you think? That vain little Lottie went all the way to town toget the exact nautical cap. I wonder if she thinks folks in motorboats run slowly enough to see little white caps on little lightgirls?"
"When we get going I think all that will be seen will be splash, andall that will be heard will be chug," Cora remarked. "But come on.Let's hurry along. I promised Rita to help her with something."
"What?" asked Bess, curiously.
"Now, Bessie, that would be telling," replied Cora, stopping just longenough to empty the sand from her tennis shoe. Denny was trudgingalong after them--he could not resist an excuse to go down to theshore.
"Well, I'll say good-bye," said Freda. "I have to run back to mother.She will think I am lost."
"But you are coming this afternoon?" Cora insisted.
"Oh, I really can't, Cora, thank you," answered the other. "I havesomething so important to look after."
"What are you girls up to?" demanded Belle. "You have been actingmysteriously ever since you met on the train. Freda, it is reallyunpardonable not to take the initial trip with us, but if you reallycannot----"
"I really cannot," returned Freda, decisively, and somehow the girlsrealized that Freda's business was urgent.
"Now, I'll show you a short cut," said Denny. "Take that paththere--don't be afraid of the sign that the owner put up--he has noright to the beach front; then when you get to the Lonely Willow--doyou know where that is?"
Not one of them knew, but they were anxious to find out.
"You can't miss the Lonely Willow, for it stands all alone and looksas forlorn as the mast of a sunken steamer," said Denny. "It's in thedeep hollow by the watercress patch. Turn around that tree to yourleft and you'll see another path. But wait a minute," he broke off,"maybe it's a bit lonely."
"Oh, there are enough of us to shout if we see bears," Cora laughed."We have to hurry, and we will be glad to explore."
"Well, good-bye then, and good luck. I'll be at the dock ahead ofyou."
"Isn't he the quaintest old man?" asked Belle as the little partyhurried along. Then she added: "You and Freda made quite a visit. Webegan to think you were kidnapped."
"We did make a stay," agreed Cora, "but Denny is a very old friend ofFreda's family, and, to tell you the truth, we could hardly break awaywhen he started in to tell sea-yarns. Ouch! The mud is deep. I guesswe must be near the Lonely Willow."
"There it is!" exclaimed Belle
, who was somewhat in advance of theothers. "Indeed, it does stand all alone."
"Isn't it scary here!" whispered Bess. "See those two men under theWillow."
All eyes were turned to the big tree. Two men were seated on a branchthat made a comfortable seat. As the girls approached one of the menwrapped some papers up and thrust them into his pocket. But themovement was not lost on the girls.
No word was spoken for a few moments. Belle dropped back a little asif to allow the others to face the strangers first. Of course Cora,always being the leader, boldly made her way along.
They had to pass almost under the tree to reach the path, but therewas no halting once the girls started out.
Finally they had passed in perfect safety, but as they were almost outof earshot one of the men said:
"I thought she'd be with him--that old Denny!"
The rest of the remark was lost, but this fragment served to put Coraon her guard.
The Motor Girls on Crystal Bay; or, The Secret of the Red Oar Page 5