CHAPTER XV.
GLORIOUS NEWS.
"So you're the pelt thief, Ed Whitcomb, are you?" said Trapper Jim,gloomily, as he leaned on his rifle and looked down on the young fellow,at whom Ajax was sniffing as though he recognized an old friend.
Max caught the name. He recognized it, too. Trapper Jim had told them howhe had brought a young fellow up from the railroad town two seasonsbefore for company. His name had been Ed Whitcomb, too. They had seemedto get on for a time splendidly, but finally split on the subject ofdrinking, for Trapper Jim was very set against using liquor in any shape,and would not allow a drop of it in his cabin.
"Yes, I'm the thief, Uncle Jim," said the man, trying to suppress agroan. "The temptation when I happened on that silver was too much. Iobeyed a sudden impulse and sole it. Reckon, just as you used to say, toomuch drink had warped my judgment, because there was a time when I'dsooner have cut my hand off than steal."
"But you got sorry for it, I reckon," said the trapper, a little moresoftly.
"Yes, something rose up in me and rebelled," replied Ed. "Perhaps it wasthe memory of the mother I had as a boy. Yes, it must have been onlythat. I reckoned she could see what I done and it'd make her feel bad."
"You turned back?" Trapper Jim continued.
"I turned back, sure I did," the wounded man went on, eagerly. "I wasgoing to find you and tell you what a fool thing I'd done, tempted by thedevil, and how sorry I was. Then I slipped and went over the rocks upthere. But I deserve all I've got, Uncle Jim. I was a scoundrel; andafter all your kindness two years back, too."
"But what were you coming up here for?" asked the trapper.
"Why, Mosher, the grocery man, said some letters had come in his care foryou and these youngsters that were at your place. He told me you'darranged to have a half-breed bring up any mail that arrived, but thatthe carrier was down on his back with malarial fever. So I said I didn'tmind running up. Was so late starting I had to spend the night in thewoods. And then this morning that temptation got me."
"But you repented--you meant to do the right thing, Ed. Oh, I'm glad youturned around and faced the other way before this thing happened."
"So am I," groaned Ed, "but I'm afraid my leg's broken, and I'm soreinside like I'd fractured some of my ribs. What's going to come of me Idon't know. And perhaps I don't care much either, though you'll be gladto know, Uncle Jim, that me and strong drink have parted company forever.Ain't tasted a drop these three months; but it shows what it did for mewhen I could stoop low enough to _steal_, and from one of the bestfriends I ever had."
"That'll do for you, Ed," said the trapper, dropping on his knees besidethe wounded man; "we're all weak and liable to give in to temptation. Thefact that you repented is enough for me! We're going to carry you homewith us."
"Home--to your cabin, after I was so mean as to steal--"
"Don't ever mention that to me again," ordered the trapper, sternly;"forget it just as though it had never been. Yes, your leg is broken, Ed,the left one, and quite a bad fracture, too. But I know how to fix youup, and in three weeks you'll be hopping around on a crutch."
Ed fairly devoured him with his eyes.
"They broke the model after they made you, Jim Ruggles," he muttered, ashe put his hand to his side, indicating great pain there.
"Now let's see what's wrong about your ribs, lad," said the trapper, ashe started to undo the other's coat, and then his heavy blue woolenshirt.
"I reckon you have got a rib cracked," he said, after a carefulexamination; "but nothing serious. Hurt for a while when you take a longbreath, but it'll knit together again. And now--"
Trapper Jim stopped short in the middle of a sentence. He was staringhard at something he had seen all of a sudden.
"Where'd you get this, Ed Whitcomb?" he demanded, in a thick voice.
As he spoke he caught hold of a locket which hung about the neck of theother by a little gold chain. It had been burst open possibly by thefall, and as Trapper Jim started to draw the shirt of the wounded mantogether again he had disturbed this keepsake, which, turning about,disclosed the face of a pretty young woman.
"Why, she gave it to me," replied the other, weakly; "I've worn it thatway ever since she died; and you're the first, right now, that's everlooked on it, Jim."
The trapper's eyes filled up.
"What was she to you, Ed Whitcomb?" he asked, gulping hard.
"My mother, of course," came the answer.
Trapper Jim simply turned the face on the locket so that Max could seeit, and then he said in almost a whisper:
"Susie Benedict!"
Max understood. This, then, was the girl for love of whom Jim Ruggles hadpartly given up his ambition of ever being anything worth while when hefled to the wilderness.
How wonderful things do happen at times Max thought.
Why, only a few hours before Jim had been confessing to Owen and himselfhow sometimes he felt as though he would like to hunt up Susie's boy anddo something for him, as he was possessed of ample means.
And here a strange freak of fate had brought them together in thisremarkable way. Why, they had even spent a winter in company withoutTrapper Jim ever suspecting the truth.
But it was all right now.
And Max privately confided to Steve, who demanded to know who SusieBenedict was at the first opportunity, that Old Jim would spend no morewinters up there alone with his two dogs.
"They'll make a team of it, and be as happy as two clams," he declared;while Steve was very much tickled at the way things had turned out.
So, under the directions of the trapper, who was setting the broken legwithout delay, the two boys fashioned a rude but effective litter uponwhich the wounded young man could be comfortably carried.
The boys took turns with Trapper Jim in carrying the litter. Nothingseemed to weary the old trapper. He trudged on over hill and through thewoods, as though his frame might be made of steel.
But every time a halt was made he would come around to see if his roughbandages still held, and the hand that touched Ed Whitcomb was as tenderas that of a woman, while his voice was filled with solicitude when heasked how the other felt.
And Ed Whitcomb understood it all now. He marveled to think that thisman, whom he had known so long, and who had really been the means ofcausing him to reform before it was too late, had once loved his mother!
Darkness came on.
They were still some distance from the cabin, and both boys looked tired,though unwilling to confess to the fact.
"We're going through with it, that's what!" said Steve, with a snap ofhis jaws, when the wounded man suggested that they ought to rest.
And they did.
Trapper Jim showed them how to make some torches that would give a prettygood light. And the one who did not assist with the stretcher went aheadto show the way.
And along about nine o'clock the barking of the dogs brought the threeboys in the cabin to the door.
Great was their surprise when they learned what had happened. Ed Whitcombwas made comfortable in the lower bunk, and the boys at once agreed thetrapper was to occupy the other. The floor and those soft furs wouldfurnish them with good enough beds.
Of course the three who had been at home were wild to hear all about it.And Max thought it best to get them outdoors where he could relate thewhole story, even to the fact of Jim Ruggles having once been head overears in love with pretty Susie before she turned him down.
They thought it was the greatest thing that had ever come under theirobservation. And all agreed that since Ed Whitcomb had repented aftertaking the precious pelt, and was on the way back with it,he must be all right.
They meant to treat him as a man and a brother because it was evidentthat Uncle Jim was bound sooner or later to adopt the other as his sonand heir.
And that pelt _was_ a beauty, too; though none of the boys could realizethat, according to what Trapper Jim said, it might be worth all offifteen hundred dollars.
Another day
came around.
Of course the trapper, having neglected his catch on account of the theftof the silver fox pelt, had to start off unusually early.
This time Owen accompanied him, his ankle having improved.
Toby, encouraged by the catch of fish which he and Bandy-legs had made onthe preceding day, started out again, determined to make a record.
The other three remained in and around the cabin, bringing up firewood,looking after the skins that had been placed in the air, where the suncould not get at them, and doing such chores as would fall to the lot ofTrapper Jim were he alone.
The letter which reached them had been from Mr. Hastings, telling them hehad seen Steve's folks, as well as Mr. Griffin and Toby's guardian; andthat since they had gone so far, and the school would not be ready untillate in November, they might stay another week longer than they hadcontemplated, if they cared to do so.
And by a unanimous vote the five boys had immediately decided that they_did_ care, so they enjoyed the prospect of more happy days ahead.
It was almost noon when Toby was seen running frantically toward thecabin and minus his cap. Every few steps he would cast a look of fearover his shoulder.
"What ails you?" shouted Steve, and Toby, though he could hardly speak,managed to blurt out:
"B-b-bear--eatin' up all m-m-my f-f-fish. M-m-meant to t-t-tackle men-n-next!"
CHAPTER XVI.
SURPRISING BRUIN--_Conclusion_.
"WHOOP!" shouted Steve, as he made a headlong plunge in the direction ofthe cabin door, closely followed by the other two.
Of course all of them were after their guns, and it hardly seemed fiveseconds to Toby, panting without, ere his companions were tumblingpellmell through the cabin door again, each clutching his favoriteweapon.
"Lead us to him, Toby!" commanded Steve, arrogantly.
"Yes, show us the big hulking beast that devoured your fish, Toby," saidBandy-legs, "we'll fix it up with him. I'm no slouch of a bear killermyself."
"Aw, rats!" scoffed Steve. "This ain't one of your docile trapped bearkind, Bandy-legs. This one can run like all get-out. If he ever startsafter you, it's dollars to doughnuts you'd never get away on them shortpins of yours."
"Can bears climb trees?" asked Bandy-legs, nervously.
"Well, I should say yes, black bears especially. They live half the timeup in trees," replied Steve, who was pushing on just behind Toby himself.
Whereupon Bandy-legs discreetly allowed Max to pass him also. SinceNature had placed a serious handicap on him when dealing out those shortlegs, it seemed only right that he should be allowed a little extradistance. Then, in case the hungry fish-eating bear did see fit to chargethem, all of the boys would be placed upon something like an equalfooting.
Toby was furious by now.
He might have been simply frightened at the time he made his appearancebefore the cabin, but that feeling was rapidly giving way to anger. Andbursting almost with indignation, he had to try and express himself tohis comrades, despite the impediment in his speech, which was alwaysworse when Toby grew excited.
"B-b-been all the b-b-blessed m-m-mornin' a-c-c-coaxin' them p-p-pickerelto t-t-take hold, and h-h-here that b-b-bloomin' old c-c-crocodile of ab-b-bear had to s-s-swallow h-h-half of 'em in one b-b-big b-b-bite!"
Max chuckled as he listened. He even found time to wonder whether Toby,if pressed, knew what sort of animal he meant by a "crocodile of a bear."But then a good deal of allowance must be made for a stuttering boy, andespecially when he has a grievance as big as the one Toby shouldered.
"There's the pond ahead," cried Steve; "now show us your old bear."
"Come this way," said Toby. "I g-g-guess he's eat up all my s-s-string;and now he's hunting f-f-f or the can of b-b-bait."
He led them into a thick part of the wood.
"L-l-look!" whispered Toby, pointing.
"It is a bear, as sure as you live!" exclaimed Max.
"C-c-course it is," Toby went on; "w-w-what'd you think m-m-made me run?G-g-guess I know a s-s-stump when I see one."
Max held the impetuous Steve back.
"Wait," he said, "and let's all fire together. This bear isn't held by atrap, and if you only wound him there'd be a pretty kettle of fish."
"Ain't no f-f-fish left; he's d-d-devoured even my b-b-bait, the oldglutton!" bellowed Toby, shaking his fist toward the bear.
Bruin evidently had enjoyed his unexpected meal immensely. Likely enoughhe had never before in all his life been offered a fish dinner gratis.Perhaps some of these other two-legged creatures that drew near, holdingthe funny sticks in their hands, might offer him another nice mess ofpickerel fresh caught.
So the bear stood there on the edge of the pond watching them approach,as though not a particle afraid, only curious--and still fish hungry.
"See him licking his lips, would you!" cried Bandy-legs, still in therear.
"L-l-liked 'em so m-m-much, he w-w-wants m-m-more, hang him!"
"We'll give him some cold lead instead," declared Steve, holding hisdouble-barrel ready so he could shoot from the left shoulder; "see ifhe'll be able to digest it."
"He'll die just now, anyhow, if all of us nail him," remarked Max,laughing at the way the bear stood there watching them spread out like afan.
"Aren't we close enough. Max?" asked Bandy-legs, who was nearly twice asfar away as the two bolder spirits,
"Yes," piped up Steve, "let's get to work. You count three, Max; andremember, Bandy-legs, don't you dare shoot till you hear him say 'three'plain as dirt."
"But, Steve," said Max.
"What d'ye want?" grumbled the other, trembling with eagerness to beginoperations.
"I hope you've only got one hammer raised," continued Max. "It'd bepretty tough if you fired both barrels again, and lamed your leftshoulder, too."
"Cracky! I guess you're right, Max. Wait a few seconds till I set onehammer down. I ain't going to take the chances. Shooting left-handed'sbad enough, but what'd I do if I lamed that arm, too!"
"Try it w-w-with your l-l-legs!" observed Toby.
"All ready!" called out Max.
"Q-q-quick! He's m-m-moving off!" shouted Toby.
"All the better," said Max, coolly. "We can get a good aim at his sidenow; just back of the shoulder, remember, Bandy-legs!"
"C-c-count!" begged Toby, who hated to think of the bold fish robbergetting off scot-free after his recent raid.
The bear was ambling off. Perhaps he had come to the wise conclusion thattoo much fish at one time was bad for a bear's digestion. And then,again, he did not altogether like the looks of all these queer two-leggedcreatures with those crooked black sticks which they kept poking out athim.
He would not run away, because, of course, he was not really afraid; buteven a bear might be allowed to conduct a masterly retreat.
"One!" called out Max.
The three guns were leveled.
"Two!"
Then cheeks pressed the stocks and eyes glanced along the tubes, whileitching fingers began to play with waiting triggers.
"Three!"
It was almost the roar of a cannon that followed. Three guns had spokenalmost in the same breath.
"H-h-he's g-g-gone!" yelped Toby, who could see better than any of theothers, because no little puff of white powder smoke obscured his vision.
A tremendous thrashing in the water told them that the wounded bear musthave toppled over into the partly frozen pond.
"Look out for him!" cried Max.
He had ejected the used cartridge from his magazine rifle with one quickmotion. Another sent a fresh one into the firing chamber.
Steve had drawn back the second hammer of his gun, and in this fashionthen the two chums advanced straight toward the spot where they had lastseen the bear.
Bandy-legs, more cautious, kept farther off, though he, too, aimed toreach the border of the little lake, in order to see what was going on.
"Got him!" whooped Steve, when he discovered that the bear was evident
lyfatally wounded, and fell back into the water every time he tried toclimb the bank.
It was Max who thought to mercifully put an end to the stricken beast'ssufferings by another well-directed shot from his rifle.
The bear was now dead. Even Toby put in his claim to a partnership inbringing about its demise. The right of first discovery rested with him,and he was ready to take up a defense of his claim at any time.
So, in order to avoid all bad feelings, and insure peace in the familyhereafter, Max declared that the honor should be jointly shared by tiewhole four of them.
"Whenever we speak of 'our' bear, you'll know which one we mean," heremarked; "and, now, the next thing is to get the old chap up on dryland."
Securing some rope and a couple of blocks he had seen at the cabin,doubtless used when Trapper Jim wanted to haul logs, or with one man'spower do a three-man job, Max fashioned a block and tackle.
With this they easily got the bear up the bank.
Then Max tried his hand at removing the skin, after which he cut up thebear, with Steve's assistance. And before Trapper Jim and Owen got backfrom setting a dozen more muskrat traps, as well as attending to thosethat had been neglected on the preceding day, everything needful had beendone.
Great indeed was the surprise of Trapper Jim when he finally arrived,tired and likewise hungry, to smell cooking bear steaks, and discover notone bear skin stretched out properly to cure, but two.
The last one had been somewhat torn where the various leaden missiles hadpassed through. But the trapper assured the boys that if placed in thehands of a good fur dealer it could be easily sewed up, and would makethem an elegant rug for their club room,
"Every time you walk on it you'll remember this delightful littlevacation spent with Trapper Jim in the North Woods," he declared.
"And it will always have just a faint fishy smell to me, because therascal ate up all Toby's morning catch before we got him," remarked Max.
"S-s-say, we had f-f-fish for s-s-supper last night, didn't we?" demandedToby.
"That's right, we did," spoke up Steve, "and right sweet pickerel, too,thanks to the one who stuck it out all afternoon watching his poles andkeeping one eye on the woods for the mate of our bear to appear. Oh, theywere nice, all right! And I just dote on pickerel, all but the boot-jackbones."
It can be safely assumed that they were a merry crowd that night.
The boys, realizing that their period for fun up in those glorious NorthWoods had been extended another week, were bubbling over with joy.
Trapper Jim had everything to make him contented, and even happy. Everytime he touched that elegant fox skin he felt like shaking hands withhimself because of the satisfaction it gave him--not so much the value ofthe pelt as the proud consciousness that he had finally been enabled tocapture another of those rare and almost priceless prizes which every furtaker dreams about.
And then, again, doubtless Uncle Jim found great reason for thankfulnessevery time he glanced toward Ed Whitcomb. What had been a vague,half-formed dream in his mind bade fair to become a reality. He wasSusie's boy, and circumstances had thrown them together in a way sostrange that it was surely intended that they should part no more.
As for the wounded man, although he might often deep down in his heartdeplore the weakness that had taken possession of him at sight of thecaptured silver fox, still, since it had brought Jim and him together,and revealed a new and entirely unsuspected bond between them, why shouldhe regret it.
Besides, Trapper Jim declared he owed the fox skin to Ed, anyhow. He haddiscovered that the animal had gnawed its foot almost off, and longbefore Jim and the boys came along would have gone limping off on threelegs only that Ed appeared just in time to knock it on the head.
With nearly two weeks ahead of them, it was only natural that Max and hisfour chums should anticipate other glorious times. And that they met withno disappointment in this respect the reader who has followed them thusfar with interest will discover when he reads the next volume of theseries:
"CAUGHT IN A FOREST FIRE."
THE END.
With Trapper Jim in the North Woods Page 15