CHAPTER XI
BUSTER HAS A SHOCK
"What in the wide world's that?" asked Buster Longfellow, as they cameto a halt in order to listen.
"Sounds like somebody's started a blacksmith shop over here on theisland, that's what!" remarked Josh.
"Mebbe they're counting over the ducats they've stolen," suggestedGeorge; but the idea of silver dollars making such a loud sound as thisas they jingled in a heap, was really so ridiculous that even Busterchuckled in derision; whereupon George had to hastily add "joke!"
"Tell you what I think," observed wise Herb. "You know they were havingsome engine trouble a while back; and I reckon that mechanic fellow hasgot busy fixing it up. The only thing that surprises me is that Georgehere didn't recognize something mighty familiar in the racket. He'sforever making it himself, so if I didn't know he was alongside, I'dtake my affidavy that was him right now."
"Huh! think yourself smart to make fun of my twelve-horse power engine,don't you, Herb?" he started to say, and would doubtless have deliveredhimself of considerably more along the same lines, only that Jack brokein by observing:
"All the same, Herb is right, there; for the man is aboard the boat andworking away at the motor. He's some machinist, believe me, from the wayhe goes about things. And there's the other one going aboard too; wonderwhat that means?"
Watching they presently saw the younger fellow come in sight again, andstep to the bank of the island from the power tied-up and anchored boat.
"Got an armful of blankets?" asserted Josh, immediately.
"That settles one thing, then," came from George.
"Yes, they're going to make camp ashore, and pass the night on firmground," Jack admitted. "Perhaps they like the change, as we do. Plentyof times when you just have to sleep aboard the boat, you know."
"And p'raps," George went on, "we'll be trying out my little bit of ascheme, after all."
"Nobody knows," Jack assured them.
They made themselves as easy as possible, and took up their vigil, notknowing how long it might last.
Back and forth the younger fellow went, until he had carried a great lotof articles, calculated to induce a comfortable night's rest ashore.Then he started in to fix things to suit him, taking a part of theblankets.
"That settles it," whispered Jack, to Herb, who was next, "he's agreenhorn, as far as camping goes."
"Yep, guess he is," assented the other, although, if put to the test,Herb might have found it difficult to explain on what he founded hisbelief.
"See where he's gone and arranged his blankets," Jack continued. "There,he's trying to see how they feel; and would you look at his head towardthe fire. No experienced camper ever does that, because it's his feetthat get cold in the night, so he always has them closest to the fire."
"Sure!" agreed Herb, just as though he had always known that fact, whenin truth it had never occurred to him before.
"He fetched some grub with him the last time he came!" whispered George,on the other side of Jack, "and if anybody asked me what that stood forI'd be likely to say it meant they were going to stay on dry land alittle while, till they get that engine working that's what."
"Well, that isn't going to be long," remarked Josh in turn as there camea series of explosions from aboard the boat, that sounded as regularlyas clockwork. "He's got her working now, all right, I guess."
"Then he must be a crack-a-jack of a mechanic," observed George,thoughtfully, as though a vague idea had come into his head that itmight pay him to get such a man to look over his engine, given thechance.
"But I haven't seen any paint--yet," remarked Buster, obstinately.
"Well, what would they want to get busy with that for at night time?"Josh asked him. "If they put in tomorrow hiding here on the islandyou'll see enough of paint slingin' to suit you, Buster, believe me.They'll want to get the boat partly up out of the water on some skids,using block and tackle to drag her; and then so change her looks thatnobody'll recognize her as the same suspicious white boat that took thebank's cash away."
After that they fell silent for some time, meanwhile continuing to watchthe two who were still objects of concern, not to say suspicion. The oneashore had crawled under his blankets as though bent on getting fixedcozy for the night. He came out and went back three separate times. Nowit was to arrange his covering a little differently; and again it was todraw the blankets back and dig out a root that must have started to hurthis back while lying there, as roots have a failing for doing withcampers, especially the big gnarly ones that have a knob on them--everyboy knows that without being told.
About the time he finally seemed fixed comfortably with the fire burninglow not very far from his head the second one came ashore.
"How is she now, Jenks; I heard you give her a trial spin?" came a voicefrom among the collected heap of blankets which the intended sleeper haddrawn over him.
"Workin' tip-top, sir, right now," replied the other; and somehow itseemed to the listening Jack that there was a vein of deference inhis tones such as might hardly be expected to be disclosed when onecracksman addressed another, no matter if it was a Slim Jim, and arecognized master of the art of thievery.
"Then we've got that thing off our hands, Jenks," the unseen one wenton, every word reaching the ears of the listening boys, because hecalled out loudly, thinking his voice might be muffled by the blankets,"and we can take it easy tomorrow, with the other job, if we conclude tohide until darkness comes around again."
"That's right, sir, so we can," assented the other, beginning to shifthis blankets and make up his bed in the regulation way.
There was no more said.
Jack, watching Jenks, immediately decided that the man must have beenin the open more or less, for he seemed to know just how to go aboutthings; and his head was not toward the fire either, when he lay down.Still, he did not attempt to arrange the blaze so that it would keep upfor many hours; perhaps he thought that since the other had incautiouslyplaced his head that way it would be folly to keep the heat going, so asto roast him out.
And then at last both seemed to have successfully arranged themselves,for there was no longer any wriggling movements of the blankets thatmight stand for uneasiness.
"Think they're asleep, Jack?" queried Herb, softly, as he touched theother gently on the arm.
"If they ain't they'll soon be," muttered George, who had overheard thequestion and took it upon himself to answer.
"Wonder how much longer this game's goin' to keep up?" grumbled Josh;"my right leg's nigh paralyzed as it is, and I'm gettin' a crick in myback, Jack, what's the best word?"
For reply he received a low warning hist that somehow thrilled Josh, andpossibly some of the others as well. Immediately every one fastened hiseyes on the two bundles of blankets near the dying fire, as thoughexpecting to see some upheaval in that quarter; but nothing of the kindtook place.
"What was it, Jack?" whispered Josh, wondering why the other had giventhat low warning, when there seemed to be no sign of trouble in thehostile camp.
"Something moving over yonder in the bushes; watch sharp, to the right,now!" was what came from the Commodore.
"Gee! mebbe a wild animal goin' to raid the camp for grub!" Joshsuggested.
"More'n likely the same hungry guy that carried off that ham of ours,that's what," Buster was just heard to say, deep down in his throat.
Then they lapsed into silence again; though all this talking had beenconducted in such low tones, that a short distance away any one wouldhave taken it for granted that it could only be the night windwhispering through the branches of the trees overhead, not yet fullycovered with the fresh green leaves that came with the spring.
Yes, there certainly was something moving over there, in the quarterwhich Jack had indicated. They could see the bushes beginning to bendagain, but very slowly, as though the intended intruder tried toexercise great care, not meaning to arouse the sleepers.
Man or animal, they could not say immediately, for
even when they firstcaught sight of the moving figure it was crouched so low that it couldpass for either one or the other, in that uncertain light.
Every eye was riveted on it, that can be set down as positive. In fact,just at that minute all of the watchers seemed to be holding their verybreath, such was their natural condition of suspense, as well as deepinterest.
"Is it a panther, Jack; and have you got your Marlin ready?" Joshwhispered in the other's ear.
The only answer Jack made was to kick Josh on the shins; with thatunknown thing creeping forward it seemed no time to be asking foolishquestions. Josh evidently understood, for he hushed up immediately.
But then that might have been because all of them saw about this timethat it was a man and not an animal, for he had raised his head, inorder to take a sharp look toward the spot where the fire glimmered andthe two figures were huddled in the piles of blankets.
Possibly the low murmur of Josh's voice had reached the ears of theintruder, so as to arouse a slight suspicion; but if so, this must havebeen lulled to sleep again immediately he found that neither of theinanimate figures had changed position.
But when the man thus partly arose it disclosed the fact that he was aheavyset sort of a fellow, wearing a cap and that his face was partlycovered with a beard. It did something more than this. When he stretchedhis neck to see the better a portion of his body was exposed to view.
Now, it was nothing strange that this unknown prowler wore a sweater, orthat this was a fine soft gray woolen sweater, of the kind used byautomobile tourists in these days, buttoning down the front; butit certainly nearly gave Buster Longfellow heart disease when hediscovered on the breast of that same garment the wonderful blue moonthat he had so often described as marking his lost present, which he hadbeen suspecting poor innocent Josh of having purloined!
Motor Boat Boys' River Chase; or, Six Chums Afloat and Ashore Page 11