The Bobbsey Twins Megapack

by Laura Lee Hope

  “Hello!” called the man to Bert, who was now outside the little tent. “Who are you?”

  “Bert Bobbsey,” was the answer. “My sister and cousins are here. We got lost and made this shelter. Were you looking for us?”

  “Well, not exactly,” said the hunter slowly, as he leaned on his gun, and looked at the fire, then at Bert and next on Nan, Dorothy and Harry, who by this time had come from the tent. “Not exactly, but maybe it’s a good thing I found you. The storm is growing worse. What did you say your name was?”

  “Bert Bobbsey.”

  The hunter started.

  “Any relation to Mr. Richard Bobbsey?” he asked.

  “He’s my father.”

  “You don’t say so! Well, I’m glad to hear that. It will give me a chance to do him a good turn. I’m Henry Burdock,” the hunter went on.

  It was the turn of Bert and Nan to be surprised.

  “Henry Burdock!” repeated Bert. “Are you the nephew of Mr. Carford?”

  “Yes,” was the low reply. “Do you know him?”

  “Why, we’re stopping at his place—Snow Lodge,” said Bert. “We got lost coming from there to take some pictures. Oh, Mr. Burdock, can you take us back there?”

  “Snow Lodge—Snow Lodge,” said the hunter slowly. His voice was sad, as though the place had bitter memories for him.

  CHAPTER XVIII

  Snowballs

  “Are we very far from Snow Lodge?” asked Nan, after a pause. “We didn’t think we would have any trouble getting back to it.”

  “You’re about three miles away, and the path is hard to find in the darkness and storm,” said the young hunter slowly. “Let me think what is best to do.”

  He remained leaning on his gun, staring into the fire, which was now burning brightly. Then he spoke again.

  “You youngsters certainly have made this a fine shelter. I couldn’t have done it much better myself. It’s just the thing to keep out the cold wind.”

  “We thought we’d have to stay here all night,” said Bert. “We made some hot chocolate. We’ve got a little left. Will you take some?”

  “No, thank you,” replied Henry Burdock. “I generally carry a little to eat with me, and I just finished my night lunch. I had some cold coffee that I warmed up, too. I’m sorry, but if I had known I was going to meet you folks I’d have saved some.”

  “Oh, we’re all right,” declared Harry. “We can finish our chocolate, and then perhaps you can show us the way back to Snow Lodge.”

  “Yes,” spoke Henry Burdock, slowly, “I could do that. I know the way well enough. But it’s a hard path to travel in the storm, and after dark. I don’t believe you girls could manage it,” and he looked at Nan and Dorothy.

  “Oh, yes, we could!” Nan exclaimed. “We’ve had a good rest, and papa and mamma will be so anxious about us!”

  “I’d like first rate to take you all home,” said the hunter, “but I think I have a better plan. My shack isn’t far from here. I could take you all there, and you could stay until morning. Then I could go to Snow Lodge and tell them you were all right. When it was daylight they could come for you in the sled.”

  “Maybe that would be best,” agreed Bert.

  “But won’t it be too much of a trip for you?” asked Nan.

  “No, I’m used to roaming about the woods,” said Mr. Carford’s nephew, with a sad smile. “A few miles more or less won’t make any difference, and I know every inch of this forest. I’ve had to,” he added. “It’s the only home I have now.”

  “Yes, we—we heard about you,” said Nan quickly, and there was kindness in her voice. “It’s too bad your uncle acted as he did, and sent you away.”

  “Well, he thought he was doing right,” said Henry. “I don’t know as I blame him. Your father, though, he stuck to me, and I’m glad I can do his children a favor.”

  “Indeed, it seems too much to ask,” spoke Dorothy, for Nan had whispered to her and Harry the details of the story of the missing money which Henry Burdock was suspected of taking.

  “I don’t mind,” said the hunter. “I didn’t do much walking today. Game was not very plentiful, though I got some. Now I’ll lead you to my shack. It’s small, but it’s warm, and you can be comfortable there until daylight. I was walking through the woods, when I saw the flicker of your fire, and came up to see what it was.”

  “And I couldn’t imagine what it was I heard when I woke up,” said Bert. “I was a bit frightened at first,” he admitted, with a smile.

  “I don’t blame you,” said Henry. “And, since we are talking about Snow Lodge, I want to say that I never took that money. It was on the mantel in the living room, just as my uncle says it was, for I saw it. I don’t deny but what I would have been glad to have it, for I had been foolish, and I owed more than I could pay. But I never took that roll of bills.”

  “Have you any idea who did?” asked Bert.

  “Not in the least. And as I was the only one in the house, besides my uncle, of course it made it look as if I had taken it, especially as the money totally disappeared. But I never laid a hand on it.”

  “It is too bad,” said Bert. “Maybe some day the bills will be found and you will be cleared.”

  “I hope so,” sighed Henry. “But it’s been some years now, and my uncle has considered me a thief all that while. I’ve gotten so I don’t much care any more. Living in the woods makes you sort of that way. You do a lot of thinking.

  “But there!” exclaimed the young hunter, straightening up. “This isn’t doing you children any good. I’d better be taking you to my place instead of staying here. Have you anything to carry?”

  “My camera—that’s all,” said Nan. “I’ll get it,” and she darted into the shelter after it. Then, when the fire had been extinguished so there would be no danger of it spreading, the young folks set off after Henry Burdock, who led the way. He seemed to know it, even in the darkness, but of course the white snow on the ground made the path rather easy to pick out.

  In a short time they came to a log cabin, which was the “shack” the hunter had mentioned. It was the work of but a few minutes to open it, and blow into flames the fire that was smouldering on the hearth. A lamp had been lighted and the place was warm and cozy enough for anyone.

  “Oh, this is fine!” cried Nan. “If the folks knew we were here we would be all right, and not worry.”

  “They’ll soon know it,” said Mr. Burdock. “I’m going to set off at once for Snow Lodge. Will you be afraid to stay here?”

  “Not a bit of it!” exclaimed Bert, and the others agreed with him.

  Leaving the game he had shot, Henry Burdock started off again through the storm-swept woods, while Bert and the others made themselves at home in the cabin. Mr. Burdock had showed them where he kept his food, and the boys and girls enjoyed a midnight lunch, for it was now after twelve o’clock.

  It was about three in the morning when the hunter came back, to find his young friends asleep. He let himself in quietly, and not until daylight, when they awoke, did he tell them of his trip.

  He had reached Snow Lodge safely, there to find Mr. and Mrs. Bobbsey almost distracted over the absence of the children. Mr. Bobbsey and Sam had searched as well as they could, and they were just going off to arouse some nearby farmers and make a more thorough hunt when Mr. Burdock came in.

  That his news was welcome need not be said, and Mrs. Bobbsey wept for joy when she knew that her children and the others were safe. They wanted the young hunter to remain until daylight, and go back with them in the sled, but he said he would rather go on to his cabin now. Perhaps he did not feel that he should remain in Snow Lodge, from where his uncle had driven him in anger years before.

  Mr. Burdock gave Mr. Bobbsey directions how to find the cabin, and, as soon as the first streak of daylight showed, the lumber merchant and Sam set off in the big sled. Flossie and Freddie were not awake, or they might have been taken along.

  And a little later Bert, Nan,
Dorothy and Harry were safe in Snow Lodge once more.

  For some days after this the weather was stormy, so that the young folks could not go far from Snow Lodge. But they managed to have good times indoors, or out in the big barn.

  Then came another thaw, and a freeze followed some days later, making good skating. One afternoon Bert proposed to Harry that they go for a trip on the ice-boat.

  “But not too far,” cautioned his father. “We don’t want you to get lost again.”

  “No, we’ll only go a mile or so,” said Bert. “Want to come, Nan and Dorothy?”

  The girls did, and so, also, did Flossie and Freddie, but their mother would not allow this. So Freddie got out his engine and played fireman, while his little sister put her walking and talking doll through her performance. Snap, the trick dog, with many barks, raced off with Bert and the older children.

  The Ice Bird sailed well that day, skimming over the frozen lake at a fast pace, and the children greatly enjoyed the sport. Snap sat on with the others, looking as though he liked it as well as anyone.

  They sailed up the lake for some distance and then got out to look for a cave which Bert had heard was a short distance from shore. They did not find it at once, but while they were climbing up a little hill, thinking the cave might be somewhere near it, Harry was suddenly startled to receive a snowball on his ear.

  “Ouch!” he cried. “Who threw that?”

  They all stopped and looked around. No one was in sight.

  “Maybe it fell off a tree,” suggested Nan.

  “It came too hard for that,” declared Harry. “It was thrown.”

  They looked about again, but, seeing no one, went on. Then, suddenly there came another ball, and Dorothy cried:

  “There, that came out of a tree, for I saw it. Right over there,” and she pointed.

  “Then if it came out of a tree someone is up the tree!” declared Bert, “and I’m going to see who it is.”

  As he rushed forward a snowball struck him full in the face.

  CHAPTER XIX

  Snap Is Gone

  Dorothy screamed, and turned back toward Nan when she saw Bert struck with the snowball. But plucky Nan kept on.

  “That must be Danny Rugg!” cried Bert’s sister. “No one else around here would be as mean as that!”

  Bert stopped a moment to brush the snow from his eyes, and then he rushed toward the tree.

  “Who is it?” cried Harry.

  “I don’t know—but I’m going to find out,” was Bert’s answer. “Come along!”

  The two boys hurried on, the girls lingering in the rear.

  Again a snowball flew out of the tree, but it struck no one, though coming near to Nan.

  By this time Bert was close to the tree. It was a hemlock, and the branches were quite thick, but Bert got a glimpse of someone hiding among them.

  “Come down out of that!” Bert cried. “I see you!”

  There was no answer.

  “What do you mean by hitting us?” asked Harry angrily. “We didn’t do anything to you.”

  Still there was no answer.

  “I’m going to do some snowballing on my own account,” spoke Bert. “Here goes!”

  He quickly made a hard ball, and, circling around the tree to find an opening in the branches, he saw the figure of the boy more plainly.

  “Danny Rugg!” cried Bert. “So it’s you; is it? First you start a snowslide down on us and then you snowball us. This has got to stop. Take that!”

  Bert threw, but though his aim was good, Danny, for it was the bully, managed to climb up higher in the tree, and the snowball broke into pieces against the branches.

  “Ha! Ha!” laughed Danny.

  “Oh, there’s plenty more snow,” said Harry, “and you can’t have an awful lot up there.”

  His answer was another snowball, which struck him on the shoulder, doing no harm. Danny must have taken some snow-ammunition up the tree with him, and, in addition, there was a supply of the white flakes on the wide branches of the hemlock.

  Bert and Harry both began throwing snowballs up into the tree, but they were at a disadvantage, for their missiles broke to pieces against the trunk or branches. On the other hand Danny could wait his chance and hit them when they came within sight.

  “This won’t do!” exclaimed Bert, after a bit. “We’ve got to get him out of that tree.”

  “How can we?” asked Harry. “Climb up it, and pull him down?”

  “Oh, don’t do that!” cried Nan. “You might get hurt.”

  “Yes, that would be risky,” admitted Bert. “One of us might slip and fall. Hey you, Danny Rugg!” cried Bert. “Come on down, and we’ll give you a fair show. Only one of us will tackle you at a time.”

  “Huh! Think I’m coming down?” asked Danny. “I’m not afraid of you, but I’m going to stay up here.”

  “Oh, are you?” asked Bert, as he thought of a new plan. “We’ll see about that. Come here, Harry.”

  From the tree Danny looked down anxiously while Harry and Bert whispered together. The girls had walked off to one side.

  “How are you going to get him down?” asked Harry.

  “Cut the tree,” answered Bert. “It’s only a small one.”

  “But we can’t even cut that down with our knives.”

  “I know. But on the ice-boat is that hatchet father gave me to take to be sharpened. I forgot about it on the way up the lake, and I was going to do it on the way back. There’s a blacksmith shop in the big cove. But the hatchet is sharp enough to chop down this tree. We’ll get it and give Danny a good scare.”

  “That’s what we will. You stay here and I’ll run down and get it.”

  Harry started off on a run, and Danny, still up the tree, wondered what plan was afoot. The bully had been out for a walk when he saw Bert and the others coming up the hill. He quickly climbed the tree in order to throw snowballs at them.

  When Harry came back with the hatchet Bert once more called to Danny.

  “Are you coming down and fight fair? I give you my promise that only one of us will tackle you at a time. You can have your choice.”

  “I’m not coming down!” cried Danny.

  “Chop away, Harry!” called Bert. “I guess I can pepper him with a few snowballs if he tries to throw any at you.”

  The tree trunk was not very thick, and the hatchet was fairly sharp. In a little while the tree began swaying.

  “I say now, stop that!” cried Danny, trying to get a better hold in the branches.

  “Better come down before you fall,” suggested Bert, who had a pile of snowballs ready.

  The tree swayed more and more. Bert and Harry knew that even if Danny fell with it he could not get hurt in the soft drifts. So Harry kept on chopping.

  The tree swayed more and more. There was a cracking sound. Then Danny cried:

  “Don’t chop any more—I’m coming down!”

  “Get ready, Harry!” called Bert. “We’ll give him some of the same kind of a thing he gave us!”

  In another instant Danny jumped, and as the swaying tree sprang back, when relieved of his weight, Bert and Harry leaped forward to pelt the bully with snowballs.

  Danny tried to fight back, but he was no match for the two of them, and soon he began to look like a snow image, so well was he plastered with white flakes.

  “Give it to him!” cried Bert, whose face still stung where Danny had struck him with a snowball.

  “That’s what I will,” agreed Harry, whose ear was quite sore.

  For a time Danny said nothing, but tried to block off the rain of snowballs, throwing some of his own back. Then, as he was almost overwhelmed by the ones Harry and Bert threw, the bully cried:

  “Stop! Stop! I’ve had enough! I won’t bother you any more!”

  Danny was soon out of sight, running off in the direction of his father’s lumber tract, and soon Bert and the others went back to the ice-boat.

  They stopped at the blacksmith shop t
o have the hatchet sharpened, and reached home after a little sail on the Ice Bird.

  “Did anything happen this time?” asked Freddie, as he greeted them on the return to Snow Lodge.

  “Not much,” replied Bert. “We just had a snow fight; that’s all.”

  The skating and ice-boating lasted for some time, and the girls and boys had lots of fun. Nights were spent in popping corn, telling stories, roasting apples, and once, in the big sled, they all went to an entertainment in a nearby school hall.

  It was on returning from this, in the evening, that Dinah met them at the door, asking:

  “Did yo’ all take dat dog Snap wif yo?”

  “Take Snap? No,” said Mr. Bobbsey.

  “Isn’t he here?”

  The children began to look alarmed.

  “He was here,” said Dinah, “but I can’t find him now, nohow. He suah am missin’.”

  CHAPTER XX

  The Big Storm

  For a moment they all looked at one another by turns. Flossie and Freddie showed the most alarm. Bert started for the outside door, as though intending to make a search for his pet. Mr. Bobbsey questioned Dinah.

  “Are you sure,” he asked, “that Snap isn’t around?”

  “I suah am suah,” she replied. “I done called him to git suffin to eat, an’ when Snap won’t come fo’ dat he ain’t around.”

  “That’s so,” said Mrs. Bobbsey. “I wonder if he could have followed after us, and got lost? Did any of you see him trailing us?”

  “He did come a little way, when we started,” came from Dorothy.

  “Yes, but Dinah called him back; didn’t you?” asked Nan of the cook.

  “Yes, missis, dat’s what I did. An’ Snap come. Den, t’ make suah he wouldn’t sneak off an’ foller yo’-all, I shut him up in de kitchen an’ gibe him a chicken bone. Arter a while I let him out. He run around, kinder disappointed like, an’ come back. Den I didn’t look fo’ him until a little while ago, but he was gone, an’ I thought maybe, arter all, he’d come wif yo’.”

  “No, he didn’t,” said Mr. Bobbsey, with a shake of his head. “But we’ll have a look around.”

  With Bert and Harry he went outside. But neither calling nor whistling brought any bark from Snap. Nor did he come bounding joyfully up, as he usually did when summoned. The darkness about Snow Lodge was quiet. There was no sign of Snap.