CHAPTER X
MAROONED
"Leave it alone, you Buster!"
"Get behind a tree, quick!"
"Run, Buster, run for your life! It'll get you!"
George, Herb and Josh sent these warning cries at the top of theirvoices. As to whether the object of their combined concern heard, therecould be no reasonable doubt; for Nick immediately waved one of his fathands disdainfully toward them. Evidently he imagined that his chumswere envious of his great good luck in finding so splendid a chance toannex a beautifully striped real Canadian pussy cat.
"Oh! murdher!" ejaculated Jimmie, "look at the rickless fellow, wouldye? Sure, he manes to grab it, so he do!"
"But he won't, all the same!" cried George, grimly.
Since shouting and gesturing seemed to have no effect upon the imperiledyouth, all the four boys could do was to stand there, holding theirbreath, and watching the dreadful developments. Nor was that the firsttime or the last that they found occasion to hold their breath.
Nick by now believed that he had wheedled enough, and was within properstriking distance. They saw him make a sudden forward swoop, withextended arms, as if bent upon giving the intended victim no possiblechance of escape.
"Wow!" yelled George, as he saw Nick stop short, throw up his arms, andalmost fall to the ground.
One terrified look Buster gave the object of his recent admiration. Thenturning, he ran as well as he could toward camp, gripping his nose withboth hands.
"Keep off!"
"Don't you dare come near us, do you hear!"
"Now you've gone and done it, Buster! That's what you get for wanting tobake poor little Jocko!"
George, as if in desperation, jumped over and picked up his gun.
"Stop where you are!" he cried. "We're willing to talk this thing over;but at a proper distance, do you hear, Buster?"
Poor Nick was aghast. Almost overpowered by the terrible fumes as hewas, it looked like adding insult to injury when his own chums turnedagainst him, and refused to let him enter the camp.
He did come to a halt some thirty feet away, and with one hand, clung toa sapling; while the other was trying to keep the powerful scent fromsmothering him.
"What can I do, fellows?" he asked, pitifully.
George was almost bursting with laughter, but pretended to look as sternas his father when serving in his capacity as judge of the court.
"First promise that you won't attempt to enter the camp withoutpermission!" he demanded.
"I promise you, sure I do," groaned Nick swaying weakly alongside hissupport.
"Jimmie," went on George, "you go and call Jack in, if he isn't on theway here already, after all this racket. We want everybody to have ahand in deciding Buster's fate."
"Good gracious!" cried the wretched Nick, "what d'ye mean, George? Do Ihave to be shot, because I made a little mistake? I give you my word Ireally thought it was a Canada species of cat. And if we had to have amenagerie along with us, I was going to match her against your monkey.Oh! why didn't I think? I ought to have known better. It was awful,fellows; shocking I tell you!"
"I agree with you, Buster," remarked George, putting his fingers up tohis nose, "please go a little farther away. We can talk better then."
Jimmie had hardly reached the shore before he started back. And Jack wasseen following close behind. Evidently, then, the fisherman must haveheard the loud outcries, and speeded his little boat for the landing,anxious to know what could have happened to Nick.
He had no need to be told. One hardly required to be within sixty feetof poor Buster to understand the entire story. Jack did not laugh thoughdoubtless later on the incident would afford him more or less merriment.It was a serious matter, as he well knew, and must affect every one inthe party.
"Jack," called out Nick, looking beseechingly at the commodore of thefleet, "take my part, won't you? They want to shoot me, or do somethingas bad, just because I didn't know the gun was loaded. Please take thatthing away from George. He looks so fierce I'm afraid of him!"
So Jack, to ease the mind of the fat boy, who was really shivering withanticipation of dire results springing from his blunder, did takeGeorge's gun from his unresisting hands, and laid it aside.
"But Jack!" exclaimed Herb, "something's just got to be done. We can'tbear to have him in camp with us, you know, after this. And think ofme having to stand for that dreadful smell day after day. Wow! itwould knock me out. I'd want to jump over in the deepest part of LakeSuperior."
"I don't see what can be done," said George, "except to maroon him hereon this foreign island until we come back again. By that time perhaps itwon't be so very bad. Herb can keep him in the dinky towing behind, andstand it."
At that poor Nick set up a fresh howl.
"Don't you dare think of doing that," he cried, shaking his fat fist atthe author of the suggestion. "Why, I'd starve to death in no time; notto speak of being devoured by the wild beasts. Think up some other way,won't you, please, Jack? Don't listen to George. He's got it in for mebecause I gave him so much bother on that Mississippi cruise. I want youto fix it up, Jack. You'll know how."
Jack still looked very grave.
"Well, you understand that in a case of this kind only desperateremedies will do, Buster?" he began.
"Yes, yes, I know;" whimpered the other, "and I'm willing to do anythingyou say, Jack; but don't leave me here over in a Canadian wilderness. Itain't human, that's what!"
"All right," Jack proceeded, solemnly, "if you give me your solemnpromise to obey. First of all you must strip off every bit of clothesyou have on."
Nick began at once, and with eagerness.
"Will it wash out, then? Oh! I can rub like a good fellow, I promiseyou; only give me a chance!" he exclaimed.
"All the washing in the world wouldn't take that scent out," Georgedeclared.
"There's only one way, and that is to bury the clothes!" said Jack.
"What?" gasped the astonished Nick; "and me go naked? Good gracious!Jack, I just can't do that! Make it easier for me, won't you? Why, I'dget my death of cold. Besides, what would I do when we got to the Soo?Please tell me something else."
At that the boys could hold in no longer, and a shout told that theywere beginning to see the comical side. But Jack waved his hands.
"Be still!" he said, sternly. "This is no laughing matter. Never fearBuster, but you'll be able to rake up enough clothes to last till we getto the Soo, where you can buy a new outfit. Off with every stitch, now.Then you must dig a hole and bury them; or else carry the lot deep intothe bush here, as you choose."
"Is that all?" asked Nick, tremulously, as he hastily tore the lastremnant of his garments from his stout person.
"Not quite," replied Jack. "Get rid of the stuff next. Then come backto where you are now. I'll be waiting for you with a pair of shortscissors I happen to have along with me; for you see I've just got tocut all your hair off!"
"Oh! what a guy I'll be, Jack," moaned poor Nick. "I'll sure never hearthe last of this thing."
"Think of us!" said George, sternly, "how we must remember it for daysand days. You're getting off dirt cheap, Buster, let me tell you. I'veheard of fellows who had to live like hermits in the woods for weeks."
"Now get busy," observed Jack. "The boys will be rooting out your bag,and I'll fetch what clothes we can gather to you. We must do all we canto smother this perfumery factory."
"Yes, be off wid ye!" said Jimmie, bent on having a hand in the game.
Nick stared mournfully at the clothes on the ground. Then he slowlygathered them up in his arms. They noticed that as he walked away helooked around with exceeding care at every step he took, as though notfor worlds would he want to renew his acquaintance with that prettystriped Canadian pussy cat.
Jack was as good as his word. When George and Herb had collected anoutfit calculated to serve poor Nick until they reached a land ofplenty, and clothing establishments, he carried the lot to the placeappointed.
Here
came Nick presently with a most dejected air; and groaning inspirit the fat boy allowed the other to shear off all his abundantlocks.
He certainly did look like a guy when the job was completed, for Jackmade no pretentions towards being a barber, and there were places thathad the appearance of being "chopped with an axe," as George privatelydeclared later, when viewing the work of the commodore.
After that they made Nick take a long bath. Indeed he thought he wouldnever get out of the water, and his teeth were chattering before theembargo was finally raised.
Fortunately that wonderful red sweater which had attracted the bulltoward the wearer not so very long since, had been safe aboard at thetime of his recent mishap, so that Nick could depend on its warmth. Hewas grateful for small favors just then; and quite subdued for a wholeday; though nothing could keep a buoyant nature like his in subjectionlong.
Of course he would never hear the last of the joke, and must stand forall manner of scoffing remarks, as well as uplifted noses when he camearound. But Nick would live it down in time.
And no doubt, when the account of the cruise was read over during thenext winter, Nick would join in the general laugh when he discoveredthat Jack had called this temporary stopping place on Canadian soil"Kitty Kamp."
It was night before Nick was allowed to come into camp; and even thenthey made him do penance by sitting off in a corner by himself, "justlike I was a leper," as he declared, though bound to submit to theindignity.
But "it's an ill wind that blows nobody good," and at least Nick escapedguard duty that night, for nobody wanted to sit up with him.
George declared that the very first thing he meant to purchase when hearrived at the city at the rapids was a bottle of violet water, withwhich he could saturate himself for a season.
But by morning the terrible effect had in part died away; thoughpossibly familiarity bringing about contempt may have had considerableto do with their noticing the disagreeable scent less.
Of course all of them were glad to get away from that camp. To Nick inparticular its memory would always evoke a shiver. When brought to bookin connection with the adventure he always declared that it was what afellow got for wanting to invade foreign countries, and meddle withunfamiliar animals belonging there.
But Jack and the others felt sure that Buster from that day forthwould know the great American skunk a mile off, and shy at a closeracquaintance.
They got away at a reasonable time, and continued their northernprogress through the crooked St. Mary's River. On the way they sawnumerous nooks that aroused the sportsman spirit in Jack; for he justknew the gamy bass lurked in those inviting waters, awaiting the comingof the fisherman. But there was no time to spend just then in seekingsport.
At about eleven o'clock they passed the smaller rapids, a mostpicturesque spot, where the water rushed boiling through many channels,and innumerable lurking places for the spotted trout seemed to invite astay. But the Soo was now close at hand, and all of them were eager tolook upon the famous big rapids, unexcelled for beauty and grandeur inall the land.
When the three motor boats presently reached a point where the littlecity on the left hand shore as well as the foamy rapids, and therailroad bridge stretching from Canada to the Michigan bank, came intoview, the boys involuntarily waved their hats, and sent forth a cheer.
Motor Boat Boys on the Great Lakes; or, Exploring the Mystic Isle of Mackinac Page 10