“I suppose you have thinned out the game a good deal right around this Lodge,” remarked Jed Wallop. “You know rabbits and squirrels don’t like to hear the bangin’ of a gun. They know mighty well it spells trouble fer ‘em.”
A mile was covered before they sighted anything that looked like game. Then a big fat rabbit ran directly across their path. To give the boys a chance, Jed Wallop did not fire, and as a consequence the bunny got away, none of the cadets being quick enough to get a shot at it.
“You’ve got to have your eyes open if you want to lay low all the game in these woods,” chuckled the old hunter.
“He was too close to us,” grumbled Gif. “Why, he was out of sight before I could think of raising my gun!”
“You mustn’t think, Gif. Jest fire and let it go at that,” and Jed Wallop grinned broadly. He was a man who loved company, and he thought it great sport to be out in the woods with the cadets.
After this they trudged along in silence, each of the lads keeping his eyes wide open for the possible appearance of any game. But nothing came to view.
“Now we’ll soon be in sight of that old house,” announced Jed Wallop presently. “It’s on the other side of this hill.”
They topped the rise, and there saw before them a small clearing, beyond which was a rough mountain road. On the other side of the road was a thick patch of timber, and in the midst of this stood a long low house with a wide veranda in front.
“There is the Parkingham house,” said Jed Wallop. “And unless I’m greatly mistaken that’s where them Germans are hangin’ out.”
CHAPTER XXV
TEE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE IN THE WOODS
“We don’t want anyone to see us,” remarked Jack, as they came to a halt on the edge of the clearing.
“Oh, them Germans won’t know but what you’re simply out huntin’,” answered Jed Wallop.
Nevertheless, the boys were anxious to approach the old house unobserved, and so skirted the clearing and crossed the mountain road, which at this point was lined with thick pines. Then they entered the forest again, coming up presently at a point in the rear of the building where there was a small barn and also several sheds.
The Parkingham house was a rambling structure which had seen better days. One end sagged, and here a porch post had fallen away, along with several steps. But the other end of the long building had evidently been put in some kind of repair, for some boards on the piazza were new, as were also several window sashes. All the curtains were drawn down.
“Somebody mast be living here,” remarked Randy. “Otherwise they wouldn’t have gone to the trouble and expense of making repairs.”
They looked around the old house carefully, but could see nobody. Then they peered into the barn.
“No horses here,” announced Gif. “And that big sleigh isn’t here either.”
“Then, if those Germans live here, they must be away on a trip,” remarked Jack after a pause.
“I don’t see anything suspicious around this place,” said Andy.
The barn showed signs of use, and so did the other outbuildings, and there were numerous tracks in the snow leading from the barn to the house. At the well some water had been spilled, and this had not yet had time to freeze.
“They can’t have gone away so very long ago,” was Gif’s comment. He turned to the others. “Well, what’s the next move?”
“I don’t see why you don’t walk right up and knock on the door, and if them fellers are around have a talk with ‘em,” declared Jed Wallop. “If they are above board, they won’t hesitate about answerin’ questions.”
“Let us wait around the barn for a while and see if anybody comes in or goes out,” suggested Jack. He could not get it out of his mind how queerly the Germans had acted, and he felt certain that something was wrong and that the fellows ought to be reported to the authorities.
“Gee! it’s rather cold around here,” remarked Fred, as they walked up and down in the big barn to keep warm.
“I’m going to cover myself in the hay if you fellows are going to stay here any length of time,” cried Andy, and in a playful mood he and his twin made a dash for what looked to be a large quantity of hay at one side of the barn. Both burrowed down in this, and then Randy set up a cry of surprise.
“Hello! this isn’t a pile of hay at all. It’s bundles of wire!”
“Bundles of wire?” queried Jack.
“What kind of wire?” asked Gif.
“Looks like fence wire, or telegraph wire, to me,” said Andy, who was holding some of the hay to one side so that he might get a better look at what was underneath. “It looks brand new, too.”
There were numerous coils of the wire, and these the cadets and Jed Wallop looked at with interest. Then they found several packing cases, all nailed up tightly and marked in English and in German.
“This is certainly queer,” said Jack.
“Say, what’s the matter with opening one or two of the cases and seeing what’s in ‘em?” suggested Fred.
“Have we any right to do that?” asked Gif doubtfully.
“We’ll take the right,” decided Jack. “I’m satisfied that those fellows are up to no good. You know what Tony Duval said when they asked him to do something.”
Not far from the barn was a woodshed, and here the cadets procured an axe and a hammer. With these implements they managed to pry open one of the packing cases. Inside was what looked to be electrical machinery, but just what it was they could not make out.
“Looks like that telephone or telegraph line all right enough,” remarked Randy. “But what are those fellows going to do with any such line as that away up here?”
“It’s a riddle, ain’t it?” remarked Jed Wallop. “Jest the same, that stuff looks mighty suspicious to me.”
They continued their investigation, and behind the packing cases found some machinery. All of it was new and strange to them.
“If they’ve got so much queer stuff out here in the barn, how much more do you suppose they’ve got in the house?” questioned Fred.
“If I was sure no one was at home I’d be strongly tempted to find a way inside and take a look around,” said Jack.
“Come ahead and do it!” burst out Randy. “I don’t believe there’s a soul around.”
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” said Jack finally. “You keep out of sight, and I’ll go out on the road and walk toward the house and knock on the door. Then, if anybody comes, I’ll say that I’m out hunting and would like to buy a bit to eat. They can’t refuse me a bite, and that will give me a little chance to look around while I’m inside.”
“I don’t think you ought to go alone,” said Gif. “They know there are a bunch of us at the Lodge and they would be rather suspicious if you were by yourself. Why not let me go with you?”
So it was arranged, and, leaving the others hidden in the barn, the two cadets started to walk through the woods to the road.
“Keep your guns with you,” advised Jed Wallop. “And if you git into anything like a tight place, shoot off one of the guns as a signal and we’ll be to the rescue in no time.”
The two boys were soon out on the lonely mountain road, and then they headed for the old house. Boldly mounting the main piazza, they knocked sharply on the door.
At first there was no response, and the lads were just congratulating themselves on the fact that the premises were deserted when they heard shuffling footsteps. Then came the tremulous voice of an elderly woman speaking in broken English.
“Who ist der? Vat you vants?”
“We are a couple of boys out hunting,” answered Jack. “We would like to know if we can buy something to eat.”
“I haf nodings for you. You besser go somevhere else.”
“Can’t we come in and get warm?” asked Gif.
“Nein. You go
avay.”
“Who lives here?” questioned Jack loudly, for the woman had made no attempt to open the door.
“Dis ist Mister Bauermann’s house.”
“Is he in? I’d like very much to speak to him. I am sure he would let us have something to eat,” went on Jack in the smoothest tone he could command.
“Do you know Mister Bauermann?” questioned the woman cautiously.
“Isn’t he the gentleman who has been riding around here in his sleigh with two or three other men?” asked Gif. “If he is,” he continued, “we have met him near my father’s place.”
“I think you might at least let us have a little to eat. We’re willing to pay well for it,” broke in Jack. “Just a little bread and butter, and maybe a cup of hot coffee or tea if you have it.”
“I can’t open de door for you,” said the woman firmly. “Mister Bauermann he gifs orders not to let anypody in de house. You haf to go avay unt get somedings to eat somevhere else.”
“When do you expect Mr. Bauermann back?” asked Gif.
“Dot I can’t say. Maybe he was come back by dinner time, unt maybe not bis night.”
“All right then, we’ll go. But I think you are rather mean not to sell us something to eat,” said Jack.
To this the woman did not make any reply, but they heard her fumbling at the door, evidently making certain that the lock and bolt were secure.
As there seemed nothing else to do, the two cadets retired, and, feeling that the woman must be watching them from behind the tightly drawn curtains at the windows, walked on down the rough road until a bend hid the house from view. Then they came up through the woods again and rejoined those at the barn.
“Well, we found out one thing, anyway,” declared Jack. “There is a woman keeping guard in the house, and the menfolks are all away and won’t be back until noon or to-night.”
“Evidently those chaps are very secretive,” said Gif. “I agree with Jack that the whole thing looks mighty suspicious.”
“Do you intend to wait around here until those Germans come back?” asked Fred a bit impatiently.
“Why not go out on a hunt and come back later?” suggested Randy.
“That’s the talk!” broke in Andy. “I’m getting tired of hanging around here doing nothing.” To him it had been a long wait while the others had gone to the house.
“I suppose we might as well go on a hunt,” announced Gif. “Anyway, I’m willing to do whatever the others say.”
So it was decided that they should go off on a hunt, to return to the house either later that day or else on the day following. This suited Jed Wallop, for the old hunter did not feel in the humor for investigating the old mansion or the Germans staying there.
“Come on, come on,” said he, “and maybe we’ll git a chance at a fox or two.”
“Now you’re saying something!” cried Fred.
Leaving the old Parkingham house and outbuildings behind, they struck off through the woods, crossed the mountain road and a small frozen-up watercourse, and then mounted one of the hills lying to the northwest of Cedar Lodge. Here they found traveling rather difficult, and more than once the old hunter said he wished they were on snowshoes.
“Purty hard to use ‘em at first,” said he. “But after a while travelin’ that way gits to be as easy as the reg’lar way.”
“Oh, we know something about snowshoes,” said Jack. “But we didn’t think we’d need any on this trip.”
They tramped around for the rest of the forenoon, managing to stir up several rabbits, and also a partridge, which Fred was fortunate enough to bring down. Then they built a small campfire and made themselves a pot of hot chocolate and had this with the lunch they had brought along.
The middle of the afternoon found them in the location Jed Wallop had had in mind when speaking of foxes. The old hunter told all of them to be on the alert.
“You know Mr. Fox ain’t goin’ to stand still to be shot at,” said he quizzically. “As soon as he spots you he’ll be off quicker than greased lightning.”
They advanced with caution, and had hardly proceeded a hundred yards when Jed Wallop suddenly put up his hand for silence. They were coming to a series of rocks, and beyond this was a small clearing, backed up by brushwood still thickly covered with snow. They looked over toward this brushwood in the direction which Jed Wallop pointed out, and there saw a fox standing on a high rock, gazing expectantly at the woods beyond.
CHAPTER XXVI
WHAT THE BIG BARN CONTAINED
“There’s your chance,” whispered Wallop to the cadets. “Quick, now; or he may leap away before you can say Jack Robinson.”
“Go ahead, Gif,” said Jack quickly, for he felt that their host should have the first chance to shoot.
There was no time to argue the matter, and, raising his gun, Gif took hasty aim and fired. His aim was not of the best, for only a few of the scattering shot pierced the fox’s side. The animal wheeled around in evident astonishment, and for a second did not know which way to escape.
“Fire at him! Fire at him!” called out Jed Wallop quickly. “Fire, or he’ll git away.”
This time all of the others blazed away, one after another. Several of the charges went wild, but Randy managed to catch the fox directly in the shoulder, and he leaped high in the air, and then came down, floundering around and kicking the loose snow in all directions.
“Hurrah! We’ve got him!” cried Randy.
“Mebbe you have and mebbe you haven’t,” answered Jed Wallop. “Better run in and finish him.”
Gif was the first to do this, and a final charge caused the fox to cease his struggles.
“A purty good-sized animal,” remarked the old hunter, when they were inspecting it. “That skin is worth some money.”
The old hunter said he would carry the dead fox for them, and again they went forward. They spent the best part of the afternoon looking for more foxes, but in this they were disappointed. However, deep in the woods they came upon a covey of partridges. All banged away at a lively rate, and had the satisfaction of killing three of the birds.
“A pretty good haul, after all,” remarked Fred, with satisfaction.
“Don’t you think it about time that we returned to that old Parkingham house?” questioned Jack, after the game had been placed in their bags.
“We might as well work around that way,” answered Gif. “Remember, we’ll have quite a tramp after that getting back to the Lodge.”
They turned in the direction of the old house in the woods and on their way kept their eyes open for more game. But all they sighted were two small squirrels, and these they thought not worth shooting at.
They were just about to cross the mountain road not far from the old house when they heard a pair of horses hitched to a long boxsled approaching. The sled was piled high with several boxes and three bales of hay.
“Get back!” cried Jack quickly. “That may be one of those Germans coming, and I don’t think it would be wise to let him see us.”
They stepped behind some trees and brushwood, and soon the boxsled came closer. Then another surprise awaited them, for the driver of the sled, who was alone, was none other than the farmer they had rescued from the burning railroad car.
“It’s that fellow Crouse,” whispered Gif. “What do you know about that?”
“Shall we go out and speak to him?” questioned Andy.
“I don’t see that it would do any harm,” said Jack. “We have a perfect right to be out hunting in this neighborhood.”
Accordingly they stepped out in the roadway almost directly in front of the on-coming boxsled. The driver, who was crouched down with the big collar of his overcoat turned up around his ears, had evidently been in deep thought, for when he noticed them he straightened up in surprise and brought his team to a sudden halt.
“Why, if it isn’t our friend from the railroad train!” remarked Jack, with a smile.
“Well, I never!” declared Herman Crouse, with a momentary look of pleasure on his face. “How did you young gentlemen get up here?” And then, of a sudden, a cloud came over his features.
“Can’t you see we’re out hunting?” answered Fred, pointing to the guns and game in their bags.
“Yes, yes! To be sure! I forgot that you came up here to go hunting. Have you had much success?”
“A little,” answered Gif. “We’ve got a fox, and we’ve had quite a few rabbits, squirrels, quail and partridges.”
“Not so bad.” Herman Crouse looked anxiously at the boys and Jed Wallop. “Where are you staying?”
“At Cedar Lodge. It’s several miles from here,” answered Jack. And then he continued: “You belong around here? I thought you said you had a farm near Enwood.”
“So I have. But during the winter I make a little extra money trucking. That’s what I am doing now. I am feeling pretty good again.”
“Where are you bound?” questioned Randy.
At this question Herman Crouse seemed somewhat disturbed.
“Oh, I’ve got to go up the road quite a distance,” he answered evasively. “I might offer to give you a ride, only you can see I am loaded down as it is.” And this statement was correct, for the boxsled was carrying about all the team could haul.
“We met some other Germans around here—four men who drive around in a big sleigh,” said Jack boldly and looking Herman Crouse full in the eyes.
“Yes, yes! I know!” The eyes of the man fell for an instant. “I am not a German,” he said somewhat lamely. “That is, I was born on the other side, but I came to this country before I was twenty-one, and now I am an American.”
“Then you don’t side with Germany in this war?”
“I don’t side with the Kaiser. I am sorry for the common people, for they have had no say-so in this awful slaughter that is going on.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that you stick up for the good old U. S. A.!” cried Jack. “You know there are a good many Germans and German-Americans here who are the other way.”
The Rover Boys Megapack Page 400