The Outdoor Chums on the Lake: or, Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island

It was the last straw upon the camel’s back. Already, though Frank did not know it, the treacherous soil was giving way under his weight, and this move on his part aggravated the trouble.

He felt himself slipping, tried to catch hold of a nearby bush, which gave way in his frenzied grasp, and down the steep incline he plunged!

CHAPTER XIII – THE WILD MAN DEVELOPS AN APPETITE

“Great smoke! what’s that?”

“It’s the wild man, fellers!”

“Run, afore he gits yuh!”

There was an immediate scramble among the adherents of Pet Peters. What they had heard about the wild man of the island had kept them on edge throughout the entire length of their short sojourn; and now, when this sudden object came rolling down the incline into their very camp they were panic stricken.

Pet himself was just as frightened as any of his mates. He had been sitting by the fire, drying his back, having removed his coat and trousers meanwhile. As the alarm sounded he tried to get to his feet so as to join in the hasty flight, but, as might be expected, his legs became twisted, and consequently he fell in a heap.

“Wow! keep off’n me, you! I ain’t done nuthin’!” he yelled.

It was his customary plea when caught doing something wrong.

Frank had by this time reached the bottom of the incline, for which he was not at all sorry. He had not been seriously hurt by his rough tumble, and, thinking only of keeping himself aloof from these ugly spirits, he managed to scramble to his feet after some fashion.

Through it all he had kept a firm grip on his gun, as though he knew what protection he could count on from that source.

There was another grand picture that escaped Will, and which he would never cease to lament the loss of – Frank regaining his feet, those fellows scampering away in several directions, and Pet on his knees, holding one arm up as if to ward off some evil blow which he expected to descend.

“Hey, it’s only Langdon! Kim back here, yuh cowards!” bellowed Pet, as soon as his startled eyes could tell him the truth.

And the others, halted in the midst of their mad flight, looking back, saw that instead of the terrible hairy wild man of their dreams it was indeed only a boy who stood there, and he the one they hated most of all.

So they came straggling back, some looking sheepish over their recent scare, while others scowled as if in an ugly temper.

“Wot yuh want here, Langdon?” demanded Pet, bridling up as he saw that much was expected of him by his followers.

It was unfortunate that this should happen so soon after he had been making such enormous threats about what he was going to do to Frank when next they met.

What could a fellow do anyway when he was minus his coat and trousers, as well as shoes?

Frank had recovered his lost breath by now.

“Well, I might have strolled over here just to ask whether you had arrived safely after your swim; and to express a hope that you might not take cold. It’s pretty early in the season to go in, you know,” he said smoothly.

The others looked at each other as if they hardly knew what to make of it. Somehow this Langdon always did seem to have the advantage whenever they came face to face. In the canoe he was Pet’s master, because he felt quite at home there, while the other did not. Now, here ashore, he held something in his hands which none of them liked the looks of – a double-barreled shotgun.

“Aw, go chase yerself! ’Twan’t that as fetched yuh here. Think we scooped sumpin, an’ yuh come sneakin’ round tryin’ tuh see,” snarled the shivering Pet.

“Come up to the fire and keep warm. It’s your fire; I don’t lay any claim to it. Perhaps you fellows think I slid down that toboggan track on purpose? Well, you’ve got another guess coming, then. I have more respect for my clothes than to try such things, as a rule.”

Frank was talking for a purpose. He did not expect to enter the camp of the enemy when he parted from Will and Bluff; but now that circumstances beyond his control had caused such a move on his part, he meant to take full advantage of it.

Before he left, he expected to know positively what they had in that tent. If Jerry was found there, a prisoner, he must be set free, no matter what happened after such a move.

So, as he talked he kept moving a little at a time in the direction of the said tent. If the others noticed his action they could not give any sort of guess as to what he was after. Besides, he kept that gun always half raised, and moving back and forth, from side to side, so that it covered the entire bunch.

“Jest yuh make tracks outen here, Langdon. Yuh ain’t wanted, see? This here’s our camp, an’ yer intrudin’,” chattered Pet, who was compelled to creep closer to the fire, for he was shivering as though he had the ague.

“Oh! I’m going right away, boys. I assure you I haven’t the least intention of staying and putting you to any inconvenience. Just a little social call, you understand, Pet. I couldn’t bear the thought that possibly you were still floundering around out there on the lake. Glad to know you arrived,” Frank continued, now close to the flap of the tent.

The others had unconsciously followed him, so that with the exception of Pet the whole of the camp’s inmates were clustered just in front of the intruder.

As he uttered the last word, Frank suddenly stooped. He had seen his chance, and meant to investigate the interior of that tent.

To his dismay it was far from light inside. He could just make out objects dimly. There might be a prostrate figure on some of the dirty blankets strewing the ground, for all he could say.

Determined to make sure, he immediately darted inside the tent. A chorus of excited exclamations arose from the half circle of roughs outside.

“He’s a-goin’ ter steal our blankets, that’s what!” shouted one.

“Don’t let him, fellers!” whooped Pet, dancing from one bare foot to the other in his excitement, but not offering to lend a hand in corralling the intruder.

“Hey, you, wot yer want in there?” howled another, looking around for a cudgel that might come in handy.

Then Frank emerged. He still kept his handy gun in evidence, seeing which the others backed away again, not being quite so eager as they imagined to come to hand-grips with this determined boy.

Frank was disappointed. He had failed to find the slightest trace of his missing chum in the tent of the Peters crowd. This seemed to prove that they knew nothing about the kidnapping of Jerry.

Under the circumstances he thought it might be just as well to explain his queer move a little. The knowledge might hasten the departure of these rowdy fellows, and purge the island of their presence.

“I’ll tell you what I was looking for. One of my chums has strangely disappeared, and we thought that perhaps you had him here. That’s all. But I find you haven’t; which makes me believe he’s fallen into the hands of that wild man, or else the two hobo thieves who robbed the man on the steamboat; because we happen to know they’re here on this island.”

“Wot’s that?” demanded Pet, anxiously.

“Why, you heard about the two tramps on the Eastern Star, didn’t you?”

“Yuh mean the fellers as collared the roll o’ Mister Pemberton?” asked Pet, forgetting to even shiver, in his new excitement.

“Yes, and they’re here on this island right now, hungry and desperate,” continued Frank, thinking it good policy to rub it in good and hard while he was about it.

“Here on this yer island – them desperadoes are?” gasped one.

“That’s easy to say, Langdon; but how d’ye know?” demanded Pet.

“Well, we’ve seen them, for one thing. Then they robbed us of a kettle with our supper last night. Let a cord down from the top of the cliff, and caught the bale of the kettle with a hook. First thing we knew, our supper was sailing up, and that was the last we ever saw of it,” replied Frank, now beginning to edge toward the beach, as he had suddenly decided to return by an easier path than the one he had taken in coming.

Then the boys looked at each other uneasily.

“A wild man loose here; an’ now them two desperate critters huntin’ round fur anythin’ loose. Say, fellers, it’s up ter us ter git outen this in the mornin’,” said Pet, shaking his head with determination.

And not one of his mates lifted his voice, even in a whisper, contrarywise. Indeed, to tell the truth, they looked as though the hours that must elapse ere they departed hence would fairly drag along.

Frank, believing that he had reached a point where he could boldly make his exit from the hostile camp, was just in the act of backing away when he saw something that gave him a shock.

“Say, look yonder, you fellows, what’s happening to your provision basket!” he exclaimed, pointing with his gun.

Every boy whirled around, and as he did so a concerted howl went up, partly of rage, though terror could be plainly detected in the chorus. There was a swiftly moving figure carrying off the big basket in which all the balance of their supplies happened to be gathered. And such a figure – whether a wild man or a gigantic ape – it would be impossible to say, for in the quick glimpse which Frank had of it ere the Thing vanished among the bushes he could only positively say that it seemed to be covered with hair, and when its face was turned it looked a cross between that of a demented human being and a great ape!

CHAPTER XIV – BLUFF TAKES CHANCES

There never was such a frightened group of fellows as that crowd when they saw their basket of provisions vanish in the grip of this awful-looking object.

For a few seconds they seemed too astonished to even move, and the thief had actually gone out of sight in the brush before the first boy made a jump after him.

Whether it was a touch of valor that actuated him, or the desire to get back the precious basket that held their food, it would be hard to say.

“Look out!” shouted Frank, who had seen something descending along the face of the little rise.

Even as he spoke a shower of stones, together with lumps of earth, fell with a great clatter. Somebody was bombarding the camp from above! It looked as though the wild man must have had wings to reach that spot, if the missiles came from him.

By this time Pet himself was in full flight. He had snatched up his loose garments from the sticks on which they were drying at the fire, and made for the shelter of the bushes on the other side of the camp.

The rest scampered this way and that, one even hiding inside the tent, while a couple of others tried to budge the heavy boat that had been drawn up high and dry on the shore, as if seriously considering the chances of flight.

Frank saw his opportunity to get away, and was not slow to avail himself of it.

“Thanks, awfully, Mr. Wild Man; I’m indebted to you,” he laughed, as he started along the little beach, headed for his own camp.

He knew his chums would be dreadfully anxious by this time. They must have surely heard the excited cries from the other camp, and would be alarmed lest something had happened to him.

As he drew near he whistled. This was a signal that Bluff should recognize, and which would tell him who approached, so that he would not be tempted to fire, or make any threatening demonstration.

“Welcome back, Frank!” exclaimed Bluff, as he appeared in sight.

“Sure, we’re glad to see you safe and sound. From the racket we began to be afraid that you’d got into trouble,” observed Will.

“The trouble seemed to be on the other side, boys. They’ve fared worse than we did. In our case it was only a kettle full of stew; but they lost everything!”

“What’s that? Do you mean somebody cribbed their grub?” demanded Bluff.

“Just what happened, and right under my eyes, too. I saw it done. Oh! what you missed then, Will! If you could only have snapped off that picture, there wouldn’t be a single soul in Centerville doubt the story about the wild man,” said Frank.

“Wild man! Do you mean to say he entered their camp while you were there?”

“And actually grabbed up their stuff under your eyes? Then you can tell us what he looked like. Was it really a man, or an animal, Frank?” questioned Bluff, excitedly.

Frank shook his head, as he replied:

“There you’ve got me, for just on the spur of the moment I couldn’t say positively. He walked on two legs, and seemed like a man; but looked like a great big chimpanzee, or an ape, I’ve seen do tricks at the circus. Anyway, he was a terrible object, and sent a shiver over me.”

“Gracious goodness! and he stole their provisions, you said?” exclaimed Will, involuntarily looking around as if he half expected the dreadful wild man to rush into view right then and there.

“Everything they had, I imagine. One good thing, it will make them get out in the morning, and for that we’re obliged to the wild man. If only Jerry were here, now, I’d be feeling first-class,” resumed Frank, with a sigh.

“But I don’t understand why he’d enter their camp when he could have gotten a lot of much better grub right here in ours,” said Bluff, shaking his head.

“Well, you see, he’s evidently afraid of our guns; and, perhaps, he happened to know that they had none over yonder,” explained Frank.

“But is that reasonable? Would a crazy man stop for such a little thing as that? It strikes me this raid on their eating department looks like a set-up job.”

“There now, Bluff, you’ve set me to thinking again. I neglected to tell you all that happened. When the hairy monster was making off with the basket, one of the boys started after him; and then and there a shower of stones and dirt came down from above, and fell all around him. After that there was a quick scattering,” remarked Frank.

“Evidently the wild man had a friend close by; he wasn’t alone then. Say, perhaps he’s formed a league with those ugly hoboes. They’re all a hungry lot, and ready to steal anything that comes along in the way of grub.”

“Again you may be right, Bluff. If you keep on guessing I’m sure we’ll know all about the whole business soon,” laughed Frank.

“But how about that other scheme of yours?” asked Bluff.

“What’s that – the trip to town?”

“Yes. Haven’t changed your mind about it, eh, Frank?” asked the other.

“Are you willing to make the attempt?” queried Frank, promptly.

“Try me, that’s all. Now that the old moon’s up it will be just fun. I can make it in a little time, and hunt up the sheriff. Why, the lot of us may even be back here by morning, boys,” replied Bluff, enthusiastically.

He always went into anything with his whole soul, though perhaps his ardor might cool sooner than the grim determination of Frank, or even Jerry.

“That would be fine. Well, since you don’t object, suppose you get the canoe ready. Will and I will remain to watch the camp, because we seem to be surrounded by a raft of enemies, all eager to do us a bad turn if they can. With Jerry missing, the case looks serious, and something must be done to round these bad men up.”

Bluff immediately jumped up and hurried over to where the three canoes were fastened together with the chain and padlocks. He proceeded to get his own boat free from all entanglements, and presently had it launched upon the water.

Then he came back for the paddle and to receive any parting instructions Frank might see fit to give him.

“Make reasonably good time, Bluff, but don’t push yourself, mind. There’s no such great hurry as all that. When you get to town go right away to police headquarters and see if you can find Mr. Dodd.”

“What if he happens to be away?” asked Bluff, wishing to be prepared for any emergency that might chance to arise.

“Then wait as long as you can for him. Should you get tired in the end, leave a letter to be delivered as soon as he shows up; then return to us here. It may be possible, even as you hint, that the sheriff is away hunting the woods to the south for those two rascally, thievish hoboes. That’s all, Bluff. Good-by, and good luck!”

Bluff shook hands with each of his chums. Then he gave his canoe a push that started it going out, sprang in over the stern with the accurate balance of an expert, picked up his paddle and commenced his moonlight cruise back to town.

Frank and Will stood there watching him as long as they could see the dark object upon the moonlit water of the lake; then they turned and silently entered the camp once more.

From somewhere out upon the great stretch of water came the strange cry of a loon that had lingered ere going to its northern summer home. The sound was particularly mournful, it seemed to Frank.

“Can he make it, do you think?” asked Will, who seemed unusually worried to-night; for all these stories about wonderful chances which he had lost had begun to work upon his mind.

“Without the slightest doubt. Why not? There’s no sea running, the wind has died away to a whisper, and the moon is bright. Why, Bluff would like nothing better than a circuit of the entire lake at such a time,” replied Frank.

“I was just wondering whether anything might get after him on the water, that’s all,” remarked the other.

“Chuck that sort of talk. Don’t be a pessimist, Will. Of course he can make it, and, perhaps, as he says, they may all be here by morning, ready to gather in those clever rascals,” declared Frank, stoutly.

“But why do you suppose they ever came here to Wildcat Island to hide?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. There’s that Waddy Walsh you speak about – since he has lived here he possibly knows something about this place. Then again they may have heard about the wild man, and how the island is shunned by every one in the neighborhood. In that case, you see, it would offer a splendid hiding-place for a couple of men trying to escape the sheriff.”

“Frank, you just seem to hit on the right thing. That must be the fact. And our coming here rather upset their plans,” said Will.

“Yes, but it gave them a supper last night. They must have been too hurried in their flight to lay in any stock of food. Perhaps they intended going across to the mainland from time to time, and stealing chickens from the farmers.”

“I’ll be jiggered if I can see how there could be any connection between those scamps and that wild man with the hairy hide. Perhaps it was an ape, and he has a mate on the island. Would you shoot him if you saw him, Frank?”

“H’m, that depends. Certainly not unless I thought my life was in danger. I say that, because I really believe myself that it is a human being. And I have a little suspicion that is hardly strong enough as yet to mention, but which I intend to think over. But let us settle down and take things as comfortable as we can. I’ll stand watch for a while, and then let you take my place. Lie down and rest, Will.”

CHAPTER XV – PLAYING THE GAME

“Hello! Frank!”

“What now?” and the one addressed sat up suddenly, wide awake it seemed.

“It’s morning,” said Will, “and I’m tired of keeping watch, that’s all.”

Frank laughed good-naturedly.

“That’s quite enough, old fellow. Time I was up and about, for this promises to be a day that we may mark with a white stone in the log of our outing. The sun is going to get in sight presently. No signs of Bluff coming back?”

“He hasn’t arrived. I didn’t look out over the lake yet. Seems to be something of a haze, or morning fog on the water, so you can’t see very far,” replied Will.

Frank stepped to where he could have a clear, unobstructed view up the lake. As his chum had said, there were patches of fog rising off the water, but this was vanishing rapidly. Already one could see for quite some distance.

“See anything, brother?” called out Will, who was already beginning to put the coffee in the pot.

He had been on duty for several hours, and felt a bit hungry. Boys can eat six times a day when in the woods, for the open air seems to develop most tremendous appetites.

“Nothing except the solitary old loon that kept up such a screeching last night,” replied the lookout, shading his eyes with his hand, the better to look.

“I don’t like that. Hope nothing has happened to poor old Bluff.”

“There you go again. What could happen to him? He’s a cracking good swimmer, and even if he had an upset, which is most unlikely, he would hang to his canoe. The boat couldn’t sink with metallic air-chambers at both ends,” answered Frank.

“But surely he’s had plenty of time to get there and back?”

“Granted; but you heard what I told him – to wait for a reasonable time if he found the sheriff away. No doubt Mr. Dodd is out searching high and low for the very fellows we know to be here on Wildcat Island. Give Bluff more time. Take my word for it, he will show up when he gets good and ready, if not with the posse, then alone. Bluff doesn’t like to be left out in the cold when there’s anything of a rumpus going on. Want some help getting breakfast, Will?”

“Perhaps so, unless you are contented to eat cold boiled rice; we’ve got plenty and to spare of that dish,” answered the novice cook, with a grin.

“I rather think that would be a poor breakfast dish. The stomach wants something warm about this time. Are all the eggs that we brought gone?” asked Frank.

“I saw several in the coffee can just now. Somebody stuck them in there to keep from breaking them, I guess. How will you have yours?” answered Will.

“Leave it to me, and I’ll see that we have an appetizing mess. An omelet for mine, I think. But after all, I don’t seem so very hungry. Worrying about Jerry has somehow affected my spirits, and a fellow can’t eat much when he feels downcast.”

In spite of all drawbacks both boys did full justice to the breakfast that was spread on the table after a little while. Will kept tabs on whatever his companion did.

“I’m going to learn how to cook everything that one would be apt to want in a camp; and if you don’t mind explaining I’ll begin right now to take a few lessons,” he said as Frank started to break the eggs into a pannikin, preparatory to beating them up, and adding the shredded bits of ham they had left over from the previous day.

When the meal was finished and the dishes and cooking utensils properly washed up, Frank sat down to wait for Bluff to appear up the lake, while Will vanished inside the tent to bother with his films.

He had brought along an apparatus whereby he could develop these, no matter as to the time or conditions – daylight being just the same as darkness.

Frank heard him talking to himself inside the tent, but paid no attention to what he was saying, for at that moment he noticed a moving object up the lake, which he really believed might be the canoe of his chum, Bluff, returning alone.

If this proved to be the case another disappointment awaited the campers, and the rescue of poor Jerry might again be postponed to an unknown time. The sheriff being away, no one could tell when he would receive the letter Bluff was to leave for his perusal, and hence it might be many hours ere a move was made.

By that time the hoboes could have quitted the island and lost themselves in the dense woods of the mainland, while Jerry’s hiding-place would remain unknown, so that he might even die of neglect.

The coming of Will broke in upon Frank’s gloomy communion.

Apparently Will had some reason for excitement. He was holding a developed film in his hand as he rushed up to Frank.

“What do you think it was set my flashlight trap off last night?” he demanded.

“A ’coon, doubtless – that seems most likely,” answered the other, carelessly.

“Guess again,”

“’Possum – wildcat – surely not a bear, though I did hear quite a scramble over in that quarter at the time? Go on and tell me,” said Frank.

For answer Will held the film up so that it was between the light and the eyes of his companion.

“It’s been in the hypo, and is fixed, but not thoroughly washed; but you can see for yourself,” he exclaimed triumphantly.

Frank gave an exclamation.

“Why, you caught a man!”

“Yes, and his face is turned exactly toward the camera. The snap made him look, and with the flash he was indelibly impressed on the film. What is more, if you look at it on the other side and partly turned away, you can see the positive of his face as plain as day. It’s Waddy, all right. I got him!” laughed the photographer, in glee.

“Well, that’s worth something. I’m beginning to realize the tremendous possibilities of a camera at times. That evidence would be accepted in court as conclusive. Go, and wash the film carefully, Will. If you fail to get a few great scenes, you don’t lose everything, it seems.”