Bob’s first impulse was to run to his prostrate friend, and with a knife he quickly severed the cords by which Ben was bound. Angry as Ben was, he did not speak, but instantly leaped to his feet and stood with his companions peering eagerly at the body which could be seen upon the roof of the tent.
The fire had burned low, but still threw out its long shafts of light, and in the shadows the animal seemed to assume fantastic shapes. The boys were all alarmed, and to their distorted vision the visitor was apparently of large size, and every moment they expected to see him spring from the tent. He had not moved since they had rushed out from the tent, and though he uttered no sound he seemed to be crouching as for a spring.
“It’s a bear,” whispered Bert.
“No, it isn’t a bear; it’s a panther,” replied Jock, in a whisper as tremulous as that of his friend had been.
The suggestion was in no wise reassuring, and for a few moments the boys stood and watched their strange visitor, ready to dart into the woods at the first sign of new danger. The animal, however, had not stirred, and was still crouching upon the roof.
“If I only had my revolver, I’d fix him,” said Ben.
“Where is it, Ben?” whispered Bob, eagerly.
“In the tent there. I say, fellows,” he continued, “if you will keep his attention off to one side I’ll crawl in and get the pistol. Can’t you throw some sticks or stones at him, or poke him with a long pole? While you’re doing that, I’ll creep round to the other side and get into the tent. He won’t see me if you keep him busy.”
The suggestion of a pole met with no favor, but sticks and stones were more practical, and selecting a short club as a weapon of defence in case of an attack, the three boys drew off together a little farther into the woods and then began to throw the missiles at the crouching animal.
As their aim was poor they added shouts to their other “weapons,” and soon the camp was ringing with their calls, though the animal did not move and seemed to be alike fearless of their missiles and wild cries.
Ben, meanwhile, had crept stealthily around to the farther side of the tent, and when the uproar of his companions rose to its highest point, darted quickly into the tent, secured his revolver and then ran out again with a celerity which his friends might well have envied.
Possessed of his weapon he called to the boys, and as soon as they had joined him he stepped nearer the spot and cocked his pistol. He could still see their visitor in the same attitude and place where he had been when first discovered. The camp-fire flickered and the trees moaned under the night wind. The wash of the waves upon the pebbly beach was the only other sound to be heard, unless the rapid beatings of the hearts of the boys were audible to others besides their owners.
“Don’t move, fellows,” whispered Ben, as he slowly raised his revolver and took aim.
His warning apparently was not needed,for not one of the boys moved from his place. Each was intently watching that crouching form upon the roof, and waiting for the report of the revolver, which should either put an end to their suspense by killing the animal, or bring upon themselves the rush of an angry and perhaps wounded beast.
The suspense was not ended when the first report of Ben’s pistol broke sharply in upon the stillness of the night. From all appearances they thought the animal had not been hit, but as he showed no disposition either to advance or retreat, Ben quickly raised his revolver again and two shots rang out in quick succession.
“Look out, Ben, you’ll hit the tent,” whispered Bob, made somewhat bolder by the continued failure of the animal to move.
Ben then fired the remaining cartridges, and to the delight of his companions, they saw their enemy roll from his place on the tent and fall with a thud upon the ground. There was the sound of a struggle for a moment, and then all became still again.
The boys waited anxiously, and at last Ben said, “I hit him! I hit him! He’sdead, fellows. Go on and see what he was.”
“Bob took a long stick and poked the motionless form.”
“Bob took a long stick and poked the motionless form.”
As no one seemed to be quite willing to respond to the appeal, Ben himself thrust a long torch or broken limb of a tree into the fire, and then, holding in his hand the blazing branch, at the head of the column advanced to view the fallen foe.
They approached carefully and cautiously, Ben explaining that “panthers sometimes lived a long time after they were dead,” and soon they could see the motionless body before them. Holding the torch in one hand and his reloaded revolver in the other, Ben stood ready to shoot at the first returning sign of danger, while Bob took a long stick and cautiously poked the motionless form.
His actions produced no response, and then, concluding that their enemy was indeed dead, they came nearer and soon stood looking down upon their victim. A closer inspection revealed the fact that it was a much smaller animal than they had thought it to be, but none of them had ever seen one like it before.
As Jock leaned down to touch it with his hand, he suddenly drew back with acry of pain, and instantly his companions darted from the spot. As they were not pursued, their courage revived, and once more they returned to inspect the body of the strange animal. He was dead now, that was evident; and satisfied as to that fact, Bob declared that he was going back to bed.
“We ought to keep a guard to-night, though,” suggested Bert. “Perhaps these animals hunt in pairs. I’ve heard of panthers that do.”
“That’s all right; we’ll have a guard,” replied Bob. “Ben’s the one to do it.”
“Me? Well, I guess not! Say, who fixed me that way?” he suddenly inquired, his anger evidently returning at the thought of the wrongs he had suffered.
“Well, I did,” drawled Bob, “if you really want to know.”
“What did you do it for?”
“To make you see the point. When I’m lecturing on the early discoverers of the St. Lawrence, I don’t want you to go to sleep. I’m not doing it for the fun of the thing. It’s duty, pure duty; I want to teach my benighted countrymen something about the heroes of this region.”
“Nobody asked you to,” replied Ben, half laughing, though he was still angry over his wrongs. “If I’d invited you to speak or paid for the privilege that would have been another matter. Where did you get the stuff, Bob? Out of an almanac or the cyclopædia?”
“Out of my head. By the way, Ben, what made you yell so when you woke us up?”
“Yell? Well, perhaps you’d keep quiet when you opened your eyes in the night and saw a wild beast crawling over the roof of the tent and ready to spring upon you and devour you. Then when I tried to move I found some one had tied me hand and foot.”
“Your voice was free. Your lungs seemed to work all right,” suggested Bob.
“They might not, though, if it hadn’t been just as it was. When I tried to raise my head the string choked me, and I couldn’t use my hands to help me, either. That was a dangerous thing to do, Bob. I don’t believe in practical jokes. Why, do you know, I thought at first I was having the nightmare; but when I saw that great beast there, I knew I was only too muchawake. No, Bob, you’ll have to be the one to stand guard to-night.”
“Makes no difference to me,” drawled Bob. “I’m entirely willing.”
It was evident that the other boys were as willing as he, and after Ben had given him his revolver, and all three had bestowed upon him many cautions and much advice, he was left to himself.
Bob waited until the sounds that came from the tent indicated that all within were asleep, and then he coolly entered, and selecting his own blanket and pillow, returned with them to the fire.
Before spreading them upon the ground, he stopped for a moment and seemed to be thinking intently upon some matter. The result of his deliberations became apparent, when he placed both blanket and pillow carefully behind one of the trees in a spot where they would not be seen by any one in the camp. Then he returned, and, cocking the revolver, advanced to the front of the tent.
Lifting his arm, as if he was aiming at the distant sky, he suddenly opened his mouth and emitted some screeches that might have made an Indian chief envious,and at the same time began to dance about and discharge the revolver.
“Hi! Yi! Yi! Hi! Yi! Yi!” he shouted.
The din caused by his unearthly cries, punctuated by the rapid discharge of the revolver, brought the startled inmates instantly to the door.
“Hi! Yi! Yi! Hi! Yi! Yi!” repeated Bob, dancing about with increased vigor, and at the same time discharging the last remaining chamber of the revolver as he beheld his frightened comrades.
“What is it? What is it, Bob?” exclaimed Ben, breathlessly.
“Did you see anything?” added Jock, equally excited.
“See anything? No, I didn’t see anything,” replied Bob, slowly.
“What! You didn’t see anything?” demanded Bert. “What did you make all that racket for, then?”
“Did I make any racket?” inquired Bob, in his most innocent manner.
“Didn’t you really see anything?” said Jock.
“No-o-o. I didn’t see anything. But I’ll tell you, fellows, I was afraid I might. I thought it might be just as well to scareaway any prowling beast that might be near. Did I disturb any of you?” he innocently added.
“Oh, no, you didn’t disturb us,” said Ben, sarcastically. “We just came out to see if you were all safe yet.”
“It’s fearfully lonesome out here, fellows,” drawled Bob. “Don’t one of you want to sit up with me awhile?”
“Not much we don’t,” replied Ben, as he darted into the tent again, followed by the other two boys. “We’ll leave you alone in your glory.”
“Well, wait then till I load up again,” said Bob, as he, too, entered the tent. “Where’s the cartridge box, Ben?”
“Over there on the table,” replied Ben, lazily. “Help yourself,” he added, as he turned over upon his side.
Bob evidently did “help himself,” for he not only filled the empty chambers with cartridges, but he slipped the box also into his pocket. When he returned to the fire, he spread the blanket upon the ground once more and carefully adjusted the pillow.
“If I’ve got to stay on guard I might as well do it in style,” he murmured, as hestretched himself upon the blanket, and was soon sleeping as soundly as his friends in the tent.
He did not sleep so long, however, for about once in every half hour he rose, and taking his stand in front of the tent he repeated his war dance, punctuating it with the sharp reports of his revolver and his ear-splitting shrieks.
In vain the boys begged of him to permit one of them to relieve him of the task, but Bob remained obdurate. “No, sir,” he declared. “I’m doing my duty! I’m not going to let one of those St. Lawrence panthers into this camp to-night if I know myself. I’m going to protect you, no matter at what cost to me.”
And so there was not much sleep in the camp that night, though it was likely that Bob enjoyed as much as any one, for between his efforts to frighten away the “prowling panthers,” he slept on his blanket before the fire.
Perhaps the excitement of the night caused the boys to sleep somewhat later than usual on the following morning, for Bob, who was the first to awake, was roused by the voice of Ethan.
“What ye sleepin’ out here for?” demanded the boatman in surprise.
“That you, Ethan?” drawled Bob, as he opened his eyes. “Oh, that reminds me,” he added, as he hastily leaped to his feet, and grasping the revolver, rushed up to the front of the tent, where he repeated his frequent performance of the night.
“What ye doin’ that for?” demanded Ethan, in astonishment.
“Keeping the wild beasts away. Ethan,” he added solemnly, “we’ve been attacked. A fearful beast leaped on our tent in the night, and tried desperately to tear it into pieces and get at us to devour us.”
“Hey?” demanded Ethan, sharply.
“Yes. That’s just what he did,” repeated Bob, as the boys came out of the tent and joined him. “But we managed to shoot him.”
“Ye did, did ye? Well, where is he now? Show me yer beast.”
Bob silently led the way to the spot where they had left their victim. Ethan looked sharply for a moment at the body, and then with a snort of contempt, said, “Pish! Nuthin’ but a hedgehog!” and Tom, for the first time our boys had heard him since their arrival at the camp, laughed aloud.
The other boys by this time had joined the group, and so crestfallen were they all when they discovered how insignificant was their nocturnal visitor, that Ethan quickly said,—
“A hedgehog will make a big scratching sometimes. I’ve known ’em when I’ve been logging to git up on the shanty in the night, and from the noise they made, I’d been willing to declare a bear was after us. It was perfectly natural, boys, for ye to be skeered.”
Breakfast provided a speedy diversion, and after securing some of the quills of their victim they cast the body into the river, and turned to their repast. It was decided, in view of the visit they were to make that day at “The Rocks,” that they would not venture far from camp; but about an hour later Jock called the attention of his companions to a spectacle on the river.
About a half-mile in front of the camp they beheld a tug moving down the stream, dragging behind it several huge loads, which, although they were not boats, still somehow resembled them. They rested low upon the water, and men could be seen moving about over them.
“What’s that, Ethan?” demanded Bert, as he beheld the strange procession.
“That?” replied the boatman, pausing in his task and looking in the direction indicated by the lad. “Them’s logs.”
“Logs? I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“I mean what I say. They’re rafts made out o’ logs. They come from up Ottawa way. Ye see, the lumbermen cut the logs in the winter and float ’em down the stream, and a good many on ’em is sawed up over there, but not all. They make rafts out of a part, and haul ’em down the river to Montreal, or some other town.”
“But what are those houses or huts I can see on the rafts?” persisted Bert. “And there are people there too. Yes, I can see women and children,” he added, as he lowered the glasses he had been using.
“That’s what they are,” replied Ethan.“They’re cabins. They have to have a place for their women folks and children, don’t they?”
“Do you mean to tell me theyliveon board those rafts?”
“Course they do. Why not?”
“Bert!” exclaimed Ben, quickly, “I’m going to take a canoe and go out to visit them. Want to go along?”
“Yes!” exclaimed Bert, eagerly, as he ran with Ben to the beach, where the canoes were kept.
The other boys followed them, and warned Bert against intrusting himself to a canoe in which Ben was to be pilot and helmsman; but both were too eager now to heed the advice of their friends, and in a few minutes they had launched the canoe, adjusted the mast and, spreading the bat-wing sail, went skimming over the water in the direction of the approaching rafts.
Whatever Bert’s fears may have been, and doubtless they were many, Ben managed to keep the canoe upright, and in a little while drew near the slow-moving crafts. The sail was then lowered, though the canoe was almost capsized in the attempt, and using their paddles, the boys soon drewalongside one of the rafts and successfully clambered on board, dragging their boat after them.
It was a strange spectacle which greeted their eyes. Two families evidently were living on board, and the children stood and shyly watched the arrival of their unexpected visitors. Two little huts had been erected near the stern of the raft, and the women were then hanging their weekly washing on the lines which had been stretched from side to side.
One of the men now approached the boys and respectfully saluted them, and Ben explained their purpose in coming. In response to their request they were conducted to one of the huts, and hospitably invited to share in the meal which was soon to be prepared.
Ben declined the invitation, but curiously observed the places in which the people were dwelling for a time. Rude berths or bunks had been built along the sides of the cabin, and a few rough chairs and the various utensils which were necessary for cooking were also seen. On the open raft a fireplace had been made, over which an iron pot could be placed.
Altogether the scene was as novel as itwas interesting, and after remaining to talk with the men and to bestow some small coins upon the bashful children, as the camp on Pine Tree Island had long since disappeared from sight, they soon departed, thanking the people for their kindness in explaining all the details to them.
The boys succeeded in embarking safely and then set sail for the Island, where they arrived about three-quarters of an hour afterward. Ethan and Tom had already departed for the day, and the campers were now waiting for the arrival of Mr. Clarke’s steam-yacht, which was to convey them to his cottage.
“I’m going down there in a canoe,” exclaimed Ben. “Any of you fellows want to come along with me?”
“Nay, verily,” said Jock. “You have a fancy for appearing before the girls in your wet clothes. For my part, I don’t enjoy that.”
“I’ll not tip you over,” replied Ben. “I’m learning about all there is to learn in handling canoes. It’s as easy as—as Latin, when you once get the notion of it.”
None of the boys could be persuaded,however, and soon Ben departed alone. He placed two paddles in the smaller of the canoes, and then spreading his sail, departed from the camp amidst the cheers of his friends, not one of whom expected to see him in a presentable condition when they should arrive at “The Rocks.”
Ben, however, was unmindful of their scepticism and sailed away as if no shadow of possible ill clouded his vision. In spite of his many mishaps he was determined to master the canoe, and no matter how many upsettings he had, they all only strengthened him in his purpose.
It was a perfect day for his venture. A gentle breeze slightly ruffled the surface of the river and bore the light little canoe steadily on in its course. The water was so transparent that in places, as Ben occasionally glanced over the side of his boat into the river, he could see the rocks upon the bottom, and several times beheld the hungry bass as they darted swiftly away at his approach. The sound of a belated mowing-machine came faintly from the shore where he could see men toiling in the fields. The reflections of the islands were so clear and distinct that he couldhardly have determined which part was above and which below the surface as he glided past them. The bold rocks, the deep green of the bordering trees, and the many-colored cottages provided variety in the scene about him, and as Ben moved onward before the gentle breeze, at times it almost seemed to him that he was in fairy-land.
His first interruption came when a steamer approached, and not yet ready to test his prowess too severely, he turned out of the course far enough as he thought to place him beyond all danger; but he soon discovered that the wash of the steamer reached far that morning, and in a moment his frail craft was being tossed about as if it had been a leaf in the current of the mighty stream.
However, he managed to hold his boat, and soon the troubled waters subsided, though he could see that the motion of the waves had extended even to the shores of a far-distant island.
At last he came within sight of “The Rocks,” and beheld the girls on the dock watching one of their number whom he could see in a canoe not far away. Theyacht could not anywhere be seen, and concluding that it had gone to the camp for his friends, he gave all his attention to the immediate task of landing in the presence of the girls without capsizing.
As he approached he discovered that the beach on one side of the dock was low, and not quite daring to run in alongside the regular landing-place, he sent the canoe straight ashore and succeeded in his attempt with no worse mishap than wetting his feet.
He was eagerly greeted by the girls, and as he took his stand on the dock beside them, one of them said:—
“Have you given up appearing here as you did the first night you came?”
“I hope so,” answered Ben. “I’m going to keep at it till I have got the better of the thing. I practise every day.”
“Are you practising for the races, Mr. Dallett?” inquired one of them.
“What races?”
“Why the regular canoe races next month. Don’t you know about them?”
“Tell me about them.”
“They meet down here not very far away, and have a regatta every summer.They have races with double bat-wings and single bat-wings, and one paddle and two paddles, and I don’t know what all, only it’s perfectly lovely. And the girls wear the colors; and yes, there is a race for the ladies, too. We’re urging Bessie here to go into that. Have you ever seen her in a canoe?”
“No, I never have.”
“Well, you ought to. And are you really going to enter the canoe race, Mr. Dallett? And will you paddle or sail?”
“Yes,” said Ben, forming a sudden resolution, “I’m going into the race.”
“And will you paddle or sail?”
“Paddle.”
“How perfectly lovely. I say, girls, wouldn’t it be fine sport for Bessie and Mr. Dallett to have a race now? Mr. Clarke won’t be back for a little while yet with the yacht and the boys, and I think it would be fine to have a race right here.”
“Not very fine for me, I fear,” replied Ben. “Miss Bessie would beat me.”
“I’d do my best, you may be sure of that,” exclaimed the young lady referredto. “Do you want to race with me, Mr. Dallett?”
“I’m afraid—”
“Oh, never mind, if you areafraid,” said Bessie, quickly, her eyes sparkling as she spoke. “Possibly you might tip over.”
“I’ll try it,” said Ben, doggedly. He knew he would never hear the last of it from his companions if he should refuse, and even the girls would not be averse to referring to the matter.
“Get your canoe, then,” said Bessie, quickly.
“What’s the course to be?” inquired Ben.
He wished now that he had not consented so readily. If by any chance he should win the race, he could see that his rival would not take her defeat quietly; and, on the other hand, if he should be beaten by a girl, his life in camp would not be lacking in spice. And Miss Bessie was so confident and eager. Yes, he wished that he had not consented, but there was no withdrawal now.
“The course will be around the island,” explained Bessie. “It’s about half a mile and clear water. If you lose the race and are beaten by a girl,” she exclaimed, “I’ll despise you.”
“And if I win,” laughed Ben, “you’ll never forgive me.”
“Ifyouwin? Win if you can!” and she quickly took her place in her canoe and began to wield her paddle in a manner that increased Ben’s misgivings still more.
He, too, was soon ready, and as the canoes came alongside in front of the dock, one of the girls counted “One! Two! Three!” the signal agreed upon for starting, and in an instant the race was begun.
Whatever Ben thought about racing with a girl, he speedily discovered that it was no holiday task before him even to keep up with her canoe, to say nothing of passing it.
Quick to take advantage of the start, she was fully three yards in advance of him when his paddle struck the water. His long arms gave him a decided advantage, but what his contestant lacked in reach she seemed to supply in quickness, and her dexterity was simply marvellous.
In his eagerness not to be outdone, Ben drove his paddle so far down into the water, that his canoe was almost upset, and when he tried to right it Bessie had increased her lead and called mockingly to him that ‘she could tow him around the island.’ But hesoon had gained his balance, and his long sweeping strokes began to tell. Nearer and nearer he came to the canoe in front of him, and, do what she could, she could not increase the distance between them, and when they turned the point and were hidden from the sight of the girls on the dock, she was only a length in advance.
Almost together they then swept on, and when at last they turned the other point and came in on the home stretch, they were side by side.
Suddenly their ears were saluted by calls and shouts and the shrill whistle of the yacht which was now approaching with the boys on board. Ben did not mean to win now, but he did want to come in even, and was doing his utmost to hold his own.
He was paddling in a course parallel to that which Miss Bessie had taken and about three rods distant, when suddenly he found himself in the wash of the little steamer, and before he was aware of what had befallen him, was struggling in the water.
Ben’s disappearance was greeted with shrieks of laughter, but when several minutes had passed and he did not come to the surface, the laughter suddenly ceased andthe onlookers were gazing into one another’s faces with consternation and fear. In a moment Jock and Bert leaped into a skiff and with swift strokes rowed out to the place where Ben had capsized.
The alarm of the boys was in nowise decreased when they were unable to discover a trace of the missing Ben. The clear water enabled them to look far down into the depths, but only the rocks upon the bottom of the river could be seen. Their alarm had become consternation now, and they glanced into each other’s faces with an expression of fear, which was increased by the shouts of the girls on the dock and the calls of those who were still on the yacht.
As the boys changed the course of the skiff, Bert suddenly exclaimed, “Look at that, will you? See that canoe!”
The canoe in which Ben had capsized had been left to itself and was steadily drifting toward the shore of the island. Suddenly it was lifted from the water, and the long form of Ben appeared as he carried the little craft upon his shoulders, his head still remaining concealed beneath the boat.
Not heeding the shout which greeted his welcome appearance, Ben waded ashore, and after depositing his burden upon the bank, turned and quietly faced his companions.
His solemn manner, his dripping clothing, and above all the relief which all felt at his escape caused the shouts to be renewed; but Ben slowly approached the group of girls and said, “Miss Bessie, I’m ready to try it again. Shall we take the same course?”
“No, sir!” exclaimed that young lady. “You’ve frightened us almost to death, and I’ll not be responsible for your safety any more.”
“But I was safe, perfectly safe,” replied Ben, soberly. “I’m at home in the water, every time.”
“It’s a pity you’re not more at home on it, then,” replied Bessie, with a nervous little laugh. “How did you escape? Where were you?”
“Who, me? Why, I swam up under the canoe, it sheltered my delicate face from the sun, you see, and I just pushed it ashore.”
The others had landed by this time, andalthough the boys joined in the laughter, Ben could see that Mr. Clarke was annoyed by the trick he had played.
“Go up to the house,” said Mr. Clarke, quietly, “and I’ll get you a change of clothing. But you ought never to play such a prank as that again. It’s altogether too serious a matter. This water is so cold that it is very easy for a man to be taken with a cramp in it, and sink before any aid could come to him. Don’t do it again.”
Ben, somewhat chagrined, made no reply, and followed Mr. Clarke to the house. When he reappeared he found his friends seated on the broad piazza, and they hailed his coming with shrieks of laughter, for Ben once more had been compelled to don the garments of their host, and as they were much too small for him, the sight he presented was ludicrous in the extreme.
“I think, Mr. Dallett,” said one of the girls, “that you ought to buy that suit of Mr. Clarke. You don’t know how becoming it is to you.”
“No, I don’t believe I do know,” replied Ben, ruefully, glancing down at his wrists, which protruded several inches below his sleeves. “I’m not just sure whether Iwouldn’t have felt better to have stayed out there in the river.”
“A trifle too short and a shaving too lean,But aniceyoung man as ever was seen,”
“A trifle too short and a shaving too lean,But aniceyoung man as ever was seen,”
“A trifle too short and a shaving too lean,
But aniceyoung man as ever was seen,”
murmured Bob.
Even Ben, and Mr. Clarke, who had now joined the group, were compelled to join in the laugh which followed, and soon the good nature of all was apparently restored, Ben himself adding to the fun by the nonchalance with which he paraded in his “uniform” before the admiring gaze of the assembly.
After dinner had been served, the group returned to the piazza and seated themselves in the chairs, evidently at peace among themselves and with all the world. The cottage, as has been said, was situated on a high bluff, and from it a view could be obtained of the majestic river for miles in either direction. The bracing air, the sparkling water, the sight of passing yachts and of swiftly moving canoes, all lent an additional charm to the occasion, and for two hours they remained there, enjoying themselves as only light-hearted young people can.
At last Mr. Clarke proposed that they should take a trip with him in the yacht, and as they eagerly hailed the invitation, all, including Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, were soon seated on board. There they sang songs and told stories and commented upon the constantly changing scene of beauty into which they moved. Darting in and out among the islands the fleet little yacht, skilfully handled by the pilot and engineer, daintily seemed to pick its way, as if it too shared in the delight of the company. Beautiful cottages, palaces they seemed to the boys, were passed, and quaint little spots, dotted by tents or rude huts, whither some humble family had come for an outing, were frequently seen. Fishing parties were discovered among the bays, and parties of campers, living much as did our boys in their camp on Pine Tree Island, were passed; and when at last the yacht turned homeward, all were ready to declare that never before had they had so enjoyable an afternoon.
To the proposition of the boys that they should return to their camp, a strong objection was offered by Mrs. Clarke, who declared that they must remain for supper;and we may be sure no great amount of urging was required to make them yield.
“I’ll take you back to camp this evening,” said Mr. Clarke, when they all resumed their seats on the piazza.
“I thought I’d go back in my canoe,” suggested Ben, who was clad in his proper garments now. “I want the practice, you see.”
“No, sir!” said Mr. Clarke, sharply. “You are to go back with us. I’ll not be responsible for your safety in that shell of yours.”
Ben made no reply, and soon was sharing in the enjoyment of the party. The sun was now low in the western sky, and as its departing beams fell across the waters it made them glow like a veritable lake of fire. The wind had all died away, and the surface of the river was almost like glass. A scene of greater beauty or of more indescribable peace and calm they never before had seen.
But the laughter which came from the piazza of Mr. Clarke’s cottage, and the enjoyment of the assembly there, were not to be checked even by the solemn stillness of the river.
“One would never think,” said Mr. Clarke, when a break of a moment came, “that this peaceful river was ever the scene of bloodshed.”
“Bob, here, knows all about that,” said Bert. “He puts us to sleep every night with his stories of the early discoverers. We almost feel as if we were on their trail.”
“So you are, for it’s all historic ground,” replied Mr. Clarke; “but I wasn’t thinking of the discoveries just then, but rather of the struggle along the border here in the War of 1812, and of the pirates.”
“Pirates?” exclaimed Miss Bessie, quickly. “Why, you never told us there were any pirates here. I shall be afraid to go out in my canoe again—unless I have Mr. Dallett along to protect me,” she added.
Ignoring the laugh which followed, her father said, “Well, there were pirates here, for you can’t call them by any other name. There are none here now, of course, but in what was poetically called ‘The Patriot War,’ it wasn’t the same peaceful St. Lawrence that we see.”
As all appeared to be interested in hiswords, Mr. Clarke continued. “This patriot war, so called, occurred along about 1837-40. It really was an attempt to revolutionize Canada by a lot of desperadoes, or pirates, as I call them, who were filled with hatred as bitter as it was unreasonable against our sister country, and the worst leader of them all was a William Johnston, or Bill Johnston, as he was more familiarly known by his neighbors along the St. Lawrence River. He lived near here, you see.
“In December, 1837, a band of disguised men from Canada set fire to the steamer Caroline out near Niagara Falls, and aroused great excitement all along the border. The next month Congress appropriated $625,000 for the protection of the northern frontier, and called for volunteers. On the very same day a circular was issued over here at Watertown, signed by six prominent men, asking for money and help for the so-called refugees from Canada. The signers professed to be law-abiding citizens and all that, andperhapsthey were, though there were serious doubts about the matter then and since.
“In most of the villages secret organizationshad been formed, known as Hunter Lodges, and they were making plans for raising money and men to invade Canada. Indeed, they had their preparations all made for crossing on the ice as soon as the river here was frozen over, and falling upon Kingston.
“One night in February the arsenal at Watertown was broken into and four hundred stands of arms were stolen by men who were thought to be engaged in the proposed movement. Some of the things were afterward recovered, and a reward was offered for the capture of the men.
“Matters were made worse by the fact that the arsenals at Elizabethtown and Batavia were also broken into at about the same time. The very next day after the affair at Watertown, men began to arrive at Clayton, which used to be called French Creek, and it is said that there were four thousand stands of arms there, five hundred long pikes, and twenty barrels of cartridges; but what they lacked was men, for, though nominally there were a good many there, there were few if any realmenamong them, as you can readily imagine.
“There was no discipline, and less order,and when, at last, less than two hundred of the rascals crossed over to Wolf Island, they were more like a mob than an army. The Kingston people were badly frightened, though they had slight cause to be alarmed, and they sent over a force of sixteen hundred soldiers to meet the ‘invading army’; but when they arrived at the island, the ‘army’ had pretty much melted away. Still the country was pretty thoroughly stirred up, and forces were stationed at Cape Vincent, Clayton, and other places to maintain order. Congress also took further action, and most of the people thought the troubles were ended.
“But in the last of May, 1838, the steamerSir Robert Peelwas plundered and burned over here at Wells Island. She was a large boat, I understand, and some hundred and sixty feet long. She started from Brockville, and there were threats made before she set sail that she would have trouble, but no attention was paid to them. The passengers were all asleep when she arrived at Wells Island, and the crew were taking on wood, when a band of men, disguised as Indians, and rejoicing in such fictitious names as Tecumseh, JudgeLynch, Bolivar, Captain Crocket, and I don’t know what all, rushed out of the woods, and, yelling, ‘Remember theCaroline,’ drove away the crew and passengers, and taking the steamer out into the channel, set it on fire.
“First they had seized the money on board and such valuables as they could find, you may be sure.
“Of course there was a great stir then in the country. This Bill Johnston I mentioned a little while ago was one of the leaders, and both the Canadian governments and our own offered big rewards for him and the other men. I believe Governor Marcy placed the reward for the arrest of Johnston at $500 and $250 was offered for some of the others, while some were thought to be worth only $100 each. The Earl of Durham did better still, for he promised to give £1000 for the conviction of any of the parties engaged in the outrage. Some of them were arrested and tried over at Watertown, but it was almost impossible to convict them, and the jury brought in a verdict of ‘not guilty.’”
“Was Johnston captured then?” inquired Jock.
“He was captured, but not then. He was taken later, but not until some other stirring events had occurred, and even then it didn’t do much good. But I’ll have to reserve the other parts of the story of the St. Lawrence pirates until your next visit, for if I’m going to take you back to camp, we must be starting.”
When the boys went down to the dock they found that the girls also were to accompany them. Ben’s canoe was taken on board, and then the party started on one of the most enjoyable experiences on the great river—a moonlight sail among the islands.
The time passed rapidly, and when they came out into the channel near their camp they discovered one of the great river steamers before them. To the eager request of Miss Bessie “to take the breakers,” Mr. Clarke reluctantly consented, and the little yacht was headed for the waves which could be seen in the wake of the steamer.
The conversation ceased as the yacht approached. Ben had taken his seat in the bow, and the girls were huddled together amidships, half dreading and yet eager for the exciting experience.
Nearer and nearer came the little craft, and soon it was lifted high on the crest of the waves. Down it went into the trough of the sea and rose again as the swell lifted it. On the third attempt, however, it failed to respond as promptly as it had done before, and instead of rising on the crest of the billow it struck it fairly in the midst, and in a moment a great flood of water fell upon the yacht and swept over its entire length.
There was a moment of intense excitement on the yacht and then came a shrill scream as the brave little craft righted itself and came out into the still waters once more. As soon as it was perceived that no one was injured, the reaction came, and shouts of laughter succeeded the cries of alarm.
It was speedily found that no one had entirely escaped the sweep of the great wave, but Ben had fared worst of all. Seated high in the bow as he had been, he had received the full force of the water and was drenched from head to foot. Some of the others had not fared so badly, but now that all danger was past, they were disposed to make light of the mishap and to look at it in the light of a joke.
“The next time we’d better leave Ben at the camp,” suggested Bob. “He’s aregular Jonah. If he can’t fall into the river, he manages to have the river fall on us. The only safe plan will be to leave him out.”
“I don’t think you need complain,” replied Ben, as he ruefully surveyed his dripping garments. “I was a regular breakwater for you all. I got the most of the water myself.”
“We shan’t complain,” said Mr. Clarke, quickly. “It was a foolish venture at best. The waves were coming too swiftly for the boat to adjust herself. She took the first two of the breakers all right, but before she could rise for the third it was upon us and there was no escape.”
The engineer and pilot had not spoken during the conversation, but the broad smiles upon their faces were indicative of their quiet enjoyment of the mishap, and soon they brought the little yacht alongside the dock in front of the camp. The good nights were then spoken, the boys leaped ashore, and as their visitors departed, they discharged the little brass cannon as a parting salute. The shrill whistle of the yacht responded, and soon the fleet boat had disappeared in the darkness,and all was quiet in the camp on Pine Tree Island.
The days which followed were filled with their own experiences, interesting, if not novel. Every morning Ben rose before his friends, and when they came forth from the tent for breakfast they would usually see him returning from the river in his canoe. His mishaps had only served to increase his determination to succeed, and though he was careful not to boast of his success in the presence of his friends, nevertheless his own progress was satisfactory, to himself at least.
Nor was he the only one to use the canoes. Sometimes with the bat-wing sails, and at other times with only a paddle, the boys set forth from the camp, and perhaps their lack of skill in no wise detracted from the zest of their enjoyment.
There were trips among the islands on the excursion steamers, visits made to Kingston, Gananoque, and various other points on the Canadian shore, and occasionally the boys donned their evening dress and repaired to the parlors of the hotels at Alexandria Bay. On Sunday Mr. Clarke had stopped for them with his yacht andthey had gone up to Thousand Island Park to attend service there in the huge tabernacle. Indeed, the days were all filled with their own interesting experiences, and not one of the boys had found a moment of the time dragging or uneventful.
The nearest approach to that experience had occurred when one rainy day had come and compelled them to remain most of the time within their tents. Bob had improved the opportunity by perusing a book which he refused to let his companions examine, and thereby greatly increased their curiosity as to its contents; but he had declared they would know what he was doing in due time, and must rest content until he should be willing to explain it all.
A decided break in the camp life came one day when Ethan said: “I’ve been makin’ arrangements for you boys to go down the Longue Seaut. I shan’t go with ye; but you won’t need me, for I’ve got word from two o’ the boatmen down there, and they can do more for ye than I could, ’cause they know every foot o’ the ground.”
“Down the Longue Seaut?” exclaimed Jock. “I’d like to go, but I don’t know what my father would say to it. I promisedhim when we came away we wouldn’t take any chances.”
“I wrote him,” replied Ethan, quietly, “an’ he says it’s all right.”
“Right it is, then,” exclaimed Jock, delightedly. “I’ve been through the rapids there on a steamer when I went to Montreal, and it’s a great experience, I can tell you, fellows. The water is tossing and boiling all around you, and the boat just shuts off all steam and lets her go it. You feel the boat go bump! bump! and all the time it seems as if the water was just dropping out from under you all. Do we really go through the rapids in skiffs, Ethan?”
“Yes, that’s jest what ye do, only ye take what they call the Little Seaut instead o’ the Big Seaut. All the difference the’ is, is that one is on one side o’ the island an’ the other the other. An’ the Little Seaut isn’t quite so big as the Big Seaut, though there isn’t a sight o’ difference between them.”
“You think it will be safe for us, do you?” inquired Bob, quietly.
“Safe? Yes, or I wouldn’t let ye go. ’Twouldn’t be safe for ye to try it alone, but in the hands o’ the men I’m goin’ to trust ye to, ye’ll be all right enough. An’ye’ll find some fishin’ there what is fishin’, I’m tellin’ ye.”
“I’m sorry you and Tom are not to go,” said Jock.
“So be I; but I’ve got some work to do on my place, an’ Tom here is goin’ to practise his Hamlick. They’re to have the show next week, ain’t they, Tom?”
“Yes,” replied Tom. “I’d like to go with you, boys, but I can’t this trip. Perhaps you’ll get a muscallonge or a sturgeon, and that will pay you well.”
“Yes,” said Ethan, “it’s ’bout time for muscallonge to begin to run. If ye git one o’ them fellows, you’ll never forget it all yer born days. They’re fish what is fish! An’, besides, everything isn’t fished out down there. Up here the lines is so thick that it’s like runnin’ through the meshes of a seine for a sizable fish to get up the river.”
The interest of the boys was keen enough now to satisfy even the old boatman, and in response to Jock’s request he explained the plans he had made for them.
“Now yer best way will be to take the steamboat down to Ogdensburgh to-morrow mornin’, and there ye change to a little boatthat’ll take ye down to Masseny, or rather it’ll take you to the Landin’. Then ye can drive over to the Springs [Massena Springs, Ethan meant] an’ there’s some big taverns there. City folks come up to drink the water, though for my part I’d about as soon drink dish-water or pisin’ tea.”
“Do they have ‘pi’s ’n things’ there too?” inquired Bert, soberly.
“You’ll find eout all ’bout that,” responded Ethan. “Then the next mornin’, afore it’s fairly light, ye’ll have to be drove back to the river,—it isn’t more’n three or four mile,—an’ yer boatman will be there by the Landin’, all ready and waitin’ for ye. Then they’ll take ye in their boats down through the rapids, and send the team along the shore, so’t ye can ride back; an’ they’ll have a rig to bring back the boats too.”
“Why don’t they sail or row back?” inquired Ben.
“Why don’t they row back? Well, I guess ye won’t be askin’ no sech question as that after ye git there. Ye’ll know more’n ye do now. Oh, there’s another thing,” he added; “ye don’t want to take yer fish-poles along.”
“Why not?” inquired Jock, quickly. “I thought you said there was fine fishing there. I should think we’d want to take our rods with us.”
“No, ye don’t want yerrods,” said Ethan, sharply. “Ye might jist as well have pipestems as them poles o’ yours. They’ll have all the rods ye want. I’ve got that all fixed for ye.”
Ethan soon afterward departed from the camp, and left the boys to themselves. For a time they talked over the exciting prospect, and at last Bob said: “It grieves me, fellows, to see you wasting your time like this. Now I feel it my duty to enlighten you as to the third expedition which Cartier made—”
But Bob got no further. With a shout his companions rose from the ground, and ran swiftly to the tent, where they at once prepared to retire. Bob soon followed, first piling the logs high upon the camp-fire, and then he too forgot all about Cartier’s third voyage of exploration.
The camp was astir early on the following morning, and as the boys were to go to Alexandria Bay to take a steamer at an hour which was early even for the early-risingEthan, they hastily ate the breakfast of “pi’s ’n things” which the boatman had prepared before his departure on the preceding night.
As soon as this had been eaten they closed the tents, which Ethan and Tom had promised to visit daily in the absence of the boys, and ran down to the dock, where the skiff was in readiness.
“That’s too big a load,” said Ben, as he stopped before the boat in which his companions were already seated. “I’ll not go in that craft.”
“Oh, come on, Ben!” shouted Bert. “You won’t have to do any of the rowing.”
“I’m not afraid of that.”
“Well, what are you afraid of, then? Come along.”
“I’m afraid of you. I’ll go over to the bay in my ‘light canoe.’”
As he still refused to listen to the boys, Jock said: “Let him come in the canoe, fellows. He’d only tip us over if we took him in the skiff.”
“I’m learning to paddle my own canoe,” called Ben, as his friends started. “I’m like the little busy bee, which improves each shining hour—”
“Come on, Ben,” called Bob. “You’ll be late, and we’ll lose the steamer.”
Ben smiled as he took his place in the canoe, and, grasping his paddle, sent his craft swiftly over the water. Soon he had overtaken his companions, and despite the efforts of Jock, who was rowing, to keep up with him, speedily passed the skiff, and arrived at the bay long before they did. The boys discovered him seated on the edge of the dock, swinging his long legs over the water, and gazing with an air of abstraction about him.
“Why, hello, fellows! Where’d you come from?” he exclaimed, as the skiff approached.
“That’s what you’ve been doing mornings, when you were up so long before us, was it?” said Jock, as the boys landed. “I must say you have improved, Ben, in your ‘canoemanship.’ What are you thinking of?”
Whatever the thoughts in Ben’s mind may have been he did not give them utterance, and after the boys had left the boat in charge of a man at the bay, they all returned and joined him on the dock.
It was not long afterward when the steamer arrived, and they were received onboard. Taking their seats together on the deck beneath the canopy, they gazed with interest about them as the boat passed down the river. The camps and cottages were stirring now, and again our boys felt the exhilaration of a ride in the early morning on the great river. When they approached “The Rocks” they could see the people on the piazza, and waved their handkerchiefs as a morning salute. A returning salute was given, but whether they had been recognized or not they could not determine.
The ride to Ogdensburgh was enjoyed all the way, and when they arrived there they had their dinner, and soon after embarked on the little steamer which was to carry them to Massena.
The increasing novelty of the scene kept them interested in spite of the time which had been consumed since they had departed from their camp. The current was much swifter, they perceived, as they went down the river. In places it seemed to rush with a speed that made the efforts of the little boat almost useless. There were great whirling eddies, too; and as the boys gazed at them they were wondering what the Longue Seaut Rapids must be if the placewhere they were was thought to be comparatively smooth and safe.
Late in the afternoon they arrived at the “Landing,” and although they discovered there that they might have made plans different from those which Ethan had made for them, they were not inclined to complain when they were seated in the wagon which was to convey them to Massena Springs.
The road led through a prosperous farming country, and though evidently it was somewhat new, as far as the abode of the people who dwelt there was concerned, it still left upon the boys the impression of great age. Occasionally, in the distance behind them, they could obtain glimpses of the mighty St. Lawrence rushing onward as if already it had heard the call of the rapids. Dairy farms, orchards, cheese factories, and various other interesting sights were passed, all of interest to the eager lads. There was almost no time for them to tire, for a ride of a few miles brought them into the little village of Massena.
Then up the long street they rode to Massena Springs, distant about a mile fromthe main village, and there their driver stopped before a modest brick hotel.
This, then, must be the “tavern” of which Ethan had spoken; and glad to have arrived at the end of their journey, the boys leaped out, and at once entered the building.
That evening the boys visited the “Springs” proper, and drank of the waters which were supposed to be of a quality to restore all wasted faculties of mind and body. The taste, however, was anything but agreeable to the lads, which was explained to them by the fact that none of their vital forces had been wasted, and, therefore, there was no craving for that which would supply their deficiencies.
They were interested in the stories which were told them of the good old times before the introduction of railroads and similar modern contrivances, when people from far and near used to journey to the springs in pursuit of restored youth and strength, stories which “reminded” Bob of the efforts of the early discoverers to find the fountain of youth in the far-off land of Florida.
He was compelled to postpone his lecture,however, for the boys decided to retire at once, and soon all four were sleeping soundly in the “tavern” which Ethan had recommended.
Only the gray of the dawn had appeared when they were summoned in the morning, and hastily dressing, they made their way to the dining room, where an early breakfast was served them. Their carriage was in waiting for them even at that early hour, and soon they were riding back to the Landing, where boats and boatmen were to be ready for them, if Ethan’s plans were fulfilled.
The driver explained to them on their way that the day was not to be a very good one for fishing, for it gave promise of being bright and intensely warm. The latter prophecy was the more difficult to believe, for the boys felt the chill of the early morning, although each had brought an overcoat for protection.
The impression of the great age of the region seemed to be stronger in the early hours even than it had been in the preceding evening. The stillness was almost oppressive. Anything like the bustle and stir of the great city was almost like the memoryof a dream. Here, at least, were peace and quiet, and even the problems of life itself were all remote and vague. As they drew nearer the river, from some of the farmhouses the occupants came forth and stopped for a moment to gaze at the passing carriage, and then turned to the barnyards where the cattle were waiting to be milked. Men and women, boys and girls, all came forth to engage in this occupation, and all alike seemed to have been there for years, and to belong to the very antiquity of the region.
Keenly as the boys were enjoying the ride, they all seemed to be disinclined to talk, and the first break in the silence came when the flash of the great river was perceived beyond the distant trees. Soon they came to a spot from which the swiftly moving waters could be more clearly seen, and then their driver turned into the road which ran along the bank, and the river was all the time within sight.
It was a marvellously impressive scene. The glory of the coming day was almost upon them. The fertile farm-lands, the thriving farmers, the cattle huddled together near the barns, or already trailing offfor the distant pastures, driven, perhaps, by some barefooted boy; the evidences of life and civilization on all sides, were supplemented by the swiftly moving waters of the mighty river from which they were seldom able to remove their gaze.
It was not long afterward when they arrived at the Landing, and all other thoughts were forgotten in the eagerness with which they looked before them to discover some trace of their boatmen.
These were speedily found, and as they declared that all things were in readiness for the expedition of the day, our boys were soon on board the skiffs, which were as beautiful and shapely as those they had seen and used among the Thousand Islands.
Jock and Bob were assigned to one skiff, in which their boatman, George, was waiting. He was a young man of quiet manners, and his companions at once had a feeling of implicit confidence in him as he quietly greeted them. Ben and Bert were in the other skiff, and with their boatman, a much older man than George, were the first to leave the dock, and soon had disappeared from the sight of their friends as they moved swiftly down the river.
Jock and Bob soon followed, and as George rowed out with the current, he said, quietly, “You might as well put out your lines, boys. You never can tell what’ll happen.”
He rested a moment upon his oars, and after baiting the hooks with frogs, cast the lines into the water and, taking up his oars, again held the boat closer to the shore, and prevented it from moving too fast in the swift current.
The rods, as Ethan had foretold, were very different from those which the boys had previously used. They were short, stout hickory poles, and the reels were several times as large as the ones to which they had been accustomed. Indeed, they seemed like small wheels, four or five inches in diameter; but as Jock settled back into his chair in the stern and began to pay out his line, he could see that Bob, whose chair was on the other side of the boatman, was as content as he, and no questions were asked.
For a time the boys gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the morning, after George had declared that they had enough line out. The sun was now to be seenabove the eastern horizon, and was flooding the earth with its glory. Birds were singing in the bushes on the shore, the sparkling waters were rushing on with unabated speed, and the beautiful skiff seemed to be a part of the scene itself, and almost to belong to the river. George was watching the lines of the boys, though they themselves were unmindful of them, as the boat was carried forward by the stream.
Suddenly Jock felt a gentle tug at his line and turned sharply about. The pull was not repeated, but as he glanced at George questioningly, the boatman nodded his head and Jock began to reel in his line. He soon discovered that something was pulling sturdily back, but he reeled steadily, and as he glanced down into the water, he could see a fish fast to his hook.
“Pike,” said George, quietly. “Reel him in. Be careful! Don’t give him any slack. There! That’s the way,” he added, as with a quick movement of his gaff he drew the struggling fish on board.
“He’s a beauty!” exclaimed Jock, delightedly. “What’ll he weigh, George?”
“Oh, four or five pounds, perhaps.You’ll see some bigger ones than that if we have any luck to-day. ’Tisn’t a very good day for fishing, though.”
He resumed his labors with the oars, but both boys were alert now, and were waiting for the welcome tug which would indicate that the longed for strike had been made.
Bob was the next to reel in his line, and to his delight he discovered that he too had a pike, though not so large as that of his friend. Several fish were caught by each of the boys as they went down the stream, and for the time the thoughts of the rapids were forgotten in the excitement of the present occupation.
“This fishing doesn’t amount to much,” said George, quietly, as he removed Jock’s latest catch. “When we get below the rapids yonder we’ll be more likely to find ’em.”
At his words the boys glanced up, and the sight before them almost drove the color from their faces. Far in advance they could see the tossing waters of the Longue Seaut Rapids. A whirling mass of water seemed to stretch away in the distance as far as they could see. The waves tossed and rose and fell,and the air was filled with clouds of spray. The rocks along the shore were at times almost hidden from sight as the mad river dashed against them. A roaring sound seemed to fill the air, and already the boat appeared to feel the quickened movement of the river, for all about them the St. Lawrence was moving forward, swift and silent, as if it, too, had drawn in its breath for that fearful plunge into the tossing, heaving, boiling, boisterous mass before it.
Not far in advance they could see a great island, which seemed to present a point to the advancing river. At all events the waters divided there, and along each side went rushing on to the calmer regions below.
“Whew!” said Jock, drawing a long breath. “Then that’s the Longue Seaut, is it?”
“Yes,” replied George, quietly, as if the awe-inspiring sight produced no impression upon him.
“You don’t mean to say we’re going through that in this skiff?” inquired Bob.
“Yes.”
“Is it safe? Can you make it?”
“Yes.”
“We go to the right of the island, don’t we?” said Jock, in a low voice.
“Yes.”
“This side is what they call the Little Seaut, isn’t it?” he inquired.
“Yes.”
The boys glanced nervously again at the seething waters in the distance. The fact that they were to go through the “Little” Seaut, instead of the Big, did not seem to afford any great amount of comfort; but neither spoke, and their boatman, they had already discovered, was very different from Ethan, and not inclined to conversation of any kind.
“You’d better reel in your lines, boys,” said George, quietly.
“I thought you said this was where the fish were,” said Jock, nevertheless beginning to reel in as the boatman directed.
“No. Down below the rapids. The fish work up into the bays and lie there for what they want to come down the stream, and then they dart out and get it. I’m going to land here for a moment.”
He sent the boat ashore, and the boys eagerly watched him as he took a light pole and went out to one of the projectingrocks. There he fished for a few minutes, and after he had secured a half-dozen good-sized “chubs,” he returned to the place on the shore where the boys were waiting for him and said,—