CHAPTER XVROBBED
The boys gasped, not any more in fright than in surprise. It was a bear that blocked their path.
Frank made a megaphone of his hands, calling to Buster at the opening of the cavern:
“Oh, Buster! Buster! Call back that you can hear!â€
Immediately they saw, past the bear, the head of their guard as he poked it into the mouth of the cave and called.
“Buster,†Frank spoke clearly, enunciating plainly so that he would be perfectly understood, “there’s a bear between us and yourself. Make a noise and attract his attention. But don’t shoot. Just make a loud noise so that he will look away.â€
Buster let out a howl as if a wild ghost had gotten loose from some age-old graveyard. It had the required effect. The animal turned to see what was the cause for the noise, whereupon all three of the boys within the cave, led by Frank, charged at it with a set of wild howls and cries, all calculated to scare the animal before it could get ready to fight.
The effect was ludicrous. Like a child in the dark which is suffering from fear, the animal jumped—and then scurried to one side of the cave with a howling grunt.
Crack! Frank raised his rifle and fired point-blank, inducing another wild howl from the animal which they heard stumbling and grunting as it ran heavily through the darkness of the cave.
The three boys got to the mouth of the cave and one by one went through the hole, Frank remaining until last, facing back into the cave to watch for another charge by the animal. But the scare had been sufficient.
“We followed his tracks and we found him—I’ll say we found him!†exclaimed Lanky, laughing heartily over the tight place in which they had been.
“The uncomfortable part was that he almost found us, eh?†added Paul.
Around the hill or small mountain the boys trudged through the packed snow, finally deciding there was little more to be gained. The adventure through which they had been was, they concluded, just exactly enough for the day. Back by the way they had come they hiked, watching their signal rags, picking them up as they went, knotting them together for further use.
At the cabin everything was as they had left it, with the fire just dying down, the rooms all comfortablywarm, though the temperature had dropped to a small extent, the skies turning to a leaden-color as the day waned.
Having gotten together a meal, all of them taking part in the necessary labor of preparation, they started plans for the next day. It was left to Frank to decide on the procedure.
“Here’s what I suggest,†he said, evidencing the fact that his mind had already been at work on the plan. “Up in the rafters there is something that has every resemblance to a small tent. After we get through eating let’s take a look at it, and if my guess is right, let’s plan on going over to the other side of Old Moose Lake for a camp overnight, and——â€
“Let’s get that moose!†suggested Paul.
“Or some more fish!†spoke up Buster. “I forgot to get those I went in after yesterday. I was in such a hurry!â€
The laugh subsided to pay attention again to Frank.
“We’ll hunt for deer over there, or anything else that gets in our way. We’ll stay over there over night and perhaps we’ll have a chance at daybreak to get one.â€
No suggestion could have brought more unanimous consent than did this one, as a result of which the meal was hardly finished, the dishes cleaned and put away before two of the boys gotdown the khaki-colored bundle from the rafters—which turned out to be a tent.
“Let’s right now set down a list of all the things we should have with us.†Frank’s adherence to method came to the fore. “First, there is the tent. Then some matches—several of us should carry them in cases that are waterproof. Enough food for the evening meal to-morrow and the next morning’s breakfast. We can go without lunch in the middle of the day.â€
Suggestions flowed thick and fast from the enthusiastic boys, Frank’s pencil working hard to keep up with the list of things which should be carried. He kept calling attention to the necessity of not trying to carry the entire cabin along. Just enough of the necessary things to last them two days and one night.
Following the plan of the previous days, they arose before the break of dawn, being a goodly part of the way across the lake when day broke. There was no beautiful sunrise this morning. Instead, the skies were heavy, angry, gray in color, forbidding.
“Good thing we brought compasses,†remarked Frank as the four pairs of skates clicked along the ice. “We’ve nothing to guide us back, since we left no fire.â€
They were heading as nearly northeast as possible,having figured this was the long way over and would place them at the greatest distance from the camps.
One hour of steady skating brought them to a bluff-like shore of the lake, where hills on that side came abruptly down to the water, where woods were thick, almost dense, in their growth, and where two small streams trickled down from the hills to find their outlet to the lake.
“Here’s a place that looks good for a temporary camp,†Frank suggested. “And it would seem that deer or any other game should come to the lake through that grove of trees.â€
“Let’s pitch camp right here, then,†answered Paul, as he and Lanky put down their respective ends of the bundle which represented the tent.
Fifteen minutes later the tent was up and a campfire was started. Blankets were placed within the tent, as well as their food supplies, and everything looking to a home here for a day and a night was attended to with dispatch.
Long before the noon hour had come Lanky and Buster came in with four pickerel, conclusively proving to the others, so they argued, that they were the chief food providers of the expedition. It was a difficult job to prepare and cook the fish under such trying circumstances, but the task was finally completed and the work was enjoyed by all four sinceall had a part in the job. There was no one to “kid,†since all were guilty of whatever might be wrong—all four were to be praised for whatever was done well.
Frank laid plans for the afternoon, which was to consist of hiking through the woods to learn what kind of tracks were to be found, killing whatever game might get in front of their guns, but calling the attention of the boys to the particular point that dusk should find them ready to make a stand for deer above the watering holes.
With their axe they made holes in several places along the two crystal streams flowing from the hills into the lake, hoping any deer might give thanks enough to come close to the stand.
The boys took their properly appointed places before dusk, having gotten no game during the afternoon. Hours passed without any sight of noise of deer or other game, until finally the stand was abandoned. The campfire once more built up, the boys turned in for the night.
As the day waned and night came on they noted that the skies seemed heavier, coming closer to earth, the light gray color changing to a darker shade. All predicted snow.
During the night a heavy snow fell, so very heavy that morning found two feet on the ground, their firewood covered deeply, and the necessity facingthem of having to scrape away a great deal of it to make a place for another fire. The need for breakfast was pressing upon them.
It was Buster who went back toward the grove to find more dry wood, breaking it off from dead limbs of bushes and low trees. It was Buster who came running back toward the boys:
“Listen!†he called in a stage whisper. “There are deer up there at the water holes we made! But I believe the holes are frozen over again!â€
The boys quickly grabbed their firearms, strapped on their belts of ammunition, and crept hurriedly over the rise to the spot where Buster had seen the animals seeing water.
Near one of the places where they had cut holes in the ice-covered creek they saw three deer licking at the snow.
“Let’s get closer,†breathed Frank, leading the way carefully, stooping low, hoping the wind would not carry to the deer any odor or noise.
They edged up inch by inch along the rise, then dropped over into the brush, through a small end of the grove, seeing the deer standing not more than fifty yards away from them! Two of them lifted their heads and sniffed the air. The third continued sniffing the ground to find water.
Frank slowly raised his rifle to take bead. The other boys also took aim. Just as it seemed everythingwas ready for the triggers to be pulled, the two deer which had raised their heads wheeled suddenly, as if in fright, snorted, and slid away at a rapid pace into the woods.
Crack! Bang! Crack! Bang!
Two rifles and two shotguns sang out their leaden song of death. The deer that had remained at the waterhole reared itself on its hind legs, tried to turn away, staggered in the air, its forepaws came back to earth with a thud, and the animal fell to the ground!
“I got it!†yelled Buster Billings, jumping up from his shooting position and starting to rush forward. The other three boys uttered exactly the same exclamation and also darted toward the deer which had been dropped.
The race was short, all four of them reached the dead animal at the same time, all four saw exactly the same sight—two bullets and many small shot had struck it!
Dragging the deer back to their camp, they hung it on a pole placed between two forks which they built, its feet trussed up carefully. It was ready for them to carry home. Paul got out his camera to get photographic evidence. After breakfast they decided to start at once for the cabin, instead of spending the remainder of the day at hunting. The heavy snow had rather put a damper on any furtherplans, while their success at getting a deer was sufficient recompense for the trip across Old Moose Lake.
Taking their time, changing carriers now and then, with Frank watching the compass and judging their direction, they made their way toward the Parsons’ camp.
It was shortly after the noon hour when they arrived at the camp, having to walk the entire distance instead of skate. Weary, they trudged up to the rear door, hung the deer outside, and entered the house.
As the door closed behind the fourth of the boys, the first three caught sight of the rooms of the bungalow. Everything was topsy-turvy! The food shelves were empty, the box of tablewear was gone, chairs were overturned, the two hanging lamps were gone!
The place had been ransacked in their absence!