CHAPTER XV
FRED'S BRAVE STAND
"Excuse me, ma'am, but surely you do not believe that," Fred managed to say in another minute; and his voice may have trembled a little with emotion; though his manner was as frank and fearless as ever, as he looked straight into the snappy black eyes of the angry old lady.
"Three more of the gems are gone, and they were here this morning, because I took them out in my hand, and counted them," she declared, furiously; yet beginning to feel uncomfortable under his steady look.
"But why should you even think that I took them, Miss Muster?" he demanded.
"Because—you are the only person besides myself who has been in this room the entire day. Mammy has been sick in bed since nine o'clock; and Jake Stall did not put a foot inside the house to my personal knowledge," but although she said this as if to signify that her mind was made up, Fred could detect a little hesitation.
She already began to realize the absurdity of the accusation.
"Stop and think, ma'am, and I'm sure your own sense will tell you that you are wronging me when you say that," the boy argued, with the same positive air of conviction that had made his father declare he would make a good lawyer, if ever he felt inclined to study for the bar.
"In what way, boy?" Miss Muster faltered.
"Because in the first place you called me into your house of your own accord, when I was passing. I wouldn't have come, only that you said you were in some sort of trouble, and needed help. Then, think again, Miss Muster—you opened this door which had been shut all the time; you hurried into this room, and over to that stand. You know, ma'am, I was never within six feet of that little bowl. Right now I am half way between the table and the door. My arms would have to be pretty long to reach over there, wouldn't they now, Miss Muster?"
She saw his point. And indeed, even before he clinched the fact in this ingenious way the old lady was ready to admit that she had been unwisely hasty in making that passionate accusation.
"I beg your pardon, Fred," she hastened to say, holding out her hand, which he did not hesitate to take. "I was entirely wrong, and acted from a foolish impulse when I found that, in spite of all my precautions, more of my opals had mysteriously disappeared. You could not have taken them had you wanted to; and I do not believe you would touch them if you had a dozen chances."
That was saying a good deal for Miss Muster; and Fred, who knew considerable about her sharp tongue, felt that he could hardly have been paid a higher compliment.
"Thank you, ma'am," he said, smiling in a satisfied way. "If you please, then, we'll consider the thing closed. But that doesn't explain where the opals have gone to; does it?"
"Indeed, it does not," she replied. "I have been deeply stirred by this mystery; but Fred, believe me, it was not the value of the jewels one quarter so much as the shock given to my faith in human nature. I believed that the boy had been tempted beyond his power of resistance. Perhaps he wanted a certain sum of money for some purpose, and conceived the wicked idea that he could sell the stones, and get it that way. Oh! I would have gladly given him five, yes ten times their value, if only he had not given way to temptation."
"But Miss Muster," said Fred, quick to take advantage of his splendid opportunity; "you were just as sure, right now, that I was the thief; and yet how easy it was for me to prove my innocence. Wouldn't you be glad if I could do the same for my chum, Brist—I mean Andy?"
"Indeed, I would, Fred," she replied, warmly. "Do that, and there will be a whole shelf of boys' books come to your house, and an old woman's blessing in the bargain. But I'm afraid you'll find it a harder task than clearing your own skirts."
"But give me the chance, won't you, please, ma'am?" Fred insisted.
"Do you want to speak now about it, Fred?" she asked, eagerly enough.
"Why, yes, if you don't object, ma'am," he replied. "You know there's an old saying that 'it's best to strike while the iron is hot'."
"And you think that I'm pretty warm just now; is that it?" she asked, smiling a little in a way that made her thin face look almost friendly to the boy's imagination.
"Well, while we were on the subject I thought I'd like to call your attention to just one thing," Fred continued, persistently. "And after you've heard what I want to say, I think you'll agree with me that Bris—er, Andy, couldn't well have been guilty of taking these last opals. Why, he surely hasn't been in your house this whole day, has he, Miss Muster?"
"N—no, not that I know of, for a fact, Fred," she said, slowly.
"You keep the doors locked, don't you, ma'am, so Bristles, or any one else for that matter, couldn't have come in this morning,afteryou counted those things?"
"Yes, the doors are always locked. I am very particular about that. When the grocer's boy or the one from the butcher, come for orders, they wait in the kitchen while Mammy comes to me here, and we talk over what we need."
"Did that happen this morning, ma'am? Were both those boys inside here to-day?" Fred asked.
The old lady looked sharply at him when he said this.
"Ah! now I see in what direction your suspicions lie, Fred," she remarked, her face lighting up. "And if you can prove to my satisfaction that one of those boys took my opals, and they are returned to me, I will say nothing, do nothing, to prosecute the guilty one. Perhaps I was foolish to leave the door of opportunity open; the temptation within their reach. In that case the fault was partly mine."
"But I haven't accused anybody, ma'am; only I wondered whether one of those tradesmen's boys could have done it," Fred went on. "I'm going to look them up right away, and if I can recover the opals, and make the thief confess before you, then that will end the affair, will it?"
"So far as he is concerned, it will," the old lady answered; "but I shall never forgive myself for suspecting my niece's son of such a thing. Fred, do you suppose he would come to see me if you took him a message?"
"Who, Andrew?" exclaimed the delighted Fred. "Why, I'm as sure of it as that I draw breath. He'd almost fly here, he'd be that glad you believed him innocent. Do you want me to tell him, ma'am?"
"Wait, let it go for a little while. When I send you word, you may tell him all that has occurred here to-day, and how a silly old woman had her eyes opened to the truth by a clever boy. Meanwhile, please do not say a word to any one, will you, Fred?"
He was a little disappointed, because it would have given him so much pleasure to carry the joyful news to Bristles; but then, a little more delay could not hurt. And besides, it would give him a chance to look around, find out just what the habits of both the grocer's and the butcher's boy were, and possibly make the guilty one confess, on promise of immunity from punishment.
"I'll promise to do just whatever you say, ma'am, though I hope for the sake of poor Bristles you won't keep me waiting long," he answered.
"Fred, shake hands with me again," said the old maid, surveying him with kindling eyes. "I take back a lot of the mean things I've been thinking about boys these few days. Thereissomething worth while in some of them. My better nature told me so right along. They're not all bad. I reckon now, you'd sooner do most anything than to break the fond heart of that fine little mother of yours; wouldn't you, Fred?"
"Oh! I haven't always been above suspicion, ma'am," Fred hastened to say, in confusion. "I'm no better than the average fellow, and I'm afraid I haven't always been just the boy I ought to be, either. I suppose I've made her feel bad a lot of times. But as to doing anything real wicked like stealing things—the worst I ever did was to get in some neighbor's orchard at night, when we had plenty of good apples at home."
Miss Muster laughed at that frank admission, as though she thought it quite an original plea for the boy in general.
"Oh! I understand all boys have failings like that," she said; "and sensible people wouldn't have them grow up like little saints. But Fred, I'm sure you'll never either as a boy, nor yet as a young man, do anything that would grieve your mother's heart. I'm ashamed of what I wrote my niece, and when I can muster up enough courage I'm going right over to her house, and explain. It makes me feel that it's worth while living, now that, through you, I've found that Andrew is innocent."
The way she said that last word told Fred that she was near the breaking-down point, and he thought he had better leave. He went away from that place with a heart that was considerably lighter than when he first started to pass the fence behind which the property of Miss Muster lay. He had had a wonderful experience, and from that time on must feel differently toward the old maid, whom the boys of Riverport always looked upon as hateful. She had shown him that, under the surface, she was a lovable woman after all, and possessed of a woman's heart, somewhat starved it is true, but still there.
CHAPTER XVI
THE TRIAL SPIN
"Which way are we going this afternoon for a practice spin?" asked Corney Shays, as he came alongside Fred Fenton.
There was a lively crowd around the long, low shed in which the new boat was temporarily quartered, while the new building, a start upon which had already been made, was being erected.
Several score of persons had gathered to see the boys row, for it began to look as if the whole community was going wild over the prospects of another school victory coming to Riverport. Baseball and football, it seemed, did not wholly satisfy the appetites of the now aroused Riverport athletes. They had beaten both of their rivals again this season on the diamond; and now, with Fall a long way off, this boating fever had seized upon them in its full strength.
Of course most of those present were boys and girls, enthusiastic believers in the fellows who carried the honor of good old Riverport school in their hand. It goes without saying that every member of the crew probably had at least one fair admirer present, who believed that withouthimthe chances of victory must be mighty small indeed.
"Oh!" replied Fred, turning to greet Corney, who was a bit late in arriving, but was now dressed ready for business; "down-river, of course."
"Why do you say 'of course,' Fred?" persisted the other, who always wanted to understand everything he talked about, and who would go into details indefinitely until everything was plain. "There's a fine course up-river. You remember we rushed it with Buck's crowd. And I understand that it will like as not be made the official course when the great boat race is pulled off."
"That's true, Corney," Fred continued; "but there are several reasons why Brad has picked out the other side of the town for all our trial spins. First of all, you know the big, broad channel the Mohunk has for three miles between here and Paulding?"
"Sure I do; and a splendid place to make good speed, too," the other admitted.
"Then, again, if we kept going up the river we'd be apt to interfere with the practice of the Mechanicsburg fellows, who have no other course but that one between the two towns."
"And they'd be more apt to get a line on what sort of time we were making; isn't that so, Fred?"
"Just what I was going to add, Corney. Now you know about all the reasons Brad has for going down the river to-day, and other days as well."
"And is it true that he's got a three mile course all marked off?" asked Corney.
"Brad says he was down there with Colon on their wheels this morning," Fred went on to say. "They carried a long tape line, and as the road runs close to the bank of the river, they marked every eighth of a mile."
"How did they do it?" questioned the other. "You see I want to be posted, so I can get a pointer on our speed if I happen to look along the bank while we're making a spurt."
"That's the time you'd better keep your eyes glued on the coxswain, and the stroke oar, and not bother trying to find out for yourself what the speed is. Brad will look out for all that, Corney."
"But if you know, you're going to tell me, I hope?" pursued the tireless one.
"Oh!" Fred replied, with a laugh, "if you really want to know, I understand that every eighth of a mile is marked with a single small white rag; each quarter has a blue one; while the mile shows a plain red one. I hope some meddlesome fellow doesn't go to changing the signals on Brad, and make him think he's doing a record stunt. But I believe he's got some other secret sign of his own to depend on besides the flags."
He managed to break away just then; and as Corney saw that it was a very pretty girl who had beckoned Fred over, he made no attempt to question him further. In fact, Fred would have firmly declined to stay, because it was Flo Temple who had signalled.
Flo was the prettiest girl in all Riverport. She and Fred had long been the best of friends. It was he who always took her to singing school in winter, and to the school dances, sometimes given in country barns, where a long sleigh ride was necessary to reach the scene.
Once Buck Lemlngton had aspired to keep company, girl and boy fashion, with Flo. She and Buck used to squabble frequently, and then come together again for a short time. But with the arrival of Fred Fenton in town all this had been changed. Which was another reason for the enmity of Buck toward Fred.
Like some of the other girls Flo waved a little flag which was made of purple and gold silk, the adopted school colors for Riverport. This she used to considerable advantage; and Fred thought that when it came up against her face the contrast with her rosy cheeks and sparkling hazel eyes made her look prettier than ever.
"I suppose you will be getting away soon now, Fred?" she asked as he joined her.
"In five minutes we will launch the boat, and be off," he replied; "you see, all the subs are on hand, and ready to jump in if any one of the regulars fails to show up, or is taken sick. They'll wait around an hour or two while we're down-river. When we get back Brad's promised to take them off for a spin, and some exercise."
"Yes," she remarked, with a merry laugh, "I've been listening to some of them talking here. They do hope so much, poor fellows, that a chance will come along to put them on the regular crew. Why, I fairly believe they'd be happy if some of the rest of you had to leave town on vacations. But Fred, take care!"
She raised her forefinger as if in warning, and looked about her in quite a mysterious way when saying these last words in a low tone.
"What about, Flo?" he asked, not at all worried.
"I understand that the other crew went down the river an hour or two ago," she continued; and he could guess who was meant without asking.
"Well," he answered, "there's plenty of room for half a dozen crews to practice without interfering with each other. You remember the river gets very wide between here and Paulding. In fact lots of people always refer to it as 'the lake.'"
"But it would have to be an ocean that would be wide enough to keep Buck Lemington from carrying out any of his pet schemes, Fred. And somehow he seems to have picked on you as his especial enemy. It seems so strange, when I know you've never gone out of your way to do him the least harm."
The demure lassie looked at Fred out of the corners of her merry eyes when she said this, and it was hard for him to refrain from declaring that she ought to know that Buck's hatred for him began when she started to bestow her favors on the new boy in Riverport. However, Fred held himself in, and only remarked:
"It has happened that lots of times Buck and myself have been up against each other in what should have been friendly rivalry. Because fortune was generally kind to me, and allowed me to carry off undeserved honors, he has made up his mind that I'm always trying to do him out of everything he wants to win. And he never loses a chance to let me know what he thinks of me."
"You haven't been the one to sufferverymuch, up to now, Fred, if half that I hear is true," Flo went on to say, with a pride in her voice that somehow thrilled the boy, and made him very happy.
"Oh! I've had lots of good luck, I must say. But there's Brad beckoning, and I'll have to be going, Flo. Will you be here when we get back?"
"Perhaps," she answered. "I've an invitation to go in Judge Colon's new auto, to watch the practice from the shore down below. If you happen to see us waving, why please do your best to give us confidence. They say those big Mechanicsburg boys are fearfully strong, and can pull a professional stroke. And they have a coach, too, you know, Fred."
"We're going to have one too after to-day, for Corney's father used to be on a big college crew, and has consented to train us."
With this Fred had to hurry off, but he turned and waved his hand tosomebodyin the crowd just as he took his place, a few minutes later, in the eight-oared shell; nor did any one seem to doubt for whom the good-bye signal was intended; at any rate there was an unusual flutter to Flo Temple's purple and gold flag just about that time.
The crew quickly fell into the swing, and the boat fairly flew down-stream under their vigorous strokes. Brad, however, was keeping them down. He did not want to let everybody know just what Riverport could do. Doubtless more than a few of Mechanicsburg's admirers would be ready to take every opportunity possible to time the rival crew, so as to get a pointer with regard to their capacity. That could not be helped; but Brad was determined to be as cautious as possible.
Soon they were down to the broad stretch, where the little fluttering rags of various hues close to the edge of the water told the parts of the mile.
Here the coxswain thought it good policy to increase the stroke, and they were soon hitting up a lively pace. How splendidly the delicate boat flew over the water, just for all the world as a swallow skims along the surface of a pond! The boys were enthusiastic over their work, and Brad did not hesitate to give them the praise they deserved.
"We'll turn here, and pull up-stream," he said, as they rested for a few minutes. "That will come harder, and try you more. But it's all a part of the game. Once more, now, my hearties, with a will!"
They covered the distance up to what Brad had marked as the turning point, in better time than he had believed possible. A buoy had been floated to serve as the upper end of the course. Rounding this they shot down the river with tremendous velocity, as though striving for victory on the home stretch.
For some reason Brad took them down further than before, so that they even drew near the sharp bend before he gave the signal to stop rowing. The boat continued to glide along with the current, though gradually easing up.
And it was just at that moment, when the young oarsmen of Riverport were breathing hard after their recent exertions, that they heard a sudden crash as of splintering wood, immediately accompanied by a conglomeration of shouts, all in the plain, unmistakable voices of boys.
Startled, they stared at each other, as if not knowing what to make of it; and thrilled by the knowledge that danger must be threatening some fellows around the bend just below.
CHAPTER XVII
SNAGGED AND WRECKED
"What in the world's that?" exclaimed Dave Hanshaw.
"Sounds like some fellows might be in a pickle. Listen to 'em howl; would you?" cried Corney Shays.
"Isn't one of the lot whooping it up for help?" asked Fred.
"You're right, Fred; and we've got to get a move on, and turn that bend yonder, when we can see what's what. Ready, boys!" called out Brad, at which every young oarsman dropped back into his place; for they had been turning half around at the time, desirous of seeing what it all meant.
"Must be that Buck Lemington bunch!" sang out Sid, who perhaps had recognized one of the loud voices; for he and the bully of Riverport had been in conflict so often in the last twelve years, that it would be very strange if the excited tones of the other might not be known when heard.
"Then it's good-bye to that old college shell," declared Corney.
"You're right," asserted Dick Hendricks; "because that smash must have ended its days of usefulness forever."
As the signal to drop oars and pull was given, the boat once more took on new life, and rushed down upon the nearby bend. When they shot around this, of course the coxswain was the only one who immediately saw the exciting scene presented. And it certainly spoke well for the discipline under which that novice crew labored that not a single one of them tried to twist his head around, in order to gain advance information.
They left details to Brad, knowing that they would quickly be upon the scene, and able to see for themselves, without a breach of discipline.
What Brad saw was just what he anticipated, but all the same it must have given the boy a thrill. Sure enough, the delicate boat which had once won a big college race, and had been kept for some years by the gentleman over in Grafton, simply because his dead son had rowed on the winning crew, was piled up on some sort of a hidden snag, or concealed rock, at a point where the swirling water must have warned any cautious coxswain to keep away.
Several boys were clinging to the wreck. Others were swimming around like rats deserting a sinking ship, two being already on the way to the nearest shore. And about every fellow was letting his lungs give full vent to his feelings; so that the racket was tremendous.
"Help! help! I can't keep up much longer! This way, fellers! Get hold of me!" one of those in the river shouted; spluttering over the words, as though he might already have swallowed a considerable quantity of water.
"Aw! let up on that squawk, Clem Shooks; can't you?" shouted Buck angrily, as he swam toward the fellow who declared that he was exhausted, and sinking. "Want any of that bunch to give you a hand? I'd see myself asking favors of Brad Morton or his crowd. We'll get you ashore, all right, never fear. Hi! there, Whitey, this way, and you too, Oscar. Give this ninny a helpin' hand and tow him to dry land."
Apparently Buck was in a towering rage. He had been steering the boat when it struck the snag, and hence must be held responsible for the accident that would deprive the outlaw crew of a racing craft for the remainder of the season.
There was not one of Brad's chums, however, but who felt sure that sooner or later the bully would try to put the blame on one of his companions. That seemed to be the natural way with him; a scapegoat was as necessary to Buck's manner of doing things as it was for him to take all the credit when success came along.
Some of those who clung to the wreck were, however, not averse to accepting assistance from the regulars of the Boat Club. Brad directed them how to hang on, and in this way towed them close to the shore.
When the water shoaled enough to admit of their standing up, with it only waist high he stopped the boat.
"That'll do for you, fellows," Brad said, pleasantly; "and we'll go back now for the other pair."
"Aw! you needn't bother yourselves about them," broke out Buck, who had managed, with the assistance of Whitey and Oscar, to get the weak-kneed Clem Shooks in the shallow water; "they're on the way right now."
It turned out to be as Buck said. The last pair, realizing that they would be apt to incur the anger of their leader if they waited to accept favors from those Buck hated so bitterly, had indeed abandoned the wreck, and were even then swimming toward the shore.
None of Brad's crew laughed, though the aspect of the wrecked ones was most forlorn, and doubtless they wanted to make merry.
"We're sorry for your accident, Buck," Brad ventured to say, in as pleasant a tone as he could ever use when addressing the boy he detested so much deep down in his heart.
"Nobody wants you to be sorry!" grated the other, in an ugly humor.
"We've been talking about that race your bunch gave us yesterday, and honestly we hoped it would be repeated," Brad went on to remark; for he fancied he could understand how such a disaster must upset any fellow; and he tried to make excuses for the surly temper Buck was displaying.
"Oh! let up on that sort of talk; won't you?" growled the other. "I s'pose you'd just want to use us as a practice crew; hey? Well, it's off, anyhow; and all owin' to Clem Shooks here taking a crab, just when I was starting to steer clear of that nasty snag!"
"Why, I nev——" the astonished Clem started to exclaim, though he had swallowed so much water that it was difficult for him to get his breath as yet; when the irate bully turned on him like a flash, and shook his big fist threateningly.
"Don't you go to denyin' it, now, Clem Shooks!" he roared, furiously. "I ought to know, hadn't I, when I saw the whole thing? And didn't you get throwed further than any of the rest? That was because you didn't have any oar left to hold on to. You ought to be made to pay for the boat, that's what. No back talk now, or else I'll show you who's boss here. Button up your lips, d'you hear, Clem Shooks?"
And poor Clem, who was doubtless as innocent as he claimed, dared not speak further. By degrees the blame would be settled on his shoulders, without his venturing to protest in the hearing of the bully.
Fred and his chums exchanged significant looks. It was as much as saying: "Didn't I tell you Buck would fix it all right?" They knew the ways of the bully to perfection. And if Buck noticed the nods and sly grins, he thought it good policy to pay no attention to them just then.
"Well, since we're not wanted here any longer, let's be going, boys," remarked Sid, as usual thoroughly disgusted with the actions of the bully.
"Good-bye then!" sneered Buck, and Bristles noticed with a sudden thrill that he looked at the trim boat belonging to the regulars with a malicious gleam in those black eyes of his.
They once more backed into the deeper water, and were soon alongside the wreck.
"Shall we tow it ashore for them, boys?" Asked Dick.
"What say?" Brad remarked.
"Better leave it alone, if you know what's good for you," Sid spoke up. "Once you touch it, and there's no telling what Buck will try to tell people. Perhaps he'd even say we ran into him, and did the damage. But I reckon some people ashore saw it all; for there's Judge Colon's auto, standing up yonder; and they've got their field-glass leveled this way. It's Flo Temple, too, who's doing the looking."
"Better leave it alone then, fellows," Brad went on to say, being convinced by the logic of Sid that it was dangerous business meddling with anything belonging to Buck Lemington, even in a spirit of sporting fairness. "It's so smashed anyway, that it'll never again be worth fixing up. Too bad, too, for it was a boat with a history."
"How d'you reckon it happened?" asked Colon; "for of course Clem Shocks never caught that crab, or some of the other fellows would have jumped on him? Didn't you all see how silly they looked when Buck was accusing Clem? They knew, as well as he did, that it wasn't so, but not a single fellow had the grit to declare the truth."
"Oh!" Brad went on to remark, "Buck may have heard us coming around the bend, and forgot for a few seconds to keep as bright a lookout for snags as he ought. So they ran on this one at full speed. Say, wasn't that a fierce crash, though?"
Once more rounding the bend that shut out all sight of the wreck, and the forlorn members of the outlaw crew, who would have a walk of five miles and more before they could get to town with their sad news, the regulars put in some time in diligent practice.
"You're rounding out in fine shape, fellows," Brad declared enthusiastically, as they finally started up-river, bound for home. "To-morrow we're promised the valuable assistance of Mr. Shays, who knows the ropes from beginning to end. He'll be apt to give us a heap of valuable information, and correct a lot of our blunders; for I know we can do better work than this, once we get on to the right swing."
It was in this happy frame of mind that they came in to the little float that had been made by using a number of empty water-tight oil barrels; and from which the boat was to be launched, as well as taken from the water.
Every one of them felt thankful it had not been their craft that had met with disaster on this sunny afternoon.
Of course, when the startling news was told to the crowd that lingered around the boat shed, it created a big sensation. As Buck really had no admirers present, few felt very sorry for him. He had long been the terror of the town, and every decent boy and girl went in his company as little as possible.
CHAPTER XVIII
LYING IN WAIT
Fred, after some time, saw that Bristles was lingering nearby while he chatted with Flo and some of the others. He fancied that the boy with the mop of hair was trying to catch him alone, as though he wanted to say something in private.
That caused Fred to remember that he knew something which Bristles would give considerable to hear; and it also pained him to think that his promise to Miss Muster would prevent him from telling, until she gave the word.
But then perhaps it might be something not so personal that Bristles wished to say to him. Fred had noticed the way the other looked, at the time they were leaving Buck and his shipwrecked crew down the river. And perhaps he had made the same discovery that Bristles had.
Flo Temple, about that time, declared she must be running home, and left, accompanied by some of the other girls, her chum, Cissy Anderson, whom Sid liked; and Mame Wells, the little hoyden sister of Sid, who seemed to be more than, half boy, because she dearly loved to play baseball, ice hockey, go fishing, and even aspired to go hunting when she got older, and her father would buy her a gun.
Thus Fred saw no reason why he should any longer hold aloof from Bristles, who immediately came bustling up to him, with a mysterious wink, and drew him aside.
"I made up my mind I ought to say something to a few of the fellows, Fred," he began, by remarking; "and you're one of the select. Colon and Corney I've seen already, and they're of the same opinion as myself."
"Well, what's all this row about, Bristles?" asked Fred, somewhat amused; and at the same time pleased because the other did not seem about to put questions to him which he might find it difficult to dodge, without arousing suspicion.
"Why, about Buck, to be sure," replied the other, confidentially.
"But since his boat has gone to flinders, isn't he out of the game altogether?" demanded Fred.
"That's just it, Buck being out of business is the kind of a fellow who can't bear to see anybody else prospering. He won't have a boat for the whole summer; and we have. All the fun's going to come our way. That makes Buck grit his teeth, and feel ugly. Are you following me, Fred?"
"Sure I am, and it might be I understand what you're going to say better than you think I do," answered the one addressed, with a smile on his face.
"Looky here, did you see how Buck glared at our boat when we started off, and did you notice the cunning expression, almost like a grin, that came over his face? Tell me that, Fred Fenton."
"Yes, I saw all that," answered Fred.
"And what did you think it stood for?" queried Bristles.
"Oh! I just kind of thought Buck was wishing we'd run on a snag, the same way he did, and lost our boat, too, replied Fred, promptly; at which Bristles chuckled.
"I see you're on, all right, Fred," he continued; "but as you don't know Buck quite as well as some of the rest of us, you're not on to his curves as much. Now, I'm willing to risk my reputation on it that when Buck eyed our boat, and then let that half grin come on his black face, he was thinking how easy it would be to make sure that somethingdidhappen to upset all our calculations."
"Do you mean he'd put a snag in the course, so that Brad would run on it, never dreaming there was such a thing there?" asked the indignant Fred.
"Huh! worse than that," pursued Bristles with vehemence; "Buck wouldn't stop a minute to hack our boat to pieces, or even set fire to that old shed, if he believed he could do it on the sly, and not be caught!"
Fred saw that his chum meant every word of what he said. The idea was startling.
"That's a pleasant lookout then, we've got before us, Bristles," he observed.
"All right, it's what I believe, just the same," the other went on, firmly. "If we let things just slide along I give you my word some fine night we'll be aroused by the fire whistle, and get down here in time to find the boathouse ablaze, and our new shell ruined for keeps."
"If that seems to be the opinion of several of the boys, we ought to do something to prevent it," Fred declared, positively.
"That just brings me to the point," ventured Bristles. "Are you in with our little bunch—Colon, Corney, perhaps Sid, and me?"
"I'm ready and willing to do anything I can to defend the boat, if that is what you mean," came the ready response.
"Shake on it, then. Wait here till I send the other fellers around. Then we'll just have a little confab, and see what we can fix up. I'll sound Sid while we're coming along; though if you're in, he's sure to say yes, because he always sticks by you like a plaster."
A minute later Colon arrived, wearing a serious look; and then Corney followed. The three had just got started talking when Bristles hove in sight, bearing Sid along with him.
"Here we are, now, the whole big five," Bristles said, loftily, as he came up. "Now, let's go all over this thing, and see if we agree."
He again told what he had seemed to read upon the malignant face of Buck at the time they left him standing knee-deep in the river. Afterwards he called on Fred to describe what he had seen, and the impression it made on him at the time.
"You see!" Bristles cried, triumphantly, in conclusion; "both of us thought about the same thing. Buck is up to some meanness. He would be just delighted if we lost our boat, because he doesn't like to see anybody having a good time when he can't be doing the same. And as it isn't likely we'll hit a snag, or set fire to the old shanty ourselves, why, he might think to save us the trouble."
"Then there's only one thing to be done," said Colon, with set lips.
"We five must guard the boat each night!" declared Bristles.
"Right along?" exclaimed Corney, with something like dismay in his voice; "sure I'm willing to do all I can, but I must sleep once in a while!"
At that the others laughed.
"Don't be silly, Corney!" burst out Bristles. "Of course we'll take the job by relays. We can draw for to-night, the two getting the short straws bunking out in the house. After it gets dark blankets can be smuggled down here. Don't say a single word to anybody, not even Brad just now. Fred, you've got the key to the door; haven't you?"
"Yes, Brad asked me to keep it at our house for the present," replied Fred.
"Now, let's draw, and see who has the honor of keeping the first watch," and as he spoke Bristles hunted around until he had found five straws, which he broke off until they were all different lengths.
Each of the other four drew, after Bristles had concealed one end in the palm of his hand.
"Now measure and see. Oh! slush!" he continued, eagerly; "you left me the longest, after all, when I was hoping it'd be me. And it turns out to be Colon and Fred. Well, fellows, here's wishing you luck. To-morrow night I'm just bound to do the camping-out act, anyhow."
When Fred got home he explained to his folks the necessity of some of the crew guarding the boat. His father quite agreed with him, and readily gave permission that he spend the night out.
So, a little later, Fred bundled up a blanket, and made his way down along the river bank unseen. In due time he came to where the old building, squatty and dilapidated, stood under the bank.
A dark figure arose in front of him. He heard the low whistle that he and Colon had agreed upon as a signal each might recognize in the dark.
"Glad you came along," Colon declared; "was just getting tired waiting; been here half an hour, 'cause I heard the church clock strike; but it seemed like five times as long."
Fred opened the door carefully, and they entered the shed. A lantern hung on a hook nearby, ready for use. They would need its light so as to get things in readiness for passing the night. Besides, Colon had a little idea of his own he wanted to put into practice; and which had been suggested by the sight of a big empty hogshead that stood outside the door, on the shelving beach.
"I'm going to lay a neat little trap, and see what luck I have," he chuckled as Fred asked why he wanted the lantern, after they had fixed their blankets and made ready for taking things easy.
Colon was gone quite some little time. Fred could hear him working away like a beaver at something. And as a rope seemed to figure in the affair he felt a little curiosity to know what sort of a trap the ingenious fellow could be constructing, all by himself.
Finally tall Colon came in again.
"It's all fixed, and the door locked once more, Fred," he said.
"Then the quicker you blow that glim out the better," remarked the other; "for you see, one of those fellows might come around to spy out the land, and noticing a light in here, he'd be suspicious."
Colon took the hint, and put out the lantern, which, however, was kept near, so that in case of a sudden alarm it could be quickly brought into use again.
After that the two lads made themselves fairly comfortable, though they did not remove their shoes. In case of trouble they wanted to be in condition for active and immediate work.
Fred had filled several old buckets, so as to be ready to fight fire. And for a little while they lay there, occasionally whispering to one another.
Finally Colon went to sleep. Fred knew this from his steady breathing; and since he was feeling more or less tired himself, after the strenuous labor of rowing in the afternoon just passed, he too allowed his senses to be lulled into the land of Nod.
How time passed Fred had not the remotest idea, when he was suddenly awakened by a terrific clamor, that, to his excited imagination, sounded like a railroad train running off the track, and smashing into a kitchen, where the walls were lined with all manner of tinware.
Both he and Colon sat up suddenly.
CHAPTER XIX
NIPPED IN THE BUD
"Hear that, Fred?"
Of course it was foolish of Colon to ask such a question as this of his companion. That racket was enough to awaken the soundest sleeper. But then he was so excited he just felt that he had to say something.
Fred threw his blanket aside. Then he reached out for the lantern, and his handy match-safe, so that they could get some light on the subject.
As soon as this little task had been accomplished, he and Colon started for the door full-tilt. Opening this, they passed out.
The noise of falling tinpans had by now entirely ceased. Of course the artful Colon had piled up all the waste cans he could find, so that if they were toppled over they would make considerable racket. Once upon a time there had been some sort of manufactory connected with the shed; and back of it Colon had discovered a regular mine of what he wanted in the way of rusty cans, large enough to suit his purpose, and make all the noise heart could wish.
"Look! I got one!"
Colon pointed excitedly as he said this, and as Fred looked he burst out into a loud laugh. Evidently Colon's trap had worked. A boy was dangling by the heels, held up in the air by the loop of a rope, which seemed to pass over a post connected with the building, and then extend to the hogshead, partly filled with stones, and which was now half way down the beach, the rope taut, and holding the victim in his elevated position.
"It's Conrad Jimmerson!" exclaimed Colon, as they arrived close to the boy, who was kicking furiously, and groaning dismally.
His coat hung down over his head in such fashion that he could not see what was going on; Colon must have recognized him by his clothes, or through some boyish instinct.
"Oh! get me down, quick!" moaned the trapped prowler. "All the blood's agoin' to my head, and I'll be a dead one soon! Please cut me down, fellers! I won't run!"
"I'm right sure you won't," remarked Colon, drily; "but while I've got you held up so neat, I might as well make it doubly certain."
With, that he secured the other flourishing leg so that when Conrad was lowered to the ground he could not move without their permission.
"Give us a hand here, Fred, and we'll get him out of the trap," remarked the proud inventor of the running-barrel game. "You see, he stepped right up on this box, just as I figured, and touched the trigger. With that he started the heavy barrel rolling down-grade; and the loop caught him by one leg, instead of both, as I meant it should."
"But what was all the fierce noise that woke us up?" asked Fred, as he assisted Colon to take the victim down, by dragging in on the rope, so as to slacken the loop around the leg of the trapped one.
"Oh! shucks! just a pile of tin cans I built up, to be knocked over when the barrel got to turning around. You see, I was a little afraid that we mightn't hear when the trap was sprung, and I wouldn't want to miss this funny sight for anything. Here, you are, Conrad; lie there now, till we can drag you inside the house."
The boy was evidently very much frightened. He had thought his ankle in the grasp of some unseen giant, when the loop tightened, and snatched him upwards. No wonder he trembled and wheezed as he cowered there.
"We'd better go in right now, then," remarked Fred. "Some of that crowd might take a notion to come back and see what has happened to Conrad. Take hold of him on that side, Colon, while I look after this one."
"Oh! what you a-goin' to do with me?" queried the prisoner. "I haven't done a single thing, fellers, cross my heart if I did. Just wanted to see if anybody was a-sleepin' in the old shed. Buck told me to be sure and not hurt the boat. He says that its bad enough because we lost ours, without anything a-happenin' to yours. I wouldn't do a little thing, sure I wouldn't. Hope you believe me boys. Don't lick me! I got about all I ought to have already. I'm shiverin' to beat the band. Quit jerkin' me that way, Chris Colon; I ain't hurt you!"
"Oh! come along, you silly!" said the tall boy, who had a contempt for so great a sneak and coward as Conrad Jimmerson.
Fred closed and locked the door again after they had entered. The sound of the key being turned in the lock started the frightened boy into protesting again. He judged others by Buck's standard, and the bare thought of finding himself alone and a prisoner, in the power of those he would have injured, seemed to give him a case of the "trembles," as Colon called it.
"Now I want you to take a look into his pockets," the tall boy remarked.
Immediately he uttered a triumphant exclamation.
"See here, Fred, he had a whole lot of matches with him!" he called out. "Looks like he was ready for business, all right."
"Say, I always carry matches with me, and you know it, Chris Colon," protested the alarmed prisoner, vigorously.
"Perhaps you do, but never so many as these," Colon went on. "I kind of reckon you thought you'd have good need of 'em this night. But what're you carrying under your arm that way, Fred? Saw you step over, and pick somethin' up outside there. Find anything worth while; another feller's cap, maybe?"
"No, it was this," and Fred held an object up.
"What's that? Looks like a bundle of old rags!" remarked Colon, quickly; while the prisoner gasped and shivered worse than ever.
"There was something more; what do you think of this?" and for the second time Fred elevated his hand, containing an object that made Colon utter a cry of rage.
"A bottle!" he ejaculated. "What's in it, Fred? Three to one I c'n guess. Kerosene!"
"That's just what it is," returned the other, gravely. "Some fellows came here to-night prepared to throw this stuff over one end of the old shed, and start a fire going. Perhaps they even meant to break in, and scatter the oil over the boat, so nothing could save it, once the fire got started. We've nipped as mean a little game in the bud as I ever heard about."
Colon turned on the prisoner with a black face, and gritting teeth.
"Who set you on to this thing, Jimmerson?" he demanded. "You never thought of it by yourself, because you haven't got the brains. Tell me now, wasn't it Buck Lemington who got you to come here, and try to set the shed afire?"
Conrad tried to look defiant, but somehow he lacked the spirit. He saw those two frowning lads on either side of him, as he stood there leaning against the wall of the boathouse, his ankles tied with the rope; and he began to weaken.
"I never would a' thought of coming here to spy if it wasn't for——" he had just started to say, when there came a loud whistle, twice repeated, from outside, which must have been recognized by the fellow as a terrible threat of what would happen to him if he opened his lips to betray his cronies; for he shivered as if he had been showered with ice water, nor could they influence him after that, either by threats or promises, to say another word.
Fear of what Buck would do seemed to have a greater influence over him than the possibility of punishment because of what he had tried to do. One was sure, while the other might be set down as only a chance.
Besides, perhaps the fellow began to realize that Fred and Colon really could not prove that he had been carrying that bundle of old rags, as well as the bottle containing the kerosene. No court would decide that because they had been found there on the ground, he had brought them.
Fred understood this and it was what made him say presently:
"Well, we might as well let this fellow loose, Colon. After all, the proof, if there is any, must rest in these rags and this bottle. If we can find out just where they came from, we'll be satisfied in our own minds whom we have to thank for this midnight alarm."
"Just as if there could be any doubt about it!" scoffed Colon. "Didn't we hear that whistle, and don't I know who gave it? Buck carries a little silver whistle and likes to communicate with his bunch that way. They've got a regular code, I've heard tell. And didn't you notice how quick Conrad, here, buttoned up his lips when he heard that order to keep mum?"
"Another night," said Fred, threateningly, "we'll have a shotgun handy; and it'll go hard with prowlers, if we get a sight of them. Unfasten his legs, Colon, and then show him the door."
The prisoner seemed to regain a little of his lost courage upon finding that they did not mean to hurt him any.
"And you just stop pinching me when you do untie this rope, Chris Colon," said Conrad. "I want you to know you don't own the earth. A feller what lives in Riverport all his life ought to have the right to walk along the river here without having tricks played on him, and bein' yanked head-down up in the air. You'll pay for your fun yet, see if you don't, Chris Colon."
"Shut up!" roared the exasperated Colon, shaking the other, whom he was now escorting to the door, with the intention of ejecting him, just as Fred had directed. "You ought to be tarred and feathered, if you got your dues. Like to see our boat go up in smoke; would you? And Buck aims to keep us from using the river, just because he was foolish enough as to smash his own boat? You tell him to come himself the next time. We'll be glad to see him; and perhaps he might meet with a surprise worse than the one I sprung on you, Conrad. Now don't forget to tell him; you hear me!"
Colon had managed to get the door open while speaking. Then he gave the other a little push, as if to start him going. Conrad somehow seemed to suspect what was coming, for he tried to hug close to the tall boy, who, however, gave him a shove. So Conrad, thinking he had a chance, made a bolt; but that long leg of Colon shot out, and caught him fairly and squarely, sending him flying.
The boy who was thus thrown out picked himself up, and thinking he heard his enemy coming toward him, fled into the darkness, howling in mingled pain and fear.
Colon, laughing heartily, closed and fastened the door, after which he rejoined his watch-mate, to see out the balance of the eventful night in Fred's company.