[#] Clams are shell-fish, used for food."Here are clam-forks, boys," shouted Jonas. "Glad to have your help. You dig the clams, and I'll build up my fire and get ready for a bake. I reckon that will taste as good as anything.""A clam-bake! a clam-bake! Who will dig clams?"More boys volunteered than could find forks to dig with; but not to be outdone, some of them worked with sticks, prying in the mud wherever the little holes indicated the presence of the shell-fish.Jonas showed those who had forks how to strike them deep into the beds, and the boys were apt scholars; so that by the time the rocks were well heated, and the sea-weed gathered, there were clams enough piled up on the shore to furnish a feast even for such a crowd of boys.While the clams were slowly baking under their sea-weed cover, Jonas and his Friday pitched their cook-tent, set up their stove, and baked biscuits to be eaten with the clams.Long before the roast was pronounced "done," the boys were on hand waiting for the sea-weed to be removed, and a hungrier pack of young savages never danced around a clam-pile.A barrel of biscuits had been opened on their first arrival at the island, and the boys had "taken the sharp edge off their appetite," as they said, by eating them; otherwise Jonas would never have been able to bring those clams to the stage of perfection that he did."Come, Jonas! they are done to a turn!" cried the impatient boys."They will lose all their goodness in that good smell," said Joe, sniffing the air.All noses went up, and fifty boys gave a prolonged "Ah! Isn't that gul--orious?"It did seem that Jonas was provokingly slow in testing those clams; but at last he said, in his drawling way, "Well, now, I reckon them'll do!"The boys cheered this remark, and hastened to offer their assistance in removing the sea-weed; but Jonas declined their offer in a most decided way."Now, you just move off, every boy of you! or you shan't have a clam. Off with you, till I get 'em out in piles, and give every one a fair chance!"The boys knew by experience that it was policy to keep Jonas good-natured; so, with a good deal of pushing and whooping, they widened the circle, and contented themselves with watching the operations and exhorting Jonas to "hurry up.""Now, that there pile belongs to the gentlemen!" said Jonas, pointing to the first heap that he threw down on the clean pebbles."O Jonas! aren't we all gentlemen?" asked Walter Martin, and a chorus of groans followed from the other boys.Jonas vouchsafed no reply, but continued to shovel out clams and divide them into a half-dozen piles along the beach; while the boys danced around, awaiting the signal of the bell.Freitag presently appeared with the great bell, and, although the summons was wholly unnecessary so far as the boys were concerned, as they had been at the scene of action for nearly an hour, it brought the teachers from their work of tent-raising.After a blessing asked by Mr. Bernard, permission was given to the hungry crowd to attack the shellfish.There were three courses provided--roast clams, then warm biscuit, and finally a dessert of gingersnaps, a barrel of which stood open from which all helped themselves.Fortunately the boys were not difficult to suit, and they pronounced it a meal fit for a king.CHAPTER IV.IN CAMP.After the dinner Mr. Bernard said, "There are two dozen hatchets, and I want two dozen boys to use them.""Oh yes, the fir-boughs to be chopped!" said a dozen voices."I'll chop!""I'm the boy for a hatchet!"In a minute the two dozen hatchets were seized, and as soon as the boys received their directions about the bushes they were allowed to cut, they started off for the pasture, followed by a crowd to drag the boughs back to camp, where others of the party, who had done the same work before, were to lay them down for beds. The pasture where the boys had gone for the fragrant fir-boughs extended across the end of the island and stretched back a half-mile to the woods,--a dense growth of hemlocks, junipers, firs, oaks, beeches, wild cherries, thorn trees, and hazel bushes. Along the course of a stream running from a spring grew rows of alders, over which ran the clematis; and along the edge of the water-course grew clumps of ferns and patches of velvety moss.These woods extended for a mile, thinning at the other end of the island into a bush-covered pasture that, a little later in the season, would furnish all the blueberries and whortleberries the boys would want, and, later still, would be a garden of golden-rods and wild asters. All around the shore of the island, except at the southern end, was a border of rough boulders and cliffs, upon the highest of which was perched the lighthouse, with its revolving lantern.While the boys were at work in the pasture, Jonas and Freitag were putting up their long tables of matched boards and covering the whole with oilcloth, "to look more civilized-like than bare boards," Jonas said.Then the great baskets of tinware were unpacked, and the table set for the next meal; for Jonas had camped out before with Mr. Bernard's school, and he knew that they liked to see signs of the next meal as soon as one was disposed of. Moreover, he had discovered that they were less likely to be around sampling the crackers if they saw the table set. He may have been deceived in this, but Jonas was a pretty keen observer, especially in the line of his profession.Seeing some of the boys idle, Jonas called, "Here, you fellows, catch me some fish for supper. There's plenty of chances along the shore yonder. I saw 'em when we came past.--You go along too, Freitag, and help 'em."The boys were all eager for the sport."Here's bait, and a big pile of fishing-rods all rigged. Take that there big basket for your fish," continued Jonas, as if he were giving orders to a group of fishermen.The boys, however, followed his directions good-naturedly, each seizing a rod, but leaving "Friday," as they called the man, to bring on the bait and fish-basket."Remember your promise, boys, not to go into dangerous places," called Mr. Bernard."Yes, sir, we will be careful," answered the boys. They were soon perched on the rocks, dropping their hooks into the water and pulling them out, exclaiming, "I've got a bite!""So have I.""My! ain't they plenty!""There's one! Hold on, my beauty! Let go my hook!"It was lively work, as they said, and presently they had enough to do to bait hooks and take off fish without much talking. Jonas gave a grunt of satisfaction as Freitag came dragging the heavy basket and exclaiming, "Py, but dat was a pig pizness!""Now, I can get a supper as is a supper!" exclaimed the cook.--"Freit, you just get them fish ready, and I'll cut up the pork. It ain't nigh supper-time, of course; dinner isn't much more than over, so you boys go off somewhere. Why don't you go see the lighthouse?"Now Jonas was very cunning in making this suggestion, for he knew the lighthouse was at the other end of the island, a mile and a half away, and if the crowd would only start on that pilgrimage, he could have peace and quiet, and get supper at his leisure. His suggestion seemed good to the boys, and they cried, "Oh yes, the lighthouse!""Hurrah for the lighthouse!""Mr. Bernard, may we go to the lighthouse?"Mr. Bernard was in his tent; but hearing his name called, he came outside."We want to go to the lighthouse. Can we go?""Yes, if Mr. Andrews is ready to go now; he has an errand there to see about a supply of milk. Now, boys, I have not found out the dangerous places on the island, and until we have explored a little ourselves, I want you to use extra precautions. Remember, no bathing except on the beach where we landed; that slopes very evenly, and I think there is no under-current.""We will be careful, sir.""We will remember," said the boys."Come on; who wants to go to the lighthouse?""Ho, for the lighthouse!"The choppers and bough-layers were at leisure again, and many of them joined the party.Others said, "Oh, I am too tired to go so far!""Wait till to-morrow!"But the first speakers were already hurrying across the pasture with Mr. Andrews, stopping here and there to pick strawberries or raspberries, and to look for some blueberries that had ripened before their fellows.The walk was longer than they expected, and the way through the tangled underbrush of the woods was no easy one; but they at length came out into the pasture-land at the northern end of the island, and from there the path was smoother.The light-keeper gave them a gruff but hearty welcome, and his wife invited as many to come into her nest of a house as the little room would hold.The two boys belonging to the family were shy but radiant at the prospect of something to break the monotony of their island life."I suppose you want to go up and see the lantern, boys," said Jacob Kramer, the light-keeper.--"Here you, John and Jerry, go up with 'em, and tell 'em all about how it works."John made no reply save to run up the steps leading to the lighthouse, and Jerry, with the crowd of other boys, followed, or as many as could enter at once.After the lantern had been examined, John led the way down the side of the cliff where they could see the surf-bell rung by the waves."That sounds like somebody's funeral!" exclaimed Joe Chester, shrugging his shoulders."Doesn't it keep you awake at night?" asked Ned Gould.John shook his head."Nothin' keeps me awake, only the storms when the big waves strike 'way up against the house and spatter the top windows.""Do you have such storms as that, really?" asked Dave.John nodded, and added with frankness,--"When them come Jerry and I get scared, and crawl down to father's room.""Don't you get lonesome here?" asked Joe, glancing around at the rocks and water forming the landscape."Not very. We don't get lonesome at all in the summer.""What do you do for fun?""Oh, we build towers on the cliff. We've got a big one now. Come over and see it;" and both boys scampered off over the rough rocks with their bare feet, leaving the others to pick their way more carefully.The tower was as high as Jerry's head, and large enough for four boys to stand upon comfortably. In the centre was a fir-tree from which the boys had trimmed every branch, until it was like a flag-staff."Some time we are going to have a flag of our own to fly atop there," said Jerry with pride."I've got a good-sized flag over in camp that you may have; it will do till you can get a bigger," said Walter Martin."What else do you do besides build stone things?" asked Dave curiously."Oh, lots of things.""You fish off the rocks, I suppose.""Yes, plenty of fish round here. We go off in the boat with father, too, to tend the lobster-pots.""Lobster-pots! what are they?" asked Joe."What you catch lobsters in. Didn't you ever see a lobster-pot? There's some there on the grass.""What! these cages? How do you catch them with these?"The boys gathered around the "cages" and examined them."See, this hole grows small at the back of it, and the lobster is so anxious to get the bait inside that he squeezes through; but after he is in he doesn't know how to double his claws back and get out, so he just don't; he stays.""And you catch him?""He catches himself," laughed John."All we do is to set the pot,--that is, we bait it,--and then we anchor it off somewhere, and after a while we go back for it and get the lobsters.""How do you get them out?""See these little doors up above? We open them, and reach in there.""Don't they bite?" asked Dan."If you don't know where to catch 'em they nip, I tell you.""Of course you swim like fish, both of you," said Joe, who was quite a famous swimmer himself."Can't swim.""Can't swim? What fellows you are! Why don't you learn? What if you should tumble overboard? what would you do then?""Go to the bottom," answered John with a broad smile, as if that were a funny thing to do.The boys exclaimed over this lack of knowledge, and Joe finally said, "See here, you two fellows; get your father to let you come over to our camp every day, and before our camp-life is over we will teach you so you can swim like fish."This was a delightful proposal to the boys, not only because they wanted to swim, but because it would take them among other boys.As soon as the party returned to the lighthouse, John and Jerry whispered the invitation to their father, and asked if they might accept.He consented willingly."May we learn to swim?""Well, yes, I suppose so. I want ye to learn. I suppose it's time you did; and there ain't no chance at this end o' the island.""There is a good beach where we are camping, and we shall fasten a rope across to show the boys how far they can go safely."During the boys' absence Mr. Andrews had been negotiating with the light-keeper for all the milk he could spare, and also for a supply of lobsters; and it was now arranged that John and Jerry were to bring milk every morning to camp, and remain as long as they liked during the day."Come, boys; it will be nearly dark before we get back!" said Mr. Andrews, bidding the keeper's family good-bye."And we shall lose our supper.--Good-bye, John and Jerry. Come over early." As if there were any need to tell the eager boys that.They kept near the shore on the way back; and though it was a rocky road to travel, they saved a half-mile thereby, and arrived with very keen appetites just as their comrades had finished supper."I'm so hungry I could eat a whale, Joe," exclaimed Dave."A whale! why, I could eat a brick house," was the quick response."Jonas, did you save us anything?" asked a chorus of voices.Jonas waved a frying-pan for answer, and presently set before them fried fish, crisp and brown, bread hot from the oven, and warm gingerbread, all of which won the unbounded approbation of the famished boys.After supper the various events of the day were recounted, and all united in declaring that it had been the jolliest twelve hours they had ever known--a remark that Mr. Bernard had heard every summer on the first day in camp."Now, boys," said Mr. Bernard, "you are tired and will want to retire early. Come into my tent, and we will have prayers together."This tent was divided unequally into two parts; the larger devoted to general assemblages--for morning and evening devotions, and for a resort in wet weather; for sleeping-tents were crowded with beds and baggage.Besides the large apartment in Mr. Bernard's tent, there was one smaller--a tiny affair, where he slept and wrote or read.The boys gathered now in the large tent, and sat down on the ground while Mr. Bernard read the Bible to them and explained the portion selected in a brief and interesting way that held the attention of the listeners. After the reading he offered a prayer, asking a blessing upon them all, and praying that none but good influences might prevail with any of them.Then the "good-nights" were exchanged, many of the boys crowding around the teacher to thank him for the pleasure they were having; and as they scattered to their tents, many boyish words of hearty admiration were spoken of the teacher who had planned this vacation treat for them."I tell you, Dave, there ain't many teachers like him!" exclaimed Joe Chester, as he and his friend crept under their blankets on their mattress of fir-boughs."No,sir, not many."The boys were too tired to talk much, and they were soon lulled to sleep by the dash of the ocean against the beach, and the rattle of the pebbles as they followed the receding water only to be tossed up by the next incoming wave.CHAPTER V.THE SWIMMING-POOL.No bell was needed to awaken the boys in the morning; and one tent after another was thrown open to the breeze as the boys in undress ran down the beach for a plunge."Colder than Greenland's icy mountains," shouted Joe, as he met some of the boys on their way to the water when he was returning to his tent."Yes, colder than the north-east side of the pole," added David, who followed close behind."But jump in all of a sudden and it isn't bad," continued Joe.The boys returned one after another, racing and jumping and exclaiming over their icy bath; and presently all were rosy and glowing with the exercise, ready for anything in the line of work or fun.They found it hard to calm down at once, as they gathered in Mr. Bernard's tent for morning prayers; but at the first quiet reminder of the teacher the boys ceased their joking and listened to the Scripture reading and the fervent prayer that they all might be helped to live noble, Christian lives. He asked that they might not be contented to go through life selfishly, seeking only their own comfort and happiness; but that they might watch for opportunities to be helpful to others, and that they might be kept from all meanness of word or act.When they came from the tent the savoury odour of breakfast was wafted to them from the cook-tent.Jonas and Freitag had been fishing off the point as soon as daylight, and now the victims of their hooks--only an hour ago swimming in the broad ocean--were served up on tin trenchers, set at intervals along the table.John and Jerry arrived in time to furnish the milk for the coffee, and room was made for them at the table, although they had already eaten breakfast.During the meal the boys were discussing plans for the day, and probably the fishermen in their vessels a mile away heard the noise, and wondered at the babel of voices sounding across the waters.The archery club announced that they intended to set up their targets in the pasture and practise.The rifle club were asking permission to use their rifles in the woods, knowing that they were only to do so under the supervision of one of the teachers.Some wanted to fish, and were discussing the relative advantages of the different shores of the island."If you want rock-cod I'd advise ye to go out on the point that juts out alongside the beach," said Jonas, throwing in a suggestion as he brought a fresh supply of bread."I am going to hunt for crystal quartz; who wants to go with me? I found quite a lump yesterday. See here," and little Fred Wurden displayed his treasure."My! where did you find that?""Oh, I've seen plenty of that! I know where there's plenty of it--a big hole in the rocks, where them shiny things are all hanging down!" said John, the light-keeper's son, with shining eyes."Where?"--"Show us!" cried a number of voices; and even Mr. Andrews made inquiries, and said he would go to the place after breakfast."As soon as the tide is right, I move we have a swimming match," said Joe Chester."Whenwillthe tide be right, I'd like to know?" asked Dave."It is on the ebb now, and by the time our breakfast is done it will be quite low," said another grumblingly."Don't you worry; there's water enough in the ocean for you to swim in, if the tide is down!" said Jonas. "Yes, water enough, forty fathoms deep!"Jonas shook his head knowingly."I've been out on the point more than once, and sometimes the water is still, and I can see bottom. I sounded with that long fishin'-rod o' mine, and, allowing for the tide, I reckoned there must be about as nice a pool left there at low tide as you'd want to see.""Good!"--"Good for you, Jonas.""Mr. Bernard, did you hear Jonas?" asked Joe."I think I heard, but there are so many talking at once I am not sure. If it is about a swimming-place, I assure you I will investigate the matter this morning, and find a safe place for you to go.""Thank you, sir," answered Joe for himself and the others."I shall stretch ropes across, showing how far I am willing you should go out; and I expect you to obey me strictly. You know we have promised your parents to run no risk. We have camped out three summers, and have never met with an accident; and I sincerely trust our record may not be changed through any carelessness of ours."The boys agreed to follow his wishes in every particular.Then, having finished their breakfast, they scattered about the island, some going to the rocks to fish, some to pick berries, and others to practise with bows or rifles.Mr. Bernard and two other teachers went to the beach with drills, iron staples, cement, and ropes, to make the bath-beach as safe as possible.As it was ebb-tide, it was easy to see by the wet sea-weed on the sides of the little cove the height of the water when the tide was in; so there was no delay in locating the position of the first rope to be used at high-water.Holes were drilled in the rocks, and strong iron staples cemented in, in which the rope was fastened.After that was accomplished they sat on the rocks and watched the sea, or read until the tide was at its lowest, and the boys began to gather around, anxiously questioning whether there was "a chance yet.""That looks like a first-rate swimming-pool, Mr. Bernard, just as Jonas said," remarked Joe, coming to stand by his favourite teacher."So it does, Joe; but wait till I make sure. The water is much deeper than it looks. I will get my bathing-suit and try.""Hurrah! be all ready, boys; Mr. Bernard is going to try the water."Led by Joe, the crowd scampered away for their trunks, and returned before Mr. Bernard appeared.He came at length from the bath-tent, and went down into the water amid the cheers of the boys; and probably their applause prevented a hasty retreat when he learned from experience the temperature of the water."I am not taking this plunge for my own pleasure, boys!" he said, shivering and laughing. "I hope you will appreciate the act, for I am a martyr in your behalf."The first six or eight feet from the edge sloped gradually from one to three feet in depth; beyond that the water deepened rapidly until he was floated from his feet and forced to swim; but everywhere the gravelly bottom could be seen, and he was sure there were no treacherous holes to trap the unskilful."Is it all right, Mr. Bernard?" asked Joe, standing on the rocks and swinging his arms, impatient for the leap."Yes, I think it is.""May I come?" and Joe's body was thrown into a diving position."Any of you who are accustomed to dive may come here. The others must come in by the beach, where the water is shallower."Before he had finished the sentence, some dozen boys dropped or dived into the pool, and presently he found himself surrounded by a circle of seal-like heads as the young swimmers came to the surface one after another."It is too cold for me," he said, as the boys challenged him to swim a match. "I must get dressed and warmed.--Mr. Andrews, look out for the boys. I will send Freitag and Jonas to drill the rocks for the other staples," and Mr. Bernard hastened away, inwardly determined that he had taken his last plunge in that pool. The more timid boys and those who could not swim at all stood at the edge, thrusting in a foot, and then dancing and shrieking at the cold.John and Jerry stood looking on in open-mouthed amazement or admiration, Joe could not decide which."I promised to teach you to swim, didn't I?" cried Joe, coming through the water towards them, grasshopper fashion."But you needn't," said both boys retreating, as if fearing that he would seize them and force them in."But it's fun!"John shrugged his shoulders.Joe swam to and fro with his mouth open at the surface of the water, and blowing like a young sea-lion; then suddenly, to the horror of the two brothers, he disappeared beneath the waves."Oh, he's drowned!" shrieked both boys.No one paid any attention to their cry, and John fairly danced into the water in his fright."He's gone under! can't somebody get him?""Who?" asked one of the swimmers, looking around."Why, that boy Joe. I saw him go under!""Oh ho, Joe Chester! You couldn't drown him if you should try. There he is away over there by the rocks. He's a regular water-rat."And the speaker disappeared under the waves himself."I mean to learn to do that myself, Jerry," said John in a confidential tone.Jerry nodded, as if to say, "So will I."It seemed to the boys that they had hardly got into the spirit of the sport, before Mr. Andrews, with watch in hand, shouted, "Time's up, boys!""Oh no," groaned the swimmers. "Give us one more dive!""Well, one dive, and then you must come out."The boys swam to the rocks, climbed up like dripping monkeys, and in a minute the pool was full of eddies where the divers had gone down.As they came to the surface, Mr. Andrews shouted again, "Come; time's up!"As soon as his words were spoken every head disappeared, and it was useless to call them again until they were obliged to come up for air."Come on, boys; we agreed to mind!" said Joe. "Let's go ashore;" and following his own advice, he swam in, and ran up the beach to the bath-tent, followed by his companions, all giving whoops and cries, to help to warm them, they said.CHAPTER VI.THE FOG-STORM.There were two or three more days of pleasant weather, with boating and fishing and target-shooting; and then a fog crept in, hiding the ocean from view, and even shutting down like a thick curtain between the tents."Thick enough to bite," Joe said.Everything was wet, and Jonas was cross; so there was not much comfort, although most of the party were cheerful and good-natured.The table was taken apart and set up in the large tent; but Jonas and his Friday had further to travel with the meals, and they grumbled accordingly."No knowin' how long this fog will hang around," growled Jonas, as he set the tin plates down with a clatter."I've known it to last a week," said Frank Furman."A week! what are you thinkin' of? It about always lasts a week! I've known it to last a month!""O Jonas!" chorused the boys, glad to see any signs of good-nature, "have you really?""Humph! I camped out with a party once, and we never saw the sun after we landed till the day we left, and that was three weeks; for they were hardy fellows, and they said they were bound to stay till that fog cleared out, if it took all the vacation.""Did they?" asked Joe, as Jonas paused in his story to count plates."No, they didn't. They got enough of it; and when the third week was ended, and the fog was packed down tighter than ever, one of 'em said, 'Come, boys, I'll give it up. I am completely mildewed now, inside and out. We have eaten and drunk and breathed fog for twenty-one days, and for once I've had enough of one thing.'""Well, Jonas, go on; what did the rest do?" asked David."Why, they all said 'Amen,' and packed up as quick as they could, and got into the yacht, and started for the nearest shore. We had to go by the compass, because we'd no idea where the sun was. Part of the way we rowed, and part of the way we drifted, and by-and-by we got ashore. Once in a while I see one of them fellows, and they laugh about it now, and call it a good joke; but they didn't laugh much then.""You didn't neither, I'm sure," said Freitag, shrugging his shoulders."You are right there. I felt like I could bite a board-nail, for I had to work around, good weather or bad. No, there was only one fellow that called it funny, after the first two or three days; and that man nearly killed himself laughing about it! That fellow would have found a queer side to his own tombstone. He laughed about the fog, and he laughed at the way the other fellows took it; and he laughed so when he left the island, that the others threatened to throw him overboard. I've never seen him but once since, and he began again as soon as he spied me; and he dragged me into a shop and bought me a nice pipe, laughing all the time the shopman was doing it up. 'That was a jolly trip, Jonas!' says he; and I heard him chuckling after I left him.--But goodness, Freitag, ring that bell! the breakfast will be stone-cold.""You don't suppose this will last," said Max Bernard disconsolately. "Our tent is dripping now. We'll all be sick!""Sick! nonsense! You won't get cold in a salt fog," cried Walter Martin."It will most likely end in a big storm," exclaimed Jonas croakingly, feeling quite safe in making such a prophecy.The boys groaned at the suggestion, and one of them remarked that "there was nothing so consoling in dull weather as making toffy."Joe, remembering that Jonas had lost his jackknife, slipped his own into his hand as a bribe, and got his unwilling consent to give them butter and sugar and a chance to boil it.Joe Chester and David Winter were chief cooks on the occasion, with a large crowd of advisers and tasters; and when the toffy was boiled they poured it into a baking-pan to cool, and took it to the large tent.Although Jonas had given them a generous supply of sugar and butter, there were so many boys the toffy was eaten before it was thoroughly cool.They had a great deal of fun over it, and the pleasure helped to while away the dull day.They could not have toffy-making every day, and the fog still remained. Some days the fog did not lift at all, and at other times it would disappear for an hour or two, giving them a glimpse of bright sunshine, then it would return to wrap them in as closely as ever.One day they had the good fortune to see a fog-bow, which is like a rainbow in very subdued colours--"a Quaker rainbow," Joe called it.After a week had passed, and the boys had exhausted their resources for indoor amusement, the storm predicted by Jonas commenced in the night.Joe waked his friend Dave by pulling his hair, words having failed to arouse him."Let go there!" growled Dave."Wake up, boy! wake up! There's an awful storm!""What d'you say?" asked Dave sleepily."There's an awful storm, I tell you! Don't you hear the rain pelting on the tent? The wind blows like fury. I expect our tent will be down in a minute. The water is all running in under the canvas.""Dripping through it, too," cried David, thoroughly awakened by the great drops that fell fast upon his upturned face, to avoid which he sprang from bed only to alight in a pool of water deep enough to splash under his feet.Both boys laughed in spite of their discomfort, and just then Mr. Bernard came to the tent and rapped on the canvas."Boys, how are you getting on?""Oh,swimmingly.""Yes, I presume so. It is a fearful storm! You are fortunate to have your tent standing. Several have blown down. You had better come over to the large tent. We have been strengthening the stakes around that. Wrap yourselves in your blankets and run."The boys got on their rubber boots, and covering themselves with their red blankets, they opened the tent, stood a moment to watch the sheet of rain as it descended, and then ran across to Mr. Bernard's tent, which was about two rods away."Let us in!" cried Joe, bumping his blanketed head against the canvas curtain. Some one opened the tent, and the two boys stumbled in."Joe and Dave!""Oh, got drowned out, too!""Did your tent go down?""For once Joe Chester's got water enough!"And the boys inside made room on the table where most of them were perched.The teachers, with Jonas and Freitag, were driving stakes inside and fastening the tent to them to help to anchor it; and it seemed to need it, for sometimes the wind would sweep in beneath the canvas and swell it like a big balloon, as if it must either burst or go up in spite of ropes and stakes."God help the sailors!" exclaimed Mr. Bernard solemnly, as one of the sudden gusts died away."Oh, Ralph and Ben!" cried Joe. "Where are they? Do you suppose they are out in that little vessel, Mr. Bernard?""God forbid! I trust they are in some safe harbour. Fishermen are wise in such matters.""But if theyareout!" continued Joe anxiously. "Ralph will be frightened! You know he is a coward, and afraid of the water, anyway.""I don't see how they happened to go in a vessel," said Frank Furman."They went to get away from us all, poor fellows; they didn't know what else to do," said Joe pityingly. "Besides, the weather was pleasant then, and the water didn't look as if it ever could be rough; don't you remember?""I think they have been sick enough of it before this," suggested another."Oh, very likely they are safe in their own homes, and pitying us poor wretches. They would be likely to get that fisherman to put them ashore at the first port they made," added Ned Gould.Still Joe worried about them, and Mr. Bernard was very solemn; he had been anxious about the two absent lads ever since the storm commenced.The wind continued till morning, but the rain ceased soon after midnight, and the boys, wrapped in their damp blankets, lay across the long table with legs dangling down the side, packed very closely together, and trying to sleep; but the roaring of the sea, and the rattle of the stones tossed by the waves, the creaking of the tent as it swayed to and fro as far as the ropes would allow, all combined to keep them awake.Some gave up the effort to go to sleep, and tried to while away the time by telling doleful stories of shipwrecks and other disasters; and then, growing sleepy at daylight when the others went out to see the havoc of the storm, they were sound asleep when Mr. Bernard's bell summoned the boys for prayers, and they had no time for a morning toilet.The thanksgiving for shelter and safety in the fearful storm found an echo in every heart; and when he prayed for their two companions that they might be returned to their friends in safety and with the determination to be true and noble boys hereafter, Chester felt like uttering a loud amen.The sun was shining brightly again, and every trace of fog was gone, but the wind was still blowing, and the sea a perfect witch's caldron.After breakfast the bedding was taken out to dry, and anchored with large stones to the ledge to keep it from flying away.The tents were once more pitched, and they all felt that with the return of the sun there was also a return of pleasure in camp-life.Even Jonas seemed in a fair way towards good-nature again, and that made them all more cheerful.During the fog-storm he had been crabbed enough; and Joe said if he saw a boy come within five yards of the cook-tent he would growl like a bear.He was improving now, and when one of the boys suggested doughnuts for a variety, Jonas announced that the next job he "tackled" should be to fry doughnuts.[#]
[#] Clams are shell-fish, used for food.
"Here are clam-forks, boys," shouted Jonas. "Glad to have your help. You dig the clams, and I'll build up my fire and get ready for a bake. I reckon that will taste as good as anything."
"A clam-bake! a clam-bake! Who will dig clams?"
More boys volunteered than could find forks to dig with; but not to be outdone, some of them worked with sticks, prying in the mud wherever the little holes indicated the presence of the shell-fish.
Jonas showed those who had forks how to strike them deep into the beds, and the boys were apt scholars; so that by the time the rocks were well heated, and the sea-weed gathered, there were clams enough piled up on the shore to furnish a feast even for such a crowd of boys.
While the clams were slowly baking under their sea-weed cover, Jonas and his Friday pitched their cook-tent, set up their stove, and baked biscuits to be eaten with the clams.
Long before the roast was pronounced "done," the boys were on hand waiting for the sea-weed to be removed, and a hungrier pack of young savages never danced around a clam-pile.
A barrel of biscuits had been opened on their first arrival at the island, and the boys had "taken the sharp edge off their appetite," as they said, by eating them; otherwise Jonas would never have been able to bring those clams to the stage of perfection that he did.
"Come, Jonas! they are done to a turn!" cried the impatient boys.
"They will lose all their goodness in that good smell," said Joe, sniffing the air.
All noses went up, and fifty boys gave a prolonged "Ah! Isn't that gul--orious?"
It did seem that Jonas was provokingly slow in testing those clams; but at last he said, in his drawling way, "Well, now, I reckon them'll do!"
The boys cheered this remark, and hastened to offer their assistance in removing the sea-weed; but Jonas declined their offer in a most decided way.
"Now, you just move off, every boy of you! or you shan't have a clam. Off with you, till I get 'em out in piles, and give every one a fair chance!"
The boys knew by experience that it was policy to keep Jonas good-natured; so, with a good deal of pushing and whooping, they widened the circle, and contented themselves with watching the operations and exhorting Jonas to "hurry up."
"Now, that there pile belongs to the gentlemen!" said Jonas, pointing to the first heap that he threw down on the clean pebbles.
"O Jonas! aren't we all gentlemen?" asked Walter Martin, and a chorus of groans followed from the other boys.
Jonas vouchsafed no reply, but continued to shovel out clams and divide them into a half-dozen piles along the beach; while the boys danced around, awaiting the signal of the bell.
Freitag presently appeared with the great bell, and, although the summons was wholly unnecessary so far as the boys were concerned, as they had been at the scene of action for nearly an hour, it brought the teachers from their work of tent-raising.
After a blessing asked by Mr. Bernard, permission was given to the hungry crowd to attack the shellfish.
There were three courses provided--roast clams, then warm biscuit, and finally a dessert of gingersnaps, a barrel of which stood open from which all helped themselves.
Fortunately the boys were not difficult to suit, and they pronounced it a meal fit for a king.
CHAPTER IV.
IN CAMP.
After the dinner Mr. Bernard said, "There are two dozen hatchets, and I want two dozen boys to use them."
"Oh yes, the fir-boughs to be chopped!" said a dozen voices.
"I'll chop!"
"I'm the boy for a hatchet!"
In a minute the two dozen hatchets were seized, and as soon as the boys received their directions about the bushes they were allowed to cut, they started off for the pasture, followed by a crowd to drag the boughs back to camp, where others of the party, who had done the same work before, were to lay them down for beds. The pasture where the boys had gone for the fragrant fir-boughs extended across the end of the island and stretched back a half-mile to the woods,--a dense growth of hemlocks, junipers, firs, oaks, beeches, wild cherries, thorn trees, and hazel bushes. Along the course of a stream running from a spring grew rows of alders, over which ran the clematis; and along the edge of the water-course grew clumps of ferns and patches of velvety moss.
These woods extended for a mile, thinning at the other end of the island into a bush-covered pasture that, a little later in the season, would furnish all the blueberries and whortleberries the boys would want, and, later still, would be a garden of golden-rods and wild asters. All around the shore of the island, except at the southern end, was a border of rough boulders and cliffs, upon the highest of which was perched the lighthouse, with its revolving lantern.
While the boys were at work in the pasture, Jonas and Freitag were putting up their long tables of matched boards and covering the whole with oilcloth, "to look more civilized-like than bare boards," Jonas said.
Then the great baskets of tinware were unpacked, and the table set for the next meal; for Jonas had camped out before with Mr. Bernard's school, and he knew that they liked to see signs of the next meal as soon as one was disposed of. Moreover, he had discovered that they were less likely to be around sampling the crackers if they saw the table set. He may have been deceived in this, but Jonas was a pretty keen observer, especially in the line of his profession.
Seeing some of the boys idle, Jonas called, "Here, you fellows, catch me some fish for supper. There's plenty of chances along the shore yonder. I saw 'em when we came past.--You go along too, Freitag, and help 'em."
The boys were all eager for the sport.
"Here's bait, and a big pile of fishing-rods all rigged. Take that there big basket for your fish," continued Jonas, as if he were giving orders to a group of fishermen.
The boys, however, followed his directions good-naturedly, each seizing a rod, but leaving "Friday," as they called the man, to bring on the bait and fish-basket.
"Remember your promise, boys, not to go into dangerous places," called Mr. Bernard.
"Yes, sir, we will be careful," answered the boys. They were soon perched on the rocks, dropping their hooks into the water and pulling them out, exclaiming, "I've got a bite!"
"So have I."
"My! ain't they plenty!"
"There's one! Hold on, my beauty! Let go my hook!"
It was lively work, as they said, and presently they had enough to do to bait hooks and take off fish without much talking. Jonas gave a grunt of satisfaction as Freitag came dragging the heavy basket and exclaiming, "Py, but dat was a pig pizness!"
"Now, I can get a supper as is a supper!" exclaimed the cook.--"Freit, you just get them fish ready, and I'll cut up the pork. It ain't nigh supper-time, of course; dinner isn't much more than over, so you boys go off somewhere. Why don't you go see the lighthouse?"
Now Jonas was very cunning in making this suggestion, for he knew the lighthouse was at the other end of the island, a mile and a half away, and if the crowd would only start on that pilgrimage, he could have peace and quiet, and get supper at his leisure. His suggestion seemed good to the boys, and they cried, "Oh yes, the lighthouse!"
"Hurrah for the lighthouse!"
"Mr. Bernard, may we go to the lighthouse?"
Mr. Bernard was in his tent; but hearing his name called, he came outside.
"We want to go to the lighthouse. Can we go?"
"Yes, if Mr. Andrews is ready to go now; he has an errand there to see about a supply of milk. Now, boys, I have not found out the dangerous places on the island, and until we have explored a little ourselves, I want you to use extra precautions. Remember, no bathing except on the beach where we landed; that slopes very evenly, and I think there is no under-current."
"We will be careful, sir."
"We will remember," said the boys.
"Come on; who wants to go to the lighthouse?"
"Ho, for the lighthouse!"
The choppers and bough-layers were at leisure again, and many of them joined the party.
Others said, "Oh, I am too tired to go so far!"
"Wait till to-morrow!"
But the first speakers were already hurrying across the pasture with Mr. Andrews, stopping here and there to pick strawberries or raspberries, and to look for some blueberries that had ripened before their fellows.
The walk was longer than they expected, and the way through the tangled underbrush of the woods was no easy one; but they at length came out into the pasture-land at the northern end of the island, and from there the path was smoother.
The light-keeper gave them a gruff but hearty welcome, and his wife invited as many to come into her nest of a house as the little room would hold.
The two boys belonging to the family were shy but radiant at the prospect of something to break the monotony of their island life.
"I suppose you want to go up and see the lantern, boys," said Jacob Kramer, the light-keeper.--"Here you, John and Jerry, go up with 'em, and tell 'em all about how it works."
John made no reply save to run up the steps leading to the lighthouse, and Jerry, with the crowd of other boys, followed, or as many as could enter at once.
After the lantern had been examined, John led the way down the side of the cliff where they could see the surf-bell rung by the waves.
"That sounds like somebody's funeral!" exclaimed Joe Chester, shrugging his shoulders.
"Doesn't it keep you awake at night?" asked Ned Gould.
John shook his head.
"Nothin' keeps me awake, only the storms when the big waves strike 'way up against the house and spatter the top windows."
"Do you have such storms as that, really?" asked Dave.
John nodded, and added with frankness,--
"When them come Jerry and I get scared, and crawl down to father's room."
"Don't you get lonesome here?" asked Joe, glancing around at the rocks and water forming the landscape.
"Not very. We don't get lonesome at all in the summer."
"What do you do for fun?"
"Oh, we build towers on the cliff. We've got a big one now. Come over and see it;" and both boys scampered off over the rough rocks with their bare feet, leaving the others to pick their way more carefully.
The tower was as high as Jerry's head, and large enough for four boys to stand upon comfortably. In the centre was a fir-tree from which the boys had trimmed every branch, until it was like a flag-staff.
"Some time we are going to have a flag of our own to fly atop there," said Jerry with pride.
"I've got a good-sized flag over in camp that you may have; it will do till you can get a bigger," said Walter Martin.
"What else do you do besides build stone things?" asked Dave curiously.
"Oh, lots of things."
"You fish off the rocks, I suppose."
"Yes, plenty of fish round here. We go off in the boat with father, too, to tend the lobster-pots."
"Lobster-pots! what are they?" asked Joe.
"What you catch lobsters in. Didn't you ever see a lobster-pot? There's some there on the grass."
"What! these cages? How do you catch them with these?"
The boys gathered around the "cages" and examined them.
"See, this hole grows small at the back of it, and the lobster is so anxious to get the bait inside that he squeezes through; but after he is in he doesn't know how to double his claws back and get out, so he just don't; he stays."
"And you catch him?"
"He catches himself," laughed John.
"All we do is to set the pot,--that is, we bait it,--and then we anchor it off somewhere, and after a while we go back for it and get the lobsters."
"How do you get them out?"
"See these little doors up above? We open them, and reach in there."
"Don't they bite?" asked Dan.
"If you don't know where to catch 'em they nip, I tell you."
"Of course you swim like fish, both of you," said Joe, who was quite a famous swimmer himself.
"Can't swim."
"Can't swim? What fellows you are! Why don't you learn? What if you should tumble overboard? what would you do then?"
"Go to the bottom," answered John with a broad smile, as if that were a funny thing to do.
The boys exclaimed over this lack of knowledge, and Joe finally said, "See here, you two fellows; get your father to let you come over to our camp every day, and before our camp-life is over we will teach you so you can swim like fish."
This was a delightful proposal to the boys, not only because they wanted to swim, but because it would take them among other boys.
As soon as the party returned to the lighthouse, John and Jerry whispered the invitation to their father, and asked if they might accept.
He consented willingly.
"May we learn to swim?"
"Well, yes, I suppose so. I want ye to learn. I suppose it's time you did; and there ain't no chance at this end o' the island."
"There is a good beach where we are camping, and we shall fasten a rope across to show the boys how far they can go safely."
During the boys' absence Mr. Andrews had been negotiating with the light-keeper for all the milk he could spare, and also for a supply of lobsters; and it was now arranged that John and Jerry were to bring milk every morning to camp, and remain as long as they liked during the day.
"Come, boys; it will be nearly dark before we get back!" said Mr. Andrews, bidding the keeper's family good-bye.
"And we shall lose our supper.--Good-bye, John and Jerry. Come over early." As if there were any need to tell the eager boys that.
They kept near the shore on the way back; and though it was a rocky road to travel, they saved a half-mile thereby, and arrived with very keen appetites just as their comrades had finished supper.
"I'm so hungry I could eat a whale, Joe," exclaimed Dave.
"A whale! why, I could eat a brick house," was the quick response.
"Jonas, did you save us anything?" asked a chorus of voices.
Jonas waved a frying-pan for answer, and presently set before them fried fish, crisp and brown, bread hot from the oven, and warm gingerbread, all of which won the unbounded approbation of the famished boys.
After supper the various events of the day were recounted, and all united in declaring that it had been the jolliest twelve hours they had ever known--a remark that Mr. Bernard had heard every summer on the first day in camp.
"Now, boys," said Mr. Bernard, "you are tired and will want to retire early. Come into my tent, and we will have prayers together."
This tent was divided unequally into two parts; the larger devoted to general assemblages--for morning and evening devotions, and for a resort in wet weather; for sleeping-tents were crowded with beds and baggage.
Besides the large apartment in Mr. Bernard's tent, there was one smaller--a tiny affair, where he slept and wrote or read.
The boys gathered now in the large tent, and sat down on the ground while Mr. Bernard read the Bible to them and explained the portion selected in a brief and interesting way that held the attention of the listeners. After the reading he offered a prayer, asking a blessing upon them all, and praying that none but good influences might prevail with any of them.
Then the "good-nights" were exchanged, many of the boys crowding around the teacher to thank him for the pleasure they were having; and as they scattered to their tents, many boyish words of hearty admiration were spoken of the teacher who had planned this vacation treat for them.
"I tell you, Dave, there ain't many teachers like him!" exclaimed Joe Chester, as he and his friend crept under their blankets on their mattress of fir-boughs.
"No,sir, not many."
The boys were too tired to talk much, and they were soon lulled to sleep by the dash of the ocean against the beach, and the rattle of the pebbles as they followed the receding water only to be tossed up by the next incoming wave.
CHAPTER V.
THE SWIMMING-POOL.
No bell was needed to awaken the boys in the morning; and one tent after another was thrown open to the breeze as the boys in undress ran down the beach for a plunge.
"Colder than Greenland's icy mountains," shouted Joe, as he met some of the boys on their way to the water when he was returning to his tent.
"Yes, colder than the north-east side of the pole," added David, who followed close behind.
"But jump in all of a sudden and it isn't bad," continued Joe.
The boys returned one after another, racing and jumping and exclaiming over their icy bath; and presently all were rosy and glowing with the exercise, ready for anything in the line of work or fun.
They found it hard to calm down at once, as they gathered in Mr. Bernard's tent for morning prayers; but at the first quiet reminder of the teacher the boys ceased their joking and listened to the Scripture reading and the fervent prayer that they all might be helped to live noble, Christian lives. He asked that they might not be contented to go through life selfishly, seeking only their own comfort and happiness; but that they might watch for opportunities to be helpful to others, and that they might be kept from all meanness of word or act.
When they came from the tent the savoury odour of breakfast was wafted to them from the cook-tent.
Jonas and Freitag had been fishing off the point as soon as daylight, and now the victims of their hooks--only an hour ago swimming in the broad ocean--were served up on tin trenchers, set at intervals along the table.
John and Jerry arrived in time to furnish the milk for the coffee, and room was made for them at the table, although they had already eaten breakfast.
During the meal the boys were discussing plans for the day, and probably the fishermen in their vessels a mile away heard the noise, and wondered at the babel of voices sounding across the waters.
The archery club announced that they intended to set up their targets in the pasture and practise.
The rifle club were asking permission to use their rifles in the woods, knowing that they were only to do so under the supervision of one of the teachers.
Some wanted to fish, and were discussing the relative advantages of the different shores of the island.
"If you want rock-cod I'd advise ye to go out on the point that juts out alongside the beach," said Jonas, throwing in a suggestion as he brought a fresh supply of bread.
"I am going to hunt for crystal quartz; who wants to go with me? I found quite a lump yesterday. See here," and little Fred Wurden displayed his treasure.
"My! where did you find that?"
"Oh, I've seen plenty of that! I know where there's plenty of it--a big hole in the rocks, where them shiny things are all hanging down!" said John, the light-keeper's son, with shining eyes.
"Where?"--"Show us!" cried a number of voices; and even Mr. Andrews made inquiries, and said he would go to the place after breakfast.
"As soon as the tide is right, I move we have a swimming match," said Joe Chester.
"Whenwillthe tide be right, I'd like to know?" asked Dave.
"It is on the ebb now, and by the time our breakfast is done it will be quite low," said another grumblingly.
"Don't you worry; there's water enough in the ocean for you to swim in, if the tide is down!" said Jonas. "Yes, water enough, forty fathoms deep!"
Jonas shook his head knowingly.
"I've been out on the point more than once, and sometimes the water is still, and I can see bottom. I sounded with that long fishin'-rod o' mine, and, allowing for the tide, I reckoned there must be about as nice a pool left there at low tide as you'd want to see."
"Good!"--"Good for you, Jonas."
"Mr. Bernard, did you hear Jonas?" asked Joe.
"I think I heard, but there are so many talking at once I am not sure. If it is about a swimming-place, I assure you I will investigate the matter this morning, and find a safe place for you to go."
"Thank you, sir," answered Joe for himself and the others.
"I shall stretch ropes across, showing how far I am willing you should go out; and I expect you to obey me strictly. You know we have promised your parents to run no risk. We have camped out three summers, and have never met with an accident; and I sincerely trust our record may not be changed through any carelessness of ours."
The boys agreed to follow his wishes in every particular.
Then, having finished their breakfast, they scattered about the island, some going to the rocks to fish, some to pick berries, and others to practise with bows or rifles.
Mr. Bernard and two other teachers went to the beach with drills, iron staples, cement, and ropes, to make the bath-beach as safe as possible.
As it was ebb-tide, it was easy to see by the wet sea-weed on the sides of the little cove the height of the water when the tide was in; so there was no delay in locating the position of the first rope to be used at high-water.
Holes were drilled in the rocks, and strong iron staples cemented in, in which the rope was fastened.
After that was accomplished they sat on the rocks and watched the sea, or read until the tide was at its lowest, and the boys began to gather around, anxiously questioning whether there was "a chance yet."
"That looks like a first-rate swimming-pool, Mr. Bernard, just as Jonas said," remarked Joe, coming to stand by his favourite teacher.
"So it does, Joe; but wait till I make sure. The water is much deeper than it looks. I will get my bathing-suit and try."
"Hurrah! be all ready, boys; Mr. Bernard is going to try the water."
Led by Joe, the crowd scampered away for their trunks, and returned before Mr. Bernard appeared.
He came at length from the bath-tent, and went down into the water amid the cheers of the boys; and probably their applause prevented a hasty retreat when he learned from experience the temperature of the water.
"I am not taking this plunge for my own pleasure, boys!" he said, shivering and laughing. "I hope you will appreciate the act, for I am a martyr in your behalf."
The first six or eight feet from the edge sloped gradually from one to three feet in depth; beyond that the water deepened rapidly until he was floated from his feet and forced to swim; but everywhere the gravelly bottom could be seen, and he was sure there were no treacherous holes to trap the unskilful.
"Is it all right, Mr. Bernard?" asked Joe, standing on the rocks and swinging his arms, impatient for the leap.
"Yes, I think it is."
"May I come?" and Joe's body was thrown into a diving position.
"Any of you who are accustomed to dive may come here. The others must come in by the beach, where the water is shallower."
Before he had finished the sentence, some dozen boys dropped or dived into the pool, and presently he found himself surrounded by a circle of seal-like heads as the young swimmers came to the surface one after another.
"It is too cold for me," he said, as the boys challenged him to swim a match. "I must get dressed and warmed.--Mr. Andrews, look out for the boys. I will send Freitag and Jonas to drill the rocks for the other staples," and Mr. Bernard hastened away, inwardly determined that he had taken his last plunge in that pool. The more timid boys and those who could not swim at all stood at the edge, thrusting in a foot, and then dancing and shrieking at the cold.
John and Jerry stood looking on in open-mouthed amazement or admiration, Joe could not decide which.
"I promised to teach you to swim, didn't I?" cried Joe, coming through the water towards them, grasshopper fashion.
"But you needn't," said both boys retreating, as if fearing that he would seize them and force them in.
"But it's fun!"
John shrugged his shoulders.
Joe swam to and fro with his mouth open at the surface of the water, and blowing like a young sea-lion; then suddenly, to the horror of the two brothers, he disappeared beneath the waves.
"Oh, he's drowned!" shrieked both boys.
No one paid any attention to their cry, and John fairly danced into the water in his fright.
"He's gone under! can't somebody get him?"
"Who?" asked one of the swimmers, looking around.
"Why, that boy Joe. I saw him go under!"
"Oh ho, Joe Chester! You couldn't drown him if you should try. There he is away over there by the rocks. He's a regular water-rat."
And the speaker disappeared under the waves himself.
"I mean to learn to do that myself, Jerry," said John in a confidential tone.
Jerry nodded, as if to say, "So will I."
It seemed to the boys that they had hardly got into the spirit of the sport, before Mr. Andrews, with watch in hand, shouted, "Time's up, boys!"
"Oh no," groaned the swimmers. "Give us one more dive!"
"Well, one dive, and then you must come out."
The boys swam to the rocks, climbed up like dripping monkeys, and in a minute the pool was full of eddies where the divers had gone down.
As they came to the surface, Mr. Andrews shouted again, "Come; time's up!"
As soon as his words were spoken every head disappeared, and it was useless to call them again until they were obliged to come up for air.
"Come on, boys; we agreed to mind!" said Joe. "Let's go ashore;" and following his own advice, he swam in, and ran up the beach to the bath-tent, followed by his companions, all giving whoops and cries, to help to warm them, they said.
CHAPTER VI.
THE FOG-STORM.
There were two or three more days of pleasant weather, with boating and fishing and target-shooting; and then a fog crept in, hiding the ocean from view, and even shutting down like a thick curtain between the tents.
"Thick enough to bite," Joe said.
Everything was wet, and Jonas was cross; so there was not much comfort, although most of the party were cheerful and good-natured.
The table was taken apart and set up in the large tent; but Jonas and his Friday had further to travel with the meals, and they grumbled accordingly.
"No knowin' how long this fog will hang around," growled Jonas, as he set the tin plates down with a clatter.
"I've known it to last a week," said Frank Furman.
"A week! what are you thinkin' of? It about always lasts a week! I've known it to last a month!"
"O Jonas!" chorused the boys, glad to see any signs of good-nature, "have you really?"
"Humph! I camped out with a party once, and we never saw the sun after we landed till the day we left, and that was three weeks; for they were hardy fellows, and they said they were bound to stay till that fog cleared out, if it took all the vacation."
"Did they?" asked Joe, as Jonas paused in his story to count plates.
"No, they didn't. They got enough of it; and when the third week was ended, and the fog was packed down tighter than ever, one of 'em said, 'Come, boys, I'll give it up. I am completely mildewed now, inside and out. We have eaten and drunk and breathed fog for twenty-one days, and for once I've had enough of one thing.'"
"Well, Jonas, go on; what did the rest do?" asked David.
"Why, they all said 'Amen,' and packed up as quick as they could, and got into the yacht, and started for the nearest shore. We had to go by the compass, because we'd no idea where the sun was. Part of the way we rowed, and part of the way we drifted, and by-and-by we got ashore. Once in a while I see one of them fellows, and they laugh about it now, and call it a good joke; but they didn't laugh much then."
"You didn't neither, I'm sure," said Freitag, shrugging his shoulders.
"You are right there. I felt like I could bite a board-nail, for I had to work around, good weather or bad. No, there was only one fellow that called it funny, after the first two or three days; and that man nearly killed himself laughing about it! That fellow would have found a queer side to his own tombstone. He laughed about the fog, and he laughed at the way the other fellows took it; and he laughed so when he left the island, that the others threatened to throw him overboard. I've never seen him but once since, and he began again as soon as he spied me; and he dragged me into a shop and bought me a nice pipe, laughing all the time the shopman was doing it up. 'That was a jolly trip, Jonas!' says he; and I heard him chuckling after I left him.--But goodness, Freitag, ring that bell! the breakfast will be stone-cold."
"You don't suppose this will last," said Max Bernard disconsolately. "Our tent is dripping now. We'll all be sick!"
"Sick! nonsense! You won't get cold in a salt fog," cried Walter Martin.
"It will most likely end in a big storm," exclaimed Jonas croakingly, feeling quite safe in making such a prophecy.
The boys groaned at the suggestion, and one of them remarked that "there was nothing so consoling in dull weather as making toffy."
Joe, remembering that Jonas had lost his jackknife, slipped his own into his hand as a bribe, and got his unwilling consent to give them butter and sugar and a chance to boil it.
Joe Chester and David Winter were chief cooks on the occasion, with a large crowd of advisers and tasters; and when the toffy was boiled they poured it into a baking-pan to cool, and took it to the large tent.
Although Jonas had given them a generous supply of sugar and butter, there were so many boys the toffy was eaten before it was thoroughly cool.
They had a great deal of fun over it, and the pleasure helped to while away the dull day.
They could not have toffy-making every day, and the fog still remained. Some days the fog did not lift at all, and at other times it would disappear for an hour or two, giving them a glimpse of bright sunshine, then it would return to wrap them in as closely as ever.
One day they had the good fortune to see a fog-bow, which is like a rainbow in very subdued colours--"a Quaker rainbow," Joe called it.
After a week had passed, and the boys had exhausted their resources for indoor amusement, the storm predicted by Jonas commenced in the night.
Joe waked his friend Dave by pulling his hair, words having failed to arouse him.
"Let go there!" growled Dave.
"Wake up, boy! wake up! There's an awful storm!"
"What d'you say?" asked Dave sleepily.
"There's an awful storm, I tell you! Don't you hear the rain pelting on the tent? The wind blows like fury. I expect our tent will be down in a minute. The water is all running in under the canvas."
"Dripping through it, too," cried David, thoroughly awakened by the great drops that fell fast upon his upturned face, to avoid which he sprang from bed only to alight in a pool of water deep enough to splash under his feet.
Both boys laughed in spite of their discomfort, and just then Mr. Bernard came to the tent and rapped on the canvas.
"Boys, how are you getting on?"
"Oh,swimmingly."
"Yes, I presume so. It is a fearful storm! You are fortunate to have your tent standing. Several have blown down. You had better come over to the large tent. We have been strengthening the stakes around that. Wrap yourselves in your blankets and run."
The boys got on their rubber boots, and covering themselves with their red blankets, they opened the tent, stood a moment to watch the sheet of rain as it descended, and then ran across to Mr. Bernard's tent, which was about two rods away.
"Let us in!" cried Joe, bumping his blanketed head against the canvas curtain. Some one opened the tent, and the two boys stumbled in.
"Joe and Dave!"
"Oh, got drowned out, too!"
"Did your tent go down?"
"For once Joe Chester's got water enough!"
And the boys inside made room on the table where most of them were perched.
The teachers, with Jonas and Freitag, were driving stakes inside and fastening the tent to them to help to anchor it; and it seemed to need it, for sometimes the wind would sweep in beneath the canvas and swell it like a big balloon, as if it must either burst or go up in spite of ropes and stakes.
"God help the sailors!" exclaimed Mr. Bernard solemnly, as one of the sudden gusts died away.
"Oh, Ralph and Ben!" cried Joe. "Where are they? Do you suppose they are out in that little vessel, Mr. Bernard?"
"God forbid! I trust they are in some safe harbour. Fishermen are wise in such matters."
"But if theyareout!" continued Joe anxiously. "Ralph will be frightened! You know he is a coward, and afraid of the water, anyway."
"I don't see how they happened to go in a vessel," said Frank Furman.
"They went to get away from us all, poor fellows; they didn't know what else to do," said Joe pityingly. "Besides, the weather was pleasant then, and the water didn't look as if it ever could be rough; don't you remember?"
"I think they have been sick enough of it before this," suggested another.
"Oh, very likely they are safe in their own homes, and pitying us poor wretches. They would be likely to get that fisherman to put them ashore at the first port they made," added Ned Gould.
Still Joe worried about them, and Mr. Bernard was very solemn; he had been anxious about the two absent lads ever since the storm commenced.
The wind continued till morning, but the rain ceased soon after midnight, and the boys, wrapped in their damp blankets, lay across the long table with legs dangling down the side, packed very closely together, and trying to sleep; but the roaring of the sea, and the rattle of the stones tossed by the waves, the creaking of the tent as it swayed to and fro as far as the ropes would allow, all combined to keep them awake.
Some gave up the effort to go to sleep, and tried to while away the time by telling doleful stories of shipwrecks and other disasters; and then, growing sleepy at daylight when the others went out to see the havoc of the storm, they were sound asleep when Mr. Bernard's bell summoned the boys for prayers, and they had no time for a morning toilet.
The thanksgiving for shelter and safety in the fearful storm found an echo in every heart; and when he prayed for their two companions that they might be returned to their friends in safety and with the determination to be true and noble boys hereafter, Chester felt like uttering a loud amen.
The sun was shining brightly again, and every trace of fog was gone, but the wind was still blowing, and the sea a perfect witch's caldron.
After breakfast the bedding was taken out to dry, and anchored with large stones to the ledge to keep it from flying away.
The tents were once more pitched, and they all felt that with the return of the sun there was also a return of pleasure in camp-life.
Even Jonas seemed in a fair way towards good-nature again, and that made them all more cheerful.
During the fog-storm he had been crabbed enough; and Joe said if he saw a boy come within five yards of the cook-tent he would growl like a bear.
He was improving now, and when one of the boys suggested doughnuts for a variety, Jonas announced that the next job he "tackled" should be to fry doughnuts.[#]