“You come out geet shot, stay in geet roast, oui. You tell where money you all come out go way, no geet hurt.”
“I’ll be—” Bob began, but Rex caught him by the arm.
“Just a minute, Bob. They’ve got us, and what’s the money compared to our lives? Tell him where it is.”
“Not just yet,” Bob replied. “We’ve got a few minutes yet before the roof will fall and Kernertok may come at any moment. We’ll think it over,” he shouted to the men outside.
The roof was now a roaring mass of flames and they had great difficulty in keeping clear of the falling embers. In several places the side logs had caught, and fanned by the wind, were burning with great vigor. Bob knew, as did the others, that it could be but a matter of minutes now when they would have to leave the cabin.
“I guess we’ll have to give in,” he said sadly, a few minutes later, as a portion of the roof fell in with a crash, narrowly escaping Jack’s head.
“It’s the only thing to do,” Rex urged.
“Hello, outside there,” Bob shouted.
“You tell, oui?” Jacques’s voice called back.
“Yes, it’s—” Bob began, when suddenly above the crackling of the fire a rifle shot rang out.
“Hark!” Jack cried, catching Bob by the arm. “That may be Kernertok.”
They waited with bated breath for a moment, and then, to their great joy, Kernertok’s voice reached them.
“Bob, Jack, you come out heap soon.”
“Heap soon is right,” Jack shouted, dancing about like a wild man. “I told you I had a hunch.”
In another minute Bob had withdrawn the bar and they were outside breathing the pure, cool air. Just on the edge of the clearing they saw Kernertok beckoning to them, and they lost no time in hastening to his side.
“You got here just in time, thank God,” Bob cried, as he grasped his friend’s hand.
“Heap little time spare,” Kernertok declared gravely.
“I’ll tell the world it was,” Jack cried. “But where are the breeds?”
“Come.”
They followed the Indian a few feet into the forest, and there they found the three men surrounded by four sturdy Yankees. Bob quickly noted that one of the prisoners carried one arm in a sling, made from a large red handkerchief.
“So it wasn’t you, Jacques,” he said, turning to the leader, who was standing with dejected mien a little apart from the other two.
Jacques made no reply, but gave the boys a look of fierce hatred, to which they paid little heed.
“Come on, Jack,” Bob cried, turning to his brother, “let’s see if we can save enough of the food for breakfast.”
“Make it snappy,” Jack replied, as he followed Bob, who had started on a run toward the cabin.
As they had hoped, the part of the cabin containing the food closet was not as yet on fire, so far as the walls were concerned, and after a hurried struggle, they succeeded in tearing it out and saving all it contained.
“There,” Bob panted as they placed it on the ground beyond the reach of the flames. “I reckon we’ll have enough grub to last us till we get back to civilization.”
It did not take them long to prepare a hearty meal and in less than an hour they were ready to take the back trail. They found the money where Stebbins had said he had buried it and the latter breathed a deep sigh of relief as he saw it restored to the son of the man who owned it.
“That sure is a big relief off my mind,” he declared as he handed the bag to Rex.
A little later they were back again on the banks of the Allagash where they found their canoe together with two others which Kernertok and his companions had brought up with them. The trip down the river was uneventful and they arrived at the little town of St. Francis shortly after noon, highly elated with the successful ending of their adventure.
“I owe you boys and Kernertok a lot,” Rex declared as they walked down the street toward the little hotel.
“Bosh,” Jack exclaimed. “Never had a better time in my life.”
They left for home by train the following morning after making arrangements to have the canoe shipped back to North East Carry.
“Heap hard trip,” Kernertok grunted as he sank into his seat just as the train started.
“I didn’t think you had minded it,” Jack said in surprise.
“Trip up here all right. Trip back on train heap hard,” and the old Indian shook his head while the boys laughed.
THE END
If you have enjoyed reading about the adventures of the new friends you have made in this book and would like to read more clean, wholesome stories of their entertaining experiences, turn to the book jacket—on the inside of it, a comprehensive list of Burt’s fine series of carefully selected books for young people has been placed for your convenience.
Orders for these books, placed with your bookstore or sent to the Publishers, will receive prompt attention.
The Golden Boys in the Maine Woods
BY L. P. WYMAN, PH.D.Dean of Pennsylvania Military College.
A new series of instructive copyright stories for boys of High School Age.
Handsome Cloth Binding.PRICE, 50 CENTS EACHPOSTAGE 10c EXTRA
The Boy Scouts’ First Campfire
BY HERBERT CARTER
For Boys 12 to 16 YearsAll Cloth BoundCopyright TitlesPRICE, 50 CENTS EACHPostage 10c ExtraNew Stories of Camp Life
Rex Kingdon of Ridgewood High
By GORDON BRADDOCK
A fine series of stories for boys of High School age, written in an interesting and instructive style.
Rex Kingdon, the hero, a real, wide-awake boy, interested in outdoor games, enters into the school sports with enthusiasm. A rattling good baseball story holds the interest to the very end. Rex and his Ridgewood friends establish a campfire in the North woods; there, mystery, jealousy and rivalry enter to menace their safety, fire their interest and finally cement their friendship.
Stories boys will want to read.
CLOTHBOUND. JACKETS IN COLORS.Copyright Titles.
PRICE, 50 CENTS EACHPOSTAGE 10c EXTRA
Oakdale Boys in Camp
BY MORGAN SCOTT
A series of real boys’ stories at the Oakdale Academy. Ben Stone, the hero, wins his way under peculiar circumstances and against great odds.
Clean-cut stories of real experiences in athletics and sports of academy life, with adventures, mysteries and clever descriptions.
Just the kind of books a boy 12 to 16 years would like to read.
HANDSOME CLOTH BINDING,JACKETS IN COLORSPRICE, 50 CENTS EACHPOSTAGE 10c EXTRA
Copyright Titles
The Radio Boys as Soldiers of Fortune
BY GERALD BRECKENRIDGE
A new series of copyright titles for boys of all ages.
Cloth Bound, with Attractive Cover DesignsPRICE, 50 CENTS EACHPOSTAGE 10c EXTRA
The Boy Allies in Great Peril
BY CLAIR W. HAYES
For Boys 12 to 16 Years.All Cloth BoundCopyright Titles
In this series we follow the fortunes of two American lads unable to leave Europe after war is declared. They meet the soldiers of the Allies, and decide to cast their lot with them. Their experiences and escapes are many, and furnish plenty of good, healthy action that every boy loves.
Dick Kent With the Mounted Police
By MILTON RICHARDS
A new series of stories of Adventure in the North WoodsFor Boys 12 to 16 YearsHandsome Cloth Binding
DICK KENT WITH THE MOUNTED POLICE
Dick and his friend Sandy meet with ambush and desperate hand-to-hand encounters while on a dangerous mission with the Canadian Mounted Police.
DICK KENT IN THE FAR NORTH
Outwitting the notorious outlaw “Bear” Henderson with the help of Malemute Slade, the two boys discover the secret of a lost gold mine.
DICK KENT WITH THE ESKIMOS
In their search, with the mounted police, for an escaped murderer, Dick and Sandy have thrilling experiences with ice floes and animals in the Arctic.
DICK KENT, FUR TRADER
On the trail with Corporal Rand, Dick Kent and his two associates unravel the mystery of the fur thieves.
DICK KENT WITH THE MALEMUTE MAIL
Entrusted with the vaccine for an isolated trading post, Dick and his friends win through in spite of incredible difficulties.
DICK KENT ON SPECIAL DUTY
Corporal Rand and his young recruits solve a mystery and find a hidden treasure.
For sale by all booksellers, or sent on receipt of price by the Publishers
A. L. BURT COMPANY, Publishers,114-120 EAST 23rd STREETNEW YORK