*CHAPTER XX.*
*THE TWO MATCHES.*
"Ho, for the match! Come, Dave, bring out your weapons; the boys aregathering."
Dave quickly obeyed Joe's summons, and the two friends, with bows andquivers, followed by Ralph and Ben, joined the archers. Fourteen boyscomposed the club, and at the time appointed they, as well as thespectators, were ready for the signal. Mr. Andrews kept the score, andthere was great excitement as the shots were registered; but in spite ofmuch loud talk the match ended satisfactorily to all outsiders, and tomost of the participants, for Joe Chester won. A prolonged shoutannounced Joe's victory, not only to all on the island, but to vesselsfar out on the water.
Before the excitement had fairly abated, the signal for the rifle matchwas given, and away started the crowd to that part of the island wherethe targets were set for the marksmen. Ben being one of the best of theclub, was particularly interested in this match, and he watched eagerlythe movement of every rifle, longing for his own, and the chance to useit. Many rifles were offered to him, and every one urged him to join inthe trial of skill; but his answer was, "No, indeed; I shan't risk myreputation now without any practice." Mr. Andrews kept the score herealso, and although there were some hot disputes over the shots, DonaldParker was pronounced the winner of the prize.
"Now I'll try a rifle," exclaimed Ben.--"Here, Don, lend me yours."
Most of the boys were gathered in knots, eagerly discussing the match,but at the sound of Ben's firing they gathered around him.
"Hurrah for Ben!"
"That's a good one!"
"There's another!"
He fired the same number of shots as that allowed to the club, and thescore was better than any made by the others, beating even that of theprize-winner.
"I thought I could do it," he said, with sparkling eyes, "but I didn'twant to risk it in the match. Perhaps I couldn't have done it, either.I shouldn't have been so cool."
The boys were too excited over the long-talked-of matches to enter uponany other sport, and they gathered in knots on the ledges and in frontof the tents, talking about this and that rifle or bow, or the scores ofthe different marksmen, comparing them with those of former matches.
"Come--to-morrow is packing-up day, and we've got to be up early.--andhave all the fun we can before the steamboat swoops down on us."
"Like a wolf on the fold," added Fred.
"Oh, that dreadful monster!" cried Max. "If it would only forget tocome."
"Or break its paddle-wheel," added Ned.
"Humph!" exclaimed Jonas, who was already beginning to pack baking-tinsand things he did not intend to use. "If she doesn't come in time,you'll find yourself on short rations, I can tell you. We are on ourlast barrel of biscuits. Haven't flour enough for more than one batchof bread; and not a drop of treacle, even if we had the flour, forgingerbread."
"Nor any ginger, even if we had the treacle and flour," added Ben, witha mischievous twinkle of the eye. "Of course there is no ginger, Jonaswas so generous with that in my tea."
The boys laughed, but Jonas, indifferent to that, continued his deficitlist. "The coffee's gone, and the butter-tub is scraped clean."
"Mercy!" cried Dave. "This is getting melancholy. It's worse thanMother Hubbard's bare cupboard."
"Yes," added Joe with a sigh. "It's nothing but a howling wildernesshere, and the sooner we get out of it the better. No, I'll take thatback. I'm willing to live on blueberries if everything else gives out.The blueberries are plentiful still."
"Yes, and the clam-beds are not quite cleaned out," said Ben cheerily.
"A fellow that would starve on the edge of the clam-beds deserves todie."
"I suppose there are some fish left in the sea too," suggested Max.
"Yes, a few. Very likely those the tide carried off with our baskets,the day we had our freedom, came to life again, and are out of hospitalby this time," said Joe.--"You can't scare us, Jonas. We don't feel abit afraid of starving."
"No, maybe not, but you'd grumbled well if you didn't get nothin' butfish and berries for fare. You would," answered Jonas, as he naileddown the top of the box.
"I suppose we would," said Joe, "but I'd like to wait over and tryit.--Come on, Ralph; you and Ben can have a shake-down in our tent.--No,you other fellows can't have them; they've taken apartments with us.Good-night to the rest of you."
"Oh, don't leave us so soon. This is the last night. Onlythink--to-morrow we shall scatter on the four winds," said Walter.
"Not to meet again till the roll is called in September," added Ned witha doleful whistle.
"That sounds pretty bad, but I think we'll be able to bear it,considering that we are going to our own homes," answered Joe.--"Butthis has been a good time, Ralph--so much better than you or I dreamedpossible the day school closed," he added as they walked off arm in arm.
"Yes, indeed, it looked gloomy enough then; I couldn't see the way aheadat all, and I felt that there never would be any more good times for mein the world. I tell you, Joe, I didn't deserve to have it turn out so.Two or three times to-day I have wondered if I am not dreaming, and if Ishall not wake up in the cabin of the _Una_ with that awful sea-sickfeeling."
"But it's no dream, old fellow," said Joe cheerily. "You are back amongus, and every boy in the crowd was glad enough to see you. Mr. Bernard,too, was as happy as the rest of us."
"That's so queer. I thought he would never forgive me. I wonder if myown father will? Joe, will you do me a favour? Will you stop at myhome on your way through? I'm going to tell father the whole story, andlet him know the worst of it. I want you to go along and keep mycourage up."
Joe laughed and said, "Want me for a body-guard, do you?"
"My father is a very strict man, and he hasn't any patience with anybodythat is mean; and that's just what I was, besides being bad. I don'tmean to excuse myself a bit, whether you are there or not; but if youwould stop with me, I'd like it. I want him to see you too, Joe."
"Enough said; I'll stop. Here's the tent; walk in. Dave and Ben arealready in the bunk. Well, you and I will take the shake-down."
"We thought you would be waking us up if we slept on the floor, so wecrawled in here to be out of the way," explained Dave.
"That's all right, Dave.--Now, Ralph, you and I have the floor; let theother fellows keep quiet. It isn't the softest bed I ever saw, but itis a good deal better than that you have had for some nights past."
"Yes, especially if you haven't anything you want to hide. I tell youit's good to be free of that. I'll never forget what Captain Dare said,and I can say it to myself now."
After the other boys were sound asleep, Ralph lay thinking over theweeks that had passed since he had burned the leaves in the garden atthe back of the school-house. All the way along he followed the storyagain. He heard the roll called for the guilty boy; and saw again Mr.Bernard's face as he looked around upon his boys in astonishment andgrief, as he said, "Is it possible that we have a _liar_ among us? A_liar_!" Then he saw Joe Chester's face as he was summoned to Mr.Bernard's room to be questioned. He remembered how he felt when it wasannounced that Joe Chester must remain behind unless the guilty boyconfessed; and the miserable days that followed, when, ashamed ofhimself, he still pretended to be innocent. Then followed the lastnight of school when the question was decided, and he determined to goon no further with the deceit. This was the turning-point, and he feltthat the worst was over when he thought of the letter of confession, theflight from the house, and the refuge with Captain Dare, which, in spiteof all the discomfort resulting from it, had proved such a blessing tohim. He remembered the very words of the old captain that had awakenedthe good resolutions in his heart, and he at last fell asleep feelingglad that he had opened his heart, and that there was nothing he wantedto conceal from God's eyes.