CHAPTER VII
BOB'S CLUE
A week quickly sped with short trips here and there--a restful week forthem all, yet a week in which the boys learned more fully the woodman'sways. For one thing they were becoming expert fishers and rapidlyimproving in portaging. Even the two older men noticed how the boys wereso quickly becoming adapted to the rough life.
"I think you boys are getting into good enough shape to warrant a week'strip away from the home camp," said Mr. Waterman one morning.
"I'm game," said Bill.
"So am I," said Bob and Pud together.
"Good! Why not go down then and climb that mountain from which one cansee so many lakes?" queried Mr. Anderson.
"All right. That would be a beautiful trip," said Mr. Waterman.
"That sounds fine," said the three boys.
A half hour later, they were off in two canoes, and they paddled down tothe far end of the lake.
"Stick together, fellows," said Mr. Waterman. "We are going by thecompass and there won't be any trail. It's the easiest thing in theworld to get lost here and I can tell you that it's the hardest thing inall creation to find your way back again, for all these mountains lookalike."
"I've noticed that," said Pud, as they all got out of their canoes.
The party swung off and made their way through the woods skirting thelower part of the mountain. At last, Mr. Waterman began to climb andthe boys soon found that this was quite some mountain they were on. Itwent up interminably. On they plodded and at last they came to a verysteep part just before reaching the summit. Mr. Waterman led the way. Ina short time, they were climbing straight up the side of the rocks. Itwas hard and exciting work and more than once, Mr. Waterman turned andlooked around carefully.
"Can we make it here?" asked Mr. Anderson in his quiet tones.
"I think so," replied Mr. Waterman. "I thought that this was the placewe came up last summer but evidently it isn't."
Up they climbed.
"That old Mont Blanc hasn't anything on this for steepness," said Bob asthey stopped for rest.
"I think I can see the top now," said Mr. Waterman. "We either have togo on or go back to where we started up. I think that we can make it,but be careful."
By this time, they were climbing almost perpendicularly up the cliff.There was no trail and they wound back and forth and at times had tohelp each other up from rock to rock. As they neared the top, the rocksbecame more brittle and it was necessary to try the rocks above beforetrusting their weight to them. Once when they strung out down themountain for a hundred feet or more, Mr. Waterman, who was leading,broke off a big rock just as he reached a higher altitude. He shoutedand every one below ducked. It went right over Mr. Anderson's head andcrashed down the side of the mountain.
"Steady, steady," said Mr. Anderson. "Don't kick up such a fuss."
"That was a close call both for you and me," said Mr. Waterman.
Once again before they reached the top they started rocks down themountain side but no one was hurt. At last they reached the top and theview they had more than repaid them for their exertions. This point wasthe highest elevation in that part of the country and they could see formany miles the cool, green, yet solemn-looking forests; the many lakeswhich reflected the clear blue sapphire sky, speckled with fleecy whiteclouds. They counted over thirty lakes. After enjoying the beauties ofthe view, they started down again.
"We'll go down the natural slope of the mountain and then work backaround the bottom to our lake," said Mr. Waterman.
"Then you can't heave any more rocks at us," laughed Pud.
They walked on for at least an hour and at last Mr. Waterman said:
"We are now in our own valley. The small stream at the bottom of thismountain runs from our lake so if any of you should get lost, justfollow the stream and you'll come out all right."
This proved very good advice for after a half hour's walk, Pud fellbehind and before Bob knew it, the others were lost ahead. They yelledbut there was no reply.
"Let's take a short cut," said Pud.
"How's that?" asked Bob.
"We'll go down the mountain and then follow that stream as Mr. Watermantold us to."
"All right," said Bob.
Down they started and they soon came to the stream. They then had anargument as to whether Mr. Waterman had said that the stream emptiedinto their lake or ran from it. At last Bob said, "I remember distinctlythat Mr. Waterman said that this stream runs out of our lake so I'mgoing this way."
"All right," said Pud. "I know you're wrong, but if I don't go with you,you'll get lost for good, so lead the way."
The undergrowth near the stream was rank, as might be expected, and theboys made slow progress. After about an hour's walk they stopped, asthey felt sure they should have been at the lake.
"We should have been there long ago," said Pud.
"I think we ought to be there soon," said Bob.
"We'll never get there going this way," said Pud.
"This is the right way all right for I noticed that we went generally inan easterly direction coming here and we have been going west for sometime. Let's hustle on."
They did so and neither spoke a word for some time. At last they bothpaused, startled, for they heard a crashing in the bushes up the stream.They darted into the woods as quietly as they could and looked out. Thecrashing continued and came their way. Finally, as they looked out theysaw that it was a man and they both gave a shout. This was answered atonce by Mr. Anderson's cheery voice. Pud's short cut had proved a verylong way home. Bill and the two leaders had gone around the foot of themountain and had saved a long distance in that way. After reaching thelake they had waited there for some time and at last Mr. Anderson,remembering the instructions that Mr. Waterman had given, had starteddown the stream to find them. He said that they did not have a very longdistance to go.
Mr. Anderson's appearance had acted like a tonic and the boys followedhim eagerly. They soon heard voices and in a moment more they saw Mr.Waterman and Bill sitting on a big log by the shore of the lake rightnear where the stream ran from the lake. Bill kidded Bob and Pud aboutgetting lost.
"I didn't get lost," replied Bob. "Pud thought that by going down intothe valley and then up the stream that we would beat you here."
"It was much longer," said Mr. Waterman. "We merely skirted the edge ofthe mountain and came here almost directly."
"It's a good thing that Bob was with me," said Pud.
"How so?" asked Mr. Anderson.
"I got mixed up when I got to the stream and I wanted to go down thestream instead of up," replied Pud.
"Well, why didn't you then?" asked Bill.
"Bob was sure we had to go up stream and he insisted on going in thatdirection," admitted Pud.
"You have to use your old bean up here," said Bill. "When in doubt, Pud,leave it to Bob. He's full of gray matter whereas--"
"Don't 'whereas' any more, Bill, or I'll give you a ducking," said Pud,as he cornered Bill so that if he rushed him, he would have to go outinto the lake.
"All right, all right," said Bill. "I'll keep my further remarks aboutbeans, mentality, cerebellum, etc., until we're ready for the swim."
"You'd better," said Pud strongly.
They all then got into their canoes and got back to camp to find therean air of mystery that was noted at once by their leaders and shortlylater by the boys. Joe got Mr. Waterman aside right away and what he hadto say made him look very serious. Just then Jack came up and Mr.Waterman listened to him very carefully. Mr. Anderson was called overand the boys saw the four of them talking very seriously together.
"I wonder what's up," said Bob. "Something has gone wrong but I don'tsee anything the matter with the camp, do you?"
"Not a thing," replied Bill. Pud looked around in his easy-goingfashion, just as if nothing could disturb him anyway.
Mr. Anderson and Mr. Waterman did not offer any explanation when theycame back to the boys and they soon were in the water
having a fineswim. Later on they found that in some mysterious way a bag of flour, afitch of bacon, a small bag of salt, and a few other small articles hadbeen taken from the cook tent. Mr. Waterman felt sure that he couldrely on the honesty of his guides and he was greatly mystified.
"It beats me," said Mr. Waterman. "If an Indian or a stray fishermanreally needed grub, he would know that we would be perfectly willing tohelp him out. No one ever refuses hospitality in the woods."
"I can't make it out either," said Mr. Anderson.
"Perhaps it was a bear," said Pud with one of his great inspirations.
"Why to be sure," said Bill. "These bears up here have regular poucheslike the Australian kangaroo and I'll bet if we could see mother bearjust now she'd be waddling up some rocky place, her pouch filled withflour, bacon, salt and other dainties for the little cubbies."
Everybody laughed at this but no one had any further suggestion.
"I really can't figure it out," said Mr. Waterman, more seriously. "Theworst of it is that this is not the first time this has happened. Wehave said nothing about it but the same thing happened about ten daysago. Then we scoured the camp and could not find a trace of the thief.Jack tells me that the four of them have been all over the lake to everytrail and that they have seen nothing."
"Let's organize a real hunt after lunch," said Bob eagerly.
"That's just what I was thinking of doing," replied Mr. Waterman.
Everything was hurried through. Bob and Pud forgot the weariness theyhad felt while lost that morning. Four different parties hurried awayafter they had eaten. Bob and Mr. Waterman went together and they madefor the trail that led up north.
"I figure it out," said Mr. Waterman, "that whoever it is that has beenat our cook tent came from the north."
"How so?" asked Bob.
"Well, it isn't far to Escoumains and any one in real trouble would findfood there. It's probably some stray Indian who is afraid of beingarrested for some crime if he goes back to the settlements. I can'tfigure out anything else."
"Did you bring a gun along?" asked Bob rather anxiously.
"No," said Mr. Waterman. "We won't need any gun if we catch up with thisfellow. But first of all let us get some trace of him."
They soon reached the beginning of the portage. They got out andsearched carefully. They saw tracks, to be sure, for they had been overthere just a few days before. No new tracks were to be seen. At last,Mr. Waterman picked up the canoe and said, "Let's go on over the divide.Keep your eye peeled for recent marks. If he came over here with acanoe, he will probably slip or slide some place. Look for his tracks atthe sides of the trail."
They went along at a slow pace. More than once Mr. Waterman stopped andset down the canoe, only to pick it up a moment later and go on alongthe trail. Just after they had reached the top of the divide in a verysteep place, Bob noticed a place near the side of the trail that wastrampled down. Mr. Waterman set down the canoe and came back. Aftercarefully looking at the bushes, he said,
"I think that you're right, Bob. He evidently got off his balance hereand not wishing to make a bad slide on the trail, has stepped off in thebushes."
"It looks to me as if he had tried to cover this up too," said Bob."Look at this small branch. It was bent right over and evidently someone has tried to straighten it out."
Mr. Waterman bent over and exclaimed,
"You're right, Bob. This is the way he came."
The two then went on, but though they watched very carefully, they couldnot find a single further trace of the man they were seeking. They sooncame to the little lake they had been on before. Mr. Waterman led theway and they got out at the further end as if both had agreed that thefugitive was heading for the north and would take this course.
"Now if we can get another trace of this son-of-a-gun on this portage,I'll bet some money that I know where he is staying," said Mr. Waterman.
This time Bob carried the canoe and Mr. Waterman went ahead. It was notuntil they had come almost to the next lake that Mr. Waterman noticed atree from which a piece of bark had been chipped off.
"That's funny," said he.
"What's funny?" asked Bob, who looked all around but could note nothingout of the way.
"That tree," replied Mr. Waterman. "That piece of bark was knocked offby something out of the ordinary."
"Maybe he bumped into it with his canoe," replied Bob.
"Hardly," replied Mr. Waterman. "A real woodsman does not bump his canoeinto trees and other things along the trail. He avoids them byinstinct."
"That is probably true," said Bob, "but the only time he could stealthose things from camp would be at night, and he might hit a tree then."
"You're right," said Mr. Waterman.
Once more they emerged at a lake. This one was fairly large. Theypaddled slowly around it but could see no sign of a trail except the oneat the far end. This was a long trail over a low divide and Mr. Watermandid not seem to want to start on it.
"I don't want to set out on this trail because it is about five mileslong and we could not get home to-night. Anyway, I have a hunch thatthis fellow has piked off to the north. It's the easiest thing in theworld to cover up a trail. Let's go around this north end of the lakeagain."
They did so but without any success.
"I guess we're stumped," said Bob.
"Not on your life," replied Mr. Waterman. "That hunch of mine grows moreinsistent every minute. I tell you what I'll do. Let me out here. I'lltramp around this north shore and if he has any hidden trail, I'llprobably cross it sooner or later."
Bob paddled to the shore of the lake and Mr. Waterman got out. Bob thenpaddled slowly along the shore. He expecting to keep in touch with Mr.Waterman by the noise he would make as he broke through the bushes. Butnot so. Mr. Waterman had been schooled for many years by the Indians andhe had many of their accomplishments. One of these was his ability tomove through the woods with very little noise. The consequence was thatthe leafy background of the little lake swallowed up Mr. Waterman andnot a sound was heard. The stillness seemed oppressive to Bob as heslowly paddled to the other end of the lake. He had been there some timewhen he was startled by hearing Mr. Waterman say in his usual calmtones,
"I've found it. My hunch was working properly."
"Let's follow it right away," said Bob eagerly.
"No," was the reply. "It will keep. We have just time to get back tocamp for a late supper. I'll take Pierre and Jack to-morrow and we'llferret out this matter."
"Can't I go along too?" asked Bob.
"No, I think that it would be best for just the three of us to go,"replied Mr. Waterman.
"I hope you change your mind about that," said Bob. "I really think thatI might be of some use. I hardly like to ask you to remember that I wasthe first to notice his tracks on the portage."
"You're too modest, Bob," replied Mr. Waterman. "You certainly havesharp eyes and know how to use them. I'll think it over and if possibleI'll take you with me. I am afraid that there may be some trouble and,of course, I don't want to have anything happen to you."
"I'm part Irish," said Bob.
"What's that?" asked Mr. Waterman.
"I said that I was part Irish and you know that a real Irishman alwayslikes to be along when there's likely to be trouble."
"You're part Irish all right," said Mr. Waterman. "I think you've kissedthe blarney stone some time."
"That I did," replied Bob, merrily. "I can remember my father holding medown from the tower by my heels to kiss the stone. If there's any virtuein having kissed the famous stone, I ought to have my share, for Iskinned both my knee and my nose in doing the stunt."
"I didn't know that you had ever been in Ireland," said Mr. Waterman.
"Oh, yes, my father took me there one summer when I was a littlefellow," replied Bob, innocent enough.
In the meantime they had reached the head of the lake. Mr. Waterman madeoff at once with the canoe as he said that they would be late for supperif they didn't h
urry. He kept Bob hustling to keep up with him, stoppingonly once on the way. That was on the last portage when they came to thespot where Bob had noted the trampled bushes. Mr. Waterman looked verycarefully at the marks and went on apparently satisfied.
"What did you notice this time that you didn't observe before?" askedBob.
"Not very much," replied Mr. Waterman, "but enough to convince me thatthere was only one person over the trail."
"Well, if that's the case," said Bob, "surely there won't be much dangerin my going with you to-morrow."
"Why not? There might be four or five in this party for all we know,"answered Mr. Waterman.
"That's so," said Bob.
"I'm inclined to take you along for you have very good sense about mostthings, I notice," said Mr. Waterman, half to himself.
Bob blushed up to the ears at hearing this praise from his leader.
"I'm sure, I'll try to be useful if you take me along," said Bob.
They were soon down on the shore of their own lake and they could hearthe shouts of Bill and Pud as they wallowed in the water.
"The rest of them are back," said Mr. Waterman.
"I wonder if Pud found any traces of his bear thief," laughed Bob.
As they came to the landing, the guides ran down eager to hear the news.
"We found his trail," said Mr. Waterman. "Get the guns ready, Pierre andJack, and we'll go after the son-of-a-gun to-morrow."
"Did you see him?" asked Jack.
"No," said Mr. Waterman. "We just picked up his trail. I think I knowwhere he is, but you had better put together enough grub to last us aweek, for we don't know where he may be."
"All right," replied Jack. "We'll be ready."
Bob had to tell his various experiences to the boys, who listened withbated breath. On their part they had little to relate. They had gone outto the trails agreed on but could find no trace whatever of anystranger. They had arrived only a short time before Bob had shown up.
"Ye gods, but I'm hungry," sighed Pud.
"You haven't anything on me," said Bob. "That Mr. Waterman is some'moose.' He tears along like a steam engine and never seems to gettired."
"I noticed that the other day," said Pud. "He had me puffing and blowinggoing up that mountain and he was breathing like a sleeping child."
Just then, tang! tang! tang! tang! went the stick against the wash panin Jack's hands and the boys made a rush for the table. They did morethan justice to the great bill of fare prepared for them by Jack. Troutafter trout, hot from the pan, disappeared like magic, not to speak ofthe hot biscuits and the apricots for dessert.
"How did you get these apricots up here?" asked Pud. "I'd think theywould be too heavy to carry."
"They would be if we brought in the canned variety," said Mr. Anderson."But, thank you, we have plenty of good 'aqua pura' here withoutbringing in canned pears and such things."
"Well, how do you have them, then?" asked Bill.
"We bring in the dried fruit," replied Mr. Anderson. "This is very lightand easily carried. We'll have our share of fruit here this summer allright. The only thing we won't get much of is fresh meat and that youcan't get even at Escoumains every day."
"A few partridges now and then will help along the fresh meat problem,"said Bob.
"You bet," said Pud, licking his lips. "That partridge stew last weekwas as fine as anything to be had at the Bellevue-Stratford or Kugler'sin Philadelphia."
They had had a very strenuous day and they were all ready for bed. Themorrows's expedition had livened their imaginations and they sat aroundthe fire chatting and talking until the moon came out over the edge ofthe opposite mountain and warned them that it was time to seek theirbalsam boughs.