CHAPTER XIV
THE DANGERS OF THE MUCK HOLE
"Where are you?" called Bones, as he and Frank pushed forward inthe gathering dusk.
"Here! Be mighty careful, fellows, or you'll get in too!" came theanswer, not far away.
"Told you so," remarked the doctor's son, with a little laugh;"poor Ralph; I pity him, because I've been there myself. When Icome alone out here I always carry a short rope along. If I getstuck it helps me out."
"A rope? How under the sun can that help?" demanded a voice closeby; showing that they were very near the boy who was stuck in theooze, and also that he was alive to the inconvenience of hisposition.
"Why, you see, in most cases there's a limb of a tree hangingover, and it's dead easy to throw the rope across it. After that,one can pull out, unless he's allowed himself to sink too deep.Got a match with you, Frank?" asked Bones.
"Lots. I've found them handy on too many occasions lately to gowithout. Here you are, Bones. Going to make a fire, are you?" andFrank, bending down, commenced to assist in gathering some deadleaves together.
"Well," replied the other, "we ought to have some light to see howto work him free. It would be a tough joke if the whole bunch ofus got stuck. I don't hanker after such an experience. Things arepretty dry up here, so we must be careful not to let the blazespread any."
The fire was quickly a positive fact, and being fed with somesmall branches it leaped up grandly. In this fashion the entireneighborhood was illuminated.
Frank looked around. The sight was peculiar, and as the marsh raninto an actual swamp, he thought he had seldom seen a more weirdeffect. Still, what interested him most of all was the picture ofRalph, up to his knees in the soft slime that lay concealed underthe dead leaves and green scum.
"I've tried all I could to get out, fellows, but the worst of itis, when I lift one foot the other only goes that much deeperdown. If a fellow could only get hold of enough stuff to make asort of mattress he might roll over on it and do the trick thatway. I'd be trying that if I had daylight, and was alone here,"remarked the imprisoned boy, calmly.
"Say, I never thought of that. It's a clever idea, all right. Nexttime I get stuck I'm going to see how it works," remarked Bones.
"Why not now, since you haven't your rope along. Here's just theticket--some old fence rails lying in a heap. Cheer up, comrade,we'll have you out of that in a jiffy now," sang out Frank,seizing one of the long, cast-off rails, and dropping it on thesurface of the muck.
Bones fell to along side, and between them they speedily formed aregular corduroy road out to where Ralph stood, watching thebuilding with interest.
One of them got on either side. Then, with the aid of other railsthey pried Ralph loose, so that he could crawl over to the"mattress," and get secure footing. After that nothing was neededbut to walk ashore.
"I'm a fine sight, mud up to my knees, my hands full, and I tellyou, it isn't just as sweet as it might be," lamented Ralph, as hestarted to scrape himself off with a splinter.
"Hold on, we'll play valet to you. Take that leg, while I managethis one, Frank," observed Bones, who was really enjoying seeingsome other fellow in the same mussy condition that had been hislot more than once.
They scraped so well that presently Ralph declared he felt quitepresentable once more.
"But I'll make sure to let nobody see me in this condition," headded; "and this pair of trousers will have to go to the cleaner'sMonday morning, you bet."
"Well, are we off now?" asked Frank, as he started to make surethat the fire was extinguished to the last spark.
"That's the ticket, Frank," observed Bones, approvingly, "I like afire all right, but hate to see it burning up a marsh or a woods.Had one little experience that I aint going to forget in a hurry.I guess she'll do now. Let's shoulder our game and make tracks forthe farmhouse. Supper will be ready, I suppose."
"Supper?" echoed Ralph.
"Why, sure. You didn't suppose I meant that we'd go hungry when Iinvited you to come up here for a little relaxation, after our bigstrain this morning? Benson promised to have something for us.They're only plain country folks, you know, so don't expect muchstyle, fellows."
"Style!" exclaimed Ralph, with a snort, "do I look like I couldput on a heap, with these mussed-up trousers? All I ask is achance to wash my hands and face. But it was mighty good of youthinking of the grub part, Bones."
"I don't see how. I always eat with Benson when I come up here fora shoot. It was only a case of selfishness. Say, this is somethingof a load--four apiece all around, and they're heavy chaps, too.This one is so fat he actually burst when he fell."
"But I have no use of any game. Perhaps you'd better give thefarmer my share, for his kindness," suggested Ralph.
"That's nice of you, old fellow. And I'll take you up on it, too.Benson has no time to shoot, and I don't believe he knows how; butall the same he does like a taste of game, to sort of change thebill of fare. Follow me, now, for the house."
Bones led the way, and presently they arrived at the farmhouse, alow-roofed building, where light gleamed cheerily in the smallwindows. Benson had a wife and several small children. The tablewas set, country fashion, right at one end of the big kitchen, andthe odors that greeted the hungry and cold boys as they enteredcertainly promised an appetizing repast.
Ralph was soon made happy with a tin basin and a bucket of water.He managed to repair damages pretty well, and was only too willingto respond to the farmer's hearty invitation to take a chair and"set-to."
Perhaps it was their sharp-set appetites that made them think thefood tasted unusually fine. No matter, there was a greatabundance, and by the time they got up from the table every fellowdeclared he could not eat another mouthful if he were paid for it.
"I'll have your rig at the door in short order," declared Benson,as he went out with a lantern.
With a ten-mile drive, and a horse far from fresh, Bones haddecided that they would do well to start without any delay. He hadtried out his gun, and was satisfied; while on Frank's part, herejoiced in the fact that he would be away from town while all theglorification was going on.
"Hold on, Mr. Benson, that's enough. Eight is all we want to takeback with us. Ralph here is boarding and has no use for his share.So he asks you to accept it," called out Bones, as the farmerstarted to toss the game in the back part of the doctor's buggy."That's kind o' him, and I'm sure much obliged. We don't get anytoo much game up here, close as we are to the marsh. I'm too busy,you see, and then besides, I never was a great hand to shoot. Insummer I pull in quite some fish at odd times, and that's all thesport I take."
It was about eight o'clock when they finally left the farmhouse.The good wife and the three children called out good-bye, as Boneschucked to the horse, and they were off.
"It won't be so awful dark on the road, for there's a half moonpeeping out up yonder behind those clouds," said Frank.
"Glad of that," returned Bones, who was doing the driving,"because you see, the road is pretty rough till we get on the mainone, and if it was pitch dark we might stand for getting tumbledinto a ditch alongside. There are same nasty places I've got tolook out for. I know them pretty well though; ought to, for I'vebeen in two of 'em."
"We'll help you look out then. I wouldn't hanker after a tumbleinto a muddy ditch just now," laughed Frank.
"Think of me, fellows! Why, my lower extremities are still dampfrom one trip. That was bad enough, but think of going in headfirst! Ugh! excuse me, if you please!" groaned Ralph.
They made out to get along with little or no trouble. The horsekept the middle of the road as a rule, and three pair of keen eyeswere quite enough to pilot the vehicle along toward the junctionof the two thoroughfares.
When the firmer road was reached Bones declared he was glad.
"Now we needn't worry, boys. Get-up, Strawberry; it's home for youand another measure of oats. I had the farmer give him only asmall quantity. Keep a horse a bit hungry if you want him tohustle for home," he remar
ked.
"Sounds reasonable at any rate, Bones. And Strawberry is doingpretty good hustling right now, considering the heavy condition ofour weight, in the way of game. My folks will think I'm somethingon the shoot, I guess," remarked Frank, humorously.
"You really got seven--" began Ralph, when his friend interrupted.
"Never mind about that. One fellow is always lucky above the rest.Never knew it to fail. To-day it might be me, to-morrow you. So itgoes. Forget it, both of you."
Ralph said nothing more. He knew the nature of his chum, and thatFrank had not a selfish bone in his body. If there was any sportgoing around he wanted every one to have their full share of it,nor could he rest happy unless this were so.
They had passed over several miles of the main road, and all ofthem were somehow feeling a bit drowsy from their unusualexertions of the day, when, without warning, the horse snortedand came to a full stop.
"What's this mean?" demanded Bones, in astonishment.
"There's something on the road ahead of us," declared Ralph,bending forward in order to see the better, for the shadows fellacross the tree-bordered pike.
"I'm not sure," ventured Frank, "but it seems like some sort ofvehicle to me. Perhaps there's been an accident. Wait while I jumpout and go to see!"