CHAPTER XVIII.
AN UNEXPECTED RACE.
The other boys by this time had joined the group, and so crestfallenwere they all when they discovered how insignificant was theirnocturnal visitor, that Ethan quickly said,--
"A hedgehog will make a big scratching sometimes. I've known 'em whenI've been logging to git up on the shanty in the night, and from thenoise they made, I'd been willing to declare a bear was after us. Itwas perfectly natural, boys, for ye to be skeered."
Breakfast provided a speedy diversion, and after securing some of thequills of their victim they cast the body into the river, and turnedto their repast. It was decided, in view of the visit they were tomake that day at "The Rocks," that they would not venture far fromcamp; but about an hour later Jock called the attention of hiscompanions to a spectacle on the river.
About a half-mile in front of the camp they beheld a tug moving downthe stream, dragging behind it several huge loads, which, althoughthey were not boats, still somehow resembled them. They rested lowupon the water, and men could be seen moving about over them.
"What's that, Ethan?" demanded Bert, as he beheld the strangeprocession.
"That?" replied the boatman, pausing in his task and looking in thedirection indicated by the lad. "Them's logs."
"Logs? I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"I mean what I say. They're rafts made out o' logs. They come from upOttawa way. Ye see, the lumbermen cut the logs in the winter and float'em down the stream, and a good many on 'em is sawed up over there,but not all. They make rafts out of a part, and haul 'em down theriver to Montreal, or some other town."
"But what are those houses or huts I can see on the rafts?" persistedBert. "And there are people there too. Yes, I can see women andchildren," he added, as he lowered the glasses he had been using.
"That's what they are," replied Ethan. "They're cabins. They have tohave a place for their women folks and children, don't they?"
"Do you mean to tell me they _live_ on board those rafts?"
"Course they do. Why not?"
"Bert!" exclaimed Ben, quickly, "I'm going to take a canoe and go outto visit them. Want to go along?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Bert, eagerly, as he ran with Ben to the beach, wherethe canoes were kept.
The other boys followed them, and warned Bert against intrustinghimself to a canoe in which Ben was to be pilot and helmsman; but bothwere too eager now to heed the advice of their friends, and in a fewminutes they had launched the canoe, adjusted the mast and, spreadingthe bat-wing sail, went skimming over the water in the direction ofthe approaching rafts.
Whatever Bert's fears may have been, and doubtless they were many, Benmanaged to keep the canoe upright, and in a little while drew near theslow-moving crafts. The sail was then lowered, though the canoe wasalmost capsized in the attempt, and using their paddles, the boys soondrew alongside one of the rafts and successfully clambered on board,dragging their boat after them.
It was a strange spectacle which greeted their eyes. Two familiesevidently were living on board, and the children stood and shylywatched the arrival of their unexpected visitors. Two little huts hadbeen erected near the stern of the raft, and the women were thenhanging their weekly washing on the lines which had been stretchedfrom side to side.
One of the men now approached the boys and respectfully saluted them,and Ben explained their purpose in coming. In response to theirrequest they were conducted to one of the huts, and hospitably invitedto share in the meal which was soon to be prepared.
Ben declined the invitation, but curiously observed the places inwhich the people were dwelling for a time. Rude berths or bunks hadbeen built along the sides of the cabin, and a few rough chairs andthe various utensils which were necessary for cooking were also seen.On the open raft a fireplace had been made, over which an iron potcould be placed.
Altogether the scene was as novel as it was interesting, and afterremaining to talk with the men and to bestow some small coins upon thebashful children, as the camp on Pine Tree Island had long sincedisappeared from sight, they soon departed, thanking the people fortheir kindness in explaining all the details to them.
The boys succeeded in embarking safely and then set sail for theIsland, where they arrived about three-quarters of an hour afterward.Ethan and Tom had already departed for the day, and the campers werenow waiting for the arrival of Mr. Clarke's steam-yacht, which was toconvey them to his cottage.
"I'm going down there in a canoe," exclaimed Ben. "Any of you fellowswant to come along with me?"
"Nay, verily," said Jock. "You have a fancy for appearing before thegirls in your wet clothes. For my part, I don't enjoy that."
"I'll not tip you over," replied Ben. "I'm learning about all there isto learn in handling canoes. It's as easy as--as Latin, when you onceget the notion of it."
None of the boys could be persuaded, however, and soon Ben departedalone. He placed two paddles in the smaller of the canoes, and thenspreading his sail, departed from the camp amidst the cheers of hisfriends, not one of whom expected to see him in a presentablecondition when they should arrive at "The Rocks."
Ben, however, was unmindful of their scepticism and sailed away as ifno shadow of possible ill clouded his vision. In spite of his manymishaps he was determined to master the canoe, and no matter how manyupsettings he had, they all only strengthened him in his purpose.
It was a perfect day for his venture. A gentle breeze slightly ruffledthe surface of the river and bore the light little canoe steadily onin its course. The water was so transparent that in places, as Benoccasionally glanced over the side of his boat into the river, hecould see the rocks upon the bottom, and several times beheld thehungry bass as they darted swiftly away at his approach. The sound ofa belated mowing-machine came faintly from the shore where he couldsee men toiling in the fields. The reflections of the islands were soclear and distinct that he could hardly have determined which partwas above and which below the surface as he glided past them. The boldrocks, the deep green of the bordering trees, and the many-coloredcottages provided variety in the scene about him, and as Ben movedonward before the gentle breeze, at times it almost seemed to him thathe was in fairy-land.
His first interruption came when a steamer approached, and not yetready to test his prowess too severely, he turned out of the coursefar enough as he thought to place him beyond all danger; but he soondiscovered that the wash of the steamer reached far that morning, andin a moment his frail craft was being tossed about as if it had been aleaf in the current of the mighty stream.
However, he managed to hold his boat, and soon the troubled waterssubsided, though he could see that the motion of the waves hadextended even to the shores of a far-distant island.
At last he came within sight of "The Rocks," and beheld the girls onthe dock watching one of their number whom he could see in a canoe notfar away. The yacht could not anywhere be seen, and concluding thatit had gone to the camp for his friends, he gave all his attention tothe immediate task of landing in the presence of the girls withoutcapsizing.
As he approached he discovered that the beach on one side of the dockwas low, and not quite daring to run in alongside the regularlanding-place, he sent the canoe straight ashore and succeeded in hisattempt with no worse mishap than wetting his feet.
He was eagerly greeted by the girls, and as he took his stand on thedock beside them, one of them said:--
"Have you given up appearing here as you did the first night youcame?"
"I hope so," answered Ben. "I'm going to keep at it till I have gotthe better of the thing. I practise every day."
"Are you practising for the races, Mr. Dallett?" inquired one of them.
"What races?"
"Why the regular canoe races next month. Don't you know about them?"
"Tell me about them."
"They meet down here not very far away, and have a regatta everysummer. They have races with double bat-wings and single bat-wings,and one paddle and two
paddles, and I don't know what all, only it'sperfectly lovely. And the girls wear the colors; and yes, there is arace for the ladies, too. We're urging Bessie here to go into that.Have you ever seen her in a canoe?"
"No, I never have."
"Well, you ought to. And are you really going to enter the canoe race,Mr. Dallett? And will you paddle or sail?"
"Yes," said Ben, forming a sudden resolution, "I'm going into therace."
"And will you paddle or sail?"
"Paddle."
"How perfectly lovely. I say, girls, wouldn't it be fine sport forBessie and Mr. Dallett to have a race now? Mr. Clarke won't be backfor a little while yet with the yacht and the boys, and I think itwould be fine to have a race right here."
"Not very fine for me, I fear," replied Ben. "Miss Bessie would beatme."
"I'd do my best, you may be sure of that," exclaimed the young ladyreferred to. "Do you want to race with me, Mr. Dallett?"
"I'm afraid--"
"Oh, never mind, if you are _afraid_," said Bessie, quickly, her eyessparkling as she spoke. "Possibly you might tip over."
"I'll try it," said Ben, doggedly. He knew he would never hear thelast of it from his companions if he should refuse, and even the girlswould not be averse to referring to the matter.
"Get your canoe, then," said Bessie, quickly.
"What's the course to be?" inquired Ben.
He wished now that he had not consented so readily. If by any chancehe should win the race, he could see that his rival would not take herdefeat quietly; and, on the other hand, if he should be beaten by agirl, his life in camp would not be lacking in spice. And Miss Bessiewas so confident and eager. Yes, he wished that he had not consented,but there was no withdrawal now.
"The course will be around the island," explained Bessie. "It's abouthalf a mile and clear water. If you lose the race and are beaten by agirl," she exclaimed, "I'll despise you."
"And if I win," laughed Ben, "you'll never forgive me."
"_If_ you _win_? Win if you can!" and she quickly took her place inher canoe and began to wield her paddle in a manner that increasedBen's misgivings still more.
He, too, was soon ready, and as the canoes came alongside in front ofthe dock, one of the girls counted "One! Two! Three!" the signalagreed upon for starting, and in an instant the race was begun.
Whatever Ben thought about racing with a girl, he speedily discoveredthat it was no holiday task before him even to keep up with her canoe,to say nothing of passing it.
Quick to take advantage of the start, she was fully three yards inadvance of him when his paddle struck the water. His long arms gavehim a decided advantage, but what his contestant lacked in reach sheseemed to supply in quickness, and her dexterity was simplymarvellous.
In his eagerness not to be outdone, Ben drove his paddle so far downinto the water, that his canoe was almost upset, and when he tried toright it Bessie had increased her lead and called mockingly to himthat 'she could tow him around the island.' But he soon had gainedhis balance, and his long sweeping strokes began to tell. Nearer andnearer he came to the canoe in front of him, and, do what she could,she could not increase the distance between them, and when they turnedthe point and were hidden from the sight of the girls on the dock, shewas only a length in advance.
Almost together they then swept on, and when at last they turned theother point and came in on the home stretch, they were side by side.
Suddenly their ears were saluted by calls and shouts and the shrillwhistle of the yacht which was now approaching with the boys on board.Ben did not mean to win now, but he did want to come in even, and wasdoing his utmost to hold his own.
He was paddling in a course parallel to that which Miss Bessie hadtaken and about three rods distant, when suddenly he found himself inthe wash of the little steamer, and before he was aware of what hadbefallen him, was struggling in the water.
Ben's disappearance was greeted with shrieks of laughter, but whenseveral minutes had passed and he did not come to the surface, thelaughter suddenly ceased and the onlookers were gazing into oneanother's faces with consternation and fear. In a moment Jock and Bertleaped into a skiff and with swift strokes rowed out to the placewhere Ben had capsized.