CHAPTER V.
BEN TRIES THE CANOE.
Before any of the boys could start in pursuit of the fleeing Tom, oneof them suddenly called out, "Isn't that Ethan coming?"
They all turned at the words and perceived the fisherman already nearthe dock, and with one accord they ran swiftly to meet him. His boatwas apparently filled with their trunks and belongings, and the twocanoes which Jock had ordered to be sent were also on board.
As Ethan ran his craft alongside the dock, Jock, too excited to notecarefully whether all his possessions had been obtained or not, calledout, "Oh, Ethan, something's the matter with Tom!"
"Hey? somethin' the matter with him? How long since?"
To the surprise of the boys Ethan did not seem to share in theiralarm. He was giving all his thought to the landing he was making,and as soon as his boat was made fast he climbed up on the dock andstood calmly regarding the excited lads before him.
"What's he been doin' now?" he said.
"Oh, I don't know," exclaimed Jock. "We had all gone up the shore andwhen we came back to camp we heard Tom calling. We could see him, too,and he was waving his arms and calling out as if he was in pain, andwhen we ran in, he just looked at us a minute and then started offinto the woods as fast as he could go. He must be sick, Ethan. Comeon, we'll help you look for him."
"Was he a-sayin' anything?" inquired the fisherman, still for someunaccountable reason not much aroused by the startling announcement.
"Saying anything?" exclaimed Bert. "I should say he was. He wascalling and groaning. Why, we could hear him way up the shore. He mustbe in trouble. Come, Ethan; come on! We'll all help you."
"Was he a-sayin' anything? I mean any words like?"
"Yes, I believe he was," said Bob. "We could make out a few words."
"What was they?"
"Oh, he said something about 'to be' or something like that. We didn'tstop to listen much. The poor fellow was in such distress. What areyou waiting for, Ethan? Why don't you come on?"
"That's jest what I thought. Tom was sayin' his Hamlick."
"Saying what?"
"His Hamlick. Don' ye know what that is? Hamlick's a dialogue or aplay. I don' know who writ it, but Tom does. The young folks over tothe Corners is goin' to give a exhibition, and Hamlick's the one theydecided on. Tom is to be Hamlick, and he was jest a-practisin' hispiece."
For a moment the boys gazed blankly at one another, and then all butBob rushed from the dock as if they too had been stricken by the sameevil disease which they feared had seized upon Tom.
Bob, however, remained with Ethan, and with his face as expressionlessas he could make it at times, inquired soberly,--
"When is this play going to be given, Ethan?"
"Oh, I don' know. Some time this summer, I suppose. They 'most alwaysgive somethin' while the summer boarders is here, and this year thewalks needed fixin' up in the Corners some, so they--I mean the youngfolks, o' course--decided to give Hamlick; and Tom he's to be theHamlick in chief. Ever hear that dialogue down to your place?"
"Yes, I believe I have. I've heard of it, anyway."
"I thought likely. Pretty good thing, isn't it?"
"I believe it is thought to be a very good one. We shall want to knowwhen it is to be given so that we can all come over and see it."
"I'll let ye know when it comes off."
Ethan suddenly placed a finger in his mouth and emitted a shrillwhistle. "I guess that'll call up Tom," he explained.
A repetition of the signal brought the reluctant Tom from the woods,and as he approached the dock he gazed in a shame-faced way at Bob, asif he expected him to say something about what had happened; but Bob'sface was still expressionless, to the evident comfort of the youngfisherman.
"Step lively here, Tom," called his father. "We must get these trunksand things up to the camp afore night. You 'most scared these boys todeath with your Hamlick," he added.
"Your father has been telling us about the play you are to give at theCorners, Tom," said Bob, quietly. "We shall want to come over and seeit. You mustn't fail to let us know when it is to be given."
Somewhat reassured by the kind manner of Bob, Tom was more at his easeand at once began to assist his father in transferring the cargo ofthe little boat to the camp.
The other boys now returned, but a warning look from Bob caused themall to be silent about the recent occurrence. In a brief time thetrunks had been placed in the tent where they belonged, the canoeswere left on the shore, and then Ethan and Tom began to preparesupper.
The appetites of the boys apparently were as keen as they had been atnoon time, and the rapidity with which the table was cleared was adelight to Ethan's heart. Neither Hamlick nor the Ghost couldinterfere now, for the demands of their hunger were supreme.
Soon after supper Ethan and Tom departed for the night, promising toreturn at daybreak in time to prepare breakfast and be ready for thefishing which was to be done on the following day. The boys stood onthe shore and watched the boat as it sped away over the river, andthen when it had disappeared from sight they all turned and demandedof Bob the explanation of Hamlick.
But Bob was in no mood to banter, and so he soberly related what Ethanhad told him about the efforts of the "young folks" at the Corners todo something which should aid in improving the little hamlet in whichthey dwelt. Somehow it all appeared in a different light now, and themerriment was soon gone.
"I'm going to have a paddle in one of the canoes before I go to bed,"exclaimed Jock, as he leaped up from the bank on which they were allseated.
As the other boys had had no experience in that sport, they all stoodon the dock, eagerly watching their comrade as he took his seat in thelight little canoe and wielding his paddle swept swiftly over thewater.
"Did you ever see anything like that!" exclaimed Ben, delightedly."'It's like a feather on the water or a leaf upon the stream,' orsomething like that we had in our English last spring at school. Isn'tit fine!"
"Yes, and how easily Jock does it too," added Bob, with a wink at Bertas he spoke. "Travelling like that is just fun."
"I wonder if I can't do it," said Ben, looking longingly at the othercanoe, which was still on the bank.
"You can try it, can't you?" drawled Bob. "Nothing like trying, youknow. It's a knack, that's all, and you have to be careful. Shall Ihelp you bring the other canoe down to the dock?"
Ben glanced once more at Jock, who could be seen far out on the river,and the sight served to increase his eagerness. "Yes; come on,fellows. If you'll help me, I'll try it, anyhow."
In a moment the canoe was lifted and carried down to the dock. ThenBob held one end of it securely and Bert the other, while Bencautiously took his seat in the middle. A shout from Jock caused themall to look up, and they could see that he was paddling toward themwith all the speed he could summon.
"Perhaps he's calling for you to come out and meet him," said Bob,soberly.
"I'll do it," said Ben, eagerly, "and then race him for the dock. Pushher out, boys!" he added gleefully, as he grasped his paddle.
The canoe shot out from the dock, and the boys stood eagerly watchingBen as he drove his paddle deep into the water.
"Look out there, Ben!" shouted Bob. "Remember, you'll have to keepyour balance."
"Be careful, Ben! Look to your paddling!" called Bert.
"Don't tip her so much to one side!"
"Ease up, there! Don't lean so far over!"
"Sit up! Lean back! Lie down! Tip over!" called Bob, soothingly.
"Go up the river! Go down the stream! Come ashore! Turn around! Goahead!" shouted Bert, encouragingly.
But poor Ben was too much occupied with his own efforts to heed theconfusing calls of his companions. Twice the little canoe had almostcapsized, but somehow Ben had managed to keep it afloat, though hehad abandoned all efforts to paddle and was only striving to keep hiscraft above the water.
"I say, you fellows!" he called in despair. "I can't manage this--Hi!"he added, as the ca
noe gave a lurch and almost went over. "Throw me' arope! Come out and help me!"
"I can't, my dear, though much I wish, For, oh, you've tied my hands,"
sang Bob, mockingly.
"Oh, come ashore, Ben, if you can't go ahead," called Bert,soothingly. "You won't tip over. I'll risk it! I'll risk it!"
"You risk noth--" began Ben, desperately; but his exclamation was notcompleted, for as the canoe gave a sudden lurch to one side theunfortunate lad leaned to the other to assist it in righting itself.He leaned too far, however, and then strove to reverse the weight. Hisactions were frantic now, and it seemed as if there could be but oneresult, and that must come soon.
"It's going!" shouted Ben, in despair.
"So I see," called Bob, encouragingly. "Keep it up, Ben! what you needis practice. Practice makes perfect, you know. Keep it up! Keep itup!"
"I'm going! I'm going! I'm go--" shouted Ben.
It was evident that he had spoken truly. For a time or two hesucceeded in righting his craft, but each effort seemed to make hiscondition worse. Suddenly the canoe went over; the paddle in Ben'shands flew out over the water, and then the lad's long legs and feetappeared to be lifted into the air, and waved frantically for a momentbefore, with a circular movement, they followed their owner andquickly disappeared in the river.
"Going, going, gone!" called Bob, solemnly, as he gazed out over thewater at the place where his friend had disappeared.
Ben was an expert swimmer, much the best of the four, so that they hadno fears for his safety; and the ludicrous sight of those long legs,with what Bob called "their despairing appeal to come over and helpus," disappearing in the St. Lawrence, was more than either couldendure. They burst into shrieks of laughter. They hugged each other intheir delight, and even Bob laughed until the tears rolled down hischeeks.
"Suddenly the Canoe went over."--_Page 62._]
But Ben speedily appeared, and as he started out for the dock, Bertcalled to him, "Your canoe's going down the river, Ben; so's yourpaddle."
"The proper way, my friend, to paddle a canoe is from the upper, notthe under, side," said Bob, soothingly. "Take my advice, Ben."
Ben was for taking the canoe, however, which already was drifting awayfrom him; but as he started to swim toward it, Jock swept past him,and, calling to him to go ashore, said that he would get both canoeand paddle.
When Ben climbed in his dripping clothes up on the dock, the laughterof the boys was renewed.
"You'd have done all right, Ben, if you'd left those feet and legs ofyours ashore. They were in the way. There are some things even the St.Lawrence won't stand."
"You wait," said Ben, doggedly. "I'll show you yet."
And "show" them he did. As soon as the canoe was restored he insistedupon repeating his experience. It was true that he was capsized again,but he sturdily stuck to his task, and in an hour had, in a measure,mastered the problem, and was able to paddle swiftly up and down theriver.
It was dark now, and the boys were soon ready for bed. A pile of logshad been placed before their tent, and as soon as the other boys werein their cots, Jock started the fire. The light of the flames could beseen far out over the river, and it was long before sleep came to thecampers. The sighing of the wind in the tree-tops, the rush of themighty waters, the constant lapping of the little waves upon theshore, the twinkling stars, which could be seen beyond the wavingbranches, were all novel and strange. Then, too, when some of the boyswould be ready for sleep, others would not feel so inclined. Theywould leave their tent and fire their guns at imaginary enemies orwild beasts. The school cheer, and even the school songs, had to begiven again and again, but at last even these experiences becamemonotonous, and the tired boys slept.
It was not long after dawn on the following morning when Jock and Bensat up in their beds and looked about them. Both of their companionswere gone, but the sounds that came from the river left no doubt as totheir whereabouts. Hastily dressing, both boys ran down to the shoreand there beheld their friends, clad in their bathing-suits, andpractising the art of paddling a canoe without departing from thecraft when it was in motion.
Apparently both boys had already succeeded, but even their effortswere ignored when Ethan and Tom were discovered approaching in theirsailboat, and all knew that not only would the breakfast for whichthey were eager soon be ready now, but that their first efforts infishing in the St. Lawrence would soon be put to the test.