CHAPTER XXIII
HOMEWARD BOUND
"Look! isn't that a fire over there?" asked sharp-eyed George, as hegripped Jack's arm suddenly.
They had been moving cautiously along for the better part of an hour,striving in every way possible to avoid any drumming sound, such asnearly always betrays the presence of a motor boat near by.
And in all that time they may have only covered some four miles, orpossibly five; for no effort was made to drive the _Comfort_ at evenhalf speed.
"Looks like it," Jack replied, after a quick survey. "But how is it wedidn't glimpse it before?"
"I think a point of rocks must stick out between, and we've just openedthe pocket," George replied, in a whisper.
Of course Jack had immediately shut off the power, so that old reliable_Comfort_ stopped her forward movement, lying there on the dark waterslike a log; for not a light of any description did they carry aboard.
"Do we go ashore now?" asked Josh, softly; for all of them had beenwarned not to speak above a whisper from the time they started forth ontheir errand of mercy.
"Yes," Jack replied. "That's one reason we've been keeping so close in.I'll drop into the dinky, and use the paddle. Foot by foot I can pullthe motor boat to shore, and then we'll land."
"How lucky there's not a breath of wind," Herb remarked, as he helpedJack draw the small tender alongside, and then crawl over the side.
Presently Jack was working away, having attached the painter of the boatto a cleat at the bow of the _Comfort_. His method of using the paddleinsured utter silence. Had it been an expert hunter, moving up on a deerthat was feeding on the lily pads along the border of a Canada stream,he could hardly have manipulated that little spruce blade with morecare.
And so, foot by foot, the motor boat was coaxed in nearer the rock-boundshore. When Jack had finally succeeded in accomplishing his end he nextsought some place where those still aboard could disembark, and the_Comfort_ be tied up while they went about the business that had broughtthem there.
"Now, what next?" asked Herb, when the entire five had reached land,and the boat was amply secured to a split rock, with little danger ofany injury resulting, because there was no wind and hence no movement tothe water.
"We've got to advance," Jack replied. "So as to get around that point;when we'll see the camp Joe told us about. Those fellows have got a bigrowboat, he said, but hate to work the oars. He said they first talkedof making the boys do the rowing; and then that scheme for getting moremoney came up. Are you ready for the job?"
"I am that," said Jimmie, promptly, flourishing a club that looked likea baseball bat; and which would be apt to prove a formidable weapon inhands that were as clever as those of the stout Irish lad.
"Count me in," remarked Herb, who was carrying a hatchet; having nothingelse to serve him as a threatening weapon that might strike terror tothe hearts of the enemy.
"And I'm only too anxious to look in on 'em. Let me eat 'em up!" Joshgrowled, flourishing the camp bread knife in a most dreadful fashion.
George had his rifle, and of course Jack carried the repeating Marlinshotgun which had proven its value on many another occasion.
"Then come on, and be mighty careful, everybody," Jack cautioned, as heled off.
They remembered what Joe had said about the "rough sledding" he hadfound in his endeavor to keep close to the water's edge, so that hemight not get lost. And every one of the five were willing to admit thatJoe spoke the truth when he told this; for they made the slowest kind ofprogress.
Still, every yard passed over took them so much closer to the goal. Andso long as they did not tumble and make a noise that would warn theenemy, it mattered little or nothing about the time they took incovering the ground.
After a long time spent in this sort of crawling business Jack believedhe could see what seemed to be a fire flickering among the stuntedtrees.
Calling the attention of the others to this, he changed his course abit, in order to find an easier route, and perhaps come upon the campfrom behind.
For tenderfeet the five boys seemed to be making a pretty cleveradvance. They could now see a man stretched at full length near thefire, as if sleeping; though now and then a puff of smoke told that hewas only taking it easy, and indulging in his pipe.
A little farther and they glimpsed the second fellow. He towered up likea house, being all of six foot-three, and bulky in proportion. But then,as Jack well knew, a man is only a man, no matter what his size, whenhe is looking into the muzzle of a rifle and modern repeating shotgun.And even this giant might well quail when brought to book.
The boys were now creeping through the bushes, and getting very closein. All the while Jack was eagerly trying to see what had become ofClarence. At first he could discover nothing of the other; and becamechilled with a deadly fear that these cowards might have gone toextremes; though he could hardly bring himself to really believe it.
George was the first to find out what had been done with the prisoner.
"I see him," he whispered close to Jack's ear. "He's lying on the groundover by that stump of a tree."
Guided by these directions Jack was enabled to also place Clarence.There was certainly a figure lying there, and it must be the companionof Joe; for the latter had said there were only two of the scoundrels.
Jack bobbed his head back in a hurry, after he had made this littlesurvey of the enemy's camp. For the big man had arisen to his feet, andstarted toward the very place where Clarence lay.
"Be ready!" muttered Jack, seeming to understand that the crisis mustnow be very close upon them.
Arriving at the spot, the giant bent over, and they could hear his growlas he spoke harshly:
"Made up yer mind yet, younker? Will ye write thet letter jest as wetell ye, and let a couple o' honest though unfortunit men have a squarechanct to rake in a leetle pile? Speak up, now, d'ye hear?"
He accompanied his words by a brutal kick that gave Jack and George aspasm of anger.
"No! no! no!" shouted the obstinate Clarence, still undismayed; for hispluck was the best part of him, and had always been.
At that the big brute raised his heavy boot with ugly words. It wasdoubtless his full intention to dash it against the side of the helplessboy, regardless as to what the consequences might be. But he changed hismind.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, mister!" said Jack, in an even, clearvoice, as he and George suddenly stood up in full sight.
He had covered the giant with his gun, and George was ready to do thesame for the man with the pipe the instant he bounded to his feet.
"Stand still, both of you, or we'll shoot!" George shouted.
This was a signal for the other three who were behind, and they suddenlymade their appearance, waving their crude weapons menacingly.
The two men were apparently taken completely by surprise. They saw thatthe tables had been suddenly turned. And somehow, although these wereonly boys who confronted them, there was a grim air of business aboutthose unwavering guns that neither of the cowards fancied at all.
Jack had not known what the result was going to be. He hardly anticipatedthat the men would dare attack them in the face of those weapons. And hehad arranged with George that should they show signs of flight, no onewas to raise a hand to prevent them.
When therefore the giant gave vent to a whoop and turning, gallopedtoward the water's edge, neither of the boys pulled trigger; though Joshlet out a shout as though he might be chasing after; which he was not,all the same, for he did not fancy the looks of either of the rascals.
The second man took to his heels also, dodging to the right and left ina ridiculous manner, as if expecting every second to hear the crash ofJack's gun, and feel himself being peppered with bird shot.
They could be seen tumbling madly into their rowboat, and pushing out onthe lake with all possible speed.
"Let 'em go!" said Josh, grandly, as he replaced his bread knife in theleather scabbard he had made for it, so as to avoid
any chance ofcutting his fingers by coming in contact with its keen edge, whenrummaging in the locker aboard the _Wireless_, where the cooking thingswere kept.
Jack was already stooping over Clarence, and in a jiffy had severed thecords that bound him hand and foot.
"I'm awful glad you came, Jack!" said the other weakly. "I believe thatcoward would have killed me if I didn't give in to him."
"Here, work your arms and legs as fast as you can, Clarence!" saidGeorge. "We've got to get out of this in a hurry now, or they might evenfind the _Comfort_, and run away with her. You're going back with us,you know. Joe got in and told us."
The two men having put what they thought a safe distance betweenthemselves and the boys, began to shout insulting remarks, and make themost terrible threats. Although they could not be seen out on the lake,it was not so difficult to know in what quarter they chanced to be atthe time.
Angered by the insults, as well as the cruel manner in which they hadtreated Clarence and Joe, George picked up the shot gun which Jack hadlain down for a minute, and before any one could stop him had dischargedit.
That some of the many little lead pellets in that shell had stung theprofane scoundrels in the rowboat, the boys understood from the howlthat arose, followed by the splashing of oars, telling that they werepulling madly away before a second shot added to their troubles.
"Now come with us, Clarence," said Jack.
They did not have to be so careful making their way back to where theyhad left the steady going old _Comfort_. And once aboard, the returntrip was quickly accomplished. In camp Clarence was soon given all thefood and coffee he could manage; and he professed himself as verygrateful for all the motor boat boys had done for him.
Since his speed boat had met with so tragic an end, Clarence declaredthat he had had enough of cruising, and would start straight home assoon as they reached the Soo, if the boys would lend them enough moneyto buy tickets--which programme he and Joe carried out; nor were our sixfriends at all sorry to see them vanish from view.
Leaving the Soo, Jack and his chums spent almost two weeks upon thecrooked St. Mary's river, camping, fishing and enjoying themselves tothe utmost. But never did they touch on Canadian soil but that poorBuster seemed to be dreadfully uneasy, sticking close to the fire, andbreathing a sigh of genuine relief when once more afloat, with nounpleasant reminders wafted after them.
Jack and Nick had made up a little programme for themselves, which theysprung upon their comrades later, when leaving the three boats atMilwaukee to be sent by rail to the home town on the Upper Mississippi.
This was nothing more nor less than saying good-bye to the rest of theboys in Milwaukee, and taking a little run down to Chicago, "to see thesights, you know," as Nick cleverly put it. But everybody guessed thatthe greatest attraction which all Chicago could boast for the deserterswould be found within the borders of Oak Park, and under the roof of thebanker, Mr. Roland Andrews.
And so the great cruise had finally come to an end. Looking back theboys found no reason to regret their course. True, there might be anumber of incidents that would stand out for a long time with a bit ofharshness; but time mellows all such things; and even Buster would laughjust as heartily as any of his chums when his adventure with the bull,or the pretty Canada pussy-cat, were mentioned.
They had had such a glorious time of it that undoubtedly other tripsmust be talked over during the coming winter; and with the coming of theholiday season once again the motor boat boys would be found ready toset out again on their search for new adventures.
Jocko went home with George and was a source of considerable costlyamusement in the Rollins' home.
We shall surely hope and expect to continue the pleasant acquaintanceformed in the pages of the several books already published; and in newfields accompany Jack Stormways and his chums, with their gallant littleboats, through other scenes, where true American pluck and endurance,such as they have always shown, must carry them through all perils tosuccess.
THE END