CHAPTER XVIII
FUN ON THE ICE
Of course, the girls had prepared one another's presents long before. Eachhad been tied in a queer bundle so, in trimming the tree, the nature ofthe contents could not be guessed.
The oddest shaped things hung from the branches of the Christmas tree, andthe boys had excelled in making up these "surprise packages." Mrs. Tingleyhanded the presents out, while the boys lifted them down for her. A long,tightly rolled parcel, which looked as though it ought to contain anumbrella, and was marked "To Helen from Tom," finally proved to contain ajeweler's box, in which nestled a pretty ring, which delighted his twin.
A large, flat package, big enough to hold a large kite, was carefullyopened by Belle, who finally found in it, among the many tissue wrappings,a pretty set of hair combs set with stones. In a roughly-done-up parcelwas a most disreputable old shoe addressed to Lluella. She was going tothrow it out, but the boys advised her so strongly not to that she finallyburrowed to the toe and found, to her amazement, a gold bracelet.
There was a good-sized box for Ann Hicks--just as it had come from theexpress office at Lumberton a week before. Having been addressed in Mrs.Tellingham's care, the western girl had known nothing about it.
Now it was opened last. It had come all the way from Silver Ranch, ofcourse. Such a set of furs no girl at Briarwood possessed. There were anumber of other presents from the cowboys, from Mrs. Sally, and fromBashful Ike himself. Ann was so pleased and touched that she ran away tohide her tears.
There were presents for each of the girls and boys who had been atBullhide the previous summer. Bill Hicks had forgotten nobody, and, asMrs. Tellingham had once said, the ranchman certainly was a generous man.
No member of the house party was overlooked on this bright Christmasmorning. Mercy's presents were as costly and numerous as those of anyother girl. Besides, the lame girl had been able to give her matesbeautiful little keepsakes that expressed her love for them quite as muchas would have articles that cost more money.
Her presents to the boys were funny, including a jumping jack on a stickto Isadore, the face of which Mercy had whittled out and painted to looka good deal like the features of that active youth.
For two hours the young folk reveled in their presents. Then suddenlyHeavy smelled the breakfast coffee and she led the charge to the longdining room. They were in the midst of the meal when Mr. Tingley himselfarrived, having reached Logwood on the early train and driven across theice in a sleigh.
The Tingley young people met him hilariously. He was a big, bewhiskeredman, with a jolly laugh and amiable manner. His eye could flash, too, ifneed be, Ruth judged. And almost at once she had an opportunity of seeinghim stern.
"What crowd is that over at the west end of the island?" he asked hiswife. "I see they have a fire. There must be four or five men there. Is itsome of Blent's doings?"
"Oh, Dad!" cried Ralph Tingley, eagerly. "You ought to stop that. Thosefellows are hunting Jerry Sheming."
"Who is Jerry Sheming?" he asked, quickly.
Mrs. Tingley explained briefly.
"I remember now," said her husband. "And this is the young lady who spokea good word for the boy in the first place?" and he beckoned the eagerRuth to them. "What have you to say for your protege now, Miss?"
"Everything that is good," declared the girl of the Red Mill, quickly. "Iam sure he is not at all the sort of boy this man Blent would have youbelieve. And perhaps, Mr. Tingley, his old uncle _may_ have had some titleto a part of this island."
"That puts _me_ in bad, then--eh?" chuckled Mr. Tingley.
"Unless Mr. Blent has cheated you, sir," suggested Ruth, hesitatingly.
"He's a foxy old fellow. But I believe I have safeguarded myself. Thistrouble about something being buried on the island--Well! I don't knowabout that."
"I believe Jerry really has some idea now where his uncle put the box.Even if the old hunter _was_ crazy, he might have had some valuables. Andsurely Jerry has a better right to the box than Blent," Ruth said,indignantly.
"I'll see about that. Just as soon as I have had breakfast, I'll takePreston and go over and interview this gang of Blent's henchmen. I am notat all sure that he has any right to hunt the boy down, warrant or nowarrant!"
That was when he looked grim and his eyes flashed. Ruth felt that herfriend's father was just the man to give Jerry Sheming a fair deal if hehad the chance.
When the boys proposed getting out the two iceboats and giving the girls asail (for the wind was fresh), Ruth was as eager as the others to join inthe sport.
Not all the girls would trust themselves to the scooters, but there wereenough who went down to the ice to make an exceedingly hilarious party.
Ralph Tingley and Tom Cameron were the best pilots. The small iceboatswere built so that two passengers could ride beside the steersman andsheet tender. So the girls took turns in racing up and down the smooth iceon the south side of the island.
Ruth and Helen liked to go together with Tom, who had Busy Izzy to tendsheet. It was "no fair" if one party traveled farther than from the dockto the mouth of the creek and back again.
The four friends--Ruth and her chum, and Tom and Busy Izzy--were makingtheir second trip over the smooth course. Bobbins, with his sister and TheFox, and Ralph Tingley, manned the other boat.
The two swift craft had a splendid race to the mouth of that brook which,because of its swiftness, still remained unshackled by the frost. Theshallow stream of water poured down over the rocks into the lake, butthere was only a small open place at the point where the brook emptiedinto its waters into the larger and more placid body.
When the two iceboats swung about, the one Bobbins manned got away at onceand swiftly passed down the lake. The sheet fouled in Tom's boat. BusyIzzy had to drop the sail and the boat was brought to a halt.
"There are Mr. Tingley and Preston going over to talk to the constable andhis crowd," remarked Isadore. "See yonder?"
"I hope he sends those men off the island. I don't see what right theyhave here, anyway," Helen exclaimed.
"If only Jerry knows enough to keep under cover while they are here," saidTom, looking meaningly at Ruth. They both wondered if the fugitive hadventured out of his cave to find the mattock and box of food they had leftfor him the evening before.
The craft was under way again in a minute or two, and they swept down thecourse in the wake of the other boat. Suddenly the sharp crack of a rifleechoed across the island. Helen screamed. Ruth risked the boom and sat upto look behind.
"There's a fight!" yelled Busy Izzy. "I believe they're after Jerry."
They saw Mr. Tingley and Preston hastening their steps toward the brook.As the iceboat swept out farther from the shore, the four friends aboardher could see several men running in the same direction. One bore asmoking gun in his hand.
"Right towards that rock, Ruthie!" gasped Tom, venturing a glance behindhim.
"What rock do you mean?" demanded his sister.
"The rock where you folks found me the other day. It's near the opening toJerry's cave. I see them!"
"'Ware boom!" yelled Tom, and shifted his helm.
The great sail went slowly over; the iceboat swooped around like a greatbird skimming the ice. Then, in a minute, it was headed back up the laketoward the scene of the trouble.
Another rifle shot echoed across the ice.