CHAPTER XII
REAL INDIANS
"Now we will have to watch Downy or he will be sure to take that tripagain," said Bert, as they reached home with the enterprising duck.
"We could build a kind of dam across the narrowest part of the lake,"suggested Hal; "kind of a close fence he would not go through. See,over there it is only a little stream, about five feet wide. We caneasily fence that up. I've got lots of material up in our gardenhouse."
"That would be a good idea," agreed Bert. "We can put Downy in thebarn until we get it built. We won't take any more chances." SoDowny was shut up in his box, back of the donkey stall, for the restof the day.
"How far back do these woods run?" Harry asked his companions, healways being interested in acres, as all real country boys are.
"I don't know," Hal Bingham answered. "I never felt like going to theend to find out. But they say the Indians had reservations out herenot many years ago."
"Then I'll bet there are lots of arrow heads and stone hatchetsaround. Let's go look. Have we time before dinner, Bert?" Harryasked.
"I guess so," replied the cousin. "Uncle William's train does not getin until seven, and we can be back by that time. We'll have to slipaway from Freddie, though. Here he comes. Hide!" and at this theboys got behind things near the donkey house, and Freddie, aftercalling and looking around, went back to the house without finding the"boy boys."
"We can cross the lake in my boat," said Hal, as they left theirhiding-places. "Then, we will be right in the woods. I'll tie theboat on the other side until we come back; no one will touch it."
"Is there no bridge?" Harry asked.
"Not nearer than the crossings, away down near the ocean beach," saidBert. "But the boat will be all right. There are no thieves aroundhere."
It was but a few minutes' work to paddle across the lake and tie upthe canoe on the opposite shore. Hal and Bert started off, feelingthey would find something interesting, under Harry's leadership.
It was quite late in the afternoon, and the thick pines and ferns madethe day almost like night, as the boys tramped along.
"Fine big birds around here," remarked Harry, as the featheredcreatures of the ocean darted through the trees, making their way tothe lake's edge.
"Yes, we're planning for a Thanksgiving shoot," Hal told him. "Wehope, if we make it up, you can come down."
"I'd like to first-rate," said Harry. "Hello!" he suddenly exclaimed,"I thought I kicked over a stone hatchet head."
Instantly the three boys were on their knees searching through thebrown pine needles.
"There it is!" declared Harry, picking up a queer-shaped stone."That's real Indian--I know. Father has some, but this is the first Iwas ever lucky enough to find."
The boys examined the stone. There were queer marks on it, but theywere so worn down it was impossible to tell what they might mean.
"What tribe camped here?" asked Harry.
"I don't know," answered Hal. "I just heard an old farmer, outBerkley way, talking about the Indians. You see, we only come downhere in the summer time. Then we keep so close to the ocean we don'tdo much exploring."
The boys were so interested now they did not notice how dark it wasgetting. Neither did they notice the turns they were making in the deepwoodlands. Now and then a new stone would attract their attention.They would kick it over, pick it up, and if it were of queer shape itwould be pocketed for further inspection.
"Say," said Hal, suddenly, "doesn't it look like night?" and at thathe ran to a clear spot between the trees, where he might see the sky.
"Sure as you live it is night!" he called back to the others. "Webetter pick the trail back to our canoe, or we may have to become realIndians and camp out here in spite of our appetites."
Then the boys discovered that the trees were much alike, and therewere absolutely no paths to follow.
"Well, there's where the sun went down, so we must turn our back tothat," advised Hal, as they tramped about, without making any progresstoward finding the way home.
What at first seemed to be fun, soon turned out to be a seriousmatter; for the boys really could not find their way home. Each, inturn, thought he had the right way, but soon found he was mistaken.
"Well, I'll give up!" said Hal. "To think we could be lost like threebabies!"
"Only worse," added Harry, "for little fellows would cry and someonemight help them."
"Oh! oh! oh! oh! we're lost! We're the babes in the woods!" shoutedBert at the top of his voice, joking, yet a little in earnest.
"Let's build a fire," suggested Harry. "That's the way the Indiansused to do. When our comrades see the smoke of the fire they willcome and rescue us."
The other boys agreed to follow the chief's direction. So they set towork. It took some time to get wood together, and to start the fire,but when it was finally lighted, they sat around it and wasted a lotof time. It would have been better had they tried to get out of thewoods, for as they waited, it grew darker.
"I wouldn't mind staying here all night," drawled Harry, stretchinghimself out on the dry leaves alongside the fire.
"Well, I'd like supper first," put in Hal. "We were to have roastduck to-night," and he smacked his lips.
"What was that!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up.
"A bell, I thought," whispered Hal, quite frightened.
"Indians!" added Bert. "Oh, take me home!" he wailed, and while hetried to laugh, it was a failure, for he really felt more like crying.
"There it is again. A cow bell!" declared Harry, who could not bemistaken on bells.
"Let's find the cow and maybe she will then find us," he suggested,starting off in the direction that the "tink-tink-tink-tink" camefrom.
"Here she is!" he called, the next moment, as he walked up to a prettylittle cow with the bell on her neck. "Now, where do you belong?"Harry asked the cow. "Do you know where the Cliffs are, and how wecan get home?"
The cow was evidently hungry for her supper, and bellowed loud andlong. Then she rubbed her head against Harry's sleeve, and started towalk through the dark woods.
"If we follow her she will take us out, all right," said Harry, and sothe three boys willingly started off after the cow.
Just as Harry had said, she made her way to a path, then the rest ofthe way was clear.
"Hurrah!" shouted Hal, "I smell supper already," and now, at the end ofthe path, an opening in the trees showed a few scattered houses.
"Why, we are away outside of Berkley," went on Hal. "Now, we willhave a long tramp home, but I'm glad even at that, for a night underthe trees was not a pleasant prospect."
"We must take this cow home first," said Harry, with a farmer'sinstinct. "Where do you suppose she belongs?"
"We might try that house first," suggested Bert, pointing to a cottagewith a small barn, a little way from the wood.
"Come, Cush," said Harry, to the strange cow, and the animalobediently walked along.
There was no need to make inquiries, for outside of the house a littlewoman met them.
"Oh, you've found her!" she began. "Well, my husband was just goingto the pound, for that old miser of a pound master takes a cow inevery chance he gets, just for the fine. Come, Daisy, you're hungry,"and she patted the cow affectionately. "Now, young men, I'm obligedto you, and you have saved a poor man a day's pay, for that is justwhat the fine would be. If you will accept a pail of milk each, Ihave the cans, and would be glad to give you each a quart. You mighthave berries for dinner," she finished.
"We would be very glad of the milk," spoke up Harry, promptly, alwayswide awake and polite when there was a question that concernedfarmers.
"Do you live far?" asked the woman.
"Only at the Cliffs," said Harry. "We will soon he home now. But wewere lost until your cow found us. She brought us here, or we wouldbe in the woods yet."
"Well, I do declare!" laughed the little woman, filling each of threepails from the fresh milk, tha
t stood on a bench, under the kitchenwindow. "Now, our man goes right by your house to-morrow morning, andif you leave the pails outside he will get them. Maybe your mothersmight like some fresh milk, or buttermilk, or fresh eggs, or newbutter?" she asked.
"Shouldn't wonder," said Hal. "We have hard work to get fresh stuff;they seem to send it all to the hotels. I'll let the man know when hecomes for the pails."
"Thank you, thank you," replied the little woman, "and much obligedfor bringing Daisy home. If you ever want a drink of milk, and areout this way, just knock at my door and I'll see you don't go awaythirsty."
After more thanks on both sides, the lost boys started homeward, likea milk brigade, each with his bright tin pail of sweet new milk in hishand.