CHAPTER IV. ON THE TRAIL OF THE GHOST CRAFT.
The boys, whom we left so sadly puzzled by the strange appearance andalmost simultaneous vanishment of the "ghost craft" at the conclusion ofthe last chapter, formed part of a group of healthy, high-spirited ladswho are already familiar to most of our readers under the name of theBorder Boys. They earned this title in the first place by their feats onthe troublous Mexican frontier, where, as related in "The Border Boys onthe Trail," they defeated the machinations of a notorious cattle rustlernamed Ramon De Barrios, who had long proved a thorn in the side of theranchers along the frontier.
Particularly had De Barrios harassed the cattle and horses of Mr.Merrill, whose son Jack, a school-fellow of the others at StonefellCollege, had invited Ralph Stetson, son of the railroad "king," andProfessor Wintergreen, to spend some time with him and "rough it." Inthis volume the secret of the lone mission was revealed, and the boys,by pluck and brain, regained the stolen herd of stock rustled undercover of night from the Merrill ranch by De Barrios and his followers. Athrilling experience was that of the attempted dynamiting of a bigirrigation dam in the midst of a violent storm, which had raised theprisoned waters almost to the breaking point. Jack Merrill and his chumssucceeded in thwarting the plans of the rascals who hoped to inundatehalf a county and ruin much valuable property, out of revenge.
In the second volume of this series, "The Border Boys Across theFrontier," we made the acquaintance of Buck Bradley, a bluff and heartycircus manager who proved to be a trusty ally of the boys when they madetheir escape from a band of Mexican revolutionists. The boys' capturehad followed their attempt to prevent a large consignment of arms andammunition from being shipped from Uncle Sam's side of the line. Oncemore they proved their right to the title of "Border Boys," for, by asubterranean river flowing under a supposedly "haunted" mesa, theycrossed the international boundary, and at once plunged into a series ofstrange and exciting adventures, including a ride on a big locomotivethat ran the gauntlet of armed rebels.
The boys were next met, together with other old friends, in a succeedingbook, which was called "The Border Boys with the Texas Rangers." Again,amid new scenes, the lads found themselves in exciting predicaments.Jack was lost in a hidden valley from which he escaped by a climb upsteep and rocky cliffs, triumphing over apparently insurmountableobstacles. But his pluck and sturdy training brought him successfullythrough this adventure, and he rejoined his comrades in time toparticipate in the heading off of a wild stampede of cattle, anopportunity which tested the boys' best efforts.
In yet another volume, the experiences of the lads with the rurales ofMexico were set forth. This book was called "The Border Boys with theMexican Rangers," and painted a picture of life in the wilder parts ofold Mexico amid rugged mountains and brigand-infested plains. A cleveruse of an extemporized heliograph was made by the lads and saved themfrom a predicament into which they had been forced by a stupendouscloud-burst which swept their camp away. At a lone ranch, too, they metwith some surprising adventures which culminated in a ride for lifeacross the plains. At a grand fiesta they won several of the prizes, afeat which earned them the still further enmity of men who had goodreason to dislike and fear them. In old Mexico, the land of fascinatingromance, the boys surely had their full share of incident and adventure,and their experiences served to strengthen their characters and broadentheir minds. To cope successfully with difficulties forms the best sortof training for lads, and our Border Boys showed that when it came tothe test they were not lacking in energy or grit.
A fifth volume, called forth by the demand on the part of our readers tofollow the boys still further through their lives, dealt with adifferent phase of their existences altogether. In "The Border Boys inthe Canadian Rockies" the lads traveled on their sturdy little mustangsthrough a wild and rugged country. Not the least interesting phase oftheir experiences dealt with the mystery surrounding Jimmy, the waif,who came into their lives when they landed at a tiny way station on theCanadian Pacific Railroad. Several mysterious happenings, too, puzzledand annoyed them not a little while they were on their journey to theBig Bend of the Columbia River. These incidents involved a man ofstrange personality who, for no apparent reason, harassed and alarmedthem on numerous occasions. However, in the end all that had appearedinexplicable was cleared up, and Jimmy, the waif, came into his own atlast.
About two months before the present volume dealing with their adventuresopens, the lads had accepted the invitation of Ralph Stetson's father tospend some time with him at his estate on Dexter Island, in thewonderful St. Lawrence River, that mighty outlet of the Great Lakes,which rolls its turbulent current along the border line between theUnited States and Canada. The scene of much historical interest in thepast, the making of history is still going on along the St. Lawrence.Both the United States and Canada keep a sharp lookout for smugglers andother evildoers along the line which extends through the exact center ofthe great river. Interesting adventures are of almost daily occurrencein that region.
Beginning with the night upon which we encountered them in the rapids,the boys were destined to be plunged into experiences along theinternational boundary line that would demand all the resourcefulnessand efficiency which had been developed in them by the scenes throughwhich they had already passed.
But for the time being, at any rate, the mystery of the ghostly crafthad to wait for a solution. The next day was the one selected by theboys for a joyous excursion on their swift, sure craft down the historicwaters of the St. Lawrence, which has been called "the noblest, thepurest, the most enchanting river on God's beautiful earth."
For a thousand miles from Lake Ontario to the sea the mighty current ofthe great waterway runs, embellished with islands and made beautiful byleaping rapids and swirling whirlpools. Except to the specially builtriver steamers these rapids, that is the larger ones, are not navigableexcept on the way down the river. Coming up, even the most powerfulcraft have to take to the canals, of which there are several, all on theCanadian side and free to all commerce.
The boys planned a quick trip down to Montreal and thence to Quebec. Thereturn trip would have to be made more slowly, owing to the obstaclesalready mentioned.
Having provisioned the _River Swallow_, on which they intended to maketheir home during the cruise, there was nothing left to do but to startup the engines and set out. For this trip Malvin and Hansen were leftbehind, as Mr. Stetson needed them to do some work about the island andthey were not actually required on the river craft.
It was a glorious morning when the boys started out. The sun layglitteringly on the clear, swiftly flowing waters, and the _RiverSwallow_ glided from her dock as if she were as pleased with theprospect of the cruise as were the boys.
Ralph Stetson, naturally studious, had found much to interest him in thehistory of the great river they were navigating; and, indeed, no streamin the world has more storied interest than the mighty water course thatmarks the border of the United States and Canada.
Jacques Cartier is generally given the credit of the discovery of theSt. Lawrence, although some historians mention other candidates for thehonor. Ralph's studies told him that little is known of Cartier, beyondthe fact that he belonged to a hardy race of French fishermen.
By some writers he is even referred to as a corsair, although there doesnot appear to be much evidence to support this theory. It was not untilhis second voyage, however, that Cartier really entered the river, tothe mouth of which he gave the name of the Bay of St. Laurens.
With the spirit of exploration strong upon him, Cartier pushed onward,hugging the southern shore of a river eighty miles wide. To his mind, hehad found the Mecca of every explorer of that day: the visionary passageto Cathay. For to discover a waterway to the far east was the dream ofevery early voyager.
As he sailed onward, mighty rock walls rose up majestically on each sideof the great stream he was traversing. Gray rocks piled themselves tierupon tier, topped by
huge forests and backed by glimpses of mountainsbeyond.
Then came bold headlands, thrusting their fronts into the river. Fromday to day the scene shifted, with the current ever increasing inswiftness. The rocky headlands gave way to long level reaches of swampyland. Cartier, in his records, speaks of the innumerable crows thathaunted these marshes, although there were plenty of duck and other wildfowl.
But at last Cartier began to realize that he had not stumbled on thepassage to Cathay as he had fondly dreamed.
The year before he had taken two Indians captive. They were still partof his crew. He summoned them before him.
"What river is this?" he asked.
One of the Indians pointed majestically to the west.
"The river without an end," he said solemnly.
Cartier found the Indians extraordinarily skillful in managing theirfrail birch bark canoes, even in the wildest of the rapids. He wasgreatly interested in all the different tribes which he encountered.Many of them were at war with each other, although all sprang, accordingto present-day opinion, from the Cree stock.
The old French traveler says that he found the Indians friendly. Hedescribes a visit to one of their towns, which stood at the base of ahill surrounded by cornfields, with the river and the primeval forestbeyond. This village, occupied by a tribe known as the Amerinds, waswell fortified, as were all the villages of this tribe, by a highstockade.
With a body guard of twenty of his men Cartier entered the walledvillage. They found inside the stockade a gallery from which missilescould be hurled down on any foe. Piles of stones lay in readiness forthis purpose.
Behind the village stood an imposing height of land which Cartier,impressed by the noble view from its summit, named Mont Royale. This wasthe origin of Montreal, which city stands on the site of the stockadedIndian village of Hochelaga.
It was too late in the season when the bold investigator reached thisvillage to press on further, and he therefore made his way back towinter quarters at Havre de St. Croix on the St. Charles River. Hisexperiences during the "white winter," as he called it, were enough todaunt even his courageous spirit. To add to his troubles, his mencontracted scurvy, and many died before spring came, from the closeconfinement and lack of proper food.
The Indians brewed for the sufferers a sort of tea of pine boughs andbark called "ameda," which appeared to have a good effect on the victimsand, in Cartier's opinion, saved the lives of many of them.
He returned to France and, some time later, made a third voyage. Thistime it was a trip for colonization. But the little colony sufferedterrible privations and much illness and misery, and it was to theIndians that they owed what succor in the way of provisions andprimitive medicine they were able to obtain. Cartier sailed back toFrance, leaving the remnants of the colony, and never returned again.
Then came Champlain, the founder of Quebec. It is a far cry from thenoble city of Quebec as it is to-day to the huddle of huts erected inthe form of a square by Champlain, and surmounted by a dovecote on thetop of a pole to symbolize his peaceful intentions. Of his discovery ofthe historic lake that bears his name it would be beside the mark tospeak here, inasmuch as this necessary digression is simply to acquaintour readers with a little of the history of the river on which ourBorder Boys were destined to meet such surprising adventures, and withthe city of Montreal, to which they were now bound.