CHAPTER X
AT BEARTOWN
Alvin Landon had been toiling so long, often in a stooping posture, thathe was tired. He sat down on one of the seats and his chum placed himselfopposite.
"I'm mighty glad," said the Captain, "for a fellow can't do much of thisin the dark, and I was bothered a good deal as it was."
"It strikes me that you will be running into danger by going down theriver to-night."
"How?"
"There is no moon until late. Suppose the launch should break down whenwe were well out in Sheepscot Bay, wouldn't we be in a fix?"
"Yes, but I hope she is through breaking down for some time to come."
"So do I, but why take the risk, when there's no necessity for it?"
"We aren't fixed to sleep on board, though we could do it in a pinch, forthe weather is mild."
"Let's go up to this village or town near by. I am sure we shall getaccommodations for the night. Truth to tell, Alvin, I'm as hungry as Iwas at dinner to-day in Wiscasset."
"The plan is a good one, though I don't like to leave the boat by itselftill morning. You know what happened the other night."
"That won't occur again in a thousand years. Put the flags and otherstuff in the cockpit, lock the engine cover, take the switch plug withyou, and the boat will be as safe as if she had a regiment of men onguard."
"Mike ought to have been back before this," said the Captain, with atouch of impatience. "Unless he has a good excuse I shall demote him, bymaking you first mate."
"It is a dazzling promise you hold before me, but it won't be fair tocondemn Mike unheard. Give him a chance."
After some hesitation, Alvin acted upon the advice of his comrade. Thelaunch was made as secure as possible, and they sprang ashore, where thegloom among the trees reminded them of that other tramp after takingsupper with Uncle Ben Trotwood. There was no reason for going astray andthey followed a direct course until they reached the roadway between thewharf and the village of Beartown, alongside the main road running thelength of the island of Westport.
The moon had not yet risen; in fact it would not be up for several hours,but the sky was clear and studded with stars which shone with dazzlingbrilliancy. They could plainly see the broad trail into which they turnedand walked toward the village.
Less than a score of paces were passed when the two caught sight of afigure approaching through the obscurity. The person kept in the middleof the road, and an instant later both recognized him as their comrade.
"Hands up!" called the Captain, in his most startling voice.
Mike stopped short, but made no motion to obey.
"Didn't you hear me?" demanded Alvin fiercely, as he strode forward withthe grinning Chester at his elbow.
"If ye'll be kind enough to spell out the words I'll think 'em over andlet ye know me decision to-morrer," replied the Irish youth, who knew thevoice, though the speaker screened himself as much as he could in theshadow at the side of the highway. The parties met and shook hands.
"What kept you so long?" asked Chester.
"I spint the time in making acquaintances, and before I knowed it, nighthad descinded. I 'spose there's about two thousand folks in Beartown asthey call it, and I know 'em all excipt two or three, the same being outof town."
"It is so late," said the Captain, "that we have decided to stay hereovernight--that is, if we can get lodgings."
"Arrah, now, that's a sinsible remark which I ixpicted ye to make, asArty Devitt said whin he admitted he was the biggest fool in Cork. Butthere ain't a hotel in Beartown."
"Then we shall have to go back to the boat and either start down theriver or bunk in as best we can."
"Nothing of the kind; supper is waiting and ye're expicted. The house hasonly one bed, which av coorse is fur me, while ye two will have to makeshift in the adj'ining woodshed. Come on and I'll show ye."
"Be sensible for once in your life," said Alvin, "and explain matters."
"Isn't that what I'm doing?" asked Mike, as he turned about and the threewalked toward the sleepy little town.
"I've made frinds wid the postmaster, which is a fine old lady with aswaat darter. She has spread supper for us three, and whin I told herwe'd honor her by staying overnight, she was that pleased she danced theHighland Fling and kicked over a barrel of apples. And what do ye think,byes, after we'd talked awhile, we found we was relatives. What have yeto say to that?"
"It is impossible. What's her name?"
"Mrs. Friestone and her daughter is Nora. It was that name that set mewits to work. Ye see the leddy thinks--that is, after I suggisted thesame--that one of her ancistors about the time St. Patrick was drivingthe snakes out of Ireland was living there, and immigrated to thiscountry and he come over wid the ither sarpints."
"St. Patrick died fifteen hundred years ago," said Chester.
"Thin I 'spose he must be purty dead by this time, but that isn't aginstthe fact of the father of Mrs. Friestone, two or three thousandginerations back, paddling across the Atlantic and sittling in this partof Maine. I have raison to belave that one of me own ancisters was asecond cousin to the owld gintleman and came wid him on the v'yage. Theowld lady doesn't dispoot me, but is inclined to belave the same."
"But where do we come in?" asked Alvin.
"That was me chaif trouble in gitting ye folks straightened out. Avcoorse, I made it clear to them that I owned a launch, which the same iscalled the _Deerfut_, and I had took ye out fur a sail--that I had leftye to thry to run the boat, in order to taich ye the same, and ye hadbroke down. I said ye were half dacent chaps, and if she would bear inmind that ye hadn't been under me training long, she would be able to gitalong wid ye. Nora said I must bring ye to the house, and ye should haveslaaping accommodations and as much as folks of yer kind oughter ate. Ireminded them that I had provided ye with plinty of pocket money andinsthructed ye niver to accept favors widout paying for 'em. Thus the wayhas been opened for ye."
"So it would seem, if a tenth part of what you say is true," was thecomment of Alvin.
The village, which I have thought best to call Beartown, straggles alongboth sides of the highway which runs the length of Westport island. Ithas a neat wooden church, a faded school house, which had been closedseveral weeks, it being vacation time, two stores, a blacksmith and acarpenter shop, but lacks a hotel, no one being enterprising enough tobuild such a structure with the meagre prospects he would have to face.If now and then some visitor wished to stay overnight in the place itdepended upon his success in finding lodgings with one of the citizens.This could not always be done, but it is safe to say that Mike Murphy wonthe favor of so many with whom he came in contact that a half dozen homeswould have been glad to take him in indefinitely. Strolling along thehighway, his attention was caught by sight of a modest frame building,standing near the middle of the village with the sign in small letters"Post Office" over the front porch, which was crowded with samples ofwhat were for sale at the store.
Entering the open door, he asked in his most suave manner if there was aletter for "Michael Murphy, lately from Tipperary." The thin old lady inspectacles behind the counter, at the front, pulled the half dozenmissives from the pigeon hole over which the letter "M" showed and slowlyinspected each. She gently shook her head:
"It doesn't seem to have arrived; probably it will come in the nextmail."
Mike's genial face became the picture of disappointment.
"That's mighty qu'ar. The Duke promised he would write me two waaks agofrom his castle and return the five pounds I loaned him. Ye can't thrustthe nobility."
"I am sorry," said the sympathetic postmistress, "but I don't see how Ican help you. Have patience and all will come right."
"Don't think it's yersilf I'm blaming, though onraisoning folks areinclined that way. The matter of a little money doesn't consarn me, butit's the aboose of me confidence."
Just then a man came in to inquire for a letter, and the sweet lookingold lady was obliged to withdraw her attention from th
e freckled facebefore her.
During this brief interview a girl not yet out of short dresses stoodbehind the counter, measuring out some calico for a woman in a scoopshovel-bonnet. The girl's face was as mirthful as Mike's, and her blackeyes twinkled with mischief. She heard all that was said, and read theyouth like a book. He looked more at her than at her mother, and couldnot help being pleased with the lively young lady. Never at loss for anexcuse in such circumstances, he waited at the front of the store,sighing as if greatly depressed, until the woman customer paid her bill,accepted the roll and walked out. Then Mike, blushing so far as it waspossible to do so, moved respectfully toward the smiling attraction.
"I lost me wheelbarrer in coming up from me launch; have ye anything ofthe kind ye would be willing to sell to a poor orphan?"
"Will one be all you want?" asked the miss. "We can furnish you with adozen as well as a single barrow. How much would you like to pay?"
Mike was caught. He had taken a comprehensive survey of the displayoutside the store before entering, and was sure that only the simplestagricultural implements were on sale. Furthermore, he had less than asilver dollar in his pockets.
"I'll have to wait to consoolt me partners," he replied, while nature didher best to deepen the blush on his broad countenance. "Ye see it's themthat has to do the work fur me, and it's only fair on me side to let themhave something to say about the ch'ice of tools. What do ye thinkyersilf?"
"I think you haven't any wish to buy a wheelbarrow, that you haven't themoney to pay for it, and I know we haven't one in the store--so I thinkfurther that there won't be any sale so far as wheelbarrows areconcerned."