CHAPTER V Clyde Wendell's Mission
Madge was washing breakfast dishes the next morning when Clyde Wendellentered the kitchen. He appeared in a better mood than upon his arrivaland greeted her pleasantly.
"Good morning. I'd like to go for a little row on the lake. Can you letme have a boat?"
"I'll see what we have," she returned, wiping soap suds from her hands.
She walked down to the landing with him although she knew without lookingthat all of the boats save one were gone. The skiff had been rented outearlier that morning to another guest and Bill had taken one of the boatsacross the lake to gather stone for a new fireplace Mr. Brady wasbuilding. That left only a heavy, cumbersome craft which leaked ratherbadly.
"Perhaps you would prefer to wait until the skiff comes in," shesuggested doubtfully. "We seldom rent out this boat. It's rather heavyand--"
"You keep it in reserve for yourself, eh?" the chemist interrupted with aknowing laugh. "Well, it looks like a good boat to me and I'll take it."
Madge started to protest then changed her mind. Without a word, she wentto the woodshed and brought back a pair of oars which she fitted into thelocks. Carelessly, she dropped a tin bucket into the bottom of the boat.
"What's that for?" Clyde demanded suspiciously.
"Oh, just in case of a leak."
The chemist should have been forewarned but the bottom of the boat wasdry and he had implicit faith in his own judgment. Stepping into thecraft he rowed away. Madge smiled as she watched him strike out acrossthe lake. She returned to her dishes, but a few minutes later, hangingdish towels on the back porch, she observed that the boat had taken adirect course for Stewart Island.
"I wonder what he's up to?" she mused. "I don't believe he wanted me toknow he was going over there to see Anne. I'd like to follow him over butof course that wouldn't do."
Though somewhat ashamed of her curiosity, Madge kept close watch ofStewart Island all morning. Toward noon the chemist's boat was sightedreturning slowly across the lake. She was amused to see that hefrequently dropped his oars to bail water.
Presently, the boat eased to a landing.
"Say, what do you mean by giving me an old leaky tub?" the chemist calledout angrily as he caught sight of Madge on the veranda. "I darn neardrowned!"
"I guess the boat does leak a trifle," she admitted readily. "I tried totell you but you were so determined not to wait for the skiff."
"You didn't hurt yourself trying to tell me! Look at my clothes--wet tothe skin. If I hadn't bailed like all get-out I'd have gone to thebottom."
"The boat never entirely fills," Madge corrected sweetly.
Clyde stalked angrily into the house to change his wet shoes andgarments. Madge tied up the boat, chuckling at his discomfiture.
"Something must have gone wrong over at Stewart Island," she thoughtshrewdly. "I'll find out when I see Anne again."
The opportunity was to present itself that very afternoon. Soon afterluncheon, Clyde Wendell went for a walk in the forest and a short timelater, Madge sighted Anne's familiar red canoe on the lake. As the girlcame toward the lodge, she raced down to the water's edge to meet her.
Anne looked cautiously about before she beached her canoe.
"Clyde Wendell isn't anywhere near, is he?" she asked in a low tone. "Ifhe is, I can't stay."
"He left a half hour ago. What's wrong, Anne? You look worried."
"I am. Oh, Madge, everything has gone wrong. You were right about Clyde.He didn't come here to help at all. He's the meanest man in the world!"
"What has he done now?"
"He claims I owe him five hundred dollars. Or rather, that Father did. Heinsists that several months back wages were due him at the time he lefthere. It's too ridiculous for words! Actually, Father paid him extramoney to be rid of him."
"Haven't you a cancelled check or a receipt to prove it?"
"Not a thing. Father wouldn't bother about a receipt. Clyde knows that hewas more than paid for his services. I'm afraid he thinks I'minexperienced about business matters and that he can bluff me into givinghim the money."
"I'd never do it."
Anne laughed shortly.
"No danger of that. I couldn't find five hundred dollars if my lifedepended upon it. The only way I can raise money is to borrow from thebank or sell my island. And in this country islands are as common as pinetrees and about as cheap!"
"Not such islands as yours," Madge corrected. "Uncle George says you havean ideal location and the place should bring a tidy sum if sold to theright party."
"Well, Jake Curtis isn't the right party. I'm sure of that. He knows itwill be hard for me to pay the debt I owe him and I think he means totake advantage of me if he can. I'm to see the president of the FirstNational bank today and ask him for a loan. Jack said he would take me totown in his car. Won't you come with us?"
Madge replied that she should not leave but Anne coaxed her until shegave in. They crossed the lake and found Jack waiting with his car. Heseemed well pleased that Madge was to go along.
At Luxlow he dropped the girls at the bank, promising to call for them inan hour. They entered the building and Anne was admitted to the privateoffice of the president. Madge waited outside.
Fifteen minutes elapsed before Anne emerged. The expression of her facedisclosed instantly that the interview had not been successful.
"It's no use," she reported when they were outside again. "He listenedpolitely enough to my story but he wasn't really interested. When Ifinished he said he was sorry he could do nothing for me. It seems thebank must have sound collateral and I've nothing to pledge."
Madge tried to cheer her companion, and since over a half hour remainedbefore Jack would return, suggested that they go to a nearby drug storefor ice cream. They walked slowly down the street, gazing at the windowdisplays.
Suddenly Anne clutched her friend's arm, gripping it with a hardpressure. With a quick jerk of her head she indicated a man on theopposite side of the street.
"There's Jake Curtis!" she said tensely. "I hope he doesn't see me!"
No sooner had the words been spoken than the man turned toward the girls.He was a short, stout individual with ill-fitting, somewhat soiledclothing and a hard, shrewd face. Before Anne and Madge could dodge intoa store he crossed the street and confronted them.
"Trying to avoid me, eh?"
"Why should I wish to avoid you, Mr. Curtis?" Anne countered.
"Well, there's a little matter of a note between us, y'know." He smiledunpleasantly. "Aiming to pay it off by the first, are you?"
"Why,--I--that is, I expect to," Anne stammered.
"Better think over that proposition I made you. You'll not find any otherperson in these parts who will take the house off your hands. I must warnyou though, I'll expect payment of one kind or another on the day my notefalls due."
"I'll bear it in mind," Anne returned coldly.
The girls turned their backs and walked hurriedly on. Anne was soagitated by the meeting that she did not care to stop at the drug storeso they returned to the bank there to await Jack.
"Jake Curtis surely deserves his reputation!" Madge declared in disgust."Oh, Anne, don't ever sell him your island!"
"I don't know what else I can do."
"Perhaps Uncle George can find a buyer for you. I'll speak to him tonightabout it. And then we may locate the formula. That would solveeverything."
Jack soon returned and the three started for Loon Lake. Anne who wasreticent by nature, made no mention of her discouraging bank interview,and although Madge would have liked to acquaint the ranger with thesituation, she felt it was not her place to bring up the subject.
The sun was low over the lake when the car finally reached the end of theroad. The girls thanked Jack for the ride and took leave of him. Theycrossed over to the lodge in Anne's canoe.
"I mustn't stop, Madge. It's getting late."
"Do come in for just a minute,"
her friend pleaded. "I baked a chocolatecake this morning and I want you to have half of it."
Anne permitted herself to be led toward the house. Madge quickly wrappedup the cake but scarcely had she finished than they heard a shout fromthe beach. The next instant Old Bill came hurrying toward the house.
"Come quick, folks! An airplane's landin' on the lake. You'll miss it ifyou don't hurry!"
Madge laughed indulgently.
"Don't pay any attention, Anne. That's an old trick of his. He thinksevery day is April Fool's. Think up something better, Bill."
"Honest, I'm not foolin' this time," Bill maintained with a seriousnesswhich left no room for doubt. "Hear it?"
By this time the girls had caught the unmistakable drone of an airplanemotor. They rushed from the house, following Bill to the beach, and werein time to see an amphibian spiral down and land smoothly on the water.
"Didn't I tell you!" Bill chortled proudly. "It was three years lastmonth that a mail plane landed on Loon Lake. Engine must be out ofwhack."
Madge did not respond though she saw clearly that the plane was not ofthe regular mail service. Nor was it one of the "Fire Eagles"occasionally sent out by the Forest Service to scout for fires. As far asshe could tell the plane was disabled in no way. The steady throb of itsmotors carried plainly over the water.
"Well, of all things!" Madge exclaimed. "What do you think of that!"
The amphibian was taxiing slowly through the water, its nose pointeddirectly toward the beach.