CHAPTER XXIV
A QUEER MESSAGE
"Aaron Slade is my father," replied Ned, wondering what object thetramp could have in asking.
"The one who was recently robbed?"
"The same."
"Well if this isn't--" began the tramp more excited than before. "Imust--no I must not. Pray excuse me," he went on, with an assumption ofhis former grand air, "I must not refer to that. It escaped me before Iwas aware of it. Pay no attention to what I said. I was going to tellyou something, but the time is not yet ripe. Now let's fall to, for I'mstill imitating the bear in the predilection of my appetite," and heattacked the food with every evidence that he was speaking the truth.
The boys looked at each other in surprise. Ned, in particular, wonderedwhat the tramp meant by starting as if he intended to tell some secretand then stopping. Seeing that their guest was not observing him, Jerrymade a gesture that indicated the tramp might not be altogether rightin his head. In this view Bob and Ned coincided.
They were not alarmed, however, as the man did not seem to bedangerous. He was too busy eating to talk, and the boys soon forgottheir curiosity in making away with the food, for the trip across thelake had given them all appetites.
It was arranged that the tramp should sleep in the shelter tent,while the boys made use of the bunks on board the boat. It was nearlymidnight before they turned in, and the motor boys, at least, sleptsoundly until morning.
As for the tramp he may have rested well, but at any rate he was not alate sleeper, for, when the boys crawled out of their comfortable bedsfor a plunge into the lake they found he had built a fire on shore andwas boiling their tea kettle over it.
"That's very good of you, but you needn't have gone to that trouble,"said Jerry. "We have a gasolene stove."
"Tut, tut!" exclaimed the ragged man. "Water for coffee should alwaysbe boiled over an open fire. It has more flavor."
Thinking this was only one of the tramp's odd conceits the boys did notargue further with him. They took their bath, their odd guest meanwhilemaking coffee.
"If you'll tell me where the bacon and other things are I'll finishgetting this meal," he called to them where they were splashing in thelake.
"Shall we let him?" asked Jerry of his chums in a low voice.
"Guess he won't poison the stuff," said Bob. "Besides it will be readywhile we are dressing and we'll not have to wait."
Accordingly Jerry called out directions how to find the victuals, andsoon the savory smell of sizzling bacon and frying eggs was wafted overthe water. They had a breakfast fit for a king, and complimented thetramp on his skill.
A little later the tramp proposed that the boys take his rowboat andgo fishing on the other side of the island. They were doubtful aboutleaving him in charge of the camp.
"I see you're a little suspicious of me," the tramp said. "Well I don'tblame you. However to show you that I'm all right read that."
He held out a slip of paper, on which was written:
"This man can be trusted. Henry Dalton, Chief of Police, Cresville, Mass."
"If the chief says you're all right, I guess that's enough for us,"spoke Jerry, as he handed the paper back. "We'll take a day off andgo fishing. Don't let any one come bothering around our camp. We havereason to believe an enemy of ours is on this lake. He would do us someharm if he could."
"There are enemies of mine, also," said the tramp. "But have no fear.I'll look after things."
Getting some bait and fishing tackle the boys started off in thetramp's rowboat. They did not take any lunch, as they planned comingback at noon.
"Do you think it's all right to trust him?" asked Ned.
"I'm sure it is," replied Jerry. "That note from the chief was genuine.I know his writing, and the paper was the same as the chief uses in hisprivate office. I got a permit once from him to carry a revolver. Youremember, when we made our first auto trip."
Satisfied that their belongings had been left in good hands, andwere safe from any chance intrusion from Noddy Nixon or his cronies,the boys put in an enjoyable morning fishing. They made several goodcatches, and when the sun indicated that it was nearly noon, they rowedaround the island to camp.
"I hope he has a good fire going so we can cook some of these fish,"observed Bob.
"I guess he will be ready for us," said Ned. "He seems to be a willingworker."
Sure enough, when the boys rowed to shore they found their odd guesthad built a fine fire in an improvised oven, and was all ready toproceed with cooking the fish. It was the best meal the boys had eatensince coming to camp, and they had the tramp to thank for the majorpart of it. The ragged man proved he had a better appetite even thanChunky, which is saying a great deal. The fish were done to a turn, andthe bacon gravy gave them a most excellent flavor.
So heartily did all eat that they were too lazy to do anything butlounge around after dinner. They stretched out under the trees andbefore they knew it the boys had dozed off.
Jerry was the first to awaken. It was about three o'clock when he satup, rubbing his eyes, and, for a moment wondering where he was. Then hesaw the lake through the trees and remembered. He looked around and sawBob and Ned still stretched out on the sward. The tramp was nowhere insight.
"I wonder if he's gone fishing," thought Jerry. "He's a queer duck. Imust take a look at our motor boat."
Slowly he walked to where the _Dartaway_ was moored. He saw she wasriding safely. Then he looked for the rowboat. It was nowhere to beseen, though it had been tied close to the motor craft.
"I guess he's slipped away," thought Jerry.
At that instant the sound of oars being worked caught his ears. Helooked up and saw, coming around the point of the island, the tramp'scraft. But the tramp did not seem to be in it. Instead it held afisherman, with a broad brimmed hat, a corduroy coat, green goggles on,and a big basket hung over one shoulder. In the boat two poles could beseen, also a gaff sticking up.
"Some one has stolen his boat," thought Jerry. "Hi there!" he called."Where you going?"
"Fare thee well!" called back the fisherman. "I must away on mymission."
"Come back with that boat!" yelled Jerry.
"Why so? 'Tis mine," came back the answer over the waters as thefisherman rowed farther out from shore. "Sorry to leave you in thisfashion, but my mission calls."
"Why it's the tramp!" exclaimed Jerry, as he recognized the voice ofthe ragged man in spite of his queer disguise. "But where in the worlddid he get that rig?"
"What's the matter?" asked Ned, having awakened and coming down to joinJerry.
"There goes our tramp," said Jerry.
The tramp was now quite a distance out. He stood up in his boat.
"Look--in--your--coffee--pot!" he called. "I--left--a--message!"
Then he sat down and began rowing hard.
"Hurry up, get the coffee pot!" cried Jerry. "We must get at the bottomof this!"
He and Ned ran back to the tent. They found the pot set in the middleof the table. Jerry threw back the cover. Inside was a piece of birchbark, on which was written in pencil:
"Where the _bluebird_ spreads her wings, there you'll find the stolen things. Search her deep, and search her through, you will find I'm speaking true."