CHAPTER X--A NIGHT RIDE
"Well, now that we're here----"
"Because we're here," Walter interrupted Cora, in the words of thefoolish song. "Excuse me," he added, as he caught her look, "I didn'tmean anything special."
"Now that we're here," Cora resumed, "hadn't we better----"
"See to the eats," broke in Paul. "No offense, loidy!" he hastened toadd, imitating a tramp, "but wees would loik a bit of a bite----"
"Speaking of bites," laughed Jack, "some fish wouldn't go half bad."
"Will you be quiet!" commanded Cora. "I want to say something!"
"Say on!" urged Jack. "Now that we are here, as snug as a rug in abug----"
Cora reached for something, she was not just sure what, and Jack,knowing that his sister had a straighter aim than have most girls,cried:
"Don't shoot, Davy Crockett, I'll come down."
"You'd better," Cora said, laughing in spite of herself. "Now that weare here----"
"She said that before," whispered Jack, but his sister took no notice,going on with:
"We must see about something to eat. We have enough for supper, butbreakfast will be another matter. I'd like to get some bacon and eggs.That, with coffee, will make a good morning meal."
"And what, if I may be so bold as to ask," came from Bess, "is to be themenu for this evening."
"We'll have a look," suggested Cora. Attached to the small galley, inwhich was a gasoline stove, was a sort of cupboard. An inspection ofthis did not reveal as much as Cora had hoped for.
"There isn't a great deal left; is there?" she said.
"I should say not!" cried Jack, peering over his sister's shoulder."Fellows, we've got to rustle for the grub! Don't all speak at once.Listen to that!" and he signaled for silence, which, when it came,enabled them all to hear the swish and patter of the raindrops on theroof.
"I'll go," offered Walter. "I'm hungrier than any of you, I guess, and Ihave a pair of rubbers in my valise."
"Regular fireman you are," commented Jack. "Why didn't you bring rubberboots?"
"And I see Cora has an umbrella," Walter went on, ignoring Jack'ssarcasm. "I'll go out in the rain, and----"
"Give a correct imitation of a duck doing its Christmas shopping!" gibedJack. "Wally, you're all right!"
"If you had some of his public spirit we'd all be better off," saidCora.
"Oh, don't um be mad at um's 'ittle bruver!" mocked Jack.
"Oh, quit it!" begged his sister.
"Where can you get anything to eat around here?" asked Paul.
"I don't know, but I can forage for it. The presence of that fishermanclearly proves that this is an inhabited land, and where there areinhabitants there must be food. I may find a country store, or, if Ican't find that, I'll find a house, describe our plight in such movingwords as I am able to command, and buy what they'll sell."
"I'd like a cup of tea," murmured Belle. "My nerves----"
"Are nothing to what they'll be when the ghosts of Camp Surprise beginto make the stairs stand on their head," broke in Jack.
"We have tea," Cora said. "I'll put the kettle on at once. It seems apity to have you go out in this storm, though, Walter."
"I don't mind a bit. I'm glad to do it."
"He'll say anything as long as there are ladies present," declared Jack."But wait until you're gone. He'll say you drove him to it."
Walter paid no attention to his tormenting chum, but began talking toCora as to what best he had better try to get in the way of food,provided he could find a store or a house where some might be obtained.
And then, having donned his rubbers, and taking Cora's umbrella, Walterset off on his quest. It was still raining hard, but the thunder andlightning had ceased some time since.
While he was gone the others began their preparations for spending thenight on board. The girls would occupy the main cabin, where there werefour berths. The after part of the boat had been enclosed in heavycurtains when the rain set in, and here the boys could sleep on thelocker cushions spread on the floor. They had done it on one or twoother occasions.
There were a few blankets, besides those for the bunks, but the boyssaid they would not need many coverings, as the night was warm.
Cora put the kettle on the gasoline stove, and as soon as it boiled, teawas made. There was condensed milk in the larder, and sugar for thosewho wished it, though Bess bewailed the lack of lemon, for she wanted to"reduce" she said, and some one had told her lemon juice in tea washelpful.
Cora was setting out what remained of the sandwiches and cake, and Jackwas eyeing, rather dubiously, the apology for a meal, when they heard ahail:
"_Corbelbes_ ahoy!"
"That's Walter!" declared Paul.
"And may he come well-laden!" ejaculated Jack.
"You poor boy!" exclaimed Cora, sympathetically, as Walter came drippinginto the after cabin. "Are you soaked?"
"Not quite so bad as that," he answered, laying down somebrown-paper-wrapped bundles.
"Never mind how _he_ is, what about the eats?" asked Jack.
"You are heartless," said Hazel, and then she wished she had not spoken,for Jack flashed a look at her, and whispered:
"Can you blame me for being heart-_less_ where _you_ are?"
"Oh, oh!" she murmured.
"Found a store about half a mile down the--well, I wouldn't call it aroad," and Walter looked at his mud-splashed feet. "Say, rather, downthe swamp. Found a store there, and I got a few things."
"I should say you did!" exclaimed Bess, who, with Belle, had opened thepackages. "This will be fine," for Walter had purchased jellies, jams,some tinned meat, bacon, eggs and enough canned food, together with somerather doubtful oranges, to make a substantial meal.
"That looks good to me!" declared Jack, while Walter divested himself ofhis rubbers, and put the umbrella where it would not flood the cabin.
"Oh, and even olives!" gasped Hazel.
"Olives for Olivia," crooned Walter. "Say, Jack, s'pose those overallsyou went bathing in would be dry enough for me?"
"Sure! Try 'em on. You'll look sweet in 'em."
"I don't care whether I look sweet as long as I feel dry," retortedWalter.
And while the girls prepared the supper, he changed to the garments Jackhad used, they having dried sufficiently.
With the hot tea, and with what Walter had foraged for, a really goodmeal was made. The young people were hungry, and their appetites made upfor any lack in the nicety of the food.
"It was a regular country store," Walter explained, "but they had somegood things."
"And now we have 'em," murmured Jack, tipping back on his stoolcontentedly.
It was still early, for the storm had brought darkness ahead of time,and, unwilling to retire so soon with no very good prospects ofsleeping, the boys and girls sat up and talked.
"I wonder what Mr. and Mrs. Floyd will think, when we fail to arrive ontime," remarked Cora. "I hope they don't send telegrams home, tellingthe folks we have turned up missing."
"I don't believe they will," argued Jack. "They'll know the stormdelayed us. And in the morning we can send telegrams ourselves,notifying our folks that we're all right, any reports to the contrarynotwithstanding."
The girls passed a fairly comfortable, and the boys a ratheruncomfortable night, but it could not, as Jack said, last forever, and abright morning sun made them all forget the discomforts.
Hot coffee, bacon and eggs, that were fresher, Cora said, than thehigh-priced ones at home, made them all look at the day's prospect withgenial spirits.
"And now we'll make another attempt to get to Camp Surprise," said Cora,as the anchor was hauled up and the engine set in motion.
"I'm surprised that we didn't get there before," Jack said.
"Oh, what a miserable pun!" groaned Walter.
Good time was made to the junction where Batter Creek flowed into theChelton river. It was not much of a junction and the creek was sounimportant a stream that Cora and her frien
ds had never thought ofgoing up it.
"But this time we did it in spite of ourselves," said Bess.
"It was only because of the mist and darkness that I made the wrongturn," declared Cora.
They stopped long enough to send reassuring telegrams home, and also oneto Mr. and Mrs. Floyd, explaining the delay.
Again they were on their way up the Chelton river, and for a time allseemed to go well. But four miles from their destination, engine troubledeveloped, and when the cause of it was discovered, it proved to be abreak that needed the attention of a machinist.
"We could leave the boat here and go on," Cora said, "but we have madearrangements to have it taken care of at Riverhead, and the man I haveengaged won't know what to think if we don't come."
"Oh, let's wait here until it's fixed," suggested Belle. "We want toarrive in style. It won't take long, and to go on we'd have either tohire another boat or go by wagon."
"All right," Cora agreed.
The repairs took longer than they anticipated, and it was not until lateafternoon that they were able to go on. This time they arrived safely atRiverhead, shortly before dusk, which was the time they should have beenthere the previous evening.
The man who was to dock the _Corbelbes_ was on hand and took charge ofthe craft. He also directed the party to the big waiting buckboard, incharge of a driver, that had been sent by Mr. Floyd to meet the girlsand boys.
"You're a little late," said the man. "Not that I mind, but we'll haveto make a night drive of it."
"We don't care," Cora said, "as long as the roads are safe."
"Oh, they're safe enough."
"What about supper?" asked Jack.
"Mrs. Floyd said she'd have it ready for you," the driver stated.
"I've got some sandwiches and a box of candy," observed Bess.
"Then we won't starve," said Jack.
"May blessing be upon thy head!" intoned Walter.
The driver looked at them in a queer sort of way, as though he did notknow altogether how to take them, and he was heard to murmur somethingabout "queer city folks."
The valises and other belongings they had brought along on the motorboat were put in the big wagon, the driver climbed to his seat, and,with the shadows of night falling, they set off up the mountain for CampSurprise.
"Some buckboard this!" remarked Jack, as he surveyed the vehicle.
"It sure is," responded Walter. "The largest buckboard I ever saw."