CHAPTER IV A Strange Conversation
Barry and Kent surveyed the grinning Ford boys for a moment in silence,"the wind taken right out of their sails," as Kent said afterwards. ThenBarry grunted.
"Where'd you fellows hear about that lodge?" he demanded.
"That won't be much trouble to answer," Kent declared, before either ofthe boys could speak.
"They have been to your house, and Pearl told Mac. Whatever you tell oneof them, you tell the other."
Mac's only answer to the charge was a bland grin which admitted nothing,but Barry knew that Kent was right. His sister Pearl was an avowedfriend of Mac's, and the school chatter always linked their namestogether.
"I might have known it," Barry said. "Well, as far as that goes, itwasn't any secret from you fellows, but it mustn't get all over town.I'll warn Pearl to keep it quiet. I suppose you'll want to go along."
"Do we!" cried Tim. "Try and leave us home!"
"What do you think about skating up Buffalo River to the lake?" Kentasked.
"Good idea," Mac approved. "There are a couple of places where we'llhave to leave the ice and hike."
"I know that," Barry acknowledged. "But we can skate most of the way.How much of the story did Pearl tell you?"
They stood under the street light in a group, and the Ford boys toldwhat they had learned. Pearl knew most of the events that had takenplace at Bluff Lodge, and with only a few details Barry completed thestory. All the boys were now more eager than ever before to go.
"Let's keep the mystery part a secret," Kent urged. "We'll simply giveout the information that we are going on a Christmas-vacation campingtrip. That is partly true and is as much as anyone else needs to know."
"Do you think we'll run afoul of Wolf and his bunch?" Tim asked.
"I hardly think so," was Barry's reply. "We won't let them worry us ifwe do see them. Well, I want to get on home and do a little studying.Are you twins through with yours?"
It developed that the twins had simply gone out for a walk after theirevening meal and had dropped in first at Kent's and then at Barry'shome. It was the custom of the four boys to stroll some after supper andthen buckle down to their studies. They all made fair grades in school,and Kent was the outstanding one among them.
"Are you fellows going to win that soccer game against Berkley?" Kentasked the Fords, as they lingered for a moment in front of Barry's door.His question immediately plunged them into a discussion concerning thesoccer game, now only two days off. Tim and Mac were on the team, butKent and Barry had cast in their lots with the gymnasium group.
They finally separated, somewhat reluctant to split up, as they weredevoted friends, and the study table was less to be desired than theircompanionship. But as Mac expressed it, "all good things have to come toan end, even a plate of ice cream!" and with that the soccer playersstarted off on a sprint around the corner, while Barry and Kent went totheir front doors with less forceful energy.
Two days later Cloverfield went to Berkley to play soccer. The team hadgone down earlier in the day in a big bus, and the rooters followed incars and on the train. Barry and Kent decided to go by rail, as it was ashort trip and not too expensive, so they caught the proper train andwere soon in the small town and on their way to the athletic field.
The game was a stirring one, and the two boys in the stand were grippedby it. The two teams battled up and down the field fiercely, driving theball forward and being hurled back. It became so exciting that Barry andKent left the stand and followed the teams from one end of the field tothe other.
"Too doggone cold to sit in the stand today, anyway," Barry said.
Both teams were battling for a secure position in the school conference,and victory today meant something. The boys who had run out on the fieldin the short trousers and thin, sleeveless jerseys were now warm andglowing with the swift running and kicking and blocking. It seemed asthough it must end in a scoreless tie.
Mac and Tim had been battling to the limit. Tim bore down on a Berkleykicker and leaped into the air, blocking the sailing ball. Racing aroundthe almost spent player, Tim dashed into position to kick the ballacross the goal line. But the safety man was facing him, ready to bootthe football far down the field and out of danger. Just then Tim saw hisbrother cut loose and leave the tangled group. Mac's voice reached himin husky pleading.
Tim kicked the ball across on an angle, and Mac's toe met it with amighty boot that abruptly changed its course. Caught off guard, the goaltender made a mad dive for the oncoming ball. But he was a fraction toolate, and the soccer ball flashed across for the first goal and point.
Kent and Barry joined enthusiastically in the wild cheer that went upfrom Cloverfield rooters. In the next six minutes that remained, Berkleyfought fiercely to even the score, but Cloverfield fought as grimly toturn them back and prevent them from scoring. In this they weresuccessful, and the game ended with a victory in favor of the visitingteam by the score of one to nothing.
"Great work that the twins did," approved Barry, as they followed thecrowd out of the stand section.
"You're right," nodded Kent. "That gives us the edge on thechampionship. We'll congratulate the boys when we see them at home."
They found quite a crowd assembled at the station, and their train wasnot due for some time. There was a holiday spirit among the people, andthe station was decorated with wreaths and sprigs of Christmas greens.Toys and candy were displayed in one case. The stoves at each end of thestation glowed, and the heat felt good.
Kent and Barry joined a group of home school boys and chatted. PresentlyBarry left the circle and walked over to the counter to buy a newspaper.Obtaining one, he glanced over the headlines and then turned to thesport page. There were some comments on games and players, and he satdown on a high-backed station seat to read. On the other side two menwere seated and talking, but Barry was too absorbed even to glance theirway. It was a chance phrase that caught his attention.
"Anything new on that Bluff Lodge deal?" a voice asked.
The voice that answered was coarse and husky. "No. The old lady don'twant to accept my price. But let her hold out if she wants to. The valuedon't go up any. Not on that place."
There was a pause. Barry's eyes were still on the print, but he did notsee it. His ears were listening keenly. It was possible that they weretalking about some other place than the haunted lodge. The words of thefirst man came to him once more.
"Nobody will rent the place. She'll be ready to give it away beforelong."
At that moment the train puffed into the station, drowning out everyother sound. Barry growled inwardly. "It would have to get in just atthis moment!" Folding his paper, he stood up casually and looked afterthe two men, who were walking out to board the train. One was tall andthin, and the other was short and chunky. He was unable to see the faceof either one clearly.
"Now I wonder who those fellows are," he mused. "No doubt Dad will knowthem, if they are connected in any way with Bluff Lodge. And from theway they talked, they have an interest in that place."