CHAPTER XII
THE NIGHT ALARM
"Make him tell what happened."
"It's either that, or a douse in the creek for Jerry!"
"Hold on, fellows! Don't get rough, now! Sit down here and listen, onlypick a place where you can roll over with laughing, for it's sure thefunniest ever."
Then Jerry told them what he had seen that morning. He had kept therecital until evening, wishing to make merry around the campfire. Ofcourse, the others knew he had seen something humorous, since he couldnot keep from chuckling every little while; but all their hints andentreaties had not availed to draw him out until he was good and ready.
Jerry was not disappointed with regard to seeing them laugh. Even littleJed had to join in the merriment, for he could picture the rage of hisold tormentor, Farmer Dobson, as he straddled that limb and looked downat the triumphant bull.
"That happened hours ago, you say?" asked Frank finally.
"Why, it was this morning, when I was out walking for my health,"replied Jerry.
"Phew!" said the other, with a whistle. "What if they're still lodged upin those trees, boys?"
No one looked particularly sorry. Indeed, Bluff even laughed again.
"In that case, they must be feeling pretty stiff by now," he remarkedcarelessly.
"But I hardly believe the bull would stay this long at his post. Thefarmer knew that when he told Pet to just keep still and wait. When thebeast grew hungry he would be apt to wander away in search of grass, orperhaps go for a drink. Oh, I guess they got down all right," observedFrank.
"All good things come to an end, they say. Those fellows couldn't expectto keep up at the top all the time. But I'd like to have seen it,Jerry," said Bluff.
"Think of me, the most unlucky of fellows! Another royal chance goneglimmering! My rapid-action lens would have caught both of thosehigh-vaulters while they were in the air. Oh! what a loss to ourscrapbook! Jerry, if you would only get a little pocket camera, whatglorious things you'd capture!" sighed Will.
"Excuse me, if you please. One crank in the crowd is quite enough.Frank, is it our last night in this camp?" asked the other.
"If our plans go right, it should be. Adolphus will start in themorning, and I agreed to meet him at a certain point. We can pack upafter breakfast, and trail off into the mountains, taking our time,"replied the leader of the outfit.
"Let's have a squint at that map again, please," observed Bluff.
The evening passed as usual. Each seemed to be busy after his fashion.Even Jed had assumed charge of the fire, and kept up a cheery blaze,while he had a heap of wood close by, ready for use during the night.
In due time the boys began to show signs of sleepiness--yawning andstretching, after the manner of those who need rest.
"Who takes the first watch to-night?" asked Frank.
"I've spoken for that. You see, I hate to be waked up, once I get tosleep. It sort of keeps me aroused, and I get to thinking of all mytroubles," said Will.
"Poor chap! Too bad you have such a load to carry; but then you mustexpect a few good chances to slip past your machine. As it is, I thinkyou're doing famously, and that we'll have many a hearty laugh over theresults."
"Thank you, Frank. It's sure a pleasure to know that one of my chumsappreciates my humble efforts to satisfy the community, and lay upammunition for many a dull winter evening. Go to bed, fellows. I'm_it_."
With Frank's gun in his possession, Will took up a position where hecould observe things without being too conspicuous himself.
"Talk to me about that, will you?" muttered Jerry, as he watched thisaction on the part of his chum. "And notice how particular he is to sitwhere he can keep an eye on that black hole in the rocks. Don't worry,Will. We looked it over good and hard, and my word for it, there isn'tanother bear inside, big or little."
"Oh, I'm not bothering about that. I only thought that perhaps the mateof the one that was shot might come home, and I did so want to get asnapshot of a wild beast going into its den, with the whole campasleep," avowed Will bluntly.
"And if the ghost should appear again, make him stand for hispicture--hear!"
"Don't you worry, Jerry. My watch only extends to midnight, and thenFrank comes on deck, you see."
"Wise boy, to fix it so," jeered the other as he crawled inside histent.
Presently the camp was wrapped in silence. The fire had been so arrangedthat it needed very little attention from time to time. Will sat there,with the gun on one side, and his camera, ready for action, on theother. It was a question as to which he would seize upon in case of asudden emergency; but the chances favored the snapshot arrangement, forWill would rather secure a good picture than eat the best dinner evercooked, or shoot a prize buck.
But nothing happened, just as he had prophesied. At midnight, as he hadagreed, he crept over and aroused Frank. A touch on the arm wassufficient, for the Maine boy was a light sleeper.
"All right, Will. Coming," he said in a whisper, not wishing to awakenJerry; but from the sound of his heavy breathing it would require acannon to do that.
Frank assumed the position vacated by his chum, but he noticed that Willcarried his camera, ready for instantaneous work, into the other tentwith him. Like a good soldier, Will doubtless believed in sleeping onhis arms, so as to be able to get to work at the call of duty.
Frank wondered whether anything would happen to bring about an alarm. Hesettled himself down to watch with the determination to use his eyes tosome advantage if that ghost happened around again.
What he had heard only whetted his curiosity, and he wished greatly tosee for himself. So as the minutes glided along he remained wide-awake,and waiting for he hardly knew what.
Perhaps those Peters fellows might come around, bent upon playing one oftheir miserable practical jokes. He rather suspected, however, that bythis time they might have concluded that they had had enough, and wereheaded back to town.
Well, how about Farmer Dobson and his hired man? Suppose they hadmanaged to get away from the sentinel bull, would they, too, go backhome, or continue to haunt the vicinity, spurred on by the hope ofcapturing the bound boy?
Frank was inclined to believe that such might be the case. He knew thatDobson seemed worried because of those welts on Jed's back, and which,if seen just now by Bluff's lawyer father, might get him into trouble.Hence, he would be apt to try still further in order to kidnap the boy,who could then be kept secluded until all signs of his cruel treatmenthad passed away.
Frank had also made up his mind how he would act in case the vindictivetiller of the soil appeared in view, crawling into the camp. He evensmiled a little at the prospect of holding him up a second time, andcalling the others out to witness his humiliation.
Perhaps an hour had gone thus when he heard a slight sound.
"Something is moving over yonder, sure enough," he said in an undertone.
He sat perfectly still, his eyes fastened on the point where therustling in the bushes had caught his attention.
Presently he could see the dim outline of a huge bulk.
"It's no animal, but a man or boy creeping up," he concluded, afterwatching this for another minute.
Then a head was cautiously raised. Frank felt glad that he had taken thepains to sit in the shadows, where he could not be easily seen. Higherarose the head.
"H'm! So it's the farmer, all right, bent on taking poor Jed home. Heseems to be a very persistent old codger. Just wait, and I'll give himthe scare of his life. Bulls won't be in it," muttered the watcher.
He moved his gun up inch by inch, so that he could discharge it at theproper time. Not that he had the slightest intention of doing Dobson theleast bodily injury, beyond the fright that an unexpected shot wouldbring.
Back of the moving figure of the farmer he could see a second form.
"His man Friday. Well, I'll include him in the performance, too,"thought Frank, who was always generous by nature.
Sometimes the best-laid plans go wrong. The
farmer doubtless believed hecould enter the camp in this brazen way, hunt around until he found Jed,and then force the poor lad to accompany him home.
Frank, on his part, expected presently to take part in the performance,and was even figuring on how high the farmer would jump when the flashof the gun came, accompanied with the crash of the discharge.
Both were counting without their host, for it seemed that there wasstill another element that meant to be taken into consideration.
Just as Frank had his finger pressing on the trigger, and felt sure thatit was time for him to let go, there was an unearthly shriek from thedirection of the rise to the right of the camp. Looking hastily thatway, Frank saw a sight that instantly riveted his attention, and causedhis nerveless finger to fall away from the trigger of his gun.
"The ghost walks! And just in time to get a large and select audience!"he exclaimed, as he saw a shining figure rear up in full view,glistening just as Will had said, with a phosphorescent glow, and onehand waving in a commanding manner, as though urging upon thetrespassers the necessity of a quick departure.
Loud cries attested to the fact that Farmer Dobson and his hired man hadreceived the shock of their lives.