CHAPTER III--THE TELL-TALE PICTURE
Once again all was excitement aboard the steamboat.
Jerry and Bluff dropped into their frail craft with the practicedbalance of experienced canoeists. Frank did not mean to be left behindin the wild race, managed to occupy a place in the craft of Jerry. Heseized upon the single paddle, intending to work his passage, and makeup for the additional burden.
As they started off they could hear the captain giving orders to thecrew.
"He means to turn the boat around, and start after the thieves himself!"cried Jerry, as he dipped his double-blade swiftly on one side and thenthe other.
Both little mosquito craft were by this time fairly flying through thewater. As those who wielded the paddles faced forward they were able tosee what progress they made all the time toward overhauling the escapinghoboes.
"Not much hope," declared Frank, finally.
"They're two-thirds of the way in to shore. We are gaining, but notenough by half to overhaul them," announced Bluff, making valiantprogress.
"Tell me about this, but I hope Will sees his opportunity to snap off agood view. This has your race beat to a frazzle, Bluff!" shouted Jerry.
"There comes the steamboat! The captain is heading to cut them off,"said Frank.
"But he's too far away. Besides, it's too shallow in there, and if heknows his business he'll never try to go much closer. A fire is badenough, not to speak of a stranded boat," observed Bluff.
The two men in the double canoe were working like steam-engines to makeprogress. They handled the paddles fairly well in unison, and as Frankhad said, showed a familiarity with the blades that spoke of formerexperiences.
As the three boys paddled on they saw the leading canoe shoot up on theshelving beach. Then the tramps scrambled ashore.
"Hold on there, you!" bellowed Bluff, in his excitement; "we want totalk with you!"
For answer the two men only made derisive motions. Then they vanished inthe thick timber.
"They're gone, all right, boys. I reckon it will take some hunting tofind such slippery rascals again," remarked Frank, with a laugh; for itwas not his packet that had been stolen, and he had no reason to bedeeply concerned.
"What will we do now?" demanded Bluff, looking as disappointed as thoughhe had just lost a race.
"Recover our canoe, and put across the lake to where Will stands on thatdock."
"But see here, Frank, do you mean to let those fellows get away?" askedJerry.
Jerry was always the impulsive one of the four chums. His characteristictemperament often got him into hot water. Only the preceding Fall whenthe boys had taken a trip into the woods, owing to a storm unroofing theAcademy at Centerville, as narrated in the preceding volume of thisseries, entitled "The Outdoor Chums; or, First Tour of the Rod, Gun andCamera Club," he had found himself precipitated into numerousdifficulties because of this failing. Frank was frequently compelled torestrain this impulsiveness on the part of his chum. On this campingtrip they had met with many strange adventures, including an invasion ofthe camp by a wildcat, a bear and also some enemies who wished to dothem harm by setting fire to their tents; Jerry had lost himself in theforest and encountered numerous exciting adventures, and there hadfollowed a series of mishaps that had all winter long given the chums asubject for entertainment and discussion.
Frank was pleased to find that the tramps had not been vindictive enoughto try and do any harm to the frail craft in which they had made theirescape from the steamboat.
For this he was disposed to feel a little kindly toward them. It alsomade him more convinced than ever that they must have a tender spot intheir evil hearts for a canoe, and could not bear to smash up such adelicate little craft.
The steamboat was lying off-shore, and our boys headed in such adirection that they could talk back in answer to any questions asked bythe captain.
"Did they get clean away?" called the commander of the boat, using hishands in lieu of a megaphone.
"I reckon they did, Captain. They skipped into the timber, and that wasthe last thing we saw of them," replied Frank, pausing for a minute inhis labor.
"That's bad. We were in hopes you could capture them," said the other,looking plainly worried over what future troubles were in store for hiscompany.
"Boys, I thank you for the trouble you took, and hope to see you again,"shouted Mr. Pemberton. "I'm going to get off at Centerville, and engagethe sheriff to hunt high and low for those rascals. If you hear ofanything, please look me up. It is mighty important that I recoverpossession of that missing packet."
"All right, we'll be glad to do so, sir. We expect to spend the Easterholidays in the woods somewhere along the lake, and it's just possiblewe may run across those two hoboes again," answered Frank, dipping hispaddle in deeply again, and sending his boat after those of hiscompanions that were flying on ahead.
They allowed him to catch up, for Jerry wanted to ask a question or two.
"Say, do you really suppose we could meet with those scamps again?" hesaid, eagerness showing in his eyes; for Jerry loved excitement, thoughfond of calling himself a square sportsman, always giving the game everypossible chance.
"About one chance in ten; still, it's there. If they hang around herefor any reason, and we're in the woods, you can see we might run acrossthe couple," replied the other, quietly.
"Talk to me about your volunteer fire companies, I reckon we've got acinch on the prize for rapid work," cried Jerry. "Only for you, Frank,that blessed old _Eastern Star_ was sure bound to go up in smoke. Thecompany ought to vote you a medal."
"And there's poor Will standing on the deck waiting for us to come inand tell him what all this fuss is about," remarked Bluff, as they drewnear the shore.
"Hello! you runaways, what in the wide world was all that row outthere?" demanded the stranded canoeist, as the others glided in close tothe little wharf upon which he was sitting with his legs dangling over,and the precious camera gripped tight in his hands.
"All sorts of things happening. The boat was on fire, and Frank heresettled that by grabbing up an extinguisher and turning the hose on theflames, while the crew was handling the buckets. The whole thing wouldhave gone up if we hadn't arrived just in time. Then there was a robberyaboard," said Bluff, eagerly.
"What! a robbery? Do you really mean it?" gasped Will.
"Certainly. A jewelry salesman had a valuable packet stolen from hisstateroom. It is believed that the fire was started just to cover therobbery. While we were talking over matters, trying to get the factsstraight, and decided on arresting a couple of hoboes aboard who weresuspected of doing the job, they ran away with the double canoe, andescaped into the woods across yonder," went on Frank.
"Two hoboes! Why, I saw them standing at the side of the steamboatlooking down at the canoes. They'll appear in the picture I took justthen, for the smoke was rolling up, and the view was magnificent,"declared Will.
Frank started and looked hastily out upon the lake.
"I'm afraid it would be too far to recognize the features of any one,even if you caught a first-class view," he remarked.
"Still there's a little chance. A magnifier or reading-glass might bringit out strong enough. Anyhow, I'm going right home and make the try,fellows. My roll is finished, and I might as well develop it now aslater."
"Bring it around to-night when we meet at my house to talk over ourcamping trip for the Easter holidays," said Frank.
"Where do you think we'll go, boys?" asked Bluff, anxiously.
"For myself I'm in favor of Wildcat Island at the southern end of thelake. Somehow, nobody ever goes there, and we could have a great time, Iimagine," remarked Frank.
"Yes, especially with the wild man that they say has his den somewhereon that same old island," remarked Bluff, shrugging his shoulders, as ifthe idea did not strike him favorably.
"Talk about your circus, a wild man appeals to me every time!" saidJerry. "I'm in favor of going there, particularly because it offers ach
ance for excitement. Suppose we captured this _thing_ and found thatit was a big monkey or orang-outang that had escaped from some menagerielong ago, wouldn't that be something to shout over? Me for WildcatIsland. How about you, Will?"
"To tell the truth I've always wanted to get some good views of thatlonely place, and I'll vote in favor of going there," returned the youngphotographer.
Bluff turned anxiously toward Frank.
"Are you backing these desperate schemers up in this madness, Frank?" heasked.
"Well, I'd like to explore that place very much. No one has ever doneit, so far as I can learn. Some say the island is haunted; others thatthere are rattlers in plenty there, besides furious wildcats; and thenthere's this story told about a wild man who has been seen several timeson the shore of the island. Why, yes, I'm in favor of going thereto-morrow, when we start out."
Bluff threw up both hands.
"I give in. Three against one settles the matter for keeps. WildcatIsland it is then for the Easter camp. But I refuse to accept any of theresponsibility for whatever may happen," declared Bluff, firmly.
"Speak to me about a quitter, will you? Listen to him knuckling downbefore we even make a start. He claims to have bigger lungs than me,does he? I'll have to admit that he can make a lot more noise when itcomes to squealing."
Bluff Masters turned upon the other indignantly, as he exclaimed:
"Wait and see who turns white first when that wild man bobs up. My lungsare in better shape than yours, and I can prove it any old day. Theregoes Will off, and I'm for following him. Bring a print of each picturearound to-night, old chap."
"Sure. And let's hope they turn out decent," answered the other, wavinga hand as he moved away in the direction of town, leaving it to Frank topaddle the big canoe to the landing where they kept the cedar craft whennot in the boathouse of the club.
Frank was a busy fellow during the remainder of the day. He had the jobof laying in the stores that were to see them through a whole week incamp; and when four boys get out in the open for that length of time itis simply astonishing what an amount of food they can dispose of.
But Frank had spent many a night under canvas and bark covers in Maine,and, in fact, there was little about camping he did not know. At thesame time he always made it a point to ask questions whenever he ranacross any one who had also been through the mill; for in this way evenveterans may learn new wrinkles by exchanging ideas.
About eight o'clock, Jerry and Will came in together, as they livedclose to one another. Bluff was not a minute behind them, anxious for aview of the pictures that had been taken that day.
"Say, how did they turn out?" he demanded, as soon as he entered theroom where Will was opening an envelope, and Frank handling a largereading-glass.
"Just bully, that's what. Never got better results. The water was in abeautiful ripple, you see, and that always adds to a picture. Here, takea look, fellows," with which remark Will scattered a lot of prints onthe table.
He had certainly become quite a clever hand at both developing his filmsand printing his pictures, for the results were as clear as a bell.
"They do look fine," commented Frank, as he commenced to shuffle themover; "and the smoke is pouring out of that old steamboat at a greatrate. I'm looking for the one you spoke about, where those hoboes arestanding in the sunlight on the edge of the burning boat. Here it is.Jerry, you would be apt to know better than I could if either of thesefellows has a familiar face. Take a look."
"If he don't, perhaps I may. I've lived around here three days longerthan he ever did," grumbled Bluff.
Jerry bent down closer and continued to stare through the reading-glass.
"Talk to me about your luck, boys, this beats the band!" he exclaimed.
"Do you recognize one of them, then?" asked Frank, eagerly.
"Sure I do, and I'm surprised Captain Amos didn't. The dumpy one isWaddy Walsh, the bad egg, who was sent to the reform school three yearsago. He must have escaped somehow, and joined the army of tramps on theroad," declared Jerry, positively.