CHAPTER III
TOM'S CHUMS ARRIVE
"Well, Tom, how about it?" greeted Dick, when our hero met him, soonafter having heard the details about the old mill and the wild man fromMr. Fairfield. "Is it all right for camp?"
"I should say yes, and then some more! Say, Dick, it's going to begreat! Think of it; a mystery to solve, and a wild hermit sort of achap, roaming around through the woods, looking for your scalp."
"Where's that?"
"Where we're going camping--where else? Here's the yarn," and Tom toldit as he had heard it. "How about that?" he asked when he had finished.
"Couldn't be better," declared Dick enthusiastically.
"Have you fixed things with your folks so you can go?" asked Tom.
"I sure have."
"Then come on down to the river and we'll take another spin in the_Tag_. I want to get out on the water, where it's nice and quiet, andtalk about going camping."
"So do I," agreed Dick, and a little later the two chums were once morechugging away, and talking of everything, from the best way to kill abear to what to do when the motorboat would not "mote," as Tom put it.
"And we may get some game up there," said Tom. "This Lake Woonset isaway up in the northern part of New York state, and it's wild there.I'm going to take my gun along."
"So am I," declared Dick. "When are your other friends coming?"
"I'll get 'em here as soon as I can."
"Say, Tom, maybe they won't want me to come along."
"Don't you worry about that," declared our hero. "I'm in charge of thiscamping party, and I'll take whom I please. But they'll like you allright, Dick, and you'll like them. That's sure."
"When do you think you'll go camping?"
"Just as soon as we can. In about a week, I guess. I'll have to get alot of things together. I've got a tent that will do, but we'll needanother small one to cook in, and a connecting piece of canvas for anawning so we can go from the kitchen to the dining room when it rains,without getting wet. The only thing I'm sorry about is leaving the_Tag_ behind."
"Why don't you take her along?"
"By Jove!" cried Tom. "I never thought of that. I believe I will. Iwonder if I could ship her to Lake Woonset?"
"I don't see why not," declared Dick.
"I'll find out from dad," declared Tom.
"Then go right back and do it," suggested Dick. "We might as well getthis thing settled."
Tom turned the boat back, and in a short time was getting informationfrom his father about the shipping facilities to Lake Woonset.
"You can get the boat up there all right," declared Mr. Fairfield, "butyou'll have to hire some sort of a truck to haul it to the lake, as itisn't near any railroad station."
"Oh, we'll manage it," declared Tom. "Now I'm going to mail the lettersto Jack and Bert."
The missives were posted, and then Tom and Dick began to make out listsof what they needed, and to get their camping outfits together.
This took them several days, and in the meanwhile word came back fromTom's two school chums that they would come on at once. They weredelighted with the prospect of going camping in such a location as Tomdescribed, though he did not give them all the particulars by letter.
"If we're going to take the motorboat," said Dick, one afternoon, abouta week later, "we had better make a sort of crate for it, hadn't we."
"Yes, and take off the rudder and propeller," added Tom. "It's going tobe quite a job, but I guess we can manage it."
They at once began this task, the tent and other camping supplieshaving been gotten in readiness to ship. At work on the crate for theboat the next afternoon, Tom was surprised to hear a shout behind him.
"Hi there, old man!" a voice called. "What in the world are you up to?"
Tom turned to behold his two school chums, Jack and Bert, coming towardhim.
"Well for cats' sake!" he cried, running forward. "I didn't expect youuntil to-morrow? How'd you find me down here?" for Tom was at work inhis boathouse.
"We managed to get off sooner than we expected," said Jack, as he andBert shook hands with Tom.
"And we hiked for your house as soon as we landed," added Bert.
"Your folks said you were down here, and we managed to find the placewithout getting lost more than ten times," broke in Jack with a laugh."Now what's going on? Tell us all about it."
"I'm going to take the boat along," explained Tom. "And say, talk aboutluck! We're going to camp near a mysterious old mill, and there's awild man roaming through the woods up there, who may sneak in and scalpus any night."
"Great!" cried Jack.
"All to the string beans!" exclaimed Bert. "How did you happen tostumble on such a combination as that?"
Tom told, and the two newcomers expressed their satisfaction inunmeasured terms.
"Let's start right away!" exclaimed Jack.
"Oh, there's lots to do yet," spoke Tom. "If you fellows will get offyour store-clothes, you can help crate this boat."
"Sure we will!" came from Bert. "We left our grips at your house. We'llgo back and change into our old duds."
"Good idea," declared Tom. "Mother's got your rooms all ready for you."
"We know. She took us up to 'em first shot," said Jack. "Great littlemother you've got, boy!"
"Glad you like her," laughed Tom.
A little later the three chums were back at the boathouse making thecrate. There was hammering, pounding, splitting and sawing--that is,when there was a cessation in the talk, which was not very often, asthe lads had much to say to each other.
Then, too, each one had a different idea of how the work ought to bedone, and they argued freely, though good-naturedly.
"Say, we'll never get anything done if we keep this up," said Tom aftera while.
"That's right. Talk less and work more," advised Bert.
"Here comes Dick Jones. He'll help," said Tom, and he explained thathis village chum was going to camp with them. Dick was introduced tothe two Elmwood Hall boys, and they liked him at once, as he did them.
After that the work went on better, for it was no small task to cratethe motorboat and an additional pair of hands were much needed.
"And what did you say the name of the lake is, where we're goingcamping?" asked Jack, during a pause in the hammering and sawing.
"Lake Woonset," explained Tom. "It's an Indian name. Didn't I mentionit before?"
"You did, but I guess I forgot it. Lake Woonset, near Wilden, in NewYork state. Say, Bert--!"
"By Jove, that's so. It just occurred to me too," interrupted Bert.
"What did?" asked Tom. "What's up? What's the matter with Lake Woonset?"
"Nothing, but isn't it near Crystal Lake?" asked Jack, a curious lookon his face.
"Yes," answered Tom. "But Crystal Lake is a small one. Why, what hasthat to do with our going camping?"
"Nothing much, only we've got some curious news for you. Who do youthink is going to camp at Crystal Lake?"
"I can't imagine, unless it's Sam Heller and that sneaking crony ofhis, Nick Johnson."
"Worse than that," declared Bert. "It's our old enemy, ProfessorSkeel!"