SHOWING BLUFF AND JERRY
It pleased Frank to set out in almost a direct line for the rocky
ledges. He wanted to cover once more the ground which he and Will had
passed over on their way to camp.
"In the first place," he explained to the others when they remarked on
this fact, "there were several interesting sights that Will said he
wanted to snap off; and his supply of film had run short the other
day. Then we know this route, and can point out a lot of things.
Besides, it's a short way to the place, which is a good excuse for
taking it."
In due time they reached the rocks, and both Bluff and Jerry must
creep under the friendly ledge, to see for themselves what sort of
shelter their chums had found from the storm.
"Couldn't be beaten, and that's a fact, Frank!" was Jerry's final
verdict, after he had remained under the rock for a time.
"And in such a terrible electric storm," added Bluff, sagely, "I
don't know of a better place to take refuge than under a shelf of
rock. There's no danger of being struck by the lightning, and only a
slim chance of an avalanche tumbling down on top of you."
"All boys ought to make a note of a thing like that," urged Will,
wisely nodding his head as might a school-master. "When a storm comes
along in summer time, with thunder and lightning, they should never
dream of taking shelter under a tree or in a barn. Frank, I'm right
there, I reckon, am I not?"
"Every time!" responded the other vigorously. "It's better to drop
flat down in the open and take a good ducking, rather than risk
chances under a tree or in any sort of barn. Lightning picks out those
objects for a blow. But I think myself a shelf of rock like this is
about the finest shelter going."
"And I'll always be on the lookout for places like this," asserted
Bluff, who could take a lesson to heart for all his bluffing ways.
"I can promise you I will," added Will, "because while I'm still sore
from lying so many hours on that hard stone, I feel deep down in my
heart that I ought never to look a gift horse in the mouth. That rock
ledge was the best friend we had all through the terrible hurricane."
"Well, we're in no great hurry to get back home, are we, boys?" asked
Jerry.
"We started out with the intention of making a day of it," Frank
observed, "and there's no reason to change our minds. I'm going to
take a turn in a new direction, though in the end we may strike the
old trail that leads to the Point from Mr. Dennison's place."
Jerry looked at him eagerly.
"Now it so happens that everybody's gone and seen that place but poor
me," he went on to state; "and Frank, if we just happened to be in
that vicinity between now and sunset would you mind if I took a peep?"
Frank shook his head as though he did not wholly like the idea.
"The old gentleman seemed pretty huffy when we had our little
heart-to-heart talk with him," Will remarked, noticing this
disinclination on Frank's part; "and on the way down we made up our
minds it was none of our business. Jerry, I can guess that it's the
queer cry we heard that interests you more than wanting to see the
house itself, for I've good pictures of that."
Jerry laughed.
"Oh! I own up you fellows have kind of excited me a little when
telling about that thrilling sound you heard," he admitted candidly.
"I'd like first-rate to do some prowling around up there to satisfy
myself that it wasn't a peacock that screamed, or even a tied-up dog
that yelped."
"But I hope you'll give over that idea then, Jerry," said Frank
soberly. "You must understand that Mr. Dennison is a gentleman, for
all he looks so queer and acts so strangely. He's had something upset
him in the past, and chooses to live away from everybody."
"Yes," added Will, "and he's got a right to do as he chooses with his
own property, you'll allow, Jerry."
"Sure thing!" agreed the other, though with a shade of disappointment
crossing his face, "and I guess I'll have to keep my hands off, since
the sign is up 'no trespassing allowed here!' But anyway, I do hope we
shall run across Old Aaron and his Rod somewhere in our jaunt to-day."
Frank had nothing more to say on the subject. He was determined not to
yield to any temptation, and enter those forbidden grounds again after
being so plainly warned off by the irascible owner.
Leaving the rocky section of country, they began to traverse a region
quite different in its character. From time to time various
interesting things cropped up to attract their attention.
Bluff and Jerry wanted the photographer to snap off all sorts of what
they called "mighty absorbing subjects," but Will wisely used his fine
discrimination.
"Why, look here," he finally told them, "if I took your advice right
along I'd be out of stock in the film line before half the day was
over. And I don't know of anything to make a fellow feel worse than to
have used his last film and then run across a subject that he'd give
heaps to get."
"Will is right, boys," remarked Frank; "leave it to him to decide
things like that. I'd stake a lot on his judgment, you must know."
"Well," commented Will, with a chuckle, "I'm a ninny when it comes to
lots of things connected with outdoor life; but I do know something
about taking pictures, if I say it myself."
At noon-time they stopped and rested for more than an hour, and ate
the cold lunch that had been provided. It was warm, and consequently
no one felt sorry for the chance to lie in the shade.
Frank afterwards swung around in a half circle. He kept his bearings
all the time, and professed to know accurately just where they were,
and in what quarter the camp lay.
"For what's the use of claiming to be a woodsman," he told Bluff when
the other looked a little incredulous over something or other, "if you
don't keep track of your direction? I feel sure that as the crow flies
Cabin Point lies over there, right beyond that tree with the feathery
crown."
About three in the afternoon all of them owned up to feeling a bit
weary.
"But I reckon we must be getting within a mile or so of the lake,"
Jerry suggested. "I'm saying that partly because I've noticed how
Frank has swung around, and is heading in the direction he pointed out
when he told of our camp lying in that quarter."
"You hit the nail on the head when you say that, Jerry," commented
Frank; "for we're going to strike the old trail before another ten
minutes passes."
"Meaning the one that leads to the lake from Aaron's place, eh,
Frank?" continued Jerry, with a sparkle of expectancy in his eyes.
"That's right, Jerry," he was told quietly.
"Then I hope--" began the other, stopping suddenly, with half-opened
mouth, to listen, for just then there came to their ears a
half-muffled sound that might be the scream of a red-headed woodpecker
up on some rotten treetop, or anything else for that matter.
Will and Bluff uttered exclamations indicating that they recognized
the cry. Even Frank looked serious, while Jerry was plainly excited.
"Frank!" he exclaimed, "was that the queer cry you fellows told me you
heard those two times you were up here?"
"I think it was," replied the other; "but please don't go to getting
excited over it, Jerry. You know we agreed it was none of our business
whether a peacock on the lawn or a dog in his kennel let out that
yawp. The only thing that interests me about it is the fact that we
have proof that the high board fence around Mr. Dennison's place ought
to loom up any minute now."
Hardly had Frank said this than Bluff broke in with his customary
abruptness.
"Right now I can see a little patch of the same fence over yonder,
Frank. Notice that big beech, and look under the slanting limbs. How
about it, am I right?"
He was immediately assured that his eyes had not deceived him, for it
was certainly a small section of the tall fence that he had
discovered.
"I hope you will go close enough anyway," ventured Jerry, "so I can
see that strand of cruel barbed wire you say runs along the top of the
fence."
"Oh! there's no reason you should be cheated out of that little
favor," he was told by the leader. "The fact is we have to pass close
to the fence in order to strike that trail through the woods."
"The one he took when he struck my trap, and set my flashlight off,
eh, Frank?" asked Will.
"Of course it was that trail and no other," said Frank; "you remember
we followed it before, and came to the Point. We also agreed that it
was used by the old gentleman once in a while when he took a notion to
go down to the lake."
"Well, here's the fence, Jerry!" observed Bluff, as they came to a
full stop.
Jerry surveyed it critically, even stepping back the better to see how
the barbed wire entanglement ran along its apex.
"A rather tough job to get over that fence," he was heard to say, as
though half to himself, "though I reckon I could manage it if pushed."
"But I hope you'll never try it," ventured Frank, severely.
"I was wondering," continued Jerry, paying no attention to the
reproof, "whether that barbed wire was put there to prevent outsiders
from getting in, or to keep some one who was in from breaking out!"
Frank started, and looked serious. He even exchanged glances with
Will, as though they might have a little secret between them; but at
any rate he did not see fit to encourage Jerry to pursue the subject
any further.
"Suppose we let the matter drop now," he said, in that way of his
which all of them considered final.
They once more moved along, and, in following the plan Frank had of
reaching the old trail that led through the woods and tangle to the
lake, they kept close to the high fence.
Jerry looked around him from time to time, and whenever he chanced to
discover a knot-hole in one of the boards he immediately glued his eye
to the aperture as if in hopes of glimpsing the hermit's house, or
something else equally interesting.
As they did not hear him utter any expression of satisfaction after
several of these attempts, the others set his labor down as futile.
A short time later they neared the lower end of the fenced-in estate.
Frank knew he would run upon the trail near this point, and
accordingly he had his eyes fixed on the ground looking for the first
signs.
On this account he was not the first to discover something that came
to pass. It was when he heard an exclamation from Jerry that Frank
looked hastily up, and saw to his dismay that they were once more
face to face with the same old gentleman whom he and Will had
encountered.
Aaron Dennison had evidently stepped through a narrow gateway, for the
opening appeared just behind him. He must have been quite as
astonished as the boys at the unexpected meeting. Frank could see that
he was very angry, for his face turned red, his eyes gleamed, and the
muscles of his cheeks worked under the strain.
Knowing the impetuous nature of one or more of his chums, Frank
hurriedly blocked the path so that none of them might pass by. Then,
trying to control his own feelings, he faced the scowling owner of the
mysterious retreat in the wilderness.