A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW
When the halt was made they were almost half-way to the cabin on the
Point. Bluff grumbled because none of them proved to be a modern
Joshua, able to command the sun to stand still for a sufficient time
to cover the remaining distance.
"Never mind about that, fellows," Frank observed, after laughing
heartily at the quaint remark; "what we want to do just now is to make
Moogs here as comfortable as we can, and then try to get some rest.
All of us are tired, and we've still a mile and a half to cover."
"And I want to serve warning right now," Jerry announced, "that the
first thing we do when we strike camp is to get the fire going, and a
big pot of coffee boiling. I'm as hungry as a wolf."
Frank found that the injured man was standing the trip as well as
could be expected. He suffered great pain, though at times a sort of
numbness came over his limb, as often happens.
Bluff and Jerry had found some dead leaves behind a log, and here they
decided to settle down. Frank and Will had already seen to it that
their patient was placed upon a bed of leaves, and had made things as
comfortable as possible for the poor fellow.
He seemed to be very grateful, and constantly assured them that their
kindness would never be forgotten, and that he would only too gladly
repay them if ever it lay in his power.
The small boy, Sandy Moogs, crouched alongside his father and seemed
happy just to know that everything was moving along in a satisfactory
way.
Frank was more concerned about the weather than anything else. There
were signs of a brooding storm. The low-hanging clouds they had
noticed in the afternoon close to the western horizon might push up
and cover the heavens.
That would be a serious thing for them, under the present conditions.
To be caught afoot in the woods far from camp by one of those
drenching rains was bad enough; but it meant a terrible risk to poor
Moogs should he be soaked through while suffering from such a wound.
Still the time passed and there was no particular change in
conditions. So long as he could see the stars Frank needed no watch to
know the hour. He knew when the moon would appear in the east, as
well as which of the bright planets would set by that time. All he had
to do when desirous of knowing how time was passing was to observe the
stars.
Jerry and Bluff could be heard talking from time to time. As for Will,
who was close to Frank, seeing the other lift his head for a look at
the sky above, he asked for information.
"What time do you think it is, Frank?" was what Will said.
"Close to eleven," was the immediate reply.
"Did you guess that, or are you reading the answer in the stars?"
continued Will.
"See that bright star a little way above the horizon?" asked Frank.
"Well, that's Mercury, and when it drops out of sight to-night it'll
be just eleven. When that other brighter planet goes down, look for
the moon to peep up. That will be at twelve-seven, according to the
almanac."
"You've certainly got it all down pat," chuckled the other, satisfied
that what Frank said must be exactly so; for he did not make a
practice of simply guessing at things.
It happened that when the big star did pass out of sight behind the
far distant horizon Will was watching, being wide awake.
"It's time for the moon to show up, thank goodness!" he was heard to
say, whereupon Bluff from his bed of dead leaves close by called back:
"If you look close you can see the sky lighting up over in the
northeast a bit. Trouble was you didn't remember that in summer the
moon makes a different sweep, and to do that often rises far away from
the true east."
They could all see that Bluff spoke truly, and that before long the
darkness that hung over the woods would be partly dispersed. Will had
been impressed with what the other had said concerning the phases of
the moon. He made up his mind that when he got home again, and could
find books on astronomy in the town library, he would study up on the
subject, for it promised to be interesting.
They did not start immediately, for it would be some time before the
light became strong enough to be of benefit to them. After the moon
could be fairly seen the boys sat around and made comments that were
not at all complimentary to the heavenly luminary.
"Wow! looks like she'd been out all night on a tear," commented Jerry;
"her face is that battered."
"Makes a regular practice of these all-night affairs, I reckon,"
chuckled Bluff; "no wonder she looks so peaked. Nobody can stand that
sort of life for long and not show it."
"Please quit looking a gift horse in the mouth," pleaded Will. "We're
staking a whole lot on that same old moon, it seems to me; and you
fellows are an ungrateful bunch. What if you hurt her feelings so she
puts her hands over her face, in the shape of black clouds? Where
would we be then, tell me?"
Finally Frank decided that they should start.
"Of course we must use an extra amount of care at first," he told
them; "and as the moon gets higher up the thing will come easier. But
be careful how you go."
"Yes, watch your step!" added Bluff, as he reached down to get a good
grip on the end of the litter pole.
The start was made in fairly good shape, and if their movements caused
the wounded man new pain he managed to repress his groans. Realizing
the great debt he owed these sterling boys, the woodcutter felt that
he ought to suppress the signs of suffering, at least as much as he
possibly could.
Frank watched to see with what confidence little Sandy again started
in the lead. He was immediately convinced that there need be not the
least anxiety concerning his ability to serve as a true guide. The
instinct was born in him; if asked how he picked out his course he
could never have explained save by saying he _knew_ it, and that was
all.
When they had covered about a mile Frank called for a rest. He felt
sure Will in particular must be getting weak and weary with all this
strenuous work, to which he was quite unaccustomed.
Sandy had offered to lend a hand, but was told to stick to his post as
guide.
"It's a more important service you can render leading us straight,
than the little help you could give lifting," Frank told the boy when,
for the third time, Sandy offered to relieve Will.
"We ought to get there on the next turn," decided Bluff.
Jerry was sniffing the night air.
"Why, it seems to me," he remarked, blandly, "that I can just smell
the lake, and according to my guess it can't be more than half a mile
away."
They waited to rest for about ten minutes. Then as Bluff and Jerry
began to manifest signs of restlessness Frank gave the order to move
along once more. Will declared that he felt able to keep on for a
time, long enough, probably, to take them over the remainder of the
ground.
There were numerous occasions when one or another stumbled, for with
poor illumination it was not always possible to see small
obstructions. Once or twice the man on the litter groaned, and at such
times the boys took themselves to task with fresh energy, afterwards
trying more than ever to avoid all such petty pitfalls.
"Pretty nearly there, I guess!" said Jerry, who felt sure he had
recognized some of the surrounding woods, although they looked
different to him in the weird moonlight from their usual seeming in
broad day.
"We'll break out of the trees inside of five minutes," prophesied
Bluff, going his chum one better, since he set the time, which Jerry
had not.
"Make it seven and I'm with you," Frank told them, knowing that a
certain amount of chatter would be apt to make them forget their
weariness.
"I even thought just then I could hear water lapping upon the shore,
Frank," remarked Will.
"That was what you heard, because I caught it too," he was assured by
the one in whom Will placed such confidence.
"Be ready, then, to see our old cabin as soon as we get to the edge of
these woods," remarked Frank; "everybody watch, and see who's the
first to call out. Of course you two fellows ahead have the best
chance."
Shortly afterwards Jerry broke out again.
"Frank, there's the water through the trees!"
"Yes, and with the moonlight playing across it like a pathway of
silver," added Will, who was a little inclined to be poetical.
"Home, sweet home," sighed Bluff; "be it ever so lowly there's no
place like home."
"Oh! quit that, Bluff!" urged Jerry. "Don't you know you'll make us
want to quit Cabin Point and hike for our real homes. Just let's keep
thinking of what a spread we're in for, once I get started hustling
the supper along. Wow! in fancy I can see it now, with the coffee-pot
boiling on the hob and--holy smoke! Frank, what does this mean now?"
"Tell us what's happened!" demanded Will, beginning to show signs of
excitement, as Jerry came to a full stop.
"Why, there's our cabin; can't you see, fellows--and as sure as you
live somebody's inside it, because the light is shining through the
window where that wooden shutter can't be coaxed to close tight. Now I
wonder what that funny business stands for."