BLUFF REMEMBERS—CONCLUSION
“Wait, oh, wait up a minute, till I get my camera, and take a picture
of you coming home like that!” called Will, as he darted back into the
cabin.
He was out in a jiffy, and succeeded in getting them, to his complete
satisfaction. As Will seemed a master hand at developing and printing
all his pictures, it could be taken for granted that his work would do
justice to the coming back to camp of the expedition in search of the
giant moose of the Big Woods.
“Where did you run across Bill Nackerson, boys?” asked Frank, almost
the first thing. “And what makes him limp and groan that way? Has he
been shot?”
Of course it was up to Bluff and Jerry to explain.
“Before we try to give you the whole yarn, Frank,” said the former, “I
want you to take a look at his feet. He got both of them badly frozen
while sitting up in a tree most of last night with a pack of wolves
jumping at him.”
“What’s that—wolves?” demanded Will, getting interested.
“Like this one that tried to break in through the back of our bough
shelter, and that I nailed with a single shot.” And, saying this,
Jerry spread out the skin before their admiring eyes.
“Well, I should say you fellows _have_ been busy,” Frank
remarked, smiling with pleasure; “but keep the story until I can be
with you, please.”
With that he went over to where Bill Nackerson had dropped to the
ground, and offered to assist the man into the cabin.
“One of my chums tells me you’ve been unlucky with your feet, and got
them frosted a bit,” Frank said, in his pleasant way.
“Yes, that’s so, and I reckon I’m in a bad way,” Bill replied, with
lines across his forehead. “They were mighty kind to me, and I’m sure
ashamed of the way I’ve carried on while up here. It’s a lesson to me,
I tell you.”
“Well, let me help you inside,” said Frank. “I’m something of an
amateur doctor, and as I was born and raised here in Maine I know
something about frostbites and what to do for them. It may be I can
help you temporarily; though if it’s a bad case we must see Mr.
Darrel, and have him get you down to a hospital.”
Frank saw the man cringe at mention of the lumberman’s name, and he
knew the reason why.
Some time later Frank came out to where all the others were waiting,
the dinner having been postponed. It could keep, but that wonderful
story must be partly heard, at least.
“How about Bill?” asked Bluff. “Feet in pretty bad shape—eh, Frank?”
“That’s what they are, and I’m a little afraid he’s going to have lots
of trouble with them yet,” the other responded. “I’ll take a run over
to the lumber camp this afternoon. I want to see Mr. Darrel about
several things, and will try to make arrangements to get Bill to town,
some way or other. He ought to go to a hospital.”
“Will was just telling us that Teddy had owned up to you about hearing
Nackerson threaten to set fire to Lumber Run Camp,” remarked Jerry.
“Yes,” Frank admitted, with a smile in the direction of the confused
Teddy. “He had been bothered to know just what his duty was. You see,
although Nackerson has treated him badly, still he is a relative, and
blood is always thicker than water. Finally Teddy couldn’t keep in any
longer, and he told us all about it. That was the main reason he ran
away; he was getting afraid of Nackerson while the man drank so
heavily.”
“And now, please tell us a little of all that happened to you fellows,
before we go in to dinner,” pleaded Will.
“Make it as short as you can, Bluff,” said Jerry; “because, you see,
none of us have had a bite since last night, and Bill’s gone even
longer than that. I’m nearly as ravenous as those wolves were. Hit
only the high places, Bluff.”
Bluff made short work of it, for he, too, was hungrier than he had
been for many a day. After a rapid sketch of their numerous adventures
had been given, Bluff declared he would say no more just then.
“The rest will keep until some time when we’re sitting around the fire
and want something to help keep us awake,” he told them.
“Now let’s adjourn to the refreshment hall, where Teddy here has got a
fine dinner all hot and ready waiting,” suggested Jerry.
Luckily there had been a double portion made ready, because Frank
expected that when the two boys got in they would be almost famished.
“If you hadn’t shown up in another hour or so, Will and I intended to
start out and try to find some trace of you,” he told the returned
hunters.
“Yes,” added Will, “and I told Frank I wanted to be sure to carry my
camera along, because the chances were we’d find that the old bull
moose had treed you both, and it would make a cracking good picture!”
Later on Frank started for Lumber Run Camp. He took Will along, for
the latter had been so wrapped up in taking pictures that he had not
had much exercise of late.
They had no difficulty in reaching the lumber camp, and found Mr.
Darrel there. He was deeply interested in all they had to tell him.
“Well, I’m glad to learn who it was tried to burn us out here,” he
said. “And while he may not want to take the reward I’ll see that
Teddy has it before spring. He’s a big husky boy, and I think if he’d
like to stay up here with me, I could make a pretty fair lumberjack
out of him.”
“How about Bill Nackerson, sir?” asked Frank. “He is in a bad way, and
ought to be taken to a hospital at once or he may lose one or both
feet. I’ve done all I could, but he needs special care and treatment.”
The lumberman frowned, and then his face cleared.
“After all, it isn’t best to hold resentment long,” he told Frank, who
was more than pleased to hear him speak in that way. “That man is a
rascal, I surely believe; but he’s down and out just now, and I can’t
bear malice to a wretch whose feet are in such a bad way. Yes, I’ll
see that he’s taken to town in a wagon that’s going to start early in
the morning. It’ll be past your place an hour after sun-up. Have him
ready to go. And I’ll forget all about his evil work. But he owes a
heap to the outdoor chums.”
Frank and Will got back just as the shadows of night were gathering.
When Bill Nackerson heard how forgiving the lumberman had proven,
especially since he understood how the truth about the fire at Lumber
Run Camp was known to Mr. Darrel, he shed tears. Frank hoped they were
genuine, and not of the crocodile kind.
In the morning they saw the last of Bill Nackerson. The man asked
Teddy to forgive his harshness, which the boy eagerly consented to do.
Later on they learned that after great efforts Bill’s feet were saved,
though he would very likely suffer with them every winter for years to
come.
That afternoon two men came over to the cabin in which the boys were
camped. They turned out to be Whalen and the other companion of
Nackerson. It seemed that they had reached their cabin after a hard
battle with the storm; and as Bill failed to show up, they were
getting so worried they had come to ask the boys’ assistance in
locating him.
When they heard what had happened, they were apparently relieved in
mind, though professing to have had quite enough of their Maine
outing. They parted from the boys, declaring it to be their intention
to leave for civilization the first thing in the morning. This they
probably did, for the chums saw nothing of them again.
The days came and went, until the time arrived for Frank and his
friends to once more turn westward and head for Centerville, with
school duties awaiting them.
They were all sitting at the breakfast table with their belongings
packed waiting for the wagon to come which their good friend Mr.
Darrel had insisted on sending over to carry them out of the woods,
when Bluff started to say something.
Without paying any particular attention to what he was saying, he
commenced:
“I sure reckon this outing is going to take the cake. It beats
anything the outdoor chums have ever run up against before. Wait till
I get a chance to tell it to that friend of mine, who was boasting so
much what he had done the time he went into the woods with a fellow
named Clarence Masterson.”
“I’m glad you have had a good time,” laughed Frank. “You and Jerry got
your big moose horns; and now if only Will carries off the cash prize
offered by the railroad companies for the best wild-animal life
pictures taken by an amateur in the Maine wilderness, we’ll think our
trip has been successful all around.”
It seemed as though success had set in their direction with a
vengeance, for later on Will received notification that the pictures
he had submitted in competition for the big prize had been unanimously
selected. And really they were a fine lot; possibly ere this some of
you have admired them as displayed in the recent folders of the
enterprising railroads of the State of Maine.
Teddy said good-by to his new friends, and went back on the wagon,
meaning to learn the ways of a lumberjack. He had good muscles, and
promised to accomplish something in that line. The outdoor chums knew
that in Mr. Darrel the boy would always find a sincere friend.
Once again at home, they could exhibit the trophies of their visit to
the Big Woods with more or less pride and the wonderful pictures shown
by Will to back up the story of their trials and triumphs added
amazingly to the reality. We hope it may be our pleasing task later on
to recount still further adventures that befell Frank Langdon and his
three chums. Until that time, we must say good-by.
THE END
THE GO AHEAD SERIES
By ROSS KAY
On Smuggler’s Island
The Treasure Cave
Mysterious Old House
In the Island Camp
And the Racing Motor
And Simon’s Mine
These stories will appeal to any boy who is imbued with “The Go Ahead”
spirit. Whether on Smuggler’s Island, at Simon’s Mine or in The
Treasure Cave, the boys have adventures that are as thrilling as they
are unusual. The scene of each volume is laid in some beautiful and
historic part of our country. This adds to the interest and value of
the stories and makes them doubly attractive.
The Goldsmith Publishing Co.
NEW YORK, N. Y.
THE MUSKET BOYS SERIES
By GEORGE A WARREN
The Musket Boys of Old Boston
The Musket Boys Under Washington
The Musket Boys on the Delaware
Stirring times were these—and stirring deeds made boys into men
before their time.
Against the picturesque background of the revolutionary war, George A.
Warren tells a tale of heroism and patriotism of the boys of long ago
who heard the call of their country and rallied to the colors.
What trials of valor and responsibilities beyond their years comes to
“The Musket Boys” is told in an enthralling manner.
The Goldsmith Publishing Co.
NEW YORK, N. Y.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Outdoor Chums in the Big Woods, by Quincy Allen