[Transcriber's note: Unusual spellings are as printed.
A Contents has been added for reader convenience.]
[Frontispiece: Then he turned as if on a pivot and with a
suddenness which all but unseated the boy.
(_Page 51_) ("_The Lakewood Boys on the Lazy S_")]
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS
ON THE LAZY S
By L. P. WYMAN, PH.D.
Dean of the Pennsylvania Military College
AUTHOR OF
"The Lakewood Boys in the Frozen North," "The
Lakewood Boys and the Lost Mine," "The Lakewood
Boys and the Polo Ponies," "The Lakewood
Boys in the South Sea Islands,"
"The Golden Boys Series," etc.
A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York
Printed in U. S. A.
The Lakewood Boys Series
A SERIES OF STORIES FOR BOYS 12 TO 16
YEARS OF AGE
BY L. P. WYMAN, PH.D.
Dean of the Pennsylvania Military College
The Lakewood Boys in the Frozen North
The Lakewood Boys on the Lazy S
The Lakewood Boys and the Lost Mine
The Lakewood Boys and the Polo Ponies
The Lakewood Boys in the South Sea Islands
Copyright, 1925
By A. L. BURT COMPANY
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS ON THE LAZY S
Made in "U. S. A."
Contents
Chapter
I. The Rescue
II. Mr. Leeds Tells a Story
III. Slim and Slats
IV. Bob "Learns how to Ride"
V. A Sidewinder
VI. Bob Captured
VII. Bob Makes a Convert
VIII. The Raid
IX. Suspicions
X. On Watch
XI. Skeets Stages a Farce
XII. The "Tail" of the Mountain Lion
XIII. The Round Up
XIV. Conclusion
THE LAKEWOOD BOYS ON
THE LAZY S.
CHAPTER I.
THE RESCUE.
"That cloud over there's coming this way pretty
fast, Bob."
"Does look rather squally for a fact, but I've just
got to have it out with that pickerel. The beggar's
stole three frogs already and I simply can't let him
get away with a thing like that."
"Make it snappy, then. It's going to rain inside
of ten minutes and, from the looks, it'll be some
rain."
With a long cast Bob Lakewood threw his fourth
frog far over toward a patch of lily pads and, for a
moment, held his rod, a look of keen expectancy on
his face.
"He's taken it again," he announced a moment
later. "Now hurry up and gobble it down then we'll
see who's who."
"Bet you miss him again," his brother grinned.
Bob made no reply but gave a sudden sharp jerk
to the pole. This time there was a decided resistance
at the other end of the line and he hurriedly began
to reel in. But before he had recovered more than
a few yards the big fish, evidently making up its
mind that it had come far enough, made a sudden
rush for the lily pads and the reel hummed as the
line cut through the water.
"He's a big one, all right," Jack shouted.
Bob was pressing on the drag as hard as he dared,
hoping to stop the fish before it reached the pads,
knowing that once among them it was as good as
lost. He succeeded just as he was about to give up
hope and began reeling in once more.
"Stand by with the net," he panted.
Jack obeyed but the fish had not yet given up the
fight and, although the greater part of the line had
been regained, the rush which followed took it nearly
all out again. Four times this was repeated before
the fish, tired out with the struggle, lay gasping on
the bottom of the boat.
"He's a beauty," Jack declared. "Six pounds if
he's an ounce and that's larger than any we've
caught in this lake."
A low but distinct rumble turned their attention
from the pickerel and Jack sprang for the bow and
began hurriedly to pull in the anchor.
"We've got to get a hustle on if we're going to
beat it in," he declared as he grasped the wheel while
Bob turned a small switch. Instantly the boat
began to move, although there was no sound of an
engine. A small but powerful electric motor, run
by a secret type of storage cell, took the place of
the usual gasoline engine. Rapidly the craft gained
speed until, in less than three minutes, she was
cutting through the water at a rate of nearly fifteen
miles an hour.
"Better put up the top," Jack shouted a few minutes
later as the first drops of rain warned him that
they had started too late.
It took Bob but a moment to pull the canvas top
over the boat but it was raining hard as he resumed
his seat and moved the switch over another notch.
A sharp flash of lightning followed by a deafening
peal of thunder seemed a prelude to the sudden rush
of wind which swept over the lake kicking the water
into white caps all about them.
"She's a hummer, all right," Jack shouted, but
so loud was the howling of the wind that Bob
scarcely heard him. "You giving her all she's got?"
he yelled a moment later.
"She's on the last notch," Bob shouted back, but
the crackling of the thunder added to the roaring of
the wind, made it doubtful if Jack heard him.
By the time they were half-way to the wharf the
lightning was almost incessant and the rain was
coming down in sheets, shutting out the shore and Jack
was steering wholly by instinct.
"Better slow her down," Jack shouted a little
later. "I can't see more than a few feet ahead but,
unless we're off the course we must be pretty near
in."
"Just what I was thinking," Bob shouted as he
pushed back the lever several notches.
The wind being dead against them the boat
rapidly lost headway and Bob soon had to advance the
lever a couple of notches in order to maintain
headway. The rain was falling so rapidly now that the
surface of the lake was almost smooth, the waves
being beaten down by the force of the water before
they could rise hardly above the surface.
"It must be a cloudburst," Jack yelled back.
"And then some," Bob added, shouting at the
top of his voice.
A few more minutes passed and suddenly Jack
shouted:
"Reverse her, quick."
Bob obeyed the order and the propeller churned
the water in the effort to overcome the momentum
of the boat.
"Just right."
The words came just as the boat struck something
with the slightest of shocks and, in another minute
she was securely fastened under the lea of the wharf.
"Talk about luck," Jack grinned as he shook the
water from his arms which had been soaked as he
reached out beneath the canvas top in order to make
the boat fast.
"Don't see how you did it," Bob assured him.
"Just pure luck," Jack repeated. "My, but that
water's wet."
Bob was about to say something when a shrill cry
arrested his attention and, glancing out through the
tiny window in the side of the top, he saw a woman
struggling to make her way toward them.
"Now I wonder----" he began, but before he
could get any further the woman had reached the
side of the boat and was making frantic gestures for
him to come out.
"It's Mrs. Leeds," he shouted to Jack as, without
a moment's hesitation he pushed aside a flap of the
covering and crawled out onto the wharf.
He was drenched to the skin in an instant but, from
the woman's appearance he had judged that something
serious was the matter. Nor was he mistaken.
"Clara's out there in a canoe," she cried, wringing
her hands.
"Which way?" Bob shouted back.
"That way," she replied, pointing down the lake.
"I saw her coming in just before the storm struck
and then the rain blotted her out and--and,----" But
she could say no more.
"We'll get her," Bob shouted, jumping back into
the boat.
"Get the top down, quick, old man," he cried.
"We'll need all the eyes we've got. There's a girl
out there somewhere and it's up to us to find her.
Make it snappy now."
The top was down and the boat untied by the
time he had finished speaking and in another minute
was racing down the lake. The motor as well as
the cell was inclosed in a watertight casing so there
was no fear of the rain, which continued with
unabated fury, interfering with the running of the
boat.
They were now running nearly with the wind and
so great was the speed that Bob soon shut off the
motor entirely, and even then the boat sped through
the water at a rapid rate.
"She must be blown clear across the lake by this
time unless she capsized," Jack shouted after they
had been gone from the wharf about five minutes.
"God help her if she did," Bob cried straining his
eyes to pierce the wall of water which seemed to
shut them in on all sides.
"Better give her a little juice," Jack advised.
"We'll never catch a canoe at this rate. It'll blow
faster than we will."
"Right you are," and Bob threw over the lever
a couple of notches.
The boat leaped forward like a thing alive and
for an instant the wind seemed to die down to a
gentle breeze, but he knew that it was blowing as
hard as ever. Then, almost as quickly as it had
come, the rain lessened. It was, as Jack afterward
declared, almost as though someone had turned off
a spigot.
"There's the canoe," Jack shouted a moment later
pointing to the right and, at the same time, swinging
the boat about in a wide sweep.
Following his gesture Bob saw the canoe, bottom
up, bobbing up and down on the waves, which, now
that the rain had nearly ceased, were running high,
and his heart sank within him as the certainty of the
girl's fate struck him. But a moment later he was
electrified as Jack cried out that she was clinging to
the stern. And now, as they came nearer he could
see that he was right. A slim arm reached up out
of the water and a hand was fastened to a ring in the
end of the canoe. But, even as he gazed, the fingers
lost their hold and were gone.
In an instant Bob had kicked off his shoes and
thrown aside his coat. Then, as the boat swept up
close to the canoe, he disappeared over the side.
Down he swam, striving to pierce the water with his
eyes. It must be pretty deep here, he thought,
kicking out more lustily as the pressure in his lungs
warned him that he must soon have air. He failed
to reach the bottom before he knew that he must
give up and had just turned for the rise when his
eye caught sight of an object a few feet to his right.
It was she and with a prayer that he might be able
to hold out, he plunged desperately for her. Grabbing
her by the hair he beat the water frantically
with his free hand and slowly rose toward the
surface, although it seemed to him that they were
stationary.
Would they ever reach the air? His lungs seemed
on the point of bursting, but the thought of dropping
his burden never entered his mind. Desperately he
worked his legs in an effort to hurry their progress.
Then, just when it seemed that he could stand it no
longer, his head broke through the water and he
breathed the life-giving air.
Raising himself as high as possible, so as to hold
the girl's head above water, he shook the water from
his eyes and looked about. Jack was only a few
yards away and had already caught sight of him.
"Hold hard a minute," he shouted encouragingly.
Bob was certain that the girl was unconscious and
he feared that she might be dead, although he hardly
thought it likely, as she had been beneath the water
not more than two minutes at the most. He trod
water with all his strength and, although it seemed
to him a long time, it was not more than a minute
from the time his head appeared above the water,
when Jack reached over the side of the boat and
lifted the girl aboard. He quickly followed saying
as he climbed over the side:
"Full speed for home, old man, and I'll see what
I can do for her."
He had long been an expert at "first aid" and,
throwing a long cushion onto the bottom of the boat,
he placed her face down upon it. Then, placing his
hands beneath her, he gently raised her up and held
her while the water ran from her mouth. Then,
turning her onto her back he began raising and
lowering her arms in an effort to start respiration.
Soon he was rewarded by a faint tinge of color
which stole back to her face and a moment later
she gave a slight gasp and opened her eyes.
In spite of the wind, which still blew a gale, the
boat was plowing through the water at a good rate
throwing the white spray high on either side of
the bow.
"How did I----?" she whispered, but Bob placed
his fingers gently over her lips.
"Don't try to talk now, please," he cautioned her.
"You are safe and will be all right in a short time
but, just now, you need all your strength."
She obediently closed her eyes and, by the time
they reached the wharf some ten minutes later, she
was breathing easily and regularly. Half a dozen
people, including the girl's mother, were on the
wharf, and they broke into shouts of joy as they
saw that the girl was safe. Tears were streaming
from the mother's eyes as she took the girl from
Bob's arms and clasped her to her breast.
"My darling," she sobbed. "I thought that you
were drowned, but, thank God, you are safe."
"You'll have to thank those two boys, too," the
girl whispered.
But when Mrs. Leeds turned from her daughter
to look for them they were no where in sight.
Hating to have a fuss made over them, Bob and Jack,
as soon as they were convinced that the girl was all
right, had hastened to their room in the hotel which
stood just at the end of the wharf.
As their folks were all away for a few days, their
own cottage, situated near the head of the lake, was
closed for the time being and they were boarding
at the hotel.
"Old Wesserunsette can pick up quite a fuss when
she gets her dander up," Jack laughed as he began
stripping off his wet clothes.
"I'll say she can," Bob agreed, glancing out of
the window. "Look at those white caps out there.
It's no wonder she tipped over."
"And now, I suppose the boy hero will have to
marry the pretty girl he saved from a watery grave
and live happily ever after," Jack gibed and dodged
just in time to escape a wet shoe. "Oh, well, if you
feel that way about it, I'll keep still," he laughed.
"You better had," Bob growled, struggling to
pull off a wet sock.
"What do you suppose became of that canoe?"
Jack asked a few minutes later. "I forgot all about
it."
"Same here. But I guess it'll be all right. It
can't sink and it's probably been blown ashore by
this time."
"If it doesn't pound to pieces on the rocks."
"Well, it can't be helped now. We'll have a look
for it after supper if the wind goes down."
"There goes the supper bell," Jack said a few
minutes later. "I hate to go down for fear they'll
make a big fuss over us and I do hate that sort of
thing."
"Same here, but we've got to face it sometime
and I suppose we might as well go down now and
have it over with."
There were some twenty-five or more people in
the dining-room as they entered and their worst
fears were realized. Everyone stood up as soon as
they appeared and a big man over in one corner
shouted:
"Three cheers for the Lakewood boys!"
The cheers were given with a will and all they
could do was to stand still and blush.
"Speech," someone shouted.
The room suddenly became quiet and Bob, after
a hasty glance around, as though looking for a
chance to escape, said:
"Thank you all but----"
"No buts about it," someone interrupted.
"All right," Bob said, "no buts goes, so we'll
again say thanks and let it go at that." And he
hastened across the room to their table closely
followed by Jack.
A loud clapping of hands followed and then the
folks, aware of the boy's confusion, turned to their
supper, much to the satisfaction of Bob and Jack.
"Thank goodness, that's over," Jack whispered,
as he picked up his napkin.
"But here comes Mrs. Leeds and Clara," Bob
groaned.
The Leeds, mother and daughter, were from New
York City and had been at the lake only three or
four days. The boys had noticed them several times
and had even remarked on the extreme beauty of
the girl, who was about seventeen, but they had
not met them formally. The boys rose as they
approached their table.
"I--I do not know how to thank you," Mrs. Leeds
hesitated as she held out her hand to Bob.
"Please do not try," Bob smiled as he grasped
her hand. "We are very glad that we were able
to do what we did."
"Modesty is a sure sign of true bravery,"
Mrs. Leeds smiled as she shook hands with Jack.
She then introduced Clara, who thanked them
very prettily but, as Jack declared afterward, "didn't
gush a mite," for which they were truly grateful.
"We expect Mr. Leeds to-morrow night," Mrs. Leeds
told them, "and I know you will like him."
"Everyone loves daddy," Clara added.
"We're going to take a look for the canoe after
supper," Bob said and added with a blush, "perhaps
you would like to go with us. The wind has
about died down and it will be pleasant on the
lake."
"Oh, say we'll go," Clara looked imploringly at
her mother.
"Why, I'm sure we'll be delighted if we won't
be in the way," she assured them.
Both Mrs. Leeds and Clara showed great interest
in the motive power of the Chum, as the boys
called the boat, and Bob explained the motor and
the cell which operated it. To the great satisfaction
of the boys neither of their guests referred
again to the rescue while they were on the water,
evidently sensing that it was their wish.
The run down the lake was quickly made and,
after a short search along the shore, they found the
canoe washed up on the sand and entirely uninjured.
They made the return trip more slowly, as
it was very pleasant on the lake just as the sun
was sinking behind the hills.
"I think I know how you feel," Mrs. Leeds said
as they parted an hour later, "but I must just say
thank you once more."
Although her words were so simple both boys
knew, from the tears which gathered in her eyes,
that they came from her heart, and they felt that
they had made some new friends worth having.