CAPTAIN JOE TAKES A PRISONER
Case waited patiently a long time for the return of his chum. When it
came near midnight he decided to awaken Clay and inform him of the
situation. The latter was out of his bed instantly.
"He shouldn't have gone," the boy said, anxiously. "There is no doubt
that he is in trouble of some kind. I'm sorry for this!"
"Well, he would go," Case urged, "and he promised to go only to the
shore and look around. Just after he left, Teddy splashed off the boat
and ran into the thicket. I presume the two are together."
"Of course they're together," said Clay, "That is, if Teddy hasn't
been discovered and shot. That is likely to happen."
"What shall we do?" asked Case anxiously.
"It isn't much use to go into the thicket after him," Clay decided.
"There is plenty of moonlight here, it is true, but the foliage must
make it very dark in the forest. It would be like looking for a
special pebble on the beach to try to find him now. We'll have to
wait."
"Perhaps Teddy will come and bring us news," suggested Case. "I have
known him to do such things. He's a wise little bear."
There was no more sleep on board the _Rambler_ that night. With the
first flush of dawn Clay and Jule were abroad in the forest, leaving
Case on watch. Although they searched patiently for a long time, no
trace of the missing boy could be discovered.
Here and there were tracks which must have been made by Teddy, but it
was not certain that the two had been together. After a time the boys
returned to the bank of the river just above the location of the
_Rambler_. There they found where a boat had been drawn up to the
bank.
"I don't see how they ever got a boat by us," Clay argued, "but they
certainly did, for they couldn't have got here first. They must have
sneaked up the east shore in the shadows and landed above the
_Rambler_. Are you sure that no boat passed down after Alex left?" he
asked of Case. "One might have drifted down without making much
noise."
"I was awake every minute of the time," Case insisted, "and no boat
passed down. When the moon swung around to the south, the whole river
was illuminated. I would have seen any craft that passed."
"Then it is certain that the intruders are still up river, perhaps
above the falls, and I am afraid that Alex is where they are. That
little rascal is always getting lost! He should have remained on
board."
"Yes, he gets lost," admitted Case, loyally, "but he always comes out
on top in the end. There wouldn't be any fun if Alex and Teddy were
not always getting into trouble. It sort of keeps things moving!"
"Well," Clay concluded, "the place to look for the boy is, as I said
before, upstream. Now, the question is, shall we take the _Rambler_
up?"
"I am afraid the motors would declare our presence," Case observed,
speaking from the deck of the boat, "and, besides, we couldn't go very
far on account of the falls, so, perhaps, we would better go up as far
as we can in the rowboat, making as little noise as possible."
"And what's the matter with putting Captain Joe on shore?" asked Jule.
"He may be able to point out the spot where the men left the river.
Anyhow, it won't do any harm to try."
"That's a good idea," declared Clay, "and I'll go along with him."
"I'm afraid you'll find it pretty rough walking along that bank," Case
suggested, "for the country is rocky and leads up to the plateau above
the falls, and small streams may run in from the peninsula. You might
have to swim when you wasn't climbing hills."
"I'll try it a short distance, anyway," Clay answered, "and you, Case,
remain on board and let Jule row up in the boat."
This arrangement was carried out, and in a short time, the little boat
was moving upstream, with Jule pulling cautiously at the oars. Clay
found the bank a difficult one to ascend. He was obliged to wade
through small creeks and climb rocky heights, but he kept steadily on
his way, with Captain Joe at his heels.
At last, they came to a creek which ran into the river at the foot of
the falls. On the south side of this creek, for some distance in, was
a level, grassy plateau, and here Captain Joe picked up the scent they
were looking for. The south bank showed that a boat had recently been
drawn up there.
Disregarding, for the time being, all commands from the boy, the dog
raced up the small stream, and finally disappeared in a thicket.
Clay hesitated, undecided as to whether he ought to follow the dog at
once or return to notify Jule of his discovery and secure his
assistance.
He had already lost sight of the dog, so he concluded that he might as
well return to Jule. This he did, and in a short time, the boat was
anchored at the mouth of the creek, and the boys were pressing on into
the thicket. Captain Joe was nowhere in sight.
"They certainly are on this side of the creek," Clay reasoned, "for
they couldn't very well make progress on the other side unless they
traveled in an aeroplane."
There were no tracks to follow, no indications of any one having
passed that way recently, but the boys kept pluckily on, listening now
and then for some sign from the dog.
"If he finds Alex," Jule declared, "he'll make a note of it, and we'll
hear a racket fit to wake the dead."
"And that will warn the outlaws of our approach," said Clay in a
discouraged tone of voice. "Perhaps we did wrong to bring the dog."
"You may be sure Captain Joe will give a good account of himself,"
Jule said confidently. "He may make a racket, but it's dollars to
apples that they won't catch him."
In a short time the clamor the boys had been expecting came from the
forest beyond. Captain Joe was barking and growling and, judging from
the commotion in the copse, was evidently threshing about.
"That's a scrap," Jule declared. "Perhaps he has caught one of the
men. If he has, I hope he's got him by the throat."
Pressing into the interior of the forest, the level grassy plateau
having long since disappeared, the boys finally came to a small
cleared glade and discovered the cause of Captain Joe's enthusiasm.
Teddy, the cub, was standing with his back to the hole of a giant tree
inviting the dog to a boxing match. Captain Joe's clamor indicated
only delight at the meeting with his friend.
Before showing themselves in the glade, the boys looked in every
direction for some indication of the outlaws, but there was no sign of
human life anywhere near them. No noise, save the cries of the
creatures of the air and the jungle.
"You're a fine old scout, Captain Joe," whispered Clay as he finally
advanced into the glade. "You notify everybody within a mile of us as
to our location, but you don't do a thing to help us find Alex."
At mention of the lost boy's name, Teddy dropped down from his
antagonistic attitude, and, thrusting a soft muzzle against Clay's
hand, moved away to the west.
"The cub has more sense than the dog," Jule exclaimed. "Captain Joe
makes a noise, and Teddy does the piloting. Do you suppose he knows
where Alex is?" he added.
"It seems to me that he is trying to tell us something," Clay replied.
"Anyway, we may as well follow him."
Teddy, who was an especial favorite of Alex's, and never lost an
opportunity of following him about, appeared to know exactly where he
was going, for he maintained a steady pace for half an hour or more,
keeping to the south shore of the creek for a time and then crossing
on a fallen tree to the opposite bank.
"Now," said Clay, "we ought not to follow close behind the cub. He
makes as much noise as a freight train going up a steep grade, and
we'll be sure to be seen if the outlaws are anywhere about."
"Perhaps he will go on alone," Jule suggested.
"In that case, we can skirt his track and remain hidden. That ought
not to be very difficult in this broken country."
Teddy turned about with an inquiring glance as the boys left his side,
but soon proceeded on his course. Fearful that Captain Joe would
indulge in another demonstration of some kind, the boys kept him with
them, Jule keeping a close hold on his collar.
"This doesn't seem much like a river trip to me," Jule grinned as they
passed over rocks, sneaked through miniature canyons and threaded
thickets alive with briers and clinging vines. "Seems more like an
overland expedition to the north star."
"There is one compensation," Clay added humorously. "Alex will get
good and hungry--and serve him right at that."
"Huh!" Jule declared, "Alex is always hungry anyway."
Teddy now quickened his pace so that the boys had great difficulty in
following him. He ran with his nose to the rough ground, his short
ears tipped forward, for all the world like a hound on a scent.
"Look at the beast!" Jule laughed. "Acts like he was a hound after
foxes. That's some bear, Clay."
"So far as I know," Clay answered, "he's the only cub that ever did a
stunt like that. Still, he's only exhibiting the advantages of an
early education, for he has long been trained to follow us."
After a short time the boys, advancing up a ledge and then into a
little gully, came upon Teddy lying flat on the ground, his nose
pointing straight ahead. When they came to him Captain Joe pulled
fiercely to get away, his nose pointing straight to the north.
"I guess," Jule panted, holding to the dog with all his strength,
"that they have located Alex. If you'll take charge of this
obstreperous animal for a while, I'll sneak ahead and have a look."
Clay finally succeeded in quieting the dog, and Jule pushed on up the
gully. At the very end, where the depression terminated in a wall of
rock, he saw a faint column of smoke. A closer approach revealed a
small fire of dry sticks with something cooking in a tin pail over the
coals.
Jule stopped and considered the situation seriously.
"Now, I wonder," he thought, "why Teddy didn't make a fool of himself
by rushing right up to Alex. I don't believe he's scared of the men,
and, to tell the truth, I don't see any men to be frightened at. Alex
seems to be there alone. Wonder why he doesn't run."
The reason why Alex didn't run was disclosed in a moment. The boy's
hands were tightly bound across his breast and a strong rope encircled
his ankles. For a moment there was no one in sight save the boy, then
a roughly dressed man came into view carrying an armful of dry wood
for the fire. Jule heard both the dog and the cub protesting at being
kept away from the fellow, and saw the man turn sharply about.
Then there came another revelation. With bound arms swinging out, and
bound feet kicking violently, Alex was ordering the two animals away.
Well trained as they were, they protested while they obeyed.
"Is that that bear of yours, again?" Jule heard the man asking. "If I
wasn't afraid of attracting attention, I'd put a bullet into him. Call
him up here and keep him quiet while I gather more dry wood. The boys
will be here in an hour or so and will want breakfast."
"That settles it," whispered Jule. "If the boys are so far away that
they won't be back in an hour or more, they won't find any cook when
they return. If I have my way, the cook will be tied up."
"All right," Alex said in reply to the fellow's order, "I'll call him
up and keep him quiet after you go away. He's been used to polite
society and doesn't like you!"
The man snarled out some surly reply and disappeared. Jule was at his
chum's side in a moment. The ropes were cut, and the two boys were
speeding back to where Clay had been left.
There was a little scene of congratulation, and then Captain Joe,
growling fiercely, leaped forward. The man who had gone in search of
wood must have heard the noisy greetings of the boys, for he came
running back to the fire. The boys saw him throw a hand back for a
weapon, heard an exclamation of anger, and knew that the dog was
springing at his throat.
The struggle was a short one, for the man who had been attacked had
not succeeded in reaching his revolver. When the boys reached the
scene the man was black in the face and the dog was shaking him
viciously by the neck.
"Captain Joe seems to know who his friends are!" Alex shouted.
"If we don't break his hold in a minute, the man will be dead," Jule
exclaimed, dancing excitedly about, "and we're not out to commit
murder."
When the clutch of the dog was finally released, the man lay back,
panting, on the ground. An examination of his injury showed that it
was not serious, his throat having been compressed rather than torn.
In a moment the man sat up and glared about with murder in his
protruding eyes. Seeing the dog still watching him, he gave him a
vicious kick and came near inviting a repetition of the attack.
"I'll kill that dog!" he shouted.
"No, you won't!" laughed Alex. "We're going to take that dog out of
this blooming country. We're going to tie you up so you won't
over-exert yourself while in your present weakened condition, and
streak it for the motor boat. We've had enough of this blooming
election precinct."
This program was carried out so far as moving back toward the motor
boat was concerned, but when, after a long, hard journey, they came to
the place in the river where the _Rambler_ had been left, it was
nowhere to be seen. Satisfied that Case had not proceeded up the
river--the falls would have prevented a long run up--they all entered
the rowboat and passed on down toward the St. Lawrence.
"Talk about getting lost!" grinned Alex. "Case has gone and lost the
boat!"