AWAITING A DECISION
While these important operations were in full swing, Dr. Kane
brought Mrs. Kenyon home, completely cured and inexpressibly glad
and grateful. Her return, although hailed with rejoicing by Ralph,
upset the decidedly masculine housekeeping arrangements which he and
his friends had established during her absence.
Mrs. Kenyon could find no fault with the neat and clean condition
of the house, nor with the way the dishes were washed and placed
in order on the shelves. She was, however, considerably surprised,
not to say startled, at the culinary efforts of her son and his
guests, and she declared she could not understand "how anyone can
sleep in those beds, the rough-and-tumble way they're made!" But
after making them properly, she realized that there were now not
enough beds to go round. Hence Ralph and Blake for two nights
slept in the hayloft in the barn.
The railroad surveyors returned to Oakvale in due time, having
fully established the previous survey which Ralph's father had
caused to be made. There could be no further dispute now over the
boundary lines, and "Old Man Perkins' claim hadn't a leg to stand
on," as Tom Walsh expressed it, when the report was read to him.
Nothing remained now but to await the decision of the railroad
officials as to whose property they would buy.
The three lads, Ralph and Tom and Blake, had gained some valuable
experience in their work with the surveying squad. Toward the
end, Ralph had been able to go about with the others everywhere
except on the stony slopes of the hills, where the walking was
difficult. His work on the garden patches completed, he had a
brief interval of welcome leisure to spend with his helpful guests.
"Well, boys, I guess we'll start for camp to-morrow, if Joe turns
up to guide us," Rawson said the evening after the survey was
completed. "Why don't you come with us, Ralph? I'm sure your
mother can spare you for a few days, and we'd all be delighted to
have you make us a visit at camp."
"Yes, you bet we would!" added Blake. "You'll come, Ralph, won't
you?" Tom asked in his quiet, cordial way.
"What do you say, mother?" said Ralph.. "Can you---I mean, won't
you be glad to be rid of me for a few days and have Aunt Sarah make
you a visit here?"
"Not glad to be rid of you, son," returned Mrs. Kenyon, smiling
fondly. "But I wish you would go! It would be real fun for you.
Your aunt is coming surely, so. I shan't be lonely at all. Go along,
like a good boy."
"All right, I will. Thanks for inviting me, Mr. Rawson."
Thus it was arranged that Ralph should accompany them on a hike
through the backwoods that extended for many miles between his
farm and Pioneer Lake, southward. Earlier than usual he rose
next morning and attended thoroughly to the chores; then, after
a hearty breakfast, the four hikers bade Mrs. Kenyon good-bye
and set out for a place in the woods where Joe was to meet them.
This place was at the lower extremity of a small lake called
Placid, which was cupped in the hills about two miles from the farm.
"We'll play we're prospectors and look for signs of iron deposits on
your land, as we go along," said Rawson.
They went steadily on for over an hour, pausing only to test inviting
rocks with their hammers and to allow Tom to take some photos of
birds and plants. Unfortunately the foxes' den appeared to be
deserted that spring, and Ralph felt a pang of regret at the thought
that perhaps the foxes that usually took up their abode there had
fallen victims to his traps. "I hope I won't have to set any more
traps for the wild creatures of the woods and streams," he said to
himself. "I see now it's much better sport to get snapshots of them."
Presently the glitter of the little lake among the trees attracted
them, and they pushed on through the thickets down to the shore.
"Wonder if it's too cold for a swim?" said Tom, eagerly.
"A quick plunge won't do us any harm," assented Rawson. "Shall we
try it, boys?".
All were heartily in favor of the idea. In a few minutes they had
stripped off their clothes and waded into the water.
"Don't go far out!" cautioned the young Scout Master. "The water's
none too warm at this time of year, and anyone of us might get a
cramp suddenly without a moment's warning."
While the boys amused themselves by racing close to the shore, he
swam ahead of them, but no further out. Rounding a wooded point
that jutted out into the lake, he found, to his surprise, that he
was facing Loon Island. He had no idea that he had come so far.
The boys were not in sight, but their shouts and laughter assured
him that they were all right, obeying his instructions; so he struck
out toward the little island. A few vigorous strokes brought him
to the shore---he could almost have waded across from the point---and
he climbed upon a rock and sat in the warm sunshine. How delicious
it felt on his body! What fun to stretch his muscles in the exercise
which he liked best of all---swimming!
"Nothing to equal the first dip of the season!" said the young man,
half aloud. "I feel like a schoolboy in a pond!"
All at once his quick ear caught the faint splash of a paddle close
at hand, and he sat motionless on the rock, and waited. The
sound grew more distinct, and presently a canoe, manned by a
solitary individual, came into sight around the shore of the island.
Rawson uttered an exclamation of surprise, for the man was "Injun Joe."
Bareheaded and stripped to the waist, his thick blue-black hair
tousled in the breeze, his lean, muscular, lithe torso gleaming
like bronze in the sunlight, Joe paddled with a strong, swift stroke
which sent the light craft dancing over the water. As he
approached the rock on which George was seated he moderated his
speed, and swerved toward a strip of beach. For a moment he
hesitated, holding the canoe still by extending the paddle flat out
on the water; then he headed straight for a safe landing between
two boulders.
Five minutes passed---ten. Still George waited, watching a little
spiral of smoke curl up into the air. Then the canoe came into sight
again, bobbing gently away from the island. Now it was empty.
"Hello! He's not in it!" Rawson exclaimed, shading his eyes with
one hand. "The canoe has floated away with his clothes! He'll
have to swim for it!"
In another moment he saw Joe scramble up on one of the boulders,
fling off his remaining clothes, and dive into the water in pursuit
of the flighty craft. Reaching it, the Indian did not climb aboard,
but swam back to shore, pushing it in front of him. Then Rawson
stepped down from his rock and slipped along the bank until he
emerged from the undergrowth just where Joe was landing.
"Mighty careless of you, Joe," he said, laughing.
Startled, Joe looked around to see whence came the familiar voice.
His eyes met Rawson's, and he grinned with pleasure, as soon as
he had recovered from the surprise of seeing the unexpected
apparition of a naked white man in those wilds. Red man and white
man, children of the wild, in a state of nature, shook hands in
friendly greeting. Then Rawson explained how they had been waiting
for Joe to appear on the scene.
"What have you got there, Joe?" he finally asked, pointing to a
brisk little fire and a pile of flat stones heating therein.
"Got heap plenty fine fish," answered Joe. "We have dinner here
on island, what?"
"All right. Lend me this old canoe, and I'll go and get the boys
and bring them over, while you are cooking the fish."
This was done; and when all had dressed and piled into the canoe, a
jolly and hungry party gathered on the island. Joe showed them how
to broil the fish on the hot stones; they brought out their
sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, and milk, and all "fell to" with a
keen appetite. Joe remembered seeing Ralph at the market in
Oakvale, and he grunted approvingly when informed that Ralph was
to be a visitor at camp.
They paddled across the lake and began the journey through the
woods on the southern shore. But they had not gone far when they
were overtaken by a thunderstorm, which drove them to the shelter
of a cave at the base of a cliff forming one side of a broad ravine.
The rain fell in torrents, mingled with hail, the thunder rolled
and reverberated among the hills, and the skies were riven by vivid
flashes of lightning. Within the cave, however, they were snug
and dry.
"We're safe here," said Rawson, "and we'll camp here for the night."