THE CAVE MAN.
A few days after the beach party, Isabel and Betty fell in together as
they came out from the library building after class.
“I’m through for the day!” exclaimed Isabel joyously. “This is my easy
day, and by good luck one of my classes doesn’t recite tomorrow. Dr.
Carver is sick, hasn’t heard a class today and I heard Miss Randolph
tell Miss West to prepare to take her classes tomorrow.”
“‘By good luck!’” laughed Betty. “Poor Dr. Carver!”
“I didn’t make her sick, but since she is,—well, it’s an ill wind that
blows _nobody_ good!”
“But if Patty takes her classes tomorrow, how do you get out of it?”
“It happens, my dear Elizabeth, that my class to Dr. Carver comes at the
same hour as one of Patty’s other classes.” Isabel turned gayly around
with a skipping step. “So you see, I not only get out of work tomorrow,
but having in my ignorance of the joy in store gotten my lesson for
today’s work, I’m ahead for whenever we do recite.”
“I’m in luck, too, of course,” said Betty, “so far as today’s work is
concerned, but will have to recite tomorrow.”
“Let’s get our flashlights and skip out to the cave we found the other
day. How about the other girls?”
“Eloise and Lilian have practice hours this afternoon and Cathalina said
she would be in the studio painting all afternoon. Perhaps the other
girls will be free to go. Where’s Avalon?”
“She has classes.”
“I’m not so sure that I want to go myself, Isabel.”
“Why? It isn’t far, you’re not really afraid of anything, are you?”
“I don’t see what there could possibly be to be afraid of, but I feel
funny about that cave.”
“What could there be dangerous about it? There aren’t any wild animal or
really poisonous snakes in this country, and the cave isn’t big enough
for any wild or crazy person to live there,—”
“But there is that ring, and the boat we saw.”
“The ring has probably been there for ages, and maybe the man just
happened in upon us and didn’t like our looks.”
Betty laughed. “I’ll go, Isabel. I believe I have been a little nervous
about lake doings since the ‘wreck of the Hesperus.’ Dear old Greycliff
in the bottom of the lake!”
None of the girls were in the suites when Betty and Isabel reached their
rooms. They put on their bathing suits, dressed warmly over them, and
each put a bathing cap, a towel, and a flashlight in the pockets of
their long coats.
“It’s warmer today,” said Isabel, “and if the water isn’t too cold a
little dip will be fine on the way back.”
“There are Myrtle Wiseman and Dorothy Appleton.”
“Yes, Myrtle has been devoting herself to Dorothy ever since the wreck.”
“Does Dorothy like it?”
“So far as I know. Myrtle can be lovely, you know.”
“Did you know that Myrtle went over to see Lilian in the pest-house and
said she was sorry for what she did last year?”
“Did she? That was nice of her.”
“Yes, if you could only trust her, or believe what she says.”
“That is the puzzle of it, and I hate to be thinking of such things
about anybody. Perhaps she really is sorry, but you can’t help but think
that she wants to stand in with our crowd because it’s more
comfortable!”
“I don’t pretend to understand her, Isabel, but I’m going to ‘give her
the benefit of the doubt,’ as Mother says, and be friendly.”
“But you wouldn’t take her into the Psyche Club, would you?”
“No, for she wouldn’t fit in with our intimate friends at all; but I
don’t see but it would be all right to take her into the literary
society. I heard that she was ’most killed that she didn’t get an
invitation.”
“That was too bad, but I don’t see that we ought to have done it,
either.”
“She isn’t a good student and cheats sometimes to get through, you know,
but Miss West happened to tell me the other day how much better she is
doing this year. Maybe if we are nice to her it will help her!”
“I haven’t heard of her cheating this year.”
“But there haven’t been any real examinations yet.”
“O, well, let’s not worry about Myrtle. I’m sure all the girls would
like to see her do well and if she earns a place in the society, I’m
willing to give her my vote, for one.”
“So’m I.”
The two girls by this time had reached the rocks and tripped lightly
from one to another, poising sometimes with outstretched arms like sea
birds about to take wing, or dropping into a hollow and looking for the
easiest path. The rocky, curving shore took them around beyond the
waters within the breakwater, which fact accounted for their not having
seen the place before when they were out in the boats for a row. The
Greycliff naturally would not approach very near these rocks on any of
its trips, now, alas, no more.
“I believe I could climb up to the top of the cliffs in some of these
places, Betty,” said Isabel, looking up at a more sloping ascent where a
little soil had lodged and trees and bushes grew.
“What for?” asked Betty.
“We might find some different bird up there in the spring.”
“We might; I hadn’t thought of that. It must be very wild up in those
woods, but we wouldn’t be allowed to go there alone.”
“I’m not so sure that we ought to come so far along the shore, either,
but nobody ever said anything about it. After we turn the curve back
there we can’t see the other beach where the boathouse is or anything.”
“Let’s go back, then,” said Betty.
“And not look at the cave after all this trouble? We’re almost there,
too.”
“O, all right. We can easily go away if we see anything we don’t like.
Let’s take a peep into those bushes behind the cliff on this side before
we go around to the entrance. I thought I saw a nest there the other
day, but we were having so much fun that I didn’t look closely.”
Thus it chanced that the girls slipped up quietly to a tangle of small
trees, roots and bushes that filled a deep angle where the cliff jutted
out and the shelf began that led to the entrance of the cave. It was
just a song sparrow’s nest, and as they were looking to see if there
were any other of the season’s empty nests they heard a dull sound as if
something fell not far away. Both girls quickly looked at each other.
“In the cave,” whispered Betty. “Maybe a rock.”
“Let’s keep still a minute.”
“Better sit down,” whispered Betty again. “If there is any one there we
can’t be seen here.” The girls crouched down behind the bushes, but
peered through. They could hear other slight noises and a scraping
sound.
“There isn’t any boat down there,” said Isabel. “I’m going to creep
around where I can take a look at the shelf in front of the cave.”
“O, don’t,” begged Betty. But Isabel did, ducking back immediately.
“There’s a box in front of the cave. Somebody’s there of course.”
“What on earth would anybody keep in a cave?”
“Hidden treasure!”
“They put it in the bank nowadays.”
The girls listened, but heard nothing more for some time.
“This is getting tiresome,” said Isabel, “I wish they’d hurry up and go
away.”
“Do you suppose we’ll have to stay here till dark? I’m getting hungry
already.”
“I brought some fudge,” said Isabel, fumbling in one pocket. “We brought
our flashlights, anyway, if we have to go home after dark.”
“We’ll not explore the cave this time, will we?”
“I wouldn’t mind, if the person goes away.”
“Mercy, Isabel!”
“Hark!”
There was a popping sound as of a distant detonation, an angry
exclamation, a scrambling sound at the mouth of the cave and something
was quickly tossed out far over the rocks into the lake water. An active
figure leaped down from the shelf and ran to the water’s edge. It was a
slight, soldierly figure of a man, and as he turned toward the shelf
again Betty gave a start. Both girls were staring with all their eyes.
Isabel started to whisper something, but Betty put her hand upon
Isabel’s lips, and without vocal utterance formed with her lips the
words “don’t move!”
The man seemed to be moving the box which Isabel had seen at the front
of the cave, and in a few minutes ran down to the water again and waved
an arm as if signaling. Immediately the girls heard the sound of a
motor. Still as mice they waited. It was not long before a small motor
boat came into sight. Two men joined the one on shore and together they
lifted the box, a small one, into the boat, observing great care. The
girls could not hear the conversation distinctly, but Betty nodded once
as she caught a word or two. In a few minutes the boat moved off and the
girls straightened up among the bushes, thankful to have relief from
their cramped position.
“We’ll not dare go where they can see us for a little,” said the
cautious Betty, “for they may have glasses, you know. And I’m not going
near that cave! I certainly feel funny snooping around and watching
somebody!”
“We couldn’t help it, and besides do you suppose they own that cave? I
think their actions are very suspicious, myself. Could they be
smugglers?”
“I don’t know what to think,” said Betty, “but I know I’m going home.
Peek out, Isabel, you’re nearer the cliff, and see if you can see the
boat.”
“All safe, Elizabeth,” Isabel reported. “I’d like to have a look at that
cave now.”
“O, please, Isabel. I’m sure we ought to go away and leave things alone.
Wait till the whole crowd can come.”
“I think that you’re a great little fraidy-cat, that’s what I think, but
maybe you’re right. Come on.”
“Do you want to look very awfully, Isabel?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Do it. I guess it won’t kill us. There can’t be any one there now.”
Somewhat stealthily the girls crept around on the shelf and peered into
the cave. The same big rocks or stones which they had noticed at the
entrance before were there, piled in an apparently natural way, and the
interior was strewn with rubbish. Isabel leaned over the rocks and
turned her large flashlight slowly around and up and down.
“It’s awfully shallow, but there might be an opening behind those big
slabs piled in the corner. The little opening in the middle might be
crawled through. I’ll try it when we all come up to investigate.”
“Yes, and get stuck, perhaps, in the middle of it!”
“No; I’ll bring a long stick and feel ahead, besides I’ll have my
flashlight and won’t crawl in anywhere that I can’t back out.”
“You aren’t afraid of anything, are you, Isabel!” Betty spoke somewhat
admiringly, though she was often moved to protest against some of
Isabel’s enterprises. Betty herself was not inclined to take risks, yet
she was in no sense a weak girl and in a real crisis kept her
self-control.
“Not much, I guess,” replied Isabel to Betty’s question. “The boys have
seen to that. If ever I was scarey they laughed me out of it. Billy and
I had all sorts of adventures, lots worse than this. But I really try
not to be reckless, Betty. Father put a stop to some of the training the
boys were trying to give me.” Isabel laughed at the thought of her early
days at home.
“Dick ought to have trained me a little, I suspect, but you see he is so
much older than I. He calls me ‘Mouse’ or ‘Peaches’ and never teased me
any more than Father or Mother did.”
“Isn’t it funny that you and Lilian have brothers with the same name?”
“O, I don’t know that it’s so funny. Think how many Dorothys we have in
school, and several Marys. Richard is a family name with us, but Lilian
says her brother was named Richard just because they liked the name.”
As they talked, the girls moved away from the cave, swung themselves off
the shelf to the boulders and picked their way homeward, stopping at the
sandy beach, where the bath houses were, for their dip. Rosy and
glowing, they went happily toward the Hall a little later.
“Shall we tell the girls about our ‘cave man’?” asked Isabel.
“Suppose we don’t yet; O, you might as well tell Avalon, but we ought
not to get up any excitement about it. None of the girls are likely to
go there. I’ll ask Cathalina what she thinks about it.”
“We’ll have to hurry a little to dress for dinner, I’m thinking. Aren’t
you glad that we didn’t have to wait and wait, as I thought we were
going to be forced to do. Luckily the job the cave man had to do was
almost done when we arrived. Did you see his face?”
“Yes,” said Betty hesitatingly, “but only for a moment. He was looking
the other way when he went back to the cave.”
“He was young and good-looking,” said Isabel, “and I think that one of
the men in the boat was the one that we saw in the rowboat that day when
we had the beach party.”
“Do you?” queried Betty.
“Yes, his eyes looked the same, but of course I’m not sure.”
“Thank fortune they didn’t see us this time!”
Betty had scarcely reached her room when the bell rang for dinner.
“Hello, Bettikins, whither so late?” asked Lilian.
“I’ve been out with Isabel,” replied Betty, as she hurriedly threw off
her coat. “Do you suppose I can make it in time? How does my hair look?
My cap is good and I didn’t get it wet.”
“Give it a wee brush and slip into your dress and oxfords. Here they
are,” and Cathalina brought out Betty’s shoes for her. “Go on, girls,
I’ll wait and hook Betty up!”
“You are a dear. I don’t want you to miss dinner for me, though.”
“I shan’t and we’ll not be late, either.” Soon they both flew through
the corridor and down the stairs to the dining room, entering somewhat
breathless, but on time.
“Cathalina, the maid,” said Betty, “world-renowned, the champion
quick-dresser! I’ve a tale to tell you after dinner, Cathie, but no
references to it till then, please.”
Cathalina responded by a nod as they took their seats. Afterward they
sought a quiet corner in one of the halls while Betty related her latest
adventure. “And when I saw his face, Cathalina,” she said impressively,
“you may know that I nearly went to pieces. It was Louise Holley’s
brother!”
“The knight of last year’s adventure, then?”
“The same!”
“Well what do you suppose he was doing around there?”
“What was he, indeed?”
“I did not tell Isabel that I recognized him. I don’t know why, exactly,
but I wanted to think about it. And then I have always hated to think
about that night anyway. He was a perfect gentleman in his manner, too,
such a relief from my first fright at the sight of him. But the scheme
of Louise to get me away from the party so she could get in, and the
queer meeting that she and her brother had evidently arranged, though he
came too early, has made me feel that I wouldn’t like to be concerned in
anything with them!”
“I don’t wonder. Don’t think about it, Betty. We’ll all go up together
some time and see if there is anything strange about the cave, but we
need _not_ do any talking about it.”
“Isabel said she wouldn’t except to Avalon.”
“We have enough school work to do without unraveling any mysteries, but
I must confess I am a little curious about it.”