The cruise up the Schroon was a delightful one while it lasted. The
river was so narrow that the trees on either side frequently met,
forming a green and shady arch. Although there was a road not far
from the river, and there were houses and small villages at a little
distance from its banks, the boys while in their boat saw nothing
but the water, the trees, and the sky, and felt as far removed from
civilization as if they were sailing on an African river. They saw
nothing to shoot, after their adventure with Joe’s bear, and there
were no signs of fish in the water; but they delighted in the wild and
solitary river, and were very much disappointed when, at the close of
the day, they reached a dam so high that it seemed hopeless to try to
carry the boat around it.
Before camping they walked some distance above the dam, and found that
the river was completely blocked up with logs, which had been cut in
the forest above and floated down to the saw-mill. The men at the mill
said that the boys would find the river choked with logs for a distance
of nearly three miles, and that a little farther up it became a mere
brook, too shallow and rapid to be navigated with the _Whitewing_.
It was clear that the cruise on the Schroon had come to an end, and
that it would be necessary to hire a wagon to take the boat to the
lake. Having reached this decision, the boys made their camp; and being
very tired, put off engaging a team until morning.
When morning came, one of the men at the mill came to see them while
they were at breakfast, and advised them not to go to Schroon Lake. He
said that the lake was full of houses--by which he meant that there
were a great many houses along its banks--and that if they were to go
there they would find neither shooting nor fishing. He urged them to
go to another lake which they had never heard of before--Brandt Lake.
It was no farther off than Schroon Lake, and was full of fish. Besides,
it was a wild mountain lake, with only two or three houses near it. The
boys thanked him, and gladly accepted his advice. They had supposed
that Schroon Lake was in the wilderness, and were exceedingly glad
to find out their mistake in time to select a more attractive place.
The owner of the saw-mill furnished them with a wagon, and soon after
breakfast they started for Brandt Lake.
When, after a pleasant ride, they came in sight of the lake, they were
overjoyed to find how wild and beautiful it was. Steep and thickly
wooded hills surrounded it, except at the extreme southern point,
where they launched their boat. It was not more than two miles wide at
the widest part, and was about five miles in length, and they could
see but two houses--one on the east, and the other on the west shore.
They eagerly hoisted the sail, and started up the lake to search
for a permanent camping-ground; and, after spending the afternoon in
examining almost the entire line of shore, they selected a little rocky
island in the upper part of the lake, which seemed made for their
purpose.
There was a great deal of work to be done, for they intended to stay at
Brandt Lake for a fortnight. They had to clear away the underbrush, and
cut down several small trees to make room for the tent. Then a small
landing-place had to be built of stones and logs, so that the boat
could approach the island without striking on the sharp rocks which
surrounded it. Then the stores were all to be taken out of the boat,
and placed where they would be dry and easy of access. The provisions
had by this time become nearly exhausted; but the boys had been told
that they could get milk, eggs, butter, bread, and vegetables at one of
the houses which was not more than a mile from the camp, so they were
not troubled to find that of their canned provisions nothing was left
except a can of peaches.
Of course all this work was not done in one day. On the afternoon of
their arrival at the lake the boys merely pitched the tent, and then
went fishing with a view to supper. Fishing with drop-lines from a
large rock at one end of their little island, they caught perch as
fast as they could pull them in, good-sized pickerel, and two or
three cat-fish. That night they ate a supper that would have made a
boarding-house keeper weep tears of despair, and went to bed rather
happier than they had ever felt before.
Tom was to row over to the house for milk and other provisions in
the morning; but when morning came the boat was gone. She had broken
loose during the night, not having been properly fastened, and had
floated quietly away. A faint speck was visible on the surface of the
lake about two miles away, which Harry, who had remarkably good eyes,
said was the _Whitewing_. Whether he was right or wrong, it was quite
certain that the boys were imprisoned on the island, with nothing to
eat but a can of peaches and some coffee and sugar.
The fish, however, were waiting to be caught, and before very long a
breakfast of fish and of coffee without milk was ready. The boys then
began to discuss the important question of how they were to get back
their boat, or to get away from the island.
It was a mile to the shore, and nobody felt able to swim that distance.
Joe proposed that they fasten one of their shirts to a tall tree, as a
signal of distress, and then fire the gun every minute. The objection
to this plan was that the nearest house was out of sight behind a
little point of land, and that no one would see the signal, or would
understand why the gun was fired. Then Tom proposed to build a raft,
on which two boys could paddle after the runaway boat. This was a
practicable suggestion, and it was at once put into execution.
[Illustration: HARRY SETS OUT IN PURSUIT OF THE BOAT.]
It was hard work to cut down timber enough to build a raft, but by
perseverance the raft was finished before noon. It consisted of
four logs laid side by side, and bound together with handkerchiefs,
shoe-strings, green twigs, and a few strips from one of Harry’s
shirts, which he said was unnecessarily long. It was covered with two
or three pieces of flat driftwood; and when it was finished a piece of
board was found which was shaped with the hatchet into a rude paddle.
Then Tom and Harry proceeded to embark.
The raft floated Harry very well, but promptly sank when Tom also
stepped on it. Either more timber must be added to it, or one boy must
go alone in search of the boat. Harry insisted upon going at once, and
as the lake was perfectly smooth, and he could swim well, there did not
seem to be great risk in his making the voyage alone. Bidding the boys
good-bye, he paddled slowly away, and left his comrades to anxiously
wait for his return.
It was ticklish work paddling the raft. The logs were fastened together
so insecurely, owing to the fact that all the rope was in the runaway
boat, that Harry was in constant fear that they would come apart, and
was obliged to paddle very carefully to avoid putting any strain on
the raft. With such a craft speed was out of the question; and after
an hour of hard work the raft was only half-way between the island and
the boat. Harry was not easily discouraged, however, and he paddled on,
knowing that if nothing happened he must reach the boat in course of
time.
Something did happen. When, after paddling for more than two hours, the
_Whitewing_ was rather less than a quarter of a mile from the raft,
Harry missed a stroke with his paddle, and tumbled over. He struck the
raft with his shoulder, and went through it as easily as if it had been
fastened together with paper. When he came to the surface again he
found that the raft had separated into its original logs, and that his
voyage on it was ended. Luckily the _Whitewing_ was now within swimming
distance, so he struck out for her, and finally crept into her over the
stern, so much exhausted that he had to lie down and rest before taking
to the oars. Had the raft gone to pieces half an hour sooner he would
have been in a dangerous position; for it is doubtful if he could have
clung to one of the logs long enough to drift to the shore without
becoming totally exhausted.
The boys on the island did not witness the end of Harry’s raft, for it
was too far away when the accident occurred for them to see anything
but a little black dot on the water. They became, however, very
anxious about him as the hours went by and he did not come back. Tom
was especially uneasy, and blamed himself for permitting Harry to go
alone. He thought of making another raft and going in search of Harry;
but there were no more strings with which to fasten logs together,
and he did not quite like to tear up his clothes and use them for
that purpose. He did, however, resolve that, if Harry did not come in
sight within another hour, he would take a small log and, putting it
under his arms, try to swim to the main-land and borrow a boat, if one
could be found, in which to search for his comrade. He was spared this
hazardous experiment; for toward the end of the afternoon Harry and
the _Whitewing_ came in sight, and were welcomed with a tremendous
cheer.
Tom took the boat and went for provisions, and when he returned
the _Whitewing_ was not only dragged on shore, but fastened to two
different trees with two distinct ropes. The boys were determined that
she should not escape again; and when Joe proposed that somebody should
sit up with her all night, so that she could not cut the ropes and run
away, Tom seriously considered the proposal. The next day a snug little
dock was built, in which she seemed quite contented, and from which she
could not escape without climbing over a stone breakwater--a feat of
which there was no reason to believe that she was capable.