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[Illustration: THERE WERE A FEW SHOUTS FROM THE SHORE.]
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS
ON THE LAKE
OR
Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island
By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN
AUTHOR OF "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS," "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE
FOREST," "THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF," ETC.
_ILLUSTRATED_
NEW YORK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES
By CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS
Or The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE
Or Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS IN THE FOREST
Or Laying the Ghost of Oak Ridge
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE GULF
Or Rescuing the Lost Balloonists
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS AFTER BIG GAME
Or Perilous Adventures in the Wilderness
_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price, per volume, 40 cents postpaid._
GROSSET & DUNLAP
PUBLISHERS NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY GROSSET & DUNLAP
_The Outdoor Chums on the Lake_
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I The Burning Steamboat 1
II Two Clever Rogues 10
III the Tell-tale Picture 19
IV The Paddle To Wildcat Island 30
V A Strange Happening 41
VI Frank Makes a Guess 49
VII Exploring the Island 60
VIII Old Enemies Appear 69
IX Guardians of the Camp 78
X Frank Tries To Figure It Out 87
XI Recovering a Stolen Boat 98
XII Down the Slope 106
XIII The Wild Man Develops an Appetite 114
XIV Bluff Takes Chances 122
XV Playing the Game 131
XVI Signs That Spelled Trouble 142
XVII Deeper Into the Jungle 151
XVIII Under the Cabin Wall 169
XIX Holding Bluff In 169
XX The Escape Of Jerry 177
XXI The Last Straw 186
XXII Holding the Fort 194
XXIII the White Flag 203
XXIV A New Alarm 212
XXV The Rescue--Conclusion 221
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS ON THE LAKE
CHAPTER I--THE BURNING STEAMBOAT
"Hurry up, and give the signal, Frank!"
"Yes, let's get the agony over with--either Bluff is a better all-round
paddler than I am, or else he has to take water, that's all!"
"Please hold your horses till I get a good focus on you, fellows!"
called Will Milton, the official photographer of the Rod, Gun and Camera
Club.
He stood on a little private dock, overlooking Lake Camalot, and
manipulated his camera with the air of a professional.
"Sorry, but you'll have to wait a bit now, boys," replied Frank Langdon,
the judge, who was also seated in a cedar canoe very like those of the
contestants, only it was built for two, his mate being Will.
"What's gone wrong now, Frank?" demanded Jerry Wallington, with his
double-bladed paddle poised for the first dip.
"Why, look at the _Eastern Star_--she's making her first Spring trip
around the lake, and heads in a line to cut you off your course,"
declared the referee.
"So much the worse for the poor old boat; we'll just have to run her
down," calmly observed the youth called Bluff.
"I was only thinking of your being swamped in the rough water she leaves
in her wake. Better relax your muscles for a few minutes, you impatient
braves."
"Talk to me about your hard luck, what d'ye think of that? Why, the
plagued old boat's just gone and stopped where she blocks us off in our
little spin," grumbled Jerry, in plain disgust.
"That settles it, then; we'll surely have to sink her," remarked Bluff.
"Hold on before you think of that. I'm afraid there's something wrong
aboard, for Captain Amos would never stop out there on the lake--at
least I never knew him to do such a thing before," said Frank, standing
up in the canoe to see better.
"Say, fellows, isn't that smoke coming out of the cabin?" demanded Will.
"Smoke--why, perhaps the old tinderbox is afire!" ejaculated Bluff.
"Let's paddle out and see; perhaps we can be of some help!" cried Jerry.
"Come on, then!"
"Hey! you fellers hold on; where do I come in?" shouted Will.
"You stay on the dock and get a snapshot of the whole circus!" answered
the unfeeling Jerry, as he spurted away, urging his dainty craft along
with rapid strokes of his spruce blade.
"Marooned, I declare," muttered Will; "but perhaps I can improve the
opportunity and get a picture that will go down in the history of
steamboating on Lake Camalot."
The three lads fairly flew over the intervening water, which was almost
smooth, as the breeze hardly created a ripple on the surface.
Frank, having a larger boat to manage, fell behind a trifle; but his
arms were seasoned in all manner of work, and he kept tagging along
close in the rear.
Apparently there was need for alarm, as the smoke had rapidly increased
in volume, and was now pouring out of the little steamer.
At the same time they could plainly hear the shouts of excited men;
while the shriller voices that arose told that there were women
passengers aboard.
Dashing up to the side of the boat the boys scrambled aboard, hastily
securing their canoes to any object that promised temporary anchorage.
Then they hurried to the cabin.
Here they found a scene of the utmost confusion. Men were trying to dash
buckets of water upon the fire, which seemed to have gotten quite a
foothold. It even looked as though the first trip of the little _Eastern
Star_ this season would prove to be her last.
Captain Amos was plainly badly rattled by this sudden emergency, though
he was working like a trooper to extinguish the flames, and leading his
two assistants, the engineer and deckhand, in gallant rushes almost into
the fire, where the contents of the buckets they carried seemed to do
little or no good.
Frank Langdon was possessed of a cool head in emergencies that called
for tact. He made an astonishing discovery as soon as he arrived upon
the scene of action. This consisted of the fact that in the tremendous
excitement, with the passengers shrieking in his ears, the captain had
entirely forgotten the fact that the boat was equipped with fire
extinguishers.
"Here, fellows, get busy, strap this on my back, and then get another.
We've got to put out this fire or some one will be burned to death, or
drowned. Don't let any woman jump overboard!" he exclaimed.
Jerry and Bluff seemed to catch some of the spirit that animated their
leader. They succeeded in fastening the extinguisher to his back, even
though their hands trembled while so doing.
No sooner had this been done before Frank was off, rushing directly
toward the spot where the flames seemed to have taken hold most
fiercely.
It was rather appalling, but somehow or other the sight of the brave
boy, equipped for mastering the mounting flames, caused a little cheer
to arise from the excited passengers.
As soon as the prepared liquid from the little apparatus began to spread
over the fire, its ardor was immediately checked. By the time Jerry
rushed alongside, similarly equipped, Frank was getting the better of
the conflagration.
"Don't stop with the water, Captain Amos!" shouted Frank, knowing that
if their extinguishers gave out before the fire was fully under control
it might spring up again into new life.
"Away, boys! Hand up the buckets!" cried the captain.
Several of the male passengers, having by now partly recovered from
their panic, started in to assist. Between the whole lot the water came
faster, and in less than ten minutes the fire was practically out.
There had been some damage done, but nothing to seriously injure the
steamboat; and a carpenter could make repairs while the vessel was
covering a few daily runs in this balmy April weather.
Captain Amos now found a chance to rush up to Frank, and shake his hand
vigorously.
He was a bluff chap, not much older than Frank, a very good
steamboatman, only that he seemed apt to lose his head in a crisis,
which after all, must be a grave fault.
"Bully for you, Frank! Your coming saved the boat, I believe. I'll never
forget it, I tell you. Was just about to lay hold of those fire
extinguishers when your crowd forestalled me. It was a rough deal all
around. With those women shrieking, and holding on to me, begging me to
save them, a fellow might be excused for being a little slow to do the
right thing. And you, too, Jerry and Bluff--shake hands!"
"What set the boat afire?" asked the curious Bluff, immediately.
The captain shook his head.
"I don't believe it was an accident. We have always been mighty careful
about leaving any waste around where it could start into a flame.
Besides, if you notice, boys, you can see that it started close to the
cabin, and not near the boiler."
Captain Amos involuntarily lowered his voice and glanced suspiciously
around while speaking. His manner thrilled the boys as they had seldom
been before.
"Not an accident! Tell me about that, will you? Do you mean that you
believe some one set the boat afire?" exclaimed Jerry.
"Don't speak so loud, please. That is what I think. Unless it was
intentional, I can't imagine how the thing started," answered the young
captain, who was still much excited after his recent experience.
"But it seems monstrous. Who would be guilty of such a terrible thing?"
asked Frank, possibly dimly suspecting that the other might be seeking
to cover up some lack of proper caution on his part, though that was not
like Amos Short.
"Say, did your crew mutiny?" gasped Bluff, whose eyes were wide open
with wonder over this new development of the affair, and who had lately
been doing considerable reading of sea tales.
"Well, hardly. I only have the engineer, an old faithful fellow; the
pilot, who stuck to his post through it all, and would have run us
ashore if the worst came; and one deck hand, a darky," he replied
warmly.
"Then it was a passenger, you think?" demanded Frank, determined to get
at the bottom of this new mystery.
"Well, none of my pay passengers. Listen and I'll tell you. This being
the first trip this year we were not so particular about taking pay. At
Newtonport a couple of tramps got aboard. When I went to collect their
fares they said they had no money, but wanted to get across the lake to
Centerville. Rather than have a disturbance on board I allowed them to
remain, cautioning them to stay below near the engine."
"Perhaps you are right, Captain; but what could be their object in
firing your boat?" asked Frank.
One of the passengers hurriedly approached at this moment. He was
plainly much excited, and as the fire was completely out it could not
have been from that cause.
"Captain, before you get into Centerville I demand that you have every
person on board this boat searched!" he exclaimed vigorously.
"Searched, Mr. Pemberton--what do you mean?" exclaimed the captain, in
dismay.
"Because, sir, my luggage has been opened while we were all excited
about the fire, and my property scattered about. I have been robbed of
something that was worth considerable money to me, sir. And I intend to
hold you and your steamboat company liable for damages!" he cried
indignantly.
The captain looked at Frank--here then was an explanation of the sudden
fire!