Frank was sorely perplexed. He felt sure that Jerry must have fallen
into the hands of some enemies while he was busily engaged in examining
the second Indian mound. Perhaps it might be that he had even heard the
low cry of his chum when the others seized upon him, but in his
ignorance had supposed it to be the call of a bird in the brush.
He tried to read the signs the best he could.
"There's that same small footprint, showing that the two tramps have
been here. Were they watching for us, or did we just happen to drop in
upon some favorite hiding-place of theirs? They saw a chance to get my
pard while I was away with the gun. And now what will they do with him?"
So he pondered as he stood there looking around at the dense foliage
that gave no hint as to where these lawless characters could have taken
poor Jerry.
Frank searched high and low as the minutes passed, but without any
success. He saw the coming of night with uneasiness.
"This is a nice pickle for me. Trying to warn the others, and I fall
into the pit myself the first one. But they wouldn't dare hurt Jerry. We
haven't done them any harm. What they really want, I imagine, consists
of our guns and food. Then they could hold out for a long campaign in
the woods, and snap their fingers at the sheriff and his posse. Like as
not, in the morning they'll try to open communications with us and offer
Jerry in exchange for our things."
The thought gave him pain. Never before had he known just how much he
thought of the missing boy.
Then he remembered that he had two other chums.
"They'll be worried too. Perhaps I'd better be getting back to camp to
relieve their distress of mind. It will be all right in the morning, no
doubt. And there's always a chance that Jerry may be able to give the
rascals the slip. He can duck first-class when he wants to, whether it's
playing hockey or prisoner's base."
Getting what small consolation he could out of this, Frank now set about
heading for the camp. He had ventured far into the interior of the
island, and only for the fact that the stars were shining brightly
above, he might have further mixed matters up by getting thoroughly lost
himself.
There were times when he found it all he could do to push his way
through the dense vegetation which obstructed his passage on every side.
But having taken his bearings, he knew he was slowly but surely drawing
nearer the point where their camp lay. The bluff stood up against the
star-bedecked sky at such times as he found a clear spot and could catch
a view.
Frank happened to have an unusually large supply of matches with him. He
always carried some when in the woods, but that morning he had taken up
quite a bunch from the receptacle Jerry had made to hold them near the
entrance to their tent.
Consequently he was able to strike one every little while when some
peculiarly knotty problem presented itself for solution.
It was while standing in a little glade that he ignited one of the
matches in order to glance at his watch, more than anything else. His
attention was immediately attracted toward something on the ground.
"The ashes of a fire, without a doubt. That proves the presence of human
beings on the island; and I guess an escaped lunatic would never be
guilty of making a fire. Oh! those two hoboes are here, all right. If I
could only get word to Mr. Dodd now, he would surround the island, and
capture them easily. But if they hurt my chum they'll pay dear for it,"
he muttered.
The ashes were stone cold, as he discovered upon placing his hand upon
them, Indian style. Perhaps a red native of the North Woods could have
even told just how long it had been since fire lingered among the dead
embers; but it was more than the boy was able to do.
Again he pushed forward. Rounding the bluff, he now headed straight for
the camp.
Perhaps he found himself entertaining a desolate hope that, after all,
Jerry might have played a little trick on him, running off, and making
camp while he lingered. Frank knew about the old game of "holding the
bag," where boys coax a green comrade to go out into the dark woods far
from home, and leave him holding a sack over the end of a hollow log
while they pretend to scare up the rabbits or other game, but in reality
go home; but he did not think Jerry would play such a lark when things
looked so serious around them.
He wondered why he did not see something of the fire.
Surely nothing could have happened to the two in camp? That would be
worse and worse, for it was bad enough to think of Jerry in the hands of
those rascally hoboes, without adding to the horror.
Now he was crawling up near the place under the shelter of the bluff,
craning his neck eagerly for some sign of the boys. At first he could
not see them. The fire was burning low, and that was a sign he did not
like.
Frank began to feel a cold sensation creep over him. It was beginning to
seem so sinister and awe-inspiring that he was deeply impressed.
Then he caught the low buzz of voices, and, listening, was cheered to
recognize the tones of Will as he made his boast.
When that sudden amazing flash came, Frank crouched there as if
transformed into a pillar of salt, like Lot's wife. For the life of him
he could not understand what had happened. He thought he heard a
scuffling sound on the other side of the camp, but was not sure. Then
Will spoke up, his voice quivering with alarm:
"Oh! what was that, Bluff? Did any one shoot, or was it lightning? I
didn't hear the thunder, did you?"
"Hang the luck, that gave me a bad start, as sure as you live. And to
think, after all, it was only that beastly old flash you arranged to
make some animal take a photograph of himself! A few times like that and
we'll both be fit to go over to the Merrick Asylum, that's what."
"My camera set for a flashlight picture? Why, of course! How silly for
me to be startled! But I should have remembered it in a few seconds,
anyhow. Thank you for reminding me of it. And it worked, you notice,
Bluff. You laughed at the idea, but I guess I've got the 'coon's
picture, all right," laughed Will, hysterically.
"What's that over on the other side, yonder? I would swear I saw
something moving there. Listen, and tell me if you can hear him
breathing before I let go!" exclaimed Bluff, excitedly.
"Hold on there, Bluff, don't you dare fire! It's me, and I'm hiding
behind this tree for fear of being punctured by a load of shot!" called
a voice.
Will gave vent to a gurgle of delight, and seemed to try to hug himself.
"Thank goodness, it's Frank. They've returned at last to a cold supper.
Welcome home, boys. We've been looking for you this long while," he
said.
"Why, he's alone!" exclaimed Bluff, in surprise.
"Yes, and I've got some bad news for you, fellows," said Frank, coming
up.
"About Jerry?" demanded Bluff.
"Yes, he's gone!" continued the newcomer, dejectedly.
"Gone!" echoed Bluff.
"Goodness gracious! what's happened?" ejaculated Will, clutching hold of
the newcomer's sleeve, as though his knees suddenly grew weak.
"Disappeared, and I'm seriously afraid that those miserable hoboes have
caught him," declared Frank.
"Caught him--but they're not cannibals--they couldn't eat poor Jerry!"
came from the bewildered Will, at which Bluff gave a contemptuous laugh.
"Why, of course not, silly. Frank means they've caught Jerry, intending
to make him valuable some way; ain't that it, Frank?" he said.
"Just what I mean. They may try to dicker with us for some provisions. I
rather guess they're some shy in that line. Or, it may be they want us
to clear out. Any way you fix it the thing has a bad look, and promises
to break up our pleasant little outing."
"It's a beastly shame. I'd just like to get hold of those tramps.
Wouldn't they be headed for the lock-up in Centerville in a hurry!"
growled Bluff.
Frank looked at him seriously as if contemplating some move.
"Well," said he presently, "I don't know but what it will come to it
that you can have a hand in their removal."
"What d'ye mean?" demanded the other, instantly.
"It may be that between now and morning I'll ask you to make a little
journey."
"Looking up the hoboes?" asked Will, aghast.
"Well, hardly. This trip would be by water, and in a canoe," replied
Frank.
"Oh! I catch on, all right. You think some one ought to go back to town
and let the sheriff know that his game can be found here on Wildcat
Island?" said Bluff.
"Just so, but please lower your voice; there's no telling who may be
hiding in the bushes around here. Those hoboes want something we've got,
and they mean to have it if possible. Perhaps it may be food, and,
again, I've thought, they may envy us the possession of guns."
"Well, I think the idea is a good one; somebody ought to go," pursued
Bluff.
"Then it ought to be you. Who can paddle a canoe better than you, Bluff?
Besides, Frank is needed here on the island. Something might come up
that neither you nor I could settle," remarked Will.
"I suppose so. Let me know what you decide, Frank, and you'll find me
willing," continued Bluff.
For answer the other simply squeezed his hand. He was considerably
worried over the mysterious absence of Jerry, and realized that the game
they were playing was a much more serious one than any that had as yet
claimed their attention. These disreputable rascals were desperate; they
had done something calculated to send them to the penitentiary for a
term of years, and would try their best to avoid punishment.
"There's one thing good, Bluff, if you do go: you won't have to paddle
along in the dark," said Will, presently.
The others glanced toward the east, where the light of the moon was just
beginning to appear along the horizon.
Even as they stood there and talked in low tones the silvery face of the
moon pushed up into view. Being some days past her full, she was shorn
of a portion of her circuit; but still promised a flood of light during
the balance of the night.
Somehow even this circumstance seemed to give the boys new
encouragement.
"Things never look quite so bad when you can see what's what," was
Will's way of mentioning this circumstance.
"Suppose you come and sit down, Frank. Both of us are just dying to hear
all about what happened to you and Jerry," said Bluff, presently.
"There's precious little to tell, but what there is you shall hear,
boys. I'm ashamed to say that it was while I was a little ways off,
examining some curious mounds, made perhaps by the old Indians, that
this thing happened to our chum. But let's sit down here, and I'll tell
you all about it."
In a low tone he started to detail the few things that had marked the
circuitous journey of himself and Jerry, while the others hung upon
every word, anxious to hear the thrilling denouement where he found the
comrade who had shared his adventures, missing.
Just as he reached this point, and they were all worked up over it,
Bluff gave a sudden jump. On the spur of the moment Frank supposed he
had become so nervous over the description that he could no longer sit
still. He was therefore astounded to hear his chum cry out:
"Looky there, boys! As sure as you live, some miserable reptile is
getting away with the canoe I used in fishing, and left pulled up on the
beach!"