THE CAMP IN THE COVE
"Hey, Buster," cried the one on the other side of the fence, "where did
you say Josh was?"
"He went for help, over to the farmhouse where we got the milk and
eggs," answered the boy in the tree.
"Well," George went on, after looking all around. "I don't see him
coming any too fast; and I wouldn't put it past that joker to take a
snooze on the way, so as to make you worry a lot more."
"Yes, I was just thinking that same thing myself, George. Josh has got
it in for me, you know, every time. But please think up some way to toll
this angry gentleman cow away, George."
"If I only had that red sweater now, I believe it could be done," said
George, presently.
"Why, that was what Josh said too," lamented the prisoner; "but don't
you see I can't get it over to you at all?"
"Course not; but hold on there!" called George.
"Oh! now I know you've thought of an idea. Good for you, George! You're
the best friend a fellow ever had, when he was in trouble. Are you going
to sneak in the pasture, and tempt the bull away?"
"I am not," promptly responded George. "I've got too much use for my
legs, to take the chances of being crippled. But wait and see what I'm
going to do. Trust your Dutch uncle to fool that old cyclone. Look at
him tossing the dirt up again. Oh! ain't he anxious to get at me,
though?"
"What's that you're shaking at him now?" demanded Nick. "It looks like
my sweater, only I know yours is gray. Why, it must be a bandanna
handkerchief; yes, I remember now, you often tie one around your neck,
cowboy fashion. I can see that you're going to get me out of this nasty
fix, George. It takes a lawyer sometimes to beat a bull at his own
game."
"It _is_ a bandanna, Buster," replied the other, "and watch me coax the
old fellow along the fence, down to the other end of the field. How he
shakes his head every time I wave the red flag, and tries to get at me.
It's working fine, Buster. You get ready to drop down and run when I
tell you."
"But George, even if you coax him to the end of the pasture you know I'm
so slow I never could make the fence before he caught up with me?"
cried the still worried prisoner of the tree.
"Yes, you are like an ice wagon, Buster; but never mind. I've got all
that fixed. Just look down yonder and you'll see a nice little trap
ready for Mr. Bull. It's a small enclosure, with three long rails to
slide across, once he's inside. Then he's caught fast, and can't get
out. That is meant for just such a purpose. See?"
"Bully! bully!" shouted the delighted Nick, waving his hat in the air.
"Oh! I tell you it takes a smart fellow to get on to these dodges. Why,
Josh must have been blind not to see that same thing. Look at the bull
following you every time you take a step. Then he turns his old head to
peek back at me, as if just daring me to try and make the fence. But I
know better. I can wait. Why, George, talk to me about your Spanish bull
fights, this sure takes the cake!"
"Don't crow too soon," answered the other boy. "Now comes the ticklish
part of the game. Will he go in that enclosure, or balk?"
"Wave it harder, George! Make out that you're going to climb over.
That's the way to hold him. My! but wouldn't he like to pitch you
higher'n a kite. Look at that piece of old fence rail go flying, would
you? Now he's inside, George! Oh! if you can only get the bars across!"
George proved equal to the emergency. He fastened his red handkerchief
to the fence, so that the wind kept it stirring constantly, with the
bull snorting just on the other side, and smelling of the flaming
object. Then George slily slipped back, took hold of the upper bar, and
quickly shot it in place through the opposite groove.
A second immediately followed; and by the time Mr. Bull awakened to the
fact that he had again fallen into the old trap, he found himself neatly
caged.
Nick was wild with delight. Still talking aloud, partly to himself and
also addressing fulsome remarks to his chum, he started to slide down
the body of the tree, landing with a heavy thump on the ground.
Then he went off at a pretty good pace, for one so stout, heading for
the nearest part of the friendly fence.
Just about this moment, when Nick was half way across the intervening
space, who should appear but Josh, followed by a farmer bearing a
measure of corn as a lure intended to entrap the fighting animal.
All Josh saw was his friend trotting over the field; and filled with
sudden alarm lest poor Nick be overtaken by the wily bull, whom he
supposed to be on the other side of the tree, he immediately broke out
into a shrill shout.
"Run faster, Buster! He'll sure get you! Put on another speed! Hurry,
hurry!"
When the fat boy heard these wild cries he became visibly excited. It
was all very well to tell him to gallop along at a livelier clip; but
Nature had never intended Nick Longfellow for a sprinter. When in his
new alarm he attempted to increase his speed, the consequence was that
his stout legs seemed to get twisted, or in each other's way; at any
rate he took a header, and ploughed up the earth with his stubby nose.
It gave him a chance to roll over several times, as if avoiding a
vicious lunge from the wicked horns of the bull, which animal he
imagined must be closing in on him.
Struggling to his feet, he again put for the now near fence; and George
nearly took a fit laughing to see the remarkable manner in which the fat
boy managed to clamber over the rails, heedless of whether he landed on
his feet or his head, so long as he avoided punishment.
When Josh came running down, accompanied by George, Nick was brushing
himself off, and wheezing heavily.
"Give you my word, Buster," said the long-legged boy, penitently, "I
never saw that the old duffer was caught in that trap when I yelled.
Thought he was only hiding behind the tree, and giving you a fair start
before he galloped after. George, did you do that smart trick? Well, it
never came to me, I give you my word. Everybody can't have these bright
ideas, you know. And Nick, I was bringing the farmer, with a measure of
corn, to get the bull to the barn. Hope you don't hold it against me
because I yelled. I sure was scared when I saw you trotting along so
easy like."
Nick was of a forgiving nature, and could not hold resentment long.
"Oh! that's all right, Josh," he said. "No great harm done, even if I
have torn a big hole in my trouser knee. But you stayed away a mighty
long while. Seemed like a whole hour to me."
"Oh!" replied Josh, with a twinkle in his eye, "not near as long as
that. Course it seemed like it to you, because a feller in a tree is
worried. I had some trouble finding the farmer, you know. But let's go
back and get some more milk. Here's my eggs all sound. Never broke one,
even when I piled over this fence in such a hurry."
The rest were of the same mind; so, accompanied by the amused Michigan
farmer, they walked back to the house, where another purchase was made.
Not only did they get milk, and another pail; but George thought to ask
about butter, and secured a supply for camp use.
This time they avoided all short-cuts as tending to breed danger.
"I've heard said that 'the longest way around is the shortest way to the
fire,'" laughed George, as they passed the trapped bull; "but I never
knew it applied to cow pastures as well. Just remember that, will you,
Buster?"
"Just as if I could ever forget those wicked looking horns," answered
the fat boy promptly. "I guess I'll dream about that bull often.
If you hear me whooping out in the middle of the night, boys, you
can understand that he's been chasing me in my sleep. Ugh! forget
him--never!"
In about ten minutes they came out of a grove of trees, and before them
lay the great lake called Huron. Although it was something of a cove in
which a campfire was burning, beyond, as far as the eye could reach,
stretched a vast expanse of water, glittering in the westering sun, for
it was late in the afternoon at the time.
Three natty little motor boats were anchored in the broad cove, back of
a jutting tongue of land that would afford them shelter should a blow
spring up during the night from the northeast, something hardly probable
during early August.
Near the fire a trio of other lads were taking things comfortably. One
of these was Jack Stormways, the skipper of the _Tramp_; another Jimmie
Brannagan, an Irish lad who lived in the Stormways home on the Upper
Mississippi, as a ward of Jack's father, and who was as humorous and
droll as any red-haired and freckled face boy on earth; while the third
fellow was Herbert Dickson, whose broad-beamed boat was called the
_Comfort_, and well named at that.
George Rollins commanded the slender and cranky speed boat which rejoiced
in the name of _Wireless_, and Josh acted as his assistant and cook;
while Nick played the same part, as well as his fat build would allow,
in the big launch.
They had spent a month cruising about the Thousand Islands, where
fortune had thrown them in the way of many interesting experiences that
have been related in a previous volume. Just now they were making a tour
of the Great Lakes, intending to pass up through the famous Soo canal,
reach Lake Superior, knock around for a few weeks, and then head for
Milwaukee; where the boats would be shipped by railroad across the
country to their home town on the great river.
As soon as the three wanderers arrived, laden with good things, Josh,
who was the boss cook of the crowd, began to start operations looking to
a jolly supper on the shore.
There were a few cottages on the other side of the little bay; but just
around them it was given over to woods, so that they need not fear
interruption during their evening meal, and the singing feast that
generally followed.
Out in the bay a large power boat was anchored, a beautiful craft, which
the boys had been admiring through their marine glasses. Possibly the
flutter of girls' white dresses and colored ribbons may have had
something to do with their interest in the costly vessel, though neither
Herb nor Jack would have confessed as much had they been accused.
The name of the millionaire's boat was _Mermaid_, and she was about as
fine a specimen of the American boatbuilder's art as any of these
amateur sailors had ever looked upon.
"Me for a swim before we have supper," said Nick; who felt rather dusty
after tumbling around so many times during his exciting experience with
the bull.
"I'm with you there, Buster," laughed Jack. "You know I've got an
interest in your work, since I taught you how to swim while we were
making that Mississippi cruise."
On the previous Fall, the high school in their home town was closed
until New Year's by order of the Board of Health, on account of a
dreadful contagious disease breaking forth. These six lads, having the
three staunch motor boats, had secured permission from their parents or
guardians to make a voyage down the Mississippi to New Orleans. Jack
really had to be in the Crescent City on December 1st, to carry out
the provisions of the will of an eccentric uncle, who had left him
considerable property. The other chums had gone along for the fun of the
thing. And it was this trip Jack referred to when speaking of Nick's
swimming.
Presently both boys were sporting in the water, having donned their
bathing suits. While thus engaged Jack noticed out of the corner of his
eye that a boat had put out from the big vessel, and also that the two
girls were passengers.
Perhaps they were going ashore to take dinner with friends at one of the
cottages just beyond the end of the woods; although Jack fancied that
the men rowing were heading a little out of a straight course, so as to
come closer to the three little motor boats, and possibly give the fair
passengers a better view of the fleet.
There was now a stiff wind blowing, something unusual at an hour so near
sunset. The waves came into the bay from the south, it being somewhat
open toward the lower end, and slapped up on the beach with a merry
chorus, that made swimming a bit strenuous for the fat boy; though
Jack, being a duck in the water, never minded it a particle.
Intent on chasing Buster, whom he had allowed to gain a good lead, Jack
was suddenly thrilled to hear a scream in a girlish voice, coming from
the boat which he knew was now close by.
His first thought was that one of the girls had leaned too far over the
side, and fallen into the water, which at that point was very deep. And
it was with his heart in his mouth, so to speak, that Jack dashed his
hand across his eyes to clear his vision, and turned his attention
toward the big power boat's tender.