TROUBLE
"Why, this isn't half bad!"
"No, indeed! I think it's real cosy!"
"And what a lovely open fireplace!"
"A fire wouldn't be at all out of the way now. I'm thoroughly drenched,
girls!"
Our four friends thus expressed themselves in turn as they stood in the
little log cabin to which the guides had conducted them through the
storm. They could hear the rain beating down on the slab roof, hear it
pattering on the leaves of the trees that surrounded the place, and
they listened to the sigh of the wind as it lashed itself to fury in a
semblance of a hurricane.
"It's better than I expected, my dears," said Mrs. Brownley, after a
quick survey of the small bedrooms opening from the main apartment.
"Then we'll stay here to-night," decided Sylvia. "That is, if we may?"
she added to the guides.
"Oh, yes," said Jimmie, quickly. "You see, we have charge of this
place--me and my partner. We let it out when any one wants it, and it's
lucky it didn't happen to be engaged just now. You can stay here and
welcome."
"We'll pay the usual price, of course," said Sylvia, quickly, "and be
glad of the opportunity. You spoke of something to eat?" she went on.
"Yes, I guess it's pretty well stocked with canned stuff. We might
catch a few fish, even if it does rain. We can bring up your things
from the boats, and the bunks are made up fresh."
"That's a comfort," sighed the chaperon. "We'll stay here, girls. And
be glad of the opportunity. It will be an experience."
"But won't they worry at the Antlers?" asked Rose, referring to the
hotel where they had engaged rooms for their stay at Raquette Lake.
"They expect us, and know we are coming up the lake. If we don't
arrive----"
"I guess I can manage to telephone 'em by nightfall," put in one of the
guides. "I'll tell 'em you are storm-bound."
"Then it will be all right," Rose remarked, with a sigh of relief. She
really could not bear to think of going on the lake in the storm.
"I'll make a fire on the hearth," the chef said, and while he busied
himself at that the other two guides set off to bring up the baggage
from the boats. Mrs. Brownley and the girls proceeded to make
themselves comfortable, and to wait for the blaze to dry some of their
damp garments and their shoes.
Tramping along the wet and soggy trail, burdened with the baggage
from the boats, the guides came back to the cabin. But it was a more
cheerful place than when they had left it, for now a fire was merrily
crackling on the hearth, and the faces of the girls and that of Mrs.
Brownley had lost much of the worried, nervous look. They were quite
content to spend the forthcoming night where they were.
A hasty search through the cabin had revealed a sufficient quantity of
food, together with what was left from luncheon, to make an evening
meal and breakfast. Then, too, the discovery that the place contained
several "cute" little bunks, with inviting sheets and plenty of
coverings, added to the feeling of comfort.
The guides had announced that there was another shanty nearby where
they were in the habit of sleeping when stopping in the woods overnight
with a party that occupied the main cabin. They would use the annex on
this occasion.
And so, with supplies from their baggage to draw on, and with the
prospect of a meal whenever they wanted it, our friends resigned
themselves to the situation. And it was not such an unpleasant
situation, after all. In fact it was really cosy to listen to the
crackle of the fire on the hearth, and contrast it with the patter of
the rain outside.
Clearly it would have been out of the question to have gone on in the
storm in open boats. This they all decided when one of the guides went
out to find the nearest telephone to communicate with the Antlers. He
managed to discover one after an hour or two.
By this time an early supper had been served, and the girls and Aunt
Theodora prepared to spend the evening as best they could in the cabin,
for it was out of the question to do anything else than sit around and
talk.
They found some old magazines, but the lights were none of the best for
reading, so they gave that up, and sat in front of the blaze, seeing
pictures in the flames, and telling fortunes.
The guides had retired to their own cabin, not far away, and from
it, now and then, could be heard guffaws of laughter which served to
relieve the quietness of the woods, that was broken, otherwise, by only
the patter of the rain.
It was close to midnight when the girls went to their beds, for they
did not feel sleepy, and preferred sitting up to tossing restlessly on
the narrow bunks. They occupied three rooms, Rose and Sylvia being in
one, Hazel and Alice in another and Mrs. Brownley in the third, all
opening from the main apartment, or living-room, of the cabin.
Just who first heard the call and the following rap on the door is
uncertain. They all seemed to awaken at the same time, and Sylvia
demanded:
"What is it? Who's there?"
"What's the matter?" asked Rose, nervously.
"Some one outside knocking and calling," said Sylvia. "Listen, Rose!"
There came a pounding on the door, and a voice called:
"Open and let us in. We're in trouble!"
"Trouble?" voiced Sylvia, half frightened.
"Yes, we've lost our way. There are ladies here!"
"Oh, do let us in!" besought a tearful voice that was unmistakably
feminine.
"What--what shall we do?" faltered Rose.
"Wait a minute!" came in the calm tones of Mrs. Brownley.