THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN
"Talk to me about that!" exclaimed Jerry, as he thrust his head out from
the tent.
"What's it all mean?" demanded Will, still half asleep, while crawling
forth.
"I knew it would come! What did I say, fellows? They're at their old
tricks, all right!" cried Bluff. "Where's my gun?"
Frank understood, after that one moment of utter astonishment. He
realized that it was a trick on the part of some one who must have crept
into their camp while they slept. This unknown had fastened all the camp
cooking outfit to a rope, and this in turn had been thrown over a limb
of a tree, the other end being grasped by the jokers.
A series of pulls had carried that string of pans and kettles up into
the air, where they jangled against each other as the cord was violently
drawn up and then lowered suddenly.
Frank sprang forward. He could give a shrewd guess as to where the
parties lay who took such delight in pestering himself and the chums,
and he was just then in a frame of mind to visit severe punishment if he
could only lay his indignant hands upon them.
He had not taken three steps when he measured his length upon the
ground, while a chorus of heavy laughs announced that this was a part of
the program on the part of those who had actually followed all the way
from town on purpose to annoy them.
Another rope had been stretched across in front of the tents, with the
idea of tripping any one, should they rush out in hot haste.
It was all in the game, and Frank, while he barked his nose and bruised
his elbows and knees, knew full well he should have exercised a little
more caution.
He sprang to his feet full of vim.
There was a dreadful crash behind that gave him a shock, until he
realized that it must come from the cooking utensils being dropped in a
heap as those who had held the other end of the cord let go in order to
seek safety in flight.
Bluff by this time had appeared in view, hugging his pet repeater in his
arms.
He banged away with a vim, and several shots made the echoes ring
through the adjacent woods.
"They're gone," announced Frank, limping back to the vicinity of the
fire.
"Did they hurt you?" demanded Bluff indignantly, as he saw Frank rubbing
his barked shins.
"Well, not so that you could notice; but I fell over that rope you saw
Jerry go down across, and which those rascals stretched here for that
purpose. Nothing serious, beyond a few scratches," returned the other,
forcing a smile.
"I wonder if they mean to follow us all the way and keep up this
racket?" said Bluff. "Are we ever going to camp out without that crowd
pestering us like a flock of hornets?"
"Wow! Talk to me about that, will you? A flock of hornets is good--for
you, Bluff. I've got a few bumps myself, tumbling over that beastly
rope. And what a ghastly trick, to tie up all our cooking things that
way! The fellow who originated that joke ought to be put in the funny
house over at Merrick," said Jerry.
"I hope they haven't dented all your nice aluminum ware, Frank,"
remarked Will.
"That would be a shame, and I value it so. But investigation doesn't
seem to prove any serious damage, for which I'm glad."
"Hey, Frank, if you're getting out the arnica bottle, just remember
that there are two of us in the same boat, will you?" sang out Jerry,
also rubbing his legs.
"What did I say, fellows, about keeping guard? I tell you it's the only
safe way when such a determined scamp as that Pet Peters is around. And
after this I think we ought to make a regular practice of taking turns.
I'm willing to sit up my share," went on Bluff.
"Did you try to tickle them with your shot?" demanded Jerry.
"No; only meant to give them a little scare, and let 'em know we carried
guns with us this time."
"I feel just cross enough to wish you could have punctured them a
little--not enough to hurt much, you understand, for I'm not a savage;
but they need a lesson, and that might have done the business," Jerry
continued.
The camp soon quieted down, and there was no further alarm.
When morning came they found that no particular damage had resulted from
the trick played by the town crowd that usually tagged after Pet Peters.
"I didn't hear Pet's sweet, melodious voice last night, come to think of
it," remarked Frank, as they ate their breakfast and discussed the
exciting events of the first night out.
"Nor I. Perhaps he was smart enough to keep silent and let the rest do
the shouting. Anyhow, we're in about thirty feet of pretty good line,"
laughed Jerry.
"They took the one we had on old Peter, to keep him from straying, and
made that tripper out of it. As you say, Jerry, this other is strange in
our camp, and they must have fetched it along. It may come in handy; who
knows?" said philosophical Frank, always ready to get the best there was
out of troubles.
"And now it looks like we might have these 'varmints,' as old Jesse
Wilcox, the trapper, calls them, on our hands, as well as the wonderful
ghost mystery to solve."
"The more, the merrier, Will. Give me excitement all the time when out
in the forest. It's quiet enough at home, and in school. Me for the
merry life, and plenty of thrills," sang Bluff.
After getting old Peter harnessed up they resumed the interrupted
journey. When noon came they were within a couple of miles of the place
for which they were headed, and it was determined not to make a halt,
but keep on until their goal had been gained.
The Sunset Mountains proved to be of considerable dimensions when one
approached close to the foothills known as Oak Ridge, on account of the
forest that covered the slopes. The scenery was quite wild, and all of
the boys decided that they had missed it in not coming here on one of
their former outings.
They allowed Frank to select a camping spot. His knowledge of such
things was of great value to the chums while afloat in the wilderness.
Experience is ten times better than all the book learning one can
muster.
As the day was pretty well spent by the time things had been arranged to
suit the particular head of the expedition, none of the boys felt like
wandering far from the cozy fireside that afternoon.
"To-morrow we can take up the game in earnest, fellows. I went to see
Caleb, at the lock, and he told me about his adventure. Wait till I get
a chance, and I'll only too gladly let you hear it. But be ready to tie
down your caps, for as sure as you live it's bound to make your hair try
to stand on end like the quills on the back of a fretful porcupine,"
observed Jerry while they were busily engaged in the first preparations
for supper.
"Wow! That tickles me!" announced Bluff. "After our experiences over on
old Wildcat Island, I seem to just hanker after thrills. I wonder----"
And instead of finishing his story he cast a loving glance toward his
gun, which happened to be leaning up against an adjacent tree at the
time, and within arm's length of the proud owner.
"There you go again, you bloodthirsty savage, wondering if this poor,
inoffensive ghost, which hasn't hurt anybody, that I've heard, could
stand up before that Gatling gun of yours. Be careful, my boy. This may
be another Prince Bismarck, who believes that his mission in life is to
play Hamlet's ghost scene. You might be sorry if you fired first, and
investigated afterward."
Will's remark was caused by the fact that while in camp above the lake,
in the preceding fall, they had come in contact with an eccentric
character who had escaped from the asylum at Merrick, and who persisted
in believing himself to be the one great Bismarck, carrying out the part
with wonderful fidelity.
The supper progressed fairly well under the joint care of Bluff and
Jerry, who had insisted upon showing what they had learned since the
time the four chums sat around a glowing campfire on their previous
outing.
Will was busily engaged tinkering with his camera, and dreaming of the
new pictures he hoped to get on this trip, to add to the album
containing the records of the club's outings.
Frank lounged in a comfortable place, idly watching the busy workers at
the fire, and smiling at several things they did which long experience
told him would have to be rectified ere they could hope to call
themselves veterans in the art of getting up a camp dinner that a Maine
guide might envy.
The heat of the fire was not unpleasant just then, for, as has been said
before, the weather was singularly cool for early July. Frank felt a
trifle drowsy. He allowed his eyes to droop several times, only to open
them again as one of the cooks dropped enough of his pride to sing out
and ask how a certain thing should be done.
Once, however, Frank found his eyes wide open, and without a query from
either Jerry or Bluff, who had their heads together, tasting something
they were concocting, and with which they meant to surprise their
comrades.
Frank had chanced to be looking at the bark of a tree as he sat there,
when, to his surprise, something began to project from the same. Even as
he stared, a stick that was thrust out speared the loaf of bread that
chanced to lie close by, and after it was raised from the ground it
began to quickly vanish around the tree!