"Well, here's the steamboat dock, all right; but I don't see anything of
our boats!" exclaimed George, as he and his five chums came to a full
stop close to the local office of the lake line running to Buffalo,
Milwaukee and Chicago.
"Oh! dear me, I hope we don't have trouble, after all," started Nick.
"Here, let up on that misery whine, Buster. Will you ever learn never to
squeal till you're hurt?" said Josh.
"Well, if you'd lost as much flesh as I have lately, you'd be a nervous
wreck too," replied the fat boy, aggressively.
"If I'd lost all you say you have, there wouldn't be anything more of me
left than a grease spot, and that's right!" grinned Josh.
"What shall we do, Jack?" and Herb turned to the one upon whom they
usually depended to steer them clear of the shoals.
"Well, here's the office right handy," replied Jack, smiling. "Suppose
we crowd inside, and make the agent give up some information. He ought
to know what's happened to our boats, because we understood they got
here safe."
"A bully idea, Jack; you're the goods when it comes to doing the right
thing!" Josh remarked.
Accordingly they fell in line, and rushed into the little office, where
a gentlemanly fellow, who was working at some freight accounts, in his
shirt sleeves, because of the heat of the day, glanced up in more or
less surprise.
"We're looking for some motor boats, sir, that arrived on the vessel
from the west. They were billed from Milwaukee by your line."
As Jack said this the agent smiled.
"Which one of you wired our Mr. Matthews?" he asked.
"I did. My name is Jack Stormways," replied that individual.
"You gave him authority to turn the three boats over to some party,
didn't you?"
"Yes, if that party's name was Mr. Amos Spofford," Jack replied.
"All right. We gave them into his keeping. Let me see, that was last
Saturday afternoon about one o'clock he was here," the other went on.
"But," Jack remarked, blankly, "we've been looking all around, and have
seen no sign of our boats on the wharf."
"And they couldn't have flown away like aeroplanes," put in Josh.
"I should hardly think so," laughed the other. "But have you looked
beyond the end of the dock, in the water?"
"No. Do you mean to say Mr. Spofford had the three boats launched?"
cried Jack.
"Well, there was something doing that way, I remember, on Saturday. He
had quite a gang of men working under him. That Mr. Spofford seems to be
something of a hustler. Over toward that point, boys."
They were already trooping across the big dock, as excited as any eager
lads could be. And no sooner had they reached a certain point than a
series of whoops burst from every throat.
"There they are, fellows! Don't they make a bully show, though, the
brave little boats? Say, ain't this like old times again?" cried Nick,
as he discovered the three craft anchored close together at a point
where they would not be in the way of any steamboat landing.
"There's somebody aboard, too!" exclaimed Jack, as a head was poked out
of the deck tent of the _Comfort_, which was the only one of the trio to
be thus honored, the others being in cruising trim.
"That must be Mr. Amos Spofford," declared Herb; "and he knows a good
sleeping boat when he sees it, too; for you notice he's camped in the
Old Reliable."
Jack waved his hand, and then called out.
"We're coming aboard. Are you Mr. Spofford?"
"That's my name. Glad to see you, boys. Come right along. You won't be
fired into the harbor if you try to get aboard!" came back the answering
hail.
"Gee! I wonder if that's what happened to Jared," remarked Nick, as the
party made for the landing, where a rowboat could be obtained in which
to paddle out to the anchored flotilla.
Every boy had his eyes glued on the boat that, to his mind, represented
all that was delightful. Many a happy day and night had they spent
aboard these same craft in times that were gone; and the future opened
up possibilities just as joyous.
One by one they climbed aboard the _Comfort_ and shook hands with the
jolly old gentleman whom they found there. None of the other boats could
have accommodated them as readily as the big launch.
"Glad you got here safe and sound, boys. I imagine this is Jack
Stormways. Introduce me to your chums, please, Jack. Told you not to
worry. Camped right here ever since getting your message. Would have
stayed a week if necessary, because you see I happen to be an old
bachelor, without any family ties. Greatest pleasure I've had for many a
year. Used to knock about myself, once upon a time, before I took on
flesh. And let me tell you, lads, you've got the greatest little
cruising outfits here I ever set eyes on. In my day we never knew such
comforts, any more than we did such bully boats."
In this fashion did Mr. Amos Spofford rattle on, for he was a great
talker, and a retired lawyer as well. He quite staggered poor Buster by
the immensity of his girth; for he was simply _tremendous_, and no
mistake.
"Gracious!" Nick whispered to Herb, when he found the chance; "you don't
think, now, I'll ever get to be like that, do you, Herb? Oh, if I
thought so I'd starve myself."
"Well, it would end your knocking about, just as it did his, so beware!"
answered the other; and chuckled to see poor Buster shiver.
All the time they were in contact with Mr. Amos Spofford Nick could not
keep his eyes off the wheezy old lawyer; and every now and then he would
shake his head and sigh most dismally. It was really an awful lesson for
Buster, as Josh often declared.
"Then you've really enjoyed camping here since Saturday afternoon, sir?"
asked Jack, as the party clustered around the guardian of the motor boat
fleet.
"Beyond measure," came the quick reply. "I haven't let the boats go
unwatched a minute of the time. On Monday I hired a man to stay aboard
while I finished up some little business that was pressing. Then I came
back in the afternoon with a new supply of grub, and determined to hold
the fort. Why, boys, it's been the happiest days of the last ten years
to me. And I've made up my mind that I'm going to throw business to the
dogs, have a boat like this, only larger, built especially for a heavy
man, and take to the water. I thank you for the opportunity you threw in
my way for this pleasure."
"And on our part we feel that you've been mighty kind to us, sir," said
Jack.
"Don't mention it. Besides, I'm only too glad to do something for Rube's
boy. He was good to me once upon a time, and helped me get back on my
feet."
"Perhaps our anxiety was all for nothing though?" remarked George; not
because he really believed what he was saying, but hoped it would tempt
Mr. Spofford to "open up," and tell anything he knew.
The stout lawyer chuckled until he shook like a bowl full of jelly. He
reminded Jack of Santa Claus around Christmas time, both with regard to
his white beard and the size of his paunch.
"Ah! that was a chip of the old block that spoke then," laughed Mr.
Spofford, "Rube for all the world; and a born lawyer, too. Follow in the
footsteps of your illustrious dad, George, and the world is yours. No,
to tell the plain, unvarnished truth, your anxiety _was_ well placed, I
have reason to believe."
He looked over the side at the water, and chuckled again.
"It is pretty wet in there for a fact, boys," he said, "and when a
fellow flops over with all his clothes on, he feels kind of squeamish, I
suppose."
"Do you mean to say, sir, that Jared Fullerton actually attempted to
come aboard in the night, and that you dumped him into the river?" asked
Herb.
"Oh! I didn't bother asking his name; and so far as I know he never had
the politeness to leave one of his visiting cards behind him," remarked
the big lawyer, still shaking, so that the staunch old _Comfort_
actually quivered in sympathy. "In fact, to tell the truth, he was so
set upon leaving in a hurry after he discovered that there was a tenant
ahead of him, that lots of things were sadly neglected."
"And you threw him overboard, sir?" asked Jack.
"That was the easiest part of it," replied the other, calmly. "You see I
used to be a great athlete in my day, when Rube knew me; and the fellow
wasn't anticipating running up against a lodger. I just gave him a neat
push, and you ought to have heard the splashing that followed."
"Wow! I'd have liked to, first rate!" declared Josh, in ecstacy.
"But he managed to climb out again, of course, Mr. Spofford?" Jack
asked.
"Oh! yes, after a lot of floundering around. I saw him climbing that
spile yonder, dripping at every move. And I've had no trouble since."
"Then we owe you a vote of thanks for helping us out in this way,"
declared George, warmly. "Only for your guardianship something serious
would have happened to our boats; and you can understand, sir, that they
are precious to all of us, after serving us so well on that Mississippi
cruise."
"I want to hear all about that at the first chance, boys. But now I'll
move out, and give the rightful owners possession. This is a very well
named boat, Herbert. I give you credit for knowing how to get full
enjoyment out of a trip. Now, that speed boat doubtless pleases George,
but you see it would hardly do for a fellow of my heft. I'm going to get
the builder of this outfit to put me one up that will be a dream, a fat
man's paradise."
"Hold on, Mr. Spofford," said Jack, who knew he was voicing the
sentiments of the entire club when he spoke as he did; "we are going to
stay around here until another morning, for we've got a lot to do,
stowing our stores, you know. And tonight, if you can do so, we invite
you to a little dinner, to be held on this boat. We hope you will please
us by coming; and let me tell you we've got the boss cook among us, who
can tickle your palate the best ever."
All eyes were turned toward Josh, who got up and gravely bowed, pushing
back Buster, who had impudently been in the act of accepting the honor
himself.
"I'll do it on one condition, boys," said the lawyer, as he started to
deposit his bulk in the boat Herb was holding to the side of the
_Comfort_.
"What is that, sir?" demanded Jack.
"That you promise to read to me the log of your last trip, when you went
down the big river; also tell me the many adventures that I'm sure must
have come your way during those glorious weeks."
"Done!" cried one and all, as they shook hands with the jolly retired
lawyer, and Herb started to paddle him to the dock.
"What time is dinner hour, fellows?" sang out Mr. Spofford, just as
heartily as though he might be one of the youngsters.
"Six sharp; but we'll wait for you any length of time you say, sir,"
replied Jack.
"Look for me before that time; and remember, boys, I'm a man of some
size, so be warned," laughed the other, waving his hand.
"Oh! we know all about that, sir; because, you see, we've got a shining
example of the same with us," called Josh, motioning toward Buster.
"That's so; but I'm afraid you mean a _horrible_ example; for we fat
fellows are to be pitied," floated back to their ears.
Nick sank back on his seat, looking plainly troubled.
"Oh! my, if I thought there was any danger of my ever getting like that
I'd--I'd, well, I don't know what I'd do; but something pretty
desperate--skip a meal once a week, perhaps," he remarked to George.
The other was already trying to draw his own boat alongside, so that he
might aboard; for naturally each skipper had thought of the craft that
was dearest to his mind; and Herb returning, both Jack and Jimmie used
the rowboat to reach the anchored _Tramp_.