IN WHICH A TRAMP DISAPPEARS
"I know what I am going to do to-day," said Giant, on the following
morning. "I am going fishing through a hole in the ice. I am just
hungry for a bit of fresh fish for breakfast."
"I want to fish myself," answered Whopper. "If you don't mind, I'll go
with you."
Snap beckoned his chums to the outside of the shelter. The tramp still
lay on his couch but was awake.
"Let us take turns at fishing," said the leader of the Gun Club, in a
low tone. "Two can fish and two watch the tramp,--until he clears
out."
"Let us give him a hint that he is not wanted here," suggested Shep.
"Will you give him the hint?" asked Giant.
"Certainly--I am not afraid."
They prepared breakfast, and when they were ready to sit down and eat
the tramp arose and stretched himself lazily.
"That smell good," he said. "Reckon you've got some for me, eh?"
"Yes, you can have your share," answered Shep. "After breakfast we'll
give you some lunch in a paper bag and then you can be on your way."
"What, going to throw me out in such weather as this?" cried the man,
reproachfully.
"The weather is all right to-day," put in Snap.
"My back hurts a good deal."
"I guess you are able to walk. We'll give you plenty of lunch, so you
won't starve."
"It's hard lines on a fellow who hasn't a cent to his name," whined
the tramp. His manhood had evidently deserted him completely.
The young hunters looked at each other questioningly. They did not
want to be hard on anybody who was in distress. Snap put his hand in
his pocket.
"I'll give you a quarter," he said, and passed over the silver coin.
"So will I," added Shep. And then Giant and Whopper also handed over
twenty-five cents each, making a dollar in all.
"Much obliged," said Kiddy Leech, pocketing the silver with
satisfaction. "But if you don't mind, I won't start out until about
noon time. By then I reckon my back will I feel better."
"Very well, make it noon then," said Snap. Giant and Whopper were soon
down on the ice. They took with them their fishing outfits and an axe.
"I've got an idea we'll find pretty good fishing around yonder bend of
the shore," said Giant, pointing with his hand.
Reaching a spot that looked favorable to them, they threw down their
fishing outfits and began to cut two holes in the ice, about fifty
feet apart. Cutting the ice was no light task, and they took turns
until they had each hole about a foot in diameter.
"Now then to bait up," said Giant.
He had prepared himself for this by cutting out certain portions of
the deer meat and small patches of the skin. He soon had his line in
trim for use, and with the aid of a light sinker allowed it to sink
close to the bottom of the lake.
Whopper was using some bait brought from home, something Jed Sanborn
had said might be effective in luring the finny tribe. The two boys
stood by the holes patiently, waiting for a bite.
Fully five minutes passed and Giant felt a small nibble. He pulled the
bait around a bit and then felt a sudden tug. Up came his line with a
rush, and out on the ice flopped a pickerel of fair size.
"Hurrah! first haul!" sang out the small member of the Gun Club,
proudly. "Who says we can't catch something?"
After that came another spell of silence and then Whopper gave a yank
on his line. Up came a good sized fish, but as it fell on the ice it
broke loose from the hook and flopped back into the water with a
splash that covered Whopper with the icy drops.
"Oh, hang the luck!" gasped Whopper. "He got away and gave me a shower
bath in the bargain."
"Wish I could get a maskalonge," said Giant. "Do you remember the big
one I caught last summer?"
"Indeed I do," answered Whopper. "And I remember how the fish pulled
you overboard and nearly drowned you."
They continued to fish and presently Whopper got another bite and
brought up a good-sized pickerel, of a variety that is known to many
as a lake trout. Then both boys got a second and a third bite, and
inside of an hour had a fair mess of fish to their credit.
In the meantime Snap and Shep remained near the shelter, fixing up a
number of things. Shep made a fresh batch of bread dough and also
prepared a pot of beans and baked a plain cake. He likewise tried his
hand at an apple pie, but the crust was not right, and later on, when
the pie was tested, Whopper said the "lid" might do for a shingle but
not for eating. The cake, however, turned out well, and all of the
young hunters praised it.
As Snap and Shep moved around, in and out of the shelter, Kiddy Leech
watched them closely, although without letting them see it. The tramp
had on his ragged overcoat and, when he got the chance, he put a
number of things into the pockets on the sly.
Suddenly from the lake there came a loud shouting, and Snap and Shep
ran out to see what was the matter.
"Maybe Giant and Whopper are in trouble," said the doctor's son.
They ran out on the ice and then around the bend, to find those who
had been fishing running toward them.
"We just saw some big game," panted Giant. "Get the rifle and the
shotguns!"
"What game?" queried Snap.
"At least a dozen deer, big ones," answered Whopper. "Oh, hurry. We'll
never get such a chance again!"
"Did you really see a dozen?" asked Shep.
"I saw five or six," answered Giant.
"I saw more than that--right across the lake," came from Whopper.
"Hurry up!"
With such game so close at hand the four boy hunters were in a fever
of excitement. All rushed to the shelter and got their firearms,
Whopper and Giant throwing their fish and lines in a heap on the
floor. For the time being the tramp was practically forgotten.
"Where are you going?" he shouted after them.
"After some deer. We'll soon be back," answered Snap.
At that moment Shep sighted one of the deer--directly on the opposite
shore of the lake. But as soon as the game was seen it disappeared
from view.
"They are there, sure enough," exclaimed the doctor's son.
"Shall we go back for our skates?" asked Snap.
"No, there isn't time."
Without further words the four boy hunters started to cross Firefly
Lake, stepping as much as possible on the portions that did not look
extra slippery. Yet more than one went down with a thump, and this
delayed them not a little.
"Where are the deer?" queried Snap, when the other side of the lake
was gained.
All looked around, and while one went up the shore, another went down,
and then two hurried into the forest, which at this point was extra
thick.
"Here are the tracks!" cried Snap, and began to run forward, with the
others close at his heels.
But alas! the tracks soon came to an end, on a series of rocks which
the wind had swept clear of snow. Beyond this point the ground was so
uneven that progress was difficult.
The boys gazed around in perplexity. They had expected some easy
shooting. Now the game was gone and they did not know where to look
for it.
"May as well go back to camp," said Snap at last. "Remember, we left
that tramp in full possession."
"Oh, let us look around a little longer," pleaded Giant.
To please the small member of the Gun Club, the others remained in
that vicinity for quarter of an hour longer, looking in every possible
direction for the deer. But the animals had made themselves scarce,
and that was the end of it.
"Too bad!" sighed Whopper. "I thought we'd get a full dozen this
time!"
They had stirred up absolutely nothing in the way of game, and so
retraced their steps without firing a single shot. Nobody felt in
particularly good humor, and the walk back to camp was a rather silent
one.
"Might better have kept at fishing," grumbled Whopper.
"What did you get?" asked Shep, who had not taken time to look at the
catch.
"Oh, we've got enough for several meals."
"That's good."
"I hooked one big fish, but he got away."
"The big fish always do," remarked Snap, significantly.
"Oh, I'm not exaggerating," growled Whopper.
When they came in sight of the camp it looked particularly lonely.
"It's a wonder Mr. Kiddy Leech didn't come out to welcome us,"
remarked Giant.
"He's too lazy," said Shep. "More than likely you'll find him snoring
in front of the fire."
"He certainly is a lazy one," said Whopper. "We must clear him out
right away."
They came up to the Inn and entered, to find the fire smouldering
dimly. The tramp was nowhere to be seen.
"Hullo!" called Snap, but there was no response.
"Maybe he went out to find us," suggested Giant.
"Not much!" exclaimed Snap. "I don't like this," he went on.
"What, Snap?"
"Look around you and see what is missing."
"Missing!"
"That is what I said."
At these words all made a hasty examination of their belongings. Some
underwear was gone, also a storm coat, and a number of other things.
The tramp had taken a game bag full of provisions, and the pair of
skates belonging to Snap.
"He's a thief!" cried Giant.
"I wish I had my hands on him," muttered Snap.
"So do I," put in Whopper, to whom the storm coat belonged.
"We must go after him, and at once," came from Shep. "He must not be
allowed to get away with the things he has taken!"