THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
The doctor's son and Whopper had no easy time of it making their way
through the bushes and around the rocks which lined the watercourse
between the two lakes. There was no trail on that side of the stream,
and they had to "go it blind," to use Shep's words.
"Say, this is worse than climbing a mountain!" gasped Whopper, after
slipping and sliding over a number of rocks and coming down rather
suddenly in a hollow.
"Rather knocks the breath out of a fellow," returned Shep. "Take care
that you don't sprain an ankle, Whopper."
"That's what I'm watching out for. I don't want my whole outing
spoiled."
After a large amount of hard walking and climbing they managed to
cover about half the distance to Firefly Lake. But by that time
both were so exhausted the doctor's son called a halt.
"No use of killing ourselves," he said. "We can't go any farther
than the lake to-day, anyway."
"Hope Snap and Giant wait for us at the mouth of the river," said
Whopper. "I don't want to tramp along the lake shore afoot."
"Oh, they'll wait, and mostly likely start a camp."
"Say, if I remember rightly the river makes a bend to the right here,"
went on Whopper after a pause. "And if that is so, what's the
matter with our striking inland a short distance and cutting off
some of the walk?"
"I'm willing---anything to reach Firefly Lake before it gets too
dark to see."
Having rested themselves, the boys commenced to draw away from the
river shore, taking to the woods, where the walking was easier. It
was now close to six o'clock, and the sun was going down over the
trees to the westward.
"Hope they have supper ready by the time we get there," said Whopper
after a period of silence. "This transit is making me as hungry as
a bear."
"Same here. Well, we'll have the partridge to fall back on, even if
they don't cook anything else."
The two young hunters tramped on. As they walked they kept their
eyes open for a possible sight of game. So far all they had seen
were some birds, not worth shooting.
Another quarter of a mile was covered when they came to a patch of
spruces. As they advanced they saw several rabbits leap from beside
one of the trees.
"A chance for a shot!" cried the doctor's son, and speedily swung
his shotgun into position, an example followed by his chum. Both
young hunters blazed away without delay, and each was successful in
laying a rabbit low. Before they could fire again the rest of the
game was out of sight.
"Not very large," was Shep's comment as they picked up the game. "But
the rabbits are young, and they'll make fine eating."
"It is a good thing that new game law isn't in effect yet," said
Whopper. "If it was we'd not be allowed to shoot rabbits until next
October."
"You are right, Whopper---hunting will be a good deal more restricted
after the new laws go into effect."
Placing the rabbits in a gamebag, the two chums walked on, past the
clump of spruces and then across a little clearing. Here, much to
their surprise, they came in sight of a dilapidated cabin. It was
a small affair of rough logs with a rude stone chimney and one
window and one door. One end of the cabin sagged greatly, as if
on the point of falling down.
"I hadn't any idea this was here," was the comment of the doctor's
son. "Wonder who it can belong to?"
"Perhaps some hunters put it up in days gone by," returned Whopper.
"It doesn't look as if it was inhabited."
"Let's go in and take a look around," suggested Shep. It was his
delight to poke around in new and odd places.
"We don't want to lose time," was his chum's reply. "It will be
dark before you know it."
"Oh, it won't take long to look," answered Shep.
The old cabin was surrounded by weeds and bushes, and they had to
fairly work their way to the doorway.
"Somebody has been here, that's certain," cried the doctor's son.
"Here are eggshells and newly picked chicken feathers."
"Hello, in there!" cried Whopper, poking his head into the small
doorway. He could not see, for the cabin inside was dark.
Scarcely had the word been uttered when a most surprising thing
happened. Something whizzed through the air, directly between
the heads of the two boy hunters. It was a good-sized chunk of
wood, and it struck a rock outside with a thud.
"Why---why---stop that!" stammered Whopper, and fell back, and Shep
did the same.
"Evidently somebody doesn't want visitors," was the comment of the
doctor's son. "I say," he called out, "what do you mean by heaving
that wo-----"
Crash! From the interior of the cabin came another chunk of wood,
a gnarled root, just grazing Shep's shoulder. Then a stone followed,
striking Whopper a glancing blow on the hip. Both lads retreated in
confusion.
"Well, of all things!" gasped the doctor's son when he could get his
breath. "That's a cordial welcome, I must say."
"Have you any idea who it was?"
"Not the slightest. It was too dark to see anybody."
"Couldn't be any of the Ham Spink crowd?"
"No. I don't think they'd treat us in just that way."
"Maybe it's some crazy chap."
"That's more like it---some hermit like old Peter Peterson," returned
Shep, referring to an old man who lived near the lakes and who
rarely showed himself in any of the settlements.
"Peter Peterson wasn't crazy; he didn't heave things at folks."
"Let us see if we can get him to come out. I'd like to see what sort
of a chap he is."
Keeping at what they thought was a safe distance, the two boy
hunters called loudly half a dozen times. No answer was returned.
"Perhaps he's deaf," suggested Whopper.
"More likely he doesn't want to show himself."
"Maybe it's a she, Shep."
"Possibly. If it's a woman she must be a regular witch. Let us
call again."
They did so. At first they heard nothing in return. Then came
a strange sound from the cabin, and for one brief instant a dark,
impish face showed itself at the broken window. Then the face
disappeared and a stone came whizzing toward the lads' heads. They
ducked just in time, or one or the other might have been seriously
hurt.
"Let's get out---no use of staying here to be a target!" cried
Whopper, who was growing nervous. "No telling what that fellow---or
woman---may do next. Might come for us with a carving knife!"
And he hurried away, with the doctor's son beside him. They did
not slacken their pace until the dilapidated cabin had disappeared
from view.
"Did you see him---or her?" asked Shep.
"Just about and no more. What a dried-up, hateful face!"
"Just what I thought. I'll wager that that person, whoever he or
she is, is as mad as a---a crazy person can be."
"I believe you, and I don't know as I want to go near that cabin
again."
"We ought to tell the authorities about it, though. That person
might kill somebody some day."
"Well, we can tell the police when we go back."
"Could it be some tramp, who is living on farmers' chickens and the
like?"
"It might be. But I think it's somebody who's crazy. A tramp
wouldn't find it any fun to live away out here. Why, it must be
two miles, at least, to the nearest farm."
"More like three."
"Tramps like to stay near the farms and near railroads. No, that's
some kind of a crazy hermit."
Discussing the happening from every point of view, the two lads
trudged on. It was now growing dark rapidly, and they were anxious
to reach Firefly Lake.
"Hope we haven't missed the way," said the doctor's son presently.
"Seems to me we ought to be getting to the river or the lake soon."
"Here's a rise of ground. I'm going up there and take a look,"
answered his chum.
From the small hill they made out the glint of water in the distance,
and they also saw the glare of the camp fire Snap and Giant had
started.
"Might as well steer straight for the camp fire," said Shep. "It
will save us some walking."
When within a few hundred feet of the camp they set up a loud
whistle, to which the others immediately responded. Then Snap and
Giant came to meet them, and relieved them of some of the things.
A little later all were seated around the camp fire.
"So you got through all O.K., eh?" said the doctor's son, after Snap
and Giant had told their story. "Well, so did we---but we had some
queer things happen." And then he and Whopper told of the tumbles,
and of what had occurred at the old cabin in the woods.
"Say, wish I had been along!" cried Snap. "I'd like to investigate
that cabin and see who is there."
"You wouldn't want to investigate a block of wood or a stone thrown
at your head, would you?" demanded Whopper sarcastically.
"Maybe we could go there when the hermit---or whatever he or she
is---is asleep," went on Snap. He always believed in getting at the
bottom of a mystery.
"If you go there you'll go without me," declared Whopper firmly.
"I wouldn't tempt that---er---crazy fellow again for a billion
dollars! Why, he might come out and carve a chap all up with a
butcher knife, or blow your head off with a gun!"
Supper was ready, and while they were talking the young hunters
managed to stow away a hearty meal, after, which all felt better.
But the experiences of the day had worn them out, and each was
glad enough to retire early.
"We want to be stirring early to-morrow," said the doctor's son.
"We want to go up the lake and then begin to tote the outfit over
the hills to the mountains."
"How about it---going to set a guard?" asked Giant.
"Wonder if we can't put Wags on guard?" asked Snap.
"I think he'd bark if anything came to disturb us," came from
Whopper.
"We'll tie him to the front tent pole," said the doctor's son. "Then
he won't be able to run off, and more than likely he'll bark if
anything goes wrong."
They fixed the camp fire and then tied the collie fast by a cord
slipped under his collar. Evidently Wags was used to this treatment,
for he did not seem to mind it in the least. The young hunters
entered the tent, and in less than a quarter of an hour all were
sound asleep.
Thus an hour passed. Then, of a sudden, all the lads found themselves
wide awake. Wags was barking furiously, and the hair of his body
seemed to be fairly standing on end.