SWIMMING IN THE LAKE.
Of course the boys, although they were much interested in their club,
did not feel like playing ball all the time, and one bright day Joe,
Fred and Bart went out on the lake to put in a day at fishing. They
took a generous lunch with them, and left word that they might not be
back until dark.
"They say fishing is very good over towards Bartlett Point," said Fred.
"Suppose we try our luck there?"
"One place will suit me as well as another," came from Joe.
"What we want is a big mess of fish," put in Bart. "Frank and Walter
were out yesterday, and they each got a dandy string. One had twelve
and the other fifteen, and all pretty good size, too."
Bartlett Point was about a mile and a half away, but all of the boys
were good rowers and thought nothing of covering that distance. They
had two pairs of oars and took turns at handling the blades.
"It is queer we haven't heard anything of the _Sprite_," remarked Joe,
while on the way. "You wouldn't think the sloop could be so completely
swallowed up."
"Not unless she is at the bottom of the lake," answered Bart. "You must
remember that this pond is rather deep in some spots."
As soon as Bartlett Point was gained they found a convenient spot where
to fish and went at the pleasure without delay.
But, though they had hoped to make some hauls at once, ten minutes
passed and they did not get so much as a nibble.
"Somebody in this crowd is a Jonah!" grumbled Joe.
"We must all be it," grinned Fred, "since nobody has a bite."
"Let us go up the shore a short distance," suggested Bart.
This suggestion was carried out, and inside of half an hour they
located a spot where fishing proved to be excellent. They drew up some
perch, some lake trout and rock bass, and Bart also landed a big fish
which he could not exactly identify.
"This is what I call sport!" cried Joe, enthusiastically. "Nine fish
already and we haven't been at it an hour and a half all told!"
"Don't be too hilarious," cautioned Bart. "Our luck may desert us."
By noon the boys had a beautiful mess of the finny tribe, and then they
elected to go ashore, start up a campfire and cook three of the small
fish to eat with the lunch they had brought along.
The boat was drawn up under some brushwood, and soon they were making
themselves thoroughly at home. The fish were done to a turn and proved
particularly appetizing. For dessert they had green apple pie, which,
to use Fred's manner of expressing it, "just touched the spot."
"What do you say to a swim, fellows?" said Bart, after the meal was
over.
"Just the ticket!" ejaculated Fred. "Come on!"
"Better wait awhile," cautioned Joe. "It is not healthy to go in
directly after eating."
"Oh, pshaw! I don't believe that," answered Bart, who had his coat
already off. "Come on."
He was soon ready for the plunge and Fred followed. Seeing this, Joe
could not help doing the same, and inside of ten minutes all three of
the lads were in the water, plunging, swimming, laughing and shouting
to their hearts' content. The water was just cold enough to be bracing.
"Never had a better swim in my life!" declared Fred. "Who is in for a
race?"
"I'll race you!" came from Bart.
"Count me in, too, Fred," added Joe.
"Where shall we race to?"
"See that old tree stump out there?"
"Yes."
"Well, let us swim to that and back to this rock. The first fellow to
do it wins the race."
All were willing, and at the word from Fred each struck out as best he
could. Soon Bart was in the lead, with Joe not far behind him. Fred
was too stout to make rapid headway, and it is doubtful if he had any
notion of winning the race when he suggested it.
"Come on, Fred, we'll show you the way!" shouted Bart, merrily.
"Don't--don't say a word!" spluttered the stout youth. "I'm watching to
see that you swim fair!"
"Take care that we don't swim out of sight!" sang out Joe, gleefully.
He began to swim faster than before, and soon his sturdy strokes took
him alongside of Bart. Both touched the tree trunk at the same time.
"Now for the home stretch!" cried Bart. And he struck out harder than
ever.
Joe also turned, and both swam a distance of several yards.
"Where is Fred?" suddenly ejaculated Bart.
"Fred?"
"Yes. I can't see him anywhere."
"He must be somewhere." Joe lost interest in the race at once. "Fred,
where are you?" he called out.
No answer came back and now Bart also shouted. Both boys gazed at each
other in unexpected terror.
"There he is!"
"Help!" came faintly from the stout youth. His head had bobbed up for
only an instant, and now he sank beneath the surface of the lake again.
"He has a cramp, that's what's the matter!" came from Joe. "Bart, we'll
have to get him out!"
"To be sure!"
Both lost no time in swimming to where they had last seen the stout
youth.
"Do you see him now?"
"No."
"Let us dive."
This was quickly agreed upon, and down went both boys only a couple of
yards apart. The water was fairly clear, and soon Joe caught sight of
Fred, doubled up with his knees to his chin. As he caught hold of his
chum Fred clutched him madly around the neck.
It was an easy matter to drag the imperiled youth to the surface, but
Joe could not break that hold and was in danger of being strangled. As
Bart came up he shouted to his friend for assistance.
"Gracious! but he has 'em bad!" was Bart's comment, and then he swam in
and tried to break Fred's hold. He succeeded sufficiently for Joe to
regain his breath, and then both boys lost no time in hauling Fred to
the shore, where they laid him out on the grass and began to rub him.
"Oh!" groaned Fred, when he could speak. "What a horrible experience!"
"I should say it was horrible," answered Bart. "How do you feel?"
"As if I had been tied in a double knot!"
"It was the dinner did it," said Joe. "I told you not to go in so soon."
"I might have drowned if it hadn't been for you," continued Fred, with
a grateful look at first one and then the other.
"It was certainly a close call," answered Bart. "Why didn't you yell
when you were first taken?"
"I didn't have time. It came on me like a streak of lightning. I
couldn't strike out or use my voice."
"You had better put on your clothing," said Joe.
"I will. I shan't want to go swimming again this summer," and the stout
youth gave a shudder.
"Well, I've had enough myself just for the present," put in Bart. "To
witness something like this takes all the nerve out of a chap."
Both Joe and Bart gave Fred a good rubbing down and assisted him into
his clothing. Then they dressed themselves.
"How do you feel now?" asked Joe.
"All right, only a little weak in the legs and the stomach."
"You needn't to row," put in Bart. "We'll do that. You can take it
easy."
"Let us rest for awhile in the sun," said Joe. "It will do us all good."
The others were willing, and they threw themselves on a sloping hill
where the sun shone brightly, and where they could get a good view of
the surrounding country.
Just to the north of them was a creek which ran into Pine Lake. On both
sides of the watercourse were trees and thick bushes.
"There used to be some wild blackberries around here," remarked Joe,
presently. "Wonder if we can find any ripe ones?"
"Haven't you had enough to eat?" asked Bart.
"Oh, a handful of berries isn't very filling. We might take some home.
My folks----Well, I declare!"
Joe stopped short and sprang to his feet, gazing in the neighborhood of
the creek.
"What's the matter, Joe?"
"Did you see that man who just came from the creek and ran into yonder
woods?"
"I didn't see anybody," answered Fred.
"Neither did I," declared Bart.
"He was a young fellow and, unless I am greatly mistaken, it was Dan
Marcy."
"Marcy!" came from the others.
"Yes."
"What can he be doing here?"
"I'm sure I don't know."
"We ought to follow him."
"All right."
In a moment more they had set off for the woods into which the stranger
had disappeared. But they could not follow the fellow and soon gave up
the hunt.
"Did he see us?" asked Fred.
"I don't know. But he seemed to be in a tremendous hurry to get out of
sight."
"Then he must have seen us."
"If it was Marcy, perhaps the _Sprite_ is somewhere around here," came
from Bart, after a pause.
"That is exactly what I was thinking," answered Joe.
"Let us go on the hunt for the sloop," came from Fred. "Perhaps she is
hidden up that creek."