FOR CEDAR ISLAND--GHOST OR NO GHOST
"Three cheers for Colonel Bliss and Mr. Everett!" called out Bobolink,
almost too excited to speak plainly.
Paul himself led the cheering, because he knew those delighted boys just
had to find some sort of outlet for the enthusiasm that was bubbling up
within them. And doubtless the walls of that sacred building had seldom
heard such cheers since away back in the time when a meeting was held
there at news of the Civil War breaking out in 1861 and the patriotic
citizens had formed a company on the spot, to volunteer their services to
the President.
"Where will we go?" called out one scout, after the cheering had died
down, and they found time to consider ways and means of employing the
motorboats that had been so generously given into their keeping.
"Down the Bushkill to the sea!" suggested one.
"I suppose you think these motorboats can jump like broncos?" declared
Jud Elderkin, with a look of disgust; "else how would they ever get
around that big dam down at Seely's Mills? We could crawl a few miles
_up_ the Bushkill, but to go down would mean only a short cruise."
"Let Paul say!" cried Bobolink, shrewdly reading the smile on the face of
the assistant scout master, as he listened to all sorts of wild plans,
none of which would hold together when the rest of the scouts started to
pick flaws.
"Yes, Paul's got a scheme that'll knock all these wildcat ones just to
flinders, see if it don't," remarked Tom Betts, waving his hands to
enforce silence.
"Go on and tell us, Paul; and I reckon I c'n give a right smart guess
that it's about that Radway River country," declared Bobolink.
"Just what it is," said Paul. "Listen, then, and tell me what you think
of my plan. I've figured it all out, and believe we could make it a go.
If we did, we'd surely have the time of our lives, and find out something
that I've wanted myself to know a long while back. It's about a trip up
the Radway River, too, just as our smart chum guessed."
"But, say, the boats are right here at Stanhope, and have been used in
running up and down the Bushkill; then how in the name of wonder can we
carry them over to the Radway, which is some miles away, I take it?"
asked William Carberry, soberly.
"Wait and see; Paul's got all that arranged," declared the confident
Tom Betts.
"Have 'em hauled over on one of his father's big lumber wagons, mebbe,"
suggested Nuthin, who was rather a small chap, though not of quite so
little importance as his name would seem to indicate.
"Oh, you make me tired, Nuthin," declared Bobolink; "why, those
motorboats weigh a ton or two apiece. Think of gettin' a wagon strong
enough to carry one; and all the slow trips it'd have to take to get 'em
there and back. I reckon the whole of our vacation'd see us on the dry
land part of the cruise. Now, let Paul tell us what plan he's been
thinking about to get over to the Radway with 'em."
"Well, it's just this way," the chairman of the meeting went on to say,
calmly, with the air of one who had studied the matter carefully, and
grasped every little detail; "most of you know that there was a stream
known as Jackson Creek that ran into the Bushkill a mile below
Manchester. That was once dredged out, and made to form a regular canal
connecting the two rivers. For years, my father says, it was used
regularly by all sorts of boats that wanted to cross over from one
river to the other. But changes came, and by degrees the old canal has
been about forgotten. Still, it's there; and I went through it in my
canoe just yesterday, to sound, and see if it could be used by the
motorboats now."
"And could it?" asked Bobolink, eagerly.
"I think there's a fair chance that we'd pull through, though it might
sometimes be a close shave. There's a lot of nasty mud in the canal,
because, you see, it hasn't been cleaned out for years. If we had a good
rain now, and both rivers raised, we wouldn't have any trouble, but could
run through easy enough."
"Well, supposing we did get through, how far up the Radway would we
push?" asked Bobolink, determined to get the entire proposition out of
Paul at once, now that they had him going.
"All the way to Lake Tokala," replied Paul, promptly. "Some of you happen
to know that there's a jolly island in that big lake, known as Cedar
Island, because right on top of a small hill in the middle, a splendid
cedar stands. Well, we could take our tents along, and make camp on that
island, fishing, swimming, and having one of the best times ever heard
of. What do you say, fellows?"
Immediately there was a clamor of tongues. Some seemed to be for
accepting Paul's suggestion with a whoop, and declared that it took them
by storm. A few, however, seemed to raise objections; and such was the
racket that nobody was able to make himself understood. So the chairman
called for order; and with the whack of his gavel on the table every
voice was stilled.
"Let's conduct this meeting in a parliamentary way," said Paul. "Some of
you must have thought it stood adjourned. Now, whoever wants to speak,
get up, and let's hear what you've got to say."
"I move that we take up the plan offered, and make our headquarters on
Cedar Island," said Wallace Carberry, rising.
"Not on your life!" declared Curly Baxter, bobbing up like a
jack-in-the-box; "I've heard lots about that same place. It's troubled
with a _mystery_, and only last week I heard Paddy Reilly say he'd never
go there fishin' again if he was paid for it. He's dreadfully afraid of
ghosts, Paddy is."
"Ghosts!" almost shouted William Carberry; "I vote to go to Cedar
Island then. I've always wanted to see a genuine ghost, and never yet
had a chance."
"Now, I heard that it was a wild man that lived somewhere on that same
island," remarked Frank Savage. "They say he's a terror, too, all covered
with hair; and one man who'd been looking for pearl mussels in the river
up that way told my father he beat any Wild Man of Borneo he'd ever set
eyes on in a freak show or circus."
"Oh, that's a fine place for honest scouts to pitch their tents, ain't
it--I don't think!" observed Joe Clausin, with a sneer.
"H-h-huh! ain't there j-j-just twenty-six of us s-s-scouts; and ought we
b-b-be afraid of one l-l-little g-g-ghost, or even a w-w-wild man?"
demanded Bluff Shipley, who stuttered once in a while, when unduly
excited, though he was by degrees overcoming the nervous habit.
"Put it to a vote, Mr. Chairman!" called out Bobolink.
"Yes, and majority rules, remember," warned William Carberry.
"But that don't mean a feller just _has_ to go along, does it?" asked
Nuthin, looking somewhat aghast at the thought.
"Of course it don't;" Bobolink told him; "all the same you'll be on deck,
my boy. I just know you can't resist having such a jolly good time, ghost
or not. Question, Mr. Chairman!"
"Vote! Vote!"
"All in favor of trying to go through the old canal that used to connect
the Bushkill with the Radway, and cruising up to Cedar Island, camping
there for a week or ten days, say 'aye,'" Paul went on to remark.
A thunderous response cheered his heart; for somehow Paul seemed very
much set upon following out the scheme he himself had devised.
"Contrary, no!" he continued.
There were just three who boldly allowed themselves to be set down as not
being in favor of the daring plan--Nuthin, Curly Baxter and Joe Clausin;
and yet, just as the wise, far-seeing Bobolink had declared, when it came
to a question of staying at home while the rest of the troop were off
enjoying their vacation, or swallowing their fear of ghosts and wild men,
these three boys would be along when the motorboats started on their
adventurous cruise.
"The ayes have it; and the meeting stands adjourned, according to the
motion I can see Jack Stormways's just about to put," and with a laugh
Paul stepped down from the platform.
For fully half an hour they talked the thing over. It was viewed from
every possible angle. Many objections raised by the doubters were
promptly met by the ready Paul; and in the end it was definitely decided
that they would give just one day to making all needed preparations.
They had tents for the three patrols now, and all sorts of cooking
utensils; for frequently the scouts were divided into messes, there being
a cook appointed in each patrol.
What was needed most of all were the supplies for an extended stay; and
when it was taken into consideration that a score of boys, with ravenous
appetites, would want three big meals each and every day, the question of
figuring out enough provisions to see them through was no light matter.
But then they had considerable money in the treasury, and a numbers of
the boys said they would bring loaves of bread, and all sorts of eatables
from home; so Paul saw his way clear toward providing the given quantity.
"Don't forget that the gasoline is going to eat a big hole into our
little pile of the long green," remarked Curly Baxter, still engaged in
trying to throw cold water on the scheme.
"Oh, that makes me think of something I forgot to tell you, fellows,"
declared Paul, his face filled with good humor. "One of the stipulations
connected with the lending of these two motor-boats by the kind gentlemen
who own them was that they insisted on supplying all the liquid fuel
needed to run the craft. The tanks are to be filled, and each boat
carries in addition another drum, with extra gasoline. We'll likely have
enough for all our needs that way, and without costing us a red cent,
either. So, you see how easy most of your objections melt away, Curly.
Chances are, you'll fall into line, and be with us when we start the day
after tomorrow."
Several of the boys were feeling pretty blue. They wanted to accompany
the rest of the troop the worst way; but it happened that their folks had
planned to go down to the sea-shore for a month, until school began
again; and the chances were they would have to go along, though every one
of them declared they would choose the cruise up the Radway in the two
motorboats, if given their way.
But it looked as though there was going to be a pretty fair crowd on each
boat. Paul counted noses of those he believed would be along, and found
that they seemed to number eighteen. If two of the three timid ones
concluded to throw their fears to the winds, and come along, it would
make an even twenty.
"Of course, it will be hard to sleep so many aboard, because the boats
are small affairs, taken altogether," Paul observed; "but we hope to make
the journey in a full day, and be on Cedar Island by nightfall."
"Whew! night on Cedar Island--excuse _me_ if you please!" faltered Curly
Baxter, holding up both hands, as though the idea suggested all sorts of
terrible things to his mind; but much as he seemed desirous of causing
others to back out, Paul saw no signs of any one doing so.
"Meet here at noon tomorrow, boys, and I'll report what I've done. Then
we can figure on what else we have to lay in store, so as to be
comfortable. We must get everything down to the boats before evening,
because we start early on Wednesday, you hear. At eight A. M., Bobolink,
here, will sound his bugle; and ten minutes later we weigh anchor, or cut
loose our hawsers, as you choose to say it, for it means letting go a
rope after all."
They started home in bunches, as usual, those who happened to live near
together naturally waiting for each other. Paul, Jack, and Bobolink
walked together.
"And just as it happens so many times," Paul was saying, as they
sauntered on in the direction of home. "Mr. Gordon is away on the road
somewhere, selling goods; so we have to go without having our fine
scoutmaster along to look after us."
"Guess nobody will miss him very much, although Mr. Gordon is a mighty
nice man and we all think a heap of him; but you are able to fill his
shoes all right, Paul; and, somehow, it seems to feel better not to have
any grown-up along. The responsibility makes most of the fellers behave,
and think for themselves, you see," Jack went on to say.
Paul heaved a little sigh, for he knew who shouldered most of that same
responsibility.
"But," remarked Bobolink, as he was about to separate from Jack and Paul
on a certain corner, where their ways divided; "I'd give something right
now to just know what's in those queer old boxes Professor Hackett has
stored in your mill, Jack; and why they have to be watched, just like
they held money or something that has to be guarded against an unknown
enemy! But I guess I'll have to take it out in wantin', because you don't
know, and wouldn't tell till you got the consent of your dad, even if you
did. Goodnight, fellows; and here's hoping we're going to have the time
of our lives up and around Cedar Island!"