PREPARED FOR THE WORST
"She's just walking up hand over fist; eh, Paul?" asked Jud.
"No question about it, Jud," came the reply as the scout master cast an
apprehensive look across the half-mile of water that separated them from
the outlet of the lake. "I'd give something to know what's happened down
there, to dam this water up, and just how far it's going to rise on us."
"Tell you what," said Bobolink, who had followed Paul when he left the
tent, as had also the rest of the occupants, "I wouldn't be a bit
surprised if that awful explosion shook the shoulder of earth and rock
down, that we saw hanging above the mouth of the Radway River where she
leaves the lake."
"You've hit it, I do believe!" cried Paul, exultantly; "and that's just
what did happen, chances are, fellows."
"But if the outlet is filled up," said Jud, "and this water keeps pouring
in on four sides, it's dead sure the blooming lake will fill up in short
order. What had we better do, Paul?"
"That's just what I'm trying to figure on, Jud," answered the other;
"it's one of two things--either hike out for the hill, where we'll be
safe until the water goes down; or else get our things aboard the boats,
and stay here."
"That last strikes me as the best of all!" declared Jack.
"Besides," broke in Nuthin, "we don't want to lose those boats, you know.
They were loaned to us and if we let 'em go to smash, wouldn't it take us
a long time to pay the bill, though? Besides, we'll need 'em to get away
from here."
"That isn't the worst of it," remarked Paul, who was very serious.
"Why, what is there besides?" demanded Bobolink.
"Suppose the water does get up so as to cover the island, all but the
hill," the scout master went on deliberately, as though making sure of
his ground as he talked; "and then, all of a sudden the weight of it
broke through the dam; don't you see the suction, as the water rushed
out, would be something _terrific_. No rope ever made, I reckon, could
hold these boats back. They'd sure be drawn through the gap, and carried
on the flood, any old way, even upside-down, maybe."
"Whew!" whistled Bobolink; and as for some of the other fellows, they
began to lose their usual color as they realized what Paul was saying.
"Now, that's just an idea that came into my mind," Paul went on, seeing
that he had alarmed some of the scouts. "It may never happen, you
understand. But you know the motto we believe in is 'be prepared!' That
means never to take things for granted. Keep your eyes and ears always on
guard, and see lots of things, even before they swoop down on you. So,
it's up to us, fellows, to get our tents and other fixings loaded up as
soon as we can. After that we'll go aboard ourselves, and try to prepare
against a sudden break in the dam."
"And lookin' at that water creeping up," remarked Jud, "the sooner we get
busy, the better."
Accordingly, they all hastened back to the camp. It was found that
already the water seemed to be creeping into the sink. Those in the other
two tents were talking it over, and wondering what was about to happen.
When they heard the latest news, their faces indicated both astonishment
and not a little alarm. But under the direction of the scout master, they
started to convey all their belongings to the boats.
First the blankets and clothes bags were taken over; then the food and
cooking utensils; and finally the tents came down in a hurry, for the
boys were working in water almost up to their knees when this last part
of the job was concluded.
Once out of the sink, they found plenty of high ground to walk on, while
carrying the wet tents to the landing where the boats were lying.
After they were all aboard, the scouts packed the stuff as best they
could, so that it would take up as little space as possible. Meanwhile
Paul and Jack, with both the other patrol leaders, were trying to figure
out just what would be the best course for them to pursue.
"Makes me think of old Noah, when he went aboard the ark, and the animals
they followed two by two," said Bobolink, with a chuckle.
"Huh, call yourself a kangaroo, or a monkey, if you like," spoke up Old
Dan Tucker, "but as for me I'd rather play the part of Ham, or one of the
other sons."
"Sure thing!" assented Bobolink, cheerfully; "never saw the time yet
when you raised any kick about takin' the part of Ham. Sounds good,
don't it, Dan?"
It was pretty hard to keep the spirits of Bobolink from sizzling and
gushing forth like a fountain when the water is turned on. He could joke,
even while the several leaders of the expedition were consulting gravely
about their chances of holding the boats against the frightful suction of
the current, when the obstructions in the outlet of the lake gave way,
which they hoped would not be suddenly, but by degrees.
It was certainly a condition that confronted them, and not a theory. Paul
was really more worried than he showed; for he kept his feelings under
control, knowing that if some of the others realized how much he was
concerned, the fact might create a panic.
"If I really thought the worst would come," Paul said, in a low tone, to
Jack, after it had been concluded that they would stay by the boats, and
do the best they could, "why I'd be tempted to give the order to just cut
for the hill, and leave everything but some food behind. Once up there,
we would be safe, and that's what we can't say is the case now."
"But even if the water goes out with a rush, it can't tear a tree like
this one up by the roots; can it?" asked Jack, pointing to where the
cables of the boats had been secured as strongly as possible.
"That's so," replied the scout master; "but then, think of the ropes, and
what a terrible strain would come on them. I'm afraid both would snap
like pipe-stems. To hold tight, we'd need a big chain; or a hawser like
that one the switching engine on the railroad uses to drag cars on a
parallel track. But then, the water may be nearly as high, right now, as
it will get We'll hope so, anyhow."
That was Paul's way of trying to look on the bright side, although he
never failed to prepare for the worst, even while expecting the best.
"If we could only think up some way to help ease the strain, it would be
a good thing," observed Jack, thoughtfully.
"I wish you could. It would ease my mind more than I care to tell you,"
was Paul's answer.
"One thing, the storm is over," called out Jud, just then; "see, there's
a break in the clouds, and I reckon the sun will be peepin' out soon."
"But the water will keep on rushing down the sides of the hills away off
yonder," Paul remarked, "and filling up this cup until it runs over. They
say that the Radway River drains three times the amount of country that
our own Bushkill does. And by the way the water comes in here, I believe
it. Look out there on the lake, will you; it shows that it's getting
wider right now."
"Why, in another half hour, if it keeps on the same way, it's going to
lap over pretty much all the lower part of the island," Jack declared.
Everything else was neglected now, and the scouts gathered along the side
of each boat, watching the lake. It was as if they half expected to see
the water suddenly take to rushing toward the spot where they knew the
peculiar outlet lay, not more than twenty feet across, and with abrupt
sides, one of which had been partly overhanging the water at the time
they entered.
It was, of course, this section which must have been dislodged by the
blast which shook the surrounding territory, filling the bed of the
stream, and causing the rapidly accumulating waters of the lake to back
up, since they could find no place to discharge, as usual.
It was while they were moodily watching the waste of waters that one of
the scouts, who had wandered across to the other side of the _Comfortt_
suddenly sounded a fresh alarm, that sent another thrill to the hearts of
the already excited boys.
"Hey! here's a lot of men comin' down on us, fellows I They're meanin' to
capture our boats, just like pirates. Boarders ahoy! Get busy everybody.
Clubs are trumps!"
As they rushed to the other side, some having to clamber over the heaps
of duffle that took up so much room aboard, the scouts saw that it was no
false alarm. A number of men were hurrying toward them, splashing through
water that was in places almost knee deep, even when they took the upper
levels. Should they make a blunder, and stray off the ridges, it was
likely they would speedily have to swim for it.
Paul was considerably aroused at first. They did not know very much
about these mysterious people of the island; and after their recent
rough experience, most of the boys were decidedly averse to knowing
anything more of them. And yet, here they were hurrying toward the
two motor-boats, as though they might indeed have some desperate
idea in view.
Perhaps they meant to capture the boats, so as to insure their escape
from the rising waters. And then again, it seemed at least possible
that they might want to keep the scouts from telling what strange
things they had seen.
So the first thing Paul did when he had that glimpse of the oncoming men,
was to hasten to possess himself of his double-barreled shotgun. Not that
he expected that there would be any necessity for firing it, but it was
apt to inspire a certain amount of respect.
And the balance of the scouts had made haste to arm themselves with
whatever they could find that would help hold the enemy at bay. Some had
brought their clubs aboard, others seized upon the push poles, while one
grabbed up the camp axe, and another seized upon the hatchet.
When eighteen husky and determined lads line the sides of two boats,
prepared to give a good account of themselves, it must needs be brave men
who would dare try to clamber aboard.
And it was about this time, when things were looking rather
squally around the floating homes of the scouts, that Paul noticed
something singular.