SOMETHING DOING
"I don't suppose any of you fellows have seen signs of the Chief and
his men returning with any prisoners?" Frank asked, a little later, as
he entered the shed to see how the arrangements for the evening spread
were progressing.
"Nary a sign," replied Larry, who was bending over the stove, very red
in the face, and yet grinning with pleasure; for he dearly loved to
handle the pots and pans on an occasion like this, and was really a
clever cook.
"Same here!" spoke up Elephant, who was fanning himself near by, and
sniffing at the odors that arose from the fire, as though he wished the
time would come when he might partake of the feast Larry had prepared.
"Then it looks as if the raid hasn't panned out a success so far,"
remarked Frank. "I'm sorry, too, because I believe I'd sleep sounder
if I only knew our friend Jules was caged once more."
"Then you really think he'd be mean enough to try and burn the shed
down, and destroy your aeroplanes?" asked Larry.
"Oh! from all I've heard about Jules, he'd never balk at a little thing
like that," Frank continued. "The scoundrel who could shoot at two
boys sailing hundreds of feet in the air, and take chances of sending
them down to a terrible death, wouldn't hold back at anything, in my
opinion."
"The Colonel says he'd just like to get in touch with him," remarked
Elephant, with a chuckle. "I can just see the old chap dancing around
with his war paint on, swinging that crutch of his to beat the band.
Wow! wouldn't he just make mincemeat out of Jules though, if ever they
met up?"
"Don't you forget it, Colonel Josiah still burns with the same spirit
that carried him through a bunch of tight places. He's promised to
tell us all about his ride with Gomez in Cuba during the war with
Spain. And mark me, it'll be worth listening to. He never yarns, and
has the proofs to show for every story he tells. That's the best part
of it, because you know all the time you're listening to real hard
facts, and not fiction."
"There he comes now, stumping along. Bet you he's sniffed some of
these delicious smells away up at the house. Larry, if you don't get a
move on, and announce dinner pretty soon, I declare if I don't start a
raid on the grub. Can't stand for much more of this," and Elephant
hugged himself as though it were only by a determined effort that he
refrained from beginning work then and there.
"Hold on five minutes more, old chap," soothed the cook. "Everything's
ready, and as soon as Frank gives the word we'll sit down."
To enjoy the meal all the more they had taken the table outdoors, and
places for half a dozen had been made ready. The sun had set, but
there would be light for an hour at least, plenty to last them during
the meal.
The old traveler they seated at the head of the table, and Frank was
made to take the other end. Then Larry and his assistants set to work
dishing up. As the lovely aluminum set only carried enough for four,
Andy had been compelled to call upon his reserves for additional
plates, cups and such things.
And that dinner was surely worth remembering. Larry had certainly
"done himself proud," as the delighted Colonel declared, after he had
eaten until he could no longer do justice to the spread.
After the things had been cleared away they started the veteran to
dipping into certain of his recollections; and once he was set going,
he might be likened to a clock, for being wound up, adventure after
adventure fell from his lips in a way to keep the listeners charmed.
Not that the Colonel was a boaster at all; he never assumed that he had
done anything at all wonderful; but just related facts in his simple
though dramatic way, and those who heard could draw their own
inferences.
The boys would never forget that evening, or the feast that Larry put
before them. It would ever be marked by a white stone in their
memories; and doubtless in after years, when fully launched upon the
more serious avenues of life, more than one of them would look back
with a smile as the picture arose in their minds' eye, with that
white-haired old man sitting near by, and thrilling them with his
recollections of the past.
It was long after ten when he bade them good-night, and betook himself
off to the house, his last words being:
"Don't forget that your Uncle Josiah is coming like a runaway engine if
so be that bell sounds the alarm! And to tell you the truth, boys, I'm
half wishing it might be so!"
After he had gone they began to make their preparations looking to the
passing of another night. Each one believed he could make some
improvement on the former experience. This was especially the case
with Elephant, who had been very uncomfortable in that swinging canoe;
though it looked cozy enough.
Frank seemed to be busying himself after a strange fashion.
Elephant had cast a curious look that way several times as he labored
to improve his own conditions. Finally his natural desire to know
compelled him to turn to Larry, and put the question:
"What's Frank doing over at the end of the shed? Sure he don't mean to
change his bunk for a place like that?"
"Oh, rats! don't you understand? Frank's making a trap!" Larry replied.
"Rats--a trap!" repeated the runt, mystified by the coming together of
these two significant words. "But what does he have to go to all that
trouble for? I'd think one of them ordinary regular wire traps would
fill the bill as well."
Larry looked at him queerly, as if making up his mind whether the other
meant it, or was simply joshing him.
"This is a man-trap!" he said, severely.
"Oh! my!" Elephant gasped; and then fell to watching Frank more
intently than ever, as he continued to work on.
"And," continued Larry, "if you wake up in the night, and hear the most
awful racket in the wide world, make sure we've caught something, do
you understand, Elephant?"
"Meaning Jules?" queried the other, in an awed tone.
"Meaning Jules," repeated Larry, mocking the other by even assuming his
manner.
"But do you really think he'll drop in on us, Larry?" the small boy
asked.
"Wouldn't surprise me one little bit," returned his tormentor, calmly.
"You heard what the Colonel was saying about those Spanish brigands who
captured him--well, this Jules is just the same sort of customer,
revengeful, desperate and ready to take almost any sort of chances, if
he sees an opening. And Frank is that accommodating, he means to have
a most inviting opening ready, so Jules can't resist the temptation to
stick his nose in. Then slam! bang! and it's all over with Jules but
the shouting, believe me."
Naturally all this sort of talk had its effect upon the timid Elephant.
He could not keep his thoughts away from the trap Frank was making in
the rear of the shed, and the possibility of that dark-faced escaped
convict being caught in the act of entering the place, on mischief bent.
"I'll just dream about him coming, see if I don't!" he warned Larry, as
he prepared to crawl into the swinging canoe, where his blankets had
been placed.
"All right," answered the other; "only don't you go to whooping things
up here too lively. Remember there are others, and that they want to
snooze right along till morning. I'm glad Frank didn't draft you for a
sentry, though."
"Oh! it was nice of him," answered the small boy, readily. "But then
you see, Frank knows I just can't keep awake to save me. And what good
is a sleepy guard, I'd like to know. Hope I've got it fixed now so I
won't feel the ribs of this blessed Oldtown canoe poking me in my slats
tonight. They kept me uneasy last night to beat the band. Aw! I'm
awful sleepy, Larry; and I guess I'll turn in."
"Good. Only go careful, or you'll roll out the other side. That boat
swings with a hair trigger. The least touch starts her to going.
There you are. It's rockabye baby for you, Elephant. Mother's little
darling boy, go to sleep now like a good kid!"
Elephant mumbled some sort of answer but in another minute he was off,
fast locked in the arms of the dream god. Larry lost little time in
following his example, for he expected to be called at a certain hour
by Frank, who would have the first watch himself.
Darkness fell upon the interior of the workshop. If there was any
sound to be heard, such as the heavy breathing of some sleeper, the
sigh and moan of the night breeze without deadened this.
Frank had assumed a comfortable position. He could sit there and allow
his mind to grapple with numerous things that interested him; at the
same time feel that he was keeping a strict watch. Time passed on.
The air happened to be coming from the direction of the town, so that
when the clock in the church tower struck the hour he could easily hear
the sounds.
In this way he knew how his watch went on, and when it would be time to
change places with Larry. To the average lad there is something
approaching a fascination in this near approach to life in the open.
The mere fact that peril threatened, so as to compel a night watch, was
enough to keep Frank from feeling drowsy. But then he always had a
peculiar faculty for controlling his weaknesses. Most other boys would
have had to fight desperately to remain awake.
He had just counted the strokes as the town clock droned off the
midnight hour, and was wondering whether he had not better let Larry
sleep until one had arrived, when without the slightest warning there
arose the most dreadful racket any one could well imagine.
It sounded as though the whole roof might be falling in, what with the
clatter of tinpans, the upsetting of chairs and the half muffled shouts
that punctuated the entire clamor. And Frank leaped to his feet,
believing on the spur of the moment that his trap had been sprung!