THE FIRST NIGHT ON THE ISLAND
"Asa Lemm and Slogwell Brown!"
"What do you know about that, boys?"
"That's bringing this matter pretty close to us, isn't it?"
"I should say so!"
Such were some of the remarks coming from the Rover boys after Barney
Stevenson had made his astonishing declaration that the father of
Slugger Brown and the ex-teacher of Colby Hall were the two men who were
trying to dispossess him.
"Why, you speak as if you knew those two men!" exclaimed the old
lumberman.
"We certainly know Asa Lemm," answered Jack.
"And we know the son of Slogwell Brown," added Randy.
"Yes, and if Mr. Brown is no better than his son, I wouldn't put it past
him to do something crooked," was Andy's comment.
"Tell me what you know," said Uncle Barney.
Thereupon the four boys related the particulars of the trouble they had
had with Professor Lemm, and of how he had left the military academy.
They also told much about Slugger, and, incidentally, Nappy Martell, and
of how the two cadets had been dismissed by Colonel Colby.
"This certainly is wonderful!" exclaimed the old lumberman, when they
had finished. "I had no idea you boys knew anything about those men. I
reckon your opinion of their honesty is just about as high as mine is,"
and he smiled grimly.
"Asa Lemm claims to have lost quite a fortune," said Jack; "but we
certainly did not think that part of it was located in this island."
"It isn't located in this island--at least it isn't so far as I am
concerned!" cried Uncle Barney. "If those men bought what they thought
were the rights to this island, they were defrauded, that's all! And
that has absolutely nothing to do with my rights to this land!"
"I should think if you got a good deed to the land from that Luke
Martinson--and his folks had a good deed from somebody else--that ought
to be proof enough that you own the island."
"Well, I've got the deed from Martinson, and I've got the old deeds he
used to have, too! I've got them placed away in a tin box and in a safe
place, too!" answered the old man.
"Then, if you've got those deeds, why do they bother you?" questioned
Fred.
"As I've said before, they won't admit that the deeds old Mrs. Martinson
had were any good. The fact of the matter is, Slogwell Brown wants to
get those deeds away from me. He has been at me to let him look at the
deeds several times, but I've always refused, for I was afraid that if
he got the deeds away from me I would never see them again."
"I thought they recorded deeds at the Court House," said Jack, who had
heard this fact mentioned between his father and his uncles.
"They do record deeds, and I suppose that one was recorded at some time
or other; but the Court House in this county was burnt down some years
ago and all the records went up in smoke."
"But you could get the deeds recorded now--I mean have it done over
again," remarked Randy.
"I suppose so. But that wouldn't do me any good, because they would
probably try to prove that the deeds I brought in were not the
originals. You see, the date when a deed is recorded has a good deal to
do with it. Anyway, I'm not going to let anybody have those deeds until
I am sure of what I'm doing," went on Uncle Barney. It was easy to see
that the old man was peculiar and wanted to do things in his own
manner.
"Did you ever ask a lawyer about this?" questioned Fred.
"No! I ain't got no use for lawyers!" was the quick reply. "I hired a
lawyer in a lawsuit nigh on to thirteen years ago, and I lost the suit
and it cost me over a hundred dollars more than I might have paid
otherwise." The old lumberman did not add that this was a lawsuit to
which Ruth Stevenson's father was also a party, yet such was the fact.
"How long is it since you heard from Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm?"
asked Andy.
"The last time they came to see me was in the middle of the summer. They
threatened all sorts of things, and they got me so mad that I had to
take down my shotgun and warn them away. Then they left in a big hurry."
"Don't you think it's a bad thing to warn them off with a gun?"
questioned Jack. "They might have you arrested for threatening their
lives."
"I'm not afraid of them!" was the quick reply. "This is my island, and
nobody shall take it away from me!"
The boys could see that the subject was becoming distasteful to the old
man, and so they started to speak of other things. They questioned him
about how they could get to his regular cabin, and also the cabin they
were to occupy, and then spoke about the game they might have a chance
to bring down.
"Your going hunting will depend a good deal on how the weather turns
out," said the old lumberman. "If this snow keeps on for a day or two,
it will make traveling pretty bad. However, I'm in hopes that the storm
will clear away by morning."
The boys had put in a strenuous day, and they were glad enough when
Uncle Barney suggested that they turn in for the night.
"We're pretty short on blankets," he said, "but that won't matter so
much so long as we keep the fire going. I've got a good back log
started, and that ought to last until morning, if not longer. When I'm
at this hut alone, I usually sleep in that corner, and I'll do the same
to-night. You can spread yourselves around as you please."
With such a limited supply of blankets, it was no easy matter to make
comfortable couches, yet the boys had left home to rough it, so nobody
complained. They lay down in their clothing, using some of their
suitcases and Gladstone bags for pillows.
"If we had had a chance to do so, we might have brought in some pine
boughs to lie on," said Jack. "But as it is, I guess we'll manage."
"Is there any chance of that wolf coming back?" questioned Fred, a bit
anxiously.
"I hardly think so, Fred. And, anyway, I don't see how he's going to get
in here, with the door closed and the blanket nailed over the window.
However, we can keep our guns handy in case he does appear."
Worn out so completely, it did not take the boys long to fall into a
sound sleep, and the old lumberman soon joined them, snoring lustily.
Thus the night passed, and nothing came to disturb them.
Of the lads, it was Randy who was the first to arise in the morning. He
found Uncle Barney in the act of stirring up the fire. The old lumberman
had already brought in some ice to be melted for a pot of coffee.
"I ain't really awake in the morning until after I've had my cup of
coffee," he explained. "That's the one thing that really sets me on my
feet."
"How about the storm?" questioned Randy, and now the sound of his voice
set the others to stirring.
"The storm is about over," was the welcome announcement. "In a little
while I think you'll see the sun peeping out over the woods on the
eastern shore."
"Hurrah! that's good news!" cried Andy, leaping to his feet and
stretching himself. "I must have a look!" and, jamming his cap on his
head, he started for the door. The other Rovers followed him.
Outside they found the snow covering everything to a depth of from
several inches to several feet, but the air was as clear as a bell, and
just beyond the woods, on the eastern shore of Lake Monona, there was a
rosy glow, betokening the rising of the sun.
"It's going to be a grand day!" exclaimed Fred.
"I don't think it could be any better, even though the snow is quite
deep in spots," returned Jack.
Once more they went over the stores which had been brought along, and
took out enough for breakfast. They had with them some flour for griddle
cakes, and soon the appetizing odor of the cakes, mingling with the
aroma of hot coffee and hot chocolate, filled the little cabin. Then
they took turns at frying bacon and making more griddle cakes and eating
breakfast.
"What do you think will be the easiest way of getting to the other end
of the island?" questioned Jack of Uncle Barney, while they were eating.
"Well, as you've got the bobsled and all those stores along, I should
say the easiest way would be to climb down to the lake again," was the
reply. "That wind must have cleaned off some of the ice, and we can get
along a good deal better by skating and by hauling the bobsled over the
ice than we can trying to break our way through the woods in this heavy
fall of snow."
"I was thinking if we walked the length of the island we might stir up
some game," remarked Randy.
"You'll have plenty of chances to go out after game after you're settled
at the regular camp," returned the old lumberman. "The game isn't going
to run away, you know," and he smiled pleasantly.
Breakfast at an end, the boys lost no time in repacking their
belongings, and Uncle Barney assisted them in fastening the load to the
bobsled.
"But I'm going to carry my shotgun this time," announced Fred. "Then, if
any game appears, I'll be ready for it."
"You can all carry your guns if you want to," said the owner of the
island. "I'll leave my weapon strapped to the sled, so that if any game
appears you boys can do the shooting."
The little cabin was closed up, and then the party made its way down
over the rough rocks and between the trees to the lake shore. It was no
easy matter to bring the bobsled along, and once Fred slipped on one of
the smooth rocks and pitched headlong into a snowbank.
"Hi you! stop your fooling!" cried Andy, and then, in great glee, he
picked up a chunk of snow and hurled it at Jack.
"Let up!" cried the oldest Rover boy. "This is no time for jokes!" and
then, as Andy came at him with another chunk of snow, he jumped at his
cousin, put out his foot, and made the fun-loving youth measure his
length in a drift.
"Wow! but that snow is cold!" cried Andy, who had gotten some down the
sleeves of his sweater. "Stop! Don't bury me! I'll be good!" And then he
scrambled to his feet once more, while Fred did the same. Then the whole
party proceeded on its way.
Reaching the lake, they lost no time in putting on their skates, and
then, with Uncle Barney leading the way, the four Rovers followed,
dragging the loaded bobsled behind them.
On all sides could be seen snowdrifts and ridges of snow piled in
curiously fantastic shapes. But the keen wind of the afternoon and night
had cleared many long reaches of the ice, and over these reaches Uncle
Barney picked his way, gradually working closer and closer to the upper
end of Snowshoe Island.
"We'll turn in here," he announced presently, when they came to where
there was something of a cove. "There seems to be quite a cleared space.
It won't be very long now before we reach the upper end."
As they turned in once more toward the island, Jack noticed a peculiar
fluttering among some trees not far away.
"Wait a minute!" he cried out in a low tone. "I think I see some game!"
All came to a halt, and then Uncle Barney looked in the direction to
which the oldest Rover boy pointed.
"You are right, my lad," answered the old lumberman. "There is a fine
chance for all of you."
"What are they?" questioned Fred a trifle excitedly.
"Wild turkeys! And the best kind of eating--if you can only get close
enough to bring them down."