idea of not being able to claim the coup after offering the use of his
kodak, started away from the boys in a huff. The boys never dreamed
of his anger or envy over the _coup_ winning so did not trouble to
look over or beyond the jungle of brush. While Paul, be it said to his
credit, forgot all about Uncle Bill’s admonition and the promise made
not to wander away from the others.
He finally reached a small promontory of land that jutted out into the
sea. As he walked out on the upthrust, a white strip of sandy beach was
found to be lying snugly at the bottom of the bluff. About a hundred
feet across from the place where the boy stood, another large finger of
high-land ran out from the shore actually making a secluded little cove
of the beach.
“My, what a dandy little place for a swim! I can undress down between
these two high rocks and have a dip, then get back into my clothes
again before Billy gets through with that nest!” said Paul to himself
as he slid down the steep bank to the beach.
Once on the smooth sand the boy looked about. He was well-screened all
right, and not a thing could he see beyond the high banks behind him.
“Just like a bath-house. Two rock walls, with some trees right behind
and a peachy beach in front! No one’d ever dream of finding sand on
this island of rocks and fir-grown boulders,” remarked Paul to himself,
as he started to walk to the water’s edge.
“I’ll just see how far out this little sand strip runs--it may stop
short just beyond and then drop down suddenly.”
As Paul bent over the sparkling water the better to scan the distance
the sand ran out under the waves, he felt himself slowly sinking down
to his ankles in the sand.
“Huh! This is funny. Never felt anything like it before,” murmured he,
chuckling at the queer sensation of being sucked down.
By the time his legs were in to the shins, he started to wonder
seriously, not yet dreaming of danger, however.
Not entirely liking the grip the sand seemed to have taken on his feet,
Paul tried to back away but found he could not tear his feet out of its
clutch.
“Let go! Let me get out, I say!” growled Paul to the quicksand, as he
twisted and struggled to climb out of the mire.
The boy had not enough experience to know what to do in this emergency
and being too far away from the other boys to be seen by them, he felt
that he must manage to get free of the quagmire that was drawing him in
deeper every moment.
By the time he had sunk to the calves he was thoroughly frightened and
endeavoured wildly to throw himself out of the engulfing sand. The more
he struggled and squirmed the quicker he sank and then, desperate with
his danger and horror, he screamed at the top of his lungs.
He gazed frantically about, but the only sign of habitation was a
deserted-looking camp some distance away on the bluff.
Again Paul yelled “Help! Help! Help!” and ended in a terrific cry that
curdled the blood in Billy’s veins just as he was about to push the
button in the kodak.
“What’s that yell, Bill?” called Fred from below.
Frightened Billy looked around carefully and located a human speck down
near the water. From the manner in which it was tossing about its arms
it seemed to be in dire need of help.
None of the boys were aware of Paul’s desertion but expected to find
him fooling with bugs or flowers on the other side of the brush. So,
Billy thought some one unknown to them needed help.
“Some one’s having a nasty time over there near the water--I don’t know
who or what is wrong, but I can make out that whoever it is wants help.
Hustle over and see, Fred!” called Billy.
“Where--which way and direction?” shouted Fred, looking up at Billy.
“Off in that direction--straight through that opening of the firs!”
came down from Billy, who had started to descend the moment he took the
bearings.
“We’ll run ahead, you follow, Bill!” called Fred, turning to tell
Dudley and Paul to come with him.
“Where’s Paul?” cried he, suddenly missing the boy.
“Wh-hy-I don’t know. I was so busy watching Billy I didn’t see him
leave us,” replied Dudley, frightened and running after Fred as fast as
he could go.
Billy reached the ground and started to tear after the other boys when
he heard the familiar whistle generally given as a signal from Uncle
Bill when he was in search of any one.
Billy signalled in return and soon Uncle Bill came from the fir-woods
and crossed the small clearing that lay between the firs and the spruce
where the hawk’s nest was located.
“Hurry--come with me and help!” cried Billy, catching hold of his
uncle’s hand before anything could be said.
On the way he breathlessly explained what he had seen from the
tree-top, and where Fred and Dudley had gone.
“Must be a quicksand. If all you boys are O. K. who can it be? I
thought no one was on the island besides ourselves?” cried Uncle Bill.
“I saw a sort of a hut near there when I was up in the tree!” added
Billy.
“Perhaps it is some one from the hut; but then they ought to know of
the danger I should think! Anyway we ought to have a rope to throw,”
said Uncle Bill now thoroughly anxious, dragging his nephew along to
keep up with his running strides.
“I’ll run over to the camp and see if I can find a line or rope,” said
Billy, as they reached the edge of the grove near the bluff.
“Yes, and if any one lives there get them to come and help with a board
or plank!”
Billy ran along the edge of the bluff toward the camp he could see some
distance away, while Uncle Bill came out to the sheltered strip of
beach where he saw Fred and Dudley striving to save Paul’s life.
It needed but a glance to make the whole situation clear, and in wild
leaps the man reached the frantic group on the sand.
“Keep still, don’t move!” shouted Fred to the struggling Paul.
“The more you squirm and fight the deeper you go!” added Dudley, as
Uncle Bill ran up behind them.
Fred was lying on his stomach trying to shove an old fence rail out to
the boy. As he carefully guided it so that the end of the rail would
slide over the sand and possibly be worked under the arm of the victim,
he encouraged Paul with advice.
“When this rail comes near you, try to get your arm over it so it can
be used as a brace for you. Then, I’ll try to work another out for your
other arm.”
“Here, Fred, let me do that job while Dud and you run and get some more
rails wherever you found these,” cried the welcome voice of Uncle Bill.
Both boys showed signs of great relief and confidence as they gave
place to the man, and started for the rails of an old fence they had
found while crossing the clearing near the bluff.
Meantime, Billy reached the camp but found no one there. It appeared to
be a deserted fisherman’s hut but some old rope still hung coiled upon
a hook driven in the side of the door-post.
When he reached the spot where Uncle Bill was working to help Paul,
Billy was shocked to recognise the victim.
Fred and Uncle Bill managed to worm the rails out so that Paul slid
his arms up over them and this acted as a resistible brace against the
suction of the mire. Then, with practised hand the coil of rope was
flung and as it fell it formed a loop over Paul’s head.
“Now, work that noose down over your shoulders, and when both arms are
over it give the word so I can pull you out,” ordered Uncle Bill.
Once more on terra firma Paul was congratulated at his narrow escape
but the pallor of his face was sufficient punishment then, so that
Uncle Bill refrained from scolding him.
“The next thing for us to do is to scrape Paul. We ought to get him
over to Mose where he can undress and wrap himself in a shawl until
this mire is washed from his clothes,” said Uncle Bill.
“We must keep this a secret from the girls, you know,” warned Fred.
“If they smell a rat we’ll say Paul slipped into a pool of mire, which
is the truth,” laughed Dudley.
“I think some one ought to set up a danger sign at that awful spot,”
said Paul, still shivering at the thought of it.
“Yes, Paul’s right. We’ll go back afterwards and fix up some sort of
warning for others,” approved Fred.
“I’ll tell you how! When we go back for the picture of the fish-hawk’s
nest this afternoon, we can sneak down and stick up that Turkey
red cushion top from the launch. That will mean danger, you know,”
suggested Billy.
“And maybe you can find a can of paint or some other stuff at that
shack so I can mark a warning on the boulder of rock alongside of the
sand,” added Uncle Bill.
Paul and his rescuers reached Mose’s camp and were fortunate enough to
find everybody gone on a flower quest. Mose alone kept solitary vigil
of the clam-chowder cooking over a good camp-fire. In a moment, he was
eager to help poor Paul in his “mire” need.
“Heah, Chile, tak’ dese two sweaters an’ use ’em fo’ a go’fing costume.
Clim’ inta th’ sleeves ov one sweater wid yur feet an’ pull de’ odder
down obber yo’ haid. Strap bof’ togedder about yo’ middle wid’da
rope--lik’ dat, now!” And Mose assisted Paul in dressing as he advised.
When the boy emerged from back of the bushes where he and his valet had
retired, the other boys laughed at the sight the sweaters made of Paul.
Mose gathered up the miry clothes and started in to scrape them as
clean as possible before washing them.
“Say, Bo, yo’ don’ ever expec’ t’ wear deses again, do yo’?” questioned
he.
“Can’t they be washed clean?” wondered Paul, anxiously.
“Ah kin wash ’em but dis clam-mud ain’t neber goin’ t’ let go fer good!
One thing sure, dough, it’ll mek’ th’ coat thicker an’ warmer fo’ nex’
winter!” grinned Mose.
“Oh, go ’long, Mose, we all know you’re foolin’!” laughed Billy,
leading Paul away from the teasing cook.
CHAPTER SEVEN
FURTHER ADVENTURES AT SPRUCE ISLAND
Before Mose had quite finished washing out the muddy clothes the flower
hunters returned. Elizabeth was highly elated because she had found
enough new varieties to complete her list of fifty for the Wild-Flower
_coup_, while Miriam’s and Edith’s lists had reached thirty different
kinds.
As the girls ran over to the group of boys to tell them about their
successful hunt, Trixie stood still and gasped. The others turned to
look in the direction that she was staring and a burst of merriment
sounded from them all.
“Good gracious, Paul! Where did you find the upsey-downsey suit of
clothes--are you masquerading?” cried Elizabeth.
Paul mumbled but looked annoyed and uncomfortable.
“Doesn’t he look like one of those double-headed dolls? You hold them
one way and they are Mammys, and you turn them up the other way and
they are something else,” said Trixie.
“What ever put it into your head to dress that way, Paul?” persisted
Elizabeth.
“Well, you see, he thought you girls would like clams on the half-shell
so he found a spot where he tried digging. But he dug so deep while
trying to catch a big fat juicy clam, that he fell into the hole and
pulled the hole in after him. We had all we could do to pull him out
again, but when he finally did come out, Lo! he pulled the hole out
too!” explained the irrepressible Uncle Bill.
“So, that’s why Mose is giving his clothes a Turkish bath,” giggled
Billy.
Mrs. Remington and Mrs. Farwell looked hard at Uncle Bill but forbore
saying more at that time.
Mose soon completed the task given him and then sounded a tin pan
for the call to luncheon. A grand scramble ensued and there was much
confusion and advice before every one was comfortably settled on
cushions and rugs about a large cloth spread out upon the grass.
The three hostesses had been very busy unpacking and arranging the
contents of hampers and boxes but now that the result of their efforts
and work was finished the hungry picnicers enjoyed the wonderful meal
thoroughly and the viands disappeared like magic.
Wide and well worn was the trail made by Mose as he tracked back and
forth from famished eaters to the chowder kettle and when Billy called
for a fourth bowl of the delicious soup, the distracted chef turned
the pot upside down in silence to prove that not a drop remained
therein.
Directly after luncheon, Uncle Bill proposed a hike around the island
stopping at the tall spruce tree to retake the snap-shot of the hawk’s
nest and also to place a signal on the beach of quicksand.
“Ah! Now I know how Paul delved for that clam!” murmured Mrs.
Remington, nodding her head wisely.
“Oh, by the way! maybe Billy has requisitioned too much chowder to be
in trim to climb that tree!” said Uncle Bill quietly, the moment he
recognised the blunder he had made.
“Oh, no, you don’t, Bill!” laughed Mrs. Farwell. “You’re fairly caught
this time and we demand knowledge of that clam-digging feat!”
However, Uncle Bill was not to be caught napping again, so he began a
long, tiresome story of clam-digging until every one told him to “cut
it short!”
Having succeeded in taking a picture of the fish-hawk’s nest and
rigging up the red banner for a signal to unwary hikers, as well as
painting a warning on the front face of the rock in white lead, the
entire crowd continued the hike over the island.
After many adventures they came to a small beach at the north end of
the island where the winter storms washed ashore all sorts of debris.
Paul spied a gleaming white section of a skeleton and he ran excitedly
over calling as he went:
“Come on, boys! See what I’ve found!”
The others followed and soon were examining a number of vertebra of a
whale.
“By the Great Horn Spoon! Is a remnant of that old whale here yet!”
cried Uncle Bill, in surprise.
“What old whale--do tell us the story!” begged Billy, scenting an
exciting adventure of Uncle Bill’s youth.
“Well, when I was about your age, my brother and I took a sail one
day and landed for lunch at this island. We intended to spend the day
fishing for cod and then start home about sunset. Just about the time
we were ready for lunch, the wind veered and brought the most dreadful
odour to our nostrils.
“We looked at each other, while reaching the same conclusion--something
unusual had been washed ashore!
“Say, Bill, folks say ‘follow your nose’--shall we?” asked my brother.
“Sure thing--come on!” said I, and we ran down to this beach and right
here we came upon a young whale which yet was ancient of days!
“Even in death the strength of the whale was more than our lusty powers
of resistance so we both returned to that lunch minus an appetite. The
fire was smothered and we sadly resumed our cod-fishing, but strange
to say, it had lost its zest for us and the boat seemed very wobbly.
We returned home quite early that day and took relief in a mad game
of tennis. That evening we felt better and could partake of slight
nourishment!”
Every one laughed at Uncle Bill’s experience and Dudley made a
suggestion. “Let’s take home the vertebra for souvenirs!”
“It won’t have the same effect now as it had years ago, that’s
certain,” said Uncle Bill.
So each boy loaded himself with the whitened bones of the whale while
the elders slowly retraced their steps. At the clearing where the
picnic was held, Mose was found taking advantage of the peace by
enjoying a well-earned snooze.
The chef was roused by the noise made by the returning explorers and
Billy eagerly showed him the souvenirs.
“Whale bones, Mose--the same one Uncle Bill found when he was a boy.”
“What! Whalebones! Yo’ don’ mean t’ tell me dat dem things is what
dey puts in ladies co--yo’ know, dat--dat--well, yo’ all knows what
Ah means! Dem articles what d’ ladies wear t’ mek ’em look slim,”
delicately hinted Mose.
Every one ha-haed at the manner of Mose’s questioning, and Uncle Bill
explained that the whalebone of commerce and corsets came from the rows
of screen plates that are so arranged in a whale’s mouth that all of
his food is strained out from his sea-water soup.
“Jus’ lak’ es how it woul’ be ef yo’ took a mouf-ful ov chowder en’
shet yer teeth t’ keep in d’ clams whiles yo’ squirt out all d’ water,
eh?” asked Mose, eagerly.
“Just so, only more so!” laughed Uncle Bill.
After a light supper on the picnic grounds, haste was made to embark.
The tide was ebbing and there was no wind so the dory was filled with
the boxes and baskets and towed behind the launch.
As the mariners came out from the shadow of the overhanging bluffs of
Spruce Island the moon, still in its last quarter, shone silvery white
in the heavens and the stars sparkled with unusual brightness. The
Woodcrafters gazed at the blue dome overhead, and started talking about
the constellations.
“Who can show me where to find the Pole Star?” then asked Uncle Bill.
Instantly many voices replied to this question.
“Paul, now’s your chance to point out the four constellations you
boasted about when that last tassel was cut from your badge,” teased
Uncle Bill.
“I will,” returned Paul. “The Pole Star’s in the Little Bear, and
there’s the Dipper, or Big Bear. Way over in the west is Arcturus--I
know him by the big star, see? Then, that one up there in the northeast
is Cassiopaeia--it looks just like a ‘W.’ That makes four!”
“Good for you! Now, who else can name any?” said Uncle Bill.
“I can!” cried Elizabeth. “Directly over our heads you will find Vega,
in Lyra. And--oh, Paul, you forgot to mention Orion in your’s!”
“Ha, ha! That’s one on you, Elizabeth, because you can’t see Orion
until early morning up here,” laughed Fred.
“Why there are the Pleiades and Orion is near them,” argued Elizabeth.
“But those _aren’t_ the Pleiades, although I’ll admit it looks like
them,” protested her brother. “That’s Job’s Coffin.”
“Well, I never! I’ve always said they were the Pleiades even though I
thought they appeared a bit strange to me,” said the surprised girl.
“What are those stars near Job’s Coffin?” asked Billy.
“That is Aquilla,” answered Mrs. Remington.
“Now let me get these down straight,” came from Billy. “First, that
‘W’ is Cassiopaeia. Next to her--what are those four big stars like a
square?”
“It is called the Great Square of Pegasus,” replied Mrs. Remington.
“Then comes Aquilla and Job’s Coffin, and above us you find Lyra.”
“Look! What is that large star in the northeast--it is low down on the
horizon but it is rising fast?” cried Dudley.
Every one turned to gaze at the beautiful twinkling star that seemed to
sway in the sky. In fact Billy denied it was a star.
“Any one can see with half an eye that that’s a fire-balloon!” argued
he.
However, it proved itself to be a star and finally, Mrs. Remington and
Fred identified it as Capella and the atmospheric conditions near the
horizon accounted for its gyrations.
“But, mother, it is moving _east_!” cried Elizabeth.
“It _is_ a fire-balloon, ’cause no star travels that way,” added Billy.
Here Uncle Bill offered an explanation of the marvel.
“It’s a star, all right, Billy, and it really is moving east to us
because we are so far north that we see it below what is ordinarily the
horizon! Watch carefully now, and soon you will see it move west and
behave as all other well-trained stars do.”
This proved to be so and before the party quite reached home Capella
had risen high in the heavens to join the orderly procession of
westward moving stars.
“Do any of you know the Algonquin name for the Big Dipper?” asked Mrs.
Remington.
Aunt Miriam demonstrated her knowledge of the zodiac at this point and
told the story of Ojeeg-Annung, the Fisher Star.
“Ojeeg-Annung was a mighty hunter--he lived with his wife and little
son on the shores of a great lake. They always had plenty to eat
because Ojeeg was so skilful in the chase. But at that time it was
always winter in the land--the sky people kept the Birds of Summer
shut up in cages in the Fields of Heaven.
“The little son complained of the continual cold, especially when his
hands were stiff and aching so that he could not use his bow and arrow
on the squirrels and rabbits.
“One day when he cried with the cold, a squirrel hopped up and told
him, ‘Keep on crying and complaining no matter what your parents offer
you for consolation, and at last your father, who is a magician, will
promise you anything you want if you will only stop crying. Then ask
him to make Summer in the land!’
“The boy followed the squirrel’s advice and it happened as he said it
would.
“Ojeeg called all his fellow-chiefs together and they made strong
medicine and started off to climb to Heaven.
“Finally they reached the top of a high mountain and from there they
could jump into heaven, by breaking through the celestial floor.
“Before the sky-people could stop them, Ojeeg had cut open the cages
and freed the Birds of Summer. They flew quickly down through the hole
in heaven and so we now have summer and warmth and flowers.
“Poor Ojeeg was overtaken by the sky-men and, although he changed
himself into his totem animal, the fisher, he died from an arrow-head
in the tip of his tail--the only spot that was vulnerable. As he died,
he exclaimed: ‘I am satisfied to die because I have done such good,
not only to my son but to all who come hereafter.’
“There he is in the sky as a remembrance. What we call the ‘Dipper’s
Handle,’ the Indians call Ojeeg’s long tail with the arrow sticking in
the end.”
“What is the fisher like?” questioned Paul.
“It’s like an otter or a sable or a marten,” replied Billy, the hunter.
“This marten story makes six different names I have heard the Dipper go
by, and I suppose there really are others,” remarked Elizabeth.
“Six!” exclaimed Paul in surprise. “What are they besides the Bear and
the Dipper and this Fisher Ojeeg?”
“Why, there are the Seven Plough Oxen, The Seven Rishis, or Wise Men,
and the Persian Heft Aurang or Seven Thrones,” explained Elizabeth, the
lover of poetry and romance.
But the stars were soon forgotten after the Woodcrafters landed and
wearily sought their cots. A full and happy day in the open made most
of them sleepy and glad to stretch out for the night.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE CRUISE TO CASTINE
“Mother, if we’re to have that masked ball that all of you were talking
about, it ought to be given this week so’s to have Uncle Bill with us.
You see, he starts back to the city next week,” said Fred, one morning
soon after the picnic.
“Aunt Miriam and I were discussing that very thing last night and we
have decided to hold it in Fudge Attic, at Isola Bella, some night this
week.”
“Haven’t you determined upon any special night?” asked Fred.
“As far as we can tell now, it will be Friday.”
Elizabeth had entered the room as they were speaking, and stood holding
a note the Captain had brought her from Isola Bella. At her mother’s
words she smiled delightedly.
“Oh, that is just fine, ’cause Miriam has invited Trixie and me to
visit her for a few days this week.”
She handed her mother the note and waited until the verdict was given.
Of course, Elizabeth knew she would be permitted to go but she had no
thought of accepting, or planning for the visit without her mother’s
knowledge and consent.
“Be sure and take everything you may need for the ball. If your
suit-case isn’t large enough to hold what you will need let Anna find
you a suit-box for the costume,” advised her mother.
“I’ll sail you over if you like, Elizabeth,” offered Fred. “I’ve only
done half of my hundred and fifty miles for the sailing _coup_ and I
want to get in as much as I can every day.”
Billy sauntered in at this juncture wondering where his big brother
could be.
“What’s up--Eliza going away?” he queried, hearing Fred’s offer and his
sister’s smiling acceptance.
Mrs. Remington told him about the invitation and Billy chuckled.
“That’s good! Then you won’t be here to see how we are going to be
togged out for the ball, and Trix and Miriam won’t have any one to tell
them who we are.”
Turning to his brother after having delivered this speech, Billy added,
“Say, can’t you let me take the sail with you?”
“Sure--if you want to come.”
“Boys, why don’t both of you take a cruise and cover a lot of ground at
one time--I mean a lot of water in one day!” suggested Mrs. Remington.
“Oh, mother, can we?” cried Billy.
“I’d like to, if you think it’s all right, mother,” added Fred.
“If the weather is good and you make careful plans I see nothing to
hinder your trying it,” smiled Mrs. Remington.
“Bully for you, mother dear! Fred, when can we start!” shouted Billy,
tossing his cap up to the ceiling.
“We can start to-morrow; Captain Ed says we are in for a good spell of
fine weather now,” replied Fred.
So as soon as the two boys returned from escorting their sister to
Isola Bella, they began preparing for the cruise. The kindly Captain
helped with the outfitting of the little dory, and remarked that if
they got an early start in the morning they could have the flood-tide
to help them up the bay and then have all of the ebb to come back on.