"MacDonald, I'll agree to help you round up Lupo and his gang," said Mr.
Hampton.
They were all sitting in conference, so to speak, about the camp fire,
over which Dick was busy broiling fish which he and Art and the boys had
just pulled out of the lake. The appetizing odor made the nostrils of
the three hungry boys twitch with anticipatory delight.
"Fine," said the big ranger, "that's the way I like to hear you talk."
"Yes," said Mr. Hampton, meditatively, "I've got a very good reason why
we should cast in our lot and help you, even supposing Lupo flees and
draws us off our course."
"What's that?"
"Well, it's an easy enough one to guess. Lupo evidently is after us.
That means that he is being paid by somebody to do us in, or at least
thwart us in our search. I want to know who that somebody is. And the
only way to find out is to make Lupo prisoner and question him.
Moreover, it is possible we may be able to learn something about the
mysterious fate of Thorwaldsson and his expedition."
Farnum had been listening closely. He nodded with satisfaction.
"Just what I was thinking myself."
"You're right, Mr. Hampton," said MacDonald. "But such being the case,
we'll have to be mighty careful that Lupo doesn't get shot, as then your
prospective source of information would vanish."
"True enough, MacDonald," said Mr. Hampton. "We'll all have to be on
guard against that misfortune, for misfortune it would be."
He raised his voice, calling the boys and Dick and Art to him. Then he
explained how matters stood.
"As soon as we finish breakfast," he said, "we'll start, and you must
all be very careful not to shoot Lupo, if it comes to a battle."
As they ate breakfast, Bob who seldom spoke but always to the point,
raised a question which had been puzzling him.
"Mr. Hampton, what will we do with all our outfit?" he asked. "And with
our radio transmitter, especially? Shall we dismount it? Must we take
all our outfit along?"
"It would be too bad to dismount the radio, after our trouble in getting
it erected," said Mr. Hampton. "And to take all our outfit with us would
be to hamper our movements. On the other hand, we can't very well leave
everything here, for some of Lupo's men might slip away from the main
body, in fact, they may already have done so, and they would put us in a
terrible plight if they raided the camp, in our absence."
There was silence for a minute or two, then MacDonald spoke.
"We can certainly travel faster without your outfit to hold us back," he
said, "especially if Lupo tries to run away. For then we could gain on
him at the portages, by traveling light. Look here, Mr. Hampton, this
island is easily defended. We've been going to the shore to keep watch
on the mainland against surprise. But just a little ways through the
trees is a little rise, a knoll, from which you can see the waters all
around the island. One man alone could keep guard here."
"But one man couldn't keep off an attack in numbers," objected Mr.
Hampton.
"I don't know," said MacDonald. "With them high-powered rifles of yours,
it might be done. They carry far, farther than any guns Lupo's Indians
and breeds will have. Anyway, two men certainly could manage to hold
this place against all comers."
"And three," added Farnum, with a significant look at Mr. Hampton,
"could do it even better."
The boys again were at the fire some distance away, helping Dick broil
more fish. Mr. Hampton looked at them. He understood the significance in
Farnum's tone.
"You don't think they would be in danger here?"
"Less than they would be in with us, Mr. Hampton," said Farnum, lowering
his voice as the other had done.
Mr. Hampton considered. The proposal hinted by Farnum, namely, that the
boys should be left at camp, tempted him. It was most assuredly true
that they would be in far less danger than if they accompanied him
against Lupo. And that appealed to him, appealed powerfully. He was
grateful to Farnum in his thoughts for his solicitude for the boys'
welfare.
On the other hand, he knew them for resourceful in an emergency, and
good fighters. And since the idea that information might be obtained
from Lupo had come to him it had taken firm possession of his thoughts.
Lupo must be captured. Would it not be folly to weaken their force by
leaving three young huskies, each of whom, moreover, was a fine rifle
shot, behind?
Besides, what would the boys say? If necessary, he could command and
they would obey. But Mr. Hampton was not one to exercise his authority
dictatorially.
"I confess I don't know what to do, Farnum," he said finally.
At that moment, a laughing hail from the boys announced the completion
of the second batch of food, and their imminent return.
"Make it a post of honor and danger," whispered Farnum, urgently. "Tell
them the radio must be guarded, and the outfit, and that if we take
these things along our movements will be so hampered that Lupo might
escape. Tell them there is a big possibility, too, that some of Lupo's
gang may attempt to raid the camp while we are absent."
The boys were so close at hand that Farnum desisted. Mr. Hampton nodded.
As they ate, he broached the subject of leaving a guard in camp.
"Three of us ought to stay behind," he added. "That will give sufficient
protection for each other, and provide a sure safeguard against
surprise. Also, that leaves five of us to go after Lupo. Four of us can
go in that bigger of our canoes easily, without any baggage. It carried
three of us, with baggage, so far, MacDonald can go in his kayak. So we
can hit a fast pace, and make speed at the portages, if any are
necessary."
"Who do you intend to leave behind, Dad?" asked Jack quietly.
Mr. Hampton realized from his son's tone that Jack understood his
thoughts.
"Well, you three boys would be the natural ones to be selected," he
said.
"Oh, I say," protested Bob.
"That's not fair, Mr. Hampton," cried Frank.
Jack was silent. He knew his father. Close association of the motherless
boy with the older man since boyhood had attuned their minds. He
understood how troubled his father was over the possibility of running
them into danger. And he decided he would not add to his difficulties,
but would keep quiet, although inwardly he felt dismayed at the prospect
of "missing the fun."
"You see how it is, fellows," said Mr. Hampton, and he proceeded to
elaborate on the theme furnished him by Farnum. "It's a post of honor
and danger combined."
Bob and Frank, however, were not convinced. They started anew to protest
But Jack silenced them.
"All right, fellows, let's be sports," he said. "If the older heads
decide they don't need us, we won't force ourselves on them."
"But, Jack," cried Bob and Frank in chorus.
"No, I mean it, fellows," said Jack. "Come over here with me, and I'll
tell you something."
Drawing them out of earshot, he added:
"Don't let us make it hard for Dad. He's got troubles enough. He'll feel
a lot easier if we aren't along. I know how you feel. I feel the same
way about it. But let's make it as easy for Dad as we can. Besides,
there is something in what he said, after all. There is no guarantee
that some of Lupo's men won't attempt to raid us. For my part, I believe
some of them must be watching this island right now, and the minute they
see the others safely out of sight, they'll attack us. For they know our
numbers, and they will realize the three of us are here alone."
"All right," grumbled Bob. "Have it your own way, let's get some more to
eat. I haven't filled up yet."
"This outdoor life makes me ravenous, too," agreed Frank. "And I used to
be such a dainty eater. Why, I just pecked at my food."
"You mean you ate food by the peck," said Bob. "For a little guy, you're
the heftiest eater I ever saw."
"Little guy, is it?" cried Frank. "I like that."
And without more ado, he made a flying tackle, his arms locking about
Bob's knees. The big fellow came down in the brush and Frank piled on
top of him with a shout of glee.
"Come on, Jack. We haven't had a good rough-house for a long time."
Grinning, Jack joined in, and the three went rolling and threshing about
the bushes like a trio of young bears.
At the fireside, Mr. Hampton's worried look relaxed, and he grinned with
enjoyment.
"It's all right, now," he said contentedly. "They'll take their
disappointment out in a grand wrestling jamboree. Well, let's pack up a
little grub and get ready to go."