AFTER THE STORM.
THAD remembered that on several other occasions the Southern boy had
mentioned the name of his little cousin, and always with a certain
tender inflection to the soft voice that stamped him for one who had
been born below the Dixie line.
And while Bob White had not seen fit to take his friend into his
confidence it had always been plain to Thad that the other must have
cherished a deep affection for the said Bertha; perhaps, since he had no
sister of his own, she may have been as dear to him as one, in those
times when he lived among the Blue Ridge mountains.
Before now Thad had strongly suspected that Bob had some other object in
coaxing his comrades to make the pilgrimage to the Land of the Sky,
besides the desire to show them its wonders. And now his own words
proved it. More than that, it seemed to have some strange connection
with this same little cousin, Bertha; and naturally with her legally
appointed guardian, Reuben Sparks.
Thad, first of all, managed to pass the word around in a whisper, just
as Bob wished it done. The boys understood that there was a reason back
of the request, and expected that their comrade would take them into his
confidence later on. Besides, there had really never been the slightest
chance that any one of them would breathe that name of Quail in
connection with Bob; indeed, most of them would have had to stop and
think, if suddenly asked what his real name was, so seldom did they hear
it mentioned.
The man on horseback was chatting with Allan and several others. He did
not hesitate to ask questions, and was soon put in possession of the
fact that they were merely the members of a Boy Scout patrol, making a
strenuous hike through the Big Smoky spur of the Blue Ridge.
Thad saw that he eyed them queerly many times, as though rather doubtful
whether they were giving him a straight story; but the coming of the
storm soon held the attention of them all.
Just as they had expected, it was the real thing in the way of a summer
storm. The lightning flashed in a way that was not only dazzling but
"fearsome" as Smithy expressed it, in his elegant way. And as for the
crashes of thunder that followed each and every electric current, they
deafened the ears of the scouts.
A deluge of rain fell in a short time, and the rush of water near by
told that the little stream, which they had struck many times during the
afternoon, had all of a sudden become a raging torrent.
Nobody was sorry when finally the racket began to subside, and the rain
stopped as suddenly as it had started.
"She's done for," remarked Bumpus, in a relieved tone, as though he had
been half suspecting that the stream might rise in its might, and sweep
cabin, scouts and all down through the valley.
The resident of the region who had also sought shelter in the friendly
cabin by the wayside, looked out first, to assure himself that his horse
had come through the storm safely. Then he called out good-bye, and
mounting, rode away.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I take it," declared Giraffe. "Whenever
the fire flashed up that gent would look around the queerest way ever,
as though he kind of thought we might be revenue agents playing a fine
game on his friends, the moonshiners."
"Be careful what you say, Giraffe," advised the more cautious Thad.
"When you're in the enemy's country you want to use soft words. Besides,
you're only guessing when you say that. He was naturally curious about
us. Some people would think a bunch of boys stark crazy, to try and hike
through such wild country as this, when we could have taken to the good
roads up in New York State, had orchards all along the way, and
good-natured farmers galore to buy milk and eggs from when we got
hungry."
"I hope, suh, you won't be sorry you came down this aways," Bob White
spoke up. "I take it as a great compliment, believe me, that you-all
would care to keep me company when I said I felt that I just had to come
back here on a visit, to see what changes there were, and do a little
private business in the bargain. I'm aware of the fact that there isn't
anything much worth seeing here, suh; except the untamed wilderness; but
they's always plenty of excitement going around, I understand."
"I should guess yes," broke out Step Hen, "with that same Old Phin
hangin' 'round with his eye on the watch for revenues. But see here,
Bob, don't you think you owe us a little explanation about this
racket--meaning your relations with the gent who is guardian to your
sweet little cousin Bertha?"
"So say we all," chorused Davy Jones, Giraffe and Bumpus, solemnly, as
they gathered around the Southern boy.
Bob White looked at their eager faces for a minute before speaking.
There was something akin to real affection to be seen there as he turned
his eyes from one to another of his mates. The boy from Dixie had not
been in the habit of making friends easily in earlier days; but when he
landed in Cranford he had soon been captivated by the sincere
companionship of Thad Brewster; and when he joined the new patrol of
the scouts he quickly learned to appreciate the many good qualities that
marked the other members.
"Yes, it's only fair, boys," he began, slowly yet with an evident
determination to take them at least part way into his confidence; "that
you should know just why I didn't want any of you to tell the name of
the town we hailed from, when that man was in here. He would have
recognized it as my new home, and might have suspected that I brought
you all down here for a purpose."
"Which you did," interrupted Bumpus; "to admire the scenery; rough it
awhile in the Land of the Sky; and show us something of your native
country. If there was anything more, we didn't know it, Bob White. But
we're comrades, one and all; and if we c'n do anything to help you tide
over some trouble, why, you've just got to tell now."
"That is fine of you, Bumpus, and I thank you from the bottom of my
heart," continued the other, strangely moved. "But let me tell you a few
things first before you make such a rash promise, which I am not going
to hold you to, suh. The man who was in this cabin, Reuben Sparks, is
said to be the richest and meanest in these parts. It has been hinted
more than a few times that he has always been thick with Old Phin Dady.
But no matter how he came by his money, he is something of a miser."
"No relation of yours, I hope, then, Bob?" asked Step Hen.
"None whatever, suh," replied the other, proudly. "The Quails would
never have descended to the common methods that man has practiced in
order to make money. But somehow he managed to gain an influence over my
Uncle Robert, after whom I was named, as you may guess, suh. When the
father of Cousin Bertha died, in his will he left the child solely in
the charge of Reuben Sparks, until she came of age; and he was also
given control of her little fortune."
The boy ground his teeth hard together, showing how even the
recollection of this moved him. But recovering his customary calmness he
continued:
"She was the prettiest little thing you ever saw, suh, take my word foh
it. And no boy ever thought more of his pet sister than I did of my
little cousin. My father thought it a shame, and tried to get possession
of her; but this Reuben Sparks had the law on his side, and all our
efforts failed. After that he would never even let me see her, so great
was his hatred for our family.
"One way or another we managed to exchange word, and when our folks went
up Nawth to look after the mills my father had purchased before his
death, I had just two letters from Bertha before something happened, and
they stopped coming. Of course I supposed that her guardian had found
out about it, and fixed matters so no letter of mine--and I sent seven
before owning up beaten in the game--could reach her.
"I just stood it till I couldn't sleep nights, thinking that perhaps she
was being made unhappy by that cruel man. And so I made up my mind I'd
come down here again, and find out the truth, if I had to steal into his
house, and see Bertha without his knowing it. I wanted to tell you this
before, believe me, suh," addressing Thad in particular, as the head of
the patrol; while his fine eyes filled up on account of his emotion;
"but somehow I couldn't bring myself to do it. And now, after hearing my
story briefly, if you-all feel that it would be asking too much of my
comrades to expect to have their backing in my wildcat scheme, please
don't hesitate to say so, suh. I'll think just as well of you in either
case."
Thad reached out, and caught the quivering hand of the Southern boy in
his own.
"Why, Bob," he said, earnestly, "I think I voice the sentiments of every
fellow in the patrol when I say most emphatically that we're going to
stand by you through thick and thin. I'm sure you won't do anything but
what is right, and what is bound to reflect credit on you as a true
scout. How about that, fellows?"
"Move we make it unanimous!" cried Bumpus, instantly.
"Ay, ay! that's the ticket," exclaimed others.
"You hear what they say, Bob White?" remarked Thad, warmly.
"We'll back our comrade up, even to kidnapping the cruel guardian, and
rescuing the pretty little cousin!" Smithy declared with unusual vim,
for him.
"Oh!" said Bob with a smile, as he looked from one flushed face to
another. "Of course I don't imagine it'll ever go that far, boys; but I
thank you for this expression of your friendship. I will never forget
it, suh, never while I live. And I only hope that some day in the future
I may be able to repay the kindness to one and to all."
"Then I take it that this Reuben Sparks does not live a great way beyond
where we happen to be camped right now?" remarked Allan.
"I expected to show you the place sometime to-morrow, suh. It is worth
seeing, upon my word," replied Bob.
"Now I know that there's a whole lot of truth in that old saying about
the devil taking care of his own," Giraffe mentioned. "The rest of you
heard Reuben say he had been tempted to stop under that big tree we
passed on the way here; but on second thoughts decided to come along to
the cabin. When that one terrible crack came he got as white as a sheet,
and told me he believed that that very tree must have been struck. Where
would Reuben have been if he'd stayed there? Kind of scattered around
the landscape, I guess."
Thad had just started to say that it was time they thought about getting
some supper, when he was interrupted in a most disagreeable manner.
Indeed, for the moment all idea of ever wanting to eat again in this
world vanished from his mind; for something occurred that caused the
scouts to rush toward the end of the cabin where the chimney stood, and
catch hold of each other in sudden terror and dismay.