"My father is a very strict man, and he hasn't any patience with anybody
that is mean; and that's just what I was, besides being bad. I don't
mean to excuse myself a bit, whether you are there or not; but if you
would stop with me, I'd like it. I want him to see you too, Joe."
"Enough said; I'll stop. Here's the tent; walk in. Dave and Ben are
already in the bunk. Well, you and I will take the shake-down."
"We thought you would be waking us up if we slept on the floor, so we
crawled in here to be out of the way," explained Dave.
"That's all right, Dave.--Now, Ralph, you and I have the floor; let the
other fellows keep quiet. It isn't the softest bed I ever saw, but it
is a good deal better than that you have had for some nights past."
"Yes, especially if you haven't anything you want to hide. I tell you
it's good to be free of that. I'll never forget what Captain Dare said,
and I can say it to myself now."
After the other boys were sound asleep, Ralph lay thinking over the
weeks that had passed since he had burned the leaves in the garden at
the back of the school-house. All the way along he followed the story
again. He heard the roll called for the guilty boy; and saw again Mr.
Bernard's face as he looked around upon his boys in astonishment and
grief, as he said, "Is it possible that we have a _liar_ among us? A
_liar_!" Then he saw Joe Chester's face as he was summoned to Mr.
Bernard's room to be questioned. He remembered how he felt when it was
announced that Joe Chester must remain behind unless the guilty boy
confessed; and the miserable days that followed, when, ashamed of
himself, he still pretended to be innocent. Then followed the last
night of school when the question was decided, and he determined to go
on no further with the deceit. This was the turning-point, and he felt
that the worst was over when he thought of the letter of confession, the
flight from the house, and the refuge with Captain Dare, which, in spite
of all the discomfort resulting from it, had proved such a blessing to
him. He remembered the very words of the old captain that had awakened
the good resolutions in his heart, and he at last fell asleep feeling
glad that he had opened his heart, and that there was nothing he wanted
to conceal from God's eyes.
*CHAPTER XXI.*
*A FULL DAY.*
As soon as daylight began to dawn Joe was awake, and pulling open the
flap of the tent, he glanced anxiously around. "Hurrah! a pleasant
day," he exclaimed under his breath.
"Boys, wake up, and let's have a row. The water is smooth, and we'll
have a jolly pull all by ourselves before the other fellows are
stirring. Don't make a noise."
The four boys threw off their blankets, and dressed as hurriedly and
quietly as possible, and ran down to the beach, where the boat was
fastened, high and dry above high-water mark.
"Whew!" whistled Ben, looking with dismay at the long stretch of beach,
down which they must drag or push the boat before it could float. "The
tide doesn't favour us in this job, does it?"
"No, but the boat isn't heavy. We have pushed it down many a time,"
said Joe courageously.
"Never, with only four pairs of hands," added Dave, not quite so
enthusiastic as his friend.
"Oh, come on. If we wait for the tide to come up, we shall have a whole
posse of boys crowding in."
"All right; a long pull and a strong pull and a pull all together."
"There she goes."
"'She starts, she moves, she seems to feel
The thrill of life along her keel,'"
said Dave in declamatory style.
"Well may she feel it, grating over these stones," said Ben, laughing
and pushing with all his strength.
"Whew! Now! There, all together again."
*[Illustration: "Now! All together!" (missing from book)]*
If was a hard push, but the boat was launched at last, and the four boys
in. Each took an oar and pulled hard and fast.
"Let's go over to 'Gull Rock,'" said Joe. "We are headed that way, and
it will make just a good trip before breakfast."
"Which is Gull Rock?" asked Ralph, looking over his shoulder as he
rowed.
"That long line of dark off there just to the left of that brig."
"Joe Chester! are you crazy?"
"We can do it, and be back in time for breakfast. I know we can."
"All right; go ahead! let's try it," said Ben. "This is my first and
last row this vacation, and I'm ready to put in my best stroke. When I
invested in this boat I expected to get my money's worth of fun out of
it; but--
'The best-laid schemes o' mice and men
Gang aft agley.'"
"Especially when you have a scapegrace for a chum," said Ralph soberly.
"If it hadn't been for me you would have been here through it all. I
declare it is too bad, Ben."
"Nonsense! I haven't grumbled, have I? Wait till I do, old chap. I
reckon I needed the lesson I got as much as you did, and I'm not sorry
that I had to learn it. Now, don't let's groan," and Ben began to
sing,--
"'I never was on the dull, tame shore,
But I loved the great sea more and more.'"
"But how was it when you were on the great sea in a fog-storm?"
interrupted Ralph laughingly.
"Oh, go away. This is poetry; that wasn't."
"Not by any manner of means. You are right there."
"There's Jonas going to market to get fish for breakfast," said Joe, as
he saw Jonas and Friday coming down the rocks with basket and
fishing-rods.
"You ought to be phosphorescent enough to be useful as matches, if you
have been having fish morning, noon, and night for a fortnight,"
suggested Ben.
"Very likely we are. The nights have been so bright we haven't needed
to light candles, so we haven't had any use for matches; but I imagine
we would all throw out a faint light if we got where it was dark
enough."
"We'll have two more chances to add to our stock of phosphorus. Fish
for breakfast and fish for dinner! I see the gulls on the rocks now. We
must be two-thirds across, boys," said Dave. "I tell you we are doing
strong pulling."
"Yes, but nothing fancy about it," laughed Ben. "I reckon an amateur
boat-crew would hoot us."
"Who cares for style? I go in for speed. I can feather my oar every
stroke if I want to," said Dave.
They pulled steadily, and Gull Rock was readied at last.
"Shall we land?"
"Yes, if we find a good place. Let's row along-shore and see what the
chances are."
"There!" exclaimed Joe, "there's a fine chance up in that cove. There
are lots of nests there; see the gulls fly up! We'll carry back some
eggs, or the boys won't believe we've been so far."
"All right; in she goes," said Ben, lifting his dripping oar.
Dave did the same, and the two oars on the other side brought the boat
quickly around, so Ben could seize the rock and jump ashore with the
rope. Before he had fastened it the other boys had leaped ashore also,
and were hunting for gulls' eggs.
"Oh, here they are by the hatful!" cried Joe. "We can get all we want
and take only one egg from a nest, so the old birds won't be
discouraged," he said, taking his round cap off, and going from nest to
nest until he had filled it.
The others did the same, and after taking a hasty run over the island,
they jumped into the boat again, pulled in the rope, and were homeward
bound. The pull back was more leisurely; and, as Ben said, "they paid
more attention to style." The other boys were at the landing when the
boat arrived with its bare-headed crew, and the caps were speedily
emptied of the eggs, which were eagerly taken by the crowd to keep as
mementoes of the vacation. After breakfast Jonas was besieged by one
after another, begging to have the eggs boiled hard, so they would be
safer to carry.
"Well, bring 'em all along, and I'll make one job of it," said Jonas
good-naturedly. "I'll put on a kettle and boil the whole lot, and you
can divide 'em afterwards."
There was a general scramble for the boiled eggs, but every boy got one
or more to put away in his valise as treasures to be taken home and
preserved for the sake of the pleasant vacation days. Such a motley
collection as these boys had got together during the two weeks--sticks
and stones and rubbish of all kinds, mementoes of some good time; and
they must be taken from the island whether the more valuable property
could be carried or not!
The steamboat was not expected till the afternoon, and during the early
part of the day some of the boys went rowing, some to wander in the
woods. Ralph and Ben joined a fishing-party going to the place from
which they had been driven by the tide "on Liberty Day," as they
laughingly called it.
"Do me the honour to use my rod, Ralph," said Joe. "I think you have
seen it before."
Ralph pretended to be ignorant of his meaning. He admired the rod, but
said, "No, Joe; I am going to cut one yonder that will do just as well
for me."
"It is not; it is yours."
"Well, call it mine. I'm much obliged; but really now, I don't want to
fish. I've had enough of that. I am going to search for bait, and keep
the hooks supplied. Just give me one half the glory of catching the
fish."
"All right. We'll make it a point to keep you busy, boy. Here, bait's
wanted," cried Ralph, jointing the rod and untwisting the line. "I
can't start with a bare hook."
"Hold on till I get started in the business. I haven't got in my
supplies," answered Joe, leaning down over the side of the rocks and
pulling off winkles that were fastened to it. "There now; go at it.
Both hooks are baited, and more meat's ready. Who wants bait? Here are
fine fat winkles to cover bare hooks."
"Bait mine."--"My hook is bare," was the constant cry, as the boys
crowded around Joe, who patiently baited the hooks with the meat taken
from the little shells, until his fingers were dyed purple.
"Well, you are a good-natured fellow, sitting here and doing this while
we have the fun," exclaimed Ned, coming for the twentieth time to have
his hook baited.
"That depends on how you look at it," was the philosophical answer. "I
might say you are the good-natured fellows to catch my fish for me,
while I sit here and smash shells in a lazy way. This is just as good
fun as fishing when you like to do it."
"I'm glad you like it," said Walter. "It is a good deal livelier work
for us than if we had to stop and search for bait ourselves."
"I move that we return a vote of thanks to Joe Chester for his
philanthropy or some kind of an opy--perhaps that isn't the right
word--and then go back to camp. It must be near dinner-time, and Jonas
will want these fish," suggested Ben. "Cheers for Chester! He's 'a
gentleman and a scholar.' Hip! hip! hip!"
The cheers were given with a will. The boys were always ready to cheer
on the slightest provocation, partly because they felt free to make as
much noise as they liked on this island, so far out on the sea, and
partly because they appreciated all good-natured acts, and this was
their way of expressing their thanks.
Joe laughingly declared that they did him too much honour, and then, to
change the subject, said, "Let's string the biggest fish on sticks, and
take them to camp that way. Enough for dinner, you know. We can carry
them easier that way."
This was soon done, and with their fish and rods they sauntered
leisurely back to the camp, stopping here and there where the hillocks
tempted them with blueberries.
"I hope Mr. Bernard will make arrangements to have the camp here next
summer. He couldn't find a jollier place," exclaimed Ben.
"No; this beats all the camps we ever had," said Joe. "I move that we
ask Mr. Bernard to come here again."
"Any fish?" shouted Jonas, as they came near the camp ground.
The boys held up the sticks for their answer, and Jonas gave a grunt of
satisfaction as he paused in dipping water from the spring to relieve
them of their burden.
"We need a good bath," said Joe, looking at his stained hands and soiled
jacket. "I, for one, will have a final swim."
"You had the _last_ yesterday, I thought," said Dave.
"Yes, but this is an appendix." And in a few minutes he had changed his
fishing for a bathing suit, and was diving off the rocks. Several
others followed, but the sport was interrupted by the dinner-bell; and
Joe hastened to make his toilet and join his friends at the table.
"Well, boys, this has been a successful trip, has it?" asked Mr.
Bernard, as he glanced from one bright face to another. "Have you had
all the pleasure you anticipated?"
"Oh yes, and more too," was the enthusiastic answer. "It has been a
splendid time--the best camp we ever had."
"And we want to thank you for it," said Joe, leaning forward to look at
Mr. Bernard, who stood at the other end of the long table. "We don't
know any other way to express our feelings except by giving three
cheers. Will that do?" he asked laughingly.
"Oh yes, that will express them better than anything you could say," was
the laughing reply.
"I move three cheers for our teachers--the best teachers any boys ever
had. Hip! hip! hip!"
Then followed a deafening shout that came from the hearts as well as
from the throats of the boys.
*CHAPTER XXII.*
*TENTS DOWN.*
The boat was due at four, and the tents were to be down and ready at the
landing. So as soon as dinner was over every one went to work.
Jonas made a great rattling of pots, pans, and plates, as he packed them
away in barrels and boxes.
"No more use for them until next summer, and there's no knowin' who of
us will be alive to use 'em then!" exclaimed Jonas, with a wise shake of
the head.
"That's so," said Friday solemnly.
"'Tain't noways likely that the same crowd will get together again.
Somebody'll be missing. They are a fine set o' fellows, take 'em all
around. Some o' them are as good as you'd find anywhere.--Here, Freit,
lend a hand on this 'ere box. No, roll that barrel down to the beach;
I'll see to this."
While they were thus engaged, the boys were packing their valises, and
trying to decide what to take and what to leave.
"I've got rocks enough to stock a cabinet, and only one valise, that was
full when I came," said Joe, kneeling before said valise, with his arms
full of "specimens."
"To ballast a ship, you'd better say," added Ben, laughing. "What do
you want that rubbish for?" and he pulled over the precious collection
in a contemptuous way.
"Hands off, Vandal! Avaunt! You'll smash that infant star-fish!" cried
Joe. "I've tramped miles and risked my neck getting these together, and
now you call them rubbish! Avaunt, I say!"
"Tents down!" called Mr. Andrews, passing along, and seeing some of the
tents still standing.
"Yes, sir," answered Joe, placing the "rubbish," as Ben called it, in an
old jacket, and tying the bundle with fish-line. "There, I'm all right;
I'll take this in my hands. There'll be room enough in my trunk when we
get back to school."
Ben laughed, and said, "You'll have your labour for your pains. You'll
throw the whole lot over the back-yard fence, or your mother or sisters
will for you, before many weeks."
"Nay, nay! You haven't half looked at the things; or, worse still, are
no judge, boy. Mr. Bernard said they were good specimens."
"All right--carry them home; but if your folks are like mine the things
will disappear. I got a lot of snakes once, the prettiest fellows you
ever saw, and had them in a wire box; but no one would go near my room
to clear it up, and because I wouldn't throw them away, my sisters hired
a fellow to drop the box in the pond. Wasn't I angry?"
"That's different; I don't much blame them," said Joe. "Nobody will
bother my collection. There, my luggage is ready."
"So is mine," said Ralph, who had been sitting on his valise outside,
listening to the conversation. "Where's Dave?"
"Oh, he went to the shore long ago. There he stands with his spy-glass,
watching for the steamboat, as if it would be the most welcome sight in
the world; and he doesn't want to leave any more than we do.--Now, down
with the tent! Pull up those stakes, boys. Mine are up. Down she
goes! Let's write our names on the canvas; perhaps we shall get the
same tent next year."
"Oh, doesn't the place look forsaken?" groaned Joe, as he saw the tents,
one after another, rolled up and carried by the boys to the beach, where
the baggage was piled.
"I see the smoke!" cried Dave.
A chorus of groans from the crowd answered this announcement.
"Hush, raven! don't croak. Don't bring your bad news here. Get down
from your watch-tower, and let's have a game of leap-frog, and forget
the steamboat," said Ned.
There were boys enough answering this summons to make the leaping
process long and tiresome; and by the time a dozen boys had gone the
length of the row, they were glad to unbend their backs and throw
themselves on the grass to rest.
Nearer and nearer came the boat, and no spy-glass was needed to tell the
party that it was coming for them. Straight toward the island it
steamed, and it was only a question of minutes when the motion would
cease and the anchor drop.
Another chorus of groans from the waiting crowd was the only greeting
extended even when the band began to play. Unmindful of the cool
reception, the boat swung around as near to the rocks as possible, and
the great wheels ceased to revolve.
"All ready there!" shouted the captain, hat in hand.
"All ready," was the answer.
The small boats belonging to the school were already laden with baggage,
and the boys began to row across with the load. The larger boats
belonging to the steamer were soon plying to and fro, carrying the camp
outfit. This occupied a long time, and then the boys reluctantly
followed.
John and Jerry with their father were there to see them off and hear the
music. The last boatful of boys had come up the side of the steamer,
and the last boat had been hoisted on board.
"Are we all here?" asked Mr. Bernard, looking anxiously around over the
crowd under his care.
"He ought to count us," suggested Dave. "Perhaps some of the fellows
are hid under the bushes."
Jonas and Freitag were the last on board, and they gave the assurance
that "nothin' nor nobody wasn't left behind."
The whistle sounded; the escaping steam was turned down to work again;
the water foamed, and the wheels were in motion.
Here was another chance to cheer, and what schoolboy would allow such an
opportunity to be wasted? So cheers were given and caps waved by the
party on deck and the three people on the shore. The band played "Home,
Sweet Home," and the steamboat bore them toward the Cape.
"Alas, and alack! and is it over?" sighed Joe, as he looked longingly
back at the receding shores of the island. "And you had so little of
the fun, Ralph."
"I don't know," answered Ralph. "It is a question whether you enjoyed
more in the whole fortnight than Ben and I did in these two days. Just
the pleasure of getting back among you all and being friends with Mr.
Bernard would have been treat enough for me, after my experience."
"And for me too," interposed Ben soberly--"to say nothing of the good
times fishing, swimming, rowing, and tramping about through the woods
and over the shore. If you enjoyed it any more than I did, I don't know
how you managed to bear it, Joe."
It was a sun-burned, rugged-looking set of boys that landed at the Cape,
and, with valises in hand, started across the fields to the Academy,
talking, as they sauntered along, of the good times they had enjoyed.
They were to spend one night there, and get their worldly possessions in
readiness to take, or to leave till another term.
"Ben Carver, are you the same fellow that stole out of this room with me
a fortnight ago?" asked Ralph, as they entered their room together and
shut the door.
"Am I, or am I not? Sure enough. Only a fortnight ago! Think of it!
Why, I feel as if it were years ago. We little thought we would be back
here now, and feeling as comfortable as we do, when we stole down the
stairs that night, and went across the fields to hide from Mr. Bernard."
"Yes, from him and every one else. I wanted never to see Joe or any of
the boys again--never!"
"May I come in?" said Joe's voice at the door.
"Come."
"We are to have the hall all to ourselves this evening, and talk over
our camp life--all speaking at once, if we want to."
"And we shall want to," said Ben.
"Very likely," laughed Joe. "We generally do. Mr. Bernard says if we
can't think of anything to say he will come in and help us. We told him
he would be welcome, but that he probably wouldn't be able to get a word
in."
"Not the least chance."
"Come on; there's the bell! Supper, and after that the jollification in
the hall. Then we'll pack and say good-bye to the old Academy, and each
other too, until next September."
"Remember you are going home with me," said Ralph as they ran down the
stairs, and slackened their pace to enter the dining-room less like
whirlwinds.
"Remember? Ah, yes; I remember that. Isn't it odd to be sitting
instead of standing at the table, and using napkins and glasses? I like
the camp tables best, though, as it is."
After supper, the boys gathered in the hall, and talked over their life
in camp. Even the dark, foggy days, that seemed so uncomfortable at the
time, were spoken of now with pleasure.
Mr. Bernard came later in the evening, and after joining in the
merry-making a while, and listening to the stories of the boys, he said
some pleasant good-bye words, thanking them that they had given so
little trouble; and then leaving them all in the hands of the Great
Master, and asking him to be their friend and helper in all the future,
he shook hands with each one, with an added "God bless you" for Ralph,
and said good-bye.
We cannot follow these boys to their homes, pleasant as that would be,
so we will join in the general farewell that sounded on every hand as
the boys went back to their friends.