A MAN IN THE SHADOW
When the engine had been carefully covered, on arrival at the camp
dock, and the boat securely tied up for the night, the party were
all literally shaking hands in gratitude for the rescue. It was
only a short distance along the shore path to where the lads
"bunked," but the young men shivered during the trip. The girls
thought of their own coats and promptly offered them, for Walter, Ed
and Jack were really suffering in their bathing suits.
"But we have heavy dresses on," insisted Cora, "and really Jack it
is cool. Please take our coats," for her brother had objected.
"Well, if you insist," replied Jack, "but it seems to me we have had
more than our share of bad luck for one day. First our boat is
stolen, then our clothes are locked up. Who would think that that
old boathouse man would go to bed so early."
"I am sure you are perfectly welcome to our coats," insisted Belle,
as she and her sister divested themselves of their long automobile
garments, "and they will look--"
"Lovely on us," put in Walter. "Let me have the blue one, please.
It is so becoming."
Jack took Cora's heavy linen, Ed accepted the brown that Bess had
worn, while Walter got the blue.
"Not so bad," said Jack, thrusting his hands deep into the patch
pockets. "Don't know but what I'll get one like this, Cora."
"And I rather like the empire effect," said Ed turning around so
that all, might admire the short-waisted coat he wore. "This is the
Roman empire I believe, Bess; is it not?"
"No, the first Empire," corrected the girl. "My but you do look
nice! You have a wonderful--outline."
"Yes, my nurse always complimented me on my outline. But do behold
Wallie! Isn't he a peach?"
"He's a picture girl," declared Cora laughing. "Well, it is a good
thing that we girls all wore coats when we went on the rescuing
expedition. But say boys, what do you think was the trouble at the
wharf? Ben seemed quite excited."
"I didn't like the looks of the fellow who offered us the boat
ride," commented Ed. "And the queer part of it was, how did he know
we were on the island?"
"And then his boat leaked and stopped. I'll bet his game was to
make us fear drowning, and then save us at so much more per save.
Like the philosopher and the ferryman, don't you know?"
"What philosopher?" asked Bess innocently.
"Oh, that old friend of mine who went to sea with his knowledge.
Don't you remember?"
"I never heard of him," declared Bess falling into the trap.
"Then let me tell you," and Ed slipped his arm within hers as they
walked along toward Cora's camp. "There was once a boatman and at
the same time there was a philosopher. The former took the latter
to sea, or to cross a small body of water, it doesn't really matter.
All the way as they sailed the philosopher would say: 'Did you ever
study astronomy?' The ferryman had not. 'Then half your life is
gone,' said the philosopher. 'Did you ever study philosophy? No?
Then another quarter of your life is gone.' And so on he went,
Belle dear," continued Ed, "until suddenly the boatman interrupted
him with: 'Say, did you ever study swimming?' And the philosopher
admitted that he had not. 'Then,' said the boatman, 'the whole of
your life is gone for this boat is sinking!' So you see, Belle, our
boatman might have given us that little fairy story and charged
accordingly."
"Yes, indeed!" put in Jack. "I think it was the luckiest thing that
you girls came along. And Ben! We must give Ben a banquet or
something fit."
"Ben is a great friend of mine," declared Cora. "I feel we would
all have gone astray but for him. We girls would never have known
enough--"
Then she stopped. She had no idea of telling the boys that they had
followed Jim Peters with the hope of finding the missing ones
whither he would lead them. Bess and Belle also had taken pains not
to betray their story to the boys, for, as Cora said, Jim Peters was
not a man to quarrel with, and the stolen boat was not a matter to
joke about.
"Here comes Nettie!" exclaimed Belle. "I wonder what's her hurry."
"You've got company, miss," the maid said as she came up to the
party walking toward the camp. "Miss Hasting and her brother have
been waiting all evening."
"Hazel and Paul!" exclaimed Cora, almost running to the bungalow.
"Oh, isn't that splendid!"
"And us in these!" wailed Walter. "Do you think Hazel will like me
in baby blue?"
The boys really did look funny in the girls' long coats, but it all
added to the merry-making. Paul Hastings was waiting outside the
bungalow. He stood where the porch light fell upon him, and the
girls all secretly agreed that he had grown handsomer since they had
last seen him. Hazel, too, looked very attractive in her plain blue
dress, with its turn-over collar and Windsor tie.
"What a pleasant surprise! We were afraid you would not come for
some days Hazel!" said Cora in greeting.
"Oh, Paul had to come up here. Of course he has taken a position."
"What did I tell you!" cried Jack, folding the cloak about him in
dramatic style. "Paul Hastings for the enterprise. Cedar Lake is
the field; eh, Paul?"
"Well, I had a fine offer," said Paul modestly. "And I have been
wanting to get out this way. They say there are all sorts of things
to do in this locality."
"Looking for work! What do you think of that! Why, Paul dear, we
are looking for a camp cook. Wallie nearly poisoned us on pancakes
today," said Ed, "and if you would accept--"
"Come in doors," interrupted Cora. "We have had rather a strenuous
afternoon, and I am almost tired. How did you get up from the
train? Or did you come by boat?" she asked the new arrivals.
"A fellow rowed us up--"
"Yes and charged us fifty cents each," interrupted Hazel. "Wasn't
that outrageous!"
"Some one like Jim Peters, I'll bet," said Ed. "But as Cora
advised, let's go in doors. We really haven't dined!"
"Oh! you poor boys," cried Belle. "We almost forgot that you were
stranded. Let me help Nettie fix up something."
"Yes, do. Fix up a lot of something," urged Jack. "That's the way
I feel about it. But do we dine in these?"
By this time Hazel and Paul saw the queer attire of the three young
men. Then a part of the situation was explained. The bungalow was
one of those roomy affairs, built with a clear idea of affording
every summer comfort. Cora was to be the hostess, and with her was
the trusted maid, Nettie. There the girls were to visit as they
chose, while the boys had taken a camp for themselves near the
fishing grounds of the big lake.
"Now, make that coffee strong, girls," called Jack as the odor of
the beverage came from the kitchen. "We are almost, if not quite,
frozen."
He cuddled up on a big couch and threatened to do damage to Cora's
pretty cloak.
"There's someone on the porch," suddenly whispered Bess, for a step
sounded, so soft and stealthy, that she imagined someone was trying
to look in the window.
"Yes, I heard it," said Ed, getting up and going to the door. A man
stood in the shadow, stepping out quickly at the sight of the youth.
"I came for my money," he muttered. "You fellers ain't got no right
to try to do me that way."
"Who tried to do you?" answered Ed, in no pleasant tones. "See
here, Peters! This is not our camp, and we don't carry money in our
bathing suits as we told you before. If you can't wait until
to-morrow for the seventy-five cents you know what you can do."
"Oh I'll give it to you, Ed," said Cora, fearful that the man might
become abusive. "I have plenty of small change."
She went into her room and got her purse. It was a pretty little
affair, too frail to have been brought to camp, and too good to have
left in the locked-up Chelton house. As she went back to Ed she
held out the purse. "Here," she said, "take it and help yourself.
My coffee will boil over."
Ed and Peters were standing near the edge of the porch. As Ed put
his hand out to take Cora's purse it fell over the rail.
"Well," he exclaimed, "that's too bad. I must get a match."
At this Ed stepped to the door to ask for a box, while Peters
hurried down the steps to look for the missing trinket. When Ed
came back with a light Peters was looking industriously for the
purse, but declared he had not seen it.
"Now see here, Peters," cried Ed angrily. "You have picked up that
purse, and I want you to hand it right over here," and Ed dropped
the cloak from his shoulders. "If you don't I'll teach you a
lesson."
"Oh, you will, eh?" sneered the man. "Well you'd better get at it,
kid," and with that he struck Ed a tantalizing blow on the cheek.
Ed clutched the man by the arm. By this time the confusion had been
heard within doors, and the other boys hurried out.
"What's up?" asked Jack, just as Ed, with all his strength, almost
bent the older man over backward.
Jim Peters was fairly roaring now. He was strong, but this young
giant was a surprise to him, and after the way of the cowardly
class, as soon as he found out he would be bested he "quit," and
begged off.
"Hand me back that purse," demanded Ed. "I know you've got it as
well as if I had seen you take it."
"What's that over there?" snarled Peters, pointing to something
bright in the grass.
Ed picked it up. It was the purse, but it was empty. Ed's
exclamation told them that.
"My ring," cried Cora. "I had my ring--oh no. I forgot--that was
not the purse," and Cora went in doors, presently returning with
some small coins. "Here, Ed," she said, her voice trembling. "Do
pay that man, and let him go. I--I am so frightened!"
"Cora," whispered Bess, "was your ring in that purse?"
"Hush," cautioned the other girl. "Let us try to make things
brighter. Since that man sailed down the lake to-day with our boys'
canoe we have had nothing but mishaps. Now let him go. I'll manage
to reckon with him without endangering the life of anyone. He's too
desperate a character to deal with in the ordinary way. Remember
what Ben told us."