THE BROTHERLY SPIRIT
“Tell us all about it, please!” was the way the party was greeted as
the boat drew to shore.
“Will little Josh get over his hurt, do you think?” asked Ban Jansen.
“And did Leslie, here, show what he could do along the line of first
aid to the injured?” demanded Elmer Jones. “I’ve seen him do stunts
that took my breath away, and I just guess he ought to be able to stop
an artery from bleeding.”
“That was just what he did, I’m proud to say,” the minister announced.
At this there were whoops of delight, and many heavy slaps dropped
on Leslie’s back as they started up to the camp, where Sunny Jim had
supper ready.
While they sat around the supper table the story was soon told,
interrupted from time to time as some one wished to learn a few more
particulars. Mr. Holwell and their physical director could not say
enough about the work of the boys who had accompanied them.
“I’m constantly being reminded,” the minister went on to remark, “of
the fact that boys of to-day are away ahead of those of my generation
in a good many ways. They are learning to do all sorts of things
calculated to make them better citizens of our glorious republic when
they grow up. I take it that there are myriads of lads who are capable
of stanching a bleeding wound just as Leslie did this afternoon; of
bringing back the breath of life to a boy who has apparently been
drowned; and in fact of doing a dozen similar deeds of incalculable
value.”
“How about another trap, Dan?” asked Andy Hale, as they sat around
later on that Sunday evening.
Mr. Bartlett had given them a short talk that he thought they might
appreciate, since it was not at all in the nature of a sermon. It
really interested even such indifferent fellows as Nat and Dit and
Alonzo, who had never had thrust upon them the idea of looking upon any
one day of the week as differing from the rest.
“Yes, that’s so, Dan, what do you expect to do about it?” Peg added.
“Are you ready to cry quits with one knock-down?”
“I don’t know just yet,” admitted Dan, shaking his head dubiously. “I
might try to get up another sort of scheme, but let me tell you it’s
no joke to make a trap able to hold a giant like that. Why, he broke
oak limbs as if they were paper. He must be a terribly strong man, if
that’s any sign.”
Dan was deeply puzzled. Dick did not wonder at it either; and if he had
been asked he would have found it difficult to suggest a plan whereby
the mysterious prowler could be secured without hurting him to any
extent.
The campers spent a quiet evening. There was considerable singing, but
Mr. Bartlett saw to it that the choruses were all of a character suited
to the day. The entire group of boys joined in, and they made a volume
of sound that carried far across the lake, and might even have been
heard miles away on the other side of Bass Island.
Then Leslie, who had a splendid tenor voice, obliged them on request
with a number of songs that were old favorites with Mr. Holwell.
“I must say,” remarked that pleased gentleman, “I have never heard them
sung better, or under more romantic surroundings than here and now. I
assure you all I shall write this little camping trip down as one of
the most enjoyable experiences of my whole life. I am glad to be with
you, boys, glad to feel that all of us are here to have a good time,
and to be helpful to each other.”
Even Nat and his pair of cronies seemed to be fairly satisfied. As for
Eddie Grant, Cub Mannis and Ban Jansen, they frankly admitted they had
never in all their lives enjoyed anything one half so much.
“Mr. Bartlett has promised to let some of us go off with you in the
morning, Eddie,” remarked Dick, casually, as they sat together during
the evening, “to see if we can beat you three filling a bucket apiece
with blueberries. It’s too bad that you should have to spend so much of
your time while up here doing that sort of thing; and we mean to fix it
so you’ll have more time off, anyhow.”
The three mill boys looked as though they could not find words to
express their gratitude. It was not the fact that they wanted to shirk
work. They had always been forced to labor for their living; but the
idea of any one voluntarily offering in this brotherly way to assume
their tasks in order to let them have a little enjoyment touched
their hearts deeply. This outing on the part of the mill boys, along
with their pleasant intercourse with the others, was bound to have an
influence upon Eddie Grant’s crowd. Mr. Holwell and Mr. Bartlett both
felt sure there would be an accession to the club from the mill part of
Cliffwood’s young people when the three boys got back to town, and they
could tell what a glorious time they had experienced.
Some of the boys wondered when the time came to go to bed whether they
would be disturbed again by a visit from the unknown creature that
had taken to prowling about the camp on Bass Island. Most of them,
however, were of the opinion that what had happened on the preceding
night might deter the wild man from making any more of his visits, at
least until several days had passed.
Nevertheless, it was to be noticed that some of them took especial
pains to examine the fastenings of the tents close to their heads. Dick
playfully asked Peg Fosdick if he anticipated another thunder-storm
some time in the night and feared that a wild wind might carry the
covering away and leave them exposed to the weather, that he was so
particular about having the lashings of the tent secure, and the
various pegs well driven into the ground.
Nat pretended to be above these petty weaknesses. He imagined that
Alonzo and Dit after his disclosure of a panicky condition on the other
day were thinking less of his boasted valor, so he boldly declared
his intention of sleeping right out in the open, if the camp director
allowed him the privilege.
“It’s all right for those that feel timid to huddle like a flock of
sheep in under the canvas,” he remarked with a sneer. “But shucks!
what do I care about this here old wild man of the woods. If he
comes bothering around _me_, I’ll pretty soon show him what’s doing.
Nothing’d tickle me more’n to have him bend down and let me get my
arms twisted around his neck. I’d soon make all your slick traps, Dan
Fenwick, look like thirty cents. Huh!”
The last the others saw of Nat he had actually placed his blanket in
the open and was making ready to “camp out” in truth. It must have been
like balm to his heart when Alonzo remarked:
“Gee whiz! I don’t see how you’ve got the nerve to do it, Nat. I
wouldn’t like to be in your boots, that’s all I can say.”
The night was not half over when again the sleepers were awakened--this
time by a wild shriek close at hand. And as the boys came tumbling out
it was to see Nat rolling about in his blanket and shouting amidst its
folds.