THE HOLE IN THE FLOOR
When Teddy had waited a certain length of time, he whispered some words
to his companion, and immediately departed.
Undoubtedly his intention was to scout around a bit, in order to make
sure that the coast was clear before they proceeded to attempt getting
Amos to leave the cabin.
Undoubtedly the two men had secured the door on the outside when they
departed, so that the boy could not leave the place. The window was
merely a slit in the log walls, and too small to admit the passage
of one the size of Amos, so that it would seem as though they felt
reasonably secure about leaving him.
Dolph waited patiently.
The minutes glided past, and all he could hear was the murmur of voices
just beyond the slit in the wall; which, being continuous, seemed as
though Amos and the girl might be having a heart to heart conversation
discussing their various troubles.
Finally Dolph could not stand it any longer.
With Amos so close by, it seemed to him the height of foolishness to
delay longer, when the two plotters might give up their watching and
waiting in disgust at any minute, and return to the cabin.
So Dolph once more raised his head until he could just manage to peep
over the lower edge of the narrow opening, and look into the room.
It was a candle that was burning, a homemade affair, possibly fashioned
out of bear’s fat or tallow by the trapper; and of course, the fire
having died down meanwhile, it did not illuminate the whole floor of
the cabin any too well.
Nevertheless Dolph was able to see into every corner, and could have
easily told had there been others present besides the two who still
sat there on the floor, Amos idly allowing his fingers to run over the
strings of the old fiddle.
The boy was talking earnestly. From the manner in which he gazed into
the face of Sallie, it was evident he was endeavoring to convince her
that it was her duty to give up this nomadic life, traveling here and
there with her good for nothing father, and let the boys take her to
her grandmother’s house at the Sault Ste. Marie, known far and wide
simply as the “Soo.”
She seemed to listen eagerly to what he said, and upon her thin little
face there crept a very wistful look. But whenever he stopped talking
she would shake her head sorrowfully, though with a determination that
would have well become a little heroine.
Dolph caught some of the words she spoke. He could draw his own
conclusion from them, to the effect that Sallie had given her word to
her dying mother to stand by her father, no matter what befell until he
either reformed his ways or met the fate that continually hovers over
the heads of such evil men.
Somehow Dolph was thrilled with admiration for the pluck of this frail
girl, who could resist all temptations, for which her heart must be
longing, and endure this wretched existence, simply because she had
promised the mother, who was gone; and the man she would try to shield
and save was her “dad” though most unworthy to bear that name.
To others Crawley might appear only a drunken scoundrel, whose word was
not worth considering as an asset; but perhaps Sallie could look back
with gratitude to a few isolated instances when he had been “good to
her.”
Dolph watched the two for a few minutes, and then, thinking that it
might be only right to let Amos know his chums were around, was just in
the act of making some sort of signal the other would surely recognize,
when something occurred that caused him to change his mind.
The girl seemed to be pointing to the floor over in a corner. There was
an expression of alarm upon her face. Amos was bending forward too,
as if he too had caught the same thing that had attracted Sallie’s
attention so suddenly. Indeed, he looked astonished beyond measure, and
from his attitude one might believe Amos was not far from the border of
actual fright.
Naturally Dolph was keenly interested.
Whatever it could be that was having this strange effect upon these
two, he felt that he ought to share in the knowledge, and accordingly
Dolph immediately turned his eyes in the same direction.
Dolph was conscious of a peculiar prickly sensation all over his scalp,
as though his hair might be feeling an inclination to stand on end.
When he came to reflect upon the circumstance later, he did not wonder
at having experienced this feeling, since the cabin bore such a bad
name, and was said to be haunted by uneasy ghosts.
A section of the floor itself was slowly rising upward, as if propelled
by invisible hands. From its shape Dolph could readily guess that it
was really some sort of trap that had at some time or other been cut in
the heavy boards.
If there were such things as ghosts, surely this must be some of their
work; but while Dolph was amazed beyond measure, and awaited the
outcome with eagerness, he was not yet ready to commit himself upon
this score, until he had seen the spirit with his own eyes.
Higher rose the square, while little Sallie held her breath, and shrank
closer to Amos, who, unconsciously perhaps, put out an arm as though to
protect her.
Then the section of flooring having attained a perpendicular position
began to lower; the trap was being dropped back towards the boards.
Dolph gave a chuckle of delight when he saw the smiling face of Teddy
exposed.
The lumberman’s son may have known of the trap before, since he had
visited this same cabin; or else he had prowled around just now to
advantage, discovering how to crawl under the old shack, and reach this
opening.
He was holding up his finger at the surprised pair, as if to warn them
that silence was the best policy just then.
Dolph fully expected to see his chum climb out of the hole, and greet
the prisoner; and he was about to chime in with hearty words on his own
account, when suddenly the boy bobbed back into the cavity under the
cabin; pulling the trap shut after him.
At the same time Dolph himself heard the rumble of voices in the
open, and understood that for some reason or other, the two men were
returning to the cabin.
Instantly, he realized that his position at the window was a precarious
one, for as his head would be outlined against the light within, they
must inevitably be attracted by any movement on his part, if close
enough at the time.
Of course though, Dolph had to drop flat, and crouching there he
gripped his gun, almost holding his very breath with suspense.
At least they did not come his way, which fact he considered pretty
good evidence that he had not been seen; instead, they unfastened the
door, and entered the cabin.
Dolph wondered very much what had brought them back so soon, to disturb
the nice plans Teddy must have arranged. He listened, to discover
whether he could catch something of what was said, and which might
explain matters.
Their voices being heavy, came distinctly to his ears. Dolph even
ventured to take another sly look. This revealed the fact that while
Crawley was rudely binding up the arm of his companion, Amos had taken
the job out of his hands, and was doing it as cleverly as any surgeon
might, considering the poor material at hand.
From their talk it seemed that Big Gabe had caught his foot in a root
he failed to see in the darkness. In falling clumsily he had managed to
drop his hunting knife, and it pierced his arm, giving him a painful
wound that bled freely.
Sometimes the fate of a nation hinges on a trifle. The listening lad at
the window wondered what effect this might have upon their destinies.
At any rate, it seemed to put a different aspect upon the conditions
existing, for nothing could apparently be done looking to the release
of Amos while the men were hugging close to the cabin.
And there was poor Teddy, snuggling down in that hole under the floor,
possibly afraid to even move an inch, lest he draw attention to
himself, and bring about discovery.
Dolph hoped the two men might conclude to go on guard again when the
operation of binding up Hackett’s wounded arm had been completed.
From words that floated to his ears he realized that Crawley declined
to make any attempt at capture alone; and the big timber cruiser seemed
to have lost some his vim with the flow of blood. He could not work
with one arm; and altogether Big Gabe now seemed satisfied to stay
indoors.
He also made mention of the fact that perhaps their object could be
attained just as well be remaining there, and letting their prospective
victims come to them, a new view of the case in which Crawley was
willing to concur.
It was certainly most aggravating to say the least, and must be doubly
so to Teddy, flattened out in an uncomfortable position under the floor.
Dolph was pitying his chum all the while, never dreaming that Teddy
might himself be feeling very comfortable, and even planning mischief.
If they had to remain indoors, at least Crawley was determined that he
must have Amos go on with his fiddling, so he ordered the boy to start
along, and tune up again.
Big Gabe scowled at hearing this, but then Amos had done so well
in binding up his arm, and stopping the flow of blood, that he was
disposed to let it go at that.
So once again the sound of the bow scraping across the strings was
heard in the old haunted cabin. Amos, given full swing, let himself out
in earnest, playing one air after another until he had really exhausted
his list of tunes; when Crawley sitting on the bench, his rough face
wreathed in smiles, ordered him to start all over again.
What would be the end of this strange adventure?
Dolph wondered if Amos would be kept at the playing business until he
fell over, utterly exhausted.
And what of poor Teddy, who must be terribly cramped below the floor?
What, if unable to remain there any longer he suddenly threw up the
trap, and appeared before the two men as the original “ghost” of the
old cabin?
Dolph wondered what would be the proper caper for him under such
conditions. He could see no other thing possible than that he should
thrust his head and gun through the narrow window, and threaten the men
into submission.
Really this seemed good to Dolph; and grimly determined to act, he drew
back the hammer of his gun, resolved to appear as resolute as possible,
in order to strike consternation to the hearts of the two rascals, and
make then throw up their hands.
But Dolph did not take into the consideration the fact that some one
else might have plans to work out, differing materially from those he
was figuring on.
This party in fact was Teddy, whom last Dolph had seen hastily
withdrawing beneath the shelter of the floor.