BEN TRIES THE CANOE.
Before any of the boys could start in pursuit of the fleeing Tom, one
of them suddenly called out, "Isn't that Ethan coming?"
They all turned at the words and perceived the fisherman already near
the dock, and with one accord they ran swiftly to meet him. His boat
was apparently filled with their trunks and belongings, and the two
canoes which Jock had ordered to be sent were also on board.
As Ethan ran his craft alongside the dock, Jock, too excited to note
carefully whether all his possessions had been obtained or not, called
out, "Oh, Ethan, something's the matter with Tom!"
"Hey? somethin' the matter with him? How long since?"
To the surprise of the boys Ethan did not seem to share in their
alarm. He was giving all his thought to the landing he was making,
and as soon as his boat was made fast he climbed up on the dock and
stood calmly regarding the excited lads before him.
"What's he been doin' now?" he said.
"Oh, I don't know," exclaimed Jock. "We had all gone up the shore and
when we came back to camp we heard Tom calling. We could see him, too,
and he was waving his arms and calling out as if he was in pain, and
when we ran in, he just looked at us a minute and then started off
into the woods as fast as he could go. He must be sick, Ethan. Come
on, we'll help you look for him."
"Was he a-sayin' anything?" inquired the fisherman, still for some
unaccountable reason not much aroused by the startling announcement.
"Saying anything?" exclaimed Bert. "I should say he was. He was
calling and groaning. Why, we could hear him way up the shore. He must
be in trouble. Come, Ethan; come on! We'll all help you."
"Was he a-sayin' anything? I mean any words like?"
"Yes, I believe he was," said Bob. "We could make out a few words."
"What was they?"
"Oh, he said something about 'to be' or something like that. We didn't
stop to listen much. The poor fellow was in such distress. What are
you waiting for, Ethan? Why don't you come on?"
"That's jest what I thought. Tom was sayin' his Hamlick."
"Saying what?"
"His Hamlick. Don' ye know what that is? Hamlick's a dialogue or a
play. I don' know who writ it, but Tom does. The young folks over to
the Corners is goin' to give a exhibition, and Hamlick's the one they
decided on. Tom is to be Hamlick, and he was jest a-practisin' his
piece."
For a moment the boys gazed blankly at one another, and then all but
Bob rushed from the dock as if they too had been stricken by the same
evil disease which they feared had seized upon Tom.
Bob, however, remained with Ethan, and with his face as expressionless
as he could make it at times, inquired soberly,--
"When is this play going to be given, Ethan?"
"Oh, I don' know. Some time this summer, I suppose. They 'most always
give somethin' while the summer boarders is here, and this year the
walks needed fixin' up in the Corners some, so they--I mean the young
folks, o' course--decided to give Hamlick; and Tom he's to be the
Hamlick in chief. Ever hear that dialogue down to your place?"
"Yes, I believe I have. I've heard of it, anyway."
"I thought likely. Pretty good thing, isn't it?"
"I believe it is thought to be a very good one. We shall want to know
when it is to be given so that we can all come over and see it."
"I'll let ye know when it comes off."
Ethan suddenly placed a finger in his mouth and emitted a shrill
whistle. "I guess that'll call up Tom," he explained.
A repetition of the signal brought the reluctant Tom from the woods,
and as he approached the dock he gazed in a shame-faced way at Bob, as
if he expected him to say something about what had happened; but Bob's
face was still expressionless, to the evident comfort of the young
fisherman.
"Step lively here, Tom," called his father. "We must get these trunks
and things up to the camp afore night. You 'most scared these boys to
death with your Hamlick," he added.
"Your father has been telling us about the play you are to give at the
Corners, Tom," said Bob, quietly. "We shall want to come over and see
it. You mustn't fail to let us know when it is to be given."
Somewhat reassured by the kind manner of Bob, Tom was more at his ease
and at once began to assist his father in transferring the cargo of
the little boat to the camp.
The other boys now returned, but a warning look from Bob caused them
all to be silent about the recent occurrence. In a brief time the
trunks had been placed in the tent where they belonged, the canoes
were left on the shore, and then Ethan and Tom began to prepare
supper.
The appetites of the boys apparently were as keen as they had been at
noon time, and the rapidity with which the table was cleared was a
delight to Ethan's heart. Neither Hamlick nor the Ghost could
interfere now, for the demands of their hunger were supreme.
Soon after supper Ethan and Tom departed for the night, promising to
return at daybreak in time to prepare breakfast and be ready for the
fishing which was to be done on the following day. The boys stood on
the shore and watched the boat as it sped away over the river, and
then when it had disappeared from sight they all turned and demanded
of Bob the explanation of Hamlick.
But Bob was in no mood to banter, and so he soberly related what Ethan
had told him about the efforts of the "young folks" at the Corners to
do something which should aid in improving the little hamlet in which
they dwelt. Somehow it all appeared in a different light now, and the
merriment was soon gone.
"I'm going to have a paddle in one of the canoes before I go to bed,"
exclaimed Jock, as he leaped up from the bank on which they were all
seated.
As the other boys had had no experience in that sport, they all stood
on the dock, eagerly watching their comrade as he took his seat in the
light little canoe and wielding his paddle swept swiftly over the
water.
"Did you ever see anything like that!" exclaimed Ben, delightedly.
"'It's like a feather on the water or a leaf upon the stream,' or
something like that we had in our English last spring at school. Isn't
it fine!"
"Yes, and how easily Jock does it too," added Bob, with a wink at Bert
as he spoke. "Travelling like that is just fun."
"I wonder if I can't do it," said Ben, looking longingly at the other
canoe, which was still on the bank.
"You can try it, can't you?" drawled Bob. "Nothing like trying, you
know. It's a knack, that's all, and you have to be careful. Shall I
help you bring the other canoe down to the dock?"
Ben glanced once more at Jock, who could be seen far out on the river,
and the sight served to increase his eagerness. "Yes; come on,
fellows. If you'll help me, I'll try it, anyhow."
In a moment the canoe was lifted and carried down to the dock. Then
Bob held one end of it securely and Bert the other, while Ben
cautiously took his seat in the middle. A shout from Jock caused them
all to look up, and they could see that he was paddling toward them
with all the speed he could summon.
"Perhaps he's calling for you to come out and meet him," said Bob,
soberly.
"I'll do it," said Ben, eagerly, "and then race him for the dock. Push
her out, boys!" he added gleefully, as he grasped his paddle.
The canoe shot out from the dock, and the boys stood eagerly watching
Ben as he drove his paddle deep into the water.
"Look out there, Ben!" shouted Bob. "Remember, you'll have to keep
your balance."
"Be careful, Ben! Look to your paddling!" called Bert.
"Don't tip her so much to one side!"
"Ease up, there! Don't lean so far over!"
"Sit up! Lean back! Lie down! Tip over!" called Bob, soothingly.
"Go up the river! Go down the stream! Come ashore! Turn around! Go
ahead!" shouted Bert, encouragingly.
But poor Ben was too much occupied with his own efforts to heed the
confusing calls of his companions. Twice the little canoe had almost
capsized, but somehow Ben had managed to keep it afloat, though he
had abandoned all efforts to paddle and was only striving to keep his
craft above the water.
"I say, you fellows!" he called in despair. "I can't manage this--Hi!"
he added, as the canoe gave a lurch and almost went over. "Throw me' a
rope! Come out and help me!"
"I can't, my dear, though much I wish,
For, oh, you've tied my hands,"
sang Bob, mockingly.
"Oh, come ashore, Ben, if you can't go ahead," called Bert,
soothingly. "You won't tip over. I'll risk it! I'll risk it!"
"You risk noth--" began Ben, desperately; but his exclamation was not
completed, for as the canoe gave a sudden lurch to one side the
unfortunate lad leaned to the other to assist it in righting itself.
He leaned too far, however, and then strove to reverse the weight. His
actions were frantic now, and it seemed as if there could be but one
result, and that must come soon.
"It's going!" shouted Ben, in despair.
"So I see," called Bob, encouragingly. "Keep it up, Ben! what you need
is practice. Practice makes perfect, you know. Keep it up! Keep it
up!"
"I'm going! I'm going! I'm go--" shouted Ben.
It was evident that he had spoken truly. For a time or two he
succeeded in righting his craft, but each effort seemed to make his
condition worse. Suddenly the canoe went over; the paddle in Ben's
hands flew out over the water, and then the lad's long legs and feet
appeared to be lifted into the air, and waved frantically for a moment
before, with a circular movement, they followed their owner and
quickly disappeared in the river.
"Going, going, gone!" called Bob, solemnly, as he gazed out over the
water at the place where his friend had disappeared.
Ben was an expert swimmer, much the best of the four, so that they had
no fears for his safety; and the ludicrous sight of those long legs,
with what Bob called "their despairing appeal to come over and help
us," disappearing in the St. Lawrence, was more than either could
endure. They burst into shrieks of laughter. They hugged each other in
their delight, and even Bob laughed until the tears rolled down his
cheeks.
[Illustration: "Suddenly the Canoe went over."--_Page 62._]
But Ben speedily appeared, and as he started out for the dock, Bert
called to him, "Your canoe's going down the river, Ben; so's your
paddle."
"The proper way, my friend, to paddle a canoe is from the upper, not
the under, side," said Bob, soothingly. "Take my advice, Ben."
Ben was for taking the canoe, however, which already was drifting away
from him; but as he started to swim toward it, Jock swept past him,
and, calling to him to go ashore, said that he would get both canoe
and paddle.
When Ben climbed in his dripping clothes up on the dock, the laughter
of the boys was renewed.
"You'd have done all right, Ben, if you'd left those feet and legs of
yours ashore. They were in the way. There are some things even the St.
Lawrence won't stand."
"You wait," said Ben, doggedly. "I'll show you yet."
And "show" them he did. As soon as the canoe was restored he insisted
upon repeating his experience. It was true that he was capsized again,
but he sturdily stuck to his task, and in an hour had, in a measure,
mastered the problem, and was able to paddle swiftly up and down the
river.
It was dark now, and the boys were soon ready for bed. A pile of logs
had been placed before their tent, and as soon as the other boys were
in their cots, Jock started the fire. The light of the flames could be
seen far out over the river, and it was long before sleep came to the
campers. The sighing of the wind in the tree-tops, the rush of the
mighty waters, the constant lapping of the little waves upon the
shore, the twinkling stars, which could be seen beyond the waving
branches, were all novel and strange. Then, too, when some of the boys
would be ready for sleep, others would not feel so inclined. They
would leave their tent and fire their guns at imaginary enemies or
wild beasts. The school cheer, and even the school songs, had to be
given again and again, but at last even these experiences became
monotonous, and the tired boys slept.
It was not long after dawn on the following morning when Jock and Ben
sat up in their beds and looked about them. Both of their companions
were gone, but the sounds that came from the river left no doubt as to
their whereabouts. Hastily dressing, both boys ran down to the shore
and there beheld their friends, clad in their bathing-suits, and
practising the art of paddling a canoe without departing from the
craft when it was in motion.
Apparently both boys had already succeeded, but even their efforts
were ignored when Ethan and Tom were discovered approaching in their
sailboat, and all knew that not only would the breakfast for which
they were eager soon be ready now, but that their first efforts in
fishing in the St. Lawrence would soon be put to the test.