The Outdoor Chums - Captain Quincy Allen
"But what object could those rascals have had in constructing the trap?"
pursued Frank, seeking more light.
"That's hard to say. I imagine, though, they expected to just badger us
from time to time until finally we all set out in full chase of the
crowd. Then perhaps they meant to lead us along this old trail, avoiding
the pit themselves, and having us tumble in pell-mell. It was a clever
dodge, but a mean trick all the same."
"But if that had happened it might have been serious. One of us could
easily break a leg or an arm in such a tumble," expostulated Frank.
"Huh! little those fellows care about that They're a rough lot, you know.
That Pet Peters thinks everybody is made of iron, like himself. Say, I
hope Will finds that old ladder we used to play with. I'd hate to lie in
here waiting for you to go all the way to camp and get a rope," grumbled
the imprisoned one.
"I hear voices, and I reckon Will must have met some one. Yes, there
they come."
"With the ladder?" demanded Jerry, eagerly.
"They seem to be carrying something between them. Why, I ought to know
that fellow. As sure as you live, it's Andy Lasher," declared Frank,
somewhat surprised.
"Then it's all right; I'm satisfied," said Jerry, resignedly.
The others came forward, and as Frank had said they bore between them a
long, slender tree upon which many slats had been nailed by the boys.
This formed a rude but effective ladder, upon which one might ascend
and descend when desirous of seeing what the interior of the abandoned
shaft was like.
"I came across Andy down the trail. Only for him I guess I'd never have
lit on the ladder, for they'd carried it some distance off, and hid it,"
cried Will.
Andy looked Frank straight in the face, and the latter explained:
"It's mighty funny, but you see I remembered about this here trap the
boys had set, hopin' some of your crowd would take a tumble. I told 'em I
wouldn't stand for it after what had happened; so a bunch o' us was on
the way out here to put back the planks, when we heard shouts, and
guessed somebody had fallen in. The rest dodged into the bushes, but I
commenced to run this way. Then I met Will, here."
"And we got the ladder. He was only too willing to help," went on Will,
plainly fully believing in the change of heart on the town bully's part.
"Say, that's all mighty interesting, but talk to me about it after you
get a fellow out of this black hole. I thought I felt a snake right then.
We used to kill 'em in here, too. Poke the ladder down, boys, please."
"That's a fact. As the drowning boy said: 'Save me first and scold me
afterward.' Let me give you a hand, boys," remarked Frank.
"Hey! be careful there about getting too close to the edge. The whole
bunch of you will be in on top of me if you don't look out. I had a crack
on the head from a rock right then. And be careful how you poke that
ladder down, or you may stick it through me like a lady's hatpin. Now
I've got hold of the end, lower away, all."
So under the directions of the boy who was in the hole, and in a position
to see how things lay, the single-pole ladder was placed in position.
"I'm coming up now, fellows; don't let the dirt crumble in on me,"
called Jerry.
"It does beat all how the adventures crowd you, old man. Here the rest of
us just go along in an average way, and nothing happens to anybody to
stir the blood. Hang it, I say it's hardly fair," remarked Frank, in
pretended chagrin.
Jerry began to appear in view, clinging to the ladder, for it was a
rather rickety affair, and threatening constantly to turn around, so that
he had to fasten both knees and hands to the pole as he mounted.
"Keep her straight, Andy; you understand how hard it is to hustle up this
old beam. I'm getting there all right, and don't you forget it," he kept
saying, with a broad grin on his happy-go-lucky face as it came into
plain view.
"Oh! Jerry, please hang there for just twenty seconds! You don't know
what a splendid picture you make. I'd give almost anything to snatch it
off. Oblige me like a good fellow, won't you, please?" shouted Will,
waving his hands entreatingly.
"Talk to me about nerve! You beat all creation. I'm holding on by the
skin of my teeth, and you want me to wait till you get your measly old
camera adjusted, and snap me off in this ignoble position. Well, I'm
waiting, but it's to get my second wind, and not to oblige a crank,"
gasped Jerry.
"Oh! thank you, Jerry, thank you. It will only take a few seconds, I'm
sure, and the result will be a constant source of delight to every
member of the club."
"Yes, I've no doubt they'll go into spasms of laughter every time they
look at the human ape hanging to his limb. Hurry up, plague take it; I'm
getting weary of posing to suit your convenience. Why don't he, come back
and finish? I declare if I can stand this any longer. I tell you I'm
coming up, Will--picture or no picture."
"Here he comes; just hang on a bit longer," said Frank, soothingly.
Will came dashing up, showing the most intense excitement. His eyes
fairly bulged from his head, and he was quivering all over.
"What ails you, man; are you sick?" demanded Frank, in real alarm.
"Sick? No, but I'm broken-hearted, that's what. It's gone!" shouted the
other, wringing his hands, "some wretch has stolen my camera, and films!"
CHAPTER XXII
"LOOK PLEASANT, PLEASE!"
"What's that?" exclaimed Andy Lasher, jumping up from the side of Frank,
where he had dropped to lend Jerry a helping hand.
"My camera's stolen! I placed it carefully behind that tree so nobody
could step on it, and now the whole thing's disappeared!" said Will,
almost choking with deep emotion.
"I bet that's the work of Pet Peters and the other fellows!" exclaimed
Andy, his freckled face showing dark signs of anger.
"Hey, don't forget about me!" bellowed a voice from the depths; "the
blooming old pole turned round then, and I slipped back five feet. Hold
her steady, you fellows, and give me a chance to climb out!"
"That's a fact. Come along, Jerry," said Frank.
So the imprisoned one crawled out, only too glad to once more plant his
feet on solid ground.
"Talk to me about your trapeze acts, and your parachute drops, I guess I
know all the sensations. And let me tell you I don't hanker after any
more of the same kind. Now, what's all this row about your black box,
Will?" cried Jerry, as he felt of his various joints to make sure he was
all sound.
"It's been hooked while we were getting you out. That Pet Peters has made
way with it. Oh! if he ever tears open the package that contains my
beloved films, I'm just ruined. All my work for nothing; and they can
never be replaced again."
"We'll get 'em, don't you fear," exploded Andy. "I'll run back to camp
right away, and make him give 'em up."
"If you only would, I'd be ever so much obliged, Andy. Three dozen, yes,
four now, of the finest scenes a fellow ever could take. Why, some of
them are _immense_!"
"I suppose you are referring now to that one where that yellow dog was
chasing me around the tree; but I wouldn't die of grief if posterity
never got a squint at that picture," said Jerry, shaking his head.
"Please start now," urged Will; "for they will be opening the package
just for spite. One little bit of daylight and the whole thing will be
ruined. And from what I know of Pet Peters, I believe he'd do it."
"I just reckon he would, now. All right, I'm off," said Andy.
"Wait, and we'll go with you," declared Frank, quietly.
"I can do it just as well alone; still, perhaps it is good to have you
fellers along. But we must run," Andy observed.
"We can do it. Come on, boys!" cried Frank
They started off through the timber, even Jerry keeping up a rattling
pace, although somewhat out of breath.
"Better not talk," admonished Andy, when Will manifested a disposition to
continue his doleful wails about his terrible loss.
"That's good advice, Will. If you hope to recover your property, better
keep a padlock on your lips just now. Besides, you need all your wind,"
remarked Frank.
They ran on.
The trail was crooked, but kept drawing nearer the lake all the while.
"Just a few minutes more," panted Andy at length.
And when less than that time had passed they could catch glimpses of the
cabin in which he and his crowd had taken up their quarters, after being
forestalled by the outdoor chums in the race for the hemlock camp.
Andy said nothing, but the manner in which he put his fingers on his lips
as he turned his head, was indicative of silence.
He led them forward in such a way that the cabin stood between them and
the spot where several boys seemed to have clustered, interested in
something.
When they looked around the corner of the hut they counted five in the
bunch. It was Pet Peters, a tall, raw-boned lad, who was swinging the
camera to and fro in triumph, while he held up the waterproof package in
which Will kept the rolls of films that had been exposed, awaiting the
time when he could develop the same.
"Say, but won't them sissies be hoppin' mad w'en they sees it gone?" he
was saying, with a grin; "an' we can keep it as long as we wanter."
"What's he got in the black bag, Pet?" demanded one of the others.
"Don't know, but we'll soon find out," grunted the leader of the group,
looking around for a place to lay the camera down while he applied
himself to the task of opening the tied-up package.
"I bet it's films he's used; I know, because I got a bull's-eye camera to
home," exclaimed another chap, pressing forward eagerly.
"Who was it tumbled into the old mine shaft?" asked Pet, as he dug at
the knot with which the cord was fastened.
"Don't know for sure, but I kinder think it must a-been Jerry Wallington.
I seen that Frank and Will along with Andy," replied a third, quickly.
"Glad of it. Andy says as how he's under obligations to Jerry, but fur me
I don't take any stock in that sorter thing. He jest couldn't let a
feller lie there and die under that tree. It sarves Andy right because he
wanted to cover up the old shaft again afore any purty boy fell down in
it and skinned his nose. Say, how d'ye 'spose they ever found that ladder
agin after we hid it?"
"'Course Andy got it for 'em. He oughter left the kid in the hole
all night. Hope he's bunged up good and hard by the tumble," came
from another.
"Looky here, Pet, ye know what ye're doin', I 'spect?" asked the one who
had but a minute before owned to having a camera at home.
"Tryin' to open this pesky little package, all right," answered
the other.
"But if it has them films inside ye'll ruin the hull bunch if ye lets
daylight in on 'em. Undo the rolls that is wrapped each in black
paper, and the picters is gone just as quick as that," and he snapped
his fingers.
"What do I care? Sarves them right for takin' our camp away. For two
cents I'd throw the hull business into the lake, and let her swim,"
growled Pet, who did not seem to be making much progress in his feat of
untying the binding cord.
Frank could feel Will quiver with emotion as he pressed against him. The
very thought of his beloved camera and those invaluable films floating on
the water filled the boy with unutterable anguish. He even groaned,
though the fact that the conspirators were so busily engaged, and talking
in the bargain, prevented them from hearing the suspicious sound.
"Andy was a-helpin' 'em," declared one of the group, as though that fact
might constitute a crime in his eyes.
"'Course; what more could ye expect arter the way he got us to go out
with him to cover up that hole again? Andy's got religion, I reckon;
leastways he ain't the same kind o' a feller he was," declared Pet.
"But he turned on you mighty quick, I noticed, an' sed as how he'd wipe
up the ground with your remains if you jest didn't go along and help undo
our work. He kin fight yet, even if he is changed," said the fellow who
hung discreetly on the outskirts of the group, and who was evidently a
devoted follower of the said Andy.
"Jest mind yer own business, Tom Somers, an' speak when yer spoken to.
Guess I know that yer intendin' to stick to Andy through thick an'
thin. But they ain't everybody feelin' that way, understand? If Andy
he's a-goin' to turn on us and be chummy with that crowd, we ain't
expectin' to stand it, see?" declared Pet, still struggling with the
obstreperous knot.
"Them's my sentiments," observed another.
"Me, too, fellers?" declared a second.
"Yes, it's easy for ye to talk that ways when he ain't around; but let
him give any one o' ye a single look an' it's eat dirt for the lot. Ain't
I seen it done many a time? An' some day Andy's goin' to give Pet the
time o' his life," the single faithful henchman kept saying.
"Oh, let up, Tom! Ain't any one o' ye got a knife? I can't never get this
here knot untied. Hand it here, Billy. Now watch the fun, fellers," and
as he spoke Pet opened a blade of the borrowed knife, and proceeded to
lay it across the cord.
To judge by the way he sawed, that blade was too dull to cut butter.
"What d'ye call this thing, anyhow, Billy? One side's about as sharp as
t'other, an' a feller couldn't commit suicide, if he tried to, with this
frog-sticker."
"Try mine," said the fellow who owned a camera.
"Say, that's the cheese; it's got a edge all right. Now wouldn't little
Willie Milton weep tears if he seen me a-doin' this to his property," and
he bent down to sever the cord at one vicious blow.
Frank thought it high time to interfere.
These unscrupulous boys would not hesitate to destroy all the results of
Will's hard labor, and, in fact, take the keenest delight in wringing his
heart by so doing.
There was only one way apparently to stop the desecration and save those
precious films from destruction. Although opposed to violence on general
principles, still Frank knew very well that there are times when it
becomes necessary for every one to stand up boldly for his rights.
He gave a nudge to Jerry which that worthy understood as a signal to be
ready. Accordingly, Jerry raised his shotgun until he had covered the
group in front of the cabin, and then waited for the word.
"Step out and hold them," whispered Frank, in his ear; and the four boys
made a sudden appearance from behind the shack.
"Now, look pleasant, please, you fellows!" exclaimed Frank, as he made
sure that he had his gun held on a line to cover the leader of the rebels
in Andy Lasher's camp.
CHAPTER XXIII
MORE SIGNS OF TROUBLE
Pet Peters looked thoroughly frightened when he saw that he had been
caught in the very act of opening another's property.
The truth of the matter was, he had been warned of late by the town
authorities that on the very next occasion when caught taking things that
did not belong to him, they would send him to the reform school.
"Don't you dare cut that string," said Frank, sternly; "or I won't answer
for the consequences, Pet Peters."
The boy, with a scowl, threw the package down alongside the camera.
"There's yer old shebang. I ain't done it a speck o' harm. Was just
kiddin', anyway. Knowed Will was around, an' jest wanted to make him
squeal," he declared.
Of course it was a barefaced falsehood, as every one understood; but it
seemed to be the natural thing for a fellow like Pet to say; he always
squirmed out of a scrape that way, while Andy had at least shown a
certain amount of boldness when caught.
"Will, step up and claim your property. If it has suffered any damage I'm
going to make him pay for it, if I have to take him all the way back to
Centerville," continued Frank.
Eagerly did the one addressed walk forward and pick up both camera and
package of films. He was within three feet of those five boys, yet never
a hand was outstretched to hinder him. They knew better. Those grim guns
that bore upon them, and the angry faces of Jerry, Frank, yes, and Andy,
impressed them deeply.
"Examine them, Will. Do you think either has been injured?" asked Frank.
"'Course they ain't. How could they be when I kerried 'em carefully. Them
scratches was on ther camera afore I touched it, I'll swar to that!"
exclaimed Pet, really alarmed by this time.
At which Andy grinned as if highly amused.
"I guess everything's safe, Frank. They stopped just in time. Another
minute and the damage could not have been repaired," sang out the
delighted Will, ready to almost dance with joy.
"Which is a lucky thing for them, then. Now, I don't know why we should
hang out here much longer. We've got our own, and the air of this camp
isn't quite as nice as I'd like. Shall we go, fellows?" asked Frank.
"Might as well," answered Jerry; "but before we do I think these chaps
ought to be told that the sheriff promised to drop in and see us
to-morrow; and that if there's any more of this humbug and annoyance
tried, I'm going to ask him to take the whole bunch back to Centerville."
"And I promise to prefer a charge of malicious mischief against them, and
an attempt to destroy property. Incendiarism is a crime, especially when
life is placed in peril; and one of us might have been burned while we
slept," added Frank, severely.
There were exclamations of alarm from the cowering boys. They had been
intimidated by the guns of Jerry and his chum, but this new source of
danger chilled their ardor wonderfully.
"I reckon we ain't goin' to try any more tricks, fellers. Thought we'd
have a leetle fun out of this campin' business; but seein' as how ye take
it so hard, we'd better draw off," muttered Pet, completely humbled.
"Yes, 'fun for the boys, but death to the frogs,' as the old story says.
That sort of thing is too one-sided to suit me. Just play your jokes on
each other, if you must amuse yourselves. We have our own way of
extracting fun out of an outing. Well, come along, boys. And, Andy, thank
you for helping get Jerry out of that hole."
He thrust out his hand to the other as he spoke, but Andy did not take
it.
"Ain't got anything to do with the rest of ye; but Jerry he saved my
life. I told him I was goin' to quit naggin' his crowd, an' so I am; but
that don't mean I'm a turnin' a saint right away. Pet here is itchin' for
a lickin', an' I got a good notion to 'commodate him."
Andy glared in the direction of his lieutenant, and it was plain to
be seen that the spirit of warfare had not as yet been diminished in
his bosom.
"Oh! well, have it out among yourselves, boys. As long as you leave us
alone we won't bother you in the least, I give you my word," said Frank.
"Come on, you fellows," cried Will. "I'm anxious to get away from here.
That Pet gave me the cold creeps when he came so near ruining my films.
Ugh! me for the comforts of our own camp."
No one wanted to linger. Even Jerry was glad to turn his back on the old
cabin and stalk away, with his gun over his arm.
"Say," called Will, over his shoulder, a few minutes later, as they were
pushing through the woods and following the back trail.
"Well, what is it?" asked Jerry.
"We forgot something, boys,'' continued the other.
"What's that?" demanded Frank, coming to a stand.
"Why, when we were about it we ought to have demanded that they return
Bluff's dandy, repeating shotgun," said Will.
Thereupon Frank broke out into a laugh and turned upon Jerry.
"Hear that, will you?" he remarked, as if tickled.
"Oh, rats! there's that blessed old gun bobbing up again. Will I ever
hear the last of that machine?" exclaimed Jerry, shrugging his shoulders.
"Not till the ghost is laid, I suppose, Jerry," remarked Frank.
Jerry walked along at his side, still grumbling as if he had a difficult
matter to solve and could hardly make up his mind.
Thus they came to the spot where the late catastrophe had taken place.
The hole gaped at them in the trail.
"Say, this is a dangerous thing to leave uncovered. Some one else might
fall in, perhaps one of that lumberman's kids if they happened to be
playing hereabouts," remarked Frank, as they paused to look down once
more into the dark depths.
"I wouldn't want my worst enemy to slip over that edge. My! but it was a
queer sensation I had when falling. Let's cover the hole up again,"
remarked Jerry.
"If we can find the planks it would be a good idea," echoed Will.
They started a search immediately. When Andy and his followers had
removed this cover, to substitute the frail one of slender sticks,
quilted with dead leaves and a scattering of soil to deceive the eye,
they could not have taken the boards far away.
"I'm dead sure they ain't in the hole," observed Jerry, as they hunted.
"Lucky for you they were not, as you might have broken a leg in striking
hard planks instead of soft soil," remarked Frank.
"Here they are, boys!" sang out Will just then.
It took but a short time for them to carry the heavy planks back to the
place, and cover up the hole the crazy gold-hunter had dug so many;
years ago.
"Hope those sillies won't think to steal them off again. They might trap
one of that lumberman's kids, and then the penitentiary for theirs, for
sure," said Jerry, as he made sure the cover was secure on all sides.
"I rather think they've had a lesson this time, and won't be in any hurry
to repeat the dose," laughed Frank; "come along boys."
Somehow Jerry seemed to lag behind the others.
"What's the matter with him?" asked Will, turning his thumb backward over
his shoulder.
"Perhaps conscience is at work. Jerry has queer freaks, you know. Wait
and see what develops," answered Frank, mysteriously, and, although his
companion tried to get him to say more he absolutely declined.
It was a short time after this that they heard the boom of a gun.
"Hunters abroad, somewhere around. There goes a second, yes and a third.
Game must be plenty where they are," remarked Will.
Frank did not reply, but the other saw that he was smiling as if his
thoughts might be pleasant just then.
"I just bet he's thinking of my sister Violet," was what passed through
the mind of the boy; but for once he was wrong.
They finally arrived at a point not a quarter of a mile from camp.
Frank turned to see if Jerry was coming along, for he had not heard a
sound from him.
"How about that venison you insisted on carrying? I hope you didn't leave
it in that miserable pit, now, for I was calculating on having a feast
for supper?" he asked, seeing that Jerry still plodded along close by.
"I've got it on my back all right, so don't worry, boys. And honest, now,
come to think of it, I really believe the bundle saved me from a worse
shock than I got. I landed on it, if you please. Don't know how it beat
me down, but it served as a fine old buffer. I look on that blessed deer
as my best friend."
"Listen!" exclaimed Will just then.
All of them could hear what seemed to be shouts ahead. They certainly
came from the direction of the home camp.
"Now what do you suppose has happened there this time? Can't we ever take
a little saunter through the woods without the camp being made the
theater for all sorts of strange dramas--wildcats, lunatics, and now
what?" exclaimed Jerry.
"I think it would be just as well for us to sprint along and find out.
That Toby seems fated to get into the queerest scrapes ever heard of.
Here goes!" with which Frank began to run.
The others kept close at his heels, and as the outcries increased they
even put on additional speed, bursting out of the timber to see as
strange a spectacle as ever greeted the eyes of woodsmen returning to
their camp.
CHAPTER XXIV
WHAT BLUFF DID
"Why, it's a bear!" exclaimed Jerry, as the three boys came to a
standstill on the border of the camp.
"It sure is, and nothing less," admitted Frank, his face beginning to
pucker up with the advance stages of a laugh.
"Oh! if I can only get my camera on him--what glorious luck!" breathed
Will, as his trembling fingers worked to drag the little black box out of
its cover.
The bear was busy just then, in fact, exceedingly engaged. He had taken
to turning things over around the fire just as though some one had given
him a sheriff's search warrant, and he meant to use it to the limit.
"He's hungry, all right; look at him getting away with the corn Uncle
Toby was just going to cook for supper. Say, that must be the same old
critter I interviewed while I was caged in that tree," said Jerry,
tickled at the thought.
"What makes you think so?" demanded Frank.
"He's so curious and so persistent, you see. Besides, I don't believe
there's another bear within ten miles of here. Oh! it's my old
friend, you just bet. And that means I ought to have the privilege of
slaying him."
"Don't be piggish, Jerry. Let some of the rest of us do something or
other," remarked Frank, with a touch of satire in his voice.
He had his own gun handy, and meant to have a share in getting a supply
of bear meat for the camp larder.
"Do you see Uncle Toby? I'll be blessed if he hasn't gone and made a
ladder, and has used it to climb up in that tree yonder," declared Jerry,
snickering.
"Sensible old Toby. If I had to make shift to be a monkey as often as he
has, I think I'd have a ladder, too. Saves considerable trouble, you see,
and the wear and tear on his clothes counts, too. But didn't we leave
Bluff in camp--I don't see anything of our pard, do you, boys?"