At Whispering Pine Lodge - Lawrence J. Leslie
"As for me," said Bandy-legs, who had been doing considerable thinking
while all this talk went on, "I mean to try and hunt up a few of those
bouncer frogs Roland here says inhabit his marsh. Of course I know that
at this time of year they're deep down in the mud, and meaning to lie
there till spring thaws 'em out; but it may be I can scare up just a
mess. I'm awfully fond of frogs' legs, you may remember, boys."
They all wished him luck. Steve advised him to borrow a spade from the
owner of the woods cabin, for he might have to dig deep. Bandy-legs,
however, only grinned and showed no signs of a change of mind; for once
he set his heart on a thing and he was apt to keep everlastingly at it
until the realization, that it was quite hopeless, would compel him to
throw up the sponge, which Bandy-legs always did with a bad grace.
So breakfast was finally finished, and the boys separated. True to his
promise the would-be frog hunter set out valiantly on his errand, urged
by his love for a dainty dish. Toby had agreed to assist Roland look
after his fox brood, for there were many things he did not yet
understand concerning their care, and which he earnestly wished to know.
This arrangement quite suited Steve and Max, for it left them free to
saunter forth. They announced their intention of taking a little look
around. Steve, of course, picked up his gun before starting, saying:
"You never know when you may want a shooting iron up in the woods. There
might be an old wildcat prowling around these diggings, which would take
a dislike to the shape of my face, so he'd attack us. And I'm homely
enough as it is right now, without inviting a cat to make the map of
Ireland over my phiz."
He and Max showed no signs of being in any unusual hurry as they left
the cabin. They started directly toward the west; and once out of sight
of those left behind, Steve quickened his pace a bit; at least he
"chirked up" and began to show more animation.
"A mile, you said, Max, didn't you!" he asked.
"Why, yes, that ought to fully cover the distance," came the reply. "I
shouldn't think you could have caught any ordinary sound even as far as
that. Still, when the night is calm, it is wonderful how far even a
groan will carry. The atmosphere seems to be in a peculiar condition at
such times, and acts as a splendid medium for conveying sounds."
They looked to the right and to the left as they advanced. Nothing
escaped the eyes of those two chums, accustomed to the "Great Outdoors"
as they were, and having long ago graduated in a knowledge of woodcraft.
Some little time passed thus. They had so far seen and heard nothing
calculated to impress them, though Steve was just as sure the sounds he
caught on the preceding night must have been a human voice crying out in
anguish. Doubtless that vivid dream was also making quite an impression
on the mind of the boy; for Max found him unusually docile and
thoughtful.
They had now gone considerably over half a mile. Max felt that if any
discovery was going to be made, it must come very soon. He raised his
voice occasionally, and gave a half shout; after which both of them
would stand still and strain their hearing in hopes of catching some
answering hail.
Squirrels barked at the intruders of their nut domain; blue jays
screamed harshly as they flitted from limb to limb among adjacent trees;
crows sent forth many noisy caws from atop of some neighboring pine,
watching those moving figures suspiciously the while; and once a deer
suddenly leaped across the trail, with a flip of its short tail, to
speedily vanish amidst the colored foliage of some bushes.
This last event caused Steve to give a real yell, he was so startled.
Hardly had he done this than he gripped the sleeve of his comrade.
"Did you hear that. Max? Was it an echo to my whoop; or did somebody
really call out in a weak voice! Anyway, it seemed to come from right
over there," and he pointed confidently as he spoke.
Max himself was of the same opinion, for he felt almost certain that a
human voice had tried to attract their attention, though possibly the
person giving utterance to the cry was so weak that he could not make
much effort.
They changed their course a little, and headed directly toward the
region whence Steve had pointed so positively. When Max held the other
up presently and called again, all doubt was removed.
"Here, this way! I'm in pretty bad shape, I guess. Don't leave me,
please, whoever you are. I'll pay you a hundred dollars to get me out of
this scrape!"
Evidently, the speaker, whom Max decided must be Robert Chase, and no
other, supposed the persons approaching, and whose voices he had heard,
must be woods guides who might consider themselves fortunate indeed to
earn such a royal sum so easily.
Two minutes afterwards and the boys found him. He must have fallen into
the hole while hurrying through the forest, after breaking away from the
grip of the boys at the cabin. He had been severely cut by a sharp
flint-like rock, and lost considerable blood, which weakened him so
that, as he afterwards confessed to them, he must have swooned away,
and lain there for hours unaware of his perilous condition.
The two boys soon managed to get the young man up on level ground. As
often happened, it was Max who conceived the easiest way of doing this.
To lift a dead weight of a hundred and fifty pounds is no light task,
and so he started to break away one side of the pit, thus raising the
bottom of the interior until they were able to simply _carry_ Robert out
of the hole.
Steve was loud in his expressions of admiration.
"Whoever else would have thought up such a clever piece of business,
Max, but you?" he went on to say, as they rested after their effort.
"Why, if it'd been me in charge now, I reckon I'd have gone to all sorts
of trouble rigging up some sort of block-and-tackle, so as to hoist him
up; but you just knock down a part of the wall, and there you are, as
neat as wax. Wherever did you learn that trick, I want to know, Max?"
"You'll laugh if I tell you," chuckled the other. "One day in reading
about how some musty old professors are digging out all sorts of weighty
treasures belonging to bygone days over in. Egypt, I chanced to learn
how a certain Arab contracted to excavate a big stone weighing ever so
many tons, and which the learned savant could not see how they were ever
going to get out of the deep hole. Well, that Arab just kept filling up
the hole, and lifting the stone inch by inch. When he finished there
was no hole, but the great rock stood on level ground. And that, Steve,
they say is old-time mechanical engineering, which has never been beaten
in these modern days. The Pyramids were built in that simple way. Human
lives and labor counted for little in those old times."
"All I can say is, Max, it takes you to apply whatever you read to
working out your own problems. But however are we going to get this man
back to the cabin! Must we build a litter and carry him?"
Robert seemed to be suffering from something more than physical anguish.
A tortured mind can stab even more keenly than painful bodily wounds.
Lying there and facing possible death, Robert Chase had evidently seen a
great light. He beckoned to the boys to bend over him, and then in a
weak voice went on to say:
"I don't know just how badly I'm hurt, young fellows, but I do know that
I'm done with this miserable business. I've got just what I deserve, and
it may be the best thing that ever happened to me. During the time I lay
here and had my senses, I've made up my mind to ask my cousin Roland to
forgive me, and let me make amends for the evil I've tried to do. I know
now that it doesn't pay in the long run, for I've come near losing all
my self-respect. Yes, get me to the camp, if you can. I want to face the
music, and have it over with. Something seems to tell me that the boy
isn't the one to hold a grudge against a chap who's been punished
already for doing an evil deed."
That sort of talk pleased Max immensely. He saw that Robert Chase must
have been having a terrible conflict between his better nature and the
insatiate craving for wealth; and now that a wise Providence had stepped
in to nip all his plots in the bud, why things began to look very bright
all around.
It was found that with one of the boys on either side, Robert could
manage to walk fairly well, although they often had to stop and let him
rest.
It took them a full two hours to get back to the cabin, where their
arrival created considerable excitement. At the moment, Roland was out
somewhere attending to his pets, and so the injured man was made as
comfortable as possible by Toby and Bandy-legs, the latter of whom had
just come in carrying a pretty fair mess of frogs' legs all dressed for
the frying-pan.
Then when Roland came along, to be told what had happened, and how his
cousin was anxious to see him alone, he looked actually pleased at the
queer turn affairs had taken. He went in and was with Robert for quite a
long time. They must have had a good heart-to-heart talk, for when
Roland appeared again, he was smiling broadly, and hastened to say:
"We've not only patched up a truce, boys, but made an enduring covenant.
After this there's not going to be any war in the Chase family; and now
that Robert has humbled himself to confess his wrong-doing, I believe
we're going to be the best of friends. I've promised him, without his
asking it, that I'll never tell a single soul about what happened up
here. You must agree to the same thing, for my sake. I feel sure you'll
all like Robert, when you get to know him."
"Who can tell," muttered Toby, as if to himself; "in time we might even
g-g-get _familiar_ with him. Stranger things than that have happened. I
only hope he won't hold a g-g-grudge against me when he sees the mark of
all my f-f-fingernails down his face."
"Just now, Toby, he isn't in a mood to bear anybody a grudge," Roland
went on to say; "for he believes he didn't get half that he merited. But
after all it's come out a thousand per cent better than I ever dreamed
it would. And when I start off with my pair of grown cubs I needn't be
afraid of any one waylaying me on the road."
"All the same," observed Steve, raising his heavy eyebrows suggestively,
"we'll see to it that you have plenty of company on the way. Since the
object of our trip up here into the heart of the Adirondacks has been
fulfilled, I rather reckon we'll be wanting to go along with you, to see
the fox pups handed over, and that lovely check received. Afterwards we
can all start for Carson, where you and your good old aunt may have a
family reunion all to yourselves; unless you see fit to invite Uncle
Sephus, Uncle Nicodemus, Uncle Job, or some of those old worthies to
join with you, so as to make things hum."
They all laughed at Steve's humorous remark.
"B-b-but what's to be d-d-done with this p-p-pretty thing?" demanded
Toby, pointing as he spoke to their prisoner, who was sitting outside
the door, having one of his ankles held fast with a trailing rope, so
that he could not run away, even if tempted to do so; which, considering
his helpless condition, with both hands tied behind his back, he was
hardly in the humor to do.
CHAPTER XVI
THE FUR FARMER'S TRIUMPH--CONCLUSION
While all this talk was going on, the man had of course listened. What
he had just heard Roland say about forgiving his scheming cousin must
have encouraged the fellow more or less; for surely if they meant to let
the chief conspirator go scot-free, it would hardly be fitting to take
it out on the poor hired tool.
"I hope you include me in that general amnesty order, young fellows," he
now hastened to say, with a wishful look on his face. "Since the fat is
in the fire I'm ready to tell anything you want of me. Course my name
isn't Jake Storms; though it isn't necessary for me to inform you what
it might be, because that doesn't concern anybody around here. I needed
money pretty badly, and the gent tempted me beyond my limit, so I agreed
to help him steal the fox cubs. I was to have all they'd fetch when
sold, and so I came along. But if you just cut these cords, and tell me
to clear out, I'll vamose the ranch instanter."
Max nodded his head in the affirmative.
"You might as well make an early start," he remarked, drily. "Since
things have turned out the way they have, we couldn't make any use of
you. But before you go, understand one thing, my friend."
"What might that be, young fellow?" asked the other, though looking very
much pleased at hearing he would be set free.
"Don't get it into your head that it's going to be an easy snap to come
back here and rob this fox farm. You'd be a fool to try it for many
reasons. In the first place, silver blacks are so few in number that any
one selling a cub or a pelt can be tracked, and made to prove ownership.
There's also an association forming that will insure these costly
animals, and chase a thief across the continent until they eventually
get him; just as the bankers' association does. Understand that?"
"Oh! don't bother about me," the man hastened to tell them. "I'm through
with this sort of risky game. I can make a living at something that
brings in easier returns; only set me free and I'll never come back here
again, never, on your life."
"There'll be a guard here while we're gone," continued Max, sternly, "a
man who can hit a silver quarter with his rifle as far as he can see it
through the telescopic globe sight. It wouldn't be safe for prowlers to
show up here. Besides, they could never find the foxes, hidden deep down
in their burrows, during the night time. Steve, set him free, please."
The boys felt that they could afford to be magnanimous, since things had
taken such a glorious turn in their favor. So they not only gave the
so-called Jake Storms his liberty but filled his pockets with such food
as would serve him until he came to a town. Roland was seen talking with
him just before he left, and Max felt sure the boy must have thrust some
money into the man's hand, for the fellow acted as though greatly
confused, and shook his head while walking hastily away, as though the
kindness of those boys quite overwhelmed, him.
Roland continued his work of making his cousin thoroughly ashamed of his
recent mean actions. He waited on the injured man as though Robert had
always been one of his best friends. If ever a fellow "heaped coals of
fire on the head of his enemy," Roland Chase certainly did during the
three days they continued to linger at the lodge under the pines.
Meanwhile, the signal had been set for Jerry Stocks to come over, and
when he arrived, he turned out to be very much the kind of a man the
boys expected to see, a homely specimen of a woodsman, honest as the day
was long, and "filled to the brim," as Steve aptly expressed it, with an
accurate knowledge of all such things as may prove of value to one who
roams the wilderness.
He was to be left in charge during the absence of the young fur farmer.
Roland had long ago won the sincere admiration of the rugged woodsman,
who stood ready to do anything to show his regard. Besides, he would be
well paid for all his trouble, and his family might even come over to
visit him occasionally.
During the balance of their stay under the sheltering roof of the
wonderful little lodge under the whispering pines, the boys made use of
every hour in order to enjoy their limited holiday. Since success had
crowned their efforts to find the missing one, they were in constant
high spirits. It always produces a feeling of exultation to know that
the goal has been attained for which a start was made; and the four
chums were only human.
They certainly had a great time of it, visiting all sorts of strange
nooks under the guidance of either Roland or Jerry. Max found a number
of opportunities to add to his interesting collection of flashlight
pictures. He made a specialty of the fox farm, and with the assistance
of the young owner, managed to snap off the timid occupants of the
enclosures in the act of feeding, as well as under various other equally
instructive conditions; all of which would give a pretty good idea of
how progressive fur farmers manage their outfit.
The wounded man grew better, so that when it was time for them to leave,
he could take his part in the procession; though the others declined to
let him burden himself with any of the duffle, since he was still weak.
Max had been studying Robert, and reached the conclusion that the young
man was heartily ashamed of his miserable plotting. He hoped it would
be a good lesson calculated to serve Robert the rest of his life; and if
this turned out to be so, then that stumble of his, unfortunate as it
may have seemed to him at the time, was the best thing that had ever
happened to him.
The two marketable fox pups were placed securely in the cage that had
been secured for this very purpose by Roland when last in the city. It
weighed very little, and could be easily transported like an ordinary
pack on the back. Roland himself meant to carry it, but of course the
others insisted on "spelling" him from time to time.
Really, when the fateful morning hour came, and they turned back to give
a last fond look at the little lodge under the green pines, Max and his
three chums were conscious of a strange feeling of keen regret around
the region of their hearts; which proved how the woods home of Roland
had grown upon them.
"I certainly do hope those pictures will turn out to be daisies, Max."
Steve was heard to say, most earnestly; "because I'll take a heap of
satisfaction in recalling many of the pleasant things that have happened
to us up here, where the breeze is always telling tales to the pinetops;
and it's nice to be able to see what your mind is centered on."
"But look here," said Roland, delighted to hear Steve talk in that
strain; "you mustn't think that even if I do succeed to that jolly
little fortune left by my real uncle, and not one of the Grimeses, that
I'm meaning to drop this fox farm business. By now it's got a deep hold
on me, and I'm more bent than ever on making it a big success. Yes, and
I'm also counting on you fellows paying me another visit some other
time, the sooner the better."
They assured him it would please them beyond measure to contemplate
spending part of their next summer vacation with him, when they could
investigate still further the many delightful mysteries of the
Adirondack wilderness.
So the lovely nook was lost sight of, and for some little time a silence
seemed to fall upon all the members of the group, as they continued to
trudge along the trail that eventually would fetch them to a road, and
after that to a village.
Of course our story nears its end, now that we have seen Max and his
chums accomplish the object of their search. They meant to continue
along in the company of Roland, and see that the pair of beautiful
glossy silver black fox pups were safely delivered to the purchaser, who
intended to start a fur farm of his own in some other part of the
country, possibly away up in the Canadian Northwest, and had taken a
great fancy for the particular strain of animal Roland was propagating.
In due time they arrived at the city where this rich gentleman lived. He
had, it appeared, seen and admired the fox pups while fishing in the
neighborhood of the fur farm, and made a contract with Roland for the
delivery of the pair at a certain time, binding the bargain with a cash
payment.
It all turned out as planned, and when the boy received the balance of
the stipulated amount in a handsome check he felt that he had a right to
feel proud of his accomplishment.
Robert had long before then took his leave, and in doing so he squeezed
the hand of his younger cousin, and assuring Roland that he meant to see
more of him in the future. So far as Max could observe, the man appeared
to have turned over a new leaf, and from that time forward was likely to
show what was really in him besides his former desire to loaf and spend
money.
And so in the fullness of time, the five boys turned up in Carson, where
a certain good woman whom Roland claimed as his aunt was wonderfully
well pleased to find his arms about her wrinkled neck, and his boyish
kiss pressed upon her cheek. She assured Roland the first thing, that
there was no need of his worrying about the future, because she had
determined to make him her heir, regardless of whether he ever came into
the money left under such exacting conditions by his deceased uncle.
Naturally, Roland was proud to tell his aunt that while he appreciated
her fresh interest in his career, and would be only too glad to respond
to her affection, at the same time she must know he had not made a
failure, and that even now he was about to call upon the trustees of
the will, to show them he had faithfully carried out all the provisions
upon the fulfillment of which his legacy depended.
It all came out as planned; indeed, those same old trustees of the
estate, living in another town, had the greatest surprise of their lives
when that troop of boys called upon them, and the whole story was told;
for of course Max and the other trio eagerly snapped at Roland's warm
invitation to accompany him on this momentous occasion, so as to witness
his crowning triumph, and add their testimony, if needed, as witnesses
to the successful outcome of his plans.
Roland had taken pains to gather all necessary documents showing how he
invested the greater part of his two thousand dollars, and how he was to
draw half the proceeds on any sales. He also had the contract for the
delivery of the first of the silver black fox pups, and after could, in
addition, show the fat check covering that particular sale.
Everything had been looked after to a fraction. The old men found it
difficult to believe what at first to their minds seemed so like a fairy
story: but in the end they had to admit that Roland Chase had fully
complied with every one of the conditions imposed on him in the strange
will of his uncle; and as the time limit had not yet expired, he was
fully entitled to his legacy, which in due time was paid over to him.
After that, Roland again departed for the wonderful "farm," where the
most valuable crop ever heard of was being grown successfully. The other
lads heard from him frequently during the winter months, and there was
no discouraging report forthcoming. He now had Jerry with him constantly
as his assistant, the guide having built a cabin near the farm, where he
installed his family. It was nicer for Roland, too, since there were
several children; and he could spend many an evening sociably, having
taken up a phonograph with him, together with a fine supply of all sorts
of records suitable for amusing a mixed company.
Max often allowed his thoughts to bridge the many miles that separated
Carson from that lodge in the wilderness; and it required no magician's
wand to enable him to see in his mind's eye the delightful surroundings
that made the strange fur farm a possible El Dorado, where Fortune was
liable to knock on the door and demand entrance.
It is with more or less regret that the writer finds he has reached the
point where he must say goodbye; and he only does so with the
understanding that just as soon as further stirring events worth
narrating come to pass, it will be his pleasure, as well as duty, to
place them between the covers of another book in this series.
THE END
+THE OBLONG BOX.+
* * * * *
Some years ago, I engaged passage from Charleston, S.C., to the city of
New York, in the fine packet-ship Independence, Captain Hardy. We were
to sail on the fifteenth of the month (June), weather permitting; and,
on the fourteenth, I went on board to arrange some matters in my
stateroom.
I found that we were to have a great many passengers, including a more
than usual number of ladies. On the list were several of my
acquaintances; and among other names, I was rejoiced to see that of Mr.
Cornelius Wyatt, a young artist, for whom I entertained feelings of warm
friendship. He had been with me a fellow-student at C----University,
where we were very much together. He had the ordinary temperament of
genius, and was a compound of misanthropy, sensibility, and enthusiasm.
To these qualities he united the warmest and truest heart which ever
beat in a human bosom.
I observed that his name was carded upon _three_ staterooms; and, upon
again referring to the list of passengers, I found that he had engaged
passage for himself, wife, and two sisters--his own. The staterooms were
sufficiently roomy, and each had two berths, one above the other. These
berths, to be sure, were so exceedingly narrow as to be insufficient for
more than one person; still, I could not comprehend why there were
_three_ staterooms for these four persons. I was, just at this epoch, in
one of those moody frames of mind which make a man abnormally
inquisitive about trifles: and I confess, with shame, that I busied
myself in a variety of ill-bred and preposterous conjectures about this
matter of the supernumerary stateroom. It was no business of mine, to be
sure; but with none the less pertinacity did I occupy myself in attempts
to resolve the enigma. At last! I had not arrived at it before. "It is
a servant, of course," I said; "what a fool I am, not sooner to have
thought of so obvious a solution!" And then I again repaired to the
list--but here I saw distinctly that _no_ servant was to come with the
party; although, in fact, it had been the original design to bring
one--for the words "and servant" had been first written and then
overscored. "Oh, extra baggage to be sure," I now said to
myself--"something he wishes not to be put in the hold--something to be
kept under his own eye--ah, I have it--a painting or so--and this is
what he has been bargaining about with Ficolino, the Italian Jew." This
idea satisfied me, and I dismissed my curiosity for the nonce.