X 
 
 v -~^/ 
 
 m*t 
 
 THE 
 
 GAMMANS POETRY 
 
 COLLECTION 
 
 la Memory of 
 
 GEORGE H. GAMMANS, II 
 
 Class of 1940 
 
 First Lieutenant Army Air Corps 
 
 Distinguished Service Cross 
 
 Missing in Action January 15, 1943 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY OF 
 NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARY 
 
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 This BOOK may be kept out TWO WEEKS 
 ONLY, and is subject to a fine of FIVE 
 CENTS a day thereafter. It is DUE on the 
 DAY indicated below: 
 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 
 
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UP AND DOING SERIES 
 
 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 

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They shot over the Abyss. 8ee P a « e 28 ^ 
 
The 
 
 Cruise of the Firefly 
 
 J 
 
 By Edward S. Ellis 
 
 Author of "Deerfoot Series," " Young Pioneer Series," "Log 
 Cabin Series," "The New Deerfoot Series," etc., etc. 
 
 and 
 
 Wm. Pendleton Chipman, D.D. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED 
 By EDWIN J. PRITTIE 
 
 THE JOHN C. WINSTON COMPANY 
 
 CHICAGO PHILADELPHIA TORONTO 
 
Copyright 1506, by The John C. Winston Co. 
 Copyright 1890, by the Holiday Publishing Co. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 I. 
 
 An Unexpected Challenge 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 II. 
 
 An Exciting Offer .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 III. 
 
 A Despicable Plot .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Race 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 V. 
 
 Cripple Ben's Invitation . 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Further Plotting .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Caught in a Gale .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 The Launch Firefly . . . 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 IX. 
 
 An Unpleasant Discovery 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 X. 
 
 The Smashed Boat .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XI. 
 
 The Despoiled Tents . . 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XII. 
 
 The Loup-cerviers .... 
 
 
 Chap. 
 
 XIII, 
 
 The Hidden Camp .... 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 9 
 17 
 24 
 34 
 44 
 56 
 63 
 73 
 85 
 98 
 107 
 
 115 
 126 
 
 M 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGB 
 
 Chap. XIV. Intercepted 135 
 
 Chap. XV. Harry's Misfortune ... 148 
 
 Chap. XVI. In a Tight Place 157 
 
 Chap. XVII. The Missing Pelts .... 167 
 
 Chap. XVIII. An Unpleasant Wrangle 174 
 
 Chap. XIX. A Midnight Alarm .... 185 
 
 Chap. XX. Lost in the Mountain . . 193 
 
 Chap. XXI. The Indian Camp 203 
 
 Chap. XXII. A Startling Accusation . 213 
 
 Chap. XXIII. An Honorable Proposal . 224 
 
 Chap. XXIV. On the Trail 235 
 
 Chap. XXV. A Midnight Desertion . . 244 
 
 Chap. XXVI. A Hard Nut to Crack . . 253 
 
 Chap. XXVII. A Cry for Help 266 
 
 Chap. XXVIII. Over the Falls 278 
 
 Chap. XXIX. Auld Lang Syne 290 
 
 Chap. XXX. Near of Kin 301 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Frontispiece: They Shot Over the Abyss 
 
 "Hurrah, the Passage is Clear" 42 
 
 "We Must Overhaul Them, Boys" .... 147 
 
 Fighting the Wolves . 209 
 
THE CRUISE OF THE 
 FIREFLY 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE 
 
 ON THE brow of a large hill, just without 
 and overlooking the village and river of 
 Melrose, in one of the more prominent 
 of the eastern States, are the buildings of the 
 Melrose Valley Institute, a highly popular 
 boarding school for boys. 
 
 Into the extensive play-grounds at the rear of 
 these buildings, one bright May afternoon, after 
 the day's routine of study was over, there 
 poured a crowd of students, from twelve to 
 eighteen years of age, armed with bats and mal- 
 lets and racquets, eager for the hour's sport. 
 
 Suddenly above the babel of noises the voice 
 of Harry Wallace, the leading spirit in all the 
 athletic games at the Institute and the captain 
 of the boat-club, rang out loud and clear — 
 
 "This way, members of the M. V. I. Boat- 
 Club, this way ! I have a surprise for you. ' ' 
 
 9 
 
10 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Instantly five of the older and more stalwart 
 of the lads gathered aronnd him. 
 
 "A surprise?" echoed Tom Sexsmith, the 
 bow stroke of the crew, and an irrepressible wag 
 in his way. "Can it be the doctor has given 
 yon an extra page of the Anabasis to — " 
 
 "Oh, my!" broke in Eob Hunt, another of 
 the squad, "just as thongh there conld be any 
 surprise in that. Come, Wallace, let up on our 
 curiosity, and tell us what's in the wind." 
 
 ' ' The M. H. S. crew have had the audacity to 
 challenge us to a race. ' ' Captain Harry imme- 
 diately announced, in tones that implied his ex- 
 pectation of arousing the incredulity of his 
 hearers. 
 
 "You don't say so!" cried several voices at 
 once with well-feigned astonishment. 
 
 "What can they be thinking of? Do they 
 mean to give us a walk-over?" inquired Tom 
 Sexsmith a moment later, and with an inde- 
 scribable grimace. 
 
 When the hearty laugh that his words and 
 act had aroused subsided, Ed Willis, another of 
 the crew, asked: 
 
 1 ' Can they really be in earnest 1 ' ' 
 
 "I rather think they are! Listen!" replied 
 Harry Wallace, drawing a paper from his 
 pocket, and reading it aloud: 
 
AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE 11 
 
 Melrose, May 20th, 19 — . 
 
 To Mr. Harry Wallace, Captain of the M. V. I. Boat-Club : 
 
 Sir: The boat-club of which I have the honor to be 
 captain has authorized me to challenge your club to a 
 six-oared race on the Melrose River, at such a time and 
 place as may be arranged by a joint-committee appointed 
 for that purpose, provided, of course, you conclude to 
 accept. Hoping to receive a favorable response at an 
 early date, I remain, . Tmly yours? 
 
 Reed Jones. 
 
 "He comes right to the point, and no mis- 
 take," declared Bob Hunt, with a prolonged 
 whistle. "What shall we do about it, Harry?" 
 
 " Do 1 There is but one thing to do ; accept 
 of course ! Why, this is the best streak of luck 
 that has come to us in the whole year. If we 
 can add this to our season's triumphs over them 
 the star of M. V. I. will surely be in the as- 
 cendancy. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Rah ! rah ! rah ! tiger ! ' ' cried his comrades, 
 swinging their caps in the air. "When is the 
 race to come off?" 
 
 "Probably in about two weeks," explained 
 Wallace. "You see we must have time to com- 
 plete our arrangements." 
 
 "Not under two weeks," said one of the crew, 
 with a disappointed air. 
 
 "Of course not, Williams; but we can send 
 
12 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 in our acceptance to-day. In fact, I have it with 
 me ; how do you like this f ' ' 
 
 Melrose, May 21st, 19—. 
 Mr. Reed Jones, Captain of the M. H. S. Boat-Club: 
 
 My Dear Sir: It gives us pleasure to accept your 
 challenge to a race, and we shall appoint a committee of 
 three this evening to consult with a similar committee 
 from your club as to the necessary arrangements. We 
 need not add that we shall do our best to win one more 
 victory for the M. V. I. over the M. H. S. 
 
 Harry Wallace, 
 Captain of the M. V. I. Boat-Club. 
 
 1 ' That 's right ! Hurrah ! ' ' cried the maj ority 
 of the lads, though one or two thought the last 
 sentence unnecessary, as there was no need of 
 reminding the M. H. S. of their humiliating de- 
 feats. 
 
 But, on the whole, the reply was quite satis- 
 factory, and was sent down to the village office 
 at once. 
 
 A strong rivalry in all out-door sports had 
 long existed between the students of the Mel- 
 rose Valley Institute and those of the Melrose 
 High School. Possibly something of this spirit 
 was due to the fact that Dr. Randall, the prin- 
 cipal of the Institute, had some years previous 
 been the head master of the High School, but 
 owing to some disagreement with the town au- 
 
AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE 13 
 
 thorities over the school management he had 
 resigned and established the Institute upon the 
 hill. 
 
 With a strong backing from many of Mel- 
 rose's most influential citizens, and a large per- 
 sonal influence as an educator throughout the 
 eastern States, Dr. Randall made his institution 
 from the very outset a decided success. But 
 those who had the management of the High 
 School still maintained a hostile attitude toward 
 the more prosperous seat of learning, and that 
 feeling, unconsciously perhaps, was shared by 
 the students of each institution. 
 
 The High School attendants had from the be- 
 ginning sought to draw those of the Institute 
 into every form of athletic contest, and for sev- 
 eral years were more than a match for the ag- 
 gressive incomers, but within the last few 
 months there had come a change. 
 
 When Harry Wallace entered the Institute — 
 the fall before the opening of our story — a new 
 impetus was given to all athletic and gymnastic 
 exercises. His fine physical development, per- 
 sonal magnetism, and extraordinary skill in all 
 sports, drew around him a crowd of comrades, 
 whom he soon trained to a dexterity scarely less 
 than his own. 
 
 Under his drill the base-ball nine, the foot- 
 
14 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 ball team, the cricket and lawn-tennis clubs, bad 
 all been brought to a degree of expertness which 
 had enabled them easily to vanquish their vil- 
 lage opponents in every contest. 
 
 The increasing triumphs of the M. V. I.'s 
 made them, it must be acknowledged, vain-glor- 
 ious, and they lost no opportunity to remind 
 their antagonists of their departing prestige. 
 
 This had naturally deepened the hostile feel- 
 ing between the inmates of the two schools, and 
 for some weeks they had nothing to do with 
 each other. In fact, the M. V. I.'s began to 
 think their opponents had decided to retire from 
 the field, confessing themselves vanquished, 
 when this challenge to the boat-race unexpect- 
 edly came and apprised them of their mistake. 
 
 ' ' This is only a resort to recover their former 
 glory," remarked Tom Sexsmith to Harry Wal- 
 lace, as they left their companions and walked 
 down to the ball-ground. 
 
 1 ' Only beat them now, and they '11 never crow 
 again." 
 
 "We must do it," replied Wallace emphat- 
 ically. " In no year of their triumphs have they 
 won a clean score of victories. Give us this 
 boat-race and we have such a record, and it will 
 go a long way toward wiping out the disgrace 
 of a long and continuous series of defeats." 
 
AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE 15 
 
 At a meeting of the boat-club that evening a 
 committee of three was chosen to arrange with 
 a like board of the M. H. S. the preparations 
 for the race. In the course of another day the 
 latter club responded, and the joint-committee 
 came together to make such arrangements as 
 were necessary. 
 
 The race was to be a six-oared one, and was 
 to take place two weeks from the following Sat- 
 urday afternoon on the Melrose, the river run- 
 ning through the town, and at the foot of the 
 hill upon which the Institute stood. 
 
 The boats were to start from a point called 
 Old Field, and run up the river three miles to 
 the Narrows. This course, which had been 
 rowed over many times by both crews, was all 
 that could be desired, except at one place known 
 as Long Bar, where a sandy point, jutting out 
 from the left bank, made a sharp angle to the 
 river. 
 
 At high water only the extreme end of this 
 huge arm rose like an island above the flood, and 
 boats could cross the neck to save two or three 
 rods in distance. This, however, was a haz- 
 ardous undertaking to one unacquainted with 
 the passage. At low water the place was barely 
 covered. 
 
 The committee of arrangements, knowing two 
 
16 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 boats could not safely pass abreast at this 
 place, wisely decided, to avoid all trouble, by 
 ordering that both shells should keep within the 
 deep channel to the right. 
 
 This decision was satisfactory to the con- 
 testing parties, and, the preliminaries over, a 
 fair though exciting race was anticipated. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 AN EXCITING OFFER 
 
 A WEEK later, Rob Hunt dropped into 
 Wallace's room during recreation hours. 
 "I say, Harry," was his greeting, "did 
 you know the whole village is getting wild over 
 our coming race?" 
 
 "I had heard something like it," answered he 
 with a smile, and laying down the book he was 
 reading ; ' ' and don 't know that I am surprised. 
 But what difference does it make to us any 
 way?" 
 
 "Why, nothing," went on Rob, "only the big- 
 ger half is siding with the M. H. S. crew, and 
 are arranging to give them a grand ovation — 
 music, speeches and supper, and all that sort of 
 thing — if they win. ' ' 
 
 "That last clause is well put," remarked 
 Harry. "Let them make all the preparations 
 they please in that direction ; it will only render 
 our victory the more glorious, their defeat the 
 more humiliating, because unexpected. But 
 who are the prime movers in this thing?" 
 
 2 17 
 
18 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "There is where you get me, Wallace. I 
 can't find out anything sure. Jack Howard 
 does the most of the talking. Only this morn- 
 ing I met him, and he said the town club would 
 come in ten lengths ahead of us, and offered to 
 bet me five to one on that. ' ' 
 
 "I hope you didn't take the bet, Rob, and that 
 none of the other lads are betting on the race, ' ' 
 said his comrade with evident anxiety. "What- 
 ever the High School boys may do, let us go 
 through this thing in a square and honorable 
 way. I'd rather be beaten than to win un- 
 fairly, or to do anything so debasing as to bet 
 on the result. ' ' 
 
 "I'm with you there," was Hunt's quick re- 
 ply. " It is hinted, however, that our opponents 
 may not be so particular, but will leave no stone 
 unturned to gain the victory by fair means or 
 by foul." 
 
 "If Jack Howard were one of the crew, I 
 would believe that," answered Harry; "but I 
 think Jones is above anything underhand." 
 
 "I'm not so sure of that," broke in Rob; "he 
 and Howard are as thick as peas in a pod, and 
 by their talk you'd think they were going into 
 the thing out of personal spite. Have they any- 
 thing against you, Wallace?" 
 
 "Howard may think so," replied Harry with 
 
AN EXCITING OFFER 19 
 
 a hearty laugh. "He hasn't been over and 
 above friendly since my tussle with him last 
 fall." 
 
 "What was that?" 
 
 "Oh ! I caught him teasing Cripple Ben. He 
 had thrown the boy's crutches away, and was 
 laughing and jeering at the poor fellow's efforts 
 to crawl along to them. I interfered, gave the 
 lad his sticks, and told Jack he ought to be in 
 better business than that. He riled up and 
 pitched into me, and in the struggle that fol- 
 lowed I threw him into the river. I didn 't mean 
 to duck him, but he went for me so furiously 
 I had to or get a wetting myself. ' ' 
 
 "And served him just right, too. I remem- 
 ber all about it now. Well, he is doing his best 
 to defeat us. Perhaps Reed is setting him on. ' ' 
 
 "I hardly think so. I have a better opinion 
 of him than that, ' ' said Harry. 
 
 "Time will tell," remarked Hunt dryly and 
 rising to go. "Anyway, if no one is going to 
 prepare a big supper for us, we will go in for 
 the victory just the same. ' ' 
 
 "Of course we will," returned Wallace, 
 warmly ; ' ' but we are by no means alone. Many 
 of the town people are in sympathy with us, and 
 the whole school will back us. I believe the 
 Doctor himself, though he might not own it, 
 
20 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 would be wonderfully tickled if we should win. ' ' 
 The next day proved that Wallace had not 
 over-estimated the principal's interest in the 
 coming race, for, at the close of the chapel ex- 
 ercises, he detained the students a few minutes, 
 to say: 
 
 " Young gentlemen, the extraordinary excite- 
 ment in town over an event which is soon to 
 occur ought, perhaps, to receive some notice 
 from me. While I deplore any feeling in this 
 matter other than an honest pride in the club 
 for which we may naturally have a preference, 
 I understand the present circumstances well 
 enough to say I shall not be displeased if the 
 victory comes to the Institute. For some years 
 we have been forced into athletic contests with 
 the other institution of learning in the town, and 
 have manfully swallowed our defeats. Now 
 that the triumphs are falling into our hands, 
 they are displaying a spirit anything but com- 
 mendable. I only caution you to say nothing 
 unkind of your opponents. Be honorable in all 
 your dealings with them. Above all, so far as 
 you are concerned, see to it that the race is a 
 fair one, stained by no underhand or debasing 
 features. Then if the victory shall come to you, 
 it will not only be worth the obtaining, but may, 
 as has been suggested by one of your number, 
 
AN EXCITING OFFER 21 
 
 put an end to the foolish rivalry which has so 
 long existed between the two schools." 
 
 "My!" cried Tom Sexsmith, as he walked 
 with Harry Wallace over to the class-room; 
 "the Doctor has woke up, hasn't he! Did you 
 ever hear of his taking interest enough in any 
 sport before to speak of it in the chapel? I 
 tell you we are getting famous, old boy," and 
 he brought his right hand down upon his com- 
 panion's shoulder with a force that fairly made 
 him wince. 
 
 "We have both honor and reason enough 
 now to go into this race to win," replied Wal- 
 lace, with a sparkle in his eyes. 
 
 But he and his comrades were destined to 
 have a greater incentive than this to do their 
 best; for the day before the race came off Harry 
 received the following surprising letter from 
 his father, a wealthy manufacturer in another 
 State : 
 
 Worcester, Mass., June 7th, 18- 
 
 "My Dear Boy: 
 
 "Not only through your own letters, but from Dr. Kan- 
 dall himself, I have learned of your coming boat-race, and 
 the unusual excitement it has created in Melrose; and I 
 write to tell you that your mother, sisters and myself, with 
 a host of friends and relatives of the other students, ex- 
 
22 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 peet to be in the village to arouse your enthusiasm by our 
 presence, sympathy and cheers. 
 
 "More than this. Learning of the stupendous incentives 
 offered the other crew by some of the town's people, we 
 have thought it no more than fair that you and your crew 
 should also be spurred to your best by these no less tanta- 
 lizing offers : 
 
 "If you win, a pair of silk banners, suitably inscribed, 
 shall be presented you, to be preserved in the archives of 
 the institution as mementoes of your victory. 
 
 "In addition to this offer, which comes from a number 
 of the friends of the Institute, I make this personal an- 
 nouncement : that I will defray the entire expenses of 
 yourself and crew for a two months' camp out at any place 
 you and they may choose from Maine to Labrador. Thus 
 your long-cherished wish may be gratified, and under cir- 
 cumstances that cannot but render the excursion an ex- 
 tremely pleasant one. 
 
 "I would say, also, that I have secured the consent of the 
 parents of all your comrades that they may accompany 
 you, and you can be off as soon after the close of the 
 school-term as your arrangements will allow. 
 
 "Could I offer you a greater inducement to win the 
 race! Your father, 
 
 John Wallace." 
 
 Harry did not read this letter to his crew until 
 they were all equipped for their last practice 
 row over the course that afternoon. As might 
 be expected, they were wild with enthusiasm, 
 and buckling their belts a little tighter about 
 them they grasped their oars, and at the com- 
 
AN EXCITING OFFER 23 
 
 mand of their captain shot out into the river. 
 Faster and faster they went, all together and 
 with a will and dash which, if maintained the 
 following day, cou]d not help, it seemed, but in- 
 sure them the victory. Never had they pulled 
 together that way before. 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 A DESPICABLE PLOT 
 
 OLD FIELD POINT, where the race on the 
 morrow was to begin, was situated, as al- 
 ready intimated, a little below the vil- 
 lage proper. Struggling houses, however, ran 
 down the river bank to it, the last one, a low and 
 dilapidated structure, being, in fact, but a few 
 rods from its extremity. 
 
 At the door of this cabin (for it was scarcely 
 more than that), a lad of about sixteen years 
 was sitting on that Friday afternoon that the 
 M. V. I. boat-crew came down for their last 
 practice. He saw the shell as it took its place 
 at the starting-line, and watched with eager in- 
 terest, though he could not hear a word of 
 Harry Wallace as he read his father's letter to 
 his companions; then he beheld the frail boat 
 dash away up the stream at a speed he had 
 never seen the oarsmen attain before. 
 
 "Whew! ain't they cutting the water 
 though," he exclaimed with manifest delight. 
 ' ' If they only row like that to-morrow the race 
 
 24 
 
A DESPICABLE PLOT 25 
 
 is theirs sure; and on Harry's account I do 
 hope they'll win it." 
 
 The last words were uttered with a trem- 
 ulousness that disclosed the fact that the manly 
 captain of the Institute crew held for some 
 reason a warm place in the speaker's heart ; nor 
 will this seem strange to the reader when he is 
 told that the watching lad was Cripple Ben, the 
 same youth whose part Wallace had taken some 
 months before, and rescued from the hands of 
 Jack Howard. 
 
 As the boat disappeared around the bend at 
 Long Bar, the boy reached out his hands to a 
 pair of crutches leaning against the side of the 
 building, and with their help assumed an up- 
 right position. 
 
 We see at once that he is of good size, with 
 a noble head, and a face that bespeaks intelli- 
 gence and decisiveness of character. There is 
 about him a neatness and an air of manly inde- 
 pendence, also, which makes even his coarse and 
 patched clothing seem respectable and attrac- 
 tive. 
 
 But our admiration for the lad changes to pity 
 when we notice his limbs; for these are so con- 
 tracted and twisted out of shape by disease as 
 to be practically useless. We feel a natural 
 anxiety, moreover, to know more about him. 
 
26 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Benjamin Probert, or Cripple Ben, as he was 
 usually called, was the only child of John and 
 Mary Probert. The father had been a sea- 
 faring man, the captain and part owner of a 
 fishing-smack sailing from Thomaston, a small 
 port at the mouth of the Melrose River. 
 
 When Ben was twelve years of age, however, 
 Captain Probert sailed on what proved to be his 
 last voyage. In a severe gale, which played 
 havoc among the fishing vessels on the banks 
 that season, the Sivan was wrecked and all her 
 crew perished. 
 
 The smack was not insured, moreover, and 
 Mrs. Probert therefore found herself not only 
 unexpectedly left a widow, but also compara- 
 tively destitute. For a while she and her boy 
 did their best to maintain the home they had 
 been accustomed to, but the times were hard, 
 and the struggle, though long and persistent, 
 finally ended in their giving up the house where 
 they had so long lived, and moving into the 
 cabin at Old. Field Point. 
 
 Up to this time Ben had been a well and 
 hearty lad; but, as though their misfortunes 
 were not already great enough, there now came 
 the one which left the boy an unfortunate crip- 
 ple. 
 
 It was the spring he was thirteen years old ; 
 
A DESPICABLE PLOT 27 
 
 he had gone with a neighbor in a yawl down into 
 the outside bay, five miles below Melrose, to 
 trawl after mackerel. A blinding snow-squall 
 came up, and they were driven out to sea. All 
 the following night, through the storm and cold, 
 they toiled to keep the little craft afloat and 
 themselves from being frozen to death, and the 
 next morning were picked up in an exhausted 
 condition by an incoming vessel. 
 
 The man never recovered from the sickness 
 that followed that exposure, and for months the 
 lad lay helpless upon his bed. At length, how- 
 ever, he was able to go about on crutches, and 
 so had he been obliged ever since to go, the con- 
 tracted muscles obstinately refusing under all 
 treatment to return to their normal condition. 
 
 During the weeks of his protracted illness the 
 mother watched faithfully by his bedside, and 
 when he was out again had set herself resolutely 
 to the task of paying the debts that through that 
 time had necessarily accumulated. 
 
 Ben was eager to aid his mother in this work, 
 but at first found that he was able to do little 
 more than care for the house in her absence. 
 
 Few knew how that mother and son denied 
 themselves, and hoarded their little earnings 
 until the last dollar of debt was paid. Then a 
 little more was saved, and a light boat was pur- 
 
28 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 chased for the boy's use, and in favorable 
 weather he was usually to be seen on the river 
 fishing. He soon knew the favorite haunts of 
 the different kinds of fish that frequented the 
 stream, and became an expert angler for his 
 years, finding a ready market for all he caught 
 at the village. 
 
 But, after all, what he earned was not a large 
 sum, and on the mother the burden of their sup- 
 port still rested. Ben chafed more over this 
 than any other thing. He could stand the jeers 
 and mockery of the thoughtless youth at his in- 
 firmity ; he could get along with scanty fare and 
 patched clothing ; but when he say his mother 's 
 tired and wan face his heart, in spite of himself, 
 would sometimes rebel at his lot, and he would 
 long for his old health and strength that he 
 might be her full support. 
 
 Still, on the whole, he was of a cheerful dis- 
 position, and on this particular afternoon was 
 in the best of spirits. He had had good luck 
 that morning fishing, and had sold his catch for 
 a half dollar, a large sum to him ; then he was 
 rejoicing that there was so good a prospect that 
 the boy who had befriended him was likely to 
 win the race over which the town was so thor- 
 oughly excited. 
 
 He had met Harry Wallace but a few times 
 
A DESPICABLE PLOT 29 
 
 since his kindness, and then only to give him a 
 few words of greeting ; but Ben was not one who 
 readily forgot a favor, and in his heart he cher- 
 ished not only a warm regard for the boy who 
 had dared to interfere in his behalf, but a secret 
 determination to repay his kindness at the first 
 opportunity. Though he himself would quickly 
 have acknowledged that he didn't know how or 
 when such an opportunity could possibly occur. 
 
 He stood there on his crutches that afternoon 
 for some minutes after the shell had disap- 
 peared up the river ; then he said aloud : 
 
 "I guess I'll take my pole and go down to the 
 river after some perch for supper. The tide is 
 nearly in, and I can catch them right off the 
 point." 
 
 He hobbled around the corner of the house 
 and got his pole and bait, and then went slowly 
 down to the shore. The bank of the river at 
 that place was a little steep, but he was used to 
 it ; and, first sliding down the pole which he had 
 managed to bring along by pressing it tightly 
 under one arm close to his crutch, he scrambled 
 down himself. Then creeping upon a large rock 
 that projected well out into the stream he baited 
 his hook and proceeded to business. The vo- 
 racious perch, or cunners, took hold briskly, and 
 
30 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 in a short time lie had a dozen or more of fair 
 size upon his string. 
 
 "I guess there are as many as ma and I'll 
 eat, ' ' he remarked, eyeing the flopping fish with 
 some satisfaction. Then he wound up the line, 
 and began his return to the cabin. 
 
 The ascent of the bank was more difficult for 
 him than the descent, but he had long since 
 learned how to manage it. The fish were tossed 
 well up toward the top, and the pole was laid 
 against the bank so he could reach its upper end 
 from the summit; then he slowly and carefully 
 advanced his crutches up the steep grade, draw- 
 ing himself along after them. 
 
 Just as his head reached the top of the bank 
 he suddenly stopped. Within a rod or two of 
 him were Reed Jones and Jack Howard; and, 
 recalling how often he had been tormented by 
 them, he thought it wiser to avoid meeting them 
 now, and so crouched down under some adjacent 
 shrubbery until they should pass. 
 
 But they paused so near that he could not 
 help hearing their conversation. 
 
 "There, Seed," said Jack, "you can see Long 
 Bar from here, and just this side of it you will 
 notice the stretch of reedy bank I was telling 
 you about. At high water, as it is now and will 
 be to-morrow afternoon, a boat properly guided 
 
A DESPICABLE PLOT 31 
 
 can at that point glide over the shoals and gain 
 a length. As it is this side of the Bar, and noth- 
 ing has been said against it by the committee of 
 arrangements, it will of course be fair for either 
 of you to take advantage of it. I have several 
 times noticed that Wallace and his crew have 
 dashed across there, and evidently they are in- 
 tending to gain a length on you in that way to- 
 morrow. This gives me the chance to fix up my 
 little plan." 
 
 Up to this point Ben had no intention of be- 
 ing an eaves-dropper; but as these words fell 
 from Howard's lips he would not have disclosed 
 his presence for the world. With ears strained, 
 he listened to catch every word. 
 
 "In that passage-way," Jack went on, "I 
 shall to-night drive down two or three stakes, 
 leaving their tops an inch or two under the 
 water, and when Wallace dashes through there 
 he will strike one or the other of them, and" 
 — with a laugh — ' ' not go much farther. ' ' 
 
 "But," objected Jones, "won't he be apt to 
 see them and avoid them, and so get an actual 
 start on me; or, if stranded there, may he not 
 make a fuss and have the race called off!" 
 
 "I have provided for both of those possibili- 
 ties," replied Howard quickly. "In case he 
 passes through all right I shall be in a shell 
 
32 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 just around the island end of the bar, and shall 
 manage so that while I seem to be making every 
 effort to get out of the way, I really foul with 
 him. Then all you have to do is to pull straight 
 away for the goal ." 
 
 "It may work," remarked Jones gloomily; 
 "we must have something of that kind to win, 
 for we can't begin to pull the stroke they did 
 this afternoon. I timed them up yonder. 
 Can't you arrange to just delay the other boat 
 without actually fouling with them? Only let 
 us get a length or two in the lead, and we are 
 all right." 
 
 "I'll take care of that, if necessary," an- 
 swered Jack; "but I don't think it will be, for 
 the stakes will fix them in the reedy passage. I 
 was going to tell you, also, that I have arranged 
 so they will not get us into trouble. I have 
 pulled up some water-soaked posts down at 
 Nichol's water fence, and shall put them in up 
 there. Then should an investigation be ordered 
 they will think the sticks have been there for 
 months, only Wallace and his crew didn't hap- 
 pen to strike them before," and the fellow 
 laughed heartily at his despicable trick. 
 
 The conspirators now retraced their steps to- 
 ward the village. As soon as they were out of 
 sight Ben hobbled up the bank, and gathering 
 
A DESPICABLE PLOT 33 
 
 up his pole and fish crossed over to the cabin, 
 muttering to himself : 
 
 " A nice little plot, Jack Howard, but it won't 
 work this time, not if Cripple Ben knows what 
 he is about." 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 THE RACE 
 
 ON ARRIVING at the house Ben did not 
 seem to be in any hurry to carry out the 
 purpose his soliloquy had implied he 
 was contemplating; for he built a fire in the 
 kitchen stove and filled the tea-kettle with water. 
 Then he cleaned and cooked his fish, and when 
 his mother returned from her work at a little 
 past six o'clock an inviting though simple re- 
 past was upon the table. 
 
 The boy had in his make-up a touch of refine- 
 ment and thoughtfulness that was hardly to be 
 expected of one in his surroundings, for he had 
 collected and arranged with considerable artis- 
 tic skill a bouquet of wild flowers at his moth- 
 er's plate; beside it, too, was a single orange, 
 which out of his money earned that day he had 
 bought for her. 
 
 Little as were these acts, the mother under- 
 stood them, and the fond look she gave her son 
 as she took her seat opposite to him had in it a 
 wealth of affection deep and abiding. Love, 
 
 34 
 
THE RACE 35 
 
 which can make the humblest home a heaven, 
 
 evidently dwelt beneath that dilapidated roof. 
 
 Not until the supper was finished, and the 
 dishes washed and put away in the tiny cup- 
 board for the night, did the lad give any inti- 
 mation that he had any special plan he intended 
 to execute. Then, however, he put on his hat 
 and took his crutches, saying : 
 
 "I have to go up to the village, mother, and 
 may be gone some time ; but you needn 't worry, 
 as I shall be back as soon as possible." 
 
 "Up to the village to-night !" exclaimed she 
 in great surprise, for Ben seldom went out after 
 nightfall. "What are you going up there 
 for?" 
 
 The boy had no secrets from his mother, and 
 briefly recounted the plot he had overheard, and 
 added : 
 
 "I'm going up to the Institute to tell Harry 
 Wallace all about it. ' ' 
 
 "Of course he ought to know it," assented 
 Mrs. Probert, "but won't the morning do just 
 as well? I hate to have you go up there in the 
 dark. ' ' 
 
 "No," replied Ben, with the decisiveness 
 which characterized him when once his mind 
 was made up ; "he ought to know it to-night, so 
 
36 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 as to have time for offsetting those fellows. I 
 shall get along all right. ' ' 
 
 His mother remonstrated no further, but 
 looked anxiously after him until he disappeared 
 up the street. 
 
 It was quite a distance to the village, and 
 nearly as far out on the opposite side to the 
 Institute. There was also the high hill to climb, 
 but Ben hobbled slowly along, and in a little 
 less than an hour had reached his destination. 
 
 Of the janitor, whom he found in the main 
 corridor of the dormitory, he inquired for 
 Harry Wallace, and was kindly told : 
 
 "He rooms on the third floor of the west di- 
 vision, but it will be too much for you to climb 
 up two pairs of stairs to him; wait a moment 
 and I will send him down to you. ' ' 
 
 The hour from seven to eight in the evening 
 was given the students at the Institute for social 
 visiting, and Harry was therefore at liberty to 
 respond to the janitor's call. Leaving the 
 members of his boat-crew, who were all gath- 
 ered in his room eagerly discussing the race of 
 the next day, and the jolly trip in prospect if 
 they were only victorious, he went down to the 
 outer door to meet the waiting Ben. 
 
 "Good evening, " he said cordially, and of- 
 fering his hand to the cripple boy; "the janitor 
 
THE RACE 37 
 
 says you have something special to tell me." 
 
 "Yes," Ben replied, shaking the extended 
 hand heartily; "but I must see you alone, and 
 where we will not be overheard." Then no- 
 ticing Harry's surprised look, he continued in 
 a low tone: "It is about the race to-morrow." 
 
 "Wait a moment," Harry promptly replied; 
 "my room is too far up for you to climb there, 
 and then it is full of the fellows ; but I '11 find a 
 place. ' ' 
 
 The janitor, who had descended with Harry 
 to the lower hall, was still within call, and 
 Harry hurried over to him and consulted with 
 him a brief time in low tones. 
 
 Then he returned with the man to Ben, say- 
 ing: 
 
 "The janitor will let us into one of the class- 
 rooms in the next building, where we can talk 
 undisturbed." 
 
 Three minutes thereafter the two boys were 
 alone, and Ben quickly told his story. If Harry 
 was surprised at the revelation, he gave no evi- 
 dence of it ; perhaps it was nothing more than 
 he expected of his opponents. Whistling softly 
 to himself for a few moments after Ben had 
 finished his tale, as though in deep thought, he 
 then said : 
 
 "I can take care of Howard and his boat, and 
 
38 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 now, that I know of his purpose, I don't care 
 the snap of my fingers for all the fouling with 
 us he may do; but I should like to have those 
 stakes taken out of the reedy passage. You see 
 if we don't go through there now, the other 
 crew will at once suspect we have discovered 
 this plot, and I'd rather they wouldn't have any 
 such idea. I want it to look just as though we 
 knew nothing of their intentions, and whatever 
 takes place to-morrow was but a natural mis- 
 carriage of their plans. ' ' 
 
 "I see," responded Ben, with quick intuition 
 grasping his friend's arrangement for thwart- 
 ing the whole plot, "and I'll fix it about those 
 stakes. You can go through there all right to- 
 morrow; they sha'n't be in your way." 
 
 "But it is too much to ask you to take them 
 out, ' ' protested Harry, glancing unintentionally 
 perhaps at Ben's crippled form. 
 
 "No, it isn't," the boy resolutely declared; 
 "I'm as strong in my arms as any one, and I'll 
 tell you how I'll manage it. I'm out at three 
 or four o'clock very often to fish with the in- 
 coming tide, and off Long Bar is a bang-up place 
 to catch scup. I'll go up there in the morning 
 before light for that purpose, and passing 
 through the reeds I'll pull the stakes up. If 
 I'm seen up there by any one he won't think 
 
THE RACE 39 
 
 anything about it, while if one of you Institute 
 fellows was off there 'twould give the whole 
 thing away. ' ' 
 
 "Very well, and you shall lose nothing by do- 
 ing that work, or for coming up here to-night 
 to tell me of this matter. But how shall I know 
 sure that you have succeeded in getting the 
 sticks out of the way? It won't do to run any 
 risk, you know." 
 
 "Of course not," answered Ben promptly; 
 "and we'll fix that. I will be sitting on the 
 bank a few rods below the passage, and if I take 
 off my hat and swing it when I cheer you on, 
 you can know it is all right for you to go 
 through. But if I swing only my hand you can 
 know I have failed. Please don't say anything 
 about paying me, however, for my coming up 
 here or doing the other work, for I'd do ten 
 times as much any time to help you out," and 
 the look he gave his companion showed that his 
 heart was in his words. 
 
 Wallace understood the boy, and with a 
 hearty shake of the hands, and many profuse 
 thanks for the kindness shown him, he accom- 
 panied him to the outer gate of the institution 
 grounds, where they parted. 
 
 The next day proved to be bright and clear 
 — all that could be asked for in the matter of 
 
40 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 weather. A large crowd had collected at the 
 starting place when the appointed hour came, 
 and as the shells reached their positions, wild 
 cheers rang on the air. 
 
 Their places were decided by lot, the High 
 School crew getting the inside, that is the right 
 berth, and thus having the advantage so far as 
 position could give it. 
 
 The signal to start was a pistol shot, and as 
 the sharp report rang out like so many flashes 
 of light, the oars dipped, and away sped the 
 boats on the three mile race. 
 
 Cheer after cheer came from the spectators 
 as the rivals shot up the stream neck to neck. 
 
 "Well mated !" cried one of the crowd. 
 
 "The M. V. I.'s are gaining !" shouted an- 
 other. 
 
 "Hurrah for the M. H. S. crew!" hallooed 
 a third. 
 
 "Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! ' ' sang out the cheers of the 
 Institute boys. 
 
 So the exclamations went the rounds, while 
 the rowers bent every energy to their task. 
 They were for a time well matched, but the first 
 bend of the river sent the M. V. I. shell a half 
 length ahead, and the channel through the reeds 
 was now at hand. 
 
 "Wallace's quick eye scanned the right bank 
 
THE RACE 41 
 
 of the stream. True to his promise Cripple 
 Ben is seated on the summit just opposite, and 
 now he takes off his hat and swings it high 
 above his head. ' < Hurrah ! for the M. V. I. 's ! ' ' 
 he cries, and then his hat swings more fran- 
 tically than ever. 
 
 "The passage is clear," Harry says in low 
 but distinct tones to his crew ; then he gives the 
 command: — "On, boys, on!" and with bent 
 backs and steady stroke the shell shoots among 
 the reeds. 
 
 From his position in the boat Wallace sees, 
 both by the looks and by a certain hesitancy on 
 the part of his rivals, that they are expecting 
 each moment to see his shell crash upon a hid- 
 den stake; but in this, thanks to Cripple Ben's 
 faithful work early that morning (though they 
 of course knew nothing of that), they are dis- 
 appointed. 
 
 Amid prolonged cheers from the spectators, 
 the Institute boat re-appears a moment later 
 from the rank growth, and shoots into the main 
 channel a full length ahead of the other. 
 
 Then the race becomes thrilling. Never had 
 the Melrose, the scene of many a trial of oars, 
 witnessed the equal of that day's work. 
 
 From the reedy channel to Long Bar there 
 was no perceptible change in the relative posi- 
 
42 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 tion of the racers. The M. V. I. 's held all they 
 had gained at the marsh, but not a single inch 
 did they add to it. Yet all they had really to do 
 was to maintain that to the end. 
 
 At this stirring moment the Bar was reached, 
 and around its island end the greatest curve of 
 the course must be made. Here was the oppor- 
 tunity for the M. H. S. crew to regain their lost 
 ground, and as though they realized it they 
 leaped on with a tremendous spurt. 
 
 The next instant a warning cry came from 
 the knot of eye witnesses on the adjacent bank, 
 and Wallace scarcely needed to look over his 
 shoulder to be told what it meant. A single 
 shell was shooting around the bend, and came 
 directly into the course of the M. V. I. shell. 
 
 It contained but one occupant — Jack How- 
 ard. As if anticipating the inevitable collision, 
 he seemingly strove energetically to sheer off, 
 though in reality getting more and more in the 
 way. 
 
 The supreme moment of the race had come, 
 and it was well for Harry that he was prepared 
 for it. A quick turn of his foot upon the rud- 
 der brakes headed his shell directly for the 
 lighter craft, and loud and clear rang out his 
 command to his comrades : 
 
 "Now boys, together, pull!" 
 
"Hurrah, the passage is clear. : 
 
THE RACE 43 
 
 His crew prepared for the emergency, also 
 responded with a precision as perfect as though 
 but one man, and under all the strength of their 
 united arms the boat bounded straight across 
 the track to strike the intruder upon her star- 
 board quarter. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 
 
 SO GREAT was the shock to the lighter craft, 
 that it was tossed to one side with a force 
 that pitched Howard head foremost into 
 the river, while the shell, amid a storm of cheers 
 from the students on the bank, regained its 
 proper course. 
 
 The maneuvre, well as it was executed, cost 
 the M. V. I. crew dear, however, for their cap- 
 tain's oar as he swept by the overturned boat 
 fouled with it, and snapped it in two. 
 
 "We are lost!" cried Tom Sexsmith, as he 
 saw the other shell now shoot alongside of them. 
 
 "No we are not!" rang out Harry Wallace's 
 voice. ' ' Pull, men, pull ! we shall beat them yet ! ' ' 
 
 Before the words had left his mouth, he had 
 dropped the handle of his broken oar, and 
 caught the blade ; and now he began to paddle 
 vigorously with it, keeping time to his com- 
 rade's strokes. 
 
 Inspired by his act, his crew bent to their 
 work with new energy, and down the last half 
 
 44 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 45 
 
 mile of the course the two boats dashed again, 
 bow to bow. 
 
 When within a quarter of a mile of the stake 
 they were still side by side, and Harry, growing 
 desperate, cried out : 
 
 i i This will never do, boys ! Push her ahead ; 
 we mustn't lose our camping trip !" and then he 
 redoubled his own efforts. 
 
 His companions with a shout responded to 
 his call, and slowly their shell drew away from 
 the other. Soon it was a full length in advance, 
 and no efforts of their opponents could reduce 
 that distance. 
 
 Then amid the "rah-rahs" of the Institute 
 boys, who had followed along the bank to the 
 finish, it crossed the line, and two sharp cracks 
 of a pistol declared it victor. 
 
 "I wonder how Jack Howard got out of his 
 scrape? With nothing worse than a ducking, 
 I hope," remarked Wallace, as he and his crew 
 shipped their oars, and wiped the perspiration 
 from their foreheads. 
 
 "You seem to have a faculty for throwing 
 him into the river," replied Bob Hunt with a 
 laugh; "but he is all right. There he is down 
 on the island end of Long Bar, waiting for some 
 one to come and take him off." 
 
 i ' That was a mean trick, ' ' cried Reed Jones 
 
46 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 savagely, for his boat had floated near enough 
 to the other for hirn to overhear this conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 4' Well, perhaps so," answered Wallace 
 calmly, looking the speaker straight in the eyes ; 
 "but it isn't so contemptible as putting sunken 
 stakes in the marshy passage, or getting m the 
 course of the shells on purpose.' ' 
 
 "What's that?" asked one of the judges, 
 whose quick ear had caught the drift of these 
 words. "Do you mean to say Howard got in 
 your track purposely!" 
 
 " Oh ! I Ve nothing to complain of, ' ' replied 
 Harry with a laugh. ' ' Reed here can make any 
 explanation he chooses." 
 
 But evidently Jones had no explanation to 
 offer, for without a word he motioned his crew 
 to dip their oars, and pull for their boat-house. 
 
 The judges now called Harry alongside and 
 requested him to tell them what he had meant, 
 but with the simple remark that he had known 
 of and been on the look-out for Jack Howard's 
 appearance off the Bar, he gave the word for his 
 crew to pull in shore. 
 
 Here he and his comrades were received by 
 Dr. Randall, Mr. Wallace, and a host of other 
 friends, all of whom extended their heartiest 
 congratulations on the victory achieved, and 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 47 
 
 then the whole body of students formed them- 
 selves into an escort, and led the victors up the 
 hill to the Institute. 
 
 Here to their surprise they were informed 
 that a banquet had been arranged for them, and 
 they hastened to their rooms to dress for it. 
 
 An hour or two later they were conducted into 
 the large dining-hall, which was trimmed with 
 flowers and draped with flags for the feast ; and 
 conspicuous among the banners were two, one 
 at the upper and one at the lower end of the 
 table where the victorious crew were seated, 
 made of crimson silk. On one, wrought in gold, 
 were two shells with their crews bent to the 
 oars, and underneath the letters: "M. V. I. vs. 
 M. H. S." On the other was a pair of golden 
 oars crossed, and between the upright blades 
 the word, " Victory," while between the spread- 
 ing handles was the date of the race. 
 
 When the supper was over Mr. Wallace arose, 
 and in behalf of the many friends of the Insti- 
 tute presented these banners to the victorious 
 crew, and through them to the seat of learning 
 itself, to be sacredly preserved as souvenirs of 
 the memorable victory. 
 
 "My, if we could only carry them along with 
 us to the camp," whispered Tom Sexsmith to 
 
48 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Harry, who sat beside him, "wouldn't they look 
 fine floating above the tent?" 
 
 Low as his whisper was it was heard by Dr. 
 Eandall opposite, who after a hurried conversa- 
 tion with Mr. Wallace in suppressed tones, 
 arose to respond to that gentleman's presenta- 
 tion speech. 
 
 In behalf of the crew and the Institute he ac- 
 cepted the beautiful gift with thanks, conclud- 
 ing: 
 
 "I am informed that the boat-club through 
 the liberality of a gentleman present here to- 
 night is to spend a few days of their coming va- 
 cation in camping out, and am instructed by 
 the donors of the banners to say that the lads 
 have fairly won the right to carry the emblems 
 of their victory with them on their trip. We 
 only stipulate that they shall return them to the 
 Institute in the fall, not merely so far as pos- 
 sible unsullied by the stains of the weather, but, 
 what is far more important, unstained by a sin- 
 gle ignoble deed in the camp over which they 
 are to wave." 
 
 "Hurrah!" cried the irrepressible Tom, and 
 his cheer was caught up and carried around the 
 hall with wild enthusiasm. 
 
 "Come around to my room on Monday at 
 recreation hours and we'll talk up our trip," 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 49 
 
 Harry said to his companions as they parted 
 for the night. 
 
 True to the appointment the lads appeared, 
 and all were soon busy discussing the place 
 where they should go. 
 
 "As we are to be Harry's guests, I move he 
 choose the place," said Frank Reynolds, a quiet 
 and thoroughly sensible lad of seventeen. 
 
 "I second that motion, but I do hope it will 
 be somewhere among the lakes of Maine, ' ' added 
 Ed Willis, another of the crew. 
 
 "There's lots more fun to be found farther 
 up, and we'll be less likely to be disturbed by 
 other campers," remarked Fred Williams. 
 
 "Where do you mean, Fred?" asked several. 
 
 "I had a friend who was up in Nova Scotia 
 last Summer," he explained, "but I don't just 
 remember the locality. I know however you 
 could get there in a sail-boat, and there were 
 lakes, and gunning and fishing enough to suit 
 any of us. I'll find out where it was, and let 
 you know before the examinations are over." 
 
 "I call for the motion," interrupted Rob 
 Hunt, ' ' Harry is the one to decide, and I 'm will- 
 ing to leave it all to him." 
 
 "So say we all of us," joined in Tom Sex- 
 smith, turning a somersault in front of Harry, 
 and then bowing low before him. 
 
 4 
 
50 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "I'm ready to leave the place to the rest of 
 you, ' ' said Harry, speaking himself for the first 
 time, "but before you decide that, I'd like to 
 make a proposition on which that may some- 
 what depend, but I hope you'll fall in with it all 
 the same." 
 
 1 6 Of course we will, fire away, ' ' promptly re- 
 sponded all. 
 
 "Well," continued their captain with some 
 show of hesitancy, as though he, notwithstand- 
 ing their assurances, feared his suggestion 
 might not be welcomed by them ; ' ' you all know 
 to whom we largely owe our victory, and so 
 indirectly this trip — " 
 
 "Cripple Ben," they all answered. 
 
 "What do you say then to our inviting him 
 to go along with us, and making it the jolliest 
 Summer he ever saw?" and Harry gazed anx- 
 iously at his comrades. 
 
 "Hurrah!" 
 
 "Good for you, Harry!" 
 
 "We'll do it!" 
 
 These were the exclamations which to his de- 
 light now greeted him. 
 
 "Then wherever we go," he continued, "we 
 shall want to choose a place where he can read- 
 ily go with us." 
 
 "Of course," they assented. 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 51 
 
 "Let us leave the place then until Harry has 
 seen Ben, and found out whether he will go," 
 suggested Torn Sexsniith who, notwithstanding 
 his drollery, was as thoughtful a boy as there 
 was in the crew. 
 
 This suggestion was unanimously accepted by 
 the club, and a formal vote was passed instruct- 
 ing Harry as their representative to carry the 
 invitation to the lame lad. 
 
 The following evening therefore he obtained 
 a leave of absence from the school, and went 
 down to the little cabin at Old Field Point. He 
 found Ben and his mother sitting just without 
 the door and after talking with them a few min- 
 utes about the race, made known his special er- 
 rand down there. 
 
 Ben's eyes danced with delight, as the invita- 
 tion was given him, and he looked first at Harry, 
 then at his mother, hardly knowing what to say. 
 
 "I'm afraid Ben couldn't stand camping 
 out," said Mrs. Probert apprehensively, still 
 secretly pleased at the invitation so cordially 
 given her boy. 
 
 " Oh ! I could stand that well enough, ' ' put in 
 Ben. "I wouldn't have any rougher time than 
 I sometimes do on the river; but I'm afraid," 
 — he was on the point of saying he was not a fit 
 companion for the others, but with Harry's eyes 
 
52 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 full upon him he changed it to — ' ' I should make 
 you fellows lots of trouble." 
 
 "If you had seen the boys and heard their 
 hearty expressions when they voted for this 
 invitation to be given you, you wouldn't think 
 of that, ' ' replied Harry, reproachfully ; then he 
 went on to explain that they were not going 
 anywhere Ben could not go, and the tent they 
 were going to use was waterproof. "Of 
 course," he added, "some of our hunting ex- 
 cursions will be too much for you, but there will 
 be fishing and hunting near camp that you can 
 engage in, and the change will do you good. ' ' 
 
 Noticing Ben still hesitating, he shrewdly di- 
 vined the cause, and continued with a marked 
 delicacy of feeling: "You understand we all 
 go on this trip on exactly the same terms ; father 
 pays the bills. "When he heard of the favor you 
 had rendered he specified that you just as much 
 as the rest of us were to be included among 
 those who were to go ; and every one of the boys, 
 without knowing father had done this, enthusi- 
 astically voted to have you accompany us. ' ' 
 
 "Where will you go?" asked Mrs. Probert, 
 growing more favorable to the plan. 
 
 "We have not decided fully, but very likely 
 somewhere up in Maine or Nova Scotia," an- 
 swered Wallace. 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 53 
 
 "Wasn't it the latter place you went with 
 your father once, Ben ! ' ' inquired Mrs. Probert. 
 
 ' ' Yes, ' ' he replied, and then in explanation to 
 Harry's inquiring look he went on: 
 
 "It was the voyage before the one on which 
 father was lost. I had gone with him up to 
 the banks, and during the trip he had some 
 business that called him into Annapolis, Nova 
 Scotia. We left the smack there, and went on 
 up the river a long distance till we came to a 
 branch that took us off into the South Moun- 
 tains." 
 
 "After going up that stream twenty miles or 
 more, we came to some falls, where we camped. 
 Above the falls was a beautiful lake full of is- 
 lands, and such fishing as was there I never 
 saw before." 
 
 Mrs. Probert at this point arose and entered 
 the house for some purpose, but Ben as though 
 there had been no interruption kept on with his 
 story : 
 
 "Why I caught trout there that weighed four 
 and five pounds apiece, and as for bass and 
 perch and pike there was no end to them. 
 Father was off in the woods gunning most of 
 the time, and I remember he shot a bear, and a 
 deer, besides lots of smaller game. I tell you 
 
54 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 if you could go to such a place as that it would 
 be worth something. ' ' 
 
 "Why can't we?" asked Harry, catching 
 something of Ben's own enthusiasm. "Couldn't 
 you lead us there?" 
 
 "Yes, only get me to Annapolis and I'll agree 
 to put you right alongside of that lake," re- 
 sponded Ben; then musingly: "I've often won- 
 dered what father's business was up there. He 
 took no one with him but me, and seemed awful 
 disappointed about something when he came 
 away. Perhaps mother could tell." 
 
 Harry rose now to go, for he had at his com- 
 ing been given a chair beside Ben. 
 
 "Well, you'll go then, Ben, and if the boys 
 should so decide will show us to the place you 
 speak of?" 
 
 "I think so," he replied looking inquiringly 
 at his mother who now reappeared at the door. 
 "You might now shut up the house, and make 
 that visit up to Northtown you have wanted to 
 for so long," he went on speaking to her. 
 "That change would do you as much good as 
 this excursion will me." 
 
 Mrs. Probert finding his heart was set upon 
 the trip, finally gave her consent, and with a 
 promise to let Ben know the full arrangements 
 
CRIPPLE BEN'S INVITATION 55 
 
 as soon as they were completed, Harry bade him 
 good-night, and hurried away. 
 
 As he turned the corner of the house Ben 
 called out: 
 
 "If the fellows wish I'll come up and tell 
 them more about that place in Nova Scotia. ' ' 
 
 U A11 right," answered Wallace, pausing an 
 instant to catch the boy's words and to make 
 his response. 
 
 Brief as the stop was it prevented him from 
 catching sight of a lad, who just then sprang to 
 his feet around the corner, where he had been 
 listening to the prolonged conversation with 
 Ben, and scurried off through the darkness to- 
 wards the village. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 FURTHER PLOTTING 
 
 THE fleeing boy kept on the run until lie had 
 reached the main street ; then he dropped 
 down to a rapid walk, still proceeding, 
 however, toward the centre of the town. 
 
 When nearly opposite the post-office a hand 
 was suddenly laid upon his shoulder from be- 
 hind, and a voice said : 
 
 "Say, Jack, what's your hurry?" 
 
 "This is luck," the lad addressed immedi- 
 ately answered, and came to a standstill; "I 
 was going to look you up, Reed. ' ' 
 
 "And I was already looking for you. I've 
 made a discovery," his friend responded. 
 
 "It can't be a bigger one than I've made; 
 but out with it." 
 
 "Not here," replied the first speaker in low 
 tones; "come around to father's office. He's 
 out, but I've got a key, and we can go in there 
 and talk without being overheard." 
 
 "Growing cautious, hey, Reed? it's a pity we 
 hadn't been more so that afternoon down by the 
 
 56 
 
FURTHER PLOTTING 57 
 
 river. There's where we gave ourselves 
 away. ' ' 
 
 i 'To Cripple Ben!" a flood of light breaking 
 in upon him. 
 
 ' 'Yes; I've found that out and more too," re- 
 plied Jack, almost in a whisper; "but let's get 
 around to the office." 
 
 This conversation had not consumed more 
 than two minutes, and the two friends turned an 
 adjacent corner just before Harry Wallace on 
 his way to the Institute passed by. 
 
 Entering the main door of a large block, they 
 ascended the stairs to the second floor. At the 
 door of a room which bore the placard — 
 
 "HENRY JONES, 
 
 "Attorney and Counselor-at-Law," 
 
 they paused, and Reed producing a key un- 
 locked it, and they entered. 
 
 Securing the door after them, they lighted a 
 lamp, pulled down the window shades, and then 
 seated themselves on chairs at opposite sides 
 of the office desk. 
 
 "You remember," began Reed, "how I told 
 you that I heard Harry Wallace urge his crew 
 on to that last spurt which gave them the vie- 
 
58 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 tory Saturday by saying, 'We mustn't lose our 
 trip, boys ! ' " 
 
 "Yes," his comrade assented. 
 
 "'Well, I ran in with Peter Haskill tonight. 
 We've always been pretty good friends, if he 
 is an M. V. I., and I pumped him about the 
 banquet they had up there at the institution 
 Saturday evening. He got warmed up as he 
 described the affair, and soon gave me the 
 points I was after without a single leading ques- 
 tion from me. ' ' 
 
 "I guess you and I are running on the same 
 track, after all, ' ' put in Jack at this moment. 
 
 "You'll soon know," answered Reed, and 
 continuing his story : 
 
 "It seems Wallace's father is to pay all the 
 bills of the boat-club to camp out this Summer, 
 and they are going off somewhere up north as 
 soon as the school-term is over. A pair of silk 
 banners commemorating their victory over us 
 has been given them, and they intend to carry 
 them along and fly them from the tent in great 
 style. On their return the flags are to be put 
 in the Institute library as souvenirs of the 
 race. ' ' 
 
 "And what do you propose to do?" asked 
 Jack curiously, knowing by his companion's ap- 
 
FURTHER PLOTTING 59 
 
 pearance some plan was already forming in 
 his mind. 
 
 "Find out where they are going, and get 
 those banners/ ' Eeed replied in some bitter- 
 ness. "I don't propose to have them stuck up 
 there at the Institute for every new class to 
 crow over." 
 
 "Then youVe got some distance to go," re- 
 marked Jack with emphasis; "for I've not only 
 found out all you have, except about those ban- 
 ners, but a great deal more. Listen!" 
 
 And he then told his comrade in detail the 
 conversation he had overheard down at Crip- 
 ple Ben's. 
 
 "That will help us some," remarked Eeed 
 complacently when Jack had finished; "all we 
 want to know now is the place they finally de- 
 cide upon for their camp, and we can follow 
 them and put a spice into their camp-life they 
 do not look for. But how came you down to 
 Old Field Point to-night?" 
 
 "I went there on purpose," Jack answered. 
 "You see the moment I saw Wallace's boat head 
 for me Saturday, I not only knew I was fated 
 for another ducking at his hands, but suspected 
 that he had in some way found out our plans. 
 When Dick Travers came over to take me off the 
 Bar, therefore, I got him to drop down through 
 
60 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the reedy passage, and, finding the stakes were 
 gone, I was then sure of it. 
 
 "That night I ran in with the janitor of the 
 Institute, and found out from him that Cripple 
 Ben was up there to see Wallace Friday night, 
 and so caught on directly. I have kept my eyes 
 open ever since, and when Harry went down to 
 the Point this evening I was right behind him; 
 and creeping up to the corner of the shanty I 
 heard their whole talk, and liked to have got 
 caught in the bargain, ' ' and he laughed heartily 
 at the thought. 
 
 "How was that?" asked Eeed sharply. 
 
 "Why," explained Jack, "I was so anxious 
 to catch their last words I stayed a little too 
 long, and Wallace almost turned the corner 
 upon me. But Ben did me a good turn by stop- 
 ping him a moment with another remark, and I 
 dug out the best I knew. ' ' 
 
 "You are sure he didn't see you?" asked 
 Jones anxiously. 
 
 "Dead sure," replied Howard. 
 
 "Well, we must now meet the other boys, and 
 make our preparations so as to be off as soon 
 as the other crew ; a little sooner would be bet- 
 ter yet." 
 
 "Do you think they will go?" asked Jack 
 with a marked glow of interest. 
 
FURTHER PLOTTING 61 
 
 "You can count on them all but Charlie Ash- 
 away, " was the reply. "He was wrathy 
 enough when he found out the tricks we tried to 
 play on the other crew. You see we had kept it 
 from him until Harry Wallace threw it in our 
 faces after the race, and then he declared he'd 
 have nothing more to do with us. We will book 
 you in his place, and that will make us even 
 six." 
 
 "I'd like to go well enough, but where are 
 the rocks to come from?" asked Howard gloom- 
 ily. "I'm dead broke, and there is no use ask- 
 ing father for it." 
 
 "I've taken the expense into account," an- 
 swered Reed promptly. "Bill Dunster has a tent 
 large enough for our use, and as for guns and 
 rods we are all pretty well supplied with those, 
 so the only cost to us will be fares and pro- 
 visions. Of course, if we have to go up to 
 Nova Scotia it will come to a good stiff figure, 
 but by lumping our funds we can, I guess, make 
 out enough for the trip, though we sha'n't be 
 able to go in the shape the other fellows will. 
 I can rake out enough for you, Jack, and the 
 other boys needn't know but what you have 
 chipped in your part. ' ' 
 
 "You can count on me sure, then," said 
 Howard, regaining his usual spirits ; as long as 
 
62 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 his expenses were paid and he could go, he 
 didn 't care where the money came from. 
 
 After a little further conversation the two 
 plotters separated ; one to see and talk over his 
 new plan with four of his crew, the other to 
 keep watch of Cripple Ben and Harry Wallace, 
 and ascertain if possible the exact locality 
 where they would make their camp. 
 
 A week later the six cronies were together in 
 the same office. Howard was able to report 
 the very stream among the South Mountains in 
 Nova Scotia where the other crew had decided 
 to go ; and having now in their possession the 
 only information lacking to complete their ar- 
 rangements, Eeed and his gang were soon in 
 readiness to slip off the moment any action on 
 the part of their rivals warranted such a move. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 CAUGHT IN A GALE 
 
 IN THE meantime, utterly unaware of the 
 plans of the High School Boat-Club, the 
 M. V. I. crew pushed rapidly forward the 
 preparations for their own departure. At their 
 request, Cripple Ben again visited the Institute, 
 and his glowing description of the lake in Nova 
 Scotia that he had previously visited led them 
 to vote unanimously for that place as their 
 camping ground. 
 
 Mr. Wallace was immediately notified of their 
 decision, and he forwarded by steamer to Hali- 
 fax and thence by rail to Annapolis, in readi- 
 ness for their arrival, all the supplies and camp- 
 ing paraphernalia they would be likely to need 
 during their outing. 
 
 The lads themselves, after studying the va- 
 rious routes by which they could reach their 
 destination, decided to travel the whole distance 
 by water, and on the close of the school-term 
 hurried off to their homes for brief visits before 
 meeting in Boston for their voyage. 
 
 63 
 
64 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Harry took Cripple Ben home with himself, 
 and the attention he showed on the halt boy, 
 both on the cars and while at his father's house, 
 strengthened, if that were possible, the warm 
 attachment already existing between them. 
 
 On the following Monday, the day set for 
 their start, they left Worcester together for the 
 capital, and joining the other boys at the United 
 States Hotel went with them down to India 
 Wharf, where they embarked upon the steamer 
 Forest City for Portland. 
 
 Once upon the deck of the vessel, they un- 
 furled their silk banners, which Harry had thus 
 far had in his own keeping, and with them flut- 
 tering in the stiff breeze sailed down the beauti- 
 ful harbor to the broad ocean. 
 
 Their animated faces, sprightly conversation 
 and handsome flags soon attracted the attention 
 of the other passengers ; and when it was once 
 known who the lads were and where they were 
 going, they became the chief centre of interest 
 to all on board. 
 
 One old gentleman became particularly at- 
 tached to Cripple Ben, and on learning his 
 name was Probert, asked if he was any relation 
 of John Probert, captain of the smack Sivan, 
 which had been wrecked a few years before. 
 
CAUGHT IN A GALE 65 
 
 With an emotion he could not entirely sup- 
 press, Ben replied : 
 
 ' ' He was my father. ' ' 
 
 "Indeed," cried the old man with evident 
 pleasure; "I knew him well. My name is 
 Brown, and I'm in the fish trade; have several 
 vessels that ply back and forth to the banks, and 
 one time your father did me a good turn. One 
 of my smacks had a sick crew; there weren't 
 enough well men to handle her, and he towed 
 her into the nearest port without charging a 
 cent, Said he didn't know when he might be in 
 the same fix, and would need similar help. Poor 
 fellow ! he was lost soon after ; he was a gentle- 
 man, every inch of him." 
 
 Ben's cheeks flushed with pride as the man 
 spoke in these hearty terms of his father, and 
 he felt as though he could now claim, in spite 
 of his deformity and poverty, social position 
 among his comrades. The circumstance did 
 more to put him at his ease with his associates 
 than any show of good-will or kindness on their 
 part had done. 
 
 Mr. Brown now became quite talkative, and 
 was soon in full possession of the boat-crew's 
 history and the trip they contemplated; at 
 length turning to Harry, whom he had learned 
 was the leader of the party, he inquired: 
 
 5 
 
66 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "May I ask your route to Annapolis?" 
 
 "On arriving in Portland to-morrow, we ex- 
 pect to take the steamer City of Richmond, of 
 the Portland, Mt. Desert and Machias line, to 
 Machiasport, where we hope to charter a sail- 
 ing-vessel to set us over to Annapolis,' ' Harry 
 politely answered. 
 
 "How fortunate!" said the gentleman, rub- 
 bing his hands together. "I belong at Grand 
 Pre upon Minas Basin, at the head of the Bay 
 of Fundy, and have one of my vessels at Ma- 
 chiasport waiting to take me home. What is 
 there to prevent your sailing with me? We'll 
 run in through Digby Gut, and leave you at 
 Annapolis." 
 
 This invitation was extended with a hearti- 
 ness the lads could not well refuse, and grate- 
 fully accepting it therefore, they continued their 
 journey to Machiasport in Mr. Brown's com- 
 pany, arriving early Wednesday afternoon. 
 
 His smack, the Gamble, a schooner of about 
 ninety tons, lay at the dock only a few rods 
 from the steamboat landing, and he and his 
 boy guests were soon on board ; then the moor- 
 ings were cast off and she put to sea. 
 
 Under a gentle breeze from the southwest she 
 went slowly along the New Brunswick coast 
 and at sunset was off Grand Manan Island. 
 
CAUGHT IN A GALE 67 
 
 Here, with the going down of the sun, the wind 
 died away, and the vessel, with her sails hanging 
 idly at her mast, scarcely moved over the sur- 
 face of the bay. 
 
 "This is a calm in dead earnest," Harry re- 
 marked, as he and his friends came on deck 
 after supper. 
 
 "But I rather like it," said Tom Sexsmith. 
 "Just see the shadow of the smack in the water 
 here," and he pointed over the rail. 
 
 "Or of the island off there," chimed in Bob 
 Hunt, pointing to the north. 
 
 "It's awful hot, though," exclaimed Fred 
 Williams, wiping the sweat off of his brow with 
 his handkerchief. 
 
 Mr. Brown and the captain now came on 
 deck. 
 
 "This don't look as though we shall get 
 across the bay to-night," Harry remarked to 
 them as they drew near him. 
 
 "We shall be getting out of this faster than 
 you want to before long, youngster, ' ' answered 
 the officer gruffly. 
 
 "Why?" questioned the lad in some surprise; 
 for not a cloud was to be seen, the sky was fast 
 filling up with bright constellations, and every 
 star was mirrored in the vast deep beneath. 
 
 It was Mr. Brown who replied: 
 
68 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "The barometer has suddenly fallen several 
 degrees, an alarming indication that a gale is 
 at hand. 
 
 'As for the captain, he had walked quickly to 
 the helm and taken it with his own hands. 
 
 "All hands ahoy!" he cried; "take in all 
 sail!" 
 
 Instantly all was activity on board. The 
 hoarse orders of the officers, the answers of the 
 sailors, the creaking of the blocks — these spoke 
 of the imminent danger at hand, and that brave 
 men were doing all that could be done to pre- 
 pare for it, 
 
 Before these preparations were complete^ 
 however, the sky became overcast and thick 
 darkness closed around. 
 
 "Hold fast your lines! Every man to his 
 post!" commanded the captain in sharp, quick 
 tones. "There is no knowing from what quar- 
 ter the wind will strike us." 
 
 Scarcely had he spoken when the whole sky 
 was pierced by a terrible flash of lightning; 
 then followed a loud and long roar of thunder. 
 
 "I don't like this thing," said the mate to 
 the captain, rubbing his eyes to get rid of the 
 effects of that dazzling gleam. 
 
 "Nor do I," admitted the captain; then to 
 his passengers he said: "You had better go 
 
CAUGHT IN A GALE 69 
 
 below; we may have to put on the hatches as 
 soon as the wind strikes us." 
 
 Mr. Brown, who, though the owner of a num- 
 ber of vessels, was not much of a sailor, and 
 four of the boys, immediately obeyed this sug- 
 gestion ; but Harry, Tom Sexsmith and Cripple 
 Ben tarried a little longer. 
 
 ' ' This makes me think of old times when with 
 father, ' ' Ben said to his companions. ' ' Ah ! 
 if I only had sound legs under me I too would 
 be a sailor. ' ' 
 
 His comrades made no reply ; they understood 
 his feelings, however, for even to them there 
 was a fascination in the approaching storm. 
 
 "Helm hard aport!" thundered the captain 
 at this moment. ' i Quick, now ! ' ' 
 
 ' ' Aye, aye, sir ! ' ' came the answer. 
 
 The creaking of the rudder to port followed, 
 and the schooner slowly answered to her helm. 
 Then came another blinding flash, a sharper peal 
 of thunder, and a great gust struck the vessel 
 that almost threw her on her beam. 
 
 "If that's only a feeler, there'll be business 
 for us when the storm settles down in earnest, ' ' 
 remarked the captain, as he called two men to 
 the helm and directed them to lash themselves 
 there. 
 
 The second blast of the gale was not long in 
 
70 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 coming. It struck the vessel with still more 
 violence than the preceding one. All were in 
 momentary expectation of hearing the snapping 
 of the masts or the giving away of the sails; 
 but the smack bore it well, and rushed off 
 through the water like a race-horse. 
 
 "We are heading directly for the east coast,' ' 
 said the captain, ' l and if the gale continues long 
 at this rate, nothing can keep us off of the Digby 
 Neck reefs." 
 
 He now noticed the three lads standing in the 
 shelter of the cabin, and, with something like 
 admiration for their pluck, added : 
 
 "Up here yet, boys? It's no place for you, 
 however; then, too, we want to lash down the 
 hatches. Soon the billows will be sweeping the 
 deck." 
 
 Thinking of Ben rather than of themselves, 
 Harry and Tom helped their companion down 
 into the cabin, and the covers were fastened in 
 place. 
 
 None too soon, moreover, for a heavy wave a 
 moment later buried the vessel ; before she could 
 recover, another billow struck her at a disad- 
 vantage, but fortunately her helm was down, 
 and answering it promptly she was brought out 
 of imminent danger. 
 
 In this way an hour passed. But little 
 
CAUGHT IN A GALE 71 
 
 change was noticeable ; the gale scarcely abated; 
 the laboring and straining of the vessel were 
 terrible; to the unpractised ears of the lads it 
 seemed as though she might at any moment gape 
 apart and go down. 
 
 "If we get out of this alive it will be a 
 night — " Harry had remarked; then his words 
 were cut short by a terrible lurch of the 
 schooner, followed by a loud cry from the 
 deck. 
 
 The next instant the hatch was thrown open, 
 and the mate's voice called out: 
 
 "The captain has been washed overboard, 
 and breakers are just ahead of us ! You had 
 better come on deck." 
 
 With pale faces Mr. Brown and the lads hur- 
 ried up the ladder, Harry helping Ben before 
 he went himself. 
 
 In the darkness little could be seen, but the 
 sound of breakers rose even above the noise of 
 the gale. 
 
 "Do you know where you are?" asked Mr. 
 Brown of the mate. 
 
 "I heard the captain say before he was 
 washed overboard that we were driving for 
 Digby Neck reef," he replied; "but I am not 
 acquainted with the shore. Does any one know 
 the coast?" 
 
72 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 The last question was asked in tones that 
 could be heard all over the deck. 
 
 For a minute no one answered. Every in- 
 dividual on board knew the situation was al- 
 most hopeless, and all shrank from assuming 
 any responsibility in such a dire extremity. 
 
 It was a time of fearful suspense. They were 
 being driven forward with frightful rapidity, 
 every moment bearing them nearer destruc- 
 tion. 
 
 "What light is that to the northeast f" sud- 
 denly asked Mr. Brown. 
 
 "It must be the one at the entrance of Digby 
 Gut," cried the mate. "Again I ask, don't 
 some of you men know this coast?" 
 
 Then a voice rang clear above the roar of the 
 storm and seething billows: 
 
 ' i If that is Digby Light, I do ; take me to the 
 wheel and hold me on my feet, and I will put 
 the craft into the harbor." 
 
 It was Cripple Ben who had spoken. 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY 
 
 BEN'S astonishing declaration seemed to 
 both Mr. Brown and the mate to be little 
 more than an idle boast; but not so to 
 Harry Wallace. He knew his young friend 
 was not only perfectly familiar with the hand- 
 ling of a vessel, but had also sailed in those 
 waters before, and he put implicit confidence in 
 his unexpected and seemingly wild assertion. 
 
 "Here, Tom," he cried, "let us help Ben over 
 to the wheel. You know he 's been here before, 
 and can steer a boat like a sailor. ' ' 
 
 His words electrified the despairing seamen 
 and well nigh hopeless lads, and they cheered 
 Tom Sexsmith as he promptly sprang forward 
 to answer Harry's call. The next instant the 
 crippled youth was at the helm, held upon his 
 feet not only by his two boy friends, but also by 
 the two sailors, who, without the slightest hesi- 
 tation, had surrendered the wheel to his hands. 
 
 There is no doubt that the violence of the gale 
 had now somewhat diminished, but the wind 
 
 73 
 
74 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 was still strong and the sea turbulent, and it 
 was well for Ben that he brought to his self- 
 assigned task muscles that had become like iron 
 from constant rowing, and a courage and a will 
 power that knew no yielding. 
 
 Grasping firmly the spokes of the rudder 
 wheel, he listened a moment for the sound of the 
 breakers so alarmingly near. The schooner 
 was running in a northeasterly direction, and 
 the noise of the dashing waters was directly 
 ahead. 
 
 A vigorous turn of the wheel let the schooner 
 drop off a point or two, and as she, with a 
 tremor that shook her from bow to stern, set- 
 tled to her new course, it was apparent to every 
 listener that the breakers had, by that move- 
 ment, been brought upon the left hand, and the 
 vessel was at last running parallel with and not 
 into them. 
 
 A sudden conviction that the lad knew what 
 he was about now seized the mate, who had thus 
 far stood passively at the cabin door, and step- 
 ping quickly along to the wheel he said : 
 
 "You are in command, youngster; give your 
 orders and they shall be obeyed." 
 
 "I'll tell you what I'm up to," replied Ben 
 frankly, but still attending closely to his helm; 
 "there are two reefs in here. The outer one 
 
THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY 75 
 
 lies north of, and at the east end overlaps, the 
 second. Between them is a deep channel that 
 in favorable weather is sometimes used by ves- 
 sels to save the longer course around the reefs. 
 I've been through there once, and am going to 
 try to make the passage now. It's risky in this 
 storm, I know, but it's our only chance, and is 
 worth taking." 
 
 "I see," responded the officer heartily; "and 
 you want a sharp lookout kept forward. ' ' 
 
 "Yes," assented Ben; "and have your men 
 stand ready to hoist the main jib when we reach 
 the channel; it will steady the schooner, and 
 give her better headway as we run down it. ' ' 
 
 With a smothered exclamation of surprise the 
 mate repeated these orders to the sailors. 
 
 Swiftly the smack sped along her course, until 
 the young pilot's quick ear detected the sound 
 of breakers on the right as well as the left 
 hand. 
 
 "We are close to the channel," he said hastily 
 to the officer at his side; "quick with your 
 orders." 
 
 ' ' Hoist the main jib ! Keep a sharp look-out 
 forward!" were the immediate commands. 
 
 "Aye, aye, sir!" answered the men, spring- 
 ing to the ropes. 
 
76 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "Breakers!" called the lookout, as the jib 
 was hauled to its place. 
 
 "Where away!" asked Ben himself, eagerly. 
 
 1 i On the right and not ten fathoms off ! " was 
 the startling reply. 
 
 A vivid flash of lightning at this instant gave 
 the lad his bearings. The west end of the 
 second reef of ledges was close at hand on 
 the starboard quarter, while the east end of the 
 first reef tapered away on the port, and the 
 schooner was making for a narrow but open 
 passage between them. Straight ahead faintly 
 but steadily gleamed the lamp in the lighthouse 
 at the entrance into Digby Gut, and with a grip 
 on the wheel that held the tossing vessel to her 
 place Ben ran directly for it. 
 
 There was fortunately a lull in the gale at 
 that moment, and under the impetus of her 
 swelling jib the noble craft sped down the centre 
 of the channel. A slight deviation to either 
 the right or the left would have sent her to in- 
 stant destruction. 
 
 Not a word was spoken by any one. Ben's 
 eyes were strained forward to penetrate, if pos- 
 sible, the thick gloom; his ears had not less 
 tension to catch the faintest sound. 
 
 "Breakers right ahead!" suddenly shouted 
 the man forward, in great alarm ; but the young 
 
THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY 77 
 
 pilot was on the alert, and had detected the 
 sound as soon as he, and a quick turn of the 
 wheel was his only answer. 
 
 Then a flash of lightning revealed that the 
 vessel, just clearing a huge projection of rocks 
 on the starboard, and over which the waves were 
 dashing in fury, had emerged into the compara- 
 tively smooth waters at the mouth of Digby 
 Gut. 
 
 The perilous passage was safely made. 
 
 Not, however, until the schooner had been 
 brought under the lee side of one of the pro- 
 jecting headlands, and securely anchored, did 
 Ben leave his post; then, quite exhausted by the 
 severe strain, he was assisted into the cabin, 
 where Mr. Brown's own hands ministered to 
 him, until his wet clothes were changed for dry, 
 and he was snugly stowed into his berth. 
 
 "It's a bold move you have made to-night, my 
 boy," remarked Mr. Brown with considerable 
 emotion as he spread a light blanket over the 
 lad; "we shall not soon forget that your cool 
 head and strong arm have not only saved the 
 vessel, but, in all probability, our lives." 
 
 "That's so," assented Harry Wallace and 
 his five comrades in a chorus ; for they were 
 all in the cabin changing their wet garments 
 and preparing for a much-needed rest. 
 
78 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 ' ' Something had to be done to save the smack 
 and us; and, as I knew about the reefs, I was 
 the one to undertake it. It wasn't anything 
 more than the rest of you would have tried had 
 you been acquainted here," replied Ben, 
 modestly. 
 
 What Mr. Brown would have answered it is 
 impossible to say, for, before he could utter a 
 word, the hatch was thrown back, and the mate 
 and one of the sailors descended, bearing be- 
 tween them an unconscious form. 
 
 "Why, who's this? What's happened!" 
 asked Mr. Brown in consternation; then catch- 
 ing sight of the unfortunate man's face he 
 answered his own question in the words: "If I 
 live, it 's the captain ! ' ' 
 
 "Yes," replied the mate, and nodding for his 
 companion to lower the body of the officer down 
 upon the cabin floor; "you see, he wasn't 
 washed overboard, after all. The wave that 
 swept him off his feet drove him head first into 
 the caboose, and left him stunned on the floor 
 until the cook went in to light the fire and found 
 him. ' ' 
 
 "He isn't dead, then?" exclaimed Mr. Brown, 
 joyfully. 
 
 "No, only unconscious from the blow on the 
 head; we'll soon bring him to," responded the 
 
THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY V9 
 
 mate, kneeling down to chafe the captain's 
 wrists and temples. 
 
 Mr. Brown came to his assistance ; such sim- 
 ple restoratives as the vessel afforded were 
 used, and after a time the man slowly returned 
 to consciousness. 
 
 His first words were an inquiry for the con- 
 dition of the smack, and when told she was 
 safely anchored under the headlands of Digby 
 Gut he seemed satisfied, and soon sank into a 
 quiet and refreshing sleep. 
 
 The next morning, however, he was quite 
 himself, and after breakfast directed the getting 
 of the schooner under way, and the bringing of 
 her up to the dock at Annapolis. 
 
 He was enthusiastic over Cripple Ben's dar- 
 ing and successful attempt to run between the 
 outside reefs in the darkness and storm of the 
 night before. 
 
 ' ' I had thought of the same thing, ' ' he said ; 
 "but when I was swept off of my feet I con- 
 cluded 'twas all up with the smack, for I knew 
 Johnson (the mate) wasn't acquainted in here. 
 How came you to know 'bout the passage, 
 youngster ? ' ' 
 
 "I was up here a few years ago with my 
 father, John Probert, and ran through there," 
 Ben explained, wishing the captain and his 
 
80 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 other friends would let the whole matter drop, 
 for they had all had so much to say about his 
 act that he was becoming tired of hearing of it. 
 
 "John Probert your father!" cried the cap- 
 tain. "Why, I might have known it; you are 
 just his picture, and have some of the same grit 
 in ye, too. What a pity you haven't a pair of 
 sound legs under ye; you'd be in charge of a 
 smack in no time. ' ' 
 
 Evidently to the captain this was the height 
 of all human ambition. 
 
 "I say, Ben, would you like to go up town 
 with the rest of us?" Harry Wallace called out 
 at this moment. "We are going up to Boland 
 & Wilder 's, to whose care father sent our traps. 
 It's not far, I think, and perhaps you'll enjoy 
 the walk." 
 
 "I'll go," answered Ben, picking up his 
 crutches, for he was glad of the oportunity to 
 get away from the well-meaning but talkative 
 officer. 
 
 They had barely reached the wharf when Mr. 
 Brown came up out of the cabin of the smack 
 and stopped them. 
 
 "Why not let Ben go with me to charter a 
 boat to take you up to the lakes?" he asked; 
 "we will have it around here by the time you 
 
THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY 81 
 
 can send down your stuff, and after an early 
 dinner you can start up the river.' ' 
 
 Stopping a moment to give Mr. Brown some 
 idea of the kind of boat he had expected to se- 
 cure for the trip, and the price he was willing 
 to pay for its use, Harry went off up the street 
 with the other boys, while Mr. Brown and Ben 
 walked down the docks toward a place where a 
 huge sign informed them boats were kept to 
 let. 
 
 Wallace and his companions found the store 
 of Boland & Wilder without difficulty, and were 
 cordially received by the junior member of the 
 firm. 
 
 ' ' Our own truckman will load up your goods 
 and convey them to the wharf, " he said; 
 "meantime let me show you about our town." 
 
 The boys accepted his invitation, and soon 
 became so interested in the chief attractions of 
 the thriving village that before they were aware 
 it was already noon. Thanking the gentleman, 
 therefore, for his courtesy, and settling with 
 him for the freight and storage of their camping 
 outfit, they hurriedly returned to the smack. 
 
 Once at her dock, they stood still in sheer 
 surprise at what they saw. Below the schooner 
 was a small steam launch, on which their goods 
 were already loaded. She had a small yawl in 
 
 6 
 
82 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 tow, and also a light flat-bottomed sharpie ; her 
 engine fires were going, steam was up, and 
 everything was in readiness for an immediate 
 ascent of the river. Last of all, Cripple Ben 
 sat in her stern, with his hand on her tiller, as 
 though the moment his comrades stepped on 
 board their journey would begin. 
 
 "Is that our craft?" asked Harry, as soon as 
 he had recovered from his surprise. 
 
 "Yes," replied Ben, with sparkling eyes; 
 ' ' don 't you like her ? ' ' 
 
 "Like her? Of course I do!" cried Harry 
 emphatically; " where 'd you find her?" 
 
 "Down the wharves a piece," answered Ben. 
 "You see, she burns coal and wood, and we've 
 got enough of the former in her bunker to take 
 us up to the lakes and back, and if we've an 
 occasion to use her up there we can burn wood. 
 Mr. Brown thought her better and surer against 
 the currents than a sail-boat, so he made ar- 
 rangements for her." 
 
 "That's all right," replied Harry slowly, but 
 wondering what she was going to cost for the 
 trip; finally he asked: "What do they charge 
 for her?" 
 
 Ben evidently was waiting for this question, 
 for with a broad grin he responded, "Nothing." 
 
THE LAUNCH FIRE-FLY 83 
 
 "Nothing!" exclaimed all the boys in amaze- 
 ment. 
 
 "That's about the size of it," replied Ben 
 coolly, and enjoying his comrades' puzzled 
 looks. 
 
 Mr. Brown, who had been standing on the 
 deck of the schooner, listening with considerable 
 amusement to this conversation, now explained : 
 
 "She belongs to Ben, young gentlemen, a 
 gift from the captain and myself, and he means 
 she is at your free service during your coming 
 trip." 
 
 A brief pause followed this astonishing an- 
 nouncement; then Tom Sexsmith asked: 
 
 "What's her name, Ben?" 
 
 "The Fire-Fly" he answered. 
 
 "Three cheers for the Fire-Fly, and her 
 owner, and her givers !" he cried, taking off his 
 hat and swinging it over his head. 
 
 They were given with a will. 
 
 "Now come on board of the smack and take 
 dinner with us," Mr. Brown said; "after that 
 you may be off as soon as you please." 
 
 The dinner occupied the better part of an 
 hour, there was so much to talk about as well 
 as to eat ; but a little past one o 'clock the Fire- 
 Fly cast off her hawsers, whistled farewell to 
 the smack and her crew, and with the boat-club 
 
84 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 banners flying, one at her bow, the other at her 
 stern, steamed swiftly off up the river. Sing- 
 ing school songs and chatting merrily they were 
 looking forward to an ideal jolly camping trip 
 and not one of them guessed at the dangers and 
 adventures which were to befall them. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 
 
 CRIPPLE BEN, happy at the thought that 
 he, through the beneficence of Mr. Brown 
 and the captain of the schooner, could 
 contribute the use of the launch as his part 
 towards the success of their expedition, sat at 
 her helm; while Tom Sexsmith, by the general 
 consent of his comrades, had established him- 
 self as her fireman and engineer. But the du- 
 ties of neither lad were so exacting as to pre- 
 vent him from sharing with the other boys the 
 enjoyment of the beautiful and varied scenery 
 of Annapolis Valley, through which they were 
 now passing. 
 
 On either side, but some distance back from 
 the banks of the river, rose the mountain spurs, 
 from six to twelve hundred feet in height, their 
 sides and tops covered with forests of birch or 
 maple or oak, or stunted fir. Between the hills 
 and the stream stretched broad, well-cultivated 
 fields, with here and there a cluster of dwellings, 
 in some instances scarcely reaching the dignity 
 
 85 
 
86 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 of a hamlet, in others attending to a more pre- 
 tentious and sometimes thriving village. 
 
 "This doesn't look much like good hunting 
 and fishing grounds, ' ' remarked Fred Williams, 
 as the Fire-Fly sped swiftly by the numerous 
 habitations. 
 
 "Wait until we are thirty or forty miles up 
 the river," replied Ben with a smile; "before 
 we stop for the night you may have another 
 opinion." 
 
 And so it proved. The farther they ascended, 
 the nearer the mountains drew in towards the 
 stream; villages dropped to solitary farm 
 houses, and at length even these became ruder 
 and less frequent, while heavy woods occasion- 
 ally grew clear down to the water's edge. 
 
 The sun had set, and twilight was fast grow- 
 ing into darkness, when Ben, pointing up the 
 right bank of the river, said : 
 
 "There is McPherson's Landing, boys, where 
 we shall stop to-night. Just beyond it is the 
 stream we shall take to reach the lakes ; unless 
 they've built further up its banks than they had 
 when I was here before, this is the last house 
 we shall see until we return to the river. ' ' 
 
 In a few minutes the launch had run along- 
 side of a rude wharf in front of a dilapidated 
 saw-mill. Back of this was a small collection 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 87 
 
 of log cabins, from the larger of which there 
 immediately came a long, lank, heavily bearded 
 backwoodsman, who sauntered down to the 
 dock, calling out : 
 
 " Hello, thar, strangers !" 
 
 1 ' Good evening, ' ' the boys responded in con- 
 cert; then Harry Wallace asked: 
 
 ' ' May we put up here to-night, sir f ' ' 
 
 ■'I dunno nothin' to bender," the man re- 
 plied. "Jake McPherson never yit turned a 
 decent fellow from his door. ' ' Then eyeing the 
 launch and her crew with evident curiosity he 
 continued: "Going up to the lakes campin', I 
 s'pose?" 
 
 "Yes, sir," answered Harry politely. 
 
 "That's a cute boat ye've got thar; I never 
 seed a purtier up this part of the river; but 
 how'd ye 'spect to git her 'bove the falls?" he 
 now inquired. 
 
 - "We shall make our camp at the basin below 
 the falls, but put our small boats into the lake 
 to use there," Harry explained. 
 
 "Sho', now, so ye can," assented McPherson 
 with a grin ; ' ' but fix up here for the night, an ' 
 come right 'long to the house; the ole worn 'n '11 
 give ye a bite an' stow ye in somewhar'." 
 
 As this would save them the trouble of un- 
 packing and packing up their tents the boys ac- 
 
88 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 cepted the invitation, and soon were ready to 
 accompany their host to the house. 
 
 "Isn't there something in the way of pro- 
 visions you'd like, Mr. McPherson?" Wallace 
 asked, as he was about to leave the launch. 
 Somehow he couldn't help thinking, from the 
 looks of the landing and its surroundings, that 
 it would be a difficult thing to find food enough 
 there to feed himself and companions. 
 
 "I reckon not," replied Mr. McPherson; "I 
 was down to the village not long ago, an' 
 fetched up quite a lot of fodder. Then ye '11 
 need what ye've got up at the lakes." 
 
 "You think we won't find much game there, 
 then?" questioned Eob Hunt. 
 
 "Thar's game 'nough; the next thing's for 
 ye to git it," answered the man sententiously ; 
 and his tones implied he had little opinion of 
 either the hunting or fishing abilities of his 
 young guests. 
 
 "Have there been many parties up here this 
 season?" asked Ben. 
 
 "Nary a one, unless a yawl full of youngsters 
 that went up here day 'fore yesterday was 
 bound up to the lakes. They didn't stop here, 
 an' I didn't notice whether they took to the 
 brook or kept on up the river," was the reply. 
 
 They were now at the cabin, which the lads 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 89 
 
 found on entering contained only two rooms and 
 a loft. In the outer or living apartment, how- 
 ever, a long table was already set out, and two 
 women, whom their host informed them were 
 his wife and daughter, were busy putting food 
 upon it. 
 
 A single glance convinced Harry that in the 
 matter of quantity at least he and his comrades' 
 need have no misgiving. There was a whole 
 boiled ham, a huge dish of potatoes, another of 
 baked beans, and an uncut loaf of hot brown 
 bread ; while from the stove came the agreeable 
 odor of coffee. 
 
 Five minutes after their entrance the supper 
 was ready, and to the hungry boys the coarse 
 food proved not only palatable but very invit- 
 ing. From the amount they stowed away in 
 the next half hour Mrs. McPherson must have 
 felt highly complimented. 
 
 Finding the young visitors were from "the 
 States," Mr. McPherson conversed with them 
 for an hour or two after their repast was over, 
 anxious to learn all he could about a region 
 which he evidently regarded as a marvel of 
 prosperity. At length, however, he showed 
 them to the loft, where they found several 
 rough beds of blankets, and throwing themselves 
 upon these, they were soon asleep. 
 
90 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 At an early hour the next morning they were 
 called to a meal as substantial as that of which 
 they had partaken the night before. When this 
 had been eaten, they settled with their host for 
 their entertainment, and purchasing of him sev- 
 eral bushels of potatoes, once more embarked 
 upon the launch and resumed their trip. 
 
 Turning into the stream, which emptied into 
 the river a little above the landing, they steamed 
 slowly up its rapid current. Two hours later, 
 as they rounded a sharp bend in the creek, Crip- 
 ple Ben turned to Fred Williams, who sat near 
 him, and asked: 
 
 "What does that look like?" 
 
 Fred and the other lads glanced quickly up 
 the stream, and saw to their surprise an Indian 
 encampment. It was composed of a dozen or 
 fifteen wigwams, situated on a small island in 
 a natural meadow, bordered by a grove of sugar 
 maples. The wigwams were built in regular 
 Indian fashion, circular in form, with oval tops, 
 and covered with bark. 
 
 The entrances were low, and all the structures 
 looked as though a full-grown person could not 
 stand upright in them. The squaws and pap- 
 pooses now came crowding out, and stared at 
 the passing launch with wonder and curiosity. 
 Possibly it was the first steam vessel they had 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 91 
 
 ever seen, and they could not account for her 
 steady advance, without sail or paddles. No 
 men, however, were visible about the encamp- 
 ment, and were perhaps absent upon some fish- 
 ing or hunting expedition. 
 
 Fred made no response to Ben's question un- 
 til the village was left behind, when he said : 
 
 "They were real Indians, weren't they? I 
 had no idea we'd find them up here. Do you 
 suppose they are dangerous?" 
 
 The marked anxiety in this inquiry brought 
 a laugh from his companions. 
 
 "Only in one way," remarked Ben drily; 
 "you'll want to look out they don't steal the 
 clothes off your back, for they'll do it if they 
 get a chance. ' ' 
 
 A little before noon the stream suddenly nar- 
 nowed between two mountain spurs, and the 
 Fire-Fly, dashing at full speed through the deep 
 and rapid waters at this point, glided out into a 
 broad pool just below the falls. The water was 
 of sufficient depth to allow the launch to come 
 alongside of the west bank; and right in front 
 of a plot of greensward, shaded by a grove of 
 immense oaks, looking cool and delicious, Ben 
 stopped. 
 
 "Here is where I camped before," he re- 
 marked, "but we'd better fasten the launch, 
 
92 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 and look around a spell before we decide on a 
 place to pitch the tents." 
 
 So the lads secured the boat, and clambered 
 up the sloping bank among the trees to the peb- 
 bly shore of the lake. Then an exclamation of 
 delight escaped them. 
 
 Before them stretched a scene of unprece- 
 dented beauty. As far as the eye could reach 
 was a sheet of clear and sparkling water. 
 Islands of every imaginable contour rose up 
 within it, and hills of varied height, whose tops 
 bristled with clumps of fir, surrounded it. 
 
 Quiet sylvan nooks opened between the spurs, 
 while patches of water-lilies, arrowheads, and 
 other aquatic plants covered the surface of the 
 lake, or mossy banks overhung with the dark 
 foliage of the hemlock cast their shadows be- 
 neath. 
 
 In the cool depths of the placid waters were 
 myriads of finny tribes, as the beholders knew 
 by the splash and ripples they made as they 
 leaped to catch the unwary fly; overhead 
 wheeled flocks of wild water fowls ; and off in a 
 secluded cove fed a group of fallow deer. 
 
 " Could you ask a better place for a two 
 months' sojourn! " cried Harry enthusiastic- 
 ally. 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 93 
 
 "If we could only camp upon that island l" 
 exclaimed Eoh Hunt. 
 
 The other boys looked in the direction he was 
 pointing, and saw nearly opposite them quite a 
 large isle, with groves of maple, beech and 
 birches, with natural meadows luxuriant with 
 native grasses, and glowing with patches of 
 wild flowers. 
 
 "It won't do to be so far away from the 
 launch, " commented Harry with a shade of 
 disappointment in his tones, "but you are right 
 about its being the place for a camp. That is 
 finer than any spot along the shore. ' ' 
 
 "Perhaps we can find some way to get the 
 Fire-Fly up here," said Cripple Ben ; "wouldn't 
 it be just grand to steam around this lake!" 
 
 His suggestion was received with cheers. 
 
 "We'll see later," Harry declared; "for the 
 present, we'll fix our camp down there by the 
 launch. Come on, let's have dinner, and then 
 put up the tents." 
 
 His companions followed him back to the 
 pool, where from their abundant stores they 
 soon had ready an ample meal, and when this 
 had been despatched, the work of unloading 
 their goods and arranging the camp began. 
 
 They found Mr. Wallace had provided them 
 with two tents, one fourteen by eighteen and 
 
04 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the other ten by twelve feet. These were made 
 of heavy water-proof canvas, and suitably 
 equipped with seasoned white oak poles and 
 stout manilla roping. 
 
 The spot selected for pitching them was ad- 
 mirably adapted for the purpose, as it permitted 
 the front of the tents to be put to the east, and 
 so gave them the sun in the morning, and the 
 shade of the adjacent trees in the afternoon. 
 
 The larger tent, which was designed for a 
 sleeping apartment, was erected first ; and when 
 once stretched to its place, was separated into 
 two unequal parts by a single tier of foot-wide 
 boards, taken from the empty boxes, and run 
 edge-wise across the enclosed space, twelve feet 
 from the back end. 
 
 This rear portion was then filled with hem- 
 lock boughs to the height of the boards, and, 
 with the two blankets which each possessed, 
 formed a comfortable bed. In the front and 
 smaller part, the chests of the boys were placed, 
 each in such a position that its owner could 
 have ready access to it. 
 
 The other tent, which was to be used for stor- 
 ing goods, and for cooking and eating in bad 
 weather, was fitted up with a rude table at its 
 center, also made from the empty boxes. About 
 and under this were packed the camp stores, oil- 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 95 
 
 stove, and other utensils, so as to be easily 
 reached when wanted for use. 
 
 Adequate trenches about both tents, to carry 
 off the water in case of rain, and a stone fire- 
 place, so constructed as to hold a gridiron or 
 pot at its top, completed the arrangement of the 
 encampment. 
 
 "Now put up the banners and give the camp 
 a name," shouted Tom Sexsmith. 
 
 "What say you to Camp Randall, in honor of 
 the doctor?" asked Harry. 
 
 ' ' Agreed ! ' ' cried the boys with one voice, and 
 amid their cheers the flags were placed, one at 
 the peak of each tent. 
 
 It was already sundown, and making a pot of 
 coffee over the newly built fire-place, the lads 
 contented themselves with a supper from the 
 cold boiled ham and crackers at their command. 
 
 When their appetites, already sharpened by 
 their out-door exercise, had been satisfied, 
 Harry called out: 
 
 "Come on, three of you, and help me carry 
 the sharpie up to the lake; then it'll be all ready 
 to catch a fish for breakfast." 
 
 "You can get one right in the pool," replied 
 Cripple Ben. 
 
 "I suppose so," responded Harry, "but I 
 want to try the lake." 
 
96 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Three of the boys joined hirn, and under their 
 united strength the light boat was taken up the 
 bank and launched upon the lake, where it was 
 securely fastened to the tree. 
 
 Then the lads returned to their tent, and after 
 singing a rollicking song or two turned in. 
 
 Morning was just breaking when Harry 
 awoke. Stepping carefully over his sleeping 
 companions, so as not to arouse them, he took 
 his rod and went up to the lake. 
 
 Unfastening the boat, he pushed it off and 
 slowly sculled out toward the large island op- 
 posite him. 
 
 When midway between that and the shore, he 
 drew in his oar, adjusted his fly, and made a 
 cast. 
 
 Barely had the hook struck the water when a 
 big trout caught it, and, with a whirl that fairly 
 made the reel smoke, ran off fifty feet of the 
 line. 
 
 Then the fish turned and darted back toward 
 the boat, and Harry drew in the slack cord with 
 all possible haste. 
 
 Away went the gamey creature again, and in 
 the intense excitement of the moment the lad 
 took no notice of the condition of his craft. 
 But when the "speckled beauty," at least three 
 pounds in weight, was secured, he made the 
 
AN UNPLEASANT DISCOVERY 97 
 
 very unpleasant discovery that the water was 
 pouring into the boat through two small holes 
 which had been cut in its bottom. 
 
 Dropping his fish, he seized his oars and 
 pulled rapidly for the shore. Before he had 
 made half the distance, however, the sharpie 
 with a sudden lurch sank under him, and left 
 him struggling in the deep water. 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 THE SMASHED BOAT 
 
 HAD Harry been unincumbered by his 
 clothing and heavy boots, he would have 
 cared little for his unceremonious duck- 
 ing, for he was an excellent swimmer. Under 
 the circumstances, however, he realized it would 
 be a doubtful experiment for him to attempt to 
 swim directly for the shore, and so the moment 
 he found himself in the water he turned to the 
 boat to see whether it would afford him any 
 support. 
 
 Fortunately, relieved of his weight, the light 
 craft had risen an inch or two above the sur- 
 face, and catching hold of the edge next to him 
 he bore heavily down upon it. Under this pres- 
 sure, the opposite side rose slowly in the air, 
 and soon, passing the point of its own equilib- 
 rium, the sharpie fell with a loud splash bottom 
 upward, almost carrying the lad beneath it. 
 
 With a cry of exultation Wallace now gath- 
 ered up his oars and rod, which were floating 
 near him, and laying them on the bottom of the 
 
 98 
 
THE SMASHED BOAT 99 
 
 overturned boat, began to push it toward the 
 shore. 
 
 Kesting occasionally, he at last reached the 
 beach, just as Tom Sexsmith, rod in hand, ran 
 out from the shadow of the surrounding trees. 
 
 " Hello, Harry! What's up?" he cried, catch- 
 ing sight of his drenched comrade. "Did you 
 get hold of a fish so big he capsized you ! ' ' 
 
 The drollery in his tones was irresistible. 
 
 "Not exactly," replied Harry with a laugh, 
 "though I did have a nice trout just before I 
 discovered the sharpie was filling with water, 
 but lost it when I capsized. What I want to 
 know is, Who has been tampering with the 
 boat?" and he pointed to the two holes that had 
 been cut in the bottom of the craft. 
 
 Tom gave an ejaculation of surprise, and with 
 a quick step was beside his companion, and to- 
 gether they examined the apertures. 
 
 They had evidently been made with some 
 sharp-pointed instrument, probably a knife, for 
 they were about an inch in diameter upon the 
 outer side and tapered down to half that size on 
 the interior. A gummy substance still clinging 
 to the holes also showed that they had been 
 carefully filled, so as to escape the notice of the 
 user of the boat until he was well out from the 
 
100 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 shore, where the action of the water would 
 speedily force an opening. 
 
 ■''You can see, Tom, that it's a regular put-up 
 job," remarked Harry, when he finished his 
 examination; "and yet the boat was all right 
 when we left it here last night. Who, then, 
 could have been guilty of so mean a trick?" 
 
 There was both suspicion and rising anger in 
 the lad's tones, and he looked searchingly at 
 his comrade. 
 
 Tom met his gaze unflinchingly, however. 
 
 "You may be sure none of our own fellows 
 did it," he replied warmly. "What motive 
 could any one have in doing it, when it involved 
 the risking of your life, Harry? And, then, 
 ichen did they do it?" 
 
 The honest, straightforward answer and 
 questions of the boy were convincing. 
 
 "You are right, Tom, and I ought not to 
 have suspected one of you for a moment," 
 Harry frankly answered. "We must look out- 
 side of our own party for the perpetrator and 
 his motive; but there I'm stuck, for I haven't 
 seen the slightest trace of any one around, ' ' and 
 he now began to search the spot where the 
 sharpie had been fastened during the night. 
 
 ' ' See here, Tom ! ' ' he called the next instant ; 
 and when his companion reached him he pointed 
 
THE SMASHED BOAT 101 
 
 out unmistakable signs on the bank that the boat 
 had been pulled in there, and turned upon its 
 side for the dastardly work. A few whittlings, 
 mixed with the loosened dirt, confirmed this 
 fact, while a half-burned match or two indicated 
 that the deed had been done during the night 
 or at least while it was still dark. 
 
 " Could it have been an Indian? You know 
 they seemed to be absent from their encamp- 
 ment when we passed there yesterday," ex- 
 claimed Tom. 
 
 "Perhaps," responded Harry thoughtfully; 
 "but help me pull the boat upon the bank, where 
 we'll leave it until after breakfast, when we'll 
 try to fix it; I'm getting chilly in these wet 
 clothes." 
 
 The boys drew the sharpie up out of the 
 water, and then hurried down to the tents. 
 They found the other lads gathered about Crip- 
 ple Ben, who was exhibiting two handsome trout 
 he had just caught in the pool. 
 
 "Where's your fish, Harry?" they asked, 
 then noticing his wet garments, they eagerly in- 
 quired what had happened. 
 
 His story was quickly told, and Tom's sug- 
 gestion that some Indian from the encampment 
 down the stream might have injured the boat 
 was added. 
 
102 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 All were ready to accept this explanation of 
 the deed but Ben. When asked about it he 
 slowly shook his head. 
 
 "Had an Indian run across the boat he would 
 have been apt to steal it, ' ' he said ; " or if unable 
 to make off with it undiscovered, would have 
 stove in the bottom and left it completely dis- 
 abled. Then he wouldn't have been likely to 
 use matches around there. If he had them at 
 all he would have held them too precious to 
 throw away on such a job." 
 
 "I think you are right there, Ben," remarked 
 Harry; "but who do you suppose did do it?" 
 
 "I don't know," answered the other; "but 
 we must find out. One thing is sure, too: it 
 won't do to leave the camp alone, and the boats 
 had better be brought down here every night 
 until we solve the mystery. But change your 
 clothes, Harry, while I clean and broil these 
 fish, and we'll have breakfast." 
 
 During the meal, which was soon ready, the 
 strange incident of the morning was freely dis- 
 cussed, but no new light was thrown upon it. 
 
 "We must watch and wait," Ben said; "only 
 give us time, and we shall know who did this 
 thing, and his reason for it. Eemember what 
 I tell you." 
 
THE SMASHED BOAT 103 
 
 After breakfast all the boys went up to the 
 lake to look at the disabled boat. 
 
 "I can fix this in a few minutes so it'll be just 
 as good as new," commented Ben, after he had 
 made a critical examination of the sharpie. 
 "One of you run down to the camp and bring 
 me a piece of seasoned pine about an inch thick ; 
 and another one of you get me some of the fresh 
 pitch from a hemlock-tree.' ' 
 
 Two of the lads hastened away on these er- 
 rands, and when they returned with the mate- 
 rials, Ben deftly plugged the holes, and smeared 
 them over with the gum. Then the boat was 
 laid out upon the pebbly beach in the sun to 
 dry. 
 
 "When can we use the craft again?" asked 
 Harry, after the repairs were finished; "I'm 
 anxious to try my luck with that trout once 
 more. ' ' 
 
 "To-morrow," answered Ben; "but the yawl 
 can be brought up here for your use to-day, if 
 you wish. Only don't forget to bring it, and 
 the sharpie too, back to the pool for the night. ' ' 
 
 "What shall be our plans for the day, boys?" 
 asked Tom Sexsmith, who had been amusing 
 himself for a few minutes by skipping stones 
 across the smooth surface of the lake. 
 
 "First, let us decide who is to look out for 
 
104 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the camp, and then the rest of us can arrange 
 our plans," suggested Fred Williams. , 
 
 *'I tell you," broke in Rob Hunt at this point ; 
 "why not arrange the care of the camp alpha- 
 betically? That will make it my job to-day, 
 Ben's to-morrow, and Reynolds the next day. 
 Then will come Tom's turn, to be followed by 
 Harry, Williams and Willis ; after that we '11 go 
 the rounds again." 
 
 "Oh! you needn't do that," Ben exclaimed, 
 "I'm willing to look out for the camp most of 
 the time." 
 
 "You'll be around a good deal, of course, and 
 so will be company for the fellow who happens 
 to have the watch," responded Harry, "but I 
 don 't think you ought to be obliged to stay there 
 any oftener than your regular day; do you, 
 boys?" 
 
 "No, no!" all heartily declared, and so 
 Hunt's proposition was unanimously adopted. 
 
 He went back to the tents to remain there 
 until night, while the others got their rods and 
 guns for the day's sports. 
 
 Ben and Ed Willis decided to take the yawl, 
 and drop down the stream for fishing; Frank 
 Reynolds and Fred Williams took their guns 
 and went up the shore of the lake looking for 
 birds; while Tom and Harry took their rifles 
 
THE SMASHED BOAT 105 
 
 and struck off across the hills in search of 
 larger game. 
 
 At noon, however, all were back in camp, each 
 laden with some booty as a proof of his prowess. 
 
 Ben and Ed brought fifteen trout, the small- 
 est not under a pound in weight, while one 
 pulled the spring scales down to the four-pound 
 notch. Fred and Frank brought in a half-dozen 
 snipe and a large black gander, which, as they 
 termed it, persisted in getting in front of their 
 guns ; while Tom and Harry proudly held up a 
 twenty-pound wildcat, and had a stirring story 
 to tell of their fight with him and his mate, 
 which, though wounded, had escaped. 
 
 Soon the snipe and several of the fish were 
 broiling for dinner, and with appetites made 
 keen by the bracing air and healthful exercise, 
 the lads attacked them as soon as they were 
 done. 
 
 In the midst of their feasting and merry- 
 making Ben, who sat facing the falls, suddenly 
 cried out: " Look there!" 
 
 His companions glanced around and saw their 
 sharpie, which they had left high and dry upon 
 the pebbly beach of the lake only a few hours 
 before, sweeping down with the swift current 
 toward the precipice. The next instant it 
 plunged over into the rocky abyss twenty feet 
 
106 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 below. Striking stern first, the frail craft fell 
 forward its whole length with a violent crash, 
 and was stoven into a dozen pieces, which floated 
 swiftly down the running stream. 
 
 The boat had hardly struck when Harry Wal- 
 lace leaped to his feet. 
 
 "That sharpie never came over those falls 
 without help ! ' ' was his cry, and then he dashed 
 up the bank toward the lake. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 THE DESPOILED TENTS 
 
 IN ANOTHER minute the lad paused upon 
 the shore of the lake, eagerly scanning its 
 tranquil surface, but not a single person 
 was in sight. 
 
 The sparkling water rushed through the nar- 
 row passageway which led over the falls with 
 its usual impetuosity, and Harry realized at 
 once that for any boat to enter there meant its 
 sure destruction. Whoever was instrumental, 
 therefore, in sending the sharpie down that 
 swift current must have been careful not to 
 allow himself to approach near enough to the 
 narrows to be swept over the precipice. 
 
 Off toward the big island, and further up the 
 lake, among the numerous islets, aquatic birds 
 of various kinds were swimming or feeding 
 quietly. Evidently they had not been disturbed 
 recently by the passing of any boat hastening 
 to the cover of some one of the adjacent woody 
 nooks. He must look, then, for traces of the 
 miscreants along the shore. 
 
 107 
 
108 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 His eye ran quickly over the spot where the 
 boat had been left that morning, and along the 
 pebbly beach toward the narrows at the head 
 of the falls, but not a mark or track did he dis- 
 cover that indicated the presence of man. 
 
 "It's strange," he muttered aloud. 
 
 "What's strange?" asked Tom Sexsmith, 
 who at this moment, accompanied by three of 
 the other lads, arrived upon the scene. 
 
 Harry pointed out the signs he had noted, and 
 the conclusions he had drawn. 
 
 "That boat didn't turn over and jump into 
 the lake itself," he continued; "nor was there 
 time for a boat to get under the shelter of those 
 islands before I reached here. How, then, was 
 it sent over the falls?" 
 
 "Two fellows could have lifted the sharpie 
 up, set it into the water, and, pulling it to the 
 narrows, pushed it out from the shore far 
 enough for the current to catch it, and the work 
 was done," suggested Tom promptly. 
 
 Without a word Harry started down the shore 
 toward the falls, and was immediately followed 
 by his companions. 
 
 Arriving at the point a little in advance of 
 the others, he suddenly sprang forward and 
 picked up a pocket handkerchief, which lay in 
 plain sight upon the beach. 
 
THE DESPOILED TENTS 109 
 
 "Here is a clew to tlie rascals," he cried ex- 
 ultingly, and holding up the object so that his 
 friends could see it. 
 
 They quickly gathered about him and exam- 
 ined the piece of linen with great curiosity. 
 
 It was plain white, and neatly folded, but 
 coarse and inexpensive, and without a distin- 
 guishing mark of any kind. 
 
 ' * That proves it isn 't Indians who have been 
 cutting up these pranks, anyway!" exclaimed 
 Frank Reynolds when the examination was 
 over. 
 
 "Yes, and the owner can't be far away, boys; 
 let's search for him," called out Tom Sexsmith 
 excitedly. 
 
 The lads now scattered among the surround- 
 ing shrubbery, and for some minutes looked 
 eagerly around for the person or persons who 
 they knew must have been in that locality a brief 
 time before, but at last they were compelled to 
 abandon the search as hopeless. 
 
 On their return to the camp, they showed the 
 strange handkerchief to Ben and Rob Hunt. 
 
 "The mystery is beginning to unravel al- 
 ready," was Ben's remark; "we now know, as 
 I have suspected, that there is another camping 
 party here. ' ' 
 
110 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "Who can they be?" asked several in amaze- 
 ment. 
 
 "I can only give you the slightest clew," an- 
 swered Ben. "Don't you remember that down 
 at the landing I asked McPherson if there had 
 been many parties up here lately, and he said 
 none except a yawl full of young fellows that 
 had passed there two days before we had come 
 up here f ' ' 
 
 "Yes," replied his companions, a flood of 
 light breaking upon them. 
 
 "Well," went on Ben, "they must be here. 
 As they had nothing but a yawl, they could 
 easily carry it around the falls, and are now 
 probably camping either upon one of the islands 
 of the lake, or in some nook along the shore. 
 They noticed our arrival, and it is to them 
 Harry owes his ducking and the smashing of 
 my boat." 
 
 ' ' But what in the world do they want to treat 
 us in this sneaking way for?" asked the wrath- 
 ful Harry. "We haven't harmed them, and 
 there 's room enough for both parties up here. ' ' 
 
 "So it seems to us," replied Ben, "but for 
 some reason they seem to think not. What that 
 reason is I don't know; but we've only to wait, 
 and we shall find that out too. ' ' 
 
THE DESPOILED TENTS 111 
 
 " Meantime they'll destroy everything we've 
 got," cried Fred Williams in disgust. 
 
 "No they won't," responded Ben decidedly. 
 "Whoever they are, we ought to be sharp 
 enough to look out for our own property, now 
 that we know it is in danger, and outwit them 
 at every point." 
 
 "That's so," put in Harry with his usual 
 energy; "we want to keep a strict watch over 
 the camp, the boats, and the lake, night and day, 
 until those fellows are discovered. It ought 
 not to take us very long, after all, to run them 
 down, for you see they can't fish in the open 
 lake, or fire a gun, or do much cooking in their 
 camp, without giving themselves away. When 
 we've found out who they are, and their motive 
 in acting as they do toward us, we can tell bet- 
 ter what we '11 do to them. ' ' 
 
 All saw the wisdom of this advice, and it was 
 promptly adopted. 
 
 The camp and lake were kept under strict 
 surveillance that afternoon, and dividing the 
 night into three watches of four hours each, 
 Harry, Tom and Fred Williams took turns in 
 keeping guard until morning. Nothing suspi- 
 cious, however, was seen or heard. 
 
 It was now Ben's turn to remain at the camp 
 for the day, and he determined not to go out of 
 
112 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 sight of it for a moment. His companions, 
 moreover, planned their own sports so as to 
 keep watch of the lake and its surrounding 
 shores. 
 
 Harry and Tom were set across the pool, and, 
 with their guns, went among the hills on that 
 side as if to hunt for birds, but in reality to 
 search for the hidden camp. 
 
 The other boys then carried the yawl up to 
 the lake, where Bob Hunt and Ed Willis em- 
 barked for a fishing and inspecting tour among 
 the islands; while Fred Williams and Frank 
 Reynolds, with their guns, went along the west 
 shore, and among the neighboring spurs in 
 quest, as they facetiously termed it, "of either 
 beasts, birds or men." 
 
 Noon came, and brought all the lads back to 
 the encampment, not without some proofs that 
 their trip had been fruitful, but without having 
 discovered anything that revealed either the 
 identity or the whereabouts of those for whom 
 they had been searching. 
 
 The day was a hot one, and for several hours 
 after dinner the boys remained at the tents, 
 their chief theme of conversation while they 
 rested being the mystery that so persistently 
 baffled them. 
 
 Toward night the yawl was again carried up 
 
THE DESPOILED TENTS 113 
 
 to the lake, and Tom and Harry went beyond 
 the great island to try their luck at pickereling, 
 while the other lads took a bucket and went over 
 to a mountain spur a half-mile away, where 
 Frank and Fred had discovered during their 
 morning tramp a large tract of luscious blue- 
 berries. 
 
 Left alone, Ben sat down at the door of the 
 larger tent, and was soon absorbed in a book 
 Harry had loaned him. Suddenly he heard a 
 startling cry from down the stream: "Help! 
 Help!" 
 
 He listened intently, and quickly heard it 
 again, though more faintly: "Help! Help!" 
 
 Without stopping to think that none of his 
 own comrades had gone in that direction, he 
 seized his crutches and hobbled rapidly off 
 toward the place, from which the call came 
 again and again. 
 
 The mountain spur below the pool forced him 
 to make quite a detour, and the underbrush hin- 
 dered his rapid advance, but at last he reached 
 the bank of the stream below the rapids, and 
 paused to listen for the distressing cry. 
 
 No sound other than that of the gurgling 
 brook reached him, and he called out several 
 times: "Who are you? Where are you?" 
 
 Eeceiving no answer, it finally flashed upon 
 
 8 
 
114 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 him that the cry was a ruse to attract him away 
 from the tents. Startled by the thought, he 
 turned about and retreated his steps as fast as 
 possible. 
 
 It took him some minutes, however, to return ; 
 and when he again came in sight of the encamp- 
 ment he stopped in sheer dismay. 
 
 The tents were down, and boxes, goods and 
 utensils were scattered about in the wildest dis- 
 order. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 THE LOUP-CERVIERS 
 
 ONLY for a moment did Cripple Ben stand 
 gazing at the despoiled camp; then he 
 rapidly crossed the clearing, and clam- 
 bered up the bank to the shore of the lake. 
 
 Drawing a small whistle from his pocket, he 
 blew three short, shrill blasts. It was the sig- 
 nal agreed upon by the members of the camping 
 party should any occasion arise for calling the 
 absent ones to the tents. 
 
 Hardly had the last note died away among 
 the surrounding hills when, from behind the 
 island, came three keen whistles in return, and 
 two minutes later the yawl dashed in sight, 
 driven by the powerful strokes for which Tom 
 and Harry were already famous. 
 
 It did not need Ben's beckoning hand to has- 
 ten them on ; they were coming at their highest 
 speed, and in an almost incredibly short space 
 of time the boat touched the beach, and the 
 occupants, leaping ashore, asked simultane- 
 ously : 
 
 115 
 
116 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "What has happened, Ben?" 
 
 "Those rascals have gone through the 
 camp ! ' ' was the startling reply. 
 
 "Gone through the camp!" exclaimed both 
 lads in amazement ; i i and with you right there ? 
 How did they do it?" 
 
 "I wasn't there," answered Ben ruefully, for 
 he was provoked that he had allowed himself 
 to be outwitted ; then he told how he had been 
 decoyed down the stream while the work of pil- 
 laging the camp was going on. 
 
 "Never mind, Ben; you acted from the best 
 motives," Harry said when the story was fin- 
 ished; "and perhaps they haven't carried away 
 very much, after all, for they had but a few 
 minutes to do their work in. We'll soon know 
 the worst. Here, Tom, take hold with me, and 
 we'll drag the yawl down the bank. I don't 
 dare leave it here a moment, for fear the rob- 
 bers will make off with that." 
 
 It was a hard job for the two boys to pull the 
 heavy boat to the edge of the bank, but with the 
 little help Ben could give, they succeeded in do- 
 ing it, and then, with a couple of round sticks 
 for rollers, they ran it quickly down to the en- 
 campment. 
 
 At first sight, the work of the depredators 
 seemed to have been thoroughly done ; but, after 
 
THE LOUP-CERVIERS 117 
 
 a little inspection, the lads concluded there was 
 nothing of special value missing. 
 
 The tent ropes, moreover, had simply been 
 untied, and the canvas of each allowed to col- 
 lapse over the place where it was pitched, with 
 the greater part of its contents under it. 
 
 The articles strewn about the camp-ground 
 were only such as had been most accessible to 
 the intruders; and indeed the longer the boys 
 went on with their task of restoring the camp 
 to order, the more evident it became that no 
 particular harm had been done to their outfit, 
 and they could think of no other reason for the 
 act of their unknown visitors than the desire to 
 annoy them. 
 
 Before the tents had been fully set to rights, 
 the other lads returned from their berrying trip, 
 bringing with them a pailful of delicious fruit. 
 
 When they learned of the last trick of their 
 mysterious rivals, their indignation knew no 
 bounds, and they not only expressed their opin- 
 ion of those who would stoop to so mean an 
 act, but accompanied those expressions with 
 some strong threats, which, if they could have 
 been carried out, would have made it unpleas- 
 ant for the perpetrators. It was perhaps well 
 that with their usual good fortune they had es- 
 caped. 
 
118 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 When, however, their wrath had subsided, 
 Eob Hunt asked : 
 
 " Are you sure nothing has been taken V 9 
 
 "Quite sure," replied Harry Wallace; "we 
 thought at first the guns had been carried off, 
 but found them tucked under the blankets and 
 among the hemlock boughs. Our oil-stove was 
 put into our stone fire-place, and the other uten- 
 sils scattered around ; but all I believe are here. 
 At least I can't think of anything we haven't 
 found; can you, Tom or Ben?" 
 
 The former shook his head, but the latter re- 
 plied with a peculiar smile : 
 
 "I have missed two things from the very first, 
 and have wondered how long it would be before 
 the rest of you would notice their absence. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Two things ! ' ' exclaimed his hearers, glanc- 
 ing around. ' ' What are they ! ' ' 
 
 "The banners," he replied with an emphasis 
 as peculiar as the smile he had shown a mo- 
 ment before. 
 
 ' ' The banners ! ' ' echoed his comrades in con- 
 sternation. Not one of them thought of the 
 flags until then, but they now realized that the 
 silk pennants which had been floating proudly 
 over their tents were indeed gone, and the most 
 careful search for the next half-hour failed to 
 show the place of their concealment. 
 
THE LOUP-CERVIERS 119 
 
 "What do you think has become of theni, 
 Ben?" Harry finally asked. 
 
 ' ' Carried off, ' ' replied Ben laconically. 
 
 "But why should they have been carried 
 away, while everything else is left?" inquired 
 Harry in surprise. 
 
 "Because they were what the fellows were 
 after," answered the crippled lad significantly. 
 
 "I don't understand you, Ben," Harry re- 
 marked a little impatiently, while the other boys, 
 attracted by the conversation, crowded about 
 the two. 
 
 "I mean that the absence of the banners, 
 proves who our visitors are, and leaves but one 
 question for us to settle — that of their where- 
 abouts," Ben explained. 
 
 "Who are they?" questioned Harry, still 
 failing to see what Ben was driving at. 
 
 "The Melrose High School Boat Club," was 
 the answer. 
 
 Had a thunder-clap broken above the camp 
 a more impressive silence could not have fol- 
 lowed. 
 
 It was brief, however. 
 
 "How did they get here?" 
 
 "What possessed them to come?" 
 
 "How did they know where we were going?" 
 
 These, and a dozen similar questions, greeted 
 
120 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Ben's announcement as soon as his companions 
 recovered from the astonishment into which 
 they were thrown. 
 
 He answered them all in three sentences : 
 
 1 i They wanted the flags. It was easy enough 
 for them to find out where we were going; and 
 by taking the cars to Halifax, and thence to 
 Annapolis, they got in ahead of us." 
 
 A chorus of exclamations and comments were 
 now poured forth by all but Harry Wallace ; he 
 lapsed into silence, and seemed lost in thought. 
 But when appealed to by the others for his opin- 
 ion of Ben's remarkable assertion, he said: 
 
 "He is right, as usual. This explains all the 
 tricks played upon us, and the reason for them. 
 But, dropping all that now, we have a work be- 
 fore us to which our sports for the time must 
 give way. ' ' 
 
 "What's that?" asked all. 
 
 "To recover those banners," he said with de- 
 cision. 
 
 "We must find them first," suggested Tom 
 Sexsmith, with one of his droll grimaces. 
 
 "Exactly," responded Harry with a laugh; 
 * ' and to-morrow morning we '11 begin our search. 
 It is Eeynolds's turn to take charge here, and 
 as the rest of us will be gone all day, it will be 
 
THE LOUP-CERVIERS 121 
 
 too bad to leave him alone, so I'll ask Williams 
 to stay here with him. ' ' 
 
 "Then Ben and Tom, Ed, Kob and myself, 
 will take the yawl and make a tour of the lake, 
 calling at every island large enough to conceal 
 a tent If we reach the head of the lake with- 
 out finding the hidden camp, we'll divide up: 
 two will land on one side of the inlet, two upon 
 the other, and follow the shore around until we 
 meet at the falls, while Ben rows the boat." 
 
 This plan, after some discussion, was 
 adopted, and carried out in detail the next day. 
 
 Leaving Fred and Frank in the camp, with 
 strict orders that at no time should both be ab- 
 sent from it, the other five embarked in the yawl 
 and rowed directly over to the large island. 
 Landing there, they searched it from one end to 
 the other, but found no trace of an encampment. 
 
 As they were about to depart, Rob Hunt re- 
 marked : 
 
 "I tell you, boys, if we'd only made our camp 
 here at the outset, as I suggested, instead of 
 down at the pool, we shouldn't now be minus 
 one of our boats and both of our banners; for 
 no one could then have attempted either of the 
 tricks that has been played on us without giving 
 himself dead away." 
 
 "I know it," Ben quickly answered, "and 
 
122 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 with the launch here, we should have had full 
 command of the lake, with every advantage over 
 our rivals. I think that the wisest thing for us 
 to do is to give up this trip, and find some way 
 of moving our whole outfit to this place. " 
 
 Harry shook his head. 
 
 "No," he said, "we'll go on. I'm anxious 
 to locate those fellows before they can destroy 
 or make off with the flags. After we've done 
 that we'll see about taking possession of the 
 island. " 
 
 Their journey was therefore resumed. From 
 isle to isle they went, encircling all, and stop- 
 ping at every one large enough to hide an en- 
 campment ; but when noon came the head of the 
 lake was reached, and no trace of their hidden 
 foe had been found. 
 
 Landing now upon the right bank of the 
 stream, that here poured into the lake, they ate 
 the dinner they had brought with them; then 
 Harry and Tom were set across to the left bank, 
 while Eob and Ed remained upon the right, and 
 their long tramp down the opposite shores be- 
 gan. Meantime, Ben entered the yawl and 
 pulled leisurely back to the lower end of the 
 body of water to wait for his comrades when 
 they arrived there. 
 
 Harry had chosen the north and west shores 
 
THE LOUP-CERVIERS 123 
 
 for Tom and himself for two reasons : the shape 
 of the lake made this the longest route to the 
 falls; then, too, since their search had proved 
 that the other camp was not upon one of the 
 islands, he believed it was hidden somewhere 
 among the spurs upon this side. 
 
 For some way their course led through heavy 
 woods, where the ground was comparatively 
 level, and they made rapid progress. Then 
 they came to a mountain spur, which rose 
 abruptly out of the water, compelling them 
 either to climb up its rugged side or make a 
 long detour around it. 
 
 They decided upon the former, and slowly 
 made their way to its summit, where they 
 stopped a few minutes to rest, and to look about 
 them. 
 
 In front was an extensive view of the sheet 
 of water, and the hills and valleys of the oppo- 
 site shore; to the left was the sloping hillside 
 and heavy woodland through which they had 
 just come ; to the right, and in the direction that 
 they were soon to take, was a sharp descent into 
 a narrow and secluded valley. Beyond this was 
 another spur, not as high as that upon which 
 they stood, and over whose top they could look 
 into a second vale, where they caught sight of 
 
124 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 a considerable brook that coursed downward 
 into the lake. 
 
 From among the trees on its banks a thin 
 column of smoke was slowly rising. The mo- 
 ment Harry detected it, he grasped Tom's arm, 
 saying: 
 
 " There is the tent for which we are search- 
 ing! Come on!" 
 
 Down the side of the spur the lads dashed, 
 and reaching its foot, started across the ravine 
 to the opposite hill. 
 
 As they began the ascent, a sudden growl 
 from a clump of bushes in front arrested their 
 steps, and the next moment a loup-cervier, or 
 Canada lynx, with glaring eyes and bristling 
 back, sprang out from the shrubbery and came 
 bounding toward them. 
 
 It was a female, and a low whine in the under- 
 brush revealed that she had cubs, and accounted 
 for her boldness in the attack she was about to 
 make upon the intruders. 
 
 ■ The boys had nothing but their shot-guns, and 
 before they could swing these forward for use a 
 savage growl above their heads caused them to 
 glance in that direction. 
 
 To their alarm, they saw the male lynx 
 crouching for a spring on the branch of a large 
 
THE LOUP-CERVIERS 125 
 
 beech not ten feet away, and a trifle to their 
 rear. 
 
 They had evidently stumbled upon the lair of 
 the ferocious pair, and, with no other weapons 
 than their fowling-pieces, both lads knew that 
 the outcome of their inevitable struggle with 
 the beasts was uncertain. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 THE HIDDEN CAMP 
 
 CRITICAL as was the situation, Harry did 
 not lose his head. Glancing around for 
 some place that would afford Tom and 
 himself an opportunity to withstand the attack 
 of the ferocious pair, his eyes fell upon a huge 
 bowlder a few rods away, three of whose sides 
 were precipitous, while the other was sufficiently 
 shelving to allow an agile person to climb to its 
 summit. Instantly his plan of action was 
 formed. 
 
 " Shoot at the lynx in front of you, Tom," 
 he said in a steady undertone ; ' ' take her in the 
 eyes and blind her, that's your only chance. 
 I'll fix the one in the tree, then we'll run for 
 that big rock on the left. Quick!" 
 
 At these words the slight flurry that had 
 seized Tom on finding himself surrounded by 
 the loup-cerviers vanished, and coolly raising 
 his gun, he let fly with both barrels directly into 
 the face of the animal, that was already crouch- 
 ing for her spring. 
 
 126 
 
THE HIDDEN CAMP 127 
 
 The report of Harry's gun was like an echo 
 to his own, and then, without stopping to see 
 the result of their shots, both rushed for the 
 bowlder. 
 
 They reached it and clambered to its top none 
 too soon, for the male lynx was already at their 
 heels, and his fierce effort to climb up after 
 them was only checked by a vigorous blow upon 
 his head from the butt of Harry's weapon. 
 
 As the beast slid back to the ground he was 
 joined by his mate, and, to the satisfaction of 
 the boys, they now saw Tom's shot had been 
 true to its mark, and the animal's eyesight was 
 destroyed. Harry's aim, however, could not 
 have been so good a one, for, though he had 
 hit the male, it was upon the forehead, and did 
 not seriously injure him. 
 
 Neither lynx in fact was as yet disabled ; for 
 the moment the female joined her companion 
 the pair bounded up the shelving rock, and as 
 the lads had not time to put fresh cartridges 
 into their guns, they were compelled to use them 
 as clubs. 
 
 Swinging them above their heads, they 
 brought them down upon the advancing beasts 
 with a force that sent them, partially stunned, 
 back to the foot of the bowlder. Before they 
 
128 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 could recover sufficiently to renew the attack, 
 the boys were able to reload their weapons. 
 
 As the loup-cerviers again came up the rock, 
 the lads took careful aim and fired. Harry shot 
 at the male, and having thrust his fowling-piece 
 well up against the animal's throat, the charges 
 from the barrels did not have space to scatter. 
 Like a solid slug they were poured into the 
 jugular vein of the savage beast, and he rolled 
 down the bowlder in his dying throes. 
 
 Tom's shot, while not so effective as his com- 
 rade's, broke the fore leg of the female and 
 inflicted an ugly wound in her breast ; but not- 
 withstanding this, she was upon the rock the 
 next moment snapping savagely at its occu- 
 pants. 
 
 The top of the ledge was comparatively level, 
 but long and exceedingly narrow, and, by dodg- 
 ing to the right and left, the boys succeeded in 
 avoiding her, while she, in her effort to turn 
 and pursue them, lost her footing and went over 
 the most precipitous side, a distance of twenty 
 feet and more, to the rocks below. 
 
 Bruised by the fall, and bleeding from her 
 wounds, she possibly might have abandoned her 
 attack and slunk away with her cubs through 
 the underbrush had not another intruder upon 
 
THE HIDDEN CAMP 129 
 
 her rightful domain at this moment appeared. 
 
 This was no other than Cripple Ben. 
 
 He heard the first shots of his companions 
 while pulling down the lake, and anxious to 
 know what they were firing* at he turned the 
 yawl and ran in shore. He reached it just as 
 the second shots of the lads rang forth and, 
 seizing his crutches, he hobbled off into the 
 woods in the direction of the sound. 
 
 He arrived in sight of the bowlder just in 
 time to see the female lynx come tumbling down 
 its side. As she gathered to her feet she heard 
 his approaching footsteps, and with a yell of 
 rage bounded toward him. 
 
 Not until that moment were Tom and Harry 
 aware of his coming. They sent forth a cry of 
 fear as they saw the maddened beast spring for 
 the unarmed and crippled lad ; then they jumped 
 to the ground and dashed to his rescue. 
 
 But Ben proved he was quite able to look out 
 for himself. He noticed the animal was blind, 
 and with a quick movement threw one of his 
 crutches a few feet in advance and to the left 
 of the place where he was standing. The ruse 
 was successful, for the loup-cervier, doubtless 
 thinking her new antagonist was moving in that 
 direction, leaped after the stick. 
 
 As she landed and furiously caught it be- 
 
130 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 tween her cruel jaws, Ben swung himself into a 
 sitting position just in front of her, and, with 
 a motion so rapid as to be almost imperceptible, 
 jabbed the small end of his remaining crutch 
 into one of her torn and bleeding eyes. 
 
 There was an iron point upon the stick, and 
 the arm that made the thrust had a strength 
 which drove the instrument into the vulnerable 
 socket to the depth of several inches. 
 
 In all probability it reached the base of the 
 brain, for the lynx, with a plaintive whine, 
 stretched herself out upon the ground, and after 
 a few convulsive shudders expired. 
 
 "Hurrah for Ben and his crutch!" shouted 
 Tom as he and Harry reached the victorious 
 lad. 
 
 "Even a crutch is better than no weapon, 
 when you have to tackle that kind of a crea- 
 ture," quietly remarked Ben, as he extricated 
 his singular weapon from the wound, and picked 
 up its mate, to see if the loup-cervier had in- 
 jured it beyond repair. 
 
 He found, save a few deep punctures from the 
 animal's sharp teeth, that it was as good as 
 ever. Supporting himself upon it, he shook 
 hands with the other lads and listened to their 
 exciting story. He then explained how he came 
 
THE HIDDEN CAMP 131 
 
 to be there; after which the male lynx was 
 drawn down beside the female. 
 
 "I tell you, Harry, wouldn't those fellows 
 look fine mounted in the musemn at the Insti- 
 tute f" said Tom, as he and his comrades sur- 
 veyed the ferocious pair. 
 
 "Take them down to the yawl, and I'll carry 
 them to the falls for you," added Ben; "then 
 we'll see if we can't preserve their hides for 
 stuffing. ' ' 
 
 "How about the young ones?" asked Harry, 
 walking over to the thicket where they were last 
 seen. 
 
 His companions followed him, but no trace 
 of the little fellows could they discover. Evi- 
 dently alarmed at the fate of their parents, they 
 had made off, perhaps for their den, wherever 
 that was located. 
 
 So the boys returned to the large ones and 
 dragged their carcasses down to the lake, no 
 great distance away, and flung them into the 
 boat. Then Ben resumed his oars, while Tom 
 and Harry renewed their search for the hidden 
 camp. 
 
 "I suspect those fellows heard our guns," 
 Harry remarked, as he and Tom started for 
 the second time up the hillside. 
 
 "That's so," responded his comrade, "but 
 
132 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 they can't move their camp before we will be 
 upon them." 
 
 "No; but some of them may come over this 
 way to see what the firing was for, and getting 
 trace of us, they may be off before we have a 
 chance to get the banners, ' ' suggested Harry. 
 
 "If we can only creep up to their encamp- 
 ment undiscovered, we'll soon find out, from 
 their conversation, whether they have taken the 
 alarm," replied Tom. 
 
 "That's just it," said Harry quickly; "we 
 must learn all we can of them without giving 
 ourselves away, so we can't be too cautious in 
 our approach." 
 
 Tom readily agreed to this. They advanced, 
 therefore, at a slow pace, pausing every few 
 minutes to listen, and making as little noise as 
 possible. 
 
 Once upon the top of the hill, they gazed 
 eagerly off in the direction where they saw the 
 smoke when on the opposite mountain spur, but 
 none now appeared. Evidently their rivals had 
 heard the guns, and alarmed at the proximity 
 of the sounds had put out their fire. 
 
 Confident, however, that they could soon trace 
 out the camp, our friends quietly descended to 
 the brook, glimpses of which they caught 
 through the surrounding trees. 
 
THE HIDDEN CAMP 133 
 
 On arriving at the stream, they found it 
 narrow but deep, while its current was quite 
 sluggish. Pointing out these facts, Harry said 
 in low tones : 
 
 "You see, Tom, there's nothing to hinder a 
 boat from coming in here from the lake, and 
 going up the brook for some distance. I be- 
 lieve that's what the High School boys have 
 done, and somewhere on this or the other bank 
 we '11 find their camp. ' ' 
 
 "Since it's as likely to be this as the other, 
 and we can't cross here anyway, we may as well 
 go up this side," replied Tom, with a faint at- 
 tempt at facetiousness. 
 
 With a nod of assent, Harry led the way 
 through the trees that overhung the creek. A 
 quarter of a mile further they came to a pro- 
 jection of the adjacent hill around which the 
 stream wound, and where its bank was high and 
 steep. 
 
 Creeping cautiously to the top of this knoll, 
 the lads came to a sudden stop, for below them 
 and not ten rods away they saw the white can- 
 vas of a tent and heard the faint murmuring of 
 voices. 
 
 But a thick growth of underbrush along the 
 hillside prevented them from seeing ivho was 
 in the camp, and they were still too far off to 
 
134 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 distinguish what its occupants were saying; so, 
 after a whispered consultation, they decided to 
 crawl, under the cover of the shrubbery, near 
 enough to ascertain these two facts. 
 
 It was a difficult task, but they had nearly ac- 
 complished it when they were startled by steps 
 coming hurriedly toward them. Then a voice 
 that they recognized as Eeed Jones's said, with 
 a distinctness which showed he could not be 
 more than a few feet away : 
 
 "I thought I heard some one coming down 
 the hill, boys. I tell you, we've got to be care- 
 ful, or those fellows will be on us before we 
 can get out of this. ' ' 
 
 Then, by the sounds that reached the con- 
 cealed lads, they knew several of his companions 
 had joined him, and it was apparent that a sys- 
 tematic search of the hillside was to be made at 
 once. 
 
 Crouching low, under a heavy mountain 
 laurel, our young friends waited with bated 
 breath, knowing they might be discovered at 
 any moment. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 INTERCEPTED 
 
 THROUGH a singular yet laughable cir- 
 cumstance, however, the concealed lads 
 were not discovered. 
 
 Reed Jones had actually laid his hands upon 
 the very thicket under which they were crouch- 
 ing, and was about to press aside its branches 
 to look beneath it, when a loud scream from 
 Jack Howard caused him to abandon his pur- 
 pose. 
 
 Jack, when called to the search by his leader, 
 had started to examine that portion of the hill- 
 side bordering upon the brook. This selection 
 happened to take him near the place where the 
 refuse from the camp had been thrown, and to 
 his discomfiture a short-legged, heavy-bodied 
 animal feeding there, surprised by his approach, 
 darted suddenly between his legs, throwing him 
 to the ground. 
 
 Falling heavily upon his face into the un- 
 wholesome pile, it was some seconds before he 
 could scramble to his feet and look around in 
 
 135 
 
136 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 search of the creature that had been the sole 
 cause of his unceremonious tumble. Then he 
 cried out: 
 
 "This way, boys! Here's the intruder! 
 There he goes now across the camp-ground! 
 Confound him, he tripped me up ! ' ' 
 
 "Its a big otter," exclaimed one of the other 
 boys, catching sight of the fleeing animal. 
 "Let's capture him!" 
 
 There was immediately a scampering of feet 
 in that direction, and Harry and Tom arose 
 from their recumbent positions in time to see 
 all the occupants of the rival camp dash away 
 up the ravine in hot pursuit of the beast which, 
 by his opportune appearance, had saved them 
 from discovery. 
 
 "Do you suppose the banners are in the 
 tent?" asked Harry in suppressed excitement 
 the instant the last one of the pursuing boys 
 had disappeared in the shrubbery. "If so, 
 now's our chance to recover them." 
 
 "I'm with you to find out," responded Tom 
 heartily, "but after seeing about the flag what's 
 to hinder our getting into their yawl and drop- 
 ping down to the lake? It'll be a sight easier 
 than to tramp around to the falls, and will make 
 amends for the boat they've destroyed." 
 
 Harry resolutely shook his head. 
 
INTERCEPTED 137 
 
 i i 
 
 No," lie said, "we'll touch nothing that 
 doesn't belong to us; and having secured the 
 banners our trouble with these fellows will be 
 over, for we'll take care they don't interfere 
 with us again. Quick now, before they can come 
 back!" 
 
 With noiseless tread the two lads stepped out 
 into the little glade and hastened over to the 
 tent. They found it a small affair, not over 
 eight by ten feet in size, and they could not 
 help wondering how six boys found it large 
 enough to afford them shelter. 
 
 The explanation came as soon as they looked 
 inside ; the inclosed ground was completely cov- 
 ered with hemlock boughs, and evidently was 
 merely used for sleeping purposes. This view 
 was confirmed by their finding the camp utensils 
 and supplies, meagre at the best, packed up at 
 the south side of the structure. 
 
 But the banners for which the boys had come 
 were nowhere to be seen, and the most careful 
 search within and without the tent failed to dis- 
 close them. 
 
 Warned at length by the approaching steps 
 of the absent campers that they must be going, 
 they, chagrined at the fruitlessness of their 
 search, fled back to the cover of the surround- 
 ing trees. 
 
138 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Pausing among the bushes long enough to as- 
 certain from the conversation of the returning 
 lads that, while they had failed to catch the 
 otter, they nevertheless attributed to him the 
 sounds they had heard upon the hillside, Harry 
 and Tom then crept cautiously over the spur 
 and down into the adjoining valley. 
 
 From this point by a long detour they de- 
 scended the stream far enough to effect a cross- 
 ing, and thence passed over the hills on that 
 side to the falls, where they found not only Crip- 
 ple Ben, but their two comrades who had re- 
 turned by the northern border of the lake, wait- 
 ing for them. 
 
 "Hello! there is Tom and Harry!" 
 
 "What luck, boys?" 
 
 "Better than we've had, I hope." 
 
 These were the salutations that greeted the 
 new-comers, and to which they simultaneously 
 replied : 
 
 "Well, we've found the other camp." 
 
 The cheers that followed this announcement 
 speedily brought the two boys who had been 
 left in charge of the encampment to the scene. 
 Learning the cause of their companions ' exhila- 
 ration they joined with them most vociferously, 
 until Bob Hunt found breath to say: 
 
 "Give us the points, Harry!" 
 
INTERCEPTED 139 
 
 1 1 Wait until we reach the tent, ' ' he answered ; 
 and then Tom and he helped the others carry 
 the dead lynxes and the yawl down the slope 
 to the camp, after which they related the cir- 
 cumstances under which the hiding place of 
 their rivals had been discovered, and how they 
 had actually visited the tent in search of the 
 missing banners. 
 
 " Baffled in this attempt to recover them, what 
 course shall we now take?" asked Harry when 
 the story in all its details had been told. 
 
 "Let us lie in wait, and clean them out of 
 boat, tent, and everything else we can get hold 
 of, ' ' exclaimed Ed Willis, rubbing his hands in 
 a way that indicated he was fairly aching for 
 a job of that kind. "Then they'll be glad to 
 return the banners for enough to take them out 
 of this howling wilderness. " 
 
 The flushed cheeks of the other lads revealed 
 their approval of this plan. 
 
 "We might do something in that way, I ad- 
 mit,' J Harry replied, looking anxiously around 
 at his excited comrades; "but I tell you, boys, 
 I hate to undertake anything as mean as that. 
 You know the doctor urged us to do nothing 
 that would disgrace the banners, and for my- 
 self I'd rather lose them than show a spirit of 
 
140 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 retaliation towards those fellows, much as they 
 may deserve it." 
 
 This noble sentiment was not without its 
 effect upon his hearers. 
 
 "We might row boldly up to their camp and 
 demand the flags," suggested Fred Williams. 
 "Perhaps when they find out we know they are 
 here they'll restore them rather than have us 
 report them at Melrose." 
 
 "Don't you flatter yourself on any such freak 
 of good-will as that," put in Tom Sexsmith. 
 "Reed Jones and Jack Howard aren't kittens, 
 to be frightened away at our approach. Much 
 as they would like to avoid us, they are prepared 
 for just such a move on our part. The absence 
 of the banners from their camp proves that, and 
 they'd defy us to our faces if we called on them 
 with any such demand." 
 
 "Couldn't we by watching them find out 
 where they had hidden the flags, and so re- 
 cover them?" asked Frank Reynolds. 
 
 "It might be done," assented Harry, slowly, 
 and with the air of one who was not altogether 
 pleased with the project. 
 
 ' ' But it would be better to have them return 
 the banners of their own accord," remarked 
 Ben at this point, and guessing at Harry's 
 thought. 
 
INTERCEPTED 141 
 
 "That's it," cried Wallace with animation; 
 "isn't there some way we can bring about that 
 very thing? I should like to see them forced 
 to give them up without a single dishonorable 
 act on our part, or what would be better, I'd 
 like to see their spite changed by our kindness 
 to good feeling, and have them surrender the 
 flags from very shame." 
 
 "I guess you intend to stay here some time, 
 or else go home without your banners," said 
 Tom Sexsmith dryly, and with an expressive 
 shrug of his broad shoulders. As for the other 
 lads, they, with the exception of Ben, stared at 
 their leader as though they were not quite sure 
 that he had not lost his senses. The cripple, 
 however, taking up Tom's remark, replied in 
 that singular quietness of tone which was char- 
 acteristic of him. 
 
 "Don't be so sure about that, Sexsmith. Be- 
 fore we give up this idea, I say, 'Let us take 
 account of stock,' " and placing the forefinger 
 of his right hand on the palm of his left, as 
 though about to write down each item, he went 
 on: 
 
 "We know our banners are gone. We know 
 the Melrose High School crew is in hiding here. 
 We know from their camping outfit that they 
 are prepared only for a brief stay. We know 
 
142 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 from their overheard conversation that they are 
 getting restless under their self-imposed con- 
 cealment, and are anxious to be off at the 
 earliest moment. 
 
 "Froni these facts may we not conclude that 
 they came here on purpose to run off with the 
 flags, and therefore, having now got possession 
 of them, the very worst misfortune that could 
 befall them would be for them not to be able to 
 carry them away. 
 
 "It strikes me, then, that if we only play our 
 cards rightly, they have got themselves into an 
 awful box. Had they followed us up, and 
 camped somewhere on the stream below us, they 
 might have taken the banners, and made off 
 with them without leaving a trace behind. But 
 as it is, we are now between them and their only 
 avenue of escape. 
 
 "Their yawl is too heavy for them to carry 
 over the hills, and to reach the river they must 
 pass down either on this or on the other side of 
 the falls. But by right management we ought 
 to be able to prevent that, and every day of their 
 delay makes their condition worse. Confined 
 to their narrow ravine, unable to hunt or fish 
 much, without giving themselves away, it ought 
 not to be a very long time before they offer to 
 make terms with us. 
 
INTERCEPTED 143 
 
 ' c There certainly will be nothing dishonorable 
 in this course, and it may be special circum- 
 stances will arise to effect just such a recon- 
 ciliation as Harry has wished for. As I said 
 about our finding out who the real culprits 
 were, so I now say about our bringing these fel- 
 lows to terms: our strongest point is to ' watch 
 and wait.' " 
 
 "But to carry out this plan successfully, we 
 ought to move our camp to the big island, and 
 have the launch ready for instant use in patroll- 
 ing the lake," interposed Harry. "With our 
 tent here we guard this side of the lake effec- 
 tually, but there is nothing to prevent them 
 from slipping down the other bank some dark 
 night, and making good their escape. On the 
 island, however, with a sharp lookout on our 
 part, they couldn't run by us on either side 
 without our detecting them." 
 
 "For that reason the camp must go over to 
 the island to-night, and I will have the launch 
 on the lake to-morrow," said Ben resolutely. 
 
 "How are you going to do it?" asked Bob 
 Hunt, incredulously. 
 
 "Do you see that big oak overhanging the 
 pool!" was Ben's reply. "Well, a couple of 
 stout pulleys fastened to its branches will enable 
 us to raise the yacht on a level with the bank, 
 
144 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 and then she can be put on rollers and pushed 
 oyer to the lake. The only thing is I shall have 
 to run down to McPherson's for the tackling. 
 But if Tom '11 go with me, we'll be off as soon 
 as we can get steam up, and in the two hours 
 before dark we will make good headway to- 
 wards the river. Meantime, you fellows can 
 move the goods over to the island on the yawl. 
 I'd keep a sharp lookout to-night also, for who 
 knows but it's the very time the other crew will 
 try to slip by us." 
 
 Tom readily consented to accompanying Ben 
 on his trip, and in twenty minutes the launch 
 was ready to leave. 
 
 "By the way, Harry McPherson is quite a 
 taxidermist, and I might take those lynxes down 
 with me, and leave them for him to stuff for 
 you," Ben remarked as he bade him good bye. 
 
 "All right; I shall have no time to attend to 
 them," Harry responded, hastening up to the 
 tent for the animals. 
 
 "When shall we expect you back?" he asked, 
 as he threw them on board. 
 
 "By to-morrow noon, sure," Ben replied, and 
 the hawser of the Fire-fly was cast off, and she 
 steamed swiftly away down the stream. 
 
 Tired as Harry and his companions were 
 from the exertions of the day, they thought it 
 
INTERCEPTED 145 
 
 wiser to change their encampment that night, 
 as Ben had proposed ; and they now went vigor- 
 ously about the task. 
 
 Fortunately the distance to the island was 
 not great, and, after the traps had been carried 
 up to the shore of the lake it was not a long 
 job to transfer them to their destination. At 
 seven o'clock, therefore, the work of moving 
 was complete. 
 
 No attempt was made, however, to bring the 
 camp to order that night. Only the smaller 
 tent was pitched and made habitable, and in 
 this four of the boys soon stretched themselves 
 for a much-needed rest, while the fifth stood 
 guard. 
 
 This was Frank Keynolds, and at ten o'clock 
 he called Ed Willis, who was to keep watch until 
 two, and then awaken Harry himself. 
 
 But not far from midnight Ed felt sure he 
 heard the sound of oars up the lake, and he 
 aroused Wallace at once. Hurrying over to the 
 western end of the island they listened intently, 
 until both were satisfied that a boat of some 
 kind was steadily approaching. 
 
 Noiselessly the lads hurried back to the tent 
 
 and awoke their sleeping comrades. It was 
 
 only necessary to tell the lads that the boat of 
 
 their rivals was close at hand for all to be 
 
 10 
 
146 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 wide awake and on the alert. The yawl was 
 then thrust into the water, the oars shipped for 
 instant use; after which they breathlessly 
 awaited events. 
 
 The night was dark, and it was impossible to 
 see anything distinctly ten feet away; when 
 therefore the sound of rowing suddenly ceased 
 Harry grew nervous. 
 
 "Can they have already passed?" he asked 
 under his breath. 
 
 "I don't believe they have, but why don't you 
 fire off a rocket ? ' ' whispered Ed Willis. ' < The 
 worst it can do is to drive them back to their 
 camp. ' ' 
 
 ' ' Do you know where the rockets were put last 
 evening?" inquired Harry quickly; "if so, 
 bring me two or three. ' ' 
 
 Ed at once disappeared in the darkness, and 
 returned a moment later with several of the 
 pyrotechnics in his hands. Slipping them 
 under the stern seat of the yawl Wallace gave 
 the quick order: 
 
 "Williams, you stay here to look out for the 
 camp; the rest of you tumble into the boat;" 
 then he himself pushed the craft slowly out 
 from the shore. 
 
 When clear of the island, he said: 
 
 "Be ready with your oars, boys !" and at the 
 
"We must overhaul them, boys. 
 
INTERCEPTED 147 
 
 same time he struck a match and lighted a 
 rocket. 
 
 Under the glare it sent forth they saw, not 
 ten rods away, but still up the lake, the yawl of 
 their rivals, loaded with her crew and camping 
 outfit. Evidently they had heard some sound 
 that alarmed them, for they were resting on 
 their oars, and bent forward in the attitude of 
 listeners. 
 
 But the moment the rocket flashed up through 
 the darkness, they dipped their oars and pulled 
 back toward their old rendezvous. 
 
 Like an inspiration it now came to Harry that 
 the fleeing boat, having loaded for its final de- 
 parture, had in all probability the lost banners 
 on board, and he cried: 
 
 1 i We must overhaul her, boys ! Pull ! ' ' 
 
 And the next moment the light boat propelled 
 by four strong arms dashed up the lake in the 
 wake of the more heavily loaded one. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 HARRY'S MISFORTUNE 
 
 HAD Harry and his companions continued 
 to follow the other yawl they would 
 doubtless have overhauled it. But 
 hardly had they gone a half-dozen rods when 
 Wallace thought of a ruse, which he believed 
 would bring his rivals into his hands, and he at 
 once proceeded to put it into execution. 
 
 This was to run off toward the southern bor- 
 der of the lake as though bewildered in the 
 heavy darkness; then, when out of hearing of 
 the other boat, to pull straight for the mouth of 
 the stream on which the High School boys had 
 made their camp, and there lie in wait for them 
 to come up. 
 
 There were two reasons why he thought this 
 plan would work successfully; he had no other 
 idea than that the discovered lads, on finding 
 they had thrown off the pursuing boat, would 
 return directly to their old encampment, sup- 
 posing that its whereabouts was still unknown 
 to their followers, then he was confident that his 
 
 148 
 
HARRY'S MISFORTUNE 149 
 
 own better acquaintance with the configuration 
 of the lake, and the lightness of his craft would 
 enable him, though he chose a more roundabout 
 way, easily to outstrip them in reaching the 
 creek. 
 
 Communicating his intention to his comrades, 
 therefore, he turned the bow of the yawl gradu- 
 ally to the left without diminishing its speed. 
 
 In a few minutes they were aware, even in the 
 gloom, that they were nearing the shore, and 
 ceased their rowing. The next instant the boat 
 touched the beach at a point which they knew 
 must be some distance east of the brook; and, 
 pushing off again, they resumed their oars and 
 ran quickly along the overhanging bank, until 
 its sudden receding and the noise of running 
 water told them they were at the entrance of 
 the watercourse they were seeking. 
 
 They now stopped and listened. No sound 
 of an approaching boat as yet reached them, 
 and they were about to congratulate themselves 
 upon this issue of the first step in their under- 
 taking, when they were startled by a rocket 
 which suddenly shot up from the west end of the 
 great island. In its light they saw to their con- 
 sternation the other yawl close under the south 
 side of the isle, but gliding rapidly down toward 
 
150 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the falls, and knew that Fred Williams was 
 signaling for their return. 
 
 What had happened was this : 
 
 Eeed Jones knew the moment he saw the rival 
 crew dash after him that only by skillful 
 nianceuvering could he avoid being overtaken. 
 In the flash of the rocket that Harry Wallace 
 fired he caught sight of the tent on the island, 
 and quickly comprehended that the Institute 
 boys must have moved their encampment. 
 These two thoughts gave birth in his mind there- 
 fore to a brilliant and daring scheme. 
 
 Under the cover of the darkness he changed 
 the course of his yawl and ran for a few rods off 
 to the right, where he stopped. He was there- 
 fore able to trace the movement of the other 
 boat from the sound of its oars until it had run 
 out of hearing. Then he said to his astonished 
 comrades : 
 
 ' ' Did you notice the tents on the island, boys ? 
 Those Institute fellows have brought their camp 
 up here, and must have left their launch at the 
 foot of the falls. That gives us the biggest 
 chance at them we Ve had yet, and opens up for 
 us a way of escape." 
 
 " How's that?" his companions breathlessly 
 asked. 
 
 "Why, we can run right down to this side of 
 
HARRY'S MISFORTUNE 151 
 
 the falls, abandon our yawl and traps, except 
 the guns and the flags, and dash down the bank 
 to the launch. Once on board, we'll cut her 
 loose and be off down the stream before these 
 fellows have time to find out where we've gone. 
 We can take a pair of oars along with us and 
 manage the craft with them until we get up 
 steam; then we'll sail down to Annapolis, or as 
 for that matter, clear home, at our leisure, leav- 
 ing our friends here to account for and settle for 
 the vessel's disappearance." 
 
 "What a joke on them!" exclaimed Jack 
 Howard, as loud as he dared. "Quick! let us 
 be off before their yawl returns down the lake. ' ' 
 
 There was a little demurring among the rest 
 of the crew at so daring an undertaking, but 
 they were speedily silenced by their leaders. 
 Then it took them but a moment to turn about 
 the boat, and grasping their oars they pulled 
 quickly off toward the falls to carry out their 
 purpose. 
 
 They might have succeeded in reaching the 
 pool, only to find their purpose thwarted by the 
 absence of the launch, had not Fred Williams 
 been on the alert. 
 
 He had gone down to the west end of the 
 island, on the departure of his comrades, and 
 
152 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 by the clicking of the oars in their locks, was 
 able to detect the courses of both crews. 
 
 He knew when the High School yawl changed 
 its route and stopped, and also was aware that 
 his friends had passed rapidly over to the op- 
 posite side of the lake without noticing this 
 move on the part of their rivals. 
 
 With remarkable intuition, however, he sus- 
 pected the intentions of Jones and his followers, 
 and realized that they must be prevented from 
 escaping. He had no boat, and could therefore 
 think of but one way to accomplish this object : 
 that was to signal for Harry and his crew to 
 return. He immediately thought of the rockets, 
 and hastened to the tent to secure some. 
 
 Not knowing just where they were, it took 
 him a few minutes to find them, and before he 
 returned to the upper end of the island, Harry 
 had reached the mouth of the brook and Jones 
 had started down the lake again. 
 
 The firing of the rocket, however, was but the 
 work of a moment, and he immediately followed 
 it with another, in the light of which he dis- 
 covered two things that gave him great satis- 
 faction. The High School boys were resting 
 on their oars as though non-plussed by this un- 
 expected disclosure of their plan, while Harry 
 and his comrades were coming back over their 
 
HARRY'S MISFORTUNE 153 
 
 course as fast as the stiff ash sweeps they knew 
 so well how to handle could bring them. 
 
 To annoy, even if it did not hinder, the per- 
 plexed lads still further, Fred now fired a third 
 rocket directly over the waiting yawl, and as its 
 light fell full upon the faces of the occupants, he 
 imprudently called out : 
 
 "Hey, there, Jones, you may as well come 
 in shore and leave those banners before you go 
 around the falls, for we don't intend for you^to 
 carry them off." 
 
 "Do you suppose any of those fellows are at 
 the falls?" asked Bill Dunster in a voice in- 
 tended only for his comrades, but which in the 
 still night air reached Fred's quick ears. 
 
 "You'll find out soon enough if you go down 
 there," he cried, following his words with a 
 derisive laugh. 
 
 This taunt had its effect, apparently, upon 
 the halting crew, for they again seized their 
 oars and rowed rapidly to the lower end of the 
 island, where they turned and darted up the lake 
 for the second time that night. 
 
 Harry and his crew were now near enough 
 to discover this movement, and running by the 
 upper end of the island, they came out into the 
 broad waters beyond in close pursuit of the flee- 
 ing boat, 
 
154 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Fred quickly changed his post over to the 
 north side of the isle, and fired his rockets at 
 regular intervals until both yawls had disap- 
 peared among a cluster of small islands a half- 
 mile away ; then he left them to finish the chase 
 in the darkness. 
 
 The proximity of the islet made it difficult for 
 the boats to proceed except with the greatest 
 caution, and each crew was continually stopping 
 to make sure of its course and to listen for the 
 sounds of the other. 
 
 But at last Harry, in a spurt to overtake his 
 rivals, whom by the noise of their row-locks he 
 judged to be no great distance ahead, dashed 
 upon one of the isles with a force that threw 
 him and his comrades from their seats ; and, be- 
 fore they could recover their position, and clear 
 the yawl from the island, the other yawl had 
 passed out of hearing. 
 
 Wallace now resorted to another rocket, and 
 as its light glimmered across the surface of 
 the water he beheld the boat he was pursuing 
 well out from the cluster of islands, and mak- 
 ing directly toward the northern side of the lake 
 already close at hand. 
 
 "I believe they are going to land!" he ex- 
 claimed excitedly. " Let's after them!" 
 
 A quick bend to their oars was his comrades ' 
 
HARRY'S MISFORTUNE 155 
 
 response, and the light boat shot swiftly on in 
 the direction the other had taken. 
 
 Having but one rocket more with him, Harry 
 waited until he believed he was nearly in shore 
 and then sent it off. He had chosen a most op- 
 portune moment for firing the pyrotechnic, as 
 under its flash he saw the other yawl had al- 
 ready landed at an adjacent point, and Jack 
 Howard was in the act of leaping out of it with 
 the two banners in his hand. Then as the light 
 died away he disappeared in the woods, while 
 the boat immediately swung off from the beach, 
 and went on up the lake. 
 
 "What shall we do now, Harry?" asked his 
 companions, suddenly resting on their oars. 
 ' ' Shall we follow the yawl f ' ' 
 
 "No! To the shore!" he responded. "Let 
 the boat go; it won't leave the lake without 
 Howard. I'll follow him up." 
 
 The boys dipped their blades at once, and the 
 yawl soon touched the point where the other had 
 been but a moment before. Jumping out, 
 Harry said: 
 
 "Hang around here till I return," then he 
 hurried into the forest after Howard. 
 
 Possibly a couple of minutes had elapsed be- 
 tween the landing of the two lads, and, when 
 once within the shadows of the heavy trees, 
 
156 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Harry became aware of the hopelessness of his 
 search. He literally had to feel his way over 
 bowlders, around bushes, and was constantly 
 striking some obstacle with a noise that must 
 have been heard several rods distant. 
 
 Suddenly, realizing he was giving the lad for 
 whom he was searching all the guidance he 
 needed to keep out of his reach, Harry came to 
 a stand-still. 
 
 No sound broke the stillness of the forest. 
 Howard, if near, could not be moving about. 
 He might, however, be so far away by this time 
 that his steps could not be heard by his pursuer. 
 Should he then abandon his search or go on? 
 
 Before he could come to a decision, the crack- 
 ing of a twig a little way to his right sent him 
 quickly in that direction. 
 
 The ground now showed a slight descent, and 
 as he hastened forward, his toe caught in a root 
 or vine with a force that pitched him headlong 
 forward. As he fell his head came violently in 
 contact with a huge tree trunk, and dimly con- 
 scious of rolling against some obstacle, he be- 
 came unconscious. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 IN A TIGHT PLACE 
 
 WHEN the unfortunate Harry regained 
 consciousness, he found himself lying 
 on the shore of the lake beside the 
 yawl. It was early morning, and his three com- 
 rades were gathered about him. 
 
 "How do you feel?" Ed Willis asked, dipping 
 at the same time a handkerchief into the water 
 at his feet, and bathing the injured boy's face. 
 
 "All right, except my head," he replied, ris- 
 ing to a sitting position; "that feels as big as 
 two. How came I here 1 ' ' 
 
 "We waited for you until light," Rob Hunt 
 exclaimed, "and then Ed and I started to look 
 you up. We soon came across you lying sense- 
 less against a large bowlder on the edge of a 
 narrow ravine. You'll have to tell us how you 
 came there." 
 
 "Oh! I remember now," answered Harry, 
 with a faint smile, "I heard a noise and ran in 
 the direction from which it came, when I tripped 
 my toe and fell headlong against a tree. I felt 
 
 157 
 
158 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the blow and had a confused idea of rolling 
 against something, then I knew nothing more 
 until I opened my eyes here." 
 
 ' ' Lucky for you that the bowlder stopped 
 you, or you'd gone down into the gorge and 
 likely as not been killed, ' ' put in Willis. 
 
 "Well, Bob and I brought you to where we'd 
 left Frank. That isn't five minutes ago; the 
 cool water on your face revived you at once." 
 
 ' ' Is my head cut much f ' ' Harry now inquired, 
 laying his hand on a spot on the edge of his hair 
 which seemed very sore to his touch. 
 
 "The skin isn't even broken," responded Ed; 
 "only a bunch the size of a goose egg and as 
 black as your hair has puffed out there ! but the 
 cold water will soon bring that down. Do you 
 feel able to go over to the camp?" 
 
 1 i Oh, yes, ' ' Wallace said at once, and with the 
 help of his companions, he stepped into the 
 yawl, and they pulled directly for the island. 
 
 They reached it in less than a half-hour, 
 where they found Fred had a hot and bountiful 
 breakfast ready for them. The strong coffee 
 settled the nausea Harry felt, and the sub- 
 stantial food greatly strengthened him, so that 
 when the meal was finished he was quite him- 
 self. 
 
 "There is this much about our fracas of last 
 
IN A TIGHT PLACE 159 
 
 night," lie said as be and the other boys began 
 to put the camp in order; "if we didn't recover 
 the banners, neither did our High School friends 
 get off with them." 
 
 "They are fully aware also that we don't in- 
 tend to let them if we can help it," added Fred 
 Williams, and then he told what he had called 
 out to Jones and his crew as they waited off the 
 island. 
 
 "That brings the struggle between us to a 
 focus," said Harry; "they now know our in- 
 tentions and we know theirs. The question is 
 which one of us shall win. For ourselves, we 
 have scored one point. The tide has turned in 
 our favor and we want to see to it now that we 
 come in with the flood. ' ' 
 
 In two or three hours, the encampment was 
 set to rights, and then by turns the lads secured 
 a little sleep. 
 
 Not far from eleven o 'clock, however, a voice 
 from the southeast shore of the lake called to 
 them, and looking in that direction, they saw 
 Tom waving his hands for some of them to come 
 over. 
 
 Leaving Ed Willis in charge of the island, the 
 others launched the yawl, and in five minutes 
 had joined their returned companion. 
 
 He reported a safe run down to McPherson's 
 
160 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Landing and back. There was no difficulty in 
 securing the tackling and rollers they wanted, 
 and nothing now prevented bringing the launch 
 around the falls. 
 
 Harry went down to the pool to consult with 
 Ben about the undertaking, and found him so 
 confident that the job would not be a long one 
 that he decided to carry it through at once. 
 
 The launch was run under the huge oak, 
 which was to be used as a derrick. A limb 
 large enough to bear the weight of the vessel 
 was then selected, and to it the blocks, through 
 which the great ropes ran, were securely 
 fastened. 
 
 This was not so difficult a task as it seemed 
 at first sight. A small pebble was tied into one 
 end of a stout cord and tossed over the branch ; 
 through this connecting line, the ropes that held 
 the blocks were not only drawn into place, but 
 wrapped several times about the limb, and then 
 carried to a neighboring tree around which they 
 were firmly bound. 
 
 Everything was now ready to attach the hoist- 
 ing hooks to the bow and stern of the launch; 
 and, having removed all her furnishings, and 
 put out her fires, this was done. 
 
 Two of the boys then took hold of one of the 
 pulley-ropes and three of the other, while Ben 
 
IN A TIGHT PLACE 161 
 
 with the end of the bow hawser in his hand, 
 clambered up the bank to the place where the 
 yacht was to be raised, and gave the word for 
 the hoisting to begin. 
 
 Slowly and as evenly as possible the vessel 
 was raised. It was hard work, and only by 
 warping their slack rope about the trunks of 
 adjacent saplings, could the lads retain the 
 additional height gained with each heave. 
 
 Persistent effort eventually accomplished 
 the task, however, and after a time the launch 
 swung in the air on a level with the bank. 
 Leaving the other boys to hold the suspended 
 vessel, Harry ran to Ben's assistance; and, by 
 securing a purchase around a tree some feet 
 away, with the bow-line, they drew the yacht 
 toward them as fast as their comrades paid out 
 their slacking ropes. She soon rested firmly 
 upon the rollers that had already been placed 
 to receive her, and the hardest, as well as the 
 most precarious part of their work was over. 
 
 With a hurrah, the other lads ran thither 
 from the pool, and in a few minutes, a track of 
 rollers had been laid to the water's edge, and 
 the launch run smoothly over them into the 
 lake. 
 
 To lower and gather up the tackling, and re- 
 place it on the vessel, to restore her furnish- 
 11 
 
162 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 ings, and start up her fires, were but the labor 
 of another half-hour; and, before two o'clock, 
 the Fire-Fly steamed proudly off with the yawl 
 in tow to the big island. 
 
 During the dinner that immediately followed 
 their arrival, Harry related the adventure of the 
 preceding night, and proposed that a tour of 
 the lake be made in the launch that afternoon. 
 
 "I have no idea where those fellows have 
 gone," he said; "but doubtless they are watch- 
 ing our movements, and I want them to know 
 the yacht has been brought around the falls, 
 and we are now masters of the lake. ' ' 
 
 Ben heartily seconded the proposition, so an 
 hour or two later the tiny steamer with Harry, 
 Tom Sexsmith, Ed Willis, and himself on board, 
 began her voyage. 
 
 Along the shores, around the island, into the 
 coves and inlets, she gracefully sailed, sending 
 forth every now and then her shrill whistle, 
 "just to let Jones and his crew know we are 
 around," as Ben expressed it. She even ran 
 up the brook to the old camping place of the 
 High School boys, only to find it deserted. 
 
 When she passed the point where Harry met 
 with his mishap the night before, Ed Willis 
 asked : 
 
IN A TIGHT PLACE 163 
 
 "Why do you suppose Howard was put 
 ashore here with those banners?" 
 
 "Because Jones expected us to overhaul hirn 
 every moment, and took that way to prevent our 
 recovering tkero," Harry answered; "but I 
 wonder whether Jack hid them somewhere in 
 those woods, or joined his comrades with them 
 at some place agreed upon this morning? " 
 
 "Maybe they have camped out again some- 
 where in that region," suggested Tom Sex- 
 smith. "There is a small brook running into 
 the lake on the further side of the point, and, 
 though not large enough for a boat, they could 
 easily conceal that at its mouth, and pitch the 
 tent in the gorge. ' ' 
 
 "That accounts for the one on whose brink 
 I found you, Harry!" exclaimed Ed. "We 
 might take a tramp over in that locality to- 
 morrow and see what we can find." 
 
 The lads discussed the matter while they 
 steamed down to the island, and the result was 
 that early the next day Ben rowed the trio over 
 to the point in his yawl, and they began their 
 exploration of the forest. 
 
 Eemembering their experience on the other 
 side of the lake with the loup-cerviers, both 
 Tom and Harry had brought along their rifles, 
 while Ed carried his shot-gun, but he had taken 
 
164 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the precaution to load his cartridges with his 
 heaviest shot. 
 
 On reaching the ravine where Harry had been 
 found, they ascertained that it was the one 
 through which the tiny stream that entered the 
 lake at the west of the point ran. 
 
 Entering the promontory in an easterly di- 
 rection and nearly severing it from the main 
 shore, it then turned suddenly north, dividing 
 a considerable hill into nearly equal parts. 
 
 Finding a place where they could descend 
 into it, the three lads walked slowly up it. It 
 widened as they advanced, and after the dis- 
 tance of perhaps a mile separated into two 
 branches, one running to the northeast, the 
 other to the northwest, around a small moun- 
 tain spur. 
 
 Choosing the left gorge, which seemed the 
 larger of the two, the boys continued their 
 tramp. The ground as they went onward grew 
 more rugged and rocky, and the sides of the 
 ravine drew nearer together until they at length 
 met in a precipitous cliff. 
 
 After consultation the lads decided to cross 
 over the spur on the right into the other ravine, 
 and return to the lake by that route. Hardly 
 had they begun to climb up the hillside, how- 
 ever, before Harry, who was in advance, called 
 
IN A TIGHT PLACE 165 
 
 his companions to his side. Looking straight 
 ahead they beheld a large black bear slowly 
 ascending the rocky slope. 
 
 Their first thought, as she had not yet seen 
 them, was to retrace their steps, and put as 
 much distance between them and the ugly beast 
 as possible. 
 
 Then came a desire to secure the prize, and, 
 believing they should have a story worthy not 
 only to relate about the campfire, but to tell at 
 the academy halls, or by the firesides of their 
 homes, they crept cautiously after the animal, 
 hoping to secure a shot. 
 
 The path followed led them out upon an 
 elevated rock, and from the top of that they 
 caught sight of the bear entering a cleft a few 
 rods beyond. 
 
 Knowing that she had gone into her den, they 
 selected a hiding place within easy range of the 
 ledge on which the cave opened and waited for 
 her to come out. 
 
 In a few minutes she appeared, followed by 
 two cubs. Eealizing that their opportunity had 
 now come, all three of the lads took steady aim 
 and fired together. One or more of the shots 
 must have reached some vital spot, for the beast 
 rolled over on her back dead, while the cubs, 
 
166 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 frightened by the unusual noise, scrambled back 
 into the cave. 
 
 The boys now determined to secure the little 
 ones alive, and crawled over to the cavern. 
 The interior was dark, and the roof low and 
 jagged, but the floor was smooth and thickly 
 covered with sand. 
 
 They crept cautiously one after the other into 
 the cave, first reloading their guns and carry- 
 ing them with them. They soon reached the 
 rear of the den, and groping about in the dark, 
 finally placed their hands upon a growling cub. 
 
 With much trouble and many scratches, they 
 secured it, and tied its four feet with a hand- 
 kerchief. The other cub had squeezed itself 
 into such a deep crevice that it was some time 
 before they could pull it out. While tying its 
 feet, the little light that entered the cavern 
 failed, and all suddenly became blank darkness. 
 They knew there could be but one cause for the 
 gloom. The male bear had returned, and re- 
 garding their situation as most critical indeed, 
 they braced themselves for a fight that must end 
 with the death of the enraged beast or the loss 
 of their own lives. 
 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 THE MISSING PELTS 
 
 64T TELL you, boys, we are in for an ad- 
 
 J^ venture now that no one can tell how 
 it will end," exclaimed Harry, and con- 
 sidering the great peril he and his companions 
 were in, there was a remarkable steadiness to 
 his voice. "Ed's gun is valueless in the strug- 
 gle with that brute, and the outcome will there- 
 fore depend upon you and me, Tom. Shoot 
 first, and I will have my rifle ready if you miss. 
 If we both fail — well — good bye." 
 
 The lads knew, even in the darkness, where 
 their foe was, for the bear's eyes glowed like 
 balls of fire. But, fortunately for them, the 
 roof of the den was so low the animal could not 
 spring directly upon them, and had to advance 
 slowly, stretching out its body to its full length. 
 
 "Good bye, old fellow," Tom answered hus- 
 kily, and then he aimed carefully at the ap- 
 proaching beast. The next instant a sharp re- 
 port followed the snapping of the lock, and the 
 
 167 
 
168 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 clearing of the smoke revealed the bear strug- 
 gling at the boy's feet. 
 
 He drew back with a cry of alarm, for the 
 wounded animal in another moment would have 
 been upon him, when Harry coolly exclaimed: 
 
 1 i Keep quietly where you are, Tom ; I will fire 
 over your shoulder." 
 
 Then he shoved his rifle forward until its 
 muzzle touched the beast's chest. Pushing 
 hard on the gun, he pressed the trigger. There 
 was a stunning report, a heavy groan, then all 
 was still. The bear was dead. 
 
 Now another difficulty arose. The dead 
 animal was wedged into the passageway so 
 closely that the lads could not crawl over him. 
 Their only hope of escape was to push the huge 
 body out of the den ahead of them, and after a 
 long time they, by their united efforts, suc- 
 ceeded. 
 
 Once out in the open air they wiped the pro- 
 fuse perspiration their exertions had started, 
 from their foreheads, and then shook hands in 
 hearty congratulation over the happy ending of 
 their hazardous and exciting adventure. 
 
 "You don't catch me in a wild beast's den 
 again, until I know the last occupant has been 
 killed," Tom now said with a solemn shake of 
 
THE MISSING PELTS 169 
 
 the head; "but what shall we do with the beasts, 
 Harry? Tumble them down the rocks !" 
 
 "I wish we might have their skins to carry 
 back to the Institute/' replied Wallace, gazing 
 down at the shaggy pair at his feet. "Would- 
 n't the boys open their eyes in sheer wonder 
 when they saw those fellows and heard the 
 story of their capture!" 
 
 ' ' You can just bet they would, ' ' cried Ed Wil- 
 lis enthusiastically. "Come let us strip the 
 skins off." 
 
 It was new and hard work for the lads, and 
 they were at least two hours in accomplishing 
 the task, but at last it was finished to their satis- 
 faction. 
 
 "There they are, Harry," Tom announced as 
 he rolled the pelts into two enormous wads. 
 "Now how are you going to get them down to 
 the boat?" 
 
 "We can't do it to-night, especially if we 
 carry the cubs," Wallace answered. "But we 
 can put them in the cavern and block up its 
 entrance so no wild beast can get in, and return 
 for them to-morrow." 
 
 As the cubs were plump little fellows, weigh- 
 ing thirty or forty pounds apiece, this seemed 
 the wiser course, and was unanimously adopted. 
 
 Boiling the nude carcasses of the bears down 
 
170 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the ledge to become the food of the wolves or 
 other carnivorous animals, the lads brought out 
 the captured cubs from the cave, and, storing 
 the skins within it, blocked the mouth with huge 
 bowlders. Then Ed took the guns, while Tom 
 and Harry each shouldered a cub, and they be- 
 gan their long tramp back to the lake. 
 
 Ben was waiting at the point for them, and 
 already growing anxious over their prolonged 
 absence. The cubs they brought, together with 
 the exciting tale they had to relate, fully ex- 
 plained their delay however, and hastening on 
 board the launch, they ran swiftly over to the 
 island. 
 
 The next day was Harry's to spend in camp, 
 and, though several of the other lads volun- 
 teered to remain for him, while he went with a 
 gang of helpers back up the ravine for the bear 
 skins, he decided to keep his regular watch. 
 
 ' ' Tom and Ed can guide you to the cave just 
 as well as I," he said, "and all of you had better 
 go on this trip. The pelts are heavy and the 
 oftener you relieve each other in carrying them 
 the easier it will be. Ben will be company for 
 me." 
 
 Frank Eeynolds, however, was feeling slight- 
 ly indisposed, and preferred to remain with 
 Harry. 
 
THE MISSING PELTS 171 
 
 i ' That will leave four of you to go after the 
 skins, and by fastening them to stout sticks, two 
 can carry a single pelt better than by any other 
 method, ' ' he suggested. 
 
 The other boys consented to this arrange- 
 ment, and called on Ben to set them across to 
 the main shore. 
 
 "You won't be gone but a few hours," he 
 responded, "and so I'll take you over in the 
 yawl, and remain there until you return. I can 
 amuse myself while I wait by fishing for trout 
 in the brook at the mouth of the ravine. ' ' 
 
 Tom, Ed, Fred, and Bob, therefore got into 
 the boat with the crippled lad, and they rowed 
 over to the point near the gorge. 
 
 "Good luck to you, Ben, while we are gone," 
 Tom called out as he and his comrades started 
 for the cave. 
 
 "You'll think I've had good luck when you 
 see the string of fish I'll have on your return," 
 responded Ben merrily to his disappearing com- 
 panions. 
 
 The morning was bright, the air invigorating, 
 and Tom and his party by walking briskly 
 reached the cavern in an hour ; finding to their 
 indignation the bowlders had been torn away 
 from its mouth, and the pelts were gone. 
 
 "Can it be the work of wolves?" asked Ed 
 
172 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Willis in surprise. "I see they have picked the 
 bones of the bears clean," and he pointed down 
 the ledge where the carcasses of the animals 
 had been tumbled the night before. 
 
 "No animal ever pulled these rocks away," 
 Tom declared, emphatically, "for see, they have 
 been thrown into one pile ; then, too, there are no 
 fragments of the pelts lying around, as there 
 would be if the skins had been torn in pieces 
 here. No, I tell you it is the work of human 
 depredators. The pelts have been carried 
 away. ' ' 
 
 "Who in the world would take the trouble to 
 lug the heavy things off?" asked Fred Williams 
 incredulously. 
 
 "Jones and his rascally crew," answered 
 Tom promptly; "and I'd just like to run in 
 with them for five minutes. I bet they wouldn't 
 carry off anything else belonging to us right 
 away. ' ' 
 
 This sentiment was heartily endorsed by his 
 comrades ; and with their wrath kindled into 
 flame by this new outrage the boys began their 
 return. 
 
 As they reached the junction of the gorges, 
 Tom, who was slightly in advance of the others, 
 suddenly stopped, and motioned with his hand 
 for his companions to become quiet. Wonder- 
 
THE MISSING PELTS 173 
 
 ing what he had discovered, they came noise- 
 lessly to his side. 
 
 "Some one is coming up the ravine," he said, 
 "listen !" 
 
 The quick, steady tread of two persons was 
 clearly discernible, and the low hum of voices 
 in conversation reached their ears. 
 
 Soon the approaching parties were near 
 enough for their words to be distinguished. 
 
 "Are we near the mountain spur where the 
 gorge divides?" one asked. 
 
 "It can't be much farther," the other replied. 
 
 "It is Jones and Howard," Tom announced 
 under his breath. "They are coming up here 
 for some purpose, perhaps for the banners. 
 Quick into the cover of the bushes. We'll let 
 them pass, and then follow them." 
 
 The next minute he and his comrades were 
 concealed behind the adjacent shrubbery, and 
 almost breathlessly awaiting their rivals' ap- 
 proach. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 
 
 44T DON'T see what you wanted to tramp 
 I clear up here for, anyway. The ban- 
 ners are safe enough where they are," 
 Howard a moment later complained. 
 
 "I know they are safe enough," Jones re- 
 joined, "but they are too far away. I want 
 them concealed nearer our camp, where we can 
 get them at a few minutes' notice if we get a 
 chance to run by our rivals." 
 
 "What's the use of carrying them off with 
 us? Leave them where they are, and Wallace 
 and his crew will never find them. ' ' 
 
 "But we can't tell what kind of a row those 
 fellows may stir up when they get back to Mel- 
 rose," remonstrated Reed; "they now know we 
 are here, and we can't get out of the scrape as 
 we might have done had we not been discovered. 
 We may be forced to produce the flags yet, and 
 we don't want to have to come way back here 
 for them. Besides, we are not out of the woods 
 
 174 
 
AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 175 
 
 yet, and we may have to surrender the banners 
 to get away." 
 
 ' ' Caving in already, ' ' sneered Jack. 
 
 "No, I'm not," replied Jones, angrily. 
 ' * I 'm longer headed than you, and don 't believe 
 in burning a bridge behind me until I'm sure I 
 don't want to use it to make good my retreat." 
 
 Before Howard could reply, if he meant to 
 do so, an accident occurred which precipitated a 
 meeting between the members of the two camps. 
 
 Tom had concealed himself behind a clump of 
 hazel bushes, a little nearer the approaching 
 boys than his comrades. Eager to see as well 
 as to hear the new comers, he leaned one hand 
 upon a sapling in front of him and with his 
 other hand pushed aside the limbs to obtain an 
 unobstructed vision. 
 
 The sapling proved insufficient to sustain his 
 weight as he bent forward upon it, and, snap- 
 ping close at the ground, it sent the lad head- 
 long through the bush, almost to his rivals' 
 feet. 
 
 Tom was equal to the occasion, however, for 
 springing up, as his companions, recognizing 
 the fact that a meeting with Howard and Jones 
 was now inevitable, came flocking about him, 
 he said: 
 
 ' ' Good morning, Keed ! Good morning, Jack ! 
 
176 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 I beg your pardon for coming so unceremo- 
 niously into your presence. ' ' 
 
 The two High School boys made no reply, and 
 seemed by their attitude to be uncertain 
 whether to stand their ground or to run away. 
 
 Noticing this, Tom, in a perfectly nonchalant 
 manner, went on : 
 
 ' 'It '11 make no great difference, however; 
 we've wanted to see you and ask you a few 
 questions for some time, and I may as well be- 
 gin now. Taking your last contemptible act 
 first, where are the bear skins you have stolen?" 
 
 He may have put undue emphasis upon the 
 last word. It stung Jones, and with heighten- 
 ing color he answered : 
 
 ' ' Bear skins? I don't know what you mean. 
 We haven't seen or touched any." 
 
 "I presume," replied Tom hotly, for he 
 thought the lad before him was telling an out 
 and out lie, "you will now go right on and say 
 you know nothing about the sharpie you de- 
 stroyed, or the banners you carried off. I used 
 to think you had honor enough about you, 
 Jones, to tell the truth, but association with a 
 liar has made you a liar, too." 
 
 "Whom are you calling a liar?", asked 
 Howard, fiercely, and toying with the handle of 
 a revolver he carried in his belt. 
 
AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 177 
 
 ' i If the coat fits, you can put it on, ' ' retorted 
 Tom, insinuatingly. 
 
 The language and temper of the speaker are 
 not to be commended; but when it is remem- 
 bered that he was still rankling with the wrath 
 that the disappearance of the pelts had kindled 
 within him, and was additionally incensed by 
 the denial to which he had just listened, it will 
 at least account for the resentment and strong 
 feeling he was showing. 
 
 "I don't wear borrowed goods " was Jack's 
 reply to Tom's insinuation. 
 
 "No, I ought to have remembered that; you 
 steal them," Sexsmith promptly answered. 
 
 ' ' Say that again, and I '11 let daylight through 
 you," cried Howard, boiling over with rage. 
 
 "It isn't necessary; I want nothing to do 
 with you," replied Tom, cooling off a little. 
 Then he turned to Jones: 
 
 "Keed," he said, "we overheard you talking 
 about the banners, and know you have come up 
 here after them. Haven't you honor enough 
 about you now to return them to us, especially 
 since we have harmed you in no way f ' ' 
 
 "You haven't had the chance," Jones inter- 
 rupted with a grin. 
 
 "Yes we have," replied Sexsmith; "the day 
 you chased that otter up the ravine on the other 
 12 
 
178 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 side of the lake Harry and I were concealed in 
 the bushes, and actually went into your tent. 
 We could have carried off every gun you had 
 and your yawl, too, but we wouldn't. We only 
 wanted our property, and that is all we ask 
 now. Why can 't you give the flags back, unite 
 the camps, and make this a jolly trip for all of 
 us?" 
 
 "What do you say, Jack?" asked Jones, 
 turning to his companion, and there was per- 
 ceptible in his tones a willingness to comply 
 with the request. 
 
 1 ' Think ? That you are a sneak to favor any 
 such proposition," Howard fairly yelled. "If 
 that's your game, I promise you that you nor 
 Wallace won't ever see those banners again." 
 
 His reply had its effect upon Jones. 
 
 "We refuse to give up the flags," he said; 
 then he asked, curiously; "What are you going 
 to do about it?" 
 
 "Just this," responded Tom, quickly; "we'll 
 carry you and Howard to our camp and keep 
 you there until you are willing to come to 
 terms." 
 
 Then to his companions he cried : 
 
 "Look out for Reed, boys, I'll take care of 
 Jack." 
 
 As he spoke he advanced upon Howard, who 
 
AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 179 
 
 was a few feet in front of him, when the cow- 
 ardly fellow drew his revolver, and cocking it, 
 pointed it full at Tom's breast, saying: 
 
 "Lay your hand on me, and I'll shoot you 
 down like a dog. ' ' 
 
 Unintimidated by the threat, however, Tom 
 seized his antagonist's shoulder. Whether 
 Jack would have fired is a question. He was 
 exceedingly angry, and might have committed 
 an act at that moment he would have had rea- 
 son to regret all his life, but he was prevented. 
 Before he could pull the trigger of his pistol, 
 some one jumped from behind a tree not a half 
 dozen feet away, and swinging a stick through 
 the air, struck the arm holding the revolver a 
 blow that sent the weapon flying through the 
 air to a distance of ten yards or more. 
 
 Then a voice rang out : 
 
 "Let Jones and Howard go, boys. Harry 
 wouldn't keep them in camp ten minutes after 
 you brought them there. Nor would he have 
 you do a single thing here to-day to disgrace 
 yourselves or him." 
 
 The speaker was Cripple Ben, and in order 
 to explain his opportune presence at the junc- 
 tion of the gorges, we shall have to go back to 
 the time his companions left him at the lake. 
 
 As Tom and his party disappeared up the 
 
180 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 gorge, the halt boy pushed off" the yawl from 
 the point, and rowed around to the mouth of the 
 stream that flowed down the ravine. Beaching 
 the boat here, where it would be in plain sight, 
 he took his rod and hobbled along to the little 
 basin just below the rapids, the water was deep 
 and quiet, but Ben felt sure beneath its surface 
 lurked many a speckled beauty, and he prepared 
 himself to make good the boast he had uttered 
 as he parted with his comrades. 
 
 At the first drop of his fly there was a splash, 
 the leader straightened out, and the boy began 
 to reel in the line, muttering to himself: 
 
 "I've got a porpoise, I should think by the 
 feeling. It's the biggest trout I ever hooked 
 anyway. Just see him pull. ' ' 
 
 The fish was rushing around for dear life, 
 dragging the line through the water with 
 strange velocity, and making the reel sing with 
 a degree of violence truly amazing. 
 
 Ben, however, slowly wore out his opponent 
 until that creature grew sufficiently docile to 
 permit him to draw him in. As he lifted him 
 up the cause of all the mysterious pulling and 
 hauling was suddenly manifest — there were two 
 trout instead of one on the line — neither of 
 which would have weighed a fraction less than 
 three pounds. 
 
AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 181 
 
 "That's a good beginning," he soliloquized, 
 securing his fish, and making a second cast. 
 
 This time he struck three fish — one on every 
 fly on the leader — and how they made the water 
 boil. It seemed as though they pulled in all 
 directions at once. But Ben was cool headed 
 and strong armed, and succeeded in landing 
 two of the trio, larger far than those of his first 
 catch. 
 
 "I've struck the place where these fellows 
 live when at home," he remarked, facetiously, 
 as he made a third cast. 
 
 He caught a handsome fellow in less than a 
 minute, and this continued until he had twelve 
 fish before him, varying from a pound and a 
 half to four pounds in weight. 
 
 "If I keep on like this I shall load the boat 
 before the boys return," he thought. 
 
 As his fly entered the stream for the thir- 
 teenth time, however, there was a huge break; 
 the head and part of a body of a wondrous trout 
 rose to the surface, and then there was busi- 
 ness. The fellow had everything his own way 
 also. He started straight for the open lake, 
 and he carried fly and line with him. Ben had 
 his rod, reel, and perhaps four feet of the line ; 
 the fish had everything else. 
 
 There's nothing small about that, I'm 
 
 a 
 
182 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 sure," cried Ben, ruefully, as he gazed at Ms 
 despoiled pole, "and the worst of it is I've no 
 other fly with me. Well, I suppose I ought to 
 be satisfied with this haul." 
 
 He took the piece of line he had left, and 
 strung his fish upon it, and was about to return 
 to his boat, when he dropped suddenly to the 
 ground, and rolled over into the bushes. 
 
 The reason for bis act was soon apparent. 
 Eeed Jones and Jack Howard were passing up 
 the other side of the stream. 
 
 The moment they had disappeared up the 
 gorge, however, Ben was full of action. Pick- 
 ing up his crutches, he hastened to the yawl 
 with his fish and rod, then he started up the 
 ravine on the trail of his rivals. 
 
 He could go but slowly at the best, and had 
 the brook to cross at the first available point, 
 so he did not arrive at the juncture of the 
 gorges until Tom and his comrades had met 
 Reed and Jack. Stopping behind an adjacent 
 tree, he listened to their conversation until 
 Howard drew his pistol ; then swinging himself 
 forward, he by a powerful blow from one of 
 his crutches sent the weapon spinning some 
 yards away, and called upon his friends to 
 abandon their purpose of capturing the High 
 School boys. 
 
AN UNPLEASANT WRANGLE 183 
 
 His appeal was heard, and heeded. Fred, 
 Bob, and Ed released Jones whom they already 
 held, and Tom let go of Howard's shoulder. 
 
 The latter, finding himself free, turned upon 
 the crippled lad. 
 
 "Take that for your interference,' ' he 
 screamed, plunging his clenched fist into Ben's 
 face. 
 
 The blow was a powerful one, and the halt 
 boy, taken unawares, went down before it like 
 a shot. 
 
 "Shame!" cried Tom and his comrades, 
 springing forward to raise the fallen lad ; a cry 
 in which Jones joined; then, catching sight of 
 Ben's white face he turned and followed the 
 cowardly striker in his flight down the gorge. 
 
 Tom raised the cripple to a sitting position, 
 while Ed Willis ran to the brook for water. 
 Before he returned, however, Ben had opened 
 his eyes. 
 
 "I'm all right," he said, "and had I been 
 sound on my feet would not have fallen. In a 
 few minutes I'll be so I can accompany you 
 back to the boat." 
 
 "We'll carry you," all declared; and in a 
 few minutes they had constructed a rude litter, 
 upon which they placed Ben in spite of his 
 
184 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 remonstrances, and began their march for the 
 lake. 
 
 "I took the yawl around to the month of the 
 stream/' Ben explained as they drew near to 
 the end of the ravine. 
 
 They therefore carried him to that point to 
 find the boat gone. 
 
 "Those rascals saw it and have run off with 
 it; so there goes our last row-boat/ ' exclaimed 
 Ed Willis in disgust, the moment the discovery 
 was made. 
 
 "To say nothing of my rod and fish," 
 chimed in Ben with a tone that made his com- 
 panions laugh notwithstanding the awkward 
 predicament in which they found themselves. 
 
 "I wonder what those fellows will take 
 next ? ' ' Tom added wrathf ully. 
 
 "From these remarks it is evident that all 
 believed Jones and Howard had stolen their 
 boat, and yet had they looked closely along the 
 shore they would seen there was but a single 
 track, and that too large to have been made by 
 either one of the suspected lads. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 A MIDNIGHT ALARM 
 
 44T 'D LIKE to know how we are to get over 
 
 I to the island ! ' ' said Eob Hunt, after he 
 
 and the other boys had looked up the 
 
 shore of the lake, and over towards the islands 
 
 for the missing craft. 
 
 "We could walk down the beach until oppo- 
 site the camp, and signal Harry to come over 
 after us, were it not for Ben," Fred Williams 
 suggested. 
 
 "One would be enough for that job," put in 
 Ed Willis; "the rest of us could remain here 
 until the launch came across." 
 
 "But it'll take some time to carry out that 
 plan, and meanwhile the rascals who took the 
 boat are getting farther and farther away, ' ' ob- 
 jected Tom. 
 
 "Can't we arrange so as to help along both 
 of these purposes!" asked Ben. "Of course 
 we don't know certainly which way the thieves 
 have gone with the yawl, but probably up the 
 shore, or over to some of the nearest islands. 
 
 185 
 
186 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 We shall, therefore, need the launch to make a 
 thorough search." 
 
 "Why not have two of you go up the lake, 
 examining every cove as far as the main inlet 
 at' the west end? On arriving there they can 
 wait for the steamer to pick them up. Then 
 two of you can go down the shore until opposite 
 the island, and swim over there. I suggest this 
 course, for it will save time. Even if Harry 
 saw your signal at once, you'd have to wait 
 until he got up steam, before he could run 
 across for you. By swimming across you 
 would acquaint him with the facts sooner, and 
 then too he could come up the lake as soon as 
 the launch was ready for use." 
 
 "But that will leave you here all alone, Ben," 
 Tom protested. 
 
 "Well, nothing will hurt me," he replied with 
 a laugh; "and you can run in after me as you 
 go up the lake. ' ' 
 
 "Then I'll be one to swim over to the camp," 
 said Tom. 
 
 "I'll go along with you," volunteered Ed 
 Willis. 
 
 This arrangement was satisfactory to Wil- 
 liams and Hunt, and they started up towards 
 the western extremity of the sheet of water to 
 search for the lost boat. 
 
A MIDNIGHT ALARM 187 
 
 Tom and Ed a half -hour later reached a point 
 opposite the islet, and making a rude raft of 
 dry wood to convey their clothing, they, push- 
 ing it before them, began their long swim. 
 
 Twenty minutes after they emerged from the 
 water at the north side of the island, where 
 Harry and Frank were standing, for they had 
 discovered their comrades swimming over, and 
 walked up to that point to meet them. 
 
 In a moment Tom explained the situation, 
 and Harry promptly gave his orders : 
 
 " Frank, hurry to the launch and light her 
 fires ; you '11 find them all ready for the match. 
 Tom and Ed, dress yourselves at your leisure, 
 and remain in charge of the camp." 
 
 Then he hurried off to the steamer himself. 
 
 In ten minutes, by the frequent application 
 of kerosene to the fires, steam enough was in 
 the boilers to warrant a start, and away the 
 Fire-Fly sped. 
 
 At the point by the ravine Ben was taken on 
 board, and then a run was made over among the 
 islands. No trace of the yawl was found there, 
 however, and the launch was headed for the 
 main stream at the west end of the lake. 
 
 Hunt and Williams were already there, and 
 reported no signs of the thieves, though they 
 
188 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 had carefully examined the whole north and 
 west shores. 
 
 "They must have had time to reach the brook 
 here before you fellows arrived at the lake," 
 Harry said thoughtfully on receiving this re- 
 port ; ' ' somewhere up its banks also is doubtless 
 their camp. We must arrange a trip up there 
 to-morrow. ' ' 
 
 "I don't see how Jones and Howard could 
 have come up the lake as far as this before we 
 reached the mouth of the ravine," Ben re- 
 sponded ; " if they take the boat at all they must 
 still be lurking around this part of the lake. ' ' 
 
 "You say if they took it," Harry remarked 
 with evident surprise; "who else could have 
 taken it?" 
 
 "I don't know," Ben replied shaking his 
 head meditatively; "there is something mys- 
 terious about the boat's disappearance I con- 
 fess, but I'd examine the island, and both shores 
 more thoroughly before I returned to camp." 
 
 "It shall be done," answered Harry decid- 
 edly, giving the word for the steamer to move. 
 
 A thorough examination was now made of 
 the whole upper portion of the lake, but not a 
 sign of the missing boat was discovered, and 
 at last the search was given up, and the search- 
 ers returned to their camp. 
 
A MIDNIGHT ALARM 189 
 
 When the boys were all together again, there 
 arose an earnest discussion about the policy 
 best to adopt toward their rivals ; and with the 
 exception of Ben and Harry, there was a unani- 
 mous opinion that a systematic plan of retalia- 
 tion should be arranged, and carried out just as 
 soon as the other encampment could be re-dis- 
 covered. 
 
 "When Howard knocked Ben down," said 
 Tom hotly, "I thought the time had come to 
 put an end to this whole business, and for one, 
 I'm for following them up, and not leaving 
 them so much as a crust of bread to save them 
 from starvation." 
 
 "That's the talk," cried several of the other 
 boys together. 
 
 "I am quite sure," remarked Harry, with 
 rising indignation in his tones, and throwing 
 his arm affectionately over Ben's shoulders, 
 "that it will be well for Jack Howard to keep 
 out of my reach for some time to come, or there 
 may be a little unpleasantness between us. But 
 how about the others? From what you say, I 
 think Jones is relenting, and there is some pros- 
 pect of a reconciliation with Mm. ' ' 
 
 "Yes," assented Tom frankly. "The con- 
 versation we overheard between him and 
 Howard shows he was not sure yet but he 
 
190 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 might want to settle things with us, and he did 
 join in our cry of shame! when Ben was struck 
 down. ' ' 
 
 ' ' I suggest that we do this, ' ' continued Harry 
 with the manner of one who was asking a great 
 favor of his hearers; "let us find the other 
 camp again and in an honorable way demand 
 the return of our property; if the request is 
 refused then we will take it, by force if neces- 
 sary, wherever we can find it. But so far as 
 anything that belongs to them is concerned I 
 do hope we will still hold ourselves above doing 
 it the slightest injury. " 
 
 "How about themV inquired Tom slyly. 
 
 "Well, I'm ready to admit that I don't want 
 to hurt any of them if I can help it," Harry 
 replied with a laugh; "but they mustn't hit 
 Ben again, or as for that matter any of the rest 
 of you, when I'm around. If they are coming 
 to blows, I shall urge a manly self-defense," 
 and he threw out his broad shoulders and made 
 a pass with his fists at an imaginary foe with a 
 dexterity and power that showed he would be 
 no mean antagonist if forced into a contest. 
 
 ' * Harry is right, and you '11 all agree to follow 
 him in this thing, won't you!" Ben asked of the 
 other lads, and the pleading look that accom- 
 panied his words won the day. 
 
A MIDNIGHT ALARM 191 
 
 "Here are our hands on it, Ben," they said, 
 and after a hearty shake around, all turned into 
 their blankets but Rob Hunt, who was to watch 
 until midnight. 
 
 The beat for the night guard was from the 
 tent to the north shore of the island, and thence 
 around the beach to the point of starting. The 
 night was not very dark and Rob could have 
 followed his path without much trouble, had not 
 he been so terribly sleepy. His long tramp 
 during the day had completely tired him out, 
 and after the camp became quiet, he found it 
 hard work to keep awake. 
 
 In fact he dropped into a doze two or three 
 times as he came around to the west end of the 
 islet and paused to listen for any unusual 
 sounds. The last one must have been almost a 
 nap, for he had a dream, in which he thought he 
 was struggling with an antagonist who was 
 striving to throttle him. Then he seemed to be 
 overcome, and to fall heavily to the ground. 
 
 The fall was a reality and awoke him. 
 Scrambling to his feet, he muttered : 
 
 "This will never do. I'll go around the 
 island fast enough to keep me awake until my 
 watch is up." 
 
 Along the south beach he ran at a dog trot. 
 Passing around a small point, he came to the 
 
192 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 little cove, opposite the camp, where the launch 
 was kept. 
 
 To his surprise the yacht was loose, and 
 slowly drifting out from the shore. Though 
 but a rod or two away, he was no swimmer and 
 dared not plunge into the water after her, so he 
 ran to the tents for help. 
 
 "Harry, Tom, all of you, quick!" he called. 
 * < The Fire-Fly has broken loose, and is already 
 some distance out upon the lake." 
 
 In a moment his companions were on their 
 feet, and together they rushed down to the cove. 
 
 ' i There she is ! ' ' Hunt cried, pointing out the 
 craft that was fast disappearing in the dark- 
 ness. "Quick now, some of you fellows who 
 are good swimmers, or she'll drift out of 
 sight. ' • 
 
 Tom, Ed, and Fred were already stripping 
 off their coats, when Harry's voice startled 
 them. 
 
 "These ropes have been cut," he said, "and 
 the launch if drifting would go the other way." 
 
 Perplexed, alarmed, the lads gazed at the 
 boat. No one could be seen within her; no 
 steam was up; no oars were out; yet she was 
 slowly and steadily going up the lake. 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS 
 
 THE launch had nearly disappeared in the 
 darkness, when Harry called out excit- 
 edly: 
 "I say, Fred, did you use up all the rockets 
 the other night?" 
 
 "No, there are two left; shall I get them!" 
 was Fred's hurried response. 
 
 "Yes, and he quick about it, please; then fire 
 them over the boat. I'm going to swim after 
 her," Harry answered; and, as Fred ran back 
 to the tent for the pyrotechnics, he hastily re- 
 moved his coat, and pulled off his boots, pre- 
 paratory to his plunge into the lake. 
 
 Ed Willis and Tom Sexsmith followed his 
 example, and in another minute the three lads 
 had entered the water, and were swimming 
 swiftly in the direction the tiny steamer had 
 gone. They were not over a dozen rods from 
 the island, when, with a whiz, a rocket passed 
 over their heads, and bursting a moment later 
 with a brilliant glare, enabled them by its sud- 
 
 13 193 
 
194 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 den light, to discern the Fire-Fly at no great 
 distance beyond them. Evidently they had 
 gained rapidly upon her. 
 
 Spurred on by this fact, they redoubled their 
 efforts, but had not taken a half dozen strokes, 
 when they were startled by a loud cry that 
 seemed to come from the bosom of the lake just 
 in front of the launch. It was a scream of 
 abject terror, so wild, so unearthly, it scarcely 
 seemed possible that it could have been uttered 
 by human lips. 
 
 "What's that?" asked Ed Willis in alarm, as 
 he stopped swimming. 
 
 "I don't know," responded Harry as he and 
 Tom also ceased their progress. The trio lis- 
 tened intently. The light of the rocket had dis- 
 appeared, but through the gloom, they detected 
 the dark form of the boat. She seemed to lie 
 motionless upon the surface of the water. No 
 sound of any kind, however, reached their ears. 
 
 "The launch doesn't seem to be moving 
 now," Harry at last whispered; "let us go 
 nearer." 
 
 Cautiously the boys swam on. Soon they 
 were close to the yacht's side. Again they 
 paused. They could now see the vessel quite 
 clearly. No person was in sight upon her deck 
 or about her hull. 
 
LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS 195 
 
 "Ed, you stay here at the stern," Wallace 
 whispered, "while Tom and I swim around 
 her." 
 
 As noiselessly as possible, Harry moved 
 along the starboard side, and Tom glided 
 around the larboard, until they met at the 
 steamer 's bow. A few feet of her painter were 
 dragging in the water, and seizing hold of this, 
 the two lads, in turn, clambered up to the deck. 
 
 1 1 Come on board, Ed, ' ' Harry called the next 
 instant; "the thieves have abandoned the craft 
 to her rightful owners." 
 
 His words were not only heard by the lad ad- 
 dressed, but in all probability, by the boys on 
 the island ; for as Ed started to obey the call, a 
 second rocket shot clear over the launch, and 
 burst some rods beyond her. 
 
 Then for the second time that fearful cry 
 rang forth. It came this time from just be- 
 neath the bursting rocket, and Harry and Tom 
 turned quickly and looked in that direction. 
 
 Under the momentary light, they saw the 
 head and shoulders of an Indian. His face, on 
 which was depicted intense fear, was turned 
 towards the shattered pyrotechnic, and he was 
 making frantic plunges for the nearest shore. 
 
 Ed also reached the deck of the vessel in time 
 
196 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 to catch a glimpse of the fleeing redskin before 
 the light faded away, and exclaimed: 
 
 "That's the fellow that was dragging off the 
 launch. It wasn't the lads from the other camp 
 at all." 
 
 "It does look that way — that's a fact," an- 
 swered Harry with a laugh. "But did you 
 ever see a more frightened scamp in your life? 
 I shall remember his look to my dying day. ' ' 
 
 "I suppose he never saw a rocket before, and 
 the first one scared him so, he let go the hawser, 
 and made for the shore," remarked Tom. 
 
 "But he didn't scream out that time until the 
 light was almost gone," suggested Ed; "how 
 do you account for that?" 
 
 ' ' Didn 't you notice the stick of the first rocket 
 lying a few yards from the boat 's bow ? ' ' asked 
 Harry with another laugh. 
 
 ' ' I believe when the first rocket burst the fel- 
 low let go the rope and started quietly for the 
 shore. Then the stick fell somewhere near him, 
 or perhaps struck him plump upon the head. 
 He thought we were trying to shoot him with 
 some new fangled weapon. That's what made 
 him yell out that first time, and explains too his 
 screaming so quickly at the second rocket. He 
 thought we'd hit him again sure." 
 
 This certainly seemed a plausible explanation 
 
LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS 197 
 
 of the incident, and with considerable merri- 
 ment over the result of their chase, the lads got 
 out the sweeps, and slowly pulled the craft back 
 to the island. 
 
 Arriving there, Tom, as spokesman for- the 
 trio, related to the other boys with great gusto 
 the details of their adventure, and when the 
 laugh, which his recital raised, had in a meas- 
 ure subsided, Eob Hunt remarked : 
 
 "If the Indians are prowling around, maybe 
 it was some of them that carried off our yawl 
 from the point, ' ' 
 
 "And really took our bearskins," chimed in 
 Frank Reynolds. "You know Reed Jones de- 
 clared that he knew nothing about them. What 
 do you think, Ben?" 
 
 The cripple nodded his head approvingly. 
 
 "It is likely, ' ' he said, ' ' and that reminds me 
 that Tom and I found the encampment down 
 the stream deserted, when we ran by there on 
 our way to McPherson's." 
 
 "How did they get up here without our see- 
 ing them!" asked Fred Williams. 
 
 "There is nothing strange in that," replied 
 Ben. "They come and go stealthily at all 
 times, and they could have passed around the 
 falls on the opposite side from our camp any 
 night without attracting our attention. They 
 
198 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 may be camping on the upper lake now for all 
 we know, or among the hills surrounding this 
 one." 
 
 ' "It looks as though they are near the other 
 lake, for the fellow we saw to-night was making 
 in that direction, " said Harry. "Let's take a 
 run in the launch up that way to-morrow, and 
 perhaps we may recover our yawl." 
 
 A general assent was given to the proposal, 
 and as the three swimmers had now exchanged 
 their wet clothing for dry, all but the regular 
 watch returned to the tent, and, notwithstand- 
 ing the excitement through which they had just 
 passed, were soon soundly sleeping. 
 
 The next day proved to be rainy ; in fact for 
 three days the rain fell gently but with little 
 cessation, and the lads were glad to postpone 
 their proposed cruise until better weather. 
 
 Late in the afternoon of the third day, how- 
 ever, the wind veered around to the west, the 
 clouds scattered and the sun came out. Harry, 
 Ben and Tom went down to the yacht to bale 
 her out, and scrub up her deck. While en- 
 gaged in their task Ben suddenly cried out: 
 
 "My! aren't those beauties?" 
 
 His companions looked towards the north- 
 west end of the lake, whither he was pointing, 
 
LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS 100 
 
 and saw a pair of male caribou feeding on the 
 lily-pads in a small sheltered cove. 
 
 "Gracious!" exclaimed Tom; "what a chance 
 for a shot! The wind is in this direction, and 
 we could reach the east side of that bay without 
 their scenting us, and pop them over. I say, 
 Harry, let 's get their heads to go along with our 
 lynxes into the Institute museum." 
 
 "All right," Harry good-naturedly replied; 
 "Ben, will you set us across to the north 
 shore?" 
 
 The halt boy readily consented, and by the 
 time the launch was ready for the run, Tom and 
 Harry had cleaned and loaded their rifles for 
 the hunt. 
 
 Ten minutes later Ben landed them upon the 
 main shore, and they began their tramp to the 
 cove where they had seen the deer. 
 
 Crawling well around to the eastern extrem- 
 ity of the little bay, to keep the wind in their 
 own faces, they found themselves in easy range 
 of the bucks, and each selecting his victim, fired. 
 
 The caribou Tom had aimed at fell where he 
 was, but Harry's bounded to the western shore, 
 and fled into the forest. It was evident by his 
 gait, however, that he was hit hard, and, telling 
 Tom to secure his own trophy, the lad started 
 off on the trail of the wounded animal. 
 
200 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 The crimson tracks were readily followed, 
 and led directly back among the hills. Intent 
 upon overtaking the deer, Harry took no note 
 of the lapse of time or of the distance he cov- 
 ered. 
 
 At last he came out upon a small plain, shut 
 in by precipitous and rocky sides, to find the 
 buck standing defiantly at bay. It was but a 
 moment's work for the boy to slip a fresh car- 
 tridge into his rifle, and then he took deliberate 
 aim and fired. With a leap into the air the 
 caribou fell back upon his haunches, and then 
 slowly rolled over upon his side — dead. 
 
 With a shout of triumph Harry ran forward, 
 and then paused a minute or two in hesitation, 
 It was nearly dark. He had come a long way, 
 and the buck would be a heavy load to carry 
 back to the lake. 
 
 "I'll take the head off, anyway," he decided, 
 and drawing his hunting knife, he knelt down 
 to begin work. 
 
 Beginning at the shoulders, he skinned the 
 neck back to the throat, then cut the head off, 
 and wrapped the loose hide about the severed 
 part, to prevent the blood from trickling upon 
 his clothing. He then tied the hind legs of the 
 carcass together with a small cord that he took 
 
LOST IN THE MOUNTAINS 201 
 
 from his pocket, and suspended it from the limb 
 of an adjacent tree. 
 
 By the time he had done this, it was dark, and 
 to add to his discomfiture, a heavy ground fog 
 arose. Catching up the head of the caribou, 
 therefore, he retraced his steps toward the lake 
 as rapidly as possible. 
 
 Soon he was unable to see a rod before him, 
 and was compelled to slow down to a walk. For 
 a half -hour he went on expecting every moment 
 to reach the cove, where he had left Tom. All 
 at once, he struck against a dark object hanging 
 from a tree under which he was passing. 
 
 He put out one of his hands and felt of it. It 
 was the body of the deer he had killed. He had 
 been travelling in a circle as a person is almost 
 certain to do under such circumstances, and 
 had come back to the very spot he had left less 
 than an hour before. 
 
 The discovery was far from pleasing. If he 
 had not been able to find his way to the lake on 
 the first trial, there was little hope of doing so 
 now, as the darkness was unpenetrable. 
 
 Indeed, now that he thought of it, he was not 
 quite sure he could find it at all. He was not 
 able to recall a single landmark along the way 
 he had come, of which he could be absolutely 
 
202 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 certain, so little heed had he given to the ground 
 on his way thither. 
 
 From this revery, he was rudely awakened 
 by a short, sharp yelp close at hand. With 
 alarm, he dropped the caribou's head he was 
 carrying, and grasped his rifle for instant use, 
 for he knew the cry was that of the mountain 
 wolf, calling together his mates. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 THE INDIAN CAMP 
 
 SOME minutes elapsed before Harry heard 
 the cry again; and since it sounded no 
 nearer, he would have taken fresh hope 
 had not there been answering cries from the 
 hills around. The call and the responses left 
 no doubt that the wolves had scented their 
 prey. 
 
 "It's the carcass of the caribou that draws 
 them here," he thought, with some misgiving; 
 "I'll go up the plain a way, and perhaps they 
 won't follow me." 
 
 He picked up the deer's head, for he still had 
 no notion of surrendering that to the approach- 
 ing beasts, and with it under one arm, and his 
 rifle under the other, ran in the direction oppo- 
 site to that from which the yelps of the wolves 
 had come. 
 
 He saw nothing in the darkness, and must 
 have happened upon an unusually clear place; 
 for he went some rods without meeting with 
 any obstruction. Then he was struck violently 
 
 203 
 
204 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 by the lower limbs of a hemlock. The sharp 
 needles produced a smarting sensation, but he 
 paid little attention to that, as he was already 
 busy in mind with a plan of action which he be- 
 lieved must insure his safety. 
 
 Walking cautiously forward, he soon came to 
 the trunk of the tree and found to his satisfac- 
 tion it was a large one, being not less than three 
 feet through at the butt. Laying down his 
 bundle for a moment, he slung his rifle by its 
 strap across his back. Then he took from his 
 pocket a stout cord, similar to that with which 
 he had suspended the carcass of the deer to the 
 tree a little distance below him, and tied one end 
 around the antlers of the caribou. The other 
 end was secured to his cartridge belt, His 
 hands were now free, and he speedily put them 
 to good use. 
 
 Grasping the limb, which had struck his face, 
 he pulled it down until he obtained a firm grip 
 upon the branch at a point where it was large 
 enough to sustain his weight, and drew himself 
 up astride of it. Slowly working his way back 
 to the tree trunk he found he could readily 
 reach the limbs next above his head. 
 
 Untying now the end of the cord from his 
 belt, he drew the head of the buck up to the 
 branch upon which he was perched and firmly 
 
THE INDIAN CAMP 205 
 
 fastened it there. Then he ascended the tree 
 for ten or twelve feet, until he found a place 
 where a junction of limbs afforded him a com- 
 paratively comfortable seat, and there he 
 stopped to await developments. 
 
 Thus far he had been too busy with his plans 
 for his own safety to pay much attention to the 
 nearness of his savage pursuers ; but, now they 
 were completed, he was startled to find that 
 several of the beasts were already jumping and 
 snarling under the carcass of the deer only a 
 few rods away. Nor was it long before a "dull 
 thud," followed by the sounds of cracking bones 
 and tearing flesh, told him that they had suc- 
 ceeded in pulling the body of the caribou from 
 the limb to which it had been tied. 
 
 The snarls and yelps of the animals as they 
 fought over their prey were anything but reas- 
 suring, and every fresh arrival was heralded by 
 his hungry and disappointed howls, which 
 added new horror to the situation. 
 
 Harry had little hope as he now listened to 
 the medley of sounds, that the hunger of the 
 pack would be at all appeased by what they had 
 secured. Indeed, among so many it only 
 whetted their appetites, and he sat in momen- 
 tary expectation of having the howling throng 
 directly beneath him. 
 
206 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Nor had he long to wait. It could not have 
 been ten minutes that he sat there, when a 
 series of sharp yelps told the ravening horde 
 had scented his trail. The next instant, fully a 
 score of the fierce gaunt creatures were clus- 
 tered abont the hemlock. 
 
 It was with a feeling akin to fascination, that 
 Harry gazed downward into the sea of flashing 
 eyes, — a sea, turbulent, ever changing, from 
 the frantic efforts of the savage brutes to reach 
 their prey, and yet a sea carrying below its 
 gleaming surface the cruel jaws of death. 
 
 More than once, the lad drew his rifle forward 
 to fire into the surging mass, but checked him- 
 self; for he knew that only five loaded car- 
 tridges remained in his belt. 
 
 "I may need them before I get out of this 
 scrape," he muttered, "and where they'll do 
 me better service than now." 
 
 After a while, his situation became monoton- 
 ous; he was tired and sleepy too; his position 
 upon the limbs was cramped and uncomforta- 
 ble. 
 
 "I wish I had something to throw down upon 
 those fellows," he soliloquized. 
 
 He reached his hand out and breaking off a 
 small limb near him, was about to cast it down ; 
 but stopped. 
 
THE INDIAN CAMP 207 
 
 "I believe wolves don't like fire," he com- 
 mented with a chuckle, "and so I'll give them a 
 close." 
 
 He drew his match-safe from his pocket, 
 opened it, and selected a lucifer. Then he 
 struck it and applied its lighted end to the 
 branch he held. The resinous needles burst at 
 once into a flame, and he tossed the burning 
 brand into the living mass below him. 
 
 It fell, still blazing, upon the backs of two of 
 the animals, singeing their hair, and sending 
 them with sharp yelps of fright and pain out 
 from the pack into the surrounding darkness. 
 
 Greatly pleased with the result of his. novel 
 experiment, he broke off a larger branch, and 
 lighting it cast it down. He followed this with 
 a half dozen others in so rapid succession, that 
 the horde was completely demoralized; and, 
 with scorched backs, retreated to a respectful 
 distance from the hemlock. 
 
 Had Harry contented himself with this dis- 
 comfiture of his assailants, doubtless he would 
 have had little further trouble with them; but 
 elated with his success, he tore off still another 
 branch and when it was ablaze tossed it out 
 towards the cowering pack. Instead of falling 
 clear of the surrounding limbs, as he had in- 
 tended it should, it caught and held for a mo- 
 
208 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 ment, communicating its own fire to them, and 
 the next moment that whole side of the tree was 
 in flames. 
 
 Unfortunately, too, the wind was from that 
 direction, and fanned the fire through to the 
 opposite side in an incredibly brief space of 
 time. Surrounded by the flames, blinded and 
 suffocated by the dense smoke, Harry let go of 
 his perch and dropped to the ground. 
 
 In the light of the blazing tree, he saw the 
 rocky slope of the hill but a few rods away, and 
 ran for that, hoping to find some place of refuge 
 before the wolves detected his flight. He 
 reached the base however at a point too precip- 
 itous for him to climb ; and before he could find 
 a spot admitting his ascent, the pack was at his 
 heels. A hand to hand struggle with them was 
 inevitable. 
 
 As rapidly as possible he loaded and fired the 
 cartridges he still possessed, and then grasping 
 his rifle by the barrel, he used it as a club upon 
 two of the brutes that were in the act of leaping 
 upon him. 
 
 He laid them low, but others instantly took 
 their places ; his strength was nearly exhausted ; 
 in another minute he must have succumbed to 
 his assailants, when with a shout, an Indian lad, 
 bearing two blazing pine knots in his hands, 
 
Fighting the wolves. 
 
THE INDIAN CAMP 209 
 
 leaped down the rock, and dashed fearlessly 
 among the wolves. With a wholesome dread of 
 an element which had already scorched them 
 that night, the beasts sullenly retreated from 
 their nearly secured prey. 
 
 The new-comer now turned to Harry, saying 
 in fair English: 
 
 ' ' Take light, follow me. ' ' 
 
 With grateful thanks for the timely rescue, 
 Harry obeyed, and with a blazing brand in one 
 hand, and his empty rifle in the other, followed 
 his guide along the hillside slope, and up this to 
 the summit. The wolves, as though loth to sur- 
 render their intended victim, still pursued them, 
 but with every thrust of the blazing knots, slunk 
 back into the gloom. 
 
 In this way the two lads crossed the hill, and 
 descended the opposite side into a valley where 
 they entered an Indian encampment. 
 
 Several huge fires before the lodges, together 
 with a half dozen barking dogs that rushed sav- 
 agely past the new-comers toward their pur- 
 suers, effectually dispersed the horde, and for 
 the first time in several hours, Harry expe- 
 rienced a feeling of safety. 
 
 Several faces peeped out of the wigwams at 
 the young stranger, but without a word to any 
 one, the Indian lad led Harry to one of the 
 
 14 
 
210 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 larger habitations, and motioned for him to 
 enter. 
 
 He did so, to find the lodge unoccupied. An- 
 other motion of the youthful guide signified that 
 his guest was to remain there; then he himself 
 disappeared. 
 
 Five minutes later, he returned with an abun- 
 dant supply of food which without a word he 
 placed before the hungry boy, and again with- 
 drew. 
 
 Sticking his pine Knot into the soft ground 
 which formed the floor of the wigwam, Harry 
 did ample justice to the repast. Hardly had 
 he finished when the Indian had returned, and 
 standing at the door of the lodge with folded 
 arms, asked: "Who be you?" 
 
 In a few words Harry told of his camping 
 party, and explained how he had become sepa- 
 rated from his companions, and lost in the 
 mountains. He also gave an account of his 
 struggle with the wolves until his rescuer ap- 
 peared, and closed his recital by asking his 
 auditor how he happened to be so opportunely 
 at hand. 
 
 "Me saw blazing tree, and took torch, and 
 ran over hill, to see what it was. Heard gun, 
 and de wolves, and come to help," explained 
 the dusky lad. Then with a shrug of contempt 
 
THE INDIAN CAMP 211 
 
 lie added: "Wolf, him nothin': fight him with 
 stick.' ' 
 
 Harry was of a different opinion, but did not 
 dare to dispute with his young host, whose 
 familiarity with the wolf and its usually cow- 
 ardly nature, made him regard it with such con- 
 tempt. His only reply, therefore, was to ex- 
 press his gratitude again for the help rendered 
 him, and to assure the young Indian that if he 
 would accompany him to his camp the next 
 morning, he would see that he was fully re- 
 warded for his trouble. 
 
 "Me guide you to lake," the boy said proud- 
 ly, "but want no pay." 
 
 He pointed to a heap of skins in one corner 
 of the lodge, saying : 1 1 Sleep there. ' ' 
 
 A moment later he was gone. 
 
 Fatigued by the exciting experiences he had 
 passed through, Harry slept soundly until 
 morning, when he was aroused by a great com- 
 motion in the encampment. He was at first un- 
 able to realize where he was. The greatest con- 
 fusion of noises reached his ears, but the bark- 
 ing of dogs and angry calling of men to one an- 
 other finally brought him to a state of full con- 
 sciousness. Springing to his feet he was about 
 to leave the lodge, when there was a quick step 
 outside, and then a dark form entered. 
 
212 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 One glance into the scowling face that looked 
 into his was sufficient to convince Harry that 
 he had seen it only a short time before. It was 
 that of the Indian who had attempted to carry 
 off the launch, and had been so terrified by the 
 rockets. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 A STARTLING ACCUSATION 
 
 IT WAS evident to Harry that his own pres- 
 ence in the lodge had been entirely unsus- 
 pected by the Indian until the moment of 
 his entrance, for there was surprise as well as 
 anger expressed in his face. Then, too, he 
 tried, ineffectually, to conceal under his blanket 
 the burden he bore, which was no less than four 
 shot-guns and their natural accoutrements of 
 belts and ammunition. 
 
 Through the open doorway the lad also caught 
 sight of several other Indians, dividing among 
 themselves with noisy chatter the paraphernalia 
 of a camp. His first thought was that a raid 
 had been made upon his own tents. He under- 
 stood therefore how undesirable his unexpected 
 presence in the lodge must be to the robbers. 
 
 Another glance at the fowling pieces in the 
 savage's arms, however, convinced him that he 
 was mistaken as to the encampment that had 
 been plundered. The weapons did not belong 
 
 213 
 
214 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 either to him or to his comrades, and a suspi- 
 cion at once came to him that it was their rivals 
 who had suffered the depredations. 
 
 But even if this were so, a query arose in his 
 mind, whether the thieves would not think that 
 he belonged to the party they had robbed, and 
 consequently regard his presence there as om- 
 inous to themselves. This would naturally lead 
 them to make such a disposition of him as in 
 their own judgment seemed most likely to in- 
 sure their safety ; and recognizing the fact that 
 they were generally governed in their actions 
 by little or no moral considerations, he awaited 
 with no little alarm for his visitor to speak. 
 
 But the Indian did not seem inclined to do 
 this. In fact, he evidently had quite another 
 intention in mind; for placing the guns, one 
 after the other, outside of the lodge, he dropped 
 the accoutrements at his feet, all the time nar- 
 rowly watching the lad. 
 
 Something in the man's looks as well as his 
 actions suggested to Harry that he was prepar- 
 ing himself for a struggle, and the youth glanced 
 instinctively at his rifle which was leaning 
 against the side of the wigwam, where he had 
 placed it the evening before, almost exactly be- 
 tween him and the Indian. Knowing it was un- 
 loaded, however, and that he was without am- 
 
A STARTLING ACCUSATION 215 
 
 munition, he decided to trust to his knife for 
 his defense when the necessity arose, and so he 
 placed his hand upon its haft, ready for the 
 drawing. 
 
 His movement was noticed by the Indian, 
 who, perhaps, misjudging the boy's reason for 
 giving up the rifle, leaped forward with a whoop 
 and seized it. The next moment he had cocked 
 the weapon, and was pointing it at the lad's 
 head. 
 
 Serious as the situation was, Harry could 
 hardly refrain from smiling at the advantage he 
 still possessed over his antagonist. To draw 
 his knife, and, regardless of the levelled weapon, 
 plunge it into the redskin's breast, would have 
 been an easy feat; and yet he could not, know- 
 ing the scamp's murderous intention, nerve 
 himself to this. His regard for human life, 
 even though it was that of an untutored savage, 
 stayed his hand. He still believed, moreover, 
 that he could appease the Indian's anger. 
 
 ' ' You may as well put down the rifle ; it isn 't 
 loaded," he said, coolly playing with the hilt 
 of his knife. 
 
 The redskin must have understood him, but 
 as if to test the accuracy of the boy's statement, 
 he pulled the trigger. The hammer came down 
 upon the empty shell with a dull click. Xot a 
 
216 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 muscle of Harry's face moved; indeed, he 
 laughed aloud, and took his hand from his knife, 
 indicating that he looked upon the embryo 
 struggle as at an end. 
 
 The Indian lowered the weapon with a mys- 
 tified air, and stood for a moment irresolute. 
 Then he was pushed aside, and the lad who had 
 rescued Harry entered. With a reassuring 
 glance at his guest, he turned to the man, and, 
 in his native tongue, made rapid explanations. 
 As he talked the attitude of the older Indian 
 became less defiant; then he set the rifle back in 
 its place, and put out his hand to Harry. 
 
 " Camp-island, " he briefly said. 
 
 Harry nodded. 
 
 "No your tings," he remarked apologetically, 
 waving his hand toward the guns he had laid 
 down, and those articles over which the other 
 Indians were still wrangling. 
 
 Harry shook his head, saying: 
 
 "No, they are not mine." 
 
 As though that fact settled all ground for 
 dispute between them, the man again shook 
 hands with Harry ; then he brought in his guns 
 and laid them and their accoutrements at the 
 rear of the lodge, as doubtless his purpose had 
 been when he first entered. 
 
 He now turned, and speaking a few words to 
 
A STARTLING ACCUSATION 217 
 
 the Indian lad in their own language abruptly 
 left the wig-warn. 
 
 ' ' He my fader, ' ' the young Indian explained ; 
 "he say you stay here till you habe breakfast, 
 then I take you back to lake." 
 
 "All right," Harry answered, and then as he 
 was left alone, he commented: 
 
 "He don't mean I shall look around much, 
 or remain any longer than possible. Well, let 
 us see what I can discover from here. ' ' 
 
 By slightly changing his position, he was able 
 to widen his range of vision from the doorway 
 not only enough to make a careful count of the 
 goods the Indians were dividing in front of the 
 lodges, but to see a little farther down the clear- 
 ing two large bear skins stretched on frame- 
 work, and drying in the morning sun. 
 
 "I'm Yankee enough to guess where those 
 came from," he thought. "If I could only see 
 our yawl, my inventory of the stolen property 
 would be complete. That, however, is proba- 
 bly concealed over on the stream with their 
 canoes, and it's worth a trip up that way to 
 learn if we can't find it. I wonder if the lad 
 who rescued me is off of the same piece with 
 the rest of these rascals. He doesn 't act like it, 
 and when I get him down to the camp, I'll see 
 if I can't recover our property through him. ,, 
 
218 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 His soliloquy was interrupted by the entrance 
 of the Indian youth carrying a rude basket filled 
 with food, consisting of canned meats, pre- 
 served fruits, and crackers. Harry could not 
 but feel he was taking his breakfast at the ex- 
 pense of his rivals, but with a resolve to supply 
 whatever they should need from his own stores 
 when he learned their whereabouts, he ate 
 heartily. 
 
 Once the meal was finished the young Indian 
 signified that he was ready to guide his young 
 guest back to his friends. 
 
 "They look for you?" he inquired. 
 
 "Yes," assented Harry, "and for that rea- 
 son I am in a hurry to be off. ' ' 
 
 "Then we go back the way you get lost," 
 his companion said. 
 
 The fog had disappeared, and the sun shone 
 out warm and bright. The tramp over into the 
 plain where the struggle with the wolves had 
 taken place, was quickly made, and there a sur- 
 prise awaited Wallace. He found his deer head 
 still tied to the limb of the hemlock, and un- 
 injured. 
 
 The fire had started in the branches above 
 that upon which the head rested, and the wind 
 had quickly swept the flames upward and across 
 to the opposite side of the tree, leaving the 
 
A STARTLING ACCUSATION 219 
 
 lower limbs upon that side unscorched. The 
 light cinders that had fallen from the burning 
 needles were not sufficient to burn the antlers, 
 and Harry had the pleasure of securing them, 
 and continuing his way to the lake with them 
 in triumph. 
 
 Before they reached the shore, he and his 
 young guide met Tom and three of the other 
 lads, following up the trail, in search of him. 
 They gave a shout of delight, when they saw 
 their leader unharmed, and were soon about 
 him shaking his hands and calling for him to 
 explain his prolonged absence. 
 
 "My story will keep until I am at the island 
 where the other boys can hear it," he said; 
 "but this is the friend through whose help I 
 am now here. - ' 
 
 He turned to present the Indian lad to his 
 comrades, to find that he, while they were ex- 
 changing their greetings, had started back up 
 the trail. 
 
 "Hold on, Oneco," he cried. "I want you to 
 go over to the island with me. ' ' 
 
 "Me no need go now," the boy answered, 
 coming to a halt. 
 
 "But I wanted to reward you for your serv- 
 ices," explained Harry. 
 
220 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "Me want no reward," he replied, starting 
 on once more. 
 
 "Wait just a minute, Oneco, please," cried 
 Harry, and, as the young Indian stopped again, 
 he said quickly to Tom: "Change cartridge 
 belts with me, Tom." 
 
 Wondering what his captain was up to Tom 
 obeyed. His rifle was exactly like Harry's, and 
 before setting out upon his search for his miss- 
 ing comrade, he had filled his belt with loaded 
 cartridges. 
 
 Seizing the full belt, and tossing the empty 
 one to Tom, Harry now ran back to the waiting 
 lad. 
 
 "Here, Oneco, is my rifle, and this belt of 
 cartridges," he said; "take them and keep them 
 as a remembrance of me." 
 
 The black eyes of the young Indian fairly 
 danced with pleasure, but he hesitated to accept 
 the gift. 
 
 "This is the way you load and unload it," 
 Harry went on, "and the size of the cartridges 
 is 44. You can get more at any of the settle- 
 ments down the river when these in the belt are 
 gone." 
 
 "Me go to settlements sometime," was 
 Oneco 's only reply. 
 
 Harry now pressed the rifle and belt into the 
 
A STARTLING ACCUSATION 221 
 
 hands of the boy, and with a "good bye" 
 started back to his waiting companions. 
 
 * ' Me have wolf skins up there ! ' ' inquired the 
 young Indian. 
 
 "Certainly," replied Harry, looking around; 
 "you are entitled to them all." 
 
 With a wave of his hand the lad disappeared 
 among the trees with a stride that indicated he 
 was hastening to carry out some purpose. 
 
 "Look here, Harry, tell us what you fellows 
 mean by wolves, and what led you to give that 
 redskin your rifle?" said Tom as his leader 
 joined him. 
 
 "I was beset by wolves last night and Oneco, 
 as I heard him called, saved my life," Harry 
 answered. "But I will tell you all my experi- 
 ences when we are in camp. Did you wait long 
 for my coming!" 
 
 "Just as long as there was the slightest hope 
 of your return," Tom responded. "Then I 
 went back to the island with Ben who had run 
 on up to the cove to see what was delaying us. 
 This morning we started out to look you up, 
 but the difficulty in following the trail prevented 
 our meeting you sooner." 
 
 In a short time they reached the cove, where 
 they found Cripple Ben and his launch waiting 
 for them, and, embarking had run several rods 
 
222 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 off the shore, when a shout attracted their at- 
 tention. 
 
 Glancing around they saw Reed Jones on the 
 beach, and he immediately called out : 
 
 "Will you come back here a moment?" 
 
 With some inkling of the reason why the rival 
 captain sought this interview, Harry asked Ben 
 to return to the bank. 
 
 In a few minutes they touched the shore, and 
 Jones stepped on board. 
 
 "May I look into your cabin?" he asked. 
 
 "With pleasure," replied Harry, throwing 
 back the hatch and inviting his visitor to enter. 
 
 He accepted the invitation with alacrity, and 
 when within the saloon glanced searchingly 
 about him. 
 
 With a look of disappointment he now in- 
 quired : 
 
 "May I look into the fore-hatch?" 
 
 "Certainly," was Harry's response, and he 
 politely showed Jones to that quarter of the 
 boat. 
 
 The rival captain's look of disappointment 
 had changed to one of anger when he returned 
 aft. 
 
 "Did you find what you were looking for?" 
 asked Tom Sexsmith mischievously. 
 
A STARTLING ACCUSATION 223 
 
 "No, but that doesn't alter the fact that you 
 fellows have taken it," he cried wrathfully. 
 
 Then turning to Harry he continued : 
 
 "I admit you have now got the best of us ; but 
 I didn't suppose you were so mean as to take 
 the last mouthful out of a fellow's mouth, and 
 leave him nothing to get food with. ' ' 
 
 "What do you mean?" asked Harry, quietly. 
 
 "You are the last one to ask such a ques- 
 tion," Jones sneeringly answered, "when you 
 carried off last night in our absence our tent, 
 and every article we possessed. ' ' 
 
 This startling accusation was too much for 
 Harry's comrades, and they sprang to their feet 
 with cries of indignation. 
 
 Harry alone preserved a smiling and unruf- 
 fled countenance. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 
 
 HAREY waited until the indignant protes- 
 tations of his comrades had subsided; 
 then he said to his angry rival in half 
 serious and half quizzical tones : 
 
 ' ' I don 't believe you have had any breakfast, 
 Reed?" 
 
 "No, nor supper either/' he sullenly ad- 
 mitted. 
 
 "No wonder you are cross ; I should be under 
 the same circumstances. Well, I had breakfast 
 at your expense this morning, even if we didn 't 
 clean out your camp, and I resolved then to 
 furnish you with whatever supplies you needed. 
 So come on over to the island with us, and first 
 satisfy your own hunger; after that we'll load 
 up the launch and look up the rest of your 
 crew. ' ' 
 
 There was no mistaking the honesty of this 
 offer, and, a little ashamed of the anger he had 
 shown, perhaps without just cause, Jones said 
 more pleasantly than he had yet spoken: 
 
 224 
 
AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 225 
 
 "I don't understand you; how did you take 
 breakfast at my expense, if you didn't carry 
 off our goods?" 
 
 Harry's companions also looked inquiringly 
 at him, though they had some inkling of his 
 meaning. With a smile he explained: 
 
 "I was compelled to spend last night in an 
 Indian camp back of these hills, and this morn- 
 ing not only saw a lot of your goods, but actu- 
 ally made a breakfast upon some of your provi- 
 sions. I also discovered the two bear skins that 
 the boys accused you and Howard of taking a 
 few days ago ; and I have reason to believe that 
 some other things we have missed have been 
 carried off by the same thievish hands. But 
 it's a long story, and you are hungry; we'd 
 better cross over to the tents before you hear 
 it. I can readily prove to you, that whatever 
 you and your crew have done to us, we have in 
 no way retaliated except to prevent you from 
 running off with our banners. We are more- 
 over ready to help you in any way we can. ' ' 
 
 Eeed Jones, whatever his jealousy over the 
 Institute boys' victory in the boat-race had led 
 him to do, was not without some good traits of 
 character, as his protest against Jack Howard's 
 striking Cripple Ben a few days before in the 
 ravine had shown ; and this frank, open-handed 
 
 15 
 
226 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 offer of his rival to help him in his destitution, 
 touched him. 
 
 Then, too, he and his crew were hungry, and, 
 if Harry spoke the truth about their camping 
 outfit being in the hands of the Indians, he knew 
 he and they would be dependent upon the rival 
 camp, not only for food, but also for the means 
 to get back to their homes. He was, therefore, 
 not slow to see the advantage of accepting Wal- 
 lace 's generous proposal; so pointing towards 
 the shore he said : 
 
 ' l Bill Dunster and Paul Caulkins are up there 
 in the bushes waiting for me ; will you take them 
 over to the island now?" 
 
 "Certainly, and go after the others if you'll 
 tell us where they are," Harry promptly re- 
 plied, looking around at his own men for a con- 
 firmation of his promise. 
 
 They realized that the special emergency for 
 which Harry had wished — one in which he 
 might be able so to befriend his rivals as to win 
 them over to his side — had doubtless come, and 
 yet they were not so ready as their leader to 
 make use of it. They remembered the insults 
 they had received at their opponent 'stands, 
 especially the striking of Ben by Howard, and, 
 through Tom as spokesman, they voiced their 
 own idea of the matter in these words: 
 
AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 227 
 
 "When these fellows are willing to give in 
 that they have wronged us and make full resti- 
 tution, we think it will be time enough to help 
 them. ' ' 
 
 "I believe we can help them, and leave all 
 that to their own sense of what is honorable 
 and right, ' ' remarked Harry magnanimously. 
 
 ''We can do that so far as the others are 
 concerned, but not with Howard." Tom re- 
 plied, slowly shaking his head; "he struck Ben 
 down without cause, and has had more to do 
 with the mean tricks played upon us than all 
 the rest of the crew put together. Help the 
 others if you want to, but let Jack apologize to 
 Ben before he has a morsel, we say, don't we, 
 boys?" 
 
 All but the cripple gave a hearty "Aye! 
 Aye!" 
 
 "Ben has more to say about that than the 
 rest of you," Harry said, turning to the halt 
 boy with a smile. "We'll abide by his deci- 
 sion." 
 
 "Howard is in need as much as the others, 
 and if he has injured us more, we have the 
 greater triumph in helping him," Cripple Ben 
 nobly answered. 
 
 "That settles it," Harry announced decid- 
 edly, and the look of affection he gave Ben 
 
228 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 showed how fast the hearts of those two lads, 
 so different in physique and worldly position, 
 were becoming knitted together. 
 
 "Yes," put in Tom, heartily; "it does settle 
 it. The launch is Ben's, and the supplies are 
 yours, Harry; and you two are the ones that 
 have suffered most by these fellows; the rest 
 of us surely ought to show as good a spirit as 
 you. ' ' 
 
 Jones had stood upon the deck of the launch 
 a silent listener to this conversation. He was 
 now man enough to say : 
 
 "Thank you, boys, for your decision;" then 
 he called his two comrades from the bushes. 
 
 With considerable reluctance they obeyed the 
 call and seemed surprised at the cordiality with 
 which they were received by the Institute boys. 
 
 "Jack Howard, Tim Secord, and George 
 Whiting have gone down the other side of the 
 lake, looking for some trace of you and the 
 goods we thought you'd taken," explained Seed 
 when his two companions had embarked, and 
 the head of the launch was again turned towards 
 the island. 
 
 "We'll land you fellows first, and then keep 
 on to the south shore for the others," Harry 
 responded. 
 
 "I don't know whether Jack will come off to 
 
AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 229 
 
 your camp," Jones now remarked with hesita- 
 tion. "He's been awful cranky for the last 
 week and we could do little with him. Perhaps 
 I'd better keep on to the other side of the lake 
 with you. ' ' 
 
 "Very well, if you think best," said Wallace, 
 "but we'll stop for you to have breakfast first. 
 They have a longer tramp before them than 
 you three did, and I don't believe they will come 
 around to the falls before we get over there." 
 
 In a few minutes the Fire-Fly touched the 
 landing at the island, and the two boys in charge 
 were both delighted and surprised: delighted 
 to see their captain once more and to find him 
 unharmed ; surprised that three members of the 
 rival camp had returned with him. 
 
 A few words of explanation, however, put 
 them in full possession of the circumstances 
 which brought Jones and his men there, and 
 they cheerfully bustled around to prepare a sub- 
 stantial meal for the new-comers. 
 
 As Jones was eating he said to Harry : 
 
 "I want to tell you my story now, before 
 Howard gets here, as there are some things I 
 can speak more freely about with him away. 
 Since the night you gave us such a chase about 
 the lake we have made our camp back of a rocky 
 promontory, two or three miles up the main 
 
230 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 stream. We got along comfortably until the 
 rain set in three days ago. 
 
 "Our tent leaked like a sieve and we were 
 soon as uncomfortable as we well could be. We 
 had a hard time, too, the next day to find dry 
 material enough for a decent fire, and when the 
 second night came, we were ready to sell out 
 at a small price. The weather made us all 
 cross also, I reckon, but Howard was especially 
 so. Nothing seemed to suit him, and he found 
 fault with us all every chance he got. 
 
 ' ' When the third morning came with the rain 
 still pouring, it was more than we could stand, 
 and we had one of the biggest rows that ever 
 disgraced a camp-fire. Paul and Bill here sided 
 with me, and Tim and George stuck by Jack. 
 
 ' ' Soon after it broke away, in the afternoon, 
 however, I proposed to Paul and Bill that we 
 take a row up the stream ; it would warm us up, 
 and we might catch some fish for supper. They 
 agreed, and, without asking the others to join 
 us, we took the yawl and started off. 
 
 ' ' Our action mifYed Howard and his followers 
 still further, and we'd no sooner gone than they 
 sauntered off down the stream leaving the camp 
 unguarded. 
 
 "Just about dark the boys here and I came 
 back to the encampment in better mood and with 
 
AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 231 
 
 a large string of trout. What was our amaze- 
 ment to find that the tent and all our outfit had 
 disappeared. 
 
 "Our first thought was that Howard and Tim 
 and George had moved the things to some other 
 spot to annoy us, and we foolishly went off to 
 look them up, leaving our yawl unguarded. 
 
 "Climbing over the rocky promontory, we 
 kept down the bank of the stream for a half- 
 mile, where we met our comrades. They were 
 astonished when we charged them with remov- 
 ing the camp, and forgetting our past differ- 
 ences, we all hurried back to the old camping 
 ground to find that the yawl and its contents 
 had been carried away in our absence, and we 
 had nothing left but the clothes on our backs. 
 
 "As we had seen nothing of the Indians, we 
 naturally laid 'the clean-out' to you fellows, and 
 I confess that as supperless and cold we hud- 
 dled together around the trunk of a hemlock, 
 we didn't make a very good use of your names. 
 When morning came, however, we were in a 
 condition to compromise with you upon almost 
 any terms, and believing that you could not 
 have reached your own camp that night with 
 your booty, we took an early start to look you 
 up. 
 
 "After Bill, Paul and I had gone part way 
 
232 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 down this side of the lake, we saw the launch 
 lying off the cove, and concluded she was wait- 
 ing for you fellows to bring the goods on board, 
 so we hastened down there, but you had already 
 started for the island when we arrived, and 
 leaving the other boys hidden, I came out and 
 hailed you." 
 
 Harry now told of his own experiences the 
 night before, and held his little audience spell- 
 bound as he gave the account of his hand-to- 
 hand struggle with the wolves and his timely 
 rescue by the young Indian. His encounter 
 with the old Indian in the lodge was received 
 with equal interest by his auditors, and the de- 
 tailed list he gave of the articles the savages 
 had in their possession left no doubt in the 
 minds of the High School boys but that their 
 camping paraphernalia had passed into red- 
 skins ' hands. 
 
 "I suppose there is no hope then of recover- 
 ing the stuff, ' ' Jones remarked regretfully when 
 Harry was done. 
 
 "I wanted to use the young Indian who res- 
 cued me as a go-between for that purpose," 
 explained Wallace. "He seemed made of dif- 
 ferent material than the others, and certainly 
 had no hand in the robbery. But I couldn't 
 persuade him to come to the camp." 
 
AN HONORABLE PROPOSAL 233 
 
 "There are Howard and his men now," Kob 
 Hunt exclaimed, pointing off toward the south 
 shore of the lake. 
 
 Three lads could be seen standing on the 
 beach, and Harry and Ben, accompanied by 
 Reed, entered the launch, and ran over where 
 they were. 
 
 On the approach of the yacht, the boys drew 
 back into the forest, but Jones, as soon as the 
 boat touched the shore, leaped out and followed 
 them. 
 
 He was gone some minutes, but returned with 
 his friends. Secord and Whiting readily shook 
 hands with Harry and Ben, but Howard merely 
 nodded, and grunted out a surly "good morn- 
 ing. ' ' 
 
 With no notice of his discourtesy, Harry now 
 invited them all to visit the island, an invitation 
 they promptly accepted. The hungry trio were 
 furnished with breakfast on their arrival at the 
 tents. Then Harry said: 
 
 "I have talked the matter over with my own 
 crew, and we are ready to give you fellows the 
 choice of two things: You may remain here 
 with us as our guests; or we will furnish you. 
 with our smaller tent, two guns, and enough of 
 our supplies to make you comfortable, and you 
 may camp where you please. ' ' 
 
234 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 " Thank you/' Jones answered gratefully, 
 "I'll talk it over with the boys." 
 
 He called his crew and they walked off toward 
 the west end of the island. A half hour later 
 he returned to the tent alone, and said: 
 
 "The boys sent me back to ask you if you 
 would be willing to guide us to the Indian camp 
 that we may see if we can recover any of our 
 own property, before we decide to accept either 
 of your offers ? ' ' 
 
 "I will give you an answer in five minutes," 
 Harry replied; and, as Jones withdrew, he 
 turned to consult with his men. In less time 
 than he had promised, the talk was over, and he 
 went down where Eeed and his comrades were : 
 
 "To recover your property," he said, "will 
 require in my judgment two parties : one to go 
 up the trail and over the mountain to the Indian 
 encampment; the other to go up the stream in 
 the launch to search for the boats. We will, 
 however, join in this movement on one condi- 
 tion — that you return to us our banners." 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 ON THE TRAIL 
 
 AS THOUGH conscious that the terms he 
 proposed brought the estrangement 
 which had so long existed between the 
 two crews to a crisis — a crisis wherein it must 
 either be overcome or fanned into a fuller flame 
 — Harry now drew himself up to his full height, 
 and looked squarely into the face of the rival 
 captain. His whole manner and attitude were 
 expressive with an unmistakable appeal to his 
 opponent to act honorably and fairly. 
 
 Nor was the mute appeal without its influ- 
 ence upon Jones. The manhood in him was 
 aroused, and extending his hand to the lad he 
 had so persistently tried to injure, he said : 
 
 "I intend to do that any way. I promise you 
 that on our return from this trip, whatever its 
 issue, the flags shall be restored to you. Shall 
 it not be so, boys?" 
 
 He turned toward his crew with both earnest- 
 ness and determination plainly visible in his 
 countenance. 
 
 235 
 
236 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "This miserable business we have engaged 
 in is now to end so far as I'm concerned; who 
 of you stand with me?" 
 
 It may be he infused some of his own noble 
 resolve into his comrades, or possibly they 
 dreaded the deplorable condition into which 
 their refusal to follow their leader would neces- 
 sarily bring them ; whichever motive it was that 
 influenced them they now with a single excep- 
 tion responded: "I," "I," "L" 
 
 That exception was Jack Howard, and, 
 though both Eeed and Harry noticed his si- 
 lence, neither remembered that he alone knew 
 where the banners had been concealed, and that 
 the carrying out of the purpose, so heartily 
 agreed to by the others, depended upon his co- 
 operation. 
 
 Possibly both lads thought now that though 
 Howard stood alone in his opposition to the 
 project, he could not long hold out against the 
 unanimous wish of his comrades, and they de- 
 cided for the time to humor him in his obstinacy. 
 Taking no notice, therefore, of his declination 
 to answer, they hastened back to the tents to 
 make ready for their expedition. 
 
 Cripple Ben was given the command of the 
 launch, with Tom Sexsmith, Fred Williams and 
 Jack Howard as his crew; while Eob Hunt, 
 
ON THE TRAIL 237 
 
 much to bis own disgust, was assigned to the 
 duty of guarding the camp. This left eight of 
 the lads, including Harry and Reed, for the 
 overland force. 
 
 One gun was deemed sufficient for the arma- 
 ment of the yacht, and one for the protection of 
 the tents. Four guns and one rifle, constituted, 
 therefore, the equipment of Harry and his fol- 
 lowers. 
 
 "What a pity, Wallace, you gave your own 
 rifle to that young Indian,' ' remarked Tom, as 
 he witnessed this division of the firearms among 
 the boys. "Now it may be used against you." 
 
 "I hardly fear that," his leader replied, with 
 a light laugh. "While these Indians will steal 
 anything they can lay their hands on, and might 
 make away with a single person who had of- 
 fended them, they would hardly interfere with 
 a party as large as ours. It would involve too 
 great a risk, and be likely to attract the atten- 
 tion of the government, of which they have a 
 wholesome dread. The only thing for us to do 
 is to keep a bold front, and but for that, I should 
 take no arms along at all." 
 
 He did not add that he was relying upon the 
 evident friendship of Oneco more than any other 
 thing, not only to prevent hostilities between 
 themselves and the Indians, but to secure the 
 
238 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 restoration of the stolen property. Such, how- 
 ever, was the case. 
 
 At last the arrangements were completed, and 
 the twelve boys embarked npon the Fire-Fly, 
 which steamed swiftly up to the cove, whence 
 the trail over the mountains began. Leaving 
 Harry and his force there, she then ran toward 
 the west end of the lake, where she was to enter 
 the main inlet, and passing up that several 
 miles, wait for the land party to rejoin her. 
 
 Meantime, Wallace and his men pushed stead- 
 ily through the forest to the little plain, where 
 the scorched hemlock bore witness of his stir- 
 ring adventure of the night before. 
 
 "Oneco has been here," he exclaimed, as his 
 party reached the rocky slope at whose base the 
 hand struggle with the wolves had taken place. 
 "He has stripped off those pelts, as you see." 
 
 His comrades had noticed the half dozen nude 
 carcasses of the wolves as quickly as he, and 
 Jones replied: 
 
 "That must have been a big job, and he can't 
 be far in advance of us now." 
 
 "He'd make light of a task that would have 
 taken us hours to finish, ' ' Harry replied ; ' ' and 
 is probably now at the lodges over in the oppo- 
 site valley. Come on." 
 
 He led the way up the steep hill- side to its 
 
ON THE TRAIL 239 
 
 top, on reaching which, an exclamation of sur- 
 prise escaped him. 
 
 His comrades gathered about him, and looked 
 down into the valley, so near as to seem almost 
 at their feet. 
 
 "The Indian encampment was certainly right 
 there this morning," he said, pointing toward 
 an open spot plainly visible from their point of 
 observation; "but where is it now?" 
 
 Well might he ask the question, for not a 
 lodge was to be seen! The open place where 
 they had stood a few hours before was deserted. 
 No one would have "thought it possible that the 
 valley had recently been inhabited even by a 
 tribe of savages. 
 
 "We'll go there, anyway," said Harry, and 
 at a tremendous pace he started down the pre- 
 cipitous slope. 
 
 In ten minutes he and his party were upon 
 the site of the encampment. There were 
 enough traces remaining to convince every lad 
 of that, yet so skilfully had the obliteration been 
 done, that a careful examination of the ground 
 was necessary before they were found. 
 
 "This explains not only their haste in getting 
 rid of you this morning, Harry, but the reason 
 that young Indian left us so abruptly. They 
 intended to leave for parts unknown before you 
 
240 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 could get aid and return here/' remarked Ed 
 Willis, after the clearing had been fully exam- 
 ined. 
 
 "And there's no likelihood of our finding 
 them either," said Reed Jones regretfully. 
 "We shall have to accept one of your offers 
 afcer all, Harry." 
 
 "We shall all the more gladly grant it now 
 that we know you are entirely dependent upon 
 it, ' ' Harry answered with a smile ; ' i but we may 
 as well work our way down to the main stream 
 and join the launch. It will do no harm to keep 
 on up to the other lake in her; and we may 
 possibly overhaul the Indians if they have gone 
 that way, for they cannot have had a great deal 
 the start of us. ' ' 
 
 A tiny brook ran from the clearing toward 
 the main stream, and Harry and his companions 
 decided to follow this. It led them a circuitous 
 route, and over rough ground, but brought them 
 eventually out upon the creek they sought, sev- 
 eral miles above the lower lake. 
 
 The Fire-Fly was nowhere in sight, and a lad 
 was sent each way to look for her. The one 
 who had gone up the stream soon returned, re- 
 porting that the launch was just around a bend 
 a half mile away. The other youth was there- 
 fore called in, and then the whole party has- 
 
ON THE TRAIL 24l 
 
 tened up the bank to overtake the waiting boat. 
 
 Once on board of her they found her crew 
 had as yet seen no traces of the Indians, and 
 the ascent of the stream was resumed. Possi- 
 bly the craft had made two miles against the 
 rapid current, when, on rounding a sharp bend, 
 the lookout forward cried : 
 
 ' 'There's a canoe coming down toward us 
 with one Indian in it, and he has another canoe 
 or some kind of a boat in tow." 
 
 Harry and Reed went forward together. 
 
 "It's Oneco," Harry announced a moment 
 after, "and he has a yawl behind him." 
 
 Though the young Indian saw the launch, he 
 still came straight on down the stream. Evi- 
 dently he expected, and was seeking an inter- 
 view with her. 
 
 "Hello, Oneco," Wallace called when the lad 
 was within a rod or two of them, "hold up and 
 we'll run alongside of you." 
 
 The boy stopped paddling, and, as the 
 steamer grated the side of his canoe, grasped 
 her railing and leaped lightly on board. 
 
 He had taken care to bring his bow-line with 
 him, and at once tied it to the larger craft, thus 
 securing his own boats from drifting down the 
 stream. 
 
 16 
 
242 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 Then pointing to the yawl he had in tow, he 
 said to Harry: 
 
 ' ' That yours ; bear skins yours ; rod yours ; 
 fish yours ; rne bring 'em back. ' ' 
 
 Sure enough, in the bottom of the yawl were 
 the two missing bear skins, Ben's rod, and a 
 string of freshly caught fish equal in size to 
 that the halt boy had lost. 
 
 "Yes, they are ours," Harry answered, "and 
 we thank you for returning them." 
 
 ' i Me took 'em ; not know they yours ; thought 
 they belonged to him," and he moved his hand 
 toward Jack Howard. 
 
 "The camp he belonged to has been robbed," 
 Harry said sternly; "and I saw their things in 
 your people's hands. Where has their encamp- 
 ment gone? We have been over there to see if 
 they wouldn 't return the property. ' ' 
 
 For reply the young savage strode up to How- 
 ard, and though much slighter and somewhat 
 younger than he, drew himself up fearlessly be- 
 fore him. The movement took them all by sur- 
 prise for none of them had any idea that the 
 two had already met each other. 
 
 "See me before?" he asked, and there was a 
 look in his eyes before which Jack quailed. 
 
 "Yes," he stammered. 
 
 "Me caught you then, me serve you so," the 
 
ON THE TRAIL 243 
 
 lad cried, and to the astonishment of the other 
 youths, and before any of them could prevent 
 it even if they would have had they known the 
 circumstances, he picked Howard up as though 
 he were but a baby, and tossed him over the 
 rail into the stream. 
 
CHAPTER XXV 
 
 A MIDNIGHT DESERTION 
 
 WHEN the lads recovered from the aston- 
 ishment caused by the young Indian's 
 hasty act, their first thought was to 
 secure and chastise the culprit. But as they 
 sprang forward to do so, Cripple Ben swung 
 himself in front of the savage, and, waving 
 them back with one of his crutches, cried out in 
 clear and ringing tones: 
 
 "Let him have fair play, boys ! He wouldn't 
 have done that without some reason for it. 
 Nor has Howard suffered anything worse than 
 a ducMng, and he got used to that long ago. 
 Give the Indian a chance to explain himself." 
 
 "All right," was the response, and while Tim 
 Secord helped Jack from the yawl, into which 
 he had already climbed, to the deck of the 
 launch, and helped him in wringing out his wet 
 clothing, the others turned to Oneco for an 
 explanation of his singular action. 
 
 The redskin stood in a defiant attitude by the 
 yacht's rail, and, even though the lads now 
 
 244 
 
A MIDNIGHT DESERTION 245 
 
 waited for him to speak, uttered no word in his 
 own defense, until Harry laid a band on his 
 arm, saying: 
 
 "Tell us, Oneco, what he has done to you; we 
 will not uphold him in his misdeeds." 
 
 The stolid face softened, a smile came to the 
 stern lips, and in broken English the boy gave 
 the following facts : 
 
 On the morning after Howard had been 
 landed upon the northern shore of the lake with 
 the banners, he and a younger brother were 
 fishing in the stream, which ran down through 
 the ravine at that point. Unaware of the 
 presence of any one else in the gorge, they gave 
 their whole attention to their sport. 
 
 The younger lad was upon the left bank of 
 the stream, and some rods above his brother, 
 who was on the opposite side. Jack Howard, 
 in passing down the ravine, after hiding the 
 banners, to join his companions at the mouth of 
 the main stream, caught sight of the little red- 
 skin intent upon his self-imposed and exciting 
 task; and, seeing no one else around, crept up 
 behind him, and with a sudden blow sent him 
 headlong into the brook. 
 
 His cries speedily brought Oneco to the scene, 
 and having rescued the boy and learned from 
 him that he had been pushed into the water, he 
 
246 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 looked quickly around for the miscreant. Dis- 
 covering Howard running off through the 
 forest, he gave chase after him. 
 
 Unfortunately for himself, his delay in cross- 
 ing the brook gave the culprit so long a start 
 that he could not overtake him, but he got near 
 enough to see the fleeing lad's features, and was 
 sure to recognize him on meeting him again. 
 
 The telling of the audacious prank in the In- 
 dian encampment a few hours later, aroused a 
 determination to retaliate upon the offender, 
 and supposing there was but one camping party 
 in the neighborhood, and that the one to which 
 Howard belonged, the savages kept watch 
 for a chance to annoy them and carry off the 
 property of the white intruders. 
 
 Opportunities soon came ; the bear skins were 
 removed from the cave in which they had been 
 stored ; the boat left at the ravine point was run 
 off; and an attempt was made to steal the 
 launch. 
 
 Oneco had accompanied his father to the 
 south shore of the lake that night, and there 
 waited for him to swim over to the island and 
 tow off the yacht. When their plan was frus- 
 trated by the firing of the rockets, they were 
 forced to make a long detour around the west 
 
A MIDNIGHT DESERTION 247 
 
 side and up the main stream to reach their en- 
 campment. 
 
 In ascending the brook, just as morning was 
 breaking, they came upon the camp of the High 
 School boys, and a little watching convinced 
 them that this was the one to which Howard 
 belonged and not that which they had been 
 plundering. From that hour the newly dis- 
 covered tent was under the constant surveil- 
 lance of some of the Indians until the chance 
 came to rob it. Oneco belonged to the party 
 that had been relieved by the one in charge of 
 his father only a few hours before the robbery, 
 and this accounted for his presence at the 
 lodges, and his opportune rescue of Harry the 
 same night. 
 
 Wallace's gift of the rifle as a token of his 
 appreciation of the noble deed won the young 
 savage over to the side of the white strangers, 
 and he hastened back up the trail that morning 
 with the already formed purpose of returning 
 all the property his people had stolen from the 
 island camp. 
 
 When Oneco 's story was finished Eeed Jones 
 turned to Howard, who, having put on his 
 wrung out clothing, was sitting on the sunny 
 side of the launch for it to dry, and said 
 angrily : 
 
248 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 "So it's to some more of your tomfoolery 
 that we owe the loss of our traps I ' ' 
 
 "I don't see as I've done much worse than 
 you have," retorted Howard; "any way I 
 haven't grown chicken hearted over a few mis- 
 haps, and caved in like you." 
 
 The dispute between the lads would have 
 waxed hot, for both had lost control of their 
 tempers, had not Harry interposed. 
 
 "It will do you no good to accuse each other," 
 he said; "your things are gone, whosesoever 
 the blame is, and our business now is not to 
 quarrel but to see if we cannot get them back. ' ' 
 
 He now asked Oneco to go with Keed and 
 himself into the cabin where they could -be 
 alone. They talked long and earnestly with 
 him about the other stolen property. He 
 pointed out to the young Indian that Jones was 
 not responsible for Howard's actions, and that 
 the loss of the yawl and guns fell not upon the 
 offender, but his innocent comrades. He sug- 
 gested also that if Oneco would persuade his 
 people to return the articles he had named, 
 they might keep the rest of the camping outfit 
 unquestioned, as he would supply the destitute 
 lads with all else they needed until they re- 
 turned down the river. But he found the boy 
 obstinately opposed to giving back a single 
 
A MIDNIGHT DESERTION 249 
 
 thing. He seemed to think that Howard's con- 
 nection with that camp justified his people in 
 plundering it and stoically said: 
 
 "Me do no more 'for you now." 
 
 He told Harry furthermore that the launch 
 was fast approaching rapids which she could 
 not ascend, and that the upper lake was still 
 many miles beyond them. To go there would 
 not help him at all to secure an interview with 
 his people, for they were not in that locality, 
 but had gone where it was impossible to follow 
 them. 
 
 A sudden call from the deck of the yacht that 
 rapids were in sight confirmed the Indian's 
 first statement; and, as there was no reason to 
 doubt his others, the farther ascent of the 
 stream, at Jones' own suggestion, was aban- 
 doned. 
 
 Oneco seemed pleased at the confidence shown 
 in his word, and accompanied them back to the 
 mouth of the creek. Then with the somewhat 
 indefinite promise, "You see me soon," he 
 entered his canoe, and paddled rapidly back up 
 the watercourse. 
 
 It was late when the launch reached the 
 island, and Harry told Eeed that the offers of 
 the morning were still open to him and his 
 crew, and if he would make known his choice of 
 
250 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 them, they would at once carry the chosen one 
 into effect. 
 
 Jones replied that for himself, he preferred 
 to stay where he was. One camp, and that on 
 the island, was safer, pleasanter, and more 
 readily cared for than two, with one of those 
 upon the main shore; but he would follow the 
 wishes of his companions. 
 
 When they were consulted, not even Howard, 
 who since his unceremonious bath at the hands 
 of Oneco, had kept aloof from his own camp- 
 mates with the exception of Tim Secord, made 
 any objection to staying on the islet. So this 
 plan was adopted. 
 
 The smaller tent was cleared of its goods, 
 and fitted as a sleeping apartment for the new- 
 comers; the goods removed from it were then 
 packed in the larger tent in a way that per- 
 mitted it still to be used by its regular in- 
 habitants, though it must be confessed they 
 were in somewhat contracted quarters. 
 
 These arrangements were completed by sun- 
 set, and both crews amicably sat about one 
 camp-fire and took supper together. After the 
 meal was finished, Eeed began to talk freely 
 with Harry about the return of the banners, 
 which he promised should take place early the 
 following day. 
 
A MIDNIGHT DESERTION 251 
 
 During the conversation it was noticed that 
 Howard arose, and followed by Secord, saun- 
 tered off toward the lower end of the island; 
 but, as they soon returned, apparently in the 
 best of humor, nothing more was thought of the 
 circumstance. The hour for retiring came, and 
 as Harry could now see no good reason for 
 keeping a night-watch, the custom, for the first 
 time in several weeks, was abandoned. 
 
 At midnight, any one looking into either of 
 the tents, would have said all the occupants 
 were sunk in deep slumber; had he continued 
 his watch a half hour longer, however, he would 
 have noticed that one of the boys in the smaller 
 tent arose, and stepping quietly over his com- 
 rades, left the enclosure. Two minutes later a 
 second did the same. 
 
 The two met outside, and whispered together 
 for a few seconds; then the one who had first 
 come out, stepped cautiously along to the larger 
 tent and looked in. A glance seemed to satisfy 
 him, for he immediately entered. He was gone 
 several minutes, and when he came out, carried 
 a rifle and a shot gun over one arm, while over 
 the other he had two belts filled with cartridges, 
 and two game bags stuffed with provisions. 
 
 He was immediately joined by the other lad, 
 who had awaited his coming, and with whom he 
 
252 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 divided his burden. Then the couple hastened 
 down to the little landing where the launch and 
 yawl were moored side by side. 
 
 Laying their weapons and bags in the yawl, 
 the boys untied it, and pushed it gently off into 
 the water. Leaping in, they noiselessly rowed 
 out upon the lake. When clear of the island, 
 beyond any chance of awakening their sleeping 
 comrades, they settled down to hard work, and 
 the light craft sped rapidly toward the north- 
 ern shore. 
 
 The new moon came out just then from be- 
 hind the flying scud that had momentarily hid 
 her face, and her faint light fell directly across 
 the heads and shoulders of the rowers. It was 
 enough to show that one was Jack Howard, the 
 other Tim Secord, and their whole action 
 showed that they were, for some cause well 
 understood by themselves, deserting their com- 
 panions. 
 
 When it is recalled that Howard still kept the 
 secret of the missing banners' hiding place in 
 his own bosom, it can be readily guessed that 
 this midnight desertion meant the thwarting of 
 Jones' promise to restore them to their rightful 
 owners. 
 
CHAPTEE XXVI 
 
 A HARD NUT TO CRACK 
 
 IT WAS not until morning that the other 
 members of the united camps became 
 aware of Jack's and Tim's desertion; it 
 was at a comparatively late hour in the morning 
 too, for not until the sun was high above the tree 
 tops, and its beams dancing across the rippling 
 surface of the lake, did any of the tired lads 
 stir. 
 
 Reed Jones was the first to awake, and sitting 
 up, he glanced down at his sleeping companions. 
 He had no difficult task to ascertain that there 
 were only three other lads in the tent besides 
 himself, and that the two who had left were 
 those that were least in sympathy with the 
 reconciliation already effected between the rival 
 crews. With some foreboding, therefore, of 
 the very occurrence which had taken place, he 
 sprang to his feet and rushed outdoors. 
 
 Opposite to him, and sufficiently near to come 
 directly under the range of his hurried glance, 
 
 253 
 
254 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 was the little landing of the island, and he at 
 once noted an important factor in his self-im- 
 posed investigation — namely, the yawl was 
 gone. 
 
 Hastening along to the door of the larger 
 tent, he excitedly called out: 
 
 ' * Harry, quick, come out here ! ' ' 
 
 The next instant, not only Wallace, but all 
 his comrades rushed through the opening, their 
 half-dressed appearance showing that they had 
 just aroused from their sleep, while their star- 
 tled looks revealed that they suspected from 
 Jones' call that something unexpected had 
 happened. 
 
 "What's the matter, Reed?" Harry asked, 
 glancing quickly about the encampment. 
 
 "See if any of your things are gone — guns, 
 ammunition or provisions," was the quick 
 response. 
 
 With exclamations of surprise the awakened 
 boys re-entered their tent, followed by Reed, 
 and began to overhaul their stores. A brief 
 examination showed that two of the guns, their 
 cartridge belts, and a small quantity of eatables 
 were missing. 
 
 "That settles it," Jones added; "Howard 
 and Secord have run away." 
 
 He then told of his own awaking, and the 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 255 
 
 facts he had discovered, which, together with 
 the missing articles, confirmed beyond all doubt 
 his first suspicions that the absent lads had pur- 
 posely deserted the camp. 
 
 "Well, joy go with them," remarked Tom 
 Sexsmith, with a characteristic shrug of his 
 broad shoulders; "I don't envy them their trip 
 down to the river, if there's where they have 
 gone; or their camp out alone, if that's what 
 they are going to do." 
 
 "But they needn't have gone off like sneak 
 thieves," put in Harry, indignantly. "We 
 would have allowed them to go without opposi- 
 tion and furnished them with all needful sup- 
 plies, too, had they only made their wishes 
 known." 
 
 "But don't you see," interrupted Jones, 
 quickly, "they had a reason for leaving as they 
 did, or at least Howard had, for he is the only 
 one who knows where your banners are hid, and 
 expects by his going to thwart my purpose of 
 giving them back to you." 
 
 This announcement gave the listeners a flood 
 of light respecting Howard and Secord's flight, 
 but that light blighted their most cherished 
 hope, and they for a time were dumb with 
 chagrin and disappointment. 
 
 "Then he never told you where he put 
 
256 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 them?" Harry at last recovered himself suffi- 
 ciently to ask. 
 
 "No, you fellows prevented it," Eeed re- 
 sponded. "Howard and I were going up the 
 ravine after them that time we met Tom and 
 his companions. You remember how the meet- 
 ing ended, and Jack was so mad over my siding 
 with Ben that I couldn't persuade him to go up 
 there again with me. I should have insisted 
 upon his telling where they were, long before 
 this, had I any idea of his running away. ' ' 
 
 ' ' There would have been no cause for his go- 
 ing had he told you that, ' ' Cripple Ben now sug- 
 gested with a smile; "and this desertion was 
 doubtless planned last night when the two run- 
 aways walked off together towards the upper 
 end of the island. Harry and you were, at that 
 time, laying your plans about going for the flags 
 to-day, and I recollect you said they were in a 
 cave near a big beech tree. Can't you trace 
 them out from that clue?" 
 
 "I don't know," Jones replied, rather doubt- 
 fully it must be confessed; "I have no idea how 
 far up the ravine Jack went, nor upon which 
 side of the stream the cavern is." 
 
 "Tell us just all you do know about it, 
 please, ' ' Harry now said. 
 
 "Well, it was awful dark, as you know, when 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 257 
 
 Howard landed upon the point," Jones con- 
 tinued, "and he had hard work to find his way. 
 By a lucky chance he struck the bank of the 
 gorge at a point where he could easily descend 
 into it, and guided by the sound of the running 
 water he kept up the passage until he felt sure 
 you were no longer following him. 
 
 "When morning came he was near the moun- 
 tain spur where the ravine divides, and fol- 
 lowed the east division until he found the cave, 
 the entrance to which was marked by a large 
 beech tree. Perhaps we could find it." 
 
 "I don't see why we can't," Harry answered 
 with the decisiveness characteristic of him when 
 he had formed a plan of action. "Howard was 
 on the east side of the stream when he landed, 
 and naturally kept up that bank all the way; 
 this led him into the east gorge and accounts for 
 his taking that instead of the west one. Some- 
 where, then, on the right side of that passage 
 we may find the cave, and get the banners." 
 
 "If Howard has not already removed them," 
 suggested Ben significantly. "The more I 
 think the matter over, the more I am of the 
 opinion that Jack believed Jones knew enough 
 about the hiding place of the flags to find it, and 
 his desertion was to carry them off. Even if 
 he and Tim did not leave camp before midnight, 
 
258 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 tliey have had seven hours the start of us, and 
 may now be sailing toward the river with them 
 on board, while we've no small boat to follow 
 them in. Whatever we may think of Howard's 
 principles we must admit he 's sharp, and, know- 
 ing it would take some hours for us to lower the 
 launch around the falls, he has laid his plans, 
 you may be sure, to get well out of our way 
 before we can even begin our pursuit. ' ' 
 
 There was a reasonableness in Ben's sugges- 
 tion that carried conviction with it, and Harry 
 promptly replied: 
 
 "Then our course is this: We must first find 
 out whether the boat has been dragged around 
 either side of the falls. If so, then the chase is 
 down toward the river, and we must find a way 
 to overhaul the deserters before they reach Mc- 
 Pherson's Landing. But if they have not gone 
 around the falls we must divide into two 
 parties, one to hunt for the yawl, and the other 
 to go up the ravine. We have no time to lose 
 either. Ben, will you and Tom get the launch 
 ready! Meanwhile the rest of us will get 
 breakfast, so that when the steam is up, we 
 can be off." 
 
 Jones and his three camp-mates were eager 
 to help in the search for their late companions 
 and so two of the Institute boys were detailed 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 259 
 
 to remain in charge of the camp, while all the 
 others boarded the launch the moment she was 
 in a condition to start, and ran over to the south- 
 east corner of the lake. 
 
 Here a careful examination of the ground 
 was made along the bank to the pool below, but 
 there was no evidence that a boat or heavy body 
 of any kind had recently been dragged around 
 that point. 
 
 "They haven't gone this way," Harry de- 
 clared with positiveness after the search was 
 over ; ' ' for the boat was too heavy for them to 
 carry it clear of the ground for that distance, 
 and we should find some traces of their work. 
 We'll now cross to the north side." 
 
 Entering the launch, it was run up the lake 
 until beyond the swift current created by the 
 falls, and then across to the opposite shore. 
 
 All the lads but Ben leaped out, and began to 
 examine the circuitous and uneven route about 
 the cataract at this point. No evidence that the 
 boat had been carried down was discovered, 
 however, and Harry, with a ring of exultation 
 in his voice said: 
 
 "We are in time, boys; the deserters have 
 not yet gone down the stream. We'll divide 
 now, and while a part of us go up the ravine, 
 
260 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the rest can march along the shore for the yawl. 
 Hurrah ! ' ' 
 
 They returned to the lake, to find that Ben 
 had run the steamer up the beach a few rods, 
 and was eagerly examining the bank adjacent 
 to him. 
 
 "What is it, Ben?" they asked as they has- 
 tened to join him. 
 
 For answer, he pointed out a place where 
 the pebbles were wet from the water's edge to 
 the grassy embankment above. 
 
 "Yes, we see it. but what of it?" several 
 asked. 
 
 "The boat was taken out of the water there, 
 and lifted up into the woods, ' ' he said, and then 
 noticing the incredulous looks of his comrades, 
 he added: "It is in the shadow of those trees, 
 and the sun has not yet dried the drippings of 
 the yawl. Search there and I promise you that 
 you will find the boat no great distance away. ' ' 
 
 "You have sharp eyes, Ben, and but for you 
 I'm not sure we should outwit those fellows at 
 all," Harry remarked, as he entered the forest, 
 followed by the other boys. 
 
 Three minutes later the yawl was found 
 deftly hidden among the surrounding shrub- 
 bery. Its discovery was received with a shout 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 261 
 
 by the lads, which Wallace, however, quickly 
 checked. 
 
 "Hush! we don't know how near the run- 
 aways may be," he said, "and our hope of 
 catching them now is to leave the boat undis- 
 turbed, while some of you guard it. Two will 
 be enough, which of you will volunteer for the 
 work?" 
 
 Several responded to the call, but Bill Dun- 
 ster and Bob Hunt were selected, and they hid 
 themselves among the bushes, while the other 
 boys re-entered the launch, and sailed away to 
 the point, where was the entrance to the ravine. 
 
 "We may be gone some hours, Ben," Harry 
 said, as he and his party landed at the mouth of 
 the stream, "and perhaps you had better run 
 back to the island. Should Howard and his 
 companion be lurking around they will then get 
 no clue to our movements." 
 
 "All right," the cripple responded, "and I 
 will run over for you at six. If you want me 
 before, fire off two guns and I'll hurry across 
 for you." 
 
 The search party now began their advance, 
 and not far from noon reached the junction of 
 the gorges, where they stopped to eat the lunch 
 they had brought with them. Then they passed 
 up the right side of the stream, carefully exam- 
 
262 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 ining every crevice that seemed likely to answer 
 the description of that for which they were 
 searching. 
 
 Four hours later they arrived at the end of 
 the ravine, a huge cliff down whose side the 
 water dashed in picturesque beauty to the shal- 
 low basin, from which it ran in ever increasing 
 stream to the lake, several miles away ; but not 
 a trace of the cave had been discovered. In fact 
 not a beech tree on that side of the gorge, great 
 or small, was found beside an opening large 
 enough to conceal the flags. 
 
 "We will return on the other side of the 
 brook; it may be possible Howard crossed it 
 before hiding the banners,' ' Harry remarked, 
 after they had stood at the foot of the falls a 
 few minutes, admiring the scenery. "But we'll 
 have to hurry to reach the lake at the appointed 
 hour. ' ' 
 
 At a rapid pace, the lads made their descent 
 of the gorge, looking on every side for the big 
 beech tree. Once, just before they struck the 
 main ravine, Harry thought they had found it, 
 but on approaching nearer the tree proved to be 
 a birch, and though it grew near the cliff, no 
 opening was upon either side of the huge trunk. 
 
 "We'll have to give it up, boys," Wallace 
 said with a good deal of chagrin at their ill- 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 263 
 
 success, manifest in his tones, when they ar- 
 rived at the foot of the mountain spur. "Un- 
 less Bill and Bob have captured the deserters 
 our prospect of seeing the flags again isn't 
 worth much. Ten to one if we found the cave 
 they wouldn't be there now." 
 
 Ben was waiting for them at the point, and 
 on their embarking ran down the shore for 
 Dunster and Hunt. 
 
 They reported no change in the situation 
 since the departure of their comrades. Not 
 even an animal had put in an appearance to re- 
 lieve the monotony of their long watch. 
 
 "I guess they discovered us, and abandon- 
 ing the boat, have started on their long tramp 
 down to the river," Bob said on finishing his 
 report. "We've been tempted all the after- 
 noon to carry the yawl down to the pool, and 
 push after them. Only man it now, and we'll 
 overtake them before they reach McPherson's." 
 
 Harry shook his head. 
 
 "I think they have not intended to be off with 
 the yawl before to-night," he said; "the careful 
 manner of hiding it looks like it. Probably 
 they are crouching among the hills somewhere 
 until dark; then they will try to steal off. I 
 propose we leave the boat where it is until 
 morning, still keeping watch over it. I will 
 
264 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 stand guard for one ; who will stay with rne 1 9 ' 
 
 The whole party volunteered to a man, but 
 selecting Tom Sexsmith and Ed Willis, Wallace 
 sent the others over to the camp, promising if 
 the deserters did not appear, to return at dawn 
 to the island in the yawl. 
 
 Barely were the inmates of the encampment 
 awake next morning, when Harry and his two 
 comrades arrived. They had seen nothing dur- 
 ing the night of the missing lads, and their non- 
 appearance became a more perplexing problem 
 than ever. 
 
 Had they concealed the boat purposely, to 
 make their comrades think they were still in the 
 neighborhood, and left at once for the river? 
 Or had they, after securing the banners, dis- 
 covered that the yawl was watched, and so giv- 
 ing up their original purpose of using it, set 
 out on foot for the nearest settlement? Or had 
 some misfortune overtaken the deserted youths, 
 thwarting their plans altogether, and prevent- 
 ing their return to the concealed craft? Added 
 to these perplexing questions was another; 
 where was the big beech tree and its adjacent 
 cavern in which the flags were said to be con- 
 cealed; but which the most careful search had 
 failed to find? 
 
 The boys discussed these and similar queries 
 
A HARD NUT TO CRACK 265 
 
 while at their breakfast, but could reach no sat- 
 isfactory conclusion about any of them; the 
 general sentiment of the camp was voiced by 
 Tom Sexsmith however, when after a long dis- 
 cussion, he said: 
 
 "My opinion is if we find those fellows, you'll 
 find the banners ; but where they are is a mighty 
 hard nut to crack. " 
 
CHAPTER XXVII 
 
 A CRY FOR HELP 
 
 46 1 1 7 ELL, what's our orders for the day, 
 YY captain? " Fred Williams asked, 
 half playfully and half seriously, 
 after the long discussion was over. 
 
 Harry laughed. 
 
 "Ed, Tom, and I are going to turn in and get 
 a few hours of sleep," he said; "the rest of 
 you must decide for yourselves as to the course 
 you will follow." 
 
 "Some of us might take the yawl and go down 
 as far as McPherson's," Fred suggested, "if 
 the runaways are tramping that way, we can 
 overhaul them yet." 
 
 "I'm not sure they have gone that way at 
 all," Harry responded; "I am completely at 
 sea respecting their movements except in one 
 particular. I'm quite certain they have fixed 
 it so that there's little chance of our recovering 
 the flags. But if any of you are willing to 
 make the trip down to the river, it will settle the 
 point as to whether they have gone in that 
 
 266 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 267 
 
 direction, and I shall be glad to have you go 
 on that account if for no other." 
 
 "I'll talk it up with the other boys," Fred 
 said, walking away. 
 
 Harry had reached the tent door, and was 
 about to enter when Eeed Jones joined him. 
 
 "Can I see you alone, Harry?" he asked in 
 low tones. 
 
 ' ' Certainly ; there is no one in the tent ; come 
 in!" was Wallace's hearty answer. 
 
 "Do you still trust mef" was Eeed's abnrpt 
 question when he and Harry were alone. ' ' Do 
 you believe I've told you the truth about the 
 banners ? ' ' 
 
 ' ' Of course I do, ' ' Harry answered promptly ; 
 "Howard may have deceived you about their 
 hiding place, or you may have misunderstood 
 him, but I believe you have honestly done your 
 part toward restoring the flags to us." 
 
 "Thank you," Jones said, his face brighten- 
 ing at his comrade's words; "I am willing to 
 give you another pair exactly like those, and no 
 one but ourselves need know the difference," 
 and he glanced wistfully into his rival's face. 
 
 ' ' They would not be the ones we won, ' ' Harry 
 replied as gently as he could; "and unless we 
 can carry the identical flags back to the Insti- 
 tute, I'd rather return home without any. But 
 
268 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 I thank you for the offer, and it is generous in 
 you. ' ' 
 
 "I supposed you would feel that way," Reed 
 reluctantly admitted; "but I'm not going to 
 give up the hunt for the banners yet. "Would 
 you be willing to let me have the yawl long 
 enough to go down to McPherson's, and see 
 whether I can find any trace of the deserters ? ' ' 
 
 "Williams just proposed that trip, and has 
 gone off to talk it up with the other fellows," 
 answered Harry; "pick out a crew, and go 
 down there by all means if you wish. ' ' 
 
 Jones hastened away, but came back in a 
 few minutes to say that all of his own crew, and 
 three of Harry's, Reynolds, Hunt and Williams, 
 were eager to go on the proposed expedition. 
 He stated, furthermore, that they could be off 
 in a short time, and by rapid rowing would 
 reach the river before noon. The return 
 against the current of the stream would, of 
 course, take several hours longer, but probably 
 before midnight they could be back in camp 
 again. 
 
 Harry readily consented to the arrangement, 
 suggesting that if on arriving at McPherson's 
 it should seem wiser for them to stay over 
 night and return the next day, they were at 
 liberty to do so. 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 269 
 
 In a half hour, the search party was off, and 
 Harry, Tom and Ed, who had awaited its de- 
 parture, entered the tent for their much needed 
 rest. 
 
 Ben, left alone, resorted to his old pastime — 
 that of fishing — for amusement, He had found 
 that the southwest end of the lake offered the 
 best opportunity for bass ; and, starting up the 
 engine of the launch, he ran over to the desired 
 locality, and then, drifting slowly back down 
 the lake, threw out his line for a troll. 
 
 A few minutes passed, and then a fish caught 
 the minnow with a fierceness that ran off a 
 hundred feet of the cord before the astonished 
 lad could lay his hand upon the reel. Then 
 there began a struggle for the mastery, intense 
 in its excitement, exasperating in its uncer- 
 tainty, and exhaustive in its duration. 
 
 Has my young reader ever had any luck in 
 fishing for black bass? If so, he can under- 
 stand the struggle in which Cripple Ben was 
 engaged for the next ten minutes. He knows 
 how the halt boy's arms ached, and his heart 
 swelled with a feeling of triumph, when the 
 gamy fish at last lay quiet enough at the side 
 of the launch for the net to be placed under him 
 and his capture made sure. Fully six pounds 
 he weighed, and as nothing of his size had been 
 
270 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 brought into camp by any of the other lads, 
 Ben had a right to gaze upon the noble fellow 
 with pride. 
 
 But he was to have that pride magnified 
 another fold, for, five minutes later, his hook 
 was again seized with a voracity that showed 
 an "old settler" had captured it. A struggle, 
 identical with the first followed, save at one 
 time the bass leaped clear over the bow of the 
 boat, entangling it in the line, and then dived 
 into the depths of the lake, as though he would 
 seek escape there. With an eye that watched 
 every movement of the fish, however, and a 
 hand that quickly freed the cord from every 
 entanglement, the boy fought out the contest, 
 and in fifteen minutes laid a worthy mate be- 
 side the first victim. 
 
 No other fish seemed to care to enter into a 
 struggle with the young fisherman that morn- 
 ing, so he, well satisfied with his luck, put the 
 tiny engine of the boat in motion, and steamed 
 back to the island. 
 
 His companions were still sleeping, and Ben, 
 intending to surprise them with a broiled bass 
 dinner, cleaned the fish, and, with that deftness 
 that long practice had given him, soon had one 
 of them browning nicely over the fire. 
 
 Awakened perhaps by the savory odor that 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 271 
 
 filled the air, the three lads now came forth 
 from the tent, and needed no second invitation 
 from Ben to sit down and partake of the appetiz- 
 ing repast. During the meal the crippled lad 
 told of his morning's exploit, and exhibited his 
 uncooked fish to the admiring eyes of his com- 
 rades. The exhibition and recital together 
 stirred the piscatorial fever of his companions 
 to so great a heat that all of them heartily en- 
 cored Tom's expressive but inelegant declara- 
 tion: 
 
 "Hang the sleep! I wish I'd been with 
 you." 
 
 Ed and Tom offered to clear up the dinner, 
 and Harry and Ben walked off toward the land- 
 ing. 
 
 "Ben, tell me just what you think of this 
 affair," Harry said, as they moved off. 
 
 "The flags, or the deserters, or both?" ques- 
 tioned Ben, smilingly. 
 
 1 ' Both, ' ' responded Wallace. ' ' I think so far 
 as the hiding-place of the banners is concerned 
 that Jones has misunderstood Howard," he 
 said. "There is no good reason to suppose 
 that he at that time cared to deceive Seed, and 
 I'm inclined to believe he said 'a big birch' in- 
 stead of 'a big beech' tree. If so, why not the 
 very one you saw near the junction of the 
 
272 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 gorges? Jack would have hid the flags in 
 the first good place he came across, and why 
 suppose that he went very far up the ravine f ' ' 
 
 i i There is force in what you say, ' ' Harry ad- 
 mitted thoughtfully, "but I could find no open- 
 ing in the cliff anywhere near it." 
 
 "How far on each side of the tree did you 
 look?" Ben asked. 
 
 "Only a few feet," Wallace answered. "It 
 was late, and we were in a hurry to reach the 
 lake, where we knew you were already waiting 
 for us, and so did not make as close a search as 
 we might have done." 
 
 "I'd like to go up there myself," said Ben 
 meditatively, "and by taking plenty of time I 
 can walk as far as that. You know I did it 
 once; that time I followed Reed and Jack." 
 
 "Yes," Harry replied, "and we'll go now, if 
 you say so." 
 
 Ben gave an eager assent to the plan, and 
 calling Tom to set them across to the point in 
 the launch, they were soon on their way up the 
 ravine. 
 
 By resting a few times Ben made the distance 
 without great fatigue, and at last he and Harry 
 stood under the great birch. While the halt 
 boy again rested, Wallace examined the sides of 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 273 
 
 the gorge some distance above and below the 
 tree. Then he came back to Ben : 
 
 ' ' I see nothing like a cave anywhere around, ' ' 
 he reported. 
 
 "Do you notice the formation of the cliff up 
 there?" was Ben's response, pointing at the 
 same time into the limbs of the birch. 
 
 Harry glanced above him, and for the first 
 time noticed that the cliff twenty feet from the 
 ground suddenly receded, and that two huge 
 branches of the tree swept in over the shelving 
 rock beyond the range of his vision from that 
 point of observation. Quickly divining Ben's 
 meaning, he ran off toward the brook a few rods, 
 and then turned and looked up at the side of the 
 gorge. An exclamation of delight immediately 
 escaped him: 
 
 "There is an opening into the rock, but it is 
 nearly hidden by the overhanging limbs. How 
 is a fellow to get up there!" 
 
 Ben pointed down the side of the gorge a few 
 feet, and Harry, following the motion with his 
 eyes, saw there was a rough but accessible in- 
 cline to a point from which he could readily 
 catch hold of the branches of the birch and 
 clamber into the cave. 
 
 In another minute he had made the ascent, 
 and disappeared over the cliff, while Ben 
 
 18 
 
274 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 patiently, but with some curiosity, awaited his 
 return. He came soon, bearing in his hand a 
 small piece of paper, evidently torn from the 
 back of an old letter. 
 
 "I found the cavern,'' he said as soon as he 
 caught sight of Ben, "but there was nothing in 
 it except this note for Eeed Jones, signed by 
 Jack Howard." 
 
 He handed the paper to his comrade as he re- 
 joined him, and Ben with some amusement read 
 the saucy message it contained: 
 
 You are on the wrong track with your party, Reed, and 
 should you ever dicover this place, which is very doubtful, 
 you'll find the silk beauties gone. Sitting here and watching 
 you and your gang, I can't help laughing over your dis- 
 appointment, and I run the risk of leaving this note to 
 let you know, if it comes to your eye, we long before it 
 was fomid left here for down the river. Don't be so 
 quick to promise a thing again, until you have asked the 
 help of 
 
 Jack Howard. 
 
 When Ben had read the letter he handed it 
 back to Harry, saying: 
 
 "It is evident that Jack and Tim were in 
 the cave when you and the boys came up here 
 searching for it. ' ' 
 
 "Yes," assented Wallace. "And that they 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 275 
 
 intended to go from here directly down the 
 river. ' ' 
 
 Harry gave an affirmative nod. 
 
 "Do you suppose then some misfortune has 
 happened to them?" was Ben's startling ques- 
 tion. 
 
 "What do you mean!" exclaimed Harry in 
 amazement. 
 
 "Just this," replied he; "the way the boat 
 was concealed, and also this note, confirms my 
 belief that the runaways intended first to get 
 the flags and then go down the river with them. 
 But though you watched the yawl continually 
 you saw nothing of the boys. It isn't likely 
 they would have discovered you guarding the 
 craft before you saw something of them, for 
 you were concealed, while they were on the 
 move. I fear then somewhere between here 
 and the boat, something happened to upset 
 their purpose, and that is the reason they have 
 not put in an appearance. ' ' 
 
 "What could possibly have happened to 
 them! " asked Harry incredulously. 
 
 "I don't know any more than you," answered 
 Ben, "but if our men come back from McPher- 
 son's with no trace of the runaways, I should 
 form a party and scour the whole section of 
 country between this ravine and the north side 
 
276 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 of the falls. I'm quite sure Howard and Se- 
 cord failed to come back to the hidden boat, be- 
 cause they couldn 't. ' ' 
 
 Ben's theory seemed hardly plausible to 
 Harry, and yet so great was his respect for 
 Ben's acuteness in getting to the bottom of 
 such a matter, he readily promised : 
 
 "It shall be done." 
 
 The boys now descended the ravine, their 
 steps hastened somewhat by the appearance of 
 a large cloud in the West that suggested a 
 shower. 
 
 "When they reached the lake the sky was al- 
 ready overcast, and the low muttering of thun- 
 der, could be distinctly heard. 
 
 "You fellows are in the nick of time," was 
 Tom's salutation as they stepped on board the 
 launch, and without further comment, he headed 
 the Fire-Fly for the island. 
 
 On landing they were surprised to find Ed 
 Willis was not alone. Oneco, the young Indian, 
 was with him, and he, pointing to a yawl moored 
 at the landing, gave the following expressive 
 greeting : 
 
 "There stolen boat; stolen guns in tent. 
 How'dye do?" 
 
 Harry at once understood the savage to mean 
 that he had brought back the stolen property of 
 
A CRY FOR HELP 277 
 
 the rival camp, and he shook hands warmly with 
 him. There was not time to hear his story just 
 then, however, for barely was the launch se- 
 cured, and the lads under the cover of the tent, 
 when the storm burst in fury over the lake. 
 The wind came in fearful gusts, the rain fell in 
 torrents, the lightning was one continuous 
 glare, the peals of thunder were terrific. 
 
 ."I tell you this squall means business,' ' Tom 
 Sexsmith said, glancing up at the swaying can- 
 vas, and the creaking tent poles. "You don't 
 suppose we'll be swept off into the lake, do 
 you?" 
 
 "Hark! what was that?" Harry cried the 
 next minute. 
 
 All listened. Then above the noise of the 
 gale, they caught distinctly the human cry: 
 "Help! Help!" 
 
 In an instant it was repeated, and this time 
 farther away from the island, but nearer to the 
 falls. 
 
CHAPTER XXVIII 
 
 OVER THE FALLS 
 
 TO UNDERSTAND who uttered, and the 
 circumstances which called forth that 
 cry, we must go back and follow Jack 
 Howard and Tim Secord in their wanderings. 
 
 On leaving the island they purposely avoided 
 landing at either the point by the mouth of the 
 ravine, or the northeast side of the falls, for 
 they suspected their companions would examine 
 both of those places as soon as they became 
 aware of the desertion. 
 
 Choosing a spot some rods west of the falls, 
 therefore, they landed, and, lifting the yawl 
 clear of the water, carried it up the bank into 
 the bushes, unmindful of the wet trail they left 
 behind them, and which was not to escape Crip- 
 ple Ben's sharp eyes. 
 
 Turning the boat over, they crawled under it, 
 where they remained until morning. Then they 
 hid the craft in the scrubbery, ate a hasty 
 breakfast from the scanty provisions they had 
 brought with them, and set out across the hills 
 
 278 
 
OVER THE FALLS 279 
 
 in a direct line for the cave, where the banners 
 were concealed. 
 
 Their route led them over a considerable 
 mountain, from whose top they descended into 
 a small valley almost entirely hemmed in by the 
 surrounding peaks. 
 
 As they were crossing this, Jack suddenly 
 came to a halt, saying: 
 
 "Look there, Tim, I believe there was once 
 some sort of a settlement here. See those old 
 apple trees, and just beyond them are the re- 
 mains of a cellar. Who do you suppose was 
 fool enough to live in this out of the way re- 
 gion?" 
 
 "I can't imagine," responded Tim, looking 
 around him ; "but it must have been a long time 
 ago that they left, for the underbrush is grow- 
 ing all around the cellar, and there is quite a 
 big tree coming right up out of it. ' ' 
 
 "That's so," chimed in Howard; "but what 
 is that mound further down the valley? Let's 
 go and look at it." 
 
 Turning a little to the left of their course, 
 they approached an oval heap, rising a few feet 
 above the surrounding ground. Its extreme 
 length was perhaps fifteen feet, while its 
 breadth was half as great; and though now 
 
280 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 covered with heavy grass and bushes, it was un- 
 doubtedly the work of man. 
 
 Wondering for what purpose the curious pile 
 had been constructed, the boys walked to its 
 south end, where they found a large flat stone 
 standing squarely against the mound as though 
 covering an opening. 
 
 ' ' I believe this is meant for a door, Tim ; lets 
 turn it over, and look inside, ' ' exclaimed Jack. 
 
 Grasping the rock at its top, the two lads 
 strove to pull it away from the end of the heap, 
 but it was too deeply imbedded in the soil to 
 yield to their united strength, and they soon 
 desisted from their efforts. 
 
 "I say, Jack, the west edge of the stone is 
 free from the turf, perhaps we could work a 
 stick under there, and pry it up enough to peep 
 in," cried Tim eying the rock critically. 
 
 A stout stick was soon found, and with some 
 difficulty worked back of the stone, in this man- 
 ner it was slowly pressed away from the mound 
 far enough for the toilers to look into the inte- 
 rior of the heap. 
 
 Getting down upon their knees, they, by turn, 
 peeped through the opening. It was too dark 
 for them to discern anything more than the 
 faintest outline of the hole, but it was evidently 
 
OVER THE FALLS 281 
 
 several feet deep, and as large as the mound 
 itself, save the thickness of the walls. 
 
 "Ho! it's nothing but an underground cel- 
 lar/' said Jack in something like disgust. 
 "We've no more time to fool away on it come 
 on!" 
 
 Continuing their journey now over the hills, 
 they, after a time, came to the ravine they 
 sought, and descending into it, crossed the 
 brook, and reached the big birch that marked 
 the entrance to the cave. 
 
 Climbing into this, Howard brought from the 
 rear end the banners he had hidden there some 
 days before, and signified his readiness to de- 
 part, 
 
 Tim, however, declared he was both tired and 
 hungry from his long tramp, and suggested 
 that they should eat their dinner. Howard 
 consented, and it was while engaged in their re- 
 past, that they heard their late companions 
 coming up the gorge. 
 
 Keeping quiet themselves, they watched the 
 searchers until they vanished up the east side 
 of the ravine. Then Howard wrote the note 
 which the next day fell into Harry's hands; 
 after which he and Tim each taking a banner, 
 began their return trip to the boat. 
 
 By the time they reached the valley, where 
 
282 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 they had found the evidences of a former settle- 
 ment, they were glad to rest their weary arms 
 by laying down their guns, the flags and the 
 bags which contained the remnant of their pro- 
 visions. 
 
 As they stretched themselves upon the ground 
 under the shade of a large maple, Howard 
 said: 
 
 "I tell you, Tim, I'm a good mind to put these 
 banners into that underground cellar. They 
 are a nuisance to carry any way, and, if taken 
 down the river with us, will make it easy for 
 the boys to trace us out, should they try to 
 follow us." 
 
 "All right,' ' responded Tim; "this is a dish 
 of your own cooking, and you can do what you 
 please with the things." 
 
 Jack rose and went over to the mound. He 
 found that the stone, left to itself, had dropped 
 back into its original position, and calling Tim 
 to his aid, they again pried it open. The mo- 
 ment their lever was removed, however, back 
 the rock slipped to its place. 
 
 "I'll fix that!" Secord exclaimed, and look- 
 ing around for a short limb, he put it in length- 
 wise between the stone and the mound, and 
 found it answered the purpose of holding the 
 rocky door ajar. 
 
OVER THE FALLS 283 
 
 " There you are, Jack!'' he continued; "toss 
 the banners in, and then I'll let the stone back 
 to its place.' ' 
 
 "No, I'll get down in there, and you can 
 hand them to me," Howard responded, and 
 crawling through the narrow opening, he leaped 
 into the pit. 
 
 ' ' Gracious ! " he exclaimed the next instant, 
 "it's deeper than I thought. See, my head 
 don't come anywhere near your level, Tim. 
 How am I to get out, I 'd like to know % ' ' 
 
 "I can let down the lever for you to shin 
 up," answered Secord. "Here are the ban- 
 ners," and he passed them through the entrance 
 way to his comrade. 
 
 Howard took the flags, and winding them 
 closely about their staves carried them to the 
 end of the subterranean chamber. 
 
 "Run in the stick, Tim," he said a moment 
 later, as he returned' to the opening. 
 
 Secord drew back from the hole to comply 
 with this request, but the movement started the 
 loose, gravelly soil beneath him, and the next 
 minute he plunged headlong into the pit itself. 
 The jar of his fall shook the wedge that held 
 the stone away from the mound from its posi- 
 tion, and with a loud noise the rock swung into 
 its place, shutting in the dismayed boys. 
 
284 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 It was some time before they rallied from 
 their astonishment at the misfortune that had 
 befallen them sufficiently to realize the serious- 
 ness of their situation. When they did so, they 
 were terrified at the outlook. 
 
 No one knew where they were ; neither one of 
 them was tall enough to reach the stone, and 
 even if they could do so they had little hope of 
 pushing it away from the entrance with their 
 bare hands. What little food they possessed 
 lay outside with their guns, and unless they 
 found a way of escape that most lingering and 
 torturing of deaths awaited them — starvation. 
 
 Even Howard was quick to realize the grave 
 position in which they were placed; and, re- 
 fraining from upbraiding his comrade for the 
 part he had played in bringing the misfortune 
 upon them, he bade him think of some way 
 whereby they might get out of their dungeon. 
 
 Various means were tried before nightfall, 
 but none gave the slightest hope of success, and 
 tired and discouraged the prisoners lay down 
 upon the damp bottom of their prison house to 
 sleep. Fortunately, the stone did not cover the 
 opening so tightly as entirely to exclude the 
 fresh air, and there was no danger of suffoca- 
 tion. 
 
 Early morning found the lads hungry and 
 
OVER THE FALLS 285 
 
 weak from their long fasting, and almost in 
 despair. Howard was the more discouraged of 
 the two, and could find no term quite strong- 
 enough to berate himself for the stubbornness 
 which had led him to undertake the plan that 
 had resulted so disastrously. 
 
 Secord was very quiet and thoughtful, and 
 the frequency with which he examined the stone 
 above his head showed he was maturing a 
 scheme for their relief. Finally he said: 
 
 "Don't you suppose, Jack, that by holding 
 each other up, in turn, we could tunnel under 
 the rock, and work our way out ! ' ' 
 
 "We've nothing to dig with," answered 
 Howard gloomily. 
 
 "Yes, our hands," added Tim desperately. 
 
 Jack was at last persuaded to make the trial, 
 and as he was the heavier of the two, he raised 
 his companion in his arms, and the slow, diffi- 
 cult job began. 
 
 It was but a minute or two that each could 
 work, and before long their finger-tips became 
 sore and bleeding. Again and again Howard 
 was ready to give up, but Tim, with a persist- 
 ence born of desperation, kept on, until there 
 was^ a hole large enough for them to crawl 
 through directly beneath the stone. 
 
 The ever increasing heap of dirt they cast at 
 
286 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 their feet, made the latter- part of the work 
 easier to be reached, and enabled them also, 
 when the opening was complete, to crawl forth. 
 But when they were again in the fresh air, the 
 sun was well past the meridian, and a heavy 
 cloud was fast covering the sky. 
 
 They turned eagerly to their bags for the 
 food they so much needed, to find them torn 
 open and the contents eaten, probably by wolves 
 during the previous night. Quenching their 
 thirst, however, at a tiny brook not far off, they 
 shouldered their guns and, still weak and faint, 
 started for the lake. 
 
 When they reached it the coming storm was 
 all ready to burst upon them, and to their dis- 
 may the yawl under which they had hoped to 
 crawl for shelter, was gone. 
 
 "Come, Jack, let us give up, and go back to 
 the island/' Tim now said. 
 
 "How can we get there? We are too weak 
 to swim over," he answered. 
 
 "We might halloo, and they would come over 
 after us," suggested Secord, gazing wistfully 
 over toward the island. 
 
 While Howard hesitated, the tempest burst in 
 fury over the lake, and the lads fled to the 
 shelter of a neighboring tree. It was a dead 
 one, and upon the leeward side was a hollow in 
 
OVER THE FALLS 287 
 
 which they crouched from the pelting rain. A 
 moment later, however, came a tremendous gust 
 of wind that snapped the tree, as though but 
 a pipe stem, from its roots, and hurled that and 
 the helpless boys out into the lake. 
 
 Eising to the surface unhurt, they tried to 
 swim back to the shore, but the tossing waves 
 rendered that impossible, and they turned 
 toward the tree-trunk floating no great distance 
 away. 
 
 Holding firmly to this they drifted along, 
 until a dull roar reached their ears. They 
 knew it was the sound of the falls, toward which 
 they were driving at a furious rate; and, sud- 
 denly realizing the new danger that awaited 
 them, they sent forth the piercing cries for help 
 which reached the ears of Wallace and his com- 
 rades. 
 
 Rushing out from the tent and down to the 
 lower end of the island, they caught sight of the 
 unfortunate lads, and recognized their peril. 
 
 "We must try to save them," cried Ben, hob- 
 bling as fast as possible in the driving storm 
 toward the landing. Harry understanding his 
 object was quickly beside him, and a minute 
 later the yawl (which Oneco had so providen- 
 tially returned) shot down the lake pulled by 
 their stout arms. 
 
288 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 The wind was witli them and they gained 
 rapidly upon the floating tree. It was still some 
 rods above the falls in fact, when they caught 
 up with it, and pulled the well-nigh exhausted 
 boys on board. 
 
 So intent were the rescuers upon their heroic 
 purpose that neither, up to this moment, 
 thought of any danger to themselves. They 
 now found to their consternation that they were 
 already being urged forward by the powerful 
 suction that swept everything once within its 
 grasp over the brink of the falls. 
 
 Ben had been the first to discover this, and 
 uttered a sharp cry. Harry caught his mean- 
 ing, and bending to their oars with an energy 
 born of despair, they were doing their utmost 
 the next moment to force the boat out of the 
 channel to the shore. 
 
 Life and death were in the balance, and for 
 a time they neither gained nor lost in their bat- 
 tle with the ruthless current. At last, however, 
 it was clear that they had discovered their dan- 
 ger too late. 
 
 "It's no use, Ben," exclaimed Wallace, and 
 his tones showed that he fully realized the peril 
 they were in: "We have got to go over the 
 falls." 
 
 The roar of the cataract became more dis- 
 
OVER THE FALLS 289 
 
 tiuct; trees and other objects on shore darted 
 by with incredible swiftness ; the blinding spray 
 dashed into the faces of the lads with the keen- 
 ness of a knife. 
 
 Nearer and nearer they drew to the brink. 
 The rescued youths crouched heljjless in the 
 bottom of the yawl ; brave Harry had taken in 
 his oar; but Ben, even at that moment not re- 
 signing all hope, crept to the stern and tried to 
 guide the boat where the watei was smoothest. 
 Then they shot out over the abyss, and went 
 down. 
 
 19 
 
CHAPTEB XXIX 
 
 AULD LANG SYNE 
 
 THESE were several fortuitous circum- 
 stances connected with that hazardous 
 plunge down the falls, which the lads 
 themselves at a later hour were ready to recog- 
 nize with profound thankfulness. 
 
 Ben's strong arm had steered the yawl some 
 yards to the right of the vortex of the cataract, 
 where the water was smoother and the current 
 less strong; the weight of the four boys served 
 as a ballast to the light craft and kept it right 
 side up ; then a powerful gust of wind struck the 
 boat at the instant it dashed over the brink, 
 carrying it in its tremendous leap beyond the 
 rocks and the whirlpool at the base of the preci- 
 pice into the quiet surface of the pool. 
 
 The result was, therefore, nowhere near so 
 disastrous as naturally would have been ex- 
 pected ; for though the yawl struck with a force 
 that threw the occupants out, and completely 
 swamped it, the lads were not otherwise in- 
 jured. Clinging to the sides of the sunken 
 
 290 
 
AULD LANG SYNE 291 
 
 craft they slowly worked their way along to the 
 bank, and crawled out under the great oaks 
 where the Institute camp had first been pitched. 
 
 ■ ' I wonder if any person ever went over those 
 falls before to-night, and came out alive and un- 
 hurt f" Ben said, when, with Harry's help, he 
 had reached the foot of a tree which afforded 
 him some shelter from the raging storm. 
 
 ' i It would be hard even now to make one be- 
 lieve it, ' ' Harry declared, gazing at the roaring 
 cataract, "and all the world wouldn't tempt me 
 to go over there again." 
 
 "No, we all agree with you in that, don't we 
 boys?" remarked Ben, with a solemn shake of 
 his head that added emphasis to his words. 
 
 Jack and Tim, who were crouching close to 
 their rescuers, made no answer however. The 
 narrow escape from death they had just expe- 
 rienced seemed to have dazed them, and beyond 
 a mere look at the crippled boy, they gave no 
 further recognition that they had understood 
 his words. 
 
 "We shall have to remain here until the 
 storm is over," Harry said to Ben some min- 
 utes later. 
 
 "It looks as though I'd stay quite a while 
 longer, unless you fellows carry me," replied 
 Ben with a faint smile. "My crutches floated 
 
292 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 out from the boat, and went down stream with 
 the oars." 
 
 "We'll find a way to get you back to the 
 island." Harry responded, "and once there 
 we can soon make you another pair. But what 
 was that?" 
 
 The question was called forth by hearing the 
 sound of footsteps in the forest above them, and 
 the next instant Ed Willis and Tom Sexsmith 
 came scrambling down the bank. 
 
 1 i Thank heaven, you fellows are safe ! ' ' they 
 ejaculated as they caught sight of the four 
 boys. "But tell us how you got down those 
 falls alive?" 
 
 As briefly as possible Harry described their 
 descent; then he asked: 
 
 "But how came you over here?" 
 
 "Do you suppose we could stay there on the 
 island uncertain as to your fate?" exclaimed 
 Tom; "not for a thousand storms like this. 
 The moment we saw you must go down the cata- 
 ract, Oneco, Ed, and I ran back to the launch. 
 Fortunately the fires were not yet out, and we 
 soon had steam enough to venture across. The 
 wind drove us well down the lake, and tossed 
 the steamer about like a cockle shell, but we 
 managed to reach the shore a few rods above 
 here. The Indian is looking out for the vessel 
 
AULD LANG SYNE 293 
 
 now, while we've hurried on down here to 
 search for you. But come on up to the boat, it 
 will be better than staying here." 
 
 i ' You '11 have to carry me, ' ' put in Ben ; i ' you 
 see my sticks have gone down the brook. ' ' 
 
 "Tom and I will take you along," answered 
 Willis. 
 
 "Let us drag the yawl out of the pool first," 
 said Harry; "it isn't injured badly, and we can 
 easily fix it up to-morrow." 
 
 Ed and Tom followed him to the water's edge, 
 and under their united efforts the boat was 
 pulled up under the trees and turned over. 
 Then the three lads lifted Ben gently up in their 
 arms, and accompanied by Howard and Secord, 
 went up to the lake, and along its shore to the 
 launch. 
 
 They found Oneco waist deep in the water, 
 trying to keep the vessel from dashing heavily 
 against the rocky bank; and immediately real- 
 ized it would not be safe to leave her there while 
 the storm continued from that quarter. It was 
 fast growing dark also, and there was little 
 hope of returning to the camp that night. 
 
 "We must work the launch along the shore 
 and under the lea of that point," Harry said, 
 glancing through the gloom towards a high 
 promontory, that, heavily wooded, ran out into 
 
294 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the lake in a northeasterly direction, perhaps a 
 quarter of a mile away. ' ' Once there the rocks 
 and forest will protect us, and we can lie quietly 
 until morning.' ' 
 
 ' ' I don 't believe we can get up steam enough 
 to run up the shore against this wind, ' ' Ben re- 
 marked as his comrades put him upon the 
 steamer; "we don't want to take another risk 
 of going over the falls. ' ' 
 
 "Not if we know it," responded Harry em- 
 phatically; "so we'll push the boat up there 
 during the lulls. Jack and Tim are all used up 
 and had better get on board with you, Ben ; the 
 rest of us will do the work." 
 
 The four lads therefore entered the water to 
 their waists, and began to push the Fire-Fly up 
 the shore. It was a slow and laborious task, but 
 they persevered, and at last reached the shelter 
 of the point. 
 
 There was a secure harbor here, as they had 
 expected, and securely fastening the launch, 
 they all crowded into her tiny cabin. Though 
 they had no dry clothing to put on, they found 
 the protection thus afforded them preferable to 
 an exposure to the night air or pelting storm, 
 and stretching themselves out into as comfort- 
 able positions as their narrow quarters would 
 
AULD LANG SYNE 295 
 
 permit, they waited for the tempest to blow 
 over. 
 
 A few minutes after they were housed Tim 
 Secord feebly asked : 
 
 "Have you fellows got anything to eat on 
 board? Jack and I haven't had a mouthful 
 since yesterday noon. " 
 
 "I'm sorry," answered Harry regretfully, 
 ' ' but we haven 't a thing. We have had no sup- 
 per ourselves, but that's nothing compared with 
 you and Jack. I promise you the moment it is 
 safe to venture across to the island, we'll go, 
 and you shall then have as square a meal as we 
 know how to get ready. Do you mind telling us 
 now how you came on that tree in the lake?" 
 
 Secord looked at Howard, who nodded his 
 head, saying huskily : "Go ahead, Tim. ' ' 
 
 Thus encouraged Tim told the whole story of 
 his and his comrade's misfortunes until they 
 had been picked up by Harry and Ben. 
 
 "You fellows have saved our lives at the risk 
 of our own," he ended, "and Jack and I don't 
 propose to hold out against you any longer. 
 You shall have the banners as soon as we can 
 get them for you, shan't they, Jack!" 
 
 "Yes," Howard answered in the same husky 
 tone he had used before, and then he relapsed 
 into his old silence, 
 
296 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 A little after midnight the storm had passed 
 over; the moon broke through the clouds, and 
 thinking of Jack and Tim's needs, Harry gave 
 the word for the return to the island. 
 
 They found the tents still standing, and 
 though their fuel was too wet to build a fire in 
 their stone oven, the boys by the aid of their oil 
 stove were able to boil a pot of coffee, and get 
 together a respectable meal. 
 
 Howard and Secord ate at first as though 
 they would never be satisfied, but at last found 
 an end to even their capacious appetites. Then 
 without stopping to clear up the remains of 
 their repast, all rolled up in the warm and dry 
 blankets and went to sleep. 
 
 Not until a late hour the next morning was 
 the camp again in motion, and the middle of the 
 forenoon had come before breakfast was over. 
 Then Howard, who had been silent throughout 
 the morning, turned to Cripple Ben, and with 
 flushed cheeks, asked: 
 
 "Will you forgive me, Ben, for the way I've 
 misused you, not only here but at home?" 
 
 "Of course I will," Ben eagerly responded, 
 and he placed his hand in that of the penitent 
 boy's with a grasp that fairly made him wince. 
 
 Then Howard turned to Harry. "Can I ask 
 
AULD LANG SYNE 297 
 
 the same favor of you" — be began, but Wallace 
 anticipated him. 
 
 "Here is my hand also, Jack, and I promise 
 you bygones are forgiven and forgotten. Don't 
 mention them again, I pray." 
 
 "Thank you," replied Howard, shaking the 
 offered hand. "Now if you'll set Tim and me 
 over upon the north shore we'll try to find the 
 guns we left there, and to get the banners for 
 you. ' ' 
 
 "Don't go after them just yet," responded 
 Harry. I'd like to visit the ruins of that set- 
 tlement, and I know the other boys would. We 
 have enough to keep us busy this morning to 
 straighten out here at camp, and to bring back 
 the yawl we left down by the pool. After din- 
 ner, however, we'll take the tramp over on the 
 north shore with you." 
 
 Jack consented to this arrangement and took 
 hold of the morning's work with a heartiness 
 that revealed more than any words could have 
 done how perfect was his reconciliation with 
 the lads he had formerly hated. As for Tim he 
 seemed to feel Howard had set him an example, 
 and he went from lad to lad, expressing his sor- 
 row at the course he had taken, and proving 
 by his acts how genuine was his repentance 
 also. 
 
298 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 The yawl had been brought back to the island, 
 the camp put in thorough order, and dinner was 
 well under way, when a shout from the south 
 shore told that Jones and his comrades had re- 
 turned from down the river. In a few minutes 
 they reached the islet, and Reed was so sur- 
 prised at the sight of Howard and Secord, and 
 his long lost yawl, that he forgot to report his 
 own trip until questioned by Harry. 
 
 "There isn't much to tell," he then said; 
 "We reached McPherson's all right at noon 
 yesterday, but as you know heard nothing of 
 Jack and Tim ; the storm prevented our return 
 until this morning, and you can believe we 
 worked hard to get back here at this hour. ' ' 
 
 Harry now told of the adventures through 
 which he and his companions had passed during 
 the absence of the other lads. 
 
 "Come, Oneco," he said after finishing his 
 own story, ' ' tell us now how you came to bring 
 back the guns and the yawl. It was fortunate 
 for Howard and Secord that you got here so 
 opportunely. ' ' 
 
 "Me know you want 'em, so get fader to let 
 me bring 'em back," was the Indian lad's brief 
 tale, and it was not until some time after that 
 Harry found out that the boy had purchased the 
 restored articles with his own rifle, the wolf 
 
AULD LANG SYNE 299 
 
 skins, and some other articles he possessed, that 
 had value in the old Indian's eyes. 
 
 During all this conversation Jones had said 
 nothing to Howard, and Wallace noticing the 
 fact, said : 
 
 "Here, Reed, shake hands with Jack; all the 
 rest of us have made up with him, and we want 
 you to do so at once, and then our reconciliation 
 will be complete. ' ' 
 
 "I'll do that when he has restored the ban- 
 ners," replied Jones coldly. 
 
 "That'll be very soon then, for we are going 
 for them right after dinner," responded Harry 
 gleefully. 
 
 Ben with Oneco's help had been at work all 
 the forenoon upon some new crutches ; but they 
 were not yet done, and so it was decided to leave 
 those two lads in camp, while all the others went 
 on the expedition to the abandoned settlement. 
 
 Landing on the shore at the place where the 
 runaways had left their guns, the lost weapons 
 were secured, and then the tramp over to the 
 secluded valley was begun. In an hour the 
 journey was complete, and the party stood be- 
 fore the underground cellar. 
 
 The strong arms of a half dozen boys accom- 
 plished what Jack and Tim had not been able 
 to do, and the flat stone was turned completely 
 
300 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 away from the hole. As the sunlight streamed 
 into the opening, Howard himself entered the 
 subterranean chamber and brought out the silk 
 flags. Their appearance again, without soil or 
 blemish, led the rightful owners to give three 
 hearty cheers, in which Jones and his crew 
 joined; and before their sound had died away 
 among the surrounding hills, Seed placed his 
 hand in Howard's saying: 
 
 "Here Jack, even our reconciliation is now 
 complete.' ' 
 
CHAPTER XXX 
 
 NEAR OF KIN 
 
 CALLING the boys together, Harry now 
 formed a procession, with one banner at 
 the head and the other at the rear. Then 
 they began their triumphant and it must be con- 
 fessed somewhat hilarious march back to the 
 lake. Embarking upon their yawls, they 
 crossed to the main shore, where when they 
 reached the camp they found Ben's crutches 
 were done and Oneco was simply waiting for 
 their return before taking his departure. 
 
 "We shall see you again," Harry said good 
 naturedly, as he shook hands with the dusky 
 youth. 
 
 "Me come, stay week, show you hunt, show 
 you fish," he replied waving his hand so as to 
 embrace the whole circle of the lake. 
 
 "Of course," Harry answered; "we shall be 
 here for some time yet, and we'll be glad to 
 learn your way of taking game and we'll teach 
 you ours." 
 
 Oneco nodded gravely, and then shaking 
 
 301 
 
302 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 hands with all the lads, not even forgetting 
 Howard, he stepped into his graceful canoe and 
 paddled away. 
 
 There is no need to dwell upon the joyous 
 days that followed, or to tell of Oneco's next 
 visit, during which Harry learned how he had 
 bartered his rifle in order to return their yawls 
 and guns to his white friends. The Indian 
 youth stayed at the island until the camp was 
 broken and the launch again lowered to the 
 pool. As she steamed away on her home voy- 
 age, he watched her out of sight and then went 
 back to his own people, richer far than he had 
 ever been before, for every lad had found some- 
 thing which he insisted Oneco should keep as a 
 memento of their acquaintanceship. 
 
 Nor shall we follow our young friends on 
 their journey save to record a single incident. 
 While running across the Bay of Fundy, they 
 came up with a becalmed schooner, and the mo- 
 ment Ben read her name — The Gamble — he 
 turned the launch from her course and steamed 
 alongside. To the delight of the lads her cap- 
 tain and Mr. Brown appeared on the vessel's 
 deck and there was general joy over the un- 
 expected meeting. 
 
 "We are hardly strong enough to tow you 
 into port," said Harry with a laugh; "but if 
 
NEAR OF KIN 303 
 
 you are in a hurry, Mr. Brown, we'll take you 
 along- with, us and drop you at Machiasport. ' ' 
 
 The invitation was gladly accepted, for that 
 gentleman was anxious to make connection for 
 Boston at the earliest practical moment. When 
 the Fire-Fly reached that city Mr. Wallace met 
 the boys. The launch, the banners and the 
 articles designed for the Museum of the Insti- 
 tute were entrusted to the care of the High 
 School boys, and they continued the voyage 
 around the coast to Melrose. Tom Sexsmith, 
 Fred Williams, Ed Willis, Frank Reynolds and 
 Rob Hunt hurried away each to his native vil- 
 lage, while Ben accompanied Harry and his 
 father home, where the halt boy was always 
 sure of a warm welcome. 
 
 The friendships formed on this memorable 
 cruise were of that enduring character that they 
 were sure to last through life. Reed and his 
 crew gave a banquet to which all their old 
 rivals were invited, and where Ben was the 
 guest of honor. At the close of the feast, 
 Howard, who sat at Ben's left hand, confided 
 to him what soon became "an open secret" to 
 all Melrose and the world: the High School 
 authorities had by a unanimous vote decided to 
 purchase the Institute buildings, consolidate the 
 two seats of learning and place Dr. Randall at 
 
304 THE CRUISE OF THE FIREFLY 
 
 the head. Rising to his feet, Ben announced 
 the fact and proposed that all should drink suc- 
 cess to the new enterprise in their glasses of 
 cold, sparkling water. 
 
 "A fit emblem," he added as he held up his 
 
 own glass, "of that crystal lake beside which 
 
 , the Rival Camps were blended into one. May 
 
 there now be as happy an ending to the Rival 
 
 Schools." 
 
 And the voices of the two crews mingled in 
 the encore so perfectly they could not be dis- 
 tinguished from each other ; a harbinger doubt- 
 less of what subsequent history has shown the 
 fate of the united institutions to be. 
 
 Two hideous lynxes, two great black bears, 
 two caribou heads, all stuffed to the naturalness 
 of life, and two silk pennants, gracing the walls 
 of the M. V. I. Museum, alone remain to bear 
 witness to the fact that there were once two 
 rival seats of learning in the town of Melrose, 
 or two rival camps among the South mountains 
 of Nova Scotia. 
 
 Nor is there any doubt that the happy termi- 
 nation of the long feud between the institutions 
 was a direct outcome of the reconciliation be- 
 tween the two crews, from which sprang a pub- 
 lic sentiment which led the town authorities to 
 
NEAR OF KIN 305 
 
 make the important change which ended forever 
 all jealous feeling between the schools. 
 
 So loyalty to the right won a victory of which 
 Ben and his comrades never dreamed. 
 20 
 
FAMOUS STANDARD 
 JUVENILE LIBRARIES. 
 
 ANY VOLUME SOLD SEPARATELY AT $1.00 PER VOLUME 
 
 (Except the Sportsman's Club Series, Frank Nelson Series and 
 Jack Hazard Series). 
 
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 HORATIO ALGER, JR. 
 
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THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. S POPULAR JUVENILES. 
 
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Out of the Hurly=Burly. 
 
 By MAX ADELER, 
 
 Author of " Captain Bluitt," " The Quakeress," etc., etc. 
 
 WITH 400 ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. B. FROST AXD OTHERS. 
 
 A BOOK WITH A RECORD, 
 
 Max Adder's " Out of the Hurly-Burly" has a notable history. It 
 was first published more than thirty years ago, and every year since that 
 time there has been a large demand for it. The total sales for the Ameri- 
 can and English editions probably approximate one million copies. 
 
 The book contains nearly four hundred of the first drawings made by 
 the now eminent artist A. B. Frost, and is interesting upon that account. 
 
 It had even larger popularity in Great Britain that in the United 
 States. It has been translated into several languages, and copies of it 
 have gone literally to the end of the earth. A friend of the author's, 
 shipwrecked on the coast of Norway a few years ago, got ashore and 
 found refuge in a fisherman's lonely hut. The first thing he saw upon 
 entering the building was a Swedish translation of " Out of the Hurly- 
 Burly" lying on a table, and it made him feel at home at once. Another 
 friend discovered the book in the cabin of a steamer a thousand miles up 
 a river in China. Cheering reports have floated in from India respecting 
 it, and innumerable tales have come to the auther of the pleasure it has 
 afforded to invalids and to the sorrowing, and of the joy it has given to 
 young people all over the world. 
 
 The demand for " Out of the Hurly-Burly " continues. In fact, it is 
 beginning again to increase. Of how many books published in 1874 can 
 this be said ? 
 
 The new generation is learning, as its predecessors did, that here is a 
 book of hearty fun and genuine sentiment, which contains no word that 
 can give offence, and which contributes liberally to society's stock of 
 cheerfulness. 
 
 For more than a third of a century it has supplied innocent mirth 
 to a world in which kindly humor is by no means an abundant com- 
 modity, and the promise is that it will have undiminished benefaction for 
 generations still to come. 
 
 12mo, Cloth, extra .... $1.25. 
 
 THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO., Publishers, 
 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
Vh