Guns And Snowshoes

C >> Captain Ralph Bonehill >> Guns And Snowshoes

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As Snap and Shep moved around, in and out of the shelter, Kiddy Leech
watched them closely, although without letting them see it. The tramp
had on his ragged overcoat and, when he got the chance, he put a
number of things into the pockets on the sly.

Suddenly from the lake there came a loud shouting, and Snap and Shep
ran out to see what was the matter.

"Maybe Giant and Whopper are in trouble," said the doctor's son.

They ran out on the ice and then around the bend, to find those who
had been fishing running toward them.

"We just saw some big game," panted Giant. "Get the rifle and the
shotguns!"

"What game?" queried Snap.

"At least a dozen deer, big ones," answered Whopper. "Oh, hurry. We'll
never get such a chance again!"

"Did you really see a dozen?" asked Shep.

"I saw five or six," answered Giant.

"I saw more than that--right across the lake," came from Whopper.
"Hurry up!"

With such game so close at hand the four boy hunters were in a fever
of excitement. All rushed to the shelter and got their firearms,
Whopper and Giant throwing their fish and lines in a heap on the
floor. For the time being the tramp was practically forgotten.

"Where are you going?" he shouted after them.

"After some deer. We'll soon be back," answered Snap.

At that moment Shep sighted one of the deer--directly on the opposite
shore of the lake. But as soon as the game was seen it disappeared
from view.

"They are there, sure enough," exclaimed the doctor's son.

"Shall we go back for our skates?" asked Snap.

"No, there isn't time."

Without further words the four boy hunters started to cross Firefly
Lake, stepping as much as possible on the portions that did not look
extra slippery. Yet more than one went down with a thump, and this
delayed them not a little.

"Where are the deer?" queried Snap, when the other side of the lake
was gained.

All looked around, and while one went up the shore, another went down,
and then two hurried into the forest, which at this point was extra
thick.

"Here are the tracks!" cried Snap, and began to run forward, with the
others close at his heels.

But alas! the tracks soon came to an end, on a series of rocks which
the wind had swept clear of snow. Beyond this point the ground was so
uneven that progress was difficult.

The boys gazed around in perplexity. They had expected some easy
shooting. Now the game was gone and they did not know where to look
for it.

"May as well go back to camp," said Snap at last. "Remember, we left
that tramp in full possession."

"Oh, let us look around a little longer," pleaded Giant.

To please the small member of the Gun Club, the others remained in
that vicinity for quarter of an hour longer, looking in every possible
direction for the deer. But the animals had made themselves scarce,
and that was the end of it.

"Too bad!" sighed Whopper. "I thought we'd get a full dozen this
time!"

They had stirred up absolutely nothing in the way of game, and so
retraced their steps without firing a single shot. Nobody felt in
particularly good humor, and the walk back to camp was a rather silent
one.

"Might better have kept at fishing," grumbled Whopper.

"What did you get?" asked Shep, who had not taken time to look at the
catch.

"Oh, we've got enough for several meals."

"That's good."

"I hooked one big fish, but he got away."

"The big fish always do," remarked Snap, significantly.

"Oh, I'm not exaggerating," growled Whopper.

When they came in sight of the camp it looked particularly lonely.

"It's a wonder Mr. Kiddy Leech didn't come out to welcome us,"
remarked Giant.

"He's too lazy," said Shep. "More than likely you'll find him snoring
in front of the fire."

"He certainly is a lazy one," said Whopper. "We must clear him out
right away."

They came up to the Inn and entered, to find the fire smouldering
dimly. The tramp was nowhere to be seen.

"Hullo!" called Snap, but there was no response.

"Maybe he went out to find us," suggested Giant.

"Not much!" exclaimed Snap. "I don't like this," he went on.

"What, Snap?"

"Look around you and see what is missing."

"Missing!"

"That is what I said."

At these words all made a hasty examination of their belongings. Some
underwear was gone, also a storm coat, and a number of other things.
The tramp had taken a game bag full of provisions, and the pair of
skates belonging to Snap.

"He's a thief!" cried Giant.

"I wish I had my hands on him," muttered Snap.

"So do I," put in Whopper, to whom the storm coat belonged.

"We must go after him, and at once," came from Shep. "He must not be
allowed to get away with the things he has taken!"

CHAPTER XV

SOMETHING OF A CHASE

"It is easy enough to say go after the tramp, but where are you going
to find him?" said Whopper. "We went after those deer, but we didn't
get any."

"If he put on the skates, he must have taken to the lake," answered
Snap. "Anyway, I don't think it will hurt to look around."

"Somebody ought to stay at camp and watch things," said Shep.
"Whopper, will you do that?"

"Yes."

"Then you can lend your skates to me, while I go after Mr. Kiddy
Leech," said Snap.

So it was arranged, and a few minutes later Snap, Shep and Giant set
out to look for the tramp who had so unceremoniously disappeared.

"If he took to skating he most likely went down to Lake Cameron," said
Snap. "From there he could get to the river and go wherever he
pleased."

Once on the ice the three boys skated around on the lake until they
saw other skate marks. These they began to follow and soon saw that
they led down towards the neck that connected Firefly Lake with Lake
Cameron.

"I believe he did not imagine we'd get back so soon," said Giant. "He
reckoned on getting over Lake Cameron to the river before we could
spot him."

Wherever there was a ridge of snow on the ice they could see the marks
left by the tramp quite plainly. They skated with vigor, for they felt
that Kiddy Leech would do all in his power to escape.

"He may be lazy, but he'll hump himself now," declared Shep.

"And to think he'd do such a thing as this, afar what we did for him,"
said Giant. "He can't have any sense of gratitude."

On they went until they entered the rocky passage between the two
lakes. Here they had to walk through several ridges of snow and saw
that the tramp had done the same.

Out on Lake Cameron the ice was tolerably free from snow, so it was
not so easy to follow the trail. But they watched the ice closely, and
kept their eyes open for the tiny scratches made by the skate runners.
At one point, in a snow drift, they saw where the tramp had taken a
tumble and rolled over.

"Served him right," grumbled Snap. "I wish he had taken a dozen
falls."

They were nearing the end of the lake when they swept around a curve
of the shore. At once, Snap, who was in the lead, set up a shout:

"There he is!"

"And skating for all he is worth!" added Shep.

"Hi, you! stop!" yelled Giant. "Stop, you rascal!"

At first Kiddy Leech did not hear, but presently, as they drew closer,
he turned in a startled way. Then he tried to skate harder than ever.

"Stop where you are, or I'll shoot you!" called out Snap, who had
brought his shotgun along.

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" yelled the tramp, in wild alarm.

"Then stop," went on Snap.

The tramp skated a few strokes more and then halted. Soon the three
boys swept up to him.

"Don't shoot!" cried Kiddy Leech again. It's--er--all a mistake.
I--er--I didn't mean any harm."

"You didn't?" said Snap, indignantly. "No harm to steal our things?
You're a rascal if ever there was one. We ought to hand you over to
the authorities."

"No! no. I--er--I wasn't stealing anything. It's all a joke. I was
coming back. I thought I'd scare you a little, that's all."

"Hand over that game-bag," said Shep.

"And that storm-coat," said Giant.

"And my skates," put in Snap. "And all the other things you took. And
be quick about it, too."

"You'll not go near our camp again," answered the leader of the Gun
Club.

Finding himself surrounded, Kiddy Leech gave up the things he had
taken, including the skates.

"Now hand over the money you got from us," continued Snap, sternly.

"Why, can't I keep that?"

"Not a cent of it."

Kiddy Leech tried to, protest, but the young hunters would not listen
to what he had to say.

"We ought to give you a good thrashing," said the doctor's son. "If we
were near town I'd have you arrested."

"Don't you ever show your face near our camp again," said Giant, who,
even though small, was bound to have his say.

"If you do, we'll make it red-hot for you," added Snap.

Stripped of all he had taken, the tramp stood glaring at the boys in a
sullen manner.

"I'll fix you for this," he began, when Snap cut him short.

"Say another word and we'll thrash you good," he said. "Now get--just
as fast as you can walk." And he pointed toward the river.

Muttering under his breath, Kiddy Leech moved on, and the three young
hunters watched him until a distant bend hid him from view.

"Doesn't walk as if his back was lame," was Giant's comment.

"Oh, I guess that was all put on--just to arouse our sympathy,"
answered Snap.

The boys turned back in the direction of their camp, talking about the
affair and glad that they had had no worse trouble in getting back
their things. In the meantime Kiddy Leech walked on, fast at first and
then more slowly, until Rocky River was reached. Here he came to a
dilapidated building once used as an ice-house and sat down on a bench
in the sun to rest.

"I'm having bad luck right along lately," he muttered to himself.
"Thought sure I'd get away to-day with those things. Gee, but I'm glad
they didn't shoot me! That fellow they call Snap looked mad enough to
do it. And to think they took that money back too--after giving it to
me! Say, I'd like to fix 'em for that!" And he shook his head
savagely.

Kiddy Leech had been sitting on the bench less than quarter of an hour
when he saw several boys coming along the frozen river on their
skates. He looked at them indifferently at first, but soon became
interested in two of the number. These boys were Ham Spink and Carl
Dudder. The third youth was Barney Hedge, one of Spink's cronies.

"The same boys!" muttered the tramp to himself.

"Hullo, look at the scarecrow!" called out Ham Spink, as he swept up
on an elegant pair of silver-plated hockey skates.

"Wonder what cornfield he came from," put in Carl Dudder.

"Got any old clo's' to sell!" cried Barney Hedge, imitating a street
merchant.

Kiddy Leech scowled at the trio and said nothing at first. Then, as
Ham Spink threw a snowball at him, he arose and beckoned the boys
nearer.

"I want to talk to you two," he said, motioning to Carl and Ham.

"We haven't any money for you," answered Ham.

"You can't get a drink out of me," added Carl Dudder. "And by the
way," he added suddenly. "You're the tramp my father fired out of our
barn one night last week."

"That's true," answered Kiddy Leech, calmly. "But he won't do it
again."

"I know he won't--you won't dare to come around," jeered Carl.

"Humph! I We'll see about that, sonny. Maybe I'll call on your father
to-morrow."

"The scarecrow is crazy," said Barney Hedge.

"No, I ain't crazy. But I know a thing or so, and I want to talk to
you two in private," went on the tramp, and motioned again to Ham and
Carl.

"What do you want?" asked Ham, curiously. He could see that the tramp
was not crazy.

"Come here,--or send that other boy away."

"Gosh, got a state secret, eh?" said Barney Hedge. "All right--I'll
keep out of it. If you want help, call," he added, as he circled away
to a distance.

"What do you want anyway?" questioned Carl, half angrily. "We are not
in the habit of associating with tramps."

"We are gentlemen's sons," added Ham, drawing himself up proudly.

"Say, do gentlemen's sons blow up boathouses?" asked Kiddy Leech, in a
low but distinct tone.

At this question consternation seemed to seize both Ham Spink and Carl
Dudder, and their faces grew pale as they stared at the tramp.

"Wha--what's that?" stammered Ham, faintly.

"I asked you if gentlemen's sons blew up boathouses."

"What do you know about blowing up a boathouse?" asked Carl.

"I don't know much about doing the job. But I saw one blown up not
long ago, and--"

"And what?" came eagerly from Ham and Carl.

"And I know you two boys did the job," finished Kiddy Leech,
significantly.

CHAPTER XVI

AN EVIL COMPACT

For the next moment Ham Spink and Carl Dudder stared at the tramp in
amazement not unmixed with terror.

"You--er--you saw us?" faltered Ham, at length.

"I did."

"You were mistaken," put in Carl. "You--"

"No, I wasn't mistaken, for I saw you with the dynamite, and I saw you
go into the boathouse and then come out. And then--"

"Hush, not so loud," interrupted Ham, looking over to where Barney
Hedge was skating up.

"Then don't say I don't know anything about it," insisted Kiddy Leech.
"I know all about it. You two boys did the job, and nobody else."

"Where were you?" asked Ham.

"Oh, I was just knocking around."

"You can't prove we did it," said Carl, a little of his courage
returning.

"Can't I though? Just you try me and see. I don't know your names, but
I can soon find them out. I know you belong in Fairview."

"Oh!"

Ham's face grew pale again, and if the truth were known he was
trembling in his shoes.

"Say, I--er--I don't want you to say anything about this to anybody,"
he added, hastily.

"Oh, I am not the kind to tell all I know," answered the tramp.

"Thank you."

"But it will cost you a trifle."

"Eh?"

"How much money have you got with you?" went on Kiddy Leech, calmly.

"Only some change--less than a dollar."

"How much have you got?"

"What is that to you?" demanded Carl.

"I want what you've got, that's all."

"I'll not give it to you."

"All right then, I'll walk to Fairview and tell what I know about that
explosion."

"We'll say you did it!" cried Carl, struck by a sudden inspiration.

"Won't do no good--I can prove you're guilty," answered Kiddy Leech.

He spoke with such positiveness that both boys believed him, and after
a few words more both agreed to give him all the money they carried if
he would keep silent about the matter.

"The boathouse wasn't worth anything," explained Ham. "We only knocked
it down to play a trick on some other boys we don't like."

"Some other boys?"

"Yes, some fellows who came up this way to go camping. They had their
traps stored in that boathouse."

"Did those boys come to a camp up here?" asked the tramp, with
interest.

"Yes."

"What were their names?"

"Snap Dodge, Shep Reed, a fellow called Whopper Dawson and a little
chap named Caslette."

"Humph! the very same crowd," muttered Kiddy Leech. "So you played the
trick on them, eh? I am glad of it."

"Say, what are you chaps gassing about anyway?" demanded Barney Hedge,
who was growing tired of waiting for his cronies.

"Say, Barney, excuse us for awhile, will you," called out Ham, skating
towards his friend. "We want to find out something from this tramp. He
knows something about the Dodge crowd I am sure."

"Oh! Well, I want to find out about them too," said Hedge and came
closer.

"Don't say anything about the boathouse," whispered Ham Spink to Kiddy
Leech, to which the tramp replied with a knowing wink of his bleery
eye.

"Have you been up to the Dodge camp?" questioned Carl Dudder.

"Yes, and those chaps treated me shamefully," answered Kiddy Leech. "I
never touched a thing they had, yet they accused me of trying to steal
some of their traps."

"Just like 'em," said Ham. "They are a mean set, every one of 'em.
What kind of a camp did they have, a regular log cabin?"

"No, a sort of shelter patched up among some trees," and at this
information Ham and Carl winked at each other.

"Thought we were to go up there some day and play a trick on them,"
came from Barney Hedge, who, during the summer, had done his full
share of trouble-making for all of our friends.

"How would you like to go to that camp and make trouble for that
crowd?" said Ham, to the tramp.

"Me?"

"Yes. We'd like to have their outing spoilt. We'd pay you for your
trouble."

"Say, Ham, can you trust this fellow?" whispered Barney, half in
alarm.

"I think so. He's only a tramp and he will do anything for a little
money. If he does the job we won't have to dirty our hands, and if he
gets into trouble we can deny that we had anything to do with it."

This view of the matter suited Barney Hedge and also Carl Dudder, and
all joined in getting Kiddy Leech to tell them what our friends were
doing and how they were situated. Then it was suggested again to the
tramp that he go back to the vicinity of the camp on Firefly Lake and
make matters uncomfortable for the campers.

"I'll do it, if you'll pay me what it is worth," said Kiddy Leech.
"But I can't go back to-day. It's too cold and I ain't dressed warm
enough. And I'll want some provisions."

"I can get you some better clothing," said Carl Dudder. "I think one
of my father's old suits will fit you. Maybe I can get you an
overcoat, too."

"I can get you some shoes, and a hat," said Barney Hedge.

"I'll furnish the provisions, and we'll pay you some money," put in
Ham Spink. "Come along to Fairview if you want to."

So it was agreed, and Kiddy Leech accompanied the young conspirators
back to the town. Here the tramp was given some more money, and he put
up at Bamling's Tavern, a low resort near the river. The boys brought
him the clothing and other things promised, and he had several talks
with them on what was to be done when he went back to the vicinity of
the camp on Firefly Lake. He promised to do all they wished; but on
the following day he was missing.

"What do you suppose had become of him?" said Ham to Carl, in
considerable alarm.

"I am sure I don't know, and Bamling says he doesn't know either," was
the answer.

Ham Spink made numerous inquiries and soon learned from some rivermen
that Kiddy Leech had yielded to his weakness for strong liquor and
gone off on a spree.

"We are out our money," he said to Carl Rudder, in disgust. "He'll
never do a thing for us, I am certain, and we dare not prosecute him."

"Maybe he'll do what we want when he gets sober," answered Carl. "He
will want more money, and then we can tell him that he can't have a
cent until he goes up to the camp and does what we want him to."

When at last they saw the tramp again he looked more battered and
disreputable than ever,--so much so, in fact, that the rather
fastidious youths were afraid of him. But he would not let them get
away from him, and insisted on keeping to the bargain that had been
made.

"I am sorry I took to the liquor--but it's a weakness I get once a
year or so," he said blandly. "But I'll keep as sober as a judge now,
you see if I don't--no more drink for Kiddy Leech until this job is
done. All I want is what you promised to me, and you can rely on me
doing the rest."

"We are not going to trust you," said Ham, putting on as bold a front
as he could, although he was trembling. "You go and do the work as
promised and we'll pay you afterwards."

This did not suit Kiddy Leech, and a lively discussion followed, and
the matter was compromised. The tramp was given something of another
outfit and a third of the money promised to him, and he agreed to
accept the rest of the money when he had done the "job" at Firefly
Lake.

"Mind you now," said Ham, "I want you to make it just as disagreeable
for that crowd as you possibly can. You can soak their firewood with
water, hide their guns and provisions, and fix it so the snow will
break in their roof--and things like that."

"Oh, don't you worry," declared Kiddy Leech. "I'll make it so
uncomfortable for them that you'll see them back home in no time, mark
my words."

"And see that they don't bring any game with them either," said Carl
Dudder.

"I'll fix that too," answered the tramp.

CHAPTER XVII

FUN IN THE CAMP

"Boys! wake up! Are you going to sleep all day?"

It was Snap who called out. He had just crawled out of his cozy
sleeping place near the fire and looked at his watch. It was eight
o'clock.

It was the morning after the day when they had had their trouble with
Kiddy Leech, and as they brought in some wood, stirred up the
smouldering camp-fire, they talked over what had occurred.

"I don't think he'll bother us any more," said Shep. "He's too much of
a coward at heart."

The boys had planned for a day "at home," as Snap put it. They were
going to try their hands at cake and candy making, and for dinner were
going to have baked turkey, beans and apple sauce. For breakfast Giant
and Whopper had prepared some of the fish caught through the ice, and
the repast proved a delicious one--quite a relief from the monotony of
game.

All of the boys were in exceptionally good humor that day, whistling
and singing and "cutting up" generally. Right after breakfast they
opened up the Inn to let in some fresh air and during that period of
time had a snowball match, using as a target a saucepan lid set up on
a tree stump at a distance of a hundred feet. Each took ten trials and
Snap knocked the lid down seven times, Shep six times and Giant and
Whopper each five times. Then the boys got to snowballing each other,
running round the shelter for protection, and at last Giant followed
Shep inside, each carrying a chunk of snow.

"Hi! that won't do!" sang out the leader of the club. "No snow allowed
inside. Come out, or I'll fine you each five sticks of wood." Which
meant that each culprit would have to go out into the woods and chop
down five fair sized sticks for firewood. This was a system of fines
Snap had instituted and it seemed to work very well.

"No wood chopping in mine," called out Giant, and threw his snow
outside. Whopper attempted to do the same, but the chunk fell and
spread all over one of the couches.

"Whopper you are fined five sticks, and you must at once clean the
couch, before the snow melts," said Snap.

"Just my luck," grumbled Whopper. "Every time I start out for fun I
end up with a funeral!" Yet he set to work willingly, whistling as
merrily as ever.

The sport at an end, all of the boys set to work, cake and candy
making. They cracked some of the nuts taken from the squirrels' hiding
places and then while Snap and Giant made a big nut cake, Shep and
Whopper made nut candy. The boys had learned the work at home (for
camp purposes) and the results were decidedly appetizing. In the
meantime the turkey was roasting, and then Snap and Shep peeled some
apples for apple sauce.

"Listen!" cried Whopper. "Am I mistaken, or did I hear a whistle?"

All listened and from a distance heard a clear, sharp whistle, thrice
repeated. They knew that signal well, and all rushed to the doorway of
the shelter, getting in a jam in consequence.

"I'm the one to get out ahead!" cried the Giant, and the small form
slipped deftly between the others. "Hullo, Jed Sanborn! How are you?"

"Hullo, yourself!" came from off the ice of the lake, as the
well-known old hunter strode forward. "Thought I'd find you to hum--by
the look of the smoke from your chimbley."

"Where did you come from, Fairview?"

"Yes,--got letters fer all of you."

"Oh, letters!" was the cry, and then all the young hunters rushed
forward to shake hands and escort the old hunter into the shelter. Jed
Sanborn looked around in perplexity.

"Why, say, this ain't the camp I expected," he stammered.

"The other was burnt down when we got here," answered Snap.

"Burnt down? 'T wasn't burnt down when I was here last, lad."

"So you told us. It must have been burnt down after that. The work of
some enemy," put in Shep.

"You don't suspect Felps, do you?"

"Either he or the Ham Spink crowd," answered Whopper.

"Humph! Dog mean, wasn't it? Some fellers is too mean to live. Say,
that turkey smells good. Ain't starvin' none, eh?"

"Not a bit of it," declared Giant. "We've got more than enough."

"Then kin I get dinner?"

"A dozen of them!" cried Snap.

They made Jed Sanborn make himself at home, and then read with
pleasure the letters. All was going along well at Fairview, and the
boys were cautioned to take good care of themselves.

"We must send letters in return," said Shep, and this was agreed to
instantly, and the communications were pencilled that afternoon.

Jed Sanborn had quite some news to tell, and he listened with interest
to the tale the young hunters had to relate about their various quests
of game. His brow darkened when they related their experience with
Kiddy Leech.

"Sech rascals ought to be run out o' the deestrict," he observed. "An'
I'd like the job of runnin' 'em out. I hope he doesn't bother you
again."

It was one o'clock when the Gun Club and their guest sat down to their
turkey dinner. All took their time over the repast, and as a
consequence the meal was not finished until some time after two. Then
they took it easy, while Jed Sanborn told them a story about a bear
hunt, and how he had once gone fishing on the St. Lawrence and got
caught in the rapids.

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