Bart Keene's Hunting Days Part 23

"Lots better," replied Bart, cheerfully. "But let's get ready for some hot coffee. Lucky we brought the pot along. Ned, you gather some snow in it, and we'll put it on to melt. Fenn, you get some flat stones, to make a sort of fireplace. Frank, you cut some branches from that hemlock, and make cots under that big tree over there. I'll help. That will be our tent to-night. Everybody get busy, now."

Ordering his chums about in this way was the best thing Bart could have done, and, in a short time, everyone was so occupied that he had no time to think of the unpleasant situation. Soon the coffee was boiling away, and Bart had arranged an old log, under the shelter of a tree, for a table. Thereon their frugal meal was spread out.

Luckily each lad carried a drinking cup with him, and this served in which to dispense the coffee. They had no milk, of course, but Bart had been thoughtful enough to bring along some sugar, so the beverage was not at all unpalatable. Then, by the light of the campfire, they sat about, munched their sandwiches, drank the strong coffee, and talked of their afternoon's adventure.

"Why, that isn't a half bad place to sleep," remarked Fenn, as he looked at the "bunk" Bart and Frank had made.

"Sure, it's great," added Ned, but it was probably the cheerfulness engendered by a hot drink and food that made them see things with more hopeful eyes.

They had no blankets, but they wore thick clothing, and had on heavy coats, so their situation was not so bad. Besides, the weather was not cold, though it was growing more so, and the snow still fell thickly.

The heavy branches of the tree under which the boys crawled, served to protect them.

They stretched out, and hoped to be able to sleep, in order that morning might come the more quickly, but either the strong coffee, or the unusual situation, kept them wide awake. They lay close together, for the sake of warmth, but first Bart would turn over, restlessly, and then, in sequence, Fenn, Ned and Frank would do the same thing.

"What's the matter; can't you fellows sleep?" asked Ned, at length.

"No; can you?" inquired Bart.

"Nope. Let's talk."

"All right. Say, what do you suppose that man was doing around the mud volcano?" ventured Frank.

They had discussed this, in all its bearings, several times that afternoon, but it was a subject full of new possibilities, and they eagerly welcomed another chance to talk about it.

"I think he was after mud turtles," said Bart.

"Say," asked Fenn, suddenly, "did it ever strike you fellows that this fellow might be a detective?"

"A detective?" gasped the other three.

"Yes; after us," went on Stumpy. "You know we're suspected of taking that bracelet. It hasn't been found, and what would be more natural than for Professor Long to hire a private detective, and have him shadow us.

I didn't think of that until just now, but I'll wager I'm right. You'll find that man is a detective, and he's watching us; trying to get a trace of the bracelet. Maybe he thinks we have it, and are going to hide it off in the woods here."

"Say!" cried Bart, "that's not a bad 'think' of yours, Stumpy. I wouldn't be surprised but what you are right," and then they fell to discussing that aspect of the case. It was quite a reversal of the former situation. Instead of them being after the mysterious man, he might be after the chums.

"But how do you account for him entering the school that night, before the bracelet was stolen?" asked Frank.

"Maybe he was shadowing us--or, rather, you fellows--" said Fenn, who, as will be remembered, was not present on that occasion. "Or, maybe we're mistaken, and the man Bart saw to-day may not have been the one who entered the school."

"Oh, he's the same one," declared Bart, with conviction.

There was more discussion, and, if it did nothing more, it served a good turn, for it shunted the thoughts of the lads into new channels, and they began to feel sleepy.

But, just as they were about to doze off, there came an exclamation of dismay from Bart.

"What's the matter?" asked Bart.

"Stream of water trickling down my neck," was the answer. "I believe it's raining!"

There was no doubt of it. Instead of turning colder it had grown warmer, and the snow had changed to rain. The tree, thick as were the branches, was little protection against the rain, and, as it increased to a regular downpour, the plight of our heroes was miserable in the extreme.

There was nothing to be done but make the best of it. They huddled together, turned up the collars of their coats, and tried to crawl to spots more or less protected. But they were soon pretty wet, and, to add to their misery, they saw their fire die down, and go out.

"Wow! This is fierce!" exclaimed Ned, as a stream of water trickled down his neck. "I wish it was morning. It wouldn't be so bad if we could travel." But there was no help for it, and they had to sit there in the storm and darkness, waiting for daylight.

CHAPTER XXI

UNEXPECTED HELP

Never had hours seemed to drag so slowly. There was nothing to be heard save the drip, drip of the rain in the forest, and the mournful sound of the wind in the trees. Once Bart went out, and tried to coax into a blaze the few, faint, remaining embers of the fire, but it was out of the question. He did have it started, but a swaying of the trees overhead sent down a shower of drops, and the blaze was completely extinguished.

"Hang the luck!" exclaimed Bart, as he hurried back into the partial shelter of the tree under which were his chums. "It's all my fault, for not keeping my compa.s.s."

"No, we should have kept ours," declared Fenn. "It's up to us, too."

"Well, then, I shouldn't have seen that mysterious man," went on Bart, determined to blame himself in some fashion, "and we wouldn't have come on this wild-goose chase."

"No, it's a good thing you did see him," said Frank. "We want to know what he's up to."

"I only hope he's as badly off as we are," put in Ned, with a shiver.

"But say, fellows," he went on, in a few minutes, "don't you think it's slacking up some?"

They all listened. There was no doubt about it, the rain was less in violence, but the wind was rising.

"Maybe it's going to clear," suggested Fenn.

"If it does, it'll be colder," was Bart's opinion. It did clear, shortly after that, and there was a decided drop in temperature. Through the boughs of their shelter the boys could see the stars coming out.

Miserable, and feeling chilled to the bone, the chums crowded close together.

It soon grew so cold that they had to come out of their shelter to move about and get their blood in circulation. But this served a good purpose, for it gave them something to do. At last a faint streak of light appeared in the east--the herald of the rising sun--and, a little later, the red rim of Old Sol appeared. Never was the big luminary more welcome.

"Now for a fire!" cried Ned, "that is, if we can find any dry wood." They did manage to pick up a few sticks from inside a hollow log where they had placed them the night before, in antic.i.p.ation of some emergency, and soon they were warming themselves in front of the flames. But there was nothing to eat, and no coffee left, though Bart did manage to make a potful of what pa.s.sed for it out of the grounds of what they had used the night before.

"Well, let's start for camp," proposed Frank, when they had drunk the hot, if not palatable beverage. "Think you can find the way, Bart?"

"I guess so--I'll try, anyhow."

They started off, getting the direction as best they could by the sun, and for an hour tramped forward, feeling, on the whole, rather miserable, but hoping to soon be in camp.

Several hours pa.s.sed, and they seemed to be no nearer the place where their tents were. Bart's face wore a puzzled look. He stared around at the trees, as if they would help him solve the problem. Then he said:

"Fellows, I'm sorry, but I don't know where we are."

"Lost again, do you mean?" asked Ned.

"I don't believe we've been un-lost, if that's the proper term," went on Bart. "I guess we haven't been on the right path since last night."