Comrades on River and Lake Part 24

As they were talking to Hoki, Bert came out of a nearby room, rubbing his eyes, and a moment later Fleet and Pod came downstairs, feeling fine after a morning plunge in the tub.

Hoki bustled back and forth between the kitchen and the diningroom, and soon announced breakfast.

"But we're to wait for Mr. Lawrence, of course," said Chot.

"No wait," said Hoki, gravely. "It gives me greatest pleasure to accept you as masters of lodge. My master, he not here-he go away in the night!"

CHAPTER XVII-MYSTERY

"Mr. Lawrence has left the island!" Chot exclaimed, and again Hoki nodded.

"He said tell young gentlemens take much possession, and he will either return or come back before long," said the j.a.p, gravely.

In spite of the fact that they were surprised at the sudden turn of events, the boys were forced to laugh at Hoki's quaint methods of speech.

"I understood he was not to go away until to-day," said Chot.

Hoki shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

"I hesitate to express myself," he said; "at same time, must have been to-day when he left, sirs, for clock had some time past chimed midnight."

"That's so," said Tom. "It must have been three o'clock at least when we were up the last time. Er-Hoki, did your master leave in a motor-boat?"

"I am pleased to explain to you that he did," was the j.a.p's reply.

"I heard that boat," said Fleet. "The chug-chug of the engine woke me up. I don't know what time it was but it must have been getting on toward morning."

Then Fleet caught a significant look from Chot, and said no more.

Breakfast was eaten in silence, save for desultory comment on what they were going to do during the day. There was plenty of fishing tackle in the lodge, they knew, and Fleet and Pod decided that they would try and land some of the denizens of the St. Lawrence.

"Hoki, can you go fishing with us?" Fleet asked, as the j.a.p come into the diningroom again, bearing a large platter of pan-cakes.

"I will take pleasure in accepting of kind request," said he. "I be fine fisherman-sometimes," and he grinned broadly.

Tom and Chot decided to paddle around the island in their canoes, while Bert elected to stay at the lodge and read, as Mr. Lawrence's library held forth great temptations.

"I've had enough paddling for sometime," he said, "and I'm going to take it easy for a day or so."

That is the way matters were arranged for the day's pleasure, and about nine o'clock, Pod and Fleet, having selected what tackle they needed from Mr. Lawrence's plunder room, went off to the other end of the little island, about a hundred yards distant from the lodge. Hoki went with them.

Chot and Tom got into their canoes and paddled along the sh.o.r.e in the shade of the trees, taking care to keep within easy distance of the lodge.

The last the boys saw of Bert he was stretched out in a hammock on the shady side of the verandah, with one of Victor Hugo's volumes in his hand.

Finally, having paddled around to the end of the island, and teased Fleet and Pod because, as yet, no fish had taken their hooks, Chot and Tom decided to cross the intervening s.p.a.ce of a quarter of a mile to another island, which looked cool and inviting with its ma.s.sive shade trees and short, green gra.s.s.

As they went they glanced up at the lodge and saw Bert still in the hammock; but one hand was extended over the side now, and in this he held the book.

"Asleep!" said Chot, and Tom nodded, smiling.

"It's drowsy weather. He'd have felt much better to have come with us."

"Well, he didn't think so, and everyone to his own taste," Chot replied.

Reaching their destination, the boys drew their canoes up on the bank and lay down on the soft gra.s.s. They had a plain view of the front of Winnsocket Lodge, as well as of the boys fishing on the end of the island.

"This wouldn't be a bad spot for a camp," said Chot, as he let his glance roam around. "If Mr. Lawrence returns before we are ready to leave the islands, we can come over here and pitch our tent."

"That's a good plan," said Tom. "It would surely be comfortable out in the open here."

"Say, it's funny, isn't it?" mused Chot.

"I don't see anything funny."

"Well, queer, then."

"What's queer?"

"Why, the way Mr. Lawrence left the lodge?"

"In the motor-boat, you mean?"

"Not that so much, but why didn't he wait till daylight?"

"I couldn't say, Chot; it's too much of a problem for me. What were the noises in the night? Had Mr. Lawrence anything to do with them? What this and what that? One might go on asking questions forever, but finding the answers is another matter."

"Well, he must have had urgent reasons for leaving at that time of night. No man wants to have his sleep disturbed to take a journey that can just as well be taken by daylight."

"Then I suppose this was a journey that couldn't be taken by daylight."

They were still discussing the matter of their host's disappearance, and the strange noises of the night, when they were startled by a yell from Bert, and turning their gaze in the direction of the lodge, saw him start up from the hammock and stand for an instant in a listening att.i.tude. Then, looking over toward them, he beckoned to them in such a vigorous way that they knew he meant come at once. As they pushed their canoes into the water and jumped aboard, they saw him dash madly into the lodge.

Fleet, Pod and Hoki had heard the cry, and dropping their fishing tackle, they, too, rushed toward the lodge Pod leading by several lengths.

"Something wrong, sure," said Chot, between clenched teeth. "A little faster, Tom; we may be needed."

The other boys reached the lodge first and disappeared within just as Chot and Tom were pulling their canoes up on the island. When they had negotiated the slight rise and entered the building, there was no one to be seen.

Fleet came perspiring out of the bas.e.m.e.nt a moment later, followed by Pod and Hoki. Their faces were white and they were shaking in every limb.

"What's the matter?" Chot demanded, seizing Fleet's arm and shaking him violently.

"It's-it's Bert," was the reply.