Crown and Sceptre Part 29

"Scar!"

"Why, what brought you over so soon?"

"What are you doing there?"

"Baling."

"Yes; and you were going over yonder without me?"

Scarlett sat tapping the gunwale of the boat with the pot, having ceased to bale.

"Yes, I knew you were," continued Fred, in an altered tone, as the other remained silent.

"Come, now, confess."

"I don't know that I need call it confessing," said Scarlett, throwing back his head and speaking haughtily. "It's our boat, and our lake, and that place is all ours."

"Yes; but we were schoolfellows, and we found it together."

Scarlett winced a little at this. "And you were going to steal a march and find it all out by yourself. I do call it mean," cried Fred, angrily. "I didn't think you'd do such a thing, Scar, and--"

"You thought just the same," said Scarlett, quickly, "and meant to take the boat before I was up, and that's why you are here."

He looked sharply at Fred, who thrust his hands in his pockets, and suddenly became interested in the movements of a bald coot, which was paddling in and out among the reeds which grew right into the lake.

"There now, you're found out too, and you're as bad as I am," cried Scarlett.

"Well, I only meant it as a surprise. Is she very leaky?"

Scarlett seemed disposed to hold off, but the interest of the project in hand swept all that away, and he replied sociably enough.

"No; she has been so deep in the water and got so soaked, that I don't think much comes in."

"Bale away, then," cried Fred.

"Suppose you have a turn. I'm getting hot."

Fred required no further hint, but stripping off his jerkin and rolling up his sleeves, he was soon at work scooping up the water and sending it flying and sparkling in the morning sunshine, while Scarlett sat and chatted.

"I didn't care to ask Nat to clean out the boat," he said, "for he's such an inquisitive fellow. He'd have wanted to know what I was going to do, and if I hadn't told him--"

"I know," said Fred, making a momentary iris as he sent the water flying, "he'd have hidden away and watched you."

"Yes; sure to."

"And Samson's just the same. I have to cheat him sometimes. But it didn't matter cheating old Nat. What I think was so shabby was trying to cheat me."

Scarlett was silent for a minute.

"I should have told you afterwards," he said. "Here, let me have a turn now."

"No; I shall finish," replied Fred, wielding the old pot with increased energy, "just to show you how forgiving I am."

"Ah! but you're found out too," cried Scarlett.

"Well, I didn't mean any harm," cried Fred, with a droll look, "and should have told you afterwards."

"Yes; but--"

"Look here," cried Fred, "you say another word about it, and I'll throw all the water over you."

"Let's make haste, then, and go and find the way in before breakfast."

For answer Fred scooped away at such a rate that he had soon cleared the boat down to the little well-like hollow arranged to catch the drainings.

"Now then," he cried, "I'm tired. You row."

Scarlett unhooked the chain, gave the boat a good thrust, seized the oars, and in ten minutes more they were coasting along as near to the bank as the overhanging trees and projecting bushes would allow.

For quite half an hour they searched to and fro, but without result.

There were plenty of likely looking places overgrown with ivy, and sheltered by the willows, alders, and birches, but not one showed a sign of having been built up with rough blocks of stone, or presented a hole such as they had seen from the inside.

"We shall never find it like this," said Fred, at last.

"How are we to find it, then? And we must go soon, as some one will see us, and wonder what we are doing."

"Oh no; they'll only think we are fishing," said Fred. "I'll tell you how to find it."

"How?"

"We must cut a long willow, and strip it all but the leaves on the end."

"What for?"

"Then one of us must go down the opening yonder, wade along the pa.s.sage, poke the stick out through the hole, and shout."

"Yes; that would do it nicely," said Scarlett. "But who's to do it?"

"Let's both go."

"Then we should be no wiser, because there would be no one out here to listen."

"No," said Fred; and then, "Let's have another try."

They had another try--a long and careful search, but the entrance had been too cunningly masked.

"It's of no use," said Scarlett, drawing in the oars. "One of us must go."