The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island Part 32

"We certainly know Asa Lemm," answered Jack.

"And we know the son of Slogwell Brown," added Randy.

"Yes, and if Mr. Brown is no better than his son, I wouldn't put it past him to do something crooked," was Andy's comment.

"Tell me what you know," said Uncle Barney.

Thereupon the four boys related the particulars of the trouble they had had with Professor Lemm, and of how he had left the military academy.

They also told much about Slugger, and, incidentally, Nappy Martell, and of how the two cadets had been dismissed by Colonel Colby.

"This certainly is wonderful!" exclaimed the old lumberman, when they had finished. "I had no idea you boys knew anything about those men. I reckon your opinion of their honesty is just about as high as mine is,"

and he smiled grimly.

"Asa Lemm claims to have lost quite a fortune," said Jack; "but we certainly did not think that part of it was located in this island."

"It isn't located in this island--at least it isn't so far as I am concerned!" cried Uncle Barney. "If those men bought what they thought were the rights to this island, they were defrauded, that's all! And that has absolutely nothing to do with my rights to this land!"

"I should think if you got a good deed to the land from that Luke Martinson--and his folks had a good deed from somebody else--that ought to be proof enough that you own the island."

"Well, I've got the deed from Martinson, and I've got the old deeds he used to have, too! I've got them placed away in a tin box and in a safe place, too!" answered the old man.

"Then, if you've got those deeds, why do they bother you?" questioned Fred.

"As I've said before, they won't admit that the deeds old Mrs. Martinson had were any good. The fact of the matter is, Slogwell Brown wants to get those deeds away from me. He has been at me to let him look at the deeds several times, but I've always refused, for I was afraid that if he got the deeds away from me I would never see them again."

"I thought they recorded deeds at the Court House," said Jack, who had heard this fact mentioned between his father and his uncles.

"They do record deeds, and I suppose that one was recorded at some time or other; but the Court House in this county was burnt down some years ago and all the records went up in smoke."

"But you could get the deeds recorded now--I mean have it done over again," remarked Randy.

"I suppose so. But that wouldn't do me any good, because they would probably try to prove that the deeds I brought in were not the originals. You see, the date when a deed is recorded has a good deal to do with it. Anyway, I'm not going to let anybody have those deeds until I am sure of what I'm doing," went on Uncle Barney. It was easy to see that the old man was peculiar and wanted to do things in his own manner.

"Did you ever ask a lawyer about this?" questioned Fred.

"No! I ain't got no use for lawyers!" was the quick reply. "I hired a lawyer in a lawsuit nigh on to thirteen years ago, and I lost the suit and it cost me over a hundred dollars more than I might have paid otherwise." The old lumberman did not add that this was a lawsuit to which Ruth Stevenson's father was also a party, yet such was the fact.

"How long is it since you heard from Mr. Brown and Professor Lemm?"

asked Andy.

"The last time they came to see me was in the middle of the summer. They threatened all sorts of things, and they got me so mad that I had to take down my shotgun and warn them away. Then they left in a big hurry."

"Don't you think it's a bad thing to warn them off with a gun?"

questioned Jack. "They might have you arrested for threatening their lives."

"I'm not afraid of them!" was the quick reply. "This is my island, and n.o.body shall take it away from me!"

The boys could see that the subject was becoming distasteful to the old man, and so they started to speak of other things. They questioned him about how they could get to his regular cabin, and also the cabin they were to occupy, and then spoke about the game they might have a chance to bring down.

"Your going hunting will depend a good deal on how the weather turns out," said the old lumberman. "If this snow keeps on for a day or two, it will make traveling pretty bad. However, I'm in hopes that the storm will clear away by morning."

The boys had put in a strenuous day, and they were glad enough when Uncle Barney suggested that they turn in for the night.

"We're pretty short on blankets," he said, "but that won't matter so much so long as we keep the fire going. I've got a good back log started, and that ought to last until morning, if not longer. When I'm at this hut alone, I usually sleep in that corner, and I'll do the same to-night. You can spread yourselves around as you please."

With such a limited supply of blankets, it was no easy matter to make comfortable couches, yet the boys had left home to rough it, so n.o.body complained. They lay down in their clothing, using some of their suitcases and Gladstone bags for pillows.

"If we had had a chance to do so, we might have brought in some pine boughs to lie on," said Jack. "But as it is, I guess we'll manage."

"Is there any chance of that wolf coming back?" questioned Fred, a bit anxiously.

"I hardly think so, Fred. And, anyway, I don't see how he's going to get in here, with the door closed and the blanket nailed over the window.

However, we can keep our guns handy in case he does appear."

Worn out so completely, it did not take the boys long to fall into a sound sleep, and the old lumberman soon joined them, snoring l.u.s.tily.

Thus the night pa.s.sed, and nothing came to disturb them.

Of the lads, it was Randy who was the first to arise in the morning. He found Uncle Barney in the act of stirring up the fire. The old lumberman had already brought in some ice to be melted for a pot of coffee.

"I ain't really awake in the morning until after I've had my cup of coffee," he explained. "That's the one thing that really sets me on my feet."

"How about the storm?" questioned Randy, and now the sound of his voice set the others to stirring.

"The storm is about over," was the welcome announcement. "In a little while I think you'll see the sun peeping out over the woods on the eastern sh.o.r.e."

"Hurrah! that's good news!" cried Andy, leaping to his feet and stretching himself. "I must have a look!" and, jamming his cap on his head, he started for the door. The other Rovers followed him.

Outside they found the snow covering everything to a depth of from several inches to several feet, but the air was as clear as a bell, and just beyond the woods, on the eastern sh.o.r.e of Lake Monona, there was a rosy glow, betokening the rising of the sun.

"It's going to be a grand day!" exclaimed Fred.

"I don't think it could be any better, even though the snow is quite deep in spots," returned Jack.

Once more they went over the stores which had been brought along, and took out enough for breakfast. They had with them some flour for griddle cakes, and soon the appetizing odor of the cakes, mingling with the aroma of hot coffee and hot chocolate, filled the little cabin. Then they took turns at frying bacon and making more griddle cakes and eating breakfast.

"What do you think will be the easiest way of getting to the other end of the island?" questioned Jack of Uncle Barney, while they were eating.

"Well, as you've got the bobsled and all those stores along, I should say the easiest way would be to climb down to the lake again," was the reply. "That wind must have cleaned off some of the ice, and we can get along a good deal better by skating and by hauling the bobsled over the ice than we can trying to break our way through the woods in this heavy fall of snow."

"I was thinking if we walked the length of the island we might stir up some game," remarked Randy.

"You'll have plenty of chances to go out after game after you're settled at the regular camp," returned the old lumberman. "The game isn't going to run away, you know," and he smiled pleasantly.

Breakfast at an end, the boys lost no time in repacking their belongings, and Uncle Barney a.s.sisted them in fastening the load to the bobsled.

"But I'm going to carry my shotgun this time," announced Fred. "Then, if any game appears, I'll be ready for it."

"You can all carry your guns if you want to," said the owner of the island. "I'll leave my weapon strapped to the sled, so that if any game appears you boys can do the shooting."