The Young Oarsmen of Lakeview Part 19

"Two of them, Abraham," said the hermit; and then all hands laughed.

It was well for the boys that they were housed in the hermit's dwelling, for that night a terrible thunder storm came up. The wind howled and shrieked around the mountain top, and continued until dawn.

"If we had been on the plateau we would have been blown off into the lake," said Harry, at breakfast.

By nine o'clock it cleared off and at twelve the mountain was as dry as ever. They packed up, and, accompanied by the hermit, set off, for the old camp.

Daniel Brown knew every inch of the mountain and under his guidance they reached the bottom much quicker than they would otherwise have done.

As they were trailing through the woods toward the camp, Harry suddenly put up his hand.

"Listen! Don't you hear some persons talking?" he asked.

"Where can it be?" asked Jerry.

"Down by the camp," said Blumpo.

"Si Peters' crowd, I'll bet a new hat!" cried Jerry. "Come on, all of you!"

The young oarsman broke into a run, and Harry and Blumpo came after, with the hermit lagging on behind. A turn in the brush brought them in sight of the camp.

There were Si Peters, Wash Crosby, and four others in the act of shoving Harry's craft into the water.

"They intended to run off with our boat!" yelled Jerry. "Stop, there, you thieves!"

"Stop, or we'll fire on you!" added Harry.

The Peters crowd were surprised and alarmed. They hesitated for a moment.

"Go ahead, don't mind them!" howled Si Peters. "Quick, fellows, shove out to the yacht!"

Before Jerry and the others could reach the spot the big row-boat was afloat. The Peters' crowd leaped on board and quickly shipped the oars.

"Stop, or we'll fire on you!" sang out Harry again.

"Fire and be blowed!" howled Wash Crosby.

Bang! went Harry's gun, and the shot rattled all around the row-boat.

But now a turn of a headland took the craft out of range.

"Follow me!" said Jerry, as he leaped across the camp to where they could again catch sight of the craft.

Over the rock and through the brush they stumbled, a distance of two hundred feet. Then the sh.o.r.e of the lake was again reached.

But, alas! before they could do anything the Peters crowd was entirely out of range. They saw the big row-boat taken over to where the yacht lay at anchor. Harry's craft was tied fast to the stern and the Rockpointers clambered aboard their own vessel.

"Good-bye and good luck to you!" cried Si Peters, mockingly. "Hope you fellows enjoy playing Robinson Crusoe. We'll come back for you some time next year."

And then the yacht sailed away, leaving those on the island to their fate.

CHAPTER XVI.

AN EXCITING CHASE.

For the moment the boys did not know what to do. Si Peters and his crowd had run off with their row-boat, and how to get to the mainland was a serious question.

To swim the distance would be a dangerous undertaking, and there was no telling how long it would be before another craft should come along to take them off.

But the hermit solved the problem.

"If you want to follow those boys you can take my boat," he said.

"Have you a boat?" asked Jerry, quickly.

"Certainly, although I use it but sparingly, and then only at night."

The hermit led the way to the lower end of the island. Here in a water-cave rested a long, round-bottomed row boat, containing two pairs of oars.

"Just the thing!" cried Jerry. "Come on, Harry!"

He and his chum leaped in. Blumpo looked at his newly found father.

"I will go along if you wish," said the hermit.

In five seconds more all four were in the boat, which was then shoved out into the lake.

With Jerry and Harry at the oars, they made good progress in the direction of Si Peters' yacht.

All were armed, and Blumpo occupied the time in seeing that every weapon was ready for use.

"The wind is dying out," said Harry. "That is in our favor."

"They have not more than half a mile start," rejoined Jerry. "We ought to catch up in half an hour."

It was evident that those on the yacht did not antic.i.p.ate pursuit, for it was not until the distance between the two craft had been considerably lessened that they showed signs of alarm.

"They see us!" cried Blumpo. "Shall I give 'em a shot?"

"No; wait," replied Jerry.

The wind had now gone down almost entirely, and the yacht's sails were flapping idly.

Si Peters and Wash Crosby were evidently alarmed at the turn affairs had taken, and they called their chums around them for consultation.