“Well, by creation! what does this mean?”
The speaker was Mr. Upton, Jerry’s father. He was gazing at the hay-rick, which was coming down the road to the barn at a lively gait.
As the boys who had captured Jerry had thought, the horses had found their way home alone.
Anxiously, Mr. Upton looked around for Jerry, and then he stopped the team and put them up in the barn.
Running into the house he told his wife of the state of affairs. Instantly Mrs. Upton grew alarmed.
“Perhaps they ran away and threw Jerry out!” she cried.
“It ain’t likely they could get away with Jerry,” replied Mr. Upton. “But I allow it is curious.”
A half hour went by, and the farmer determined to start on a hunt for his son. He went off on horseback, and took with him Towser, the farm dog.
Towser was an old and faithful animal, a prime favorite with Jerry, and he trotted along beside the horse as if he knew something was wrong.
“We want to find Jerry, Towser,” said Mr. Upton. “Jerry, Towser, Jerry!”
And the dog wagged his tail as if to say that he understood perfectly.
It was now quite dark. The farmer had brought along a lantern, and this he lit and swung around first on one side of the road and then on the other. As he journeyed along he remembered Jerry’s troubles with the Rockpoint boys.
“Maybe he has had another fight,” he thought. “It was foolish to let him go over there.”
Inside of an hour the other side of the lake was reached, and they struck the lonely road leading into Rockpoint.
As the farmer went on he became more and more sober in mind. He seemed to feel in his mind that something was wrong.
Towser let out a mournful howl.
“Jerry, Towser, Jerry!”
Again the dog howled. Then he came to an unexpected halt and although Farmer Upton went on, the dog refused to budge.
“What is it, Towser?”
For reply the dog started into the bushes, and this at first made the old farmer angry, for he did not understand the dog.
“Come, Towser!” he cried. “We are not after game just now!”
But the dog would not come. He wanted to enter the brush.
At last Mr. Upton went to catch him by the collar, but just as he did so the dog gave a short bark and picked up something from among the bushes.
“Hullo!”
No wonder the old farmer was surprised. The article Towser had discovered was a sling-shot Jerry often carried with him.
“Must have come in here,” mused Farmer Upton.
Then of a sudden he began to examine the ground. It was soft in spots and plainly showed the footmarks of Jerry and the Si Peters’ crowd.
“He’s in trouble!” said the old farmer to himself. “Maybe some tramps have carried him off and robbed him.”
Urging on the faithful dog, Mr. Upton hurried along the path through the woods, leaving the horse tied to a tree.
It was an uneven way, and he stumbled many times. But he did not mind—his one thought was to reach his son and find out the boy’s condition.
Towser ran ahead, howling dismally at every few yards. But the faithful dog did not lose the scent.
Presently, through the bushes, Farmer Upton caught sight of a distant campfire.
“Hist!” he called to Towser. “Go slow, now! Down!”
And the dog obeyed and howled no longer.
A hundred yards more were passed, when a loud cry rent the air.
“Help! help!”
It was Jerry’s voice. Si Peters was in the act of applying the first brushful of tar to his back. Utterly helpless, there was nothing left for Jerry to do but to use his lungs.
“Shut up!” cried Si Peters. “Yell again and I’ll hit you in the mouth with the tar.”
“You are an overgrown coward!” retorted Jerry. “Give me a fair show, and I’ll knock you out in short order.”
And again he called for help.
In a rage, Si Peters started to plaster Jerry’s mouth with the hot tar. But ere the brush could descend, Mr. Upton and Towser burst upon the scene.
“Stop, you young scamps!” roared the old farmer. “At ’em, Towser! Chew ’em up!”
Startled at the unexpected interruption, the rowdies fell back. Then Towser leaped forward and caught Si Peters by his trowsers.
“Save me!” yelled Si, in terror. “The dog is going to chew me up!”
“Good, Towser!” returned Jerry. “Hold him fast!”
And Towser did as bidden.
In the meantime Mr. Upton ran after the boys who had been holding Jerry. He caught two of them, and before they knew it, knocked their heads together so forcibly that they saw stars.
Jerry, delighted at the unexpected turn of affairs, turned upon Wash Crosby. Si Peters had dropped the tar brush, and this Jerry secured.
Bang! whack! Crosby received a blow over the head, and one in the ear, which left a big black streak of tar.
“Oh, don’t! please don’t!” he screamed. “Let up, Jerry! It was only a joke! We weren’t really going to tar and feather you!”
Then the fellow ran for his very life.
During this time Si Peters was trying his best to get away from Towser, who held on with a deathlike grip.
Around and around the campfire the two circled, until Jerry came up.
The youth called off the dog and went at Si in about the same manner as he had treated Wash Crosby.
Si wanted to run for it, and in his hurry rushed through the fire, knocking over the kettle of tar.
The sticky mess emptied itself over his clothing. Then the young oarsman tripped him up, and over he rolled among the loose feathers.
“Now you can see how you like it!” cried Jerry.
And growling and panting for breath, Si Peters ran away after the others.
The Rockpoint rowdies were thoroughly demoralized.
It took Jerry and his father some little time to get back their breath sufficiently to leave the woods and make their way to the road.
“You came in the nick of time, father,” said the lad. “In another five minutes I would have been tarred and feathered.”
“Tell me about the whole affair, son,” said the old farmer; and Jerry did so.
“The good-for-nothing rascals!” cried the old farmer. “If they touch you again I’ll have ’em all up before the squire.”
“That won’t help us, father,” replied Jerry. “They are rich, you know. They would get off somehow.”
“Then I’ll take it out of their hides.”
Mr. Upton told how Towser had led the way into the woods. Jerry had always loved the farm dog, but now he thought more of him than ever.
“Good boy,” he said. “You shall go with us when we take our outing—that is, if father will let you go.”
“Yes, Jerry, take him along. He may help you out of some more trouble,” replied Mr. Upton.
It was rather late when they arrived home. Mrs. Upton was shocked to learn of what had occurred, but glad to learn that Jerry had escaped his enemies.
The next day the young oarsman told Harry Parker and the other boys of his adventure. Harry was very indignant.
“Those Rockpoint boys ought to be driven out of the state.”
“I dun racken I’ll carry my hoss pistol after dis,” said Blumpo. “Da don’t cotch dis chile for to tar and feather him!”
A week later Jerry, Harry, and Blumpo started up the lake on a ten days’ outing.
They were in Harry’s largest row-boat, the one that had a sail, and carried with them a tent and a good stock of ammunition. Jerry and Harry were armed with guns, and Blumpo carried his “hoss pistol” and a rusty spear.
They were bound for Hermit Island, a wild but beautiful patch of land situated almost at the end of Otasco Lake. The island was so called because it was said by some that the place was inhabited by an old hermit who lived in a cave and never showed himself to visitors.
Some did not believe this story, for try as hard as they could, they had never been able to locate the strange creature, who was said to have a white beard to his waist, and white hair equally long.
The day that the trio started away was a fine one, and the boys were in excellent spirits.
“I trust we have no more squalls,” remarked Harry, as they glided along, the sail set and the oars out.
“No storm to-day,” returned Jerry. “We are going to have at least three or four days of fine weather.”
“Say, I wondah if I could shoot a bar wid dis yere gun,” put in Blumpo, as he held up his pistol.
“You might if you threw the pistol at the bear when you pulled the trigger,” laughed Jerry. “Sure as you are born, Blumpo, that pistol will go to pieces if you try to fire it.”
“Den I’ll fire it dis way,” replied the homeless youth, and swung the weapon as if to heave it away.
An hour passed, during which the boys laid their plans for a camp and talked over what they would do.
“I hope we have good hunting and fishing,” said Jerry.
“So do I,” returned Harry. “And I likewise hope we find the hermit, if there really is such a creature.”
“Maybe he won’t want us on his island,” put in Blumpo. “He may be an ugly feller.”
“We’ll risk it, Blumpo.”
“I ain’t in fer stirrin’ up no hornets’ nest,” went on the homeless youth. “I jess like ter lay around an’ take it easy under de trees—a-listening to—”
“‘The tumble bugs tumbling around,’ as the song says,” laughed Jerry. “Blumpo, you must get more ambition in you. Come, row up lively. It’s a good long distance to the island, and we must make it before sundown.”
All three braced up, and the big boat went forward at an increased rate of speed.
“Hullo!” cried Harry, presently. “Jerry, doesn’t that look like Si Peters’ yacht?”
And Harry pointed over to the west shore of the lake, where a craft had just emerged from behind a small headland.
“It is the Peters’ yacht, sure enough,” replied Jerry, after studying the craft.
“If she cums dis way, we’ll hab lively times,” remarked Blumpo.
“That’s true, Blumpo. Come, maybe we can get away from her.”
The boys kept steadily on their course, and for a long time those on the yacht seemed to pay no attention to them.
But after awhile the big boat put on another tack, and fifteen minutes later it was within hailing distance. Then they saw that Si Peters and Crosby were in posession. They had with them five other Rockpoint lads, including Banner and Graves.
“Hi, you fellows, stop rowing!” yelled Peters at the top of his voice.
“Mind your own business, Si Peters,” retorted Harry.
“You won’t stop?”
“No. Leave us alone.”
“We want you to give up Jerry Upton.”
“Give him up?”
“Exactly. Come up alongside and let him jump on board of the yacht.”
“That’s as cool as a cake of ice!” cried Jerry. “You want everything, don’t you?”
“We are going to get square with you, Jerry Upton!” put in Wash Crosby.
“Let us pull away as fast as we can,” whispered Harry. “Those chaps mean trouble.”
“Dat’s de talk,” said Blumpo, who was the worst scared of the three.
They bent to their oars, and soon moved off a hundred feet or more.
Then Si Peters ran out to the jib of the yacht.
“Stop!” he commanded. “Pull another yard and you’ll be sorry for it.”
“We’ll risk it,” replied Jerry.
“We’ll run you down!”
“You won’t dare!” yelled Harry, in alarm.
“Won’t we? Just see if we won’t!”
At once Si Peters gave some directions to Wash Crosby, who was at the wheel. The course of the yacht was slightly changed, and now the craft was headed directly for the boat containing our friends.
“Anudder smash-up, shuah as you’re born!” groaned Blumpo, and he prepared to leap into the lake.
“Stay where you are!” ordered Jerry. “I’ll check their little game.”
Reaching into a locker, the young oarsman brought out his gun. Leaping on one of the seats, he pointed the weapon at Si Peters’ head.
“Sheer off!” he cried. “Sheer off, or I’ll fire on you!”
Si Peters was nearly dumfounded at the unexpected turn affairs had taken. The bully at once gave the necessary directions, and the yacht passed to windward of the other boat.
“A good idea, Jerry!” exclaimed Harry. “That will make them steer clear of us for good, I reckon.”
“If they haven’t got guns of their own, Harry.”
The boys on the yacht were evidently much crestfallen. They had hoped to get Jerry in their power, but that plan was defeated. They dropped behind several hiding places, and again headed for the big row-boat.
But once more Jerry outwitted them. Calling to Blumpo to steady the temporary mast, he climbed to the top, his gun slung over his shoulder.
From this elevated point he was able to sweep the yacht’s deck from stem to stern.
“Now turn about, or I’ll fire on you, as sure as fate!” he ordered.
“You think you are smart, don’t you,” sneered Wash Crosby.
“I’m too smart for your crowd,” retorted Jerry.
“We can fire as well as you,” put in Graves.
“If you had a gun, which you haven’t,” retorted Jerry.
The boys on the yacht growled among themselves, but could do nothing. Wash Crosby tried to throw a piece of iron on the row-boat, but it fell short. Then Harry retaliated by shooting through the yacht’s main-sail.
Seeing the boys on the big row-boat meant business, Si Peters and his crowd withdrew from the encounter.
As soon as they were gone, Jerry came down from his perch, and off they started once more for the island.
The yacht sailed so far off they thought they were no longer observed.
But in this they were mistaken for Si Peters had a field glass with him.
This glass was now brought into play, and Peters’ crowd kept track of Jerry and the others until the vicinity of Hermit Island was reached.
“Going to camp there,” said Wash Crosby.
“It ought to give us a fine chance to get square,” replied Si Peters, and the crowd began to plot against our hero and his friends.
But in the meantime the big row-boat disappeared behind the bushes which fringed a narrow inlet, and, try their best, those on the yacht could not locate it again.
“Never mind, we’ll come up some other day,” said Si Peters. “It’s getting too late to do anything now.”
And the yacht returned to Rockpoint.
It was Harry who selected a landing place on Hermit’s Island. He found a smooth, sandy beach, and here the row-boat was drawn up well out of the water.
Back of the beach was a little clearing. On one side were tall rocks, and on the other the woods.
“As good a place as any to pitch the tent,” said Jerry. “Come, Blumpo, stir yourself.”
The tent was brought out and put up, and a camp fire was lit. While Blumpo gathered brush to put into the tent to sleep on, Jerry and Harry tried their hands at fishing.
Soon Harry had a bite, and brought in a perch weighing a little over a half a pound.
“Good for you, Harry, you take first prize!” cried Jerry.
Hardly had he spoken when he felt a jerk. There was a lively struggle for fully a minute, and then Jerry landed his catch—a rock bass, all of a pound in weight.
“Second, but best,” laughed Harry. “I guess that is all we want for to-night.”
The pan was over the fire getting hot. Blumpo cleaned the fish and put them on. In the meantime, Jerry made a pot of coffee.
Never had a meal tasted better to the boys. They lingered over the scraps for a long while, talking over the events of the day. Blumpo also gave them a song. It was a happy time.
“Somebody ought to stand guard all night, I suppose,” said Jerry, when it came time to turn in.
“Oh, nonsense!” cried Harry. “Who is going to hurt us in this out of the way spot?”
“We don’t know what may be around.”
“I’se too tired to watch,” put in Blumpo.
“Never knew the time you weren’t tired,” laughed Jerry. “But let it go, if you wish.”
Quarter of an hour later all of the boys had turned in. Blumpo picked out a corner of the tent nearest the rear. Harry slept in the middle, while Jerry took up a place not far from the front flaps.
As it was rather warm, they left one of the flaps open to admit the air. Jerry lay in such a position that he could look out on the smoldering campfire.
Jerry was as tired as the rest, and it did not take him long to drop off into a sound sleep.
How long he slept he did not know. A low noise outside aroused him. He opened his eyes with a start, wondering what it was.
Then came another growl or grunt, he could not tell which. He sat up and looked outside.
A sight met his gaze that nearly caused his heart to stop beating. The camp fire was almost out, but beyond its fitful glare he beheld a pair of large eyes bent directly upon the tent opening.
The eyes belonged to some savage beast which was about to attack the camp.
Jerry realized that he and his friends were in great peril. What the savage beast outside was he could not tell, but it looked large and powerful in the gloom beyond the camp fire.
There was no time to lose if anything was to be done.
Luckily, before lying down, the young oarsman had loaded his gun and hung it up on the front pole of the tent, within easy reach.
Sitting up, he now took the weapon and pulled back the trigger.
The click reached the ears of the animal outside, and once again it let out that peculiar sound, neither grunt nor growl.
Then Jerry put the gun to his shoulder, and, taking aim at one of the shining eyes, fired.
Bang!
The report of the firearm caused Harry and Blumpo to spring up in wild alarm.
“What’s the matter?”
“Heaben sabe us!” moaned Blumpo.
“A wild animal outside,” cried Jerry. “Get your gun, quick!”
Harry leaped for his weapon.
“What is it?”
“I can’t make out.”
Reloading as rapidly as he could, our hero dashed into the open. A howl of pain told he had hit his mark. The beast had turned and was crashing through the brush close to the rocks.
“Let us find out what it was!” cried Harry.
“Doan go!” moaned Blumpo. “You will git chewed up!”
And then he dove back into the tent for his “hoss” pistol and his rusty spear.
Catching up a blazing brand, Jerry threw it into the brush. By the light they saw the creature crouching on a rock.
Bang! bang!
The two guns spoke simultaneously. Harry hit the beast in the shoulder. Jerry’s shot was more effective for it struck in the neck, and with a snarl the creature leaped into the air and fell—dead.
“You’ve settled him!” cried Harry. “Come on and inspect him.”
“Wait and load your gun first,” cautioned our hero. “He may have some fight in him still.”
The weapons were put in order, and then, with firebrands to light the way, they moved forward to inspect their victim.
It was a large and heavy boar.
“A wild hog!” shouted Jerry. “My, what a big fellow he is!”
“I thought it was a bear,” said Harry. He was somewhat disappointed.
“He was savage enough, at all events,” replied Jerry. “These wild hogs put up a terrible fight, father says.”
“Oh, I know that. Wasn’t Dick Harben’s uncle killed by one? Well, he’s dead enough and we have meat to last a month.”
“Pretty strong eating,” smiled Jerry.
They called Blumpo. The homeless youth was delighted over the dead animal.
“‘Ham’s de best ob meat,’” he sang. “I’ll soon fix him up, see if I don’t.”
The boys were glad that it was getting toward morning, for the excitement had taken all the sleep out of them. They replenished the fire, and sat around waiting for daybreak.
As soon as the sun rose, Blumpo prepared breakfast, while Jerry and Harry took a plunge into the lake. It was great sport, and they remained in the water until Blumpo called them.
That day the boys tramped nearly two miles around the island. They took their guns with them and came back with their game bags full of birds. Returning, they were thoroughly tired out, but nevertheless resolved to set a watch.
“Four hours each,” said Harry, and this was agreed to.
But nothing happened to disturb them, and on the following night the watch was abandoned.
The boys put in nearly a week in hunting, fishing, swimming, and lying around, and they enjoyed every minute of the time.
Nothing had been seen or heard of the hermit who was supposed to inhabit the island, and they began to think that no such person existed.
Neither had they heard anything more of Si Peters and his crowd, and they fancied they were safe from molestation.
Sunday passed quietly, and on Monday morning Jerry proposed they take along a game bag full of provisions and climb to the top of the rocky hill in the centre of the island.
“We must go to the very top before we leave,” he said.
The game bag was filled with eatables, and cups, plates, etc., and then they tied up the tent flaps and drew the boat still higher up out of the water.
The first quarter of a mile of the journey was easy enough, but after that they struck the rocks, and climbing became more and more difficult with every step.
“Phew! but dis am work!” puffed Blumpo. “Dis boy’s most tucked out!”
“We’ll take a good long rest at noon, Blumpo,” said Harry.
Up and up they went until Jerry, who was in advance, came to a sudden halt. A deep split in the rocks barred his further progress.
“Will we have to go back?” asked Harry, anxiously.
“It looks like it.”
“Can’t we leap over?”
“We might try. I can, if you are willing to follow.”
“I kin jump dat easy enough,” put in Blumpo.
Jerry stepped back, and running a few feet, made the leap in safety. Harry followed, and then both boys waited for Blumpo Brown to join them.
The homeless youth measured the distance with his eye and came on like a steam engine.
But just before he reached the edge of the split he slipped and went headlong. Unable to stop himself, he crashed down into the opening head first.
In going over the rocks he twisted himself partly around.
With one hand he caught hold of a frail bush growing among the rocks.
His left foot caught in a crevice, and there he hung, unable to help himself, and with death staring him in the face!
“He’ll be killed!” yelled Harry.
His face was deadly white.
“Help me!” came faintly from Blumpo.
Before the others could realize it, Jerry had leaped back to the other side of the opening. Catching hold of a jutting rock with one hand, he grasped Blumpo’s wrist with the other.
“Now let go below and I’ll haul you up, Blumpo,” he said.
The frightened youth did as requested, and slowly but surely Jerry dragged him up to a safe spot.
“Good for you, Jerry!” shouted Harry.
“By golly! but dat was a close call!” shuddered the homeless youth.
Then, with tears in his big, honest eyes, he wrung our hero’s hand.
“You dun sabed my life, Jerry!” he declared solemnly. “I won’t forgit dat, neber!”
The nervous boy was averse to attempting a second jump, and so the party walked along the opening until a much narrower spot was reached.
Once over, the upward climb was again begun. By noon they reckoned that they were within half a mile of the top. But all were exhausted, and glad enough to rest and take a bite to eat.
A fine spring was found, and here they washed up and quenched their thirst before resuming the journey.
They found a large quantity of huckleberries growing on the hillside, and these made very acceptable eating.
“A fellow could put in a month here,” remarked Jerry. “But, heigho! the vacation will soon be ended, and then for school again.”
The rest over, they went up and up again.
“Beat you to the summit!” cried Jerry, and started up the last stretch on a rush. Harry followed, and Blumpo was not far behind.
What a splendid panorama was spread before them! They could see clear to either end of the lake and off to the hills east and west.
“I see the church steeple!” cried Jerry.
“Look! look!” exclaimed Harry, suddenly.
He pointed down the lake to where a yacht was bowling along before the breeze.
“Si Peters’ boat!”
“I wonder if Peters knows we are still on the island?” mused Jerry.
“I reckon he does.”
“It’s a wonder he and his crowd never came up to make more trouble for us.”
“Perhaps he dun got scared at dis hoss pistol ob mine,” put in Blumpo.
To him that “hoss” pistol was a mighty weapon, greatly to be feared.
A little back of the summit of rocks was a grassy plateau, and here the boys decided to camp for the night.
“What a beautiful place for a picnic!” said Harry.
“Rather hard to get to, though,” returned Jerry. “I wonder if there is a spring handy?”
“A spring away up heah!” exclaimed Blumpo. “Yo’ expect watah to run up hill? Ha, ha!”
“Yes, Blumpo; strange as it may seem, the finest springs are found at the very tops of mountains. Come on and look for one.”
The homeless youth showed his surprise, but he readily joined in the hunt, and so did Harry. There was a patch of brush behind the plateau, and this they skirted. Ere long Jerry found a tiny rivulet flowing in a well-worn hollow.
“The head of this rill of water will bring us to the spring,” he said.
They began to follow the watercourse. It led around half a dozen big rocks.
All three of the boys sprang back in amazement. From whence had that unexpected command proceeded?
“Halt, I say!”
They stopped short.
“Who are you?” asked Jerry quickly.
“I am the Lonely Man. Leave me!”
“The Lonely Man,” repeated Jerry.
“Yes. Depart, my boys, at once.”
“Are you the man they call the hermit of the island?” asked Harry.
“I presume so. Now leave me. I have not spoken to other men for years.”
“We would like to get a little water first, if you please,” said Jerry. “Surely so good an old man as you will not refuse us that.”
This way of talking evidently struck the hermit’s fancy, for there was a rustle of bushes, and the hermit of the island stepped into view.
All of the boys stared at him in blank amazement. He was a reddish-black individual, with snow white hair and long flowing beard.
Blumpo grew so frightened that he immediately fell on his knees.
“De voodoo doctor, suah!” he muttered.
Like many other ignorant people, he was very superstitious and believed in charms and voodooism.
“We are sorry to have disturbed you in your lonely retreat,” began Harry. “But we——”
“Say no more, my boy. Get the water you need and depart.”
“We will.”
Harry and Jerry turned toward the spring and quietly filled up the big tin can they had brought along.
The old hermit watched them curiously.
“You look like good boys,” he said. “I want to ask a favor of you.”
“What?” asked both boys in a breath.
“I wish to end my days here undisturbed. Will you promise not to reveal my dwelling place to your friends?”
“I am willing to say nothing,” said Jerry, promptly.
“So am I,” returned Harry.
The old man looked much relieved.
“And how is it with you?” he went on, turning and walking to where Blumpo had his head bent low on the ground.
“Please, sah, don’t charm me, sah! don’t cast no spell ober me!” howled Blumpo. “I ain’t dun nuffin’ ’deed I ain’t. I’se de best boy in Lakeview! Ain’t I, Harry? Ain’t dat de truf, Jerry?”
“I will not harm you, so do not be afraid,” said the hermit with a faint smile on his reddish-black face.
“I won’t tell a t’ing! not a word, sah, hope ter die if I do!” went on Blumpo, still keeping his face down.
He was afraid that if he looked at the hermit he would be bewitched.
“Blumpo, get up!” said Harry, sharply. “Don’t make a fool of yourself. This gentleman is not going to hurt you. Stand up and be a man.”
Thus spoken to, the homeless boy arose slowly to his feet. His knees were still trembling, and he needed but little incentive to take to his heels.
“I have not seen a colored or an Indian boy in years,” went on the old hermit. “If you are an honest boy let me take your hand.”
He advanced, and with his knees knocking together Blumpo put out his hand and looked the old man in the face.
The next instant the hermit gave a leap back in profound astonishment.
“Abraham! As sure as the sun shines! And I thought he was dead!”
All three of the boys were much mystified by the old hermit’s words.
“He must be a little off in his head,” thought Harry.
“Who is Abraham?” asked Jerry.
“This is Abraham!” cried the hermit. “Are you not Abraham?” he went on to Blumpo.
“I reckon not, sah. I’se jess plain Blumpo Brown.”
“Blumpo Brown! Ha! how well I remember that name! You are indeed Abraham, and I am your father!”
And the hermit caught Blumpo in his arms. It is needless to say the youth was frightened and bewildered.
“Come to my cave and I will tell you all,” went on the hermit, and he dragged Blumpo along.
Jerry and Harry willingly followed. They found that the old man had quite a comfortable place among the rocks. It was elaborately furnished, showing that the hermit was well-to-do.
They all took seats on some skins thrown over rude couches. The hermit made Blumpo sit close to him.
“My name is Daniel Brown,” he began. “And you, Blumpo, are my only son. Your full name is Blum-pou-la-hau,—the Indian for boy-of-the-laughing-face,—for, you know, you have much Indian blood in your veins.”
“Dat’s what folks said I had,” said Blumpo.
“I thought you were dead—that you had been drowned. It was this drove me to make a hermit of myself.”
Then the old hermit went into many particulars, to which all listened with great interest.
Blumpo could scarcely believe his ears. His face began to expand, and a smile broke out on it, the like of which had never before been seen. He was a homeless waif no longer. He had found a father.
Jerry and Harry talked to the old hermit for an hour and more. They found him peculiar in his ideas, but with a warm heart.
Before they retired for the night Daniel Brown came to the conclusion to give up his dwelling on the top of the mountain.
He said he would build a cabin down by the lakeside and there he and Blumpo could live like ordinary people.
“I have several thousand dollars saved up,” he said, “so we will not want for anything. I will buy a boat, and Blumpo can make a living by letting her out to pleasure parties.”
“Dat will suit me exactly,” cried Blumpo.
“But you must also go to school in the winter,” went on Daniel Brown. “And you must drop that dialect, and not say dat for that.”
“Golly! but won’t I be eddicate!” murmured Blumpo. “Say, Pop maybe I kin hab—I mean have—a new suit, eh?”
“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 shore 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.