Young Hunters of the Lake/Chapter 25
CHAPTER XXV
JED SANBORN BRINGS NEWS
That the Spink crowd was thoroughly frightened there could not be the slightest doubt. Even when they told their story many looked behind them, as if they expected the ghost to pop out of the woods and clutch them by the shoulder.
It seemed that the ghost had appeared shortly after they returned to their camp. It came up over the lake silently, a figure in yellow, with waving horns of red. It had stopped directly in front of the camp and had waved a menacing arm at the boys. Then it had disappeared into the gloom of the night.
"It uttered some terrible things," said Carl Dudder. "It said something about being dead and about being buried."
"Yes, and then it uttered a hideous laugh," said Ike Akley. "I shall never forget that—it was awful, and it seemed to go right through a fellow."
"Why didn't you shoot at it?" asked Snap. "That is what I should have done."
"Humph! I guess if you saw that ghost you'd be paralyzed," said Carl Dudder. "Why it was enough to make your hair raise on ends!"
"I thought it was coming ashore and murder the lot of us," said Jack Voss.
"Then you are not going to stay here?" asked Giant.
"Not much! I am going down to Lake Cameron as quick as I can get there!"
"So am I!" said another.
"You had better go down, too," said a third.
"No, we are going to stay here," answered Shep. "We haven't seen the ghost, but we have heard those ghostlike voices and we want to find out what it means."
"Oh, there's a real ghost—I heard about it before I left home," said Carl Dudder. "But I didn't think it would visit us."
"I'd stay, only the rest won't," said Ham Spink, thinking he must put on a bold front before Snap and his chums.
"What are you talking about!" cried Ike Akley, indignantly. "Why, you were the first to propose going home."
"That's true," said another boy.
"Well—er—I thought perhaps you didn't care to stay," stammered Ham. "Anyway, I think it is much nicer down to Lake Cameron," he added, hastily, to change the subject. "The snakes are numerous up here, and game is scarce."
"Well, if you are going you can have your boat and the canoe," said Snap, after a consultation with his chums. "But you must give us your solemn promise not to molest us again."
The others were perfectly willing to do that, and the rowboat and the canoe were turned over to Ham, Spink and his cronies. Then our friends rowed out into the lake and "hung around" until the others loaded their craft and started away.
"Now remember," called Snap after them. "If you come back and molest us you'll do it at your peril."
"We won't come back," muttered Ham.
"You can have that ghost all to yourselves," added Carl. "Hope it visits your camp to-night—I guess you'll be leaving in the morning just as we are doing." And that was all that was said by the Spink crowd.
"That ghost must have been something awful to look at," was Shep's remark, as he and his chums rowed back to camp. "If ever a crowd was scared they were."
"Well, if the ghost visits us maybe we'll be scared too," answered Giant. "I don't believe in bragging until I've experienced a thing."
"Giant doesn't want to be like the man who bragged of what he would do in case of a fire at his house," said Whopper. "He was going to be calm and careful and do things just so. When the fire came he was the most excited fellow on the block, and he carried the feather bed downstairs and then went up again and threw himself out of the third story window."
The boys were content to take it easy for the rest of the day, and for the balance of that week they did little but fish and "laze around," as Giant put it. Shep shot several birds and tried his skill at cleaning and stuffing them, for he took an interest in taxidermy. Snap hung up the deer skin to be cured.
On Sunday it rained, and the storm continued Monday and the greater part of Tuesday. But the cabin was practically waterproof, so they were comfortable. To pass the time they played games, and cooked and baked many things which would have caused a chef to throw up his hands in wonder. They even made some rhubarb pie from some wild rhubarb found near the camp and this proved to be really excellent. Once Giant concocted a new dish made of fish stuffed with beans and flour paste, but this was not voted a success. Having sufficient sugar they made some candy one evening and this disappeared as if by magic.
On Wednesday morning Whopper, who had been outside to bring in some firewood, came rushing to the cabin in great excitement.
"Somebody has been at our game! Some person or a wild animal!"
"How do you know?"
"The meat is gone! Only a few bones remain!"
"Then it must have been a wildcat or a bear!" exclaimed Snap.
All ran to the spot where the meat had been hung up. The tree was scratched up and there were curious marks in the damp soil under it.
"A bear or a wildcat sure," said Snap, after an inspection.
"Let us go after it—whatever it is," answered the doctor's son.
"Maybe the ghost stole it," suggested Giant, but nobody accepted this idea.
A hasty breakfast was had, and the boys were on the point of going on a hunt when there came a call from the lake. A man in a canoe was paddling toward them.
"It's Jed Sanborn!" cried Snap, and he was right. Soon the old hunter had beached his craft and was shaking hands with them.
"All safe?" was his first question.
"All safe," was the answer.
"Thet ghost didn't eat ye up then? Thought, by what Ham Spink said, ye'd be about dead when I got here," and Jed Sanborn smiled grimly.
"Where did you see Ham? " asked the doctor's son.
"Down to Fairview."
"When?"
"Day before yesterday."
"Then they didn't remain at Lake Cameron!" cried Snap.
"They was a-going to, but they got into some sort o' a quarrel an' that broke the party up," explained the old hunter. "Ham an' Carl Dudder said the ghost came after 'em something terribul. Wall, I believe it—after what I see myself," and Jed shook his head slowly. "You ain't had no trouble?"
"We've heard strange voices, that's all," answered Whopper. "We haven't seen the ghost."
The old hunter soon told his story in detail. It seemed that Ham Spink and his cronies had told a terrible tale of being pursued by the ghost, and of hearing awful groans and cries, and this had alarmed Mrs. Caslette very much and also Mrs. Dodge, and both ladies had requested the old hunter to visit the lake and make sure the young hunters were in no trouble.
"This lake is gittin' an awful repertation," said Jed Sanborn. "If it keeps on, afore long nobody will come here no more."
"We'd like to settle this ghost business," said Snap. "We feel sure it can be explained in some way or another."
"Well, maybe, but—" Jed Sanborn drew a deep breath. "Don't you go for to run no unnecessary risks, that's all."
"Oh, we'll certainly try to keep out of danger," answered the doctor's son.
"Your mother wants you to be partickerly careful," said Jed to Giant. "She says she wouldn't know what to do if something happened ye."
"Tell her I shall take good care of myself," answered the small member of the club.
Jed Sanborn told them that everything was going on at Falrview as usual. He had some letters for the lads, which they read with interest. He said he would remain with them until the next morning, and promised to take back such letters as they might write.
"If you stay over you might as well go on a hunt with us," said Snap, and then he related how their meat had been stolen.
"Wildcats did that," announced Jed Sanborn, after a close examination. "Two on 'em—most likely mates. It will be a ticklish job trying to track 'em."
"Oh, we've shot wildcats before," said Whopper.
"Not the kind that's around here, my boy. These are the wildest and strongest kind. Howsomever, we can go after 'em if you say so. When do you want to start?"
"Have you had breakfast?" asked Snap.
"Two hours ago."
"Then let us start at once." And so it was decided.