XXXI
DUNBAR’S STRANGE BEHAVIOR
DUNBAR was very silent during breakfast. He answered courteously whenspoken to, as he always did, and there was no suggestion of surlinessin his silence. In response to inquiries he declared that he had sleptwell and hoped the boys had done the same. But he added no unnecessaryword to anything he said, and made no inquiries as to plans forthe day. His manner was that of a person suffering under grief orapprehension or both.
As soon as breakfast was over he started off into the woods in adirection opposite to that in which his camp lay. He took neitherhis rifle nor his butterfly net with him. He simply walked into thewoodlands and disappeared.
At dinner time he was nowhere to be found. As evening drew near theboys agreed to postpone their supper to a later hour than usual inanticipation of his return. But late as it was when at last they satdown to their evening meal, he was still missing.
The boys were beginning to be alarmed about him, for they had alreadylearned to like the man and regard him as a friend.
“We must do something at once,” suggested Dick.
“But what can we do?” asked Larry. “I confess I can think of fewpossibilities in the way of searching for him at this time of a verydark night—for the clouds completely shut out the moonlight. Hasanybody a suggestion to offer? What say you, Cal?”
“First of all,” was the reply, “we must carefully consider all thepossibilities of the situation. Then we shall be better able to layplans of rescue that may result in something. Let’s see. To beginwith, he hasn’t left Quasi. He hasn’t any boat and there is absolutelyno land communication with the main. So he is somewhere on Quasiplantation.
“Secondly, what can have happened to him? Not many things that I canthink of. Old woods wanderer that he is, it isn’t likely that he hassuccumbed to any woodland danger, if there are any such dangers here,as there aren’t. There isn’t any wild beast here more threatening thana deer or a ’possum. He had no gun with him, so he cannot have shothimself by accident. He may have got lost, but that is exceedinglyunlikely. He is used to finding his way in the woods, and it is certainthat he thoroughly explored Quasi during the time he was marooned hereand flying his distress signal. If by any possible chance he is lost,he’ll soon find himself again. The only other thing I think of is thathe may have tripped and fallen, breaking something.”
“I should doubt his doing that,” said Larry, “for he’s as nimble as anycat I ever saw. Still, there’s the chance. What shall we do to meet it?”
“We can’t scatter out and search the woods and thickets in the dark,”suggested Dick.
“No,” said Tom; “if we did he would have to go in search of four otherlost fellows if he should happen to turn up. But we can keep up a bigfire and we can go out a little way into the woods, fire our shotguns,give all the college yells we know, and then listen.”
“Good suggestion, that about shooting and yelling,” said Cal. “Besides,I like to yell on general principles. But we shan’t need to keep up abonfire, and the night is very hot.”
“But he might see the bonfire,” answered Tom in defense of his plan,“and he’d come straight to it, of course, if he’s lost.”
“We’ll put up something else that he can see farther and better.”
“What?”
“A fat pine torch.”
“Where?”
“Did you observe a catalpa tree that stands all alone over there on thehighest part of the bluff, which is also the highest point in the wholeland of Quasi?”
“Of course, if you mean over there, near the _Hunkydory’s_ anchorage.”
“Yes, I mean that. There isn’t another tree anywhere near it. I can’timagine how it came to grow out there on that bald bluff, unlesssomebody planted it. However, that’s no matter. The tree is there anda torch fixed in the top of it could be seen from almost every nookand corner of Quasi, while here we are in a pocket of trees and thickgrowths of every kind. A bonfire here could be seen a very little wayoff.”
Cal’s modification of Tom’s plan was promptly approved as the bestpossible for that night. The company went into the woods, pausing atseveral points to fire their guns and to yell like demons.
No results following, they returned and set to work making huge torchesof fat pine, one of which was kept burning in the tree-top throughoutthe night, a fresh one being lighted whenever an old one burned out.
It was all to no purpose. Morning came and still there was no sign ofDunbar.
Breakfast was cooked and eaten, together with a reserve supply of foodfor the boys to carry with them on the search of the plantation, whichthey had decided to make that day. Still no sign of the missing man!
“Now, Cal,” said Larry, “this thing is becoming serious. We must findpoor Mr. Dunbar to-day whatever else happens. We must scour the placetill we accomplish that. We must scatter, but we must see to it thatwe get together again. Suppose you suggest a plan of procedure. You’rebetter than any of us at that.”
“I will,” said Cal, who had lost all disposition to be facetious. “Hemay be along the shore somewhere, so two of us had better follow thesealine, one going one way and the other in the opposite direction.They can cover double ground by going through the woods and openglades, only keeping near enough the shore to see it well. The othertwo will need no directions. Their duty will be to search the woods andthickets. Where the woods are open they can cover the ground rapidly,and also in the old fields wherever they haven’t grown up too thickly.But the denser woods and canebrakes must be searched. Look particularlyfor trails. No one can possibly pass into or through such growthswithout leaving a trail behind. Look for trails and follow them; don’tbother about the unbroken growths. Now as to getting back here. Wemust all come back well before nightfall. No matter where we may beon Quasi, it will be easy to find some point near from which the lonecatalpa tree can be seen. Make for that all of you and nobody willget lost. Finally, if any of you find Mr. Dunbar and need help, firethree shots about half a minute apart and we’ll all go to the point offiring. Now let’s be off.”
It was nearly sunset when Tom reached the catalpa tree on his return.He had not found Dunbar, but for reasons of his own he waited ratherimpatiently for the coming of his comrades. They were not long delayed,but the blank, anxious face of each as he appeared was a sufficientreport to the others.
“The search is a failure!” said Larry, dejectedly.
“Absolutely,” answered Cal.
“No, not absolutely,” said Tom, feeling in his pocket. “I foundsomething, and I’ve waited till you should all be here before speakingof it.”
“What is it? Tell us quick.”
“This,” answered Tom, drawing forth a letter, “and this,” producing apruning knife with a curved blade, which they had all seen Dunbar use.“The letter was pinned to a tree with the point of the knife blade.”
“Never mind that,” said Larry, impatiently; “read the letter.”
Tom read as follows:
“I expect to be with you young gentlemen very soon. But in case I never see you again, please don’t think me ungrateful for all your kindnesses. There are times when I cannot endure a human presence—even the—”
Tom stopped reading, and explained:
“It breaks off right there, and there is no signature, or address, oranything else.”
The boys stared at each other in amazement, and for a time uttered noword. When they begun talking again it was only to wonder and offerconjectures, and the conjectures seemed so futile that at last thelittle company ceased to try to read the riddle. Then Larry said:
“Come on. There’s nothing more to be done to-night and we’re all halffamished. We must have a good hearty supper, and then perhaps we’llthink of something more that we can do.”
“I doubt that,” said Cal; “but I say, Tom, you have a positive geniusfor finding things—turtles’ eggs, smugglers’ camps, sweet potatopatches, letters hidden in the woods, and everything else. Perh
apsyou’ll find poor Mr. Dunbar yet.”
“I was just thinking of some other things that we ought to find, andthat right away.”
“What things?”
“Why, Mr. Dunbar’s. You know he has never brought any of them to ourcamp, and we know he writes and draws and all that. He must have someplace up near his old bivouac where he can keep his papers and drawingsand specimens dry. It seems to me we ought—”
“Of course we ought,” broke in Cal. “There may be something there togive us a clue. What do you say, Larry?”
“It is a good suggestion of Tom’s, and we’ll act upon it at once.”
Turning in a direction opposite to that which led to their own camp theboys visited the spot where Dunbar had lived before they came to Quasi.They searched in every direction, but found no trace of any of theman’s belongings. It was rapidly growing dark when at last they gave upthe work of exploring, and decided to resume it again in the morning.
As they approached their camp through the woods and thickets, theywere surprised to see their camp-fire blazing up briskly, though noneof them had been near it since the early morning. As they came outof the bushes, they were still more astonished to see Dunbar busyinghimself with supper preparations. Larry had just time enough beforeDunbar saw them to say to the others in an undertone:
“Not a word about this, boys, until he asks.”
“Good evening, young gentlemen,” was Dunbar’s greeting, delivered ina cheery voice; “I have taken the liberty of getting supper underway in anticipation of your coming. I am sure you must be tired andhungry after a hard day’s shooting. By the way, a cup of tea is alwaysrefreshing when one is tired, and fortunately I have a little packet ofthe fragrant herb among my things. I’ll run up there and fetch it.”
As he spoke he started off briskly and nimbly.
“Evidently he isn’t tired, anyhow,” suggested Dick.
“And evidently he has some dry place in which to keep his things,”added Cal, “and I mean to ask him about it.”
“Don’t,” said Larry, earnestly. “That would be grossly impertinent.”
“Not at all, if it’s done in the proper way,” Cal replied, “and I’ll doit in that way.”
And he did. When Dunbar returned, he carried the tea, closely sealed upin tin foil.
“Is that thin tin foil sufficient to keep tea dry?” Cal asked.
“If you keep the packet in a dry place it is,” Dunbar answered. “Thetin-foil prevents the delicate aroma of the tea from escaping, and atthe same time forbids the leaves to absorb moisture from the air. WhenI’m moving about in a boat I carefully wrap any tea I may have in mywaterproof sheets, but that is apt to give it an undesirable flavor,so my first care upon landing is to provide a dry storage place formy tea, my ammunition, my papers and whatever else I may have thatneeds protection. By the way, I’ve never shown you my locker up there.I’ll do so to-morrow morning. I’ll not forget, as I must go there forwriting and drawing materials. I have some things in my mind that Isimply must put down on paper at once.”
At that moment he thrust his hand into his pocket and felt there forsome seconds. Then he said:
“That’s very unfortunate. I’ve managed to lose my knife.”
“I think I must have found it, then,” said Tom, holding it out; “isn’tthat it?”
“Yes, thank you. I’m particularly glad to get it again, as it is theonly one I have at Quasi. I usually buy half a dozen at a time, and sothe loss of one doesn’t annoy me. But just now I have only this one.”
He did not ask where or when Tom had found the knife, nor did he seemin the least surprised that it was found. The circumstance did not seemto remind him of his letter or of anything else.
The boys were full of wonder and curiosity, but they asked noquestions.