CHAPTER IV.
IN CAMP.
As the swift little boat swept forward the tents were soon visible,standing as they did near the shore and yet close to the woods whichstretched away in the distance. There were two of these tents, and thewhite canvas outlined against the green foliage presented awonderfully attractive appearance, at least to the eager boys, whowere all unmindful now of their boatman's financial problems andintent only upon the vision of their abode for the coming few weeks.
Ethan explained to his companions that one of the tents was designedto be their sleeping quarters and the other was to provide a kitchenwhich could be used on stormy days. On other days the cooking was tobe done in the open air, and the fireplace and the pile of logs whichwas to furnish fuel soon could be seen clearly as the party camenearer to the island.
There was a rude little dock near the camping place, and to this Ethanguided his boat and soon landed his passengers. As the boys leapedout, Bert called to his companions: "This is great, fellows! Let'sgive the school cheer!"
Instantly their united voices rang out, and Ethan looked up inastonishment. "What d'ye do that for?" he inquired blankly.
"That's our school yell, Ethan," replied Jock. "Give it again, boys!"
As the sharp, clear cry rang out again they saw a young fellow ofabout their own age approaching from the tents, and his evidentsurprise was as marked as that of the boatman. Only a brief glance,however, was required to convince the boys that it was Ethan's sonbefore them. There was the same general outline of features as in theolder man, and the same peculiar hitch as he walked.
"That's yer school yell, is it?" said Ethan. "Do they make ye do itoften?"
"Oh, whenever we feel like it," laughed Jock.
"Well, your pa an' I used to have a school yell when we went to thelittle red schoolhouse, an' I want to tell ye that not one of ye cancome up to him either. Many's the time I've seen him toe a crack, an'when the teacher brought his hickory ferule down ker-whack, yer pacould make a louder noise than any o' you boys. He was a powerful oneto yell, Jock Cope was!"
Even Ethan's recollections were not of sufficient interest now toprevent the boys from running up the bank to their tents, and soonthey were eagerly examining all the details of their camp. There werefour cots in one of the tents and in the other were places where theirtrunks and guns and rods and their various belongings might be stored.Ethan's son, who had been introduced as Tom, remained with his fatherand assisted in bringing from the boat the articles which were to bestored in the tents, and soon had everything arranged and in order.
The camp was on the wooded shore of one of the larger islands. Beforethem was a view of the broad river, dotted here and there withislands, on some of which were cottages and on others camping partiesnot unlike their own. It was noon time now, and the sun was almostdirectly above their heads. The air was almost motionless, but therestless river was hastening on as if wind or wave, or heat or cold,were all alike to it. The sublimity of the scene, the novelty of thecamp, the rushing waters, and tall silent trees all combined toproduce a feeling of intense delight in the hearts of the boys, andthey stood together on the shore looking out over the beautiful sightand filled with expectations such as only light-hearted lads at such atime can know.
"I say, boys, mebbe ye'd like something to eat."
In a moment the beautiful vision had lost its power, and turningeagerly to the camp, Jock said: "You are right, Ethan. How did youknow we were hungry?"
"Didn't have to know. Folks have to eat, don' they? It's dinner time,that's what it is. Most o' folks like to look at the river when theyfirst come, but they find scenery isn't specially fillin' as a diet.They mostly wants somethin' to eat afore long."
"We're like the others, then," said Ben. "Did you say you had dinnernow in the middle of the day?"
"Yes, that's what I said. When did ye expect to have it?"
"Oh, I didn't know. We usually have it at night when we're at home."
"At night? Dinner at night?" exclaimed Ethan. "Ye must be funny folks.Noon's the hour for dinner. Everybody knows that."
"Go ahead, Ethan. Have it now. We may want it every hour in the day,if the feeling I have is anything that lasts very long."
Thus bidden, Ethan and Tom at once prepared dinner. While the youngerman made a fire, Ethan prepared the potatoes, whittling the skins asif he had been carving an oar. He also split three black bass whichTom had caught in the morning, and made them ready for broiling. Inaddition to these he had fresh vegetables, a coffee pot, a can ofmilk, and various other necessities, and to the surprise of the boysit at once became evident that both Ethan and his son were adepts inthe art of preparing a dinner in a St. Lawrence camp.
Soon a savory odor rose from the fireplace, and the curiosity of theboys gave place to a feeling of eagerness for the time to come whenthey would be summoned to the repast. The few dishes were at lastbrought forth, the dinner was declared to be ready, and the boys fellto with a will.
What appetites they had! How good everything tasted! For a time evenconversation was neglected, but at last, when the cravings of theinner man began to be appeased, then the joy and inspiration of thehour once more returned.
"I s'pose ye've got a pretty fair house down to New York?" queriedEthan of Jock.
"Oh, yes. It's one you might call comfortable, I suppose," said Jock,with a laugh.
"Got good beds in it?"
"Yes."
"Your ma keeps a girl, I s'pose?"
"Keeps a girl? I don't know that I understand what you mean," saidJock.
"I mean what I say. She's got a hired girl, hasn't she?"
"Do you mean the maids? The servants?"
"No, I don' mean no _servants_. I mean hired girls."
"Well, yes, I suppose she has."
"They have four servants--hired girls, I mean," drawled Bob.
"Four, four? What's yer ma do herself?"
"Oh, she's busy all the time, too busy, my father thinks," laughedJock.
"Four hired girls! I swan, if that don' beat all creation! What did yewant to come down here for then, I'd like to know? Eatin' outdoors andsleepin' on a cot when ye don' have to; that beats me! Ye city folksmust be a queer lot."
"That's just what we're here for, Ethan. We came on purpose to get ataste of outdoor life."
"Well, ye're likely to have a good deal more'n a taste, I'm thinkin'.Now, then," he said to Tom when the dinner had been eaten, "I'll leaveye here to look after the boys while I go over to the Bay an' get thetrunks an' things that were checked through. I'll be back by themiddle o' the afternoon. Ye can get along without me, can't ye?"
"Yes, yes," said Jock. "We want to get out our rods and fix things upa little. We can try the fishing to-morrow, can't we, Ethan?"
"Yes, ye can _try_ it," replied Ethan, dryly.
"You don't think we'll do much? Is that it, or isn't the fishing goodthis summer?"
"Oh, the fishin' is all right. Lots o' fish here. No trouble aboutthat."
But Ethan at once went down to the dock and set sail for AlexandriaBay, and the boys began to look to their rods and guns. Tom, who wassupposed to be clearing away the dishes, frequently paused in hisoccupation to examine the belongings of the campers; but, although hewas feeling more at ease now with them, not one word of surprise orcommendation did he bestow. Indeed, his companions began to fear thattheir tackle must all be wrong or out of date, for the only responseTom would make to any of their anxious inquiries, was that 'hesupposed 'twas all good enough; he could tell better to-morrow.'
When everything had been done which could be done before the trunkscame, the four boys together left the camp and walked up the shore.The novelty was still strong, and they were eager to examine theirimmediate surroundings. And there was much to interest them. Swiftsteam yachts frequently passed up the river, and the groups of happypeople on the decks could be plainly seen from the shore.Occasionally a puff of smoke could be seen, and the boom of a smallcannon on some of the neighboring
islands could be heard, and then theshrill scream of the whistle of a passing yacht or steamer wouldrespond in acknowledgment of the salute. Skiffs were also seen, andthe rod held in the hands of the person seated in the stern wouldindicate the occupation upon which he was bent.
Above them was the clear blue sky, behind them the whispering trees ofthe forest, and before them the great, onward-rushing river, its bluewaters knowing no rest, and yet in spite of their evident hasteimparting a feeling of restfulness to all the beholders, so vast wasthe power, so slight the effort required to maintain the steady,constant course.
To Jock the great river almost seemed to be alive. At times it wasrestless and almost angry, and then again it seemed to be hasteningpast him as if it were unmindful of its surroundings, or scornful ofthe puny people who sailed over its surface or stood wondering uponits banks. But the feeling of exhilaration, the delight in thepresence of one of nature's most wonderful works, was apparent in allthe boys.
As they turned at last to retrace their way to the camp, Bob, who hadbeen silent most of the time, said: "This is a great place, Jock.'Twas good of you to have us all here."
"Yes, it was pure philanthropy," said Jock. "You see, I had been downhere before and wanted all the more to come again; but my fatherdidn't want me to come alone; so I just had to make up a party, orstay at home. I'm generous, am I not?"
"Yes; what was that?" Bob suddenly said, stopping short and peeringexcitedly out into the river at a place where a whirl or eddy in thestream appeared.
"That? oh, that was probably some fish."
"Jock Cope, do you mean to tell me they have fish like that in thisriver?"
"Why, yes; what did you think was here?"
"Oh, I didn't know. But I'm wondering what I would do if a fish aslarge as that one was should get hold of one end of a line and Ishould be at the other."
"You'd wake up and go to work, for once in your life."
"I think I should, for a fact. I almost wish we could try itto-night."
"We'll try it, all right, in the morning. Ethan will have to get ourminnows for us. Hark! what's that?"
The boys were now near the camp, and suddenly stopped as the sound ofsome one calling was heard. And yet the voice was more like that ofone in distress, and fearful that something was wrong they began torun.
As they came to a place from which they could see into the interior oftheir camping place, they stopped and gazed curiously at the sightbefore them. Tom, evidently thinking that he was unobserved, had takena position in front of one of the tents and was looking up into thesky. His arms were occasionally flung out, moving with the grace withwhich a pump handle performs its duties. He was standing with his feetfar apart, and his entire bearing betokened the evident excitementunder which he was laboring.
The startled boys were about to rush forward to his assistance, whenthey were still further astonished by the words which Tom thunderedforth.
"Tew be--or not tew be," shouted the young fisherman.
The listening lads gazed blankly at one another, but before they couldspeak Tom's voice was heard again.
"_Tew_ be--," then came a long pause before he shouted, "or not _tew_be." His arms were again flung out wildly and his face was stillturned toward the sky. Apparently the question received no answer, andvarying the emphasis and inflection, the sadly troubled Tom againbroke forth,--
"Tew _be-e-e_, or not tew _be-e-e-e_."
Again our boys gazed blankly, first at the excited young fellow beforethem, and then into one another's faces.
"He's sick! He's crazy!" said Ben, excitedly.
"He's going to commit suicide!" responded Jock, with equal excitement.
Moved as by a common impulse all four of the boys instantly dartedinto the camp; but the startled Tom, bestowing upon them one glance ofterror and confusion, turned and ran swiftly into the woods.