CHAPTER XXI
TOM MAKES PLANS
Tom had two ideas, both centering about one subject--the rescue of hischums. That they were held prisoners in the old mill he had no doubt.
"Of course I could tramp into Wilden," he mused, as he sat beside thecampfire, "and get a posse of men to come here and raid the place. Withthem to help we could make short work of Wallace, Skeel and company,and we'd get the boys out. But then, on the other hand, that would givethe whole game away. I'm sure there's some sort of treasure in that oldmill, or Skeel would never bother with trying to find it. The hermitmust have, in some way, proved to him that it's there."
"Now, then, assuming that it is in the mill, or somewhere around it, doI want a whole crowd out here, overrunning the place, and maybe findingthe treasure? I certainly don't, even though they might not find it.But what would happen would be that a whole crowd of people, who havenothing else to do, would hang around here the rest of the summer,looking for the treasure if it wasn't found at the time of the rescue.That would spoil our camp.
"Of course I've got to rescue the boys--that's certain. I might getsome of Mr. Henderson's friends--a few of them--and make them promiseto keep it a secret. Even then it would leak out, and the whole townwould be out here sooner or later. We wanted to come to a wild place,and we found it. Now there's no sense in making it civilized.
"No, I'll work this thing out alone, and I'll rescue the boyssingle-handed. I ought to be able to do it after I rescued dad andmother from that cannibal island, and got ahead of old Skeel. Idefeated him twice and I can do it again, and I will!"
Now that he had come to a decision Tom felt more hopeful, and he beganto go over plans in his mind. He had made and rejected half a dozen,from undermining the mill, and blowing a breach in the walls, to makingbelieve set fire to it and getting in under cover of the confusion.
"But I don't believe any of those schemes would do," he mused. "I'vegot to use strategy against those fellows. They are evidently lookingfor an open attack, by the way the old hermit was doing sentinel dutyin the window. I wonder how in the world he got up there when thereare no stairs in the mill?"
Tom's brain was getting weary with so much hard thinking. He felt as ifhe was back in Elmwood Hall, and had to puzzle over some hard geometryproposition.
"I'm going to bed," he decided at length. "Maybe in the morning I'll befresher and can think better."
He collected a quantity of dry wood, and had it in readiness to throwon the embers of the campfire. He also took a lantern with him insidethe sleeping tent, turning the wick low, and he had a gun in readiness.
"I'm not going to be taken by surprise if I can help it," he mused."That's how they must have gotten Jack and the others into their power.I'll fight if they try to get me, and they might, for with one of usloose they know there'll be an attempt at a rescue."
Tom made himself comfortable on his cot, but for a time he could notsleep. Then he fell into a doze, only to awaken with a start as heheard someone prowling about the camp.
"Who's there?" he called, sitting up and reaching out for his gun. Therewas no answer, and Tom arose and peered from the flaps of the tent. Ashe did so he saw a movement near the boxes where the provisions werekept.
"Get out of there!" he cried, as he fired in the air. A dark bodyleaped away and an ember of the fire, flaring up just then, revealed asmall animal.
"Only a fox!" laughed our hero. "Go ahead, you're welcome to all youcan get," for he had made the provisions secure before turning in. Hewas not again disturbed, and to his surprise the sun was high in theheavens when he awoke.
"I must have gotten in some good licks of sleep the latter part ofthe night," he reasoned, as he stretched and arose. "Now for a goodbreakfast, and then to see what's best to do."
It was lonesome eating, all by himself, especially as he thought of thejolly times he and his several chums had had around the packing-boxtable.
"I wonder if they have anything for breakfast?" Tom mused, as he sippedhis coffee. "Well, I hope I can soon get 'em back with me again. Thehermit, or Skeel, probably captured them to prevent them from makingany further search for the treasure. But I'm here yet!" and he closedhis teeth grimly.
"Of course, after all, we haven't any right to it," he went on, "and ifwe do find it, and it belongs to old Wallace, I'll see that he gets it.But I like the fun of hunting for it, and, since they've been so meanI'll be mean too, and do my best to beat 'em."
Breakfast over, Tom busied himself about the camp, washing the dishes,bringing in fresh water, and getting everything in order. It gave himsomething to do, so that he would not feel so lonesome, and he foundthat he could think better when he was occupied.
But, with all his reflection, he could not seem to hit on a plan ofrescue. One plan after another was formed, only to be rejected.
"I know what I'm going to do!" he finally exclaimed. "I'll take anothertrip to the mill, and see how things are now. I may be able to get tothe boys, or at least signal to them that I'm on the job. They must bediscouraged by this time."
He rowed up the lake to the river, and, proceeding as before, paid avisit to the cave, thinking perhaps there might be some developmentsthere. But the place was just as they had left it.
"Now for the mill!" exclaimed our hero. He went by a different route,this time, so as to get in the rear of the structure. But, though helooked for a long time at the broken windows, he saw no signs of hisfriends.
"If I could only signal them--get into communication with them," hethought, "they might propose some plan of rescue. But I'm afraid Ican't. I'll have to go it alone."
He circled about until he had a view of the front of the mill. Lookingup at the upper window he saw, not the old hermit, but Sam Heller onguard with a gun.
"They're all there--all the conspirators," Tom murmured. "Probablywhile one watches, the search for the treasure is going on. Oh, if Icould only get in there!"