Third Warning

  CHAPTER X RIDING THE STORM

  True to their promise, when the _Wanderer_ returned, Florence and Katieprepared a grand feast of roast chicken, hot biscuits and coffee for theweary young fire-fighters. None enjoyed this more than did Mike and Tony.

  "When the next war comes," Tony laughed, "you join up as Captain andwe'll be your privates!" Coming from Tony this was high praise.

  "One thing sure," Dave said, after the feast was over, "if you ever againneed help from those boys you'll get it without a murmur."

  "Chickens come high!" was Florence's strange reply. "But I guess it'sworth it."

  Yes, chicken did come high. All those dressed birds must be replaced, andthe little company's purse was very flat. There was a worried note inDave's voice as he said, "Tomorrow we must return to the mainland forfuel oil. I wonder if we get it? The last bill isn't paid yet!"

  That worry was still with them as, after unloading the fishermen's goods,they headed away across the glassy waters of Superior. But when FatherSuperior is in a happy mood, who can worry? "Never," Florence thought,"was the water so smooth or the sky so blue."

  With Indian John at the wheel and Katie's galley sending out deliciousodors, the three of them, Dave, Florence and Jeanne, sat on deck lookingdreamily off across the water.

  "There is a phantom fisherman off the end of Edward's Island," Jeannemurmured, half talking to herself.

  "A fisherman, but no phantom," Dave insisted.

  "It is our privilege in this life," said Jeanne, "to have what we want,provided we tread on no one's toes. I want a phantom fisherman, so Ishall have one. You want a real fisherman. You may have him, too. Neitherof us wishes any fish, so what does it matter?"

  "It doesn't matter," Dave agreed.

  "One thing is important," Florence insisted. "Are those fires on theisland being set?"

  "No," said Dave.

  "But I've been told they were," insisted his cousin. "Twice I've heardit."

  "Who told you?"

  "I--I don't know. That's the queer part." She went on to tell of thestrange voice.

  "Probably some ignorant fisherman talking nonsense," was Dave's verdict."They cling to these crags trying to eke out a living until they get alittle cracked in the head."

  To this, Florence would not agree. She had heard the voice. She had seenthe mysterious youth and was sure she would see him again.

  "Questions that interest me more are--shall we be allowed to continuecarrying passengers?" said Dave, "and can we get more fuel oil on credit?Upon these answers depends our future."

  "And perhaps the future of the island," Florence added soberly.

  "Yes, even that," Dave admitted.

  "Well," Dave laughed as, late that day, his boat tied up at Houghton, heslowly paced the dock, "we won't have to worry about the future for a dayor two. This nor'wester will keep us in port, come what will." Just asthey entered the canal, ten miles from Houghton, a wild storm had comebooming in.

  "Couldn't we make a trip if we had to?" Florence asked.

  "Well, if we had to, I suppose we could."

  "I'm glad to hear you say that," a brusque voice interrupted.

  "Why?" Dave stared. He found himself looking into the keen, gray eyes ofthe elderly man whom with his granddaughter, they had rescued some daysbefore from Greenstone Ridge on Isle Royale.

  "They are having a hard time on the island," the man explained. "Chipswants more pumps and hose. There are pumps here--twenty of them--and tenthousand feet of hose. I'd like--"

  "But I don't see--" Dave broke in.

  "You don't see how that affects me," the man laughed. "I happen to be anassistant national park commissioner; so this is my job. I am ColonelColby."

  "Oh-o," Dave breathed, "and you want us to make a trip to Isle Royale?"

  "It is imperative. The pumps must go. The _Iroquois_ is in port, but sheis old and clumsy. She'd not be safe, but your boat--"

  "She'd do all right, but--" Dave hesitated, "our passenger licenseexpires tonight."

  "Passenger license!" The old man's voice rose. "Who said anything aboutpassengers? Of course," he added, "I shall go with you, but--I," hehesitated. "Well, you may ship me as freight," he laughed heartily."Anyway, I represent the Government."

  "All right. Bring on your pumps. We'll run down for fresh fuel. Be backhere in half an hour," was the young skipper's reply.

  "One thing more," he hesitated, "I hate to tell you this. You may thinkwe're whining, but I doubt if our credit for fuel is good."

  "I'll attend to that also," the colonel replied without a second'shesitation.

  "O.K. We'll be with you in an hour."

  "That's the talk!" The colonel gripped Dave's hand for an instant, thenwas away.

  When two hours later the _Wanderer_ nosed her way out of the smooth waterof the canal into the surging seas that swept Lake Superior, Dave caughthis breath. Had he, for once, overestimated the cruising power of hisstout little craft? Only time would tell. The _Wanderer_ appeared toglory in its battle with the waters. Climbing one monstrous wave, itglided down the breaker's slope, only to start climbing again. Greatsplashes of white spray were dashed against the pilothouse window. Thedeck was all awash; yet the _Wanderer's_ motors throbbed sweetly as thegallant boat forged its way ahead.

  Night came. The storm increased. The black waves of night seemed moreterrible than those of the day. Struggling into her little galley, Katiebraced herself stiff-legged against a screwed-down table while sheprepared sandwiches for the weary men.

  Below deck, one of the twenty pumps, breaking its moorings, threatened tosmash the others into bits. Only after many bumps and bruises was Rufusable to restore it to its proper place.

  "Wi-wild night," Dave's words were blown down his throat as he reachedgratefully for his sandwich.

  "Tho-thought I saw a light," Florence screamed.

  "Sure! Sure! There it is!" Dave shouted. "Must be Passage Island. Andboy, oh, boy! If it is, we're right on our course!"

  They were on their course. They had Indian John to thank for that. Oneperil still lay before them--the narrow, rocky entrance of Rock Harbor.Could they make it? There was a prayer in every heart as they neared thedark bulks looming out of the night.

  "Little islands that guard the channel," Dave explained, playing hisship's light upon them. "They're all solid rock. And you don't see all ofthem. Some are just under the water. One touch on a night like this,and--

  "There! There's the gap!" he exclaimed excitedly. "It's straight ahead ofus, one marker to the right and one to the left. Thank God, the waves arestriking the island squarely! We'll ride them like a bucking broncho.

  "Now!" he breathed, as a huge breaker bore them forward.

  "Now!" Florence exclaimed, as a second, larger than the first, broke witha hiss under the _Wanderer's_ prow.

  "And now!" shouted the gray-haired colonel, as the stout little craftglided off the last wave to the calm of Rock Harbor. "That--that wasmarvelous!" He gripped Florence and Dave by the hands. "I wouldn't havemissed it for the world. And now," he added quietly, "now for Chips.He'll be waiting."

  Chips was waiting, and it was the privilege of the young navigators towitness his marvelous efficiency. With the smoothness of clockwork, hismen marched aboard the boat, thrust rope-lashed poles beneath each pump,then disappeared into the night.

  "That'll lick the fire," Chips murmured. "Besides, the wind's shifting,and there's the smell of rain in the air."

  "There are good beds down at the lodge at the other end of the harbor,"the gray-haired colonel turned to the _Wanderer's_ crew. "You all needsome real rest. It's smooth going all the way. What do you say we go downand tie up there for twenty-four hours?"

  "That," exclaimed Florence, "would be keen!"

  "And so say we all," Dave echoed.

  "O.K.," he exclaimed, "John, you know this channel. Suppose you take thewheel."

  "Aye, aye, sir!" Indian John saluted.


  "And now, how about a few words over a cup of coffee?" suggested thecolonel.

  It was a very friendly chat they had with the colonel, as, with the lightof the moon streaming in at their window, they sat contentedly listeningto the distant roar of dashing waves.

  Without seeming to pry into their affairs, the gray-haired man found outjust how matters stood with them.

  "You've been doing a grand work," he rumbled at last. "In a most splendidspirit. Before I left I told Addison, the fuel man you know, to supplyall your needs. I shall stand back of you in this."

  "Oh, that--that's grand!" Florence choked a little.

  "I don't know how we can thank you, sir!" Dave said huskily.

  "You don't need to. This is perhaps but the beginning. I hope we havemuch better things in store for you."

  "The little we have done has been for the good of the kindly people ofthe island," said Florence.

  "And for the good of all," added the colonel. "You must not forget thatIsle Royale is to be a national park. That it is to belong to all thepeople of America. When you save a square mile of that virgin beauty youare saving it for all the American people.

  "By the way," he said after a moment's silence, "That man with the speedboat doesn't like you very well, does he? I suppose you know the reasonwhy."

  "No," was Florence's quick reply, "we have wondered about him ever sincewe brought him to the island and he seemed ready to put us in chainsbecause we insisted on helping to save the camp at Siskowit."

  "He's threatened to have our license revoked," Dave put in. "It all seemsa bit fantastic. We really never did anything to him."

  "No, probably not," the colonel agreed. "But your grandfather did and itis his boat you are operating, I am told."

  "Grandfather! Grandfather?" they exclaimed. "He never wronged anyone."

  "He never did," the colonel agreed, "but he got in bad by doing right.This man who has chosen you for an enemy was once running a boat contraryto regulations, carrying many more passengers than the law allows,endangering people's lives. The authorities asked your grandfather aboutit. Being the sort of man who hates lies, he told the truth."

  "Good for Granddad!" Florence exclaimed.

  "Right," the gray-haired man agreed. "For all that, he made himself alifetime enemy. But," he added, "you need not worry further about him. Ishall see that he is properly taken care of.

  "Look!" he exclaimed springing to the window, "we are at Snug Harbor--ournight of storm is over. I shall arrange at once for your accommodationsat the Lodge."

  "We are to have a hot bath and sleep between clean, white sheets,"Florence whispered to Jeanne. "How perfectly grand!"

  Scarcely had their boat touched the dock when Katie began talking in herown tongue to a fisherman whose small boat was tied up to the dock.

  "He says," she exclaimed eagerly, "that he is going to the camp atSiskowit where mine brother is. I do so wish to see him."

  "Is he coming back?" Florence asked.

  "Tomorrow night."

  "Let her go," said Dave. "She'll catch up with us somewhere."

  So the happy Katie went gliding away through the dawn with her new-foundfriend. She had dinner that day with her brother and his companions atcamp. That night, fired with enthusiasm by the talk of the boys who hadonly words of praise for the _Wanderer_ and her crew, she returned toRock Harbor in plenty of time to take up her duties.