The Rover Boys Down East; or, The Struggle for the Stanhope Fortune

  CHAPTER XII OFF FOR CAMP

  All too quickly for the girls and the boys, the visit of the folks fromCedarville to Valley Brook farm came to an end. During the week the boystook the girls on several trips in the touring car, and once all went fora picnic up the Swift river.

  "You must write to us often, Dick," said Dora, on parting. "If you gocamping, tell us all the particulars."

  "I certainly will, Dora," he answered. "And you let me know all aboutwhat you are doing. And don't forget to urge your mother to take a tripsomewhere."

  The boys had already written to their former school chums and fellowtravelers, Fred Garrison and Hans Mueller, and those boys had writtenback that they would arrive at the farm, with an outfit for camping, onthe following Saturday.

  "That will just suit!" cried Sam. "We can rest up over Sunday and startfor camp Monday morning."

  "I'm anxious to see what Hans will bring," came from Tom, who wasperusing a long communication from the German American youth. "He seemsto have the notion that this outing is to last into cold weather, andthat we are going to hunt bears and lions and a few other wild beasts."

  "Oh, maybe he is only trying to be funny," answered Sam.

  "Hans is funny without trying to be," put in Dick. "Just the same, he isone of the best boys in the world."

  Fred Garrison and Hans Mueller had arranged to arrive at Oak Run on thesame train, and the Rover boys went to meet them as they had the folksfrom Cedarville, in the new touring car.

  "Here she comes!" cried Sam, as the distant whistle of the locomotivereached their ears. Then the train hove in sight and they saw Fred's headsticking out of one window and Hans' head, out of another.

  "Hello, Fred! How are you, Hans!" was the cry.

  "Say, is this really the station?" asked Fred, with a grin. "I've beenwatching milk depots for the last hour."

  "This is really and truly the metropolis of Oak Run!" sang out Tom. "Movelively now, or you'll be carried further."

  The two young travelers alighted, each with two suit-cases. In additionFred carried a fishing rod. Hans was loaded down with a fishing rod, ashotgun, a big box camera, and a bundle done up in a steamer robe.

  "Hello, Hans, did you just come across the Atlantic?" questioned Dick, asthe boys shook hands all around.

  "Atlantic?" repeated Hans Mueller. "Not much I didn't, Dick; I come fromhome, chust so straight like der railroad runs alretty."

  "You brought a few things along I see."

  "Sure I did. Vy not, of ve go camping by der voods? I got my fishingshtick, and my gun, and a planket, and a camera to took vild animals."

  "Going to take their pictures first and then slay 'em, eh?" remarked Tom.

  "Dot's it."

  "Got your license, I suppose."

  "License. Vot license?"

  "To snap-shot the lions and tigers and bears, Hans. It costs two dollarsand ten cents to snap-shot a bear now, and lions and tigers are a dollarand forty-five."

  "Vot?" gasped the German boy. "Do da make you bay to took pictures?"

  "Why, didn't you know that? I thought you read the new patent andcopyright laws."

  "No, I got somet'ing else to do, Dom. By chiminy! Of da charge so much asdot I ton't took no bictures, not much!"

  "Well, maybe we can fix it so you won't have to pay any license,"returned Tom, calmly. "But jump in--dinner is waiting for us at home."

  "Say, what a dandy car!" cried Fred. "I've been anxious to see it eversince you wrote about it."

  "Tell us all about dear old Putnam Hall," said Sam to Hans, when thecrowd were on the way to the farm, and the German boy told them all thenews. Then Fred told about himself, and how he was thinking of going intobusiness with his uncle.

  "Where are you going to camp?" asked Fred, just before the farm wasreached.

  "We thought of going up the Swift river," said Dick. "But maybe we'll goover to Lake Nasco. There is a fine spot up there for camping, and we canhave the use of a small sailboat."

  "That would be fine, Dick!"

  "We'll talk it over tonight--after you have had supper."

  Fred and Hans had been at the farm before and the old folks greeted themwarmly. As usual, Mrs. Rover had a substantial meal prepared, and it didher good to see how both Hans and Fred relished the things provided. TheGerman youth especially had a good appetite, and he stowed away so muchit looked as if he would burst.

  "Say, we'll have to take along lots to eat," whispered Sam to Dick. "Ifwe don't, Hans will clean us out in no time."

  "Well, we'll take all we need," answered the big brother.

  After supper the five lads talked over the plans for camping out, and itwas finally decided that they should journey up the Swift River to LakeNasco. They were to remain in camp for a week or ten days, and possiblytwo weeks.

  As my old readers know, the Swift River could not be navigated around theFalls--those awful falls where the boys had once had such a harrowingexperience. But further up, the watercourse was fairly deep and smooth,and from that point the boys decided to take the small sailboat andeither sail or row to the lake, two miles further on.

  "We'll drive to the boat landing with the farm wagon," said Dick. "JackNess can take us, and bring the wagon back."

  On Sunday the entire family went to the village church and the visitorsaccompanied them. In the afternoon the boys inspected their outfits andtook it easy. Fred and Hans sent letters home, stating they had arrivedsafely, and the Rovers sent letters to Cedarville.

  "Hans, while you are in camp, don't forget to take a picture of thePluibuscus," said Tom. "They don't charge to take those."

  "Vot is dot?" asked Hans innocently.

  "What, didn't you ever see a Pluibuscus!" demanded Tom, in astonishment."It's a sort of a Cantonoko, only larger. They live in holes, like bears,only they have four wings, located between the sixth and the seventhlegs."

  "Mine cracious, Dom, vot you talkin' apout, ennavay?" demanded the Germanboy. "I ton't know no animals vot got legs and vings alretty. Vos da verypig?"

  "No, they are not pigs."

  "Vot? I tidn't say pig. I say vos da pig--pig--pig. Ton't youunderstand?"

  "Sure I understand. They are not pigs."

  "Dot ain't it at all. I say vos da pig--so pig or so pig?" And the Germanboy put out his hands, first close together and then wide apart.

  "Oh, you mean large?"

  "Yah, dot's him."

  "Oh, they are about the size of a horse, that is, when they are young. Asthey grow older they get smaller, so that an old Pluibuscus is about thesize of a dog. But it's the horns you have to look out for. They arepointed like daggers and very poisonous."

  "Du meine zeit! Den I ton't vont to meet none of dose Pluricustibusters,or vot you call dem," and Hans shook his head, decidedly.

  "If you see one I advise you to run," put in Sam, who was enjoying thefun.

  "Run? You bet my life I run!" cried Hans.

  "The best way to get away is to run into the water," went on Tom. "Theyhate the water. Just run into the lake and duck down and keep hidden forfive or ten minutes and the Pluibuscus will walk away in disgust."

  "How vos I going to keep mine head under der vater fife oder denminutes?" questioned Hans, in perplexity.

  "Oh, take a deep breath," suggested Fred.

  "I can't do him so long as dot."

  "Poke a hole in the water to breathe through," suggested Dick.

  "Say, I guess you vos making fun!" cried Hans, suspiciously. "Maybe dareain't no Pluicusisduster at all. Dot's--vot you call him?--Yah! He is afish story!"

  "Tom, you're discovered!" screamed Sam, and then there was a roar oflaughter. Hans looked a bit sheepish, but took the fun in good part.

  "Put I get square, see of I ton't!" he said, shaking his finger at Tom.

  Sunday evening there was a light shower and the boys were much worried,thinking it might keep on raining. But the shower passed by morning andthe sun came out br
ight and clear.

  "And now ho! for camp!" cried Sam "Come on, the sooner we start thebetter."

  An early breakfast was procured, and the camping outfit, consisting ofthe tent, their fishing and hunting outfits, blankets and extra clothing,and a quantity of food, canned and otherwise, was loaded on the big farmwagon.

  "All ready?" asked Dick.

  "All ready, so far as I can see," answered Sam.

  "Vait! vait!" cried Hans, "I got to get mine ear coferings!" And he ranback into the house.

  "Ear coverings?" queried Tom.

  "Yes," answered Fred, with a smile. "His mother made him a pair ofcoverings of mosquito netting, so that ants or other insects couldn'tcrawl into his ears while he was sleeping."

  "Not such a bad idea," said Dick. "But he needed them more in the WestIndies than he'll need them here."

  Soon Hans appeared with his ear coverings, and then the lads saidgood-bye. The whip cracked, and they were off on their outing. Little didthey dream of how the holidays were to come to an abrupt end.

  The road along the river was a rather rough one and they had to proceedslowly, for fear of jouncing off part of the load. But the lads were inthe best of spirits and as they rode along they sang and cracked jokes totheir hearts' content. Tom had the last of his "doctored" cigars with himand he passed this over to Jack Ness, and all had a hearty laugh when thehired man lit up and was treated to a dose of the "worms."

  "By gum! I might have remembered about them cigars!" murmured the wagondriver. "I laffed at Ricks an' now you got the same laff on me!"

  "Never mind, Jack, you buy something worth smoking, when you go to town,"said Tom, and slyly slipped a silver quarter into the hired man's palm.

  It was noon-time when they reached the spot where they could get thesailboat. This was hired from a man living in the vicinity, and thatindividual's wife supplied all hands with dinner, for the boys did notwant to touch their stores until necessary. Then the sailboat was loadedand the boys got on board.

  "We'll have to row," said Dick. "There isn't breeze enough to do anygood."

  "Well, rowing suits me," cried Sam, and caught up an oar and Tom did thesame.

  "I'll spell you after a bit," said Fred. "It is not fair to let you doall the work."

  "So will I," added Dick.

  "Yah, and me," nodded Hans.

  "Good-bye, Jack!" cried all, and waved their hands to the hired man.

  "Tell the folks not to worry--that we will be all right," added Dick.

  "Have a good time!" answered Jack Ness. Then Sam and Tom started to row,and slowly the boat moved in the direction of Lake Nasco.