CHAPTER XX -- Speed the Parting Guest
George Burton and his dog Zip had won golden opinions from the BoyScouts, who urged their visitor to spend several days with them, but hedeclined, saying he would set out on his return to Mouse Island directlyafter dinner, which was eaten at one o'clock. Truth to tell his tastesdiffered from those of his new friends. He cared little or nothing forbird lore, or the study of trees, or roughing it in the woods. But hewas an athlete, who could outrun any one of the Boy Scouts and lastlonger on a tramp. He was putting himself through a course of training,with a view of making the football team when he should enter PrincetonUniversity, for which he had already matriculated. His sole companion onhis long runs or the hours devoted to hardening his muscles was Zip,between whom and himself, as had been shown, there was a strongaffection.
Accordingly, while the afternoon was quite young, Burton shook handswith all his friends, promising soon to see them again, and stepped intoone of the canoes moored in front of the bungalow. He sat on the bottomwith Zip between his knees, while Alvin Landon and Chester Haynesmanipulated the paddles. Mike Murphy sat in front of Burton and assumedthe airs of a captain. Burton had intended to pass around the easternend of the lake, and over the rough trace to the highway, and so on toBoothbay and Mouse Island, thus reversing this tramp of the day before.Considerable of this long course could be saved by using the boat.
"I don't see how you can reach Mouse Island before night," remarkedAlvin as he slowly swung his paddle.
"I can't."
"Then why not stay with us and make your start in the morning?"
"What's the difference? The weather is clear and cool, and the moon isnear its full. I can reach Boothbay Harbor some time in the evening andstay there over night, and hire a launch to take me to Mouse. Or if Ifeel lazy, I can find accommodations at Bovil, which you know is alittle village between that frightful road over which your supply teamlabors and Boothbay. Zip and I don't mind a little thing like that."
"Hello!" exclaimed Chester, "are we never to be rid of those pests?"
On the shore of the lake to their right, two men were seen standing withtheir attention fixed upon the canoe and its occupants. The distance wasso slight that the three boys instantly recognized them as their oldacquaintances,--Buzby Biggs and Saxy Hutt. It would have been thoughtthat after their recent experience they would have lost no time ingetting out of the neighborhood, but it will be remembered that whenthey leaped in a panic from the wagon of our old friend Jake, instead ofrunning away from Gosling Lake, they headed toward it.
Zip was quick to identify the vagrants. Looking toward them he emitted athroaty growl.
"He hates tramps so, that I have to restrain him when we meet them."
"And why do ye reshtrain him?" asked Mike from his place in the boat."Why don't ye gratify his appetite for such spalpeens, though I'mthinking he runs risk of being p'isoned?"
"So long as the tramps keep out of mischief I am willing to leave themalone."
"But that is what they don't do; they seem to have a spite againstDoctor Spellman and his family."
"Against Doctor Spellman!" exclaimed Burton; "you don't mean DoctorWilson Spellman?"
"That's his name."
"Where is he?"
Alvin lifted his paddle and pointed a little away ahead and to theright.
"He has put up one of those patent houses among the trees, where youcan't see it from the lake, though we observe the smoke from his firenow and then. There he and his wife and little girl Ruth are spendingseveral weeks in the most sensible manner possible."
"Why, he's my uncle," added the surprised and delighted Burton; "I knewhe had gone on an outing in Maine, but thought it was at the RangelyLakes. Now, as the expression goes, isn't that 'funny'?"
"You will like to call on him?"
"Most certainly; I'm very fond of him, and of Aunt Susie and Ruth."
The boat was sheered toward land at a point where the canoe of thephysician was seen drawn up the bank. The two tramps stood so motionlessand fixed in their attention that they suggested a couple of scarecrows.Mike turned his head and grinned.
"Head the boat toward them, as if ye intinded to call and lave yercards."
The bow was whirled further around, and pointed straight for thevagrants. Zip was tremulous with eager expectation. Resting his paws onthe gunwales, he twitched his ears and growled. One good look at thecanine was enough for the men. They turned about and dived among thetrees as terrified as when the bullets of Doctor Spellman's revolverwhistled about their ears.
"Howld on!" shouted Mike, "till we can talk politics wid ye, and thry toagraa as to whether the Bool Moose ought to be the next President."
But the scamps paid no heed, and Mike looked commiserately at the dog.
"'Tis a cruelty thus to disappint ye, Zip, as me dad said whin he walkedfive miles to have a shindy with Terence Googhagan, and found he'd beendrowned; but ye may git a chance at 'im later on."
A few minutes afterward the nose of the canoe slid up the bank, and theboys stepped out. It being early in the afternoon, Doctor Spellman wasseated in his camp chair in front of his house, smoking a cigar andlooking over the _Boston Globe_. His wife, having set things to rights,had come forward to join him, with Ruth directly behind her.
The meeting was a pleasing one. When Burton remarked that he had timefor only a call, the doctor and his family put so emphatic a veto uponit, that he was obliged to yield and agreed to remain until morning.
After mutual inquiries and answers had been made, Burton told of theforenoon's test of Zip's marvelous power of scent. The story was soremarkable that even Sunbeam, as she sat on Burton's knee, silentlylistened. The two were old friends. The little girl was the only onebesides his master whom the hound would allow to become familiar withhim.
"I wish I had a dog like him," remarked the doctor.
"That is impossible, for there isn't another like him," replied theowner.
"I have been so annoyed by a couple of tramps that I should like to getZip on their track and have him drive them out of the neighborhood."
Alvin and Chester had told the guest of the doings of the nuisances, andthere was laughter at their panic when, looking over the side of thecanoe, they saw the frightful head of the sea serpent, apparently in theact of rising up to crush the boat or them in its jaws.
"I can't understand why they persist in staying in these parts, afterthe hints they have received," said the doctor.
"Can they have any special design in view?" asked Burton.
"I have thought of that, but can't imagine what it is. All such pestsare thieves, but that is the worst that can be said of them. There isnothing in my home that is specially tempting; they know I have a gunand a revolver,--and that I am quite ready to use it if they give goodcause. Yet when I kill a man," added the doctor with a grim smile, "Iprefer to put him out of the way in my professional capacity. There areno unpleasant consequences to myself."
"Couldn't one of the spalpeens be ill?" suggested Mike. "He may betrying to screw up his courage to the p'int of asking ye for aprescription."
"He will find me ready, and I'll charge him no fee."
At this moment, the physician supplemented his words by a remark which,in the light of after events, was singular to the last degree.
"George, I have arranged a system of signals with my young friendshere."
"I don't catch your meaning."
"When young Jack Crandall broke his leg some time ago, there was notelling what complications would follow. It was therefore agreed that incase I was needed in a hurry, some of the Boy Scouts should fire one oftheir revolvers several times in quick succession. Then I would paddleto the bungalow as fast as I could."
"Could you count upon hearing the reports?"
"Yes,--as a rule; there is nothing to obstruct the sound on the water,unless it might be a strong wind, and as to that we shall have to takechances. My signal may vary."
"_Your_ signal,
" repeated the astonished nephew; "what need can you havefor anything of the kind?"
"Probably not any, and yet there's no certainty that I shall not. Ibrought some fireworks for the amusement of Stubby. Among them are adozen sky rockets. If we should find ourselves in need of help at night,three rockets sent up in the sky will notify the Boy Scouts, who I knowwill make all haste hither, and a score of such young fellows form aforce that even a half dozen men dare not despise. If I need them afterthey have retired I can use my rifle or revolver the same as they woulduse their weapon."
"Suppose the emergency should happen in the daytime?"
"We have our firearms to appeal to; with them we can duplicate the callof the Boy Scouts."
"I suppose the system is the best that can be devised," said Burton,"and yet it strikes me it is as likely to fail as to succeed."
"Why?"
"For your rockets to serve, some of the boys must see them,--and whatcertainty is there that they will do so?"
"Of course there's the possibility that they may not,--but until ScoutMaster Hall and his charges retire for the night, all or a majority ofthem are on the piazza and some of them would be certain to observe therockets as they streamed upward, leaving a trail of fire behind them."
"But why talk of _your_ needing _our_ help?" asked Alvin; "it strikes meas absurd, though the reverse of the rule is sensible."
"I may as well confess that I feel uneasy over the persistent hoveringof those tramps in the neighborhood. I fear to leave wife or Ruth alone,and I never do so even for a short time without making sure my revolveris loaded and at her instant command."
"When you come to the bungalow, you can bring Sunbeam and her motherwith you," said Chester Haynes, "as you have generally done."
"That is my rule, but it leaves the house without the slightestprotection, and those tramps, if they wish, can work their own sweetwill."
"You did not visit us to-day, doctor."
"Crandall is getting on so well there's no need; he moves about soreadily on those crutches you fellows presented him that his rapidrecovery is assured. If to-morrow is fair, you may expect us over todinner."
Alvin and Chester felt that this visit really belonged to youngBurton,--so, after remaining a brief while longer, the three bade themall good-bye and paddled back to the bungalow, which they reached in thelatter part of the afternoon.