CHAPTER XXII THE MISSING LAUNCH
As the cadets read the words on the sheet of paper their faces showedtheir deep chagrin and mortification. Had they been alone they wouldhave considered the affair a trick on them and nothing more, but withthe Fords along it was an entirely different matter.
"What is that? Let me see it," said Laura, and took the paper fromAndy's hand. She read the words aloud.
"I must say I do not understand this," said Mrs. Ford. "What has thisempty hornets' nest to do with the launch?"
"It means that a trick has been played on us," said Jack, his facegrowing red. "I think it's a shame to involve you in it--and I'll tellthose other fellows so, when I get the chance!" he added, half savagely.
"But what is it about?" asked Rossmore Ford.
"We may as well make a clean breast of it," said Pepper to his chums,and then he related the particulars of the hornets' nest and how it hadbeen used during the Ritter feast. The girls laughed outright and Mr.and Mrs. Ford smiled.
"Now here is where the Ritter crowd pay us back," went on Pepper. "Idon't know how they got here, but they did--and they have either hiddenthe launch or made off with it. I am awfully sorry--on your account,"and he looked anxiously at the Fords.
"Well, you are in the same boat as ourselves," said Mr. Ford.
"I guess you mean we are both out of the boat," returned Andy, with asickly grin. He turned to Able Fales. "Have you looked all along theshore for the launch?" he asked.
"Pretty much," was the answer. "But I can take another look. So it wassome friends of yours took the boat, eh?"
"Hardly friends," answered Dale dryly. "They belong to our militaryschool."
"I know you fellers are full of tricks. Took the bell clapper of thechurch once," went on the boatman.
Another search was made by the boatman and the boys and Mr. Ford joinedin the hunt. But not a trace of the missing craft could be found. Jacklooked at his watch and saw that it was nearly five o'clock.
"If this isn't the worst yet!" he murmured. "Pepper, what do you thinkwe had best do?"
"I don't know. If they don't bring the boat back we may have to remainon the island all night."
"That would be a hardship on Mrs. Ford and the girls. They are not usedto roughing it, and there is nothing but a shed here, and that isn'tvery clean."
"Well, what do you propose?"
"I don't know what to say."
"If we had a canoe, or even a raft, we might get to the mainland andhire another boat," said Dale. "Can't we build a raft of some kind?"
"We might, but it would take time."
While this conversation was going on Andy had walked to some high rocksoverlooking the lower end of the lake. Now, of a sudden, he set up ashout:
"Boat ahoy! Hello! Come in here, we want you!"
"Andy has sighted a boat!" ejaculated Pepper, and ran to join theacrobatic youth, and his chums followed.
All saw a launch moving up the lake. It contained a young lady of abouttwenty and a boy of sixteen.
"What do you want?" asked the boy, as the launch came to a standstillout in the lake.
"We want help!" called back Andy. "Will you please come ashore?"
"What is wrong?" questioned the girl, as she set the motor of the boatin motion once more and steered for the shore of Butterfly Island.
"Our boat is gone," answered Andy.
"Why, that is Belle Penwick!" cried Laura, as she caught sight of thegirl in the launch. "And her brother Roger! How fortunate!"
"Then you know them?" said Jack.
"Oh, yes, we are old friends, and they are stopping at the same hotelwith us. That is Belle's boat, but her brother Roger aids her in runningit."
The _Spray_, for that was the name of the craft, soon came close to theshore, and then the engine was stopped once more. The boys wereintroduced to the newcomers, and the latter were told about the missing_Emma_.
"Why, we saw that boat about an hour ago!" cried Roger Penwick. "Somecadets dressed like you fellows had her in tow and were taking hertowards Hull Island."
"Did they leave her there?" questioned Jack
"I don't know."
"Were the cadets in a rowboat?"
"Yes."
"I suppose they couldn't run the launch because of the dismantledmotor," said Pepper. "Most likely they hid her in the bushes on theshore of Hull Island."
The matter was talked over, and the Penwicks said they would take someof the party over to Hull Island if they wished to go. It was arrangedthat Jack, Andy and Able Fales should make the trip.
"If the launch is there I'll fix her up as soon as I can and run herback here," said the old boatman.
The _Spray_ was soon on the way. She was a light-built craft and cut thebosom of the lake like a thing of life.
"I like my sloop, but I declare I'd like a motor boat too," said Jack."They certainly can travel!"
"And they don't have to wait for the wind," added Pepper.
"It's fine--if the motor doesn't get out of order," said Roger Penwick."But sister and I have to do a lot of tinkering, I can tell you!Yesterday we spent about an hour sailing around and two hours fixing theengine."
"Well, my spark wasn't just right, that was all," responded Belle. "Youcan't make a boat run well without a good electric spark," sheexplained.
The run to Hull Island, a small patch of land close to the upper end ofLake Caboy, did not take long, and then the island was slowly circled,while the boys and the old boatman scanned the shore with care.
"There she is, there's the _Emma_!" cried Abel Fales, presently, andpointed out his craft, shoved in under some overhanging bushes. "Prettywell hidden, I must say! I would have had a hard job finding her if youhadn't seen her being taken here," he added to the Penwicks.
The Ritter crowd had done nothing to the launch but tow her off, andsoon Able Fales was at work fixing his engine. With the cylinderrepaired the machinery worked very well, and both craft started back toButterfly Island, arriving there a little later.
"Some of you can come in my boat if you wish, it will make your runeasier," said Belle Penwick, and then it was arranged that Andy and Daleand Flossie should go with her. This divided up the weight of passengerspretty evenly, and when the two boats left the island they kept closebeside each other.
"I've got a plan to scare the Ritter crowd," said Jack, on the way home,and then he explained what it was.
The Fords were willing to let him carry out his idea, Rossmore Fordbeing especially anxious to make the boys who had taken the _Emma_suffer for the trick. Jack and his chums were landed at a distance upthe lake shore from the encampment, and the _Emma_ took care to keep outof sight as she swung down the lake.
"Tell 'em I'll have 'em locked up if they don't return my boat byto-morrow morning!" cried Able Fales, who, now that he had his boatback, entered into the spirit of the fun that was afloat.
Jack and his chums watched their opportunity and stole into camp withoutbeing noticed by anybody but one of the guards. They slipped to theirtents and donned their regular uniforms, and the young major buckled onhis sword.
As the cadets came out on the parade ground they saw Ritter, Coulter andPaxton directly ahead of them. They hurried on, and soon caught up tothe trio, who were conversing earnestly.
"They won't get away until morning, and I know it," Ritter was saying.
"I'll bet they were mad when they saw the hornets' nest," came fromCoulter.
"If they ate up everything they carried for dinner they will have to gowithout supper and breakfast," added Paxton.
"How are you, Ritter!" cried Jack, pleasantly.
The entire crowd ahead wheeled around and a look of blank astonishmentcame into their faces.
"Why--er--where did you come from?" stammered Ritter. He did not knowwhat to say.
"From Butterfly Island," answered Jack. Then he lowered his voice andadded: "Ritter, you and your cronies have got yourselves in a n
ice mess.You stole Mr. Fales's boat, and he says if you don't return it to him byto-morrow morning he'll have you all locked up!"