CHAPTER IV.
AFTER THE STORM.
THAD remembered that on several other occasions the Southern boy hadmentioned the name of his little cousin, and always with a certaintender inflection to the soft voice that stamped him for one who hadbeen born below the Dixie line.
And while Bob White had not seen fit to take his friend into hisconfidence it had always been plain to Thad that the other must havecherished a deep affection for the said Bertha; perhaps, since he had nosister of his own, she may have been as dear to him as one, in thosetimes when he lived among the Blue Ridge mountains.
Before now Thad had strongly suspected that Bob had some other object incoaxing his comrades to make the pilgrimage to the Land of the Sky,besides the desire to show them its wonders. And now his own wordsproved it. More than that, it seemed to have some strange connectionwith this same little cousin, Bertha; and naturally with her legallyappointed guardian, Reuben Sparks.
Thad, first of all, managed to pass the word around in a whisper, justas Bob wished it done. The boys understood that there was a reason backof the request, and expected that their comrade would take them into hisconfidence later on. Besides, there had really never been the slightestchance that any one of them would breathe that name of Quail inconnection with Bob; indeed, most of them would have had to stop andthink, if suddenly asked what his real name was, so seldom did they hearit mentioned.
The man on horseback was chatting with Allan and several others. He didnot hesitate to ask questions, and was soon put in possession of thefact that they were merely the members of a Boy Scout patrol, making astrenuous hike through the Big Smoky spur of the Blue Ridge.
Thad saw that he eyed them queerly many times, as though rather doubtfulwhether they were giving him a straight story; but the coming of thestorm soon held the attention of them all.
Just as they had expected, it was the real thing in the way of a summerstorm. The lightning flashed in a way that was not only dazzling but"fearsome" as Smithy expressed it, in his elegant way. And as for thecrashes of thunder that followed each and every electric current, theydeafened the ears of the scouts.
A deluge of rain fell in a short time, and the rush of water near bytold that the little stream, which they had struck many times during theafternoon, had all of a sudden become a raging torrent.
Nobody was sorry when finally the racket began to subside, and the rainstopped as suddenly as it had started.
"She's done for," remarked Bumpus, in a relieved tone, as though he hadbeen half suspecting that the stream might rise in its might, and sweepcabin, scouts and all down through the valley.
The resident of the region who had also sought shelter in the friendlycabin by the wayside, looked out first, to assure himself that his horsehad come through the storm safely. Then he called out good-bye, andmounting, rode away.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I take it," declared Giraffe. "Wheneverthe fire flashed up that gent would look around the queerest way ever,as though he kind of thought we might be revenue agents playing a finegame on his friends, the moonshiners."
"Be careful what you say, Giraffe," advised the more cautious Thad."When you're in the enemy's country you want to use soft words. Besides,you're only guessing when you say that. He was naturally curious aboutus. Some people would think a bunch of boys stark crazy, to try and hikethrough such wild country as this, when we could have taken to the goodroads up in New York State, had orchards all along the way, andgood-natured farmers galore to buy milk and eggs from when we gothungry."
"I hope, suh, you won't be sorry you came down this aways," Bob Whitespoke up. "I take it as a great compliment, believe me, that you-allwould care to keep me company when I said I felt that I just had to comeback here on a visit, to see what changes there were, and do a littleprivate business in the bargain. I'm aware of the fact that there isn'tanything much worth seeing here, suh; except the untamed wilderness; butthey's always plenty of excitement going around, I understand."
"I should guess yes," broke out Step Hen, "with that same Old Phinhangin' 'round with his eye on the watch for revenues. But see here,Bob, don't you think you owe us a little explanation about thisracket--meaning your relations with the gent who is guardian to yoursweet little cousin Bertha?"
"So say we all," chorused Davy Jones, Giraffe and Bumpus, solemnly, asthey gathered around the Southern boy.
Bob White looked at their eager faces for a minute before speaking.There was something akin to real affection to be seen there as he turnedhis eyes from one to another of his mates. The boy from Dixie had notbeen in the habit of making friends easily in earlier days; but when helanded in Cranford he had soon been captivated by the sincerecompanionship of Thad Brewster; and when he joined the new patrol ofthe scouts he quickly learned to appreciate the many good qualities thatmarked the other members.
"Yes, it's only fair, boys," he began, slowly yet with an evidentdetermination to take them at least part way into his confidence; "thatyou should know just why I didn't want any of you to tell the name ofthe town we hailed from, when that man was in here. He would haverecognized it as my new home, and might have suspected that I broughtyou all down here for a purpose."
"Which you did," interrupted Bumpus; "to admire the scenery; rough itawhile in the Land of the Sky; and show us something of your nativecountry. If there was anything more, we didn't know it, Bob White. Butwe're comrades, one and all; and if we c'n do anything to help you tideover some trouble, why, you've just got to tell now."
"That is fine of you, Bumpus, and I thank you from the bottom of myheart," continued the other, strangely moved. "But let me tell you a fewthings first before you make such a rash promise, which I am not goingto hold you to, suh. The man who was in this cabin, Reuben Sparks, issaid to be the richest and meanest in these parts. It has been hintedmore than a few times that he has always been thick with Old Phin Dady.But no matter how he came by his money, he is something of a miser."
"No relation of yours, I hope, then, Bob?" asked Step Hen.
"None whatever, suh," replied the other, proudly. "The Quails wouldnever have descended to the common methods that man has practiced inorder to make money. But somehow he managed to gain an influence over myUncle Robert, after whom I was named, as you may guess, suh. When thefather of Cousin Bertha died, in his will he left the child solely inthe charge of Reuben Sparks, until she came of age; and he was alsogiven control of her little fortune."
The boy ground his teeth hard together, showing how even therecollection of this moved him. But recovering his customary calmness hecontinued:
"She was the prettiest little thing you ever saw, suh, take my word fohit. And no boy ever thought more of his pet sister than I did of mylittle cousin. My father thought it a shame, and tried to get possessionof her; but this Reuben Sparks had the law on his side, and all ourefforts failed. After that he would never even let me see her, so greatwas his hatred for our family.
"One way or another we managed to exchange word, and when our folks wentup Nawth to look after the mills my father had purchased before hisdeath, I had just two letters from Bertha before something happened, andthey stopped coming. Of course I supposed that her guardian had foundout about it, and fixed matters so no letter of mine--and I sent sevenbefore owning up beaten in the game--could reach her.
"I just stood it till I couldn't sleep nights, thinking that perhaps shewas being made unhappy by that cruel man. And so I made up my mind I'dcome down here again, and find out the truth, if I had to steal into hishouse, and see Bertha without his knowing it. I wanted to tell you thisbefore, believe me, suh," addressing Thad in particular, as the head ofthe patrol; while his fine eyes filled up on account of his emotion;"but somehow I couldn't bring myself to do it. And now, after hearing mystory briefly, if you-all feel that it would be asking too much of mycomrades to expect to have their backing in my wildcat scheme, pleasedon't hesitate to say so, suh. I'll think just as well of you in eithercase."
Thad reached out, and cau
ght the quivering hand of the Southern boy inhis own.
"Why, Bob," he said, earnestly, "I think I voice the sentiments of everyfellow in the patrol when I say most emphatically that we're going tostand by you through thick and thin. I'm sure you won't do anything butwhat is right, and what is bound to reflect credit on you as a truescout. How about that, fellows?"
"Move we make it unanimous!" cried Bumpus, instantly.
"Ay, ay! that's the ticket," exclaimed others.
"You hear what they say, Bob White?" remarked Thad, warmly.
"We'll back our comrade up, even to kidnapping the cruel guardian, andrescuing the pretty little cousin!" Smithy declared with unusual vim,for him.
"Oh!" said Bob with a smile, as he looked from one flushed face toanother. "Of course I don't imagine it'll ever go that far, boys; but Ithank you for this expression of your friendship. I will never forgetit, suh, never while I live. And I only hope that some day in the futureI may be able to repay the kindness to one and to all."
"Then I take it that this Reuben Sparks does not live a great way beyondwhere we happen to be camped right now?" remarked Allan.
"I expected to show you the place sometime to-morrow, suh. It is worthseeing, upon my word," replied Bob.
"Now I know that there's a whole lot of truth in that old saying aboutthe devil taking care of his own," Giraffe mentioned. "The rest of youheard Reuben say he had been tempted to stop under that big tree wepassed on the way here; but on second thoughts decided to come along tothe cabin. When that one terrible crack came he got as white as a sheet,and told me he believed that that very tree must have been struck. Wherewould Reuben have been if he'd stayed there? Kind of scattered aroundthe landscape, I guess."
Thad had just started to say that it was time they thought about gettingsome supper, when he was interrupted in a most disagreeable manner.Indeed, for the moment all idea of ever wanting to eat again in thisworld vanished from his mind; for something occurred that caused thescouts to rush toward the end of the cabin where the chimney stood, andcatch hold of each other in sudden terror and dismay.