CHAPTER XXII
THE NIGHT ALARM
"It's gone!" exclaimed Jack, drawing a long breath.
"Seems like it," remarked Paul, with a trace of excitement in hisusually steady voice; for that strange moving light mystified him.
"What do you suppose it could be?" asked his chum, relying as alwaysupon the ability of Paul to solve the puzzles.
"Oh! well, that isn't hard to guess," returned the scout leader."Somebody was moving about with a lantern, as sure as you live. Thequestion that bothers me is to say who the fellow can be."
"There's Ted and his squad; we happen to know they're roaming aroundthese regions somewhere," suggested Jack, quickly.
"That's true," said Paul, thoughtfully; "and it may be one of thatcrowd; but somehow I doubt it. In the first place I don't believe theywere smart enough to fetch even a lantern along. You know they bragabout how they can go into the woods with only a hatchet and a fewcooking things, and enjoy life. But we didn't come up here to endurethings."
"Not much," declared Jack; "we want all the comforts of a well managedcamp. And in the line of fun we've got a string of things laid out thatwill keep us doing stunts every hour of the time. But if not Ted'stoadies, then who could be wandering about up there? Can you give aguess, Paul?"
Paul could; but then he debated with himself whether he ought to takeJack fully into his confidence. He decided that as they had been chumsso long, and shared each other's confidences, he ought to speak.Besides, Joe had shown no intention of confiding anything in him.
So in low tones he told about the queer actions of Joe Clausin when thatman in the vehicle had gone by; and the few words he had heard the boyscout mutter. After that he related the incident of his interview withJoe.
"Say, that is mighty funny," observed Jack, after he had listened to thewhole story.
"Don't you think the same as I do, and that Joe recognized that man?"
"It looks that way to me. And he seemed to guess something that wasanything but pleasant to him," replied his chum.
"Speak plainly, Jack," said Paul, eagerly, catching the other's eye,"you mean that he must have connected the presence of that man herewith the robbery of his father the other night? Is that it?"
"I reckon that was what flashed into Joe's mind," remarked Jack; "hethought this man was at the other side of the world, he said, did he?Well, the very fact that he had turned up here at such a time looksmighty suspicious. Paul, what if we happened to run across him while wewere in camp here; wouldn't it be a great thing if we found that old tinbox for Mr. Clausin?"
"I was thinking about something. Did you happen to get a good look atthe face of that man as he drove past?" asked the scout leader, gravely.
"Well, no, I didn't, to tell the truth. I happened to be doing somethingjust then, and when I looked up I only saw his back. But what of it?"asked Jack, knowing that his comrade would not speak in this way withouta motive.
"I did, and it's been bothering me ever since," came the reply.
"How was that? Did you know him?" demanded Jack.
"I seemed to see something familiar about him, and yet I couldn't justget hold of it. And Jack, just while we were talking it over, and I wastelling you about what Joe said to me in his confusion, it flashed overme who he made me think of."
"Who was that?" demanded his chum.
"Joe!" answered Paul, quietly.
Of course Jack was stirred deeply when he heard that.
"Oh! I wonder what it can mean?" he exclaimed. "I've known Joe for morethan five years now, and so far I've never heard that he had a brother.You know they came to Stanhope from down in Jersey somewhere. Do youreally think it might be so? This fellow, who was, as he believed at theother side of the world, in China or the Philippines perhaps, may havecome home to rob his father!"
"Hold on," laughed Paul; "you're getting too far ahead, old hoss! Don'tjump at things that way. This man looked too old to be any brother ofJoe's. He might be an uncle, though. Uncles sometimes go bad, I guess,and do things that make their relatives ashamed of them. Suppose weleave it at that, and wait to see if we happen to learn anything more."
"But Joe knows," persisted Jack, doggedly.
"That's right," replied Paul, seriously; "but don't forget that it's hissecret, and as true scouts we've no business to go prying into hisaffairs unless he asks our help. Forget it all for a while, and let'stalk about what we have laid out for to-morrow. I do hope Mr. Gordonshows up. I wonder if he can read the Indian talk I left in each placewe stopped."
They were soon deep in the various interesting features of the programmeas mapped out for the next day. Having now settled into what theyexpected would be the permanent camp of the tour, the boys were wild toget down to business, and show their efficiency in the various lineswhich they favored.
"Listen to 'em gabble like a pack of old women," laughed Jack, as thefriendly argument about the crackling fire grew more heated.
"Bob Tice is demanding why they didn't think to bring a portable darkroom along, so he could develop his films in the daytime," said Paul,after listening a minute; "and Jud is explaining to the novice that withhis new film tank there's no need of any such thing, for he can do allthat work right in the tent at noon."
Many other subjects were discussed about that blazing fire, and muchinformation passed around.
Strict discipline was maintained in camp, just as though the scoutmasterhimself were present to enforce it.
At the hour appointed, Bobolink tooted his bugle, and immediatepreparations for retiring commenced. Twenty minutes later taps sounded,and every light had to go out save the one fire that occupied the centreof the camp.
Three sentries paced to and fro, and they had been given to understandthat any failure to keep constant watch would meet with promptpunishment. They knew that Paul meant to enforce his orders; andsuspecting that he might creep out under the rear of his tent to make asecret rounds, they were one and all determined that nothing shouldcause them to fail in their duties.
Paul was asleep in his tent with two of his mates, when somethingsuddenly awoke him. He sat up to listen, and again heard the sound. Itwas a dull thud, as of a hard object falling to the ground. Then came adistinct splash in the nearby lake.
"What in goodness can it be?" he thought, as he listened for arepetition of the strange sounds. "Hello! what's going on, Paul?" Jackasked at that moment, raising his head as if he too had been awakened bythe several thumps, and wondered what his chum was doing sitting up.
"That's what I'm trying to guess," replied Paul, quietly.
"Sounds as if it was hailing to beat the band!" exclaimed Jack, as aseries of continuous thumps came.
Just then some one burst in at the open flap of the tent. It proved tobe Bluff Shipley, who had been appointed sentry from the Red FoxPatrol.
"Paul, c-c-come out here, q-q-quick!" he cried, in considerableexcitement; and as this condition was always bad for the poor fellow'stwisted tongue, he began to "fall all over himself," as Jack expressedit, when he attempted to go on and explain what had happened.
In the jumble, however, Paul caught something that gave him the clue hewanted--"Ted Slavin" and "rocks!"
He quickly got inside some clothes, not even waiting in his hurry toremove his pajamas. When he crawled out of the tent he found a number ofthe scouts had been aroused. Their angry shouts were heard on everyhand; for a shower of stones was descending upon the camp from somepoint further up the abrupt side of the mountain.
"It's that Slavin crowd, as usual!" cried Jud, furiously, rubbing hisarm where he had been struck.
"We've just _got_ to get after them with a hot stick!" exclaimedWallace, who was usually the warmest advocate of peace in the troop; butthis constant and vicious annoyance on the part of their rivals wasproving too much for even his temper.
"Come on, fellows; us to the attack!" called Bobolink, with hisaccustomed vim; "this is the limit, and we've just got to flag 'em!"
All discipline was forg
otten in the excitement of the moment. Nor didPaul try to show his authority. He was very nearly as indignant as anyof them; and had they been able to locate the enemy, possibly theremight have ensued a scramble that would hardly have been to the creditof the well known peaceful principles of the scouts.
But the stone throwing seemed to cease about the time the scouts beganto climb the side of the rocky elevation. Doubtless Ted and his alliesknew that it would be dangerous for them to remain longer; and havingstirred up a hornets' nest below, they probably crept away over a paththey had mapped out, which would lead to their cave camp.
The boys came back in bunches of twos and threes presently, heated withtheir useless search, and breathing out all sorts of threats against thedisturbers of their peace. On the next night Paul meant to have avidette posted on the mountain side, whose one particular duty would beto look out for prowlers.
There was no further alarm that night. Possibly Ted and his crowdbelieved that it would not be wise to go in too strongly for thesethings. And so another day dawned, that was fated to be full ofstrenuous doings between sunrise and sunset.