CHAPTER XXVII
ANOTHER THREATENING PERIL
Loud cheers greeted the appearance of the seven scouts, as they hurriedforward into the camp. And when those who had remained with the tents sawthe various scratches, contusions and bumps that adorned most of thereturned boys' faces, they were burning with eagerness to hear thedetails of the adventure.
Such a clatter of tongues as ensued, as every fellow tried to tell hisversion of the happening. If half that was said were written down, itwould require many more chapters to give the details.
Gradually, however, each stay-at-home scout began to get a pretty clearidea of the series of adventures that had befallen their mates in tryingto explore the mysteries of the island. They understood all about thewild man, and what the consensus among the seven explorers seemed to beconcerning the strangers who occupied the island, and were conductingsuch an amazing series of experiments, even making use of an aeroplane toaccomplish their ends.
The guesses that followed were legion, yet Paul, who listened patientlyto the most astounding theories, shook his head in the end.
"I don't believe any of us have hit on the right thing yet, fellows," hesaid. "But there's meat in a number of the guesses you've made, andperhaps we'll get the story after a while. But how about grub; we're ashungry as bears?"
"Never expected to join you at lunch, for a fact," grinned Bobolink; "butthen, we made better time than we ever thought we could on the returnjourney. Talk to me about a prize spurrin' a fellow on to do his levelbest--the whip that does it is to put a first-class scare in him. Thenyou're goin' to see some runnin' that takes the cake. Wheel didn't wesprint, though? Bet you I jumped clear over a log that stood six feethigh from the ground--more or less."
It happened that the stay-at-home scouts had just prepared their noonmeal at the time the explosion occurred that made the whole islandtremble. That had startled them so much that they had not had theheart to think of sitting down because of anxiety about the fate oftheir chums.
And so the dinner had remained untouched up to the time they heard the"cooee" of the returning warriors; and then caught the bark of the fox,that told them that Paul and his posse had returned.
There was enough for all, because the cooks were very liberal in makingup their messes. And over the dinner more suggestions were made as towhat their future course ought to be.
By now even the fire-eating Bobolink was ready to cry quits, andback down; nor did he seem at all ashamed to admit the fact that hewas afraid.
"If those sillies mean to blow up the whole island, some way or other,why, what's the use of us stayin' here, an' goin' up with it, I'd like toknow?" he said. "Tell you what, I've got another guess comin', and it'sthis: P'raps they're meanin' to get rid of this island and lake, and havestarted to do the job. Mebbe some big railroad wants a short line acrosscountry, and this thing is right in their way. I've heard of 'em doin'bigger things than just blowing up a little island; haven't you, Paul?"
He always appealed to the scout master when one of his brilliant thoughtscame along. Paul nodded his head.
"That sounds more reasonable than a whole lot of things I've beenlistening to, Bobolink, for a fact," Paul admitted. "Still, we don'tknow, and there's no way to find out the true story, right now.Listen, fellows!"
"Thunder, away off, Paul; guess we've all got explosions on the brain,because it gave me a start, too," said Jack, laughing.
"And if a storm's coming along," observed Jud Elderkin, who seemed vastlypleased when he heard that his signalling had been so easily understood,"why, I reckon we ought not to think of pulling down our good tents, andgetting out of here, till she's over."
It was plain from this that the scouts had determined to abandon theirdangerous island, and spend the balance of the outing by making a camp onthe mainland, where at least there was a reasonable expectation of notbeing blown sky-high by some explosion.
"And since we're done eating perhaps we'd better take another look at thetent pins, to make sure they'll hold when the wind strikes us. Some ofthese summer storms have a lively advance breeze, you know, boys," Paulsuggested.
"Little Billie and I'll go over to the boats, and see that the curtainsare buttoned down snug. Some of us can stay inside while its rainin' andthat'll give more room in the tents," Bobolink remarked, jumping to hisfeet, with a return of his customary lively Way.
"And in this sink we'll be protected from any wind coming from the south,don't you think, Paul?" Jack ventured.
"Couldn't be better," was the reply. "Those trees and bushes, as well asthe rise in the ground, will help a lot. But get busy, fellows, withthose tent pins. I'll take the axe, and go the rounds myself, to makedoubly sure. It's not the nicest thing in the world to have your canvasblow away--eh, Nuthin?"
"You're right, it isn't," replied the little scout, "'specially when itlifts you right up with it into a tree, and has you tied up there in thesnarls of a clothes line. I know all about that, and none of the rest ofyou ever tried it. Excuse me from another balloon ride like that."
In a short time everything was done that could be thought of to renderthings storm-proof. Then the boys went over to the edge of the water towatch the advance of the black clouds, which those at the boats in thelittle cove declared was a sight worth seeing.
And it certainly was, all the scouts admitted. Some of them were filledwith a certain awe, as they saw how inky the clouds looked. But what boy,or man either, for that matter, is there who has not felt this sensationwhen watching scurrying clouds that tell of an approaching storm?
By degrees the boys began to drift back to the camp. Every sort of excusewas given for leaving the beach. One fellow suddenly remembered that hehad left his coat hanging on a bush, another had forgotten to fasten hisknapsack, while a third wished to tie his blanket in a roll, in case thewater did find a way to get into the sink.
Paul, Jack, Bobolink and Jud remained until they saw the rough water awaydown near the southern shore of the lake, and understood that the firstsquall must be swooping upon them. Then they too gave up the vigil, forthe chances were the rain would come with the first breeze.
With a howl and a roar the storm broke upon them. Cowering in the tents,about four in each, as the others had taken to the boats, they waitedwith more or less suspense what might happen.
The wind made the canvas shake at a lively clip, and the fastenings onthe southern side were sorely tried; but they had been well taken care ofand Paul called out that he believed they were going to hold.
For half an hour the rain beat down in torrents. None of them rememberedever hearing such a deluge descend, but perhaps their imaginations wereexcited on account of the peculiar conditions that surrounded them. Allthe same it rained, and then rained some more, until a very largequantity of water must have fallen, all of them decided.
With Paul and Jack in the tent that was nearest to the lake wereBobolink, Tom Betts and Nuthin.
"Seems to me it's gettin' kind of damp in here," remarked Bobolink,when the clamor outside had died down somewhat, and they could hear eachother talk.
"That's a fact," declared Paul; "and after all it's just as well that wemade sure our blankets and other things were tied up and hung away fromthe ground. But seems to me I hear one of the fellows in the boatshouting to us."
When he opened the flap he found that the rain had almost stopped, aswell as the wind to a great extent. Perhaps the storm was over.
"Hello!" Paul called out.
"Hey! that you, Paul?" came in a voice he recognized as belonging to Jud,who had been one of those in charge of the nearby boats.
"Yes, what's wrong?" asked the scout master.
"Can't you come over here? Going to be the dickens to pay, I reckon. Thebally old lake's rising like fun. Looks like the outlet must have gotstopped up somehow. You're sure going to have to move your tents mightyquick. Coming, Paul?"
"All right," answered the other, as he crawled out, and started under thedripping trees for the spot where
the two motorboats lay in the cove,sheltered from the waves that had been dashing against the shoreelsewhere.
When he reached the spot he found that all of the boys who had beensheltered in the boats were lined up on the shore, where they could seedown the lake. Jud himself seemed to be watching the water steal up astick he had thrust into the sand.
"Gee! she's mounting like fun!" he exclaimed. "Water must be pouring intothe old lake from every side, and little gettin' out. Say, if this keepson, the whole island, except that hill up yonder, will be under waterbefore night. It sets rather low, you understand, Paul."
The scout master was naturally thrilled by these words. He knew that theleader of the Gray Fox Patrol was no alarmist, and that he seldom losthis head in times of excitement.
And so it was with considerable apprehension that Paul stooped down so hemight see just how fast the lake was rising. And when he noticed that itactually crept up the stick before his very eyes, he knew that what Judhad said about the whole island being covered might not be such a sillyassertion after all.
It began to look as though the adventures of the scouts had not yetreached an end, and that they were in for another thrilling experience.