CHAPTER VIII
NO END OF TROUBLES
"What's that queer sound?" asked Step Hen, looking up suddenly.
"Oh, never mind, it's only me," came from the side of the boat, whereBumpus was lying flat on his stomach, and leaning over.
The boys looked at each other; perhaps Thad and Allan smiled somewhat,but for a wonder none of the others had any kind of joke to spring justthen; for truth to tell Giraffe, Davy and even Step Hen himself werefeeling as though if this sort of swaying motion had to keep up muchlonger they could not resist the temptation to copy after the boy whowas so terribly seasick.
"Thought I felt a drop of rain just then," remarked Giraffe, more tohave something to talk about, and so forget his other troubles, thanthat he really believed it.
"No, it must only have been the spray," said Thad. "You notice thatsometimes after a big wave slaps up against our larboard quarter, thewind carries drops of water flying past. It's a lively little blow allright, though I suppose the people up here, who are used to much worsethings, wouldn't think this anything."
"P'raps they might if they were out so far from land, in such a littlepumpkinseed of a boat," complained Step Hen.
"And with an old rattletrap of a motor that's threatening to wheeze itslast any minute, at that," added Giraffe, fiercely.
"Let up on that kind of talk, Giraffe," said Davy; "we've sure all gottroubles of our own as it is, without that silly calling of names. Formy part I think the engine is doing its prettiest, and I take off my hatto it. Don't, you go to calling it hard names, or it might get even bykicking over the traces, and quitting on us. Then we would be in a finepickle. But I think it's better to keep lying down, all you can, whenit blows like this. Make room there, Bumpus, can't you?"
Then there were two of them; and talk about your rivalry, it did seem asthough both of those fellows would tear themselves to pieces, as theboat continued to swing up and down with that perpetual sickening,nauseating movement.
Presently Step Hen found a place too, and tried to outdo his comrades;seeing which Giraffe apparently thought he might as well make itunanimous then there were four, leaving only the skipper and his firstassistant on deck to manage the boat.
"Anyhow, the cargo will be lighter after all this," Giraffe spoke up,after a while, showing that even seasickness could not quite extinguishhis love of joking.
By now they had covered considerable distance, so that the littleheadland loomed not a great away beyond.
Thad, too, had changed their course somewhat, so that they were now muchcloser shore than before; and unless some accident happened he believedthat before another twenty minutes passed they would be able to get theshelter of that projecting tongue of land, after which their presenttroubles would fade away.
It was time, too, for already the first dim signs of coming darknesscould be seen around them; no doubt the fact that clouds covered theface of the sky had more or less to do with this early closing in of thenight, as is always the case.
Bumpus was sitting up, though looking very white indeed. Every now andthen he would shake his round head in a doleful way, and heave atremendous sigh, as though he might be wondering if his whole past wouldbe appearing before him, since, as he complainingly told thesympathizing Thad, "everything seemed to be coming up nowadays."
"Only a little while ago I was worrying my poor old head off for fearthe boat would sink with me," he went on to say, with a dismal smile;"and now it's just the other way, and I'm feelin' bad because she won'tsink."
"Oh! don't let yourself down like that, Bumpus," said Allan; "we'regoing in behind that headland right away, and you'll be surprised to seehow quick you get over feeling bad. There, the water isn't near sorough as it was, right now; and soon it'll seem like a mill pond."
"Do you think so; wish I could believe it?" called out Step Hen, withoutturning his head, for he was very busy; "but seems to me the old boat isjumping as bad as any cayuse I ever saw, when we were out in the WildWest. Oh!"
All the same Allan was right, for they were passing in behind theprojecting tongue of land, and already the worst was over, for the seaswere not near so heavy, though of course the change was hardlynoticeable to those who were feeling so badly.
And so it came about that presently Thad had to lessen their speed, forhe did not want to run aground, or have any other accident occur thatwould cripple the boat, and shorten their cruise.
"We're all right, now, fellows," sang out Giraffe, being the first torecover, simply because he had more grit and determination than any ofthe other three who had been knocked out by the motion of the craft inthe big seas.
"Yes, and our next job is to prowl around here some, before dark getsus, so as to find the best anchorage," Thad remarked, as the boat creptslowly along back of the point.
"Why, I should think any place here would answer," said Giraffe;"because that wind from the southwest ain't going to get a whack at usany longer."
"But who'll guarantee that the wind doesn't shift into the north duringthe night, and have a full sweep at us here?" asked Thad. "No, we oughtto find out if there really is a little stream flowing into the lakehere; and if so the mouth of that same will afford us the safest placeto anchor, or tie up."
"I agree with you there, Thad," said Bumpus, weakly; but then the factthat he took any sort of interest in what was going on announced plainlyenough that he must be recovering.
And the others had by this time reached their limit, for theycontributed no more to the fishes of Superior, but began to sit up, andtake notice of things. The recovery from seasickness is usually asrapid as the coming of the trouble; given a firm foundation to standupon, and the sufferer soon forgets his agony, so that he can evenremember that food tastes good.
Pushing their way carefully in the scouts presently discovered thatthere was a stream of some kind emptying into the lake at this place;and that around several bends there was a splendid anchorage for a smallboat such as theirs, though a larger craft might find some difficultyabout getting in, on account of shallow water.
And when they dropped their anchor over at last, all of them werepleased to feel that they had left that riotous sea behind them.
"This is something like," declared Giraffe, now fully recovered, and ofcourse sharp set to get supper started; indeed all of them felt asthough they could do ample justice to a good meal.
So the gasoline stove was put into service again, and everyone helpedget the things ready that their menu for that night called for. Giraffestarted a pot of rice cooking, for he was very fond of that dish, andcould "make a meal off it," he often declared; though his chums noticedthat even when he had plenty of the same beside him, he dipped intoevery other dish just as usual.
Besides this one of the boys opened a large tin of corned beef that wasemptied into a kettle, together with a can of corn, and another of limabeans, the whole making what is known as a "canoeist's stew," and is notonly tasty to the hungry voyager, but exceedingly filling as well.
These, with crackers, cheese, some cakes done up in air-proof packages,and tea constituted the supper that was finally placed before them.
It really seemed to some of those hungry boys as though that was thefinest feast they had ever sat down to. Of course that often came totheir minds, because what they were just then eating tasted so verygood. But with such enormous appetites as a sauce, there could never beany chance for a complaint coming. And the chief cook received so manycompliments that it was no wonder his cheeks and ears burned like thefire he had been standing over so long.
By the time the meal was through it was very dark all around them. Theycould still hear the wind blowing out beyond the point; and the wash ofthe big waves told that the sea was probably higher than before; so thatevery fellow expressed himself as glad that they had managed to get intosuch a splendid harbor, where they need not bother their minds what sortof weather held outside.
The night was warm, and it seemed comfortable enough for them to liear
ound on the deck, exchanging comments. Later on they would arrangejust how they were to pile into that small cabin, and manage to sleep;for six boys can take up considerable room; and there would have beeneven seven to fill the space had not the scout-master, Dr. Hobbs, beenrecalled home at the last moment.
Of course Bumpus had entirely recovered from his indisposition. He onlyhoped he would now be proof against a second attack.
In fact, he had even begun to remember the terms of the wager, and wastrying to get a line out on the sly, baited with a piece of meat he hadfastened to the hook, in hopes of some gullible fish taking hold, sothat he could wildly haul his captive in, and have the laugh on hiscompetitor.
When morning came he was determined to go ashore, and see if he couldnot find some angle worms; for without bait it was folly to think ofcatching fish on hooks; and all sorts of other contraptions were barredfrom the contest.
Giraffe, however, was not asleep, and he saw what his rival was up to;but although Bumpus was not aware of the fact, the tall scout had hadhis line over the side for half an hour now, also baited, and with thehope of a bite.
From now on the race promised to become pretty warm between them, oncethey got fully started in the game.
They had talked over about every subject that could be imagined,including the matter of the mysterious powerboat that had passed themthat afternoon, apparently heading in another direction; though Thadknew that long afterwards those in the black craft had altered theircourse, and were really following them.
It was getting along near time when they ought to be thinking aboutretiring so as to get some rest, when another subject came up suddenly.
Giraffe, who had been stretching that long neck of his for some littletime, observed that he was trying to make out what a certain queer lightmight stand for.
"It's away up the shore yonder, fellows, and seems to be a lantern, asnear as I can make out," he went on to say; "every now and then it bobsup, and down; and if you asked me I'd say it was, meant for some sort ofsignal!"
"A signal!" echoed Bumpus, in almost an awed tone; "that sounds likethere might be smugglers, or something, like that around here; andperhaps they take us for revenue officers trying to nip them at theirwork. Whew! spells more trouble for us, I'm afraid. First the storm;then that awful spell of gone feeling; and now it's smugglers. Whew! Isay!"