CHAPTER XIII
OFF ON THE TRIP
Nat stood still in the street and stared at Jack.
"What's that you said?" he asked.
"Bill's run away. Listen and I'll read the letter to you. It says: 'Afew days ago my ward, William Williams, returned from Washington Hall,greatly to my regret. He explained the cause of his enforced vacation,and stated that you had asked him to go off on a hunting trip. Ofcourse, I refused to let him go. In the first place I don't believe inhunting, and for a lad of William's age to go off to the West, where hemay learn bad habits, is not the thing. Besides, I cannot trust him awayfrom the authority of older persons.'"
"Wouldn't that jolt you?" commented Jack as he looked up from theletter.
Nat nodded.
"Suffering snufflebugs!" he exclaimed. "That's the limit--isn't it,Jack?"
"Pretty near. Listen; there's more to it: 'When I told my ward that hecould not go, he answered me very sharply that if his uncle was here hecould get permission. That may be, but his uncle is not here. He beggedto be allowed to go, but I was firm in my refusal. I do not believe insuch nonsense as camping out, and I told William so.
"'The other day, to my surprise, he disappeared from my home, and I havenot been able to get a trace of him. I am forced to come to theconclusion that he has run away in a fit of anger, because I would notlet him go camping with you. I hold you partly to blame for this, as itwas wrong of you to ask him to go. I must therefore ask you, in case yousee him, to at once compel him to return to me. I absolutely forbid himto go camping with you, and should he join you, you must send him back.He has defied me, and must be punished. If you see him, turn him over tothe nearest police officer, inform me, and I will come and get him.'"
"Well, wouldn't that loosen your liver pin!" exclaimed Nat. "Do yous'pose he's coming here, Jack?"
"I don't know. I'm glad he ran away from such a mean man as Mr. Gabel,though. The idea of not letting him go camping! It's a shame!"
"Will you make him go back if he does come?"
"Will I? Not much! I'll take him camping."
"That's the stuff!" cried Nat. "Gollywoggled gimlet giblets! but somepersons can be mean when they try real hard! I wonder if he will comehere?"
"It's hard to say," replied Jack. "He showed spunk, though, in runningaway, and I guess he couldn't have taken any money with him, either, forhis guardian never let him have any. Well, if he comes I'll look out forhim, and I'll not hand him over to a policeman, either."
"Say," called a voice from the other side of the street. "Bettergome,Jack."
"Better go home--what for, Budge?" asked Jack as he saw the queer,gum-loving lad coming toward him.
"Some of your camping stuff arrived, and your aunts don't know where toput it. It's all over the parlor floor," explained Budge, taking his gumout of his mouth in order to speak more plainly.
"I hope it's my new gun!" exclaimed Jack. "Come on, Nat, let's hurry.Did they send you after me, Budge?" for the assistant janitor used to dochores for Jack's aunts, and was constantly around the house.
"'Swat," replied Budge, that being his gum version of "That's what."
Jack and Nat hurried to the former's house. They found several packagesstrewn about the parlor, while Jack's three maiden aunts were sitting inchairs, staring helplessly at the accumulation of stuff.
"Oh, Jack!" exclaimed Aunt Angelina. "Whatever is in all those packages?The man who brought them told us to be careful, as one was markedfirearms."
"That's all right," said Jack easily. "It's only some guns andcartridges I expect, Aunt Angelina."
"But--but suppose it should blow up the place, Jack dear?" asked AuntMary.
"Yes, and break my best set of china," added Aunt Josephine. "Oh, Jack,take them away, please!"
"All right," exclaimed Jack. "I'll give you a correct imitation ofMarinello Booghoobally, _alias_ Hemp Smith, making things disappear.Catch hold, Nat, and we'll take them out to our private office," andwith his chum's aid Jack had soon removed the offending packages to aloft over the barn, which he had fitted up as a sort of clubroom.
"Now, Jack, be careful," cautioned Mr. Ranger as he saw his son busilyengaged. "You know the danger of firearms."
"Sure, dad. Say, I wish you were going hunting with us. Why can't you?"
"I had enough of the West," remarked Mr. Ranger, as he thought of hisenforced stay there for many years. "I'm not going back. You brought mehome, Jack, and I'm going to stay East. But I hope you have a goodtime."
"I guess we will, if Jack has anything to do with it," remarked Nat."Say, Jack, that's a dandy gun."
"Pretty fair," observed our hero, as he brought to view a fine newrifle, which he had sent for.
There was also a shotgun in the outfit, and many other things to be usedon the trail and in camp. Nat's eyes showed his admiration.
"Jumping jillflowers!" he exclaimed, "but you are certainly doing thisup good and brown, Jack."
"Yes, I don't like anything half done. It's bad for the digestion.You've got a gun, haven't you?"
"Oh, yes, a pretty fair one. But I wish I had one like yours."
"You can use it whenever you want to," was Jack's generous offer. "Budgehasn't any, and I'm going to let him take my old rifle, though I expecthe'll get the lock all stuck up with gum, so it won't shoot."
"I'm glad Budge is going. He'll keep things lively."
"Yes, and I'm sorry Bill Williams can't go. I s'pose I've got to writeto his guardian, and tell him I haven't seen Bill. Well, we're almostready. I guess we can start in about three days."
"When will Sam and Bony arrive?"
"I expect them to-morrow. Then we'll make for the West, for themountains, the bad lands, the desert, and the home of big game! Whoop!La-la! Hold me down, Nat! I'm feeling fine!"
Jack began dancing about the loft, and the loose boards of the floormade such a racket as he leaped about, pulling Nat this way and that inhis enthusiasm, that Budge, who was cleaning out the stable, called upfrom below:
"'Sanythingwrong?"
"No, nothing's wrong, you old gum-masticating specimen of a big-hornsheep," replied Nat. "We're just working off some steam, that's all."
"Better send it back to Washington Hall," advised Budge. "They need itthere."
"That's right," laughed Jack.
Sam Chalmers and Bony Balmore arrived the next day, and were entertainedat Jack's house. Preparations were rushed, Nat and Budge finishing theirpacking, and two days later, with their guns, their camping outfits, andtheir baggage, they stood in the railroad station, ready to start forthe West.
It was a fine, clear, crisp November day, all traces of the recent stormhaving disappeared, and it seemed as if winter, having sent on anadvance agent, rather repented of opening the season so early.
"It will be fine hunting weather," said Jack as he and his chums waitedfor the train.
"Couldn't be better," agreed Nat.
At that moment the agent came hurrying from the depot, holding aloft anenvelope.
"Here's a telegram for you, Jack Ranger," he said as he handed it over."It just came."
"A telegram?" mused Jack. "I wonder who it's from?"
He tore open the envelope, and as he read the message he gave a start.