CHAPTER IV
PLANNING A CRUISE
Farther and farther over the cliff slid the heavy auto. The boys andmen, holding the rope, were pulled slowly along, as is a losing team ina tug-of-war.
"Snub your rope, boys!" a voice suddenly called. "Snub her! That's theonly way to hold her back! Take a half hitch around that stump, andyou'll have her! She's got a little too much way on for you! Snub her!Snub her, I say!"
Bart gave one glance at the man who had called these directions. He sawa short, squatty figure, wearing a dark blue cap, with some gold braidon it. One glance was enough to show that the man knew what he wastalking about.
Bart let go his grip of the rope. The auto slipped a little faster then,for there were not so many hands holding it. But Bart knew what he wasdoing. He grabbed the free end of the rope and, following the directionsof the newcomer, who aided him, he took a couple of turns about a bigstump. This "snubbed" or slowed up the progress of the ponderous car,and a moment later it came to a stop.
"Now you've got her!" exclaimed the squatty man. "She'll hold until youcan get a couple of teams to haul her back. You can't do it alone. Toomuch steam needed!"
"That's where you're right, Captain Wiggs!" remarked Constable Darby. "Iwas jest a goin' t' tell th' boys that myself, but it's better t' haveth' advice come from a regular sea-farin' person I s'pose."
"I'm no sea-faring person," replied the captain. "The Great Lakes aregood enough for me, but those who cruise on them know a thing or two,even if they're not of the salt water."
"Your advice came just in time, Captain," said Ned, for the boys knewthe commander of the steamer _Modoc_, which was one of the Great Lakesfleet of freight carriers, and occasionally tied up at Darewell.
"I should say it did," added Frank. "My arms are nearly pulled off."
"I'll go up the street and see if I can get a couple of men to bringtheir teams here and haul the auto up," volunteered Fenn. "I guess Mr.Hayward will pay them."
The others thought this suggestion a good one, and, in a short time Fennreturned with two men, who each drove two powerful horses.
The animals were hitched to the rope and, after a little pulling andhauling, under the direction of Captain Wiggs, who naturally tookcharge, the auto was hauled back to the street, not much damaged fromthe plunge over the cliff.
The crowd stood around for some time longer, looking at the touring caruntil Fenn had the men haul it to a barn near his house. The boys wouldhave liked to have run it themselves, but, as they knew very littleabout cars, and as they were not sure of the condition of the machineryof this one, they decided the slower method of propulsion would be best.
In the morning there was a great improvement in the condition of Mr.Hayward and his daughter, Ruth. In fact Ruth could be up, Dr. Fanwoodsaid, though she must not exert herself.
That afternoon after school the three chums wanted Fenn to go for awalk, but he made some excuse and hurried home. He found Miss Ruth, wholooked prettier than ever he thought, sitting in the parlor in an easychair.
"I don't believe I thanked you and your friends for what you did for myfather and myself," she said, with a smile, as she held out her hand toFenn.
"Oh, it isn't necessary--I mean we didn't do anything--" and poor Fennbecame much confused. "I--er--that is we--saw the auto go over and wehurried out."
"Oh, it was awful!" exclaimed Ruth, "I thought I was going to be killed!It was terrible!"
"It was a lucky escape," murmured Fenn, sympathetically, wondering ifthe girl would make any reference to the cave she had raved about.
But she did not, and, after asking Fenn to bring his three chums, thatshe might thank them personally, she went back to her room.
"I wish I dared ask her about that mysterious cave," thought Fenn."There's something back of it all, I'm sure. She acts as if she wasafraid I'd find it out."
A few days later Mr. Hayward was able to be up, and after that hisrecovery was rapid. He explained to Fenn, and the boy's parents, thathe was in the timber business, and had some mining interests. Hisdaughter's health was not of the best, he added, and, in the hope ofimproving it, he had taken her on a long auto trip. They intended to goto Maine, and camp in the woods, and were on their way there when theaccident happened.
"I'm sure I can't thank you for all you have done for me," said Mr.Hayward, looking at Fenn and his parents. "Those other boys, too; mydaughter tells me there were three of your chums who helped."
"Oh, we didn't do so much," murmured Fenn. "Anybody would have done thesame."
"Yes, but you did it," replied Mr. Hayward. "I appreciate it, I can tellyou. I wish I could show you how much. Perhaps I can, some day. I'lltell you what I wish you'd do; come out and see me. It's not so very farto Bayville, and we can show you some great sights there, I tell you.You could make the trip along the Great Lakes, and they're well worthseeing. My daughter and I would make you comfortable, I'm sure."
"It's very kind of you to give the boys that invitation," said Mr.Masterson. "I'm afraid it's too long a trip for them."
"Oh, nonsense!" exclaimed Mr. Hayward. "They can go by boat all the way.It's a fine trip."
"I'm sure you would enjoy it," said Ruth, smiling at Fenn.
"Then we'll go!" exclaimed Stumpy, with more energy than the occasionseemed to call for.
"I wish you would," added Mr. Hayward, and then he and Mr. Mastersonbegan a discussion of business matters.
A little later that evening Fenn, going in the parlor for a book, sawRuth sitting there in the darkness.
"What's the matter?" he asked with ready sympathy. "Are you ill? Shall Icall my mother?"
"No--no, I'm all right--I'll be all right in a little while. Pleasedon't call any one," and the girl seemed much alarmed. "I--I was justthinking of--"
"Is there anything worrying you?" asked Fenn boldly, as the memory ofwhat she had said in her delirium came back to him. "Can I do anythingto help you? Is it about a cave?"
"Hush!" exclaimed Ruth, in such tones that Fenn was startled. "Don'tspeak of that. Oh, I don't know why I mentioned it. I was not myself!Forget it, please. It might cause a dreadful--Oh, I can't talk aboutit!"
She was whispering tensely, and she came close to Fenn. In the next roomMr. Hayward could be heard telling Mr. Masterson something about hislarge business interests.
"Don't let my father hear you," pleaded Ruth.
"But perhaps I can help you," insisted Fenn.
"No--no one can--at least not now," she said. "Don't ask me. I must gonow. Good-night," and she hurried from the room, leaving a much-puzzledlad behind. He forgot all about the book he wanted, so wrought up was heover what Ruth had said. He decided it would not be proper to questionher any further, though he wanted very much to aid her if he could.
The next morning Mr. Hayward announced that he felt well enough toproceed. The auto had been repaired, and the gentleman and his daughter,bidding their hosts farewell, started off. They had decided to returnhome, as Ruth was so upset over the accident that a camping trip was outof the question.
"Now don't forget, I expect you boys out to visit me," called Mr.Hayward, as the four chums waved their hands to father and daughter whenthe auto puffed off. "Come early and stay late!"
"Poor girl," murmured Mrs. Masterson, as she went back into the house."She seems worried over something, but I don't see what it can be, forher father is very wealthy, according to his talk, and she has everythingshe wants. Maybe she misses her mother. She told me she had been deadonly a few years."
But Fenn knew it was something about the mysterious cave that wasworrying Ruth, and he wished, more than ever, that he could do somethingto aid her.
It was a week after this when, school having closed for the summer term,the four chums were gathered at Fenn's house. Frank, Ned and Bart hadarrived at the same time, to find Stumpy absorbed in the pages of a biggeography.
"Going to take a post-graduate course?" asked Bart.
"No, he's looking for Bayville, to see if h
e can't catch a glimpse ofRuth," spoke Ned.
"I was planning a vacation trip," replied Fenn, with dignity.
"A vacation trip? Where?"
"On the Great Lakes," answered Fenn. "I think it would be just thething. I've been looking it up. We could go down the Still River to LakeErie, and then to Lake Huron. From there we could visit the Straits ofMackinaw, and then, after a trip on Lake Michigan, go through the SaultSt. Mary to Lake Superior. Then--"
"Yes, and then we could sail to Bayville and you could visit Ruth whilewe sat on the bank and caught fish!" interrupted Frank. "Oh, Stumpy,it's easy to guess what you are thinking about!"