Books: The House Boat Boys
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St. George Rathborne >> The House Boat Boys
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"Would yuh please step around to the side, an' oblige me by coming
in hyah. Seems like I feel an interest in yuh-all, and if yuh felt
like tellin' me the story I'd be obliged."
Maurice was only too willing to oblige. At the same time he
continued to hold to his resolution to handle the subject of the
money with due caution. Mr. Stallings was undoubtedly perfectly
trustworthy; but the information might get afoot, and cause
trouble.
Of course he could not decline to make a friend of the
storekeeper, who had taken an interest in the voyage of the little
Tramp. Maurice was only a boy, but he knew that one could never
have too many friends in this world.
So he followed directions, and was speedily seated alongside Kim.
Stallings, telling him all about how the voyage happened to begin.
The man became greatly interested as he proceeded and read the
wonderful letter from Uncle Ambrose with kindling eyes.
"Glad yuh stopped in hyah, Maurice; glad tuh have met up with yuh;
and if so be yuh are short with cash, I wouldn't mind trustin' yuh
foh some grits and such like. I reckons sho' yuh'd send the money
aftah yuh met with this uncle. So don't yuh go tuh worryin' 'bout
gettin' on short rations, my boy," remarked Kim. Stallings, after
he had talked with the other for some little time.
"That's awful fine of you to say so, Mr. Stalling. Perhaps we'll
take you up, though my chum is against running in debt a cent. But
we have a long trip ahead of us yet, and to stop over and go to
work to earn money enough to buy grub might keep us from getting
down to Orleans in time to meet Uncle Ambrose."
Maurice insisted upon shaking the lean hand of the Dixie
storekeeper as he said this, an operation to which the other did
not seem in the least averse.
"But yuh said that yuh wanted to meet up with George Stromway the
wust kind," continued the man, kindly; "in the mawnin' I'll start
yuh right. P'raps one o' his kids might be 'round tuh take yuh
through the woods, and 'round the swamps, foh it's ticklish
travelin' with a stranger, sah."
"We have some good news for George," admitted the boy.
"Well, now, I'm glad tuh hyah that same. I reckon he needs it
right bad around now. Nawthin' ain't a gwine tuh do pore George
any lastin' good till he pulls up stakes an' gits outen this low
kentry. If he was only on a farm up on higher land I reckon the
shakes'd give the critter the go-by. But George, he cain't never
raise the money he'd have tuh put up, tuh rent a farm an' buy the
stock foh it."
"Would it take very much?" queried Maurice, trying to appear quite
unconcerned, though he was really quivering with eagerness.
The storekeeper looked at him and smiled, as though he could read
the boy's face like a printed book.
"Oh! not so very much, sah. I done reckons as how a couple o'
hundred'd do the trick; but that means a heap o' money tuh a pore
feller like George. He done tole me a year back that some relative
o' hisn up-Nawth was a thinkin' o' comin' down with some cash, an'
settin' o' him up on a farm; but it all seemed to blow over. He
was nigh broke up about it, too, sah, I tell yuh."
Maurice could not hold in altogether.
"It was his wife's father, old The. Badgeley. My chum knew him
well. He didn't come because he died. But he left something for
his daughter. He called her Bunny, and I don't even know her
name," he said.
"That sounds real good, sah; and I sure am glad tuh heah it. I've
done all I could afford foh George; but he don't seem to hold out.
Many times he's kim back to work foh me, an' broke down. It'll be
a godsend foh the pore feller, if so be he kin pull out. I'll see
that you git a fair start in the mawnin' sah, I shore will."
Maurice began to fear that his chum might be growing anxious about
him, so he got up to leave.
"Nothin' yuh-uns 'd like tuh have to-night?" inquired Mr.
Stallings, as he shook hands warmly at parting.
Maurice smiled and shook his head.
"There's lots we need," he said; "but I wouldn't dare think of
accepting your kind offer without consulting Thad. He's queer
about running up debts. But in the morning we'll both see you
again."
So he said good night, and went out, resolutely shutting his eyes
to the abundance of good things to eat that greeted him on every
side.
Thad was eagerly waiting for him, and the other could see that he
was brimming over with excitement.
"Say, if it wasn't for wanting to meet up with George so bad I'd
be for dropping down river five miles, and giving this beastly old
place the go-by," he said, as Maurice came aboard.
"Why, what on earth is the matter?" asked the other, dismayed.
"Then you didn't hear anything about it, eh? I reckon it's such a
common occurrence around this part of the country they don't think
anything about it," continued Thad, seriously.
"Why, whatever in the wide world are you talking about, son?"
demanded Maurice, greatly puzzled to account for this new evidence
of timidity on the part of his friend, who, as a usual thing, had
always seemed bold enough.
"I don't like it so close, that's all. I bet you I dream of the
thing tonight, and every time I look up it seems like my eyes
always went straight there."
He pointed up the bank.
Maurice followed his extended forefinger to a point just a little
further along, where some trees stood.
He could see some object that seemed to move to and fro like the
exhausted pendulum of a clock.
Apparently it was suspended from a limb, and as Maurice caught the
true significance of what his chum meant, he felt a cold chill
pass through his frame.
"Say, do you mean to tell me that is a man hanging there?" he
asked; and if his voice took on a sudden hoarseness, it was not to
be wondered at under the circumstances.
"I just reckon it must be," returned Thad, pleased to note that
his comrade seemed just as filled with horror as he himself had
been.
"But do you KNOW it is--did any of those coons tell you so?"
persisted the other.
"N-no, because, you see, Maurice, I never noticed it when they
were around. The moon, managed to climb up while you were gone;
and then I just happened to see it. Ugh! I've done mighty little
else but stare at it ever since."
"But perhaps you may be mistaken, Thad."
"Sure; but don't forget that we're away down in Dixie, now; where
they hang a darky without bothering trying him, if so be he's shot
a white man. And don't it LOOK like it--tell me that, Maurice?"
went on the late guardian of the shanty boat.
"Oh! I admit that it does, all right. But if you think I'm going
to let the whole night go by without investigating this thing,
you're away off."
Maurice turned resolutely around as he spoke.
"Where are you going?" demanded his chum, nervously.
"Ashore again to see. If that is a man, I rather think Mr.
Stalling would have said something to me about it; though now that
I think of it he did hint that it wasn't altogether safe for a
stranger to go wandering off into the woods and swamps right now.
Perhaps it's just as you say, and this is some black thief they
caught. But I hope you're mistaken, Thad."
"I do, too, because you see I want some sleep tonight. But hold
on."
"What's the matter now?" asked the other, as Thad caught his arm.
"I'm going with you, that's all," and accordingly he stepped
ashore, carrying the gun along with him.
They approached the suspicious object with more or less display of
valor; though doubtless the hearts of both lads beat like trip-
hammers from the unwonted excitement.
The moon, which had been partly hidden by some fleecy, low-lying
clouds, now took a sudden notion to sail into a clear patch of
blue sky; and in consequence objects could be much more readily
seen.
Both lads strained their eyes to discover how much truth there
might be in the grim suspicions of Thad.
Not until they were close up to the strangely swaying object could
they fully decide as to its character.
Then Thad gave a grunt, while Maurice laughed.
"That's the way with most ghosts, Thad; when you get close up they
just turn out to be something awfully common and you feel sick to
think what you imagined," remarked Maurice, as he put up his hand
and took hold of the swinging object.
"Say, who'd imagine now that they'd hang up an old bundle of wraps
off goods, like this?" said Thad, in disgust.
"But you can sleep all right now," remarked his friend, not a
little relieved himself to find that they were not up against one
of those grim tragedies that have been so common through the
country of the lower Mississippi.
"That's right. Let's get back home. I want to hear what you picked
up about George," declared Thad, a little confused.
And accordingly they once more went aboard the boat, seeking the
comfortable interior of the cabin, where Maurice could spin his
yarn, and a council of war be called to decide on many matters.
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TROUBLE THAT WAS MET ON THE ROAD.
The night seemed unusually long to Thad.
They had locked the door of the cabin, and by this time he had
come to the positive conclusion that no human being could ever
climb in through the little window, as long as that stout iron bar
remained across its center.
Nevertheless, half a dozen times Thad awoke, and on each and every
occasion he seemed to deem it a solemn duty to get out of his
bunk, pass over to the window, which was, of course, open for
ventilation, and observe the whole of the shore that could be
seen.
But the bright moonlight bathed the bank in its radiance, the soft
night wind murmured among the trees, and possibly certain sounds,
such as the hooting of owls, or the barking of some honest
watchdog, disturbed the silence of the night, yet there was no
cause for alarm.
Morning came at last.
It had been decided that they might accept the kind offer of the
storekeeper to a limited extent. They would be foolish to allow a
scruple to stand in the way. Besides, even as it was, they stood
to run up against trouble below, from a shortage of provisions.
So Maurice went ashore, and, seeking the store, was cordially
greeted by the proprietor.
"Made up yuh mind tuh trade with me, sah?" asked Mr. Stallings, as
he thrust out his lean brown hand in greeting.
"We have up to five dollars. My chum refuses to get any deeper in
debt. And if you have no objections we'll carry off a slab of
breakfast bacon and some grits right now," returned Maurice.
"Right glad you settled it that way. I'd ben sorry tuh see yuh go
on without some provisions, sah. Pick out just what yuh want, an'
I'll make a note o' it. But if so be ten dollars 'd seem better
tuh yuh, don't hang back," went on the generous Southerner.
"I wouldn't dare go one cent beyond the five, or Thad would be
after my scalp. And he'll want to see the bill, too, depend on
that."
Maurice quickly returned to the boat, bearing the bacon and grits;
for without the same their breakfast would have been slim, indeed.
Afterward they locked the cabin, and both ventured over to the
general store; for Thad was determined that since the precious
packet had to be delivered to George that morning, he was not
going to let his chum have all the pleasure of bringing joy into
the life of the poor family.
"Besides," he added, when making his plea, "who knows what trouble
you might meet up with on the road? If the storekeeper hinted that
it wasn't right safe for strangers to be wandering around, perhaps
you might be held up by some thieves. Two would be better than one
if that happened, you know."
Maurice was well satisfied that it should be so; though he had not
brought the subject forward, he hardly fancied the idea of taking
that four mile jaunt and back, alone.
Besides, the possession of so much money was apt to arouse fears
that might never have occurred to him otherwise.
So he had readily assented to the proposition of his chum.
Mr. Stallings was pleased to meet the second lad; and Thad quite
took to the Southern storekeeper and woodyard proprietor at sight.
They remained long enough to get full directions concerning the
road that would bring them to the desolate little home of George.
"I'd advise yuh tuh keep an eye out along the swamp, boys. They's
a few bad coons somewhar in that thar place. The sheriff he 'lows
tuh git 'em right soon, an' any day weuns hyah 'spect tuh see 'im
drift in wid some prisoners. I heard as how he had collected his
posse three days back. Keep that gun right handy, son; an' if so
be yuh have tuh shoot, make her tell!"
All of which might be interesting news; but it was hardly
calculated to quiet the nerves of the two boys.
However, they were not the kind to give up any cherished object
simply because it involved peril.
"Thank you, Mr. Stallings. You said you'd keep an eye on our boat
while we were gone, didn't you? It isn't much of a beauty, but you
see it's all we've got; and we calculate that it'll just have to
carry both of us to Orleans," remarked Maurice, as they started
away.
"Don't yuh think of any harm acomin' tuh the boat, sah. I'll give
yuh my word they wont. And if so be yuh choose tuh stay over
night, I'll use the key yuh left with me, an' put a man inside tuh
keep guard, a man who would as soon shoot a thief as eat his
bacon."
So the two chums started off.
The morning was delightfully fresh, with the sun shining overhead,
and just a tank of frost in the air, enough to make them tramp
along with a spring to their steps.
But before they had gone beyond the last cabin Thad gave utterance
to an ejaculation of dismay.
"What's the matter now; forgot something? Hope the Marlin is
loaded, and you picked up a few more shells for your pocket?" said
his comrade, as they both stopped short.
"Oh, sure, I saw to all that. It's a different matter," mumbled
Thad, who seemed to be staring hard at something to one side.
Turning, Maurice discovered a tumble-down shack, around which
several dirty white children were playing.
"What is it?" he asked; "didn't think you saw a ghost, again, eh?"
Thad shook his head.
"Nope. This was a live ghost, I reckon. And he had a fiery red-top
in the bargain," he said positively.
Immediately Maurice understood what ailed him.
"A man with a red head of hair; and you think it might be the same
fellow that tried to rob us yesterday up-river? Is that it?"
"Sure it is," replied Thad.
"But you know there are lots of men with red hair?" protested his
comrade.
"Yes, but not with that nasty laugh. You heard it when he paddled
away, thinkin' he had the stuff; and I heard him give the same
kind of laugh just when he dodged into that shack."
"He did, eh? Funny I didn't happen to hear it. What made him laugh
this time, d'ye suppose, Thad?"
"Ask me something easy, will you? P'raps he was tickled to see old
friends again. Then, again, mebbe the notion struck him that after
all the fish that got away the other time was comin' straight into
his net. All I know is he laughed; and that it's the same
critter!"
When Thad was positive it took mountains to change his opinion.
But then Maurice did not see that there was anything improbable in
the idea, since the thief who had visited them had rowed down
river, and just as likely as not had his home at Morehead.
"Well, come along, pard. Even if it is our old acquaintance, he'd
better think twice before trying to hold us up," he remarked,
giving a pull at the other's sleeve.
"But he knows what we've got along. He may tell some others just
as tough as himself; and how could we hold up our end if half a
dozen tackled us?" grumbled Thad, as he stalked along at the side
of his chum.
"Shall we go back, then?" asked the other.
"Nixy. I don't care if there's a dozen coming, we're going to get
to George all right. You hear me, Maurice."
"That's the right way to speak. But, after all, perhaps we won't
have the least bit of trouble. Didn't you hear Mr. Stallings say
the sheriff was abroad with a posse, looking for rascals. Strikes
me that this wouldn't be a good time for our friend to try any of
his tricks. They use a rope down here for a remedy. Jails are
played out. There's no need of bothering any, Thad."
So they walked briskly along the road, which was, after all, not
much of a thoroughfare, and required close watching lest they
stray away and lose themselves.
But the storekeeper had given plain directions, so that with
proper diligence they should not have any trouble about keeping
along the right path.
Although Thad had appeared to agree with his chum that there was
no need for worry, it might be noticed that he let Maurice do most
of the looking for the right signs that were to safeguard their
course. On his part he felt that necessity demanded that he twist
his head just one in so often and scan the rear.
Maurice knew what he was doing, but made no complaint. Indeed, in
secret, he was almost as anxious as Thad, even though he had not
seen the man with the red head with his own eyes; and had tried to
laugh at the idea of his being the same scoundrel who had tried to
rob the shanty-boat further up the river.
After they had placed Morehead Landing some distance in the rear
they found themselves in a very lonely place, indeed.
Evidently they must be approaching the swamp spoken of by the
friendly storekeeper. Here and there they could see trailing
streamers of Spanish moss clinging to the branches of the trees;
and the further they went the more desolate their surroundings
became.
"Say, ain't it enough to give a feller the shivers?" observed
Thad, when an owl began to hoot in a mournful way back from the
road.
"I must say it doesn't seem to be particularly cheerful around
this region. But we must be more'n half way there; and nothing's
happened yet," returned Maurice, stoutly.
"There, what was that?" asked his chum, coming to a sudden stop.
"Where?" demanded Maurice, who had taken his turn at carrying the
gun; and as he spoke bringing it half way up to his shoulder,
while his thumb played with one of the hammers.
"I saw something moving ahead; sure I did!" declared Thad, shaking
that obstinate head of his the whole.
"Perhaps so, but that's not saying it was a MAN! Did it have red
hair, do you know, Thad?"
"There you go, Maurice, always making fun of me. I didn't see any
head, so I can't say; but it looked like a man creeping off."
"Right where, son?"
"Do you see that clump of bushes, the ones with the bully red
leaves? Well, it was close to them. It moved just when I happened
to look that way. I give you my word, Maurice."
"All right. We'll find out quick enough, I reckon," remarked the
other, with that decisive ring in his voice which Thad knew so
well.
"Now what are you goin' to do, pard? Don't be too rash. Remember
what Mr. Stallings, said," and Thad laid a restraining hand on his
chum's arm.
But Maurice was not to be daunted.
"Fall in behind me, then. I'm going up to the bushes and see for
myself what it was. Ten to one it must have been a muskrat out of
the swamp; or perhaps a fox, prowling around for his grub."
He cocked both barrels of the Marlin, and the act must have
instilled new courage in the heart of Thad, for he immediately
removed his detaining hand.
"All right, then; go ahead. If he jumps for you, poke the old gun
in his face."
He stooped down and secured possession of a stout cudgel himself,
as though he felt inclined to back up his comrade after a fashion.
In this manner they slowly approached the clump of bushes, where
the frost had turned the leaves to rusty red color.
Maurice was on the alert for any sign of trouble. He even passed
partly around the clump, without discovering anything to indicate
the presence of an enemy.
When he had made sure that the bushes did not conceal a lurking
figure, he turned to Thad with a grin.
"Went off in smoke, I reckon. A fellow who can see a hanging coon
in a bundle of burlap strung up to a tree might imagine anything,
it seems to me," he said a little sarcastically.
Thad looked somewhat sheepish.
He allowed his head to droop, and shrugged his shoulders.
"I did see something move, I tell you. It seemed to skip back out
of sight, like it didn't want me to get my peepers on it," he
said, with a conviction that would not be denied.
"All right. I hear you; but please show me the animal or human
being. I'm willing to be convinced, Thad."
The other started to smile.
"I reckon I can't show you the thing that was here, Maurice, but I
might do the next best thing," he said, eagerly.
"What's that--point out it's shadow?" jeered the other, still
skeptical.
"A smoke ghost don't leave any marks behind, does it?"
"Well, I don't know. I wouldn't like to say, since I never ran up
against one. But why do you make that remark, brother?"
"Looky there!"
Thad dramatically pointed down at his feet as he spoke, and
Maurice, turning his gaze in that quarter, instantly saw something
that caused him to draw in a quick breath and involuntarily clutch
the gun with a gesture of alarm.
There were plain marks on the ground, and even as inexperienced
woodsmen as the two boys could easily see that these had
undoubtedly been made by the big feet of a shuffling man!
CHAPTER XVII.
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING.
"He was here, all right!" said Thad, in an awed tone, as he looked
all around him.
Maurice took several steps forward, as if mechanically starting to
follow the plain imprints of those big shoes.
"Hold on, there, pard; you wouldn't want to chase after that
critter, now, would you? We haven't lost anybody, that I know
about. The best thing for us is to keep right along the road, and
mind our own business. Ain't I right?" demanded Thad.
"I reckon you are, son; and don't think I was so silly as to try
and follow that creeper. I'm not anxious to see him. Come on, the
quicker we get moving the better."
With that Maurice turned on his heel and started off.
"I don't want him to get the notion in his head we're scared about
it," he muttered; "but all the same I think we'd better shinny on
our own side, and move along."
"Keep that gun ready for business, Maurice," admonished the other,
who flourished his stick in a belligerent way while bringing up
the rear.
"Don't you fear about that, my friend. If anybody jumps out at us
I'm ready to give him a warm reception!"
Maurice spoke aloud. It was his hope that if the man might be
lingering near he would overhear the words, and take warning
accordingly.
They hurried along the dimly defined road. It must have been quite
some time since vehicles used this, for the marks of wheels were
in many places utterly obliterated by the rains of summer and
fall.
Three times they really got off the trail; but fortunately their
united vigilance told them of the fact before it was too late to
remedy it easily.
"Must be getting near George's place," grunted Thad, at last, for
he was almost out of breath, what with their haste, and the
necessity for keeping that head of his at all angles, so as to
forestall any treachery on the part of the enemy, whom he felt
sure must be dodging their trail all this time, waiting for a
chance to get in a telling blow.
"I'm afraid not. Seems to me Mr. Stallings said it was nearly a
mile past the swamp; and you see we've just got to the worst of
that."
"All right, then; keep hoofing it, pard. We've just made up our
minds that we're going to see George at home, and nothing ain't
going to stop us. Get that?" declared Thad.
"Just what I say. Come on again, if you've caught your wind."
Again they pushed on.
Their surroundings seemed even more dreadful than ever; and
Maurice realized for the first time what a fearful place a swamp
may seem, especially when danger is hovering about, and a hostile
figure may spring out from behind any tree.
Even the sudden harsh cawing of a crow that sprang up from the
ground and lodged on a branch startled Thad; and when a rabbit
bounded away through the brush alongside the road, Maurice
involuntarily threw his Marlin half way up to his shoulder as
though inclined to press the triggers.
"I hope we left him behind," said Thad, presently, when, for the
fiftieth time, he turned his head to look.
"But I don't believe we did," replied the other instantly. "See
here, you found that other footprint; what d'ye think of this?"
"He's been here ahead of us, as sure as you live. Oh, look! That
little twig jumped up into place right before my very eyes. Don't
you see what that means, Maurice? He passed along here only a
minute or so ahead of us. That twig didn't have time enough to get
back to its position up to now. Phew! Perhaps he's laying for us
further on."
"Well, what if he is? Do we go on?"
"Well, I guess yes. Let me carry the shooter now!" said Thad, as
he reached out his eager if trembling hand.
"Oh, no! What's the use changing? I'm as fresh as a daisy; and
besides, that stick just fits your hand. I'll give him a scare if
he tries to jump at us, never fear."
"Just as you say, Maurice; only PLEASE don't get excited and fill
me up with birdshot, instead of the thief."
"No danger, if you keep where you belong, in the rear. There's
some pretty suspicious looking trees ahead there, on both sides of
the road. We want to watch close now, Thad. Once we get by here,
I've a hunch the going may be better."
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