The Heroes of the School Part 21

"What's the matter, did you fall in?" called Bart.

"No, but the can of condensed milk did, and it's the only one we have."

"Oh, hang it!" exclaimed Ned. "I can't drink coffee without milk. What's the matter with you, Stumpy?"

"I couldn't help it. It slipped."

"I'm thirsty for coffee, too," went on Ned.

"Use it without milk," suggested Bart.

"Can't. Never could."

"'One should get accustomed to doing without salt, or other things he can't have. I believe I could get used to anything,'" spoke Frank solemnly.

"What do you--Oh!" exclaimed Ned. He recalled that those were the very words he had spoken a little while before.

"'It takes strength of character,'" quoted Bart, still from the maxim Ned had laid down so recently.

"Oh well, of course I didn't mean it just that way," replied Ned, laughing at the trap he had fallen into. "I meant--"

"You don't know what you meant," replied Bart. "Come now, drink your coffee black, as the swells do when they go out to dinner. You'll get used to it."

"Have to, I s'pose," replied Ned, and he tried it, but made a wry face.

However there was no help for it, and the boys were so hungry they didn't mind it much, after the first sip.

Supper over, the dishes and food were put away, and, on Bart's suggestion, they cut a quant.i.ty of wood to have in readiness for the camp fire.

"I don't know's we'll need it," he said. "There aren't any animals but foxes, rabbits and c.o.o.ns in these woods. Still a fire looks cheerful, and it may be cold toward morning. Besides, it doesn't seem like camping unless you have a fire."

As it grew dark the boys looked to the fastenings of the boats for a wind might spring up and set them adrift. Then, starting a blaze between two big green logs, they got their blankets ready for bed.

They cut some cedar boughs which they laid on the ground to keep off the dampness, making several layers until Fenn, who tried it, said it was every bit as good as his spring bed at home.

"Going to stand watch?" inquired Ned.

"What's the use?" asked Bart. "No one's going to steal us. Besides I'm too sleepy. Let's all go to bed. If any one happens to wake up and sees the fire is low, why he can throw a log on that will be all that's necessary."

They did not undress, but stretching out on the cedar boughs pulled the blankets over them and prepared to sleep. The fire cast a ruddy glow on the trees and shone into the tent which was placed near the blaze.

Ned, who was a light sleeper, was suddenly awakened, some time after midnight, by hearing a stick break. It sounded just back of him. He raised his head and listened. Behind the tent he could hear the cautious tread of some person or some animal. He was about to awaken Bart, who was sleeping next to him, when he saw a shadow cast by the fire, inside the tent, on the rear wall of the canvas. He looked out and was startled to see a figure between the tent and the camp fire. It appeared to be looking in on the boys. Ned stretched out his hand and touched Bart.

"Some one is in the camp!" he whispered in his companion's ear, as Bart stirred.

CHAPTER XIX

THE FARMER AND THE BULL

"What's that?" exclaimed Bart, suddenly sitting up.

"Hus.h.!.+" cautioned Ned. "Some one is prowling around!"

But Bart's voice had startled the intruder. Ned saw the figure move quickly out of the glare of the flames, and then dart down toward the river.

"They're after our boats!" yelled Bart, who at that moment saw the figure. "Come on, fellows!"

He ran from the tent followed by his three chums. As he pa.s.sed the fire Bart threw on some light pieces of wood that blazed up quickly.

In the glow the figure of a man could be seen, headed on the run for the little beach, where the boats were tied. As he ran his coat appeared to flap out behind him, the long tails bobbing about from his motion.

"It's that tramp!" exclaimed Ned.

"Hi there!" yelled Bart.

They saw the man make a flying leap into a canoe that was drawn up partly on sh.o.r.e. The violence of the motion sent the frail craft well out into the stream and it was caught by the current.

By this time the boys had reached the sh.o.r.e. At first they supposed it was their canoe which the tramp had stolen, but a second glance showed them the green craft still in place beside the rowboat.

"It's his own canoe," remarked Frank as the boys watched it floating down stream. There was no sign of the occupant.

"Is he in it or did he set it adrift and start to swim?" inquired Fenn.

All four were standing on the edge of the water peering out over the river in the darkness, the canoe being a deeper blur which alone distinguished it from the surrounding blackness.

"He's probably lying down in it, thinking he may get shot at," said Bart.

As if to prove his words the sound of paddling was borne to their ears, and the canoe seemed to move faster. The tramp had begun to propel the craft, but they could not see him.

"Let's get back to bed," suggested Fenn. "I think we'd better keep watch after this."

"Not much use," came from Bart. "That tramp isn't likely to come back and there's no one else around here. I vote we get what sleep we can."

It was decided this was as wise a thing as could be done and after replenis.h.i.+ng the fire, so it would burn until morning, the campers crawled back into the tent and slept until sunrise, no further alarms disturbing them.

"Well, fellows," called Frank when the things had been put away. "What's the program for to-day?"

"We'll row up stream until noon," said Bart, "camp and have dinner, and, if we like the place, stay all night. If we don't we'll move on to a better one."

The boat was soon loaded and, with the canoe towing along behind, the trip was resumed. The river wound in and out through a wooded country for a few miles and then they came to a long straight stretch where it flowed between level fields.

As the boat was urged up stream under the impulse of the oars in the hands of Bart and Fenn, Ned, who was resting in the bow, called out:

"Steer her out a bit, Frank. There's a man fis.h.i.+ng just ahead of us and we don't want to disturb him."

Frank who was at the rudder lines glanced up and saw, about a quarter of a mile ahead, a man standing up to his waist in water.