Messenger No. 48 Part 42

"I reckon he's gone to Raquette Lake with the two fellows who were camping over on the point."

"Have they skipped?" and now Jim's eyes were opened very wide.

"Went yesterday morning bag and baggage."

"What'll we do when the officer comes to arrest 'em?"

"See here, Jim, are you so stupid as not to know what has happened?"

"Why don't you tell me?" the guide screamed.

"Because you have been giving me the story. The very jolly fellow you met was a friend of the men I came here to watch; he talked with you long enough to find out that the telegram you were carrying concerned them in some way, and cooked up the yarn about Pine Pond, in order to get hold of it. Then he came down to hunt me, stole the things to prevent our following him, and skipped on to look for his pals."

Jim gazed at his friend with dilated eyes while this explanation was being made, and when Jet concluded, he said in a half-whisper:

"Then I'm to blame for all that has happened?"

"There's no question but you have been the means of informing those fellows what we are here for," was the gloomy reply.

"Do you know where they have gone?"

Jet told of his fruitless journey, and when he concluded, Jim said decidedly:

"They didn't go into the upper lake, if they want to keep out of sight.

I'll bet they've landed on Dollar Island."

"Which is that?"

"The one nearest the outlet. It's a good place to camp, and from it they can keep track of everybody coming or going. Suppose that fellow who said he was a guide hasn't found 'em yet?"

"Well, what then?"

"We might catch him before the others find out about the telegram message."

"He has a boat, and we haven't."

"But he's bound to land somewhere, and I know of a trail down this side, which would take us to the outlet in short order. It isn't more'n two miles."

"Are you willing to go and take the chances? Remember if Bob and Sam have learned what we are here for it will likely be a case of life or death with us."

"See here, Dave, I've spoiled all your plans without meanin' to do wrong, an' now I'm ready to take any risks if things can be straightened out. You've got a revolver, eh?"

"Yes."

"Then let's see what can be done."

Jim was thoroughly excited now, and his determination to rectify the error put new life into Jet.

He sprang to his feet at once; reloaded his weapon lest the cartridges should have been dampened during the night in the woods, and while he was thus occupied Jim packed the provisions into a more convenient shape for carrying.

When all was ready, and but a few seconds had been spent in these preparations, Jim led the way to a well defined trail a hundred yards or so from the sh.o.r.e of the lake, saying as he did so:

"It's queer you didn't find this when you were lost."

"I shouldn't have noticed it if I'd come across it, because the most of the tramping was done after dark, and in the morning I thought only of finding the lake."

"We shall see it two or three times before coming to the outlet."

The boys walked at their best pace, Jet carrying Jim's gun, and the latter with the greater portion of the provisions slung over his shoulder.

At the end of a quarter of an hour the trail brought them to the edge of the lake, and they looked out over the water eagerly, but without seeing any signs of life.

Again their way wound through the woods, and when the journey was a trifle more than two-thirds finished they were within sight of the water once more.

"Unless that fellow has made straight for the upper lake, he ought to be 'round here somewhere, so we'd better not show ourselves," Jim suggested, as he crept cautiously down to the fringe of bushes bordering the banks.

The boys were now where they could see between the cl.u.s.ter of islands to the opposite sh.o.r.e, and after gazing for some time in silence, Jet said, as he pointed directly across the lake:

"Isn't that a line of smoke over there?"

"It is, an' I'll bet our man has made camp to watch for his chums.

Let's go over!"

It seemed to be a sort of forlorn hope; but the chances were well worth taking in view of the possible result, and Jet replied:

"Go ahead; but we must keep a good watch of the sh.o.r.es in case that should not be the fellow we are searching for."

Jim hardly needed this caution. Since having done so much harm he was careful to a fault, and many times before reaching the outlet did he run to the edge of the wood to search with his eyes the borders of the lake.

Each time he reported that no one was in sight, and always concluded the information with the a.s.surance:

"I'm certain the two men are on Dollar Island."

The outlet was reached and crossed at the expense of a wetting; but the boys thought nothing of that; it was too trifling a matter to be considered at such a time.

From this on there was no trail to follow, and Jim led the way as near the water's edge as possible.

Finally the moment came when they were so near the thin curl of blue smoke that the utmost care was necessary lest a noise should give token of their approach.

Jim crept through the bushes in the most approved manner of alleged Indian hunters, and when they had thus traveled a couple of hundred yards, he motioned for Jet to look as he parted the foliage in front of him.

There on the sh.o.r.e was the boat which had been stolen, and farther up, near a hastily constructed shelter of branches, sat the man who had promised to send the telegram for the small guide.

CHAPTER XXVI