Guns and Snowshoes; Or, the Winter Outing of the Young Hunters Part 24

He spoke with such positiveness that both boys believed him, and after a few words more both agreed to give him all the money they carried if he would keep silent about the matter.

"The boathouse wasn't worth anything," explained Ham. "We only knocked it down to play a trick on some other boys we don't like."

"Some other boys?"

"Yes, some fellows who came up this way to go camping. They had their traps stored in that boathouse."

"Did those boys come to a camp up here?" asked the tramp, with interest.

"Yes."

"What were their names?"

"Snap Dodge, Shep Reed, a fellow called Whopper Dawson and a little chap named Caslette."

"Humph! the very same crowd," muttered Kiddy Leech. "So you played the trick on them, eh? I am glad of it."

"Say, what are you chaps ga.s.sing about anyway?" demanded Barney Hedge, who was growing tired of waiting for his cronies.

"Say, Barney, excuse us for awhile, will you," called out Ham, skating towards his friend. "We want to find out something from this tramp. He knows something about the Dodge crowd I am sure."

"Oh! Well, I want to find out about them too," said Hedge and came closer.

"Don't say anything about the boathouse," whispered Ham Spink to Kiddy Leech, to which the tramp replied with a knowing wink of his bleery eye.

"Have you been up to the Dodge camp?" questioned Carl Dudder.

"Yes, and those chaps treated me shamefully," answered Kiddy Leech. "I never touched a thing they had, yet they accused me of trying to steal some of their traps."

"Just like 'em," said Ham. "They are a mean set, every one of 'em.

What kind of a camp did they have, a regular log cabin?"

"No, a sort of shelter patched up among some trees," and at this information Ham and Carl winked at each other.

"Thought we were to go up there some day and play a trick on them,"

came from Barney Hedge, who, during the summer, had done his full share of trouble-making for all of our friends.

"How would you like to go to that camp and make trouble for that crowd?" said Ham, to the tramp.

"Me?"

"Yes. We'd like to have their outing spoilt. We'd pay you for your trouble."

"Say, Ham, can you trust this fellow?" whispered Barney, half in alarm.

"I think so. He's only a tramp and he will do anything for a little money. If he does the job we won't have to dirty our hands, and if he gets into trouble we can deny that we had anything to do with it."

This view of the matter suited Barney Hedge and also Carl Dudder, and all joined in getting Kiddy Leech to tell them what our friends were doing and how they were situated. Then it was suggested again to the tramp that he go back to the vicinity of the camp on Firefly Lake and make matters uncomfortable for the campers.

"I'll do it, if you'll pay me what it is worth," said Kiddy Leech.

"But I can't go back to-day. It's too cold and I ain't dressed warm enough. And I'll want some provisions."

"I can get you some better clothing," said Carl Dudder. "I think one of my father's old suits will fit you. Maybe I can get you an overcoat, too."

"I can get you some shoes, and a hat," said Barney Hedge.

"I'll furnish the provisions, and we'll pay you some money," put in Ham Spink. "Come along to Fairview if you want to."

So it was agreed, and Kiddy Leech accompanied the young conspirators back to the town. Here the tramp was given some more money, and he put up at Bamling's Tavern, a low resort near the river. The boys brought him the clothing and other things promised, and he had several talks with them on what was to be done when he went back to the vicinity of the camp on Firefly Lake. He promised to do all they wished; but on the following day he was missing.

"What do you suppose had become of him?" said Ham to Carl, in considerable alarm.

"I am sure I don't know, and Bamling says he doesn't know either," was the answer.

Ham Spink made numerous inquiries and soon learned from some rivermen that Kiddy Leech had yielded to his weakness for strong liquor and gone off on a spree.

"We are out our money," he said to Carl Rudder, in disgust. "He'll never do a thing for us, I am certain, and we dare not prosecute him."

"Maybe he'll do what we want when he gets sober," answered Carl. "He will want more money, and then we can tell him that he can't have a cent until he goes up to the camp and does what we want him to."

When at last they saw the tramp again he looked more battered and disreputable than ever,--so much so, in fact, that the rather fastidious youths were afraid of him. But he would not let them get away from him, and insisted on keeping to the bargain that had been made.

"I am sorry I took to the liquor--but it's a weakness I get once a year or so," he said blandly. "But I'll keep as sober as a judge now, you see if I don't--no more drink for Kiddy Leech until this job is done. All I want is what you promised to me, and you can rely on me doing the rest."

"We are not going to trust you," said Ham, putting on as bold a front as he could, although he was trembling. "You go and do the work as promised and we'll pay you afterwards."

This did not suit Kiddy Leech, and a lively discussion followed, and the matter was compromised. The tramp was given something of another outfit and a third of the money promised to him, and he agreed to accept the rest of the money when he had done the "job" at Firefly Lake.

"Mind you now," said Ham, "I want you to make it just as disagreeable for that crowd as you possibly can. You can soak their firewood with water, hide their guns and provisions, and fix it so the snow will break in their roof--and things like that."

"Oh, don't you worry," declared Kiddy Leech. "I'll make it so uncomfortable for them that you'll see them back home in no time, mark my words."

"And see that they don't bring any game with them either," said Carl Dudder.

"I'll fix that too," answered the tramp.

CHAPTER XVII

FUN IN THE CAMP

"Boys! wake up! Are you going to sleep all day?"

It was Snap who called out. He had just crawled out of his cozy sleeping place near the fire and looked at his watch. It was eight o'clock.

It was the morning after the day when they had had their trouble with Kiddy Leech, and as they brought in some wood, stirred up the smouldering camp-fire, they talked over what had occurred.