Part 2 (1/2)
UP THE MOHUNK ON AN ICE-BOAT
As Fred and Bristles, as well as Sid Wells, were all taking a post graduate course, they got out much earlier than any of the other scholars. This was how on Monday afternoon Bristles turned up at the Fenton home close to the river, he having arranged with Fred to have a last spin on the ice-boat which the Carpenter boy had made himself, and used with more or less success during the past Winter.
The weather had indeed hardened over Sunday, so that the slush was turned into ice again. The surface of the river was not as smooth as they could have wished, but then since it promised to be their very last chance to make use of the _Meteor_ that year, the boys could not complain, or let the opportunity pa.s.s by.
”We'll have to be careful about some of the blowholes in the ice,”
Bristles was saying, as they headed for the bank where he kept his craft in a shed he had built for the purpose, and which was close to Fred's home. ”Everybody says the ice seems to be thin around where the water bubbles up. I'd hate to drop in and have to go home wringing wet, to scare ma half out of her wits.”
”Oh! no need of doing that, even if we should have the hard luck to get wet,” Fred told him. ”I always carry a waterproof matchsafe, so we could go in the woods somewhere, start up a bully hot fire, and dry off. All the same, here's hoping we don't have to try that stunt out. It sounds well enough, but in this cold air a fellow'd s.h.i.+ver so he'd think his teeth were dropping out. We'll keep a bright watch for those same blow-holes, believe me, Bristles.”
Fred was a careful hand at everything he undertook, from driving a horse or a car, to manipulating an ice-boat. So Bristles, who had the utmost confidence in his superior merits, did not feel the slightest uneasiness as he led the way down the bank to the shed that sheltered his home-made but very satisfactory ice craft.
Of course he had a padlock on the door. This was not because the sprawling craft was so very valuable; but Bristles had expended considerable time and money in fas.h.i.+oning the flier; and he did not mean to put it in the power of any malicious boy to injure or steal, if a mere padlock could prevent such a catastrophe.
There were some pretty mean boys in Riverport, as indeed you can always find in any town. The leading spirit among this cla.s.s of young rascals was Buck Lemington, who had once been the bully of Riverport, until Fred, coming to town, succeeded in breaking up the combination that had so long held sway.
Ever since that time the Lemington boy had lost no opportunity to try to get back at Fred Fenton. He had played several tricks on the other, and his chosen friends, who also came under the condemnation of Buck; but as a rule the vicious leader of the bad set had had these things recoil on his own head.
Still, knowing how gladly Clem Shooks, Oscar Jones, Conrad Jimmerson and Ben Cus.h.i.+ng, the cronies of Buck, would seize upon a chance to destroy his pet ice-boat, Bristles had always kept it under lock and key when not in use.
”Everything seems to be lovely,” said Bristles, opening the door of the shed. ”Somehow I never count on finding my things as I left 'em, because often I've seen one of that bunch hanging around the river here, as if he were only waiting for half a chance to get even with me. Why, each time the fire bells have rung at night time this Winter, I've climbed into my duds with the feeling that it was good-bye to my bully old _Meteor_.”
”Oh! I hardly think they'd dare do anything as bad as that, after the lesson they had before,” Fred went on to say, as he bent over to help the owner drag the rather clumsy craft out toward the nearby sh.o.r.e.
”Well, when you're dealing with such a tough gang as that,” explained Bristles, ”there's only one thing to do, and that's believe 'em equal to anything. I warrant you now that many a time it's only been the fear they have for our hustling little fire eater of a police officer, Chief Sutton, that's kept Buck and his crowd from trying a heap more stunts than they did. Remember when they cut the wires, and left that big meeting in pitch darkness? Yes, and that other time they turned loose a dozen mice at the bazaar, and set the ladies to shrieking and fainting?
But thank goodness I've got through the Winter without losing my boat, and I'm calling myself Lucky Jim.”
They soon had the queer craft ready for service, with its mast rigged, and the few ropes in place. Bristles secured a couple of old comfortables to serve them in place of cus.h.i.+ons, which more elaborate ice-boats carried. These were tied on the boards in a way to suit the needs of those who would soon be sprawled out under the swinging boom.
”If the ice were only a whole lot smoother, I'd call this a jolly day for a spin,” the skipper of the craft went on to say, while continuing his preparations.
”Yes,” added Fred, standing there, and having completed his arrangements to his complete satisfaction, ”the sun s.h.i.+nes with just a taste of Springtime about it; and the breeze is neither too hard nor too squally.
It comes from the best quarter we could wish for, across from the west, so we'll be able to run up or down the river without trying to tack, and that's always a hard job on a narrow stream, when you're booming along so fast.”
”Well, everything's ready, Fred, so hop aboard.”
”Is it up or down this time?” demanded the other.
”Whichever you say, it doesn't matter a pin to me either way,” Bristles continued.
”On the whole, I rather think we'd better head up-river this time,” said Fred. ”We went down the last trip we made, yes, and the one before that too, because of a poor wind, and the river being wider below, so we could tack better. I'd like to go past Mechanicsburg and as far up as we can, for the last time this year.”
”Call it settled then, Fred. Let's point her nose that way and get a move on us in a jiffy.”
Some small boys were skating near the sh.o.r.e, and had come around to watch the starting of the iceboat, which was a familiar sight with them, though they never seemed to grow weary of watching it go forth on its swift cruise. Bristles had waited only long enough to make use of the padlock again, so that no one might meddle with such things as he kept in the shed. Then he was ready to raise the sail, and spin up the river like the wind.
Just as Fred had said, they were apt to have an unusually hazardous trip on this particular afternoon, partly on account of the rough ice opening up chances for an upset, and then again because of the presence of so many weak places, where the recent thaw had started blow-holes.