Part 39 (1/2)

He handed Jim three dollars, and that young gentleman was so delighted at having such an amount to spend as he saw fit that all objections to the journey were forgotten.

”Go up along fast as possible; you can take your time coming back,” Jet said, as his companion, shouldering the muzzle-loader, was ready to set out, ”and don't delay sending that message.”

”I'll fix things in great shape,” was the confident reply, and then the small guide disappeared amid the foliage.

During the next hour Jet bustled around considerably more than was necessary, in order to make it appear as if both he and Jim were there, and as a means of causing the time to pa.s.s more quickly, attempted to cook an elaborate dinner.

This was a failure, however, owing to his lack of skill, and he dined on boiled potatoes, which were not particularly palatable, owing to the fact that they had been thoroughly scorched.

The men appeared to be well contented with their camp. They lounged around near the sh.o.r.e, but without showing any desire to fish, and otherwise behaved as if determined to remain.

When night came Jet felt more than lonely. The night noises of the forest almost frightened him, and only by piling the fire high with wood could he keep his courage screwed to the ”sticking point.”

He had not slept more than half an hour, and was promising himself a long nap after the sun rose; but when the day dawned he had something more serious to think about.

He watched Bob and Sam as they prepared breakfast, and then, much to his surprise and sorrow, saw them launch the boat, packing into her all their belongings.

”Jimminy! They're going to leave, and I've sent that telegram just at the wrong time. Now, what's to be done?”

There could be no question but that the men were intending to break camp, and, uncertain as to what he should do, Jet watched until all the camp equipage had been stowed on board the craft.

Then they pushed off, rowing leisurely down the lake, and again Jet asked himself what should be done.

To pursue them in the boat, no matter how far in the rear he might keep himself, would simply be to tell the men he intended to watch them, and, unfamiliar as he was with the country or woodcraft, it seemed both foolish and dangerous to follow on land.

Not until those he so ardently wished to keep in sight had rowed fully a mile away did he arrive at any decision, and then he said to himself:

”There's no other way out of it. I must go on, and take the chances.

I only hope when Jim comes back he won't be such a fool as to pull down the lake in search of me, for they'd be certain to see him.”

Filling his pockets with cartridges, and wrapping in a paper a small stock of provisions, he set off, only to come back a moment later and write on a piece torn from a paste board box:

”I have had to go down the lake. Wait here for me.”

This he fastened to a tree where Jim would be most likely to see it immediately on his arrival, and then he started for the second time.

When Jet set out, the boat containing the men was a long distance in advance heading directly toward the lower end of the lake where were a number of small islands.

At first it had seemed a simple thing to follow a craft by keeping close to the edge of the water; but in a short time he learned the difference to his cost.

CHAPTER XXIV

A STERN CHASE

For a certain distance Jet could walk through the fringe of bushes growing at the water's edge, enabled to see the boat and its occupants distinctly, and then a bit of marsh or small stream would force him to a detour of a mile or more.

”At this rate, I'm making about three times the distance they have to,”