Part 34 (2/2)
”I heard you was trustworthy. You can be on hand here at eight o'clock to-morrow morning to take me and my friend out,” went on the man.
”Yes, sir. Do you want any bait for fis.h.i.+ng, sir?”
”No. We'll go for a sail, and possibly for a little hunting up on the island.”
”All right, sir. I'll be ready for you.”
The men walked off toward a neighboring saloon. Ralph did not much fancy their looks. He made up his mind that he would not have a very agreeable day with them.
But he was on hand promptly in the morning, and after telling Franchard of the engagement, took aboard the two men, who appeared each with a shotgun and a game-bag.
”Sail to the upper end of the lake, toward the big islands,” said the spokesman, and Ralph steered in the direction, never dreaming of what that eventful trip was to bring forth.
CHAPTER XXIV.
RALPH'S ROUGH EXPERIENCE.
”It's a fine day for sport,” remarked Ralph to his two new pa.s.sengers, as the sloop skimmed along up Keniscot Lake.
”Yes,” returned the elder of the two men, whose name was Martin. ”It couldn't be better.”
”You don't want to try fis.h.i.+ng?” suggested the boy, for he knew that a good catch could be had with but little trouble.
”No,” put in the younger man, called Toglet. ”We want to get up among the islands.”
”Very well, sir, I'll have you up there just as fast as the breeze will take us.”
There was a slight pause after this, during which both of the men examined their shotguns and other things which they carried.
”You live around here, I suppose?” remarked Martin, at length, looking at Ralph sharply with his coal-black eyes.
”Yes, sir, I live at Westville.”
”Lived there long?”
”All my life.”
”Then you must know the folks there pretty well?”
”I know nearly everybody, sir.”
”Any rich folks live in the town?”
”I don't know what you would call rich,” laughed the young boatman. ”There are no millionaires, but there are several people quite well-to-do.”
”Who are they?”
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