Part 16 (1/2)

”Yes,” returned Dave, and there was a more civil note in his voice. ”My old woman saw 'em both, and one of 'em pretty distinctly. He was a big man-bigger'n any of you fellers. I guess we owe you an apology. You're not the thieves, but still you're trespa.s.sing on my land. I don't allow no campers here.”

”Now, look here, Mr.-er--” began Chot.

”Higgins, sir-Dave Higgins.”

”All right, Mr. Higgins. Now, do you realize that you've laid a very grave charge at our door, placing us under suspicion, as well as under the noses of your revolvers, without giving us a chance to explain who we are? Wait a minute-don't interrupt. I'm going to give you a bit of our family history. We're cadets from Winton Hall, a military school on the Hudson, and we're on our way to the Thousand Islands in the St.

Lawrence River. We camped peacefully on your land-at least, you say it's yours---”

”And I can prove that easy enough, too,” said Dave.

”Well, we camped peacefully, here, not knowing that we were trespa.s.sing.

We intend only to stay till sunrise before proceeding on up the lake. So now, after knowing this, with a full opportunity to investigate our record as we came up the river and through Lake George, you must either exonerate us from all blame, either as thieves or trespa.s.sers, or we'll stay here till you prove that we're guilty. And if you don't prove it, someone will go to jail-and it won't be us.”

”Oh, say, now, boys, we didn't mean no harm,” said Dave. ”We didn't know who you was, and we thought sure we'd got track of the fellers that stole the money. But we're willin' to admit our mistake, and just to make things square, you stay here just as long as you please, and before you leave to-morrow come over to my house, which is right across on Chimney Point, and set down to the finest breakfast you've had in many a day. Is that fair?”

”Entirely satisfactory to us, Mr. Higgins, and now, just to show you that our hearts are in the right place, let me say that we saw two suspicious looking characters on the sh.o.r.e here about dusk to-night.”

”You did? Where are they now?”

”That I am unable to say. We were just lighting our fire when they came up, and when they discovered that there were others about, they lit out up the sh.o.r.e as hard as they could go.”

”What did they look like-do you remember?”

”We couldn't see their features plainly, but one was an extremely large man, wearing a light felt hat. The other, as I remember, was somewhat smaller. Both had on dark clothes.”

”Them's the fellers,” said Dave Higgins, decisively. ”We've been on the wrong trail all evening, Hank. The only thing we can do now is wait till to-morrow and try and locate 'em by telephone in some of the neighborin'

towns. I'm sorry to have troubled you boys this way,” he added, turning to the young canoeists.

”Oh, that's all right,” said Chot. ”Your mistake was a perfectly natural one.”

Now that Dave Higgins seemed disposed to do the right thing, the boys felt no animosity toward him for the summary fas.h.i.+on in which he and his friend, Hank, had held them up.

”Well, Hank and I'll leave you now,” said Higgins, ”and mind you, we'll look for you over to the house for breakfast. Will you come?”

Chot looked inquiringly at the other boys.

”Any wheat cakes and maple syrup?” asked Fleet, his mouth watering.

”Bushels of 'em,” was Dave Higgins' reply.

”Then count me in.”

”I think you may look for all of us, Mr. Higgins,” said Chot, ”and thank you.”

”Oh, that's all right, boys. Good night.”

”Good night, Mr. Higgins.”