Part 41 (1/2)

Our hero had a long talk with the head a.s.sistant, and the upshot of this was that he got permission to go to Maine, to look for the runaways. He was to be gone no longer than was absolutely necessary.

It did not take our hero long to prepare for the trip. He packed a few things in a suit-case and then he was ready. He consulted a map and some timetables, and found he could leave Oakdale on the first train in the morning, and by making two changes, reach Camptown Falls about two o'clock in the afternoon. n.o.body but Roger and Mr. Dale knew that he was going away.

”Got money enough, have you, Dave?” questioned the senator's son.

”Yes, Roger.”

”It's a wild kind of a spot, so Buster told me.”

”I am not afraid of that--if only I can locate the boys,” answered our hero.

”How are you going to look for them?”

”I don't know yet--I'll find out after I get there.”

It must be confessed that Dave slept but little that night. His mind was filled with what was before him. He felt that he had quite a mission to perform, first in locating the runaways and then in persuading them to return to Oak Hall to face the music.

He had an early breakfast, Roger eating with him, and then the buggy, driven by Horsehair, was brought around and he got in, and a minute later he was off, the senator's son waving him an adieu from the porch of the school.

Dave found the first train he rode on but half filled with pa.s.sengers, and he had a double seat to himself. He changed at the Junction, and about noon reached Lumberport, where he was to take the train on the little side-line for Camptown Falls. At Lumberport he got dinner, at a hotel frequented by lumbermen. He sat at a long table with half a dozen men and listened to their talk with interest when he heard Camptown Falls mentioned.

”Yes, they tell me there is great danger of the dam giving way just above Camptown Falls,” one of the men said. ”Doxey reported it hasn't been safe for a week.”

”Say, if that dam gave way it would do a lot of damage below the Falls,” said another.

”It certainly would,” replied a tall lumberman. ”It would wipe out some of those camps on Moosetail Island. I rather guess the water would cover the whole island.”

”Somebody ought to warn the campers,” said another.

”Oh, I guess they know it already,” was the answer.

Dave arose from the table feeling very uneasy. He remembered the name, Moosetail Island, now. Buster had once mentioned it, stating he had camped there and would like to go again. Were the runaways there now, and in danger of the dam, should it break?

CHAPTER XXIII

AT THE CAMP

At last the train came that was to take our hero to the railroad station of Camptown Falls. It was merely a flag station, but the conductor said he would stop there for any pa.s.senger who might wish to get off. The railroad was a single-track affair, running through the woods and across the country stretches, and the train consisted of one pa.s.senger car and several freights.

Dave looked at the pa.s.sengers and counted them. There were just an even dozen, and of these, ten were men, farmers and those in the lumber business. One, a bright young fellow, sat near our hero, and Dave resolved to ask him if he knew anything about Camptown Falls and the summer camps in that vicinity.

”Yes, I know all about the Falls,” said the young lumberman. ”I work not over three miles from there--at Cropley's--the station this side of Camptown. There ain't any town, not since the Jewell Lumber Company busted up. Some folks camp out there, down along the river and on Moosetail Island, but there aren't near as many as there used to be.”

”Somebody said the dam above Camptown Falls was dangerous?” said Dave.

”I think it is myself, and I can't understand how they allow folks to camp along the river and on that island. If that dam ever broke it would be good-by to anybody on the island, I'm thinking.”

”Have you been up to the island lately?”

”I was there about a week ago.”