Part 9 (2/2)
”Hus.h.!.+” he warned her again, waving his hand. ”They are likely to come at any moment. And then--”
The girl backed through the bushes and stepped upon the table-like rock.
She would have bade him good-bye, but he hissed after her another sibilant ”hus.h.!.+” and disappeared as mysteriously as he had come.
Ruth descended to the canoe and waited until they were well away from the island before she said a word to the other girls about the queer old man.
CHAPTER IX
A FILM MYSTERY
”I told you there were pirates there,” Helen declared that evening, when she and Ruth were in the room they shared together. Wonota slept in a room adjoining and had already retired.
”I don't think that poor old man was a pirate,” returned Ruth, smiling a little.
”Didn't he tell you he was 'king of the pirates'?” demanded Helen.
Ruth laughed outright. ”He said he was 'king of the pipes'--whatever that may mean. Poor old fellow!”
”Well, it seems he most certainly had been 'smoking the pipe'--or do they call it 'hitting the pipe'?”
”Don't ask me to aid you with any information on slang,” admonished her friend. ”I don't suppose he is really king of anything except of a country of his dreams--poor fellow.”
”Dear me!” grumbled Helen. ”You never will boost romance, Ruth Fielding.
Maybe there are pirates on that island.”
”Or pipes,” said Ruth calmly.
”Never mind. When the boys come I am going to shoo them on to that place.”
”What boys?” demanded Ruth in surprise.
”The Copleys arrive to-morrow. And their place is not five miles away from this very spot. We'll get a motor-boat and go down there to-morrow evening and welcome them. I got a telegram from Tom when I came back from canoeing. I forgot to tell you.”
”Tom!” exclaimed Ruth, and for perhaps the first time in her life she seemed undesirous of hearing about Tom Cameron.
Helen gave her a somewhat puzzled side glance as she found the telegram and gave it to her chum, who read:
”Vacation begins to-morrow. Will be with you next day. Tom.”
Helen giggled. ”You can make up your mind that he knows Chess Copley has started for this neck of woods. Tom is becoming Mr. Jealous Jellaby. Did you ever?”
”I am sorry Tom considers it necessary to take a vacation when he has only just begun work with your father, Helen.”
”There you go again!” exclaimed her chum. ”I don't understand you at all, Ruth Fielding. Tom doesn't have to work.”
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