Part 13 (2/2)
”Not a word”
”I was afraid he would,” said Bob, drawing a long breath of relief, ”for he knows that you and I are friends”
Yes, Don knew that, but there were two good reasons why he had not spoken to Lester about Bob's threat of slapping Bert over In the first place, he was not aware that Bob had made any such threat Bert was one of the few boys we havehe knew Do you know such a boy a your companions? If you do, you know one whom nobody is afraid to trust Bert wanted to live in peace, and thought it a good plan to quell disturbances, instead of helping the He knew that if he told his brother what had happened in the post-office, there would be a fight, the very first ti
But even if Don had known all about it, he would not have said anything to Lester He would have waited until he uments, and driven theht be avoided, if there were a few more boys like Bert Gordon in the world!
”I am not sorry I went down there,” continued Lester, ”for I had the satisfaction of showing those conceited fellows that there are so or two I read the constitution to theh to see them open their eyes Bert was so astonished that he couldn't say a word, and Don never took his gaze off h he asked ain, so that he could copy the names in his note-book He'll learn theet the reputation of being a very smart and a very learned boy If he does it in your presence, I want you to let folks know that he is showing off on the strength of _noramus ever knew before----”
”Well, who cares whether he did or not?” exclaimed Bob, impatiently
”That's ato make that hundred and fifty dollars and cheat un? That's what I want to know!”
”Of course he isn't,” replied Lester ”We can't stop him by the aid of the Sportsman's Club, and so ill stop hio to work and set his traps, and we'll see how many birds he will take out of them We'll rob every one we can find and keep the quail ourselves In that eany of our own traps We'll write to that ested, and when Dave finds he can't catch any birds, he'll get discouraged and leave us a clear field
But first I want to touch up Don and Bert Gordon a little to pay the-box shall be laid in ashes this very night I expected an invitation to shoot there last spring, but I didn't get it, and now I am determined that they shall never ask anybody there What do you say?”
”I say, I' was settled Lester put his horse in the barn, went in to supper, which was announced in a few minutes (Bob found opportunity before he sat down to the table to purloin a box of matches, which he put carefully away in his pocket), and when the on-shed, where they sat and talked until it began to grow dark Then Bob brought a couple of paddles out of the corner of the wagon-shed, handed one to his companion, and the talked slowly down the road When they were out of sight of the house they climbed the fence, and directed their course across the fields toward the head of the lake Then they quickened their pace They had much to do, and they wanted to finish their work and return to the house before their absence was discovered
Half an hour's rapid walking brought the was to arden until they reached the jetty, and that was an undertaking that was not wholly free fros, and any prowlers they discovered were pretty certain to be severely treated But there was no flinching on the part of the two boys Bob led the way al now and then to listen, and finally brought his companion to the place where the boats were moored There was only one of them available, however, for the canoe, which they had intended to take, was secured to a tree by a heavy padlock
”Did you ever hear of such luck?” whispered Bob
”Couldn't we paddle the other up there?” asked Lester, feeling of the chain hich the sail-boat was fastened to the wharf, to make sure that it was not locked
”O, yes; but why is this canoe locked up? That's what bothersand is on the watch”
”Who cares if he is?” exclaimed Lester ”I've come too far to back out noouldn't do it if Don and all his friends stood in ht If you are not afraid, I am not Be careful when you cast off that chain You know that sound travels a long way on a still night like this”
Lester was careful, and the boat was pushed off and got under way so noiselessly that a person standing on the bank would not have known that there was anything going on Bob, who knew just where the shooting-box was located, sat in the stern and did the steering, at the sa The heavy boat h the water, and before another half hour had passed they were at their journey's end
”Hold up nohispered Bob, ”and let's ht before we touch the shore”
Lester drew in his paddle and listened He heard a whistling in the air, as a solitary duck fleiftly up the lake, and that was the only sound that broke the stillness The trees on the shore looainst the sky, and presented the appearance of a solid wall of ebony Lester could not see anything that looked like a shooting-box, but Bob kneas there, and when he had listened long enough to satisfy hiht the bow of the boat around and paddled toward the shore
”Which way is it from here?” asked Lester, when the two had dise”
”Hold fast to my coat-tail,” replied Bob, ”and I'll show it to you in athus taken in toas safely conducted up the bank
Presently he heard a door unlatched and opened, a -box He could scarcely have been more surprised if he had found hi-box was not a shanty, as he expected to find it, but a conveniently-arranged and neatly-constructed house He borrowed a few h survey of it ”Donthis up,” said he
”He certainly has,” replied Bob, ”and he handles tools like a born carpenter, too I suppose this is a nice place to get away to when the fellows are here shooting over their decoys Joe Packard says so, at any rate They have s on the floor, cah for the whole party, and they sit here of evenings and crack hickory-nuts and tell stories and have boss times”
”It's almost a pity to break up their fun”