Part 8 (1/2)

”What if they do?” demanded Billy, belligerently. ”They all said _I_ helped burglarize that department store last summer--didn't they? And I never did it at all.”

”No. It was another monkey,” chuckled Lance.

The others laughed, for Billy Long had gotten them into serious trouble on the occasion mentioned, and it was long enough in the past now to seem amusing. But Chet added:

”It's a wonder to me that Norman Halliday had a chance to get hold of all those securities and forge people's names to them. And he knew just which papers to take. Looks fishy.”

”Well, he ran away, anyhow,” Lance said.

”So did Billy,” Bobby said. ”And for the same reason, perhaps. He was scared.”

”My father says,” Chet pursued, ”he has his doubts about Halliday's guilt. He believes he is a catspaw for somebody else.”

”Anyhow,” said Billy, ”the papers say he's gone into the Big Woods south of Lake Dunkirk. And Purt wants to carry a gun to defend himself from outlaws.”

”If he does,” Chet said, seriously, ”I'll see that there are no cartridges in the gun. Huh! I wouldn't trust Purt Sweet with a pop-gun.”

Bobby, meanwhile, was saying to Laura: ”I wonder why Old Dimple was interested enough in that Albany bank robbery to carry around that clipping out of the paper?”

”Maybe he lost money, too,” Laura suggested.

”What's that about the old Prof?” put in Chet. ”Do you know he's gone out of town already?”

”No!” was the chorus in reply.

”Fact. I saw him with his suitcase this forenoon. He took the boat to Lumberport.”

”Well, as we shall all start in that same direction to-morrow morning, bright and early----”

”Not all of us bright, but presumably early,” put in Bobby, sotto voce.

”Anyway, it's time we were in bed,” finished Mother Wit. ”Off with you all!”

Whether Laura's advice had a good effect, or not, n.o.body was really late at the rendezvous the next morning. Prettyman Sweet's motorboat _d.u.c.h.ess_, a very nice craft, and the larger powerboat belonging to Chet Belding and Lance Darby, named _Bonnie La.s.s_, were manned by the boys before the girls appeared.

These two boats were large enough to transport both parties of campers, and would likewise tow the flotilla of canoes. The _d.u.c.h.ess_ tailed behind it three double canoes belonging to the girls and the _Bonnie La.s.s_ towed five belonging to their boy friends.

It was a fine day and the lake was as blue as the sky--and almost as smooth to look upon. A party of parents and friends came to see the campers start. The girls and Mrs. Morse went aboard the _Bonnie La.s.s_.

Lizzie Bean, with a bulging old-fas.h.i.+oned carpet-bag, appeared in season and joined the girls.

In the bustle of departure not many noticed the odd looking maid. The girls and boys were too busy shouting goodbyes to those ash.o.r.e, and the crowd ash.o.r.e was too busy shouting good wishes, or last instructions, to the campers.

Mrs. Pendleton had been driven down to the wharf, early as the hour was, to see her daughter off.

”And be sure to wear your rubbers if it rains, Lily!” the lady shrieked after the departing _Bonnie La.s.s_.

”Gee!” whispered Bobby, to Jess. ”I s'pose somebody'll have to hold an umbrella over her, too, if it starts to shower.”