Part 10 (1/2)
”We seem to have left Oswald in the lurch, too, which is a good thing, according to my notion; though I've been hoping some fine day that stuck-up dude would run up against Frank, when the old score must be fought out, and he'd get what's been long due him.”
”Not forgetting our friend, Marcus,” added Jerry. ”He made one little try for the hidden treasure, and Frank scared him half to death by firing his gun out of the window, so he never came back again. Guess he wasn't as bold a customer as he made us believe. And I'm still hunting all over the boat for a tidy little nook, where Uncle Felix might have hid that bunch of valuables; though up to date I must say I haven't had even the first smell of the treasure-trove.”
”How many days have we been coming this far, Frank?” persisted Will.
”Really four, though this will be our fifth night out,” replied the manager of the expedition; for as usual that position had been saddled on Frank's shoulders, all of his chums having the utmost confidence that he could fill the place better than any one of them.
”One good thing,” Bluff went on to say, ”is the fact that every night now that moon is going to improve, and grow larger. Why, before we know it, we'll be having beautiful moonlight nights, when a fellow'll just hate to turn in.”
”But let's go back again to the mainstay, which is just plain grub. What are we going to eat to-night?” Frank remarked.
And so for a few minutes that ever-interesting, and never-dull topic, was discussed from all sides, everyone having a suggestion to make. In the end, as usually happened, it was voted to leave the matter with Jerry. He knew how to treat them well, Bluff declared with a proper amount of smoothness that quite won the heart of the aspiring cook, and made him resolve to merit the praise that was so lavishly bestowed on him.
Of course the supper was voted a grand success. Jerry was indeed showing considerable skill in getting up very appetizing dishes, and took pride in changing what he called the ”menu” so often, that the boys always had delightful recollections of ”that last mess we had yesterday, or it might be the day before,” which they hoped he would repeat before long.
”Seems like a mighty lonely place right here,” Will had remarked, after supper was over, and they sat around on deck, Jerry busy with his fish lines; Bluff stretched on a blanket he had brought out; and Frank rubbing up his recollection of the events of the last two days, since he had fallen behind in his writing of the daily log, and meant to catch up when they lighted the big lamp, going in to sit around the table.
”Well, that's not a fault, as I can see,” Bluff declared; ”now, last night you complained of too much company around, when that boatload of toughs from the city rowed past, looking for our hidden houseboat.
Better be by ourselves, even if the wolves do howl, and the panthers scream.”
”Oh! say, you don't think for a minute now that there are any of those fierce creatures around us right now?” Will faltered. ”He's just trying to see how big a yarn he can work off on me; isn't he, Frank?”
”Just what he is,” laughed the other; ”because I don't fancy that there is a wolf or a panther within fifty miles of this place. So make your mind easy, Will; and if you choose to take a turn up and down the deck before going to bed, you can do it without dreaming any wild animal could drop from the branches of that tree above us.”
”Listen to Jerry grunting there,” remarked Will, disdainfully, ”just like he expects me to believe that sort of thing could be a panther!
Don't forget that I've heard a panther before this, and he doesn't squeal like a hog caught under the fence.”
”But it wasn't me at all!” declared Jerry, looking up from working his line.
”And as sure as anything, it did come from the sh.o.r.e somewhere above!”
Bluff said, as he scrambled to a sitting position.
”Listen, everybody!” remarked Frank, in a quiet voice.
They could plainly hear the swish of bushes giving way before some advancing body.
”Whatever it is, that light Jerry is using, to fix his bait on properly, has told of our being here,” Frank went on to say.
”Shall I puff her out, then?” asked Jerry.
”No use now, because the mischief's done,” Frank continued.
”There goes Bluff inside the cabin,” Will spoke up; ”and I just wager he's after his gun. Well, I'm glad of it; for Frank might be mistaken about the panther part of the business.”
”Listen again!” Frank ordered, and every one fell silent.
The rustling among the bushes increased until it seemed to be almost above them, after which it stopped.