Gordon Braddock

“ With Midkiff and Cloudman, both tempestuous natures, there was an advantage. Each was inspired by the thought that he was working for his Walcott Hall; and the biggest and most sweetening thing in a school-boy's life is his loyalty to his school. In a miniature way, it is the feeling which every citizen should hold for his country; it is that not easily explained virtue called patriotism.
Somewhere else it has been pointed out that Rex Kingdon was so successful in molding his comrades, even those who did not much admire him, to his will because he possessed an ability to read character. ”

“ The Walcott Hall boys had a good time at the boat club; but they were delayed in getting away, and when the Spoondrift ran down toward the Channel it was plain the wind had come around into the north and was blowing strongly. The sea outside was streaked with foam over the caps of the jumping waves.
"Guess your old wind's changed, all right," grumbled Peewee.
"We won't have to beat up against it all the way back to the island," Rex responded with cheerfulness. "Keep up hope, infant. All is not lost."
"I don't want to lose everything," said Cloudman as the cat began to pitch in the choppy sea. ”

“ Speed is a great thing, I'll admit, when a pitcher mixes it with brains."
"Perhaps I've got as many brains as your friends Midkiff and Cloudman," flared Horace. "I suppose you think them Mathewsons?"
"They're steady and dependable, at least."
"Plugging horses!" snapped Pence. "No real stuff."
"I've seen fellows who didn't succeed though everybody thought they had the 'real stuff,' and I've seen 'plugging horses' who climbed steadily and surely to the top. Brilliancy is sometimes nothing but a flash in the pan." ”

“ Kingdon had it on his tongue to suggest that he did not think Pence the best judge of what was "white" in a chap's character, but he refrained.
"It seems to me," he stated, "that whoever tried to roll the bowlder the first time couldn't make it. One chap wasn't heavy enough on the end of the lever; but two——"
"I won't believe it!" cried Horace suddenly. "I've known Harry Kirby since he was a little shaver."
"Keep your opinion of him, then, till you find out you're wrong," advised Kingdon. "The truth is bound to come to the surface. You can't keep a cork under water. ”

“ Phillips continued to connect with about two out of every three balls Pence pitched. And the dark chap grew hotter and hotter—inside. On the surface he was like ice. Kingdon admired him.
"Red," the backstop whispered while Peewee and Midkiff were relaying the ball on one occasion, "that lad will be a pitcher some day."
"He thinks he is now," returned the batter.
"You're the only man I know could bump his speed this way. Things aren't breaking good for him, but he keeps his head. And he's a southpaw. Red, I'd give all my old hats to have that chap at Walcott Hall!" ”

“ Kingdon made a sign to his friends, and they gathered close about him in the stern of the catboat, which was drifting in nearer to the shore.
"Fellows, I'm about to play the trump," he said, his eyes laughing but his lips grave. "Are you with me?"
"What do you mean, Rex?" demanded Midkiff suspiciously.
But Phillips said promptly: "We're always with you, Blue-Eyes. Go to it."
"It's some foolishness," began Midkiff again. But Peewee whispered:
"Put on the muffler, Grouch, and let him have his way. King's always good fun, no matter what he does." ”

“ Cloudman and Peewee were busy with the breakfast. Red came up, fully dressed, and began to spy out the encampment and its surroundings through a pair of opera glasses.
"What do you see, Father William?" queried Rex.
"Not much," grunted Phillips.
"They must be sleeping late after our call last night," muttered Midkiff.
"Sleep? They must be dead," said the red-haired youth. "What do you know about fellows camping out, sleeping till this time of day?"
"They are rich. Don't have to work," said Cloudman, coming up to breathe. ”

“ Pence said. "Haven't practiced enough to make sure of giving a good account of ourselves."
"Never know how good we are till we try a race with a real crew, and Yansey's got the best one along the coast—let him tell it."
"I know. He's an awful blowhard."
"But maybe he has got the best crew," chuckled Rex.
"Yet you say to accept it?"
"I say nothing. You're the skipper. You don't need anybody to decide for you. If you feel you do, put it to the vote of the crew."
"Oh! Our fellows will be eager for it," sighed Horace. ”

“ I came on purpose for you fellows," explained Yansey. "It's almost lunch time, and we want you to eat with us. Got a darkey for a cook, and he makes a fine chowder—and apple pie! My eye!"
"Home made apple pie? Say not so!" croaked Red Phillips. "You make my mouth water like a hydrant."
"You can stuff yourself," assured Yansey. "What say?"
"Is this just a polite invitation, or is it a dare?" asked Kingdon.
"Dare you to come!" laughed Yansey, hopping down into the Spoondrift.
"We never take a dare," responded Kingdon.
"Never!" was the chorus from the other Walcott Hall lads. ”

“ But Joe Bootleg did not respond; only stared down at his erstwhile antagonist threateningly.
"What do you want here at Storm Island, anyway?" demanded Pence boldly.
"You ought to go ashore and tell him, Rex," declared Red Phillips in disgust. "The gall of him!"
"We ought to go to Blackport and get a constable to put the whole gang off the island," added Midkiff.
"Why be childish?" said Rex. "I rather like our neighbor with the black eyebrows."
"Well?" demanded Pence. "Lost your voice?"
"Not any," quoth Kingdon. "Was just wondering how much you fellows would be willing to pay for your canoes? ”

“ Cloudman really suffered from seasickness before they got out into open sea. There the waves were less choppy, and the Spoondrift rode them like a seafowl. It was easier on all hands.
But the wind increased in strength, and to beat up into the sound—which was all a-streak with foam and very blusterous to look upon—was really more of an undertaking than Kingdon cared to tackle.
"We can do it all right. She's safe enough," Rex said to Midkiff. "But it will make rough going, Jawn—awful rough. These lubbers will be set on their ears." ”

“ Joe Bootleg is a famous name."
"Huh?"
"Maine is full of 'em. 'Bootleggers,'" Rex chuckled. "The decent majority are fighting them all the time."
"So you had to do your share?" grinned Midkiff.
"He's strong as a bull, and as ugly. Sorry I had a muss with him," Rex Kingdon confessed. "These people with Indian blood in their veins aren't like white folks. They're revengeful and unforgiving. Have to watch out for Joe Bootleg."
"Pshaw! I wouldn't lose any sleep over it," Midkiff said. "These fellows will have to get off the island. That's plain." ”

“ Pence took more time about it and put even more speed into his throw. It was a wonder. The Walcott Hall lads, camped in the shade, gasped.
A flush had come into the dark fellow's face. He rolled up his sleeve with a vexed motion, spat upon his hand, grinned at the waiting backstop, and drove in his fourth ball.
It was caught as the others had been, but the force of the delivery was so great that Kingdon stepped back to recover his balance. Then he drawled:
"That's four balls. Man takes his base. Say, the speed is all right; why not put over a strike now and then?" ”

“ Horace Pence said:
"It's a bargain. The island's big enough."
"All agreed?" drawled Rex.
"I think we are," Kirby said.
"Sure!" chimed in Ben and Pudge MacComber. Yet the former murmured: "There's something up his sleeve. There must be!" Pudge looked doubtful, too. Joe Bootleg scowled in the background, saying nothing.
"Hope you may die, cross your heart, and all the rest of it," said Rex, cheerfully. "I put you all on honor. It may be an awful strain; but they say a singed cat is often better than it looks. We're to camp where we choose, and let you alone. You fellows ditto with us. ”

“ The Indian's smoldering hate had convinced Kingdon after the avalanche that Joe had a hand in the starting of the bowlder on its downward course. What puzzled Rex still, as he confessed to Horace Pence, was the part Harry Kirby had taken in the dastardly attempt upon the lives of the boys from Walcott Hall.
That the stupid and ignorant Indian had engineered the thing, Rex could easily believe. There are wicked and savage-natured characters among these latter day members of an expiring race, as there are bad men who have white faces. ”

“ Don't you fellows fret; I know what I am about."
"You seem to," admitted Harry Kirby admiringly. "I never knew a fellow like you, Horrors. You are always just skirting the edge of trouble, but never get into it."
"He'll get into it now, all right-o," grumbled Ben Comas. "We know well enough that there's a party did get a permit to camp here this summer; that's why my father couldn't work it for us—and he owns some stock in the Manatee Company, too." ”

“ The wind, the other day, pretty near blew our tents away."
"You're welcome to the hatchet," Kingdon said. "Thought you had a fellow with you who knew all about camping—and was cookee, too?"
"That Injun," Cloudman put in.
"He's a good deal of a frost," admitted Pudge. "He's lazy. Won't work any more than he can help. And his cooking!" The fat youth sighed, shaking his head mournfully. "I know I'm going to reduce all right if we stay on Storm Island. I do all the work and haven't had a square meal once since we landed." ”

“ He's the only one that's likely to have used the hatchet," Horace said grimly. "You know how these Indians look at things, Kingdon. To such fellows a rule is only made to break."
"I wonder," thought Kingdon, "if that isn't pretty nearly the attitude of everybody else?"
To tell the truth, he was puzzled. Joe Bootleg, Kirby, Pudge, even Horace Pence himself, was under suspicion in Rex's mind. As for Ben Comas, sour as the chap appeared, somehow Kingdon did not consider him in any way connected with the affairs of the sapling-lever or the bowlder that had rolled down the hill. ”

“ Canoes are all right in the sound when it's quiet; but to try to manage a canoe out here, with the surf running the way it does on this south shore of Storm Island, is craziness."
"Guess they know all that now," grunted Midkiff.
"True for you, Jawn. Stand by to give them a hand. Save the canoes if you can. I've got to run her in between the two, and you and Red will each have to handle one of the cockleshells."
"Cockleshells. Now you've said a bushel, Rex," Midkiff rejoined. "Those fellows ought to be at home sailing chips on a puddle." ”

“ Yansey himself went in for his club.
Yansey put more on the ball from the start than the deposed pitcher had possessed, beginning by striking out the home team in one, two, three order.
"Pence," Kingdon found time to say while the slaughter was proceeding, "do you think you can hold your own out there on the mound for five innings?"
"Give me a chance to try," requested the black-eyed chap.
"Will you work with me, and follow my signals?"
"If I cross you on signals, you can drop me."
"Good! No flashy stuff. Use all your speed only when you have to. A change of pace bothers most batters. ”

“ Rex told him about the Blackport Boat Club fellows and their boasting. "I'd dearly love to get hold of that old boat of theirs, train a bit, and see how bad they could trim us in a race."
"But you five fellows can't handle an eight-oared shell," the black-eyed youth said.
"No. But we five, with your four, could. Even Pudge would do as ballast. Have to work in Hicks as cox."
Pence stared and laughed shortly. "You're a queer fellow," he said. "Anybody'd think we were bosom friends of yours.'
"Bosom enemies," responded Kingdon. "What's the odds, enemies or friends? ”

“ The sail was hoisted. It filled, and the Spoondrift began to move. She was not a graceful craft, but she slid through the water rapidly. The painters of the canoes tautened and they hobbled along astern. Rex shortened the line of one so that they would not bump and damage each other. He steered the cat for the deep mooring place under the two arching trees below the encampment.
"They chose a pretty place to set up their tents," Peewee said, lying on his stomach and trailing dish after dish overboard to wash them. "Just as pretty places all along the shore here," Rex said. ”

“ But it's a fact you got me out of a pickle," acknowledged the freckled-face constable, putting away his billy.
"All's well that ends well," quoth Kingdon briskly. "If anybody asks you, you can tell 'em we've got two camps over here for reasons of our own. It's nobody's business as long as you are satisfied."
"Sure not. I know I'm right now," said the constable, nodding his head. "I heard Val Spear speak to you as though he knowed you well."
"Thank you so much!" cried Rex, seizing Enos by the hand and almost wringing his arm off with enthusiasm. ”

“ We'll show 'em!"
"They know there are only two of us, I guess," said Midkiff. "But don't you hate to show the white feather?"
"Too dark right now for anybody to see whether our plumage is white or some other color," chuckled Rex. "The race is not always to the swift or the battle to the strong."
"Huh!" grunted his friend. "Where's that fellow who downed you?"
"I downed him. But he's coming back to life again," Rex said, having gone back for another look at the dazed Indian boy to make sure. "Whew! He's strong, that chap. But he don't know much about using his fists. Here they come! Scoot!" ”