Frederick Gordon

“ Sammy and his chums walked together, and, every now and then, Sammy would look up at the sky.
"What are you planning now?" asked Bob, giving Sammy a sly punch in the ribs. "Studying how to make an airship?" and he winked at Frank.
"Aw, let me alone," begged Sammy. "Can't I look at the weather if I want to?"
"Sure," agreed Bob. "But what makes you so serious about it?"
"I'm thinking it's going to snow," answered Sammy, "and I'm going to get out my sled, when I go home, to be ready for it. I've got to get the rust off the runners."
"Snow!" cried Frank. "It won't snow to-day." ”

“ Now I'm going to make you a nice hot cup of tea. Will you boys have something to eat?" she asked.
Sammy and his chums looked at one another and their faces got rather red.
"If—if you please," said Sammy, "I'm not allowed to have strong tea."
"Me either!" added Frank and Bob.
"Bless your hearts! I didn't mean tea!" laughed Mrs. Handee. "It is not good for growing boys, unless it's very, very weak, and then it isn't tea. I meant to give you some bread and jam. Do you think you could eat it?" ”

“ Before the boys could defend themselves, or make a stand, the furious old man rushed at them. With extended hands he pushed Bob over the cliff into the deep bank of snow below.
"Look out!" yelled Frank, as he saw his chum disappear.
"Hey! What are you doing that for?" demanded Sammy.
"I'll show you! I'll teach you to follow me!" snarled the old hermit. "Down you go! All of you!"
He pushed Frank over the cliff also, the boy struggling to keep his balance. But over he went, head first.
"Don't you dare touch me!" cried Sammy, getting ready to defend himself. ”

“ Of course there is!" insisted Sammy. "Did you ever know of a hermit where there wasn't treasure? That's what hermits are for—to guard a treasure."
"Well, maybe," said Bob, slowly. "Anyhow if there was treasure on the island, I wouldn't want to hunt for it if that terrible old man was guarding it."
"I would," spoke Sammy, bravely. "Maybe he doesn't look so scary by daytime. I'm coming up again."
"I'm not!" exclaimed Bob. But none of the boys knew how soon they would again visit Pine Island, nor what strange adventures they would have there. ”

“ HELPING THE HERMIT
Mr. Jessup, with his dog floundering in the snow ahead of him, came toward the boys, who were still stuck in the snowbank, though slowly getting out of it.
"What's the matter?" cried the hunter. "What happened to you? You ought not to go in a place like that!"
"We couldn't help it!" exclaimed Sammy, with a laugh. "We were pushed in!"
"Pushed in?" exclaimed Mr. Jessup. "What in the world do you mean, Sammy?"
"Help us out, and we'll tell you," suggested Frank. "We're tired out trying to wade through the deep snow."
"I guess that's right," admitted Mr. Jessup. ”

“ You're always on the lookout for something odd."
Sammy was a little put out by the attention he had drawn to himself. But for all of that, he was not going to back down.
"Well," he said, "I only thought that if queer things had been going on around your camp, Mr. Jessup, maybe the person who had been taking your things would be hiding in here."
"So you're sure it's a person, and not a ghost; eh?" asked the hunter, with a smile.
"I don't believe in ghosts," delared Sammy.
"Good boy! Neither do I. But I'm sorry I can't agree with you that the mystery is in this old mansion." ”

“ But now, Uncle, the boiling spring is yours, and you needn't worry any more."
"How can it be hot water in the Winter time?" asked Bob.
"Well, that's one of the mysteries of Nature," said the former hermit. "I suppose the waters must come from deep down in the earth, and the wise men tell us that inside the earth are raging fires. I don't know about that, but I do know my medical spring will cure rheumatism. And I guess now, everything is explained."
"No, not everything," said Sammy quickly. ”

“ Jessup. "That's a human voice. Hello, there!" he cried. "Who are you? What do you want? Has anything happened? Answer!"
"Maybe it's the counterfeiters," whispered Sammy.
The dog was barking excitedly.
"Come here!" commanded Mr. Jessup, and then, as the groan sounded again, he went forward. Parting the bushes he looked ahead and cried out:
"Boys, it's Mr. Addison—the hermit, and he seems to have fallen and hurt himself! Come here and we'll help him!"
The three rushed forward. There on the ground, under the bushes, where there was no snow, lay the old man. ”

“ They went on for half a mile, when Bob, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped, and called out:
"There's somebody moving over there!"
"Over where?" asked Sammy.
"There," answered Bob, pointing to a clump of trees, at the foot of which was a bank of snow. "I just saw a man."
"Maybe it's Mr. Jessup," spoke Frank.
"I hope so," murmured Sammy. "I'd like to get after those men who live in the secret room."
And then, as the boys watched, the figure of an old man came out from a clump of bushes. ”

“ So Sammy tossed the three straps, fastened together as they were, to Jed, who caught them. The next moment, holding firmly to one end, Jed swung the other to Hank. Hank grasped it and carefully began to pull himself forward so he could reach the edge of the ice-boat. A very little help, from a person on a solid place, will allow a person in the water to lift himself up. The water buoys him, so to speak. You boys who have been in swimming know that if you keep low in the water you can support yourself by merely placing one finger on the edge of a pier or a boat. ”

“ To begin with, I think you already know my three heroes—Sammy Brown, Bob Bouncer and Frank Haven. Though I have named him last in this case, Frank was generally the leader in anything he and his two chums did. Bob and Sammy thought there was no one in the world like Frank.
Sammy was rather more quiet, and his mother said more thoughtful, but if this was so, it was only because Sammy was always thinking up something to do. He was quite a reader, and liked stories of mystery, and buried treasure. He was always sure that some day he would find a hidden store of gold, or make some big discovery. ”

“ A poor enough place it is, but he seems to like it. Since then, though we haven't met often, we have been better friends. I let him alone, and he lets me alone. He lives about a mile from here, in a lonesome place.
"What he is doing here I can't make out. Maybe he's here for his health. There are some folks, you know, who believe in getting off alone like that, and living as much out of doors as they can."
"I thought maybe he was the mystery," explained Sammy, "and that he had been taking your things." ”

“ Then, holding these sails in their hands, they would let the wind blow them over the ice. Thus they could skate without getting tired out.
Then there were sleighing parties, and coasting races on the big hill back of the schoolhouse. Sammy and his chums made themselves a bob, by fastening two low clipper sleds together with a long plank. It had a steering wheel, and a bell that sounded, as the bob went down hill, to warn everyone to get out of the way.
More snowball battles, and the building of snow houses and snow-men made up other fun for the boys and girls. ”

“ You don't s'pose they'd leave it around loose; do you?" asked Sammy. "They go out to spend it. That's probably where they are now. We'd better hurry and look around, and then we can go back to town and tell the police!"
Frank looked as though he did not quite agree with Sammy. It was often this way with the excitable small chap. He saw some things and imagined the rest. But in this case it was different. He had really discovered a secret room, and this was more than his chums had done. Perhaps, after all, he was right about the counterfeiters. ”

“ He's played so many mean ones on us."
"Now don't start anything," advised Frank, who was more quiet than either of his two chums. "If we begin, the blame will be on us. "We'll let Jed alone if he lets us."
"He doesn't seem to be going to do anything," added Sammy. "Maybe he's going to behave better this term."
"I hope so," returned Frank. "Well, let's go in. Doesn't our room look dandy, since they fixed it up after the fire?"
"I should say so!" cried Sammy. "And Miss Williams brought a fine lot of pictures for the walls. It's more like the parlor at home than a classroom." ”

“ The boys advanced farther into the room. A nearer view of the strange tubes, with the glass in the ends, showed the latter to be large and bulging, like the lens of a bull's-eye lantern, or an automobile lamp. ”

“ Jessup was going to be with us, and if he isn't, we ought to go home."
"I s'pose so," sighed Bob, "but it's mighty jolly here."
"Even with the old hermit, and the counterfeiters," spoke Frank.
"Oh, the old hermit never will bother us," declared Sammy. "And maybe the counterfeiters have been gone a long time."
"And maybe Mr. Jessup will send someone to stay with us, if he can't come back himself," went on Bob. "Then we could stay all right."
"Say, that would be fine!" cried Frank. "It may happen, too. We'll wait a bit about going back." ”

“ For a moment the three chums remained looking after him. Then, as he noted the direction taken by the miser, Frank said anxiously:
"He's going toward the police station. Maybe he will have us arrested."
"He can't have you two taken in," said Bob. "I'm the only one that knocked him down."
"Huh! S'pose we'd let you stand it all?" demanded Sammy. "We'll all stick together. But come on. There's no use waiting for trouble. If he does make a complaint let the officer find us. I'm going home and ask my mother if I can go to Pine Island." ”

“ And his chums felt the same way.
"Well, anyhow, we're here!" exclaimed Sammy, a little later, while they sat about a campfire in front of the cabin, and ate the meal which Mr. Jessup got ready. "We're here, and we're going to have some fun!"
"That's what we are!" cried Frank. "What can we do first?"
"Well, I'm going to do a little hunting for rabbits this afternoon," said Mr. Jessup. "You boys can come along, if you like."
"Fine!" cried Sammy.
"I wish we had guns and could hunt," said Sammy.
"You're a bit too young for firearms," said the hunter. ”

“ Blake is sick," said Sammy, slowly, "but I guess we can manage without Mr. Jessup. We sure can get up a good meal. There's plenty of stuff."
"And we'll have roast pheasant and stewed rabbit!" cried Bob, who was fond of eating.
"No, we'd better leave them until Mr. Jessup gets back," suggested Frank. "I don't believe he'd like us to touch his game. He'll probably be back before it gets very late."
"And maybe he'll be hungry too," said Bob. "We'll cook enough to save him some."
"Then let's get right at it!" suggested Sammy. "Those counterfeiters will have to wait," and he laughed. ”

“ Room after room was deserted, the once gay wallpaper hanging in mouldy strips. Broken shutters flapped in the wind, and there was ruin on all sides. In some rooms were bits of broken furniture, and in others only heaps of rubbish. ”

“ Maybe they'll give us a ride."
The boys broke into a run, and soon saw that what Frank had said was true. It was an ice-boat—one built with runners, like big skates, and a sail, fixed on a mast, standing up in a platform—shaped like a triangle. The boat was skimming swiftly over the ice.
"Say, that's all right!" cried Sammy. "I'm going to make one of those!"
"There he goes again!" laughed Frank.
"Well, I am—you'll see!" went on Sammy. "Come closer, and we'll look how they're made. That seems to be a new kind."
The three chums went out on the ice toward the skimming boat. ”

“ Sammy, Bob and Frank, with the others, marched out. The little scene in which Jed, their former enemy, had taken part, had made them do some hard thinking. They were glad they had not been called on to stand up and apologize to the whole school.
Soon lessons were under way once more. Miss Williams gave a little talk to the pupils in her room, explaining the new work that was to be taken up that Fall and Winter.
"It will be harder than that which you had before the fire," she said, "but you know we have to go ahead in this world. It will not do to stand still. I will help you all I can. ”

“ I fancy the secret room must have been built by the man who put up the old mansion, for his own use."
"I think so," agreed Mr. Jessup. "He was a queer character anyhow. And to think I've been in and out of the old place so much, and never found the secret room!" ”

“ He has often asked me for food, and I have given it to him. Then again he has given me money to buy things for him when I go to the mainland. He isn't the thief, I'm sure."
"Maybe it's a bear—or some wild animal," suggested Bob.
"I wish it was!" exclaimed the hunter. "If it was maybe we could get it—Maybe and I. But there are no animal tracks, and anyhow the biggest beasts here on Pine Island now are foxes. No you'll have to guess again, boys."
"Well, it will give us something to look up," said Sammy. "We can solve that mystery, and the one about the hermit, too." ”

“ It seemed that he wanted to make up for his mean tricks in the past by showing that he could be a hero when he desired.
"Now I'll tell you how it was," went on the janitor.
"Yes, do," urged Mr. Tetlow. "We don't want it to happen again."
By this time the excitement had quieted down. There was no more smoke, and there was no smell of fire.
"I had started up the new heating boiler to try it," explained the janitor. "We didn't exactly need steam on today, though it is a bit cold, and it looks like snow. But I thought I'd try the new steam plant, so I built a fire in the boiler. ”

“ Jed Burr, I might say, was quite a different boy now. He no longer was a bully, tormenting those younger or weaker than himself. His suspension, and the apology he had had to make, seemed to have taken good effect on him. ”

“ They were Hearing the cabin of Camp Mystery, and Mr. Jessup was pointing out to the boys a trail that led from his place to the cabin of the hermit.
"But I wouldn't advise you to follow that trail after dark, unless you know it pretty well," he said.
"Why not?" asked Bob, always looking for reasons.
"Because that bog, that I told you about, is on both sides of the trail at certain places, and it's dangerous. I often wonder why old Mr. Addison built his cabin so near the bog. It's true there are some good springs of water near it, but I'd rather be on higher ground, and carry my water a way. ”