Louis Arundel

“ Think we’ll make it today, commodore?”
“I’m afraid not,” replied Jack. “In the first place it looks dubious over yonder, as though we might get one of these famous Lake Superior storms you read about. If that drops in on us, we wouldn’t like to be caught out on the open, you know, George.”
“Well, excuse me, if you please,” returned the other, with a shrug of his shoulders that spoke louder than his words. “Storms and my speed boat don’t seem to agree very well. When one comes hustling along I prefer to be behind some sort of shelter, where I can laugh at the wind and the waves. ”

“ But Jack knew that this time the fat boy spoke the truth. When people are wet and shivering things are apt to look gloomy enough; but once warm them up, and let them eat a hot meal, and somehow a rosy tinge begins to paint the picture.
They knew just how to go about the matter; and those wonderful German Juwel kerosene gas stoves filled the bill to a dot; as Nick declared, after the delightful aroma of boiling coffee had begun to reach his eager nostrils. ”

“ By now the Big Lake looked like a lookingglass, so still had the waves become. A haze prevented them from seeing any great distance away—one of those mid-summer atmospheric happenings that are apt to develop at any time when the weather is exceedingly warm.
Evening came at last, and they sat as usual around the camp fire, having enjoyed the meal Josh and his willing assistants, Jimmie and Nick, had placed before them. Everything looked favorable for getting off in the morning; and should the lake remain calm Jack believed they might be able to make the Soo by another night. ”

“ But everybody guessed that the greatest attraction which all Chicago could boast for the deserters would be found within the borders of Oak Park, and under the roof of the banker, Mr. Roland Andrews.
And so the great cruise had finally come to an end. Looking back the boys found no reason to regret their course. True, there might be a number of incidents that would stand out for a long time with a bit of harshness; but time mellows all such things; and even Buster would laugh just as heartily as any of his chums when his adventure with the bull, or the pretty Canada pussy-cat, were mentioned. ”

“ Think up some other way, won’t you, please, Jack? Don’t listen to George. He’s got it in for me because I gave him so much bother on that Mississippi cruise. I want you to fix it up, Jack. You’ll know how.”
Jack still looked very grave.
“Well, you understand that in a case of this kind only desperate remedies will do, Buster?” he began.
“Yes, yes, I know;” whimpered the other, “and I’m willing to do anything you say, Jack; but don’t leave me here over in a Canadian wilderness. It ain’t human, that’s what!” ”

“ Nick was forever talking about the lovely roses in the cheeks of Miss Sallie.
“You didn’t play fair, Jack,” he complained. “When you saw how anxious I was to get up, why didn’t you pretend to have a cramp, or something, to detain the boat. I didn’t even get introduced. She don’t know what my name is. It’s mean, that’s what I think.”
Jack knew that Buster would never be happy unless he had some cause for grumbling. It was usually all put on, though, for naturally the fat boy was a good-natured, easy-going fellow, ready to accommodate any one of his chums to the utmost. ”

“ Josh held up both hands in despair, though he said not a word. There are times when silence is much more suggestive than any flow of language; and every one understood.
An hour or so later, before half-past two, they were on the little beach, talking with a couple of wiry-looking men, who claimed to be sons of the famous old guide of the rapids, John Boucher, who died a few years ago, after having carried thousands and thousands of summer tourists in his canoe through those swirling rapids, without ever a disaster. ”

“ In about ten minutes they came out of a grove of trees, and before them lay the great lake called Huron. Although it was something of a cove in which a campfire was burning, beyond, as far as the eye could reach, stretched a vast expanse of water, glittering in the westering sun, for it was late in the afternoon at the time.
Three natty little motor boats were anchored in the broad cove, back of a jutting tongue of land that would afford them shelter should a blow spring up during the night from the northeast, something hardly probable during early August. ”

“ An hour later, and Jack saw that his worst fears were realized.
“Wind’s getting around fast now, fellows,” he announced.
“It sure is,” Herb admitted; for he had been noticing the increased roughness of the water for a little while back.
“What must we do, Jack?” asked George, with set teeth, and that look of determination in his eyes that stood for so much.
“Hold out as long as we can,” came the reply in a steady voice. “Then, when the danger of our being dashed against the rocks grows too great, we’ll just have to up-anchor, and start our engines to moving. ”

“ Josh thought it necessary to remark.
“Besides, you are going to have your share of the work, and along a line you always like,” Jack went on; “for while we’re gone, it shall be your duty to make a new brew of coffee, fill Joe here cram up with all he can eat, and have something ready for Clarence when we bring him back. So you see, Buster, your duty is as important as any of ours. Every one in their particular line. You can’t fight as well as Jimmie here; but you do know how to provide against starvation.” ”

“ Seems like a pity a fellow can’t just sit up on the limb of a tree to wave good-bye to a pretty girl without some envious rival putting up a game on him. Who did it? I dare him to tell!”
“Rats! you’re away off your base, Buster!” cried George.
“Quit raising the lake that way, can’t you?” complained Josh. “Want to flood us out of our camp, do you?”
“Buster, nobody was near you when you fell,” said Jack. “I don’t think there was one of us within ten feet of the tree. And besides, you were up out of reach. You let go both hands and slipped. It was your own fault. ”

“ And the rain certainly did descend in a deluge for a short time. They had all they could do to prevent the boats from being half swamped, such was the tremendous violence with which the torrent was hurled against them by the howling wind.
But after all, it was only a summer squall. In less than half an hour the sun peeped out, as if smiling over the deluge of tears. ”

“ In summer at any rate, storms can develop with suddenness on the big lakes, and a squall start to blowing without warning. Hence they had adopted as a motto, the slogan of the Boy Scouts: “Be Prepared!”
George called out to the skipper of the Tramp, and pointed ahead, where, several miles to the north could be seen the dim shape of the big power boat, rapidly covering the distance that intervened between the cove and charming Mackinac Island.
“They’ll be at Mackinac tonight, all right, Jack!” shouted George, who led the little procession in his speed boat. ”

“ I’m a duck in the water, you know, and I guess I helped Clarence get ashore. He said I did, anyway. And there we was, far away from everything, with not one bite to eat, or even a gun to defend ourselves against wild animals.”
“Wow! that was tough!” admitted Nick, sympathetically; as he remembered his own exploit when the Canada lynx invaded the camp, and how useful the shotgun proved on that occasion.
“But it wasn’t the worst, fellers! There’s more acomin’!” Joe went on, shaking his head solemnly.
“My gracious! did wild animals get poor old Clarence after all?” George asked. ”

“ I guess there’s no real danger,” said Jack, quickly; “but you know my way of being cautious. An ounce of prevention, they say, George, is better than a pound of cure. We insure our boats against explosion and loss; why not do the same about our chances for a jolly good time?”
“Right you are, Jack. That’s a long head you carry on your shoulders,” admitted the skipper of the speed craft. “But there they come. I can see the boat, and the white dresses of the girls. She is a little angel, Jack, and seriously I don’t blame you for wanting to see more of Miss Rita Andrews ”

“ Jack turned to his chums.
“It’s up to us, boys,” he said soberly. “Clarence [214] has never been one of us; but he belongs to our school. We’d never forgive ourselves if we went back to the Soo tomorrow, and left him in the hands of these scoundrels. Do you agree with me?”
“That’s right, Jack!” sang out George.
“Sure we would be cold-blooded to think of it,” Josh declared.
“Them’s my sentiments,” Herb spoke up; and both Nick and Jimmie nodded their heads violently, to prove that they were in no way behind their comrades in wishing to do a good deed toward one who had long been an open enemy. ”

“ Then Bedlam broke loose.
“Sit still, all of you!” cried Jack, as he saw a movement on the part of his chums to get up; “you’ll upset the canoe yet, if you try that. Wait till we reach the shore, and you’ll know about it. The man has fainted, that’s all; and I had to take his place.”
“But he was all right when we started, for I looked around and saw him,” declared Herb.
“That’s true,” Jack answered. “He keeled over just before we got to the whirlpool, and as he dropped his paddle right beside me, all I had to do was to dip it in, and exert myself a little.” ”

“ George went on; “only this time he happened to be at the other end of the gun. Buster has covered [141] himself with immortal glory. We all must knuckle down to him after this as the great Nimrod; for he has just slain the Jabberwock. Looky here, Jack; what d’ye call that?”
“Well, I declare, a big Canada lynx!” cried the newcomer, recognizing the dead beast as soon as he saw its queer tasseled ears, and its ferocious whiskers. ”

“ At eight they were all ready to leave the snug harbor that had opened so opportunely for the storm threatened crew of the Flash.
Clarence had charts also, and doubtless studied them eagerly when he had an opportunity to go aboard his boat again. For although this was only a friendly race, he always threw himself into whatever he did with a vim, heart and soul, that made defeat all the more bitter, should it come.
Of course Jack, deep down in his heart, knew [154] full well that this was only a temporary truce in the warfare that had always existed between himself and Clarence. ”

“ I forgot!”
“Yes, I should think you did forget Sallie,” jeered Herb. “If you got out of her class she’d never forgive you, Buster. Besides, perhaps she wouldn’t even see you if you wasted away to a shadow. Better leave well enough alone, and enjoy the good things of life.”
“Here we go now; they’re heading straight out on to the river!” cried Josh, as he nervously clutched the side of the big canoe near him; for they were seated two and two, with Jack just behind and George in front, as the boat narrowed. ”

“ George continued, wickedly. “No doubt the little darlings are about embarking on the return trip to the Mermaid. Now, if the wind would only suddenly swoop along, perhaps a boat might be upset. But Jack, with your clothes on, you’d have a tough time swimming out there and saving Rita’s life, like you did her bonnet.” ”

“ He begged us to find you, to tell you all this; and that if you would only come back to forgive him, he would die happy. Won’t you do that, Andy? Once he goes, the chance can never come to you again; and you’re bound to feel mighty sorry as the years go by.”
Nick nudged George, and whispered.
“Did you ever hear the beat of that, George? Ain’t our Jack the born lawyer though? He ought to be in your dad’s office, studying for the bar, that’s what.”
“Hold your horses, Buster!” answered the one addressed, eagerly waiting to see what effect Jack’s logic might have upon Andy. ”

“ I’ll be waiting for you with a pair of short scissors I happen to have along with me; for you see I’ve just got to cut all your hair off!”
“Oh! what a guy I’ll be, Jack,” moaned poor Nick. “I’ll sure never hear the last of this thing.”
“Think of us!” said George, sternly, “how we must remember it for days and days. You’re getting off dirt cheap, Buster, let me tell you. I’ve heard of fellows who had to live like hermits in the woods for weeks.”
“Now get busy,” observed Jack. “The boys will be rooting out your bag, and I’ll fetch what clothes we can gather to you. ”

“ It was a little motor boat, wallowing in the rising sea, and doomed to certain destruction unless able to make shelter immediately. And with the waves dashing wildly against the rocks, those aboard would never see the small opening through which the motor boat boys had come to their present snug harbor!
“It’s the Flash!” shouted Jack; “and unless we manage to show them the way in, it’s good-bye to Clarence and Bully Joe! We must do it, fellows. Come on!” ”

“ Jack sang out.
“Everything moving smoothly over here so far,” came the reply.
“And you, Herb?” continued the commodore of the fleet.
“No fault to find, only it’s hard work; and I hope we don’t have to keep it up all day,” replied the skipper of the Comfort.
“I don’t think that is going to happen,” Jack observed. “Seems to me the wind is dying down. When that happens, the waves must gradually grow smaller. Perhaps by afternoon we may be able to proceed, and hunt for a harbor farther along.”
“Well, now,” George remarked. “I wouldn’t be sorry any, let me tell you, fellows. ”

“ An equal division is my rule always. And if some one chooses to decline a portion of his prog; and my appetite is not satisfied, what harm in commandeering the remains?”
“Oh! you’re all right, Pudding; George is only tapping you as he does us all, when he gets the chance,” Herb said.
“Well, I take my punishment decently, when my turn comes, don’t I?” demanded George, as he received a generous portion of a delicious white fish, which had been rolled in egg, and cracker crumbs, and then cooked and browned in the grease from some salt pork placed in hot pans until it fried out. ”

“ Nick’s eyes finally alighted on the repeating gun which Jack had leaned against a tree at a point where it would be out of harm’s way. Now, Nick himself had seldom fired a gun, though ambitious to become a sportsman; because, as he wisely observed, “if I happened to be left in the woods some time, think I want to starve to death, with a gun in my hands, and plenty of fat game all around me? Not much!”
And in that spirit he had picked up the Marlin; bringing it to his shoulder in a clumsy way, time after time, in order to get accustomed to the movement. ”

“ I hope it won’t do the same!” exclaimed Jimmie, who overheard the remark, and was filled with dismay as he surveyed the wild scene that stretched away off toward the southern horizon.
“Can’t we manage somehow to cook something warm?” asked George.
“Yes, that’s it,” immediately echoed Nick, beginning to bustle around in the steady old Comfort. “We’ll all feel so much better if we have breakfast. Nothing like a full stomach to put bravery in a fellow, I tell you.”
“Oh! how brave you must feel all the time, then!” observed Josh, sarcastically. ”