CHAPTER XXVI.

THE SQUALL.

The little steamer soon afterward arrived at its dock, and the transfer to the large boat was speedily made. Then, in the eagerness to be first in the dining room and to satisfy the cravings of their appetites, which were already keen, Bob's lectures and the early discoverers were all forgotten.

Nor did Bob seem to grieve at the apparent disregard, though whether it was his hunger, or his unwillingness to hear the suggestion Ben had made as to the source of his information, which was the cause of it, he did not feel called upon to explain.

At all events, when the boys returned to the deck they were at peace among themselves and with all the world; and as Bob was careful not even to hint at the men who had sailed up the river centuries before this time, no occasion arose in which the explanation of Ben could be taken up again.

Apparently, in spite of the fact that the large steamer was moving against the current, there was no less speed displayed than on the voyage down the stream, for greater efforts were put forth. Bert solemnly called the attention of his companions to the fact, and with no less solemnity urged them to profit by the lesson that greater obstacles only called forth the greater powers of boats and men.

Doubtless his moral lesson was not duly appreciated, for the lads were in no mood for sermons. The constantly changing scene about them, the sweep of the great waters, and the saluting of passing vessels, occupied the most of their time and held their undivided attention.

It was late in the afternoon when at last they perceived Alexandria Bay in the distance, and knew that they had almost arrived at the end of their voyage.

"It looks as if we might have a storm, fellows," said Jock, pointing as he spoke to some heavy black clouds that could be seen in the distance.

"If it'll hold off till we get back to camp we shan't care," replied Bert, lightly.

They were all so eager to land now that they had no disposition to stop and consider even the threatenings of the storm-clouds.

"Hello! There's Ethan!" exclaimed Jock, as he obtained a glimpse of their boatman on the dock. "Perhaps he has his cat-boat with him. I'm sure I hope he has, for I don't want to row back to camp, especially if it's going to rain."

As soon as they landed, Ethan greeted them, and without waiting to listen to the story of their experiences in the Longue Seaut, he said quickly, "Git aboard my boat, every one o' ye. It's goin' to rain, an' I want to land ye afore it begins. Git yer skiff an' I'll take it in tow, an' we'll start right off."

Jock ran quickly to the place where his skiff had been left, and as he rowed around the corner of the dock to the cat-boat, Bert said, "Where's Ben? He'll have to get his canoe too."

But Ben at first could not be found, and the anger of Ethan waxed strong. "That pesky boy is always the one to bother us. Where do ye s'pose he is?"

"There! there he is!" exclaimed Bob, pointing as he spoke toward a canoe which could be seen out on the river.

The occupant could not be plainly seen, but after watching his movements for a moment they were all satisfied that it was indeed Ben, who, probably in his desire to paddle his own canoe, had slipped away unobserved, and was already well on his way back to camp.

Ethan uttered another exclamation of anger, but as he quickly bade the boys take their places on board his boat, there was no time lost in further investigations, and soon, with the skiff in tow, they were headed down the river. There was, however, but little air stirring, and soon the cat-boat was almost becalmed. The heavy clouds climbed higher and higher in the sky, but the waters of the river were almost as motionless as glass. The sail flapped idly against the mast, and the boat slowly drifted with the current.

Ethan did not speak now, but his evident air of alarm speedily communicated itself to his companions. They glanced nervously at one another, and then at the great black mass which was almost directly over their heads.

"Don't you think we'd better take the oars, Ethan?" suggested Jock.

Ethan shook his head, but made no other reply. A streak of light gray in the dense blackness of the clouds could now be seen, and as the boatman discovered it, he said, "Take in the sail, boys. It'll be--"

But Ethan did not complete the sentence, for suddenly the deluge was upon them. In a moment the wind began to blow, and like a startled horse the boat suddenly seemed to leap forward. A roaring sound filled the air, and the trees along the distant shore bent and swayed and tossed their branches wildly, as if they, too, shared in the alarm. The river was quickly covered with white-caps, and the rail of the cat-boat was almost beneath the water.

"Here! here!" shouted Ethan suddenly, endeavoring to make his voice heard above the noise of the storm. "Two of ye hold the tiller while I take in the sail."

Bob and Jock sprang to do his bidding, but their combined strength was hardly sufficient to hold the boat to its course. Ethan worked his way slowly toward the mast, and after a hard struggle succeeded in lowering the sail, a part of which dragged in the water before he could draw it on board.

At last, succeeding in a measure in his efforts, he returned to his place in the stern and resumed his labors with the tiller. The fury of the storm had now increased. All on board were soon drenched; but they did not mind the wetting, for a great fear was in their hearts. The roar of the wind was like that of a railway train under full speed. Even the outlines of the shores could not now be seen. Under bare poles the boat sped swiftly forward. Once or twice they caught a glimpse of other luckless men caught as they were in the squall, but they were speedily lost to sight, and the cat-boat darted ahead with ever-increasing speed.

Suddenly Jock discovered that it was no longer rain which was falling upon them, but hail; and even while he looked up in astonishment, the hailstones seemed to increase in size. As they struck the Boys in the face or upon the head they produced a sharp pain, and every one speedily covered his face with his cap and drew his coat up more tightly about his neck.

"Go into the cabin, every one o' ye!" shouted Ethan; but his voice was drowned by the storm, and no one heard or heeded his cry of warning.

On and on plunged the boat, higher and higher rose the tossing waves, stronger and stronger became the force of the pelting hailstones. In spite of their fear the boys all looked up as they heard a sudden sound of breaking branches and snapping trees. Just before them through the blinding storm they could see a shore and tossing waters as they fell in waves upon the rocks. A great tree had just fallen, and the sound of the crash it made as it fell upon the smaller trees about it increased the terror in the boat. They were not more than twenty yards distant now, and it seemed as if no power on earth could save them from being dashed upon the projecting rocks. A great mass of earth had been torn up by the roots of the tree which had fallen, and they could see the wall it presented.

Nearer and nearer to the shore sped the swift-flying cat-boat. The boys relaxed their hold upon their caps and coats, and grasped the sides of the boat as they waited for the crash which threatened. Ethan was struggling desperately with the tiller, and doing his utmost to keep his boat away from the rocks, but his efforts were like those of a little child. No one spoke, but the terror each felt was known by all.

Then came a moment of breathless suspense; a low cry escaped the lips of Jock. The boatman rose and threw himself bodily against the tiller, striving by one last desperate effort to keep his boat off the rocks. There was a grating sound from the keel, and then in a moment they swept past the dangerous point and were out in the river again. They had been so close to the rocky shore that they almost could have leaped upon it, but if any one had had it in mind to make the foolhardy attempt, the opportunity was gone before he could use it.

The sense of relief which came at the escape in nowise prevented the boys from knowing that the fury of the squall had not yet spent itself. They could see piles of hailstones on board the boat, and some of them seemed to be almost as large as small eggs. They were pelted upon the head and about the body, and there was no escape or relief. The wind still roared, the seething waters tossed and rose about them, the boat lurched and pitched, and yet all the time was driven swiftly forward under the terrific force of the gale. Other perils might lie before them, and with the thought the boys all peered eagerly ahead, though they could see but a short distance through the blinding storm.

Suddenly a lull came, and as the boys glanced up they could see a broad streak of light in the western sky. The black clouds were scurrying overhead, and the sound of the thunder seemed to be a little farther away. Swiftly as the storm had approached, with almost as great swiftness it departed. The flashes of the vivid lightning could still be seen, but they were farther down the river. The outlines of the distant shores became more and more distinct, and almost before the boys were aware of what was occurring, the blaze of the sun broke through, and the wind and the storm subsided.

"We're all right now," said Ethan; and with a sigh of relief the boys turned to look at him.

"Them squalls," explained the boatman, "are mighty sudden. Ye never know when to expect 'em, or jest what to do when they come. Now, ye see why I told ye not to go far from camp with yer canoes."

The mention of the canoes instantly recalled their thoughts to the missing Ben. He had recklessly ventured forth in his, and doubtless had been caught in the same storm which had so suddenly swept down upon them.

For a moment no one spoke, and then Jock said tremblingly, "You don't suppose anything has happened to Ben, do you, Ethan?"

"No knowin'. Mebbe he ran in to some island when the squall broke."

It was evident, however, that the boatman was no less troubled than they by the thoughts of the absent Ben; but he at once placed the tiller in the hands of the boys and went forward to hoist his sail once more.

The wind had subsided now, and the boisterous waves were rapidly resuming their former state of calm. It was the first experience the boys had had in the sudden squalls which are wont to swoop down upon the St. Lawrence, and ofttimes bring sorrow and destruction in their wake. Ordinarily they subside as rapidly as they rise, and the present instance proved to be no exception to the rule. The river was soon calm, the low sun was shining clear and strong, and only a gentle breeze ruffled the waters that only a brief time before were tossing like the waves of an angry sea.

Steadily the cat-boat kept on its way, and as it had not been driven very far out of its course, not a long time had elapsed before the party was landed at the dock in front of their camp.

But what a sight met their eyes there! Neither of the tents could be seen, and directly across the path which led down to the shore, a huge tree had fallen. Broken branches strewed the ground, and the signs of the fierceness of the gale were apparent on every side.

Slight heed was given to any of these things, however, so alarmed were the boys over the safety of their missing companion. Poor Ben! Was ever a more luckless mortal born into this world? He was ever the one to meet with mishaps, if mishaps befell; but his peril in the present instance far exceeded all he had experienced before.

"Now, boys," said Ethan, "you'd better take the skiff and row back up the river. You may find Ben somewhere, and he may need ye, too. While you're gone I'll see where the tents have been blown to and try to set things to rights again."

Without waiting to reply, the three boys quickly freed the skiff which the cat-boat had been towing, and Jock and Bob, each taking a pair of oars, began to row swiftly over the river. They had no definite idea as to just where it was best to go, but they kept on their way back toward Alexandria Bay, hoping that somewhere they would discover Ben paddling to meet them in his canoe. Their strongest hope was that he had landed somewhere before the storm broke, and now that it was gone, would be on his way back to the camp.

They had been gone about a quarter of an hour, when Bert, who was seated in the stern, exclaimed, "There's a canoe up ahead, fellows, but there's no one in it."

His companions stopped rowing for a moment and glanced eagerly behind them. Then with redoubled speed they began to move toward the drifting canoe. Soon they had overhauled it, and a low cry escaped Jock's lips when he recognized it at once as the one which had belonged to the missing Ben.