Chapter 25

JIM

The idea that he had been tricked by one of the gang he was hoping to run down seemed particularly humiliating, and during at least five minutes Jet stood silent and motionless gazing across the lake.

Then anger took the place of bewilderment, and he managed to say some very vigorous things which might have excited the ire of the gentleman who claimed to be such a skillful cook had he been there to hear.

Scolding doesn't as a rule, make any material difference in a fellow's situation, and this Jet came to understand when he was forced to cease from sheer lack of breath.

"What a fool I'm making of myself!" he exclaimed. "The idea of standing here raving when I ought to be trying to mend matters."

It was difficult, however, when he began to reflect, to decide upon his course.

Should he go toward the town in search of Jim, and also to hire another boat?

That would involve the loss of two days, during which time the officer for whom he had telegraphed might arrive, and, failing to find him, go down the lake on a wild goose chase.

To attempt to search for the men, alone and on foot, seemed the height of folly, and while he stood near the water's edge deliberating upon the question of whether he could replenish his stock of provisions without paying a visit to the settlement, the rustling of the bushes proclaimed an arrival.

Jet looked around, half expecting to see his seedy friend of the previous evening come back to tell him it was all a joke, when the small guide Jim stepped into view.

He was evidently in the best of spirits, and gazed at Jet as if wondering why he was not welcomed more warmly.

"I've made two dollars, though I ain't got 'em yet, since I've been gone," he said, as he threw on the ground in front of the shanty a well-filled bag, "an' now there's as much grub in camp as will last us for a month, providin' we do a little cookin'."

"What made you stay so long?"

"Why, you see, it was to earn the two dollars I was tellin' about. I met a feller the other side of the carry what was askin' if I'd seen two men 'round here fishin', an' we had a real sociable talk----"

"Was that when you were going up to the village?" Jet interrupted.

"Of course."

"And the fellow had black whiskers on his chin, and said he was a guide and cook."

"That's the very one. Have you seen him?"

"I will tell you after your story is finished."

"Well we had a right nice time together. I gave him part of my lunch, an' then he wanted me to come back with him; but I told him I'd got to get to the telegraph office----"

"Did you let him know what you were going there for?" Jet asked, excitedly.

"Of course not, though he tried mighty hard to find out. He was lookin' for a party what's coming through the carry in a day or two, an' has got a job with 'em at four dollars a day. He said they was over to Pine Pond, an' promised to give me two dollars, if I'd see if I could find 'em."

"Why didn't he go?" Jet asked, in a peculiar tone.

"'Cause he didn't know the way."

"Funny kind of a guide not to be better acquainted than a boy who never attempted anything of the kind."

"Well, you see, the most of his work has been done 'round Raquette Lake way."

"So you went over to the pond for him?"

"Yes, it wouldn't take me so very much longer, an' it was earnin' two dollars mighty easy."

"But what about the telegram?"

"Oh, that's all right. He offered to carry it to the village for me, an' to pay the charges out of his own pocket, though it was to be taken from what he owed me when I got back."

"And you gave it to him?" Jet asked, his face growing very pale.

"Yes, it would get there jest the same, an' I'd be helpin' buy the grub," Jim replied, in a matter-of-fact tone, wholly unconscious of the black looks Jet was bestowing upon him. "I couldn't find anybody 'round the pond, an' I reckon the party must have come that very day, for when I got back to the village the man wasn't there; but I'll have the money when he finishes the job."

"Did you ask the telegraph operator if the message had been sent?"

"No; what was the use of that so long as he'd promised to fix everything? But say," Jim cried, suddenly, as he looked toward the water's edge, "where's the boat?"

"Your friend, the Raquette Lake guide borrowed her this morning."

"So he's been here, eh? Did he say anything about meetin' me?"

"Not a word," Jet replied, grimly. "I guess he was too busy getting ready to leave, for he had to pack all our provisions, my gun and the other things which were lying around into the boat."

"What do you mean?" Jim cried, as he gazed about him and failed to see any of their outfit.

"I reckon he's gone to Raquette Lake with the two fellows who were camping over on the point."

"Have they skipped?" and now Jim's eyes were opened very wide.

"Went yesterday morning bag and baggage."

"What'll we do when the officer comes to arrest 'em?"

"See here, Jim, are you so stupid as not to know what has happened?"

"Why don't you tell me?" the guide screamed.

"Because you have been giving me the story. The very jolly fellow you met was a friend of the men I came here to watch; he talked with you long enough to find out that the telegram you were carrying concerned them in some way, and cooked up the yarn about Pine Pond, in order to get hold of it. Then he came down to hunt me, stole the things to prevent our following him, and skipped on to look for his pals."

Jim gazed at his friend with dilated eyes while this explanation was being made, and when Jet concluded, he said in a half-whisper:

"Then I'm to blame for all that has happened?"

"There's no question but you have been the means of informing those fellows what we are here for," was the gloomy reply.

"Do you know where they have gone?"

Jet told of his fruitless journey, and when he concluded, Jim said decidedly:

"They didn't go into the upper lake, if they want to keep out of sight. I'll bet they've landed on Dollar Island."

"Which is that?"

"The one nearest the outlet. It's a good place to camp, and from it they can keep track of everybody coming or going. Suppose that fellow who said he was a guide hasn't found 'em yet?"

"Well, what then?"

"We might catch him before the others find out about the telegram message."

"He has a boat, and we haven't."

"But he's bound to land somewhere, and I know of a trail down this side, which would take us to the outlet in short order. It isn't more'n two miles."

"Are you willing to go and take the chances? Remember if Bob and Sam have learned what we are here for it will likely be a case of life or death with us."

"See here, Dave, I've spoiled all your plans without meanin' to do wrong, an' now I'm ready to take any risks if things can be straightened out. You've got a revolver, eh?"

"Yes."

"Then let's see what can be done."

Jim was thoroughly excited now, and his determination to rectify the error put new life into Jet.

He sprang to his feet at once; reloaded his weapon lest the cartridges should have been dampened during the night in the woods, and while he was thus occupied Jim packed the provisions into a more convenient shape for carrying.

When all was ready, and but a few seconds had been spent in these preparations, Jim led the way to a well defined trail a hundred yards or so from the shore of the lake, saying as he did so:

"It's queer you didn't find this when you were lost."

"I shouldn't have noticed it if I'd come across it, because the most of the tramping was done after dark, and in the morning I thought only of finding the lake."

"We shall see it two or three times before coming to the outlet."

The boys walked at their best pace, Jet carrying Jim's gun, and the latter with the greater portion of the provisions slung over his shoulder.

At the end of a quarter of an hour the trail brought them to the edge of the lake, and they looked out over the water eagerly, but without seeing any signs of life.

Again their way wound through the woods, and when the journey was a trifle more than two-thirds finished they were within sight of the water once more.

"Unless that fellow has made straight for the upper lake, he ought to be 'round here somewhere, so we'd better not show ourselves," Jim suggested, as he crept cautiously down to the fringe of bushes bordering the banks.

The boys were now where they could see between the cluster of islands to the opposite shore, and after gazing for some time in silence, Jet said, as he pointed directly across the lake:

"Isn't that a line of smoke over there?"

"It is, an' I'll bet our man has made camp to watch for his chums. Let's go over!"

It seemed to be a sort of forlorn hope; but the chances were well worth taking in view of the possible result, and Jet replied:

"Go ahead; but we must keep a good watch of the shores in case that should not be the fellow we are searching for."

Jim hardly needed this caution. Since having done so much harm he was careful to a fault, and many times before reaching the outlet did he run to the edge of the wood to search with his eyes the borders of the lake.

Each time he reported that no one was in sight, and always concluded the information with the assurance:

"I'm certain the two men are on Dollar Island."

The outlet was reached and crossed at the expense of a wetting; but the boys thought nothing of that; it was too trifling a matter to be considered at such a time.

From this on there was no trail to follow, and Jim led the way as near the water's edge as possible.

Finally the moment came when they were so near the thin curl of blue smoke that the utmost care was necessary lest a noise should give token of their approach.

Jim crept through the bushes in the most approved manner of alleged Indian hunters, and when they had thus traveled a couple of hundred yards, he motioned for Jet to look as he parted the foliage in front of him.

There on the shore was the boat which had been stolen, and farther up, near a hastily constructed shelter of branches, sat the man who had promised to send the telegram for the small guide.