Comrades on River and Lake Part 13

"This is Crown Point on our left and Chimney Point on our right," said Bert. "I came up here once in a small sail boat. I think this will be a fine place to camp to-night."

The boys agreeing, they pitched their tents on the Crown Point side and began to prepare the evening meal. While they were at work, they heard voices nearby and looked up to see two strange-looking men approaching along the sh.o.r.e of the lake. It was rapidly growing dusk, and the features of the strangers could not be distinguished. They had apparently not seen the boys, for they were discussing something in low tones.

Then one of the men placed a finger to his lips and the talking ceased.

They were looking straight toward the camp, the fire having attracted their attention. The next instant both men were off like the wind, cras.h.i.+ng through the under-brush and after a moment the darkness swallowed them up.

The boys stood with open mouths staring after them.

"Well, what do you make of that?" asked Bert.

"Don't know what to make of it," said Chot. "But I know one thing-there's something suspicious going on around here."

And the others agreed.

CHAPTER X-A SURPRISE IN THE DARK

"Hope we don't run into any counterfeiters," said Pod. "I've heard that such people frequented lonely spots on the lake sh.o.r.e."

"I'm afraid they are criminals of some sort," said Chot. "Otherwise they would not be afraid of a bunch of young fellows like us."

"Wonder where they went?"

"They started north, but may be going west or south by this time."

They continued to discuss the strange incident during the meal. The thought that suspicious characters might be in the neighborhood did not disturb their appet.i.tes, however, and when at last they arose from their improvised lunch table, not a vestige of food remained.

Fleet, as usual, had carried on the brunt of the eating, and he grunted uncomfortably as he arose and signified his intention of going to bed.

"Don't go to bed on a full stomach," advised Chot.

"I'm not; I'm going to bed on my back."

"Oh, pshaw! I cracked that one myself," said Pod.

"No; not that one."

"Well, one just like it."

"I didn't hear it," said Fleet.

"Yes, you did hear it, and you've got to stop telling my jokes and palming them off for new ones."

"Everyone knows that's not new. I read that in one of the comic papers when I was a little boy."

"You're not much more than that now," sniffed Pod.

"Go ahead," said Fleet, good-naturedly. "You can't make me mad after a meal like that."

"Stop quarreling, you fellows," said Chot. "I read that joke myself three years ago."

"You see!" said Fleet, triumphantly.

"No, I don't see," said Pod. "The first time I ever heard it was when I cracked it."

"Say, fellows, let's have a few songs," suggested Bert.

"What! on a full stomach," protested Fleet.

"Not on a full stomach-on a bunch of notes," said Pod, and burst into a roar of laughter. "Ha, ha ha! Got you that time, all right. You steal my joke from me, then I give it back to you with interest."

"I don't see the point," said Fleet.

"No; but you'll feel it if you sit down on that snake, there."

"Wow!" cried Fleet, who was nearly in a sitting posture. He sprang into the air with more speed than grace. "Snake!" he cried looking about him.

"Where's any snake?"

"In your boots," said Pod, and again the laugh was on Fleet.

Then the boys hummed a few airs to get in tune with each other, and finally broke forth with a volume of song that rolled out across the water and probably carried to the other sh.o.r.e, for sound carries well on a still night:

Here's to good old Winton, drink her down, Drink her down!

Oh, here's to good old Winton, drink her down!

She is merry, she's sublime, We are here from every clime, And we're having a good time, Drink her down!

Fleet had an excellent ba.s.s voice, and the boys followed the usual custom of singing the song down to the three lines which rhyme. Then they would pause and Fleet would come in with some new lines out of his inexhaustible supply, and the other boys would join in again on the last "Drink her down!" For instance:

Here's to good old Winton, drink her down, Drink her down!

Oh, here's to good old Winton, drink her down!

Then Fleet alone:

We are on a trip, you know, But we're moving mighty slow, Get up, boys, let 'er go--

Then all together:

Drink her down!

This was kept up indefinitely, for Fleet would improvise rhymes for his three lines as long as the boys cared to sing. These rhymes were not always sensible, but were often very funny, and it was in the hope that he would sing the funny ones, that the boys encouraged him.

After the "Winton" song, the boys drifted off into "Old Folks At Home,"

"Old Black Joe," "Nellie Gray," and several other old melodies, and when the last note had died away over the lake, there was a pause. Then from Fleet:

Jim-uh Jackson was a great-uh big-uh fat c.o.o.n!