Rod of the Lone Patrol Part 33

"But we're afraid you won't like it," Rod declared.

"H'm, is that so? Must be pretty bad, then. Not goin' to steal chickens, are yez? I can't agree to that."

The boys gave a hearty laugh, and the captain smiled grimly. He was quite certain what the plan was which the scouts had in view.

"Oh, no, we wouldn't steal anything," Rod hastened to explain. "We want only honest money. This will be honest, but you don't like the way of earning it."

"How d'ye know that, young man? What makes ye wise so mighty sudden?"

"You have often said so yourself, sir. Haven't you told us that you didn't like collecting drift-logs? You always said it was beneath your dignity, didn't you?"

"Ho, ho, that's it," the captain roared. "Suppose I did say that, what's wrong about it?"

"Nothing, sir, nothing, only----"

"Only what?"

"That you wouldn't care for us to gather drift-logs, and sell them."

"Did I ever say anything about you?" the captain demanded.

"No, sir. But we thought----"

"Oh, so yez thought, eh? Well, then stop sich thinking and git to work. It's beneath my dignity to be pokin' around after logs, because I'm a sea-captain. But that has nothin' to do with you. It's beneath my dignity to go bare-footed, but it's all right fer you. It's beneath my dignity to go to school, but not fer you, see?"

"And you're quite willing to let us collect the logs?" Rod enquired.

He was all alert now and excited, as were also the rest of the scouts.

"Sure. Go ahead, and I'll keep an eye over yez."

"And may we have the tender?"

"Certainly. Yez couldn't do much without that. But be very careful, and don't git a duckin'. I don't want any accidents. Yer parents look to me to take care of yez, and I don't want to have any bad news to carry to yer homes."

Thus it came about that the boys began to gather logs that very afternoon. The captain sat upon the sh.o.r.e watching and giving advice.

Four of the scouts manned the tender. Two rowed, while Rod and Phil herded the logs together, which were then towed to the little cove and fastened to the sh.o.r.e. The rest of the boys rolled the stranded logs into the water, and then by means of poles floated them also into the cove. It was very exciting work, and the time came all too soon for them to go home. But before they left they counted how many they had, and found that there were one hundred and forty-five safely rounded up.

This was most encouraging, and their hearts were filled with joy at the success of their undertaking.

The captain had watched the boys with great interest. He was proud of the speedy and skilful manner in which they had performed the work. He knew that if he had a.s.sisted there would now be many more logs in the cove. But he could not afford to lose his dignity, oh, no, and he chuckled as he sat there for a few minutes after the scouts had gone home.

That evening when supper was over, the captain started out alone in the tender. He told his wife that it might be late before he got home, and for her not to worry. He knew where many logs were lying in coves and creeks unknown to the scouts. Hour after hour he patiently toiled, collecting these, and las.h.i.+ng them together with timber-dogs and ropes he had brought with him. It was long after dark when he at last took his raft in tow, and began to row for his own sh.o.r.e. The tide was favourable, so after a pull of over an hour he had the satisfaction of making them fast to a tree in front of the Anchorage.

Next morning the captain was in great spirits, and he chuckled so often over his breakfast that his wife's curiosity was aroused.

"What is it, Joshua?" she asked. "You seem to be greatly amused over something."

"Oh, it's only a little surprise fer the scouts," was the reply.

"Don't say a word, and I'll tell ye."

"But what about your dignity, Joshua?" Mrs. Britt laughingly enquired, when she had heard the story. "May I tell Whyn? She would be so pleased, poor girl."

"Sure, Betsey. But how is she this mornin'?"

"No better, I'm afraid. She is failing fast. She hasn't been able to see the scouts for some time, and you know what that means. She just lies there all day without saying hardly anything. She is so different from what she was when she first came here."

"But she still takes an interest in what the scouts are doin', does she not?"

"Oh, yes, in a way. But she cannot get up her old enthusiasm. The least excitement tires her. She is an angel, if ever there was one.

Mrs. Sinclair is coming this morning, so she wrote. She will be terribly disappointed in Whyn."

Often during the day the captain went to see if the logs he had gathered during the night were safe. Then before school was out, he took off all the tacklings, and scattered the logs along the sh.o.r.e, so that they had the appearance of having drifted there in the night. He kept a strict watch over them now lest they should get too far from the sh.o.r.e, and very glad was he when at last the scouts arrived.

They were surprised and delighted to find so many logs near at hand, and never for a moment did they suspect what the captain had done. It took them the rest of the afternoon getting the logs into the cove, and when this was accomplished, they stood upon the sh.o.r.e and gazed proudly upon their haul, as the captain termed it.

"Ye've done well, lads," he remarked, "fer ye must have nigh onto three hundred now. But yez should have a boom around them. If a gale springs up, there'll be trouble."

Acting upon this suggestion, and directed by the captain, the scouts spent another hour in encircling their logs with a stout boom, which they made secure to the sh.o.r.e.

"There, that's better," was the captain's comment, when this had been completed. "Yez'd better hurry home now, fer it's gittin' rather late."

As the boys were about to leave, a small tug came up the river, and swerved somewhat to the left. A man was standing in the wheel-house, watching those on sh.o.r.e. No word was spoken as the boat sped by, but a thoughtful expression appeared in Captain Josh's eyes as he stood and studied the tug for several minutes.

"I wonder what she's after," he mused, half aloud.

"Perhaps she's going up-river for logs," Rod suggested.

"Maybe she is, lad. But I was jist wondering whose logs she's after, that's all. I know that craft, so that's what makes me uneasy. If it's your logs she's after it'll be well to keep a sharp lookout to-night. Last spring quite a number of logs disappeared, and I know yez don't want to run any risk with yours."

The scouts were much excited now, and the idea of keeping watch appealed to their fancy. They all wanted to stay, but the captain told them to go home first and get permission from their parents.

"I'll keep a eye out," he told them, "until some of yez come back.

Ye'd better bring yer blankets along, so that the ones who are not on duty kin sleep. I guess ye'll find the floor of Headquarters quite soft before mornin'."

By the time the scouts returned it was nine o'clock. They found the captain on guard near the sh.o.r.e.

"Nothin' doin' yit," was his greeting. "But, then, it's too early.

The best thing fer yez to do is to take an hour each on watch. Put the youngest on first, and the older ones kin take from midnight. If anything of special interest turns up, let me know. I'll sleep with one ear open."

And thus the watch began. It was a novel experience for the scouts, and all were anxious for their turn to arrive. Every time the door opened and guard was relieved, all awoke, for they slept lightly, as the floor was not as soft as their own beds at home.

Phil had taken from twelve to one, and he was followed by Rod. It was a beautiful night, with the stars twinkling overhead. Not a ripple disturbed the surface of the river. Frogs croaked in the distance, and peculiar night sounds fell upon his ears. He sincerely hoped that something would happen during his watch, and as he sat upon a log among the bushes his eyes and ears were keenly alert.

Never before did an hour appear so tedious to Rod. When it seemed that he had been there long enough he pulled out the watch the captain had let the boys have for the night and, striking a match, saw that he had been on guard only half an hour. At times a drowsy feeling came over him, and he was forced to move about to keep from going to sleep at his post. He wondered if the other scouts had felt the same way.

He had just seated himself after a short walk, when a sound out on the river arrested his attention. At first he thought that he must be mistaken. But, no, he was sure now that he could hear the noise of a boat cutting through the water. This brought him to his feet, and he strained his eyes in an effort to see what it could be. And as he looked he beheld a dim object in the distance, which was growing more distinct. It was moving when he first saw it. Then it slowed down and seemed to be drifting. There was hardly a sound made now, and the watcher on the sh.o.r.e could tell that the boat was drawing closer to where the logs were lying. This looked serious, and he believed that it was there for no good purpose. He waited a few moments, however, to be sure. He did not wish to give a false alarm, and thus bring upon himself the ridicule of the other scouts.

The boat was now near enough for him to discern it quite plainly.

Presently it stopped and a small boat put off, and made straight for the logs. Rod hesitated no longer, but turning, sped swiftly along the sh.o.r.e and then up the path leading to the Anchorage. Reaching the house, he pounded upon the door, which was opened almost immediately by the captain.