Project Gutenberg's Dick Kent at Half-Way House, by Milton Richards This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: Dick Kent at Half-Way House Author: Milton Richards Illustrator: Christian R. Schaare Release Date: April 24, 2016 [EBook #51848] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICK KENT AT HALF-WAY HOUSE *** Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Dick Kent at Half Way House “Dick,” he trembled, “What happen? You shoot this man—you—” (Page 174) “Dick,” he trembled, “What happen? You shoot this man —you—” (Page 174) DICK KENT AT HALF WAY HOUSE By MILTON RICHARDS Author of “Dick Kent With the Mounted Police,” “Dick Kent in the Far North,” “Dick Kent With the Eskimos,” “Dick Kent, Fur Trader,” “Dick Kent With the Malemute Mail,” “Dick Kent on Special Duty,” “Tom Blake’s Mysterious Adventure,” “The Valdmere Mystery,” etc. CHAPTER I Dinosaur’s Island II Two Visitors III Suspicion Grows IV The First Encounter V Dick Finds a Canoe VI A Bleak Prospect VII Breeds Don’t Count VIII A Human Gorilla IX Bows and Arrows X Toma’s Daring Plan XI A Canoe at Last XII The Meeting on the River XIII Half Way House XIV Charges and Counter-charges XV A Threatening Letter XVI A Midnight Raid XVII A Hidden Pit XVIII Take the Offensive XIX Troubles Come Fast Logo A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York Printed in U. S. A. BOYS of the ROYAL MOUNTED POLICE SERIES STORIES OF ADVENTURE IN THE NORTH WOODS FOR BOYS 12 TO 16 YEARS By MILTON RICHARDS DICK KENT WITH THE MOUNTED POLICE DICK KENT IN THE FAR NORTH DICK KENT WITH THE ESKIMOS DICK KENT, FUR TRADER DICK KENT WITH THE MALEMUTE MAIL DICK KENT ON SPECIAL DUTY DICK KENT AT HALF WAY HOUSE Copyright, 1929 By A. L. BURT COMPANY Printed in U. S. A. Contents PAGE 3 10 18 28 37 45 53 61 66 74 82 91 100 107 115 123 132 141 150 XX Toma Brings News XXI Frazer’s Ruse XXII Tension Tightens XXIII The Police Take Charge XXIV Near Frazer’s Cabin XXV Gathering up the Threads XXVI Frazer’s Confession XXVII Toma’s Scar XXVIII Leave-taking XXIX The River Pilot XXX Back from the Barracks XXXI He Who Laughs Last 3 4 158 167 176 183 191 199 205 214 222 231 243 253 DICK KENT AT HALF WAY HOUSE CHAPTER I. DINOSAUR’S ISLAND. Just before dusk, riding in on a slight swell, the canoe touched on the leeward side of the island. It was a wooded island, similar to a score of others that dotted that lake. There was little to differentiate it from its brothers except that in its very center the fir and balsam had graciously withdrawn to permit a huge shaft of solid rock to raise its head loftily and majestically skyward. The three young men who disembarked from the canoe, stood looking toward the shaft with something like eagerness in their eyes. Then one of them spoke: “There it is! The rock of the dinosaur!” Another of the trio, a stockily built boy with light blue eyes and sandy complexion, removed a battered felt hat that had been crammed down over his well-shaped head and ran his fingers through a mop of corn-colored hair. “Bones! Toma—bones!” The remaining member of the party, swarthy, dark, soft-footed, agile as a panther, grinned as he stooped down to tie the strings of one of his moccasins. “Mebbe this not right place after all,” he said. The first speaker turned swiftly at this and regarded the stooping figure. What had induced Toma to make that remark? The description that had been given them by Mr. Donald Frazer, factor at Half Way House, fitted this island exactly: an island in a lake of many islands, an island with a tall rock. Dick Kent remembered as well as if it had been only yesterday. “It’s three hundred miles northwest of here in a country of innumerable lakes,” the factor had directed them. “These lakes all drain into the Half Way River. They are all very close together, forming a sort of chain. Most of the lakes are dotted with a few 5 6 7 islands, but there is one lake, near the center of the chain, that has more islands than all the rest—scores of small wooded islands. On one of these you will find a tall, spindling rock. The island with that rock is the island of the dinosaur.” So remembering this conversation, Dick could not believe with Toma that they might have come to the wrong place. Here was the wooded island. Here was the spindling rock. Here was the lake of many islands. “Why don’t you think it’s the right place?” he demanded. The young Indian straightened up quickly, his eyes twinkling. “Why you get so worried, Dick?” he inquired blandly. “I no say this the wrong place. Mebbe so, mebbe not. Plenty islands I see in other lakes an’ plenty rocks too.” “But not a rock as tall as that one,” objected Sandy. Dick nodded his head. “Yes, and most of the other lakes we explored had only a few islands. This one tallies exactly with the description Mr. Frazer gave us.” Toma grinned again. “All right,” he waved their arguments aside. “What you say, we go see?” The three boys pushed forward. The island was scarcely more than four or five acres in area. In a few minutes they reached the center, coming to a full stop near the base of the pinnacle. They found a peculiar formation here. In some prehistoric time a gigantic upheaval had thrust the underlying strata to a position very nearly perpendicular. In other words, layer upon layer of substratum had been lifted up out of the earth and exposed to view. Embedded in one of the layers of rock was the huge fossil of a prehistoric reptile. Its immense frame could be seen very distinctly from where the boys were standing. Supported by the rock, much of which had crumbled away, the skull of the dinosaur rested lightly against the side of the pinnacle and the bones of the rest of the body, still joined and intact, extended downward to the edge of a deep pit. The effect of all this was ghastly. Staring at it, one was conscious of an indescribable feeling that the fleshless body of the dinosaur still retained life and that it had clambered out of the deep pit beneath it and was now endeavoring to climb the tall, spindling spire of granite. So lifelike and terrible indeed, did the primeval monster appear, that for a full five minutes the three boys stood there without as much as moving a muscle. Suddenly the tension snapped as Dick burst into a roar of laughter. He laughed until the tears came into his eyes and coursed down his cheeks. He roared and slapped his thigh and sat down on a rock, swaying back and forth in a paroxysm of uncontrollable mirth. Toma and Sandy stared at their chum in utter amazement. They surveyed each other blankly. They looked quickly over at the dinosaur in the belief that possibly they had overlooked something. “See here,” began Sandy, “what in the name of common sense are you yowling about? If you can possibly see anything funny in that grewsome mass of bones your sense of humor is warped. Stop it, Dick! Stop it, I say before you drive me daft. Stop!” Dick raised his head and wiped his eyes. He was still choking. 8 9 10 “You—you see nothing funny?” he gasped. “I do not!” “What do you think of our friend, the dinosaur?” and Dick indulged in another convulsive chuckle. Sandy’s eyes flashed fire. “Say—” “Look at it! Look at it!” shrieked Dick. “Its size! Must weigh tons —tons, Sandy. And—we’ve come—three hundred miles— laboring under impression—going to carry it back on a raft.” “Well—” “On a raft,” continued Dick. “That thing on a raft. If you can, just get that picture in that slow mind of yours.” Toma was grinning broadly now. “The portages,” he wondered. “Yes, think of carrying that huge skeleton over the portages.” “Why it—it can’t be done,” stated the young Scotchman, beginning to see the light. “Absolutely out of question. We’ve come on a fool’s errand. Mr. Frazer must have—” “Known it!” Dick took the words out of his chum’s mouth. “Of course, he knew it. Can’t you see, Sandy, we’ve been victimized, made the butt of one of the worst jokes I’ve ever heard of. No wonder they all grinned and acted so queerly when we left the post. By this time, half the people in this north country are laughing up their sleeves. It’s all a hoax. I’ll bet that London museum Mr. Frazer told us about hasn’t even made an offer for this dinosaur.” “You mean the whole affair from beginning to end was planned by that fool and his friends?” “Exactly.” “And that we’ve not only lost what we thought was a chance to make a few hundred dollars but have become the laughing stock of—of—” Sandy choked and gurgled. “Right again,” grinned Dick. “You’re learning fast.” Sandy’s color drained from his cheeks and he sat down quickly, endeavoring to control the fierce gathering storm within. “And you call that a good joke,” he inquired bitterly, “a friendly, decent joke that sent us packing through a hundred dangers at the risk of life and limb? You can laugh at that?” “Well, what would you have me do? Sit down and cry? Not I. Might as well make the best of it. I’ll go back and laugh with ’em.” “I laugh too,” said Toma. And he did. Sandy continued to glower. He looked up at the dinosaur. Then he put his head in his hands and groaned. CHAPTER II. TWO VISITORS. 11 12 13 Dick Kent had plenty of time that night to think about the crude joke Mr. Frazer, the factor at Half Way House, had played upon them. The factor must have known full well that the mammoth skeleton of the dinosaur could not be conveyed easily up the river on an ordinary raft. He must have known, too, of the utter impossibility of packing the huge creature over the thirteen portages that are to be found between the island of the granite shaft and the trading post, three hundred miles up the river. Given sufficient leisure to think the matter over, Dick decided that he did not blame Sandy one bit for the anger and bitterness that Frazer’s trickery had aroused. The young Scotchman had eaten his supper in a huff and later had retired to his blankets in a manner that was, to say the very least, thoroughly hostile and unfriendly. His actions indicated very plainly that he, for one, didn’t consider this business of the dinosaur as the sort of joke that could pass unnoticed or unforgiven, or that could be laughed down or yet dismissed with a shrug. It rankled and cut deep. Some day Mr. Frazer would hear about it. Dick turned his eyes toward the campfire and watched the shadows creeping up to the bright circle its glimmering light made. He lay quite still, listening to the monotonous beat of the water around the shore of the island. He was dimly aware of the tall granite slab that thrust up its pointed head in cold disdain of the lowly trees under it. Far away somewhere a loon called out mockingly and derisively to its mate. Sandy woke on the following morning in a better humor. Over a hot cup of tea and a crisp rasher of bacon, he apologized for his behavior on the previous night. “I had no reason to be angry with you, Dick,” he stated contritely. “But you irritated me because you took it all so good-naturedly. It can’t be denied that the joke is on us, but you surely know that he went too far with it. He never should have permitted us to start out. Our time is worth something and we paid the factor a good stiff price for our grubstake. Then there are all those cumbersome tools we brought along—rock chisels, pickaxes, hatchets and what not. We paid for them out of our own hard-earned money. A very expensive practical joke, if you ask me.” In the act of raising a cup of steaming beverage to his lips, Toma paused and his dark eyes fell upon Sandy’s face. “Mebbe not so much joke like you think. Mebbe Mr. Frazer him not want us to stay at Half Way House any longer. Mebbe he think your Uncle Walter send us fellows down to spy on him an’ he no like that.” Both Dick and Sandy started. They had never looked at the situation from quite that angle. The young Indian’s statement had induced a new train of thought. Come to think of it, why had Sandy’s uncle, Mr. Walter MacClaren, factor at Fort Good Faith and superintendent for the Hudson Bay Company for all that vast northern territory, sent them over to Half Way House in the first place? Sandy looked at Dick searchingly for another moment, then broke forth: “Gee, I never thought about that. Toma, you’re too deep for us. I can begin to see now.” Dick pursed his lips, scowling slightly. “Mr. MacClaren said that the hunting was good up around Half Way House and that we’d enjoy our summer’s vacation there. He didn’t tell us that he was suspicious of Mr. Frazer. Naturally he 14 15 wouldn’t. He wanted us to find that out for ourselves. Sandy,” he glanced eagerly across at his chum, “as far as you know, has Mr. Frazer a reputation for being much of a practical joker?” Sandy put down his cup and proceeded to pour out his second helping of tea. “No, I’ve never heard that he was. And certainly he doesn’t look the part. I wouldn’t call him frivolous. My impression of him has always been that he is inclined to be sort of taciturn, reserved and fairly uncommunicative.” At this juncture, Toma again broke into the discussion. “He not look like man that see anything to laugh about ever. I no like that fellow very much. I no like them friends he keep alla time hanging around the post. Look like bad men to me.” On many occasions previously during their sojourn in the North, the two boys had come to place a good deal of reliance on the young Indian’s snap judgment. He had an almost uncanny ability to read character and of finding hidden traits, both good and bad, in the persons with whom he came in contact. Seldom did he err. “He’s referring to Wolf Brennan and Toby McCallum,” said Sandy. “Well, I don’t know as one could call them Frazer’s friends.” “I see Mr. Frazer talk with them many times,” Toma wagged his head. “When I come close they hush up—don’t talk any more. An’ one time I see a light in Mr. Frazer’s room late, ’bout two o’clock, I think. An’ there through the window I see ’em. Wolf Brennan, McCallum, Frazer an’ two Indians I do not know.” “Why didn’t you tell us this before?” demanded Dick. That was the way with Toma—ever reticent. His uncommunicativeness often became a source of despair to his two chums. “You no ask me.” “But how did we know?” glared Sandy. “We weren’t up at two o’clock that night.” “I no tell you that,” Toma explained, “because I think mebbe you no want to hear bad things about Mr. Frazer.” “You cherub!” Sandy snorted. “Sandy,” questioned Dick, “how does Mr. Frazer stand with the company?” Sandy stirred the oatmeal, sugar and bacon grease together in what was to Dick an unappetizing mess. “Uncle Walter never told me.” “But haven’t you heard?” Dick persisted. “No, I haven’t,” Sandy commenced to eat his favorite dish. “Uncle Walter never tells me anything about his business. He’s as close- mouthed as the average Scotchman, I guess.” “There are some ways in which you do not resemble him in the least,” pointed out Dick, winking at Toma. No more was said on the subject then. As soon as they had washed their breakfast dishes, Dick and Sandy went over for 16 17 18 another view of the dinosaur, while Toma set out to explore the island. The dinosaur, in the bright morning sunlight, seemed to be as ugly and repellent as it had been in the evening’s shadows on the night before. Again they were awed by its presence. It seemed inconceivable that anything so huge and ugly had ever walked upon the earth. “How’d you like to meet one of those things alive?” asked Sandy. “Not for me. A bullet would probably flatten out on its scaly hide. At the best, it would feel like no more than a pin-prick. And Mr. Frazer told us we could bring that thing back on a raft. He must have known better, because he was here two years ago and saw it with his own eyes.” “Of course, he knew better,” growled Sandy. The bushes parted behind them. First Toma’s head was thrust through and then his body. He motioned to them eagerly. “Come on,” he said. “I show you something. Come quick!” They turned and followed him, finding it difficult to keep pace with him, so quickly did he go. They came presently to a fringe of willows not far from the western shore of the lake. The young Indian motioned them to be seated. “Watch out there in the lake,” he commanded them. “Pretty soon you see something. Keep very quiet. No talk now.” Both waited expectantly. Out ahead of them the lake rippled and sparkled. Suddenly a canoe glided within their range of vision—a canoe containing two occupants. Their paddles dipping in unison, the two men sat very straight, one in, the center and one in the stern, two mackinaw coated figures, two bearded white men whom the boys recognized instantly. In the excitement of the moment, Sandy jabbed his elbow in Dick’s ribs. “Cracky!” he blurted out. “What’s up now? Wolf Brennan and Toby McCallum! They’re coming here.” But in this Sandy was mistaken. The canoe did not pause, did not waver. It swept in fairly close to the island then, as if it had suddenly changed its mind, it swerved sharply and continued on its course. The two men sat like statues until they were thirty or forty yards away. Then Wolf Brennan craned his thick, bull-like neck and looked back. Even at that distance the boys caught the expression that distorted the man’s coarse features. A leer, a mocking, unfriendly grin, a diabolical, fiendish sneer! Abruptly he turned and the paddle, gripped in his huge ape-like hands, glinted in the sunlight as it smote the gleaming water. CHAPTER III. SUSPICION GROWS. “Now what are they up to?” Dick’s hands clenched as he spoke. He half rose from his kneeling position behind the willow copse and glared at Sandy as if he expected that that young man could answer the question. 19 20 “Yes, what are they up to?” he repeated in a low tense voice. “Messrs. Brennan and McCallum must be on our trail. And from the look that Wolf just now directed toward this island, they know we’re here. The whole thing is a puzzle to me. I don’t know what to think of it.” “What I can’t understand,” said Sandy in a breathless voice, “is why they did not stop. They’ve gone right on. The reasonable and decent thing for them to do would be to come over and say ‘hello’. They might, at least, have shown that they were hospitable.” “Wonder if Frazer sent them,” mused Dick. Sandy pursed his lips and scowled as he looked out toward the flashing crests of water. “I shouldn’t wonder,” he answered. “Now that we’ve found the little joker in this deal of the dinosaur, I’m inclined to think he has. Further than that, I’m prompted to believe that there was something more than the mere playing of a practical joke that induced Factor Frazer to get us to come out here. There must be some deviltry afoot at Half Way House. Our presence there isn’t wanted. He sent us up here on this wild goose chase to get us out of the way, and, working on this hypothesis, the next logical inference is that Wolf Brennan and Toby McCallum have trailed us all the way up here.” Dick motioned Sandy and Toma to follow him to the opposite side of the island. Arriving at their camp, he turned upon his two chums. “I’ve been thinking of what you’ve just said, Sandy,” he remarked, as he began packing their luggage. “I want to tell you that I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head. Something underhanded is taking place at Half Way House. We’ve been sent out here to be kept in ignorance of what is going on. They know that all of us are attached to the Mounted Police reserve and it would be fatal to their plans to have us there at the post. Wolf Brennan and his pal are out here to watch us, to see that we do not return. I—” The young Scotchman interrupted him. “Hold on there a moment, Dick. I don’t know as I’d care to go that far. I gather from what you’ve just said that you mean they’ve been commissioned by Frazer to put us out of the way.” Dick smiled. “No, I didn’t quite mean that, Sandy. I don’t think we’ll be murdered. Not that. As long as we stay on this island, or remain here in this vicinity, we’ll be safe enough. We might stay here all summer, and we’d never see them again, never be bothered, but—” “Yes, yes,” said Sandy impatiently, “go on, Dick.” “But,” continued Dick, “let us leave this island or this vicinity and then trouble aplenty.” “You mean they’ll attempt to stop us if we start back for Half Way House?” “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean,” said Dick. “They’ll harass us at every turn. I’m convinced of it. I won’t say they’ll resort to open violence if underhanded methods will avail.” “Oh come, Dick, surely not.” “As I live, I sincerely believe it. I wouldn’t put these thoughts in 21 22 your mind, if I didn’t But I can easily prove my point.” “How?” “By starting back.” “What—you mean right now?” “No better time than now. If my suspicions are correct, we’ll run into some snag within the next day or two.” “Is that why you were starting to pack that luggage?” “Yes.” Sandy tongued his cheek and in the bright light of that perfect morning he squinted at his chum. In that brief interval he did some quick thinking. “Wait a minute, Dick,” he finally broke forth. “Let’s not be too hasty.” “But I’m not hasty. No use staying here any longer that I can see. We’ve all agreed that it’s out of the question to bother with the dinosaur. There’s absolutely nothing we can do here unless it is to put in a few weeks fishing and hunting, and somehow,” Dick stroked back the hair from his forehead, “I’m in no mood for that. Let’s start back and see what happens.” “No, I think I have a better plan. Let’s postpone that return trip until we’ve had a chance to interview Messrs. Brennan and McCallum.” “Just what do you propose to do?” “Well,” began Sandy, “I doubt if they are aware that we’ve seen them. We can jump into our canoe, slip down along the east side of the lake and come upon them in such a way that they’ll think our meeting is quite accidental. We’ll profess great surprise at seeing them. We’ll ask them point-blank what they are doing out here.” Dick laughed. “Yes, and not learn a thing. They’ll have a very plausible story, don’t worry about that. And why go to all that trouble anyway? If you want to talk to them, Sandy, let’s jump in the canoe and overtake them at once.” “All right. Just as you say. I’m ready.” “What do you think about it?” Dick turned upon the young Indian. Toma deliberated for nearly a minute. His eyes flecked and his gaze dropped. “No harm we go see them. Take jus’ a few minutes an’ we find out what they say. Come on.” They dragged their canoe down to the water and Sandy pushed off. The light craft bobbed and swayed for twenty feet through the blue, almost unruffled surface near shore, then headed straight out toward the gradually disappearing speck retreating in the distance. For fully ten minutes no one spoke. The little vessel leaped and darted through the blue, sparkling element. In another ten minutes the other canoe had grown appreciably larger. Between strokes, Dick puffed: “Remember, Sandy, this is your suggestion. You’re the spokesman.” 23 24 “Leave it to me,” the other retorted. “I know just what I’m going to say.” “Whatever you do,” Dick warned him, “don’t let them guess that we’re suspicious of them.” “I won’t,” growled Sandy. Thus it happened that when they pulled abreast of the smaller craft, it was Sandy who hailed them. The two men raised their paddles and permitted their canoe to be overhauled. There ensued an exchange of greetings. “Why didn’t you stop?” asked Sandy. “Stop?” Wolf Brendan rubbed his unshaven chin and stared questioningly. “Stop where?” “Why, at the island, of course.” Brennan continued to stare blankly, almost foolishly. He was a good actor. “There’s a hull lot of islands in this here lake. What island do you mean?” “The dinosaur’s island, of course. You saw us, didn’t you?” “Nope, we didn’t see yuh. Knew yuh was up here, o’ course, getting them bones of that thar dinosaur, but we didn’t know just where—which island, I mean.” “You weren’t very far behind us on the trail.” “Nope, ’bout a day I guess. Seen your campfire along the trail. One was still smoking when we got to it.” “We sort o’ half suspected we’d run across yuh somewheres,” McCallum interjected. “So this yere is the lake of the dinosaur? ’Magine yuh fellows will be pretty busy durin’ the next few weeks gettin’ them bones chipped out o’ the rock ready for shippin’.” “No,” Sandy informed them, “we’re not going to bother with it. The thing’s too big for us to handle.” “Yuh can build a big raft,” McCallum suggested. “What about the portages?” There was a faint note of anger in Sandy’s voice. “Yuh’ll have to pack it, o’ course,” McCallum said. “But it’s almost as easy to build a big raft as a small one.” “The dinosaur’s skeleton is too big and too heavy to pack,” declared Sandy haughtily. “Yuh don’t say.” “It certainly is.” “What yuh gonna do then?” “We’ve given it up,” Sandy spoke harshly. “We’re starting back to Half Way House this afternoon.” Wolf Brennan spat in the water and glanced inquiringly at the three occupants in the other canoe. “If yuh fellows was right smart now, yuh wouldn’t give up so easily. There’s a lot o’ money to be made if yuh can manage to get 25 26 that big lizard back where it can be took to one o’ the company’s steamers. If I was making a contract now,” Wolf Brennan spat in the water again, “I’m thinkin’ I’d move Heaven an’ earth afore I’d give up.” Sandy glanced back at him. “I’m not saying we’ll never get the dinosaur out. But if we do, it won’t be this summer and it won’t be on a raft one is required to pole up a river that has thirteen portages.” “How else could yuh get it out?” “I don’t know. We haven’t thought about that—yet. Perhaps this winter we may come to some definite conclusion.” “So yuh’re goin’ back to Half Way House?” “You bet we are.” “Too bad.” “And where are you going?” Sandy inquired innocently. Wolf Brennan glanced at McCallum for a brief interval and between them passed a significant and knowing look. “Sort o’ figured we’d go prospectin’ for a time.” “Where?” Brennan seemed to be hazy on this point. He coughed embarrassedly and looked again at his partner. “’Tother side o’ the lake there’s some hills an’ we kind o’ thought we’d put in a week or two jus’ sort o’ looking’ around.” “What side of the lake?” persisted Sandy. “On the north side,” Brennan answered. “If yuh’re startin’ back for the post this afternoon, we may see yuh again.” “I shouldn’t wonder. Because we are starting for the post this afternoon.” Brennan blinked and again he looked at McCallum. Evidently this was McCallum’s cue for he spoke up. “Mebbe if yuh’d stick around for a while,” he suggested, “the four of us could figure out some way to get out that dinosaur.” “Five of us,” corrected Dick, speaking for the first time. “You’ve overlooked Toma.” “Breeds don’t count.” “This one here,” stated Dick furiously, stooping over and patting Toma on the shoulder, “is as good as any dirty, bewhiskered white man that ever came over the trail from Half Way House. You can take that statement in any way you see fit, McCallum.” “Regular spit-fire, ain’t yuh?” “I’m not accustomed to have my friends insulted.” McCallum removed his hat and bowed gravely. “I shore beg your pardon. I didn’t mean no offense. Along toward evening, me an’ Wolf will drop over to your little island and pay yuh our respects.” 27 28 29 30 “Suit yourself,” said Sandy, “but we won’t be there. As I’ve already told you, we’re starting back to Half Way House this afternoon.” What Sandy read in McCallum’s eyes was a challenge, but it was Wolf Brennan who spoke. “Mebbe,” he said. CHAPTER IV. THE FIRST ENCOUNTER. The first night on their return trip to Half Way House the boys camped twenty miles south of the lake. Here they received their first set-back. In the morning they awoke to find their canoe was gone. Rage in their hearts, they gathered in a little group and stared at the place where it had been. They guessed immediately what had happened. After the first shock, Dick scowled and looked at his two chums. “Well, we know where we stand now,” he declared grimly. “Three against two,” blurted Sandy. “They can’t stop us.” Dick mopped his moist forehead and dug the tip of one moccasin into the loose sand. “That may be true. We have the advantage in numbers. But I’d also like to point out to you that even though that is so the odds are in their favor, nevertheless. We never know when to look for them. They’ll strike when we least expect it and always from under cover. They’ve already won the first round. Poling up the river in a raft is a tedious and disheartening undertaking. It will take us three times as long to reach our destination. I don’t know as I’m in favor of going on in that way.” “Why not?” “Too much danger.” “Not any more danger than there was in the canoe,” objected Sandy. “Probably not. But until this moment we haven’t been sure in our own minds that Wolf Brennan and Toby McCallum have taken the offensive. Now we know. There’s absolutely no question about it. They’ve struck once and they’ll strike again too. The next time it may be a stray shot that will get one of us.” “What do you mean by a stray shot?” demanded Sandy. “If one of us gets killed it might as well be a stray shot, mightn’t it? I mean, it will be a difficult thing to prove that we were deliberately fired on and that those two miscreants did the firing.” “You propose then to walk back?” “Yes, I think it will be safer.” “But they can shoot us just as well while we are going through the woods as they can if we were aboard a raft.” “I don’t agree with you there. There’s no better mark that I can