“I’ve made a bull’s eye,—do the same or betther and I’ll take a whack2 and beat that,—and so it will go. Am I corrict, dochther, in me sintiments?”
“Undoubtedly; you can’t refuse Mike’s offer, Hoke.”
The latter saw he was caught and accepted the weapon as if eager for the test, though it need not be said it was otherwise. A vague hope stirred him that the same exceptional success might reward his effort. He aimed with the care and deliberation shown by Mike, and then pulled the trigger five times in rapid succession.
“One of the bullets will be sure to land,” was his sustaining thought, but nothing of the kind took place. Close examination by the three showed that Hoke had not so much as grazed the trunk of the sapling.
Neither Mike nor the doctor laughed, restrained from doing so by a chivalrous3 sympathy, for Hoke could not wholly hide his chagrin4. Mike went so far as to say:
“Hoke, it was a chance shot on me part, and I couldn’t do it agin in my life time.”
“And now let us adjourn5 to dinner,” said the doctor; “it is later than usual, but the folks will wait for me.”
No words could be more welcome, but the fun of the proceeding6 was that the direction taken by the man showed that Hoke and Mike were both wrong—as the former had intimated—in locating the lake. The former grinned and the latter answered with a wink7. The theme was one concerning which it was best to say nothing.
The call at the forest home of Dr. Spellman was so similar to what has been described that it need not be dwelt upon. Sunbeam showed her preference for the genial8 Irish youth, who certainly reciprocated9 her affection, as he did in the case of Nora Friestone, whom he had met the preceding summer farther up the Kennebec. The mother was always gracious and won the good opinion of every one with whom she was brought in contact.
When the meal was finished, and while mother and child were busy setting things to rights, the doctor talked with his guests. Mike made known all that had occurred since his previous meeting with the physician. The latter was much interested in the experience of that forenoon.
“I never saw that pile of logs, which is doubtless the remains10 of some fisherman or hunter’s cabin that either was never finished or has been allowed to fall into decay. I must add one thing, however,” said the doctor gravely; “I don’t like the way those tramps are acting11.”
“It strikes me that about the only thing they are doing is getting scared half to death or swimming or running for life.”
“But why do they stay in this 163neighborhood? The hobo doesn’t take to the woods for long, though he may hide there when the officers make it too hot for him. What can there be in this part of the world that attracts them?”
“The last persons two hobos would tackle. What chance would they have against twenty vigorous, active, fearless youths, who despite their peaceful principles are yearning14 for stirring adventure?”
“Then it must be you, doctor, that they have designs upon.”
“I half suspect as much; I have been considerate to them despite their insolence15, more so than I shall be again if they annoy us further.”
Turning upon the youths, Dr. Spellman asked a question that fairly took away the breath of the two Boy Scouts.
Hoke was not sure he understood the question. Mike was shocked.
“Why should they be togither, docther, 164unless the spalpeens called at his cabin for food? Ye know his latchstring is always out, but I’ve niver known of their being in his company.”
“Didn’t you hear them laughing or talking last night, along shore, and not far from this spot?”
“Be the same token I heerd two men, but they were not the tramps.”
“How do you know that?”
“Uncle Elk told me so.”
There was reproof17 in Mike’s tones, for he resented the slightest reflection upon the hermit18, whom he held in high regard. The doctor made no reply to the words of the youth, but smoked his cigar hard and seemed to be turning over something in his mind that was of a displeasing19 nature.
Mike knew of course of the unaccountable antipathy20 that Uncle Elk showed toward the physician who was spending his outing in this part of Maine. Alvin Landon and Chester Haynes were as much mystified as the Irish youth, and the doctor himself claimed to have no theory that would account for it. The last remark of the medical man sounded as if he reciprocated 165the dislike of the hermit. Not only that but doubtless he mistrusted him.
“You don’t seem any nearer the solution of the tramps’ behavior yesterday than you were at the time, and it looks to me as if you will have to wait until Uncle Elk is ready to tell you.”
“There saams no ither ch’ice, docther, though I’m riddy to make another try for the same. Will ye jine us?”
“No; there will be danger of Uncle Elk and me meeting, and I am no more anxious for it than he is. I don’t believe you will learn anything.”
“We sha’n’t by standing21 here, as Mickey Lanigan said whin the bull was charging down upon him—whisht! what have we now?”
“Just in time not to be too late for dinner,” was the warm greeting of Dr. Spellman, as he shook hands with the lads. They protested that they could not permit his wife to bother with preparing a meal, when the regular one had been finished a short 166time before, but the hospitable23 host would not listen, and I am compelled to say the objections of the guests were not very vigorous. All entered and crowded themselves as best they could into the limited space.
As the two ate, Mike and Hoke told them of their experience at the western end of the lake earlier in the day, while the new arrivals had their own interesting story to relate. They had seen two strangers enter Uncle Elk’s cabin, only to depart soon after in his company, as the canoe was paddled away. The rather curious feature of this proceeding was that neither Mike nor Hoke, who had scanned the lake more than once, caught sight of the craft, and Dr. Spellman heard of it for the first time, though of necessity the canoe passed quite close to his home.
Whatever the thoughts of the physician may have been he kept them to himself. He had already expressed his distrust of Uncle Elk to Mike Murphy, who was quick to resent it, and it would be the same with Alvin and Chester, for they held the old man in too much esteem24 to listen with 167patience to anything in the way of censure25 of him.
It might have been difficult for the doctor to convince any unprejudiced person that there was the slightest understanding between the recluse26 or the vagrants27. In fact, the only foundation for such a charge, not taking into account the mutual28 antipathy, was the knowledge which Uncle Elk showed of the cause of the hobos’ panic. And yet there was a reasonable explanation of such knowledge, which would have acquitted29 the old man of any improper30 motive31, and it was singular that it did not occur to Dr. Spellman.
The explorers, as they may be called, now numbered four. With warm thanks to the members of the family they bade them good-bye and set out to continue their quest.
It will be borne in mind that the spot which they were to visit lay quite a little way to the westward32 of Dr. Spellman’s home. It was there that Mike Murphy had passed under the overhanging vegetation from which Uncle Elk soon afterward33 emerged, and where the Irish youth had detected the odor of a cigar and heard chuckling34 laughter. Mike and Hoke by pushing into the woods, and partly losing their way, had left this locality so far to one side that they saw nothing of it. The four now intended to make their way thither35.
“Couldn’t it be that Uncle Elk wint back, while ye were thramping to the docther’s house?” asked Mike, as they straggled forward.
“There wasn’t fifteen minutes at a time that we were out of sight of the lake,” replied Alvin; “we surely should have seen him.”
“He might have come back through the woods.”
“That is true,” said Chester, “but I see no reason why he should do so.”
“Doesn’t the same gintleman do lots of things for which we see no raison?”
“Far more than we can understand. Now I have been wondering whether he won’t be offended by our trying to pry36 into matters which should not concern us.”
“I think it is the other way,” said Alvin; “he is amused by our curiosity, and doesn’t 169tell us the secret because he enjoys our efforts to discover it for ourselves.”
“And there’s no saying how long his fun will last,” commented Mike, who because of his previous visit to this section took upon himself the part of guide.
They had tramped less than half an hour when Mike halted and looked about him with a puzzled air.
“We oughter to be there,” he remarked, “but it saams we’re somewhere ilse.”
Alvin pointed37 to where the undergrowth, a short distance in advance, was less abundant than in other places.
Hurrying over the few paces, they found the supposition correct. There were the ruts made by wagon wheels and the deep impression of horses’ hoofs39. The greatest wonder was how any team could drag a vehicle through such an unbroken forest. Trees stood so close together that there seemed hardly room for a wheelbarrow to be shoved between, and yet a heavily laden40 wagon had plunged41 ahead, crushing down bushes and even small saplings, with the 170hubs scraping off the bark from large trunks, but ever moving undeviatingly in the direction of Gosling Lake.
“It’s the trail of the chuck wagon!” exclaimed Chester; “it brings our supplies that are taken across to the bungalow42.”
“And this is the day for it,” added Alvin, who had scarcely uttered the words when a threshing of the wood was heard, accompanied by the sharp cracking of a whip and a resounding43 voice:
“Gee up! Consarn you, what’s the matter with you? You’re purty near there!”
Two powerful horses, tugging44 at a ponderous45 open wagon piled high with boxes of supplies, labored46 into sight, while the driver, a lean, sandy-haired man perched on the high seat, snapped his whip, jerked the lines, clucked and urged the animals to do their best, which they certainly did.
The boys stepped aside out of the way of the team, and saluted47 the driver as he came opposite and looked down upon them. He nodded, but nothing more, for his animals required his attention. Our young friends fell in or followed the wagon to the 171edge of the lake only a brief distance away, where the driver flung his reins48 to the ground and leaped down. He was bony, stoop-shouldered, without coat or waistcoat, and had his trousers tucked into the tops of his cowhide boots.
“Say, I see by your dress you b’long to the Boy Scouts,” he remarked, addressing the whole party.
“We are proud to say we do,” replied Alvin.
“And the Boy Scouts be proud to have us belong to ’em,” added Mike.
“I should think they would be blamed proud of you,” said the man with a grin.
“Your perciption of the truth is wonderful, as me mither exclaimed whin Father Meagher said I was the purtiest baby in Tipperary.”
“And you chaps believe in doing a good turn every day to some person?”
“Right again.”
“What good turn have you done anybody to-day?”
“Modesty kaaps our lips mute,” replied Mike, who for the life of him could not recall a single incident of the nature named.
“Wal, would you like to do me a good turn?”
“We certainly shall be glad,” Alvin took upon himself to reply.
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1
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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adjourn
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| v.（使）休会，（使）休庭 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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reciprocated
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| v.报答，酬答( reciprocate的过去式和过去分词 )；（机器的部件）直线往复运动 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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14
yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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elk
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| n.麋鹿 | |
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reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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hermit
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| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
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displeasing
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| 不愉快的，令人发火的 | |
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antipathy
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| n.憎恶；反感，引起反感的人或事物 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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23
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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recluse
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| n.隐居者 | |
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vagrants
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| 流浪者( vagrant的名词复数 )； 无业游民； 乞丐； 无赖 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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30
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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32
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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pry
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| vi.窥(刺)探，打听；vt.撬动(开，起) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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39
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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40
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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41
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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42
bungalow
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| n.平房，周围有阳台的木造小平房 | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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44
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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45
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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46
labored
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| adj.吃力的，谨慎的v.努力争取(for)( labor的过去式和过去分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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47
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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48
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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49
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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