AFTER THE STORM.
Thad remembered that on several other occasions the Southern boy had mentioned the name of his little cousin, and always with a certain tender inflection to the soft voice that stamped him for one who had been born below the Dixie line.
And while Bob White had not seen fit to take his friend into his confidence it had always been plain to Thad that the other must have cherished a deep affection for the said Bertha; perhaps, since he had no sister of his own, she may have been as dear to him as one, in those times when he lived among the Blue Ridge mountains.
Before now Thad had strongly suspected that Bob had some other object in coaxing his comrades to make the pilgrimage to the Land of the Sky, besides the desire to show them its wonders. And now his own words proved it. More than that, it seemed to have some strange connection with this same little cousin, Bertha; and naturally with her legally appointed guardian, Reuben Sparks.
Thad, first of all, managed to pass the word around in a whisper, just as Bob wished it done. The boys understood that there was a reason back of the request, and expected that their comrade would take them into his confidence later on. Besides, there had really never been the slightest chance that any one of them would breathe that name of Quail in connection with Bob; indeed, most of them would have had to stop and think, if suddenly asked what his real name was, so seldom did they hear it mentioned.
The man on horseback was chatting with Allan and several others. He did not hesitate to ask questions, and was soon put in possession of the fact that they were merely the members of a Boy Scout patrol, making a strenuous hike through the Big Smoky spur of the Blue Ridge.
Thad saw that he eyed them queerly many times, as though rather doubtful whether they were giving him a straight story; but the coming of the storm soon held the attention of them all.
Just as they had expected, it was the real thing in the way of a summer storm. The lightning flashed in a way that was not only dazzling but "fearsome" as Smithy expressed it, in his elegant way. And as for the crashes of thunder that followed each and every electric current, they deafened the ears of the scouts.
A deluge of rain fell in a short time, and the rush of water near by told that the little stream, which they had struck many times during the afternoon, had all of a sudden become a raging torrent.
Nobody was sorry when finally the racket began to subside, and the rain stopped as suddenly as it had started.
"She's done for," remarked Bumpus, in a relieved tone, as though he had been half suspecting that the stream might rise in its might, and sweep cabin, scouts and all down through the valley.
The resident of the region who had also sought shelter in the friendly cabin by the wayside, looked out first, to assure himself that his horse had come through the storm safely. Then he called out good-bye, and mounting, rode away.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I take it," declared Giraffe. "Whenever the fire flashed up that gent would look around the queerest way ever, as though he kind of thought we might be revenue agents playing a fine game on his friends, the moonshiners."
"Be careful what you say, Giraffe," advised the more cautious Thad. "When you're in the enemy's country you want to use soft words. Besides, you're only guessing when you say that. He was naturally curious about us. Some people would think a bunch of boys stark crazy, to try and hike through such wild country as this, when we could have taken to the good roads up in New York State, had orchards all along the way, and good-natured farmers galore to buy milk and eggs from when we got hungry."
"I hope, suh, you won't be sorry you came down this aways," Bob White spoke up. "I take it as a great compliment, believe me, that you-all would care to keep me company when I said I felt that I just had to come back here on a visit, to see what changes there were, and do a little private business in the bargain. I'm aware of the fact that there isn't anything much worth seeing here, suh; except the untamed wilderness; but they's always plenty of excitement going around, I understand."
"I should guess yes," broke out Step Hen, "with that same Old Phin hangin' 'round with his eye on the watch for revenues. But see here, Bob, don't you think you owe us a little explanation about this racket—meaning your relations with the gent who is guardian to your sweet little cousin Bertha?"
"So say we all," chorused Davy Jones, Giraffe and Bumpus, solemnly, as they gathered around the Southern boy.
Bob White looked at their eager faces for a minute before speaking. There was something akin to real affection to be seen there as he turned his eyes from one to another of his mates. The boy from Dixie had not been in the habit of making friends easily in earlier days; but when he landed in Cranford he had soon been captivated by the sincere companionship of Thad Brewster; and when he joined the new patrol of the scouts he quickly learned to appreciate the many good qualities that marked the other members.
"Yes, it's only fair, boys," he began, slowly yet with an evident determination to take them at least part way into his confidence; "that you should know just why I didn't want any of you to tell the name of the town we hailed from, when that man was in here. He would have recognized it as my new home, and might have suspected that I brought you all down here for a purpose."
"Which you did," interrupted Bumpus; "to admire the scenery; rough it awhile in the Land of the Sky; and show us something of your native country. If there was anything more, we didn't know it, Bob White. But we're comrades, one and all; and if we c'n do anything to help you tide over some trouble, why, you've just got to tell now."
"That is fine of you, Bumpus, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," continued the other, strangely moved. "But let me tell you a few things first before you make such a rash promise, which I am not going to hold you to, suh. The man who was in this cabin, Reuben Sparks, is said to be the richest and meanest in these parts. It has been hinted more than a few times that he has always been thick with Old Phin Dady. But no matter how he came by his money, he is something of a miser."
"No relation of yours, I hope, then, Bob?" asked Step Hen.
"None whatever, suh," replied the other, proudly. "The Quails would never have descended to the common methods that man has practiced in order to make money. But somehow he managed to gain an influence over my Uncle Robert, after whom I was named, as you may guess, suh. When the father of Cousin Bertha died, in his will he left the child solely in the charge of Reuben Sparks, until she came of age; and he was also given control of her little fortune."
The boy ground his teeth hard together, showing how even the recollection of this moved him. But recovering his customary calmness he continued:
"She was the prettiest little thing you ever saw, suh, take my word foh it. And no boy ever thought more of his pet sister than I did of my little cousin. My father thought it a shame, and tried to get possession of her; but this Reuben Sparks had the law on his side, and all our efforts failed. After that he would never even let me see her, so great was his hatred for our family.
"One way or another we managed to exchange word, and when our folks went up Nawth to look after the mills my father had purchased before his death, I had just two letters from Bertha before something happened, and they stopped coming. Of course I supposed that her guardian had found out about it, and fixed matters so no letter of mine—and I sent seven before owning up beaten in the game—could reach her.
"I just stood it till I couldn't sleep nights, thinking that perhaps she was being made unhappy by that cruel man. And so I made up my mind I'd come down here again, and find out the truth, if I had to steal into his house, and see Bertha without his knowing it. I wanted to tell you this before, believe me, suh," addressing Thad in particular, as the head of the patrol; while his fine eyes filled up on account of his emotion; "but somehow I couldn't bring myself to do it. And now, after hearing my story briefly, if you-all feel that it would be asking too much of my comrades to expect to have their backing in my wildcat scheme, please don't hesitate to say so, suh. I'll think just as well of you in either case."
Thad reached out, and caught the quivering hand of the Southern boy in his own.
"Why, Bob," he said, earnestly, "I think I voice the sentiments of every fellow in the patrol when I say most emphatically that we're going to stand by you through thick and thin. I'm sure you won't do anything but what is right, and what is bound to reflect credit on you as a true scout. How about that, fellows?"
"Move we make it unanimous!" cried Bumpus, instantly.
"Ay, ay! that's the ticket," exclaimed others.
"You hear what they say, Bob White?" remarked Thad, warmly.
"We'll back our comrade up, even to kidnapping the cruel guardian, and rescuing the pretty little cousin!" Smithy declared with unusual vim, for him.
"Oh!" said Bob with a smile, as he looked from one flushed face to another. "Of course I don't imagine it'll ever go that far, boys; but I thank you for this expression of your friendship. I will never forget it, suh, never while I live. And I only hope that some day in the future I may be able to repay the kindness to one and to all."
"Then I take it that this Reuben Sparks does not live a great way beyond where we happen to be camped right now?" remarked Allan.
"I expected to show you the place sometime to-morrow, suh. It is worth seeing, upon my word," replied Bob.
"Now I know that there's a whole lot of truth in that old saying about the devil taking care of his own," Giraffe mentioned. "The rest of you heard Reuben say he had been tempted to stop under that big tree we passed on the way here; but on second thoughts decided to come along to the cabin. When that one terrible crack came he got as white as a sheet, and told me he believed that that very tree must have been struck. Where would Reuben have been if he'd stayed there? Kind of scattered around the landscape, I guess."
Thad had just started to say that it was time they thought about getting some supper, when he was interrupted in a most disagreeable manner. Indeed, for the moment all idea of ever wanting to eat again in this world vanished from his mind; for something occurred that caused the scouts to rush toward the end of the cabin where the chimney stood, and catch hold of each other in sudden terror and dismay.