CHAPTER XXVIII
FOUR BOYS AND A BEAR
"ESCAPED!" ejaculated Shep.
"How in the world did he manage it?" queried Snap.
Then both young hunters leaped up and dressed as rapidly as possible.
"He was a slick one," said Aaron Masterson. "He got free of the rope around his wrists somehow and then he clum to the top o' the harness closet and into the loft. From the winder he dropped onto the shed an' then to the ground."
"But what of your dog? Didn't he go after him?" questioned the doctor's son.
"No, the barn door was shet, to keep out the wind, so Rover couldn't follow him."
"When do you suppose he got away?"
"Some time during the night."
"Can't we follow him?" asked Snap.
"We can try."
All went outside and down to the barn. The tracks left by Kiddy Leech were plainly to be seen from the barn to the highway, but there the footprints were hopelessly lost in the multitude of others.
"Ain't no use to try to follow him," said Aaron Masterson. "The road branches off four times between here an' town an' there ain't no tellin' wot road he tuk. More'n likely he's travelin' as fast as all git-out, too."
"He certainly will do his level best to get away—after such experiences as he has had," answered Snap. "Perhaps he will never show himself in this locality again."
They remained out on the road, looking up and down, for five minutes, and then returned to the house.
"Did he steal anything?" asked Shep.
"By gum! I didn't think o' that!" gasped Aaron Masterson.
He took a thorough look around and then came in and gave a sigh of satisfaction.
"Nothin' missing, so far as I can see," he said. "Reckon he was too scart to pick up anything. The dog must have barked, but I didn't hear him."
"Neither did I," answered Snap. "It was so cold I rolled up as tight as I could, ears and all, in the blankets."
With the tramp gone, there seemed nothing to do but for Snap and Shep to return to the camp. Mrs. Masterson served them with a fine breakfast of sausage, and, wheatcakes with molasses, and the boys "filled up" as only growing boys can. Then the lady of the house gave them a mince pie and some crullers to take with them. Neither she nor her husband would take any pay for what they had done.
"It's too bad thet tramp got away," said Aaron Masterson. "But I did wot I thought best to hold him."
"Oh, we don't blame you, Mr. Masterson," said Snap. "But it is a pity such a rascal should be at large."
It was pleasant enough when the sun showed itself, and by eight o'clock the two young hunters were on their journey to Firefly Lake. It must be confessed that they found their load a heavy one, and by noon they were still some distance from camp.
"We'll have to stop, to rest and get a lunch," said the doctor's son.
"No use of killing ourselves."
"I suppose Giant and Whopper are wondering what has become of us," said Snap.
They came to a rest in the shelter of some pine trees and ate a lunch Mrs. Masterson had prepared for them, in the meantime keeping warm by a fire they built of tree branches. The rest occupied half an hour and then they went on as before.
"Wonder what the boys are doing?" said Snap, as they reached Firefly
Lake.
"Giant said something about fishing through the ice," answered his companion. "He appears to love that sport."
"Well, it is nice—when you can catch anything—and Giant is always lucky."
They had proceeded less than half the distance up the lake to the camp when Snap came to a halt.
"Listen, Shep!"
"It is Giant calling," answered the doctor's son. "He must be in trouble!"
"Whopper! Whopper!" came to their ears. "Help me! A bear is after me!"
"A bear is after Giant!" gasped Snap. "Come on, Shep, we must aid him!"
"There he is." said Shep, as they swept around a bend of the lake.
"And look, a big bear is after him!"
"Let us shoot the bear!" cried Snap, and dropped his hold of the sled rope, while the doctor's son did the same. Then both young hunters brought around their shotguns and aimed at the big bear. But Giant was also in range and they did not dare to fire.
"Giant, run to one side!" sang out Snap. "Give us a chance to shoot! I think I can hit him."
"Snap!" gasped the smaller member of the Gun Club. "Shoot him! shoot him! He wants to eat me up!"
"Hullo! hullo!" came from the camp, and now Whopper appeared, rifle in hand. "By ginger, a bear!"
By this time the bear was closing in upon poor Giant. The beast was hungry and the smell of fish was very tempting. With nothing else to do, Giant threw his mess of fish directly in the bear's face.
The movement was a surprise to bruin and he stopped short. Then he caught up the string of fish, turned swiftly but clumsily, and lumbered off in the direction of the forest bordering the lake.
It was now that Snap and Shep, as well as Whopper, got a chance to fire at the beast, and all did so hastily. But they were excited over Giant's narrow escape and their shots did no more than to wound the bear slightly, in the ear and the side. Bruin gave a growl, made a turn as if to come back, and then dove into the forest and was lost to view.
"He—he wanted my fish!" gasped Giant. "Well, he is welcome to them, so long as he doesn't chew me up!"
"What a pity that we didn't nail him," said Shep.
"Shall we go after him?" demanded Whopper. "The four of us ought to be able to lay him low."
"I am not going after him just now," answered Giant, who was still as white as a sheet.
The others talked it over for a few minutes and it was decided to follow up the bear some other time, if it could be done. Whopper and Giant were anxious to hear what Snap and Shep had to tell, and all took themselves to the Inn, dragging the sled after them.
As soon as the excitement was over, Snap and Shep told their tale in full, to which Giant and Whopper listened with close attention. The latter were sorry that Kiddy Leech had escaped, but glad that the outing had not been broken up.
"I'd rather say here than go to court and testify against that tramp," said Whopper. "I don't like to go to court."
"Oh, so would I," answered Shep. "But it was our duty to bring him to justice, if it could be done."
Giant was sorry he had lost his mess of fish, but he had no desire to try his luck again for the time being.
"That bear may be watching around here," he said. "And I don't want him to make a meal of me!"
With it all, the boys were happy to be together again, and equally happy to have their outfit back. That evening they cooked themselves what Whopper declared was "a stunning supper," and enjoyed it to the utmost. It was nine o'clock before they turned in, worn out but happy.
But they did not sleep long. Snap had just gotten into a doze when he heard a scratching outside. He sat up and listened, and soon the scratching was repeated.
"What can that be?" he mused, and then of a sudden his hair seemed to stand upon end. "It must be that bear, and he is trying to get in!"