THE BARNACLE TREES SOMETHING AT LAST
Both the girls of Central High, and their brothers and boy friends, in the camp across the lake, had believed the Barnacle to be “all bluff.” He was a fine dog for barking, as Short and Long had said, but he acted as though he thought his teeth had been given him for chewing his food, and for nothing else.
The savage way in which he bayed the sheriff, however, and tried to get at him as Liz held him in leash, was really surprising. It was no wonder that Sheriff Larkin started back and cried out in alarm.
“Don’t you dare set that dawg on me, young woman!” he cried. “I’ll have the law on yer, if yer do.”
“He’ll chaw yer up if I let him go,” threatened Liz. “Git out o’ here!”
“Why, Lizzie!” gasped Mrs. Morse, coming to the door of the cabin, and speaking to the girl in a most amazed tone. “What does this mean?” 202
“He’s a body snatcher! he’s a man hunter! he’s ev’rything mean an’ filthy!” exclaimed the girl, her face red and her eyes blazing. Her appearance was really most astonishing. Laura would never have believed that “Lonesome Liz” could display so much emotion.
“Let him bother this camp if he dares!” went on Liz. “He was told by that old gentleman to keep away from here, wasn’t he? Then let him run, for I ain’t a-goin’ to hold this dawg in much longer!”
It seemed that her threat would hold true. At every leap Barnacle made, he seemed about to tear the rope from her grasp.
“Missis!” yelled the sheriff to Mrs. Morse. “You’d better call that gal off––”
“She ain’t got nothin’ to do with it,” declared Liz. “I ain’t workin’ for her no more. I ain’t workin’ for nobody. I’ve struck, I have! You can’t hold nobody responserble but me an’ Barnacle.”
“The gal’s crazy!” squalled the sheriff, going rapidly backward, for the dog and Liz were advancing.
“Well, you won’t shet me up in no ’sylum,” declared Liz, grimly. “But ye may send me ter the penitentiary.”
“Did you ever hear the like?” gasped Lil, 203 clinging to Nellie and Jess. “That girl’s mad.”
“She is brave,” muttered Jess. “But—but I wonder what she’s up to?”
Laura did not question the maid-of-all-work. She thought she already knew. There was method in Lizzie’s madness, that was sure!
She was driving the bullying sheriff away from the cook-tent—away from the camp, indeed. He was going sideways like a crab, and Barnacle was growling and almost choking himself as he tugged at his collar.
“Git out! Scat!” exclaimed Liz. “I’m a-goin’ to let this dawg go!”
“Don’cher dare!” shouted Sheriff Larkin.
But the girl deliberately stooped over Barnacle, and began to unfasten the rope. At that the officer of the law turned and lumbered down the hill.
Where his companions were the girls did not know. And the barge with the bloodhounds had been poled off shore a few rods. The keeper was sitting on it and calmly smoking his pipe.
Sheriff Larkin was some rods from the shore. With a sudden roar Barnacle slipped his leash and tore down the slope. The dog had run a lot of game on Acorn Island since being landed here; but never a quarry like this.
The big man gave one glance behind and then lost all hope of reaching the boat. There was a 204 low-branching tree before him: He leaped for the nearest branch and swung his booted legs for a moment while he tried to hitch up on the limb.
The Barnacle jumped for him. The dog fastened to his heel, and for the first time the girls saw that the mongrel-cur really had a terrific grip.
Sheriff Larkin scrambled up into the tree; but for half a minute Barnacle swung from him, clear of the ground. When he dropped to the ground the heel of the sheriff’s boot came with the dog’s jaws!
Barnacle crouched down and began to masticate the heel. But the glare that he turned upward at the man, from his red-rimmed eyes, proclaimed the fact that he would “just as lives” chew on the sheriff’s anatomy.
The camp on the top of the knoll had been left in confusion. The girls were talking rather wildly—some praising Liz and others deploring the happening.
Mrs. Morse commanded silence. She walked over to where the maid-of-all-work stood before the cook-tent.
“What does this mean, Lizzie Bean?” she demanded.
“I tell you I ain’t workin’ for you no more,” cried Liz, wildly. “I’ve give up me job.” 205
“But you had no right to do what you have done.”
“I don’t care, I’d done more. I’d gone at that sheriff with my finger-nails if he’d come nearer. Don’t I hate him—just?”
“Why—why, Lizzie!” gasped the gentle Mrs. Morse.
Here Laura interfered. “I believe I know what is the matter with Lizzie, Mrs. Morse,” she said.
“Well!” snapped Lil, in the background. “Let’s hear it. The girl’s crazy. My mother would never have paid for such a creature to come here with us if she’d known.”
“Your ma needn’t give me a cent, Miss,” returned Liz, sullenly.
“What is the matter with her, Laura?” asked Mrs. Morse again.
“She has somebody hidden in that tent,” said Mother Wit, calmly. “Isn’t that the truth, Lizzie? Isn’t Mr. Halliday in there—Mr. Norman Halliday?”
“The bank robber!” shrieked Lil.
“Oh, oh!” gasped Nellie.
“Hurray for Liz!” exclaimed Bobby, but in a low tone.
“It cannot be?” queried Mrs. Morse.
“Yes he is. I got him here while youse folks 206 was down talkin’ to that red-faced sheriff. He was good to me when I lived at that boardin’ house, in Albany, he was! I wouldn’t give him up to that sheriff.”
Mrs. Morse looked at Laura very gravely. “You have known about this for some time, Laura? You knew that the young man was on the island?”
“With Professor Dimp—yes,” said Mother Wit, bravely.
“Professor Dimp has his own actions to answer for,” said Jess’ mother, gravely. “But I am quite sure your mother would not approve of your trying to help such a character as this young man seems to be.”
“Wait a minute, Mrs. Morse,” cried Laura. “Here come Chet and the boys.”
“The boys!” chorused the other girls.
“What has your brother to do with this affair?” asked Mrs. Morse, wonderingly.
“I saw Chet wig-wagging a little while ago, and I answered and read his message. He is bringing over a gentleman from Albany—a lawyer—to see Professor Dimp and the young man who has been in hiding so long. I think something important is going to happen,” said Laura, complacently. “Do let the Barnacle keep the sheriff up in that tree for a little while longer.”