A brush shanty had been erected during the day by some of the busy workers. This was to be used to house the “overflow.” It was intended that one of the tents should be handed over to Mr. Capes. The deacon would occupy a part of it, while the chauffeur could be taken care of elsewhere.
There was a great feast that night, the assistant cooks “doing themselves proud,” so they declared, in their desire to let these gentlemen see that boys know how to serve as accomplished chefs when they are in camp.
“I don’t remember enjoying a meal so much as this in many a long day,” admitted Deacon Nocker, when he had to decline any further helping.
“That fresh bass was simply delicious,” observed Mr. Capes, smacking his lips, and then adding, when several started to try to fill up his pannikin again: “Not another mouthful, or I’ll be foundered. This takes me away back to the days when I too was a boy, and used to camp out. I quite envy you, Mr. Holwell, the opportunity to spend a week with these fellows.”
After the meal was finished what a glorious time they had sitting around the blazing campfire, and talking “a blue streak,” as Leslie called it. Scores of things had to be told, all connected with the trip, though it could easily be seen that the chief subject of all was the presence of the gorilla on the island.
To the surprise of the boys Mr. Nocker, as soon as he learned about the animal, declared that he could explain where it had come from, though probably no one would ever be able to find out how the gorilla managed to get to the island, almost a mile from the main shore.
“Last spring there was an accident to a circus that was showing over in Hastings,” he went on to say, “and some of the animals escaped. I remember that among them was an enormous gorilla, though I never learned whether the animal had been captured again or not. Apparently he never was, and has found his way up here, to frighten a lot of people, and rob their camps on the island.”
“Then that was what you meant, was it, Mr. Nocker,” asked Dick, “when you told us to beware of the mysterious thief while up here on your property?”
“Exactly,” replied the gentleman, grimly. “Though it never once occurred to me to connect the thievery with the disappearance of the gorilla. Some gentlemen I knew came up here when the fishing season opened, to enjoy casting the fly for the gamy black bass of Lake Russabaga. They camped on this island, and had a fine time. The only thing that annoyed them was the remarkable manner in which through some unknown agency various valuable articles vanished.”
“He seems to like things that have a shine to them,” remarked Mr. Holwell, humorously, “judging from the fact that he took not only my gold watch and Dan’s nickel one, but the aluminum frying-pan as well. We don’t believe he could have any particular need for that, unless to use it as a looking-glass.”