Presently, the others began to rally Billy Walker on his unsuspected skill in the water.
“When in the world did you ever learn to swim?” Roy demanded. “You didn’t know how when you were in the university.”
“No such thing!” Billy retorted, huffily. “I could swim before I was seven years old.”
“But you never did swim during all the time I’ve known you,” Saxe exclaimed, astounded by the revelation.
“Certainly not!” was the crisp reply. “Why should I? Each person has just so much energy to draw on for his use, for all purposes whatever. I don’t fritter my energy away on trifles, like swimming for mere amusement. I prefer to employ my vital forces in intellectual pursuits.” He paused to grin maliciously at the others. “That’s where I differ from you chaps—yes! But, when the occasion arises, why, then I swim.”
Roy and Jake made a trip to the ruins of the motor-boat, which had beached itself on the north shore, a quarter of a mile to the east of the point reached by the men. Meantime, the three others started at a leisurely pace to the west, skirting the shore until they rounded the lake, and turned to the south on their way to the cottage. Their rate of progress was so slow that within a half-hour Roy and Jake rejoined them, and with this completion of their number the speed was quickened. It was a full five miles to the cottage, but the sun and the breeze soon dried their clothing; the paths by which Jake led them wound through charming forest stretches; they were happy anew over the gracious gift of life. So, they swung forward with free footsteps through the miles. Even Billy Walker, who ordinarily would groan if required to stroll the distance from the cottage to the boat-house, seemed for once to have put off lethargy, for he marched at the head of the procession with Jake, and set the pace smartly.
The full significance of the disaster was not revealed until the afternoon of the next day, when Jake returned from a second inspection of the wreck. His round, wizened face displayed evidences of excitement, and his tiny eyes were snapping, as he rushed into the presence of the four friends, who were taking their ease on the landing-stage of the boat-house.
“I found out somethin’!” he announced. There was a note of savageness in his voice that puzzled the hearers. “I been up to see the Shirtso, and I found out somethin’!” He stared with gloomy eyes at Roy. “I found out what caused that-thar leak o’ gas. The feed pipe was cut!”
“You mean—” Roy questioned, tensely.
“The feed pipe was cut,” Jake repeated, There was rage in his voice now. “And somebody done it a-purpose—cuss ’m!”