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Copyright, 1922, by David C. Cook Publishing Company.
DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING
COMPANY, Excin, ILLrNors.”
June 3, 1922.
EAL OTIS
brought the
motor boat
‘end of the rude dock.
“ “Can you make it, Jack?” he asked.
“Sure!” Jack Skinner sprang out of the
. boat and threw the coil of rope he carried
over one of the high timbers‘of the dock.
“We'd better tie up ‘The Gull’ here?
The ‘ Jennie Bell” will have to come in at
d.”
‘the otber en
Neal turned his head, to look shoreward.
Loon Island was long and low, much of it
covered with a growth of dwarfed, scrubby
trees. A group of rough log buildings stood
a little way inland, their windows covered”
by board shutters. It was the summer
fishing station of Timothy .Otis,. Neal's
uncle, That year Mr. Otis was unable to
eome to Loon Island, and he had given the
two boys permission to use his camp during
their school yacation.. The island was un-
inhabited, save that there was an Indian
settlement two-miles awa
y the time “ The Gull ” was made fast,
the small steamer | was ready to unload the
boys’ belongings.
Captain Lowell called, “Count the fish
boxes, Neal, and tell me when you have
your full dozen. You see we also have
some for the Indians over at the East
End. One of you boys better hustle over
and unlock the ice house and make sure
that’s all right.”
Neal hurried to the building where the
ice was stored. en he came back, the
captain and Jack were checking off the
parcels.
“Tee in fine condition, Captain Lowell.
And the house is full.”
“TI was sure’it would be all right; the
Loon Island Indians can be depended upon.
_ Still, as your uncle wasn’t able to come up
and inspect the job he hired them to do, I
thought you'd better make sure it was all
right before I left. Neal, you’ve helped
elean the fish and pack them in ice?”
“Yes, Captain Lowell, and set the nets,
I was here last summer, Jack and I will
put out only a few nets at first.”
“The ‘Jennie Bell’ will be here a week
from today and every Tuesday after that,
to take off your boxes Of fish. I'll handle
them just as I did, for your uncle last
summer. d [ll bring your grub and
mail every week. Now we'll get on, as we
have to touch at East End.”
“ Are the Indians there sending out many
fish this summer?” Neal inquired.
“Not yet. The men all went over on the
mainland and worked all winter for the
new Superior Mill Company.
promise to stay until the summer cutting
was done and they are over there yet.’ The
squaws and some boys about your age man-
sge to send out several boxes every. week.”
The captain went on deck, “and the
steamer moved away*from the island. Neal
ran to unlock the big fish house. From
it he brought a stout-wheeled truck on
‘which to move their stuff.
“Nets all ready?” Jack asked, eyeing
the long row of nets that hung over Poles
at one end of the’ shedlike room.
“Yes. Uncle Timothy stayed up her
a week last fall after he finished fish
close up to the shore
_ where Timothy
They had to -
=== Hope Daring
ing, to get the nets in shape for this year’s
work. We'll put the stuff. in here before
we unlock the house.”
It was a half-nour later when Neal
turned the key in the lock of the building
Otis and his helpers had
lived the year before. As the door swung
in, the big patch of sunlight, that was out-
lined on the floor, dimly lighted the single
big room. Neal hurried to throw up a
window. He unhooked and pushed back
the heavy shutter, then turned, and looked
approvingly at the cookstove, cupboards,
tables and chairs, and the three comfortable
bunks at the farther end of the room.
“All ship-shape. I say, Jack, -what’s
that?”
“It's a sheet of paper I picked up from
I don’t feel like laughing at his writing or
even his spelling, for he’s had only an
occasional term at school. He hopes to go
more.”
“But what does he mean?”
“Trouble I reckon, but I’ve no. idea
what.”
Jack drew a quick breath. “ Well, Um
not afraid. Let us go over to the settle-
ment and find Onaway.”
“Tf he had wanted to see us he would
have come, not w ritten, I think we better
do. Just as he says.’
“Without knowing what. jit means? I
don’t see any sense in that.
“Perhaps not, but Uncle
trusted Onaway, and so will I.”
It was dark when the two boys left the
camp. They moved cautiously and spoke
in whispers. Entering their canoe which
was beached near by, they paddled out to
where they had anchored “ The Gull,” some
little distance from the shore.
m not sure a chorus of whip-poor-
wills will wake me,” Jack said flippantly
as they swung themselves up on the larger
boat. “ Shall we try to get the canoe up
on the deck?"
“T think not.
Timothy
Onaway did not say to
spread thoir blankets and lay
The sky was clondless; myriads of
brilliant stars and a crescent moon lighted
Half a dozen figures had left the shadows of the shore and were making for “The Gull.”
the floor, It must have been shoved under
the door,. |The writing and spelling are
pretty bad, ‘put it is a letter. On the out-
side is written, ‘To the boy Neal Otis’.”
“Of all things! Is there a name signed
to it?
“Yes. It’s O— why, it looks like On-
away.”
“Oh, I know Onaway. Ie’s one of the
Indian boys over at the settlement. Uncle
Timothy thought he was a fine lad.”
Jack thrust the piece of paper into his
friend’s hand. “You read it. It's your
letter. .
On the paper was written:
in
. whipper: Wil call at 2 23 ie will be Me
Make no, Noise tomorrow it wil be
made plain.
“ Onaway.”
“Ts it a joke?” Jack who bad read the
paper over his companion's shoulder, asked.
Then he added, “ Pretty lavish: of capitals,
isn't he?”
“It's not a joke; Onaway's not that
kind. Ue was devoted to Uncle Timothy,
the water and the adjacent wooded shore.
Occasionally the night call of a bird rang
out. <A faint breeze stole over the water,
bringing with it the resinous odor of pines
and cedars.
Time dragged by. But Neal did not
sleep. Then just as he was dozing off, the
call of a whip-poor-will came. over the
water, .
The call came again and still again. Jack
sat up, and whispered, “Do you reckon
that's the Indian boy ?”
“I think so.” Can you hear. anything?”
The boys strained their ears, but now no
sound came over. the tranquil water.
Neither could they see anything on the
beach, <A few minutes went by, and a
voice, so near that Neal jumped, w hispered,
“It's Onaway. ‘ake this bundle, Neal
Otis, © and make no noise whéu I climb on
board,
Leaning over the rail Neal could ‘see only
a darker shadow among those that lurked
at the side of the boat, He dropped over a
rope.’ Soon he felt a tug at it and drew
up a bundle. It was apparently of cloth,
but heavy. Then Onaway was on deck.
“Now what does—~ Neal began, only
to be interrupted by the newcomer,
“No noise, And keep down below the
rail. I carried my clothes on my head,
so they are dry. TIlere, take this,”’. and
from the bundle he brought an article
which he pressed into Neal’s hands.
“What? W hy, Onaway, it is a revolver,
a big, old clumsy on
“Yes, but ait * kes noise. _Trust me,
ack began a whispered protest, but Neal
silenced him. The trio crouched low, close
to the rail. -Both white boys were watch-
ing the shore, but Ouaway. peered out over
the lake. At last he moved, to whisper
to Neal, “ There are two of the guns. Don't
fire at anyone you see; fire over his head.
You other boy, stand ready to hit hard, if
anyone gets. near enough to try toeclimb
on board. I'll watch the canoe.”
Sefore either of the white boys could
reply, the quiet of the night was broken
by loud, shrill cries, Walf a dozen figures
had left the shadows of the shore and were
making for “The Gull.” Neal raised the
pistol and-fired three shots in rapid suc-
cession, remembering Onaway’s order to
fire over the heads of the intruders, The
Indian youth fired at the same tim
For a moment a sudden bush fell upon
the scene. Onaway fired again, and a voice
from the water cried, “ Back to the shore!
Kago, you told us there was no danger.”
Instead of the threats and cries of in-
timidation, there came to the boys’ ears
pleas for mercy and orders for retreat.
Then there was- silence.
“What is it, Onaway? Why, what are
you doing
The ey was rewrapping the pistols in
the few garments he had removed. hen
he took them out, laying them at his feet.
Not until he had placed the bundle on his
head, fastening it by a string under his
chin, did he say, “I'll leave the guns and
the ammunition for you, but they will not
come again. Remember they have not been
taught as you-have. Tomorrow you shall
know all,” and he was gone.
“Now what do you say about that?’
Neal chuckled. “The mystery deepens.
But I reckon our friend of light attire
saved us. Ill take a nap.”
Soon the eastern sky was reddening. The
boys dozed fitfully until the sun was well
ap above the horizon. Then they paddled
ashore in the canoe and prepared their
reakfast.
“Shall we go out with the nets?” Jack
inquired. “Or do we wait here for the
promised explanation?”
They decided to wait for a time. There
were plenty of tasks to be done at the
camo. Neal cut a quantity of stove wood
from a dead pine, while Jack went out a
little way from the shore, to see if he could
get some fish: for their dinner.
long before Jack calle
er.)
It was not
\
NAN Ws WH
“It's not a joke.
=."
Soke
Onaway's not that kind.” _
yo
