The Boy Scouts' Mountain Camp by John Henry Goldfrap

Author:John Henry Goldfrap
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781620134917
Publisher: Duke Classics

Chapter XIV - A Thrilling Escape

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It was Peter Bumpus and Jim Dale who were talking. From their first words Rob gathered that Stonington Hunt and his son had gone fishing, and that Jumbo, like himself, was asleep.

"You're sure that kid is off good and sound, too?" asked Dale.

"Soon find out," rejoined Bumpus.

Rob felt the man bend over him, his hot breath fanning his ear. It was a hard job not to open his eyes, but Rob came through with flying colors.

"He's sound as a top," decided Pete, "and old Hunt and the kid won't be back for half an hour anyway. Now's our time to see if the old rope ladder is still there."

"It sure did us a good turn the night the revenues came," said Jim Dale.

"Let's see, it was over this way, wasn't it? Right under that big hemlock on the top of the cliff?"

"That's right."

Rob heard them cross the sandy strip of beach. Luckily, he was lying with his face toward that side, and by half-opening his eyes could observe their movements without danger of being discovered.

They approached a clump of bushes and fumbled about in it for a brief time. Peter did most of the searching, for that was what it seemed to be, while Dale stood over him.

"Well?" demanded Dale at length, "is it there?"

"Is what there?" wondered Rob.

"It's here, all right," responded Peter Bumpus and in triumph he held up something which only by great straining of his eyes Rob was able to recognize as a strand of wire. It was so slender that if his attention had not been drawn to it he would never have seen it.

"I'd like to give it a yank and bring the rope ladder down," said Dale.

"I wouldn't mind a run in the old woods myself," said Peter. He seemed half inclined to pull the wire, which Rob judged, though he could not distinguish it against the dull background of rock, must lead to the cliff summit. On that cliff summit the boy also assumed, from what he had heard, there must lie a rope ladder. The mystery of the escape of the rascals from the revenue officers was solved. They had mounted by the rope ladder on the first alarm and pulled it up after them. Rob could hardly help admiring the strategy that had conceived such a scheme.

Suddenly, while Peter Bumpus still hesitated, there came the sharp "splash" of a paddle.

"Here comes the boss," warned Dale.

Instantly the two men strolled aimlessly across the beach, as if their minds were vacant and idle. Evidently then, Hunt was not aware of the existence of the rope ladder, and the two men had some strong object in wishing to hide it from him.

The two Hunts brought back several fish, perch and pickerel, which were cooked for supper. After that meal the men sat about and talked a while, and then preparations were made for bed. Jumbo was tied hand and foot, much as Rob was. But not content with these precautions, Dale was stationed to watch the captives.

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