The fat boy was in high glee over his adventure, and burst out into frequent boasts. He took especial pains to let Jimmy know that the one who laughed last always laughed hardest.
"Just wait, and say how that same turns out," declared the Irish lad, seemingly only the more determined to exceed Nick"s big score.
So the afternoon pa.s.sed away, and it came on toward evening.
"h.e.l.lo! how"s this?" remarked Jack, who had been out with George for some time, taking a look at his motor, and consulting as to the wisdom of making a radical change when they reached the city of Tampa; "it"s coming on night, and I don"t see any signs of supper in sight. And by the way, where is Josh; I don"t happen to set eyes on him around?"
The others stared at each other.
"Why, I remember now, that he asked me for the loan of my gun some little while back, and said he"d like to take a stroll down the beach, thinking there might be a bunch of those nice little sh.o.r.e birds on some mud flat, that he could bring back with him," Herb said, looking perplexed.
"How long ago was that?" Jack demanded.
"I guess all of an hour; just after you went out when George called."
"Has anybody heard a shot?" asked Jack.
But n.o.body had; and, as the night came on, the five boys began to realize that something must surely have happened to their lengthy chum.
CHAPTER VII.
THE LOST CHUM.
Uneasiness increased as the shadows of night began to fall around them; and the motor boat boys cast many anxious glances toward the gloomy patches of mangroves along the sh.o.r.e, as well as the denser sawgra.s.s, dwarf palmetto and trees that covered the mainland.
"I don"t like this at all," Jack finally declared. "We"ve shouted enough for any one with ears, within half a mile, to have heard us."
"And never had a peep from Josh, that"s a fact," declared Nick, whose cheeks had lost some of their customary color, in the face of this mystery; for he was very fond of the absent chum.
"Whatever could have happened to the lad?" asked Jimmy.
"It seems hard to believe that he could have lost himself, and wandered so far away that he couldn"t fire his gun, or hear us yell," Herb observed, frowning.
George plucked at the sleeve of Jack, as he remarked in a low, nervous tone:
"Now, you don"t believe _they_ could have had anything to do with our chum"s disappearance, do you?"
"What in the wide world are you speaking about?" demanded the other, startled for the moment by the grave way in which George said this.
"Why, you know, that queer lot in the boat that was a ringer for the _Tramp_," was what George added, quickly.
"Oh! come now, what put that silly notion in your head?" asked Jack; though at the same time he could not but weigh the startling proposition advanced by George in his mind, and find himself impressed more or less by its possibility.
"I suppose," George went on, "because, for the life of me, I just can"t imagine any other reason why the fellow wouldn"t do _something_ to let us know he was alive. If he discovered that he was lost, I"m dead sure Josh would have sense enough to holler, and fire his gun several times in succession."
"And we never heard the first sign," declared Herb.
"Well, I"ve just stood it as long as I mean to," declared Jack.
"Yes; let"s get busy and do something," George burst out with, for he was ever an impetuous fellow, eager to be accomplishing things, and getting to his intended goal by a short-cut, if possible.
"Jack, say what, and we"ll stand by you," Herb spoke up, with a look of grim determination on his face.
"Them"s my sentiments!" affirmed Jimmy.
"Say the word, and we"ll all back you up, Commodore!" Nick put in, puffing his cheeks out, and looking very fierce--for him.
"Well, there"s an old saying, you remember," Jack remarked, "to the effect that if the mountain won"t come to you, the next best thing is to go to the mountain. And if Josh hangs fire about returning to camp, why, some of us have got to get a hustle on, and look him up. That"s plain enough, I hope."
"It sure is; and we expect you to be the one to lead the rescue party, Jack," George declared.
"All right; and as there"s no time to be lost, let"s get busy. Somebody has to stay here, and guard the camp; and I appoint Nick as the fellow to take that duty on his shoulders."
When Jack made this declaration, Nick started, and seemed to shiver a little; but, realizing that all eyes were turned toward him, he braced up again.
"Oh! all right, Jack, just as you say," he expressed himself.
"Understand," Jack explained, seeing that the fat boy felt hurt; "it isn"t because there"s any doubt about your courage and all that; but none of us can say how far we may have to tramp, or what swamps we"ll have to wade through; and you admit, Nick, that you"re not fitted for campaigning in that line as well as some of the rest of us."
"Sure, I know that," said Nick, heaving a sigh.
"But," continued Jack, as though he had had a second thought, "as three of us ought to be enough, I guess I"ll leave a second guard behind.
Herb, would you mind staying, to keep Nick company? It"s just as much a post of honor as going with George, Jimmy and myself. And you"ll have to keep watch all the time."
"Oh! I"m ready to do just what you say, Jack. I believe you know best; and while of course I"d rather be with the hunting party, count on me holding up the other end with Nick here," Herb hastened to declare.
"Then that"s settled," Jack went on, relieved to find that his plans were meeting with next to no opposition. "Of course you"ll have your gun, while each of us will go armed; for there"s no telling what we may meet up with. I"ll take the rifle, while George and Jimmy have the scatter-guns."
"Yes, and if you find Josh, how will you let us know?" Herb asked.
"I"ll fire six shots at regular intervals of about two seconds apart. Be sure to count them carefully if you hear any firing, because in case we meet up with a prowling panther, or anything like that, the shooting would be more rapid."
When Jack mentioned that one word "panther," it might have been observed that Nick"s mouth opened, as if sudden dismay had seized hold upon him.
However, once more he summoned his nerve to the fore, and shut his teeth hard together. It was Herb, fortunately, who advanced the proposition that must have been buzzing in the brain of the more timid Nick.
"After you"ve gone, Jack, perhaps it would be just as well for Nick and myself to go aboard the boats, and hold the fort there. We"ll make sure to keep the fire burning all the while, so you"ll have a signal on the sh.o.r.e, to tell where we are. Is that right, fellows?" he remarked.
"Best thing you could do; and I was just going to say something like that," was the way Jack put it.
George had made haste to secure the guns, and each of the three now held a weapon in his hands. They looked very warlike and grim, as the camp-fire shone on the polished steel; and Nick could, after all, be pardoned for showing signs of excitement as they prepared to start off.
For Nick was in the main a peaceable lad, who liked not strife under any conditions.
"Perhaps we"d better give one more halloo before we go?" suggested George; for the idea of tramping into that mysterious wilderness, with its swamps and unknown perils, was not to be treated lightly as a picnic, by any means.