The punt was already under way. Preston and his three men worked the craft out slowly into the drifting ice. The grinding of the cakes against the sides of the boat did not frighten any of the pa.s.sengers--unless perhaps Mrs. Tingley herself. She felt responsible for the safety of this whole party of her daughter"s school friends.
The wind was not strong and the drift of the broken ice was slow.
Therefore there was really no danger to be apprehended. The punt was worked along its course with considerable ease.
The boys had to take their turns at the sweeps; but Tom found time to slip back to Ruth before they were half-way across to the island.
"Too bad the old fellow doesn"t fall overboard," he growled in Ruth"s ear.
"Isn"t he a snarly old customer?"
"But I suppose the constable has the warrant," Ruth returned, smiling. "So Mr. Blent"s elimination from the scene would not help Jerry much."
"I tell you what--you"ve got to fight fire with fire," observed Tom, after a moment of deep reflection.
"Well? What meanest thou, Sir Oracle?"
"Why, they haven"t any business to arrest Jerry."
"Agreed."
"Then let"s tip him off so that he can run."
"Where will he run to?" demanded Ruth, eagerly.
"Say! that"s a big island. And I bet he knows his way all over it."
"Oh! the caves!" exclaimed Ruth.
"What"s that?"
"He told me there were caves in it. He can hide in one. And we can get food to him. Great, Tom--great!"
"Sure it"s great. When your Uncle Dudley----"
"But how are we going to warn Jerry to run before this constable catches him?" interposed Ruth, with less confidence.
"How? You leave that to me," Tom returned, mysteriously.
CHAPTER XIV
THE HUE AND CRY
Ruth and Tom Cameron had no further opportunity of speaking together until the punt came very close to the island. Here the current ran more swiftly and the ice-blocks seemed to have been cleared away.
There was a new stone dock, and up the slight rise from it, about a hundred yards back from the sh.o.r.e, was the heavily-framed lodge. It consisted of two stories, the upper one extending over the lower. Big beams crossed at the corners of this upper story and the outer walls were of roughly hewn logs. The great veranda was arranged for screening, in the summer, but now the west side was enclosed with gla.s.s. It was an expensive and comfortable looking camp.
There were several men on the dock as the punt came in, but Jerry Sheming was not in sight. Tom had, from time to time, been seen whispering with the boys. They all now gathered in the bow of the slowly moving punt, ready to leap ash.o.r.e the moment she b.u.mped into the dock.
"Do be careful, boys," begged Mrs. Tingley. "Don"t fall into the water, or get hurt. I certainly shall be glad when Mr. Tingley comes up for Christmas and takes all this responsibility off my hands."
"Don"t have any fear for us, Mrs. Tingley, I beg," said Tom. "We"re only going to scramble ash.o.r.e, and the first fellow who reaches the house is the best man. Now, fellows!"
The punt b.u.mped. Such a scrambling as there was! Ann Hicks showed her suppleness by being one of the first to land and beating some of the boys; but she did not run with them.
"They might have stayed and helped us girls--and Mrs. Tingley--to land,"
complained Helen. "I don"t see what Tom was thinking of."
But all of a sudden Ruth had an idea that she understood Tom"s lack of gallantry. Jerry Sheming, not being at the dock to meet the newcomers, must be at the house. The boys, it proved later, had agreed to help "tip"
Jerry. The first fellow to see him was to tell him of the approach of Blent and the constable.
Therefore, when Rufus Blent and Lem Daggett reached the lodge, n.o.body seemed to know anything about Jerry. Tom winked knowingly at Ruth.
"I tell ye, Preston, I gotter take that boy back to Logwood with me,"
shouted Blent, who seemed greatly excited. "Where are you hidin" the rascal?"
"You know very well I came over with you in the boat and walked up here with you, Blent," growled the foreman, in some anger. "How could I hide him?"
"But the cook, nor n.o.body, knows what"s become of him. He was here peelin"
"taters for supper, cookie says, jest b"fore we landed. Now he"s sloped."
"He saw you comin", it"s likely," rejoined Preston. "He suspected what you was after."
"Well, I"m goin" to leave Daggett. And, Lem!"
"Yes, sir?" said that slouching person.
"You got to get him. Now mind that. The boy"s to "pear in "Squire Keller"s court to-morrow--or something will happen," threatened the real estate man.
"And if he don"t appear, what then?" drawled Preston, who was more amused by the old man than afraid of him.
"You"d better not interfere with the course of the law, Preston," declared Blent, shaking his head.
"You bet I won"t. Especially the brand of law that"s handed a feller by your man, Keller. But I don"t know nothing about the boy nor where he"s gone. I don"t wanter know, either.
"And none of they rest o" you wanter harbor that thief," snarled Blent, viciously, looking around at the gaping hired men and the boys who had come to visit Cliff Island. "The law"s got a long arm. "Member that!"
"Will we be breaking the law if we don"t report this poor fellow to the constable here, if we see him?" asked Tom Cameron, boldly.
"You bet you will. And I"ll see that you"re punished if ye harbor or help the rascal. Don"t think because Tingley"s a rich man, and your fathers have probably more money than is good for them, that you will escape,"
said Blent.
"I don"t believe he"s so powerful as he makes out to be," grumbled Tom, later, to Ruth. "_I_ was the one who caught Jerry and whispered for him to get out. I didn"t have to say much to him. He was wise about Blent."
"Where did he go?" asked the eager Ruth, quickly.