"What d"ye suppose ails the fellow?" asked Will.
"Give it up. He seemed to have a broad grin on his face, as though Nellie must have written something especially sweet. But here he comes out again, dancing like a wild Indian. What"s he waving above his head, fellows?" said Frank.
"It"s his lost hunting-knife, as sure as you live!" echoed Will.
"Just to think of it, boys! The beauty was in my clothes bag all the time, and I didn"t know it! Nellie did it. She mentions the fact in this letter, and says she was so afraid I"d hurt myself with that knife, by accident, that she rolled it up in this new flannel shirt, which I"ve never thought to put on as yet, and thrust it down at the bottom of my clothes bag. I never thought to pull it out; and now that the big-game hunt is over I get my trusty blade."
"Tell me about that, will you! And you thought I was to blame," remarked Jerry.
"For which I beg your pardon. After all, perhaps no harm was done, and since Nellie only did it from the best of motives, why, I would be foolish to be angry."
"Sensible for once," observed Frank, winking at the others.
"And so we will leave the ranch without the slightest cloud on the horizon. Fellows, all I can say is we"re a lucky lot of boys," observed Will positively.
CHAPTER XXV
HOME AGAIN--CONCLUSION
Saying good-by was harder than the boys had antic.i.p.ated. They had really enjoyed themselves so immensely up there at the ranch in the wilderness that the thought of never seeing it more brought gloom upon their spirits.
Of course, the fact that they were heading toward home, and the dear ones awaiting their coming, made their sorrow lighter.
They had sent their trunk away on the previous evening, so that it would be at the far distant station awaiting their coming. On horseback, then, they were to cover the route that on their arrival they had done on a buckboard.
Mr. Mabie, Reddy and Billy accompanied them, the stockman and Billy to bring back the mounts after the train had borne their young friends away. Reddy, of course, expected to accompany the boys East, to at least visit his family. He could not promise to remain at home, for the magic of the magnificent country of the Northwest called loudly to him; but he was taking home his savings, and meant to make his parents happy.
"I"ll never forget all the good times you"ve given us, Mr. Mabie," said Frank, as he squeezed the hand of their good friend when the whistle of the approaching train was heard as it came booming out of the cut, a mile away.
"My dear boy, on my part I can never thank you and your jolly chums half enough for the delightful time you"ve given me. It will seem dreary here after you"re gone. I haven"t been so happy for years," was the reply of the stockman, as he beamed upon the cl.u.s.ter of bright faces around him.
"But you know you promised to make us a visit when we"re home from college next Christmas. Don"t forget that, sir!" declared Will.
"I certainly will not, if I"m alive. And Will, one of the inducements for such a long journey is the expectation of seeing that remarkable book of interesting views, containing reminders of so many of the exploits of the Outdoor Club. I"m sure that alone would repay me for the trip," laughed the other.
"You won"t forget about shipping those skins and things, sir? We want them for reminders of the happiest trip this club ever took. Every time we look at those rugs we"ll think of you and your Big M ranch," remarked Bluff.
"They"ll go in a few days, boys, just as soon as the skins are in proper shape for transportation, depend on it. And I"ll let you know when Pierre is placed under arrest, and the exiled chief, Running Elk, goes back to his people with all honor."
The last they saw of Mr. Mabie and Billy, they were waving their big hats vigorously on the little station platform. Then a curve of the road shut them out, and the four chums settled back in their seats to talk over the thousand and one matters that claimed their attention.
It is not in youth to grieve for long. They felt bad at leaving the scene of these recent happy events; but presently, in antic.i.p.ation of the reunion with loved ones at home, this was temporarily forgotten.
Will bemoaned the fact that he had not one single film left.
"And there are so many things I"d like to take on the way home," he sighed, "and which I let slip on the way up."
"Yes," remarked Jerry laughingly, "it"s wonderful what game you see when you haven"t a gun. But what"s the matter with you trying to get a roll at the first town? Perhaps we may stop long enough, and they may have photographic supplies at the station."
"Thank you for the suggestion, Jerry. It was a bright thought--for you; but I mean to take advantage of it, and make inquiries."
Jerry gave him a queer look. Will was a fellow he could not fully understand. He seemed to be made up of contradictions, sometimes simple, and again shrewd; now as timid as a girl, and under certain conditions showing the bravery of a lion. Jerry knew Bluff as he did his own nature, and could dispute with him with energy, but in the case of Will he was always glad to drop the subject before he found he had burned his fingers.
Nothing of moment happened on the journey, at least nothing worthy of mention. Will did manage to secure a roll of films at the first town. A messenger came to the car with it, and Frank always supposed from that that his eccentric companion must have wired ahead for supplies. When Will wanted anything he meant to get it, if there was any possible way of so doing.
In due time they arrived at the station in Centerville, where a host of relatives and friends awaited their coming. There was a roar of many voices as the four chums appeared in view, and our boys quickly found themselves being hugged and kissed in a most indiscriminate fashion.
If some of the girls, in the confusion, kissed the brothers of their friends, as well as their own, that was not to be wondered at, and everybody seemed as happy as could be, despite these natural blunders.
Finally they managed to push outside the station.
"Where"s Hank Brady?" called Frank aloud.
"Here!" said that worthy, stepping forward from the motor-car, and holding out his hand eagerly to the friend who had been so instrumental in a.s.sisting him to get his slipping feet on steady ground.
"h.e.l.lo, Hank! Here"s your brother Teddy!"
In this abrupt fashion did he bring the two face to face. Hank turned white, and stared hard at the bronzed young cowboy for a moment; then he caught hold of him, and the long separated; brothers were in each other"s arms.
"Sure, the old folks will be happy this night, Ted, to see you again! I never hoped they"d find you when I asked Mr. Frank to keep on the lookout," was what Hank was saying, as he turned a moist eye in the direction of the boy who had done so much to bring happiness to his home.
Bluff and Nellie were seen talking earnestly close by. Probably he was telling her about the surprise she gave him in that last letter when revealing what she had done with his wonderful hunting-knife.
Now that they were home again, with vacation nearing an end, the boys would not have so much time to indulge in their pastimes on the lake, so that they were keen to make hay while the sun shone. Consequently, they fairly haunted the lake, and the canoes were in use every day from that time on. Nor were they alone in this love of the open, for many an evening each canoe had its complement of fair ones, whose sweet voices blended with those of the four outdoor chums as they paddled in the moonlight over the rippling water.
College was ahead of them, but as they expected to keep together still, the Outdoor Club was not to be disbanded by any means. Often in future days they expected to once more sit around a campfire in company, enjoying the delights of an outing, and recalling many of the wonderful experiences that came their way in days that were past.
And there, written down in Frank"s diary, or logbook, were the accounts of their first camp above the loggers" settlement, at the head of the lake; the one on Wildcat Island; then the third, among the Sunset Mountains, when they solved the mystery of Oak Ridge"s ghost; and also their wonderful cruise down a Florida river and along the border of the great Mexican Gulf; while this journey to the cattle ranch of Mr. Mabie, in the wilderness of the Northwest, would complete the list.
How many times, as they read of these exploits, and surveyed the splendid pictures Will had secured during their various campaigns, would the scenes of the happy past come before their mental vision! They could hardly expect to equal these glorious days in the times to come, but no one who knew their love for the open would dare predict that the Outdoor Club would cease to exist with the going to college of its four members.
Perchance they may yet have other camps in strange places, and perhaps it may be our pleasant duty to chronicle the happenings of the four chums when again they erect their tents, or it may be, paddle their canoes on other waters.
Wherever they go, and in whatever line of business they may find their life work, it can be taken for granted that the lessons learned when living this life of self-reliance in the open must always prove of the greatest value to The Outdoor Chums.
THE END
THE OUTDOOR CHUMS SERIES
BY CAPTAIN QUINCY ALLEN