"Well, I hardly believe it was as bad as that," Frank affirmed. "He had a pipe between his teeth when he poked his head up, and I imagine he must have stooped just to light it, so as to be out of the wind. But I hope it will be a long day before we have another shave as close as that one."
There were still a couple of hours of daylight left before evening would descend upon them, and they considered it good policy to keep on the move for some time yet. When the sun had set they could look for a promising place at which to tie up, and spend the coming night.
To these boys, accustomed as they were to a small lake, and a stream connected with the same that was hardly more than a creek, the upper Mississippi seemed particularly grand. It was a n.o.ble river, with very picturesque sh.o.r.es, and something new attracting their eager attention with almost every pa.s.sing minute.
Later on in the voyage, when they were navigating the lower stretches of the mighty river, its vastness might appal them, but could never excite their admiration as this early part of the cruise did.
There were not many vessels afloat at this stage. Navigation does not begin to show such bustle above Cairo as below the junction city, where the flood of the Ohio is the first considerable body of water to join forces with the Mississippi.
Still, to these boys from the interior, there was much to see; and one or the other seemed to be calling out perpetually, drawing attention to certain features of the landscape on either bank, the river itself, or some craft that appeared in view.
True to his word, Jerry, at a certain hour, vanished within the cabin; and presently smoke ascending from the pipe that projected above the flat roof announced that the first stage of supper had been taken.
By slow degrees Frank was working the boat in toward the sh.o.r.e on which it had been decided to pa.s.s the night. This being their first experience aboard such a craft, he believed that they had better take no risks of losing a good chance for anchoring to a friendly tree.
True, there did seem to be an anchor aboard, to be used in an emergency; but Frank had learned from Mr. Whittaker that the best way for tying up for the night was to find some means of using the stout cable. And he had also been warned to beware of getting into a shallow creek; since the river has a mean way of sometimes dropping half a foot during a single night; and in consequence they might find the houseboat stranded until another rise came along, which, in summer time, might not be for several weeks.
Perhaps the delightful aroma that began to drift out of the partly open cabin door helped to urge Frank to hasten. At any rate, in less than half an hour after Jerry disappeared, the clumsy boat was pushed in close to the overhanging sh.o.r.e, and nimble Bluff clambered up the bank, to whip the cable-end twice around an accommodating tree that happened to be growing just where it would prove of greatest use to the young river cruisers.
After that there was really little to do. Bluff got out a couple of fish lines and proceeded to cast them from the stern, having secured a piece of meat from the cook with which to bait them.
Before they went to bed he had hauled in quite a good-sized channel catfish, an ugly, dark-skinned creature, with keen pointed spikes along his spine, which Frank warned them must be avoided unless they wished to have a poisoned hand. Yet uninviting as the fish looked, the boys all p.r.o.nounced it good eating when, in the morning, they had it for breakfast.
Night settled down about them as Jerry announced that supper was ready.
The illumination of the interior of the cabin was not all that they could wish, and more than one complaint was heard as they sat around the table, which when not in use could be dropped so that it lay along the wall.
"I think I saw a big lamp somewhere about," Frank declared; "and to-morrow I"ll see what I can do with it. Yes, there"s where it used to hang, right over the table. If it can be made to work it ought to give us plenty of light. Bring out the two lanterns we made sure to fetch along, Bluff; with their help we might get on for one night."
Indeed, they were all so happy that it would take many shortcomings of this type to disturb them to any great extent.
It had really been a whole year now since the Outdoor Chums had enjoyed an outing together, because of being away at college. Old memories thronged their minds as they sat there, enjoying that first meal, and the talk was connected with many events of the past.
"I haven"t had such a feed all the time I"ve been away from home,"
declared Bluff. "And, Jerry, honest now, I really begin to believe that you _have_ improved in your cooking more"n a little."
Jerry fell into the trap in a way that made Frank smile behind his hand.
"A little!" he echoed, warmly; "why, I"m going to surprise the lot of you pretty soon. You wait and see. I used to be a greenhorn, and do things just in the old rough and ready camp way; but now I"ve studied the scientific methods of a _chef_. And I"ve got a whole lot of messes I"m going to ring on you fellows sooner or later."
"If they"re as good as what you gave us to-night, you can"t begin too soon," remarked Bluff, keeping his face straight; though Frank saw him send a sly wink in his direction once or twice.
All of the boys were tired, and anxious to try their bunks. These were ranged along one side of the cabin wall, two and two, "Pullman style,"
as Bluff called it.
They had brought their own blankets along, because it was not known whether the boat was supplied. Plenty were found aboard in a box; but they smelled so strongly of camphor that the boys preferred to use their own.
Frank was the last one to crawl in. He had taken a turn on deck to see that all was well, and no peril hanging over them from a break in the cable. This uneasiness of the first night afloat would soon wear away, of course; when the boys might be able to take things as they came without worrying about anything.
Frank felt very comfortable in his bunk, and soon snuggled down to sleep. He lay there for half an hour or more, however, the situation was so novel to him; but finally it must have pa.s.sed away.
Some time later he awoke, and in the darkness was for the moment unable to place himself. He could hear the other boys breathing hard, and also the gurgle of the river as it swirled past the blunt end of the beamy houseboat.
Then Frank received a sudden shock. Plainly he heard someone try the door of the cabin from without, as though a prowler had dropped on the deck of the _Pot Luck_, and was endeavoring to find an entrance; bent on stealing some of the goods which the young voyagers had loaded up with, when making their start on the long cruise down the Mississippi.
CHAPTER VI-WHAT FRANK FOUND ON DECK
Frank sat up part way, leaning on his elbow, as he listened for a repet.i.tion of the strange sound. His heart was beating at an unusual rate, but his mind was as clear as a bell.
Just then he remembered placing his shotgun within reach of his extended arm, if he but chose to lean out of the lower bunk. And he also congratulated himself that the choice of sleeping quarters for the voyage had favored him with one of the two bunks close to the floor of the cabin.
Yes, he certainly could hear someone, or something, tampering with the door. He knew that they had tied up in a rather lonely spot; but it was hard to imagine any wild animal coming aboard to investigate this clumsy craft.
And no wild animals, at least none found outside the countries of apes and monkeys, were able to try the handle of a door, actually turning it several times.
"What is it, Frank?" breathed a faint whisper close to his ears; and he became conscious of the fact that Will had also heard the sound, and was listening in his lower berth, his heart doubtless almost standing still with sudden anxiety.
For answer Frank slipped gently out of his bed. His outstretched hand came in contact with his gun, simply because he knew just where he had placed the weapon. It was a double-barreled shotgun, a hammerless, that had been given to Frank at his last birthday by his three chums, and which as yet he had not had the pleasure of using much.
He knew that Will must have guessed what he was doing, for he caught the intake of breath that signified renewed alarm.
Frank, however, did not creep toward the door, and fling it suddenly open, as no doubt his chum antic.i.p.ated he would do. He had not the slightest idea of shooting at any intruder, his sole intention being to give the other a good scare, that would be apt to make him think twice before returning again to the moored houseboat.
There were four windows to the cabin, small affairs, each covered with the heavy wire that is used in stables, and places where, air being needed, it is also advisable to keep out intruders. But Frank happened to know that one of these had been only partly covered in this manner, and that there was plenty of room whereby he could thrust the barrels of his gun out, in order to shoot.
This he did without any further delay.
The boom of the shotgun sounded loud in the confined s.p.a.ce of the houseboat cabin.
"Whoop!" yelled Bluff, as he came tumbling down from his elevated berth, doubtless under the impression that an earthquake had dropped in upon them for a visit.
Jerry followed suit instantly. Meanwhile, Frank was feeling for his little electric torch, which he had kept within reach of his hand, in case he wanted to see the time during the night, an alarm clock being one of the fixtures of the _Pot Luck_ equipment.
"What under the sun happened?" gasped Jerry; and just then Frank snapped on the bright ray of light, when they immediately saw that he was holding his gun in the other hand.
"Get some clothes on, fellows!" said Frank, quietly; yet smiling to see the blank expression on the faces of the pair who had been aroused as if by the discharge of a cannon.
"What did you shoot, Frank?" demanded Bluff, as, in obedience to the words of one who was looked up to as the leader of the set, he began to draw on a pair of trousers, with the others following suit.
"Nothing," replied Frank.
"But say, you didn"t do that just to give us a scare; that wouldn"t be like you, Frank," ventured Jerry. "If it were Bluff here, I"d think that was the case, because he"s always trying some joke or other. Tell us, Frank, what"s up?"
"We heard some wild animal trying to get in here, and Frank shot it through one of the windows!" Will declared, solemnly; for that was just what he believed had happened.