CHAPTER XV.-MACDONALD TURNS BACK.
Taking everything into consideration, Mr. Hampton decided that before any further steps were taken, the wisest plan would be for all to get a good rest. Frank still lay as if in a stupor; Jack looked and confessed to being shaky; even Bob was tired from the strain of the terrific fight through which he had gone, coming upon the top of many hours of exhausting travel. As for the rest, they had done practically three days" work with little or no rest in the short interval between.
"Altogether," said Mr. Hampton, summing up, "we are in no fit condition to set out in immediate pursuit of Lupo and the remainder of his men, nor even to decide wisely as to what to do. It may be that the best plan would be not to pursue Lupo but to set off at once to try and find Thorwaldsson. I, for one, am too tired even to think straight. So I vote that we make camp, set watches and turn in for a good rest. I believe I could sleep the clock around."
"If you think you can trust me with the first watch, Mr. Hampton,"
muttered Bob, shamefacedly, "I"d like to have it. I"ll promise you not to go to sleep on the job again."
Mr. Hampton slapped the big fellow on the back in kindly fashion, as Bob leaned forward, seated on the ground beside him.
"Forget it, Bob," he said. "You have nothing with which to reproach yourself. Certainly you can have the first watch, if you want it. I expect the rest of us will be only too glad of the opportunity to turn in at once. As to there being any further danger, however, I very much doubt it. You boys have given Lupo a terrible blow. With four men killed and three prisoners, he must be short-handed. If he had only twelve or fourteen, as we believe, his number now is less than ours. The consequence is, that I cannot conceive of his attempting again to attack us here on the island. However, a watch must be kept, so go to it."
Everybody agreeing with this program, Bob took the first watch and the rest scattered around the camp, under the spruces, and soon were sleeping soundly. When the time to change watches came, with nothing alarming having broken the calm, Bob waked MacDonald, and himself turned in. After that, he did not have even a disturbing dream and was disturbed by nothing until awakened by being shaken. He looked up and found Frank bending above him, his face alight with merriment.
"Hey, which of the Seven Sleepers are you?" demanded Frank.
Bob ignored the query, his mind leaping at once to the picture of Frank as he had last seen him. In his voice was a note of thankfulness at finding Frank thus carefree, as he said:
"How do you feel, old man?"
"Never better," confessed Frank. "Sleep is certainly the right medicine, isn"t it?"
"Don"t I know it!"
Bob yawned luxuriously, and rubbed his eyes.
"Come on, Bob, let"s take a plunge in the channel. Just got up myself.
It"ll wake us up, make us feel good. Everybody"s up now, and d.i.c.k fixing to get breakfast. He and Art and MacDonald are fishing. Mr. Hampton and Farnum are talking things over. And here comes Jack, just piled out of the feathers, too. The three of us can have a fine swim."
Bob was agreeable to this proposition, and they set out for the place where Frank and Jack had gone in for a plunge before. Without referring to the tragic little mound beneath which lay the bodies of the four half-breeds shot down by Frank and Jack, the boys, as if by common consent, lay their course through the trees so as to avoid pa.s.sing near it.
The water, as Frank had predicted, was delightfully invigorating, and refreshed and with the young blood tingling in their veins, after a long sleep and a good swim, they returned to camp. They brought voracious appet.i.tes with them, but fortunately the fishermen had pulled in a big haul of beauties, and these, together with flapjacks made by that skillful chef, Art, and washed down with coffee tasting like none ever made in city restaurants, the whole having the tang of the outdoors and woodland smoke for sauce, made a delectable repast.
"Now," said Mr. Hampton, at its conclusion, "now for a discussion of what"s to be done."
Thereupon he set forth the facts of the situation. Lupo with five or six men at most was still at large. He might have turned back. He might be in hiding nearby. He might have gone on ahead in search of Thorwaldsson.
In any case, Mr. Hampton declared, he felt it would be a waste of time to search for him in view of the fact that they had learned Thorwaldsson was somewhere to the north and east and their primary object was to join forces with that explorer. He wanted to know what the others had to say.
Farnum, who had been talking matters over with Mr. Hampton, sat silent, nodding approval. The other was stating his own views. But MacDonald voiced a protest.
"From your point of view, sir," he said, "I reckon you"re right. But am I to let Lupo escape now that I come so close to gettin" him? And what am I to do with three prisoners on my hands?"
"I"ve been turning that phase of the situation over and over," said Mr.
Hampton. "I cannot see that we can afford to diverge in pursuit of Lupo, now that we have pretty definite information through that fellow, Long Tom, of Thorwaldsson"s presence alive and with some of his men in this wilderness. I know what a blow it will be to you to give up the chase, but it can"t be helped. You have three prisoners, and can"t very well watch them and pursue Lupo, too. They are criminals, and as a member of the Mounted you must take them in. We can"t leave you to handle them alone, however, and--"
He paused.
"And what, sir," prompted MacDonald.
"Well, the least we can do, MacDonald, is to leave one of our number with you. That will enable you to keep guard against surprise, watch over your prisoners, and wait for the arrival of aid from your Post.
We"ll wireless your Captain Jameson full details of all that has occurred, give him your position here, and then you can wait for relief."
MacDonald looked thoughtful. He was silent several minutes, while none spoke, but all watched him expectantly.
"If you won"t help me try and round up Lupo, you won"t, and that"s all there is to it," he said, finally. "Not as I blame you, neither. You got your job, to git hold of Thorwaldsson and help him. With only a handful o" men he may be in trouble, too. Seems natural-like, if whoever is agin you fellows sent this cutthroat Lupo to cut you off, he"d likely be after Thorwaldsson, too."
Mr. Hampton nodded.
"That"s what I"m afraid of," he said, "that Thorwaldsson may need our aid."
"Just so," continued MacDonald. "Such bein" the case, your best plan is to try and find him soon as you can."
"Then you agree to my plan?"
"Not so fast," said MacDonald. "You"ll give me a man, hey?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Why-I--"
"Give me this feller," said MacDonald, laying a hand on Bob who sat beside him. "He"s a fighter."
"I couldn"t do that, MacDonald. The boys must come with me."
"All right. Only that fight he put up-that was a good one. Kind o"
wished I could have him by me. Well, then, let me have this feller. Kin see he"s used to big woods and river country. He"d make a good Mounty."
This time MacDonald pointed the stem of his pipe at d.i.c.k.
"What do you say, d.i.c.k?" asked Mr. Hampton. "It"s up to you?"
"I"d have to go out with the Mounties to their Post, wouldn"t I?
Probably have to winter there."
MacDonald nodded.
"Get you a job on the Force," he said.
d.i.c.k"s eyes shone. Middle-aged though he was, he was alone in life, loved the wilderness, and still thrilled to adventure.
"That so?" he asked. "Need men?"
"Always room for a good one."
"All right. It"s a go," said d.i.c.k.