The Rival Campers Part 9

"Not a thing," answered Tom. "We don't go in for that sort of business, but I just want to show them that we have been here and had the opportunity to destroy anything that we were of a mind to. Perhaps it will teach them a good lesson. It will show them that we are as smart as they are, anyway."

So saying, Tom began to gather up the guns, the good sails, the boxes of provisions, and other things of value, and carry them outside the cave, setting them down on the bank at some distance from the mouth of it.

"We won't destroy anything of value," said Tom. "But here are some odds and ends of old stuff, some of these pieces of oars, empty crates, bagging, and that sort of thing, which will make a good blaze, and which would have to be thrown away some day. They are of no use to anybody. I propose to make a bonfire of these in the cave, just to show Jack Harvey that we have been here. He'll find all his stuff that's good for anything put carefully outside the cave, and no harm come to it. But he'll be just as furious to find his cave discovered and on fire, for all that."

"All right," said Bob, "here goes."

Bob was thinking of that cake.

Tom took one of the axes and chopped a small hole in the top of the cave, some distance above the door.

"That will make a draught," he said, in answer to Bob's inquiry.

Then he blew out the lantern and poured the oil with which it was filled over the pile of rubbish. There was still a small heap of stuff in one corner of the cave, some old boards, and a few pieces of sail, thrown carelessly in a pile, as though of no value. They did not stop to bother with these, as they seemed of no consequence, and they were in a hurry.

Tom struck a match and set fire to the heap that he had acc.u.mulated.

"We can't get away from here any too soon, now, Bob," he said. "There'll be some furious chaps out here, when that fire gets to crackling and smoking. We don't care to be about here at that time. They are too many for us."

The boys scrambled down the bank, got into the canoe, and pushed off. As they paddled away, the light of the fire gleamed in the mouth of the cave. As soon as they had gotten clear of the reefs, they did not stop to reconnoitre the camp, but pushed by at full speed. It was a race against fire-and they little dreamed of its swiftness, nor of the hidden force which they had let loose.

Along the sh.o.r.e they sped, speaking not a word till they had got the village in sight and their arms were cracking in the joints. Then they paused a moment for breath, for their little craft was out of sight of the camp now, in the dull morning light.

Tom, who had the stern paddle, had looked back from time to time, but if there was any light to be seen through the bushes it was very slight. The spot was hidden now, too, by the intervening point of land.

"I don't know whether I see a light or not," he said. "There's a lot of smoke, though, and I can imagine, anyway, that I see a gleam of fire in the midst of it."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth before he swung the canoe around with one quick sweep of his paddle.

"Look, Bob! Look!" he cried. "What have we done?"

The sight that met their eyes was amazing.

A sheet of flame shot suddenly into the sky. It looked like a tiny volcano, belching up fire and debris and pus.h.i.+ng up through the midst of it a great black canopy of smoke. This was followed by the report of an explosion that echoed and reechoed through the village, reverberating on the rocks across the harbour, and filling the whole country around with its noise-at once startling and terrifying. Then the light as suddenly went out, a shower of burning sticks and shreds of blazing canvas drifted lazily down through the air, and a cloud of smoke hung over the spot.

Tom and Bob trembled like rushes. It seemed as though every particle of strength had left them. There could be but one conclusion. They had blown up the camp. Harvey and all his crew were, perhaps, killed.

Bob was the first to speak.

"Come, Tom," he said. "We must get to camp before we are seen. Brace up and try to paddle."

Somehow or other they got to camp and dragged the canoe ash.o.r.e. They carried the box up to the tent and locked it up in the big chest. Bob's hand trembled so he could hardly put the key into the lock.

Tom seated himself, dejectedly, on the edge of one of the bunks, the picture of despair.

"I guess I may as well go and give myself up first as last," he said. "I suppose I'll have to go to jail, if they're killed. What can there have been in the cave? I didn't see anything to explode, did you?"

"No," answered Bob, "unless it was something over in that pile of stuff in one corner. I didn't examine it, but they must have had something stored or hidden underneath there, either kerosene or gunpowder. By Jove!

Tom, I remember now hearing Captain Sam Curtis say he had missed a keg of blasting-powder that he had bought for the Fourth of July, and he said he thought some of the sailors down the island had stolen it. That's where it went to; it was hidden in that corner."

"That doesn't help matters much, if they're all dead," said Tom. "I'll be to blame, just the same. Oh, Bob, what shall I do?"

"Whatever you do," answered Bob, "I stand my share of it, just as much as you. I'm just as guilty as you are. But don't go to pieces that way, Tom.

We don't know yet whether they are hurt or not. The best thing we can do is to get down there as quick as ever we can. Shall we take the canoe and make a race for it?"

"I can't do it," answered Tom. "I haven't got the strength,-and, to be honest, Bob, the courage. It's taken every bit of strength and nerve out of me. Bob, I tell you, I'm afraid we've killed them,-and I, for one, don't dare to go and look."

And Tom hid his face in his hands, while the tears trickled through his fingers.

"I don't believe they're killed," said Bob, stoutly. "They were some distance away from the cave, you know. Come, we'll go with the crowd, for the whole town must be out by this time."

And so he half-persuaded, half-dragged Tom away from the tent, and they started for the hotel.

The explosion had, indeed, aroused every one. Men were running to and fro, and the greatest excitement prevailed. The news quickly spread that some frightful accident had happened at Harvey's camp, and Tom and Bob heard expressions of sympathy for them on all sides, from many who had been the victims of their tricks, and who had time and again wished the island rid of them. A rumour spread among the crowd of villagers-no one knew where it originated-that a keg of powder, which the campers had left to dry near the fire, had exploded, and blown them all to pieces. This was only one of a number of wild rumours that were noised about that morning in the confusion and uncertainty. It was generally believed that the crew must have been killed.

Tom and Bob hung on to the edge of the excited crowd, which had a.s.sembled in front of the hotel, and listened to these various expressions with horror. Then, when the crowd moved on for the camp, they followed, with sinking hearts.

It was a strange procession that went down along the sh.o.r.e that morning.

There were cottage-owners, who had grievances against the crew; villagers, who had been tormented and tricked by them time and again; and fishermen, who had lost many a tide's fis.h.i.+ng, because their dories had been found sunk alongside the wharf, with heaping loads of stones aboard.

Yet, now that disaster had befallen the crew, they were one and all willing to condone the offences, and anxious to render what help they could.

They went on rapidly. Tom and Bob soon heard a cry from those in advance that the tent was still standing. Then hope rose in Tom's heart, that spurred him forward.

He dashed ahead, rushed past the leaders, cutting through the woods where the path made a circuit. There was the tent still standing, and apparently uninjured by the storm of stones and debris that had rained down about it. But the crew! Not the sound of a voice was to be heard.

Not a soul was stirring anywhere in the locality.

CHAPTER VI.

JACK HARVEY INVESTIGATES

Tom's heart sank as he approached the tent, stepping over stones and fragments of wood that lay all about. Pulling open the flap of the tent, he looked anxiously inside. There lay the crew, to a man, stretched upon the ground, motionless. A sudden fear seized on Tom that the shock had killed them as they lay sleeping, and he reeled and clutched one of the guy-ropes to keep from falling.

The next minute the crowd of villagers had arrived, and several heads were thrust inside the tent. Just at that moment one of the crew slowly raised himself on an elbow and said, angrily:

"What's all this fuss about? Aren't you people satisfied with trying to blow us up, without coming around and making such a rumpus and keeping us awake?"

It was Jack Harvey. The others of the crew, taking their cue from him, made a pretence of rousing themselves up from sleep, yawned and rubbed their eyes, and asked what was wanted.

Then, perceiving for the first time that there were several stalwart fishermen in the party, and not daring to go too far, Harvey added, in a sneering tone:

"Oh, we're obliged to you all for coming down here. It wasn't curiosity on your part-of course not. You came down because you thought we were hurt, and we're much obliged to you. Of course we are. We're glad to see you, moreover, now we're awake. Wait a minute, and we will stir up the fire and boil a pot of coffee."

This was maddening to the rescuers. Some of the fishermen suggested pitching in and giving the crew a sound thras.h.i.+ng; but, so Squire Brackett said, "there was really no ground for such a proceeding, though he, for one, would be more than glad to do it." They could blame themselves for trying to help a pack of young hyenas like these. For his part, he was going back home to bed. "They'll drown themselves out in the bay if let alone," he commented. However, he ventured the query to Harvey: "Guess you boys had a little powder stored around here, didn't you?"

"Guess again, squire," answered Harvey, roughly. "Maybe we had a fort with cannon mounted on it,-and maybe we'd like to go to sleep again, if you people would let us. We're not trespa.s.sing. We've got permission to camp here, so don't try to go bullying us, squire."