CHAPTER X

GIANT AND THE MASKALONGE

The wind was making such a noise that little more could be said, and as the tornado increased all of the boys threw themselves on the ground, between a number of low bushes close to the lake sh.o.r.e. The rain was coming down in veritable sheets and the water was running into the lake in hundreds of rivulets.

"There goes something!" screamed Giant, as he caught sight of an object whirling over their heads. "Looked like a sail."

"It was the boat canvas," answered Whopper. "Maybe the boat will go next. Say, I'd just as lief be at home in my own little bed, eh?"

"Don't mention it," replied Giant, with a sigh.

For fully an hour the wind tore around them in a manner that alarmed the young hunters in the extreme. They could do nothing to save either themselves or their stores, and wondered what the morning would bring forth. More than one imagined that that was the last of the outing and they would have to return home.

But by daybreak the storm let up and the wind gradually died down to nothing but a gentle breeze. At eight o'clock the sun broke from under the scattering clouds and then all heaved a long sigh of relief.

"I never want to put in such a night again," said Shep. "I was afraid every minute was going to be my last."

"This storm undoubtedly did a great deal of damage," said Snap.

"I shouldn't wonder if---oh, look at the top of yonder tree.

What is that?"

"It's the patch of canvas we had over the stores!" cried Giant.

"The wind took it to the top of the tree. Somebody will have a climb to get it again!"

"I'll go after it later on," said Snap. "The first thing to do is to build a big fire and get dry, otherwise we'll all catch our deaths of cold."

It was no easy matter to find wood dry enough to burn, but once a blaze was started they found branches enough to pile on. They shed the majority of their garments, and soon the warmth dried each piece, much to their satisfaction and comfort.

Whopper had not been idle, and he soon had a pot of hot coffee, to which they added some condensed milk and water-soaked sugar. They also got some fish from the lake, and the entire morning was devoted to "drying out" and getting a substantial meal.

"One comfort," remarked Shep, "we'll not want for firewood while we are here."

"I shouldn't be surprised if we can pick up quite some dead birds and small animals," said Snap. "You generally can after such a storm as this."

After a good meal they felt somewhat better and took a survey of the situation. Then they brought out their stores and set them to dry on some stones in front of the camp-fire. A few articles had been rendered valueless and these they threw away. Late in the afternoon Shep and Giant went fishing, while Snap and Whopper walked for a short distance into the woods.

"We can't go very far," said Snap. "It is too wet in the shade."

"I see one bird already," said his companion, and picked up a fine woodp.e.c.k.e.r. A thrush and two other birds they could not place followed, and then they ran across a fallen tree under which lay two squirrels.

"This is hunting of a new kind," said Whopper. "Poor chaps!"

he went on, looking at the squirrels. "I suppose that storm ripped your home completely to pieces!"

"Wait! I see a good shot!" cried Snap, a few minutes later, and raising his gun took careful aim. The report of the fowling-piece was followed by a wild fluttering and then two partridges dropped down, each seriously wounded. The boys dashed forward, caught the game and quickly put them out of their misery.

"There, we have done enough for to-day," said Snap, but Whopper blazed away, nevertheless, and brought down a rabbit that chanced to be limping across a clearing, having had a paw broken by the storm.

With their game in their bags, the boys started back for the lake front. They were almost to the camping spot when a wild cry of alarm rent the air.

"Help!" came in Giant's voice.

"Let go! Let go!" came from Shep, an instant later.

"I can't! I can't!" answered the smallest of the young hunters.

"Something is wrong!" cried Snap, and dashed for the sh.o.r.e, followed by his companion. When they came to the clearing they found Shep standing up in the rowboat, gesticulating wildly. Giant was in the water and moving at a fairly rapid pace toward the centre of Firefly Lake!

"What does this mean?" questioned Snap.

"He got some kind of a bite and the fish hauled him overboard,"

answered Shep.

"Why don't you let the fish go?" screamed Whopper.

"I---I can't," gasped Giant. "The line is twisted around my wrist!"

"Row for him, Shep!" called Snap.

He had scarcely spoken when the fish took another tack, dragging poor Giant toward the sh.o.r.e, some distance above the camp. Snap and Whopper hurried in the direction, and as the little youth managed to get a footing near the beach they ran in up to their ankles and dragged him to safety. Then all three began to haul in on the fishing line.

"I see what it is!" cried Snap. "A maskalonge---and a whopper, too!"

Snap was right, and it was no mean task to bring the fish to the sh.o.r.e, and even then it flopped around in a manner that scared them a little. The maskalonge was dark gray in color with small black spots, and measured all of four feet and a half from head to tail.

"My, but he is a whopper!" cried Shep, as he ran the boat ash.o.r.e and surveyed the haul. "No wonder he yanked Giant overboard."

"Giant, you can be proud of such a haul," said Snap. "I guess he's the king-pin of all the pike in this lake."

"Well, I am proud," answered Giant, with a grin. "Just the same, I don't relish being pulled overboard for any fish in the lake.

He must weigh something, eh?"

"Fifteen to twenty pounds, I guess," said Snap. "It's too bad we haven't a scales along."

"Weigh him in his own scales," said Whopper, by way of some fun.

"I wish I could send this fish home to my mother," said the small youth. "Wouldn't it make her eyes stick out, though!"

"It certainly would, and some other folks would wonder, too,"

answered Shep. "But I don't see how you can do it."

Besides the maskalonge, the boys had caught several pike of fair size, so they were a.s.sured of enough to eat for several days.

"The best thing we can do to-morrow is to find a suitable camping spot and build a shelter," said Snap. "We don't want to be caught out in the open again."

The canvas at the tree-top was secured, and that night they slept between some bushes with this over them to keep off the night air. Each of the young hunters took his turn at watching, but nothing came to disturb them, although Whopper declared that he heard several foxes not far off.

"I thought they were going to pay us a visit, but when they were about two hundred feet away they took a turn and that was the last I heard of them."