The Campers Out; Or, The Right Path and the Wrong

by Edward Sylvester Ellis

  CHAPTER V

  THE WAY OF THE TRANSGRESSOR

  Three more miserable lads could not be imagined than our young friendswhen the train stopped at the station in New Brunswick, and they knewthat the total amount of their joint funds was less than a dollar.

  No one spoke, but they sat pale, woebegone and staring helplessly ateach other, undecided what to do.

  The conductor, who was an alert official, said to Billy:

  "This is where you get off; come, step lively."

  The lad rose to his feet without a word, and started down the aislefor the door. His companions glanced at him, and, feeling that itwould not do for them to separate, also rose by common impulse andfollowed him out on the platform, where they stood silent and wretcheduntil the train left.

  Jimmy McGovern was the first to speak, and it was with the deepestsigh he ever drew:

  "Well, boys, what's to be done?"

  "Let's go back home," said Billy, "and get the jewelry under thestump, sell that and start over again; I guess we'll know enough totake care of our money next time."

  "But we haven't enough to pay our fare," remarked Tommy.

  "We can walk to Jersey City; we've got a little money, and we'll sella revolver there: that will take one of us to Ashton, and he can getthe jewelry."

  It was a most repellent course, and they spent a half-hour indiscussing it; but it really seemed that nothing else was possible,and the proceeding was agreed upon.

  Few words were spoken as they walked down the slope from the station,made their way to the bridge a short distance below the trestle-work,and walked across to the other side. Inquiry showed them that they hadalmost thirty miles to walk to Jersey City, and since the forenoon waswell advanced, they could not expect to reach their destination beforethe morrow.

  But it was the spring of the year, the weather was mild, and theyconcluded they could beg something to eat. If the farmers refused thempermission to sleep in their houses, they could take refuge in somebarn, after the manner of ordinary tramps.

  But an unexpected series of adventures was before them.

  After crossing the Raritan and walking a short distance, they turnedinto a stretch of woods, where they sat down to discuss further whatought to be done. With the elastic spirits of childhood, all hadrallied somewhat from the extreme depression following the discoveryof the loss of their funds. The leader was especially hopeful.

  "I don't know but what it is best this happened," said he, "for wehadn't enough money to see us through, and one of us might have tocome back after we got to Chicago, and that would have been bad."

  "But we expected to get money there," said Jimmy.

  "I don't believe it would be as easy as we thought; now I will leaveyou two in New York, after we reach there, go back to Ashton, get thejewelry and bring it with me. We can sell it for two or three thousanddollars, and we'll be fixed."

  The others caught the infection of hope and rose to their feet, eagerto reach the metropolis as soon as possible.

  They were about to resume their journey, when they heard voices nearthem. Looking around, two frowzy men were observed walking slowlytoward them. One was munching a sandwich, while the other had a shortblack pipe between his teeth.

  The reader may not know that the woods, on the northern bank of theRaritan, is the spot where the numerous tramps of New Jersey havetheir general rendezvous. Several hundred of these nuisances aresometimes gathered there, and they are held in great dread by theneighbors, for they are lazy, thievish, and lawless, and haveperpetrated so many outrages that more than one descent has been madeupon their camp by the authorities, while the law-abiding citizenshave been on the point, at times, of taking severe measure againstthem.

  Unsuspicious of the fact, the boys had approached close to the camp ofthe tramps.

  The two tousled specimens caught sight of the boys at the same momentthat the latter discovered them. The one munching a sandwich stopped,stared a second, and then, speaking as well as he could, with hismouth full of food, exclaimed:

  "Well, I'll be shot if this doesn't beat the bugs!"

  "Why, Snakeroot Sam!" called the delighted Tommy Wagstaff, "if thisisn't the luckiest thing that could happen!"

  "Where did you come from?" asked that worthy, swallowing what was inhis mouth, and indulging in a grin which disclosed a double row oflarge black teeth. His companion pulled his pipe and looked on insilence.

  "Why, didn't I tell you we was going to start for the West about thistime?" asked the happy leader of the little party.

  "So you did; I jotted it down in my notebook, but seein' as how youdidn't give me the percise date, I couldn't be on hand to wish yougood-bye; but what are you doin' _here_?"

  "We've had bad luck," was the disconsolate reply; "we've been robbedof all our money."

  "And are goin' to hoof it back?"

  "That's what we'll have to do, but we mean to take a new start."

  "How did this unfortinit misfortune come to overtake ye?"

  Tommy gave the history of their mishap, the two tramps listening withmuch interest.

  "This is my friend, Ragged Jim," said Sam, when the narrative wasfinished, "and he's true blue."

  Ragged Jim nodded his head and grunted, without taking the black claypipe from between his teeth, while Snakeroot Sam munched his sandwichat intervals.

  "So you've no money with you?"

  "Not a dollar," replied Tommy.

  "How 'bout your shootin' irons?"

  "They're all right; we've got a good revolver."

  "Let me look at 'em; I'd like to be sure that they're the right kindto plug redskins with."

  The boys promptly produced their weapons, and passed them over to Sam,who examined each in turn, and then handed a couple to his companion.

  "I obsarve a watch-chain onto ye," continued Sam; "I hope you aint sodishonorable es to carry a chain without a watch at t'other end tosorter balance it."

  "I've got my father's time-piece with me," replied Tommy, producingthe fine chronometer, and passing it to the tramp, who extended hishand for it.

  Sam turned it over in his hand with the same attentive interest he hadshown in the case of the revolvers. The single weapon he had shoved inhis hip-pocket. He held the timepiece to his ear, listened to itsticking, surveyed the face, and then deliberately slipped it into histrousers pocket, catching the chain in the hole through which he hadpreviously run a ten-penny nail to give his garments the right fit.

  "How does that look on me?" he asked, with a grin, of his friend.

  "It fits you bootiful," replied Ragged Jim, "which the same is thecase with these weapons and myself."

  "Good-day, sonnies," said Snakeroot Sam, doffing his dilapidated hatwith mock courtesy.

  "But," said the dismayed Tommy, "that's my watch."

  "Why, sonny, you shouldn't tell a story; that's wicked."

  "But it _is_ mine; I want it."

  "Didn't you just tell me it was your father's?"

  "Yes--but I want it."

  "Give my lovin' respects to your governor, and tell him when I comehis way I'll stop and pass it over to him."

  With tears in his eyes, Tommy rushed forward as the tramp began movingoff, and caught his arm.

  "Sam, you must let me have that!"

  "What! are you goin' to commit highway robbery?" he demanded, as iffrightened: "do you want it bad?"

  "Of course I do, and I mean to get it."

  "All right."

  Snakeroot Sam turned about, seized the boy by the nape of his coat,and delivered a kick which sent sent him several paces and caused himto fall on his face. Then he wheeled as if to serve Jimmy and Billy inthe same manner, but they eluded him by running out of the woods tothe highway. Ragged Jim stood laughing at the scene, and Sam madeagain for Tommy; but he had leaped to his feet and hurried after hiscompanions.

  "By-by," called Sam; "when you get that money call on me again andI'll take charge of it."

  When the three came together in the ro
ad, each was crying. Tommysuffered from the pain of his ill-usage, while all were in despair.Neither could say a word to comfort the others, and they trampedwearily along, beginning to feel for the first time that their goodfortune had deserted them at last.

  Not one would confess it, but he would have given anything at commandcould he have been safely at home at that moment, with the deeds ofthe past few days wiped out and undone forever.

  The sky, which had been sunshiny in the morning, was now overcast, andthey had not gone far when drops of rain began falling.

  "We're going to get wet," ventured Billy Waylett.

  "I don't care," replied Tommy, "I can't feel any worse than I do now."

  A few minutes later a drizzling rain began falling, but, although theypassed a house near the road, they did not stop, and kept on untiltheir clothing was saturated. They were cold, chilly, and hungry, fornoon had gone and all ate lightly in the morning.

  "I'm tired out," said Billy, at last; "let's stop yonder and warmourselves; maybe the folks will give us something to eat."

  The dwelling stood a little way from the road, with which itcommunicated by means of a lane lined on both sides with tall trees.No one was visible around it, but they turned through the broad gateand hurried through the rain, which was still falling, with its cold,dismal patter, every drop of which seemed to force its way through theclothing to their bodies.

  About half the distance was passed when Tommy, who was slightly inadvance of his companions, wheeled about and dashed for the highwayagain.

  "There's a dog coming!" was his exclamation.

  The others heard the threatening growl, and descried an immense caninecoming down the lane like a runaway steam engine.

  Nothing but a hurried flight was left to them, and they ran with thedesperation of despair. Billy, being the younger and shorter, wasunable to keep up with the others. His dumpy legs worked fast, but hefell behind, and his terrified yells a moment later announced that thedog had overtaken him and was attending to business.

  His horrified companions stopped to give what help they could, but thedog, having extracted a goodly piece from Billy's garments, wassatisfied to turn about and trot back to the house to receive thecommendation of his master, who was standing on the porch and viewingthe proceedings with much complacency.

  An examination of Billy, who was still crying, showed that the skinhad only been scratched, though his trousers had suffered frightfully.All had received such a scare that they determined to apply to no morehouses for relief, even if the rain descended in torrents and theywere starving.

  And so they tramped wearily onward through the mud and wet, hungry andutterly miserable. It seemed to them that their homes were a thousandmiles distant and they would never see them again.

  They could not help picturing their warm, comfortable firesides, wheretheir kind parents denied them nothing, and where they had spent somany happy days, with no thought of what they owed those loving oneswhom they were treating with such ingratitude.

  Tears were in the eyes of all three, and, though they grew so wearythat they could hardly drag one foot after the other, they ploddedalong until the gathering darkness told them night was closing in.

  They had met wagons, horsemen, and several persons on foot. From someof the last they made inquiries and learned that, although they hadpassed through several towns, they were yet south of Rahway. Theirhunger became so gnawing that Tommy spent all their money in buying alot of cakes, which they devoured with the avidity of savages, andfelt hungry when none was left to eat.

  To the inquiries made of them they returned evasive answers, and whenthey reached any one of the numerous towns and villages between NewBrunswick and the Hudson, they hurried through them and into the opencountry, where the people viewed them with less curiosity.

  When the darkness became so deep that they could not very well seetheir way, it was necessary to decide where and how they were to spendthe night. The drizzling rain was still falling; they were chilled tothe bone, and so tired that they could hardly walk.

  In the gathering gloom, they observed a barn near the highway, inwhich they concluded to take refuge, for it was impossible to walkfarther, and no better shelter was likely to present itself.

  But for the cruel reception received at the first house earlier in theafternoon, they would have asked for charity of some of the neighbors,and doubtless would have received kind treatment, for it would beunjust to describe all the people of that section as unfeeling andheartless.

  Had they made their predicament known in any one of the towns, theywould have been taken care of until their families could becommunicated with; but they were too frightened to think of anythingof that nature.

  Halting a short way from the barn, Tommy cautiously advanced to make areconnoissance. He walked timidly around it, but discovered nothing ofany person, nor did he hear the growl of a watch-dog. Thedwelling-house stood so far off that it was distinguished only by thelights twinkling from within.

  When Tommy came to try the main door, however, it was locked, and hefeared they were barred out. He persevered, and with a thrill of hopefound the stable-door unfastened--a piece of carelessness on the partof the owner, unless he meant to return shortly.

  The lad whistled to his companions waiting in the road, and theyhurried to his side. Telling them the cheering news, he let them passin ahead of him, after which he carefully closed the door as it wasbefore.

  Then followed several minutes of groping in the dark, during whichJimmy narrowly missed receiving a dangerous kick from one of thehorses, and at last the hay-mow was located. With considerable laborthey crawled to the top, covered their shivering bodies as best theycould, and, nestling close together, to secure what warmth they could,sank almost immediately into deep slumber.

  They were so utterly worn out that neither opened his eyes until thesun was above the horizon. The storm had cleared away, the air wascool, and though their bodies were stiffened and half-famished, theywere in better spirits than when they clambered into the refuge.

  When all had fully awakened and rubbed their eyes, they sat for amoment or two on the hay, considering what could be done.

  "I'm so hungry," said Billy Waylett, "that I feel as though I couldeat this hay."

  "And I'll chew some of the meal if we can't do any better," added Jim.

  "Both of you together aint half as hungry as _I_ am," said Tommy,"and I'm going to the house to ask for something to eat."

  "Maybe they've got a dog," suggested Billy, with a shudder.

  "I don't care if they have; I'll kill and eat _him_."

  From this it will be seen that the young Indian slayers were in asorry plight indeed.

  "You fellers stay here," said Tommy, "while I fix things, and thenI'll send for you; I'm bound to do something or die, for I can't standthis any longer--"

  Just then the barn door opened, and several persons entered.

  "I think we'll find them in here," remarked one; "they couldn't havetraveled much farther."

  "But I don't see how the young rascals could get in my barn."

  "We'll take a look through that haymow."

  And the next minute the head and shoulders of a burly man rose toview, and the runaways were discovered.