CHAPTER XXV
BACK IN CAMP
Bunny Brown tried to be brave, but when he saw someone come into thecave in the darkness, in such a queer way, the little boy did not knowwhat to do. He thought of Sue, and felt that he must not let her gethurt, no matter what else happened.
"Oh, Bunny!" cried Sue. "Is that one of the robbers? Is it, Bunny? If itis I don't want to stay here! You said there weren't any but picturebook robbers in this cave, Bunny Brown!"
Bunny did not answer right away. He did not know what to tell Sue.
But the big boy who had dropped down through the chimney holestraightened up suddenly. Bunny could see him patting Splash on thehead.
And that was rather strange, for Splash did not easily make friendswith strangers. He would not bite them, but he would bark at them, untilsome of his friends had said it was all right, and that he need bark nomore.
But, after his bark of surprise this time, Splash seemed to havesuddenly made friends with the big boy who had come sliding down thechimney hole of the cave.
"Who--who are you?" asked Bunny again.
Instead of answering the big boy laughed. Then he asked:
"Are you Bunny Brown and his sister Sue?"
"Ye--yes--yes, we are," Bunny said. "But how did you know?"
"Oh, I can tell, all right."
Splash seemed very glad to meet the strange boy. There was still lightenough coming down the chimney hole for Bunny to see the dog's waggingtail. And Splash did not wag his tail for persons he did not like. Thismust be a friend.
"Is--is you a robber?" asked Sue. She had hidden her face in the pile ofbags, and was holding closely to her doll.
Again the big boy laughed.
"No, I'm not a robber," he said, "though I did take a piece of yourmother's bacon. But I'll pay her back for it. How in the world did youfind my cave, and where is your father, or Bunker Blue? And what are youdoing out alone in this storm? Are you----"
But Bunny Brown broke in on the questions.
"Oh, I know who you are! I know who you are!" Bunny cried. "You're TomVine who ran away from us! Why did you run away? Daddy has been lookingfor you. You are Tom Vine; aren't you?"
"Yes, Bunny, I am. Wait a minute and I'll light a lantern, and you cansee me better. Look out, Splash, so I won't step on you."
So that was why Splash had made such good friends with the big boy whocame down the cave chimney hole--Splash knew Tom Vine, of course, evenin the darkness.
Tom walked over to one of the boxes, and brought out a lantern. This helighted. Bunny and Sue blinked their eyes at the sudden light, but theywere soon used to it. Then they looked at Tom.
Yes, it was he. But he was even more ragged than when they had firstseen him. He was laughing, though, and did not seem sad.
"And to think when I came home, and slid down the chimney of my cave,which I sometimes do, when I don't want to go around to the frontdoor--to think when I did this I should find Bunny Brown and his sisterSue here!" said Tom. "How in the world did you find me?"
"We weren't looking for you," answered Bunny. "We were in the boat, withBunker Blue. He went on an island to fish, and we sailed away with theumbrella. We landed here and I found this cave, to get out of the rain.I told Sue it was a make-believe robbers' cave."
"Well, I guess I'm the only robber who ever lived in it," said Tom. "Butwhat are you children going to do? Tell me all about how you got here."
This Bunny and Sue did, from the time they started out with Bunker Blue,until Bunny opened his eyes to see Tom sliding down the grapevine rope.
"And now I'll tell you about myself," said Tom.
"Have you been living here in this cave ever since you went away fromour camp?" asked Bunny.
"Yes," answered Tom. "This has been my home. No one knew I was here. Iwanted to keep out of sight of Mr. Trimble, for fear he'd make me goback to his farm."
"Oh, he won't make you go back," said Bunny. "He's sorry he was so crossto you. He told daddy so; didn't he, Sue?"
"Yes, he did. I'm glad we found you, Tom," and she put her little handin his big one.
"And I'm glad I found you and Bunny, Sue. And I'm glad that Mr. Trimbleisn't looking for me. I was getting tired of hiding out this way. I wantto go back to your camp."
"You can come," said Bunny. "Daddy wants you, I know, for he said hedid. Come on back now."
"Wait a minute," said Tom. "First I'll tell you how I came here. Andthen, I guess, we'll have to stay until morning, as it is storming toobad to leave the cave now."
Tom then told that he had heard Mr. Trimble was looking for him, to makehim go back to the farm.
"And, as I was afraid he'd catch me, I ran away from your camp that daywhen I went for the pail of water," said Tom. "As I was at the spring Isaw Mr. Trimble going past behind some bushes. He didn't see me, becauseI stooped down. And when he got past I ran away. I didn't want him toget me.
"I found this cave, and I've lived in it. I took some old boxes and bagsfrom a barn. They were thrown away, so no one wanted them, I knew. ThenI found this lantern and I brought that here."
"How did you get anything to eat?" asked Bunny.
"Well, I took that," said Tom. "In the night I went back to your camp,and took some things. I didn't think your folks would care very much."
"They didn't," said Bunny. "Did you take the pie and the bacon andeggs?"
"Yes," said Tom, "I did. I have earned some money, though, and I'll payfor them."
"And did you knock down the pile of tins?" Bunny asked, "and make thenoise in the night?"
"Yes," laughed Tom. "I thought sure your folks would catch me then, butI got safely away. And ever since then I've stayed in this cave. I foundit by accident. It made a nice dry place. During the day I would go offto different farms and work enough to earn a little money to buy thingsto eat. All the while I was afraid Mr. Trimble would find me. He wassuch a mean man."
"But he's turned good now," declared Bunny, "and he's sorry he was badto you. He wouldn't even shut you up in a smoke-house," and Bunny toldof finding the fox in the little house.
"So then I can go back to your camp, and Mr. Trimble won't try to getme; will he?" asked Tom.
"Nope, he won't hurt you at all," said Bunny. "And please can't we goback to our camp now? Daddy and mother will be so worried about us."
"Why, yes, I guess I can take you," said Tom. "It isn't very far, andthere's a good road. I see you have an umbrella. That will keep Sue dry.You and I won't mind getting wet, Bunny; will we?"
"Nope," said the little fellow.
When they went to the entrance of the cave they found that the rain hadstopped, and the moon was shining. It was quite light in the woods.Leading Bunny and Sue by the hands, with Splash following after, Tomstarted for Camp Rest-a-While. He stopped for a moment on top of thecave, to show the children the chimney hole, and how he had slid down itby holding on to a long grapevine, that twined around a tree growingnear the hole. The grapevine was like a long rope.
Through the woods went Bunny, Sue and Tom. As they came near the campthey saw lanterns flashing, and voices called:
"Bunny! Bunny Brown! Sue! Sue! Where are you?"
"Here we are, Daddy! Here we are!" cried Bunny and Sue together. "AndTom Vine is with us!" added Bunny.
Those carrying the lantern rushed forward, and soon Bunny and Sue wereclasped in their father's and mother's arms, while Uncle Tad and Bunkerwere shaking hands with Tom, and listening to his story of how he hadfound the children in the cave where he made his home.
"And to think you two went off in a boat with an umbrella for a sail!"cried Mother Brown to the children. "Don't you ever do it again!"
"We won't!" promised Bunny. "But what happened to you, Bunker?"
"Well, after you left me on the island," said the red-haired boy, "Iwaited until I saw your father coming after me in a boat. He took me tocamp, and I told him I thought you and Sue had drifted down the lake. Sowe set out to find you, but you got here all right."
"And I don't want to sleep in any more caves," said Sue.
"I like it," Bunny said. "It was nice!"
The children were soon asleep in their cots in the camp tent, and afterTom had told his story to Mr. and Mrs. Brown, he, too, was given hisold bed. He had nothing more to fear from Mr. Trimble, and he need nothave run away, only he was afraid of the farmer. And for that reason hedid not go back to camp, or send any word to Mr. Brown.
But everything came out all right, and Mr. Trimble came over and toldTom how sorry he was for having been so unpleasant as to make him runaway.
Bunny Brown and his sister Sue stayed at Camp Rest-a-While all thatsummer and they had much fun, and many more adventures, but I have noroom to tell you about them in this book. Perhaps I may write anothervolume about them later. As for Tom Vine, he was taken to live inBellemere, where he worked at Mr. Brown's boat business with BunkerBlue. He did not have to live in a cave any more, and had a good home.
And now, having told all there is to tell, I will let you say good-byeto Bunny Brown and his sister Sue.
THE END
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at Camp Rest-A-While Page 25
