Four Afoot: Being the Adventures of the Big Four on the Highway

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  CHAPTER VI

  WITNESSES A RESCUE AND AN ADDITION TO THE PARTY

  After supper Dan reminded the others that they hadn’t written to theirfolks about Jerry and they all sought the writing room. Those were thefirst letters home, and, of course, there was a good deal to write.None of them had any trouble in filling eight pages except Tom. Tomwasn’t much of a letter writer, anyway, and then, besides, he had eatena great deal of dinner and was inclined toward slumber. But he managedto make a strong plea for Jerry Hinkley and to assure his folks that hewas having “a dandy time.” After that he went fast asleep with his headon the blotting pad.

  “Now, look here, you fellows,” said Nelson, the next morning, “ofcourse this thing of running around the island and not knowing whereyou’re going to fetch up is very exciting and all that, but it’s risky.First thing we know we’ll find ourselves back in Long Island City. Imove that we fix on some definite place and go there.”

  “That’s what I think,” said Bob. “Let’s do it.”

  So they studied the map again and decided to keep along the northshore for a while and then strike across the island for the oceanside. Meanwhile the town of Kingston was settled on as their immediatedestination. Kingston was some eighteen miles distant and they thoughtthey could reach it that evening. They were on their way again at eighto’clock, for the day promised to be hot toward noon and they hoped tobe able to reach Meadowville in time for luncheon and lay off there fora couple of hours.

  The Sound, blue and calm in the morning sunlight, was on their left andremained in sight most of the time. Once or twice their way led alongthe very edge of it. They had put some five or six miles behind them ata quarter to ten and were approaching a place where the road crossed abridge. On the right a river wound back through a salt marsh. To theleft, after running under the bridge, it emptied itself into a littlebay. Near the bridge were a number of boat and bath houses, one or twocottages, and some floats and landings. On one of the landings a numberof boys and men were congregated, and as the four drew near, theircuriosity was aroused. Half the occupants of the float were lying ontheir stomachs, apparently trying to see under it, while the rest werewalking excitedly about.

  “Come on,” said Dan. “Let’s see what’s up.”

  So they quickened their pace, turned off from the road, and made theirway to the float.

  “What’s the matter?” asked Dan.

  “There’s a dog under here,” explained a youth. “We were throwingpieces of wood for him and he was fetchin’ them out. Then, first thingwe knew, the current took him somehow and sucked him under the float.He’s there now. Hear him?”

  They listened and presently there came a faint, smothered yelpfrom under the planks almost at their feet. By that time half theinhabitants of the float had joined them, eager to tell all about it.

  “How long has he been under there?” asked Bob.

  “Ten minutes.”

  “Five minutes.”

  “Three minutes.”

  The answers were varied. The boys hurried over to the side. The tidewas running out hard and the river, flowing through the narrow culvertunder the bridge, made a strong current which swirled against the floatuntil it tugged at its moorings.

  “Here’s where he went under,” explained one of their informants. “Wewere throwing sticks for him out there and he was having a bully time.He was a plucky little chap. Then the current took him and he wentdown. And next thing he was yelping like thunder underneath here.”

  The float, inch-thick boards spiked to big logs, rested in the waterso that the floor was some six inches above the surface. The dog hadapparently come up underneath, was penned in by the logs, and wasmanaging to keep his head out of water by hard swimming.

  “What kind of a dog is it?” asked Nelson.

  “Fox terrier, I guess.”

  “Wire-haired terrier.”

  “Irish terrier.”

  “Well, he’s small, is he?” asked Bob impatiently.

  “Yes.” They all agreed as to that. Bob turned to the others.

  “Who’s going under?” he asked.

  “Let me go,” said Tom. But Dan had already thrown off his coat andkicked off his shoes.

  “Dan’s a better diver than you, Tom,” said Bob. “Let him try it first.I guess there’s plenty of breathing space under there, Dan.”

  “Sure,” answered Dan, struggling out of his shirt. “Anyone heard thepoor little chap lately?”

  No one had, but at that moment, as though in answer to Dan’s inquiry, afaint, gurgling sound came from under the floor.

  “There he is,” said Nelson. “I’ll stand here and call to you, Dan. Youwant to go under about twelve feet.”

  “All right,” said Dan. “If I don’t show up inside of half a minute andyou don’t hear from me, one of you chaps had better come in.”

  “All right,” answered Bob; “I’ll be ready.”

  Then Dan dropped feet foremost over the edge of the float and went downout of sight in the rushing green water. A moment after those leaningover the edge caught a glimpse of a kicking leg. Then several secondspassed. The crowd on the float listened breathlessly. At last, fromunder the boards and a few feet away, came Dan’s voice.

  “All right, Nel! Where are you?”

  “Here!” called Nelson, his mouth at one of the cracks.

  “Must be the next section,” answered Dan’s muffled voice. “Wait aminute.”

  There was a faint splashing sound, silence, and again came Dan’s voice.

  “I’ve got him!” he called. “I’m coming out the other side.”

  A moment later Dan’s wet head and a half-drowned wire-haired terrierappeared at the same moment. The dog was held out at arm’s length andBob seized him. Others gave their hands to Dan and he was quicklypulled out on to the float.

  “Gee, that water’s cold!” he gasped. “How’s the dog? He was just aboutgone when I got to him. He had managed to get one paw into a crevice ina log, but his head was under water half the time, I guess. Who’s gothim?”

  “Here he is,” said Bob. “He’s all right. About scared to death, Iguess, and pretty well soaked.”

  “Maybe he’s swallowed some water,” suggested Tom. “Hold him upside downa minute.”

  Bob obeyed and nearly half a pint of salt water streamed out of thedog’s mouth. After that he seemed much better, but was content for themoment to lie in Bob’s arms and gasp and shiver, looking up the whileinto Bob’s face with an expression which surely meant gratitude. He wasa forlorn little thing when they finally set him down and he feeblyshook himself. The hair was plastered close to his body, and his inchof tail wagged feebly.

  “Who’s dog is he?” asked Nelson.

  “I don’t know,” said one of the throng. “He’s been around here fora couple of days. Don’t believe he belongs to anyone. There isn’tanything on the collar; I looked.”

  Some one brought Dan a couple of towels from one of the bath housesand he dried himself as best he could. Afterwards he trotted about thefloat a minute and along the edge of the little beach.

  “Say, he’s a plucky one, he is,” said one of the youths to Nelson.

  “Who’s that?” asked Nelson.

  “Why, that friend of yours; him that got the dog out.”

  “Oh, yes, Dan’s plucky,” answered Nelson. “But that wasn’t any stuntfor Dan. That’s one of the easiest things he does.” And he turned away,leaving the youth staring hard.

  “Well, let’s get on,” said Dan, tying the last shoe lace.

  So they started back toward the road, leaving the crowd, which hadgrown steadily for the last five minutes, looking admiringly at Dan’sbroad back. When they had reached the road, there was a shout from thefloat and they looked back.

  “Hey! There comes the dog!” some one called.

  And sure enough, there was the terrier close behind them. He apparentlyhad no doubts as to his welcome. His tiny tail was wagging busily as hewent up to Bob, sniffed at his
legs, and then turned and made straightfor Dan, a few feet away.

  “Hello,” said Dan; “you remember me, do you?”

  For answer the dog placed his front paws on Dan’s knee and lookedinquiringly up into his face.

  “I believe he knows you rescued him,” said Bob.

  “Of course he does,” said Dan. “You’ve got sense, haven’t you, Towser?”

  The terrier sneezed and wagged his tail frantically, pawing at Dan’sknee.

  “Hello; catching cold, are you?” Dan picked him up and snuggled him inhis arms. “That won’t do. Mustn’t catch cold, you know.” The dog lickedDan’s face and wriggled ecstatically.

  “He seems to like you,” said Tom. “Dogs are funny creatures.”

  “He’s a nice little dog,” said Dan as he dropped him gently to theground again. “I wouldn’t mind having him.”

  “Wonder if he really is a stray?” said Nelson.

  “Well, come on, fellows; it’s getting late,” said Bob, “and we’re onlya little more than halfway to Meadowville.”

  “Now you run along home, Mr. Dog,” said Dan, shaking his finger atthe terrier. The terrier seemed to understand, for his manner becameat once sorrowful and dejected. He watched them go off without a wagof his tail. Presently Dan stole a backward glance. The terrier wasstealing along behind them some twenty yards back. Dan said nothing.A few minutes later Bob and Nelson became aware of something trottingalong in the rear. They turned. The terrier stopped with one foot inthe air. His tail wagged conciliatingly.

  “Go home!” said Bob sternly.

  The dog dropped his head and began to sniff at the ground as though thelast thing in his mind was following them. Nelson and Tom laughed.

  “Oh, let him come,” muttered Dan.

  “It wouldn’t be fair,” said Bob firmly. “He must belong to some one andthey’d probably feel bad if they lost him.”

  “All right,” said Dan. “You get along home, doggie.”

  But doggie was busy now following an imaginary scent along the side ofthe road.

  “Throw a stone at him,” said Tom.

  “You do it if you want to,” said Bob.

  But Tom didn’t seem to want to. Finally Bob picked up an imaginarymissile and made a motion toward the dog. He didn’t run, but pausedand stared at them with an expression of such surprise and sorrow thatBob’s heart failed him.

  “Oh, come on,” he muttered. “He won’t follow.”

  Five minutes later when they reached a turn in the road they lookedback. There stood the terrier where they had left him, still lookingafter their retreating forms. The next moment he was lost to sight.

  “He was a nice little dog,” said Dan regretfully.

  They reached Meadowville without further adventure just before noon,having made, in spite of the delay, a very creditable morning record.There was no choice in the matter of hotels, since the village boastedof but one--a small, white-painted, old-fashioned hostelry standingwith its front steps flush with the village street. A long porch ranthe length of the house, and a dozen armchairs invited to rest. But theproprietor informed them that dinner was ready and so they made at oncefor the washroom, removed the dust of the highway, and subsequentlywere conducted into the dining room, already well filled. They hadjust finished their soup--all save Tom, who had requested a secondhelping--when the proprietor appeared before them.

  “Say, did any of you boys bring a dog?” he asked.

  “No,” and they shook their heads.

  “All right. There’s one out here and I can’t get rid of him. I didn’tknow but he might belong to some of you. I never saw the cur before.”

  “Here! Hold on,” cried Dan, jumping up. “Let’s see him.”

  They all trooped out into the office. There, nosing excitedly about,was the wire-haired terrier. When he caught sight of them he stopped,crouched to the floor, and wagged his bit of tail violently. They brokeinto a laugh; all save Dan.

  “It’s all right,” said Dan decisively. “That’s my dog.”

  He strode over to him. The terrier rolled over on to his back, stuckall four feet toward the ceiling, and awaited annihilation. But itdidn’t come. Instead, Dan took him into his arms and faced the others.

  “I guess he can stay with us now, can’t he?” he asked.

  “You bet,” said Bob.