Chapter XXII. At Tony Duval's Camp - The Rover Boys on a Hunt by Edward Stratemeyer
The six cadets lost no time in making a thorough examination of the Lodge. In the bedrooms they found everything topsy-turvy, the bed clothes having been hauled near the windows where the incoming snow might fall upon them. In the kitchen they found many of their cooking utensils in the sink, and over them had been poured a mixture of flour, catsup, maple syrup, and condensed milk. In the storeroom many other things were upset, and not a few of the supplies appeared to be missing.
"This is certainly the worst yet!" groaned Fred, as he looked at the mussed-up and ruined food.
"I said Glutts and Werner would get back at you for meddling with their supplies," remarked Jack sharply. "They have certainly paid us back with interest."
"I wish we had those two fellows here now. I'd hammer them good and proper," declared Randy. "Just the same, I suppose this is our fault, and I'm mighty sorry for it," he added, looking at Jack, Gif, and Spouter.
"They either took a large share of our supplies away, or else hid them," said Gif, after another look around. "My, what a mess they did make!"
"Well, as we are largely responsible for this, it's up to us to take hold and clean up the best we can," announced Randy to his twin and Fred.
"Right you are," answered Andy. "Come ahead! we'll clean up the living-room first and get a fresh fire started."
"All right, you fellows do that, and we'll tackle the bedrooms," said Jack. "We'll have to dry out that bedding before night."
Soon the whole crowd was busy, breakfast, for the time, being forgotten. All went at the task with a will, and before long everything was straightened out but the kitchen. Doors and windows had been closed, a fresh fire had been lit, and then the roaring logs sent a grateful warmth through the entire bungalow.
"Now we'll get breakfast, and then we'll clean up this mess in the kitchen," announced Gif.
"And what are we going to do after that?" questioned Jack.
"What do you think we ought to do, Jack?"
"Square accounts with Glutts and Werner, if they are the guilty parties."
"They only paid us back for what Fred and the twins did," said Spouter. "I don't know but what we might as well call it quits."
"Well, we'll go over there, anyway, and see what they've got to say for themselves," said Jack. "Perhaps at the least we'll be able to scare them so that they'll leave us alone in the future."
"All right, we might do that," answered Gif; and so it was decided.
The boys came to the conclusion that Glutts and Werner, accompanied possibly by Codfish, must have visited the Lodge some time in the middle of the previous afternoon. Evidently the marauders had been afraid that the bungalow's occupants might return at any moment, for they had worked with great speed.
"They took a big chance with that fire," remarked Randy. "If the wind had blown the sparks too far—into the bedrooms for instance—the whole place might have gone up in flames."
At first the lads thought to go over to Tony Duval's place without delay. But by the time they had straightened out the bungalow and gotten their breakfast, the older cadets were in a different frame of mind.
"More than likely they'll be on their guard to-day, looking for us to come over," said Jack. "Let us wait two or three days and try to catch them unawares," and this change was made in their plans.
Several days, including Sunday, passed, and the six cadets took it easy. It snowed part of the time, so that they went out hunting only once. On that trip they managed to get several more rabbits and four quail, but that was all.
"I thought I saw a fox," said Gif on the morning following. "I heard him bark during the night too."
"Was he a silver fox?" questioned Jack eagerly.
"I didn't see him well enough to find out, and I can't tell the color of a fox from his bark," was Gif's somewhat dry reply. And at this there was a laugh.
Then the storm cleared away once more, and on the following morning the boys resolved to tramp in the direction of Tony Duval's place and see if they could locate Werner and Glutts.
"I don't believe this Tony Duval is a very nice fellow to meet," remarked Gif, when they were on their way. "I saw him twice, and he looked like anything but a pleasant character."
The middle of the forenoon found them on the grounds occupied by the various shacks belonging to the French-Canadian. They were small structures, built for the most part of slabsides, and each contained but two windows and a door.
"I wonder which shack is that used by Glutts and Werner," remarked Randy, as they looked around.
Nobody was in sight. There were five of the shacks located several hundred feet apart, and each with some timber around it.
"We'll try the nearest place," said Gif, and, going up to it, he knocked sharply on the door. He waited for fully a minute, but there was no reply.
"Seems to be empty," remarked Jack, after looking in through one of the windows. "There is no sign of a fire in the fireplace."
They tramped on to the next shack, and found that was likewise vacant.
"I think we'll find somebody at home in the third shack," announced Spouter. "Anyway, I see smoke coming from the chimney."
They were approaching the doorway of this rude structure when it was suddenly flung open and a man stepped into view. He wore a hunter's outfit, and carried a double-barreled shotgun in his hands.
"Who are you?" he questioned, and his tone had a strong French accent. "What do you want here?"
"We are looking for a fellow named Werner who hired one of these shacks," answered Gif.
"Who are you?" repeated the man sharply, and then Gif recognized Tony Duval.
"I am the son of one of the men who own Cedar Lodge. We want to find Werner and the two fellows who are with him."
"Aha! So you are the young fellows from Cedar Lodge who made so much trouble for Mistaire Werner and his friends," cried Tony Duval. "He has told me all about that."
"Did he tell you what he did down at Cedar Lodge?" demanded Jack.
"He say he would square the account. Why should he not do that? You have no right to destroy his things and hurt his horse."
"We didn't touch his horse!" answered Fred quickly.
"His horse is gone lame, and he say you do that," cried Tony Duval. "I do not want such people as you around my place. You can go back, and you must stay off my property," and Tony Duval emphasized his words by handling his shotgun suggestively.
"If Werner and his friend are here we want to see them," cried Jack sharply. "Which shack do they live in?"
"They live there." Duval pointed with his thumb. "They are not at home now. They go on a hunt. But you shall not make more trouble for them or you will hear from me," and again he handled his gun suggestively. The man's face was very red and looked as if he had been drinking. Evidently he was in an ugly humor.
After that the cadets attempted to argue with Tony Duval, but all to no purpose. He was very stubborn, and he insisted upon it that they had already made a great deal of trouble for his patrons. He finally ordered them away, and acted so threateningly that they retired.
"Well, we've had our walk for nothing," remarked Fred, when they were in the woods again.
"I don't know about that," answered Randy. "Let us keep our eyes open. Maybe we'll run across Werner and Glutts."
The four Rovers and their chums walked leisurely through the woods, keeping their eyes open for the possible appearance of their enemies, and also for any game that might present itself. Thus the best part of an hour went by, and they managed to bring down one more rabbit and also a squirrel. Then they heard some shooting at a distance, and walked cautiously in that direction.
"There they are!" cried Randy presently, and pointed out of the woods and across a small clearing.
All looked in the direction indicated, and there saw Werner, Glutts, and Codfish. Each had a gun, and the three had been shooting at a number of rabbits. Only Werner had been successful, the others shooting wide of the mark.
"Let us circle the clearing and surprise them," said Jack, and to this the others immediately agreed.
With caution they made their way around the clearing, doing their best to remain hidden from the other boys. They had no desire to be mistaken for game and shot at, so they had to keep their eyes on the alert as they advanced.
Werner and his cronies had passed into the woods, and now were making their way down a hillside into a hollow where they had built a fair-sized campfire. As the Rovers and their chums came closer they saw the three sitting around the campfire and evidently getting ready to have a midday lunch.
"Come on! We're six to three, so we ought to be able to manage those fellows with ease!" cried Fred.
"Wait a minute! I've got an idea!" exclaimed Randy, holding his cousin back.
"What is it?" questioned Spouter.
"Do you see how much higher the other side of the slope is?" went on Andy. "Well, that slope runs right down to where they are sitting and have their fire. Now a few big snowballs started down that slope—"
"I've got you, Andy!" burst out his twin, with twinkling eyes. "It will be great! Come on, fellows, we'll smother 'em with snow!"