<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
<h3>AFTER THE STORM.</h3>
<p><span class="smcap">Thad</span> remembered that on several other occasions
the Southern boy had mentioned the name of
his little cousin, and always with a certain tender
inflection to the soft voice that stamped him for one
who had been born below the Dixie line.</p>
<p>And while Bob White had not seen fit to take his
friend into his confidence it had always been plain
to Thad that the other must have cherished a deep
affection for the said Bertha; perhaps, since he had
no sister of his own, she may have been as dear to
him as one, in those times when he lived among the
Blue Ridge mountains.</p>
<p>Before now Thad had strongly suspected that
Bob had some other object in coaxing his comrades
to make the pilgrimage to the Land of the Sky, besides
the desire to show them its wonders. And now
his own words proved it. More than that, it seemed
to have some strange connection with this same little
cousin, Bertha; and naturally with her legally appointed
guardian, Reuben Sparks.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>Thad, first of all, managed to pass the word
around in a whisper, just as Bob wished it done.
The boys understood that there was a reason back
of the request, and expected that their comrade
would take them into his confidence later on. Besides,
there had really never been the slightest chance
that any one of them would breathe that name of
Quail in connection with Bob; indeed, most of
them would have had to stop and think, if suddenly
asked what his real name was, so seldom did they
hear it mentioned.</p>
<p>The man on horseback was chatting with Allan
and several others. He did not hesitate to ask questions,
and was soon put in possession of the fact
that they were merely the members of a Boy Scout
patrol, making a strenuous hike through the Big
Smoky spur of the Blue Ridge.</p>
<p>Thad saw that he eyed them queerly many times,
as though rather doubtful whether they were giving
him a straight story; but the coming of the
storm soon held the attention of them all.</p>
<p>Just as they had expected, it was the real thing
in the way of a summer storm. The lightning
flashed in a way that was not only dazzling but
"fearsome" as Smithy expressed it, in his elegant
way. And as for the crashes of thunder that followed
each and every electric current, they deafened
the ears of the scouts.</p>
<p>A deluge of rain fell in a short time, and the<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</SPAN></span>
rush of water near by told that the little stream,
which they had struck many times during the afternoon,
had all of a sudden become a raging torrent.</p>
<p>Nobody was sorry when finally the racket began
to subside, and the rain stopped as suddenly as it had
started.</p>
<p>"She's done for," remarked Bumpus, in a relieved
tone, as though he had been half suspecting that the
stream might rise in its might, and sweep cabin,
scouts and all down through the valley.</p>
<p>The resident of the region who had also sought
shelter in the friendly cabin by the wayside, looked
out first, to assure himself that his horse had come
through the storm safely. Then he called out good-bye,
and mounting, rode away.</p>
<p>"Good riddance to bad rubbish, I take it," declared
Giraffe. "Whenever the fire flashed up that
gent would look around the queerest way ever, as
though he kind of thought we might be revenue
agents playing a fine game on his friends, the moonshiners."</p>
<p>"Be careful what you say, Giraffe," advised the
more cautious Thad. "When you're in the enemy's
country you want to use soft words. Besides, you're
only guessing when you say that. He was naturally
curious about us. Some people would think a bunch
of boys stark crazy, to try and hike through such
wild country as this, when we could have taken to
the good roads up in New York State, had orchards<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</SPAN></span>
all along the way, and good-natured farmers galore
to buy milk and eggs from when we got hungry."</p>
<p>"I hope, suh, you won't be sorry you came down
this aways," Bob White spoke up. "I take it as a
great compliment, believe me, that you-all would
care to keep me company when I said I felt that I
just had to come back here on a visit, to see what
changes there were, and do a little private business in
the bargain. I'm aware of the fact that there isn't
anything much worth seeing here, suh; except the
untamed wilderness; but they's always plenty of excitement
going around, I understand."</p>
<p>"I should guess yes," broke out Step Hen, "with
that same Old Phin hangin' 'round with his eye on
the watch for revenues. But see here, Bob, don't
you think you owe us a little explanation about this
racket—meaning your relations with the gent who
is guardian to your sweet little cousin Bertha?"</p>
<p>"So say we all," chorused Davy Jones, Giraffe
and Bumpus, solemnly, as they gathered around the
Southern boy.</p>
<p>Bob White looked at their eager faces for a minute
before speaking. There was something akin to
real affection to be seen there as he turned his eyes
from one to another of his mates. The boy from
Dixie had not been in the habit of making friends
easily in earlier days; but when he landed in Cranford
he had soon been captivated by the sincere companionship
of Thad Brewster; and when he joined<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</SPAN></span>
the new patrol of the scouts he quickly learned to
appreciate the many good qualities that marked the
other members.</p>
<p>"Yes, it's only fair, boys," he began, slowly yet
with an evident determination to take them at least
part way into his confidence; "that you should know
just why I didn't want any of you to tell the name
of the town we hailed from, when that man was in
here. He would have recognized it as my new
home, and might have suspected that I brought you
all down here for a purpose."</p>
<p>"Which you did," interrupted Bumpus; "to admire
the scenery; rough it awhile in the Land of
the Sky; and show us something of your native
country. If there was anything more, we didn't
know it, Bob White. But we're comrades, one and
all; and if we c'n do anything to help you tide over
some trouble, why, you've just got to tell now."</p>
<p>"That is fine of you, Bumpus, and I thank you
from the bottom of my heart," continued the other,
strangely moved. "But let me tell you a few things
first before you make such a rash promise, which I
am not going to hold you to, suh. The man who
was in this cabin, Reuben Sparks, is said to be the
richest and meanest in these parts. It has been
hinted more than a few times that he has always
been thick with Old Phin Dady. But no matter
how he came by his money, he is something of a
miser."<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>"No relation of yours, I hope, then, Bob?" asked
Step Hen.</p>
<p>"None whatever, suh," replied the other, proudly.
"The Quails would never have descended to the
common methods that man has practiced in order to
make money. But somehow he managed to gain an
influence over my Uncle Robert, after whom I was
named, as you may guess, suh. When the father of
Cousin Bertha died, in his will he left the child
solely in the charge of Reuben Sparks, until she
came of age; and he was also given control of her
little fortune."</p>
<p>The boy ground his teeth hard together, showing
how even the recollection of this moved him. But
recovering his customary calmness he continued:</p>
<p>"She was the prettiest little thing you ever saw,
suh, take my word foh it. And no boy ever thought
more of his pet sister than I did of my little cousin.
My father thought it a shame, and tried to get possession
of her; but this Reuben Sparks had the law
on his side, and all our efforts failed. After that
he would never even let me see her, so great was
his hatred for our family.</p>
<p>"One way or another we managed to exchange
word, and when our folks went up Nawth to look
after the mills my father had purchased before his
death, I had just two letters from Bertha before
something happened, and they stopped coming. Of
course I supposed that her guardian had found out<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</SPAN></span>
about it, and fixed matters so no letter of mine—and
I sent seven before owning up beaten in the game—could
reach her.</p>
<p>"I just stood it till I couldn't sleep nights, thinking
that perhaps she was being made unhappy by
that cruel man. And so I made up my mind I'd
come down here again, and find out the truth, if I
had to steal into his house, and see Bertha without
his knowing it. I wanted to tell you this before,
believe me, suh," addressing Thad in particular, as
the head of the patrol; while his fine eyes filled up
on account of his emotion; "but somehow I
couldn't bring myself to do it. And now, after
hearing my story briefly, if you-all feel that it
would be asking too much of my comrades to expect
to have their backing in my wildcat scheme, please
don't hesitate to say so, suh. I'll think just as well
of you in either case."</p>
<p>Thad reached out, and caught the quivering hand
of the Southern boy in his own.</p>
<p>"Why, Bob," he said, earnestly, "I think I voice
the sentiments of every fellow in the patrol when I
say most emphatically that we're going to stand by
you through thick and thin. I'm sure you won't
do anything but what is right, and what is bound to
reflect credit on you as a true scout. How about
that, fellows?"</p>
<p>"Move we make it unanimous!" cried Bumpus,
instantly.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</SPAN></span></p>
<p>"Ay, ay! that's the ticket," exclaimed others.</p>
<p>"You hear what they say, Bob White?" remarked
Thad, warmly.</p>
<p>"We'll back our comrade up, even to kidnapping
the cruel guardian, and rescuing the pretty little
cousin!" Smithy declared with unusual vim, for
him.</p>
<p>"Oh!" said Bob with a smile, as he looked from
one flushed face to another. "Of course I don't
imagine it'll ever go that far, boys; but I thank you
for this expression of your friendship. I will never
forget it, suh, never while I live. And I only hope
that some day in the future I may be able to repay
the kindness to one and to all."</p>
<p>"Then I take it that this Reuben Sparks does not
live a great way beyond where we happen to be
camped right now?" remarked Allan.</p>
<p>"I expected to show you the place sometime to-morrow,
suh. It is worth seeing, upon my word,"
replied Bob.</p>
<p>"Now I know that there's a whole lot of truth in
that old saying about the devil taking care of his
own," Giraffe mentioned. "The rest of you heard
Reuben say he had been tempted to stop under that
big tree we passed on the way here; but on second
thoughts decided to come along to the cabin. When
that one terrible crack came he got as white as a
sheet, and told me he believed that that very tree
must have been struck. Where would Reuben have<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</SPAN></span>
been if he'd stayed there? Kind of scattered around
the landscape, I guess."</p>
<p>Thad had just started to say that it was time they
thought about getting some supper, when he was interrupted
in a most disagreeable manner. Indeed,
for the moment all idea of ever wanting to eat again
in this world vanished from his mind; for something
occurred that caused the scouts to rush toward
the end of the cabin where the chimney stood, and
catch hold of each other in sudden terror and dismay.</p>
<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</SPAN></span></p>
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