The Outdoor Chums on the Gulf | Page 9

the Academy roof off, allowing a
short Fall vacation on the part of the scholars. At that time they had
gone into the woods, and there encountered a variety of stirring
adventures, as set forth in the initial volume of this series called: "The
Outdoor Chums; or, The First Tour of the Rod, Gun and Camera Club."

At Thanksgiving time they planned for another little camping trip, over
on Wildcat Island, which had quite a bad name on account of the
ferocious animals known to exist in its dense thickets, and also because
a wild man was said to have been seen there many times. What the four
chums saw and did there, and the multitude of remarkable things that
came to pass while they were off on this trip, from the robbery on the
steamboat to the discovery about the wild man, are told in the second
book of the series, entitled: "The Outdoor Chums on the Lake; or,
Lively Adventures on Wildcat Island,"
In due time came the summer vacation, and as they had a couple of
weeks to be together before going away to seashore or mountains with
their parents, the boys arranged to spend this time in the Sunset
Mountains, that lay ten miles back of Newtonport, which place was on
the west shore of the lake, opposite Centerville. The rumor of a ghost
that was said to haunt Oak Ridge did much to draw the boys, and it can
be readily understood that before they left their camp in the hills they
had succeeded in discovering the astonishing truth about that same
spectre. Just how this was done, together with many other thrilling
episodes, you will find in the record of the outing as given in the third
volume, called: "The Outdoor Chums in the Forest; or, Laying the
Ghost of Oak Ridge."
By the time Will had run the gamut of these adventures, some of which
caused him to shiver, while others brought a smile on his face, he heard
the voices of his chums drawing near.
They soon joined him, each burdened with some more of the outfit in
the way of blankets, and clothes-bags made of waterproof canvas.
These were hastily stowed away, after which the boys began to get
busy. Frank had, ere now, closely examined the engine of the launch,
and even started it going so as to get "the hang of the thing," as he said.
He felt that he had nothing to fear with regard to his ability to handle it.
"If anything does happen we will have to use the push-poles, and in that
way float down on the swift current until we get to a town," he said,
laughingly; but not one of them had the slightest fear.

"All aboard for the gulf!" called Will, as he stood by the rail watching
Jerry unwarp the hawser that held the nose of the boat down-stream,
another securing the stern above.
Just as soon as this latter was unfastened the boat would begin to move
with the rapid current, and at that time Frank wanted his engine to be
working.
"Ready, Frank?" called Jerry from astern.
He could cast off there, recovering the rope as they moved along.
The engine began to whirr.
"Say, doesn't that sound encouraging?" ventured Bluff, as the cheery
cough smote the air, and announced the whole power of twelve horses
to be at their disposal.
"I only hope she turns out one-half as good as she looks," remarked
Frank, who believed that the proof of the pudding lay in the eating of it.
A minute later, satisfied that everything was working, he shouted:
"Let her go, Jerry!"
Immediately the motor-boat commenced to glide down-stream. Frank
found that his engine worked like a charm. He could apparently do
anything he wanted with it, and the whole apparatus seemed more like
a plaything than a powerful motor.
"A good beginning. Hope it keeps up," remarked Bluff.
"Me for a life on the ocean wave," sang Jerry as he coiled the rope
ship-shape, and then going forward climbed up on the bow to look out
for "snags."
There were numerous abrupt bends to the river just below the Florida
town, and with that swift current it was difficult to navigate around
these places successfully. By degrees, of course, Frank expected to

become more familiar with both the engine and the only way these
things could be successfully met. He was always wide-awake, and
eager to learn.
Jerry had perched himself on the forward rail, where he could survey
the scenery. Will had his camera in his hand, and seemed ready to snap
off any remarkable picture that presented itself to his vision. He was
keen on taking some views that would embrace the weird, hanging
Spanish moss, though Frank