The Bobbsey Twins on a Houseboat Page 14

  CHAPTER XIV

  OFF AGAIN

  "What are we going to do?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey, as she stood at theside of her husband on the deck of the houseboat. Mr. Bobbsey waslooking at the wire fence, as though trying to find a way to get pastit--either under it, or over it, or to one side or the other of it. Ofcourse he did not think it wise to try little Freddie's plan ofbreaking the wire with a "cutter thing" such as the telephone mencarried.

  "Well," said Mr. Bobbsey, after a bit, "I guess the only thing for usto do is to go back, until we are anchored in some part of Lemby Creekthat doesn't belong to Mr. Hardee."

  "Does he really own this water?" asked Bert.

  "Well, he says so, and I have no doubt but what he does," said Mr.Bobbsey. "If he owns land on both sides of the creek, naturally heowns the creek, too."

  "And we can't go up or down it?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey.

  "Not unless he lets us."

  "What about the fishes?" asked Bert "He can't stop them from swimmingup and down."

  "No, he can't do that," agreed his father, with a smile.

  "Then can he stop Harry and me from catching fish?" Bert wanted nextto know.

  "Not if you fish somewhere else than in his waters," spoke the twins'father. "The best thing for us to do is to go back where we were atfirst, near where the creek runs into Lake Metoka. There we can anchorfor a time."

  "But how are we going to get to Lake Romano?" asked Nan. "I want toshow Dorothy the big waterfall."

  "Well, perhaps we can get there a little later," her father said."Just now Mr. Hardee has the best of us, and we'll have to do as hesays. So, Captain White, I guess we'll have to back up the boat, as wecan't go past the fence."

  "If I had one of those wire-cutter things," began Freddie, "I couldsnip that wire as easy as anything." He seemed to think of nothingelse.

  "Oh, you and Flossie had better go play with Snap, or Snoop,"suggested Bert with a laugh. "Or you can come and watch Harry and mefish. We're going to as soon as we get back aways."

  "I'm going to fish, too," declared Freddie, eagerly.

  The creek, near Mr. Hardee's farm, was so narrow that the houseboatcould not be turned around in it, and it had to go backward. This waseasy, since the Bluebird was something like a ferry boat, built to gobackward or forward.

  The twins were a little sad as they saw their boat backing up, but itcould not be helped.

  "We'll have a good time fishing, anyhow," said Harry.

  "That's right," agreed Bert. "I wonder if that boy Will took hisfishing rod with him? He'd probably need it, if he has run away, andis going out west to find his uncle."

  "Why would he need a fish-rod?" asked Nan.

  "To catch fish to eat," her brother said. "He'll have to havesomething, and fish are the easiest to get. I almost wish I had gonewith him. It will be lots of fun."

  "Oh, but it will be very hard, too," said Mrs. Bobbsey. "Think of thelonely nights he'll have to spend, and perhaps with no place to sleep,but on the hard ground. And when it rains---"

  "I guess I'll stay home!" laughed Bert, as though he had ever had anidea of running away from home.

  Slowly the Bluebird made her way backward until she had passed someposts near the edge of the water. These posts marked the boundary lineof Mr. Hardee's farm. He did not own beyond them, and Captain Whitesaid the creek was public property there.

  "Then we'll anchor here," decided Mr. Bobbsey, as he steered thehouseboat toward shore. "Then I think I'll take a little trip back toLakeport."

  "And leave us alone?" cried Mrs. Bobbsey.

  "Only for a short while. I want to see some friends of mine, and findout if Mr. Hardee really has the right to fence off Lemby Creek. Idon't believe he has."

  "Will you be back to-night?"

  "Oh, yes. It isn't far to Lakeport. I can walk across the fields andgo by trolley."

  "I do hope you can find some way of getting past the fence," said Mrs.Bobbsey. "It would be too bad to have our trip spoiled."

  As Mr. Bobbsey was getting ready to go back to town, Dinah came out ofthe dining-room, looking rather puzzled.

  "What is the matter?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "Are you worried because wecan't get those eggs from Mr. Hardee?"

  "Well, yessum, dat's partly it," said the fat cook. "We's got t' habeggs, an' other things too."

  "Bert and Harry can walk to the village," said Mr. Bobbsey. "It isn'tfar from here. I'll go part way with them. So don't worry, Dinah."

  "Oh, dat isn't all dat's worryin' me, Massa Bobbsey. But did yo' sayde chillums could hab dem corn muffins whut was left over?" and shelooked at Mrs. Bobbsey.

  "The corn muffins that were left over?" repeated the twins' mother."No, I said nothing about them. And they know they should not eatbetween meals without asking me. Why, are the muffins gone, Dinah?"

  "Yessum; fo' ob 'em. I put 'em on a plate on de dinin' room table, butnow dey's gone."

  "Maybe Snap took them," suggested Mr. Bobbsey. "Snoop wouldn't, forshe doesn't like such things. But Snap is very fond of them."

  Freddie, who heard the talk, hurried over to where the dog was lyingasleep in a patch of sunlight, and opened his mouth.

  "No, Snap didn't take 'em," said Freddie. "There aren't any crumbs inhis teeth."

  "Well, maybe you can tell that way, but I doubt it," laughed Mr.Bobbsey. "Perhaps you forgot where you put the muffins, Dinah, ormaybe there were none left."

  "Oh, I'se shuah I done put 'em on de table," said the fat cook, "an'I'se shuah dey was some left. I'll go look some mo', though."

  As there were a few other things besides eggs that were needed for thekitchen of the houseboat, Bert and Harry planned to take a basket, andgo to the nearest village store for them. They would walk across thefields with Mr. Bobbsey.

  "We'll fish when we come back," said Bert.

  "And get enough for dinner and supper," added Harry.

  "Better get enough for one meal first," suggested Nan, with a laugh.

  The houseboat was now made fast to the bank of the creek some distanceaway from the wire fence Mr. Hardee had stretched across the stream.It was not to be seen, nor were the farm buildings. The last theBobbseys had observed of the farmer was as he stood near his wirefence, shaking his fist at the houseboat.

  Mr. Bobbsey did not just know how he was going to get past the fencewith the Bluebird, or how he could get Mr. Hardee to cut the wire. Thetwins' father decided to ask the advice of some friends.

  Meanwhile Bert and Harry had reached the store, and had brought theeggs, and other groceries, back to Dinah.

  "Did you find those corn muffins?" asked Bert. "Because, if you did,Harry and I would like some. May we have one, mother?"

  "If Dinah has them, yes."

  "But I cain't find 'em!" complained the fat cook. "Dem muffins habjest done gone an' hid de'se'ves."

  "Oh, I guess we ate them up without knowing it," Bert said, with alaugh. "Never mind, Dinah, a piece of cake, or pie will do just aswell."

  "Go 'long wif yo'!" cried the cook with a laugh. "I'se got suffin elset' do 'cept make cake an' pies fo' two hungry boys. Yo' jest take apiece ob bread an' butter 'till dinnah am ready."

  "All right," agreed Bert. "It won't be long until twelve o'clock. Comeon, Harry, and we'll see what luck we have fishing."

  "I'm ready," was Harry's answer.

  "I'll get you the bread and butter," offered Nan, and she did, addingsome jam to the bread, which was a delightful surprise to the twoboys.

  "I want to fish, too," said Freddie.

  "All right, I'll fix you a line," offered Bert. "But be careful youdon't fall in. A fish might pull you overboard."

  Soon the three boys were dangling their lines over the rail of theBluebird, while Nan helped her mother with some of the rooms, which,even though they were on a boat, needed "putting to rights." Dinah wasbusy in the kitchen.

  By this time Mr. Bobbsey had reached Lakeport by the trolley. He wasgoing to his lumber office, thinking some of his friends, whom hemight call
on the telephone could suggest a way out of the trouble.Before he reached the lumber yard, however, he met an acquaintance onthe street, a Mr. Murphy.

  "Why, hello, Mr. Bobbsey!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I thought you wereoff on a vacation with your family in a houseboat."

  "I was," said the lumber merchant, "but I came back."

  "Back so soon? Didn't you like it?"

  "Oh, yes, first rate. But we can't go any farther."

  "Can't go any farther? What's the matter, did your boat sink?"

  "No, but we're stuck in Lemby Creek. Mr. Hardee, a farmer who ownsland on both sides of the creek, has put a wire fence across to stopus from going on to Lake Romano."

  "Is that so! Well, that's too bad. How did it happen?"

  "I'll tell you," said Mr. Bobbsey.

  Then he told the story of stopping the angry farmer from beating WillWatson, and how the fence had been built in the night.

  "Well, that certainly was a mean trick on the part of Mr. Hardee,"said Mr. Murphy. "And so the boy ran away?"

  "Yes, and Mr. Hardee accused me of knowing something about him, but Idon't--any more than you do."

  "I suppose not. But now the question is, How are you going to get pastthat wire fence?"

  "I don't know. The only way I see is to get Mr. Hardee to cut it, ortake it down, and he says he won't do either."

  "Humph! Let me see. There ought to be a way out of it. I believe hehas the right, as far as the law goes, to put that fence up, but noone else would be so mean. I guess we'll just have to force him to cutthose wires, as your little boy, Freddie, suggested."

  "Yes, but how can we do it?" asked Mr. Bobbsey. "Mr. Hardee is veryheadstrong, and set in his ways."

  "Let me see," spoke Mr. Murphy slowly, "isn't his name Jake Hardee?"

  "Yes, I believe it is."

  "And didn't he buy from you the lumber to build his house?"

  "Yes, I sold him the lumber, but he paid me for it," said Mr. Bobbsey."I couldn't get any hold on him that way. He paid for the lumber incash."

  "Yes," cried Mr. Murphy, "but he got the money from me to pay you, andhe hasn't paid ME back. He still owes ME the money, and he gave me amortgage on his house as security. I've got a hold on him all right.He owes me some interest money, too."

  I might say to you little children that when a man wants to build ahouse and has not enough money, he goes to another man and borrowscash, just as your mamma sometimes borrows sugar, or tea, from thelady next door.

  When the man borrows money to build his house, he gives to the man wholends him the cash, a piece of paper, called a mortgage. That papersays that if the man who borrowed the money does not pay it back, andalso pay interest for the use of it, the man who lent him the moneycan take the house. The house is "security" for the loaned money.

  It is just as if your mamma went next door to borrow a cup of sugar,and said:

  "Now, Mrs. Jones, if I don't pay you back this sugar, and a littlemore than you gave me, for being so kind as to lend it to me--if Idon't pay it back in a week, why you can keep my new Sunday hat." Andyour mamma might give Mrs. Jones a Sunday hat as "security" for thecup of sugar. Of course ladies do not do those things, but that iswhat a mortgage is like.

  "Yes." said Mr. Murphy to Mr. Bobbsey, "Mr. Hardee borrowed from methe money to buy from you the lumber for his house. And he hasn't paidme back the money, nor any interest on it. I think I'll go up and havea talk with him. And, when I get through talking, I guess he'll letyou go through his wire fence."

  "I hope he will," said Mr. Bobbsey, "for it would be too bad to haveour trip spoiled."

  "I'll go right back with you," offered Mr. Murphy.

  So it happened that Mr. Bobbsey, with his friend, reached thehouseboat, in Lemby Creek, shortly after dinner.

  "Oh, back so soon?" asked Mrs. Bobbsey. "What are you going to do, Mr.Murphy?"

  "Have a talk with Mr. Hardee."

  Mr. Bobbsey and Mr. Murphy walked down the bank of the creek to thefarm. They found Mr. Hardee mending a broken harness.

  "Mr. Hardee," said Mr. Murphy, "I hear you have put a wire fenceacross Lemby Creek, so my friend, Mr. Bobbsey, can't get past with hishouseboat."

  "Yes, I have," growled the farmer, "and that fence is going to stayup, too! I'll show him he can't come around here, interferin' with mewhen I try to punish my help. He made Will run away too."

  "No, I did not. I know nothing of him," said Mr. Bobbsey.

  "Mr. Hardee," went on Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take down that fence,and let the houseboat go on up the creek."

  "And I'm not going to!"

  "Very well, then," said Mr. Murphy, quietly, "perhaps you are ready topay me the interest on my mortgage which has been due me for sometime, Mr. Hardee."

  The farmer seemed uneasy.

  "Well, to tell you the truth," he said, "I haven't got that money justnow, Mr. Murphy. Times have been hard, and crops are poor, and I'mshort of cash. Can't you wait a while?"

  "I have waited some time."

  "Well, I'd like to have you wait a little longer. I'll pay you after awhile."

  "And I suppose you'll take down that wire fence, and let Mr. Bobbseyand the twins go past--after a while?"

  "Well--maybe," growled the mean farmer.

  "Maybe won't do!" exclaimed Mr. Murphy. "I want you to take the wirefence down RIGHT AWAY."

  "Well, I'm not going to do it. He interfered with me, and made thatboy run away, and I'm not going to let him go up my part of thecreek."

  "Well, then, Mr. Hardee, if you can't do something for Mr. Bobbsey, asa favor, I can't do anything to oblige you. Mr. Bobbsey is a friend ofmine and unless you cut your wire fence, I'll have to foreclose thatmortgage, and take your house in payment for the money you owe me.That's all there is about it. Either pay me my money--or cut thatfence. It must be one or the other."

  Mr. Hardee squirmed in his seat, and seemed very uneasy.

  "I--I just can't pay that money," he said.

  "Then I'll have to take your house away."

  "I--I don't want you to do that, either."

  "Then cut the wire fence!" cried Mr. Murphy.

  "Wa'al, I--I guess I'll have to," said Mr. Hardee, but it was clearlyto be seen that he did not want to. He went into the barn, and cameout wearing a pair of rubber boots, and carrying a pair ofpincers--the "wire-cutting things," as Freddie called them.

  Wading out into the creek Mr. Hardee snipped the wires of the fence.

  "There, now you can go on," he said to Mr. Bobbsey, but his tone wasnot pleasant.

  "I thought I knew how to make him give in," whispered Mr. Murphy.

  "Thank you," said Mr. Bobbsey to his friend. They hurried back to thehouseboat.

  "We're going on again!" cried the twins' father. "The fence is down."

  "Oh, fine!" said Bert.

  "Now for the waterfall!" sighed Nan, who loved beautiful scenery.

  "Oh, I've caught a fish!" suddenly shouted Freddie and he jumped aboutso that his mother, with a scream, ran toward him, fearing he would gooverboard.