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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/12839-0.txt b/12839-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d2637a --- /dev/null +++ b/12839-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9003 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12839 *** + +[Illustration: The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where +the Battle with the Flames Had Begun] + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + +or + +<i>The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol</i> + +By + +Lewis E. Theiss + +Illustrated by +Frank T. Merrill + +W. A. Wilde Company +Chicago Boston + + + + +<i>Copyright, 1921,</i> +By W. A. Wilde Company +<i>All rights reserved</i> + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As A Fire Patrol. + + + + +This book is dedicated to + +Gifford Pinchot + +sometime forester for the United States of America, and now Commissioner +of Forestry for Pennsylvania, whose ceaseless and undiscouraged efforts to +save from spoliation the vast timber stands and other natural resources of +America have inspired this story + + + + +Foreword + + + +Boys and dogs go well together. So do boys and trees. When a boy gets to +love the forest and can live in it, that is best of all. For the forest +makes real boys and real men. + +Not only does the forest do that, but it keeps the Nation alive. No one +can eat a meal without the help of the forest, for it takes more than half +the wood cut every year in the United States to enable the farmer to grow +the food and the fibres to feed and clothe the Nation. No one can live in +a house without the help of the forest, for whether we speak of it as a +wooden house, a brick house, a stone house, or a concrete house, still +there is wood in it, and without wood it could not have been built. + +We are apt to think of the city dwellers as people who are not dependent +on the forest. As a matter of fact, they are the most dependent of all, +for the cities would be deserted, the houses empty, and the streets dead, +except for the things which could not be grown nor mined nor manufactured +nor transported without the help of wood from the forest. + +Pennsylvania--Penn's Woods--is the greatest industrial commonwealth in the +world. Without its woods, it could never have been made so. Unless its +woods are restored, it cannot continue to be so, and unless forest fires +are stopped, there is no way to restore Penn's Woods. + +I have read "The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol" with the +keenest interest, not only because it is about the forest, but because it +is a thrillingly interesting story of a real boy and the real things he +did in the woods. I like it from end to end, and that is why, when Mr. +Theiss asked me to write this foreword, I gladly consented. + +No one loves the woods more than I, as boy and man, or loves to be in them +better. One of the things I want most is to see more and better forests in +our great State of Pennsylvania, and in the whole United States. Without +our forests we could not have become great, nor can we continue to be so. +For the men and boys who love the forest and understand it are of the kind +without whom great nations are impossible. + +Gifford Pinchot. + + + + +Contents + + + + I. Vacation Plans + II. What Came of Them + III. Off to the Mountains + IV. In the Burned Forest + V. A Lost Opportunity + VI. Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + VII. The Forest Afire + VIII. Making an Investigation + IX. Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + X. An Encounter with a Bear + XI. The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + XII. On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + XIII. Spying Out the Land + XIV. The Trail in the Forest + XV. The Telltale Thumb-Print + XVI. Good News for the Fire Patrol + XVII. An Accident in the Wilderness + XVIII. The First Clue to the Incendiary + XIX. The Forester's Problem + XX. Charley Wins His First Promotion + XXI. A Trouble Maker + XXII. Charley Finds Another Clue + XXIII. A Startling Discovery + XXIV. Checkmated + XXV. The Crisis + XXVI. More Thumb-Prints + XXVII. Trapped +XXVIII. Victory + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + + + + +Chapter I + +Vacation Plans + + + +Charley Russell sat before a table in the workshop in his father's back +yard. In front of him were the shining instruments of his wireless +outfit--his coupler, his condenser, his helix, his spark-gap, and the +other parts, practically all of which he had made with his own hands. +Ordinarily he would have looked at them fondly, but now he gave them +hardly a thought. He was waiting for his chum, Lew Heinsling, and his mind +was busy with the problem of his own future. Charley was a senior in high +school and was pondering over the question of what the world had in store +for him. While he sat meditating, Lew arrived. In his hand was a copy of +the <i>New York Sun and Herald</i>. He held it out to Charley and pointed to +the marine news. + +"The <i>Lycoming</i> reaches New York to-day," he said. "Roy will send us a +wireless message to-night. Gee! I wish we had a battery strong enough to +talk back." + +But Charley paid slight heed to the suggestion. Instead he said: "Roy +Mercer's a lucky dog. Think of being the wireless man on a big ocean +steamer when you're only nineteen. I wish I knew what I am going to do +after I graduate from high school." + +Roy Mercer, like Charley and Lew, was a member of the Camp Brady Wireless +Patrol. With his fellows he had taken part in the capture of the German +spies who were trying to dynamite the Elk City reservoir and so wreck a +great munitions centre during the war; and with three other members of the +Wireless Patrol, especially selected for their skill in wireless, he had +later gone to New York with their leader, Captain Hardy, to assist the +government Secret Service in its search for the secret wireless that was +keeping the German Admiralty informed of the movements of American +vessels. + +His fellows both envied and loved him. Roy warmly returned their +affection, and his vessel never came into port that he did not, regularly +at nine o'clock in the evening, flash out some message of greeting to his +former comrades of the Wireless Patrol. It was always a one-sided +conversation, however, because none of the boys in the Wireless Patrol +owned a battery powerful enough to carry a message from Central City to +New York. Just now each lad was engaged in trying to earn money so that +the club could buy a battery or dynamo strong enough for this purpose. So +each boy was working at any job he could pick up after school, and saving +all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their +share of the purchase money. + +"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever +expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good. +You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a +corking good wireless operator." + +"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high +school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I +hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky, +noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky, +or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel +blue." + +"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew. +"Maybe you can find some other job you like better." + +"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad +says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most +money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they +pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe +three dollars." + +Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you +have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as +much if I could work out in the open and do something I like." + +"Why don't you tell your father so?" + +"I have--dozens of times. But he says it isn't a question of what I want +to do. It's a question of making the most money possible and helping him. +He says he's supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to +help him for a year or two anyway." + +"That's a shame!" cried Lew. + +"No, it isn't, Lew," explained Charley. "It's all right about helping Dad. +He's been mighty good to me, and he's in the hole now. You see, Dad and +Mother have been married twenty years and Dad's worked hard all this time +and saved his money to build a house. And just about the time Dad was +ready to begin building, prices began to go up. Dad held off, thinking +they would drop. But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the +carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still. Now the house +is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful +prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn. With such a big +mortgage on the place, Dad says he's just got to have my help or he may +lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years. It's all right +about helping Dad, Lew. I want to do that, but I can't bear to think of +going to work in that factory." + +"It's too bad, Charley. I had hoped so much that we could go to college +together." + +"Lew, if I could go to college I'd work my head off to do it. You know +that. If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers +and rocks and trees and animals, I'd be willing to do anything--even to +work in Miller's factory for a time. But Dad will need every cent I can +earn until I am twenty-one, and I can't see how I can possibly go to +college." + +"Never mind, Charley. You never can tell what will happen. Look at Roy. He +was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to +care for both himself and his mother. And see what came of it. He isn't +much older than we are, yet he's got a fine job. Just keep your eyes open +and you may pick up something, too." + +"It'll have to come quick, then," sighed Charley. "Here it is almost +Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June. This will probably be the +last vacation I shall have in a long time." + +"Then let's enjoy this vacation. I've been thinking what we could do, and +it occurred to me that it would be lots of fun for the Wireless Patrol to +make a trip up the river to that old camp of ours. It won't be too cold to +camp out if we take out our tents and our little collapsible stoves. +Suckers ought to be running good and we can catch a fine mess of fish, +take a hike or two, and have a bully trip up the river and back. Let's go +tell the rest of the fellows." + +Lew jumped up and started for the door. Then he stopped suddenly and a +look of disappointment came over his face. "I'll bet none of 'em can go," +he said. "They've all got jobs for the vacation. I'm glad we've got our +money earned." + +"I just thought of another difficulty," sighed Charley. "Not one of us +owns a boat." + +"We can borrow one," said Lew. + +"I hate to borrow things," replied Charley. "You remember how I borrowed +old man Packer's bob-sled and broke it and then had to pay to have it +remade. No more borrowing for me." + +"Why can't we make a boat? There's plenty of time between now and +vacation. If we do the work ourselves, it oughtn't to cost more than two +or three dollars and then we'd have a boat of our own." + +"Bully!" cried Charley. "We can make it as good as anybody. We'll do it." + +"All right. I'll go down-town and find the price of oars and rowlocks, and +you go over to Hank Cooley's and find out how his father made that boat of +his. It's a dandy and just what we need." + +The two boys rushed off in opposite directions, each full of enthusiasm +over the plan to build a new boat and make a trip up the river during +their Easter vacation. + + + + +Chapter II + +What Came of Them + + + +A few hours later Charley Russell again sat before the bench in the little +wireless house in his father's yard. Before him lay some patterns for a +rowboat, and on a piece of paper Charley was trying to figure out how much +lumber it would take to build the boat. + +"We'll need two sixteen-foot boards, each a foot wide for the sides," he +said, looking across the table at his chum, who sat ready, with pencil and +paper, to jot down the figures Charley gave him. + +"Thirty-two feet," said Lew, setting down the number on his paper. + +Charley bent over his patterns, measuring and estimating in silence. +"It'll take three more like 'em for the bottom," he said presently. + +"That's forty-eight more," replied Lew, jotting down the number. + +"And these cross braces," added Charley, after another period of +calculation, "will take ten feet more." + +Again Lew set down the number. + +"That provides for everything but the decks," said Charley. "They will +take seven or eight feet more. Better call it ten. That's all. What does +it make?" + +Lew put down ten and added the column of figures. "One hundred feet +exactly," he said. + +"Bully good!" replied Charley. "A hundred feet oughtn't to cost much of +anything. The rub's going to be to get the oars. You say they want five +dollars for the cheapest pair at the hardware store, and the sporting +goods store wants six-fifty." + +"The robbers!" cried Lew. "Think of it. Six-fifty for about fifteen cents' +worth of wood. Maybe we can get a pair of second-hand oars somewhere. +Six-fifty is as much as we can afford to spend on the whole outfit." + +"It will be all right to get second-hand oars," said Charley, "for we can +get new ones later, when we have the money. Besides, we want to put most +of our money into the boat itself. As long as we are going to build it, we +want to make it the very best boat possible. We want the best wood in the +market and we want our boat light enough so that the two of us can carry +it. I reckon it may cost two or three dollars if we buy such good wood as +that. But it will be worth while. We can get along with cheap oars for a +time. Let's go down to the lumber-yard and get our boards." + +The two chums left the shop and hurried down the street toward the +lumber-yard. + +"If we can get our lumber to-day," said Charley, "I'm certain we can get +our boat made before the spring vacation. We ought to be able to put in +three hours apiece every afternoon after high school lets out, and we can +get in another hour apiece before school, if we get up early enough. +That's four hours apiece, or eight hours a day. We certainly ought to get +it finished and painted inside of ten days." + +"Sure," replied Lew. "We'll have her done all right. And we'll have just +about the finest boat in town." + +"And I reckon we'll have just about the finest trip ever," went on +Charley. "If we start right after school closes for the Easter vacation we +can row up-stream that afternoon as far as Hillman's Grove, and camp there +for the night. That will give us almost half a day's extra time. Then we +can reach our old camping ground the next day and get the tent up and our +wood cut and maybe even catch some fish before dark. We'll have everything +ready so we can jump right into the boat and pull out the minute school is +over." + +"Sure," assented Lew. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "Ain't it a +shame none of the other members of the Wireless Patrol can go along? We'll +miss 'em, particularly Roy. And now that he's wireless man on the +<i>Lycoming</i>, he'll probably never go on another trip with the Camp Brady +Patrol." + +"It's too bad for us, but mighty nice for Roy," said Charley. "Just think +of being the wireless man on a great ocean steamship when you're only +nineteen. He's made for life. Gee! I wish I knew what I am going to do." + +"I know how you feel, Charley. Maybe something will turn up so that you +won't need to go into the factory after all. But here we are at the +lumber-yard. Let's get the boards and begin our boat at once. We'll have a +good time this vacation, no matter what happens afterward." + +"Well, boys, what can I do for you?" inquired the lumber dealer, as +Charley and Lew approached him. + +"We want one hundred feet of the lightest and best boards you have," +replied Charley. "We are going to build a boat and we want it to be strong +but light, so that the two of us can handle it." + +"White pine would be just the thing for you," replied the dealer, "but I +haven't a foot of it in the place and can't get any. I have some fine +cedar boards that would make a good light boat. Just come over to this +pile of lumber." And he led the way across the yard. + +"That will suit us all right if it's wide enough," said Charley. "We want +foot boards." + +"Well, that's what these are. And a good inch thick, too. They're mighty +good boards. Hardly a knot in 'em. We don't see much lumber like that +nowadays." + +"They'll do all right," assented Charley, after examining the boards. +"What do they cost a hundred?" + +"Ten dollars." + +"Ten dollars!" cried Charley in consternation. Then a smile came on his +face. "Quit your kidding," he said. "What <i>do</i> they come at?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the lumber dealer soberly. + +The two boys stared at him incredulously. + +"Impossible!" cried Lew. "What are they <i>really</i> worth?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the man. His voice was sharp and a frown had +gathered on his forehead. "Ten dollars, and cheap at that." + +Charley turned to his companion with a look of dismay. "We can never build +our boat with wood at such a price," he cried. "With five dollars to pay +for oars, and two dollars for paint, and some more for nails and rowlocks, +and lock and chain, the boat would cost eighteen or twenty dollars just +for the materials. That's three times as much as we have got." + +After an instant the look on Charley's face changed to one of intense +indignation. He had a quick temper, and now he turned to the lumber dealer +in anger. + +"I guess the sugar profiteers are not the only ones who ought to be in the +penitentiary," he said hotly. "You can keep your old boards. And I hope +they rot for you." + +Then he turned on his heel and started toward the gate, followed by Lew. + +"Come back here!" + +The words rang out sharp and sudden. The voice was commanding and +compelling. Involuntarily the two boys turned back. The lumber dealer +stood before them, his face ablaze with indignation. Under his fiery +glances the boys were speechless. For a moment the man said nothing. +Evidently he was struggling with his temper. When he had gotten control of +himself he spoke. His voice was deep and low, but harsh and cutting. + +"Before you make a fool of yourself again, young man," he said, speaking +directly to Charley, "you had better know what you are talking about. You +called me a profiteer for asking $100 a thousand feet for those cedar +boards. Young man, those boards cost me $90 a thousand in the cars at the +station. That leaves me a margin of $10 a thousand for handling them. Out +of that I have to pay to have the boards hauled from the station, pay for +insurance on them, pay their proportionate share of overhead expense, and +pay for hauling them to customers. How much of that $10 do you think is +left for profit? So little it almost requires a microscope to see it. I +have to handle a good many hundred feet of lumber to make as much as the +cheapest sort of laborer gets for a day's pay. The fact is, young man, +that far from profiteering on that lumber, I am selling it at a smaller +profit than I ever sold any lumber before in my life. Some lumber I am +handling at a loss. But in these critical days, with factories closing +everywhere, and men by the thousands being thrown out of work, the best +thing a man can do, either for himself or for his country, is to keep +business moving. That's why I am selling lumber without profit." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. "I'm awfully sorry I called you a +profiteer," he said humbly. "I beg your pardon." + +"It's all right, young man," said the lumber dealer, a smile once more +lighting up his face. "You are too young to understand how critical the +business situation really is. But be careful in future how you call people +names." + +"I certainly will," agreed Charley. "But I'd like to know this. Who <i>is</i> +profiteering in lumber? Who is responsible for such terrible prices?" + +"Well, there <i>has</i> been profiteering in lumber, as in everything else. But +there is a real reason why the price of lumber is so high, and that is the +scarcity of timber." + +"Scarcity!" cried Charley incredulously. "Why, the forests are full of +timber." + +"And what is it like?" demanded the lumber dealer. "Go out to the forests +and look at it. There's nothing but little poles that will scarcely make +six-inch boards. We don't produce one-fourth of the lumber we use in this +state, and we are using wood ten times as fast as our forests are growing +it." + +"I thought Pennsylvania was a great lumbering state," protested Lew. + +"For a good many years it led the nation in the production of lumber, +young man, but now it ranks twentieth among the states. If only fire could +be kept out of the forests, we might some day raise our own timber again. +But the lumbermen chopped down the big trees and fire has destroyed the +little ones and even burned the forest soil so that nothing grows in it +again. We have not only destroyed our forests, but we have so injured the +land that new trees do not grow to take the place of those we cut." + +The two boys stared at the lumberman in amazement. "Where <i>do</i> we get our +lumber from?" demanded Lew. + +"Practically all of it comes from the South. That's one reason lumber +costs so much here. The people of Pennsylvania pay $25,000,000 a year in +freight charges on the lumber they use. That's one of the reasons those +cedar boards you were looking at cost so much. When the new freight rates +go into effect the cost of hauling our lumber to us will be something like +$40,000,000 a year." + +The two boys were very thoughtful as they made their way back to Charley's +shop. + +"What are people going to do for wood pretty soon?" Lew inquired of his +companion. "If we can't build a little boat because the wood costs too +much, how are people going to get homes and furniture and wagons and +motor-cars and a thousand other things? Seems to me pretty much everything +we use is made of wood." + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But what bothers me more just now is to +know what we are going to do during Easter vacation. It may be the last +vacation I shall ever have, and I'd like to have a good time." + +"Why not follow the lumber dealer's suggestion and go out to the forests? +Easter doesn't come this year until after the trout season opens. We could +go out to our old camp in the mountains and spend the vacation there, +fishing and hiking." + +"That's a mighty good suggestion, Lew. If we have our packs ready, we can +start from high school the minute it is dismissed. We can make that early +afternoon train and get off at that little flag-station at the foot of +Stone Mountain. Then we can hike through the notch and reach the far slope +of Old Ironsides before dark. We shall have to camp overnight along the +run from the spring there, as it is the only water for miles around. Then +the next day we can go on into that little valley where we saw so many +trout. That is so hard to reach that not many fishermen ever go there. The +little stream from the spring on Old Ironsides runs into that brook. Do +you remember what lots of little trout we saw not far below the spring? +They will have become big fellows by this time and moved down into the +larger stream. There ought to be some fine fishing there this spring." + +"They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. I'm sorry we can't +build the boat, but we shall have just as good a time in the mountains as +we should have had on the river. We'll borrow that little pup tent of +Johnnie Lee's, and take our blankets, hatchets, fishing-rods, and grub." + +"I'd rather leave the tent at home and build a lean-to after we get there. +Then we could take a portable wireless outfit and talk to the fellows at +home here in the evening. Half a dozen dry cells would give us one-sixth +of a kilowatt of current, and that ought to carry a message twenty-five or +thirty miles easily. At night we might be able to talk fifty miles. We can +carry six cells easily. The remainder of the outfit won't weigh much. +We'll have to go as light as we can, for it's a mighty tough hike over Old +Ironsides and on into that little valley." + +"Shall we take our pistols?" asked Charley. + +"We'd better have at least one. You never can tell when you're going to +need a pistol in the forest. Remember the time that bear treed me on the +first hike of the Wireless Patrol? I don't ever want to get into another +situation like that without something to shoot with." + +Charley chuckled. "It wasn't a pistol that saved you then," he smiled, +"but Willie Brown and his spark-gap." + +"Then we'll be doubly armed," replied Lew. "Since you have so much faith +in wireless, you can carry the outfit. I'll pack the gun. We're almost +certain to have some kind of adventure, for every time the Wireless Patrol +or any of its members venture into the woods, something exciting happens." + + + + +Chapter III + +Off to the Mountains + + + +Busy, indeed, were the succeeding ten days. The outfit that the two boys +were to carry was packed and repacked several times, and each time it was +overhauled something was eliminated from the packs; for both boys knew +well enough that the trip before them would test their endurance even with +the lightest of packs. Finally their outfit was reduced to two +fishing-rods, one hatchet, a first-aid kit, a flash-light, the necessary +food and dishes, one canteen, and one pistol, with the wireless equipment. + +This was made as simple as possible. Six new dry cells were to be taken to +provide current. Then there were a spark-gap, a spark-coil, a key, and a +detector, with the receiving set, switch, and aerial. To be sure, the +entire aerial was not packed, but merely the wires and insulators, as +spreaders could be made in the forest. Then there was an additional coil +of wire to be used for lead-in and suspension wires. No tuning instrument +was necessary, because the wireless outfits of all the members of the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol were exactly alike and so were already in tune with +one another. Without a tuning instrument, to be sure, it might not be +possible for Charley and Lew to talk with anybody except their fellows of +the Wireless Patrol, but in the present circumstances that made no +difference to them. They had no intention of talking to anybody else. + +The various instruments were carefully packed so that they could be +carried without injury. The dishes were nested as well as possible. Then +all were stowed away in the pack bags, together with the food supplies. +The two blankets were tightly folded and tied, ready to be slung over the +shoulders. Long before that last session of school, everything was in +readiness. When finally that last session was over, the two lads had only +to strap their packs on their backs, sling their blankets into place, and +pick up their little fishing-rods, unjointed and compactly packed in cloth +cases. Lew buckled the pistol to his belt and suspended the canteen from +his shoulder, while Charley sheathed his little axe and hung it on his +hip. Then, completely ready, the two lads waved farewell to their envious +comrades and hastened away to the train. In less than an hour the train +stopped to let them off at the little flag-station at the foot of Stone +Mountain. In a moment more it had gone whistling around the shoulder of +the hill, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the wilderness. + +Quickly they adjusted their packs and started back along the +railroad-track toward the gap through which they were to pass to Old +Ironsides. Rapidly they made their way along the road-bed. + +"We'd better hustle while the going's good," commented Lew, glancing at +the heavy clouds that obscured the sun, "for it will get dark early +to-night. It'll be slow enough going once we leave the track." + +"There's one thing sure," replied Charley. "We won't be bothered with wet +ground. I think I never saw the earth so dry at this season of the year. +There was almost no snow last winter and we've hardly had a rain this +spring. Usually it rains every day at this time of year." + +Charley's prediction proved true. When the boys at last reached the notch +in the mountains and left the railroad-track, they found the way almost as +dry as a village street. Years before, the timber had been cut from Stone +Mountain, and a logging trail had passed up the very gap through which the +boys were now traveling. But brush and brambles had come in soon after the +lumbermen left and now a thick stand of saplings also helped to choke the +path. The briars tore at the boys' clothing and blankets. The bushy +growths caught in their packs and straps and wrapped themselves about +their feet and legs. Very quickly it became evident that a hard struggle +lay before them. + +Back from the trail, in the forest proper, there was little underbrush, +but the stand of young trees was dense and the way underfoot was so rough +and uneven that it was almost impossible to make any headway there. For +Stone Mountain was a stone mountain in very truth. It appeared to be just +one enormous heap of rocks and boulders. In a very little while both boys +were perspiring profusely from their efforts, and both were conscious that +they were tiring fast; for the grade up the notch was steep. + +"Gee!" said Lew, at last. "This is tougher than anything I ever saw when I +was in the Maine woods with Dad. We've got to take it easy or we'll be +tuckered out before we get through this gap. Let's rest a bit." + +He sat down on a stone and Charley followed his example. As they rested, +they looked sharply about them. They could see for some distance through +the naked forest. The tree trunks stood straight and tall, and seemed to +be crowded as close together as pickets on a fence. + +"This sure is a fine stand of poles," remarked Lew, "but it's just as that +lumber dealer said. There isn't a tree in it that would make a board wider +than six inches. But there's some good timber farther back in the +mountains. Do you remember the fine stand of pines in that little valley +we're heading for? When we were there three years ago there hadn't been a +tree cut in that valley. There must be millions and millions of feet of +lumber there." + +"And do you remember," replied Charley, "how dark it was under those +pines, and how cold the water in the run was, and what schools of trout +we saw? Gee! I wish it had been trout season then! But we ought to get'em +now. Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get there." + +"Then we had better be jogging on. It'll be dark before we know it." + +"All right," returned Charley, "but I'm going to get a drink before I go +any farther." + +"I want one, too. Guess I'll fill the canteen. Then we won't have to, stop +every time we want a drink." + +The two boys scrambled down the slope to the brook. The lumber trail was +near the bottom of the notch and they had only a few yards to go. The +little run was rushing tumultuously down the notch, splashing over rocks, +scurrying over little sandy stretches, ever singing, ever murmuring, in +its downward course. Their packs and blankets made it difficult to stretch +out flat and drink from the stream, so Lew rinsed out the canteen, filled +it, and handed it to his companion. Charley took a good drink and passed +the canteen silently back to his chum. + +"If you didn't really know it was the brook," said Lew, "you'd be willing +to swear you could hear somebody talking. You can hear voices just as +plain as can be. And you can almost make out what they say. Many a time +I've caught myself listening hard to try to make out the words, when I +heard a brook talking." + +"It's no wonder people get scared and pretty nearly go crazy when they are +lost in the forest," replied Lew. "Without half trying, you can imagine +the forest is full of people or spooks or animals or something, creeping +up behind your back." + +Lew bent down and once more filled the canteen. He corked it tight and +dipped it bodily into the run to wet the cloth cover, so that the water +within would be kept cool by evaporation. Then he slung the canteen over +his shoulder. + +"I never saw a mountain stream so low at this time of the year," he +remarked, as he followed his companion up the trail. "You might think it +was August. But with no snow to melt and no rainfall this spring, it isn't +to be wondered at." + +On they went up the trail. For a long time neither boy spoke. The brambles +still tore at their clothes and the bushes tripped them. In places the +young saplings were so dense that to force a way among them was a +difficult task. Their packs began to grow very heavy. But they had one +advantage. As Charley had suggested, the ground was perfectly dry. There +were no slippery sticks to tread on, nor any moss-covered stones, +treacherous with their soggy coats. So they could give more attention to +the obstacles above ground. But at best it was a hard, difficult climb. + +As they mounted higher and higher, the stream in the bottom constantly +dwindled. Long before the crest was reached, the brook had become a very +feeble stream, indeed. It had its source near the top of the pass, in a +great spring that welled up under a large rock. A single hemlock had +sprung up here in years past, and, watered by the spring, had grown to +enormous size. For some reason the lumbermen had passed it by. Now it +reared its giant bulk high above the younger growths around it, casting a +dense shade over the spring basin. Practically nothing grew in this deep +shade, so that the space above the spring was open and free from bushes. +On the trunk of this giant hemlock, where it could be seen by all who came +to the spring, was a white sign that read: + + <i>Everybody loses when timber burns.</i> + Pennsylvania Department of Forestry. + +"After our fight with the forest fire, when we were in camp at Fort Brady, +they don't need to tell any member of the Wireless Patrol to be careful +with fire," observed Lew. "But there are lots of people who do need to be +warned." + +He dipped the canteen in the spring and passed on. "We're almost at the +top," he said, "and I'm not sorry." + +"The light is already growing fainter," said Charley, "and it will bother +us to see before so very long. It's going to get dark awful early +to-night. We'd better hustle." + +They reached the summit of the pass and started down the other slope. The +trail continued. At first it was choked with briars and bushes. But +suddenly they found the trail open. It had been cleared of all +obstructions and enlarged until it was several feet wide. Even the roots +of the bushes had been grubbed out, so that the path was smooth and clean. +The cut saplings and brush had been burned in the trail itself, but the +work had been done so carefully that never a tree had been scorched. Even +the marks of fire had been obliterated by the subsequent grubbing of the +roots. + +"Bully good!" cried Lew, when he saw the path lying smooth and open before +him. "The forest rangers have been making a fire trail of this old path. +We can make great time here." + +He pushed on at top speed. Charley hung close at his heels. Neither boy +said a word, each saving his breath for the task in hand; for with the +packs on their backs even a down-hill trail was not easy. + +"We can go scout pace here," said Lew over his shoulder, and suiting his +action to his words, he broke into a trot. Fifty steps he went at that +gait, then walked fifty. Then he ran fifty more. So they went down the +mountain in a mere fraction of the time it had taken them to ascend. But +long before they reached the bottom, Lew dropped back to a steady walk. + +"We've got to save our wind for the climb up Old Ironsides," he said over +his shoulder. + +It was well he did so. Before them a long, high mountain stretched across +their way, like a giant caterpillar. No notch cut through its rugged side, +to give an easy way to the valley beyond. Only by climbing directly over +the rugged monster could the two boys reach the snug little valley on its +far side, where they expected to find the trout teeming tinder the dark +pines. Old Ironsides was the rocky barrier that confronted them. Even +Stone Mountain was not more rugged and rocky. Like Stone Mountain it +seemed to be a mammoth rock pile. Rocks of every size and description +covered its steep slope. Mostly the mountain was shaded by a good stand of +second-growth timber; but in places there were vast areas of rounded +stones, like flattish heaps of potatoes, that for acres covered the soil +of the hill so deeply as to prevent all plant growth. Old Ironsides could +have been called Stone Mountain as appropriately as its neighbor, for +truly it was rock-ribbed. But the stones on its slopes, unlike those of +Stone Mountain, contained a small percentage of iron. Hence its name. The +nearer slope of this hill was as dry as it was stony. Not a spring or the +tiniest trickle of water wet its rocky side for miles. But part way down +the farther slope a splendid stream gushed forth among the rocks. It was +this spring, or the stream issuing from it, that Charley and Lew hoped to +reach before they made their camp for the night. + +Thanks to the work of the forest rangers in clearing the fire trail, it +looked as though the two boys would reach their goal before dark. Could +they have gone straight up the slope of Old Ironsides, they would have +come almost directly to the spring itself. But the grade was far too steep +to permit that. They would have to zigzag up the hill and find the stream +after they topped the crest. Because of the peculiar formation of the land +below this spring, the water did not run directly down the hill toward the +bottom, but flowed off to one side and made its way diagonally down the +slope. + +At the bottom of the fire trail Lew and Charley sat down and rested for +five minutes. Then they began their difficult climb upward. And difficult +it was. There was no semblance of a path. The way led over jagged masses +of rock, through dense little stands of trees, and among growths that were +hard to penetrate because of their very thinness; for where the stand was +sparse the trees had many low limbs to catch and trip and pull at those +who sought to pass through. + +There were great areas of bare stones to be crossed--stones rounded and +weathered by the elements through thousands of years, and finally heaped +together like flattish piles of pumpkins on a barn floor. Acres and acres +were covered by these great deposits of rounded, lichened rocks. + +In crossing these rocky areas it was necessary to use the greatest +caution. Many of the stones rested so insecurely that the slightest +pressure would send them rolling downward. If one stone started, others +might follow, and great numbers of rocks might go rushing down the hill as +coal pours down a chute into a cellar. Serious injury was certain to +result if either of the lads got caught in such a slide; for some of the +stones in these piles weighed hundreds of pounds. + +Rattlesnakes constituted a second danger. The mountains hereabout were +full of them. One never could tell at what instant a rattler might be +found lying among the stones, or coiled on a flat rock that had been +warmed by the sun. So like the rocks themselves in color were these snakes +that in the dull light it would have been easily possible to step on one +of them without seeing it. So the two boys advanced slowly and cautiously +across these barren stretches, stepping gingerly on stones that looked +insecure and ever keeping a sharp watch for anything that might suggest +snakes. + +Up they went and still upward. Across bare rock patches, through brushy +growths and among dense stands of young trees, the two boys forced their +way, ever ascending, ever working upward toward the summit. Now they made +their way to the right, now to the left, and sometimes they climbed +straight upward in their efforts to avoid obstacles. + +"Gee!" cried Charley after they had been climbing for some time. "This is +what I call tough going. Let's have a drink." + +They sat down on a stone to rest. Perspiration was pouring down their +faces. Both boys were breathing hard. The canteen was uncorked and they +took a good drink. + +"Not too much," cautioned Lew, as Charley started to take a second +draught. "You can't climb if you fill up too full." + +After a short rest they went on again. The way grew rockier. There were +fewer piles of loose stones, but more outcropping rocks, the bare bones of +the earth. Constantly the light dwindled. Their progress grew slower. From +time to time they paused to drink and rest. + +"We're never going to make it before dark," said Charley, again pausing to +get his breath. He took a drink and passed the canteen to his companion. + +"Then we'll have to make it after dark," said Lew. "For the canteen is +about empty and we've got to have water. I'm so thirsty I could drink a +gallon." + +They said no more, but pushed ahead as fast as their weary legs would +carry them. + +"We're not far from the top now," Lew said after a time. "I see our old +landmark over to the left. It isn't more than half a mile from that to the +water. We'll make it all right." + +But he had hardly gone fifty yards before he stopped and cried out. Before +him lay a blackened, desolate area that stretched the remainder of the way +to the summit. Fire had swept over the spot. But it was not the fact that +fire had been through the region that made Lew cry out. Fire and +subsequent storms had practically leveled the stand of trees between the +spot where Lew stood and the summit. Here and there a blackened tree +thrust its bare trunk upward, limbless, its top gone, a ragged, spectral, +pitiful remnant of what had been a beautiful tree. But mostly the thick +stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of +grain. And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion, twisted +and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses. A barbed wire +entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle. To penetrate the +mass, even in the light of noon, would have been no easy work; but to +cross the area now, with dusk fast deepening to darkness, was indeed a +difficult task. + +"Well," said Lew, after a few searching glances at the burned area, "we've +got to go on, and we might as well plow straight through it. I can't see +that one way looks any easier than another." + +They went on, slowly, painfully. Now they were forced to crawl underneath +a fallen tree, now to climb over one. Again and again their way was +completely blocked by high barriers of interlocked trunks and branches. +Sometimes they had to mount the fallen trunks and cautiously walk from one +to another. Darkness came on apace. They could hardly see. The flash-light +was brought forth, the last drop in the canteen swallowed, and they +started forward on their final push. + +"It's only a few hundred yards to the top, now," said Lew. "It will be +easier going down the other side." + +Painfully slow was their progress. More than once each of them tripped and +fell. The sharp ends of the broken branches tore their clothes and +scratched them badly. But silently, doggedly, they pushed on. At last +there remained but one barrier between them and the summit. It was a +great pile of fallen trunks that had no visible ending. There was nothing +to do but go over it. From one log to another they scrambled up, each +helping the other, advancing a foot at a time, feeling the way with hands +and feet and searching out a path with the little light. So high were the +trees piled that at times the boys walked ten feet in air, making their +way gingerly along the slender trunks. Eventually they got beyond the log +barrier and the remainder of the way to the top was more open. At last +they stood on the very summit. + +"I wonder where our landmark is," queried Lew, flashing his light this way +and that. "I understand now why we saw it so plainly from below. There +were no standing trees to hide it. We never saw it from so far away +before." + +The landmark was a great, upright rock like a huge chimney. It was not far +distant and presently Lew found it. The boys made their way to it. + +"Now," said Lew, with a sigh of relief, "we go straight down. We should +come to the brook flowing from the spring in a few minutes. We'll have to +make it soon or I'll die of thirst." + +They started down the slope. The fire had swept over the summit and the +way before them was like the area they had just crossed. But they were now +going down-hill and it was far easier to force their way. A few yards at a +time they advanced, now held back by a fallen log or turned aside by +dense entanglements of prostrate trunks. + +Presently Lew gave a cry. "Do you see that big stone like an altar, +Charley?" he called, turning the light on a great rock. "That's the stone +where we made our fire the last time we were here. It stands within +twenty-five feet of the brook." + +"Thank goodness!" answered Charley. "My back is about broken. This pack +weighs a ton! And I'll die if I don't get water soon." + +Recklessly they pushed forward, almost running in their eager haste. + +"Here we are," exulted Lew, a moment later. "Here's the brook." + +Before him he could dimly make out the depression in the earth where the +stream ran. He dropped his pack and ran forward, then threw himself flat +in the darkness and felt in the stream bed for a pool deep enough to drink +from. His fingers touched only dry sand and stones. + +"The light, Charley," he panted. "Bring the light, quick." + +His comrade flung his own pack on the earth and ran forward to the bank of +the stream. He turned his light downward and flashed it right and left +along the bed of the brook. There was no answering sparkle of light. The +bed of the brook was not even moist. The spring had gone dry. + + + + +Chapter IV + +In the Burned Forest + + + +The two boys were almost stunned by their discovery. For a moment neither +spoke. Indeed neither dared to speak. Their disappointment was so keen, +their thirst so intense, that both boys were near to tears. But presently +they got command of themselves. + +"I knew it had been a mighty dry season," said Lew, in amazement, "but I +never imagined it was anything like this. I supposed that spring never +went dry." + +The two lads stood looking at each other in consternation. + +"What in the world shall we do?" asked Charley, slowly. + +"I don't see that we can do anything," rejoined Lew. "I'm all in myself. I +couldn't go another rod if somebody would pay me. We'll just have to make +the best of it." + +"Well, we can eat if we can't drink," said Charley. "Start a fire and I'll +get out the grub." + +Charley began to unroll his pack, while Lew gathered up a few twigs and +made a cone-shaped little pile of them close beside the great rock. He +struck a match and in a moment flames were drawing upward through the +twigs. With the hatchet Lew cut some short lengths of heavier wood and +soon the flames were leaping high, lighting up the forest for rods around. + +Dismal, indeed, was the sight the two lads looked upon. Nowhere could they +see anything green, save a few scattered ferns. Everywhere gaunt, ragged, +blackened trees thrust their sorrowful looking trunks aloft. The earth was +littered with blackened débris--burned and partly charred limbs and fallen +trees. The very rocks were fire-scarred and scorched. Hardly could the +mind of man conceive a picture more desolate. As the two boys looked at +the scene before them, Lew quoted the sign on the hemlock. + +"Everybody loses when timber burns," he said. But though both boys were +looking directly at what seemed the very acme of destruction and loss, +neither as yet comprehended the full significance of the statement Lew was +quoting. + +Charley spread the grub out on his blanket and put the dishes together +near the fire. While he was waiting for a bed of coals to form, he cut +some bread and spread the slices with butter. Presently he put the little +frying-pan over the coals and began to cook some meat. Every time he bent +over his pile of grub, he smelled the coffee. The odor was tantalizing, +almost torturing. Never, it seemed to him, had he ever wanted anything so +much as he now wanted a drink of coffee. But with no water they could +have no coffee. Finally Charley put the package of coffee in the +coffee-pot and clamped down the lid so that the odor could reach him no +longer. From time to time Lew quietly stirred the coals. Charley fried the +meat in silence. Neither boy felt like talking. + +When the meal was ready, they sat down on the dry ground and in silence +ate their food. + +Presently Lew broke the quiet. "I wonder what Roy had to say to-night. I +thought maybe we'd be able to get our wireless up and listen in. But I'm +too tired to bother with any wireless to-night, even from Roy. It'll be +the hay for mine, quick." + +He began to look for a place where they could sleep. When he had selected +a spot, he took the hatchet and with the back of it smoothed the ground, +removing all stones and little stumps. Charley, meantime, put the food +away and piled the dishes. They could not be washed. Then the two boys +rolled themselves in their blankets, put their pack bags under their heads +and were asleep almost instantly. Their difficult climb had tired them +utterly. + +The next morning found them fully refreshed. No clouds hung above them, +and the sun's rays awoke them early. Aside from their intense thirst, +neither felt any the worse for his hard experience. + +"It's still early," said Lew, as he looked at the sun that had hardly more +than cleared the summit of the eastern hills. "Let's push on down to the +bottom and cook breakfast after we reach water. It won't take very long +to get down, and then we can have some coffee. Oh boy! I never knew how +good coffee was." + +"I could drink anything--even medicine," smiled Charley, "so it was wet." + +Rapidly the packs were assembled and the blankets rolled. "Put things +together good," said Lew, "for it will be a tough journey even if we are +going down-hill. I've been looking at some of the tangles we came through +last night and I don't see how we ever made it." + +"Sometimes," replied Charley, "it's a good thing a fellow can't know +exactly what he's attempting. If he did know, maybe he'd never have the +nerve to try." + +They started down the slope, their packs and blankets securely slung about +them and even tied fast with strings, to prevent them from catching among +the fallen trees. Unintentionally they followed the dry bed of the stream. +It led along a slight depression that ran diagonally down the +mountainside. But quickly they realized that this was the most difficult +path they could have chosen. For along the margins of the brook, the +timber, fed by the flow of water, had been much denser and larger than the +timber farther from the bank of the stream. So dense was the tangle now +that at first the boys could see only a few hundred yards ahead of them. +Presently they noticed that they were traveling through the thickest part +of the timber, or what had been timber. If possible, their way was more +difficult than it had been in ascending the mountain. But daylight and the +fact that they were going down-hill made it possible for them to travel +with comparative rapidity. Once they noticed that they were advancing by +the most difficult route, they left the margin of the brook and cut +straight down the slope. + +Now the way was more open. They could see farther. But both were so +preoccupied with what lay immediately around them that for a time neither +gave heed to more distant views. Furthermore, the bottom was still +obscured by a heavy night mist. The warm spring sun rapidly dissipated +this, opening the valley to view as though some invisible hand had rolled +back a giant cover. Presently Lew reached a little area that was swept +absolutely bare of everything. Nothing remained but the nude rocks and +soil. Lew, who was leading the way, paused to spy out the best path. Then +he cried out in dismay. A moment later Charley stood by his side and both +boys gazed in speechless horror at the scene before them. + +The magnificent stand of pines that they had expected to see in the bottom +was no more. For miles the valley before them was a blackened waste. Like +giant jackstraws the huge pine sticks, that they had last seen as +magnificent, towering trees, were heaped in inextricable confusion or +still stood, broken, blasted, gaunt, limbless, spectral, awful remnants of +their former selves. No words could convey the terrible desolation of the +scene. Where formerly these giant pines had risen heavenward, higher and +more stately than the most exquisite church spires or cathedral columns, +there were now only scattered and blasted stumps, while the floor of the +valley was strewn with the horrible débris. The scene was sickening, +appalling. + +For a moment neither lad spoke. The scene before them oppressed them, made +them sick at heart. They knew no language that would convey what was in +their minds. But even yet they did not fully understand the tragedy of a +forest fire. They were soon to learn. Silently they went on; but they had +gone no more than a hundred yards when they came upon a sight that fairly +sickened them. In a little circle, as though the animals had crowded close +together in their terror and helplessness, lay the remains of a number of +deer. The flesh had either been burned or had rotted away; but the most of +the bones and parts of the hides remained. There could be no mistake as to +the identity of the dead animals. The very positions of the skeletons told +a pitiful story. Blinded by smoke and flame, made frantic by the red death +that was sweeping the forest, confused, terror-stricken, weakened by gas +and fumes, the poor beasts had finally crowded together and perished under +the onrushing wave of fire. For a moment the boys gazed at the scene in +fascinated horror; then they turned away, to shut out the picture. They +were oppressed, almost stunned. + +They went on. Not a vestige of its former magnificent vegetation covered +the slope. Nothing in the world could be more awful, more desolate, more +disheartening to behold than the area the two chums were now crossing. +Never had either seen anything that so oppressed him. For not only had the +slope of Old Ironsides been laid waste, but the entire bottom had been +swept by fire, and the opposite mountain slope devastated. Before them was +nothing but desolation. + +Soon they were near enough to see the sparkle of water in the bottom. In +their horror at their immediate surroundings they had temporarily +forgotten even their terrible thirst. The sight of water recalled their +need. + +"Thank God water can't burn!" cried Lew, as the sparkle of the brook +caught his eye. "We'd be in a fine pickle if the brook had been consumed, +too." + +The prospect of a drink stirred them. They threw off the spell that so +depressed them and hastened downward, reckless alike of menacing branches +and loose stones and obstructing tree trunks. Headlong they pushed +downward. But fortune was with them and neither a broken bone nor a +strained ligament resulted, though more than once each lad slipped and +fell. Presently they reached the bottom of the slope and came to the very +brink of the run. Almost frantically they flung themselves on the ground +and drank. + +Long, copious draughts they drank; and it was not until they had quenched +their thirst that they really noticed how shrunken the brook was. Instead +of the deep, rushing mountain stream they had seen when last they visited +the spot, they now found but a slender rivulet that flowed quietly along +the middle of the stream bed, leaving bare, bordering ribbons of stony +bottom along its margins. Nowhere did the water seem to reach from bank to +bank, excepting where some obstruction in the stream bed dammed the +current back. Like the forest, the brook was also a sorrowful picture. But +there was this difference. The forest was dead, whereas the brook, though +feeble, still lived. + +The full significance of the shrunken stream did not strike the two boys +until they had traveled for some distance up the bank of the run. +Presently they came to a spot they recognized as a favorite trout-hole. A +great boulder jutted out from one bank, while opposite it, on the other +shore, stood or had stood, a mammoth hemlock. These obstructions had +formed a little pool, and the current had eaten away much earth from +beneath the roots of the great tree, forming an ideal lurking place for +trout. And in this dark, deep, secure retreat great fish had lived since +time immemorial. More than one huge trout had the two chums taken here. +Never was the pool without its giant occupant, for when one big fellow was +caught another moved in to take his place, the run being fully stocked +from year to year by the smaller fishes from the spring brooks, like the +vanished rivulet above. But now no trout hid under the hemlock's roots. +They stood high and dry, while the puny stream that trickled beneath them +would hardly have covered a minnow. The two boys looked at each other in +dismay. + +"You don't suppose the entire stream is like that, do you, Lew?" asked +Charley. "There won't be a trout in it if it is." Then, after a pause, he +added: "What in the world do you suppose has become of the trout, anyway?" + +His question was soon answered, at least in part. Continuing along the +bank of the run, the boys presently came to one of the deepest pools in +the stream. In the crystal water they could see many trout, for there were +no hiding-places in the pool at this low stage of water. Some of the fish +were large. At the approach of the boys the frightened trout darted +frantically about in the pool, vainly seeking cover. + +Around the margins of this pool were innumerable little tracks in the +earth. "Raccoons!" exclaimed Lew. "There must have been dozens of them +here." + +But not until he found some little piles of fish-bones near the farther +end of the pool did he grasp the significance of the tracks. He stopped in +amazement. + +"Look here, Charley," he called, pointing to the piles of fish-bones. +"Those coons have been catching and eating trout." Then, after a moment's +thought, he added, "If this stream is like this in April, what will it be +in August? There will be hardly a drop of water or a trout left. Why, this +brook is ruined for years as a trout-stream--maybe forever. And it used to +be absolutely the finest trout-stream in this part of the mountains." + +Depressed and silent, the two lads continued along the brook. The +mountains on either side of them and the entire bottom between lay black +and desolate. But far up the run they could now see green foliage again, +where the fire had been stopped. + +"Let's go on to those pines before we eat our breakfast," said Charley. +"It would make me sick to eat here in these ruins." + +"That's exactly the way I feel, too," replied Lew. "It is the most awful +thing I ever saw. Let's get out of it." + +As rapidly as they could, they forced their way up-stream. The valley +became narrower as they advanced. It was shaped like a huge wish-bone; and +they were nearing the small end, where the mountains came together and +formed a high knob. As the valley narrowed, the grade became much steeper, +and their progress was correspondingly slower. + +The pines they were heading for stood almost at the top of the knob at the +crotch of the wish-bone. They were, therefore, at a considerable +elevation. From the edge of these pines one would have to travel only a +short distance to reach the very summit of the knob. After a hard walk the +boys reached the end of the burned tract. They penetrated into the living +forest far enough to shut out the sight of the dead forest they had just +traversed. Then they threw down their packs and hastily set about cooking +their breakfast. + +"Gee!" cried Lew. "I never was so glad to get away from anything in my +life. I hope I shall never again see a sight like that. It fairly makes a +fellow sick." + +In their haste to start cooking, they were not as careful as they might +have been in building their fire, and they made considerable smoke. Before +they were half done eating, a man appeared farther up the run, advancing +through the pines at great speed. He seemed to be in a big hurry until he +caught sight of the two boys as they sat on the dry pine-needles. After +that he came forward at an ordinary gait. + +"Good-morning, boys," he said pleasantly, as he drew near. Then, catching +sight of their rods, he added, "If you came to get fish, you struck a +mighty poor place." + +"It used to be the best place for trout I ever saw," replied Lew. "This +brook used to be full of 'em--big ones, too. But the season has been so +dry, the brook has almost disappeared." + +"You mean that the fires that have swept this valley have burned it up," +replied the stranger. + +"It's too awful a thing to joke about," replied Lew. + +"A joke!" exclaimed the stranger, frowning. + +"It's the literal truth--and a most terrible truth, at that." + +"I don't understand," said Lew, slowly. "How can fire burn water? I +supposed the lack of snow last winter and of rain this spring had made the +brook shrink." + +"Not for a minute, young man, not for a minute. If fires hadn't swept this +valley the past two or three years, there would have been plenty of water +in the run, rain or no rain." + +"I--I don't exactly understand," said Lew hesitatingly. + +"It's like this," said the stranger. "The forest floor is like a great +sponge. The decayed leaves and twigs are so light and porous that they +soak up most of the rain as it falls and hold the water indefinitely. That +keeps the springs full, and the springs feed the brooks, and so there is +water all the year round. It is nature's method of storing up water. When +a fire sweeps through the forest, especially such awful fires as have gone +through this valley, the leaves and twigs above ground are burned, and +even the roots and the decaying vegetable matter under the earth are +consumed. Nothing is left but mineral matter--particles of rock, stones, +sand, and the like. The rain will no longer sink into the ground, nor will +the earth hold the water as the rotting leaves do. Then when it rains, the +water runs off as fast as it falls. The brooks are flooded for a few hours +and then they dry up until another rain comes. So you see I meant exactly +what I said. This trout-stream was burned up by the forest fires. +Likewise many of the trout were burned up with it, for in places the fire +made the water hotter than trout can stand. Thousands of them were +literally cooked." + +For a while both boys were silent. The idea was a new one to them. + +Presently Charley spoke. "I knew that fire burned up our timber," he said, +"but I never thought about its burning up our water, too. I know we're +getting awful short of lumber. Is there any danger of our running out of +water? But that can't be, surely." + +"It surely can be," said the stranger. "I judge you boys have been here +before, and-----" + +"We have," interrupted Lew. + +"Then you know what a magnificent stream this run used to be. Look at it +now. I don't believe there is one-tenth as much water in it as there used +to be. Suppose all the mountains in this state should be devastated like +this valley. Where would the towns and cities get their water?" + +"Great Cæsar!" said Lew. "I never thought of that. There wouldn't be any +water for them to get. If the brooks dried up, the rivers would dry up, +too. Why--why--what in the world would we do? There wouldn't be any water +to drink or wash in or cook with or run our factories. Why, great Cæsar! +If the forests vanished, I guess we'd be up against it. I never thought of +the forests as furnishing anything but lumber. And I never thought much +about that until we tried to buy a little lumber the other day and the +dealer wanted ten dollars for half a dozen boards." + +"Exactly!" said the stranger. "That's the price you and I and the rest of +us in Pennsylvania pay for allowing our forests to be destroyed." + +"They haven't all been destroyed," protested Lew. + +"No, but the greater part of them have been." + +"You don't mean really destroyed, do you?" asked Lew. + +"Yes, sir. Absolutely destroyed. You came up this valley, didn't you?" + +"Sure," said Charley. + +"Would you call the forest there destroyed?" + +"If it isn't, I don't know how you would describe it," said Lew. + +"All right, then. There are some 45,000 square miles in this state. +Originally practically all of that area was dense forests. The early +settlers thought the timber would last forever and they cut and destroyed +it recklessly. The lumbermen that followed were just as wasteful. It was +all right to clear the land that was good for farming. But there are more +than 20,000 square miles in this state just like these mountains--land +that is fit for nothing but the production of timber. None of that land is +producing as much timber as it should. Much of it yields very little. And +more than 6,400 square miles are absolutely desert, as bare and hideous as +the burned valley below us. That's one acre in every seven in +Pennsylvania. Think of it! Six thousand, four hundred square miles, an +area larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, +that is absolute desert! Every foot of that land ought to be producing +timber for us. Then we should have lumber at a fraction of its present +cost. You see the freight charges alone on the lumber used in this state +are enormous." + +"That lumber dealer told us they amounted to $25,000,000 a year," replied +Lew. + +"They do," assented the stranger. "And when the new freight rates go into +effect the amount will be $40,000,000. What it will be when we get our +wood from the Pacific coast I have no idea, but I suppose it will be at +least double what it is now, anyway." + +"The Pacific coast!" cried Lew. "Why should we get lumber from the Pacific +coast when we can get it from the South? The lumber dealer told us that +practically all the wood we use now conies from the South." + +"He was right. But we shall presently be getting our lumber from the far +West for the same reason that we now get it from the South. In ten or a +dozen years there won't be any lumber left in the South for us to buy. +They will do well to supply themselves. Then we must bring our lumber from +Idaho and Oregon and Washington and California. The freight charges will +be something terrific, and the wood itself will cost a good deal more than +it now does because it will be so scarce." + +"Great Cæsar!" cried Lew. "What will a poor devil do then if he wants to +build a boat?" + +"Or if he wants to build a house?" suggested the stranger. "You know lots +of folks have to build houses every year. Look at all the people who get +married and build homes. Why, when I was a little boy, you could buy the +finest kind of lumber for ten or fifteen dollars a thousand. It didn't +cost much then to build a house. Now a man has to work for years before he +can save enough to pay for a home, even a very modest one. And what it +will cost when the wood from the South and the far West is all gone I hate +to imagine." + +"The wood from the far West all gone!" cried Charley. "Surely that can +never be. Why, the forests there are enormous. I've read all about them." + +"The forests here were enormous, too, young man. Forty years ago +Pennsylvania supplied a large part of the nation with its lumber. And +to-day we don't grow more than one-tenth of the wood we use. Yes, sir; +within twenty-five years or so after we have finished up the wood in the +South, there won't be any left in the far West, either." + +"What in the world are we going to do?" asked Lew. + +"God knows," said the stranger solemnly. "But there is one thing we've +<i>got</i> to do right now. Get these mountains to growing timber again. We +must take care of what has already started to grow and plant trees where +there are none. Most important of all, we must be careful with fire. I +came down here just to warn you boys to be careful with your fire." + +"It wasn't necessary," said Lew. "We fought a forest fire once, and nobody +but an idiot would ever be careless with fire if he had seen what we have +seen this morning." + +"Well, I must be moving, boys. There are lots of other fishermen that are +not as careful as you are. Good-bye." + +The man started on, then turned back. "If you came here to fish," he said +slowly, "you're up against it. But I can tell you where to go to get all +the trout you want. Go on up to the top of this knob. Face exactly east +and you will see a gap in the second range of mountains. Make your way +through that gap and you'll find as fine a trout-stream as God ever made. +This is state forest and the Forestry Department wants everybody to use +and enjoy the forests. We are always glad to help campers." + +"Are you connected with the State Forest Service?" asked Charley, all +interest. + +"Of course," smiled the stranger. "I'm a forest-ranger," and he threw back +his coat, exhibiting a keystone shaped badge on his breast. + +"And it's your duty to protect the forest from fire?" asked Charley. + +"Yes; and do a lot more besides. A forest-ranger has to look after the +forest just as a gardener has to tend a garden. And that means we must +care for everything in the forest--birds and animals and fish as well as +trees, though, of course, the game wardens have particular charge of the +animals." + +"And how do you take care of the animals and the trees?" demanded Charley +eagerly. + +"Young man," he said, "it would take me all day to answer your question. +We do whatever is necessary to the welfare of the forest and its +inhabitants. We take out wolf trees, make improvement cuttings, plant +little trees, keep our telephone-line in shape, and do a million other +things, as we find them necessary. If I had time just now, I'd go down +this run and pile some stones in the pools for the trout to hide under. I +was through here the other day and I noticed that the coons are playing +hob with the fish." + +"And does the state pay you for doing this work?" + +"Certainly. Pays me well, too." + +"Tell me how I could-----" began Charley. + +But the ranger interrupted him. "I can't tell you another thing now," he +said. "I must be moving. You never can tell when some careless fisherman +will set the forest on fire. The fact is I ought to be at headquarters +with the other rangers. The chief keeps us pretty close to the office +during the fire season, so as to have a fire crew at hand to respond +instantly to an alarm. But we have had such difficulty in securing fire +patrols this spring that some of us rangers have to do patrol duty. This +piece of timber you are in is the most valuable part of this entire +forest. It is virgin pine. It would cut close to 100,000 feet to the acre. +There is very little timber left in all Pennsylvania as fine as this. A +good part of it has already been burned. We are keeping close watch on +what is left. You never can tell when or where fires will start and we +want to grab them at the first possible minute. So I must shake a leg." + +"How do you grab a fire?" demanded Charley. "Please tell us. Maybe we +could help put one out some day if we knew how." + +The ranger laughed. "You're a persistent Indian," he said, "and I'm glad +you like the forest." + +"Like it!" exclaimed Charley. "I love it." + +He poured a cup of hot coffee and handed it to the ranger. "Tell us how +you put out a fire," he pleaded. + +The ranger chuckled. "You're a diplomat as well as a forest lover, I see," +he said. "Well, I shall keep moving through this tract of timber all day +long. If I see a fire I shall hurry to it, the way I came down to your big +smoke. I'll put it out, if possible. And if I can't get it out, I'll +summon help. Then we'll fight it until we do get it out." + +"How could you get help, when you're alone in the deep forest?" + +"I'd make my way out to the highway where our wire runs and connect up +this portable telephone," and the ranger pointed to a little leather case, +like a kodak box, that hung from his shoulder by a leather strap. "In a +minute's time a fire crew would be on the way to my assistance in a +motor-truck." + +The ranger handed Charley the empty cup and thanked him. + +"Have some more coffee?" urged Charley. + +"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted the ranger. "I believe you'd keep me +here all day if you could. I must be moving." + +"Just a minute," pleaded Charley. "You said it was difficult to find fire +patrols. Could I get a job as a fire patrol? I don't know as much about +fighting fire as you do, but I can patrol the forest and report fires as +well as anybody." + +"I wish you could be a patrol," replied the ranger heartily. "I'm sure +you'd make a good one. You seem to like the forest. But I don't believe it +is possible. The chief never hires anybody under twenty-one years of age +excepting in very unusual circumstances. In fact, I know of only two such +cases. And those two boys were almost of age and were unusualy well +qualified. I'm sorry, for I'd like to see you in the Forest Service. +Good-bye." He turned on his heel and was gone. + +Lew watched the ranger until he disappeared from view. Charley scarcely +glanced at him. He was lost in thought. Evidently his thoughts were not +pleasant, for from time to time he scowled. + +"Lew," he said, at length, "I never realized until this minute just what +that sign on the old hemlock meant." And he quoted: "'Everybody loses +when timber burns.' It's true. <i>Everybody</i> loses--positively everybody. +The sportsmen lose game, the fishermen lose fish, the towns lose their +water-supply, the mills lose their water-power, civilization loses wood. +Why, Lew, civilization's built of wood. How could we live without it? And +as for me, think what I've lost through forest fires. I've lost an +opportunity to own half of a boat. I've suffered from thirst. I've lost a +chance to catch some fish. And, Lew, I've lost a college education! I +never understood it before. If the cost of lumber hadn't gone up so much, +Dad could have paid for his house easily and helped me through college. +Now I've got to give up going to college. I've got to work two or three +years for Dad and if ever I get married and want to build a home, I see +where I've got to slave for the rest of my life to pay for the lumber +that's in it, and the wooden furnishings inside of it. Think of it, Lew! +You and I and all the rest of us have to work for years and years just to +pay for what a lot of reckless people did before we were born. It's +terrible, Lew, terrible. I've got to spend three years in a factory +because of it. I thought for a minute that I might get a job here in the +forest. That would have been grand. But there's no such luck. It's the +factory for me. I'm sure of it. I don't know how I'll ever stand it, Lew." + + + + +Chapter V + +A Lost Opportunity + + + +Half an hour later the two boys were all but ready to go on. Before +rolling his pack, Charley filled his coffee-pot in the run and thoroughly +soaked the last embers of their fire. + +"You'll never burn any timber," he said, as he poured on the last potful. +Then he stowed the coffee-pot in his pack and in a few moments the two +boys were once more afoot. + +They struck directly for the top of the knob, as the ranger had told them +to do. The slope of the ground alone guided them. So dense was the stand +of timber that the huge trunks shut off the view in all directions. It was +almost as though they were encircled by palisades. And so thick was the +shade that rarely did a sunbeam reach the earth. They were in the forest +primeval, a land of perpetual gloom. There was no underbrush and they +could travel rapidly. In a very short time they came to the top of the +knob. + +The summit had been entirely cleared of timber. On the very highest point +one lone tree remained. A long pole had been planted near its trunk, with +its top fastened to a branch of the tree. Crossbars between the tree and +the pole made a sort of rude ladder of the affair. And well up the tree a +rough staging had been constructed of small limbs. The boys saw at once +that this was a rude sort of watch-tower, and they suspected that the +ranger had been in the tree when he discovered the smoke from their fire. + +They climbed up the tree and surveyed the scene before them in silence. +Indeed, it was too sublime for words. On every side stretched the forest. +Mile upon mile, league after league, east, west, north, south, far as the +eye could reach, spread the leafy roof of the forest, seemingly +illimitable, boundless, vast as the ocean, a sea of trees. And like a sea +the forest rose and fell in huge billows. On either hand great mountains +reared their huge bulk heavenward. Beyond them other ranges heaved their +rugged crests aloft. And still other ranges lay beyond these. Over all was +a cover of living green, the canopy of the forest. Sublime, majestic, +awesome, almost overpowering was the spectacle. And neither lad could find +words to express the emotion that arose within him. So they stood and +looked in silent wonder. Finally Charley spoke. + +"It's worth all we've been through, Lew, just to see this," he said. "I +shall be well paid for the trip, even if we never get a fish." + +Presently Lew looked up at the sun. Then he examined the mountains a +little to the left of the sun. + +"There's where we go," he said, pointing over the nearest ridge to a gap +in the mountain beyond it. "The trout-stream will be in the third valley. +We've got to travel due east. And it will be some hike, too--over a +mountain and through a high gap. Let's pick out our landmarks and get +under way. It will take us a good many hours to make it, but we ought to +be there in time to have trout for supper." + +For a few moments the boys examined the way in silence. + +"See that bunch of rocks on the summit?" asked Lew. "They look like +chimney-rocks from here. Anyway, they stick up higher than any other part +of the mountain. And there's three tall pines right beside them. That's a +good landmark. It's exactly in a straight line for the gap. We can find +that mark if we can find anything. But you can't see very clearly through +this timber. Was there ever anything like it?" + +"Finest timber I ever set eyes on, Lew. Isn't it wonderful? and to think +that the whole state was once covered with timber like that!" + +They climbed down the rude ladder, slipped their packs over their +shoulders, and set off down the mountainside at a fast pace. And they +could go fast in such timber. No underbrush tripped them or caught in +their sacks. No low limbs impeded their progress. Indeed there was hardly +a limb nearer the ground than fifty feet. Their only care was for the +rocks and the roughness underfoot. From time to time they paused as they +came to some mammoth pine, and gazed in awed wonder at its huge bulk. + +As they got down into the bottom the timber seemed to be even larger than +it was on the slope. The forest floor was soft and springy. Their feet +sank into it as into a soft, thick rug. The top of this leafy covering was +dry enough; but a few inches under the surface, the forest mold was as +moist as though a shower had just fallen. Yet there had been almost no +rain for months. Not only did the leaves hold the moisture, but the very +shade itself conserved it by preventing evaporation. + +In the very centre of the valley ran a little stream. Long before they +could see it, they heard the brook talking to itself. The forest was +filled with a gentle murmur, which grew to a distinct rushing sound as +they approached the stream. + +"Can't you just hear it speak?" said Lew. "What do you suppose it is +saying?" + +"Those really are voices," insisted Charley. + +"Now who's getting dippy?" laughed Lew. "You'll be as bad as I am if you +keep on." + +"But I do hear voices," protested Charley. "I plainly heard the word +'six.' Listen. Somebody said 'eight,' just as plain as could be." + +Lew looked puzzled. "Of course there might be some fishermen in here +besides ourselves," he said. + +They looked carefully about them, but at first saw nothing. Then a voice +distinctly said, "Hemlock--five." There could no longer be any doubt. +Some one besides themselves was in the forest. + +They made their way in the direction of the sound. Presently they saw +three men. Two of them carried calipers and walked in advance. The third +came behind and held a pencil and note-book. + +"Wonder who they are and what they are doing," Charley said quietly. + +"Let's watch and see." + +But in a moment the approaching party caught sight of them. "Good-morning, +boys," said the man with the note-book. "Out for trout?" + +"Surest thing you know," replied Lew. "But we've had hard luck. We +intended to fish in the valley back of us. It used to be a fine place for +trout. But it's been burned over and there are no trout left." + +"I know," said the man. "I've seen it. Be careful with your fires, boys. +We don't want any more of this fine timber burned." + +"Are you a forest-ranger, too?" asked Charley eagerly. + +"No; I'm the forester. I have charge of this forest." + +"Why, I thought you were at headquarters with your fire crew," cried +Charley, hardly realizing what he was saying. + +The man looked at him sharply. "I ought to be and I wish I were," he said. +"I don't like this a bit. But I was ordered by the Commissioner to send in +an immediate estimate on the amount of timber in this stand. There's a +big sale on and they have to know how much there is to sell." He paused +and then added: "How in the world did you know I was supposed to be at +headquarters with the fire crew?" + +"A ranger told us so. We met him over in the other valley. He said he +wished he was with you." + +"Oh! That would be Morton," said the forester. "I sent him out on patrol +because we were short of fire patrols." + +"Could you use me as a fire patrol?" said Charley quickly. + +The forester looked at him searchingly. "Why do you want to be a fire +patrol?" he asked. + +"I've got to go to work at something," said Charley, "and I'd love to help +care for the forest. You see, I'm almost through high school and I've got +to go to work and help Dad the minute I've graduated. He wants me to go +into the factory with him. I hate factories. But I love the woods. You'd +never be sorry, if you hired me, sir." + +"Are you sure it isn't work rather than the factory you dislike?" demanded +the forester bluntly. + +"No, no!" protested Charley. "I'd work day and night gladly if I could do +what I want to do. And there's nothing I can think of I'd rather do than +help take care of the forest." + +"Very good," said the forester, "but I need patrols now, not after school +closes in June." + +"Maybe I could get excused for the rest of the term," pleaded Charley. + +"And throw away your chance to graduate? I don't think I want that kind +of a boy for a fire patrol," said the forester with a frown. "You might +decide to quit this job, too, about the time we stacked up against a hot +fire." + +Lew spoke up. "You don't understand what Charley means, sir," he +explained. "Charley is away ahead of most of us in his school work. He's +done enough now to give him his diploma." + +"Indeed!" replied the forester. + +Then he turned to Charley in apology. "I beg your pardon, young man. I +misjudged you. I should like to have such an exemplary young man for a +patrol, but you are too young. We practically never employ a man not yet +of age as a fire patrol. A boy would have to have very unusual +qualifications if we did take him. I'm sorry, my lad. I believe you are a +fine boy, and I'd like to hire you. But you are too young." + +Charley turned his head away to hide the tears that he could not keep back +as he saw the opportunity slipping away from him. Then he dashed his hand +across his eyes and again faced the forester. + +"You do not understand who we are," he said with determination, "nor what +our qualifications are. I am accustomed to the woods, sir. I know +something of woodcraft. I have fought fire in the forest. I have spent +weeks in the mountains. And I am a wireless operator, sir. Are any of your +patrols better qualified?" + +The forester looked at him with renewed interest. "As a patrol," he +remarked, "you would have to deal with grown men. You would find yourself +in many situations that you could not handle. Grown men do not like to +take orders from boys." + +"I have handled men, sir; that is, I have helped to handle them. I helped +to capture the German dynamiters at Elk City, sir, when the Camp Brady +Wireless Patrol saved that place from destruction." + +"Are you a member of that organization?" asked the forester with +increasing interest. "I remember reading about that." + +"We both are," said Charley. "And I could help you so much with my +wireless, sir. Your ranger told us this morning that if he found a fire he +couldn't handle, he would have to go clear out to the highway before he +could summon help. With the wireless, help could be summoned almost +instantly." + +The forester smiled indulgently. "It sounds good," he commented. "But you +forget that we have no wireless and that none of us knows anything about +radio-telegraphy. No; I am afraid I can't use you, though I'd like to. If +you still want a job when you are of age, come to me. I can use you as a +patrol and I might even have a place for you as a ranger. We have mighty +few rangers as well educated and equipped as you will be. Or you might +even decide to go to Mont Alto and take a degree in forestry and become a +forester like myself. I would like to see you in the service, but I can't +take you in now. I must get on with my work and hurry back to my office. +Good-bye and good luck to you. And don't forget about your fires." + +Turning to the elder of his two companions, he said, "All right, Finnegan. +Go ahead." + +The man stepped to the nearest tree, slipped his calipers on it +breast-high, then glanced aloft. "White pine, forty-three, five," he +called. + +The forester put down the figures in his cruising book. + +"Hemlock, twenty-eight, four," called the other man. + +The men were experienced timber cruisers. They were measuring the amount +of wood in the forest. The first man meant that the white pine tree he was +measuring was forty-three inches in diameter breast-high and would make +five standard logs, each sixteen feet long. The second scaler had measured +a hemlock twenty-eight inches in diameter and long enough for four logs. +They were measuring the timber on a few acres, so as to form an estimate +of the amount for sale. + +The work interested Lew greatly, but Charley had no heart for anything. He +had fought hard and apparently his last chance had slipped away from him. + +He was very quiet as they made their way through the valley. Even the run +in the bottom failed to stir him, though he loved the little mountain +streams passionately. Yet he did notice that here, beneath the lofty +pines, where the forest mold lay deep and spongy, the brook flowed +strongly. It sang as it rushed along between its rugged banks. But there +was no music in its song for Charley. So alluring was the stream that Lew +wanted to fish, but Charley had no heart even to try for a trout; though +it was practically a certainty that there were trout aplenty to be had. +Time heals all wounds. It would heal Charley's: but not enough time had +yet elapsed for the healing process to begin. At present he could think of +nothing but his dismal prospects. + +So they went on through the bottom and slowly ascended the opposite +mountain. As they had suspected might be the case, it was impossible to +distinguish the landmarks they had chosen. The innumerable great trunks of +the pines cut off their vision as effectually as a high board fence could +have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the +freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a +comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain, +after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected. + +The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in +finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope +and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well +timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed. +And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the +stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon +was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the +valley that was to be their home for the next few days. + +Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained +some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with +hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were +countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a +hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from +some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a +splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so +dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that +went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal +clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout. + +By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!" +he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook." +As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold +enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush +here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish." + +Hardly had he spoken before a great trout darted across the stream, +almost at their feet. Charley extended his rod over the water and waved it +vigorously a few times. Instantly trout darted out from a dozen different +points. + +"Gee whiz!" shouted Charley. "Did you see 'em, Lew? I can hardly wait to +get a line in." + +"We've got to get our camp made before we do any fishing," replied Lew. +"Let's hustle up and find a good camp site." + +They walked rapidly up the valley, keeping a few yards back from the brook +so as not to alarm the trout. + +"I don't know how our wireless will work among all these trees," said Lew. +"If we could find an open spot I'm sure it would be better." + +Presently they came to exactly the sort of place they desired. At some +time, evidently within a few months, for no brush had as yet sprung up, a +hurricane had swept through the forest: and where it had passed lay a +windrow of trees as flat as a swath of grain after the scythe has gone +through it. The windrow was several rods in width, and not a tree remained +standing within that space. The fallen trees were piled upon one another +in confused masses. + +For a time the boys gazed at the scene with awe. "That opening will make a +fine place to hang our aerial if we can get the wires up," said Lew. "I +believe that we have enough wire to hang 'em up pretty high and still have +a long lead-in wire. If there is, then we can camp back here under the +trees close to the run. We have no tent and the dense tops will protect +us from dew. It'll be much warmer back among the trees, too." + +Speedily they found a place that suited them. They put their packs on the +ground and got out their wireless instruments. Then they made some rude +spreaders from branches that Lew cut in the windrow. When the aerial was +ready to hang up, Charley took a length of wire and made his way across +the windrow and up a slender tree that stood on the farther edge of the +opening. He fastened one end of the wire to the spreader and the other end +he attached to the tree. Lew was duplicating his movements on the other +side of the opening. In no time the aerial was swinging above the windrow, +and the lead-in wire had been brought back through the trees to the camp +site. Here the instruments were connected and the wire coupled to them. +The dry cells were next wired and the outfit was then ready. Lew sat down +beside the spark-gap and pressed the key. Bright flashes leaped from point +to point. He adjusted the gap, so as to get the best spark, then laid the +pack bags over the instruments. + +"We missed out on listening to Roy this time," he said, "but I'll bet we +can raise the rest of the bunch. She works fine. We've got a dandy spark." + +"Good!" cried Charley. "It won't be long before it is dark. It's already +twilight under these trees. Now for the trout." + + + + +Chapter VI + +Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + + + +"Shall we go up-stream or down?" asked Lew, as he jointed his little rod +and fastened a hook to his line. + +"Let's go down. We can't fish very long, and we know there is no brush +along the stream below us. We can try it up-stream to-morrow." + +"To-morrow we'll fish on opposite sides of the run," said Lew as they +buckled on their bait boxes and started. "I don't see any way to cross now +and there's no time to hunt for a way." + +"It's full of 'em. I'll bet on that," smiled Charley. "We'll catch a mess +in no time. Here goes with a worm." + +He threaded one on his hook, crouched down, and cautiously drew near the +bank. A dexterous flick of his rod landed the worm fairly in the middle of +the run. Hardly had it hit the water before something grabbed it, and +Charley drew forth a flopping fish. But it proved to be only a fingerling. +In disgust Charley wet his hand and carefully unhooked the little fish. + +"Shows they're here, anyway," he said, as he tossed the little trout back +into the stream. + +But if they were there, they were strangely shy in making their presence +known. Rod after rod the hoys advanced, careful not to show themselves, +making their casts with greatest caution, and keeping as quiet as +possible. But no fish so much as smelled their bait. Again and again they +let their hooks float down into promising pools, but never a strike +resulted. + +They took the worms from their hooks and tried flies. But though their +gaudy lures landed lightly on the water and danced in the rapids like real +insects struggling for their lives, never a fish rose to grasp one. + +"They won't touch worms and they don't want flies. I wonder what they do +like," grumbled Lew in disgust. "I wish we had some grasshoppers or +crickets. Bet we'd get 'em then." + +They continued their efforts until it was almost dark. "We'll have to be +getting back to camp," said Charley. "We can't see much longer. We don't +want to be caught here in the dark. The flash-light is back at camp." + +"Here's a fat grub," said Lew, picking up a whiteworm out of a rotting +log. "I'm going to make one more try. Maybe they want grubs." + +He slipped the worm on his hook and flicked it toward the brook. A second +after it struck the water there was a splash, and Lew's reel sang shrilly. + +"Oh boy!" cried Lew, as he struck up his rod smartly. "I've got him." + +He had. The fish leaped clear of the water, but failed to loosen the +line. Then it darted away like a shot, the line cutting through the water +with a sharp, swishing sound. + +"Hold him," called Charley. "He's heading for that snag." + +Lew put his thumb on the line and raised the tip of his rod higher. Under +the tension the supple steel bent almost double. The fish stopped his +rush, turned, and darted down-stream before Lew could reel in a foot of +line. + +Charley forgot all about his own fishing in his desire to help land the +trout. "Don't let him get under that rock," he warned, coming close to the +brook. "He'll cut the line." + +Lew increased the tension on the line and the fish stopped short of the +rock. For an instant the trout sulked and Lew reeled in rapidly. + +"Guess I got him," he cried triumphantly, as the fish was drawn near to +the bank. But as he bent to grasp his prize there was a tremendous splash. +The trout leaped high out of water, then darted off again like a flash. +Lew had to give him line or lose him. + +"He's a whopper, Charley," he cried. "Gee! I hope I don't lose him!" + +"Here's a shallow place," cried Charley. "Work him into it and we can grab +him." + +Lew maneuvered the trout toward the shoal. Again and again the fish broke +for the deeper water and Lew had to give him line. But each time he +stopped the rush and patiently worked the fish back toward the shoal. At +last the trout was fairly on the edge of it. Lew began to pull steadily on +his line and slid the tired fish into shallow water. It flopped helplessly +on the stones. Lew drew it to the bank and thrust a finger into its gills. +In another second the fish was dangling in air. + +"Great Cæsar!" cried Charley excitedly. "Ain't he a beaut! He's the +biggest trout I ever saw." + +"He's the biggest one I ever caught," answered Lew. "He'll make a meal +himself." + +"He'll have to," returned Charley. "We can't fish another minute. It's +almost dark now." + +Lew slipped his finger down the throat of the gasping fish, and bent the +creature's head sharply back. The trout hung limp in his hand. Then the +two fishermen made their way through the dusky forest to their camp, where +Charley lighted a fire. + +"I'll just see what this fellow has been eating," said Lew. "Maybe we can +find out what sort of bait to use." He opened his knife and slit the +fish's belly. "Crabs!" he cried, as his knife blade turned up the remains +of a crayfish. "Now we know what they want." + +Soon Charley had a good bed of coals. Lew, meantime, cleaned the fish. +Quickly it was cooked and eaten and the dishes washed. By this time it was +altogether dark. + +"Now we'll get some crabs for to-morrow," said Lew. + +"Wonder how we can catch them?" queried Charley. + +"What we need is a little dip-net. With that and the flash-light we could +get a peck of them. These little streams are full of them." + +"Let's try scooping them with a coffee-pot. The lid comes off. If we are +careful, I believe it will answer." + +They took the lid off of the pot, and stepping to the brook turned the +beam from their flash-light on the bottom of the run. The scene was +fascinating. Feeling secure in the darkness, the living creatures in the +brook had ventured abroad freely. Where the bright light of the sun would +have disclosed only stones and sand, the little beam from the search-light +revealed a myriad of moving shapes. Little minnows moved about in schools. +Salamanders, large and small, crawled about among the rocks. Occasional +trout were visible, lurking in the deeper holes, lying as motionless as +sticks, or moving their tails slowly. Eels lay on the sandy spots. And +lying still or crawling slowly among the stones were many crayfish. The +water seemed to be filled with living objects. + +"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking +at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so +interesting." + +With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for +crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the +flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep +the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into +the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final, +quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim +escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent +the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew +tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary +to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now +getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the +wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they +had a goodly number of crayfish. + +"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows +will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at +his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost +nine now. We'll have to hurry." + +So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had +sped much faster than either boy realized. + +They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling +their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing +had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone +fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments +and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped +the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright +sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley +Russell calling.) + +Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.) + +"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why +we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew. + +The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle +of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his +pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by +his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between +the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning. + +"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley. + +"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last +night?" + +"Couldn't," answered Charley. "Didn't reach Old Ironsides camp site until +long after dark. Forest fires have burned up all the timber there. Spring +dried up, too. Had terrible time. Awful thirsty and no water to drink. Too +tired to put up aerial." + +"Where are you now?" + +"In the third valley east of Old Ironsides. Never been so far in the +mountains before. Grand stand of timber here. Great trout stream. Full of +big ones. Won't touch worms or flies. Just been catching crabs to try +to-morrow." + +"Get any yet?" + +"One big one." + +"Have any adventures?" + +"Not unless you call our experience in the burned timber an adventure. +Toughest thing I've stacked up against in a long time. Timber burned for +miles. No fish. Raccoons catching 'em out of the little pools. Had to come +here to get any. What are you doing?" + +"Everybody hard at work. I got a new job yesterday helping a fellow make a +wireless outfit." + +"Where?" + +"Right here. We're making it in my shop." + +"Will you be there to-morrow?" + +"Sure. All day." + +"We'll call you." + +"Good! I'll listen in every hour on the hour. Then you can get me almost +any time." + +"Bully for you. We're going to fish to-morrow, but we may catch so many in +the morning that we won't want to fish after dinner. I'll let you know how +we make out. Good luck to you all. Wish you were here. We'll bring you a +nice mess of fish, anyway. Good-night." + +"Good-night and good luck." + +"I wish they were here," said Lew, as Charley covered the instruments to +protect them from dampness, and moved over near his chum. "It doesn't seem +right to be in the forest without the whole crowd. This makes me think of +our camp in the forest near the Elk City reservoir, when we were hot on +the trail of the dynamiters. I'd hate to camp out at this time of year +without any fire." + +"Well, let's turn in. We want to get up early to-morrow and try those +crabs. I'll bet we get a bunch of trout." + +"Bet we do, too," replied Charley. + +Little did he dream that on the morrow he would be engaged in matters far +more serious than catching trout. + + + + +Chapter VII + +The Forest Afire + + + +The earliest rays of light had hardly penetrated beneath the giant pines +the next morning before the two boys were astir. Their breakfast was +quickly cooked and eaten. Then they buckled on their bait boxes, now +bulging with worms and crayfish. They carried as well their books of +flies. And Charley slipped the little axe into his belt, to have something +to chop with in case they wanted to hunt for whiteworms. + +"Let's go back where we caught that big fellow last night," said Lew. +"There may be some more like him in those deep pools." + +"All right. Come on." + +With nothing but their little rods to carry, they made fast time through +the forest, and had already reached the pool in which the big trout was +taken, before the first ray of sunlight came flashing among the tree +trunks. + +"We're going to have a fine day," said Charley. "It's my turn to catch a +fish. Here goes for a try." + +He baited his hook with a crayfish, and cautiously made his way toward the +brink of the brook. Half-way he paused and straightened up, sniffing the +air. Then he turned and looked at Lew. + +"Smell anything?" he asked. + +Lew had also detected a taint in the fresh morning air. "Smells like +smoke," he said. "Probably some fisherman cooking his breakfast." + +Charley turned toward the brook again, then once more faced his companion. + +"People don't cook with leaves," he said soberly. "That isn't wood smoke, +that's burning leaves." + +For a moment the two boys looked at each other in silence. + +"You don't suppose----" began Lew, but Charley cut him short. + +"Let's make sure. Which way is that smoke coming from?" He stepped to the +brook and dipped a finger in the cold water. Then he held his hand aloft. + +"There's so little wind stirring I can't tell which way it's blowing," he +said. "One side of my finger feels as cold as the other." + +Again he tried it. There was just a suggestion of an air current. "Seems +to be blowing straight up the valley," he said. + +"I'll try a match," said Lew. He took his waterproof match box from his +pocket and drew forth a match, which he lighted on his heel. "You're +right," he said. "The flame blows up-stream a little. What shall we do?" + +"It doesn't seem possible that the woods can be afire," answered Charley. +"But let's make sure. If the forest is afire and we can put it out, it +would be a crime if we don't. The memory of it would haunt me the rest of +my life." + +"All right. We'll go down-stream. If there is a fire, we'll do our best to +put it out. If there isn't any fire, there's no harm done. We can probably +find as many fish down-stream as there are here. We'll save time if we +unjoint our rods." + +Quickly the lines were reeled up and the rods packed in their cloth cases. +Then, with nothing to hamper them, the two boys hurried down the valley. + +Gradually the odor of burning leaves grew stronger. A very little breeze +arose, blowing straight in their faces. It was heavy with the smell of +fire. Ahead of them the forest began to look gray and misty, as though a +heavy night fog still covered the earth. But both boys knew that the gray +blanket was no night mist. It was smoke. They quickened their pace. The +smoke cloud grew denser. Then a dull, reddish glow appeared. There could +no longer be any doubt. The forest was afire. + +"Come on," cried Charley. "We've got to grab it quick." + +As they started to run, Lew protested: "Not too fast. We'll tire ourselves +out before we get there. We may have a long fight before we put the fire +out." + +The smoke now rolled past them in dense clouds. The red glow grew +brighter. In a few moments they reached the fire itself. It was in an +opening where the timber had been cut and little but brush remained. It +was a ground fire that crept slowly along among the leaves. Yet it had +already spread until it seemed to stretch across half the valley. + +"If we can only put it out before the wind comes up," said Charley, "we +can save the forest." + +He looked about for a low tree, discovered a thick, young pine, rapidly +chopped off some bushy branches, and again sheathed his axe. Each boy +seized a branch. + +"Our rods--what shall we do with them?" asked Lew. + +"Throw 'em in the run. Fire can't hurt 'em there and we can get 'em at any +time." + +Lew rushed over to the brook and put the rods in the water. He set a flat +stone on them to keep the current from moving them. Then he dipped his +pine bough in the brook and began to beat out the flames, working straight +out from the bank. Charley joined him. Rapidly they rained blows upon the +fire. Rod after rod they advanced. The heat from even so small a fire was +great. The smoke was blinding and stifling. Heat and smoke and their own +exertions tired them rapidly. + +"We've got to take it easier," said Lew, after a little, "or we'll be all +in before we get the fire half out." + +Of necessity they slackened their efforts. As they wore out their weapons, +they cut new ones. Every little while they rested. They were tiring fast. +At the same tune, the wind was beginning to freshen. Here in the open +there was nothing to break its force. The flames leaped higher under its +breath and began to run over the ground instead of crawling. The fire +itself created a draft. The greater the draft, the hotter the flame +became, and the hotter the fire grew, the stronger blew the draft. + +"We're never going to do it," panted Charley, after a while. "The wind is +blowing harder all the time. We must call help." + +He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes of seven!" he ejaculated. "How far +do you think we are from camp?" + +"Two miles, anyway," answered Lew. + +"If I can make it by seven, I may be able to get Willie. He said he would +listen in every hour." + +"Hurry," said Lew sharply. "I'll keep at work here." + +"If it gets too hot for you," said Charley, "go right back to the brook, +and come up along it to camp. That's the way I'm going back, and I'll +return that way after I get Willie. Good-bye." + +He started off at a fast pace. But his exertions and the heat and smoke +had so weakened him that he quickly saw he could not maintain such a gait. +He dropped to a steady jog. Even that taxed his strength. But he gritted +his teeth and clenched his hands and kept on. + +The forest was now full of smoke. The dense cloud completely hid the sun. +Among the great pines it was almost like twilight. Charley pushed on as +fast as his weary legs could carry him. More than once he tripped and +fell. He could no longer see distinctly. Fatigue and the smoke in his eyes +blurred his vision. He was scratched and torn and his hands were a mass of +little burns. Charley scarcely noticed them. His mind was wholly intent on +getting help and saving the forest. Nothing else mattered. So he staggered +on through the dusky woods. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had +passed. He felt sure he had been running an hour and that his watch had +stopped. He held it to his ear. The steady ticking somewhat reassured him. +After what seemed like another long interval he ventured to look at it +again. Five minutes more had elapsed. Five minutes remained before Willie +would be at his post waiting for a possible message. Charley crowded on +all the speed that was left in him. But his feet seemed to be made of +lead. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs. His lungs seemed nigh +to bursting. + +"Five minutes more," he kept muttering to himself. "Only five minutes +more. I've got to make it. Only five minutes more." + +Suddenly he came to their camp. In his weariness he had not recognized any +landmarks. He could hardly believe it was their camp. But there were the +grub bag hanging on a wire, the dishes piled by the fire, and the wireless +instruments protected by the pack bags. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" gasped Charley, as he threw himself on the +ground beside his key. He tried to flash a call, but his hand trembled so +he could not form the letters correctly. He dropped flat on his back to +rest for a moment, glancing at his watch as he lay there. It lacked one +minute of seven. + +For sixty seconds Charley lay prostrate, looking at the second-hand on his +watch as it went round. Then he sat up. The minute's rest had steadied him +wonderfully. He moved his switch, pressed his finger on the key, and sent +the bright sparks flashing between his gap points. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he called, then paused to listen. + +There was no response. An anxious look crept into his eyes. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," again he called. + +No answering signal sounded in his ear. His face went white. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out anxiously. And without listening +for a reply, he repeated the message frantically half a dozen times. Then +a buzzing sounded in his ears. A look of relief came on his face. He +sighed. Willie was acknowledging his call signal. + +"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?" + +"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on +the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the +fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is +from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask +what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer." + +For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were +like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though +Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and +wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his +mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of +flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. +Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the +forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped +his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground. + +Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning +to speak. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly +where fire is." + +"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond +Ironsides," flashed back Charley. + +"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval. + +"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What +shall we do?" + +Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header +and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives." + +"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye." + +Charley threw over his switch, covered the instruments with the pack bags, +and was off down the valley. He felt much refreshed by his rest. At a +steady jog he made his way along the brook. + +Now he found it difficult to breathe. Smoke was rolling through the forest +in billows. Close by he heard the cries of terror-stricken animals. He +came to the edge of the burned space beside the brook, where they had +beaten out the flames. Here there was practically no smoke. He turned away +from the run and followed the black edge of the burned area. He knew this +would bring him to Lew, and he wanted to make sure that they had +extinguished every spark in the distance they had covered. Only at one +point did he find fire smouldering. He beat out the sparks and went on. He +could see almost nothing. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. Through it +he began to distinguish the red glare of the flames. Ever louder sounded +the crackle of fire. From a low, humming sound it grew, as he drew near, +into a subdued roar. Then all other sounds were lost in the greater tumult +of the forest fire. + +Now he came close to the flames. The heat was terrific. The smoke choked +him. He could hardly breathe. The roar of the fire was terrifying. +Hitherto he had felt no fear. Now a feeling of alarm suddenly seized him. +What if Lew had been overcome by smoke and burned in his absence? The +possibility had never occurred to him before. + +"Lew! Lew!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and started along the line +of the fire. There was no reply. At least Charley heard none. + +"Lew! Lew!" he cried. "Where are you?" + +But no voice answered through the smoke. + +"If he's down, I'll find him or die trying," muttered Charley to himself. + +His face was grim and set as he started along the line of the fire again, +paying no heed to the flames but looking only for his chum. Every few +yards he stopped and shouted. But no answer ever reached him. + +On he went, rod after rod, keeping as near the flames as he dared. He saw +nothing of his friend. He came to a point where a tongue of fire had run +far in advance of the remainder of the blaze. It seemed to be traveling +twice as fast as the rest of the flames. + +"The header!" he cried to himself. "Here's where we ought to be at work. +But I must find Lew first. He certainly never got beyond this header." + +Charley stopped and called. Again and again he shouted. There was no +response. + +"Maybe he went back to look for me and I passed him in the smoke," thought +Charley. "I'll go back to the brook." + +He turned to retrace his steps. Something suddenly flashed into flame +close beside him. It caught Charley's attention. He saw it was a pine +bough. Then he noticed that it had been freshly cut. + +"It's Lew's brush," cried Charley. "He must have been here." + +He sank on his knees close to the blazing bough, and heedless of smoke and +flame began to examine the ground carefully. He ran his fingers lightly +over the leaves, feeling for footprints. At first he found nothing. Then +he discovered the impression of a heel. He could not be certain which way +the footprint pointed. + +With the heel mark as a centre, he began to feel about in a circle two or +three feet wide. He judged that would be the length of his chum's stride. +Twice he felt around the circle before he found a second footprint. It was +in the direction of the brook. He moved forward and searched where he +thought the third step should have fallen. Here he distinctly saw the mark +of a foot. When he rose to his feet his coat sleeve was beginning to smoke +and his face was blistered. + +"Lew's gone back to the brook," he muttered. "I must have passed him in +the smoke. He's probably looking for me." + +But he still felt vaguely uneasy and fearful. He walked rapidly toward the +brook. The trail he was following became distinct. The leaves had been +kicked up here and there by Lew as he walked. The track grew plainer and +plainer. It became more like a plow furrow. At first Charley did not +grasp the meaning of the shambling trail. Then it came to him. + +"He's dragging his feet," he muttered. "He must be all in. Maybe he's +down." + +Charley took a quick look at the flames. They had crept frightfully close +to the trail in the leaves. Then he sprang forward at top speed. His face +was white. + +"I've got to reach him before the fire gets him," he sobbed. + +He kept peering through the smoke. "There's another header shooting out +toward that log," he said, "but I won't leave the trail. I might miss +Lew." + +The trail led straight toward the log. Charley increased his speed. As he +neared the log he gave a cry of terror and bounded forward like a shot. +What Charley had mistaken for a tree trunk was his chum's prostrate form. +The flames had almost reached it. + +With his brush Charley fell on the fire savagely and beat it out for the +space of a rod or two on either side of Lew's body. Then he rushed back to +his chum and knelt beside him. Lew was unconscious but breathing +regularly. His nose was half buried in leaves and moss. That fact had +probably saved his life, for it had given him pure air to breathe. + +Charley drew Lew over his shoulder until he had him doubled up like a +jack-knife, and could therefore carry him easily. Then, at a steady pace, +he set out for the brook. Soon he passed the end of the line of fire. In +a few minutes more he reached the stream. + +He laid his chum close beside the run, felt his pulse and listened to his +breathing. Lew's heart was beating regularly and he was breathing easily. + +Charley sighed with relief. "He's all right," he muttered. + +Then he filled his hat with water and sprinkled some on Lew's face. Lew's +eyelids flickered. Then his eyes opened. + +"Where am I, Charley?" he asked. "What are you doing?" + +For a moment he lay still. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright. + +"I know now," he said. "The forest is on fire. I was fighting it and you +went to call help. Did you get Willie? And how did you find me? I guess I +got too much smoke. I started for the brook. That's all I can remember. +I'm all right now. We're going back." + +He got to his feet, but at first had to be supported. Charley made him lie +down again. In a few minutes his strength seemed to return to him. He got +up. + +"I'm all right now, Charley," he insisted. "I mightn't be awake yet if you +hadn't thrown that water on my face. Thanks, old man." + +Charley did not tell Lew how near to death he had been. Instead, he said, +"Are you sure you're strong enough to tackle that fire again?" + +"Sure as shooting," nodded Lew. + +"Then come on. The fire has an awful start on us. The forester wants us to +try to hold the header by back-firing." + +As they started toward the blaze Lew said, "We'll have to work some +distance in advance of it. If only we had rakes we might conquer it even +yet." + +They made their way to a point well in front of the header. Then they cut +sticks and made little bundles of them to use like rakes. + +"I'll clear away the leaves and you start the fire," directed Charley. + +He began raking away the leaves, clearing a sort of path about two feet +wide straight across the line of the advancing header. Lew lighted the +leaves on the side of the cleared space toward the header, following close +upon Charley's heels. From time to time he ran back along the cleared +space to make sure the flames had not jumped across it. Wherever they had, +he beat them out with his brush. On the other side of the cleared space +the flames slowly worked their way toward the onrushing header, widening +with every minute the barren area where the flames could find no fuel to +feed upon. + +Rod after rod Charley cleared a narrow lane and Lew kept close behind him +with his torch. With amazing rapidity they extended their line. + +"If only we had the Wireless Patrol here," panted Lew, "we'd lick this old +fire to a frazzle." + +On and on they went. To save their strength they exchanged tasks at +intervals. Every few minutes they faced about and ran back over their line +to make sure no flames had crossed the cleared space. The air was dense +with smoke, but the heat from their back-fire was trifling in comparison +with that of the main conflagration. The stand of timber grew thicker, +breaking the force of the breeze more and more. Their back-fire ate its +way into the wind much faster, and the real fire came on slower. It seemed +to be getting farther and farther away. + +"We've passed the header," cried Charley exultantly. "We ought to be able +to hold the main fire." + +They rested a moment, then went at their task with renewed hope and vigor. +Rod after rod they cleared a path and fired the leaves on the windward +side of this lane. Finally their line grew so long that they could no +longer guard it properly. + +"If only we had half a dozen boys to patrol the line," sighed Lew. "I'm +afraid the flames will jump across somewhere. Then all we have done will +be in vain." + +"We'll make a trip over the whole line," declared Charley, "and be sure +it's safe. Then we'll stop back-firing and beat out the flames again. It's +the only sure way I can think of." + +He drew his axe and cut fresh boughs. Then they went back along their +line. In one place flames had already leaped across, but they fell on them +vigorously with their bushes and soon put them out. They patrolled the +line until they felt sure it was safe. + +"If we can put out the flames between our back-fire and the brook," said +Lew, "it will make our job a great deal easier. We've already put out part +of them." + +They began to work their way back to the brook, following the line of +flame and beating out the fire foot by foot as they advanced. There were +many things in their favor. The dense stand of trees at this point not +only checked the wind and made the fire less fierce, but the absence of +underbrush also helped to check it. There was little for it to feed upon +but leaves. So the two boys could work close to it and beat it out with +ease, though the smoke was stifling. Only lads of great determination and +courage would have stuck to the task. + +With frequent pauses, necessary for rest, they went on, foot by foot, yard +after yard, rod upon rod. "We're going to make it," cried Lew presently. +"It's only a little distance to the end of the flames." + +They increased their efforts. Quickly they reached the end of the line of +fire. Beyond that the woods had been saved by their first efforts. + +"Now we'll go back over the line," said Charley, "and make sure the fire +doesn't start up anywhere." + +"I'm dying of thirst," said Lew. "Let's get a drink first. We are not far +from the brook." + +They hurried to the run and threw themselves flat on the bank, drinking +copious draughts of the cool and refreshing water. + +"I wonder what time it is," said Charley, as they got to their feet again. +"It seems to me that we've been fighting fire for hours." He looked at his +watch. "We have," he cried. "It's after eleven o'clock. The fire crew has +been on the way four hours. They'll follow their fire trails and get here +in a fraction of the time it took us to come in. They certainly ought to +be here soon. If we can hold the fire for a little bit longer the forest +will be safe." + +"Come on," called Lew. "We've got to do it." + +Again they went along the line of their back-fire. For rod after rod the +fire was conquered. In other places it still burned; but the back-fire had +now eaten its way so far to windward of the cleared space that there was +no longer any danger of the flames leaping past the barrier. So they +covered the entire length of their line and found it safe. + +When they reached the main fire again they began to beat it out with +branches. Rod after rod they continued to work their way. But at best +their progress was painfully slow. + +"Lew," said Charley of a sudden, "while we are beating out these flames +here, there may be another header in front of us traveling like a +racehorse. I'm going to run ahead and see. You stay here. Call every +little bit and I'll answer. I'll be back in a few minutes." + +He made his way along the line of the fire. Here in the thick timber it +still burned slowly and feebly. He could trace the line of fire far ahead, +and it seemed to have advanced with remarkable evenness. Nowhere could be +seen a header of flame jutting out far in advance of the main line. + +"If the wind doesn't rise," he muttered to himself, "we're going to make +it." + +He went on, trying to locate the other end of the fire. Behind him he +heard Lew halloing. Before he could turn to answer, an echo came back from +the mountain in front of him. + +"If only that were a real voice," muttered Charley to himself. + +Then he stood stock-still. Shout after shout came ringing in his ears. "It +<i>is</i> a real voice," he cried. "The fire crew is coming." + +A moment later a dozen forms became visible in the smoke. They were +running along the edge of the fire, evidently trying to determine where to +begin their attack on it. At their head was the forester. He came directly +toward Charley, but gave no sign of recognition. Nor, could Charley have +seen himself, would he have wondered at it. With his face blackened by +smoke and caked with blood from innumerable little cuts and scratches, his +hands grimy and almost raw, and his clothes torn in a hundred places, +Charley could hardly have been recognized by his own mother. + +"How far across the valley does this fire extend?" asked the forester. + +"You are almost at the end of it, sir," replied Charley. + +"It's making a tremendous smoke for such a little blaze, then," said the +forester. + +He turned to his men. "Get right at it and beat it out," he ordered. "This +is all there is to it." + +Again he faced Charley. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "When we came over +the pass it looked as though the entire bottom was afire." + +"It was," said Charley. "That is, everything this side of the run was +afire. We have got it all out but this." + +"Have you seen anything of two boys with a wireless outfit? They notified +me of this fire." + +"Why, I am one of them, sir. It was I who asked you yesterday for a job as +fire patrol." + +The forester looked at him narrowly for several seconds. "See here," he +said severely. "Did you boys set this forest afire?" + +Charley looked aghast. "Set the forest afire!" he exclaimed in amazement. +"Certainly not. Why should we?" + +"Are you telling me the truth?" + +Even through the grime Charley's face was red. "See here," he said +angrily, "I don't care whether you are the forester or the President of +the United States. You are not going to call me a liar. If Lew and I +hadn't been here fishing, you wouldn't have any forest by this time. We've +fought this fire for hours and it's only a piece of luck that Lew isn't +dead. He'd have been burned to a crisp if I hadn't found him just when I +did. We've done everything we could to save the forest. I demand to know +your reason for suggesting that we started the blaze." + +"Young man," said the forester, "more than one forest fire has been set by +persons who wanted a job fighting fire. You wanted a job. You told me what +an advantage your wireless would be. + +"My ranger reported to me by telephone last night that excepting for +yourselves he had seen nobody in this region all day. This morning a fire +breaks out; you report it promptly by wireless; and when we arrive, you +have it almost out. Isn't that a suspicious chain of circumstances? +Doesn't it look as though you might be trying to show the forester +something?" + +"A fellow who would set the forest afire just to prove his own +qualifications as a fire fighter ought to be put in prison," said Charley +indignantly. "Do you think I'm that kind of a skunk?" + +"No, I don't," said the forester. "I believe you boys had no hand in +starting this fire and that you have risked your lives and done heroic +work to save the forest. But I had to be sure. There is something queer +about this fire. With no railroads near to shoot up sparks, no +thunder-storms to flash lightning, and no campers to be careless with +their fires, what did cause it? It isn't the first time mysterious fires +have started in this fine timber. You saw in the other valley what two of +these fires did before we got them out. This is the third fire that has +occurred in this tract. If it hadn't been for you boys, I hate to think +what would have happened. You have done a great service to the people of +Pennsylvania." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. He turned his glance on the ground. He did +not know what to say. + +After a moment the forester spoke again. A new idea seemed suddenly to +have occurred to him. "Now that you have had a taste of real fire +fighting," he said, "would you still like to be a fire patrol--possibly a +ranger?" + +"Better than anything in the world," replied Charley. "I love the forest." + +"Are you sure you can be released from further school work?" + +"I feel certain I can." + +"Then I have a particular job for you, Mr. Fire Guard." + +"Mr. Fire Guard," echoed Charley, his heart beating wildly. "What do you +mean?" + +"I mean," smiled the forester, "that you are here and now appointed a fire +patrol; that you are now a representative of the State of Pennsylvania, +and after you have been sworn in you will have the power of making +arrests. The particular job I have for you is to guard this forest. +Somebody wants to destroy this stand of virgin timber. Your job is to +protect it." + + + + +Chapter VIII + +Making an Investigation + + + +The fire crew, hardy woodsmen and rangers, accustomed to severe toil, soon +beat out what was left of the fire. Then they went over the entire line of +the fire to make sure every spark was extinguished. The forester and +Charley found Lew, and the three crossed the valley to the brook where the +two boys had begun their battle with the flames. When the fire crew had +returned and the forester was satisfied that there was no further danger, +he turned and held out his hand. + +"Report to me at my office at the earliest possible moment," he said. "If +I dared risk being away from my headquarters so long," he added +regretfully, "I'd stay here and make an investigation. But a fire may +start somewhere else, and here I'd be with my fire crew. A thousand acres +might burn over before I knew it." + +"Isn't there anybody in charge at headquarters?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. I have an assistant there. But if an alarm came in he wouldn't be +of much use without a fire crew." + +"Send your fire crew back," said Charley. "You can stay here and make +your investigation, and we can keep you in touch with your office easily." + +"Are you sure?" + +"There isn't any doubt of it. Willie said he would listen in every few +minutes, and Willie always does what he says he will. You instruct your +fire crew to tell your assistant to keep in touch with Willie by +telephone, and we'll tell Willie to keep in touch with us by wireless. +It's as easy as rolling off a log." + +The forester looked doubtful. "I'd like to stay," he said. "Are you +positive you can do this?" + +"Of course," said Lew. "We do that sort of thing right along." + +"Well," said the forester, still hesitating, "I'll risk it. It is of the +utmost importance that an investigation be made at once. It might be days +before the chief forest fire-warden could come here. You are absolutely +certain about this wireless business?" + +Charley smiled. "Absolutely," he said. "But to make sure, we'll go to our +camp and talk to Willie. You can send a message to your assistant +yourself." + +"That'll settle it," said the forester. + +He called his fire crew together. "Hustle right back to headquarters," he +said. "The motor-truck will hold you all, though you may be a bit +crowded. Leave my car where it is. I'm going to look around a bit. I'll +follow you as soon as possible. Tell the assistant forester to call up the +boy in Central City who telephoned us about the fire and arrange to keep +in communication with him. We will communicate with that boy by wireless. +If fire occurs anywhere, let me know at once." + +The fire fighters looked their astonishment, but made no comment. They +were accustomed to obeying orders. Soon they were gone and the forester +and the two boys headed up the run toward the little camp by the windrow. + +"I guess we might as well get better acquainted," said the forester. "My +name is Marlin--James Marlin." + +"And mine," replied Charley, "is Charley Russell. This is Lew Heinsling. +As we told you yesterday, we are from Central City and belong to the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol." + +"That is why you are now a fire guard," said the forester. "You don't +suppose I would appoint an unknown boy to such an important post, do you? +To be sure, I don't know you personally, but I know about your +organization and some of the things you have done. I know your leader, +Captain Hardy, very well. You see your membership in that organization is +recommendation enough for me." + +"But I thought you suspected us of setting fire to the forest," said +Charley. + +"I never said so," replied Mr. Marlin. "I merely asked you if you had +started the fire." + +"It's pretty much the same thing," said Charley. + +"Not at all, young man. Not at all. I did not really suspect you. But I +saw there was a possibility that you might have done just what I +suggested. I wanted to see what you would do when I suggested that you +were the culprit. I could have told if you had lied to me." + +"How?" demanded Charley. + +"Never mind now," smiled the forester. "But while we are on this subject, +I want to say this to you: when you are trying to solve a crime, you must +forget your prejudices. You must look at the facts and not at the people +concerned. You must take the attitude that anybody may be guilty until he +is proved innocent. In short, you must be ready to suspect anybody. You +must not assume, for instance, that because I am the forester I would not +set the forest afire, or because my rangers are connected with the Forest +Service they would never start a fire." + +Charley looked almost startled. "Why, it would be the worst sort of crime +for a forest protector to set a fire in the woods," he cried. + +"Of course it would," replied the forester. "But in this world almost +everybody acts according to his own interests or his own passions. If a +man could earn more money by setting fires than by preventing them, there +are many men who would take the chance. Or a man might set fire to the +forest to be revenged on somebody--possibly on me; for a forester can +hardly avoid making some enemies." + +The forester paused. "Somebody has three times set this part of the forest +afire," he continued after a moment. "We have no clue as to who did it. So +it is our business to suspect anybody and everybody that circumstances may +point to. But that doesn't mean we must condemn a person merely because +circumstances point to him. We must study the facts and either condemn or +acquit him according to the facts. I say this to you because you have +probably had little or no experience in tracing crime and, like most young +folks, are prone to trust people too far." + +Charley's face was very serious. He had not thought of detective work as a +possible part of his duties. + +"Don't take what I say too seriously," laughed the forester, when he +noticed Charley's expression. "You will really have very little of this +sort of thing to do. Most fires come through the carelessness of campers. +To warn them to be careful, to try to put out fires as soon as you +discover them and notify me if you fail, will be about all you will +ordinarily have to do. The chief forest fire-warden will attend to +investigating fires. But in this case, I especially want to know how this +fire started. Sometimes boys, if they are shrewd enough, make the best of +all agents for watching folks. People don't take boys seriously, and will +often do or say incriminating things before boys that they would not +dream of doing in the presence of grown men. If you keep your eyes and +ears open and your mouth shut, you may be very useful. And the less you +appear to know, the more useful you will be." + +Charley looked at his watch. "Willie will be at his instrument in three +minutes, sure," he said. "He might even be there now." + +He drew the pack bags from the wireless instruments and sat down, watch in +hand, beside them. The forester looked on with keenest interest. He no +longer regarded the wireless outfit as a mere plaything. If the boys could +do what they said they could, he saw what a help wireless communication +might be in protecting the forest. He had always considered the telephone +as about the last step that could be made in quick communication in the +forest. But his telephone was miles away and he had to get to it before he +could talk with his office. Here was a boy who could sit down anywhere and +instantly talk to a wireless operator anywhere else within a reasonable +distance--that is, he could, if all that Charley said was true. Of course +the forester knew about radio-telegraphy, but he was like many other +people who have not actually seen persons talk by wireless. It seemed as +though it could hardly be. + +But he was not to remain long in doubt. When the three-minute period had +elapsed, Charley threw over his switch, and sent Willie's call signal +flashing abroad. Hardly had he taken his finger from his key when the +answer buzzed in his ear. + +"Got him," said Charley. + +"Who?" asked the forester in astonishment. + +"Willie Brown, at Central City. I'm telling him to get your assistant on +the telephone." And he made the sparks fairly tumble over one another, so +rapidly did he manipulate the key. + +"Willie's going to get him," he announced, a moment later. + +They sat silent for several minutes. Then a signal once more sounded in +Charley's ear. + +"Willie's got your assistant on the 'phone," said Charley a little later. + +"Tell him to tell my assistant that the fire is out, with little damage +done; that the fire crew is on the way home, and that I have decided to +remain here to look around a little. Tell him that if he needs me he shall +call your friend at Central City. He'd better arrange with the telephone +people for quick connections if he needs to talk to me. I guess that's +about all." + +Charley flashed out the message to Willie and soon the assistant +forester's message came back. Everything was O.K. and he would do as +directed. Then Charley talked to Willie on his own account, telling him +they were going to move their aerial and asking Willie to listen in often. +Willie said he would sit by the wireless table and keep the receivers on +his ears so that Charley could get him at any time. + +While Charley was talking with Willie, Lew had been collecting and +packing the camp utensils. Now the wireless instruments were quickly +uncoupled and stowed away in a bag, and the aerial taken down and loosely +rolled around the spreaders so that it could be hoisted in a moment's +time. Then the little party set off swiftly down the valley toward the +point at which the fire started. + +Walking rapidly, they arrived at the edge of the burned area in half an +hour. Smoke was still rising from smouldering embers at various points in +the burned area; but there was no danger to be feared, for everything +inflammable about these embers had been consumed. Even should the wind fan +them into a flame again they could do no harm, for there was nothing for +them to feed upon. Along the entire edge of the burned area the fire crew +had made sure there was a wide belt of ground in which no spark remained. +Thus, though these glowing embers might continue to smoulder for hours, +they could do no harm. The quantity of smoke arising was still +considerable, but it did not shut off the vision as the dense clouds of +smoke had done during the fire. So the onlookers could get a fair idea of +the extent of the blaze. + +The blackened area on which they looked, they were relieved to find, was +not of great width, though it stretched from the edge of the brook on one +side almost to the mountain on the other. Altogether, the fire had swept +over not more than a hundred acres. Had it not been for the presence of +the two boys, it might easily have destroyed thousands of acres. The fire +had started in a cut-over tract just below the edge of the virgin timber. +Had the morning proved windy, instead of calm, the flames would have gone +racing into the big timber, with the chances good for a disastrous +crown-fire, when the flames would have gone leaping from tree top to tree +top, utterly consuming the forest, as the previous fires had destroyed the +timber on Old Ironsides. A lucky combination of circumstances alone had +prevented a holocaust. + +Climbing upon a high rock, the forester searched for the point at which +the fire had originated. Prom his pocket he drew some powerful +field-glasses, and again and again swept his vision over the farther edge +of the burned area. Presently he closed his glasses and leaped to the +ground. + +"Come on," he said, and headed diagonally across the burned tract. + +In a few minutes the three stood on the unburned forest floor on the +farther side of the strip of black. + +"We must get our aerial up at once, Lew," said Charley. "It's been +three-fourths of an hour since we talked to Willie." + +They glanced about, selected two suitable trees, and had the supporting +wires attached to them in no time, with the aerial dangling aloft between +the trees. It took only a moment more to couple up the instruments. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," rapped out Charley, as soon as the outfit was in +readiness. + +Almost instantly Willie replied to the signal. + +"Any message for us from Oakdale?" inquired Charley. + +"Not a word. What are you doing?" + +"We are investigating the cause of the fire. Have moved our aerial down +past the burned area. Forester and Lew and I alone. Fire crew on way back +to Oakdale." + +"Have you found cause of fire?" + +"No. Just got here. Haven't investigated yet. Will listen in every quarter +hour, beginning with the hour." + +"All right. I'll be here. Good-bye." + +The minute Charley finished talking with Willie, the three investigators +set about their work. + +"We'll walk along the edge of the burned area," said the forester, "and +try to find the point of origin." + +He went ahead, the two boys following. They were facing toward the brook. +The line was irregular, like a huge saw-blade, with little jutting, black +teeth here and there, where the flames had crept out in advance of the +main line. The wind that had come up when the boys were fighting the fire +had driven the flames back upon the area they had already consumed and the +blaze had died out of itself. It could not eat its way to windward out +here in the open, as it could have done in the dense timber where the wind +was broken. From their starting-point they walked to the brook, finding +nothing to enlighten them. They then retraced their steps, walking along +the windward edge of the fire. Yet they found nothing to show them how or +where the fire originated. + +"Evidently the flames have eaten their way some distance to windward of +the point of origin," said the forester. "We shall have to look within the +burned area." + +As he started to cross the black strip, the forester continued: "Perhaps I +had better go through the burned strip alone. I want things disturbed as +little as possible, and three will stir up the ashes a good deal more than +one. You keep looking along the edge, and I'll search among the ashes." + +"Is there anything in particular we are to look for?" asked Charley. "Is +there any special way to distinguish the starting-point of the fire?" + +"If this blaze started at a camper's fire, there ought to be some trace of +that fire discoverable. If it began with a lighted match, the stem of that +match might not be entirely consumed. If blazing paper created the fire, +there may be a scrap of paper left unburned. And even the ashes might show +that paper had been burned. That's why I don't want the leaves disturbed +any more than we can help. We shall quite likely find our clue, if we find +it at all, in the ashes themselves." + +The forester started slowly across the valley. + +"I don't see where he has anything on us as observers," said Lew. "If our +drill at Camp Brady didn't make competent observers of us, I don't know +what it did do. Captain Hardy drilled us and drilled us in noticing even +the most minute things. Let's go along the line again and look more +carefully. We've got a better idea now of what we're looking for." + +They started once more along the edge of the black belt. The forester was +walking well within the burned area. The two boys centred their attention +on the strip between the forester's tracks and the edge of the black area. +This was a strip roughly fifty to seventy-five feet wide. Practically +everything was blackened in this area. A piece of unburned paper would +have shown with startling distinctness. But there were no pieces to show. +The forester crossed the black belt from brook to mountain, and the boys +kept pace with him for a little. Then Lew turned back in order to listen +in, while Charley went on with the forester. For a long time the two +searched among the leaves, but found nothing to indicate where or how the +fire had started. + +"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last, +"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess +we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and +make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me." + +"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is +willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip. +And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one." + +"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the +legal authority you should have as a fire patrol." + +"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the +train at Oakdale." + +They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go +home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd +stand in your way, do you?" + +"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate +to cut your trip short." + +"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your +arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if +he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish. +And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that +you are good fire fighters." + +Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest +and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly +dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area +once more, on their way out to the distant road. + +They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone +perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They +were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently +been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught +his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the +surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what +a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves +should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting +anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one +side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained +perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery +veining were distinct in the ashy residues. They were interesting to see. +Charley continued to level the burned leaves on one side of the pile. At +the touch of his stick they lost their shape and crumbled into formless +ashes, even as fairy crystals of snow turn to water beneath a warm current +of air. + +Suddenly Charley stopped dead still. Among the ashes turned over by his +stick was a long, thin sheet of ash. Charley looked at it a moment in +astonishment. Then he knew that it was pasteboard. He sank to his knees on +the blackened earth and with his fingers carefully worked in the still +warm ashes, raking off the upper layers of leaves gently, so as not to +disturb the bottom of the pile. Carefully he worked, until he had laid +bare a long strip of what had been pasteboard. At his touch this, like the +leaves, crumbled. But one end of it did not disintegrate. A tiny piece was +unconsumed. From the ashes Charley drew forth a charred bit of greenish +pasteboard. Swiftly but carefully he raked aside the burned pasteboard. +Then he gave a little cry. On the ground, in the very bottom of the heap, +was some candle grease. His startled exclamation brought Mr. Marlin and +Lew running to his side. + +"What have you found?" asked the forester sharply. + +"A piece of unconsumed pasteboard and some candle grease," said Charley +slowly. "They were under this mound of burned leaves." + +"We need look no farther for the starting-place of this fire," said the +forester, his face very sober. "It is just as I suspected. This fire was +of incendiary origin. Whoever set it, placed a lighted candle inside a +pasteboard box, partly filled the box with leaves, heaped some leaves on +top of it, and hurried away. The candle probably burned for hours before +it burned low enough to set fire to the leaves. By that time the culprit +was far away and could prove an alibi." + +Charley drew from his pocket the little microscope he used in his class in +botany in the high school. Over and over he turned the scorched scrap of +pasteboard, studying it intently. + +"The fibers are arranged in a peculiar way," he said, "and there's an +almost invisible machine marking of a peculiar pattern. The color of the +pasteboard was a dark green." + +The forester took the microscope and examined the charred fragment, +handing both, when he had finished, to Lew. + +"This is our clue to the incendiary," he said slowly. "We must find where +pasteboard like that comes from and who had some of it. Meantime, do not +breathe a word of this to any one. Do not let a soul know that we have +discovered how the fire originated. Let them think we know nothing. And +bear in mind what I told you before: suspect anybody that circumstances +point to, no matter who he is. Now remember! Not a soul outside of the +three of us must know about this. We've got a long trail ahead of us, but +we have at last got a clue. Sooner or later, if we keep our eyes and ears +open and our mouths shut, we'll find the man who set this forest afire." + + + + +Chapter IX + +Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + + + +Rapidly the three made their way through the forest. The forester led his +companions up the valley a distance to a fire trail. Along this they +traveled as rapidly as they could have done on a village sidewalk. By +several of these fire trails they made their way through valleys and over +hills, finally reaching the road. The forester's car was there, and an +hour's run brought them to the forester's office at Oakdale. + +Charley was intensely interested in everything he saw in this office. On +the wall were huge maps of the forest areas under Mr. Marlin's control. +These maps showed the mountains, big springs, streams, roads, fire trails, +etc., and little tacks with heads of different colors were stuck here and +there in the maps to show where rangers, fire-wardens and game protectors +lived. The telephone was also shown. + +Charley was interested to learn that he and Lew had been fully twelve +miles distant from the telephone. It had taken the fire crew, hardy men +experienced in mountain travel, three hours to cover those twelve miles, +even when they had fire trails most of the way. He wondered how much +longer it would have taken them if they had had to travel through the +rough forest. Many hours longer, he was certain. And that meant that it +would have taken one equally as long to get out to the telephone to notify +the forester of the fire. He felt sure there must be many places where one +might be more than twelve miles distant from the telephone; and he +realized more keenly than ever what a big part the wireless could play in +saving the forest. He resolved that he would keep his wireless outfit with +him when he went back into the forest as a fire patrol. + +But the maps on the wall were not all that interested Charley. There were +fire-fighting tools of various sorts. There were double-bitted axes and +axes with short handles to be used in one hand. These were of the finest +steel, very sharp, and well balanced. There were implements that were +really potato-hooks, though in the forest they were used for clearing away +brush and leaves rather than for digging potatoes. Then there were +short-handled, four-toothed rakes, for use in back-firing. Also there were +lanterns, and finally a small compressed air sprayer, for wetting the +ground when back-firing. All these tools were painted a bright red. The +forester explained that the sprayer wasn't often used, but that sometimes +it came in very handy. The implements were red so that they could be found +easily. Otherwise many would be lost in almost every fight with a fire. + +Particularly was Charley interested in the portable telephone. It was +like the one the ranger had had in the burned valley. Mr. Marlin handed +the instrument to Charley and let him examine it. The battery was +contained in a small box, and the mouthpiece and the receiver were in one +piece, which was held alternately to the ear and the mouth. Then there +were considerable lengths of wire to be attached to the telephone-lines. +If a ranger could not climb a pole and attach his wires to the +telephone-lines, Mr. Marlin explained, he could tie stones to his wires +and throw them over the lines. All that was needed was to have the two +wires touch the two wires of the telephone system. Then a connection would +be made and one could talk with the portable instrument. The battery, the +mouthpiece and receiver, and the connecting wires all could be packed +snugly into a little leather case and slung over the shoulder. It was an +excellent outfit. + +At one time Charley would have been wild to try it. Now he could not help +seeing how really inferior it was to the wireless as a means of +communication. In order to talk with it, it must be connected with the +telephone-lines, and they must be in working order. Charley's quick mind +instantly saw that falling limbs or trees, heavy snows or ice-storms in +winter, or a pair of nippers in the hands of a miscreant, could put the +forest telephone out of commission for hours at a time. He rejoiced to +think that no one could tamper with the air and that he could always get +a connection with his wireless. More and more he saw the possibilities of +usefulness for the wireless in protecting the forest. + +But the two boys had little time to examine the many interesting things in +the forester's office because their train was due within a short time +after they reached Oakdale. They made the acquaintance of the forester's +assistant, Mr. Franklin Conover, and soon started for the railroad +station, leaving their duffel at the forester's office. + +Before they left, Charley called the forester aside. "How much pay am I to +receive as a fire patrol?" he asked. + +The forester frowned. + +"You mustn't think," said Charley hastily, "that the pay is all that I +care about. I want to be a fire patrol because I love the woods. But I +don't know whether Dad will let me be a fire patrol unless I can make as +much here as I could in the factory with him." + +"How much could you earn there?" + +"Dad says I ought to get two dollars and a half a day." + +"Then you needn't worry. I have some leeway in the matter of pay. You have +already shown your worth, and I am going to pay you the highest rate +within my power. You will go on the payroll at eighty-five dollars a +month, which is as much as many of our rangers get." + +Charley was so astonished at this unexpected good fortune that he was +hardly able to answer Mr. Marlin. He did not know how to express his +thoughts. All he could do was to thank the forester warmly and assure him +he would earn every cent he got. Then he and Lew hurried away to their +train. + +For some time after the two boys boarded the train Charley was silent. He +sat watching the forest through which they were rushing so fast. Never had +it appeared to him quite as it did now. Always he had known the forest was +an animate growth, but now he realized more vividly than ever before how +truly the forest was alive. Now he thought of the great growths of trees +more as one would think of a flock of animals that must be tended and +cared for. Many, many times he had seen the forest under happy conditions. +But never before this trip had he seen it in agony. Never before had he +heard the cries of fear and pain from the forest animals. Never had he +seen the charred remains of those that had been burned. Never had he +beheld the awful skeletons, not merely of burned trees, but of a burned +forest. He was deeply impressed. A tree had suddenly become in his +consciousness far more than a piece of timber. And a forest had taken on +new meaning. With all his mind he loved the forest and the innumerable +things of life and beauty within it. Beyond expression was his joy at the +thought that he could have a part in protecting and caring for the forest. + +And when he thought of all the forest meant to mankind--more than any +other single gift of nature excepting food and water--he saw the forester, +the forest-ranger, and the fire patrol in their true light. He saw them as +real servants of the people, as real promoters and builders of +civilization, which could not have come into existence without wood. He +realized that the man in the forest as truly helps mankind forward and +upward as the statesman in the legislative halls, the chemist at his +test-tube, the physician at his operating-table, the engineer building his +bridges and roads, or any other of the constructive workers who make +civilization what it is; for the forester's work is the foundation for the +work of all the other builders of civilization. When he realized this, his +heart sang with pride to think that he was to have a part in saving and +perpetuating the forests for the countless generations of people who would +follow him in the world. + +He tried to tell Lew something of what was in his heart, but words failed +him, and he sat silent until the train was far beyond the limits of the +forest. Then his thoughts drifted into other channels. Before he knew it, +the conductor shouted "Central City," and the two chums left the train. + +When Charley told his father that he was to get eighty-five dollars a +month, he had no difficulty in winning his father's consent to the plan he +had in mind. Nor was it much more difficult to secure his release from +further work at school. Charley was a great favorite with his teachers. +Always cheerful and polite, a faithful worker, mentally quick, and liking +his instructors, he had their entire good-will. They wanted to help him +get on in the world as much as they had wanted to see him advance in his +studies. When they understood Charley's position at home, and his need of +earning money to help his father, and especially when they realized what +the present opportunity meant to Charley in the way of personal happiness, +they were more than willing to release him from further school duties. + +So it came about that on the following day Charley and Lew took the train +back to Oakdale. The entire Wireless Patrol accompanied them to the +station, each boy carrying some part of the luggage. Thus divided, the +equipment did not seem large; but when it was all assembled, it appeared +entirely adequate. There was a good waterproof tent, a strong tick to be +stuffed with leaves, blankets, a coil of rope, additional cooking +utensils, and generous supplies of food. Charley took a light, +high-powered rifle and his revolver with plenty of ammunition. Their +comrades piled this luggage in a corner of the car, then hustled back to +the station platform and gave the Camp Brady yell, in honor of their +departing friends. In a moment more the train was speeding toward Oakdale, +where they found the forester in his office. + +Mr. Marlin expressed his pleasure at the successful outcome of Charley's +effort to secure his release from high school. + +"I don't believe much in talk," said the forester who himself was +distinctly a man of deeds, "but I am going to say this to you, Charley: +the fact that you have worked your studies off ahead of your class makes +you twice as valuable to me as another boy would be who was merely keeping +abreast of his class." + +Charley looked his surprise. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know any more than +the others know or soon will know." + +"What you know has nothing to do with it, young man. It's what you do. +It's your habits. Habit is the strongest force in the world. The mere fact +that you are ahead of your class tells me that it is your habit to be +forehanded, to be prepared. It tells me that you will keep your tools and +your records in their places and in good condition, and that you will be +prepared for almost any emergency that will arise." + +"I don't understand," expostulated Charley, "how you can figure that out +from the mere fact that I kept a little ahead of my class." + +"Of course you don't," smiled the forester. "They teach you about the laws +of gravity in school, but they don't bother to teach you about the laws of +life. But life has its laws, and one of the strongest is the law of habit. +A good habit is worth a million good resolutions. A man may possibly keep +a good resolution, but he can hardly fail to keep a good habit. Your good +habits are worth just about fifteen dollars a month to you now; for I +wouldn't be paying you the top rate if you were a lad of bad habits. Just +bear that in mind and be careful of the habits you form in future." + +Charley was too much astonished for words. He had never thought of his +habits as having any bearing on his possible earning capacity. + +But the forester gave him no opportunity to consider the matter just then. +"I want you to hurry back into the forest," he went on. "Get acquainted +with as much of the forest as possible." + +He reached in a drawer and pulled out a map, which he gave to Charley. +"This is exactly like the big map on the wall," he said, "excepting that +it is on a smaller scale. Here is where you had your camp." + +As he laid his finger on the map, he continued, "That was a good location +for a fisherman's camp, but a poor one for a fire guard. High up on this +hill," and again he laid a finger on the map, "there is a fine spring. A +dense rhododendron thicket surrounds it, and tall hemlocks grow above it. +Make your camp in that thicket. It is so dense that I think nobody could +possibly see a tent there. But make sure. If necessary, put hemlock boughs +or rhododendron branches around it. Nobody but Mr. Morton and I must know +that you are in camp in the forest or that you have any connection with +the forestry department. I will tell him where your camp is and he will +inspect it and give you more detailed instructions. But remember that +yours is a secret patrol. I would rather that nobody should learn of your +presence in the forest. But if you do meet any one, pose as a fisherman. +Don't, under any circumstances, let anybody suspect your real purpose." + +The forester paused a moment, in deep thought. "Smoke," he said at last, +"would betray the location of your camp--at least in the daytime. Don't +make any fires unless it be at night. Then be sure they are small, well +concealed, and as smokeless as possible. Do your cooking with this." + +He stepped to a closet and returned with an alcohol stove and a can of +fuel, and continued: "From your spring to the summit of the mountain it is +only a short distance. You can get a wide outlook there. Examine the +forest carefully in every direction as often as possible. But leave no +telltale marks to indicate that the place is a lookout point. And be sure +you don't do anything to draw attention to your camp." + +The forester then swore Charley in as a fire patrol and gave him his +badge, with instructions to keep it out of sight. + +"You'll need this, too," he said with a smile, handing Charley a portable +telephone. "Your friends can't be at the other end of the wireless all the +time, you know." + +"Can we fish at all?" asked Charley. "I want Lew to have some fun on this +trip. He's going to help me a lot with the work." + +"Fish as much as you like, as long as it does not interfere with your +duty. But remember that your business is to protect the forest. That comes +first. You will have to decide how to do it, according to circumstances." + +The boys carried their duffel to the forester's car. Mr. Marlin telephoned +his assistant to look after things during his absence, and in another +minute Mr. Marlin and Lew and Charley were whirling along the highway. +They reached the point at which they were to enter the forest, jumped to +the ground and unloaded their duffel. Mr. Marlin said good-bye, turned his +car, and sped back to his office, leaving the two young fire guards alone +in the heart of the wilderness. + + + + +Chapter X + +An Encounter with a Bear + + + +Rapidly the duffel was made into two packs. These were both heavy and +bulky. + +"Gee!" said Lew, as he surveyed the packs, "I hope we don't meet any state +cops. They would arrest us for peddling without licenses." + +There was small chance, however, of their meeting any one, unless it might +be some lone fisherman. On every hand the forest stretched, seemingly +interminable. + +"I guess we'd better get our bearings," said Charley. + +He drew the map from his pocket and spread it on a flat rock. The two boys +pored over it for some minutes. + +"We have to cross these two mountains," said Lew, "and camp just the other +side of the summit of the third. That's about the same as climbing over +three mountains. There are two valleys that we'll have to get across. I +judge we'll be just about as far from the road as our old camp was. That's +twelve miles or so." + +"Gee!" laughed Charley. "That means I've got to hike twelve miles over +these mountains every time I want to talk to anybody on the telephone. I'm +glad Mr. Marlin doesn't care much for talk. The telephone is all right, +but compared to the wireless it's like a candle beside an electric light. +Mr. Marlin was right when he said the fellows couldn't be listening in for +me all the time, but you just bet I'm going to figure out some way to use +my wireless. Why, I've got to, if I'm going to make good. This whole neck +of the woods could burn up while I'm hiking twelve miles to call help and +twelve more to get back to the blaze. And I reckon I'd feel like putting +up a stiff fight after hiking twenty-four miles over these mountains. Mr. +Marlin is all right, but he isn't quite up to date. He still thinks the +wireless is a sort of plaything." + +"What you need, Charley, is a battery powerful enough to carry a message +to some regular wireless station, where an operator is on duty all the +time." + +"I've been thinking of that, too, Lew. It wouldn't take so very much more +power to carry to the government station at Frankfort. I'm sure the +operators there would be glad to help us out. You remember how Henry +Harper helped Mr. Axton, the day operator over there, when he had +appendicitis. The operators have been mighty nice to us fellows of the +Wireless Patrol ever since. The difficulty would be to get the battery. +Things cost so much now that I don't see how I could ever save enough to +pay for it. You know I'll have to give Dad about all I earn." + +"I'm going to talk to the boys about it, Charley," said Lew. "Maybe +somebody can think of a way out. Gee! We ought to be able to do something, +with Roy a regular steamship operator and Henry almost as good as a +substitute government wireless man." + +By this time they were well into the forest. They were climbing through a +notch over the first range of mountains. When they reached the valley +beyond, they had to turn to their left and go up the valley two or three +miles, until they struck a fire trail. This trail led straight over the +second mountain, which was really the knob at the head of the burned +valley. It was on this knob that they had found the rude watch-tower after +their meeting with the ranger, Mr. Morton. Beyond this knob they had still +to traverse a wide valley and climb a third mountain before they reached +their camp site. But there was a good fire trail almost the entire +distance. + +Traveling with such heavy packs on their backs, the two lads made but slow +progress. Every little while they had to stop to rest. During one of these +pauses they heard a low, whining sound. + +"Listen! What is that?" asked Charley, who loved animals and was keenly +sensitive to their sufferings. "It sounds like a dog." + +They stood motionless. Faint but distinct came the unmistakable cry of a +dog in distress. + +Charley dropped his pack instantly. "There's a dog in trouble," he said, +"and we've got to help him." + +He began to whistle. Then he called, "Here, boy! Here, boy!" + +From somewhere ahead of them came a joyous bark, followed by a painful +whine. + +Charley picked up his pack. "Come on," he said, and hastened toward the +sound. But he did not go far. Soon he caught sight of a dog, painfully +limping toward him. Charley ran up to the animal, which wagged its tail +violently and barked with joy. + +"He's only a half grown pup," said Charley, noticing the big paws. "Isn't +he a fine young fellow?" + +The animal leaped up against Charley and licked his hand. "Come here, +boy," said Charley, taking the dog in his arms. "Let's see what's wrong." + +Charley began to examine the animal's paws. The dog submitted patiently. +"Nothing wrong with that one," commented Charley, dropping a fore paw. + +But when he began to feel the other front foot the dog whined with pain. +"No wonder," said Charley with sympathy. "Look here, Lew," and he pointed +to an enormous thorn that had embedded itself in the paw. + +"Hold him tight while I take it out," said Charley as he drew forth his +knife, opened the small blade, slit the skin slightly, and carefully dug +the thorn out. The foot was festered and swollen. Charley squeezed out +the pus. + +"Don't let him get that paw in the dirt," he said, and ran to his pack. He +fished out the first-aid kit and got some absorbent cotton and a +disinfectant. He wrapped a tiny bit of cotton around the end of a twig, +wet it with water from the canteen and swabbed out the little wound. Then +he soaked another bit of cotton with the disinfectant and stuffed it into +the foot. + +"We'll let that stay there a while," he said. + +"The dog is probably lost. We'll keep him until we find his owner." + +Relieved of the thorn, the little animal frisked about, limping but +slightly. He fawned upon Charley and seemed to be trying to express his +gratitude. + +The two boys shouldered their packs again and started on. Charley whistled +to the pup, but the call was unnecessary. The pup stuck to their heels as +close as a sticking-plaster. + +"They say two's a company, but three's a crowd," laughed Charley, "but I +guess it doesn't apply to dogs." + +"You never can tell," replied Lew. "A pup of that age may get you into all +sorts of difficulty." + +"I'll take a chance on it," smiled Charley, as he bent and patted the dog. + +They went on. For a long time they traveled in silence, the little dog +trotting and frisking at their heels. From time to time they stopped to +rest. Their packs were growing heavy and neither felt like talking. They +settled to their tasks and plodded on. When they came to the fire trail, +they turned to their right and went straight over the first mountain. The +way was smooth enough, but the grade was very steep and it tested their +endurance to the utmost. Every few minutes they were compelled to rest. +Finally they topped the ridge and went down into the next valley. + +The bottom here was very wide, for the mountains had drawn far apart. +Apparently the valley soil was rich. It seemed to be deep and black, and +the trees grew to massive size. Ordinarily the two boys would have taken +keen enjoyment in the sight of such fine timber, but by this time they +were too tired to care much about anything except reaching their +destination. + +At the foot of the last ridge they took a long rest. They were just +starting on when Lew heard a peculiar little sound behind some bushes just +off the fire trail. Curious to know what might have made the sound, he +dropped his pack and went to investigate. Behind the bush he found a +cunning, little black animal that did not seem to be at all afraid of him. +He picked it up and rejoined his comrade. + +"Charley," he said. "See what I have found. What is it?" + +"It's a bear cub," said Charley. "You had better leave it alone. If its +mother came along, she might make it hot for us." + +"I'm going to keep it for a pet," said Lew. "I knew a fellow who had a +pet bear cub once and----" + +Lew never finished the sentence. A savage growl sounded close at hand and +a great black animal came rushing through the bushes. Lew dropped the cub +and took to his heels. The bear followed in hot pursuit. She was a great, +clumsy, lumbering beast, and yet she got over the ground with astonishing +speed. Lew ran as fast as he could, but the bear gained on him at every +stride. + +"Climb a tree, Lew," cried Charley, slipping off his pack and starting to +his chum's assistance. "Be quick about it." + +Lew headed for the first tree he saw that was small enough to climb. It +was a little pole, a foot in diameter. The lowest branch was seven or +eight feet above the ground. Lew raced toward it, gathered himself for a +leap and sprang upward. He caught the limb and swung himself up with all +possible speed. He was not a second too soon. As Lew's body shot upward, +the bear rose on her hind feet, and the vicious swipe of her paw barely +missed Lew's body. Lew drew himself erect and climbed upward a few feet, +where he paused to look down at the bear. + +Meantime, Charley was following the animal. He hadn't the slightest idea +of what he should do. The law protected the bear at that season of the +year and he did not know whether he would be justified in shooting her +under the circumstances or not. And anyway, his rifle was back with his +pack. He had his little axe on his hip, however, and he drew it from its +sheath so that he would have it ready in case he had to use it. + +The problem was settled for him, however, in a very unexpected manner. The +little dog, which had been playing with a stick at some distance from the +two boys, noticed Charley running and came tearing after him. Then he saw +the bear and went after her at full speed. The instant the bear heard the +dog, she turned to face him; then as quickly faced about again and started +to climb the very tree in which Lew had taken refuge. + +"Get that dog away from here," yelled Lew in consternation, as he began to +climb frantically toward the top of the tree. + +Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charley burst into a roar of +laughter. But a second appeal from his chum stifled his laughter. He +grabbed the dog and started to carry it away. But he had not gone two rods +before Lew called frantically for him to bring the dog back. Charley +turned around and saw the bear climbing after Lew. As long as the dog was +under the tree, the bear had paid no attention to Lew. But when Charley +started away with the pup, the angry bear continued her pursuit. Charley +returned the dog to the base of the tree. + +"Sick 'em," he cried. "Catch 'em." + +The little pup made a terrific clamor and the bear paid no further +attention to Lew, who immediately began to look for a way out of his +predicament. Within two or three feet of the base of the tree which he +had climbed, a second tree had sprung up. But the two had grown away from +each other, much like the sloping sides of the letter V. At first Lew +thought he could cross over to the other tree, but a careful inspection +showed him that this would be impossible. Down where the bear was he could +have swung himself from one tree to the other; but the farther up the tree +he was the farther he was from the other tree and the smaller the limbs +were. And Lew was now as near the top of the tree as he dared to go. To +try to leap from his present position to the other tree was not to be +thought of. It would certainly mean a fall of thirty feet or more. And Lew +did not dare come down nearer the bear, lest the animal should again try +to claw him. There was no apparent way to get the bear out of the tree, +and Lew knew that he could not stay up where he was indefinitely. + +Charley tried to divert the bear's attention to himself by reaching up the +tree with his axe and striking the trunk. The bear growled but made no +attempt to reach Charley. Her attention was centred wholly on the dog. +With her hair erect, her lips drawn back, her ears laid flat, and her +massive claws ready to tear and rend, the beast presented such a fearful +front that Charley did not dare take the dog away. One swipe of those +paws, or one crunch of the great jaws might cripple Lew for life, or even +kill him outright. + +"Keep perfectly quiet, Lew," said Charley, "and maybe the bear will +forget about you. She's terribly enraged at this pup." + +Charley felt in his pocket and found a piece of strong cord. He knotted it +around the pup's neck and tied the animal to the tree. + +"I hope that bear won't come down and kill him while I'm gone," he +muttered to himself. To Lew he said, "I've got an idea. I'm going to get +the rope and see if I can lasso the bear from the other tree." + +"Sick 'em, pup," he cried, urging the little dog to make another frenzied +outburst. And while the dog was making the valley ring with his clamor, +Charley raced to his pack and got the coil of rope. Back he ran and +hastily climbed the tree beside the one in which Lew and the bear were +resting. The bear eyed him angrily, but kept her attention centred on the +pup. Charley climbed to a point a little higher than the limb on which the +bear rested. Quickly he fashioned a noose and got his rope ready for a +throw. Then he realized that he could never make a successful cast among +the limbs. + +An idea came to him. Drawing his little axe, he quickly cut and trimmed a +small limb, leaving a fork on the end of it. He put the noose on the +forked end and cautiously extended the pole. All the while he was urging +on the dog, which now began to jump up against the trunk of the tree. The +bear more and more centred her attention on the yelping dog. Her hair +bristled, and she growled continually. She bent her head down and got +ready to deal the dog a savage blow if he came up the tree. Her posture +could not have been better for Charley's purpose. Swiftly but quietly he +extended the pole until the noose was just beyond the bear's nose, then +lowered it swiftly and pulled back hard on the rope. Luck was with him. +The bear, taken utterly by surprise, was fairly noosed before she saw the +rope. + +Charley's sharp jerk to tighten the lasso almost pulled the bear from her +perch. She grasped the trunk of the tree with her paws to avoid falling, +and that gave Charley an opportunity to tighten and secure his rope. To +keep from falling, the bear had to maintain her hold on the tree. Thus she +could not claw or bite the rope. + +"I've got her," shouted Charley. + +It was true enough. In a moment he was almost sorry that he had her. For +Lew could not reach the ground without climbing past the bear, and +although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself +within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps +he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not +want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so +incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the +ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the +probable loss of part of it. + +"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called. + +"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew, +peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that, +we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in. +Then we could cut the rope and beat it." + +"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have +to try it. I see nothing else to do." + +Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb +before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The +loose end dangled down the trunk. + +"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as +simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold +it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know +whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?" + +"Can't you catch it with your pole?" + +Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear, +but it had lodged in a branch within reach. + +"Here goes," he said. "I'll try." + +Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself, +and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil. +The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment. +She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She +continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage +that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless +the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give +the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the +bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other, +Charley at once saw was impossible. + +"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off." + +He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to +taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attempting to work +the rope around the limb, the dog suddenly increased his clamor. + +The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it +through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he +fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping +rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to +the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he +wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree. + +"I'll try it, anyway," he said. + +He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and +the bear rested. + +"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, +she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on +her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as +quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?" + +Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second +she drops," he said. "Pull!" + +Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by +surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then +swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the +tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an +instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear +was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which +the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose. + +"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!" + +They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to +ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack. + +"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!" + +Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the +bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys +pulled in a little more slack. + +"We could choke her to death now," said Charley, "but we mustn't. How are +we going to get out of this?" + +"Let's tie the rope fast and take our packs some distance away. She won't +strangle for a while. Then we can come back and free her. I think she +will not attack us, for she is too much afraid of the dog. We'll keep him +on a leash and beat it the minute we get the rope." + +"But how are we going to get the rope?" demanded Charley. + +"Gee! You've got me. Maybe we'll think of something while we're carrying +the packs away." + +The two boys got their packs and hurried along their route for some +hundreds of yards. Then they laid their packs down and ran back. But +Charley carried his rifle on the return trip. + +The bear was still pawing at the rope when they got back. The hair on her +neck was worn off by her violent struggles, and the skin was bleeding +freely. + +"That bear will wear a collar on her neck for life," said Charley. "If we +ever see her again, we'll know her." + +An idea came to him. "I've got it," he said. "I'll cut that rope with a +bullet. You stand ready with the dog, and I'll be ready for a second shot, +if necessary. We're not going to take a chance of being badly hurt, law or +no law." + +Lew untied the dog from the tree and held the leash with his left hand. +Charley handed him the axe, and Lew stepped a little aside where he could +use it, if necessary. But it was one thing to talk about cutting the rope +with a bullet and another thing to do it, for the bear kept the rope in +motion continually. Charley leveled his weapon and tried to get a bead on +the rope. It seemed to him that the bear would never stand still. But the +beast had nearly reached the limit of endurance. Her tongue was protruding +from her mouth, her eyes seemed ready to pop from her head. She was +gasping pitifully. Her own struggles were slowly strangling her. Suddenly +she stopped fighting and hung limp. The rope stretched like a rod. +Instantly Charley's rifle cracked. The line was severed as though some one +had cut it with a sword. It flew upward into the tree and the bear dropped +to the ground. The noose about her neck came loose and she breathed +freely. + +"Quick!" cried Lew. "She'll be on her feet in a second." + +Charley untied the rope from the tree, drew the severed end to earth, and +gathering up rope and rifle, fled toward his pack, with Lew at his heels, +dragging the frantic dog by main force, for the animal was wild to charge +the fallen bear. + +As they ran, they glanced back over their shoulders. At first the bear did +not move. Then she stirred uneasily and a second later, rose to her feet +and ran madly away. The boys stopped running. + +"I guess both parties had a lesson," said Lew. + + + + +Chapter XI + +The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + + + +Their encounter with the bear made the two lads forget for a while their +weariness. They made fast time along the fire trails. After a long tramp, +they topped the final ridge and paused to rest and study the country. This +they could do with ease, for the summit of the mountain was rather +sparsely timbered. A very little search disclosed a tree that was at once +tall and easy to climb, and that was surrounded only by low brush that +would not obstruct the vision. From this lookout they gained a wide view +in every direction. + +"We can see for miles and miles," said Charley. "The forester was right in +telling us to come often to this lookout. We can discover more from here +in a minute than we could by a week of wandering about among the trees." + +Slowly the boys swept their vision around the horizon. Everywhere the +mountains appeared to bask in the warm spring sunlight, seemingly as +secure as cats dozing by a fireplace. The fleecy clouds, passing across +the face of the sun, threw shadows on the hillsides, making beautiful +patterns of light and shade. The fresh, young growths gave forth a soft +green tint, in pleasing contrast to the darker colors of the pines. +Brooks sparkled in the bottoms. Far as the eye could reach this gorgeous +panorama extended. + +"Isn't it wonderful?" said Charley, after the two boys had surveyed the +scene in silence. "The forest is one of nature's very finest gifts. And to +think what we do to it by our carelessness. At any minute this green +paradise may become a very hell of roaring flame, just because some smoker +is too careless to blow out his match before dropping it, or some camper +too lazy to make sure his fire is extinguished. Why, it seems to me that a +murderer is an innocent angel compared to such a man. Think what he does! +He kills the fish and the birds and the animals and perhaps some human +beings, and he destroys not only the wood that civilization must have, but +he ruins the very ground so that it cannot produce another forest. It +seems to me that a man who does that ought to be punished more severely +than any mere murderer. Why, a murderer kills only a single being. The man +who starts a forest fire kills countless living things. I tell you, Lew, +it makes me mighty proud to have a part in protecting this grand forest." + +The boys were silent, wrapped in thought, until Lew suddenly pointed to a +dense growth of evergreens directly below them, and not very far down the +ridge. "That must be our camp site," he said. And both boys examined the +spot with interest. + +"That must be it," said Charley. "It's dense enough, goodness knows! And +there is a little stream of water stealing out of the lower side of the +thicket. So there is a spring in there. Let's go down and take a look at +it." + +They shouldered their packs, whistled the pup to their heels, and went +down to the thicket. In a space not less than a hundred yards in diameter +rhododendrons grew in indescribable density, while above them towered some +huge hemlocks. The two boys came close to the thicket and peered into it. +Even now, in the bright glare of the full sun, deep twilight reigned +beneath the rhododendrons. Evidently they were growths of great age. Their +stems were like young saplings. Their tops rose high and spread wide. And +their branches were laced and interlaced and twisted and grown together so +as to make a mass almost impenetrable. + +"Great Ned!" cried Lew. "A passer-by would have about as much chance of +seeing us in there as we have of discovering China from this hillside. The +question is, how are we going to get into the place?" + +Charley dropped on his hands and knees and crawled slowly under the low +rhododendron branches. + +"Keep right in my tracks, Lew, if you come in," warned Charley. "If there +are any snakes in here, they'd bite a fellow before he could see them. +I'll look sharp for them and if you follow me, you won't run any risk." + +He picked up a fallen branch, trimmed it, and crept on, stick in hand. +Suddenly he crowded back hard on Lew, almost kicking him in the face. At +the same time he began to thrash about in the leaves ahead of him. + +"Great Cæsar!" he exclaimed. "I almost crawled on a big rattler. He was so +near the color of the ground that I didn't see him until he coiled and +raised his head. Gee! That was a close shave." + +"As long as you didn't get bitten," said Lew, "It's a good thing it +happened. We'll be on our guard now." + +"Yes, indeed. Did you put the potassium permanganate in the first-aid kit, +and the hypodermic syringe?" + +"Surest thing you know." + +"We'll just carry them with us, Lew. We won't take any chances on death by +snake-bite. These mountains are full of rattlers and copperheads." + +"And we won't take any chances on being bitten in this thicket, either," +answered Lew. "We'll put the pup in ahead of us." + +They whistled in the dog and sent him scouring through the thicket. But +either there had been no more snakes within it or else all had fled, for +the dog raced eagerly about but found nothing to alarm him. + +Confidently the boys now pushed into the interior of the thicket. At the +very heart of it lay the spring. It came bubbling up through pure, white +sand, and had formed a deep basin, over the lower edge of which the +crystal water went rippling away through the thicket. + +"We'll put our tent right here," said Charley, indicating a level spot +beside the spring basin. "We'll have to clear away some of the bushes to +make room for it. We can use what we cut as a screen, though nobody would +ever see a tent away in here, especially one of brown khaki, like ours." + +He drew his little axe and began clearing a space for the tent, cutting +the rhododendron stems a little below the surface of the ground. Lew piled +the branches at one side. Then the tent was dragged in and set up, the +rope being used as a ridge and tied to two strong saplings. The sides of +the tent were squared and pegged down. + +"Drive the pegs tight, Lew," directed Charley. "We don't want to have +anything crawling under the sides. Thank goodness, we have a sod cloth." + +After they had completed this task and set about bringing in the duffel, +Charley remarked, "We can't go in and out this way, on our hands and +knees. We've got to make a path. We'll find the best way out and trim the +bushes so that we can walk upright." + +"We'd better not make the path straight," said Lew. "If we zigzag it, +nobody will know it really is a path." + +After they had picked out a level route they trimmed back the rhododendron +branches so that they could walk through the thicket, though the branches +at the very edge were left undisturbed. The cut branches were added to +the screen about the tent. Then the duffel was carried in and stowed in +the tent. + +"What bothers me," said Charley, "is to know how to put up our aerial. We +don't dare hang it up where it can be seen, and I don't know how well it +will work among these hemlocks." + +"All we can do is to put it up and try it," said the ever practical Lew, +"and the sooner we do it the better." + +Quickly they had their wires suspended between two hemlock trees. The +aerial reached almost from trunk to trunk, and the wires were completely +hidden by the branches that stood out all about them. + +"If she'll work," commented Charley, "it's a peach of an arrangement. +Nobody would discover that aerial in a hundred years. I can hardly wait +until evening to test it out." + +"Willie might be listening in again to-day," suggested Lew. "It will take +him several days to get that new outfit made. We'll try him on the hour." + +"Good idea, Lew." He looked at his watch. "It's ten minutes to the hour +now. If Willie is listening in, we'll soon know whether or not our aerial +will work." + +They began putting the tent in order, stowing the duffel in neat little +piles. Just outside the tent Lew built a foundation for the alcohol stove, +by leveling the earth and setting a flat stone for the stove to stand on. +Meanwhile, Charley was stuffing the tick with dry leaves. + +Exactly on the hour Lew sat down at the wireless key and sent a call +flashing into the air. Promptly; his receiver buzzed in response. + +"Got him," said Lew, and while Charley went on filling the tick and +bringing in hemlock branches to use like springs under the tick, Lew +conversed with Willie. The latter was still working at the new wireless +set, and had listened in every hour during the day. All the other members +of the Wireless Patrol were likewise hard at work, and it was practically +certain that by the time the vacation was ended each would have earned his +share of the money needed to buy the desired battery. + +"I can't tell you where our camp is," rapped out Lew, "because that is a +secret that we are not supposed to tell. The forester does not want +anybody to know that Charley is employed by the forestry department. We +are posing as fishermen. Tell the fellows not to talk about Charley and +tell Charley's father the forester does not want it known for a time that +Charley is a fire patrol. He thinks that we have a better chance to find +things out if it is not known that we are connected with the forestry +department." + +Willie said that he would caution the boys and tell Mr. Russell. Also he +said he would be in his workshop until supper time and would listen in +most of the time. The club members would be at their instruments as usual +to catch the time from Arlington and pick up some of the news. Lew +replied that he would call Willie then, if he needed him. + +For some time after Lew laid down the receivers, the two boys worked +silently. They finished setting the hemlock branches in the earth, placed +the stuffed ticking above them, and laid their blankets in position. They +brought the wireless outfit into the tent and set the instruments in a +corner. The grub was stacked in another corner. A little pool was dug in +the stream just below the spring, to make a place for washing dishes. +Their extra clothes were hung on the ridge-rope. The first-aid kit was +fastened to the tent wall where it would be handy, and Charley put the +permanganate and the hypodermic syringe in his pocket. + +They had almost completed their task, when a low whistle was heard outside +the thicket. The pup pricked up his ears and was about to bark. Lew +grabbed him and held his jaws together. Then both boys sat silent, +listening and looking questioningly at each other. Soon the whistle was +repeated. + +"We've got to find out who's whistling," said Charley. "Keep the pup quiet +and I'll slip out and take a look." + +He left the tent, but had hardly gone ten feet before a voice cried, +"Hello, Russell! Are you in the thicket? This is Morton, the ranger." + +"Sure we're here," replied Charley, an expression of relief coming on his +face. "We didn't know who it was and kept quiet until we could take a +look. I'm coming out now." + +He hurried from the thicket and shook hands warmly with the newcomer. +Instinctively he knew that he was going to like his ranger. Big, +broad-shouldered, quite evidently powerful, with a kindly expression, a +winning smile, and a deep voice that instantly created confidence, the +ranger was a picture of honest manhood. No one could look into his deep +blue eyes, set far apart, or examine the lines on his face, at once +betokening strength of character with gentleness, and not feel that here +was a man in very truth. One knew instinctively that he would never +hesitate a second to risk his life to save another's, and that he would be +as gentle as a woman in his dealings with all creatures. But the great, +strong jaw and the straight mouth and long nose all foretold fearless +courage, and were ample warning that the man would be terrible if stirred +to wrath. + +"Come in and see our camp," said Charley, after the two had conversed for +a moment. And he led the way into the thicket. + +The ranger followed, his practiced eye noting everything. "You've made a +good job of it," he said with commendation, when he was at last seated in +the tent. "Nobody will ever find you here, unless you do something to +betray your position. You'll have to be a little careful about fires. I +wouldn't make any during the daytime." + +"We aren't going to make any at all," explained Charley. "Mr. Marlin gave +us an alcohol stove to cook with." + +"I don't believe you need go so far as that. Use your alcohol stove +during the day. At night nobody can see smoke, and if you screen the +blaze, nobody will ever discover you. It would be pretty dismal here at +night without any light. Let's see if we can't fix up a little fireplace +that will help you out." + +He got a number of large, flat stones, which he set on edge, fashioning a +high, square fireplace that opened toward the front. + +"The stones will screen the flames on three sides, if you don't build too +big a fire," he said, "and your tent will shut off the view on the fourth +side." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "It will be a whole lot more cheerful with a +fire. We have a candle lantern that we intended to use, but a fellow just +ought to have a fire when he's in camp." + +As they began to discuss the work ahead of them, the ranger inquired, +"What instructions did Mr. Marlin give you?" + +"He said that we should keep our connection with the department secret," +said Charley, "and if possible, avoid meeting any one. If we do bump into +anybody, we are to pose as fishermen. He said you would give us detailed +instructions." + +"Very well. First, about your outfit. Have you any firearms?" + +"A light, high-powered rifle and a pistol." + +"You can't carry a rifle in the forest at this season without exciting +suspicion. Leave your rifle here. Let me see your pistol? Have you +another?" + +Charley handed him his pistol and said that he had no other. + +"Then take this," he said as he handed Charley his automatic. "Let your +chum carry your pistol. I'll get another at the office. It isn't likely +that you will ever need to use a weapon in the forest. I have been a +ranger for years and have never yet drawn one, but I never travel without +one. You'll meet some pretty tough characters in the forest and sometime +your life may depend on having your pistol. My advice is never to patrol +without it. But keep it out of sight. Keep your badge out of sight, too. +And since you are supposed to be nothing more than fishermen, you'll have +to play the parts. Carry your rods and catch a few fish each day during +the season." + +"Where are we to patrol, and what hours are we to observe?" + +"You are especially employed to guard this virgin timber, though, of +course, you must protect any part of the forest you happen to be in. Take +some good hikes over the region right away and get acquainted with it. Use +your map and, if possible, learn the region by heart. Then your map will +mean something to you. Learn where the virgin timber lies. Keep a close +watch on it, and on any fishermen or campers. I'll spend at least two days +a week out here and you must report to me each time I am here. Meantime, +you must report to the office every night the last thing before you turn +in. The chief said you had a wireless and could do it. Maybe you can, but +it beats me to know how." + +"We'll show you in a little while," smiled Charley as he glanced at his +watch. "Willie will surely be listening in within twenty minutes and we'll +call him." + +"I'll have to take your word for it," said the ranger. "I can't wait a +minute. It will be long after dark before I get out of the mountains. I +telephoned my wife I'd be late, but she always worries when I'm out after +dark. You know snakes are bad up here, and they're all out at night. And +by the way, you'd better carry some of this permanganate. Do you know +anything about it, and what to do with it if you're bitten?" The ranger +started to pull a bottle from his pocket. + +"Thanks," said Charley. "It's mighty good of you to offer to share with +us. But we have permanganate and a syringe both, and we know what to do +with them." + +"Good. But be careful where you step. What do you wear on your feet?" + +He examined the boys' shoes and canvas leggings. "They're all right. I +don't believe any snake will bite through them. But high leather boots +would be safer. Bear it in mind when you buy new shoes. Now I must go." + +"When and where am I to report to you?" asked Charley. + +They agreed upon a place of meeting, half-way between the highway and +Charley's camp, whereupon the ranger, holding out his hand, said, +"Good-bye and good luck to you." + +"Do you have to go?" asked Charley. "Couldn't you stay overnight with us?" + +"I'd like to, but the wife would worry herself sick." + +"Suppose she knew that you were going to stay here. Would that make it all +right?" + +"I'm often away overnight during the fire season," smiled the ranger. +"It's the snakes that she's afraid of. She'd rather have me stay here all +night than come through these mountains after dark. You see her father was +bitten by a snake when she was a girl and she is mortally afraid of them." + +"Then you're going to stay here all night," said Charley, with decision. +"I'll get word to her right away." + +The ranger smiled incredulously. "I wish you could," he said. "It would +relieve her mind." + +Charley threw aside the pack cover that had been placed over the wireless +instruments. The ranger looked at the outfit with wondering interest. +Charley glanced at his watch and threw over the switch. + +"Willie might be listening in," he explained, as the sparks began to leap +between the points of his spark-gap. Twice he called, then a bright smile +came over his face. "Got him," he said. + +For some moments he alternately worked his key and listened to the return +buzzing in his receiver. Then he turned to the ranger. "Willie has the +forester on the telephone," he said. "What shall I tell him?" + +"Ask him to tell Katharine that I shall stay here with you in your camp +overnight, as I could not get home until long after dark." + +With fascinated gaze the ranger watched the sparks fly under Charley's +manipulation of the key. Then there was a long silence as the three sat +waiting for the reply. + +"Katharine says to tell Jimmie she's awful glad," said Charley, relaying +the forester's message literally, "and to thank the new patrol for taking +care of him." + +Then and there Charley knew that he was going to like not only the ranger, +but also the ranger's little wife. As for the ranger, he was almost +spellbound. + +"I know you talked to the chief," he said, "but what gets me is <i>how</i> you +did it. Why, if I knew how and had an outfit like that, I could talk to +Katharine any time and anywhere." + +"We'll make you an outfit and teach you how to use it," cried the two boys +together. "You shall have your first lesson to-night." + +Twilight drew near. Lew brought out the grub bag, and Charley began +cooking some food over the little alcohol stove. + +"I think that you can safely take a chance on a wood-fire at this hour," +said the ranger. "I'll build it myself." + +He placed a few dried leaves within the fireplace and stacked some twigs, +broken into short lengths, in a cone-shaped heap above the leaves. At once +he had a bright little fire that made almost no smoke but gave lots of +heat, though the flames did not reach as high as the stone sides of the +fireplace. Quickly a little bed of coals formed, and Charley put his +frying-pan directly over them. In no time the air was savory with the odor +of sizzling bacon and hot coffee. + +Squatted about the little fire, the three guardians of the forest ate +their evening meal. From time to time the ranger thrust a stick into the +fire, and so kept the flames alive. But it was a dim little blaze at best. +Yet it was mighty cheering and comforting as the darkness wrapped the +forest, and the gloom beneath the rhododendron thicket became inky and +impenetrable. + +For a long time after supper was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the three +sat before their little fire. Spellbound, the recruits listened to this +veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods, +of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and +otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved +the forest even as Charley did. + +When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the +voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while +the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and +deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased +rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in +radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless +alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the +spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to +distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the +signals buzzed in the receiver. + + + + +Chapter XII + +On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + + + +Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest +streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to +boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he +wakened his young comrades. + +"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped +out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours." + +The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's +easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike +here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs." + +"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley. + +"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to +shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago." + +Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over +it. He was learning a good deal about life these days. + +Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill. +Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart. + +"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your +business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new +situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the +forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with +gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands, +are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with +your territory so that you can tell whether a felled tree is on state land +or on private property. Your maps show you where the lines run, and you +will find the trees along these lines blazed. If you find lumbering +operations going on within the state forest, do your best to stop the +cutting and report the matter at once. You may find traps set out of +season. And it is practically certain you will have to deal with fires and +perhaps the men who start them. Being a fire patrol involves a whole lot +more than merely walking about through the woods. I can't give you rules +that will cover all the situations you will find yourself in. Common sense +is the best rule. The chief has given you a very important post here. It's +an unusual responsibility for one so young. But we both expect you to make +good. I'll be disappointed if you don't. You know if you fail, I'll have +to take part of the blame." He shook hands with both boys and was gone. + +"He's a prince," said Charley, after the ranger had left the thicket. "He +knows just how to treat a fellow. Why, I've simply got to make good now. +I'd get my ranger in bad if I didn't." + +Quickly they put their camp to rights, then slipped their pistols into +their pockets and got their fishing-rods. + +"What is the first thing on the programme?" asked Lew. + +"We'll go up to the top of the hill and have a good look over the +country," replied Charley. "It's just about time for campers to be cooking +their breakfasts. If there are any of them near us, we might see the smoke +from their fires and locate them. You know the ranger wants us to keep tab +on everything that's going on in our district." + +They ascended the mountain and climbed the tree from which they had viewed +the country on the preceding day. The sun was just coming over the eastern +summits, sending long, level rays of light flashing among the dark pines, +making beautiful patterns of sun and shade. In the bottoms the night mist +had gathered in little pools, in places completely blotting out the +landscape. The tree tops, upthrusting through these banks of fog, looked +like wooded islets in tiny gray lakes. In every direction the two boys +scanned the country, looking sharply for slender spirals of smoke. But +they saw only mist curling upward. + +"It looks to me," said Lew, "as though mighty few people ever get into +this valley. It's such a hard journey to get here that I suppose the +fishermen will stop at the streams in the valleys nearer the highway, and +nobody else would want to come here at this time of year. Unless this +timber is set afire purposely, I believe there is not much danger of its +being burned." + +"There's just the rub," replied Charley. "It would naturally be safe, +being so hard to get to, and for that reason it wouldn't be watched as +well as more accessible regions, particularly when it is difficult to get +fire patrols. But because some one is evidently trying to burn this +particular stand of timber, it is especially necessary to guard it. Mr. +Marlin wants it watched continually, but so secretly that no one will +realize that it is being guarded. That might make the incendiary +careless--providing he comes again--and so lead to his detection. We must +do nothing to betray ourselves. We'll have to be careful not to mark this +tree in any way, so that a passer-by would guess it was used as a +watch-tower. And we shall have to be sure that we don't wear a path +leading from it to our camp." + +For many minutes the boys sat in the tree, well screened from observation +by the spreading limbs, yet themselves able to see perfectly. In every +direction they searched again and again for telltale columns of smoke, but +saw nothing. + +"It looks to me," remarked Charley, "as though there isn't a soul in this +region except ourselves. If that is so, it is the best possible time to do +a little exploring. Suppose we take a look at the valley above our camp. +We can cover a lot of ground between now and noon and yet get back here +for another observation during the dinner hour. We ought to be in this +watch-tower or at some other point equally good every time men would +naturally be having fires, and that means morning, noon, and night. +Between times we can explore the forest. It means some pretty stiff +hiking, but I guess we can stand it." + +They drew their map and compared it with the country as it actually +appeared. + +"We aren't so far from the end of the state land in this direction," +commented Lew. "That's the very place you suggested exploring. We might +look up the line, as Mr. Morton suggested. You notice the stand of pines +ends a long distance this side of the line. That's all hardwood forest up +that way." + +"The sooner we get at it, the better," agreed Charley. + +Carefully they descended the tree, picked up their fishing-rods, and +hastened down the mountainside as fast as it was safe to travel. The +nearer they came to the centre of the valley, the larger the trees grew. +Evidently the rich soil had worked down into the bottom, during the +centuries, and the tree growth was enormous. Under these huge trees there +was no underbrush, and the two boys could make fast time. They approached +the stream, which flowed swiftly along under the tall pines, where they +had no doubt trout innumerable lurked in the shadowy depths. The +temptation to stop and fish was strong, but they put it aside and pushed +on up the valley. + +For a long time they passed like ghosts among the pines. The earth was +springy with the accumulated needles of many years, into which their feet +sank silently. Under the huge trees everything seemed to be hushed. There +was no wind to set the pines awhispering, and the music of the brook stole +through the forest like the low singing of a muted violin string. + +For a long distance they passed through a pure stand of pines. Then the +character of the forest began to change. Soon they were in a mixed growth, +and not long afterward they found practically nothing but deciduous trees +about them. + +"We're not far from the line now," suggested Lew. "This must be the stand +of hardwoods we saw from the lookout tree. I doubt if it is more than half +a mile to the line." + +"Keep your eyes open for blazed trees," said Charley. "We ought to see +some before many minutes." + +They had gone on, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Lew said, "It looks +pretty thin ahead. Either there is a natural opening in the forest or else +the timber has been cut out." + +Charley thought of what Mr. Morton had told him about timber thieves +operating along the boundary lines. He was glad that he had decided to +explore this particular section of his district. A moment later he was +still more glad, for the stillness of the morning air was suddenly broken +by a splitting, rending sound, which was followed by the crash of a great +tree as it came thundering to earth. There could be no mistaking the +sound. A tree had been felled. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks and +looked questioningly at each other. + +"Timber thieves!" said Charley in a low voice. His cheeks paled a trifle. +Then a look of determination came into his eyes. + +"What shall we do?" asked Lew in a loud whisper. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But we'll find out what they are doing. +Then we can decide what to do ourselves." + +He drew his automatic but as quickly thrust it into his coat pocket, as he +remembered what the ranger had told him. But though the pistol was in his +pocket, he still grasped it in his hand. The tense look on his face showed +plainly enough that he was ready to shoot right through his coat. Lew, +observing his companion's movements, followed his example. + +Minute after minute the two young forest guards stood silent, listening +for the sound of axes or other customary noises that ordinarily accompany +lumbering operations. But the morning stillness was undisturbed. A puzzled +expression crept over their faces. + +"Maybe that tree wasn't cut at all," whispered Lew. "Maybe it just fell +of itself." + +"We'll find out," replied Charley, and cautiously they began to make their +way toward the point whence the sound had come. Sheltering themselves +behind trees, they advanced rod after rod. The stillness remained +unbroken. The stand of trees grew thinner, with more and more underbrush. +Presently they saw before them an unmistakable clearing in the forest. +Rapidly they advanced, screened by the bushes, until they stood close to +the edge of the clearing. Beyond question somebody had been cutting trees. +Over a considerable area the timber had been felled, and whoever had +felled it had cut ruthlessly. Hardly a sapling remained in all the cleared +area. On every hand trees lay prone. Some had been trimmed and cut into +pieces. Some remained exactly as they fell. Everywhere freshly cut stumps +told plainly enough what had occurred. + +"Somebody's cutting timber all right enough," whispered Charley, "and it's +on state land. I wonder where they are. They certainly cut that tree we +heard fall, but I haven't heard an axe or a human voice and I don't see +any signs of lumbermen." + +"Maybe they're at camp eating breakfast. It's still early, you know." + +"If they are," said Charley, "then this is the very time to investigate. +We'll look around before anybody gets back." + +Glancing once more about the opening to make sure that nobody was in +sight, they stepped from behind their concealing bushes and started across +the open space. But immediately they came to a dead stop. Like +rifle-shots, a succession of sharp sounds rang out, accompanied by +splashing noises. The two boys were at first alarmed, then puzzled. They +looked at each other in amazement. + +"What was that?" asked Lew. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "At first I thought somebody was shooting +at us. But I didn't hear any bullets hum. And the noise didn't sound +exactly like a gun, either. It was like the noise a fellow makes when he +hits the water real hard with a board." + +In every direction they scanned the clearing. They saw no living things +but the trees. "It's queer," commented Charley. "Let's look at that +nearest tree that's down. Maybe we can learn something from it." + +They walked over to the tree, then studied it in amazement. "I never saw +anything like that before," cried Lew. "I don't believe that was ever cut +with an axe. It looks as though it had been gnawed off." + +"It has," cried Charley with sudden excitement. "I understand the whole +thing now. We've found a colony of beavers. I never saw a live beaver, but +I've read about them and seen pictures of their huts and their work, and +that looks exactly like the pictures. And those noises like rifle-shots +were their alarm signals. They slap the water with their tails when they +are frightened and dive under water. I suppose they're all in their lodges +now, and we'll never get a peep at them. Gee whiz! Just think of finding +beavers, Lew, real beavers. I didn't know there were any in Pennsylvania." + +"It seems to me that I read something about the game commission stocking +the state with them a few years ago. I think they put a number of them in +the state forests. Doubtless they have multiplied in numbers and started +new colonies." + +"That explains it," said Charley. "Gee! I'm glad we found these fellows. +And I'm just as glad that they aren't timber thieves. You know, Lew, it +made me feel kind of queer to think of facing real timber thieves. I +didn't like the idea a bit. But I kept thinking about Mr. Morton and what +he said about his being blamed if I fell down, and I made up my mind I'd +do it, no matter what happened." + +They now turned their attention to the felled tree once more, studying the +innumerable teeth marks, like so many tiny chisel cuts, on stump and butt. +Then they noticed the great chips lying about the stump, some of them half +as big as dinner plates. + +"It gets me to understand how they can bite out such huge chunks," said +Lew, "when their teeth are evidently so small. Why, you'd think an animal +would have to have a mouth as big as a hippopotamus to take bites like +these." + +Charley laughed. "Looks that way, doesn't it?" he said. "But as I remember +it, what I read said that the beaver gnaws out parallel rings around the +trunk and wrenches out the wood between. It's like sawing two cuts in a +board and chiseling out the board between them." + +"I see," said Lew. "But I should think they'd break their teeth all to +pieces." + +"So should I. But they have very strong teeth that grow out as fast as +they wear away, and that are as sharp as a chisel. I wouldn't want a +beaver to bite me. I'll bet he could bite right through a bone." + +"I suppose," said Lew, "they cut these trees to use in making their dam; +but what gets me is how they are going to get the trees over to the dam. +It would take a team of horses to drag this trunk. It's fifteen inches in +diameter." + +"The article I read," said Charley, "stated that as the beaver dams became +higher, the land adjacent was flooded and that the beavers made little +canals through the flooded area and floated their logs where they wanted +them. You notice that they have gnawed the limbs off of a number of these +trees and cut several of the trunks into lengths. I was sure they were +sawlogs when I first saw them." + +"Well, there isn't enough water here to float a log," said Lew, "though +it's mighty wet and it looks as though the water was several inches deep +a little farther on. Let's see if we can find a canal." + +They stripped off their shoes and stockings, and, rolling up their +trousers, began to wade. Very soon they found the water nearly knee-deep. + +"There's more water here than there seems to be," admitted Lew. "There's +so much marsh-grass and so many water-plants it fooled me." + +Cautiously they waded about. Suddenly Lew plunged forward, and only by +grasping a bush did he save himself from getting completely wet. As it +was, he found himself standing upright in three feet of water. After he +recovered from his surprise, he felt about with his feet. + +"This is their canal all right enough," he said. "It's very narrow, but it +will float anything that grows in this forest." + +He scrambled out and the two boys made their way back to dry ground. "How +are you going to get dry?" asked Charley. "I don't want to make a fire +unless it is absolutely necessary." + +"Never mind about me. I'll dry off soon enough. Let's find their dam." + +They made their way toward the run and soon discovered the dam. It was a +great pile of branches, stones, moss, grass, mud, bark, etc., that had +been built across the stream and extended for rods on either side. It +looked very solid, yet the water did not pour over it, but filtered +through it. + +"Think of all the work it took to make that," cried Lew. "Why, every +stick in it had to be gnawed down and floated here, and all the bark and +grass and roots had to be pulled and brought here and the stones +collected. And say! How in the world do you suppose they ever handled +those stones? And how do you suppose they ever anchored the stuff when +they began building? I should think the current would have swept +everything away at first. That's a pretty swift stream." + +"I read that they start their dams with saplings, which they anchor across +the current with stones. They are much like squirrels, you know, and can +use their fore paws about as well as we can use our hands. I suppose the +stones lose weight by displacing water, but if I hadn't seen these rocks, +I'd never have believed that such big stones could be handled by animals +no larger than beavers." + +"See here," said Lew. "These willow branches must have taken root, for +they seem to be growing right up out of the top of the dam. And there's a +birch that's surely growing. You know the branches of some trees will root +if you put them in water, especially willows. Why, if they continue to +grow and take more root, there'll be a hedge of living trees right across +this brook. The dam will become so dense that it will back up a great +quantity of water. I reckon this bottom will just naturally turn into a +swamp after a time." + +"Now that's interesting," suggested Charley. "You know the Bible tells us +the world was made in six days; but it seems to me it isn't finished yet. +Every rain washes down soil from the hills and helps to fill up the +valleys and the river-bottoms, and the floods scour out the watercourses +and carry earth and stones down to the ocean. And here we see a piece of +land that used to be fine, dry bottom, now becoming a swamp. It looks to +me as though the earth is changing every day." + +They examined the dam more critically. "It's two hundred feet wide if it's +an inch," said Lew, "though the brook isn't more than fifteen or twenty. +You see, it extends on each side of the brook to land that is a little +higher than the level of the stream bank. That's what makes this big head +of water. At the least there are several acres of it." + +"There's one thing that we haven't seen yet," added Charley, "and that's +their houses. They ought to be some distance above the dam." + +"I wonder if those are beaver lodges," said Lew, pointing to some bulky +heaps of brush at a little distance up-stream. + +"That's exactly what they are. They don't look much like houses, do they? +But I guess they're pretty snug inside. The entrances are deep under +water, you know, so that the ice can't clog them in winter, and so that +the beavers can get to their food all right." + +"What do they eat, Charley? Do you know?" + +"Sure. They eat roots, and tender plants, but mostly bark from certain +trees. I believe these are willow, poplar, birch, and some others. They +cut down the wood in summer and pile it under water in front of their +huts and hold it down with stones." + +"Well, what do you think of that!" cried Lew. + +"They eat a pile of it, too. I don't remember how many trees that article +said a colony of beavers would eat in a winter, but I'm sure it was up in +the hundreds. I remember how astonished I was when I read about it." + +"No wonder they clear the forest so fast. I wonder if we ought to tell Mr. +Marlin. Maybe he doesn't know about these beavers. They might begin to cut +down his virgin pines. I'm sure he wouldn't want that to happen." + +Charley laughed. "I'd bet my last dollar that Mr. Marlin knows all about +these beavers. You can bank on it that he knows all there is to know about +the territory he has charge of. And as for the beavers eating the pines, +it seems to me that I read that they never touch evergreens." + +A ray of sun slipped through the leaves above them and fell directly upon +Charley's face. He glanced up and was surprised to note how high the sun +had climbed. Then he looked at his watch. + +"Gee whiz!" he cried. "We must have been fooling around this beaver dam +for more than an hour. We must be about our business. We'll go on and +locate the boundary line." + +"I wish we could get a glimpse of a beaver," sighed Lew. + +"Not much use to wish it," said Charley. "They're furtive, and I suppose +they will stay in their lodges for hours. It seems to me I read that they +work at their dams mostly at night. We'll go on now, but maybe we could +come up here some moonlight evening and see them at work." + +They made their way around the beaver dam and continued on up the valley. +Within a few hundred yards they came upon a blazed tree. Speedily they +discovered a second. Then, following the line indicated by these two +trees, they rapidly passed tree after tree blazed and painted white, +tracing the line entirely across the valley. They picked out some +landmarks by which they could readily locate the line again. + +"If anybody except those beavers starts any timber cutting," said Charley, +"we'll know in a second whether he's cutting the state's wood or not. Now +I guess we'd better hustle back to camp." + +Lew got their noonday meal while Charley ascended once more to the watch +tree at the top of the mountain and made a careful survey of the country. +Not a sign of smoke could he see in any direction. No fire was discovered +during the afternoon hike. The evening inspection from their tower was +equally reassuring. After a brief chat by wireless with their friends at +Central City, and through them sending their nightly message to the +forester, telling him that all was well, the two tired young fire patrols +rolled up in their blankets and were quickly asleep, serene in the +knowledge that the forest they guarded was safe. + + + + +Chapter XIII + +Spying Out the Land + + + +All too rapidly the days passed. Occasionally a shower moistened the +surface of the ground, but for the most part the dry weather continued, +with every hour increasing the fire hazard. During the first few days +Charley was never free from a feeling of dread. Every time he awoke he +expected to smell fire. Every trip to the watch tree was made in the fear +that somewhere within his vision there would be telltale clouds of smoke +arising. A nervous apprehension seized upon him, and a mortal fear of +fire; and a growing disbelief in his own power kept him in a state of +unconquerable anxiety. + +All these were sensations new to Charley, though they were normal enough. +The natural result of responsibility, they were coupled with Charley's +keen realization of the insignificance of his own or any one else's powers +as opposed to the vast forces of nature. Had Charley never seen a forest +fire, had he never done battle with the raging flames, he could not have +had this sharp realization of the insignificance of his own strength. But +the recent struggle with the forest fire and that far more desperate +battle with the same enemy years before, when the Wireless Patrol was in +camp at Fort Brady, had given Charley a true estimate of the well-nigh +irresistible fury of a fire in the forest, should conditions be favorable +to the flames. + +Only luck, Charley realized, and the best of luck, had brought him and Lew +out victorious in their recent contest. The next time fire started--and he +knew well enough that there would be a next time--there might be a strong +wind, or to reach the blaze might take him hours, or he might not be able +to summon help with his wireless, or other unfavorable conditions might +arise to render his efforts useless. Then the forest would go roaring up +in flame. And even though he might not have been unfaithful to his trust, +the result would be the same. The timber would be destroyed. This great +forest would be consumed. And he, especially selected to guard and protect +it, would have failed. The thought was overwhelming. + +More and more Charley turned to his wireless as a drowning man clutches at +a straw. He saw that when Lew had gone and he had nothing but his own +powers to depend upon, the wireless was going to be like a life-line to +him. He realized that to have the powerful battery he wanted was +imperative, if he was to have even a chance to make good in his efforts to +protect the forest. And as he and Lew patrolled the timber, he made it +evident to his chum what a vital part that battery would play in his +success. But neither of them saw any way for Charley to come into +immediate possession of it. + +As the days passed and the forest still slumbered in safety, the sharp +edge of Charley's anxiety wore off. That, too, was normal, for he could +not naturally remain at such a pitch of emotion. So his interest in the +life about him gradually returned. And indeed there were innumerable +objects to interest a nature lover like Charley. + +The country itself was enough to make a nature lover happy. When Charley +climbed his watch tree and looked about, he could see nothing but forest. +East, west, north, south, league upon league, far as the eye could see and +much farther, stretched the forest, like a huge green sea. The mountains +rose like great waves; and from his lofty perch Charley could see several +parallel ridges rearing their crests aloft on either side of him. +Distinctly he could see the two bottoms at the foot of the mountain on +which stood his watch tree. Splendid stands of timber filled these valleys +with swelling streams of water that flashed in the sunlight here and there +through little openings in the trees. But what lay in the farther valleys +he could only guess, though he knew that each must have its stream and +some timber. What else there might be Charley did not know. + +It was part of his work as a patrol to find out. And eagerly he looked +forward to the daily hikes that would take him here or there or elsewhere +in the great forest. Already he loved it; and he wanted to share all its +secrets. Had Charley but known it, that very attitude of mind made him +more valuable both to his ranger and to the forester. It meant that his +work would not be done in a perfunctory manner, but with that genuine +interest born of love that alone leads to perfect service. + +The two chums made themselves familiar with their own valley from the +border line of the state lands above the beaver dam, to a point many miles +below their own camp. They found that they were in the heart of the stand +of virgin timber, and that the location of their camp was by far the best +that could have been chosen for the purpose of guarding the stand. + +Charley thought it wonderful that the forester could offhand select such a +strategic point. He felt more certain than ever that Mr. Marlin must have +an intimate knowledge of the territory over which he had jurisdiction. +Could Charley have known how intimate that knowledge was, he would have +been amazed. And what he did not even guess was the fact that the forester +had planned just such a secret watch on the big timber as Charley was now +keeping, and that he had selected the camp site only after days of +investigation. + +Nor did Charley so much as dream that for some time Mr. Marlin had been +looking about for some one he could trust to do the work. The native +mountaineers did not command Mr. Marlin's entire confidence, nor did many +of them possess the intelligence or education he desired in the man he +selected. + +Yet his sudden choice of Charley was characteristic of the forester. He +always acted quickly when he thought the time for action had come. +Charley's grit and pluck in voluntarily fighting the fire, coupled with +his membership in the Wireless Patrol, were the factors that led Mr. +Marlin to engage him at once. Had Charley known these facts, he might have +felt a bit conceited or at least elated over the situation. But his belief +was, as Mr. Marlin wished it to be, that the forester had taken him only +as a last resort. And Charley was working hard to make good. He could +hardly have taken a better way than the road he had chosen--to make +himself familiar with all the territory he was to guard, and so to prepare +himself for the emergencies that lay ahead of him. + +Every day, and every hour of each day, the two boys found much that +excited their wonder, for now they were studying nature at first-hand. +Taking their dog, they one day climbed the mountain beyond the one on +which their watch-tower stood, and came down into a lovely valley. But +what instantly arrested their attention was the face of the mountain on +the far side of this valley. + +Instead of being a timbered slope, this mountain was a sheer precipice of +rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet in air. Its rugged sides were +seamed and scarred. Here and there a projecting ledge offered a scant +foothold, but mostly the face of the cliff was one vast, frowning rock +that rose almost perpendicularly. On tiny ledges and in crevices of the +rock little ferns grew in masses, hanging down the face of the cliff like +green fringes. Wild flowers had taken possession of the crannies. In +precarious footholds, where it seemed impossible for them to exist, a few +trees had sprung up, their roots crawling fantastically over the rocks in +search of bits of earth to grow in, while the tops of the trees stood up +slantingly against the face of the cliff. Mostly they were evergreens, and +their scraggly branches made irregular dark masses on the face of the +precipice. + +As the two boys made their way toward the foot of this cliff, a great bird +came soaring over the top of it, and sailed in lofty circles over the +valley. + +"Look at that hawk!" cried Lew. "Isn't he a whopper? Look at the spread of +his wings. And see how he soars, without ever moving a muscle. I wonder if +he can see us." + +Evidently the bird saw something, for suddenly it tilted downward, shot +toward the earth like a flash, and was lost to sight behind the trees. + +"Whew!" cried Charley. "Did you see that drop? It almost took my breath +away to watch him." + +A moment later the bird rose into sight again, bearing in its talons a +dark-colored animal of some sort. Though the animal was not large, it must +have weighed many pounds. Yet the bird flew upward swiftly, lifting +himself rapidly with strong strokes of its wings. + +"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Charley, after watching the bird a moment. "That's +no hawk! That's an eagle. It's a bald eagle, too. See his white tail and +head and the bare shanks?" + +"Are you sure?" demanded Lew. "I've always wanted to see a bald eagle. +It's our national emblem, you know." + +"I'm pretty sure that's one," replied Charley. "I've read about them and +seen pictures of them, and that bird's exactly like the pictures. We can +see his legs well because he's holding them straight down. They're bare. +The golden eagle has feathers all the way to his toes." + +"Gee! I'm glad we saw him," exclaimed Lew. "Look where he's going." + +The bird flew straight toward the cliff, climbing upward with tremendous +speed. He flew directly to a ledge far up the precipice, where he vanished +from sight. + +"That's where the nest is. I'll bet anything on it," said Charley. "We'll +keep an eye on this place and see if there are any little eagles later in +the season." + +For some time they watched the ledge to which the eagle had flown, but the +bird did not again come into sight. Evidently the ledge was much wider +than it appeared to be from the bottom of the valley, and perhaps the face +of the cliff was worn away, cave like, at that point, affording a secure +retreat. At any rate, the eagle was seen no more. + +"Well," said Lew, after a time, "if we can't see the eagle again, perhaps +we can find out what sort of an animal it was he got. I think I can pretty +nearly point out the spot where he landed." + +They started toward the point at which the eagle had come to earth. When +they thought they were near the place they began to search the ground +carefully for some signs of the tragedy that had occurred. They looked in +vain. Nowhere could they find any telltale marks. + +"I suspect it must have been a coon," suggested Charley. "It looked like +it to me. We know there are lots of them in this forest." + +Just then the excited chattering of squirrels attracted them. They began +to examine the trees about them. Presently they came to one around which +were scattered innumerable shells of nuts that had been gnawed into and +eaten. + +"There must be squirrels in that tree," said Lew. + +Now muffled squeaks of fear or pain were audible. The two boys looked at +each other questioningly. + +"There are squirrels up there all right," agreed Charley, "and something's +wrong. That's exactly the way a squirrel sounds when it's in trouble. Yes; +there are some squirrels in the tree top. They're terribly excited over +something." + +The boys began to examine the tree. It was an old oak. Well up its trunk a +limb had broken or rotted away, and the resulting decay of the stub had +made a hole in the tree itself. What instantly riveted the attention of +the two boys was something black and tapering that projected from the +hole and that slowly waved in the air. + +"A blacksnake!" cried Charley. "He's probably eaten the little squirrels." + +In a second Charley was shinning up the tree. Not far below the squirrel +hole the stub of another old limb projected. Charley pulled himself up and +got a footing on it. He drew his little axe from his hip, and, yanking the +snake half-way out of the hole, broke its back with a sharp blow of the +axe, and then threw the reptile to the ground. Lew was on it like a flash +with his feet, tramping it to death. In the snake's mouth was a small +squirrel still kicking and making muffled noises. + +Charley slid to the ground, drew his knife and slit the snake's head, +releasing the young squirrel. It was hurt and terribly frightened, but was +apparently not really injured. Charley kept it in his hand, feeling for +broken bones. + +"I don't believe this squirrel is really harmed a bit," he said finally, +"but it was a pretty close call. I'm going to put it back in the nest +again." + +He put the little creature in his pocket, then again shinned up the tree, +and placed the squirrel in its nest. Meantime, the old squirrels in the +tree top chattered incessantly. + +"Nobody's going to hurt you," said Charley, looking upward through the +branches. "We're only trying to help you." + +When he came to earth once more he examined the snake. "He's a big +fellow," he said, stretching the reptile out straight. "He's a good deal +more than six feet long. I guess we'll take his skin and make a belt of +it." + +As he drew out his knife again and proceeded to skin the snake, he +continued, "I don't believe in killing snakes as a general rule, but +blacksnakes do more harm than good, I believe. It's true they kill rats +and mice, but they also eat birds' eggs and young birds and squirrels, and +no end of other useful creatures. And they are so active that one snake +will kill a great number in the course of a year." + +"I don't understand how they can eat anything so big as that young +squirrel," said Lew, "but I know they do." + +"Really they don't," laughed Charley. "They drag themselves outside of +their prey. You know their jaws are loose so they can spread them, and +their teeth point backward. What they do is to work the upper jaw and then +the lower, hooking their teeth into their food, pulling back with each +half of the jaw in turn. You see they literally pull themselves over their +prey. Well, I'm glad we got that fellow. I suppose it's my business to +kill all the blacksnakes I can. Whatever harms the squirrels, hurts the +forest." + +"What do you mean?" asked Lew. + +"Why, you know that squirrels help to plant the nut trees in a forest. +Some tree seeds, like pine and maple seeds, are so small or light that +they are carried easily by birds and winds, and so scattered about. But +acorns and nuts are so heavy that they fall straight down to the earth. If +the squirrels didn't carry them away and bury them in such quantities, how +could we ever have had these great stands of nut and oak trees?" + +"I never thought of that," said Lew. + +"It looks as though what Mr. Marlin said was right--walking about through +the forest is only a small part of a forest guard's work. He's got to know +an awful lot about things before he can be sure just what he ought to do." + +"I never had any idea how big a job it is, Lew. And think what a forester +must have to know. I tell you it takes a man to fill a job like that." + +Noon came. The boys grew hungry. "I could eat all the sandwiches we have +myself," smiled Charley. "I wonder if we couldn't catch some trout to help +out. It would be all right to make a fire over here, I'm sure. And we'll +keep it so small it won't make any smoke. And even if it did, it couldn't +possibly betray the location of our camp." + +They made their way to the stream in the middle of the valley, baited +their hooks, and dropped them into the water. In no time they had half a +dozen fine trout. + +"You clean 'em, Lew," suggested Charley, "and I'll make a little +fireplace." + +He selected a little shoulder of earth close to the run and began to dig +into it with a stick. In a moment he had uncovered a deposit of solid +clay. The clay was hard to dig, but he could shape his fireplace in it +exactly as he wanted it. When the task was completed, he started a very +small fire with leaves and small branches. By careful feeding, he kept the +flames burning clear, with almost no smoke. Presently he had a bed of +glowing coals that almost filled the little fireplace. + +Lew, meantime, had cleaned the fish and cut some black birch branches +which he thrust through the fish lengthwise. Squatting beside the little +fire, the two boys now held the fish over the coals, turning them slowly, +and roasting them thoroughly. With the addition of the trout, their meal +was ample. + +They ate slowly, and after their meal sat for a time beside their fire in +the warm sun, watching the forest life about them, and listening to the +song of the brook and the myriad other sounds of the woods. Finally they +prepared to leave. The fire had shrunken to a white bed of ashes. + +"We'll make sure that it is out," commented Charley. And he stepped to the +run and got a hatful of water, which he poured on the ashes. To his +astonishment the ashes were washed away, leaving the fireplace bare. The +fireplace had changed color and looked as though made of brick. He touched +it and found it as hard as stone. + +"Fire-clay," he said. "That's probably worth something. I'll take a sample +along." + +He dug away more top-soil and scooped out a big ball of clay. Then he +filled in the holes he had made, covering up all traces of the clay +deposit, and blazed a tree near by to identify the spot. + +The journey back to the camp was made by a route different from the one +taken in the morning, the boys following the stream down the valley for a +distance before crossing back to their own valley. The first fishermen +they had encountered were seen on the return trip. The men were wading in +the stream below the boys and so did not observe the young fire guards +behind them. Charley and Lew instantly slipped behind trees, and after +watching the men until they were lost to sight, struck off toward their +camp. They got there shortly before sunset. While Lew prepared supper, +Charley once more made his way up to the watch tree, where he remained +until dusk. + +Early in the evening they got into touch with their friends at Central +City, and through them sent a reassuring good-night to the forester. Then, +too tired to listen to the night's news, they wrapped themselves in their +blankets and were soon sound asleep. + + + + +Chapter XIV + +The Trail in the Forest + + + +The following day the two young patrols were to report to their ranger at +the appointed place in the forest. Although the ranger had much farther to +travel than they did, the boys knew from experience that he was afoot +early during the fire season, and they felt certain he would be at the +meeting-place before the appointed hour. Charley wanted to be as prompt as +his ranger, and so the two boys were astir by the time the first streaks +of light tinged the eastern skies. + +It was still dark enough to risk a little blaze in their fireplace and the +warmth was grateful, for the early morning air was chill enough. Breakfast +was soon cooked and their camp put to rights. Then, taking their +fishing-rods again, they set forth to patrol the forest. The pup was tied +in the tent, lest he should get into trouble with a porcupine or some +other creature of the forest, and so make them tardy for their +appointment. + +Their plan was to travel down their own valley for a distance, then pass +through a gap to a fire trail in the next bottom, which would lead to +other trails that would take them close to their destination. They had +studied out their route carefully on the map, and they made their way +with both speed and certainty. + +For a long time nothing of moment happened to them. The sun came up bright +and clear, flirting with the fleecy clouds in the sky, that now plunged +the land in deep shadow and again drew aside so that the forest was bathed +in golden sunlight. The earth sent forth fragrant exhalations. A gentle +breeze lent a tonic quality to the atmosphere. The leaves sparkled with +dew, and the stream in the bottom flashed in the sunlight, filling the +woods with its sonorous babble. So inviting was the scene that despite +their haste, the boys could not resist the temptation to drop their hooks +in promising pools as they moved along. Without half trying, they +accumulated a dozen fine trout. The smaller ones they carefully unhooked +and threw back into the stream. + +They passed through the gap in the mountain and started to cross the +bottom to the fire trail. At the brook in the middle of the valley they +paused to make one last cast in an especially inviting pool. At that +moment two men came out of a near-by thicket. Both were smoking. They were +equipped like fishermen, though they had no fish. They were rough looking, +with hard faces. One of them had an ugly scar above his right eye and +showed a mouthful of gold teeth when he took his cigar from his mouth, as +he asked, "What luck?" + +"We've got a few," replied Charley, extending his creel for their +inspection. + +The man looked at the fish and swore savagely. "These kids have fished +the brook out," he growled. "There's no use trying this stream. We'll have +to go on to the next valley." + +Charley was in a quandary. These men, with their cigars, were a menace to +the forest. It made him nervous merely to look at the glowing tobacco and +the careless way the men flicked the ashes about. He was almost +panic-stricken at the idea of their passing into his own valley while he +was absent. He did not know whether to tell them the truth about his fish +or remain silent. But he remembered that his watch in that valley was +supposed to be a secret one, and he said nothing. Afterward he was glad +that he had remained silent. + +"Come on," said the man with the gold teeth. "These kids have queered us +here. We'll be moving." + +As he started away he gave Charley such a savage look that it almost +frightened Charley. It did worry and alarm him, for he could not help +asking himself what he should do if he had to deal sternly with such a +man. Even with Lew at his side, he felt fearful. Alone in the forest with +such desperate-looking men, he knew that he would be helpless. + +Then he remembered the automatic stowed in his hip pocket and felt +relieved. Now he understood much better why the ranger had given it to +him. The remembrance that he had this weapon stiffened his courage +wonderfully. He determined that if gun-play ever became necessary, he +would not be caught napping. At once he shifted the automatic to his coat +pocket, where he could shoot without drawing the weapon, and where he +could carry his hand without exciting suspicion. + +"Gee!" whispered Lew, after the two men had passed out of hearing. "I +wouldn't care to meet that pair after dark." + +"What I am afraid of," said Charley, "is that they will set the forest +afire. They were mighty careless with their cigars. Will they be any more +careful with the butts when they have finished their smoke? I don't know +but what we ought to trail them. Yet we've got to meet Mr. Morton and I +don't want to be tardy. I can't make up my mind what we ought to do." + +After a moment's consideration, he unjointed his rod, and started off in +the direction from which the men had come. "We'll find Mr. Morton just as +quick as we can," he said with decision, "and tell him the situation. +Meantime, we'll make sure those men didn't start any fires up to this +point." + +Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of +speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he +dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums +advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain. +They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no +smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with +lighter hearts. + +"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley, +"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know +how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both." + +Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley +glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet +he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early. +He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never +reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton +himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and, +being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his +subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and +he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him. + +Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to +say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having +been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so +disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard +as interference with his fishing. + +The ranger shook hands warmly with his young friends. "I see you have kept +the forest safe so far," he said with a smile. "How have things been +going?" + +"All right," replied Charley, "but we met a couple of men an hour or so +ago, whose looks we didn't like." + +"How's that? What did they do that you didn't like?" + +"Well, they were smoking and they were careless with their cigars. Since +we met them I've been expecting to see a smoke column rising every time I +turned around; and I'd hate to tell you how many times I've looked back in +the last hour." + +"It never hurts a man in the forest to look back," said Mr. Morton with +another smile. "Lot's wife is the only person on record who came to grief +that way. But seriously, you mustn't get nervous just because you see a +smoker. You'll meet hundreds of them, and they're all pretty careless." + +Charley flushed a little. "You don't understand, Mr. Morton," he went on. +"I wasn't nervous--that is, I didn't--I mean, it wasn't the mere fact that +the men were smoking that made me feel anxious. I didn't like the looks of +the men or their actions." + +"What did they do?" + +"Well, they swore at us." + +The ranger laughed. "That's a habit of these mountaineers," he said. "You +mustn't pay any attention to it. They don't mean anything by it." + +"Do they look at you as though they'd like to kill you, too?" demanded +Charley. "Is that a habit of these mountaineers?" + +Instantly the ranger's face was sober. "See here," he said seriously. +"What have you been doing? What did you do or say to the men that made +them curse you? A little authority hasn't made you toplofty, has it? You +know you are not supposed to let anybody know that you're a fire patrol." + +"I didn't," replied Charley, stung by the implied criticism. "We caught a +few fish in our own valley, then cut through to the valley just below us, +on our way to this trail. Just as we reached the run, two men came out of +the bushes. They asked what we had caught, and when I showed them, one of +them swore at us terribly and said we had fished the stream out so that +they would have to go on to the next valley." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger, looking much relieved. + +"No, sir, it isn't," continued Charley. "They looked as though they wanted +to kill us." + +The ranger was inclined to smile, but he forbore, seeing that Charley was +sensitive. "You'll soon get used to meeting tough-looking customers in the +forest," he said. + +"I hope that I don't meet many like that fellow," sighed Charley. "When he +scowled at me, he looked as fierce as a chimpanzee. And he had an ugly +scar over his eye that actually seemed to turn red." + +Instantly the ranger's face became sober. "A scar over his eye," he +repeated. "Which eye?" + +"His right one." + +"Did you notice his mouth?" + +"Sure. I couldn't help noticing it. It was full of gold teeth." + +The ranger gave a low whistle. His face became still more serious. "Tell +me exactly what was said and done," he continued. "Repeat your +conversation just as accurately as you can." + +When Charley had rehearsed the entire affair in detail, the ranger asked, +"And you are sure you gave him no hint that you had come from the next +valley?" + +"Absolutely none. I thought right away that I mustn't do that." + +"You're a lad of discretion," smiled the ranger. "You have done well. But +be awful careful of that old scoundrel. That's Bill Collins. He's a bad +egg if there ever was one. He never came into these mountains to catch +fish. That's merely a blind. And he was headed for your valley, too. +That's absolutely certain. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone there." + +The ranger paused in thought. "<i>Did</i> he go there?" he continued. "That's +the problem. If he said he was going there, it's more than likely he was +headed for some other place and wanted to throw you off the track." + +Again the ranger paused and studied Charley's face keenly. Evidently the +wide-set eyes, with their indication of intelligence, the strong nose and +good chin, and especially Charley's straight mouth with its thin lips, +reassured him. "My boy," he said kindly, "I don't want to alarm you +unnecessarily, but be careful of that man. He's up to something, or he +wouldn't be in this forest; but what it can be, I've not the remotest +idea. The only thing I can think of that would bring him here is the +virgin timber. He's been mixed up in several crooked lumber deals. He +wouldn't hesitate for an instant to steal timber or to set the forest +afire. And it's my personal belief that he wouldn't stop at"--he paused +and studied Charley's face again--"at murder." + +The two boys were sober. For a moment they looked at the ranger in +silence. Then, "What had I better do?" asked Charley. + +"Keep out of Collins' road," answered Mr. Morton instantly. "If you can +get track of him, watch him; but don't let him see you or know he is +watched." + +Again the ranger paused to ponder the matter. "It isn't a square deal to +let you kids go up against that old crook," he said suddenly. "Come on. +We'll see if we can find him. And if we do, I know how to deal with him." + +The ranger strode forward at a terrific pace. The two boys had almost to +run to keep up with him. Over his face came a grim expression that boded +no good for Bill Collins. On and on he went, saying never a word. +Evidently he was revolving the situation in his own mind. Not until they +reached the brook did he utter a syllable. Then he said, "Show me exactly +where you boys were and where the two men came out of the bushes." + +Charley pointed out the respective positions. Mr. Morton searched the +bushes but found nothing enlightening. + +"Which way did they go after they left you?" he asked. + +Lew pointed out the route they had taken. Along the margin of the brook +both men had left clear footprints. Mr. Morton sank to his knees and the +three studied these prints closely. Then, "Come on," he said, rising. +"We'll see if we can trail them." + +Lew led the way to the point at which they had last seen the men. The +disturbed condition of the leaves showed plainly that some one had passed. +Very slowly and painstakingly the ranger followed the trail. In many +places the forest mold still retained the imprint of a foot distinctly. So +they followed the trail for several rods. Then they were unable to find +any more footprints, nor did the leaves appear disturbed in any way. + +"They've turned off to one side or the other," said the ranger, when he +was sure they had overrun the trail. "Let's see if we can find which way +they went." + +The three investigators turned and spread out, advancing a foot at a time, +and examined the ground minutely. Not a leaf nor a stick, nor yet the +bushes or tree trunks escaped observation. At last Charley gave a little +cry. He had found a footprint that corresponded exactly with one they had +studied by the brook. A little farther on a second imprint was visible, +and the leaves again had the appearance of having been disturbed. For some +distance they continued to search for and to find footprints and other +unmistakable signs of the passage of the two men. + +"It is useless to look for any more tracks," said the ranger, +straightening up. "Collins and his companion quite evidently went up this +valley instead of the one they told you they were heading for. They were +merely trying to mislead you, which makes me all the more certain they are +here for no good purpose. They certainly had no reason to suspect your +connection with the Forest Service, and I presume that Collins was so +annoyed at being seen by anybody that he just couldn't keep his temper. So +he swore at you. He's a violent chap. It's certain that he's somewhere +ahead of us, with at least two hours' start. We'll try to overtake him, +though we don't want him to see us. What we'll do if we find him will +depend upon circumstances. Now let's hustle. But be quiet and keep your +eyes open." + +Not until near sundown was the search discontinued. Then, finding +themselves almost directly below the watch-tower, the ranger and his two +helpers struck directly up the slope, took a long, careful look for smoke, +and descended toward Charley's camp. + +"I'm going to spend the night with you," explained the ranger. "I wish +that you would try to call up Katharine and tell her how it is. I don't +like to leave the forest until I find out what those scamps are up to." + +They came to the camp. The pup was still in the tent, and everything +seemed to be as it was when the two young patrols left in the morning. + +"Things seem to be all right," said Charley. "We'll be a bit cautious and +cook on the alcohol stove to-night." + +But when he went to the spring for water, he gave a cry of dismay. In the +soft ground by the spring basin was a footprint exactly like that they had +traced so painfully in the other valley. + + + + +Chapter XV + +The Telltale Thumb-Print + + + +More serious than ever was the ranger's face when Charley showed him the +telltale footprint. + +"It's bad!" he said. "Altogether bad! He's as cunning as a rat, that Bill +Collins. But how he could ever discover a camp so well concealed as this +one is, I don't know." + +And with that the ranger fell into a brown study. Lew and Charley went on +rapidly with their preparations for supper. + +"Here," called the ranger, noticing what they were about. "Mr. Marlin sent +this to you. I almost forgot about it." He reached into the capacious +inner pocket of the hunting-coat he wore and drew forth a bulky package. + +"Beefsteak!" cried Charley, opening the package. "Oh boy! And enough for +two meals. We're certainly obliged to you and Mr. Marlin both." + +Meantime, the pup, neglected, fawned upon them and began to whine, when +suddenly the ranger cried out, "I've got it. It was the pup." + +"The pup?" echoed Charley. "What about the pup?" + +"Why, it was the pup that betrayed the camp. In some way those men got +within hearing or smelling distance of this place, and the pup must have +barked or whined. You know how a lonely dog will howl and carry on. I'm +sorry, but I guess that pup will have to go, Charley." + +Charley's face expressed almost as much mental agony as the pup's whine +had shown, though he said nothing. The ranger, looking up, caught the +expression, however, and understood. He knew how lonely it would be for +Charley after Lew returned to Central City. "The harm's already done," he +continued, "and I suppose it never does any good to lock the stable after +the horse is gone. You may keep your pup, Charley; but I do wish he was a +dumb brute in fact as well as in name." + +"I can train him to be quiet," said Charley eagerly. "I trained Judge +Gordon's dogs to hunt and I can train this little fellow not to make a +noise. If I could keep him, sir, I'd be mighty glad. He'll be a lot of +company." + +"Keep your dog, noise or no noise," said the kindly ranger with +determination. "If you can really train him well, he'll do us a thousand +times more good than he does harm. Now that I know Bill Collins is in +these woods, I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone. You train +that dog as fast as you can. Train him to warn you of the approach of +strangers, and train him to fight, too--and to fight hard." + +Again the ranger lapsed into silence. After a while he said, "What +puzzles me now is this: Should we move your camp to another place or leave +it where it is? Bill Collins knows there is a camp here. He saw you two +boys in the forest and he has probably seen no one else. He will likely +infer that it is your camp. But he has no way of knowing that you are +connected with the Forest Service, unless, unless--By George! Why didn't I +think of that sooner? Ten to one he hid close by and watched for you to +come back. If he did, he saw us when we came down from the top of the +hill. And if he saw me with you boys, he knows as well as I do why this +camp is hidden and what you boys really are doing. I'll bet it made him +swear some when he saw me." And the ranger chuckled. + +"But maybe he didn't see us," suggested Charley. + +"I'd just as soon believe that the sun didn't set. That fellow's a fox for +cleverness and a bulldog for persistence. Yet I don't see that we need +feel bad, even if he does know where your camp is. We've learned more than +he has. We know he's back in these parts and that he is making a secret +visit to this timber; for you may be very sure he intended it to be a +secret visit." + +"But he can't be certain we know who he is," argued Charley. "He is as +much a stranger to Lew and me as we are to him." + +"True enough, Charley, true enough. It was really a great piece of luck +that you boys happened to bump into him. It would have been better, of +course, if you could have seen him without being noticed yourself, but in +that case we should never have guessed who he was. No; it's a game of +checkers between us now, and we've each lost a man to the other. But in my +opinion we got a king in exchange for an ordinary checker. What I'd like +to know is, who the man is that's with him." + +"Supper is ready," announced Lew. + +The three entered the tent, where Lew had hung the lighted candle lantern, +and in the growing darkness ate their meal. + +"It seems to me," suggested Lew, "that it would be best to leave the camp +right where it is. If we move it, that will indicate that we know its +location has been discovered. If we let it remain where it is, these men +won't know whether we are aware if their visit here or not." + +"You've a good head on you, young man," said the ranger approvingly. +"That's exactly the thing to do. Besides, if we moved it and Bill Collins +wanted to find it, he'd stick right to the job until he succeeded. But I +don't believe he has any interest in watching this camp or in staying in +this forest. It isn't a healthful place for him and he knows it. You see, +Bill and I are old acquaintances. It's my opinion that he came in here for +some particular purpose and that he'll get right out the instant that +purpose is accomplished. Those men didn't have any packs, did they?" + +"Not a sign of a pack," replied Charley. "Their coat pockets bulged out +as though they had sandwiches or something in them, but they hadn't a +thing in their hands or on their backs except fishing-rods and creels." + +"That settles it," said the ranger. "They can't stay here more than +forty-eight hours at the most. And there's no danger of their telling +anybody else about your camp because they won't want anybody to know they +were here. We'll just consider the camp situation settled." + +They finished their supper and had begun clear up the dishes when suddenly +Charley thought of the fire-clay. "Oh! I have something to show you," he +cried, and went to the corner of the tent to get the clay ball. It was +just where Charley had left it, but the instant he picked it up he was +somehow conscious that it was different. He held the ball up and looked at +it critically. Then he hefted it in his hand. + +"Lew," he exclaimed, "how big was that ball of clay we took for a sample?" + +"Four or five inches in diameter," rejoined Lew. "Why?" + +"Look at that. It isn't a bit more than three inches thick. I was sure we +had more clay than that. I meant to make a little pot of it." + +"We did have more. I'm sure of it. You don't suppose those men could have +taken any of it, do you?" + +"Let me see," said the ranger. + +He took the ball and examined it critically. "That looks like fire-clay. +If it is, and the deposit is of any size, you have found something of +value. You know the state sells things like that on a royalty basis. We +might be able to develop a good clay business. We like to work up all the +business we can, because the revenues go toward the purchase of the +equipment we need. You know the legislature won't give us all we need to +buy implements for fighting fires, and for fire-towers, and other +equipment." + +"If we could make a fire," said Charley, "you could soon tell whether it +is good fire-clay or not." + +"Make a fire," said the ranger. "Collins already knows where our camp is +and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour." + +In a minute the boys had a fire going. When they had a deep bed of coals, +they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed. + +While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his +wireless key. As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain +that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in. He called several +times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his +conversation with his fellows. When he flashed out his signals a quarter +of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply. + +"I've got 'em," said Charley quietly to his comrades. "And it's Henry +talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he +said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about +ended." + +"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed +as long as I possibly can." + +Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and +whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real +situation. But that would never do." + +Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as +quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded +in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?" + +"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll +just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and +sometimes those fellows get nasty." + +Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got +up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the +thicket brightly. + +Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing. + +"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?" + +"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat. +Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang +around for days. Wish you would send us some traps." + +"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley, +turning to Mr. Morton. + +"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger. + +"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending. +I'm asking Henry for traps." + +"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under +the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to." + +Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps. +He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing +out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the +forester at Oakdale on the telephone. + +After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the +forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I +tell him?" + +"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that +everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone." + +Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley. + +"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay +in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are." + +While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took +the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are +well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband." + +Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a +pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't +wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why, +we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena +howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She +didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home." + +"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger. +"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day." + +Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw +at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in +camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which +evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him. + +"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't +think that cat will come any closer, for it can smell the dog as well as +the meat. Take care of him and make him useful. Now we'd better turn in, +for we must pull foot early in the morning." + +"Let's first see if our clay is baked," suggested Charley. + +Charley scattered the embers and rolled the clay ball out of the ashes +with a stick. It was baked as hard as a brick. The ranger folded up the +newspaper which he had used as an outer wrapper for the meat, and picked +up the ball with the paper. Lew held the candle lantern close while the +ranger examined the clay. Slowly he turned the ball around, picking at it +with his knife blade. + +"Who made this ball?" he asked suddenly. + +"I did," said Charley. + +"Did Lew touch it at all?" + +"I can't recall that he did." + +"No; I never laid a finger on it," said Lew. "Charley rolled it and +carried it here himself." + +"Let me see your thumbs, Charley," said the ranger. + +Charley, puzzled, held them up for inspection. The ranger examined them +closely. "Now let me have that little microscope of yours," he continued. + +Charley handed it to the ranger, who studied the clay ball intently +through the glass, then as carefully looked at Charley's thumb. Then he +chuckled. "We've taken another king in this little checker game," he said. +"Look at that." + +While Mr. Morton held the lantern for them, the two boys studied the +burned ball of clay. On it were a number of distinct thumb-prints, now +turned into solid brick by the action of the fire. The boys looked at each +other questioningly and then at Mr. Morton. + +"It's a clever rogue who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," chuckled the +ranger. "What happened is as clear as daylight. Collins and his companion +found this clay while they were inspecting your camp. They must have +suspected that it was fire-clay and that you had found a deposit of value. +They took some along to test, and rolled what was left into a ball again, +thinking you would never notice the difference. But they forgot that clay +would take finger-prints so readily, and they have left their calling +cards behind them." + +The ranger carefully wrapped the clay ball in his handkerchief, and then +in a newspaper. "Let me have this," he said. "The police may have some +duplicate prints somewhere. We don't know what Collins and his pal are up +to, but we have something here that we may find very useful. It isn't +every crook that is so considerate as to leave his thumb-prints behind +him." + + + + +Chapter XVI + +Good News For the Fire Patrol + + + +As the ranger had foretold, the forest guards did indeed pull foot early +in the morning. Black darkness still enfolded the camp when the ranger +awoke his young companions. Fire was speedily kindled and breakfast gotten +under way. + +"Better eat your meat, boys," suggested the ranger. "Otherwise it will +keep that cat hanging around here. We'll hardly dare to leave the pup +behind again, and that beast might get in here and tear your tent to +pieces. These cats play hob with things sometimes." + +Lew decided that he would carry nothing back with him, as he contemplated +visiting his chum at intervals. + +"Just take your rifle," said the ranger to Charley. "You'll be all alone +on your return trip and with two such animals as we've seen hereabout, it +will be just as well to have it. If I were you, I believe I'd make a +pretty close companion of it and always keep it within reach." + +When they left the camp, they were burdened only with Charley's rifle and +food for the noon meal, which they stowed in their pockets. The instant +there was light enough to guide their footsteps, the trio set forth. + +For hours they trudged through the forest, for the most part in silence. +Although they traveled by a circuitous route, and with eyes and ears +alert, they neither saw nor heard anything that pointed to the presence of +other human beings in the forest. The ground bore no telltale footprints. +No incriminating marks were discernible on the trees. Smoke was nowhere +visible. No firearm disturbed the silence of the wilderness. No birds flew +upward with cries of alarm, save at their own approach. And the only +voices that were audible were the voices of the brooks. + +Under other circumstances Charley would have been supremely happy. The sun +came up bright and clear. No veil of mist floated before the face of the +sky. But woolly, white cloud banks sailed lazily aloft, intensifying by +contrast the blue of the sky. A gentle wind blew fitfully. The earth +steamed fragrantly, sending up an odor joyful to the nostrils. And the +little brooks babbled wildly in their joy at the spring-time. + +But Charley was not in a responsive mood. The thought of the man Collins +and his evil-favored companion weighed upon him heavily. Nor was the +knowledge that a wildcat was prowling about his camp reassuring; though +Charley was far from being afraid of the beast. And always the dread of +fire was in the background of his consciousness. What troubled him more +than anything else just now was the approaching loss of his chum. Could +Charley have diagnosed correctly the feelings that oppressed him now, he +would have known that it was the fear of loneliness more than any fear of +Bill Collins or wildcats or forest fires, that made him sad. To read about +Robinson Crusoe was all right, but to be Robinson Crusoe was quite a +different matter--at least a Crusoe without a good man Friday. And Charley +was too downcast at present to realize that the pup at his heels could be +to him all that Friday was to his master, and perhaps more. + +Again and again Charley turned over in his mind the problem of how he +could get the battery he needed. More than ever he felt that he absolutely +must have it. Such a battery would cost many, many dollars. To be sure, +Charley's salary would soon bring him in enough money to pay for such a +battery; but all of his income, or practically all of it, Charley knew, he +must give to his father. How he should get around the difficulty, Charley +could not see. + +As they trudged on, he talked the matter over with Lew again. Lew seemed +unduly light-hearted over the matter, and even smiled about it. Instead of +sympathizing with his chum, he counseled him not to worry about it, as the +way would likely open. That seemed so heartless that Charley was hurt. He +thought that his chum, about to leave the forest himself, no longer was +concerned. So he fell silent, and walked along in greater dejection than +ever. + +Long before the sun had touched the zenith, the three forest guards had +reached the last ridge that lay between them and the highway. + +"You've come far enough, Charley," said the ranger, "and perhaps it would +have been better if you had stopped short of this. If anything should +happen in that big timber, you are a long distance from it. There's a good +spring part way up this ridge, and it's high enough so that we can get a +good view. We'll stop there and eat our dinner. We can watch as we eat. +After you've had a good rest, you had better hike for camp. You're a good +ten miles away from your tent." + +They climbed to the spring, took each a good drink, and sat down to eat +their food. The panorama that spread before them was wondrously beautiful, +but Charley had no heart for scenery. He ate in silence, his eyes for the +most part bent on the ground. + +After the meal was finished, the three friends sat silent, looking out +over the vast range of territory before them, each busy with his own +thoughts. If one could have judged by the expressions on their faces, Lew +was little short of jubilant. Again and again he smiled and looked +meaningly at his chum. But Charley still sat with downcast eyes, heedless +of his chum's glances. But why Lew smiled it would have been hard to +guess. If he had any scheme in mind, he dropped no hint concerning it. + +Finally the ranger rose. "We've got to shake a leg," he said. "And you had +better start back to camp." + +Charley got up mechanically. His face showed all too clearly what was in +his heart. The ranger looked at him searchingly, and a kindly expression +came into his eyes. + +"Never mind, Charley," he said. "You won't be alone long. Lew, here, or +some of your other friends will be slipping out to spend the week-end with +you, and I shall see you regularly twice a week. It may be, in view of +Bill Collins' visit, that Mr. Marlin will think I ought to come oftener." + +"Have you learned your alphabet yet?" replied Charley, a sudden gleam of +interest crossing his face. "Just as soon as you learn to use the +wireless, we can talk at almost any time. I'm sure that one of the fellows +will lend you his outfit." + +"I'll make Mr. Morton an outfit myself," said Lew. "I'll make it exactly +like yours. Then you two can talk without tuning." + +"That will be bully," said Charley, beginning to brighten up. Then he +turned to the ranger. "Did you learn your alphabet?" he repeated. + +"I've been working at it a little," said the ranger. "To tell the truth, I +don't care much about it. I'd just as soon stick to the telephone. But the +wife is crazy over it. She says if we knew how to do it and had the +instruments, we could talk at any time. She's learned the alphabet +already." + +"She has! Bully for her!" cried Charley. "Hurry up with that outfit, Lew, +so we can teach her to send and read. I'll be glad to talk to her, even if +her husband doesn't want to." + +"I'll be home by sunset," said Lew, "and you can call me at eight +o'clock. I shall have had a chance to talk to the fellows by that time and +I hope that I shall have something good to report to you. I'm coming out +the first Friday I can, to spend Saturday and Sunday with you. Good-bye." + +Charley shook hands heartily with his two friends and turned back into the +forest. Although he was still somewhat cast down, the intense depression +that had weighed upon him during the morning was lightened. The events of +the past twenty-four hours had made him forget temporarily the plan to +teach Mr. Morton how to operate the wireless. But the news that the +ranger's wife was also to become a radio operator pleased him more and +more as he turned the matter over in his mind. + +The pup, rubbing against his heels, recalled another matter to his mind. +He had to train the dog to be useful to him. + +"No time like the present," muttered Charley to himself. And the training +of the pup began then and there. All the way home, through the wide +valleys, over the mountain tops, and across the little streams, Charley +worked with the pup, trying to teach him to be silent and to walk quietly +at his heels. And though many, many subsequent lessons were necessary +before the pup was even half trained, the work with the dog made Charley +forget his loneliness. He arrived at his camp, which he found +undisturbed, once more in his normal frame of mind. + +What shortly followed was to send him to bed soon afterward as happy as +the traditional lark. For when Charley got into touch with Lew by wireless +at the appointed time, Lew told him that the Wireless Patrol had met him, +Lew, at the station in a body, with the news that funds for the battery +had all been earned and the battery ordered; and that when he had told +them of Charley's situation, the club had voted unanimously and +enthusiastically to send the battery to Charley for him to use as long as +he needed it in the forest. + +Furthermore, Lew informed him, Henry had been talking to the wireless men +at the Frankfort station, and not only were they willing to work with him +to protect the forest, but they were also sending an amplifier to Oakdale +so that Charley would be sure to get their messages with the greatest +distinctness. The battery would be forwarded as soon as it reached the +Wireless Club and had been inspected, and the amplifier would go with it. + +No wonder that Charley rolled up in his blankets, with shining eyes, +careless alike of cats and Collinses. With the pup and the new battery he +felt that he should indeed be in position to render efficient service to +his forester and his ranger, both of whom he was coming to love, and to +the grand old forest around him. + + + + +Chapter XVII + +An Accident in the Wilderness + + + +As though she also were pleased at Charley's good fortune, Dame Nature +smiled her best in the days that immediately followed. The sun rose warm +and grateful. The forest was instinct with the spirit of spring, of +new-born life, of hope eternal. Wilderness birds sang in the branches. The +brook babbled and gurgled and ran madly down the slope. The leaves +overhead whispered of the new life that had come. All the forest animals +seemed filled with the joy of living. And Charley was not a whit behind +them. His whole being thrilled with happiness. + +Now he could see matters in their true light; or if his vision were a +trifle clouded, the clouds were tinged with rose instead of black, as they +had been previously. + +Charley thanked Providence that he was just where he was. In some respects +an unusual boy, he was mentally no abler than many of his fellows. He +possessed a trueness of vision and an understanding of things that were, +however, unusual in a lad of his age. Always he had had to earn the +things that he wanted. And always he had been able, within reason, to get +what he desired. Early in life, therefore, he had come to understand that +everything has its price, and that he who is willing to pay the price can +get almost anything he wishes. So now, instead of bewailing the fact that +he was where he was, as many another lad would have done under the +circumstances, he rejoiced. He rejoiced because he had sense enough to +understand that his opportunity was at hand, here in the forest, and now. + +In another respect Charley was mature for his years. He had come to +understand, at least in a measure, that real success is always won by long +and persistent effort in a given direction. Like other boys, Charley had +his dreams and cherished lofty ambitions. But the stern necessities of +life, as he had lived it, had taught him that dreams seldom come true as +the result of luck, but are realized most certainly through consistent +effort. He did not want to go to work in the factory because he hated the +dirt and the noise and the odors and the sense of being cooped up, like an +animal in a pen. Now he had all the freedom in the world, and the +opportunity had come to become well acquainted with the things that he +loved--trees, flowers, ferns, birds, animals, and all the other gifts of +nature. + +When Charley looked abroad and realized that his opportunity had come, and +come in such a delightful way, he could hardly keep from shouting in his +happiness. Like the sensible lad he was, he immediately asked himself this +question, "What is the best thing for me to do first?" He decided that he +would go on with the training of his pup. All day, as he walked through +the forest, he labored to teach the young dog to trot quietly at his +heels, or to walk silently in front of him. + +Charley's purpose, of course, was to have the dog always at hand, to give +him warning of the approach of man or beast, and to fight for him, if +necessary. That the pup should learn not to betray himself or his master, +was equally needful. So Charley had the additional task of teaching the +dog to be silent, excepting for a very low growl, upon the approach of +other creatures. Charley thought of the Leatherstocking and his dog, and +wondered how that dog had been trained so wonderfully. + +Day after day the lessons continued. Charley had abundant opportunity to +work with the pup, for the forest was full of creatures that constantly +excited the young animal. The training required no end of patience: but +Charley loved the dog and never wearied in his efforts. By the time he had +completed his labors with the pup, his own shadow was hardly more constant +and quiet than the dog. + +Charley was elated one day when the dog signaled the approach of a +fisherman by no more than the faintest sort of a bark, and then at +command, came promptly to heel and remained there, silent and watchful. It +was the pup's first test with human beings. The fisherman proved to be +one of two who were making their way along the margin of the run. Charley +and the dog remained quietly behind some bushes until the fishermen were +out of sight and hearing. Then Charley praised his little pup and went on. + +His efforts with the dog, however, did not prevent him from thinking of +other matters. Day after day his mind returned to the problem of the +forest fire and the piece of green pasteboard. Ever since he had found the +telltale pile of ashes and the charred pasteboard beneath it, Charley had +been turning the problem over in his mind. How he was to solve the puzzle +he did not see. Somewhere, he felt sure, he had seen pasteboard like the +charred piece now in possession of Mr. Morton; but when or where he had +seen it, he had not the slightest recollection. How he was ever to find +another piece like it, he could not imagine; for as a fire patrol he had +neither time nor opportunity to mingle with people. + +He could see just one possibility of success. Undoubtedly there was a +great deal more of the green pasteboard in the world than had been +contained in the burned box. Hence persons other than the incendiary must +have some of that same pasteboard. Perhaps some of those persons might +bring a bit of it into the forest. Campers and fishermen often brought +food and other things into the woods in pasteboard boxes. So Charley +resolved to examine carefully every camp he came to, and even to +scrutinize the remains of camp fires. But day followed day and Charley +found nothing to enlighten him. + +One day when Charley was on his way to meet the ranger, he suddenly +realized that he was away behind time. Charley hated the idea of being +tardy, especially when he had no reason for being late. He had been +training his dog, and his work with the pup had delayed him more than he +realized. But with haste he could still reach the meeting-place on time. + +At the fastest pace that he thought he could hold Charley set off. His +daily hikes through the forest had rapidly made a good walker of him, and +now he went along at a rate that would speedily have tired out most +travelers. Sometimes, to rest himself by changing his gait, he went scout +pace, walking fifty steps, then jogging fifty. He allowed nothing to +hinder him or take his attention. When he reached the meeting-place it +still lacked a few minutes of the appointed hour. Charley was pleased to +find that he had arrived before the ranger. + +When the time of meeting came and the ranger was not there, Charley began +to scan the fire trail carefully and to look about for smoke clouds. He +knew that something of moment must be afoot to make the ranger tardy for +his appointment. The ranger was not visible, however, though Charley could +see straight down the fire trail for a long distance. + +"I'll go meet him," said Charley. "He's sure to come this way." + +In the sand of the trail he printed a message for the ranger, in case the +latter should be coming by an unaccustomed route, and continued along the +trail. He had gone a full mile before he met Mr. Morton. + +"Sorry I am late, Charley," said the ranger. "A lot of stuff came to the +office for you last night and the chief asked me to fetch it out this +morning. I think your new battery has come." + +"It's about time," said Charley. "I had about given up hope of ever seeing +it." Then he added, "But you couldn't pack that way out here. It must +weigh sixty pounds." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger. "I had come to believe that it weighed +in the neighborhood of half a ton." + +"Did you really try to carry it?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. The chief sent all your stuff as far as he could in the truck, and +I packed it in as far as I could carry it. That's why I'm late. But I had +to drop it a distance back. I brought these along, however, and thought +we'd go back and get the battery, for I'm sure that's what it is." He +paused and handed to Charley two pasteboard boxes he had strapped to his +back. The larger one was bulky, but weighed comparatively little. The +other was small. + +"I wonder what it is," said Charley, as he untied the string and opened +the smaller box. "The amplifier," he said. Then he opened the larger box. + +"Your wireless!" he cried in delight. "Everything is here, even to the +aerial. Only the spreaders are lacking. We could make them and have this +outfit set up in no time if we had to. Isn't it bully? Now we can talk +directly with each other as soon as you learn to send and read. Won't that +be dandy?" With practiced eye he once more glanced over the outfit to make +sure everything was there. Then he tied the box up again. + +"I'll just take it back with me," he added. "This goes to your house, you +know, and you can pick it up on your way home. We'll take it as far as the +battery and leave it there." + +They strode rapidly along the trail, and in half an hour reached the +battery where the ranger had set it down. Some traps lay on top of the +battery. + +"I forgot to bring them sooner," said the ranger. + +Charley lifted the box. "How in the world," he said, "did you ever pack +that thing over these mountains on your back? Why, you've carried that +more than four miles." + +"We'll cut a couple of saplings and tie them to the box for handles," said +the ranger. "Then we can carry it easily. Give me your axe." + +Charley handed his little axe to the ranger, and began to fumble in his +pocket for the cord which he had used as a leash for his dog. The ranger +looked around him for suitable poles. Close by the trail lay the rotting +trunk of a large tree that had fallen years before. On the far side of +this log and close to it some fine saplings had grown up, probably made +thrifty by the rotting wood of the great tree. The ranger reached over the +log to chop a sapling. At the same instant the pup, ranging in the bushes, +growled savagely. Momentarily the ranger lifted his eyes, letting his axe +head sink to the ground. Something moved under it, and at the same instant +a hideous head reared itself above the leaves and struck with +lightning-like rapidity, hitting the ranger just above the wrist-bone. +With a startled exclamation the ranger drew up his arm. As he did so, a +huge rattler glided away through the brush. + +Charley turned at the ranger's cry. He comprehended the situation at a +glance. "Quick!" he cried, springing to the ranger's side. "Give me your +arm." + +He jerked back the ranger's sleeve, disclosing two dark spots on the back +of the wrist where the fangs had punctured the skin. Drops of blood were +oozing from them. Charley whipped out his knife and without hesitation +drew the keen blade several times across the ranger's wrist. Blood began +to flow down the hand. Putting his lips to the wound, Charley sucked out +mouthful after mouthful of blood, which he spat on the ground. + +"Now squeeze your wrist tight just above the bite," said Charley. "Stop +the circulation of blood if you can." + +Like a flash Charley picked up the dog leash and tied an end of it around +the ranger's arm, close to the shoulder, drawing it so tight that the +ranger winced. He cut the dangling end and took a second turn just above +the ranger's elbow. Then he made a third turn half-way down the forearm. +With little sticks he twisted the cords still tighter. Then he jerked out +his hypodermic syringe, which he carried already filled with fluid, and +thrusting the needle into the bleeding arm, injected the permanganate into +the wound. + +Meantime, the ranger stood silent, his face pale, his jaws set +courageously. "Where did you learn to do all that?" he finally asked +Charley, with evident admiration. "You go about it like a doctor." + +"When the Wireless Patrol was in camp at Fort Brady," replied Charley, +"one of the fellows was bitten by a copperhead. Dr. Hardy had already +drilled us in first-aid and we knew just what to do. You bet none of us +will ever forget." + +"I shall owe my life to you," said Mr. Morton. "That is, I shall if----" + +"There's no if about it," interrupted Charley with determination. "We got +most of the poison out of your arm. I'll bet on that. What's left may make +you sick, but it can't kill you. What we've got to do is to prevent that +poison from reaching your heart, at least in any quantity. You sit down +against this tree and keep quiet so your heart will beat as slow as +possible. In about twenty minutes loosen this bottom cord. Loosen the +middle one after another twenty minutes, and open the third at the end of +an hour. That's all I know how to do. Thank God, we've got a wireless +here! Now I'm going to get it up as quick as possible." + +He tore open the pasteboard boxes and took out one instrument after +another, coupling up the wires quickly and skilfully. Then he seized the +little axe, chopped some branches for spreaders, fastened the aerial wires +to them, and added other wires to suspend them by. Quickly he selected two +trees for supports, and climbing up first one and then the other, soon had +his aerial dangling directly above the fire trail. He coupled up his +lead-in wire and ran his eye over the outfit. Everything was complete. +Only the power was lacking. With the axe he pried off the lid of the box +containing the battery, tore away the paper and excelsior wrappings, and +in another moment had his wires around the binding posts. He threw over +his switch, and springing to his key pressed his finger on it. A brilliant +flash shot between the points of his spark-gap. Rapidly he adjusted the +points until his instrument was giving a spark of maximum strength. Then +he settled himself to the task ahead. + +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," called Charley. (Frankfort Radio Station--Charley +Russell calling.) Several times he repeated the call. Then he shut off his +switch and sat in silence listening for a reply. None came. + +"They may be talking to somebody," he muttered. Again he called. +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," he flashed again and again. Once more he sat quiet +and listened. At first he got no reply. Then, clear as a bell on a frosty +morning, a signal sounded in his ear: "CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I." (Charley +Russell--I'm here.) + +Charley sighed with relief. "Got 'em," he said to the ranger. Then he +turned intently to his key. + +"Please telephone District Forester Marlin at Oakdale instantly," he +rapped out. "Ranger Morton bitten rattlesnake. Send motor-car where +battery was delivered this morning. May need man help ranger. Bring +doctor. Tell wife get ready. Will listen for answer." + +As Charley sat waiting for a reply, he studied the face of the ranger. It +was set hard. Courage was written on it plainly. + +The ranger started to speak. "Don't talk," interrupted Charley. "Keep as +quiet as you can, and watch your bandages. If you keep them tight too long +it harms your blood somehow." + +They sat in silence a while. Then Charley said, "I wish you didn't have to +walk, but I guess there's nothing for it but to hike out to the highway at +the earliest possible moment. We'll start the instant we've heard from Mr. +Marlin." + +"What about your instruments?" + +"I'll nail the cover on the battery box and put the other things in the +pasteboard box. I don't think anything will touch them. It's all we can +do, anyway." + +He felt in his pockets and found a stub of a pencil and a scrap of paper. +"Property of the Pennsylvania Forestry Department. Please do not touch," +he printed in large letters. With his knife blade he pried out the tacks +that held the address tag on the battery box and tacked his sign on the +box. Then his receiver began to buzz. Charley gave the return signal. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message. "Wants to know where you are and +how Morton is." + +Charley ticked off the information and waited for a reply. It came very +soon. "Will rush doctor and men. Come as far to meet me as you can." + + + + +Chapter XVIII + +The First Clue to the Incendiary + + + +Slowly Charley and his friend made their way along the fire trail toward +the highway and safety, Charley assisting the ranger as much as possible. +The latter began to suffer great pain in his arm and the limb started to +swell. Meantime, the forester, with a physician and a helper, was racing +at top speed to reach the ranger. At a pace utterly reckless he drove his +car over the forest road, and the instant the rescue party arrived at the +point where Charley and Mr. Morton would reach the highway, they plunged +into the forest. Faster than he had ever raced to a forest fire, the +forester sped along the trail, his companions striving doggedly to keep up +with him. He was deep in the woods before he met Charley and the ranger. + +With hand extended, the forester ran to his ranger. Their hands met in a +tight clasp. "How is it, Jim?" asked the forester, with anxious eyes. + +"I'm all right," rejoined the ranger. "I'll pull out of this all O.K. That +snake got me right, though. If it hadn't been for Charley here, I don't +know how I would have made out. He's as good as a doctor." + +By this time the doctor himself had come up, puffing too hard for words. +He nodded his head, clasped the ranger's hand, and with a single word of +greeting quickly began an examination of the injured arm. "How long ago +did this happen?" he puffed. + +"More than two hours ago," said the ranger. + +"You haven't kept these tight all that time, have you?" and the doctor +laid his finger on one of the cords around the ranger's arm. + +"No, sir. Charley had me loosen them, one at a time, every twenty minutes +or so." + +"That was quite right. What else have you done?" + +When the ranger had told him in detail exactly how Charley had treated +him, the doctor grunted, "Confound it! Then what did you hustle me out +here this way for? I thought you were at the point of death." + +Charley was amazed and offended at what he considered the heartlessness of +the physician. "You don't understand," he protested. "Mr. Morton was badly +bitten, sir." + +Charley was still more astonished when both the ranger and the forester +burst out laughing. He looked from one to the other questioningly. It did +not occur to him that this was merely the doctor's way of saying that +Charley had handled the situation about as well as he could have done it +himself. Evidently the forester did not propose to enlighten Charley, for +all he said was, "Don't let him worry you, Charley. He's just naturally +lazy and a grouch. He doesn't like it because I made him hustle for once, +and he's disappointed not to find Jim at the point of death. These doctors +are strange animals, Charley. But with all their faults we love them +still." And he slapped the physician affectionately on the shoulder. + +Charley looked puzzled. But concluding that silence was the best course, +he said no more. All this time the doctor was continuing his labors, and +Charley was amazed at the dexterous way he did things. + +For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger's heart. Then, +seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the +ranger's shirt. Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing +the arm to the shoulder. The physician examined it closely. The arm was +swelling fast. The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some +medicine. "Now we'll get to bed as soon as possible," he said, "and rest +for a few days." + +Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the +waiting motor-car. + +"Mr. Marlin," said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, "this +morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for +him, as well as my big battery. It's back where Mr. Morton was bitten. May +I get it and set it up in the ranger's house? It will be a good +opportunity for him to practice while he's at home. Mrs. Morton is +learning to operate the wireless, too. It would mean so much to both of +them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by +wireless." + +"How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?" + +"Not very long, sir. Perhaps an hour or two." + +"I don't like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this +season, Charley, but I guess we'll take a chance on it. Get your stuff to +the road as quick as you can. I'll take Jim home and return for you." + +The forester hastened after the ranger's party and Charley darted off into +the forest. At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire +trail. In a very little time he was back at the instruments. He took down +the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he +needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard +box. Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already +waiting to whirl him away to the ranger's house. + +If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger's wife +(though he hadn't), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight +of the ranger's home. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the +shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it. About the house itself +was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind +the house. The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence. +Lovely old trees shaded it. Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray +clapboards. Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and +there. There were flowers about the base of the house and along the +borders. The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn. Even now before +plant growth had started, the yard was attractive. With pleasure Charley +noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought +in from a forest plantation, at his gateway. One glance at the inviting +and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house +itself. + +Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as +clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and +beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently +received loving and intelligent care. On the wall Charley instantly noted +the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with +the ranger's portable telephone instrument. + +There was not the slightest doubt in Charley's mind that he was going to +like the ranger's wife. And when, a moment later, she came quietly into +the room and took his hand in hers and, with moist eyes, thanked him for +saving her husband's life, she won Charley's heart completely. She was +slight and girlish and good to look at, and made Charley think of some of +his nice girl friends at high school. Yet Mrs. Morton had been married a +good many years, for just behind her stood her daughter, Julia, a girl of +twelve, waiting her turn to thank Charley. + +But girlish though the ranger's wife appeared, Charley did not need to be +told that she was not of the weeping, hysterical sort. On every hand were +evidences of efficiency and foresight. A fire was evidently burning +briskly in the stove, and kettles of water, presumably heated in case of +need, were steaming on the range, easily seen through the open kitchen +door. In the sick-room were evidences of the same sort of forethought. +Everything that the house possessed that could possibly be useful in +treating the ranger had been assembled in handy little piles. This must +have been done before the ranger reached home, for most of the piles were +untouched. + +The ranger was resting comfortably in bed, though his arm was badly +swollen and his face was distorted with pain. At sight of Charley his +countenance lighted up. He reached out his left arm and wrung Charley's +hand until the lad winced. + +"The doctor says I'll pull through this all right, though I'll have a +painful time of it," said the ranger, "and he told the truth, at least as +far as the pain is concerned. But the pain's nothing. The thing that +counts is the fact that I am safe at home. I owe it to you, Charley, and +you may be sure I'll never forget." + +That was as much as the ranger, reticent, hating any display of emotion, +quiet like most men of the woods, could bring himself to say. But Charley +knew that it meant volumes. He tried to reply, but found himself also +suffering from a strange embarrassment. So Charley said good-bye to the +ranger, assured him that he would take good care of the forest, and set +about fixing the wireless outfit. The forester helped him. Quickly they +got up the aerial, brought the lead-in wire into the living-room, and set +up the instruments on a board table close beside the telephone instrument. + +"Now everything is complete except for the battery," Charley said to the +forester when they had finished wiring up the outfit. "Half a dozen dry +cells will supply all the current needed." + +"I'll send them out by the doctor in the morning," said the forester. + +Charley showed Mrs. Morton how to wire the cells and couple them to the +instruments. Then he told her how to adjust her spark-gap and tune the +instrument to any given wave-length. He compared his watch with the clock +on the wall. + +"At eight o'clock every night," he said, "I will call you up. Suppose you +take Mr. Morton's initials as your call signal. What are they?" + +"J. V. M.," replied Mrs. Morton. + +"Very well. Then at eight o'clock every night I will call J. V. M. slowly +a number of times. Then I will tick off the alphabet slowly and the +numerals one to ten. You listen in, and if the sounds are blurred or not +sharp, tune your instrument as I have shown you until you can hear +distinctly. If you make the letters with a pencil as you read them, it +may help you. I'm sure you will soon learn to read. I'll repeat the +alphabet and the numbers three times slowly. Then I'll listen in for five +or ten minutes. If you want to try to call me, give my signal and follow +it with your own, thus: 'CBC--CBC--CBC--JVM.' That means 'Charley +Russell--James Morton calling.' If I hear you, I will send the letters +'JVM--JVM--JVM--I--I--I.' That means 'James Morton--I am here.' Then you +can begin to send your message. I hope we'll be able to talk to each other +very soon." + +"It won't be my fault if we don't," smiled the ranger's wife. + +"Now I must be off," said Charley. "I've no doubt Mr. Marlin is getting +impatient. We'll just clean up this mess and then I'll go." + +"I'll clean things up," insisted Mrs. Morton. + +"No; I made the mess and I'll clean it up," protested Charley. + +He began to pile the torn pieces of pasteboard together so he could thrust +them into the stove. The bottom of the pasteboard box had been built up +with several layers of pasteboard, evidently cut from other boxes. Charley +took them out one at a time, preparatory to crumpling up the box itself. +As he lifted the last layer of pasteboard he stopped in blank amazement. +Then he called excitedly for Mr. Marlin. Before him lay a piece of green +pasteboard exactly like the charred fragment taken from the ash heap in +the burned forest. + + + + +Chapter XIX + +The Forester's Problem + + + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in astonishment. Then, "Keep +that," said the forester. "We'll talk the matter over on our way back." +Mrs. Morton, not comprehending what had happened, also looked astonished. +But like the wise woman she was, she held her peace. Charley tossed the +other pasteboards in the fire, stuffed the green piece in his pocket, and +said good-bye to his new friend. The forester, after telephoning to his +office, followed Charley, and a moment later the two were spinning up the +road toward the fire trail. + +"I can't understand it," said Charley. "Here's a package direct from Lew, +with the very clue we're looking for, and Lew never said a word about it. +I can't understand it. I'm certain Lew sent the box. That was his +handwriting on it. And I'm just as sure he never saw that bit of +pasteboard, for Lew would never slip up that way. I just can't understand +it." + +They reached the point where Charley was to leave the car and plunge into +the forest. But Mr. Marlin, instead of stopping his motor, turned into a +natural opening in the woods and drove slowly among the forest trees. In +a moment he ran the car into a stand of pines, where it was protected by +the dense tops above and well hidden from sight of the highway. + +"You couldn't get in here with anything but a Henry," laughed the +forester. "This old bus has taken me lots of places you would never have +believed possible." + +He took the key from the switch on the dashboard, and the two stepped to +the ground. Charley wondered what the forester intended to do, but by this +time he knew enough not to ask questions. The forester started up the +trail with him. When they came to the big battery Charley understood, for +without a word the forester took Charley's little axe and began to chop +poles to carry the battery with. In a few moments these handles were bound +fast. The forester tossed the traps over his shoulder. Charley tied the +amplifier box to his belt. Then they picked up the battery and started +toward camp. + +Suddenly Charley stopped. "By George!" he cried. "I forgot all about the +pup. I wonder where he got to." + +He whistled and whistled, but apparently in vain. They went on, and at +intervals Charley whistled for the dog while he and the forester were +resting. Still no dog appeared. Charley's face grew long. "Gee! I'll miss +that pup," he said regretfully. "Why didn't I think of him sooner?" + +Night was at hand when the two reached Charley's camp. Nothing had been +disturbed. Charley took advantage of the remaining daylight to couple up +the battery and the amplifier to his wireless. He tested the outfit and +found he had a strong spark that cracked like a whip when he touched the +key. + +"Look at that!" he cried. "Now I feel better. I can always get into +communication with somebody now." + +"You aren't a bit more pleased than I am, Charley," smiled the forester. +"I'll take back all I ever said about the wireless. If Morton can learn to +talk by wireless, the rest of my crew can also. When the dull season +comes, I'll start a radio school with you as instructor and we'll make +every man in the service learn to operate the wireless. The Department +ought to be glad to supply a good outfit; but if we can't get the money, +we can at least make some outfits like yours. We're going on a wireless +basis or my name is not Marlin." + +The forester was interrupted by a joyous bark and in rushed Charley's pup. +"You blessed little fellow," said Charley, fondling the animal. "I suppose +you lost our trail when we got into the motor-car and you probably hung +around the battery all day and followed our trail back here. That's pretty +good. You've got great stuff in you, pup. The next thing I teach you will +be to stand guard over things as you probably did over that battery +to-day." + +Darkness fell. Supper was cooked and eaten. "Have you heard that cat +lately, Charley?" asked the forester. + +"No," replied Charley, "but I think I'll put the traps out anyway." + +"We can attract it even if it isn't near by," said the forester. "Have you +a can of salmon that you can spare?" + +"Sure." + +"Then give me the traps and bring your can." + +Charley got the things asked for. The forester, taking the flash-light, +led the way through the thicket to the open forest. At some distance from +the camp the forester stopped and turned the beam from the search-light +upward. Finally he found what he was looking for--a small branch about +seven feet from the ground. Then he cut the top of the salmon can, and +punching holes in the sides near the top, fastened a string to the can and +suspended the can from the limb. Then he set the traps in a circle under +the can, fastening the chains to convenient saplings, and threw two or +three small pieces of the salmon on the ground within the circle of traps. +Then they made their way back to camp. + +Charley lighted a little friendship fire in the fireplace the ranger had +made, and the two sat down beside the flames. It was little more than +three weeks since Charley had first entered the forest. During that time +he had really seen very little of the forester. Yet as he sat beside his +chief, Charley felt as though he had known him always. A common emotion +had drawn them close together this day, and somehow Charley believed that +his feeling of affection for his chief was fully reciprocated. For a time +they sat in silence, each busy with his own thoughts. + +"Charley," said the forester, after a time, "this accident to Jim hits me +pretty hard. It not only leaves the finest piece of forest under my care +without a direct overseer at the most dangerous time of the year, but +there were so many things we had planned to do this spring that cannot be +done without a ranger to supervise them. To be sure, I could transfer a +ranger here, but I have work for every man in his particular district. +Besides, nobody knows this territory like Jim. I believe you know it +better than anybody besides Jim. I only wish you were old enough to take +his place for a time. + +"We're away behind with our planting, and there are trails to be brushed +out, new ones to be cut, roads to be built, camp sites to be selected, +timber to be cruised, a big lumber operation to be watched and the trees +to be marked for cutting and the lumber scaled, improvement cuttings to be +made, camp sanitation to be enforced, a fire-tower to be built on the +mountain here where your watch tree is. There's a tremendous lot of work +that Jim and I had mapped out for the spring and summer. + +"Now it looks as though we should not be able to get any of it done. We +can't do a thing without a ranger to direct operations. Part of the +timber to be cut is in Lumley's district. He joins you here on the north. +He will look after all the lumbering in his territory, and I may have to +let him take charge of it all. It's a big operation and will have to be +watched closely. I just wish I knew where I could find a man capable of +taking Jim's place for a while." + +"What will the ranger have to do in looking after this operation?" + +"He'll have to mark the trees to be cut and see that only those marked are +cut; and he'll have to make sure the regulations are observed in felling +the trees and disposing of the tops; and finally he'll have to scale the +lumber and make sure that the state gets paid for all that is cut." + +"What is there so difficult about that?" demanded Charley. "Tell me what +sort of trees are to be cut, and I can select and mark them as well as the +next man. And if you give me a copy of the regulations, I can tell whether +or not the lumbermen are observing them. If I can't make them live up to +regulations, I can easily report to you. And as for scaling timber, that's +a mere matter of arithmetic. I could learn to do that in five minutes. +Couldn't I help you with the lumbering? And as for the other jobs, Mr. +Marlin, give me some books that tell about them and let me study up on +them. I could put in several hours here every night in study. You don't +know how much I could learn in a week. And then you could give me some +practical lessons after I had studied up the theory of things. I'm sure I +can do lots of the work you were counting on Mr. Morton to do. Won't you +let me help you?" + +"Bless your heart, Charley! I know you mean every word you say. But you +don't realize the difficulties you would encounter. Your chief job would +be in handling men, tough men some of them, too. You could never do it, +never. But I certainly wish you were old enough to attempt it. There's +nobody I'd trust sooner than you, Charley. You've got a good education, +and you think quickly and clearly. You've been equal to every emergency +you've faced yet." + +"Then why isn't that a pretty good reason to trust me further?" + +"Trust you, Charley? I trust you absolutely. But you are too young. You +could never do it." + +Charley said no more. The hope that had sprung up in his heart died as +suddenly as it had been born. In his heart he believed that with all the +study and effort he was willing to put into it, he could do a ranger's +work all right. But he saw it was not to be. + +"Anyway," he muttered to himself, "I'm going to be a ranger some day, and +I'll show the chief now that I'm the best fire patrol he ever had. That's +the best way to qualify for promotion." + +He turned to his wireless, threw over his switch and flashed out the call +signal of the Wireless Patrol. In his delight at the power of his new +battery he almost forgot his disappointment. In a very short time he got +a reply from Henry. + +"Don't say anything about that pasteboard," cautioned the chief. + +"I don't intend to," answered Charley. "I'm going to write to Lew about it +and let you take the letter out in the morning. You never can tell who +will pick up a wireless message." + +For several minutes Charley chatted briskly with Henry, who said the new +battery carried the signals to him as clear as a bell. Charley told Henry +about Mr. Morton's accident, omitting reference to his own part in the +affair, and then through Henry got into touch with both Mrs. Morton and +the assistant forester at headquarters. Mr. Morton was getting along all +right, though he suffered very great pain. The forester's assistant +reported everything quiet in the forest. + +Charley turned away from his wireless key, and got out pencil and paper. +By the light of the candle lantern he began his letter to Lew, and had +almost finished it when the pup, his hair bristling, ran to the door of +the tent, growling savagely. An instant later both the forester and +Charley leaped to their feet as the stillness of the forest was broken by +an awful scream that rang through the dark and was thrown back by the +mountain in a magnified echo even more terrifying than the original cry. + + + + +Chapter XX + +Charley Wins His First Promotion + + + +With startled eyes, Charley looked at the forester, at the same time +reaching for his rifle. To Charley's surprise the forester began to grin. + +"I guess you got your cat, Charley," he chuckled. "But it sure did startle +a fellow." + +The first piercing scream of the wildcat was succeeded by a variety of +furious screams. The animal could be heard thrashing about in the leaves, +spitting, snarling, growling, rattling the chain, and evidently fighting +furiously to free itself from the trap. + +Taking both the candle lantern and the flash-light, as well as rifle and +axe, the two men started for the cat. + +"Grab that dog," said the forester, as the pup darted out of the tent +ahead of them. + +Charley whistled and called, but the pup was too wild with excitement to +heed the command. + +"Hurry up," said the forester, "or you won't have any pup left." + +They pushed rapidly through the thicket, then ran toward their traps. +Faintly they could see the wildcat. The pup was worrying it. With arched +back, hair erect, eyes ablaze, and snarling furiously, the wildcat was +waiting its opportunity to strike. The pup circled about it, yelping and +barking, every second growing bolder because the animal did not spring at +it. + +"Give me that rifle, quick!" said the forester. "That cat'll kill the pup +in another minute." + +He seized the weapon, sank on one knee, quickly sighted along the barrel, +and pulled the trigger. Even as he fired, the cat leaped toward the pup. +For a second there was a terrific scuffling in the leaves. Then the +search-light's beam showed the pup lying motionless, its neck broken and +torn, while the cat was clawing the air wildly, and spitting and snarling +in fury. + +"Don't ever let one of those critters get on your back, Charley," said the +forester, as he approached the cat for a final shot. "Sometimes they will +follow a fellow in the forest. It's seldom they really attack a man, but +if a fellow loses his nerve and runs, they will sometimes leap on him. A +single swipe of those claws will cut a fellow to ribbons." + +The forester was now close to the cat, which had gotten to its feet and +had crouched, snarling, ready for a leap. + +The forester circled so as to get a shot at the animal's shoulder. Quickly +raising his rifle, he fired. The cat screamed, clawed the air desperately +for a few seconds, and lay still. + +Charley rushed in and tenderly lifted his motionless pup from the ground. +There were tears in his eyes as he bore the little body to one side. "Poor +fellow," he said, "I'll miss you awfully. I was counting on you a lot to +help me guard this timber. You did the best you knew how. You thought you +were helping me, didn't you?" + +He passed his hand across his eyes and faced the forester. "It's some +consolation to know that that beast paid for this, and paid well. I'm sure +glad he's dead. It's a good thing for the forest." + +"Yes, that's a good job done," replied the forester, "and a nice skin and +a bounty for you. That ought to be some consolation to you. But I'm mighty +sorry about the pup. Whenever you can, get rid of those fellows. How many +young deer or other harmless animals do you suppose this fellow would have +slaughtered before another spring?" + +Making sure that the cat was really dead, the forester opened the trap. + +Then he picked up the dead cat and led the way back to the tent. "I'll +show you how to skin this fellow," he said, and, taking out his knife, +began to remove the hide. + +"Gee!" exclaimed Charley. "Wouldn't the fellows like to know about this?" +He looked at his watch. "Some of them will surely be listening in," he +said. + +Then he sat down beside his key, and while he watched the forester skin +the wildcat, he kept his spark-gap snapping and cracking with the fat +sparks from the new battery. He was calling Lew. He got no answer and +flashed out the signal for the Wireless Patrol. Almost immediately Henry +answered. His workshop was the headquarters of the Wireless Patrol. + +"Hello, Henry," rapped out Charley. "Do you know where Lew is?" + +"He's right here," came the answer. "So are most of the other fellows." + +"Tell them," replied Charley, "that we just caught the wildcat in the +traps you sent, and Mr. Marlin is skinning it. I'm going to get him to +show me how to tan it. When it's done, I'm going to send it to the +Wireless Patrol to help furnish our headquarters. I'm going to add the +eight dollars bounty money to the club fund for wireless equipment." + +Then came a long pause. Finally this message came back to Charley. "The +Wireless Patrol thanks you, Charley, but we want you to sell the skin and +use the money and the bounty to pay for the field-glasses you need." + +Charley turned away from his instrument with a suspicious moisture in his +eyes. It touched him deeply that his fellows were so solicitous concerning +his welfare and success. He did not realize that he was merely reaping the +reward of his own kindly good nature, that had made him a general favorite +with the boys of the Wireless Patrol. + +There were no further alarms that night. Early in the morning the ranger +started back to his office, taking with him the letter to Lew. Charley +accompanied him part of the way. Then he continued on his patrol. + +The next time Charley met the forester he received Lew's answer to his +letter. Lew had addressed the box, but several of the boys of the Wireless +Patrol had helped to pack it. The piece of green pasteboard proved to be +from a box in which Henry had gotten shoes by mail. The box came from +Carson and Derby, a big New York mail-order concern. Almost everybody in +the country around Central City bought articles from mail-order houses, so +Lew's letter threw no light on the problem. There might be a green +pasteboard box of that particular pattern in every farmhouse in the +county. Yet as Charley thought the matter over, he recalled that almost +everybody he knew who shopped by mail traded with Slears and Hoebuck, of +Chicago. + +The days passed. Little happened to vary the monotony. Yet the sameness of +life in the forest was far from being bothersome to Charley. On the +contrary, he found new delights every day. + +Spring was now well advanced. The trees would soon be in leaf, the flowers +were coming along in rotation, and the forest fairly pulsed with life. Now +Charley found a gorgeous bed of blood-root. Again he came on great patches +of arbutus. Here the Dutchman's-breeches grew in rich clumps. There +spring-beauties fairly whitened the earth. Violets, Jacks-in-the-pulpit, +marsh-marigolds, and dozens of other familiar and lovely blooms he found +as he wandered through the forest. + +There was nothing Charley liked more than the flowers. He determined to +know every bloom in his section of the forest. So he divided his territory +into definite strips, patrolling a different strip each day. Thus he +became intimately acquainted with every part of his district. + +There were more objects than flowers, however, to delight him. The birds +and the animals were a constant source of pleasure. Often he had +opportunity to study their actions and their habits. The mating season +brought a wealth of pleasing experiences. Sometimes he came across a +mother grouse with her brood of little ones. It pleased Charley to see how +the tiny creatures scattered and hid among the leaves, making themselves +invisible at the first warning note from the mother, while she fluttered +along before him, dragging a wing as though it were broken, and drawing +him farther and farther from her little ones. Wild turkeys, too, he saw, +and many other feathered inhabitants of the forest. + +Perhaps nothing touched Charley so much as an incident that occurred late +one day when he was fighting a small fire. The fine, spring weather +brought out regiments of fishermen, and numbers of them got deep into the +woods. Whenever he possibly could, Charley avoided meeting them. Sometimes +Charley could not avoid a meeting. Then he always posed as a fisherman. +He never moved abroad these days without his rod. The rifle he had +temporarily laid aside. More than one little fire, started by careless +fishermen, Charley detected and extinguished. + +One day he saw smoke at a considerable distance. By the time he could +reach the spot, the fire had a good start and had already burned over +several acres. It was blazing briskly and Charley was at first uncertain +as to whether he should attempt to fight it alone or call help. But night +was at hand, the wind was already falling, and Charley decided that he +could conquer the blaze single-handed. He judged that the best way to do +this was by beating it out with brush. + +Quickly chopping a pine bough, Charley attacked the fire. It was not a +fierce blaze, though when the fitful wind blew strong it flamed up +savagely. Even the tiniest of forest fires is hot enough, and Charley +found it trying work. He had many hundreds of yards of flame to beat out. +The smoke and the heat were stifling and exhausting, and every little +while Charley had to turn away from the fire to rest and get his breath. +During such periods, Charley would walk back along the fire-line to make +sure that the blaze was extinguished behind him. + +Darkness came quickly in the deep valley, and before Charley had the blaze +half extinguished, he was unable to see distinctly. Indeed he could hardly +have seen anything at all had it not been for the fitful light of the +flames; and this dancing light made objects appear uncertain and unreal. + +In one of his trips back along the line, Charley came to a stump that was +ablaze. In beating out the flames just here, he had failed to extinguish +some tiny sparks in a hollow place at the base of the stump. The wind had +fanned these into life after Charley had passed on, and the fire had +communicated to the stump. Now the stump was a pillar of flame. At any +moment sparks might fly from it and rekindle the fire. + +Charley beat at the stump with his brush until the flames had entirely +disappeared. But fearing that sparks might yet be smouldering under the +bark or in the dry wood, Charley began scraping the sides of the stump. As +his hand reached the top of the stump, there was a sudden startling whir +of wings and something shot upward into the dark. Charley recoiled as +though shot. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs. His first thought +was of the sudden blow the rattler had given the ranger. Yet he knew it +was no rattler that had suddenly sprung upward into the night. He drew +forth his flash-light, which he always carried, and turned the beam of +light on the top of the stump. There lay two little turtle-doves, unharmed +despite the fierce flames that had played about them. They had been +protected by the mother dove's body. + +"Little turtle-dove," said Charley, "I take off my hat to you. When +anybody tells me about a deed of heroism hereafter, I'll tell them about +you and how you hovered over your young ones while the flames were slowly +roasting you. I'm certainly glad I got here when I did. You would have +been burned in another five minutes and your little ones with you." + +Charley started back to the line of flames again. "If a turtle-dove can do +a thing like that," he muttered to himself, "you're a poor thing if you +can't face a little blaze like this." + +He cut a new bush, once more fell on the fire, and never ceased his +efforts until not a single blaze lighted the forest. Then he stepped +inside the burned area and made his way completely around the edge of it. +The ashes were hot and Charley knew that they might scorch the leather in +his shoes. But he also knew there would be no rattlesnakes where the fire +had burned. When Charley came to the stump again, he turned his +flash-light on its top. The dove had returned and was once more hovering +over her little ones. + +When he was certain that the fire was absolutely extinguished, Charley +made his way through the dark forest to his tent and made his nightly +report. It gave him great happiness to be able to report that the fire was +extinguished and that once more all was well in the forest. + +Mr. Marlin had sent out to Charley a package of books that dealt with +various phases of work in the forest. Night after night, by the light of +candles, Charley sat in his tent studying his texts. He found them +fascinating. Here in the forest, where every day he could see illustrated +the truth of what he had read the night before, he learned, with +unbelievable rapidity. Whenever he came to anything in his texts that he +did not understand, he made a note of it. Sometimes at night he got Lew on +the wireless and through him questioned the forester. He did not want to +bother the government wireless men except in case of necessity. + +Two or three times a week the forester came out to see Charley and to keep +an eye on this, his finest stand of timber. From time to time he brought +supplies and more books. Indeed Charley's capacity to acquire what was in +the books astonished the forester. He knew that Charley understood because +of his intelligent questions and his increasingly intelligent practices; +for, without orders to do it, Charley was voluntarily doing many of the +tasks that Mr. Morton should have done in the forest. As he grew in +comprehension of the needs of the forest, Charley began to make +suggestions to the forester. More than one of these proved practicable, +and Charley was given permission to go ahead with the proposals. Before he +knew it, Charley found himself working sixteen hours a day and regretting +that the days were not longer. And as always happens to people who are +busy about work they love, Charley was supremely happy. + +Not the least part of his happiness came from his wireless talks with the +ranger's wife. With a speed that surprised him, Mrs. Morton learned both +to read and send. On the very first evening after the doctor brought her +dry cells, Mrs. Morton managed to tick out an acknowledgment of Charley's +call. And though it was faltering and uneven, Charley read it and smiled +with delight. As he slowly ticked off the letters of the alphabet and the +first ten numerals, Mrs. Morton listened intently, jotting down the dots +and dashes on a bit of paper. + +When Charley had repeated his message according to promise, he flashed out +the call signal for the Wireless Patrol and promptly got a reply from +Henry. Through Henry he made his nightly report to the forester, and +through the forester sent his congratulations to Mrs. Morton on the +success of her initial attempt at radio communication, and inquired after +the sick ranger. So both Charley and his new friend were happy that night. + +It was quite evident to Charley, when he called Mrs. Morton on the +following night, that she must have spent much of the day practicing at +her key; for the certainty and assurance with which she transmitted her +brief message this time could have come only from hours of practice. Now, +in addition to acknowledging Charley's call, she added the simple message, +"Jim is improving." Charley did not guess that she had practiced that +short message for an hour. Even if he had, he would have been none the +less pleased; for practice was the very thing needed to make her an +efficient operator. By the time three weeks had elapsed, Mrs. Morton could +communicate with Charley readily. Also her husband was improving every +day, though it would still be weeks before he could resume his duties. +Altogether, Charley's cup of happiness seemed full to overflowing. + +There was still more happiness in store for him, however,--a happiness he +had not dared to hope for. One day Mr. Marlin appeared at Charley's camp +just at dusk. Charley was about to cook his supper. At once he doubled the +portions of food to be cooked, and while he worked over his fire, he +reported to his superior on the condition of the forest under his charge. +By this time Charley knew every inch of it intimately. He had just +completed an inspection, lasting several days, of the entire area. He was +enthusiastic about his work and full of plans for the future. Practically +all his suggestions were good, and the forester smiled and smiled with +approval, as he sat back in the shadow, listening. + +When Charley had completed his statement, the forester said, "Charley, +your report is very satisfactory, and I am especially pleased with the way +you comprehend the needs of the situation and plan for improvements. I +approve of practically all your suggestions. How would you like to go +ahead and work them out?" + +"They ought to be done," said Charley impetuously. Then he stopped. "I +mean," he corrected himself, "that it seems to me they ought to be. But to +do most of them would require a ranger with a crew of men." + +"But you haven't answered my question," said the forester with a kindly +smile. + +Charley looked puzzled. "I told you I think that they ought to be done." + +"Still you haven't answered my question." + +Charley stopped a moment to try to recall exactly what the forester had +said. Then he went on. "Of course, I should like to work them out, for +they ought to be done. But I also told you it would need a ranger and a +crew of men. I <i>couldn't</i> do all those things alone." + +The forester began to laugh. "Charley," he said fondly, "the Bible tells +us there are none so blind as those who won't see. If you were the ranger +in charge of those men, would you still like to do the work?" + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean----" + +"Yes, I do. Your service as a fire patrol ends to-night. To-morrow you +take charge of this section as temporary ranger, pending Jim Morton's +recovery. I just can't get along without a ranger in this district. Work +is being neglected, the big lumber operation has already commenced in +Lumley's district, and things are piling up here too deep. I can't get +along another day without a new ranger." + +Charley was too happy for words. "I'll do my best," he said, with +quavering tones. But in a moment he got command of himself. "You told me I +couldn't handle a crew of men," he said. + +"Maybe you can't, Charley, but you've handled everything else and handled +it well. It is plain that you love the forest and understand as much about +its needs as any ranger I have. A little experience is all you need to +make a first-class ranger. I'll give the men a talking to. When I get +done, they'll know it won't pay to monkey with you, even if you are only a +high school boy. Now, Ranger Russell, I think we had better turn in and +get some sleep, for we'll have to pull foot early to-morrow." + + + + +Chapter XXI + +A Trouble Maker + + + +Pull foot early they did, too. Charley himself was no sluggard, but the +forester's capacity for work simply amazed him. He knew the forester was +on the job late every night, for he reported to him each night the last +thing before he went to bed. Yet whenever the forester spent the night +with Charley, Mr. Marlin was up at an early hour; and the present occasion +proved no exception. + +Mr. Marlin had never said much about himself to Charley, and no one else +had happened to do so; but Mr. Marlin had worked himself up from the +ranks. He had been a fire patrol and later a ranger, and then had attended +the state forestry school, as the other district foresters had done. + +His unusual training, great diligence, intelligence, and untiring energy +had made him one of the ablest men in the service. By sheer ability he had +won for himself the oversight of this district, which was one of the most +important in the entire million acres of state forest lands. + +Hardly was the forester afoot this morning before he had a fire going and +breakfast cooking. Before breakfast was ready, the two forest guardians +began to strike camp. Charley took down his wireless and stowed it as +compactly as possible. The tent was lowered and rolled up. Everything was +gotten into portable shape, and as soon as breakfast was over, the dishes +were washed and they, too, were added to the bundles. + +"I don't care to let anybody know where your camp was," said the forester. +"I may want to use this site again. So we'll have to pack our stuff out +ourselves, at least part of the way. I am going to put a crew of men in +here to-morrow and they can finish carrying out the duffel if we cave in +before we reach the road. It will be a pretty good load." + +Each of them strapped a big pack to his back. The rifle and the +fishing-rod had been fastened to the battery, which in turn was roped to +poles for handles. In this way it was possible for the two to carry all +Charley's outfit. By sun-up the two were already on the trail. They toiled +up the slope and crossed the ridge close to Charley's watch-tower. The way +was rough and the going hard. But once they struck a fire trail, the path +was easy. Yet at best it was a hard and toilsome hike, and several hours +elapsed before they reached the forester's motor-car, which he had +concealed in the pines. Both of them were tired, and Charley felt as +though his arms were about ready to part from his shoulders. + +Most of their journey had been made in silence. But now that they were +seated comfortably in a motor-car, they once more began to talk. + +"I had to bring you in from the forest, Charley," explained Mr. Marlin, +"because as a ranger it will be necessary for you often to be at +headquarters. I have arranged for you to live with Ranger Lumley. His +district adjoins yours, and his house, right in the forest, is near the +dividing line. So it will be about as convenient for you as it is for him. +He is to be at the office to meet us and look after you. We'll pick him up +and go on to his house with your things." + +Ranger Lumley was on hand as the forester had said he would be. Charley +had found Ranger Morton and his wife so likable that he was glad indeed of +the opportunity to become acquainted with this second ranger. But the +minute he laid eyes on him, he felt a chill of disappointment. Yet he +could not have told exactly why. Somewhere, too, he felt sure, he had seen +the man before; though he could not remember when or where. + +Lumley was a man small of stature, with a hooked nose, fishy blue eyes, a +thin, hard mouth, and a face seamed and wrinkled. Yet he was quite +evidently not an old man. Charley had noticed that some of the tough +characters in his home town looked like that, and the more he studied +Ranger Lumley's face, the less he liked the man. Particularly did he +dislike his eye. Once he caught the ranger looking at him slyly, and the +gleam in the ranger's eye reminded Charley of the vicious look of a horse +when he shows the white of his eye. It seemed to Charley, too, as though +there was something suggestive of craftiness and cunning in the man's +countenance. + +When they reached the Lumley home, Charley felt his dislike for the man +increasing. Unlike the neat and attractive dwelling of the Mortons, the +Lumley house was dirty and disorderly. The children were unclean and +ragged. They had no manners whatever. Yet they obeyed readily enough when +their father spoke to them. But it did not take Charley long to discover +that they obeyed because of fear. When he realized that, he thought of the +vicious look he had noted in the ranger's eye. There were dogs innumerable +about the place, and they all slunk away when their master approached. Yet +all the time, as he showed Charley about, the ranger was almost +obsequious. This evident contradiction between the man's actions and his +looks made Charley distrust him immediately, and it was with heavy heart +that he said good-bye to Mr. Marlin and watched him drive away. + +The ranger showed Charley to the room that was to be his. Charley began to +carry his luggage up-stairs. He would much rather have taken it all +himself, but the ranger insisted upon helping him. When Charley saw how +the man eyed every package and scrutinized every article, he understood +quickly enough that Lumley wanted to help him, not because of any wish to +be courteous, but simply because of his burning curiosity. Especially was +the ranger curious about Charley's wireless outfit, but Charley +volunteered no information. + +The more Charley considered his situation, the gloomier he felt concerning +it. He had looked forward to his coming, after Mr. Marlin had told him of +the arrangement, with a feeling of pleasant anticipation. Charley was not +the least bit shy and made friends readily. He had a feeling that all the +men in the Forest Service must be pretty fine men and that their interest +in their work would make them, like Mr. Marlin and Mr. Morton, eager to +help a recruit. Thus Charley had believed that Lumley would be very +helpful to him. He had intended to put himself more or less in Lumley's +hands and trust to the ranger for guidance. But a very few minutes spent +with Lumley made Charley feel that he could not take the man into his +confidence. He almost felt as though he dared not, though when he came to +consider the matter fully, that attitude seemed foolish. Lumley was a +guardian of the forest as well as himself, and surely he could trust him +with matters that pertained to the forest. + +Charley tried to fight down this feeling of distrust. It seemed to him +very wrong to accept a man's hospitality, even if he was to pay well for +it, and at the same time be suspicious of the man. But hardly had he +decided that he ought to be frank with his fellow ranger when Lumley began +asking questions that caused the feeling of distrust to return with +renewed force. Lumley's questions were intended to seem innocent enough; +but Charley was sharper than he perhaps looked, and he saw the real intent +behind the questions. The man was slyly trying to find out all he could +about Charley's history, and particularly how much Charley had been paid +as a fire patrol and what he was to get as a ranger. + +Charley answered most of Lumley's questions openly enough, but could not +tell him what he was to get as a ranger, for he had never once thought +about the matter, nor had Mr. Marlin mentioned it. But when Charley told +Lumley so, he could see that the ranger did not believe him. + +When the ranger began to question Charley about his recent work in the +woods, Charley answered him evasively. Lumley knew that Charley had been +acting as fire patrol, because Mr. Marlin had told him so. But Charley +felt very sure he did not know where the secret camp had been pitched, for +Mr. Marlin had distinctly said that matter was a secret between Charley +and himself. So Charley answered him evasively and soon turned the +conversation to other matters. + +While Charley was arranging his duffel, two or three dirty youngsters came +bouncing into the room and at once began to drag Charley's wireless +apparatus from the pasteboard box. With a cry Charley sprang toward them +and snatched the instruments out of their hands. The ranger gave a savage +oath and aimed a kick at the lads, but they dodged and ran from the room. + +At first Charley was terribly annoyed. But in a second he was glad the +incident had happened. Nothing had been injured and he had had a warning +of what might be expected. It gave him a good opportunity to shut up his +things without seeming to be suspicious of his host. Charley acted at +once. + +"I have no need of this wireless outfit at present," he said, "and if you +have a spare box and some nails, I will just nail these things up until I +have time to set up the outfit." So the wireless instruments were safely +boxed up and locked in a closet, along with Charley's rifle and +fishing-rod. There was nothing in his remaining luggage that could be much +harmed, even if the youngsters did get hold of things. + +As soon as his belongings were stowed away, Charley decided that he would +go to the forester's office and talk over his work. He had three miles to +walk, and although he had already trudged several times that distance, +heavily loaded, he did not hesitate for a moment. When Lumley suggested +that he use the telephone and avoid the walk, Charley merely smiled. + +"I don't mind it," he said. + +"I'd like to see myself walk that distance for any such fool errand," +growled the ranger. + +When Charley had said he didn't mind the walk he had told the truth. Yet +he had understated it. The fact was that he hugely enjoyed the walk. He +was rested from his long carry, and with nothing to weight him down, his +feet felt light as feathers. He trudged briskly along the smooth highway, +every sense alive to the delights of the forest. All about him the woods +were vocal with the calls of birds. The wind whispered and sighed in the +pine tops. And sometimes, when the air in the bottom was still as sluggish +water, Charley could hear the wind roaring among the trees far up on the +hillsides. The scent of spring was in the air--that indescribable mixture +of the smell of opening buds and flowers and green things and rank +steaming earth, that together make such an intoxicating odor. And all +about him Charley caught glimpses of the wild life of the forest. + +It was late in the day when he reached the forester's office. The forester +seemed greatly surprised to see him. + +"I came to talk to you about my work," explained Charley. + +The forester frowned. "What is the telephone for?" he asked a bit +brusquely. + +"I didn't want to talk over my business before that man," protested +Charley. + +The forester looked at him sharply. "What business do you have excepting +the business of the forest?" he asked. + +"None," said Charley. + +"Then surely you could discuss forest matters in the presence of a +ranger." + +"It may be that I am unreasonable," said Charley, "but I don't like that +man. There's something about him that I don't trust." + +The forester looked at Charley searchingly. "Sometimes," he said, "I +almost feel that way myself. I realize that Lumley is mouthy and +inquisitive and disagreeable personally, but he has been in the Forest +Service a long time and it hardly seems right not to trust him. He's a +pretty efficient ranger." + +"Well, I'm here, anyway," continued Charley. "I came to find out what my +first duties are to be and how to do them." + +"There's a little tree planting that simply must be done in your +territory, late though it is," said Mr. Marlin. "To-morrow I shall send +you out with a small crew to do it." + +"Please show me just how it ought to be done," said Charley. + +The forester smiled with approval. "Come out-of-doors," he said, picking +up a mattock. And he led the way to a bed of seedling spruces that had +been heeled in the ground, and dug up two or three of them. + +"These ought to be lifted in small bunches and their roots puddled," he +said, dipping the earth-covered roots in water to show how to puddle them. +"They should be planted thus." He struck his mattock sharply into the +soil, bent it to one side, and in the hole thus opened thrust a tiny tree. +Then he stepped on the ground close to the seedling and pressed the earth +tight about it. + +"That's all there is to it," he said. "Your crew will work in pairs, one +man carrying the trees in a pail of water and inserting them in the +ground, while the other man carries the mattock and opens the holes. The +trees should be planted in straight rows and about four feet apart each +way. You will have to go ahead of the crew and set up the line pole. Pick +out some trees or saplings to sight by and you will have no trouble to +keep your line straight." + +"Is that all?" + +"You'll have to oversee the work, of course. Make sure the planting is +done right, and watch your men. You will have to take whatever steps seem +necessary to keep them working well and cheerfully. Sometimes it is a good +thing to switch a man from one job to another. It rests him to use another +set of muscles." + +"What else am I to do?" + +"Day after to-morrow I want you to brush out the fire trails leading to +your old camp. That is, you must start brushing them out. It will take +several days. They are so overgrown now that they are a real menace to the +forest. These trails were originally five feet wide. We took out all the +roots and underground growths down to mineral soil. You must cut away all +the brush that has grown in, chop it into short lengths, and pile it in +little piles in the trail itself for burning on windless days. You must +grub out the roots that have grown in, too. Really the entire trail ought +to be grubbed again, but we can't do that now. You will have to assign men +to cut brush, to pile it, and to grub up the roots. That's about all I +can tell you." + +"It sounds very easy," said Charley, "but I am willing to confess that +handling these tough looking mountaineers is more than I counted on." + +"Are you going to quit so soon?" asked the forester with scorn. "I thought +you had more stuff in you than that, Charley." + +Charley turned red. "Who said anything about quitting?" he demanded. "I +only want to know what I am to do if I get into trouble with the men." + +"That's more than I can tell you. It's up to you as a ranger to find the +ways to manage your men. But I can tell you this. It is always best to +follow Mr. Roosevelt's plan and speak softly but carry a big stick. Be +kind to the men. Be square with them. Play no favorites. Look after their +interest. But don't let them loaf on the job. They expect to have to work, +and they won't have much respect for a man who doesn't hold them to their +task. After all, they are not very different from horses. They have to be +driven if they are to work." + +"I suspect some of them will be hard to drive," said Charley, "if the few +I have seen hereabout are good samples." + +"It all depends upon how you get started with them. Don't let them get +away with you. Let them know you are the boss. And remember this: as a +ranger you have power to hire and fire these men. If it comes to a +show-down, don't hesitate to fire a man. We're short-handed, but we can +much better afford to lose a laborer than to have an entire crew spoiled." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "I feel better already. If you don't mind, I'm +coming to you before each new job and get you to show me exactly how it +should be done. A fellow can get along so much better if he really knows +what he is talking about." + +"Good boy," smiled the forester. "I don't believe I am going to be +disappointed in you, Charley." + +Charley shook the forester's hand and started back to his new habitation, +which he reached just as supper was ready. + +After supper he and the ranger talked about the forest. Or rather Lumley +did. He was so loquacious that Charley soon stopped talking and let his +companion carry on the conversation alone. Lumley was quite able to do it, +for he was truly, as Mr. Marlin had described him, mouthy. He had +something to say about everything, and what he had to say was usually of a +derogatory character. He was guarded in what he said about Mr. Marlin, yet +Charley saw that he was trying to damn the forester by faint praise. + +"You may make a good ranger in time all right," he said bluntly to +Charley, "but it seems mighty funny to me to take a raw high school boy +and put him in charge of the finest stand of timber in the entire forest. +I'm the man that post ought to go to. Besides, I have a greater interest +in that timber than any one else." + +Charley choked back his resentment at the statement about himself and +asked, "Why have you a greater interest in that timber than any one else?" + +"Because our family used to own that timber," he said, sudden passion +inflaming his eyes. And Charley once more saw in them that savage look he +had detected before. "If my old fool of a grandfather hadn't let himself +be bilked out of the whole holding," he said coarsely, "I'd own that +timber to-day and I'd be a millionaire instead of a poor forest-ranger. By +rights the land is mine, anyway." And again the ranger swore at his dead +ancestor. + +Charley listened in disgust but made no comment. The ranger saw that he +had talked too much. He muttered an apology. "When I see somebody else +getting the money that ought to be mine," he said, "it makes me so mad +that I could almost commit murder." Then he quickly changed the +conversation and once more became the smooth, oily individual he was when +Charley first saw him. + +But Charley had seen and heard enough to be utterly disgusted with the +man. As early as possible he got away to his room on the pretext of +weariness, but it was a long time before he went to bed. + +Early next morning he was at headquarters, where Mr. Marlin introduced him +to the half dozen men who were to serve under him. Ordinarily ten men +would form a unit for planting, but Charley did not know that, and so was +ignorant of the fact that Mr. Marlin had tried to make his first day of +authority easy and successful by giving him only a few selected men to +handle. Mr. Marlin introduced Charley to the men one by one, as they came +in. Charley tried to talk to them, but found it rather difficult. The +mountaineers had little to say. + +When the men were all on hand, Mr. Marlin turned to them and said, "By the +way, men, this is the lad who saved Morton's life." + +At the mention of the sick ranger, Charley saw the men's faces light up. + +"He's a little young yet, but he knows his business. Jim says he handled +the snake-bite as well as any doctor could have done. I want you all to be +good to this lad and help him as much as you can." + +Now they had found something in common to talk about. All day long, at +intervals, the crew discussed rattlers; and Charley told them, at their +request, just how the ranger was bitten and what had been done to save +him. + +"You see," he said, "the danger from snake-bite comes when the poison +reaches the heart. So it is necessary to suck as much of it out as +possible and to prevent the remainder from reaching the heart except a +little at a time. That's why the bandages were put on the arm so tight. +The old notion of taking a stimulant was all wrong. The thing to do is to +keep the heart beating as slowly as possible until the venom reaches it. +Then if it begins to slow up, give a stimulant." + +This suggestion was contrary to all forest practice and Charley could see +that the men were greatly interested in it. How much his recital about the +snake contributed to his success that day he never realized. He kept his +lines straight, switched his men from one task to another, now relieved +this man or that, and did his work in such a highly efficient manner that +he would have had no trouble anyway; but at intervals all through the day +the men reverted to the rattlesnake story. They were so busy thinking +about something else they almost forgot about Charley. + +But the next day had a different tale to tell. The forester had increased +Charley's crew by four men, and a tougher looking lot Charley had never +seen. Rough, rugged, reckless mountaineers, there was not one of them who +could not have picked Charley up and broken him in half with ease. And one +of them, a tall, surly fellow, was quite evidently bent on making trouble. + +Charley's knees almost shook under him when he faced the crew and realized +that it was up to him to command and control these men. Also he knew that +he was lost if he showed any hesitation. The instant the party reached the +trail, therefore, Charley seized an axe. + +"Let's get at it, men," he said, starting work himself. + +"What do you want us to do?" asked the tall, surly looking chap. The +others gathered round to see what Charley would say. And Charley realized +that he was on trial with the men. + +"You heard what the forester said," he replied pleasantly. "We're to brush +this trail out. I want it made as good as it was when it was first +completed. Mr. Marlin said you were a mighty good crew and knew your +business thoroughly. So you don't need any instructions from me." + +Evidently the reply tickled the men. Charley saw one or two of them nudge +their fellows and chuckle; and all of them looked slyly in the direction +of the man who had asked the question. Charley judged that the fellow was +trying to make game of him and that the crew thought Charley had come out +on top. Charley did not mean to lose this slight initial advantage. + +With his axe he began briskly chopping away the brush along the sides of +the trail. Here and there he noticed little bushes that had sprung up in +the trail itself. + +"I wish you would take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and +grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get +everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop +up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless +days." + +The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently +they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned +two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he +worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be +prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked +back among the crew to see that the work was being done right. + +Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked +cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall, +surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no +attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not +overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes, +crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for +brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original +size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer +was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the +original five-foot area. + +The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others, +scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation +and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered +Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly, +"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width. +Just take out those bushes you have missed." + +"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't +half as wide as that." + +"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley +good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey +orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally." + +The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes. +"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But +nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how +this trail ought to be brushed." + +Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly +agitated. His heart beat so fast and the pulse in his temples throbbed so +violently that he was afraid the men would see how excited he was. But he +took a grip on himself and answered slowly, thinking hard all the time, +and trying not to betray his real feelings. Again he recalled what his +chief had said about letting the men know he was boss. + +"You are quite right," said Charley slowly. "Nobody can make you take +orders from a high school boy. This is a free country and you do not have +to take orders from anybody if you don't want to. You are free to quit +this job at any time you like and nobody can stop you. But as long as you +stay on the job you will have to obey orders. I'll give you your time and +you can get your pay at the office if you want to quit. If you want to +stay, just brush out that trail as Mr. Marlin wants it brushed." + +Without waiting for a reply Charley turned away and returned to his place +at the head of the line. The men about him resumed their work with a will. +In a moment the tall laborer picked up his axe and began clearing out the +bushes he had missed. Charley had won. + + + + +Chapter XXII + +Charley Finds Another Clue + + + +As he trudged homeward that evening, Charley pondered over the events of +the day. At first he did not know whether to rejoice or be sorry over the +outcome of his encounter with the laborer. He was sure the man would hate +him, and if he did, he might try to make more trouble for him. On the +other hand, he realized that if he had let the man get the better of him, +he could never have hoped to maintain discipline; and Charley was old +enough to know that without discipline he could not succeed in any post of +authority. + +Perhaps he was most worried by the fact that he could not talk to Mr. +Marlin about the matter. Of course, he could have used the telephone, but +the idea of discussing his difficulties before the Lumley family was so +repugnant to him that he could not bring himself to attempt it. So he +decided to get up his wireless at once. Then he could talk to Mr. Morton +and Lumley could not understand what was being said. He felt free to tell +the Mortons anything. By this time Mrs. Morton could operate the wireless +readily and her husband was learning fast. So Charley hurried to eat his +supper and get his wireless installed. + +He foresaw that Lumley would insist upon helping him. He steeled his mind +to the event and accepted the proffered assistance with the best grace he +could. Afterward he thanked his lucky stars that he had done so. + +While there was still light enough out-of-doors, Charley assembled and +hoisted his aerial; and Lumley, who was really dexterous, was of great +help to him. As soon as the aerial dangled aloft, Lumley got tools to bore +a hole in the window-sash for the lead-in wire. + +Now Charley got another insight into Lumley's character. It was a little +difficult to make the hole just where it was wanted. Lumley instantly +became impatient and went ahead recklessly. Suddenly his bit snapped. With +a volley of oaths, Lumley threw down his brace and hammered the broken bit +out of the window-frame. In doing so, he broke out a long splinter of +wood, leaving a gaping crack in the sash. He swore until he was out of +breath. Then he got some putty and puttied up the hole, forcing the putty +into the crack with his thumbs. Then the wire was brought in through the +sash and Charley began wiring up his instruments. But it had taken half an +hour to accomplish what five minutes of patience would have done. Charley +was utterly disgusted with the ranger's show of temper. + +As he coupled up the instruments, he answered, as politely as he could, +the ranger's numberless questions. Behind every question he saw, or +thought he could see, some ulterior motive. By every means he could, +Lumley was trying to find out all that was possible about Charley and his +relations with the forester. And Charley could see that Lumley was envious +of his intimacy with Mr. Marlin and jealous of him because, though a mere +boy, he was already as high up in the service as Lumley was after years in +the department. Charley realized that this was an unfair way to view the +matter, as he, Charley, was not really a ranger, and did not expect to +continue as a ranger after Mr. Morton was well enough to resume his +duties. But he could see that Lumley took no account of that. He began to +understand that it was the man's nature to be suspicious and jealous. + +That was clear enough from Lumley's remarks about himself; for again he +repeated the story of his family's former ownership of the big timber, and +of how he had been robbed of his heritage. Charley felt sure the man had +brooded over the matter until his judgment was warped. He listened, +however, without comment. + +Presently Lumley began to make insinuations about the forester, telling +Charley that Mr. Marlin had been as much the child of luck as he had +himself; but Mr. Marlin had had all the good luck, while he had had all +the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley +could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought +he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr. +Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success, +Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally +Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark. + +"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust +his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why, +a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of +business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to +find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out +of commission, could you?" + +"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across +the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of +business." + +How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for +the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees, +wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat +some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the +forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out +the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought +shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the +storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind. +Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He +felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know +exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray +his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing +the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter +over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision. +Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly. + +"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said, +picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire +trail." + +With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed +it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had +blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in +one place the line was actually broken. Charley had no tools for handling +wire, and he decided that he would henceforth carry a pair of nippers in +his clothes. Fortunately for Charley, the wire had stretched so much +before it broke that he and the man were able to get the broken ends +together and give them a twist. The repair was temporary, but it would +answer until a permanent job could be done. When Charley reported to +headquarters that night, the chief commended him for his good judgment in +repairing the telephone-line so promptly. + +The few days that Charley had worked in the forest had made his hands very +sore, for he had no gloves. He had cut and scratched and torn his fingers +until it seemed to him there was room for no more bruises. He wanted to +get some gloves, but did not know when he could get to a store to buy any. +He mentioned the matter to Lumley. + +"Buy them by mail," said Lumley. "We get most of our goods from mail-order +houses." + +Charley had never bought anything by mail, and had not thought of securing +his gloves in that way. "That would be all right," he said, "but I +wouldn't know how to order." + +"Here," said the ranger, plunging his hand into a cabinet, "these +catalogues will help you." And he drew forth three catalogues from as many +different mail-order houses. There was one from Slears and Hoebuck, one +from Montgomery Hard, and a third from Carson and Derby. + +Instantly Charley thought of the telltale piece of green pasteboard and a +quick suspicion leaped into his mind. As quickly it faded out. He could +not for a single second bring himself to suspect a guardian of the forest +of being a woodland incendiary. Yet he could not refrain from asking, +"Which one of these concerns do you buy from?" + +"Whichever one sells cheapest," replied the ranger. + +Charley found some cheap working gloves that he thought would suit him and +ordered several pairs. + +In the days that followed, he thought often over the problem of the green +pasteboard. It was true he had made another step in unraveling the +problem, but he did not see that it helped him much. He had discovered +that Lumley sometimes bought stuff from Carson and Derby, but doubtless +dozens of other near-by dwellers also did. Furthermore, it did not follow +that any near resident had fired the forest. Some one from a distance +might have done so. The more Charley thought about the matter, the less +importance he placed upon his discovery, and he decided to say nothing +about it to any one. How the guilty party was ever to be traced Charley +could not even imagine. The situation appeared hopeless. + +However, Charley had small chance to worry about the matter. As the days +passed, the forester laid more and more duties upon him. Many a lad would +have thought the forester was imposing upon him, but Charley was eager to +do everything he possibly could. He realized that the more he +accomplished, the greater would be his experience; and that the larger his +experience was, the faster he ought to get ahead. He had the good sense to +know that the short way of spelling opportunity is <i>w-o-r-k</i>. And he +realized that he had his chance here and now. So he did everything he +possibly could do and asked for more. + +The forester, like any other man in authority, was pleased beyond words at +this spirit. His response was to pile the work on Charley. He was testing +him out, to see whether the desire for work was just a whim or whether +Charley possessed that real ambition, that inward spirit of progress that +drives a man on and on through the years to greater and greater +accomplishments. For the best worker in the world is the man who works +because he wishes to work, and who is always striving to become a better +workman. + +Certainly Charley became a better workman, as any one does who works in +the spirit he exhibited. The mere getting of a wage, the mere earning of a +living hardly figured in Charley's calculations. He was working to learn, +to get ahead, to climb up in the Forestry Service. Hence there was nothing +perfunctory in what he did. He strove for perfection; and like all who so +strive, he began to attain it. + +Before he had been many weeks a ranger, Charley was as valuable a man in +many ways as the forester had under him. All Charley lacked to make him +perhaps the very best man was wider experience; and this was coming to him +daily. Furthermore, Charley was fortunate enough to have learned, through +his schooling, that although experience is the best teacher, he is a fool +who learns only through his own experience. All the information in all the +books that Charley had ever studied was the result of experience--somebody +else's experience. And he had early grasped the fact that to learn through +the experience of others is to save time and difficulty. So now he +supplemented his own experiences by much reading and study at night and by +the discussion of forest matters with the more intelligent of his workmen. + +New experiences came to him frequently. The forester surveyed and laid +out a road through the forest. Charley helped with the surveying and +learned much about levels and grades and the theory of road making. And +after the road was fairly started, the forester left its completion +largely to Charley. This new road was to lead into the big timber +operation which was shortly to begin in Charley's territory. + +Already a great crew had been assembled and much timber had been cut in +Lumley's district. Lumley had to oversee this operation and he was kept +far busier than he liked to be. So Charley saw little of him. + +In overseeing the operation in his own tract, Charley would have to select +and mark the trees for cutting, see that they were felled so as to save +the young growths, compel the prompt removal of trees that had fallen +across little saplings that had been bent under them, and make sure the +tops were properly lopped off and either burned where possible or piled so +that they would quickly rot. Then he would have to be particular that the +trees were thrown away from the roads and lines, and that a strip at least +one hundred feet wide was kept cleared of brush between the cutting +operations and the remainder of the forest, as a protection against the +spread of fire. Then there would be timber to scale and a hundred other +things to be looked after. To safeguard the state's interests would +require both experience and determination should the timber operators +wish to be tricky. Mr. Marlin intended that Charley, as a reward for the +fine spirit he was showing, should handle the lumber operation in his own +district entirely alone, just as a full-fledged ranger would do. It was +both a high compliment to Charley and a fine reward, for the timber +operation was large, involving great sums of money, and even with the most +careful supervision the state might easily be defrauded of thousands of +dollars. + +But Mr. Marlin was far too wise to put Charley in such a position without +adequate training. Personally, therefore, he began to prepare him for the +work. Accompanied by Charley, he went entirely over the operations in +Lumley's territory. He carried a duplicate of the contract under which the +wood was being cut. Together they discussed every phase of the contract, +and the forester showed Charley how each step in the operation should be +carried out; how the trees should be selected and marked, how they should +be felled and trimmed, how the brush should be disposed of, and finally +how the timber should be scaled at the skidways along the highway, whence +the timber was being carted away in huge trucks. + +Then he went with Charley into the latter's own district and started him +at the task of selecting and marking the trees for cutting. These had to +be greater than ten inches in diameter, breast-high, and had to be marked. +Crooked trees and wolf trees whose unduly large tops harmed lower growths +were also to be cut. The trees were marked by blazing them at the butt and +breast-high and striking the blazes with a heavy hammer that left the +imprint of the state's marker on the wood. Merely to select and mark all +the trees to be cut was a considerable task, but Charley tried to do this +and carry on his other work as well. It meant that he worked from the +earliest possible moment in the morning until he could no longer see at +night. Day after day he worked at his tasks, content to eat cold meals +that Mrs. Lumley packed for him, and reaching home so weary that he +tumbled into bed and was asleep the instant he had telephoned his daily +report to his chief. + +Darkness had already fallen, one night, when Charley drew near the Lumley +habitation. To his surprise he saw a light up-stairs in Lumley's room. As +he drew nearer, he could faintly discern the forms of two men in the +chamber. Involuntarily he stopped to scrutinize the figures. At the same +instant Lumley's dogs began to bark, as they always did when any one +approached. Quick as a flash the curtain of the chamber window was pulled +down. But in that brief instant Charley was sure he recognized the man +with Lumley. It was Bill Collins. + +Charley was startled completely out of his weariness. A moment later he +got a second shock. Like a flash it came to him where he had first seen +Lumley. He had been with Collins the day the latter had appeared in the +forest. Collins had attracted Charley's attention so strongly that he had +hardly noticed Collins' companion. Yet now he was certain he was right. He +was certain that he was not mistaken. + +From the beginning he had believed that he had seen Lumley somewhere +before the forester introduced Lumley to him. Now it came to him where he +had first seen Lumley. Lumley was the man he and Lew had seen with Bill +Collins. + +Still another surprise awaited Charley. When he entered the house Lumley +was seated at the table opposite a stranger, and the stranger was not Bill +Collins. But he resembled Collins so much that Charley did not wonder +that, at such a distance, he had made the mistake of thinking the man was +Collins. + + + + +Chapter XXIII + +A Startling Discovery + + + +Charley was glad enough that the man was not Collins. Had he been Collins, +Charley would have had another matter to worry about. He was carrying such +a load of responsibility these days that he sometimes felt that he +couldn't stand another thing; and in moments of depression he thought he +could not continue to carry the load he already had. + +For Charley was learning the lesson that every man in authority learns: +when the forester laid out a piece of work for him, the forester expected +him to get it done. No matter what the difficulties were, Charley had to +find a way to surmount them. Many and many a day he would gladly have +exchanged places with the humblest laborers in his crew. + +All that was required of them was merely to do what they were told to do, +hour after hour or day after day. There was no need for them to lie awake +wrestling with problems that seemed impossible of solution, as Charley had +more than once lain awake. + +For it had not all been smooth sailing for Charley, any more than it is +for any man in authority. After his first set-to with the surly laborer, +he had not had any open trouble with his men. But more than one of his +crew did not always do an honest day's work, and any failure on the men's +part put Charley behind with the amount of work he was expected to get +done. This difficulty Charley had finally remedied by asking for Mr. +Morton's help. The latter had sent for several of the laborers and had +shown them that in hindering Charley they were hurting the Forest Service +and thus, in the long run, harming themselves. + +Furthermore, as the days passed, and Charley showed that he knew his job, +that he was just to everybody, that he had control of his temper, that he +expected a fair day's work every day, while he himself accomplished more +actual work each day than any man in his gang, the attitude of the men +under him changed. Before the summer ended, Charley had as loyal a crew as +any man could ask for. And to their loyalty they began to add ambition. +For Charley was able gradually to instil into them the spirit which made +them want to do as much as any other crew and a little bit more. + +So his road making came on apace. Rapidly the rude highway advanced +through the forest. Every day after his crew had gone home, Charley went +over the area to be made the succeeding day, examining carefully every +inch of the ground and determining how he would meet each little problem +that would come up. Thus prepared, he speedily acquired a reputation for +unusual ability. The result was that his men, when stopped by some +obstacle, at once came to him for assistance, though at first they would +have scorned to ask a "high school boy" for enlightenment about any task +in the forest. + +The road under construction was being pushed straight through the heart of +the big timber. It was to lead directly to the foot of the mountain on the +top of which Charley and Lew had had their secret watch tree. Materials +for a real fire-tower, a sixty-foot structure of steel, had been +purchased, and as soon as the road was completed, this material was to be +trucked to the foot of the mountain, and the tower itself erected on the +summit, close to the very tree that Charley and Lew had climbed so often. + +The erection of the tower was another task for which Charley would be +responsible. Long before the road was completed, therefore, Charley and +the forester went over every step in the process of construction, and +decided how to do each task, from the making of the concrete foundations +to the stringing of the telephone wires when the tower was complete. The +tower itself was to be a slender steel structure made of angle-iron +supports bolted together, with a little square room at the top for the +watcher. This room would be enclosed on every side with glass windows, and +from this great elevation a watcher could see in every direction over +miles and miles of forest. A telephone would connect with the forester's +office. + +At the foot of this tower Mr. Marlin intended to build a snug, little +cabin, so that the tower man could remain at his post twenty-four hours a +day throughout the fire season. The materials for the cabin would be +trucked in along the new road and carried up the mountain, and some of +them would be cut right on the spot; for the forester planned to erect a +neat log cabin. + +Before the road was completed, Charley had cement carried in as far as the +trucks could travel. Then the cement was carried up the mountain by +laborers. It had been put in small sacks so that it could be handled +easily. Sand was already at hand, and water could be had at the run coming +from the spring by which Charley had camped. Tools and boards were +brought, the proper excavations made, forms fashioned and fitted into the +excavations, and then cement was mixed and poured into the forms to make +the foundation to which the tower was to be bolted. By the time the road +was finished so that the steel framework could be trucked in, the cement +foundations were hard as stone and ready for the instant erection of the +tower. + +At once the steel frame began to ascend. Upright was added to upright, +cross brace bolted to cross brace, and rung after rung added to the steel +ladder that led up to what was to be the watch-tower. In a surprisingly +short time the steel work was completed. Now the forester brought in +skilled carpenters and the wood for the tower room was cut after the +patterns and the cut pieces hoisted up to the top of the steel frame where +the watch-tower itself began to take shape. + +While these operations were afoot, Charley and his laborers were back in +the forest, running a telephone-line along the new road. Holes had to be +dug, poles cut, barked, hauled, and set up, and the wires strung. While +his men set the poles, Charley himself, with a helper, strung the wires. +At this job he needed no instruction. His experiences with the wireless +were now of great value to him, for he understood about insulation, +grounding, short circuits, and the like as well as any skilled lineman. + +So the telephone-line came on apace, and long before the tower was +finished, Charley had the line complete from the highway, where it joined +the main line, to the summit of the hill where the tower was going up. He +installed an instrument in a waterproof box nailed to a tree, so that he +could now talk from the hilltop to the forester's office. When the tower +was finally completed, he ran the lines up inside the angle-irons to +protect them from the terrific winds, so that the tower man could +instantly communicate with the forester at Oakdale. + +Now the cabin went up. Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but +stable foundation made below the level of the ground. Trees were felled, +barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners. When a +sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, +log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing. Wooden pins held +the logs in place. Windows and a door were cut out and framed. Then the +rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and +shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin's own territory, +completed the job. A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and +the cabin was about complete. A telephone extension was run into the +building. At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour +watch at the fire-tower. + +The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought +hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than +lessened. The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and +now but few showers came. Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, +however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least +temporarily, in the new cabin. + +There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, +and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this +observation post. Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was +at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the +neighboring forest. Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the +tower was close to the heart of his district. By living here he would be +with his work twenty-four hours a day. + +Mr. Marlin approved of Charley's decision to move into the cabin. With the +new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the +mountain in his motor-car. He was in instant communication with his ranger +by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car +with the greatest ease. + +The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley's +house to the new cabin. While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley's other +luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless. When he +removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley's +finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger's +fit of temper. When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. +Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck. + +As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief. Merely to get +away from Lumley's house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted +from his shoulders. Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb +Charley. He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust +for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home. + +Charley and the forester carried Charley's possessions from the truck to +the new cabin. A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on. +Although it was so small, it was heavy enough. Between that and the +battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was +finally placed in the cabin. + +Charley fastened his aerial between the fire-tower and his old watch +tree, which was still standing, but which had been shorn of most of its +branches to allow the watchman in the tower to see past it. Finally, +everything was complete. The wireless was in working condition, Charley's +few furnishings were in place, the stores put away, and the cabin was +fully ready for his occupancy. + +Immediately Charley called up Mrs. Morton on the telephone and asked her +to talk to him on the wireless. A moment later their invisible messages +were speeding back and forth over the miles of billowing pine tops that +intervened between the two little forest homes, and no listener in on the +department telephone system could either know that they were talking or +tell what they said. Charley was overjoyed when Mrs. Morton told him that +her husband was about ready to come back to work. His arm was still +painful and he could not use it much, but he could now get around well and +was fast becoming strong again. + +When Charley told the forester the news, the latter expressed his +pleasure. He studied Charley's face a moment to see how Charley felt over +the news. + +"You realize what it means to you when Jim is able to do his work again, +do you?" asked Mr. Marlin. + +"Certainly," said Charley. A feeling of regret passed through his mind and +was mirrored on his face. But there was nothing unkind or unfair about +it. "Maybe some day I'll qualify as a real ranger," sighed Charley, "but +I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn something." + +"Charley," continued the forester, "you've earned the right to see this +lumber operation through. It's a big responsibility. You've worked night +and day to get ready for the job. Do you think I'm the kind of man who +would rob you of the reward that you have justly earned?" + +"I don't exactly understand," said Charley. + +"I mean," replied the forester, "that no matter whether Jim gets well in +time or not, you are going to handle the lumber operation in this +district. Jim can do something else. There's plenty of work for a dozen +rangers. You are to be the boss of this job." + +"Do you really mean it?" cried Charley in delight. + +"Surely I mean it," said the forester. "It wouldn't be a fair deal not to +let you take charge after the way you've tried to qualify for the work." + +Charley held out his hand. "Thanks," was all that he could say, for a lump +came into his throat. + +"And while we are talking about the lumber job," the forester went on, "I +want to say that I was never so badly fooled about anything in my life. +The cut isn't coming anywhere near my estimate. It must be five to ten +thousand feet per acre less than I thought it would run. I guess the Big +Chief at Harrisburg will think I'm a pretty poor timber cruiser." + +"How's that?" asked Charley. + +"Well, you remember the day I first met you in the forest, Charley, I was +cruising with two good timber estimators. They're skilled men. We were +making the estimate on which this sale was based. I sent in my estimate +and the department made its figures on that basis. But the timber that is +actually being taken out doesn't begin to scale what I thought it would. +Of course I was wrong in not cruising a bigger strip. But I just couldn't +spare the time, then. Evidently the stand over in Lumley's district is not +so heavy as it is here. The right way to estimate timber is to cruise +strips entirely across the stand. You can't make a correct estimate by +cruising an acre or two as I did and estimating an entire stand on the +basis of that acre or two. You see the stand in the bottom may be half as +heavy again as the stand on the hillside." + +Mr. Marlin paused. After a moment, he went on, "Before the lumbermen get +into your district I want to make another estimate. You and I will cruise +a few strips the entire width of the stand. That will take quite a little +time. We can't start to-day, but we'll get at it at the first opportunity. +Meantime, I want you to get all the practice you can in scaling lumber, so +that you can do it readily. You will have to scale every stick cut in your +district and keep tally on all the lumber that is taken out. It's highly +important work, for the state depends upon your figures to get its just +pay for the lumber cut. If you make mistakes, the state will lose +accordingly. I want you to practice scaling so that you can do it as +readily as you can measure a board with a yardstick." + +"Then I'll do some practicing to-day," said Charley. "You sent my crew +into another district and I can put in a whole afternoon practicing." + +"Very good. I'll take you out to the skidways where the logs are being +piled by the highway, and you can work there as long as you like. Do you +have that log-rule I gave you?" + +"Sure. But what about this? How shall I know if my measurements are +correct?" + +"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway +and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official +record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly +right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the +motor-car. + +"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester +suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my +office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to +Lumley's house." + +Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid +of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good +as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back." + +They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate. +"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and +specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye." + +"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs. + +Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter +of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in +the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at +the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster +and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The +contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper. +When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled +when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the +log piles he had been measuring. + +"Gee!" he said to himself. "At the price lumber is selling for now, those +logs are worth a small fortune. Gad! It makes a fellow feel pretty sober +when he thinks how easily he could make a mistake that would cost the +state hundreds of dollars." + +He tucked his record in his pocket, along with his pencil, and started for +his cabin. Despite the fact that he was soon to lose his place of +authority, he could not help feeling happy. His diploma had been awarded +to him on Commencement day, although he had not been able to be present to +receive it, and that was one cause for happiness. His comrades had never +yet been able to visit him, but he had received a letter that morning +telling him that the entire Wireless Patrol was coming out to spend a +Sunday with him in the new cabin. That was a second cause for happiness. +His friend, Mr. Morton, was almost well, and that was a third cause for +happiness. And finally, he had earned the confidence of his chief so +completely that his chief was entrusting to him the very important task of +overseeing the lumber operation. That made Charley's heart swell with +pride. Even the near approach of his reduction to the ranks again could +not mar his happiness; for in his heart he knew that he had made good and +that it was only a question of time until he should become a ranger in +fact as well as in name. + +So he went on his way happy, rejoicing in his accomplishment, enjoying the +new life of the forest, joyous with the strength and hope and confidence +of youth. He came at last to his trail's end, and climbed the tower to +look for fire and to watch the sun go down. + +"It's warm enough so that a fellow could sleep up here now," he said to +himself suddenly. "I'll just build a bunk up here and then I can sleep +here whenever I feel like it. If I wake up in the night, I can take a look +around and make sure everything is all right." + +He went down to his cabin and got a rope, some boards, foot-rule, saw, +hammer, auger, and nails. He went back to the tower and made some +measurements. Then he came down, cut his boards, bored holes into them, +tied them together, and went up again with his tools and nails and the end +of the rope. He hauled up the boards and drew them into the watch-tower. +Then he nailed them together and had a snug little bunk that stretched +completely across one side of the little structure. He wove the cord back +and forth across the bunk through the auger holes in place of springs. +Then he went down to the ground, made a tick out of one of his sheets, +filled it with leaves and got it up to the tower. + +"Now," he said, as he spread it on the rope, "all I need is a pillow and a +blanket and I'm fixed." + +He went down and cooked his supper. Then he talked both to Mrs. Morton and +to Lew by wireless. He made a cheerful blaze in his fireplace and studied +until ten o'clock. Then he got a pillow and a pair of blankets, blew out +his lamp, and ascended to the tower. He intended to go to sleep at once, +but the night was so beautiful that for a long time he sat on his bunk, +looking out over the forest, which lay still as a sleeping infant under +the moon's white light. Finally he wrapped himself in his blanket, +stretched out on his bunk, and was quickly asleep. + +Charley was up early the next morning. He glanced at his watch and saw +that it lacked three-quarters of an hour of the time he usually had a +brief wireless chat with Mrs. Morton, so he cooked his breakfast at once. +Before he had finished eating, he heard the distant chugging of the +forester's car. Sometime later a cheery voice called up the slope, and +looking out of his door, Charley saw Mr. Marlin climbing up the mountain. +Charley hustled to get a cup of coffee ready for his chief. + +"I came early," said the forester, "for it will take us some time to go +over these plans. Also I brought Lumley's figures for you to check up your +estimate by." And he handed Charley some slips of paper. + +While Mr. Marlin was drinking his coffee, Charley compared Lumley's +figures with those he had made on a bit of paper. At first he looked +crestfallen. Then he appeared puzzled. Then an expression of great +indignation came into his face. He seemed greatly agitated. + +The forester was studying his expression closely. "What's the difficulty, +Charley?" he asked. + +"I told you I never trusted Lumley," he burst out. "Just look here." + +He laid his figures beside Lumley's. Mr. Marlin ran his eye over them. At +first he, too, seemed puzzled. Then his face grew black as a thundercloud. + +"Are you certain that you know how to scale a log right, Charley?" he +asked. + +"Absolutely, Mr. Marlin." + +"How do you estimate a log?" + +Charley got his rule and laid it across the end of an unburned log in his +fireplace. It was ten inches in diameter. + +"If that were a twelve-foot log," he said, consulting the scale, "it +would have three board feet in it. If it were sixteen feet long, it would +have six feet." + +"Absolutely correct, Charley. Did you measure those logs that way +yesterday?" + +"Yes, sir." + +The two men looked at each other for a full minute. "Charley," said the +forester, "I've been as blind as a bat. I never liked Lumley, any more +than you did, though I couldn't tell you that. But I trusted him because +he had been in the department a good many years and was fairly efficient. +He has betrayed my trust and attempted to rob the state by false +measurement. I understand now why my estimate seemed so far out of the +way. The estimate was probably close enough. Lumley has sold out to the +lumber operators. I'd like to know how they reached him." + +The forester fell into a deep study. His face was dark and angry. A long +time he sat silent. "I wonder," he said finally, "if Bill Collins' +presence in the woods last spring had anything to do with it. I'd just +like to know who that was with him." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley. "I forgot to tell you what I discovered. +The other night when I got near Lumley's house, I saw Lumley and another +man up-stairs. They pulled the curtain down quick when the dogs barked. At +first I felt sure the man was Collins. But when I went into the house, +Lumley sat at the table with the man. He wasn't Collins, though he looked +like him. But I discovered this. The man I saw last spring in the forest +with Collins was Lumley. I hardly noticed him at the time, but when I saw +these two men together I felt sure they were the pair I had seen in the +woods--only the stranger wasn't Collins." + +"Are you quite sure?" + +"The man I saw at the table wasn't Collins." + +"Are you sure he was the man you saw in the bedroom?" + +Charley looked at the forester in silence. "I never thought of that," he +said, after a moment. "There must have been two strangers in the house. +Lumley thought I was coming and would recognize Collins, so he must have +hustled down-stairs with the other man and left Collins up-stairs. I'll +bet anything that's what happened. And that makes me believe more than +ever that Lumley was with Collins in the forest. Otherwise, why should he +fear to have me see Collins?" + +"Charley, it is as plain as the nose on your face. Collins is the +go-between in this crooked lumber deal. These lumber operators meant to +cheat the state when they sent in their bid. They must have had it all +arranged with Lumley then. That's why they put in the highest bid, so as +to make sure to get the timber. By George! They could afford to bid high. +Just see what they've stolen in one day's cut of timber." + +The forester's face grew black as a thundercloud. "But we'll fix them, +Charley," he cried. "We'll get all that money back for the state and maybe +put these fellows in prison besides. Anyway, we'll put Lumley there sure. +Don't breathe a word of this to a soul. We'll check up Lumley's figures +every day now at the skidways. When we have enough evidence, we'll act. +Meantime, don't let a soul suspect that you know anything, and don't do +anything to alarm Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXIV + +Checkmated + + + +Charley was afoot very early next morning. At the usual time he flashed +out a wireless call for the Mortons, and the ranger himself answered. Mr. +Morton could now operate the wireless quite readily, though, of course, +with nothing like the skill his wife had acquired. He reported that he was +to return to duty the next morning, starting work, with a big crew, on a +six-foot fire-line along the summit of Old Ironsides. Charley was +overjoyed at the news. It meant that now he would have a chance to see +this friend from time to time. + +Mr. Marlin had not said that he would come to see Charley this morning, +nor had he telephoned any message to that effect; but when Charley heard +the steady chugging of a motor in the valley below, he believed it must be +the forester. He was not quite certain, however, because the motor did not +seem to beat exactly like Mr. Marlin's. The dense foliage completely hid +the approaching car from view, so that Charley could not see what sort of +an automobile it was. + +It mattered little to Charley, however, who it was. He was the soul of +hospitality, and at once he set some coffee to boiling for his approaching +visitor. + +This proved to be the forester. He presently came puffing up the slope, +and after he had drunk some coffee and gotten his breath, the two men +began to plan how they should best watch Lumley. The logs must be checked +up carefully, yet it was desirable that no one see Charley measuring them. +Finally it was decided that each day Charley should measure them in the +early evening immediately after the last log truck had started away with +its load. There would be nobody around then, and Charley could easily +measure the day's cut and get home to his cabin before dark. + +For an hour the two guardians of the forest discussed matters that pressed +for attention. Then the forester rose to go. "I have Lumley's report on +yesterday's cut," he said, "and if nobody is around when we reach the +skidways, we'll just check it up. We can drive out in a few minutes, but +you will have to walk back. Get your log-rule and come on." And they went +down the mountain to the end of the new road. + +"Hello!" cried Charley in surprise, as he caught sight of the forester's +car. "You're driving a big truck, eh? I thought that motor didn't sound +like your Henry." + +"Yes; there was a load of stuff to be hauled out for Jim's crew. He starts +work to-morrow. I killed two birds with one stone by bringing the stuff, +which I dumped at Jim's, and then coming on out here." + +As they reached the car, Charley said, "It looks powerful." + +"It's one of those old army trucks Uncle Sam gave us. Got a great battery +and tremendous power. Get in." + +They climbed aboard. Mr. Marlin touched the starter and the engine began +to chug. He let in his clutch but the car would not move. The car happened +to be standing on a moist spot and its great weight had pressed the wheels +far down into the soft new road. Mr. Marlin threw on the power. The truck +jumped, something snapped sharply and a banging noise followed as the car +moved jerkily ahead. + +"Thunderation!" cried the forester. "I've broken the differential. I bet +ten dollars on it." And investigation proved his diagnosis was correct. "I +suppose it will take all summer to get a new part," growled the forester. +"This truck will have to stand here idle until repairs come. But <i>we</i> +can't stand here idle. Come on." + +They set off down the road. After a long hike they came to the skidways at +the main road. Nobody was in sight. + +"We'll begin at one end and work toward the other until we hear somebody +coming. Then we'll have business elsewhere." + +Pile by pile they scaled the logs, Charley using the log-rule under Mr. +Marlin's close observation, while the forester himself kept tally. Alone +in the big woods, they talked freely. + +"Why do you suppose Lumley took a chance like this?" asked the forester. +"He might have known he'd get caught." + +"Primarily because he wanted the money, of course," maintained Charley. +"But there's another thing that may play a part in the matter. Did you +know that Lumley's folks once owned this virgin timber?" + +"I've heard that a generation or two back the Lumley family owned big +tracts of land hereabouts. Naturally some of that land would now be +included within the limits of the state's holdings." + +"When I was living at Lumley's, he told me over and over about his +family's having owned this timber and his grandfather's having been +swindled out of it. He seemed to me to be mighty unreasonable about it. He +was awful sore, and said he'd be a millionaire to-day if he had all the +timber his grandfather owned and that it was his by rights, anyway. I +recall that he said the thought of anybody else's getting the money for +the timber made him almost want to commit murder." + +The forester looked sober. "He's a bad egg," he said. "I really believe he +wouldn't hesitate to commit murder if he were cornered. You want to watch +him. We'll have to be mighty careful how we handle this business." + +"Hark!" said Charley. "Isn't that the sound of a truck?" And as they +listened, faintly they could hear the sound of a motor. + +"Probably a log truck coming for a load. If we'd had a few minutes more, +we could have completed the job. There are only two piles left. We'll just +disappear until this truck goes away. Then we can come back and finish." + +The beating of the motor sounded louder. The two men moved toward the +forest. As they passed the farther end of the first unmeasured log pile, +the forester stopped in amazement. A man sat on the ground, leaning lazily +against the logs. It was the man Charley had seen that night at Lumley's. + +"What are you doing here, Henry Collins?" demanded the forester sternly. + +"I'm working for the lumber company," said the man, sullenly. + +"You appear to be working hard," replied the forester scornfully. + +"I help load the trucks," said the fellow, as the forester turned on his +heel and walked away, followed by Charley. + +"You don't suppose that he could have heard what we said, do you?" asked +Charley, anxiously. + +"Heard every word of it," replied the forester. "The jig is up. That was +Bill Collins' cousin and he's as crooked as Bill. Lumley will know what's +afoot as quick as Collins can get word to him. We've got to act quick. +There's a detail of state constabulary at Ironton, and they could get here +in a motor in thirty minutes if I could only telephone them. Why in +thunderation did I ever leave the office without my portable instrument? +The nearest 'phone is at Jim Morton's. It will take me three-quarters of +an hour at my best pace to make it. But it's the best I can do. I'll hike +for Jim's. You hustle back to your tower and keep a close watch on things. +I'll telephone you as soon as I can. We've got to step lively if we are to +catch that scoundrel Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXV + +The Crisis + + + +The forester hastened down the highway at a A tremendous pace. Charley set +out along the forest road he had so recently built. Before he knew it, he +was running madly. He ran for a long distance, hardly conscious that he +was running. Presently he stopped from very fatigue. Then he realized that +he was greatly excited and that he was running from sheer nervousness. + +"This won't do at all," he muttered to himself. "You're worse than an old +hen. If ever you needed to keep your head, it's right now." + +He took a grip on himself, drew a long breath, and settled to a fast walk, +thinking hard. He could not see how he himself could accomplish the arrest +of Lumley. If his chief did not think it advisable to attempt it, he was +very certain that he ought not to try it himself. And he was glad at the +thought. For he could not help but recall the wicked gleam in Lumley's +eyes, the man's savage outburst of temper, and his vicious talk. He +understood well enough that Lumley would not submit to arrest without a +struggle. + +Then the thought came to him that he had no business trying to arrest +Lumley, even if he could do it. The chief was attending to that and the +chief knew best what to do under the circumstances. Also, the chief had +given him his orders. His business was to obey orders. And those orders +were to take care of the forest. + +Fresh alarm seized him. Why had the forester given him those orders? Was +there danger of any one's setting fire to the forest? At the thought +Charley was almost in a panic again. A passionate love for the great woods +he was guarding had sprung up in Charley's heart. He held come to dread +fire with a dread unspeakable. He had come to regard it with a feeling of +absolute terror. In this feeling there was nothing of physical fear. A +little blaze in the forest made him so wild with anger that nowadays he +would fight it recklessly. His fear was the dread lest the immemorial +trees he was guarding should be wasted and the forest destroyed. It was +apprehension for the forest, not for himself, that troubled Charley. + +Rapidly he passed along the road, now jogging to relieve the nervous +tension, now proceeding at a fast walk. He came to the slope of the +mountain but his pace was no whit slower. At last, panting and almost +exhausted from his terrific efforts, he reached the crest. He staggered to +the ladder and climbed painfully to the watch-tower. Steadying himself, he +swept the horizon in every direction. The forest seemed to slumber. No +smoke arose, no winds swayed the tree tops. The twilight peace enfolded +everything. Satisfied that all was safe, Charley sank down on his bunk and +lay there until he was rested. Then he climbed down to his cabin and +cooked supper. + +Never since he had been alone in the forest had Charley so much felt the +need of companionship as he did now. He lighted a little fire in his +hearth and the cheery snapping of the burning sticks comforted him. He sat +down at his wireless and talked with Mr. Morton. The latter could not tell +him much about the situation. The forester had telephoned from his place +for the police and the latter had started at once for the forest. That was +all Mr. Morton knew. Charley called up Lew and told him as much of the +situation as he thought wise, and got the news from Central City. When he +threw over his switch and turned away from his wireless table, he felt +somewhat comforted. But the feeling of dread and apprehension had not +altogether left him. + +For some time he read, or tried to read. Study he could not. At last he +went to the telephone and called Mr. Marlin. He reported that all was well +in the forest. He was burning to ask his chief all about the situation, +yet hardly dared. He might say something that the chief would rather have +unsaid; for always there was the possibility of listeners in on the +telephone. And Lumley's family could listen in as readily as any others. + +Doubtless Mr. Marlin appreciated Charley's self-restraint. Before he said +good-night, he remarked casually to Charley, "I may want you to do some +work at the lumber camp to-morrow. I tried to find Lumley there late this +afternoon to give him some orders, but he had gone away. I have asked his +wife to have him call me the moment he comes home. Don't forget my final +instructions to you this afternoon. Good-night." + +To an outsider the message would mean nothing, as Mr. Marlin intended it +should. But to Charley it told the whole story. Lumley had fled before the +arrival of the forester and the state police. + +Charley reviewed the forester's words to him, as they talked at the log +piles. "He's a bad egg. I really believe he wouldn't hesitate to commit +murder if he were cornered. You want to watch him. We'll have to be mighty +careful how we handle this business.... You hustle back to your tower and +keep a close watch on things." + +Again a feeling of apprehension came to Charley, and this time there was +something of personal fear about it. Again Charley recalled the fugitive +ranger's violence of temper, and his evident jealousy of the chief. And as +Charley considered the matter now, he saw that Lumley must have been even +more jealous of him, Charley, than he was of the chief. Now he understood +all the prying efforts Lumley had made to learn the size of his pay. Quite +evidently Lumley could not endure to see another man get ahead. Charley +felt sure that it would not be safe for him to meet Lumley. He resolved +to be on his guard every second. Then he sighed with relief at the thought +that Lumley had fled. + +But a moment later his face became very grave. "How do I know that Lumley +has fled?" he asked himself. "To go any distance, he would have to walk +along a highway, or ride in a motor-car, or board a train; and in any case +he might be seen and traced. On the other hand, Lumley knows the forest +like a book. He has lived in it for years. Where else could he so well +hope to elude pursuit?" Charley felt certain that Lumley must be somewhere +in the forest. + +Immediately he got his rifle, filled the magazine, and stood it within +reach. He tried to read, but was too nervous. Then he thought of the open +windows and his light within the cabin. Any one could see through the +windows--or shoot through them. Charley put his flash-light in his pocket +and blew out his lamp. The evening was warm, and Charley opened the door +and sat down on the sill, leaning against the jamb of the door, and +cradling his rifle across his knees. + +Soon his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. From where he sat, +Charley could look out over what seemed like infinite stretches of forest. +The moon had not yet risen, and the valleys below him were vast depths of +darkness. Mist floated above, partly obscuring the stars. A gentle breeze +was blowing up here on the mountain top, but Charley knew that down in the +valleys the air was like stagnant water. The whispering of the trees +around him was like the quiet breathing of a babe asleep, and the +occasional sounds of the forest creatures were no more disturbing than the +gentle murmurs of a dreaming child. Peace enfolded the forest. It seemed +to Charley as though that great, invisible, beneficent Spirit we call God +had cradled the forest in His arms as a mother cradles her little ones. +The thought comforted him. Something of the peace about him crept into his +own heart. He drew a long sigh and sat back. + +After a time he began to feel drowsy. He took his blanket and his rifle, +and, closing his cabin door, climbed to the fire-tower. He closed and +bolted the trap-door in the floor of the tower. For some time he sat on +the edge of his bunk, watching the forest. Behind the eastern mountains +the sky began to glow. The moon was coming up. In another hour or two, +Charley knew, the forest would be flooded with silvery light. He loved the +moonlight on the pines, but he was becoming too sleepy to stay awake to +see it. The moment the moon's first rays shot over the eastern hilltops, +Charley lay back in his bunk, stood his rifle within reach, drew the +blankets about him, and was almost instantly asleep. + +Yet he slumbered uneasily. Terrible dreams disturbed him. Once or twice he +awoke and started up in alarm. Once the slender tower seemed to vibrate as +though some one were mounting the ladder. But Charley dismissed the idea +as idle fancy, for the nocturnal stillness was unbroken. So, fitfully, +Charley slept through the night. + +Dawn found him afoot. Eagerly he scanned the horizon. Banks of mist lay +over the valleys, concealing much of the forest. Slowly Charley examined +the horizon, half fearful, half relieved. From the two sides of his tower +he could see nothing disturbing. But when he turned to the third side his +heart stood still. Unmistakable in the whitish mist, darker clouds were +rising upward. The forest was afire. + +Intently Charley studied the smoke pillar, trying to locate it exactly and +to estimate the extent of the blaze. Satisfied, he swept his glance +farther along the horizon, but stopped abruptly. A second spiral of smoke +was stealing upward through the mist. Before he had completed his survey, +Charley discovered four more smoke columns. Somebody had fired the forest +in half a dozen different places. + +Whoever had done it must have known the forest intimately. The blazes had +been kindled just where they would do the most damage. + +Charley's mind worked like lightning. Even as he examined and located the +smoke columns, he was planning how best to extinguish the fires. It was +still very early. The wind would not rise for hours yet. Even then the +dense timber would break its force. Meanwhile the fire would spread but +slowly. If only he could get his men to the spot in time, Charley felt +sure he could put out every blaze with but slight damage done. By the +time he reached for the telephone, he had his plan of campaign mapped out. +Morton's big crew would be assembling in a short time. The forester might +be able to hasten their assembling and to collect more men. With trucks he +could rush the gang clear to the foot of the mountain, where the broken +army truck lay. An excellent fire trail would take some of them afoot +direct to the first blazes. Other groups could strike through the passes +for the other fires. With the chief and Mr. Morton and himself to head +three of the crews, and experienced fire fighters to lead the other +groups, Charley felt sure that they would hold the fires. + +Sharply Charley whirled the bell handle and put the receiver to his ear. +There was no response. Impatiently he rang again. Still he got no reply. A +feeling of alarm took possession of him. Frantically he rang and rang, but +the receiver at his ear was mute. The wire was cut. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" cried Charley, snatching up the trap-door +and descending the ladder recklessly. "There aren't any wires about that +to be cut." + +Involuntarily he glanced toward his aerial. Then he stopped dead. His +aerial had disappeared. Now he knew why the tower had vibrated during the +night. Somebody <i>had</i> been on the ladder. If only he had gotten up to +investigate! But it was too late now for regrets. He must act. He must get +up another aerial. An idea came to him and he shouted for joy. He would +use the tower itself as an aerial. + +He raced to the cabin and flung open the door. A single glance showed him +his cupboard had been rifled of its food supplies. He leaped toward his +operating-table and stopped aghast. His face turned pale, his hands fell +helplessly to his sides, and he stood looking at the instruments before +him, the picture of despair. A heavy file lay across the terminals of his +battery, and the battery was useless. + +Unnerved, Charley sank down on a chair. He covered his face with his +hands. It would take him hours to reach the Morton home on foot. And it +might be hours more before the forester could be notified. It looked as +though the forest were doomed. + +Fairly shaking himself, as a terrier shakes a rat, Charley freed himself +of the fear that clutched at his heart and forced himself to think. Calmly +he began to consider what he could do. He thought of the dry cells he had +first used. They were still wired together and in the cabin. Like a flash +Charley coupled them to his instrument, but the cells were exhausted. He +could get no spark from them. + +Again he sat down and thought. Suddenly he leaped to his feet. "The army +truck!" he cried. "If he overlooked that, I'll beat him yet." + +He began to assemble tools and instruments. But when he looked for wire to +fashion an aerial, his face grew black. The intruder had taken both +aerial and lead-in wire, and Charley hadn't a hundred feet of wire left in +the place. What should he do? What could he do? + +Again he paused and pondered. And again an idea came to him. "They use +trees for aerials," he muttered, "and they make perfect ones to receive +by. I don't know whether one could send from them or not. But it's my last +chance. I'll try it." + +He gathered together his tools and instruments, including the creepers he +had used in putting up the telephone-line, carefully stowed them all in a +big basket and started down the mountain. A hundred yards from the door he +turned about and ran back. When he came out of the cabin again, his rifle +was tucked under his arm. Then he went down the mountain as fast as he +could travel. + +Fearfully he studied the truck as he drew near. It was untouched. With a +cry of joy, Charley tore open the battery box. In no time he had some +wires fast to the battery. He spread out his instruments and coupled +everything carefully together. The outfit lacked only an aerial. + +Buckling on his creepers, and stuffing some spikes and a hammer in his +pocket, Charley rapidly mounted a tall tree that stood close beside the +truck. As luck would have it, the tree stood all by itself, its nearest +neighbors having been cut in making the road. Two-thirds of the way up the +tree, Charley drove a spike deep into the wood. He sank a second spike +not far from the first. Then he drove home a third. The lead-in wire +dangled behind him at his belt. He unfastened it and twisted it tight to +the spikes, wrapping it close about one after the other. Then he climbed +down and made sure his wire did not touch the earth. Trembling with +eagerness, he sat down at his key. + +One moment he paused, drawing out his watch. With a cry of joy, he put his +finger on the key. It was almost the hour at which he was accustomed to +exchange morning greetings with Mr. Morton. He pressed his key and a sharp +flash resulted. Joyously he adjusted his spark-gap until he had a fine, +fat stream of fire leaping between the posts. Then he fairly held his +breath as he rapped out the ranger's call signal. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he called and listened. There was no response. Again +he called. And again there was no response. His face became pale. His +fingers began to tremble. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he rapped out frantically, sending the call again +and again. Then he sat back to listen. Suddenly his receivers buzzed. With +startling distinctness came the answer. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I. Your signals very weak." + +So the ranger could hear, Charley did not care how weak the signals were. + +"Forest afire in six places," he flashed back. "Wires cut. Wireless +broken. Talking over temporary outfit. Notify forester. Collect all men +possible. Come immediately in trucks to end of new road. Can get to fires +on foot from here easily." + +"Where are fires?" replied Mr. Morton. + +"South and west of fire-tower. In valleys both sides of fire-tower +mountain." + +"How far away?" + +"About two miles--maybe three." + +"How big are they?" + +"Still small. Can put out before wind rises. Must have help quick." + +There was a long pause. Then came this message, "Have sent neighbor with +his automobile to notify forester. Will rush crew. Hold fire best you can. +Good-bye." + +With a cry of relief that came from his very soul, Charley threw over his +switch and leaped to his feet. He seized his rifle, then stood a second, +hesitating. + +"No," he said decisively, "the man who set those fires won't wait around +to be seen, even if he is a desperate man." + +He slipped his rifle under a clump of bushes and buckled on his little +axe. Then he started down the fire trail at a fast pace. Now running, now +walking, advancing as fast as he could without exhausting himself, Charley +hastened toward the fire. Long before he reached the nearest blaze, +Charley smelled smoke. As he drew near the fire, he studied it as best he +could. He rejoiced that it was so small. The mist bank and the heavy fall +of dew had so moistened things that the fire crept but slowly. + +Charley cut a pine branch and fell upon the flames ferociously. A great +anger surged up in his heart, like the fierce passion that takes +possession of a bull when he sees red. It lent power and determination to +him. Yet Charley tried to conserve his strength. Yard after yard he beat +out the flames, thankful that he had to face only a little creeping fire. +Small as it was, the blaze was, nevertheless, hot and stifling. + +Rod after rod Charley fought his way around the ring of fire, never +pausing for a single instant to rest. By the time he had completed the +circle and the blaze was out, Charley was beginning to tire badly. He +doubted if he could beat out the six fires alone. If they grew any larger, +he knew he could not. And larger they were becoming, for the first faint +puffs of the morning breeze were beginning to stir the tree tops. + +Half a mile through the trees Charley smashed his way to the next ring of +fire. He could see that the flames were leaping a little higher and that +they were eating their way along at a faster pace than the first fire had +traveled. He knew it would be hard to stop this blaze. But he cut a new +bough, and gritting his teeth, once more fell to fighting fire. + +Quickly he found it was quite a different fire from the one he had +extinguished. Fitfully the wind was coming up. When it blew, the flames +seemed to leap at Charley. His shoes, his clothes, his hands and wrists +were blistered by the heat. His fingers were torn and his muscles ached. +His lungs and throat became painful. His eyes grew blurred. He could no +longer see clearly. There was a ringing noise in his ears. Yet coughing, +choking, gasping for breath, stumbling and tripping, and at times falling +prone, he fought his way along the line of fire. + +He was so weak, so worn out from physical exertion and nervous strain that +he could no longer think clearly. But blindly, stubbornly, doggedly, he +fought the flames. His movements became mechanical. Sometimes his +descending bough hit the fire and sometimes it struck the unignited +leaves. Charley was fast nearing the point of exhaustion. He could +scarcely control his movements. Yet he tried valiantly to hold himself to +his task. He thought of the turtle-dove on the burning stump and for a +moment the thought seemed to give him new strength. But the inspiration +was only momentary. Blindly now he staggered along the line of fire, +gasping, reeling, swaying, hardly able to keep his feet. He tottered on. + +He could hardly raise his brush. His efforts were useless. Yet he hung +doggedly to his duty. Just as he was about to plunge headlong into the +flames, a shout sounded in his ears, forms came rushing through the smoke, +and Charley was lifted in the forester's strong arms and borne to one +side. + + + + +Chapter XXVI + +More Thumb-Prints + + + +For a long time Charley lay on his back, hardly conscious of anything. But +slowly the pure air revived him and his powers came back. He sat up, then +rose unsteadily to his feet. In a few moments he felt all right. He began +to look about him. The fire he had been fighting was extinguished. He +ascended an easily climbed tree and saw that the third fire in the valley +was also out. He knew that the fire fighters had gone on to the next +valley to subdue the blazes there. The wind was still no more than a +zephyr and he knew they would succeed. The forest was saved. A feeling of +great relief came to him. + +He sat down and rested, thinking what he ought to do. He remembered what +the forester had said about the desirability of an immediate investigation +of incendiary fires. Here was his job. + +He made his way to the blackened area where he had put out the first fire. +The space burned over was small. Charley stood and looked at it for some +moments, thinking the problem over. Then he walked slowly around the +burned area, examining it closely, but not stepping within the fire-line. +Then he wet a finger and held it aloft. Unmistakably the light breeze was +from the west. It had doubtless been blowing from that quarter all the +morning, though this particular fire had been extinguished when there was +hardly more than a suspicion of a breeze. The fire would have spread in an +elongated circle, or more exactly an oval. Charley tried to figure out the +exact starting point. He felt sure he could estimate it within a few +yards. + +When he had decided about where the fire must have originated, he made his +way cautiously, a yard at a time, toward that point. He was careful not to +disturb the leaves any more than was necessary in putting down his feet. +Carefully he scrutinized every inch of the ground he covered. He was +looking for a mound of burned leaves or any other suspicious thing. But he +found none. Look where he would, the leaves seemed to have been disturbed +before the fire started. + +Not far from the point selected by Charley as the probable place of the +fire's origin, the ground thrust up in a little, low shoulder, as though +there might be an outcropping ledge of rock there. Immediately around this +elevation the ground was clear of brush. No trees stood near. Charley paid +little attention to the mound until he noticed that it was hollowed out on +top. At the same time a piece of freshly dug earth caught his eye near by. +At least Charley judged it to be freshly dug, although it was blackened by +fire. He made his way very carefully to the little mound. Now he noticed +that the leaves about this mound had been raked together, for the ashes +lay thick in the hollow centre in the elevation. + +Cautiously Charley began to scratch among the ashes at the edge of the +pile. His fingers encountered many rough chunks of earth, partly hardened +by fire. The rain, the frost, and the cold of winter would naturally have +broken those chunks down into loose soil. So Charley knew they could not +be very old. As he scratched more of them out of the leaves, he blew the +ashes from them and examined them critically. He could think of no +connection between these chunks of earth and the fire, yet something made +him scrutinize them closely. + +All the time he was carefully digging the ashes away, and working toward +the centre of the pile. Suddenly he picked up a chunk that was quite +different from the crumbly earth masses he had been handling. This piece +was partly hardened and reddened. At once Charley saw it was clay. + +Charley continued to scrape aside the ashes. He found more and more little +chunks of clay, while the hollow place in the centre of the mound proved +to be a square, small depression that must have been made with human +hands. Even before he had it cleared of ashes, Charley knew that. The +depression was much too rectangular to be natural. It was about eighteen +inches square and almost a foot deep. In the bottom of it were charred +ends of sticks and a little candle grease, buried under the mass of ashes. + +When Charley had carefully scraped and blown out all the ashes possible, +he lay flat on his belly and examined the place minutely. Some person or +persons had dug a little square chamber, like a sunken box, right in the +shoulder of the mound. Charley decided that a candle had been placed in +the centre of the box-like excavation, leaves packed loosely about the +base of the candle, some fine, dry twigs stacked across the edges of the +excavation, and across the top of the hole other dry twigs had been +placed. Then the candle had been lighted, the open side of the excavation +closed with twigs thrust vertically into the clay, and leaves heaped over +and about the excavation. + +As Charley examined the mound, he could not but admire the devilish +cunning exhibited in the construction of this fire box. The open space +about the mound would give full sweep to the morning breeze, and the box +was located in the windward shoulder of the little mound, exactly where +the breeze would hit it hardest. The piles of leaves heaped about the box +would spread the flames on all sides. + +The candle grease in the bottom of the excavation, Charley had no doubt, +was the remains of one of his own candles, taken with the food supplies +from his cupboard. Nor did he doubt that the man who had taken it was +Lumley. He must have disappeared in the forest the moment Henry Collins +had told him what was afoot, for there could be no doubt Collins had +informed him. After the moon rose, so that he could see well, Lumley must +have come to the cabin, stolen food and candles, cautiously removed the +aerial and grounded the battery, and gone straight down the valley to set +his fires. If he could not get the money for the timber, or at least some +of it, quite evidently Lumley did not intend to allow any one else to have +it, not even the state. + +In his own mind Charley had no doubt whatever that the incendiary was +Lumley, and that he had done exactly the things Charley pictured him as +doing. Even now he must be somewhere in the forest. But Charley felt +relieved when he realized that in all probability Lumley had no firearms. +He must have fled without taking time to equip himself. Also Charley +doubted if he would remain in the forest. The forester would be certain to +scour the woods for him, and Lumley could hardly hope to evade pursuit +indefinitely. He would probably make his way out of the forest at some +distant point and try to get away. Sooner or later, Charley felt sure, the +man would be captured and doubtless sent to prison for cheating the state. +It made Charley feel bad to think that he did not have enough direct +evidence to insure Lumley's conviction for arson as well. + +An idea came to Charley. Blowing away the remaining dust and ashes, +Charley once more began an examination of the little excavation. Inch by +inch he scrutinized the surface of the pit. He found it partly baked. +Suddenly he gave a cry. He had found the distinct prints of some one's +fingers. On the second side of the excavation he found more prints, and +the third side yielded still others. Carefully Charley chopped out the +incriminating bits of clay. When he laid them side by side and examined +them under his microscope, he found they had been made, not by one person, +but by three. Apparently each side of the pit had been fashioned by a +different man. + + + + +Chapter XXVII + +Trapped + + + +While Charley was turning the matter over in his mind, the forester +suddenly appeared. Charley gave a glad cry when he saw him. + +"Did you get them all out?" he asked anxiously. + +"All will be out in a short time," was the reply. "Morton and his big gang +crossed directly into the other valley when I came here with my crew. As +soon as we had finished your job here, we hustled over to the other +valley. The fires there had spread considerably, but as there was little +wind and we had a big force of men, we quickly got them under control. The +minute I was satisfied we had them in hand, I came back to see how you +were. Jim is in charge over there, so everything will be all right. How +are you?" + +"All O.K.," said Charley, "but I guess I must have been about all in when +you got here. I don't remember much about it." + +"Yes, you were about gone. We got to you just in time. Now tell me what +you know about this fire." + +The two men sat down in the shade and Charley told his chief all that had +happened to him since the two had parted on the preceding evening. When +he showed the forester the marks in the clay, the forester was elated. + +"He's a pretty clever rascal who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," he +said. "It's an easy guess who your three fire bugs are. I have a very +great suspicion that the thumb-prints in that ball of clay I took from +your secret camp will match up with some of these marks, and that both +sets of prints will correspond with the marks on the thumbs of one Bill +Collins, though I didn't know that he was in the neighborhood at present. +And it's just as safe a bet that another set of those marks will match the +ends of Lumley's thumbs. If only he had been as considerate as his friend +Collins, and left his calling cards behind him, we'd have a complete case +against him." + +"We have," cried Charley, leaping to his feet in sudden excitement. +"Lumley left his thumb-prints in the putty he stuck in his window-sash. I +never thought of them until this moment." + +"Excellent!" cried the forester. "I suspect we can find the duplicates for +this third set of prints only when we lay hands on Henry Collins. But I +have a strong suspicion we'll have a chance to make that comparison very +soon." + +"How?" asked Charley eagerly. "What do you mean? Have the police made any +arrests?" + +"I don't know," replied the forester. "But this is the situation. Lumley +will never dare hang around in the forest, for he will know that every +man in the Forest Service is looking for him. Then, too, he can't have +much food with him." + +"Only what he took from me, I suspect." + +"That makes it certain that he must leave the forest soon. It's a good +many miles from the lumber camp to this neighborhood, so the three +fugitives must be traveling in this direction. If they keep on for fifteen +or twenty miles further, they will come out of the mountains near +Pleasantville or Maple Gap. They can board a train at either place. The +state police already are watching both stations. If Lumley and his fellows +went straight on after they started the fires, and Goodness knows they +wouldn't hang around here, they could reach the railroad in six or eight +hours. That means they would be there by this time. There is a train that +reaches Pleasantville about eleven o'clock. They would have time to make +it. I should not be at all surprised, when I get back to the office, to +find a message saying that the police had caught them." + +"Let us hope you do," said Charley. + +The forester arose. "Would you like to go see?" he asked. + +"Surest thing you know," replied Charley. + +"Then we'll hike back to the road and slip out to Lumley's house in my +car. We can get that window-sash and put it in a safe place in my office +and be back here before Jim brings his gang out." + +Rapidly the two walked back along the fire trail. "Charley," said the +forester suddenly, "just how did you manage to get that message to Jim? +It's all that saved the forest. The telephone was put as completely out +of commission as your wireless was." + +Charley then told the forester how he had used a tree for an aerial. "It +was my last chance," he said. "If it hadn't worked, the forest would have +burned. I had read about the use of trees to receive by, and I thought I +had read that messages had been sent through trees, but I wasn't sure. It +was my only chance and I took it." + +"You're a wonder, Charley. I take back everything I ever said about the +wireless. I have telegraphed for the Commissioner to come on from the +capital. I shall put this entire matter before him and urge the +installation of a wireless outfit in every district of the state forests. +No matter what is done elsewhere, we're going on a wireless basis here as +soon as we can get the outfit, just as I told you. If I can't get money +from the state for the outfit, I'll pay for it myself and have your +Wireless Club make it. This coming winter we'll start a radio school and +you shall have charge of it. Maybe Jim can help you now." + +"That will be grand," said Charley with sparkling eyes. "If only we had +the money Lumley robbed the state of, we could buy a dozen outfits." + +"We'll get every cent of it," said the forester with decision. "Don't you +worry about that. When we went to the lumber camp after Lumley last night, +I stopped all cutting. Before another stick is felled, you and I are going +in there and measure every stump. Then we'll estimate the timber that +came from those stumps and the lumber operators will pay for it or they +will face a criminal prosecution. If we catch Lumley, we've got the +operators dead to rights. He's the kind of a rat that will squeal quick +when he's caught." + +They reached the road, jumped into the forester's car and sped away to +Lumley's house. Half an hour later they entered the forester's office, +carefully carrying a window-sash. As the forester reached his desk, the +man in charge handed him a message from the state police at Maple Gap. It +read, "Have arrested three men who came out of the forest here and tried +to board a train. They give fictitious names, but no doubt two of the men +are wanted. Third has gold teeth and scar over right cheek. Do you want +him?" + +"Do we want him?" echoed the forester, as he began to write an answer. +"Well, I should say we do." + +He dashed off his message, and handed it to his assistant. "Rush that," he +directed. + +Then he took a long coil of wire from a closet and led the way back to his +car. "That's for a temporary aerial in case you decide to make one," he +said, as Charley climbed up beside him and they went whirling back to the +fire-tower in the mountains. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII + +Victory + + + +In due time Ranger Morton came out of the forest with his big crew. The +men were black with smoke and their hands and faces were blistered and +scratched. But they were a happy crew for all that. They had extinguished +what at first bade fair to be the worst fire ever seen in their district. + +By this time every man in the gang had heard the story of Lumley's +dastardly act and Charley's quick wit. Most of the men lived in or near +the forest, and a great fire might have consumed their homes just as truly +as it would have destroyed the forest. It was small wonder, then, that to +a man they had only admiration and gratitude for Charley. The last vestige +of ill-will that any of them might have had for Charley was gone. Like men +of the forest, they said little. But Charley knew that this little meant +much. He had won the good-will and respect of every man in the district. +No wonder he was happy. + +This thought did much to offset the feeling of regret that he could not +help experiencing at the realization that his days as a ranger were +numbered. When he became a patrol again, or a member of Jim's crew, for he +believed that Mr. Marlin would grant him that wish, he knew that he would +stand on a par with the men in their own estimation. So he waved good-bye +to the departing trucks with a mixture of happiness and regret. + +But he was not allowed many hours to indulge in either emotion. Very early +next morning the telephone, which Ranger Morton had promptly repaired, +began to ring. Charley answered the call and received a brusque order from +the forester to remain at the tower, as the forester was coming out to see +him. + +"I wonder if Mr. Marlin ever sleeps," said Charley to himself. "He's +probably on his way here now and I'm hardly out of bed. I'll make him a +cup of coffee and some toast anyway." + +But when Charley came to make the toast, he could find only three slices +of bread. Lumley had cleaned him out of food. It seemed no time at all to +Charley before he heard the chugging of the forester's motor in the +valley. A short time afterward two men ascended to the cabin. Charley was +surprised. + +"Let me introduce you to the Chief Forester of Pennsylvania," said Mr. +Marlin. Charley was suddenly abashed. He held out his hand and responded +to the Commissioner's greeting, but was at a joss for anything further to +say. He thought of his toast and coffee and was more than ever +embarrassed, because he had only three slices to offer. Nevertheless, he +set what he had before his guests. + +"I'm awfully sorry this is all I can offer you," he said, "but I had some +visitors yesterday who cleaned me out of food." + +"So I have heard," replied the Chief Forester, with a smile. + +"You will be glad to know, Charley," said the forester, "that those same +visitors have confessed to their crime, or rather Lumley did. When we +produced the thumb-prints in the putty and in the clay and compared them +with Lumley's thumbs, he made a clean breast of everything. It won't +surprise you to learn that he set the previous fires in this virgin +timber. He wants to be state's evidence." + +"Excellent!" cried Charley. "They won't burn any more forests--or rob any +more cabins. By the way, Mr. Marlin, did you bring me any more supplies?" + +"No," said the forester. + +Charley looked vastly perplexed, but said nothing. He didn't want to +bother the forester, but how he was to live without food he could not +imagine. Evidently his face must have mirrored his thoughts, for the +forester, after studying Charley's countenance, burst into a laugh. + +"Charley," he said, "it's clear that you don't pay much attention to your +Bible." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Why, don't you recall that we are admonished to take no thought for the +morrow, as to what we shall eat, and so on? Here you are worrying over a +little matter like food. Don't you have any ravens out in these mountains +to bring you grub if you get hungry?" + +"It isn't any laughing matter," replied Charley. "What am I going to do? I +haven't an ounce of food left in the cabin." + +The forester's eyes sparkled. "Shall we tell him what he's to do, +Commissioner?" he asked. + +The Chief Forester turned toward them with a smile. "I guess you had +better. It would be a shame to torment this young man after what he has +accomplished." + +"Very well, then. Listen, Charley. Here are your orders. To begin with, +Jim is now on deck again and you are relieved of your position as +temporary ranger." + +Charley tried hard to choke back the lump that came into his throat. +Evidently his face betrayed his feelings. + +"Look at him, Commissioner," said the forester. "I believe he's going to +pout." + +Charley bit his lip and tried to smile. + +"In the second place," continued the forester, "you are to remove your +belongings from this post and oversee the cutting of the lumber +operation." + +The smile that now came to Charley's face was not forced. + +"In the third place," the forester went on, "you are hereby appointed a +ranger in the Pennsylvania Forest Service to succeed one George Lumley." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean it honestly?" + +"I sure do. And there is nothing temporary about your appointment. You +are a full-fledged ranger. You have earned the place and I congratulate +you heartily on having won it." He held out his hand and clasped Charley's +warmly. + +"Now, that is all I have to say to you," concluded the forester, "but I +think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you." + +Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant. + +"Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester," said +the Commissioner. + +"It is," replied Charley. + +"He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family +obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular +course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your +ambition." + +"That is true, sir," said Charley. "There is nothing I would rather do +than become a forester if only it were possible. I love the forest." + +"The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that. How would +you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?" + +"Oh! Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I +dropped to accomplish it." + +"There is, and you shall have the chance. It is the policy of this +department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men +to advance in the service. Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the +forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time +by great application to your work and by study at night you have become +one of the best men he has. All you lack is experience. Time will remedy +that. If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study +and work, would you like to do it? Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the +technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto. He will +take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical +work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training +for the position of forester. What about it? Do you wish to do it?" + +"Oh! Mr. Commissioner," cried Charley, "I can't tell you how much I want +to do it. If you will just give me that chance, you'll find I'm no +shirker." + +"Then the chance is yours. You have earned it. Now we must hurry back to +headquarters, Ranger Russell. I hope that some day I shall be able to call +you Forester Russell." + +Charley's heart was too full for utterance. He grasped the proffered hand +and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into +his throat. + +A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his +luggage. His heart was singing merrily. + +"Some day," he said to himself, "we may get enough timber back on these +hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so +that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a +lifetime to pay for it. I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to +think he's going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million +people." + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12839 *** diff --git a/12839-h/12839-h.htm b/12839-h/12839-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4379c29 --- /dev/null +++ b/12839-h/12839-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9092 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss</title> +<style type="text/css" title="Default"> + <!-- + + body { + font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; + margin: 5%; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + font-variant: small-caps; + } + + h1.title { margin-top: 5em; } + + .sec h4 { + text-decoration: underline; + font-variant: normal; + text-align: left; + } + + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps } + + a { text-decoration: none; } + a:hover { background-color: #ffffcc } + + div.chapter, #preface { + margin-top: 4em; + padding: 5px; + } + + div.chapter>ul { + list-style-type: none; + } + + div.chapter>ul>li:hover { + list-style-type: disc; + } + + hr { + height: 1px; + width: 80%; + } + + p.byline { + text-align: center; + font-variant: small-caps; + } + + .poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; + } + + div.image { + margin: auto; + } + + #frontis .caption { + text-transform: uppercase; + } + + img { + border: none; + } + + #tp, #verso, #frontis { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 3em; + } + + #toc>ol { + list-style-type: upper-roman; + } + + #dedication, #foreword, #verso, #toc, #frontis { + margin-top: 4em; + } + +--> +</style> + +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12839 ***</div> + +<div id="frontis"> +<div class="image"><a href="images/frontis.png"><img src="images/frontistn.png" alt="The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where the Battle with the Flames Had Begun" title="The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where the Battle with the Flames Had Begun" /></a></div> +<div class="caption"><div class="line">The Forester, Charley and Lew crossed to the brook</div> <div class="line">where +the battle with the flames had begun</div></div> +</div> + + +<div id="tp"> +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol</h1> + +<p>or</p> + +<h2 class="subtitle"><i>The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol</i></h2> + +<p class="byline">By</p> + +<h2 class="author">Lewis E. Theiss</h2> + +<h3>Illustrated by<br /> +Frank T. Merrill</h3> + + +</div> + + + + +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As A Fire Patrol.</h1> + + + +<div id="dedication"> +<h2>This book is dedicated to</h2> + +<h3>Gifford Pinchot</h3> + +<p>sometime forester for the United States of America, and now Commissioner +of Forestry for Pennsylvania, whose ceaseless and undiscouraged efforts to +save from spoliation the vast timber stands and other natural resources of +America have inspired this story</p> +</div> + + +<div id="foreword"> +<h2>Foreword</h2> + + + +<p>Boys and dogs go well together. So do boys and trees. When a boy gets to +love the forest and can live in it, that is best of all. For the forest +makes real boys and real men.</p> + +<p>Not only does the forest do that, but it keeps the Nation alive. No one +can eat a meal without the help of the forest, for it takes more than half +the wood cut every year in the United States to enable the farmer to grow +the food and the fibres to feed and clothe the Nation. No one can live in +a house without the help of the forest, for whether we speak of it as a +wooden house, a brick house, a stone house, or a concrete house, still +there is wood in it, and without wood it could not have been built.</p> + +<p>We are apt to think of the city dwellers as people who are not dependent +on the forest. As a matter of fact, they are the most dependent of all, +for the cities would be deserted, the houses empty, and the streets dead, +except for the things which could not be grown nor mined nor manufactured +nor transported without the help of wood from the forest.</p> + +<p>Pennsylvania--Penn's Woods--is the greatest industrial commonwealth in the +world. Without its woods, it could never have been made so. Unless its +woods are restored, it cannot continue to be so, and unless forest fires +are stopped, there is no way to restore Penn's Woods.</p> + +<p>I have read "The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol" with the +keenest interest, not only because it is about the forest, but because it +is a thrillingly interesting story of a real boy and the real things he +did in the woods. I like it from end to end, and that is why, when Mr. +Theiss asked me to write this foreword, I gladly consented.</p> + +<p>No one loves the woods more than I, as boy and man, or loves to be in them +better. One of the things I want most is to see more and better forests in +our great State of Pennsylvania, and in the whole United States. Without +our forests we could not have become great, nor can we continue to be so. +For the men and boys who love the forest and understand it are of the kind +without whom great nations are impossible.</p> + +<p class="smallcaps">Gifford Pinchot.</p> +</div> + + +<div id="toc"> +<h2>Contents</h2> + + +<ol> + <li><a href="#ch01">Vacation Plans</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch02">What Came of Them</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch03">Off to the Mountains</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch04">In the Burned Forest</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch05">A Lost Opportunity</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch06">Trout Fishing in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch07">The Forest Afire</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch08">Making an Investigation</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch09">Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch10">An Encounter with a Bear</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch11">The Secret Camp in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch12">On the Trail of the Timber Thieves</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch13">Spying Out the Land</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch14">The Trail in the Forest</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch15">The Telltale Thumb-Print</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch16">Good News for the Fire Patrol</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch17">An Accident in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch18">The First Clue to the Incendiary</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch19">The Forester's Problem</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch20">Charley Wins His First Promotion</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch21">A Trouble Maker</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch22">Charley Finds Another Clue</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch23">A Startling Discovery</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch24">Checkmated</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch25">The Crisis</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch26">More Thumb-Prints</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch27">Trapped</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch28">Victory</a></li> +</ol> +</div> + + +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol</h1> + + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch01"> +<h2>Chapter I</h2> + +<h3>Vacation Plans</h3> + + + +<p>Charley Russell sat before a table in the workshop in his father's back +yard. In front of him were the shining instruments of his wireless +outfit--his coupler, his condenser, his helix, his spark-gap, and the +other parts, practically all of which he had made with his own hands. +Ordinarily he would have looked at them fondly, but now he gave them +hardly a thought. He was waiting for his chum, Lew Heinsling, and his mind +was busy with the problem of his own future. Charley was a senior in high +school and was pondering over the question of what the world had in store +for him. While he sat meditating, Lew arrived. In his hand was a copy of +the <i>New York Sun and Herald</i>. He held it out to Charley and pointed to +the marine news.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Lycoming</i> reaches New York to-day," he said. "Roy will send us a +wireless message to-night. Gee! I wish we had a battery strong enough to +talk back."</p> + +<p>But Charley paid slight heed to the suggestion. Instead he said: "Roy +Mercer's a lucky dog. Think of being the wireless man on a big ocean +steamer when you're only nineteen. I wish I knew what I am going to do +after I graduate from high school."</p> + +<p>Roy Mercer, like Charley and Lew, was a member of the Camp Brady Wireless +Patrol. With his fellows he had taken part in the capture of the German +spies who were trying to dynamite the Elk City reservoir and so wreck a +great munitions centre during the war; and with three other members of the +Wireless Patrol, especially selected for their skill in wireless, he had +later gone to New York with their leader, Captain Hardy, to assist the +government Secret Service in its search for the secret wireless that was +keeping the German Admiralty informed of the movements of American +vessels.</p> + +<p>His fellows both envied and loved him. Roy warmly returned their +affection, and his vessel never came into port that he did not, regularly +at nine o'clock in the evening, flash out some message of greeting to his +former comrades of the Wireless Patrol. It was always a one-sided +conversation, however, because none of the boys in the Wireless Patrol +owned a battery powerful enough to carry a message from Central City to +New York. Just now each lad was engaged in trying to earn money so that +the club could buy a battery or dynamo strong enough for this purpose. So +each boy was working at any job he could pick up after school, and saving +all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their +share of the purchase money.</p> + +<p>"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever +expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good. +You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a +corking good wireless operator."</p> + +<p>"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high +school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I +hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky, +noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky, +or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel +blue."</p> + +<p>"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew. +"Maybe you can find some other job you like better."</p> + +<p>"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad +says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most +money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they +pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe +three dollars."</p> + +<p>Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you +have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as +much if I could work out in the open and do something I like."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you tell your father so?"</p> + +<p>"I have--dozens of times. But he says it isn't a question of what I want +to do. It's a question of making the most money possible and helping him. +He says he's supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to +help him for a year or two anyway."</p> + +<p>"That's a shame!" cried Lew.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't, Lew," explained Charley. "It's all right about helping Dad. +He's been mighty good to me, and he's in the hole now. You see, Dad and +Mother have been married twenty years and Dad's worked hard all this time +and saved his money to build a house. And just about the time Dad was +ready to begin building, prices began to go up. Dad held off, thinking +they would drop. But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the +carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still. Now the house +is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful +prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn. With such a big +mortgage on the place, Dad says he's just got to have my help or he may +lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years. It's all right +about helping Dad, Lew. I want to do that, but I can't bear to think of +going to work in that factory."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad, Charley. I had hoped so much that we could go to college +together."</p> + +<p>"Lew, if I could go to college I'd work my head off to do it. You know +that. If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers +and rocks and trees and animals, I'd be willing to do anything--even to +work in Miller's factory for a time. But Dad will need every cent I can +earn until I am twenty-one, and I can't see how I can possibly go to +college."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Charley. You never can tell what will happen. Look at Roy. He +was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to +care for both himself and his mother. And see what came of it. He isn't +much older than we are, yet he's got a fine job. Just keep your eyes open +and you may pick up something, too."</p> + +<p>"It'll have to come quick, then," sighed Charley. "Here it is almost +Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June. This will probably be the +last vacation I shall have in a long time."</p> + +<p>"Then let's enjoy this vacation. I've been thinking what we could do, and +it occurred to me that it would be lots of fun for the Wireless Patrol to +make a trip up the river to that old camp of ours. It won't be too cold to +camp out if we take out our tents and our little collapsible stoves. +Suckers ought to be running good and we can catch a fine mess of fish, +take a hike or two, and have a bully trip up the river and back. Let's go +tell the rest of the fellows."</p> + +<p>Lew jumped up and started for the door. Then he stopped suddenly and a +look of disappointment came over his face. "I'll bet none of 'em can go," +he said. "They've all got jobs for the vacation. I'm glad we've got our +money earned."</p> + +<p>"I just thought of another difficulty," sighed Charley. "Not one of us +owns a boat."</p> + +<p>"We can borrow one," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"I hate to borrow things," replied Charley. "You remember how I borrowed +old man Packer's bob-sled and broke it and then had to pay to have it +remade. No more borrowing for me."</p> + +<p>"Why can't we make a boat? There's plenty of time between now and +vacation. If we do the work ourselves, it oughtn't to cost more than two +or three dollars and then we'd have a boat of our own."</p> + +<p>"Bully!" cried Charley. "We can make it as good as anybody. We'll do it."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll go down-town and find the price of oars and rowlocks, and +you go over to Hank Cooley's and find out how his father made that boat of +his. It's a dandy and just what we need."</p> + +<p>The two boys rushed off in opposite directions, each full of enthusiasm +over the plan to build a new boat and make a trip up the river during +their Easter vacation.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch02"> +<h2>Chapter II</h2> + +<h3>What Came of Them</h3> + + + +<p>A few hours later Charley Russell again sat before the bench in the little +wireless house in his father's yard. Before him lay some patterns for a +rowboat, and on a piece of paper Charley was trying to figure out how much +lumber it would take to build the boat.</p> + +<p>"We'll need two sixteen-foot boards, each a foot wide for the sides," he +said, looking across the table at his chum, who sat ready, with pencil and +paper, to jot down the figures Charley gave him.</p> + +<p>"Thirty-two feet," said Lew, setting down the number on his paper.</p> + +<p>Charley bent over his patterns, measuring and estimating in silence. +"It'll take three more like 'em for the bottom," he said presently.</p> + +<p>"That's forty-eight more," replied Lew, jotting down the number.</p> + +<p>"And these cross braces," added Charley, after another period of +calculation, "will take ten feet more."</p> + +<p>Again Lew set down the number.</p> + +<p>"That provides for everything but the decks," said Charley. "They will +take seven or eight feet more. Better call it ten. That's all. What does +it make?"</p> + +<p>Lew put down ten and added the column of figures. "One hundred feet +exactly," he said.</p> + +<p>"Bully good!" replied Charley. "A hundred feet oughtn't to cost much of +anything. The rub's going to be to get the oars. You say they want five +dollars for the cheapest pair at the hardware store, and the sporting +goods store wants six-fifty."</p> + +<p>"The robbers!" cried Lew. "Think of it. Six-fifty for about fifteen cents' +worth of wood. Maybe we can get a pair of second-hand oars somewhere. +Six-fifty is as much as we can afford to spend on the whole outfit."</p> + +<p>"It will be all right to get second-hand oars," said Charley, "for we can +get new ones later, when we have the money. Besides, we want to put most +of our money into the boat itself. As long as we are going to build it, we +want to make it the very best boat possible. We want the best wood in the +market and we want our boat light enough so that the two of us can carry +it. I reckon it may cost two or three dollars if we buy such good wood as +that. But it will be worth while. We can get along with cheap oars for a +time. Let's go down to the lumber-yard and get our boards."</p> + +<p>The two chums left the shop and hurried down the street toward the +lumber-yard.</p> + +<p>"If we can get our lumber to-day," said Charley, "I'm certain we can get +our boat made before the spring vacation. We ought to be able to put in +three hours apiece every afternoon after high school lets out, and we can +get in another hour apiece before school, if we get up early enough. +That's four hours apiece, or eight hours a day. We certainly ought to get +it finished and painted inside of ten days."</p> + +<p>"Sure," replied Lew. "We'll have her done all right. And we'll have just +about the finest boat in town."</p> + +<p>"And I reckon we'll have just about the finest trip ever," went on +Charley. "If we start right after school closes for the Easter vacation we +can row up-stream that afternoon as far as Hillman's Grove, and camp there +for the night. That will give us almost half a day's extra time. Then we +can reach our old camping ground the next day and get the tent up and our +wood cut and maybe even catch some fish before dark. We'll have everything +ready so we can jump right into the boat and pull out the minute school is +over."</p> + +<p>"Sure," assented Lew. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "Ain't it a +shame none of the other members of the Wireless Patrol can go along? We'll +miss 'em, particularly Roy. And now that he's wireless man on the +<i>Lycoming</i>, he'll probably never go on another trip with the Camp Brady +Patrol."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad for us, but mighty nice for Roy," said Charley. "Just think +of being the wireless man on a great ocean steamship when you're only +nineteen. He's made for life. Gee! I wish I knew what I am going to do."</p> + +<p>"I know how you feel, Charley. Maybe something will turn up so that you +won't need to go into the factory after all. But here we are at the +lumber-yard. Let's get the boards and begin our boat at once. We'll have a +good time this vacation, no matter what happens afterward."</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, what can I do for you?" inquired the lumber dealer, as +Charley and Lew approached him.</p> + +<p>"We want one hundred feet of the lightest and best boards you have," +replied Charley. "We are going to build a boat and we want it to be strong +but light, so that the two of us can handle it."</p> + +<p>"White pine would be just the thing for you," replied the dealer, "but I +haven't a foot of it in the place and can't get any. I have some fine +cedar boards that would make a good light boat. Just come over to this +pile of lumber." And he led the way across the yard.</p> + +<p>"That will suit us all right if it's wide enough," said Charley. "We want +foot boards."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's what these are. And a good inch thick, too. They're mighty +good boards. Hardly a knot in 'em. We don't see much lumber like that +nowadays."</p> + +<p>"They'll do all right," assented Charley, after examining the boards. +"What do they cost a hundred?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars."</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars!" cried Charley in consternation. Then a smile came on his +face. "Quit your kidding," he said. "What <i>do</i> they come at?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars," replied the lumber dealer soberly.</p> + +<p>The two boys stared at him incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Impossible!" cried Lew. "What are they <i>really</i> worth?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars," replied the man. His voice was sharp and a frown had +gathered on his forehead. "Ten dollars, and cheap at that."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his companion with a look of dismay. "We can never build +our boat with wood at such a price," he cried. "With five dollars to pay +for oars, and two dollars for paint, and some more for nails and rowlocks, +and lock and chain, the boat would cost eighteen or twenty dollars just +for the materials. That's three times as much as we have got."</p> + +<p>After an instant the look on Charley's face changed to one of intense +indignation. He had a quick temper, and now he turned to the lumber dealer +in anger.</p> + +<p>"I guess the sugar profiteers are not the only ones who ought to be in the +penitentiary," he said hotly. "You can keep your old boards. And I hope +they rot for you."</p> + +<p>Then he turned on his heel and started toward the gate, followed by Lew.</p> + +<p>"Come back here!"</p> + +<p>The words rang out sharp and sudden. The voice was commanding and +compelling. Involuntarily the two boys turned back. The lumber dealer +stood before them, his face ablaze with indignation. Under his fiery +glances the boys were speechless. For a moment the man said nothing. +Evidently he was struggling with his temper. When he had gotten control of +himself he spoke. His voice was deep and low, but harsh and cutting.</p> + +<p>"Before you make a fool of yourself again, young man," he said, speaking +directly to Charley, "you had better know what you are talking about. You +called me a profiteer for asking $100 a thousand feet for those cedar +boards. Young man, those boards cost me $90 a thousand in the cars at the +station. That leaves me a margin of $10 a thousand for handling them. Out +of that I have to pay to have the boards hauled from the station, pay for +insurance on them, pay their proportionate share of overhead expense, and +pay for hauling them to customers. How much of that $10 do you think is +left for profit? So little it almost requires a microscope to see it. I +have to handle a good many hundred feet of lumber to make as much as the +cheapest sort of laborer gets for a day's pay. The fact is, young man, +that far from profiteering on that lumber, I am selling it at a smaller +profit than I ever sold any lumber before in my life. Some lumber I am +handling at a loss. But in these critical days, with factories closing +everywhere, and men by the thousands being thrown out of work, the best +thing a man can do, either for himself or for his country, is to keep +business moving. That's why I am selling lumber without profit."</p> + +<p>Charley was suddenly abashed. "I'm awfully sorry I called you a +profiteer," he said humbly. "I beg your pardon."</p> + +<p>"It's all right, young man," said the lumber dealer, a smile once more +lighting up his face. "You are too young to understand how critical the +business situation really is. But be careful in future how you call people +names."</p> + +<p>"I certainly will," agreed Charley. "But I'd like to know this. Who <i>is</i> +profiteering in lumber? Who is responsible for such terrible prices?"</p> + +<p>"Well, there <i>has</i> been profiteering in lumber, as in everything else. But +there is a real reason why the price of lumber is so high, and that is the +scarcity of timber."</p> + +<p>"Scarcity!" cried Charley incredulously. "Why, the forests are full of +timber."</p> + +<p>"And what is it like?" demanded the lumber dealer. "Go out to the forests +and look at it. There's nothing but little poles that will scarcely make +six-inch boards. We don't produce one-fourth of the lumber we use in this +state, and we are using wood ten times as fast as our forests are growing +it."</p> + +<p>"I thought Pennsylvania was a great lumbering state," protested Lew.</p> + +<p>"For a good many years it led the nation in the production of lumber, +young man, but now it ranks twentieth among the states. If only fire could +be kept out of the forests, we might some day raise our own timber again. +But the lumbermen chopped down the big trees and fire has destroyed the +little ones and even burned the forest soil so that nothing grows in it +again. We have not only destroyed our forests, but we have so injured the +land that new trees do not grow to take the place of those we cut."</p> + +<p>The two boys stared at the lumberman in amazement. "Where <i>do</i> we get our +lumber from?" demanded Lew.</p> + +<p>"Practically all of it comes from the South. That's one reason lumber +costs so much here. The people of Pennsylvania pay $25,000,000 a year in +freight charges on the lumber they use. That's one of the reasons those +cedar boards you were looking at cost so much. When the new freight rates +go into effect the cost of hauling our lumber to us will be something like +$40,000,000 a year."</p> + +<p>The two boys were very thoughtful as they made their way back to Charley's +shop.</p> + +<p>"What are people going to do for wood pretty soon?" Lew inquired of his +companion. "If we can't build a little boat because the wood costs too +much, how are people going to get homes and furniture and wagons and +motor-cars and a thousand other things? Seems to me pretty much everything +we use is made of wood."</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "But what bothers me more just now is to +know what we are going to do during Easter vacation. It may be the last +vacation I shall ever have, and I'd like to have a good time."</p> + +<p>"Why not follow the lumber dealer's suggestion and go out to the forests? +Easter doesn't come this year until after the trout season opens. We could +go out to our old camp in the mountains and spend the vacation there, +fishing and hiking."</p> + +<p>"That's a mighty good suggestion, Lew. If we have our packs ready, we can +start from high school the minute it is dismissed. We can make that early +afternoon train and get off at that little flag-station at the foot of +Stone Mountain. Then we can hike through the notch and reach the far slope +of Old Ironsides before dark. We shall have to camp overnight along the +run from the spring there, as it is the only water for miles around. Then +the next day we can go on into that little valley where we saw so many +trout. That is so hard to reach that not many fishermen ever go there. The +little stream from the spring on Old Ironsides runs into that brook. Do +you remember what lots of little trout we saw not far below the spring? +They will have become big fellows by this time and moved down into the +larger stream. There ought to be some fine fishing there this spring."</p> + +<p>"They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. I'm sorry we can't +build the boat, but we shall have just as good a time in the mountains as +we should have had on the river. We'll borrow that little pup tent of +Johnnie Lee's, and take our blankets, hatchets, fishing-rods, and grub."</p> + +<p>"I'd rather leave the tent at home and build a lean-to after we get there. +Then we could take a portable wireless outfit and talk to the fellows at +home here in the evening. Half a dozen dry cells would give us one-sixth +of a kilowatt of current, and that ought to carry a message twenty-five or +thirty miles easily. At night we might be able to talk fifty miles. We can +carry six cells easily. The remainder of the outfit won't weigh much. +We'll have to go as light as we can, for it's a mighty tough hike over Old +Ironsides and on into that little valley."</p> + +<p>"Shall we take our pistols?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"We'd better have at least one. You never can tell when you're going to +need a pistol in the forest. Remember the time that bear treed me on the +first hike of the Wireless Patrol? I don't ever want to get into another +situation like that without something to shoot with."</p> + +<p>Charley chuckled. "It wasn't a pistol that saved you then," he smiled, +"but Willie Brown and his spark-gap."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll be doubly armed," replied Lew. "Since you have so much faith +in wireless, you can carry the outfit. I'll pack the gun. We're almost +certain to have some kind of adventure, for every time the Wireless Patrol +or any of its members venture into the woods, something exciting happens."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch03"> +<h2>Chapter III</h2> + +<h3>Off to the Mountains</h3> + + + +<p>Busy, indeed, were the succeeding ten days. The outfit that the two boys +were to carry was packed and repacked several times, and each time it was +overhauled something was eliminated from the packs; for both boys knew +well enough that the trip before them would test their endurance even with +the lightest of packs. Finally their outfit was reduced to two +fishing-rods, one hatchet, a first-aid kit, a flash-light, the necessary +food and dishes, one canteen, and one pistol, with the wireless equipment.</p> + +<p>This was made as simple as possible. Six new dry cells were to be taken to +provide current. Then there were a spark-gap, a spark-coil, a key, and a +detector, with the receiving set, switch, and aerial. To be sure, the +entire aerial was not packed, but merely the wires and insulators, as +spreaders could be made in the forest. Then there was an additional coil +of wire to be used for lead-in and suspension wires. No tuning instrument +was necessary, because the wireless outfits of all the members of the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol were exactly alike and so were already in tune with +one another. Without a tuning instrument, to be sure, it might not be +possible for Charley and Lew to talk with anybody except their fellows of +the Wireless Patrol, but in the present circumstances that made no +difference to them. They had no intention of talking to anybody else.</p> + +<p>The various instruments were carefully packed so that they could be +carried without injury. The dishes were nested as well as possible. Then +all were stowed away in the pack bags, together with the food supplies. +The two blankets were tightly folded and tied, ready to be slung over the +shoulders. Long before that last session of school, everything was in +readiness. When finally that last session was over, the two lads had only +to strap their packs on their backs, sling their blankets into place, and +pick up their little fishing-rods, unjointed and compactly packed in cloth +cases. Lew buckled the pistol to his belt and suspended the canteen from +his shoulder, while Charley sheathed his little axe and hung it on his +hip. Then, completely ready, the two lads waved farewell to their envious +comrades and hastened away to the train. In less than an hour the train +stopped to let them off at the little flag-station at the foot of Stone +Mountain. In a moment more it had gone whistling around the shoulder of +the hill, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the wilderness.</p> + +<p>Quickly they adjusted their packs and started back along the +railroad-track toward the gap through which they were to pass to Old +Ironsides. Rapidly they made their way along the road-bed.</p> + +<p>"We'd better hustle while the going's good," commented Lew, glancing at +the heavy clouds that obscured the sun, "for it will get dark early +to-night. It'll be slow enough going once we leave the track."</p> + +<p>"There's one thing sure," replied Charley. "We won't be bothered with wet +ground. I think I never saw the earth so dry at this season of the year. +There was almost no snow last winter and we've hardly had a rain this +spring. Usually it rains every day at this time of year."</p> + +<p>Charley's prediction proved true. When the boys at last reached the notch +in the mountains and left the railroad-track, they found the way almost as +dry as a village street. Years before, the timber had been cut from Stone +Mountain, and a logging trail had passed up the very gap through which the +boys were now traveling. But brush and brambles had come in soon after the +lumbermen left and now a thick stand of saplings also helped to choke the +path. The briars tore at the boys' clothing and blankets. The bushy +growths caught in their packs and straps and wrapped themselves about +their feet and legs. Very quickly it became evident that a hard struggle +lay before them.</p> + +<p>Back from the trail, in the forest proper, there was little underbrush, +but the stand of young trees was dense and the way underfoot was so rough +and uneven that it was almost impossible to make any headway there. For +Stone Mountain was a stone mountain in very truth. It appeared to be just +one enormous heap of rocks and boulders. In a very little while both boys +were perspiring profusely from their efforts, and both were conscious that +they were tiring fast; for the grade up the notch was steep.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" said Lew, at last. "This is tougher than anything I ever saw when I +was in the Maine woods with Dad. We've got to take it easy or we'll be +tuckered out before we get through this gap. Let's rest a bit."</p> + +<p>He sat down on a stone and Charley followed his example. As they rested, +they looked sharply about them. They could see for some distance through +the naked forest. The tree trunks stood straight and tall, and seemed to +be crowded as close together as pickets on a fence.</p> + +<p>"This sure is a fine stand of poles," remarked Lew, "but it's just as that +lumber dealer said. There isn't a tree in it that would make a board wider +than six inches. But there's some good timber farther back in the +mountains. Do you remember the fine stand of pines in that little valley +we're heading for? When we were there three years ago there hadn't been a +tree cut in that valley. There must be millions and millions of feet of +lumber there."</p> + +<p>"And do you remember," replied Charley, "how dark it was under those +pines, and how cold the water in the run was, and what schools of trout +we saw? Gee! I wish it had been trout season then! But we ought to get'em +now. Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get there."</p> + +<p>"Then we had better be jogging on. It'll be dark before we know it."</p> + +<p>"All right," returned Charley, "but I'm going to get a drink before I go +any farther."</p> + +<p>"I want one, too. Guess I'll fill the canteen. Then we won't have to, stop +every time we want a drink."</p> + +<p>The two boys scrambled down the slope to the brook. The lumber trail was +near the bottom of the notch and they had only a few yards to go. The +little run was rushing tumultuously down the notch, splashing over rocks, +scurrying over little sandy stretches, ever singing, ever murmuring, in +its downward course. Their packs and blankets made it difficult to stretch +out flat and drink from the stream, so Lew rinsed out the canteen, filled +it, and handed it to his companion. Charley took a good drink and passed +the canteen silently back to his chum.</p> + +<p>"If you didn't really know it was the brook," said Lew, "you'd be willing +to swear you could hear somebody talking. You can hear voices just as +plain as can be. And you can almost make out what they say. Many a time +I've caught myself listening hard to try to make out the words, when I +heard a brook talking."</p> + +<p>"It's no wonder people get scared and pretty nearly go crazy when they are +lost in the forest," replied Lew. "Without half trying, you can imagine +the forest is full of people or spooks or animals or something, creeping +up behind your back."</p> + +<p>Lew bent down and once more filled the canteen. He corked it tight and +dipped it bodily into the run to wet the cloth cover, so that the water +within would be kept cool by evaporation. Then he slung the canteen over +his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"I never saw a mountain stream so low at this time of the year," he +remarked, as he followed his companion up the trail. "You might think it +was August. But with no snow to melt and no rainfall this spring, it isn't +to be wondered at."</p> + +<p>On they went up the trail. For a long time neither boy spoke. The brambles +still tore at their clothes and the bushes tripped them. In places the +young saplings were so dense that to force a way among them was a +difficult task. Their packs began to grow very heavy. But they had one +advantage. As Charley had suggested, the ground was perfectly dry. There +were no slippery sticks to tread on, nor any moss-covered stones, +treacherous with their soggy coats. So they could give more attention to +the obstacles above ground. But at best it was a hard, difficult climb.</p> + +<p>As they mounted higher and higher, the stream in the bottom constantly +dwindled. Long before the crest was reached, the brook had become a very +feeble stream, indeed. It had its source near the top of the pass, in a +great spring that welled up under a large rock. A single hemlock had +sprung up here in years past, and, watered by the spring, had grown to +enormous size. For some reason the lumbermen had passed it by. Now it +reared its giant bulk high above the younger growths around it, casting a +dense shade over the spring basin. Practically nothing grew in this deep +shade, so that the space above the spring was open and free from bushes. +On the trunk of this giant hemlock, where it could be seen by all who came +to the spring, was a white sign that read:</p> + +<div class="sign" style="text-align: center"><div class="line"> <i>Everybody loses when timber burns.</i></div> +<div class="line"> Pennsylvania Department of Forestry.</div></div> + +<p>"After our fight with the forest fire, when we were in camp at Fort Brady, +they don't need to tell any member of the Wireless Patrol to be careful +with fire," observed Lew. "But there are lots of people who do need to be +warned."</p> + +<p>He dipped the canteen in the spring and passed on. "We're almost at the +top," he said, "and I'm not sorry."</p> + +<p>"The light is already growing fainter," said Charley, "and it will bother +us to see before so very long. It's going to get dark awful early +to-night. We'd better hustle."</p> + +<p>They reached the summit of the pass and started down the other slope. The +trail continued. At first it was choked with briars and bushes. But +suddenly they found the trail open. It had been cleared of all +obstructions and enlarged until it was several feet wide. Even the roots +of the bushes had been grubbed out, so that the path was smooth and clean. +The cut saplings and brush had been burned in the trail itself, but the +work had been done so carefully that never a tree had been scorched. Even +the marks of fire had been obliterated by the subsequent grubbing of the +roots.</p> + +<p>"Bully good!" cried Lew, when he saw the path lying smooth and open before +him. "The forest rangers have been making a fire trail of this old path. +We can make great time here."</p> + +<p>He pushed on at top speed. Charley hung close at his heels. Neither boy +said a word, each saving his breath for the task in hand; for with the +packs on their backs even a down-hill trail was not easy.</p> + +<p>"We can go scout pace here," said Lew over his shoulder, and suiting his +action to his words, he broke into a trot. Fifty steps he went at that +gait, then walked fifty. Then he ran fifty more. So they went down the +mountain in a mere fraction of the time it had taken them to ascend. But +long before they reached the bottom, Lew dropped back to a steady walk.</p> + +<p>"We've got to save our wind for the climb up Old Ironsides," he said over +his shoulder.</p> + +<p>It was well he did so. Before them a long, high mountain stretched across +their way, like a giant caterpillar. No notch cut through its rugged side, +to give an easy way to the valley beyond. Only by climbing directly over +the rugged monster could the two boys reach the snug little valley on its +far side, where they expected to find the trout teeming tinder the dark +pines. Old Ironsides was the rocky barrier that confronted them. Even +Stone Mountain was not more rugged and rocky. Like Stone Mountain it +seemed to be a mammoth rock pile. Rocks of every size and description +covered its steep slope. Mostly the mountain was shaded by a good stand of +second-growth timber; but in places there were vast areas of rounded +stones, like flattish heaps of potatoes, that for acres covered the soil +of the hill so deeply as to prevent all plant growth. Old Ironsides could +have been called Stone Mountain as appropriately as its neighbor, for +truly it was rock-ribbed. But the stones on its slopes, unlike those of +Stone Mountain, contained a small percentage of iron. Hence its name. The +nearer slope of this hill was as dry as it was stony. Not a spring or the +tiniest trickle of water wet its rocky side for miles. But part way down +the farther slope a splendid stream gushed forth among the rocks. It was +this spring, or the stream issuing from it, that Charley and Lew hoped to +reach before they made their camp for the night.</p> + +<p>Thanks to the work of the forest rangers in clearing the fire trail, it +looked as though the two boys would reach their goal before dark. Could +they have gone straight up the slope of Old Ironsides, they would have +come almost directly to the spring itself. But the grade was far too steep +to permit that. They would have to zigzag up the hill and find the stream +after they topped the crest. Because of the peculiar formation of the land +below this spring, the water did not run directly down the hill toward the +bottom, but flowed off to one side and made its way diagonally down the +slope.</p> + +<p>At the bottom of the fire trail Lew and Charley sat down and rested for +five minutes. Then they began their difficult climb upward. And difficult +it was. There was no semblance of a path. The way led over jagged masses +of rock, through dense little stands of trees, and among growths that were +hard to penetrate because of their very thinness; for where the stand was +sparse the trees had many low limbs to catch and trip and pull at those +who sought to pass through.</p> + +<p>There were great areas of bare stones to be crossed--stones rounded and +weathered by the elements through thousands of years, and finally heaped +together like flattish piles of pumpkins on a barn floor. Acres and acres +were covered by these great deposits of rounded, lichened rocks.</p> + +<p>In crossing these rocky areas it was necessary to use the greatest +caution. Many of the stones rested so insecurely that the slightest +pressure would send them rolling downward. If one stone started, others +might follow, and great numbers of rocks might go rushing down the hill as +coal pours down a chute into a cellar. Serious injury was certain to +result if either of the lads got caught in such a slide; for some of the +stones in these piles weighed hundreds of pounds.</p> + +<p>Rattlesnakes constituted a second danger. The mountains hereabout were +full of them. One never could tell at what instant a rattler might be +found lying among the stones, or coiled on a flat rock that had been +warmed by the sun. So like the rocks themselves in color were these snakes +that in the dull light it would have been easily possible to step on one +of them without seeing it. So the two boys advanced slowly and cautiously +across these barren stretches, stepping gingerly on stones that looked +insecure and ever keeping a sharp watch for anything that might suggest +snakes.</p> + +<p>Up they went and still upward. Across bare rock patches, through brushy +growths and among dense stands of young trees, the two boys forced their +way, ever ascending, ever working upward toward the summit. Now they made +their way to the right, now to the left, and sometimes they climbed +straight upward in their efforts to avoid obstacles.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" cried Charley after they had been climbing for some time. "This is +what I call tough going. Let's have a drink."</p> + +<p>They sat down on a stone to rest. Perspiration was pouring down their +faces. Both boys were breathing hard. The canteen was uncorked and they +took a good drink.</p> + +<p>"Not too much," cautioned Lew, as Charley started to take a second +draught. "You can't climb if you fill up too full."</p> + +<p>After a short rest they went on again. The way grew rockier. There were +fewer piles of loose stones, but more outcropping rocks, the bare bones of +the earth. Constantly the light dwindled. Their progress grew slower. From +time to time they paused to drink and rest.</p> + +<p>"We're never going to make it before dark," said Charley, again pausing to +get his breath. He took a drink and passed the canteen to his companion.</p> + +<p>"Then we'll have to make it after dark," said Lew. "For the canteen is +about empty and we've got to have water. I'm so thirsty I could drink a +gallon."</p> + +<p>They said no more, but pushed ahead as fast as their weary legs would +carry them.</p> + +<p>"We're not far from the top now," Lew said after a time. "I see our old +landmark over to the left. It isn't more than half a mile from that to the +water. We'll make it all right."</p> + +<p>But he had hardly gone fifty yards before he stopped and cried out. Before +him lay a blackened, desolate area that stretched the remainder of the way +to the summit. Fire had swept over the spot. But it was not the fact that +fire had been through the region that made Lew cry out. Fire and +subsequent storms had practically leveled the stand of trees between the +spot where Lew stood and the summit. Here and there a blackened tree +thrust its bare trunk upward, limbless, its top gone, a ragged, spectral, +pitiful remnant of what had been a beautiful tree. But mostly the thick +stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of +grain. And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion, twisted +and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses. A barbed wire +entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle. To penetrate the +mass, even in the light of noon, would have been no easy work; but to +cross the area now, with dusk fast deepening to darkness, was indeed a +difficult task.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Lew, after a few searching glances at the burned area, "we've +got to go on, and we might as well plow straight through it. I can't see +that one way looks any easier than another."</p> + +<p>They went on, slowly, painfully. Now they were forced to crawl underneath +a fallen tree, now to climb over one. Again and again their way was +completely blocked by high barriers of interlocked trunks and branches. +Sometimes they had to mount the fallen trunks and cautiously walk from one +to another. Darkness came on apace. They could hardly see. The flash-light +was brought forth, the last drop in the canteen swallowed, and they +started forward on their final push.</p> + +<p>"It's only a few hundred yards to the top, now," said Lew. "It will be +easier going down the other side."</p> + +<p>Painfully slow was their progress. More than once each of them tripped and +fell. The sharp ends of the broken branches tore their clothes and +scratched them badly. But silently, doggedly, they pushed on. At last +there remained but one barrier between them and the summit. It was a +great pile of fallen trunks that had no visible ending. There was nothing +to do but go over it. From one log to another they scrambled up, each +helping the other, advancing a foot at a time, feeling the way with hands +and feet and searching out a path with the little light. So high were the +trees piled that at times the boys walked ten feet in air, making their +way gingerly along the slender trunks. Eventually they got beyond the log +barrier and the remainder of the way to the top was more open. At last +they stood on the very summit.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where our landmark is," queried Lew, flashing his light this way +and that. "I understand now why we saw it so plainly from below. There +were no standing trees to hide it. We never saw it from so far away +before."</p> + +<p>The landmark was a great, upright rock like a huge chimney. It was not far +distant and presently Lew found it. The boys made their way to it.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Lew, with a sigh of relief, "we go straight down. We should +come to the brook flowing from the spring in a few minutes. We'll have to +make it soon or I'll die of thirst."</p> + +<p>They started down the slope. The fire had swept over the summit and the +way before them was like the area they had just crossed. But they were now +going down-hill and it was far easier to force their way. A few yards at a +time they advanced, now held back by a fallen log or turned aside by +dense entanglements of prostrate trunks.</p> + +<p>Presently Lew gave a cry. "Do you see that big stone like an altar, +Charley?" he called, turning the light on a great rock. "That's the stone +where we made our fire the last time we were here. It stands within +twenty-five feet of the brook."</p> + +<p>"Thank goodness!" answered Charley. "My back is about broken. This pack +weighs a ton! And I'll die if I don't get water soon."</p> + +<p>Recklessly they pushed forward, almost running in their eager haste.</p> + +<p>"Here we are," exulted Lew, a moment later. "Here's the brook."</p> + +<p>Before him he could dimly make out the depression in the earth where the +stream ran. He dropped his pack and ran forward, then threw himself flat +in the darkness and felt in the stream bed for a pool deep enough to drink +from. His fingers touched only dry sand and stones.</p> + +<p>"The light, Charley," he panted. "Bring the light, quick."</p> + +<p>His comrade flung his own pack on the earth and ran forward to the bank of +the stream. He turned his light downward and flashed it right and left +along the bed of the brook. There was no answering sparkle of light. The +bed of the brook was not even moist. The spring had gone dry.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch04"> +<h2>Chapter IV</h2> + +<h3>In the Burned Forest</h3> + + + +<p>The two boys were almost stunned by their discovery. For a moment neither +spoke. Indeed neither dared to speak. Their disappointment was so keen, +their thirst so intense, that both boys were near to tears. But presently +they got command of themselves.</p> + +<p>"I knew it had been a mighty dry season," said Lew, in amazement, "but I +never imagined it was anything like this. I supposed that spring never +went dry."</p> + +<p>The two lads stood looking at each other in consternation.</p> + +<p>"What in the world shall we do?" asked Charley, slowly.</p> + +<p>"I don't see that we can do anything," rejoined Lew. "I'm all in myself. I +couldn't go another rod if somebody would pay me. We'll just have to make +the best of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, we can eat if we can't drink," said Charley. "Start a fire and I'll +get out the grub."</p> + +<p>Charley began to unroll his pack, while Lew gathered up a few twigs and +made a cone-shaped little pile of them close beside the great rock. He +struck a match and in a moment flames were drawing upward through the +twigs. With the hatchet Lew cut some short lengths of heavier wood and +soon the flames were leaping high, lighting up the forest for rods around.</p> + +<p>Dismal, indeed, was the sight the two lads looked upon. Nowhere could they +see anything green, save a few scattered ferns. Everywhere gaunt, ragged, +blackened trees thrust their sorrowful looking trunks aloft. The earth was +littered with blackened débris--burned and partly charred limbs and fallen +trees. The very rocks were fire-scarred and scorched. Hardly could the +mind of man conceive a picture more desolate. As the two boys looked at +the scene before them, Lew quoted the sign on the hemlock.</p> + +<p>"Everybody loses when timber burns," he said. But though both boys were +looking directly at what seemed the very acme of destruction and loss, +neither as yet comprehended the full significance of the statement Lew was +quoting.</p> + +<p>Charley spread the grub out on his blanket and put the dishes together +near the fire. While he was waiting for a bed of coals to form, he cut +some bread and spread the slices with butter. Presently he put the little +frying-pan over the coals and began to cook some meat. Every time he bent +over his pile of grub, he smelled the coffee. The odor was tantalizing, +almost torturing. Never, it seemed to him, had he ever wanted anything so +much as he now wanted a drink of coffee. But with no water they could +have no coffee. Finally Charley put the package of coffee in the +coffee-pot and clamped down the lid so that the odor could reach him no +longer. From time to time Lew quietly stirred the coals. Charley fried the +meat in silence. Neither boy felt like talking.</p> + +<p>When the meal was ready, they sat down on the dry ground and in silence +ate their food.</p> + +<p>Presently Lew broke the quiet. "I wonder what Roy had to say to-night. I +thought maybe we'd be able to get our wireless up and listen in. But I'm +too tired to bother with any wireless to-night, even from Roy. It'll be +the hay for mine, quick."</p> + +<p>He began to look for a place where they could sleep. When he had selected +a spot, he took the hatchet and with the back of it smoothed the ground, +removing all stones and little stumps. Charley, meantime, put the food +away and piled the dishes. They could not be washed. Then the two boys +rolled themselves in their blankets, put their pack bags under their heads +and were asleep almost instantly. Their difficult climb had tired them +utterly.</p> + +<p>The next morning found them fully refreshed. No clouds hung above them, +and the sun's rays awoke them early. Aside from their intense thirst, +neither felt any the worse for his hard experience.</p> + +<p>"It's still early," said Lew, as he looked at the sun that had hardly more +than cleared the summit of the eastern hills. "Let's push on down to the +bottom and cook breakfast after we reach water. It won't take very long +to get down, and then we can have some coffee. Oh boy! I never knew how +good coffee was."</p> + +<p>"I could drink anything--even medicine," smiled Charley, "so it was wet."</p> + +<p>Rapidly the packs were assembled and the blankets rolled. "Put things +together good," said Lew, "for it will be a tough journey even if we are +going down-hill. I've been looking at some of the tangles we came through +last night and I don't see how we ever made it."</p> + +<p>"Sometimes," replied Charley, "it's a good thing a fellow can't know +exactly what he's attempting. If he did know, maybe he'd never have the +nerve to try."</p> + +<p>They started down the slope, their packs and blankets securely slung about +them and even tied fast with strings, to prevent them from catching among +the fallen trees. Unintentionally they followed the dry bed of the stream. +It led along a slight depression that ran diagonally down the +mountainside. But quickly they realized that this was the most difficult +path they could have chosen. For along the margins of the brook, the +timber, fed by the flow of water, had been much denser and larger than the +timber farther from the bank of the stream. So dense was the tangle now +that at first the boys could see only a few hundred yards ahead of them. +Presently they noticed that they were traveling through the thickest part +of the timber, or what had been timber. If possible, their way was more +difficult than it had been in ascending the mountain. But daylight and the +fact that they were going down-hill made it possible for them to travel +with comparative rapidity. Once they noticed that they were advancing by +the most difficult route, they left the margin of the brook and cut +straight down the slope.</p> + +<p>Now the way was more open. They could see farther. But both were so +preoccupied with what lay immediately around them that for a time neither +gave heed to more distant views. Furthermore, the bottom was still +obscured by a heavy night mist. The warm spring sun rapidly dissipated +this, opening the valley to view as though some invisible hand had rolled +back a giant cover. Presently Lew reached a little area that was swept +absolutely bare of everything. Nothing remained but the nude rocks and +soil. Lew, who was leading the way, paused to spy out the best path. Then +he cried out in dismay. A moment later Charley stood by his side and both +boys gazed in speechless horror at the scene before them.</p> + +<p>The magnificent stand of pines that they had expected to see in the bottom +was no more. For miles the valley before them was a blackened waste. Like +giant jackstraws the huge pine sticks, that they had last seen as +magnificent, towering trees, were heaped in inextricable confusion or +still stood, broken, blasted, gaunt, limbless, spectral, awful remnants of +their former selves. No words could convey the terrible desolation of the +scene. Where formerly these giant pines had risen heavenward, higher and +more stately than the most exquisite church spires or cathedral columns, +there were now only scattered and blasted stumps, while the floor of the +valley was strewn with the horrible débris. The scene was sickening, +appalling.</p> + +<p>For a moment neither lad spoke. The scene before them oppressed them, made +them sick at heart. They knew no language that would convey what was in +their minds. But even yet they did not fully understand the tragedy of a +forest fire. They were soon to learn. Silently they went on; but they had +gone no more than a hundred yards when they came upon a sight that fairly +sickened them. In a little circle, as though the animals had crowded close +together in their terror and helplessness, lay the remains of a number of +deer. The flesh had either been burned or had rotted away; but the most of +the bones and parts of the hides remained. There could be no mistake as to +the identity of the dead animals. The very positions of the skeletons told +a pitiful story. Blinded by smoke and flame, made frantic by the red death +that was sweeping the forest, confused, terror-stricken, weakened by gas +and fumes, the poor beasts had finally crowded together and perished under +the onrushing wave of fire. For a moment the boys gazed at the scene in +fascinated horror; then they turned away, to shut out the picture. They +were oppressed, almost stunned.</p> + +<p>They went on. Not a vestige of its former magnificent vegetation covered +the slope. Nothing in the world could be more awful, more desolate, more +disheartening to behold than the area the two chums were now crossing. +Never had either seen anything that so oppressed him. For not only had the +slope of Old Ironsides been laid waste, but the entire bottom had been +swept by fire, and the opposite mountain slope devastated. Before them was +nothing but desolation.</p> + +<p>Soon they were near enough to see the sparkle of water in the bottom. In +their horror at their immediate surroundings they had temporarily +forgotten even their terrible thirst. The sight of water recalled their +need.</p> + +<p>"Thank God water can't burn!" cried Lew, as the sparkle of the brook +caught his eye. "We'd be in a fine pickle if the brook had been consumed, +too."</p> + +<p>The prospect of a drink stirred them. They threw off the spell that so +depressed them and hastened downward, reckless alike of menacing branches +and loose stones and obstructing tree trunks. Headlong they pushed +downward. But fortune was with them and neither a broken bone nor a +strained ligament resulted, though more than once each lad slipped and +fell. Presently they reached the bottom of the slope and came to the very +brink of the run. Almost frantically they flung themselves on the ground +and drank.</p> + +<p>Long, copious draughts they drank; and it was not until they had quenched +their thirst that they really noticed how shrunken the brook was. Instead +of the deep, rushing mountain stream they had seen when last they visited +the spot, they now found but a slender rivulet that flowed quietly along +the middle of the stream bed, leaving bare, bordering ribbons of stony +bottom along its margins. Nowhere did the water seem to reach from bank to +bank, excepting where some obstruction in the stream bed dammed the +current back. Like the forest, the brook was also a sorrowful picture. But +there was this difference. The forest was dead, whereas the brook, though +feeble, still lived.</p> + +<p>The full significance of the shrunken stream did not strike the two boys +until they had traveled for some distance up the bank of the run. +Presently they came to a spot they recognized as a favorite trout-hole. A +great boulder jutted out from one bank, while opposite it, on the other +shore, stood or had stood, a mammoth hemlock. These obstructions had +formed a little pool, and the current had eaten away much earth from +beneath the roots of the great tree, forming an ideal lurking place for +trout. And in this dark, deep, secure retreat great fish had lived since +time immemorial. More than one huge trout had the two chums taken here. +Never was the pool without its giant occupant, for when one big fellow was +caught another moved in to take his place, the run being fully stocked +from year to year by the smaller fishes from the spring brooks, like the +vanished rivulet above. But now no trout hid under the hemlock's roots. +They stood high and dry, while the puny stream that trickled beneath them +would hardly have covered a minnow. The two boys looked at each other in +dismay.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose the entire stream is like that, do you, Lew?" asked +Charley. "There won't be a trout in it if it is." Then, after a pause, he +added: "What in the world do you suppose has become of the trout, anyway?"</p> + +<p>His question was soon answered, at least in part. Continuing along the +bank of the run, the boys presently came to one of the deepest pools in +the stream. In the crystal water they could see many trout, for there were +no hiding-places in the pool at this low stage of water. Some of the fish +were large. At the approach of the boys the frightened trout darted +frantically about in the pool, vainly seeking cover.</p> + +<p>Around the margins of this pool were innumerable little tracks in the +earth. "Raccoons!" exclaimed Lew. "There must have been dozens of them +here."</p> + +<p>But not until he found some little piles of fish-bones near the farther +end of the pool did he grasp the significance of the tracks. He stopped in +amazement.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Charley," he called, pointing to the piles of fish-bones. +"Those coons have been catching and eating trout." Then, after a moment's +thought, he added, "If this stream is like this in April, what will it be +in August? There will be hardly a drop of water or a trout left. Why, this +brook is ruined for years as a trout-stream--maybe forever. And it used to +be absolutely the finest trout-stream in this part of the mountains."</p> + +<p>Depressed and silent, the two lads continued along the brook. The +mountains on either side of them and the entire bottom between lay black +and desolate. But far up the run they could now see green foliage again, +where the fire had been stopped.</p> + +<p>"Let's go on to those pines before we eat our breakfast," said Charley. +"It would make me sick to eat here in these ruins."</p> + +<p>"That's exactly the way I feel, too," replied Lew. "It is the most awful +thing I ever saw. Let's get out of it."</p> + +<p>As rapidly as they could, they forced their way up-stream. The valley +became narrower as they advanced. It was shaped like a huge wish-bone; and +they were nearing the small end, where the mountains came together and +formed a high knob. As the valley narrowed, the grade became much steeper, +and their progress was correspondingly slower.</p> + +<p>The pines they were heading for stood almost at the top of the knob at the +crotch of the wish-bone. They were, therefore, at a considerable +elevation. From the edge of these pines one would have to travel only a +short distance to reach the very summit of the knob. After a hard walk the +boys reached the end of the burned tract. They penetrated into the living +forest far enough to shut out the sight of the dead forest they had just +traversed. Then they threw down their packs and hastily set about cooking +their breakfast.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" cried Lew. "I never was so glad to get away from anything in my +life. I hope I shall never again see a sight like that. It fairly makes a +fellow sick."</p> + +<p>In their haste to start cooking, they were not as careful as they might +have been in building their fire, and they made considerable smoke. Before +they were half done eating, a man appeared farther up the run, advancing +through the pines at great speed. He seemed to be in a big hurry until he +caught sight of the two boys as they sat on the dry pine-needles. After +that he came forward at an ordinary gait.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, boys," he said pleasantly, as he drew near. Then, catching +sight of their rods, he added, "If you came to get fish, you struck a +mighty poor place."</p> + +<p>"It used to be the best place for trout I ever saw," replied Lew. "This +brook used to be full of 'em--big ones, too. But the season has been so +dry, the brook has almost disappeared."</p> + +<p>"You mean that the fires that have swept this valley have burned it up," +replied the stranger.</p> + +<p>"It's too awful a thing to joke about," replied Lew.</p> + +<p>"A joke!" exclaimed the stranger, frowning.</p> + +<p>"It's the literal truth--and a most terrible truth, at that."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand," said Lew, slowly. "How can fire burn water? I +supposed the lack of snow last winter and of rain this spring had made the +brook shrink."</p> + +<p>"Not for a minute, young man, not for a minute. If fires hadn't swept this +valley the past two or three years, there would have been plenty of water +in the run, rain or no rain."</p> + +<p>"I--I don't exactly understand," said Lew hesitatingly.</p> + +<p>"It's like this," said the stranger. "The forest floor is like a great +sponge. The decayed leaves and twigs are so light and porous that they +soak up most of the rain as it falls and hold the water indefinitely. That +keeps the springs full, and the springs feed the brooks, and so there is +water all the year round. It is nature's method of storing up water. When +a fire sweeps through the forest, especially such awful fires as have gone +through this valley, the leaves and twigs above ground are burned, and +even the roots and the decaying vegetable matter under the earth are +consumed. Nothing is left but mineral matter--particles of rock, stones, +sand, and the like. The rain will no longer sink into the ground, nor will +the earth hold the water as the rotting leaves do. Then when it rains, the +water runs off as fast as it falls. The brooks are flooded for a few hours +and then they dry up until another rain comes. So you see I meant exactly +what I said. This trout-stream was burned up by the forest fires. +Likewise many of the trout were burned up with it, for in places the fire +made the water hotter than trout can stand. Thousands of them were +literally cooked."</p> + +<p>For a while both boys were silent. The idea was a new one to them.</p> + +<p>Presently Charley spoke. "I knew that fire burned up our timber," he said, +"but I never thought about its burning up our water, too. I know we're +getting awful short of lumber. Is there any danger of our running out of +water? But that can't be, surely."</p> + +<p>"It surely can be," said the stranger. "I judge you boys have been here +before, and-----"</p> + +<p>"We have," interrupted Lew.</p> + +<p>"Then you know what a magnificent stream this run used to be. Look at it +now. I don't believe there is one-tenth as much water in it as there used +to be. Suppose all the mountains in this state should be devastated like +this valley. Where would the towns and cities get their water?"</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" said Lew. "I never thought of that. There wouldn't be any +water for them to get. If the brooks dried up, the rivers would dry up, +too. Why--why--what in the world would we do? There wouldn't be any water +to drink or wash in or cook with or run our factories. Why, great Cæsar! +If the forests vanished, I guess we'd be up against it. I never thought of +the forests as furnishing anything but lumber. And I never thought much +about that until we tried to buy a little lumber the other day and the +dealer wanted ten dollars for half a dozen boards."</p> + +<p>"Exactly!" said the stranger. "That's the price you and I and the rest of +us in Pennsylvania pay for allowing our forests to be destroyed."</p> + +<p>"They haven't all been destroyed," protested Lew.</p> + +<p>"No, but the greater part of them have been."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean really destroyed, do you?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. Absolutely destroyed. You came up this valley, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Would you call the forest there destroyed?"</p> + +<p>"If it isn't, I don't know how you would describe it," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"All right, then. There are some 45,000 square miles in this state. +Originally practically all of that area was dense forests. The early +settlers thought the timber would last forever and they cut and destroyed +it recklessly. The lumbermen that followed were just as wasteful. It was +all right to clear the land that was good for farming. But there are more +than 20,000 square miles in this state just like these mountains--land +that is fit for nothing but the production of timber. None of that land is +producing as much timber as it should. Much of it yields very little. And +more than 6,400 square miles are absolutely desert, as bare and hideous as +the burned valley below us. That's one acre in every seven in +Pennsylvania. Think of it! Six thousand, four hundred square miles, an +area larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, +that is absolute desert! Every foot of that land ought to be producing +timber for us. Then we should have lumber at a fraction of its present +cost. You see the freight charges alone on the lumber used in this state +are enormous."</p> + +<p>"That lumber dealer told us they amounted to $25,000,000 a year," replied +Lew.</p> + +<p>"They do," assented the stranger. "And when the new freight rates go into +effect the amount will be $40,000,000. What it will be when we get our +wood from the Pacific coast I have no idea, but I suppose it will be at +least double what it is now, anyway."</p> + +<p>"The Pacific coast!" cried Lew. "Why should we get lumber from the Pacific +coast when we can get it from the South? The lumber dealer told us that +practically all the wood we use now conies from the South."</p> + +<p>"He was right. But we shall presently be getting our lumber from the far +West for the same reason that we now get it from the South. In ten or a +dozen years there won't be any lumber left in the South for us to buy. +They will do well to supply themselves. Then we must bring our lumber from +Idaho and Oregon and Washington and California. The freight charges will +be something terrific, and the wood itself will cost a good deal more than +it now does because it will be so scarce."</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" cried Lew. "What will a poor devil do then if he wants to +build a boat?"</p> + +<p>"Or if he wants to build a house?" suggested the stranger. "You know lots +of folks have to build houses every year. Look at all the people who get +married and build homes. Why, when I was a little boy, you could buy the +finest kind of lumber for ten or fifteen dollars a thousand. It didn't +cost much then to build a house. Now a man has to work for years before he +can save enough to pay for a home, even a very modest one. And what it +will cost when the wood from the South and the far West is all gone I hate +to imagine."</p> + +<p>"The wood from the far West all gone!" cried Charley. "Surely that can +never be. Why, the forests there are enormous. I've read all about them."</p> + +<p>"The forests here were enormous, too, young man. Forty years ago +Pennsylvania supplied a large part of the nation with its lumber. And +to-day we don't grow more than one-tenth of the wood we use. Yes, sir; +within twenty-five years or so after we have finished up the wood in the +South, there won't be any left in the far West, either."</p> + +<p>"What in the world are we going to do?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"God knows," said the stranger solemnly. "But there is one thing we've +<i>got</i> to do right now. Get these mountains to growing timber again. We +must take care of what has already started to grow and plant trees where +there are none. Most important of all, we must be careful with fire. I +came down here just to warn you boys to be careful with your fire."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't necessary," said Lew. "We fought a forest fire once, and nobody +but an idiot would ever be careless with fire if he had seen what we have +seen this morning."</p> + +<p>"Well, I must be moving, boys. There are lots of other fishermen that are +not as careful as you are. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The man started on, then turned back. "If you came here to fish," he said +slowly, "you're up against it. But I can tell you where to go to get all +the trout you want. Go on up to the top of this knob. Face exactly east +and you will see a gap in the second range of mountains. Make your way +through that gap and you'll find as fine a trout-stream as God ever made. +This is state forest and the Forestry Department wants everybody to use +and enjoy the forests. We are always glad to help campers."</p> + +<p>"Are you connected with the State Forest Service?" asked Charley, all +interest.</p> + +<p>"Of course," smiled the stranger. "I'm a forest-ranger," and he threw back +his coat, exhibiting a keystone shaped badge on his breast.</p> + +<p>"And it's your duty to protect the forest from fire?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and do a lot more besides. A forest-ranger has to look after the +forest just as a gardener has to tend a garden. And that means we must +care for everything in the forest--birds and animals and fish as well as +trees, though, of course, the game wardens have particular charge of the +animals."</p> + +<p>"And how do you take care of the animals and the trees?" demanded Charley +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Young man," he said, "it would take me all day to answer your question. +We do whatever is necessary to the welfare of the forest and its +inhabitants. We take out wolf trees, make improvement cuttings, plant +little trees, keep our telephone-line in shape, and do a million other +things, as we find them necessary. If I had time just now, I'd go down +this run and pile some stones in the pools for the trout to hide under. I +was through here the other day and I noticed that the coons are playing +hob with the fish."</p> + +<p>"And does the state pay you for doing this work?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. Pays me well, too."</p> + +<p>"Tell me how I could-----" began Charley.</p> + +<p>But the ranger interrupted him. "I can't tell you another thing now," he +said. "I must be moving. You never can tell when some careless fisherman +will set the forest on fire. The fact is I ought to be at headquarters +with the other rangers. The chief keeps us pretty close to the office +during the fire season, so as to have a fire crew at hand to respond +instantly to an alarm. But we have had such difficulty in securing fire +patrols this spring that some of us rangers have to do patrol duty. This +piece of timber you are in is the most valuable part of this entire +forest. It is virgin pine. It would cut close to 100,000 feet to the acre. +There is very little timber left in all Pennsylvania as fine as this. A +good part of it has already been burned. We are keeping close watch on +what is left. You never can tell when or where fires will start and we +want to grab them at the first possible minute. So I must shake a leg."</p> + +<p>"How do you grab a fire?" demanded Charley. "Please tell us. Maybe we +could help put one out some day if we knew how."</p> + +<p>The ranger laughed. "You're a persistent Indian," he said, "and I'm glad +you like the forest."</p> + +<p>"Like it!" exclaimed Charley. "I love it."</p> + +<p>He poured a cup of hot coffee and handed it to the ranger. "Tell us how +you put out a fire," he pleaded.</p> + +<p>The ranger chuckled. "You're a diplomat as well as a forest lover, I see," +he said. "Well, I shall keep moving through this tract of timber all day +long. If I see a fire I shall hurry to it, the way I came down to your big +smoke. I'll put it out, if possible. And if I can't get it out, I'll +summon help. Then we'll fight it until we do get it out."</p> + +<p>"How could you get help, when you're alone in the deep forest?"</p> + +<p>"I'd make my way out to the highway where our wire runs and connect up +this portable telephone," and the ranger pointed to a little leather case, +like a kodak box, that hung from his shoulder by a leather strap. "In a +minute's time a fire crew would be on the way to my assistance in a +motor-truck."</p> + +<p>The ranger handed Charley the empty cup and thanked him.</p> + +<p>"Have some more coffee?" urged Charley.</p> + +<p>"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted the ranger. "I believe you'd keep me +here all day if you could. I must be moving."</p> + +<p>"Just a minute," pleaded Charley. "You said it was difficult to find fire +patrols. Could I get a job as a fire patrol? I don't know as much about +fighting fire as you do, but I can patrol the forest and report fires as +well as anybody."</p> + +<p>"I wish you could be a patrol," replied the ranger heartily. "I'm sure +you'd make a good one. You seem to like the forest. But I don't believe it +is possible. The chief never hires anybody under twenty-one years of age +excepting in very unusual circumstances. In fact, I know of only two such +cases. And those two boys were almost of age and were unusualy well +qualified. I'm sorry, for I'd like to see you in the Forest Service. +Good-bye." He turned on his heel and was gone.</p> + +<p>Lew watched the ranger until he disappeared from view. Charley scarcely +glanced at him. He was lost in thought. Evidently his thoughts were not +pleasant, for from time to time he scowled.</p> + +<p>"Lew," he said, at length, "I never realized until this minute just what +that sign on the old hemlock meant." And he quoted: "'Everybody loses +when timber burns.' It's true. <i>Everybody</i> loses--positively everybody. +The sportsmen lose game, the fishermen lose fish, the towns lose their +water-supply, the mills lose their water-power, civilization loses wood. +Why, Lew, civilization's built of wood. How could we live without it? And +as for me, think what I've lost through forest fires. I've lost an +opportunity to own half of a boat. I've suffered from thirst. I've lost a +chance to catch some fish. And, Lew, I've lost a college education! I +never understood it before. If the cost of lumber hadn't gone up so much, +Dad could have paid for his house easily and helped me through college. +Now I've got to give up going to college. I've got to work two or three +years for Dad and if ever I get married and want to build a home, I see +where I've got to slave for the rest of my life to pay for the lumber +that's in it, and the wooden furnishings inside of it. Think of it, Lew! +You and I and all the rest of us have to work for years and years just to +pay for what a lot of reckless people did before we were born. It's +terrible, Lew, terrible. I've got to spend three years in a factory +because of it. I thought for a minute that I might get a job here in the +forest. That would have been grand. But there's no such luck. It's the +factory for me. I'm sure of it. I don't know how I'll ever stand it, Lew."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch05"> +<h2>Chapter V</h2> + +<h3>A Lost Opportunity</h3> + + + +<p>Half an hour later the two boys were all but ready to go on. Before +rolling his pack, Charley filled his coffee-pot in the run and thoroughly +soaked the last embers of their fire.</p> + +<p>"You'll never burn any timber," he said, as he poured on the last potful. +Then he stowed the coffee-pot in his pack and in a few moments the two +boys were once more afoot.</p> + +<p>They struck directly for the top of the knob, as the ranger had told them +to do. The slope of the ground alone guided them. So dense was the stand +of timber that the huge trunks shut off the view in all directions. It was +almost as though they were encircled by palisades. And so thick was the +shade that rarely did a sunbeam reach the earth. They were in the forest +primeval, a land of perpetual gloom. There was no underbrush and they +could travel rapidly. In a very short time they came to the top of the +knob.</p> + +<p>The summit had been entirely cleared of timber. On the very highest point +one lone tree remained. A long pole had been planted near its trunk, with +its top fastened to a branch of the tree. Crossbars between the tree and +the pole made a sort of rude ladder of the affair. And well up the tree a +rough staging had been constructed of small limbs. The boys saw at once +that this was a rude sort of watch-tower, and they suspected that the +ranger had been in the tree when he discovered the smoke from their fire.</p> + +<p>They climbed up the tree and surveyed the scene before them in silence. +Indeed, it was too sublime for words. On every side stretched the forest. +Mile upon mile, league after league, east, west, north, south, far as the +eye could reach, spread the leafy roof of the forest, seemingly +illimitable, boundless, vast as the ocean, a sea of trees. And like a sea +the forest rose and fell in huge billows. On either hand great mountains +reared their huge bulk heavenward. Beyond them other ranges heaved their +rugged crests aloft. And still other ranges lay beyond these. Over all was +a cover of living green, the canopy of the forest. Sublime, majestic, +awesome, almost overpowering was the spectacle. And neither lad could find +words to express the emotion that arose within him. So they stood and +looked in silent wonder. Finally Charley spoke.</p> + +<p>"It's worth all we've been through, Lew, just to see this," he said. "I +shall be well paid for the trip, even if we never get a fish."</p> + +<p>Presently Lew looked up at the sun. Then he examined the mountains a +little to the left of the sun.</p> + +<p>"There's where we go," he said, pointing over the nearest ridge to a gap +in the mountain beyond it. "The trout-stream will be in the third valley. +We've got to travel due east. And it will be some hike, too--over a +mountain and through a high gap. Let's pick out our landmarks and get +under way. It will take us a good many hours to make it, but we ought to +be there in time to have trout for supper."</p> + +<p>For a few moments the boys examined the way in silence.</p> + +<p>"See that bunch of rocks on the summit?" asked Lew. "They look like +chimney-rocks from here. Anyway, they stick up higher than any other part +of the mountain. And there's three tall pines right beside them. That's a +good landmark. It's exactly in a straight line for the gap. We can find +that mark if we can find anything. But you can't see very clearly through +this timber. Was there ever anything like it?"</p> + +<p>"Finest timber I ever set eyes on, Lew. Isn't it wonderful? and to think +that the whole state was once covered with timber like that!"</p> + +<p>They climbed down the rude ladder, slipped their packs over their +shoulders, and set off down the mountainside at a fast pace. And they +could go fast in such timber. No underbrush tripped them or caught in +their sacks. No low limbs impeded their progress. Indeed there was hardly +a limb nearer the ground than fifty feet. Their only care was for the +rocks and the roughness underfoot. From time to time they paused as they +came to some mammoth pine, and gazed in awed wonder at its huge bulk.</p> + +<p>As they got down into the bottom the timber seemed to be even larger than +it was on the slope. The forest floor was soft and springy. Their feet +sank into it as into a soft, thick rug. The top of this leafy covering was +dry enough; but a few inches under the surface, the forest mold was as +moist as though a shower had just fallen. Yet there had been almost no +rain for months. Not only did the leaves hold the moisture, but the very +shade itself conserved it by preventing evaporation.</p> + +<p>In the very centre of the valley ran a little stream. Long before they +could see it, they heard the brook talking to itself. The forest was +filled with a gentle murmur, which grew to a distinct rushing sound as +they approached the stream.</p> + +<p>"Can't you just hear it speak?" said Lew. "What do you suppose it is +saying?"</p> + +<p>"Those really are voices," insisted Charley.</p> + +<p>"Now who's getting dippy?" laughed Lew. "You'll be as bad as I am if you +keep on."</p> + +<p>"But I do hear voices," protested Charley. "I plainly heard the word +'six.' Listen. Somebody said 'eight,' just as plain as could be."</p> + +<p>Lew looked puzzled. "Of course there might be some fishermen in here +besides ourselves," he said.</p> + +<p>They looked carefully about them, but at first saw nothing. Then a voice +distinctly said, "Hemlock--five." There could no longer be any doubt. +Some one besides themselves was in the forest.</p> + +<p>They made their way in the direction of the sound. Presently they saw +three men. Two of them carried calipers and walked in advance. The third +came behind and held a pencil and note-book.</p> + +<p>"Wonder who they are and what they are doing," Charley said quietly.</p> + +<p>"Let's watch and see."</p> + +<p>But in a moment the approaching party caught sight of them. "Good-morning, +boys," said the man with the note-book. "Out for trout?"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," replied Lew. "But we've had hard luck. We +intended to fish in the valley back of us. It used to be a fine place for +trout. But it's been burned over and there are no trout left."</p> + +<p>"I know," said the man. "I've seen it. Be careful with your fires, boys. +We don't want any more of this fine timber burned."</p> + +<p>"Are you a forest-ranger, too?" asked Charley eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No; I'm the forester. I have charge of this forest."</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought you were at headquarters with your fire crew," cried +Charley, hardly realizing what he was saying.</p> + +<p>The man looked at him sharply. "I ought to be and I wish I were," he said. +"I don't like this a bit. But I was ordered by the Commissioner to send in +an immediate estimate on the amount of timber in this stand. There's a +big sale on and they have to know how much there is to sell." He paused +and then added: "How in the world did you know I was supposed to be at +headquarters with the fire crew?"</p> + +<p>"A ranger told us so. We met him over in the other valley. He said he +wished he was with you."</p> + +<p>"Oh! That would be Morton," said the forester. "I sent him out on patrol +because we were short of fire patrols."</p> + +<p>"Could you use me as a fire patrol?" said Charley quickly.</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him searchingly. "Why do you want to be a fire +patrol?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I've got to go to work at something," said Charley, "and I'd love to help +care for the forest. You see, I'm almost through high school and I've got +to go to work and help Dad the minute I've graduated. He wants me to go +into the factory with him. I hate factories. But I love the woods. You'd +never be sorry, if you hired me, sir."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it isn't work rather than the factory you dislike?" demanded +the forester bluntly.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" protested Charley. "I'd work day and night gladly if I could do +what I want to do. And there's nothing I can think of I'd rather do than +help take care of the forest."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the forester, "but I need patrols now, not after school +closes in June."</p> + +<p>"Maybe I could get excused for the rest of the term," pleaded Charley.</p> + +<p>"And throw away your chance to graduate? I don't think I want that kind +of a boy for a fire patrol," said the forester with a frown. "You might +decide to quit this job, too, about the time we stacked up against a hot +fire."</p> + +<p>Lew spoke up. "You don't understand what Charley means, sir," he +explained. "Charley is away ahead of most of us in his school work. He's +done enough now to give him his diploma."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" replied the forester.</p> + +<p>Then he turned to Charley in apology. "I beg your pardon, young man. I +misjudged you. I should like to have such an exemplary young man for a +patrol, but you are too young. We practically never employ a man not yet +of age as a fire patrol. A boy would have to have very unusual +qualifications if we did take him. I'm sorry, my lad. I believe you are a +fine boy, and I'd like to hire you. But you are too young."</p> + +<p>Charley turned his head away to hide the tears that he could not keep back +as he saw the opportunity slipping away from him. Then he dashed his hand +across his eyes and again faced the forester.</p> + +<p>"You do not understand who we are," he said with determination, "nor what +our qualifications are. I am accustomed to the woods, sir. I know +something of woodcraft. I have fought fire in the forest. I have spent +weeks in the mountains. And I am a wireless operator, sir. Are any of your +patrols better qualified?"</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him with renewed interest. "As a patrol," he +remarked, "you would have to deal with grown men. You would find yourself +in many situations that you could not handle. Grown men do not like to +take orders from boys."</p> + +<p>"I have handled men, sir; that is, I have helped to handle them. I helped +to capture the German dynamiters at Elk City, sir, when the Camp Brady +Wireless Patrol saved that place from destruction."</p> + +<p>"Are you a member of that organization?" asked the forester with +increasing interest. "I remember reading about that."</p> + +<p>"We both are," said Charley. "And I could help you so much with my +wireless, sir. Your ranger told us this morning that if he found a fire he +couldn't handle, he would have to go clear out to the highway before he +could summon help. With the wireless, help could be summoned almost +instantly."</p> + +<p>The forester smiled indulgently. "It sounds good," he commented. "But you +forget that we have no wireless and that none of us knows anything about +radio-telegraphy. No; I am afraid I can't use you, though I'd like to. If +you still want a job when you are of age, come to me. I can use you as a +patrol and I might even have a place for you as a ranger. We have mighty +few rangers as well educated and equipped as you will be. Or you might +even decide to go to Mont Alto and take a degree in forestry and become a +forester like myself. I would like to see you in the service, but I can't +take you in now. I must get on with my work and hurry back to my office. +Good-bye and good luck to you. And don't forget about your fires."</p> + +<p>Turning to the elder of his two companions, he said, "All right, Finnegan. +Go ahead."</p> + +<p>The man stepped to the nearest tree, slipped his calipers on it +breast-high, then glanced aloft. "White pine, forty-three, five," he +called.</p> + +<p>The forester put down the figures in his cruising book.</p> + +<p>"Hemlock, twenty-eight, four," called the other man.</p> + +<p>The men were experienced timber cruisers. They were measuring the amount +of wood in the forest. The first man meant that the white pine tree he was +measuring was forty-three inches in diameter breast-high and would make +five standard logs, each sixteen feet long. The second scaler had measured +a hemlock twenty-eight inches in diameter and long enough for four logs. +They were measuring the timber on a few acres, so as to form an estimate +of the amount for sale.</p> + +<p>The work interested Lew greatly, but Charley had no heart for anything. He +had fought hard and apparently his last chance had slipped away from him.</p> + +<p>He was very quiet as they made their way through the valley. Even the run +in the bottom failed to stir him, though he loved the little mountain +streams passionately. Yet he did notice that here, beneath the lofty +pines, where the forest mold lay deep and spongy, the brook flowed +strongly. It sang as it rushed along between its rugged banks. But there +was no music in its song for Charley. So alluring was the stream that Lew +wanted to fish, but Charley had no heart even to try for a trout; though +it was practically a certainty that there were trout aplenty to be had. +Time heals all wounds. It would heal Charley's: but not enough time had +yet elapsed for the healing process to begin. At present he could think of +nothing but his dismal prospects.</p> + +<p>So they went on through the bottom and slowly ascended the opposite +mountain. As they had suspected might be the case, it was impossible to +distinguish the landmarks they had chosen. The innumerable great trunks of +the pines cut off their vision as effectually as a high board fence could +have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the +freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a +comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain, +after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected.</p> + +<p>The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in +finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope +and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well +timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed. +And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the +stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon +was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the +valley that was to be their home for the next few days.</p> + +<p>Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained +some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with +hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were +countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a +hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from +some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a +splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so +dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that +went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal +clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout.</p> + +<p>By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!" +he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook." +As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold +enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush +here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he spoken before a great trout darted across the stream, +almost at their feet. Charley extended his rod over the water and waved it +vigorously a few times. Instantly trout darted out from a dozen different +points.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" shouted Charley. "Did you see 'em, Lew? I can hardly wait to +get a line in."</p> + +<p>"We've got to get our camp made before we do any fishing," replied Lew. +"Let's hustle up and find a good camp site."</p> + +<p>They walked rapidly up the valley, keeping a few yards back from the brook +so as not to alarm the trout.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how our wireless will work among all these trees," said Lew. +"If we could find an open spot I'm sure it would be better."</p> + +<p>Presently they came to exactly the sort of place they desired. At some +time, evidently within a few months, for no brush had as yet sprung up, a +hurricane had swept through the forest: and where it had passed lay a +windrow of trees as flat as a swath of grain after the scythe has gone +through it. The windrow was several rods in width, and not a tree remained +standing within that space. The fallen trees were piled upon one another +in confused masses.</p> + +<p>For a time the boys gazed at the scene with awe. "That opening will make a +fine place to hang our aerial if we can get the wires up," said Lew. "I +believe that we have enough wire to hang 'em up pretty high and still have +a long lead-in wire. If there is, then we can camp back here under the +trees close to the run. We have no tent and the dense tops will protect +us from dew. It'll be much warmer back among the trees, too."</p> + +<p>Speedily they found a place that suited them. They put their packs on the +ground and got out their wireless instruments. Then they made some rude +spreaders from branches that Lew cut in the windrow. When the aerial was +ready to hang up, Charley took a length of wire and made his way across +the windrow and up a slender tree that stood on the farther edge of the +opening. He fastened one end of the wire to the spreader and the other end +he attached to the tree. Lew was duplicating his movements on the other +side of the opening. In no time the aerial was swinging above the windrow, +and the lead-in wire had been brought back through the trees to the camp +site. Here the instruments were connected and the wire coupled to them. +The dry cells were next wired and the outfit was then ready. Lew sat down +beside the spark-gap and pressed the key. Bright flashes leaped from point +to point. He adjusted the gap, so as to get the best spark, then laid the +pack bags over the instruments.</p> + +<p>"We missed out on listening to Roy this time," he said, "but I'll bet we +can raise the rest of the bunch. She works fine. We've got a dandy spark."</p> + +<p>"Good!" cried Charley. "It won't be long before it is dark. It's already +twilight under these trees. Now for the trout."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch06"> +<h2>Chapter VI</h2> + +<h3>Trout Fishing in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>"Shall we go up-stream or down?" asked Lew, as he jointed his little rod +and fastened a hook to his line.</p> + +<p>"Let's go down. We can't fish very long, and we know there is no brush +along the stream below us. We can try it up-stream to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"To-morrow we'll fish on opposite sides of the run," said Lew as they +buckled on their bait boxes and started. "I don't see any way to cross now +and there's no time to hunt for a way."</p> + +<p>"It's full of 'em. I'll bet on that," smiled Charley. "We'll catch a mess +in no time. Here goes with a worm."</p> + +<p>He threaded one on his hook, crouched down, and cautiously drew near the +bank. A dexterous flick of his rod landed the worm fairly in the middle of +the run. Hardly had it hit the water before something grabbed it, and +Charley drew forth a flopping fish. But it proved to be only a fingerling. +In disgust Charley wet his hand and carefully unhooked the little fish.</p> + +<p>"Shows they're here, anyway," he said, as he tossed the little trout back +into the stream.</p> + +<p>But if they were there, they were strangely shy in making their presence +known. Rod after rod the hoys advanced, careful not to show themselves, +making their casts with greatest caution, and keeping as quiet as +possible. But no fish so much as smelled their bait. Again and again they +let their hooks float down into promising pools, but never a strike +resulted.</p> + +<p>They took the worms from their hooks and tried flies. But though their +gaudy lures landed lightly on the water and danced in the rapids like real +insects struggling for their lives, never a fish rose to grasp one.</p> + +<p>"They won't touch worms and they don't want flies. I wonder what they do +like," grumbled Lew in disgust. "I wish we had some grasshoppers or +crickets. Bet we'd get 'em then."</p> + +<p>They continued their efforts until it was almost dark. "We'll have to be +getting back to camp," said Charley. "We can't see much longer. We don't +want to be caught here in the dark. The flash-light is back at camp."</p> + +<p>"Here's a fat grub," said Lew, picking up a whiteworm out of a rotting +log. "I'm going to make one more try. Maybe they want grubs."</p> + +<p>He slipped the worm on his hook and flicked it toward the brook. A second +after it struck the water there was a splash, and Lew's reel sang shrilly.</p> + +<p>"Oh boy!" cried Lew, as he struck up his rod smartly. "I've got him."</p> + +<p>He had. The fish leaped clear of the water, but failed to loosen the +line. Then it darted away like a shot, the line cutting through the water +with a sharp, swishing sound.</p> + +<p>"Hold him," called Charley. "He's heading for that snag."</p> + +<p>Lew put his thumb on the line and raised the tip of his rod higher. Under +the tension the supple steel bent almost double. The fish stopped his +rush, turned, and darted down-stream before Lew could reel in a foot of +line.</p> + +<p>Charley forgot all about his own fishing in his desire to help land the +trout. "Don't let him get under that rock," he warned, coming close to the +brook. "He'll cut the line."</p> + +<p>Lew increased the tension on the line and the fish stopped short of the +rock. For an instant the trout sulked and Lew reeled in rapidly.</p> + +<p>"Guess I got him," he cried triumphantly, as the fish was drawn near to +the bank. But as he bent to grasp his prize there was a tremendous splash. +The trout leaped high out of water, then darted off again like a flash. +Lew had to give him line or lose him.</p> + +<p>"He's a whopper, Charley," he cried. "Gee! I hope I don't lose him!"</p> + +<p>"Here's a shallow place," cried Charley. "Work him into it and we can grab +him."</p> + +<p>Lew maneuvered the trout toward the shoal. Again and again the fish broke +for the deeper water and Lew had to give him line. But each time he +stopped the rush and patiently worked the fish back toward the shoal. At +last the trout was fairly on the edge of it. Lew began to pull steadily on +his line and slid the tired fish into shallow water. It flopped helplessly +on the stones. Lew drew it to the bank and thrust a finger into its gills. +In another second the fish was dangling in air.</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" cried Charley excitedly. "Ain't he a beaut! He's the +biggest trout I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"He's the biggest one I ever caught," answered Lew. "He'll make a meal +himself."</p> + +<p>"He'll have to," returned Charley. "We can't fish another minute. It's +almost dark now."</p> + +<p>Lew slipped his finger down the throat of the gasping fish, and bent the +creature's head sharply back. The trout hung limp in his hand. Then the +two fishermen made their way through the dusky forest to their camp, where +Charley lighted a fire.</p> + +<p>"I'll just see what this fellow has been eating," said Lew. "Maybe we can +find out what sort of bait to use." He opened his knife and slit the +fish's belly. "Crabs!" he cried, as his knife blade turned up the remains +of a crayfish. "Now we know what they want."</p> + +<p>Soon Charley had a good bed of coals. Lew, meantime, cleaned the fish. +Quickly it was cooked and eaten and the dishes washed. By this time it was +altogether dark.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll get some crabs for to-morrow," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"Wonder how we can catch them?" queried Charley.</p> + +<p>"What we need is a little dip-net. With that and the flash-light we could +get a peck of them. These little streams are full of them."</p> + +<p>"Let's try scooping them with a coffee-pot. The lid comes off. If we are +careful, I believe it will answer."</p> + +<p>They took the lid off of the pot, and stepping to the brook turned the +beam from their flash-light on the bottom of the run. The scene was +fascinating. Feeling secure in the darkness, the living creatures in the +brook had ventured abroad freely. Where the bright light of the sun would +have disclosed only stones and sand, the little beam from the search-light +revealed a myriad of moving shapes. Little minnows moved about in schools. +Salamanders, large and small, crawled about among the rocks. Occasional +trout were visible, lurking in the deeper holes, lying as motionless as +sticks, or moving their tails slowly. Eels lay on the sandy spots. And +lying still or crawling slowly among the stones were many crayfish. The +water seemed to be filled with living objects.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking +at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so +interesting."</p> + +<p>With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for +crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the +flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep +the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into +the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final, +quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim +escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent +the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew +tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary +to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now +getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the +wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they +had a goodly number of crayfish.</p> + +<p>"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows +will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at +his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost +nine now. We'll have to hurry."</p> + +<p>So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had +sped much faster than either boy realized.</p> + +<p>They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling +their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing +had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone +fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments +and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped +the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright +sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley +Russell calling.)</p> + +<p>Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly.</p> + +<p>"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.)</p> + +<p>"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why +we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew.</p> + +<p>The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle +of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his +pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by +his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between +the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last +night?"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't," answered Charley. "Didn't reach Old Ironsides camp site until +long after dark. Forest fires have burned up all the timber there. Spring +dried up, too. Had terrible time. Awful thirsty and no water to drink. Too +tired to put up aerial."</p> + +<p>"Where are you now?"</p> + +<p>"In the third valley east of Old Ironsides. Never been so far in the +mountains before. Grand stand of timber here. Great trout stream. Full of +big ones. Won't touch worms or flies. Just been catching crabs to try +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Get any yet?"</p> + +<p>"One big one."</p> + +<p>"Have any adventures?"</p> + +<p>"Not unless you call our experience in the burned timber an adventure. +Toughest thing I've stacked up against in a long time. Timber burned for +miles. No fish. Raccoons catching 'em out of the little pools. Had to come +here to get any. What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"Everybody hard at work. I got a new job yesterday helping a fellow make a +wireless outfit."</p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>"Right here. We're making it in my shop."</p> + +<p>"Will you be there to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. All day."</p> + +<p>"We'll call you."</p> + +<p>"Good! I'll listen in every hour on the hour. Then you can get me almost +any time."</p> + +<p>"Bully for you. We're going to fish to-morrow, but we may catch so many in +the morning that we won't want to fish after dinner. I'll let you know how +we make out. Good luck to you all. Wish you were here. We'll bring you a +nice mess of fish, anyway. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Good-night and good luck."</p> + +<p>"I wish they were here," said Lew, as Charley covered the instruments to +protect them from dampness, and moved over near his chum. "It doesn't seem +right to be in the forest without the whole crowd. This makes me think of +our camp in the forest near the Elk City reservoir, when we were hot on +the trail of the dynamiters. I'd hate to camp out at this time of year +without any fire."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's turn in. We want to get up early to-morrow and try those +crabs. I'll bet we get a bunch of trout."</p> + +<p>"Bet we do, too," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>Little did he dream that on the morrow he would be engaged in matters far +more serious than catching trout.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch07"> +<h2>Chapter VII</h2> + +<h3>The Forest Afire</h3> + + + +<p>The earliest rays of light had hardly penetrated beneath the giant pines +the next morning before the two boys were astir. Their breakfast was +quickly cooked and eaten. Then they buckled on their bait boxes, now +bulging with worms and crayfish. They carried as well their books of +flies. And Charley slipped the little axe into his belt, to have something +to chop with in case they wanted to hunt for whiteworms.</p> + +<p>"Let's go back where we caught that big fellow last night," said Lew. +"There may be some more like him in those deep pools."</p> + +<p>"All right. Come on."</p> + +<p>With nothing but their little rods to carry, they made fast time through +the forest, and had already reached the pool in which the big trout was +taken, before the first ray of sunlight came flashing among the tree +trunks.</p> + +<p>"We're going to have a fine day," said Charley. "It's my turn to catch a +fish. Here goes for a try."</p> + +<p>He baited his hook with a crayfish, and cautiously made his way toward the +brink of the brook. Half-way he paused and straightened up, sniffing the +air. Then he turned and looked at Lew.</p> + +<p>"Smell anything?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Lew had also detected a taint in the fresh morning air. "Smells like +smoke," he said. "Probably some fisherman cooking his breakfast."</p> + +<p>Charley turned toward the brook again, then once more faced his companion.</p> + +<p>"People don't cook with leaves," he said soberly. "That isn't wood smoke, +that's burning leaves."</p> + +<p>For a moment the two boys looked at each other in silence.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose----" began Lew, but Charley cut him short.</p> + +<p>"Let's make sure. Which way is that smoke coming from?" He stepped to the +brook and dipped a finger in the cold water. Then he held his hand aloft.</p> + +<p>"There's so little wind stirring I can't tell which way it's blowing," he +said. "One side of my finger feels as cold as the other."</p> + +<p>Again he tried it. There was just a suggestion of an air current. "Seems +to be blowing straight up the valley," he said.</p> + +<p>"I'll try a match," said Lew. He took his waterproof match box from his +pocket and drew forth a match, which he lighted on his heel. "You're +right," he said. "The flame blows up-stream a little. What shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"It doesn't seem possible that the woods can be afire," answered Charley. +"But let's make sure. If the forest is afire and we can put it out, it +would be a crime if we don't. The memory of it would haunt me the rest of +my life."</p> + +<p>"All right. We'll go down-stream. If there is a fire, we'll do our best to +put it out. If there isn't any fire, there's no harm done. We can probably +find as many fish down-stream as there are here. We'll save time if we +unjoint our rods."</p> + +<p>Quickly the lines were reeled up and the rods packed in their cloth cases. +Then, with nothing to hamper them, the two boys hurried down the valley.</p> + +<p>Gradually the odor of burning leaves grew stronger. A very little breeze +arose, blowing straight in their faces. It was heavy with the smell of +fire. Ahead of them the forest began to look gray and misty, as though a +heavy night fog still covered the earth. But both boys knew that the gray +blanket was no night mist. It was smoke. They quickened their pace. The +smoke cloud grew denser. Then a dull, reddish glow appeared. There could +no longer be any doubt. The forest was afire.</p> + +<p>"Come on," cried Charley. "We've got to grab it quick."</p> + +<p>As they started to run, Lew protested: "Not too fast. We'll tire ourselves +out before we get there. We may have a long fight before we put the fire +out."</p> + +<p>The smoke now rolled past them in dense clouds. The red glow grew +brighter. In a few moments they reached the fire itself. It was in an +opening where the timber had been cut and little but brush remained. It +was a ground fire that crept slowly along among the leaves. Yet it had +already spread until it seemed to stretch across half the valley.</p> + +<p>"If we can only put it out before the wind comes up," said Charley, "we +can save the forest."</p> + +<p>He looked about for a low tree, discovered a thick, young pine, rapidly +chopped off some bushy branches, and again sheathed his axe. Each boy +seized a branch.</p> + +<p>"Our rods--what shall we do with them?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Throw 'em in the run. Fire can't hurt 'em there and we can get 'em at any +time."</p> + +<p>Lew rushed over to the brook and put the rods in the water. He set a flat +stone on them to keep the current from moving them. Then he dipped his +pine bough in the brook and began to beat out the flames, working straight +out from the bank. Charley joined him. Rapidly they rained blows upon the +fire. Rod after rod they advanced. The heat from even so small a fire was +great. The smoke was blinding and stifling. Heat and smoke and their own +exertions tired them rapidly.</p> + +<p>"We've got to take it easier," said Lew, after a little, "or we'll be all +in before we get the fire half out."</p> + +<p>Of necessity they slackened their efforts. As they wore out their weapons, +they cut new ones. Every little while they rested. They were tiring fast. +At the same tune, the wind was beginning to freshen. Here in the open +there was nothing to break its force. The flames leaped higher under its +breath and began to run over the ground instead of crawling. The fire +itself created a draft. The greater the draft, the hotter the flame +became, and the hotter the fire grew, the stronger blew the draft.</p> + +<p>"We're never going to do it," panted Charley, after a while. "The wind is +blowing harder all the time. We must call help."</p> + +<p>He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes of seven!" he ejaculated. "How far +do you think we are from camp?"</p> + +<p>"Two miles, anyway," answered Lew.</p> + +<p>"If I can make it by seven, I may be able to get Willie. He said he would +listen in every hour."</p> + +<p>"Hurry," said Lew sharply. "I'll keep at work here."</p> + +<p>"If it gets too hot for you," said Charley, "go right back to the brook, +and come up along it to camp. That's the way I'm going back, and I'll +return that way after I get Willie. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>He started off at a fast pace. But his exertions and the heat and smoke +had so weakened him that he quickly saw he could not maintain such a gait. +He dropped to a steady jog. Even that taxed his strength. But he gritted +his teeth and clenched his hands and kept on.</p> + +<p>The forest was now full of smoke. The dense cloud completely hid the sun. +Among the great pines it was almost like twilight. Charley pushed on as +fast as his weary legs could carry him. More than once he tripped and +fell. He could no longer see distinctly. Fatigue and the smoke in his eyes +blurred his vision. He was scratched and torn and his hands were a mass of +little burns. Charley scarcely noticed them. His mind was wholly intent on +getting help and saving the forest. Nothing else mattered. So he staggered +on through the dusky woods. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had +passed. He felt sure he had been running an hour and that his watch had +stopped. He held it to his ear. The steady ticking somewhat reassured him. +After what seemed like another long interval he ventured to look at it +again. Five minutes more had elapsed. Five minutes remained before Willie +would be at his post waiting for a possible message. Charley crowded on +all the speed that was left in him. But his feet seemed to be made of +lead. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs. His lungs seemed nigh +to bursting.</p> + +<p>"Five minutes more," he kept muttering to himself. "Only five minutes +more. I've got to make it. Only five minutes more."</p> + +<p>Suddenly he came to their camp. In his weariness he had not recognized any +landmarks. He could hardly believe it was their camp. But there were the +grub bag hanging on a wire, the dishes piled by the fire, and the wireless +instruments protected by the pack bags.</p> + +<p>"Thank God for the wireless!" gasped Charley, as he threw himself on the +ground beside his key. He tried to flash a call, but his hand trembled so +he could not form the letters correctly. He dropped flat on his back to +rest for a moment, glancing at his watch as he lay there. It lacked one +minute of seven.</p> + +<p>For sixty seconds Charley lay prostrate, looking at the second-hand on his +watch as it went round. Then he sat up. The minute's rest had steadied him +wonderfully. He moved his switch, pressed his finger on the key, and sent +the bright sparks flashing between his gap points.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he called, then paused to listen.</p> + +<p>There was no response. An anxious look crept into his eyes. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," again he called.</p> + +<p>No answering signal sounded in his ear. His face went white. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out anxiously. And without listening +for a reply, he repeated the message frantically half a dozen times. Then +a buzzing sounded in his ears. A look of relief came on his face. He +sighed. Willie was acknowledging his call signal.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?"</p> + +<p>"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on +the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the +fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is +from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask +what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer."</p> + +<p>For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were +like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though +Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and +wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his +mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of +flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. +Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the +forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped +his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning +to speak.</p> + +<p>"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly +where fire is."</p> + +<p>"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond +Ironsides," flashed back Charley.</p> + +<p>"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval.</p> + +<p>"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What +shall we do?"</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header +and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives."</p> + +<p>"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Charley threw over his switch, covered the instruments with the pack bags, +and was off down the valley. He felt much refreshed by his rest. At a +steady jog he made his way along the brook.</p> + +<p>Now he found it difficult to breathe. Smoke was rolling through the forest +in billows. Close by he heard the cries of terror-stricken animals. He +came to the edge of the burned space beside the brook, where they had +beaten out the flames. Here there was practically no smoke. He turned away +from the run and followed the black edge of the burned area. He knew this +would bring him to Lew, and he wanted to make sure that they had +extinguished every spark in the distance they had covered. Only at one +point did he find fire smouldering. He beat out the sparks and went on. He +could see almost nothing. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. Through it +he began to distinguish the red glare of the flames. Ever louder sounded +the crackle of fire. From a low, humming sound it grew, as he drew near, +into a subdued roar. Then all other sounds were lost in the greater tumult +of the forest fire.</p> + +<p>Now he came close to the flames. The heat was terrific. The smoke choked +him. He could hardly breathe. The roar of the fire was terrifying. +Hitherto he had felt no fear. Now a feeling of alarm suddenly seized him. +What if Lew had been overcome by smoke and burned in his absence? The +possibility had never occurred to him before.</p> + +<p>"Lew! Lew!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and started along the line +of the fire. There was no reply. At least Charley heard none.</p> + +<p>"Lew! Lew!" he cried. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>But no voice answered through the smoke.</p> + +<p>"If he's down, I'll find him or die trying," muttered Charley to himself.</p> + +<p>His face was grim and set as he started along the line of the fire again, +paying no heed to the flames but looking only for his chum. Every few +yards he stopped and shouted. But no answer ever reached him.</p> + +<p>On he went, rod after rod, keeping as near the flames as he dared. He saw +nothing of his friend. He came to a point where a tongue of fire had run +far in advance of the remainder of the blaze. It seemed to be traveling +twice as fast as the rest of the flames.</p> + +<p>"The header!" he cried to himself. "Here's where we ought to be at work. +But I must find Lew first. He certainly never got beyond this header."</p> + +<p>Charley stopped and called. Again and again he shouted. There was no +response.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he went back to look for me and I passed him in the smoke," thought +Charley. "I'll go back to the brook."</p> + +<p>He turned to retrace his steps. Something suddenly flashed into flame +close beside him. It caught Charley's attention. He saw it was a pine +bough. Then he noticed that it had been freshly cut.</p> + +<p>"It's Lew's brush," cried Charley. "He must have been here."</p> + +<p>He sank on his knees close to the blazing bough, and heedless of smoke and +flame began to examine the ground carefully. He ran his fingers lightly +over the leaves, feeling for footprints. At first he found nothing. Then +he discovered the impression of a heel. He could not be certain which way +the footprint pointed.</p> + +<p>With the heel mark as a centre, he began to feel about in a circle two or +three feet wide. He judged that would be the length of his chum's stride. +Twice he felt around the circle before he found a second footprint. It was +in the direction of the brook. He moved forward and searched where he +thought the third step should have fallen. Here he distinctly saw the mark +of a foot. When he rose to his feet his coat sleeve was beginning to smoke +and his face was blistered.</p> + +<p>"Lew's gone back to the brook," he muttered. "I must have passed him in +the smoke. He's probably looking for me."</p> + +<p>But he still felt vaguely uneasy and fearful. He walked rapidly toward the +brook. The trail he was following became distinct. The leaves had been +kicked up here and there by Lew as he walked. The track grew plainer and +plainer. It became more like a plow furrow. At first Charley did not +grasp the meaning of the shambling trail. Then it came to him.</p> + +<p>"He's dragging his feet," he muttered. "He must be all in. Maybe he's +down."</p> + +<p>Charley took a quick look at the flames. They had crept frightfully close +to the trail in the leaves. Then he sprang forward at top speed. His face +was white.</p> + +<p>"I've got to reach him before the fire gets him," he sobbed.</p> + +<p>He kept peering through the smoke. "There's another header shooting out +toward that log," he said, "but I won't leave the trail. I might miss +Lew."</p> + +<p>The trail led straight toward the log. Charley increased his speed. As he +neared the log he gave a cry of terror and bounded forward like a shot. +What Charley had mistaken for a tree trunk was his chum's prostrate form. +The flames had almost reached it.</p> + +<p>With his brush Charley fell on the fire savagely and beat it out for the +space of a rod or two on either side of Lew's body. Then he rushed back to +his chum and knelt beside him. Lew was unconscious but breathing +regularly. His nose was half buried in leaves and moss. That fact had +probably saved his life, for it had given him pure air to breathe.</p> + +<p>Charley drew Lew over his shoulder until he had him doubled up like a +jack-knife, and could therefore carry him easily. Then, at a steady pace, +he set out for the brook. Soon he passed the end of the line of fire. In +a few minutes more he reached the stream.</p> + +<p>He laid his chum close beside the run, felt his pulse and listened to his +breathing. Lew's heart was beating regularly and he was breathing easily.</p> + +<p>Charley sighed with relief. "He's all right," he muttered.</p> + +<p>Then he filled his hat with water and sprinkled some on Lew's face. Lew's +eyelids flickered. Then his eyes opened.</p> + +<p>"Where am I, Charley?" he asked. "What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>For a moment he lay still. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright.</p> + +<p>"I know now," he said. "The forest is on fire. I was fighting it and you +went to call help. Did you get Willie? And how did you find me? I guess I +got too much smoke. I started for the brook. That's all I can remember. +I'm all right now. We're going back."</p> + +<p>He got to his feet, but at first had to be supported. Charley made him lie +down again. In a few minutes his strength seemed to return to him. He got +up.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right now, Charley," he insisted. "I mightn't be awake yet if you +hadn't thrown that water on my face. Thanks, old man."</p> + +<p>Charley did not tell Lew how near to death he had been. Instead, he said, +"Are you sure you're strong enough to tackle that fire again?"</p> + +<p>"Sure as shooting," nodded Lew.</p> + +<p>"Then come on. The fire has an awful start on us. The forester wants us to +try to hold the header by back-firing."</p> + +<p>As they started toward the blaze Lew said, "We'll have to work some +distance in advance of it. If only we had rakes we might conquer it even +yet."</p> + +<p>They made their way to a point well in front of the header. Then they cut +sticks and made little bundles of them to use like rakes.</p> + +<p>"I'll clear away the leaves and you start the fire," directed Charley.</p> + +<p>He began raking away the leaves, clearing a sort of path about two feet +wide straight across the line of the advancing header. Lew lighted the +leaves on the side of the cleared space toward the header, following close +upon Charley's heels. From time to time he ran back along the cleared +space to make sure the flames had not jumped across it. Wherever they had, +he beat them out with his brush. On the other side of the cleared space +the flames slowly worked their way toward the onrushing header, widening +with every minute the barren area where the flames could find no fuel to +feed upon.</p> + +<p>Rod after rod Charley cleared a narrow lane and Lew kept close behind him +with his torch. With amazing rapidity they extended their line.</p> + +<p>"If only we had the Wireless Patrol here," panted Lew, "we'd lick this old +fire to a frazzle."</p> + +<p>On and on they went. To save their strength they exchanged tasks at +intervals. Every few minutes they faced about and ran back over their line +to make sure no flames had crossed the cleared space. The air was dense +with smoke, but the heat from their back-fire was trifling in comparison +with that of the main conflagration. The stand of timber grew thicker, +breaking the force of the breeze more and more. Their back-fire ate its +way into the wind much faster, and the real fire came on slower. It seemed +to be getting farther and farther away.</p> + +<p>"We've passed the header," cried Charley exultantly. "We ought to be able +to hold the main fire."</p> + +<p>They rested a moment, then went at their task with renewed hope and vigor. +Rod after rod they cleared a path and fired the leaves on the windward +side of this lane. Finally their line grew so long that they could no +longer guard it properly.</p> + +<p>"If only we had half a dozen boys to patrol the line," sighed Lew. "I'm +afraid the flames will jump across somewhere. Then all we have done will +be in vain."</p> + +<p>"We'll make a trip over the whole line," declared Charley, "and be sure +it's safe. Then we'll stop back-firing and beat out the flames again. It's +the only sure way I can think of."</p> + +<p>He drew his axe and cut fresh boughs. Then they went back along their +line. In one place flames had already leaped across, but they fell on them +vigorously with their bushes and soon put them out. They patrolled the +line until they felt sure it was safe.</p> + +<p>"If we can put out the flames between our back-fire and the brook," said +Lew, "it will make our job a great deal easier. We've already put out part +of them."</p> + +<p>They began to work their way back to the brook, following the line of +flame and beating out the fire foot by foot as they advanced. There were +many things in their favor. The dense stand of trees at this point not +only checked the wind and made the fire less fierce, but the absence of +underbrush also helped to check it. There was little for it to feed upon +but leaves. So the two boys could work close to it and beat it out with +ease, though the smoke was stifling. Only lads of great determination and +courage would have stuck to the task.</p> + +<p>With frequent pauses, necessary for rest, they went on, foot by foot, yard +after yard, rod upon rod. "We're going to make it," cried Lew presently. +"It's only a little distance to the end of the flames."</p> + +<p>They increased their efforts. Quickly they reached the end of the line of +fire. Beyond that the woods had been saved by their first efforts.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll go back over the line," said Charley, "and make sure the fire +doesn't start up anywhere."</p> + +<p>"I'm dying of thirst," said Lew. "Let's get a drink first. We are not far +from the brook."</p> + +<p>They hurried to the run and threw themselves flat on the bank, drinking +copious draughts of the cool and refreshing water.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what time it is," said Charley, as they got to their feet again. +"It seems to me that we've been fighting fire for hours." He looked at his +watch. "We have," he cried. "It's after eleven o'clock. The fire crew has +been on the way four hours. They'll follow their fire trails and get here +in a fraction of the time it took us to come in. They certainly ought to +be here soon. If we can hold the fire for a little bit longer the forest +will be safe."</p> + +<p>"Come on," called Lew. "We've got to do it."</p> + +<p>Again they went along the line of their back-fire. For rod after rod the +fire was conquered. In other places it still burned; but the back-fire had +now eaten its way so far to windward of the cleared space that there was +no longer any danger of the flames leaping past the barrier. So they +covered the entire length of their line and found it safe.</p> + +<p>When they reached the main fire again they began to beat it out with +branches. Rod after rod they continued to work their way. But at best +their progress was painfully slow.</p> + +<p>"Lew," said Charley of a sudden, "while we are beating out these flames +here, there may be another header in front of us traveling like a +racehorse. I'm going to run ahead and see. You stay here. Call every +little bit and I'll answer. I'll be back in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>He made his way along the line of the fire. Here in the thick timber it +still burned slowly and feebly. He could trace the line of fire far ahead, +and it seemed to have advanced with remarkable evenness. Nowhere could be +seen a header of flame jutting out far in advance of the main line.</p> + +<p>"If the wind doesn't rise," he muttered to himself, "we're going to make +it."</p> + +<p>He went on, trying to locate the other end of the fire. Behind him he +heard Lew halloing. Before he could turn to answer, an echo came back from +the mountain in front of him.</p> + +<p>"If only that were a real voice," muttered Charley to himself.</p> + +<p>Then he stood stock-still. Shout after shout came ringing in his ears. "It +<i>is</i> a real voice," he cried. "The fire crew is coming."</p> + +<p>A moment later a dozen forms became visible in the smoke. They were +running along the edge of the fire, evidently trying to determine where to +begin their attack on it. At their head was the forester. He came directly +toward Charley, but gave no sign of recognition. Nor, could Charley have +seen himself, would he have wondered at it. With his face blackened by +smoke and caked with blood from innumerable little cuts and scratches, his +hands grimy and almost raw, and his clothes torn in a hundred places, +Charley could hardly have been recognized by his own mother.</p> + +<p>"How far across the valley does this fire extend?" asked the forester.</p> + +<p>"You are almost at the end of it, sir," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"It's making a tremendous smoke for such a little blaze, then," said the +forester.</p> + +<p>He turned to his men. "Get right at it and beat it out," he ordered. "This +is all there is to it."</p> + +<p>Again he faced Charley. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "When we came over +the pass it looked as though the entire bottom was afire."</p> + +<p>"It was," said Charley. "That is, everything this side of the run was +afire. We have got it all out but this."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen anything of two boys with a wireless outfit? They notified +me of this fire."</p> + +<p>"Why, I am one of them, sir. It was I who asked you yesterday for a job as +fire patrol."</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him narrowly for several seconds. "See here," he +said severely. "Did you boys set this forest afire?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked aghast. "Set the forest afire!" he exclaimed in amazement. +"Certainly not. Why should we?"</p> + +<p>"Are you telling me the truth?"</p> + +<p>Even through the grime Charley's face was red. "See here," he said +angrily, "I don't care whether you are the forester or the President of +the United States. You are not going to call me a liar. If Lew and I +hadn't been here fishing, you wouldn't have any forest by this time. We've +fought this fire for hours and it's only a piece of luck that Lew isn't +dead. He'd have been burned to a crisp if I hadn't found him just when I +did. We've done everything we could to save the forest. I demand to know +your reason for suggesting that we started the blaze."</p> + +<p>"Young man," said the forester, "more than one forest fire has been set by +persons who wanted a job fighting fire. You wanted a job. You told me what +an advantage your wireless would be.</p> + +<p>"My ranger reported to me by telephone last night that excepting for +yourselves he had seen nobody in this region all day. This morning a fire +breaks out; you report it promptly by wireless; and when we arrive, you +have it almost out. Isn't that a suspicious chain of circumstances? +Doesn't it look as though you might be trying to show the forester +something?"</p> + +<p>"A fellow who would set the forest afire just to prove his own +qualifications as a fire fighter ought to be put in prison," said Charley +indignantly. "Do you think I'm that kind of a skunk?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't," said the forester. "I believe you boys had no hand in +starting this fire and that you have risked your lives and done heroic +work to save the forest. But I had to be sure. There is something queer +about this fire. With no railroads near to shoot up sparks, no +thunder-storms to flash lightning, and no campers to be careless with +their fires, what did cause it? It isn't the first time mysterious fires +have started in this fine timber. You saw in the other valley what two of +these fires did before we got them out. This is the third fire that has +occurred in this tract. If it hadn't been for you boys, I hate to think +what would have happened. You have done a great service to the people of +Pennsylvania."</p> + +<p>Charley was suddenly abashed. He turned his glance on the ground. He did +not know what to say.</p> + +<p>After a moment the forester spoke again. A new idea seemed suddenly to +have occurred to him. "Now that you have had a taste of real fire +fighting," he said, "would you still like to be a fire patrol--possibly a +ranger?"</p> + +<p>"Better than anything in the world," replied Charley. "I love the forest."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure you can be released from further school work?"</p> + +<p>"I feel certain I can."</p> + +<p>"Then I have a particular job for you, Mr. Fire Guard."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Fire Guard," echoed Charley, his heart beating wildly. "What do you +mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean," smiled the forester, "that you are here and now appointed a fire +patrol; that you are now a representative of the State of Pennsylvania, +and after you have been sworn in you will have the power of making +arrests. The particular job I have for you is to guard this forest. +Somebody wants to destroy this stand of virgin timber. Your job is to +protect it."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch08"> +<h2>Chapter VIII</h2> + +<h3>Making an Investigation</h3> + + + +<p>The fire crew, hardy woodsmen and rangers, accustomed to severe toil, soon +beat out what was left of the fire. Then they went over the entire line of +the fire to make sure every spark was extinguished. The forester and +Charley found Lew, and the three crossed the valley to the brook where the +two boys had begun their battle with the flames. When the fire crew had +returned and the forester was satisfied that there was no further danger, +he turned and held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Report to me at my office at the earliest possible moment," he said. "If +I dared risk being away from my headquarters so long," he added +regretfully, "I'd stay here and make an investigation. But a fire may +start somewhere else, and here I'd be with my fire crew. A thousand acres +might burn over before I knew it."</p> + +<p>"Isn't there anybody in charge at headquarters?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure. I have an assistant there. But if an alarm came in he wouldn't be +of much use without a fire crew."</p> + +<p>"Send your fire crew back," said Charley. "You can stay here and make +your investigation, and we can keep you in touch with your office easily."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?"</p> + +<p>"There isn't any doubt of it. Willie said he would listen in every few +minutes, and Willie always does what he says he will. You instruct your +fire crew to tell your assistant to keep in touch with Willie by +telephone, and we'll tell Willie to keep in touch with us by wireless. +It's as easy as rolling off a log."</p> + +<p>The forester looked doubtful. "I'd like to stay," he said. "Are you +positive you can do this?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Lew. "We do that sort of thing right along."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the forester, still hesitating, "I'll risk it. It is of the +utmost importance that an investigation be made at once. It might be days +before the chief forest fire-warden could come here. You are absolutely +certain about this wireless business?"</p> + +<p>Charley smiled. "Absolutely," he said. "But to make sure, we'll go to our +camp and talk to Willie. You can send a message to your assistant +yourself."</p> + +<p>"That'll settle it," said the forester.</p> + +<p>He called his fire crew together. "Hustle right back to headquarters," he +said. "The motor-truck will hold you all, though you may be a bit +crowded. Leave my car where it is. I'm going to look around a bit. I'll +follow you as soon as possible. Tell the assistant forester to call up the +boy in Central City who telephoned us about the fire and arrange to keep +in communication with him. We will communicate with that boy by wireless. +If fire occurs anywhere, let me know at once."</p> + +<p>The fire fighters looked their astonishment, but made no comment. They +were accustomed to obeying orders. Soon they were gone and the forester +and the two boys headed up the run toward the little camp by the windrow.</p> + +<p>"I guess we might as well get better acquainted," said the forester. "My +name is Marlin--James Marlin."</p> + +<p>"And mine," replied Charley, "is Charley Russell. This is Lew Heinsling. +As we told you yesterday, we are from Central City and belong to the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol."</p> + +<p>"That is why you are now a fire guard," said the forester. "You don't +suppose I would appoint an unknown boy to such an important post, do you? +To be sure, I don't know you personally, but I know about your +organization and some of the things you have done. I know your leader, +Captain Hardy, very well. You see your membership in that organization is +recommendation enough for me."</p> + +<p>"But I thought you suspected us of setting fire to the forest," said +Charley.</p> + +<p>"I never said so," replied Mr. Marlin. "I merely asked you if you had +started the fire."</p> + +<p>"It's pretty much the same thing," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, young man. Not at all. I did not really suspect you. But I +saw there was a possibility that you might have done just what I +suggested. I wanted to see what you would do when I suggested that you +were the culprit. I could have told if you had lied to me."</p> + +<p>"How?" demanded Charley.</p> + +<p>"Never mind now," smiled the forester. "But while we are on this subject, +I want to say this to you: when you are trying to solve a crime, you must +forget your prejudices. You must look at the facts and not at the people +concerned. You must take the attitude that anybody may be guilty until he +is proved innocent. In short, you must be ready to suspect anybody. You +must not assume, for instance, that because I am the forester I would not +set the forest afire, or because my rangers are connected with the Forest +Service they would never start a fire."</p> + +<p>Charley looked almost startled. "Why, it would be the worst sort of crime +for a forest protector to set a fire in the woods," he cried.</p> + +<p>"Of course it would," replied the forester. "But in this world almost +everybody acts according to his own interests or his own passions. If a +man could earn more money by setting fires than by preventing them, there +are many men who would take the chance. Or a man might set fire to the +forest to be revenged on somebody--possibly on me; for a forester can +hardly avoid making some enemies."</p> + +<p>The forester paused. "Somebody has three times set this part of the forest +afire," he continued after a moment. "We have no clue as to who did it. So +it is our business to suspect anybody and everybody that circumstances may +point to. But that doesn't mean we must condemn a person merely because +circumstances point to him. We must study the facts and either condemn or +acquit him according to the facts. I say this to you because you have +probably had little or no experience in tracing crime and, like most young +folks, are prone to trust people too far."</p> + +<p>Charley's face was very serious. He had not thought of detective work as a +possible part of his duties.</p> + +<p>"Don't take what I say too seriously," laughed the forester, when he +noticed Charley's expression. "You will really have very little of this +sort of thing to do. Most fires come through the carelessness of campers. +To warn them to be careful, to try to put out fires as soon as you +discover them and notify me if you fail, will be about all you will +ordinarily have to do. The chief forest fire-warden will attend to +investigating fires. But in this case, I especially want to know how this +fire started. Sometimes boys, if they are shrewd enough, make the best of +all agents for watching folks. People don't take boys seriously, and will +often do or say incriminating things before boys that they would not +dream of doing in the presence of grown men. If you keep your eyes and +ears open and your mouth shut, you may be very useful. And the less you +appear to know, the more useful you will be."</p> + +<p>Charley looked at his watch. "Willie will be at his instrument in three +minutes, sure," he said. "He might even be there now."</p> + +<p>He drew the pack bags from the wireless instruments and sat down, watch in +hand, beside them. The forester looked on with keenest interest. He no +longer regarded the wireless outfit as a mere plaything. If the boys could +do what they said they could, he saw what a help wireless communication +might be in protecting the forest. He had always considered the telephone +as about the last step that could be made in quick communication in the +forest. But his telephone was miles away and he had to get to it before he +could talk with his office. Here was a boy who could sit down anywhere and +instantly talk to a wireless operator anywhere else within a reasonable +distance--that is, he could, if all that Charley said was true. Of course +the forester knew about radio-telegraphy, but he was like many other +people who have not actually seen persons talk by wireless. It seemed as +though it could hardly be.</p> + +<p>But he was not to remain long in doubt. When the three-minute period had +elapsed, Charley threw over his switch, and sent Willie's call signal +flashing abroad. Hardly had he taken his finger from his key when the +answer buzzed in his ear.</p> + +<p>"Got him," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Who?" asked the forester in astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Willie Brown, at Central City. I'm telling him to get your assistant on +the telephone." And he made the sparks fairly tumble over one another, so +rapidly did he manipulate the key.</p> + +<p>"Willie's going to get him," he announced, a moment later.</p> + +<p>They sat silent for several minutes. Then a signal once more sounded in +Charley's ear.</p> + +<p>"Willie's got your assistant on the 'phone," said Charley a little later.</p> + +<p>"Tell him to tell my assistant that the fire is out, with little damage +done; that the fire crew is on the way home, and that I have decided to +remain here to look around a little. Tell him that if he needs me he shall +call your friend at Central City. He'd better arrange with the telephone +people for quick connections if he needs to talk to me. I guess that's +about all."</p> + +<p>Charley flashed out the message to Willie and soon the assistant +forester's message came back. Everything was O.K. and he would do as +directed. Then Charley talked to Willie on his own account, telling him +they were going to move their aerial and asking Willie to listen in often. +Willie said he would sit by the wireless table and keep the receivers on +his ears so that Charley could get him at any time.</p> + +<p>While Charley was talking with Willie, Lew had been collecting and +packing the camp utensils. Now the wireless instruments were quickly +uncoupled and stowed away in a bag, and the aerial taken down and loosely +rolled around the spreaders so that it could be hoisted in a moment's +time. Then the little party set off swiftly down the valley toward the +point at which the fire started.</p> + +<p>Walking rapidly, they arrived at the edge of the burned area in half an +hour. Smoke was still rising from smouldering embers at various points in +the burned area; but there was no danger to be feared, for everything +inflammable about these embers had been consumed. Even should the wind fan +them into a flame again they could do no harm, for there was nothing for +them to feed upon. Along the entire edge of the burned area the fire crew +had made sure there was a wide belt of ground in which no spark remained. +Thus, though these glowing embers might continue to smoulder for hours, +they could do no harm. The quantity of smoke arising was still +considerable, but it did not shut off the vision as the dense clouds of +smoke had done during the fire. So the onlookers could get a fair idea of +the extent of the blaze.</p> + +<p>The blackened area on which they looked, they were relieved to find, was +not of great width, though it stretched from the edge of the brook on one +side almost to the mountain on the other. Altogether, the fire had swept +over not more than a hundred acres. Had it not been for the presence of +the two boys, it might easily have destroyed thousands of acres. The fire +had started in a cut-over tract just below the edge of the virgin timber. +Had the morning proved windy, instead of calm, the flames would have gone +racing into the big timber, with the chances good for a disastrous +crown-fire, when the flames would have gone leaping from tree top to tree +top, utterly consuming the forest, as the previous fires had destroyed the +timber on Old Ironsides. A lucky combination of circumstances alone had +prevented a holocaust.</p> + +<p>Climbing upon a high rock, the forester searched for the point at which +the fire had originated. Prom his pocket he drew some powerful +field-glasses, and again and again swept his vision over the farther edge +of the burned area. Presently he closed his glasses and leaped to the +ground.</p> + +<p>"Come on," he said, and headed diagonally across the burned tract.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the three stood on the unburned forest floor on the +farther side of the strip of black.</p> + +<p>"We must get our aerial up at once, Lew," said Charley. "It's been +three-fourths of an hour since we talked to Willie."</p> + +<p>They glanced about, selected two suitable trees, and had the supporting +wires attached to them in no time, with the aerial dangling aloft between +the trees. It took only a moment more to couple up the instruments.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," rapped out Charley, as soon as the outfit was in +readiness.</p> + +<p>Almost instantly Willie replied to the signal.</p> + +<p>"Any message for us from Oakdale?" inquired Charley.</p> + +<p>"Not a word. What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"We are investigating the cause of the fire. Have moved our aerial down +past the burned area. Forester and Lew and I alone. Fire crew on way back +to Oakdale."</p> + +<p>"Have you found cause of fire?"</p> + +<p>"No. Just got here. Haven't investigated yet. Will listen in every quarter +hour, beginning with the hour."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll be here. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The minute Charley finished talking with Willie, the three investigators +set about their work.</p> + +<p>"We'll walk along the edge of the burned area," said the forester, "and +try to find the point of origin."</p> + +<p>He went ahead, the two boys following. They were facing toward the brook. +The line was irregular, like a huge saw-blade, with little jutting, black +teeth here and there, where the flames had crept out in advance of the +main line. The wind that had come up when the boys were fighting the fire +had driven the flames back upon the area they had already consumed and the +blaze had died out of itself. It could not eat its way to windward out +here in the open, as it could have done in the dense timber where the wind +was broken. From their starting-point they walked to the brook, finding +nothing to enlighten them. They then retraced their steps, walking along +the windward edge of the fire. Yet they found nothing to show them how or +where the fire originated.</p> + +<p>"Evidently the flames have eaten their way some distance to windward of +the point of origin," said the forester. "We shall have to look within the +burned area."</p> + +<p>As he started to cross the black strip, the forester continued: "Perhaps I +had better go through the burned strip alone. I want things disturbed as +little as possible, and three will stir up the ashes a good deal more than +one. You keep looking along the edge, and I'll search among the ashes."</p> + +<p>"Is there anything in particular we are to look for?" asked Charley. "Is +there any special way to distinguish the starting-point of the fire?"</p> + +<p>"If this blaze started at a camper's fire, there ought to be some trace of +that fire discoverable. If it began with a lighted match, the stem of that +match might not be entirely consumed. If blazing paper created the fire, +there may be a scrap of paper left unburned. And even the ashes might show +that paper had been burned. That's why I don't want the leaves disturbed +any more than we can help. We shall quite likely find our clue, if we find +it at all, in the ashes themselves."</p> + +<p>The forester started slowly across the valley.</p> + +<p>"I don't see where he has anything on us as observers," said Lew. "If our +drill at Camp Brady didn't make competent observers of us, I don't know +what it did do. Captain Hardy drilled us and drilled us in noticing even +the most minute things. Let's go along the line again and look more +carefully. We've got a better idea now of what we're looking for."</p> + +<p>They started once more along the edge of the black belt. The forester was +walking well within the burned area. The two boys centred their attention +on the strip between the forester's tracks and the edge of the black area. +This was a strip roughly fifty to seventy-five feet wide. Practically +everything was blackened in this area. A piece of unburned paper would +have shown with startling distinctness. But there were no pieces to show. +The forester crossed the black belt from brook to mountain, and the boys +kept pace with him for a little. Then Lew turned back in order to listen +in, while Charley went on with the forester. For a long time the two +searched among the leaves, but found nothing to indicate where or how the +fire had started.</p> + +<p>"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last, +"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess +we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and +make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me."</p> + +<p>"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is +willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip. +And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one."</p> + +<p>"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the +legal authority you should have as a fire patrol."</p> + +<p>"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the +train at Oakdale."</p> + +<p>They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go +home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd +stand in your way, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate +to cut your trip short."</p> + +<p>"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your +arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if +he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish. +And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that +you are good fire fighters."</p> + +<p>Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest +and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly +dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area +once more, on their way out to the distant road.</p> + +<p>They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone +perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They +were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently +been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught +his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the +surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what +a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves +should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting +anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one +side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained +perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery +veining were distinct in the ashy residues. They were interesting to see. +Charley continued to level the burned leaves on one side of the pile. At +the touch of his stick they lost their shape and crumbled into formless +ashes, even as fairy crystals of snow turn to water beneath a warm current +of air.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Charley stopped dead still. Among the ashes turned over by his +stick was a long, thin sheet of ash. Charley looked at it a moment in +astonishment. Then he knew that it was pasteboard. He sank to his knees on +the blackened earth and with his fingers carefully worked in the still +warm ashes, raking off the upper layers of leaves gently, so as not to +disturb the bottom of the pile. Carefully he worked, until he had laid +bare a long strip of what had been pasteboard. At his touch this, like the +leaves, crumbled. But one end of it did not disintegrate. A tiny piece was +unconsumed. From the ashes Charley drew forth a charred bit of greenish +pasteboard. Swiftly but carefully he raked aside the burned pasteboard. +Then he gave a little cry. On the ground, in the very bottom of the heap, +was some candle grease. His startled exclamation brought Mr. Marlin and +Lew running to his side.</p> + +<p>"What have you found?" asked the forester sharply.</p> + +<p>"A piece of unconsumed pasteboard and some candle grease," said Charley +slowly. "They were under this mound of burned leaves."</p> + +<p>"We need look no farther for the starting-place of this fire," said the +forester, his face very sober. "It is just as I suspected. This fire was +of incendiary origin. Whoever set it, placed a lighted candle inside a +pasteboard box, partly filled the box with leaves, heaped some leaves on +top of it, and hurried away. The candle probably burned for hours before +it burned low enough to set fire to the leaves. By that time the culprit +was far away and could prove an alibi."</p> + +<p>Charley drew from his pocket the little microscope he used in his class in +botany in the high school. Over and over he turned the scorched scrap of +pasteboard, studying it intently.</p> + +<p>"The fibers are arranged in a peculiar way," he said, "and there's an +almost invisible machine marking of a peculiar pattern. The color of the +pasteboard was a dark green."</p> + +<p>The forester took the microscope and examined the charred fragment, +handing both, when he had finished, to Lew.</p> + +<p>"This is our clue to the incendiary," he said slowly. "We must find where +pasteboard like that comes from and who had some of it. Meantime, do not +breathe a word of this to any one. Do not let a soul know that we have +discovered how the fire originated. Let them think we know nothing. And +bear in mind what I told you before: suspect anybody that circumstances +point to, no matter who he is. Now remember! Not a soul outside of the +three of us must know about this. We've got a long trail ahead of us, but +we have at last got a clue. Sooner or later, if we keep our eyes and ears +open and our mouths shut, we'll find the man who set this forest afire."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch09"> +<h2>Chapter IX</h2> + +<h3>Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol</h3> + + + +<p>Rapidly the three made their way through the forest. The forester led his +companions up the valley a distance to a fire trail. Along this they +traveled as rapidly as they could have done on a village sidewalk. By +several of these fire trails they made their way through valleys and over +hills, finally reaching the road. The forester's car was there, and an +hour's run brought them to the forester's office at Oakdale.</p> + +<p>Charley was intensely interested in everything he saw in this office. On +the wall were huge maps of the forest areas under Mr. Marlin's control. +These maps showed the mountains, big springs, streams, roads, fire trails, +etc., and little tacks with heads of different colors were stuck here and +there in the maps to show where rangers, fire-wardens and game protectors +lived. The telephone was also shown.</p> + +<p>Charley was interested to learn that he and Lew had been fully twelve +miles distant from the telephone. It had taken the fire crew, hardy men +experienced in mountain travel, three hours to cover those twelve miles, +even when they had fire trails most of the way. He wondered how much +longer it would have taken them if they had had to travel through the +rough forest. Many hours longer, he was certain. And that meant that it +would have taken one equally as long to get out to the telephone to notify +the forester of the fire. He felt sure there must be many places where one +might be more than twelve miles distant from the telephone; and he +realized more keenly than ever what a big part the wireless could play in +saving the forest. He resolved that he would keep his wireless outfit with +him when he went back into the forest as a fire patrol.</p> + +<p>But the maps on the wall were not all that interested Charley. There were +fire-fighting tools of various sorts. There were double-bitted axes and +axes with short handles to be used in one hand. These were of the finest +steel, very sharp, and well balanced. There were implements that were +really potato-hooks, though in the forest they were used for clearing away +brush and leaves rather than for digging potatoes. Then there were +short-handled, four-toothed rakes, for use in back-firing. Also there were +lanterns, and finally a small compressed air sprayer, for wetting the +ground when back-firing. All these tools were painted a bright red. The +forester explained that the sprayer wasn't often used, but that sometimes +it came in very handy. The implements were red so that they could be found +easily. Otherwise many would be lost in almost every fight with a fire.</p> + +<p>Particularly was Charley interested in the portable telephone. It was +like the one the ranger had had in the burned valley. Mr. Marlin handed +the instrument to Charley and let him examine it. The battery was +contained in a small box, and the mouthpiece and the receiver were in one +piece, which was held alternately to the ear and the mouth. Then there +were considerable lengths of wire to be attached to the telephone-lines. +If a ranger could not climb a pole and attach his wires to the +telephone-lines, Mr. Marlin explained, he could tie stones to his wires +and throw them over the lines. All that was needed was to have the two +wires touch the two wires of the telephone system. Then a connection would +be made and one could talk with the portable instrument. The battery, the +mouthpiece and receiver, and the connecting wires all could be packed +snugly into a little leather case and slung over the shoulder. It was an +excellent outfit.</p> + +<p>At one time Charley would have been wild to try it. Now he could not help +seeing how really inferior it was to the wireless as a means of +communication. In order to talk with it, it must be connected with the +telephone-lines, and they must be in working order. Charley's quick mind +instantly saw that falling limbs or trees, heavy snows or ice-storms in +winter, or a pair of nippers in the hands of a miscreant, could put the +forest telephone out of commission for hours at a time. He rejoiced to +think that no one could tamper with the air and that he could always get +a connection with his wireless. More and more he saw the possibilities of +usefulness for the wireless in protecting the forest.</p> + +<p>But the two boys had little time to examine the many interesting things in +the forester's office because their train was due within a short time +after they reached Oakdale. They made the acquaintance of the forester's +assistant, Mr. Franklin Conover, and soon started for the railroad +station, leaving their duffel at the forester's office.</p> + +<p>Before they left, Charley called the forester aside. "How much pay am I to +receive as a fire patrol?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The forester frowned.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't think," said Charley hastily, "that the pay is all that I +care about. I want to be a fire patrol because I love the woods. But I +don't know whether Dad will let me be a fire patrol unless I can make as +much here as I could in the factory with him."</p> + +<p>"How much could you earn there?"</p> + +<p>"Dad says I ought to get two dollars and a half a day."</p> + +<p>"Then you needn't worry. I have some leeway in the matter of pay. You have +already shown your worth, and I am going to pay you the highest rate +within my power. You will go on the payroll at eighty-five dollars a +month, which is as much as many of our rangers get."</p> + +<p>Charley was so astonished at this unexpected good fortune that he was +hardly able to answer Mr. Marlin. He did not know how to express his +thoughts. All he could do was to thank the forester warmly and assure him +he would earn every cent he got. Then he and Lew hurried away to their +train.</p> + +<p>For some time after the two boys boarded the train Charley was silent. He +sat watching the forest through which they were rushing so fast. Never had +it appeared to him quite as it did now. Always he had known the forest was +an animate growth, but now he realized more vividly than ever before how +truly the forest was alive. Now he thought of the great growths of trees +more as one would think of a flock of animals that must be tended and +cared for. Many, many times he had seen the forest under happy conditions. +But never before this trip had he seen it in agony. Never before had he +heard the cries of fear and pain from the forest animals. Never had he +seen the charred remains of those that had been burned. Never had he +beheld the awful skeletons, not merely of burned trees, but of a burned +forest. He was deeply impressed. A tree had suddenly become in his +consciousness far more than a piece of timber. And a forest had taken on +new meaning. With all his mind he loved the forest and the innumerable +things of life and beauty within it. Beyond expression was his joy at the +thought that he could have a part in protecting and caring for the forest.</p> + +<p>And when he thought of all the forest meant to mankind--more than any +other single gift of nature excepting food and water--he saw the forester, +the forest-ranger, and the fire patrol in their true light. He saw them as +real servants of the people, as real promoters and builders of +civilization, which could not have come into existence without wood. He +realized that the man in the forest as truly helps mankind forward and +upward as the statesman in the legislative halls, the chemist at his +test-tube, the physician at his operating-table, the engineer building his +bridges and roads, or any other of the constructive workers who make +civilization what it is; for the forester's work is the foundation for the +work of all the other builders of civilization. When he realized this, his +heart sang with pride to think that he was to have a part in saving and +perpetuating the forests for the countless generations of people who would +follow him in the world.</p> + +<p>He tried to tell Lew something of what was in his heart, but words failed +him, and he sat silent until the train was far beyond the limits of the +forest. Then his thoughts drifted into other channels. Before he knew it, +the conductor shouted "Central City," and the two chums left the train.</p> + +<p>When Charley told his father that he was to get eighty-five dollars a +month, he had no difficulty in winning his father's consent to the plan he +had in mind. Nor was it much more difficult to secure his release from +further work at school. Charley was a great favorite with his teachers. +Always cheerful and polite, a faithful worker, mentally quick, and liking +his instructors, he had their entire good-will. They wanted to help him +get on in the world as much as they had wanted to see him advance in his +studies. When they understood Charley's position at home, and his need of +earning money to help his father, and especially when they realized what +the present opportunity meant to Charley in the way of personal happiness, +they were more than willing to release him from further school duties.</p> + +<p>So it came about that on the following day Charley and Lew took the train +back to Oakdale. The entire Wireless Patrol accompanied them to the +station, each boy carrying some part of the luggage. Thus divided, the +equipment did not seem large; but when it was all assembled, it appeared +entirely adequate. There was a good waterproof tent, a strong tick to be +stuffed with leaves, blankets, a coil of rope, additional cooking +utensils, and generous supplies of food. Charley took a light, +high-powered rifle and his revolver with plenty of ammunition. Their +comrades piled this luggage in a corner of the car, then hustled back to +the station platform and gave the Camp Brady yell, in honor of their +departing friends. In a moment more the train was speeding toward Oakdale, +where they found the forester in his office.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin expressed his pleasure at the successful outcome of Charley's +effort to secure his release from high school.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe much in talk," said the forester who himself was +distinctly a man of deeds, "but I am going to say this to you, Charley: +the fact that you have worked your studies off ahead of your class makes +you twice as valuable to me as another boy would be who was merely keeping +abreast of his class."</p> + +<p>Charley looked his surprise. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know any more than +the others know or soon will know."</p> + +<p>"What you know has nothing to do with it, young man. It's what you do. +It's your habits. Habit is the strongest force in the world. The mere fact +that you are ahead of your class tells me that it is your habit to be +forehanded, to be prepared. It tells me that you will keep your tools and +your records in their places and in good condition, and that you will be +prepared for almost any emergency that will arise."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand," expostulated Charley, "how you can figure that out +from the mere fact that I kept a little ahead of my class."</p> + +<p>"Of course you don't," smiled the forester. "They teach you about the laws +of gravity in school, but they don't bother to teach you about the laws of +life. But life has its laws, and one of the strongest is the law of habit. +A good habit is worth a million good resolutions. A man may possibly keep +a good resolution, but he can hardly fail to keep a good habit. Your good +habits are worth just about fifteen dollars a month to you now; for I +wouldn't be paying you the top rate if you were a lad of bad habits. Just +bear that in mind and be careful of the habits you form in future."</p> + +<p>Charley was too much astonished for words. He had never thought of his +habits as having any bearing on his possible earning capacity.</p> + +<p>But the forester gave him no opportunity to consider the matter just then. +"I want you to hurry back into the forest," he went on. "Get acquainted +with as much of the forest as possible."</p> + +<p>He reached in a drawer and pulled out a map, which he gave to Charley. +"This is exactly like the big map on the wall," he said, "excepting that +it is on a smaller scale. Here is where you had your camp."</p> + +<p>As he laid his finger on the map, he continued, "That was a good location +for a fisherman's camp, but a poor one for a fire guard. High up on this +hill," and again he laid a finger on the map, "there is a fine spring. A +dense rhododendron thicket surrounds it, and tall hemlocks grow above it. +Make your camp in that thicket. It is so dense that I think nobody could +possibly see a tent there. But make sure. If necessary, put hemlock boughs +or rhododendron branches around it. Nobody but Mr. Morton and I must know +that you are in camp in the forest or that you have any connection with +the forestry department. I will tell him where your camp is and he will +inspect it and give you more detailed instructions. But remember that +yours is a secret patrol. I would rather that nobody should learn of your +presence in the forest. But if you do meet any one, pose as a fisherman. +Don't, under any circumstances, let anybody suspect your real purpose."</p> + +<p>The forester paused a moment, in deep thought. "Smoke," he said at last, +"would betray the location of your camp--at least in the daytime. Don't +make any fires unless it be at night. Then be sure they are small, well +concealed, and as smokeless as possible. Do your cooking with this."</p> + +<p>He stepped to a closet and returned with an alcohol stove and a can of +fuel, and continued: "From your spring to the summit of the mountain it is +only a short distance. You can get a wide outlook there. Examine the +forest carefully in every direction as often as possible. But leave no +telltale marks to indicate that the place is a lookout point. And be sure +you don't do anything to draw attention to your camp."</p> + +<p>The forester then swore Charley in as a fire patrol and gave him his +badge, with instructions to keep it out of sight.</p> + +<p>"You'll need this, too," he said with a smile, handing Charley a portable +telephone. "Your friends can't be at the other end of the wireless all the +time, you know."</p> + +<p>"Can we fish at all?" asked Charley. "I want Lew to have some fun on this +trip. He's going to help me a lot with the work."</p> + +<p>"Fish as much as you like, as long as it does not interfere with your +duty. But remember that your business is to protect the forest. That comes +first. You will have to decide how to do it, according to circumstances."</p> + +<p>The boys carried their duffel to the forester's car. Mr. Marlin telephoned +his assistant to look after things during his absence, and in another +minute Mr. Marlin and Lew and Charley were whirling along the highway. +They reached the point at which they were to enter the forest, jumped to +the ground and unloaded their duffel. Mr. Marlin said good-bye, turned his +car, and sped back to his office, leaving the two young fire guards alone +in the heart of the wilderness.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch10"> +<h2>Chapter X</h2> + +<h3>An Encounter with a Bear</h3> + + + +<p>Rapidly the duffel was made into two packs. These were both heavy and +bulky.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" said Lew, as he surveyed the packs, "I hope we don't meet any state +cops. They would arrest us for peddling without licenses."</p> + +<p>There was small chance, however, of their meeting any one, unless it might +be some lone fisherman. On every hand the forest stretched, seemingly +interminable.</p> + +<p>"I guess we'd better get our bearings," said Charley.</p> + +<p>He drew the map from his pocket and spread it on a flat rock. The two boys +pored over it for some minutes.</p> + +<p>"We have to cross these two mountains," said Lew, "and camp just the other +side of the summit of the third. That's about the same as climbing over +three mountains. There are two valleys that we'll have to get across. I +judge we'll be just about as far from the road as our old camp was. That's +twelve miles or so."</p> + +<p>"Gee!" laughed Charley. "That means I've got to hike twelve miles over +these mountains every time I want to talk to anybody on the telephone. I'm +glad Mr. Marlin doesn't care much for talk. The telephone is all right, +but compared to the wireless it's like a candle beside an electric light. +Mr. Marlin was right when he said the fellows couldn't be listening in for +me all the time, but you just bet I'm going to figure out some way to use +my wireless. Why, I've got to, if I'm going to make good. This whole neck +of the woods could burn up while I'm hiking twelve miles to call help and +twelve more to get back to the blaze. And I reckon I'd feel like putting +up a stiff fight after hiking twenty-four miles over these mountains. Mr. +Marlin is all right, but he isn't quite up to date. He still thinks the +wireless is a sort of plaything."</p> + +<p>"What you need, Charley, is a battery powerful enough to carry a message +to some regular wireless station, where an operator is on duty all the +time."</p> + +<p>"I've been thinking of that, too, Lew. It wouldn't take so very much more +power to carry to the government station at Frankfort. I'm sure the +operators there would be glad to help us out. You remember how Henry +Harper helped Mr. Axton, the day operator over there, when he had +appendicitis. The operators have been mighty nice to us fellows of the +Wireless Patrol ever since. The difficulty would be to get the battery. +Things cost so much now that I don't see how I could ever save enough to +pay for it. You know I'll have to give Dad about all I earn."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to talk to the boys about it, Charley," said Lew. "Maybe +somebody can think of a way out. Gee! We ought to be able to do something, +with Roy a regular steamship operator and Henry almost as good as a +substitute government wireless man."</p> + +<p>By this time they were well into the forest. They were climbing through a +notch over the first range of mountains. When they reached the valley +beyond, they had to turn to their left and go up the valley two or three +miles, until they struck a fire trail. This trail led straight over the +second mountain, which was really the knob at the head of the burned +valley. It was on this knob that they had found the rude watch-tower after +their meeting with the ranger, Mr. Morton. Beyond this knob they had still +to traverse a wide valley and climb a third mountain before they reached +their camp site. But there was a good fire trail almost the entire +distance.</p> + +<p>Traveling with such heavy packs on their backs, the two lads made but slow +progress. Every little while they had to stop to rest. During one of these +pauses they heard a low, whining sound.</p> + +<p>"Listen! What is that?" asked Charley, who loved animals and was keenly +sensitive to their sufferings. "It sounds like a dog."</p> + +<p>They stood motionless. Faint but distinct came the unmistakable cry of a +dog in distress.</p> + +<p>Charley dropped his pack instantly. "There's a dog in trouble," he said, +"and we've got to help him."</p> + +<p>He began to whistle. Then he called, "Here, boy! Here, boy!"</p> + +<p>From somewhere ahead of them came a joyous bark, followed by a painful +whine.</p> + +<p>Charley picked up his pack. "Come on," he said, and hastened toward the +sound. But he did not go far. Soon he caught sight of a dog, painfully +limping toward him. Charley ran up to the animal, which wagged its tail +violently and barked with joy.</p> + +<p>"He's only a half grown pup," said Charley, noticing the big paws. "Isn't +he a fine young fellow?"</p> + +<p>The animal leaped up against Charley and licked his hand. "Come here, +boy," said Charley, taking the dog in his arms. "Let's see what's wrong."</p> + +<p>Charley began to examine the animal's paws. The dog submitted patiently. +"Nothing wrong with that one," commented Charley, dropping a fore paw.</p> + +<p>But when he began to feel the other front foot the dog whined with pain. +"No wonder," said Charley with sympathy. "Look here, Lew," and he pointed +to an enormous thorn that had embedded itself in the paw.</p> + +<p>"Hold him tight while I take it out," said Charley as he drew forth his +knife, opened the small blade, slit the skin slightly, and carefully dug +the thorn out. The foot was festered and swollen. Charley squeezed out +the pus.</p> + +<p>"Don't let him get that paw in the dirt," he said, and ran to his pack. He +fished out the first-aid kit and got some absorbent cotton and a +disinfectant. He wrapped a tiny bit of cotton around the end of a twig, +wet it with water from the canteen and swabbed out the little wound. Then +he soaked another bit of cotton with the disinfectant and stuffed it into +the foot.</p> + +<p>"We'll let that stay there a while," he said.</p> + +<p>"The dog is probably lost. We'll keep him until we find his owner."</p> + +<p>Relieved of the thorn, the little animal frisked about, limping but +slightly. He fawned upon Charley and seemed to be trying to express his +gratitude.</p> + +<p>The two boys shouldered their packs again and started on. Charley whistled +to the pup, but the call was unnecessary. The pup stuck to their heels as +close as a sticking-plaster.</p> + +<p>"They say two's a company, but three's a crowd," laughed Charley, "but I +guess it doesn't apply to dogs."</p> + +<p>"You never can tell," replied Lew. "A pup of that age may get you into all +sorts of difficulty."</p> + +<p>"I'll take a chance on it," smiled Charley, as he bent and patted the dog.</p> + +<p>They went on. For a long time they traveled in silence, the little dog +trotting and frisking at their heels. From time to time they stopped to +rest. Their packs were growing heavy and neither felt like talking. They +settled to their tasks and plodded on. When they came to the fire trail, +they turned to their right and went straight over the first mountain. The +way was smooth enough, but the grade was very steep and it tested their +endurance to the utmost. Every few minutes they were compelled to rest. +Finally they topped the ridge and went down into the next valley.</p> + +<p>The bottom here was very wide, for the mountains had drawn far apart. +Apparently the valley soil was rich. It seemed to be deep and black, and +the trees grew to massive size. Ordinarily the two boys would have taken +keen enjoyment in the sight of such fine timber, but by this time they +were too tired to care much about anything except reaching their +destination.</p> + +<p>At the foot of the last ridge they took a long rest. They were just +starting on when Lew heard a peculiar little sound behind some bushes just +off the fire trail. Curious to know what might have made the sound, he +dropped his pack and went to investigate. Behind the bush he found a +cunning, little black animal that did not seem to be at all afraid of him. +He picked it up and rejoined his comrade.</p> + +<p>"Charley," he said. "See what I have found. What is it?"</p> + +<p>"It's a bear cub," said Charley. "You had better leave it alone. If its +mother came along, she might make it hot for us."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to keep it for a pet," said Lew. "I knew a fellow who had a +pet bear cub once and----"</p> + +<p>Lew never finished the sentence. A savage growl sounded close at hand and +a great black animal came rushing through the bushes. Lew dropped the cub +and took to his heels. The bear followed in hot pursuit. She was a great, +clumsy, lumbering beast, and yet she got over the ground with astonishing +speed. Lew ran as fast as he could, but the bear gained on him at every +stride.</p> + +<p>"Climb a tree, Lew," cried Charley, slipping off his pack and starting to +his chum's assistance. "Be quick about it."</p> + +<p>Lew headed for the first tree he saw that was small enough to climb. It +was a little pole, a foot in diameter. The lowest branch was seven or +eight feet above the ground. Lew raced toward it, gathered himself for a +leap and sprang upward. He caught the limb and swung himself up with all +possible speed. He was not a second too soon. As Lew's body shot upward, +the bear rose on her hind feet, and the vicious swipe of her paw barely +missed Lew's body. Lew drew himself erect and climbed upward a few feet, +where he paused to look down at the bear.</p> + +<p>Meantime, Charley was following the animal. He hadn't the slightest idea +of what he should do. The law protected the bear at that season of the +year and he did not know whether he would be justified in shooting her +under the circumstances or not. And anyway, his rifle was back with his +pack. He had his little axe on his hip, however, and he drew it from its +sheath so that he would have it ready in case he had to use it.</p> + +<p>The problem was settled for him, however, in a very unexpected manner. The +little dog, which had been playing with a stick at some distance from the +two boys, noticed Charley running and came tearing after him. Then he saw +the bear and went after her at full speed. The instant the bear heard the +dog, she turned to face him; then as quickly faced about again and started +to climb the very tree in which Lew had taken refuge.</p> + +<p>"Get that dog away from here," yelled Lew in consternation, as he began to +climb frantically toward the top of the tree.</p> + +<p>Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charley burst into a roar of +laughter. But a second appeal from his chum stifled his laughter. He +grabbed the dog and started to carry it away. But he had not gone two rods +before Lew called frantically for him to bring the dog back. Charley +turned around and saw the bear climbing after Lew. As long as the dog was +under the tree, the bear had paid no attention to Lew. But when Charley +started away with the pup, the angry bear continued her pursuit. Charley +returned the dog to the base of the tree.</p> + +<p>"Sick 'em," he cried. "Catch 'em."</p> + +<p>The little pup made a terrific clamor and the bear paid no further +attention to Lew, who immediately began to look for a way out of his +predicament. Within two or three feet of the base of the tree which he +had climbed, a second tree had sprung up. But the two had grown away from +each other, much like the sloping sides of the letter V. At first Lew +thought he could cross over to the other tree, but a careful inspection +showed him that this would be impossible. Down where the bear was he could +have swung himself from one tree to the other; but the farther up the tree +he was the farther he was from the other tree and the smaller the limbs +were. And Lew was now as near the top of the tree as he dared to go. To +try to leap from his present position to the other tree was not to be +thought of. It would certainly mean a fall of thirty feet or more. And Lew +did not dare come down nearer the bear, lest the animal should again try +to claw him. There was no apparent way to get the bear out of the tree, +and Lew knew that he could not stay up where he was indefinitely.</p> + +<p>Charley tried to divert the bear's attention to himself by reaching up the +tree with his axe and striking the trunk. The bear growled but made no +attempt to reach Charley. Her attention was centred wholly on the dog. +With her hair erect, her lips drawn back, her ears laid flat, and her +massive claws ready to tear and rend, the beast presented such a fearful +front that Charley did not dare take the dog away. One swipe of those +paws, or one crunch of the great jaws might cripple Lew for life, or even +kill him outright.</p> + +<p>"Keep perfectly quiet, Lew," said Charley, "and maybe the bear will +forget about you. She's terribly enraged at this pup."</p> + +<p>Charley felt in his pocket and found a piece of strong cord. He knotted it +around the pup's neck and tied the animal to the tree.</p> + +<p>"I hope that bear won't come down and kill him while I'm gone," he +muttered to himself. To Lew he said, "I've got an idea. I'm going to get +the rope and see if I can lasso the bear from the other tree."</p> + +<p>"Sick 'em, pup," he cried, urging the little dog to make another frenzied +outburst. And while the dog was making the valley ring with his clamor, +Charley raced to his pack and got the coil of rope. Back he ran and +hastily climbed the tree beside the one in which Lew and the bear were +resting. The bear eyed him angrily, but kept her attention centred on the +pup. Charley climbed to a point a little higher than the limb on which the +bear rested. Quickly he fashioned a noose and got his rope ready for a +throw. Then he realized that he could never make a successful cast among +the limbs.</p> + +<p>An idea came to him. Drawing his little axe, he quickly cut and trimmed a +small limb, leaving a fork on the end of it. He put the noose on the +forked end and cautiously extended the pole. All the while he was urging +on the dog, which now began to jump up against the trunk of the tree. The +bear more and more centred her attention on the yelping dog. Her hair +bristled, and she growled continually. She bent her head down and got +ready to deal the dog a savage blow if he came up the tree. Her posture +could not have been better for Charley's purpose. Swiftly but quietly he +extended the pole until the noose was just beyond the bear's nose, then +lowered it swiftly and pulled back hard on the rope. Luck was with him. +The bear, taken utterly by surprise, was fairly noosed before she saw the +rope.</p> + +<p>Charley's sharp jerk to tighten the lasso almost pulled the bear from her +perch. She grasped the trunk of the tree with her paws to avoid falling, +and that gave Charley an opportunity to tighten and secure his rope. To +keep from falling, the bear had to maintain her hold on the tree. Thus she +could not claw or bite the rope.</p> + +<p>"I've got her," shouted Charley.</p> + +<p>It was true enough. In a moment he was almost sorry that he had her. For +Lew could not reach the ground without climbing past the bear, and +although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself +within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps +he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not +want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so +incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the +ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the +probable loss of part of it.</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called.</p> + +<p>"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew, +peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that, +we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in. +Then we could cut the rope and beat it."</p> + +<p>"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have +to try it. I see nothing else to do."</p> + +<p>Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb +before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The +loose end dangled down the trunk.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as +simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold +it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know +whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?"</p> + +<p>"Can't you catch it with your pole?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear, +but it had lodged in a branch within reach.</p> + +<p>"Here goes," he said. "I'll try."</p> + +<p>Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself, +and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil. +The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment. +She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She +continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage +that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless +the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give +the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the +bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other, +Charley at once saw was impossible.</p> + +<p>"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off."</p> + +<p>He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to +taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attempting to work +the rope around the limb, the dog suddenly increased his clamor.</p> + +<p>The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it +through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he +fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping +rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to +the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he +wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree.</p> + +<p>"I'll try it, anyway," he said.</p> + +<p>He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and +the bear rested.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, +she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on +her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as +quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second +she drops," he said. "Pull!"</p> + +<p>Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by +surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then +swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the +tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an +instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear +was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which +the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose.</p> + +<p>"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!"</p> + +<p>They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to +ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack.</p> + +<p>"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!"</p> + +<p>Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the +bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys +pulled in a little more slack.</p> + +<p>"We could choke her to death now," said Charley, "but we mustn't. How are +we going to get out of this?"</p> + +<p>"Let's tie the rope fast and take our packs some distance away. She won't +strangle for a while. Then we can come back and free her. I think she +will not attack us, for she is too much afraid of the dog. We'll keep him +on a leash and beat it the minute we get the rope."</p> + +<p>"But how are we going to get the rope?" demanded Charley.</p> + +<p>"Gee! You've got me. Maybe we'll think of something while we're carrying +the packs away."</p> + +<p>The two boys got their packs and hurried along their route for some +hundreds of yards. Then they laid their packs down and ran back. But +Charley carried his rifle on the return trip.</p> + +<p>The bear was still pawing at the rope when they got back. The hair on her +neck was worn off by her violent struggles, and the skin was bleeding +freely.</p> + +<p>"That bear will wear a collar on her neck for life," said Charley. "If we +ever see her again, we'll know her."</p> + +<p>An idea came to him. "I've got it," he said. "I'll cut that rope with a +bullet. You stand ready with the dog, and I'll be ready for a second shot, +if necessary. We're not going to take a chance of being badly hurt, law or +no law."</p> + +<p>Lew untied the dog from the tree and held the leash with his left hand. +Charley handed him the axe, and Lew stepped a little aside where he could +use it, if necessary. But it was one thing to talk about cutting the rope +with a bullet and another thing to do it, for the bear kept the rope in +motion continually. Charley leveled his weapon and tried to get a bead on +the rope. It seemed to him that the bear would never stand still. But the +beast had nearly reached the limit of endurance. Her tongue was protruding +from her mouth, her eyes seemed ready to pop from her head. She was +gasping pitifully. Her own struggles were slowly strangling her. Suddenly +she stopped fighting and hung limp. The rope stretched like a rod. +Instantly Charley's rifle cracked. The line was severed as though some one +had cut it with a sword. It flew upward into the tree and the bear dropped +to the ground. The noose about her neck came loose and she breathed +freely.</p> + +<p>"Quick!" cried Lew. "She'll be on her feet in a second."</p> + +<p>Charley untied the rope from the tree, drew the severed end to earth, and +gathering up rope and rifle, fled toward his pack, with Lew at his heels, +dragging the frantic dog by main force, for the animal was wild to charge +the fallen bear.</p> + +<p>As they ran, they glanced back over their shoulders. At first the bear did +not move. Then she stirred uneasily and a second later, rose to her feet +and ran madly away. The boys stopped running.</p> + +<p>"I guess both parties had a lesson," said Lew.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch11"> +<h2>Chapter XI</h2> + +<h3>The Secret Camp in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>Their encounter with the bear made the two lads forget for a while their +weariness. They made fast time along the fire trails. After a long tramp, +they topped the final ridge and paused to rest and study the country. This +they could do with ease, for the summit of the mountain was rather +sparsely timbered. A very little search disclosed a tree that was at once +tall and easy to climb, and that was surrounded only by low brush that +would not obstruct the vision. From this lookout they gained a wide view +in every direction.</p> + +<p>"We can see for miles and miles," said Charley. "The forester was right in +telling us to come often to this lookout. We can discover more from here +in a minute than we could by a week of wandering about among the trees."</p> + +<p>Slowly the boys swept their vision around the horizon. Everywhere the +mountains appeared to bask in the warm spring sunlight, seemingly as +secure as cats dozing by a fireplace. The fleecy clouds, passing across +the face of the sun, threw shadows on the hillsides, making beautiful +patterns of light and shade. The fresh, young growths gave forth a soft +green tint, in pleasing contrast to the darker colors of the pines. +Brooks sparkled in the bottoms. Far as the eye could reach this gorgeous +panorama extended.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it wonderful?" said Charley, after the two boys had surveyed the +scene in silence. "The forest is one of nature's very finest gifts. And to +think what we do to it by our carelessness. At any minute this green +paradise may become a very hell of roaring flame, just because some smoker +is too careless to blow out his match before dropping it, or some camper +too lazy to make sure his fire is extinguished. Why, it seems to me that a +murderer is an innocent angel compared to such a man. Think what he does! +He kills the fish and the birds and the animals and perhaps some human +beings, and he destroys not only the wood that civilization must have, but +he ruins the very ground so that it cannot produce another forest. It +seems to me that a man who does that ought to be punished more severely +than any mere murderer. Why, a murderer kills only a single being. The man +who starts a forest fire kills countless living things. I tell you, Lew, +it makes me mighty proud to have a part in protecting this grand forest."</p> + +<p>The boys were silent, wrapped in thought, until Lew suddenly pointed to a +dense growth of evergreens directly below them, and not very far down the +ridge. "That must be our camp site," he said. And both boys examined the +spot with interest.</p> + +<p>"That must be it," said Charley. "It's dense enough, goodness knows! And +there is a little stream of water stealing out of the lower side of the +thicket. So there is a spring in there. Let's go down and take a look at +it."</p> + +<p>They shouldered their packs, whistled the pup to their heels, and went +down to the thicket. In a space not less than a hundred yards in diameter +rhododendrons grew in indescribable density, while above them towered some +huge hemlocks. The two boys came close to the thicket and peered into it. +Even now, in the bright glare of the full sun, deep twilight reigned +beneath the rhododendrons. Evidently they were growths of great age. Their +stems were like young saplings. Their tops rose high and spread wide. And +their branches were laced and interlaced and twisted and grown together so +as to make a mass almost impenetrable.</p> + +<p>"Great Ned!" cried Lew. "A passer-by would have about as much chance of +seeing us in there as we have of discovering China from this hillside. The +question is, how are we going to get into the place?"</p> + +<p>Charley dropped on his hands and knees and crawled slowly under the low +rhododendron branches.</p> + +<p>"Keep right in my tracks, Lew, if you come in," warned Charley. "If there +are any snakes in here, they'd bite a fellow before he could see them. +I'll look sharp for them and if you follow me, you won't run any risk."</p> + +<p>He picked up a fallen branch, trimmed it, and crept on, stick in hand. +Suddenly he crowded back hard on Lew, almost kicking him in the face. At +the same time he began to thrash about in the leaves ahead of him.</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" he exclaimed. "I almost crawled on a big rattler. He was so +near the color of the ground that I didn't see him until he coiled and +raised his head. Gee! That was a close shave."</p> + +<p>"As long as you didn't get bitten," said Lew, "It's a good thing it +happened. We'll be on our guard now."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed. Did you put the potassium permanganate in the first-aid kit, +and the hypodermic syringe?"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know."</p> + +<p>"We'll just carry them with us, Lew. We won't take any chances on death by +snake-bite. These mountains are full of rattlers and copperheads."</p> + +<p>"And we won't take any chances on being bitten in this thicket, either," +answered Lew. "We'll put the pup in ahead of us."</p> + +<p>They whistled in the dog and sent him scouring through the thicket. But +either there had been no more snakes within it or else all had fled, for +the dog raced eagerly about but found nothing to alarm him.</p> + +<p>Confidently the boys now pushed into the interior of the thicket. At the +very heart of it lay the spring. It came bubbling up through pure, white +sand, and had formed a deep basin, over the lower edge of which the +crystal water went rippling away through the thicket.</p> + +<p>"We'll put our tent right here," said Charley, indicating a level spot +beside the spring basin. "We'll have to clear away some of the bushes to +make room for it. We can use what we cut as a screen, though nobody would +ever see a tent away in here, especially one of brown khaki, like ours."</p> + +<p>He drew his little axe and began clearing a space for the tent, cutting +the rhododendron stems a little below the surface of the ground. Lew piled +the branches at one side. Then the tent was dragged in and set up, the +rope being used as a ridge and tied to two strong saplings. The sides of +the tent were squared and pegged down.</p> + +<p>"Drive the pegs tight, Lew," directed Charley. "We don't want to have +anything crawling under the sides. Thank goodness, we have a sod cloth."</p> + +<p>After they had completed this task and set about bringing in the duffel, +Charley remarked, "We can't go in and out this way, on our hands and +knees. We've got to make a path. We'll find the best way out and trim the +bushes so that we can walk upright."</p> + +<p>"We'd better not make the path straight," said Lew. "If we zigzag it, +nobody will know it really is a path."</p> + +<p>After they had picked out a level route they trimmed back the rhododendron +branches so that they could walk through the thicket, though the branches +at the very edge were left undisturbed. The cut branches were added to +the screen about the tent. Then the duffel was carried in and stowed in +the tent.</p> + +<p>"What bothers me," said Charley, "is to know how to put up our aerial. We +don't dare hang it up where it can be seen, and I don't know how well it +will work among these hemlocks."</p> + +<p>"All we can do is to put it up and try it," said the ever practical Lew, +"and the sooner we do it the better."</p> + +<p>Quickly they had their wires suspended between two hemlock trees. The +aerial reached almost from trunk to trunk, and the wires were completely +hidden by the branches that stood out all about them.</p> + +<p>"If she'll work," commented Charley, "it's a peach of an arrangement. +Nobody would discover that aerial in a hundred years. I can hardly wait +until evening to test it out."</p> + +<p>"Willie might be listening in again to-day," suggested Lew. "It will take +him several days to get that new outfit made. We'll try him on the hour."</p> + +<p>"Good idea, Lew." He looked at his watch. "It's ten minutes to the hour +now. If Willie is listening in, we'll soon know whether or not our aerial +will work."</p> + +<p>They began putting the tent in order, stowing the duffel in neat little +piles. Just outside the tent Lew built a foundation for the alcohol stove, +by leveling the earth and setting a flat stone for the stove to stand on. +Meanwhile, Charley was stuffing the tick with dry leaves.</p> + +<p>Exactly on the hour Lew sat down at the wireless key and sent a call +flashing into the air. Promptly; his receiver buzzed in response.</p> + +<p>"Got him," said Lew, and while Charley went on filling the tick and +bringing in hemlock branches to use like springs under the tick, Lew +conversed with Willie. The latter was still working at the new wireless +set, and had listened in every hour during the day. All the other members +of the Wireless Patrol were likewise hard at work, and it was practically +certain that by the time the vacation was ended each would have earned his +share of the money needed to buy the desired battery.</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you where our camp is," rapped out Lew, "because that is a +secret that we are not supposed to tell. The forester does not want +anybody to know that Charley is employed by the forestry department. We +are posing as fishermen. Tell the fellows not to talk about Charley and +tell Charley's father the forester does not want it known for a time that +Charley is a fire patrol. He thinks that we have a better chance to find +things out if it is not known that we are connected with the forestry +department."</p> + +<p>Willie said that he would caution the boys and tell Mr. Russell. Also he +said he would be in his workshop until supper time and would listen in +most of the time. The club members would be at their instruments as usual +to catch the time from Arlington and pick up some of the news. Lew +replied that he would call Willie then, if he needed him.</p> + +<p>For some time after Lew laid down the receivers, the two boys worked +silently. They finished setting the hemlock branches in the earth, placed +the stuffed ticking above them, and laid their blankets in position. They +brought the wireless outfit into the tent and set the instruments in a +corner. The grub was stacked in another corner. A little pool was dug in +the stream just below the spring, to make a place for washing dishes. +Their extra clothes were hung on the ridge-rope. The first-aid kit was +fastened to the tent wall where it would be handy, and Charley put the +permanganate and the hypodermic syringe in his pocket.</p> + +<p>They had almost completed their task, when a low whistle was heard outside +the thicket. The pup pricked up his ears and was about to bark. Lew +grabbed him and held his jaws together. Then both boys sat silent, +listening and looking questioningly at each other. Soon the whistle was +repeated.</p> + +<p>"We've got to find out who's whistling," said Charley. "Keep the pup quiet +and I'll slip out and take a look."</p> + +<p>He left the tent, but had hardly gone ten feet before a voice cried, +"Hello, Russell! Are you in the thicket? This is Morton, the ranger."</p> + +<p>"Sure we're here," replied Charley, an expression of relief coming on his +face. "We didn't know who it was and kept quiet until we could take a +look. I'm coming out now."</p> + +<p>He hurried from the thicket and shook hands warmly with the newcomer. +Instinctively he knew that he was going to like his ranger. Big, +broad-shouldered, quite evidently powerful, with a kindly expression, a +winning smile, and a deep voice that instantly created confidence, the +ranger was a picture of honest manhood. No one could look into his deep +blue eyes, set far apart, or examine the lines on his face, at once +betokening strength of character with gentleness, and not feel that here +was a man in very truth. One knew instinctively that he would never +hesitate a second to risk his life to save another's, and that he would be +as gentle as a woman in his dealings with all creatures. But the great, +strong jaw and the straight mouth and long nose all foretold fearless +courage, and were ample warning that the man would be terrible if stirred +to wrath.</p> + +<p>"Come in and see our camp," said Charley, after the two had conversed for +a moment. And he led the way into the thicket.</p> + +<p>The ranger followed, his practiced eye noting everything. "You've made a +good job of it," he said with commendation, when he was at last seated in +the tent. "Nobody will ever find you here, unless you do something to +betray your position. You'll have to be a little careful about fires. I +wouldn't make any during the daytime."</p> + +<p>"We aren't going to make any at all," explained Charley. "Mr. Marlin gave +us an alcohol stove to cook with."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe you need go so far as that. Use your alcohol stove +during the day. At night nobody can see smoke, and if you screen the +blaze, nobody will ever discover you. It would be pretty dismal here at +night without any light. Let's see if we can't fix up a little fireplace +that will help you out."</p> + +<p>He got a number of large, flat stones, which he set on edge, fashioning a +high, square fireplace that opened toward the front.</p> + +<p>"The stones will screen the flames on three sides, if you don't build too +big a fire," he said, "and your tent will shut off the view on the fourth +side."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Charley. "It will be a whole lot more cheerful with a +fire. We have a candle lantern that we intended to use, but a fellow just +ought to have a fire when he's in camp."</p> + +<p>As they began to discuss the work ahead of them, the ranger inquired, +"What instructions did Mr. Marlin give you?"</p> + +<p>"He said that we should keep our connection with the department secret," +said Charley, "and if possible, avoid meeting any one. If we do bump into +anybody, we are to pose as fishermen. He said you would give us detailed +instructions."</p> + +<p>"Very well. First, about your outfit. Have you any firearms?"</p> + +<p>"A light, high-powered rifle and a pistol."</p> + +<p>"You can't carry a rifle in the forest at this season without exciting +suspicion. Leave your rifle here. Let me see your pistol? Have you +another?"</p> + +<p>Charley handed him his pistol and said that he had no other.</p> + +<p>"Then take this," he said as he handed Charley his automatic. "Let your +chum carry your pistol. I'll get another at the office. It isn't likely +that you will ever need to use a weapon in the forest. I have been a +ranger for years and have never yet drawn one, but I never travel without +one. You'll meet some pretty tough characters in the forest and sometime +your life may depend on having your pistol. My advice is never to patrol +without it. But keep it out of sight. Keep your badge out of sight, too. +And since you are supposed to be nothing more than fishermen, you'll have +to play the parts. Carry your rods and catch a few fish each day during +the season."</p> + +<p>"Where are we to patrol, and what hours are we to observe?"</p> + +<p>"You are especially employed to guard this virgin timber, though, of +course, you must protect any part of the forest you happen to be in. Take +some good hikes over the region right away and get acquainted with it. Use +your map and, if possible, learn the region by heart. Then your map will +mean something to you. Learn where the virgin timber lies. Keep a close +watch on it, and on any fishermen or campers. I'll spend at least two days +a week out here and you must report to me each time I am here. Meantime, +you must report to the office every night the last thing before you turn +in. The chief said you had a wireless and could do it. Maybe you can, but +it beats me to know how."</p> + +<p>"We'll show you in a little while," smiled Charley as he glanced at his +watch. "Willie will surely be listening in within twenty minutes and we'll +call him."</p> + +<p>"I'll have to take your word for it," said the ranger. "I can't wait a +minute. It will be long after dark before I get out of the mountains. I +telephoned my wife I'd be late, but she always worries when I'm out after +dark. You know snakes are bad up here, and they're all out at night. And +by the way, you'd better carry some of this permanganate. Do you know +anything about it, and what to do with it if you're bitten?" The ranger +started to pull a bottle from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said Charley. "It's mighty good of you to offer to share with +us. But we have permanganate and a syringe both, and we know what to do +with them."</p> + +<p>"Good. But be careful where you step. What do you wear on your feet?"</p> + +<p>He examined the boys' shoes and canvas leggings. "They're all right. I +don't believe any snake will bite through them. But high leather boots +would be safer. Bear it in mind when you buy new shoes. Now I must go."</p> + +<p>"When and where am I to report to you?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>They agreed upon a place of meeting, half-way between the highway and +Charley's camp, whereupon the ranger, holding out his hand, said, +"Good-bye and good luck to you."</p> + +<p>"Do you have to go?" asked Charley. "Couldn't you stay overnight with us?"</p> + +<p>"I'd like to, but the wife would worry herself sick."</p> + +<p>"Suppose she knew that you were going to stay here. Would that make it all +right?"</p> + +<p>"I'm often away overnight during the fire season," smiled the ranger. +"It's the snakes that she's afraid of. She'd rather have me stay here all +night than come through these mountains after dark. You see her father was +bitten by a snake when she was a girl and she is mortally afraid of them."</p> + +<p>"Then you're going to stay here all night," said Charley, with decision. +"I'll get word to her right away."</p> + +<p>The ranger smiled incredulously. "I wish you could," he said. "It would +relieve her mind."</p> + +<p>Charley threw aside the pack cover that had been placed over the wireless +instruments. The ranger looked at the outfit with wondering interest. +Charley glanced at his watch and threw over the switch.</p> + +<p>"Willie might be listening in," he explained, as the sparks began to leap +between the points of his spark-gap. Twice he called, then a bright smile +came over his face. "Got him," he said.</p> + +<p>For some moments he alternately worked his key and listened to the return +buzzing in his receiver. Then he turned to the ranger. "Willie has the +forester on the telephone," he said. "What shall I tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Ask him to tell Katharine that I shall stay here with you in your camp +overnight, as I could not get home until long after dark."</p> + +<p>With fascinated gaze the ranger watched the sparks fly under Charley's +manipulation of the key. Then there was a long silence as the three sat +waiting for the reply.</p> + +<p>"Katharine says to tell Jimmie she's awful glad," said Charley, relaying +the forester's message literally, "and to thank the new patrol for taking +care of him."</p> + +<p>Then and there Charley knew that he was going to like not only the ranger, +but also the ranger's little wife. As for the ranger, he was almost +spellbound.</p> + +<p>"I know you talked to the chief," he said, "but what gets me is <i>how</i> you +did it. Why, if I knew how and had an outfit like that, I could talk to +Katharine any time and anywhere."</p> + +<p>"We'll make you an outfit and teach you how to use it," cried the two boys +together. "You shall have your first lesson to-night."</p> + +<p>Twilight drew near. Lew brought out the grub bag, and Charley began +cooking some food over the little alcohol stove.</p> + +<p>"I think that you can safely take a chance on a wood-fire at this hour," +said the ranger. "I'll build it myself."</p> + +<p>He placed a few dried leaves within the fireplace and stacked some twigs, +broken into short lengths, in a cone-shaped heap above the leaves. At once +he had a bright little fire that made almost no smoke but gave lots of +heat, though the flames did not reach as high as the stone sides of the +fireplace. Quickly a little bed of coals formed, and Charley put his +frying-pan directly over them. In no time the air was savory with the odor +of sizzling bacon and hot coffee.</p> + +<p>Squatted about the little fire, the three guardians of the forest ate +their evening meal. From time to time the ranger thrust a stick into the +fire, and so kept the flames alive. But it was a dim little blaze at best. +Yet it was mighty cheering and comforting as the darkness wrapped the +forest, and the gloom beneath the rhododendron thicket became inky and +impenetrable.</p> + +<p>For a long time after supper was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the three +sat before their little fire. Spellbound, the recruits listened to this +veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods, +of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and +otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved +the forest even as Charley did.</p> + +<p>When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the +voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while +the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and +deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased +rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in +radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless +alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the +spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to +distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the +signals buzzed in the receiver.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch12"> +<h2>Chapter XII</h2> + +<h3>On the Trail of the Timber Thieves</h3> + + + +<p>Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest +streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to +boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he +wakened his young comrades.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped +out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours."</p> + +<p>The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's +easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike +here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs."</p> + +<p>"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to +shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago."</p> + +<p>Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over +it. He was learning a good deal about life these days.</p> + +<p>Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill. +Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your +business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new +situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the +forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with +gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands, +are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with +your territory so that you can tell whether a felled tree is on state land +or on private property. Your maps show you where the lines run, and you +will find the trees along these lines blazed. If you find lumbering +operations going on within the state forest, do your best to stop the +cutting and report the matter at once. You may find traps set out of +season. And it is practically certain you will have to deal with fires and +perhaps the men who start them. Being a fire patrol involves a whole lot +more than merely walking about through the woods. I can't give you rules +that will cover all the situations you will find yourself in. Common sense +is the best rule. The chief has given you a very important post here. It's +an unusual responsibility for one so young. But we both expect you to make +good. I'll be disappointed if you don't. You know if you fail, I'll have +to take part of the blame." He shook hands with both boys and was gone.</p> + +<p>"He's a prince," said Charley, after the ranger had left the thicket. "He +knows just how to treat a fellow. Why, I've simply got to make good now. +I'd get my ranger in bad if I didn't."</p> + +<p>Quickly they put their camp to rights, then slipped their pistols into +their pockets and got their fishing-rods.</p> + +<p>"What is the first thing on the programme?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"We'll go up to the top of the hill and have a good look over the +country," replied Charley. "It's just about time for campers to be cooking +their breakfasts. If there are any of them near us, we might see the smoke +from their fires and locate them. You know the ranger wants us to keep tab +on everything that's going on in our district."</p> + +<p>They ascended the mountain and climbed the tree from which they had viewed +the country on the preceding day. The sun was just coming over the eastern +summits, sending long, level rays of light flashing among the dark pines, +making beautiful patterns of sun and shade. In the bottoms the night mist +had gathered in little pools, in places completely blotting out the +landscape. The tree tops, upthrusting through these banks of fog, looked +like wooded islets in tiny gray lakes. In every direction the two boys +scanned the country, looking sharply for slender spirals of smoke. But +they saw only mist curling upward.</p> + +<p>"It looks to me," said Lew, "as though mighty few people ever get into +this valley. It's such a hard journey to get here that I suppose the +fishermen will stop at the streams in the valleys nearer the highway, and +nobody else would want to come here at this time of year. Unless this +timber is set afire purposely, I believe there is not much danger of its +being burned."</p> + +<p>"There's just the rub," replied Charley. "It would naturally be safe, +being so hard to get to, and for that reason it wouldn't be watched as +well as more accessible regions, particularly when it is difficult to get +fire patrols. But because some one is evidently trying to burn this +particular stand of timber, it is especially necessary to guard it. Mr. +Marlin wants it watched continually, but so secretly that no one will +realize that it is being guarded. That might make the incendiary +careless--providing he comes again--and so lead to his detection. We must +do nothing to betray ourselves. We'll have to be careful not to mark this +tree in any way, so that a passer-by would guess it was used as a +watch-tower. And we shall have to be sure that we don't wear a path +leading from it to our camp."</p> + +<p>For many minutes the boys sat in the tree, well screened from observation +by the spreading limbs, yet themselves able to see perfectly. In every +direction they searched again and again for telltale columns of smoke, but +saw nothing.</p> + +<p>"It looks to me," remarked Charley, "as though there isn't a soul in this +region except ourselves. If that is so, it is the best possible time to do +a little exploring. Suppose we take a look at the valley above our camp. +We can cover a lot of ground between now and noon and yet get back here +for another observation during the dinner hour. We ought to be in this +watch-tower or at some other point equally good every time men would +naturally be having fires, and that means morning, noon, and night. +Between times we can explore the forest. It means some pretty stiff +hiking, but I guess we can stand it."</p> + +<p>They drew their map and compared it with the country as it actually +appeared.</p> + +<p>"We aren't so far from the end of the state land in this direction," +commented Lew. "That's the very place you suggested exploring. We might +look up the line, as Mr. Morton suggested. You notice the stand of pines +ends a long distance this side of the line. That's all hardwood forest up +that way."</p> + +<p>"The sooner we get at it, the better," agreed Charley.</p> + +<p>Carefully they descended the tree, picked up their fishing-rods, and +hastened down the mountainside as fast as it was safe to travel. The +nearer they came to the centre of the valley, the larger the trees grew. +Evidently the rich soil had worked down into the bottom, during the +centuries, and the tree growth was enormous. Under these huge trees there +was no underbrush, and the two boys could make fast time. They approached +the stream, which flowed swiftly along under the tall pines, where they +had no doubt trout innumerable lurked in the shadowy depths. The +temptation to stop and fish was strong, but they put it aside and pushed +on up the valley.</p> + +<p>For a long time they passed like ghosts among the pines. The earth was +springy with the accumulated needles of many years, into which their feet +sank silently. Under the huge trees everything seemed to be hushed. There +was no wind to set the pines awhispering, and the music of the brook stole +through the forest like the low singing of a muted violin string.</p> + +<p>For a long distance they passed through a pure stand of pines. Then the +character of the forest began to change. Soon they were in a mixed growth, +and not long afterward they found practically nothing but deciduous trees +about them.</p> + +<p>"We're not far from the line now," suggested Lew. "This must be the stand +of hardwoods we saw from the lookout tree. I doubt if it is more than half +a mile to the line."</p> + +<p>"Keep your eyes open for blazed trees," said Charley. "We ought to see +some before many minutes."</p> + +<p>They had gone on, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Lew said, "It looks +pretty thin ahead. Either there is a natural opening in the forest or else +the timber has been cut out."</p> + +<p>Charley thought of what Mr. Morton had told him about timber thieves +operating along the boundary lines. He was glad that he had decided to +explore this particular section of his district. A moment later he was +still more glad, for the stillness of the morning air was suddenly broken +by a splitting, rending sound, which was followed by the crash of a great +tree as it came thundering to earth. There could be no mistaking the +sound. A tree had been felled. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks and +looked questioningly at each other.</p> + +<p>"Timber thieves!" said Charley in a low voice. His cheeks paled a trifle. +Then a look of determination came into his eyes.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do?" asked Lew in a loud whisper.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "But we'll find out what they are doing. +Then we can decide what to do ourselves."</p> + +<p>He drew his automatic but as quickly thrust it into his coat pocket, as he +remembered what the ranger had told him. But though the pistol was in his +pocket, he still grasped it in his hand. The tense look on his face showed +plainly enough that he was ready to shoot right through his coat. Lew, +observing his companion's movements, followed his example.</p> + +<p>Minute after minute the two young forest guards stood silent, listening +for the sound of axes or other customary noises that ordinarily accompany +lumbering operations. But the morning stillness was undisturbed. A puzzled +expression crept over their faces.</p> + +<p>"Maybe that tree wasn't cut at all," whispered Lew. "Maybe it just fell +of itself."</p> + +<p>"We'll find out," replied Charley, and cautiously they began to make their +way toward the point whence the sound had come. Sheltering themselves +behind trees, they advanced rod after rod. The stillness remained +unbroken. The stand of trees grew thinner, with more and more underbrush. +Presently they saw before them an unmistakable clearing in the forest. +Rapidly they advanced, screened by the bushes, until they stood close to +the edge of the clearing. Beyond question somebody had been cutting trees. +Over a considerable area the timber had been felled, and whoever had +felled it had cut ruthlessly. Hardly a sapling remained in all the cleared +area. On every hand trees lay prone. Some had been trimmed and cut into +pieces. Some remained exactly as they fell. Everywhere freshly cut stumps +told plainly enough what had occurred.</p> + +<p>"Somebody's cutting timber all right enough," whispered Charley, "and it's +on state land. I wonder where they are. They certainly cut that tree we +heard fall, but I haven't heard an axe or a human voice and I don't see +any signs of lumbermen."</p> + +<p>"Maybe they're at camp eating breakfast. It's still early, you know."</p> + +<p>"If they are," said Charley, "then this is the very time to investigate. +We'll look around before anybody gets back."</p> + +<p>Glancing once more about the opening to make sure that nobody was in +sight, they stepped from behind their concealing bushes and started across +the open space. But immediately they came to a dead stop. Like +rifle-shots, a succession of sharp sounds rang out, accompanied by +splashing noises. The two boys were at first alarmed, then puzzled. They +looked at each other in amazement.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "At first I thought somebody was shooting +at us. But I didn't hear any bullets hum. And the noise didn't sound +exactly like a gun, either. It was like the noise a fellow makes when he +hits the water real hard with a board."</p> + +<p>In every direction they scanned the clearing. They saw no living things +but the trees. "It's queer," commented Charley. "Let's look at that +nearest tree that's down. Maybe we can learn something from it."</p> + +<p>They walked over to the tree, then studied it in amazement. "I never saw +anything like that before," cried Lew. "I don't believe that was ever cut +with an axe. It looks as though it had been gnawed off."</p> + +<p>"It has," cried Charley with sudden excitement. "I understand the whole +thing now. We've found a colony of beavers. I never saw a live beaver, but +I've read about them and seen pictures of their huts and their work, and +that looks exactly like the pictures. And those noises like rifle-shots +were their alarm signals. They slap the water with their tails when they +are frightened and dive under water. I suppose they're all in their lodges +now, and we'll never get a peep at them. Gee whiz! Just think of finding +beavers, Lew, real beavers. I didn't know there were any in Pennsylvania."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me that I read something about the game commission stocking +the state with them a few years ago. I think they put a number of them in +the state forests. Doubtless they have multiplied in numbers and started +new colonies."</p> + +<p>"That explains it," said Charley. "Gee! I'm glad we found these fellows. +And I'm just as glad that they aren't timber thieves. You know, Lew, it +made me feel kind of queer to think of facing real timber thieves. I +didn't like the idea a bit. But I kept thinking about Mr. Morton and what +he said about his being blamed if I fell down, and I made up my mind I'd +do it, no matter what happened."</p> + +<p>They now turned their attention to the felled tree once more, studying the +innumerable teeth marks, like so many tiny chisel cuts, on stump and butt. +Then they noticed the great chips lying about the stump, some of them half +as big as dinner plates.</p> + +<p>"It gets me to understand how they can bite out such huge chunks," said +Lew, "when their teeth are evidently so small. Why, you'd think an animal +would have to have a mouth as big as a hippopotamus to take bites like +these."</p> + +<p>Charley laughed. "Looks that way, doesn't it?" he said. "But as I remember +it, what I read said that the beaver gnaws out parallel rings around the +trunk and wrenches out the wood between. It's like sawing two cuts in a +board and chiseling out the board between them."</p> + +<p>"I see," said Lew. "But I should think they'd break their teeth all to +pieces."</p> + +<p>"So should I. But they have very strong teeth that grow out as fast as +they wear away, and that are as sharp as a chisel. I wouldn't want a +beaver to bite me. I'll bet he could bite right through a bone."</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said Lew, "they cut these trees to use in making their dam; +but what gets me is how they are going to get the trees over to the dam. +It would take a team of horses to drag this trunk. It's fifteen inches in +diameter."</p> + +<p>"The article I read," said Charley, "stated that as the beaver dams became +higher, the land adjacent was flooded and that the beavers made little +canals through the flooded area and floated their logs where they wanted +them. You notice that they have gnawed the limbs off of a number of these +trees and cut several of the trunks into lengths. I was sure they were +sawlogs when I first saw them."</p> + +<p>"Well, there isn't enough water here to float a log," said Lew, "though +it's mighty wet and it looks as though the water was several inches deep +a little farther on. Let's see if we can find a canal."</p> + +<p>They stripped off their shoes and stockings, and, rolling up their +trousers, began to wade. Very soon they found the water nearly knee-deep.</p> + +<p>"There's more water here than there seems to be," admitted Lew. "There's +so much marsh-grass and so many water-plants it fooled me."</p> + +<p>Cautiously they waded about. Suddenly Lew plunged forward, and only by +grasping a bush did he save himself from getting completely wet. As it +was, he found himself standing upright in three feet of water. After he +recovered from his surprise, he felt about with his feet.</p> + +<p>"This is their canal all right enough," he said. "It's very narrow, but it +will float anything that grows in this forest."</p> + +<p>He scrambled out and the two boys made their way back to dry ground. "How +are you going to get dry?" asked Charley. "I don't want to make a fire +unless it is absolutely necessary."</p> + +<p>"Never mind about me. I'll dry off soon enough. Let's find their dam."</p> + +<p>They made their way toward the run and soon discovered the dam. It was a +great pile of branches, stones, moss, grass, mud, bark, etc., that had +been built across the stream and extended for rods on either side. It +looked very solid, yet the water did not pour over it, but filtered +through it.</p> + +<p>"Think of all the work it took to make that," cried Lew. "Why, every +stick in it had to be gnawed down and floated here, and all the bark and +grass and roots had to be pulled and brought here and the stones +collected. And say! How in the world do you suppose they ever handled +those stones? And how do you suppose they ever anchored the stuff when +they began building? I should think the current would have swept +everything away at first. That's a pretty swift stream."</p> + +<p>"I read that they start their dams with saplings, which they anchor across +the current with stones. They are much like squirrels, you know, and can +use their fore paws about as well as we can use our hands. I suppose the +stones lose weight by displacing water, but if I hadn't seen these rocks, +I'd never have believed that such big stones could be handled by animals +no larger than beavers."</p> + +<p>"See here," said Lew. "These willow branches must have taken root, for +they seem to be growing right up out of the top of the dam. And there's a +birch that's surely growing. You know the branches of some trees will root +if you put them in water, especially willows. Why, if they continue to +grow and take more root, there'll be a hedge of living trees right across +this brook. The dam will become so dense that it will back up a great +quantity of water. I reckon this bottom will just naturally turn into a +swamp after a time."</p> + +<p>"Now that's interesting," suggested Charley. "You know the Bible tells us +the world was made in six days; but it seems to me it isn't finished yet. +Every rain washes down soil from the hills and helps to fill up the +valleys and the river-bottoms, and the floods scour out the watercourses +and carry earth and stones down to the ocean. And here we see a piece of +land that used to be fine, dry bottom, now becoming a swamp. It looks to +me as though the earth is changing every day."</p> + +<p>They examined the dam more critically. "It's two hundred feet wide if it's +an inch," said Lew, "though the brook isn't more than fifteen or twenty. +You see, it extends on each side of the brook to land that is a little +higher than the level of the stream bank. That's what makes this big head +of water. At the least there are several acres of it."</p> + +<p>"There's one thing that we haven't seen yet," added Charley, "and that's +their houses. They ought to be some distance above the dam."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if those are beaver lodges," said Lew, pointing to some bulky +heaps of brush at a little distance up-stream.</p> + +<p>"That's exactly what they are. They don't look much like houses, do they? +But I guess they're pretty snug inside. The entrances are deep under +water, you know, so that the ice can't clog them in winter, and so that +the beavers can get to their food all right."</p> + +<p>"What do they eat, Charley? Do you know?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. They eat roots, and tender plants, but mostly bark from certain +trees. I believe these are willow, poplar, birch, and some others. They +cut down the wood in summer and pile it under water in front of their +huts and hold it down with stones."</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you think of that!" cried Lew.</p> + +<p>"They eat a pile of it, too. I don't remember how many trees that article +said a colony of beavers would eat in a winter, but I'm sure it was up in +the hundreds. I remember how astonished I was when I read about it."</p> + +<p>"No wonder they clear the forest so fast. I wonder if we ought to tell Mr. +Marlin. Maybe he doesn't know about these beavers. They might begin to cut +down his virgin pines. I'm sure he wouldn't want that to happen."</p> + +<p>Charley laughed. "I'd bet my last dollar that Mr. Marlin knows all about +these beavers. You can bank on it that he knows all there is to know about +the territory he has charge of. And as for the beavers eating the pines, +it seems to me that I read that they never touch evergreens."</p> + +<p>A ray of sun slipped through the leaves above them and fell directly upon +Charley's face. He glanced up and was surprised to note how high the sun +had climbed. Then he looked at his watch.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" he cried. "We must have been fooling around this beaver dam +for more than an hour. We must be about our business. We'll go on and +locate the boundary line."</p> + +<p>"I wish we could get a glimpse of a beaver," sighed Lew.</p> + +<p>"Not much use to wish it," said Charley. "They're furtive, and I suppose +they will stay in their lodges for hours. It seems to me I read that they +work at their dams mostly at night. We'll go on now, but maybe we could +come up here some moonlight evening and see them at work."</p> + +<p>They made their way around the beaver dam and continued on up the valley. +Within a few hundred yards they came upon a blazed tree. Speedily they +discovered a second. Then, following the line indicated by these two +trees, they rapidly passed tree after tree blazed and painted white, +tracing the line entirely across the valley. They picked out some +landmarks by which they could readily locate the line again.</p> + +<p>"If anybody except those beavers starts any timber cutting," said Charley, +"we'll know in a second whether he's cutting the state's wood or not. Now +I guess we'd better hustle back to camp."</p> + +<p>Lew got their noonday meal while Charley ascended once more to the watch +tree at the top of the mountain and made a careful survey of the country. +Not a sign of smoke could he see in any direction. No fire was discovered +during the afternoon hike. The evening inspection from their tower was +equally reassuring. After a brief chat by wireless with their friends at +Central City, and through them sending their nightly message to the +forester, telling him that all was well, the two tired young fire patrols +rolled up in their blankets and were quickly asleep, serene in the +knowledge that the forest they guarded was safe.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch13"> +<h2>Chapter XIII</h2> + +<h3>Spying Out the Land</h3> + + + +<p>All too rapidly the days passed. Occasionally a shower moistened the +surface of the ground, but for the most part the dry weather continued, +with every hour increasing the fire hazard. During the first few days +Charley was never free from a feeling of dread. Every time he awoke he +expected to smell fire. Every trip to the watch tree was made in the fear +that somewhere within his vision there would be telltale clouds of smoke +arising. A nervous apprehension seized upon him, and a mortal fear of +fire; and a growing disbelief in his own power kept him in a state of +unconquerable anxiety.</p> + +<p>All these were sensations new to Charley, though they were normal enough. +The natural result of responsibility, they were coupled with Charley's +keen realization of the insignificance of his own or any one else's powers +as opposed to the vast forces of nature. Had Charley never seen a forest +fire, had he never done battle with the raging flames, he could not have +had this sharp realization of the insignificance of his own strength. But +the recent struggle with the forest fire and that far more desperate +battle with the same enemy years before, when the Wireless Patrol was in +camp at Fort Brady, had given Charley a true estimate of the well-nigh +irresistible fury of a fire in the forest, should conditions be favorable +to the flames.</p> + +<p>Only luck, Charley realized, and the best of luck, had brought him and Lew +out victorious in their recent contest. The next time fire started--and he +knew well enough that there would be a next time--there might be a strong +wind, or to reach the blaze might take him hours, or he might not be able +to summon help with his wireless, or other unfavorable conditions might +arise to render his efforts useless. Then the forest would go roaring up +in flame. And even though he might not have been unfaithful to his trust, +the result would be the same. The timber would be destroyed. This great +forest would be consumed. And he, especially selected to guard and protect +it, would have failed. The thought was overwhelming.</p> + +<p>More and more Charley turned to his wireless as a drowning man clutches at +a straw. He saw that when Lew had gone and he had nothing but his own +powers to depend upon, the wireless was going to be like a life-line to +him. He realized that to have the powerful battery he wanted was +imperative, if he was to have even a chance to make good in his efforts to +protect the forest. And as he and Lew patrolled the timber, he made it +evident to his chum what a vital part that battery would play in his +success. But neither of them saw any way for Charley to come into +immediate possession of it.</p> + +<p>As the days passed and the forest still slumbered in safety, the sharp +edge of Charley's anxiety wore off. That, too, was normal, for he could +not naturally remain at such a pitch of emotion. So his interest in the +life about him gradually returned. And indeed there were innumerable +objects to interest a nature lover like Charley.</p> + +<p>The country itself was enough to make a nature lover happy. When Charley +climbed his watch tree and looked about, he could see nothing but forest. +East, west, north, south, league upon league, far as the eye could see and +much farther, stretched the forest, like a huge green sea. The mountains +rose like great waves; and from his lofty perch Charley could see several +parallel ridges rearing their crests aloft on either side of him. +Distinctly he could see the two bottoms at the foot of the mountain on +which stood his watch tree. Splendid stands of timber filled these valleys +with swelling streams of water that flashed in the sunlight here and there +through little openings in the trees. But what lay in the farther valleys +he could only guess, though he knew that each must have its stream and +some timber. What else there might be Charley did not know.</p> + +<p>It was part of his work as a patrol to find out. And eagerly he looked +forward to the daily hikes that would take him here or there or elsewhere +in the great forest. Already he loved it; and he wanted to share all its +secrets. Had Charley but known it, that very attitude of mind made him +more valuable both to his ranger and to the forester. It meant that his +work would not be done in a perfunctory manner, but with that genuine +interest born of love that alone leads to perfect service.</p> + +<p>The two chums made themselves familiar with their own valley from the +border line of the state lands above the beaver dam, to a point many miles +below their own camp. They found that they were in the heart of the stand +of virgin timber, and that the location of their camp was by far the best +that could have been chosen for the purpose of guarding the stand.</p> + +<p>Charley thought it wonderful that the forester could offhand select such a +strategic point. He felt more certain than ever that Mr. Marlin must have +an intimate knowledge of the territory over which he had jurisdiction. +Could Charley have known how intimate that knowledge was, he would have +been amazed. And what he did not even guess was the fact that the forester +had planned just such a secret watch on the big timber as Charley was now +keeping, and that he had selected the camp site only after days of +investigation.</p> + +<p>Nor did Charley so much as dream that for some time Mr. Marlin had been +looking about for some one he could trust to do the work. The native +mountaineers did not command Mr. Marlin's entire confidence, nor did many +of them possess the intelligence or education he desired in the man he +selected.</p> + +<p>Yet his sudden choice of Charley was characteristic of the forester. He +always acted quickly when he thought the time for action had come. +Charley's grit and pluck in voluntarily fighting the fire, coupled with +his membership in the Wireless Patrol, were the factors that led Mr. +Marlin to engage him at once. Had Charley known these facts, he might have +felt a bit conceited or at least elated over the situation. But his belief +was, as Mr. Marlin wished it to be, that the forester had taken him only +as a last resort. And Charley was working hard to make good. He could +hardly have taken a better way than the road he had chosen--to make +himself familiar with all the territory he was to guard, and so to prepare +himself for the emergencies that lay ahead of him.</p> + +<p>Every day, and every hour of each day, the two boys found much that +excited their wonder, for now they were studying nature at first-hand. +Taking their dog, they one day climbed the mountain beyond the one on +which their watch-tower stood, and came down into a lovely valley. But +what instantly arrested their attention was the face of the mountain on +the far side of this valley.</p> + +<p>Instead of being a timbered slope, this mountain was a sheer precipice of +rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet in air. Its rugged sides were +seamed and scarred. Here and there a projecting ledge offered a scant +foothold, but mostly the face of the cliff was one vast, frowning rock +that rose almost perpendicularly. On tiny ledges and in crevices of the +rock little ferns grew in masses, hanging down the face of the cliff like +green fringes. Wild flowers had taken possession of the crannies. In +precarious footholds, where it seemed impossible for them to exist, a few +trees had sprung up, their roots crawling fantastically over the rocks in +search of bits of earth to grow in, while the tops of the trees stood up +slantingly against the face of the cliff. Mostly they were evergreens, and +their scraggly branches made irregular dark masses on the face of the +precipice.</p> + +<p>As the two boys made their way toward the foot of this cliff, a great bird +came soaring over the top of it, and sailed in lofty circles over the +valley.</p> + +<p>"Look at that hawk!" cried Lew. "Isn't he a whopper? Look at the spread of +his wings. And see how he soars, without ever moving a muscle. I wonder if +he can see us."</p> + +<p>Evidently the bird saw something, for suddenly it tilted downward, shot +toward the earth like a flash, and was lost to sight behind the trees.</p> + +<p>"Whew!" cried Charley. "Did you see that drop? It almost took my breath +away to watch him."</p> + +<p>A moment later the bird rose into sight again, bearing in its talons a +dark-colored animal of some sort. Though the animal was not large, it must +have weighed many pounds. Yet the bird flew upward swiftly, lifting +himself rapidly with strong strokes of its wings.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Charley, after watching the bird a moment. "That's +no hawk! That's an eagle. It's a bald eagle, too. See his white tail and +head and the bare shanks?"</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?" demanded Lew. "I've always wanted to see a bald eagle. +It's our national emblem, you know."</p> + +<p>"I'm pretty sure that's one," replied Charley. "I've read about them and +seen pictures of them, and that bird's exactly like the pictures. We can +see his legs well because he's holding them straight down. They're bare. +The golden eagle has feathers all the way to his toes."</p> + +<p>"Gee! I'm glad we saw him," exclaimed Lew. "Look where he's going."</p> + +<p>The bird flew straight toward the cliff, climbing upward with tremendous +speed. He flew directly to a ledge far up the precipice, where he vanished +from sight.</p> + +<p>"That's where the nest is. I'll bet anything on it," said Charley. "We'll +keep an eye on this place and see if there are any little eagles later in +the season."</p> + +<p>For some time they watched the ledge to which the eagle had flown, but the +bird did not again come into sight. Evidently the ledge was much wider +than it appeared to be from the bottom of the valley, and perhaps the face +of the cliff was worn away, cave like, at that point, affording a secure +retreat. At any rate, the eagle was seen no more.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Lew, after a time, "if we can't see the eagle again, perhaps +we can find out what sort of an animal it was he got. I think I can pretty +nearly point out the spot where he landed."</p> + +<p>They started toward the point at which the eagle had come to earth. When +they thought they were near the place they began to search the ground +carefully for some signs of the tragedy that had occurred. They looked in +vain. Nowhere could they find any telltale marks.</p> + +<p>"I suspect it must have been a coon," suggested Charley. "It looked like +it to me. We know there are lots of them in this forest."</p> + +<p>Just then the excited chattering of squirrels attracted them. They began +to examine the trees about them. Presently they came to one around which +were scattered innumerable shells of nuts that had been gnawed into and +eaten.</p> + +<p>"There must be squirrels in that tree," said Lew.</p> + +<p>Now muffled squeaks of fear or pain were audible. The two boys looked at +each other questioningly.</p> + +<p>"There are squirrels up there all right," agreed Charley, "and something's +wrong. That's exactly the way a squirrel sounds when it's in trouble. Yes; +there are some squirrels in the tree top. They're terribly excited over +something."</p> + +<p>The boys began to examine the tree. It was an old oak. Well up its trunk a +limb had broken or rotted away, and the resulting decay of the stub had +made a hole in the tree itself. What instantly riveted the attention of +the two boys was something black and tapering that projected from the +hole and that slowly waved in the air.</p> + +<p>"A blacksnake!" cried Charley. "He's probably eaten the little squirrels."</p> + +<p>In a second Charley was shinning up the tree. Not far below the squirrel +hole the stub of another old limb projected. Charley pulled himself up and +got a footing on it. He drew his little axe from his hip, and, yanking the +snake half-way out of the hole, broke its back with a sharp blow of the +axe, and then threw the reptile to the ground. Lew was on it like a flash +with his feet, tramping it to death. In the snake's mouth was a small +squirrel still kicking and making muffled noises.</p> + +<p>Charley slid to the ground, drew his knife and slit the snake's head, +releasing the young squirrel. It was hurt and terribly frightened, but was +apparently not really injured. Charley kept it in his hand, feeling for +broken bones.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe this squirrel is really harmed a bit," he said finally, +"but it was a pretty close call. I'm going to put it back in the nest +again."</p> + +<p>He put the little creature in his pocket, then again shinned up the tree, +and placed the squirrel in its nest. Meantime, the old squirrels in the +tree top chattered incessantly.</p> + +<p>"Nobody's going to hurt you," said Charley, looking upward through the +branches. "We're only trying to help you."</p> + +<p>When he came to earth once more he examined the snake. "He's a big +fellow," he said, stretching the reptile out straight. "He's a good deal +more than six feet long. I guess we'll take his skin and make a belt of +it."</p> + +<p>As he drew out his knife again and proceeded to skin the snake, he +continued, "I don't believe in killing snakes as a general rule, but +blacksnakes do more harm than good, I believe. It's true they kill rats +and mice, but they also eat birds' eggs and young birds and squirrels, and +no end of other useful creatures. And they are so active that one snake +will kill a great number in the course of a year."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand how they can eat anything so big as that young +squirrel," said Lew, "but I know they do."</p> + +<p>"Really they don't," laughed Charley. "They drag themselves outside of +their prey. You know their jaws are loose so they can spread them, and +their teeth point backward. What they do is to work the upper jaw and then +the lower, hooking their teeth into their food, pulling back with each +half of the jaw in turn. You see they literally pull themselves over their +prey. Well, I'm glad we got that fellow. I suppose it's my business to +kill all the blacksnakes I can. Whatever harms the squirrels, hurts the +forest."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Why, you know that squirrels help to plant the nut trees in a forest. +Some tree seeds, like pine and maple seeds, are so small or light that +they are carried easily by birds and winds, and so scattered about. But +acorns and nuts are so heavy that they fall straight down to the earth. If +the squirrels didn't carry them away and bury them in such quantities, how +could we ever have had these great stands of nut and oak trees?"</p> + +<p>"I never thought of that," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"It looks as though what Mr. Marlin said was right--walking about through +the forest is only a small part of a forest guard's work. He's got to know +an awful lot about things before he can be sure just what he ought to do."</p> + +<p>"I never had any idea how big a job it is, Lew. And think what a forester +must have to know. I tell you it takes a man to fill a job like that."</p> + +<p>Noon came. The boys grew hungry. "I could eat all the sandwiches we have +myself," smiled Charley. "I wonder if we couldn't catch some trout to help +out. It would be all right to make a fire over here, I'm sure. And we'll +keep it so small it won't make any smoke. And even if it did, it couldn't +possibly betray the location of our camp."</p> + +<p>They made their way to the stream in the middle of the valley, baited +their hooks, and dropped them into the water. In no time they had half a +dozen fine trout.</p> + +<p>"You clean 'em, Lew," suggested Charley, "and I'll make a little +fireplace."</p> + +<p>He selected a little shoulder of earth close to the run and began to dig +into it with a stick. In a moment he had uncovered a deposit of solid +clay. The clay was hard to dig, but he could shape his fireplace in it +exactly as he wanted it. When the task was completed, he started a very +small fire with leaves and small branches. By careful feeding, he kept the +flames burning clear, with almost no smoke. Presently he had a bed of +glowing coals that almost filled the little fireplace.</p> + +<p>Lew, meantime, had cleaned the fish and cut some black birch branches +which he thrust through the fish lengthwise. Squatting beside the little +fire, the two boys now held the fish over the coals, turning them slowly, +and roasting them thoroughly. With the addition of the trout, their meal +was ample.</p> + +<p>They ate slowly, and after their meal sat for a time beside their fire in +the warm sun, watching the forest life about them, and listening to the +song of the brook and the myriad other sounds of the woods. Finally they +prepared to leave. The fire had shrunken to a white bed of ashes.</p> + +<p>"We'll make sure that it is out," commented Charley. And he stepped to the +run and got a hatful of water, which he poured on the ashes. To his +astonishment the ashes were washed away, leaving the fireplace bare. The +fireplace had changed color and looked as though made of brick. He touched +it and found it as hard as stone.</p> + +<p>"Fire-clay," he said. "That's probably worth something. I'll take a sample +along."</p> + +<p>He dug away more top-soil and scooped out a big ball of clay. Then he +filled in the holes he had made, covering up all traces of the clay +deposit, and blazed a tree near by to identify the spot.</p> + +<p>The journey back to the camp was made by a route different from the one +taken in the morning, the boys following the stream down the valley for a +distance before crossing back to their own valley. The first fishermen +they had encountered were seen on the return trip. The men were wading in +the stream below the boys and so did not observe the young fire guards +behind them. Charley and Lew instantly slipped behind trees, and after +watching the men until they were lost to sight, struck off toward their +camp. They got there shortly before sunset. While Lew prepared supper, +Charley once more made his way up to the watch tree, where he remained +until dusk.</p> + +<p>Early in the evening they got into touch with their friends at Central +City, and through them sent a reassuring good-night to the forester. Then, +too tired to listen to the night's news, they wrapped themselves in their +blankets and were soon sound asleep.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch14"> +<h2>Chapter XIV</h2> + +<h3>The Trail in the Forest</h3> + + + +<p>The following day the two young patrols were to report to their ranger at +the appointed place in the forest. Although the ranger had much farther to +travel than they did, the boys knew from experience that he was afoot +early during the fire season, and they felt certain he would be at the +meeting-place before the appointed hour. Charley wanted to be as prompt as +his ranger, and so the two boys were astir by the time the first streaks +of light tinged the eastern skies.</p> + +<p>It was still dark enough to risk a little blaze in their fireplace and the +warmth was grateful, for the early morning air was chill enough. Breakfast +was soon cooked and their camp put to rights. Then, taking their +fishing-rods again, they set forth to patrol the forest. The pup was tied +in the tent, lest he should get into trouble with a porcupine or some +other creature of the forest, and so make them tardy for their +appointment.</p> + +<p>Their plan was to travel down their own valley for a distance, then pass +through a gap to a fire trail in the next bottom, which would lead to +other trails that would take them close to their destination. They had +studied out their route carefully on the map, and they made their way +with both speed and certainty.</p> + +<p>For a long time nothing of moment happened to them. The sun came up bright +and clear, flirting with the fleecy clouds in the sky, that now plunged +the land in deep shadow and again drew aside so that the forest was bathed +in golden sunlight. The earth sent forth fragrant exhalations. A gentle +breeze lent a tonic quality to the atmosphere. The leaves sparkled with +dew, and the stream in the bottom flashed in the sunlight, filling the +woods with its sonorous babble. So inviting was the scene that despite +their haste, the boys could not resist the temptation to drop their hooks +in promising pools as they moved along. Without half trying, they +accumulated a dozen fine trout. The smaller ones they carefully unhooked +and threw back into the stream.</p> + +<p>They passed through the gap in the mountain and started to cross the +bottom to the fire trail. At the brook in the middle of the valley they +paused to make one last cast in an especially inviting pool. At that +moment two men came out of a near-by thicket. Both were smoking. They were +equipped like fishermen, though they had no fish. They were rough looking, +with hard faces. One of them had an ugly scar above his right eye and +showed a mouthful of gold teeth when he took his cigar from his mouth, as +he asked, "What luck?"</p> + +<p>"We've got a few," replied Charley, extending his creel for their +inspection.</p> + +<p>The man looked at the fish and swore savagely. "These kids have fished +the brook out," he growled. "There's no use trying this stream. We'll have +to go on to the next valley."</p> + +<p>Charley was in a quandary. These men, with their cigars, were a menace to +the forest. It made him nervous merely to look at the glowing tobacco and +the careless way the men flicked the ashes about. He was almost +panic-stricken at the idea of their passing into his own valley while he +was absent. He did not know whether to tell them the truth about his fish +or remain silent. But he remembered that his watch in that valley was +supposed to be a secret one, and he said nothing. Afterward he was glad +that he had remained silent.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said the man with the gold teeth. "These kids have queered us +here. We'll be moving."</p> + +<p>As he started away he gave Charley such a savage look that it almost +frightened Charley. It did worry and alarm him, for he could not help +asking himself what he should do if he had to deal sternly with such a +man. Even with Lew at his side, he felt fearful. Alone in the forest with +such desperate-looking men, he knew that he would be helpless.</p> + +<p>Then he remembered the automatic stowed in his hip pocket and felt +relieved. Now he understood much better why the ranger had given it to +him. The remembrance that he had this weapon stiffened his courage +wonderfully. He determined that if gun-play ever became necessary, he +would not be caught napping. At once he shifted the automatic to his coat +pocket, where he could shoot without drawing the weapon, and where he +could carry his hand without exciting suspicion.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" whispered Lew, after the two men had passed out of hearing. "I +wouldn't care to meet that pair after dark."</p> + +<p>"What I am afraid of," said Charley, "is that they will set the forest +afire. They were mighty careless with their cigars. Will they be any more +careful with the butts when they have finished their smoke? I don't know +but what we ought to trail them. Yet we've got to meet Mr. Morton and I +don't want to be tardy. I can't make up my mind what we ought to do."</p> + +<p>After a moment's consideration, he unjointed his rod, and started off in +the direction from which the men had come. "We'll find Mr. Morton just as +quick as we can," he said with decision, "and tell him the situation. +Meantime, we'll make sure those men didn't start any fires up to this +point."</p> + +<p>Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of +speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he +dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums +advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain. +They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no +smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with +lighter hearts.</p> + +<p>"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley, +"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know +how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both."</p> + +<p>Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley +glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet +he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early. +He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never +reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton +himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and, +being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his +subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and +he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him.</p> + +<p>Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to +say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having +been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so +disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard +as interference with his fishing.</p> + +<p>The ranger shook hands warmly with his young friends. "I see you have kept +the forest safe so far," he said with a smile. "How have things been +going?"</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Charley, "but we met a couple of men an hour or so +ago, whose looks we didn't like."</p> + +<p>"How's that? What did they do that you didn't like?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they were smoking and they were careless with their cigars. Since +we met them I've been expecting to see a smoke column rising every time I +turned around; and I'd hate to tell you how many times I've looked back in +the last hour."</p> + +<p>"It never hurts a man in the forest to look back," said Mr. Morton with +another smile. "Lot's wife is the only person on record who came to grief +that way. But seriously, you mustn't get nervous just because you see a +smoker. You'll meet hundreds of them, and they're all pretty careless."</p> + +<p>Charley flushed a little. "You don't understand, Mr. Morton," he went on. +"I wasn't nervous--that is, I didn't--I mean, it wasn't the mere fact that +the men were smoking that made me feel anxious. I didn't like the looks of +the men or their actions."</p> + +<p>"What did they do?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they swore at us."</p> + +<p>The ranger laughed. "That's a habit of these mountaineers," he said. "You +mustn't pay any attention to it. They don't mean anything by it."</p> + +<p>"Do they look at you as though they'd like to kill you, too?" demanded +Charley. "Is that a habit of these mountaineers?"</p> + +<p>Instantly the ranger's face was sober. "See here," he said seriously. +"What have you been doing? What did you do or say to the men that made +them curse you? A little authority hasn't made you toplofty, has it? You +know you are not supposed to let anybody know that you're a fire patrol."</p> + +<p>"I didn't," replied Charley, stung by the implied criticism. "We caught a +few fish in our own valley, then cut through to the valley just below us, +on our way to this trail. Just as we reached the run, two men came out of +the bushes. They asked what we had caught, and when I showed them, one of +them swore at us terribly and said we had fished the stream out so that +they would have to go on to the next valley."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" laughed the ranger, looking much relieved.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, it isn't," continued Charley. "They looked as though they wanted +to kill us."</p> + +<p>The ranger was inclined to smile, but he forbore, seeing that Charley was +sensitive. "You'll soon get used to meeting tough-looking customers in the +forest," he said.</p> + +<p>"I hope that I don't meet many like that fellow," sighed Charley. "When he +scowled at me, he looked as fierce as a chimpanzee. And he had an ugly +scar over his eye that actually seemed to turn red."</p> + +<p>Instantly the ranger's face became sober. "A scar over his eye," he +repeated. "Which eye?"</p> + +<p>"His right one."</p> + +<p>"Did you notice his mouth?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. I couldn't help noticing it. It was full of gold teeth."</p> + +<p>The ranger gave a low whistle. His face became still more serious. "Tell +me exactly what was said and done," he continued. "Repeat your +conversation just as accurately as you can."</p> + +<p>When Charley had rehearsed the entire affair in detail, the ranger asked, +"And you are sure you gave him no hint that you had come from the next +valley?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely none. I thought right away that I mustn't do that."</p> + +<p>"You're a lad of discretion," smiled the ranger. "You have done well. But +be awful careful of that old scoundrel. That's Bill Collins. He's a bad +egg if there ever was one. He never came into these mountains to catch +fish. That's merely a blind. And he was headed for your valley, too. +That's absolutely certain. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone there."</p> + +<p>The ranger paused in thought. "<i>Did</i> he go there?" he continued. "That's +the problem. If he said he was going there, it's more than likely he was +headed for some other place and wanted to throw you off the track."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger paused and studied Charley's face keenly. Evidently the +wide-set eyes, with their indication of intelligence, the strong nose and +good chin, and especially Charley's straight mouth with its thin lips, +reassured him. "My boy," he said kindly, "I don't want to alarm you +unnecessarily, but be careful of that man. He's up to something, or he +wouldn't be in this forest; but what it can be, I've not the remotest +idea. The only thing I can think of that would bring him here is the +virgin timber. He's been mixed up in several crooked lumber deals. He +wouldn't hesitate for an instant to steal timber or to set the forest +afire. And it's my personal belief that he wouldn't stop at"--he paused +and studied Charley's face again--"at murder."</p> + +<p>The two boys were sober. For a moment they looked at the ranger in +silence. Then, "What had I better do?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Keep out of Collins' road," answered Mr. Morton instantly. "If you can +get track of him, watch him; but don't let him see you or know he is +watched."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger paused to ponder the matter. "It isn't a square deal to +let you kids go up against that old crook," he said suddenly. "Come on. +We'll see if we can find him. And if we do, I know how to deal with him."</p> + +<p>The ranger strode forward at a terrific pace. The two boys had almost to +run to keep up with him. Over his face came a grim expression that boded +no good for Bill Collins. On and on he went, saying never a word. +Evidently he was revolving the situation in his own mind. Not until they +reached the brook did he utter a syllable. Then he said, "Show me exactly +where you boys were and where the two men came out of the bushes."</p> + +<p>Charley pointed out the respective positions. Mr. Morton searched the +bushes but found nothing enlightening.</p> + +<p>"Which way did they go after they left you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Lew pointed out the route they had taken. Along the margin of the brook +both men had left clear footprints. Mr. Morton sank to his knees and the +three studied these prints closely. Then, "Come on," he said, rising. +"We'll see if we can trail them."</p> + +<p>Lew led the way to the point at which they had last seen the men. The +disturbed condition of the leaves showed plainly that some one had passed. +Very slowly and painstakingly the ranger followed the trail. In many +places the forest mold still retained the imprint of a foot distinctly. So +they followed the trail for several rods. Then they were unable to find +any more footprints, nor did the leaves appear disturbed in any way.</p> + +<p>"They've turned off to one side or the other," said the ranger, when he +was sure they had overrun the trail. "Let's see if we can find which way +they went."</p> + +<p>The three investigators turned and spread out, advancing a foot at a time, +and examined the ground minutely. Not a leaf nor a stick, nor yet the +bushes or tree trunks escaped observation. At last Charley gave a little +cry. He had found a footprint that corresponded exactly with one they had +studied by the brook. A little farther on a second imprint was visible, +and the leaves again had the appearance of having been disturbed. For some +distance they continued to search for and to find footprints and other +unmistakable signs of the passage of the two men.</p> + +<p>"It is useless to look for any more tracks," said the ranger, +straightening up. "Collins and his companion quite evidently went up this +valley instead of the one they told you they were heading for. They were +merely trying to mislead you, which makes me all the more certain they are +here for no good purpose. They certainly had no reason to suspect your +connection with the Forest Service, and I presume that Collins was so +annoyed at being seen by anybody that he just couldn't keep his temper. So +he swore at you. He's a violent chap. It's certain that he's somewhere +ahead of us, with at least two hours' start. We'll try to overtake him, +though we don't want him to see us. What we'll do if we find him will +depend upon circumstances. Now let's hustle. But be quiet and keep your +eyes open."</p> + +<p>Not until near sundown was the search discontinued. Then, finding +themselves almost directly below the watch-tower, the ranger and his two +helpers struck directly up the slope, took a long, careful look for smoke, +and descended toward Charley's camp.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to spend the night with you," explained the ranger. "I wish +that you would try to call up Katharine and tell her how it is. I don't +like to leave the forest until I find out what those scamps are up to."</p> + +<p>They came to the camp. The pup was still in the tent, and everything +seemed to be as it was when the two young patrols left in the morning.</p> + +<p>"Things seem to be all right," said Charley. "We'll be a bit cautious and +cook on the alcohol stove to-night."</p> + +<p>But when he went to the spring for water, he gave a cry of dismay. In the +soft ground by the spring basin was a footprint exactly like that they had +traced so painfully in the other valley.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch15"> +<h2>Chapter XV</h2> + +<h3>The Telltale Thumb-Print</h3> + + + +<p>More serious than ever was the ranger's face when Charley showed him the +telltale footprint.</p> + +<p>"It's bad!" he said. "Altogether bad! He's as cunning as a rat, that Bill +Collins. But how he could ever discover a camp so well concealed as this +one is, I don't know."</p> + +<p>And with that the ranger fell into a brown study. Lew and Charley went on +rapidly with their preparations for supper.</p> + +<p>"Here," called the ranger, noticing what they were about. "Mr. Marlin sent +this to you. I almost forgot about it." He reached into the capacious +inner pocket of the hunting-coat he wore and drew forth a bulky package.</p> + +<p>"Beefsteak!" cried Charley, opening the package. "Oh boy! And enough for +two meals. We're certainly obliged to you and Mr. Marlin both."</p> + +<p>Meantime, the pup, neglected, fawned upon them and began to whine, when +suddenly the ranger cried out, "I've got it. It was the pup."</p> + +<p>"The pup?" echoed Charley. "What about the pup?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it was the pup that betrayed the camp. In some way those men got +within hearing or smelling distance of this place, and the pup must have +barked or whined. You know how a lonely dog will howl and carry on. I'm +sorry, but I guess that pup will have to go, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley's face expressed almost as much mental agony as the pup's whine +had shown, though he said nothing. The ranger, looking up, caught the +expression, however, and understood. He knew how lonely it would be for +Charley after Lew returned to Central City. "The harm's already done," he +continued, "and I suppose it never does any good to lock the stable after +the horse is gone. You may keep your pup, Charley; but I do wish he was a +dumb brute in fact as well as in name."</p> + +<p>"I can train him to be quiet," said Charley eagerly. "I trained Judge +Gordon's dogs to hunt and I can train this little fellow not to make a +noise. If I could keep him, sir, I'd be mighty glad. He'll be a lot of +company."</p> + +<p>"Keep your dog, noise or no noise," said the kindly ranger with +determination. "If you can really train him well, he'll do us a thousand +times more good than he does harm. Now that I know Bill Collins is in +these woods, I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone. You train +that dog as fast as you can. Train him to warn you of the approach of +strangers, and train him to fight, too--and to fight hard."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger lapsed into silence. After a while he said, "What +puzzles me now is this: Should we move your camp to another place or leave +it where it is? Bill Collins knows there is a camp here. He saw you two +boys in the forest and he has probably seen no one else. He will likely +infer that it is your camp. But he has no way of knowing that you are +connected with the Forest Service, unless, unless--By George! Why didn't I +think of that sooner? Ten to one he hid close by and watched for you to +come back. If he did, he saw us when we came down from the top of the +hill. And if he saw me with you boys, he knows as well as I do why this +camp is hidden and what you boys really are doing. I'll bet it made him +swear some when he saw me." And the ranger chuckled.</p> + +<p>"But maybe he didn't see us," suggested Charley.</p> + +<p>"I'd just as soon believe that the sun didn't set. That fellow's a fox for +cleverness and a bulldog for persistence. Yet I don't see that we need +feel bad, even if he does know where your camp is. We've learned more than +he has. We know he's back in these parts and that he is making a secret +visit to this timber; for you may be very sure he intended it to be a +secret visit."</p> + +<p>"But he can't be certain we know who he is," argued Charley. "He is as +much a stranger to Lew and me as we are to him."</p> + +<p>"True enough, Charley, true enough. It was really a great piece of luck +that you boys happened to bump into him. It would have been better, of +course, if you could have seen him without being noticed yourself, but in +that case we should never have guessed who he was. No; it's a game of +checkers between us now, and we've each lost a man to the other. But in my +opinion we got a king in exchange for an ordinary checker. What I'd like +to know is, who the man is that's with him."</p> + +<p>"Supper is ready," announced Lew.</p> + +<p>The three entered the tent, where Lew had hung the lighted candle lantern, +and in the growing darkness ate their meal.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me," suggested Lew, "that it would be best to leave the camp +right where it is. If we move it, that will indicate that we know its +location has been discovered. If we let it remain where it is, these men +won't know whether we are aware if their visit here or not."</p> + +<p>"You've a good head on you, young man," said the ranger approvingly. +"That's exactly the thing to do. Besides, if we moved it and Bill Collins +wanted to find it, he'd stick right to the job until he succeeded. But I +don't believe he has any interest in watching this camp or in staying in +this forest. It isn't a healthful place for him and he knows it. You see, +Bill and I are old acquaintances. It's my opinion that he came in here for +some particular purpose and that he'll get right out the instant that +purpose is accomplished. Those men didn't have any packs, did they?"</p> + +<p>"Not a sign of a pack," replied Charley. "Their coat pockets bulged out +as though they had sandwiches or something in them, but they hadn't a +thing in their hands or on their backs except fishing-rods and creels."</p> + +<p>"That settles it," said the ranger. "They can't stay here more than +forty-eight hours at the most. And there's no danger of their telling +anybody else about your camp because they won't want anybody to know they +were here. We'll just consider the camp situation settled."</p> + +<p>They finished their supper and had begun clear up the dishes when suddenly +Charley thought of the fire-clay. "Oh! I have something to show you," he +cried, and went to the corner of the tent to get the clay ball. It was +just where Charley had left it, but the instant he picked it up he was +somehow conscious that it was different. He held the ball up and looked at +it critically. Then he hefted it in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Lew," he exclaimed, "how big was that ball of clay we took for a sample?"</p> + +<p>"Four or five inches in diameter," rejoined Lew. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Look at that. It isn't a bit more than three inches thick. I was sure we +had more clay than that. I meant to make a little pot of it."</p> + +<p>"We did have more. I'm sure of it. You don't suppose those men could have +taken any of it, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Let me see," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>He took the ball and examined it critically. "That looks like fire-clay. +If it is, and the deposit is of any size, you have found something of +value. You know the state sells things like that on a royalty basis. We +might be able to develop a good clay business. We like to work up all the +business we can, because the revenues go toward the purchase of the +equipment we need. You know the legislature won't give us all we need to +buy implements for fighting fires, and for fire-towers, and other +equipment."</p> + +<p>"If we could make a fire," said Charley, "you could soon tell whether it +is good fire-clay or not."</p> + +<p>"Make a fire," said the ranger. "Collins already knows where our camp is +and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour."</p> + +<p>In a minute the boys had a fire going. When they had a deep bed of coals, +they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed.</p> + +<p>While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his +wireless key. As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain +that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in. He called several +times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his +conversation with his fellows. When he flashed out his signals a quarter +of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply.</p> + +<p>"I've got 'em," said Charley quietly to his comrades. "And it's Henry +talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he +said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about +ended."</p> + +<p>"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed +as long as I possibly can."</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and +whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real +situation. But that would never do."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as +quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded +in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?"</p> + +<p>"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll +just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and +sometimes those fellows get nasty."</p> + +<p>Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got +up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the +thicket brightly.</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?"</p> + +<p>"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat. +Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang +around for days. Wish you would send us some traps."</p> + +<p>"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley, +turning to Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger.</p> + +<p>"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending. +I'm asking Henry for traps."</p> + +<p>"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under +the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to."</p> + +<p>Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps. +He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing +out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the +forester at Oakdale on the telephone.</p> + +<p>After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the +forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I +tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that +everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone."</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay +in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are."</p> + +<p>While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took +the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are +well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband."</p> + +<p>Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a +pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't +wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why, +we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena +howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She +didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home."</p> + +<p>"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger. +"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day."</p> + +<p>Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw +at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in +camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which +evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him.</p> + +<p>"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't +think that cat will come any closer, for it can smell the dog as well as +the meat. Take care of him and make him useful. Now we'd better turn in, +for we must pull foot early in the morning."</p> + +<p>"Let's first see if our clay is baked," suggested Charley.</p> + +<p>Charley scattered the embers and rolled the clay ball out of the ashes +with a stick. It was baked as hard as a brick. The ranger folded up the +newspaper which he had used as an outer wrapper for the meat, and picked +up the ball with the paper. Lew held the candle lantern close while the +ranger examined the clay. Slowly he turned the ball around, picking at it +with his knife blade.</p> + +<p>"Who made this ball?" he asked suddenly.</p> + +<p>"I did," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Did Lew touch it at all?"</p> + +<p>"I can't recall that he did."</p> + +<p>"No; I never laid a finger on it," said Lew. "Charley rolled it and +carried it here himself."</p> + +<p>"Let me see your thumbs, Charley," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley, puzzled, held them up for inspection. The ranger examined them +closely. "Now let me have that little microscope of yours," he continued.</p> + +<p>Charley handed it to the ranger, who studied the clay ball intently +through the glass, then as carefully looked at Charley's thumb. Then he +chuckled. "We've taken another king in this little checker game," he said. +"Look at that."</p> + +<p>While Mr. Morton held the lantern for them, the two boys studied the +burned ball of clay. On it were a number of distinct thumb-prints, now +turned into solid brick by the action of the fire. The boys looked at each +other questioningly and then at Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"It's a clever rogue who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," chuckled the +ranger. "What happened is as clear as daylight. Collins and his companion +found this clay while they were inspecting your camp. They must have +suspected that it was fire-clay and that you had found a deposit of value. +They took some along to test, and rolled what was left into a ball again, +thinking you would never notice the difference. But they forgot that clay +would take finger-prints so readily, and they have left their calling +cards behind them."</p> + +<p>The ranger carefully wrapped the clay ball in his handkerchief, and then +in a newspaper. "Let me have this," he said. "The police may have some +duplicate prints somewhere. We don't know what Collins and his pal are up +to, but we have something here that we may find very useful. It isn't +every crook that is so considerate as to leave his thumb-prints behind +him."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch16"> +<h2>Chapter XVI</h2> + +<h3>Good News For the Fire Patrol</h3> + + + +<p>As the ranger had foretold, the forest guards did indeed pull foot early +in the morning. Black darkness still enfolded the camp when the ranger +awoke his young companions. Fire was speedily kindled and breakfast gotten +under way.</p> + +<p>"Better eat your meat, boys," suggested the ranger. "Otherwise it will +keep that cat hanging around here. We'll hardly dare to leave the pup +behind again, and that beast might get in here and tear your tent to +pieces. These cats play hob with things sometimes."</p> + +<p>Lew decided that he would carry nothing back with him, as he contemplated +visiting his chum at intervals.</p> + +<p>"Just take your rifle," said the ranger to Charley. "You'll be all alone +on your return trip and with two such animals as we've seen hereabout, it +will be just as well to have it. If I were you, I believe I'd make a +pretty close companion of it and always keep it within reach."</p> + +<p>When they left the camp, they were burdened only with Charley's rifle and +food for the noon meal, which they stowed in their pockets. The instant +there was light enough to guide their footsteps, the trio set forth.</p> + +<p>For hours they trudged through the forest, for the most part in silence. +Although they traveled by a circuitous route, and with eyes and ears +alert, they neither saw nor heard anything that pointed to the presence of +other human beings in the forest. The ground bore no telltale footprints. +No incriminating marks were discernible on the trees. Smoke was nowhere +visible. No firearm disturbed the silence of the wilderness. No birds flew +upward with cries of alarm, save at their own approach. And the only +voices that were audible were the voices of the brooks.</p> + +<p>Under other circumstances Charley would have been supremely happy. The sun +came up bright and clear. No veil of mist floated before the face of the +sky. But woolly, white cloud banks sailed lazily aloft, intensifying by +contrast the blue of the sky. A gentle wind blew fitfully. The earth +steamed fragrantly, sending up an odor joyful to the nostrils. And the +little brooks babbled wildly in their joy at the spring-time.</p> + +<p>But Charley was not in a responsive mood. The thought of the man Collins +and his evil-favored companion weighed upon him heavily. Nor was the +knowledge that a wildcat was prowling about his camp reassuring; though +Charley was far from being afraid of the beast. And always the dread of +fire was in the background of his consciousness. What troubled him more +than anything else just now was the approaching loss of his chum. Could +Charley have diagnosed correctly the feelings that oppressed him now, he +would have known that it was the fear of loneliness more than any fear of +Bill Collins or wildcats or forest fires, that made him sad. To read about +Robinson Crusoe was all right, but to be Robinson Crusoe was quite a +different matter--at least a Crusoe without a good man Friday. And Charley +was too downcast at present to realize that the pup at his heels could be +to him all that Friday was to his master, and perhaps more.</p> + +<p>Again and again Charley turned over in his mind the problem of how he +could get the battery he needed. More than ever he felt that he absolutely +must have it. Such a battery would cost many, many dollars. To be sure, +Charley's salary would soon bring him in enough money to pay for such a +battery; but all of his income, or practically all of it, Charley knew, he +must give to his father. How he should get around the difficulty, Charley +could not see.</p> + +<p>As they trudged on, he talked the matter over with Lew again. Lew seemed +unduly light-hearted over the matter, and even smiled about it. Instead of +sympathizing with his chum, he counseled him not to worry about it, as the +way would likely open. That seemed so heartless that Charley was hurt. He +thought that his chum, about to leave the forest himself, no longer was +concerned. So he fell silent, and walked along in greater dejection than +ever.</p> + +<p>Long before the sun had touched the zenith, the three forest guards had +reached the last ridge that lay between them and the highway.</p> + +<p>"You've come far enough, Charley," said the ranger, "and perhaps it would +have been better if you had stopped short of this. If anything should +happen in that big timber, you are a long distance from it. There's a good +spring part way up this ridge, and it's high enough so that we can get a +good view. We'll stop there and eat our dinner. We can watch as we eat. +After you've had a good rest, you had better hike for camp. You're a good +ten miles away from your tent."</p> + +<p>They climbed to the spring, took each a good drink, and sat down to eat +their food. The panorama that spread before them was wondrously beautiful, +but Charley had no heart for scenery. He ate in silence, his eyes for the +most part bent on the ground.</p> + +<p>After the meal was finished, the three friends sat silent, looking out +over the vast range of territory before them, each busy with his own +thoughts. If one could have judged by the expressions on their faces, Lew +was little short of jubilant. Again and again he smiled and looked +meaningly at his chum. But Charley still sat with downcast eyes, heedless +of his chum's glances. But why Lew smiled it would have been hard to +guess. If he had any scheme in mind, he dropped no hint concerning it.</p> + +<p>Finally the ranger rose. "We've got to shake a leg," he said. "And you had +better start back to camp."</p> + +<p>Charley got up mechanically. His face showed all too clearly what was in +his heart. The ranger looked at him searchingly, and a kindly expression +came into his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Charley," he said. "You won't be alone long. Lew, here, or +some of your other friends will be slipping out to spend the week-end with +you, and I shall see you regularly twice a week. It may be, in view of +Bill Collins' visit, that Mr. Marlin will think I ought to come oftener."</p> + +<p>"Have you learned your alphabet yet?" replied Charley, a sudden gleam of +interest crossing his face. "Just as soon as you learn to use the +wireless, we can talk at almost any time. I'm sure that one of the fellows +will lend you his outfit."</p> + +<p>"I'll make Mr. Morton an outfit myself," said Lew. "I'll make it exactly +like yours. Then you two can talk without tuning."</p> + +<p>"That will be bully," said Charley, beginning to brighten up. Then he +turned to the ranger. "Did you learn your alphabet?" he repeated.</p> + +<p>"I've been working at it a little," said the ranger. "To tell the truth, I +don't care much about it. I'd just as soon stick to the telephone. But the +wife is crazy over it. She says if we knew how to do it and had the +instruments, we could talk at any time. She's learned the alphabet +already."</p> + +<p>"She has! Bully for her!" cried Charley. "Hurry up with that outfit, Lew, +so we can teach her to send and read. I'll be glad to talk to her, even if +her husband doesn't want to."</p> + +<p>"I'll be home by sunset," said Lew, "and you can call me at eight +o'clock. I shall have had a chance to talk to the fellows by that time and +I hope that I shall have something good to report to you. I'm coming out +the first Friday I can, to spend Saturday and Sunday with you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Charley shook hands heartily with his two friends and turned back into the +forest. Although he was still somewhat cast down, the intense depression +that had weighed upon him during the morning was lightened. The events of +the past twenty-four hours had made him forget temporarily the plan to +teach Mr. Morton how to operate the wireless. But the news that the +ranger's wife was also to become a radio operator pleased him more and +more as he turned the matter over in his mind.</p> + +<p>The pup, rubbing against his heels, recalled another matter to his mind. +He had to train the dog to be useful to him.</p> + +<p>"No time like the present," muttered Charley to himself. And the training +of the pup began then and there. All the way home, through the wide +valleys, over the mountain tops, and across the little streams, Charley +worked with the pup, trying to teach him to be silent and to walk quietly +at his heels. And though many, many subsequent lessons were necessary +before the pup was even half trained, the work with the dog made Charley +forget his loneliness. He arrived at his camp, which he found +undisturbed, once more in his normal frame of mind.</p> + +<p>What shortly followed was to send him to bed soon afterward as happy as +the traditional lark. For when Charley got into touch with Lew by wireless +at the appointed time, Lew told him that the Wireless Patrol had met him, +Lew, at the station in a body, with the news that funds for the battery +had all been earned and the battery ordered; and that when he had told +them of Charley's situation, the club had voted unanimously and +enthusiastically to send the battery to Charley for him to use as long as +he needed it in the forest.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, Lew informed him, Henry had been talking to the wireless men +at the Frankfort station, and not only were they willing to work with him +to protect the forest, but they were also sending an amplifier to Oakdale +so that Charley would be sure to get their messages with the greatest +distinctness. The battery would be forwarded as soon as it reached the +Wireless Club and had been inspected, and the amplifier would go with it.</p> + +<p>No wonder that Charley rolled up in his blankets, with shining eyes, +careless alike of cats and Collinses. With the pup and the new battery he +felt that he should indeed be in position to render efficient service to +his forester and his ranger, both of whom he was coming to love, and to +the grand old forest around him.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch17"> +<h2>Chapter XVII</h2> + +<h3>An Accident in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>As though she also were pleased at Charley's good fortune, Dame Nature +smiled her best in the days that immediately followed. The sun rose warm +and grateful. The forest was instinct with the spirit of spring, of +new-born life, of hope eternal. Wilderness birds sang in the branches. The +brook babbled and gurgled and ran madly down the slope. The leaves +overhead whispered of the new life that had come. All the forest animals +seemed filled with the joy of living. And Charley was not a whit behind +them. His whole being thrilled with happiness.</p> + +<p>Now he could see matters in their true light; or if his vision were a +trifle clouded, the clouds were tinged with rose instead of black, as they +had been previously.</p> + +<p>Charley thanked Providence that he was just where he was. In some respects +an unusual boy, he was mentally no abler than many of his fellows. He +possessed a trueness of vision and an understanding of things that were, +however, unusual in a lad of his age. Always he had had to earn the +things that he wanted. And always he had been able, within reason, to get +what he desired. Early in life, therefore, he had come to understand that +everything has its price, and that he who is willing to pay the price can +get almost anything he wishes. So now, instead of bewailing the fact that +he was where he was, as many another lad would have done under the +circumstances, he rejoiced. He rejoiced because he had sense enough to +understand that his opportunity was at hand, here in the forest, and now.</p> + +<p>In another respect Charley was mature for his years. He had come to +understand, at least in a measure, that real success is always won by long +and persistent effort in a given direction. Like other boys, Charley had +his dreams and cherished lofty ambitions. But the stern necessities of +life, as he had lived it, had taught him that dreams seldom come true as +the result of luck, but are realized most certainly through consistent +effort. He did not want to go to work in the factory because he hated the +dirt and the noise and the odors and the sense of being cooped up, like an +animal in a pen. Now he had all the freedom in the world, and the +opportunity had come to become well acquainted with the things that he +loved--trees, flowers, ferns, birds, animals, and all the other gifts of +nature.</p> + +<p>When Charley looked abroad and realized that his opportunity had come, and +come in such a delightful way, he could hardly keep from shouting in his +happiness. Like the sensible lad he was, he immediately asked himself this +question, "What is the best thing for me to do first?" He decided that he +would go on with the training of his pup. All day, as he walked through +the forest, he labored to teach the young dog to trot quietly at his +heels, or to walk silently in front of him.</p> + +<p>Charley's purpose, of course, was to have the dog always at hand, to give +him warning of the approach of man or beast, and to fight for him, if +necessary. That the pup should learn not to betray himself or his master, +was equally needful. So Charley had the additional task of teaching the +dog to be silent, excepting for a very low growl, upon the approach of +other creatures. Charley thought of the Leatherstocking and his dog, and +wondered how that dog had been trained so wonderfully.</p> + +<p>Day after day the lessons continued. Charley had abundant opportunity to +work with the pup, for the forest was full of creatures that constantly +excited the young animal. The training required no end of patience: but +Charley loved the dog and never wearied in his efforts. By the time he had +completed his labors with the pup, his own shadow was hardly more constant +and quiet than the dog.</p> + +<p>Charley was elated one day when the dog signaled the approach of a +fisherman by no more than the faintest sort of a bark, and then at +command, came promptly to heel and remained there, silent and watchful. It +was the pup's first test with human beings. The fisherman proved to be +one of two who were making their way along the margin of the run. Charley +and the dog remained quietly behind some bushes until the fishermen were +out of sight and hearing. Then Charley praised his little pup and went on.</p> + +<p>His efforts with the dog, however, did not prevent him from thinking of +other matters. Day after day his mind returned to the problem of the +forest fire and the piece of green pasteboard. Ever since he had found the +telltale pile of ashes and the charred pasteboard beneath it, Charley had +been turning the problem over in his mind. How he was to solve the puzzle +he did not see. Somewhere, he felt sure, he had seen pasteboard like the +charred piece now in possession of Mr. Morton; but when or where he had +seen it, he had not the slightest recollection. How he was ever to find +another piece like it, he could not imagine; for as a fire patrol he had +neither time nor opportunity to mingle with people.</p> + +<p>He could see just one possibility of success. Undoubtedly there was a +great deal more of the green pasteboard in the world than had been +contained in the burned box. Hence persons other than the incendiary must +have some of that same pasteboard. Perhaps some of those persons might +bring a bit of it into the forest. Campers and fishermen often brought +food and other things into the woods in pasteboard boxes. So Charley +resolved to examine carefully every camp he came to, and even to +scrutinize the remains of camp fires. But day followed day and Charley +found nothing to enlighten him.</p> + +<p>One day when Charley was on his way to meet the ranger, he suddenly +realized that he was away behind time. Charley hated the idea of being +tardy, especially when he had no reason for being late. He had been +training his dog, and his work with the pup had delayed him more than he +realized. But with haste he could still reach the meeting-place on time.</p> + +<p>At the fastest pace that he thought he could hold Charley set off. His +daily hikes through the forest had rapidly made a good walker of him, and +now he went along at a rate that would speedily have tired out most +travelers. Sometimes, to rest himself by changing his gait, he went scout +pace, walking fifty steps, then jogging fifty. He allowed nothing to +hinder him or take his attention. When he reached the meeting-place it +still lacked a few minutes of the appointed hour. Charley was pleased to +find that he had arrived before the ranger.</p> + +<p>When the time of meeting came and the ranger was not there, Charley began +to scan the fire trail carefully and to look about for smoke clouds. He +knew that something of moment must be afoot to make the ranger tardy for +his appointment. The ranger was not visible, however, though Charley could +see straight down the fire trail for a long distance.</p> + +<p>"I'll go meet him," said Charley. "He's sure to come this way."</p> + +<p>In the sand of the trail he printed a message for the ranger, in case the +latter should be coming by an unaccustomed route, and continued along the +trail. He had gone a full mile before he met Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Sorry I am late, Charley," said the ranger. "A lot of stuff came to the +office for you last night and the chief asked me to fetch it out this +morning. I think your new battery has come."</p> + +<p>"It's about time," said Charley. "I had about given up hope of ever seeing +it." Then he added, "But you couldn't pack that way out here. It must +weigh sixty pounds."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" laughed the ranger. "I had come to believe that it weighed +in the neighborhood of half a ton."</p> + +<p>"Did you really try to carry it?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure. The chief sent all your stuff as far as he could in the truck, and +I packed it in as far as I could carry it. That's why I'm late. But I had +to drop it a distance back. I brought these along, however, and thought +we'd go back and get the battery, for I'm sure that's what it is." He +paused and handed to Charley two pasteboard boxes he had strapped to his +back. The larger one was bulky, but weighed comparatively little. The +other was small.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what it is," said Charley, as he untied the string and opened +the smaller box. "The amplifier," he said. Then he opened the larger box.</p> + +<p>"Your wireless!" he cried in delight. "Everything is here, even to the +aerial. Only the spreaders are lacking. We could make them and have this +outfit set up in no time if we had to. Isn't it bully? Now we can talk +directly with each other as soon as you learn to send and read. Won't that +be dandy?" With practiced eye he once more glanced over the outfit to make +sure everything was there. Then he tied the box up again.</p> + +<p>"I'll just take it back with me," he added. "This goes to your house, you +know, and you can pick it up on your way home. We'll take it as far as the +battery and leave it there."</p> + +<p>They strode rapidly along the trail, and in half an hour reached the +battery where the ranger had set it down. Some traps lay on top of the +battery.</p> + +<p>"I forgot to bring them sooner," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley lifted the box. "How in the world," he said, "did you ever pack +that thing over these mountains on your back? Why, you've carried that +more than four miles."</p> + +<p>"We'll cut a couple of saplings and tie them to the box for handles," said +the ranger. "Then we can carry it easily. Give me your axe."</p> + +<p>Charley handed his little axe to the ranger, and began to fumble in his +pocket for the cord which he had used as a leash for his dog. The ranger +looked around him for suitable poles. Close by the trail lay the rotting +trunk of a large tree that had fallen years before. On the far side of +this log and close to it some fine saplings had grown up, probably made +thrifty by the rotting wood of the great tree. The ranger reached over the +log to chop a sapling. At the same instant the pup, ranging in the bushes, +growled savagely. Momentarily the ranger lifted his eyes, letting his axe +head sink to the ground. Something moved under it, and at the same instant +a hideous head reared itself above the leaves and struck with +lightning-like rapidity, hitting the ranger just above the wrist-bone. +With a startled exclamation the ranger drew up his arm. As he did so, a +huge rattler glided away through the brush.</p> + +<p>Charley turned at the ranger's cry. He comprehended the situation at a +glance. "Quick!" he cried, springing to the ranger's side. "Give me your +arm."</p> + +<p>He jerked back the ranger's sleeve, disclosing two dark spots on the back +of the wrist where the fangs had punctured the skin. Drops of blood were +oozing from them. Charley whipped out his knife and without hesitation +drew the keen blade several times across the ranger's wrist. Blood began +to flow down the hand. Putting his lips to the wound, Charley sucked out +mouthful after mouthful of blood, which he spat on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Now squeeze your wrist tight just above the bite," said Charley. "Stop +the circulation of blood if you can."</p> + +<p>Like a flash Charley picked up the dog leash and tied an end of it around +the ranger's arm, close to the shoulder, drawing it so tight that the +ranger winced. He cut the dangling end and took a second turn just above +the ranger's elbow. Then he made a third turn half-way down the forearm. +With little sticks he twisted the cords still tighter. Then he jerked out +his hypodermic syringe, which he carried already filled with fluid, and +thrusting the needle into the bleeding arm, injected the permanganate into +the wound.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the ranger stood silent, his face pale, his jaws set +courageously. "Where did you learn to do all that?" he finally asked +Charley, with evident admiration. "You go about it like a doctor."</p> + +<p>"When the Wireless Patrol was in camp at Fort Brady," replied Charley, +"one of the fellows was bitten by a copperhead. Dr. Hardy had already +drilled us in first-aid and we knew just what to do. You bet none of us +will ever forget."</p> + +<p>"I shall owe my life to you," said Mr. Morton. "That is, I shall if----"</p> + +<p>"There's no if about it," interrupted Charley with determination. "We got +most of the poison out of your arm. I'll bet on that. What's left may make +you sick, but it can't kill you. What we've got to do is to prevent that +poison from reaching your heart, at least in any quantity. You sit down +against this tree and keep quiet so your heart will beat as slow as +possible. In about twenty minutes loosen this bottom cord. Loosen the +middle one after another twenty minutes, and open the third at the end of +an hour. That's all I know how to do. Thank God, we've got a wireless +here! Now I'm going to get it up as quick as possible."</p> + +<p>He tore open the pasteboard boxes and took out one instrument after +another, coupling up the wires quickly and skilfully. Then he seized the +little axe, chopped some branches for spreaders, fastened the aerial wires +to them, and added other wires to suspend them by. Quickly he selected two +trees for supports, and climbing up first one and then the other, soon had +his aerial dangling directly above the fire trail. He coupled up his +lead-in wire and ran his eye over the outfit. Everything was complete. +Only the power was lacking. With the axe he pried off the lid of the box +containing the battery, tore away the paper and excelsior wrappings, and +in another moment had his wires around the binding posts. He threw over +his switch, and springing to his key pressed his finger on it. A brilliant +flash shot between the points of his spark-gap. Rapidly he adjusted the +points until his instrument was giving a spark of maximum strength. Then +he settled himself to the task ahead.</p> + +<p>"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," called Charley. (Frankfort Radio Station--Charley +Russell calling.) Several times he repeated the call. Then he shut off his +switch and sat in silence listening for a reply. None came.</p> + +<p>"They may be talking to somebody," he muttered. Again he called. +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," he flashed again and again. Once more he sat quiet +and listened. At first he got no reply. Then, clear as a bell on a frosty +morning, a signal sounded in his ear: "CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I." (Charley +Russell--I'm here.)</p> + +<p>Charley sighed with relief. "Got 'em," he said to the ranger. Then he +turned intently to his key.</p> + +<p>"Please telephone District Forester Marlin at Oakdale instantly," he +rapped out. "Ranger Morton bitten rattlesnake. Send motor-car where +battery was delivered this morning. May need man help ranger. Bring +doctor. Tell wife get ready. Will listen for answer."</p> + +<p>As Charley sat waiting for a reply, he studied the face of the ranger. It +was set hard. Courage was written on it plainly.</p> + +<p>The ranger started to speak. "Don't talk," interrupted Charley. "Keep as +quiet as you can, and watch your bandages. If you keep them tight too long +it harms your blood somehow."</p> + +<p>They sat in silence a while. Then Charley said, "I wish you didn't have to +walk, but I guess there's nothing for it but to hike out to the highway at +the earliest possible moment. We'll start the instant we've heard from Mr. +Marlin."</p> + +<p>"What about your instruments?"</p> + +<p>"I'll nail the cover on the battery box and put the other things in the +pasteboard box. I don't think anything will touch them. It's all we can +do, anyway."</p> + +<p>He felt in his pockets and found a stub of a pencil and a scrap of paper. +"Property of the Pennsylvania Forestry Department. Please do not touch," +he printed in large letters. With his knife blade he pried out the tacks +that held the address tag on the battery box and tacked his sign on the +box. Then his receiver began to buzz. Charley gave the return signal.</p> + +<p>"Forester on wire now," came the message. "Wants to know where you are and +how Morton is."</p> + +<p>Charley ticked off the information and waited for a reply. It came very +soon. "Will rush doctor and men. Come as far to meet me as you can."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch18"> +<h2>Chapter XVIII</h2> + +<h3>The First Clue to the Incendiary</h3> + + + +<p>Slowly Charley and his friend made their way along the fire trail toward +the highway and safety, Charley assisting the ranger as much as possible. +The latter began to suffer great pain in his arm and the limb started to +swell. Meantime, the forester, with a physician and a helper, was racing +at top speed to reach the ranger. At a pace utterly reckless he drove his +car over the forest road, and the instant the rescue party arrived at the +point where Charley and Mr. Morton would reach the highway, they plunged +into the forest. Faster than he had ever raced to a forest fire, the +forester sped along the trail, his companions striving doggedly to keep up +with him. He was deep in the woods before he met Charley and the ranger.</p> + +<p>With hand extended, the forester ran to his ranger. Their hands met in a +tight clasp. "How is it, Jim?" asked the forester, with anxious eyes.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right," rejoined the ranger. "I'll pull out of this all O.K. That +snake got me right, though. If it hadn't been for Charley here, I don't +know how I would have made out. He's as good as a doctor."</p> + +<p>By this time the doctor himself had come up, puffing too hard for words. +He nodded his head, clasped the ranger's hand, and with a single word of +greeting quickly began an examination of the injured arm. "How long ago +did this happen?" he puffed.</p> + +<p>"More than two hours ago," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>"You haven't kept these tight all that time, have you?" and the doctor +laid his finger on one of the cords around the ranger's arm.</p> + +<p>"No, sir. Charley had me loosen them, one at a time, every twenty minutes +or so."</p> + +<p>"That was quite right. What else have you done?"</p> + +<p>When the ranger had told him in detail exactly how Charley had treated +him, the doctor grunted, "Confound it! Then what did you hustle me out +here this way for? I thought you were at the point of death."</p> + +<p>Charley was amazed and offended at what he considered the heartlessness of +the physician. "You don't understand," he protested. "Mr. Morton was badly +bitten, sir."</p> + +<p>Charley was still more astonished when both the ranger and the forester +burst out laughing. He looked from one to the other questioningly. It did +not occur to him that this was merely the doctor's way of saying that +Charley had handled the situation about as well as he could have done it +himself. Evidently the forester did not propose to enlighten Charley, for +all he said was, "Don't let him worry you, Charley. He's just naturally +lazy and a grouch. He doesn't like it because I made him hustle for once, +and he's disappointed not to find Jim at the point of death. These doctors +are strange animals, Charley. But with all their faults we love them +still." And he slapped the physician affectionately on the shoulder.</p> + +<p>Charley looked puzzled. But concluding that silence was the best course, +he said no more. All this time the doctor was continuing his labors, and +Charley was amazed at the dexterous way he did things.</p> + +<p>For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger's heart. Then, +seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the +ranger's shirt. Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing +the arm to the shoulder. The physician examined it closely. The arm was +swelling fast. The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some +medicine. "Now we'll get to bed as soon as possible," he said, "and rest +for a few days."</p> + +<p>Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the +waiting motor-car.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marlin," said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, "this +morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for +him, as well as my big battery. It's back where Mr. Morton was bitten. May +I get it and set it up in the ranger's house? It will be a good +opportunity for him to practice while he's at home. Mrs. Morton is +learning to operate the wireless, too. It would mean so much to both of +them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by +wireless."</p> + +<p>"How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?"</p> + +<p>"Not very long, sir. Perhaps an hour or two."</p> + +<p>"I don't like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this +season, Charley, but I guess we'll take a chance on it. Get your stuff to +the road as quick as you can. I'll take Jim home and return for you."</p> + +<p>The forester hastened after the ranger's party and Charley darted off into +the forest. At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire +trail. In a very little time he was back at the instruments. He took down +the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he +needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard +box. Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already +waiting to whirl him away to the ranger's house.</p> + +<p>If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger's wife +(though he hadn't), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight +of the ranger's home. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the +shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it. About the house itself +was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind +the house. The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence. +Lovely old trees shaded it. Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray +clapboards. Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and +there. There were flowers about the base of the house and along the +borders. The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn. Even now before +plant growth had started, the yard was attractive. With pleasure Charley +noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought +in from a forest plantation, at his gateway. One glance at the inviting +and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house +itself.</p> + +<p>Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as +clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and +beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently +received loving and intelligent care. On the wall Charley instantly noted +the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with +the ranger's portable telephone instrument.</p> + +<p>There was not the slightest doubt in Charley's mind that he was going to +like the ranger's wife. And when, a moment later, she came quietly into +the room and took his hand in hers and, with moist eyes, thanked him for +saving her husband's life, she won Charley's heart completely. She was +slight and girlish and good to look at, and made Charley think of some of +his nice girl friends at high school. Yet Mrs. Morton had been married a +good many years, for just behind her stood her daughter, Julia, a girl of +twelve, waiting her turn to thank Charley.</p> + +<p>But girlish though the ranger's wife appeared, Charley did not need to be +told that she was not of the weeping, hysterical sort. On every hand were +evidences of efficiency and foresight. A fire was evidently burning +briskly in the stove, and kettles of water, presumably heated in case of +need, were steaming on the range, easily seen through the open kitchen +door. In the sick-room were evidences of the same sort of forethought. +Everything that the house possessed that could possibly be useful in +treating the ranger had been assembled in handy little piles. This must +have been done before the ranger reached home, for most of the piles were +untouched.</p> + +<p>The ranger was resting comfortably in bed, though his arm was badly +swollen and his face was distorted with pain. At sight of Charley his +countenance lighted up. He reached out his left arm and wrung Charley's +hand until the lad winced.</p> + +<p>"The doctor says I'll pull through this all right, though I'll have a +painful time of it," said the ranger, "and he told the truth, at least as +far as the pain is concerned. But the pain's nothing. The thing that +counts is the fact that I am safe at home. I owe it to you, Charley, and +you may be sure I'll never forget."</p> + +<p>That was as much as the ranger, reticent, hating any display of emotion, +quiet like most men of the woods, could bring himself to say. But Charley +knew that it meant volumes. He tried to reply, but found himself also +suffering from a strange embarrassment. So Charley said good-bye to the +ranger, assured him that he would take good care of the forest, and set +about fixing the wireless outfit. The forester helped him. Quickly they +got up the aerial, brought the lead-in wire into the living-room, and set +up the instruments on a board table close beside the telephone instrument.</p> + +<p>"Now everything is complete except for the battery," Charley said to the +forester when they had finished wiring up the outfit. "Half a dozen dry +cells will supply all the current needed."</p> + +<p>"I'll send them out by the doctor in the morning," said the forester.</p> + +<p>Charley showed Mrs. Morton how to wire the cells and couple them to the +instruments. Then he told her how to adjust her spark-gap and tune the +instrument to any given wave-length. He compared his watch with the clock +on the wall.</p> + +<p>"At eight o'clock every night," he said, "I will call you up. Suppose you +take Mr. Morton's initials as your call signal. What are they?"</p> + +<p>"J. V. M.," replied Mrs. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then at eight o'clock every night I will call J. V. M. slowly +a number of times. Then I will tick off the alphabet slowly and the +numerals one to ten. You listen in, and if the sounds are blurred or not +sharp, tune your instrument as I have shown you until you can hear +distinctly. If you make the letters with a pencil as you read them, it +may help you. I'm sure you will soon learn to read. I'll repeat the +alphabet and the numbers three times slowly. Then I'll listen in for five +or ten minutes. If you want to try to call me, give my signal and follow +it with your own, thus: 'CBC--CBC--CBC--JVM.' That means 'Charley +Russell--James Morton calling.' If I hear you, I will send the letters +'JVM--JVM--JVM--I--I--I.' That means 'James Morton--I am here.' Then you +can begin to send your message. I hope we'll be able to talk to each other +very soon."</p> + +<p>"It won't be my fault if we don't," smiled the ranger's wife.</p> + +<p>"Now I must be off," said Charley. "I've no doubt Mr. Marlin is getting +impatient. We'll just clean up this mess and then I'll go."</p> + +<p>"I'll clean things up," insisted Mrs. Morton.</p> + +<p>"No; I made the mess and I'll clean it up," protested Charley.</p> + +<p>He began to pile the torn pieces of pasteboard together so he could thrust +them into the stove. The bottom of the pasteboard box had been built up +with several layers of pasteboard, evidently cut from other boxes. Charley +took them out one at a time, preparatory to crumpling up the box itself. +As he lifted the last layer of pasteboard he stopped in blank amazement. +Then he called excitedly for Mr. Marlin. Before him lay a piece of green +pasteboard exactly like the charred fragment taken from the ash heap in +the burned forest.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch19"> +<h2>Chapter XIX</h2> + +<h3>The Forester's Problem</h3> + + + +<p>For a moment the two men looked at each other in astonishment. Then, "Keep +that," said the forester. "We'll talk the matter over on our way back." +Mrs. Morton, not comprehending what had happened, also looked astonished. +But like the wise woman she was, she held her peace. Charley tossed the +other pasteboards in the fire, stuffed the green piece in his pocket, and +said good-bye to his new friend. The forester, after telephoning to his +office, followed Charley, and a moment later the two were spinning up the +road toward the fire trail.</p> + +<p>"I can't understand it," said Charley. "Here's a package direct from Lew, +with the very clue we're looking for, and Lew never said a word about it. +I can't understand it. I'm certain Lew sent the box. That was his +handwriting on it. And I'm just as sure he never saw that bit of +pasteboard, for Lew would never slip up that way. I just can't understand +it."</p> + +<p>They reached the point where Charley was to leave the car and plunge into +the forest. But Mr. Marlin, instead of stopping his motor, turned into a +natural opening in the woods and drove slowly among the forest trees. In +a moment he ran the car into a stand of pines, where it was protected by +the dense tops above and well hidden from sight of the highway.</p> + +<p>"You couldn't get in here with anything but a Henry," laughed the +forester. "This old bus has taken me lots of places you would never have +believed possible."</p> + +<p>He took the key from the switch on the dashboard, and the two stepped to +the ground. Charley wondered what the forester intended to do, but by this +time he knew enough not to ask questions. The forester started up the +trail with him. When they came to the big battery Charley understood, for +without a word the forester took Charley's little axe and began to chop +poles to carry the battery with. In a few moments these handles were bound +fast. The forester tossed the traps over his shoulder. Charley tied the +amplifier box to his belt. Then they picked up the battery and started +toward camp.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Charley stopped. "By George!" he cried. "I forgot all about the +pup. I wonder where he got to."</p> + +<p>He whistled and whistled, but apparently in vain. They went on, and at +intervals Charley whistled for the dog while he and the forester were +resting. Still no dog appeared. Charley's face grew long. "Gee! I'll miss +that pup," he said regretfully. "Why didn't I think of him sooner?"</p> + +<p>Night was at hand when the two reached Charley's camp. Nothing had been +disturbed. Charley took advantage of the remaining daylight to couple up +the battery and the amplifier to his wireless. He tested the outfit and +found he had a strong spark that cracked like a whip when he touched the +key.</p> + +<p>"Look at that!" he cried. "Now I feel better. I can always get into +communication with somebody now."</p> + +<p>"You aren't a bit more pleased than I am, Charley," smiled the forester. +"I'll take back all I ever said about the wireless. If Morton can learn to +talk by wireless, the rest of my crew can also. When the dull season +comes, I'll start a radio school with you as instructor and we'll make +every man in the service learn to operate the wireless. The Department +ought to be glad to supply a good outfit; but if we can't get the money, +we can at least make some outfits like yours. We're going on a wireless +basis or my name is not Marlin."</p> + +<p>The forester was interrupted by a joyous bark and in rushed Charley's pup. +"You blessed little fellow," said Charley, fondling the animal. "I suppose +you lost our trail when we got into the motor-car and you probably hung +around the battery all day and followed our trail back here. That's pretty +good. You've got great stuff in you, pup. The next thing I teach you will +be to stand guard over things as you probably did over that battery +to-day."</p> + +<p>Darkness fell. Supper was cooked and eaten. "Have you heard that cat +lately, Charley?" asked the forester.</p> + +<p>"No," replied Charley, "but I think I'll put the traps out anyway."</p> + +<p>"We can attract it even if it isn't near by," said the forester. "Have you +a can of salmon that you can spare?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"Then give me the traps and bring your can."</p> + +<p>Charley got the things asked for. The forester, taking the flash-light, +led the way through the thicket to the open forest. At some distance from +the camp the forester stopped and turned the beam from the search-light +upward. Finally he found what he was looking for--a small branch about +seven feet from the ground. Then he cut the top of the salmon can, and +punching holes in the sides near the top, fastened a string to the can and +suspended the can from the limb. Then he set the traps in a circle under +the can, fastening the chains to convenient saplings, and threw two or +three small pieces of the salmon on the ground within the circle of traps. +Then they made their way back to camp.</p> + +<p>Charley lighted a little friendship fire in the fireplace the ranger had +made, and the two sat down beside the flames. It was little more than +three weeks since Charley had first entered the forest. During that time +he had really seen very little of the forester. Yet as he sat beside his +chief, Charley felt as though he had known him always. A common emotion +had drawn them close together this day, and somehow Charley believed that +his feeling of affection for his chief was fully reciprocated. For a time +they sat in silence, each busy with his own thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Charley," said the forester, after a time, "this accident to Jim hits me +pretty hard. It not only leaves the finest piece of forest under my care +without a direct overseer at the most dangerous time of the year, but +there were so many things we had planned to do this spring that cannot be +done without a ranger to supervise them. To be sure, I could transfer a +ranger here, but I have work for every man in his particular district. +Besides, nobody knows this territory like Jim. I believe you know it +better than anybody besides Jim. I only wish you were old enough to take +his place for a time.</p> + +<p>"We're away behind with our planting, and there are trails to be brushed +out, new ones to be cut, roads to be built, camp sites to be selected, +timber to be cruised, a big lumber operation to be watched and the trees +to be marked for cutting and the lumber scaled, improvement cuttings to be +made, camp sanitation to be enforced, a fire-tower to be built on the +mountain here where your watch tree is. There's a tremendous lot of work +that Jim and I had mapped out for the spring and summer.</p> + +<p>"Now it looks as though we should not be able to get any of it done. We +can't do a thing without a ranger to direct operations. Part of the +timber to be cut is in Lumley's district. He joins you here on the north. +He will look after all the lumbering in his territory, and I may have to +let him take charge of it all. It's a big operation and will have to be +watched closely. I just wish I knew where I could find a man capable of +taking Jim's place for a while."</p> + +<p>"What will the ranger have to do in looking after this operation?"</p> + +<p>"He'll have to mark the trees to be cut and see that only those marked are +cut; and he'll have to make sure the regulations are observed in felling +the trees and disposing of the tops; and finally he'll have to scale the +lumber and make sure that the state gets paid for all that is cut."</p> + +<p>"What is there so difficult about that?" demanded Charley. "Tell me what +sort of trees are to be cut, and I can select and mark them as well as the +next man. And if you give me a copy of the regulations, I can tell whether +or not the lumbermen are observing them. If I can't make them live up to +regulations, I can easily report to you. And as for scaling timber, that's +a mere matter of arithmetic. I could learn to do that in five minutes. +Couldn't I help you with the lumbering? And as for the other jobs, Mr. +Marlin, give me some books that tell about them and let me study up on +them. I could put in several hours here every night in study. You don't +know how much I could learn in a week. And then you could give me some +practical lessons after I had studied up the theory of things. I'm sure I +can do lots of the work you were counting on Mr. Morton to do. Won't you +let me help you?"</p> + +<p>"Bless your heart, Charley! I know you mean every word you say. But you +don't realize the difficulties you would encounter. Your chief job would +be in handling men, tough men some of them, too. You could never do it, +never. But I certainly wish you were old enough to attempt it. There's +nobody I'd trust sooner than you, Charley. You've got a good education, +and you think quickly and clearly. You've been equal to every emergency +you've faced yet."</p> + +<p>"Then why isn't that a pretty good reason to trust me further?"</p> + +<p>"Trust you, Charley? I trust you absolutely. But you are too young. You +could never do it."</p> + +<p>Charley said no more. The hope that had sprung up in his heart died as +suddenly as it had been born. In his heart he believed that with all the +study and effort he was willing to put into it, he could do a ranger's +work all right. But he saw it was not to be.</p> + +<p>"Anyway," he muttered to himself, "I'm going to be a ranger some day, and +I'll show the chief now that I'm the best fire patrol he ever had. That's +the best way to qualify for promotion."</p> + +<p>He turned to his wireless, threw over his switch and flashed out the call +signal of the Wireless Patrol. In his delight at the power of his new +battery he almost forgot his disappointment. In a very short time he got +a reply from Henry.</p> + +<p>"Don't say anything about that pasteboard," cautioned the chief.</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to," answered Charley. "I'm going to write to Lew about it +and let you take the letter out in the morning. You never can tell who +will pick up a wireless message."</p> + +<p>For several minutes Charley chatted briskly with Henry, who said the new +battery carried the signals to him as clear as a bell. Charley told Henry +about Mr. Morton's accident, omitting reference to his own part in the +affair, and then through Henry got into touch with both Mrs. Morton and +the assistant forester at headquarters. Mr. Morton was getting along all +right, though he suffered very great pain. The forester's assistant +reported everything quiet in the forest.</p> + +<p>Charley turned away from his wireless key, and got out pencil and paper. +By the light of the candle lantern he began his letter to Lew, and had +almost finished it when the pup, his hair bristling, ran to the door of +the tent, growling savagely. An instant later both the forester and +Charley leaped to their feet as the stillness of the forest was broken by +an awful scream that rang through the dark and was thrown back by the +mountain in a magnified echo even more terrifying than the original cry.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch20"> +<h2>Chapter XX</h2> + +<h3>Charley Wins His First Promotion</h3> + + + +<p>With startled eyes, Charley looked at the forester, at the same time +reaching for his rifle. To Charley's surprise the forester began to grin.</p> + +<p>"I guess you got your cat, Charley," he chuckled. "But it sure did startle +a fellow."</p> + +<p>The first piercing scream of the wildcat was succeeded by a variety of +furious screams. The animal could be heard thrashing about in the leaves, +spitting, snarling, growling, rattling the chain, and evidently fighting +furiously to free itself from the trap.</p> + +<p>Taking both the candle lantern and the flash-light, as well as rifle and +axe, the two men started for the cat.</p> + +<p>"Grab that dog," said the forester, as the pup darted out of the tent +ahead of them.</p> + +<p>Charley whistled and called, but the pup was too wild with excitement to +heed the command.</p> + +<p>"Hurry up," said the forester, "or you won't have any pup left."</p> + +<p>They pushed rapidly through the thicket, then ran toward their traps. +Faintly they could see the wildcat. The pup was worrying it. With arched +back, hair erect, eyes ablaze, and snarling furiously, the wildcat was +waiting its opportunity to strike. The pup circled about it, yelping and +barking, every second growing bolder because the animal did not spring at +it.</p> + +<p>"Give me that rifle, quick!" said the forester. "That cat'll kill the pup +in another minute."</p> + +<p>He seized the weapon, sank on one knee, quickly sighted along the barrel, +and pulled the trigger. Even as he fired, the cat leaped toward the pup. +For a second there was a terrific scuffling in the leaves. Then the +search-light's beam showed the pup lying motionless, its neck broken and +torn, while the cat was clawing the air wildly, and spitting and snarling +in fury.</p> + +<p>"Don't ever let one of those critters get on your back, Charley," said the +forester, as he approached the cat for a final shot. "Sometimes they will +follow a fellow in the forest. It's seldom they really attack a man, but +if a fellow loses his nerve and runs, they will sometimes leap on him. A +single swipe of those claws will cut a fellow to ribbons."</p> + +<p>The forester was now close to the cat, which had gotten to its feet and +had crouched, snarling, ready for a leap.</p> + +<p>The forester circled so as to get a shot at the animal's shoulder. Quickly +raising his rifle, he fired. The cat screamed, clawed the air desperately +for a few seconds, and lay still.</p> + +<p>Charley rushed in and tenderly lifted his motionless pup from the ground. +There were tears in his eyes as he bore the little body to one side. "Poor +fellow," he said, "I'll miss you awfully. I was counting on you a lot to +help me guard this timber. You did the best you knew how. You thought you +were helping me, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>He passed his hand across his eyes and faced the forester. "It's some +consolation to know that that beast paid for this, and paid well. I'm sure +glad he's dead. It's a good thing for the forest."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's a good job done," replied the forester, "and a nice skin and +a bounty for you. That ought to be some consolation to you. But I'm mighty +sorry about the pup. Whenever you can, get rid of those fellows. How many +young deer or other harmless animals do you suppose this fellow would have +slaughtered before another spring?"</p> + +<p>Making sure that the cat was really dead, the forester opened the trap.</p> + +<p>Then he picked up the dead cat and led the way back to the tent. "I'll +show you how to skin this fellow," he said, and, taking out his knife, +began to remove the hide.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" exclaimed Charley. "Wouldn't the fellows like to know about this?" +He looked at his watch. "Some of them will surely be listening in," he +said.</p> + +<p>Then he sat down beside his key, and while he watched the forester skin +the wildcat, he kept his spark-gap snapping and cracking with the fat +sparks from the new battery. He was calling Lew. He got no answer and +flashed out the signal for the Wireless Patrol. Almost immediately Henry +answered. His workshop was the headquarters of the Wireless Patrol.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Henry," rapped out Charley. "Do you know where Lew is?"</p> + +<p>"He's right here," came the answer. "So are most of the other fellows."</p> + +<p>"Tell them," replied Charley, "that we just caught the wildcat in the +traps you sent, and Mr. Marlin is skinning it. I'm going to get him to +show me how to tan it. When it's done, I'm going to send it to the +Wireless Patrol to help furnish our headquarters. I'm going to add the +eight dollars bounty money to the club fund for wireless equipment."</p> + +<p>Then came a long pause. Finally this message came back to Charley. "The +Wireless Patrol thanks you, Charley, but we want you to sell the skin and +use the money and the bounty to pay for the field-glasses you need."</p> + +<p>Charley turned away from his instrument with a suspicious moisture in his +eyes. It touched him deeply that his fellows were so solicitous concerning +his welfare and success. He did not realize that he was merely reaping the +reward of his own kindly good nature, that had made him a general favorite +with the boys of the Wireless Patrol.</p> + +<p>There were no further alarms that night. Early in the morning the ranger +started back to his office, taking with him the letter to Lew. Charley +accompanied him part of the way. Then he continued on his patrol.</p> + +<p>The next time Charley met the forester he received Lew's answer to his +letter. Lew had addressed the box, but several of the boys of the Wireless +Patrol had helped to pack it. The piece of green pasteboard proved to be +from a box in which Henry had gotten shoes by mail. The box came from +Carson and Derby, a big New York mail-order concern. Almost everybody in +the country around Central City bought articles from mail-order houses, so +Lew's letter threw no light on the problem. There might be a green +pasteboard box of that particular pattern in every farmhouse in the +county. Yet as Charley thought the matter over, he recalled that almost +everybody he knew who shopped by mail traded with Slears and Hoebuck, of +Chicago.</p> + +<p>The days passed. Little happened to vary the monotony. Yet the sameness of +life in the forest was far from being bothersome to Charley. On the +contrary, he found new delights every day.</p> + +<p>Spring was now well advanced. The trees would soon be in leaf, the flowers +were coming along in rotation, and the forest fairly pulsed with life. Now +Charley found a gorgeous bed of blood-root. Again he came on great patches +of arbutus. Here the Dutchman's-breeches grew in rich clumps. There +spring-beauties fairly whitened the earth. Violets, Jacks-in-the-pulpit, +marsh-marigolds, and dozens of other familiar and lovely blooms he found +as he wandered through the forest.</p> + +<p>There was nothing Charley liked more than the flowers. He determined to +know every bloom in his section of the forest. So he divided his territory +into definite strips, patrolling a different strip each day. Thus he +became intimately acquainted with every part of his district.</p> + +<p>There were more objects than flowers, however, to delight him. The birds +and the animals were a constant source of pleasure. Often he had +opportunity to study their actions and their habits. The mating season +brought a wealth of pleasing experiences. Sometimes he came across a +mother grouse with her brood of little ones. It pleased Charley to see how +the tiny creatures scattered and hid among the leaves, making themselves +invisible at the first warning note from the mother, while she fluttered +along before him, dragging a wing as though it were broken, and drawing +him farther and farther from her little ones. Wild turkeys, too, he saw, +and many other feathered inhabitants of the forest.</p> + +<p>Perhaps nothing touched Charley so much as an incident that occurred late +one day when he was fighting a small fire. The fine, spring weather +brought out regiments of fishermen, and numbers of them got deep into the +woods. Whenever he possibly could, Charley avoided meeting them. Sometimes +Charley could not avoid a meeting. Then he always posed as a fisherman. +He never moved abroad these days without his rod. The rifle he had +temporarily laid aside. More than one little fire, started by careless +fishermen, Charley detected and extinguished.</p> + +<p>One day he saw smoke at a considerable distance. By the time he could +reach the spot, the fire had a good start and had already burned over +several acres. It was blazing briskly and Charley was at first uncertain +as to whether he should attempt to fight it alone or call help. But night +was at hand, the wind was already falling, and Charley decided that he +could conquer the blaze single-handed. He judged that the best way to do +this was by beating it out with brush.</p> + +<p>Quickly chopping a pine bough, Charley attacked the fire. It was not a +fierce blaze, though when the fitful wind blew strong it flamed up +savagely. Even the tiniest of forest fires is hot enough, and Charley +found it trying work. He had many hundreds of yards of flame to beat out. +The smoke and the heat were stifling and exhausting, and every little +while Charley had to turn away from the fire to rest and get his breath. +During such periods, Charley would walk back along the fire-line to make +sure that the blaze was extinguished behind him.</p> + +<p>Darkness came quickly in the deep valley, and before Charley had the blaze +half extinguished, he was unable to see distinctly. Indeed he could hardly +have seen anything at all had it not been for the fitful light of the +flames; and this dancing light made objects appear uncertain and unreal.</p> + +<p>In one of his trips back along the line, Charley came to a stump that was +ablaze. In beating out the flames just here, he had failed to extinguish +some tiny sparks in a hollow place at the base of the stump. The wind had +fanned these into life after Charley had passed on, and the fire had +communicated to the stump. Now the stump was a pillar of flame. At any +moment sparks might fly from it and rekindle the fire.</p> + +<p>Charley beat at the stump with his brush until the flames had entirely +disappeared. But fearing that sparks might yet be smouldering under the +bark or in the dry wood, Charley began scraping the sides of the stump. As +his hand reached the top of the stump, there was a sudden startling whir +of wings and something shot upward into the dark. Charley recoiled as +though shot. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs. His first thought +was of the sudden blow the rattler had given the ranger. Yet he knew it +was no rattler that had suddenly sprung upward into the night. He drew +forth his flash-light, which he always carried, and turned the beam of +light on the top of the stump. There lay two little turtle-doves, unharmed +despite the fierce flames that had played about them. They had been +protected by the mother dove's body.</p> + +<p>"Little turtle-dove," said Charley, "I take off my hat to you. When +anybody tells me about a deed of heroism hereafter, I'll tell them about +you and how you hovered over your young ones while the flames were slowly +roasting you. I'm certainly glad I got here when I did. You would have +been burned in another five minutes and your little ones with you."</p> + +<p>Charley started back to the line of flames again. "If a turtle-dove can do +a thing like that," he muttered to himself, "you're a poor thing if you +can't face a little blaze like this."</p> + +<p>He cut a new bush, once more fell on the fire, and never ceased his +efforts until not a single blaze lighted the forest. Then he stepped +inside the burned area and made his way completely around the edge of it. +The ashes were hot and Charley knew that they might scorch the leather in +his shoes. But he also knew there would be no rattlesnakes where the fire +had burned. When Charley came to the stump again, he turned his +flash-light on its top. The dove had returned and was once more hovering +over her little ones.</p> + +<p>When he was certain that the fire was absolutely extinguished, Charley +made his way through the dark forest to his tent and made his nightly +report. It gave him great happiness to be able to report that the fire was +extinguished and that once more all was well in the forest.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had sent out to Charley a package of books that dealt with +various phases of work in the forest. Night after night, by the light of +candles, Charley sat in his tent studying his texts. He found them +fascinating. Here in the forest, where every day he could see illustrated +the truth of what he had read the night before, he learned, with +unbelievable rapidity. Whenever he came to anything in his texts that he +did not understand, he made a note of it. Sometimes at night he got Lew on +the wireless and through him questioned the forester. He did not want to +bother the government wireless men except in case of necessity.</p> + +<p>Two or three times a week the forester came out to see Charley and to keep +an eye on this, his finest stand of timber. From time to time he brought +supplies and more books. Indeed Charley's capacity to acquire what was in +the books astonished the forester. He knew that Charley understood because +of his intelligent questions and his increasingly intelligent practices; +for, without orders to do it, Charley was voluntarily doing many of the +tasks that Mr. Morton should have done in the forest. As he grew in +comprehension of the needs of the forest, Charley began to make +suggestions to the forester. More than one of these proved practicable, +and Charley was given permission to go ahead with the proposals. Before he +knew it, Charley found himself working sixteen hours a day and regretting +that the days were not longer. And as always happens to people who are +busy about work they love, Charley was supremely happy.</p> + +<p>Not the least part of his happiness came from his wireless talks with the +ranger's wife. With a speed that surprised him, Mrs. Morton learned both +to read and send. On the very first evening after the doctor brought her +dry cells, Mrs. Morton managed to tick out an acknowledgment of Charley's +call. And though it was faltering and uneven, Charley read it and smiled +with delight. As he slowly ticked off the letters of the alphabet and the +first ten numerals, Mrs. Morton listened intently, jotting down the dots +and dashes on a bit of paper.</p> + +<p>When Charley had repeated his message according to promise, he flashed out +the call signal for the Wireless Patrol and promptly got a reply from +Henry. Through Henry he made his nightly report to the forester, and +through the forester sent his congratulations to Mrs. Morton on the +success of her initial attempt at radio communication, and inquired after +the sick ranger. So both Charley and his new friend were happy that night.</p> + +<p>It was quite evident to Charley, when he called Mrs. Morton on the +following night, that she must have spent much of the day practicing at +her key; for the certainty and assurance with which she transmitted her +brief message this time could have come only from hours of practice. Now, +in addition to acknowledging Charley's call, she added the simple message, +"Jim is improving." Charley did not guess that she had practiced that +short message for an hour. Even if he had, he would have been none the +less pleased; for practice was the very thing needed to make her an +efficient operator. By the time three weeks had elapsed, Mrs. Morton could +communicate with Charley readily. Also her husband was improving every +day, though it would still be weeks before he could resume his duties. +Altogether, Charley's cup of happiness seemed full to overflowing.</p> + +<p>There was still more happiness in store for him, however,--a happiness he +had not dared to hope for. One day Mr. Marlin appeared at Charley's camp +just at dusk. Charley was about to cook his supper. At once he doubled the +portions of food to be cooked, and while he worked over his fire, he +reported to his superior on the condition of the forest under his charge. +By this time Charley knew every inch of it intimately. He had just +completed an inspection, lasting several days, of the entire area. He was +enthusiastic about his work and full of plans for the future. Practically +all his suggestions were good, and the forester smiled and smiled with +approval, as he sat back in the shadow, listening.</p> + +<p>When Charley had completed his statement, the forester said, "Charley, +your report is very satisfactory, and I am especially pleased with the way +you comprehend the needs of the situation and plan for improvements. I +approve of practically all your suggestions. How would you like to go +ahead and work them out?"</p> + +<p>"They ought to be done," said Charley impetuously. Then he stopped. "I +mean," he corrected himself, "that it seems to me they ought to be. But to +do most of them would require a ranger with a crew of men."</p> + +<p>"But you haven't answered my question," said the forester with a kindly +smile.</p> + +<p>Charley looked puzzled. "I told you I think that they ought to be done."</p> + +<p>"Still you haven't answered my question."</p> + +<p>Charley stopped a moment to try to recall exactly what the forester had +said. Then he went on. "Of course, I should like to work them out, for +they ought to be done. But I also told you it would need a ranger and a +crew of men. I <i>couldn't</i> do all those things alone."</p> + +<p>The forester began to laugh. "Charley," he said fondly, "the Bible tells +us there are none so blind as those who won't see. If you were the ranger +in charge of those men, would you still like to do the work?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean----"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do. Your service as a fire patrol ends to-night. To-morrow you +take charge of this section as temporary ranger, pending Jim Morton's +recovery. I just can't get along without a ranger in this district. Work +is being neglected, the big lumber operation has already commenced in +Lumley's district, and things are piling up here too deep. I can't get +along another day without a new ranger."</p> + +<p>Charley was too happy for words. "I'll do my best," he said, with +quavering tones. But in a moment he got command of himself. "You told me I +couldn't handle a crew of men," he said.</p> + +<p>"Maybe you can't, Charley, but you've handled everything else and handled +it well. It is plain that you love the forest and understand as much about +its needs as any ranger I have. A little experience is all you need to +make a first-class ranger. I'll give the men a talking to. When I get +done, they'll know it won't pay to monkey with you, even if you are only a +high school boy. Now, Ranger Russell, I think we had better turn in and +get some sleep, for we'll have to pull foot early to-morrow."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch21"> +<h2>Chapter XXI</h2> + +<h3>A Trouble Maker</h3> + + + +<p>Pull foot early they did, too. Charley himself was no sluggard, but the +forester's capacity for work simply amazed him. He knew the forester was +on the job late every night, for he reported to him each night the last +thing before he went to bed. Yet whenever the forester spent the night +with Charley, Mr. Marlin was up at an early hour; and the present occasion +proved no exception.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had never said much about himself to Charley, and no one else +had happened to do so; but Mr. Marlin had worked himself up from the +ranks. He had been a fire patrol and later a ranger, and then had attended +the state forestry school, as the other district foresters had done.</p> + +<p>His unusual training, great diligence, intelligence, and untiring energy +had made him one of the ablest men in the service. By sheer ability he had +won for himself the oversight of this district, which was one of the most +important in the entire million acres of state forest lands.</p> + +<p>Hardly was the forester afoot this morning before he had a fire going and +breakfast cooking. Before breakfast was ready, the two forest guardians +began to strike camp. Charley took down his wireless and stowed it as +compactly as possible. The tent was lowered and rolled up. Everything was +gotten into portable shape, and as soon as breakfast was over, the dishes +were washed and they, too, were added to the bundles.</p> + +<p>"I don't care to let anybody know where your camp was," said the forester. +"I may want to use this site again. So we'll have to pack our stuff out +ourselves, at least part of the way. I am going to put a crew of men in +here to-morrow and they can finish carrying out the duffel if we cave in +before we reach the road. It will be a pretty good load."</p> + +<p>Each of them strapped a big pack to his back. The rifle and the +fishing-rod had been fastened to the battery, which in turn was roped to +poles for handles. In this way it was possible for the two to carry all +Charley's outfit. By sun-up the two were already on the trail. They toiled +up the slope and crossed the ridge close to Charley's watch-tower. The way +was rough and the going hard. But once they struck a fire trail, the path +was easy. Yet at best it was a hard and toilsome hike, and several hours +elapsed before they reached the forester's motor-car, which he had +concealed in the pines. Both of them were tired, and Charley felt as +though his arms were about ready to part from his shoulders.</p> + +<p>Most of their journey had been made in silence. But now that they were +seated comfortably in a motor-car, they once more began to talk.</p> + +<p>"I had to bring you in from the forest, Charley," explained Mr. Marlin, +"because as a ranger it will be necessary for you often to be at +headquarters. I have arranged for you to live with Ranger Lumley. His +district adjoins yours, and his house, right in the forest, is near the +dividing line. So it will be about as convenient for you as it is for him. +He is to be at the office to meet us and look after you. We'll pick him up +and go on to his house with your things."</p> + +<p>Ranger Lumley was on hand as the forester had said he would be. Charley +had found Ranger Morton and his wife so likable that he was glad indeed of +the opportunity to become acquainted with this second ranger. But the +minute he laid eyes on him, he felt a chill of disappointment. Yet he +could not have told exactly why. Somewhere, too, he felt sure, he had seen +the man before; though he could not remember when or where.</p> + +<p>Lumley was a man small of stature, with a hooked nose, fishy blue eyes, a +thin, hard mouth, and a face seamed and wrinkled. Yet he was quite +evidently not an old man. Charley had noticed that some of the tough +characters in his home town looked like that, and the more he studied +Ranger Lumley's face, the less he liked the man. Particularly did he +dislike his eye. Once he caught the ranger looking at him slyly, and the +gleam in the ranger's eye reminded Charley of the vicious look of a horse +when he shows the white of his eye. It seemed to Charley, too, as though +there was something suggestive of craftiness and cunning in the man's +countenance.</p> + +<p>When they reached the Lumley home, Charley felt his dislike for the man +increasing. Unlike the neat and attractive dwelling of the Mortons, the +Lumley house was dirty and disorderly. The children were unclean and +ragged. They had no manners whatever. Yet they obeyed readily enough when +their father spoke to them. But it did not take Charley long to discover +that they obeyed because of fear. When he realized that, he thought of the +vicious look he had noted in the ranger's eye. There were dogs innumerable +about the place, and they all slunk away when their master approached. Yet +all the time, as he showed Charley about, the ranger was almost +obsequious. This evident contradiction between the man's actions and his +looks made Charley distrust him immediately, and it was with heavy heart +that he said good-bye to Mr. Marlin and watched him drive away.</p> + +<p>The ranger showed Charley to the room that was to be his. Charley began to +carry his luggage up-stairs. He would much rather have taken it all +himself, but the ranger insisted upon helping him. When Charley saw how +the man eyed every package and scrutinized every article, he understood +quickly enough that Lumley wanted to help him, not because of any wish to +be courteous, but simply because of his burning curiosity. Especially was +the ranger curious about Charley's wireless outfit, but Charley +volunteered no information.</p> + +<p>The more Charley considered his situation, the gloomier he felt concerning +it. He had looked forward to his coming, after Mr. Marlin had told him of +the arrangement, with a feeling of pleasant anticipation. Charley was not +the least bit shy and made friends readily. He had a feeling that all the +men in the Forest Service must be pretty fine men and that their interest +in their work would make them, like Mr. Marlin and Mr. Morton, eager to +help a recruit. Thus Charley had believed that Lumley would be very +helpful to him. He had intended to put himself more or less in Lumley's +hands and trust to the ranger for guidance. But a very few minutes spent +with Lumley made Charley feel that he could not take the man into his +confidence. He almost felt as though he dared not, though when he came to +consider the matter fully, that attitude seemed foolish. Lumley was a +guardian of the forest as well as himself, and surely he could trust him +with matters that pertained to the forest.</p> + +<p>Charley tried to fight down this feeling of distrust. It seemed to him +very wrong to accept a man's hospitality, even if he was to pay well for +it, and at the same time be suspicious of the man. But hardly had he +decided that he ought to be frank with his fellow ranger when Lumley began +asking questions that caused the feeling of distrust to return with +renewed force. Lumley's questions were intended to seem innocent enough; +but Charley was sharper than he perhaps looked, and he saw the real intent +behind the questions. The man was slyly trying to find out all he could +about Charley's history, and particularly how much Charley had been paid +as a fire patrol and what he was to get as a ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley answered most of Lumley's questions openly enough, but could not +tell him what he was to get as a ranger, for he had never once thought +about the matter, nor had Mr. Marlin mentioned it. But when Charley told +Lumley so, he could see that the ranger did not believe him.</p> + +<p>When the ranger began to question Charley about his recent work in the +woods, Charley answered him evasively. Lumley knew that Charley had been +acting as fire patrol, because Mr. Marlin had told him so. But Charley +felt very sure he did not know where the secret camp had been pitched, for +Mr. Marlin had distinctly said that matter was a secret between Charley +and himself. So Charley answered him evasively and soon turned the +conversation to other matters.</p> + +<p>While Charley was arranging his duffel, two or three dirty youngsters came +bouncing into the room and at once began to drag Charley's wireless +apparatus from the pasteboard box. With a cry Charley sprang toward them +and snatched the instruments out of their hands. The ranger gave a savage +oath and aimed a kick at the lads, but they dodged and ran from the room.</p> + +<p>At first Charley was terribly annoyed. But in a second he was glad the +incident had happened. Nothing had been injured and he had had a warning +of what might be expected. It gave him a good opportunity to shut up his +things without seeming to be suspicious of his host. Charley acted at +once.</p> + +<p>"I have no need of this wireless outfit at present," he said, "and if you +have a spare box and some nails, I will just nail these things up until I +have time to set up the outfit." So the wireless instruments were safely +boxed up and locked in a closet, along with Charley's rifle and +fishing-rod. There was nothing in his remaining luggage that could be much +harmed, even if the youngsters did get hold of things.</p> + +<p>As soon as his belongings were stowed away, Charley decided that he would +go to the forester's office and talk over his work. He had three miles to +walk, and although he had already trudged several times that distance, +heavily loaded, he did not hesitate for a moment. When Lumley suggested +that he use the telephone and avoid the walk, Charley merely smiled.</p> + +<p>"I don't mind it," he said.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to see myself walk that distance for any such fool errand," +growled the ranger.</p> + +<p>When Charley had said he didn't mind the walk he had told the truth. Yet +he had understated it. The fact was that he hugely enjoyed the walk. He +was rested from his long carry, and with nothing to weight him down, his +feet felt light as feathers. He trudged briskly along the smooth highway, +every sense alive to the delights of the forest. All about him the woods +were vocal with the calls of birds. The wind whispered and sighed in the +pine tops. And sometimes, when the air in the bottom was still as sluggish +water, Charley could hear the wind roaring among the trees far up on the +hillsides. The scent of spring was in the air--that indescribable mixture +of the smell of opening buds and flowers and green things and rank +steaming earth, that together make such an intoxicating odor. And all +about him Charley caught glimpses of the wild life of the forest.</p> + +<p>It was late in the day when he reached the forester's office. The forester +seemed greatly surprised to see him.</p> + +<p>"I came to talk to you about my work," explained Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester frowned. "What is the telephone for?" he asked a bit +brusquely.</p> + +<p>"I didn't want to talk over my business before that man," protested +Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him sharply. "What business do you have excepting +the business of the forest?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"None," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Then surely you could discuss forest matters in the presence of a +ranger."</p> + +<p>"It may be that I am unreasonable," said Charley, "but I don't like that +man. There's something about him that I don't trust."</p> + +<p>The forester looked at Charley searchingly. "Sometimes," he said, "I +almost feel that way myself. I realize that Lumley is mouthy and +inquisitive and disagreeable personally, but he has been in the Forest +Service a long time and it hardly seems right not to trust him. He's a +pretty efficient ranger."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm here, anyway," continued Charley. "I came to find out what my +first duties are to be and how to do them."</p> + +<p>"There's a little tree planting that simply must be done in your +territory, late though it is," said Mr. Marlin. "To-morrow I shall send +you out with a small crew to do it."</p> + +<p>"Please show me just how it ought to be done," said Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester smiled with approval. "Come out-of-doors," he said, picking +up a mattock. And he led the way to a bed of seedling spruces that had +been heeled in the ground, and dug up two or three of them.</p> + +<p>"These ought to be lifted in small bunches and their roots puddled," he +said, dipping the earth-covered roots in water to show how to puddle them. +"They should be planted thus." He struck his mattock sharply into the +soil, bent it to one side, and in the hole thus opened thrust a tiny tree. +Then he stepped on the ground close to the seedling and pressed the earth +tight about it.</p> + +<p>"That's all there is to it," he said. "Your crew will work in pairs, one +man carrying the trees in a pail of water and inserting them in the +ground, while the other man carries the mattock and opens the holes. The +trees should be planted in straight rows and about four feet apart each +way. You will have to go ahead of the crew and set up the line pole. Pick +out some trees or saplings to sight by and you will have no trouble to +keep your line straight."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?"</p> + +<p>"You'll have to oversee the work, of course. Make sure the planting is +done right, and watch your men. You will have to take whatever steps seem +necessary to keep them working well and cheerfully. Sometimes it is a good +thing to switch a man from one job to another. It rests him to use another +set of muscles."</p> + +<p>"What else am I to do?"</p> + +<p>"Day after to-morrow I want you to brush out the fire trails leading to +your old camp. That is, you must start brushing them out. It will take +several days. They are so overgrown now that they are a real menace to the +forest. These trails were originally five feet wide. We took out all the +roots and underground growths down to mineral soil. You must cut away all +the brush that has grown in, chop it into short lengths, and pile it in +little piles in the trail itself for burning on windless days. You must +grub out the roots that have grown in, too. Really the entire trail ought +to be grubbed again, but we can't do that now. You will have to assign men +to cut brush, to pile it, and to grub up the roots. That's about all I +can tell you."</p> + +<p>"It sounds very easy," said Charley, "but I am willing to confess that +handling these tough looking mountaineers is more than I counted on."</p> + +<p>"Are you going to quit so soon?" asked the forester with scorn. "I thought +you had more stuff in you than that, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley turned red. "Who said anything about quitting?" he demanded. "I +only want to know what I am to do if I get into trouble with the men."</p> + +<p>"That's more than I can tell you. It's up to you as a ranger to find the +ways to manage your men. But I can tell you this. It is always best to +follow Mr. Roosevelt's plan and speak softly but carry a big stick. Be +kind to the men. Be square with them. Play no favorites. Look after their +interest. But don't let them loaf on the job. They expect to have to work, +and they won't have much respect for a man who doesn't hold them to their +task. After all, they are not very different from horses. They have to be +driven if they are to work."</p> + +<p>"I suspect some of them will be hard to drive," said Charley, "if the few +I have seen hereabout are good samples."</p> + +<p>"It all depends upon how you get started with them. Don't let them get +away with you. Let them know you are the boss. And remember this: as a +ranger you have power to hire and fire these men. If it comes to a +show-down, don't hesitate to fire a man. We're short-handed, but we can +much better afford to lose a laborer than to have an entire crew spoiled."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Charley. "I feel better already. If you don't mind, I'm +coming to you before each new job and get you to show me exactly how it +should be done. A fellow can get along so much better if he really knows +what he is talking about."</p> + +<p>"Good boy," smiled the forester. "I don't believe I am going to be +disappointed in you, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley shook the forester's hand and started back to his new habitation, +which he reached just as supper was ready.</p> + +<p>After supper he and the ranger talked about the forest. Or rather Lumley +did. He was so loquacious that Charley soon stopped talking and let his +companion carry on the conversation alone. Lumley was quite able to do it, +for he was truly, as Mr. Marlin had described him, mouthy. He had +something to say about everything, and what he had to say was usually of a +derogatory character. He was guarded in what he said about Mr. Marlin, yet +Charley saw that he was trying to damn the forester by faint praise.</p> + +<p>"You may make a good ranger in time all right," he said bluntly to +Charley, "but it seems mighty funny to me to take a raw high school boy +and put him in charge of the finest stand of timber in the entire forest. +I'm the man that post ought to go to. Besides, I have a greater interest +in that timber than any one else."</p> + +<p>Charley choked back his resentment at the statement about himself and +asked, "Why have you a greater interest in that timber than any one else?"</p> + +<p>"Because our family used to own that timber," he said, sudden passion +inflaming his eyes. And Charley once more saw in them that savage look he +had detected before. "If my old fool of a grandfather hadn't let himself +be bilked out of the whole holding," he said coarsely, "I'd own that +timber to-day and I'd be a millionaire instead of a poor forest-ranger. By +rights the land is mine, anyway." And again the ranger swore at his dead +ancestor.</p> + +<p>Charley listened in disgust but made no comment. The ranger saw that he +had talked too much. He muttered an apology. "When I see somebody else +getting the money that ought to be mine," he said, "it makes me so mad +that I could almost commit murder." Then he quickly changed the +conversation and once more became the smooth, oily individual he was when +Charley first saw him.</p> + +<p>But Charley had seen and heard enough to be utterly disgusted with the +man. As early as possible he got away to his room on the pretext of +weariness, but it was a long time before he went to bed.</p> + +<p>Early next morning he was at headquarters, where Mr. Marlin introduced him +to the half dozen men who were to serve under him. Ordinarily ten men +would form a unit for planting, but Charley did not know that, and so was +ignorant of the fact that Mr. Marlin had tried to make his first day of +authority easy and successful by giving him only a few selected men to +handle. Mr. Marlin introduced Charley to the men one by one, as they came +in. Charley tried to talk to them, but found it rather difficult. The +mountaineers had little to say.</p> + +<p>When the men were all on hand, Mr. Marlin turned to them and said, "By the +way, men, this is the lad who saved Morton's life."</p> + +<p>At the mention of the sick ranger, Charley saw the men's faces light up.</p> + +<p>"He's a little young yet, but he knows his business. Jim says he handled +the snake-bite as well as any doctor could have done. I want you all to be +good to this lad and help him as much as you can."</p> + +<p>Now they had found something in common to talk about. All day long, at +intervals, the crew discussed rattlers; and Charley told them, at their +request, just how the ranger was bitten and what had been done to save +him.</p> + +<p>"You see," he said, "the danger from snake-bite comes when the poison +reaches the heart. So it is necessary to suck as much of it out as +possible and to prevent the remainder from reaching the heart except a +little at a time. That's why the bandages were put on the arm so tight. +The old notion of taking a stimulant was all wrong. The thing to do is to +keep the heart beating as slowly as possible until the venom reaches it. +Then if it begins to slow up, give a stimulant."</p> + +<p>This suggestion was contrary to all forest practice and Charley could see +that the men were greatly interested in it. How much his recital about the +snake contributed to his success that day he never realized. He kept his +lines straight, switched his men from one task to another, now relieved +this man or that, and did his work in such a highly efficient manner that +he would have had no trouble anyway; but at intervals all through the day +the men reverted to the rattlesnake story. They were so busy thinking +about something else they almost forgot about Charley.</p> + +<p>But the next day had a different tale to tell. The forester had increased +Charley's crew by four men, and a tougher looking lot Charley had never +seen. Rough, rugged, reckless mountaineers, there was not one of them who +could not have picked Charley up and broken him in half with ease. And one +of them, a tall, surly fellow, was quite evidently bent on making trouble.</p> + +<p>Charley's knees almost shook under him when he faced the crew and realized +that it was up to him to command and control these men. Also he knew that +he was lost if he showed any hesitation. The instant the party reached the +trail, therefore, Charley seized an axe.</p> + +<p>"Let's get at it, men," he said, starting work himself.</p> + +<p>"What do you want us to do?" asked the tall, surly looking chap. The +others gathered round to see what Charley would say. And Charley realized +that he was on trial with the men.</p> + +<p>"You heard what the forester said," he replied pleasantly. "We're to brush +this trail out. I want it made as good as it was when it was first +completed. Mr. Marlin said you were a mighty good crew and knew your +business thoroughly. So you don't need any instructions from me."</p> + +<p>Evidently the reply tickled the men. Charley saw one or two of them nudge +their fellows and chuckle; and all of them looked slyly in the direction +of the man who had asked the question. Charley judged that the fellow was +trying to make game of him and that the crew thought Charley had come out +on top. Charley did not mean to lose this slight initial advantage.</p> + +<p>With his axe he began briskly chopping away the brush along the sides of +the trail. Here and there he noticed little bushes that had sprung up in +the trail itself.</p> + +<p>"I wish you would take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and +grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get +everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop +up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless +days."</p> + +<p>The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently +they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned +two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he +worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be +prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked +back among the crew to see that the work was being done right.</p> + +<p>Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked +cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall, +surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no +attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not +overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes, +crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for +brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original +size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer +was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the +original five-foot area.</p> + +<p>The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others, +scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation +and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered +Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly, +"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width. +Just take out those bushes you have missed."</p> + +<p>"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't +half as wide as that."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley +good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey +orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally."</p> + +<p>The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes. +"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But +nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how +this trail ought to be brushed."</p> + +<p>Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly +agitated. His heart beat so fast and the pulse in his temples throbbed so +violently that he was afraid the men would see how excited he was. But he +took a grip on himself and answered slowly, thinking hard all the time, +and trying not to betray his real feelings. Again he recalled what his +chief had said about letting the men know he was boss.</p> + +<p>"You are quite right," said Charley slowly. "Nobody can make you take +orders from a high school boy. This is a free country and you do not have +to take orders from anybody if you don't want to. You are free to quit +this job at any time you like and nobody can stop you. But as long as you +stay on the job you will have to obey orders. I'll give you your time and +you can get your pay at the office if you want to quit. If you want to +stay, just brush out that trail as Mr. Marlin wants it brushed."</p> + +<p>Without waiting for a reply Charley turned away and returned to his place +at the head of the line. The men about him resumed their work with a will. +In a moment the tall laborer picked up his axe and began clearing out the +bushes he had missed. Charley had won.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch22"> +<h2>Chapter XXII</h2> + +<h3>Charley Finds Another Clue</h3> + + + +<p>As he trudged homeward that evening, Charley pondered over the events of +the day. At first he did not know whether to rejoice or be sorry over the +outcome of his encounter with the laborer. He was sure the man would hate +him, and if he did, he might try to make more trouble for him. On the +other hand, he realized that if he had let the man get the better of him, +he could never have hoped to maintain discipline; and Charley was old +enough to know that without discipline he could not succeed in any post of +authority.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he was most worried by the fact that he could not talk to Mr. +Marlin about the matter. Of course, he could have used the telephone, but +the idea of discussing his difficulties before the Lumley family was so +repugnant to him that he could not bring himself to attempt it. So he +decided to get up his wireless at once. Then he could talk to Mr. Morton +and Lumley could not understand what was being said. He felt free to tell +the Mortons anything. By this time Mrs. Morton could operate the wireless +readily and her husband was learning fast. So Charley hurried to eat his +supper and get his wireless installed.</p> + +<p>He foresaw that Lumley would insist upon helping him. He steeled his mind +to the event and accepted the proffered assistance with the best grace he +could. Afterward he thanked his lucky stars that he had done so.</p> + +<p>While there was still light enough out-of-doors, Charley assembled and +hoisted his aerial; and Lumley, who was really dexterous, was of great +help to him. As soon as the aerial dangled aloft, Lumley got tools to bore +a hole in the window-sash for the lead-in wire.</p> + +<p>Now Charley got another insight into Lumley's character. It was a little +difficult to make the hole just where it was wanted. Lumley instantly +became impatient and went ahead recklessly. Suddenly his bit snapped. With +a volley of oaths, Lumley threw down his brace and hammered the broken bit +out of the window-frame. In doing so, he broke out a long splinter of +wood, leaving a gaping crack in the sash. He swore until he was out of +breath. Then he got some putty and puttied up the hole, forcing the putty +into the crack with his thumbs. Then the wire was brought in through the +sash and Charley began wiring up his instruments. But it had taken half an +hour to accomplish what five minutes of patience would have done. Charley +was utterly disgusted with the ranger's show of temper.</p> + +<p>As he coupled up the instruments, he answered, as politely as he could, +the ranger's numberless questions. Behind every question he saw, or +thought he could see, some ulterior motive. By every means he could, +Lumley was trying to find out all that was possible about Charley and his +relations with the forester. And Charley could see that Lumley was envious +of his intimacy with Mr. Marlin and jealous of him because, though a mere +boy, he was already as high up in the service as Lumley was after years in +the department. Charley realized that this was an unfair way to view the +matter, as he, Charley, was not really a ranger, and did not expect to +continue as a ranger after Mr. Morton was well enough to resume his +duties. But he could see that Lumley took no account of that. He began to +understand that it was the man's nature to be suspicious and jealous.</p> + +<p>That was clear enough from Lumley's remarks about himself; for again he +repeated the story of his family's former ownership of the big timber, and +of how he had been robbed of his heritage. Charley felt sure the man had +brooded over the matter until his judgment was warped. He listened, +however, without comment.</p> + +<p>Presently Lumley began to make insinuations about the forester, telling +Charley that Mr. Marlin had been as much the child of luck as he had +himself; but Mr. Marlin had had all the good luck, while he had had all +the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley +could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought +he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr. +Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success, +Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally +Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark.</p> + +<p>"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust +his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why, +a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of +business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to +find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out +of commission, could you?"</p> + +<p>"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across +the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of +business."</p> + +<p>How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for +the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees, +wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat +some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the +forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out +the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought +shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the +storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind. +Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He +felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know +exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray +his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing +the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter +over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision. +Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly.</p> + +<p>"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said, +picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire +trail."</p> + +<p>With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed +it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had +blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in +one place the line was actually broken. Charley had no tools for handling +wire, and he decided that he would henceforth carry a pair of nippers in +his clothes. Fortunately for Charley, the wire had stretched so much +before it broke that he and the man were able to get the broken ends +together and give them a twist. The repair was temporary, but it would +answer until a permanent job could be done. When Charley reported to +headquarters that night, the chief commended him for his good judgment in +repairing the telephone-line so promptly.</p> + +<p>The few days that Charley had worked in the forest had made his hands very +sore, for he had no gloves. He had cut and scratched and torn his fingers +until it seemed to him there was room for no more bruises. He wanted to +get some gloves, but did not know when he could get to a store to buy any. +He mentioned the matter to Lumley.</p> + +<p>"Buy them by mail," said Lumley. "We get most of our goods from mail-order +houses."</p> + +<p>Charley had never bought anything by mail, and had not thought of securing +his gloves in that way. "That would be all right," he said, "but I +wouldn't know how to order."</p> + +<p>"Here," said the ranger, plunging his hand into a cabinet, "these +catalogues will help you." And he drew forth three catalogues from as many +different mail-order houses. There was one from Slears and Hoebuck, one +from Montgomery Hard, and a third from Carson and Derby.</p> + +<p>Instantly Charley thought of the telltale piece of green pasteboard and a +quick suspicion leaped into his mind. As quickly it faded out. He could +not for a single second bring himself to suspect a guardian of the forest +of being a woodland incendiary. Yet he could not refrain from asking, +"Which one of these concerns do you buy from?"</p> + +<p>"Whichever one sells cheapest," replied the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley found some cheap working gloves that he thought would suit him and +ordered several pairs.</p> + +<p>In the days that followed, he thought often over the problem of the green +pasteboard. It was true he had made another step in unraveling the +problem, but he did not see that it helped him much. He had discovered +that Lumley sometimes bought stuff from Carson and Derby, but doubtless +dozens of other near-by dwellers also did. Furthermore, it did not follow +that any near resident had fired the forest. Some one from a distance +might have done so. The more Charley thought about the matter, the less +importance he placed upon his discovery, and he decided to say nothing +about it to any one. How the guilty party was ever to be traced Charley +could not even imagine. The situation appeared hopeless.</p> + +<p>However, Charley had small chance to worry about the matter. As the days +passed, the forester laid more and more duties upon him. Many a lad would +have thought the forester was imposing upon him, but Charley was eager to +do everything he possibly could. He realized that the more he +accomplished, the greater would be his experience; and that the larger his +experience was, the faster he ought to get ahead. He had the good sense to +know that the short way of spelling opportunity is <i>w-o-r-k</i>. And he +realized that he had his chance here and now. So he did everything he +possibly could do and asked for more.</p> + +<p>The forester, like any other man in authority, was pleased beyond words at +this spirit. His response was to pile the work on Charley. He was testing +him out, to see whether the desire for work was just a whim or whether +Charley possessed that real ambition, that inward spirit of progress that +drives a man on and on through the years to greater and greater +accomplishments. For the best worker in the world is the man who works +because he wishes to work, and who is always striving to become a better +workman.</p> + +<p>Certainly Charley became a better workman, as any one does who works in +the spirit he exhibited. The mere getting of a wage, the mere earning of a +living hardly figured in Charley's calculations. He was working to learn, +to get ahead, to climb up in the Forestry Service. Hence there was nothing +perfunctory in what he did. He strove for perfection; and like all who so +strive, he began to attain it.</p> + +<p>Before he had been many weeks a ranger, Charley was as valuable a man in +many ways as the forester had under him. All Charley lacked to make him +perhaps the very best man was wider experience; and this was coming to him +daily. Furthermore, Charley was fortunate enough to have learned, through +his schooling, that although experience is the best teacher, he is a fool +who learns only through his own experience. All the information in all the +books that Charley had ever studied was the result of experience--somebody +else's experience. And he had early grasped the fact that to learn through +the experience of others is to save time and difficulty. So now he +supplemented his own experiences by much reading and study at night and by +the discussion of forest matters with the more intelligent of his workmen.</p> + +<p>New experiences came to him frequently. The forester surveyed and laid +out a road through the forest. Charley helped with the surveying and +learned much about levels and grades and the theory of road making. And +after the road was fairly started, the forester left its completion +largely to Charley. This new road was to lead into the big timber +operation which was shortly to begin in Charley's territory.</p> + +<p>Already a great crew had been assembled and much timber had been cut in +Lumley's district. Lumley had to oversee this operation and he was kept +far busier than he liked to be. So Charley saw little of him.</p> + +<p>In overseeing the operation in his own tract, Charley would have to select +and mark the trees for cutting, see that they were felled so as to save +the young growths, compel the prompt removal of trees that had fallen +across little saplings that had been bent under them, and make sure the +tops were properly lopped off and either burned where possible or piled so +that they would quickly rot. Then he would have to be particular that the +trees were thrown away from the roads and lines, and that a strip at least +one hundred feet wide was kept cleared of brush between the cutting +operations and the remainder of the forest, as a protection against the +spread of fire. Then there would be timber to scale and a hundred other +things to be looked after. To safeguard the state's interests would +require both experience and determination should the timber operators +wish to be tricky. Mr. Marlin intended that Charley, as a reward for the +fine spirit he was showing, should handle the lumber operation in his own +district entirely alone, just as a full-fledged ranger would do. It was +both a high compliment to Charley and a fine reward, for the timber +operation was large, involving great sums of money, and even with the most +careful supervision the state might easily be defrauded of thousands of +dollars.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Marlin was far too wise to put Charley in such a position without +adequate training. Personally, therefore, he began to prepare him for the +work. Accompanied by Charley, he went entirely over the operations in +Lumley's territory. He carried a duplicate of the contract under which the +wood was being cut. Together they discussed every phase of the contract, +and the forester showed Charley how each step in the operation should be +carried out; how the trees should be selected and marked, how they should +be felled and trimmed, how the brush should be disposed of, and finally +how the timber should be scaled at the skidways along the highway, whence +the timber was being carted away in huge trucks.</p> + +<p>Then he went with Charley into the latter's own district and started him +at the task of selecting and marking the trees for cutting. These had to +be greater than ten inches in diameter, breast-high, and had to be marked. +Crooked trees and wolf trees whose unduly large tops harmed lower growths +were also to be cut. The trees were marked by blazing them at the butt and +breast-high and striking the blazes with a heavy hammer that left the +imprint of the state's marker on the wood. Merely to select and mark all +the trees to be cut was a considerable task, but Charley tried to do this +and carry on his other work as well. It meant that he worked from the +earliest possible moment in the morning until he could no longer see at +night. Day after day he worked at his tasks, content to eat cold meals +that Mrs. Lumley packed for him, and reaching home so weary that he +tumbled into bed and was asleep the instant he had telephoned his daily +report to his chief.</p> + +<p>Darkness had already fallen, one night, when Charley drew near the Lumley +habitation. To his surprise he saw a light up-stairs in Lumley's room. As +he drew nearer, he could faintly discern the forms of two men in the +chamber. Involuntarily he stopped to scrutinize the figures. At the same +instant Lumley's dogs began to bark, as they always did when any one +approached. Quick as a flash the curtain of the chamber window was pulled +down. But in that brief instant Charley was sure he recognized the man +with Lumley. It was Bill Collins.</p> + +<p>Charley was startled completely out of his weariness. A moment later he +got a second shock. Like a flash it came to him where he had first seen +Lumley. He had been with Collins the day the latter had appeared in the +forest. Collins had attracted Charley's attention so strongly that he had +hardly noticed Collins' companion. Yet now he was certain he was right. He +was certain that he was not mistaken.</p> + +<p>From the beginning he had believed that he had seen Lumley somewhere +before the forester introduced Lumley to him. Now it came to him where he +had first seen Lumley. Lumley was the man he and Lew had seen with Bill +Collins.</p> + +<p>Still another surprise awaited Charley. When he entered the house Lumley +was seated at the table opposite a stranger, and the stranger was not Bill +Collins. But he resembled Collins so much that Charley did not wonder +that, at such a distance, he had made the mistake of thinking the man was +Collins.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch23"> +<h2>Chapter XXIII</h2> + +<h3>A Startling Discovery</h3> + + + +<p>Charley was glad enough that the man was not Collins. Had he been Collins, +Charley would have had another matter to worry about. He was carrying such +a load of responsibility these days that he sometimes felt that he +couldn't stand another thing; and in moments of depression he thought he +could not continue to carry the load he already had.</p> + +<p>For Charley was learning the lesson that every man in authority learns: +when the forester laid out a piece of work for him, the forester expected +him to get it done. No matter what the difficulties were, Charley had to +find a way to surmount them. Many and many a day he would gladly have +exchanged places with the humblest laborers in his crew.</p> + +<p>All that was required of them was merely to do what they were told to do, +hour after hour or day after day. There was no need for them to lie awake +wrestling with problems that seemed impossible of solution, as Charley had +more than once lain awake.</p> + +<p>For it had not all been smooth sailing for Charley, any more than it is +for any man in authority. After his first set-to with the surly laborer, +he had not had any open trouble with his men. But more than one of his +crew did not always do an honest day's work, and any failure on the men's +part put Charley behind with the amount of work he was expected to get +done. This difficulty Charley had finally remedied by asking for Mr. +Morton's help. The latter had sent for several of the laborers and had +shown them that in hindering Charley they were hurting the Forest Service +and thus, in the long run, harming themselves.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, as the days passed, and Charley showed that he knew his job, +that he was just to everybody, that he had control of his temper, that he +expected a fair day's work every day, while he himself accomplished more +actual work each day than any man in his gang, the attitude of the men +under him changed. Before the summer ended, Charley had as loyal a crew as +any man could ask for. And to their loyalty they began to add ambition. +For Charley was able gradually to instil into them the spirit which made +them want to do as much as any other crew and a little bit more.</p> + +<p>So his road making came on apace. Rapidly the rude highway advanced +through the forest. Every day after his crew had gone home, Charley went +over the area to be made the succeeding day, examining carefully every +inch of the ground and determining how he would meet each little problem +that would come up. Thus prepared, he speedily acquired a reputation for +unusual ability. The result was that his men, when stopped by some +obstacle, at once came to him for assistance, though at first they would +have scorned to ask a "high school boy" for enlightenment about any task +in the forest.</p> + +<p>The road under construction was being pushed straight through the heart of +the big timber. It was to lead directly to the foot of the mountain on the +top of which Charley and Lew had had their secret watch tree. Materials +for a real fire-tower, a sixty-foot structure of steel, had been +purchased, and as soon as the road was completed, this material was to be +trucked to the foot of the mountain, and the tower itself erected on the +summit, close to the very tree that Charley and Lew had climbed so often.</p> + +<p>The erection of the tower was another task for which Charley would be +responsible. Long before the road was completed, therefore, Charley and +the forester went over every step in the process of construction, and +decided how to do each task, from the making of the concrete foundations +to the stringing of the telephone wires when the tower was complete. The +tower itself was to be a slender steel structure made of angle-iron +supports bolted together, with a little square room at the top for the +watcher. This room would be enclosed on every side with glass windows, and +from this great elevation a watcher could see in every direction over +miles and miles of forest. A telephone would connect with the forester's +office.</p> + +<p>At the foot of this tower Mr. Marlin intended to build a snug, little +cabin, so that the tower man could remain at his post twenty-four hours a +day throughout the fire season. The materials for the cabin would be +trucked in along the new road and carried up the mountain, and some of +them would be cut right on the spot; for the forester planned to erect a +neat log cabin.</p> + +<p>Before the road was completed, Charley had cement carried in as far as the +trucks could travel. Then the cement was carried up the mountain by +laborers. It had been put in small sacks so that it could be handled +easily. Sand was already at hand, and water could be had at the run coming +from the spring by which Charley had camped. Tools and boards were +brought, the proper excavations made, forms fashioned and fitted into the +excavations, and then cement was mixed and poured into the forms to make +the foundation to which the tower was to be bolted. By the time the road +was finished so that the steel framework could be trucked in, the cement +foundations were hard as stone and ready for the instant erection of the +tower.</p> + +<p>At once the steel frame began to ascend. Upright was added to upright, +cross brace bolted to cross brace, and rung after rung added to the steel +ladder that led up to what was to be the watch-tower. In a surprisingly +short time the steel work was completed. Now the forester brought in +skilled carpenters and the wood for the tower room was cut after the +patterns and the cut pieces hoisted up to the top of the steel frame where +the watch-tower itself began to take shape.</p> + +<p>While these operations were afoot, Charley and his laborers were back in +the forest, running a telephone-line along the new road. Holes had to be +dug, poles cut, barked, hauled, and set up, and the wires strung. While +his men set the poles, Charley himself, with a helper, strung the wires. +At this job he needed no instruction. His experiences with the wireless +were now of great value to him, for he understood about insulation, +grounding, short circuits, and the like as well as any skilled lineman.</p> + +<p>So the telephone-line came on apace, and long before the tower was +finished, Charley had the line complete from the highway, where it joined +the main line, to the summit of the hill where the tower was going up. He +installed an instrument in a waterproof box nailed to a tree, so that he +could now talk from the hilltop to the forester's office. When the tower +was finally completed, he ran the lines up inside the angle-irons to +protect them from the terrific winds, so that the tower man could +instantly communicate with the forester at Oakdale.</p> + +<p>Now the cabin went up. Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but +stable foundation made below the level of the ground. Trees were felled, +barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners. When a +sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, +log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing. Wooden pins held +the logs in place. Windows and a door were cut out and framed. Then the +rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and +shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin's own territory, +completed the job. A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and +the cabin was about complete. A telephone extension was run into the +building. At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour +watch at the fire-tower.</p> + +<p>The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought +hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than +lessened. The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and +now but few showers came. Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, +however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least +temporarily, in the new cabin.</p> + +<p>There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, +and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this +observation post. Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was +at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the +neighboring forest. Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the +tower was close to the heart of his district. By living here he would be +with his work twenty-four hours a day.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin approved of Charley's decision to move into the cabin. With the +new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the +mountain in his motor-car. He was in instant communication with his ranger +by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car +with the greatest ease.</p> + +<p>The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley's +house to the new cabin. While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley's other +luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless. When he +removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley's +finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger's +fit of temper. When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. +Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck.</p> + +<p>As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief. Merely to get +away from Lumley's house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted +from his shoulders. Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb +Charley. He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust +for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home.</p> + +<p>Charley and the forester carried Charley's possessions from the truck to +the new cabin. A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on. +Although it was so small, it was heavy enough. Between that and the +battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was +finally placed in the cabin.</p> + +<p>Charley fastened his aerial between the fire-tower and his old watch +tree, which was still standing, but which had been shorn of most of its +branches to allow the watchman in the tower to see past it. Finally, +everything was complete. The wireless was in working condition, Charley's +few furnishings were in place, the stores put away, and the cabin was +fully ready for his occupancy.</p> + +<p>Immediately Charley called up Mrs. Morton on the telephone and asked her +to talk to him on the wireless. A moment later their invisible messages +were speeding back and forth over the miles of billowing pine tops that +intervened between the two little forest homes, and no listener in on the +department telephone system could either know that they were talking or +tell what they said. Charley was overjoyed when Mrs. Morton told him that +her husband was about ready to come back to work. His arm was still +painful and he could not use it much, but he could now get around well and +was fast becoming strong again.</p> + +<p>When Charley told the forester the news, the latter expressed his +pleasure. He studied Charley's face a moment to see how Charley felt over +the news.</p> + +<p>"You realize what it means to you when Jim is able to do his work again, +do you?" asked Mr. Marlin.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Charley. A feeling of regret passed through his mind and +was mirrored on his face. But there was nothing unkind or unfair about +it. "Maybe some day I'll qualify as a real ranger," sighed Charley, "but +I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn something."</p> + +<p>"Charley," continued the forester, "you've earned the right to see this +lumber operation through. It's a big responsibility. You've worked night +and day to get ready for the job. Do you think I'm the kind of man who +would rob you of the reward that you have justly earned?"</p> + +<p>"I don't exactly understand," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"I mean," replied the forester, "that no matter whether Jim gets well in +time or not, you are going to handle the lumber operation in this +district. Jim can do something else. There's plenty of work for a dozen +rangers. You are to be the boss of this job."</p> + +<p>"Do you really mean it?" cried Charley in delight.</p> + +<p>"Surely I mean it," said the forester. "It wouldn't be a fair deal not to +let you take charge after the way you've tried to qualify for the work."</p> + +<p>Charley held out his hand. "Thanks," was all that he could say, for a lump +came into his throat.</p> + +<p>"And while we are talking about the lumber job," the forester went on, "I +want to say that I was never so badly fooled about anything in my life. +The cut isn't coming anywhere near my estimate. It must be five to ten +thousand feet per acre less than I thought it would run. I guess the Big +Chief at Harrisburg will think I'm a pretty poor timber cruiser."</p> + +<p>"How's that?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Well, you remember the day I first met you in the forest, Charley, I was +cruising with two good timber estimators. They're skilled men. We were +making the estimate on which this sale was based. I sent in my estimate +and the department made its figures on that basis. But the timber that is +actually being taken out doesn't begin to scale what I thought it would. +Of course I was wrong in not cruising a bigger strip. But I just couldn't +spare the time, then. Evidently the stand over in Lumley's district is not +so heavy as it is here. The right way to estimate timber is to cruise +strips entirely across the stand. You can't make a correct estimate by +cruising an acre or two as I did and estimating an entire stand on the +basis of that acre or two. You see the stand in the bottom may be half as +heavy again as the stand on the hillside."</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin paused. After a moment, he went on, "Before the lumbermen get +into your district I want to make another estimate. You and I will cruise +a few strips the entire width of the stand. That will take quite a little +time. We can't start to-day, but we'll get at it at the first opportunity. +Meantime, I want you to get all the practice you can in scaling lumber, so +that you can do it readily. You will have to scale every stick cut in your +district and keep tally on all the lumber that is taken out. It's highly +important work, for the state depends upon your figures to get its just +pay for the lumber cut. If you make mistakes, the state will lose +accordingly. I want you to practice scaling so that you can do it as +readily as you can measure a board with a yardstick."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll do some practicing to-day," said Charley. "You sent my crew +into another district and I can put in a whole afternoon practicing."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I'll take you out to the skidways where the logs are being +piled by the highway, and you can work there as long as you like. Do you +have that log-rule I gave you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. But what about this? How shall I know if my measurements are +correct?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway +and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official +record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly +right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the +motor-car.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester +suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my +office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to +Lumley's house."</p> + +<p>Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid +of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good +as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back."</p> + +<p>They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate. +"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and +specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs.</p> + +<p>Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter +of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in +the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at +the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster +and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The +contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper. +When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled +when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the +log piles he had been measuring.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" he said to himself. "At the price lumber is selling for now, those +logs are worth a small fortune. Gad! It makes a fellow feel pretty sober +when he thinks how easily he could make a mistake that would cost the +state hundreds of dollars."</p> + +<p>He tucked his record in his pocket, along with his pencil, and started for +his cabin. Despite the fact that he was soon to lose his place of +authority, he could not help feeling happy. His diploma had been awarded +to him on Commencement day, although he had not been able to be present to +receive it, and that was one cause for happiness. His comrades had never +yet been able to visit him, but he had received a letter that morning +telling him that the entire Wireless Patrol was coming out to spend a +Sunday with him in the new cabin. That was a second cause for happiness. +His friend, Mr. Morton, was almost well, and that was a third cause for +happiness. And finally, he had earned the confidence of his chief so +completely that his chief was entrusting to him the very important task of +overseeing the lumber operation. That made Charley's heart swell with +pride. Even the near approach of his reduction to the ranks again could +not mar his happiness; for in his heart he knew that he had made good and +that it was only a question of time until he should become a ranger in +fact as well as in name.</p> + +<p>So he went on his way happy, rejoicing in his accomplishment, enjoying the +new life of the forest, joyous with the strength and hope and confidence +of youth. He came at last to his trail's end, and climbed the tower to +look for fire and to watch the sun go down.</p> + +<p>"It's warm enough so that a fellow could sleep up here now," he said to +himself suddenly. "I'll just build a bunk up here and then I can sleep +here whenever I feel like it. If I wake up in the night, I can take a look +around and make sure everything is all right."</p> + +<p>He went down to his cabin and got a rope, some boards, foot-rule, saw, +hammer, auger, and nails. He went back to the tower and made some +measurements. Then he came down, cut his boards, bored holes into them, +tied them together, and went up again with his tools and nails and the end +of the rope. He hauled up the boards and drew them into the watch-tower. +Then he nailed them together and had a snug little bunk that stretched +completely across one side of the little structure. He wove the cord back +and forth across the bunk through the auger holes in place of springs. +Then he went down to the ground, made a tick out of one of his sheets, +filled it with leaves and got it up to the tower.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, as he spread it on the rope, "all I need is a pillow and a +blanket and I'm fixed."</p> + +<p>He went down and cooked his supper. Then he talked both to Mrs. Morton and +to Lew by wireless. He made a cheerful blaze in his fireplace and studied +until ten o'clock. Then he got a pillow and a pair of blankets, blew out +his lamp, and ascended to the tower. He intended to go to sleep at once, +but the night was so beautiful that for a long time he sat on his bunk, +looking out over the forest, which lay still as a sleeping infant under +the moon's white light. Finally he wrapped himself in his blanket, +stretched out on his bunk, and was quickly asleep.</p> + +<p>Charley was up early the next morning. He glanced at his watch and saw +that it lacked three-quarters of an hour of the time he usually had a +brief wireless chat with Mrs. Morton, so he cooked his breakfast at once. +Before he had finished eating, he heard the distant chugging of the +forester's car. Sometime later a cheery voice called up the slope, and +looking out of his door, Charley saw Mr. Marlin climbing up the mountain. +Charley hustled to get a cup of coffee ready for his chief.</p> + +<p>"I came early," said the forester, "for it will take us some time to go +over these plans. Also I brought Lumley's figures for you to check up your +estimate by." And he handed Charley some slips of paper.</p> + +<p>While Mr. Marlin was drinking his coffee, Charley compared Lumley's +figures with those he had made on a bit of paper. At first he looked +crestfallen. Then he appeared puzzled. Then an expression of great +indignation came into his face. He seemed greatly agitated.</p> + +<p>The forester was studying his expression closely. "What's the difficulty, +Charley?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I told you I never trusted Lumley," he burst out. "Just look here."</p> + +<p>He laid his figures beside Lumley's. Mr. Marlin ran his eye over them. At +first he, too, seemed puzzled. Then his face grew black as a thundercloud.</p> + +<p>"Are you certain that you know how to scale a log right, Charley?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Absolutely, Mr. Marlin."</p> + +<p>"How do you estimate a log?"</p> + +<p>Charley got his rule and laid it across the end of an unburned log in his +fireplace. It was ten inches in diameter.</p> + +<p>"If that were a twelve-foot log," he said, consulting the scale, "it +would have three board feet in it. If it were sixteen feet long, it would +have six feet."</p> + +<p>"Absolutely correct, Charley. Did you measure those logs that way +yesterday?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>The two men looked at each other for a full minute. "Charley," said the +forester, "I've been as blind as a bat. I never liked Lumley, any more +than you did, though I couldn't tell you that. But I trusted him because +he had been in the department a good many years and was fairly efficient. +He has betrayed my trust and attempted to rob the state by false +measurement. I understand now why my estimate seemed so far out of the +way. The estimate was probably close enough. Lumley has sold out to the +lumber operators. I'd like to know how they reached him."</p> + +<p>The forester fell into a deep study. His face was dark and angry. A long +time he sat silent. "I wonder," he said finally, "if Bill Collins' +presence in the woods last spring had anything to do with it. I'd just +like to know who that was with him."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley. "I forgot to tell you what I discovered. +The other night when I got near Lumley's house, I saw Lumley and another +man up-stairs. They pulled the curtain down quick when the dogs barked. At +first I felt sure the man was Collins. But when I went into the house, +Lumley sat at the table with the man. He wasn't Collins, though he looked +like him. But I discovered this. The man I saw last spring in the forest +with Collins was Lumley. I hardly noticed him at the time, but when I saw +these two men together I felt sure they were the pair I had seen in the +woods--only the stranger wasn't Collins."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure?"</p> + +<p>"The man I saw at the table wasn't Collins."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure he was the man you saw in the bedroom?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked at the forester in silence. "I never thought of that," he +said, after a moment. "There must have been two strangers in the house. +Lumley thought I was coming and would recognize Collins, so he must have +hustled down-stairs with the other man and left Collins up-stairs. I'll +bet anything that's what happened. And that makes me believe more than +ever that Lumley was with Collins in the forest. Otherwise, why should he +fear to have me see Collins?"</p> + +<p>"Charley, it is as plain as the nose on your face. Collins is the +go-between in this crooked lumber deal. These lumber operators meant to +cheat the state when they sent in their bid. They must have had it all +arranged with Lumley then. That's why they put in the highest bid, so as +to make sure to get the timber. By George! They could afford to bid high. +Just see what they've stolen in one day's cut of timber."</p> + +<p>The forester's face grew black as a thundercloud. "But we'll fix them, +Charley," he cried. "We'll get all that money back for the state and maybe +put these fellows in prison besides. Anyway, we'll put Lumley there sure. +Don't breathe a word of this to a soul. We'll check up Lumley's figures +every day now at the skidways. When we have enough evidence, we'll act. +Meantime, don't let a soul suspect that you know anything, and don't do +anything to alarm Lumley."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch24"> +<h2>Chapter XXIV</h2> + +<h3>Checkmated</h3> + + + +<p>Charley was afoot very early next morning. At the usual time he flashed +out a wireless call for the Mortons, and the ranger himself answered. Mr. +Morton could now operate the wireless quite readily, though, of course, +with nothing like the skill his wife had acquired. He reported that he was +to return to duty the next morning, starting work, with a big crew, on a +six-foot fire-line along the summit of Old Ironsides. Charley was +overjoyed at the news. It meant that now he would have a chance to see +this friend from time to time.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had not said that he would come to see Charley this morning, +nor had he telephoned any message to that effect; but when Charley heard +the steady chugging of a motor in the valley below, he believed it must be +the forester. He was not quite certain, however, because the motor did not +seem to beat exactly like Mr. Marlin's. The dense foliage completely hid +the approaching car from view, so that Charley could not see what sort of +an automobile it was.</p> + +<p>It mattered little to Charley, however, who it was. He was the soul of +hospitality, and at once he set some coffee to boiling for his approaching +visitor.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the forester. He presently came puffing up the slope, +and after he had drunk some coffee and gotten his breath, the two men +began to plan how they should best watch Lumley. The logs must be checked +up carefully, yet it was desirable that no one see Charley measuring them. +Finally it was decided that each day Charley should measure them in the +early evening immediately after the last log truck had started away with +its load. There would be nobody around then, and Charley could easily +measure the day's cut and get home to his cabin before dark.</p> + +<p>For an hour the two guardians of the forest discussed matters that pressed +for attention. Then the forester rose to go. "I have Lumley's report on +yesterday's cut," he said, "and if nobody is around when we reach the +skidways, we'll just check it up. We can drive out in a few minutes, but +you will have to walk back. Get your log-rule and come on." And they went +down the mountain to the end of the new road.</p> + +<p>"Hello!" cried Charley in surprise, as he caught sight of the forester's +car. "You're driving a big truck, eh? I thought that motor didn't sound +like your Henry."</p> + +<p>"Yes; there was a load of stuff to be hauled out for Jim's crew. He starts +work to-morrow. I killed two birds with one stone by bringing the stuff, +which I dumped at Jim's, and then coming on out here."</p> + +<p>As they reached the car, Charley said, "It looks powerful."</p> + +<p>"It's one of those old army trucks Uncle Sam gave us. Got a great battery +and tremendous power. Get in."</p> + +<p>They climbed aboard. Mr. Marlin touched the starter and the engine began +to chug. He let in his clutch but the car would not move. The car happened +to be standing on a moist spot and its great weight had pressed the wheels +far down into the soft new road. Mr. Marlin threw on the power. The truck +jumped, something snapped sharply and a banging noise followed as the car +moved jerkily ahead.</p> + +<p>"Thunderation!" cried the forester. "I've broken the differential. I bet +ten dollars on it." And investigation proved his diagnosis was correct. "I +suppose it will take all summer to get a new part," growled the forester. +"This truck will have to stand here idle until repairs come. But <i>we</i> +can't stand here idle. Come on."</p> + +<p>They set off down the road. After a long hike they came to the skidways at +the main road. Nobody was in sight.</p> + +<p>"We'll begin at one end and work toward the other until we hear somebody +coming. Then we'll have business elsewhere."</p> + +<p>Pile by pile they scaled the logs, Charley using the log-rule under Mr. +Marlin's close observation, while the forester himself kept tally. Alone +in the big woods, they talked freely.</p> + +<p>"Why do you suppose Lumley took a chance like this?" asked the forester. +"He might have known he'd get caught."</p> + +<p>"Primarily because he wanted the money, of course," maintained Charley. +"But there's another thing that may play a part in the matter. Did you +know that Lumley's folks once owned this virgin timber?"</p> + +<p>"I've heard that a generation or two back the Lumley family owned big +tracts of land hereabouts. Naturally some of that land would now be +included within the limits of the state's holdings."</p> + +<p>"When I was living at Lumley's, he told me over and over about his +family's having owned this timber and his grandfather's having been +swindled out of it. He seemed to me to be mighty unreasonable about it. He +was awful sore, and said he'd be a millionaire to-day if he had all the +timber his grandfather owned and that it was his by rights, anyway. I +recall that he said the thought of anybody else's getting the money for +the timber made him almost want to commit murder."</p> + +<p>The forester looked sober. "He's a bad egg," he said. "I really believe he +wouldn't hesitate to commit murder if he were cornered. You want to watch +him. We'll have to be mighty careful how we handle this business."</p> + +<p>"Hark!" said Charley. "Isn't that the sound of a truck?" And as they +listened, faintly they could hear the sound of a motor.</p> + +<p>"Probably a log truck coming for a load. If we'd had a few minutes more, +we could have completed the job. There are only two piles left. We'll just +disappear until this truck goes away. Then we can come back and finish."</p> + +<p>The beating of the motor sounded louder. The two men moved toward the +forest. As they passed the farther end of the first unmeasured log pile, +the forester stopped in amazement. A man sat on the ground, leaning lazily +against the logs. It was the man Charley had seen that night at Lumley's.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing here, Henry Collins?" demanded the forester sternly.</p> + +<p>"I'm working for the lumber company," said the man, sullenly.</p> + +<p>"You appear to be working hard," replied the forester scornfully.</p> + +<p>"I help load the trucks," said the fellow, as the forester turned on his +heel and walked away, followed by Charley.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose that he could have heard what we said, do you?" asked +Charley, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Heard every word of it," replied the forester. "The jig is up. That was +Bill Collins' cousin and he's as crooked as Bill. Lumley will know what's +afoot as quick as Collins can get word to him. We've got to act quick. +There's a detail of state constabulary at Ironton, and they could get here +in a motor in thirty minutes if I could only telephone them. Why in +thunderation did I ever leave the office without my portable instrument? +The nearest 'phone is at Jim Morton's. It will take me three-quarters of +an hour at my best pace to make it. But it's the best I can do. I'll hike +for Jim's. You hustle back to your tower and keep a close watch on things. +I'll telephone you as soon as I can. We've got to step lively if we are to +catch that scoundrel Lumley."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch25"> +<h2>Chapter XXV</h2> + +<h3>The Crisis</h3> + + + +<p>The forester hastened down the highway at a A tremendous pace. Charley set +out along the forest road he had so recently built. Before he knew it, he +was running madly. He ran for a long distance, hardly conscious that he +was running. Presently he stopped from very fatigue. Then he realized that +he was greatly excited and that he was running from sheer nervousness.</p> + +<p>"This won't do at all," he muttered to himself. "You're worse than an old +hen. If ever you needed to keep your head, it's right now."</p> + +<p>He took a grip on himself, drew a long breath, and settled to a fast walk, +thinking hard. He could not see how he himself could accomplish the arrest +of Lumley. If his chief did not think it advisable to attempt it, he was +very certain that he ought not to try it himself. And he was glad at the +thought. For he could not help but recall the wicked gleam in Lumley's +eyes, the man's savage outburst of temper, and his vicious talk. He +understood well enough that Lumley would not submit to arrest without a +struggle.</p> + +<p>Then the thought came to him that he had no business trying to arrest +Lumley, even if he could do it. The chief was attending to that and the +chief knew best what to do under the circumstances. Also, the chief had +given him his orders. His business was to obey orders. And those orders +were to take care of the forest.</p> + +<p>Fresh alarm seized him. Why had the forester given him those orders? Was +there danger of any one's setting fire to the forest? At the thought +Charley was almost in a panic again. A passionate love for the great woods +he was guarding had sprung up in Charley's heart. He held come to dread +fire with a dread unspeakable. He had come to regard it with a feeling of +absolute terror. In this feeling there was nothing of physical fear. A +little blaze in the forest made him so wild with anger that nowadays he +would fight it recklessly. His fear was the dread lest the immemorial +trees he was guarding should be wasted and the forest destroyed. It was +apprehension for the forest, not for himself, that troubled Charley.</p> + +<p>Rapidly he passed along the road, now jogging to relieve the nervous +tension, now proceeding at a fast walk. He came to the slope of the +mountain but his pace was no whit slower. At last, panting and almost +exhausted from his terrific efforts, he reached the crest. He staggered to +the ladder and climbed painfully to the watch-tower. Steadying himself, he +swept the horizon in every direction. The forest seemed to slumber. No +smoke arose, no winds swayed the tree tops. The twilight peace enfolded +everything. Satisfied that all was safe, Charley sank down on his bunk and +lay there until he was rested. Then he climbed down to his cabin and +cooked supper.</p> + +<p>Never since he had been alone in the forest had Charley so much felt the +need of companionship as he did now. He lighted a little fire in his +hearth and the cheery snapping of the burning sticks comforted him. He sat +down at his wireless and talked with Mr. Morton. The latter could not tell +him much about the situation. The forester had telephoned from his place +for the police and the latter had started at once for the forest. That was +all Mr. Morton knew. Charley called up Lew and told him as much of the +situation as he thought wise, and got the news from Central City. When he +threw over his switch and turned away from his wireless table, he felt +somewhat comforted. But the feeling of dread and apprehension had not +altogether left him.</p> + +<p>For some time he read, or tried to read. Study he could not. At last he +went to the telephone and called Mr. Marlin. He reported that all was well +in the forest. He was burning to ask his chief all about the situation, +yet hardly dared. He might say something that the chief would rather have +unsaid; for always there was the possibility of listeners in on the +telephone. And Lumley's family could listen in as readily as any others.</p> + +<p>Doubtless Mr. Marlin appreciated Charley's self-restraint. Before he said +good-night, he remarked casually to Charley, "I may want you to do some +work at the lumber camp to-morrow. I tried to find Lumley there late this +afternoon to give him some orders, but he had gone away. I have asked his +wife to have him call me the moment he comes home. Don't forget my final +instructions to you this afternoon. Good-night."</p> + +<p>To an outsider the message would mean nothing, as Mr. Marlin intended it +should. But to Charley it told the whole story. Lumley had fled before the +arrival of the forester and the state police.</p> + +<p>Charley reviewed the forester's words to him, as they talked at the log +piles. "He's a bad egg. I really believe he wouldn't hesitate to commit +murder if he were cornered. You want to watch him. We'll have to be mighty +careful how we handle this business.... You hustle back to your tower and +keep a close watch on things."</p> + +<p>Again a feeling of apprehension came to Charley, and this time there was +something of personal fear about it. Again Charley recalled the fugitive +ranger's violence of temper, and his evident jealousy of the chief. And as +Charley considered the matter now, he saw that Lumley must have been even +more jealous of him, Charley, than he was of the chief. Now he understood +all the prying efforts Lumley had made to learn the size of his pay. Quite +evidently Lumley could not endure to see another man get ahead. Charley +felt sure that it would not be safe for him to meet Lumley. He resolved +to be on his guard every second. Then he sighed with relief at the thought +that Lumley had fled.</p> + +<p>But a moment later his face became very grave. "How do I know that Lumley +has fled?" he asked himself. "To go any distance, he would have to walk +along a highway, or ride in a motor-car, or board a train; and in any case +he might be seen and traced. On the other hand, Lumley knows the forest +like a book. He has lived in it for years. Where else could he so well +hope to elude pursuit?" Charley felt certain that Lumley must be somewhere +in the forest.</p> + +<p>Immediately he got his rifle, filled the magazine, and stood it within +reach. He tried to read, but was too nervous. Then he thought of the open +windows and his light within the cabin. Any one could see through the +windows--or shoot through them. Charley put his flash-light in his pocket +and blew out his lamp. The evening was warm, and Charley opened the door +and sat down on the sill, leaning against the jamb of the door, and +cradling his rifle across his knees.</p> + +<p>Soon his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. From where he sat, +Charley could look out over what seemed like infinite stretches of forest. +The moon had not yet risen, and the valleys below him were vast depths of +darkness. Mist floated above, partly obscuring the stars. A gentle breeze +was blowing up here on the mountain top, but Charley knew that down in the +valleys the air was like stagnant water. The whispering of the trees +around him was like the quiet breathing of a babe asleep, and the +occasional sounds of the forest creatures were no more disturbing than the +gentle murmurs of a dreaming child. Peace enfolded the forest. It seemed +to Charley as though that great, invisible, beneficent Spirit we call God +had cradled the forest in His arms as a mother cradles her little ones. +The thought comforted him. Something of the peace about him crept into his +own heart. He drew a long sigh and sat back.</p> + +<p>After a time he began to feel drowsy. He took his blanket and his rifle, +and, closing his cabin door, climbed to the fire-tower. He closed and +bolted the trap-door in the floor of the tower. For some time he sat on +the edge of his bunk, watching the forest. Behind the eastern mountains +the sky began to glow. The moon was coming up. In another hour or two, +Charley knew, the forest would be flooded with silvery light. He loved the +moonlight on the pines, but he was becoming too sleepy to stay awake to +see it. The moment the moon's first rays shot over the eastern hilltops, +Charley lay back in his bunk, stood his rifle within reach, drew the +blankets about him, and was almost instantly asleep.</p> + +<p>Yet he slumbered uneasily. Terrible dreams disturbed him. Once or twice he +awoke and started up in alarm. Once the slender tower seemed to vibrate as +though some one were mounting the ladder. But Charley dismissed the idea +as idle fancy, for the nocturnal stillness was unbroken. So, fitfully, +Charley slept through the night.</p> + +<p>Dawn found him afoot. Eagerly he scanned the horizon. Banks of mist lay +over the valleys, concealing much of the forest. Slowly Charley examined +the horizon, half fearful, half relieved. From the two sides of his tower +he could see nothing disturbing. But when he turned to the third side his +heart stood still. Unmistakable in the whitish mist, darker clouds were +rising upward. The forest was afire.</p> + +<p>Intently Charley studied the smoke pillar, trying to locate it exactly and +to estimate the extent of the blaze. Satisfied, he swept his glance +farther along the horizon, but stopped abruptly. A second spiral of smoke +was stealing upward through the mist. Before he had completed his survey, +Charley discovered four more smoke columns. Somebody had fired the forest +in half a dozen different places.</p> + +<p>Whoever had done it must have known the forest intimately. The blazes had +been kindled just where they would do the most damage.</p> + +<p>Charley's mind worked like lightning. Even as he examined and located the +smoke columns, he was planning how best to extinguish the fires. It was +still very early. The wind would not rise for hours yet. Even then the +dense timber would break its force. Meanwhile the fire would spread but +slowly. If only he could get his men to the spot in time, Charley felt +sure he could put out every blaze with but slight damage done. By the +time he reached for the telephone, he had his plan of campaign mapped out. +Morton's big crew would be assembling in a short time. The forester might +be able to hasten their assembling and to collect more men. With trucks he +could rush the gang clear to the foot of the mountain, where the broken +army truck lay. An excellent fire trail would take some of them afoot +direct to the first blazes. Other groups could strike through the passes +for the other fires. With the chief and Mr. Morton and himself to head +three of the crews, and experienced fire fighters to lead the other +groups, Charley felt sure that they would hold the fires.</p> + +<p>Sharply Charley whirled the bell handle and put the receiver to his ear. +There was no response. Impatiently he rang again. Still he got no reply. A +feeling of alarm took possession of him. Frantically he rang and rang, but +the receiver at his ear was mute. The wire was cut.</p> + +<p>"Thank God for the wireless!" cried Charley, snatching up the trap-door +and descending the ladder recklessly. "There aren't any wires about that +to be cut."</p> + +<p>Involuntarily he glanced toward his aerial. Then he stopped dead. His +aerial had disappeared. Now he knew why the tower had vibrated during the +night. Somebody <i>had</i> been on the ladder. If only he had gotten up to +investigate! But it was too late now for regrets. He must act. He must get +up another aerial. An idea came to him and he shouted for joy. He would +use the tower itself as an aerial.</p> + +<p>He raced to the cabin and flung open the door. A single glance showed him +his cupboard had been rifled of its food supplies. He leaped toward his +operating-table and stopped aghast. His face turned pale, his hands fell +helplessly to his sides, and he stood looking at the instruments before +him, the picture of despair. A heavy file lay across the terminals of his +battery, and the battery was useless.</p> + +<p>Unnerved, Charley sank down on a chair. He covered his face with his +hands. It would take him hours to reach the Morton home on foot. And it +might be hours more before the forester could be notified. It looked as +though the forest were doomed.</p> + +<p>Fairly shaking himself, as a terrier shakes a rat, Charley freed himself +of the fear that clutched at his heart and forced himself to think. Calmly +he began to consider what he could do. He thought of the dry cells he had +first used. They were still wired together and in the cabin. Like a flash +Charley coupled them to his instrument, but the cells were exhausted. He +could get no spark from them.</p> + +<p>Again he sat down and thought. Suddenly he leaped to his feet. "The army +truck!" he cried. "If he overlooked that, I'll beat him yet."</p> + +<p>He began to assemble tools and instruments. But when he looked for wire to +fashion an aerial, his face grew black. The intruder had taken both +aerial and lead-in wire, and Charley hadn't a hundred feet of wire left in +the place. What should he do? What could he do?</p> + +<p>Again he paused and pondered. And again an idea came to him. "They use +trees for aerials," he muttered, "and they make perfect ones to receive +by. I don't know whether one could send from them or not. But it's my last +chance. I'll try it."</p> + +<p>He gathered together his tools and instruments, including the creepers he +had used in putting up the telephone-line, carefully stowed them all in a +big basket and started down the mountain. A hundred yards from the door he +turned about and ran back. When he came out of the cabin again, his rifle +was tucked under his arm. Then he went down the mountain as fast as he +could travel.</p> + +<p>Fearfully he studied the truck as he drew near. It was untouched. With a +cry of joy, Charley tore open the battery box. In no time he had some +wires fast to the battery. He spread out his instruments and coupled +everything carefully together. The outfit lacked only an aerial.</p> + +<p>Buckling on his creepers, and stuffing some spikes and a hammer in his +pocket, Charley rapidly mounted a tall tree that stood close beside the +truck. As luck would have it, the tree stood all by itself, its nearest +neighbors having been cut in making the road. Two-thirds of the way up the +tree, Charley drove a spike deep into the wood. He sank a second spike +not far from the first. Then he drove home a third. The lead-in wire +dangled behind him at his belt. He unfastened it and twisted it tight to +the spikes, wrapping it close about one after the other. Then he climbed +down and made sure his wire did not touch the earth. Trembling with +eagerness, he sat down at his key.</p> + +<p>One moment he paused, drawing out his watch. With a cry of joy, he put his +finger on the key. It was almost the hour at which he was accustomed to +exchange morning greetings with Mr. Morton. He pressed his key and a sharp +flash resulted. Joyously he adjusted his spark-gap until he had a fine, +fat stream of fire leaping between the posts. Then he fairly held his +breath as he rapped out the ranger's call signal.</p> + +<p>"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he called and listened. There was no response. Again +he called. And again there was no response. His face became pale. His +fingers began to tremble.</p> + +<p>"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he rapped out frantically, sending the call again +and again. Then he sat back to listen. Suddenly his receivers buzzed. With +startling distinctness came the answer.</p> + +<p>"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I. Your signals very weak."</p> + +<p>So the ranger could hear, Charley did not care how weak the signals were.</p> + +<p>"Forest afire in six places," he flashed back. "Wires cut. Wireless +broken. Talking over temporary outfit. Notify forester. Collect all men +possible. Come immediately in trucks to end of new road. Can get to fires +on foot from here easily."</p> + +<p>"Where are fires?" replied Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"South and west of fire-tower. In valleys both sides of fire-tower +mountain."</p> + +<p>"How far away?"</p> + +<p>"About two miles--maybe three."</p> + +<p>"How big are they?"</p> + +<p>"Still small. Can put out before wind rises. Must have help quick."</p> + +<p>There was a long pause. Then came this message, "Have sent neighbor with +his automobile to notify forester. Will rush crew. Hold fire best you can. +Good-bye."</p> + +<p>With a cry of relief that came from his very soul, Charley threw over his +switch and leaped to his feet. He seized his rifle, then stood a second, +hesitating.</p> + +<p>"No," he said decisively, "the man who set those fires won't wait around +to be seen, even if he is a desperate man."</p> + +<p>He slipped his rifle under a clump of bushes and buckled on his little +axe. Then he started down the fire trail at a fast pace. Now running, now +walking, advancing as fast as he could without exhausting himself, Charley +hastened toward the fire. Long before he reached the nearest blaze, +Charley smelled smoke. As he drew near the fire, he studied it as best he +could. He rejoiced that it was so small. The mist bank and the heavy fall +of dew had so moistened things that the fire crept but slowly.</p> + +<p>Charley cut a pine branch and fell upon the flames ferociously. A great +anger surged up in his heart, like the fierce passion that takes +possession of a bull when he sees red. It lent power and determination to +him. Yet Charley tried to conserve his strength. Yard after yard he beat +out the flames, thankful that he had to face only a little creeping fire. +Small as it was, the blaze was, nevertheless, hot and stifling.</p> + +<p>Rod after rod Charley fought his way around the ring of fire, never +pausing for a single instant to rest. By the time he had completed the +circle and the blaze was out, Charley was beginning to tire badly. He +doubted if he could beat out the six fires alone. If they grew any larger, +he knew he could not. And larger they were becoming, for the first faint +puffs of the morning breeze were beginning to stir the tree tops.</p> + +<p>Half a mile through the trees Charley smashed his way to the next ring of +fire. He could see that the flames were leaping a little higher and that +they were eating their way along at a faster pace than the first fire had +traveled. He knew it would be hard to stop this blaze. But he cut a new +bough, and gritting his teeth, once more fell to fighting fire.</p> + +<p>Quickly he found it was quite a different fire from the one he had +extinguished. Fitfully the wind was coming up. When it blew, the flames +seemed to leap at Charley. His shoes, his clothes, his hands and wrists +were blistered by the heat. His fingers were torn and his muscles ached. +His lungs and throat became painful. His eyes grew blurred. He could no +longer see clearly. There was a ringing noise in his ears. Yet coughing, +choking, gasping for breath, stumbling and tripping, and at times falling +prone, he fought his way along the line of fire.</p> + +<p>He was so weak, so worn out from physical exertion and nervous strain that +he could no longer think clearly. But blindly, stubbornly, doggedly, he +fought the flames. His movements became mechanical. Sometimes his +descending bough hit the fire and sometimes it struck the unignited +leaves. Charley was fast nearing the point of exhaustion. He could +scarcely control his movements. Yet he tried valiantly to hold himself to +his task. He thought of the turtle-dove on the burning stump and for a +moment the thought seemed to give him new strength. But the inspiration +was only momentary. Blindly now he staggered along the line of fire, +gasping, reeling, swaying, hardly able to keep his feet. He tottered on.</p> + +<p>He could hardly raise his brush. His efforts were useless. Yet he hung +doggedly to his duty. Just as he was about to plunge headlong into the +flames, a shout sounded in his ears, forms came rushing through the smoke, +and Charley was lifted in the forester's strong arms and borne to one +side.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch26"> +<h2>Chapter XXVI</h2> + +<h3>More Thumb-Prints</h3> + + + +<p>For a long time Charley lay on his back, hardly conscious of anything. But +slowly the pure air revived him and his powers came back. He sat up, then +rose unsteadily to his feet. In a few moments he felt all right. He began +to look about him. The fire he had been fighting was extinguished. He +ascended an easily climbed tree and saw that the third fire in the valley +was also out. He knew that the fire fighters had gone on to the next +valley to subdue the blazes there. The wind was still no more than a +zephyr and he knew they would succeed. The forest was saved. A feeling of +great relief came to him.</p> + +<p>He sat down and rested, thinking what he ought to do. He remembered what +the forester had said about the desirability of an immediate investigation +of incendiary fires. Here was his job.</p> + +<p>He made his way to the blackened area where he had put out the first fire. +The space burned over was small. Charley stood and looked at it for some +moments, thinking the problem over. Then he walked slowly around the +burned area, examining it closely, but not stepping within the fire-line. +Then he wet a finger and held it aloft. Unmistakably the light breeze was +from the west. It had doubtless been blowing from that quarter all the +morning, though this particular fire had been extinguished when there was +hardly more than a suspicion of a breeze. The fire would have spread in an +elongated circle, or more exactly an oval. Charley tried to figure out the +exact starting point. He felt sure he could estimate it within a few +yards.</p> + +<p>When he had decided about where the fire must have originated, he made his +way cautiously, a yard at a time, toward that point. He was careful not to +disturb the leaves any more than was necessary in putting down his feet. +Carefully he scrutinized every inch of the ground he covered. He was +looking for a mound of burned leaves or any other suspicious thing. But he +found none. Look where he would, the leaves seemed to have been disturbed +before the fire started.</p> + +<p>Not far from the point selected by Charley as the probable place of the +fire's origin, the ground thrust up in a little, low shoulder, as though +there might be an outcropping ledge of rock there. Immediately around this +elevation the ground was clear of brush. No trees stood near. Charley paid +little attention to the mound until he noticed that it was hollowed out on +top. At the same time a piece of freshly dug earth caught his eye near by. +At least Charley judged it to be freshly dug, although it was blackened by +fire. He made his way very carefully to the little mound. Now he noticed +that the leaves about this mound had been raked together, for the ashes +lay thick in the hollow centre in the elevation.</p> + +<p>Cautiously Charley began to scratch among the ashes at the edge of the +pile. His fingers encountered many rough chunks of earth, partly hardened +by fire. The rain, the frost, and the cold of winter would naturally have +broken those chunks down into loose soil. So Charley knew they could not +be very old. As he scratched more of them out of the leaves, he blew the +ashes from them and examined them critically. He could think of no +connection between these chunks of earth and the fire, yet something made +him scrutinize them closely.</p> + +<p>All the time he was carefully digging the ashes away, and working toward +the centre of the pile. Suddenly he picked up a chunk that was quite +different from the crumbly earth masses he had been handling. This piece +was partly hardened and reddened. At once Charley saw it was clay.</p> + +<p>Charley continued to scrape aside the ashes. He found more and more little +chunks of clay, while the hollow place in the centre of the mound proved +to be a square, small depression that must have been made with human +hands. Even before he had it cleared of ashes, Charley knew that. The +depression was much too rectangular to be natural. It was about eighteen +inches square and almost a foot deep. In the bottom of it were charred +ends of sticks and a little candle grease, buried under the mass of ashes.</p> + +<p>When Charley had carefully scraped and blown out all the ashes possible, +he lay flat on his belly and examined the place minutely. Some person or +persons had dug a little square chamber, like a sunken box, right in the +shoulder of the mound. Charley decided that a candle had been placed in +the centre of the box-like excavation, leaves packed loosely about the +base of the candle, some fine, dry twigs stacked across the edges of the +excavation, and across the top of the hole other dry twigs had been +placed. Then the candle had been lighted, the open side of the excavation +closed with twigs thrust vertically into the clay, and leaves heaped over +and about the excavation.</p> + +<p>As Charley examined the mound, he could not but admire the devilish +cunning exhibited in the construction of this fire box. The open space +about the mound would give full sweep to the morning breeze, and the box +was located in the windward shoulder of the little mound, exactly where +the breeze would hit it hardest. The piles of leaves heaped about the box +would spread the flames on all sides.</p> + +<p>The candle grease in the bottom of the excavation, Charley had no doubt, +was the remains of one of his own candles, taken with the food supplies +from his cupboard. Nor did he doubt that the man who had taken it was +Lumley. He must have disappeared in the forest the moment Henry Collins +had told him what was afoot, for there could be no doubt Collins had +informed him. After the moon rose, so that he could see well, Lumley must +have come to the cabin, stolen food and candles, cautiously removed the +aerial and grounded the battery, and gone straight down the valley to set +his fires. If he could not get the money for the timber, or at least some +of it, quite evidently Lumley did not intend to allow any one else to have +it, not even the state.</p> + +<p>In his own mind Charley had no doubt whatever that the incendiary was +Lumley, and that he had done exactly the things Charley pictured him as +doing. Even now he must be somewhere in the forest. But Charley felt +relieved when he realized that in all probability Lumley had no firearms. +He must have fled without taking time to equip himself. Also Charley +doubted if he would remain in the forest. The forester would be certain to +scour the woods for him, and Lumley could hardly hope to evade pursuit +indefinitely. He would probably make his way out of the forest at some +distant point and try to get away. Sooner or later, Charley felt sure, the +man would be captured and doubtless sent to prison for cheating the state. +It made Charley feel bad to think that he did not have enough direct +evidence to insure Lumley's conviction for arson as well.</p> + +<p>An idea came to Charley. Blowing away the remaining dust and ashes, +Charley once more began an examination of the little excavation. Inch by +inch he scrutinized the surface of the pit. He found it partly baked. +Suddenly he gave a cry. He had found the distinct prints of some one's +fingers. On the second side of the excavation he found more prints, and +the third side yielded still others. Carefully Charley chopped out the +incriminating bits of clay. When he laid them side by side and examined +them under his microscope, he found they had been made, not by one person, +but by three. Apparently each side of the pit had been fashioned by a +different man.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch27"> +<h2>Chapter XXVII</h2> + +<h3>Trapped</h3> + + + +<p>While Charley was turning the matter over in his mind, the forester +suddenly appeared. Charley gave a glad cry when he saw him.</p> + +<p>"Did you get them all out?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"All will be out in a short time," was the reply. "Morton and his big gang +crossed directly into the other valley when I came here with my crew. As +soon as we had finished your job here, we hustled over to the other +valley. The fires there had spread considerably, but as there was little +wind and we had a big force of men, we quickly got them under control. The +minute I was satisfied we had them in hand, I came back to see how you +were. Jim is in charge over there, so everything will be all right. How +are you?"</p> + +<p>"All O.K.," said Charley, "but I guess I must have been about all in when +you got here. I don't remember much about it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you were about gone. We got to you just in time. Now tell me what +you know about this fire."</p> + +<p>The two men sat down in the shade and Charley told his chief all that had +happened to him since the two had parted on the preceding evening. When +he showed the forester the marks in the clay, the forester was elated.</p> + +<p>"He's a pretty clever rascal who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," he +said. "It's an easy guess who your three fire bugs are. I have a very +great suspicion that the thumb-prints in that ball of clay I took from +your secret camp will match up with some of these marks, and that both +sets of prints will correspond with the marks on the thumbs of one Bill +Collins, though I didn't know that he was in the neighborhood at present. +And it's just as safe a bet that another set of those marks will match the +ends of Lumley's thumbs. If only he had been as considerate as his friend +Collins, and left his calling cards behind him, we'd have a complete case +against him."</p> + +<p>"We have," cried Charley, leaping to his feet in sudden excitement. +"Lumley left his thumb-prints in the putty he stuck in his window-sash. I +never thought of them until this moment."</p> + +<p>"Excellent!" cried the forester. "I suspect we can find the duplicates for +this third set of prints only when we lay hands on Henry Collins. But I +have a strong suspicion we'll have a chance to make that comparison very +soon."</p> + +<p>"How?" asked Charley eagerly. "What do you mean? Have the police made any +arrests?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied the forester. "But this is the situation. Lumley +will never dare hang around in the forest, for he will know that every +man in the Forest Service is looking for him. Then, too, he can't have +much food with him."</p> + +<p>"Only what he took from me, I suspect."</p> + +<p>"That makes it certain that he must leave the forest soon. It's a good +many miles from the lumber camp to this neighborhood, so the three +fugitives must be traveling in this direction. If they keep on for fifteen +or twenty miles further, they will come out of the mountains near +Pleasantville or Maple Gap. They can board a train at either place. The +state police already are watching both stations. If Lumley and his fellows +went straight on after they started the fires, and Goodness knows they +wouldn't hang around here, they could reach the railroad in six or eight +hours. That means they would be there by this time. There is a train that +reaches Pleasantville about eleven o'clock. They would have time to make +it. I should not be at all surprised, when I get back to the office, to +find a message saying that the police had caught them."</p> + +<p>"Let us hope you do," said Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester arose. "Would you like to go see?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"Then we'll hike back to the road and slip out to Lumley's house in my +car. We can get that window-sash and put it in a safe place in my office +and be back here before Jim brings his gang out."</p> + +<p>Rapidly the two walked back along the fire trail. "Charley," said the +forester suddenly, "just how did you manage to get that message to Jim? +It's all that saved the forest. The telephone was put as completely out +of commission as your wireless was."</p> + +<p>Charley then told the forester how he had used a tree for an aerial. "It +was my last chance," he said. "If it hadn't worked, the forest would have +burned. I had read about the use of trees to receive by, and I thought I +had read that messages had been sent through trees, but I wasn't sure. It +was my only chance and I took it."</p> + +<p>"You're a wonder, Charley. I take back everything I ever said about the +wireless. I have telegraphed for the Commissioner to come on from the +capital. I shall put this entire matter before him and urge the +installation of a wireless outfit in every district of the state forests. +No matter what is done elsewhere, we're going on a wireless basis here as +soon as we can get the outfit, just as I told you. If I can't get money +from the state for the outfit, I'll pay for it myself and have your +Wireless Club make it. This coming winter we'll start a radio school and +you shall have charge of it. Maybe Jim can help you now."</p> + +<p>"That will be grand," said Charley with sparkling eyes. "If only we had +the money Lumley robbed the state of, we could buy a dozen outfits."</p> + +<p>"We'll get every cent of it," said the forester with decision. "Don't you +worry about that. When we went to the lumber camp after Lumley last night, +I stopped all cutting. Before another stick is felled, you and I are going +in there and measure every stump. Then we'll estimate the timber that +came from those stumps and the lumber operators will pay for it or they +will face a criminal prosecution. If we catch Lumley, we've got the +operators dead to rights. He's the kind of a rat that will squeal quick +when he's caught."</p> + +<p>They reached the road, jumped into the forester's car and sped away to +Lumley's house. Half an hour later they entered the forester's office, +carefully carrying a window-sash. As the forester reached his desk, the +man in charge handed him a message from the state police at Maple Gap. It +read, "Have arrested three men who came out of the forest here and tried +to board a train. They give fictitious names, but no doubt two of the men +are wanted. Third has gold teeth and scar over right cheek. Do you want +him?"</p> + +<p>"Do we want him?" echoed the forester, as he began to write an answer. +"Well, I should say we do."</p> + +<p>He dashed off his message, and handed it to his assistant. "Rush that," he +directed.</p> + +<p>Then he took a long coil of wire from a closet and led the way back to his +car. "That's for a temporary aerial in case you decide to make one," he +said, as Charley climbed up beside him and they went whirling back to the +fire-tower in the mountains.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch28"> +<h2>Chapter XXVIII</h2> + +<h3>Victory</h3> + + + +<p>In due time Ranger Morton came out of the forest with his big crew. The +men were black with smoke and their hands and faces were blistered and +scratched. But they were a happy crew for all that. They had extinguished +what at first bade fair to be the worst fire ever seen in their district.</p> + +<p>By this time every man in the gang had heard the story of Lumley's +dastardly act and Charley's quick wit. Most of the men lived in or near +the forest, and a great fire might have consumed their homes just as truly +as it would have destroyed the forest. It was small wonder, then, that to +a man they had only admiration and gratitude for Charley. The last vestige +of ill-will that any of them might have had for Charley was gone. Like men +of the forest, they said little. But Charley knew that this little meant +much. He had won the good-will and respect of every man in the district. +No wonder he was happy.</p> + +<p>This thought did much to offset the feeling of regret that he could not +help experiencing at the realization that his days as a ranger were +numbered. When he became a patrol again, or a member of Jim's crew, for he +believed that Mr. Marlin would grant him that wish, he knew that he would +stand on a par with the men in their own estimation. So he waved good-bye +to the departing trucks with a mixture of happiness and regret.</p> + +<p>But he was not allowed many hours to indulge in either emotion. Very early +next morning the telephone, which Ranger Morton had promptly repaired, +began to ring. Charley answered the call and received a brusque order from +the forester to remain at the tower, as the forester was coming out to see +him.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Mr. Marlin ever sleeps," said Charley to himself. "He's +probably on his way here now and I'm hardly out of bed. I'll make him a +cup of coffee and some toast anyway."</p> + +<p>But when Charley came to make the toast, he could find only three slices +of bread. Lumley had cleaned him out of food. It seemed no time at all to +Charley before he heard the chugging of the forester's motor in the +valley. A short time afterward two men ascended to the cabin. Charley was +surprised.</p> + +<p>"Let me introduce you to the Chief Forester of Pennsylvania," said Mr. +Marlin. Charley was suddenly abashed. He held out his hand and responded +to the Commissioner's greeting, but was at a joss for anything further to +say. He thought of his toast and coffee and was more than ever +embarrassed, because he had only three slices to offer. Nevertheless, he +set what he had before his guests.</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry this is all I can offer you," he said, "but I had some +visitors yesterday who cleaned me out of food."</p> + +<p>"So I have heard," replied the Chief Forester, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"You will be glad to know, Charley," said the forester, "that those same +visitors have confessed to their crime, or rather Lumley did. When we +produced the thumb-prints in the putty and in the clay and compared them +with Lumley's thumbs, he made a clean breast of everything. It won't +surprise you to learn that he set the previous fires in this virgin +timber. He wants to be state's evidence."</p> + +<p>"Excellent!" cried Charley. "They won't burn any more forests--or rob any +more cabins. By the way, Mr. Marlin, did you bring me any more supplies?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the forester.</p> + +<p>Charley looked vastly perplexed, but said nothing. He didn't want to +bother the forester, but how he was to live without food he could not +imagine. Evidently his face must have mirrored his thoughts, for the +forester, after studying Charley's countenance, burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Charley," he said, "it's clear that you don't pay much attention to your +Bible."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Why, don't you recall that we are admonished to take no thought for the +morrow, as to what we shall eat, and so on? Here you are worrying over a +little matter like food. Don't you have any ravens out in these mountains +to bring you grub if you get hungry?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't any laughing matter," replied Charley. "What am I going to do? I +haven't an ounce of food left in the cabin."</p> + +<p>The forester's eyes sparkled. "Shall we tell him what he's to do, +Commissioner?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The Chief Forester turned toward them with a smile. "I guess you had +better. It would be a shame to torment this young man after what he has +accomplished."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then. Listen, Charley. Here are your orders. To begin with, +Jim is now on deck again and you are relieved of your position as +temporary ranger."</p> + +<p>Charley tried hard to choke back the lump that came into his throat. +Evidently his face betrayed his feelings.</p> + +<p>"Look at him, Commissioner," said the forester. "I believe he's going to +pout."</p> + +<p>Charley bit his lip and tried to smile.</p> + +<p>"In the second place," continued the forester, "you are to remove your +belongings from this post and oversee the cutting of the lumber +operation."</p> + +<p>The smile that now came to Charley's face was not forced.</p> + +<p>"In the third place," the forester went on, "you are hereby appointed a +ranger in the Pennsylvania Forest Service to succeed one George Lumley."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean it honestly?"</p> + +<p>"I sure do. And there is nothing temporary about your appointment. You +are a full-fledged ranger. You have earned the place and I congratulate +you heartily on having won it." He held out his hand and clasped Charley's +warmly.</p> + +<p>"Now, that is all I have to say to you," concluded the forester, "but I +think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester," said +the Commissioner.</p> + +<p>"It is," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family +obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular +course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your +ambition."</p> + +<p>"That is true, sir," said Charley. "There is nothing I would rather do +than become a forester if only it were possible. I love the forest."</p> + +<p>"The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that. How would +you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I +dropped to accomplish it."</p> + +<p>"There is, and you shall have the chance. It is the policy of this +department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men +to advance in the service. Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the +forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time +by great application to your work and by study at night you have become +one of the best men he has. All you lack is experience. Time will remedy +that. If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study +and work, would you like to do it? Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the +technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto. He will +take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical +work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training +for the position of forester. What about it? Do you wish to do it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Commissioner," cried Charley, "I can't tell you how much I want +to do it. If you will just give me that chance, you'll find I'm no +shirker."</p> + +<p>"Then the chance is yours. You have earned it. Now we must hurry back to +headquarters, Ranger Russell. I hope that some day I shall be able to call +you Forester Russell."</p> + +<p>Charley's heart was too full for utterance. He grasped the proffered hand +and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into +his throat.</p> + +<p>A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his +luggage. His heart was singing merrily.</p> + +<p>"Some day," he said to himself, "we may get enough timber back on these +hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so +that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a +lifetime to pay for it. I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to +think he's going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million +people."</p> +</div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12839 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/12839-h/images/frontis.png b/12839-h/images/frontis.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f82a779 --- /dev/null +++ b/12839-h/images/frontis.png diff --git a/12839-h/images/frontistn.png b/12839-h/images/frontistn.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..97997d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/12839-h/images/frontistn.png diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9fdbd92 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #12839 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12839) diff --git a/old/12839-8.txt b/old/12839-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..57c8ac8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12839-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9389 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol + +Author: Lewis E. Theiss + +Release Date: July 7, 2004 [EBook #12839] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + + + + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +[Illustration: The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where +the Battle with the Flames Had Begun] + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + +or + +<i>The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol</i> + +By + +Lewis E. Theiss + +Illustrated by +Frank T. Merrill + +W. A. Wilde Company +Chicago Boston + + + + +<i>Copyright, 1921,</i> +By W. A. Wilde Company +<i>All rights reserved</i> + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As A Fire Patrol. + + + + +This book is dedicated to + +Gifford Pinchot + +sometime forester for the United States of America, and now Commissioner +of Forestry for Pennsylvania, whose ceaseless and undiscouraged efforts to +save from spoliation the vast timber stands and other natural resources of +America have inspired this story + + + + +Foreword + + + +Boys and dogs go well together. So do boys and trees. When a boy gets to +love the forest and can live in it, that is best of all. For the forest +makes real boys and real men. + +Not only does the forest do that, but it keeps the Nation alive. No one +can eat a meal without the help of the forest, for it takes more than half +the wood cut every year in the United States to enable the farmer to grow +the food and the fibres to feed and clothe the Nation. No one can live in +a house without the help of the forest, for whether we speak of it as a +wooden house, a brick house, a stone house, or a concrete house, still +there is wood in it, and without wood it could not have been built. + +We are apt to think of the city dwellers as people who are not dependent +on the forest. As a matter of fact, they are the most dependent of all, +for the cities would be deserted, the houses empty, and the streets dead, +except for the things which could not be grown nor mined nor manufactured +nor transported without the help of wood from the forest. + +Pennsylvania--Penn's Woods--is the greatest industrial commonwealth in the +world. Without its woods, it could never have been made so. Unless its +woods are restored, it cannot continue to be so, and unless forest fires +are stopped, there is no way to restore Penn's Woods. + +I have read "The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol" with the +keenest interest, not only because it is about the forest, but because it +is a thrillingly interesting story of a real boy and the real things he +did in the woods. I like it from end to end, and that is why, when Mr. +Theiss asked me to write this foreword, I gladly consented. + +No one loves the woods more than I, as boy and man, or loves to be in them +better. One of the things I want most is to see more and better forests in +our great State of Pennsylvania, and in the whole United States. Without +our forests we could not have become great, nor can we continue to be so. +For the men and boys who love the forest and understand it are of the kind +without whom great nations are impossible. + +Gifford Pinchot. + + + + +Contents + + + + I. Vacation Plans + II. What Came of Them + III. Off to the Mountains + IV. In the Burned Forest + V. A Lost Opportunity + VI. Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + VII. The Forest Afire + VIII. Making an Investigation + IX. Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + X. An Encounter with a Bear + XI. The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + XII. On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + XIII. Spying Out the Land + XIV. The Trail in the Forest + XV. The Telltale Thumb-Print + XVI. Good News for the Fire Patrol + XVII. An Accident in the Wilderness + XVIII. The First Clue to the Incendiary + XIX. The Forester's Problem + XX. Charley Wins His First Promotion + XXI. A Trouble Maker + XXII. Charley Finds Another Clue + XXIII. A Startling Discovery + XXIV. Checkmated + XXV. The Crisis + XXVI. More Thumb-Prints + XXVII. Trapped +XXVIII. Victory + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + + + + +Chapter I + +Vacation Plans + + + +Charley Russell sat before a table in the workshop in his father's back +yard. In front of him were the shining instruments of his wireless +outfit--his coupler, his condenser, his helix, his spark-gap, and the +other parts, practically all of which he had made with his own hands. +Ordinarily he would have looked at them fondly, but now he gave them +hardly a thought. He was waiting for his chum, Lew Heinsling, and his mind +was busy with the problem of his own future. Charley was a senior in high +school and was pondering over the question of what the world had in store +for him. While he sat meditating, Lew arrived. In his hand was a copy of +the <i>New York Sun and Herald</i>. He held it out to Charley and pointed to +the marine news. + +"The <i>Lycoming</i> reaches New York to-day," he said. "Roy will send us a +wireless message to-night. Gee! I wish we had a battery strong enough to +talk back." + +But Charley paid slight heed to the suggestion. Instead he said: "Roy +Mercer's a lucky dog. Think of being the wireless man on a big ocean +steamer when you're only nineteen. I wish I knew what I am going to do +after I graduate from high school." + +Roy Mercer, like Charley and Lew, was a member of the Camp Brady Wireless +Patrol. With his fellows he had taken part in the capture of the German +spies who were trying to dynamite the Elk City reservoir and so wreck a +great munitions centre during the war; and with three other members of the +Wireless Patrol, especially selected for their skill in wireless, he had +later gone to New York with their leader, Captain Hardy, to assist the +government Secret Service in its search for the secret wireless that was +keeping the German Admiralty informed of the movements of American +vessels. + +His fellows both envied and loved him. Roy warmly returned their +affection, and his vessel never came into port that he did not, regularly +at nine o'clock in the evening, flash out some message of greeting to his +former comrades of the Wireless Patrol. It was always a one-sided +conversation, however, because none of the boys in the Wireless Patrol +owned a battery powerful enough to carry a message from Central City to +New York. Just now each lad was engaged in trying to earn money so that +the club could buy a battery or dynamo strong enough for this purpose. So +each boy was working at any job he could pick up after school, and saving +all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their +share of the purchase money. + +"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever +expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good. +You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a +corking good wireless operator." + +"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high +school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I +hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky, +noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky, +or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel +blue." + +"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew. +"Maybe you can find some other job you like better." + +"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad +says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most +money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they +pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe +three dollars." + +Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you +have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as +much if I could work out in the open and do something I like." + +"Why don't you tell your father so?" + +"I have--dozens of times. But he says it isn't a question of what I want +to do. It's a question of making the most money possible and helping him. +He says he's supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to +help him for a year or two anyway." + +"That's a shame!" cried Lew. + +"No, it isn't, Lew," explained Charley. "It's all right about helping Dad. +He's been mighty good to me, and he's in the hole now. You see, Dad and +Mother have been married twenty years and Dad's worked hard all this time +and saved his money to build a house. And just about the time Dad was +ready to begin building, prices began to go up. Dad held off, thinking +they would drop. But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the +carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still. Now the house +is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful +prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn. With such a big +mortgage on the place, Dad says he's just got to have my help or he may +lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years. It's all right +about helping Dad, Lew. I want to do that, but I can't bear to think of +going to work in that factory." + +"It's too bad, Charley. I had hoped so much that we could go to college +together." + +"Lew, if I could go to college I'd work my head off to do it. You know +that. If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers +and rocks and trees and animals, I'd be willing to do anything--even to +work in Miller's factory for a time. But Dad will need every cent I can +earn until I am twenty-one, and I can't see how I can possibly go to +college." + +"Never mind, Charley. You never can tell what will happen. Look at Roy. He +was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to +care for both himself and his mother. And see what came of it. He isn't +much older than we are, yet he's got a fine job. Just keep your eyes open +and you may pick up something, too." + +"It'll have to come quick, then," sighed Charley. "Here it is almost +Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June. This will probably be the +last vacation I shall have in a long time." + +"Then let's enjoy this vacation. I've been thinking what we could do, and +it occurred to me that it would be lots of fun for the Wireless Patrol to +make a trip up the river to that old camp of ours. It won't be too cold to +camp out if we take out our tents and our little collapsible stoves. +Suckers ought to be running good and we can catch a fine mess of fish, +take a hike or two, and have a bully trip up the river and back. Let's go +tell the rest of the fellows." + +Lew jumped up and started for the door. Then he stopped suddenly and a +look of disappointment came over his face. "I'll bet none of 'em can go," +he said. "They've all got jobs for the vacation. I'm glad we've got our +money earned." + +"I just thought of another difficulty," sighed Charley. "Not one of us +owns a boat." + +"We can borrow one," said Lew. + +"I hate to borrow things," replied Charley. "You remember how I borrowed +old man Packer's bob-sled and broke it and then had to pay to have it +remade. No more borrowing for me." + +"Why can't we make a boat? There's plenty of time between now and +vacation. If we do the work ourselves, it oughtn't to cost more than two +or three dollars and then we'd have a boat of our own." + +"Bully!" cried Charley. "We can make it as good as anybody. We'll do it." + +"All right. I'll go down-town and find the price of oars and rowlocks, and +you go over to Hank Cooley's and find out how his father made that boat of +his. It's a dandy and just what we need." + +The two boys rushed off in opposite directions, each full of enthusiasm +over the plan to build a new boat and make a trip up the river during +their Easter vacation. + + + + +Chapter II + +What Came of Them + + + +A few hours later Charley Russell again sat before the bench in the little +wireless house in his father's yard. Before him lay some patterns for a +rowboat, and on a piece of paper Charley was trying to figure out how much +lumber it would take to build the boat. + +"We'll need two sixteen-foot boards, each a foot wide for the sides," he +said, looking across the table at his chum, who sat ready, with pencil and +paper, to jot down the figures Charley gave him. + +"Thirty-two feet," said Lew, setting down the number on his paper. + +Charley bent over his patterns, measuring and estimating in silence. +"It'll take three more like 'em for the bottom," he said presently. + +"That's forty-eight more," replied Lew, jotting down the number. + +"And these cross braces," added Charley, after another period of +calculation, "will take ten feet more." + +Again Lew set down the number. + +"That provides for everything but the decks," said Charley. "They will +take seven or eight feet more. Better call it ten. That's all. What does +it make?" + +Lew put down ten and added the column of figures. "One hundred feet +exactly," he said. + +"Bully good!" replied Charley. "A hundred feet oughtn't to cost much of +anything. The rub's going to be to get the oars. You say they want five +dollars for the cheapest pair at the hardware store, and the sporting +goods store wants six-fifty." + +"The robbers!" cried Lew. "Think of it. Six-fifty for about fifteen cents' +worth of wood. Maybe we can get a pair of second-hand oars somewhere. +Six-fifty is as much as we can afford to spend on the whole outfit." + +"It will be all right to get second-hand oars," said Charley, "for we can +get new ones later, when we have the money. Besides, we want to put most +of our money into the boat itself. As long as we are going to build it, we +want to make it the very best boat possible. We want the best wood in the +market and we want our boat light enough so that the two of us can carry +it. I reckon it may cost two or three dollars if we buy such good wood as +that. But it will be worth while. We can get along with cheap oars for a +time. Let's go down to the lumber-yard and get our boards." + +The two chums left the shop and hurried down the street toward the +lumber-yard. + +"If we can get our lumber to-day," said Charley, "I'm certain we can get +our boat made before the spring vacation. We ought to be able to put in +three hours apiece every afternoon after high school lets out, and we can +get in another hour apiece before school, if we get up early enough. +That's four hours apiece, or eight hours a day. We certainly ought to get +it finished and painted inside of ten days." + +"Sure," replied Lew. "We'll have her done all right. And we'll have just +about the finest boat in town." + +"And I reckon we'll have just about the finest trip ever," went on +Charley. "If we start right after school closes for the Easter vacation we +can row up-stream that afternoon as far as Hillman's Grove, and camp there +for the night. That will give us almost half a day's extra time. Then we +can reach our old camping ground the next day and get the tent up and our +wood cut and maybe even catch some fish before dark. We'll have everything +ready so we can jump right into the boat and pull out the minute school is +over." + +"Sure," assented Lew. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "Ain't it a +shame none of the other members of the Wireless Patrol can go along? We'll +miss 'em, particularly Roy. And now that he's wireless man on the +<i>Lycoming</i>, he'll probably never go on another trip with the Camp Brady +Patrol." + +"It's too bad for us, but mighty nice for Roy," said Charley. "Just think +of being the wireless man on a great ocean steamship when you're only +nineteen. He's made for life. Gee! I wish I knew what I am going to do." + +"I know how you feel, Charley. Maybe something will turn up so that you +won't need to go into the factory after all. But here we are at the +lumber-yard. Let's get the boards and begin our boat at once. We'll have a +good time this vacation, no matter what happens afterward." + +"Well, boys, what can I do for you?" inquired the lumber dealer, as +Charley and Lew approached him. + +"We want one hundred feet of the lightest and best boards you have," +replied Charley. "We are going to build a boat and we want it to be strong +but light, so that the two of us can handle it." + +"White pine would be just the thing for you," replied the dealer, "but I +haven't a foot of it in the place and can't get any. I have some fine +cedar boards that would make a good light boat. Just come over to this +pile of lumber." And he led the way across the yard. + +"That will suit us all right if it's wide enough," said Charley. "We want +foot boards." + +"Well, that's what these are. And a good inch thick, too. They're mighty +good boards. Hardly a knot in 'em. We don't see much lumber like that +nowadays." + +"They'll do all right," assented Charley, after examining the boards. +"What do they cost a hundred?" + +"Ten dollars." + +"Ten dollars!" cried Charley in consternation. Then a smile came on his +face. "Quit your kidding," he said. "What <i>do</i> they come at?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the lumber dealer soberly. + +The two boys stared at him incredulously. + +"Impossible!" cried Lew. "What are they <i>really</i> worth?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the man. His voice was sharp and a frown had +gathered on his forehead. "Ten dollars, and cheap at that." + +Charley turned to his companion with a look of dismay. "We can never build +our boat with wood at such a price," he cried. "With five dollars to pay +for oars, and two dollars for paint, and some more for nails and rowlocks, +and lock and chain, the boat would cost eighteen or twenty dollars just +for the materials. That's three times as much as we have got." + +After an instant the look on Charley's face changed to one of intense +indignation. He had a quick temper, and now he turned to the lumber dealer +in anger. + +"I guess the sugar profiteers are not the only ones who ought to be in the +penitentiary," he said hotly. "You can keep your old boards. And I hope +they rot for you." + +Then he turned on his heel and started toward the gate, followed by Lew. + +"Come back here!" + +The words rang out sharp and sudden. The voice was commanding and +compelling. Involuntarily the two boys turned back. The lumber dealer +stood before them, his face ablaze with indignation. Under his fiery +glances the boys were speechless. For a moment the man said nothing. +Evidently he was struggling with his temper. When he had gotten control of +himself he spoke. His voice was deep and low, but harsh and cutting. + +"Before you make a fool of yourself again, young man," he said, speaking +directly to Charley, "you had better know what you are talking about. You +called me a profiteer for asking $100 a thousand feet for those cedar +boards. Young man, those boards cost me $90 a thousand in the cars at the +station. That leaves me a margin of $10 a thousand for handling them. Out +of that I have to pay to have the boards hauled from the station, pay for +insurance on them, pay their proportionate share of overhead expense, and +pay for hauling them to customers. How much of that $10 do you think is +left for profit? So little it almost requires a microscope to see it. I +have to handle a good many hundred feet of lumber to make as much as the +cheapest sort of laborer gets for a day's pay. The fact is, young man, +that far from profiteering on that lumber, I am selling it at a smaller +profit than I ever sold any lumber before in my life. Some lumber I am +handling at a loss. But in these critical days, with factories closing +everywhere, and men by the thousands being thrown out of work, the best +thing a man can do, either for himself or for his country, is to keep +business moving. That's why I am selling lumber without profit." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. "I'm awfully sorry I called you a +profiteer," he said humbly. "I beg your pardon." + +"It's all right, young man," said the lumber dealer, a smile once more +lighting up his face. "You are too young to understand how critical the +business situation really is. But be careful in future how you call people +names." + +"I certainly will," agreed Charley. "But I'd like to know this. Who <i>is</i> +profiteering in lumber? Who is responsible for such terrible prices?" + +"Well, there <i>has</i> been profiteering in lumber, as in everything else. But +there is a real reason why the price of lumber is so high, and that is the +scarcity of timber." + +"Scarcity!" cried Charley incredulously. "Why, the forests are full of +timber." + +"And what is it like?" demanded the lumber dealer. "Go out to the forests +and look at it. There's nothing but little poles that will scarcely make +six-inch boards. We don't produce one-fourth of the lumber we use in this +state, and we are using wood ten times as fast as our forests are growing +it." + +"I thought Pennsylvania was a great lumbering state," protested Lew. + +"For a good many years it led the nation in the production of lumber, +young man, but now it ranks twentieth among the states. If only fire could +be kept out of the forests, we might some day raise our own timber again. +But the lumbermen chopped down the big trees and fire has destroyed the +little ones and even burned the forest soil so that nothing grows in it +again. We have not only destroyed our forests, but we have so injured the +land that new trees do not grow to take the place of those we cut." + +The two boys stared at the lumberman in amazement. "Where <i>do</i> we get our +lumber from?" demanded Lew. + +"Practically all of it comes from the South. That's one reason lumber +costs so much here. The people of Pennsylvania pay $25,000,000 a year in +freight charges on the lumber they use. That's one of the reasons those +cedar boards you were looking at cost so much. When the new freight rates +go into effect the cost of hauling our lumber to us will be something like +$40,000,000 a year." + +The two boys were very thoughtful as they made their way back to Charley's +shop. + +"What are people going to do for wood pretty soon?" Lew inquired of his +companion. "If we can't build a little boat because the wood costs too +much, how are people going to get homes and furniture and wagons and +motor-cars and a thousand other things? Seems to me pretty much everything +we use is made of wood." + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But what bothers me more just now is to +know what we are going to do during Easter vacation. It may be the last +vacation I shall ever have, and I'd like to have a good time." + +"Why not follow the lumber dealer's suggestion and go out to the forests? +Easter doesn't come this year until after the trout season opens. We could +go out to our old camp in the mountains and spend the vacation there, +fishing and hiking." + +"That's a mighty good suggestion, Lew. If we have our packs ready, we can +start from high school the minute it is dismissed. We can make that early +afternoon train and get off at that little flag-station at the foot of +Stone Mountain. Then we can hike through the notch and reach the far slope +of Old Ironsides before dark. We shall have to camp overnight along the +run from the spring there, as it is the only water for miles around. Then +the next day we can go on into that little valley where we saw so many +trout. That is so hard to reach that not many fishermen ever go there. The +little stream from the spring on Old Ironsides runs into that brook. Do +you remember what lots of little trout we saw not far below the spring? +They will have become big fellows by this time and moved down into the +larger stream. There ought to be some fine fishing there this spring." + +"They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. I'm sorry we can't +build the boat, but we shall have just as good a time in the mountains as +we should have had on the river. We'll borrow that little pup tent of +Johnnie Lee's, and take our blankets, hatchets, fishing-rods, and grub." + +"I'd rather leave the tent at home and build a lean-to after we get there. +Then we could take a portable wireless outfit and talk to the fellows at +home here in the evening. Half a dozen dry cells would give us one-sixth +of a kilowatt of current, and that ought to carry a message twenty-five or +thirty miles easily. At night we might be able to talk fifty miles. We can +carry six cells easily. The remainder of the outfit won't weigh much. +We'll have to go as light as we can, for it's a mighty tough hike over Old +Ironsides and on into that little valley." + +"Shall we take our pistols?" asked Charley. + +"We'd better have at least one. You never can tell when you're going to +need a pistol in the forest. Remember the time that bear treed me on the +first hike of the Wireless Patrol? I don't ever want to get into another +situation like that without something to shoot with." + +Charley chuckled. "It wasn't a pistol that saved you then," he smiled, +"but Willie Brown and his spark-gap." + +"Then we'll be doubly armed," replied Lew. "Since you have so much faith +in wireless, you can carry the outfit. I'll pack the gun. We're almost +certain to have some kind of adventure, for every time the Wireless Patrol +or any of its members venture into the woods, something exciting happens." + + + + +Chapter III + +Off to the Mountains + + + +Busy, indeed, were the succeeding ten days. The outfit that the two boys +were to carry was packed and repacked several times, and each time it was +overhauled something was eliminated from the packs; for both boys knew +well enough that the trip before them would test their endurance even with +the lightest of packs. Finally their outfit was reduced to two +fishing-rods, one hatchet, a first-aid kit, a flash-light, the necessary +food and dishes, one canteen, and one pistol, with the wireless equipment. + +This was made as simple as possible. Six new dry cells were to be taken to +provide current. Then there were a spark-gap, a spark-coil, a key, and a +detector, with the receiving set, switch, and aerial. To be sure, the +entire aerial was not packed, but merely the wires and insulators, as +spreaders could be made in the forest. Then there was an additional coil +of wire to be used for lead-in and suspension wires. No tuning instrument +was necessary, because the wireless outfits of all the members of the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol were exactly alike and so were already in tune with +one another. Without a tuning instrument, to be sure, it might not be +possible for Charley and Lew to talk with anybody except their fellows of +the Wireless Patrol, but in the present circumstances that made no +difference to them. They had no intention of talking to anybody else. + +The various instruments were carefully packed so that they could be +carried without injury. The dishes were nested as well as possible. Then +all were stowed away in the pack bags, together with the food supplies. +The two blankets were tightly folded and tied, ready to be slung over the +shoulders. Long before that last session of school, everything was in +readiness. When finally that last session was over, the two lads had only +to strap their packs on their backs, sling their blankets into place, and +pick up their little fishing-rods, unjointed and compactly packed in cloth +cases. Lew buckled the pistol to his belt and suspended the canteen from +his shoulder, while Charley sheathed his little axe and hung it on his +hip. Then, completely ready, the two lads waved farewell to their envious +comrades and hastened away to the train. In less than an hour the train +stopped to let them off at the little flag-station at the foot of Stone +Mountain. In a moment more it had gone whistling around the shoulder of +the hill, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the wilderness. + +Quickly they adjusted their packs and started back along the +railroad-track toward the gap through which they were to pass to Old +Ironsides. Rapidly they made their way along the road-bed. + +"We'd better hustle while the going's good," commented Lew, glancing at +the heavy clouds that obscured the sun, "for it will get dark early +to-night. It'll be slow enough going once we leave the track." + +"There's one thing sure," replied Charley. "We won't be bothered with wet +ground. I think I never saw the earth so dry at this season of the year. +There was almost no snow last winter and we've hardly had a rain this +spring. Usually it rains every day at this time of year." + +Charley's prediction proved true. When the boys at last reached the notch +in the mountains and left the railroad-track, they found the way almost as +dry as a village street. Years before, the timber had been cut from Stone +Mountain, and a logging trail had passed up the very gap through which the +boys were now traveling. But brush and brambles had come in soon after the +lumbermen left and now a thick stand of saplings also helped to choke the +path. The briars tore at the boys' clothing and blankets. The bushy +growths caught in their packs and straps and wrapped themselves about +their feet and legs. Very quickly it became evident that a hard struggle +lay before them. + +Back from the trail, in the forest proper, there was little underbrush, +but the stand of young trees was dense and the way underfoot was so rough +and uneven that it was almost impossible to make any headway there. For +Stone Mountain was a stone mountain in very truth. It appeared to be just +one enormous heap of rocks and boulders. In a very little while both boys +were perspiring profusely from their efforts, and both were conscious that +they were tiring fast; for the grade up the notch was steep. + +"Gee!" said Lew, at last. "This is tougher than anything I ever saw when I +was in the Maine woods with Dad. We've got to take it easy or we'll be +tuckered out before we get through this gap. Let's rest a bit." + +He sat down on a stone and Charley followed his example. As they rested, +they looked sharply about them. They could see for some distance through +the naked forest. The tree trunks stood straight and tall, and seemed to +be crowded as close together as pickets on a fence. + +"This sure is a fine stand of poles," remarked Lew, "but it's just as that +lumber dealer said. There isn't a tree in it that would make a board wider +than six inches. But there's some good timber farther back in the +mountains. Do you remember the fine stand of pines in that little valley +we're heading for? When we were there three years ago there hadn't been a +tree cut in that valley. There must be millions and millions of feet of +lumber there." + +"And do you remember," replied Charley, "how dark it was under those +pines, and how cold the water in the run was, and what schools of trout +we saw? Gee! I wish it had been trout season then! But we ought to get'em +now. Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get there." + +"Then we had better be jogging on. It'll be dark before we know it." + +"All right," returned Charley, "but I'm going to get a drink before I go +any farther." + +"I want one, too. Guess I'll fill the canteen. Then we won't have to, stop +every time we want a drink." + +The two boys scrambled down the slope to the brook. The lumber trail was +near the bottom of the notch and they had only a few yards to go. The +little run was rushing tumultuously down the notch, splashing over rocks, +scurrying over little sandy stretches, ever singing, ever murmuring, in +its downward course. Their packs and blankets made it difficult to stretch +out flat and drink from the stream, so Lew rinsed out the canteen, filled +it, and handed it to his companion. Charley took a good drink and passed +the canteen silently back to his chum. + +"If you didn't really know it was the brook," said Lew, "you'd be willing +to swear you could hear somebody talking. You can hear voices just as +plain as can be. And you can almost make out what they say. Many a time +I've caught myself listening hard to try to make out the words, when I +heard a brook talking." + +"It's no wonder people get scared and pretty nearly go crazy when they are +lost in the forest," replied Lew. "Without half trying, you can imagine +the forest is full of people or spooks or animals or something, creeping +up behind your back." + +Lew bent down and once more filled the canteen. He corked it tight and +dipped it bodily into the run to wet the cloth cover, so that the water +within would be kept cool by evaporation. Then he slung the canteen over +his shoulder. + +"I never saw a mountain stream so low at this time of the year," he +remarked, as he followed his companion up the trail. "You might think it +was August. But with no snow to melt and no rainfall this spring, it isn't +to be wondered at." + +On they went up the trail. For a long time neither boy spoke. The brambles +still tore at their clothes and the bushes tripped them. In places the +young saplings were so dense that to force a way among them was a +difficult task. Their packs began to grow very heavy. But they had one +advantage. As Charley had suggested, the ground was perfectly dry. There +were no slippery sticks to tread on, nor any moss-covered stones, +treacherous with their soggy coats. So they could give more attention to +the obstacles above ground. But at best it was a hard, difficult climb. + +As they mounted higher and higher, the stream in the bottom constantly +dwindled. Long before the crest was reached, the brook had become a very +feeble stream, indeed. It had its source near the top of the pass, in a +great spring that welled up under a large rock. A single hemlock had +sprung up here in years past, and, watered by the spring, had grown to +enormous size. For some reason the lumbermen had passed it by. Now it +reared its giant bulk high above the younger growths around it, casting a +dense shade over the spring basin. Practically nothing grew in this deep +shade, so that the space above the spring was open and free from bushes. +On the trunk of this giant hemlock, where it could be seen by all who came +to the spring, was a white sign that read: + + <i>Everybody loses when timber burns.</i> + Pennsylvania Department of Forestry. + +"After our fight with the forest fire, when we were in camp at Fort Brady, +they don't need to tell any member of the Wireless Patrol to be careful +with fire," observed Lew. "But there are lots of people who do need to be +warned." + +He dipped the canteen in the spring and passed on. "We're almost at the +top," he said, "and I'm not sorry." + +"The light is already growing fainter," said Charley, "and it will bother +us to see before so very long. It's going to get dark awful early +to-night. We'd better hustle." + +They reached the summit of the pass and started down the other slope. The +trail continued. At first it was choked with briars and bushes. But +suddenly they found the trail open. It had been cleared of all +obstructions and enlarged until it was several feet wide. Even the roots +of the bushes had been grubbed out, so that the path was smooth and clean. +The cut saplings and brush had been burned in the trail itself, but the +work had been done so carefully that never a tree had been scorched. Even +the marks of fire had been obliterated by the subsequent grubbing of the +roots. + +"Bully good!" cried Lew, when he saw the path lying smooth and open before +him. "The forest rangers have been making a fire trail of this old path. +We can make great time here." + +He pushed on at top speed. Charley hung close at his heels. Neither boy +said a word, each saving his breath for the task in hand; for with the +packs on their backs even a down-hill trail was not easy. + +"We can go scout pace here," said Lew over his shoulder, and suiting his +action to his words, he broke into a trot. Fifty steps he went at that +gait, then walked fifty. Then he ran fifty more. So they went down the +mountain in a mere fraction of the time it had taken them to ascend. But +long before they reached the bottom, Lew dropped back to a steady walk. + +"We've got to save our wind for the climb up Old Ironsides," he said over +his shoulder. + +It was well he did so. Before them a long, high mountain stretched across +their way, like a giant caterpillar. No notch cut through its rugged side, +to give an easy way to the valley beyond. Only by climbing directly over +the rugged monster could the two boys reach the snug little valley on its +far side, where they expected to find the trout teeming tinder the dark +pines. Old Ironsides was the rocky barrier that confronted them. Even +Stone Mountain was not more rugged and rocky. Like Stone Mountain it +seemed to be a mammoth rock pile. Rocks of every size and description +covered its steep slope. Mostly the mountain was shaded by a good stand of +second-growth timber; but in places there were vast areas of rounded +stones, like flattish heaps of potatoes, that for acres covered the soil +of the hill so deeply as to prevent all plant growth. Old Ironsides could +have been called Stone Mountain as appropriately as its neighbor, for +truly it was rock-ribbed. But the stones on its slopes, unlike those of +Stone Mountain, contained a small percentage of iron. Hence its name. The +nearer slope of this hill was as dry as it was stony. Not a spring or the +tiniest trickle of water wet its rocky side for miles. But part way down +the farther slope a splendid stream gushed forth among the rocks. It was +this spring, or the stream issuing from it, that Charley and Lew hoped to +reach before they made their camp for the night. + +Thanks to the work of the forest rangers in clearing the fire trail, it +looked as though the two boys would reach their goal before dark. Could +they have gone straight up the slope of Old Ironsides, they would have +come almost directly to the spring itself. But the grade was far too steep +to permit that. They would have to zigzag up the hill and find the stream +after they topped the crest. Because of the peculiar formation of the land +below this spring, the water did not run directly down the hill toward the +bottom, but flowed off to one side and made its way diagonally down the +slope. + +At the bottom of the fire trail Lew and Charley sat down and rested for +five minutes. Then they began their difficult climb upward. And difficult +it was. There was no semblance of a path. The way led over jagged masses +of rock, through dense little stands of trees, and among growths that were +hard to penetrate because of their very thinness; for where the stand was +sparse the trees had many low limbs to catch and trip and pull at those +who sought to pass through. + +There were great areas of bare stones to be crossed--stones rounded and +weathered by the elements through thousands of years, and finally heaped +together like flattish piles of pumpkins on a barn floor. Acres and acres +were covered by these great deposits of rounded, lichened rocks. + +In crossing these rocky areas it was necessary to use the greatest +caution. Many of the stones rested so insecurely that the slightest +pressure would send them rolling downward. If one stone started, others +might follow, and great numbers of rocks might go rushing down the hill as +coal pours down a chute into a cellar. Serious injury was certain to +result if either of the lads got caught in such a slide; for some of the +stones in these piles weighed hundreds of pounds. + +Rattlesnakes constituted a second danger. The mountains hereabout were +full of them. One never could tell at what instant a rattler might be +found lying among the stones, or coiled on a flat rock that had been +warmed by the sun. So like the rocks themselves in color were these snakes +that in the dull light it would have been easily possible to step on one +of them without seeing it. So the two boys advanced slowly and cautiously +across these barren stretches, stepping gingerly on stones that looked +insecure and ever keeping a sharp watch for anything that might suggest +snakes. + +Up they went and still upward. Across bare rock patches, through brushy +growths and among dense stands of young trees, the two boys forced their +way, ever ascending, ever working upward toward the summit. Now they made +their way to the right, now to the left, and sometimes they climbed +straight upward in their efforts to avoid obstacles. + +"Gee!" cried Charley after they had been climbing for some time. "This is +what I call tough going. Let's have a drink." + +They sat down on a stone to rest. Perspiration was pouring down their +faces. Both boys were breathing hard. The canteen was uncorked and they +took a good drink. + +"Not too much," cautioned Lew, as Charley started to take a second +draught. "You can't climb if you fill up too full." + +After a short rest they went on again. The way grew rockier. There were +fewer piles of loose stones, but more outcropping rocks, the bare bones of +the earth. Constantly the light dwindled. Their progress grew slower. From +time to time they paused to drink and rest. + +"We're never going to make it before dark," said Charley, again pausing to +get his breath. He took a drink and passed the canteen to his companion. + +"Then we'll have to make it after dark," said Lew. "For the canteen is +about empty and we've got to have water. I'm so thirsty I could drink a +gallon." + +They said no more, but pushed ahead as fast as their weary legs would +carry them. + +"We're not far from the top now," Lew said after a time. "I see our old +landmark over to the left. It isn't more than half a mile from that to the +water. We'll make it all right." + +But he had hardly gone fifty yards before he stopped and cried out. Before +him lay a blackened, desolate area that stretched the remainder of the way +to the summit. Fire had swept over the spot. But it was not the fact that +fire had been through the region that made Lew cry out. Fire and +subsequent storms had practically leveled the stand of trees between the +spot where Lew stood and the summit. Here and there a blackened tree +thrust its bare trunk upward, limbless, its top gone, a ragged, spectral, +pitiful remnant of what had been a beautiful tree. But mostly the thick +stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of +grain. And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion, twisted +and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses. A barbed wire +entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle. To penetrate the +mass, even in the light of noon, would have been no easy work; but to +cross the area now, with dusk fast deepening to darkness, was indeed a +difficult task. + +"Well," said Lew, after a few searching glances at the burned area, "we've +got to go on, and we might as well plow straight through it. I can't see +that one way looks any easier than another." + +They went on, slowly, painfully. Now they were forced to crawl underneath +a fallen tree, now to climb over one. Again and again their way was +completely blocked by high barriers of interlocked trunks and branches. +Sometimes they had to mount the fallen trunks and cautiously walk from one +to another. Darkness came on apace. They could hardly see. The flash-light +was brought forth, the last drop in the canteen swallowed, and they +started forward on their final push. + +"It's only a few hundred yards to the top, now," said Lew. "It will be +easier going down the other side." + +Painfully slow was their progress. More than once each of them tripped and +fell. The sharp ends of the broken branches tore their clothes and +scratched them badly. But silently, doggedly, they pushed on. At last +there remained but one barrier between them and the summit. It was a +great pile of fallen trunks that had no visible ending. There was nothing +to do but go over it. From one log to another they scrambled up, each +helping the other, advancing a foot at a time, feeling the way with hands +and feet and searching out a path with the little light. So high were the +trees piled that at times the boys walked ten feet in air, making their +way gingerly along the slender trunks. Eventually they got beyond the log +barrier and the remainder of the way to the top was more open. At last +they stood on the very summit. + +"I wonder where our landmark is," queried Lew, flashing his light this way +and that. "I understand now why we saw it so plainly from below. There +were no standing trees to hide it. We never saw it from so far away +before." + +The landmark was a great, upright rock like a huge chimney. It was not far +distant and presently Lew found it. The boys made their way to it. + +"Now," said Lew, with a sigh of relief, "we go straight down. We should +come to the brook flowing from the spring in a few minutes. We'll have to +make it soon or I'll die of thirst." + +They started down the slope. The fire had swept over the summit and the +way before them was like the area they had just crossed. But they were now +going down-hill and it was far easier to force their way. A few yards at a +time they advanced, now held back by a fallen log or turned aside by +dense entanglements of prostrate trunks. + +Presently Lew gave a cry. "Do you see that big stone like an altar, +Charley?" he called, turning the light on a great rock. "That's the stone +where we made our fire the last time we were here. It stands within +twenty-five feet of the brook." + +"Thank goodness!" answered Charley. "My back is about broken. This pack +weighs a ton! And I'll die if I don't get water soon." + +Recklessly they pushed forward, almost running in their eager haste. + +"Here we are," exulted Lew, a moment later. "Here's the brook." + +Before him he could dimly make out the depression in the earth where the +stream ran. He dropped his pack and ran forward, then threw himself flat +in the darkness and felt in the stream bed for a pool deep enough to drink +from. His fingers touched only dry sand and stones. + +"The light, Charley," he panted. "Bring the light, quick." + +His comrade flung his own pack on the earth and ran forward to the bank of +the stream. He turned his light downward and flashed it right and left +along the bed of the brook. There was no answering sparkle of light. The +bed of the brook was not even moist. The spring had gone dry. + + + + +Chapter IV + +In the Burned Forest + + + +The two boys were almost stunned by their discovery. For a moment neither +spoke. Indeed neither dared to speak. Their disappointment was so keen, +their thirst so intense, that both boys were near to tears. But presently +they got command of themselves. + +"I knew it had been a mighty dry season," said Lew, in amazement, "but I +never imagined it was anything like this. I supposed that spring never +went dry." + +The two lads stood looking at each other in consternation. + +"What in the world shall we do?" asked Charley, slowly. + +"I don't see that we can do anything," rejoined Lew. "I'm all in myself. I +couldn't go another rod if somebody would pay me. We'll just have to make +the best of it." + +"Well, we can eat if we can't drink," said Charley. "Start a fire and I'll +get out the grub." + +Charley began to unroll his pack, while Lew gathered up a few twigs and +made a cone-shaped little pile of them close beside the great rock. He +struck a match and in a moment flames were drawing upward through the +twigs. With the hatchet Lew cut some short lengths of heavier wood and +soon the flames were leaping high, lighting up the forest for rods around. + +Dismal, indeed, was the sight the two lads looked upon. Nowhere could they +see anything green, save a few scattered ferns. Everywhere gaunt, ragged, +blackened trees thrust their sorrowful looking trunks aloft. The earth was +littered with blackened débris--burned and partly charred limbs and fallen +trees. The very rocks were fire-scarred and scorched. Hardly could the +mind of man conceive a picture more desolate. As the two boys looked at +the scene before them, Lew quoted the sign on the hemlock. + +"Everybody loses when timber burns," he said. But though both boys were +looking directly at what seemed the very acme of destruction and loss, +neither as yet comprehended the full significance of the statement Lew was +quoting. + +Charley spread the grub out on his blanket and put the dishes together +near the fire. While he was waiting for a bed of coals to form, he cut +some bread and spread the slices with butter. Presently he put the little +frying-pan over the coals and began to cook some meat. Every time he bent +over his pile of grub, he smelled the coffee. The odor was tantalizing, +almost torturing. Never, it seemed to him, had he ever wanted anything so +much as he now wanted a drink of coffee. But with no water they could +have no coffee. Finally Charley put the package of coffee in the +coffee-pot and clamped down the lid so that the odor could reach him no +longer. From time to time Lew quietly stirred the coals. Charley fried the +meat in silence. Neither boy felt like talking. + +When the meal was ready, they sat down on the dry ground and in silence +ate their food. + +Presently Lew broke the quiet. "I wonder what Roy had to say to-night. I +thought maybe we'd be able to get our wireless up and listen in. But I'm +too tired to bother with any wireless to-night, even from Roy. It'll be +the hay for mine, quick." + +He began to look for a place where they could sleep. When he had selected +a spot, he took the hatchet and with the back of it smoothed the ground, +removing all stones and little stumps. Charley, meantime, put the food +away and piled the dishes. They could not be washed. Then the two boys +rolled themselves in their blankets, put their pack bags under their heads +and were asleep almost instantly. Their difficult climb had tired them +utterly. + +The next morning found them fully refreshed. No clouds hung above them, +and the sun's rays awoke them early. Aside from their intense thirst, +neither felt any the worse for his hard experience. + +"It's still early," said Lew, as he looked at the sun that had hardly more +than cleared the summit of the eastern hills. "Let's push on down to the +bottom and cook breakfast after we reach water. It won't take very long +to get down, and then we can have some coffee. Oh boy! I never knew how +good coffee was." + +"I could drink anything--even medicine," smiled Charley, "so it was wet." + +Rapidly the packs were assembled and the blankets rolled. "Put things +together good," said Lew, "for it will be a tough journey even if we are +going down-hill. I've been looking at some of the tangles we came through +last night and I don't see how we ever made it." + +"Sometimes," replied Charley, "it's a good thing a fellow can't know +exactly what he's attempting. If he did know, maybe he'd never have the +nerve to try." + +They started down the slope, their packs and blankets securely slung about +them and even tied fast with strings, to prevent them from catching among +the fallen trees. Unintentionally they followed the dry bed of the stream. +It led along a slight depression that ran diagonally down the +mountainside. But quickly they realized that this was the most difficult +path they could have chosen. For along the margins of the brook, the +timber, fed by the flow of water, had been much denser and larger than the +timber farther from the bank of the stream. So dense was the tangle now +that at first the boys could see only a few hundred yards ahead of them. +Presently they noticed that they were traveling through the thickest part +of the timber, or what had been timber. If possible, their way was more +difficult than it had been in ascending the mountain. But daylight and the +fact that they were going down-hill made it possible for them to travel +with comparative rapidity. Once they noticed that they were advancing by +the most difficult route, they left the margin of the brook and cut +straight down the slope. + +Now the way was more open. They could see farther. But both were so +preoccupied with what lay immediately around them that for a time neither +gave heed to more distant views. Furthermore, the bottom was still +obscured by a heavy night mist. The warm spring sun rapidly dissipated +this, opening the valley to view as though some invisible hand had rolled +back a giant cover. Presently Lew reached a little area that was swept +absolutely bare of everything. Nothing remained but the nude rocks and +soil. Lew, who was leading the way, paused to spy out the best path. Then +he cried out in dismay. A moment later Charley stood by his side and both +boys gazed in speechless horror at the scene before them. + +The magnificent stand of pines that they had expected to see in the bottom +was no more. For miles the valley before them was a blackened waste. Like +giant jackstraws the huge pine sticks, that they had last seen as +magnificent, towering trees, were heaped in inextricable confusion or +still stood, broken, blasted, gaunt, limbless, spectral, awful remnants of +their former selves. No words could convey the terrible desolation of the +scene. Where formerly these giant pines had risen heavenward, higher and +more stately than the most exquisite church spires or cathedral columns, +there were now only scattered and blasted stumps, while the floor of the +valley was strewn with the horrible débris. The scene was sickening, +appalling. + +For a moment neither lad spoke. The scene before them oppressed them, made +them sick at heart. They knew no language that would convey what was in +their minds. But even yet they did not fully understand the tragedy of a +forest fire. They were soon to learn. Silently they went on; but they had +gone no more than a hundred yards when they came upon a sight that fairly +sickened them. In a little circle, as though the animals had crowded close +together in their terror and helplessness, lay the remains of a number of +deer. The flesh had either been burned or had rotted away; but the most of +the bones and parts of the hides remained. There could be no mistake as to +the identity of the dead animals. The very positions of the skeletons told +a pitiful story. Blinded by smoke and flame, made frantic by the red death +that was sweeping the forest, confused, terror-stricken, weakened by gas +and fumes, the poor beasts had finally crowded together and perished under +the onrushing wave of fire. For a moment the boys gazed at the scene in +fascinated horror; then they turned away, to shut out the picture. They +were oppressed, almost stunned. + +They went on. Not a vestige of its former magnificent vegetation covered +the slope. Nothing in the world could be more awful, more desolate, more +disheartening to behold than the area the two chums were now crossing. +Never had either seen anything that so oppressed him. For not only had the +slope of Old Ironsides been laid waste, but the entire bottom had been +swept by fire, and the opposite mountain slope devastated. Before them was +nothing but desolation. + +Soon they were near enough to see the sparkle of water in the bottom. In +their horror at their immediate surroundings they had temporarily +forgotten even their terrible thirst. The sight of water recalled their +need. + +"Thank God water can't burn!" cried Lew, as the sparkle of the brook +caught his eye. "We'd be in a fine pickle if the brook had been consumed, +too." + +The prospect of a drink stirred them. They threw off the spell that so +depressed them and hastened downward, reckless alike of menacing branches +and loose stones and obstructing tree trunks. Headlong they pushed +downward. But fortune was with them and neither a broken bone nor a +strained ligament resulted, though more than once each lad slipped and +fell. Presently they reached the bottom of the slope and came to the very +brink of the run. Almost frantically they flung themselves on the ground +and drank. + +Long, copious draughts they drank; and it was not until they had quenched +their thirst that they really noticed how shrunken the brook was. Instead +of the deep, rushing mountain stream they had seen when last they visited +the spot, they now found but a slender rivulet that flowed quietly along +the middle of the stream bed, leaving bare, bordering ribbons of stony +bottom along its margins. Nowhere did the water seem to reach from bank to +bank, excepting where some obstruction in the stream bed dammed the +current back. Like the forest, the brook was also a sorrowful picture. But +there was this difference. The forest was dead, whereas the brook, though +feeble, still lived. + +The full significance of the shrunken stream did not strike the two boys +until they had traveled for some distance up the bank of the run. +Presently they came to a spot they recognized as a favorite trout-hole. A +great boulder jutted out from one bank, while opposite it, on the other +shore, stood or had stood, a mammoth hemlock. These obstructions had +formed a little pool, and the current had eaten away much earth from +beneath the roots of the great tree, forming an ideal lurking place for +trout. And in this dark, deep, secure retreat great fish had lived since +time immemorial. More than one huge trout had the two chums taken here. +Never was the pool without its giant occupant, for when one big fellow was +caught another moved in to take his place, the run being fully stocked +from year to year by the smaller fishes from the spring brooks, like the +vanished rivulet above. But now no trout hid under the hemlock's roots. +They stood high and dry, while the puny stream that trickled beneath them +would hardly have covered a minnow. The two boys looked at each other in +dismay. + +"You don't suppose the entire stream is like that, do you, Lew?" asked +Charley. "There won't be a trout in it if it is." Then, after a pause, he +added: "What in the world do you suppose has become of the trout, anyway?" + +His question was soon answered, at least in part. Continuing along the +bank of the run, the boys presently came to one of the deepest pools in +the stream. In the crystal water they could see many trout, for there were +no hiding-places in the pool at this low stage of water. Some of the fish +were large. At the approach of the boys the frightened trout darted +frantically about in the pool, vainly seeking cover. + +Around the margins of this pool were innumerable little tracks in the +earth. "Raccoons!" exclaimed Lew. "There must have been dozens of them +here." + +But not until he found some little piles of fish-bones near the farther +end of the pool did he grasp the significance of the tracks. He stopped in +amazement. + +"Look here, Charley," he called, pointing to the piles of fish-bones. +"Those coons have been catching and eating trout." Then, after a moment's +thought, he added, "If this stream is like this in April, what will it be +in August? There will be hardly a drop of water or a trout left. Why, this +brook is ruined for years as a trout-stream--maybe forever. And it used to +be absolutely the finest trout-stream in this part of the mountains." + +Depressed and silent, the two lads continued along the brook. The +mountains on either side of them and the entire bottom between lay black +and desolate. But far up the run they could now see green foliage again, +where the fire had been stopped. + +"Let's go on to those pines before we eat our breakfast," said Charley. +"It would make me sick to eat here in these ruins." + +"That's exactly the way I feel, too," replied Lew. "It is the most awful +thing I ever saw. Let's get out of it." + +As rapidly as they could, they forced their way up-stream. The valley +became narrower as they advanced. It was shaped like a huge wish-bone; and +they were nearing the small end, where the mountains came together and +formed a high knob. As the valley narrowed, the grade became much steeper, +and their progress was correspondingly slower. + +The pines they were heading for stood almost at the top of the knob at the +crotch of the wish-bone. They were, therefore, at a considerable +elevation. From the edge of these pines one would have to travel only a +short distance to reach the very summit of the knob. After a hard walk the +boys reached the end of the burned tract. They penetrated into the living +forest far enough to shut out the sight of the dead forest they had just +traversed. Then they threw down their packs and hastily set about cooking +their breakfast. + +"Gee!" cried Lew. "I never was so glad to get away from anything in my +life. I hope I shall never again see a sight like that. It fairly makes a +fellow sick." + +In their haste to start cooking, they were not as careful as they might +have been in building their fire, and they made considerable smoke. Before +they were half done eating, a man appeared farther up the run, advancing +through the pines at great speed. He seemed to be in a big hurry until he +caught sight of the two boys as they sat on the dry pine-needles. After +that he came forward at an ordinary gait. + +"Good-morning, boys," he said pleasantly, as he drew near. Then, catching +sight of their rods, he added, "If you came to get fish, you struck a +mighty poor place." + +"It used to be the best place for trout I ever saw," replied Lew. "This +brook used to be full of 'em--big ones, too. But the season has been so +dry, the brook has almost disappeared." + +"You mean that the fires that have swept this valley have burned it up," +replied the stranger. + +"It's too awful a thing to joke about," replied Lew. + +"A joke!" exclaimed the stranger, frowning. + +"It's the literal truth--and a most terrible truth, at that." + +"I don't understand," said Lew, slowly. "How can fire burn water? I +supposed the lack of snow last winter and of rain this spring had made the +brook shrink." + +"Not for a minute, young man, not for a minute. If fires hadn't swept this +valley the past two or three years, there would have been plenty of water +in the run, rain or no rain." + +"I--I don't exactly understand," said Lew hesitatingly. + +"It's like this," said the stranger. "The forest floor is like a great +sponge. The decayed leaves and twigs are so light and porous that they +soak up most of the rain as it falls and hold the water indefinitely. That +keeps the springs full, and the springs feed the brooks, and so there is +water all the year round. It is nature's method of storing up water. When +a fire sweeps through the forest, especially such awful fires as have gone +through this valley, the leaves and twigs above ground are burned, and +even the roots and the decaying vegetable matter under the earth are +consumed. Nothing is left but mineral matter--particles of rock, stones, +sand, and the like. The rain will no longer sink into the ground, nor will +the earth hold the water as the rotting leaves do. Then when it rains, the +water runs off as fast as it falls. The brooks are flooded for a few hours +and then they dry up until another rain comes. So you see I meant exactly +what I said. This trout-stream was burned up by the forest fires. +Likewise many of the trout were burned up with it, for in places the fire +made the water hotter than trout can stand. Thousands of them were +literally cooked." + +For a while both boys were silent. The idea was a new one to them. + +Presently Charley spoke. "I knew that fire burned up our timber," he said, +"but I never thought about its burning up our water, too. I know we're +getting awful short of lumber. Is there any danger of our running out of +water? But that can't be, surely." + +"It surely can be," said the stranger. "I judge you boys have been here +before, and-----" + +"We have," interrupted Lew. + +"Then you know what a magnificent stream this run used to be. Look at it +now. I don't believe there is one-tenth as much water in it as there used +to be. Suppose all the mountains in this state should be devastated like +this valley. Where would the towns and cities get their water?" + +"Great Cæsar!" said Lew. "I never thought of that. There wouldn't be any +water for them to get. If the brooks dried up, the rivers would dry up, +too. Why--why--what in the world would we do? There wouldn't be any water +to drink or wash in or cook with or run our factories. Why, great Cæsar! +If the forests vanished, I guess we'd be up against it. I never thought of +the forests as furnishing anything but lumber. And I never thought much +about that until we tried to buy a little lumber the other day and the +dealer wanted ten dollars for half a dozen boards." + +"Exactly!" said the stranger. "That's the price you and I and the rest of +us in Pennsylvania pay for allowing our forests to be destroyed." + +"They haven't all been destroyed," protested Lew. + +"No, but the greater part of them have been." + +"You don't mean really destroyed, do you?" asked Lew. + +"Yes, sir. Absolutely destroyed. You came up this valley, didn't you?" + +"Sure," said Charley. + +"Would you call the forest there destroyed?" + +"If it isn't, I don't know how you would describe it," said Lew. + +"All right, then. There are some 45,000 square miles in this state. +Originally practically all of that area was dense forests. The early +settlers thought the timber would last forever and they cut and destroyed +it recklessly. The lumbermen that followed were just as wasteful. It was +all right to clear the land that was good for farming. But there are more +than 20,000 square miles in this state just like these mountains--land +that is fit for nothing but the production of timber. None of that land is +producing as much timber as it should. Much of it yields very little. And +more than 6,400 square miles are absolutely desert, as bare and hideous as +the burned valley below us. That's one acre in every seven in +Pennsylvania. Think of it! Six thousand, four hundred square miles, an +area larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, +that is absolute desert! Every foot of that land ought to be producing +timber for us. Then we should have lumber at a fraction of its present +cost. You see the freight charges alone on the lumber used in this state +are enormous." + +"That lumber dealer told us they amounted to $25,000,000 a year," replied +Lew. + +"They do," assented the stranger. "And when the new freight rates go into +effect the amount will be $40,000,000. What it will be when we get our +wood from the Pacific coast I have no idea, but I suppose it will be at +least double what it is now, anyway." + +"The Pacific coast!" cried Lew. "Why should we get lumber from the Pacific +coast when we can get it from the South? The lumber dealer told us that +practically all the wood we use now conies from the South." + +"He was right. But we shall presently be getting our lumber from the far +West for the same reason that we now get it from the South. In ten or a +dozen years there won't be any lumber left in the South for us to buy. +They will do well to supply themselves. Then we must bring our lumber from +Idaho and Oregon and Washington and California. The freight charges will +be something terrific, and the wood itself will cost a good deal more than +it now does because it will be so scarce." + +"Great Cæsar!" cried Lew. "What will a poor devil do then if he wants to +build a boat?" + +"Or if he wants to build a house?" suggested the stranger. "You know lots +of folks have to build houses every year. Look at all the people who get +married and build homes. Why, when I was a little boy, you could buy the +finest kind of lumber for ten or fifteen dollars a thousand. It didn't +cost much then to build a house. Now a man has to work for years before he +can save enough to pay for a home, even a very modest one. And what it +will cost when the wood from the South and the far West is all gone I hate +to imagine." + +"The wood from the far West all gone!" cried Charley. "Surely that can +never be. Why, the forests there are enormous. I've read all about them." + +"The forests here were enormous, too, young man. Forty years ago +Pennsylvania supplied a large part of the nation with its lumber. And +to-day we don't grow more than one-tenth of the wood we use. Yes, sir; +within twenty-five years or so after we have finished up the wood in the +South, there won't be any left in the far West, either." + +"What in the world are we going to do?" asked Lew. + +"God knows," said the stranger solemnly. "But there is one thing we've +<i>got</i> to do right now. Get these mountains to growing timber again. We +must take care of what has already started to grow and plant trees where +there are none. Most important of all, we must be careful with fire. I +came down here just to warn you boys to be careful with your fire." + +"It wasn't necessary," said Lew. "We fought a forest fire once, and nobody +but an idiot would ever be careless with fire if he had seen what we have +seen this morning." + +"Well, I must be moving, boys. There are lots of other fishermen that are +not as careful as you are. Good-bye." + +The man started on, then turned back. "If you came here to fish," he said +slowly, "you're up against it. But I can tell you where to go to get all +the trout you want. Go on up to the top of this knob. Face exactly east +and you will see a gap in the second range of mountains. Make your way +through that gap and you'll find as fine a trout-stream as God ever made. +This is state forest and the Forestry Department wants everybody to use +and enjoy the forests. We are always glad to help campers." + +"Are you connected with the State Forest Service?" asked Charley, all +interest. + +"Of course," smiled the stranger. "I'm a forest-ranger," and he threw back +his coat, exhibiting a keystone shaped badge on his breast. + +"And it's your duty to protect the forest from fire?" asked Charley. + +"Yes; and do a lot more besides. A forest-ranger has to look after the +forest just as a gardener has to tend a garden. And that means we must +care for everything in the forest--birds and animals and fish as well as +trees, though, of course, the game wardens have particular charge of the +animals." + +"And how do you take care of the animals and the trees?" demanded Charley +eagerly. + +"Young man," he said, "it would take me all day to answer your question. +We do whatever is necessary to the welfare of the forest and its +inhabitants. We take out wolf trees, make improvement cuttings, plant +little trees, keep our telephone-line in shape, and do a million other +things, as we find them necessary. If I had time just now, I'd go down +this run and pile some stones in the pools for the trout to hide under. I +was through here the other day and I noticed that the coons are playing +hob with the fish." + +"And does the state pay you for doing this work?" + +"Certainly. Pays me well, too." + +"Tell me how I could-----" began Charley. + +But the ranger interrupted him. "I can't tell you another thing now," he +said. "I must be moving. You never can tell when some careless fisherman +will set the forest on fire. The fact is I ought to be at headquarters +with the other rangers. The chief keeps us pretty close to the office +during the fire season, so as to have a fire crew at hand to respond +instantly to an alarm. But we have had such difficulty in securing fire +patrols this spring that some of us rangers have to do patrol duty. This +piece of timber you are in is the most valuable part of this entire +forest. It is virgin pine. It would cut close to 100,000 feet to the acre. +There is very little timber left in all Pennsylvania as fine as this. A +good part of it has already been burned. We are keeping close watch on +what is left. You never can tell when or where fires will start and we +want to grab them at the first possible minute. So I must shake a leg." + +"How do you grab a fire?" demanded Charley. "Please tell us. Maybe we +could help put one out some day if we knew how." + +The ranger laughed. "You're a persistent Indian," he said, "and I'm glad +you like the forest." + +"Like it!" exclaimed Charley. "I love it." + +He poured a cup of hot coffee and handed it to the ranger. "Tell us how +you put out a fire," he pleaded. + +The ranger chuckled. "You're a diplomat as well as a forest lover, I see," +he said. "Well, I shall keep moving through this tract of timber all day +long. If I see a fire I shall hurry to it, the way I came down to your big +smoke. I'll put it out, if possible. And if I can't get it out, I'll +summon help. Then we'll fight it until we do get it out." + +"How could you get help, when you're alone in the deep forest?" + +"I'd make my way out to the highway where our wire runs and connect up +this portable telephone," and the ranger pointed to a little leather case, +like a kodak box, that hung from his shoulder by a leather strap. "In a +minute's time a fire crew would be on the way to my assistance in a +motor-truck." + +The ranger handed Charley the empty cup and thanked him. + +"Have some more coffee?" urged Charley. + +"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted the ranger. "I believe you'd keep me +here all day if you could. I must be moving." + +"Just a minute," pleaded Charley. "You said it was difficult to find fire +patrols. Could I get a job as a fire patrol? I don't know as much about +fighting fire as you do, but I can patrol the forest and report fires as +well as anybody." + +"I wish you could be a patrol," replied the ranger heartily. "I'm sure +you'd make a good one. You seem to like the forest. But I don't believe it +is possible. The chief never hires anybody under twenty-one years of age +excepting in very unusual circumstances. In fact, I know of only two such +cases. And those two boys were almost of age and were unusualy well +qualified. I'm sorry, for I'd like to see you in the Forest Service. +Good-bye." He turned on his heel and was gone. + +Lew watched the ranger until he disappeared from view. Charley scarcely +glanced at him. He was lost in thought. Evidently his thoughts were not +pleasant, for from time to time he scowled. + +"Lew," he said, at length, "I never realized until this minute just what +that sign on the old hemlock meant." And he quoted: "'Everybody loses +when timber burns.' It's true. <i>Everybody</i> loses--positively everybody. +The sportsmen lose game, the fishermen lose fish, the towns lose their +water-supply, the mills lose their water-power, civilization loses wood. +Why, Lew, civilization's built of wood. How could we live without it? And +as for me, think what I've lost through forest fires. I've lost an +opportunity to own half of a boat. I've suffered from thirst. I've lost a +chance to catch some fish. And, Lew, I've lost a college education! I +never understood it before. If the cost of lumber hadn't gone up so much, +Dad could have paid for his house easily and helped me through college. +Now I've got to give up going to college. I've got to work two or three +years for Dad and if ever I get married and want to build a home, I see +where I've got to slave for the rest of my life to pay for the lumber +that's in it, and the wooden furnishings inside of it. Think of it, Lew! +You and I and all the rest of us have to work for years and years just to +pay for what a lot of reckless people did before we were born. It's +terrible, Lew, terrible. I've got to spend three years in a factory +because of it. I thought for a minute that I might get a job here in the +forest. That would have been grand. But there's no such luck. It's the +factory for me. I'm sure of it. I don't know how I'll ever stand it, Lew." + + + + +Chapter V + +A Lost Opportunity + + + +Half an hour later the two boys were all but ready to go on. Before +rolling his pack, Charley filled his coffee-pot in the run and thoroughly +soaked the last embers of their fire. + +"You'll never burn any timber," he said, as he poured on the last potful. +Then he stowed the coffee-pot in his pack and in a few moments the two +boys were once more afoot. + +They struck directly for the top of the knob, as the ranger had told them +to do. The slope of the ground alone guided them. So dense was the stand +of timber that the huge trunks shut off the view in all directions. It was +almost as though they were encircled by palisades. And so thick was the +shade that rarely did a sunbeam reach the earth. They were in the forest +primeval, a land of perpetual gloom. There was no underbrush and they +could travel rapidly. In a very short time they came to the top of the +knob. + +The summit had been entirely cleared of timber. On the very highest point +one lone tree remained. A long pole had been planted near its trunk, with +its top fastened to a branch of the tree. Crossbars between the tree and +the pole made a sort of rude ladder of the affair. And well up the tree a +rough staging had been constructed of small limbs. The boys saw at once +that this was a rude sort of watch-tower, and they suspected that the +ranger had been in the tree when he discovered the smoke from their fire. + +They climbed up the tree and surveyed the scene before them in silence. +Indeed, it was too sublime for words. On every side stretched the forest. +Mile upon mile, league after league, east, west, north, south, far as the +eye could reach, spread the leafy roof of the forest, seemingly +illimitable, boundless, vast as the ocean, a sea of trees. And like a sea +the forest rose and fell in huge billows. On either hand great mountains +reared their huge bulk heavenward. Beyond them other ranges heaved their +rugged crests aloft. And still other ranges lay beyond these. Over all was +a cover of living green, the canopy of the forest. Sublime, majestic, +awesome, almost overpowering was the spectacle. And neither lad could find +words to express the emotion that arose within him. So they stood and +looked in silent wonder. Finally Charley spoke. + +"It's worth all we've been through, Lew, just to see this," he said. "I +shall be well paid for the trip, even if we never get a fish." + +Presently Lew looked up at the sun. Then he examined the mountains a +little to the left of the sun. + +"There's where we go," he said, pointing over the nearest ridge to a gap +in the mountain beyond it. "The trout-stream will be in the third valley. +We've got to travel due east. And it will be some hike, too--over a +mountain and through a high gap. Let's pick out our landmarks and get +under way. It will take us a good many hours to make it, but we ought to +be there in time to have trout for supper." + +For a few moments the boys examined the way in silence. + +"See that bunch of rocks on the summit?" asked Lew. "They look like +chimney-rocks from here. Anyway, they stick up higher than any other part +of the mountain. And there's three tall pines right beside them. That's a +good landmark. It's exactly in a straight line for the gap. We can find +that mark if we can find anything. But you can't see very clearly through +this timber. Was there ever anything like it?" + +"Finest timber I ever set eyes on, Lew. Isn't it wonderful? and to think +that the whole state was once covered with timber like that!" + +They climbed down the rude ladder, slipped their packs over their +shoulders, and set off down the mountainside at a fast pace. And they +could go fast in such timber. No underbrush tripped them or caught in +their sacks. No low limbs impeded their progress. Indeed there was hardly +a limb nearer the ground than fifty feet. Their only care was for the +rocks and the roughness underfoot. From time to time they paused as they +came to some mammoth pine, and gazed in awed wonder at its huge bulk. + +As they got down into the bottom the timber seemed to be even larger than +it was on the slope. The forest floor was soft and springy. Their feet +sank into it as into a soft, thick rug. The top of this leafy covering was +dry enough; but a few inches under the surface, the forest mold was as +moist as though a shower had just fallen. Yet there had been almost no +rain for months. Not only did the leaves hold the moisture, but the very +shade itself conserved it by preventing evaporation. + +In the very centre of the valley ran a little stream. Long before they +could see it, they heard the brook talking to itself. The forest was +filled with a gentle murmur, which grew to a distinct rushing sound as +they approached the stream. + +"Can't you just hear it speak?" said Lew. "What do you suppose it is +saying?" + +"Those really are voices," insisted Charley. + +"Now who's getting dippy?" laughed Lew. "You'll be as bad as I am if you +keep on." + +"But I do hear voices," protested Charley. "I plainly heard the word +'six.' Listen. Somebody said 'eight,' just as plain as could be." + +Lew looked puzzled. "Of course there might be some fishermen in here +besides ourselves," he said. + +They looked carefully about them, but at first saw nothing. Then a voice +distinctly said, "Hemlock--five." There could no longer be any doubt. +Some one besides themselves was in the forest. + +They made their way in the direction of the sound. Presently they saw +three men. Two of them carried calipers and walked in advance. The third +came behind and held a pencil and note-book. + +"Wonder who they are and what they are doing," Charley said quietly. + +"Let's watch and see." + +But in a moment the approaching party caught sight of them. "Good-morning, +boys," said the man with the note-book. "Out for trout?" + +"Surest thing you know," replied Lew. "But we've had hard luck. We +intended to fish in the valley back of us. It used to be a fine place for +trout. But it's been burned over and there are no trout left." + +"I know," said the man. "I've seen it. Be careful with your fires, boys. +We don't want any more of this fine timber burned." + +"Are you a forest-ranger, too?" asked Charley eagerly. + +"No; I'm the forester. I have charge of this forest." + +"Why, I thought you were at headquarters with your fire crew," cried +Charley, hardly realizing what he was saying. + +The man looked at him sharply. "I ought to be and I wish I were," he said. +"I don't like this a bit. But I was ordered by the Commissioner to send in +an immediate estimate on the amount of timber in this stand. There's a +big sale on and they have to know how much there is to sell." He paused +and then added: "How in the world did you know I was supposed to be at +headquarters with the fire crew?" + +"A ranger told us so. We met him over in the other valley. He said he +wished he was with you." + +"Oh! That would be Morton," said the forester. "I sent him out on patrol +because we were short of fire patrols." + +"Could you use me as a fire patrol?" said Charley quickly. + +The forester looked at him searchingly. "Why do you want to be a fire +patrol?" he asked. + +"I've got to go to work at something," said Charley, "and I'd love to help +care for the forest. You see, I'm almost through high school and I've got +to go to work and help Dad the minute I've graduated. He wants me to go +into the factory with him. I hate factories. But I love the woods. You'd +never be sorry, if you hired me, sir." + +"Are you sure it isn't work rather than the factory you dislike?" demanded +the forester bluntly. + +"No, no!" protested Charley. "I'd work day and night gladly if I could do +what I want to do. And there's nothing I can think of I'd rather do than +help take care of the forest." + +"Very good," said the forester, "but I need patrols now, not after school +closes in June." + +"Maybe I could get excused for the rest of the term," pleaded Charley. + +"And throw away your chance to graduate? I don't think I want that kind +of a boy for a fire patrol," said the forester with a frown. "You might +decide to quit this job, too, about the time we stacked up against a hot +fire." + +Lew spoke up. "You don't understand what Charley means, sir," he +explained. "Charley is away ahead of most of us in his school work. He's +done enough now to give him his diploma." + +"Indeed!" replied the forester. + +Then he turned to Charley in apology. "I beg your pardon, young man. I +misjudged you. I should like to have such an exemplary young man for a +patrol, but you are too young. We practically never employ a man not yet +of age as a fire patrol. A boy would have to have very unusual +qualifications if we did take him. I'm sorry, my lad. I believe you are a +fine boy, and I'd like to hire you. But you are too young." + +Charley turned his head away to hide the tears that he could not keep back +as he saw the opportunity slipping away from him. Then he dashed his hand +across his eyes and again faced the forester. + +"You do not understand who we are," he said with determination, "nor what +our qualifications are. I am accustomed to the woods, sir. I know +something of woodcraft. I have fought fire in the forest. I have spent +weeks in the mountains. And I am a wireless operator, sir. Are any of your +patrols better qualified?" + +The forester looked at him with renewed interest. "As a patrol," he +remarked, "you would have to deal with grown men. You would find yourself +in many situations that you could not handle. Grown men do not like to +take orders from boys." + +"I have handled men, sir; that is, I have helped to handle them. I helped +to capture the German dynamiters at Elk City, sir, when the Camp Brady +Wireless Patrol saved that place from destruction." + +"Are you a member of that organization?" asked the forester with +increasing interest. "I remember reading about that." + +"We both are," said Charley. "And I could help you so much with my +wireless, sir. Your ranger told us this morning that if he found a fire he +couldn't handle, he would have to go clear out to the highway before he +could summon help. With the wireless, help could be summoned almost +instantly." + +The forester smiled indulgently. "It sounds good," he commented. "But you +forget that we have no wireless and that none of us knows anything about +radio-telegraphy. No; I am afraid I can't use you, though I'd like to. If +you still want a job when you are of age, come to me. I can use you as a +patrol and I might even have a place for you as a ranger. We have mighty +few rangers as well educated and equipped as you will be. Or you might +even decide to go to Mont Alto and take a degree in forestry and become a +forester like myself. I would like to see you in the service, but I can't +take you in now. I must get on with my work and hurry back to my office. +Good-bye and good luck to you. And don't forget about your fires." + +Turning to the elder of his two companions, he said, "All right, Finnegan. +Go ahead." + +The man stepped to the nearest tree, slipped his calipers on it +breast-high, then glanced aloft. "White pine, forty-three, five," he +called. + +The forester put down the figures in his cruising book. + +"Hemlock, twenty-eight, four," called the other man. + +The men were experienced timber cruisers. They were measuring the amount +of wood in the forest. The first man meant that the white pine tree he was +measuring was forty-three inches in diameter breast-high and would make +five standard logs, each sixteen feet long. The second scaler had measured +a hemlock twenty-eight inches in diameter and long enough for four logs. +They were measuring the timber on a few acres, so as to form an estimate +of the amount for sale. + +The work interested Lew greatly, but Charley had no heart for anything. He +had fought hard and apparently his last chance had slipped away from him. + +He was very quiet as they made their way through the valley. Even the run +in the bottom failed to stir him, though he loved the little mountain +streams passionately. Yet he did notice that here, beneath the lofty +pines, where the forest mold lay deep and spongy, the brook flowed +strongly. It sang as it rushed along between its rugged banks. But there +was no music in its song for Charley. So alluring was the stream that Lew +wanted to fish, but Charley had no heart even to try for a trout; though +it was practically a certainty that there were trout aplenty to be had. +Time heals all wounds. It would heal Charley's: but not enough time had +yet elapsed for the healing process to begin. At present he could think of +nothing but his dismal prospects. + +So they went on through the bottom and slowly ascended the opposite +mountain. As they had suspected might be the case, it was impossible to +distinguish the landmarks they had chosen. The innumerable great trunks of +the pines cut off their vision as effectually as a high board fence could +have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the +freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a +comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain, +after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected. + +The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in +finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope +and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well +timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed. +And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the +stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon +was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the +valley that was to be their home for the next few days. + +Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained +some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with +hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were +countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a +hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from +some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a +splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so +dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that +went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal +clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout. + +By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!" +he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook." +As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold +enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush +here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish." + +Hardly had he spoken before a great trout darted across the stream, +almost at their feet. Charley extended his rod over the water and waved it +vigorously a few times. Instantly trout darted out from a dozen different +points. + +"Gee whiz!" shouted Charley. "Did you see 'em, Lew? I can hardly wait to +get a line in." + +"We've got to get our camp made before we do any fishing," replied Lew. +"Let's hustle up and find a good camp site." + +They walked rapidly up the valley, keeping a few yards back from the brook +so as not to alarm the trout. + +"I don't know how our wireless will work among all these trees," said Lew. +"If we could find an open spot I'm sure it would be better." + +Presently they came to exactly the sort of place they desired. At some +time, evidently within a few months, for no brush had as yet sprung up, a +hurricane had swept through the forest: and where it had passed lay a +windrow of trees as flat as a swath of grain after the scythe has gone +through it. The windrow was several rods in width, and not a tree remained +standing within that space. The fallen trees were piled upon one another +in confused masses. + +For a time the boys gazed at the scene with awe. "That opening will make a +fine place to hang our aerial if we can get the wires up," said Lew. "I +believe that we have enough wire to hang 'em up pretty high and still have +a long lead-in wire. If there is, then we can camp back here under the +trees close to the run. We have no tent and the dense tops will protect +us from dew. It'll be much warmer back among the trees, too." + +Speedily they found a place that suited them. They put their packs on the +ground and got out their wireless instruments. Then they made some rude +spreaders from branches that Lew cut in the windrow. When the aerial was +ready to hang up, Charley took a length of wire and made his way across +the windrow and up a slender tree that stood on the farther edge of the +opening. He fastened one end of the wire to the spreader and the other end +he attached to the tree. Lew was duplicating his movements on the other +side of the opening. In no time the aerial was swinging above the windrow, +and the lead-in wire had been brought back through the trees to the camp +site. Here the instruments were connected and the wire coupled to them. +The dry cells were next wired and the outfit was then ready. Lew sat down +beside the spark-gap and pressed the key. Bright flashes leaped from point +to point. He adjusted the gap, so as to get the best spark, then laid the +pack bags over the instruments. + +"We missed out on listening to Roy this time," he said, "but I'll bet we +can raise the rest of the bunch. She works fine. We've got a dandy spark." + +"Good!" cried Charley. "It won't be long before it is dark. It's already +twilight under these trees. Now for the trout." + + + + +Chapter VI + +Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + + + +"Shall we go up-stream or down?" asked Lew, as he jointed his little rod +and fastened a hook to his line. + +"Let's go down. We can't fish very long, and we know there is no brush +along the stream below us. We can try it up-stream to-morrow." + +"To-morrow we'll fish on opposite sides of the run," said Lew as they +buckled on their bait boxes and started. "I don't see any way to cross now +and there's no time to hunt for a way." + +"It's full of 'em. I'll bet on that," smiled Charley. "We'll catch a mess +in no time. Here goes with a worm." + +He threaded one on his hook, crouched down, and cautiously drew near the +bank. A dexterous flick of his rod landed the worm fairly in the middle of +the run. Hardly had it hit the water before something grabbed it, and +Charley drew forth a flopping fish. But it proved to be only a fingerling. +In disgust Charley wet his hand and carefully unhooked the little fish. + +"Shows they're here, anyway," he said, as he tossed the little trout back +into the stream. + +But if they were there, they were strangely shy in making their presence +known. Rod after rod the hoys advanced, careful not to show themselves, +making their casts with greatest caution, and keeping as quiet as +possible. But no fish so much as smelled their bait. Again and again they +let their hooks float down into promising pools, but never a strike +resulted. + +They took the worms from their hooks and tried flies. But though their +gaudy lures landed lightly on the water and danced in the rapids like real +insects struggling for their lives, never a fish rose to grasp one. + +"They won't touch worms and they don't want flies. I wonder what they do +like," grumbled Lew in disgust. "I wish we had some grasshoppers or +crickets. Bet we'd get 'em then." + +They continued their efforts until it was almost dark. "We'll have to be +getting back to camp," said Charley. "We can't see much longer. We don't +want to be caught here in the dark. The flash-light is back at camp." + +"Here's a fat grub," said Lew, picking up a whiteworm out of a rotting +log. "I'm going to make one more try. Maybe they want grubs." + +He slipped the worm on his hook and flicked it toward the brook. A second +after it struck the water there was a splash, and Lew's reel sang shrilly. + +"Oh boy!" cried Lew, as he struck up his rod smartly. "I've got him." + +He had. The fish leaped clear of the water, but failed to loosen the +line. Then it darted away like a shot, the line cutting through the water +with a sharp, swishing sound. + +"Hold him," called Charley. "He's heading for that snag." + +Lew put his thumb on the line and raised the tip of his rod higher. Under +the tension the supple steel bent almost double. The fish stopped his +rush, turned, and darted down-stream before Lew could reel in a foot of +line. + +Charley forgot all about his own fishing in his desire to help land the +trout. "Don't let him get under that rock," he warned, coming close to the +brook. "He'll cut the line." + +Lew increased the tension on the line and the fish stopped short of the +rock. For an instant the trout sulked and Lew reeled in rapidly. + +"Guess I got him," he cried triumphantly, as the fish was drawn near to +the bank. But as he bent to grasp his prize there was a tremendous splash. +The trout leaped high out of water, then darted off again like a flash. +Lew had to give him line or lose him. + +"He's a whopper, Charley," he cried. "Gee! I hope I don't lose him!" + +"Here's a shallow place," cried Charley. "Work him into it and we can grab +him." + +Lew maneuvered the trout toward the shoal. Again and again the fish broke +for the deeper water and Lew had to give him line. But each time he +stopped the rush and patiently worked the fish back toward the shoal. At +last the trout was fairly on the edge of it. Lew began to pull steadily on +his line and slid the tired fish into shallow water. It flopped helplessly +on the stones. Lew drew it to the bank and thrust a finger into its gills. +In another second the fish was dangling in air. + +"Great Cæsar!" cried Charley excitedly. "Ain't he a beaut! He's the +biggest trout I ever saw." + +"He's the biggest one I ever caught," answered Lew. "He'll make a meal +himself." + +"He'll have to," returned Charley. "We can't fish another minute. It's +almost dark now." + +Lew slipped his finger down the throat of the gasping fish, and bent the +creature's head sharply back. The trout hung limp in his hand. Then the +two fishermen made their way through the dusky forest to their camp, where +Charley lighted a fire. + +"I'll just see what this fellow has been eating," said Lew. "Maybe we can +find out what sort of bait to use." He opened his knife and slit the +fish's belly. "Crabs!" he cried, as his knife blade turned up the remains +of a crayfish. "Now we know what they want." + +Soon Charley had a good bed of coals. Lew, meantime, cleaned the fish. +Quickly it was cooked and eaten and the dishes washed. By this time it was +altogether dark. + +"Now we'll get some crabs for to-morrow," said Lew. + +"Wonder how we can catch them?" queried Charley. + +"What we need is a little dip-net. With that and the flash-light we could +get a peck of them. These little streams are full of them." + +"Let's try scooping them with a coffee-pot. The lid comes off. If we are +careful, I believe it will answer." + +They took the lid off of the pot, and stepping to the brook turned the +beam from their flash-light on the bottom of the run. The scene was +fascinating. Feeling secure in the darkness, the living creatures in the +brook had ventured abroad freely. Where the bright light of the sun would +have disclosed only stones and sand, the little beam from the search-light +revealed a myriad of moving shapes. Little minnows moved about in schools. +Salamanders, large and small, crawled about among the rocks. Occasional +trout were visible, lurking in the deeper holes, lying as motionless as +sticks, or moving their tails slowly. Eels lay on the sandy spots. And +lying still or crawling slowly among the stones were many crayfish. The +water seemed to be filled with living objects. + +"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking +at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so +interesting." + +With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for +crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the +flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep +the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into +the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final, +quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim +escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent +the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew +tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary +to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now +getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the +wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they +had a goodly number of crayfish. + +"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows +will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at +his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost +nine now. We'll have to hurry." + +So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had +sped much faster than either boy realized. + +They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling +their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing +had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone +fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments +and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped +the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright +sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley +Russell calling.) + +Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.) + +"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why +we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew. + +The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle +of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his +pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by +his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between +the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning. + +"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley. + +"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last +night?" + +"Couldn't," answered Charley. "Didn't reach Old Ironsides camp site until +long after dark. Forest fires have burned up all the timber there. Spring +dried up, too. Had terrible time. Awful thirsty and no water to drink. Too +tired to put up aerial." + +"Where are you now?" + +"In the third valley east of Old Ironsides. Never been so far in the +mountains before. Grand stand of timber here. Great trout stream. Full of +big ones. Won't touch worms or flies. Just been catching crabs to try +to-morrow." + +"Get any yet?" + +"One big one." + +"Have any adventures?" + +"Not unless you call our experience in the burned timber an adventure. +Toughest thing I've stacked up against in a long time. Timber burned for +miles. No fish. Raccoons catching 'em out of the little pools. Had to come +here to get any. What are you doing?" + +"Everybody hard at work. I got a new job yesterday helping a fellow make a +wireless outfit." + +"Where?" + +"Right here. We're making it in my shop." + +"Will you be there to-morrow?" + +"Sure. All day." + +"We'll call you." + +"Good! I'll listen in every hour on the hour. Then you can get me almost +any time." + +"Bully for you. We're going to fish to-morrow, but we may catch so many in +the morning that we won't want to fish after dinner. I'll let you know how +we make out. Good luck to you all. Wish you were here. We'll bring you a +nice mess of fish, anyway. Good-night." + +"Good-night and good luck." + +"I wish they were here," said Lew, as Charley covered the instruments to +protect them from dampness, and moved over near his chum. "It doesn't seem +right to be in the forest without the whole crowd. This makes me think of +our camp in the forest near the Elk City reservoir, when we were hot on +the trail of the dynamiters. I'd hate to camp out at this time of year +without any fire." + +"Well, let's turn in. We want to get up early to-morrow and try those +crabs. I'll bet we get a bunch of trout." + +"Bet we do, too," replied Charley. + +Little did he dream that on the morrow he would be engaged in matters far +more serious than catching trout. + + + + +Chapter VII + +The Forest Afire + + + +The earliest rays of light had hardly penetrated beneath the giant pines +the next morning before the two boys were astir. Their breakfast was +quickly cooked and eaten. Then they buckled on their bait boxes, now +bulging with worms and crayfish. They carried as well their books of +flies. And Charley slipped the little axe into his belt, to have something +to chop with in case they wanted to hunt for whiteworms. + +"Let's go back where we caught that big fellow last night," said Lew. +"There may be some more like him in those deep pools." + +"All right. Come on." + +With nothing but their little rods to carry, they made fast time through +the forest, and had already reached the pool in which the big trout was +taken, before the first ray of sunlight came flashing among the tree +trunks. + +"We're going to have a fine day," said Charley. "It's my turn to catch a +fish. Here goes for a try." + +He baited his hook with a crayfish, and cautiously made his way toward the +brink of the brook. Half-way he paused and straightened up, sniffing the +air. Then he turned and looked at Lew. + +"Smell anything?" he asked. + +Lew had also detected a taint in the fresh morning air. "Smells like +smoke," he said. "Probably some fisherman cooking his breakfast." + +Charley turned toward the brook again, then once more faced his companion. + +"People don't cook with leaves," he said soberly. "That isn't wood smoke, +that's burning leaves." + +For a moment the two boys looked at each other in silence. + +"You don't suppose----" began Lew, but Charley cut him short. + +"Let's make sure. Which way is that smoke coming from?" He stepped to the +brook and dipped a finger in the cold water. Then he held his hand aloft. + +"There's so little wind stirring I can't tell which way it's blowing," he +said. "One side of my finger feels as cold as the other." + +Again he tried it. There was just a suggestion of an air current. "Seems +to be blowing straight up the valley," he said. + +"I'll try a match," said Lew. He took his waterproof match box from his +pocket and drew forth a match, which he lighted on his heel. "You're +right," he said. "The flame blows up-stream a little. What shall we do?" + +"It doesn't seem possible that the woods can be afire," answered Charley. +"But let's make sure. If the forest is afire and we can put it out, it +would be a crime if we don't. The memory of it would haunt me the rest of +my life." + +"All right. We'll go down-stream. If there is a fire, we'll do our best to +put it out. If there isn't any fire, there's no harm done. We can probably +find as many fish down-stream as there are here. We'll save time if we +unjoint our rods." + +Quickly the lines were reeled up and the rods packed in their cloth cases. +Then, with nothing to hamper them, the two boys hurried down the valley. + +Gradually the odor of burning leaves grew stronger. A very little breeze +arose, blowing straight in their faces. It was heavy with the smell of +fire. Ahead of them the forest began to look gray and misty, as though a +heavy night fog still covered the earth. But both boys knew that the gray +blanket was no night mist. It was smoke. They quickened their pace. The +smoke cloud grew denser. Then a dull, reddish glow appeared. There could +no longer be any doubt. The forest was afire. + +"Come on," cried Charley. "We've got to grab it quick." + +As they started to run, Lew protested: "Not too fast. We'll tire ourselves +out before we get there. We may have a long fight before we put the fire +out." + +The smoke now rolled past them in dense clouds. The red glow grew +brighter. In a few moments they reached the fire itself. It was in an +opening where the timber had been cut and little but brush remained. It +was a ground fire that crept slowly along among the leaves. Yet it had +already spread until it seemed to stretch across half the valley. + +"If we can only put it out before the wind comes up," said Charley, "we +can save the forest." + +He looked about for a low tree, discovered a thick, young pine, rapidly +chopped off some bushy branches, and again sheathed his axe. Each boy +seized a branch. + +"Our rods--what shall we do with them?" asked Lew. + +"Throw 'em in the run. Fire can't hurt 'em there and we can get 'em at any +time." + +Lew rushed over to the brook and put the rods in the water. He set a flat +stone on them to keep the current from moving them. Then he dipped his +pine bough in the brook and began to beat out the flames, working straight +out from the bank. Charley joined him. Rapidly they rained blows upon the +fire. Rod after rod they advanced. The heat from even so small a fire was +great. The smoke was blinding and stifling. Heat and smoke and their own +exertions tired them rapidly. + +"We've got to take it easier," said Lew, after a little, "or we'll be all +in before we get the fire half out." + +Of necessity they slackened their efforts. As they wore out their weapons, +they cut new ones. Every little while they rested. They were tiring fast. +At the same tune, the wind was beginning to freshen. Here in the open +there was nothing to break its force. The flames leaped higher under its +breath and began to run over the ground instead of crawling. The fire +itself created a draft. The greater the draft, the hotter the flame +became, and the hotter the fire grew, the stronger blew the draft. + +"We're never going to do it," panted Charley, after a while. "The wind is +blowing harder all the time. We must call help." + +He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes of seven!" he ejaculated. "How far +do you think we are from camp?" + +"Two miles, anyway," answered Lew. + +"If I can make it by seven, I may be able to get Willie. He said he would +listen in every hour." + +"Hurry," said Lew sharply. "I'll keep at work here." + +"If it gets too hot for you," said Charley, "go right back to the brook, +and come up along it to camp. That's the way I'm going back, and I'll +return that way after I get Willie. Good-bye." + +He started off at a fast pace. But his exertions and the heat and smoke +had so weakened him that he quickly saw he could not maintain such a gait. +He dropped to a steady jog. Even that taxed his strength. But he gritted +his teeth and clenched his hands and kept on. + +The forest was now full of smoke. The dense cloud completely hid the sun. +Among the great pines it was almost like twilight. Charley pushed on as +fast as his weary legs could carry him. More than once he tripped and +fell. He could no longer see distinctly. Fatigue and the smoke in his eyes +blurred his vision. He was scratched and torn and his hands were a mass of +little burns. Charley scarcely noticed them. His mind was wholly intent on +getting help and saving the forest. Nothing else mattered. So he staggered +on through the dusky woods. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had +passed. He felt sure he had been running an hour and that his watch had +stopped. He held it to his ear. The steady ticking somewhat reassured him. +After what seemed like another long interval he ventured to look at it +again. Five minutes more had elapsed. Five minutes remained before Willie +would be at his post waiting for a possible message. Charley crowded on +all the speed that was left in him. But his feet seemed to be made of +lead. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs. His lungs seemed nigh +to bursting. + +"Five minutes more," he kept muttering to himself. "Only five minutes +more. I've got to make it. Only five minutes more." + +Suddenly he came to their camp. In his weariness he had not recognized any +landmarks. He could hardly believe it was their camp. But there were the +grub bag hanging on a wire, the dishes piled by the fire, and the wireless +instruments protected by the pack bags. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" gasped Charley, as he threw himself on the +ground beside his key. He tried to flash a call, but his hand trembled so +he could not form the letters correctly. He dropped flat on his back to +rest for a moment, glancing at his watch as he lay there. It lacked one +minute of seven. + +For sixty seconds Charley lay prostrate, looking at the second-hand on his +watch as it went round. Then he sat up. The minute's rest had steadied him +wonderfully. He moved his switch, pressed his finger on the key, and sent +the bright sparks flashing between his gap points. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he called, then paused to listen. + +There was no response. An anxious look crept into his eyes. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," again he called. + +No answering signal sounded in his ear. His face went white. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out anxiously. And without listening +for a reply, he repeated the message frantically half a dozen times. Then +a buzzing sounded in his ears. A look of relief came on his face. He +sighed. Willie was acknowledging his call signal. + +"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?" + +"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on +the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the +fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is +from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask +what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer." + +For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were +like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though +Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and +wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his +mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of +flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. +Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the +forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped +his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground. + +Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning +to speak. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly +where fire is." + +"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond +Ironsides," flashed back Charley. + +"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval. + +"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What +shall we do?" + +Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header +and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives." + +"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye." + +Charley threw over his switch, covered the instruments with the pack bags, +and was off down the valley. He felt much refreshed by his rest. At a +steady jog he made his way along the brook. + +Now he found it difficult to breathe. Smoke was rolling through the forest +in billows. Close by he heard the cries of terror-stricken animals. He +came to the edge of the burned space beside the brook, where they had +beaten out the flames. Here there was practically no smoke. He turned away +from the run and followed the black edge of the burned area. He knew this +would bring him to Lew, and he wanted to make sure that they had +extinguished every spark in the distance they had covered. Only at one +point did he find fire smouldering. He beat out the sparks and went on. He +could see almost nothing. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. Through it +he began to distinguish the red glare of the flames. Ever louder sounded +the crackle of fire. From a low, humming sound it grew, as he drew near, +into a subdued roar. Then all other sounds were lost in the greater tumult +of the forest fire. + +Now he came close to the flames. The heat was terrific. The smoke choked +him. He could hardly breathe. The roar of the fire was terrifying. +Hitherto he had felt no fear. Now a feeling of alarm suddenly seized him. +What if Lew had been overcome by smoke and burned in his absence? The +possibility had never occurred to him before. + +"Lew! Lew!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and started along the line +of the fire. There was no reply. At least Charley heard none. + +"Lew! Lew!" he cried. "Where are you?" + +But no voice answered through the smoke. + +"If he's down, I'll find him or die trying," muttered Charley to himself. + +His face was grim and set as he started along the line of the fire again, +paying no heed to the flames but looking only for his chum. Every few +yards he stopped and shouted. But no answer ever reached him. + +On he went, rod after rod, keeping as near the flames as he dared. He saw +nothing of his friend. He came to a point where a tongue of fire had run +far in advance of the remainder of the blaze. It seemed to be traveling +twice as fast as the rest of the flames. + +"The header!" he cried to himself. "Here's where we ought to be at work. +But I must find Lew first. He certainly never got beyond this header." + +Charley stopped and called. Again and again he shouted. There was no +response. + +"Maybe he went back to look for me and I passed him in the smoke," thought +Charley. "I'll go back to the brook." + +He turned to retrace his steps. Something suddenly flashed into flame +close beside him. It caught Charley's attention. He saw it was a pine +bough. Then he noticed that it had been freshly cut. + +"It's Lew's brush," cried Charley. "He must have been here." + +He sank on his knees close to the blazing bough, and heedless of smoke and +flame began to examine the ground carefully. He ran his fingers lightly +over the leaves, feeling for footprints. At first he found nothing. Then +he discovered the impression of a heel. He could not be certain which way +the footprint pointed. + +With the heel mark as a centre, he began to feel about in a circle two or +three feet wide. He judged that would be the length of his chum's stride. +Twice he felt around the circle before he found a second footprint. It was +in the direction of the brook. He moved forward and searched where he +thought the third step should have fallen. Here he distinctly saw the mark +of a foot. When he rose to his feet his coat sleeve was beginning to smoke +and his face was blistered. + +"Lew's gone back to the brook," he muttered. "I must have passed him in +the smoke. He's probably looking for me." + +But he still felt vaguely uneasy and fearful. He walked rapidly toward the +brook. The trail he was following became distinct. The leaves had been +kicked up here and there by Lew as he walked. The track grew plainer and +plainer. It became more like a plow furrow. At first Charley did not +grasp the meaning of the shambling trail. Then it came to him. + +"He's dragging his feet," he muttered. "He must be all in. Maybe he's +down." + +Charley took a quick look at the flames. They had crept frightfully close +to the trail in the leaves. Then he sprang forward at top speed. His face +was white. + +"I've got to reach him before the fire gets him," he sobbed. + +He kept peering through the smoke. "There's another header shooting out +toward that log," he said, "but I won't leave the trail. I might miss +Lew." + +The trail led straight toward the log. Charley increased his speed. As he +neared the log he gave a cry of terror and bounded forward like a shot. +What Charley had mistaken for a tree trunk was his chum's prostrate form. +The flames had almost reached it. + +With his brush Charley fell on the fire savagely and beat it out for the +space of a rod or two on either side of Lew's body. Then he rushed back to +his chum and knelt beside him. Lew was unconscious but breathing +regularly. His nose was half buried in leaves and moss. That fact had +probably saved his life, for it had given him pure air to breathe. + +Charley drew Lew over his shoulder until he had him doubled up like a +jack-knife, and could therefore carry him easily. Then, at a steady pace, +he set out for the brook. Soon he passed the end of the line of fire. In +a few minutes more he reached the stream. + +He laid his chum close beside the run, felt his pulse and listened to his +breathing. Lew's heart was beating regularly and he was breathing easily. + +Charley sighed with relief. "He's all right," he muttered. + +Then he filled his hat with water and sprinkled some on Lew's face. Lew's +eyelids flickered. Then his eyes opened. + +"Where am I, Charley?" he asked. "What are you doing?" + +For a moment he lay still. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright. + +"I know now," he said. "The forest is on fire. I was fighting it and you +went to call help. Did you get Willie? And how did you find me? I guess I +got too much smoke. I started for the brook. That's all I can remember. +I'm all right now. We're going back." + +He got to his feet, but at first had to be supported. Charley made him lie +down again. In a few minutes his strength seemed to return to him. He got +up. + +"I'm all right now, Charley," he insisted. "I mightn't be awake yet if you +hadn't thrown that water on my face. Thanks, old man." + +Charley did not tell Lew how near to death he had been. Instead, he said, +"Are you sure you're strong enough to tackle that fire again?" + +"Sure as shooting," nodded Lew. + +"Then come on. The fire has an awful start on us. The forester wants us to +try to hold the header by back-firing." + +As they started toward the blaze Lew said, "We'll have to work some +distance in advance of it. If only we had rakes we might conquer it even +yet." + +They made their way to a point well in front of the header. Then they cut +sticks and made little bundles of them to use like rakes. + +"I'll clear away the leaves and you start the fire," directed Charley. + +He began raking away the leaves, clearing a sort of path about two feet +wide straight across the line of the advancing header. Lew lighted the +leaves on the side of the cleared space toward the header, following close +upon Charley's heels. From time to time he ran back along the cleared +space to make sure the flames had not jumped across it. Wherever they had, +he beat them out with his brush. On the other side of the cleared space +the flames slowly worked their way toward the onrushing header, widening +with every minute the barren area where the flames could find no fuel to +feed upon. + +Rod after rod Charley cleared a narrow lane and Lew kept close behind him +with his torch. With amazing rapidity they extended their line. + +"If only we had the Wireless Patrol here," panted Lew, "we'd lick this old +fire to a frazzle." + +On and on they went. To save their strength they exchanged tasks at +intervals. Every few minutes they faced about and ran back over their line +to make sure no flames had crossed the cleared space. The air was dense +with smoke, but the heat from their back-fire was trifling in comparison +with that of the main conflagration. The stand of timber grew thicker, +breaking the force of the breeze more and more. Their back-fire ate its +way into the wind much faster, and the real fire came on slower. It seemed +to be getting farther and farther away. + +"We've passed the header," cried Charley exultantly. "We ought to be able +to hold the main fire." + +They rested a moment, then went at their task with renewed hope and vigor. +Rod after rod they cleared a path and fired the leaves on the windward +side of this lane. Finally their line grew so long that they could no +longer guard it properly. + +"If only we had half a dozen boys to patrol the line," sighed Lew. "I'm +afraid the flames will jump across somewhere. Then all we have done will +be in vain." + +"We'll make a trip over the whole line," declared Charley, "and be sure +it's safe. Then we'll stop back-firing and beat out the flames again. It's +the only sure way I can think of." + +He drew his axe and cut fresh boughs. Then they went back along their +line. In one place flames had already leaped across, but they fell on them +vigorously with their bushes and soon put them out. They patrolled the +line until they felt sure it was safe. + +"If we can put out the flames between our back-fire and the brook," said +Lew, "it will make our job a great deal easier. We've already put out part +of them." + +They began to work their way back to the brook, following the line of +flame and beating out the fire foot by foot as they advanced. There were +many things in their favor. The dense stand of trees at this point not +only checked the wind and made the fire less fierce, but the absence of +underbrush also helped to check it. There was little for it to feed upon +but leaves. So the two boys could work close to it and beat it out with +ease, though the smoke was stifling. Only lads of great determination and +courage would have stuck to the task. + +With frequent pauses, necessary for rest, they went on, foot by foot, yard +after yard, rod upon rod. "We're going to make it," cried Lew presently. +"It's only a little distance to the end of the flames." + +They increased their efforts. Quickly they reached the end of the line of +fire. Beyond that the woods had been saved by their first efforts. + +"Now we'll go back over the line," said Charley, "and make sure the fire +doesn't start up anywhere." + +"I'm dying of thirst," said Lew. "Let's get a drink first. We are not far +from the brook." + +They hurried to the run and threw themselves flat on the bank, drinking +copious draughts of the cool and refreshing water. + +"I wonder what time it is," said Charley, as they got to their feet again. +"It seems to me that we've been fighting fire for hours." He looked at his +watch. "We have," he cried. "It's after eleven o'clock. The fire crew has +been on the way four hours. They'll follow their fire trails and get here +in a fraction of the time it took us to come in. They certainly ought to +be here soon. If we can hold the fire for a little bit longer the forest +will be safe." + +"Come on," called Lew. "We've got to do it." + +Again they went along the line of their back-fire. For rod after rod the +fire was conquered. In other places it still burned; but the back-fire had +now eaten its way so far to windward of the cleared space that there was +no longer any danger of the flames leaping past the barrier. So they +covered the entire length of their line and found it safe. + +When they reached the main fire again they began to beat it out with +branches. Rod after rod they continued to work their way. But at best +their progress was painfully slow. + +"Lew," said Charley of a sudden, "while we are beating out these flames +here, there may be another header in front of us traveling like a +racehorse. I'm going to run ahead and see. You stay here. Call every +little bit and I'll answer. I'll be back in a few minutes." + +He made his way along the line of the fire. Here in the thick timber it +still burned slowly and feebly. He could trace the line of fire far ahead, +and it seemed to have advanced with remarkable evenness. Nowhere could be +seen a header of flame jutting out far in advance of the main line. + +"If the wind doesn't rise," he muttered to himself, "we're going to make +it." + +He went on, trying to locate the other end of the fire. Behind him he +heard Lew halloing. Before he could turn to answer, an echo came back from +the mountain in front of him. + +"If only that were a real voice," muttered Charley to himself. + +Then he stood stock-still. Shout after shout came ringing in his ears. "It +<i>is</i> a real voice," he cried. "The fire crew is coming." + +A moment later a dozen forms became visible in the smoke. They were +running along the edge of the fire, evidently trying to determine where to +begin their attack on it. At their head was the forester. He came directly +toward Charley, but gave no sign of recognition. Nor, could Charley have +seen himself, would he have wondered at it. With his face blackened by +smoke and caked with blood from innumerable little cuts and scratches, his +hands grimy and almost raw, and his clothes torn in a hundred places, +Charley could hardly have been recognized by his own mother. + +"How far across the valley does this fire extend?" asked the forester. + +"You are almost at the end of it, sir," replied Charley. + +"It's making a tremendous smoke for such a little blaze, then," said the +forester. + +He turned to his men. "Get right at it and beat it out," he ordered. "This +is all there is to it." + +Again he faced Charley. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "When we came over +the pass it looked as though the entire bottom was afire." + +"It was," said Charley. "That is, everything this side of the run was +afire. We have got it all out but this." + +"Have you seen anything of two boys with a wireless outfit? They notified +me of this fire." + +"Why, I am one of them, sir. It was I who asked you yesterday for a job as +fire patrol." + +The forester looked at him narrowly for several seconds. "See here," he +said severely. "Did you boys set this forest afire?" + +Charley looked aghast. "Set the forest afire!" he exclaimed in amazement. +"Certainly not. Why should we?" + +"Are you telling me the truth?" + +Even through the grime Charley's face was red. "See here," he said +angrily, "I don't care whether you are the forester or the President of +the United States. You are not going to call me a liar. If Lew and I +hadn't been here fishing, you wouldn't have any forest by this time. We've +fought this fire for hours and it's only a piece of luck that Lew isn't +dead. He'd have been burned to a crisp if I hadn't found him just when I +did. We've done everything we could to save the forest. I demand to know +your reason for suggesting that we started the blaze." + +"Young man," said the forester, "more than one forest fire has been set by +persons who wanted a job fighting fire. You wanted a job. You told me what +an advantage your wireless would be. + +"My ranger reported to me by telephone last night that excepting for +yourselves he had seen nobody in this region all day. This morning a fire +breaks out; you report it promptly by wireless; and when we arrive, you +have it almost out. Isn't that a suspicious chain of circumstances? +Doesn't it look as though you might be trying to show the forester +something?" + +"A fellow who would set the forest afire just to prove his own +qualifications as a fire fighter ought to be put in prison," said Charley +indignantly. "Do you think I'm that kind of a skunk?" + +"No, I don't," said the forester. "I believe you boys had no hand in +starting this fire and that you have risked your lives and done heroic +work to save the forest. But I had to be sure. There is something queer +about this fire. With no railroads near to shoot up sparks, no +thunder-storms to flash lightning, and no campers to be careless with +their fires, what did cause it? It isn't the first time mysterious fires +have started in this fine timber. You saw in the other valley what two of +these fires did before we got them out. This is the third fire that has +occurred in this tract. If it hadn't been for you boys, I hate to think +what would have happened. You have done a great service to the people of +Pennsylvania." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. He turned his glance on the ground. He did +not know what to say. + +After a moment the forester spoke again. A new idea seemed suddenly to +have occurred to him. "Now that you have had a taste of real fire +fighting," he said, "would you still like to be a fire patrol--possibly a +ranger?" + +"Better than anything in the world," replied Charley. "I love the forest." + +"Are you sure you can be released from further school work?" + +"I feel certain I can." + +"Then I have a particular job for you, Mr. Fire Guard." + +"Mr. Fire Guard," echoed Charley, his heart beating wildly. "What do you +mean?" + +"I mean," smiled the forester, "that you are here and now appointed a fire +patrol; that you are now a representative of the State of Pennsylvania, +and after you have been sworn in you will have the power of making +arrests. The particular job I have for you is to guard this forest. +Somebody wants to destroy this stand of virgin timber. Your job is to +protect it." + + + + +Chapter VIII + +Making an Investigation + + + +The fire crew, hardy woodsmen and rangers, accustomed to severe toil, soon +beat out what was left of the fire. Then they went over the entire line of +the fire to make sure every spark was extinguished. The forester and +Charley found Lew, and the three crossed the valley to the brook where the +two boys had begun their battle with the flames. When the fire crew had +returned and the forester was satisfied that there was no further danger, +he turned and held out his hand. + +"Report to me at my office at the earliest possible moment," he said. "If +I dared risk being away from my headquarters so long," he added +regretfully, "I'd stay here and make an investigation. But a fire may +start somewhere else, and here I'd be with my fire crew. A thousand acres +might burn over before I knew it." + +"Isn't there anybody in charge at headquarters?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. I have an assistant there. But if an alarm came in he wouldn't be +of much use without a fire crew." + +"Send your fire crew back," said Charley. "You can stay here and make +your investigation, and we can keep you in touch with your office easily." + +"Are you sure?" + +"There isn't any doubt of it. Willie said he would listen in every few +minutes, and Willie always does what he says he will. You instruct your +fire crew to tell your assistant to keep in touch with Willie by +telephone, and we'll tell Willie to keep in touch with us by wireless. +It's as easy as rolling off a log." + +The forester looked doubtful. "I'd like to stay," he said. "Are you +positive you can do this?" + +"Of course," said Lew. "We do that sort of thing right along." + +"Well," said the forester, still hesitating, "I'll risk it. It is of the +utmost importance that an investigation be made at once. It might be days +before the chief forest fire-warden could come here. You are absolutely +certain about this wireless business?" + +Charley smiled. "Absolutely," he said. "But to make sure, we'll go to our +camp and talk to Willie. You can send a message to your assistant +yourself." + +"That'll settle it," said the forester. + +He called his fire crew together. "Hustle right back to headquarters," he +said. "The motor-truck will hold you all, though you may be a bit +crowded. Leave my car where it is. I'm going to look around a bit. I'll +follow you as soon as possible. Tell the assistant forester to call up the +boy in Central City who telephoned us about the fire and arrange to keep +in communication with him. We will communicate with that boy by wireless. +If fire occurs anywhere, let me know at once." + +The fire fighters looked their astonishment, but made no comment. They +were accustomed to obeying orders. Soon they were gone and the forester +and the two boys headed up the run toward the little camp by the windrow. + +"I guess we might as well get better acquainted," said the forester. "My +name is Marlin--James Marlin." + +"And mine," replied Charley, "is Charley Russell. This is Lew Heinsling. +As we told you yesterday, we are from Central City and belong to the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol." + +"That is why you are now a fire guard," said the forester. "You don't +suppose I would appoint an unknown boy to such an important post, do you? +To be sure, I don't know you personally, but I know about your +organization and some of the things you have done. I know your leader, +Captain Hardy, very well. You see your membership in that organization is +recommendation enough for me." + +"But I thought you suspected us of setting fire to the forest," said +Charley. + +"I never said so," replied Mr. Marlin. "I merely asked you if you had +started the fire." + +"It's pretty much the same thing," said Charley. + +"Not at all, young man. Not at all. I did not really suspect you. But I +saw there was a possibility that you might have done just what I +suggested. I wanted to see what you would do when I suggested that you +were the culprit. I could have told if you had lied to me." + +"How?" demanded Charley. + +"Never mind now," smiled the forester. "But while we are on this subject, +I want to say this to you: when you are trying to solve a crime, you must +forget your prejudices. You must look at the facts and not at the people +concerned. You must take the attitude that anybody may be guilty until he +is proved innocent. In short, you must be ready to suspect anybody. You +must not assume, for instance, that because I am the forester I would not +set the forest afire, or because my rangers are connected with the Forest +Service they would never start a fire." + +Charley looked almost startled. "Why, it would be the worst sort of crime +for a forest protector to set a fire in the woods," he cried. + +"Of course it would," replied the forester. "But in this world almost +everybody acts according to his own interests or his own passions. If a +man could earn more money by setting fires than by preventing them, there +are many men who would take the chance. Or a man might set fire to the +forest to be revenged on somebody--possibly on me; for a forester can +hardly avoid making some enemies." + +The forester paused. "Somebody has three times set this part of the forest +afire," he continued after a moment. "We have no clue as to who did it. So +it is our business to suspect anybody and everybody that circumstances may +point to. But that doesn't mean we must condemn a person merely because +circumstances point to him. We must study the facts and either condemn or +acquit him according to the facts. I say this to you because you have +probably had little or no experience in tracing crime and, like most young +folks, are prone to trust people too far." + +Charley's face was very serious. He had not thought of detective work as a +possible part of his duties. + +"Don't take what I say too seriously," laughed the forester, when he +noticed Charley's expression. "You will really have very little of this +sort of thing to do. Most fires come through the carelessness of campers. +To warn them to be careful, to try to put out fires as soon as you +discover them and notify me if you fail, will be about all you will +ordinarily have to do. The chief forest fire-warden will attend to +investigating fires. But in this case, I especially want to know how this +fire started. Sometimes boys, if they are shrewd enough, make the best of +all agents for watching folks. People don't take boys seriously, and will +often do or say incriminating things before boys that they would not +dream of doing in the presence of grown men. If you keep your eyes and +ears open and your mouth shut, you may be very useful. And the less you +appear to know, the more useful you will be." + +Charley looked at his watch. "Willie will be at his instrument in three +minutes, sure," he said. "He might even be there now." + +He drew the pack bags from the wireless instruments and sat down, watch in +hand, beside them. The forester looked on with keenest interest. He no +longer regarded the wireless outfit as a mere plaything. If the boys could +do what they said they could, he saw what a help wireless communication +might be in protecting the forest. He had always considered the telephone +as about the last step that could be made in quick communication in the +forest. But his telephone was miles away and he had to get to it before he +could talk with his office. Here was a boy who could sit down anywhere and +instantly talk to a wireless operator anywhere else within a reasonable +distance--that is, he could, if all that Charley said was true. Of course +the forester knew about radio-telegraphy, but he was like many other +people who have not actually seen persons talk by wireless. It seemed as +though it could hardly be. + +But he was not to remain long in doubt. When the three-minute period had +elapsed, Charley threw over his switch, and sent Willie's call signal +flashing abroad. Hardly had he taken his finger from his key when the +answer buzzed in his ear. + +"Got him," said Charley. + +"Who?" asked the forester in astonishment. + +"Willie Brown, at Central City. I'm telling him to get your assistant on +the telephone." And he made the sparks fairly tumble over one another, so +rapidly did he manipulate the key. + +"Willie's going to get him," he announced, a moment later. + +They sat silent for several minutes. Then a signal once more sounded in +Charley's ear. + +"Willie's got your assistant on the 'phone," said Charley a little later. + +"Tell him to tell my assistant that the fire is out, with little damage +done; that the fire crew is on the way home, and that I have decided to +remain here to look around a little. Tell him that if he needs me he shall +call your friend at Central City. He'd better arrange with the telephone +people for quick connections if he needs to talk to me. I guess that's +about all." + +Charley flashed out the message to Willie and soon the assistant +forester's message came back. Everything was O.K. and he would do as +directed. Then Charley talked to Willie on his own account, telling him +they were going to move their aerial and asking Willie to listen in often. +Willie said he would sit by the wireless table and keep the receivers on +his ears so that Charley could get him at any time. + +While Charley was talking with Willie, Lew had been collecting and +packing the camp utensils. Now the wireless instruments were quickly +uncoupled and stowed away in a bag, and the aerial taken down and loosely +rolled around the spreaders so that it could be hoisted in a moment's +time. Then the little party set off swiftly down the valley toward the +point at which the fire started. + +Walking rapidly, they arrived at the edge of the burned area in half an +hour. Smoke was still rising from smouldering embers at various points in +the burned area; but there was no danger to be feared, for everything +inflammable about these embers had been consumed. Even should the wind fan +them into a flame again they could do no harm, for there was nothing for +them to feed upon. Along the entire edge of the burned area the fire crew +had made sure there was a wide belt of ground in which no spark remained. +Thus, though these glowing embers might continue to smoulder for hours, +they could do no harm. The quantity of smoke arising was still +considerable, but it did not shut off the vision as the dense clouds of +smoke had done during the fire. So the onlookers could get a fair idea of +the extent of the blaze. + +The blackened area on which they looked, they were relieved to find, was +not of great width, though it stretched from the edge of the brook on one +side almost to the mountain on the other. Altogether, the fire had swept +over not more than a hundred acres. Had it not been for the presence of +the two boys, it might easily have destroyed thousands of acres. The fire +had started in a cut-over tract just below the edge of the virgin timber. +Had the morning proved windy, instead of calm, the flames would have gone +racing into the big timber, with the chances good for a disastrous +crown-fire, when the flames would have gone leaping from tree top to tree +top, utterly consuming the forest, as the previous fires had destroyed the +timber on Old Ironsides. A lucky combination of circumstances alone had +prevented a holocaust. + +Climbing upon a high rock, the forester searched for the point at which +the fire had originated. Prom his pocket he drew some powerful +field-glasses, and again and again swept his vision over the farther edge +of the burned area. Presently he closed his glasses and leaped to the +ground. + +"Come on," he said, and headed diagonally across the burned tract. + +In a few minutes the three stood on the unburned forest floor on the +farther side of the strip of black. + +"We must get our aerial up at once, Lew," said Charley. "It's been +three-fourths of an hour since we talked to Willie." + +They glanced about, selected two suitable trees, and had the supporting +wires attached to them in no time, with the aerial dangling aloft between +the trees. It took only a moment more to couple up the instruments. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," rapped out Charley, as soon as the outfit was in +readiness. + +Almost instantly Willie replied to the signal. + +"Any message for us from Oakdale?" inquired Charley. + +"Not a word. What are you doing?" + +"We are investigating the cause of the fire. Have moved our aerial down +past the burned area. Forester and Lew and I alone. Fire crew on way back +to Oakdale." + +"Have you found cause of fire?" + +"No. Just got here. Haven't investigated yet. Will listen in every quarter +hour, beginning with the hour." + +"All right. I'll be here. Good-bye." + +The minute Charley finished talking with Willie, the three investigators +set about their work. + +"We'll walk along the edge of the burned area," said the forester, "and +try to find the point of origin." + +He went ahead, the two boys following. They were facing toward the brook. +The line was irregular, like a huge saw-blade, with little jutting, black +teeth here and there, where the flames had crept out in advance of the +main line. The wind that had come up when the boys were fighting the fire +had driven the flames back upon the area they had already consumed and the +blaze had died out of itself. It could not eat its way to windward out +here in the open, as it could have done in the dense timber where the wind +was broken. From their starting-point they walked to the brook, finding +nothing to enlighten them. They then retraced their steps, walking along +the windward edge of the fire. Yet they found nothing to show them how or +where the fire originated. + +"Evidently the flames have eaten their way some distance to windward of +the point of origin," said the forester. "We shall have to look within the +burned area." + +As he started to cross the black strip, the forester continued: "Perhaps I +had better go through the burned strip alone. I want things disturbed as +little as possible, and three will stir up the ashes a good deal more than +one. You keep looking along the edge, and I'll search among the ashes." + +"Is there anything in particular we are to look for?" asked Charley. "Is +there any special way to distinguish the starting-point of the fire?" + +"If this blaze started at a camper's fire, there ought to be some trace of +that fire discoverable. If it began with a lighted match, the stem of that +match might not be entirely consumed. If blazing paper created the fire, +there may be a scrap of paper left unburned. And even the ashes might show +that paper had been burned. That's why I don't want the leaves disturbed +any more than we can help. We shall quite likely find our clue, if we find +it at all, in the ashes themselves." + +The forester started slowly across the valley. + +"I don't see where he has anything on us as observers," said Lew. "If our +drill at Camp Brady didn't make competent observers of us, I don't know +what it did do. Captain Hardy drilled us and drilled us in noticing even +the most minute things. Let's go along the line again and look more +carefully. We've got a better idea now of what we're looking for." + +They started once more along the edge of the black belt. The forester was +walking well within the burned area. The two boys centred their attention +on the strip between the forester's tracks and the edge of the black area. +This was a strip roughly fifty to seventy-five feet wide. Practically +everything was blackened in this area. A piece of unburned paper would +have shown with startling distinctness. But there were no pieces to show. +The forester crossed the black belt from brook to mountain, and the boys +kept pace with him for a little. Then Lew turned back in order to listen +in, while Charley went on with the forester. For a long time the two +searched among the leaves, but found nothing to indicate where or how the +fire had started. + +"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last, +"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess +we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and +make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me." + +"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is +willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip. +And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one." + +"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the +legal authority you should have as a fire patrol." + +"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the +train at Oakdale." + +They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go +home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd +stand in your way, do you?" + +"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate +to cut your trip short." + +"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your +arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if +he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish. +And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that +you are good fire fighters." + +Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest +and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly +dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area +once more, on their way out to the distant road. + +They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone +perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They +were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently +been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught +his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the +surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what +a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves +should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting +anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one +side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained +perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery +veining were distinct in the ashy residues. They were interesting to see. +Charley continued to level the burned leaves on one side of the pile. At +the touch of his stick they lost their shape and crumbled into formless +ashes, even as fairy crystals of snow turn to water beneath a warm current +of air. + +Suddenly Charley stopped dead still. Among the ashes turned over by his +stick was a long, thin sheet of ash. Charley looked at it a moment in +astonishment. Then he knew that it was pasteboard. He sank to his knees on +the blackened earth and with his fingers carefully worked in the still +warm ashes, raking off the upper layers of leaves gently, so as not to +disturb the bottom of the pile. Carefully he worked, until he had laid +bare a long strip of what had been pasteboard. At his touch this, like the +leaves, crumbled. But one end of it did not disintegrate. A tiny piece was +unconsumed. From the ashes Charley drew forth a charred bit of greenish +pasteboard. Swiftly but carefully he raked aside the burned pasteboard. +Then he gave a little cry. On the ground, in the very bottom of the heap, +was some candle grease. His startled exclamation brought Mr. Marlin and +Lew running to his side. + +"What have you found?" asked the forester sharply. + +"A piece of unconsumed pasteboard and some candle grease," said Charley +slowly. "They were under this mound of burned leaves." + +"We need look no farther for the starting-place of this fire," said the +forester, his face very sober. "It is just as I suspected. This fire was +of incendiary origin. Whoever set it, placed a lighted candle inside a +pasteboard box, partly filled the box with leaves, heaped some leaves on +top of it, and hurried away. The candle probably burned for hours before +it burned low enough to set fire to the leaves. By that time the culprit +was far away and could prove an alibi." + +Charley drew from his pocket the little microscope he used in his class in +botany in the high school. Over and over he turned the scorched scrap of +pasteboard, studying it intently. + +"The fibers are arranged in a peculiar way," he said, "and there's an +almost invisible machine marking of a peculiar pattern. The color of the +pasteboard was a dark green." + +The forester took the microscope and examined the charred fragment, +handing both, when he had finished, to Lew. + +"This is our clue to the incendiary," he said slowly. "We must find where +pasteboard like that comes from and who had some of it. Meantime, do not +breathe a word of this to any one. Do not let a soul know that we have +discovered how the fire originated. Let them think we know nothing. And +bear in mind what I told you before: suspect anybody that circumstances +point to, no matter who he is. Now remember! Not a soul outside of the +three of us must know about this. We've got a long trail ahead of us, but +we have at last got a clue. Sooner or later, if we keep our eyes and ears +open and our mouths shut, we'll find the man who set this forest afire." + + + + +Chapter IX + +Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + + + +Rapidly the three made their way through the forest. The forester led his +companions up the valley a distance to a fire trail. Along this they +traveled as rapidly as they could have done on a village sidewalk. By +several of these fire trails they made their way through valleys and over +hills, finally reaching the road. The forester's car was there, and an +hour's run brought them to the forester's office at Oakdale. + +Charley was intensely interested in everything he saw in this office. On +the wall were huge maps of the forest areas under Mr. Marlin's control. +These maps showed the mountains, big springs, streams, roads, fire trails, +etc., and little tacks with heads of different colors were stuck here and +there in the maps to show where rangers, fire-wardens and game protectors +lived. The telephone was also shown. + +Charley was interested to learn that he and Lew had been fully twelve +miles distant from the telephone. It had taken the fire crew, hardy men +experienced in mountain travel, three hours to cover those twelve miles, +even when they had fire trails most of the way. He wondered how much +longer it would have taken them if they had had to travel through the +rough forest. Many hours longer, he was certain. And that meant that it +would have taken one equally as long to get out to the telephone to notify +the forester of the fire. He felt sure there must be many places where one +might be more than twelve miles distant from the telephone; and he +realized more keenly than ever what a big part the wireless could play in +saving the forest. He resolved that he would keep his wireless outfit with +him when he went back into the forest as a fire patrol. + +But the maps on the wall were not all that interested Charley. There were +fire-fighting tools of various sorts. There were double-bitted axes and +axes with short handles to be used in one hand. These were of the finest +steel, very sharp, and well balanced. There were implements that were +really potato-hooks, though in the forest they were used for clearing away +brush and leaves rather than for digging potatoes. Then there were +short-handled, four-toothed rakes, for use in back-firing. Also there were +lanterns, and finally a small compressed air sprayer, for wetting the +ground when back-firing. All these tools were painted a bright red. The +forester explained that the sprayer wasn't often used, but that sometimes +it came in very handy. The implements were red so that they could be found +easily. Otherwise many would be lost in almost every fight with a fire. + +Particularly was Charley interested in the portable telephone. It was +like the one the ranger had had in the burned valley. Mr. Marlin handed +the instrument to Charley and let him examine it. The battery was +contained in a small box, and the mouthpiece and the receiver were in one +piece, which was held alternately to the ear and the mouth. Then there +were considerable lengths of wire to be attached to the telephone-lines. +If a ranger could not climb a pole and attach his wires to the +telephone-lines, Mr. Marlin explained, he could tie stones to his wires +and throw them over the lines. All that was needed was to have the two +wires touch the two wires of the telephone system. Then a connection would +be made and one could talk with the portable instrument. The battery, the +mouthpiece and receiver, and the connecting wires all could be packed +snugly into a little leather case and slung over the shoulder. It was an +excellent outfit. + +At one time Charley would have been wild to try it. Now he could not help +seeing how really inferior it was to the wireless as a means of +communication. In order to talk with it, it must be connected with the +telephone-lines, and they must be in working order. Charley's quick mind +instantly saw that falling limbs or trees, heavy snows or ice-storms in +winter, or a pair of nippers in the hands of a miscreant, could put the +forest telephone out of commission for hours at a time. He rejoiced to +think that no one could tamper with the air and that he could always get +a connection with his wireless. More and more he saw the possibilities of +usefulness for the wireless in protecting the forest. + +But the two boys had little time to examine the many interesting things in +the forester's office because their train was due within a short time +after they reached Oakdale. They made the acquaintance of the forester's +assistant, Mr. Franklin Conover, and soon started for the railroad +station, leaving their duffel at the forester's office. + +Before they left, Charley called the forester aside. "How much pay am I to +receive as a fire patrol?" he asked. + +The forester frowned. + +"You mustn't think," said Charley hastily, "that the pay is all that I +care about. I want to be a fire patrol because I love the woods. But I +don't know whether Dad will let me be a fire patrol unless I can make as +much here as I could in the factory with him." + +"How much could you earn there?" + +"Dad says I ought to get two dollars and a half a day." + +"Then you needn't worry. I have some leeway in the matter of pay. You have +already shown your worth, and I am going to pay you the highest rate +within my power. You will go on the payroll at eighty-five dollars a +month, which is as much as many of our rangers get." + +Charley was so astonished at this unexpected good fortune that he was +hardly able to answer Mr. Marlin. He did not know how to express his +thoughts. All he could do was to thank the forester warmly and assure him +he would earn every cent he got. Then he and Lew hurried away to their +train. + +For some time after the two boys boarded the train Charley was silent. He +sat watching the forest through which they were rushing so fast. Never had +it appeared to him quite as it did now. Always he had known the forest was +an animate growth, but now he realized more vividly than ever before how +truly the forest was alive. Now he thought of the great growths of trees +more as one would think of a flock of animals that must be tended and +cared for. Many, many times he had seen the forest under happy conditions. +But never before this trip had he seen it in agony. Never before had he +heard the cries of fear and pain from the forest animals. Never had he +seen the charred remains of those that had been burned. Never had he +beheld the awful skeletons, not merely of burned trees, but of a burned +forest. He was deeply impressed. A tree had suddenly become in his +consciousness far more than a piece of timber. And a forest had taken on +new meaning. With all his mind he loved the forest and the innumerable +things of life and beauty within it. Beyond expression was his joy at the +thought that he could have a part in protecting and caring for the forest. + +And when he thought of all the forest meant to mankind--more than any +other single gift of nature excepting food and water--he saw the forester, +the forest-ranger, and the fire patrol in their true light. He saw them as +real servants of the people, as real promoters and builders of +civilization, which could not have come into existence without wood. He +realized that the man in the forest as truly helps mankind forward and +upward as the statesman in the legislative halls, the chemist at his +test-tube, the physician at his operating-table, the engineer building his +bridges and roads, or any other of the constructive workers who make +civilization what it is; for the forester's work is the foundation for the +work of all the other builders of civilization. When he realized this, his +heart sang with pride to think that he was to have a part in saving and +perpetuating the forests for the countless generations of people who would +follow him in the world. + +He tried to tell Lew something of what was in his heart, but words failed +him, and he sat silent until the train was far beyond the limits of the +forest. Then his thoughts drifted into other channels. Before he knew it, +the conductor shouted "Central City," and the two chums left the train. + +When Charley told his father that he was to get eighty-five dollars a +month, he had no difficulty in winning his father's consent to the plan he +had in mind. Nor was it much more difficult to secure his release from +further work at school. Charley was a great favorite with his teachers. +Always cheerful and polite, a faithful worker, mentally quick, and liking +his instructors, he had their entire good-will. They wanted to help him +get on in the world as much as they had wanted to see him advance in his +studies. When they understood Charley's position at home, and his need of +earning money to help his father, and especially when they realized what +the present opportunity meant to Charley in the way of personal happiness, +they were more than willing to release him from further school duties. + +So it came about that on the following day Charley and Lew took the train +back to Oakdale. The entire Wireless Patrol accompanied them to the +station, each boy carrying some part of the luggage. Thus divided, the +equipment did not seem large; but when it was all assembled, it appeared +entirely adequate. There was a good waterproof tent, a strong tick to be +stuffed with leaves, blankets, a coil of rope, additional cooking +utensils, and generous supplies of food. Charley took a light, +high-powered rifle and his revolver with plenty of ammunition. Their +comrades piled this luggage in a corner of the car, then hustled back to +the station platform and gave the Camp Brady yell, in honor of their +departing friends. In a moment more the train was speeding toward Oakdale, +where they found the forester in his office. + +Mr. Marlin expressed his pleasure at the successful outcome of Charley's +effort to secure his release from high school. + +"I don't believe much in talk," said the forester who himself was +distinctly a man of deeds, "but I am going to say this to you, Charley: +the fact that you have worked your studies off ahead of your class makes +you twice as valuable to me as another boy would be who was merely keeping +abreast of his class." + +Charley looked his surprise. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know any more than +the others know or soon will know." + +"What you know has nothing to do with it, young man. It's what you do. +It's your habits. Habit is the strongest force in the world. The mere fact +that you are ahead of your class tells me that it is your habit to be +forehanded, to be prepared. It tells me that you will keep your tools and +your records in their places and in good condition, and that you will be +prepared for almost any emergency that will arise." + +"I don't understand," expostulated Charley, "how you can figure that out +from the mere fact that I kept a little ahead of my class." + +"Of course you don't," smiled the forester. "They teach you about the laws +of gravity in school, but they don't bother to teach you about the laws of +life. But life has its laws, and one of the strongest is the law of habit. +A good habit is worth a million good resolutions. A man may possibly keep +a good resolution, but he can hardly fail to keep a good habit. Your good +habits are worth just about fifteen dollars a month to you now; for I +wouldn't be paying you the top rate if you were a lad of bad habits. Just +bear that in mind and be careful of the habits you form in future." + +Charley was too much astonished for words. He had never thought of his +habits as having any bearing on his possible earning capacity. + +But the forester gave him no opportunity to consider the matter just then. +"I want you to hurry back into the forest," he went on. "Get acquainted +with as much of the forest as possible." + +He reached in a drawer and pulled out a map, which he gave to Charley. +"This is exactly like the big map on the wall," he said, "excepting that +it is on a smaller scale. Here is where you had your camp." + +As he laid his finger on the map, he continued, "That was a good location +for a fisherman's camp, but a poor one for a fire guard. High up on this +hill," and again he laid a finger on the map, "there is a fine spring. A +dense rhododendron thicket surrounds it, and tall hemlocks grow above it. +Make your camp in that thicket. It is so dense that I think nobody could +possibly see a tent there. But make sure. If necessary, put hemlock boughs +or rhododendron branches around it. Nobody but Mr. Morton and I must know +that you are in camp in the forest or that you have any connection with +the forestry department. I will tell him where your camp is and he will +inspect it and give you more detailed instructions. But remember that +yours is a secret patrol. I would rather that nobody should learn of your +presence in the forest. But if you do meet any one, pose as a fisherman. +Don't, under any circumstances, let anybody suspect your real purpose." + +The forester paused a moment, in deep thought. "Smoke," he said at last, +"would betray the location of your camp--at least in the daytime. Don't +make any fires unless it be at night. Then be sure they are small, well +concealed, and as smokeless as possible. Do your cooking with this." + +He stepped to a closet and returned with an alcohol stove and a can of +fuel, and continued: "From your spring to the summit of the mountain it is +only a short distance. You can get a wide outlook there. Examine the +forest carefully in every direction as often as possible. But leave no +telltale marks to indicate that the place is a lookout point. And be sure +you don't do anything to draw attention to your camp." + +The forester then swore Charley in as a fire patrol and gave him his +badge, with instructions to keep it out of sight. + +"You'll need this, too," he said with a smile, handing Charley a portable +telephone. "Your friends can't be at the other end of the wireless all the +time, you know." + +"Can we fish at all?" asked Charley. "I want Lew to have some fun on this +trip. He's going to help me a lot with the work." + +"Fish as much as you like, as long as it does not interfere with your +duty. But remember that your business is to protect the forest. That comes +first. You will have to decide how to do it, according to circumstances." + +The boys carried their duffel to the forester's car. Mr. Marlin telephoned +his assistant to look after things during his absence, and in another +minute Mr. Marlin and Lew and Charley were whirling along the highway. +They reached the point at which they were to enter the forest, jumped to +the ground and unloaded their duffel. Mr. Marlin said good-bye, turned his +car, and sped back to his office, leaving the two young fire guards alone +in the heart of the wilderness. + + + + +Chapter X + +An Encounter with a Bear + + + +Rapidly the duffel was made into two packs. These were both heavy and +bulky. + +"Gee!" said Lew, as he surveyed the packs, "I hope we don't meet any state +cops. They would arrest us for peddling without licenses." + +There was small chance, however, of their meeting any one, unless it might +be some lone fisherman. On every hand the forest stretched, seemingly +interminable. + +"I guess we'd better get our bearings," said Charley. + +He drew the map from his pocket and spread it on a flat rock. The two boys +pored over it for some minutes. + +"We have to cross these two mountains," said Lew, "and camp just the other +side of the summit of the third. That's about the same as climbing over +three mountains. There are two valleys that we'll have to get across. I +judge we'll be just about as far from the road as our old camp was. That's +twelve miles or so." + +"Gee!" laughed Charley. "That means I've got to hike twelve miles over +these mountains every time I want to talk to anybody on the telephone. I'm +glad Mr. Marlin doesn't care much for talk. The telephone is all right, +but compared to the wireless it's like a candle beside an electric light. +Mr. Marlin was right when he said the fellows couldn't be listening in for +me all the time, but you just bet I'm going to figure out some way to use +my wireless. Why, I've got to, if I'm going to make good. This whole neck +of the woods could burn up while I'm hiking twelve miles to call help and +twelve more to get back to the blaze. And I reckon I'd feel like putting +up a stiff fight after hiking twenty-four miles over these mountains. Mr. +Marlin is all right, but he isn't quite up to date. He still thinks the +wireless is a sort of plaything." + +"What you need, Charley, is a battery powerful enough to carry a message +to some regular wireless station, where an operator is on duty all the +time." + +"I've been thinking of that, too, Lew. It wouldn't take so very much more +power to carry to the government station at Frankfort. I'm sure the +operators there would be glad to help us out. You remember how Henry +Harper helped Mr. Axton, the day operator over there, when he had +appendicitis. The operators have been mighty nice to us fellows of the +Wireless Patrol ever since. The difficulty would be to get the battery. +Things cost so much now that I don't see how I could ever save enough to +pay for it. You know I'll have to give Dad about all I earn." + +"I'm going to talk to the boys about it, Charley," said Lew. "Maybe +somebody can think of a way out. Gee! We ought to be able to do something, +with Roy a regular steamship operator and Henry almost as good as a +substitute government wireless man." + +By this time they were well into the forest. They were climbing through a +notch over the first range of mountains. When they reached the valley +beyond, they had to turn to their left and go up the valley two or three +miles, until they struck a fire trail. This trail led straight over the +second mountain, which was really the knob at the head of the burned +valley. It was on this knob that they had found the rude watch-tower after +their meeting with the ranger, Mr. Morton. Beyond this knob they had still +to traverse a wide valley and climb a third mountain before they reached +their camp site. But there was a good fire trail almost the entire +distance. + +Traveling with such heavy packs on their backs, the two lads made but slow +progress. Every little while they had to stop to rest. During one of these +pauses they heard a low, whining sound. + +"Listen! What is that?" asked Charley, who loved animals and was keenly +sensitive to their sufferings. "It sounds like a dog." + +They stood motionless. Faint but distinct came the unmistakable cry of a +dog in distress. + +Charley dropped his pack instantly. "There's a dog in trouble," he said, +"and we've got to help him." + +He began to whistle. Then he called, "Here, boy! Here, boy!" + +From somewhere ahead of them came a joyous bark, followed by a painful +whine. + +Charley picked up his pack. "Come on," he said, and hastened toward the +sound. But he did not go far. Soon he caught sight of a dog, painfully +limping toward him. Charley ran up to the animal, which wagged its tail +violently and barked with joy. + +"He's only a half grown pup," said Charley, noticing the big paws. "Isn't +he a fine young fellow?" + +The animal leaped up against Charley and licked his hand. "Come here, +boy," said Charley, taking the dog in his arms. "Let's see what's wrong." + +Charley began to examine the animal's paws. The dog submitted patiently. +"Nothing wrong with that one," commented Charley, dropping a fore paw. + +But when he began to feel the other front foot the dog whined with pain. +"No wonder," said Charley with sympathy. "Look here, Lew," and he pointed +to an enormous thorn that had embedded itself in the paw. + +"Hold him tight while I take it out," said Charley as he drew forth his +knife, opened the small blade, slit the skin slightly, and carefully dug +the thorn out. The foot was festered and swollen. Charley squeezed out +the pus. + +"Don't let him get that paw in the dirt," he said, and ran to his pack. He +fished out the first-aid kit and got some absorbent cotton and a +disinfectant. He wrapped a tiny bit of cotton around the end of a twig, +wet it with water from the canteen and swabbed out the little wound. Then +he soaked another bit of cotton with the disinfectant and stuffed it into +the foot. + +"We'll let that stay there a while," he said. + +"The dog is probably lost. We'll keep him until we find his owner." + +Relieved of the thorn, the little animal frisked about, limping but +slightly. He fawned upon Charley and seemed to be trying to express his +gratitude. + +The two boys shouldered their packs again and started on. Charley whistled +to the pup, but the call was unnecessary. The pup stuck to their heels as +close as a sticking-plaster. + +"They say two's a company, but three's a crowd," laughed Charley, "but I +guess it doesn't apply to dogs." + +"You never can tell," replied Lew. "A pup of that age may get you into all +sorts of difficulty." + +"I'll take a chance on it," smiled Charley, as he bent and patted the dog. + +They went on. For a long time they traveled in silence, the little dog +trotting and frisking at their heels. From time to time they stopped to +rest. Their packs were growing heavy and neither felt like talking. They +settled to their tasks and plodded on. When they came to the fire trail, +they turned to their right and went straight over the first mountain. The +way was smooth enough, but the grade was very steep and it tested their +endurance to the utmost. Every few minutes they were compelled to rest. +Finally they topped the ridge and went down into the next valley. + +The bottom here was very wide, for the mountains had drawn far apart. +Apparently the valley soil was rich. It seemed to be deep and black, and +the trees grew to massive size. Ordinarily the two boys would have taken +keen enjoyment in the sight of such fine timber, but by this time they +were too tired to care much about anything except reaching their +destination. + +At the foot of the last ridge they took a long rest. They were just +starting on when Lew heard a peculiar little sound behind some bushes just +off the fire trail. Curious to know what might have made the sound, he +dropped his pack and went to investigate. Behind the bush he found a +cunning, little black animal that did not seem to be at all afraid of him. +He picked it up and rejoined his comrade. + +"Charley," he said. "See what I have found. What is it?" + +"It's a bear cub," said Charley. "You had better leave it alone. If its +mother came along, she might make it hot for us." + +"I'm going to keep it for a pet," said Lew. "I knew a fellow who had a +pet bear cub once and----" + +Lew never finished the sentence. A savage growl sounded close at hand and +a great black animal came rushing through the bushes. Lew dropped the cub +and took to his heels. The bear followed in hot pursuit. She was a great, +clumsy, lumbering beast, and yet she got over the ground with astonishing +speed. Lew ran as fast as he could, but the bear gained on him at every +stride. + +"Climb a tree, Lew," cried Charley, slipping off his pack and starting to +his chum's assistance. "Be quick about it." + +Lew headed for the first tree he saw that was small enough to climb. It +was a little pole, a foot in diameter. The lowest branch was seven or +eight feet above the ground. Lew raced toward it, gathered himself for a +leap and sprang upward. He caught the limb and swung himself up with all +possible speed. He was not a second too soon. As Lew's body shot upward, +the bear rose on her hind feet, and the vicious swipe of her paw barely +missed Lew's body. Lew drew himself erect and climbed upward a few feet, +where he paused to look down at the bear. + +Meantime, Charley was following the animal. He hadn't the slightest idea +of what he should do. The law protected the bear at that season of the +year and he did not know whether he would be justified in shooting her +under the circumstances or not. And anyway, his rifle was back with his +pack. He had his little axe on his hip, however, and he drew it from its +sheath so that he would have it ready in case he had to use it. + +The problem was settled for him, however, in a very unexpected manner. The +little dog, which had been playing with a stick at some distance from the +two boys, noticed Charley running and came tearing after him. Then he saw +the bear and went after her at full speed. The instant the bear heard the +dog, she turned to face him; then as quickly faced about again and started +to climb the very tree in which Lew had taken refuge. + +"Get that dog away from here," yelled Lew in consternation, as he began to +climb frantically toward the top of the tree. + +Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charley burst into a roar of +laughter. But a second appeal from his chum stifled his laughter. He +grabbed the dog and started to carry it away. But he had not gone two rods +before Lew called frantically for him to bring the dog back. Charley +turned around and saw the bear climbing after Lew. As long as the dog was +under the tree, the bear had paid no attention to Lew. But when Charley +started away with the pup, the angry bear continued her pursuit. Charley +returned the dog to the base of the tree. + +"Sick 'em," he cried. "Catch 'em." + +The little pup made a terrific clamor and the bear paid no further +attention to Lew, who immediately began to look for a way out of his +predicament. Within two or three feet of the base of the tree which he +had climbed, a second tree had sprung up. But the two had grown away from +each other, much like the sloping sides of the letter V. At first Lew +thought he could cross over to the other tree, but a careful inspection +showed him that this would be impossible. Down where the bear was he could +have swung himself from one tree to the other; but the farther up the tree +he was the farther he was from the other tree and the smaller the limbs +were. And Lew was now as near the top of the tree as he dared to go. To +try to leap from his present position to the other tree was not to be +thought of. It would certainly mean a fall of thirty feet or more. And Lew +did not dare come down nearer the bear, lest the animal should again try +to claw him. There was no apparent way to get the bear out of the tree, +and Lew knew that he could not stay up where he was indefinitely. + +Charley tried to divert the bear's attention to himself by reaching up the +tree with his axe and striking the trunk. The bear growled but made no +attempt to reach Charley. Her attention was centred wholly on the dog. +With her hair erect, her lips drawn back, her ears laid flat, and her +massive claws ready to tear and rend, the beast presented such a fearful +front that Charley did not dare take the dog away. One swipe of those +paws, or one crunch of the great jaws might cripple Lew for life, or even +kill him outright. + +"Keep perfectly quiet, Lew," said Charley, "and maybe the bear will +forget about you. She's terribly enraged at this pup." + +Charley felt in his pocket and found a piece of strong cord. He knotted it +around the pup's neck and tied the animal to the tree. + +"I hope that bear won't come down and kill him while I'm gone," he +muttered to himself. To Lew he said, "I've got an idea. I'm going to get +the rope and see if I can lasso the bear from the other tree." + +"Sick 'em, pup," he cried, urging the little dog to make another frenzied +outburst. And while the dog was making the valley ring with his clamor, +Charley raced to his pack and got the coil of rope. Back he ran and +hastily climbed the tree beside the one in which Lew and the bear were +resting. The bear eyed him angrily, but kept her attention centred on the +pup. Charley climbed to a point a little higher than the limb on which the +bear rested. Quickly he fashioned a noose and got his rope ready for a +throw. Then he realized that he could never make a successful cast among +the limbs. + +An idea came to him. Drawing his little axe, he quickly cut and trimmed a +small limb, leaving a fork on the end of it. He put the noose on the +forked end and cautiously extended the pole. All the while he was urging +on the dog, which now began to jump up against the trunk of the tree. The +bear more and more centred her attention on the yelping dog. Her hair +bristled, and she growled continually. She bent her head down and got +ready to deal the dog a savage blow if he came up the tree. Her posture +could not have been better for Charley's purpose. Swiftly but quietly he +extended the pole until the noose was just beyond the bear's nose, then +lowered it swiftly and pulled back hard on the rope. Luck was with him. +The bear, taken utterly by surprise, was fairly noosed before she saw the +rope. + +Charley's sharp jerk to tighten the lasso almost pulled the bear from her +perch. She grasped the trunk of the tree with her paws to avoid falling, +and that gave Charley an opportunity to tighten and secure his rope. To +keep from falling, the bear had to maintain her hold on the tree. Thus she +could not claw or bite the rope. + +"I've got her," shouted Charley. + +It was true enough. In a moment he was almost sorry that he had her. For +Lew could not reach the ground without climbing past the bear, and +although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself +within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps +he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not +want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so +incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the +ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the +probable loss of part of it. + +"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called. + +"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew, +peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that, +we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in. +Then we could cut the rope and beat it." + +"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have +to try it. I see nothing else to do." + +Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb +before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The +loose end dangled down the trunk. + +"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as +simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold +it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know +whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?" + +"Can't you catch it with your pole?" + +Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear, +but it had lodged in a branch within reach. + +"Here goes," he said. "I'll try." + +Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself, +and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil. +The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment. +She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She +continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage +that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless +the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give +the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the +bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other, +Charley at once saw was impossible. + +"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off." + +He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to +taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attempting to work +the rope around the limb, the dog suddenly increased his clamor. + +The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it +through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he +fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping +rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to +the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he +wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree. + +"I'll try it, anyway," he said. + +He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and +the bear rested. + +"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, +she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on +her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as +quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?" + +Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second +she drops," he said. "Pull!" + +Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by +surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then +swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the +tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an +instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear +was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which +the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose. + +"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!" + +They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to +ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack. + +"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!" + +Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the +bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys +pulled in a little more slack. + +"We could choke her to death now," said Charley, "but we mustn't. How are +we going to get out of this?" + +"Let's tie the rope fast and take our packs some distance away. She won't +strangle for a while. Then we can come back and free her. I think she +will not attack us, for she is too much afraid of the dog. We'll keep him +on a leash and beat it the minute we get the rope." + +"But how are we going to get the rope?" demanded Charley. + +"Gee! You've got me. Maybe we'll think of something while we're carrying +the packs away." + +The two boys got their packs and hurried along their route for some +hundreds of yards. Then they laid their packs down and ran back. But +Charley carried his rifle on the return trip. + +The bear was still pawing at the rope when they got back. The hair on her +neck was worn off by her violent struggles, and the skin was bleeding +freely. + +"That bear will wear a collar on her neck for life," said Charley. "If we +ever see her again, we'll know her." + +An idea came to him. "I've got it," he said. "I'll cut that rope with a +bullet. You stand ready with the dog, and I'll be ready for a second shot, +if necessary. We're not going to take a chance of being badly hurt, law or +no law." + +Lew untied the dog from the tree and held the leash with his left hand. +Charley handed him the axe, and Lew stepped a little aside where he could +use it, if necessary. But it was one thing to talk about cutting the rope +with a bullet and another thing to do it, for the bear kept the rope in +motion continually. Charley leveled his weapon and tried to get a bead on +the rope. It seemed to him that the bear would never stand still. But the +beast had nearly reached the limit of endurance. Her tongue was protruding +from her mouth, her eyes seemed ready to pop from her head. She was +gasping pitifully. Her own struggles were slowly strangling her. Suddenly +she stopped fighting and hung limp. The rope stretched like a rod. +Instantly Charley's rifle cracked. The line was severed as though some one +had cut it with a sword. It flew upward into the tree and the bear dropped +to the ground. The noose about her neck came loose and she breathed +freely. + +"Quick!" cried Lew. "She'll be on her feet in a second." + +Charley untied the rope from the tree, drew the severed end to earth, and +gathering up rope and rifle, fled toward his pack, with Lew at his heels, +dragging the frantic dog by main force, for the animal was wild to charge +the fallen bear. + +As they ran, they glanced back over their shoulders. At first the bear did +not move. Then she stirred uneasily and a second later, rose to her feet +and ran madly away. The boys stopped running. + +"I guess both parties had a lesson," said Lew. + + + + +Chapter XI + +The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + + + +Their encounter with the bear made the two lads forget for a while their +weariness. They made fast time along the fire trails. After a long tramp, +they topped the final ridge and paused to rest and study the country. This +they could do with ease, for the summit of the mountain was rather +sparsely timbered. A very little search disclosed a tree that was at once +tall and easy to climb, and that was surrounded only by low brush that +would not obstruct the vision. From this lookout they gained a wide view +in every direction. + +"We can see for miles and miles," said Charley. "The forester was right in +telling us to come often to this lookout. We can discover more from here +in a minute than we could by a week of wandering about among the trees." + +Slowly the boys swept their vision around the horizon. Everywhere the +mountains appeared to bask in the warm spring sunlight, seemingly as +secure as cats dozing by a fireplace. The fleecy clouds, passing across +the face of the sun, threw shadows on the hillsides, making beautiful +patterns of light and shade. The fresh, young growths gave forth a soft +green tint, in pleasing contrast to the darker colors of the pines. +Brooks sparkled in the bottoms. Far as the eye could reach this gorgeous +panorama extended. + +"Isn't it wonderful?" said Charley, after the two boys had surveyed the +scene in silence. "The forest is one of nature's very finest gifts. And to +think what we do to it by our carelessness. At any minute this green +paradise may become a very hell of roaring flame, just because some smoker +is too careless to blow out his match before dropping it, or some camper +too lazy to make sure his fire is extinguished. Why, it seems to me that a +murderer is an innocent angel compared to such a man. Think what he does! +He kills the fish and the birds and the animals and perhaps some human +beings, and he destroys not only the wood that civilization must have, but +he ruins the very ground so that it cannot produce another forest. It +seems to me that a man who does that ought to be punished more severely +than any mere murderer. Why, a murderer kills only a single being. The man +who starts a forest fire kills countless living things. I tell you, Lew, +it makes me mighty proud to have a part in protecting this grand forest." + +The boys were silent, wrapped in thought, until Lew suddenly pointed to a +dense growth of evergreens directly below them, and not very far down the +ridge. "That must be our camp site," he said. And both boys examined the +spot with interest. + +"That must be it," said Charley. "It's dense enough, goodness knows! And +there is a little stream of water stealing out of the lower side of the +thicket. So there is a spring in there. Let's go down and take a look at +it." + +They shouldered their packs, whistled the pup to their heels, and went +down to the thicket. In a space not less than a hundred yards in diameter +rhododendrons grew in indescribable density, while above them towered some +huge hemlocks. The two boys came close to the thicket and peered into it. +Even now, in the bright glare of the full sun, deep twilight reigned +beneath the rhododendrons. Evidently they were growths of great age. Their +stems were like young saplings. Their tops rose high and spread wide. And +their branches were laced and interlaced and twisted and grown together so +as to make a mass almost impenetrable. + +"Great Ned!" cried Lew. "A passer-by would have about as much chance of +seeing us in there as we have of discovering China from this hillside. The +question is, how are we going to get into the place?" + +Charley dropped on his hands and knees and crawled slowly under the low +rhododendron branches. + +"Keep right in my tracks, Lew, if you come in," warned Charley. "If there +are any snakes in here, they'd bite a fellow before he could see them. +I'll look sharp for them and if you follow me, you won't run any risk." + +He picked up a fallen branch, trimmed it, and crept on, stick in hand. +Suddenly he crowded back hard on Lew, almost kicking him in the face. At +the same time he began to thrash about in the leaves ahead of him. + +"Great Cæsar!" he exclaimed. "I almost crawled on a big rattler. He was so +near the color of the ground that I didn't see him until he coiled and +raised his head. Gee! That was a close shave." + +"As long as you didn't get bitten," said Lew, "It's a good thing it +happened. We'll be on our guard now." + +"Yes, indeed. Did you put the potassium permanganate in the first-aid kit, +and the hypodermic syringe?" + +"Surest thing you know." + +"We'll just carry them with us, Lew. We won't take any chances on death by +snake-bite. These mountains are full of rattlers and copperheads." + +"And we won't take any chances on being bitten in this thicket, either," +answered Lew. "We'll put the pup in ahead of us." + +They whistled in the dog and sent him scouring through the thicket. But +either there had been no more snakes within it or else all had fled, for +the dog raced eagerly about but found nothing to alarm him. + +Confidently the boys now pushed into the interior of the thicket. At the +very heart of it lay the spring. It came bubbling up through pure, white +sand, and had formed a deep basin, over the lower edge of which the +crystal water went rippling away through the thicket. + +"We'll put our tent right here," said Charley, indicating a level spot +beside the spring basin. "We'll have to clear away some of the bushes to +make room for it. We can use what we cut as a screen, though nobody would +ever see a tent away in here, especially one of brown khaki, like ours." + +He drew his little axe and began clearing a space for the tent, cutting +the rhododendron stems a little below the surface of the ground. Lew piled +the branches at one side. Then the tent was dragged in and set up, the +rope being used as a ridge and tied to two strong saplings. The sides of +the tent were squared and pegged down. + +"Drive the pegs tight, Lew," directed Charley. "We don't want to have +anything crawling under the sides. Thank goodness, we have a sod cloth." + +After they had completed this task and set about bringing in the duffel, +Charley remarked, "We can't go in and out this way, on our hands and +knees. We've got to make a path. We'll find the best way out and trim the +bushes so that we can walk upright." + +"We'd better not make the path straight," said Lew. "If we zigzag it, +nobody will know it really is a path." + +After they had picked out a level route they trimmed back the rhododendron +branches so that they could walk through the thicket, though the branches +at the very edge were left undisturbed. The cut branches were added to +the screen about the tent. Then the duffel was carried in and stowed in +the tent. + +"What bothers me," said Charley, "is to know how to put up our aerial. We +don't dare hang it up where it can be seen, and I don't know how well it +will work among these hemlocks." + +"All we can do is to put it up and try it," said the ever practical Lew, +"and the sooner we do it the better." + +Quickly they had their wires suspended between two hemlock trees. The +aerial reached almost from trunk to trunk, and the wires were completely +hidden by the branches that stood out all about them. + +"If she'll work," commented Charley, "it's a peach of an arrangement. +Nobody would discover that aerial in a hundred years. I can hardly wait +until evening to test it out." + +"Willie might be listening in again to-day," suggested Lew. "It will take +him several days to get that new outfit made. We'll try him on the hour." + +"Good idea, Lew." He looked at his watch. "It's ten minutes to the hour +now. If Willie is listening in, we'll soon know whether or not our aerial +will work." + +They began putting the tent in order, stowing the duffel in neat little +piles. Just outside the tent Lew built a foundation for the alcohol stove, +by leveling the earth and setting a flat stone for the stove to stand on. +Meanwhile, Charley was stuffing the tick with dry leaves. + +Exactly on the hour Lew sat down at the wireless key and sent a call +flashing into the air. Promptly; his receiver buzzed in response. + +"Got him," said Lew, and while Charley went on filling the tick and +bringing in hemlock branches to use like springs under the tick, Lew +conversed with Willie. The latter was still working at the new wireless +set, and had listened in every hour during the day. All the other members +of the Wireless Patrol were likewise hard at work, and it was practically +certain that by the time the vacation was ended each would have earned his +share of the money needed to buy the desired battery. + +"I can't tell you where our camp is," rapped out Lew, "because that is a +secret that we are not supposed to tell. The forester does not want +anybody to know that Charley is employed by the forestry department. We +are posing as fishermen. Tell the fellows not to talk about Charley and +tell Charley's father the forester does not want it known for a time that +Charley is a fire patrol. He thinks that we have a better chance to find +things out if it is not known that we are connected with the forestry +department." + +Willie said that he would caution the boys and tell Mr. Russell. Also he +said he would be in his workshop until supper time and would listen in +most of the time. The club members would be at their instruments as usual +to catch the time from Arlington and pick up some of the news. Lew +replied that he would call Willie then, if he needed him. + +For some time after Lew laid down the receivers, the two boys worked +silently. They finished setting the hemlock branches in the earth, placed +the stuffed ticking above them, and laid their blankets in position. They +brought the wireless outfit into the tent and set the instruments in a +corner. The grub was stacked in another corner. A little pool was dug in +the stream just below the spring, to make a place for washing dishes. +Their extra clothes were hung on the ridge-rope. The first-aid kit was +fastened to the tent wall where it would be handy, and Charley put the +permanganate and the hypodermic syringe in his pocket. + +They had almost completed their task, when a low whistle was heard outside +the thicket. The pup pricked up his ears and was about to bark. Lew +grabbed him and held his jaws together. Then both boys sat silent, +listening and looking questioningly at each other. Soon the whistle was +repeated. + +"We've got to find out who's whistling," said Charley. "Keep the pup quiet +and I'll slip out and take a look." + +He left the tent, but had hardly gone ten feet before a voice cried, +"Hello, Russell! Are you in the thicket? This is Morton, the ranger." + +"Sure we're here," replied Charley, an expression of relief coming on his +face. "We didn't know who it was and kept quiet until we could take a +look. I'm coming out now." + +He hurried from the thicket and shook hands warmly with the newcomer. +Instinctively he knew that he was going to like his ranger. Big, +broad-shouldered, quite evidently powerful, with a kindly expression, a +winning smile, and a deep voice that instantly created confidence, the +ranger was a picture of honest manhood. No one could look into his deep +blue eyes, set far apart, or examine the lines on his face, at once +betokening strength of character with gentleness, and not feel that here +was a man in very truth. One knew instinctively that he would never +hesitate a second to risk his life to save another's, and that he would be +as gentle as a woman in his dealings with all creatures. But the great, +strong jaw and the straight mouth and long nose all foretold fearless +courage, and were ample warning that the man would be terrible if stirred +to wrath. + +"Come in and see our camp," said Charley, after the two had conversed for +a moment. And he led the way into the thicket. + +The ranger followed, his practiced eye noting everything. "You've made a +good job of it," he said with commendation, when he was at last seated in +the tent. "Nobody will ever find you here, unless you do something to +betray your position. You'll have to be a little careful about fires. I +wouldn't make any during the daytime." + +"We aren't going to make any at all," explained Charley. "Mr. Marlin gave +us an alcohol stove to cook with." + +"I don't believe you need go so far as that. Use your alcohol stove +during the day. At night nobody can see smoke, and if you screen the +blaze, nobody will ever discover you. It would be pretty dismal here at +night without any light. Let's see if we can't fix up a little fireplace +that will help you out." + +He got a number of large, flat stones, which he set on edge, fashioning a +high, square fireplace that opened toward the front. + +"The stones will screen the flames on three sides, if you don't build too +big a fire," he said, "and your tent will shut off the view on the fourth +side." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "It will be a whole lot more cheerful with a +fire. We have a candle lantern that we intended to use, but a fellow just +ought to have a fire when he's in camp." + +As they began to discuss the work ahead of them, the ranger inquired, +"What instructions did Mr. Marlin give you?" + +"He said that we should keep our connection with the department secret," +said Charley, "and if possible, avoid meeting any one. If we do bump into +anybody, we are to pose as fishermen. He said you would give us detailed +instructions." + +"Very well. First, about your outfit. Have you any firearms?" + +"A light, high-powered rifle and a pistol." + +"You can't carry a rifle in the forest at this season without exciting +suspicion. Leave your rifle here. Let me see your pistol? Have you +another?" + +Charley handed him his pistol and said that he had no other. + +"Then take this," he said as he handed Charley his automatic. "Let your +chum carry your pistol. I'll get another at the office. It isn't likely +that you will ever need to use a weapon in the forest. I have been a +ranger for years and have never yet drawn one, but I never travel without +one. You'll meet some pretty tough characters in the forest and sometime +your life may depend on having your pistol. My advice is never to patrol +without it. But keep it out of sight. Keep your badge out of sight, too. +And since you are supposed to be nothing more than fishermen, you'll have +to play the parts. Carry your rods and catch a few fish each day during +the season." + +"Where are we to patrol, and what hours are we to observe?" + +"You are especially employed to guard this virgin timber, though, of +course, you must protect any part of the forest you happen to be in. Take +some good hikes over the region right away and get acquainted with it. Use +your map and, if possible, learn the region by heart. Then your map will +mean something to you. Learn where the virgin timber lies. Keep a close +watch on it, and on any fishermen or campers. I'll spend at least two days +a week out here and you must report to me each time I am here. Meantime, +you must report to the office every night the last thing before you turn +in. The chief said you had a wireless and could do it. Maybe you can, but +it beats me to know how." + +"We'll show you in a little while," smiled Charley as he glanced at his +watch. "Willie will surely be listening in within twenty minutes and we'll +call him." + +"I'll have to take your word for it," said the ranger. "I can't wait a +minute. It will be long after dark before I get out of the mountains. I +telephoned my wife I'd be late, but she always worries when I'm out after +dark. You know snakes are bad up here, and they're all out at night. And +by the way, you'd better carry some of this permanganate. Do you know +anything about it, and what to do with it if you're bitten?" The ranger +started to pull a bottle from his pocket. + +"Thanks," said Charley. "It's mighty good of you to offer to share with +us. But we have permanganate and a syringe both, and we know what to do +with them." + +"Good. But be careful where you step. What do you wear on your feet?" + +He examined the boys' shoes and canvas leggings. "They're all right. I +don't believe any snake will bite through them. But high leather boots +would be safer. Bear it in mind when you buy new shoes. Now I must go." + +"When and where am I to report to you?" asked Charley. + +They agreed upon a place of meeting, half-way between the highway and +Charley's camp, whereupon the ranger, holding out his hand, said, +"Good-bye and good luck to you." + +"Do you have to go?" asked Charley. "Couldn't you stay overnight with us?" + +"I'd like to, but the wife would worry herself sick." + +"Suppose she knew that you were going to stay here. Would that make it all +right?" + +"I'm often away overnight during the fire season," smiled the ranger. +"It's the snakes that she's afraid of. She'd rather have me stay here all +night than come through these mountains after dark. You see her father was +bitten by a snake when she was a girl and she is mortally afraid of them." + +"Then you're going to stay here all night," said Charley, with decision. +"I'll get word to her right away." + +The ranger smiled incredulously. "I wish you could," he said. "It would +relieve her mind." + +Charley threw aside the pack cover that had been placed over the wireless +instruments. The ranger looked at the outfit with wondering interest. +Charley glanced at his watch and threw over the switch. + +"Willie might be listening in," he explained, as the sparks began to leap +between the points of his spark-gap. Twice he called, then a bright smile +came over his face. "Got him," he said. + +For some moments he alternately worked his key and listened to the return +buzzing in his receiver. Then he turned to the ranger. "Willie has the +forester on the telephone," he said. "What shall I tell him?" + +"Ask him to tell Katharine that I shall stay here with you in your camp +overnight, as I could not get home until long after dark." + +With fascinated gaze the ranger watched the sparks fly under Charley's +manipulation of the key. Then there was a long silence as the three sat +waiting for the reply. + +"Katharine says to tell Jimmie she's awful glad," said Charley, relaying +the forester's message literally, "and to thank the new patrol for taking +care of him." + +Then and there Charley knew that he was going to like not only the ranger, +but also the ranger's little wife. As for the ranger, he was almost +spellbound. + +"I know you talked to the chief," he said, "but what gets me is <i>how</i> you +did it. Why, if I knew how and had an outfit like that, I could talk to +Katharine any time and anywhere." + +"We'll make you an outfit and teach you how to use it," cried the two boys +together. "You shall have your first lesson to-night." + +Twilight drew near. Lew brought out the grub bag, and Charley began +cooking some food over the little alcohol stove. + +"I think that you can safely take a chance on a wood-fire at this hour," +said the ranger. "I'll build it myself." + +He placed a few dried leaves within the fireplace and stacked some twigs, +broken into short lengths, in a cone-shaped heap above the leaves. At once +he had a bright little fire that made almost no smoke but gave lots of +heat, though the flames did not reach as high as the stone sides of the +fireplace. Quickly a little bed of coals formed, and Charley put his +frying-pan directly over them. In no time the air was savory with the odor +of sizzling bacon and hot coffee. + +Squatted about the little fire, the three guardians of the forest ate +their evening meal. From time to time the ranger thrust a stick into the +fire, and so kept the flames alive. But it was a dim little blaze at best. +Yet it was mighty cheering and comforting as the darkness wrapped the +forest, and the gloom beneath the rhododendron thicket became inky and +impenetrable. + +For a long time after supper was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the three +sat before their little fire. Spellbound, the recruits listened to this +veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods, +of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and +otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved +the forest even as Charley did. + +When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the +voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while +the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and +deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased +rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in +radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless +alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the +spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to +distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the +signals buzzed in the receiver. + + + + +Chapter XII + +On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + + + +Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest +streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to +boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he +wakened his young comrades. + +"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped +out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours." + +The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's +easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike +here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs." + +"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley. + +"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to +shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago." + +Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over +it. He was learning a good deal about life these days. + +Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill. +Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart. + +"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your +business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new +situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the +forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with +gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands, +are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with +your territory so that you can tell whether a felled tree is on state land +or on private property. Your maps show you where the lines run, and you +will find the trees along these lines blazed. If you find lumbering +operations going on within the state forest, do your best to stop the +cutting and report the matter at once. You may find traps set out of +season. And it is practically certain you will have to deal with fires and +perhaps the men who start them. Being a fire patrol involves a whole lot +more than merely walking about through the woods. I can't give you rules +that will cover all the situations you will find yourself in. Common sense +is the best rule. The chief has given you a very important post here. It's +an unusual responsibility for one so young. But we both expect you to make +good. I'll be disappointed if you don't. You know if you fail, I'll have +to take part of the blame." He shook hands with both boys and was gone. + +"He's a prince," said Charley, after the ranger had left the thicket. "He +knows just how to treat a fellow. Why, I've simply got to make good now. +I'd get my ranger in bad if I didn't." + +Quickly they put their camp to rights, then slipped their pistols into +their pockets and got their fishing-rods. + +"What is the first thing on the programme?" asked Lew. + +"We'll go up to the top of the hill and have a good look over the +country," replied Charley. "It's just about time for campers to be cooking +their breakfasts. If there are any of them near us, we might see the smoke +from their fires and locate them. You know the ranger wants us to keep tab +on everything that's going on in our district." + +They ascended the mountain and climbed the tree from which they had viewed +the country on the preceding day. The sun was just coming over the eastern +summits, sending long, level rays of light flashing among the dark pines, +making beautiful patterns of sun and shade. In the bottoms the night mist +had gathered in little pools, in places completely blotting out the +landscape. The tree tops, upthrusting through these banks of fog, looked +like wooded islets in tiny gray lakes. In every direction the two boys +scanned the country, looking sharply for slender spirals of smoke. But +they saw only mist curling upward. + +"It looks to me," said Lew, "as though mighty few people ever get into +this valley. It's such a hard journey to get here that I suppose the +fishermen will stop at the streams in the valleys nearer the highway, and +nobody else would want to come here at this time of year. Unless this +timber is set afire purposely, I believe there is not much danger of its +being burned." + +"There's just the rub," replied Charley. "It would naturally be safe, +being so hard to get to, and for that reason it wouldn't be watched as +well as more accessible regions, particularly when it is difficult to get +fire patrols. But because some one is evidently trying to burn this +particular stand of timber, it is especially necessary to guard it. Mr. +Marlin wants it watched continually, but so secretly that no one will +realize that it is being guarded. That might make the incendiary +careless--providing he comes again--and so lead to his detection. We must +do nothing to betray ourselves. We'll have to be careful not to mark this +tree in any way, so that a passer-by would guess it was used as a +watch-tower. And we shall have to be sure that we don't wear a path +leading from it to our camp." + +For many minutes the boys sat in the tree, well screened from observation +by the spreading limbs, yet themselves able to see perfectly. In every +direction they searched again and again for telltale columns of smoke, but +saw nothing. + +"It looks to me," remarked Charley, "as though there isn't a soul in this +region except ourselves. If that is so, it is the best possible time to do +a little exploring. Suppose we take a look at the valley above our camp. +We can cover a lot of ground between now and noon and yet get back here +for another observation during the dinner hour. We ought to be in this +watch-tower or at some other point equally good every time men would +naturally be having fires, and that means morning, noon, and night. +Between times we can explore the forest. It means some pretty stiff +hiking, but I guess we can stand it." + +They drew their map and compared it with the country as it actually +appeared. + +"We aren't so far from the end of the state land in this direction," +commented Lew. "That's the very place you suggested exploring. We might +look up the line, as Mr. Morton suggested. You notice the stand of pines +ends a long distance this side of the line. That's all hardwood forest up +that way." + +"The sooner we get at it, the better," agreed Charley. + +Carefully they descended the tree, picked up their fishing-rods, and +hastened down the mountainside as fast as it was safe to travel. The +nearer they came to the centre of the valley, the larger the trees grew. +Evidently the rich soil had worked down into the bottom, during the +centuries, and the tree growth was enormous. Under these huge trees there +was no underbrush, and the two boys could make fast time. They approached +the stream, which flowed swiftly along under the tall pines, where they +had no doubt trout innumerable lurked in the shadowy depths. The +temptation to stop and fish was strong, but they put it aside and pushed +on up the valley. + +For a long time they passed like ghosts among the pines. The earth was +springy with the accumulated needles of many years, into which their feet +sank silently. Under the huge trees everything seemed to be hushed. There +was no wind to set the pines awhispering, and the music of the brook stole +through the forest like the low singing of a muted violin string. + +For a long distance they passed through a pure stand of pines. Then the +character of the forest began to change. Soon they were in a mixed growth, +and not long afterward they found practically nothing but deciduous trees +about them. + +"We're not far from the line now," suggested Lew. "This must be the stand +of hardwoods we saw from the lookout tree. I doubt if it is more than half +a mile to the line." + +"Keep your eyes open for blazed trees," said Charley. "We ought to see +some before many minutes." + +They had gone on, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Lew said, "It looks +pretty thin ahead. Either there is a natural opening in the forest or else +the timber has been cut out." + +Charley thought of what Mr. Morton had told him about timber thieves +operating along the boundary lines. He was glad that he had decided to +explore this particular section of his district. A moment later he was +still more glad, for the stillness of the morning air was suddenly broken +by a splitting, rending sound, which was followed by the crash of a great +tree as it came thundering to earth. There could be no mistaking the +sound. A tree had been felled. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks and +looked questioningly at each other. + +"Timber thieves!" said Charley in a low voice. His cheeks paled a trifle. +Then a look of determination came into his eyes. + +"What shall we do?" asked Lew in a loud whisper. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But we'll find out what they are doing. +Then we can decide what to do ourselves." + +He drew his automatic but as quickly thrust it into his coat pocket, as he +remembered what the ranger had told him. But though the pistol was in his +pocket, he still grasped it in his hand. The tense look on his face showed +plainly enough that he was ready to shoot right through his coat. Lew, +observing his companion's movements, followed his example. + +Minute after minute the two young forest guards stood silent, listening +for the sound of axes or other customary noises that ordinarily accompany +lumbering operations. But the morning stillness was undisturbed. A puzzled +expression crept over their faces. + +"Maybe that tree wasn't cut at all," whispered Lew. "Maybe it just fell +of itself." + +"We'll find out," replied Charley, and cautiously they began to make their +way toward the point whence the sound had come. Sheltering themselves +behind trees, they advanced rod after rod. The stillness remained +unbroken. The stand of trees grew thinner, with more and more underbrush. +Presently they saw before them an unmistakable clearing in the forest. +Rapidly they advanced, screened by the bushes, until they stood close to +the edge of the clearing. Beyond question somebody had been cutting trees. +Over a considerable area the timber had been felled, and whoever had +felled it had cut ruthlessly. Hardly a sapling remained in all the cleared +area. On every hand trees lay prone. Some had been trimmed and cut into +pieces. Some remained exactly as they fell. Everywhere freshly cut stumps +told plainly enough what had occurred. + +"Somebody's cutting timber all right enough," whispered Charley, "and it's +on state land. I wonder where they are. They certainly cut that tree we +heard fall, but I haven't heard an axe or a human voice and I don't see +any signs of lumbermen." + +"Maybe they're at camp eating breakfast. It's still early, you know." + +"If they are," said Charley, "then this is the very time to investigate. +We'll look around before anybody gets back." + +Glancing once more about the opening to make sure that nobody was in +sight, they stepped from behind their concealing bushes and started across +the open space. But immediately they came to a dead stop. Like +rifle-shots, a succession of sharp sounds rang out, accompanied by +splashing noises. The two boys were at first alarmed, then puzzled. They +looked at each other in amazement. + +"What was that?" asked Lew. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "At first I thought somebody was shooting +at us. But I didn't hear any bullets hum. And the noise didn't sound +exactly like a gun, either. It was like the noise a fellow makes when he +hits the water real hard with a board." + +In every direction they scanned the clearing. They saw no living things +but the trees. "It's queer," commented Charley. "Let's look at that +nearest tree that's down. Maybe we can learn something from it." + +They walked over to the tree, then studied it in amazement. "I never saw +anything like that before," cried Lew. "I don't believe that was ever cut +with an axe. It looks as though it had been gnawed off." + +"It has," cried Charley with sudden excitement. "I understand the whole +thing now. We've found a colony of beavers. I never saw a live beaver, but +I've read about them and seen pictures of their huts and their work, and +that looks exactly like the pictures. And those noises like rifle-shots +were their alarm signals. They slap the water with their tails when they +are frightened and dive under water. I suppose they're all in their lodges +now, and we'll never get a peep at them. Gee whiz! Just think of finding +beavers, Lew, real beavers. I didn't know there were any in Pennsylvania." + +"It seems to me that I read something about the game commission stocking +the state with them a few years ago. I think they put a number of them in +the state forests. Doubtless they have multiplied in numbers and started +new colonies." + +"That explains it," said Charley. "Gee! I'm glad we found these fellows. +And I'm just as glad that they aren't timber thieves. You know, Lew, it +made me feel kind of queer to think of facing real timber thieves. I +didn't like the idea a bit. But I kept thinking about Mr. Morton and what +he said about his being blamed if I fell down, and I made up my mind I'd +do it, no matter what happened." + +They now turned their attention to the felled tree once more, studying the +innumerable teeth marks, like so many tiny chisel cuts, on stump and butt. +Then they noticed the great chips lying about the stump, some of them half +as big as dinner plates. + +"It gets me to understand how they can bite out such huge chunks," said +Lew, "when their teeth are evidently so small. Why, you'd think an animal +would have to have a mouth as big as a hippopotamus to take bites like +these." + +Charley laughed. "Looks that way, doesn't it?" he said. "But as I remember +it, what I read said that the beaver gnaws out parallel rings around the +trunk and wrenches out the wood between. It's like sawing two cuts in a +board and chiseling out the board between them." + +"I see," said Lew. "But I should think they'd break their teeth all to +pieces." + +"So should I. But they have very strong teeth that grow out as fast as +they wear away, and that are as sharp as a chisel. I wouldn't want a +beaver to bite me. I'll bet he could bite right through a bone." + +"I suppose," said Lew, "they cut these trees to use in making their dam; +but what gets me is how they are going to get the trees over to the dam. +It would take a team of horses to drag this trunk. It's fifteen inches in +diameter." + +"The article I read," said Charley, "stated that as the beaver dams became +higher, the land adjacent was flooded and that the beavers made little +canals through the flooded area and floated their logs where they wanted +them. You notice that they have gnawed the limbs off of a number of these +trees and cut several of the trunks into lengths. I was sure they were +sawlogs when I first saw them." + +"Well, there isn't enough water here to float a log," said Lew, "though +it's mighty wet and it looks as though the water was several inches deep +a little farther on. Let's see if we can find a canal." + +They stripped off their shoes and stockings, and, rolling up their +trousers, began to wade. Very soon they found the water nearly knee-deep. + +"There's more water here than there seems to be," admitted Lew. "There's +so much marsh-grass and so many water-plants it fooled me." + +Cautiously they waded about. Suddenly Lew plunged forward, and only by +grasping a bush did he save himself from getting completely wet. As it +was, he found himself standing upright in three feet of water. After he +recovered from his surprise, he felt about with his feet. + +"This is their canal all right enough," he said. "It's very narrow, but it +will float anything that grows in this forest." + +He scrambled out and the two boys made their way back to dry ground. "How +are you going to get dry?" asked Charley. "I don't want to make a fire +unless it is absolutely necessary." + +"Never mind about me. I'll dry off soon enough. Let's find their dam." + +They made their way toward the run and soon discovered the dam. It was a +great pile of branches, stones, moss, grass, mud, bark, etc., that had +been built across the stream and extended for rods on either side. It +looked very solid, yet the water did not pour over it, but filtered +through it. + +"Think of all the work it took to make that," cried Lew. "Why, every +stick in it had to be gnawed down and floated here, and all the bark and +grass and roots had to be pulled and brought here and the stones +collected. And say! How in the world do you suppose they ever handled +those stones? And how do you suppose they ever anchored the stuff when +they began building? I should think the current would have swept +everything away at first. That's a pretty swift stream." + +"I read that they start their dams with saplings, which they anchor across +the current with stones. They are much like squirrels, you know, and can +use their fore paws about as well as we can use our hands. I suppose the +stones lose weight by displacing water, but if I hadn't seen these rocks, +I'd never have believed that such big stones could be handled by animals +no larger than beavers." + +"See here," said Lew. "These willow branches must have taken root, for +they seem to be growing right up out of the top of the dam. And there's a +birch that's surely growing. You know the branches of some trees will root +if you put them in water, especially willows. Why, if they continue to +grow and take more root, there'll be a hedge of living trees right across +this brook. The dam will become so dense that it will back up a great +quantity of water. I reckon this bottom will just naturally turn into a +swamp after a time." + +"Now that's interesting," suggested Charley. "You know the Bible tells us +the world was made in six days; but it seems to me it isn't finished yet. +Every rain washes down soil from the hills and helps to fill up the +valleys and the river-bottoms, and the floods scour out the watercourses +and carry earth and stones down to the ocean. And here we see a piece of +land that used to be fine, dry bottom, now becoming a swamp. It looks to +me as though the earth is changing every day." + +They examined the dam more critically. "It's two hundred feet wide if it's +an inch," said Lew, "though the brook isn't more than fifteen or twenty. +You see, it extends on each side of the brook to land that is a little +higher than the level of the stream bank. That's what makes this big head +of water. At the least there are several acres of it." + +"There's one thing that we haven't seen yet," added Charley, "and that's +their houses. They ought to be some distance above the dam." + +"I wonder if those are beaver lodges," said Lew, pointing to some bulky +heaps of brush at a little distance up-stream. + +"That's exactly what they are. They don't look much like houses, do they? +But I guess they're pretty snug inside. The entrances are deep under +water, you know, so that the ice can't clog them in winter, and so that +the beavers can get to their food all right." + +"What do they eat, Charley? Do you know?" + +"Sure. They eat roots, and tender plants, but mostly bark from certain +trees. I believe these are willow, poplar, birch, and some others. They +cut down the wood in summer and pile it under water in front of their +huts and hold it down with stones." + +"Well, what do you think of that!" cried Lew. + +"They eat a pile of it, too. I don't remember how many trees that article +said a colony of beavers would eat in a winter, but I'm sure it was up in +the hundreds. I remember how astonished I was when I read about it." + +"No wonder they clear the forest so fast. I wonder if we ought to tell Mr. +Marlin. Maybe he doesn't know about these beavers. They might begin to cut +down his virgin pines. I'm sure he wouldn't want that to happen." + +Charley laughed. "I'd bet my last dollar that Mr. Marlin knows all about +these beavers. You can bank on it that he knows all there is to know about +the territory he has charge of. And as for the beavers eating the pines, +it seems to me that I read that they never touch evergreens." + +A ray of sun slipped through the leaves above them and fell directly upon +Charley's face. He glanced up and was surprised to note how high the sun +had climbed. Then he looked at his watch. + +"Gee whiz!" he cried. "We must have been fooling around this beaver dam +for more than an hour. We must be about our business. We'll go on and +locate the boundary line." + +"I wish we could get a glimpse of a beaver," sighed Lew. + +"Not much use to wish it," said Charley. "They're furtive, and I suppose +they will stay in their lodges for hours. It seems to me I read that they +work at their dams mostly at night. We'll go on now, but maybe we could +come up here some moonlight evening and see them at work." + +They made their way around the beaver dam and continued on up the valley. +Within a few hundred yards they came upon a blazed tree. Speedily they +discovered a second. Then, following the line indicated by these two +trees, they rapidly passed tree after tree blazed and painted white, +tracing the line entirely across the valley. They picked out some +landmarks by which they could readily locate the line again. + +"If anybody except those beavers starts any timber cutting," said Charley, +"we'll know in a second whether he's cutting the state's wood or not. Now +I guess we'd better hustle back to camp." + +Lew got their noonday meal while Charley ascended once more to the watch +tree at the top of the mountain and made a careful survey of the country. +Not a sign of smoke could he see in any direction. No fire was discovered +during the afternoon hike. The evening inspection from their tower was +equally reassuring. After a brief chat by wireless with their friends at +Central City, and through them sending their nightly message to the +forester, telling him that all was well, the two tired young fire patrols +rolled up in their blankets and were quickly asleep, serene in the +knowledge that the forest they guarded was safe. + + + + +Chapter XIII + +Spying Out the Land + + + +All too rapidly the days passed. Occasionally a shower moistened the +surface of the ground, but for the most part the dry weather continued, +with every hour increasing the fire hazard. During the first few days +Charley was never free from a feeling of dread. Every time he awoke he +expected to smell fire. Every trip to the watch tree was made in the fear +that somewhere within his vision there would be telltale clouds of smoke +arising. A nervous apprehension seized upon him, and a mortal fear of +fire; and a growing disbelief in his own power kept him in a state of +unconquerable anxiety. + +All these were sensations new to Charley, though they were normal enough. +The natural result of responsibility, they were coupled with Charley's +keen realization of the insignificance of his own or any one else's powers +as opposed to the vast forces of nature. Had Charley never seen a forest +fire, had he never done battle with the raging flames, he could not have +had this sharp realization of the insignificance of his own strength. But +the recent struggle with the forest fire and that far more desperate +battle with the same enemy years before, when the Wireless Patrol was in +camp at Fort Brady, had given Charley a true estimate of the well-nigh +irresistible fury of a fire in the forest, should conditions be favorable +to the flames. + +Only luck, Charley realized, and the best of luck, had brought him and Lew +out victorious in their recent contest. The next time fire started--and he +knew well enough that there would be a next time--there might be a strong +wind, or to reach the blaze might take him hours, or he might not be able +to summon help with his wireless, or other unfavorable conditions might +arise to render his efforts useless. Then the forest would go roaring up +in flame. And even though he might not have been unfaithful to his trust, +the result would be the same. The timber would be destroyed. This great +forest would be consumed. And he, especially selected to guard and protect +it, would have failed. The thought was overwhelming. + +More and more Charley turned to his wireless as a drowning man clutches at +a straw. He saw that when Lew had gone and he had nothing but his own +powers to depend upon, the wireless was going to be like a life-line to +him. He realized that to have the powerful battery he wanted was +imperative, if he was to have even a chance to make good in his efforts to +protect the forest. And as he and Lew patrolled the timber, he made it +evident to his chum what a vital part that battery would play in his +success. But neither of them saw any way for Charley to come into +immediate possession of it. + +As the days passed and the forest still slumbered in safety, the sharp +edge of Charley's anxiety wore off. That, too, was normal, for he could +not naturally remain at such a pitch of emotion. So his interest in the +life about him gradually returned. And indeed there were innumerable +objects to interest a nature lover like Charley. + +The country itself was enough to make a nature lover happy. When Charley +climbed his watch tree and looked about, he could see nothing but forest. +East, west, north, south, league upon league, far as the eye could see and +much farther, stretched the forest, like a huge green sea. The mountains +rose like great waves; and from his lofty perch Charley could see several +parallel ridges rearing their crests aloft on either side of him. +Distinctly he could see the two bottoms at the foot of the mountain on +which stood his watch tree. Splendid stands of timber filled these valleys +with swelling streams of water that flashed in the sunlight here and there +through little openings in the trees. But what lay in the farther valleys +he could only guess, though he knew that each must have its stream and +some timber. What else there might be Charley did not know. + +It was part of his work as a patrol to find out. And eagerly he looked +forward to the daily hikes that would take him here or there or elsewhere +in the great forest. Already he loved it; and he wanted to share all its +secrets. Had Charley but known it, that very attitude of mind made him +more valuable both to his ranger and to the forester. It meant that his +work would not be done in a perfunctory manner, but with that genuine +interest born of love that alone leads to perfect service. + +The two chums made themselves familiar with their own valley from the +border line of the state lands above the beaver dam, to a point many miles +below their own camp. They found that they were in the heart of the stand +of virgin timber, and that the location of their camp was by far the best +that could have been chosen for the purpose of guarding the stand. + +Charley thought it wonderful that the forester could offhand select such a +strategic point. He felt more certain than ever that Mr. Marlin must have +an intimate knowledge of the territory over which he had jurisdiction. +Could Charley have known how intimate that knowledge was, he would have +been amazed. And what he did not even guess was the fact that the forester +had planned just such a secret watch on the big timber as Charley was now +keeping, and that he had selected the camp site only after days of +investigation. + +Nor did Charley so much as dream that for some time Mr. Marlin had been +looking about for some one he could trust to do the work. The native +mountaineers did not command Mr. Marlin's entire confidence, nor did many +of them possess the intelligence or education he desired in the man he +selected. + +Yet his sudden choice of Charley was characteristic of the forester. He +always acted quickly when he thought the time for action had come. +Charley's grit and pluck in voluntarily fighting the fire, coupled with +his membership in the Wireless Patrol, were the factors that led Mr. +Marlin to engage him at once. Had Charley known these facts, he might have +felt a bit conceited or at least elated over the situation. But his belief +was, as Mr. Marlin wished it to be, that the forester had taken him only +as a last resort. And Charley was working hard to make good. He could +hardly have taken a better way than the road he had chosen--to make +himself familiar with all the territory he was to guard, and so to prepare +himself for the emergencies that lay ahead of him. + +Every day, and every hour of each day, the two boys found much that +excited their wonder, for now they were studying nature at first-hand. +Taking their dog, they one day climbed the mountain beyond the one on +which their watch-tower stood, and came down into a lovely valley. But +what instantly arrested their attention was the face of the mountain on +the far side of this valley. + +Instead of being a timbered slope, this mountain was a sheer precipice of +rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet in air. Its rugged sides were +seamed and scarred. Here and there a projecting ledge offered a scant +foothold, but mostly the face of the cliff was one vast, frowning rock +that rose almost perpendicularly. On tiny ledges and in crevices of the +rock little ferns grew in masses, hanging down the face of the cliff like +green fringes. Wild flowers had taken possession of the crannies. In +precarious footholds, where it seemed impossible for them to exist, a few +trees had sprung up, their roots crawling fantastically over the rocks in +search of bits of earth to grow in, while the tops of the trees stood up +slantingly against the face of the cliff. Mostly they were evergreens, and +their scraggly branches made irregular dark masses on the face of the +precipice. + +As the two boys made their way toward the foot of this cliff, a great bird +came soaring over the top of it, and sailed in lofty circles over the +valley. + +"Look at that hawk!" cried Lew. "Isn't he a whopper? Look at the spread of +his wings. And see how he soars, without ever moving a muscle. I wonder if +he can see us." + +Evidently the bird saw something, for suddenly it tilted downward, shot +toward the earth like a flash, and was lost to sight behind the trees. + +"Whew!" cried Charley. "Did you see that drop? It almost took my breath +away to watch him." + +A moment later the bird rose into sight again, bearing in its talons a +dark-colored animal of some sort. Though the animal was not large, it must +have weighed many pounds. Yet the bird flew upward swiftly, lifting +himself rapidly with strong strokes of its wings. + +"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Charley, after watching the bird a moment. "That's +no hawk! That's an eagle. It's a bald eagle, too. See his white tail and +head and the bare shanks?" + +"Are you sure?" demanded Lew. "I've always wanted to see a bald eagle. +It's our national emblem, you know." + +"I'm pretty sure that's one," replied Charley. "I've read about them and +seen pictures of them, and that bird's exactly like the pictures. We can +see his legs well because he's holding them straight down. They're bare. +The golden eagle has feathers all the way to his toes." + +"Gee! I'm glad we saw him," exclaimed Lew. "Look where he's going." + +The bird flew straight toward the cliff, climbing upward with tremendous +speed. He flew directly to a ledge far up the precipice, where he vanished +from sight. + +"That's where the nest is. I'll bet anything on it," said Charley. "We'll +keep an eye on this place and see if there are any little eagles later in +the season." + +For some time they watched the ledge to which the eagle had flown, but the +bird did not again come into sight. Evidently the ledge was much wider +than it appeared to be from the bottom of the valley, and perhaps the face +of the cliff was worn away, cave like, at that point, affording a secure +retreat. At any rate, the eagle was seen no more. + +"Well," said Lew, after a time, "if we can't see the eagle again, perhaps +we can find out what sort of an animal it was he got. I think I can pretty +nearly point out the spot where he landed." + +They started toward the point at which the eagle had come to earth. When +they thought they were near the place they began to search the ground +carefully for some signs of the tragedy that had occurred. They looked in +vain. Nowhere could they find any telltale marks. + +"I suspect it must have been a coon," suggested Charley. "It looked like +it to me. We know there are lots of them in this forest." + +Just then the excited chattering of squirrels attracted them. They began +to examine the trees about them. Presently they came to one around which +were scattered innumerable shells of nuts that had been gnawed into and +eaten. + +"There must be squirrels in that tree," said Lew. + +Now muffled squeaks of fear or pain were audible. The two boys looked at +each other questioningly. + +"There are squirrels up there all right," agreed Charley, "and something's +wrong. That's exactly the way a squirrel sounds when it's in trouble. Yes; +there are some squirrels in the tree top. They're terribly excited over +something." + +The boys began to examine the tree. It was an old oak. Well up its trunk a +limb had broken or rotted away, and the resulting decay of the stub had +made a hole in the tree itself. What instantly riveted the attention of +the two boys was something black and tapering that projected from the +hole and that slowly waved in the air. + +"A blacksnake!" cried Charley. "He's probably eaten the little squirrels." + +In a second Charley was shinning up the tree. Not far below the squirrel +hole the stub of another old limb projected. Charley pulled himself up and +got a footing on it. He drew his little axe from his hip, and, yanking the +snake half-way out of the hole, broke its back with a sharp blow of the +axe, and then threw the reptile to the ground. Lew was on it like a flash +with his feet, tramping it to death. In the snake's mouth was a small +squirrel still kicking and making muffled noises. + +Charley slid to the ground, drew his knife and slit the snake's head, +releasing the young squirrel. It was hurt and terribly frightened, but was +apparently not really injured. Charley kept it in his hand, feeling for +broken bones. + +"I don't believe this squirrel is really harmed a bit," he said finally, +"but it was a pretty close call. I'm going to put it back in the nest +again." + +He put the little creature in his pocket, then again shinned up the tree, +and placed the squirrel in its nest. Meantime, the old squirrels in the +tree top chattered incessantly. + +"Nobody's going to hurt you," said Charley, looking upward through the +branches. "We're only trying to help you." + +When he came to earth once more he examined the snake. "He's a big +fellow," he said, stretching the reptile out straight. "He's a good deal +more than six feet long. I guess we'll take his skin and make a belt of +it." + +As he drew out his knife again and proceeded to skin the snake, he +continued, "I don't believe in killing snakes as a general rule, but +blacksnakes do more harm than good, I believe. It's true they kill rats +and mice, but they also eat birds' eggs and young birds and squirrels, and +no end of other useful creatures. And they are so active that one snake +will kill a great number in the course of a year." + +"I don't understand how they can eat anything so big as that young +squirrel," said Lew, "but I know they do." + +"Really they don't," laughed Charley. "They drag themselves outside of +their prey. You know their jaws are loose so they can spread them, and +their teeth point backward. What they do is to work the upper jaw and then +the lower, hooking their teeth into their food, pulling back with each +half of the jaw in turn. You see they literally pull themselves over their +prey. Well, I'm glad we got that fellow. I suppose it's my business to +kill all the blacksnakes I can. Whatever harms the squirrels, hurts the +forest." + +"What do you mean?" asked Lew. + +"Why, you know that squirrels help to plant the nut trees in a forest. +Some tree seeds, like pine and maple seeds, are so small or light that +they are carried easily by birds and winds, and so scattered about. But +acorns and nuts are so heavy that they fall straight down to the earth. If +the squirrels didn't carry them away and bury them in such quantities, how +could we ever have had these great stands of nut and oak trees?" + +"I never thought of that," said Lew. + +"It looks as though what Mr. Marlin said was right--walking about through +the forest is only a small part of a forest guard's work. He's got to know +an awful lot about things before he can be sure just what he ought to do." + +"I never had any idea how big a job it is, Lew. And think what a forester +must have to know. I tell you it takes a man to fill a job like that." + +Noon came. The boys grew hungry. "I could eat all the sandwiches we have +myself," smiled Charley. "I wonder if we couldn't catch some trout to help +out. It would be all right to make a fire over here, I'm sure. And we'll +keep it so small it won't make any smoke. And even if it did, it couldn't +possibly betray the location of our camp." + +They made their way to the stream in the middle of the valley, baited +their hooks, and dropped them into the water. In no time they had half a +dozen fine trout. + +"You clean 'em, Lew," suggested Charley, "and I'll make a little +fireplace." + +He selected a little shoulder of earth close to the run and began to dig +into it with a stick. In a moment he had uncovered a deposit of solid +clay. The clay was hard to dig, but he could shape his fireplace in it +exactly as he wanted it. When the task was completed, he started a very +small fire with leaves and small branches. By careful feeding, he kept the +flames burning clear, with almost no smoke. Presently he had a bed of +glowing coals that almost filled the little fireplace. + +Lew, meantime, had cleaned the fish and cut some black birch branches +which he thrust through the fish lengthwise. Squatting beside the little +fire, the two boys now held the fish over the coals, turning them slowly, +and roasting them thoroughly. With the addition of the trout, their meal +was ample. + +They ate slowly, and after their meal sat for a time beside their fire in +the warm sun, watching the forest life about them, and listening to the +song of the brook and the myriad other sounds of the woods. Finally they +prepared to leave. The fire had shrunken to a white bed of ashes. + +"We'll make sure that it is out," commented Charley. And he stepped to the +run and got a hatful of water, which he poured on the ashes. To his +astonishment the ashes were washed away, leaving the fireplace bare. The +fireplace had changed color and looked as though made of brick. He touched +it and found it as hard as stone. + +"Fire-clay," he said. "That's probably worth something. I'll take a sample +along." + +He dug away more top-soil and scooped out a big ball of clay. Then he +filled in the holes he had made, covering up all traces of the clay +deposit, and blazed a tree near by to identify the spot. + +The journey back to the camp was made by a route different from the one +taken in the morning, the boys following the stream down the valley for a +distance before crossing back to their own valley. The first fishermen +they had encountered were seen on the return trip. The men were wading in +the stream below the boys and so did not observe the young fire guards +behind them. Charley and Lew instantly slipped behind trees, and after +watching the men until they were lost to sight, struck off toward their +camp. They got there shortly before sunset. While Lew prepared supper, +Charley once more made his way up to the watch tree, where he remained +until dusk. + +Early in the evening they got into touch with their friends at Central +City, and through them sent a reassuring good-night to the forester. Then, +too tired to listen to the night's news, they wrapped themselves in their +blankets and were soon sound asleep. + + + + +Chapter XIV + +The Trail in the Forest + + + +The following day the two young patrols were to report to their ranger at +the appointed place in the forest. Although the ranger had much farther to +travel than they did, the boys knew from experience that he was afoot +early during the fire season, and they felt certain he would be at the +meeting-place before the appointed hour. Charley wanted to be as prompt as +his ranger, and so the two boys were astir by the time the first streaks +of light tinged the eastern skies. + +It was still dark enough to risk a little blaze in their fireplace and the +warmth was grateful, for the early morning air was chill enough. Breakfast +was soon cooked and their camp put to rights. Then, taking their +fishing-rods again, they set forth to patrol the forest. The pup was tied +in the tent, lest he should get into trouble with a porcupine or some +other creature of the forest, and so make them tardy for their +appointment. + +Their plan was to travel down their own valley for a distance, then pass +through a gap to a fire trail in the next bottom, which would lead to +other trails that would take them close to their destination. They had +studied out their route carefully on the map, and they made their way +with both speed and certainty. + +For a long time nothing of moment happened to them. The sun came up bright +and clear, flirting with the fleecy clouds in the sky, that now plunged +the land in deep shadow and again drew aside so that the forest was bathed +in golden sunlight. The earth sent forth fragrant exhalations. A gentle +breeze lent a tonic quality to the atmosphere. The leaves sparkled with +dew, and the stream in the bottom flashed in the sunlight, filling the +woods with its sonorous babble. So inviting was the scene that despite +their haste, the boys could not resist the temptation to drop their hooks +in promising pools as they moved along. Without half trying, they +accumulated a dozen fine trout. The smaller ones they carefully unhooked +and threw back into the stream. + +They passed through the gap in the mountain and started to cross the +bottom to the fire trail. At the brook in the middle of the valley they +paused to make one last cast in an especially inviting pool. At that +moment two men came out of a near-by thicket. Both were smoking. They were +equipped like fishermen, though they had no fish. They were rough looking, +with hard faces. One of them had an ugly scar above his right eye and +showed a mouthful of gold teeth when he took his cigar from his mouth, as +he asked, "What luck?" + +"We've got a few," replied Charley, extending his creel for their +inspection. + +The man looked at the fish and swore savagely. "These kids have fished +the brook out," he growled. "There's no use trying this stream. We'll have +to go on to the next valley." + +Charley was in a quandary. These men, with their cigars, were a menace to +the forest. It made him nervous merely to look at the glowing tobacco and +the careless way the men flicked the ashes about. He was almost +panic-stricken at the idea of their passing into his own valley while he +was absent. He did not know whether to tell them the truth about his fish +or remain silent. But he remembered that his watch in that valley was +supposed to be a secret one, and he said nothing. Afterward he was glad +that he had remained silent. + +"Come on," said the man with the gold teeth. "These kids have queered us +here. We'll be moving." + +As he started away he gave Charley such a savage look that it almost +frightened Charley. It did worry and alarm him, for he could not help +asking himself what he should do if he had to deal sternly with such a +man. Even with Lew at his side, he felt fearful. Alone in the forest with +such desperate-looking men, he knew that he would be helpless. + +Then he remembered the automatic stowed in his hip pocket and felt +relieved. Now he understood much better why the ranger had given it to +him. The remembrance that he had this weapon stiffened his courage +wonderfully. He determined that if gun-play ever became necessary, he +would not be caught napping. At once he shifted the automatic to his coat +pocket, where he could shoot without drawing the weapon, and where he +could carry his hand without exciting suspicion. + +"Gee!" whispered Lew, after the two men had passed out of hearing. "I +wouldn't care to meet that pair after dark." + +"What I am afraid of," said Charley, "is that they will set the forest +afire. They were mighty careless with their cigars. Will they be any more +careful with the butts when they have finished their smoke? I don't know +but what we ought to trail them. Yet we've got to meet Mr. Morton and I +don't want to be tardy. I can't make up my mind what we ought to do." + +After a moment's consideration, he unjointed his rod, and started off in +the direction from which the men had come. "We'll find Mr. Morton just as +quick as we can," he said with decision, "and tell him the situation. +Meantime, we'll make sure those men didn't start any fires up to this +point." + +Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of +speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he +dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums +advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain. +They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no +smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with +lighter hearts. + +"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley, +"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know +how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both." + +Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley +glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet +he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early. +He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never +reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton +himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and, +being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his +subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and +he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him. + +Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to +say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having +been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so +disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard +as interference with his fishing. + +The ranger shook hands warmly with his young friends. "I see you have kept +the forest safe so far," he said with a smile. "How have things been +going?" + +"All right," replied Charley, "but we met a couple of men an hour or so +ago, whose looks we didn't like." + +"How's that? What did they do that you didn't like?" + +"Well, they were smoking and they were careless with their cigars. Since +we met them I've been expecting to see a smoke column rising every time I +turned around; and I'd hate to tell you how many times I've looked back in +the last hour." + +"It never hurts a man in the forest to look back," said Mr. Morton with +another smile. "Lot's wife is the only person on record who came to grief +that way. But seriously, you mustn't get nervous just because you see a +smoker. You'll meet hundreds of them, and they're all pretty careless." + +Charley flushed a little. "You don't understand, Mr. Morton," he went on. +"I wasn't nervous--that is, I didn't--I mean, it wasn't the mere fact that +the men were smoking that made me feel anxious. I didn't like the looks of +the men or their actions." + +"What did they do?" + +"Well, they swore at us." + +The ranger laughed. "That's a habit of these mountaineers," he said. "You +mustn't pay any attention to it. They don't mean anything by it." + +"Do they look at you as though they'd like to kill you, too?" demanded +Charley. "Is that a habit of these mountaineers?" + +Instantly the ranger's face was sober. "See here," he said seriously. +"What have you been doing? What did you do or say to the men that made +them curse you? A little authority hasn't made you toplofty, has it? You +know you are not supposed to let anybody know that you're a fire patrol." + +"I didn't," replied Charley, stung by the implied criticism. "We caught a +few fish in our own valley, then cut through to the valley just below us, +on our way to this trail. Just as we reached the run, two men came out of +the bushes. They asked what we had caught, and when I showed them, one of +them swore at us terribly and said we had fished the stream out so that +they would have to go on to the next valley." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger, looking much relieved. + +"No, sir, it isn't," continued Charley. "They looked as though they wanted +to kill us." + +The ranger was inclined to smile, but he forbore, seeing that Charley was +sensitive. "You'll soon get used to meeting tough-looking customers in the +forest," he said. + +"I hope that I don't meet many like that fellow," sighed Charley. "When he +scowled at me, he looked as fierce as a chimpanzee. And he had an ugly +scar over his eye that actually seemed to turn red." + +Instantly the ranger's face became sober. "A scar over his eye," he +repeated. "Which eye?" + +"His right one." + +"Did you notice his mouth?" + +"Sure. I couldn't help noticing it. It was full of gold teeth." + +The ranger gave a low whistle. His face became still more serious. "Tell +me exactly what was said and done," he continued. "Repeat your +conversation just as accurately as you can." + +When Charley had rehearsed the entire affair in detail, the ranger asked, +"And you are sure you gave him no hint that you had come from the next +valley?" + +"Absolutely none. I thought right away that I mustn't do that." + +"You're a lad of discretion," smiled the ranger. "You have done well. But +be awful careful of that old scoundrel. That's Bill Collins. He's a bad +egg if there ever was one. He never came into these mountains to catch +fish. That's merely a blind. And he was headed for your valley, too. +That's absolutely certain. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone there." + +The ranger paused in thought. "<i>Did</i> he go there?" he continued. "That's +the problem. If he said he was going there, it's more than likely he was +headed for some other place and wanted to throw you off the track." + +Again the ranger paused and studied Charley's face keenly. Evidently the +wide-set eyes, with their indication of intelligence, the strong nose and +good chin, and especially Charley's straight mouth with its thin lips, +reassured him. "My boy," he said kindly, "I don't want to alarm you +unnecessarily, but be careful of that man. He's up to something, or he +wouldn't be in this forest; but what it can be, I've not the remotest +idea. The only thing I can think of that would bring him here is the +virgin timber. He's been mixed up in several crooked lumber deals. He +wouldn't hesitate for an instant to steal timber or to set the forest +afire. And it's my personal belief that he wouldn't stop at"--he paused +and studied Charley's face again--"at murder." + +The two boys were sober. For a moment they looked at the ranger in +silence. Then, "What had I better do?" asked Charley. + +"Keep out of Collins' road," answered Mr. Morton instantly. "If you can +get track of him, watch him; but don't let him see you or know he is +watched." + +Again the ranger paused to ponder the matter. "It isn't a square deal to +let you kids go up against that old crook," he said suddenly. "Come on. +We'll see if we can find him. And if we do, I know how to deal with him." + +The ranger strode forward at a terrific pace. The two boys had almost to +run to keep up with him. Over his face came a grim expression that boded +no good for Bill Collins. On and on he went, saying never a word. +Evidently he was revolving the situation in his own mind. Not until they +reached the brook did he utter a syllable. Then he said, "Show me exactly +where you boys were and where the two men came out of the bushes." + +Charley pointed out the respective positions. Mr. Morton searched the +bushes but found nothing enlightening. + +"Which way did they go after they left you?" he asked. + +Lew pointed out the route they had taken. Along the margin of the brook +both men had left clear footprints. Mr. Morton sank to his knees and the +three studied these prints closely. Then, "Come on," he said, rising. +"We'll see if we can trail them." + +Lew led the way to the point at which they had last seen the men. The +disturbed condition of the leaves showed plainly that some one had passed. +Very slowly and painstakingly the ranger followed the trail. In many +places the forest mold still retained the imprint of a foot distinctly. So +they followed the trail for several rods. Then they were unable to find +any more footprints, nor did the leaves appear disturbed in any way. + +"They've turned off to one side or the other," said the ranger, when he +was sure they had overrun the trail. "Let's see if we can find which way +they went." + +The three investigators turned and spread out, advancing a foot at a time, +and examined the ground minutely. Not a leaf nor a stick, nor yet the +bushes or tree trunks escaped observation. At last Charley gave a little +cry. He had found a footprint that corresponded exactly with one they had +studied by the brook. A little farther on a second imprint was visible, +and the leaves again had the appearance of having been disturbed. For some +distance they continued to search for and to find footprints and other +unmistakable signs of the passage of the two men. + +"It is useless to look for any more tracks," said the ranger, +straightening up. "Collins and his companion quite evidently went up this +valley instead of the one they told you they were heading for. They were +merely trying to mislead you, which makes me all the more certain they are +here for no good purpose. They certainly had no reason to suspect your +connection with the Forest Service, and I presume that Collins was so +annoyed at being seen by anybody that he just couldn't keep his temper. So +he swore at you. He's a violent chap. It's certain that he's somewhere +ahead of us, with at least two hours' start. We'll try to overtake him, +though we don't want him to see us. What we'll do if we find him will +depend upon circumstances. Now let's hustle. But be quiet and keep your +eyes open." + +Not until near sundown was the search discontinued. Then, finding +themselves almost directly below the watch-tower, the ranger and his two +helpers struck directly up the slope, took a long, careful look for smoke, +and descended toward Charley's camp. + +"I'm going to spend the night with you," explained the ranger. "I wish +that you would try to call up Katharine and tell her how it is. I don't +like to leave the forest until I find out what those scamps are up to." + +They came to the camp. The pup was still in the tent, and everything +seemed to be as it was when the two young patrols left in the morning. + +"Things seem to be all right," said Charley. "We'll be a bit cautious and +cook on the alcohol stove to-night." + +But when he went to the spring for water, he gave a cry of dismay. In the +soft ground by the spring basin was a footprint exactly like that they had +traced so painfully in the other valley. + + + + +Chapter XV + +The Telltale Thumb-Print + + + +More serious than ever was the ranger's face when Charley showed him the +telltale footprint. + +"It's bad!" he said. "Altogether bad! He's as cunning as a rat, that Bill +Collins. But how he could ever discover a camp so well concealed as this +one is, I don't know." + +And with that the ranger fell into a brown study. Lew and Charley went on +rapidly with their preparations for supper. + +"Here," called the ranger, noticing what they were about. "Mr. Marlin sent +this to you. I almost forgot about it." He reached into the capacious +inner pocket of the hunting-coat he wore and drew forth a bulky package. + +"Beefsteak!" cried Charley, opening the package. "Oh boy! And enough for +two meals. We're certainly obliged to you and Mr. Marlin both." + +Meantime, the pup, neglected, fawned upon them and began to whine, when +suddenly the ranger cried out, "I've got it. It was the pup." + +"The pup?" echoed Charley. "What about the pup?" + +"Why, it was the pup that betrayed the camp. In some way those men got +within hearing or smelling distance of this place, and the pup must have +barked or whined. You know how a lonely dog will howl and carry on. I'm +sorry, but I guess that pup will have to go, Charley." + +Charley's face expressed almost as much mental agony as the pup's whine +had shown, though he said nothing. The ranger, looking up, caught the +expression, however, and understood. He knew how lonely it would be for +Charley after Lew returned to Central City. "The harm's already done," he +continued, "and I suppose it never does any good to lock the stable after +the horse is gone. You may keep your pup, Charley; but I do wish he was a +dumb brute in fact as well as in name." + +"I can train him to be quiet," said Charley eagerly. "I trained Judge +Gordon's dogs to hunt and I can train this little fellow not to make a +noise. If I could keep him, sir, I'd be mighty glad. He'll be a lot of +company." + +"Keep your dog, noise or no noise," said the kindly ranger with +determination. "If you can really train him well, he'll do us a thousand +times more good than he does harm. Now that I know Bill Collins is in +these woods, I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone. You train +that dog as fast as you can. Train him to warn you of the approach of +strangers, and train him to fight, too--and to fight hard." + +Again the ranger lapsed into silence. After a while he said, "What +puzzles me now is this: Should we move your camp to another place or leave +it where it is? Bill Collins knows there is a camp here. He saw you two +boys in the forest and he has probably seen no one else. He will likely +infer that it is your camp. But he has no way of knowing that you are +connected with the Forest Service, unless, unless--By George! Why didn't I +think of that sooner? Ten to one he hid close by and watched for you to +come back. If he did, he saw us when we came down from the top of the +hill. And if he saw me with you boys, he knows as well as I do why this +camp is hidden and what you boys really are doing. I'll bet it made him +swear some when he saw me." And the ranger chuckled. + +"But maybe he didn't see us," suggested Charley. + +"I'd just as soon believe that the sun didn't set. That fellow's a fox for +cleverness and a bulldog for persistence. Yet I don't see that we need +feel bad, even if he does know where your camp is. We've learned more than +he has. We know he's back in these parts and that he is making a secret +visit to this timber; for you may be very sure he intended it to be a +secret visit." + +"But he can't be certain we know who he is," argued Charley. "He is as +much a stranger to Lew and me as we are to him." + +"True enough, Charley, true enough. It was really a great piece of luck +that you boys happened to bump into him. It would have been better, of +course, if you could have seen him without being noticed yourself, but in +that case we should never have guessed who he was. No; it's a game of +checkers between us now, and we've each lost a man to the other. But in my +opinion we got a king in exchange for an ordinary checker. What I'd like +to know is, who the man is that's with him." + +"Supper is ready," announced Lew. + +The three entered the tent, where Lew had hung the lighted candle lantern, +and in the growing darkness ate their meal. + +"It seems to me," suggested Lew, "that it would be best to leave the camp +right where it is. If we move it, that will indicate that we know its +location has been discovered. If we let it remain where it is, these men +won't know whether we are aware if their visit here or not." + +"You've a good head on you, young man," said the ranger approvingly. +"That's exactly the thing to do. Besides, if we moved it and Bill Collins +wanted to find it, he'd stick right to the job until he succeeded. But I +don't believe he has any interest in watching this camp or in staying in +this forest. It isn't a healthful place for him and he knows it. You see, +Bill and I are old acquaintances. It's my opinion that he came in here for +some particular purpose and that he'll get right out the instant that +purpose is accomplished. Those men didn't have any packs, did they?" + +"Not a sign of a pack," replied Charley. "Their coat pockets bulged out +as though they had sandwiches or something in them, but they hadn't a +thing in their hands or on their backs except fishing-rods and creels." + +"That settles it," said the ranger. "They can't stay here more than +forty-eight hours at the most. And there's no danger of their telling +anybody else about your camp because they won't want anybody to know they +were here. We'll just consider the camp situation settled." + +They finished their supper and had begun clear up the dishes when suddenly +Charley thought of the fire-clay. "Oh! I have something to show you," he +cried, and went to the corner of the tent to get the clay ball. It was +just where Charley had left it, but the instant he picked it up he was +somehow conscious that it was different. He held the ball up and looked at +it critically. Then he hefted it in his hand. + +"Lew," he exclaimed, "how big was that ball of clay we took for a sample?" + +"Four or five inches in diameter," rejoined Lew. "Why?" + +"Look at that. It isn't a bit more than three inches thick. I was sure we +had more clay than that. I meant to make a little pot of it." + +"We did have more. I'm sure of it. You don't suppose those men could have +taken any of it, do you?" + +"Let me see," said the ranger. + +He took the ball and examined it critically. "That looks like fire-clay. +If it is, and the deposit is of any size, you have found something of +value. You know the state sells things like that on a royalty basis. We +might be able to develop a good clay business. We like to work up all the +business we can, because the revenues go toward the purchase of the +equipment we need. You know the legislature won't give us all we need to +buy implements for fighting fires, and for fire-towers, and other +equipment." + +"If we could make a fire," said Charley, "you could soon tell whether it +is good fire-clay or not." + +"Make a fire," said the ranger. "Collins already knows where our camp is +and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour." + +In a minute the boys had a fire going. When they had a deep bed of coals, +they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed. + +While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his +wireless key. As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain +that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in. He called several +times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his +conversation with his fellows. When he flashed out his signals a quarter +of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply. + +"I've got 'em," said Charley quietly to his comrades. "And it's Henry +talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he +said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about +ended." + +"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed +as long as I possibly can." + +Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and +whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real +situation. But that would never do." + +Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as +quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded +in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?" + +"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll +just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and +sometimes those fellows get nasty." + +Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got +up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the +thicket brightly. + +Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing. + +"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?" + +"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat. +Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang +around for days. Wish you would send us some traps." + +"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley, +turning to Mr. Morton. + +"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger. + +"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending. +I'm asking Henry for traps." + +"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under +the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to." + +Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps. +He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing +out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the +forester at Oakdale on the telephone. + +After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the +forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I +tell him?" + +"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that +everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone." + +Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley. + +"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay +in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are." + +While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took +the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are +well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband." + +Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a +pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't +wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why, +we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena +howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She +didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home." + +"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger. +"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day." + +Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw +at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in +camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which +evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him. + +"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't +think that cat will come any closer, for it can smell the dog as well as +the meat. Take care of him and make him useful. Now we'd better turn in, +for we must pull foot early in the morning." + +"Let's first see if our clay is baked," suggested Charley. + +Charley scattered the embers and rolled the clay ball out of the ashes +with a stick. It was baked as hard as a brick. The ranger folded up the +newspaper which he had used as an outer wrapper for the meat, and picked +up the ball with the paper. Lew held the candle lantern close while the +ranger examined the clay. Slowly he turned the ball around, picking at it +with his knife blade. + +"Who made this ball?" he asked suddenly. + +"I did," said Charley. + +"Did Lew touch it at all?" + +"I can't recall that he did." + +"No; I never laid a finger on it," said Lew. "Charley rolled it and +carried it here himself." + +"Let me see your thumbs, Charley," said the ranger. + +Charley, puzzled, held them up for inspection. The ranger examined them +closely. "Now let me have that little microscope of yours," he continued. + +Charley handed it to the ranger, who studied the clay ball intently +through the glass, then as carefully looked at Charley's thumb. Then he +chuckled. "We've taken another king in this little checker game," he said. +"Look at that." + +While Mr. Morton held the lantern for them, the two boys studied the +burned ball of clay. On it were a number of distinct thumb-prints, now +turned into solid brick by the action of the fire. The boys looked at each +other questioningly and then at Mr. Morton. + +"It's a clever rogue who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," chuckled the +ranger. "What happened is as clear as daylight. Collins and his companion +found this clay while they were inspecting your camp. They must have +suspected that it was fire-clay and that you had found a deposit of value. +They took some along to test, and rolled what was left into a ball again, +thinking you would never notice the difference. But they forgot that clay +would take finger-prints so readily, and they have left their calling +cards behind them." + +The ranger carefully wrapped the clay ball in his handkerchief, and then +in a newspaper. "Let me have this," he said. "The police may have some +duplicate prints somewhere. We don't know what Collins and his pal are up +to, but we have something here that we may find very useful. It isn't +every crook that is so considerate as to leave his thumb-prints behind +him." + + + + +Chapter XVI + +Good News For the Fire Patrol + + + +As the ranger had foretold, the forest guards did indeed pull foot early +in the morning. Black darkness still enfolded the camp when the ranger +awoke his young companions. Fire was speedily kindled and breakfast gotten +under way. + +"Better eat your meat, boys," suggested the ranger. "Otherwise it will +keep that cat hanging around here. We'll hardly dare to leave the pup +behind again, and that beast might get in here and tear your tent to +pieces. These cats play hob with things sometimes." + +Lew decided that he would carry nothing back with him, as he contemplated +visiting his chum at intervals. + +"Just take your rifle," said the ranger to Charley. "You'll be all alone +on your return trip and with two such animals as we've seen hereabout, it +will be just as well to have it. If I were you, I believe I'd make a +pretty close companion of it and always keep it within reach." + +When they left the camp, they were burdened only with Charley's rifle and +food for the noon meal, which they stowed in their pockets. The instant +there was light enough to guide their footsteps, the trio set forth. + +For hours they trudged through the forest, for the most part in silence. +Although they traveled by a circuitous route, and with eyes and ears +alert, they neither saw nor heard anything that pointed to the presence of +other human beings in the forest. The ground bore no telltale footprints. +No incriminating marks were discernible on the trees. Smoke was nowhere +visible. No firearm disturbed the silence of the wilderness. No birds flew +upward with cries of alarm, save at their own approach. And the only +voices that were audible were the voices of the brooks. + +Under other circumstances Charley would have been supremely happy. The sun +came up bright and clear. No veil of mist floated before the face of the +sky. But woolly, white cloud banks sailed lazily aloft, intensifying by +contrast the blue of the sky. A gentle wind blew fitfully. The earth +steamed fragrantly, sending up an odor joyful to the nostrils. And the +little brooks babbled wildly in their joy at the spring-time. + +But Charley was not in a responsive mood. The thought of the man Collins +and his evil-favored companion weighed upon him heavily. Nor was the +knowledge that a wildcat was prowling about his camp reassuring; though +Charley was far from being afraid of the beast. And always the dread of +fire was in the background of his consciousness. What troubled him more +than anything else just now was the approaching loss of his chum. Could +Charley have diagnosed correctly the feelings that oppressed him now, he +would have known that it was the fear of loneliness more than any fear of +Bill Collins or wildcats or forest fires, that made him sad. To read about +Robinson Crusoe was all right, but to be Robinson Crusoe was quite a +different matter--at least a Crusoe without a good man Friday. And Charley +was too downcast at present to realize that the pup at his heels could be +to him all that Friday was to his master, and perhaps more. + +Again and again Charley turned over in his mind the problem of how he +could get the battery he needed. More than ever he felt that he absolutely +must have it. Such a battery would cost many, many dollars. To be sure, +Charley's salary would soon bring him in enough money to pay for such a +battery; but all of his income, or practically all of it, Charley knew, he +must give to his father. How he should get around the difficulty, Charley +could not see. + +As they trudged on, he talked the matter over with Lew again. Lew seemed +unduly light-hearted over the matter, and even smiled about it. Instead of +sympathizing with his chum, he counseled him not to worry about it, as the +way would likely open. That seemed so heartless that Charley was hurt. He +thought that his chum, about to leave the forest himself, no longer was +concerned. So he fell silent, and walked along in greater dejection than +ever. + +Long before the sun had touched the zenith, the three forest guards had +reached the last ridge that lay between them and the highway. + +"You've come far enough, Charley," said the ranger, "and perhaps it would +have been better if you had stopped short of this. If anything should +happen in that big timber, you are a long distance from it. There's a good +spring part way up this ridge, and it's high enough so that we can get a +good view. We'll stop there and eat our dinner. We can watch as we eat. +After you've had a good rest, you had better hike for camp. You're a good +ten miles away from your tent." + +They climbed to the spring, took each a good drink, and sat down to eat +their food. The panorama that spread before them was wondrously beautiful, +but Charley had no heart for scenery. He ate in silence, his eyes for the +most part bent on the ground. + +After the meal was finished, the three friends sat silent, looking out +over the vast range of territory before them, each busy with his own +thoughts. If one could have judged by the expressions on their faces, Lew +was little short of jubilant. Again and again he smiled and looked +meaningly at his chum. But Charley still sat with downcast eyes, heedless +of his chum's glances. But why Lew smiled it would have been hard to +guess. If he had any scheme in mind, he dropped no hint concerning it. + +Finally the ranger rose. "We've got to shake a leg," he said. "And you had +better start back to camp." + +Charley got up mechanically. His face showed all too clearly what was in +his heart. The ranger looked at him searchingly, and a kindly expression +came into his eyes. + +"Never mind, Charley," he said. "You won't be alone long. Lew, here, or +some of your other friends will be slipping out to spend the week-end with +you, and I shall see you regularly twice a week. It may be, in view of +Bill Collins' visit, that Mr. Marlin will think I ought to come oftener." + +"Have you learned your alphabet yet?" replied Charley, a sudden gleam of +interest crossing his face. "Just as soon as you learn to use the +wireless, we can talk at almost any time. I'm sure that one of the fellows +will lend you his outfit." + +"I'll make Mr. Morton an outfit myself," said Lew. "I'll make it exactly +like yours. Then you two can talk without tuning." + +"That will be bully," said Charley, beginning to brighten up. Then he +turned to the ranger. "Did you learn your alphabet?" he repeated. + +"I've been working at it a little," said the ranger. "To tell the truth, I +don't care much about it. I'd just as soon stick to the telephone. But the +wife is crazy over it. She says if we knew how to do it and had the +instruments, we could talk at any time. She's learned the alphabet +already." + +"She has! Bully for her!" cried Charley. "Hurry up with that outfit, Lew, +so we can teach her to send and read. I'll be glad to talk to her, even if +her husband doesn't want to." + +"I'll be home by sunset," said Lew, "and you can call me at eight +o'clock. I shall have had a chance to talk to the fellows by that time and +I hope that I shall have something good to report to you. I'm coming out +the first Friday I can, to spend Saturday and Sunday with you. Good-bye." + +Charley shook hands heartily with his two friends and turned back into the +forest. Although he was still somewhat cast down, the intense depression +that had weighed upon him during the morning was lightened. The events of +the past twenty-four hours had made him forget temporarily the plan to +teach Mr. Morton how to operate the wireless. But the news that the +ranger's wife was also to become a radio operator pleased him more and +more as he turned the matter over in his mind. + +The pup, rubbing against his heels, recalled another matter to his mind. +He had to train the dog to be useful to him. + +"No time like the present," muttered Charley to himself. And the training +of the pup began then and there. All the way home, through the wide +valleys, over the mountain tops, and across the little streams, Charley +worked with the pup, trying to teach him to be silent and to walk quietly +at his heels. And though many, many subsequent lessons were necessary +before the pup was even half trained, the work with the dog made Charley +forget his loneliness. He arrived at his camp, which he found +undisturbed, once more in his normal frame of mind. + +What shortly followed was to send him to bed soon afterward as happy as +the traditional lark. For when Charley got into touch with Lew by wireless +at the appointed time, Lew told him that the Wireless Patrol had met him, +Lew, at the station in a body, with the news that funds for the battery +had all been earned and the battery ordered; and that when he had told +them of Charley's situation, the club had voted unanimously and +enthusiastically to send the battery to Charley for him to use as long as +he needed it in the forest. + +Furthermore, Lew informed him, Henry had been talking to the wireless men +at the Frankfort station, and not only were they willing to work with him +to protect the forest, but they were also sending an amplifier to Oakdale +so that Charley would be sure to get their messages with the greatest +distinctness. The battery would be forwarded as soon as it reached the +Wireless Club and had been inspected, and the amplifier would go with it. + +No wonder that Charley rolled up in his blankets, with shining eyes, +careless alike of cats and Collinses. With the pup and the new battery he +felt that he should indeed be in position to render efficient service to +his forester and his ranger, both of whom he was coming to love, and to +the grand old forest around him. + + + + +Chapter XVII + +An Accident in the Wilderness + + + +As though she also were pleased at Charley's good fortune, Dame Nature +smiled her best in the days that immediately followed. The sun rose warm +and grateful. The forest was instinct with the spirit of spring, of +new-born life, of hope eternal. Wilderness birds sang in the branches. The +brook babbled and gurgled and ran madly down the slope. The leaves +overhead whispered of the new life that had come. All the forest animals +seemed filled with the joy of living. And Charley was not a whit behind +them. His whole being thrilled with happiness. + +Now he could see matters in their true light; or if his vision were a +trifle clouded, the clouds were tinged with rose instead of black, as they +had been previously. + +Charley thanked Providence that he was just where he was. In some respects +an unusual boy, he was mentally no abler than many of his fellows. He +possessed a trueness of vision and an understanding of things that were, +however, unusual in a lad of his age. Always he had had to earn the +things that he wanted. And always he had been able, within reason, to get +what he desired. Early in life, therefore, he had come to understand that +everything has its price, and that he who is willing to pay the price can +get almost anything he wishes. So now, instead of bewailing the fact that +he was where he was, as many another lad would have done under the +circumstances, he rejoiced. He rejoiced because he had sense enough to +understand that his opportunity was at hand, here in the forest, and now. + +In another respect Charley was mature for his years. He had come to +understand, at least in a measure, that real success is always won by long +and persistent effort in a given direction. Like other boys, Charley had +his dreams and cherished lofty ambitions. But the stern necessities of +life, as he had lived it, had taught him that dreams seldom come true as +the result of luck, but are realized most certainly through consistent +effort. He did not want to go to work in the factory because he hated the +dirt and the noise and the odors and the sense of being cooped up, like an +animal in a pen. Now he had all the freedom in the world, and the +opportunity had come to become well acquainted with the things that he +loved--trees, flowers, ferns, birds, animals, and all the other gifts of +nature. + +When Charley looked abroad and realized that his opportunity had come, and +come in such a delightful way, he could hardly keep from shouting in his +happiness. Like the sensible lad he was, he immediately asked himself this +question, "What is the best thing for me to do first?" He decided that he +would go on with the training of his pup. All day, as he walked through +the forest, he labored to teach the young dog to trot quietly at his +heels, or to walk silently in front of him. + +Charley's purpose, of course, was to have the dog always at hand, to give +him warning of the approach of man or beast, and to fight for him, if +necessary. That the pup should learn not to betray himself or his master, +was equally needful. So Charley had the additional task of teaching the +dog to be silent, excepting for a very low growl, upon the approach of +other creatures. Charley thought of the Leatherstocking and his dog, and +wondered how that dog had been trained so wonderfully. + +Day after day the lessons continued. Charley had abundant opportunity to +work with the pup, for the forest was full of creatures that constantly +excited the young animal. The training required no end of patience: but +Charley loved the dog and never wearied in his efforts. By the time he had +completed his labors with the pup, his own shadow was hardly more constant +and quiet than the dog. + +Charley was elated one day when the dog signaled the approach of a +fisherman by no more than the faintest sort of a bark, and then at +command, came promptly to heel and remained there, silent and watchful. It +was the pup's first test with human beings. The fisherman proved to be +one of two who were making their way along the margin of the run. Charley +and the dog remained quietly behind some bushes until the fishermen were +out of sight and hearing. Then Charley praised his little pup and went on. + +His efforts with the dog, however, did not prevent him from thinking of +other matters. Day after day his mind returned to the problem of the +forest fire and the piece of green pasteboard. Ever since he had found the +telltale pile of ashes and the charred pasteboard beneath it, Charley had +been turning the problem over in his mind. How he was to solve the puzzle +he did not see. Somewhere, he felt sure, he had seen pasteboard like the +charred piece now in possession of Mr. Morton; but when or where he had +seen it, he had not the slightest recollection. How he was ever to find +another piece like it, he could not imagine; for as a fire patrol he had +neither time nor opportunity to mingle with people. + +He could see just one possibility of success. Undoubtedly there was a +great deal more of the green pasteboard in the world than had been +contained in the burned box. Hence persons other than the incendiary must +have some of that same pasteboard. Perhaps some of those persons might +bring a bit of it into the forest. Campers and fishermen often brought +food and other things into the woods in pasteboard boxes. So Charley +resolved to examine carefully every camp he came to, and even to +scrutinize the remains of camp fires. But day followed day and Charley +found nothing to enlighten him. + +One day when Charley was on his way to meet the ranger, he suddenly +realized that he was away behind time. Charley hated the idea of being +tardy, especially when he had no reason for being late. He had been +training his dog, and his work with the pup had delayed him more than he +realized. But with haste he could still reach the meeting-place on time. + +At the fastest pace that he thought he could hold Charley set off. His +daily hikes through the forest had rapidly made a good walker of him, and +now he went along at a rate that would speedily have tired out most +travelers. Sometimes, to rest himself by changing his gait, he went scout +pace, walking fifty steps, then jogging fifty. He allowed nothing to +hinder him or take his attention. When he reached the meeting-place it +still lacked a few minutes of the appointed hour. Charley was pleased to +find that he had arrived before the ranger. + +When the time of meeting came and the ranger was not there, Charley began +to scan the fire trail carefully and to look about for smoke clouds. He +knew that something of moment must be afoot to make the ranger tardy for +his appointment. The ranger was not visible, however, though Charley could +see straight down the fire trail for a long distance. + +"I'll go meet him," said Charley. "He's sure to come this way." + +In the sand of the trail he printed a message for the ranger, in case the +latter should be coming by an unaccustomed route, and continued along the +trail. He had gone a full mile before he met Mr. Morton. + +"Sorry I am late, Charley," said the ranger. "A lot of stuff came to the +office for you last night and the chief asked me to fetch it out this +morning. I think your new battery has come." + +"It's about time," said Charley. "I had about given up hope of ever seeing +it." Then he added, "But you couldn't pack that way out here. It must +weigh sixty pounds." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger. "I had come to believe that it weighed +in the neighborhood of half a ton." + +"Did you really try to carry it?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. The chief sent all your stuff as far as he could in the truck, and +I packed it in as far as I could carry it. That's why I'm late. But I had +to drop it a distance back. I brought these along, however, and thought +we'd go back and get the battery, for I'm sure that's what it is." He +paused and handed to Charley two pasteboard boxes he had strapped to his +back. The larger one was bulky, but weighed comparatively little. The +other was small. + +"I wonder what it is," said Charley, as he untied the string and opened +the smaller box. "The amplifier," he said. Then he opened the larger box. + +"Your wireless!" he cried in delight. "Everything is here, even to the +aerial. Only the spreaders are lacking. We could make them and have this +outfit set up in no time if we had to. Isn't it bully? Now we can talk +directly with each other as soon as you learn to send and read. Won't that +be dandy?" With practiced eye he once more glanced over the outfit to make +sure everything was there. Then he tied the box up again. + +"I'll just take it back with me," he added. "This goes to your house, you +know, and you can pick it up on your way home. We'll take it as far as the +battery and leave it there." + +They strode rapidly along the trail, and in half an hour reached the +battery where the ranger had set it down. Some traps lay on top of the +battery. + +"I forgot to bring them sooner," said the ranger. + +Charley lifted the box. "How in the world," he said, "did you ever pack +that thing over these mountains on your back? Why, you've carried that +more than four miles." + +"We'll cut a couple of saplings and tie them to the box for handles," said +the ranger. "Then we can carry it easily. Give me your axe." + +Charley handed his little axe to the ranger, and began to fumble in his +pocket for the cord which he had used as a leash for his dog. The ranger +looked around him for suitable poles. Close by the trail lay the rotting +trunk of a large tree that had fallen years before. On the far side of +this log and close to it some fine saplings had grown up, probably made +thrifty by the rotting wood of the great tree. The ranger reached over the +log to chop a sapling. At the same instant the pup, ranging in the bushes, +growled savagely. Momentarily the ranger lifted his eyes, letting his axe +head sink to the ground. Something moved under it, and at the same instant +a hideous head reared itself above the leaves and struck with +lightning-like rapidity, hitting the ranger just above the wrist-bone. +With a startled exclamation the ranger drew up his arm. As he did so, a +huge rattler glided away through the brush. + +Charley turned at the ranger's cry. He comprehended the situation at a +glance. "Quick!" he cried, springing to the ranger's side. "Give me your +arm." + +He jerked back the ranger's sleeve, disclosing two dark spots on the back +of the wrist where the fangs had punctured the skin. Drops of blood were +oozing from them. Charley whipped out his knife and without hesitation +drew the keen blade several times across the ranger's wrist. Blood began +to flow down the hand. Putting his lips to the wound, Charley sucked out +mouthful after mouthful of blood, which he spat on the ground. + +"Now squeeze your wrist tight just above the bite," said Charley. "Stop +the circulation of blood if you can." + +Like a flash Charley picked up the dog leash and tied an end of it around +the ranger's arm, close to the shoulder, drawing it so tight that the +ranger winced. He cut the dangling end and took a second turn just above +the ranger's elbow. Then he made a third turn half-way down the forearm. +With little sticks he twisted the cords still tighter. Then he jerked out +his hypodermic syringe, which he carried already filled with fluid, and +thrusting the needle into the bleeding arm, injected the permanganate into +the wound. + +Meantime, the ranger stood silent, his face pale, his jaws set +courageously. "Where did you learn to do all that?" he finally asked +Charley, with evident admiration. "You go about it like a doctor." + +"When the Wireless Patrol was in camp at Fort Brady," replied Charley, +"one of the fellows was bitten by a copperhead. Dr. Hardy had already +drilled us in first-aid and we knew just what to do. You bet none of us +will ever forget." + +"I shall owe my life to you," said Mr. Morton. "That is, I shall if----" + +"There's no if about it," interrupted Charley with determination. "We got +most of the poison out of your arm. I'll bet on that. What's left may make +you sick, but it can't kill you. What we've got to do is to prevent that +poison from reaching your heart, at least in any quantity. You sit down +against this tree and keep quiet so your heart will beat as slow as +possible. In about twenty minutes loosen this bottom cord. Loosen the +middle one after another twenty minutes, and open the third at the end of +an hour. That's all I know how to do. Thank God, we've got a wireless +here! Now I'm going to get it up as quick as possible." + +He tore open the pasteboard boxes and took out one instrument after +another, coupling up the wires quickly and skilfully. Then he seized the +little axe, chopped some branches for spreaders, fastened the aerial wires +to them, and added other wires to suspend them by. Quickly he selected two +trees for supports, and climbing up first one and then the other, soon had +his aerial dangling directly above the fire trail. He coupled up his +lead-in wire and ran his eye over the outfit. Everything was complete. +Only the power was lacking. With the axe he pried off the lid of the box +containing the battery, tore away the paper and excelsior wrappings, and +in another moment had his wires around the binding posts. He threw over +his switch, and springing to his key pressed his finger on it. A brilliant +flash shot between the points of his spark-gap. Rapidly he adjusted the +points until his instrument was giving a spark of maximum strength. Then +he settled himself to the task ahead. + +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," called Charley. (Frankfort Radio Station--Charley +Russell calling.) Several times he repeated the call. Then he shut off his +switch and sat in silence listening for a reply. None came. + +"They may be talking to somebody," he muttered. Again he called. +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," he flashed again and again. Once more he sat quiet +and listened. At first he got no reply. Then, clear as a bell on a frosty +morning, a signal sounded in his ear: "CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I." (Charley +Russell--I'm here.) + +Charley sighed with relief. "Got 'em," he said to the ranger. Then he +turned intently to his key. + +"Please telephone District Forester Marlin at Oakdale instantly," he +rapped out. "Ranger Morton bitten rattlesnake. Send motor-car where +battery was delivered this morning. May need man help ranger. Bring +doctor. Tell wife get ready. Will listen for answer." + +As Charley sat waiting for a reply, he studied the face of the ranger. It +was set hard. Courage was written on it plainly. + +The ranger started to speak. "Don't talk," interrupted Charley. "Keep as +quiet as you can, and watch your bandages. If you keep them tight too long +it harms your blood somehow." + +They sat in silence a while. Then Charley said, "I wish you didn't have to +walk, but I guess there's nothing for it but to hike out to the highway at +the earliest possible moment. We'll start the instant we've heard from Mr. +Marlin." + +"What about your instruments?" + +"I'll nail the cover on the battery box and put the other things in the +pasteboard box. I don't think anything will touch them. It's all we can +do, anyway." + +He felt in his pockets and found a stub of a pencil and a scrap of paper. +"Property of the Pennsylvania Forestry Department. Please do not touch," +he printed in large letters. With his knife blade he pried out the tacks +that held the address tag on the battery box and tacked his sign on the +box. Then his receiver began to buzz. Charley gave the return signal. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message. "Wants to know where you are and +how Morton is." + +Charley ticked off the information and waited for a reply. It came very +soon. "Will rush doctor and men. Come as far to meet me as you can." + + + + +Chapter XVIII + +The First Clue to the Incendiary + + + +Slowly Charley and his friend made their way along the fire trail toward +the highway and safety, Charley assisting the ranger as much as possible. +The latter began to suffer great pain in his arm and the limb started to +swell. Meantime, the forester, with a physician and a helper, was racing +at top speed to reach the ranger. At a pace utterly reckless he drove his +car over the forest road, and the instant the rescue party arrived at the +point where Charley and Mr. Morton would reach the highway, they plunged +into the forest. Faster than he had ever raced to a forest fire, the +forester sped along the trail, his companions striving doggedly to keep up +with him. He was deep in the woods before he met Charley and the ranger. + +With hand extended, the forester ran to his ranger. Their hands met in a +tight clasp. "How is it, Jim?" asked the forester, with anxious eyes. + +"I'm all right," rejoined the ranger. "I'll pull out of this all O.K. That +snake got me right, though. If it hadn't been for Charley here, I don't +know how I would have made out. He's as good as a doctor." + +By this time the doctor himself had come up, puffing too hard for words. +He nodded his head, clasped the ranger's hand, and with a single word of +greeting quickly began an examination of the injured arm. "How long ago +did this happen?" he puffed. + +"More than two hours ago," said the ranger. + +"You haven't kept these tight all that time, have you?" and the doctor +laid his finger on one of the cords around the ranger's arm. + +"No, sir. Charley had me loosen them, one at a time, every twenty minutes +or so." + +"That was quite right. What else have you done?" + +When the ranger had told him in detail exactly how Charley had treated +him, the doctor grunted, "Confound it! Then what did you hustle me out +here this way for? I thought you were at the point of death." + +Charley was amazed and offended at what he considered the heartlessness of +the physician. "You don't understand," he protested. "Mr. Morton was badly +bitten, sir." + +Charley was still more astonished when both the ranger and the forester +burst out laughing. He looked from one to the other questioningly. It did +not occur to him that this was merely the doctor's way of saying that +Charley had handled the situation about as well as he could have done it +himself. Evidently the forester did not propose to enlighten Charley, for +all he said was, "Don't let him worry you, Charley. He's just naturally +lazy and a grouch. He doesn't like it because I made him hustle for once, +and he's disappointed not to find Jim at the point of death. These doctors +are strange animals, Charley. But with all their faults we love them +still." And he slapped the physician affectionately on the shoulder. + +Charley looked puzzled. But concluding that silence was the best course, +he said no more. All this time the doctor was continuing his labors, and +Charley was amazed at the dexterous way he did things. + +For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger's heart. Then, +seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the +ranger's shirt. Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing +the arm to the shoulder. The physician examined it closely. The arm was +swelling fast. The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some +medicine. "Now we'll get to bed as soon as possible," he said, "and rest +for a few days." + +Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the +waiting motor-car. + +"Mr. Marlin," said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, "this +morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for +him, as well as my big battery. It's back where Mr. Morton was bitten. May +I get it and set it up in the ranger's house? It will be a good +opportunity for him to practice while he's at home. Mrs. Morton is +learning to operate the wireless, too. It would mean so much to both of +them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by +wireless." + +"How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?" + +"Not very long, sir. Perhaps an hour or two." + +"I don't like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this +season, Charley, but I guess we'll take a chance on it. Get your stuff to +the road as quick as you can. I'll take Jim home and return for you." + +The forester hastened after the ranger's party and Charley darted off into +the forest. At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire +trail. In a very little time he was back at the instruments. He took down +the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he +needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard +box. Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already +waiting to whirl him away to the ranger's house. + +If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger's wife +(though he hadn't), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight +of the ranger's home. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the +shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it. About the house itself +was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind +the house. The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence. +Lovely old trees shaded it. Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray +clapboards. Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and +there. There were flowers about the base of the house and along the +borders. The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn. Even now before +plant growth had started, the yard was attractive. With pleasure Charley +noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought +in from a forest plantation, at his gateway. One glance at the inviting +and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house +itself. + +Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as +clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and +beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently +received loving and intelligent care. On the wall Charley instantly noted +the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with +the ranger's portable telephone instrument. + +There was not the slightest doubt in Charley's mind that he was going to +like the ranger's wife. And when, a moment later, she came quietly into +the room and took his hand in hers and, with moist eyes, thanked him for +saving her husband's life, she won Charley's heart completely. She was +slight and girlish and good to look at, and made Charley think of some of +his nice girl friends at high school. Yet Mrs. Morton had been married a +good many years, for just behind her stood her daughter, Julia, a girl of +twelve, waiting her turn to thank Charley. + +But girlish though the ranger's wife appeared, Charley did not need to be +told that she was not of the weeping, hysterical sort. On every hand were +evidences of efficiency and foresight. A fire was evidently burning +briskly in the stove, and kettles of water, presumably heated in case of +need, were steaming on the range, easily seen through the open kitchen +door. In the sick-room were evidences of the same sort of forethought. +Everything that the house possessed that could possibly be useful in +treating the ranger had been assembled in handy little piles. This must +have been done before the ranger reached home, for most of the piles were +untouched. + +The ranger was resting comfortably in bed, though his arm was badly +swollen and his face was distorted with pain. At sight of Charley his +countenance lighted up. He reached out his left arm and wrung Charley's +hand until the lad winced. + +"The doctor says I'll pull through this all right, though I'll have a +painful time of it," said the ranger, "and he told the truth, at least as +far as the pain is concerned. But the pain's nothing. The thing that +counts is the fact that I am safe at home. I owe it to you, Charley, and +you may be sure I'll never forget." + +That was as much as the ranger, reticent, hating any display of emotion, +quiet like most men of the woods, could bring himself to say. But Charley +knew that it meant volumes. He tried to reply, but found himself also +suffering from a strange embarrassment. So Charley said good-bye to the +ranger, assured him that he would take good care of the forest, and set +about fixing the wireless outfit. The forester helped him. Quickly they +got up the aerial, brought the lead-in wire into the living-room, and set +up the instruments on a board table close beside the telephone instrument. + +"Now everything is complete except for the battery," Charley said to the +forester when they had finished wiring up the outfit. "Half a dozen dry +cells will supply all the current needed." + +"I'll send them out by the doctor in the morning," said the forester. + +Charley showed Mrs. Morton how to wire the cells and couple them to the +instruments. Then he told her how to adjust her spark-gap and tune the +instrument to any given wave-length. He compared his watch with the clock +on the wall. + +"At eight o'clock every night," he said, "I will call you up. Suppose you +take Mr. Morton's initials as your call signal. What are they?" + +"J. V. M.," replied Mrs. Morton. + +"Very well. Then at eight o'clock every night I will call J. V. M. slowly +a number of times. Then I will tick off the alphabet slowly and the +numerals one to ten. You listen in, and if the sounds are blurred or not +sharp, tune your instrument as I have shown you until you can hear +distinctly. If you make the letters with a pencil as you read them, it +may help you. I'm sure you will soon learn to read. I'll repeat the +alphabet and the numbers three times slowly. Then I'll listen in for five +or ten minutes. If you want to try to call me, give my signal and follow +it with your own, thus: 'CBC--CBC--CBC--JVM.' That means 'Charley +Russell--James Morton calling.' If I hear you, I will send the letters +'JVM--JVM--JVM--I--I--I.' That means 'James Morton--I am here.' Then you +can begin to send your message. I hope we'll be able to talk to each other +very soon." + +"It won't be my fault if we don't," smiled the ranger's wife. + +"Now I must be off," said Charley. "I've no doubt Mr. Marlin is getting +impatient. We'll just clean up this mess and then I'll go." + +"I'll clean things up," insisted Mrs. Morton. + +"No; I made the mess and I'll clean it up," protested Charley. + +He began to pile the torn pieces of pasteboard together so he could thrust +them into the stove. The bottom of the pasteboard box had been built up +with several layers of pasteboard, evidently cut from other boxes. Charley +took them out one at a time, preparatory to crumpling up the box itself. +As he lifted the last layer of pasteboard he stopped in blank amazement. +Then he called excitedly for Mr. Marlin. Before him lay a piece of green +pasteboard exactly like the charred fragment taken from the ash heap in +the burned forest. + + + + +Chapter XIX + +The Forester's Problem + + + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in astonishment. Then, "Keep +that," said the forester. "We'll talk the matter over on our way back." +Mrs. Morton, not comprehending what had happened, also looked astonished. +But like the wise woman she was, she held her peace. Charley tossed the +other pasteboards in the fire, stuffed the green piece in his pocket, and +said good-bye to his new friend. The forester, after telephoning to his +office, followed Charley, and a moment later the two were spinning up the +road toward the fire trail. + +"I can't understand it," said Charley. "Here's a package direct from Lew, +with the very clue we're looking for, and Lew never said a word about it. +I can't understand it. I'm certain Lew sent the box. That was his +handwriting on it. And I'm just as sure he never saw that bit of +pasteboard, for Lew would never slip up that way. I just can't understand +it." + +They reached the point where Charley was to leave the car and plunge into +the forest. But Mr. Marlin, instead of stopping his motor, turned into a +natural opening in the woods and drove slowly among the forest trees. In +a moment he ran the car into a stand of pines, where it was protected by +the dense tops above and well hidden from sight of the highway. + +"You couldn't get in here with anything but a Henry," laughed the +forester. "This old bus has taken me lots of places you would never have +believed possible." + +He took the key from the switch on the dashboard, and the two stepped to +the ground. Charley wondered what the forester intended to do, but by this +time he knew enough not to ask questions. The forester started up the +trail with him. When they came to the big battery Charley understood, for +without a word the forester took Charley's little axe and began to chop +poles to carry the battery with. In a few moments these handles were bound +fast. The forester tossed the traps over his shoulder. Charley tied the +amplifier box to his belt. Then they picked up the battery and started +toward camp. + +Suddenly Charley stopped. "By George!" he cried. "I forgot all about the +pup. I wonder where he got to." + +He whistled and whistled, but apparently in vain. They went on, and at +intervals Charley whistled for the dog while he and the forester were +resting. Still no dog appeared. Charley's face grew long. "Gee! I'll miss +that pup," he said regretfully. "Why didn't I think of him sooner?" + +Night was at hand when the two reached Charley's camp. Nothing had been +disturbed. Charley took advantage of the remaining daylight to couple up +the battery and the amplifier to his wireless. He tested the outfit and +found he had a strong spark that cracked like a whip when he touched the +key. + +"Look at that!" he cried. "Now I feel better. I can always get into +communication with somebody now." + +"You aren't a bit more pleased than I am, Charley," smiled the forester. +"I'll take back all I ever said about the wireless. If Morton can learn to +talk by wireless, the rest of my crew can also. When the dull season +comes, I'll start a radio school with you as instructor and we'll make +every man in the service learn to operate the wireless. The Department +ought to be glad to supply a good outfit; but if we can't get the money, +we can at least make some outfits like yours. We're going on a wireless +basis or my name is not Marlin." + +The forester was interrupted by a joyous bark and in rushed Charley's pup. +"You blessed little fellow," said Charley, fondling the animal. "I suppose +you lost our trail when we got into the motor-car and you probably hung +around the battery all day and followed our trail back here. That's pretty +good. You've got great stuff in you, pup. The next thing I teach you will +be to stand guard over things as you probably did over that battery +to-day." + +Darkness fell. Supper was cooked and eaten. "Have you heard that cat +lately, Charley?" asked the forester. + +"No," replied Charley, "but I think I'll put the traps out anyway." + +"We can attract it even if it isn't near by," said the forester. "Have you +a can of salmon that you can spare?" + +"Sure." + +"Then give me the traps and bring your can." + +Charley got the things asked for. The forester, taking the flash-light, +led the way through the thicket to the open forest. At some distance from +the camp the forester stopped and turned the beam from the search-light +upward. Finally he found what he was looking for--a small branch about +seven feet from the ground. Then he cut the top of the salmon can, and +punching holes in the sides near the top, fastened a string to the can and +suspended the can from the limb. Then he set the traps in a circle under +the can, fastening the chains to convenient saplings, and threw two or +three small pieces of the salmon on the ground within the circle of traps. +Then they made their way back to camp. + +Charley lighted a little friendship fire in the fireplace the ranger had +made, and the two sat down beside the flames. It was little more than +three weeks since Charley had first entered the forest. During that time +he had really seen very little of the forester. Yet as he sat beside his +chief, Charley felt as though he had known him always. A common emotion +had drawn them close together this day, and somehow Charley believed that +his feeling of affection for his chief was fully reciprocated. For a time +they sat in silence, each busy with his own thoughts. + +"Charley," said the forester, after a time, "this accident to Jim hits me +pretty hard. It not only leaves the finest piece of forest under my care +without a direct overseer at the most dangerous time of the year, but +there were so many things we had planned to do this spring that cannot be +done without a ranger to supervise them. To be sure, I could transfer a +ranger here, but I have work for every man in his particular district. +Besides, nobody knows this territory like Jim. I believe you know it +better than anybody besides Jim. I only wish you were old enough to take +his place for a time. + +"We're away behind with our planting, and there are trails to be brushed +out, new ones to be cut, roads to be built, camp sites to be selected, +timber to be cruised, a big lumber operation to be watched and the trees +to be marked for cutting and the lumber scaled, improvement cuttings to be +made, camp sanitation to be enforced, a fire-tower to be built on the +mountain here where your watch tree is. There's a tremendous lot of work +that Jim and I had mapped out for the spring and summer. + +"Now it looks as though we should not be able to get any of it done. We +can't do a thing without a ranger to direct operations. Part of the +timber to be cut is in Lumley's district. He joins you here on the north. +He will look after all the lumbering in his territory, and I may have to +let him take charge of it all. It's a big operation and will have to be +watched closely. I just wish I knew where I could find a man capable of +taking Jim's place for a while." + +"What will the ranger have to do in looking after this operation?" + +"He'll have to mark the trees to be cut and see that only those marked are +cut; and he'll have to make sure the regulations are observed in felling +the trees and disposing of the tops; and finally he'll have to scale the +lumber and make sure that the state gets paid for all that is cut." + +"What is there so difficult about that?" demanded Charley. "Tell me what +sort of trees are to be cut, and I can select and mark them as well as the +next man. And if you give me a copy of the regulations, I can tell whether +or not the lumbermen are observing them. If I can't make them live up to +regulations, I can easily report to you. And as for scaling timber, that's +a mere matter of arithmetic. I could learn to do that in five minutes. +Couldn't I help you with the lumbering? And as for the other jobs, Mr. +Marlin, give me some books that tell about them and let me study up on +them. I could put in several hours here every night in study. You don't +know how much I could learn in a week. And then you could give me some +practical lessons after I had studied up the theory of things. I'm sure I +can do lots of the work you were counting on Mr. Morton to do. Won't you +let me help you?" + +"Bless your heart, Charley! I know you mean every word you say. But you +don't realize the difficulties you would encounter. Your chief job would +be in handling men, tough men some of them, too. You could never do it, +never. But I certainly wish you were old enough to attempt it. There's +nobody I'd trust sooner than you, Charley. You've got a good education, +and you think quickly and clearly. You've been equal to every emergency +you've faced yet." + +"Then why isn't that a pretty good reason to trust me further?" + +"Trust you, Charley? I trust you absolutely. But you are too young. You +could never do it." + +Charley said no more. The hope that had sprung up in his heart died as +suddenly as it had been born. In his heart he believed that with all the +study and effort he was willing to put into it, he could do a ranger's +work all right. But he saw it was not to be. + +"Anyway," he muttered to himself, "I'm going to be a ranger some day, and +I'll show the chief now that I'm the best fire patrol he ever had. That's +the best way to qualify for promotion." + +He turned to his wireless, threw over his switch and flashed out the call +signal of the Wireless Patrol. In his delight at the power of his new +battery he almost forgot his disappointment. In a very short time he got +a reply from Henry. + +"Don't say anything about that pasteboard," cautioned the chief. + +"I don't intend to," answered Charley. "I'm going to write to Lew about it +and let you take the letter out in the morning. You never can tell who +will pick up a wireless message." + +For several minutes Charley chatted briskly with Henry, who said the new +battery carried the signals to him as clear as a bell. Charley told Henry +about Mr. Morton's accident, omitting reference to his own part in the +affair, and then through Henry got into touch with both Mrs. Morton and +the assistant forester at headquarters. Mr. Morton was getting along all +right, though he suffered very great pain. The forester's assistant +reported everything quiet in the forest. + +Charley turned away from his wireless key, and got out pencil and paper. +By the light of the candle lantern he began his letter to Lew, and had +almost finished it when the pup, his hair bristling, ran to the door of +the tent, growling savagely. An instant later both the forester and +Charley leaped to their feet as the stillness of the forest was broken by +an awful scream that rang through the dark and was thrown back by the +mountain in a magnified echo even more terrifying than the original cry. + + + + +Chapter XX + +Charley Wins His First Promotion + + + +With startled eyes, Charley looked at the forester, at the same time +reaching for his rifle. To Charley's surprise the forester began to grin. + +"I guess you got your cat, Charley," he chuckled. "But it sure did startle +a fellow." + +The first piercing scream of the wildcat was succeeded by a variety of +furious screams. The animal could be heard thrashing about in the leaves, +spitting, snarling, growling, rattling the chain, and evidently fighting +furiously to free itself from the trap. + +Taking both the candle lantern and the flash-light, as well as rifle and +axe, the two men started for the cat. + +"Grab that dog," said the forester, as the pup darted out of the tent +ahead of them. + +Charley whistled and called, but the pup was too wild with excitement to +heed the command. + +"Hurry up," said the forester, "or you won't have any pup left." + +They pushed rapidly through the thicket, then ran toward their traps. +Faintly they could see the wildcat. The pup was worrying it. With arched +back, hair erect, eyes ablaze, and snarling furiously, the wildcat was +waiting its opportunity to strike. The pup circled about it, yelping and +barking, every second growing bolder because the animal did not spring at +it. + +"Give me that rifle, quick!" said the forester. "That cat'll kill the pup +in another minute." + +He seized the weapon, sank on one knee, quickly sighted along the barrel, +and pulled the trigger. Even as he fired, the cat leaped toward the pup. +For a second there was a terrific scuffling in the leaves. Then the +search-light's beam showed the pup lying motionless, its neck broken and +torn, while the cat was clawing the air wildly, and spitting and snarling +in fury. + +"Don't ever let one of those critters get on your back, Charley," said the +forester, as he approached the cat for a final shot. "Sometimes they will +follow a fellow in the forest. It's seldom they really attack a man, but +if a fellow loses his nerve and runs, they will sometimes leap on him. A +single swipe of those claws will cut a fellow to ribbons." + +The forester was now close to the cat, which had gotten to its feet and +had crouched, snarling, ready for a leap. + +The forester circled so as to get a shot at the animal's shoulder. Quickly +raising his rifle, he fired. The cat screamed, clawed the air desperately +for a few seconds, and lay still. + +Charley rushed in and tenderly lifted his motionless pup from the ground. +There were tears in his eyes as he bore the little body to one side. "Poor +fellow," he said, "I'll miss you awfully. I was counting on you a lot to +help me guard this timber. You did the best you knew how. You thought you +were helping me, didn't you?" + +He passed his hand across his eyes and faced the forester. "It's some +consolation to know that that beast paid for this, and paid well. I'm sure +glad he's dead. It's a good thing for the forest." + +"Yes, that's a good job done," replied the forester, "and a nice skin and +a bounty for you. That ought to be some consolation to you. But I'm mighty +sorry about the pup. Whenever you can, get rid of those fellows. How many +young deer or other harmless animals do you suppose this fellow would have +slaughtered before another spring?" + +Making sure that the cat was really dead, the forester opened the trap. + +Then he picked up the dead cat and led the way back to the tent. "I'll +show you how to skin this fellow," he said, and, taking out his knife, +began to remove the hide. + +"Gee!" exclaimed Charley. "Wouldn't the fellows like to know about this?" +He looked at his watch. "Some of them will surely be listening in," he +said. + +Then he sat down beside his key, and while he watched the forester skin +the wildcat, he kept his spark-gap snapping and cracking with the fat +sparks from the new battery. He was calling Lew. He got no answer and +flashed out the signal for the Wireless Patrol. Almost immediately Henry +answered. His workshop was the headquarters of the Wireless Patrol. + +"Hello, Henry," rapped out Charley. "Do you know where Lew is?" + +"He's right here," came the answer. "So are most of the other fellows." + +"Tell them," replied Charley, "that we just caught the wildcat in the +traps you sent, and Mr. Marlin is skinning it. I'm going to get him to +show me how to tan it. When it's done, I'm going to send it to the +Wireless Patrol to help furnish our headquarters. I'm going to add the +eight dollars bounty money to the club fund for wireless equipment." + +Then came a long pause. Finally this message came back to Charley. "The +Wireless Patrol thanks you, Charley, but we want you to sell the skin and +use the money and the bounty to pay for the field-glasses you need." + +Charley turned away from his instrument with a suspicious moisture in his +eyes. It touched him deeply that his fellows were so solicitous concerning +his welfare and success. He did not realize that he was merely reaping the +reward of his own kindly good nature, that had made him a general favorite +with the boys of the Wireless Patrol. + +There were no further alarms that night. Early in the morning the ranger +started back to his office, taking with him the letter to Lew. Charley +accompanied him part of the way. Then he continued on his patrol. + +The next time Charley met the forester he received Lew's answer to his +letter. Lew had addressed the box, but several of the boys of the Wireless +Patrol had helped to pack it. The piece of green pasteboard proved to be +from a box in which Henry had gotten shoes by mail. The box came from +Carson and Derby, a big New York mail-order concern. Almost everybody in +the country around Central City bought articles from mail-order houses, so +Lew's letter threw no light on the problem. There might be a green +pasteboard box of that particular pattern in every farmhouse in the +county. Yet as Charley thought the matter over, he recalled that almost +everybody he knew who shopped by mail traded with Slears and Hoebuck, of +Chicago. + +The days passed. Little happened to vary the monotony. Yet the sameness of +life in the forest was far from being bothersome to Charley. On the +contrary, he found new delights every day. + +Spring was now well advanced. The trees would soon be in leaf, the flowers +were coming along in rotation, and the forest fairly pulsed with life. Now +Charley found a gorgeous bed of blood-root. Again he came on great patches +of arbutus. Here the Dutchman's-breeches grew in rich clumps. There +spring-beauties fairly whitened the earth. Violets, Jacks-in-the-pulpit, +marsh-marigolds, and dozens of other familiar and lovely blooms he found +as he wandered through the forest. + +There was nothing Charley liked more than the flowers. He determined to +know every bloom in his section of the forest. So he divided his territory +into definite strips, patrolling a different strip each day. Thus he +became intimately acquainted with every part of his district. + +There were more objects than flowers, however, to delight him. The birds +and the animals were a constant source of pleasure. Often he had +opportunity to study their actions and their habits. The mating season +brought a wealth of pleasing experiences. Sometimes he came across a +mother grouse with her brood of little ones. It pleased Charley to see how +the tiny creatures scattered and hid among the leaves, making themselves +invisible at the first warning note from the mother, while she fluttered +along before him, dragging a wing as though it were broken, and drawing +him farther and farther from her little ones. Wild turkeys, too, he saw, +and many other feathered inhabitants of the forest. + +Perhaps nothing touched Charley so much as an incident that occurred late +one day when he was fighting a small fire. The fine, spring weather +brought out regiments of fishermen, and numbers of them got deep into the +woods. Whenever he possibly could, Charley avoided meeting them. Sometimes +Charley could not avoid a meeting. Then he always posed as a fisherman. +He never moved abroad these days without his rod. The rifle he had +temporarily laid aside. More than one little fire, started by careless +fishermen, Charley detected and extinguished. + +One day he saw smoke at a considerable distance. By the time he could +reach the spot, the fire had a good start and had already burned over +several acres. It was blazing briskly and Charley was at first uncertain +as to whether he should attempt to fight it alone or call help. But night +was at hand, the wind was already falling, and Charley decided that he +could conquer the blaze single-handed. He judged that the best way to do +this was by beating it out with brush. + +Quickly chopping a pine bough, Charley attacked the fire. It was not a +fierce blaze, though when the fitful wind blew strong it flamed up +savagely. Even the tiniest of forest fires is hot enough, and Charley +found it trying work. He had many hundreds of yards of flame to beat out. +The smoke and the heat were stifling and exhausting, and every little +while Charley had to turn away from the fire to rest and get his breath. +During such periods, Charley would walk back along the fire-line to make +sure that the blaze was extinguished behind him. + +Darkness came quickly in the deep valley, and before Charley had the blaze +half extinguished, he was unable to see distinctly. Indeed he could hardly +have seen anything at all had it not been for the fitful light of the +flames; and this dancing light made objects appear uncertain and unreal. + +In one of his trips back along the line, Charley came to a stump that was +ablaze. In beating out the flames just here, he had failed to extinguish +some tiny sparks in a hollow place at the base of the stump. The wind had +fanned these into life after Charley had passed on, and the fire had +communicated to the stump. Now the stump was a pillar of flame. At any +moment sparks might fly from it and rekindle the fire. + +Charley beat at the stump with his brush until the flames had entirely +disappeared. But fearing that sparks might yet be smouldering under the +bark or in the dry wood, Charley began scraping the sides of the stump. As +his hand reached the top of the stump, there was a sudden startling whir +of wings and something shot upward into the dark. Charley recoiled as +though shot. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs. His first thought +was of the sudden blow the rattler had given the ranger. Yet he knew it +was no rattler that had suddenly sprung upward into the night. He drew +forth his flash-light, which he always carried, and turned the beam of +light on the top of the stump. There lay two little turtle-doves, unharmed +despite the fierce flames that had played about them. They had been +protected by the mother dove's body. + +"Little turtle-dove," said Charley, "I take off my hat to you. When +anybody tells me about a deed of heroism hereafter, I'll tell them about +you and how you hovered over your young ones while the flames were slowly +roasting you. I'm certainly glad I got here when I did. You would have +been burned in another five minutes and your little ones with you." + +Charley started back to the line of flames again. "If a turtle-dove can do +a thing like that," he muttered to himself, "you're a poor thing if you +can't face a little blaze like this." + +He cut a new bush, once more fell on the fire, and never ceased his +efforts until not a single blaze lighted the forest. Then he stepped +inside the burned area and made his way completely around the edge of it. +The ashes were hot and Charley knew that they might scorch the leather in +his shoes. But he also knew there would be no rattlesnakes where the fire +had burned. When Charley came to the stump again, he turned his +flash-light on its top. The dove had returned and was once more hovering +over her little ones. + +When he was certain that the fire was absolutely extinguished, Charley +made his way through the dark forest to his tent and made his nightly +report. It gave him great happiness to be able to report that the fire was +extinguished and that once more all was well in the forest. + +Mr. Marlin had sent out to Charley a package of books that dealt with +various phases of work in the forest. Night after night, by the light of +candles, Charley sat in his tent studying his texts. He found them +fascinating. Here in the forest, where every day he could see illustrated +the truth of what he had read the night before, he learned, with +unbelievable rapidity. Whenever he came to anything in his texts that he +did not understand, he made a note of it. Sometimes at night he got Lew on +the wireless and through him questioned the forester. He did not want to +bother the government wireless men except in case of necessity. + +Two or three times a week the forester came out to see Charley and to keep +an eye on this, his finest stand of timber. From time to time he brought +supplies and more books. Indeed Charley's capacity to acquire what was in +the books astonished the forester. He knew that Charley understood because +of his intelligent questions and his increasingly intelligent practices; +for, without orders to do it, Charley was voluntarily doing many of the +tasks that Mr. Morton should have done in the forest. As he grew in +comprehension of the needs of the forest, Charley began to make +suggestions to the forester. More than one of these proved practicable, +and Charley was given permission to go ahead with the proposals. Before he +knew it, Charley found himself working sixteen hours a day and regretting +that the days were not longer. And as always happens to people who are +busy about work they love, Charley was supremely happy. + +Not the least part of his happiness came from his wireless talks with the +ranger's wife. With a speed that surprised him, Mrs. Morton learned both +to read and send. On the very first evening after the doctor brought her +dry cells, Mrs. Morton managed to tick out an acknowledgment of Charley's +call. And though it was faltering and uneven, Charley read it and smiled +with delight. As he slowly ticked off the letters of the alphabet and the +first ten numerals, Mrs. Morton listened intently, jotting down the dots +and dashes on a bit of paper. + +When Charley had repeated his message according to promise, he flashed out +the call signal for the Wireless Patrol and promptly got a reply from +Henry. Through Henry he made his nightly report to the forester, and +through the forester sent his congratulations to Mrs. Morton on the +success of her initial attempt at radio communication, and inquired after +the sick ranger. So both Charley and his new friend were happy that night. + +It was quite evident to Charley, when he called Mrs. Morton on the +following night, that she must have spent much of the day practicing at +her key; for the certainty and assurance with which she transmitted her +brief message this time could have come only from hours of practice. Now, +in addition to acknowledging Charley's call, she added the simple message, +"Jim is improving." Charley did not guess that she had practiced that +short message for an hour. Even if he had, he would have been none the +less pleased; for practice was the very thing needed to make her an +efficient operator. By the time three weeks had elapsed, Mrs. Morton could +communicate with Charley readily. Also her husband was improving every +day, though it would still be weeks before he could resume his duties. +Altogether, Charley's cup of happiness seemed full to overflowing. + +There was still more happiness in store for him, however,--a happiness he +had not dared to hope for. One day Mr. Marlin appeared at Charley's camp +just at dusk. Charley was about to cook his supper. At once he doubled the +portions of food to be cooked, and while he worked over his fire, he +reported to his superior on the condition of the forest under his charge. +By this time Charley knew every inch of it intimately. He had just +completed an inspection, lasting several days, of the entire area. He was +enthusiastic about his work and full of plans for the future. Practically +all his suggestions were good, and the forester smiled and smiled with +approval, as he sat back in the shadow, listening. + +When Charley had completed his statement, the forester said, "Charley, +your report is very satisfactory, and I am especially pleased with the way +you comprehend the needs of the situation and plan for improvements. I +approve of practically all your suggestions. How would you like to go +ahead and work them out?" + +"They ought to be done," said Charley impetuously. Then he stopped. "I +mean," he corrected himself, "that it seems to me they ought to be. But to +do most of them would require a ranger with a crew of men." + +"But you haven't answered my question," said the forester with a kindly +smile. + +Charley looked puzzled. "I told you I think that they ought to be done." + +"Still you haven't answered my question." + +Charley stopped a moment to try to recall exactly what the forester had +said. Then he went on. "Of course, I should like to work them out, for +they ought to be done. But I also told you it would need a ranger and a +crew of men. I <i>couldn't</i> do all those things alone." + +The forester began to laugh. "Charley," he said fondly, "the Bible tells +us there are none so blind as those who won't see. If you were the ranger +in charge of those men, would you still like to do the work?" + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean----" + +"Yes, I do. Your service as a fire patrol ends to-night. To-morrow you +take charge of this section as temporary ranger, pending Jim Morton's +recovery. I just can't get along without a ranger in this district. Work +is being neglected, the big lumber operation has already commenced in +Lumley's district, and things are piling up here too deep. I can't get +along another day without a new ranger." + +Charley was too happy for words. "I'll do my best," he said, with +quavering tones. But in a moment he got command of himself. "You told me I +couldn't handle a crew of men," he said. + +"Maybe you can't, Charley, but you've handled everything else and handled +it well. It is plain that you love the forest and understand as much about +its needs as any ranger I have. A little experience is all you need to +make a first-class ranger. I'll give the men a talking to. When I get +done, they'll know it won't pay to monkey with you, even if you are only a +high school boy. Now, Ranger Russell, I think we had better turn in and +get some sleep, for we'll have to pull foot early to-morrow." + + + + +Chapter XXI + +A Trouble Maker + + + +Pull foot early they did, too. Charley himself was no sluggard, but the +forester's capacity for work simply amazed him. He knew the forester was +on the job late every night, for he reported to him each night the last +thing before he went to bed. Yet whenever the forester spent the night +with Charley, Mr. Marlin was up at an early hour; and the present occasion +proved no exception. + +Mr. Marlin had never said much about himself to Charley, and no one else +had happened to do so; but Mr. Marlin had worked himself up from the +ranks. He had been a fire patrol and later a ranger, and then had attended +the state forestry school, as the other district foresters had done. + +His unusual training, great diligence, intelligence, and untiring energy +had made him one of the ablest men in the service. By sheer ability he had +won for himself the oversight of this district, which was one of the most +important in the entire million acres of state forest lands. + +Hardly was the forester afoot this morning before he had a fire going and +breakfast cooking. Before breakfast was ready, the two forest guardians +began to strike camp. Charley took down his wireless and stowed it as +compactly as possible. The tent was lowered and rolled up. Everything was +gotten into portable shape, and as soon as breakfast was over, the dishes +were washed and they, too, were added to the bundles. + +"I don't care to let anybody know where your camp was," said the forester. +"I may want to use this site again. So we'll have to pack our stuff out +ourselves, at least part of the way. I am going to put a crew of men in +here to-morrow and they can finish carrying out the duffel if we cave in +before we reach the road. It will be a pretty good load." + +Each of them strapped a big pack to his back. The rifle and the +fishing-rod had been fastened to the battery, which in turn was roped to +poles for handles. In this way it was possible for the two to carry all +Charley's outfit. By sun-up the two were already on the trail. They toiled +up the slope and crossed the ridge close to Charley's watch-tower. The way +was rough and the going hard. But once they struck a fire trail, the path +was easy. Yet at best it was a hard and toilsome hike, and several hours +elapsed before they reached the forester's motor-car, which he had +concealed in the pines. Both of them were tired, and Charley felt as +though his arms were about ready to part from his shoulders. + +Most of their journey had been made in silence. But now that they were +seated comfortably in a motor-car, they once more began to talk. + +"I had to bring you in from the forest, Charley," explained Mr. Marlin, +"because as a ranger it will be necessary for you often to be at +headquarters. I have arranged for you to live with Ranger Lumley. His +district adjoins yours, and his house, right in the forest, is near the +dividing line. So it will be about as convenient for you as it is for him. +He is to be at the office to meet us and look after you. We'll pick him up +and go on to his house with your things." + +Ranger Lumley was on hand as the forester had said he would be. Charley +had found Ranger Morton and his wife so likable that he was glad indeed of +the opportunity to become acquainted with this second ranger. But the +minute he laid eyes on him, he felt a chill of disappointment. Yet he +could not have told exactly why. Somewhere, too, he felt sure, he had seen +the man before; though he could not remember when or where. + +Lumley was a man small of stature, with a hooked nose, fishy blue eyes, a +thin, hard mouth, and a face seamed and wrinkled. Yet he was quite +evidently not an old man. Charley had noticed that some of the tough +characters in his home town looked like that, and the more he studied +Ranger Lumley's face, the less he liked the man. Particularly did he +dislike his eye. Once he caught the ranger looking at him slyly, and the +gleam in the ranger's eye reminded Charley of the vicious look of a horse +when he shows the white of his eye. It seemed to Charley, too, as though +there was something suggestive of craftiness and cunning in the man's +countenance. + +When they reached the Lumley home, Charley felt his dislike for the man +increasing. Unlike the neat and attractive dwelling of the Mortons, the +Lumley house was dirty and disorderly. The children were unclean and +ragged. They had no manners whatever. Yet they obeyed readily enough when +their father spoke to them. But it did not take Charley long to discover +that they obeyed because of fear. When he realized that, he thought of the +vicious look he had noted in the ranger's eye. There were dogs innumerable +about the place, and they all slunk away when their master approached. Yet +all the time, as he showed Charley about, the ranger was almost +obsequious. This evident contradiction between the man's actions and his +looks made Charley distrust him immediately, and it was with heavy heart +that he said good-bye to Mr. Marlin and watched him drive away. + +The ranger showed Charley to the room that was to be his. Charley began to +carry his luggage up-stairs. He would much rather have taken it all +himself, but the ranger insisted upon helping him. When Charley saw how +the man eyed every package and scrutinized every article, he understood +quickly enough that Lumley wanted to help him, not because of any wish to +be courteous, but simply because of his burning curiosity. Especially was +the ranger curious about Charley's wireless outfit, but Charley +volunteered no information. + +The more Charley considered his situation, the gloomier he felt concerning +it. He had looked forward to his coming, after Mr. Marlin had told him of +the arrangement, with a feeling of pleasant anticipation. Charley was not +the least bit shy and made friends readily. He had a feeling that all the +men in the Forest Service must be pretty fine men and that their interest +in their work would make them, like Mr. Marlin and Mr. Morton, eager to +help a recruit. Thus Charley had believed that Lumley would be very +helpful to him. He had intended to put himself more or less in Lumley's +hands and trust to the ranger for guidance. But a very few minutes spent +with Lumley made Charley feel that he could not take the man into his +confidence. He almost felt as though he dared not, though when he came to +consider the matter fully, that attitude seemed foolish. Lumley was a +guardian of the forest as well as himself, and surely he could trust him +with matters that pertained to the forest. + +Charley tried to fight down this feeling of distrust. It seemed to him +very wrong to accept a man's hospitality, even if he was to pay well for +it, and at the same time be suspicious of the man. But hardly had he +decided that he ought to be frank with his fellow ranger when Lumley began +asking questions that caused the feeling of distrust to return with +renewed force. Lumley's questions were intended to seem innocent enough; +but Charley was sharper than he perhaps looked, and he saw the real intent +behind the questions. The man was slyly trying to find out all he could +about Charley's history, and particularly how much Charley had been paid +as a fire patrol and what he was to get as a ranger. + +Charley answered most of Lumley's questions openly enough, but could not +tell him what he was to get as a ranger, for he had never once thought +about the matter, nor had Mr. Marlin mentioned it. But when Charley told +Lumley so, he could see that the ranger did not believe him. + +When the ranger began to question Charley about his recent work in the +woods, Charley answered him evasively. Lumley knew that Charley had been +acting as fire patrol, because Mr. Marlin had told him so. But Charley +felt very sure he did not know where the secret camp had been pitched, for +Mr. Marlin had distinctly said that matter was a secret between Charley +and himself. So Charley answered him evasively and soon turned the +conversation to other matters. + +While Charley was arranging his duffel, two or three dirty youngsters came +bouncing into the room and at once began to drag Charley's wireless +apparatus from the pasteboard box. With a cry Charley sprang toward them +and snatched the instruments out of their hands. The ranger gave a savage +oath and aimed a kick at the lads, but they dodged and ran from the room. + +At first Charley was terribly annoyed. But in a second he was glad the +incident had happened. Nothing had been injured and he had had a warning +of what might be expected. It gave him a good opportunity to shut up his +things without seeming to be suspicious of his host. Charley acted at +once. + +"I have no need of this wireless outfit at present," he said, "and if you +have a spare box and some nails, I will just nail these things up until I +have time to set up the outfit." So the wireless instruments were safely +boxed up and locked in a closet, along with Charley's rifle and +fishing-rod. There was nothing in his remaining luggage that could be much +harmed, even if the youngsters did get hold of things. + +As soon as his belongings were stowed away, Charley decided that he would +go to the forester's office and talk over his work. He had three miles to +walk, and although he had already trudged several times that distance, +heavily loaded, he did not hesitate for a moment. When Lumley suggested +that he use the telephone and avoid the walk, Charley merely smiled. + +"I don't mind it," he said. + +"I'd like to see myself walk that distance for any such fool errand," +growled the ranger. + +When Charley had said he didn't mind the walk he had told the truth. Yet +he had understated it. The fact was that he hugely enjoyed the walk. He +was rested from his long carry, and with nothing to weight him down, his +feet felt light as feathers. He trudged briskly along the smooth highway, +every sense alive to the delights of the forest. All about him the woods +were vocal with the calls of birds. The wind whispered and sighed in the +pine tops. And sometimes, when the air in the bottom was still as sluggish +water, Charley could hear the wind roaring among the trees far up on the +hillsides. The scent of spring was in the air--that indescribable mixture +of the smell of opening buds and flowers and green things and rank +steaming earth, that together make such an intoxicating odor. And all +about him Charley caught glimpses of the wild life of the forest. + +It was late in the day when he reached the forester's office. The forester +seemed greatly surprised to see him. + +"I came to talk to you about my work," explained Charley. + +The forester frowned. "What is the telephone for?" he asked a bit +brusquely. + +"I didn't want to talk over my business before that man," protested +Charley. + +The forester looked at him sharply. "What business do you have excepting +the business of the forest?" he asked. + +"None," said Charley. + +"Then surely you could discuss forest matters in the presence of a +ranger." + +"It may be that I am unreasonable," said Charley, "but I don't like that +man. There's something about him that I don't trust." + +The forester looked at Charley searchingly. "Sometimes," he said, "I +almost feel that way myself. I realize that Lumley is mouthy and +inquisitive and disagreeable personally, but he has been in the Forest +Service a long time and it hardly seems right not to trust him. He's a +pretty efficient ranger." + +"Well, I'm here, anyway," continued Charley. "I came to find out what my +first duties are to be and how to do them." + +"There's a little tree planting that simply must be done in your +territory, late though it is," said Mr. Marlin. "To-morrow I shall send +you out with a small crew to do it." + +"Please show me just how it ought to be done," said Charley. + +The forester smiled with approval. "Come out-of-doors," he said, picking +up a mattock. And he led the way to a bed of seedling spruces that had +been heeled in the ground, and dug up two or three of them. + +"These ought to be lifted in small bunches and their roots puddled," he +said, dipping the earth-covered roots in water to show how to puddle them. +"They should be planted thus." He struck his mattock sharply into the +soil, bent it to one side, and in the hole thus opened thrust a tiny tree. +Then he stepped on the ground close to the seedling and pressed the earth +tight about it. + +"That's all there is to it," he said. "Your crew will work in pairs, one +man carrying the trees in a pail of water and inserting them in the +ground, while the other man carries the mattock and opens the holes. The +trees should be planted in straight rows and about four feet apart each +way. You will have to go ahead of the crew and set up the line pole. Pick +out some trees or saplings to sight by and you will have no trouble to +keep your line straight." + +"Is that all?" + +"You'll have to oversee the work, of course. Make sure the planting is +done right, and watch your men. You will have to take whatever steps seem +necessary to keep them working well and cheerfully. Sometimes it is a good +thing to switch a man from one job to another. It rests him to use another +set of muscles." + +"What else am I to do?" + +"Day after to-morrow I want you to brush out the fire trails leading to +your old camp. That is, you must start brushing them out. It will take +several days. They are so overgrown now that they are a real menace to the +forest. These trails were originally five feet wide. We took out all the +roots and underground growths down to mineral soil. You must cut away all +the brush that has grown in, chop it into short lengths, and pile it in +little piles in the trail itself for burning on windless days. You must +grub out the roots that have grown in, too. Really the entire trail ought +to be grubbed again, but we can't do that now. You will have to assign men +to cut brush, to pile it, and to grub up the roots. That's about all I +can tell you." + +"It sounds very easy," said Charley, "but I am willing to confess that +handling these tough looking mountaineers is more than I counted on." + +"Are you going to quit so soon?" asked the forester with scorn. "I thought +you had more stuff in you than that, Charley." + +Charley turned red. "Who said anything about quitting?" he demanded. "I +only want to know what I am to do if I get into trouble with the men." + +"That's more than I can tell you. It's up to you as a ranger to find the +ways to manage your men. But I can tell you this. It is always best to +follow Mr. Roosevelt's plan and speak softly but carry a big stick. Be +kind to the men. Be square with them. Play no favorites. Look after their +interest. But don't let them loaf on the job. They expect to have to work, +and they won't have much respect for a man who doesn't hold them to their +task. After all, they are not very different from horses. They have to be +driven if they are to work." + +"I suspect some of them will be hard to drive," said Charley, "if the few +I have seen hereabout are good samples." + +"It all depends upon how you get started with them. Don't let them get +away with you. Let them know you are the boss. And remember this: as a +ranger you have power to hire and fire these men. If it comes to a +show-down, don't hesitate to fire a man. We're short-handed, but we can +much better afford to lose a laborer than to have an entire crew spoiled." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "I feel better already. If you don't mind, I'm +coming to you before each new job and get you to show me exactly how it +should be done. A fellow can get along so much better if he really knows +what he is talking about." + +"Good boy," smiled the forester. "I don't believe I am going to be +disappointed in you, Charley." + +Charley shook the forester's hand and started back to his new habitation, +which he reached just as supper was ready. + +After supper he and the ranger talked about the forest. Or rather Lumley +did. He was so loquacious that Charley soon stopped talking and let his +companion carry on the conversation alone. Lumley was quite able to do it, +for he was truly, as Mr. Marlin had described him, mouthy. He had +something to say about everything, and what he had to say was usually of a +derogatory character. He was guarded in what he said about Mr. Marlin, yet +Charley saw that he was trying to damn the forester by faint praise. + +"You may make a good ranger in time all right," he said bluntly to +Charley, "but it seems mighty funny to me to take a raw high school boy +and put him in charge of the finest stand of timber in the entire forest. +I'm the man that post ought to go to. Besides, I have a greater interest +in that timber than any one else." + +Charley choked back his resentment at the statement about himself and +asked, "Why have you a greater interest in that timber than any one else?" + +"Because our family used to own that timber," he said, sudden passion +inflaming his eyes. And Charley once more saw in them that savage look he +had detected before. "If my old fool of a grandfather hadn't let himself +be bilked out of the whole holding," he said coarsely, "I'd own that +timber to-day and I'd be a millionaire instead of a poor forest-ranger. By +rights the land is mine, anyway." And again the ranger swore at his dead +ancestor. + +Charley listened in disgust but made no comment. The ranger saw that he +had talked too much. He muttered an apology. "When I see somebody else +getting the money that ought to be mine," he said, "it makes me so mad +that I could almost commit murder." Then he quickly changed the +conversation and once more became the smooth, oily individual he was when +Charley first saw him. + +But Charley had seen and heard enough to be utterly disgusted with the +man. As early as possible he got away to his room on the pretext of +weariness, but it was a long time before he went to bed. + +Early next morning he was at headquarters, where Mr. Marlin introduced him +to the half dozen men who were to serve under him. Ordinarily ten men +would form a unit for planting, but Charley did not know that, and so was +ignorant of the fact that Mr. Marlin had tried to make his first day of +authority easy and successful by giving him only a few selected men to +handle. Mr. Marlin introduced Charley to the men one by one, as they came +in. Charley tried to talk to them, but found it rather difficult. The +mountaineers had little to say. + +When the men were all on hand, Mr. Marlin turned to them and said, "By the +way, men, this is the lad who saved Morton's life." + +At the mention of the sick ranger, Charley saw the men's faces light up. + +"He's a little young yet, but he knows his business. Jim says he handled +the snake-bite as well as any doctor could have done. I want you all to be +good to this lad and help him as much as you can." + +Now they had found something in common to talk about. All day long, at +intervals, the crew discussed rattlers; and Charley told them, at their +request, just how the ranger was bitten and what had been done to save +him. + +"You see," he said, "the danger from snake-bite comes when the poison +reaches the heart. So it is necessary to suck as much of it out as +possible and to prevent the remainder from reaching the heart except a +little at a time. That's why the bandages were put on the arm so tight. +The old notion of taking a stimulant was all wrong. The thing to do is to +keep the heart beating as slowly as possible until the venom reaches it. +Then if it begins to slow up, give a stimulant." + +This suggestion was contrary to all forest practice and Charley could see +that the men were greatly interested in it. How much his recital about the +snake contributed to his success that day he never realized. He kept his +lines straight, switched his men from one task to another, now relieved +this man or that, and did his work in such a highly efficient manner that +he would have had no trouble anyway; but at intervals all through the day +the men reverted to the rattlesnake story. They were so busy thinking +about something else they almost forgot about Charley. + +But the next day had a different tale to tell. The forester had increased +Charley's crew by four men, and a tougher looking lot Charley had never +seen. Rough, rugged, reckless mountaineers, there was not one of them who +could not have picked Charley up and broken him in half with ease. And one +of them, a tall, surly fellow, was quite evidently bent on making trouble. + +Charley's knees almost shook under him when he faced the crew and realized +that it was up to him to command and control these men. Also he knew that +he was lost if he showed any hesitation. The instant the party reached the +trail, therefore, Charley seized an axe. + +"Let's get at it, men," he said, starting work himself. + +"What do you want us to do?" asked the tall, surly looking chap. The +others gathered round to see what Charley would say. And Charley realized +that he was on trial with the men. + +"You heard what the forester said," he replied pleasantly. "We're to brush +this trail out. I want it made as good as it was when it was first +completed. Mr. Marlin said you were a mighty good crew and knew your +business thoroughly. So you don't need any instructions from me." + +Evidently the reply tickled the men. Charley saw one or two of them nudge +their fellows and chuckle; and all of them looked slyly in the direction +of the man who had asked the question. Charley judged that the fellow was +trying to make game of him and that the crew thought Charley had come out +on top. Charley did not mean to lose this slight initial advantage. + +With his axe he began briskly chopping away the brush along the sides of +the trail. Here and there he noticed little bushes that had sprung up in +the trail itself. + +"I wish you would take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and +grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get +everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop +up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless +days." + +The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently +they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned +two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he +worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be +prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked +back among the crew to see that the work was being done right. + +Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked +cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall, +surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no +attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not +overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes, +crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for +brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original +size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer +was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the +original five-foot area. + +The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others, +scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation +and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered +Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly, +"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width. +Just take out those bushes you have missed." + +"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't +half as wide as that." + +"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley +good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey +orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally." + +The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes. +"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But +nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how +this trail ought to be brushed." + +Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly +agitated. His heart beat so fast and the pulse in his temples throbbed so +violently that he was afraid the men would see how excited he was. But he +took a grip on himself and answered slowly, thinking hard all the time, +and trying not to betray his real feelings. Again he recalled what his +chief had said about letting the men know he was boss. + +"You are quite right," said Charley slowly. "Nobody can make you take +orders from a high school boy. This is a free country and you do not have +to take orders from anybody if you don't want to. You are free to quit +this job at any time you like and nobody can stop you. But as long as you +stay on the job you will have to obey orders. I'll give you your time and +you can get your pay at the office if you want to quit. If you want to +stay, just brush out that trail as Mr. Marlin wants it brushed." + +Without waiting for a reply Charley turned away and returned to his place +at the head of the line. The men about him resumed their work with a will. +In a moment the tall laborer picked up his axe and began clearing out the +bushes he had missed. Charley had won. + + + + +Chapter XXII + +Charley Finds Another Clue + + + +As he trudged homeward that evening, Charley pondered over the events of +the day. At first he did not know whether to rejoice or be sorry over the +outcome of his encounter with the laborer. He was sure the man would hate +him, and if he did, he might try to make more trouble for him. On the +other hand, he realized that if he had let the man get the better of him, +he could never have hoped to maintain discipline; and Charley was old +enough to know that without discipline he could not succeed in any post of +authority. + +Perhaps he was most worried by the fact that he could not talk to Mr. +Marlin about the matter. Of course, he could have used the telephone, but +the idea of discussing his difficulties before the Lumley family was so +repugnant to him that he could not bring himself to attempt it. So he +decided to get up his wireless at once. Then he could talk to Mr. Morton +and Lumley could not understand what was being said. He felt free to tell +the Mortons anything. By this time Mrs. Morton could operate the wireless +readily and her husband was learning fast. So Charley hurried to eat his +supper and get his wireless installed. + +He foresaw that Lumley would insist upon helping him. He steeled his mind +to the event and accepted the proffered assistance with the best grace he +could. Afterward he thanked his lucky stars that he had done so. + +While there was still light enough out-of-doors, Charley assembled and +hoisted his aerial; and Lumley, who was really dexterous, was of great +help to him. As soon as the aerial dangled aloft, Lumley got tools to bore +a hole in the window-sash for the lead-in wire. + +Now Charley got another insight into Lumley's character. It was a little +difficult to make the hole just where it was wanted. Lumley instantly +became impatient and went ahead recklessly. Suddenly his bit snapped. With +a volley of oaths, Lumley threw down his brace and hammered the broken bit +out of the window-frame. In doing so, he broke out a long splinter of +wood, leaving a gaping crack in the sash. He swore until he was out of +breath. Then he got some putty and puttied up the hole, forcing the putty +into the crack with his thumbs. Then the wire was brought in through the +sash and Charley began wiring up his instruments. But it had taken half an +hour to accomplish what five minutes of patience would have done. Charley +was utterly disgusted with the ranger's show of temper. + +As he coupled up the instruments, he answered, as politely as he could, +the ranger's numberless questions. Behind every question he saw, or +thought he could see, some ulterior motive. By every means he could, +Lumley was trying to find out all that was possible about Charley and his +relations with the forester. And Charley could see that Lumley was envious +of his intimacy with Mr. Marlin and jealous of him because, though a mere +boy, he was already as high up in the service as Lumley was after years in +the department. Charley realized that this was an unfair way to view the +matter, as he, Charley, was not really a ranger, and did not expect to +continue as a ranger after Mr. Morton was well enough to resume his +duties. But he could see that Lumley took no account of that. He began to +understand that it was the man's nature to be suspicious and jealous. + +That was clear enough from Lumley's remarks about himself; for again he +repeated the story of his family's former ownership of the big timber, and +of how he had been robbed of his heritage. Charley felt sure the man had +brooded over the matter until his judgment was warped. He listened, +however, without comment. + +Presently Lumley began to make insinuations about the forester, telling +Charley that Mr. Marlin had been as much the child of luck as he had +himself; but Mr. Marlin had had all the good luck, while he had had all +the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley +could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought +he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr. +Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success, +Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally +Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark. + +"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust +his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why, +a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of +business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to +find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out +of commission, could you?" + +"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across +the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of +business." + +How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for +the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees, +wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat +some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the +forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out +the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought +shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the +storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind. +Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He +felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know +exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray +his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing +the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter +over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision. +Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly. + +"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said, +picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire +trail." + +With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed +it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had +blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in +one place the line was actually broken. Charley had no tools for handling +wire, and he decided that he would henceforth carry a pair of nippers in +his clothes. Fortunately for Charley, the wire had stretched so much +before it broke that he and the man were able to get the broken ends +together and give them a twist. The repair was temporary, but it would +answer until a permanent job could be done. When Charley reported to +headquarters that night, the chief commended him for his good judgment in +repairing the telephone-line so promptly. + +The few days that Charley had worked in the forest had made his hands very +sore, for he had no gloves. He had cut and scratched and torn his fingers +until it seemed to him there was room for no more bruises. He wanted to +get some gloves, but did not know when he could get to a store to buy any. +He mentioned the matter to Lumley. + +"Buy them by mail," said Lumley. "We get most of our goods from mail-order +houses." + +Charley had never bought anything by mail, and had not thought of securing +his gloves in that way. "That would be all right," he said, "but I +wouldn't know how to order." + +"Here," said the ranger, plunging his hand into a cabinet, "these +catalogues will help you." And he drew forth three catalogues from as many +different mail-order houses. There was one from Slears and Hoebuck, one +from Montgomery Hard, and a third from Carson and Derby. + +Instantly Charley thought of the telltale piece of green pasteboard and a +quick suspicion leaped into his mind. As quickly it faded out. He could +not for a single second bring himself to suspect a guardian of the forest +of being a woodland incendiary. Yet he could not refrain from asking, +"Which one of these concerns do you buy from?" + +"Whichever one sells cheapest," replied the ranger. + +Charley found some cheap working gloves that he thought would suit him and +ordered several pairs. + +In the days that followed, he thought often over the problem of the green +pasteboard. It was true he had made another step in unraveling the +problem, but he did not see that it helped him much. He had discovered +that Lumley sometimes bought stuff from Carson and Derby, but doubtless +dozens of other near-by dwellers also did. Furthermore, it did not follow +that any near resident had fired the forest. Some one from a distance +might have done so. The more Charley thought about the matter, the less +importance he placed upon his discovery, and he decided to say nothing +about it to any one. How the guilty party was ever to be traced Charley +could not even imagine. The situation appeared hopeless. + +However, Charley had small chance to worry about the matter. As the days +passed, the forester laid more and more duties upon him. Many a lad would +have thought the forester was imposing upon him, but Charley was eager to +do everything he possibly could. He realized that the more he +accomplished, the greater would be his experience; and that the larger his +experience was, the faster he ought to get ahead. He had the good sense to +know that the short way of spelling opportunity is <i>w-o-r-k</i>. And he +realized that he had his chance here and now. So he did everything he +possibly could do and asked for more. + +The forester, like any other man in authority, was pleased beyond words at +this spirit. His response was to pile the work on Charley. He was testing +him out, to see whether the desire for work was just a whim or whether +Charley possessed that real ambition, that inward spirit of progress that +drives a man on and on through the years to greater and greater +accomplishments. For the best worker in the world is the man who works +because he wishes to work, and who is always striving to become a better +workman. + +Certainly Charley became a better workman, as any one does who works in +the spirit he exhibited. The mere getting of a wage, the mere earning of a +living hardly figured in Charley's calculations. He was working to learn, +to get ahead, to climb up in the Forestry Service. Hence there was nothing +perfunctory in what he did. He strove for perfection; and like all who so +strive, he began to attain it. + +Before he had been many weeks a ranger, Charley was as valuable a man in +many ways as the forester had under him. All Charley lacked to make him +perhaps the very best man was wider experience; and this was coming to him +daily. Furthermore, Charley was fortunate enough to have learned, through +his schooling, that although experience is the best teacher, he is a fool +who learns only through his own experience. All the information in all the +books that Charley had ever studied was the result of experience--somebody +else's experience. And he had early grasped the fact that to learn through +the experience of others is to save time and difficulty. So now he +supplemented his own experiences by much reading and study at night and by +the discussion of forest matters with the more intelligent of his workmen. + +New experiences came to him frequently. The forester surveyed and laid +out a road through the forest. Charley helped with the surveying and +learned much about levels and grades and the theory of road making. And +after the road was fairly started, the forester left its completion +largely to Charley. This new road was to lead into the big timber +operation which was shortly to begin in Charley's territory. + +Already a great crew had been assembled and much timber had been cut in +Lumley's district. Lumley had to oversee this operation and he was kept +far busier than he liked to be. So Charley saw little of him. + +In overseeing the operation in his own tract, Charley would have to select +and mark the trees for cutting, see that they were felled so as to save +the young growths, compel the prompt removal of trees that had fallen +across little saplings that had been bent under them, and make sure the +tops were properly lopped off and either burned where possible or piled so +that they would quickly rot. Then he would have to be particular that the +trees were thrown away from the roads and lines, and that a strip at least +one hundred feet wide was kept cleared of brush between the cutting +operations and the remainder of the forest, as a protection against the +spread of fire. Then there would be timber to scale and a hundred other +things to be looked after. To safeguard the state's interests would +require both experience and determination should the timber operators +wish to be tricky. Mr. Marlin intended that Charley, as a reward for the +fine spirit he was showing, should handle the lumber operation in his own +district entirely alone, just as a full-fledged ranger would do. It was +both a high compliment to Charley and a fine reward, for the timber +operation was large, involving great sums of money, and even with the most +careful supervision the state might easily be defrauded of thousands of +dollars. + +But Mr. Marlin was far too wise to put Charley in such a position without +adequate training. Personally, therefore, he began to prepare him for the +work. Accompanied by Charley, he went entirely over the operations in +Lumley's territory. He carried a duplicate of the contract under which the +wood was being cut. Together they discussed every phase of the contract, +and the forester showed Charley how each step in the operation should be +carried out; how the trees should be selected and marked, how they should +be felled and trimmed, how the brush should be disposed of, and finally +how the timber should be scaled at the skidways along the highway, whence +the timber was being carted away in huge trucks. + +Then he went with Charley into the latter's own district and started him +at the task of selecting and marking the trees for cutting. These had to +be greater than ten inches in diameter, breast-high, and had to be marked. +Crooked trees and wolf trees whose unduly large tops harmed lower growths +were also to be cut. The trees were marked by blazing them at the butt and +breast-high and striking the blazes with a heavy hammer that left the +imprint of the state's marker on the wood. Merely to select and mark all +the trees to be cut was a considerable task, but Charley tried to do this +and carry on his other work as well. It meant that he worked from the +earliest possible moment in the morning until he could no longer see at +night. Day after day he worked at his tasks, content to eat cold meals +that Mrs. Lumley packed for him, and reaching home so weary that he +tumbled into bed and was asleep the instant he had telephoned his daily +report to his chief. + +Darkness had already fallen, one night, when Charley drew near the Lumley +habitation. To his surprise he saw a light up-stairs in Lumley's room. As +he drew nearer, he could faintly discern the forms of two men in the +chamber. Involuntarily he stopped to scrutinize the figures. At the same +instant Lumley's dogs began to bark, as they always did when any one +approached. Quick as a flash the curtain of the chamber window was pulled +down. But in that brief instant Charley was sure he recognized the man +with Lumley. It was Bill Collins. + +Charley was startled completely out of his weariness. A moment later he +got a second shock. Like a flash it came to him where he had first seen +Lumley. He had been with Collins the day the latter had appeared in the +forest. Collins had attracted Charley's attention so strongly that he had +hardly noticed Collins' companion. Yet now he was certain he was right. He +was certain that he was not mistaken. + +From the beginning he had believed that he had seen Lumley somewhere +before the forester introduced Lumley to him. Now it came to him where he +had first seen Lumley. Lumley was the man he and Lew had seen with Bill +Collins. + +Still another surprise awaited Charley. When he entered the house Lumley +was seated at the table opposite a stranger, and the stranger was not Bill +Collins. But he resembled Collins so much that Charley did not wonder +that, at such a distance, he had made the mistake of thinking the man was +Collins. + + + + +Chapter XXIII + +A Startling Discovery + + + +Charley was glad enough that the man was not Collins. Had he been Collins, +Charley would have had another matter to worry about. He was carrying such +a load of responsibility these days that he sometimes felt that he +couldn't stand another thing; and in moments of depression he thought he +could not continue to carry the load he already had. + +For Charley was learning the lesson that every man in authority learns: +when the forester laid out a piece of work for him, the forester expected +him to get it done. No matter what the difficulties were, Charley had to +find a way to surmount them. Many and many a day he would gladly have +exchanged places with the humblest laborers in his crew. + +All that was required of them was merely to do what they were told to do, +hour after hour or day after day. There was no need for them to lie awake +wrestling with problems that seemed impossible of solution, as Charley had +more than once lain awake. + +For it had not all been smooth sailing for Charley, any more than it is +for any man in authority. After his first set-to with the surly laborer, +he had not had any open trouble with his men. But more than one of his +crew did not always do an honest day's work, and any failure on the men's +part put Charley behind with the amount of work he was expected to get +done. This difficulty Charley had finally remedied by asking for Mr. +Morton's help. The latter had sent for several of the laborers and had +shown them that in hindering Charley they were hurting the Forest Service +and thus, in the long run, harming themselves. + +Furthermore, as the days passed, and Charley showed that he knew his job, +that he was just to everybody, that he had control of his temper, that he +expected a fair day's work every day, while he himself accomplished more +actual work each day than any man in his gang, the attitude of the men +under him changed. Before the summer ended, Charley had as loyal a crew as +any man could ask for. And to their loyalty they began to add ambition. +For Charley was able gradually to instil into them the spirit which made +them want to do as much as any other crew and a little bit more. + +So his road making came on apace. Rapidly the rude highway advanced +through the forest. Every day after his crew had gone home, Charley went +over the area to be made the succeeding day, examining carefully every +inch of the ground and determining how he would meet each little problem +that would come up. Thus prepared, he speedily acquired a reputation for +unusual ability. The result was that his men, when stopped by some +obstacle, at once came to him for assistance, though at first they would +have scorned to ask a "high school boy" for enlightenment about any task +in the forest. + +The road under construction was being pushed straight through the heart of +the big timber. It was to lead directly to the foot of the mountain on the +top of which Charley and Lew had had their secret watch tree. Materials +for a real fire-tower, a sixty-foot structure of steel, had been +purchased, and as soon as the road was completed, this material was to be +trucked to the foot of the mountain, and the tower itself erected on the +summit, close to the very tree that Charley and Lew had climbed so often. + +The erection of the tower was another task for which Charley would be +responsible. Long before the road was completed, therefore, Charley and +the forester went over every step in the process of construction, and +decided how to do each task, from the making of the concrete foundations +to the stringing of the telephone wires when the tower was complete. The +tower itself was to be a slender steel structure made of angle-iron +supports bolted together, with a little square room at the top for the +watcher. This room would be enclosed on every side with glass windows, and +from this great elevation a watcher could see in every direction over +miles and miles of forest. A telephone would connect with the forester's +office. + +At the foot of this tower Mr. Marlin intended to build a snug, little +cabin, so that the tower man could remain at his post twenty-four hours a +day throughout the fire season. The materials for the cabin would be +trucked in along the new road and carried up the mountain, and some of +them would be cut right on the spot; for the forester planned to erect a +neat log cabin. + +Before the road was completed, Charley had cement carried in as far as the +trucks could travel. Then the cement was carried up the mountain by +laborers. It had been put in small sacks so that it could be handled +easily. Sand was already at hand, and water could be had at the run coming +from the spring by which Charley had camped. Tools and boards were +brought, the proper excavations made, forms fashioned and fitted into the +excavations, and then cement was mixed and poured into the forms to make +the foundation to which the tower was to be bolted. By the time the road +was finished so that the steel framework could be trucked in, the cement +foundations were hard as stone and ready for the instant erection of the +tower. + +At once the steel frame began to ascend. Upright was added to upright, +cross brace bolted to cross brace, and rung after rung added to the steel +ladder that led up to what was to be the watch-tower. In a surprisingly +short time the steel work was completed. Now the forester brought in +skilled carpenters and the wood for the tower room was cut after the +patterns and the cut pieces hoisted up to the top of the steel frame where +the watch-tower itself began to take shape. + +While these operations were afoot, Charley and his laborers were back in +the forest, running a telephone-line along the new road. Holes had to be +dug, poles cut, barked, hauled, and set up, and the wires strung. While +his men set the poles, Charley himself, with a helper, strung the wires. +At this job he needed no instruction. His experiences with the wireless +were now of great value to him, for he understood about insulation, +grounding, short circuits, and the like as well as any skilled lineman. + +So the telephone-line came on apace, and long before the tower was +finished, Charley had the line complete from the highway, where it joined +the main line, to the summit of the hill where the tower was going up. He +installed an instrument in a waterproof box nailed to a tree, so that he +could now talk from the hilltop to the forester's office. When the tower +was finally completed, he ran the lines up inside the angle-irons to +protect them from the terrific winds, so that the tower man could +instantly communicate with the forester at Oakdale. + +Now the cabin went up. Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but +stable foundation made below the level of the ground. Trees were felled, +barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners. When a +sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, +log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing. Wooden pins held +the logs in place. Windows and a door were cut out and framed. Then the +rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and +shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin's own territory, +completed the job. A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and +the cabin was about complete. A telephone extension was run into the +building. At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour +watch at the fire-tower. + +The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought +hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than +lessened. The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and +now but few showers came. Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, +however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least +temporarily, in the new cabin. + +There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, +and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this +observation post. Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was +at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the +neighboring forest. Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the +tower was close to the heart of his district. By living here he would be +with his work twenty-four hours a day. + +Mr. Marlin approved of Charley's decision to move into the cabin. With the +new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the +mountain in his motor-car. He was in instant communication with his ranger +by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car +with the greatest ease. + +The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley's +house to the new cabin. While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley's other +luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless. When he +removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley's +finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger's +fit of temper. When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. +Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck. + +As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief. Merely to get +away from Lumley's house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted +from his shoulders. Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb +Charley. He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust +for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home. + +Charley and the forester carried Charley's possessions from the truck to +the new cabin. A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on. +Although it was so small, it was heavy enough. Between that and the +battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was +finally placed in the cabin. + +Charley fastened his aerial between the fire-tower and his old watch +tree, which was still standing, but which had been shorn of most of its +branches to allow the watchman in the tower to see past it. Finally, +everything was complete. The wireless was in working condition, Charley's +few furnishings were in place, the stores put away, and the cabin was +fully ready for his occupancy. + +Immediately Charley called up Mrs. Morton on the telephone and asked her +to talk to him on the wireless. A moment later their invisible messages +were speeding back and forth over the miles of billowing pine tops that +intervened between the two little forest homes, and no listener in on the +department telephone system could either know that they were talking or +tell what they said. Charley was overjoyed when Mrs. Morton told him that +her husband was about ready to come back to work. His arm was still +painful and he could not use it much, but he could now get around well and +was fast becoming strong again. + +When Charley told the forester the news, the latter expressed his +pleasure. He studied Charley's face a moment to see how Charley felt over +the news. + +"You realize what it means to you when Jim is able to do his work again, +do you?" asked Mr. Marlin. + +"Certainly," said Charley. A feeling of regret passed through his mind and +was mirrored on his face. But there was nothing unkind or unfair about +it. "Maybe some day I'll qualify as a real ranger," sighed Charley, "but +I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn something." + +"Charley," continued the forester, "you've earned the right to see this +lumber operation through. It's a big responsibility. You've worked night +and day to get ready for the job. Do you think I'm the kind of man who +would rob you of the reward that you have justly earned?" + +"I don't exactly understand," said Charley. + +"I mean," replied the forester, "that no matter whether Jim gets well in +time or not, you are going to handle the lumber operation in this +district. Jim can do something else. There's plenty of work for a dozen +rangers. You are to be the boss of this job." + +"Do you really mean it?" cried Charley in delight. + +"Surely I mean it," said the forester. "It wouldn't be a fair deal not to +let you take charge after the way you've tried to qualify for the work." + +Charley held out his hand. "Thanks," was all that he could say, for a lump +came into his throat. + +"And while we are talking about the lumber job," the forester went on, "I +want to say that I was never so badly fooled about anything in my life. +The cut isn't coming anywhere near my estimate. It must be five to ten +thousand feet per acre less than I thought it would run. I guess the Big +Chief at Harrisburg will think I'm a pretty poor timber cruiser." + +"How's that?" asked Charley. + +"Well, you remember the day I first met you in the forest, Charley, I was +cruising with two good timber estimators. They're skilled men. We were +making the estimate on which this sale was based. I sent in my estimate +and the department made its figures on that basis. But the timber that is +actually being taken out doesn't begin to scale what I thought it would. +Of course I was wrong in not cruising a bigger strip. But I just couldn't +spare the time, then. Evidently the stand over in Lumley's district is not +so heavy as it is here. The right way to estimate timber is to cruise +strips entirely across the stand. You can't make a correct estimate by +cruising an acre or two as I did and estimating an entire stand on the +basis of that acre or two. You see the stand in the bottom may be half as +heavy again as the stand on the hillside." + +Mr. Marlin paused. After a moment, he went on, "Before the lumbermen get +into your district I want to make another estimate. You and I will cruise +a few strips the entire width of the stand. That will take quite a little +time. We can't start to-day, but we'll get at it at the first opportunity. +Meantime, I want you to get all the practice you can in scaling lumber, so +that you can do it readily. You will have to scale every stick cut in your +district and keep tally on all the lumber that is taken out. It's highly +important work, for the state depends upon your figures to get its just +pay for the lumber cut. If you make mistakes, the state will lose +accordingly. I want you to practice scaling so that you can do it as +readily as you can measure a board with a yardstick." + +"Then I'll do some practicing to-day," said Charley. "You sent my crew +into another district and I can put in a whole afternoon practicing." + +"Very good. I'll take you out to the skidways where the logs are being +piled by the highway, and you can work there as long as you like. Do you +have that log-rule I gave you?" + +"Sure. But what about this? How shall I know if my measurements are +correct?" + +"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway +and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official +record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly +right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the +motor-car. + +"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester +suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my +office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to +Lumley's house." + +Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid +of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good +as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back." + +They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate. +"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and +specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye." + +"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs. + +Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter +of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in +the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at +the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster +and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The +contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper. +When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled +when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the +log piles he had been measuring. + +"Gee!" he said to himself. "At the price lumber is selling for now, those +logs are worth a small fortune. Gad! It makes a fellow feel pretty sober +when he thinks how easily he could make a mistake that would cost the +state hundreds of dollars." + +He tucked his record in his pocket, along with his pencil, and started for +his cabin. Despite the fact that he was soon to lose his place of +authority, he could not help feeling happy. His diploma had been awarded +to him on Commencement day, although he had not been able to be present to +receive it, and that was one cause for happiness. His comrades had never +yet been able to visit him, but he had received a letter that morning +telling him that the entire Wireless Patrol was coming out to spend a +Sunday with him in the new cabin. That was a second cause for happiness. +His friend, Mr. Morton, was almost well, and that was a third cause for +happiness. And finally, he had earned the confidence of his chief so +completely that his chief was entrusting to him the very important task of +overseeing the lumber operation. That made Charley's heart swell with +pride. Even the near approach of his reduction to the ranks again could +not mar his happiness; for in his heart he knew that he had made good and +that it was only a question of time until he should become a ranger in +fact as well as in name. + +So he went on his way happy, rejoicing in his accomplishment, enjoying the +new life of the forest, joyous with the strength and hope and confidence +of youth. He came at last to his trail's end, and climbed the tower to +look for fire and to watch the sun go down. + +"It's warm enough so that a fellow could sleep up here now," he said to +himself suddenly. "I'll just build a bunk up here and then I can sleep +here whenever I feel like it. If I wake up in the night, I can take a look +around and make sure everything is all right." + +He went down to his cabin and got a rope, some boards, foot-rule, saw, +hammer, auger, and nails. He went back to the tower and made some +measurements. Then he came down, cut his boards, bored holes into them, +tied them together, and went up again with his tools and nails and the end +of the rope. He hauled up the boards and drew them into the watch-tower. +Then he nailed them together and had a snug little bunk that stretched +completely across one side of the little structure. He wove the cord back +and forth across the bunk through the auger holes in place of springs. +Then he went down to the ground, made a tick out of one of his sheets, +filled it with leaves and got it up to the tower. + +"Now," he said, as he spread it on the rope, "all I need is a pillow and a +blanket and I'm fixed." + +He went down and cooked his supper. Then he talked both to Mrs. Morton and +to Lew by wireless. He made a cheerful blaze in his fireplace and studied +until ten o'clock. Then he got a pillow and a pair of blankets, blew out +his lamp, and ascended to the tower. He intended to go to sleep at once, +but the night was so beautiful that for a long time he sat on his bunk, +looking out over the forest, which lay still as a sleeping infant under +the moon's white light. Finally he wrapped himself in his blanket, +stretched out on his bunk, and was quickly asleep. + +Charley was up early the next morning. He glanced at his watch and saw +that it lacked three-quarters of an hour of the time he usually had a +brief wireless chat with Mrs. Morton, so he cooked his breakfast at once. +Before he had finished eating, he heard the distant chugging of the +forester's car. Sometime later a cheery voice called up the slope, and +looking out of his door, Charley saw Mr. Marlin climbing up the mountain. +Charley hustled to get a cup of coffee ready for his chief. + +"I came early," said the forester, "for it will take us some time to go +over these plans. Also I brought Lumley's figures for you to check up your +estimate by." And he handed Charley some slips of paper. + +While Mr. Marlin was drinking his coffee, Charley compared Lumley's +figures with those he had made on a bit of paper. At first he looked +crestfallen. Then he appeared puzzled. Then an expression of great +indignation came into his face. He seemed greatly agitated. + +The forester was studying his expression closely. "What's the difficulty, +Charley?" he asked. + +"I told you I never trusted Lumley," he burst out. "Just look here." + +He laid his figures beside Lumley's. Mr. Marlin ran his eye over them. At +first he, too, seemed puzzled. Then his face grew black as a thundercloud. + +"Are you certain that you know how to scale a log right, Charley?" he +asked. + +"Absolutely, Mr. Marlin." + +"How do you estimate a log?" + +Charley got his rule and laid it across the end of an unburned log in his +fireplace. It was ten inches in diameter. + +"If that were a twelve-foot log," he said, consulting the scale, "it +would have three board feet in it. If it were sixteen feet long, it would +have six feet." + +"Absolutely correct, Charley. Did you measure those logs that way +yesterday?" + +"Yes, sir." + +The two men looked at each other for a full minute. "Charley," said the +forester, "I've been as blind as a bat. I never liked Lumley, any more +than you did, though I couldn't tell you that. But I trusted him because +he had been in the department a good many years and was fairly efficient. +He has betrayed my trust and attempted to rob the state by false +measurement. I understand now why my estimate seemed so far out of the +way. The estimate was probably close enough. Lumley has sold out to the +lumber operators. I'd like to know how they reached him." + +The forester fell into a deep study. His face was dark and angry. A long +time he sat silent. "I wonder," he said finally, "if Bill Collins' +presence in the woods last spring had anything to do with it. I'd just +like to know who that was with him." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley. "I forgot to tell you what I discovered. +The other night when I got near Lumley's house, I saw Lumley and another +man up-stairs. They pulled the curtain down quick when the dogs barked. At +first I felt sure the man was Collins. But when I went into the house, +Lumley sat at the table with the man. He wasn't Collins, though he looked +like him. But I discovered this. The man I saw last spring in the forest +with Collins was Lumley. I hardly noticed him at the time, but when I saw +these two men together I felt sure they were the pair I had seen in the +woods--only the stranger wasn't Collins." + +"Are you quite sure?" + +"The man I saw at the table wasn't Collins." + +"Are you sure he was the man you saw in the bedroom?" + +Charley looked at the forester in silence. "I never thought of that," he +said, after a moment. "There must have been two strangers in the house. +Lumley thought I was coming and would recognize Collins, so he must have +hustled down-stairs with the other man and left Collins up-stairs. I'll +bet anything that's what happened. And that makes me believe more than +ever that Lumley was with Collins in the forest. Otherwise, why should he +fear to have me see Collins?" + +"Charley, it is as plain as the nose on your face. Collins is the +go-between in this crooked lumber deal. These lumber operators meant to +cheat the state when they sent in their bid. They must have had it all +arranged with Lumley then. That's why they put in the highest bid, so as +to make sure to get the timber. By George! They could afford to bid high. +Just see what they've stolen in one day's cut of timber." + +The forester's face grew black as a thundercloud. "But we'll fix them, +Charley," he cried. "We'll get all that money back for the state and maybe +put these fellows in prison besides. Anyway, we'll put Lumley there sure. +Don't breathe a word of this to a soul. We'll check up Lumley's figures +every day now at the skidways. When we have enough evidence, we'll act. +Meantime, don't let a soul suspect that you know anything, and don't do +anything to alarm Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXIV + +Checkmated + + + +Charley was afoot very early next morning. At the usual time he flashed +out a wireless call for the Mortons, and the ranger himself answered. Mr. +Morton could now operate the wireless quite readily, though, of course, +with nothing like the skill his wife had acquired. He reported that he was +to return to duty the next morning, starting work, with a big crew, on a +six-foot fire-line along the summit of Old Ironsides. Charley was +overjoyed at the news. It meant that now he would have a chance to see +this friend from time to time. + +Mr. Marlin had not said that he would come to see Charley this morning, +nor had he telephoned any message to that effect; but when Charley heard +the steady chugging of a motor in the valley below, he believed it must be +the forester. He was not quite certain, however, because the motor did not +seem to beat exactly like Mr. Marlin's. The dense foliage completely hid +the approaching car from view, so that Charley could not see what sort of +an automobile it was. + +It mattered little to Charley, however, who it was. He was the soul of +hospitality, and at once he set some coffee to boiling for his approaching +visitor. + +This proved to be the forester. He presently came puffing up the slope, +and after he had drunk some coffee and gotten his breath, the two men +began to plan how they should best watch Lumley. The logs must be checked +up carefully, yet it was desirable that no one see Charley measuring them. +Finally it was decided that each day Charley should measure them in the +early evening immediately after the last log truck had started away with +its load. There would be nobody around then, and Charley could easily +measure the day's cut and get home to his cabin before dark. + +For an hour the two guardians of the forest discussed matters that pressed +for attention. Then the forester rose to go. "I have Lumley's report on +yesterday's cut," he said, "and if nobody is around when we reach the +skidways, we'll just check it up. We can drive out in a few minutes, but +you will have to walk back. Get your log-rule and come on." And they went +down the mountain to the end of the new road. + +"Hello!" cried Charley in surprise, as he caught sight of the forester's +car. "You're driving a big truck, eh? I thought that motor didn't sound +like your Henry." + +"Yes; there was a load of stuff to be hauled out for Jim's crew. He starts +work to-morrow. I killed two birds with one stone by bringing the stuff, +which I dumped at Jim's, and then coming on out here." + +As they reached the car, Charley said, "It looks powerful." + +"It's one of those old army trucks Uncle Sam gave us. Got a great battery +and tremendous power. Get in." + +They climbed aboard. Mr. Marlin touched the starter and the engine began +to chug. He let in his clutch but the car would not move. The car happened +to be standing on a moist spot and its great weight had pressed the wheels +far down into the soft new road. Mr. Marlin threw on the power. The truck +jumped, something snapped sharply and a banging noise followed as the car +moved jerkily ahead. + +"Thunderation!" cried the forester. "I've broken the differential. I bet +ten dollars on it." And investigation proved his diagnosis was correct. "I +suppose it will take all summer to get a new part," growled the forester. +"This truck will have to stand here idle until repairs come. But <i>we</i> +can't stand here idle. Come on." + +They set off down the road. After a long hike they came to the skidways at +the main road. Nobody was in sight. + +"We'll begin at one end and work toward the other until we hear somebody +coming. Then we'll have business elsewhere." + +Pile by pile they scaled the logs, Charley using the log-rule under Mr. +Marlin's close observation, while the forester himself kept tally. Alone +in the big woods, they talked freely. + +"Why do you suppose Lumley took a chance like this?" asked the forester. +"He might have known he'd get caught." + +"Primarily because he wanted the money, of course," maintained Charley. +"But there's another thing that may play a part in the matter. Did you +know that Lumley's folks once owned this virgin timber?" + +"I've heard that a generation or two back the Lumley family owned big +tracts of land hereabouts. Naturally some of that land would now be +included within the limits of the state's holdings." + +"When I was living at Lumley's, he told me over and over about his +family's having owned this timber and his grandfather's having been +swindled out of it. He seemed to me to be mighty unreasonable about it. He +was awful sore, and said he'd be a millionaire to-day if he had all the +timber his grandfather owned and that it was his by rights, anyway. I +recall that he said the thought of anybody else's getting the money for +the timber made him almost want to commit murder." + +The forester looked sober. "He's a bad egg," he said. "I really believe he +wouldn't hesitate to commit murder if he were cornered. You want to watch +him. We'll have to be mighty careful how we handle this business." + +"Hark!" said Charley. "Isn't that the sound of a truck?" And as they +listened, faintly they could hear the sound of a motor. + +"Probably a log truck coming for a load. If we'd had a few minutes more, +we could have completed the job. There are only two piles left. We'll just +disappear until this truck goes away. Then we can come back and finish." + +The beating of the motor sounded louder. The two men moved toward the +forest. As they passed the farther end of the first unmeasured log pile, +the forester stopped in amazement. A man sat on the ground, leaning lazily +against the logs. It was the man Charley had seen that night at Lumley's. + +"What are you doing here, Henry Collins?" demanded the forester sternly. + +"I'm working for the lumber company," said the man, sullenly. + +"You appear to be working hard," replied the forester scornfully. + +"I help load the trucks," said the fellow, as the forester turned on his +heel and walked away, followed by Charley. + +"You don't suppose that he could have heard what we said, do you?" asked +Charley, anxiously. + +"Heard every word of it," replied the forester. "The jig is up. That was +Bill Collins' cousin and he's as crooked as Bill. Lumley will know what's +afoot as quick as Collins can get word to him. We've got to act quick. +There's a detail of state constabulary at Ironton, and they could get here +in a motor in thirty minutes if I could only telephone them. Why in +thunderation did I ever leave the office without my portable instrument? +The nearest 'phone is at Jim Morton's. It will take me three-quarters of +an hour at my best pace to make it. But it's the best I can do. I'll hike +for Jim's. You hustle back to your tower and keep a close watch on things. +I'll telephone you as soon as I can. We've got to step lively if we are to +catch that scoundrel Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXV + +The Crisis + + + +The forester hastened down the highway at a A tremendous pace. Charley set +out along the forest road he had so recently built. Before he knew it, he +was running madly. He ran for a long distance, hardly conscious that he +was running. Presently he stopped from very fatigue. Then he realized that +he was greatly excited and that he was running from sheer nervousness. + +"This won't do at all," he muttered to himself. "You're worse than an old +hen. If ever you needed to keep your head, it's right now." + +He took a grip on himself, drew a long breath, and settled to a fast walk, +thinking hard. He could not see how he himself could accomplish the arrest +of Lumley. If his chief did not think it advisable to attempt it, he was +very certain that he ought not to try it himself. And he was glad at the +thought. For he could not help but recall the wicked gleam in Lumley's +eyes, the man's savage outburst of temper, and his vicious talk. He +understood well enough that Lumley would not submit to arrest without a +struggle. + +Then the thought came to him that he had no business trying to arrest +Lumley, even if he could do it. The chief was attending to that and the +chief knew best what to do under the circumstances. Also, the chief had +given him his orders. His business was to obey orders. And those orders +were to take care of the forest. + +Fresh alarm seized him. Why had the forester given him those orders? Was +there danger of any one's setting fire to the forest? At the thought +Charley was almost in a panic again. A passionate love for the great woods +he was guarding had sprung up in Charley's heart. He held come to dread +fire with a dread unspeakable. He had come to regard it with a feeling of +absolute terror. In this feeling there was nothing of physical fear. A +little blaze in the forest made him so wild with anger that nowadays he +would fight it recklessly. His fear was the dread lest the immemorial +trees he was guarding should be wasted and the forest destroyed. It was +apprehension for the forest, not for himself, that troubled Charley. + +Rapidly he passed along the road, now jogging to relieve the nervous +tension, now proceeding at a fast walk. He came to the slope of the +mountain but his pace was no whit slower. At last, panting and almost +exhausted from his terrific efforts, he reached the crest. He staggered to +the ladder and climbed painfully to the watch-tower. Steadying himself, he +swept the horizon in every direction. The forest seemed to slumber. No +smoke arose, no winds swayed the tree tops. The twilight peace enfolded +everything. Satisfied that all was safe, Charley sank down on his bunk and +lay there until he was rested. Then he climbed down to his cabin and +cooked supper. + +Never since he had been alone in the forest had Charley so much felt the +need of companionship as he did now. He lighted a little fire in his +hearth and the cheery snapping of the burning sticks comforted him. He sat +down at his wireless and talked with Mr. Morton. The latter could not tell +him much about the situation. The forester had telephoned from his place +for the police and the latter had started at once for the forest. That was +all Mr. Morton knew. Charley called up Lew and told him as much of the +situation as he thought wise, and got the news from Central City. When he +threw over his switch and turned away from his wireless table, he felt +somewhat comforted. But the feeling of dread and apprehension had not +altogether left him. + +For some time he read, or tried to read. Study he could not. At last he +went to the telephone and called Mr. Marlin. He reported that all was well +in the forest. He was burning to ask his chief all about the situation, +yet hardly dared. He might say something that the chief would rather have +unsaid; for always there was the possibility of listeners in on the +telephone. And Lumley's family could listen in as readily as any others. + +Doubtless Mr. Marlin appreciated Charley's self-restraint. Before he said +good-night, he remarked casually to Charley, "I may want you to do some +work at the lumber camp to-morrow. I tried to find Lumley there late this +afternoon to give him some orders, but he had gone away. I have asked his +wife to have him call me the moment he comes home. Don't forget my final +instructions to you this afternoon. Good-night." + +To an outsider the message would mean nothing, as Mr. Marlin intended it +should. But to Charley it told the whole story. Lumley had fled before the +arrival of the forester and the state police. + +Charley reviewed the forester's words to him, as they talked at the log +piles. "He's a bad egg. I really believe he wouldn't hesitate to commit +murder if he were cornered. You want to watch him. We'll have to be mighty +careful how we handle this business.... You hustle back to your tower and +keep a close watch on things." + +Again a feeling of apprehension came to Charley, and this time there was +something of personal fear about it. Again Charley recalled the fugitive +ranger's violence of temper, and his evident jealousy of the chief. And as +Charley considered the matter now, he saw that Lumley must have been even +more jealous of him, Charley, than he was of the chief. Now he understood +all the prying efforts Lumley had made to learn the size of his pay. Quite +evidently Lumley could not endure to see another man get ahead. Charley +felt sure that it would not be safe for him to meet Lumley. He resolved +to be on his guard every second. Then he sighed with relief at the thought +that Lumley had fled. + +But a moment later his face became very grave. "How do I know that Lumley +has fled?" he asked himself. "To go any distance, he would have to walk +along a highway, or ride in a motor-car, or board a train; and in any case +he might be seen and traced. On the other hand, Lumley knows the forest +like a book. He has lived in it for years. Where else could he so well +hope to elude pursuit?" Charley felt certain that Lumley must be somewhere +in the forest. + +Immediately he got his rifle, filled the magazine, and stood it within +reach. He tried to read, but was too nervous. Then he thought of the open +windows and his light within the cabin. Any one could see through the +windows--or shoot through them. Charley put his flash-light in his pocket +and blew out his lamp. The evening was warm, and Charley opened the door +and sat down on the sill, leaning against the jamb of the door, and +cradling his rifle across his knees. + +Soon his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. From where he sat, +Charley could look out over what seemed like infinite stretches of forest. +The moon had not yet risen, and the valleys below him were vast depths of +darkness. Mist floated above, partly obscuring the stars. A gentle breeze +was blowing up here on the mountain top, but Charley knew that down in the +valleys the air was like stagnant water. The whispering of the trees +around him was like the quiet breathing of a babe asleep, and the +occasional sounds of the forest creatures were no more disturbing than the +gentle murmurs of a dreaming child. Peace enfolded the forest. It seemed +to Charley as though that great, invisible, beneficent Spirit we call God +had cradled the forest in His arms as a mother cradles her little ones. +The thought comforted him. Something of the peace about him crept into his +own heart. He drew a long sigh and sat back. + +After a time he began to feel drowsy. He took his blanket and his rifle, +and, closing his cabin door, climbed to the fire-tower. He closed and +bolted the trap-door in the floor of the tower. For some time he sat on +the edge of his bunk, watching the forest. Behind the eastern mountains +the sky began to glow. The moon was coming up. In another hour or two, +Charley knew, the forest would be flooded with silvery light. He loved the +moonlight on the pines, but he was becoming too sleepy to stay awake to +see it. The moment the moon's first rays shot over the eastern hilltops, +Charley lay back in his bunk, stood his rifle within reach, drew the +blankets about him, and was almost instantly asleep. + +Yet he slumbered uneasily. Terrible dreams disturbed him. Once or twice he +awoke and started up in alarm. Once the slender tower seemed to vibrate as +though some one were mounting the ladder. But Charley dismissed the idea +as idle fancy, for the nocturnal stillness was unbroken. So, fitfully, +Charley slept through the night. + +Dawn found him afoot. Eagerly he scanned the horizon. Banks of mist lay +over the valleys, concealing much of the forest. Slowly Charley examined +the horizon, half fearful, half relieved. From the two sides of his tower +he could see nothing disturbing. But when he turned to the third side his +heart stood still. Unmistakable in the whitish mist, darker clouds were +rising upward. The forest was afire. + +Intently Charley studied the smoke pillar, trying to locate it exactly and +to estimate the extent of the blaze. Satisfied, he swept his glance +farther along the horizon, but stopped abruptly. A second spiral of smoke +was stealing upward through the mist. Before he had completed his survey, +Charley discovered four more smoke columns. Somebody had fired the forest +in half a dozen different places. + +Whoever had done it must have known the forest intimately. The blazes had +been kindled just where they would do the most damage. + +Charley's mind worked like lightning. Even as he examined and located the +smoke columns, he was planning how best to extinguish the fires. It was +still very early. The wind would not rise for hours yet. Even then the +dense timber would break its force. Meanwhile the fire would spread but +slowly. If only he could get his men to the spot in time, Charley felt +sure he could put out every blaze with but slight damage done. By the +time he reached for the telephone, he had his plan of campaign mapped out. +Morton's big crew would be assembling in a short time. The forester might +be able to hasten their assembling and to collect more men. With trucks he +could rush the gang clear to the foot of the mountain, where the broken +army truck lay. An excellent fire trail would take some of them afoot +direct to the first blazes. Other groups could strike through the passes +for the other fires. With the chief and Mr. Morton and himself to head +three of the crews, and experienced fire fighters to lead the other +groups, Charley felt sure that they would hold the fires. + +Sharply Charley whirled the bell handle and put the receiver to his ear. +There was no response. Impatiently he rang again. Still he got no reply. A +feeling of alarm took possession of him. Frantically he rang and rang, but +the receiver at his ear was mute. The wire was cut. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" cried Charley, snatching up the trap-door +and descending the ladder recklessly. "There aren't any wires about that +to be cut." + +Involuntarily he glanced toward his aerial. Then he stopped dead. His +aerial had disappeared. Now he knew why the tower had vibrated during the +night. Somebody <i>had</i> been on the ladder. If only he had gotten up to +investigate! But it was too late now for regrets. He must act. He must get +up another aerial. An idea came to him and he shouted for joy. He would +use the tower itself as an aerial. + +He raced to the cabin and flung open the door. A single glance showed him +his cupboard had been rifled of its food supplies. He leaped toward his +operating-table and stopped aghast. His face turned pale, his hands fell +helplessly to his sides, and he stood looking at the instruments before +him, the picture of despair. A heavy file lay across the terminals of his +battery, and the battery was useless. + +Unnerved, Charley sank down on a chair. He covered his face with his +hands. It would take him hours to reach the Morton home on foot. And it +might be hours more before the forester could be notified. It looked as +though the forest were doomed. + +Fairly shaking himself, as a terrier shakes a rat, Charley freed himself +of the fear that clutched at his heart and forced himself to think. Calmly +he began to consider what he could do. He thought of the dry cells he had +first used. They were still wired together and in the cabin. Like a flash +Charley coupled them to his instrument, but the cells were exhausted. He +could get no spark from them. + +Again he sat down and thought. Suddenly he leaped to his feet. "The army +truck!" he cried. "If he overlooked that, I'll beat him yet." + +He began to assemble tools and instruments. But when he looked for wire to +fashion an aerial, his face grew black. The intruder had taken both +aerial and lead-in wire, and Charley hadn't a hundred feet of wire left in +the place. What should he do? What could he do? + +Again he paused and pondered. And again an idea came to him. "They use +trees for aerials," he muttered, "and they make perfect ones to receive +by. I don't know whether one could send from them or not. But it's my last +chance. I'll try it." + +He gathered together his tools and instruments, including the creepers he +had used in putting up the telephone-line, carefully stowed them all in a +big basket and started down the mountain. A hundred yards from the door he +turned about and ran back. When he came out of the cabin again, his rifle +was tucked under his arm. Then he went down the mountain as fast as he +could travel. + +Fearfully he studied the truck as he drew near. It was untouched. With a +cry of joy, Charley tore open the battery box. In no time he had some +wires fast to the battery. He spread out his instruments and coupled +everything carefully together. The outfit lacked only an aerial. + +Buckling on his creepers, and stuffing some spikes and a hammer in his +pocket, Charley rapidly mounted a tall tree that stood close beside the +truck. As luck would have it, the tree stood all by itself, its nearest +neighbors having been cut in making the road. Two-thirds of the way up the +tree, Charley drove a spike deep into the wood. He sank a second spike +not far from the first. Then he drove home a third. The lead-in wire +dangled behind him at his belt. He unfastened it and twisted it tight to +the spikes, wrapping it close about one after the other. Then he climbed +down and made sure his wire did not touch the earth. Trembling with +eagerness, he sat down at his key. + +One moment he paused, drawing out his watch. With a cry of joy, he put his +finger on the key. It was almost the hour at which he was accustomed to +exchange morning greetings with Mr. Morton. He pressed his key and a sharp +flash resulted. Joyously he adjusted his spark-gap until he had a fine, +fat stream of fire leaping between the posts. Then he fairly held his +breath as he rapped out the ranger's call signal. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he called and listened. There was no response. Again +he called. And again there was no response. His face became pale. His +fingers began to tremble. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he rapped out frantically, sending the call again +and again. Then he sat back to listen. Suddenly his receivers buzzed. With +startling distinctness came the answer. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I. Your signals very weak." + +So the ranger could hear, Charley did not care how weak the signals were. + +"Forest afire in six places," he flashed back. "Wires cut. Wireless +broken. Talking over temporary outfit. Notify forester. Collect all men +possible. Come immediately in trucks to end of new road. Can get to fires +on foot from here easily." + +"Where are fires?" replied Mr. Morton. + +"South and west of fire-tower. In valleys both sides of fire-tower +mountain." + +"How far away?" + +"About two miles--maybe three." + +"How big are they?" + +"Still small. Can put out before wind rises. Must have help quick." + +There was a long pause. Then came this message, "Have sent neighbor with +his automobile to notify forester. Will rush crew. Hold fire best you can. +Good-bye." + +With a cry of relief that came from his very soul, Charley threw over his +switch and leaped to his feet. He seized his rifle, then stood a second, +hesitating. + +"No," he said decisively, "the man who set those fires won't wait around +to be seen, even if he is a desperate man." + +He slipped his rifle under a clump of bushes and buckled on his little +axe. Then he started down the fire trail at a fast pace. Now running, now +walking, advancing as fast as he could without exhausting himself, Charley +hastened toward the fire. Long before he reached the nearest blaze, +Charley smelled smoke. As he drew near the fire, he studied it as best he +could. He rejoiced that it was so small. The mist bank and the heavy fall +of dew had so moistened things that the fire crept but slowly. + +Charley cut a pine branch and fell upon the flames ferociously. A great +anger surged up in his heart, like the fierce passion that takes +possession of a bull when he sees red. It lent power and determination to +him. Yet Charley tried to conserve his strength. Yard after yard he beat +out the flames, thankful that he had to face only a little creeping fire. +Small as it was, the blaze was, nevertheless, hot and stifling. + +Rod after rod Charley fought his way around the ring of fire, never +pausing for a single instant to rest. By the time he had completed the +circle and the blaze was out, Charley was beginning to tire badly. He +doubted if he could beat out the six fires alone. If they grew any larger, +he knew he could not. And larger they were becoming, for the first faint +puffs of the morning breeze were beginning to stir the tree tops. + +Half a mile through the trees Charley smashed his way to the next ring of +fire. He could see that the flames were leaping a little higher and that +they were eating their way along at a faster pace than the first fire had +traveled. He knew it would be hard to stop this blaze. But he cut a new +bough, and gritting his teeth, once more fell to fighting fire. + +Quickly he found it was quite a different fire from the one he had +extinguished. Fitfully the wind was coming up. When it blew, the flames +seemed to leap at Charley. His shoes, his clothes, his hands and wrists +were blistered by the heat. His fingers were torn and his muscles ached. +His lungs and throat became painful. His eyes grew blurred. He could no +longer see clearly. There was a ringing noise in his ears. Yet coughing, +choking, gasping for breath, stumbling and tripping, and at times falling +prone, he fought his way along the line of fire. + +He was so weak, so worn out from physical exertion and nervous strain that +he could no longer think clearly. But blindly, stubbornly, doggedly, he +fought the flames. His movements became mechanical. Sometimes his +descending bough hit the fire and sometimes it struck the unignited +leaves. Charley was fast nearing the point of exhaustion. He could +scarcely control his movements. Yet he tried valiantly to hold himself to +his task. He thought of the turtle-dove on the burning stump and for a +moment the thought seemed to give him new strength. But the inspiration +was only momentary. Blindly now he staggered along the line of fire, +gasping, reeling, swaying, hardly able to keep his feet. He tottered on. + +He could hardly raise his brush. His efforts were useless. Yet he hung +doggedly to his duty. Just as he was about to plunge headlong into the +flames, a shout sounded in his ears, forms came rushing through the smoke, +and Charley was lifted in the forester's strong arms and borne to one +side. + + + + +Chapter XXVI + +More Thumb-Prints + + + +For a long time Charley lay on his back, hardly conscious of anything. But +slowly the pure air revived him and his powers came back. He sat up, then +rose unsteadily to his feet. In a few moments he felt all right. He began +to look about him. The fire he had been fighting was extinguished. He +ascended an easily climbed tree and saw that the third fire in the valley +was also out. He knew that the fire fighters had gone on to the next +valley to subdue the blazes there. The wind was still no more than a +zephyr and he knew they would succeed. The forest was saved. A feeling of +great relief came to him. + +He sat down and rested, thinking what he ought to do. He remembered what +the forester had said about the desirability of an immediate investigation +of incendiary fires. Here was his job. + +He made his way to the blackened area where he had put out the first fire. +The space burned over was small. Charley stood and looked at it for some +moments, thinking the problem over. Then he walked slowly around the +burned area, examining it closely, but not stepping within the fire-line. +Then he wet a finger and held it aloft. Unmistakably the light breeze was +from the west. It had doubtless been blowing from that quarter all the +morning, though this particular fire had been extinguished when there was +hardly more than a suspicion of a breeze. The fire would have spread in an +elongated circle, or more exactly an oval. Charley tried to figure out the +exact starting point. He felt sure he could estimate it within a few +yards. + +When he had decided about where the fire must have originated, he made his +way cautiously, a yard at a time, toward that point. He was careful not to +disturb the leaves any more than was necessary in putting down his feet. +Carefully he scrutinized every inch of the ground he covered. He was +looking for a mound of burned leaves or any other suspicious thing. But he +found none. Look where he would, the leaves seemed to have been disturbed +before the fire started. + +Not far from the point selected by Charley as the probable place of the +fire's origin, the ground thrust up in a little, low shoulder, as though +there might be an outcropping ledge of rock there. Immediately around this +elevation the ground was clear of brush. No trees stood near. Charley paid +little attention to the mound until he noticed that it was hollowed out on +top. At the same time a piece of freshly dug earth caught his eye near by. +At least Charley judged it to be freshly dug, although it was blackened by +fire. He made his way very carefully to the little mound. Now he noticed +that the leaves about this mound had been raked together, for the ashes +lay thick in the hollow centre in the elevation. + +Cautiously Charley began to scratch among the ashes at the edge of the +pile. His fingers encountered many rough chunks of earth, partly hardened +by fire. The rain, the frost, and the cold of winter would naturally have +broken those chunks down into loose soil. So Charley knew they could not +be very old. As he scratched more of them out of the leaves, he blew the +ashes from them and examined them critically. He could think of no +connection between these chunks of earth and the fire, yet something made +him scrutinize them closely. + +All the time he was carefully digging the ashes away, and working toward +the centre of the pile. Suddenly he picked up a chunk that was quite +different from the crumbly earth masses he had been handling. This piece +was partly hardened and reddened. At once Charley saw it was clay. + +Charley continued to scrape aside the ashes. He found more and more little +chunks of clay, while the hollow place in the centre of the mound proved +to be a square, small depression that must have been made with human +hands. Even before he had it cleared of ashes, Charley knew that. The +depression was much too rectangular to be natural. It was about eighteen +inches square and almost a foot deep. In the bottom of it were charred +ends of sticks and a little candle grease, buried under the mass of ashes. + +When Charley had carefully scraped and blown out all the ashes possible, +he lay flat on his belly and examined the place minutely. Some person or +persons had dug a little square chamber, like a sunken box, right in the +shoulder of the mound. Charley decided that a candle had been placed in +the centre of the box-like excavation, leaves packed loosely about the +base of the candle, some fine, dry twigs stacked across the edges of the +excavation, and across the top of the hole other dry twigs had been +placed. Then the candle had been lighted, the open side of the excavation +closed with twigs thrust vertically into the clay, and leaves heaped over +and about the excavation. + +As Charley examined the mound, he could not but admire the devilish +cunning exhibited in the construction of this fire box. The open space +about the mound would give full sweep to the morning breeze, and the box +was located in the windward shoulder of the little mound, exactly where +the breeze would hit it hardest. The piles of leaves heaped about the box +would spread the flames on all sides. + +The candle grease in the bottom of the excavation, Charley had no doubt, +was the remains of one of his own candles, taken with the food supplies +from his cupboard. Nor did he doubt that the man who had taken it was +Lumley. He must have disappeared in the forest the moment Henry Collins +had told him what was afoot, for there could be no doubt Collins had +informed him. After the moon rose, so that he could see well, Lumley must +have come to the cabin, stolen food and candles, cautiously removed the +aerial and grounded the battery, and gone straight down the valley to set +his fires. If he could not get the money for the timber, or at least some +of it, quite evidently Lumley did not intend to allow any one else to have +it, not even the state. + +In his own mind Charley had no doubt whatever that the incendiary was +Lumley, and that he had done exactly the things Charley pictured him as +doing. Even now he must be somewhere in the forest. But Charley felt +relieved when he realized that in all probability Lumley had no firearms. +He must have fled without taking time to equip himself. Also Charley +doubted if he would remain in the forest. The forester would be certain to +scour the woods for him, and Lumley could hardly hope to evade pursuit +indefinitely. He would probably make his way out of the forest at some +distant point and try to get away. Sooner or later, Charley felt sure, the +man would be captured and doubtless sent to prison for cheating the state. +It made Charley feel bad to think that he did not have enough direct +evidence to insure Lumley's conviction for arson as well. + +An idea came to Charley. Blowing away the remaining dust and ashes, +Charley once more began an examination of the little excavation. Inch by +inch he scrutinized the surface of the pit. He found it partly baked. +Suddenly he gave a cry. He had found the distinct prints of some one's +fingers. On the second side of the excavation he found more prints, and +the third side yielded still others. Carefully Charley chopped out the +incriminating bits of clay. When he laid them side by side and examined +them under his microscope, he found they had been made, not by one person, +but by three. Apparently each side of the pit had been fashioned by a +different man. + + + + +Chapter XXVII + +Trapped + + + +While Charley was turning the matter over in his mind, the forester +suddenly appeared. Charley gave a glad cry when he saw him. + +"Did you get them all out?" he asked anxiously. + +"All will be out in a short time," was the reply. "Morton and his big gang +crossed directly into the other valley when I came here with my crew. As +soon as we had finished your job here, we hustled over to the other +valley. The fires there had spread considerably, but as there was little +wind and we had a big force of men, we quickly got them under control. The +minute I was satisfied we had them in hand, I came back to see how you +were. Jim is in charge over there, so everything will be all right. How +are you?" + +"All O.K.," said Charley, "but I guess I must have been about all in when +you got here. I don't remember much about it." + +"Yes, you were about gone. We got to you just in time. Now tell me what +you know about this fire." + +The two men sat down in the shade and Charley told his chief all that had +happened to him since the two had parted on the preceding evening. When +he showed the forester the marks in the clay, the forester was elated. + +"He's a pretty clever rascal who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," he +said. "It's an easy guess who your three fire bugs are. I have a very +great suspicion that the thumb-prints in that ball of clay I took from +your secret camp will match up with some of these marks, and that both +sets of prints will correspond with the marks on the thumbs of one Bill +Collins, though I didn't know that he was in the neighborhood at present. +And it's just as safe a bet that another set of those marks will match the +ends of Lumley's thumbs. If only he had been as considerate as his friend +Collins, and left his calling cards behind him, we'd have a complete case +against him." + +"We have," cried Charley, leaping to his feet in sudden excitement. +"Lumley left his thumb-prints in the putty he stuck in his window-sash. I +never thought of them until this moment." + +"Excellent!" cried the forester. "I suspect we can find the duplicates for +this third set of prints only when we lay hands on Henry Collins. But I +have a strong suspicion we'll have a chance to make that comparison very +soon." + +"How?" asked Charley eagerly. "What do you mean? Have the police made any +arrests?" + +"I don't know," replied the forester. "But this is the situation. Lumley +will never dare hang around in the forest, for he will know that every +man in the Forest Service is looking for him. Then, too, he can't have +much food with him." + +"Only what he took from me, I suspect." + +"That makes it certain that he must leave the forest soon. It's a good +many miles from the lumber camp to this neighborhood, so the three +fugitives must be traveling in this direction. If they keep on for fifteen +or twenty miles further, they will come out of the mountains near +Pleasantville or Maple Gap. They can board a train at either place. The +state police already are watching both stations. If Lumley and his fellows +went straight on after they started the fires, and Goodness knows they +wouldn't hang around here, they could reach the railroad in six or eight +hours. That means they would be there by this time. There is a train that +reaches Pleasantville about eleven o'clock. They would have time to make +it. I should not be at all surprised, when I get back to the office, to +find a message saying that the police had caught them." + +"Let us hope you do," said Charley. + +The forester arose. "Would you like to go see?" he asked. + +"Surest thing you know," replied Charley. + +"Then we'll hike back to the road and slip out to Lumley's house in my +car. We can get that window-sash and put it in a safe place in my office +and be back here before Jim brings his gang out." + +Rapidly the two walked back along the fire trail. "Charley," said the +forester suddenly, "just how did you manage to get that message to Jim? +It's all that saved the forest. The telephone was put as completely out +of commission as your wireless was." + +Charley then told the forester how he had used a tree for an aerial. "It +was my last chance," he said. "If it hadn't worked, the forest would have +burned. I had read about the use of trees to receive by, and I thought I +had read that messages had been sent through trees, but I wasn't sure. It +was my only chance and I took it." + +"You're a wonder, Charley. I take back everything I ever said about the +wireless. I have telegraphed for the Commissioner to come on from the +capital. I shall put this entire matter before him and urge the +installation of a wireless outfit in every district of the state forests. +No matter what is done elsewhere, we're going on a wireless basis here as +soon as we can get the outfit, just as I told you. If I can't get money +from the state for the outfit, I'll pay for it myself and have your +Wireless Club make it. This coming winter we'll start a radio school and +you shall have charge of it. Maybe Jim can help you now." + +"That will be grand," said Charley with sparkling eyes. "If only we had +the money Lumley robbed the state of, we could buy a dozen outfits." + +"We'll get every cent of it," said the forester with decision. "Don't you +worry about that. When we went to the lumber camp after Lumley last night, +I stopped all cutting. Before another stick is felled, you and I are going +in there and measure every stump. Then we'll estimate the timber that +came from those stumps and the lumber operators will pay for it or they +will face a criminal prosecution. If we catch Lumley, we've got the +operators dead to rights. He's the kind of a rat that will squeal quick +when he's caught." + +They reached the road, jumped into the forester's car and sped away to +Lumley's house. Half an hour later they entered the forester's office, +carefully carrying a window-sash. As the forester reached his desk, the +man in charge handed him a message from the state police at Maple Gap. It +read, "Have arrested three men who came out of the forest here and tried +to board a train. They give fictitious names, but no doubt two of the men +are wanted. Third has gold teeth and scar over right cheek. Do you want +him?" + +"Do we want him?" echoed the forester, as he began to write an answer. +"Well, I should say we do." + +He dashed off his message, and handed it to his assistant. "Rush that," he +directed. + +Then he took a long coil of wire from a closet and led the way back to his +car. "That's for a temporary aerial in case you decide to make one," he +said, as Charley climbed up beside him and they went whirling back to the +fire-tower in the mountains. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII + +Victory + + + +In due time Ranger Morton came out of the forest with his big crew. The +men were black with smoke and their hands and faces were blistered and +scratched. But they were a happy crew for all that. They had extinguished +what at first bade fair to be the worst fire ever seen in their district. + +By this time every man in the gang had heard the story of Lumley's +dastardly act and Charley's quick wit. Most of the men lived in or near +the forest, and a great fire might have consumed their homes just as truly +as it would have destroyed the forest. It was small wonder, then, that to +a man they had only admiration and gratitude for Charley. The last vestige +of ill-will that any of them might have had for Charley was gone. Like men +of the forest, they said little. But Charley knew that this little meant +much. He had won the good-will and respect of every man in the district. +No wonder he was happy. + +This thought did much to offset the feeling of regret that he could not +help experiencing at the realization that his days as a ranger were +numbered. When he became a patrol again, or a member of Jim's crew, for he +believed that Mr. Marlin would grant him that wish, he knew that he would +stand on a par with the men in their own estimation. So he waved good-bye +to the departing trucks with a mixture of happiness and regret. + +But he was not allowed many hours to indulge in either emotion. Very early +next morning the telephone, which Ranger Morton had promptly repaired, +began to ring. Charley answered the call and received a brusque order from +the forester to remain at the tower, as the forester was coming out to see +him. + +"I wonder if Mr. Marlin ever sleeps," said Charley to himself. "He's +probably on his way here now and I'm hardly out of bed. I'll make him a +cup of coffee and some toast anyway." + +But when Charley came to make the toast, he could find only three slices +of bread. Lumley had cleaned him out of food. It seemed no time at all to +Charley before he heard the chugging of the forester's motor in the +valley. A short time afterward two men ascended to the cabin. Charley was +surprised. + +"Let me introduce you to the Chief Forester of Pennsylvania," said Mr. +Marlin. Charley was suddenly abashed. He held out his hand and responded +to the Commissioner's greeting, but was at a joss for anything further to +say. He thought of his toast and coffee and was more than ever +embarrassed, because he had only three slices to offer. Nevertheless, he +set what he had before his guests. + +"I'm awfully sorry this is all I can offer you," he said, "but I had some +visitors yesterday who cleaned me out of food." + +"So I have heard," replied the Chief Forester, with a smile. + +"You will be glad to know, Charley," said the forester, "that those same +visitors have confessed to their crime, or rather Lumley did. When we +produced the thumb-prints in the putty and in the clay and compared them +with Lumley's thumbs, he made a clean breast of everything. It won't +surprise you to learn that he set the previous fires in this virgin +timber. He wants to be state's evidence." + +"Excellent!" cried Charley. "They won't burn any more forests--or rob any +more cabins. By the way, Mr. Marlin, did you bring me any more supplies?" + +"No," said the forester. + +Charley looked vastly perplexed, but said nothing. He didn't want to +bother the forester, but how he was to live without food he could not +imagine. Evidently his face must have mirrored his thoughts, for the +forester, after studying Charley's countenance, burst into a laugh. + +"Charley," he said, "it's clear that you don't pay much attention to your +Bible." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Why, don't you recall that we are admonished to take no thought for the +morrow, as to what we shall eat, and so on? Here you are worrying over a +little matter like food. Don't you have any ravens out in these mountains +to bring you grub if you get hungry?" + +"It isn't any laughing matter," replied Charley. "What am I going to do? I +haven't an ounce of food left in the cabin." + +The forester's eyes sparkled. "Shall we tell him what he's to do, +Commissioner?" he asked. + +The Chief Forester turned toward them with a smile. "I guess you had +better. It would be a shame to torment this young man after what he has +accomplished." + +"Very well, then. Listen, Charley. Here are your orders. To begin with, +Jim is now on deck again and you are relieved of your position as +temporary ranger." + +Charley tried hard to choke back the lump that came into his throat. +Evidently his face betrayed his feelings. + +"Look at him, Commissioner," said the forester. "I believe he's going to +pout." + +Charley bit his lip and tried to smile. + +"In the second place," continued the forester, "you are to remove your +belongings from this post and oversee the cutting of the lumber +operation." + +The smile that now came to Charley's face was not forced. + +"In the third place," the forester went on, "you are hereby appointed a +ranger in the Pennsylvania Forest Service to succeed one George Lumley." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean it honestly?" + +"I sure do. And there is nothing temporary about your appointment. You +are a full-fledged ranger. You have earned the place and I congratulate +you heartily on having won it." He held out his hand and clasped Charley's +warmly. + +"Now, that is all I have to say to you," concluded the forester, "but I +think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you." + +Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant. + +"Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester," said +the Commissioner. + +"It is," replied Charley. + +"He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family +obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular +course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your +ambition." + +"That is true, sir," said Charley. "There is nothing I would rather do +than become a forester if only it were possible. I love the forest." + +"The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that. How would +you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?" + +"Oh! Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I +dropped to accomplish it." + +"There is, and you shall have the chance. It is the policy of this +department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men +to advance in the service. Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the +forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time +by great application to your work and by study at night you have become +one of the best men he has. All you lack is experience. Time will remedy +that. If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study +and work, would you like to do it? Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the +technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto. He will +take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical +work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training +for the position of forester. What about it? Do you wish to do it?" + +"Oh! Mr. Commissioner," cried Charley, "I can't tell you how much I want +to do it. If you will just give me that chance, you'll find I'm no +shirker." + +"Then the chance is yours. You have earned it. Now we must hurry back to +headquarters, Ranger Russell. I hope that some day I shall be able to call +you Forester Russell." + +Charley's heart was too full for utterance. He grasped the proffered hand +and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into +his throat. + +A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his +luggage. His heart was singing merrily. + +"Some day," he said to himself, "we may get enough timber back on these +hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so +that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a +lifetime to pay for it. I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to +think he's going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million +people." + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + +***** This file should be named 12839-8.txt or 12839-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/8/3/12839/ + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/12839-8.zip b/old/12839-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cc13e1b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12839-8.zip diff --git a/old/12839-h.zip b/old/12839-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..87f198e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12839-h.zip diff --git a/old/12839-h/12839-h.htm b/old/12839-h/12839-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..70e355e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12839-h/12839-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9505 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> +<title>The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss</title> +<style type="text/css" title="Default"> + <!-- + + body { + font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; + margin: 5%; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + text-align: center; + font-weight: bold; + } + + h1,h2,h3,h4 { + font-variant: small-caps; + } + + h1.title { margin-top: 5em; } + + .sec h4 { + text-decoration: underline; + font-variant: normal; + text-align: left; + } + + .smallcaps { font-variant: small-caps } + + a { text-decoration: none; } + a:hover { background-color: #ffffcc } + + div.chapter, #preface { + margin-top: 4em; + padding: 5px; + } + + div.chapter>ul { + list-style-type: none; + } + + div.chapter>ul>li:hover { + list-style-type: disc; + } + + hr { + height: 1px; + width: 80%; + } + + p.byline { + text-align: center; + font-variant: small-caps; + } + + .poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + text-align: left; + } + + div.image { + margin: auto; + } + + #frontis .caption { + text-transform: uppercase; + } + + img { + border: none; + } + + #tp, #verso, #frontis { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 3em; + } + + #toc>ol { + list-style-type: upper-roman; + } + + #dedication, #foreword, #verso, #toc, #frontis { + margin-top: 4em; + } + +--> +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol + +Author: Lewis E. Theiss + +Release Date: July 7, 2004 [EBook #12839] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + + + + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + +<div id="frontis"> +<div class="image"><a href="images/frontis.png"><img src="images/frontistn.png" alt="The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where the Battle with the Flames Had Begun" title="The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where the Battle with the Flames Had Begun" /></a></div> +<div class="caption"><div class="line">The Forester, Charley and Lew crossed to the brook</div> <div class="line">where +the battle with the flames had begun</div></div> +</div> + + +<div id="tp"> +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol</h1> + +<p>or</p> + +<h2 class="subtitle"><i>The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol</i></h2> + +<p class="byline">By</p> + +<h2 class="author">Lewis E. Theiss</h2> + +<h3>Illustrated by<br /> +Frank T. Merrill</h3> + + +</div> + + + + +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As A Fire Patrol.</h1> + + + +<div id="dedication"> +<h2>This book is dedicated to</h2> + +<h3>Gifford Pinchot</h3> + +<p>sometime forester for the United States of America, and now Commissioner +of Forestry for Pennsylvania, whose ceaseless and undiscouraged efforts to +save from spoliation the vast timber stands and other natural resources of +America have inspired this story</p> +</div> + + +<div id="foreword"> +<h2>Foreword</h2> + + + +<p>Boys and dogs go well together. So do boys and trees. When a boy gets to +love the forest and can live in it, that is best of all. For the forest +makes real boys and real men.</p> + +<p>Not only does the forest do that, but it keeps the Nation alive. No one +can eat a meal without the help of the forest, for it takes more than half +the wood cut every year in the United States to enable the farmer to grow +the food and the fibres to feed and clothe the Nation. No one can live in +a house without the help of the forest, for whether we speak of it as a +wooden house, a brick house, a stone house, or a concrete house, still +there is wood in it, and without wood it could not have been built.</p> + +<p>We are apt to think of the city dwellers as people who are not dependent +on the forest. As a matter of fact, they are the most dependent of all, +for the cities would be deserted, the houses empty, and the streets dead, +except for the things which could not be grown nor mined nor manufactured +nor transported without the help of wood from the forest.</p> + +<p>Pennsylvania--Penn's Woods--is the greatest industrial commonwealth in the +world. Without its woods, it could never have been made so. Unless its +woods are restored, it cannot continue to be so, and unless forest fires +are stopped, there is no way to restore Penn's Woods.</p> + +<p>I have read "The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol" with the +keenest interest, not only because it is about the forest, but because it +is a thrillingly interesting story of a real boy and the real things he +did in the woods. I like it from end to end, and that is why, when Mr. +Theiss asked me to write this foreword, I gladly consented.</p> + +<p>No one loves the woods more than I, as boy and man, or loves to be in them +better. One of the things I want most is to see more and better forests in +our great State of Pennsylvania, and in the whole United States. Without +our forests we could not have become great, nor can we continue to be so. +For the men and boys who love the forest and understand it are of the kind +without whom great nations are impossible.</p> + +<p class="smallcaps">Gifford Pinchot.</p> +</div> + + +<div id="toc"> +<h2>Contents</h2> + + +<ol> + <li><a href="#ch01">Vacation Plans</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch02">What Came of Them</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch03">Off to the Mountains</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch04">In the Burned Forest</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch05">A Lost Opportunity</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch06">Trout Fishing in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch07">The Forest Afire</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch08">Making an Investigation</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch09">Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch10">An Encounter with a Bear</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch11">The Secret Camp in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch12">On the Trail of the Timber Thieves</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch13">Spying Out the Land</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch14">The Trail in the Forest</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch15">The Telltale Thumb-Print</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch16">Good News for the Fire Patrol</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch17">An Accident in the Wilderness</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch18">The First Clue to the Incendiary</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch19">The Forester's Problem</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch20">Charley Wins His First Promotion</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch21">A Trouble Maker</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch22">Charley Finds Another Clue</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch23">A Startling Discovery</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch24">Checkmated</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch25">The Crisis</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch26">More Thumb-Prints</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch27">Trapped</a></li> + <li><a href="#ch28">Victory</a></li> +</ol> +</div> + + +<h1 class="title">The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol</h1> + + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch01"> +<h2>Chapter I</h2> + +<h3>Vacation Plans</h3> + + + +<p>Charley Russell sat before a table in the workshop in his father's back +yard. In front of him were the shining instruments of his wireless +outfit--his coupler, his condenser, his helix, his spark-gap, and the +other parts, practically all of which he had made with his own hands. +Ordinarily he would have looked at them fondly, but now he gave them +hardly a thought. He was waiting for his chum, Lew Heinsling, and his mind +was busy with the problem of his own future. Charley was a senior in high +school and was pondering over the question of what the world had in store +for him. While he sat meditating, Lew arrived. In his hand was a copy of +the <i>New York Sun and Herald</i>. He held it out to Charley and pointed to +the marine news.</p> + +<p>"The <i>Lycoming</i> reaches New York to-day," he said. "Roy will send us a +wireless message to-night. Gee! I wish we had a battery strong enough to +talk back."</p> + +<p>But Charley paid slight heed to the suggestion. Instead he said: "Roy +Mercer's a lucky dog. Think of being the wireless man on a big ocean +steamer when you're only nineteen. I wish I knew what I am going to do +after I graduate from high school."</p> + +<p>Roy Mercer, like Charley and Lew, was a member of the Camp Brady Wireless +Patrol. With his fellows he had taken part in the capture of the German +spies who were trying to dynamite the Elk City reservoir and so wreck a +great munitions centre during the war; and with three other members of the +Wireless Patrol, especially selected for their skill in wireless, he had +later gone to New York with their leader, Captain Hardy, to assist the +government Secret Service in its search for the secret wireless that was +keeping the German Admiralty informed of the movements of American +vessels.</p> + +<p>His fellows both envied and loved him. Roy warmly returned their +affection, and his vessel never came into port that he did not, regularly +at nine o'clock in the evening, flash out some message of greeting to his +former comrades of the Wireless Patrol. It was always a one-sided +conversation, however, because none of the boys in the Wireless Patrol +owned a battery powerful enough to carry a message from Central City to +New York. Just now each lad was engaged in trying to earn money so that +the club could buy a battery or dynamo strong enough for this purpose. So +each boy was working at any job he could pick up after school, and saving +all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their +share of the purchase money.</p> + +<p>"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever +expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good. +You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a +corking good wireless operator."</p> + +<p>"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high +school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I +hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky, +noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky, +or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel +blue."</p> + +<p>"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew. +"Maybe you can find some other job you like better."</p> + +<p>"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad +says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most +money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they +pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe +three dollars."</p> + +<p>Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you +have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as +much if I could work out in the open and do something I like."</p> + +<p>"Why don't you tell your father so?"</p> + +<p>"I have--dozens of times. But he says it isn't a question of what I want +to do. It's a question of making the most money possible and helping him. +He says he's supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to +help him for a year or two anyway."</p> + +<p>"That's a shame!" cried Lew.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't, Lew," explained Charley. "It's all right about helping Dad. +He's been mighty good to me, and he's in the hole now. You see, Dad and +Mother have been married twenty years and Dad's worked hard all this time +and saved his money to build a house. And just about the time Dad was +ready to begin building, prices began to go up. Dad held off, thinking +they would drop. But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the +carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still. Now the house +is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful +prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn. With such a big +mortgage on the place, Dad says he's just got to have my help or he may +lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years. It's all right +about helping Dad, Lew. I want to do that, but I can't bear to think of +going to work in that factory."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad, Charley. I had hoped so much that we could go to college +together."</p> + +<p>"Lew, if I could go to college I'd work my head off to do it. You know +that. If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers +and rocks and trees and animals, I'd be willing to do anything--even to +work in Miller's factory for a time. But Dad will need every cent I can +earn until I am twenty-one, and I can't see how I can possibly go to +college."</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Charley. You never can tell what will happen. Look at Roy. He +was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to +care for both himself and his mother. And see what came of it. He isn't +much older than we are, yet he's got a fine job. Just keep your eyes open +and you may pick up something, too."</p> + +<p>"It'll have to come quick, then," sighed Charley. "Here it is almost +Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June. This will probably be the +last vacation I shall have in a long time."</p> + +<p>"Then let's enjoy this vacation. I've been thinking what we could do, and +it occurred to me that it would be lots of fun for the Wireless Patrol to +make a trip up the river to that old camp of ours. It won't be too cold to +camp out if we take out our tents and our little collapsible stoves. +Suckers ought to be running good and we can catch a fine mess of fish, +take a hike or two, and have a bully trip up the river and back. Let's go +tell the rest of the fellows."</p> + +<p>Lew jumped up and started for the door. Then he stopped suddenly and a +look of disappointment came over his face. "I'll bet none of 'em can go," +he said. "They've all got jobs for the vacation. I'm glad we've got our +money earned."</p> + +<p>"I just thought of another difficulty," sighed Charley. "Not one of us +owns a boat."</p> + +<p>"We can borrow one," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"I hate to borrow things," replied Charley. "You remember how I borrowed +old man Packer's bob-sled and broke it and then had to pay to have it +remade. No more borrowing for me."</p> + +<p>"Why can't we make a boat? There's plenty of time between now and +vacation. If we do the work ourselves, it oughtn't to cost more than two +or three dollars and then we'd have a boat of our own."</p> + +<p>"Bully!" cried Charley. "We can make it as good as anybody. We'll do it."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll go down-town and find the price of oars and rowlocks, and +you go over to Hank Cooley's and find out how his father made that boat of +his. It's a dandy and just what we need."</p> + +<p>The two boys rushed off in opposite directions, each full of enthusiasm +over the plan to build a new boat and make a trip up the river during +their Easter vacation.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch02"> +<h2>Chapter II</h2> + +<h3>What Came of Them</h3> + + + +<p>A few hours later Charley Russell again sat before the bench in the little +wireless house in his father's yard. Before him lay some patterns for a +rowboat, and on a piece of paper Charley was trying to figure out how much +lumber it would take to build the boat.</p> + +<p>"We'll need two sixteen-foot boards, each a foot wide for the sides," he +said, looking across the table at his chum, who sat ready, with pencil and +paper, to jot down the figures Charley gave him.</p> + +<p>"Thirty-two feet," said Lew, setting down the number on his paper.</p> + +<p>Charley bent over his patterns, measuring and estimating in silence. +"It'll take three more like 'em for the bottom," he said presently.</p> + +<p>"That's forty-eight more," replied Lew, jotting down the number.</p> + +<p>"And these cross braces," added Charley, after another period of +calculation, "will take ten feet more."</p> + +<p>Again Lew set down the number.</p> + +<p>"That provides for everything but the decks," said Charley. "They will +take seven or eight feet more. Better call it ten. That's all. What does +it make?"</p> + +<p>Lew put down ten and added the column of figures. "One hundred feet +exactly," he said.</p> + +<p>"Bully good!" replied Charley. "A hundred feet oughtn't to cost much of +anything. The rub's going to be to get the oars. You say they want five +dollars for the cheapest pair at the hardware store, and the sporting +goods store wants six-fifty."</p> + +<p>"The robbers!" cried Lew. "Think of it. Six-fifty for about fifteen cents' +worth of wood. Maybe we can get a pair of second-hand oars somewhere. +Six-fifty is as much as we can afford to spend on the whole outfit."</p> + +<p>"It will be all right to get second-hand oars," said Charley, "for we can +get new ones later, when we have the money. Besides, we want to put most +of our money into the boat itself. As long as we are going to build it, we +want to make it the very best boat possible. We want the best wood in the +market and we want our boat light enough so that the two of us can carry +it. I reckon it may cost two or three dollars if we buy such good wood as +that. But it will be worth while. We can get along with cheap oars for a +time. Let's go down to the lumber-yard and get our boards."</p> + +<p>The two chums left the shop and hurried down the street toward the +lumber-yard.</p> + +<p>"If we can get our lumber to-day," said Charley, "I'm certain we can get +our boat made before the spring vacation. We ought to be able to put in +three hours apiece every afternoon after high school lets out, and we can +get in another hour apiece before school, if we get up early enough. +That's four hours apiece, or eight hours a day. We certainly ought to get +it finished and painted inside of ten days."</p> + +<p>"Sure," replied Lew. "We'll have her done all right. And we'll have just +about the finest boat in town."</p> + +<p>"And I reckon we'll have just about the finest trip ever," went on +Charley. "If we start right after school closes for the Easter vacation we +can row up-stream that afternoon as far as Hillman's Grove, and camp there +for the night. That will give us almost half a day's extra time. Then we +can reach our old camping ground the next day and get the tent up and our +wood cut and maybe even catch some fish before dark. We'll have everything +ready so we can jump right into the boat and pull out the minute school is +over."</p> + +<p>"Sure," assented Lew. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "Ain't it a +shame none of the other members of the Wireless Patrol can go along? We'll +miss 'em, particularly Roy. And now that he's wireless man on the +<i>Lycoming</i>, he'll probably never go on another trip with the Camp Brady +Patrol."</p> + +<p>"It's too bad for us, but mighty nice for Roy," said Charley. "Just think +of being the wireless man on a great ocean steamship when you're only +nineteen. He's made for life. Gee! I wish I knew what I am going to do."</p> + +<p>"I know how you feel, Charley. Maybe something will turn up so that you +won't need to go into the factory after all. But here we are at the +lumber-yard. Let's get the boards and begin our boat at once. We'll have a +good time this vacation, no matter what happens afterward."</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, what can I do for you?" inquired the lumber dealer, as +Charley and Lew approached him.</p> + +<p>"We want one hundred feet of the lightest and best boards you have," +replied Charley. "We are going to build a boat and we want it to be strong +but light, so that the two of us can handle it."</p> + +<p>"White pine would be just the thing for you," replied the dealer, "but I +haven't a foot of it in the place and can't get any. I have some fine +cedar boards that would make a good light boat. Just come over to this +pile of lumber." And he led the way across the yard.</p> + +<p>"That will suit us all right if it's wide enough," said Charley. "We want +foot boards."</p> + +<p>"Well, that's what these are. And a good inch thick, too. They're mighty +good boards. Hardly a knot in 'em. We don't see much lumber like that +nowadays."</p> + +<p>"They'll do all right," assented Charley, after examining the boards. +"What do they cost a hundred?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars."</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars!" cried Charley in consternation. Then a smile came on his +face. "Quit your kidding," he said. "What <i>do</i> they come at?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars," replied the lumber dealer soberly.</p> + +<p>The two boys stared at him incredulously.</p> + +<p>"Impossible!" cried Lew. "What are they <i>really</i> worth?"</p> + +<p>"Ten dollars," replied the man. His voice was sharp and a frown had +gathered on his forehead. "Ten dollars, and cheap at that."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his companion with a look of dismay. "We can never build +our boat with wood at such a price," he cried. "With five dollars to pay +for oars, and two dollars for paint, and some more for nails and rowlocks, +and lock and chain, the boat would cost eighteen or twenty dollars just +for the materials. That's three times as much as we have got."</p> + +<p>After an instant the look on Charley's face changed to one of intense +indignation. He had a quick temper, and now he turned to the lumber dealer +in anger.</p> + +<p>"I guess the sugar profiteers are not the only ones who ought to be in the +penitentiary," he said hotly. "You can keep your old boards. And I hope +they rot for you."</p> + +<p>Then he turned on his heel and started toward the gate, followed by Lew.</p> + +<p>"Come back here!"</p> + +<p>The words rang out sharp and sudden. The voice was commanding and +compelling. Involuntarily the two boys turned back. The lumber dealer +stood before them, his face ablaze with indignation. Under his fiery +glances the boys were speechless. For a moment the man said nothing. +Evidently he was struggling with his temper. When he had gotten control of +himself he spoke. His voice was deep and low, but harsh and cutting.</p> + +<p>"Before you make a fool of yourself again, young man," he said, speaking +directly to Charley, "you had better know what you are talking about. You +called me a profiteer for asking $100 a thousand feet for those cedar +boards. Young man, those boards cost me $90 a thousand in the cars at the +station. That leaves me a margin of $10 a thousand for handling them. Out +of that I have to pay to have the boards hauled from the station, pay for +insurance on them, pay their proportionate share of overhead expense, and +pay for hauling them to customers. How much of that $10 do you think is +left for profit? So little it almost requires a microscope to see it. I +have to handle a good many hundred feet of lumber to make as much as the +cheapest sort of laborer gets for a day's pay. The fact is, young man, +that far from profiteering on that lumber, I am selling it at a smaller +profit than I ever sold any lumber before in my life. Some lumber I am +handling at a loss. But in these critical days, with factories closing +everywhere, and men by the thousands being thrown out of work, the best +thing a man can do, either for himself or for his country, is to keep +business moving. That's why I am selling lumber without profit."</p> + +<p>Charley was suddenly abashed. "I'm awfully sorry I called you a +profiteer," he said humbly. "I beg your pardon."</p> + +<p>"It's all right, young man," said the lumber dealer, a smile once more +lighting up his face. "You are too young to understand how critical the +business situation really is. But be careful in future how you call people +names."</p> + +<p>"I certainly will," agreed Charley. "But I'd like to know this. Who <i>is</i> +profiteering in lumber? Who is responsible for such terrible prices?"</p> + +<p>"Well, there <i>has</i> been profiteering in lumber, as in everything else. But +there is a real reason why the price of lumber is so high, and that is the +scarcity of timber."</p> + +<p>"Scarcity!" cried Charley incredulously. "Why, the forests are full of +timber."</p> + +<p>"And what is it like?" demanded the lumber dealer. "Go out to the forests +and look at it. There's nothing but little poles that will scarcely make +six-inch boards. We don't produce one-fourth of the lumber we use in this +state, and we are using wood ten times as fast as our forests are growing +it."</p> + +<p>"I thought Pennsylvania was a great lumbering state," protested Lew.</p> + +<p>"For a good many years it led the nation in the production of lumber, +young man, but now it ranks twentieth among the states. If only fire could +be kept out of the forests, we might some day raise our own timber again. +But the lumbermen chopped down the big trees and fire has destroyed the +little ones and even burned the forest soil so that nothing grows in it +again. We have not only destroyed our forests, but we have so injured the +land that new trees do not grow to take the place of those we cut."</p> + +<p>The two boys stared at the lumberman in amazement. "Where <i>do</i> we get our +lumber from?" demanded Lew.</p> + +<p>"Practically all of it comes from the South. That's one reason lumber +costs so much here. The people of Pennsylvania pay $25,000,000 a year in +freight charges on the lumber they use. That's one of the reasons those +cedar boards you were looking at cost so much. When the new freight rates +go into effect the cost of hauling our lumber to us will be something like +$40,000,000 a year."</p> + +<p>The two boys were very thoughtful as they made their way back to Charley's +shop.</p> + +<p>"What are people going to do for wood pretty soon?" Lew inquired of his +companion. "If we can't build a little boat because the wood costs too +much, how are people going to get homes and furniture and wagons and +motor-cars and a thousand other things? Seems to me pretty much everything +we use is made of wood."</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "But what bothers me more just now is to +know what we are going to do during Easter vacation. It may be the last +vacation I shall ever have, and I'd like to have a good time."</p> + +<p>"Why not follow the lumber dealer's suggestion and go out to the forests? +Easter doesn't come this year until after the trout season opens. We could +go out to our old camp in the mountains and spend the vacation there, +fishing and hiking."</p> + +<p>"That's a mighty good suggestion, Lew. If we have our packs ready, we can +start from high school the minute it is dismissed. We can make that early +afternoon train and get off at that little flag-station at the foot of +Stone Mountain. Then we can hike through the notch and reach the far slope +of Old Ironsides before dark. We shall have to camp overnight along the +run from the spring there, as it is the only water for miles around. Then +the next day we can go on into that little valley where we saw so many +trout. That is so hard to reach that not many fishermen ever go there. The +little stream from the spring on Old Ironsides runs into that brook. Do +you remember what lots of little trout we saw not far below the spring? +They will have become big fellows by this time and moved down into the +larger stream. There ought to be some fine fishing there this spring."</p> + +<p>"They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. I'm sorry we can't +build the boat, but we shall have just as good a time in the mountains as +we should have had on the river. We'll borrow that little pup tent of +Johnnie Lee's, and take our blankets, hatchets, fishing-rods, and grub."</p> + +<p>"I'd rather leave the tent at home and build a lean-to after we get there. +Then we could take a portable wireless outfit and talk to the fellows at +home here in the evening. Half a dozen dry cells would give us one-sixth +of a kilowatt of current, and that ought to carry a message twenty-five or +thirty miles easily. At night we might be able to talk fifty miles. We can +carry six cells easily. The remainder of the outfit won't weigh much. +We'll have to go as light as we can, for it's a mighty tough hike over Old +Ironsides and on into that little valley."</p> + +<p>"Shall we take our pistols?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"We'd better have at least one. You never can tell when you're going to +need a pistol in the forest. Remember the time that bear treed me on the +first hike of the Wireless Patrol? I don't ever want to get into another +situation like that without something to shoot with."</p> + +<p>Charley chuckled. "It wasn't a pistol that saved you then," he smiled, +"but Willie Brown and his spark-gap."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll be doubly armed," replied Lew. "Since you have so much faith +in wireless, you can carry the outfit. I'll pack the gun. We're almost +certain to have some kind of adventure, for every time the Wireless Patrol +or any of its members venture into the woods, something exciting happens."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch03"> +<h2>Chapter III</h2> + +<h3>Off to the Mountains</h3> + + + +<p>Busy, indeed, were the succeeding ten days. The outfit that the two boys +were to carry was packed and repacked several times, and each time it was +overhauled something was eliminated from the packs; for both boys knew +well enough that the trip before them would test their endurance even with +the lightest of packs. Finally their outfit was reduced to two +fishing-rods, one hatchet, a first-aid kit, a flash-light, the necessary +food and dishes, one canteen, and one pistol, with the wireless equipment.</p> + +<p>This was made as simple as possible. Six new dry cells were to be taken to +provide current. Then there were a spark-gap, a spark-coil, a key, and a +detector, with the receiving set, switch, and aerial. To be sure, the +entire aerial was not packed, but merely the wires and insulators, as +spreaders could be made in the forest. Then there was an additional coil +of wire to be used for lead-in and suspension wires. No tuning instrument +was necessary, because the wireless outfits of all the members of the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol were exactly alike and so were already in tune with +one another. Without a tuning instrument, to be sure, it might not be +possible for Charley and Lew to talk with anybody except their fellows of +the Wireless Patrol, but in the present circumstances that made no +difference to them. They had no intention of talking to anybody else.</p> + +<p>The various instruments were carefully packed so that they could be +carried without injury. The dishes were nested as well as possible. Then +all were stowed away in the pack bags, together with the food supplies. +The two blankets were tightly folded and tied, ready to be slung over the +shoulders. Long before that last session of school, everything was in +readiness. When finally that last session was over, the two lads had only +to strap their packs on their backs, sling their blankets into place, and +pick up their little fishing-rods, unjointed and compactly packed in cloth +cases. Lew buckled the pistol to his belt and suspended the canteen from +his shoulder, while Charley sheathed his little axe and hung it on his +hip. Then, completely ready, the two lads waved farewell to their envious +comrades and hastened away to the train. In less than an hour the train +stopped to let them off at the little flag-station at the foot of Stone +Mountain. In a moment more it had gone whistling around the shoulder of +the hill, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the wilderness.</p> + +<p>Quickly they adjusted their packs and started back along the +railroad-track toward the gap through which they were to pass to Old +Ironsides. Rapidly they made their way along the road-bed.</p> + +<p>"We'd better hustle while the going's good," commented Lew, glancing at +the heavy clouds that obscured the sun, "for it will get dark early +to-night. It'll be slow enough going once we leave the track."</p> + +<p>"There's one thing sure," replied Charley. "We won't be bothered with wet +ground. I think I never saw the earth so dry at this season of the year. +There was almost no snow last winter and we've hardly had a rain this +spring. Usually it rains every day at this time of year."</p> + +<p>Charley's prediction proved true. When the boys at last reached the notch +in the mountains and left the railroad-track, they found the way almost as +dry as a village street. Years before, the timber had been cut from Stone +Mountain, and a logging trail had passed up the very gap through which the +boys were now traveling. But brush and brambles had come in soon after the +lumbermen left and now a thick stand of saplings also helped to choke the +path. The briars tore at the boys' clothing and blankets. The bushy +growths caught in their packs and straps and wrapped themselves about +their feet and legs. Very quickly it became evident that a hard struggle +lay before them.</p> + +<p>Back from the trail, in the forest proper, there was little underbrush, +but the stand of young trees was dense and the way underfoot was so rough +and uneven that it was almost impossible to make any headway there. For +Stone Mountain was a stone mountain in very truth. It appeared to be just +one enormous heap of rocks and boulders. In a very little while both boys +were perspiring profusely from their efforts, and both were conscious that +they were tiring fast; for the grade up the notch was steep.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" said Lew, at last. "This is tougher than anything I ever saw when I +was in the Maine woods with Dad. We've got to take it easy or we'll be +tuckered out before we get through this gap. Let's rest a bit."</p> + +<p>He sat down on a stone and Charley followed his example. As they rested, +they looked sharply about them. They could see for some distance through +the naked forest. The tree trunks stood straight and tall, and seemed to +be crowded as close together as pickets on a fence.</p> + +<p>"This sure is a fine stand of poles," remarked Lew, "but it's just as that +lumber dealer said. There isn't a tree in it that would make a board wider +than six inches. But there's some good timber farther back in the +mountains. Do you remember the fine stand of pines in that little valley +we're heading for? When we were there three years ago there hadn't been a +tree cut in that valley. There must be millions and millions of feet of +lumber there."</p> + +<p>"And do you remember," replied Charley, "how dark it was under those +pines, and how cold the water in the run was, and what schools of trout +we saw? Gee! I wish it had been trout season then! But we ought to get'em +now. Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get there."</p> + +<p>"Then we had better be jogging on. It'll be dark before we know it."</p> + +<p>"All right," returned Charley, "but I'm going to get a drink before I go +any farther."</p> + +<p>"I want one, too. Guess I'll fill the canteen. Then we won't have to, stop +every time we want a drink."</p> + +<p>The two boys scrambled down the slope to the brook. The lumber trail was +near the bottom of the notch and they had only a few yards to go. The +little run was rushing tumultuously down the notch, splashing over rocks, +scurrying over little sandy stretches, ever singing, ever murmuring, in +its downward course. Their packs and blankets made it difficult to stretch +out flat and drink from the stream, so Lew rinsed out the canteen, filled +it, and handed it to his companion. Charley took a good drink and passed +the canteen silently back to his chum.</p> + +<p>"If you didn't really know it was the brook," said Lew, "you'd be willing +to swear you could hear somebody talking. You can hear voices just as +plain as can be. And you can almost make out what they say. Many a time +I've caught myself listening hard to try to make out the words, when I +heard a brook talking."</p> + +<p>"It's no wonder people get scared and pretty nearly go crazy when they are +lost in the forest," replied Lew. "Without half trying, you can imagine +the forest is full of people or spooks or animals or something, creeping +up behind your back."</p> + +<p>Lew bent down and once more filled the canteen. He corked it tight and +dipped it bodily into the run to wet the cloth cover, so that the water +within would be kept cool by evaporation. Then he slung the canteen over +his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"I never saw a mountain stream so low at this time of the year," he +remarked, as he followed his companion up the trail. "You might think it +was August. But with no snow to melt and no rainfall this spring, it isn't +to be wondered at."</p> + +<p>On they went up the trail. For a long time neither boy spoke. The brambles +still tore at their clothes and the bushes tripped them. In places the +young saplings were so dense that to force a way among them was a +difficult task. Their packs began to grow very heavy. But they had one +advantage. As Charley had suggested, the ground was perfectly dry. There +were no slippery sticks to tread on, nor any moss-covered stones, +treacherous with their soggy coats. So they could give more attention to +the obstacles above ground. But at best it was a hard, difficult climb.</p> + +<p>As they mounted higher and higher, the stream in the bottom constantly +dwindled. Long before the crest was reached, the brook had become a very +feeble stream, indeed. It had its source near the top of the pass, in a +great spring that welled up under a large rock. A single hemlock had +sprung up here in years past, and, watered by the spring, had grown to +enormous size. For some reason the lumbermen had passed it by. Now it +reared its giant bulk high above the younger growths around it, casting a +dense shade over the spring basin. Practically nothing grew in this deep +shade, so that the space above the spring was open and free from bushes. +On the trunk of this giant hemlock, where it could be seen by all who came +to the spring, was a white sign that read:</p> + +<div class="sign" style="text-align: center"><div class="line"> <i>Everybody loses when timber burns.</i></div> +<div class="line"> Pennsylvania Department of Forestry.</div></div> + +<p>"After our fight with the forest fire, when we were in camp at Fort Brady, +they don't need to tell any member of the Wireless Patrol to be careful +with fire," observed Lew. "But there are lots of people who do need to be +warned."</p> + +<p>He dipped the canteen in the spring and passed on. "We're almost at the +top," he said, "and I'm not sorry."</p> + +<p>"The light is already growing fainter," said Charley, "and it will bother +us to see before so very long. It's going to get dark awful early +to-night. We'd better hustle."</p> + +<p>They reached the summit of the pass and started down the other slope. The +trail continued. At first it was choked with briars and bushes. But +suddenly they found the trail open. It had been cleared of all +obstructions and enlarged until it was several feet wide. Even the roots +of the bushes had been grubbed out, so that the path was smooth and clean. +The cut saplings and brush had been burned in the trail itself, but the +work had been done so carefully that never a tree had been scorched. Even +the marks of fire had been obliterated by the subsequent grubbing of the +roots.</p> + +<p>"Bully good!" cried Lew, when he saw the path lying smooth and open before +him. "The forest rangers have been making a fire trail of this old path. +We can make great time here."</p> + +<p>He pushed on at top speed. Charley hung close at his heels. Neither boy +said a word, each saving his breath for the task in hand; for with the +packs on their backs even a down-hill trail was not easy.</p> + +<p>"We can go scout pace here," said Lew over his shoulder, and suiting his +action to his words, he broke into a trot. Fifty steps he went at that +gait, then walked fifty. Then he ran fifty more. So they went down the +mountain in a mere fraction of the time it had taken them to ascend. But +long before they reached the bottom, Lew dropped back to a steady walk.</p> + +<p>"We've got to save our wind for the climb up Old Ironsides," he said over +his shoulder.</p> + +<p>It was well he did so. Before them a long, high mountain stretched across +their way, like a giant caterpillar. No notch cut through its rugged side, +to give an easy way to the valley beyond. Only by climbing directly over +the rugged monster could the two boys reach the snug little valley on its +far side, where they expected to find the trout teeming tinder the dark +pines. Old Ironsides was the rocky barrier that confronted them. Even +Stone Mountain was not more rugged and rocky. Like Stone Mountain it +seemed to be a mammoth rock pile. Rocks of every size and description +covered its steep slope. Mostly the mountain was shaded by a good stand of +second-growth timber; but in places there were vast areas of rounded +stones, like flattish heaps of potatoes, that for acres covered the soil +of the hill so deeply as to prevent all plant growth. Old Ironsides could +have been called Stone Mountain as appropriately as its neighbor, for +truly it was rock-ribbed. But the stones on its slopes, unlike those of +Stone Mountain, contained a small percentage of iron. Hence its name. The +nearer slope of this hill was as dry as it was stony. Not a spring or the +tiniest trickle of water wet its rocky side for miles. But part way down +the farther slope a splendid stream gushed forth among the rocks. It was +this spring, or the stream issuing from it, that Charley and Lew hoped to +reach before they made their camp for the night.</p> + +<p>Thanks to the work of the forest rangers in clearing the fire trail, it +looked as though the two boys would reach their goal before dark. Could +they have gone straight up the slope of Old Ironsides, they would have +come almost directly to the spring itself. But the grade was far too steep +to permit that. They would have to zigzag up the hill and find the stream +after they topped the crest. Because of the peculiar formation of the land +below this spring, the water did not run directly down the hill toward the +bottom, but flowed off to one side and made its way diagonally down the +slope.</p> + +<p>At the bottom of the fire trail Lew and Charley sat down and rested for +five minutes. Then they began their difficult climb upward. And difficult +it was. There was no semblance of a path. The way led over jagged masses +of rock, through dense little stands of trees, and among growths that were +hard to penetrate because of their very thinness; for where the stand was +sparse the trees had many low limbs to catch and trip and pull at those +who sought to pass through.</p> + +<p>There were great areas of bare stones to be crossed--stones rounded and +weathered by the elements through thousands of years, and finally heaped +together like flattish piles of pumpkins on a barn floor. Acres and acres +were covered by these great deposits of rounded, lichened rocks.</p> + +<p>In crossing these rocky areas it was necessary to use the greatest +caution. Many of the stones rested so insecurely that the slightest +pressure would send them rolling downward. If one stone started, others +might follow, and great numbers of rocks might go rushing down the hill as +coal pours down a chute into a cellar. Serious injury was certain to +result if either of the lads got caught in such a slide; for some of the +stones in these piles weighed hundreds of pounds.</p> + +<p>Rattlesnakes constituted a second danger. The mountains hereabout were +full of them. One never could tell at what instant a rattler might be +found lying among the stones, or coiled on a flat rock that had been +warmed by the sun. So like the rocks themselves in color were these snakes +that in the dull light it would have been easily possible to step on one +of them without seeing it. So the two boys advanced slowly and cautiously +across these barren stretches, stepping gingerly on stones that looked +insecure and ever keeping a sharp watch for anything that might suggest +snakes.</p> + +<p>Up they went and still upward. Across bare rock patches, through brushy +growths and among dense stands of young trees, the two boys forced their +way, ever ascending, ever working upward toward the summit. Now they made +their way to the right, now to the left, and sometimes they climbed +straight upward in their efforts to avoid obstacles.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" cried Charley after they had been climbing for some time. "This is +what I call tough going. Let's have a drink."</p> + +<p>They sat down on a stone to rest. Perspiration was pouring down their +faces. Both boys were breathing hard. The canteen was uncorked and they +took a good drink.</p> + +<p>"Not too much," cautioned Lew, as Charley started to take a second +draught. "You can't climb if you fill up too full."</p> + +<p>After a short rest they went on again. The way grew rockier. There were +fewer piles of loose stones, but more outcropping rocks, the bare bones of +the earth. Constantly the light dwindled. Their progress grew slower. From +time to time they paused to drink and rest.</p> + +<p>"We're never going to make it before dark," said Charley, again pausing to +get his breath. He took a drink and passed the canteen to his companion.</p> + +<p>"Then we'll have to make it after dark," said Lew. "For the canteen is +about empty and we've got to have water. I'm so thirsty I could drink a +gallon."</p> + +<p>They said no more, but pushed ahead as fast as their weary legs would +carry them.</p> + +<p>"We're not far from the top now," Lew said after a time. "I see our old +landmark over to the left. It isn't more than half a mile from that to the +water. We'll make it all right."</p> + +<p>But he had hardly gone fifty yards before he stopped and cried out. Before +him lay a blackened, desolate area that stretched the remainder of the way +to the summit. Fire had swept over the spot. But it was not the fact that +fire had been through the region that made Lew cry out. Fire and +subsequent storms had practically leveled the stand of trees between the +spot where Lew stood and the summit. Here and there a blackened tree +thrust its bare trunk upward, limbless, its top gone, a ragged, spectral, +pitiful remnant of what had been a beautiful tree. But mostly the thick +stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of +grain. And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion, twisted +and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses. A barbed wire +entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle. To penetrate the +mass, even in the light of noon, would have been no easy work; but to +cross the area now, with dusk fast deepening to darkness, was indeed a +difficult task.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Lew, after a few searching glances at the burned area, "we've +got to go on, and we might as well plow straight through it. I can't see +that one way looks any easier than another."</p> + +<p>They went on, slowly, painfully. Now they were forced to crawl underneath +a fallen tree, now to climb over one. Again and again their way was +completely blocked by high barriers of interlocked trunks and branches. +Sometimes they had to mount the fallen trunks and cautiously walk from one +to another. Darkness came on apace. They could hardly see. The flash-light +was brought forth, the last drop in the canteen swallowed, and they +started forward on their final push.</p> + +<p>"It's only a few hundred yards to the top, now," said Lew. "It will be +easier going down the other side."</p> + +<p>Painfully slow was their progress. More than once each of them tripped and +fell. The sharp ends of the broken branches tore their clothes and +scratched them badly. But silently, doggedly, they pushed on. At last +there remained but one barrier between them and the summit. It was a +great pile of fallen trunks that had no visible ending. There was nothing +to do but go over it. From one log to another they scrambled up, each +helping the other, advancing a foot at a time, feeling the way with hands +and feet and searching out a path with the little light. So high were the +trees piled that at times the boys walked ten feet in air, making their +way gingerly along the slender trunks. Eventually they got beyond the log +barrier and the remainder of the way to the top was more open. At last +they stood on the very summit.</p> + +<p>"I wonder where our landmark is," queried Lew, flashing his light this way +and that. "I understand now why we saw it so plainly from below. There +were no standing trees to hide it. We never saw it from so far away +before."</p> + +<p>The landmark was a great, upright rock like a huge chimney. It was not far +distant and presently Lew found it. The boys made their way to it.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Lew, with a sigh of relief, "we go straight down. We should +come to the brook flowing from the spring in a few minutes. We'll have to +make it soon or I'll die of thirst."</p> + +<p>They started down the slope. The fire had swept over the summit and the +way before them was like the area they had just crossed. But they were now +going down-hill and it was far easier to force their way. A few yards at a +time they advanced, now held back by a fallen log or turned aside by +dense entanglements of prostrate trunks.</p> + +<p>Presently Lew gave a cry. "Do you see that big stone like an altar, +Charley?" he called, turning the light on a great rock. "That's the stone +where we made our fire the last time we were here. It stands within +twenty-five feet of the brook."</p> + +<p>"Thank goodness!" answered Charley. "My back is about broken. This pack +weighs a ton! And I'll die if I don't get water soon."</p> + +<p>Recklessly they pushed forward, almost running in their eager haste.</p> + +<p>"Here we are," exulted Lew, a moment later. "Here's the brook."</p> + +<p>Before him he could dimly make out the depression in the earth where the +stream ran. He dropped his pack and ran forward, then threw himself flat +in the darkness and felt in the stream bed for a pool deep enough to drink +from. His fingers touched only dry sand and stones.</p> + +<p>"The light, Charley," he panted. "Bring the light, quick."</p> + +<p>His comrade flung his own pack on the earth and ran forward to the bank of +the stream. He turned his light downward and flashed it right and left +along the bed of the brook. There was no answering sparkle of light. The +bed of the brook was not even moist. The spring had gone dry.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch04"> +<h2>Chapter IV</h2> + +<h3>In the Burned Forest</h3> + + + +<p>The two boys were almost stunned by their discovery. For a moment neither +spoke. Indeed neither dared to speak. Their disappointment was so keen, +their thirst so intense, that both boys were near to tears. But presently +they got command of themselves.</p> + +<p>"I knew it had been a mighty dry season," said Lew, in amazement, "but I +never imagined it was anything like this. I supposed that spring never +went dry."</p> + +<p>The two lads stood looking at each other in consternation.</p> + +<p>"What in the world shall we do?" asked Charley, slowly.</p> + +<p>"I don't see that we can do anything," rejoined Lew. "I'm all in myself. I +couldn't go another rod if somebody would pay me. We'll just have to make +the best of it."</p> + +<p>"Well, we can eat if we can't drink," said Charley. "Start a fire and I'll +get out the grub."</p> + +<p>Charley began to unroll his pack, while Lew gathered up a few twigs and +made a cone-shaped little pile of them close beside the great rock. He +struck a match and in a moment flames were drawing upward through the +twigs. With the hatchet Lew cut some short lengths of heavier wood and +soon the flames were leaping high, lighting up the forest for rods around.</p> + +<p>Dismal, indeed, was the sight the two lads looked upon. Nowhere could they +see anything green, save a few scattered ferns. Everywhere gaunt, ragged, +blackened trees thrust their sorrowful looking trunks aloft. The earth was +littered with blackened débris--burned and partly charred limbs and fallen +trees. The very rocks were fire-scarred and scorched. Hardly could the +mind of man conceive a picture more desolate. As the two boys looked at +the scene before them, Lew quoted the sign on the hemlock.</p> + +<p>"Everybody loses when timber burns," he said. But though both boys were +looking directly at what seemed the very acme of destruction and loss, +neither as yet comprehended the full significance of the statement Lew was +quoting.</p> + +<p>Charley spread the grub out on his blanket and put the dishes together +near the fire. While he was waiting for a bed of coals to form, he cut +some bread and spread the slices with butter. Presently he put the little +frying-pan over the coals and began to cook some meat. Every time he bent +over his pile of grub, he smelled the coffee. The odor was tantalizing, +almost torturing. Never, it seemed to him, had he ever wanted anything so +much as he now wanted a drink of coffee. But with no water they could +have no coffee. Finally Charley put the package of coffee in the +coffee-pot and clamped down the lid so that the odor could reach him no +longer. From time to time Lew quietly stirred the coals. Charley fried the +meat in silence. Neither boy felt like talking.</p> + +<p>When the meal was ready, they sat down on the dry ground and in silence +ate their food.</p> + +<p>Presently Lew broke the quiet. "I wonder what Roy had to say to-night. I +thought maybe we'd be able to get our wireless up and listen in. But I'm +too tired to bother with any wireless to-night, even from Roy. It'll be +the hay for mine, quick."</p> + +<p>He began to look for a place where they could sleep. When he had selected +a spot, he took the hatchet and with the back of it smoothed the ground, +removing all stones and little stumps. Charley, meantime, put the food +away and piled the dishes. They could not be washed. Then the two boys +rolled themselves in their blankets, put their pack bags under their heads +and were asleep almost instantly. Their difficult climb had tired them +utterly.</p> + +<p>The next morning found them fully refreshed. No clouds hung above them, +and the sun's rays awoke them early. Aside from their intense thirst, +neither felt any the worse for his hard experience.</p> + +<p>"It's still early," said Lew, as he looked at the sun that had hardly more +than cleared the summit of the eastern hills. "Let's push on down to the +bottom and cook breakfast after we reach water. It won't take very long +to get down, and then we can have some coffee. Oh boy! I never knew how +good coffee was."</p> + +<p>"I could drink anything--even medicine," smiled Charley, "so it was wet."</p> + +<p>Rapidly the packs were assembled and the blankets rolled. "Put things +together good," said Lew, "for it will be a tough journey even if we are +going down-hill. I've been looking at some of the tangles we came through +last night and I don't see how we ever made it."</p> + +<p>"Sometimes," replied Charley, "it's a good thing a fellow can't know +exactly what he's attempting. If he did know, maybe he'd never have the +nerve to try."</p> + +<p>They started down the slope, their packs and blankets securely slung about +them and even tied fast with strings, to prevent them from catching among +the fallen trees. Unintentionally they followed the dry bed of the stream. +It led along a slight depression that ran diagonally down the +mountainside. But quickly they realized that this was the most difficult +path they could have chosen. For along the margins of the brook, the +timber, fed by the flow of water, had been much denser and larger than the +timber farther from the bank of the stream. So dense was the tangle now +that at first the boys could see only a few hundred yards ahead of them. +Presently they noticed that they were traveling through the thickest part +of the timber, or what had been timber. If possible, their way was more +difficult than it had been in ascending the mountain. But daylight and the +fact that they were going down-hill made it possible for them to travel +with comparative rapidity. Once they noticed that they were advancing by +the most difficult route, they left the margin of the brook and cut +straight down the slope.</p> + +<p>Now the way was more open. They could see farther. But both were so +preoccupied with what lay immediately around them that for a time neither +gave heed to more distant views. Furthermore, the bottom was still +obscured by a heavy night mist. The warm spring sun rapidly dissipated +this, opening the valley to view as though some invisible hand had rolled +back a giant cover. Presently Lew reached a little area that was swept +absolutely bare of everything. Nothing remained but the nude rocks and +soil. Lew, who was leading the way, paused to spy out the best path. Then +he cried out in dismay. A moment later Charley stood by his side and both +boys gazed in speechless horror at the scene before them.</p> + +<p>The magnificent stand of pines that they had expected to see in the bottom +was no more. For miles the valley before them was a blackened waste. Like +giant jackstraws the huge pine sticks, that they had last seen as +magnificent, towering trees, were heaped in inextricable confusion or +still stood, broken, blasted, gaunt, limbless, spectral, awful remnants of +their former selves. No words could convey the terrible desolation of the +scene. Where formerly these giant pines had risen heavenward, higher and +more stately than the most exquisite church spires or cathedral columns, +there were now only scattered and blasted stumps, while the floor of the +valley was strewn with the horrible débris. The scene was sickening, +appalling.</p> + +<p>For a moment neither lad spoke. The scene before them oppressed them, made +them sick at heart. They knew no language that would convey what was in +their minds. But even yet they did not fully understand the tragedy of a +forest fire. They were soon to learn. Silently they went on; but they had +gone no more than a hundred yards when they came upon a sight that fairly +sickened them. In a little circle, as though the animals had crowded close +together in their terror and helplessness, lay the remains of a number of +deer. The flesh had either been burned or had rotted away; but the most of +the bones and parts of the hides remained. There could be no mistake as to +the identity of the dead animals. The very positions of the skeletons told +a pitiful story. Blinded by smoke and flame, made frantic by the red death +that was sweeping the forest, confused, terror-stricken, weakened by gas +and fumes, the poor beasts had finally crowded together and perished under +the onrushing wave of fire. For a moment the boys gazed at the scene in +fascinated horror; then they turned away, to shut out the picture. They +were oppressed, almost stunned.</p> + +<p>They went on. Not a vestige of its former magnificent vegetation covered +the slope. Nothing in the world could be more awful, more desolate, more +disheartening to behold than the area the two chums were now crossing. +Never had either seen anything that so oppressed him. For not only had the +slope of Old Ironsides been laid waste, but the entire bottom had been +swept by fire, and the opposite mountain slope devastated. Before them was +nothing but desolation.</p> + +<p>Soon they were near enough to see the sparkle of water in the bottom. In +their horror at their immediate surroundings they had temporarily +forgotten even their terrible thirst. The sight of water recalled their +need.</p> + +<p>"Thank God water can't burn!" cried Lew, as the sparkle of the brook +caught his eye. "We'd be in a fine pickle if the brook had been consumed, +too."</p> + +<p>The prospect of a drink stirred them. They threw off the spell that so +depressed them and hastened downward, reckless alike of menacing branches +and loose stones and obstructing tree trunks. Headlong they pushed +downward. But fortune was with them and neither a broken bone nor a +strained ligament resulted, though more than once each lad slipped and +fell. Presently they reached the bottom of the slope and came to the very +brink of the run. Almost frantically they flung themselves on the ground +and drank.</p> + +<p>Long, copious draughts they drank; and it was not until they had quenched +their thirst that they really noticed how shrunken the brook was. Instead +of the deep, rushing mountain stream they had seen when last they visited +the spot, they now found but a slender rivulet that flowed quietly along +the middle of the stream bed, leaving bare, bordering ribbons of stony +bottom along its margins. Nowhere did the water seem to reach from bank to +bank, excepting where some obstruction in the stream bed dammed the +current back. Like the forest, the brook was also a sorrowful picture. But +there was this difference. The forest was dead, whereas the brook, though +feeble, still lived.</p> + +<p>The full significance of the shrunken stream did not strike the two boys +until they had traveled for some distance up the bank of the run. +Presently they came to a spot they recognized as a favorite trout-hole. A +great boulder jutted out from one bank, while opposite it, on the other +shore, stood or had stood, a mammoth hemlock. These obstructions had +formed a little pool, and the current had eaten away much earth from +beneath the roots of the great tree, forming an ideal lurking place for +trout. And in this dark, deep, secure retreat great fish had lived since +time immemorial. More than one huge trout had the two chums taken here. +Never was the pool without its giant occupant, for when one big fellow was +caught another moved in to take his place, the run being fully stocked +from year to year by the smaller fishes from the spring brooks, like the +vanished rivulet above. But now no trout hid under the hemlock's roots. +They stood high and dry, while the puny stream that trickled beneath them +would hardly have covered a minnow. The two boys looked at each other in +dismay.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose the entire stream is like that, do you, Lew?" asked +Charley. "There won't be a trout in it if it is." Then, after a pause, he +added: "What in the world do you suppose has become of the trout, anyway?"</p> + +<p>His question was soon answered, at least in part. Continuing along the +bank of the run, the boys presently came to one of the deepest pools in +the stream. In the crystal water they could see many trout, for there were +no hiding-places in the pool at this low stage of water. Some of the fish +were large. At the approach of the boys the frightened trout darted +frantically about in the pool, vainly seeking cover.</p> + +<p>Around the margins of this pool were innumerable little tracks in the +earth. "Raccoons!" exclaimed Lew. "There must have been dozens of them +here."</p> + +<p>But not until he found some little piles of fish-bones near the farther +end of the pool did he grasp the significance of the tracks. He stopped in +amazement.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Charley," he called, pointing to the piles of fish-bones. +"Those coons have been catching and eating trout." Then, after a moment's +thought, he added, "If this stream is like this in April, what will it be +in August? There will be hardly a drop of water or a trout left. Why, this +brook is ruined for years as a trout-stream--maybe forever. And it used to +be absolutely the finest trout-stream in this part of the mountains."</p> + +<p>Depressed and silent, the two lads continued along the brook. The +mountains on either side of them and the entire bottom between lay black +and desolate. But far up the run they could now see green foliage again, +where the fire had been stopped.</p> + +<p>"Let's go on to those pines before we eat our breakfast," said Charley. +"It would make me sick to eat here in these ruins."</p> + +<p>"That's exactly the way I feel, too," replied Lew. "It is the most awful +thing I ever saw. Let's get out of it."</p> + +<p>As rapidly as they could, they forced their way up-stream. The valley +became narrower as they advanced. It was shaped like a huge wish-bone; and +they were nearing the small end, where the mountains came together and +formed a high knob. As the valley narrowed, the grade became much steeper, +and their progress was correspondingly slower.</p> + +<p>The pines they were heading for stood almost at the top of the knob at the +crotch of the wish-bone. They were, therefore, at a considerable +elevation. From the edge of these pines one would have to travel only a +short distance to reach the very summit of the knob. After a hard walk the +boys reached the end of the burned tract. They penetrated into the living +forest far enough to shut out the sight of the dead forest they had just +traversed. Then they threw down their packs and hastily set about cooking +their breakfast.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" cried Lew. "I never was so glad to get away from anything in my +life. I hope I shall never again see a sight like that. It fairly makes a +fellow sick."</p> + +<p>In their haste to start cooking, they were not as careful as they might +have been in building their fire, and they made considerable smoke. Before +they were half done eating, a man appeared farther up the run, advancing +through the pines at great speed. He seemed to be in a big hurry until he +caught sight of the two boys as they sat on the dry pine-needles. After +that he came forward at an ordinary gait.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning, boys," he said pleasantly, as he drew near. Then, catching +sight of their rods, he added, "If you came to get fish, you struck a +mighty poor place."</p> + +<p>"It used to be the best place for trout I ever saw," replied Lew. "This +brook used to be full of 'em--big ones, too. But the season has been so +dry, the brook has almost disappeared."</p> + +<p>"You mean that the fires that have swept this valley have burned it up," +replied the stranger.</p> + +<p>"It's too awful a thing to joke about," replied Lew.</p> + +<p>"A joke!" exclaimed the stranger, frowning.</p> + +<p>"It's the literal truth--and a most terrible truth, at that."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand," said Lew, slowly. "How can fire burn water? I +supposed the lack of snow last winter and of rain this spring had made the +brook shrink."</p> + +<p>"Not for a minute, young man, not for a minute. If fires hadn't swept this +valley the past two or three years, there would have been plenty of water +in the run, rain or no rain."</p> + +<p>"I--I don't exactly understand," said Lew hesitatingly.</p> + +<p>"It's like this," said the stranger. "The forest floor is like a great +sponge. The decayed leaves and twigs are so light and porous that they +soak up most of the rain as it falls and hold the water indefinitely. That +keeps the springs full, and the springs feed the brooks, and so there is +water all the year round. It is nature's method of storing up water. When +a fire sweeps through the forest, especially such awful fires as have gone +through this valley, the leaves and twigs above ground are burned, and +even the roots and the decaying vegetable matter under the earth are +consumed. Nothing is left but mineral matter--particles of rock, stones, +sand, and the like. The rain will no longer sink into the ground, nor will +the earth hold the water as the rotting leaves do. Then when it rains, the +water runs off as fast as it falls. The brooks are flooded for a few hours +and then they dry up until another rain comes. So you see I meant exactly +what I said. This trout-stream was burned up by the forest fires. +Likewise many of the trout were burned up with it, for in places the fire +made the water hotter than trout can stand. Thousands of them were +literally cooked."</p> + +<p>For a while both boys were silent. The idea was a new one to them.</p> + +<p>Presently Charley spoke. "I knew that fire burned up our timber," he said, +"but I never thought about its burning up our water, too. I know we're +getting awful short of lumber. Is there any danger of our running out of +water? But that can't be, surely."</p> + +<p>"It surely can be," said the stranger. "I judge you boys have been here +before, and-----"</p> + +<p>"We have," interrupted Lew.</p> + +<p>"Then you know what a magnificent stream this run used to be. Look at it +now. I don't believe there is one-tenth as much water in it as there used +to be. Suppose all the mountains in this state should be devastated like +this valley. Where would the towns and cities get their water?"</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" said Lew. "I never thought of that. There wouldn't be any +water for them to get. If the brooks dried up, the rivers would dry up, +too. Why--why--what in the world would we do? There wouldn't be any water +to drink or wash in or cook with or run our factories. Why, great Cæsar! +If the forests vanished, I guess we'd be up against it. I never thought of +the forests as furnishing anything but lumber. And I never thought much +about that until we tried to buy a little lumber the other day and the +dealer wanted ten dollars for half a dozen boards."</p> + +<p>"Exactly!" said the stranger. "That's the price you and I and the rest of +us in Pennsylvania pay for allowing our forests to be destroyed."</p> + +<p>"They haven't all been destroyed," protested Lew.</p> + +<p>"No, but the greater part of them have been."</p> + +<p>"You don't mean really destroyed, do you?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir. Absolutely destroyed. You came up this valley, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Would you call the forest there destroyed?"</p> + +<p>"If it isn't, I don't know how you would describe it," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"All right, then. There are some 45,000 square miles in this state. +Originally practically all of that area was dense forests. The early +settlers thought the timber would last forever and they cut and destroyed +it recklessly. The lumbermen that followed were just as wasteful. It was +all right to clear the land that was good for farming. But there are more +than 20,000 square miles in this state just like these mountains--land +that is fit for nothing but the production of timber. None of that land is +producing as much timber as it should. Much of it yields very little. And +more than 6,400 square miles are absolutely desert, as bare and hideous as +the burned valley below us. That's one acre in every seven in +Pennsylvania. Think of it! Six thousand, four hundred square miles, an +area larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, +that is absolute desert! Every foot of that land ought to be producing +timber for us. Then we should have lumber at a fraction of its present +cost. You see the freight charges alone on the lumber used in this state +are enormous."</p> + +<p>"That lumber dealer told us they amounted to $25,000,000 a year," replied +Lew.</p> + +<p>"They do," assented the stranger. "And when the new freight rates go into +effect the amount will be $40,000,000. What it will be when we get our +wood from the Pacific coast I have no idea, but I suppose it will be at +least double what it is now, anyway."</p> + +<p>"The Pacific coast!" cried Lew. "Why should we get lumber from the Pacific +coast when we can get it from the South? The lumber dealer told us that +practically all the wood we use now conies from the South."</p> + +<p>"He was right. But we shall presently be getting our lumber from the far +West for the same reason that we now get it from the South. In ten or a +dozen years there won't be any lumber left in the South for us to buy. +They will do well to supply themselves. Then we must bring our lumber from +Idaho and Oregon and Washington and California. The freight charges will +be something terrific, and the wood itself will cost a good deal more than +it now does because it will be so scarce."</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" cried Lew. "What will a poor devil do then if he wants to +build a boat?"</p> + +<p>"Or if he wants to build a house?" suggested the stranger. "You know lots +of folks have to build houses every year. Look at all the people who get +married and build homes. Why, when I was a little boy, you could buy the +finest kind of lumber for ten or fifteen dollars a thousand. It didn't +cost much then to build a house. Now a man has to work for years before he +can save enough to pay for a home, even a very modest one. And what it +will cost when the wood from the South and the far West is all gone I hate +to imagine."</p> + +<p>"The wood from the far West all gone!" cried Charley. "Surely that can +never be. Why, the forests there are enormous. I've read all about them."</p> + +<p>"The forests here were enormous, too, young man. Forty years ago +Pennsylvania supplied a large part of the nation with its lumber. And +to-day we don't grow more than one-tenth of the wood we use. Yes, sir; +within twenty-five years or so after we have finished up the wood in the +South, there won't be any left in the far West, either."</p> + +<p>"What in the world are we going to do?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"God knows," said the stranger solemnly. "But there is one thing we've +<i>got</i> to do right now. Get these mountains to growing timber again. We +must take care of what has already started to grow and plant trees where +there are none. Most important of all, we must be careful with fire. I +came down here just to warn you boys to be careful with your fire."</p> + +<p>"It wasn't necessary," said Lew. "We fought a forest fire once, and nobody +but an idiot would ever be careless with fire if he had seen what we have +seen this morning."</p> + +<p>"Well, I must be moving, boys. There are lots of other fishermen that are +not as careful as you are. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The man started on, then turned back. "If you came here to fish," he said +slowly, "you're up against it. But I can tell you where to go to get all +the trout you want. Go on up to the top of this knob. Face exactly east +and you will see a gap in the second range of mountains. Make your way +through that gap and you'll find as fine a trout-stream as God ever made. +This is state forest and the Forestry Department wants everybody to use +and enjoy the forests. We are always glad to help campers."</p> + +<p>"Are you connected with the State Forest Service?" asked Charley, all +interest.</p> + +<p>"Of course," smiled the stranger. "I'm a forest-ranger," and he threw back +his coat, exhibiting a keystone shaped badge on his breast.</p> + +<p>"And it's your duty to protect the forest from fire?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Yes; and do a lot more besides. A forest-ranger has to look after the +forest just as a gardener has to tend a garden. And that means we must +care for everything in the forest--birds and animals and fish as well as +trees, though, of course, the game wardens have particular charge of the +animals."</p> + +<p>"And how do you take care of the animals and the trees?" demanded Charley +eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Young man," he said, "it would take me all day to answer your question. +We do whatever is necessary to the welfare of the forest and its +inhabitants. We take out wolf trees, make improvement cuttings, plant +little trees, keep our telephone-line in shape, and do a million other +things, as we find them necessary. If I had time just now, I'd go down +this run and pile some stones in the pools for the trout to hide under. I +was through here the other day and I noticed that the coons are playing +hob with the fish."</p> + +<p>"And does the state pay you for doing this work?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly. Pays me well, too."</p> + +<p>"Tell me how I could-----" began Charley.</p> + +<p>But the ranger interrupted him. "I can't tell you another thing now," he +said. "I must be moving. You never can tell when some careless fisherman +will set the forest on fire. The fact is I ought to be at headquarters +with the other rangers. The chief keeps us pretty close to the office +during the fire season, so as to have a fire crew at hand to respond +instantly to an alarm. But we have had such difficulty in securing fire +patrols this spring that some of us rangers have to do patrol duty. This +piece of timber you are in is the most valuable part of this entire +forest. It is virgin pine. It would cut close to 100,000 feet to the acre. +There is very little timber left in all Pennsylvania as fine as this. A +good part of it has already been burned. We are keeping close watch on +what is left. You never can tell when or where fires will start and we +want to grab them at the first possible minute. So I must shake a leg."</p> + +<p>"How do you grab a fire?" demanded Charley. "Please tell us. Maybe we +could help put one out some day if we knew how."</p> + +<p>The ranger laughed. "You're a persistent Indian," he said, "and I'm glad +you like the forest."</p> + +<p>"Like it!" exclaimed Charley. "I love it."</p> + +<p>He poured a cup of hot coffee and handed it to the ranger. "Tell us how +you put out a fire," he pleaded.</p> + +<p>The ranger chuckled. "You're a diplomat as well as a forest lover, I see," +he said. "Well, I shall keep moving through this tract of timber all day +long. If I see a fire I shall hurry to it, the way I came down to your big +smoke. I'll put it out, if possible. And if I can't get it out, I'll +summon help. Then we'll fight it until we do get it out."</p> + +<p>"How could you get help, when you're alone in the deep forest?"</p> + +<p>"I'd make my way out to the highway where our wire runs and connect up +this portable telephone," and the ranger pointed to a little leather case, +like a kodak box, that hung from his shoulder by a leather strap. "In a +minute's time a fire crew would be on the way to my assistance in a +motor-truck."</p> + +<p>The ranger handed Charley the empty cup and thanked him.</p> + +<p>"Have some more coffee?" urged Charley.</p> + +<p>"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted the ranger. "I believe you'd keep me +here all day if you could. I must be moving."</p> + +<p>"Just a minute," pleaded Charley. "You said it was difficult to find fire +patrols. Could I get a job as a fire patrol? I don't know as much about +fighting fire as you do, but I can patrol the forest and report fires as +well as anybody."</p> + +<p>"I wish you could be a patrol," replied the ranger heartily. "I'm sure +you'd make a good one. You seem to like the forest. But I don't believe it +is possible. The chief never hires anybody under twenty-one years of age +excepting in very unusual circumstances. In fact, I know of only two such +cases. And those two boys were almost of age and were unusualy well +qualified. I'm sorry, for I'd like to see you in the Forest Service. +Good-bye." He turned on his heel and was gone.</p> + +<p>Lew watched the ranger until he disappeared from view. Charley scarcely +glanced at him. He was lost in thought. Evidently his thoughts were not +pleasant, for from time to time he scowled.</p> + +<p>"Lew," he said, at length, "I never realized until this minute just what +that sign on the old hemlock meant." And he quoted: "'Everybody loses +when timber burns.' It's true. <i>Everybody</i> loses--positively everybody. +The sportsmen lose game, the fishermen lose fish, the towns lose their +water-supply, the mills lose their water-power, civilization loses wood. +Why, Lew, civilization's built of wood. How could we live without it? And +as for me, think what I've lost through forest fires. I've lost an +opportunity to own half of a boat. I've suffered from thirst. I've lost a +chance to catch some fish. And, Lew, I've lost a college education! I +never understood it before. If the cost of lumber hadn't gone up so much, +Dad could have paid for his house easily and helped me through college. +Now I've got to give up going to college. I've got to work two or three +years for Dad and if ever I get married and want to build a home, I see +where I've got to slave for the rest of my life to pay for the lumber +that's in it, and the wooden furnishings inside of it. Think of it, Lew! +You and I and all the rest of us have to work for years and years just to +pay for what a lot of reckless people did before we were born. It's +terrible, Lew, terrible. I've got to spend three years in a factory +because of it. I thought for a minute that I might get a job here in the +forest. That would have been grand. But there's no such luck. It's the +factory for me. I'm sure of it. I don't know how I'll ever stand it, Lew."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch05"> +<h2>Chapter V</h2> + +<h3>A Lost Opportunity</h3> + + + +<p>Half an hour later the two boys were all but ready to go on. Before +rolling his pack, Charley filled his coffee-pot in the run and thoroughly +soaked the last embers of their fire.</p> + +<p>"You'll never burn any timber," he said, as he poured on the last potful. +Then he stowed the coffee-pot in his pack and in a few moments the two +boys were once more afoot.</p> + +<p>They struck directly for the top of the knob, as the ranger had told them +to do. The slope of the ground alone guided them. So dense was the stand +of timber that the huge trunks shut off the view in all directions. It was +almost as though they were encircled by palisades. And so thick was the +shade that rarely did a sunbeam reach the earth. They were in the forest +primeval, a land of perpetual gloom. There was no underbrush and they +could travel rapidly. In a very short time they came to the top of the +knob.</p> + +<p>The summit had been entirely cleared of timber. On the very highest point +one lone tree remained. A long pole had been planted near its trunk, with +its top fastened to a branch of the tree. Crossbars between the tree and +the pole made a sort of rude ladder of the affair. And well up the tree a +rough staging had been constructed of small limbs. The boys saw at once +that this was a rude sort of watch-tower, and they suspected that the +ranger had been in the tree when he discovered the smoke from their fire.</p> + +<p>They climbed up the tree and surveyed the scene before them in silence. +Indeed, it was too sublime for words. On every side stretched the forest. +Mile upon mile, league after league, east, west, north, south, far as the +eye could reach, spread the leafy roof of the forest, seemingly +illimitable, boundless, vast as the ocean, a sea of trees. And like a sea +the forest rose and fell in huge billows. On either hand great mountains +reared their huge bulk heavenward. Beyond them other ranges heaved their +rugged crests aloft. And still other ranges lay beyond these. Over all was +a cover of living green, the canopy of the forest. Sublime, majestic, +awesome, almost overpowering was the spectacle. And neither lad could find +words to express the emotion that arose within him. So they stood and +looked in silent wonder. Finally Charley spoke.</p> + +<p>"It's worth all we've been through, Lew, just to see this," he said. "I +shall be well paid for the trip, even if we never get a fish."</p> + +<p>Presently Lew looked up at the sun. Then he examined the mountains a +little to the left of the sun.</p> + +<p>"There's where we go," he said, pointing over the nearest ridge to a gap +in the mountain beyond it. "The trout-stream will be in the third valley. +We've got to travel due east. And it will be some hike, too--over a +mountain and through a high gap. Let's pick out our landmarks and get +under way. It will take us a good many hours to make it, but we ought to +be there in time to have trout for supper."</p> + +<p>For a few moments the boys examined the way in silence.</p> + +<p>"See that bunch of rocks on the summit?" asked Lew. "They look like +chimney-rocks from here. Anyway, they stick up higher than any other part +of the mountain. And there's three tall pines right beside them. That's a +good landmark. It's exactly in a straight line for the gap. We can find +that mark if we can find anything. But you can't see very clearly through +this timber. Was there ever anything like it?"</p> + +<p>"Finest timber I ever set eyes on, Lew. Isn't it wonderful? and to think +that the whole state was once covered with timber like that!"</p> + +<p>They climbed down the rude ladder, slipped their packs over their +shoulders, and set off down the mountainside at a fast pace. And they +could go fast in such timber. No underbrush tripped them or caught in +their sacks. No low limbs impeded their progress. Indeed there was hardly +a limb nearer the ground than fifty feet. Their only care was for the +rocks and the roughness underfoot. From time to time they paused as they +came to some mammoth pine, and gazed in awed wonder at its huge bulk.</p> + +<p>As they got down into the bottom the timber seemed to be even larger than +it was on the slope. The forest floor was soft and springy. Their feet +sank into it as into a soft, thick rug. The top of this leafy covering was +dry enough; but a few inches under the surface, the forest mold was as +moist as though a shower had just fallen. Yet there had been almost no +rain for months. Not only did the leaves hold the moisture, but the very +shade itself conserved it by preventing evaporation.</p> + +<p>In the very centre of the valley ran a little stream. Long before they +could see it, they heard the brook talking to itself. The forest was +filled with a gentle murmur, which grew to a distinct rushing sound as +they approached the stream.</p> + +<p>"Can't you just hear it speak?" said Lew. "What do you suppose it is +saying?"</p> + +<p>"Those really are voices," insisted Charley.</p> + +<p>"Now who's getting dippy?" laughed Lew. "You'll be as bad as I am if you +keep on."</p> + +<p>"But I do hear voices," protested Charley. "I plainly heard the word +'six.' Listen. Somebody said 'eight,' just as plain as could be."</p> + +<p>Lew looked puzzled. "Of course there might be some fishermen in here +besides ourselves," he said.</p> + +<p>They looked carefully about them, but at first saw nothing. Then a voice +distinctly said, "Hemlock--five." There could no longer be any doubt. +Some one besides themselves was in the forest.</p> + +<p>They made their way in the direction of the sound. Presently they saw +three men. Two of them carried calipers and walked in advance. The third +came behind and held a pencil and note-book.</p> + +<p>"Wonder who they are and what they are doing," Charley said quietly.</p> + +<p>"Let's watch and see."</p> + +<p>But in a moment the approaching party caught sight of them. "Good-morning, +boys," said the man with the note-book. "Out for trout?"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," replied Lew. "But we've had hard luck. We +intended to fish in the valley back of us. It used to be a fine place for +trout. But it's been burned over and there are no trout left."</p> + +<p>"I know," said the man. "I've seen it. Be careful with your fires, boys. +We don't want any more of this fine timber burned."</p> + +<p>"Are you a forest-ranger, too?" asked Charley eagerly.</p> + +<p>"No; I'm the forester. I have charge of this forest."</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought you were at headquarters with your fire crew," cried +Charley, hardly realizing what he was saying.</p> + +<p>The man looked at him sharply. "I ought to be and I wish I were," he said. +"I don't like this a bit. But I was ordered by the Commissioner to send in +an immediate estimate on the amount of timber in this stand. There's a +big sale on and they have to know how much there is to sell." He paused +and then added: "How in the world did you know I was supposed to be at +headquarters with the fire crew?"</p> + +<p>"A ranger told us so. We met him over in the other valley. He said he +wished he was with you."</p> + +<p>"Oh! That would be Morton," said the forester. "I sent him out on patrol +because we were short of fire patrols."</p> + +<p>"Could you use me as a fire patrol?" said Charley quickly.</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him searchingly. "Why do you want to be a fire +patrol?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I've got to go to work at something," said Charley, "and I'd love to help +care for the forest. You see, I'm almost through high school and I've got +to go to work and help Dad the minute I've graduated. He wants me to go +into the factory with him. I hate factories. But I love the woods. You'd +never be sorry, if you hired me, sir."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it isn't work rather than the factory you dislike?" demanded +the forester bluntly.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" protested Charley. "I'd work day and night gladly if I could do +what I want to do. And there's nothing I can think of I'd rather do than +help take care of the forest."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the forester, "but I need patrols now, not after school +closes in June."</p> + +<p>"Maybe I could get excused for the rest of the term," pleaded Charley.</p> + +<p>"And throw away your chance to graduate? I don't think I want that kind +of a boy for a fire patrol," said the forester with a frown. "You might +decide to quit this job, too, about the time we stacked up against a hot +fire."</p> + +<p>Lew spoke up. "You don't understand what Charley means, sir," he +explained. "Charley is away ahead of most of us in his school work. He's +done enough now to give him his diploma."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" replied the forester.</p> + +<p>Then he turned to Charley in apology. "I beg your pardon, young man. I +misjudged you. I should like to have such an exemplary young man for a +patrol, but you are too young. We practically never employ a man not yet +of age as a fire patrol. A boy would have to have very unusual +qualifications if we did take him. I'm sorry, my lad. I believe you are a +fine boy, and I'd like to hire you. But you are too young."</p> + +<p>Charley turned his head away to hide the tears that he could not keep back +as he saw the opportunity slipping away from him. Then he dashed his hand +across his eyes and again faced the forester.</p> + +<p>"You do not understand who we are," he said with determination, "nor what +our qualifications are. I am accustomed to the woods, sir. I know +something of woodcraft. I have fought fire in the forest. I have spent +weeks in the mountains. And I am a wireless operator, sir. Are any of your +patrols better qualified?"</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him with renewed interest. "As a patrol," he +remarked, "you would have to deal with grown men. You would find yourself +in many situations that you could not handle. Grown men do not like to +take orders from boys."</p> + +<p>"I have handled men, sir; that is, I have helped to handle them. I helped +to capture the German dynamiters at Elk City, sir, when the Camp Brady +Wireless Patrol saved that place from destruction."</p> + +<p>"Are you a member of that organization?" asked the forester with +increasing interest. "I remember reading about that."</p> + +<p>"We both are," said Charley. "And I could help you so much with my +wireless, sir. Your ranger told us this morning that if he found a fire he +couldn't handle, he would have to go clear out to the highway before he +could summon help. With the wireless, help could be summoned almost +instantly."</p> + +<p>The forester smiled indulgently. "It sounds good," he commented. "But you +forget that we have no wireless and that none of us knows anything about +radio-telegraphy. No; I am afraid I can't use you, though I'd like to. If +you still want a job when you are of age, come to me. I can use you as a +patrol and I might even have a place for you as a ranger. We have mighty +few rangers as well educated and equipped as you will be. Or you might +even decide to go to Mont Alto and take a degree in forestry and become a +forester like myself. I would like to see you in the service, but I can't +take you in now. I must get on with my work and hurry back to my office. +Good-bye and good luck to you. And don't forget about your fires."</p> + +<p>Turning to the elder of his two companions, he said, "All right, Finnegan. +Go ahead."</p> + +<p>The man stepped to the nearest tree, slipped his calipers on it +breast-high, then glanced aloft. "White pine, forty-three, five," he +called.</p> + +<p>The forester put down the figures in his cruising book.</p> + +<p>"Hemlock, twenty-eight, four," called the other man.</p> + +<p>The men were experienced timber cruisers. They were measuring the amount +of wood in the forest. The first man meant that the white pine tree he was +measuring was forty-three inches in diameter breast-high and would make +five standard logs, each sixteen feet long. The second scaler had measured +a hemlock twenty-eight inches in diameter and long enough for four logs. +They were measuring the timber on a few acres, so as to form an estimate +of the amount for sale.</p> + +<p>The work interested Lew greatly, but Charley had no heart for anything. He +had fought hard and apparently his last chance had slipped away from him.</p> + +<p>He was very quiet as they made their way through the valley. Even the run +in the bottom failed to stir him, though he loved the little mountain +streams passionately. Yet he did notice that here, beneath the lofty +pines, where the forest mold lay deep and spongy, the brook flowed +strongly. It sang as it rushed along between its rugged banks. But there +was no music in its song for Charley. So alluring was the stream that Lew +wanted to fish, but Charley had no heart even to try for a trout; though +it was practically a certainty that there were trout aplenty to be had. +Time heals all wounds. It would heal Charley's: but not enough time had +yet elapsed for the healing process to begin. At present he could think of +nothing but his dismal prospects.</p> + +<p>So they went on through the bottom and slowly ascended the opposite +mountain. As they had suspected might be the case, it was impossible to +distinguish the landmarks they had chosen. The innumerable great trunks of +the pines cut off their vision as effectually as a high board fence could +have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the +freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a +comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain, +after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected.</p> + +<p>The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in +finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope +and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well +timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed. +And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the +stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon +was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the +valley that was to be their home for the next few days.</p> + +<p>Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained +some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with +hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were +countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a +hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from +some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a +splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so +dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that +went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal +clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout.</p> + +<p>By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!" +he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook." +As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold +enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush +here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish."</p> + +<p>Hardly had he spoken before a great trout darted across the stream, +almost at their feet. Charley extended his rod over the water and waved it +vigorously a few times. Instantly trout darted out from a dozen different +points.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" shouted Charley. "Did you see 'em, Lew? I can hardly wait to +get a line in."</p> + +<p>"We've got to get our camp made before we do any fishing," replied Lew. +"Let's hustle up and find a good camp site."</p> + +<p>They walked rapidly up the valley, keeping a few yards back from the brook +so as not to alarm the trout.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how our wireless will work among all these trees," said Lew. +"If we could find an open spot I'm sure it would be better."</p> + +<p>Presently they came to exactly the sort of place they desired. At some +time, evidently within a few months, for no brush had as yet sprung up, a +hurricane had swept through the forest: and where it had passed lay a +windrow of trees as flat as a swath of grain after the scythe has gone +through it. The windrow was several rods in width, and not a tree remained +standing within that space. The fallen trees were piled upon one another +in confused masses.</p> + +<p>For a time the boys gazed at the scene with awe. "That opening will make a +fine place to hang our aerial if we can get the wires up," said Lew. "I +believe that we have enough wire to hang 'em up pretty high and still have +a long lead-in wire. If there is, then we can camp back here under the +trees close to the run. We have no tent and the dense tops will protect +us from dew. It'll be much warmer back among the trees, too."</p> + +<p>Speedily they found a place that suited them. They put their packs on the +ground and got out their wireless instruments. Then they made some rude +spreaders from branches that Lew cut in the windrow. When the aerial was +ready to hang up, Charley took a length of wire and made his way across +the windrow and up a slender tree that stood on the farther edge of the +opening. He fastened one end of the wire to the spreader and the other end +he attached to the tree. Lew was duplicating his movements on the other +side of the opening. In no time the aerial was swinging above the windrow, +and the lead-in wire had been brought back through the trees to the camp +site. Here the instruments were connected and the wire coupled to them. +The dry cells were next wired and the outfit was then ready. Lew sat down +beside the spark-gap and pressed the key. Bright flashes leaped from point +to point. He adjusted the gap, so as to get the best spark, then laid the +pack bags over the instruments.</p> + +<p>"We missed out on listening to Roy this time," he said, "but I'll bet we +can raise the rest of the bunch. She works fine. We've got a dandy spark."</p> + +<p>"Good!" cried Charley. "It won't be long before it is dark. It's already +twilight under these trees. Now for the trout."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch06"> +<h2>Chapter VI</h2> + +<h3>Trout Fishing in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>"Shall we go up-stream or down?" asked Lew, as he jointed his little rod +and fastened a hook to his line.</p> + +<p>"Let's go down. We can't fish very long, and we know there is no brush +along the stream below us. We can try it up-stream to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"To-morrow we'll fish on opposite sides of the run," said Lew as they +buckled on their bait boxes and started. "I don't see any way to cross now +and there's no time to hunt for a way."</p> + +<p>"It's full of 'em. I'll bet on that," smiled Charley. "We'll catch a mess +in no time. Here goes with a worm."</p> + +<p>He threaded one on his hook, crouched down, and cautiously drew near the +bank. A dexterous flick of his rod landed the worm fairly in the middle of +the run. Hardly had it hit the water before something grabbed it, and +Charley drew forth a flopping fish. But it proved to be only a fingerling. +In disgust Charley wet his hand and carefully unhooked the little fish.</p> + +<p>"Shows they're here, anyway," he said, as he tossed the little trout back +into the stream.</p> + +<p>But if they were there, they were strangely shy in making their presence +known. Rod after rod the hoys advanced, careful not to show themselves, +making their casts with greatest caution, and keeping as quiet as +possible. But no fish so much as smelled their bait. Again and again they +let their hooks float down into promising pools, but never a strike +resulted.</p> + +<p>They took the worms from their hooks and tried flies. But though their +gaudy lures landed lightly on the water and danced in the rapids like real +insects struggling for their lives, never a fish rose to grasp one.</p> + +<p>"They won't touch worms and they don't want flies. I wonder what they do +like," grumbled Lew in disgust. "I wish we had some grasshoppers or +crickets. Bet we'd get 'em then."</p> + +<p>They continued their efforts until it was almost dark. "We'll have to be +getting back to camp," said Charley. "We can't see much longer. We don't +want to be caught here in the dark. The flash-light is back at camp."</p> + +<p>"Here's a fat grub," said Lew, picking up a whiteworm out of a rotting +log. "I'm going to make one more try. Maybe they want grubs."</p> + +<p>He slipped the worm on his hook and flicked it toward the brook. A second +after it struck the water there was a splash, and Lew's reel sang shrilly.</p> + +<p>"Oh boy!" cried Lew, as he struck up his rod smartly. "I've got him."</p> + +<p>He had. The fish leaped clear of the water, but failed to loosen the +line. Then it darted away like a shot, the line cutting through the water +with a sharp, swishing sound.</p> + +<p>"Hold him," called Charley. "He's heading for that snag."</p> + +<p>Lew put his thumb on the line and raised the tip of his rod higher. Under +the tension the supple steel bent almost double. The fish stopped his +rush, turned, and darted down-stream before Lew could reel in a foot of +line.</p> + +<p>Charley forgot all about his own fishing in his desire to help land the +trout. "Don't let him get under that rock," he warned, coming close to the +brook. "He'll cut the line."</p> + +<p>Lew increased the tension on the line and the fish stopped short of the +rock. For an instant the trout sulked and Lew reeled in rapidly.</p> + +<p>"Guess I got him," he cried triumphantly, as the fish was drawn near to +the bank. But as he bent to grasp his prize there was a tremendous splash. +The trout leaped high out of water, then darted off again like a flash. +Lew had to give him line or lose him.</p> + +<p>"He's a whopper, Charley," he cried. "Gee! I hope I don't lose him!"</p> + +<p>"Here's a shallow place," cried Charley. "Work him into it and we can grab +him."</p> + +<p>Lew maneuvered the trout toward the shoal. Again and again the fish broke +for the deeper water and Lew had to give him line. But each time he +stopped the rush and patiently worked the fish back toward the shoal. At +last the trout was fairly on the edge of it. Lew began to pull steadily on +his line and slid the tired fish into shallow water. It flopped helplessly +on the stones. Lew drew it to the bank and thrust a finger into its gills. +In another second the fish was dangling in air.</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" cried Charley excitedly. "Ain't he a beaut! He's the +biggest trout I ever saw."</p> + +<p>"He's the biggest one I ever caught," answered Lew. "He'll make a meal +himself."</p> + +<p>"He'll have to," returned Charley. "We can't fish another minute. It's +almost dark now."</p> + +<p>Lew slipped his finger down the throat of the gasping fish, and bent the +creature's head sharply back. The trout hung limp in his hand. Then the +two fishermen made their way through the dusky forest to their camp, where +Charley lighted a fire.</p> + +<p>"I'll just see what this fellow has been eating," said Lew. "Maybe we can +find out what sort of bait to use." He opened his knife and slit the +fish's belly. "Crabs!" he cried, as his knife blade turned up the remains +of a crayfish. "Now we know what they want."</p> + +<p>Soon Charley had a good bed of coals. Lew, meantime, cleaned the fish. +Quickly it was cooked and eaten and the dishes washed. By this time it was +altogether dark.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll get some crabs for to-morrow," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"Wonder how we can catch them?" queried Charley.</p> + +<p>"What we need is a little dip-net. With that and the flash-light we could +get a peck of them. These little streams are full of them."</p> + +<p>"Let's try scooping them with a coffee-pot. The lid comes off. If we are +careful, I believe it will answer."</p> + +<p>They took the lid off of the pot, and stepping to the brook turned the +beam from their flash-light on the bottom of the run. The scene was +fascinating. Feeling secure in the darkness, the living creatures in the +brook had ventured abroad freely. Where the bright light of the sun would +have disclosed only stones and sand, the little beam from the search-light +revealed a myriad of moving shapes. Little minnows moved about in schools. +Salamanders, large and small, crawled about among the rocks. Occasional +trout were visible, lurking in the deeper holes, lying as motionless as +sticks, or moving their tails slowly. Eels lay on the sandy spots. And +lying still or crawling slowly among the stones were many crayfish. The +water seemed to be filled with living objects.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking +at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so +interesting."</p> + +<p>With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for +crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the +flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep +the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into +the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final, +quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim +escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent +the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew +tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary +to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now +getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the +wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they +had a goodly number of crayfish.</p> + +<p>"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows +will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at +his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost +nine now. We'll have to hurry."</p> + +<p>So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had +sped much faster than either boy realized.</p> + +<p>They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling +their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing +had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone +fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments +and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped +the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright +sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley +Russell calling.)</p> + +<p>Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly.</p> + +<p>"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.)</p> + +<p>"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why +we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew.</p> + +<p>The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle +of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his +pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by +his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between +the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning.</p> + +<p>"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last +night?"</p> + +<p>"Couldn't," answered Charley. "Didn't reach Old Ironsides camp site until +long after dark. Forest fires have burned up all the timber there. Spring +dried up, too. Had terrible time. Awful thirsty and no water to drink. Too +tired to put up aerial."</p> + +<p>"Where are you now?"</p> + +<p>"In the third valley east of Old Ironsides. Never been so far in the +mountains before. Grand stand of timber here. Great trout stream. Full of +big ones. Won't touch worms or flies. Just been catching crabs to try +to-morrow."</p> + +<p>"Get any yet?"</p> + +<p>"One big one."</p> + +<p>"Have any adventures?"</p> + +<p>"Not unless you call our experience in the burned timber an adventure. +Toughest thing I've stacked up against in a long time. Timber burned for +miles. No fish. Raccoons catching 'em out of the little pools. Had to come +here to get any. What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"Everybody hard at work. I got a new job yesterday helping a fellow make a +wireless outfit."</p> + +<p>"Where?"</p> + +<p>"Right here. We're making it in my shop."</p> + +<p>"Will you be there to-morrow?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. All day."</p> + +<p>"We'll call you."</p> + +<p>"Good! I'll listen in every hour on the hour. Then you can get me almost +any time."</p> + +<p>"Bully for you. We're going to fish to-morrow, but we may catch so many in +the morning that we won't want to fish after dinner. I'll let you know how +we make out. Good luck to you all. Wish you were here. We'll bring you a +nice mess of fish, anyway. Good-night."</p> + +<p>"Good-night and good luck."</p> + +<p>"I wish they were here," said Lew, as Charley covered the instruments to +protect them from dampness, and moved over near his chum. "It doesn't seem +right to be in the forest without the whole crowd. This makes me think of +our camp in the forest near the Elk City reservoir, when we were hot on +the trail of the dynamiters. I'd hate to camp out at this time of year +without any fire."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's turn in. We want to get up early to-morrow and try those +crabs. I'll bet we get a bunch of trout."</p> + +<p>"Bet we do, too," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>Little did he dream that on the morrow he would be engaged in matters far +more serious than catching trout.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch07"> +<h2>Chapter VII</h2> + +<h3>The Forest Afire</h3> + + + +<p>The earliest rays of light had hardly penetrated beneath the giant pines +the next morning before the two boys were astir. Their breakfast was +quickly cooked and eaten. Then they buckled on their bait boxes, now +bulging with worms and crayfish. They carried as well their books of +flies. And Charley slipped the little axe into his belt, to have something +to chop with in case they wanted to hunt for whiteworms.</p> + +<p>"Let's go back where we caught that big fellow last night," said Lew. +"There may be some more like him in those deep pools."</p> + +<p>"All right. Come on."</p> + +<p>With nothing but their little rods to carry, they made fast time through +the forest, and had already reached the pool in which the big trout was +taken, before the first ray of sunlight came flashing among the tree +trunks.</p> + +<p>"We're going to have a fine day," said Charley. "It's my turn to catch a +fish. Here goes for a try."</p> + +<p>He baited his hook with a crayfish, and cautiously made his way toward the +brink of the brook. Half-way he paused and straightened up, sniffing the +air. Then he turned and looked at Lew.</p> + +<p>"Smell anything?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Lew had also detected a taint in the fresh morning air. "Smells like +smoke," he said. "Probably some fisherman cooking his breakfast."</p> + +<p>Charley turned toward the brook again, then once more faced his companion.</p> + +<p>"People don't cook with leaves," he said soberly. "That isn't wood smoke, +that's burning leaves."</p> + +<p>For a moment the two boys looked at each other in silence.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose----" began Lew, but Charley cut him short.</p> + +<p>"Let's make sure. Which way is that smoke coming from?" He stepped to the +brook and dipped a finger in the cold water. Then he held his hand aloft.</p> + +<p>"There's so little wind stirring I can't tell which way it's blowing," he +said. "One side of my finger feels as cold as the other."</p> + +<p>Again he tried it. There was just a suggestion of an air current. "Seems +to be blowing straight up the valley," he said.</p> + +<p>"I'll try a match," said Lew. He took his waterproof match box from his +pocket and drew forth a match, which he lighted on his heel. "You're +right," he said. "The flame blows up-stream a little. What shall we do?"</p> + +<p>"It doesn't seem possible that the woods can be afire," answered Charley. +"But let's make sure. If the forest is afire and we can put it out, it +would be a crime if we don't. The memory of it would haunt me the rest of +my life."</p> + +<p>"All right. We'll go down-stream. If there is a fire, we'll do our best to +put it out. If there isn't any fire, there's no harm done. We can probably +find as many fish down-stream as there are here. We'll save time if we +unjoint our rods."</p> + +<p>Quickly the lines were reeled up and the rods packed in their cloth cases. +Then, with nothing to hamper them, the two boys hurried down the valley.</p> + +<p>Gradually the odor of burning leaves grew stronger. A very little breeze +arose, blowing straight in their faces. It was heavy with the smell of +fire. Ahead of them the forest began to look gray and misty, as though a +heavy night fog still covered the earth. But both boys knew that the gray +blanket was no night mist. It was smoke. They quickened their pace. The +smoke cloud grew denser. Then a dull, reddish glow appeared. There could +no longer be any doubt. The forest was afire.</p> + +<p>"Come on," cried Charley. "We've got to grab it quick."</p> + +<p>As they started to run, Lew protested: "Not too fast. We'll tire ourselves +out before we get there. We may have a long fight before we put the fire +out."</p> + +<p>The smoke now rolled past them in dense clouds. The red glow grew +brighter. In a few moments they reached the fire itself. It was in an +opening where the timber had been cut and little but brush remained. It +was a ground fire that crept slowly along among the leaves. Yet it had +already spread until it seemed to stretch across half the valley.</p> + +<p>"If we can only put it out before the wind comes up," said Charley, "we +can save the forest."</p> + +<p>He looked about for a low tree, discovered a thick, young pine, rapidly +chopped off some bushy branches, and again sheathed his axe. Each boy +seized a branch.</p> + +<p>"Our rods--what shall we do with them?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Throw 'em in the run. Fire can't hurt 'em there and we can get 'em at any +time."</p> + +<p>Lew rushed over to the brook and put the rods in the water. He set a flat +stone on them to keep the current from moving them. Then he dipped his +pine bough in the brook and began to beat out the flames, working straight +out from the bank. Charley joined him. Rapidly they rained blows upon the +fire. Rod after rod they advanced. The heat from even so small a fire was +great. The smoke was blinding and stifling. Heat and smoke and their own +exertions tired them rapidly.</p> + +<p>"We've got to take it easier," said Lew, after a little, "or we'll be all +in before we get the fire half out."</p> + +<p>Of necessity they slackened their efforts. As they wore out their weapons, +they cut new ones. Every little while they rested. They were tiring fast. +At the same tune, the wind was beginning to freshen. Here in the open +there was nothing to break its force. The flames leaped higher under its +breath and began to run over the ground instead of crawling. The fire +itself created a draft. The greater the draft, the hotter the flame +became, and the hotter the fire grew, the stronger blew the draft.</p> + +<p>"We're never going to do it," panted Charley, after a while. "The wind is +blowing harder all the time. We must call help."</p> + +<p>He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes of seven!" he ejaculated. "How far +do you think we are from camp?"</p> + +<p>"Two miles, anyway," answered Lew.</p> + +<p>"If I can make it by seven, I may be able to get Willie. He said he would +listen in every hour."</p> + +<p>"Hurry," said Lew sharply. "I'll keep at work here."</p> + +<p>"If it gets too hot for you," said Charley, "go right back to the brook, +and come up along it to camp. That's the way I'm going back, and I'll +return that way after I get Willie. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>He started off at a fast pace. But his exertions and the heat and smoke +had so weakened him that he quickly saw he could not maintain such a gait. +He dropped to a steady jog. Even that taxed his strength. But he gritted +his teeth and clenched his hands and kept on.</p> + +<p>The forest was now full of smoke. The dense cloud completely hid the sun. +Among the great pines it was almost like twilight. Charley pushed on as +fast as his weary legs could carry him. More than once he tripped and +fell. He could no longer see distinctly. Fatigue and the smoke in his eyes +blurred his vision. He was scratched and torn and his hands were a mass of +little burns. Charley scarcely noticed them. His mind was wholly intent on +getting help and saving the forest. Nothing else mattered. So he staggered +on through the dusky woods. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had +passed. He felt sure he had been running an hour and that his watch had +stopped. He held it to his ear. The steady ticking somewhat reassured him. +After what seemed like another long interval he ventured to look at it +again. Five minutes more had elapsed. Five minutes remained before Willie +would be at his post waiting for a possible message. Charley crowded on +all the speed that was left in him. But his feet seemed to be made of +lead. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs. His lungs seemed nigh +to bursting.</p> + +<p>"Five minutes more," he kept muttering to himself. "Only five minutes +more. I've got to make it. Only five minutes more."</p> + +<p>Suddenly he came to their camp. In his weariness he had not recognized any +landmarks. He could hardly believe it was their camp. But there were the +grub bag hanging on a wire, the dishes piled by the fire, and the wireless +instruments protected by the pack bags.</p> + +<p>"Thank God for the wireless!" gasped Charley, as he threw himself on the +ground beside his key. He tried to flash a call, but his hand trembled so +he could not form the letters correctly. He dropped flat on his back to +rest for a moment, glancing at his watch as he lay there. It lacked one +minute of seven.</p> + +<p>For sixty seconds Charley lay prostrate, looking at the second-hand on his +watch as it went round. Then he sat up. The minute's rest had steadied him +wonderfully. He moved his switch, pressed his finger on the key, and sent +the bright sparks flashing between his gap points.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he called, then paused to listen.</p> + +<p>There was no response. An anxious look crept into his eyes. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," again he called.</p> + +<p>No answering signal sounded in his ear. His face went white. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out anxiously. And without listening +for a reply, he repeated the message frantically half a dozen times. Then +a buzzing sounded in his ears. A look of relief came on his face. He +sighed. Willie was acknowledging his call signal.</p> + +<p>"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?"</p> + +<p>"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on +the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the +fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is +from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask +what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer."</p> + +<p>For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were +like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though +Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and +wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his +mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of +flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. +Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the +forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped +his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning +to speak.</p> + +<p>"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly +where fire is."</p> + +<p>"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond +Ironsides," flashed back Charley.</p> + +<p>"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval.</p> + +<p>"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What +shall we do?"</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header +and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives."</p> + +<p>"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Charley threw over his switch, covered the instruments with the pack bags, +and was off down the valley. He felt much refreshed by his rest. At a +steady jog he made his way along the brook.</p> + +<p>Now he found it difficult to breathe. Smoke was rolling through the forest +in billows. Close by he heard the cries of terror-stricken animals. He +came to the edge of the burned space beside the brook, where they had +beaten out the flames. Here there was practically no smoke. He turned away +from the run and followed the black edge of the burned area. He knew this +would bring him to Lew, and he wanted to make sure that they had +extinguished every spark in the distance they had covered. Only at one +point did he find fire smouldering. He beat out the sparks and went on. He +could see almost nothing. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. Through it +he began to distinguish the red glare of the flames. Ever louder sounded +the crackle of fire. From a low, humming sound it grew, as he drew near, +into a subdued roar. Then all other sounds were lost in the greater tumult +of the forest fire.</p> + +<p>Now he came close to the flames. The heat was terrific. The smoke choked +him. He could hardly breathe. The roar of the fire was terrifying. +Hitherto he had felt no fear. Now a feeling of alarm suddenly seized him. +What if Lew had been overcome by smoke and burned in his absence? The +possibility had never occurred to him before.</p> + +<p>"Lew! Lew!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and started along the line +of the fire. There was no reply. At least Charley heard none.</p> + +<p>"Lew! Lew!" he cried. "Where are you?"</p> + +<p>But no voice answered through the smoke.</p> + +<p>"If he's down, I'll find him or die trying," muttered Charley to himself.</p> + +<p>His face was grim and set as he started along the line of the fire again, +paying no heed to the flames but looking only for his chum. Every few +yards he stopped and shouted. But no answer ever reached him.</p> + +<p>On he went, rod after rod, keeping as near the flames as he dared. He saw +nothing of his friend. He came to a point where a tongue of fire had run +far in advance of the remainder of the blaze. It seemed to be traveling +twice as fast as the rest of the flames.</p> + +<p>"The header!" he cried to himself. "Here's where we ought to be at work. +But I must find Lew first. He certainly never got beyond this header."</p> + +<p>Charley stopped and called. Again and again he shouted. There was no +response.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he went back to look for me and I passed him in the smoke," thought +Charley. "I'll go back to the brook."</p> + +<p>He turned to retrace his steps. Something suddenly flashed into flame +close beside him. It caught Charley's attention. He saw it was a pine +bough. Then he noticed that it had been freshly cut.</p> + +<p>"It's Lew's brush," cried Charley. "He must have been here."</p> + +<p>He sank on his knees close to the blazing bough, and heedless of smoke and +flame began to examine the ground carefully. He ran his fingers lightly +over the leaves, feeling for footprints. At first he found nothing. Then +he discovered the impression of a heel. He could not be certain which way +the footprint pointed.</p> + +<p>With the heel mark as a centre, he began to feel about in a circle two or +three feet wide. He judged that would be the length of his chum's stride. +Twice he felt around the circle before he found a second footprint. It was +in the direction of the brook. He moved forward and searched where he +thought the third step should have fallen. Here he distinctly saw the mark +of a foot. When he rose to his feet his coat sleeve was beginning to smoke +and his face was blistered.</p> + +<p>"Lew's gone back to the brook," he muttered. "I must have passed him in +the smoke. He's probably looking for me."</p> + +<p>But he still felt vaguely uneasy and fearful. He walked rapidly toward the +brook. The trail he was following became distinct. The leaves had been +kicked up here and there by Lew as he walked. The track grew plainer and +plainer. It became more like a plow furrow. At first Charley did not +grasp the meaning of the shambling trail. Then it came to him.</p> + +<p>"He's dragging his feet," he muttered. "He must be all in. Maybe he's +down."</p> + +<p>Charley took a quick look at the flames. They had crept frightfully close +to the trail in the leaves. Then he sprang forward at top speed. His face +was white.</p> + +<p>"I've got to reach him before the fire gets him," he sobbed.</p> + +<p>He kept peering through the smoke. "There's another header shooting out +toward that log," he said, "but I won't leave the trail. I might miss +Lew."</p> + +<p>The trail led straight toward the log. Charley increased his speed. As he +neared the log he gave a cry of terror and bounded forward like a shot. +What Charley had mistaken for a tree trunk was his chum's prostrate form. +The flames had almost reached it.</p> + +<p>With his brush Charley fell on the fire savagely and beat it out for the +space of a rod or two on either side of Lew's body. Then he rushed back to +his chum and knelt beside him. Lew was unconscious but breathing +regularly. His nose was half buried in leaves and moss. That fact had +probably saved his life, for it had given him pure air to breathe.</p> + +<p>Charley drew Lew over his shoulder until he had him doubled up like a +jack-knife, and could therefore carry him easily. Then, at a steady pace, +he set out for the brook. Soon he passed the end of the line of fire. In +a few minutes more he reached the stream.</p> + +<p>He laid his chum close beside the run, felt his pulse and listened to his +breathing. Lew's heart was beating regularly and he was breathing easily.</p> + +<p>Charley sighed with relief. "He's all right," he muttered.</p> + +<p>Then he filled his hat with water and sprinkled some on Lew's face. Lew's +eyelids flickered. Then his eyes opened.</p> + +<p>"Where am I, Charley?" he asked. "What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>For a moment he lay still. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright.</p> + +<p>"I know now," he said. "The forest is on fire. I was fighting it and you +went to call help. Did you get Willie? And how did you find me? I guess I +got too much smoke. I started for the brook. That's all I can remember. +I'm all right now. We're going back."</p> + +<p>He got to his feet, but at first had to be supported. Charley made him lie +down again. In a few minutes his strength seemed to return to him. He got +up.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right now, Charley," he insisted. "I mightn't be awake yet if you +hadn't thrown that water on my face. Thanks, old man."</p> + +<p>Charley did not tell Lew how near to death he had been. Instead, he said, +"Are you sure you're strong enough to tackle that fire again?"</p> + +<p>"Sure as shooting," nodded Lew.</p> + +<p>"Then come on. The fire has an awful start on us. The forester wants us to +try to hold the header by back-firing."</p> + +<p>As they started toward the blaze Lew said, "We'll have to work some +distance in advance of it. If only we had rakes we might conquer it even +yet."</p> + +<p>They made their way to a point well in front of the header. Then they cut +sticks and made little bundles of them to use like rakes.</p> + +<p>"I'll clear away the leaves and you start the fire," directed Charley.</p> + +<p>He began raking away the leaves, clearing a sort of path about two feet +wide straight across the line of the advancing header. Lew lighted the +leaves on the side of the cleared space toward the header, following close +upon Charley's heels. From time to time he ran back along the cleared +space to make sure the flames had not jumped across it. Wherever they had, +he beat them out with his brush. On the other side of the cleared space +the flames slowly worked their way toward the onrushing header, widening +with every minute the barren area where the flames could find no fuel to +feed upon.</p> + +<p>Rod after rod Charley cleared a narrow lane and Lew kept close behind him +with his torch. With amazing rapidity they extended their line.</p> + +<p>"If only we had the Wireless Patrol here," panted Lew, "we'd lick this old +fire to a frazzle."</p> + +<p>On and on they went. To save their strength they exchanged tasks at +intervals. Every few minutes they faced about and ran back over their line +to make sure no flames had crossed the cleared space. The air was dense +with smoke, but the heat from their back-fire was trifling in comparison +with that of the main conflagration. The stand of timber grew thicker, +breaking the force of the breeze more and more. Their back-fire ate its +way into the wind much faster, and the real fire came on slower. It seemed +to be getting farther and farther away.</p> + +<p>"We've passed the header," cried Charley exultantly. "We ought to be able +to hold the main fire."</p> + +<p>They rested a moment, then went at their task with renewed hope and vigor. +Rod after rod they cleared a path and fired the leaves on the windward +side of this lane. Finally their line grew so long that they could no +longer guard it properly.</p> + +<p>"If only we had half a dozen boys to patrol the line," sighed Lew. "I'm +afraid the flames will jump across somewhere. Then all we have done will +be in vain."</p> + +<p>"We'll make a trip over the whole line," declared Charley, "and be sure +it's safe. Then we'll stop back-firing and beat out the flames again. It's +the only sure way I can think of."</p> + +<p>He drew his axe and cut fresh boughs. Then they went back along their +line. In one place flames had already leaped across, but they fell on them +vigorously with their bushes and soon put them out. They patrolled the +line until they felt sure it was safe.</p> + +<p>"If we can put out the flames between our back-fire and the brook," said +Lew, "it will make our job a great deal easier. We've already put out part +of them."</p> + +<p>They began to work their way back to the brook, following the line of +flame and beating out the fire foot by foot as they advanced. There were +many things in their favor. The dense stand of trees at this point not +only checked the wind and made the fire less fierce, but the absence of +underbrush also helped to check it. There was little for it to feed upon +but leaves. So the two boys could work close to it and beat it out with +ease, though the smoke was stifling. Only lads of great determination and +courage would have stuck to the task.</p> + +<p>With frequent pauses, necessary for rest, they went on, foot by foot, yard +after yard, rod upon rod. "We're going to make it," cried Lew presently. +"It's only a little distance to the end of the flames."</p> + +<p>They increased their efforts. Quickly they reached the end of the line of +fire. Beyond that the woods had been saved by their first efforts.</p> + +<p>"Now we'll go back over the line," said Charley, "and make sure the fire +doesn't start up anywhere."</p> + +<p>"I'm dying of thirst," said Lew. "Let's get a drink first. We are not far +from the brook."</p> + +<p>They hurried to the run and threw themselves flat on the bank, drinking +copious draughts of the cool and refreshing water.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what time it is," said Charley, as they got to their feet again. +"It seems to me that we've been fighting fire for hours." He looked at his +watch. "We have," he cried. "It's after eleven o'clock. The fire crew has +been on the way four hours. They'll follow their fire trails and get here +in a fraction of the time it took us to come in. They certainly ought to +be here soon. If we can hold the fire for a little bit longer the forest +will be safe."</p> + +<p>"Come on," called Lew. "We've got to do it."</p> + +<p>Again they went along the line of their back-fire. For rod after rod the +fire was conquered. In other places it still burned; but the back-fire had +now eaten its way so far to windward of the cleared space that there was +no longer any danger of the flames leaping past the barrier. So they +covered the entire length of their line and found it safe.</p> + +<p>When they reached the main fire again they began to beat it out with +branches. Rod after rod they continued to work their way. But at best +their progress was painfully slow.</p> + +<p>"Lew," said Charley of a sudden, "while we are beating out these flames +here, there may be another header in front of us traveling like a +racehorse. I'm going to run ahead and see. You stay here. Call every +little bit and I'll answer. I'll be back in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>He made his way along the line of the fire. Here in the thick timber it +still burned slowly and feebly. He could trace the line of fire far ahead, +and it seemed to have advanced with remarkable evenness. Nowhere could be +seen a header of flame jutting out far in advance of the main line.</p> + +<p>"If the wind doesn't rise," he muttered to himself, "we're going to make +it."</p> + +<p>He went on, trying to locate the other end of the fire. Behind him he +heard Lew halloing. Before he could turn to answer, an echo came back from +the mountain in front of him.</p> + +<p>"If only that were a real voice," muttered Charley to himself.</p> + +<p>Then he stood stock-still. Shout after shout came ringing in his ears. "It +<i>is</i> a real voice," he cried. "The fire crew is coming."</p> + +<p>A moment later a dozen forms became visible in the smoke. They were +running along the edge of the fire, evidently trying to determine where to +begin their attack on it. At their head was the forester. He came directly +toward Charley, but gave no sign of recognition. Nor, could Charley have +seen himself, would he have wondered at it. With his face blackened by +smoke and caked with blood from innumerable little cuts and scratches, his +hands grimy and almost raw, and his clothes torn in a hundred places, +Charley could hardly have been recognized by his own mother.</p> + +<p>"How far across the valley does this fire extend?" asked the forester.</p> + +<p>"You are almost at the end of it, sir," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"It's making a tremendous smoke for such a little blaze, then," said the +forester.</p> + +<p>He turned to his men. "Get right at it and beat it out," he ordered. "This +is all there is to it."</p> + +<p>Again he faced Charley. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "When we came over +the pass it looked as though the entire bottom was afire."</p> + +<p>"It was," said Charley. "That is, everything this side of the run was +afire. We have got it all out but this."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen anything of two boys with a wireless outfit? They notified +me of this fire."</p> + +<p>"Why, I am one of them, sir. It was I who asked you yesterday for a job as +fire patrol."</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him narrowly for several seconds. "See here," he +said severely. "Did you boys set this forest afire?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked aghast. "Set the forest afire!" he exclaimed in amazement. +"Certainly not. Why should we?"</p> + +<p>"Are you telling me the truth?"</p> + +<p>Even through the grime Charley's face was red. "See here," he said +angrily, "I don't care whether you are the forester or the President of +the United States. You are not going to call me a liar. If Lew and I +hadn't been here fishing, you wouldn't have any forest by this time. We've +fought this fire for hours and it's only a piece of luck that Lew isn't +dead. He'd have been burned to a crisp if I hadn't found him just when I +did. We've done everything we could to save the forest. I demand to know +your reason for suggesting that we started the blaze."</p> + +<p>"Young man," said the forester, "more than one forest fire has been set by +persons who wanted a job fighting fire. You wanted a job. You told me what +an advantage your wireless would be.</p> + +<p>"My ranger reported to me by telephone last night that excepting for +yourselves he had seen nobody in this region all day. This morning a fire +breaks out; you report it promptly by wireless; and when we arrive, you +have it almost out. Isn't that a suspicious chain of circumstances? +Doesn't it look as though you might be trying to show the forester +something?"</p> + +<p>"A fellow who would set the forest afire just to prove his own +qualifications as a fire fighter ought to be put in prison," said Charley +indignantly. "Do you think I'm that kind of a skunk?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't," said the forester. "I believe you boys had no hand in +starting this fire and that you have risked your lives and done heroic +work to save the forest. But I had to be sure. There is something queer +about this fire. With no railroads near to shoot up sparks, no +thunder-storms to flash lightning, and no campers to be careless with +their fires, what did cause it? It isn't the first time mysterious fires +have started in this fine timber. You saw in the other valley what two of +these fires did before we got them out. This is the third fire that has +occurred in this tract. If it hadn't been for you boys, I hate to think +what would have happened. You have done a great service to the people of +Pennsylvania."</p> + +<p>Charley was suddenly abashed. He turned his glance on the ground. He did +not know what to say.</p> + +<p>After a moment the forester spoke again. A new idea seemed suddenly to +have occurred to him. "Now that you have had a taste of real fire +fighting," he said, "would you still like to be a fire patrol--possibly a +ranger?"</p> + +<p>"Better than anything in the world," replied Charley. "I love the forest."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure you can be released from further school work?"</p> + +<p>"I feel certain I can."</p> + +<p>"Then I have a particular job for you, Mr. Fire Guard."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Fire Guard," echoed Charley, his heart beating wildly. "What do you +mean?"</p> + +<p>"I mean," smiled the forester, "that you are here and now appointed a fire +patrol; that you are now a representative of the State of Pennsylvania, +and after you have been sworn in you will have the power of making +arrests. The particular job I have for you is to guard this forest. +Somebody wants to destroy this stand of virgin timber. Your job is to +protect it."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch08"> +<h2>Chapter VIII</h2> + +<h3>Making an Investigation</h3> + + + +<p>The fire crew, hardy woodsmen and rangers, accustomed to severe toil, soon +beat out what was left of the fire. Then they went over the entire line of +the fire to make sure every spark was extinguished. The forester and +Charley found Lew, and the three crossed the valley to the brook where the +two boys had begun their battle with the flames. When the fire crew had +returned and the forester was satisfied that there was no further danger, +he turned and held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Report to me at my office at the earliest possible moment," he said. "If +I dared risk being away from my headquarters so long," he added +regretfully, "I'd stay here and make an investigation. But a fire may +start somewhere else, and here I'd be with my fire crew. A thousand acres +might burn over before I knew it."</p> + +<p>"Isn't there anybody in charge at headquarters?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure. I have an assistant there. But if an alarm came in he wouldn't be +of much use without a fire crew."</p> + +<p>"Send your fire crew back," said Charley. "You can stay here and make +your investigation, and we can keep you in touch with your office easily."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?"</p> + +<p>"There isn't any doubt of it. Willie said he would listen in every few +minutes, and Willie always does what he says he will. You instruct your +fire crew to tell your assistant to keep in touch with Willie by +telephone, and we'll tell Willie to keep in touch with us by wireless. +It's as easy as rolling off a log."</p> + +<p>The forester looked doubtful. "I'd like to stay," he said. "Are you +positive you can do this?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," said Lew. "We do that sort of thing right along."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the forester, still hesitating, "I'll risk it. It is of the +utmost importance that an investigation be made at once. It might be days +before the chief forest fire-warden could come here. You are absolutely +certain about this wireless business?"</p> + +<p>Charley smiled. "Absolutely," he said. "But to make sure, we'll go to our +camp and talk to Willie. You can send a message to your assistant +yourself."</p> + +<p>"That'll settle it," said the forester.</p> + +<p>He called his fire crew together. "Hustle right back to headquarters," he +said. "The motor-truck will hold you all, though you may be a bit +crowded. Leave my car where it is. I'm going to look around a bit. I'll +follow you as soon as possible. Tell the assistant forester to call up the +boy in Central City who telephoned us about the fire and arrange to keep +in communication with him. We will communicate with that boy by wireless. +If fire occurs anywhere, let me know at once."</p> + +<p>The fire fighters looked their astonishment, but made no comment. They +were accustomed to obeying orders. Soon they were gone and the forester +and the two boys headed up the run toward the little camp by the windrow.</p> + +<p>"I guess we might as well get better acquainted," said the forester. "My +name is Marlin--James Marlin."</p> + +<p>"And mine," replied Charley, "is Charley Russell. This is Lew Heinsling. +As we told you yesterday, we are from Central City and belong to the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol."</p> + +<p>"That is why you are now a fire guard," said the forester. "You don't +suppose I would appoint an unknown boy to such an important post, do you? +To be sure, I don't know you personally, but I know about your +organization and some of the things you have done. I know your leader, +Captain Hardy, very well. You see your membership in that organization is +recommendation enough for me."</p> + +<p>"But I thought you suspected us of setting fire to the forest," said +Charley.</p> + +<p>"I never said so," replied Mr. Marlin. "I merely asked you if you had +started the fire."</p> + +<p>"It's pretty much the same thing," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Not at all, young man. Not at all. I did not really suspect you. But I +saw there was a possibility that you might have done just what I +suggested. I wanted to see what you would do when I suggested that you +were the culprit. I could have told if you had lied to me."</p> + +<p>"How?" demanded Charley.</p> + +<p>"Never mind now," smiled the forester. "But while we are on this subject, +I want to say this to you: when you are trying to solve a crime, you must +forget your prejudices. You must look at the facts and not at the people +concerned. You must take the attitude that anybody may be guilty until he +is proved innocent. In short, you must be ready to suspect anybody. You +must not assume, for instance, that because I am the forester I would not +set the forest afire, or because my rangers are connected with the Forest +Service they would never start a fire."</p> + +<p>Charley looked almost startled. "Why, it would be the worst sort of crime +for a forest protector to set a fire in the woods," he cried.</p> + +<p>"Of course it would," replied the forester. "But in this world almost +everybody acts according to his own interests or his own passions. If a +man could earn more money by setting fires than by preventing them, there +are many men who would take the chance. Or a man might set fire to the +forest to be revenged on somebody--possibly on me; for a forester can +hardly avoid making some enemies."</p> + +<p>The forester paused. "Somebody has three times set this part of the forest +afire," he continued after a moment. "We have no clue as to who did it. So +it is our business to suspect anybody and everybody that circumstances may +point to. But that doesn't mean we must condemn a person merely because +circumstances point to him. We must study the facts and either condemn or +acquit him according to the facts. I say this to you because you have +probably had little or no experience in tracing crime and, like most young +folks, are prone to trust people too far."</p> + +<p>Charley's face was very serious. He had not thought of detective work as a +possible part of his duties.</p> + +<p>"Don't take what I say too seriously," laughed the forester, when he +noticed Charley's expression. "You will really have very little of this +sort of thing to do. Most fires come through the carelessness of campers. +To warn them to be careful, to try to put out fires as soon as you +discover them and notify me if you fail, will be about all you will +ordinarily have to do. The chief forest fire-warden will attend to +investigating fires. But in this case, I especially want to know how this +fire started. Sometimes boys, if they are shrewd enough, make the best of +all agents for watching folks. People don't take boys seriously, and will +often do or say incriminating things before boys that they would not +dream of doing in the presence of grown men. If you keep your eyes and +ears open and your mouth shut, you may be very useful. And the less you +appear to know, the more useful you will be."</p> + +<p>Charley looked at his watch. "Willie will be at his instrument in three +minutes, sure," he said. "He might even be there now."</p> + +<p>He drew the pack bags from the wireless instruments and sat down, watch in +hand, beside them. The forester looked on with keenest interest. He no +longer regarded the wireless outfit as a mere plaything. If the boys could +do what they said they could, he saw what a help wireless communication +might be in protecting the forest. He had always considered the telephone +as about the last step that could be made in quick communication in the +forest. But his telephone was miles away and he had to get to it before he +could talk with his office. Here was a boy who could sit down anywhere and +instantly talk to a wireless operator anywhere else within a reasonable +distance--that is, he could, if all that Charley said was true. Of course +the forester knew about radio-telegraphy, but he was like many other +people who have not actually seen persons talk by wireless. It seemed as +though it could hardly be.</p> + +<p>But he was not to remain long in doubt. When the three-minute period had +elapsed, Charley threw over his switch, and sent Willie's call signal +flashing abroad. Hardly had he taken his finger from his key when the +answer buzzed in his ear.</p> + +<p>"Got him," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Who?" asked the forester in astonishment.</p> + +<p>"Willie Brown, at Central City. I'm telling him to get your assistant on +the telephone." And he made the sparks fairly tumble over one another, so +rapidly did he manipulate the key.</p> + +<p>"Willie's going to get him," he announced, a moment later.</p> + +<p>They sat silent for several minutes. Then a signal once more sounded in +Charley's ear.</p> + +<p>"Willie's got your assistant on the 'phone," said Charley a little later.</p> + +<p>"Tell him to tell my assistant that the fire is out, with little damage +done; that the fire crew is on the way home, and that I have decided to +remain here to look around a little. Tell him that if he needs me he shall +call your friend at Central City. He'd better arrange with the telephone +people for quick connections if he needs to talk to me. I guess that's +about all."</p> + +<p>Charley flashed out the message to Willie and soon the assistant +forester's message came back. Everything was O.K. and he would do as +directed. Then Charley talked to Willie on his own account, telling him +they were going to move their aerial and asking Willie to listen in often. +Willie said he would sit by the wireless table and keep the receivers on +his ears so that Charley could get him at any time.</p> + +<p>While Charley was talking with Willie, Lew had been collecting and +packing the camp utensils. Now the wireless instruments were quickly +uncoupled and stowed away in a bag, and the aerial taken down and loosely +rolled around the spreaders so that it could be hoisted in a moment's +time. Then the little party set off swiftly down the valley toward the +point at which the fire started.</p> + +<p>Walking rapidly, they arrived at the edge of the burned area in half an +hour. Smoke was still rising from smouldering embers at various points in +the burned area; but there was no danger to be feared, for everything +inflammable about these embers had been consumed. Even should the wind fan +them into a flame again they could do no harm, for there was nothing for +them to feed upon. Along the entire edge of the burned area the fire crew +had made sure there was a wide belt of ground in which no spark remained. +Thus, though these glowing embers might continue to smoulder for hours, +they could do no harm. The quantity of smoke arising was still +considerable, but it did not shut off the vision as the dense clouds of +smoke had done during the fire. So the onlookers could get a fair idea of +the extent of the blaze.</p> + +<p>The blackened area on which they looked, they were relieved to find, was +not of great width, though it stretched from the edge of the brook on one +side almost to the mountain on the other. Altogether, the fire had swept +over not more than a hundred acres. Had it not been for the presence of +the two boys, it might easily have destroyed thousands of acres. The fire +had started in a cut-over tract just below the edge of the virgin timber. +Had the morning proved windy, instead of calm, the flames would have gone +racing into the big timber, with the chances good for a disastrous +crown-fire, when the flames would have gone leaping from tree top to tree +top, utterly consuming the forest, as the previous fires had destroyed the +timber on Old Ironsides. A lucky combination of circumstances alone had +prevented a holocaust.</p> + +<p>Climbing upon a high rock, the forester searched for the point at which +the fire had originated. Prom his pocket he drew some powerful +field-glasses, and again and again swept his vision over the farther edge +of the burned area. Presently he closed his glasses and leaped to the +ground.</p> + +<p>"Come on," he said, and headed diagonally across the burned tract.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the three stood on the unburned forest floor on the +farther side of the strip of black.</p> + +<p>"We must get our aerial up at once, Lew," said Charley. "It's been +three-fourths of an hour since we talked to Willie."</p> + +<p>They glanced about, selected two suitable trees, and had the supporting +wires attached to them in no time, with the aerial dangling aloft between +the trees. It took only a moment more to couple up the instruments.</p> + +<p>"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," rapped out Charley, as soon as the outfit was in +readiness.</p> + +<p>Almost instantly Willie replied to the signal.</p> + +<p>"Any message for us from Oakdale?" inquired Charley.</p> + +<p>"Not a word. What are you doing?"</p> + +<p>"We are investigating the cause of the fire. Have moved our aerial down +past the burned area. Forester and Lew and I alone. Fire crew on way back +to Oakdale."</p> + +<p>"Have you found cause of fire?"</p> + +<p>"No. Just got here. Haven't investigated yet. Will listen in every quarter +hour, beginning with the hour."</p> + +<p>"All right. I'll be here. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The minute Charley finished talking with Willie, the three investigators +set about their work.</p> + +<p>"We'll walk along the edge of the burned area," said the forester, "and +try to find the point of origin."</p> + +<p>He went ahead, the two boys following. They were facing toward the brook. +The line was irregular, like a huge saw-blade, with little jutting, black +teeth here and there, where the flames had crept out in advance of the +main line. The wind that had come up when the boys were fighting the fire +had driven the flames back upon the area they had already consumed and the +blaze had died out of itself. It could not eat its way to windward out +here in the open, as it could have done in the dense timber where the wind +was broken. From their starting-point they walked to the brook, finding +nothing to enlighten them. They then retraced their steps, walking along +the windward edge of the fire. Yet they found nothing to show them how or +where the fire originated.</p> + +<p>"Evidently the flames have eaten their way some distance to windward of +the point of origin," said the forester. "We shall have to look within the +burned area."</p> + +<p>As he started to cross the black strip, the forester continued: "Perhaps I +had better go through the burned strip alone. I want things disturbed as +little as possible, and three will stir up the ashes a good deal more than +one. You keep looking along the edge, and I'll search among the ashes."</p> + +<p>"Is there anything in particular we are to look for?" asked Charley. "Is +there any special way to distinguish the starting-point of the fire?"</p> + +<p>"If this blaze started at a camper's fire, there ought to be some trace of +that fire discoverable. If it began with a lighted match, the stem of that +match might not be entirely consumed. If blazing paper created the fire, +there may be a scrap of paper left unburned. And even the ashes might show +that paper had been burned. That's why I don't want the leaves disturbed +any more than we can help. We shall quite likely find our clue, if we find +it at all, in the ashes themselves."</p> + +<p>The forester started slowly across the valley.</p> + +<p>"I don't see where he has anything on us as observers," said Lew. "If our +drill at Camp Brady didn't make competent observers of us, I don't know +what it did do. Captain Hardy drilled us and drilled us in noticing even +the most minute things. Let's go along the line again and look more +carefully. We've got a better idea now of what we're looking for."</p> + +<p>They started once more along the edge of the black belt. The forester was +walking well within the burned area. The two boys centred their attention +on the strip between the forester's tracks and the edge of the black area. +This was a strip roughly fifty to seventy-five feet wide. Practically +everything was blackened in this area. A piece of unburned paper would +have shown with startling distinctness. But there were no pieces to show. +The forester crossed the black belt from brook to mountain, and the boys +kept pace with him for a little. Then Lew turned back in order to listen +in, while Charley went on with the forester. For a long time the two +searched among the leaves, but found nothing to indicate where or how the +fire had started.</p> + +<p>"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last, +"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess +we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and +make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me."</p> + +<p>"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is +willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip. +And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one."</p> + +<p>"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the +legal authority you should have as a fire patrol."</p> + +<p>"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the +train at Oakdale."</p> + +<p>They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go +home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd +stand in your way, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate +to cut your trip short."</p> + +<p>"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your +arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if +he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish. +And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that +you are good fire fighters."</p> + +<p>Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest +and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly +dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area +once more, on their way out to the distant road.</p> + +<p>They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone +perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They +were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently +been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught +his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the +surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what +a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves +should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting +anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one +side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained +perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery +veining were distinct in the ashy residues. They were interesting to see. +Charley continued to level the burned leaves on one side of the pile. At +the touch of his stick they lost their shape and crumbled into formless +ashes, even as fairy crystals of snow turn to water beneath a warm current +of air.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Charley stopped dead still. Among the ashes turned over by his +stick was a long, thin sheet of ash. Charley looked at it a moment in +astonishment. Then he knew that it was pasteboard. He sank to his knees on +the blackened earth and with his fingers carefully worked in the still +warm ashes, raking off the upper layers of leaves gently, so as not to +disturb the bottom of the pile. Carefully he worked, until he had laid +bare a long strip of what had been pasteboard. At his touch this, like the +leaves, crumbled. But one end of it did not disintegrate. A tiny piece was +unconsumed. From the ashes Charley drew forth a charred bit of greenish +pasteboard. Swiftly but carefully he raked aside the burned pasteboard. +Then he gave a little cry. On the ground, in the very bottom of the heap, +was some candle grease. His startled exclamation brought Mr. Marlin and +Lew running to his side.</p> + +<p>"What have you found?" asked the forester sharply.</p> + +<p>"A piece of unconsumed pasteboard and some candle grease," said Charley +slowly. "They were under this mound of burned leaves."</p> + +<p>"We need look no farther for the starting-place of this fire," said the +forester, his face very sober. "It is just as I suspected. This fire was +of incendiary origin. Whoever set it, placed a lighted candle inside a +pasteboard box, partly filled the box with leaves, heaped some leaves on +top of it, and hurried away. The candle probably burned for hours before +it burned low enough to set fire to the leaves. By that time the culprit +was far away and could prove an alibi."</p> + +<p>Charley drew from his pocket the little microscope he used in his class in +botany in the high school. Over and over he turned the scorched scrap of +pasteboard, studying it intently.</p> + +<p>"The fibers are arranged in a peculiar way," he said, "and there's an +almost invisible machine marking of a peculiar pattern. The color of the +pasteboard was a dark green."</p> + +<p>The forester took the microscope and examined the charred fragment, +handing both, when he had finished, to Lew.</p> + +<p>"This is our clue to the incendiary," he said slowly. "We must find where +pasteboard like that comes from and who had some of it. Meantime, do not +breathe a word of this to any one. Do not let a soul know that we have +discovered how the fire originated. Let them think we know nothing. And +bear in mind what I told you before: suspect anybody that circumstances +point to, no matter who he is. Now remember! Not a soul outside of the +three of us must know about this. We've got a long trail ahead of us, but +we have at last got a clue. Sooner or later, if we keep our eyes and ears +open and our mouths shut, we'll find the man who set this forest afire."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch09"> +<h2>Chapter IX</h2> + +<h3>Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol</h3> + + + +<p>Rapidly the three made their way through the forest. The forester led his +companions up the valley a distance to a fire trail. Along this they +traveled as rapidly as they could have done on a village sidewalk. By +several of these fire trails they made their way through valleys and over +hills, finally reaching the road. The forester's car was there, and an +hour's run brought them to the forester's office at Oakdale.</p> + +<p>Charley was intensely interested in everything he saw in this office. On +the wall were huge maps of the forest areas under Mr. Marlin's control. +These maps showed the mountains, big springs, streams, roads, fire trails, +etc., and little tacks with heads of different colors were stuck here and +there in the maps to show where rangers, fire-wardens and game protectors +lived. The telephone was also shown.</p> + +<p>Charley was interested to learn that he and Lew had been fully twelve +miles distant from the telephone. It had taken the fire crew, hardy men +experienced in mountain travel, three hours to cover those twelve miles, +even when they had fire trails most of the way. He wondered how much +longer it would have taken them if they had had to travel through the +rough forest. Many hours longer, he was certain. And that meant that it +would have taken one equally as long to get out to the telephone to notify +the forester of the fire. He felt sure there must be many places where one +might be more than twelve miles distant from the telephone; and he +realized more keenly than ever what a big part the wireless could play in +saving the forest. He resolved that he would keep his wireless outfit with +him when he went back into the forest as a fire patrol.</p> + +<p>But the maps on the wall were not all that interested Charley. There were +fire-fighting tools of various sorts. There were double-bitted axes and +axes with short handles to be used in one hand. These were of the finest +steel, very sharp, and well balanced. There were implements that were +really potato-hooks, though in the forest they were used for clearing away +brush and leaves rather than for digging potatoes. Then there were +short-handled, four-toothed rakes, for use in back-firing. Also there were +lanterns, and finally a small compressed air sprayer, for wetting the +ground when back-firing. All these tools were painted a bright red. The +forester explained that the sprayer wasn't often used, but that sometimes +it came in very handy. The implements were red so that they could be found +easily. Otherwise many would be lost in almost every fight with a fire.</p> + +<p>Particularly was Charley interested in the portable telephone. It was +like the one the ranger had had in the burned valley. Mr. Marlin handed +the instrument to Charley and let him examine it. The battery was +contained in a small box, and the mouthpiece and the receiver were in one +piece, which was held alternately to the ear and the mouth. Then there +were considerable lengths of wire to be attached to the telephone-lines. +If a ranger could not climb a pole and attach his wires to the +telephone-lines, Mr. Marlin explained, he could tie stones to his wires +and throw them over the lines. All that was needed was to have the two +wires touch the two wires of the telephone system. Then a connection would +be made and one could talk with the portable instrument. The battery, the +mouthpiece and receiver, and the connecting wires all could be packed +snugly into a little leather case and slung over the shoulder. It was an +excellent outfit.</p> + +<p>At one time Charley would have been wild to try it. Now he could not help +seeing how really inferior it was to the wireless as a means of +communication. In order to talk with it, it must be connected with the +telephone-lines, and they must be in working order. Charley's quick mind +instantly saw that falling limbs or trees, heavy snows or ice-storms in +winter, or a pair of nippers in the hands of a miscreant, could put the +forest telephone out of commission for hours at a time. He rejoiced to +think that no one could tamper with the air and that he could always get +a connection with his wireless. More and more he saw the possibilities of +usefulness for the wireless in protecting the forest.</p> + +<p>But the two boys had little time to examine the many interesting things in +the forester's office because their train was due within a short time +after they reached Oakdale. They made the acquaintance of the forester's +assistant, Mr. Franklin Conover, and soon started for the railroad +station, leaving their duffel at the forester's office.</p> + +<p>Before they left, Charley called the forester aside. "How much pay am I to +receive as a fire patrol?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The forester frowned.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't think," said Charley hastily, "that the pay is all that I +care about. I want to be a fire patrol because I love the woods. But I +don't know whether Dad will let me be a fire patrol unless I can make as +much here as I could in the factory with him."</p> + +<p>"How much could you earn there?"</p> + +<p>"Dad says I ought to get two dollars and a half a day."</p> + +<p>"Then you needn't worry. I have some leeway in the matter of pay. You have +already shown your worth, and I am going to pay you the highest rate +within my power. You will go on the payroll at eighty-five dollars a +month, which is as much as many of our rangers get."</p> + +<p>Charley was so astonished at this unexpected good fortune that he was +hardly able to answer Mr. Marlin. He did not know how to express his +thoughts. All he could do was to thank the forester warmly and assure him +he would earn every cent he got. Then he and Lew hurried away to their +train.</p> + +<p>For some time after the two boys boarded the train Charley was silent. He +sat watching the forest through which they were rushing so fast. Never had +it appeared to him quite as it did now. Always he had known the forest was +an animate growth, but now he realized more vividly than ever before how +truly the forest was alive. Now he thought of the great growths of trees +more as one would think of a flock of animals that must be tended and +cared for. Many, many times he had seen the forest under happy conditions. +But never before this trip had he seen it in agony. Never before had he +heard the cries of fear and pain from the forest animals. Never had he +seen the charred remains of those that had been burned. Never had he +beheld the awful skeletons, not merely of burned trees, but of a burned +forest. He was deeply impressed. A tree had suddenly become in his +consciousness far more than a piece of timber. And a forest had taken on +new meaning. With all his mind he loved the forest and the innumerable +things of life and beauty within it. Beyond expression was his joy at the +thought that he could have a part in protecting and caring for the forest.</p> + +<p>And when he thought of all the forest meant to mankind--more than any +other single gift of nature excepting food and water--he saw the forester, +the forest-ranger, and the fire patrol in their true light. He saw them as +real servants of the people, as real promoters and builders of +civilization, which could not have come into existence without wood. He +realized that the man in the forest as truly helps mankind forward and +upward as the statesman in the legislative halls, the chemist at his +test-tube, the physician at his operating-table, the engineer building his +bridges and roads, or any other of the constructive workers who make +civilization what it is; for the forester's work is the foundation for the +work of all the other builders of civilization. When he realized this, his +heart sang with pride to think that he was to have a part in saving and +perpetuating the forests for the countless generations of people who would +follow him in the world.</p> + +<p>He tried to tell Lew something of what was in his heart, but words failed +him, and he sat silent until the train was far beyond the limits of the +forest. Then his thoughts drifted into other channels. Before he knew it, +the conductor shouted "Central City," and the two chums left the train.</p> + +<p>When Charley told his father that he was to get eighty-five dollars a +month, he had no difficulty in winning his father's consent to the plan he +had in mind. Nor was it much more difficult to secure his release from +further work at school. Charley was a great favorite with his teachers. +Always cheerful and polite, a faithful worker, mentally quick, and liking +his instructors, he had their entire good-will. They wanted to help him +get on in the world as much as they had wanted to see him advance in his +studies. When they understood Charley's position at home, and his need of +earning money to help his father, and especially when they realized what +the present opportunity meant to Charley in the way of personal happiness, +they were more than willing to release him from further school duties.</p> + +<p>So it came about that on the following day Charley and Lew took the train +back to Oakdale. The entire Wireless Patrol accompanied them to the +station, each boy carrying some part of the luggage. Thus divided, the +equipment did not seem large; but when it was all assembled, it appeared +entirely adequate. There was a good waterproof tent, a strong tick to be +stuffed with leaves, blankets, a coil of rope, additional cooking +utensils, and generous supplies of food. Charley took a light, +high-powered rifle and his revolver with plenty of ammunition. Their +comrades piled this luggage in a corner of the car, then hustled back to +the station platform and gave the Camp Brady yell, in honor of their +departing friends. In a moment more the train was speeding toward Oakdale, +where they found the forester in his office.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin expressed his pleasure at the successful outcome of Charley's +effort to secure his release from high school.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe much in talk," said the forester who himself was +distinctly a man of deeds, "but I am going to say this to you, Charley: +the fact that you have worked your studies off ahead of your class makes +you twice as valuable to me as another boy would be who was merely keeping +abreast of his class."</p> + +<p>Charley looked his surprise. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know any more than +the others know or soon will know."</p> + +<p>"What you know has nothing to do with it, young man. It's what you do. +It's your habits. Habit is the strongest force in the world. The mere fact +that you are ahead of your class tells me that it is your habit to be +forehanded, to be prepared. It tells me that you will keep your tools and +your records in their places and in good condition, and that you will be +prepared for almost any emergency that will arise."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand," expostulated Charley, "how you can figure that out +from the mere fact that I kept a little ahead of my class."</p> + +<p>"Of course you don't," smiled the forester. "They teach you about the laws +of gravity in school, but they don't bother to teach you about the laws of +life. But life has its laws, and one of the strongest is the law of habit. +A good habit is worth a million good resolutions. A man may possibly keep +a good resolution, but he can hardly fail to keep a good habit. Your good +habits are worth just about fifteen dollars a month to you now; for I +wouldn't be paying you the top rate if you were a lad of bad habits. Just +bear that in mind and be careful of the habits you form in future."</p> + +<p>Charley was too much astonished for words. He had never thought of his +habits as having any bearing on his possible earning capacity.</p> + +<p>But the forester gave him no opportunity to consider the matter just then. +"I want you to hurry back into the forest," he went on. "Get acquainted +with as much of the forest as possible."</p> + +<p>He reached in a drawer and pulled out a map, which he gave to Charley. +"This is exactly like the big map on the wall," he said, "excepting that +it is on a smaller scale. Here is where you had your camp."</p> + +<p>As he laid his finger on the map, he continued, "That was a good location +for a fisherman's camp, but a poor one for a fire guard. High up on this +hill," and again he laid a finger on the map, "there is a fine spring. A +dense rhododendron thicket surrounds it, and tall hemlocks grow above it. +Make your camp in that thicket. It is so dense that I think nobody could +possibly see a tent there. But make sure. If necessary, put hemlock boughs +or rhododendron branches around it. Nobody but Mr. Morton and I must know +that you are in camp in the forest or that you have any connection with +the forestry department. I will tell him where your camp is and he will +inspect it and give you more detailed instructions. But remember that +yours is a secret patrol. I would rather that nobody should learn of your +presence in the forest. But if you do meet any one, pose as a fisherman. +Don't, under any circumstances, let anybody suspect your real purpose."</p> + +<p>The forester paused a moment, in deep thought. "Smoke," he said at last, +"would betray the location of your camp--at least in the daytime. Don't +make any fires unless it be at night. Then be sure they are small, well +concealed, and as smokeless as possible. Do your cooking with this."</p> + +<p>He stepped to a closet and returned with an alcohol stove and a can of +fuel, and continued: "From your spring to the summit of the mountain it is +only a short distance. You can get a wide outlook there. Examine the +forest carefully in every direction as often as possible. But leave no +telltale marks to indicate that the place is a lookout point. And be sure +you don't do anything to draw attention to your camp."</p> + +<p>The forester then swore Charley in as a fire patrol and gave him his +badge, with instructions to keep it out of sight.</p> + +<p>"You'll need this, too," he said with a smile, handing Charley a portable +telephone. "Your friends can't be at the other end of the wireless all the +time, you know."</p> + +<p>"Can we fish at all?" asked Charley. "I want Lew to have some fun on this +trip. He's going to help me a lot with the work."</p> + +<p>"Fish as much as you like, as long as it does not interfere with your +duty. But remember that your business is to protect the forest. That comes +first. You will have to decide how to do it, according to circumstances."</p> + +<p>The boys carried their duffel to the forester's car. Mr. Marlin telephoned +his assistant to look after things during his absence, and in another +minute Mr. Marlin and Lew and Charley were whirling along the highway. +They reached the point at which they were to enter the forest, jumped to +the ground and unloaded their duffel. Mr. Marlin said good-bye, turned his +car, and sped back to his office, leaving the two young fire guards alone +in the heart of the wilderness.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch10"> +<h2>Chapter X</h2> + +<h3>An Encounter with a Bear</h3> + + + +<p>Rapidly the duffel was made into two packs. These were both heavy and +bulky.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" said Lew, as he surveyed the packs, "I hope we don't meet any state +cops. They would arrest us for peddling without licenses."</p> + +<p>There was small chance, however, of their meeting any one, unless it might +be some lone fisherman. On every hand the forest stretched, seemingly +interminable.</p> + +<p>"I guess we'd better get our bearings," said Charley.</p> + +<p>He drew the map from his pocket and spread it on a flat rock. The two boys +pored over it for some minutes.</p> + +<p>"We have to cross these two mountains," said Lew, "and camp just the other +side of the summit of the third. That's about the same as climbing over +three mountains. There are two valleys that we'll have to get across. I +judge we'll be just about as far from the road as our old camp was. That's +twelve miles or so."</p> + +<p>"Gee!" laughed Charley. "That means I've got to hike twelve miles over +these mountains every time I want to talk to anybody on the telephone. I'm +glad Mr. Marlin doesn't care much for talk. The telephone is all right, +but compared to the wireless it's like a candle beside an electric light. +Mr. Marlin was right when he said the fellows couldn't be listening in for +me all the time, but you just bet I'm going to figure out some way to use +my wireless. Why, I've got to, if I'm going to make good. This whole neck +of the woods could burn up while I'm hiking twelve miles to call help and +twelve more to get back to the blaze. And I reckon I'd feel like putting +up a stiff fight after hiking twenty-four miles over these mountains. Mr. +Marlin is all right, but he isn't quite up to date. He still thinks the +wireless is a sort of plaything."</p> + +<p>"What you need, Charley, is a battery powerful enough to carry a message +to some regular wireless station, where an operator is on duty all the +time."</p> + +<p>"I've been thinking of that, too, Lew. It wouldn't take so very much more +power to carry to the government station at Frankfort. I'm sure the +operators there would be glad to help us out. You remember how Henry +Harper helped Mr. Axton, the day operator over there, when he had +appendicitis. The operators have been mighty nice to us fellows of the +Wireless Patrol ever since. The difficulty would be to get the battery. +Things cost so much now that I don't see how I could ever save enough to +pay for it. You know I'll have to give Dad about all I earn."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to talk to the boys about it, Charley," said Lew. "Maybe +somebody can think of a way out. Gee! We ought to be able to do something, +with Roy a regular steamship operator and Henry almost as good as a +substitute government wireless man."</p> + +<p>By this time they were well into the forest. They were climbing through a +notch over the first range of mountains. When they reached the valley +beyond, they had to turn to their left and go up the valley two or three +miles, until they struck a fire trail. This trail led straight over the +second mountain, which was really the knob at the head of the burned +valley. It was on this knob that they had found the rude watch-tower after +their meeting with the ranger, Mr. Morton. Beyond this knob they had still +to traverse a wide valley and climb a third mountain before they reached +their camp site. But there was a good fire trail almost the entire +distance.</p> + +<p>Traveling with such heavy packs on their backs, the two lads made but slow +progress. Every little while they had to stop to rest. During one of these +pauses they heard a low, whining sound.</p> + +<p>"Listen! What is that?" asked Charley, who loved animals and was keenly +sensitive to their sufferings. "It sounds like a dog."</p> + +<p>They stood motionless. Faint but distinct came the unmistakable cry of a +dog in distress.</p> + +<p>Charley dropped his pack instantly. "There's a dog in trouble," he said, +"and we've got to help him."</p> + +<p>He began to whistle. Then he called, "Here, boy! Here, boy!"</p> + +<p>From somewhere ahead of them came a joyous bark, followed by a painful +whine.</p> + +<p>Charley picked up his pack. "Come on," he said, and hastened toward the +sound. But he did not go far. Soon he caught sight of a dog, painfully +limping toward him. Charley ran up to the animal, which wagged its tail +violently and barked with joy.</p> + +<p>"He's only a half grown pup," said Charley, noticing the big paws. "Isn't +he a fine young fellow?"</p> + +<p>The animal leaped up against Charley and licked his hand. "Come here, +boy," said Charley, taking the dog in his arms. "Let's see what's wrong."</p> + +<p>Charley began to examine the animal's paws. The dog submitted patiently. +"Nothing wrong with that one," commented Charley, dropping a fore paw.</p> + +<p>But when he began to feel the other front foot the dog whined with pain. +"No wonder," said Charley with sympathy. "Look here, Lew," and he pointed +to an enormous thorn that had embedded itself in the paw.</p> + +<p>"Hold him tight while I take it out," said Charley as he drew forth his +knife, opened the small blade, slit the skin slightly, and carefully dug +the thorn out. The foot was festered and swollen. Charley squeezed out +the pus.</p> + +<p>"Don't let him get that paw in the dirt," he said, and ran to his pack. He +fished out the first-aid kit and got some absorbent cotton and a +disinfectant. He wrapped a tiny bit of cotton around the end of a twig, +wet it with water from the canteen and swabbed out the little wound. Then +he soaked another bit of cotton with the disinfectant and stuffed it into +the foot.</p> + +<p>"We'll let that stay there a while," he said.</p> + +<p>"The dog is probably lost. We'll keep him until we find his owner."</p> + +<p>Relieved of the thorn, the little animal frisked about, limping but +slightly. He fawned upon Charley and seemed to be trying to express his +gratitude.</p> + +<p>The two boys shouldered their packs again and started on. Charley whistled +to the pup, but the call was unnecessary. The pup stuck to their heels as +close as a sticking-plaster.</p> + +<p>"They say two's a company, but three's a crowd," laughed Charley, "but I +guess it doesn't apply to dogs."</p> + +<p>"You never can tell," replied Lew. "A pup of that age may get you into all +sorts of difficulty."</p> + +<p>"I'll take a chance on it," smiled Charley, as he bent and patted the dog.</p> + +<p>They went on. For a long time they traveled in silence, the little dog +trotting and frisking at their heels. From time to time they stopped to +rest. Their packs were growing heavy and neither felt like talking. They +settled to their tasks and plodded on. When they came to the fire trail, +they turned to their right and went straight over the first mountain. The +way was smooth enough, but the grade was very steep and it tested their +endurance to the utmost. Every few minutes they were compelled to rest. +Finally they topped the ridge and went down into the next valley.</p> + +<p>The bottom here was very wide, for the mountains had drawn far apart. +Apparently the valley soil was rich. It seemed to be deep and black, and +the trees grew to massive size. Ordinarily the two boys would have taken +keen enjoyment in the sight of such fine timber, but by this time they +were too tired to care much about anything except reaching their +destination.</p> + +<p>At the foot of the last ridge they took a long rest. They were just +starting on when Lew heard a peculiar little sound behind some bushes just +off the fire trail. Curious to know what might have made the sound, he +dropped his pack and went to investigate. Behind the bush he found a +cunning, little black animal that did not seem to be at all afraid of him. +He picked it up and rejoined his comrade.</p> + +<p>"Charley," he said. "See what I have found. What is it?"</p> + +<p>"It's a bear cub," said Charley. "You had better leave it alone. If its +mother came along, she might make it hot for us."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to keep it for a pet," said Lew. "I knew a fellow who had a +pet bear cub once and----"</p> + +<p>Lew never finished the sentence. A savage growl sounded close at hand and +a great black animal came rushing through the bushes. Lew dropped the cub +and took to his heels. The bear followed in hot pursuit. She was a great, +clumsy, lumbering beast, and yet she got over the ground with astonishing +speed. Lew ran as fast as he could, but the bear gained on him at every +stride.</p> + +<p>"Climb a tree, Lew," cried Charley, slipping off his pack and starting to +his chum's assistance. "Be quick about it."</p> + +<p>Lew headed for the first tree he saw that was small enough to climb. It +was a little pole, a foot in diameter. The lowest branch was seven or +eight feet above the ground. Lew raced toward it, gathered himself for a +leap and sprang upward. He caught the limb and swung himself up with all +possible speed. He was not a second too soon. As Lew's body shot upward, +the bear rose on her hind feet, and the vicious swipe of her paw barely +missed Lew's body. Lew drew himself erect and climbed upward a few feet, +where he paused to look down at the bear.</p> + +<p>Meantime, Charley was following the animal. He hadn't the slightest idea +of what he should do. The law protected the bear at that season of the +year and he did not know whether he would be justified in shooting her +under the circumstances or not. And anyway, his rifle was back with his +pack. He had his little axe on his hip, however, and he drew it from its +sheath so that he would have it ready in case he had to use it.</p> + +<p>The problem was settled for him, however, in a very unexpected manner. The +little dog, which had been playing with a stick at some distance from the +two boys, noticed Charley running and came tearing after him. Then he saw +the bear and went after her at full speed. The instant the bear heard the +dog, she turned to face him; then as quickly faced about again and started +to climb the very tree in which Lew had taken refuge.</p> + +<p>"Get that dog away from here," yelled Lew in consternation, as he began to +climb frantically toward the top of the tree.</p> + +<p>Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charley burst into a roar of +laughter. But a second appeal from his chum stifled his laughter. He +grabbed the dog and started to carry it away. But he had not gone two rods +before Lew called frantically for him to bring the dog back. Charley +turned around and saw the bear climbing after Lew. As long as the dog was +under the tree, the bear had paid no attention to Lew. But when Charley +started away with the pup, the angry bear continued her pursuit. Charley +returned the dog to the base of the tree.</p> + +<p>"Sick 'em," he cried. "Catch 'em."</p> + +<p>The little pup made a terrific clamor and the bear paid no further +attention to Lew, who immediately began to look for a way out of his +predicament. Within two or three feet of the base of the tree which he +had climbed, a second tree had sprung up. But the two had grown away from +each other, much like the sloping sides of the letter V. At first Lew +thought he could cross over to the other tree, but a careful inspection +showed him that this would be impossible. Down where the bear was he could +have swung himself from one tree to the other; but the farther up the tree +he was the farther he was from the other tree and the smaller the limbs +were. And Lew was now as near the top of the tree as he dared to go. To +try to leap from his present position to the other tree was not to be +thought of. It would certainly mean a fall of thirty feet or more. And Lew +did not dare come down nearer the bear, lest the animal should again try +to claw him. There was no apparent way to get the bear out of the tree, +and Lew knew that he could not stay up where he was indefinitely.</p> + +<p>Charley tried to divert the bear's attention to himself by reaching up the +tree with his axe and striking the trunk. The bear growled but made no +attempt to reach Charley. Her attention was centred wholly on the dog. +With her hair erect, her lips drawn back, her ears laid flat, and her +massive claws ready to tear and rend, the beast presented such a fearful +front that Charley did not dare take the dog away. One swipe of those +paws, or one crunch of the great jaws might cripple Lew for life, or even +kill him outright.</p> + +<p>"Keep perfectly quiet, Lew," said Charley, "and maybe the bear will +forget about you. She's terribly enraged at this pup."</p> + +<p>Charley felt in his pocket and found a piece of strong cord. He knotted it +around the pup's neck and tied the animal to the tree.</p> + +<p>"I hope that bear won't come down and kill him while I'm gone," he +muttered to himself. To Lew he said, "I've got an idea. I'm going to get +the rope and see if I can lasso the bear from the other tree."</p> + +<p>"Sick 'em, pup," he cried, urging the little dog to make another frenzied +outburst. And while the dog was making the valley ring with his clamor, +Charley raced to his pack and got the coil of rope. Back he ran and +hastily climbed the tree beside the one in which Lew and the bear were +resting. The bear eyed him angrily, but kept her attention centred on the +pup. Charley climbed to a point a little higher than the limb on which the +bear rested. Quickly he fashioned a noose and got his rope ready for a +throw. Then he realized that he could never make a successful cast among +the limbs.</p> + +<p>An idea came to him. Drawing his little axe, he quickly cut and trimmed a +small limb, leaving a fork on the end of it. He put the noose on the +forked end and cautiously extended the pole. All the while he was urging +on the dog, which now began to jump up against the trunk of the tree. The +bear more and more centred her attention on the yelping dog. Her hair +bristled, and she growled continually. She bent her head down and got +ready to deal the dog a savage blow if he came up the tree. Her posture +could not have been better for Charley's purpose. Swiftly but quietly he +extended the pole until the noose was just beyond the bear's nose, then +lowered it swiftly and pulled back hard on the rope. Luck was with him. +The bear, taken utterly by surprise, was fairly noosed before she saw the +rope.</p> + +<p>Charley's sharp jerk to tighten the lasso almost pulled the bear from her +perch. She grasped the trunk of the tree with her paws to avoid falling, +and that gave Charley an opportunity to tighten and secure his rope. To +keep from falling, the bear had to maintain her hold on the tree. Thus she +could not claw or bite the rope.</p> + +<p>"I've got her," shouted Charley.</p> + +<p>It was true enough. In a moment he was almost sorry that he had her. For +Lew could not reach the ground without climbing past the bear, and +although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself +within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps +he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not +want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so +incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the +ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the +probable loss of part of it.</p> + +<p>"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called.</p> + +<p>"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew, +peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that, +we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in. +Then we could cut the rope and beat it."</p> + +<p>"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have +to try it. I see nothing else to do."</p> + +<p>Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb +before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The +loose end dangled down the trunk.</p> + +<p>"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as +simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold +it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know +whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?"</p> + +<p>"Can't you catch it with your pole?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear, +but it had lodged in a branch within reach.</p> + +<p>"Here goes," he said. "I'll try."</p> + +<p>Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself, +and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil. +The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment. +She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She +continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage +that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless +the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give +the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the +bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other, +Charley at once saw was impossible.</p> + +<p>"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off."</p> + +<p>He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to +taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attempting to work +the rope around the limb, the dog suddenly increased his clamor.</p> + +<p>The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it +through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he +fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping +rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to +the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he +wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree.</p> + +<p>"I'll try it, anyway," he said.</p> + +<p>He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and +the bear rested.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, +she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on +her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as +quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?"</p> + +<p>Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second +she drops," he said. "Pull!"</p> + +<p>Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by +surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then +swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the +tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an +instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear +was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which +the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose.</p> + +<p>"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!"</p> + +<p>They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to +ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack.</p> + +<p>"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!"</p> + +<p>Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the +bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys +pulled in a little more slack.</p> + +<p>"We could choke her to death now," said Charley, "but we mustn't. How are +we going to get out of this?"</p> + +<p>"Let's tie the rope fast and take our packs some distance away. She won't +strangle for a while. Then we can come back and free her. I think she +will not attack us, for she is too much afraid of the dog. We'll keep him +on a leash and beat it the minute we get the rope."</p> + +<p>"But how are we going to get the rope?" demanded Charley.</p> + +<p>"Gee! You've got me. Maybe we'll think of something while we're carrying +the packs away."</p> + +<p>The two boys got their packs and hurried along their route for some +hundreds of yards. Then they laid their packs down and ran back. But +Charley carried his rifle on the return trip.</p> + +<p>The bear was still pawing at the rope when they got back. The hair on her +neck was worn off by her violent struggles, and the skin was bleeding +freely.</p> + +<p>"That bear will wear a collar on her neck for life," said Charley. "If we +ever see her again, we'll know her."</p> + +<p>An idea came to him. "I've got it," he said. "I'll cut that rope with a +bullet. You stand ready with the dog, and I'll be ready for a second shot, +if necessary. We're not going to take a chance of being badly hurt, law or +no law."</p> + +<p>Lew untied the dog from the tree and held the leash with his left hand. +Charley handed him the axe, and Lew stepped a little aside where he could +use it, if necessary. But it was one thing to talk about cutting the rope +with a bullet and another thing to do it, for the bear kept the rope in +motion continually. Charley leveled his weapon and tried to get a bead on +the rope. It seemed to him that the bear would never stand still. But the +beast had nearly reached the limit of endurance. Her tongue was protruding +from her mouth, her eyes seemed ready to pop from her head. She was +gasping pitifully. Her own struggles were slowly strangling her. Suddenly +she stopped fighting and hung limp. The rope stretched like a rod. +Instantly Charley's rifle cracked. The line was severed as though some one +had cut it with a sword. It flew upward into the tree and the bear dropped +to the ground. The noose about her neck came loose and she breathed +freely.</p> + +<p>"Quick!" cried Lew. "She'll be on her feet in a second."</p> + +<p>Charley untied the rope from the tree, drew the severed end to earth, and +gathering up rope and rifle, fled toward his pack, with Lew at his heels, +dragging the frantic dog by main force, for the animal was wild to charge +the fallen bear.</p> + +<p>As they ran, they glanced back over their shoulders. At first the bear did +not move. Then she stirred uneasily and a second later, rose to her feet +and ran madly away. The boys stopped running.</p> + +<p>"I guess both parties had a lesson," said Lew.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch11"> +<h2>Chapter XI</h2> + +<h3>The Secret Camp in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>Their encounter with the bear made the two lads forget for a while their +weariness. They made fast time along the fire trails. After a long tramp, +they topped the final ridge and paused to rest and study the country. This +they could do with ease, for the summit of the mountain was rather +sparsely timbered. A very little search disclosed a tree that was at once +tall and easy to climb, and that was surrounded only by low brush that +would not obstruct the vision. From this lookout they gained a wide view +in every direction.</p> + +<p>"We can see for miles and miles," said Charley. "The forester was right in +telling us to come often to this lookout. We can discover more from here +in a minute than we could by a week of wandering about among the trees."</p> + +<p>Slowly the boys swept their vision around the horizon. Everywhere the +mountains appeared to bask in the warm spring sunlight, seemingly as +secure as cats dozing by a fireplace. The fleecy clouds, passing across +the face of the sun, threw shadows on the hillsides, making beautiful +patterns of light and shade. The fresh, young growths gave forth a soft +green tint, in pleasing contrast to the darker colors of the pines. +Brooks sparkled in the bottoms. Far as the eye could reach this gorgeous +panorama extended.</p> + +<p>"Isn't it wonderful?" said Charley, after the two boys had surveyed the +scene in silence. "The forest is one of nature's very finest gifts. And to +think what we do to it by our carelessness. At any minute this green +paradise may become a very hell of roaring flame, just because some smoker +is too careless to blow out his match before dropping it, or some camper +too lazy to make sure his fire is extinguished. Why, it seems to me that a +murderer is an innocent angel compared to such a man. Think what he does! +He kills the fish and the birds and the animals and perhaps some human +beings, and he destroys not only the wood that civilization must have, but +he ruins the very ground so that it cannot produce another forest. It +seems to me that a man who does that ought to be punished more severely +than any mere murderer. Why, a murderer kills only a single being. The man +who starts a forest fire kills countless living things. I tell you, Lew, +it makes me mighty proud to have a part in protecting this grand forest."</p> + +<p>The boys were silent, wrapped in thought, until Lew suddenly pointed to a +dense growth of evergreens directly below them, and not very far down the +ridge. "That must be our camp site," he said. And both boys examined the +spot with interest.</p> + +<p>"That must be it," said Charley. "It's dense enough, goodness knows! And +there is a little stream of water stealing out of the lower side of the +thicket. So there is a spring in there. Let's go down and take a look at +it."</p> + +<p>They shouldered their packs, whistled the pup to their heels, and went +down to the thicket. In a space not less than a hundred yards in diameter +rhododendrons grew in indescribable density, while above them towered some +huge hemlocks. The two boys came close to the thicket and peered into it. +Even now, in the bright glare of the full sun, deep twilight reigned +beneath the rhododendrons. Evidently they were growths of great age. Their +stems were like young saplings. Their tops rose high and spread wide. And +their branches were laced and interlaced and twisted and grown together so +as to make a mass almost impenetrable.</p> + +<p>"Great Ned!" cried Lew. "A passer-by would have about as much chance of +seeing us in there as we have of discovering China from this hillside. The +question is, how are we going to get into the place?"</p> + +<p>Charley dropped on his hands and knees and crawled slowly under the low +rhododendron branches.</p> + +<p>"Keep right in my tracks, Lew, if you come in," warned Charley. "If there +are any snakes in here, they'd bite a fellow before he could see them. +I'll look sharp for them and if you follow me, you won't run any risk."</p> + +<p>He picked up a fallen branch, trimmed it, and crept on, stick in hand. +Suddenly he crowded back hard on Lew, almost kicking him in the face. At +the same time he began to thrash about in the leaves ahead of him.</p> + +<p>"Great Cæsar!" he exclaimed. "I almost crawled on a big rattler. He was so +near the color of the ground that I didn't see him until he coiled and +raised his head. Gee! That was a close shave."</p> + +<p>"As long as you didn't get bitten," said Lew, "It's a good thing it +happened. We'll be on our guard now."</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed. Did you put the potassium permanganate in the first-aid kit, +and the hypodermic syringe?"</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know."</p> + +<p>"We'll just carry them with us, Lew. We won't take any chances on death by +snake-bite. These mountains are full of rattlers and copperheads."</p> + +<p>"And we won't take any chances on being bitten in this thicket, either," +answered Lew. "We'll put the pup in ahead of us."</p> + +<p>They whistled in the dog and sent him scouring through the thicket. But +either there had been no more snakes within it or else all had fled, for +the dog raced eagerly about but found nothing to alarm him.</p> + +<p>Confidently the boys now pushed into the interior of the thicket. At the +very heart of it lay the spring. It came bubbling up through pure, white +sand, and had formed a deep basin, over the lower edge of which the +crystal water went rippling away through the thicket.</p> + +<p>"We'll put our tent right here," said Charley, indicating a level spot +beside the spring basin. "We'll have to clear away some of the bushes to +make room for it. We can use what we cut as a screen, though nobody would +ever see a tent away in here, especially one of brown khaki, like ours."</p> + +<p>He drew his little axe and began clearing a space for the tent, cutting +the rhododendron stems a little below the surface of the ground. Lew piled +the branches at one side. Then the tent was dragged in and set up, the +rope being used as a ridge and tied to two strong saplings. The sides of +the tent were squared and pegged down.</p> + +<p>"Drive the pegs tight, Lew," directed Charley. "We don't want to have +anything crawling under the sides. Thank goodness, we have a sod cloth."</p> + +<p>After they had completed this task and set about bringing in the duffel, +Charley remarked, "We can't go in and out this way, on our hands and +knees. We've got to make a path. We'll find the best way out and trim the +bushes so that we can walk upright."</p> + +<p>"We'd better not make the path straight," said Lew. "If we zigzag it, +nobody will know it really is a path."</p> + +<p>After they had picked out a level route they trimmed back the rhododendron +branches so that they could walk through the thicket, though the branches +at the very edge were left undisturbed. The cut branches were added to +the screen about the tent. Then the duffel was carried in and stowed in +the tent.</p> + +<p>"What bothers me," said Charley, "is to know how to put up our aerial. We +don't dare hang it up where it can be seen, and I don't know how well it +will work among these hemlocks."</p> + +<p>"All we can do is to put it up and try it," said the ever practical Lew, +"and the sooner we do it the better."</p> + +<p>Quickly they had their wires suspended between two hemlock trees. The +aerial reached almost from trunk to trunk, and the wires were completely +hidden by the branches that stood out all about them.</p> + +<p>"If she'll work," commented Charley, "it's a peach of an arrangement. +Nobody would discover that aerial in a hundred years. I can hardly wait +until evening to test it out."</p> + +<p>"Willie might be listening in again to-day," suggested Lew. "It will take +him several days to get that new outfit made. We'll try him on the hour."</p> + +<p>"Good idea, Lew." He looked at his watch. "It's ten minutes to the hour +now. If Willie is listening in, we'll soon know whether or not our aerial +will work."</p> + +<p>They began putting the tent in order, stowing the duffel in neat little +piles. Just outside the tent Lew built a foundation for the alcohol stove, +by leveling the earth and setting a flat stone for the stove to stand on. +Meanwhile, Charley was stuffing the tick with dry leaves.</p> + +<p>Exactly on the hour Lew sat down at the wireless key and sent a call +flashing into the air. Promptly; his receiver buzzed in response.</p> + +<p>"Got him," said Lew, and while Charley went on filling the tick and +bringing in hemlock branches to use like springs under the tick, Lew +conversed with Willie. The latter was still working at the new wireless +set, and had listened in every hour during the day. All the other members +of the Wireless Patrol were likewise hard at work, and it was practically +certain that by the time the vacation was ended each would have earned his +share of the money needed to buy the desired battery.</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you where our camp is," rapped out Lew, "because that is a +secret that we are not supposed to tell. The forester does not want +anybody to know that Charley is employed by the forestry department. We +are posing as fishermen. Tell the fellows not to talk about Charley and +tell Charley's father the forester does not want it known for a time that +Charley is a fire patrol. He thinks that we have a better chance to find +things out if it is not known that we are connected with the forestry +department."</p> + +<p>Willie said that he would caution the boys and tell Mr. Russell. Also he +said he would be in his workshop until supper time and would listen in +most of the time. The club members would be at their instruments as usual +to catch the time from Arlington and pick up some of the news. Lew +replied that he would call Willie then, if he needed him.</p> + +<p>For some time after Lew laid down the receivers, the two boys worked +silently. They finished setting the hemlock branches in the earth, placed +the stuffed ticking above them, and laid their blankets in position. They +brought the wireless outfit into the tent and set the instruments in a +corner. The grub was stacked in another corner. A little pool was dug in +the stream just below the spring, to make a place for washing dishes. +Their extra clothes were hung on the ridge-rope. The first-aid kit was +fastened to the tent wall where it would be handy, and Charley put the +permanganate and the hypodermic syringe in his pocket.</p> + +<p>They had almost completed their task, when a low whistle was heard outside +the thicket. The pup pricked up his ears and was about to bark. Lew +grabbed him and held his jaws together. Then both boys sat silent, +listening and looking questioningly at each other. Soon the whistle was +repeated.</p> + +<p>"We've got to find out who's whistling," said Charley. "Keep the pup quiet +and I'll slip out and take a look."</p> + +<p>He left the tent, but had hardly gone ten feet before a voice cried, +"Hello, Russell! Are you in the thicket? This is Morton, the ranger."</p> + +<p>"Sure we're here," replied Charley, an expression of relief coming on his +face. "We didn't know who it was and kept quiet until we could take a +look. I'm coming out now."</p> + +<p>He hurried from the thicket and shook hands warmly with the newcomer. +Instinctively he knew that he was going to like his ranger. Big, +broad-shouldered, quite evidently powerful, with a kindly expression, a +winning smile, and a deep voice that instantly created confidence, the +ranger was a picture of honest manhood. No one could look into his deep +blue eyes, set far apart, or examine the lines on his face, at once +betokening strength of character with gentleness, and not feel that here +was a man in very truth. One knew instinctively that he would never +hesitate a second to risk his life to save another's, and that he would be +as gentle as a woman in his dealings with all creatures. But the great, +strong jaw and the straight mouth and long nose all foretold fearless +courage, and were ample warning that the man would be terrible if stirred +to wrath.</p> + +<p>"Come in and see our camp," said Charley, after the two had conversed for +a moment. And he led the way into the thicket.</p> + +<p>The ranger followed, his practiced eye noting everything. "You've made a +good job of it," he said with commendation, when he was at last seated in +the tent. "Nobody will ever find you here, unless you do something to +betray your position. You'll have to be a little careful about fires. I +wouldn't make any during the daytime."</p> + +<p>"We aren't going to make any at all," explained Charley. "Mr. Marlin gave +us an alcohol stove to cook with."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe you need go so far as that. Use your alcohol stove +during the day. At night nobody can see smoke, and if you screen the +blaze, nobody will ever discover you. It would be pretty dismal here at +night without any light. Let's see if we can't fix up a little fireplace +that will help you out."</p> + +<p>He got a number of large, flat stones, which he set on edge, fashioning a +high, square fireplace that opened toward the front.</p> + +<p>"The stones will screen the flames on three sides, if you don't build too +big a fire," he said, "and your tent will shut off the view on the fourth +side."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Charley. "It will be a whole lot more cheerful with a +fire. We have a candle lantern that we intended to use, but a fellow just +ought to have a fire when he's in camp."</p> + +<p>As they began to discuss the work ahead of them, the ranger inquired, +"What instructions did Mr. Marlin give you?"</p> + +<p>"He said that we should keep our connection with the department secret," +said Charley, "and if possible, avoid meeting any one. If we do bump into +anybody, we are to pose as fishermen. He said you would give us detailed +instructions."</p> + +<p>"Very well. First, about your outfit. Have you any firearms?"</p> + +<p>"A light, high-powered rifle and a pistol."</p> + +<p>"You can't carry a rifle in the forest at this season without exciting +suspicion. Leave your rifle here. Let me see your pistol? Have you +another?"</p> + +<p>Charley handed him his pistol and said that he had no other.</p> + +<p>"Then take this," he said as he handed Charley his automatic. "Let your +chum carry your pistol. I'll get another at the office. It isn't likely +that you will ever need to use a weapon in the forest. I have been a +ranger for years and have never yet drawn one, but I never travel without +one. You'll meet some pretty tough characters in the forest and sometime +your life may depend on having your pistol. My advice is never to patrol +without it. But keep it out of sight. Keep your badge out of sight, too. +And since you are supposed to be nothing more than fishermen, you'll have +to play the parts. Carry your rods and catch a few fish each day during +the season."</p> + +<p>"Where are we to patrol, and what hours are we to observe?"</p> + +<p>"You are especially employed to guard this virgin timber, though, of +course, you must protect any part of the forest you happen to be in. Take +some good hikes over the region right away and get acquainted with it. Use +your map and, if possible, learn the region by heart. Then your map will +mean something to you. Learn where the virgin timber lies. Keep a close +watch on it, and on any fishermen or campers. I'll spend at least two days +a week out here and you must report to me each time I am here. Meantime, +you must report to the office every night the last thing before you turn +in. The chief said you had a wireless and could do it. Maybe you can, but +it beats me to know how."</p> + +<p>"We'll show you in a little while," smiled Charley as he glanced at his +watch. "Willie will surely be listening in within twenty minutes and we'll +call him."</p> + +<p>"I'll have to take your word for it," said the ranger. "I can't wait a +minute. It will be long after dark before I get out of the mountains. I +telephoned my wife I'd be late, but she always worries when I'm out after +dark. You know snakes are bad up here, and they're all out at night. And +by the way, you'd better carry some of this permanganate. Do you know +anything about it, and what to do with it if you're bitten?" The ranger +started to pull a bottle from his pocket.</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said Charley. "It's mighty good of you to offer to share with +us. But we have permanganate and a syringe both, and we know what to do +with them."</p> + +<p>"Good. But be careful where you step. What do you wear on your feet?"</p> + +<p>He examined the boys' shoes and canvas leggings. "They're all right. I +don't believe any snake will bite through them. But high leather boots +would be safer. Bear it in mind when you buy new shoes. Now I must go."</p> + +<p>"When and where am I to report to you?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>They agreed upon a place of meeting, half-way between the highway and +Charley's camp, whereupon the ranger, holding out his hand, said, +"Good-bye and good luck to you."</p> + +<p>"Do you have to go?" asked Charley. "Couldn't you stay overnight with us?"</p> + +<p>"I'd like to, but the wife would worry herself sick."</p> + +<p>"Suppose she knew that you were going to stay here. Would that make it all +right?"</p> + +<p>"I'm often away overnight during the fire season," smiled the ranger. +"It's the snakes that she's afraid of. She'd rather have me stay here all +night than come through these mountains after dark. You see her father was +bitten by a snake when she was a girl and she is mortally afraid of them."</p> + +<p>"Then you're going to stay here all night," said Charley, with decision. +"I'll get word to her right away."</p> + +<p>The ranger smiled incredulously. "I wish you could," he said. "It would +relieve her mind."</p> + +<p>Charley threw aside the pack cover that had been placed over the wireless +instruments. The ranger looked at the outfit with wondering interest. +Charley glanced at his watch and threw over the switch.</p> + +<p>"Willie might be listening in," he explained, as the sparks began to leap +between the points of his spark-gap. Twice he called, then a bright smile +came over his face. "Got him," he said.</p> + +<p>For some moments he alternately worked his key and listened to the return +buzzing in his receiver. Then he turned to the ranger. "Willie has the +forester on the telephone," he said. "What shall I tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Ask him to tell Katharine that I shall stay here with you in your camp +overnight, as I could not get home until long after dark."</p> + +<p>With fascinated gaze the ranger watched the sparks fly under Charley's +manipulation of the key. Then there was a long silence as the three sat +waiting for the reply.</p> + +<p>"Katharine says to tell Jimmie she's awful glad," said Charley, relaying +the forester's message literally, "and to thank the new patrol for taking +care of him."</p> + +<p>Then and there Charley knew that he was going to like not only the ranger, +but also the ranger's little wife. As for the ranger, he was almost +spellbound.</p> + +<p>"I know you talked to the chief," he said, "but what gets me is <i>how</i> you +did it. Why, if I knew how and had an outfit like that, I could talk to +Katharine any time and anywhere."</p> + +<p>"We'll make you an outfit and teach you how to use it," cried the two boys +together. "You shall have your first lesson to-night."</p> + +<p>Twilight drew near. Lew brought out the grub bag, and Charley began +cooking some food over the little alcohol stove.</p> + +<p>"I think that you can safely take a chance on a wood-fire at this hour," +said the ranger. "I'll build it myself."</p> + +<p>He placed a few dried leaves within the fireplace and stacked some twigs, +broken into short lengths, in a cone-shaped heap above the leaves. At once +he had a bright little fire that made almost no smoke but gave lots of +heat, though the flames did not reach as high as the stone sides of the +fireplace. Quickly a little bed of coals formed, and Charley put his +frying-pan directly over them. In no time the air was savory with the odor +of sizzling bacon and hot coffee.</p> + +<p>Squatted about the little fire, the three guardians of the forest ate +their evening meal. From time to time the ranger thrust a stick into the +fire, and so kept the flames alive. But it was a dim little blaze at best. +Yet it was mighty cheering and comforting as the darkness wrapped the +forest, and the gloom beneath the rhododendron thicket became inky and +impenetrable.</p> + +<p>For a long time after supper was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the three +sat before their little fire. Spellbound, the recruits listened to this +veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods, +of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and +otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved +the forest even as Charley did.</p> + +<p>When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the +voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while +the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and +deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased +rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in +radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless +alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the +spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to +distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the +signals buzzed in the receiver.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch12"> +<h2>Chapter XII</h2> + +<h3>On the Trail of the Timber Thieves</h3> + + + +<p>Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest +streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to +boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he +wakened his young comrades.</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped +out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours."</p> + +<p>The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's +easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike +here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs."</p> + +<p>"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to +shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago."</p> + +<p>Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over +it. He was learning a good deal about life these days.</p> + +<p>Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill. +Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart.</p> + +<p>"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your +business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new +situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the +forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with +gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands, +are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with +your territory so that you can tell whether a felled tree is on state land +or on private property. Your maps show you where the lines run, and you +will find the trees along these lines blazed. If you find lumbering +operations going on within the state forest, do your best to stop the +cutting and report the matter at once. You may find traps set out of +season. And it is practically certain you will have to deal with fires and +perhaps the men who start them. Being a fire patrol involves a whole lot +more than merely walking about through the woods. I can't give you rules +that will cover all the situations you will find yourself in. Common sense +is the best rule. The chief has given you a very important post here. It's +an unusual responsibility for one so young. But we both expect you to make +good. I'll be disappointed if you don't. You know if you fail, I'll have +to take part of the blame." He shook hands with both boys and was gone.</p> + +<p>"He's a prince," said Charley, after the ranger had left the thicket. "He +knows just how to treat a fellow. Why, I've simply got to make good now. +I'd get my ranger in bad if I didn't."</p> + +<p>Quickly they put their camp to rights, then slipped their pistols into +their pockets and got their fishing-rods.</p> + +<p>"What is the first thing on the programme?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"We'll go up to the top of the hill and have a good look over the +country," replied Charley. "It's just about time for campers to be cooking +their breakfasts. If there are any of them near us, we might see the smoke +from their fires and locate them. You know the ranger wants us to keep tab +on everything that's going on in our district."</p> + +<p>They ascended the mountain and climbed the tree from which they had viewed +the country on the preceding day. The sun was just coming over the eastern +summits, sending long, level rays of light flashing among the dark pines, +making beautiful patterns of sun and shade. In the bottoms the night mist +had gathered in little pools, in places completely blotting out the +landscape. The tree tops, upthrusting through these banks of fog, looked +like wooded islets in tiny gray lakes. In every direction the two boys +scanned the country, looking sharply for slender spirals of smoke. But +they saw only mist curling upward.</p> + +<p>"It looks to me," said Lew, "as though mighty few people ever get into +this valley. It's such a hard journey to get here that I suppose the +fishermen will stop at the streams in the valleys nearer the highway, and +nobody else would want to come here at this time of year. Unless this +timber is set afire purposely, I believe there is not much danger of its +being burned."</p> + +<p>"There's just the rub," replied Charley. "It would naturally be safe, +being so hard to get to, and for that reason it wouldn't be watched as +well as more accessible regions, particularly when it is difficult to get +fire patrols. But because some one is evidently trying to burn this +particular stand of timber, it is especially necessary to guard it. Mr. +Marlin wants it watched continually, but so secretly that no one will +realize that it is being guarded. That might make the incendiary +careless--providing he comes again--and so lead to his detection. We must +do nothing to betray ourselves. We'll have to be careful not to mark this +tree in any way, so that a passer-by would guess it was used as a +watch-tower. And we shall have to be sure that we don't wear a path +leading from it to our camp."</p> + +<p>For many minutes the boys sat in the tree, well screened from observation +by the spreading limbs, yet themselves able to see perfectly. In every +direction they searched again and again for telltale columns of smoke, but +saw nothing.</p> + +<p>"It looks to me," remarked Charley, "as though there isn't a soul in this +region except ourselves. If that is so, it is the best possible time to do +a little exploring. Suppose we take a look at the valley above our camp. +We can cover a lot of ground between now and noon and yet get back here +for another observation during the dinner hour. We ought to be in this +watch-tower or at some other point equally good every time men would +naturally be having fires, and that means morning, noon, and night. +Between times we can explore the forest. It means some pretty stiff +hiking, but I guess we can stand it."</p> + +<p>They drew their map and compared it with the country as it actually +appeared.</p> + +<p>"We aren't so far from the end of the state land in this direction," +commented Lew. "That's the very place you suggested exploring. We might +look up the line, as Mr. Morton suggested. You notice the stand of pines +ends a long distance this side of the line. That's all hardwood forest up +that way."</p> + +<p>"The sooner we get at it, the better," agreed Charley.</p> + +<p>Carefully they descended the tree, picked up their fishing-rods, and +hastened down the mountainside as fast as it was safe to travel. The +nearer they came to the centre of the valley, the larger the trees grew. +Evidently the rich soil had worked down into the bottom, during the +centuries, and the tree growth was enormous. Under these huge trees there +was no underbrush, and the two boys could make fast time. They approached +the stream, which flowed swiftly along under the tall pines, where they +had no doubt trout innumerable lurked in the shadowy depths. The +temptation to stop and fish was strong, but they put it aside and pushed +on up the valley.</p> + +<p>For a long time they passed like ghosts among the pines. The earth was +springy with the accumulated needles of many years, into which their feet +sank silently. Under the huge trees everything seemed to be hushed. There +was no wind to set the pines awhispering, and the music of the brook stole +through the forest like the low singing of a muted violin string.</p> + +<p>For a long distance they passed through a pure stand of pines. Then the +character of the forest began to change. Soon they were in a mixed growth, +and not long afterward they found practically nothing but deciduous trees +about them.</p> + +<p>"We're not far from the line now," suggested Lew. "This must be the stand +of hardwoods we saw from the lookout tree. I doubt if it is more than half +a mile to the line."</p> + +<p>"Keep your eyes open for blazed trees," said Charley. "We ought to see +some before many minutes."</p> + +<p>They had gone on, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Lew said, "It looks +pretty thin ahead. Either there is a natural opening in the forest or else +the timber has been cut out."</p> + +<p>Charley thought of what Mr. Morton had told him about timber thieves +operating along the boundary lines. He was glad that he had decided to +explore this particular section of his district. A moment later he was +still more glad, for the stillness of the morning air was suddenly broken +by a splitting, rending sound, which was followed by the crash of a great +tree as it came thundering to earth. There could be no mistaking the +sound. A tree had been felled. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks and +looked questioningly at each other.</p> + +<p>"Timber thieves!" said Charley in a low voice. His cheeks paled a trifle. +Then a look of determination came into his eyes.</p> + +<p>"What shall we do?" asked Lew in a loud whisper.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "But we'll find out what they are doing. +Then we can decide what to do ourselves."</p> + +<p>He drew his automatic but as quickly thrust it into his coat pocket, as he +remembered what the ranger had told him. But though the pistol was in his +pocket, he still grasped it in his hand. The tense look on his face showed +plainly enough that he was ready to shoot right through his coat. Lew, +observing his companion's movements, followed his example.</p> + +<p>Minute after minute the two young forest guards stood silent, listening +for the sound of axes or other customary noises that ordinarily accompany +lumbering operations. But the morning stillness was undisturbed. A puzzled +expression crept over their faces.</p> + +<p>"Maybe that tree wasn't cut at all," whispered Lew. "Maybe it just fell +of itself."</p> + +<p>"We'll find out," replied Charley, and cautiously they began to make their +way toward the point whence the sound had come. Sheltering themselves +behind trees, they advanced rod after rod. The stillness remained +unbroken. The stand of trees grew thinner, with more and more underbrush. +Presently they saw before them an unmistakable clearing in the forest. +Rapidly they advanced, screened by the bushes, until they stood close to +the edge of the clearing. Beyond question somebody had been cutting trees. +Over a considerable area the timber had been felled, and whoever had +felled it had cut ruthlessly. Hardly a sapling remained in all the cleared +area. On every hand trees lay prone. Some had been trimmed and cut into +pieces. Some remained exactly as they fell. Everywhere freshly cut stumps +told plainly enough what had occurred.</p> + +<p>"Somebody's cutting timber all right enough," whispered Charley, "and it's +on state land. I wonder where they are. They certainly cut that tree we +heard fall, but I haven't heard an axe or a human voice and I don't see +any signs of lumbermen."</p> + +<p>"Maybe they're at camp eating breakfast. It's still early, you know."</p> + +<p>"If they are," said Charley, "then this is the very time to investigate. +We'll look around before anybody gets back."</p> + +<p>Glancing once more about the opening to make sure that nobody was in +sight, they stepped from behind their concealing bushes and started across +the open space. But immediately they came to a dead stop. Like +rifle-shots, a succession of sharp sounds rang out, accompanied by +splashing noises. The two boys were at first alarmed, then puzzled. They +looked at each other in amazement.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied Charley. "At first I thought somebody was shooting +at us. But I didn't hear any bullets hum. And the noise didn't sound +exactly like a gun, either. It was like the noise a fellow makes when he +hits the water real hard with a board."</p> + +<p>In every direction they scanned the clearing. They saw no living things +but the trees. "It's queer," commented Charley. "Let's look at that +nearest tree that's down. Maybe we can learn something from it."</p> + +<p>They walked over to the tree, then studied it in amazement. "I never saw +anything like that before," cried Lew. "I don't believe that was ever cut +with an axe. It looks as though it had been gnawed off."</p> + +<p>"It has," cried Charley with sudden excitement. "I understand the whole +thing now. We've found a colony of beavers. I never saw a live beaver, but +I've read about them and seen pictures of their huts and their work, and +that looks exactly like the pictures. And those noises like rifle-shots +were their alarm signals. They slap the water with their tails when they +are frightened and dive under water. I suppose they're all in their lodges +now, and we'll never get a peep at them. Gee whiz! Just think of finding +beavers, Lew, real beavers. I didn't know there were any in Pennsylvania."</p> + +<p>"It seems to me that I read something about the game commission stocking +the state with them a few years ago. I think they put a number of them in +the state forests. Doubtless they have multiplied in numbers and started +new colonies."</p> + +<p>"That explains it," said Charley. "Gee! I'm glad we found these fellows. +And I'm just as glad that they aren't timber thieves. You know, Lew, it +made me feel kind of queer to think of facing real timber thieves. I +didn't like the idea a bit. But I kept thinking about Mr. Morton and what +he said about his being blamed if I fell down, and I made up my mind I'd +do it, no matter what happened."</p> + +<p>They now turned their attention to the felled tree once more, studying the +innumerable teeth marks, like so many tiny chisel cuts, on stump and butt. +Then they noticed the great chips lying about the stump, some of them half +as big as dinner plates.</p> + +<p>"It gets me to understand how they can bite out such huge chunks," said +Lew, "when their teeth are evidently so small. Why, you'd think an animal +would have to have a mouth as big as a hippopotamus to take bites like +these."</p> + +<p>Charley laughed. "Looks that way, doesn't it?" he said. "But as I remember +it, what I read said that the beaver gnaws out parallel rings around the +trunk and wrenches out the wood between. It's like sawing two cuts in a +board and chiseling out the board between them."</p> + +<p>"I see," said Lew. "But I should think they'd break their teeth all to +pieces."</p> + +<p>"So should I. But they have very strong teeth that grow out as fast as +they wear away, and that are as sharp as a chisel. I wouldn't want a +beaver to bite me. I'll bet he could bite right through a bone."</p> + +<p>"I suppose," said Lew, "they cut these trees to use in making their dam; +but what gets me is how they are going to get the trees over to the dam. +It would take a team of horses to drag this trunk. It's fifteen inches in +diameter."</p> + +<p>"The article I read," said Charley, "stated that as the beaver dams became +higher, the land adjacent was flooded and that the beavers made little +canals through the flooded area and floated their logs where they wanted +them. You notice that they have gnawed the limbs off of a number of these +trees and cut several of the trunks into lengths. I was sure they were +sawlogs when I first saw them."</p> + +<p>"Well, there isn't enough water here to float a log," said Lew, "though +it's mighty wet and it looks as though the water was several inches deep +a little farther on. Let's see if we can find a canal."</p> + +<p>They stripped off their shoes and stockings, and, rolling up their +trousers, began to wade. Very soon they found the water nearly knee-deep.</p> + +<p>"There's more water here than there seems to be," admitted Lew. "There's +so much marsh-grass and so many water-plants it fooled me."</p> + +<p>Cautiously they waded about. Suddenly Lew plunged forward, and only by +grasping a bush did he save himself from getting completely wet. As it +was, he found himself standing upright in three feet of water. After he +recovered from his surprise, he felt about with his feet.</p> + +<p>"This is their canal all right enough," he said. "It's very narrow, but it +will float anything that grows in this forest."</p> + +<p>He scrambled out and the two boys made their way back to dry ground. "How +are you going to get dry?" asked Charley. "I don't want to make a fire +unless it is absolutely necessary."</p> + +<p>"Never mind about me. I'll dry off soon enough. Let's find their dam."</p> + +<p>They made their way toward the run and soon discovered the dam. It was a +great pile of branches, stones, moss, grass, mud, bark, etc., that had +been built across the stream and extended for rods on either side. It +looked very solid, yet the water did not pour over it, but filtered +through it.</p> + +<p>"Think of all the work it took to make that," cried Lew. "Why, every +stick in it had to be gnawed down and floated here, and all the bark and +grass and roots had to be pulled and brought here and the stones +collected. And say! How in the world do you suppose they ever handled +those stones? And how do you suppose they ever anchored the stuff when +they began building? I should think the current would have swept +everything away at first. That's a pretty swift stream."</p> + +<p>"I read that they start their dams with saplings, which they anchor across +the current with stones. They are much like squirrels, you know, and can +use their fore paws about as well as we can use our hands. I suppose the +stones lose weight by displacing water, but if I hadn't seen these rocks, +I'd never have believed that such big stones could be handled by animals +no larger than beavers."</p> + +<p>"See here," said Lew. "These willow branches must have taken root, for +they seem to be growing right up out of the top of the dam. And there's a +birch that's surely growing. You know the branches of some trees will root +if you put them in water, especially willows. Why, if they continue to +grow and take more root, there'll be a hedge of living trees right across +this brook. The dam will become so dense that it will back up a great +quantity of water. I reckon this bottom will just naturally turn into a +swamp after a time."</p> + +<p>"Now that's interesting," suggested Charley. "You know the Bible tells us +the world was made in six days; but it seems to me it isn't finished yet. +Every rain washes down soil from the hills and helps to fill up the +valleys and the river-bottoms, and the floods scour out the watercourses +and carry earth and stones down to the ocean. And here we see a piece of +land that used to be fine, dry bottom, now becoming a swamp. It looks to +me as though the earth is changing every day."</p> + +<p>They examined the dam more critically. "It's two hundred feet wide if it's +an inch," said Lew, "though the brook isn't more than fifteen or twenty. +You see, it extends on each side of the brook to land that is a little +higher than the level of the stream bank. That's what makes this big head +of water. At the least there are several acres of it."</p> + +<p>"There's one thing that we haven't seen yet," added Charley, "and that's +their houses. They ought to be some distance above the dam."</p> + +<p>"I wonder if those are beaver lodges," said Lew, pointing to some bulky +heaps of brush at a little distance up-stream.</p> + +<p>"That's exactly what they are. They don't look much like houses, do they? +But I guess they're pretty snug inside. The entrances are deep under +water, you know, so that the ice can't clog them in winter, and so that +the beavers can get to their food all right."</p> + +<p>"What do they eat, Charley? Do you know?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. They eat roots, and tender plants, but mostly bark from certain +trees. I believe these are willow, poplar, birch, and some others. They +cut down the wood in summer and pile it under water in front of their +huts and hold it down with stones."</p> + +<p>"Well, what do you think of that!" cried Lew.</p> + +<p>"They eat a pile of it, too. I don't remember how many trees that article +said a colony of beavers would eat in a winter, but I'm sure it was up in +the hundreds. I remember how astonished I was when I read about it."</p> + +<p>"No wonder they clear the forest so fast. I wonder if we ought to tell Mr. +Marlin. Maybe he doesn't know about these beavers. They might begin to cut +down his virgin pines. I'm sure he wouldn't want that to happen."</p> + +<p>Charley laughed. "I'd bet my last dollar that Mr. Marlin knows all about +these beavers. You can bank on it that he knows all there is to know about +the territory he has charge of. And as for the beavers eating the pines, +it seems to me that I read that they never touch evergreens."</p> + +<p>A ray of sun slipped through the leaves above them and fell directly upon +Charley's face. He glanced up and was surprised to note how high the sun +had climbed. Then he looked at his watch.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" he cried. "We must have been fooling around this beaver dam +for more than an hour. We must be about our business. We'll go on and +locate the boundary line."</p> + +<p>"I wish we could get a glimpse of a beaver," sighed Lew.</p> + +<p>"Not much use to wish it," said Charley. "They're furtive, and I suppose +they will stay in their lodges for hours. It seems to me I read that they +work at their dams mostly at night. We'll go on now, but maybe we could +come up here some moonlight evening and see them at work."</p> + +<p>They made their way around the beaver dam and continued on up the valley. +Within a few hundred yards they came upon a blazed tree. Speedily they +discovered a second. Then, following the line indicated by these two +trees, they rapidly passed tree after tree blazed and painted white, +tracing the line entirely across the valley. They picked out some +landmarks by which they could readily locate the line again.</p> + +<p>"If anybody except those beavers starts any timber cutting," said Charley, +"we'll know in a second whether he's cutting the state's wood or not. Now +I guess we'd better hustle back to camp."</p> + +<p>Lew got their noonday meal while Charley ascended once more to the watch +tree at the top of the mountain and made a careful survey of the country. +Not a sign of smoke could he see in any direction. No fire was discovered +during the afternoon hike. The evening inspection from their tower was +equally reassuring. After a brief chat by wireless with their friends at +Central City, and through them sending their nightly message to the +forester, telling him that all was well, the two tired young fire patrols +rolled up in their blankets and were quickly asleep, serene in the +knowledge that the forest they guarded was safe.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch13"> +<h2>Chapter XIII</h2> + +<h3>Spying Out the Land</h3> + + + +<p>All too rapidly the days passed. Occasionally a shower moistened the +surface of the ground, but for the most part the dry weather continued, +with every hour increasing the fire hazard. During the first few days +Charley was never free from a feeling of dread. Every time he awoke he +expected to smell fire. Every trip to the watch tree was made in the fear +that somewhere within his vision there would be telltale clouds of smoke +arising. A nervous apprehension seized upon him, and a mortal fear of +fire; and a growing disbelief in his own power kept him in a state of +unconquerable anxiety.</p> + +<p>All these were sensations new to Charley, though they were normal enough. +The natural result of responsibility, they were coupled with Charley's +keen realization of the insignificance of his own or any one else's powers +as opposed to the vast forces of nature. Had Charley never seen a forest +fire, had he never done battle with the raging flames, he could not have +had this sharp realization of the insignificance of his own strength. But +the recent struggle with the forest fire and that far more desperate +battle with the same enemy years before, when the Wireless Patrol was in +camp at Fort Brady, had given Charley a true estimate of the well-nigh +irresistible fury of a fire in the forest, should conditions be favorable +to the flames.</p> + +<p>Only luck, Charley realized, and the best of luck, had brought him and Lew +out victorious in their recent contest. The next time fire started--and he +knew well enough that there would be a next time--there might be a strong +wind, or to reach the blaze might take him hours, or he might not be able +to summon help with his wireless, or other unfavorable conditions might +arise to render his efforts useless. Then the forest would go roaring up +in flame. And even though he might not have been unfaithful to his trust, +the result would be the same. The timber would be destroyed. This great +forest would be consumed. And he, especially selected to guard and protect +it, would have failed. The thought was overwhelming.</p> + +<p>More and more Charley turned to his wireless as a drowning man clutches at +a straw. He saw that when Lew had gone and he had nothing but his own +powers to depend upon, the wireless was going to be like a life-line to +him. He realized that to have the powerful battery he wanted was +imperative, if he was to have even a chance to make good in his efforts to +protect the forest. And as he and Lew patrolled the timber, he made it +evident to his chum what a vital part that battery would play in his +success. But neither of them saw any way for Charley to come into +immediate possession of it.</p> + +<p>As the days passed and the forest still slumbered in safety, the sharp +edge of Charley's anxiety wore off. That, too, was normal, for he could +not naturally remain at such a pitch of emotion. So his interest in the +life about him gradually returned. And indeed there were innumerable +objects to interest a nature lover like Charley.</p> + +<p>The country itself was enough to make a nature lover happy. When Charley +climbed his watch tree and looked about, he could see nothing but forest. +East, west, north, south, league upon league, far as the eye could see and +much farther, stretched the forest, like a huge green sea. The mountains +rose like great waves; and from his lofty perch Charley could see several +parallel ridges rearing their crests aloft on either side of him. +Distinctly he could see the two bottoms at the foot of the mountain on +which stood his watch tree. Splendid stands of timber filled these valleys +with swelling streams of water that flashed in the sunlight here and there +through little openings in the trees. But what lay in the farther valleys +he could only guess, though he knew that each must have its stream and +some timber. What else there might be Charley did not know.</p> + +<p>It was part of his work as a patrol to find out. And eagerly he looked +forward to the daily hikes that would take him here or there or elsewhere +in the great forest. Already he loved it; and he wanted to share all its +secrets. Had Charley but known it, that very attitude of mind made him +more valuable both to his ranger and to the forester. It meant that his +work would not be done in a perfunctory manner, but with that genuine +interest born of love that alone leads to perfect service.</p> + +<p>The two chums made themselves familiar with their own valley from the +border line of the state lands above the beaver dam, to a point many miles +below their own camp. They found that they were in the heart of the stand +of virgin timber, and that the location of their camp was by far the best +that could have been chosen for the purpose of guarding the stand.</p> + +<p>Charley thought it wonderful that the forester could offhand select such a +strategic point. He felt more certain than ever that Mr. Marlin must have +an intimate knowledge of the territory over which he had jurisdiction. +Could Charley have known how intimate that knowledge was, he would have +been amazed. And what he did not even guess was the fact that the forester +had planned just such a secret watch on the big timber as Charley was now +keeping, and that he had selected the camp site only after days of +investigation.</p> + +<p>Nor did Charley so much as dream that for some time Mr. Marlin had been +looking about for some one he could trust to do the work. The native +mountaineers did not command Mr. Marlin's entire confidence, nor did many +of them possess the intelligence or education he desired in the man he +selected.</p> + +<p>Yet his sudden choice of Charley was characteristic of the forester. He +always acted quickly when he thought the time for action had come. +Charley's grit and pluck in voluntarily fighting the fire, coupled with +his membership in the Wireless Patrol, were the factors that led Mr. +Marlin to engage him at once. Had Charley known these facts, he might have +felt a bit conceited or at least elated over the situation. But his belief +was, as Mr. Marlin wished it to be, that the forester had taken him only +as a last resort. And Charley was working hard to make good. He could +hardly have taken a better way than the road he had chosen--to make +himself familiar with all the territory he was to guard, and so to prepare +himself for the emergencies that lay ahead of him.</p> + +<p>Every day, and every hour of each day, the two boys found much that +excited their wonder, for now they were studying nature at first-hand. +Taking their dog, they one day climbed the mountain beyond the one on +which their watch-tower stood, and came down into a lovely valley. But +what instantly arrested their attention was the face of the mountain on +the far side of this valley.</p> + +<p>Instead of being a timbered slope, this mountain was a sheer precipice of +rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet in air. Its rugged sides were +seamed and scarred. Here and there a projecting ledge offered a scant +foothold, but mostly the face of the cliff was one vast, frowning rock +that rose almost perpendicularly. On tiny ledges and in crevices of the +rock little ferns grew in masses, hanging down the face of the cliff like +green fringes. Wild flowers had taken possession of the crannies. In +precarious footholds, where it seemed impossible for them to exist, a few +trees had sprung up, their roots crawling fantastically over the rocks in +search of bits of earth to grow in, while the tops of the trees stood up +slantingly against the face of the cliff. Mostly they were evergreens, and +their scraggly branches made irregular dark masses on the face of the +precipice.</p> + +<p>As the two boys made their way toward the foot of this cliff, a great bird +came soaring over the top of it, and sailed in lofty circles over the +valley.</p> + +<p>"Look at that hawk!" cried Lew. "Isn't he a whopper? Look at the spread of +his wings. And see how he soars, without ever moving a muscle. I wonder if +he can see us."</p> + +<p>Evidently the bird saw something, for suddenly it tilted downward, shot +toward the earth like a flash, and was lost to sight behind the trees.</p> + +<p>"Whew!" cried Charley. "Did you see that drop? It almost took my breath +away to watch him."</p> + +<p>A moment later the bird rose into sight again, bearing in its talons a +dark-colored animal of some sort. Though the animal was not large, it must +have weighed many pounds. Yet the bird flew upward swiftly, lifting +himself rapidly with strong strokes of its wings.</p> + +<p>"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Charley, after watching the bird a moment. "That's +no hawk! That's an eagle. It's a bald eagle, too. See his white tail and +head and the bare shanks?"</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?" demanded Lew. "I've always wanted to see a bald eagle. +It's our national emblem, you know."</p> + +<p>"I'm pretty sure that's one," replied Charley. "I've read about them and +seen pictures of them, and that bird's exactly like the pictures. We can +see his legs well because he's holding them straight down. They're bare. +The golden eagle has feathers all the way to his toes."</p> + +<p>"Gee! I'm glad we saw him," exclaimed Lew. "Look where he's going."</p> + +<p>The bird flew straight toward the cliff, climbing upward with tremendous +speed. He flew directly to a ledge far up the precipice, where he vanished +from sight.</p> + +<p>"That's where the nest is. I'll bet anything on it," said Charley. "We'll +keep an eye on this place and see if there are any little eagles later in +the season."</p> + +<p>For some time they watched the ledge to which the eagle had flown, but the +bird did not again come into sight. Evidently the ledge was much wider +than it appeared to be from the bottom of the valley, and perhaps the face +of the cliff was worn away, cave like, at that point, affording a secure +retreat. At any rate, the eagle was seen no more.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Lew, after a time, "if we can't see the eagle again, perhaps +we can find out what sort of an animal it was he got. I think I can pretty +nearly point out the spot where he landed."</p> + +<p>They started toward the point at which the eagle had come to earth. When +they thought they were near the place they began to search the ground +carefully for some signs of the tragedy that had occurred. They looked in +vain. Nowhere could they find any telltale marks.</p> + +<p>"I suspect it must have been a coon," suggested Charley. "It looked like +it to me. We know there are lots of them in this forest."</p> + +<p>Just then the excited chattering of squirrels attracted them. They began +to examine the trees about them. Presently they came to one around which +were scattered innumerable shells of nuts that had been gnawed into and +eaten.</p> + +<p>"There must be squirrels in that tree," said Lew.</p> + +<p>Now muffled squeaks of fear or pain were audible. The two boys looked at +each other questioningly.</p> + +<p>"There are squirrels up there all right," agreed Charley, "and something's +wrong. That's exactly the way a squirrel sounds when it's in trouble. Yes; +there are some squirrels in the tree top. They're terribly excited over +something."</p> + +<p>The boys began to examine the tree. It was an old oak. Well up its trunk a +limb had broken or rotted away, and the resulting decay of the stub had +made a hole in the tree itself. What instantly riveted the attention of +the two boys was something black and tapering that projected from the +hole and that slowly waved in the air.</p> + +<p>"A blacksnake!" cried Charley. "He's probably eaten the little squirrels."</p> + +<p>In a second Charley was shinning up the tree. Not far below the squirrel +hole the stub of another old limb projected. Charley pulled himself up and +got a footing on it. He drew his little axe from his hip, and, yanking the +snake half-way out of the hole, broke its back with a sharp blow of the +axe, and then threw the reptile to the ground. Lew was on it like a flash +with his feet, tramping it to death. In the snake's mouth was a small +squirrel still kicking and making muffled noises.</p> + +<p>Charley slid to the ground, drew his knife and slit the snake's head, +releasing the young squirrel. It was hurt and terribly frightened, but was +apparently not really injured. Charley kept it in his hand, feeling for +broken bones.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe this squirrel is really harmed a bit," he said finally, +"but it was a pretty close call. I'm going to put it back in the nest +again."</p> + +<p>He put the little creature in his pocket, then again shinned up the tree, +and placed the squirrel in its nest. Meantime, the old squirrels in the +tree top chattered incessantly.</p> + +<p>"Nobody's going to hurt you," said Charley, looking upward through the +branches. "We're only trying to help you."</p> + +<p>When he came to earth once more he examined the snake. "He's a big +fellow," he said, stretching the reptile out straight. "He's a good deal +more than six feet long. I guess we'll take his skin and make a belt of +it."</p> + +<p>As he drew out his knife again and proceeded to skin the snake, he +continued, "I don't believe in killing snakes as a general rule, but +blacksnakes do more harm than good, I believe. It's true they kill rats +and mice, but they also eat birds' eggs and young birds and squirrels, and +no end of other useful creatures. And they are so active that one snake +will kill a great number in the course of a year."</p> + +<p>"I don't understand how they can eat anything so big as that young +squirrel," said Lew, "but I know they do."</p> + +<p>"Really they don't," laughed Charley. "They drag themselves outside of +their prey. You know their jaws are loose so they can spread them, and +their teeth point backward. What they do is to work the upper jaw and then +the lower, hooking their teeth into their food, pulling back with each +half of the jaw in turn. You see they literally pull themselves over their +prey. Well, I'm glad we got that fellow. I suppose it's my business to +kill all the blacksnakes I can. Whatever harms the squirrels, hurts the +forest."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" asked Lew.</p> + +<p>"Why, you know that squirrels help to plant the nut trees in a forest. +Some tree seeds, like pine and maple seeds, are so small or light that +they are carried easily by birds and winds, and so scattered about. But +acorns and nuts are so heavy that they fall straight down to the earth. If +the squirrels didn't carry them away and bury them in such quantities, how +could we ever have had these great stands of nut and oak trees?"</p> + +<p>"I never thought of that," said Lew.</p> + +<p>"It looks as though what Mr. Marlin said was right--walking about through +the forest is only a small part of a forest guard's work. He's got to know +an awful lot about things before he can be sure just what he ought to do."</p> + +<p>"I never had any idea how big a job it is, Lew. And think what a forester +must have to know. I tell you it takes a man to fill a job like that."</p> + +<p>Noon came. The boys grew hungry. "I could eat all the sandwiches we have +myself," smiled Charley. "I wonder if we couldn't catch some trout to help +out. It would be all right to make a fire over here, I'm sure. And we'll +keep it so small it won't make any smoke. And even if it did, it couldn't +possibly betray the location of our camp."</p> + +<p>They made their way to the stream in the middle of the valley, baited +their hooks, and dropped them into the water. In no time they had half a +dozen fine trout.</p> + +<p>"You clean 'em, Lew," suggested Charley, "and I'll make a little +fireplace."</p> + +<p>He selected a little shoulder of earth close to the run and began to dig +into it with a stick. In a moment he had uncovered a deposit of solid +clay. The clay was hard to dig, but he could shape his fireplace in it +exactly as he wanted it. When the task was completed, he started a very +small fire with leaves and small branches. By careful feeding, he kept the +flames burning clear, with almost no smoke. Presently he had a bed of +glowing coals that almost filled the little fireplace.</p> + +<p>Lew, meantime, had cleaned the fish and cut some black birch branches +which he thrust through the fish lengthwise. Squatting beside the little +fire, the two boys now held the fish over the coals, turning them slowly, +and roasting them thoroughly. With the addition of the trout, their meal +was ample.</p> + +<p>They ate slowly, and after their meal sat for a time beside their fire in +the warm sun, watching the forest life about them, and listening to the +song of the brook and the myriad other sounds of the woods. Finally they +prepared to leave. The fire had shrunken to a white bed of ashes.</p> + +<p>"We'll make sure that it is out," commented Charley. And he stepped to the +run and got a hatful of water, which he poured on the ashes. To his +astonishment the ashes were washed away, leaving the fireplace bare. The +fireplace had changed color and looked as though made of brick. He touched +it and found it as hard as stone.</p> + +<p>"Fire-clay," he said. "That's probably worth something. I'll take a sample +along."</p> + +<p>He dug away more top-soil and scooped out a big ball of clay. Then he +filled in the holes he had made, covering up all traces of the clay +deposit, and blazed a tree near by to identify the spot.</p> + +<p>The journey back to the camp was made by a route different from the one +taken in the morning, the boys following the stream down the valley for a +distance before crossing back to their own valley. The first fishermen +they had encountered were seen on the return trip. The men were wading in +the stream below the boys and so did not observe the young fire guards +behind them. Charley and Lew instantly slipped behind trees, and after +watching the men until they were lost to sight, struck off toward their +camp. They got there shortly before sunset. While Lew prepared supper, +Charley once more made his way up to the watch tree, where he remained +until dusk.</p> + +<p>Early in the evening they got into touch with their friends at Central +City, and through them sent a reassuring good-night to the forester. Then, +too tired to listen to the night's news, they wrapped themselves in their +blankets and were soon sound asleep.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch14"> +<h2>Chapter XIV</h2> + +<h3>The Trail in the Forest</h3> + + + +<p>The following day the two young patrols were to report to their ranger at +the appointed place in the forest. Although the ranger had much farther to +travel than they did, the boys knew from experience that he was afoot +early during the fire season, and they felt certain he would be at the +meeting-place before the appointed hour. Charley wanted to be as prompt as +his ranger, and so the two boys were astir by the time the first streaks +of light tinged the eastern skies.</p> + +<p>It was still dark enough to risk a little blaze in their fireplace and the +warmth was grateful, for the early morning air was chill enough. Breakfast +was soon cooked and their camp put to rights. Then, taking their +fishing-rods again, they set forth to patrol the forest. The pup was tied +in the tent, lest he should get into trouble with a porcupine or some +other creature of the forest, and so make them tardy for their +appointment.</p> + +<p>Their plan was to travel down their own valley for a distance, then pass +through a gap to a fire trail in the next bottom, which would lead to +other trails that would take them close to their destination. They had +studied out their route carefully on the map, and they made their way +with both speed and certainty.</p> + +<p>For a long time nothing of moment happened to them. The sun came up bright +and clear, flirting with the fleecy clouds in the sky, that now plunged +the land in deep shadow and again drew aside so that the forest was bathed +in golden sunlight. The earth sent forth fragrant exhalations. A gentle +breeze lent a tonic quality to the atmosphere. The leaves sparkled with +dew, and the stream in the bottom flashed in the sunlight, filling the +woods with its sonorous babble. So inviting was the scene that despite +their haste, the boys could not resist the temptation to drop their hooks +in promising pools as they moved along. Without half trying, they +accumulated a dozen fine trout. The smaller ones they carefully unhooked +and threw back into the stream.</p> + +<p>They passed through the gap in the mountain and started to cross the +bottom to the fire trail. At the brook in the middle of the valley they +paused to make one last cast in an especially inviting pool. At that +moment two men came out of a near-by thicket. Both were smoking. They were +equipped like fishermen, though they had no fish. They were rough looking, +with hard faces. One of them had an ugly scar above his right eye and +showed a mouthful of gold teeth when he took his cigar from his mouth, as +he asked, "What luck?"</p> + +<p>"We've got a few," replied Charley, extending his creel for their +inspection.</p> + +<p>The man looked at the fish and swore savagely. "These kids have fished +the brook out," he growled. "There's no use trying this stream. We'll have +to go on to the next valley."</p> + +<p>Charley was in a quandary. These men, with their cigars, were a menace to +the forest. It made him nervous merely to look at the glowing tobacco and +the careless way the men flicked the ashes about. He was almost +panic-stricken at the idea of their passing into his own valley while he +was absent. He did not know whether to tell them the truth about his fish +or remain silent. But he remembered that his watch in that valley was +supposed to be a secret one, and he said nothing. Afterward he was glad +that he had remained silent.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said the man with the gold teeth. "These kids have queered us +here. We'll be moving."</p> + +<p>As he started away he gave Charley such a savage look that it almost +frightened Charley. It did worry and alarm him, for he could not help +asking himself what he should do if he had to deal sternly with such a +man. Even with Lew at his side, he felt fearful. Alone in the forest with +such desperate-looking men, he knew that he would be helpless.</p> + +<p>Then he remembered the automatic stowed in his hip pocket and felt +relieved. Now he understood much better why the ranger had given it to +him. The remembrance that he had this weapon stiffened his courage +wonderfully. He determined that if gun-play ever became necessary, he +would not be caught napping. At once he shifted the automatic to his coat +pocket, where he could shoot without drawing the weapon, and where he +could carry his hand without exciting suspicion.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" whispered Lew, after the two men had passed out of hearing. "I +wouldn't care to meet that pair after dark."</p> + +<p>"What I am afraid of," said Charley, "is that they will set the forest +afire. They were mighty careless with their cigars. Will they be any more +careful with the butts when they have finished their smoke? I don't know +but what we ought to trail them. Yet we've got to meet Mr. Morton and I +don't want to be tardy. I can't make up my mind what we ought to do."</p> + +<p>After a moment's consideration, he unjointed his rod, and started off in +the direction from which the men had come. "We'll find Mr. Morton just as +quick as we can," he said with decision, "and tell him the situation. +Meantime, we'll make sure those men didn't start any fires up to this +point."</p> + +<p>Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of +speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he +dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums +advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain. +They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no +smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with +lighter hearts.</p> + +<p>"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley, +"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know +how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both."</p> + +<p>Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley +glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet +he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early. +He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never +reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton +himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and, +being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his +subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and +he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him.</p> + +<p>Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to +say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having +been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so +disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard +as interference with his fishing.</p> + +<p>The ranger shook hands warmly with his young friends. "I see you have kept +the forest safe so far," he said with a smile. "How have things been +going?"</p> + +<p>"All right," replied Charley, "but we met a couple of men an hour or so +ago, whose looks we didn't like."</p> + +<p>"How's that? What did they do that you didn't like?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they were smoking and they were careless with their cigars. Since +we met them I've been expecting to see a smoke column rising every time I +turned around; and I'd hate to tell you how many times I've looked back in +the last hour."</p> + +<p>"It never hurts a man in the forest to look back," said Mr. Morton with +another smile. "Lot's wife is the only person on record who came to grief +that way. But seriously, you mustn't get nervous just because you see a +smoker. You'll meet hundreds of them, and they're all pretty careless."</p> + +<p>Charley flushed a little. "You don't understand, Mr. Morton," he went on. +"I wasn't nervous--that is, I didn't--I mean, it wasn't the mere fact that +the men were smoking that made me feel anxious. I didn't like the looks of +the men or their actions."</p> + +<p>"What did they do?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they swore at us."</p> + +<p>The ranger laughed. "That's a habit of these mountaineers," he said. "You +mustn't pay any attention to it. They don't mean anything by it."</p> + +<p>"Do they look at you as though they'd like to kill you, too?" demanded +Charley. "Is that a habit of these mountaineers?"</p> + +<p>Instantly the ranger's face was sober. "See here," he said seriously. +"What have you been doing? What did you do or say to the men that made +them curse you? A little authority hasn't made you toplofty, has it? You +know you are not supposed to let anybody know that you're a fire patrol."</p> + +<p>"I didn't," replied Charley, stung by the implied criticism. "We caught a +few fish in our own valley, then cut through to the valley just below us, +on our way to this trail. Just as we reached the run, two men came out of +the bushes. They asked what we had caught, and when I showed them, one of +them swore at us terribly and said we had fished the stream out so that +they would have to go on to the next valley."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" laughed the ranger, looking much relieved.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, it isn't," continued Charley. "They looked as though they wanted +to kill us."</p> + +<p>The ranger was inclined to smile, but he forbore, seeing that Charley was +sensitive. "You'll soon get used to meeting tough-looking customers in the +forest," he said.</p> + +<p>"I hope that I don't meet many like that fellow," sighed Charley. "When he +scowled at me, he looked as fierce as a chimpanzee. And he had an ugly +scar over his eye that actually seemed to turn red."</p> + +<p>Instantly the ranger's face became sober. "A scar over his eye," he +repeated. "Which eye?"</p> + +<p>"His right one."</p> + +<p>"Did you notice his mouth?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. I couldn't help noticing it. It was full of gold teeth."</p> + +<p>The ranger gave a low whistle. His face became still more serious. "Tell +me exactly what was said and done," he continued. "Repeat your +conversation just as accurately as you can."</p> + +<p>When Charley had rehearsed the entire affair in detail, the ranger asked, +"And you are sure you gave him no hint that you had come from the next +valley?"</p> + +<p>"Absolutely none. I thought right away that I mustn't do that."</p> + +<p>"You're a lad of discretion," smiled the ranger. "You have done well. But +be awful careful of that old scoundrel. That's Bill Collins. He's a bad +egg if there ever was one. He never came into these mountains to catch +fish. That's merely a blind. And he was headed for your valley, too. +That's absolutely certain. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone there."</p> + +<p>The ranger paused in thought. "<i>Did</i> he go there?" he continued. "That's +the problem. If he said he was going there, it's more than likely he was +headed for some other place and wanted to throw you off the track."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger paused and studied Charley's face keenly. Evidently the +wide-set eyes, with their indication of intelligence, the strong nose and +good chin, and especially Charley's straight mouth with its thin lips, +reassured him. "My boy," he said kindly, "I don't want to alarm you +unnecessarily, but be careful of that man. He's up to something, or he +wouldn't be in this forest; but what it can be, I've not the remotest +idea. The only thing I can think of that would bring him here is the +virgin timber. He's been mixed up in several crooked lumber deals. He +wouldn't hesitate for an instant to steal timber or to set the forest +afire. And it's my personal belief that he wouldn't stop at"--he paused +and studied Charley's face again--"at murder."</p> + +<p>The two boys were sober. For a moment they looked at the ranger in +silence. Then, "What had I better do?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Keep out of Collins' road," answered Mr. Morton instantly. "If you can +get track of him, watch him; but don't let him see you or know he is +watched."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger paused to ponder the matter. "It isn't a square deal to +let you kids go up against that old crook," he said suddenly. "Come on. +We'll see if we can find him. And if we do, I know how to deal with him."</p> + +<p>The ranger strode forward at a terrific pace. The two boys had almost to +run to keep up with him. Over his face came a grim expression that boded +no good for Bill Collins. On and on he went, saying never a word. +Evidently he was revolving the situation in his own mind. Not until they +reached the brook did he utter a syllable. Then he said, "Show me exactly +where you boys were and where the two men came out of the bushes."</p> + +<p>Charley pointed out the respective positions. Mr. Morton searched the +bushes but found nothing enlightening.</p> + +<p>"Which way did they go after they left you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Lew pointed out the route they had taken. Along the margin of the brook +both men had left clear footprints. Mr. Morton sank to his knees and the +three studied these prints closely. Then, "Come on," he said, rising. +"We'll see if we can trail them."</p> + +<p>Lew led the way to the point at which they had last seen the men. The +disturbed condition of the leaves showed plainly that some one had passed. +Very slowly and painstakingly the ranger followed the trail. In many +places the forest mold still retained the imprint of a foot distinctly. So +they followed the trail for several rods. Then they were unable to find +any more footprints, nor did the leaves appear disturbed in any way.</p> + +<p>"They've turned off to one side or the other," said the ranger, when he +was sure they had overrun the trail. "Let's see if we can find which way +they went."</p> + +<p>The three investigators turned and spread out, advancing a foot at a time, +and examined the ground minutely. Not a leaf nor a stick, nor yet the +bushes or tree trunks escaped observation. At last Charley gave a little +cry. He had found a footprint that corresponded exactly with one they had +studied by the brook. A little farther on a second imprint was visible, +and the leaves again had the appearance of having been disturbed. For some +distance they continued to search for and to find footprints and other +unmistakable signs of the passage of the two men.</p> + +<p>"It is useless to look for any more tracks," said the ranger, +straightening up. "Collins and his companion quite evidently went up this +valley instead of the one they told you they were heading for. They were +merely trying to mislead you, which makes me all the more certain they are +here for no good purpose. They certainly had no reason to suspect your +connection with the Forest Service, and I presume that Collins was so +annoyed at being seen by anybody that he just couldn't keep his temper. So +he swore at you. He's a violent chap. It's certain that he's somewhere +ahead of us, with at least two hours' start. We'll try to overtake him, +though we don't want him to see us. What we'll do if we find him will +depend upon circumstances. Now let's hustle. But be quiet and keep your +eyes open."</p> + +<p>Not until near sundown was the search discontinued. Then, finding +themselves almost directly below the watch-tower, the ranger and his two +helpers struck directly up the slope, took a long, careful look for smoke, +and descended toward Charley's camp.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to spend the night with you," explained the ranger. "I wish +that you would try to call up Katharine and tell her how it is. I don't +like to leave the forest until I find out what those scamps are up to."</p> + +<p>They came to the camp. The pup was still in the tent, and everything +seemed to be as it was when the two young patrols left in the morning.</p> + +<p>"Things seem to be all right," said Charley. "We'll be a bit cautious and +cook on the alcohol stove to-night."</p> + +<p>But when he went to the spring for water, he gave a cry of dismay. In the +soft ground by the spring basin was a footprint exactly like that they had +traced so painfully in the other valley.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch15"> +<h2>Chapter XV</h2> + +<h3>The Telltale Thumb-Print</h3> + + + +<p>More serious than ever was the ranger's face when Charley showed him the +telltale footprint.</p> + +<p>"It's bad!" he said. "Altogether bad! He's as cunning as a rat, that Bill +Collins. But how he could ever discover a camp so well concealed as this +one is, I don't know."</p> + +<p>And with that the ranger fell into a brown study. Lew and Charley went on +rapidly with their preparations for supper.</p> + +<p>"Here," called the ranger, noticing what they were about. "Mr. Marlin sent +this to you. I almost forgot about it." He reached into the capacious +inner pocket of the hunting-coat he wore and drew forth a bulky package.</p> + +<p>"Beefsteak!" cried Charley, opening the package. "Oh boy! And enough for +two meals. We're certainly obliged to you and Mr. Marlin both."</p> + +<p>Meantime, the pup, neglected, fawned upon them and began to whine, when +suddenly the ranger cried out, "I've got it. It was the pup."</p> + +<p>"The pup?" echoed Charley. "What about the pup?"</p> + +<p>"Why, it was the pup that betrayed the camp. In some way those men got +within hearing or smelling distance of this place, and the pup must have +barked or whined. You know how a lonely dog will howl and carry on. I'm +sorry, but I guess that pup will have to go, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley's face expressed almost as much mental agony as the pup's whine +had shown, though he said nothing. The ranger, looking up, caught the +expression, however, and understood. He knew how lonely it would be for +Charley after Lew returned to Central City. "The harm's already done," he +continued, "and I suppose it never does any good to lock the stable after +the horse is gone. You may keep your pup, Charley; but I do wish he was a +dumb brute in fact as well as in name."</p> + +<p>"I can train him to be quiet," said Charley eagerly. "I trained Judge +Gordon's dogs to hunt and I can train this little fellow not to make a +noise. If I could keep him, sir, I'd be mighty glad. He'll be a lot of +company."</p> + +<p>"Keep your dog, noise or no noise," said the kindly ranger with +determination. "If you can really train him well, he'll do us a thousand +times more good than he does harm. Now that I know Bill Collins is in +these woods, I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone. You train +that dog as fast as you can. Train him to warn you of the approach of +strangers, and train him to fight, too--and to fight hard."</p> + +<p>Again the ranger lapsed into silence. After a while he said, "What +puzzles me now is this: Should we move your camp to another place or leave +it where it is? Bill Collins knows there is a camp here. He saw you two +boys in the forest and he has probably seen no one else. He will likely +infer that it is your camp. But he has no way of knowing that you are +connected with the Forest Service, unless, unless--By George! Why didn't I +think of that sooner? Ten to one he hid close by and watched for you to +come back. If he did, he saw us when we came down from the top of the +hill. And if he saw me with you boys, he knows as well as I do why this +camp is hidden and what you boys really are doing. I'll bet it made him +swear some when he saw me." And the ranger chuckled.</p> + +<p>"But maybe he didn't see us," suggested Charley.</p> + +<p>"I'd just as soon believe that the sun didn't set. That fellow's a fox for +cleverness and a bulldog for persistence. Yet I don't see that we need +feel bad, even if he does know where your camp is. We've learned more than +he has. We know he's back in these parts and that he is making a secret +visit to this timber; for you may be very sure he intended it to be a +secret visit."</p> + +<p>"But he can't be certain we know who he is," argued Charley. "He is as +much a stranger to Lew and me as we are to him."</p> + +<p>"True enough, Charley, true enough. It was really a great piece of luck +that you boys happened to bump into him. It would have been better, of +course, if you could have seen him without being noticed yourself, but in +that case we should never have guessed who he was. No; it's a game of +checkers between us now, and we've each lost a man to the other. But in my +opinion we got a king in exchange for an ordinary checker. What I'd like +to know is, who the man is that's with him."</p> + +<p>"Supper is ready," announced Lew.</p> + +<p>The three entered the tent, where Lew had hung the lighted candle lantern, +and in the growing darkness ate their meal.</p> + +<p>"It seems to me," suggested Lew, "that it would be best to leave the camp +right where it is. If we move it, that will indicate that we know its +location has been discovered. If we let it remain where it is, these men +won't know whether we are aware if their visit here or not."</p> + +<p>"You've a good head on you, young man," said the ranger approvingly. +"That's exactly the thing to do. Besides, if we moved it and Bill Collins +wanted to find it, he'd stick right to the job until he succeeded. But I +don't believe he has any interest in watching this camp or in staying in +this forest. It isn't a healthful place for him and he knows it. You see, +Bill and I are old acquaintances. It's my opinion that he came in here for +some particular purpose and that he'll get right out the instant that +purpose is accomplished. Those men didn't have any packs, did they?"</p> + +<p>"Not a sign of a pack," replied Charley. "Their coat pockets bulged out +as though they had sandwiches or something in them, but they hadn't a +thing in their hands or on their backs except fishing-rods and creels."</p> + +<p>"That settles it," said the ranger. "They can't stay here more than +forty-eight hours at the most. And there's no danger of their telling +anybody else about your camp because they won't want anybody to know they +were here. We'll just consider the camp situation settled."</p> + +<p>They finished their supper and had begun clear up the dishes when suddenly +Charley thought of the fire-clay. "Oh! I have something to show you," he +cried, and went to the corner of the tent to get the clay ball. It was +just where Charley had left it, but the instant he picked it up he was +somehow conscious that it was different. He held the ball up and looked at +it critically. Then he hefted it in his hand.</p> + +<p>"Lew," he exclaimed, "how big was that ball of clay we took for a sample?"</p> + +<p>"Four or five inches in diameter," rejoined Lew. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Look at that. It isn't a bit more than three inches thick. I was sure we +had more clay than that. I meant to make a little pot of it."</p> + +<p>"We did have more. I'm sure of it. You don't suppose those men could have +taken any of it, do you?"</p> + +<p>"Let me see," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>He took the ball and examined it critically. "That looks like fire-clay. +If it is, and the deposit is of any size, you have found something of +value. You know the state sells things like that on a royalty basis. We +might be able to develop a good clay business. We like to work up all the +business we can, because the revenues go toward the purchase of the +equipment we need. You know the legislature won't give us all we need to +buy implements for fighting fires, and for fire-towers, and other +equipment."</p> + +<p>"If we could make a fire," said Charley, "you could soon tell whether it +is good fire-clay or not."</p> + +<p>"Make a fire," said the ranger. "Collins already knows where our camp is +and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour."</p> + +<p>In a minute the boys had a fire going. When they had a deep bed of coals, +they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed.</p> + +<p>While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his +wireless key. As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain +that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in. He called several +times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his +conversation with his fellows. When he flashed out his signals a quarter +of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply.</p> + +<p>"I've got 'em," said Charley quietly to his comrades. "And it's Henry +talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he +said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about +ended."</p> + +<p>"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed +as long as I possibly can."</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and +whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real +situation. But that would never do."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as +quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded +in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?"</p> + +<p>"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll +just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and +sometimes those fellows get nasty."</p> + +<p>Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got +up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the +thicket brightly.</p> + +<p>Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?"</p> + +<p>"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat. +Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang +around for days. Wish you would send us some traps."</p> + +<p>"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley, +turning to Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger.</p> + +<p>"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending. +I'm asking Henry for traps."</p> + +<p>"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under +the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to."</p> + +<p>Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps. +He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing +out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the +forester at Oakdale on the telephone.</p> + +<p>After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the +forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I +tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that +everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone."</p> + +<p>Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay +in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are."</p> + +<p>While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took +the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are +well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband."</p> + +<p>Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a +pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't +wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why, +we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena +howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She +didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home."</p> + +<p>"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger. +"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day."</p> + +<p>Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw +at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in +camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which +evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him.</p> + +<p>"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't +think that cat will come any closer, for it can smell the dog as well as +the meat. Take care of him and make him useful. Now we'd better turn in, +for we must pull foot early in the morning."</p> + +<p>"Let's first see if our clay is baked," suggested Charley.</p> + +<p>Charley scattered the embers and rolled the clay ball out of the ashes +with a stick. It was baked as hard as a brick. The ranger folded up the +newspaper which he had used as an outer wrapper for the meat, and picked +up the ball with the paper. Lew held the candle lantern close while the +ranger examined the clay. Slowly he turned the ball around, picking at it +with his knife blade.</p> + +<p>"Who made this ball?" he asked suddenly.</p> + +<p>"I did," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Did Lew touch it at all?"</p> + +<p>"I can't recall that he did."</p> + +<p>"No; I never laid a finger on it," said Lew. "Charley rolled it and +carried it here himself."</p> + +<p>"Let me see your thumbs, Charley," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley, puzzled, held them up for inspection. The ranger examined them +closely. "Now let me have that little microscope of yours," he continued.</p> + +<p>Charley handed it to the ranger, who studied the clay ball intently +through the glass, then as carefully looked at Charley's thumb. Then he +chuckled. "We've taken another king in this little checker game," he said. +"Look at that."</p> + +<p>While Mr. Morton held the lantern for them, the two boys studied the +burned ball of clay. On it were a number of distinct thumb-prints, now +turned into solid brick by the action of the fire. The boys looked at each +other questioningly and then at Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"It's a clever rogue who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," chuckled the +ranger. "What happened is as clear as daylight. Collins and his companion +found this clay while they were inspecting your camp. They must have +suspected that it was fire-clay and that you had found a deposit of value. +They took some along to test, and rolled what was left into a ball again, +thinking you would never notice the difference. But they forgot that clay +would take finger-prints so readily, and they have left their calling +cards behind them."</p> + +<p>The ranger carefully wrapped the clay ball in his handkerchief, and then +in a newspaper. "Let me have this," he said. "The police may have some +duplicate prints somewhere. We don't know what Collins and his pal are up +to, but we have something here that we may find very useful. It isn't +every crook that is so considerate as to leave his thumb-prints behind +him."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch16"> +<h2>Chapter XVI</h2> + +<h3>Good News For the Fire Patrol</h3> + + + +<p>As the ranger had foretold, the forest guards did indeed pull foot early +in the morning. Black darkness still enfolded the camp when the ranger +awoke his young companions. Fire was speedily kindled and breakfast gotten +under way.</p> + +<p>"Better eat your meat, boys," suggested the ranger. "Otherwise it will +keep that cat hanging around here. We'll hardly dare to leave the pup +behind again, and that beast might get in here and tear your tent to +pieces. These cats play hob with things sometimes."</p> + +<p>Lew decided that he would carry nothing back with him, as he contemplated +visiting his chum at intervals.</p> + +<p>"Just take your rifle," said the ranger to Charley. "You'll be all alone +on your return trip and with two such animals as we've seen hereabout, it +will be just as well to have it. If I were you, I believe I'd make a +pretty close companion of it and always keep it within reach."</p> + +<p>When they left the camp, they were burdened only with Charley's rifle and +food for the noon meal, which they stowed in their pockets. The instant +there was light enough to guide their footsteps, the trio set forth.</p> + +<p>For hours they trudged through the forest, for the most part in silence. +Although they traveled by a circuitous route, and with eyes and ears +alert, they neither saw nor heard anything that pointed to the presence of +other human beings in the forest. The ground bore no telltale footprints. +No incriminating marks were discernible on the trees. Smoke was nowhere +visible. No firearm disturbed the silence of the wilderness. No birds flew +upward with cries of alarm, save at their own approach. And the only +voices that were audible were the voices of the brooks.</p> + +<p>Under other circumstances Charley would have been supremely happy. The sun +came up bright and clear. No veil of mist floated before the face of the +sky. But woolly, white cloud banks sailed lazily aloft, intensifying by +contrast the blue of the sky. A gentle wind blew fitfully. The earth +steamed fragrantly, sending up an odor joyful to the nostrils. And the +little brooks babbled wildly in their joy at the spring-time.</p> + +<p>But Charley was not in a responsive mood. The thought of the man Collins +and his evil-favored companion weighed upon him heavily. Nor was the +knowledge that a wildcat was prowling about his camp reassuring; though +Charley was far from being afraid of the beast. And always the dread of +fire was in the background of his consciousness. What troubled him more +than anything else just now was the approaching loss of his chum. Could +Charley have diagnosed correctly the feelings that oppressed him now, he +would have known that it was the fear of loneliness more than any fear of +Bill Collins or wildcats or forest fires, that made him sad. To read about +Robinson Crusoe was all right, but to be Robinson Crusoe was quite a +different matter--at least a Crusoe without a good man Friday. And Charley +was too downcast at present to realize that the pup at his heels could be +to him all that Friday was to his master, and perhaps more.</p> + +<p>Again and again Charley turned over in his mind the problem of how he +could get the battery he needed. More than ever he felt that he absolutely +must have it. Such a battery would cost many, many dollars. To be sure, +Charley's salary would soon bring him in enough money to pay for such a +battery; but all of his income, or practically all of it, Charley knew, he +must give to his father. How he should get around the difficulty, Charley +could not see.</p> + +<p>As they trudged on, he talked the matter over with Lew again. Lew seemed +unduly light-hearted over the matter, and even smiled about it. Instead of +sympathizing with his chum, he counseled him not to worry about it, as the +way would likely open. That seemed so heartless that Charley was hurt. He +thought that his chum, about to leave the forest himself, no longer was +concerned. So he fell silent, and walked along in greater dejection than +ever.</p> + +<p>Long before the sun had touched the zenith, the three forest guards had +reached the last ridge that lay between them and the highway.</p> + +<p>"You've come far enough, Charley," said the ranger, "and perhaps it would +have been better if you had stopped short of this. If anything should +happen in that big timber, you are a long distance from it. There's a good +spring part way up this ridge, and it's high enough so that we can get a +good view. We'll stop there and eat our dinner. We can watch as we eat. +After you've had a good rest, you had better hike for camp. You're a good +ten miles away from your tent."</p> + +<p>They climbed to the spring, took each a good drink, and sat down to eat +their food. The panorama that spread before them was wondrously beautiful, +but Charley had no heart for scenery. He ate in silence, his eyes for the +most part bent on the ground.</p> + +<p>After the meal was finished, the three friends sat silent, looking out +over the vast range of territory before them, each busy with his own +thoughts. If one could have judged by the expressions on their faces, Lew +was little short of jubilant. Again and again he smiled and looked +meaningly at his chum. But Charley still sat with downcast eyes, heedless +of his chum's glances. But why Lew smiled it would have been hard to +guess. If he had any scheme in mind, he dropped no hint concerning it.</p> + +<p>Finally the ranger rose. "We've got to shake a leg," he said. "And you had +better start back to camp."</p> + +<p>Charley got up mechanically. His face showed all too clearly what was in +his heart. The ranger looked at him searchingly, and a kindly expression +came into his eyes.</p> + +<p>"Never mind, Charley," he said. "You won't be alone long. Lew, here, or +some of your other friends will be slipping out to spend the week-end with +you, and I shall see you regularly twice a week. It may be, in view of +Bill Collins' visit, that Mr. Marlin will think I ought to come oftener."</p> + +<p>"Have you learned your alphabet yet?" replied Charley, a sudden gleam of +interest crossing his face. "Just as soon as you learn to use the +wireless, we can talk at almost any time. I'm sure that one of the fellows +will lend you his outfit."</p> + +<p>"I'll make Mr. Morton an outfit myself," said Lew. "I'll make it exactly +like yours. Then you two can talk without tuning."</p> + +<p>"That will be bully," said Charley, beginning to brighten up. Then he +turned to the ranger. "Did you learn your alphabet?" he repeated.</p> + +<p>"I've been working at it a little," said the ranger. "To tell the truth, I +don't care much about it. I'd just as soon stick to the telephone. But the +wife is crazy over it. She says if we knew how to do it and had the +instruments, we could talk at any time. She's learned the alphabet +already."</p> + +<p>"She has! Bully for her!" cried Charley. "Hurry up with that outfit, Lew, +so we can teach her to send and read. I'll be glad to talk to her, even if +her husband doesn't want to."</p> + +<p>"I'll be home by sunset," said Lew, "and you can call me at eight +o'clock. I shall have had a chance to talk to the fellows by that time and +I hope that I shall have something good to report to you. I'm coming out +the first Friday I can, to spend Saturday and Sunday with you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>Charley shook hands heartily with his two friends and turned back into the +forest. Although he was still somewhat cast down, the intense depression +that had weighed upon him during the morning was lightened. The events of +the past twenty-four hours had made him forget temporarily the plan to +teach Mr. Morton how to operate the wireless. But the news that the +ranger's wife was also to become a radio operator pleased him more and +more as he turned the matter over in his mind.</p> + +<p>The pup, rubbing against his heels, recalled another matter to his mind. +He had to train the dog to be useful to him.</p> + +<p>"No time like the present," muttered Charley to himself. And the training +of the pup began then and there. All the way home, through the wide +valleys, over the mountain tops, and across the little streams, Charley +worked with the pup, trying to teach him to be silent and to walk quietly +at his heels. And though many, many subsequent lessons were necessary +before the pup was even half trained, the work with the dog made Charley +forget his loneliness. He arrived at his camp, which he found +undisturbed, once more in his normal frame of mind.</p> + +<p>What shortly followed was to send him to bed soon afterward as happy as +the traditional lark. For when Charley got into touch with Lew by wireless +at the appointed time, Lew told him that the Wireless Patrol had met him, +Lew, at the station in a body, with the news that funds for the battery +had all been earned and the battery ordered; and that when he had told +them of Charley's situation, the club had voted unanimously and +enthusiastically to send the battery to Charley for him to use as long as +he needed it in the forest.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, Lew informed him, Henry had been talking to the wireless men +at the Frankfort station, and not only were they willing to work with him +to protect the forest, but they were also sending an amplifier to Oakdale +so that Charley would be sure to get their messages with the greatest +distinctness. The battery would be forwarded as soon as it reached the +Wireless Club and had been inspected, and the amplifier would go with it.</p> + +<p>No wonder that Charley rolled up in his blankets, with shining eyes, +careless alike of cats and Collinses. With the pup and the new battery he +felt that he should indeed be in position to render efficient service to +his forester and his ranger, both of whom he was coming to love, and to +the grand old forest around him.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch17"> +<h2>Chapter XVII</h2> + +<h3>An Accident in the Wilderness</h3> + + + +<p>As though she also were pleased at Charley's good fortune, Dame Nature +smiled her best in the days that immediately followed. The sun rose warm +and grateful. The forest was instinct with the spirit of spring, of +new-born life, of hope eternal. Wilderness birds sang in the branches. The +brook babbled and gurgled and ran madly down the slope. The leaves +overhead whispered of the new life that had come. All the forest animals +seemed filled with the joy of living. And Charley was not a whit behind +them. His whole being thrilled with happiness.</p> + +<p>Now he could see matters in their true light; or if his vision were a +trifle clouded, the clouds were tinged with rose instead of black, as they +had been previously.</p> + +<p>Charley thanked Providence that he was just where he was. In some respects +an unusual boy, he was mentally no abler than many of his fellows. He +possessed a trueness of vision and an understanding of things that were, +however, unusual in a lad of his age. Always he had had to earn the +things that he wanted. And always he had been able, within reason, to get +what he desired. Early in life, therefore, he had come to understand that +everything has its price, and that he who is willing to pay the price can +get almost anything he wishes. So now, instead of bewailing the fact that +he was where he was, as many another lad would have done under the +circumstances, he rejoiced. He rejoiced because he had sense enough to +understand that his opportunity was at hand, here in the forest, and now.</p> + +<p>In another respect Charley was mature for his years. He had come to +understand, at least in a measure, that real success is always won by long +and persistent effort in a given direction. Like other boys, Charley had +his dreams and cherished lofty ambitions. But the stern necessities of +life, as he had lived it, had taught him that dreams seldom come true as +the result of luck, but are realized most certainly through consistent +effort. He did not want to go to work in the factory because he hated the +dirt and the noise and the odors and the sense of being cooped up, like an +animal in a pen. Now he had all the freedom in the world, and the +opportunity had come to become well acquainted with the things that he +loved--trees, flowers, ferns, birds, animals, and all the other gifts of +nature.</p> + +<p>When Charley looked abroad and realized that his opportunity had come, and +come in such a delightful way, he could hardly keep from shouting in his +happiness. Like the sensible lad he was, he immediately asked himself this +question, "What is the best thing for me to do first?" He decided that he +would go on with the training of his pup. All day, as he walked through +the forest, he labored to teach the young dog to trot quietly at his +heels, or to walk silently in front of him.</p> + +<p>Charley's purpose, of course, was to have the dog always at hand, to give +him warning of the approach of man or beast, and to fight for him, if +necessary. That the pup should learn not to betray himself or his master, +was equally needful. So Charley had the additional task of teaching the +dog to be silent, excepting for a very low growl, upon the approach of +other creatures. Charley thought of the Leatherstocking and his dog, and +wondered how that dog had been trained so wonderfully.</p> + +<p>Day after day the lessons continued. Charley had abundant opportunity to +work with the pup, for the forest was full of creatures that constantly +excited the young animal. The training required no end of patience: but +Charley loved the dog and never wearied in his efforts. By the time he had +completed his labors with the pup, his own shadow was hardly more constant +and quiet than the dog.</p> + +<p>Charley was elated one day when the dog signaled the approach of a +fisherman by no more than the faintest sort of a bark, and then at +command, came promptly to heel and remained there, silent and watchful. It +was the pup's first test with human beings. The fisherman proved to be +one of two who were making their way along the margin of the run. Charley +and the dog remained quietly behind some bushes until the fishermen were +out of sight and hearing. Then Charley praised his little pup and went on.</p> + +<p>His efforts with the dog, however, did not prevent him from thinking of +other matters. Day after day his mind returned to the problem of the +forest fire and the piece of green pasteboard. Ever since he had found the +telltale pile of ashes and the charred pasteboard beneath it, Charley had +been turning the problem over in his mind. How he was to solve the puzzle +he did not see. Somewhere, he felt sure, he had seen pasteboard like the +charred piece now in possession of Mr. Morton; but when or where he had +seen it, he had not the slightest recollection. How he was ever to find +another piece like it, he could not imagine; for as a fire patrol he had +neither time nor opportunity to mingle with people.</p> + +<p>He could see just one possibility of success. Undoubtedly there was a +great deal more of the green pasteboard in the world than had been +contained in the burned box. Hence persons other than the incendiary must +have some of that same pasteboard. Perhaps some of those persons might +bring a bit of it into the forest. Campers and fishermen often brought +food and other things into the woods in pasteboard boxes. So Charley +resolved to examine carefully every camp he came to, and even to +scrutinize the remains of camp fires. But day followed day and Charley +found nothing to enlighten him.</p> + +<p>One day when Charley was on his way to meet the ranger, he suddenly +realized that he was away behind time. Charley hated the idea of being +tardy, especially when he had no reason for being late. He had been +training his dog, and his work with the pup had delayed him more than he +realized. But with haste he could still reach the meeting-place on time.</p> + +<p>At the fastest pace that he thought he could hold Charley set off. His +daily hikes through the forest had rapidly made a good walker of him, and +now he went along at a rate that would speedily have tired out most +travelers. Sometimes, to rest himself by changing his gait, he went scout +pace, walking fifty steps, then jogging fifty. He allowed nothing to +hinder him or take his attention. When he reached the meeting-place it +still lacked a few minutes of the appointed hour. Charley was pleased to +find that he had arrived before the ranger.</p> + +<p>When the time of meeting came and the ranger was not there, Charley began +to scan the fire trail carefully and to look about for smoke clouds. He +knew that something of moment must be afoot to make the ranger tardy for +his appointment. The ranger was not visible, however, though Charley could +see straight down the fire trail for a long distance.</p> + +<p>"I'll go meet him," said Charley. "He's sure to come this way."</p> + +<p>In the sand of the trail he printed a message for the ranger, in case the +latter should be coming by an unaccustomed route, and continued along the +trail. He had gone a full mile before he met Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Sorry I am late, Charley," said the ranger. "A lot of stuff came to the +office for you last night and the chief asked me to fetch it out this +morning. I think your new battery has come."</p> + +<p>"It's about time," said Charley. "I had about given up hope of ever seeing +it." Then he added, "But you couldn't pack that way out here. It must +weigh sixty pounds."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?" laughed the ranger. "I had come to believe that it weighed +in the neighborhood of half a ton."</p> + +<p>"Did you really try to carry it?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Sure. The chief sent all your stuff as far as he could in the truck, and +I packed it in as far as I could carry it. That's why I'm late. But I had +to drop it a distance back. I brought these along, however, and thought +we'd go back and get the battery, for I'm sure that's what it is." He +paused and handed to Charley two pasteboard boxes he had strapped to his +back. The larger one was bulky, but weighed comparatively little. The +other was small.</p> + +<p>"I wonder what it is," said Charley, as he untied the string and opened +the smaller box. "The amplifier," he said. Then he opened the larger box.</p> + +<p>"Your wireless!" he cried in delight. "Everything is here, even to the +aerial. Only the spreaders are lacking. We could make them and have this +outfit set up in no time if we had to. Isn't it bully? Now we can talk +directly with each other as soon as you learn to send and read. Won't that +be dandy?" With practiced eye he once more glanced over the outfit to make +sure everything was there. Then he tied the box up again.</p> + +<p>"I'll just take it back with me," he added. "This goes to your house, you +know, and you can pick it up on your way home. We'll take it as far as the +battery and leave it there."</p> + +<p>They strode rapidly along the trail, and in half an hour reached the +battery where the ranger had set it down. Some traps lay on top of the +battery.</p> + +<p>"I forgot to bring them sooner," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley lifted the box. "How in the world," he said, "did you ever pack +that thing over these mountains on your back? Why, you've carried that +more than four miles."</p> + +<p>"We'll cut a couple of saplings and tie them to the box for handles," said +the ranger. "Then we can carry it easily. Give me your axe."</p> + +<p>Charley handed his little axe to the ranger, and began to fumble in his +pocket for the cord which he had used as a leash for his dog. The ranger +looked around him for suitable poles. Close by the trail lay the rotting +trunk of a large tree that had fallen years before. On the far side of +this log and close to it some fine saplings had grown up, probably made +thrifty by the rotting wood of the great tree. The ranger reached over the +log to chop a sapling. At the same instant the pup, ranging in the bushes, +growled savagely. Momentarily the ranger lifted his eyes, letting his axe +head sink to the ground. Something moved under it, and at the same instant +a hideous head reared itself above the leaves and struck with +lightning-like rapidity, hitting the ranger just above the wrist-bone. +With a startled exclamation the ranger drew up his arm. As he did so, a +huge rattler glided away through the brush.</p> + +<p>Charley turned at the ranger's cry. He comprehended the situation at a +glance. "Quick!" he cried, springing to the ranger's side. "Give me your +arm."</p> + +<p>He jerked back the ranger's sleeve, disclosing two dark spots on the back +of the wrist where the fangs had punctured the skin. Drops of blood were +oozing from them. Charley whipped out his knife and without hesitation +drew the keen blade several times across the ranger's wrist. Blood began +to flow down the hand. Putting his lips to the wound, Charley sucked out +mouthful after mouthful of blood, which he spat on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Now squeeze your wrist tight just above the bite," said Charley. "Stop +the circulation of blood if you can."</p> + +<p>Like a flash Charley picked up the dog leash and tied an end of it around +the ranger's arm, close to the shoulder, drawing it so tight that the +ranger winced. He cut the dangling end and took a second turn just above +the ranger's elbow. Then he made a third turn half-way down the forearm. +With little sticks he twisted the cords still tighter. Then he jerked out +his hypodermic syringe, which he carried already filled with fluid, and +thrusting the needle into the bleeding arm, injected the permanganate into +the wound.</p> + +<p>Meantime, the ranger stood silent, his face pale, his jaws set +courageously. "Where did you learn to do all that?" he finally asked +Charley, with evident admiration. "You go about it like a doctor."</p> + +<p>"When the Wireless Patrol was in camp at Fort Brady," replied Charley, +"one of the fellows was bitten by a copperhead. Dr. Hardy had already +drilled us in first-aid and we knew just what to do. You bet none of us +will ever forget."</p> + +<p>"I shall owe my life to you," said Mr. Morton. "That is, I shall if----"</p> + +<p>"There's no if about it," interrupted Charley with determination. "We got +most of the poison out of your arm. I'll bet on that. What's left may make +you sick, but it can't kill you. What we've got to do is to prevent that +poison from reaching your heart, at least in any quantity. You sit down +against this tree and keep quiet so your heart will beat as slow as +possible. In about twenty minutes loosen this bottom cord. Loosen the +middle one after another twenty minutes, and open the third at the end of +an hour. That's all I know how to do. Thank God, we've got a wireless +here! Now I'm going to get it up as quick as possible."</p> + +<p>He tore open the pasteboard boxes and took out one instrument after +another, coupling up the wires quickly and skilfully. Then he seized the +little axe, chopped some branches for spreaders, fastened the aerial wires +to them, and added other wires to suspend them by. Quickly he selected two +trees for supports, and climbing up first one and then the other, soon had +his aerial dangling directly above the fire trail. He coupled up his +lead-in wire and ran his eye over the outfit. Everything was complete. +Only the power was lacking. With the axe he pried off the lid of the box +containing the battery, tore away the paper and excelsior wrappings, and +in another moment had his wires around the binding posts. He threw over +his switch, and springing to his key pressed his finger on it. A brilliant +flash shot between the points of his spark-gap. Rapidly he adjusted the +points until his instrument was giving a spark of maximum strength. Then +he settled himself to the task ahead.</p> + +<p>"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," called Charley. (Frankfort Radio Station--Charley +Russell calling.) Several times he repeated the call. Then he shut off his +switch and sat in silence listening for a reply. None came.</p> + +<p>"They may be talking to somebody," he muttered. Again he called. +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," he flashed again and again. Once more he sat quiet +and listened. At first he got no reply. Then, clear as a bell on a frosty +morning, a signal sounded in his ear: "CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I." (Charley +Russell--I'm here.)</p> + +<p>Charley sighed with relief. "Got 'em," he said to the ranger. Then he +turned intently to his key.</p> + +<p>"Please telephone District Forester Marlin at Oakdale instantly," he +rapped out. "Ranger Morton bitten rattlesnake. Send motor-car where +battery was delivered this morning. May need man help ranger. Bring +doctor. Tell wife get ready. Will listen for answer."</p> + +<p>As Charley sat waiting for a reply, he studied the face of the ranger. It +was set hard. Courage was written on it plainly.</p> + +<p>The ranger started to speak. "Don't talk," interrupted Charley. "Keep as +quiet as you can, and watch your bandages. If you keep them tight too long +it harms your blood somehow."</p> + +<p>They sat in silence a while. Then Charley said, "I wish you didn't have to +walk, but I guess there's nothing for it but to hike out to the highway at +the earliest possible moment. We'll start the instant we've heard from Mr. +Marlin."</p> + +<p>"What about your instruments?"</p> + +<p>"I'll nail the cover on the battery box and put the other things in the +pasteboard box. I don't think anything will touch them. It's all we can +do, anyway."</p> + +<p>He felt in his pockets and found a stub of a pencil and a scrap of paper. +"Property of the Pennsylvania Forestry Department. Please do not touch," +he printed in large letters. With his knife blade he pried out the tacks +that held the address tag on the battery box and tacked his sign on the +box. Then his receiver began to buzz. Charley gave the return signal.</p> + +<p>"Forester on wire now," came the message. "Wants to know where you are and +how Morton is."</p> + +<p>Charley ticked off the information and waited for a reply. It came very +soon. "Will rush doctor and men. Come as far to meet me as you can."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch18"> +<h2>Chapter XVIII</h2> + +<h3>The First Clue to the Incendiary</h3> + + + +<p>Slowly Charley and his friend made their way along the fire trail toward +the highway and safety, Charley assisting the ranger as much as possible. +The latter began to suffer great pain in his arm and the limb started to +swell. Meantime, the forester, with a physician and a helper, was racing +at top speed to reach the ranger. At a pace utterly reckless he drove his +car over the forest road, and the instant the rescue party arrived at the +point where Charley and Mr. Morton would reach the highway, they plunged +into the forest. Faster than he had ever raced to a forest fire, the +forester sped along the trail, his companions striving doggedly to keep up +with him. He was deep in the woods before he met Charley and the ranger.</p> + +<p>With hand extended, the forester ran to his ranger. Their hands met in a +tight clasp. "How is it, Jim?" asked the forester, with anxious eyes.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right," rejoined the ranger. "I'll pull out of this all O.K. That +snake got me right, though. If it hadn't been for Charley here, I don't +know how I would have made out. He's as good as a doctor."</p> + +<p>By this time the doctor himself had come up, puffing too hard for words. +He nodded his head, clasped the ranger's hand, and with a single word of +greeting quickly began an examination of the injured arm. "How long ago +did this happen?" he puffed.</p> + +<p>"More than two hours ago," said the ranger.</p> + +<p>"You haven't kept these tight all that time, have you?" and the doctor +laid his finger on one of the cords around the ranger's arm.</p> + +<p>"No, sir. Charley had me loosen them, one at a time, every twenty minutes +or so."</p> + +<p>"That was quite right. What else have you done?"</p> + +<p>When the ranger had told him in detail exactly how Charley had treated +him, the doctor grunted, "Confound it! Then what did you hustle me out +here this way for? I thought you were at the point of death."</p> + +<p>Charley was amazed and offended at what he considered the heartlessness of +the physician. "You don't understand," he protested. "Mr. Morton was badly +bitten, sir."</p> + +<p>Charley was still more astonished when both the ranger and the forester +burst out laughing. He looked from one to the other questioningly. It did +not occur to him that this was merely the doctor's way of saying that +Charley had handled the situation about as well as he could have done it +himself. Evidently the forester did not propose to enlighten Charley, for +all he said was, "Don't let him worry you, Charley. He's just naturally +lazy and a grouch. He doesn't like it because I made him hustle for once, +and he's disappointed not to find Jim at the point of death. These doctors +are strange animals, Charley. But with all their faults we love them +still." And he slapped the physician affectionately on the shoulder.</p> + +<p>Charley looked puzzled. But concluding that silence was the best course, +he said no more. All this time the doctor was continuing his labors, and +Charley was amazed at the dexterous way he did things.</p> + +<p>For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger's heart. Then, +seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the +ranger's shirt. Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing +the arm to the shoulder. The physician examined it closely. The arm was +swelling fast. The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some +medicine. "Now we'll get to bed as soon as possible," he said, "and rest +for a few days."</p> + +<p>Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the +waiting motor-car.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marlin," said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, "this +morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for +him, as well as my big battery. It's back where Mr. Morton was bitten. May +I get it and set it up in the ranger's house? It will be a good +opportunity for him to practice while he's at home. Mrs. Morton is +learning to operate the wireless, too. It would mean so much to both of +them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by +wireless."</p> + +<p>"How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?"</p> + +<p>"Not very long, sir. Perhaps an hour or two."</p> + +<p>"I don't like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this +season, Charley, but I guess we'll take a chance on it. Get your stuff to +the road as quick as you can. I'll take Jim home and return for you."</p> + +<p>The forester hastened after the ranger's party and Charley darted off into +the forest. At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire +trail. In a very little time he was back at the instruments. He took down +the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he +needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard +box. Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already +waiting to whirl him away to the ranger's house.</p> + +<p>If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger's wife +(though he hadn't), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight +of the ranger's home. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the +shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it. About the house itself +was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind +the house. The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence. +Lovely old trees shaded it. Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray +clapboards. Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and +there. There were flowers about the base of the house and along the +borders. The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn. Even now before +plant growth had started, the yard was attractive. With pleasure Charley +noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought +in from a forest plantation, at his gateway. One glance at the inviting +and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house +itself.</p> + +<p>Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as +clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and +beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently +received loving and intelligent care. On the wall Charley instantly noted +the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with +the ranger's portable telephone instrument.</p> + +<p>There was not the slightest doubt in Charley's mind that he was going to +like the ranger's wife. And when, a moment later, she came quietly into +the room and took his hand in hers and, with moist eyes, thanked him for +saving her husband's life, she won Charley's heart completely. She was +slight and girlish and good to look at, and made Charley think of some of +his nice girl friends at high school. Yet Mrs. Morton had been married a +good many years, for just behind her stood her daughter, Julia, a girl of +twelve, waiting her turn to thank Charley.</p> + +<p>But girlish though the ranger's wife appeared, Charley did not need to be +told that she was not of the weeping, hysterical sort. On every hand were +evidences of efficiency and foresight. A fire was evidently burning +briskly in the stove, and kettles of water, presumably heated in case of +need, were steaming on the range, easily seen through the open kitchen +door. In the sick-room were evidences of the same sort of forethought. +Everything that the house possessed that could possibly be useful in +treating the ranger had been assembled in handy little piles. This must +have been done before the ranger reached home, for most of the piles were +untouched.</p> + +<p>The ranger was resting comfortably in bed, though his arm was badly +swollen and his face was distorted with pain. At sight of Charley his +countenance lighted up. He reached out his left arm and wrung Charley's +hand until the lad winced.</p> + +<p>"The doctor says I'll pull through this all right, though I'll have a +painful time of it," said the ranger, "and he told the truth, at least as +far as the pain is concerned. But the pain's nothing. The thing that +counts is the fact that I am safe at home. I owe it to you, Charley, and +you may be sure I'll never forget."</p> + +<p>That was as much as the ranger, reticent, hating any display of emotion, +quiet like most men of the woods, could bring himself to say. But Charley +knew that it meant volumes. He tried to reply, but found himself also +suffering from a strange embarrassment. So Charley said good-bye to the +ranger, assured him that he would take good care of the forest, and set +about fixing the wireless outfit. The forester helped him. Quickly they +got up the aerial, brought the lead-in wire into the living-room, and set +up the instruments on a board table close beside the telephone instrument.</p> + +<p>"Now everything is complete except for the battery," Charley said to the +forester when they had finished wiring up the outfit. "Half a dozen dry +cells will supply all the current needed."</p> + +<p>"I'll send them out by the doctor in the morning," said the forester.</p> + +<p>Charley showed Mrs. Morton how to wire the cells and couple them to the +instruments. Then he told her how to adjust her spark-gap and tune the +instrument to any given wave-length. He compared his watch with the clock +on the wall.</p> + +<p>"At eight o'clock every night," he said, "I will call you up. Suppose you +take Mr. Morton's initials as your call signal. What are they?"</p> + +<p>"J. V. M.," replied Mrs. Morton.</p> + +<p>"Very well. Then at eight o'clock every night I will call J. V. M. slowly +a number of times. Then I will tick off the alphabet slowly and the +numerals one to ten. You listen in, and if the sounds are blurred or not +sharp, tune your instrument as I have shown you until you can hear +distinctly. If you make the letters with a pencil as you read them, it +may help you. I'm sure you will soon learn to read. I'll repeat the +alphabet and the numbers three times slowly. Then I'll listen in for five +or ten minutes. If you want to try to call me, give my signal and follow +it with your own, thus: 'CBC--CBC--CBC--JVM.' That means 'Charley +Russell--James Morton calling.' If I hear you, I will send the letters +'JVM--JVM--JVM--I--I--I.' That means 'James Morton--I am here.' Then you +can begin to send your message. I hope we'll be able to talk to each other +very soon."</p> + +<p>"It won't be my fault if we don't," smiled the ranger's wife.</p> + +<p>"Now I must be off," said Charley. "I've no doubt Mr. Marlin is getting +impatient. We'll just clean up this mess and then I'll go."</p> + +<p>"I'll clean things up," insisted Mrs. Morton.</p> + +<p>"No; I made the mess and I'll clean it up," protested Charley.</p> + +<p>He began to pile the torn pieces of pasteboard together so he could thrust +them into the stove. The bottom of the pasteboard box had been built up +with several layers of pasteboard, evidently cut from other boxes. Charley +took them out one at a time, preparatory to crumpling up the box itself. +As he lifted the last layer of pasteboard he stopped in blank amazement. +Then he called excitedly for Mr. Marlin. Before him lay a piece of green +pasteboard exactly like the charred fragment taken from the ash heap in +the burned forest.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch19"> +<h2>Chapter XIX</h2> + +<h3>The Forester's Problem</h3> + + + +<p>For a moment the two men looked at each other in astonishment. Then, "Keep +that," said the forester. "We'll talk the matter over on our way back." +Mrs. Morton, not comprehending what had happened, also looked astonished. +But like the wise woman she was, she held her peace. Charley tossed the +other pasteboards in the fire, stuffed the green piece in his pocket, and +said good-bye to his new friend. The forester, after telephoning to his +office, followed Charley, and a moment later the two were spinning up the +road toward the fire trail.</p> + +<p>"I can't understand it," said Charley. "Here's a package direct from Lew, +with the very clue we're looking for, and Lew never said a word about it. +I can't understand it. I'm certain Lew sent the box. That was his +handwriting on it. And I'm just as sure he never saw that bit of +pasteboard, for Lew would never slip up that way. I just can't understand +it."</p> + +<p>They reached the point where Charley was to leave the car and plunge into +the forest. But Mr. Marlin, instead of stopping his motor, turned into a +natural opening in the woods and drove slowly among the forest trees. In +a moment he ran the car into a stand of pines, where it was protected by +the dense tops above and well hidden from sight of the highway.</p> + +<p>"You couldn't get in here with anything but a Henry," laughed the +forester. "This old bus has taken me lots of places you would never have +believed possible."</p> + +<p>He took the key from the switch on the dashboard, and the two stepped to +the ground. Charley wondered what the forester intended to do, but by this +time he knew enough not to ask questions. The forester started up the +trail with him. When they came to the big battery Charley understood, for +without a word the forester took Charley's little axe and began to chop +poles to carry the battery with. In a few moments these handles were bound +fast. The forester tossed the traps over his shoulder. Charley tied the +amplifier box to his belt. Then they picked up the battery and started +toward camp.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Charley stopped. "By George!" he cried. "I forgot all about the +pup. I wonder where he got to."</p> + +<p>He whistled and whistled, but apparently in vain. They went on, and at +intervals Charley whistled for the dog while he and the forester were +resting. Still no dog appeared. Charley's face grew long. "Gee! I'll miss +that pup," he said regretfully. "Why didn't I think of him sooner?"</p> + +<p>Night was at hand when the two reached Charley's camp. Nothing had been +disturbed. Charley took advantage of the remaining daylight to couple up +the battery and the amplifier to his wireless. He tested the outfit and +found he had a strong spark that cracked like a whip when he touched the +key.</p> + +<p>"Look at that!" he cried. "Now I feel better. I can always get into +communication with somebody now."</p> + +<p>"You aren't a bit more pleased than I am, Charley," smiled the forester. +"I'll take back all I ever said about the wireless. If Morton can learn to +talk by wireless, the rest of my crew can also. When the dull season +comes, I'll start a radio school with you as instructor and we'll make +every man in the service learn to operate the wireless. The Department +ought to be glad to supply a good outfit; but if we can't get the money, +we can at least make some outfits like yours. We're going on a wireless +basis or my name is not Marlin."</p> + +<p>The forester was interrupted by a joyous bark and in rushed Charley's pup. +"You blessed little fellow," said Charley, fondling the animal. "I suppose +you lost our trail when we got into the motor-car and you probably hung +around the battery all day and followed our trail back here. That's pretty +good. You've got great stuff in you, pup. The next thing I teach you will +be to stand guard over things as you probably did over that battery +to-day."</p> + +<p>Darkness fell. Supper was cooked and eaten. "Have you heard that cat +lately, Charley?" asked the forester.</p> + +<p>"No," replied Charley, "but I think I'll put the traps out anyway."</p> + +<p>"We can attract it even if it isn't near by," said the forester. "Have you +a can of salmon that you can spare?"</p> + +<p>"Sure."</p> + +<p>"Then give me the traps and bring your can."</p> + +<p>Charley got the things asked for. The forester, taking the flash-light, +led the way through the thicket to the open forest. At some distance from +the camp the forester stopped and turned the beam from the search-light +upward. Finally he found what he was looking for--a small branch about +seven feet from the ground. Then he cut the top of the salmon can, and +punching holes in the sides near the top, fastened a string to the can and +suspended the can from the limb. Then he set the traps in a circle under +the can, fastening the chains to convenient saplings, and threw two or +three small pieces of the salmon on the ground within the circle of traps. +Then they made their way back to camp.</p> + +<p>Charley lighted a little friendship fire in the fireplace the ranger had +made, and the two sat down beside the flames. It was little more than +three weeks since Charley had first entered the forest. During that time +he had really seen very little of the forester. Yet as he sat beside his +chief, Charley felt as though he had known him always. A common emotion +had drawn them close together this day, and somehow Charley believed that +his feeling of affection for his chief was fully reciprocated. For a time +they sat in silence, each busy with his own thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Charley," said the forester, after a time, "this accident to Jim hits me +pretty hard. It not only leaves the finest piece of forest under my care +without a direct overseer at the most dangerous time of the year, but +there were so many things we had planned to do this spring that cannot be +done without a ranger to supervise them. To be sure, I could transfer a +ranger here, but I have work for every man in his particular district. +Besides, nobody knows this territory like Jim. I believe you know it +better than anybody besides Jim. I only wish you were old enough to take +his place for a time.</p> + +<p>"We're away behind with our planting, and there are trails to be brushed +out, new ones to be cut, roads to be built, camp sites to be selected, +timber to be cruised, a big lumber operation to be watched and the trees +to be marked for cutting and the lumber scaled, improvement cuttings to be +made, camp sanitation to be enforced, a fire-tower to be built on the +mountain here where your watch tree is. There's a tremendous lot of work +that Jim and I had mapped out for the spring and summer.</p> + +<p>"Now it looks as though we should not be able to get any of it done. We +can't do a thing without a ranger to direct operations. Part of the +timber to be cut is in Lumley's district. He joins you here on the north. +He will look after all the lumbering in his territory, and I may have to +let him take charge of it all. It's a big operation and will have to be +watched closely. I just wish I knew where I could find a man capable of +taking Jim's place for a while."</p> + +<p>"What will the ranger have to do in looking after this operation?"</p> + +<p>"He'll have to mark the trees to be cut and see that only those marked are +cut; and he'll have to make sure the regulations are observed in felling +the trees and disposing of the tops; and finally he'll have to scale the +lumber and make sure that the state gets paid for all that is cut."</p> + +<p>"What is there so difficult about that?" demanded Charley. "Tell me what +sort of trees are to be cut, and I can select and mark them as well as the +next man. And if you give me a copy of the regulations, I can tell whether +or not the lumbermen are observing them. If I can't make them live up to +regulations, I can easily report to you. And as for scaling timber, that's +a mere matter of arithmetic. I could learn to do that in five minutes. +Couldn't I help you with the lumbering? And as for the other jobs, Mr. +Marlin, give me some books that tell about them and let me study up on +them. I could put in several hours here every night in study. You don't +know how much I could learn in a week. And then you could give me some +practical lessons after I had studied up the theory of things. I'm sure I +can do lots of the work you were counting on Mr. Morton to do. Won't you +let me help you?"</p> + +<p>"Bless your heart, Charley! I know you mean every word you say. But you +don't realize the difficulties you would encounter. Your chief job would +be in handling men, tough men some of them, too. You could never do it, +never. But I certainly wish you were old enough to attempt it. There's +nobody I'd trust sooner than you, Charley. You've got a good education, +and you think quickly and clearly. You've been equal to every emergency +you've faced yet."</p> + +<p>"Then why isn't that a pretty good reason to trust me further?"</p> + +<p>"Trust you, Charley? I trust you absolutely. But you are too young. You +could never do it."</p> + +<p>Charley said no more. The hope that had sprung up in his heart died as +suddenly as it had been born. In his heart he believed that with all the +study and effort he was willing to put into it, he could do a ranger's +work all right. But he saw it was not to be.</p> + +<p>"Anyway," he muttered to himself, "I'm going to be a ranger some day, and +I'll show the chief now that I'm the best fire patrol he ever had. That's +the best way to qualify for promotion."</p> + +<p>He turned to his wireless, threw over his switch and flashed out the call +signal of the Wireless Patrol. In his delight at the power of his new +battery he almost forgot his disappointment. In a very short time he got +a reply from Henry.</p> + +<p>"Don't say anything about that pasteboard," cautioned the chief.</p> + +<p>"I don't intend to," answered Charley. "I'm going to write to Lew about it +and let you take the letter out in the morning. You never can tell who +will pick up a wireless message."</p> + +<p>For several minutes Charley chatted briskly with Henry, who said the new +battery carried the signals to him as clear as a bell. Charley told Henry +about Mr. Morton's accident, omitting reference to his own part in the +affair, and then through Henry got into touch with both Mrs. Morton and +the assistant forester at headquarters. Mr. Morton was getting along all +right, though he suffered very great pain. The forester's assistant +reported everything quiet in the forest.</p> + +<p>Charley turned away from his wireless key, and got out pencil and paper. +By the light of the candle lantern he began his letter to Lew, and had +almost finished it when the pup, his hair bristling, ran to the door of +the tent, growling savagely. An instant later both the forester and +Charley leaped to their feet as the stillness of the forest was broken by +an awful scream that rang through the dark and was thrown back by the +mountain in a magnified echo even more terrifying than the original cry.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch20"> +<h2>Chapter XX</h2> + +<h3>Charley Wins His First Promotion</h3> + + + +<p>With startled eyes, Charley looked at the forester, at the same time +reaching for his rifle. To Charley's surprise the forester began to grin.</p> + +<p>"I guess you got your cat, Charley," he chuckled. "But it sure did startle +a fellow."</p> + +<p>The first piercing scream of the wildcat was succeeded by a variety of +furious screams. The animal could be heard thrashing about in the leaves, +spitting, snarling, growling, rattling the chain, and evidently fighting +furiously to free itself from the trap.</p> + +<p>Taking both the candle lantern and the flash-light, as well as rifle and +axe, the two men started for the cat.</p> + +<p>"Grab that dog," said the forester, as the pup darted out of the tent +ahead of them.</p> + +<p>Charley whistled and called, but the pup was too wild with excitement to +heed the command.</p> + +<p>"Hurry up," said the forester, "or you won't have any pup left."</p> + +<p>They pushed rapidly through the thicket, then ran toward their traps. +Faintly they could see the wildcat. The pup was worrying it. With arched +back, hair erect, eyes ablaze, and snarling furiously, the wildcat was +waiting its opportunity to strike. The pup circled about it, yelping and +barking, every second growing bolder because the animal did not spring at +it.</p> + +<p>"Give me that rifle, quick!" said the forester. "That cat'll kill the pup +in another minute."</p> + +<p>He seized the weapon, sank on one knee, quickly sighted along the barrel, +and pulled the trigger. Even as he fired, the cat leaped toward the pup. +For a second there was a terrific scuffling in the leaves. Then the +search-light's beam showed the pup lying motionless, its neck broken and +torn, while the cat was clawing the air wildly, and spitting and snarling +in fury.</p> + +<p>"Don't ever let one of those critters get on your back, Charley," said the +forester, as he approached the cat for a final shot. "Sometimes they will +follow a fellow in the forest. It's seldom they really attack a man, but +if a fellow loses his nerve and runs, they will sometimes leap on him. A +single swipe of those claws will cut a fellow to ribbons."</p> + +<p>The forester was now close to the cat, which had gotten to its feet and +had crouched, snarling, ready for a leap.</p> + +<p>The forester circled so as to get a shot at the animal's shoulder. Quickly +raising his rifle, he fired. The cat screamed, clawed the air desperately +for a few seconds, and lay still.</p> + +<p>Charley rushed in and tenderly lifted his motionless pup from the ground. +There were tears in his eyes as he bore the little body to one side. "Poor +fellow," he said, "I'll miss you awfully. I was counting on you a lot to +help me guard this timber. You did the best you knew how. You thought you +were helping me, didn't you?"</p> + +<p>He passed his hand across his eyes and faced the forester. "It's some +consolation to know that that beast paid for this, and paid well. I'm sure +glad he's dead. It's a good thing for the forest."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's a good job done," replied the forester, "and a nice skin and +a bounty for you. That ought to be some consolation to you. But I'm mighty +sorry about the pup. Whenever you can, get rid of those fellows. How many +young deer or other harmless animals do you suppose this fellow would have +slaughtered before another spring?"</p> + +<p>Making sure that the cat was really dead, the forester opened the trap.</p> + +<p>Then he picked up the dead cat and led the way back to the tent. "I'll +show you how to skin this fellow," he said, and, taking out his knife, +began to remove the hide.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" exclaimed Charley. "Wouldn't the fellows like to know about this?" +He looked at his watch. "Some of them will surely be listening in," he +said.</p> + +<p>Then he sat down beside his key, and while he watched the forester skin +the wildcat, he kept his spark-gap snapping and cracking with the fat +sparks from the new battery. He was calling Lew. He got no answer and +flashed out the signal for the Wireless Patrol. Almost immediately Henry +answered. His workshop was the headquarters of the Wireless Patrol.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Henry," rapped out Charley. "Do you know where Lew is?"</p> + +<p>"He's right here," came the answer. "So are most of the other fellows."</p> + +<p>"Tell them," replied Charley, "that we just caught the wildcat in the +traps you sent, and Mr. Marlin is skinning it. I'm going to get him to +show me how to tan it. When it's done, I'm going to send it to the +Wireless Patrol to help furnish our headquarters. I'm going to add the +eight dollars bounty money to the club fund for wireless equipment."</p> + +<p>Then came a long pause. Finally this message came back to Charley. "The +Wireless Patrol thanks you, Charley, but we want you to sell the skin and +use the money and the bounty to pay for the field-glasses you need."</p> + +<p>Charley turned away from his instrument with a suspicious moisture in his +eyes. It touched him deeply that his fellows were so solicitous concerning +his welfare and success. He did not realize that he was merely reaping the +reward of his own kindly good nature, that had made him a general favorite +with the boys of the Wireless Patrol.</p> + +<p>There were no further alarms that night. Early in the morning the ranger +started back to his office, taking with him the letter to Lew. Charley +accompanied him part of the way. Then he continued on his patrol.</p> + +<p>The next time Charley met the forester he received Lew's answer to his +letter. Lew had addressed the box, but several of the boys of the Wireless +Patrol had helped to pack it. The piece of green pasteboard proved to be +from a box in which Henry had gotten shoes by mail. The box came from +Carson and Derby, a big New York mail-order concern. Almost everybody in +the country around Central City bought articles from mail-order houses, so +Lew's letter threw no light on the problem. There might be a green +pasteboard box of that particular pattern in every farmhouse in the +county. Yet as Charley thought the matter over, he recalled that almost +everybody he knew who shopped by mail traded with Slears and Hoebuck, of +Chicago.</p> + +<p>The days passed. Little happened to vary the monotony. Yet the sameness of +life in the forest was far from being bothersome to Charley. On the +contrary, he found new delights every day.</p> + +<p>Spring was now well advanced. The trees would soon be in leaf, the flowers +were coming along in rotation, and the forest fairly pulsed with life. Now +Charley found a gorgeous bed of blood-root. Again he came on great patches +of arbutus. Here the Dutchman's-breeches grew in rich clumps. There +spring-beauties fairly whitened the earth. Violets, Jacks-in-the-pulpit, +marsh-marigolds, and dozens of other familiar and lovely blooms he found +as he wandered through the forest.</p> + +<p>There was nothing Charley liked more than the flowers. He determined to +know every bloom in his section of the forest. So he divided his territory +into definite strips, patrolling a different strip each day. Thus he +became intimately acquainted with every part of his district.</p> + +<p>There were more objects than flowers, however, to delight him. The birds +and the animals were a constant source of pleasure. Often he had +opportunity to study their actions and their habits. The mating season +brought a wealth of pleasing experiences. Sometimes he came across a +mother grouse with her brood of little ones. It pleased Charley to see how +the tiny creatures scattered and hid among the leaves, making themselves +invisible at the first warning note from the mother, while she fluttered +along before him, dragging a wing as though it were broken, and drawing +him farther and farther from her little ones. Wild turkeys, too, he saw, +and many other feathered inhabitants of the forest.</p> + +<p>Perhaps nothing touched Charley so much as an incident that occurred late +one day when he was fighting a small fire. The fine, spring weather +brought out regiments of fishermen, and numbers of them got deep into the +woods. Whenever he possibly could, Charley avoided meeting them. Sometimes +Charley could not avoid a meeting. Then he always posed as a fisherman. +He never moved abroad these days without his rod. The rifle he had +temporarily laid aside. More than one little fire, started by careless +fishermen, Charley detected and extinguished.</p> + +<p>One day he saw smoke at a considerable distance. By the time he could +reach the spot, the fire had a good start and had already burned over +several acres. It was blazing briskly and Charley was at first uncertain +as to whether he should attempt to fight it alone or call help. But night +was at hand, the wind was already falling, and Charley decided that he +could conquer the blaze single-handed. He judged that the best way to do +this was by beating it out with brush.</p> + +<p>Quickly chopping a pine bough, Charley attacked the fire. It was not a +fierce blaze, though when the fitful wind blew strong it flamed up +savagely. Even the tiniest of forest fires is hot enough, and Charley +found it trying work. He had many hundreds of yards of flame to beat out. +The smoke and the heat were stifling and exhausting, and every little +while Charley had to turn away from the fire to rest and get his breath. +During such periods, Charley would walk back along the fire-line to make +sure that the blaze was extinguished behind him.</p> + +<p>Darkness came quickly in the deep valley, and before Charley had the blaze +half extinguished, he was unable to see distinctly. Indeed he could hardly +have seen anything at all had it not been for the fitful light of the +flames; and this dancing light made objects appear uncertain and unreal.</p> + +<p>In one of his trips back along the line, Charley came to a stump that was +ablaze. In beating out the flames just here, he had failed to extinguish +some tiny sparks in a hollow place at the base of the stump. The wind had +fanned these into life after Charley had passed on, and the fire had +communicated to the stump. Now the stump was a pillar of flame. At any +moment sparks might fly from it and rekindle the fire.</p> + +<p>Charley beat at the stump with his brush until the flames had entirely +disappeared. But fearing that sparks might yet be smouldering under the +bark or in the dry wood, Charley began scraping the sides of the stump. As +his hand reached the top of the stump, there was a sudden startling whir +of wings and something shot upward into the dark. Charley recoiled as +though shot. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs. His first thought +was of the sudden blow the rattler had given the ranger. Yet he knew it +was no rattler that had suddenly sprung upward into the night. He drew +forth his flash-light, which he always carried, and turned the beam of +light on the top of the stump. There lay two little turtle-doves, unharmed +despite the fierce flames that had played about them. They had been +protected by the mother dove's body.</p> + +<p>"Little turtle-dove," said Charley, "I take off my hat to you. When +anybody tells me about a deed of heroism hereafter, I'll tell them about +you and how you hovered over your young ones while the flames were slowly +roasting you. I'm certainly glad I got here when I did. You would have +been burned in another five minutes and your little ones with you."</p> + +<p>Charley started back to the line of flames again. "If a turtle-dove can do +a thing like that," he muttered to himself, "you're a poor thing if you +can't face a little blaze like this."</p> + +<p>He cut a new bush, once more fell on the fire, and never ceased his +efforts until not a single blaze lighted the forest. Then he stepped +inside the burned area and made his way completely around the edge of it. +The ashes were hot and Charley knew that they might scorch the leather in +his shoes. But he also knew there would be no rattlesnakes where the fire +had burned. When Charley came to the stump again, he turned his +flash-light on its top. The dove had returned and was once more hovering +over her little ones.</p> + +<p>When he was certain that the fire was absolutely extinguished, Charley +made his way through the dark forest to his tent and made his nightly +report. It gave him great happiness to be able to report that the fire was +extinguished and that once more all was well in the forest.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had sent out to Charley a package of books that dealt with +various phases of work in the forest. Night after night, by the light of +candles, Charley sat in his tent studying his texts. He found them +fascinating. Here in the forest, where every day he could see illustrated +the truth of what he had read the night before, he learned, with +unbelievable rapidity. Whenever he came to anything in his texts that he +did not understand, he made a note of it. Sometimes at night he got Lew on +the wireless and through him questioned the forester. He did not want to +bother the government wireless men except in case of necessity.</p> + +<p>Two or three times a week the forester came out to see Charley and to keep +an eye on this, his finest stand of timber. From time to time he brought +supplies and more books. Indeed Charley's capacity to acquire what was in +the books astonished the forester. He knew that Charley understood because +of his intelligent questions and his increasingly intelligent practices; +for, without orders to do it, Charley was voluntarily doing many of the +tasks that Mr. Morton should have done in the forest. As he grew in +comprehension of the needs of the forest, Charley began to make +suggestions to the forester. More than one of these proved practicable, +and Charley was given permission to go ahead with the proposals. Before he +knew it, Charley found himself working sixteen hours a day and regretting +that the days were not longer. And as always happens to people who are +busy about work they love, Charley was supremely happy.</p> + +<p>Not the least part of his happiness came from his wireless talks with the +ranger's wife. With a speed that surprised him, Mrs. Morton learned both +to read and send. On the very first evening after the doctor brought her +dry cells, Mrs. Morton managed to tick out an acknowledgment of Charley's +call. And though it was faltering and uneven, Charley read it and smiled +with delight. As he slowly ticked off the letters of the alphabet and the +first ten numerals, Mrs. Morton listened intently, jotting down the dots +and dashes on a bit of paper.</p> + +<p>When Charley had repeated his message according to promise, he flashed out +the call signal for the Wireless Patrol and promptly got a reply from +Henry. Through Henry he made his nightly report to the forester, and +through the forester sent his congratulations to Mrs. Morton on the +success of her initial attempt at radio communication, and inquired after +the sick ranger. So both Charley and his new friend were happy that night.</p> + +<p>It was quite evident to Charley, when he called Mrs. Morton on the +following night, that she must have spent much of the day practicing at +her key; for the certainty and assurance with which she transmitted her +brief message this time could have come only from hours of practice. Now, +in addition to acknowledging Charley's call, she added the simple message, +"Jim is improving." Charley did not guess that she had practiced that +short message for an hour. Even if he had, he would have been none the +less pleased; for practice was the very thing needed to make her an +efficient operator. By the time three weeks had elapsed, Mrs. Morton could +communicate with Charley readily. Also her husband was improving every +day, though it would still be weeks before he could resume his duties. +Altogether, Charley's cup of happiness seemed full to overflowing.</p> + +<p>There was still more happiness in store for him, however,--a happiness he +had not dared to hope for. One day Mr. Marlin appeared at Charley's camp +just at dusk. Charley was about to cook his supper. At once he doubled the +portions of food to be cooked, and while he worked over his fire, he +reported to his superior on the condition of the forest under his charge. +By this time Charley knew every inch of it intimately. He had just +completed an inspection, lasting several days, of the entire area. He was +enthusiastic about his work and full of plans for the future. Practically +all his suggestions were good, and the forester smiled and smiled with +approval, as he sat back in the shadow, listening.</p> + +<p>When Charley had completed his statement, the forester said, "Charley, +your report is very satisfactory, and I am especially pleased with the way +you comprehend the needs of the situation and plan for improvements. I +approve of practically all your suggestions. How would you like to go +ahead and work them out?"</p> + +<p>"They ought to be done," said Charley impetuously. Then he stopped. "I +mean," he corrected himself, "that it seems to me they ought to be. But to +do most of them would require a ranger with a crew of men."</p> + +<p>"But you haven't answered my question," said the forester with a kindly +smile.</p> + +<p>Charley looked puzzled. "I told you I think that they ought to be done."</p> + +<p>"Still you haven't answered my question."</p> + +<p>Charley stopped a moment to try to recall exactly what the forester had +said. Then he went on. "Of course, I should like to work them out, for +they ought to be done. But I also told you it would need a ranger and a +crew of men. I <i>couldn't</i> do all those things alone."</p> + +<p>The forester began to laugh. "Charley," he said fondly, "the Bible tells +us there are none so blind as those who won't see. If you were the ranger +in charge of those men, would you still like to do the work?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean----"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I do. Your service as a fire patrol ends to-night. To-morrow you +take charge of this section as temporary ranger, pending Jim Morton's +recovery. I just can't get along without a ranger in this district. Work +is being neglected, the big lumber operation has already commenced in +Lumley's district, and things are piling up here too deep. I can't get +along another day without a new ranger."</p> + +<p>Charley was too happy for words. "I'll do my best," he said, with +quavering tones. But in a moment he got command of himself. "You told me I +couldn't handle a crew of men," he said.</p> + +<p>"Maybe you can't, Charley, but you've handled everything else and handled +it well. It is plain that you love the forest and understand as much about +its needs as any ranger I have. A little experience is all you need to +make a first-class ranger. I'll give the men a talking to. When I get +done, they'll know it won't pay to monkey with you, even if you are only a +high school boy. Now, Ranger Russell, I think we had better turn in and +get some sleep, for we'll have to pull foot early to-morrow."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch21"> +<h2>Chapter XXI</h2> + +<h3>A Trouble Maker</h3> + + + +<p>Pull foot early they did, too. Charley himself was no sluggard, but the +forester's capacity for work simply amazed him. He knew the forester was +on the job late every night, for he reported to him each night the last +thing before he went to bed. Yet whenever the forester spent the night +with Charley, Mr. Marlin was up at an early hour; and the present occasion +proved no exception.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had never said much about himself to Charley, and no one else +had happened to do so; but Mr. Marlin had worked himself up from the +ranks. He had been a fire patrol and later a ranger, and then had attended +the state forestry school, as the other district foresters had done.</p> + +<p>His unusual training, great diligence, intelligence, and untiring energy +had made him one of the ablest men in the service. By sheer ability he had +won for himself the oversight of this district, which was one of the most +important in the entire million acres of state forest lands.</p> + +<p>Hardly was the forester afoot this morning before he had a fire going and +breakfast cooking. Before breakfast was ready, the two forest guardians +began to strike camp. Charley took down his wireless and stowed it as +compactly as possible. The tent was lowered and rolled up. Everything was +gotten into portable shape, and as soon as breakfast was over, the dishes +were washed and they, too, were added to the bundles.</p> + +<p>"I don't care to let anybody know where your camp was," said the forester. +"I may want to use this site again. So we'll have to pack our stuff out +ourselves, at least part of the way. I am going to put a crew of men in +here to-morrow and they can finish carrying out the duffel if we cave in +before we reach the road. It will be a pretty good load."</p> + +<p>Each of them strapped a big pack to his back. The rifle and the +fishing-rod had been fastened to the battery, which in turn was roped to +poles for handles. In this way it was possible for the two to carry all +Charley's outfit. By sun-up the two were already on the trail. They toiled +up the slope and crossed the ridge close to Charley's watch-tower. The way +was rough and the going hard. But once they struck a fire trail, the path +was easy. Yet at best it was a hard and toilsome hike, and several hours +elapsed before they reached the forester's motor-car, which he had +concealed in the pines. Both of them were tired, and Charley felt as +though his arms were about ready to part from his shoulders.</p> + +<p>Most of their journey had been made in silence. But now that they were +seated comfortably in a motor-car, they once more began to talk.</p> + +<p>"I had to bring you in from the forest, Charley," explained Mr. Marlin, +"because as a ranger it will be necessary for you often to be at +headquarters. I have arranged for you to live with Ranger Lumley. His +district adjoins yours, and his house, right in the forest, is near the +dividing line. So it will be about as convenient for you as it is for him. +He is to be at the office to meet us and look after you. We'll pick him up +and go on to his house with your things."</p> + +<p>Ranger Lumley was on hand as the forester had said he would be. Charley +had found Ranger Morton and his wife so likable that he was glad indeed of +the opportunity to become acquainted with this second ranger. But the +minute he laid eyes on him, he felt a chill of disappointment. Yet he +could not have told exactly why. Somewhere, too, he felt sure, he had seen +the man before; though he could not remember when or where.</p> + +<p>Lumley was a man small of stature, with a hooked nose, fishy blue eyes, a +thin, hard mouth, and a face seamed and wrinkled. Yet he was quite +evidently not an old man. Charley had noticed that some of the tough +characters in his home town looked like that, and the more he studied +Ranger Lumley's face, the less he liked the man. Particularly did he +dislike his eye. Once he caught the ranger looking at him slyly, and the +gleam in the ranger's eye reminded Charley of the vicious look of a horse +when he shows the white of his eye. It seemed to Charley, too, as though +there was something suggestive of craftiness and cunning in the man's +countenance.</p> + +<p>When they reached the Lumley home, Charley felt his dislike for the man +increasing. Unlike the neat and attractive dwelling of the Mortons, the +Lumley house was dirty and disorderly. The children were unclean and +ragged. They had no manners whatever. Yet they obeyed readily enough when +their father spoke to them. But it did not take Charley long to discover +that they obeyed because of fear. When he realized that, he thought of the +vicious look he had noted in the ranger's eye. There were dogs innumerable +about the place, and they all slunk away when their master approached. Yet +all the time, as he showed Charley about, the ranger was almost +obsequious. This evident contradiction between the man's actions and his +looks made Charley distrust him immediately, and it was with heavy heart +that he said good-bye to Mr. Marlin and watched him drive away.</p> + +<p>The ranger showed Charley to the room that was to be his. Charley began to +carry his luggage up-stairs. He would much rather have taken it all +himself, but the ranger insisted upon helping him. When Charley saw how +the man eyed every package and scrutinized every article, he understood +quickly enough that Lumley wanted to help him, not because of any wish to +be courteous, but simply because of his burning curiosity. Especially was +the ranger curious about Charley's wireless outfit, but Charley +volunteered no information.</p> + +<p>The more Charley considered his situation, the gloomier he felt concerning +it. He had looked forward to his coming, after Mr. Marlin had told him of +the arrangement, with a feeling of pleasant anticipation. Charley was not +the least bit shy and made friends readily. He had a feeling that all the +men in the Forest Service must be pretty fine men and that their interest +in their work would make them, like Mr. Marlin and Mr. Morton, eager to +help a recruit. Thus Charley had believed that Lumley would be very +helpful to him. He had intended to put himself more or less in Lumley's +hands and trust to the ranger for guidance. But a very few minutes spent +with Lumley made Charley feel that he could not take the man into his +confidence. He almost felt as though he dared not, though when he came to +consider the matter fully, that attitude seemed foolish. Lumley was a +guardian of the forest as well as himself, and surely he could trust him +with matters that pertained to the forest.</p> + +<p>Charley tried to fight down this feeling of distrust. It seemed to him +very wrong to accept a man's hospitality, even if he was to pay well for +it, and at the same time be suspicious of the man. But hardly had he +decided that he ought to be frank with his fellow ranger when Lumley began +asking questions that caused the feeling of distrust to return with +renewed force. Lumley's questions were intended to seem innocent enough; +but Charley was sharper than he perhaps looked, and he saw the real intent +behind the questions. The man was slyly trying to find out all he could +about Charley's history, and particularly how much Charley had been paid +as a fire patrol and what he was to get as a ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley answered most of Lumley's questions openly enough, but could not +tell him what he was to get as a ranger, for he had never once thought +about the matter, nor had Mr. Marlin mentioned it. But when Charley told +Lumley so, he could see that the ranger did not believe him.</p> + +<p>When the ranger began to question Charley about his recent work in the +woods, Charley answered him evasively. Lumley knew that Charley had been +acting as fire patrol, because Mr. Marlin had told him so. But Charley +felt very sure he did not know where the secret camp had been pitched, for +Mr. Marlin had distinctly said that matter was a secret between Charley +and himself. So Charley answered him evasively and soon turned the +conversation to other matters.</p> + +<p>While Charley was arranging his duffel, two or three dirty youngsters came +bouncing into the room and at once began to drag Charley's wireless +apparatus from the pasteboard box. With a cry Charley sprang toward them +and snatched the instruments out of their hands. The ranger gave a savage +oath and aimed a kick at the lads, but they dodged and ran from the room.</p> + +<p>At first Charley was terribly annoyed. But in a second he was glad the +incident had happened. Nothing had been injured and he had had a warning +of what might be expected. It gave him a good opportunity to shut up his +things without seeming to be suspicious of his host. Charley acted at +once.</p> + +<p>"I have no need of this wireless outfit at present," he said, "and if you +have a spare box and some nails, I will just nail these things up until I +have time to set up the outfit." So the wireless instruments were safely +boxed up and locked in a closet, along with Charley's rifle and +fishing-rod. There was nothing in his remaining luggage that could be much +harmed, even if the youngsters did get hold of things.</p> + +<p>As soon as his belongings were stowed away, Charley decided that he would +go to the forester's office and talk over his work. He had three miles to +walk, and although he had already trudged several times that distance, +heavily loaded, he did not hesitate for a moment. When Lumley suggested +that he use the telephone and avoid the walk, Charley merely smiled.</p> + +<p>"I don't mind it," he said.</p> + +<p>"I'd like to see myself walk that distance for any such fool errand," +growled the ranger.</p> + +<p>When Charley had said he didn't mind the walk he had told the truth. Yet +he had understated it. The fact was that he hugely enjoyed the walk. He +was rested from his long carry, and with nothing to weight him down, his +feet felt light as feathers. He trudged briskly along the smooth highway, +every sense alive to the delights of the forest. All about him the woods +were vocal with the calls of birds. The wind whispered and sighed in the +pine tops. And sometimes, when the air in the bottom was still as sluggish +water, Charley could hear the wind roaring among the trees far up on the +hillsides. The scent of spring was in the air--that indescribable mixture +of the smell of opening buds and flowers and green things and rank +steaming earth, that together make such an intoxicating odor. And all +about him Charley caught glimpses of the wild life of the forest.</p> + +<p>It was late in the day when he reached the forester's office. The forester +seemed greatly surprised to see him.</p> + +<p>"I came to talk to you about my work," explained Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester frowned. "What is the telephone for?" he asked a bit +brusquely.</p> + +<p>"I didn't want to talk over my business before that man," protested +Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester looked at him sharply. "What business do you have excepting +the business of the forest?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"None," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"Then surely you could discuss forest matters in the presence of a +ranger."</p> + +<p>"It may be that I am unreasonable," said Charley, "but I don't like that +man. There's something about him that I don't trust."</p> + +<p>The forester looked at Charley searchingly. "Sometimes," he said, "I +almost feel that way myself. I realize that Lumley is mouthy and +inquisitive and disagreeable personally, but he has been in the Forest +Service a long time and it hardly seems right not to trust him. He's a +pretty efficient ranger."</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm here, anyway," continued Charley. "I came to find out what my +first duties are to be and how to do them."</p> + +<p>"There's a little tree planting that simply must be done in your +territory, late though it is," said Mr. Marlin. "To-morrow I shall send +you out with a small crew to do it."</p> + +<p>"Please show me just how it ought to be done," said Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester smiled with approval. "Come out-of-doors," he said, picking +up a mattock. And he led the way to a bed of seedling spruces that had +been heeled in the ground, and dug up two or three of them.</p> + +<p>"These ought to be lifted in small bunches and their roots puddled," he +said, dipping the earth-covered roots in water to show how to puddle them. +"They should be planted thus." He struck his mattock sharply into the +soil, bent it to one side, and in the hole thus opened thrust a tiny tree. +Then he stepped on the ground close to the seedling and pressed the earth +tight about it.</p> + +<p>"That's all there is to it," he said. "Your crew will work in pairs, one +man carrying the trees in a pail of water and inserting them in the +ground, while the other man carries the mattock and opens the holes. The +trees should be planted in straight rows and about four feet apart each +way. You will have to go ahead of the crew and set up the line pole. Pick +out some trees or saplings to sight by and you will have no trouble to +keep your line straight."</p> + +<p>"Is that all?"</p> + +<p>"You'll have to oversee the work, of course. Make sure the planting is +done right, and watch your men. You will have to take whatever steps seem +necessary to keep them working well and cheerfully. Sometimes it is a good +thing to switch a man from one job to another. It rests him to use another +set of muscles."</p> + +<p>"What else am I to do?"</p> + +<p>"Day after to-morrow I want you to brush out the fire trails leading to +your old camp. That is, you must start brushing them out. It will take +several days. They are so overgrown now that they are a real menace to the +forest. These trails were originally five feet wide. We took out all the +roots and underground growths down to mineral soil. You must cut away all +the brush that has grown in, chop it into short lengths, and pile it in +little piles in the trail itself for burning on windless days. You must +grub out the roots that have grown in, too. Really the entire trail ought +to be grubbed again, but we can't do that now. You will have to assign men +to cut brush, to pile it, and to grub up the roots. That's about all I +can tell you."</p> + +<p>"It sounds very easy," said Charley, "but I am willing to confess that +handling these tough looking mountaineers is more than I counted on."</p> + +<p>"Are you going to quit so soon?" asked the forester with scorn. "I thought +you had more stuff in you than that, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley turned red. "Who said anything about quitting?" he demanded. "I +only want to know what I am to do if I get into trouble with the men."</p> + +<p>"That's more than I can tell you. It's up to you as a ranger to find the +ways to manage your men. But I can tell you this. It is always best to +follow Mr. Roosevelt's plan and speak softly but carry a big stick. Be +kind to the men. Be square with them. Play no favorites. Look after their +interest. But don't let them loaf on the job. They expect to have to work, +and they won't have much respect for a man who doesn't hold them to their +task. After all, they are not very different from horses. They have to be +driven if they are to work."</p> + +<p>"I suspect some of them will be hard to drive," said Charley, "if the few +I have seen hereabout are good samples."</p> + +<p>"It all depends upon how you get started with them. Don't let them get +away with you. Let them know you are the boss. And remember this: as a +ranger you have power to hire and fire these men. If it comes to a +show-down, don't hesitate to fire a man. We're short-handed, but we can +much better afford to lose a laborer than to have an entire crew spoiled."</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Charley. "I feel better already. If you don't mind, I'm +coming to you before each new job and get you to show me exactly how it +should be done. A fellow can get along so much better if he really knows +what he is talking about."</p> + +<p>"Good boy," smiled the forester. "I don't believe I am going to be +disappointed in you, Charley."</p> + +<p>Charley shook the forester's hand and started back to his new habitation, +which he reached just as supper was ready.</p> + +<p>After supper he and the ranger talked about the forest. Or rather Lumley +did. He was so loquacious that Charley soon stopped talking and let his +companion carry on the conversation alone. Lumley was quite able to do it, +for he was truly, as Mr. Marlin had described him, mouthy. He had +something to say about everything, and what he had to say was usually of a +derogatory character. He was guarded in what he said about Mr. Marlin, yet +Charley saw that he was trying to damn the forester by faint praise.</p> + +<p>"You may make a good ranger in time all right," he said bluntly to +Charley, "but it seems mighty funny to me to take a raw high school boy +and put him in charge of the finest stand of timber in the entire forest. +I'm the man that post ought to go to. Besides, I have a greater interest +in that timber than any one else."</p> + +<p>Charley choked back his resentment at the statement about himself and +asked, "Why have you a greater interest in that timber than any one else?"</p> + +<p>"Because our family used to own that timber," he said, sudden passion +inflaming his eyes. And Charley once more saw in them that savage look he +had detected before. "If my old fool of a grandfather hadn't let himself +be bilked out of the whole holding," he said coarsely, "I'd own that +timber to-day and I'd be a millionaire instead of a poor forest-ranger. By +rights the land is mine, anyway." And again the ranger swore at his dead +ancestor.</p> + +<p>Charley listened in disgust but made no comment. The ranger saw that he +had talked too much. He muttered an apology. "When I see somebody else +getting the money that ought to be mine," he said, "it makes me so mad +that I could almost commit murder." Then he quickly changed the +conversation and once more became the smooth, oily individual he was when +Charley first saw him.</p> + +<p>But Charley had seen and heard enough to be utterly disgusted with the +man. As early as possible he got away to his room on the pretext of +weariness, but it was a long time before he went to bed.</p> + +<p>Early next morning he was at headquarters, where Mr. Marlin introduced him +to the half dozen men who were to serve under him. Ordinarily ten men +would form a unit for planting, but Charley did not know that, and so was +ignorant of the fact that Mr. Marlin had tried to make his first day of +authority easy and successful by giving him only a few selected men to +handle. Mr. Marlin introduced Charley to the men one by one, as they came +in. Charley tried to talk to them, but found it rather difficult. The +mountaineers had little to say.</p> + +<p>When the men were all on hand, Mr. Marlin turned to them and said, "By the +way, men, this is the lad who saved Morton's life."</p> + +<p>At the mention of the sick ranger, Charley saw the men's faces light up.</p> + +<p>"He's a little young yet, but he knows his business. Jim says he handled +the snake-bite as well as any doctor could have done. I want you all to be +good to this lad and help him as much as you can."</p> + +<p>Now they had found something in common to talk about. All day long, at +intervals, the crew discussed rattlers; and Charley told them, at their +request, just how the ranger was bitten and what had been done to save +him.</p> + +<p>"You see," he said, "the danger from snake-bite comes when the poison +reaches the heart. So it is necessary to suck as much of it out as +possible and to prevent the remainder from reaching the heart except a +little at a time. That's why the bandages were put on the arm so tight. +The old notion of taking a stimulant was all wrong. The thing to do is to +keep the heart beating as slowly as possible until the venom reaches it. +Then if it begins to slow up, give a stimulant."</p> + +<p>This suggestion was contrary to all forest practice and Charley could see +that the men were greatly interested in it. How much his recital about the +snake contributed to his success that day he never realized. He kept his +lines straight, switched his men from one task to another, now relieved +this man or that, and did his work in such a highly efficient manner that +he would have had no trouble anyway; but at intervals all through the day +the men reverted to the rattlesnake story. They were so busy thinking +about something else they almost forgot about Charley.</p> + +<p>But the next day had a different tale to tell. The forester had increased +Charley's crew by four men, and a tougher looking lot Charley had never +seen. Rough, rugged, reckless mountaineers, there was not one of them who +could not have picked Charley up and broken him in half with ease. And one +of them, a tall, surly fellow, was quite evidently bent on making trouble.</p> + +<p>Charley's knees almost shook under him when he faced the crew and realized +that it was up to him to command and control these men. Also he knew that +he was lost if he showed any hesitation. The instant the party reached the +trail, therefore, Charley seized an axe.</p> + +<p>"Let's get at it, men," he said, starting work himself.</p> + +<p>"What do you want us to do?" asked the tall, surly looking chap. The +others gathered round to see what Charley would say. And Charley realized +that he was on trial with the men.</p> + +<p>"You heard what the forester said," he replied pleasantly. "We're to brush +this trail out. I want it made as good as it was when it was first +completed. Mr. Marlin said you were a mighty good crew and knew your +business thoroughly. So you don't need any instructions from me."</p> + +<p>Evidently the reply tickled the men. Charley saw one or two of them nudge +their fellows and chuckle; and all of them looked slyly in the direction +of the man who had asked the question. Charley judged that the fellow was +trying to make game of him and that the crew thought Charley had come out +on top. Charley did not mean to lose this slight initial advantage.</p> + +<p>With his axe he began briskly chopping away the brush along the sides of +the trail. Here and there he noticed little bushes that had sprung up in +the trail itself.</p> + +<p>"I wish you would take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and +grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get +everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop +up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless +days."</p> + +<p>The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently +they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned +two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he +worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be +prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked +back among the crew to see that the work was being done right.</p> + +<p>Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked +cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall, +surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no +attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not +overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes, +crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for +brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original +size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer +was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the +original five-foot area.</p> + +<p>The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others, +scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation +and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered +Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly, +"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width. +Just take out those bushes you have missed."</p> + +<p>"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't +half as wide as that."</p> + +<p>"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley +good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey +orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally."</p> + +<p>The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes. +"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But +nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how +this trail ought to be brushed."</p> + +<p>Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly +agitated. His heart beat so fast and the pulse in his temples throbbed so +violently that he was afraid the men would see how excited he was. But he +took a grip on himself and answered slowly, thinking hard all the time, +and trying not to betray his real feelings. Again he recalled what his +chief had said about letting the men know he was boss.</p> + +<p>"You are quite right," said Charley slowly. "Nobody can make you take +orders from a high school boy. This is a free country and you do not have +to take orders from anybody if you don't want to. You are free to quit +this job at any time you like and nobody can stop you. But as long as you +stay on the job you will have to obey orders. I'll give you your time and +you can get your pay at the office if you want to quit. If you want to +stay, just brush out that trail as Mr. Marlin wants it brushed."</p> + +<p>Without waiting for a reply Charley turned away and returned to his place +at the head of the line. The men about him resumed their work with a will. +In a moment the tall laborer picked up his axe and began clearing out the +bushes he had missed. Charley had won.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch22"> +<h2>Chapter XXII</h2> + +<h3>Charley Finds Another Clue</h3> + + + +<p>As he trudged homeward that evening, Charley pondered over the events of +the day. At first he did not know whether to rejoice or be sorry over the +outcome of his encounter with the laborer. He was sure the man would hate +him, and if he did, he might try to make more trouble for him. On the +other hand, he realized that if he had let the man get the better of him, +he could never have hoped to maintain discipline; and Charley was old +enough to know that without discipline he could not succeed in any post of +authority.</p> + +<p>Perhaps he was most worried by the fact that he could not talk to Mr. +Marlin about the matter. Of course, he could have used the telephone, but +the idea of discussing his difficulties before the Lumley family was so +repugnant to him that he could not bring himself to attempt it. So he +decided to get up his wireless at once. Then he could talk to Mr. Morton +and Lumley could not understand what was being said. He felt free to tell +the Mortons anything. By this time Mrs. Morton could operate the wireless +readily and her husband was learning fast. So Charley hurried to eat his +supper and get his wireless installed.</p> + +<p>He foresaw that Lumley would insist upon helping him. He steeled his mind +to the event and accepted the proffered assistance with the best grace he +could. Afterward he thanked his lucky stars that he had done so.</p> + +<p>While there was still light enough out-of-doors, Charley assembled and +hoisted his aerial; and Lumley, who was really dexterous, was of great +help to him. As soon as the aerial dangled aloft, Lumley got tools to bore +a hole in the window-sash for the lead-in wire.</p> + +<p>Now Charley got another insight into Lumley's character. It was a little +difficult to make the hole just where it was wanted. Lumley instantly +became impatient and went ahead recklessly. Suddenly his bit snapped. With +a volley of oaths, Lumley threw down his brace and hammered the broken bit +out of the window-frame. In doing so, he broke out a long splinter of +wood, leaving a gaping crack in the sash. He swore until he was out of +breath. Then he got some putty and puttied up the hole, forcing the putty +into the crack with his thumbs. Then the wire was brought in through the +sash and Charley began wiring up his instruments. But it had taken half an +hour to accomplish what five minutes of patience would have done. Charley +was utterly disgusted with the ranger's show of temper.</p> + +<p>As he coupled up the instruments, he answered, as politely as he could, +the ranger's numberless questions. Behind every question he saw, or +thought he could see, some ulterior motive. By every means he could, +Lumley was trying to find out all that was possible about Charley and his +relations with the forester. And Charley could see that Lumley was envious +of his intimacy with Mr. Marlin and jealous of him because, though a mere +boy, he was already as high up in the service as Lumley was after years in +the department. Charley realized that this was an unfair way to view the +matter, as he, Charley, was not really a ranger, and did not expect to +continue as a ranger after Mr. Morton was well enough to resume his +duties. But he could see that Lumley took no account of that. He began to +understand that it was the man's nature to be suspicious and jealous.</p> + +<p>That was clear enough from Lumley's remarks about himself; for again he +repeated the story of his family's former ownership of the big timber, and +of how he had been robbed of his heritage. Charley felt sure the man had +brooded over the matter until his judgment was warped. He listened, +however, without comment.</p> + +<p>Presently Lumley began to make insinuations about the forester, telling +Charley that Mr. Marlin had been as much the child of luck as he had +himself; but Mr. Marlin had had all the good luck, while he had had all +the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley +could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought +he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr. +Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success, +Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally +Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark.</p> + +<p>"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust +his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why, +a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of +business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to +find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out +of commission, could you?"</p> + +<p>"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across +the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of +business."</p> + +<p>How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for +the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees, +wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat +some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the +forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out +the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought +shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the +storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind. +Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He +felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know +exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray +his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing +the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter +over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision. +Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly.</p> + +<p>"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said, +picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire +trail."</p> + +<p>With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed +it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had +blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in +one place the line was actually broken. Charley had no tools for handling +wire, and he decided that he would henceforth carry a pair of nippers in +his clothes. Fortunately for Charley, the wire had stretched so much +before it broke that he and the man were able to get the broken ends +together and give them a twist. The repair was temporary, but it would +answer until a permanent job could be done. When Charley reported to +headquarters that night, the chief commended him for his good judgment in +repairing the telephone-line so promptly.</p> + +<p>The few days that Charley had worked in the forest had made his hands very +sore, for he had no gloves. He had cut and scratched and torn his fingers +until it seemed to him there was room for no more bruises. He wanted to +get some gloves, but did not know when he could get to a store to buy any. +He mentioned the matter to Lumley.</p> + +<p>"Buy them by mail," said Lumley. "We get most of our goods from mail-order +houses."</p> + +<p>Charley had never bought anything by mail, and had not thought of securing +his gloves in that way. "That would be all right," he said, "but I +wouldn't know how to order."</p> + +<p>"Here," said the ranger, plunging his hand into a cabinet, "these +catalogues will help you." And he drew forth three catalogues from as many +different mail-order houses. There was one from Slears and Hoebuck, one +from Montgomery Hard, and a third from Carson and Derby.</p> + +<p>Instantly Charley thought of the telltale piece of green pasteboard and a +quick suspicion leaped into his mind. As quickly it faded out. He could +not for a single second bring himself to suspect a guardian of the forest +of being a woodland incendiary. Yet he could not refrain from asking, +"Which one of these concerns do you buy from?"</p> + +<p>"Whichever one sells cheapest," replied the ranger.</p> + +<p>Charley found some cheap working gloves that he thought would suit him and +ordered several pairs.</p> + +<p>In the days that followed, he thought often over the problem of the green +pasteboard. It was true he had made another step in unraveling the +problem, but he did not see that it helped him much. He had discovered +that Lumley sometimes bought stuff from Carson and Derby, but doubtless +dozens of other near-by dwellers also did. Furthermore, it did not follow +that any near resident had fired the forest. Some one from a distance +might have done so. The more Charley thought about the matter, the less +importance he placed upon his discovery, and he decided to say nothing +about it to any one. How the guilty party was ever to be traced Charley +could not even imagine. The situation appeared hopeless.</p> + +<p>However, Charley had small chance to worry about the matter. As the days +passed, the forester laid more and more duties upon him. Many a lad would +have thought the forester was imposing upon him, but Charley was eager to +do everything he possibly could. He realized that the more he +accomplished, the greater would be his experience; and that the larger his +experience was, the faster he ought to get ahead. He had the good sense to +know that the short way of spelling opportunity is <i>w-o-r-k</i>. And he +realized that he had his chance here and now. So he did everything he +possibly could do and asked for more.</p> + +<p>The forester, like any other man in authority, was pleased beyond words at +this spirit. His response was to pile the work on Charley. He was testing +him out, to see whether the desire for work was just a whim or whether +Charley possessed that real ambition, that inward spirit of progress that +drives a man on and on through the years to greater and greater +accomplishments. For the best worker in the world is the man who works +because he wishes to work, and who is always striving to become a better +workman.</p> + +<p>Certainly Charley became a better workman, as any one does who works in +the spirit he exhibited. The mere getting of a wage, the mere earning of a +living hardly figured in Charley's calculations. He was working to learn, +to get ahead, to climb up in the Forestry Service. Hence there was nothing +perfunctory in what he did. He strove for perfection; and like all who so +strive, he began to attain it.</p> + +<p>Before he had been many weeks a ranger, Charley was as valuable a man in +many ways as the forester had under him. All Charley lacked to make him +perhaps the very best man was wider experience; and this was coming to him +daily. Furthermore, Charley was fortunate enough to have learned, through +his schooling, that although experience is the best teacher, he is a fool +who learns only through his own experience. All the information in all the +books that Charley had ever studied was the result of experience--somebody +else's experience. And he had early grasped the fact that to learn through +the experience of others is to save time and difficulty. So now he +supplemented his own experiences by much reading and study at night and by +the discussion of forest matters with the more intelligent of his workmen.</p> + +<p>New experiences came to him frequently. The forester surveyed and laid +out a road through the forest. Charley helped with the surveying and +learned much about levels and grades and the theory of road making. And +after the road was fairly started, the forester left its completion +largely to Charley. This new road was to lead into the big timber +operation which was shortly to begin in Charley's territory.</p> + +<p>Already a great crew had been assembled and much timber had been cut in +Lumley's district. Lumley had to oversee this operation and he was kept +far busier than he liked to be. So Charley saw little of him.</p> + +<p>In overseeing the operation in his own tract, Charley would have to select +and mark the trees for cutting, see that they were felled so as to save +the young growths, compel the prompt removal of trees that had fallen +across little saplings that had been bent under them, and make sure the +tops were properly lopped off and either burned where possible or piled so +that they would quickly rot. Then he would have to be particular that the +trees were thrown away from the roads and lines, and that a strip at least +one hundred feet wide was kept cleared of brush between the cutting +operations and the remainder of the forest, as a protection against the +spread of fire. Then there would be timber to scale and a hundred other +things to be looked after. To safeguard the state's interests would +require both experience and determination should the timber operators +wish to be tricky. Mr. Marlin intended that Charley, as a reward for the +fine spirit he was showing, should handle the lumber operation in his own +district entirely alone, just as a full-fledged ranger would do. It was +both a high compliment to Charley and a fine reward, for the timber +operation was large, involving great sums of money, and even with the most +careful supervision the state might easily be defrauded of thousands of +dollars.</p> + +<p>But Mr. Marlin was far too wise to put Charley in such a position without +adequate training. Personally, therefore, he began to prepare him for the +work. Accompanied by Charley, he went entirely over the operations in +Lumley's territory. He carried a duplicate of the contract under which the +wood was being cut. Together they discussed every phase of the contract, +and the forester showed Charley how each step in the operation should be +carried out; how the trees should be selected and marked, how they should +be felled and trimmed, how the brush should be disposed of, and finally +how the timber should be scaled at the skidways along the highway, whence +the timber was being carted away in huge trucks.</p> + +<p>Then he went with Charley into the latter's own district and started him +at the task of selecting and marking the trees for cutting. These had to +be greater than ten inches in diameter, breast-high, and had to be marked. +Crooked trees and wolf trees whose unduly large tops harmed lower growths +were also to be cut. The trees were marked by blazing them at the butt and +breast-high and striking the blazes with a heavy hammer that left the +imprint of the state's marker on the wood. Merely to select and mark all +the trees to be cut was a considerable task, but Charley tried to do this +and carry on his other work as well. It meant that he worked from the +earliest possible moment in the morning until he could no longer see at +night. Day after day he worked at his tasks, content to eat cold meals +that Mrs. Lumley packed for him, and reaching home so weary that he +tumbled into bed and was asleep the instant he had telephoned his daily +report to his chief.</p> + +<p>Darkness had already fallen, one night, when Charley drew near the Lumley +habitation. To his surprise he saw a light up-stairs in Lumley's room. As +he drew nearer, he could faintly discern the forms of two men in the +chamber. Involuntarily he stopped to scrutinize the figures. At the same +instant Lumley's dogs began to bark, as they always did when any one +approached. Quick as a flash the curtain of the chamber window was pulled +down. But in that brief instant Charley was sure he recognized the man +with Lumley. It was Bill Collins.</p> + +<p>Charley was startled completely out of his weariness. A moment later he +got a second shock. Like a flash it came to him where he had first seen +Lumley. He had been with Collins the day the latter had appeared in the +forest. Collins had attracted Charley's attention so strongly that he had +hardly noticed Collins' companion. Yet now he was certain he was right. He +was certain that he was not mistaken.</p> + +<p>From the beginning he had believed that he had seen Lumley somewhere +before the forester introduced Lumley to him. Now it came to him where he +had first seen Lumley. Lumley was the man he and Lew had seen with Bill +Collins.</p> + +<p>Still another surprise awaited Charley. When he entered the house Lumley +was seated at the table opposite a stranger, and the stranger was not Bill +Collins. But he resembled Collins so much that Charley did not wonder +that, at such a distance, he had made the mistake of thinking the man was +Collins.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch23"> +<h2>Chapter XXIII</h2> + +<h3>A Startling Discovery</h3> + + + +<p>Charley was glad enough that the man was not Collins. Had he been Collins, +Charley would have had another matter to worry about. He was carrying such +a load of responsibility these days that he sometimes felt that he +couldn't stand another thing; and in moments of depression he thought he +could not continue to carry the load he already had.</p> + +<p>For Charley was learning the lesson that every man in authority learns: +when the forester laid out a piece of work for him, the forester expected +him to get it done. No matter what the difficulties were, Charley had to +find a way to surmount them. Many and many a day he would gladly have +exchanged places with the humblest laborers in his crew.</p> + +<p>All that was required of them was merely to do what they were told to do, +hour after hour or day after day. There was no need for them to lie awake +wrestling with problems that seemed impossible of solution, as Charley had +more than once lain awake.</p> + +<p>For it had not all been smooth sailing for Charley, any more than it is +for any man in authority. After his first set-to with the surly laborer, +he had not had any open trouble with his men. But more than one of his +crew did not always do an honest day's work, and any failure on the men's +part put Charley behind with the amount of work he was expected to get +done. This difficulty Charley had finally remedied by asking for Mr. +Morton's help. The latter had sent for several of the laborers and had +shown them that in hindering Charley they were hurting the Forest Service +and thus, in the long run, harming themselves.</p> + +<p>Furthermore, as the days passed, and Charley showed that he knew his job, +that he was just to everybody, that he had control of his temper, that he +expected a fair day's work every day, while he himself accomplished more +actual work each day than any man in his gang, the attitude of the men +under him changed. Before the summer ended, Charley had as loyal a crew as +any man could ask for. And to their loyalty they began to add ambition. +For Charley was able gradually to instil into them the spirit which made +them want to do as much as any other crew and a little bit more.</p> + +<p>So his road making came on apace. Rapidly the rude highway advanced +through the forest. Every day after his crew had gone home, Charley went +over the area to be made the succeeding day, examining carefully every +inch of the ground and determining how he would meet each little problem +that would come up. Thus prepared, he speedily acquired a reputation for +unusual ability. The result was that his men, when stopped by some +obstacle, at once came to him for assistance, though at first they would +have scorned to ask a "high school boy" for enlightenment about any task +in the forest.</p> + +<p>The road under construction was being pushed straight through the heart of +the big timber. It was to lead directly to the foot of the mountain on the +top of which Charley and Lew had had their secret watch tree. Materials +for a real fire-tower, a sixty-foot structure of steel, had been +purchased, and as soon as the road was completed, this material was to be +trucked to the foot of the mountain, and the tower itself erected on the +summit, close to the very tree that Charley and Lew had climbed so often.</p> + +<p>The erection of the tower was another task for which Charley would be +responsible. Long before the road was completed, therefore, Charley and +the forester went over every step in the process of construction, and +decided how to do each task, from the making of the concrete foundations +to the stringing of the telephone wires when the tower was complete. The +tower itself was to be a slender steel structure made of angle-iron +supports bolted together, with a little square room at the top for the +watcher. This room would be enclosed on every side with glass windows, and +from this great elevation a watcher could see in every direction over +miles and miles of forest. A telephone would connect with the forester's +office.</p> + +<p>At the foot of this tower Mr. Marlin intended to build a snug, little +cabin, so that the tower man could remain at his post twenty-four hours a +day throughout the fire season. The materials for the cabin would be +trucked in along the new road and carried up the mountain, and some of +them would be cut right on the spot; for the forester planned to erect a +neat log cabin.</p> + +<p>Before the road was completed, Charley had cement carried in as far as the +trucks could travel. Then the cement was carried up the mountain by +laborers. It had been put in small sacks so that it could be handled +easily. Sand was already at hand, and water could be had at the run coming +from the spring by which Charley had camped. Tools and boards were +brought, the proper excavations made, forms fashioned and fitted into the +excavations, and then cement was mixed and poured into the forms to make +the foundation to which the tower was to be bolted. By the time the road +was finished so that the steel framework could be trucked in, the cement +foundations were hard as stone and ready for the instant erection of the +tower.</p> + +<p>At once the steel frame began to ascend. Upright was added to upright, +cross brace bolted to cross brace, and rung after rung added to the steel +ladder that led up to what was to be the watch-tower. In a surprisingly +short time the steel work was completed. Now the forester brought in +skilled carpenters and the wood for the tower room was cut after the +patterns and the cut pieces hoisted up to the top of the steel frame where +the watch-tower itself began to take shape.</p> + +<p>While these operations were afoot, Charley and his laborers were back in +the forest, running a telephone-line along the new road. Holes had to be +dug, poles cut, barked, hauled, and set up, and the wires strung. While +his men set the poles, Charley himself, with a helper, strung the wires. +At this job he needed no instruction. His experiences with the wireless +were now of great value to him, for he understood about insulation, +grounding, short circuits, and the like as well as any skilled lineman.</p> + +<p>So the telephone-line came on apace, and long before the tower was +finished, Charley had the line complete from the highway, where it joined +the main line, to the summit of the hill where the tower was going up. He +installed an instrument in a waterproof box nailed to a tree, so that he +could now talk from the hilltop to the forester's office. When the tower +was finally completed, he ran the lines up inside the angle-irons to +protect them from the terrific winds, so that the tower man could +instantly communicate with the forester at Oakdale.</p> + +<p>Now the cabin went up. Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but +stable foundation made below the level of the ground. Trees were felled, +barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners. When a +sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, +log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing. Wooden pins held +the logs in place. Windows and a door were cut out and framed. Then the +rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and +shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin's own territory, +completed the job. A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and +the cabin was about complete. A telephone extension was run into the +building. At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour +watch at the fire-tower.</p> + +<p>The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought +hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than +lessened. The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and +now but few showers came. Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, +however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least +temporarily, in the new cabin.</p> + +<p>There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, +and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this +observation post. Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was +at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the +neighboring forest. Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the +tower was close to the heart of his district. By living here he would be +with his work twenty-four hours a day.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin approved of Charley's decision to move into the cabin. With the +new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the +mountain in his motor-car. He was in instant communication with his ranger +by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car +with the greatest ease.</p> + +<p>The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley's +house to the new cabin. While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley's other +luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless. When he +removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley's +finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger's +fit of temper. When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. +Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck.</p> + +<p>As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief. Merely to get +away from Lumley's house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted +from his shoulders. Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb +Charley. He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust +for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home.</p> + +<p>Charley and the forester carried Charley's possessions from the truck to +the new cabin. A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on. +Although it was so small, it was heavy enough. Between that and the +battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was +finally placed in the cabin.</p> + +<p>Charley fastened his aerial between the fire-tower and his old watch +tree, which was still standing, but which had been shorn of most of its +branches to allow the watchman in the tower to see past it. Finally, +everything was complete. The wireless was in working condition, Charley's +few furnishings were in place, the stores put away, and the cabin was +fully ready for his occupancy.</p> + +<p>Immediately Charley called up Mrs. Morton on the telephone and asked her +to talk to him on the wireless. A moment later their invisible messages +were speeding back and forth over the miles of billowing pine tops that +intervened between the two little forest homes, and no listener in on the +department telephone system could either know that they were talking or +tell what they said. Charley was overjoyed when Mrs. Morton told him that +her husband was about ready to come back to work. His arm was still +painful and he could not use it much, but he could now get around well and +was fast becoming strong again.</p> + +<p>When Charley told the forester the news, the latter expressed his +pleasure. He studied Charley's face a moment to see how Charley felt over +the news.</p> + +<p>"You realize what it means to you when Jim is able to do his work again, +do you?" asked Mr. Marlin.</p> + +<p>"Certainly," said Charley. A feeling of regret passed through his mind and +was mirrored on his face. But there was nothing unkind or unfair about +it. "Maybe some day I'll qualify as a real ranger," sighed Charley, "but +I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn something."</p> + +<p>"Charley," continued the forester, "you've earned the right to see this +lumber operation through. It's a big responsibility. You've worked night +and day to get ready for the job. Do you think I'm the kind of man who +would rob you of the reward that you have justly earned?"</p> + +<p>"I don't exactly understand," said Charley.</p> + +<p>"I mean," replied the forester, "that no matter whether Jim gets well in +time or not, you are going to handle the lumber operation in this +district. Jim can do something else. There's plenty of work for a dozen +rangers. You are to be the boss of this job."</p> + +<p>"Do you really mean it?" cried Charley in delight.</p> + +<p>"Surely I mean it," said the forester. "It wouldn't be a fair deal not to +let you take charge after the way you've tried to qualify for the work."</p> + +<p>Charley held out his hand. "Thanks," was all that he could say, for a lump +came into his throat.</p> + +<p>"And while we are talking about the lumber job," the forester went on, "I +want to say that I was never so badly fooled about anything in my life. +The cut isn't coming anywhere near my estimate. It must be five to ten +thousand feet per acre less than I thought it would run. I guess the Big +Chief at Harrisburg will think I'm a pretty poor timber cruiser."</p> + +<p>"How's that?" asked Charley.</p> + +<p>"Well, you remember the day I first met you in the forest, Charley, I was +cruising with two good timber estimators. They're skilled men. We were +making the estimate on which this sale was based. I sent in my estimate +and the department made its figures on that basis. But the timber that is +actually being taken out doesn't begin to scale what I thought it would. +Of course I was wrong in not cruising a bigger strip. But I just couldn't +spare the time, then. Evidently the stand over in Lumley's district is not +so heavy as it is here. The right way to estimate timber is to cruise +strips entirely across the stand. You can't make a correct estimate by +cruising an acre or two as I did and estimating an entire stand on the +basis of that acre or two. You see the stand in the bottom may be half as +heavy again as the stand on the hillside."</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin paused. After a moment, he went on, "Before the lumbermen get +into your district I want to make another estimate. You and I will cruise +a few strips the entire width of the stand. That will take quite a little +time. We can't start to-day, but we'll get at it at the first opportunity. +Meantime, I want you to get all the practice you can in scaling lumber, so +that you can do it readily. You will have to scale every stick cut in your +district and keep tally on all the lumber that is taken out. It's highly +important work, for the state depends upon your figures to get its just +pay for the lumber cut. If you make mistakes, the state will lose +accordingly. I want you to practice scaling so that you can do it as +readily as you can measure a board with a yardstick."</p> + +<p>"Then I'll do some practicing to-day," said Charley. "You sent my crew +into another district and I can put in a whole afternoon practicing."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I'll take you out to the skidways where the logs are being +piled by the highway, and you can work there as long as you like. Do you +have that log-rule I gave you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure. But what about this? How shall I know if my measurements are +correct?"</p> + +<p>"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway +and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official +record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly +right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the +motor-car.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester +suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my +office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to +Lumley's house."</p> + +<p>Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid +of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good +as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back."</p> + +<p>They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate. +"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and +specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs.</p> + +<p>Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter +of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in +the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at +the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster +and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The +contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper. +When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled +when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the +log piles he had been measuring.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" he said to himself. "At the price lumber is selling for now, those +logs are worth a small fortune. Gad! It makes a fellow feel pretty sober +when he thinks how easily he could make a mistake that would cost the +state hundreds of dollars."</p> + +<p>He tucked his record in his pocket, along with his pencil, and started for +his cabin. Despite the fact that he was soon to lose his place of +authority, he could not help feeling happy. His diploma had been awarded +to him on Commencement day, although he had not been able to be present to +receive it, and that was one cause for happiness. His comrades had never +yet been able to visit him, but he had received a letter that morning +telling him that the entire Wireless Patrol was coming out to spend a +Sunday with him in the new cabin. That was a second cause for happiness. +His friend, Mr. Morton, was almost well, and that was a third cause for +happiness. And finally, he had earned the confidence of his chief so +completely that his chief was entrusting to him the very important task of +overseeing the lumber operation. That made Charley's heart swell with +pride. Even the near approach of his reduction to the ranks again could +not mar his happiness; for in his heart he knew that he had made good and +that it was only a question of time until he should become a ranger in +fact as well as in name.</p> + +<p>So he went on his way happy, rejoicing in his accomplishment, enjoying the +new life of the forest, joyous with the strength and hope and confidence +of youth. He came at last to his trail's end, and climbed the tower to +look for fire and to watch the sun go down.</p> + +<p>"It's warm enough so that a fellow could sleep up here now," he said to +himself suddenly. "I'll just build a bunk up here and then I can sleep +here whenever I feel like it. If I wake up in the night, I can take a look +around and make sure everything is all right."</p> + +<p>He went down to his cabin and got a rope, some boards, foot-rule, saw, +hammer, auger, and nails. He went back to the tower and made some +measurements. Then he came down, cut his boards, bored holes into them, +tied them together, and went up again with his tools and nails and the end +of the rope. He hauled up the boards and drew them into the watch-tower. +Then he nailed them together and had a snug little bunk that stretched +completely across one side of the little structure. He wove the cord back +and forth across the bunk through the auger holes in place of springs. +Then he went down to the ground, made a tick out of one of his sheets, +filled it with leaves and got it up to the tower.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, as he spread it on the rope, "all I need is a pillow and a +blanket and I'm fixed."</p> + +<p>He went down and cooked his supper. Then he talked both to Mrs. Morton and +to Lew by wireless. He made a cheerful blaze in his fireplace and studied +until ten o'clock. Then he got a pillow and a pair of blankets, blew out +his lamp, and ascended to the tower. He intended to go to sleep at once, +but the night was so beautiful that for a long time he sat on his bunk, +looking out over the forest, which lay still as a sleeping infant under +the moon's white light. Finally he wrapped himself in his blanket, +stretched out on his bunk, and was quickly asleep.</p> + +<p>Charley was up early the next morning. He glanced at his watch and saw +that it lacked three-quarters of an hour of the time he usually had a +brief wireless chat with Mrs. Morton, so he cooked his breakfast at once. +Before he had finished eating, he heard the distant chugging of the +forester's car. Sometime later a cheery voice called up the slope, and +looking out of his door, Charley saw Mr. Marlin climbing up the mountain. +Charley hustled to get a cup of coffee ready for his chief.</p> + +<p>"I came early," said the forester, "for it will take us some time to go +over these plans. Also I brought Lumley's figures for you to check up your +estimate by." And he handed Charley some slips of paper.</p> + +<p>While Mr. Marlin was drinking his coffee, Charley compared Lumley's +figures with those he had made on a bit of paper. At first he looked +crestfallen. Then he appeared puzzled. Then an expression of great +indignation came into his face. He seemed greatly agitated.</p> + +<p>The forester was studying his expression closely. "What's the difficulty, +Charley?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I told you I never trusted Lumley," he burst out. "Just look here."</p> + +<p>He laid his figures beside Lumley's. Mr. Marlin ran his eye over them. At +first he, too, seemed puzzled. Then his face grew black as a thundercloud.</p> + +<p>"Are you certain that you know how to scale a log right, Charley?" he +asked.</p> + +<p>"Absolutely, Mr. Marlin."</p> + +<p>"How do you estimate a log?"</p> + +<p>Charley got his rule and laid it across the end of an unburned log in his +fireplace. It was ten inches in diameter.</p> + +<p>"If that were a twelve-foot log," he said, consulting the scale, "it +would have three board feet in it. If it were sixteen feet long, it would +have six feet."</p> + +<p>"Absolutely correct, Charley. Did you measure those logs that way +yesterday?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>The two men looked at each other for a full minute. "Charley," said the +forester, "I've been as blind as a bat. I never liked Lumley, any more +than you did, though I couldn't tell you that. But I trusted him because +he had been in the department a good many years and was fairly efficient. +He has betrayed my trust and attempted to rob the state by false +measurement. I understand now why my estimate seemed so far out of the +way. The estimate was probably close enough. Lumley has sold out to the +lumber operators. I'd like to know how they reached him."</p> + +<p>The forester fell into a deep study. His face was dark and angry. A long +time he sat silent. "I wonder," he said finally, "if Bill Collins' +presence in the woods last spring had anything to do with it. I'd just +like to know who that was with him."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley. "I forgot to tell you what I discovered. +The other night when I got near Lumley's house, I saw Lumley and another +man up-stairs. They pulled the curtain down quick when the dogs barked. At +first I felt sure the man was Collins. But when I went into the house, +Lumley sat at the table with the man. He wasn't Collins, though he looked +like him. But I discovered this. The man I saw last spring in the forest +with Collins was Lumley. I hardly noticed him at the time, but when I saw +these two men together I felt sure they were the pair I had seen in the +woods--only the stranger wasn't Collins."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure?"</p> + +<p>"The man I saw at the table wasn't Collins."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure he was the man you saw in the bedroom?"</p> + +<p>Charley looked at the forester in silence. "I never thought of that," he +said, after a moment. "There must have been two strangers in the house. +Lumley thought I was coming and would recognize Collins, so he must have +hustled down-stairs with the other man and left Collins up-stairs. I'll +bet anything that's what happened. And that makes me believe more than +ever that Lumley was with Collins in the forest. Otherwise, why should he +fear to have me see Collins?"</p> + +<p>"Charley, it is as plain as the nose on your face. Collins is the +go-between in this crooked lumber deal. These lumber operators meant to +cheat the state when they sent in their bid. They must have had it all +arranged with Lumley then. That's why they put in the highest bid, so as +to make sure to get the timber. By George! They could afford to bid high. +Just see what they've stolen in one day's cut of timber."</p> + +<p>The forester's face grew black as a thundercloud. "But we'll fix them, +Charley," he cried. "We'll get all that money back for the state and maybe +put these fellows in prison besides. Anyway, we'll put Lumley there sure. +Don't breathe a word of this to a soul. We'll check up Lumley's figures +every day now at the skidways. When we have enough evidence, we'll act. +Meantime, don't let a soul suspect that you know anything, and don't do +anything to alarm Lumley."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch24"> +<h2>Chapter XXIV</h2> + +<h3>Checkmated</h3> + + + +<p>Charley was afoot very early next morning. At the usual time he flashed +out a wireless call for the Mortons, and the ranger himself answered. Mr. +Morton could now operate the wireless quite readily, though, of course, +with nothing like the skill his wife had acquired. He reported that he was +to return to duty the next morning, starting work, with a big crew, on a +six-foot fire-line along the summit of Old Ironsides. Charley was +overjoyed at the news. It meant that now he would have a chance to see +this friend from time to time.</p> + +<p>Mr. Marlin had not said that he would come to see Charley this morning, +nor had he telephoned any message to that effect; but when Charley heard +the steady chugging of a motor in the valley below, he believed it must be +the forester. He was not quite certain, however, because the motor did not +seem to beat exactly like Mr. Marlin's. The dense foliage completely hid +the approaching car from view, so that Charley could not see what sort of +an automobile it was.</p> + +<p>It mattered little to Charley, however, who it was. He was the soul of +hospitality, and at once he set some coffee to boiling for his approaching +visitor.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the forester. He presently came puffing up the slope, +and after he had drunk some coffee and gotten his breath, the two men +began to plan how they should best watch Lumley. The logs must be checked +up carefully, yet it was desirable that no one see Charley measuring them. +Finally it was decided that each day Charley should measure them in the +early evening immediately after the last log truck had started away with +its load. There would be nobody around then, and Charley could easily +measure the day's cut and get home to his cabin before dark.</p> + +<p>For an hour the two guardians of the forest discussed matters that pressed +for attention. Then the forester rose to go. "I have Lumley's report on +yesterday's cut," he said, "and if nobody is around when we reach the +skidways, we'll just check it up. We can drive out in a few minutes, but +you will have to walk back. Get your log-rule and come on." And they went +down the mountain to the end of the new road.</p> + +<p>"Hello!" cried Charley in surprise, as he caught sight of the forester's +car. "You're driving a big truck, eh? I thought that motor didn't sound +like your Henry."</p> + +<p>"Yes; there was a load of stuff to be hauled out for Jim's crew. He starts +work to-morrow. I killed two birds with one stone by bringing the stuff, +which I dumped at Jim's, and then coming on out here."</p> + +<p>As they reached the car, Charley said, "It looks powerful."</p> + +<p>"It's one of those old army trucks Uncle Sam gave us. Got a great battery +and tremendous power. Get in."</p> + +<p>They climbed aboard. Mr. Marlin touched the starter and the engine began +to chug. He let in his clutch but the car would not move. The car happened +to be standing on a moist spot and its great weight had pressed the wheels +far down into the soft new road. Mr. Marlin threw on the power. The truck +jumped, something snapped sharply and a banging noise followed as the car +moved jerkily ahead.</p> + +<p>"Thunderation!" cried the forester. "I've broken the differential. I bet +ten dollars on it." And investigation proved his diagnosis was correct. "I +suppose it will take all summer to get a new part," growled the forester. +"This truck will have to stand here idle until repairs come. But <i>we</i> +can't stand here idle. Come on."</p> + +<p>They set off down the road. After a long hike they came to the skidways at +the main road. Nobody was in sight.</p> + +<p>"We'll begin at one end and work toward the other until we hear somebody +coming. Then we'll have business elsewhere."</p> + +<p>Pile by pile they scaled the logs, Charley using the log-rule under Mr. +Marlin's close observation, while the forester himself kept tally. Alone +in the big woods, they talked freely.</p> + +<p>"Why do you suppose Lumley took a chance like this?" asked the forester. +"He might have known he'd get caught."</p> + +<p>"Primarily because he wanted the money, of course," maintained Charley. +"But there's another thing that may play a part in the matter. Did you +know that Lumley's folks once owned this virgin timber?"</p> + +<p>"I've heard that a generation or two back the Lumley family owned big +tracts of land hereabouts. Naturally some of that land would now be +included within the limits of the state's holdings."</p> + +<p>"When I was living at Lumley's, he told me over and over about his +family's having owned this timber and his grandfather's having been +swindled out of it. He seemed to me to be mighty unreasonable about it. He +was awful sore, and said he'd be a millionaire to-day if he had all the +timber his grandfather owned and that it was his by rights, anyway. I +recall that he said the thought of anybody else's getting the money for +the timber made him almost want to commit murder."</p> + +<p>The forester looked sober. "He's a bad egg," he said. "I really believe he +wouldn't hesitate to commit murder if he were cornered. You want to watch +him. We'll have to be mighty careful how we handle this business."</p> + +<p>"Hark!" said Charley. "Isn't that the sound of a truck?" And as they +listened, faintly they could hear the sound of a motor.</p> + +<p>"Probably a log truck coming for a load. If we'd had a few minutes more, +we could have completed the job. There are only two piles left. We'll just +disappear until this truck goes away. Then we can come back and finish."</p> + +<p>The beating of the motor sounded louder. The two men moved toward the +forest. As they passed the farther end of the first unmeasured log pile, +the forester stopped in amazement. A man sat on the ground, leaning lazily +against the logs. It was the man Charley had seen that night at Lumley's.</p> + +<p>"What are you doing here, Henry Collins?" demanded the forester sternly.</p> + +<p>"I'm working for the lumber company," said the man, sullenly.</p> + +<p>"You appear to be working hard," replied the forester scornfully.</p> + +<p>"I help load the trucks," said the fellow, as the forester turned on his +heel and walked away, followed by Charley.</p> + +<p>"You don't suppose that he could have heard what we said, do you?" asked +Charley, anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Heard every word of it," replied the forester. "The jig is up. That was +Bill Collins' cousin and he's as crooked as Bill. Lumley will know what's +afoot as quick as Collins can get word to him. We've got to act quick. +There's a detail of state constabulary at Ironton, and they could get here +in a motor in thirty minutes if I could only telephone them. Why in +thunderation did I ever leave the office without my portable instrument? +The nearest 'phone is at Jim Morton's. It will take me three-quarters of +an hour at my best pace to make it. But it's the best I can do. I'll hike +for Jim's. You hustle back to your tower and keep a close watch on things. +I'll telephone you as soon as I can. We've got to step lively if we are to +catch that scoundrel Lumley."</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch25"> +<h2>Chapter XXV</h2> + +<h3>The Crisis</h3> + + + +<p>The forester hastened down the highway at a A tremendous pace. Charley set +out along the forest road he had so recently built. Before he knew it, he +was running madly. He ran for a long distance, hardly conscious that he +was running. Presently he stopped from very fatigue. Then he realized that +he was greatly excited and that he was running from sheer nervousness.</p> + +<p>"This won't do at all," he muttered to himself. "You're worse than an old +hen. If ever you needed to keep your head, it's right now."</p> + +<p>He took a grip on himself, drew a long breath, and settled to a fast walk, +thinking hard. He could not see how he himself could accomplish the arrest +of Lumley. If his chief did not think it advisable to attempt it, he was +very certain that he ought not to try it himself. And he was glad at the +thought. For he could not help but recall the wicked gleam in Lumley's +eyes, the man's savage outburst of temper, and his vicious talk. He +understood well enough that Lumley would not submit to arrest without a +struggle.</p> + +<p>Then the thought came to him that he had no business trying to arrest +Lumley, even if he could do it. The chief was attending to that and the +chief knew best what to do under the circumstances. Also, the chief had +given him his orders. His business was to obey orders. And those orders +were to take care of the forest.</p> + +<p>Fresh alarm seized him. Why had the forester given him those orders? Was +there danger of any one's setting fire to the forest? At the thought +Charley was almost in a panic again. A passionate love for the great woods +he was guarding had sprung up in Charley's heart. He held come to dread +fire with a dread unspeakable. He had come to regard it with a feeling of +absolute terror. In this feeling there was nothing of physical fear. A +little blaze in the forest made him so wild with anger that nowadays he +would fight it recklessly. His fear was the dread lest the immemorial +trees he was guarding should be wasted and the forest destroyed. It was +apprehension for the forest, not for himself, that troubled Charley.</p> + +<p>Rapidly he passed along the road, now jogging to relieve the nervous +tension, now proceeding at a fast walk. He came to the slope of the +mountain but his pace was no whit slower. At last, panting and almost +exhausted from his terrific efforts, he reached the crest. He staggered to +the ladder and climbed painfully to the watch-tower. Steadying himself, he +swept the horizon in every direction. The forest seemed to slumber. No +smoke arose, no winds swayed the tree tops. The twilight peace enfolded +everything. Satisfied that all was safe, Charley sank down on his bunk and +lay there until he was rested. Then he climbed down to his cabin and +cooked supper.</p> + +<p>Never since he had been alone in the forest had Charley so much felt the +need of companionship as he did now. He lighted a little fire in his +hearth and the cheery snapping of the burning sticks comforted him. He sat +down at his wireless and talked with Mr. Morton. The latter could not tell +him much about the situation. The forester had telephoned from his place +for the police and the latter had started at once for the forest. That was +all Mr. Morton knew. Charley called up Lew and told him as much of the +situation as he thought wise, and got the news from Central City. When he +threw over his switch and turned away from his wireless table, he felt +somewhat comforted. But the feeling of dread and apprehension had not +altogether left him.</p> + +<p>For some time he read, or tried to read. Study he could not. At last he +went to the telephone and called Mr. Marlin. He reported that all was well +in the forest. He was burning to ask his chief all about the situation, +yet hardly dared. He might say something that the chief would rather have +unsaid; for always there was the possibility of listeners in on the +telephone. And Lumley's family could listen in as readily as any others.</p> + +<p>Doubtless Mr. Marlin appreciated Charley's self-restraint. Before he said +good-night, he remarked casually to Charley, "I may want you to do some +work at the lumber camp to-morrow. I tried to find Lumley there late this +afternoon to give him some orders, but he had gone away. I have asked his +wife to have him call me the moment he comes home. Don't forget my final +instructions to you this afternoon. Good-night."</p> + +<p>To an outsider the message would mean nothing, as Mr. Marlin intended it +should. But to Charley it told the whole story. Lumley had fled before the +arrival of the forester and the state police.</p> + +<p>Charley reviewed the forester's words to him, as they talked at the log +piles. "He's a bad egg. I really believe he wouldn't hesitate to commit +murder if he were cornered. You want to watch him. We'll have to be mighty +careful how we handle this business.... You hustle back to your tower and +keep a close watch on things."</p> + +<p>Again a feeling of apprehension came to Charley, and this time there was +something of personal fear about it. Again Charley recalled the fugitive +ranger's violence of temper, and his evident jealousy of the chief. And as +Charley considered the matter now, he saw that Lumley must have been even +more jealous of him, Charley, than he was of the chief. Now he understood +all the prying efforts Lumley had made to learn the size of his pay. Quite +evidently Lumley could not endure to see another man get ahead. Charley +felt sure that it would not be safe for him to meet Lumley. He resolved +to be on his guard every second. Then he sighed with relief at the thought +that Lumley had fled.</p> + +<p>But a moment later his face became very grave. "How do I know that Lumley +has fled?" he asked himself. "To go any distance, he would have to walk +along a highway, or ride in a motor-car, or board a train; and in any case +he might be seen and traced. On the other hand, Lumley knows the forest +like a book. He has lived in it for years. Where else could he so well +hope to elude pursuit?" Charley felt certain that Lumley must be somewhere +in the forest.</p> + +<p>Immediately he got his rifle, filled the magazine, and stood it within +reach. He tried to read, but was too nervous. Then he thought of the open +windows and his light within the cabin. Any one could see through the +windows--or shoot through them. Charley put his flash-light in his pocket +and blew out his lamp. The evening was warm, and Charley opened the door +and sat down on the sill, leaning against the jamb of the door, and +cradling his rifle across his knees.</p> + +<p>Soon his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. From where he sat, +Charley could look out over what seemed like infinite stretches of forest. +The moon had not yet risen, and the valleys below him were vast depths of +darkness. Mist floated above, partly obscuring the stars. A gentle breeze +was blowing up here on the mountain top, but Charley knew that down in the +valleys the air was like stagnant water. The whispering of the trees +around him was like the quiet breathing of a babe asleep, and the +occasional sounds of the forest creatures were no more disturbing than the +gentle murmurs of a dreaming child. Peace enfolded the forest. It seemed +to Charley as though that great, invisible, beneficent Spirit we call God +had cradled the forest in His arms as a mother cradles her little ones. +The thought comforted him. Something of the peace about him crept into his +own heart. He drew a long sigh and sat back.</p> + +<p>After a time he began to feel drowsy. He took his blanket and his rifle, +and, closing his cabin door, climbed to the fire-tower. He closed and +bolted the trap-door in the floor of the tower. For some time he sat on +the edge of his bunk, watching the forest. Behind the eastern mountains +the sky began to glow. The moon was coming up. In another hour or two, +Charley knew, the forest would be flooded with silvery light. He loved the +moonlight on the pines, but he was becoming too sleepy to stay awake to +see it. The moment the moon's first rays shot over the eastern hilltops, +Charley lay back in his bunk, stood his rifle within reach, drew the +blankets about him, and was almost instantly asleep.</p> + +<p>Yet he slumbered uneasily. Terrible dreams disturbed him. Once or twice he +awoke and started up in alarm. Once the slender tower seemed to vibrate as +though some one were mounting the ladder. But Charley dismissed the idea +as idle fancy, for the nocturnal stillness was unbroken. So, fitfully, +Charley slept through the night.</p> + +<p>Dawn found him afoot. Eagerly he scanned the horizon. Banks of mist lay +over the valleys, concealing much of the forest. Slowly Charley examined +the horizon, half fearful, half relieved. From the two sides of his tower +he could see nothing disturbing. But when he turned to the third side his +heart stood still. Unmistakable in the whitish mist, darker clouds were +rising upward. The forest was afire.</p> + +<p>Intently Charley studied the smoke pillar, trying to locate it exactly and +to estimate the extent of the blaze. Satisfied, he swept his glance +farther along the horizon, but stopped abruptly. A second spiral of smoke +was stealing upward through the mist. Before he had completed his survey, +Charley discovered four more smoke columns. Somebody had fired the forest +in half a dozen different places.</p> + +<p>Whoever had done it must have known the forest intimately. The blazes had +been kindled just where they would do the most damage.</p> + +<p>Charley's mind worked like lightning. Even as he examined and located the +smoke columns, he was planning how best to extinguish the fires. It was +still very early. The wind would not rise for hours yet. Even then the +dense timber would break its force. Meanwhile the fire would spread but +slowly. If only he could get his men to the spot in time, Charley felt +sure he could put out every blaze with but slight damage done. By the +time he reached for the telephone, he had his plan of campaign mapped out. +Morton's big crew would be assembling in a short time. The forester might +be able to hasten their assembling and to collect more men. With trucks he +could rush the gang clear to the foot of the mountain, where the broken +army truck lay. An excellent fire trail would take some of them afoot +direct to the first blazes. Other groups could strike through the passes +for the other fires. With the chief and Mr. Morton and himself to head +three of the crews, and experienced fire fighters to lead the other +groups, Charley felt sure that they would hold the fires.</p> + +<p>Sharply Charley whirled the bell handle and put the receiver to his ear. +There was no response. Impatiently he rang again. Still he got no reply. A +feeling of alarm took possession of him. Frantically he rang and rang, but +the receiver at his ear was mute. The wire was cut.</p> + +<p>"Thank God for the wireless!" cried Charley, snatching up the trap-door +and descending the ladder recklessly. "There aren't any wires about that +to be cut."</p> + +<p>Involuntarily he glanced toward his aerial. Then he stopped dead. His +aerial had disappeared. Now he knew why the tower had vibrated during the +night. Somebody <i>had</i> been on the ladder. If only he had gotten up to +investigate! But it was too late now for regrets. He must act. He must get +up another aerial. An idea came to him and he shouted for joy. He would +use the tower itself as an aerial.</p> + +<p>He raced to the cabin and flung open the door. A single glance showed him +his cupboard had been rifled of its food supplies. He leaped toward his +operating-table and stopped aghast. His face turned pale, his hands fell +helplessly to his sides, and he stood looking at the instruments before +him, the picture of despair. A heavy file lay across the terminals of his +battery, and the battery was useless.</p> + +<p>Unnerved, Charley sank down on a chair. He covered his face with his +hands. It would take him hours to reach the Morton home on foot. And it +might be hours more before the forester could be notified. It looked as +though the forest were doomed.</p> + +<p>Fairly shaking himself, as a terrier shakes a rat, Charley freed himself +of the fear that clutched at his heart and forced himself to think. Calmly +he began to consider what he could do. He thought of the dry cells he had +first used. They were still wired together and in the cabin. Like a flash +Charley coupled them to his instrument, but the cells were exhausted. He +could get no spark from them.</p> + +<p>Again he sat down and thought. Suddenly he leaped to his feet. "The army +truck!" he cried. "If he overlooked that, I'll beat him yet."</p> + +<p>He began to assemble tools and instruments. But when he looked for wire to +fashion an aerial, his face grew black. The intruder had taken both +aerial and lead-in wire, and Charley hadn't a hundred feet of wire left in +the place. What should he do? What could he do?</p> + +<p>Again he paused and pondered. And again an idea came to him. "They use +trees for aerials," he muttered, "and they make perfect ones to receive +by. I don't know whether one could send from them or not. But it's my last +chance. I'll try it."</p> + +<p>He gathered together his tools and instruments, including the creepers he +had used in putting up the telephone-line, carefully stowed them all in a +big basket and started down the mountain. A hundred yards from the door he +turned about and ran back. When he came out of the cabin again, his rifle +was tucked under his arm. Then he went down the mountain as fast as he +could travel.</p> + +<p>Fearfully he studied the truck as he drew near. It was untouched. With a +cry of joy, Charley tore open the battery box. In no time he had some +wires fast to the battery. He spread out his instruments and coupled +everything carefully together. The outfit lacked only an aerial.</p> + +<p>Buckling on his creepers, and stuffing some spikes and a hammer in his +pocket, Charley rapidly mounted a tall tree that stood close beside the +truck. As luck would have it, the tree stood all by itself, its nearest +neighbors having been cut in making the road. Two-thirds of the way up the +tree, Charley drove a spike deep into the wood. He sank a second spike +not far from the first. Then he drove home a third. The lead-in wire +dangled behind him at his belt. He unfastened it and twisted it tight to +the spikes, wrapping it close about one after the other. Then he climbed +down and made sure his wire did not touch the earth. Trembling with +eagerness, he sat down at his key.</p> + +<p>One moment he paused, drawing out his watch. With a cry of joy, he put his +finger on the key. It was almost the hour at which he was accustomed to +exchange morning greetings with Mr. Morton. He pressed his key and a sharp +flash resulted. Joyously he adjusted his spark-gap until he had a fine, +fat stream of fire leaping between the posts. Then he fairly held his +breath as he rapped out the ranger's call signal.</p> + +<p>"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he called and listened. There was no response. Again +he called. And again there was no response. His face became pale. His +fingers began to tremble.</p> + +<p>"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he rapped out frantically, sending the call again +and again. Then he sat back to listen. Suddenly his receivers buzzed. With +startling distinctness came the answer.</p> + +<p>"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I. Your signals very weak."</p> + +<p>So the ranger could hear, Charley did not care how weak the signals were.</p> + +<p>"Forest afire in six places," he flashed back. "Wires cut. Wireless +broken. Talking over temporary outfit. Notify forester. Collect all men +possible. Come immediately in trucks to end of new road. Can get to fires +on foot from here easily."</p> + +<p>"Where are fires?" replied Mr. Morton.</p> + +<p>"South and west of fire-tower. In valleys both sides of fire-tower +mountain."</p> + +<p>"How far away?"</p> + +<p>"About two miles--maybe three."</p> + +<p>"How big are they?"</p> + +<p>"Still small. Can put out before wind rises. Must have help quick."</p> + +<p>There was a long pause. Then came this message, "Have sent neighbor with +his automobile to notify forester. Will rush crew. Hold fire best you can. +Good-bye."</p> + +<p>With a cry of relief that came from his very soul, Charley threw over his +switch and leaped to his feet. He seized his rifle, then stood a second, +hesitating.</p> + +<p>"No," he said decisively, "the man who set those fires won't wait around +to be seen, even if he is a desperate man."</p> + +<p>He slipped his rifle under a clump of bushes and buckled on his little +axe. Then he started down the fire trail at a fast pace. Now running, now +walking, advancing as fast as he could without exhausting himself, Charley +hastened toward the fire. Long before he reached the nearest blaze, +Charley smelled smoke. As he drew near the fire, he studied it as best he +could. He rejoiced that it was so small. The mist bank and the heavy fall +of dew had so moistened things that the fire crept but slowly.</p> + +<p>Charley cut a pine branch and fell upon the flames ferociously. A great +anger surged up in his heart, like the fierce passion that takes +possession of a bull when he sees red. It lent power and determination to +him. Yet Charley tried to conserve his strength. Yard after yard he beat +out the flames, thankful that he had to face only a little creeping fire. +Small as it was, the blaze was, nevertheless, hot and stifling.</p> + +<p>Rod after rod Charley fought his way around the ring of fire, never +pausing for a single instant to rest. By the time he had completed the +circle and the blaze was out, Charley was beginning to tire badly. He +doubted if he could beat out the six fires alone. If they grew any larger, +he knew he could not. And larger they were becoming, for the first faint +puffs of the morning breeze were beginning to stir the tree tops.</p> + +<p>Half a mile through the trees Charley smashed his way to the next ring of +fire. He could see that the flames were leaping a little higher and that +they were eating their way along at a faster pace than the first fire had +traveled. He knew it would be hard to stop this blaze. But he cut a new +bough, and gritting his teeth, once more fell to fighting fire.</p> + +<p>Quickly he found it was quite a different fire from the one he had +extinguished. Fitfully the wind was coming up. When it blew, the flames +seemed to leap at Charley. His shoes, his clothes, his hands and wrists +were blistered by the heat. His fingers were torn and his muscles ached. +His lungs and throat became painful. His eyes grew blurred. He could no +longer see clearly. There was a ringing noise in his ears. Yet coughing, +choking, gasping for breath, stumbling and tripping, and at times falling +prone, he fought his way along the line of fire.</p> + +<p>He was so weak, so worn out from physical exertion and nervous strain that +he could no longer think clearly. But blindly, stubbornly, doggedly, he +fought the flames. His movements became mechanical. Sometimes his +descending bough hit the fire and sometimes it struck the unignited +leaves. Charley was fast nearing the point of exhaustion. He could +scarcely control his movements. Yet he tried valiantly to hold himself to +his task. He thought of the turtle-dove on the burning stump and for a +moment the thought seemed to give him new strength. But the inspiration +was only momentary. Blindly now he staggered along the line of fire, +gasping, reeling, swaying, hardly able to keep his feet. He tottered on.</p> + +<p>He could hardly raise his brush. His efforts were useless. Yet he hung +doggedly to his duty. Just as he was about to plunge headlong into the +flames, a shout sounded in his ears, forms came rushing through the smoke, +and Charley was lifted in the forester's strong arms and borne to one +side.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch26"> +<h2>Chapter XXVI</h2> + +<h3>More Thumb-Prints</h3> + + + +<p>For a long time Charley lay on his back, hardly conscious of anything. But +slowly the pure air revived him and his powers came back. He sat up, then +rose unsteadily to his feet. In a few moments he felt all right. He began +to look about him. The fire he had been fighting was extinguished. He +ascended an easily climbed tree and saw that the third fire in the valley +was also out. He knew that the fire fighters had gone on to the next +valley to subdue the blazes there. The wind was still no more than a +zephyr and he knew they would succeed. The forest was saved. A feeling of +great relief came to him.</p> + +<p>He sat down and rested, thinking what he ought to do. He remembered what +the forester had said about the desirability of an immediate investigation +of incendiary fires. Here was his job.</p> + +<p>He made his way to the blackened area where he had put out the first fire. +The space burned over was small. Charley stood and looked at it for some +moments, thinking the problem over. Then he walked slowly around the +burned area, examining it closely, but not stepping within the fire-line. +Then he wet a finger and held it aloft. Unmistakably the light breeze was +from the west. It had doubtless been blowing from that quarter all the +morning, though this particular fire had been extinguished when there was +hardly more than a suspicion of a breeze. The fire would have spread in an +elongated circle, or more exactly an oval. Charley tried to figure out the +exact starting point. He felt sure he could estimate it within a few +yards.</p> + +<p>When he had decided about where the fire must have originated, he made his +way cautiously, a yard at a time, toward that point. He was careful not to +disturb the leaves any more than was necessary in putting down his feet. +Carefully he scrutinized every inch of the ground he covered. He was +looking for a mound of burned leaves or any other suspicious thing. But he +found none. Look where he would, the leaves seemed to have been disturbed +before the fire started.</p> + +<p>Not far from the point selected by Charley as the probable place of the +fire's origin, the ground thrust up in a little, low shoulder, as though +there might be an outcropping ledge of rock there. Immediately around this +elevation the ground was clear of brush. No trees stood near. Charley paid +little attention to the mound until he noticed that it was hollowed out on +top. At the same time a piece of freshly dug earth caught his eye near by. +At least Charley judged it to be freshly dug, although it was blackened by +fire. He made his way very carefully to the little mound. Now he noticed +that the leaves about this mound had been raked together, for the ashes +lay thick in the hollow centre in the elevation.</p> + +<p>Cautiously Charley began to scratch among the ashes at the edge of the +pile. His fingers encountered many rough chunks of earth, partly hardened +by fire. The rain, the frost, and the cold of winter would naturally have +broken those chunks down into loose soil. So Charley knew they could not +be very old. As he scratched more of them out of the leaves, he blew the +ashes from them and examined them critically. He could think of no +connection between these chunks of earth and the fire, yet something made +him scrutinize them closely.</p> + +<p>All the time he was carefully digging the ashes away, and working toward +the centre of the pile. Suddenly he picked up a chunk that was quite +different from the crumbly earth masses he had been handling. This piece +was partly hardened and reddened. At once Charley saw it was clay.</p> + +<p>Charley continued to scrape aside the ashes. He found more and more little +chunks of clay, while the hollow place in the centre of the mound proved +to be a square, small depression that must have been made with human +hands. Even before he had it cleared of ashes, Charley knew that. The +depression was much too rectangular to be natural. It was about eighteen +inches square and almost a foot deep. In the bottom of it were charred +ends of sticks and a little candle grease, buried under the mass of ashes.</p> + +<p>When Charley had carefully scraped and blown out all the ashes possible, +he lay flat on his belly and examined the place minutely. Some person or +persons had dug a little square chamber, like a sunken box, right in the +shoulder of the mound. Charley decided that a candle had been placed in +the centre of the box-like excavation, leaves packed loosely about the +base of the candle, some fine, dry twigs stacked across the edges of the +excavation, and across the top of the hole other dry twigs had been +placed. Then the candle had been lighted, the open side of the excavation +closed with twigs thrust vertically into the clay, and leaves heaped over +and about the excavation.</p> + +<p>As Charley examined the mound, he could not but admire the devilish +cunning exhibited in the construction of this fire box. The open space +about the mound would give full sweep to the morning breeze, and the box +was located in the windward shoulder of the little mound, exactly where +the breeze would hit it hardest. The piles of leaves heaped about the box +would spread the flames on all sides.</p> + +<p>The candle grease in the bottom of the excavation, Charley had no doubt, +was the remains of one of his own candles, taken with the food supplies +from his cupboard. Nor did he doubt that the man who had taken it was +Lumley. He must have disappeared in the forest the moment Henry Collins +had told him what was afoot, for there could be no doubt Collins had +informed him. After the moon rose, so that he could see well, Lumley must +have come to the cabin, stolen food and candles, cautiously removed the +aerial and grounded the battery, and gone straight down the valley to set +his fires. If he could not get the money for the timber, or at least some +of it, quite evidently Lumley did not intend to allow any one else to have +it, not even the state.</p> + +<p>In his own mind Charley had no doubt whatever that the incendiary was +Lumley, and that he had done exactly the things Charley pictured him as +doing. Even now he must be somewhere in the forest. But Charley felt +relieved when he realized that in all probability Lumley had no firearms. +He must have fled without taking time to equip himself. Also Charley +doubted if he would remain in the forest. The forester would be certain to +scour the woods for him, and Lumley could hardly hope to evade pursuit +indefinitely. He would probably make his way out of the forest at some +distant point and try to get away. Sooner or later, Charley felt sure, the +man would be captured and doubtless sent to prison for cheating the state. +It made Charley feel bad to think that he did not have enough direct +evidence to insure Lumley's conviction for arson as well.</p> + +<p>An idea came to Charley. Blowing away the remaining dust and ashes, +Charley once more began an examination of the little excavation. Inch by +inch he scrutinized the surface of the pit. He found it partly baked. +Suddenly he gave a cry. He had found the distinct prints of some one's +fingers. On the second side of the excavation he found more prints, and +the third side yielded still others. Carefully Charley chopped out the +incriminating bits of clay. When he laid them side by side and examined +them under his microscope, he found they had been made, not by one person, +but by three. Apparently each side of the pit had been fashioned by a +different man.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch27"> +<h2>Chapter XXVII</h2> + +<h3>Trapped</h3> + + + +<p>While Charley was turning the matter over in his mind, the forester +suddenly appeared. Charley gave a glad cry when he saw him.</p> + +<p>"Did you get them all out?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"All will be out in a short time," was the reply. "Morton and his big gang +crossed directly into the other valley when I came here with my crew. As +soon as we had finished your job here, we hustled over to the other +valley. The fires there had spread considerably, but as there was little +wind and we had a big force of men, we quickly got them under control. The +minute I was satisfied we had them in hand, I came back to see how you +were. Jim is in charge over there, so everything will be all right. How +are you?"</p> + +<p>"All O.K.," said Charley, "but I guess I must have been about all in when +you got here. I don't remember much about it."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you were about gone. We got to you just in time. Now tell me what +you know about this fire."</p> + +<p>The two men sat down in the shade and Charley told his chief all that had +happened to him since the two had parted on the preceding evening. When +he showed the forester the marks in the clay, the forester was elated.</p> + +<p>"He's a pretty clever rascal who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," he +said. "It's an easy guess who your three fire bugs are. I have a very +great suspicion that the thumb-prints in that ball of clay I took from +your secret camp will match up with some of these marks, and that both +sets of prints will correspond with the marks on the thumbs of one Bill +Collins, though I didn't know that he was in the neighborhood at present. +And it's just as safe a bet that another set of those marks will match the +ends of Lumley's thumbs. If only he had been as considerate as his friend +Collins, and left his calling cards behind him, we'd have a complete case +against him."</p> + +<p>"We have," cried Charley, leaping to his feet in sudden excitement. +"Lumley left his thumb-prints in the putty he stuck in his window-sash. I +never thought of them until this moment."</p> + +<p>"Excellent!" cried the forester. "I suspect we can find the duplicates for +this third set of prints only when we lay hands on Henry Collins. But I +have a strong suspicion we'll have a chance to make that comparison very +soon."</p> + +<p>"How?" asked Charley eagerly. "What do you mean? Have the police made any +arrests?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," replied the forester. "But this is the situation. Lumley +will never dare hang around in the forest, for he will know that every +man in the Forest Service is looking for him. Then, too, he can't have +much food with him."</p> + +<p>"Only what he took from me, I suspect."</p> + +<p>"That makes it certain that he must leave the forest soon. It's a good +many miles from the lumber camp to this neighborhood, so the three +fugitives must be traveling in this direction. If they keep on for fifteen +or twenty miles further, they will come out of the mountains near +Pleasantville or Maple Gap. They can board a train at either place. The +state police already are watching both stations. If Lumley and his fellows +went straight on after they started the fires, and Goodness knows they +wouldn't hang around here, they could reach the railroad in six or eight +hours. That means they would be there by this time. There is a train that +reaches Pleasantville about eleven o'clock. They would have time to make +it. I should not be at all surprised, when I get back to the office, to +find a message saying that the police had caught them."</p> + +<p>"Let us hope you do," said Charley.</p> + +<p>The forester arose. "Would you like to go see?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Surest thing you know," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"Then we'll hike back to the road and slip out to Lumley's house in my +car. We can get that window-sash and put it in a safe place in my office +and be back here before Jim brings his gang out."</p> + +<p>Rapidly the two walked back along the fire trail. "Charley," said the +forester suddenly, "just how did you manage to get that message to Jim? +It's all that saved the forest. The telephone was put as completely out +of commission as your wireless was."</p> + +<p>Charley then told the forester how he had used a tree for an aerial. "It +was my last chance," he said. "If it hadn't worked, the forest would have +burned. I had read about the use of trees to receive by, and I thought I +had read that messages had been sent through trees, but I wasn't sure. It +was my only chance and I took it."</p> + +<p>"You're a wonder, Charley. I take back everything I ever said about the +wireless. I have telegraphed for the Commissioner to come on from the +capital. I shall put this entire matter before him and urge the +installation of a wireless outfit in every district of the state forests. +No matter what is done elsewhere, we're going on a wireless basis here as +soon as we can get the outfit, just as I told you. If I can't get money +from the state for the outfit, I'll pay for it myself and have your +Wireless Club make it. This coming winter we'll start a radio school and +you shall have charge of it. Maybe Jim can help you now."</p> + +<p>"That will be grand," said Charley with sparkling eyes. "If only we had +the money Lumley robbed the state of, we could buy a dozen outfits."</p> + +<p>"We'll get every cent of it," said the forester with decision. "Don't you +worry about that. When we went to the lumber camp after Lumley last night, +I stopped all cutting. Before another stick is felled, you and I are going +in there and measure every stump. Then we'll estimate the timber that +came from those stumps and the lumber operators will pay for it or they +will face a criminal prosecution. If we catch Lumley, we've got the +operators dead to rights. He's the kind of a rat that will squeal quick +when he's caught."</p> + +<p>They reached the road, jumped into the forester's car and sped away to +Lumley's house. Half an hour later they entered the forester's office, +carefully carrying a window-sash. As the forester reached his desk, the +man in charge handed him a message from the state police at Maple Gap. It +read, "Have arrested three men who came out of the forest here and tried +to board a train. They give fictitious names, but no doubt two of the men +are wanted. Third has gold teeth and scar over right cheek. Do you want +him?"</p> + +<p>"Do we want him?" echoed the forester, as he began to write an answer. +"Well, I should say we do."</p> + +<p>He dashed off his message, and handed it to his assistant. "Rush that," he +directed.</p> + +<p>Then he took a long coil of wire from a closet and led the way back to his +car. "That's for a temporary aerial in case you decide to make one," he +said, as Charley climbed up beside him and they went whirling back to the +fire-tower in the mountains.</p> +</div> + + +<div class="chapter" id="ch28"> +<h2>Chapter XXVIII</h2> + +<h3>Victory</h3> + + + +<p>In due time Ranger Morton came out of the forest with his big crew. The +men were black with smoke and their hands and faces were blistered and +scratched. But they were a happy crew for all that. They had extinguished +what at first bade fair to be the worst fire ever seen in their district.</p> + +<p>By this time every man in the gang had heard the story of Lumley's +dastardly act and Charley's quick wit. Most of the men lived in or near +the forest, and a great fire might have consumed their homes just as truly +as it would have destroyed the forest. It was small wonder, then, that to +a man they had only admiration and gratitude for Charley. The last vestige +of ill-will that any of them might have had for Charley was gone. Like men +of the forest, they said little. But Charley knew that this little meant +much. He had won the good-will and respect of every man in the district. +No wonder he was happy.</p> + +<p>This thought did much to offset the feeling of regret that he could not +help experiencing at the realization that his days as a ranger were +numbered. When he became a patrol again, or a member of Jim's crew, for he +believed that Mr. Marlin would grant him that wish, he knew that he would +stand on a par with the men in their own estimation. So he waved good-bye +to the departing trucks with a mixture of happiness and regret.</p> + +<p>But he was not allowed many hours to indulge in either emotion. Very early +next morning the telephone, which Ranger Morton had promptly repaired, +began to ring. Charley answered the call and received a brusque order from +the forester to remain at the tower, as the forester was coming out to see +him.</p> + +<p>"I wonder if Mr. Marlin ever sleeps," said Charley to himself. "He's +probably on his way here now and I'm hardly out of bed. I'll make him a +cup of coffee and some toast anyway."</p> + +<p>But when Charley came to make the toast, he could find only three slices +of bread. Lumley had cleaned him out of food. It seemed no time at all to +Charley before he heard the chugging of the forester's motor in the +valley. A short time afterward two men ascended to the cabin. Charley was +surprised.</p> + +<p>"Let me introduce you to the Chief Forester of Pennsylvania," said Mr. +Marlin. Charley was suddenly abashed. He held out his hand and responded +to the Commissioner's greeting, but was at a joss for anything further to +say. He thought of his toast and coffee and was more than ever +embarrassed, because he had only three slices to offer. Nevertheless, he +set what he had before his guests.</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry this is all I can offer you," he said, "but I had some +visitors yesterday who cleaned me out of food."</p> + +<p>"So I have heard," replied the Chief Forester, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"You will be glad to know, Charley," said the forester, "that those same +visitors have confessed to their crime, or rather Lumley did. When we +produced the thumb-prints in the putty and in the clay and compared them +with Lumley's thumbs, he made a clean breast of everything. It won't +surprise you to learn that he set the previous fires in this virgin +timber. He wants to be state's evidence."</p> + +<p>"Excellent!" cried Charley. "They won't burn any more forests--or rob any +more cabins. By the way, Mr. Marlin, did you bring me any more supplies?"</p> + +<p>"No," said the forester.</p> + +<p>Charley looked vastly perplexed, but said nothing. He didn't want to +bother the forester, but how he was to live without food he could not +imagine. Evidently his face must have mirrored his thoughts, for the +forester, after studying Charley's countenance, burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"Charley," he said, "it's clear that you don't pay much attention to your +Bible."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Why, don't you recall that we are admonished to take no thought for the +morrow, as to what we shall eat, and so on? Here you are worrying over a +little matter like food. Don't you have any ravens out in these mountains +to bring you grub if you get hungry?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't any laughing matter," replied Charley. "What am I going to do? I +haven't an ounce of food left in the cabin."</p> + +<p>The forester's eyes sparkled. "Shall we tell him what he's to do, +Commissioner?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The Chief Forester turned toward them with a smile. "I guess you had +better. It would be a shame to torment this young man after what he has +accomplished."</p> + +<p>"Very well, then. Listen, Charley. Here are your orders. To begin with, +Jim is now on deck again and you are relieved of your position as +temporary ranger."</p> + +<p>Charley tried hard to choke back the lump that came into his throat. +Evidently his face betrayed his feelings.</p> + +<p>"Look at him, Commissioner," said the forester. "I believe he's going to +pout."</p> + +<p>Charley bit his lip and tried to smile.</p> + +<p>"In the second place," continued the forester, "you are to remove your +belongings from this post and oversee the cutting of the lumber +operation."</p> + +<p>The smile that now came to Charley's face was not forced.</p> + +<p>"In the third place," the forester went on, "you are hereby appointed a +ranger in the Pennsylvania Forest Service to succeed one George Lumley."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean it honestly?"</p> + +<p>"I sure do. And there is nothing temporary about your appointment. You +are a full-fledged ranger. You have earned the place and I congratulate +you heartily on having won it." He held out his hand and clasped Charley's +warmly.</p> + +<p>"Now, that is all I have to say to you," concluded the forester, "but I +think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you."</p> + +<p>Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester," said +the Commissioner.</p> + +<p>"It is," replied Charley.</p> + +<p>"He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family +obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular +course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your +ambition."</p> + +<p>"That is true, sir," said Charley. "There is nothing I would rather do +than become a forester if only it were possible. I love the forest."</p> + +<p>"The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that. How would +you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I +dropped to accomplish it."</p> + +<p>"There is, and you shall have the chance. It is the policy of this +department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men +to advance in the service. Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the +forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time +by great application to your work and by study at night you have become +one of the best men he has. All you lack is experience. Time will remedy +that. If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study +and work, would you like to do it? Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the +technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto. He will +take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical +work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training +for the position of forester. What about it? Do you wish to do it?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Mr. Commissioner," cried Charley, "I can't tell you how much I want +to do it. If you will just give me that chance, you'll find I'm no +shirker."</p> + +<p>"Then the chance is yours. You have earned it. Now we must hurry back to +headquarters, Ranger Russell. I hope that some day I shall be able to call +you Forester Russell."</p> + +<p>Charley's heart was too full for utterance. He grasped the proffered hand +and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into +his throat.</p> + +<p>A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his +luggage. His heart was singing merrily.</p> + +<p>"Some day," he said to himself, "we may get enough timber back on these +hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so +that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a +lifetime to pay for it. I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to +think he's going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million +people."</p> +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + +***** This file should be named 12839-h.htm or 12839-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/8/3/12839/ + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Theiss + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol + +Author: Lewis E. Theiss + +Release Date: July 7, 2004 [EBook #12839] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + + + + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +[Illustration: The Forester, Charley and Lew Crossed to the Brook Where +the Battle with the Flames Had Begun] + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + +or + +<i>The Story of a Young Wireless Amateur Who Made Good as a Fire Patrol</i> + +By + +Lewis E. Theiss + +Illustrated by +Frank T. Merrill + +W. A. Wilde Company +Chicago Boston + + + + +<i>Copyright, 1921,</i> +By W. A. Wilde Company +<i>All rights reserved</i> + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As A Fire Patrol. + + + + +This book is dedicated to + +Gifford Pinchot + +sometime forester for the United States of America, and now Commissioner +of Forestry for Pennsylvania, whose ceaseless and undiscouraged efforts to +save from spoliation the vast timber stands and other natural resources of +America have inspired this story + + + + +Foreword + + + +Boys and dogs go well together. So do boys and trees. When a boy gets to +love the forest and can live in it, that is best of all. For the forest +makes real boys and real men. + +Not only does the forest do that, but it keeps the Nation alive. No one +can eat a meal without the help of the forest, for it takes more than half +the wood cut every year in the United States to enable the farmer to grow +the food and the fibres to feed and clothe the Nation. No one can live in +a house without the help of the forest, for whether we speak of it as a +wooden house, a brick house, a stone house, or a concrete house, still +there is wood in it, and without wood it could not have been built. + +We are apt to think of the city dwellers as people who are not dependent +on the forest. As a matter of fact, they are the most dependent of all, +for the cities would be deserted, the houses empty, and the streets dead, +except for the things which could not be grown nor mined nor manufactured +nor transported without the help of wood from the forest. + +Pennsylvania--Penn's Woods--is the greatest industrial commonwealth in the +world. Without its woods, it could never have been made so. Unless its +woods are restored, it cannot continue to be so, and unless forest fires +are stopped, there is no way to restore Penn's Woods. + +I have read "The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol" with the +keenest interest, not only because it is about the forest, but because it +is a thrillingly interesting story of a real boy and the real things he +did in the woods. I like it from end to end, and that is why, when Mr. +Theiss asked me to write this foreword, I gladly consented. + +No one loves the woods more than I, as boy and man, or loves to be in them +better. One of the things I want most is to see more and better forests in +our great State of Pennsylvania, and in the whole United States. Without +our forests we could not have become great, nor can we continue to be so. +For the men and boys who love the forest and understand it are of the kind +without whom great nations are impossible. + +Gifford Pinchot. + + + + +Contents + + + + I. Vacation Plans + II. What Came of Them + III. Off to the Mountains + IV. In the Burned Forest + V. A Lost Opportunity + VI. Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + VII. The Forest Afire + VIII. Making an Investigation + IX. Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + X. An Encounter with a Bear + XI. The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + XII. On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + XIII. Spying Out the Land + XIV. The Trail in the Forest + XV. The Telltale Thumb-Print + XVI. Good News for the Fire Patrol + XVII. An Accident in the Wilderness + XVIII. The First Clue to the Incendiary + XIX. The Forester's Problem + XX. Charley Wins His First Promotion + XXI. A Trouble Maker + XXII. Charley Finds Another Clue + XXIII. A Startling Discovery + XXIV. Checkmated + XXV. The Crisis + XXVI. More Thumb-Prints + XXVII. Trapped +XXVIII. Victory + + + + +The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire Patrol + + + + +Chapter I + +Vacation Plans + + + +Charley Russell sat before a table in the workshop in his father's back +yard. In front of him were the shining instruments of his wireless +outfit--his coupler, his condenser, his helix, his spark-gap, and the +other parts, practically all of which he had made with his own hands. +Ordinarily he would have looked at them fondly, but now he gave them +hardly a thought. He was waiting for his chum, Lew Heinsling, and his mind +was busy with the problem of his own future. Charley was a senior in high +school and was pondering over the question of what the world had in store +for him. While he sat meditating, Lew arrived. In his hand was a copy of +the <i>New York Sun and Herald</i>. He held it out to Charley and pointed to +the marine news. + +"The <i>Lycoming</i> reaches New York to-day," he said. "Roy will send us a +wireless message to-night. Gee! I wish we had a battery strong enough to +talk back." + +But Charley paid slight heed to the suggestion. Instead he said: "Roy +Mercer's a lucky dog. Think of being the wireless man on a big ocean +steamer when you're only nineteen. I wish I knew what I am going to do +after I graduate from high school." + +Roy Mercer, like Charley and Lew, was a member of the Camp Brady Wireless +Patrol. With his fellows he had taken part in the capture of the German +spies who were trying to dynamite the Elk City reservoir and so wreck a +great munitions centre during the war; and with three other members of the +Wireless Patrol, especially selected for their skill in wireless, he had +later gone to New York with their leader, Captain Hardy, to assist the +government Secret Service in its search for the secret wireless that was +keeping the German Admiralty informed of the movements of American +vessels. + +His fellows both envied and loved him. Roy warmly returned their +affection, and his vessel never came into port that he did not, regularly +at nine o'clock in the evening, flash out some message of greeting to his +former comrades of the Wireless Patrol. It was always a one-sided +conversation, however, because none of the boys in the Wireless Patrol +owned a battery powerful enough to carry a message from Central City to +New York. Just now each lad was engaged in trying to earn money so that +the club could buy a battery or dynamo strong enough for this purpose. So +each boy was working at any job he could pick up after school, and saving +all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their +share of the purchase money. + +"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever +expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good. +You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a +corking good wireless operator." + +"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high +school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I +hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky, +noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky, +or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel +blue." + +"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew. +"Maybe you can find some other job you like better." + +"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad +says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most +money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they +pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe +three dollars." + +Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you +have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as +much if I could work out in the open and do something I like." + +"Why don't you tell your father so?" + +"I have--dozens of times. But he says it isn't a question of what I want +to do. It's a question of making the most money possible and helping him. +He says he's supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to +help him for a year or two anyway." + +"That's a shame!" cried Lew. + +"No, it isn't, Lew," explained Charley. "It's all right about helping Dad. +He's been mighty good to me, and he's in the hole now. You see, Dad and +Mother have been married twenty years and Dad's worked hard all this time +and saved his money to build a house. And just about the time Dad was +ready to begin building, prices began to go up. Dad held off, thinking +they would drop. But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the +carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still. Now the house +is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful +prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn. With such a big +mortgage on the place, Dad says he's just got to have my help or he may +lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years. It's all right +about helping Dad, Lew. I want to do that, but I can't bear to think of +going to work in that factory." + +"It's too bad, Charley. I had hoped so much that we could go to college +together." + +"Lew, if I could go to college I'd work my head off to do it. You know +that. If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers +and rocks and trees and animals, I'd be willing to do anything--even to +work in Miller's factory for a time. But Dad will need every cent I can +earn until I am twenty-one, and I can't see how I can possibly go to +college." + +"Never mind, Charley. You never can tell what will happen. Look at Roy. He +was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to +care for both himself and his mother. And see what came of it. He isn't +much older than we are, yet he's got a fine job. Just keep your eyes open +and you may pick up something, too." + +"It'll have to come quick, then," sighed Charley. "Here it is almost +Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June. This will probably be the +last vacation I shall have in a long time." + +"Then let's enjoy this vacation. I've been thinking what we could do, and +it occurred to me that it would be lots of fun for the Wireless Patrol to +make a trip up the river to that old camp of ours. It won't be too cold to +camp out if we take out our tents and our little collapsible stoves. +Suckers ought to be running good and we can catch a fine mess of fish, +take a hike or two, and have a bully trip up the river and back. Let's go +tell the rest of the fellows." + +Lew jumped up and started for the door. Then he stopped suddenly and a +look of disappointment came over his face. "I'll bet none of 'em can go," +he said. "They've all got jobs for the vacation. I'm glad we've got our +money earned." + +"I just thought of another difficulty," sighed Charley. "Not one of us +owns a boat." + +"We can borrow one," said Lew. + +"I hate to borrow things," replied Charley. "You remember how I borrowed +old man Packer's bob-sled and broke it and then had to pay to have it +remade. No more borrowing for me." + +"Why can't we make a boat? There's plenty of time between now and +vacation. If we do the work ourselves, it oughtn't to cost more than two +or three dollars and then we'd have a boat of our own." + +"Bully!" cried Charley. "We can make it as good as anybody. We'll do it." + +"All right. I'll go down-town and find the price of oars and rowlocks, and +you go over to Hank Cooley's and find out how his father made that boat of +his. It's a dandy and just what we need." + +The two boys rushed off in opposite directions, each full of enthusiasm +over the plan to build a new boat and make a trip up the river during +their Easter vacation. + + + + +Chapter II + +What Came of Them + + + +A few hours later Charley Russell again sat before the bench in the little +wireless house in his father's yard. Before him lay some patterns for a +rowboat, and on a piece of paper Charley was trying to figure out how much +lumber it would take to build the boat. + +"We'll need two sixteen-foot boards, each a foot wide for the sides," he +said, looking across the table at his chum, who sat ready, with pencil and +paper, to jot down the figures Charley gave him. + +"Thirty-two feet," said Lew, setting down the number on his paper. + +Charley bent over his patterns, measuring and estimating in silence. +"It'll take three more like 'em for the bottom," he said presently. + +"That's forty-eight more," replied Lew, jotting down the number. + +"And these cross braces," added Charley, after another period of +calculation, "will take ten feet more." + +Again Lew set down the number. + +"That provides for everything but the decks," said Charley. "They will +take seven or eight feet more. Better call it ten. That's all. What does +it make?" + +Lew put down ten and added the column of figures. "One hundred feet +exactly," he said. + +"Bully good!" replied Charley. "A hundred feet oughtn't to cost much of +anything. The rub's going to be to get the oars. You say they want five +dollars for the cheapest pair at the hardware store, and the sporting +goods store wants six-fifty." + +"The robbers!" cried Lew. "Think of it. Six-fifty for about fifteen cents' +worth of wood. Maybe we can get a pair of second-hand oars somewhere. +Six-fifty is as much as we can afford to spend on the whole outfit." + +"It will be all right to get second-hand oars," said Charley, "for we can +get new ones later, when we have the money. Besides, we want to put most +of our money into the boat itself. As long as we are going to build it, we +want to make it the very best boat possible. We want the best wood in the +market and we want our boat light enough so that the two of us can carry +it. I reckon it may cost two or three dollars if we buy such good wood as +that. But it will be worth while. We can get along with cheap oars for a +time. Let's go down to the lumber-yard and get our boards." + +The two chums left the shop and hurried down the street toward the +lumber-yard. + +"If we can get our lumber to-day," said Charley, "I'm certain we can get +our boat made before the spring vacation. We ought to be able to put in +three hours apiece every afternoon after high school lets out, and we can +get in another hour apiece before school, if we get up early enough. +That's four hours apiece, or eight hours a day. We certainly ought to get +it finished and painted inside of ten days." + +"Sure," replied Lew. "We'll have her done all right. And we'll have just +about the finest boat in town." + +"And I reckon we'll have just about the finest trip ever," went on +Charley. "If we start right after school closes for the Easter vacation we +can row up-stream that afternoon as far as Hillman's Grove, and camp there +for the night. That will give us almost half a day's extra time. Then we +can reach our old camping ground the next day and get the tent up and our +wood cut and maybe even catch some fish before dark. We'll have everything +ready so we can jump right into the boat and pull out the minute school is +over." + +"Sure," assented Lew. Then, after a moment's pause, he added, "Ain't it a +shame none of the other members of the Wireless Patrol can go along? We'll +miss 'em, particularly Roy. And now that he's wireless man on the +<i>Lycoming</i>, he'll probably never go on another trip with the Camp Brady +Patrol." + +"It's too bad for us, but mighty nice for Roy," said Charley. "Just think +of being the wireless man on a great ocean steamship when you're only +nineteen. He's made for life. Gee! I wish I knew what I am going to do." + +"I know how you feel, Charley. Maybe something will turn up so that you +won't need to go into the factory after all. But here we are at the +lumber-yard. Let's get the boards and begin our boat at once. We'll have a +good time this vacation, no matter what happens afterward." + +"Well, boys, what can I do for you?" inquired the lumber dealer, as +Charley and Lew approached him. + +"We want one hundred feet of the lightest and best boards you have," +replied Charley. "We are going to build a boat and we want it to be strong +but light, so that the two of us can handle it." + +"White pine would be just the thing for you," replied the dealer, "but I +haven't a foot of it in the place and can't get any. I have some fine +cedar boards that would make a good light boat. Just come over to this +pile of lumber." And he led the way across the yard. + +"That will suit us all right if it's wide enough," said Charley. "We want +foot boards." + +"Well, that's what these are. And a good inch thick, too. They're mighty +good boards. Hardly a knot in 'em. We don't see much lumber like that +nowadays." + +"They'll do all right," assented Charley, after examining the boards. +"What do they cost a hundred?" + +"Ten dollars." + +"Ten dollars!" cried Charley in consternation. Then a smile came on his +face. "Quit your kidding," he said. "What <i>do</i> they come at?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the lumber dealer soberly. + +The two boys stared at him incredulously. + +"Impossible!" cried Lew. "What are they <i>really</i> worth?" + +"Ten dollars," replied the man. His voice was sharp and a frown had +gathered on his forehead. "Ten dollars, and cheap at that." + +Charley turned to his companion with a look of dismay. "We can never build +our boat with wood at such a price," he cried. "With five dollars to pay +for oars, and two dollars for paint, and some more for nails and rowlocks, +and lock and chain, the boat would cost eighteen or twenty dollars just +for the materials. That's three times as much as we have got." + +After an instant the look on Charley's face changed to one of intense +indignation. He had a quick temper, and now he turned to the lumber dealer +in anger. + +"I guess the sugar profiteers are not the only ones who ought to be in the +penitentiary," he said hotly. "You can keep your old boards. And I hope +they rot for you." + +Then he turned on his heel and started toward the gate, followed by Lew. + +"Come back here!" + +The words rang out sharp and sudden. The voice was commanding and +compelling. Involuntarily the two boys turned back. The lumber dealer +stood before them, his face ablaze with indignation. Under his fiery +glances the boys were speechless. For a moment the man said nothing. +Evidently he was struggling with his temper. When he had gotten control of +himself he spoke. His voice was deep and low, but harsh and cutting. + +"Before you make a fool of yourself again, young man," he said, speaking +directly to Charley, "you had better know what you are talking about. You +called me a profiteer for asking $100 a thousand feet for those cedar +boards. Young man, those boards cost me $90 a thousand in the cars at the +station. That leaves me a margin of $10 a thousand for handling them. Out +of that I have to pay to have the boards hauled from the station, pay for +insurance on them, pay their proportionate share of overhead expense, and +pay for hauling them to customers. How much of that $10 do you think is +left for profit? So little it almost requires a microscope to see it. I +have to handle a good many hundred feet of lumber to make as much as the +cheapest sort of laborer gets for a day's pay. The fact is, young man, +that far from profiteering on that lumber, I am selling it at a smaller +profit than I ever sold any lumber before in my life. Some lumber I am +handling at a loss. But in these critical days, with factories closing +everywhere, and men by the thousands being thrown out of work, the best +thing a man can do, either for himself or for his country, is to keep +business moving. That's why I am selling lumber without profit." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. "I'm awfully sorry I called you a +profiteer," he said humbly. "I beg your pardon." + +"It's all right, young man," said the lumber dealer, a smile once more +lighting up his face. "You are too young to understand how critical the +business situation really is. But be careful in future how you call people +names." + +"I certainly will," agreed Charley. "But I'd like to know this. Who <i>is</i> +profiteering in lumber? Who is responsible for such terrible prices?" + +"Well, there <i>has</i> been profiteering in lumber, as in everything else. But +there is a real reason why the price of lumber is so high, and that is the +scarcity of timber." + +"Scarcity!" cried Charley incredulously. "Why, the forests are full of +timber." + +"And what is it like?" demanded the lumber dealer. "Go out to the forests +and look at it. There's nothing but little poles that will scarcely make +six-inch boards. We don't produce one-fourth of the lumber we use in this +state, and we are using wood ten times as fast as our forests are growing +it." + +"I thought Pennsylvania was a great lumbering state," protested Lew. + +"For a good many years it led the nation in the production of lumber, +young man, but now it ranks twentieth among the states. If only fire could +be kept out of the forests, we might some day raise our own timber again. +But the lumbermen chopped down the big trees and fire has destroyed the +little ones and even burned the forest soil so that nothing grows in it +again. We have not only destroyed our forests, but we have so injured the +land that new trees do not grow to take the place of those we cut." + +The two boys stared at the lumberman in amazement. "Where <i>do</i> we get our +lumber from?" demanded Lew. + +"Practically all of it comes from the South. That's one reason lumber +costs so much here. The people of Pennsylvania pay $25,000,000 a year in +freight charges on the lumber they use. That's one of the reasons those +cedar boards you were looking at cost so much. When the new freight rates +go into effect the cost of hauling our lumber to us will be something like +$40,000,000 a year." + +The two boys were very thoughtful as they made their way back to Charley's +shop. + +"What are people going to do for wood pretty soon?" Lew inquired of his +companion. "If we can't build a little boat because the wood costs too +much, how are people going to get homes and furniture and wagons and +motor-cars and a thousand other things? Seems to me pretty much everything +we use is made of wood." + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But what bothers me more just now is to +know what we are going to do during Easter vacation. It may be the last +vacation I shall ever have, and I'd like to have a good time." + +"Why not follow the lumber dealer's suggestion and go out to the forests? +Easter doesn't come this year until after the trout season opens. We could +go out to our old camp in the mountains and spend the vacation there, +fishing and hiking." + +"That's a mighty good suggestion, Lew. If we have our packs ready, we can +start from high school the minute it is dismissed. We can make that early +afternoon train and get off at that little flag-station at the foot of +Stone Mountain. Then we can hike through the notch and reach the far slope +of Old Ironsides before dark. We shall have to camp overnight along the +run from the spring there, as it is the only water for miles around. Then +the next day we can go on into that little valley where we saw so many +trout. That is so hard to reach that not many fishermen ever go there. The +little stream from the spring on Old Ironsides runs into that brook. Do +you remember what lots of little trout we saw not far below the spring? +They will have become big fellows by this time and moved down into the +larger stream. There ought to be some fine fishing there this spring." + +"They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. I'm sorry we can't +build the boat, but we shall have just as good a time in the mountains as +we should have had on the river. We'll borrow that little pup tent of +Johnnie Lee's, and take our blankets, hatchets, fishing-rods, and grub." + +"I'd rather leave the tent at home and build a lean-to after we get there. +Then we could take a portable wireless outfit and talk to the fellows at +home here in the evening. Half a dozen dry cells would give us one-sixth +of a kilowatt of current, and that ought to carry a message twenty-five or +thirty miles easily. At night we might be able to talk fifty miles. We can +carry six cells easily. The remainder of the outfit won't weigh much. +We'll have to go as light as we can, for it's a mighty tough hike over Old +Ironsides and on into that little valley." + +"Shall we take our pistols?" asked Charley. + +"We'd better have at least one. You never can tell when you're going to +need a pistol in the forest. Remember the time that bear treed me on the +first hike of the Wireless Patrol? I don't ever want to get into another +situation like that without something to shoot with." + +Charley chuckled. "It wasn't a pistol that saved you then," he smiled, +"but Willie Brown and his spark-gap." + +"Then we'll be doubly armed," replied Lew. "Since you have so much faith +in wireless, you can carry the outfit. I'll pack the gun. We're almost +certain to have some kind of adventure, for every time the Wireless Patrol +or any of its members venture into the woods, something exciting happens." + + + + +Chapter III + +Off to the Mountains + + + +Busy, indeed, were the succeeding ten days. The outfit that the two boys +were to carry was packed and repacked several times, and each time it was +overhauled something was eliminated from the packs; for both boys knew +well enough that the trip before them would test their endurance even with +the lightest of packs. Finally their outfit was reduced to two +fishing-rods, one hatchet, a first-aid kit, a flash-light, the necessary +food and dishes, one canteen, and one pistol, with the wireless equipment. + +This was made as simple as possible. Six new dry cells were to be taken to +provide current. Then there were a spark-gap, a spark-coil, a key, and a +detector, with the receiving set, switch, and aerial. To be sure, the +entire aerial was not packed, but merely the wires and insulators, as +spreaders could be made in the forest. Then there was an additional coil +of wire to be used for lead-in and suspension wires. No tuning instrument +was necessary, because the wireless outfits of all the members of the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol were exactly alike and so were already in tune with +one another. Without a tuning instrument, to be sure, it might not be +possible for Charley and Lew to talk with anybody except their fellows of +the Wireless Patrol, but in the present circumstances that made no +difference to them. They had no intention of talking to anybody else. + +The various instruments were carefully packed so that they could be +carried without injury. The dishes were nested as well as possible. Then +all were stowed away in the pack bags, together with the food supplies. +The two blankets were tightly folded and tied, ready to be slung over the +shoulders. Long before that last session of school, everything was in +readiness. When finally that last session was over, the two lads had only +to strap their packs on their backs, sling their blankets into place, and +pick up their little fishing-rods, unjointed and compactly packed in cloth +cases. Lew buckled the pistol to his belt and suspended the canteen from +his shoulder, while Charley sheathed his little axe and hung it on his +hip. Then, completely ready, the two lads waved farewell to their envious +comrades and hastened away to the train. In less than an hour the train +stopped to let them off at the little flag-station at the foot of Stone +Mountain. In a moment more it had gone whistling around the shoulder of +the hill, leaving the two boys alone on the edge of the wilderness. + +Quickly they adjusted their packs and started back along the +railroad-track toward the gap through which they were to pass to Old +Ironsides. Rapidly they made their way along the road-bed. + +"We'd better hustle while the going's good," commented Lew, glancing at +the heavy clouds that obscured the sun, "for it will get dark early +to-night. It'll be slow enough going once we leave the track." + +"There's one thing sure," replied Charley. "We won't be bothered with wet +ground. I think I never saw the earth so dry at this season of the year. +There was almost no snow last winter and we've hardly had a rain this +spring. Usually it rains every day at this time of year." + +Charley's prediction proved true. When the boys at last reached the notch +in the mountains and left the railroad-track, they found the way almost as +dry as a village street. Years before, the timber had been cut from Stone +Mountain, and a logging trail had passed up the very gap through which the +boys were now traveling. But brush and brambles had come in soon after the +lumbermen left and now a thick stand of saplings also helped to choke the +path. The briars tore at the boys' clothing and blankets. The bushy +growths caught in their packs and straps and wrapped themselves about +their feet and legs. Very quickly it became evident that a hard struggle +lay before them. + +Back from the trail, in the forest proper, there was little underbrush, +but the stand of young trees was dense and the way underfoot was so rough +and uneven that it was almost impossible to make any headway there. For +Stone Mountain was a stone mountain in very truth. It appeared to be just +one enormous heap of rocks and boulders. In a very little while both boys +were perspiring profusely from their efforts, and both were conscious that +they were tiring fast; for the grade up the notch was steep. + +"Gee!" said Lew, at last. "This is tougher than anything I ever saw when I +was in the Maine woods with Dad. We've got to take it easy or we'll be +tuckered out before we get through this gap. Let's rest a bit." + +He sat down on a stone and Charley followed his example. As they rested, +they looked sharply about them. They could see for some distance through +the naked forest. The tree trunks stood straight and tall, and seemed to +be crowded as close together as pickets on a fence. + +"This sure is a fine stand of poles," remarked Lew, "but it's just as that +lumber dealer said. There isn't a tree in it that would make a board wider +than six inches. But there's some good timber farther back in the +mountains. Do you remember the fine stand of pines in that little valley +we're heading for? When we were there three years ago there hadn't been a +tree cut in that valley. There must be millions and millions of feet of +lumber there." + +"And do you remember," replied Charley, "how dark it was under those +pines, and how cold the water in the run was, and what schools of trout +we saw? Gee! I wish it had been trout season then! But we ought to get'em +now. Oh boy! I can hardly wait to get there." + +"Then we had better be jogging on. It'll be dark before we know it." + +"All right," returned Charley, "but I'm going to get a drink before I go +any farther." + +"I want one, too. Guess I'll fill the canteen. Then we won't have to, stop +every time we want a drink." + +The two boys scrambled down the slope to the brook. The lumber trail was +near the bottom of the notch and they had only a few yards to go. The +little run was rushing tumultuously down the notch, splashing over rocks, +scurrying over little sandy stretches, ever singing, ever murmuring, in +its downward course. Their packs and blankets made it difficult to stretch +out flat and drink from the stream, so Lew rinsed out the canteen, filled +it, and handed it to his companion. Charley took a good drink and passed +the canteen silently back to his chum. + +"If you didn't really know it was the brook," said Lew, "you'd be willing +to swear you could hear somebody talking. You can hear voices just as +plain as can be. And you can almost make out what they say. Many a time +I've caught myself listening hard to try to make out the words, when I +heard a brook talking." + +"It's no wonder people get scared and pretty nearly go crazy when they are +lost in the forest," replied Lew. "Without half trying, you can imagine +the forest is full of people or spooks or animals or something, creeping +up behind your back." + +Lew bent down and once more filled the canteen. He corked it tight and +dipped it bodily into the run to wet the cloth cover, so that the water +within would be kept cool by evaporation. Then he slung the canteen over +his shoulder. + +"I never saw a mountain stream so low at this time of the year," he +remarked, as he followed his companion up the trail. "You might think it +was August. But with no snow to melt and no rainfall this spring, it isn't +to be wondered at." + +On they went up the trail. For a long time neither boy spoke. The brambles +still tore at their clothes and the bushes tripped them. In places the +young saplings were so dense that to force a way among them was a +difficult task. Their packs began to grow very heavy. But they had one +advantage. As Charley had suggested, the ground was perfectly dry. There +were no slippery sticks to tread on, nor any moss-covered stones, +treacherous with their soggy coats. So they could give more attention to +the obstacles above ground. But at best it was a hard, difficult climb. + +As they mounted higher and higher, the stream in the bottom constantly +dwindled. Long before the crest was reached, the brook had become a very +feeble stream, indeed. It had its source near the top of the pass, in a +great spring that welled up under a large rock. A single hemlock had +sprung up here in years past, and, watered by the spring, had grown to +enormous size. For some reason the lumbermen had passed it by. Now it +reared its giant bulk high above the younger growths around it, casting a +dense shade over the spring basin. Practically nothing grew in this deep +shade, so that the space above the spring was open and free from bushes. +On the trunk of this giant hemlock, where it could be seen by all who came +to the spring, was a white sign that read: + + <i>Everybody loses when timber burns.</i> + Pennsylvania Department of Forestry. + +"After our fight with the forest fire, when we were in camp at Fort Brady, +they don't need to tell any member of the Wireless Patrol to be careful +with fire," observed Lew. "But there are lots of people who do need to be +warned." + +He dipped the canteen in the spring and passed on. "We're almost at the +top," he said, "and I'm not sorry." + +"The light is already growing fainter," said Charley, "and it will bother +us to see before so very long. It's going to get dark awful early +to-night. We'd better hustle." + +They reached the summit of the pass and started down the other slope. The +trail continued. At first it was choked with briars and bushes. But +suddenly they found the trail open. It had been cleared of all +obstructions and enlarged until it was several feet wide. Even the roots +of the bushes had been grubbed out, so that the path was smooth and clean. +The cut saplings and brush had been burned in the trail itself, but the +work had been done so carefully that never a tree had been scorched. Even +the marks of fire had been obliterated by the subsequent grubbing of the +roots. + +"Bully good!" cried Lew, when he saw the path lying smooth and open before +him. "The forest rangers have been making a fire trail of this old path. +We can make great time here." + +He pushed on at top speed. Charley hung close at his heels. Neither boy +said a word, each saving his breath for the task in hand; for with the +packs on their backs even a down-hill trail was not easy. + +"We can go scout pace here," said Lew over his shoulder, and suiting his +action to his words, he broke into a trot. Fifty steps he went at that +gait, then walked fifty. Then he ran fifty more. So they went down the +mountain in a mere fraction of the time it had taken them to ascend. But +long before they reached the bottom, Lew dropped back to a steady walk. + +"We've got to save our wind for the climb up Old Ironsides," he said over +his shoulder. + +It was well he did so. Before them a long, high mountain stretched across +their way, like a giant caterpillar. No notch cut through its rugged side, +to give an easy way to the valley beyond. Only by climbing directly over +the rugged monster could the two boys reach the snug little valley on its +far side, where they expected to find the trout teeming tinder the dark +pines. Old Ironsides was the rocky barrier that confronted them. Even +Stone Mountain was not more rugged and rocky. Like Stone Mountain it +seemed to be a mammoth rock pile. Rocks of every size and description +covered its steep slope. Mostly the mountain was shaded by a good stand of +second-growth timber; but in places there were vast areas of rounded +stones, like flattish heaps of potatoes, that for acres covered the soil +of the hill so deeply as to prevent all plant growth. Old Ironsides could +have been called Stone Mountain as appropriately as its neighbor, for +truly it was rock-ribbed. But the stones on its slopes, unlike those of +Stone Mountain, contained a small percentage of iron. Hence its name. The +nearer slope of this hill was as dry as it was stony. Not a spring or the +tiniest trickle of water wet its rocky side for miles. But part way down +the farther slope a splendid stream gushed forth among the rocks. It was +this spring, or the stream issuing from it, that Charley and Lew hoped to +reach before they made their camp for the night. + +Thanks to the work of the forest rangers in clearing the fire trail, it +looked as though the two boys would reach their goal before dark. Could +they have gone straight up the slope of Old Ironsides, they would have +come almost directly to the spring itself. But the grade was far too steep +to permit that. They would have to zigzag up the hill and find the stream +after they topped the crest. Because of the peculiar formation of the land +below this spring, the water did not run directly down the hill toward the +bottom, but flowed off to one side and made its way diagonally down the +slope. + +At the bottom of the fire trail Lew and Charley sat down and rested for +five minutes. Then they began their difficult climb upward. And difficult +it was. There was no semblance of a path. The way led over jagged masses +of rock, through dense little stands of trees, and among growths that were +hard to penetrate because of their very thinness; for where the stand was +sparse the trees had many low limbs to catch and trip and pull at those +who sought to pass through. + +There were great areas of bare stones to be crossed--stones rounded and +weathered by the elements through thousands of years, and finally heaped +together like flattish piles of pumpkins on a barn floor. Acres and acres +were covered by these great deposits of rounded, lichened rocks. + +In crossing these rocky areas it was necessary to use the greatest +caution. Many of the stones rested so insecurely that the slightest +pressure would send them rolling downward. If one stone started, others +might follow, and great numbers of rocks might go rushing down the hill as +coal pours down a chute into a cellar. Serious injury was certain to +result if either of the lads got caught in such a slide; for some of the +stones in these piles weighed hundreds of pounds. + +Rattlesnakes constituted a second danger. The mountains hereabout were +full of them. One never could tell at what instant a rattler might be +found lying among the stones, or coiled on a flat rock that had been +warmed by the sun. So like the rocks themselves in color were these snakes +that in the dull light it would have been easily possible to step on one +of them without seeing it. So the two boys advanced slowly and cautiously +across these barren stretches, stepping gingerly on stones that looked +insecure and ever keeping a sharp watch for anything that might suggest +snakes. + +Up they went and still upward. Across bare rock patches, through brushy +growths and among dense stands of young trees, the two boys forced their +way, ever ascending, ever working upward toward the summit. Now they made +their way to the right, now to the left, and sometimes they climbed +straight upward in their efforts to avoid obstacles. + +"Gee!" cried Charley after they had been climbing for some time. "This is +what I call tough going. Let's have a drink." + +They sat down on a stone to rest. Perspiration was pouring down their +faces. Both boys were breathing hard. The canteen was uncorked and they +took a good drink. + +"Not too much," cautioned Lew, as Charley started to take a second +draught. "You can't climb if you fill up too full." + +After a short rest they went on again. The way grew rockier. There were +fewer piles of loose stones, but more outcropping rocks, the bare bones of +the earth. Constantly the light dwindled. Their progress grew slower. From +time to time they paused to drink and rest. + +"We're never going to make it before dark," said Charley, again pausing to +get his breath. He took a drink and passed the canteen to his companion. + +"Then we'll have to make it after dark," said Lew. "For the canteen is +about empty and we've got to have water. I'm so thirsty I could drink a +gallon." + +They said no more, but pushed ahead as fast as their weary legs would +carry them. + +"We're not far from the top now," Lew said after a time. "I see our old +landmark over to the left. It isn't more than half a mile from that to the +water. We'll make it all right." + +But he had hardly gone fifty yards before he stopped and cried out. Before +him lay a blackened, desolate area that stretched the remainder of the way +to the summit. Fire had swept over the spot. But it was not the fact that +fire had been through the region that made Lew cry out. Fire and +subsequent storms had practically leveled the stand of trees between the +spot where Lew stood and the summit. Here and there a blackened tree +thrust its bare trunk upward, limbless, its top gone, a ragged, spectral, +pitiful remnant of what had been a beautiful tree. But mostly the thick +stand of young poles had been laid low even as a scythe levels a field of +grain. And these fallen poles lay in almost impassable confusion, twisted +and tangled and in places heaped in towering masses. A barbed wire +entanglement would hardly have been a worse obstacle. To penetrate the +mass, even in the light of noon, would have been no easy work; but to +cross the area now, with dusk fast deepening to darkness, was indeed a +difficult task. + +"Well," said Lew, after a few searching glances at the burned area, "we've +got to go on, and we might as well plow straight through it. I can't see +that one way looks any easier than another." + +They went on, slowly, painfully. Now they were forced to crawl underneath +a fallen tree, now to climb over one. Again and again their way was +completely blocked by high barriers of interlocked trunks and branches. +Sometimes they had to mount the fallen trunks and cautiously walk from one +to another. Darkness came on apace. They could hardly see. The flash-light +was brought forth, the last drop in the canteen swallowed, and they +started forward on their final push. + +"It's only a few hundred yards to the top, now," said Lew. "It will be +easier going down the other side." + +Painfully slow was their progress. More than once each of them tripped and +fell. The sharp ends of the broken branches tore their clothes and +scratched them badly. But silently, doggedly, they pushed on. At last +there remained but one barrier between them and the summit. It was a +great pile of fallen trunks that had no visible ending. There was nothing +to do but go over it. From one log to another they scrambled up, each +helping the other, advancing a foot at a time, feeling the way with hands +and feet and searching out a path with the little light. So high were the +trees piled that at times the boys walked ten feet in air, making their +way gingerly along the slender trunks. Eventually they got beyond the log +barrier and the remainder of the way to the top was more open. At last +they stood on the very summit. + +"I wonder where our landmark is," queried Lew, flashing his light this way +and that. "I understand now why we saw it so plainly from below. There +were no standing trees to hide it. We never saw it from so far away +before." + +The landmark was a great, upright rock like a huge chimney. It was not far +distant and presently Lew found it. The boys made their way to it. + +"Now," said Lew, with a sigh of relief, "we go straight down. We should +come to the brook flowing from the spring in a few minutes. We'll have to +make it soon or I'll die of thirst." + +They started down the slope. The fire had swept over the summit and the +way before them was like the area they had just crossed. But they were now +going down-hill and it was far easier to force their way. A few yards at a +time they advanced, now held back by a fallen log or turned aside by +dense entanglements of prostrate trunks. + +Presently Lew gave a cry. "Do you see that big stone like an altar, +Charley?" he called, turning the light on a great rock. "That's the stone +where we made our fire the last time we were here. It stands within +twenty-five feet of the brook." + +"Thank goodness!" answered Charley. "My back is about broken. This pack +weighs a ton! And I'll die if I don't get water soon." + +Recklessly they pushed forward, almost running in their eager haste. + +"Here we are," exulted Lew, a moment later. "Here's the brook." + +Before him he could dimly make out the depression in the earth where the +stream ran. He dropped his pack and ran forward, then threw himself flat +in the darkness and felt in the stream bed for a pool deep enough to drink +from. His fingers touched only dry sand and stones. + +"The light, Charley," he panted. "Bring the light, quick." + +His comrade flung his own pack on the earth and ran forward to the bank of +the stream. He turned his light downward and flashed it right and left +along the bed of the brook. There was no answering sparkle of light. The +bed of the brook was not even moist. The spring had gone dry. + + + + +Chapter IV + +In the Burned Forest + + + +The two boys were almost stunned by their discovery. For a moment neither +spoke. Indeed neither dared to speak. Their disappointment was so keen, +their thirst so intense, that both boys were near to tears. But presently +they got command of themselves. + +"I knew it had been a mighty dry season," said Lew, in amazement, "but I +never imagined it was anything like this. I supposed that spring never +went dry." + +The two lads stood looking at each other in consternation. + +"What in the world shall we do?" asked Charley, slowly. + +"I don't see that we can do anything," rejoined Lew. "I'm all in myself. I +couldn't go another rod if somebody would pay me. We'll just have to make +the best of it." + +"Well, we can eat if we can't drink," said Charley. "Start a fire and I'll +get out the grub." + +Charley began to unroll his pack, while Lew gathered up a few twigs and +made a cone-shaped little pile of them close beside the great rock. He +struck a match and in a moment flames were drawing upward through the +twigs. With the hatchet Lew cut some short lengths of heavier wood and +soon the flames were leaping high, lighting up the forest for rods around. + +Dismal, indeed, was the sight the two lads looked upon. Nowhere could they +see anything green, save a few scattered ferns. Everywhere gaunt, ragged, +blackened trees thrust their sorrowful looking trunks aloft. The earth was +littered with blackened debris--burned and partly charred limbs and fallen +trees. The very rocks were fire-scarred and scorched. Hardly could the +mind of man conceive a picture more desolate. As the two boys looked at +the scene before them, Lew quoted the sign on the hemlock. + +"Everybody loses when timber burns," he said. But though both boys were +looking directly at what seemed the very acme of destruction and loss, +neither as yet comprehended the full significance of the statement Lew was +quoting. + +Charley spread the grub out on his blanket and put the dishes together +near the fire. While he was waiting for a bed of coals to form, he cut +some bread and spread the slices with butter. Presently he put the little +frying-pan over the coals and began to cook some meat. Every time he bent +over his pile of grub, he smelled the coffee. The odor was tantalizing, +almost torturing. Never, it seemed to him, had he ever wanted anything so +much as he now wanted a drink of coffee. But with no water they could +have no coffee. Finally Charley put the package of coffee in the +coffee-pot and clamped down the lid so that the odor could reach him no +longer. From time to time Lew quietly stirred the coals. Charley fried the +meat in silence. Neither boy felt like talking. + +When the meal was ready, they sat down on the dry ground and in silence +ate their food. + +Presently Lew broke the quiet. "I wonder what Roy had to say to-night. I +thought maybe we'd be able to get our wireless up and listen in. But I'm +too tired to bother with any wireless to-night, even from Roy. It'll be +the hay for mine, quick." + +He began to look for a place where they could sleep. When he had selected +a spot, he took the hatchet and with the back of it smoothed the ground, +removing all stones and little stumps. Charley, meantime, put the food +away and piled the dishes. They could not be washed. Then the two boys +rolled themselves in their blankets, put their pack bags under their heads +and were asleep almost instantly. Their difficult climb had tired them +utterly. + +The next morning found them fully refreshed. No clouds hung above them, +and the sun's rays awoke them early. Aside from their intense thirst, +neither felt any the worse for his hard experience. + +"It's still early," said Lew, as he looked at the sun that had hardly more +than cleared the summit of the eastern hills. "Let's push on down to the +bottom and cook breakfast after we reach water. It won't take very long +to get down, and then we can have some coffee. Oh boy! I never knew how +good coffee was." + +"I could drink anything--even medicine," smiled Charley, "so it was wet." + +Rapidly the packs were assembled and the blankets rolled. "Put things +together good," said Lew, "for it will be a tough journey even if we are +going down-hill. I've been looking at some of the tangles we came through +last night and I don't see how we ever made it." + +"Sometimes," replied Charley, "it's a good thing a fellow can't know +exactly what he's attempting. If he did know, maybe he'd never have the +nerve to try." + +They started down the slope, their packs and blankets securely slung about +them and even tied fast with strings, to prevent them from catching among +the fallen trees. Unintentionally they followed the dry bed of the stream. +It led along a slight depression that ran diagonally down the +mountainside. But quickly they realized that this was the most difficult +path they could have chosen. For along the margins of the brook, the +timber, fed by the flow of water, had been much denser and larger than the +timber farther from the bank of the stream. So dense was the tangle now +that at first the boys could see only a few hundred yards ahead of them. +Presently they noticed that they were traveling through the thickest part +of the timber, or what had been timber. If possible, their way was more +difficult than it had been in ascending the mountain. But daylight and the +fact that they were going down-hill made it possible for them to travel +with comparative rapidity. Once they noticed that they were advancing by +the most difficult route, they left the margin of the brook and cut +straight down the slope. + +Now the way was more open. They could see farther. But both were so +preoccupied with what lay immediately around them that for a time neither +gave heed to more distant views. Furthermore, the bottom was still +obscured by a heavy night mist. The warm spring sun rapidly dissipated +this, opening the valley to view as though some invisible hand had rolled +back a giant cover. Presently Lew reached a little area that was swept +absolutely bare of everything. Nothing remained but the nude rocks and +soil. Lew, who was leading the way, paused to spy out the best path. Then +he cried out in dismay. A moment later Charley stood by his side and both +boys gazed in speechless horror at the scene before them. + +The magnificent stand of pines that they had expected to see in the bottom +was no more. For miles the valley before them was a blackened waste. Like +giant jackstraws the huge pine sticks, that they had last seen as +magnificent, towering trees, were heaped in inextricable confusion or +still stood, broken, blasted, gaunt, limbless, spectral, awful remnants of +their former selves. No words could convey the terrible desolation of the +scene. Where formerly these giant pines had risen heavenward, higher and +more stately than the most exquisite church spires or cathedral columns, +there were now only scattered and blasted stumps, while the floor of the +valley was strewn with the horrible debris. The scene was sickening, +appalling. + +For a moment neither lad spoke. The scene before them oppressed them, made +them sick at heart. They knew no language that would convey what was in +their minds. But even yet they did not fully understand the tragedy of a +forest fire. They were soon to learn. Silently they went on; but they had +gone no more than a hundred yards when they came upon a sight that fairly +sickened them. In a little circle, as though the animals had crowded close +together in their terror and helplessness, lay the remains of a number of +deer. The flesh had either been burned or had rotted away; but the most of +the bones and parts of the hides remained. There could be no mistake as to +the identity of the dead animals. The very positions of the skeletons told +a pitiful story. Blinded by smoke and flame, made frantic by the red death +that was sweeping the forest, confused, terror-stricken, weakened by gas +and fumes, the poor beasts had finally crowded together and perished under +the onrushing wave of fire. For a moment the boys gazed at the scene in +fascinated horror; then they turned away, to shut out the picture. They +were oppressed, almost stunned. + +They went on. Not a vestige of its former magnificent vegetation covered +the slope. Nothing in the world could be more awful, more desolate, more +disheartening to behold than the area the two chums were now crossing. +Never had either seen anything that so oppressed him. For not only had the +slope of Old Ironsides been laid waste, but the entire bottom had been +swept by fire, and the opposite mountain slope devastated. Before them was +nothing but desolation. + +Soon they were near enough to see the sparkle of water in the bottom. In +their horror at their immediate surroundings they had temporarily +forgotten even their terrible thirst. The sight of water recalled their +need. + +"Thank God water can't burn!" cried Lew, as the sparkle of the brook +caught his eye. "We'd be in a fine pickle if the brook had been consumed, +too." + +The prospect of a drink stirred them. They threw off the spell that so +depressed them and hastened downward, reckless alike of menacing branches +and loose stones and obstructing tree trunks. Headlong they pushed +downward. But fortune was with them and neither a broken bone nor a +strained ligament resulted, though more than once each lad slipped and +fell. Presently they reached the bottom of the slope and came to the very +brink of the run. Almost frantically they flung themselves on the ground +and drank. + +Long, copious draughts they drank; and it was not until they had quenched +their thirst that they really noticed how shrunken the brook was. Instead +of the deep, rushing mountain stream they had seen when last they visited +the spot, they now found but a slender rivulet that flowed quietly along +the middle of the stream bed, leaving bare, bordering ribbons of stony +bottom along its margins. Nowhere did the water seem to reach from bank to +bank, excepting where some obstruction in the stream bed dammed the +current back. Like the forest, the brook was also a sorrowful picture. But +there was this difference. The forest was dead, whereas the brook, though +feeble, still lived. + +The full significance of the shrunken stream did not strike the two boys +until they had traveled for some distance up the bank of the run. +Presently they came to a spot they recognized as a favorite trout-hole. A +great boulder jutted out from one bank, while opposite it, on the other +shore, stood or had stood, a mammoth hemlock. These obstructions had +formed a little pool, and the current had eaten away much earth from +beneath the roots of the great tree, forming an ideal lurking place for +trout. And in this dark, deep, secure retreat great fish had lived since +time immemorial. More than one huge trout had the two chums taken here. +Never was the pool without its giant occupant, for when one big fellow was +caught another moved in to take his place, the run being fully stocked +from year to year by the smaller fishes from the spring brooks, like the +vanished rivulet above. But now no trout hid under the hemlock's roots. +They stood high and dry, while the puny stream that trickled beneath them +would hardly have covered a minnow. The two boys looked at each other in +dismay. + +"You don't suppose the entire stream is like that, do you, Lew?" asked +Charley. "There won't be a trout in it if it is." Then, after a pause, he +added: "What in the world do you suppose has become of the trout, anyway?" + +His question was soon answered, at least in part. Continuing along the +bank of the run, the boys presently came to one of the deepest pools in +the stream. In the crystal water they could see many trout, for there were +no hiding-places in the pool at this low stage of water. Some of the fish +were large. At the approach of the boys the frightened trout darted +frantically about in the pool, vainly seeking cover. + +Around the margins of this pool were innumerable little tracks in the +earth. "Raccoons!" exclaimed Lew. "There must have been dozens of them +here." + +But not until he found some little piles of fish-bones near the farther +end of the pool did he grasp the significance of the tracks. He stopped in +amazement. + +"Look here, Charley," he called, pointing to the piles of fish-bones. +"Those coons have been catching and eating trout." Then, after a moment's +thought, he added, "If this stream is like this in April, what will it be +in August? There will be hardly a drop of water or a trout left. Why, this +brook is ruined for years as a trout-stream--maybe forever. And it used to +be absolutely the finest trout-stream in this part of the mountains." + +Depressed and silent, the two lads continued along the brook. The +mountains on either side of them and the entire bottom between lay black +and desolate. But far up the run they could now see green foliage again, +where the fire had been stopped. + +"Let's go on to those pines before we eat our breakfast," said Charley. +"It would make me sick to eat here in these ruins." + +"That's exactly the way I feel, too," replied Lew. "It is the most awful +thing I ever saw. Let's get out of it." + +As rapidly as they could, they forced their way up-stream. The valley +became narrower as they advanced. It was shaped like a huge wish-bone; and +they were nearing the small end, where the mountains came together and +formed a high knob. As the valley narrowed, the grade became much steeper, +and their progress was correspondingly slower. + +The pines they were heading for stood almost at the top of the knob at the +crotch of the wish-bone. They were, therefore, at a considerable +elevation. From the edge of these pines one would have to travel only a +short distance to reach the very summit of the knob. After a hard walk the +boys reached the end of the burned tract. They penetrated into the living +forest far enough to shut out the sight of the dead forest they had just +traversed. Then they threw down their packs and hastily set about cooking +their breakfast. + +"Gee!" cried Lew. "I never was so glad to get away from anything in my +life. I hope I shall never again see a sight like that. It fairly makes a +fellow sick." + +In their haste to start cooking, they were not as careful as they might +have been in building their fire, and they made considerable smoke. Before +they were half done eating, a man appeared farther up the run, advancing +through the pines at great speed. He seemed to be in a big hurry until he +caught sight of the two boys as they sat on the dry pine-needles. After +that he came forward at an ordinary gait. + +"Good-morning, boys," he said pleasantly, as he drew near. Then, catching +sight of their rods, he added, "If you came to get fish, you struck a +mighty poor place." + +"It used to be the best place for trout I ever saw," replied Lew. "This +brook used to be full of 'em--big ones, too. But the season has been so +dry, the brook has almost disappeared." + +"You mean that the fires that have swept this valley have burned it up," +replied the stranger. + +"It's too awful a thing to joke about," replied Lew. + +"A joke!" exclaimed the stranger, frowning. + +"It's the literal truth--and a most terrible truth, at that." + +"I don't understand," said Lew, slowly. "How can fire burn water? I +supposed the lack of snow last winter and of rain this spring had made the +brook shrink." + +"Not for a minute, young man, not for a minute. If fires hadn't swept this +valley the past two or three years, there would have been plenty of water +in the run, rain or no rain." + +"I--I don't exactly understand," said Lew hesitatingly. + +"It's like this," said the stranger. "The forest floor is like a great +sponge. The decayed leaves and twigs are so light and porous that they +soak up most of the rain as it falls and hold the water indefinitely. That +keeps the springs full, and the springs feed the brooks, and so there is +water all the year round. It is nature's method of storing up water. When +a fire sweeps through the forest, especially such awful fires as have gone +through this valley, the leaves and twigs above ground are burned, and +even the roots and the decaying vegetable matter under the earth are +consumed. Nothing is left but mineral matter--particles of rock, stones, +sand, and the like. The rain will no longer sink into the ground, nor will +the earth hold the water as the rotting leaves do. Then when it rains, the +water runs off as fast as it falls. The brooks are flooded for a few hours +and then they dry up until another rain comes. So you see I meant exactly +what I said. This trout-stream was burned up by the forest fires. +Likewise many of the trout were burned up with it, for in places the fire +made the water hotter than trout can stand. Thousands of them were +literally cooked." + +For a while both boys were silent. The idea was a new one to them. + +Presently Charley spoke. "I knew that fire burned up our timber," he said, +"but I never thought about its burning up our water, too. I know we're +getting awful short of lumber. Is there any danger of our running out of +water? But that can't be, surely." + +"It surely can be," said the stranger. "I judge you boys have been here +before, and-----" + +"We have," interrupted Lew. + +"Then you know what a magnificent stream this run used to be. Look at it +now. I don't believe there is one-tenth as much water in it as there used +to be. Suppose all the mountains in this state should be devastated like +this valley. Where would the towns and cities get their water?" + +"Great Caesar!" said Lew. "I never thought of that. There wouldn't be any +water for them to get. If the brooks dried up, the rivers would dry up, +too. Why--why--what in the world would we do? There wouldn't be any water +to drink or wash in or cook with or run our factories. Why, great Caesar! +If the forests vanished, I guess we'd be up against it. I never thought of +the forests as furnishing anything but lumber. And I never thought much +about that until we tried to buy a little lumber the other day and the +dealer wanted ten dollars for half a dozen boards." + +"Exactly!" said the stranger. "That's the price you and I and the rest of +us in Pennsylvania pay for allowing our forests to be destroyed." + +"They haven't all been destroyed," protested Lew. + +"No, but the greater part of them have been." + +"You don't mean really destroyed, do you?" asked Lew. + +"Yes, sir. Absolutely destroyed. You came up this valley, didn't you?" + +"Sure," said Charley. + +"Would you call the forest there destroyed?" + +"If it isn't, I don't know how you would describe it," said Lew. + +"All right, then. There are some 45,000 square miles in this state. +Originally practically all of that area was dense forests. The early +settlers thought the timber would last forever and they cut and destroyed +it recklessly. The lumbermen that followed were just as wasteful. It was +all right to clear the land that was good for farming. But there are more +than 20,000 square miles in this state just like these mountains--land +that is fit for nothing but the production of timber. None of that land is +producing as much timber as it should. Much of it yields very little. And +more than 6,400 square miles are absolutely desert, as bare and hideous as +the burned valley below us. That's one acre in every seven in +Pennsylvania. Think of it! Six thousand, four hundred square miles, an +area larger than the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, +that is absolute desert! Every foot of that land ought to be producing +timber for us. Then we should have lumber at a fraction of its present +cost. You see the freight charges alone on the lumber used in this state +are enormous." + +"That lumber dealer told us they amounted to $25,000,000 a year," replied +Lew. + +"They do," assented the stranger. "And when the new freight rates go into +effect the amount will be $40,000,000. What it will be when we get our +wood from the Pacific coast I have no idea, but I suppose it will be at +least double what it is now, anyway." + +"The Pacific coast!" cried Lew. "Why should we get lumber from the Pacific +coast when we can get it from the South? The lumber dealer told us that +practically all the wood we use now conies from the South." + +"He was right. But we shall presently be getting our lumber from the far +West for the same reason that we now get it from the South. In ten or a +dozen years there won't be any lumber left in the South for us to buy. +They will do well to supply themselves. Then we must bring our lumber from +Idaho and Oregon and Washington and California. The freight charges will +be something terrific, and the wood itself will cost a good deal more than +it now does because it will be so scarce." + +"Great Caesar!" cried Lew. "What will a poor devil do then if he wants to +build a boat?" + +"Or if he wants to build a house?" suggested the stranger. "You know lots +of folks have to build houses every year. Look at all the people who get +married and build homes. Why, when I was a little boy, you could buy the +finest kind of lumber for ten or fifteen dollars a thousand. It didn't +cost much then to build a house. Now a man has to work for years before he +can save enough to pay for a home, even a very modest one. And what it +will cost when the wood from the South and the far West is all gone I hate +to imagine." + +"The wood from the far West all gone!" cried Charley. "Surely that can +never be. Why, the forests there are enormous. I've read all about them." + +"The forests here were enormous, too, young man. Forty years ago +Pennsylvania supplied a large part of the nation with its lumber. And +to-day we don't grow more than one-tenth of the wood we use. Yes, sir; +within twenty-five years or so after we have finished up the wood in the +South, there won't be any left in the far West, either." + +"What in the world are we going to do?" asked Lew. + +"God knows," said the stranger solemnly. "But there is one thing we've +<i>got</i> to do right now. Get these mountains to growing timber again. We +must take care of what has already started to grow and plant trees where +there are none. Most important of all, we must be careful with fire. I +came down here just to warn you boys to be careful with your fire." + +"It wasn't necessary," said Lew. "We fought a forest fire once, and nobody +but an idiot would ever be careless with fire if he had seen what we have +seen this morning." + +"Well, I must be moving, boys. There are lots of other fishermen that are +not as careful as you are. Good-bye." + +The man started on, then turned back. "If you came here to fish," he said +slowly, "you're up against it. But I can tell you where to go to get all +the trout you want. Go on up to the top of this knob. Face exactly east +and you will see a gap in the second range of mountains. Make your way +through that gap and you'll find as fine a trout-stream as God ever made. +This is state forest and the Forestry Department wants everybody to use +and enjoy the forests. We are always glad to help campers." + +"Are you connected with the State Forest Service?" asked Charley, all +interest. + +"Of course," smiled the stranger. "I'm a forest-ranger," and he threw back +his coat, exhibiting a keystone shaped badge on his breast. + +"And it's your duty to protect the forest from fire?" asked Charley. + +"Yes; and do a lot more besides. A forest-ranger has to look after the +forest just as a gardener has to tend a garden. And that means we must +care for everything in the forest--birds and animals and fish as well as +trees, though, of course, the game wardens have particular charge of the +animals." + +"And how do you take care of the animals and the trees?" demanded Charley +eagerly. + +"Young man," he said, "it would take me all day to answer your question. +We do whatever is necessary to the welfare of the forest and its +inhabitants. We take out wolf trees, make improvement cuttings, plant +little trees, keep our telephone-line in shape, and do a million other +things, as we find them necessary. If I had time just now, I'd go down +this run and pile some stones in the pools for the trout to hide under. I +was through here the other day and I noticed that the coons are playing +hob with the fish." + +"And does the state pay you for doing this work?" + +"Certainly. Pays me well, too." + +"Tell me how I could-----" began Charley. + +But the ranger interrupted him. "I can't tell you another thing now," he +said. "I must be moving. You never can tell when some careless fisherman +will set the forest on fire. The fact is I ought to be at headquarters +with the other rangers. The chief keeps us pretty close to the office +during the fire season, so as to have a fire crew at hand to respond +instantly to an alarm. But we have had such difficulty in securing fire +patrols this spring that some of us rangers have to do patrol duty. This +piece of timber you are in is the most valuable part of this entire +forest. It is virgin pine. It would cut close to 100,000 feet to the acre. +There is very little timber left in all Pennsylvania as fine as this. A +good part of it has already been burned. We are keeping close watch on +what is left. You never can tell when or where fires will start and we +want to grab them at the first possible minute. So I must shake a leg." + +"How do you grab a fire?" demanded Charley. "Please tell us. Maybe we +could help put one out some day if we knew how." + +The ranger laughed. "You're a persistent Indian," he said, "and I'm glad +you like the forest." + +"Like it!" exclaimed Charley. "I love it." + +He poured a cup of hot coffee and handed it to the ranger. "Tell us how +you put out a fire," he pleaded. + +The ranger chuckled. "You're a diplomat as well as a forest lover, I see," +he said. "Well, I shall keep moving through this tract of timber all day +long. If I see a fire I shall hurry to it, the way I came down to your big +smoke. I'll put it out, if possible. And if I can't get it out, I'll +summon help. Then we'll fight it until we do get it out." + +"How could you get help, when you're alone in the deep forest?" + +"I'd make my way out to the highway where our wire runs and connect up +this portable telephone," and the ranger pointed to a little leather case, +like a kodak box, that hung from his shoulder by a leather strap. "In a +minute's time a fire crew would be on the way to my assistance in a +motor-truck." + +The ranger handed Charley the empty cup and thanked him. + +"Have some more coffee?" urged Charley. + +"'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" quoted the ranger. "I believe you'd keep me +here all day if you could. I must be moving." + +"Just a minute," pleaded Charley. "You said it was difficult to find fire +patrols. Could I get a job as a fire patrol? I don't know as much about +fighting fire as you do, but I can patrol the forest and report fires as +well as anybody." + +"I wish you could be a patrol," replied the ranger heartily. "I'm sure +you'd make a good one. You seem to like the forest. But I don't believe it +is possible. The chief never hires anybody under twenty-one years of age +excepting in very unusual circumstances. In fact, I know of only two such +cases. And those two boys were almost of age and were unusualy well +qualified. I'm sorry, for I'd like to see you in the Forest Service. +Good-bye." He turned on his heel and was gone. + +Lew watched the ranger until he disappeared from view. Charley scarcely +glanced at him. He was lost in thought. Evidently his thoughts were not +pleasant, for from time to time he scowled. + +"Lew," he said, at length, "I never realized until this minute just what +that sign on the old hemlock meant." And he quoted: "'Everybody loses +when timber burns.' It's true. <i>Everybody</i> loses--positively everybody. +The sportsmen lose game, the fishermen lose fish, the towns lose their +water-supply, the mills lose their water-power, civilization loses wood. +Why, Lew, civilization's built of wood. How could we live without it? And +as for me, think what I've lost through forest fires. I've lost an +opportunity to own half of a boat. I've suffered from thirst. I've lost a +chance to catch some fish. And, Lew, I've lost a college education! I +never understood it before. If the cost of lumber hadn't gone up so much, +Dad could have paid for his house easily and helped me through college. +Now I've got to give up going to college. I've got to work two or three +years for Dad and if ever I get married and want to build a home, I see +where I've got to slave for the rest of my life to pay for the lumber +that's in it, and the wooden furnishings inside of it. Think of it, Lew! +You and I and all the rest of us have to work for years and years just to +pay for what a lot of reckless people did before we were born. It's +terrible, Lew, terrible. I've got to spend three years in a factory +because of it. I thought for a minute that I might get a job here in the +forest. That would have been grand. But there's no such luck. It's the +factory for me. I'm sure of it. I don't know how I'll ever stand it, Lew." + + + + +Chapter V + +A Lost Opportunity + + + +Half an hour later the two boys were all but ready to go on. Before +rolling his pack, Charley filled his coffee-pot in the run and thoroughly +soaked the last embers of their fire. + +"You'll never burn any timber," he said, as he poured on the last potful. +Then he stowed the coffee-pot in his pack and in a few moments the two +boys were once more afoot. + +They struck directly for the top of the knob, as the ranger had told them +to do. The slope of the ground alone guided them. So dense was the stand +of timber that the huge trunks shut off the view in all directions. It was +almost as though they were encircled by palisades. And so thick was the +shade that rarely did a sunbeam reach the earth. They were in the forest +primeval, a land of perpetual gloom. There was no underbrush and they +could travel rapidly. In a very short time they came to the top of the +knob. + +The summit had been entirely cleared of timber. On the very highest point +one lone tree remained. A long pole had been planted near its trunk, with +its top fastened to a branch of the tree. Crossbars between the tree and +the pole made a sort of rude ladder of the affair. And well up the tree a +rough staging had been constructed of small limbs. The boys saw at once +that this was a rude sort of watch-tower, and they suspected that the +ranger had been in the tree when he discovered the smoke from their fire. + +They climbed up the tree and surveyed the scene before them in silence. +Indeed, it was too sublime for words. On every side stretched the forest. +Mile upon mile, league after league, east, west, north, south, far as the +eye could reach, spread the leafy roof of the forest, seemingly +illimitable, boundless, vast as the ocean, a sea of trees. And like a sea +the forest rose and fell in huge billows. On either hand great mountains +reared their huge bulk heavenward. Beyond them other ranges heaved their +rugged crests aloft. And still other ranges lay beyond these. Over all was +a cover of living green, the canopy of the forest. Sublime, majestic, +awesome, almost overpowering was the spectacle. And neither lad could find +words to express the emotion that arose within him. So they stood and +looked in silent wonder. Finally Charley spoke. + +"It's worth all we've been through, Lew, just to see this," he said. "I +shall be well paid for the trip, even if we never get a fish." + +Presently Lew looked up at the sun. Then he examined the mountains a +little to the left of the sun. + +"There's where we go," he said, pointing over the nearest ridge to a gap +in the mountain beyond it. "The trout-stream will be in the third valley. +We've got to travel due east. And it will be some hike, too--over a +mountain and through a high gap. Let's pick out our landmarks and get +under way. It will take us a good many hours to make it, but we ought to +be there in time to have trout for supper." + +For a few moments the boys examined the way in silence. + +"See that bunch of rocks on the summit?" asked Lew. "They look like +chimney-rocks from here. Anyway, they stick up higher than any other part +of the mountain. And there's three tall pines right beside them. That's a +good landmark. It's exactly in a straight line for the gap. We can find +that mark if we can find anything. But you can't see very clearly through +this timber. Was there ever anything like it?" + +"Finest timber I ever set eyes on, Lew. Isn't it wonderful? and to think +that the whole state was once covered with timber like that!" + +They climbed down the rude ladder, slipped their packs over their +shoulders, and set off down the mountainside at a fast pace. And they +could go fast in such timber. No underbrush tripped them or caught in +their sacks. No low limbs impeded their progress. Indeed there was hardly +a limb nearer the ground than fifty feet. Their only care was for the +rocks and the roughness underfoot. From time to time they paused as they +came to some mammoth pine, and gazed in awed wonder at its huge bulk. + +As they got down into the bottom the timber seemed to be even larger than +it was on the slope. The forest floor was soft and springy. Their feet +sank into it as into a soft, thick rug. The top of this leafy covering was +dry enough; but a few inches under the surface, the forest mold was as +moist as though a shower had just fallen. Yet there had been almost no +rain for months. Not only did the leaves hold the moisture, but the very +shade itself conserved it by preventing evaporation. + +In the very centre of the valley ran a little stream. Long before they +could see it, they heard the brook talking to itself. The forest was +filled with a gentle murmur, which grew to a distinct rushing sound as +they approached the stream. + +"Can't you just hear it speak?" said Lew. "What do you suppose it is +saying?" + +"Those really are voices," insisted Charley. + +"Now who's getting dippy?" laughed Lew. "You'll be as bad as I am if you +keep on." + +"But I do hear voices," protested Charley. "I plainly heard the word +'six.' Listen. Somebody said 'eight,' just as plain as could be." + +Lew looked puzzled. "Of course there might be some fishermen in here +besides ourselves," he said. + +They looked carefully about them, but at first saw nothing. Then a voice +distinctly said, "Hemlock--five." There could no longer be any doubt. +Some one besides themselves was in the forest. + +They made their way in the direction of the sound. Presently they saw +three men. Two of them carried calipers and walked in advance. The third +came behind and held a pencil and note-book. + +"Wonder who they are and what they are doing," Charley said quietly. + +"Let's watch and see." + +But in a moment the approaching party caught sight of them. "Good-morning, +boys," said the man with the note-book. "Out for trout?" + +"Surest thing you know," replied Lew. "But we've had hard luck. We +intended to fish in the valley back of us. It used to be a fine place for +trout. But it's been burned over and there are no trout left." + +"I know," said the man. "I've seen it. Be careful with your fires, boys. +We don't want any more of this fine timber burned." + +"Are you a forest-ranger, too?" asked Charley eagerly. + +"No; I'm the forester. I have charge of this forest." + +"Why, I thought you were at headquarters with your fire crew," cried +Charley, hardly realizing what he was saying. + +The man looked at him sharply. "I ought to be and I wish I were," he said. +"I don't like this a bit. But I was ordered by the Commissioner to send in +an immediate estimate on the amount of timber in this stand. There's a +big sale on and they have to know how much there is to sell." He paused +and then added: "How in the world did you know I was supposed to be at +headquarters with the fire crew?" + +"A ranger told us so. We met him over in the other valley. He said he +wished he was with you." + +"Oh! That would be Morton," said the forester. "I sent him out on patrol +because we were short of fire patrols." + +"Could you use me as a fire patrol?" said Charley quickly. + +The forester looked at him searchingly. "Why do you want to be a fire +patrol?" he asked. + +"I've got to go to work at something," said Charley, "and I'd love to help +care for the forest. You see, I'm almost through high school and I've got +to go to work and help Dad the minute I've graduated. He wants me to go +into the factory with him. I hate factories. But I love the woods. You'd +never be sorry, if you hired me, sir." + +"Are you sure it isn't work rather than the factory you dislike?" demanded +the forester bluntly. + +"No, no!" protested Charley. "I'd work day and night gladly if I could do +what I want to do. And there's nothing I can think of I'd rather do than +help take care of the forest." + +"Very good," said the forester, "but I need patrols now, not after school +closes in June." + +"Maybe I could get excused for the rest of the term," pleaded Charley. + +"And throw away your chance to graduate? I don't think I want that kind +of a boy for a fire patrol," said the forester with a frown. "You might +decide to quit this job, too, about the time we stacked up against a hot +fire." + +Lew spoke up. "You don't understand what Charley means, sir," he +explained. "Charley is away ahead of most of us in his school work. He's +done enough now to give him his diploma." + +"Indeed!" replied the forester. + +Then he turned to Charley in apology. "I beg your pardon, young man. I +misjudged you. I should like to have such an exemplary young man for a +patrol, but you are too young. We practically never employ a man not yet +of age as a fire patrol. A boy would have to have very unusual +qualifications if we did take him. I'm sorry, my lad. I believe you are a +fine boy, and I'd like to hire you. But you are too young." + +Charley turned his head away to hide the tears that he could not keep back +as he saw the opportunity slipping away from him. Then he dashed his hand +across his eyes and again faced the forester. + +"You do not understand who we are," he said with determination, "nor what +our qualifications are. I am accustomed to the woods, sir. I know +something of woodcraft. I have fought fire in the forest. I have spent +weeks in the mountains. And I am a wireless operator, sir. Are any of your +patrols better qualified?" + +The forester looked at him with renewed interest. "As a patrol," he +remarked, "you would have to deal with grown men. You would find yourself +in many situations that you could not handle. Grown men do not like to +take orders from boys." + +"I have handled men, sir; that is, I have helped to handle them. I helped +to capture the German dynamiters at Elk City, sir, when the Camp Brady +Wireless Patrol saved that place from destruction." + +"Are you a member of that organization?" asked the forester with +increasing interest. "I remember reading about that." + +"We both are," said Charley. "And I could help you so much with my +wireless, sir. Your ranger told us this morning that if he found a fire he +couldn't handle, he would have to go clear out to the highway before he +could summon help. With the wireless, help could be summoned almost +instantly." + +The forester smiled indulgently. "It sounds good," he commented. "But you +forget that we have no wireless and that none of us knows anything about +radio-telegraphy. No; I am afraid I can't use you, though I'd like to. If +you still want a job when you are of age, come to me. I can use you as a +patrol and I might even have a place for you as a ranger. We have mighty +few rangers as well educated and equipped as you will be. Or you might +even decide to go to Mont Alto and take a degree in forestry and become a +forester like myself. I would like to see you in the service, but I can't +take you in now. I must get on with my work and hurry back to my office. +Good-bye and good luck to you. And don't forget about your fires." + +Turning to the elder of his two companions, he said, "All right, Finnegan. +Go ahead." + +The man stepped to the nearest tree, slipped his calipers on it +breast-high, then glanced aloft. "White pine, forty-three, five," he +called. + +The forester put down the figures in his cruising book. + +"Hemlock, twenty-eight, four," called the other man. + +The men were experienced timber cruisers. They were measuring the amount +of wood in the forest. The first man meant that the white pine tree he was +measuring was forty-three inches in diameter breast-high and would make +five standard logs, each sixteen feet long. The second scaler had measured +a hemlock twenty-eight inches in diameter and long enough for four logs. +They were measuring the timber on a few acres, so as to form an estimate +of the amount for sale. + +The work interested Lew greatly, but Charley had no heart for anything. He +had fought hard and apparently his last chance had slipped away from him. + +He was very quiet as they made their way through the valley. Even the run +in the bottom failed to stir him, though he loved the little mountain +streams passionately. Yet he did notice that here, beneath the lofty +pines, where the forest mold lay deep and spongy, the brook flowed +strongly. It sang as it rushed along between its rugged banks. But there +was no music in its song for Charley. So alluring was the stream that Lew +wanted to fish, but Charley had no heart even to try for a trout; though +it was practically a certainty that there were trout aplenty to be had. +Time heals all wounds. It would heal Charley's: but not enough time had +yet elapsed for the healing process to begin. At present he could think of +nothing but his dismal prospects. + +So they went on through the bottom and slowly ascended the opposite +mountain. As they had suspected might be the case, it was impossible to +distinguish the landmarks they had chosen. The innumerable great trunks of +the pines cut off their vision as effectually as a high board fence could +have done. But the slope of the land told them which way to go, and the +freedom from underbrush made it possible for them to travel in a +comparatively straight line. So they reached the crest of the mountain, +after a stiff climb, not far from the spot which they had selected. + +The summit was sparsely timbered and they had no difficulty either in +finding their landmarks or in mapping out their way down the farther slope +and across the valley to the gap beyond. This second valley was also well +timbered. In the middle of this second valley another fine brook flowed. +And here they rested and had a bite to eat, with a cold drink from the +stream. Then they filled the canteen again and pressed on. The afternoon +was well advanced before they had climbed through the pass and reached the +valley that was to be their home for the next few days. + +Like the valley in which they had met the forester, this bottom contained +some wonderful pines, though it was really a mixed stand of timber with +hardwoods beneath and the pine tops rising high above them. There were +countless numbers of these mammoth pines that towered a hundred to a +hundred and twenty-five feet in air. The hardwoods, though shut out from +some of the light, were also wonderful for size and vigor. It was a +splendid example of a "two-storied-forest." The resulting shade was so +dense that it was like twilight at the ground level. And the stream that +went rushing among the trees was a joy to behold. Deep, dark, crystal +clear, and almost as cold as ice, it was an ideal haunt for trout. + +By the time they reached it, Charley had recovered his spirits. "Oh boy!" +he cried, when they reached the margin of the run. "Look at this brook." +As he stopped and dipped his hand in the water, he added, "It's cold +enough to freeze a fellow. Thank goodness, there isn't any underbrush +here. We won't have to wade. I'll wager this place is full of fish." + +Hardly had he spoken before a great trout darted across the stream, +almost at their feet. Charley extended his rod over the water and waved it +vigorously a few times. Instantly trout darted out from a dozen different +points. + +"Gee whiz!" shouted Charley. "Did you see 'em, Lew? I can hardly wait to +get a line in." + +"We've got to get our camp made before we do any fishing," replied Lew. +"Let's hustle up and find a good camp site." + +They walked rapidly up the valley, keeping a few yards back from the brook +so as not to alarm the trout. + +"I don't know how our wireless will work among all these trees," said Lew. +"If we could find an open spot I'm sure it would be better." + +Presently they came to exactly the sort of place they desired. At some +time, evidently within a few months, for no brush had as yet sprung up, a +hurricane had swept through the forest: and where it had passed lay a +windrow of trees as flat as a swath of grain after the scythe has gone +through it. The windrow was several rods in width, and not a tree remained +standing within that space. The fallen trees were piled upon one another +in confused masses. + +For a time the boys gazed at the scene with awe. "That opening will make a +fine place to hang our aerial if we can get the wires up," said Lew. "I +believe that we have enough wire to hang 'em up pretty high and still have +a long lead-in wire. If there is, then we can camp back here under the +trees close to the run. We have no tent and the dense tops will protect +us from dew. It'll be much warmer back among the trees, too." + +Speedily they found a place that suited them. They put their packs on the +ground and got out their wireless instruments. Then they made some rude +spreaders from branches that Lew cut in the windrow. When the aerial was +ready to hang up, Charley took a length of wire and made his way across +the windrow and up a slender tree that stood on the farther edge of the +opening. He fastened one end of the wire to the spreader and the other end +he attached to the tree. Lew was duplicating his movements on the other +side of the opening. In no time the aerial was swinging above the windrow, +and the lead-in wire had been brought back through the trees to the camp +site. Here the instruments were connected and the wire coupled to them. +The dry cells were next wired and the outfit was then ready. Lew sat down +beside the spark-gap and pressed the key. Bright flashes leaped from point +to point. He adjusted the gap, so as to get the best spark, then laid the +pack bags over the instruments. + +"We missed out on listening to Roy this time," he said, "but I'll bet we +can raise the rest of the bunch. She works fine. We've got a dandy spark." + +"Good!" cried Charley. "It won't be long before it is dark. It's already +twilight under these trees. Now for the trout." + + + + +Chapter VI + +Trout Fishing in the Wilderness + + + +"Shall we go up-stream or down?" asked Lew, as he jointed his little rod +and fastened a hook to his line. + +"Let's go down. We can't fish very long, and we know there is no brush +along the stream below us. We can try it up-stream to-morrow." + +"To-morrow we'll fish on opposite sides of the run," said Lew as they +buckled on their bait boxes and started. "I don't see any way to cross now +and there's no time to hunt for a way." + +"It's full of 'em. I'll bet on that," smiled Charley. "We'll catch a mess +in no time. Here goes with a worm." + +He threaded one on his hook, crouched down, and cautiously drew near the +bank. A dexterous flick of his rod landed the worm fairly in the middle of +the run. Hardly had it hit the water before something grabbed it, and +Charley drew forth a flopping fish. But it proved to be only a fingerling. +In disgust Charley wet his hand and carefully unhooked the little fish. + +"Shows they're here, anyway," he said, as he tossed the little trout back +into the stream. + +But if they were there, they were strangely shy in making their presence +known. Rod after rod the hoys advanced, careful not to show themselves, +making their casts with greatest caution, and keeping as quiet as +possible. But no fish so much as smelled their bait. Again and again they +let their hooks float down into promising pools, but never a strike +resulted. + +They took the worms from their hooks and tried flies. But though their +gaudy lures landed lightly on the water and danced in the rapids like real +insects struggling for their lives, never a fish rose to grasp one. + +"They won't touch worms and they don't want flies. I wonder what they do +like," grumbled Lew in disgust. "I wish we had some grasshoppers or +crickets. Bet we'd get 'em then." + +They continued their efforts until it was almost dark. "We'll have to be +getting back to camp," said Charley. "We can't see much longer. We don't +want to be caught here in the dark. The flash-light is back at camp." + +"Here's a fat grub," said Lew, picking up a whiteworm out of a rotting +log. "I'm going to make one more try. Maybe they want grubs." + +He slipped the worm on his hook and flicked it toward the brook. A second +after it struck the water there was a splash, and Lew's reel sang shrilly. + +"Oh boy!" cried Lew, as he struck up his rod smartly. "I've got him." + +He had. The fish leaped clear of the water, but failed to loosen the +line. Then it darted away like a shot, the line cutting through the water +with a sharp, swishing sound. + +"Hold him," called Charley. "He's heading for that snag." + +Lew put his thumb on the line and raised the tip of his rod higher. Under +the tension the supple steel bent almost double. The fish stopped his +rush, turned, and darted down-stream before Lew could reel in a foot of +line. + +Charley forgot all about his own fishing in his desire to help land the +trout. "Don't let him get under that rock," he warned, coming close to the +brook. "He'll cut the line." + +Lew increased the tension on the line and the fish stopped short of the +rock. For an instant the trout sulked and Lew reeled in rapidly. + +"Guess I got him," he cried triumphantly, as the fish was drawn near to +the bank. But as he bent to grasp his prize there was a tremendous splash. +The trout leaped high out of water, then darted off again like a flash. +Lew had to give him line or lose him. + +"He's a whopper, Charley," he cried. "Gee! I hope I don't lose him!" + +"Here's a shallow place," cried Charley. "Work him into it and we can grab +him." + +Lew maneuvered the trout toward the shoal. Again and again the fish broke +for the deeper water and Lew had to give him line. But each time he +stopped the rush and patiently worked the fish back toward the shoal. At +last the trout was fairly on the edge of it. Lew began to pull steadily on +his line and slid the tired fish into shallow water. It flopped helplessly +on the stones. Lew drew it to the bank and thrust a finger into its gills. +In another second the fish was dangling in air. + +"Great Caesar!" cried Charley excitedly. "Ain't he a beaut! He's the +biggest trout I ever saw." + +"He's the biggest one I ever caught," answered Lew. "He'll make a meal +himself." + +"He'll have to," returned Charley. "We can't fish another minute. It's +almost dark now." + +Lew slipped his finger down the throat of the gasping fish, and bent the +creature's head sharply back. The trout hung limp in his hand. Then the +two fishermen made their way through the dusky forest to their camp, where +Charley lighted a fire. + +"I'll just see what this fellow has been eating," said Lew. "Maybe we can +find out what sort of bait to use." He opened his knife and slit the +fish's belly. "Crabs!" he cried, as his knife blade turned up the remains +of a crayfish. "Now we know what they want." + +Soon Charley had a good bed of coals. Lew, meantime, cleaned the fish. +Quickly it was cooked and eaten and the dishes washed. By this time it was +altogether dark. + +"Now we'll get some crabs for to-morrow," said Lew. + +"Wonder how we can catch them?" queried Charley. + +"What we need is a little dip-net. With that and the flash-light we could +get a peck of them. These little streams are full of them." + +"Let's try scooping them with a coffee-pot. The lid comes off. If we are +careful, I believe it will answer." + +They took the lid off of the pot, and stepping to the brook turned the +beam from their flash-light on the bottom of the run. The scene was +fascinating. Feeling secure in the darkness, the living creatures in the +brook had ventured abroad freely. Where the bright light of the sun would +have disclosed only stones and sand, the little beam from the search-light +revealed a myriad of moving shapes. Little minnows moved about in schools. +Salamanders, large and small, crawled about among the rocks. Occasional +trout were visible, lurking in the deeper holes, lying as motionless as +sticks, or moving their tails slowly. Eels lay on the sandy spots. And +lying still or crawling slowly among the stones were many crayfish. The +water seemed to be filled with living objects. + +"Gee whiz!" whispered Charley. "It's like going to an aquarium and looking +at the fish in glass cages. I never dreamed a brook could be so +interesting." + +With the utmost caution they moved along the bank of the run, looking for +crayfish of suitable size. Whenever they found one, Charley focused the +flash-light on it, moving the beam so as to dazzle the creature and keep +the space behind it in darkness. And Lew would slip the coffee-pot into +the water and move it cautiously up to the crayfish, ready for a final, +quick scoop. Sometimes he was successful and sometimes the intended victim +escaped. Always the click of the metal pot against the stony bottom sent +the little creatures in the water scurrying for cover. A second after Lew +tried for the crayfish not a living thing was visible. So it was necessary +to move on along the stream. From spot to spot the two boys proceeded, now +getting a good bait, now missing one, but ever keenly enjoying the +wonderful glimpses of the life in the brook. So they continued until they +had a goodly number of crayfish. + +"I believe that's enough," said Lew. "Let's get back to camp. The fellows +will be at their instruments at nine, ready to talk to us." He glanced at +his watch. "I had no idea," he cried, "that it was so late. It's almost +nine now. We'll have to hurry." + +So fascinating had been the glimpses of life in the brook that time had +sped much faster than either boy realized. + +They hurried back to their camp. They had taken the precaution to sling +their grub high above ground on a piece of wire, but apparently nothing +had tried to molest anything. Lew rekindled the fire in the little stone +fireplace they had built and Charley uncovered the wireless instruments +and sat down on one pack bag. The other he flung to Lew. Then he slipped +the receivers on his head, threw over his switch, and sent the bright +sparks flashing between the points of his spark-gap. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out. (Camp Brady Wireless Club, Charley +Russell calling.) + +Then he sat in silence, waiting for an answer. It came promptly. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I--GA." (Charley Russell--We're here. Go ahead.) + +"Got 'em," he cried. He answered and got a reply. "They want to know why +we didn't call up last night," Charley said to Lew. + +The fire in the little fireplace burned clear and bright, making a circle +of light in the dark forest. Lew sat near the fire, cross-legged on his +pack bag, thrusting an occasional stick into the flames. Charley sat by +his instrument. Rapidly he pressed the key, and the sparks flew between +the points of his gap like tiny flashes of horizontal lightning. + +"Hello! Is that you, Willie?" rapped out Charley. + +"Sure," came the answer. "But we're all here. Why didn't you call up last +night?" + +"Couldn't," answered Charley. "Didn't reach Old Ironsides camp site until +long after dark. Forest fires have burned up all the timber there. Spring +dried up, too. Had terrible time. Awful thirsty and no water to drink. Too +tired to put up aerial." + +"Where are you now?" + +"In the third valley east of Old Ironsides. Never been so far in the +mountains before. Grand stand of timber here. Great trout stream. Full of +big ones. Won't touch worms or flies. Just been catching crabs to try +to-morrow." + +"Get any yet?" + +"One big one." + +"Have any adventures?" + +"Not unless you call our experience in the burned timber an adventure. +Toughest thing I've stacked up against in a long time. Timber burned for +miles. No fish. Raccoons catching 'em out of the little pools. Had to come +here to get any. What are you doing?" + +"Everybody hard at work. I got a new job yesterday helping a fellow make a +wireless outfit." + +"Where?" + +"Right here. We're making it in my shop." + +"Will you be there to-morrow?" + +"Sure. All day." + +"We'll call you." + +"Good! I'll listen in every hour on the hour. Then you can get me almost +any time." + +"Bully for you. We're going to fish to-morrow, but we may catch so many in +the morning that we won't want to fish after dinner. I'll let you know how +we make out. Good luck to you all. Wish you were here. We'll bring you a +nice mess of fish, anyway. Good-night." + +"Good-night and good luck." + +"I wish they were here," said Lew, as Charley covered the instruments to +protect them from dampness, and moved over near his chum. "It doesn't seem +right to be in the forest without the whole crowd. This makes me think of +our camp in the forest near the Elk City reservoir, when we were hot on +the trail of the dynamiters. I'd hate to camp out at this time of year +without any fire." + +"Well, let's turn in. We want to get up early to-morrow and try those +crabs. I'll bet we get a bunch of trout." + +"Bet we do, too," replied Charley. + +Little did he dream that on the morrow he would be engaged in matters far +more serious than catching trout. + + + + +Chapter VII + +The Forest Afire + + + +The earliest rays of light had hardly penetrated beneath the giant pines +the next morning before the two boys were astir. Their breakfast was +quickly cooked and eaten. Then they buckled on their bait boxes, now +bulging with worms and crayfish. They carried as well their books of +flies. And Charley slipped the little axe into his belt, to have something +to chop with in case they wanted to hunt for whiteworms. + +"Let's go back where we caught that big fellow last night," said Lew. +"There may be some more like him in those deep pools." + +"All right. Come on." + +With nothing but their little rods to carry, they made fast time through +the forest, and had already reached the pool in which the big trout was +taken, before the first ray of sunlight came flashing among the tree +trunks. + +"We're going to have a fine day," said Charley. "It's my turn to catch a +fish. Here goes for a try." + +He baited his hook with a crayfish, and cautiously made his way toward the +brink of the brook. Half-way he paused and straightened up, sniffing the +air. Then he turned and looked at Lew. + +"Smell anything?" he asked. + +Lew had also detected a taint in the fresh morning air. "Smells like +smoke," he said. "Probably some fisherman cooking his breakfast." + +Charley turned toward the brook again, then once more faced his companion. + +"People don't cook with leaves," he said soberly. "That isn't wood smoke, +that's burning leaves." + +For a moment the two boys looked at each other in silence. + +"You don't suppose----" began Lew, but Charley cut him short. + +"Let's make sure. Which way is that smoke coming from?" He stepped to the +brook and dipped a finger in the cold water. Then he held his hand aloft. + +"There's so little wind stirring I can't tell which way it's blowing," he +said. "One side of my finger feels as cold as the other." + +Again he tried it. There was just a suggestion of an air current. "Seems +to be blowing straight up the valley," he said. + +"I'll try a match," said Lew. He took his waterproof match box from his +pocket and drew forth a match, which he lighted on his heel. "You're +right," he said. "The flame blows up-stream a little. What shall we do?" + +"It doesn't seem possible that the woods can be afire," answered Charley. +"But let's make sure. If the forest is afire and we can put it out, it +would be a crime if we don't. The memory of it would haunt me the rest of +my life." + +"All right. We'll go down-stream. If there is a fire, we'll do our best to +put it out. If there isn't any fire, there's no harm done. We can probably +find as many fish down-stream as there are here. We'll save time if we +unjoint our rods." + +Quickly the lines were reeled up and the rods packed in their cloth cases. +Then, with nothing to hamper them, the two boys hurried down the valley. + +Gradually the odor of burning leaves grew stronger. A very little breeze +arose, blowing straight in their faces. It was heavy with the smell of +fire. Ahead of them the forest began to look gray and misty, as though a +heavy night fog still covered the earth. But both boys knew that the gray +blanket was no night mist. It was smoke. They quickened their pace. The +smoke cloud grew denser. Then a dull, reddish glow appeared. There could +no longer be any doubt. The forest was afire. + +"Come on," cried Charley. "We've got to grab it quick." + +As they started to run, Lew protested: "Not too fast. We'll tire ourselves +out before we get there. We may have a long fight before we put the fire +out." + +The smoke now rolled past them in dense clouds. The red glow grew +brighter. In a few moments they reached the fire itself. It was in an +opening where the timber had been cut and little but brush remained. It +was a ground fire that crept slowly along among the leaves. Yet it had +already spread until it seemed to stretch across half the valley. + +"If we can only put it out before the wind comes up," said Charley, "we +can save the forest." + +He looked about for a low tree, discovered a thick, young pine, rapidly +chopped off some bushy branches, and again sheathed his axe. Each boy +seized a branch. + +"Our rods--what shall we do with them?" asked Lew. + +"Throw 'em in the run. Fire can't hurt 'em there and we can get 'em at any +time." + +Lew rushed over to the brook and put the rods in the water. He set a flat +stone on them to keep the current from moving them. Then he dipped his +pine bough in the brook and began to beat out the flames, working straight +out from the bank. Charley joined him. Rapidly they rained blows upon the +fire. Rod after rod they advanced. The heat from even so small a fire was +great. The smoke was blinding and stifling. Heat and smoke and their own +exertions tired them rapidly. + +"We've got to take it easier," said Lew, after a little, "or we'll be all +in before we get the fire half out." + +Of necessity they slackened their efforts. As they wore out their weapons, +they cut new ones. Every little while they rested. They were tiring fast. +At the same tune, the wind was beginning to freshen. Here in the open +there was nothing to break its force. The flames leaped higher under its +breath and began to run over the ground instead of crawling. The fire +itself created a draft. The greater the draft, the hotter the flame +became, and the hotter the fire grew, the stronger blew the draft. + +"We're never going to do it," panted Charley, after a while. "The wind is +blowing harder all the time. We must call help." + +He looked at his watch. "Twenty minutes of seven!" he ejaculated. "How far +do you think we are from camp?" + +"Two miles, anyway," answered Lew. + +"If I can make it by seven, I may be able to get Willie. He said he would +listen in every hour." + +"Hurry," said Lew sharply. "I'll keep at work here." + +"If it gets too hot for you," said Charley, "go right back to the brook, +and come up along it to camp. That's the way I'm going back, and I'll +return that way after I get Willie. Good-bye." + +He started off at a fast pace. But his exertions and the heat and smoke +had so weakened him that he quickly saw he could not maintain such a gait. +He dropped to a steady jog. Even that taxed his strength. But he gritted +his teeth and clenched his hands and kept on. + +The forest was now full of smoke. The dense cloud completely hid the sun. +Among the great pines it was almost like twilight. Charley pushed on as +fast as his weary legs could carry him. More than once he tripped and +fell. He could no longer see distinctly. Fatigue and the smoke in his eyes +blurred his vision. He was scratched and torn and his hands were a mass of +little burns. Charley scarcely noticed them. His mind was wholly intent on +getting help and saving the forest. Nothing else mattered. So he staggered +on through the dusky woods. He glanced at his watch. Ten minutes had +passed. He felt sure he had been running an hour and that his watch had +stopped. He held it to his ear. The steady ticking somewhat reassured him. +After what seemed like another long interval he ventured to look at it +again. Five minutes more had elapsed. Five minutes remained before Willie +would be at his post waiting for a possible message. Charley crowded on +all the speed that was left in him. But his feet seemed to be made of +lead. His heart pounded painfully against his ribs. His lungs seemed nigh +to bursting. + +"Five minutes more," he kept muttering to himself. "Only five minutes +more. I've got to make it. Only five minutes more." + +Suddenly he came to their camp. In his weariness he had not recognized any +landmarks. He could hardly believe it was their camp. But there were the +grub bag hanging on a wire, the dishes piled by the fire, and the wireless +instruments protected by the pack bags. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" gasped Charley, as he threw himself on the +ground beside his key. He tried to flash a call, but his hand trembled so +he could not form the letters correctly. He dropped flat on his back to +rest for a moment, glancing at his watch as he lay there. It lacked one +minute of seven. + +For sixty seconds Charley lay prostrate, looking at the second-hand on his +watch as it went round. Then he sat up. The minute's rest had steadied him +wonderfully. He moved his switch, pressed his finger on the key, and sent +the bright sparks flashing between his gap points. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he called, then paused to listen. + +There was no response. An anxious look crept into his eyes. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," again he called. + +No answering signal sounded in his ear. His face went white. +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," he rapped out anxiously. And without listening +for a reply, he repeated the message frantically half a dozen times. Then +a buzzing sounded in his ears. A look of relief came on his face. He +sighed. Willie was acknowledging his call signal. + +"Good-morning," continued Willie. "Caught any trout yet?" + +"The forest is afire!" flashed back Charley. "Get the district forester on +the telephone instantly. His headquarters are at Oakdale. Tell him the +fire is in the third valley east of Old Ironsides; that the message is +from the two boys he met yesterday; that we are trying to hold it. Ask +what we shall do. I'll wait for his answer." + +For what seemed an endless period of time, Charley waited. Seconds were +like minutes. Minutes dragged like quarter hours. It seemed as though +Willie would never answer. There was nothing for Charley to do but sit and +wait. In his impatience he could hardly keep still. He could not take his +mind from the fire. He could think of nothing but that roaring line of +flame consuming the floor of the forest and destroying the young growths. +Would Willie never get the forester? Must the entire woods burn before the +forester knew of the fire? In his excitement Charley clasped and unclasped +his hands and nervously swayed back and forth as he sat on the ground. + +Suddenly he sat up as steady as a stone image. The wireless was beginning +to speak. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message from Willie. "Wants know exactly +where fire is." + +"A little south of east of where he met us, in the third valley beyond +Ironsides," flashed back Charley. + +"How big is the fire?" came a second question, after a brief interval. + +"Don't know. Too big for us. Lew still fighting it. I'm going back. What +shall we do?" + +Again there was a pause. Then Willie answered: "Forester says find header +and back-fire. Try to hold it till fire crew arrives." + +"Will do our best. Listen in often. May need call you. Good-bye." + +Charley threw over his switch, covered the instruments with the pack bags, +and was off down the valley. He felt much refreshed by his rest. At a +steady jog he made his way along the brook. + +Now he found it difficult to breathe. Smoke was rolling through the forest +in billows. Close by he heard the cries of terror-stricken animals. He +came to the edge of the burned space beside the brook, where they had +beaten out the flames. Here there was practically no smoke. He turned away +from the run and followed the black edge of the burned area. He knew this +would bring him to Lew, and he wanted to make sure that they had +extinguished every spark in the distance they had covered. Only at one +point did he find fire smouldering. He beat out the sparks and went on. He +could see almost nothing. The smoke grew thicker and thicker. Through it +he began to distinguish the red glare of the flames. Ever louder sounded +the crackle of fire. From a low, humming sound it grew, as he drew near, +into a subdued roar. Then all other sounds were lost in the greater tumult +of the forest fire. + +Now he came close to the flames. The heat was terrific. The smoke choked +him. He could hardly breathe. The roar of the fire was terrifying. +Hitherto he had felt no fear. Now a feeling of alarm suddenly seized him. +What if Lew had been overcome by smoke and burned in his absence? The +possibility had never occurred to him before. + +"Lew! Lew!" he shouted at the top of his voice, and started along the line +of the fire. There was no reply. At least Charley heard none. + +"Lew! Lew!" he cried. "Where are you?" + +But no voice answered through the smoke. + +"If he's down, I'll find him or die trying," muttered Charley to himself. + +His face was grim and set as he started along the line of the fire again, +paying no heed to the flames but looking only for his chum. Every few +yards he stopped and shouted. But no answer ever reached him. + +On he went, rod after rod, keeping as near the flames as he dared. He saw +nothing of his friend. He came to a point where a tongue of fire had run +far in advance of the remainder of the blaze. It seemed to be traveling +twice as fast as the rest of the flames. + +"The header!" he cried to himself. "Here's where we ought to be at work. +But I must find Lew first. He certainly never got beyond this header." + +Charley stopped and called. Again and again he shouted. There was no +response. + +"Maybe he went back to look for me and I passed him in the smoke," thought +Charley. "I'll go back to the brook." + +He turned to retrace his steps. Something suddenly flashed into flame +close beside him. It caught Charley's attention. He saw it was a pine +bough. Then he noticed that it had been freshly cut. + +"It's Lew's brush," cried Charley. "He must have been here." + +He sank on his knees close to the blazing bough, and heedless of smoke and +flame began to examine the ground carefully. He ran his fingers lightly +over the leaves, feeling for footprints. At first he found nothing. Then +he discovered the impression of a heel. He could not be certain which way +the footprint pointed. + +With the heel mark as a centre, he began to feel about in a circle two or +three feet wide. He judged that would be the length of his chum's stride. +Twice he felt around the circle before he found a second footprint. It was +in the direction of the brook. He moved forward and searched where he +thought the third step should have fallen. Here he distinctly saw the mark +of a foot. When he rose to his feet his coat sleeve was beginning to smoke +and his face was blistered. + +"Lew's gone back to the brook," he muttered. "I must have passed him in +the smoke. He's probably looking for me." + +But he still felt vaguely uneasy and fearful. He walked rapidly toward the +brook. The trail he was following became distinct. The leaves had been +kicked up here and there by Lew as he walked. The track grew plainer and +plainer. It became more like a plow furrow. At first Charley did not +grasp the meaning of the shambling trail. Then it came to him. + +"He's dragging his feet," he muttered. "He must be all in. Maybe he's +down." + +Charley took a quick look at the flames. They had crept frightfully close +to the trail in the leaves. Then he sprang forward at top speed. His face +was white. + +"I've got to reach him before the fire gets him," he sobbed. + +He kept peering through the smoke. "There's another header shooting out +toward that log," he said, "but I won't leave the trail. I might miss +Lew." + +The trail led straight toward the log. Charley increased his speed. As he +neared the log he gave a cry of terror and bounded forward like a shot. +What Charley had mistaken for a tree trunk was his chum's prostrate form. +The flames had almost reached it. + +With his brush Charley fell on the fire savagely and beat it out for the +space of a rod or two on either side of Lew's body. Then he rushed back to +his chum and knelt beside him. Lew was unconscious but breathing +regularly. His nose was half buried in leaves and moss. That fact had +probably saved his life, for it had given him pure air to breathe. + +Charley drew Lew over his shoulder until he had him doubled up like a +jack-knife, and could therefore carry him easily. Then, at a steady pace, +he set out for the brook. Soon he passed the end of the line of fire. In +a few minutes more he reached the stream. + +He laid his chum close beside the run, felt his pulse and listened to his +breathing. Lew's heart was beating regularly and he was breathing easily. + +Charley sighed with relief. "He's all right," he muttered. + +Then he filled his hat with water and sprinkled some on Lew's face. Lew's +eyelids flickered. Then his eyes opened. + +"Where am I, Charley?" he asked. "What are you doing?" + +For a moment he lay still. Then suddenly he sat bolt upright. + +"I know now," he said. "The forest is on fire. I was fighting it and you +went to call help. Did you get Willie? And how did you find me? I guess I +got too much smoke. I started for the brook. That's all I can remember. +I'm all right now. We're going back." + +He got to his feet, but at first had to be supported. Charley made him lie +down again. In a few minutes his strength seemed to return to him. He got +up. + +"I'm all right now, Charley," he insisted. "I mightn't be awake yet if you +hadn't thrown that water on my face. Thanks, old man." + +Charley did not tell Lew how near to death he had been. Instead, he said, +"Are you sure you're strong enough to tackle that fire again?" + +"Sure as shooting," nodded Lew. + +"Then come on. The fire has an awful start on us. The forester wants us to +try to hold the header by back-firing." + +As they started toward the blaze Lew said, "We'll have to work some +distance in advance of it. If only we had rakes we might conquer it even +yet." + +They made their way to a point well in front of the header. Then they cut +sticks and made little bundles of them to use like rakes. + +"I'll clear away the leaves and you start the fire," directed Charley. + +He began raking away the leaves, clearing a sort of path about two feet +wide straight across the line of the advancing header. Lew lighted the +leaves on the side of the cleared space toward the header, following close +upon Charley's heels. From time to time he ran back along the cleared +space to make sure the flames had not jumped across it. Wherever they had, +he beat them out with his brush. On the other side of the cleared space +the flames slowly worked their way toward the onrushing header, widening +with every minute the barren area where the flames could find no fuel to +feed upon. + +Rod after rod Charley cleared a narrow lane and Lew kept close behind him +with his torch. With amazing rapidity they extended their line. + +"If only we had the Wireless Patrol here," panted Lew, "we'd lick this old +fire to a frazzle." + +On and on they went. To save their strength they exchanged tasks at +intervals. Every few minutes they faced about and ran back over their line +to make sure no flames had crossed the cleared space. The air was dense +with smoke, but the heat from their back-fire was trifling in comparison +with that of the main conflagration. The stand of timber grew thicker, +breaking the force of the breeze more and more. Their back-fire ate its +way into the wind much faster, and the real fire came on slower. It seemed +to be getting farther and farther away. + +"We've passed the header," cried Charley exultantly. "We ought to be able +to hold the main fire." + +They rested a moment, then went at their task with renewed hope and vigor. +Rod after rod they cleared a path and fired the leaves on the windward +side of this lane. Finally their line grew so long that they could no +longer guard it properly. + +"If only we had half a dozen boys to patrol the line," sighed Lew. "I'm +afraid the flames will jump across somewhere. Then all we have done will +be in vain." + +"We'll make a trip over the whole line," declared Charley, "and be sure +it's safe. Then we'll stop back-firing and beat out the flames again. It's +the only sure way I can think of." + +He drew his axe and cut fresh boughs. Then they went back along their +line. In one place flames had already leaped across, but they fell on them +vigorously with their bushes and soon put them out. They patrolled the +line until they felt sure it was safe. + +"If we can put out the flames between our back-fire and the brook," said +Lew, "it will make our job a great deal easier. We've already put out part +of them." + +They began to work their way back to the brook, following the line of +flame and beating out the fire foot by foot as they advanced. There were +many things in their favor. The dense stand of trees at this point not +only checked the wind and made the fire less fierce, but the absence of +underbrush also helped to check it. There was little for it to feed upon +but leaves. So the two boys could work close to it and beat it out with +ease, though the smoke was stifling. Only lads of great determination and +courage would have stuck to the task. + +With frequent pauses, necessary for rest, they went on, foot by foot, yard +after yard, rod upon rod. "We're going to make it," cried Lew presently. +"It's only a little distance to the end of the flames." + +They increased their efforts. Quickly they reached the end of the line of +fire. Beyond that the woods had been saved by their first efforts. + +"Now we'll go back over the line," said Charley, "and make sure the fire +doesn't start up anywhere." + +"I'm dying of thirst," said Lew. "Let's get a drink first. We are not far +from the brook." + +They hurried to the run and threw themselves flat on the bank, drinking +copious draughts of the cool and refreshing water. + +"I wonder what time it is," said Charley, as they got to their feet again. +"It seems to me that we've been fighting fire for hours." He looked at his +watch. "We have," he cried. "It's after eleven o'clock. The fire crew has +been on the way four hours. They'll follow their fire trails and get here +in a fraction of the time it took us to come in. They certainly ought to +be here soon. If we can hold the fire for a little bit longer the forest +will be safe." + +"Come on," called Lew. "We've got to do it." + +Again they went along the line of their back-fire. For rod after rod the +fire was conquered. In other places it still burned; but the back-fire had +now eaten its way so far to windward of the cleared space that there was +no longer any danger of the flames leaping past the barrier. So they +covered the entire length of their line and found it safe. + +When they reached the main fire again they began to beat it out with +branches. Rod after rod they continued to work their way. But at best +their progress was painfully slow. + +"Lew," said Charley of a sudden, "while we are beating out these flames +here, there may be another header in front of us traveling like a +racehorse. I'm going to run ahead and see. You stay here. Call every +little bit and I'll answer. I'll be back in a few minutes." + +He made his way along the line of the fire. Here in the thick timber it +still burned slowly and feebly. He could trace the line of fire far ahead, +and it seemed to have advanced with remarkable evenness. Nowhere could be +seen a header of flame jutting out far in advance of the main line. + +"If the wind doesn't rise," he muttered to himself, "we're going to make +it." + +He went on, trying to locate the other end of the fire. Behind him he +heard Lew halloing. Before he could turn to answer, an echo came back from +the mountain in front of him. + +"If only that were a real voice," muttered Charley to himself. + +Then he stood stock-still. Shout after shout came ringing in his ears. "It +<i>is</i> a real voice," he cried. "The fire crew is coming." + +A moment later a dozen forms became visible in the smoke. They were +running along the edge of the fire, evidently trying to determine where to +begin their attack on it. At their head was the forester. He came directly +toward Charley, but gave no sign of recognition. Nor, could Charley have +seen himself, would he have wondered at it. With his face blackened by +smoke and caked with blood from innumerable little cuts and scratches, his +hands grimy and almost raw, and his clothes torn in a hundred places, +Charley could hardly have been recognized by his own mother. + +"How far across the valley does this fire extend?" asked the forester. + +"You are almost at the end of it, sir," replied Charley. + +"It's making a tremendous smoke for such a little blaze, then," said the +forester. + +He turned to his men. "Get right at it and beat it out," he ordered. "This +is all there is to it." + +Again he faced Charley. "Are you sure?" he demanded. "When we came over +the pass it looked as though the entire bottom was afire." + +"It was," said Charley. "That is, everything this side of the run was +afire. We have got it all out but this." + +"Have you seen anything of two boys with a wireless outfit? They notified +me of this fire." + +"Why, I am one of them, sir. It was I who asked you yesterday for a job as +fire patrol." + +The forester looked at him narrowly for several seconds. "See here," he +said severely. "Did you boys set this forest afire?" + +Charley looked aghast. "Set the forest afire!" he exclaimed in amazement. +"Certainly not. Why should we?" + +"Are you telling me the truth?" + +Even through the grime Charley's face was red. "See here," he said +angrily, "I don't care whether you are the forester or the President of +the United States. You are not going to call me a liar. If Lew and I +hadn't been here fishing, you wouldn't have any forest by this time. We've +fought this fire for hours and it's only a piece of luck that Lew isn't +dead. He'd have been burned to a crisp if I hadn't found him just when I +did. We've done everything we could to save the forest. I demand to know +your reason for suggesting that we started the blaze." + +"Young man," said the forester, "more than one forest fire has been set by +persons who wanted a job fighting fire. You wanted a job. You told me what +an advantage your wireless would be. + +"My ranger reported to me by telephone last night that excepting for +yourselves he had seen nobody in this region all day. This morning a fire +breaks out; you report it promptly by wireless; and when we arrive, you +have it almost out. Isn't that a suspicious chain of circumstances? +Doesn't it look as though you might be trying to show the forester +something?" + +"A fellow who would set the forest afire just to prove his own +qualifications as a fire fighter ought to be put in prison," said Charley +indignantly. "Do you think I'm that kind of a skunk?" + +"No, I don't," said the forester. "I believe you boys had no hand in +starting this fire and that you have risked your lives and done heroic +work to save the forest. But I had to be sure. There is something queer +about this fire. With no railroads near to shoot up sparks, no +thunder-storms to flash lightning, and no campers to be careless with +their fires, what did cause it? It isn't the first time mysterious fires +have started in this fine timber. You saw in the other valley what two of +these fires did before we got them out. This is the third fire that has +occurred in this tract. If it hadn't been for you boys, I hate to think +what would have happened. You have done a great service to the people of +Pennsylvania." + +Charley was suddenly abashed. He turned his glance on the ground. He did +not know what to say. + +After a moment the forester spoke again. A new idea seemed suddenly to +have occurred to him. "Now that you have had a taste of real fire +fighting," he said, "would you still like to be a fire patrol--possibly a +ranger?" + +"Better than anything in the world," replied Charley. "I love the forest." + +"Are you sure you can be released from further school work?" + +"I feel certain I can." + +"Then I have a particular job for you, Mr. Fire Guard." + +"Mr. Fire Guard," echoed Charley, his heart beating wildly. "What do you +mean?" + +"I mean," smiled the forester, "that you are here and now appointed a fire +patrol; that you are now a representative of the State of Pennsylvania, +and after you have been sworn in you will have the power of making +arrests. The particular job I have for you is to guard this forest. +Somebody wants to destroy this stand of virgin timber. Your job is to +protect it." + + + + +Chapter VIII + +Making an Investigation + + + +The fire crew, hardy woodsmen and rangers, accustomed to severe toil, soon +beat out what was left of the fire. Then they went over the entire line of +the fire to make sure every spark was extinguished. The forester and +Charley found Lew, and the three crossed the valley to the brook where the +two boys had begun their battle with the flames. When the fire crew had +returned and the forester was satisfied that there was no further danger, +he turned and held out his hand. + +"Report to me at my office at the earliest possible moment," he said. "If +I dared risk being away from my headquarters so long," he added +regretfully, "I'd stay here and make an investigation. But a fire may +start somewhere else, and here I'd be with my fire crew. A thousand acres +might burn over before I knew it." + +"Isn't there anybody in charge at headquarters?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. I have an assistant there. But if an alarm came in he wouldn't be +of much use without a fire crew." + +"Send your fire crew back," said Charley. "You can stay here and make +your investigation, and we can keep you in touch with your office easily." + +"Are you sure?" + +"There isn't any doubt of it. Willie said he would listen in every few +minutes, and Willie always does what he says he will. You instruct your +fire crew to tell your assistant to keep in touch with Willie by +telephone, and we'll tell Willie to keep in touch with us by wireless. +It's as easy as rolling off a log." + +The forester looked doubtful. "I'd like to stay," he said. "Are you +positive you can do this?" + +"Of course," said Lew. "We do that sort of thing right along." + +"Well," said the forester, still hesitating, "I'll risk it. It is of the +utmost importance that an investigation be made at once. It might be days +before the chief forest fire-warden could come here. You are absolutely +certain about this wireless business?" + +Charley smiled. "Absolutely," he said. "But to make sure, we'll go to our +camp and talk to Willie. You can send a message to your assistant +yourself." + +"That'll settle it," said the forester. + +He called his fire crew together. "Hustle right back to headquarters," he +said. "The motor-truck will hold you all, though you may be a bit +crowded. Leave my car where it is. I'm going to look around a bit. I'll +follow you as soon as possible. Tell the assistant forester to call up the +boy in Central City who telephoned us about the fire and arrange to keep +in communication with him. We will communicate with that boy by wireless. +If fire occurs anywhere, let me know at once." + +The fire fighters looked their astonishment, but made no comment. They +were accustomed to obeying orders. Soon they were gone and the forester +and the two boys headed up the run toward the little camp by the windrow. + +"I guess we might as well get better acquainted," said the forester. "My +name is Marlin--James Marlin." + +"And mine," replied Charley, "is Charley Russell. This is Lew Heinsling. +As we told you yesterday, we are from Central City and belong to the Camp +Brady Wireless Patrol." + +"That is why you are now a fire guard," said the forester. "You don't +suppose I would appoint an unknown boy to such an important post, do you? +To be sure, I don't know you personally, but I know about your +organization and some of the things you have done. I know your leader, +Captain Hardy, very well. You see your membership in that organization is +recommendation enough for me." + +"But I thought you suspected us of setting fire to the forest," said +Charley. + +"I never said so," replied Mr. Marlin. "I merely asked you if you had +started the fire." + +"It's pretty much the same thing," said Charley. + +"Not at all, young man. Not at all. I did not really suspect you. But I +saw there was a possibility that you might have done just what I +suggested. I wanted to see what you would do when I suggested that you +were the culprit. I could have told if you had lied to me." + +"How?" demanded Charley. + +"Never mind now," smiled the forester. "But while we are on this subject, +I want to say this to you: when you are trying to solve a crime, you must +forget your prejudices. You must look at the facts and not at the people +concerned. You must take the attitude that anybody may be guilty until he +is proved innocent. In short, you must be ready to suspect anybody. You +must not assume, for instance, that because I am the forester I would not +set the forest afire, or because my rangers are connected with the Forest +Service they would never start a fire." + +Charley looked almost startled. "Why, it would be the worst sort of crime +for a forest protector to set a fire in the woods," he cried. + +"Of course it would," replied the forester. "But in this world almost +everybody acts according to his own interests or his own passions. If a +man could earn more money by setting fires than by preventing them, there +are many men who would take the chance. Or a man might set fire to the +forest to be revenged on somebody--possibly on me; for a forester can +hardly avoid making some enemies." + +The forester paused. "Somebody has three times set this part of the forest +afire," he continued after a moment. "We have no clue as to who did it. So +it is our business to suspect anybody and everybody that circumstances may +point to. But that doesn't mean we must condemn a person merely because +circumstances point to him. We must study the facts and either condemn or +acquit him according to the facts. I say this to you because you have +probably had little or no experience in tracing crime and, like most young +folks, are prone to trust people too far." + +Charley's face was very serious. He had not thought of detective work as a +possible part of his duties. + +"Don't take what I say too seriously," laughed the forester, when he +noticed Charley's expression. "You will really have very little of this +sort of thing to do. Most fires come through the carelessness of campers. +To warn them to be careful, to try to put out fires as soon as you +discover them and notify me if you fail, will be about all you will +ordinarily have to do. The chief forest fire-warden will attend to +investigating fires. But in this case, I especially want to know how this +fire started. Sometimes boys, if they are shrewd enough, make the best of +all agents for watching folks. People don't take boys seriously, and will +often do or say incriminating things before boys that they would not +dream of doing in the presence of grown men. If you keep your eyes and +ears open and your mouth shut, you may be very useful. And the less you +appear to know, the more useful you will be." + +Charley looked at his watch. "Willie will be at his instrument in three +minutes, sure," he said. "He might even be there now." + +He drew the pack bags from the wireless instruments and sat down, watch in +hand, beside them. The forester looked on with keenest interest. He no +longer regarded the wireless outfit as a mere plaything. If the boys could +do what they said they could, he saw what a help wireless communication +might be in protecting the forest. He had always considered the telephone +as about the last step that could be made in quick communication in the +forest. But his telephone was miles away and he had to get to it before he +could talk with his office. Here was a boy who could sit down anywhere and +instantly talk to a wireless operator anywhere else within a reasonable +distance--that is, he could, if all that Charley said was true. Of course +the forester knew about radio-telegraphy, but he was like many other +people who have not actually seen persons talk by wireless. It seemed as +though it could hardly be. + +But he was not to remain long in doubt. When the three-minute period had +elapsed, Charley threw over his switch, and sent Willie's call signal +flashing abroad. Hardly had he taken his finger from his key when the +answer buzzed in his ear. + +"Got him," said Charley. + +"Who?" asked the forester in astonishment. + +"Willie Brown, at Central City. I'm telling him to get your assistant on +the telephone." And he made the sparks fairly tumble over one another, so +rapidly did he manipulate the key. + +"Willie's going to get him," he announced, a moment later. + +They sat silent for several minutes. Then a signal once more sounded in +Charley's ear. + +"Willie's got your assistant on the 'phone," said Charley a little later. + +"Tell him to tell my assistant that the fire is out, with little damage +done; that the fire crew is on the way home, and that I have decided to +remain here to look around a little. Tell him that if he needs me he shall +call your friend at Central City. He'd better arrange with the telephone +people for quick connections if he needs to talk to me. I guess that's +about all." + +Charley flashed out the message to Willie and soon the assistant +forester's message came back. Everything was O.K. and he would do as +directed. Then Charley talked to Willie on his own account, telling him +they were going to move their aerial and asking Willie to listen in often. +Willie said he would sit by the wireless table and keep the receivers on +his ears so that Charley could get him at any time. + +While Charley was talking with Willie, Lew had been collecting and +packing the camp utensils. Now the wireless instruments were quickly +uncoupled and stowed away in a bag, and the aerial taken down and loosely +rolled around the spreaders so that it could be hoisted in a moment's +time. Then the little party set off swiftly down the valley toward the +point at which the fire started. + +Walking rapidly, they arrived at the edge of the burned area in half an +hour. Smoke was still rising from smouldering embers at various points in +the burned area; but there was no danger to be feared, for everything +inflammable about these embers had been consumed. Even should the wind fan +them into a flame again they could do no harm, for there was nothing for +them to feed upon. Along the entire edge of the burned area the fire crew +had made sure there was a wide belt of ground in which no spark remained. +Thus, though these glowing embers might continue to smoulder for hours, +they could do no harm. The quantity of smoke arising was still +considerable, but it did not shut off the vision as the dense clouds of +smoke had done during the fire. So the onlookers could get a fair idea of +the extent of the blaze. + +The blackened area on which they looked, they were relieved to find, was +not of great width, though it stretched from the edge of the brook on one +side almost to the mountain on the other. Altogether, the fire had swept +over not more than a hundred acres. Had it not been for the presence of +the two boys, it might easily have destroyed thousands of acres. The fire +had started in a cut-over tract just below the edge of the virgin timber. +Had the morning proved windy, instead of calm, the flames would have gone +racing into the big timber, with the chances good for a disastrous +crown-fire, when the flames would have gone leaping from tree top to tree +top, utterly consuming the forest, as the previous fires had destroyed the +timber on Old Ironsides. A lucky combination of circumstances alone had +prevented a holocaust. + +Climbing upon a high rock, the forester searched for the point at which +the fire had originated. Prom his pocket he drew some powerful +field-glasses, and again and again swept his vision over the farther edge +of the burned area. Presently he closed his glasses and leaped to the +ground. + +"Come on," he said, and headed diagonally across the burned tract. + +In a few minutes the three stood on the unburned forest floor on the +farther side of the strip of black. + +"We must get our aerial up at once, Lew," said Charley. "It's been +three-fourths of an hour since we talked to Willie." + +They glanced about, selected two suitable trees, and had the supporting +wires attached to them in no time, with the aerial dangling aloft between +the trees. It took only a moment more to couple up the instruments. + +"CBWC--CBWC--CBWC--CBC," rapped out Charley, as soon as the outfit was in +readiness. + +Almost instantly Willie replied to the signal. + +"Any message for us from Oakdale?" inquired Charley. + +"Not a word. What are you doing?" + +"We are investigating the cause of the fire. Have moved our aerial down +past the burned area. Forester and Lew and I alone. Fire crew on way back +to Oakdale." + +"Have you found cause of fire?" + +"No. Just got here. Haven't investigated yet. Will listen in every quarter +hour, beginning with the hour." + +"All right. I'll be here. Good-bye." + +The minute Charley finished talking with Willie, the three investigators +set about their work. + +"We'll walk along the edge of the burned area," said the forester, "and +try to find the point of origin." + +He went ahead, the two boys following. They were facing toward the brook. +The line was irregular, like a huge saw-blade, with little jutting, black +teeth here and there, where the flames had crept out in advance of the +main line. The wind that had come up when the boys were fighting the fire +had driven the flames back upon the area they had already consumed and the +blaze had died out of itself. It could not eat its way to windward out +here in the open, as it could have done in the dense timber where the wind +was broken. From their starting-point they walked to the brook, finding +nothing to enlighten them. They then retraced their steps, walking along +the windward edge of the fire. Yet they found nothing to show them how or +where the fire originated. + +"Evidently the flames have eaten their way some distance to windward of +the point of origin," said the forester. "We shall have to look within the +burned area." + +As he started to cross the black strip, the forester continued: "Perhaps I +had better go through the burned strip alone. I want things disturbed as +little as possible, and three will stir up the ashes a good deal more than +one. You keep looking along the edge, and I'll search among the ashes." + +"Is there anything in particular we are to look for?" asked Charley. "Is +there any special way to distinguish the starting-point of the fire?" + +"If this blaze started at a camper's fire, there ought to be some trace of +that fire discoverable. If it began with a lighted match, the stem of that +match might not be entirely consumed. If blazing paper created the fire, +there may be a scrap of paper left unburned. And even the ashes might show +that paper had been burned. That's why I don't want the leaves disturbed +any more than we can help. We shall quite likely find our clue, if we find +it at all, in the ashes themselves." + +The forester started slowly across the valley. + +"I don't see where he has anything on us as observers," said Lew. "If our +drill at Camp Brady didn't make competent observers of us, I don't know +what it did do. Captain Hardy drilled us and drilled us in noticing even +the most minute things. Let's go along the line again and look more +carefully. We've got a better idea now of what we're looking for." + +They started once more along the edge of the black belt. The forester was +walking well within the burned area. The two boys centred their attention +on the strip between the forester's tracks and the edge of the black area. +This was a strip roughly fifty to seventy-five feet wide. Practically +everything was blackened in this area. A piece of unburned paper would +have shown with startling distinctness. But there were no pieces to show. +The forester crossed the black belt from brook to mountain, and the boys +kept pace with him for a little. Then Lew turned back in order to listen +in, while Charley went on with the forester. For a long time the two +searched among the leaves, but found nothing to indicate where or how the +fire had started. + +"The fact that we can't find where it started," said the forester at last, +"is what makes me suspicious. A fire can generally be traced. I guess +we'll have to give up. I'll get back to headquarters, and you go home and +make your arrangements as quickly as possible. Then report to me." + +"We'll go right back with you," said Charley. "That is, we will if Lew is +willing. It would hardly be right to ask him to give up his fishing trip. +And, anyway, two of us could guard the forest better than one." + +"That's true, but until you are regularly sworn in you will not have the +legal authority you should have as a fire patrol." + +"Then if Lew is willing, we'll go right out with you. We can take the +train at Oakdale." + +They returned to Lew and explained the situation. "Of course we'll go +home," protested Lew. "This is your chance, Charley. You don't think I'd +stand in your way, do you?" + +"Thanks, Lew," said Charley, holding out his hand to his chum. "But I hate +to cut your trip short." + +"That's easily fixed," said the forester. "Go home and make your +arrangements and bring Lew back with you for the rest of the vacation if +he wants to come. You can do your patrol work and still catch some fish. +And I'd feel a lot easier to know two of you were here. You've proved that +you are good fire fighters." + +Charley called up Willie and told him they were about to leave the forest +and would be in Oakdale in about four hours. Then the wireless was quickly +dismantled and packed, and the little party started across the burned area +once more, on their way out to the distant road. + +They did not forget to examine the ground as they went. They had gone +perhaps a hundred feet when Charley noticed a heap of burned leaves. They +were in the cut-over area, and the floor of the forest had apparently +been carpeted thinly and evenly with leaves. So the little mound caught +his eye. At first he thought nothing of it. But when his glance swept the +surrounding ground and he saw how very thin the ashy coating was, and what +a dense pile of ashes was in this little heap, he wondered why the leaves +should have collected in this way. Without as yet really suspecting +anything, he walked over to the heap and began to rake the ashes from one +side of it with a little stick. Many of the burned leaves still retained +perfectly their shape and outline. The serrated edges and the feathery +veining were distinct in the ashy residues. They were interesting to see. +Charley continued to level the burned leaves on one side of the pile. At +the touch of his stick they lost their shape and crumbled into formless +ashes, even as fairy crystals of snow turn to water beneath a warm current +of air. + +Suddenly Charley stopped dead still. Among the ashes turned over by his +stick was a long, thin sheet of ash. Charley looked at it a moment in +astonishment. Then he knew that it was pasteboard. He sank to his knees on +the blackened earth and with his fingers carefully worked in the still +warm ashes, raking off the upper layers of leaves gently, so as not to +disturb the bottom of the pile. Carefully he worked, until he had laid +bare a long strip of what had been pasteboard. At his touch this, like the +leaves, crumbled. But one end of it did not disintegrate. A tiny piece was +unconsumed. From the ashes Charley drew forth a charred bit of greenish +pasteboard. Swiftly but carefully he raked aside the burned pasteboard. +Then he gave a little cry. On the ground, in the very bottom of the heap, +was some candle grease. His startled exclamation brought Mr. Marlin and +Lew running to his side. + +"What have you found?" asked the forester sharply. + +"A piece of unconsumed pasteboard and some candle grease," said Charley +slowly. "They were under this mound of burned leaves." + +"We need look no farther for the starting-place of this fire," said the +forester, his face very sober. "It is just as I suspected. This fire was +of incendiary origin. Whoever set it, placed a lighted candle inside a +pasteboard box, partly filled the box with leaves, heaped some leaves on +top of it, and hurried away. The candle probably burned for hours before +it burned low enough to set fire to the leaves. By that time the culprit +was far away and could prove an alibi." + +Charley drew from his pocket the little microscope he used in his class in +botany in the high school. Over and over he turned the scorched scrap of +pasteboard, studying it intently. + +"The fibers are arranged in a peculiar way," he said, "and there's an +almost invisible machine marking of a peculiar pattern. The color of the +pasteboard was a dark green." + +The forester took the microscope and examined the charred fragment, +handing both, when he had finished, to Lew. + +"This is our clue to the incendiary," he said slowly. "We must find where +pasteboard like that comes from and who had some of it. Meantime, do not +breathe a word of this to any one. Do not let a soul know that we have +discovered how the fire originated. Let them think we know nothing. And +bear in mind what I told you before: suspect anybody that circumstances +point to, no matter who he is. Now remember! Not a soul outside of the +three of us must know about this. We've got a long trail ahead of us, but +we have at last got a clue. Sooner or later, if we keep our eyes and ears +open and our mouths shut, we'll find the man who set this forest afire." + + + + +Chapter IX + +Charley Becomes a Fire Patrol + + + +Rapidly the three made their way through the forest. The forester led his +companions up the valley a distance to a fire trail. Along this they +traveled as rapidly as they could have done on a village sidewalk. By +several of these fire trails they made their way through valleys and over +hills, finally reaching the road. The forester's car was there, and an +hour's run brought them to the forester's office at Oakdale. + +Charley was intensely interested in everything he saw in this office. On +the wall were huge maps of the forest areas under Mr. Marlin's control. +These maps showed the mountains, big springs, streams, roads, fire trails, +etc., and little tacks with heads of different colors were stuck here and +there in the maps to show where rangers, fire-wardens and game protectors +lived. The telephone was also shown. + +Charley was interested to learn that he and Lew had been fully twelve +miles distant from the telephone. It had taken the fire crew, hardy men +experienced in mountain travel, three hours to cover those twelve miles, +even when they had fire trails most of the way. He wondered how much +longer it would have taken them if they had had to travel through the +rough forest. Many hours longer, he was certain. And that meant that it +would have taken one equally as long to get out to the telephone to notify +the forester of the fire. He felt sure there must be many places where one +might be more than twelve miles distant from the telephone; and he +realized more keenly than ever what a big part the wireless could play in +saving the forest. He resolved that he would keep his wireless outfit with +him when he went back into the forest as a fire patrol. + +But the maps on the wall were not all that interested Charley. There were +fire-fighting tools of various sorts. There were double-bitted axes and +axes with short handles to be used in one hand. These were of the finest +steel, very sharp, and well balanced. There were implements that were +really potato-hooks, though in the forest they were used for clearing away +brush and leaves rather than for digging potatoes. Then there were +short-handled, four-toothed rakes, for use in back-firing. Also there were +lanterns, and finally a small compressed air sprayer, for wetting the +ground when back-firing. All these tools were painted a bright red. The +forester explained that the sprayer wasn't often used, but that sometimes +it came in very handy. The implements were red so that they could be found +easily. Otherwise many would be lost in almost every fight with a fire. + +Particularly was Charley interested in the portable telephone. It was +like the one the ranger had had in the burned valley. Mr. Marlin handed +the instrument to Charley and let him examine it. The battery was +contained in a small box, and the mouthpiece and the receiver were in one +piece, which was held alternately to the ear and the mouth. Then there +were considerable lengths of wire to be attached to the telephone-lines. +If a ranger could not climb a pole and attach his wires to the +telephone-lines, Mr. Marlin explained, he could tie stones to his wires +and throw them over the lines. All that was needed was to have the two +wires touch the two wires of the telephone system. Then a connection would +be made and one could talk with the portable instrument. The battery, the +mouthpiece and receiver, and the connecting wires all could be packed +snugly into a little leather case and slung over the shoulder. It was an +excellent outfit. + +At one time Charley would have been wild to try it. Now he could not help +seeing how really inferior it was to the wireless as a means of +communication. In order to talk with it, it must be connected with the +telephone-lines, and they must be in working order. Charley's quick mind +instantly saw that falling limbs or trees, heavy snows or ice-storms in +winter, or a pair of nippers in the hands of a miscreant, could put the +forest telephone out of commission for hours at a time. He rejoiced to +think that no one could tamper with the air and that he could always get +a connection with his wireless. More and more he saw the possibilities of +usefulness for the wireless in protecting the forest. + +But the two boys had little time to examine the many interesting things in +the forester's office because their train was due within a short time +after they reached Oakdale. They made the acquaintance of the forester's +assistant, Mr. Franklin Conover, and soon started for the railroad +station, leaving their duffel at the forester's office. + +Before they left, Charley called the forester aside. "How much pay am I to +receive as a fire patrol?" he asked. + +The forester frowned. + +"You mustn't think," said Charley hastily, "that the pay is all that I +care about. I want to be a fire patrol because I love the woods. But I +don't know whether Dad will let me be a fire patrol unless I can make as +much here as I could in the factory with him." + +"How much could you earn there?" + +"Dad says I ought to get two dollars and a half a day." + +"Then you needn't worry. I have some leeway in the matter of pay. You have +already shown your worth, and I am going to pay you the highest rate +within my power. You will go on the payroll at eighty-five dollars a +month, which is as much as many of our rangers get." + +Charley was so astonished at this unexpected good fortune that he was +hardly able to answer Mr. Marlin. He did not know how to express his +thoughts. All he could do was to thank the forester warmly and assure him +he would earn every cent he got. Then he and Lew hurried away to their +train. + +For some time after the two boys boarded the train Charley was silent. He +sat watching the forest through which they were rushing so fast. Never had +it appeared to him quite as it did now. Always he had known the forest was +an animate growth, but now he realized more vividly than ever before how +truly the forest was alive. Now he thought of the great growths of trees +more as one would think of a flock of animals that must be tended and +cared for. Many, many times he had seen the forest under happy conditions. +But never before this trip had he seen it in agony. Never before had he +heard the cries of fear and pain from the forest animals. Never had he +seen the charred remains of those that had been burned. Never had he +beheld the awful skeletons, not merely of burned trees, but of a burned +forest. He was deeply impressed. A tree had suddenly become in his +consciousness far more than a piece of timber. And a forest had taken on +new meaning. With all his mind he loved the forest and the innumerable +things of life and beauty within it. Beyond expression was his joy at the +thought that he could have a part in protecting and caring for the forest. + +And when he thought of all the forest meant to mankind--more than any +other single gift of nature excepting food and water--he saw the forester, +the forest-ranger, and the fire patrol in their true light. He saw them as +real servants of the people, as real promoters and builders of +civilization, which could not have come into existence without wood. He +realized that the man in the forest as truly helps mankind forward and +upward as the statesman in the legislative halls, the chemist at his +test-tube, the physician at his operating-table, the engineer building his +bridges and roads, or any other of the constructive workers who make +civilization what it is; for the forester's work is the foundation for the +work of all the other builders of civilization. When he realized this, his +heart sang with pride to think that he was to have a part in saving and +perpetuating the forests for the countless generations of people who would +follow him in the world. + +He tried to tell Lew something of what was in his heart, but words failed +him, and he sat silent until the train was far beyond the limits of the +forest. Then his thoughts drifted into other channels. Before he knew it, +the conductor shouted "Central City," and the two chums left the train. + +When Charley told his father that he was to get eighty-five dollars a +month, he had no difficulty in winning his father's consent to the plan he +had in mind. Nor was it much more difficult to secure his release from +further work at school. Charley was a great favorite with his teachers. +Always cheerful and polite, a faithful worker, mentally quick, and liking +his instructors, he had their entire good-will. They wanted to help him +get on in the world as much as they had wanted to see him advance in his +studies. When they understood Charley's position at home, and his need of +earning money to help his father, and especially when they realized what +the present opportunity meant to Charley in the way of personal happiness, +they were more than willing to release him from further school duties. + +So it came about that on the following day Charley and Lew took the train +back to Oakdale. The entire Wireless Patrol accompanied them to the +station, each boy carrying some part of the luggage. Thus divided, the +equipment did not seem large; but when it was all assembled, it appeared +entirely adequate. There was a good waterproof tent, a strong tick to be +stuffed with leaves, blankets, a coil of rope, additional cooking +utensils, and generous supplies of food. Charley took a light, +high-powered rifle and his revolver with plenty of ammunition. Their +comrades piled this luggage in a corner of the car, then hustled back to +the station platform and gave the Camp Brady yell, in honor of their +departing friends. In a moment more the train was speeding toward Oakdale, +where they found the forester in his office. + +Mr. Marlin expressed his pleasure at the successful outcome of Charley's +effort to secure his release from high school. + +"I don't believe much in talk," said the forester who himself was +distinctly a man of deeds, "but I am going to say this to you, Charley: +the fact that you have worked your studies off ahead of your class makes +you twice as valuable to me as another boy would be who was merely keeping +abreast of his class." + +Charley looked his surprise. "Why?" he asked. "I don't know any more than +the others know or soon will know." + +"What you know has nothing to do with it, young man. It's what you do. +It's your habits. Habit is the strongest force in the world. The mere fact +that you are ahead of your class tells me that it is your habit to be +forehanded, to be prepared. It tells me that you will keep your tools and +your records in their places and in good condition, and that you will be +prepared for almost any emergency that will arise." + +"I don't understand," expostulated Charley, "how you can figure that out +from the mere fact that I kept a little ahead of my class." + +"Of course you don't," smiled the forester. "They teach you about the laws +of gravity in school, but they don't bother to teach you about the laws of +life. But life has its laws, and one of the strongest is the law of habit. +A good habit is worth a million good resolutions. A man may possibly keep +a good resolution, but he can hardly fail to keep a good habit. Your good +habits are worth just about fifteen dollars a month to you now; for I +wouldn't be paying you the top rate if you were a lad of bad habits. Just +bear that in mind and be careful of the habits you form in future." + +Charley was too much astonished for words. He had never thought of his +habits as having any bearing on his possible earning capacity. + +But the forester gave him no opportunity to consider the matter just then. +"I want you to hurry back into the forest," he went on. "Get acquainted +with as much of the forest as possible." + +He reached in a drawer and pulled out a map, which he gave to Charley. +"This is exactly like the big map on the wall," he said, "excepting that +it is on a smaller scale. Here is where you had your camp." + +As he laid his finger on the map, he continued, "That was a good location +for a fisherman's camp, but a poor one for a fire guard. High up on this +hill," and again he laid a finger on the map, "there is a fine spring. A +dense rhododendron thicket surrounds it, and tall hemlocks grow above it. +Make your camp in that thicket. It is so dense that I think nobody could +possibly see a tent there. But make sure. If necessary, put hemlock boughs +or rhododendron branches around it. Nobody but Mr. Morton and I must know +that you are in camp in the forest or that you have any connection with +the forestry department. I will tell him where your camp is and he will +inspect it and give you more detailed instructions. But remember that +yours is a secret patrol. I would rather that nobody should learn of your +presence in the forest. But if you do meet any one, pose as a fisherman. +Don't, under any circumstances, let anybody suspect your real purpose." + +The forester paused a moment, in deep thought. "Smoke," he said at last, +"would betray the location of your camp--at least in the daytime. Don't +make any fires unless it be at night. Then be sure they are small, well +concealed, and as smokeless as possible. Do your cooking with this." + +He stepped to a closet and returned with an alcohol stove and a can of +fuel, and continued: "From your spring to the summit of the mountain it is +only a short distance. You can get a wide outlook there. Examine the +forest carefully in every direction as often as possible. But leave no +telltale marks to indicate that the place is a lookout point. And be sure +you don't do anything to draw attention to your camp." + +The forester then swore Charley in as a fire patrol and gave him his +badge, with instructions to keep it out of sight. + +"You'll need this, too," he said with a smile, handing Charley a portable +telephone. "Your friends can't be at the other end of the wireless all the +time, you know." + +"Can we fish at all?" asked Charley. "I want Lew to have some fun on this +trip. He's going to help me a lot with the work." + +"Fish as much as you like, as long as it does not interfere with your +duty. But remember that your business is to protect the forest. That comes +first. You will have to decide how to do it, according to circumstances." + +The boys carried their duffel to the forester's car. Mr. Marlin telephoned +his assistant to look after things during his absence, and in another +minute Mr. Marlin and Lew and Charley were whirling along the highway. +They reached the point at which they were to enter the forest, jumped to +the ground and unloaded their duffel. Mr. Marlin said good-bye, turned his +car, and sped back to his office, leaving the two young fire guards alone +in the heart of the wilderness. + + + + +Chapter X + +An Encounter with a Bear + + + +Rapidly the duffel was made into two packs. These were both heavy and +bulky. + +"Gee!" said Lew, as he surveyed the packs, "I hope we don't meet any state +cops. They would arrest us for peddling without licenses." + +There was small chance, however, of their meeting any one, unless it might +be some lone fisherman. On every hand the forest stretched, seemingly +interminable. + +"I guess we'd better get our bearings," said Charley. + +He drew the map from his pocket and spread it on a flat rock. The two boys +pored over it for some minutes. + +"We have to cross these two mountains," said Lew, "and camp just the other +side of the summit of the third. That's about the same as climbing over +three mountains. There are two valleys that we'll have to get across. I +judge we'll be just about as far from the road as our old camp was. That's +twelve miles or so." + +"Gee!" laughed Charley. "That means I've got to hike twelve miles over +these mountains every time I want to talk to anybody on the telephone. I'm +glad Mr. Marlin doesn't care much for talk. The telephone is all right, +but compared to the wireless it's like a candle beside an electric light. +Mr. Marlin was right when he said the fellows couldn't be listening in for +me all the time, but you just bet I'm going to figure out some way to use +my wireless. Why, I've got to, if I'm going to make good. This whole neck +of the woods could burn up while I'm hiking twelve miles to call help and +twelve more to get back to the blaze. And I reckon I'd feel like putting +up a stiff fight after hiking twenty-four miles over these mountains. Mr. +Marlin is all right, but he isn't quite up to date. He still thinks the +wireless is a sort of plaything." + +"What you need, Charley, is a battery powerful enough to carry a message +to some regular wireless station, where an operator is on duty all the +time." + +"I've been thinking of that, too, Lew. It wouldn't take so very much more +power to carry to the government station at Frankfort. I'm sure the +operators there would be glad to help us out. You remember how Henry +Harper helped Mr. Axton, the day operator over there, when he had +appendicitis. The operators have been mighty nice to us fellows of the +Wireless Patrol ever since. The difficulty would be to get the battery. +Things cost so much now that I don't see how I could ever save enough to +pay for it. You know I'll have to give Dad about all I earn." + +"I'm going to talk to the boys about it, Charley," said Lew. "Maybe +somebody can think of a way out. Gee! We ought to be able to do something, +with Roy a regular steamship operator and Henry almost as good as a +substitute government wireless man." + +By this time they were well into the forest. They were climbing through a +notch over the first range of mountains. When they reached the valley +beyond, they had to turn to their left and go up the valley two or three +miles, until they struck a fire trail. This trail led straight over the +second mountain, which was really the knob at the head of the burned +valley. It was on this knob that they had found the rude watch-tower after +their meeting with the ranger, Mr. Morton. Beyond this knob they had still +to traverse a wide valley and climb a third mountain before they reached +their camp site. But there was a good fire trail almost the entire +distance. + +Traveling with such heavy packs on their backs, the two lads made but slow +progress. Every little while they had to stop to rest. During one of these +pauses they heard a low, whining sound. + +"Listen! What is that?" asked Charley, who loved animals and was keenly +sensitive to their sufferings. "It sounds like a dog." + +They stood motionless. Faint but distinct came the unmistakable cry of a +dog in distress. + +Charley dropped his pack instantly. "There's a dog in trouble," he said, +"and we've got to help him." + +He began to whistle. Then he called, "Here, boy! Here, boy!" + +From somewhere ahead of them came a joyous bark, followed by a painful +whine. + +Charley picked up his pack. "Come on," he said, and hastened toward the +sound. But he did not go far. Soon he caught sight of a dog, painfully +limping toward him. Charley ran up to the animal, which wagged its tail +violently and barked with joy. + +"He's only a half grown pup," said Charley, noticing the big paws. "Isn't +he a fine young fellow?" + +The animal leaped up against Charley and licked his hand. "Come here, +boy," said Charley, taking the dog in his arms. "Let's see what's wrong." + +Charley began to examine the animal's paws. The dog submitted patiently. +"Nothing wrong with that one," commented Charley, dropping a fore paw. + +But when he began to feel the other front foot the dog whined with pain. +"No wonder," said Charley with sympathy. "Look here, Lew," and he pointed +to an enormous thorn that had embedded itself in the paw. + +"Hold him tight while I take it out," said Charley as he drew forth his +knife, opened the small blade, slit the skin slightly, and carefully dug +the thorn out. The foot was festered and swollen. Charley squeezed out +the pus. + +"Don't let him get that paw in the dirt," he said, and ran to his pack. He +fished out the first-aid kit and got some absorbent cotton and a +disinfectant. He wrapped a tiny bit of cotton around the end of a twig, +wet it with water from the canteen and swabbed out the little wound. Then +he soaked another bit of cotton with the disinfectant and stuffed it into +the foot. + +"We'll let that stay there a while," he said. + +"The dog is probably lost. We'll keep him until we find his owner." + +Relieved of the thorn, the little animal frisked about, limping but +slightly. He fawned upon Charley and seemed to be trying to express his +gratitude. + +The two boys shouldered their packs again and started on. Charley whistled +to the pup, but the call was unnecessary. The pup stuck to their heels as +close as a sticking-plaster. + +"They say two's a company, but three's a crowd," laughed Charley, "but I +guess it doesn't apply to dogs." + +"You never can tell," replied Lew. "A pup of that age may get you into all +sorts of difficulty." + +"I'll take a chance on it," smiled Charley, as he bent and patted the dog. + +They went on. For a long time they traveled in silence, the little dog +trotting and frisking at their heels. From time to time they stopped to +rest. Their packs were growing heavy and neither felt like talking. They +settled to their tasks and plodded on. When they came to the fire trail, +they turned to their right and went straight over the first mountain. The +way was smooth enough, but the grade was very steep and it tested their +endurance to the utmost. Every few minutes they were compelled to rest. +Finally they topped the ridge and went down into the next valley. + +The bottom here was very wide, for the mountains had drawn far apart. +Apparently the valley soil was rich. It seemed to be deep and black, and +the trees grew to massive size. Ordinarily the two boys would have taken +keen enjoyment in the sight of such fine timber, but by this time they +were too tired to care much about anything except reaching their +destination. + +At the foot of the last ridge they took a long rest. They were just +starting on when Lew heard a peculiar little sound behind some bushes just +off the fire trail. Curious to know what might have made the sound, he +dropped his pack and went to investigate. Behind the bush he found a +cunning, little black animal that did not seem to be at all afraid of him. +He picked it up and rejoined his comrade. + +"Charley," he said. "See what I have found. What is it?" + +"It's a bear cub," said Charley. "You had better leave it alone. If its +mother came along, she might make it hot for us." + +"I'm going to keep it for a pet," said Lew. "I knew a fellow who had a +pet bear cub once and----" + +Lew never finished the sentence. A savage growl sounded close at hand and +a great black animal came rushing through the bushes. Lew dropped the cub +and took to his heels. The bear followed in hot pursuit. She was a great, +clumsy, lumbering beast, and yet she got over the ground with astonishing +speed. Lew ran as fast as he could, but the bear gained on him at every +stride. + +"Climb a tree, Lew," cried Charley, slipping off his pack and starting to +his chum's assistance. "Be quick about it." + +Lew headed for the first tree he saw that was small enough to climb. It +was a little pole, a foot in diameter. The lowest branch was seven or +eight feet above the ground. Lew raced toward it, gathered himself for a +leap and sprang upward. He caught the limb and swung himself up with all +possible speed. He was not a second too soon. As Lew's body shot upward, +the bear rose on her hind feet, and the vicious swipe of her paw barely +missed Lew's body. Lew drew himself erect and climbed upward a few feet, +where he paused to look down at the bear. + +Meantime, Charley was following the animal. He hadn't the slightest idea +of what he should do. The law protected the bear at that season of the +year and he did not know whether he would be justified in shooting her +under the circumstances or not. And anyway, his rifle was back with his +pack. He had his little axe on his hip, however, and he drew it from its +sheath so that he would have it ready in case he had to use it. + +The problem was settled for him, however, in a very unexpected manner. The +little dog, which had been playing with a stick at some distance from the +two boys, noticed Charley running and came tearing after him. Then he saw +the bear and went after her at full speed. The instant the bear heard the +dog, she turned to face him; then as quickly faced about again and started +to climb the very tree in which Lew had taken refuge. + +"Get that dog away from here," yelled Lew in consternation, as he began to +climb frantically toward the top of the tree. + +Despite the seriousness of the situation, Charley burst into a roar of +laughter. But a second appeal from his chum stifled his laughter. He +grabbed the dog and started to carry it away. But he had not gone two rods +before Lew called frantically for him to bring the dog back. Charley +turned around and saw the bear climbing after Lew. As long as the dog was +under the tree, the bear had paid no attention to Lew. But when Charley +started away with the pup, the angry bear continued her pursuit. Charley +returned the dog to the base of the tree. + +"Sick 'em," he cried. "Catch 'em." + +The little pup made a terrific clamor and the bear paid no further +attention to Lew, who immediately began to look for a way out of his +predicament. Within two or three feet of the base of the tree which he +had climbed, a second tree had sprung up. But the two had grown away from +each other, much like the sloping sides of the letter V. At first Lew +thought he could cross over to the other tree, but a careful inspection +showed him that this would be impossible. Down where the bear was he could +have swung himself from one tree to the other; but the farther up the tree +he was the farther he was from the other tree and the smaller the limbs +were. And Lew was now as near the top of the tree as he dared to go. To +try to leap from his present position to the other tree was not to be +thought of. It would certainly mean a fall of thirty feet or more. And Lew +did not dare come down nearer the bear, lest the animal should again try +to claw him. There was no apparent way to get the bear out of the tree, +and Lew knew that he could not stay up where he was indefinitely. + +Charley tried to divert the bear's attention to himself by reaching up the +tree with his axe and striking the trunk. The bear growled but made no +attempt to reach Charley. Her attention was centred wholly on the dog. +With her hair erect, her lips drawn back, her ears laid flat, and her +massive claws ready to tear and rend, the beast presented such a fearful +front that Charley did not dare take the dog away. One swipe of those +paws, or one crunch of the great jaws might cripple Lew for life, or even +kill him outright. + +"Keep perfectly quiet, Lew," said Charley, "and maybe the bear will +forget about you. She's terribly enraged at this pup." + +Charley felt in his pocket and found a piece of strong cord. He knotted it +around the pup's neck and tied the animal to the tree. + +"I hope that bear won't come down and kill him while I'm gone," he +muttered to himself. To Lew he said, "I've got an idea. I'm going to get +the rope and see if I can lasso the bear from the other tree." + +"Sick 'em, pup," he cried, urging the little dog to make another frenzied +outburst. And while the dog was making the valley ring with his clamor, +Charley raced to his pack and got the coil of rope. Back he ran and +hastily climbed the tree beside the one in which Lew and the bear were +resting. The bear eyed him angrily, but kept her attention centred on the +pup. Charley climbed to a point a little higher than the limb on which the +bear rested. Quickly he fashioned a noose and got his rope ready for a +throw. Then he realized that he could never make a successful cast among +the limbs. + +An idea came to him. Drawing his little axe, he quickly cut and trimmed a +small limb, leaving a fork on the end of it. He put the noose on the +forked end and cautiously extended the pole. All the while he was urging +on the dog, which now began to jump up against the trunk of the tree. The +bear more and more centred her attention on the yelping dog. Her hair +bristled, and she growled continually. She bent her head down and got +ready to deal the dog a savage blow if he came up the tree. Her posture +could not have been better for Charley's purpose. Swiftly but quietly he +extended the pole until the noose was just beyond the bear's nose, then +lowered it swiftly and pulled back hard on the rope. Luck was with him. +The bear, taken utterly by surprise, was fairly noosed before she saw the +rope. + +Charley's sharp jerk to tighten the lasso almost pulled the bear from her +perch. She grasped the trunk of the tree with her paws to avoid falling, +and that gave Charley an opportunity to tighten and secure his rope. To +keep from falling, the bear had to maintain her hold on the tree. Thus she +could not claw or bite the rope. + +"I've got her," shouted Charley. + +It was true enough. In a moment he was almost sorry that he had her. For +Lew could not reach the ground without climbing past the bear, and +although the animal was caught by the neck, he dared not trust himself +within reach of those fearful claws. It occurred to Charley that perhaps +he could strangle the bear, or even pull her from the tree. He did not +want to kill the animal lest he get into difficulty with the law and so +incur the displeasure of his chief. Nor did he want to tumble her to the +ground because that would certainly mean the breaking of his rope and the +probable loss of part of it. + +"What are we going to do, Lew?" he called. + +"There's a strong limb about four feet above her head," replied Lew, +peering down through the branches. "If you could get your rope over that, +we could drop her to the ground and strangle her until she's about all in. +Then we could cut the rope and beat it." + +"That sounds all right," said Charley, dubiously, "and I guess we'll have +to try it. I see nothing else to do." + +Fortunately his rope was long. He had taken a turn or two around a limb +before making his cast, and he now held the bear taut, with ease. The +loose end dangled down the trunk. + +"I don't know about this," said Charley with a wry face. "It isn't as +simple as it looks. I'll have to unwind the rope from this limb and hold +it with one hand while I throw the loose end with the other. I don't know +whether I can do it or not. And how am I to get the end again?" + +"Can't you catch it with your pole?" + +Charley looked at the pole. He had let go of it when he noosed the bear, +but it had lodged in a branch within reach. + +"Here goes," he said. "I'll try." + +Cautiously he unwrapped one winding from the limb. Then bracing himself, +and pulling hard so as to keep the line taut, he unloosed the second coil. +The rope now hung free in his hand. The bear was not quiet for a moment. +She had struggled constantly from the instant she was noosed. She +continued to tug and pull at the rope. But she was at such a disadvantage +that she could not put her full weight into her struggles. Nevertheless +the strain on Charley's arm was terrific. To lessen the tension would give +the bear more leeway and so make the strain still greater. And to hold the +bear with one hand, while he cast his rope and got it in with the other, +Charley at once saw was impossible. + +"I can't do it, Lew," panted Charley. "She's nearly pulling my arm off." + +He gathered up the rope and put it back over the limb, preparatory to +taking a turn about the branch once more. While he was attempting to work +the rope around the limb, the dog suddenly increased his clamor. + +The bear gave a terrific, convulsive jerk on the rope and jerked it +through Charley's hand. The sudden pull completely unbalanced him and he +fell from the limb. But instantly he tightened his clutch on the slipping +rope and in a second was dangling in air, frightened but safe. He slid to +the ground, and drew the rope taut. Now he had the rope over a limb, as he +wanted it, but the limb was on the wrong tree. + +"I'll try it, anyway," he said. + +He tied the end of the rope about the trunk of the tree in which Lew and +the bear rested. + +"I'm going to pull her off her perch, Lew," he cried. "If I succeed, +she'll swing over toward the other tree. I may be able to pull her up on +her hind feet. Anyway, I think I can hold her, and if you come down as +quick as you can, the two of us can certainly pull her up. Are you ready?" + +Lew came down the tree as far as he dared. "I'll be with you the second +she drops," he said. "Pull!" + +Charley suddenly threw his entire weight on the rope. The bear, taken by +surprise, was jerked clear of the limb. She dropped downward and then +swung toward the other tree like an enormous pendulum. Lew slid down the +tree like a flash and landed in a heap beside Charley. He was up in an +instant, and, grabbing the rope, added his weight to Charley's. The bear +was fairly on the ground, but almost straight under the limb over which +the rope hung. She was clawing frantically at the noose. + +"Let's give a jerk," said Charley. "Together--now!" + +They strained suddenly at the rope and the bear rose to her hind feet to +ease the strain on her neck. Instantly they pulled in the slack. + +"We've got her now," cried Lew. "Pull again!" + +Once more they strained at the rope. It tightened about the neck of the +bear, shutting off her wind. She rose to her very tiptoes and the boys +pulled in a little more slack. + +"We could choke her to death now," said Charley, "but we mustn't. How are +we going to get out of this?" + +"Let's tie the rope fast and take our packs some distance away. She won't +strangle for a while. Then we can come back and free her. I think she +will not attack us, for she is too much afraid of the dog. We'll keep him +on a leash and beat it the minute we get the rope." + +"But how are we going to get the rope?" demanded Charley. + +"Gee! You've got me. Maybe we'll think of something while we're carrying +the packs away." + +The two boys got their packs and hurried along their route for some +hundreds of yards. Then they laid their packs down and ran back. But +Charley carried his rifle on the return trip. + +The bear was still pawing at the rope when they got back. The hair on her +neck was worn off by her violent struggles, and the skin was bleeding +freely. + +"That bear will wear a collar on her neck for life," said Charley. "If we +ever see her again, we'll know her." + +An idea came to him. "I've got it," he said. "I'll cut that rope with a +bullet. You stand ready with the dog, and I'll be ready for a second shot, +if necessary. We're not going to take a chance of being badly hurt, law or +no law." + +Lew untied the dog from the tree and held the leash with his left hand. +Charley handed him the axe, and Lew stepped a little aside where he could +use it, if necessary. But it was one thing to talk about cutting the rope +with a bullet and another thing to do it, for the bear kept the rope in +motion continually. Charley leveled his weapon and tried to get a bead on +the rope. It seemed to him that the bear would never stand still. But the +beast had nearly reached the limit of endurance. Her tongue was protruding +from her mouth, her eyes seemed ready to pop from her head. She was +gasping pitifully. Her own struggles were slowly strangling her. Suddenly +she stopped fighting and hung limp. The rope stretched like a rod. +Instantly Charley's rifle cracked. The line was severed as though some one +had cut it with a sword. It flew upward into the tree and the bear dropped +to the ground. The noose about her neck came loose and she breathed +freely. + +"Quick!" cried Lew. "She'll be on her feet in a second." + +Charley untied the rope from the tree, drew the severed end to earth, and +gathering up rope and rifle, fled toward his pack, with Lew at his heels, +dragging the frantic dog by main force, for the animal was wild to charge +the fallen bear. + +As they ran, they glanced back over their shoulders. At first the bear did +not move. Then she stirred uneasily and a second later, rose to her feet +and ran madly away. The boys stopped running. + +"I guess both parties had a lesson," said Lew. + + + + +Chapter XI + +The Secret Camp in the Wilderness + + + +Their encounter with the bear made the two lads forget for a while their +weariness. They made fast time along the fire trails. After a long tramp, +they topped the final ridge and paused to rest and study the country. This +they could do with ease, for the summit of the mountain was rather +sparsely timbered. A very little search disclosed a tree that was at once +tall and easy to climb, and that was surrounded only by low brush that +would not obstruct the vision. From this lookout they gained a wide view +in every direction. + +"We can see for miles and miles," said Charley. "The forester was right in +telling us to come often to this lookout. We can discover more from here +in a minute than we could by a week of wandering about among the trees." + +Slowly the boys swept their vision around the horizon. Everywhere the +mountains appeared to bask in the warm spring sunlight, seemingly as +secure as cats dozing by a fireplace. The fleecy clouds, passing across +the face of the sun, threw shadows on the hillsides, making beautiful +patterns of light and shade. The fresh, young growths gave forth a soft +green tint, in pleasing contrast to the darker colors of the pines. +Brooks sparkled in the bottoms. Far as the eye could reach this gorgeous +panorama extended. + +"Isn't it wonderful?" said Charley, after the two boys had surveyed the +scene in silence. "The forest is one of nature's very finest gifts. And to +think what we do to it by our carelessness. At any minute this green +paradise may become a very hell of roaring flame, just because some smoker +is too careless to blow out his match before dropping it, or some camper +too lazy to make sure his fire is extinguished. Why, it seems to me that a +murderer is an innocent angel compared to such a man. Think what he does! +He kills the fish and the birds and the animals and perhaps some human +beings, and he destroys not only the wood that civilization must have, but +he ruins the very ground so that it cannot produce another forest. It +seems to me that a man who does that ought to be punished more severely +than any mere murderer. Why, a murderer kills only a single being. The man +who starts a forest fire kills countless living things. I tell you, Lew, +it makes me mighty proud to have a part in protecting this grand forest." + +The boys were silent, wrapped in thought, until Lew suddenly pointed to a +dense growth of evergreens directly below them, and not very far down the +ridge. "That must be our camp site," he said. And both boys examined the +spot with interest. + +"That must be it," said Charley. "It's dense enough, goodness knows! And +there is a little stream of water stealing out of the lower side of the +thicket. So there is a spring in there. Let's go down and take a look at +it." + +They shouldered their packs, whistled the pup to their heels, and went +down to the thicket. In a space not less than a hundred yards in diameter +rhododendrons grew in indescribable density, while above them towered some +huge hemlocks. The two boys came close to the thicket and peered into it. +Even now, in the bright glare of the full sun, deep twilight reigned +beneath the rhododendrons. Evidently they were growths of great age. Their +stems were like young saplings. Their tops rose high and spread wide. And +their branches were laced and interlaced and twisted and grown together so +as to make a mass almost impenetrable. + +"Great Ned!" cried Lew. "A passer-by would have about as much chance of +seeing us in there as we have of discovering China from this hillside. The +question is, how are we going to get into the place?" + +Charley dropped on his hands and knees and crawled slowly under the low +rhododendron branches. + +"Keep right in my tracks, Lew, if you come in," warned Charley. "If there +are any snakes in here, they'd bite a fellow before he could see them. +I'll look sharp for them and if you follow me, you won't run any risk." + +He picked up a fallen branch, trimmed it, and crept on, stick in hand. +Suddenly he crowded back hard on Lew, almost kicking him in the face. At +the same time he began to thrash about in the leaves ahead of him. + +"Great Caesar!" he exclaimed. "I almost crawled on a big rattler. He was so +near the color of the ground that I didn't see him until he coiled and +raised his head. Gee! That was a close shave." + +"As long as you didn't get bitten," said Lew, "It's a good thing it +happened. We'll be on our guard now." + +"Yes, indeed. Did you put the potassium permanganate in the first-aid kit, +and the hypodermic syringe?" + +"Surest thing you know." + +"We'll just carry them with us, Lew. We won't take any chances on death by +snake-bite. These mountains are full of rattlers and copperheads." + +"And we won't take any chances on being bitten in this thicket, either," +answered Lew. "We'll put the pup in ahead of us." + +They whistled in the dog and sent him scouring through the thicket. But +either there had been no more snakes within it or else all had fled, for +the dog raced eagerly about but found nothing to alarm him. + +Confidently the boys now pushed into the interior of the thicket. At the +very heart of it lay the spring. It came bubbling up through pure, white +sand, and had formed a deep basin, over the lower edge of which the +crystal water went rippling away through the thicket. + +"We'll put our tent right here," said Charley, indicating a level spot +beside the spring basin. "We'll have to clear away some of the bushes to +make room for it. We can use what we cut as a screen, though nobody would +ever see a tent away in here, especially one of brown khaki, like ours." + +He drew his little axe and began clearing a space for the tent, cutting +the rhododendron stems a little below the surface of the ground. Lew piled +the branches at one side. Then the tent was dragged in and set up, the +rope being used as a ridge and tied to two strong saplings. The sides of +the tent were squared and pegged down. + +"Drive the pegs tight, Lew," directed Charley. "We don't want to have +anything crawling under the sides. Thank goodness, we have a sod cloth." + +After they had completed this task and set about bringing in the duffel, +Charley remarked, "We can't go in and out this way, on our hands and +knees. We've got to make a path. We'll find the best way out and trim the +bushes so that we can walk upright." + +"We'd better not make the path straight," said Lew. "If we zigzag it, +nobody will know it really is a path." + +After they had picked out a level route they trimmed back the rhododendron +branches so that they could walk through the thicket, though the branches +at the very edge were left undisturbed. The cut branches were added to +the screen about the tent. Then the duffel was carried in and stowed in +the tent. + +"What bothers me," said Charley, "is to know how to put up our aerial. We +don't dare hang it up where it can be seen, and I don't know how well it +will work among these hemlocks." + +"All we can do is to put it up and try it," said the ever practical Lew, +"and the sooner we do it the better." + +Quickly they had their wires suspended between two hemlock trees. The +aerial reached almost from trunk to trunk, and the wires were completely +hidden by the branches that stood out all about them. + +"If she'll work," commented Charley, "it's a peach of an arrangement. +Nobody would discover that aerial in a hundred years. I can hardly wait +until evening to test it out." + +"Willie might be listening in again to-day," suggested Lew. "It will take +him several days to get that new outfit made. We'll try him on the hour." + +"Good idea, Lew." He looked at his watch. "It's ten minutes to the hour +now. If Willie is listening in, we'll soon know whether or not our aerial +will work." + +They began putting the tent in order, stowing the duffel in neat little +piles. Just outside the tent Lew built a foundation for the alcohol stove, +by leveling the earth and setting a flat stone for the stove to stand on. +Meanwhile, Charley was stuffing the tick with dry leaves. + +Exactly on the hour Lew sat down at the wireless key and sent a call +flashing into the air. Promptly; his receiver buzzed in response. + +"Got him," said Lew, and while Charley went on filling the tick and +bringing in hemlock branches to use like springs under the tick, Lew +conversed with Willie. The latter was still working at the new wireless +set, and had listened in every hour during the day. All the other members +of the Wireless Patrol were likewise hard at work, and it was practically +certain that by the time the vacation was ended each would have earned his +share of the money needed to buy the desired battery. + +"I can't tell you where our camp is," rapped out Lew, "because that is a +secret that we are not supposed to tell. The forester does not want +anybody to know that Charley is employed by the forestry department. We +are posing as fishermen. Tell the fellows not to talk about Charley and +tell Charley's father the forester does not want it known for a time that +Charley is a fire patrol. He thinks that we have a better chance to find +things out if it is not known that we are connected with the forestry +department." + +Willie said that he would caution the boys and tell Mr. Russell. Also he +said he would be in his workshop until supper time and would listen in +most of the time. The club members would be at their instruments as usual +to catch the time from Arlington and pick up some of the news. Lew +replied that he would call Willie then, if he needed him. + +For some time after Lew laid down the receivers, the two boys worked +silently. They finished setting the hemlock branches in the earth, placed +the stuffed ticking above them, and laid their blankets in position. They +brought the wireless outfit into the tent and set the instruments in a +corner. The grub was stacked in another corner. A little pool was dug in +the stream just below the spring, to make a place for washing dishes. +Their extra clothes were hung on the ridge-rope. The first-aid kit was +fastened to the tent wall where it would be handy, and Charley put the +permanganate and the hypodermic syringe in his pocket. + +They had almost completed their task, when a low whistle was heard outside +the thicket. The pup pricked up his ears and was about to bark. Lew +grabbed him and held his jaws together. Then both boys sat silent, +listening and looking questioningly at each other. Soon the whistle was +repeated. + +"We've got to find out who's whistling," said Charley. "Keep the pup quiet +and I'll slip out and take a look." + +He left the tent, but had hardly gone ten feet before a voice cried, +"Hello, Russell! Are you in the thicket? This is Morton, the ranger." + +"Sure we're here," replied Charley, an expression of relief coming on his +face. "We didn't know who it was and kept quiet until we could take a +look. I'm coming out now." + +He hurried from the thicket and shook hands warmly with the newcomer. +Instinctively he knew that he was going to like his ranger. Big, +broad-shouldered, quite evidently powerful, with a kindly expression, a +winning smile, and a deep voice that instantly created confidence, the +ranger was a picture of honest manhood. No one could look into his deep +blue eyes, set far apart, or examine the lines on his face, at once +betokening strength of character with gentleness, and not feel that here +was a man in very truth. One knew instinctively that he would never +hesitate a second to risk his life to save another's, and that he would be +as gentle as a woman in his dealings with all creatures. But the great, +strong jaw and the straight mouth and long nose all foretold fearless +courage, and were ample warning that the man would be terrible if stirred +to wrath. + +"Come in and see our camp," said Charley, after the two had conversed for +a moment. And he led the way into the thicket. + +The ranger followed, his practiced eye noting everything. "You've made a +good job of it," he said with commendation, when he was at last seated in +the tent. "Nobody will ever find you here, unless you do something to +betray your position. You'll have to be a little careful about fires. I +wouldn't make any during the daytime." + +"We aren't going to make any at all," explained Charley. "Mr. Marlin gave +us an alcohol stove to cook with." + +"I don't believe you need go so far as that. Use your alcohol stove +during the day. At night nobody can see smoke, and if you screen the +blaze, nobody will ever discover you. It would be pretty dismal here at +night without any light. Let's see if we can't fix up a little fireplace +that will help you out." + +He got a number of large, flat stones, which he set on edge, fashioning a +high, square fireplace that opened toward the front. + +"The stones will screen the flames on three sides, if you don't build too +big a fire," he said, "and your tent will shut off the view on the fourth +side." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "It will be a whole lot more cheerful with a +fire. We have a candle lantern that we intended to use, but a fellow just +ought to have a fire when he's in camp." + +As they began to discuss the work ahead of them, the ranger inquired, +"What instructions did Mr. Marlin give you?" + +"He said that we should keep our connection with the department secret," +said Charley, "and if possible, avoid meeting any one. If we do bump into +anybody, we are to pose as fishermen. He said you would give us detailed +instructions." + +"Very well. First, about your outfit. Have you any firearms?" + +"A light, high-powered rifle and a pistol." + +"You can't carry a rifle in the forest at this season without exciting +suspicion. Leave your rifle here. Let me see your pistol? Have you +another?" + +Charley handed him his pistol and said that he had no other. + +"Then take this," he said as he handed Charley his automatic. "Let your +chum carry your pistol. I'll get another at the office. It isn't likely +that you will ever need to use a weapon in the forest. I have been a +ranger for years and have never yet drawn one, but I never travel without +one. You'll meet some pretty tough characters in the forest and sometime +your life may depend on having your pistol. My advice is never to patrol +without it. But keep it out of sight. Keep your badge out of sight, too. +And since you are supposed to be nothing more than fishermen, you'll have +to play the parts. Carry your rods and catch a few fish each day during +the season." + +"Where are we to patrol, and what hours are we to observe?" + +"You are especially employed to guard this virgin timber, though, of +course, you must protect any part of the forest you happen to be in. Take +some good hikes over the region right away and get acquainted with it. Use +your map and, if possible, learn the region by heart. Then your map will +mean something to you. Learn where the virgin timber lies. Keep a close +watch on it, and on any fishermen or campers. I'll spend at least two days +a week out here and you must report to me each time I am here. Meantime, +you must report to the office every night the last thing before you turn +in. The chief said you had a wireless and could do it. Maybe you can, but +it beats me to know how." + +"We'll show you in a little while," smiled Charley as he glanced at his +watch. "Willie will surely be listening in within twenty minutes and we'll +call him." + +"I'll have to take your word for it," said the ranger. "I can't wait a +minute. It will be long after dark before I get out of the mountains. I +telephoned my wife I'd be late, but she always worries when I'm out after +dark. You know snakes are bad up here, and they're all out at night. And +by the way, you'd better carry some of this permanganate. Do you know +anything about it, and what to do with it if you're bitten?" The ranger +started to pull a bottle from his pocket. + +"Thanks," said Charley. "It's mighty good of you to offer to share with +us. But we have permanganate and a syringe both, and we know what to do +with them." + +"Good. But be careful where you step. What do you wear on your feet?" + +He examined the boys' shoes and canvas leggings. "They're all right. I +don't believe any snake will bite through them. But high leather boots +would be safer. Bear it in mind when you buy new shoes. Now I must go." + +"When and where am I to report to you?" asked Charley. + +They agreed upon a place of meeting, half-way between the highway and +Charley's camp, whereupon the ranger, holding out his hand, said, +"Good-bye and good luck to you." + +"Do you have to go?" asked Charley. "Couldn't you stay overnight with us?" + +"I'd like to, but the wife would worry herself sick." + +"Suppose she knew that you were going to stay here. Would that make it all +right?" + +"I'm often away overnight during the fire season," smiled the ranger. +"It's the snakes that she's afraid of. She'd rather have me stay here all +night than come through these mountains after dark. You see her father was +bitten by a snake when she was a girl and she is mortally afraid of them." + +"Then you're going to stay here all night," said Charley, with decision. +"I'll get word to her right away." + +The ranger smiled incredulously. "I wish you could," he said. "It would +relieve her mind." + +Charley threw aside the pack cover that had been placed over the wireless +instruments. The ranger looked at the outfit with wondering interest. +Charley glanced at his watch and threw over the switch. + +"Willie might be listening in," he explained, as the sparks began to leap +between the points of his spark-gap. Twice he called, then a bright smile +came over his face. "Got him," he said. + +For some moments he alternately worked his key and listened to the return +buzzing in his receiver. Then he turned to the ranger. "Willie has the +forester on the telephone," he said. "What shall I tell him?" + +"Ask him to tell Katharine that I shall stay here with you in your camp +overnight, as I could not get home until long after dark." + +With fascinated gaze the ranger watched the sparks fly under Charley's +manipulation of the key. Then there was a long silence as the three sat +waiting for the reply. + +"Katharine says to tell Jimmie she's awful glad," said Charley, relaying +the forester's message literally, "and to thank the new patrol for taking +care of him." + +Then and there Charley knew that he was going to like not only the ranger, +but also the ranger's little wife. As for the ranger, he was almost +spellbound. + +"I know you talked to the chief," he said, "but what gets me is <i>how</i> you +did it. Why, if I knew how and had an outfit like that, I could talk to +Katharine any time and anywhere." + +"We'll make you an outfit and teach you how to use it," cried the two boys +together. "You shall have your first lesson to-night." + +Twilight drew near. Lew brought out the grub bag, and Charley began +cooking some food over the little alcohol stove. + +"I think that you can safely take a chance on a wood-fire at this hour," +said the ranger. "I'll build it myself." + +He placed a few dried leaves within the fireplace and stacked some twigs, +broken into short lengths, in a cone-shaped heap above the leaves. At once +he had a bright little fire that made almost no smoke but gave lots of +heat, though the flames did not reach as high as the stone sides of the +fireplace. Quickly a little bed of coals formed, and Charley put his +frying-pan directly over them. In no time the air was savory with the odor +of sizzling bacon and hot coffee. + +Squatted about the little fire, the three guardians of the forest ate +their evening meal. From time to time the ranger thrust a stick into the +fire, and so kept the flames alive. But it was a dim little blaze at best. +Yet it was mighty cheering and comforting as the darkness wrapped the +forest, and the gloom beneath the rhododendron thicket became inky and +impenetrable. + +For a long time after supper was eaten and the dishes cleaned, the three +sat before their little fire. Spellbound, the recruits listened to this +veteran guardian of the forest as he told them of his work in the woods, +of his encounters with beasts, of birds and reptiles, harmful and +otherwise, and of the rocks, and flowers, and trees. For the ranger loved +the forest even as Charley did. + +When the evening was farther advanced, and the air was vibrant with the +voices of the wireless, Lew and Charley took turns reading the news, while +the ranger's expression of amazement and admiration grew deeper and +deeper, and his liking and respect for his young subordinate increased +rapidly. Finally the ranger was given his first lesson in +radio-telegraphy. While Lew was writing down for him the wireless +alphabet, Charley was showing him how to make the letters on the +spark-gap. Before they turned in for the night, the ranger had learned to +distinguish the difference between the sound of a dot and of a dash as the +signals buzzed in the receiver. + + + + +Chapter XII + +On the Trail of the Timber Thieves + + + +Very early the next morning the ranger was afoot. Before ever the faintest +streaks of light penetrated the thicket, he had started the coffee to +boiling on the little stove, and breakfast was almost ready before he +wakened his young comrades. + +"Why didn't you call us sooner?" asked Charley indignantly, as he leaped +out of his blanket. "It's our place to do the work here, not yours." + +The ranger smiled. "It would have been cruel to waken you earlier. It's +easy to see that you aren't accustomed to such stiff work as your hike +here yesterday must have been. You slept like logs." + +"We intend to do our full share of the work," said Charley. + +"I'm sure of it," replied the ranger. "If I had thought you were trying to +shirk, I'd have had you out of bed long ago." + +Many a time afterward Charley thought of that statement and pondered over +it. He was learning a good deal about life these days. + +Grateful indeed was the warm coffee, for the April morn was chill. +Quickly the food was eaten, and the ranger prepared to depart. + +"I don't want to burden you with rules," he said in parting. "Your +business is to protect the forest. Every day you will meet some new +situation. You must do your best to protect the harmless creatures of the +forest, as well as the timber. That means you may have to deal with +gunners who are violating the law. Such men, with firearms in their hands, +are dangerous. You may come across timber thieves. Get acquainted with +your territory so that you can tell whether a felled tree is on state land +or on private property. Your maps show you where the lines run, and you +will find the trees along these lines blazed. If you find lumbering +operations going on within the state forest, do your best to stop the +cutting and report the matter at once. You may find traps set out of +season. And it is practically certain you will have to deal with fires and +perhaps the men who start them. Being a fire patrol involves a whole lot +more than merely walking about through the woods. I can't give you rules +that will cover all the situations you will find yourself in. Common sense +is the best rule. The chief has given you a very important post here. It's +an unusual responsibility for one so young. But we both expect you to make +good. I'll be disappointed if you don't. You know if you fail, I'll have +to take part of the blame." He shook hands with both boys and was gone. + +"He's a prince," said Charley, after the ranger had left the thicket. "He +knows just how to treat a fellow. Why, I've simply got to make good now. +I'd get my ranger in bad if I didn't." + +Quickly they put their camp to rights, then slipped their pistols into +their pockets and got their fishing-rods. + +"What is the first thing on the programme?" asked Lew. + +"We'll go up to the top of the hill and have a good look over the +country," replied Charley. "It's just about time for campers to be cooking +their breakfasts. If there are any of them near us, we might see the smoke +from their fires and locate them. You know the ranger wants us to keep tab +on everything that's going on in our district." + +They ascended the mountain and climbed the tree from which they had viewed +the country on the preceding day. The sun was just coming over the eastern +summits, sending long, level rays of light flashing among the dark pines, +making beautiful patterns of sun and shade. In the bottoms the night mist +had gathered in little pools, in places completely blotting out the +landscape. The tree tops, upthrusting through these banks of fog, looked +like wooded islets in tiny gray lakes. In every direction the two boys +scanned the country, looking sharply for slender spirals of smoke. But +they saw only mist curling upward. + +"It looks to me," said Lew, "as though mighty few people ever get into +this valley. It's such a hard journey to get here that I suppose the +fishermen will stop at the streams in the valleys nearer the highway, and +nobody else would want to come here at this time of year. Unless this +timber is set afire purposely, I believe there is not much danger of its +being burned." + +"There's just the rub," replied Charley. "It would naturally be safe, +being so hard to get to, and for that reason it wouldn't be watched as +well as more accessible regions, particularly when it is difficult to get +fire patrols. But because some one is evidently trying to burn this +particular stand of timber, it is especially necessary to guard it. Mr. +Marlin wants it watched continually, but so secretly that no one will +realize that it is being guarded. That might make the incendiary +careless--providing he comes again--and so lead to his detection. We must +do nothing to betray ourselves. We'll have to be careful not to mark this +tree in any way, so that a passer-by would guess it was used as a +watch-tower. And we shall have to be sure that we don't wear a path +leading from it to our camp." + +For many minutes the boys sat in the tree, well screened from observation +by the spreading limbs, yet themselves able to see perfectly. In every +direction they searched again and again for telltale columns of smoke, but +saw nothing. + +"It looks to me," remarked Charley, "as though there isn't a soul in this +region except ourselves. If that is so, it is the best possible time to do +a little exploring. Suppose we take a look at the valley above our camp. +We can cover a lot of ground between now and noon and yet get back here +for another observation during the dinner hour. We ought to be in this +watch-tower or at some other point equally good every time men would +naturally be having fires, and that means morning, noon, and night. +Between times we can explore the forest. It means some pretty stiff +hiking, but I guess we can stand it." + +They drew their map and compared it with the country as it actually +appeared. + +"We aren't so far from the end of the state land in this direction," +commented Lew. "That's the very place you suggested exploring. We might +look up the line, as Mr. Morton suggested. You notice the stand of pines +ends a long distance this side of the line. That's all hardwood forest up +that way." + +"The sooner we get at it, the better," agreed Charley. + +Carefully they descended the tree, picked up their fishing-rods, and +hastened down the mountainside as fast as it was safe to travel. The +nearer they came to the centre of the valley, the larger the trees grew. +Evidently the rich soil had worked down into the bottom, during the +centuries, and the tree growth was enormous. Under these huge trees there +was no underbrush, and the two boys could make fast time. They approached +the stream, which flowed swiftly along under the tall pines, where they +had no doubt trout innumerable lurked in the shadowy depths. The +temptation to stop and fish was strong, but they put it aside and pushed +on up the valley. + +For a long time they passed like ghosts among the pines. The earth was +springy with the accumulated needles of many years, into which their feet +sank silently. Under the huge trees everything seemed to be hushed. There +was no wind to set the pines awhispering, and the music of the brook stole +through the forest like the low singing of a muted violin string. + +For a long distance they passed through a pure stand of pines. Then the +character of the forest began to change. Soon they were in a mixed growth, +and not long afterward they found practically nothing but deciduous trees +about them. + +"We're not far from the line now," suggested Lew. "This must be the stand +of hardwoods we saw from the lookout tree. I doubt if it is more than half +a mile to the line." + +"Keep your eyes open for blazed trees," said Charley. "We ought to see +some before many minutes." + +They had gone on, perhaps a quarter of a mile, when Lew said, "It looks +pretty thin ahead. Either there is a natural opening in the forest or else +the timber has been cut out." + +Charley thought of what Mr. Morton had told him about timber thieves +operating along the boundary lines. He was glad that he had decided to +explore this particular section of his district. A moment later he was +still more glad, for the stillness of the morning air was suddenly broken +by a splitting, rending sound, which was followed by the crash of a great +tree as it came thundering to earth. There could be no mistaking the +sound. A tree had been felled. Both boys stopped dead in their tracks and +looked questioningly at each other. + +"Timber thieves!" said Charley in a low voice. His cheeks paled a trifle. +Then a look of determination came into his eyes. + +"What shall we do?" asked Lew in a loud whisper. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "But we'll find out what they are doing. +Then we can decide what to do ourselves." + +He drew his automatic but as quickly thrust it into his coat pocket, as he +remembered what the ranger had told him. But though the pistol was in his +pocket, he still grasped it in his hand. The tense look on his face showed +plainly enough that he was ready to shoot right through his coat. Lew, +observing his companion's movements, followed his example. + +Minute after minute the two young forest guards stood silent, listening +for the sound of axes or other customary noises that ordinarily accompany +lumbering operations. But the morning stillness was undisturbed. A puzzled +expression crept over their faces. + +"Maybe that tree wasn't cut at all," whispered Lew. "Maybe it just fell +of itself." + +"We'll find out," replied Charley, and cautiously they began to make their +way toward the point whence the sound had come. Sheltering themselves +behind trees, they advanced rod after rod. The stillness remained +unbroken. The stand of trees grew thinner, with more and more underbrush. +Presently they saw before them an unmistakable clearing in the forest. +Rapidly they advanced, screened by the bushes, until they stood close to +the edge of the clearing. Beyond question somebody had been cutting trees. +Over a considerable area the timber had been felled, and whoever had +felled it had cut ruthlessly. Hardly a sapling remained in all the cleared +area. On every hand trees lay prone. Some had been trimmed and cut into +pieces. Some remained exactly as they fell. Everywhere freshly cut stumps +told plainly enough what had occurred. + +"Somebody's cutting timber all right enough," whispered Charley, "and it's +on state land. I wonder where they are. They certainly cut that tree we +heard fall, but I haven't heard an axe or a human voice and I don't see +any signs of lumbermen." + +"Maybe they're at camp eating breakfast. It's still early, you know." + +"If they are," said Charley, "then this is the very time to investigate. +We'll look around before anybody gets back." + +Glancing once more about the opening to make sure that nobody was in +sight, they stepped from behind their concealing bushes and started across +the open space. But immediately they came to a dead stop. Like +rifle-shots, a succession of sharp sounds rang out, accompanied by +splashing noises. The two boys were at first alarmed, then puzzled. They +looked at each other in amazement. + +"What was that?" asked Lew. + +"I don't know," replied Charley. "At first I thought somebody was shooting +at us. But I didn't hear any bullets hum. And the noise didn't sound +exactly like a gun, either. It was like the noise a fellow makes when he +hits the water real hard with a board." + +In every direction they scanned the clearing. They saw no living things +but the trees. "It's queer," commented Charley. "Let's look at that +nearest tree that's down. Maybe we can learn something from it." + +They walked over to the tree, then studied it in amazement. "I never saw +anything like that before," cried Lew. "I don't believe that was ever cut +with an axe. It looks as though it had been gnawed off." + +"It has," cried Charley with sudden excitement. "I understand the whole +thing now. We've found a colony of beavers. I never saw a live beaver, but +I've read about them and seen pictures of their huts and their work, and +that looks exactly like the pictures. And those noises like rifle-shots +were their alarm signals. They slap the water with their tails when they +are frightened and dive under water. I suppose they're all in their lodges +now, and we'll never get a peep at them. Gee whiz! Just think of finding +beavers, Lew, real beavers. I didn't know there were any in Pennsylvania." + +"It seems to me that I read something about the game commission stocking +the state with them a few years ago. I think they put a number of them in +the state forests. Doubtless they have multiplied in numbers and started +new colonies." + +"That explains it," said Charley. "Gee! I'm glad we found these fellows. +And I'm just as glad that they aren't timber thieves. You know, Lew, it +made me feel kind of queer to think of facing real timber thieves. I +didn't like the idea a bit. But I kept thinking about Mr. Morton and what +he said about his being blamed if I fell down, and I made up my mind I'd +do it, no matter what happened." + +They now turned their attention to the felled tree once more, studying the +innumerable teeth marks, like so many tiny chisel cuts, on stump and butt. +Then they noticed the great chips lying about the stump, some of them half +as big as dinner plates. + +"It gets me to understand how they can bite out such huge chunks," said +Lew, "when their teeth are evidently so small. Why, you'd think an animal +would have to have a mouth as big as a hippopotamus to take bites like +these." + +Charley laughed. "Looks that way, doesn't it?" he said. "But as I remember +it, what I read said that the beaver gnaws out parallel rings around the +trunk and wrenches out the wood between. It's like sawing two cuts in a +board and chiseling out the board between them." + +"I see," said Lew. "But I should think they'd break their teeth all to +pieces." + +"So should I. But they have very strong teeth that grow out as fast as +they wear away, and that are as sharp as a chisel. I wouldn't want a +beaver to bite me. I'll bet he could bite right through a bone." + +"I suppose," said Lew, "they cut these trees to use in making their dam; +but what gets me is how they are going to get the trees over to the dam. +It would take a team of horses to drag this trunk. It's fifteen inches in +diameter." + +"The article I read," said Charley, "stated that as the beaver dams became +higher, the land adjacent was flooded and that the beavers made little +canals through the flooded area and floated their logs where they wanted +them. You notice that they have gnawed the limbs off of a number of these +trees and cut several of the trunks into lengths. I was sure they were +sawlogs when I first saw them." + +"Well, there isn't enough water here to float a log," said Lew, "though +it's mighty wet and it looks as though the water was several inches deep +a little farther on. Let's see if we can find a canal." + +They stripped off their shoes and stockings, and, rolling up their +trousers, began to wade. Very soon they found the water nearly knee-deep. + +"There's more water here than there seems to be," admitted Lew. "There's +so much marsh-grass and so many water-plants it fooled me." + +Cautiously they waded about. Suddenly Lew plunged forward, and only by +grasping a bush did he save himself from getting completely wet. As it +was, he found himself standing upright in three feet of water. After he +recovered from his surprise, he felt about with his feet. + +"This is their canal all right enough," he said. "It's very narrow, but it +will float anything that grows in this forest." + +He scrambled out and the two boys made their way back to dry ground. "How +are you going to get dry?" asked Charley. "I don't want to make a fire +unless it is absolutely necessary." + +"Never mind about me. I'll dry off soon enough. Let's find their dam." + +They made their way toward the run and soon discovered the dam. It was a +great pile of branches, stones, moss, grass, mud, bark, etc., that had +been built across the stream and extended for rods on either side. It +looked very solid, yet the water did not pour over it, but filtered +through it. + +"Think of all the work it took to make that," cried Lew. "Why, every +stick in it had to be gnawed down and floated here, and all the bark and +grass and roots had to be pulled and brought here and the stones +collected. And say! How in the world do you suppose they ever handled +those stones? And how do you suppose they ever anchored the stuff when +they began building? I should think the current would have swept +everything away at first. That's a pretty swift stream." + +"I read that they start their dams with saplings, which they anchor across +the current with stones. They are much like squirrels, you know, and can +use their fore paws about as well as we can use our hands. I suppose the +stones lose weight by displacing water, but if I hadn't seen these rocks, +I'd never have believed that such big stones could be handled by animals +no larger than beavers." + +"See here," said Lew. "These willow branches must have taken root, for +they seem to be growing right up out of the top of the dam. And there's a +birch that's surely growing. You know the branches of some trees will root +if you put them in water, especially willows. Why, if they continue to +grow and take more root, there'll be a hedge of living trees right across +this brook. The dam will become so dense that it will back up a great +quantity of water. I reckon this bottom will just naturally turn into a +swamp after a time." + +"Now that's interesting," suggested Charley. "You know the Bible tells us +the world was made in six days; but it seems to me it isn't finished yet. +Every rain washes down soil from the hills and helps to fill up the +valleys and the river-bottoms, and the floods scour out the watercourses +and carry earth and stones down to the ocean. And here we see a piece of +land that used to be fine, dry bottom, now becoming a swamp. It looks to +me as though the earth is changing every day." + +They examined the dam more critically. "It's two hundred feet wide if it's +an inch," said Lew, "though the brook isn't more than fifteen or twenty. +You see, it extends on each side of the brook to land that is a little +higher than the level of the stream bank. That's what makes this big head +of water. At the least there are several acres of it." + +"There's one thing that we haven't seen yet," added Charley, "and that's +their houses. They ought to be some distance above the dam." + +"I wonder if those are beaver lodges," said Lew, pointing to some bulky +heaps of brush at a little distance up-stream. + +"That's exactly what they are. They don't look much like houses, do they? +But I guess they're pretty snug inside. The entrances are deep under +water, you know, so that the ice can't clog them in winter, and so that +the beavers can get to their food all right." + +"What do they eat, Charley? Do you know?" + +"Sure. They eat roots, and tender plants, but mostly bark from certain +trees. I believe these are willow, poplar, birch, and some others. They +cut down the wood in summer and pile it under water in front of their +huts and hold it down with stones." + +"Well, what do you think of that!" cried Lew. + +"They eat a pile of it, too. I don't remember how many trees that article +said a colony of beavers would eat in a winter, but I'm sure it was up in +the hundreds. I remember how astonished I was when I read about it." + +"No wonder they clear the forest so fast. I wonder if we ought to tell Mr. +Marlin. Maybe he doesn't know about these beavers. They might begin to cut +down his virgin pines. I'm sure he wouldn't want that to happen." + +Charley laughed. "I'd bet my last dollar that Mr. Marlin knows all about +these beavers. You can bank on it that he knows all there is to know about +the territory he has charge of. And as for the beavers eating the pines, +it seems to me that I read that they never touch evergreens." + +A ray of sun slipped through the leaves above them and fell directly upon +Charley's face. He glanced up and was surprised to note how high the sun +had climbed. Then he looked at his watch. + +"Gee whiz!" he cried. "We must have been fooling around this beaver dam +for more than an hour. We must be about our business. We'll go on and +locate the boundary line." + +"I wish we could get a glimpse of a beaver," sighed Lew. + +"Not much use to wish it," said Charley. "They're furtive, and I suppose +they will stay in their lodges for hours. It seems to me I read that they +work at their dams mostly at night. We'll go on now, but maybe we could +come up here some moonlight evening and see them at work." + +They made their way around the beaver dam and continued on up the valley. +Within a few hundred yards they came upon a blazed tree. Speedily they +discovered a second. Then, following the line indicated by these two +trees, they rapidly passed tree after tree blazed and painted white, +tracing the line entirely across the valley. They picked out some +landmarks by which they could readily locate the line again. + +"If anybody except those beavers starts any timber cutting," said Charley, +"we'll know in a second whether he's cutting the state's wood or not. Now +I guess we'd better hustle back to camp." + +Lew got their noonday meal while Charley ascended once more to the watch +tree at the top of the mountain and made a careful survey of the country. +Not a sign of smoke could he see in any direction. No fire was discovered +during the afternoon hike. The evening inspection from their tower was +equally reassuring. After a brief chat by wireless with their friends at +Central City, and through them sending their nightly message to the +forester, telling him that all was well, the two tired young fire patrols +rolled up in their blankets and were quickly asleep, serene in the +knowledge that the forest they guarded was safe. + + + + +Chapter XIII + +Spying Out the Land + + + +All too rapidly the days passed. Occasionally a shower moistened the +surface of the ground, but for the most part the dry weather continued, +with every hour increasing the fire hazard. During the first few days +Charley was never free from a feeling of dread. Every time he awoke he +expected to smell fire. Every trip to the watch tree was made in the fear +that somewhere within his vision there would be telltale clouds of smoke +arising. A nervous apprehension seized upon him, and a mortal fear of +fire; and a growing disbelief in his own power kept him in a state of +unconquerable anxiety. + +All these were sensations new to Charley, though they were normal enough. +The natural result of responsibility, they were coupled with Charley's +keen realization of the insignificance of his own or any one else's powers +as opposed to the vast forces of nature. Had Charley never seen a forest +fire, had he never done battle with the raging flames, he could not have +had this sharp realization of the insignificance of his own strength. But +the recent struggle with the forest fire and that far more desperate +battle with the same enemy years before, when the Wireless Patrol was in +camp at Fort Brady, had given Charley a true estimate of the well-nigh +irresistible fury of a fire in the forest, should conditions be favorable +to the flames. + +Only luck, Charley realized, and the best of luck, had brought him and Lew +out victorious in their recent contest. The next time fire started--and he +knew well enough that there would be a next time--there might be a strong +wind, or to reach the blaze might take him hours, or he might not be able +to summon help with his wireless, or other unfavorable conditions might +arise to render his efforts useless. Then the forest would go roaring up +in flame. And even though he might not have been unfaithful to his trust, +the result would be the same. The timber would be destroyed. This great +forest would be consumed. And he, especially selected to guard and protect +it, would have failed. The thought was overwhelming. + +More and more Charley turned to his wireless as a drowning man clutches at +a straw. He saw that when Lew had gone and he had nothing but his own +powers to depend upon, the wireless was going to be like a life-line to +him. He realized that to have the powerful battery he wanted was +imperative, if he was to have even a chance to make good in his efforts to +protect the forest. And as he and Lew patrolled the timber, he made it +evident to his chum what a vital part that battery would play in his +success. But neither of them saw any way for Charley to come into +immediate possession of it. + +As the days passed and the forest still slumbered in safety, the sharp +edge of Charley's anxiety wore off. That, too, was normal, for he could +not naturally remain at such a pitch of emotion. So his interest in the +life about him gradually returned. And indeed there were innumerable +objects to interest a nature lover like Charley. + +The country itself was enough to make a nature lover happy. When Charley +climbed his watch tree and looked about, he could see nothing but forest. +East, west, north, south, league upon league, far as the eye could see and +much farther, stretched the forest, like a huge green sea. The mountains +rose like great waves; and from his lofty perch Charley could see several +parallel ridges rearing their crests aloft on either side of him. +Distinctly he could see the two bottoms at the foot of the mountain on +which stood his watch tree. Splendid stands of timber filled these valleys +with swelling streams of water that flashed in the sunlight here and there +through little openings in the trees. But what lay in the farther valleys +he could only guess, though he knew that each must have its stream and +some timber. What else there might be Charley did not know. + +It was part of his work as a patrol to find out. And eagerly he looked +forward to the daily hikes that would take him here or there or elsewhere +in the great forest. Already he loved it; and he wanted to share all its +secrets. Had Charley but known it, that very attitude of mind made him +more valuable both to his ranger and to the forester. It meant that his +work would not be done in a perfunctory manner, but with that genuine +interest born of love that alone leads to perfect service. + +The two chums made themselves familiar with their own valley from the +border line of the state lands above the beaver dam, to a point many miles +below their own camp. They found that they were in the heart of the stand +of virgin timber, and that the location of their camp was by far the best +that could have been chosen for the purpose of guarding the stand. + +Charley thought it wonderful that the forester could offhand select such a +strategic point. He felt more certain than ever that Mr. Marlin must have +an intimate knowledge of the territory over which he had jurisdiction. +Could Charley have known how intimate that knowledge was, he would have +been amazed. And what he did not even guess was the fact that the forester +had planned just such a secret watch on the big timber as Charley was now +keeping, and that he had selected the camp site only after days of +investigation. + +Nor did Charley so much as dream that for some time Mr. Marlin had been +looking about for some one he could trust to do the work. The native +mountaineers did not command Mr. Marlin's entire confidence, nor did many +of them possess the intelligence or education he desired in the man he +selected. + +Yet his sudden choice of Charley was characteristic of the forester. He +always acted quickly when he thought the time for action had come. +Charley's grit and pluck in voluntarily fighting the fire, coupled with +his membership in the Wireless Patrol, were the factors that led Mr. +Marlin to engage him at once. Had Charley known these facts, he might have +felt a bit conceited or at least elated over the situation. But his belief +was, as Mr. Marlin wished it to be, that the forester had taken him only +as a last resort. And Charley was working hard to make good. He could +hardly have taken a better way than the road he had chosen--to make +himself familiar with all the territory he was to guard, and so to prepare +himself for the emergencies that lay ahead of him. + +Every day, and every hour of each day, the two boys found much that +excited their wonder, for now they were studying nature at first-hand. +Taking their dog, they one day climbed the mountain beyond the one on +which their watch-tower stood, and came down into a lovely valley. But +what instantly arrested their attention was the face of the mountain on +the far side of this valley. + +Instead of being a timbered slope, this mountain was a sheer precipice of +rock that rose abruptly a thousand feet in air. Its rugged sides were +seamed and scarred. Here and there a projecting ledge offered a scant +foothold, but mostly the face of the cliff was one vast, frowning rock +that rose almost perpendicularly. On tiny ledges and in crevices of the +rock little ferns grew in masses, hanging down the face of the cliff like +green fringes. Wild flowers had taken possession of the crannies. In +precarious footholds, where it seemed impossible for them to exist, a few +trees had sprung up, their roots crawling fantastically over the rocks in +search of bits of earth to grow in, while the tops of the trees stood up +slantingly against the face of the cliff. Mostly they were evergreens, and +their scraggly branches made irregular dark masses on the face of the +precipice. + +As the two boys made their way toward the foot of this cliff, a great bird +came soaring over the top of it, and sailed in lofty circles over the +valley. + +"Look at that hawk!" cried Lew. "Isn't he a whopper? Look at the spread of +his wings. And see how he soars, without ever moving a muscle. I wonder if +he can see us." + +Evidently the bird saw something, for suddenly it tilted downward, shot +toward the earth like a flash, and was lost to sight behind the trees. + +"Whew!" cried Charley. "Did you see that drop? It almost took my breath +away to watch him." + +A moment later the bird rose into sight again, bearing in its talons a +dark-colored animal of some sort. Though the animal was not large, it must +have weighed many pounds. Yet the bird flew upward swiftly, lifting +himself rapidly with strong strokes of its wings. + +"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Charley, after watching the bird a moment. "That's +no hawk! That's an eagle. It's a bald eagle, too. See his white tail and +head and the bare shanks?" + +"Are you sure?" demanded Lew. "I've always wanted to see a bald eagle. +It's our national emblem, you know." + +"I'm pretty sure that's one," replied Charley. "I've read about them and +seen pictures of them, and that bird's exactly like the pictures. We can +see his legs well because he's holding them straight down. They're bare. +The golden eagle has feathers all the way to his toes." + +"Gee! I'm glad we saw him," exclaimed Lew. "Look where he's going." + +The bird flew straight toward the cliff, climbing upward with tremendous +speed. He flew directly to a ledge far up the precipice, where he vanished +from sight. + +"That's where the nest is. I'll bet anything on it," said Charley. "We'll +keep an eye on this place and see if there are any little eagles later in +the season." + +For some time they watched the ledge to which the eagle had flown, but the +bird did not again come into sight. Evidently the ledge was much wider +than it appeared to be from the bottom of the valley, and perhaps the face +of the cliff was worn away, cave like, at that point, affording a secure +retreat. At any rate, the eagle was seen no more. + +"Well," said Lew, after a time, "if we can't see the eagle again, perhaps +we can find out what sort of an animal it was he got. I think I can pretty +nearly point out the spot where he landed." + +They started toward the point at which the eagle had come to earth. When +they thought they were near the place they began to search the ground +carefully for some signs of the tragedy that had occurred. They looked in +vain. Nowhere could they find any telltale marks. + +"I suspect it must have been a coon," suggested Charley. "It looked like +it to me. We know there are lots of them in this forest." + +Just then the excited chattering of squirrels attracted them. They began +to examine the trees about them. Presently they came to one around which +were scattered innumerable shells of nuts that had been gnawed into and +eaten. + +"There must be squirrels in that tree," said Lew. + +Now muffled squeaks of fear or pain were audible. The two boys looked at +each other questioningly. + +"There are squirrels up there all right," agreed Charley, "and something's +wrong. That's exactly the way a squirrel sounds when it's in trouble. Yes; +there are some squirrels in the tree top. They're terribly excited over +something." + +The boys began to examine the tree. It was an old oak. Well up its trunk a +limb had broken or rotted away, and the resulting decay of the stub had +made a hole in the tree itself. What instantly riveted the attention of +the two boys was something black and tapering that projected from the +hole and that slowly waved in the air. + +"A blacksnake!" cried Charley. "He's probably eaten the little squirrels." + +In a second Charley was shinning up the tree. Not far below the squirrel +hole the stub of another old limb projected. Charley pulled himself up and +got a footing on it. He drew his little axe from his hip, and, yanking the +snake half-way out of the hole, broke its back with a sharp blow of the +axe, and then threw the reptile to the ground. Lew was on it like a flash +with his feet, tramping it to death. In the snake's mouth was a small +squirrel still kicking and making muffled noises. + +Charley slid to the ground, drew his knife and slit the snake's head, +releasing the young squirrel. It was hurt and terribly frightened, but was +apparently not really injured. Charley kept it in his hand, feeling for +broken bones. + +"I don't believe this squirrel is really harmed a bit," he said finally, +"but it was a pretty close call. I'm going to put it back in the nest +again." + +He put the little creature in his pocket, then again shinned up the tree, +and placed the squirrel in its nest. Meantime, the old squirrels in the +tree top chattered incessantly. + +"Nobody's going to hurt you," said Charley, looking upward through the +branches. "We're only trying to help you." + +When he came to earth once more he examined the snake. "He's a big +fellow," he said, stretching the reptile out straight. "He's a good deal +more than six feet long. I guess we'll take his skin and make a belt of +it." + +As he drew out his knife again and proceeded to skin the snake, he +continued, "I don't believe in killing snakes as a general rule, but +blacksnakes do more harm than good, I believe. It's true they kill rats +and mice, but they also eat birds' eggs and young birds and squirrels, and +no end of other useful creatures. And they are so active that one snake +will kill a great number in the course of a year." + +"I don't understand how they can eat anything so big as that young +squirrel," said Lew, "but I know they do." + +"Really they don't," laughed Charley. "They drag themselves outside of +their prey. You know their jaws are loose so they can spread them, and +their teeth point backward. What they do is to work the upper jaw and then +the lower, hooking their teeth into their food, pulling back with each +half of the jaw in turn. You see they literally pull themselves over their +prey. Well, I'm glad we got that fellow. I suppose it's my business to +kill all the blacksnakes I can. Whatever harms the squirrels, hurts the +forest." + +"What do you mean?" asked Lew. + +"Why, you know that squirrels help to plant the nut trees in a forest. +Some tree seeds, like pine and maple seeds, are so small or light that +they are carried easily by birds and winds, and so scattered about. But +acorns and nuts are so heavy that they fall straight down to the earth. If +the squirrels didn't carry them away and bury them in such quantities, how +could we ever have had these great stands of nut and oak trees?" + +"I never thought of that," said Lew. + +"It looks as though what Mr. Marlin said was right--walking about through +the forest is only a small part of a forest guard's work. He's got to know +an awful lot about things before he can be sure just what he ought to do." + +"I never had any idea how big a job it is, Lew. And think what a forester +must have to know. I tell you it takes a man to fill a job like that." + +Noon came. The boys grew hungry. "I could eat all the sandwiches we have +myself," smiled Charley. "I wonder if we couldn't catch some trout to help +out. It would be all right to make a fire over here, I'm sure. And we'll +keep it so small it won't make any smoke. And even if it did, it couldn't +possibly betray the location of our camp." + +They made their way to the stream in the middle of the valley, baited +their hooks, and dropped them into the water. In no time they had half a +dozen fine trout. + +"You clean 'em, Lew," suggested Charley, "and I'll make a little +fireplace." + +He selected a little shoulder of earth close to the run and began to dig +into it with a stick. In a moment he had uncovered a deposit of solid +clay. The clay was hard to dig, but he could shape his fireplace in it +exactly as he wanted it. When the task was completed, he started a very +small fire with leaves and small branches. By careful feeding, he kept the +flames burning clear, with almost no smoke. Presently he had a bed of +glowing coals that almost filled the little fireplace. + +Lew, meantime, had cleaned the fish and cut some black birch branches +which he thrust through the fish lengthwise. Squatting beside the little +fire, the two boys now held the fish over the coals, turning them slowly, +and roasting them thoroughly. With the addition of the trout, their meal +was ample. + +They ate slowly, and after their meal sat for a time beside their fire in +the warm sun, watching the forest life about them, and listening to the +song of the brook and the myriad other sounds of the woods. Finally they +prepared to leave. The fire had shrunken to a white bed of ashes. + +"We'll make sure that it is out," commented Charley. And he stepped to the +run and got a hatful of water, which he poured on the ashes. To his +astonishment the ashes were washed away, leaving the fireplace bare. The +fireplace had changed color and looked as though made of brick. He touched +it and found it as hard as stone. + +"Fire-clay," he said. "That's probably worth something. I'll take a sample +along." + +He dug away more top-soil and scooped out a big ball of clay. Then he +filled in the holes he had made, covering up all traces of the clay +deposit, and blazed a tree near by to identify the spot. + +The journey back to the camp was made by a route different from the one +taken in the morning, the boys following the stream down the valley for a +distance before crossing back to their own valley. The first fishermen +they had encountered were seen on the return trip. The men were wading in +the stream below the boys and so did not observe the young fire guards +behind them. Charley and Lew instantly slipped behind trees, and after +watching the men until they were lost to sight, struck off toward their +camp. They got there shortly before sunset. While Lew prepared supper, +Charley once more made his way up to the watch tree, where he remained +until dusk. + +Early in the evening they got into touch with their friends at Central +City, and through them sent a reassuring good-night to the forester. Then, +too tired to listen to the night's news, they wrapped themselves in their +blankets and were soon sound asleep. + + + + +Chapter XIV + +The Trail in the Forest + + + +The following day the two young patrols were to report to their ranger at +the appointed place in the forest. Although the ranger had much farther to +travel than they did, the boys knew from experience that he was afoot +early during the fire season, and they felt certain he would be at the +meeting-place before the appointed hour. Charley wanted to be as prompt as +his ranger, and so the two boys were astir by the time the first streaks +of light tinged the eastern skies. + +It was still dark enough to risk a little blaze in their fireplace and the +warmth was grateful, for the early morning air was chill enough. Breakfast +was soon cooked and their camp put to rights. Then, taking their +fishing-rods again, they set forth to patrol the forest. The pup was tied +in the tent, lest he should get into trouble with a porcupine or some +other creature of the forest, and so make them tardy for their +appointment. + +Their plan was to travel down their own valley for a distance, then pass +through a gap to a fire trail in the next bottom, which would lead to +other trails that would take them close to their destination. They had +studied out their route carefully on the map, and they made their way +with both speed and certainty. + +For a long time nothing of moment happened to them. The sun came up bright +and clear, flirting with the fleecy clouds in the sky, that now plunged +the land in deep shadow and again drew aside so that the forest was bathed +in golden sunlight. The earth sent forth fragrant exhalations. A gentle +breeze lent a tonic quality to the atmosphere. The leaves sparkled with +dew, and the stream in the bottom flashed in the sunlight, filling the +woods with its sonorous babble. So inviting was the scene that despite +their haste, the boys could not resist the temptation to drop their hooks +in promising pools as they moved along. Without half trying, they +accumulated a dozen fine trout. The smaller ones they carefully unhooked +and threw back into the stream. + +They passed through the gap in the mountain and started to cross the +bottom to the fire trail. At the brook in the middle of the valley they +paused to make one last cast in an especially inviting pool. At that +moment two men came out of a near-by thicket. Both were smoking. They were +equipped like fishermen, though they had no fish. They were rough looking, +with hard faces. One of them had an ugly scar above his right eye and +showed a mouthful of gold teeth when he took his cigar from his mouth, as +he asked, "What luck?" + +"We've got a few," replied Charley, extending his creel for their +inspection. + +The man looked at the fish and swore savagely. "These kids have fished +the brook out," he growled. "There's no use trying this stream. We'll have +to go on to the next valley." + +Charley was in a quandary. These men, with their cigars, were a menace to +the forest. It made him nervous merely to look at the glowing tobacco and +the careless way the men flicked the ashes about. He was almost +panic-stricken at the idea of their passing into his own valley while he +was absent. He did not know whether to tell them the truth about his fish +or remain silent. But he remembered that his watch in that valley was +supposed to be a secret one, and he said nothing. Afterward he was glad +that he had remained silent. + +"Come on," said the man with the gold teeth. "These kids have queered us +here. We'll be moving." + +As he started away he gave Charley such a savage look that it almost +frightened Charley. It did worry and alarm him, for he could not help +asking himself what he should do if he had to deal sternly with such a +man. Even with Lew at his side, he felt fearful. Alone in the forest with +such desperate-looking men, he knew that he would be helpless. + +Then he remembered the automatic stowed in his hip pocket and felt +relieved. Now he understood much better why the ranger had given it to +him. The remembrance that he had this weapon stiffened his courage +wonderfully. He determined that if gun-play ever became necessary, he +would not be caught napping. At once he shifted the automatic to his coat +pocket, where he could shoot without drawing the weapon, and where he +could carry his hand without exciting suspicion. + +"Gee!" whispered Lew, after the two men had passed out of hearing. "I +wouldn't care to meet that pair after dark." + +"What I am afraid of," said Charley, "is that they will set the forest +afire. They were mighty careless with their cigars. Will they be any more +careful with the butts when they have finished their smoke? I don't know +but what we ought to trail them. Yet we've got to meet Mr. Morton and I +don't want to be tardy. I can't make up my mind what we ought to do." + +After a moment's consideration, he unjointed his rod, and started off in +the direction from which the men had come. "We'll find Mr. Morton just as +quick as we can," he said with decision, "and tell him the situation. +Meantime, we'll make sure those men didn't start any fires up to this +point." + +Charley's anxiety lent wings to his heels and he started at a rate of +speed that would soon have winded both boys. At a protest from Lew, he +dropped to a fast walk. With open fire trails before them, the chums +advanced rapidly. Soon they were well up the slope of the next mountain. +They turned and studied the country behind them with anxious eyes. But no +smoke columns showed against the green of the forest and they went on with +lighter hearts. + +"I'm certainly going to get a pair of good field-glasses," said Charley, +"though I don't know where the money's to come from any more than I know +how I'll get my battery. But I just have to have both." + +Their meeting-place with Mr. Morton was in the next valley. Charley +glanced at his watch and saw that they were early for the appointment. Yet +he kept on at good speed in the hope that Mr. Morton might also be early. +He wanted to talk to him as soon as he possibly could. The two boys never +reached the meeting-place, however, for shortly they met Mr. Morton +himself coming up the fire trail. He had reached the meeting-place, and, +being early, had decided to climb to the top of the hill. He knew that his +subordinate would almost certainly travel by way of this fire trail, and +he planned to keep watch on the mountain top while he waited for him. + +Charley was so relieved to see his ranger that he scarcely knew what to +say. He suddenly felt so different that he was almost ashamed of having +been alarmed. As he looked at it now, it seemed foolish to have been so +disturbed because a stranger had been provoked at what he chose to regard +as interference with his fishing. + +The ranger shook hands warmly with his young friends. "I see you have kept +the forest safe so far," he said with a smile. "How have things been +going?" + +"All right," replied Charley, "but we met a couple of men an hour or so +ago, whose looks we didn't like." + +"How's that? What did they do that you didn't like?" + +"Well, they were smoking and they were careless with their cigars. Since +we met them I've been expecting to see a smoke column rising every time I +turned around; and I'd hate to tell you how many times I've looked back in +the last hour." + +"It never hurts a man in the forest to look back," said Mr. Morton with +another smile. "Lot's wife is the only person on record who came to grief +that way. But seriously, you mustn't get nervous just because you see a +smoker. You'll meet hundreds of them, and they're all pretty careless." + +Charley flushed a little. "You don't understand, Mr. Morton," he went on. +"I wasn't nervous--that is, I didn't--I mean, it wasn't the mere fact that +the men were smoking that made me feel anxious. I didn't like the looks of +the men or their actions." + +"What did they do?" + +"Well, they swore at us." + +The ranger laughed. "That's a habit of these mountaineers," he said. "You +mustn't pay any attention to it. They don't mean anything by it." + +"Do they look at you as though they'd like to kill you, too?" demanded +Charley. "Is that a habit of these mountaineers?" + +Instantly the ranger's face was sober. "See here," he said seriously. +"What have you been doing? What did you do or say to the men that made +them curse you? A little authority hasn't made you toplofty, has it? You +know you are not supposed to let anybody know that you're a fire patrol." + +"I didn't," replied Charley, stung by the implied criticism. "We caught a +few fish in our own valley, then cut through to the valley just below us, +on our way to this trail. Just as we reached the run, two men came out of +the bushes. They asked what we had caught, and when I showed them, one of +them swore at us terribly and said we had fished the stream out so that +they would have to go on to the next valley." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger, looking much relieved. + +"No, sir, it isn't," continued Charley. "They looked as though they wanted +to kill us." + +The ranger was inclined to smile, but he forbore, seeing that Charley was +sensitive. "You'll soon get used to meeting tough-looking customers in the +forest," he said. + +"I hope that I don't meet many like that fellow," sighed Charley. "When he +scowled at me, he looked as fierce as a chimpanzee. And he had an ugly +scar over his eye that actually seemed to turn red." + +Instantly the ranger's face became sober. "A scar over his eye," he +repeated. "Which eye?" + +"His right one." + +"Did you notice his mouth?" + +"Sure. I couldn't help noticing it. It was full of gold teeth." + +The ranger gave a low whistle. His face became still more serious. "Tell +me exactly what was said and done," he continued. "Repeat your +conversation just as accurately as you can." + +When Charley had rehearsed the entire affair in detail, the ranger asked, +"And you are sure you gave him no hint that you had come from the next +valley?" + +"Absolutely none. I thought right away that I mustn't do that." + +"You're a lad of discretion," smiled the ranger. "You have done well. But +be awful careful of that old scoundrel. That's Bill Collins. He's a bad +egg if there ever was one. He never came into these mountains to catch +fish. That's merely a blind. And he was headed for your valley, too. +That's absolutely certain. Otherwise he wouldn't have gone there." + +The ranger paused in thought. "<i>Did</i> he go there?" he continued. "That's +the problem. If he said he was going there, it's more than likely he was +headed for some other place and wanted to throw you off the track." + +Again the ranger paused and studied Charley's face keenly. Evidently the +wide-set eyes, with their indication of intelligence, the strong nose and +good chin, and especially Charley's straight mouth with its thin lips, +reassured him. "My boy," he said kindly, "I don't want to alarm you +unnecessarily, but be careful of that man. He's up to something, or he +wouldn't be in this forest; but what it can be, I've not the remotest +idea. The only thing I can think of that would bring him here is the +virgin timber. He's been mixed up in several crooked lumber deals. He +wouldn't hesitate for an instant to steal timber or to set the forest +afire. And it's my personal belief that he wouldn't stop at"--he paused +and studied Charley's face again--"at murder." + +The two boys were sober. For a moment they looked at the ranger in +silence. Then, "What had I better do?" asked Charley. + +"Keep out of Collins' road," answered Mr. Morton instantly. "If you can +get track of him, watch him; but don't let him see you or know he is +watched." + +Again the ranger paused to ponder the matter. "It isn't a square deal to +let you kids go up against that old crook," he said suddenly. "Come on. +We'll see if we can find him. And if we do, I know how to deal with him." + +The ranger strode forward at a terrific pace. The two boys had almost to +run to keep up with him. Over his face came a grim expression that boded +no good for Bill Collins. On and on he went, saying never a word. +Evidently he was revolving the situation in his own mind. Not until they +reached the brook did he utter a syllable. Then he said, "Show me exactly +where you boys were and where the two men came out of the bushes." + +Charley pointed out the respective positions. Mr. Morton searched the +bushes but found nothing enlightening. + +"Which way did they go after they left you?" he asked. + +Lew pointed out the route they had taken. Along the margin of the brook +both men had left clear footprints. Mr. Morton sank to his knees and the +three studied these prints closely. Then, "Come on," he said, rising. +"We'll see if we can trail them." + +Lew led the way to the point at which they had last seen the men. The +disturbed condition of the leaves showed plainly that some one had passed. +Very slowly and painstakingly the ranger followed the trail. In many +places the forest mold still retained the imprint of a foot distinctly. So +they followed the trail for several rods. Then they were unable to find +any more footprints, nor did the leaves appear disturbed in any way. + +"They've turned off to one side or the other," said the ranger, when he +was sure they had overrun the trail. "Let's see if we can find which way +they went." + +The three investigators turned and spread out, advancing a foot at a time, +and examined the ground minutely. Not a leaf nor a stick, nor yet the +bushes or tree trunks escaped observation. At last Charley gave a little +cry. He had found a footprint that corresponded exactly with one they had +studied by the brook. A little farther on a second imprint was visible, +and the leaves again had the appearance of having been disturbed. For some +distance they continued to search for and to find footprints and other +unmistakable signs of the passage of the two men. + +"It is useless to look for any more tracks," said the ranger, +straightening up. "Collins and his companion quite evidently went up this +valley instead of the one they told you they were heading for. They were +merely trying to mislead you, which makes me all the more certain they are +here for no good purpose. They certainly had no reason to suspect your +connection with the Forest Service, and I presume that Collins was so +annoyed at being seen by anybody that he just couldn't keep his temper. So +he swore at you. He's a violent chap. It's certain that he's somewhere +ahead of us, with at least two hours' start. We'll try to overtake him, +though we don't want him to see us. What we'll do if we find him will +depend upon circumstances. Now let's hustle. But be quiet and keep your +eyes open." + +Not until near sundown was the search discontinued. Then, finding +themselves almost directly below the watch-tower, the ranger and his two +helpers struck directly up the slope, took a long, careful look for smoke, +and descended toward Charley's camp. + +"I'm going to spend the night with you," explained the ranger. "I wish +that you would try to call up Katharine and tell her how it is. I don't +like to leave the forest until I find out what those scamps are up to." + +They came to the camp. The pup was still in the tent, and everything +seemed to be as it was when the two young patrols left in the morning. + +"Things seem to be all right," said Charley. "We'll be a bit cautious and +cook on the alcohol stove to-night." + +But when he went to the spring for water, he gave a cry of dismay. In the +soft ground by the spring basin was a footprint exactly like that they had +traced so painfully in the other valley. + + + + +Chapter XV + +The Telltale Thumb-Print + + + +More serious than ever was the ranger's face when Charley showed him the +telltale footprint. + +"It's bad!" he said. "Altogether bad! He's as cunning as a rat, that Bill +Collins. But how he could ever discover a camp so well concealed as this +one is, I don't know." + +And with that the ranger fell into a brown study. Lew and Charley went on +rapidly with their preparations for supper. + +"Here," called the ranger, noticing what they were about. "Mr. Marlin sent +this to you. I almost forgot about it." He reached into the capacious +inner pocket of the hunting-coat he wore and drew forth a bulky package. + +"Beefsteak!" cried Charley, opening the package. "Oh boy! And enough for +two meals. We're certainly obliged to you and Mr. Marlin both." + +Meantime, the pup, neglected, fawned upon them and began to whine, when +suddenly the ranger cried out, "I've got it. It was the pup." + +"The pup?" echoed Charley. "What about the pup?" + +"Why, it was the pup that betrayed the camp. In some way those men got +within hearing or smelling distance of this place, and the pup must have +barked or whined. You know how a lonely dog will howl and carry on. I'm +sorry, but I guess that pup will have to go, Charley." + +Charley's face expressed almost as much mental agony as the pup's whine +had shown, though he said nothing. The ranger, looking up, caught the +expression, however, and understood. He knew how lonely it would be for +Charley after Lew returned to Central City. "The harm's already done," he +continued, "and I suppose it never does any good to lock the stable after +the horse is gone. You may keep your pup, Charley; but I do wish he was a +dumb brute in fact as well as in name." + +"I can train him to be quiet," said Charley eagerly. "I trained Judge +Gordon's dogs to hunt and I can train this little fellow not to make a +noise. If I could keep him, sir, I'd be mighty glad. He'll be a lot of +company." + +"Keep your dog, noise or no noise," said the kindly ranger with +determination. "If you can really train him well, he'll do us a thousand +times more good than he does harm. Now that I know Bill Collins is in +these woods, I don't like the idea of leaving you here alone. You train +that dog as fast as you can. Train him to warn you of the approach of +strangers, and train him to fight, too--and to fight hard." + +Again the ranger lapsed into silence. After a while he said, "What +puzzles me now is this: Should we move your camp to another place or leave +it where it is? Bill Collins knows there is a camp here. He saw you two +boys in the forest and he has probably seen no one else. He will likely +infer that it is your camp. But he has no way of knowing that you are +connected with the Forest Service, unless, unless--By George! Why didn't I +think of that sooner? Ten to one he hid close by and watched for you to +come back. If he did, he saw us when we came down from the top of the +hill. And if he saw me with you boys, he knows as well as I do why this +camp is hidden and what you boys really are doing. I'll bet it made him +swear some when he saw me." And the ranger chuckled. + +"But maybe he didn't see us," suggested Charley. + +"I'd just as soon believe that the sun didn't set. That fellow's a fox for +cleverness and a bulldog for persistence. Yet I don't see that we need +feel bad, even if he does know where your camp is. We've learned more than +he has. We know he's back in these parts and that he is making a secret +visit to this timber; for you may be very sure he intended it to be a +secret visit." + +"But he can't be certain we know who he is," argued Charley. "He is as +much a stranger to Lew and me as we are to him." + +"True enough, Charley, true enough. It was really a great piece of luck +that you boys happened to bump into him. It would have been better, of +course, if you could have seen him without being noticed yourself, but in +that case we should never have guessed who he was. No; it's a game of +checkers between us now, and we've each lost a man to the other. But in my +opinion we got a king in exchange for an ordinary checker. What I'd like +to know is, who the man is that's with him." + +"Supper is ready," announced Lew. + +The three entered the tent, where Lew had hung the lighted candle lantern, +and in the growing darkness ate their meal. + +"It seems to me," suggested Lew, "that it would be best to leave the camp +right where it is. If we move it, that will indicate that we know its +location has been discovered. If we let it remain where it is, these men +won't know whether we are aware if their visit here or not." + +"You've a good head on you, young man," said the ranger approvingly. +"That's exactly the thing to do. Besides, if we moved it and Bill Collins +wanted to find it, he'd stick right to the job until he succeeded. But I +don't believe he has any interest in watching this camp or in staying in +this forest. It isn't a healthful place for him and he knows it. You see, +Bill and I are old acquaintances. It's my opinion that he came in here for +some particular purpose and that he'll get right out the instant that +purpose is accomplished. Those men didn't have any packs, did they?" + +"Not a sign of a pack," replied Charley. "Their coat pockets bulged out +as though they had sandwiches or something in them, but they hadn't a +thing in their hands or on their backs except fishing-rods and creels." + +"That settles it," said the ranger. "They can't stay here more than +forty-eight hours at the most. And there's no danger of their telling +anybody else about your camp because they won't want anybody to know they +were here. We'll just consider the camp situation settled." + +They finished their supper and had begun clear up the dishes when suddenly +Charley thought of the fire-clay. "Oh! I have something to show you," he +cried, and went to the corner of the tent to get the clay ball. It was +just where Charley had left it, but the instant he picked it up he was +somehow conscious that it was different. He held the ball up and looked at +it critically. Then he hefted it in his hand. + +"Lew," he exclaimed, "how big was that ball of clay we took for a sample?" + +"Four or five inches in diameter," rejoined Lew. "Why?" + +"Look at that. It isn't a bit more than three inches thick. I was sure we +had more clay than that. I meant to make a little pot of it." + +"We did have more. I'm sure of it. You don't suppose those men could have +taken any of it, do you?" + +"Let me see," said the ranger. + +He took the ball and examined it critically. "That looks like fire-clay. +If it is, and the deposit is of any size, you have found something of +value. You know the state sells things like that on a royalty basis. We +might be able to develop a good clay business. We like to work up all the +business we can, because the revenues go toward the purchase of the +equipment we need. You know the legislature won't give us all we need to +buy implements for fighting fires, and for fire-towers, and other +equipment." + +"If we could make a fire," said Charley, "you could soon tell whether it +is good fire-clay or not." + +"Make a fire," said the ranger. "Collins already knows where our camp is +and nobody else will be prowling around here at this hour." + +In a minute the boys had a fire going. When they had a deep bed of coals, +they dropped the ball of clay in it and made more fire on top of the bed. + +While they were waiting for the clay to bake, Charley sat down at his +wireless key. As it was still early in the evening he did not feel certain +that any of the Camp Brady boys would be listening in. He called several +times with no response, so he threw over his switch and resumed his +conversation with his fellows. When he flashed out his signals a quarter +of an hour later, however, he got a prompt reply. + +"I've got 'em," said Charley quietly to his comrades. "And it's Henry +talking." He was silent a while, listening to Henry's message. Then he +said, "Henry wants to know when Lew is coming home. Vacation is about +ended." + +"Tell him that I think I'll go back with the ranger to-morrow. I've stayed +as long as I possibly can." + +Again there was a pause. "Henry wants to know what we are doing and +whether or not we've had any adventures. I wish I could tell him the real +situation. But that would never do." + +Charley turned to his key and began to tick off a message: "Everything as +quiet as--" He stopped abruptly. A cry that fairly made him shiver sounded +in the forest. He turned to the ranger. "What in the world was that?" + +"A wildcat," replied the ranger. "He smells the meat you hung up. You'll +just have to be a bit watchful. He may hang around here for days, and +sometimes those fellows get nasty." + +Another piercing cry startled the night. Again Charley shivered. Lew got +up and by putting more wood on the fire lighted up the interior of the +thicket brightly. + +Charley turned to his wireless key and sent a call signal flashing. + +"What's the matter?" came back Henry's reply. "Why did you cut off?" + +"Wildcat," flashed back Charley. "Just outside our camp. Smells our meat. +Scares a fellow half to death when he cries out. Ranger says it may hang +around for days. Wish you would send us some traps." + +"You'll bring them out on your next visit, won't you?" said Charley, +turning to Mr. Morton. + +"Bring what out?" demanded the perplexed ranger. + +"Why, traps. I forgot that you couldn't read the message I was sending. +I'm asking Henry for traps." + +"Tell him to send them along. Trapping will be better than shooting under +the circumstances, but don't hesitate to use your gun if you need to." + +Charley turned back to his instrument and asked Henry to rush the traps. +He inquired about his fellows of the Wireless Patrol. Henry had nothing +out of the ordinary to report. Then Charley asked Henry to get the +forester at Oakdale on the telephone. + +After a long wait, Charley's receiver began to buzz. "Henry has the +forester on the telephone," Charley explained to the ranger. "What shall I +tell him?" + +"Nothing. I'll tell him about Bill Collins myself. Just say that +everything is all right and ask him to get Katharine on the telephone." + +Again there was a pause. "He's got her," said Charley. + +"Please tell Katharine," said the ranger, "that it was necessary to stay +in camp with you to-night. Ask how she and the little girl are." + +While his friends sat in silence before the crackling fire, Charley took +the message. "Katharine says that everything is all right and they are +well. She thanks the fire patrols for taking care of her husband." + +Charley said good-night and laid down his receivers. "Your wife is a +pippin," he said with a smile as he turned toward the ranger. "I don't +wonder you like her. Think of her thanking us for taking care of you. Why, +we'd be scared to death if we were here alone, with that confounded hyena +howling out there in the bushes. She must be a brave little woman. She +didn't seem a bit worried because you hadn't come home." + +"I guess she had an idea I wouldn't get back to-night," said the ranger. +"You know it's a pretty good hike for one day." + +Charley knew well enough that Mr. Morton was trying to mislead him. He saw +at once that the kind-hearted ranger had intended to spend the night in +camp. But not knowing what to say, he turned in silence to the pup, which +evidently smelled the wildcat, and tried to quiet him. + +"You can be glad that you've got that dog," said the ranger. "I don't +think that cat will come any closer, for it can smell the dog as well as +the meat. Take care of him and make him useful. Now we'd better turn in, +for we must pull foot early in the morning." + +"Let's first see if our clay is baked," suggested Charley. + +Charley scattered the embers and rolled the clay ball out of the ashes +with a stick. It was baked as hard as a brick. The ranger folded up the +newspaper which he had used as an outer wrapper for the meat, and picked +up the ball with the paper. Lew held the candle lantern close while the +ranger examined the clay. Slowly he turned the ball around, picking at it +with his knife blade. + +"Who made this ball?" he asked suddenly. + +"I did," said Charley. + +"Did Lew touch it at all?" + +"I can't recall that he did." + +"No; I never laid a finger on it," said Lew. "Charley rolled it and +carried it here himself." + +"Let me see your thumbs, Charley," said the ranger. + +Charley, puzzled, held them up for inspection. The ranger examined them +closely. "Now let me have that little microscope of yours," he continued. + +Charley handed it to the ranger, who studied the clay ball intently +through the glass, then as carefully looked at Charley's thumb. Then he +chuckled. "We've taken another king in this little checker game," he said. +"Look at that." + +While Mr. Morton held the lantern for them, the two boys studied the +burned ball of clay. On it were a number of distinct thumb-prints, now +turned into solid brick by the action of the fire. The boys looked at each +other questioningly and then at Mr. Morton. + +"It's a clever rogue who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," chuckled the +ranger. "What happened is as clear as daylight. Collins and his companion +found this clay while they were inspecting your camp. They must have +suspected that it was fire-clay and that you had found a deposit of value. +They took some along to test, and rolled what was left into a ball again, +thinking you would never notice the difference. But they forgot that clay +would take finger-prints so readily, and they have left their calling +cards behind them." + +The ranger carefully wrapped the clay ball in his handkerchief, and then +in a newspaper. "Let me have this," he said. "The police may have some +duplicate prints somewhere. We don't know what Collins and his pal are up +to, but we have something here that we may find very useful. It isn't +every crook that is so considerate as to leave his thumb-prints behind +him." + + + + +Chapter XVI + +Good News For the Fire Patrol + + + +As the ranger had foretold, the forest guards did indeed pull foot early +in the morning. Black darkness still enfolded the camp when the ranger +awoke his young companions. Fire was speedily kindled and breakfast gotten +under way. + +"Better eat your meat, boys," suggested the ranger. "Otherwise it will +keep that cat hanging around here. We'll hardly dare to leave the pup +behind again, and that beast might get in here and tear your tent to +pieces. These cats play hob with things sometimes." + +Lew decided that he would carry nothing back with him, as he contemplated +visiting his chum at intervals. + +"Just take your rifle," said the ranger to Charley. "You'll be all alone +on your return trip and with two such animals as we've seen hereabout, it +will be just as well to have it. If I were you, I believe I'd make a +pretty close companion of it and always keep it within reach." + +When they left the camp, they were burdened only with Charley's rifle and +food for the noon meal, which they stowed in their pockets. The instant +there was light enough to guide their footsteps, the trio set forth. + +For hours they trudged through the forest, for the most part in silence. +Although they traveled by a circuitous route, and with eyes and ears +alert, they neither saw nor heard anything that pointed to the presence of +other human beings in the forest. The ground bore no telltale footprints. +No incriminating marks were discernible on the trees. Smoke was nowhere +visible. No firearm disturbed the silence of the wilderness. No birds flew +upward with cries of alarm, save at their own approach. And the only +voices that were audible were the voices of the brooks. + +Under other circumstances Charley would have been supremely happy. The sun +came up bright and clear. No veil of mist floated before the face of the +sky. But woolly, white cloud banks sailed lazily aloft, intensifying by +contrast the blue of the sky. A gentle wind blew fitfully. The earth +steamed fragrantly, sending up an odor joyful to the nostrils. And the +little brooks babbled wildly in their joy at the spring-time. + +But Charley was not in a responsive mood. The thought of the man Collins +and his evil-favored companion weighed upon him heavily. Nor was the +knowledge that a wildcat was prowling about his camp reassuring; though +Charley was far from being afraid of the beast. And always the dread of +fire was in the background of his consciousness. What troubled him more +than anything else just now was the approaching loss of his chum. Could +Charley have diagnosed correctly the feelings that oppressed him now, he +would have known that it was the fear of loneliness more than any fear of +Bill Collins or wildcats or forest fires, that made him sad. To read about +Robinson Crusoe was all right, but to be Robinson Crusoe was quite a +different matter--at least a Crusoe without a good man Friday. And Charley +was too downcast at present to realize that the pup at his heels could be +to him all that Friday was to his master, and perhaps more. + +Again and again Charley turned over in his mind the problem of how he +could get the battery he needed. More than ever he felt that he absolutely +must have it. Such a battery would cost many, many dollars. To be sure, +Charley's salary would soon bring him in enough money to pay for such a +battery; but all of his income, or practically all of it, Charley knew, he +must give to his father. How he should get around the difficulty, Charley +could not see. + +As they trudged on, he talked the matter over with Lew again. Lew seemed +unduly light-hearted over the matter, and even smiled about it. Instead of +sympathizing with his chum, he counseled him not to worry about it, as the +way would likely open. That seemed so heartless that Charley was hurt. He +thought that his chum, about to leave the forest himself, no longer was +concerned. So he fell silent, and walked along in greater dejection than +ever. + +Long before the sun had touched the zenith, the three forest guards had +reached the last ridge that lay between them and the highway. + +"You've come far enough, Charley," said the ranger, "and perhaps it would +have been better if you had stopped short of this. If anything should +happen in that big timber, you are a long distance from it. There's a good +spring part way up this ridge, and it's high enough so that we can get a +good view. We'll stop there and eat our dinner. We can watch as we eat. +After you've had a good rest, you had better hike for camp. You're a good +ten miles away from your tent." + +They climbed to the spring, took each a good drink, and sat down to eat +their food. The panorama that spread before them was wondrously beautiful, +but Charley had no heart for scenery. He ate in silence, his eyes for the +most part bent on the ground. + +After the meal was finished, the three friends sat silent, looking out +over the vast range of territory before them, each busy with his own +thoughts. If one could have judged by the expressions on their faces, Lew +was little short of jubilant. Again and again he smiled and looked +meaningly at his chum. But Charley still sat with downcast eyes, heedless +of his chum's glances. But why Lew smiled it would have been hard to +guess. If he had any scheme in mind, he dropped no hint concerning it. + +Finally the ranger rose. "We've got to shake a leg," he said. "And you had +better start back to camp." + +Charley got up mechanically. His face showed all too clearly what was in +his heart. The ranger looked at him searchingly, and a kindly expression +came into his eyes. + +"Never mind, Charley," he said. "You won't be alone long. Lew, here, or +some of your other friends will be slipping out to spend the week-end with +you, and I shall see you regularly twice a week. It may be, in view of +Bill Collins' visit, that Mr. Marlin will think I ought to come oftener." + +"Have you learned your alphabet yet?" replied Charley, a sudden gleam of +interest crossing his face. "Just as soon as you learn to use the +wireless, we can talk at almost any time. I'm sure that one of the fellows +will lend you his outfit." + +"I'll make Mr. Morton an outfit myself," said Lew. "I'll make it exactly +like yours. Then you two can talk without tuning." + +"That will be bully," said Charley, beginning to brighten up. Then he +turned to the ranger. "Did you learn your alphabet?" he repeated. + +"I've been working at it a little," said the ranger. "To tell the truth, I +don't care much about it. I'd just as soon stick to the telephone. But the +wife is crazy over it. She says if we knew how to do it and had the +instruments, we could talk at any time. She's learned the alphabet +already." + +"She has! Bully for her!" cried Charley. "Hurry up with that outfit, Lew, +so we can teach her to send and read. I'll be glad to talk to her, even if +her husband doesn't want to." + +"I'll be home by sunset," said Lew, "and you can call me at eight +o'clock. I shall have had a chance to talk to the fellows by that time and +I hope that I shall have something good to report to you. I'm coming out +the first Friday I can, to spend Saturday and Sunday with you. Good-bye." + +Charley shook hands heartily with his two friends and turned back into the +forest. Although he was still somewhat cast down, the intense depression +that had weighed upon him during the morning was lightened. The events of +the past twenty-four hours had made him forget temporarily the plan to +teach Mr. Morton how to operate the wireless. But the news that the +ranger's wife was also to become a radio operator pleased him more and +more as he turned the matter over in his mind. + +The pup, rubbing against his heels, recalled another matter to his mind. +He had to train the dog to be useful to him. + +"No time like the present," muttered Charley to himself. And the training +of the pup began then and there. All the way home, through the wide +valleys, over the mountain tops, and across the little streams, Charley +worked with the pup, trying to teach him to be silent and to walk quietly +at his heels. And though many, many subsequent lessons were necessary +before the pup was even half trained, the work with the dog made Charley +forget his loneliness. He arrived at his camp, which he found +undisturbed, once more in his normal frame of mind. + +What shortly followed was to send him to bed soon afterward as happy as +the traditional lark. For when Charley got into touch with Lew by wireless +at the appointed time, Lew told him that the Wireless Patrol had met him, +Lew, at the station in a body, with the news that funds for the battery +had all been earned and the battery ordered; and that when he had told +them of Charley's situation, the club had voted unanimously and +enthusiastically to send the battery to Charley for him to use as long as +he needed it in the forest. + +Furthermore, Lew informed him, Henry had been talking to the wireless men +at the Frankfort station, and not only were they willing to work with him +to protect the forest, but they were also sending an amplifier to Oakdale +so that Charley would be sure to get their messages with the greatest +distinctness. The battery would be forwarded as soon as it reached the +Wireless Club and had been inspected, and the amplifier would go with it. + +No wonder that Charley rolled up in his blankets, with shining eyes, +careless alike of cats and Collinses. With the pup and the new battery he +felt that he should indeed be in position to render efficient service to +his forester and his ranger, both of whom he was coming to love, and to +the grand old forest around him. + + + + +Chapter XVII + +An Accident in the Wilderness + + + +As though she also were pleased at Charley's good fortune, Dame Nature +smiled her best in the days that immediately followed. The sun rose warm +and grateful. The forest was instinct with the spirit of spring, of +new-born life, of hope eternal. Wilderness birds sang in the branches. The +brook babbled and gurgled and ran madly down the slope. The leaves +overhead whispered of the new life that had come. All the forest animals +seemed filled with the joy of living. And Charley was not a whit behind +them. His whole being thrilled with happiness. + +Now he could see matters in their true light; or if his vision were a +trifle clouded, the clouds were tinged with rose instead of black, as they +had been previously. + +Charley thanked Providence that he was just where he was. In some respects +an unusual boy, he was mentally no abler than many of his fellows. He +possessed a trueness of vision and an understanding of things that were, +however, unusual in a lad of his age. Always he had had to earn the +things that he wanted. And always he had been able, within reason, to get +what he desired. Early in life, therefore, he had come to understand that +everything has its price, and that he who is willing to pay the price can +get almost anything he wishes. So now, instead of bewailing the fact that +he was where he was, as many another lad would have done under the +circumstances, he rejoiced. He rejoiced because he had sense enough to +understand that his opportunity was at hand, here in the forest, and now. + +In another respect Charley was mature for his years. He had come to +understand, at least in a measure, that real success is always won by long +and persistent effort in a given direction. Like other boys, Charley had +his dreams and cherished lofty ambitions. But the stern necessities of +life, as he had lived it, had taught him that dreams seldom come true as +the result of luck, but are realized most certainly through consistent +effort. He did not want to go to work in the factory because he hated the +dirt and the noise and the odors and the sense of being cooped up, like an +animal in a pen. Now he had all the freedom in the world, and the +opportunity had come to become well acquainted with the things that he +loved--trees, flowers, ferns, birds, animals, and all the other gifts of +nature. + +When Charley looked abroad and realized that his opportunity had come, and +come in such a delightful way, he could hardly keep from shouting in his +happiness. Like the sensible lad he was, he immediately asked himself this +question, "What is the best thing for me to do first?" He decided that he +would go on with the training of his pup. All day, as he walked through +the forest, he labored to teach the young dog to trot quietly at his +heels, or to walk silently in front of him. + +Charley's purpose, of course, was to have the dog always at hand, to give +him warning of the approach of man or beast, and to fight for him, if +necessary. That the pup should learn not to betray himself or his master, +was equally needful. So Charley had the additional task of teaching the +dog to be silent, excepting for a very low growl, upon the approach of +other creatures. Charley thought of the Leatherstocking and his dog, and +wondered how that dog had been trained so wonderfully. + +Day after day the lessons continued. Charley had abundant opportunity to +work with the pup, for the forest was full of creatures that constantly +excited the young animal. The training required no end of patience: but +Charley loved the dog and never wearied in his efforts. By the time he had +completed his labors with the pup, his own shadow was hardly more constant +and quiet than the dog. + +Charley was elated one day when the dog signaled the approach of a +fisherman by no more than the faintest sort of a bark, and then at +command, came promptly to heel and remained there, silent and watchful. It +was the pup's first test with human beings. The fisherman proved to be +one of two who were making their way along the margin of the run. Charley +and the dog remained quietly behind some bushes until the fishermen were +out of sight and hearing. Then Charley praised his little pup and went on. + +His efforts with the dog, however, did not prevent him from thinking of +other matters. Day after day his mind returned to the problem of the +forest fire and the piece of green pasteboard. Ever since he had found the +telltale pile of ashes and the charred pasteboard beneath it, Charley had +been turning the problem over in his mind. How he was to solve the puzzle +he did not see. Somewhere, he felt sure, he had seen pasteboard like the +charred piece now in possession of Mr. Morton; but when or where he had +seen it, he had not the slightest recollection. How he was ever to find +another piece like it, he could not imagine; for as a fire patrol he had +neither time nor opportunity to mingle with people. + +He could see just one possibility of success. Undoubtedly there was a +great deal more of the green pasteboard in the world than had been +contained in the burned box. Hence persons other than the incendiary must +have some of that same pasteboard. Perhaps some of those persons might +bring a bit of it into the forest. Campers and fishermen often brought +food and other things into the woods in pasteboard boxes. So Charley +resolved to examine carefully every camp he came to, and even to +scrutinize the remains of camp fires. But day followed day and Charley +found nothing to enlighten him. + +One day when Charley was on his way to meet the ranger, he suddenly +realized that he was away behind time. Charley hated the idea of being +tardy, especially when he had no reason for being late. He had been +training his dog, and his work with the pup had delayed him more than he +realized. But with haste he could still reach the meeting-place on time. + +At the fastest pace that he thought he could hold Charley set off. His +daily hikes through the forest had rapidly made a good walker of him, and +now he went along at a rate that would speedily have tired out most +travelers. Sometimes, to rest himself by changing his gait, he went scout +pace, walking fifty steps, then jogging fifty. He allowed nothing to +hinder him or take his attention. When he reached the meeting-place it +still lacked a few minutes of the appointed hour. Charley was pleased to +find that he had arrived before the ranger. + +When the time of meeting came and the ranger was not there, Charley began +to scan the fire trail carefully and to look about for smoke clouds. He +knew that something of moment must be afoot to make the ranger tardy for +his appointment. The ranger was not visible, however, though Charley could +see straight down the fire trail for a long distance. + +"I'll go meet him," said Charley. "He's sure to come this way." + +In the sand of the trail he printed a message for the ranger, in case the +latter should be coming by an unaccustomed route, and continued along the +trail. He had gone a full mile before he met Mr. Morton. + +"Sorry I am late, Charley," said the ranger. "A lot of stuff came to the +office for you last night and the chief asked me to fetch it out this +morning. I think your new battery has come." + +"It's about time," said Charley. "I had about given up hope of ever seeing +it." Then he added, "But you couldn't pack that way out here. It must +weigh sixty pounds." + +"Is that all?" laughed the ranger. "I had come to believe that it weighed +in the neighborhood of half a ton." + +"Did you really try to carry it?" asked Charley. + +"Sure. The chief sent all your stuff as far as he could in the truck, and +I packed it in as far as I could carry it. That's why I'm late. But I had +to drop it a distance back. I brought these along, however, and thought +we'd go back and get the battery, for I'm sure that's what it is." He +paused and handed to Charley two pasteboard boxes he had strapped to his +back. The larger one was bulky, but weighed comparatively little. The +other was small. + +"I wonder what it is," said Charley, as he untied the string and opened +the smaller box. "The amplifier," he said. Then he opened the larger box. + +"Your wireless!" he cried in delight. "Everything is here, even to the +aerial. Only the spreaders are lacking. We could make them and have this +outfit set up in no time if we had to. Isn't it bully? Now we can talk +directly with each other as soon as you learn to send and read. Won't that +be dandy?" With practiced eye he once more glanced over the outfit to make +sure everything was there. Then he tied the box up again. + +"I'll just take it back with me," he added. "This goes to your house, you +know, and you can pick it up on your way home. We'll take it as far as the +battery and leave it there." + +They strode rapidly along the trail, and in half an hour reached the +battery where the ranger had set it down. Some traps lay on top of the +battery. + +"I forgot to bring them sooner," said the ranger. + +Charley lifted the box. "How in the world," he said, "did you ever pack +that thing over these mountains on your back? Why, you've carried that +more than four miles." + +"We'll cut a couple of saplings and tie them to the box for handles," said +the ranger. "Then we can carry it easily. Give me your axe." + +Charley handed his little axe to the ranger, and began to fumble in his +pocket for the cord which he had used as a leash for his dog. The ranger +looked around him for suitable poles. Close by the trail lay the rotting +trunk of a large tree that had fallen years before. On the far side of +this log and close to it some fine saplings had grown up, probably made +thrifty by the rotting wood of the great tree. The ranger reached over the +log to chop a sapling. At the same instant the pup, ranging in the bushes, +growled savagely. Momentarily the ranger lifted his eyes, letting his axe +head sink to the ground. Something moved under it, and at the same instant +a hideous head reared itself above the leaves and struck with +lightning-like rapidity, hitting the ranger just above the wrist-bone. +With a startled exclamation the ranger drew up his arm. As he did so, a +huge rattler glided away through the brush. + +Charley turned at the ranger's cry. He comprehended the situation at a +glance. "Quick!" he cried, springing to the ranger's side. "Give me your +arm." + +He jerked back the ranger's sleeve, disclosing two dark spots on the back +of the wrist where the fangs had punctured the skin. Drops of blood were +oozing from them. Charley whipped out his knife and without hesitation +drew the keen blade several times across the ranger's wrist. Blood began +to flow down the hand. Putting his lips to the wound, Charley sucked out +mouthful after mouthful of blood, which he spat on the ground. + +"Now squeeze your wrist tight just above the bite," said Charley. "Stop +the circulation of blood if you can." + +Like a flash Charley picked up the dog leash and tied an end of it around +the ranger's arm, close to the shoulder, drawing it so tight that the +ranger winced. He cut the dangling end and took a second turn just above +the ranger's elbow. Then he made a third turn half-way down the forearm. +With little sticks he twisted the cords still tighter. Then he jerked out +his hypodermic syringe, which he carried already filled with fluid, and +thrusting the needle into the bleeding arm, injected the permanganate into +the wound. + +Meantime, the ranger stood silent, his face pale, his jaws set +courageously. "Where did you learn to do all that?" he finally asked +Charley, with evident admiration. "You go about it like a doctor." + +"When the Wireless Patrol was in camp at Fort Brady," replied Charley, +"one of the fellows was bitten by a copperhead. Dr. Hardy had already +drilled us in first-aid and we knew just what to do. You bet none of us +will ever forget." + +"I shall owe my life to you," said Mr. Morton. "That is, I shall if----" + +"There's no if about it," interrupted Charley with determination. "We got +most of the poison out of your arm. I'll bet on that. What's left may make +you sick, but it can't kill you. What we've got to do is to prevent that +poison from reaching your heart, at least in any quantity. You sit down +against this tree and keep quiet so your heart will beat as slow as +possible. In about twenty minutes loosen this bottom cord. Loosen the +middle one after another twenty minutes, and open the third at the end of +an hour. That's all I know how to do. Thank God, we've got a wireless +here! Now I'm going to get it up as quick as possible." + +He tore open the pasteboard boxes and took out one instrument after +another, coupling up the wires quickly and skilfully. Then he seized the +little axe, chopped some branches for spreaders, fastened the aerial wires +to them, and added other wires to suspend them by. Quickly he selected two +trees for supports, and climbing up first one and then the other, soon had +his aerial dangling directly above the fire trail. He coupled up his +lead-in wire and ran his eye over the outfit. Everything was complete. +Only the power was lacking. With the axe he pried off the lid of the box +containing the battery, tore away the paper and excelsior wrappings, and +in another moment had his wires around the binding posts. He threw over +his switch, and springing to his key pressed his finger on it. A brilliant +flash shot between the points of his spark-gap. Rapidly he adjusted the +points until his instrument was giving a spark of maximum strength. Then +he settled himself to the task ahead. + +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," called Charley. (Frankfort Radio Station--Charley +Russell calling.) Several times he repeated the call. Then he shut off his +switch and sat in silence listening for a reply. None came. + +"They may be talking to somebody," he muttered. Again he called. +"WXY--WXY--WXY--CBC," he flashed again and again. Once more he sat quiet +and listened. At first he got no reply. Then, clear as a bell on a frosty +morning, a signal sounded in his ear: "CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I." (Charley +Russell--I'm here.) + +Charley sighed with relief. "Got 'em," he said to the ranger. Then he +turned intently to his key. + +"Please telephone District Forester Marlin at Oakdale instantly," he +rapped out. "Ranger Morton bitten rattlesnake. Send motor-car where +battery was delivered this morning. May need man help ranger. Bring +doctor. Tell wife get ready. Will listen for answer." + +As Charley sat waiting for a reply, he studied the face of the ranger. It +was set hard. Courage was written on it plainly. + +The ranger started to speak. "Don't talk," interrupted Charley. "Keep as +quiet as you can, and watch your bandages. If you keep them tight too long +it harms your blood somehow." + +They sat in silence a while. Then Charley said, "I wish you didn't have to +walk, but I guess there's nothing for it but to hike out to the highway at +the earliest possible moment. We'll start the instant we've heard from Mr. +Marlin." + +"What about your instruments?" + +"I'll nail the cover on the battery box and put the other things in the +pasteboard box. I don't think anything will touch them. It's all we can +do, anyway." + +He felt in his pockets and found a stub of a pencil and a scrap of paper. +"Property of the Pennsylvania Forestry Department. Please do not touch," +he printed in large letters. With his knife blade he pried out the tacks +that held the address tag on the battery box and tacked his sign on the +box. Then his receiver began to buzz. Charley gave the return signal. + +"Forester on wire now," came the message. "Wants to know where you are and +how Morton is." + +Charley ticked off the information and waited for a reply. It came very +soon. "Will rush doctor and men. Come as far to meet me as you can." + + + + +Chapter XVIII + +The First Clue to the Incendiary + + + +Slowly Charley and his friend made their way along the fire trail toward +the highway and safety, Charley assisting the ranger as much as possible. +The latter began to suffer great pain in his arm and the limb started to +swell. Meantime, the forester, with a physician and a helper, was racing +at top speed to reach the ranger. At a pace utterly reckless he drove his +car over the forest road, and the instant the rescue party arrived at the +point where Charley and Mr. Morton would reach the highway, they plunged +into the forest. Faster than he had ever raced to a forest fire, the +forester sped along the trail, his companions striving doggedly to keep up +with him. He was deep in the woods before he met Charley and the ranger. + +With hand extended, the forester ran to his ranger. Their hands met in a +tight clasp. "How is it, Jim?" asked the forester, with anxious eyes. + +"I'm all right," rejoined the ranger. "I'll pull out of this all O.K. That +snake got me right, though. If it hadn't been for Charley here, I don't +know how I would have made out. He's as good as a doctor." + +By this time the doctor himself had come up, puffing too hard for words. +He nodded his head, clasped the ranger's hand, and with a single word of +greeting quickly began an examination of the injured arm. "How long ago +did this happen?" he puffed. + +"More than two hours ago," said the ranger. + +"You haven't kept these tight all that time, have you?" and the doctor +laid his finger on one of the cords around the ranger's arm. + +"No, sir. Charley had me loosen them, one at a time, every twenty minutes +or so." + +"That was quite right. What else have you done?" + +When the ranger had told him in detail exactly how Charley had treated +him, the doctor grunted, "Confound it! Then what did you hustle me out +here this way for? I thought you were at the point of death." + +Charley was amazed and offended at what he considered the heartlessness of +the physician. "You don't understand," he protested. "Mr. Morton was badly +bitten, sir." + +Charley was still more astonished when both the ranger and the forester +burst out laughing. He looked from one to the other questioningly. It did +not occur to him that this was merely the doctor's way of saying that +Charley had handled the situation about as well as he could have done it +himself. Evidently the forester did not propose to enlighten Charley, for +all he said was, "Don't let him worry you, Charley. He's just naturally +lazy and a grouch. He doesn't like it because I made him hustle for once, +and he's disappointed not to find Jim at the point of death. These doctors +are strange animals, Charley. But with all their faults we love them +still." And he slapped the physician affectionately on the shoulder. + +Charley looked puzzled. But concluding that silence was the best course, +he said no more. All this time the doctor was continuing his labors, and +Charley was amazed at the dexterous way he did things. + +For a moment he listened to the beating of the ranger's heart. Then, +seemingly with a single motion of his knife, he slit the sleeve of the +ranger's shirt. Another motion laid open the undershirt sleeve, disclosing +the arm to the shoulder. The physician examined it closely. The arm was +swelling fast. The physician opened his case and gave the ranger some +medicine. "Now we'll get to bed as soon as possible," he said, "and rest +for a few days." + +Assisted by a man on either side of him, the ranger started for the +waiting motor-car. + +"Mr. Marlin," said Charley, after the party had gone a few rods, "this +morning Mr. Morton brought out a little wireless set that Lew made for +him, as well as my big battery. It's back where Mr. Morton was bitten. May +I get it and set it up in the ranger's house? It will be a good +opportunity for him to practice while he's at home. Mrs. Morton is +learning to operate the wireless, too. It would mean so much to both of +them and to the forest as well, if they could talk to each other by +wireless." + +"How long will it take you to put it up, Charley?" + +"Not very long, sir. Perhaps an hour or two." + +"I don't like to leave the forest unprotected for a single minute at this +season, Charley, but I guess we'll take a chance on it. Get your stuff to +the road as quick as you can. I'll take Jim home and return for you." + +The forester hastened after the ranger's party and Charley darted off into +the forest. At the fastest pace he could maintain he jogged along the fire +trail. In a very little time he was back at the instruments. He took down +the aerial, threw away the spreaders, uncoupled the amplifier which he +needed for use himself, and replaced the little outfit in the pasteboard +box. Then he hurried back to the road, where the forester was already +waiting to whirl him away to the ranger's house. + +If Charley had had any doubts whatever about his liking the ranger's wife +(though he hadn't), they would have vanished the instant he came in sight +of the ranger's home. It was a small, weather-beaten cottage set in the +shoulder of a hill, with the forest all around it. About the house itself +was a clearing of a few acres, with a little orchard on the slope behind +the house. The home itself was enclosed by an unpainted picket fence. +Lovely old trees shaded it. Vines clambered riotously over its soft, gray +clapboards. Well arranged shrubs and bushes had been planted here and +there. There were flowers about the base of the house and along the +borders. The grass was trimmed as neatly as a city lawn. Even now before +plant growth had started, the yard was attractive. With pleasure Charley +noted that the ranger had set out two European larches, evidently brought +in from a forest plantation, at his gateway. One glance at the inviting +and neatly kept yard told Charley what he would find within the house +itself. + +Nor was he disappointed when he entered the door and found the house as +clean as a whistle, plainly but neatly and attractively furnished, and +beautiful with a wealth of flowers and plants that, had quite evidently +received loving and intelligent care. On the wall Charley instantly noted +the telephone, and hanging on a nail beside it was the leather case with +the ranger's portable telephone instrument. + +There was not the slightest doubt in Charley's mind that he was going to +like the ranger's wife. And when, a moment later, she came quietly into +the room and took his hand in hers and, with moist eyes, thanked him for +saving her husband's life, she won Charley's heart completely. She was +slight and girlish and good to look at, and made Charley think of some of +his nice girl friends at high school. Yet Mrs. Morton had been married a +good many years, for just behind her stood her daughter, Julia, a girl of +twelve, waiting her turn to thank Charley. + +But girlish though the ranger's wife appeared, Charley did not need to be +told that she was not of the weeping, hysterical sort. On every hand were +evidences of efficiency and foresight. A fire was evidently burning +briskly in the stove, and kettles of water, presumably heated in case of +need, were steaming on the range, easily seen through the open kitchen +door. In the sick-room were evidences of the same sort of forethought. +Everything that the house possessed that could possibly be useful in +treating the ranger had been assembled in handy little piles. This must +have been done before the ranger reached home, for most of the piles were +untouched. + +The ranger was resting comfortably in bed, though his arm was badly +swollen and his face was distorted with pain. At sight of Charley his +countenance lighted up. He reached out his left arm and wrung Charley's +hand until the lad winced. + +"The doctor says I'll pull through this all right, though I'll have a +painful time of it," said the ranger, "and he told the truth, at least as +far as the pain is concerned. But the pain's nothing. The thing that +counts is the fact that I am safe at home. I owe it to you, Charley, and +you may be sure I'll never forget." + +That was as much as the ranger, reticent, hating any display of emotion, +quiet like most men of the woods, could bring himself to say. But Charley +knew that it meant volumes. He tried to reply, but found himself also +suffering from a strange embarrassment. So Charley said good-bye to the +ranger, assured him that he would take good care of the forest, and set +about fixing the wireless outfit. The forester helped him. Quickly they +got up the aerial, brought the lead-in wire into the living-room, and set +up the instruments on a board table close beside the telephone instrument. + +"Now everything is complete except for the battery," Charley said to the +forester when they had finished wiring up the outfit. "Half a dozen dry +cells will supply all the current needed." + +"I'll send them out by the doctor in the morning," said the forester. + +Charley showed Mrs. Morton how to wire the cells and couple them to the +instruments. Then he told her how to adjust her spark-gap and tune the +instrument to any given wave-length. He compared his watch with the clock +on the wall. + +"At eight o'clock every night," he said, "I will call you up. Suppose you +take Mr. Morton's initials as your call signal. What are they?" + +"J. V. M.," replied Mrs. Morton. + +"Very well. Then at eight o'clock every night I will call J. V. M. slowly +a number of times. Then I will tick off the alphabet slowly and the +numerals one to ten. You listen in, and if the sounds are blurred or not +sharp, tune your instrument as I have shown you until you can hear +distinctly. If you make the letters with a pencil as you read them, it +may help you. I'm sure you will soon learn to read. I'll repeat the +alphabet and the numbers three times slowly. Then I'll listen in for five +or ten minutes. If you want to try to call me, give my signal and follow +it with your own, thus: 'CBC--CBC--CBC--JVM.' That means 'Charley +Russell--James Morton calling.' If I hear you, I will send the letters +'JVM--JVM--JVM--I--I--I.' That means 'James Morton--I am here.' Then you +can begin to send your message. I hope we'll be able to talk to each other +very soon." + +"It won't be my fault if we don't," smiled the ranger's wife. + +"Now I must be off," said Charley. "I've no doubt Mr. Marlin is getting +impatient. We'll just clean up this mess and then I'll go." + +"I'll clean things up," insisted Mrs. Morton. + +"No; I made the mess and I'll clean it up," protested Charley. + +He began to pile the torn pieces of pasteboard together so he could thrust +them into the stove. The bottom of the pasteboard box had been built up +with several layers of pasteboard, evidently cut from other boxes. Charley +took them out one at a time, preparatory to crumpling up the box itself. +As he lifted the last layer of pasteboard he stopped in blank amazement. +Then he called excitedly for Mr. Marlin. Before him lay a piece of green +pasteboard exactly like the charred fragment taken from the ash heap in +the burned forest. + + + + +Chapter XIX + +The Forester's Problem + + + +For a moment the two men looked at each other in astonishment. Then, "Keep +that," said the forester. "We'll talk the matter over on our way back." +Mrs. Morton, not comprehending what had happened, also looked astonished. +But like the wise woman she was, she held her peace. Charley tossed the +other pasteboards in the fire, stuffed the green piece in his pocket, and +said good-bye to his new friend. The forester, after telephoning to his +office, followed Charley, and a moment later the two were spinning up the +road toward the fire trail. + +"I can't understand it," said Charley. "Here's a package direct from Lew, +with the very clue we're looking for, and Lew never said a word about it. +I can't understand it. I'm certain Lew sent the box. That was his +handwriting on it. And I'm just as sure he never saw that bit of +pasteboard, for Lew would never slip up that way. I just can't understand +it." + +They reached the point where Charley was to leave the car and plunge into +the forest. But Mr. Marlin, instead of stopping his motor, turned into a +natural opening in the woods and drove slowly among the forest trees. In +a moment he ran the car into a stand of pines, where it was protected by +the dense tops above and well hidden from sight of the highway. + +"You couldn't get in here with anything but a Henry," laughed the +forester. "This old bus has taken me lots of places you would never have +believed possible." + +He took the key from the switch on the dashboard, and the two stepped to +the ground. Charley wondered what the forester intended to do, but by this +time he knew enough not to ask questions. The forester started up the +trail with him. When they came to the big battery Charley understood, for +without a word the forester took Charley's little axe and began to chop +poles to carry the battery with. In a few moments these handles were bound +fast. The forester tossed the traps over his shoulder. Charley tied the +amplifier box to his belt. Then they picked up the battery and started +toward camp. + +Suddenly Charley stopped. "By George!" he cried. "I forgot all about the +pup. I wonder where he got to." + +He whistled and whistled, but apparently in vain. They went on, and at +intervals Charley whistled for the dog while he and the forester were +resting. Still no dog appeared. Charley's face grew long. "Gee! I'll miss +that pup," he said regretfully. "Why didn't I think of him sooner?" + +Night was at hand when the two reached Charley's camp. Nothing had been +disturbed. Charley took advantage of the remaining daylight to couple up +the battery and the amplifier to his wireless. He tested the outfit and +found he had a strong spark that cracked like a whip when he touched the +key. + +"Look at that!" he cried. "Now I feel better. I can always get into +communication with somebody now." + +"You aren't a bit more pleased than I am, Charley," smiled the forester. +"I'll take back all I ever said about the wireless. If Morton can learn to +talk by wireless, the rest of my crew can also. When the dull season +comes, I'll start a radio school with you as instructor and we'll make +every man in the service learn to operate the wireless. The Department +ought to be glad to supply a good outfit; but if we can't get the money, +we can at least make some outfits like yours. We're going on a wireless +basis or my name is not Marlin." + +The forester was interrupted by a joyous bark and in rushed Charley's pup. +"You blessed little fellow," said Charley, fondling the animal. "I suppose +you lost our trail when we got into the motor-car and you probably hung +around the battery all day and followed our trail back here. That's pretty +good. You've got great stuff in you, pup. The next thing I teach you will +be to stand guard over things as you probably did over that battery +to-day." + +Darkness fell. Supper was cooked and eaten. "Have you heard that cat +lately, Charley?" asked the forester. + +"No," replied Charley, "but I think I'll put the traps out anyway." + +"We can attract it even if it isn't near by," said the forester. "Have you +a can of salmon that you can spare?" + +"Sure." + +"Then give me the traps and bring your can." + +Charley got the things asked for. The forester, taking the flash-light, +led the way through the thicket to the open forest. At some distance from +the camp the forester stopped and turned the beam from the search-light +upward. Finally he found what he was looking for--a small branch about +seven feet from the ground. Then he cut the top of the salmon can, and +punching holes in the sides near the top, fastened a string to the can and +suspended the can from the limb. Then he set the traps in a circle under +the can, fastening the chains to convenient saplings, and threw two or +three small pieces of the salmon on the ground within the circle of traps. +Then they made their way back to camp. + +Charley lighted a little friendship fire in the fireplace the ranger had +made, and the two sat down beside the flames. It was little more than +three weeks since Charley had first entered the forest. During that time +he had really seen very little of the forester. Yet as he sat beside his +chief, Charley felt as though he had known him always. A common emotion +had drawn them close together this day, and somehow Charley believed that +his feeling of affection for his chief was fully reciprocated. For a time +they sat in silence, each busy with his own thoughts. + +"Charley," said the forester, after a time, "this accident to Jim hits me +pretty hard. It not only leaves the finest piece of forest under my care +without a direct overseer at the most dangerous time of the year, but +there were so many things we had planned to do this spring that cannot be +done without a ranger to supervise them. To be sure, I could transfer a +ranger here, but I have work for every man in his particular district. +Besides, nobody knows this territory like Jim. I believe you know it +better than anybody besides Jim. I only wish you were old enough to take +his place for a time. + +"We're away behind with our planting, and there are trails to be brushed +out, new ones to be cut, roads to be built, camp sites to be selected, +timber to be cruised, a big lumber operation to be watched and the trees +to be marked for cutting and the lumber scaled, improvement cuttings to be +made, camp sanitation to be enforced, a fire-tower to be built on the +mountain here where your watch tree is. There's a tremendous lot of work +that Jim and I had mapped out for the spring and summer. + +"Now it looks as though we should not be able to get any of it done. We +can't do a thing without a ranger to direct operations. Part of the +timber to be cut is in Lumley's district. He joins you here on the north. +He will look after all the lumbering in his territory, and I may have to +let him take charge of it all. It's a big operation and will have to be +watched closely. I just wish I knew where I could find a man capable of +taking Jim's place for a while." + +"What will the ranger have to do in looking after this operation?" + +"He'll have to mark the trees to be cut and see that only those marked are +cut; and he'll have to make sure the regulations are observed in felling +the trees and disposing of the tops; and finally he'll have to scale the +lumber and make sure that the state gets paid for all that is cut." + +"What is there so difficult about that?" demanded Charley. "Tell me what +sort of trees are to be cut, and I can select and mark them as well as the +next man. And if you give me a copy of the regulations, I can tell whether +or not the lumbermen are observing them. If I can't make them live up to +regulations, I can easily report to you. And as for scaling timber, that's +a mere matter of arithmetic. I could learn to do that in five minutes. +Couldn't I help you with the lumbering? And as for the other jobs, Mr. +Marlin, give me some books that tell about them and let me study up on +them. I could put in several hours here every night in study. You don't +know how much I could learn in a week. And then you could give me some +practical lessons after I had studied up the theory of things. I'm sure I +can do lots of the work you were counting on Mr. Morton to do. Won't you +let me help you?" + +"Bless your heart, Charley! I know you mean every word you say. But you +don't realize the difficulties you would encounter. Your chief job would +be in handling men, tough men some of them, too. You could never do it, +never. But I certainly wish you were old enough to attempt it. There's +nobody I'd trust sooner than you, Charley. You've got a good education, +and you think quickly and clearly. You've been equal to every emergency +you've faced yet." + +"Then why isn't that a pretty good reason to trust me further?" + +"Trust you, Charley? I trust you absolutely. But you are too young. You +could never do it." + +Charley said no more. The hope that had sprung up in his heart died as +suddenly as it had been born. In his heart he believed that with all the +study and effort he was willing to put into it, he could do a ranger's +work all right. But he saw it was not to be. + +"Anyway," he muttered to himself, "I'm going to be a ranger some day, and +I'll show the chief now that I'm the best fire patrol he ever had. That's +the best way to qualify for promotion." + +He turned to his wireless, threw over his switch and flashed out the call +signal of the Wireless Patrol. In his delight at the power of his new +battery he almost forgot his disappointment. In a very short time he got +a reply from Henry. + +"Don't say anything about that pasteboard," cautioned the chief. + +"I don't intend to," answered Charley. "I'm going to write to Lew about it +and let you take the letter out in the morning. You never can tell who +will pick up a wireless message." + +For several minutes Charley chatted briskly with Henry, who said the new +battery carried the signals to him as clear as a bell. Charley told Henry +about Mr. Morton's accident, omitting reference to his own part in the +affair, and then through Henry got into touch with both Mrs. Morton and +the assistant forester at headquarters. Mr. Morton was getting along all +right, though he suffered very great pain. The forester's assistant +reported everything quiet in the forest. + +Charley turned away from his wireless key, and got out pencil and paper. +By the light of the candle lantern he began his letter to Lew, and had +almost finished it when the pup, his hair bristling, ran to the door of +the tent, growling savagely. An instant later both the forester and +Charley leaped to their feet as the stillness of the forest was broken by +an awful scream that rang through the dark and was thrown back by the +mountain in a magnified echo even more terrifying than the original cry. + + + + +Chapter XX + +Charley Wins His First Promotion + + + +With startled eyes, Charley looked at the forester, at the same time +reaching for his rifle. To Charley's surprise the forester began to grin. + +"I guess you got your cat, Charley," he chuckled. "But it sure did startle +a fellow." + +The first piercing scream of the wildcat was succeeded by a variety of +furious screams. The animal could be heard thrashing about in the leaves, +spitting, snarling, growling, rattling the chain, and evidently fighting +furiously to free itself from the trap. + +Taking both the candle lantern and the flash-light, as well as rifle and +axe, the two men started for the cat. + +"Grab that dog," said the forester, as the pup darted out of the tent +ahead of them. + +Charley whistled and called, but the pup was too wild with excitement to +heed the command. + +"Hurry up," said the forester, "or you won't have any pup left." + +They pushed rapidly through the thicket, then ran toward their traps. +Faintly they could see the wildcat. The pup was worrying it. With arched +back, hair erect, eyes ablaze, and snarling furiously, the wildcat was +waiting its opportunity to strike. The pup circled about it, yelping and +barking, every second growing bolder because the animal did not spring at +it. + +"Give me that rifle, quick!" said the forester. "That cat'll kill the pup +in another minute." + +He seized the weapon, sank on one knee, quickly sighted along the barrel, +and pulled the trigger. Even as he fired, the cat leaped toward the pup. +For a second there was a terrific scuffling in the leaves. Then the +search-light's beam showed the pup lying motionless, its neck broken and +torn, while the cat was clawing the air wildly, and spitting and snarling +in fury. + +"Don't ever let one of those critters get on your back, Charley," said the +forester, as he approached the cat for a final shot. "Sometimes they will +follow a fellow in the forest. It's seldom they really attack a man, but +if a fellow loses his nerve and runs, they will sometimes leap on him. A +single swipe of those claws will cut a fellow to ribbons." + +The forester was now close to the cat, which had gotten to its feet and +had crouched, snarling, ready for a leap. + +The forester circled so as to get a shot at the animal's shoulder. Quickly +raising his rifle, he fired. The cat screamed, clawed the air desperately +for a few seconds, and lay still. + +Charley rushed in and tenderly lifted his motionless pup from the ground. +There were tears in his eyes as he bore the little body to one side. "Poor +fellow," he said, "I'll miss you awfully. I was counting on you a lot to +help me guard this timber. You did the best you knew how. You thought you +were helping me, didn't you?" + +He passed his hand across his eyes and faced the forester. "It's some +consolation to know that that beast paid for this, and paid well. I'm sure +glad he's dead. It's a good thing for the forest." + +"Yes, that's a good job done," replied the forester, "and a nice skin and +a bounty for you. That ought to be some consolation to you. But I'm mighty +sorry about the pup. Whenever you can, get rid of those fellows. How many +young deer or other harmless animals do you suppose this fellow would have +slaughtered before another spring?" + +Making sure that the cat was really dead, the forester opened the trap. + +Then he picked up the dead cat and led the way back to the tent. "I'll +show you how to skin this fellow," he said, and, taking out his knife, +began to remove the hide. + +"Gee!" exclaimed Charley. "Wouldn't the fellows like to know about this?" +He looked at his watch. "Some of them will surely be listening in," he +said. + +Then he sat down beside his key, and while he watched the forester skin +the wildcat, he kept his spark-gap snapping and cracking with the fat +sparks from the new battery. He was calling Lew. He got no answer and +flashed out the signal for the Wireless Patrol. Almost immediately Henry +answered. His workshop was the headquarters of the Wireless Patrol. + +"Hello, Henry," rapped out Charley. "Do you know where Lew is?" + +"He's right here," came the answer. "So are most of the other fellows." + +"Tell them," replied Charley, "that we just caught the wildcat in the +traps you sent, and Mr. Marlin is skinning it. I'm going to get him to +show me how to tan it. When it's done, I'm going to send it to the +Wireless Patrol to help furnish our headquarters. I'm going to add the +eight dollars bounty money to the club fund for wireless equipment." + +Then came a long pause. Finally this message came back to Charley. "The +Wireless Patrol thanks you, Charley, but we want you to sell the skin and +use the money and the bounty to pay for the field-glasses you need." + +Charley turned away from his instrument with a suspicious moisture in his +eyes. It touched him deeply that his fellows were so solicitous concerning +his welfare and success. He did not realize that he was merely reaping the +reward of his own kindly good nature, that had made him a general favorite +with the boys of the Wireless Patrol. + +There were no further alarms that night. Early in the morning the ranger +started back to his office, taking with him the letter to Lew. Charley +accompanied him part of the way. Then he continued on his patrol. + +The next time Charley met the forester he received Lew's answer to his +letter. Lew had addressed the box, but several of the boys of the Wireless +Patrol had helped to pack it. The piece of green pasteboard proved to be +from a box in which Henry had gotten shoes by mail. The box came from +Carson and Derby, a big New York mail-order concern. Almost everybody in +the country around Central City bought articles from mail-order houses, so +Lew's letter threw no light on the problem. There might be a green +pasteboard box of that particular pattern in every farmhouse in the +county. Yet as Charley thought the matter over, he recalled that almost +everybody he knew who shopped by mail traded with Slears and Hoebuck, of +Chicago. + +The days passed. Little happened to vary the monotony. Yet the sameness of +life in the forest was far from being bothersome to Charley. On the +contrary, he found new delights every day. + +Spring was now well advanced. The trees would soon be in leaf, the flowers +were coming along in rotation, and the forest fairly pulsed with life. Now +Charley found a gorgeous bed of blood-root. Again he came on great patches +of arbutus. Here the Dutchman's-breeches grew in rich clumps. There +spring-beauties fairly whitened the earth. Violets, Jacks-in-the-pulpit, +marsh-marigolds, and dozens of other familiar and lovely blooms he found +as he wandered through the forest. + +There was nothing Charley liked more than the flowers. He determined to +know every bloom in his section of the forest. So he divided his territory +into definite strips, patrolling a different strip each day. Thus he +became intimately acquainted with every part of his district. + +There were more objects than flowers, however, to delight him. The birds +and the animals were a constant source of pleasure. Often he had +opportunity to study their actions and their habits. The mating season +brought a wealth of pleasing experiences. Sometimes he came across a +mother grouse with her brood of little ones. It pleased Charley to see how +the tiny creatures scattered and hid among the leaves, making themselves +invisible at the first warning note from the mother, while she fluttered +along before him, dragging a wing as though it were broken, and drawing +him farther and farther from her little ones. Wild turkeys, too, he saw, +and many other feathered inhabitants of the forest. + +Perhaps nothing touched Charley so much as an incident that occurred late +one day when he was fighting a small fire. The fine, spring weather +brought out regiments of fishermen, and numbers of them got deep into the +woods. Whenever he possibly could, Charley avoided meeting them. Sometimes +Charley could not avoid a meeting. Then he always posed as a fisherman. +He never moved abroad these days without his rod. The rifle he had +temporarily laid aside. More than one little fire, started by careless +fishermen, Charley detected and extinguished. + +One day he saw smoke at a considerable distance. By the time he could +reach the spot, the fire had a good start and had already burned over +several acres. It was blazing briskly and Charley was at first uncertain +as to whether he should attempt to fight it alone or call help. But night +was at hand, the wind was already falling, and Charley decided that he +could conquer the blaze single-handed. He judged that the best way to do +this was by beating it out with brush. + +Quickly chopping a pine bough, Charley attacked the fire. It was not a +fierce blaze, though when the fitful wind blew strong it flamed up +savagely. Even the tiniest of forest fires is hot enough, and Charley +found it trying work. He had many hundreds of yards of flame to beat out. +The smoke and the heat were stifling and exhausting, and every little +while Charley had to turn away from the fire to rest and get his breath. +During such periods, Charley would walk back along the fire-line to make +sure that the blaze was extinguished behind him. + +Darkness came quickly in the deep valley, and before Charley had the blaze +half extinguished, he was unable to see distinctly. Indeed he could hardly +have seen anything at all had it not been for the fitful light of the +flames; and this dancing light made objects appear uncertain and unreal. + +In one of his trips back along the line, Charley came to a stump that was +ablaze. In beating out the flames just here, he had failed to extinguish +some tiny sparks in a hollow place at the base of the stump. The wind had +fanned these into life after Charley had passed on, and the fire had +communicated to the stump. Now the stump was a pillar of flame. At any +moment sparks might fly from it and rekindle the fire. + +Charley beat at the stump with his brush until the flames had entirely +disappeared. But fearing that sparks might yet be smouldering under the +bark or in the dry wood, Charley began scraping the sides of the stump. As +his hand reached the top of the stump, there was a sudden startling whir +of wings and something shot upward into the dark. Charley recoiled as +though shot. His heart beat a tattoo against his ribs. His first thought +was of the sudden blow the rattler had given the ranger. Yet he knew it +was no rattler that had suddenly sprung upward into the night. He drew +forth his flash-light, which he always carried, and turned the beam of +light on the top of the stump. There lay two little turtle-doves, unharmed +despite the fierce flames that had played about them. They had been +protected by the mother dove's body. + +"Little turtle-dove," said Charley, "I take off my hat to you. When +anybody tells me about a deed of heroism hereafter, I'll tell them about +you and how you hovered over your young ones while the flames were slowly +roasting you. I'm certainly glad I got here when I did. You would have +been burned in another five minutes and your little ones with you." + +Charley started back to the line of flames again. "If a turtle-dove can do +a thing like that," he muttered to himself, "you're a poor thing if you +can't face a little blaze like this." + +He cut a new bush, once more fell on the fire, and never ceased his +efforts until not a single blaze lighted the forest. Then he stepped +inside the burned area and made his way completely around the edge of it. +The ashes were hot and Charley knew that they might scorch the leather in +his shoes. But he also knew there would be no rattlesnakes where the fire +had burned. When Charley came to the stump again, he turned his +flash-light on its top. The dove had returned and was once more hovering +over her little ones. + +When he was certain that the fire was absolutely extinguished, Charley +made his way through the dark forest to his tent and made his nightly +report. It gave him great happiness to be able to report that the fire was +extinguished and that once more all was well in the forest. + +Mr. Marlin had sent out to Charley a package of books that dealt with +various phases of work in the forest. Night after night, by the light of +candles, Charley sat in his tent studying his texts. He found them +fascinating. Here in the forest, where every day he could see illustrated +the truth of what he had read the night before, he learned, with +unbelievable rapidity. Whenever he came to anything in his texts that he +did not understand, he made a note of it. Sometimes at night he got Lew on +the wireless and through him questioned the forester. He did not want to +bother the government wireless men except in case of necessity. + +Two or three times a week the forester came out to see Charley and to keep +an eye on this, his finest stand of timber. From time to time he brought +supplies and more books. Indeed Charley's capacity to acquire what was in +the books astonished the forester. He knew that Charley understood because +of his intelligent questions and his increasingly intelligent practices; +for, without orders to do it, Charley was voluntarily doing many of the +tasks that Mr. Morton should have done in the forest. As he grew in +comprehension of the needs of the forest, Charley began to make +suggestions to the forester. More than one of these proved practicable, +and Charley was given permission to go ahead with the proposals. Before he +knew it, Charley found himself working sixteen hours a day and regretting +that the days were not longer. And as always happens to people who are +busy about work they love, Charley was supremely happy. + +Not the least part of his happiness came from his wireless talks with the +ranger's wife. With a speed that surprised him, Mrs. Morton learned both +to read and send. On the very first evening after the doctor brought her +dry cells, Mrs. Morton managed to tick out an acknowledgment of Charley's +call. And though it was faltering and uneven, Charley read it and smiled +with delight. As he slowly ticked off the letters of the alphabet and the +first ten numerals, Mrs. Morton listened intently, jotting down the dots +and dashes on a bit of paper. + +When Charley had repeated his message according to promise, he flashed out +the call signal for the Wireless Patrol and promptly got a reply from +Henry. Through Henry he made his nightly report to the forester, and +through the forester sent his congratulations to Mrs. Morton on the +success of her initial attempt at radio communication, and inquired after +the sick ranger. So both Charley and his new friend were happy that night. + +It was quite evident to Charley, when he called Mrs. Morton on the +following night, that she must have spent much of the day practicing at +her key; for the certainty and assurance with which she transmitted her +brief message this time could have come only from hours of practice. Now, +in addition to acknowledging Charley's call, she added the simple message, +"Jim is improving." Charley did not guess that she had practiced that +short message for an hour. Even if he had, he would have been none the +less pleased; for practice was the very thing needed to make her an +efficient operator. By the time three weeks had elapsed, Mrs. Morton could +communicate with Charley readily. Also her husband was improving every +day, though it would still be weeks before he could resume his duties. +Altogether, Charley's cup of happiness seemed full to overflowing. + +There was still more happiness in store for him, however,--a happiness he +had not dared to hope for. One day Mr. Marlin appeared at Charley's camp +just at dusk. Charley was about to cook his supper. At once he doubled the +portions of food to be cooked, and while he worked over his fire, he +reported to his superior on the condition of the forest under his charge. +By this time Charley knew every inch of it intimately. He had just +completed an inspection, lasting several days, of the entire area. He was +enthusiastic about his work and full of plans for the future. Practically +all his suggestions were good, and the forester smiled and smiled with +approval, as he sat back in the shadow, listening. + +When Charley had completed his statement, the forester said, "Charley, +your report is very satisfactory, and I am especially pleased with the way +you comprehend the needs of the situation and plan for improvements. I +approve of practically all your suggestions. How would you like to go +ahead and work them out?" + +"They ought to be done," said Charley impetuously. Then he stopped. "I +mean," he corrected himself, "that it seems to me they ought to be. But to +do most of them would require a ranger with a crew of men." + +"But you haven't answered my question," said the forester with a kindly +smile. + +Charley looked puzzled. "I told you I think that they ought to be done." + +"Still you haven't answered my question." + +Charley stopped a moment to try to recall exactly what the forester had +said. Then he went on. "Of course, I should like to work them out, for +they ought to be done. But I also told you it would need a ranger and a +crew of men. I <i>couldn't</i> do all those things alone." + +The forester began to laugh. "Charley," he said fondly, "the Bible tells +us there are none so blind as those who won't see. If you were the ranger +in charge of those men, would you still like to do the work?" + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean----" + +"Yes, I do. Your service as a fire patrol ends to-night. To-morrow you +take charge of this section as temporary ranger, pending Jim Morton's +recovery. I just can't get along without a ranger in this district. Work +is being neglected, the big lumber operation has already commenced in +Lumley's district, and things are piling up here too deep. I can't get +along another day without a new ranger." + +Charley was too happy for words. "I'll do my best," he said, with +quavering tones. But in a moment he got command of himself. "You told me I +couldn't handle a crew of men," he said. + +"Maybe you can't, Charley, but you've handled everything else and handled +it well. It is plain that you love the forest and understand as much about +its needs as any ranger I have. A little experience is all you need to +make a first-class ranger. I'll give the men a talking to. When I get +done, they'll know it won't pay to monkey with you, even if you are only a +high school boy. Now, Ranger Russell, I think we had better turn in and +get some sleep, for we'll have to pull foot early to-morrow." + + + + +Chapter XXI + +A Trouble Maker + + + +Pull foot early they did, too. Charley himself was no sluggard, but the +forester's capacity for work simply amazed him. He knew the forester was +on the job late every night, for he reported to him each night the last +thing before he went to bed. Yet whenever the forester spent the night +with Charley, Mr. Marlin was up at an early hour; and the present occasion +proved no exception. + +Mr. Marlin had never said much about himself to Charley, and no one else +had happened to do so; but Mr. Marlin had worked himself up from the +ranks. He had been a fire patrol and later a ranger, and then had attended +the state forestry school, as the other district foresters had done. + +His unusual training, great diligence, intelligence, and untiring energy +had made him one of the ablest men in the service. By sheer ability he had +won for himself the oversight of this district, which was one of the most +important in the entire million acres of state forest lands. + +Hardly was the forester afoot this morning before he had a fire going and +breakfast cooking. Before breakfast was ready, the two forest guardians +began to strike camp. Charley took down his wireless and stowed it as +compactly as possible. The tent was lowered and rolled up. Everything was +gotten into portable shape, and as soon as breakfast was over, the dishes +were washed and they, too, were added to the bundles. + +"I don't care to let anybody know where your camp was," said the forester. +"I may want to use this site again. So we'll have to pack our stuff out +ourselves, at least part of the way. I am going to put a crew of men in +here to-morrow and they can finish carrying out the duffel if we cave in +before we reach the road. It will be a pretty good load." + +Each of them strapped a big pack to his back. The rifle and the +fishing-rod had been fastened to the battery, which in turn was roped to +poles for handles. In this way it was possible for the two to carry all +Charley's outfit. By sun-up the two were already on the trail. They toiled +up the slope and crossed the ridge close to Charley's watch-tower. The way +was rough and the going hard. But once they struck a fire trail, the path +was easy. Yet at best it was a hard and toilsome hike, and several hours +elapsed before they reached the forester's motor-car, which he had +concealed in the pines. Both of them were tired, and Charley felt as +though his arms were about ready to part from his shoulders. + +Most of their journey had been made in silence. But now that they were +seated comfortably in a motor-car, they once more began to talk. + +"I had to bring you in from the forest, Charley," explained Mr. Marlin, +"because as a ranger it will be necessary for you often to be at +headquarters. I have arranged for you to live with Ranger Lumley. His +district adjoins yours, and his house, right in the forest, is near the +dividing line. So it will be about as convenient for you as it is for him. +He is to be at the office to meet us and look after you. We'll pick him up +and go on to his house with your things." + +Ranger Lumley was on hand as the forester had said he would be. Charley +had found Ranger Morton and his wife so likable that he was glad indeed of +the opportunity to become acquainted with this second ranger. But the +minute he laid eyes on him, he felt a chill of disappointment. Yet he +could not have told exactly why. Somewhere, too, he felt sure, he had seen +the man before; though he could not remember when or where. + +Lumley was a man small of stature, with a hooked nose, fishy blue eyes, a +thin, hard mouth, and a face seamed and wrinkled. Yet he was quite +evidently not an old man. Charley had noticed that some of the tough +characters in his home town looked like that, and the more he studied +Ranger Lumley's face, the less he liked the man. Particularly did he +dislike his eye. Once he caught the ranger looking at him slyly, and the +gleam in the ranger's eye reminded Charley of the vicious look of a horse +when he shows the white of his eye. It seemed to Charley, too, as though +there was something suggestive of craftiness and cunning in the man's +countenance. + +When they reached the Lumley home, Charley felt his dislike for the man +increasing. Unlike the neat and attractive dwelling of the Mortons, the +Lumley house was dirty and disorderly. The children were unclean and +ragged. They had no manners whatever. Yet they obeyed readily enough when +their father spoke to them. But it did not take Charley long to discover +that they obeyed because of fear. When he realized that, he thought of the +vicious look he had noted in the ranger's eye. There were dogs innumerable +about the place, and they all slunk away when their master approached. Yet +all the time, as he showed Charley about, the ranger was almost +obsequious. This evident contradiction between the man's actions and his +looks made Charley distrust him immediately, and it was with heavy heart +that he said good-bye to Mr. Marlin and watched him drive away. + +The ranger showed Charley to the room that was to be his. Charley began to +carry his luggage up-stairs. He would much rather have taken it all +himself, but the ranger insisted upon helping him. When Charley saw how +the man eyed every package and scrutinized every article, he understood +quickly enough that Lumley wanted to help him, not because of any wish to +be courteous, but simply because of his burning curiosity. Especially was +the ranger curious about Charley's wireless outfit, but Charley +volunteered no information. + +The more Charley considered his situation, the gloomier he felt concerning +it. He had looked forward to his coming, after Mr. Marlin had told him of +the arrangement, with a feeling of pleasant anticipation. Charley was not +the least bit shy and made friends readily. He had a feeling that all the +men in the Forest Service must be pretty fine men and that their interest +in their work would make them, like Mr. Marlin and Mr. Morton, eager to +help a recruit. Thus Charley had believed that Lumley would be very +helpful to him. He had intended to put himself more or less in Lumley's +hands and trust to the ranger for guidance. But a very few minutes spent +with Lumley made Charley feel that he could not take the man into his +confidence. He almost felt as though he dared not, though when he came to +consider the matter fully, that attitude seemed foolish. Lumley was a +guardian of the forest as well as himself, and surely he could trust him +with matters that pertained to the forest. + +Charley tried to fight down this feeling of distrust. It seemed to him +very wrong to accept a man's hospitality, even if he was to pay well for +it, and at the same time be suspicious of the man. But hardly had he +decided that he ought to be frank with his fellow ranger when Lumley began +asking questions that caused the feeling of distrust to return with +renewed force. Lumley's questions were intended to seem innocent enough; +but Charley was sharper than he perhaps looked, and he saw the real intent +behind the questions. The man was slyly trying to find out all he could +about Charley's history, and particularly how much Charley had been paid +as a fire patrol and what he was to get as a ranger. + +Charley answered most of Lumley's questions openly enough, but could not +tell him what he was to get as a ranger, for he had never once thought +about the matter, nor had Mr. Marlin mentioned it. But when Charley told +Lumley so, he could see that the ranger did not believe him. + +When the ranger began to question Charley about his recent work in the +woods, Charley answered him evasively. Lumley knew that Charley had been +acting as fire patrol, because Mr. Marlin had told him so. But Charley +felt very sure he did not know where the secret camp had been pitched, for +Mr. Marlin had distinctly said that matter was a secret between Charley +and himself. So Charley answered him evasively and soon turned the +conversation to other matters. + +While Charley was arranging his duffel, two or three dirty youngsters came +bouncing into the room and at once began to drag Charley's wireless +apparatus from the pasteboard box. With a cry Charley sprang toward them +and snatched the instruments out of their hands. The ranger gave a savage +oath and aimed a kick at the lads, but they dodged and ran from the room. + +At first Charley was terribly annoyed. But in a second he was glad the +incident had happened. Nothing had been injured and he had had a warning +of what might be expected. It gave him a good opportunity to shut up his +things without seeming to be suspicious of his host. Charley acted at +once. + +"I have no need of this wireless outfit at present," he said, "and if you +have a spare box and some nails, I will just nail these things up until I +have time to set up the outfit." So the wireless instruments were safely +boxed up and locked in a closet, along with Charley's rifle and +fishing-rod. There was nothing in his remaining luggage that could be much +harmed, even if the youngsters did get hold of things. + +As soon as his belongings were stowed away, Charley decided that he would +go to the forester's office and talk over his work. He had three miles to +walk, and although he had already trudged several times that distance, +heavily loaded, he did not hesitate for a moment. When Lumley suggested +that he use the telephone and avoid the walk, Charley merely smiled. + +"I don't mind it," he said. + +"I'd like to see myself walk that distance for any such fool errand," +growled the ranger. + +When Charley had said he didn't mind the walk he had told the truth. Yet +he had understated it. The fact was that he hugely enjoyed the walk. He +was rested from his long carry, and with nothing to weight him down, his +feet felt light as feathers. He trudged briskly along the smooth highway, +every sense alive to the delights of the forest. All about him the woods +were vocal with the calls of birds. The wind whispered and sighed in the +pine tops. And sometimes, when the air in the bottom was still as sluggish +water, Charley could hear the wind roaring among the trees far up on the +hillsides. The scent of spring was in the air--that indescribable mixture +of the smell of opening buds and flowers and green things and rank +steaming earth, that together make such an intoxicating odor. And all +about him Charley caught glimpses of the wild life of the forest. + +It was late in the day when he reached the forester's office. The forester +seemed greatly surprised to see him. + +"I came to talk to you about my work," explained Charley. + +The forester frowned. "What is the telephone for?" he asked a bit +brusquely. + +"I didn't want to talk over my business before that man," protested +Charley. + +The forester looked at him sharply. "What business do you have excepting +the business of the forest?" he asked. + +"None," said Charley. + +"Then surely you could discuss forest matters in the presence of a +ranger." + +"It may be that I am unreasonable," said Charley, "but I don't like that +man. There's something about him that I don't trust." + +The forester looked at Charley searchingly. "Sometimes," he said, "I +almost feel that way myself. I realize that Lumley is mouthy and +inquisitive and disagreeable personally, but he has been in the Forest +Service a long time and it hardly seems right not to trust him. He's a +pretty efficient ranger." + +"Well, I'm here, anyway," continued Charley. "I came to find out what my +first duties are to be and how to do them." + +"There's a little tree planting that simply must be done in your +territory, late though it is," said Mr. Marlin. "To-morrow I shall send +you out with a small crew to do it." + +"Please show me just how it ought to be done," said Charley. + +The forester smiled with approval. "Come out-of-doors," he said, picking +up a mattock. And he led the way to a bed of seedling spruces that had +been heeled in the ground, and dug up two or three of them. + +"These ought to be lifted in small bunches and their roots puddled," he +said, dipping the earth-covered roots in water to show how to puddle them. +"They should be planted thus." He struck his mattock sharply into the +soil, bent it to one side, and in the hole thus opened thrust a tiny tree. +Then he stepped on the ground close to the seedling and pressed the earth +tight about it. + +"That's all there is to it," he said. "Your crew will work in pairs, one +man carrying the trees in a pail of water and inserting them in the +ground, while the other man carries the mattock and opens the holes. The +trees should be planted in straight rows and about four feet apart each +way. You will have to go ahead of the crew and set up the line pole. Pick +out some trees or saplings to sight by and you will have no trouble to +keep your line straight." + +"Is that all?" + +"You'll have to oversee the work, of course. Make sure the planting is +done right, and watch your men. You will have to take whatever steps seem +necessary to keep them working well and cheerfully. Sometimes it is a good +thing to switch a man from one job to another. It rests him to use another +set of muscles." + +"What else am I to do?" + +"Day after to-morrow I want you to brush out the fire trails leading to +your old camp. That is, you must start brushing them out. It will take +several days. They are so overgrown now that they are a real menace to the +forest. These trails were originally five feet wide. We took out all the +roots and underground growths down to mineral soil. You must cut away all +the brush that has grown in, chop it into short lengths, and pile it in +little piles in the trail itself for burning on windless days. You must +grub out the roots that have grown in, too. Really the entire trail ought +to be grubbed again, but we can't do that now. You will have to assign men +to cut brush, to pile it, and to grub up the roots. That's about all I +can tell you." + +"It sounds very easy," said Charley, "but I am willing to confess that +handling these tough looking mountaineers is more than I counted on." + +"Are you going to quit so soon?" asked the forester with scorn. "I thought +you had more stuff in you than that, Charley." + +Charley turned red. "Who said anything about quitting?" he demanded. "I +only want to know what I am to do if I get into trouble with the men." + +"That's more than I can tell you. It's up to you as a ranger to find the +ways to manage your men. But I can tell you this. It is always best to +follow Mr. Roosevelt's plan and speak softly but carry a big stick. Be +kind to the men. Be square with them. Play no favorites. Look after their +interest. But don't let them loaf on the job. They expect to have to work, +and they won't have much respect for a man who doesn't hold them to their +task. After all, they are not very different from horses. They have to be +driven if they are to work." + +"I suspect some of them will be hard to drive," said Charley, "if the few +I have seen hereabout are good samples." + +"It all depends upon how you get started with them. Don't let them get +away with you. Let them know you are the boss. And remember this: as a +ranger you have power to hire and fire these men. If it comes to a +show-down, don't hesitate to fire a man. We're short-handed, but we can +much better afford to lose a laborer than to have an entire crew spoiled." + +"Thank you," said Charley. "I feel better already. If you don't mind, I'm +coming to you before each new job and get you to show me exactly how it +should be done. A fellow can get along so much better if he really knows +what he is talking about." + +"Good boy," smiled the forester. "I don't believe I am going to be +disappointed in you, Charley." + +Charley shook the forester's hand and started back to his new habitation, +which he reached just as supper was ready. + +After supper he and the ranger talked about the forest. Or rather Lumley +did. He was so loquacious that Charley soon stopped talking and let his +companion carry on the conversation alone. Lumley was quite able to do it, +for he was truly, as Mr. Marlin had described him, mouthy. He had +something to say about everything, and what he had to say was usually of a +derogatory character. He was guarded in what he said about Mr. Marlin, yet +Charley saw that he was trying to damn the forester by faint praise. + +"You may make a good ranger in time all right," he said bluntly to +Charley, "but it seems mighty funny to me to take a raw high school boy +and put him in charge of the finest stand of timber in the entire forest. +I'm the man that post ought to go to. Besides, I have a greater interest +in that timber than any one else." + +Charley choked back his resentment at the statement about himself and +asked, "Why have you a greater interest in that timber than any one else?" + +"Because our family used to own that timber," he said, sudden passion +inflaming his eyes. And Charley once more saw in them that savage look he +had detected before. "If my old fool of a grandfather hadn't let himself +be bilked out of the whole holding," he said coarsely, "I'd own that +timber to-day and I'd be a millionaire instead of a poor forest-ranger. By +rights the land is mine, anyway." And again the ranger swore at his dead +ancestor. + +Charley listened in disgust but made no comment. The ranger saw that he +had talked too much. He muttered an apology. "When I see somebody else +getting the money that ought to be mine," he said, "it makes me so mad +that I could almost commit murder." Then he quickly changed the +conversation and once more became the smooth, oily individual he was when +Charley first saw him. + +But Charley had seen and heard enough to be utterly disgusted with the +man. As early as possible he got away to his room on the pretext of +weariness, but it was a long time before he went to bed. + +Early next morning he was at headquarters, where Mr. Marlin introduced him +to the half dozen men who were to serve under him. Ordinarily ten men +would form a unit for planting, but Charley did not know that, and so was +ignorant of the fact that Mr. Marlin had tried to make his first day of +authority easy and successful by giving him only a few selected men to +handle. Mr. Marlin introduced Charley to the men one by one, as they came +in. Charley tried to talk to them, but found it rather difficult. The +mountaineers had little to say. + +When the men were all on hand, Mr. Marlin turned to them and said, "By the +way, men, this is the lad who saved Morton's life." + +At the mention of the sick ranger, Charley saw the men's faces light up. + +"He's a little young yet, but he knows his business. Jim says he handled +the snake-bite as well as any doctor could have done. I want you all to be +good to this lad and help him as much as you can." + +Now they had found something in common to talk about. All day long, at +intervals, the crew discussed rattlers; and Charley told them, at their +request, just how the ranger was bitten and what had been done to save +him. + +"You see," he said, "the danger from snake-bite comes when the poison +reaches the heart. So it is necessary to suck as much of it out as +possible and to prevent the remainder from reaching the heart except a +little at a time. That's why the bandages were put on the arm so tight. +The old notion of taking a stimulant was all wrong. The thing to do is to +keep the heart beating as slowly as possible until the venom reaches it. +Then if it begins to slow up, give a stimulant." + +This suggestion was contrary to all forest practice and Charley could see +that the men were greatly interested in it. How much his recital about the +snake contributed to his success that day he never realized. He kept his +lines straight, switched his men from one task to another, now relieved +this man or that, and did his work in such a highly efficient manner that +he would have had no trouble anyway; but at intervals all through the day +the men reverted to the rattlesnake story. They were so busy thinking +about something else they almost forgot about Charley. + +But the next day had a different tale to tell. The forester had increased +Charley's crew by four men, and a tougher looking lot Charley had never +seen. Rough, rugged, reckless mountaineers, there was not one of them who +could not have picked Charley up and broken him in half with ease. And one +of them, a tall, surly fellow, was quite evidently bent on making trouble. + +Charley's knees almost shook under him when he faced the crew and realized +that it was up to him to command and control these men. Also he knew that +he was lost if he showed any hesitation. The instant the party reached the +trail, therefore, Charley seized an axe. + +"Let's get at it, men," he said, starting work himself. + +"What do you want us to do?" asked the tall, surly looking chap. The +others gathered round to see what Charley would say. And Charley realized +that he was on trial with the men. + +"You heard what the forester said," he replied pleasantly. "We're to brush +this trail out. I want it made as good as it was when it was first +completed. Mr. Marlin said you were a mighty good crew and knew your +business thoroughly. So you don't need any instructions from me." + +Evidently the reply tickled the men. Charley saw one or two of them nudge +their fellows and chuckle; and all of them looked slyly in the direction +of the man who had asked the question. Charley judged that the fellow was +trying to make game of him and that the crew thought Charley had come out +on top. Charley did not mean to lose this slight initial advantage. + +With his axe he began briskly chopping away the brush along the sides of +the trail. Here and there he noticed little bushes that had sprung up in +the trail itself. + +"I wish you would take a mattock," he said to the man nearest him, "and +grub out all the plants in the trail. Take out all the roots and get +everything clean down to mineral soil." To the others he said: "We'll chop +up the brush fine and pile it right in the trail to burn on windless +days." + +The crew fell to with a will and the work went forward briskly. Presently +they reached a place where the trail was badly overgrown. Charley assigned +two more men to grub up roots. He was learning fast. Most of the time he +worked at the head of the gang, so he could see what was ahead, and be +prepared for any new situation that arose. But from time to time he walked +back among the crew to see that the work was being done right. + +Evidently the crew liked the way Charley was taking hold. They worked +cheerfully and skilfully. That is, all did with the exception of the tall, +surly fellow. He seemed bent on annoying Charley, but Charley paid no +attention to him. At last, however, a situation arose that he dared not +overlook. The trail had originally been five feet wide, but the bushes, +crowding in on either side, had greatly narrowed it. The main reason for +brushing out this trail at this time was to widen it again to its original +size so as to make it an effective barrier against fire. The tall laborer +was deliberately neglecting to cut bushes that had sprung up within the +original five-foot area. + +The instant Charley noticed this, he spoke to the man. The others, +scenting trouble, stopped work to look on. Charley sensed the situation +and set himself for a tussle. "Let them know you're boss," he remembered +Mr. Marlin had said to him. So he stepped toward the man and said quietly, +"I neglected to say that I want this trail cleared to its original width. +Just take out those bushes you have missed." + +"The trail's wide enough," said the man, sulkily. "Lots of trails aren't +half as wide as that." + +"It isn't a question of how wide other trails are," said Charley +good-naturedly, "or of how wide this ought to be. All I can do is to obey +orders. Mr. Marlin told me to clear the trail just as it was originally." + +The man looked angrily at Charley and sudden passion lighted up his eyes. +"If Mr. Marlin wants this trail that wide, he can say so himself. But +nobody's goin' to make me take orders from a high school boy. I know how +this trail ought to be brushed." + +Charley saw that it had come to a show-down. Inwardly he was greatly +agitated. His heart beat so fast and the pulse in his temples throbbed so +violently that he was afraid the men would see how excited he was. But he +took a grip on himself and answered slowly, thinking hard all the time, +and trying not to betray his real feelings. Again he recalled what his +chief had said about letting the men know he was boss. + +"You are quite right," said Charley slowly. "Nobody can make you take +orders from a high school boy. This is a free country and you do not have +to take orders from anybody if you don't want to. You are free to quit +this job at any time you like and nobody can stop you. But as long as you +stay on the job you will have to obey orders. I'll give you your time and +you can get your pay at the office if you want to quit. If you want to +stay, just brush out that trail as Mr. Marlin wants it brushed." + +Without waiting for a reply Charley turned away and returned to his place +at the head of the line. The men about him resumed their work with a will. +In a moment the tall laborer picked up his axe and began clearing out the +bushes he had missed. Charley had won. + + + + +Chapter XXII + +Charley Finds Another Clue + + + +As he trudged homeward that evening, Charley pondered over the events of +the day. At first he did not know whether to rejoice or be sorry over the +outcome of his encounter with the laborer. He was sure the man would hate +him, and if he did, he might try to make more trouble for him. On the +other hand, he realized that if he had let the man get the better of him, +he could never have hoped to maintain discipline; and Charley was old +enough to know that without discipline he could not succeed in any post of +authority. + +Perhaps he was most worried by the fact that he could not talk to Mr. +Marlin about the matter. Of course, he could have used the telephone, but +the idea of discussing his difficulties before the Lumley family was so +repugnant to him that he could not bring himself to attempt it. So he +decided to get up his wireless at once. Then he could talk to Mr. Morton +and Lumley could not understand what was being said. He felt free to tell +the Mortons anything. By this time Mrs. Morton could operate the wireless +readily and her husband was learning fast. So Charley hurried to eat his +supper and get his wireless installed. + +He foresaw that Lumley would insist upon helping him. He steeled his mind +to the event and accepted the proffered assistance with the best grace he +could. Afterward he thanked his lucky stars that he had done so. + +While there was still light enough out-of-doors, Charley assembled and +hoisted his aerial; and Lumley, who was really dexterous, was of great +help to him. As soon as the aerial dangled aloft, Lumley got tools to bore +a hole in the window-sash for the lead-in wire. + +Now Charley got another insight into Lumley's character. It was a little +difficult to make the hole just where it was wanted. Lumley instantly +became impatient and went ahead recklessly. Suddenly his bit snapped. With +a volley of oaths, Lumley threw down his brace and hammered the broken bit +out of the window-frame. In doing so, he broke out a long splinter of +wood, leaving a gaping crack in the sash. He swore until he was out of +breath. Then he got some putty and puttied up the hole, forcing the putty +into the crack with his thumbs. Then the wire was brought in through the +sash and Charley began wiring up his instruments. But it had taken half an +hour to accomplish what five minutes of patience would have done. Charley +was utterly disgusted with the ranger's show of temper. + +As he coupled up the instruments, he answered, as politely as he could, +the ranger's numberless questions. Behind every question he saw, or +thought he could see, some ulterior motive. By every means he could, +Lumley was trying to find out all that was possible about Charley and his +relations with the forester. And Charley could see that Lumley was envious +of his intimacy with Mr. Marlin and jealous of him because, though a mere +boy, he was already as high up in the service as Lumley was after years in +the department. Charley realized that this was an unfair way to view the +matter, as he, Charley, was not really a ranger, and did not expect to +continue as a ranger after Mr. Morton was well enough to resume his +duties. But he could see that Lumley took no account of that. He began to +understand that it was the man's nature to be suspicious and jealous. + +That was clear enough from Lumley's remarks about himself; for again he +repeated the story of his family's former ownership of the big timber, and +of how he had been robbed of his heritage. Charley felt sure the man had +brooded over the matter until his judgment was warped. He listened, +however, without comment. + +Presently Lumley began to make insinuations about the forester, telling +Charley that Mr. Marlin had been as much the child of luck as he had +himself; but Mr. Marlin had had all the good luck, while he had had all +the bad luck. When he spoke of Mr. Marlin's rise from the ranks, Charley +could see plainly enough that Lumley was green with jealousy. He thought +he ought not to listen to such talk, and telling Lumley flatly that Mr. +Marlin's industry, he was sure, was the main reason for his success, +Charley turned the conversation into more agreeable channels. Finally +Charley finished coupling up his instruments and tested his spark. + +"It's a slower way to talk," said the ranger as he watched Charley adjust +his spark-gap, "but I can see that it beats the telephone all hollow. Why, +a wind-storm, or a snow, or a thunder-storm can put the telephone out of +business quicker than you can say scat, and it may take hours and hours to +find the trouble and remedy it. I guess you couldn't put the wireless out +of commission, could you?" + +"That's where you are wrong," smiled Charley. "A piece of iron laid across +the terminals for half an hour would put this battery completely out of +business." + +How easily the telephone could be put out of business was soon shown; for +the very next day a terrific wind-storm came along, uprooting large trees, +wrenching loose great limbs which it hurled for many yards, bending flat +some of the smaller, weaker saplings and ripping its way through the +forest with a roar indescribable. Charley was with his crew brushing out +the fire trail. The wind was accompanied by some rain, and the crew sought +shelter under an overhanging ledge of rock. While they waited for the +storm to blow itself out, Charley turned the situation over in his mind. +Hurricanes were something he had never thought to ask Mr. Marlin about. He +felt sure the storm would mean some new duty for him, but he did not know +exactly what. He hesitated to ask his crew, for he did not want to betray +his ignorance. But a chance remark one of his men dropped about repairing +the telephone-line furnished a clue for Charley. He thought the matter +over, and by the time the storm had ended, Charley had come to a decision. +Right or wrong, he determined to act promptly. + +"I want one of you to help me look after the telephone-line," he said, +picking out one of the crew. "The rest of you can go on with the fire +trail." + +With this helper, he made his way out to the telephone-line and followed +it the entire length of his territory. In several places saplings had +blown across it. One tree, partly uprooted, was leaning against it. And in +one place the line was actually broken. Charley had no tools for handling +wire, and he decided that he would henceforth carry a pair of nippers in +his clothes. Fortunately for Charley, the wire had stretched so much +before it broke that he and the man were able to get the broken ends +together and give them a twist. The repair was temporary, but it would +answer until a permanent job could be done. When Charley reported to +headquarters that night, the chief commended him for his good judgment in +repairing the telephone-line so promptly. + +The few days that Charley had worked in the forest had made his hands very +sore, for he had no gloves. He had cut and scratched and torn his fingers +until it seemed to him there was room for no more bruises. He wanted to +get some gloves, but did not know when he could get to a store to buy any. +He mentioned the matter to Lumley. + +"Buy them by mail," said Lumley. "We get most of our goods from mail-order +houses." + +Charley had never bought anything by mail, and had not thought of securing +his gloves in that way. "That would be all right," he said, "but I +wouldn't know how to order." + +"Here," said the ranger, plunging his hand into a cabinet, "these +catalogues will help you." And he drew forth three catalogues from as many +different mail-order houses. There was one from Slears and Hoebuck, one +from Montgomery Hard, and a third from Carson and Derby. + +Instantly Charley thought of the telltale piece of green pasteboard and a +quick suspicion leaped into his mind. As quickly it faded out. He could +not for a single second bring himself to suspect a guardian of the forest +of being a woodland incendiary. Yet he could not refrain from asking, +"Which one of these concerns do you buy from?" + +"Whichever one sells cheapest," replied the ranger. + +Charley found some cheap working gloves that he thought would suit him and +ordered several pairs. + +In the days that followed, he thought often over the problem of the green +pasteboard. It was true he had made another step in unraveling the +problem, but he did not see that it helped him much. He had discovered +that Lumley sometimes bought stuff from Carson and Derby, but doubtless +dozens of other near-by dwellers also did. Furthermore, it did not follow +that any near resident had fired the forest. Some one from a distance +might have done so. The more Charley thought about the matter, the less +importance he placed upon his discovery, and he decided to say nothing +about it to any one. How the guilty party was ever to be traced Charley +could not even imagine. The situation appeared hopeless. + +However, Charley had small chance to worry about the matter. As the days +passed, the forester laid more and more duties upon him. Many a lad would +have thought the forester was imposing upon him, but Charley was eager to +do everything he possibly could. He realized that the more he +accomplished, the greater would be his experience; and that the larger his +experience was, the faster he ought to get ahead. He had the good sense to +know that the short way of spelling opportunity is <i>w-o-r-k</i>. And he +realized that he had his chance here and now. So he did everything he +possibly could do and asked for more. + +The forester, like any other man in authority, was pleased beyond words at +this spirit. His response was to pile the work on Charley. He was testing +him out, to see whether the desire for work was just a whim or whether +Charley possessed that real ambition, that inward spirit of progress that +drives a man on and on through the years to greater and greater +accomplishments. For the best worker in the world is the man who works +because he wishes to work, and who is always striving to become a better +workman. + +Certainly Charley became a better workman, as any one does who works in +the spirit he exhibited. The mere getting of a wage, the mere earning of a +living hardly figured in Charley's calculations. He was working to learn, +to get ahead, to climb up in the Forestry Service. Hence there was nothing +perfunctory in what he did. He strove for perfection; and like all who so +strive, he began to attain it. + +Before he had been many weeks a ranger, Charley was as valuable a man in +many ways as the forester had under him. All Charley lacked to make him +perhaps the very best man was wider experience; and this was coming to him +daily. Furthermore, Charley was fortunate enough to have learned, through +his schooling, that although experience is the best teacher, he is a fool +who learns only through his own experience. All the information in all the +books that Charley had ever studied was the result of experience--somebody +else's experience. And he had early grasped the fact that to learn through +the experience of others is to save time and difficulty. So now he +supplemented his own experiences by much reading and study at night and by +the discussion of forest matters with the more intelligent of his workmen. + +New experiences came to him frequently. The forester surveyed and laid +out a road through the forest. Charley helped with the surveying and +learned much about levels and grades and the theory of road making. And +after the road was fairly started, the forester left its completion +largely to Charley. This new road was to lead into the big timber +operation which was shortly to begin in Charley's territory. + +Already a great crew had been assembled and much timber had been cut in +Lumley's district. Lumley had to oversee this operation and he was kept +far busier than he liked to be. So Charley saw little of him. + +In overseeing the operation in his own tract, Charley would have to select +and mark the trees for cutting, see that they were felled so as to save +the young growths, compel the prompt removal of trees that had fallen +across little saplings that had been bent under them, and make sure the +tops were properly lopped off and either burned where possible or piled so +that they would quickly rot. Then he would have to be particular that the +trees were thrown away from the roads and lines, and that a strip at least +one hundred feet wide was kept cleared of brush between the cutting +operations and the remainder of the forest, as a protection against the +spread of fire. Then there would be timber to scale and a hundred other +things to be looked after. To safeguard the state's interests would +require both experience and determination should the timber operators +wish to be tricky. Mr. Marlin intended that Charley, as a reward for the +fine spirit he was showing, should handle the lumber operation in his own +district entirely alone, just as a full-fledged ranger would do. It was +both a high compliment to Charley and a fine reward, for the timber +operation was large, involving great sums of money, and even with the most +careful supervision the state might easily be defrauded of thousands of +dollars. + +But Mr. Marlin was far too wise to put Charley in such a position without +adequate training. Personally, therefore, he began to prepare him for the +work. Accompanied by Charley, he went entirely over the operations in +Lumley's territory. He carried a duplicate of the contract under which the +wood was being cut. Together they discussed every phase of the contract, +and the forester showed Charley how each step in the operation should be +carried out; how the trees should be selected and marked, how they should +be felled and trimmed, how the brush should be disposed of, and finally +how the timber should be scaled at the skidways along the highway, whence +the timber was being carted away in huge trucks. + +Then he went with Charley into the latter's own district and started him +at the task of selecting and marking the trees for cutting. These had to +be greater than ten inches in diameter, breast-high, and had to be marked. +Crooked trees and wolf trees whose unduly large tops harmed lower growths +were also to be cut. The trees were marked by blazing them at the butt and +breast-high and striking the blazes with a heavy hammer that left the +imprint of the state's marker on the wood. Merely to select and mark all +the trees to be cut was a considerable task, but Charley tried to do this +and carry on his other work as well. It meant that he worked from the +earliest possible moment in the morning until he could no longer see at +night. Day after day he worked at his tasks, content to eat cold meals +that Mrs. Lumley packed for him, and reaching home so weary that he +tumbled into bed and was asleep the instant he had telephoned his daily +report to his chief. + +Darkness had already fallen, one night, when Charley drew near the Lumley +habitation. To his surprise he saw a light up-stairs in Lumley's room. As +he drew nearer, he could faintly discern the forms of two men in the +chamber. Involuntarily he stopped to scrutinize the figures. At the same +instant Lumley's dogs began to bark, as they always did when any one +approached. Quick as a flash the curtain of the chamber window was pulled +down. But in that brief instant Charley was sure he recognized the man +with Lumley. It was Bill Collins. + +Charley was startled completely out of his weariness. A moment later he +got a second shock. Like a flash it came to him where he had first seen +Lumley. He had been with Collins the day the latter had appeared in the +forest. Collins had attracted Charley's attention so strongly that he had +hardly noticed Collins' companion. Yet now he was certain he was right. He +was certain that he was not mistaken. + +From the beginning he had believed that he had seen Lumley somewhere +before the forester introduced Lumley to him. Now it came to him where he +had first seen Lumley. Lumley was the man he and Lew had seen with Bill +Collins. + +Still another surprise awaited Charley. When he entered the house Lumley +was seated at the table opposite a stranger, and the stranger was not Bill +Collins. But he resembled Collins so much that Charley did not wonder +that, at such a distance, he had made the mistake of thinking the man was +Collins. + + + + +Chapter XXIII + +A Startling Discovery + + + +Charley was glad enough that the man was not Collins. Had he been Collins, +Charley would have had another matter to worry about. He was carrying such +a load of responsibility these days that he sometimes felt that he +couldn't stand another thing; and in moments of depression he thought he +could not continue to carry the load he already had. + +For Charley was learning the lesson that every man in authority learns: +when the forester laid out a piece of work for him, the forester expected +him to get it done. No matter what the difficulties were, Charley had to +find a way to surmount them. Many and many a day he would gladly have +exchanged places with the humblest laborers in his crew. + +All that was required of them was merely to do what they were told to do, +hour after hour or day after day. There was no need for them to lie awake +wrestling with problems that seemed impossible of solution, as Charley had +more than once lain awake. + +For it had not all been smooth sailing for Charley, any more than it is +for any man in authority. After his first set-to with the surly laborer, +he had not had any open trouble with his men. But more than one of his +crew did not always do an honest day's work, and any failure on the men's +part put Charley behind with the amount of work he was expected to get +done. This difficulty Charley had finally remedied by asking for Mr. +Morton's help. The latter had sent for several of the laborers and had +shown them that in hindering Charley they were hurting the Forest Service +and thus, in the long run, harming themselves. + +Furthermore, as the days passed, and Charley showed that he knew his job, +that he was just to everybody, that he had control of his temper, that he +expected a fair day's work every day, while he himself accomplished more +actual work each day than any man in his gang, the attitude of the men +under him changed. Before the summer ended, Charley had as loyal a crew as +any man could ask for. And to their loyalty they began to add ambition. +For Charley was able gradually to instil into them the spirit which made +them want to do as much as any other crew and a little bit more. + +So his road making came on apace. Rapidly the rude highway advanced +through the forest. Every day after his crew had gone home, Charley went +over the area to be made the succeeding day, examining carefully every +inch of the ground and determining how he would meet each little problem +that would come up. Thus prepared, he speedily acquired a reputation for +unusual ability. The result was that his men, when stopped by some +obstacle, at once came to him for assistance, though at first they would +have scorned to ask a "high school boy" for enlightenment about any task +in the forest. + +The road under construction was being pushed straight through the heart of +the big timber. It was to lead directly to the foot of the mountain on the +top of which Charley and Lew had had their secret watch tree. Materials +for a real fire-tower, a sixty-foot structure of steel, had been +purchased, and as soon as the road was completed, this material was to be +trucked to the foot of the mountain, and the tower itself erected on the +summit, close to the very tree that Charley and Lew had climbed so often. + +The erection of the tower was another task for which Charley would be +responsible. Long before the road was completed, therefore, Charley and +the forester went over every step in the process of construction, and +decided how to do each task, from the making of the concrete foundations +to the stringing of the telephone wires when the tower was complete. The +tower itself was to be a slender steel structure made of angle-iron +supports bolted together, with a little square room at the top for the +watcher. This room would be enclosed on every side with glass windows, and +from this great elevation a watcher could see in every direction over +miles and miles of forest. A telephone would connect with the forester's +office. + +At the foot of this tower Mr. Marlin intended to build a snug, little +cabin, so that the tower man could remain at his post twenty-four hours a +day throughout the fire season. The materials for the cabin would be +trucked in along the new road and carried up the mountain, and some of +them would be cut right on the spot; for the forester planned to erect a +neat log cabin. + +Before the road was completed, Charley had cement carried in as far as the +trucks could travel. Then the cement was carried up the mountain by +laborers. It had been put in small sacks so that it could be handled +easily. Sand was already at hand, and water could be had at the run coming +from the spring by which Charley had camped. Tools and boards were +brought, the proper excavations made, forms fashioned and fitted into the +excavations, and then cement was mixed and poured into the forms to make +the foundation to which the tower was to be bolted. By the time the road +was finished so that the steel framework could be trucked in, the cement +foundations were hard as stone and ready for the instant erection of the +tower. + +At once the steel frame began to ascend. Upright was added to upright, +cross brace bolted to cross brace, and rung after rung added to the steel +ladder that led up to what was to be the watch-tower. In a surprisingly +short time the steel work was completed. Now the forester brought in +skilled carpenters and the wood for the tower room was cut after the +patterns and the cut pieces hoisted up to the top of the steel frame where +the watch-tower itself began to take shape. + +While these operations were afoot, Charley and his laborers were back in +the forest, running a telephone-line along the new road. Holes had to be +dug, poles cut, barked, hauled, and set up, and the wires strung. While +his men set the poles, Charley himself, with a helper, strung the wires. +At this job he needed no instruction. His experiences with the wireless +were now of great value to him, for he understood about insulation, +grounding, short circuits, and the like as well as any skilled lineman. + +So the telephone-line came on apace, and long before the tower was +finished, Charley had the line complete from the highway, where it joined +the main line, to the summit of the hill where the tower was going up. He +installed an instrument in a waterproof box nailed to a tree, so that he +could now talk from the hilltop to the forester's office. When the tower +was finally completed, he ran the lines up inside the angle-irons to +protect them from the terrific winds, so that the tower man could +instantly communicate with the forester at Oakdale. + +Now the cabin went up. Large, flat stones were assembled and a rough but +stable foundation made below the level of the ground. Trees were felled, +barked, squared on two sides, and properly notched at the corners. When a +sufficient number had been prepared, the frame of the cabin was erected, +log being laid upon log, with the corners dovetailing. Wooden pins held +the logs in place. Windows and a door were cut out and framed. Then the +rafters for the roof were fashioned, the sheathing nailed on, and +shingles, made at a former lumber operation in Mr. Marlin's own territory, +completed the job. A fireplace was made of big stones and concrete, and +the cabin was about complete. A telephone extension was run into the +building. At any time now a fire patrol could take up his twenty-four-hour +watch at the fire-tower. + +The early rush of fishermen was past; but the fine weather still brought +hosts of them into the woods, and the danger of fire increased rather than +lessened. The scanty rainfall in spring had left the woods still dry, and +now but few showers came. Fire patrols were still difficult to obtain, +however, and Charley decided that he would take up his residence, at least +temporarily, in the new cabin. + +There was ample room in it for two men, should a fire patrol be secured, +and by living there, Charley would, of necessity, spend much time at this +observation post. Night and morning and at intervals between, when he was +at home, he could ascend to the tower and view every part of the +neighboring forest. Furthermore, the location was very convenient, for the +tower was close to the heart of his district. By living here he would be +with his work twenty-four hours a day. + +Mr. Marlin approved of Charley's decision to move into the cabin. With the +new road completed, the forester could come to the very foot of the +mountain in his motor-car. He was in instant communication with his ranger +by telephone and, when it was necessary, he could get to him by motor-car +with the greatest ease. + +The forester himself helped Charley move his belongings from Lumley's +house to the new cabin. While Mr. Marlin was loading Charley's other +luggage on his truck, Charley was dismantling his wireless. When he +removed the lead-in wire from the window-sash, he noticed Lumley's +finger-marks in the puttied crack and told Mr. Marlin about the ranger's +fit of temper. When everything was finally packed, Charley thanked Mrs. +Lumley for her hospitality and then climbed into the waiting truck. + +As he sat down beside the forester, he sighed with relief. Merely to get +away from Lumley's house made him feel as though a burden had been lifted +from his shoulders. Mr. Marlin laughed at him, but that did not disturb +Charley. He had never been able to rid himself of his feeling of distrust +for Lumley, and he felt oppressed when he was in the Lumley home. + +Charley and the forester carried Charley's possessions from the truck to +the new cabin. A tiny stove had been brought along for Charley to cook on. +Although it was so small, it was heavy enough. Between that and the +battery, the two had all the carrying they wanted before everything was +finally placed in the cabin. + +Charley fastened his aerial between the fire-tower and his old watch +tree, which was still standing, but which had been shorn of most of its +branches to allow the watchman in the tower to see past it. Finally, +everything was complete. The wireless was in working condition, Charley's +few furnishings were in place, the stores put away, and the cabin was +fully ready for his occupancy. + +Immediately Charley called up Mrs. Morton on the telephone and asked her +to talk to him on the wireless. A moment later their invisible messages +were speeding back and forth over the miles of billowing pine tops that +intervened between the two little forest homes, and no listener in on the +department telephone system could either know that they were talking or +tell what they said. Charley was overjoyed when Mrs. Morton told him that +her husband was about ready to come back to work. His arm was still +painful and he could not use it much, but he could now get around well and +was fast becoming strong again. + +When Charley told the forester the news, the latter expressed his +pleasure. He studied Charley's face a moment to see how Charley felt over +the news. + +"You realize what it means to you when Jim is able to do his work again, +do you?" asked Mr. Marlin. + +"Certainly," said Charley. A feeling of regret passed through his mind and +was mirrored on his face. But there was nothing unkind or unfair about +it. "Maybe some day I'll qualify as a real ranger," sighed Charley, "but +I'm glad I had this opportunity to learn something." + +"Charley," continued the forester, "you've earned the right to see this +lumber operation through. It's a big responsibility. You've worked night +and day to get ready for the job. Do you think I'm the kind of man who +would rob you of the reward that you have justly earned?" + +"I don't exactly understand," said Charley. + +"I mean," replied the forester, "that no matter whether Jim gets well in +time or not, you are going to handle the lumber operation in this +district. Jim can do something else. There's plenty of work for a dozen +rangers. You are to be the boss of this job." + +"Do you really mean it?" cried Charley in delight. + +"Surely I mean it," said the forester. "It wouldn't be a fair deal not to +let you take charge after the way you've tried to qualify for the work." + +Charley held out his hand. "Thanks," was all that he could say, for a lump +came into his throat. + +"And while we are talking about the lumber job," the forester went on, "I +want to say that I was never so badly fooled about anything in my life. +The cut isn't coming anywhere near my estimate. It must be five to ten +thousand feet per acre less than I thought it would run. I guess the Big +Chief at Harrisburg will think I'm a pretty poor timber cruiser." + +"How's that?" asked Charley. + +"Well, you remember the day I first met you in the forest, Charley, I was +cruising with two good timber estimators. They're skilled men. We were +making the estimate on which this sale was based. I sent in my estimate +and the department made its figures on that basis. But the timber that is +actually being taken out doesn't begin to scale what I thought it would. +Of course I was wrong in not cruising a bigger strip. But I just couldn't +spare the time, then. Evidently the stand over in Lumley's district is not +so heavy as it is here. The right way to estimate timber is to cruise +strips entirely across the stand. You can't make a correct estimate by +cruising an acre or two as I did and estimating an entire stand on the +basis of that acre or two. You see the stand in the bottom may be half as +heavy again as the stand on the hillside." + +Mr. Marlin paused. After a moment, he went on, "Before the lumbermen get +into your district I want to make another estimate. You and I will cruise +a few strips the entire width of the stand. That will take quite a little +time. We can't start to-day, but we'll get at it at the first opportunity. +Meantime, I want you to get all the practice you can in scaling lumber, so +that you can do it readily. You will have to scale every stick cut in your +district and keep tally on all the lumber that is taken out. It's highly +important work, for the state depends upon your figures to get its just +pay for the lumber cut. If you make mistakes, the state will lose +accordingly. I want you to practice scaling so that you can do it as +readily as you can measure a board with a yardstick." + +"Then I'll do some practicing to-day," said Charley. "You sent my crew +into another district and I can put in a whole afternoon practicing." + +"Very good. I'll take you out to the skidways where the logs are being +piled by the highway, and you can work there as long as you like. Do you +have that log-rule I gave you?" + +"Sure. But what about this? How shall I know if my measurements are +correct?" + +"I'll tell you what we'll do. You scale every pile of logs at the highway +and make a record of your measurements. When Lumley turns in his official +record we can compare your figures with his. Then you will know how nearly +right you are." They went down the mountain and climbed into the +motor-car. + +"Perhaps you would rather do this some other time," said the forester +suddenly. "You'll have to walk back, for I must go right along to my +office. And it's a great deal farther back here than it would have been to +Lumley's house." + +Charley's reply was a good-natured laugh. "Have you ever found me afraid +of a little hike?" he asked. "I may not have another opportunity as good +as this, for I'm going to be mighty busy when my crew gets back." + +They drove on, and at the skidways Mr. Marlin dropped his subordinate. +"I'll be out to see you to-morrow," he said, "with some maps and +specifications I must work out to-night. Good-bye." + +"He's a prince," muttered Charley, and fell to measuring logs. + +Applying his log-rule to the small end of each log, he noted the diameter +of the log and from the scale on the rule read the number of board-feet in +the log. Already Charley had done a little scaling of logs and he went at +the work readily. As he scaled pile after pile of logs, he worked faster +and faster, acquiring greater facility with every measurement. The +contents of each pile he noted down, a log at a time, on a bit of paper. +When he had finished the work, he totaled up the board-feet, and whistled +when he realized what a tremendous quantity of lumber was contained in the +log piles he had been measuring. + +"Gee!" he said to himself. "At the price lumber is selling for now, those +logs are worth a small fortune. Gad! It makes a fellow feel pretty sober +when he thinks how easily he could make a mistake that would cost the +state hundreds of dollars." + +He tucked his record in his pocket, along with his pencil, and started for +his cabin. Despite the fact that he was soon to lose his place of +authority, he could not help feeling happy. His diploma had been awarded +to him on Commencement day, although he had not been able to be present to +receive it, and that was one cause for happiness. His comrades had never +yet been able to visit him, but he had received a letter that morning +telling him that the entire Wireless Patrol was coming out to spend a +Sunday with him in the new cabin. That was a second cause for happiness. +His friend, Mr. Morton, was almost well, and that was a third cause for +happiness. And finally, he had earned the confidence of his chief so +completely that his chief was entrusting to him the very important task of +overseeing the lumber operation. That made Charley's heart swell with +pride. Even the near approach of his reduction to the ranks again could +not mar his happiness; for in his heart he knew that he had made good and +that it was only a question of time until he should become a ranger in +fact as well as in name. + +So he went on his way happy, rejoicing in his accomplishment, enjoying the +new life of the forest, joyous with the strength and hope and confidence +of youth. He came at last to his trail's end, and climbed the tower to +look for fire and to watch the sun go down. + +"It's warm enough so that a fellow could sleep up here now," he said to +himself suddenly. "I'll just build a bunk up here and then I can sleep +here whenever I feel like it. If I wake up in the night, I can take a look +around and make sure everything is all right." + +He went down to his cabin and got a rope, some boards, foot-rule, saw, +hammer, auger, and nails. He went back to the tower and made some +measurements. Then he came down, cut his boards, bored holes into them, +tied them together, and went up again with his tools and nails and the end +of the rope. He hauled up the boards and drew them into the watch-tower. +Then he nailed them together and had a snug little bunk that stretched +completely across one side of the little structure. He wove the cord back +and forth across the bunk through the auger holes in place of springs. +Then he went down to the ground, made a tick out of one of his sheets, +filled it with leaves and got it up to the tower. + +"Now," he said, as he spread it on the rope, "all I need is a pillow and a +blanket and I'm fixed." + +He went down and cooked his supper. Then he talked both to Mrs. Morton and +to Lew by wireless. He made a cheerful blaze in his fireplace and studied +until ten o'clock. Then he got a pillow and a pair of blankets, blew out +his lamp, and ascended to the tower. He intended to go to sleep at once, +but the night was so beautiful that for a long time he sat on his bunk, +looking out over the forest, which lay still as a sleeping infant under +the moon's white light. Finally he wrapped himself in his blanket, +stretched out on his bunk, and was quickly asleep. + +Charley was up early the next morning. He glanced at his watch and saw +that it lacked three-quarters of an hour of the time he usually had a +brief wireless chat with Mrs. Morton, so he cooked his breakfast at once. +Before he had finished eating, he heard the distant chugging of the +forester's car. Sometime later a cheery voice called up the slope, and +looking out of his door, Charley saw Mr. Marlin climbing up the mountain. +Charley hustled to get a cup of coffee ready for his chief. + +"I came early," said the forester, "for it will take us some time to go +over these plans. Also I brought Lumley's figures for you to check up your +estimate by." And he handed Charley some slips of paper. + +While Mr. Marlin was drinking his coffee, Charley compared Lumley's +figures with those he had made on a bit of paper. At first he looked +crestfallen. Then he appeared puzzled. Then an expression of great +indignation came into his face. He seemed greatly agitated. + +The forester was studying his expression closely. "What's the difficulty, +Charley?" he asked. + +"I told you I never trusted Lumley," he burst out. "Just look here." + +He laid his figures beside Lumley's. Mr. Marlin ran his eye over them. At +first he, too, seemed puzzled. Then his face grew black as a thundercloud. + +"Are you certain that you know how to scale a log right, Charley?" he +asked. + +"Absolutely, Mr. Marlin." + +"How do you estimate a log?" + +Charley got his rule and laid it across the end of an unburned log in his +fireplace. It was ten inches in diameter. + +"If that were a twelve-foot log," he said, consulting the scale, "it +would have three board feet in it. If it were sixteen feet long, it would +have six feet." + +"Absolutely correct, Charley. Did you measure those logs that way +yesterday?" + +"Yes, sir." + +The two men looked at each other for a full minute. "Charley," said the +forester, "I've been as blind as a bat. I never liked Lumley, any more +than you did, though I couldn't tell you that. But I trusted him because +he had been in the department a good many years and was fairly efficient. +He has betrayed my trust and attempted to rob the state by false +measurement. I understand now why my estimate seemed so far out of the +way. The estimate was probably close enough. Lumley has sold out to the +lumber operators. I'd like to know how they reached him." + +The forester fell into a deep study. His face was dark and angry. A long +time he sat silent. "I wonder," he said finally, "if Bill Collins' +presence in the woods last spring had anything to do with it. I'd just +like to know who that was with him." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley. "I forgot to tell you what I discovered. +The other night when I got near Lumley's house, I saw Lumley and another +man up-stairs. They pulled the curtain down quick when the dogs barked. At +first I felt sure the man was Collins. But when I went into the house, +Lumley sat at the table with the man. He wasn't Collins, though he looked +like him. But I discovered this. The man I saw last spring in the forest +with Collins was Lumley. I hardly noticed him at the time, but when I saw +these two men together I felt sure they were the pair I had seen in the +woods--only the stranger wasn't Collins." + +"Are you quite sure?" + +"The man I saw at the table wasn't Collins." + +"Are you sure he was the man you saw in the bedroom?" + +Charley looked at the forester in silence. "I never thought of that," he +said, after a moment. "There must have been two strangers in the house. +Lumley thought I was coming and would recognize Collins, so he must have +hustled down-stairs with the other man and left Collins up-stairs. I'll +bet anything that's what happened. And that makes me believe more than +ever that Lumley was with Collins in the forest. Otherwise, why should he +fear to have me see Collins?" + +"Charley, it is as plain as the nose on your face. Collins is the +go-between in this crooked lumber deal. These lumber operators meant to +cheat the state when they sent in their bid. They must have had it all +arranged with Lumley then. That's why they put in the highest bid, so as +to make sure to get the timber. By George! They could afford to bid high. +Just see what they've stolen in one day's cut of timber." + +The forester's face grew black as a thundercloud. "But we'll fix them, +Charley," he cried. "We'll get all that money back for the state and maybe +put these fellows in prison besides. Anyway, we'll put Lumley there sure. +Don't breathe a word of this to a soul. We'll check up Lumley's figures +every day now at the skidways. When we have enough evidence, we'll act. +Meantime, don't let a soul suspect that you know anything, and don't do +anything to alarm Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXIV + +Checkmated + + + +Charley was afoot very early next morning. At the usual time he flashed +out a wireless call for the Mortons, and the ranger himself answered. Mr. +Morton could now operate the wireless quite readily, though, of course, +with nothing like the skill his wife had acquired. He reported that he was +to return to duty the next morning, starting work, with a big crew, on a +six-foot fire-line along the summit of Old Ironsides. Charley was +overjoyed at the news. It meant that now he would have a chance to see +this friend from time to time. + +Mr. Marlin had not said that he would come to see Charley this morning, +nor had he telephoned any message to that effect; but when Charley heard +the steady chugging of a motor in the valley below, he believed it must be +the forester. He was not quite certain, however, because the motor did not +seem to beat exactly like Mr. Marlin's. The dense foliage completely hid +the approaching car from view, so that Charley could not see what sort of +an automobile it was. + +It mattered little to Charley, however, who it was. He was the soul of +hospitality, and at once he set some coffee to boiling for his approaching +visitor. + +This proved to be the forester. He presently came puffing up the slope, +and after he had drunk some coffee and gotten his breath, the two men +began to plan how they should best watch Lumley. The logs must be checked +up carefully, yet it was desirable that no one see Charley measuring them. +Finally it was decided that each day Charley should measure them in the +early evening immediately after the last log truck had started away with +its load. There would be nobody around then, and Charley could easily +measure the day's cut and get home to his cabin before dark. + +For an hour the two guardians of the forest discussed matters that pressed +for attention. Then the forester rose to go. "I have Lumley's report on +yesterday's cut," he said, "and if nobody is around when we reach the +skidways, we'll just check it up. We can drive out in a few minutes, but +you will have to walk back. Get your log-rule and come on." And they went +down the mountain to the end of the new road. + +"Hello!" cried Charley in surprise, as he caught sight of the forester's +car. "You're driving a big truck, eh? I thought that motor didn't sound +like your Henry." + +"Yes; there was a load of stuff to be hauled out for Jim's crew. He starts +work to-morrow. I killed two birds with one stone by bringing the stuff, +which I dumped at Jim's, and then coming on out here." + +As they reached the car, Charley said, "It looks powerful." + +"It's one of those old army trucks Uncle Sam gave us. Got a great battery +and tremendous power. Get in." + +They climbed aboard. Mr. Marlin touched the starter and the engine began +to chug. He let in his clutch but the car would not move. The car happened +to be standing on a moist spot and its great weight had pressed the wheels +far down into the soft new road. Mr. Marlin threw on the power. The truck +jumped, something snapped sharply and a banging noise followed as the car +moved jerkily ahead. + +"Thunderation!" cried the forester. "I've broken the differential. I bet +ten dollars on it." And investigation proved his diagnosis was correct. "I +suppose it will take all summer to get a new part," growled the forester. +"This truck will have to stand here idle until repairs come. But <i>we</i> +can't stand here idle. Come on." + +They set off down the road. After a long hike they came to the skidways at +the main road. Nobody was in sight. + +"We'll begin at one end and work toward the other until we hear somebody +coming. Then we'll have business elsewhere." + +Pile by pile they scaled the logs, Charley using the log-rule under Mr. +Marlin's close observation, while the forester himself kept tally. Alone +in the big woods, they talked freely. + +"Why do you suppose Lumley took a chance like this?" asked the forester. +"He might have known he'd get caught." + +"Primarily because he wanted the money, of course," maintained Charley. +"But there's another thing that may play a part in the matter. Did you +know that Lumley's folks once owned this virgin timber?" + +"I've heard that a generation or two back the Lumley family owned big +tracts of land hereabouts. Naturally some of that land would now be +included within the limits of the state's holdings." + +"When I was living at Lumley's, he told me over and over about his +family's having owned this timber and his grandfather's having been +swindled out of it. He seemed to me to be mighty unreasonable about it. He +was awful sore, and said he'd be a millionaire to-day if he had all the +timber his grandfather owned and that it was his by rights, anyway. I +recall that he said the thought of anybody else's getting the money for +the timber made him almost want to commit murder." + +The forester looked sober. "He's a bad egg," he said. "I really believe he +wouldn't hesitate to commit murder if he were cornered. You want to watch +him. We'll have to be mighty careful how we handle this business." + +"Hark!" said Charley. "Isn't that the sound of a truck?" And as they +listened, faintly they could hear the sound of a motor. + +"Probably a log truck coming for a load. If we'd had a few minutes more, +we could have completed the job. There are only two piles left. We'll just +disappear until this truck goes away. Then we can come back and finish." + +The beating of the motor sounded louder. The two men moved toward the +forest. As they passed the farther end of the first unmeasured log pile, +the forester stopped in amazement. A man sat on the ground, leaning lazily +against the logs. It was the man Charley had seen that night at Lumley's. + +"What are you doing here, Henry Collins?" demanded the forester sternly. + +"I'm working for the lumber company," said the man, sullenly. + +"You appear to be working hard," replied the forester scornfully. + +"I help load the trucks," said the fellow, as the forester turned on his +heel and walked away, followed by Charley. + +"You don't suppose that he could have heard what we said, do you?" asked +Charley, anxiously. + +"Heard every word of it," replied the forester. "The jig is up. That was +Bill Collins' cousin and he's as crooked as Bill. Lumley will know what's +afoot as quick as Collins can get word to him. We've got to act quick. +There's a detail of state constabulary at Ironton, and they could get here +in a motor in thirty minutes if I could only telephone them. Why in +thunderation did I ever leave the office without my portable instrument? +The nearest 'phone is at Jim Morton's. It will take me three-quarters of +an hour at my best pace to make it. But it's the best I can do. I'll hike +for Jim's. You hustle back to your tower and keep a close watch on things. +I'll telephone you as soon as I can. We've got to step lively if we are to +catch that scoundrel Lumley." + + + + +Chapter XXV + +The Crisis + + + +The forester hastened down the highway at a A tremendous pace. Charley set +out along the forest road he had so recently built. Before he knew it, he +was running madly. He ran for a long distance, hardly conscious that he +was running. Presently he stopped from very fatigue. Then he realized that +he was greatly excited and that he was running from sheer nervousness. + +"This won't do at all," he muttered to himself. "You're worse than an old +hen. If ever you needed to keep your head, it's right now." + +He took a grip on himself, drew a long breath, and settled to a fast walk, +thinking hard. He could not see how he himself could accomplish the arrest +of Lumley. If his chief did not think it advisable to attempt it, he was +very certain that he ought not to try it himself. And he was glad at the +thought. For he could not help but recall the wicked gleam in Lumley's +eyes, the man's savage outburst of temper, and his vicious talk. He +understood well enough that Lumley would not submit to arrest without a +struggle. + +Then the thought came to him that he had no business trying to arrest +Lumley, even if he could do it. The chief was attending to that and the +chief knew best what to do under the circumstances. Also, the chief had +given him his orders. His business was to obey orders. And those orders +were to take care of the forest. + +Fresh alarm seized him. Why had the forester given him those orders? Was +there danger of any one's setting fire to the forest? At the thought +Charley was almost in a panic again. A passionate love for the great woods +he was guarding had sprung up in Charley's heart. He held come to dread +fire with a dread unspeakable. He had come to regard it with a feeling of +absolute terror. In this feeling there was nothing of physical fear. A +little blaze in the forest made him so wild with anger that nowadays he +would fight it recklessly. His fear was the dread lest the immemorial +trees he was guarding should be wasted and the forest destroyed. It was +apprehension for the forest, not for himself, that troubled Charley. + +Rapidly he passed along the road, now jogging to relieve the nervous +tension, now proceeding at a fast walk. He came to the slope of the +mountain but his pace was no whit slower. At last, panting and almost +exhausted from his terrific efforts, he reached the crest. He staggered to +the ladder and climbed painfully to the watch-tower. Steadying himself, he +swept the horizon in every direction. The forest seemed to slumber. No +smoke arose, no winds swayed the tree tops. The twilight peace enfolded +everything. Satisfied that all was safe, Charley sank down on his bunk and +lay there until he was rested. Then he climbed down to his cabin and +cooked supper. + +Never since he had been alone in the forest had Charley so much felt the +need of companionship as he did now. He lighted a little fire in his +hearth and the cheery snapping of the burning sticks comforted him. He sat +down at his wireless and talked with Mr. Morton. The latter could not tell +him much about the situation. The forester had telephoned from his place +for the police and the latter had started at once for the forest. That was +all Mr. Morton knew. Charley called up Lew and told him as much of the +situation as he thought wise, and got the news from Central City. When he +threw over his switch and turned away from his wireless table, he felt +somewhat comforted. But the feeling of dread and apprehension had not +altogether left him. + +For some time he read, or tried to read. Study he could not. At last he +went to the telephone and called Mr. Marlin. He reported that all was well +in the forest. He was burning to ask his chief all about the situation, +yet hardly dared. He might say something that the chief would rather have +unsaid; for always there was the possibility of listeners in on the +telephone. And Lumley's family could listen in as readily as any others. + +Doubtless Mr. Marlin appreciated Charley's self-restraint. Before he said +good-night, he remarked casually to Charley, "I may want you to do some +work at the lumber camp to-morrow. I tried to find Lumley there late this +afternoon to give him some orders, but he had gone away. I have asked his +wife to have him call me the moment he comes home. Don't forget my final +instructions to you this afternoon. Good-night." + +To an outsider the message would mean nothing, as Mr. Marlin intended it +should. But to Charley it told the whole story. Lumley had fled before the +arrival of the forester and the state police. + +Charley reviewed the forester's words to him, as they talked at the log +piles. "He's a bad egg. I really believe he wouldn't hesitate to commit +murder if he were cornered. You want to watch him. We'll have to be mighty +careful how we handle this business.... You hustle back to your tower and +keep a close watch on things." + +Again a feeling of apprehension came to Charley, and this time there was +something of personal fear about it. Again Charley recalled the fugitive +ranger's violence of temper, and his evident jealousy of the chief. And as +Charley considered the matter now, he saw that Lumley must have been even +more jealous of him, Charley, than he was of the chief. Now he understood +all the prying efforts Lumley had made to learn the size of his pay. Quite +evidently Lumley could not endure to see another man get ahead. Charley +felt sure that it would not be safe for him to meet Lumley. He resolved +to be on his guard every second. Then he sighed with relief at the thought +that Lumley had fled. + +But a moment later his face became very grave. "How do I know that Lumley +has fled?" he asked himself. "To go any distance, he would have to walk +along a highway, or ride in a motor-car, or board a train; and in any case +he might be seen and traced. On the other hand, Lumley knows the forest +like a book. He has lived in it for years. Where else could he so well +hope to elude pursuit?" Charley felt certain that Lumley must be somewhere +in the forest. + +Immediately he got his rifle, filled the magazine, and stood it within +reach. He tried to read, but was too nervous. Then he thought of the open +windows and his light within the cabin. Any one could see through the +windows--or shoot through them. Charley put his flash-light in his pocket +and blew out his lamp. The evening was warm, and Charley opened the door +and sat down on the sill, leaning against the jamb of the door, and +cradling his rifle across his knees. + +Soon his eyes became accustomed to the darkness. From where he sat, +Charley could look out over what seemed like infinite stretches of forest. +The moon had not yet risen, and the valleys below him were vast depths of +darkness. Mist floated above, partly obscuring the stars. A gentle breeze +was blowing up here on the mountain top, but Charley knew that down in the +valleys the air was like stagnant water. The whispering of the trees +around him was like the quiet breathing of a babe asleep, and the +occasional sounds of the forest creatures were no more disturbing than the +gentle murmurs of a dreaming child. Peace enfolded the forest. It seemed +to Charley as though that great, invisible, beneficent Spirit we call God +had cradled the forest in His arms as a mother cradles her little ones. +The thought comforted him. Something of the peace about him crept into his +own heart. He drew a long sigh and sat back. + +After a time he began to feel drowsy. He took his blanket and his rifle, +and, closing his cabin door, climbed to the fire-tower. He closed and +bolted the trap-door in the floor of the tower. For some time he sat on +the edge of his bunk, watching the forest. Behind the eastern mountains +the sky began to glow. The moon was coming up. In another hour or two, +Charley knew, the forest would be flooded with silvery light. He loved the +moonlight on the pines, but he was becoming too sleepy to stay awake to +see it. The moment the moon's first rays shot over the eastern hilltops, +Charley lay back in his bunk, stood his rifle within reach, drew the +blankets about him, and was almost instantly asleep. + +Yet he slumbered uneasily. Terrible dreams disturbed him. Once or twice he +awoke and started up in alarm. Once the slender tower seemed to vibrate as +though some one were mounting the ladder. But Charley dismissed the idea +as idle fancy, for the nocturnal stillness was unbroken. So, fitfully, +Charley slept through the night. + +Dawn found him afoot. Eagerly he scanned the horizon. Banks of mist lay +over the valleys, concealing much of the forest. Slowly Charley examined +the horizon, half fearful, half relieved. From the two sides of his tower +he could see nothing disturbing. But when he turned to the third side his +heart stood still. Unmistakable in the whitish mist, darker clouds were +rising upward. The forest was afire. + +Intently Charley studied the smoke pillar, trying to locate it exactly and +to estimate the extent of the blaze. Satisfied, he swept his glance +farther along the horizon, but stopped abruptly. A second spiral of smoke +was stealing upward through the mist. Before he had completed his survey, +Charley discovered four more smoke columns. Somebody had fired the forest +in half a dozen different places. + +Whoever had done it must have known the forest intimately. The blazes had +been kindled just where they would do the most damage. + +Charley's mind worked like lightning. Even as he examined and located the +smoke columns, he was planning how best to extinguish the fires. It was +still very early. The wind would not rise for hours yet. Even then the +dense timber would break its force. Meanwhile the fire would spread but +slowly. If only he could get his men to the spot in time, Charley felt +sure he could put out every blaze with but slight damage done. By the +time he reached for the telephone, he had his plan of campaign mapped out. +Morton's big crew would be assembling in a short time. The forester might +be able to hasten their assembling and to collect more men. With trucks he +could rush the gang clear to the foot of the mountain, where the broken +army truck lay. An excellent fire trail would take some of them afoot +direct to the first blazes. Other groups could strike through the passes +for the other fires. With the chief and Mr. Morton and himself to head +three of the crews, and experienced fire fighters to lead the other +groups, Charley felt sure that they would hold the fires. + +Sharply Charley whirled the bell handle and put the receiver to his ear. +There was no response. Impatiently he rang again. Still he got no reply. A +feeling of alarm took possession of him. Frantically he rang and rang, but +the receiver at his ear was mute. The wire was cut. + +"Thank God for the wireless!" cried Charley, snatching up the trap-door +and descending the ladder recklessly. "There aren't any wires about that +to be cut." + +Involuntarily he glanced toward his aerial. Then he stopped dead. His +aerial had disappeared. Now he knew why the tower had vibrated during the +night. Somebody <i>had</i> been on the ladder. If only he had gotten up to +investigate! But it was too late now for regrets. He must act. He must get +up another aerial. An idea came to him and he shouted for joy. He would +use the tower itself as an aerial. + +He raced to the cabin and flung open the door. A single glance showed him +his cupboard had been rifled of its food supplies. He leaped toward his +operating-table and stopped aghast. His face turned pale, his hands fell +helplessly to his sides, and he stood looking at the instruments before +him, the picture of despair. A heavy file lay across the terminals of his +battery, and the battery was useless. + +Unnerved, Charley sank down on a chair. He covered his face with his +hands. It would take him hours to reach the Morton home on foot. And it +might be hours more before the forester could be notified. It looked as +though the forest were doomed. + +Fairly shaking himself, as a terrier shakes a rat, Charley freed himself +of the fear that clutched at his heart and forced himself to think. Calmly +he began to consider what he could do. He thought of the dry cells he had +first used. They were still wired together and in the cabin. Like a flash +Charley coupled them to his instrument, but the cells were exhausted. He +could get no spark from them. + +Again he sat down and thought. Suddenly he leaped to his feet. "The army +truck!" he cried. "If he overlooked that, I'll beat him yet." + +He began to assemble tools and instruments. But when he looked for wire to +fashion an aerial, his face grew black. The intruder had taken both +aerial and lead-in wire, and Charley hadn't a hundred feet of wire left in +the place. What should he do? What could he do? + +Again he paused and pondered. And again an idea came to him. "They use +trees for aerials," he muttered, "and they make perfect ones to receive +by. I don't know whether one could send from them or not. But it's my last +chance. I'll try it." + +He gathered together his tools and instruments, including the creepers he +had used in putting up the telephone-line, carefully stowed them all in a +big basket and started down the mountain. A hundred yards from the door he +turned about and ran back. When he came out of the cabin again, his rifle +was tucked under his arm. Then he went down the mountain as fast as he +could travel. + +Fearfully he studied the truck as he drew near. It was untouched. With a +cry of joy, Charley tore open the battery box. In no time he had some +wires fast to the battery. He spread out his instruments and coupled +everything carefully together. The outfit lacked only an aerial. + +Buckling on his creepers, and stuffing some spikes and a hammer in his +pocket, Charley rapidly mounted a tall tree that stood close beside the +truck. As luck would have it, the tree stood all by itself, its nearest +neighbors having been cut in making the road. Two-thirds of the way up the +tree, Charley drove a spike deep into the wood. He sank a second spike +not far from the first. Then he drove home a third. The lead-in wire +dangled behind him at his belt. He unfastened it and twisted it tight to +the spikes, wrapping it close about one after the other. Then he climbed +down and made sure his wire did not touch the earth. Trembling with +eagerness, he sat down at his key. + +One moment he paused, drawing out his watch. With a cry of joy, he put his +finger on the key. It was almost the hour at which he was accustomed to +exchange morning greetings with Mr. Morton. He pressed his key and a sharp +flash resulted. Joyously he adjusted his spark-gap until he had a fine, +fat stream of fire leaping between the posts. Then he fairly held his +breath as he rapped out the ranger's call signal. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he called and listened. There was no response. Again +he called. And again there was no response. His face became pale. His +fingers began to tremble. + +"JVM--JVM--JVM--CBC," he rapped out frantically, sending the call again +and again. Then he sat back to listen. Suddenly his receivers buzzed. With +startling distinctness came the answer. + +"CBC--CBC--CBC--I--I--I. Your signals very weak." + +So the ranger could hear, Charley did not care how weak the signals were. + +"Forest afire in six places," he flashed back. "Wires cut. Wireless +broken. Talking over temporary outfit. Notify forester. Collect all men +possible. Come immediately in trucks to end of new road. Can get to fires +on foot from here easily." + +"Where are fires?" replied Mr. Morton. + +"South and west of fire-tower. In valleys both sides of fire-tower +mountain." + +"How far away?" + +"About two miles--maybe three." + +"How big are they?" + +"Still small. Can put out before wind rises. Must have help quick." + +There was a long pause. Then came this message, "Have sent neighbor with +his automobile to notify forester. Will rush crew. Hold fire best you can. +Good-bye." + +With a cry of relief that came from his very soul, Charley threw over his +switch and leaped to his feet. He seized his rifle, then stood a second, +hesitating. + +"No," he said decisively, "the man who set those fires won't wait around +to be seen, even if he is a desperate man." + +He slipped his rifle under a clump of bushes and buckled on his little +axe. Then he started down the fire trail at a fast pace. Now running, now +walking, advancing as fast as he could without exhausting himself, Charley +hastened toward the fire. Long before he reached the nearest blaze, +Charley smelled smoke. As he drew near the fire, he studied it as best he +could. He rejoiced that it was so small. The mist bank and the heavy fall +of dew had so moistened things that the fire crept but slowly. + +Charley cut a pine branch and fell upon the flames ferociously. A great +anger surged up in his heart, like the fierce passion that takes +possession of a bull when he sees red. It lent power and determination to +him. Yet Charley tried to conserve his strength. Yard after yard he beat +out the flames, thankful that he had to face only a little creeping fire. +Small as it was, the blaze was, nevertheless, hot and stifling. + +Rod after rod Charley fought his way around the ring of fire, never +pausing for a single instant to rest. By the time he had completed the +circle and the blaze was out, Charley was beginning to tire badly. He +doubted if he could beat out the six fires alone. If they grew any larger, +he knew he could not. And larger they were becoming, for the first faint +puffs of the morning breeze were beginning to stir the tree tops. + +Half a mile through the trees Charley smashed his way to the next ring of +fire. He could see that the flames were leaping a little higher and that +they were eating their way along at a faster pace than the first fire had +traveled. He knew it would be hard to stop this blaze. But he cut a new +bough, and gritting his teeth, once more fell to fighting fire. + +Quickly he found it was quite a different fire from the one he had +extinguished. Fitfully the wind was coming up. When it blew, the flames +seemed to leap at Charley. His shoes, his clothes, his hands and wrists +were blistered by the heat. His fingers were torn and his muscles ached. +His lungs and throat became painful. His eyes grew blurred. He could no +longer see clearly. There was a ringing noise in his ears. Yet coughing, +choking, gasping for breath, stumbling and tripping, and at times falling +prone, he fought his way along the line of fire. + +He was so weak, so worn out from physical exertion and nervous strain that +he could no longer think clearly. But blindly, stubbornly, doggedly, he +fought the flames. His movements became mechanical. Sometimes his +descending bough hit the fire and sometimes it struck the unignited +leaves. Charley was fast nearing the point of exhaustion. He could +scarcely control his movements. Yet he tried valiantly to hold himself to +his task. He thought of the turtle-dove on the burning stump and for a +moment the thought seemed to give him new strength. But the inspiration +was only momentary. Blindly now he staggered along the line of fire, +gasping, reeling, swaying, hardly able to keep his feet. He tottered on. + +He could hardly raise his brush. His efforts were useless. Yet he hung +doggedly to his duty. Just as he was about to plunge headlong into the +flames, a shout sounded in his ears, forms came rushing through the smoke, +and Charley was lifted in the forester's strong arms and borne to one +side. + + + + +Chapter XXVI + +More Thumb-Prints + + + +For a long time Charley lay on his back, hardly conscious of anything. But +slowly the pure air revived him and his powers came back. He sat up, then +rose unsteadily to his feet. In a few moments he felt all right. He began +to look about him. The fire he had been fighting was extinguished. He +ascended an easily climbed tree and saw that the third fire in the valley +was also out. He knew that the fire fighters had gone on to the next +valley to subdue the blazes there. The wind was still no more than a +zephyr and he knew they would succeed. The forest was saved. A feeling of +great relief came to him. + +He sat down and rested, thinking what he ought to do. He remembered what +the forester had said about the desirability of an immediate investigation +of incendiary fires. Here was his job. + +He made his way to the blackened area where he had put out the first fire. +The space burned over was small. Charley stood and looked at it for some +moments, thinking the problem over. Then he walked slowly around the +burned area, examining it closely, but not stepping within the fire-line. +Then he wet a finger and held it aloft. Unmistakably the light breeze was +from the west. It had doubtless been blowing from that quarter all the +morning, though this particular fire had been extinguished when there was +hardly more than a suspicion of a breeze. The fire would have spread in an +elongated circle, or more exactly an oval. Charley tried to figure out the +exact starting point. He felt sure he could estimate it within a few +yards. + +When he had decided about where the fire must have originated, he made his +way cautiously, a yard at a time, toward that point. He was careful not to +disturb the leaves any more than was necessary in putting down his feet. +Carefully he scrutinized every inch of the ground he covered. He was +looking for a mound of burned leaves or any other suspicious thing. But he +found none. Look where he would, the leaves seemed to have been disturbed +before the fire started. + +Not far from the point selected by Charley as the probable place of the +fire's origin, the ground thrust up in a little, low shoulder, as though +there might be an outcropping ledge of rock there. Immediately around this +elevation the ground was clear of brush. No trees stood near. Charley paid +little attention to the mound until he noticed that it was hollowed out on +top. At the same time a piece of freshly dug earth caught his eye near by. +At least Charley judged it to be freshly dug, although it was blackened by +fire. He made his way very carefully to the little mound. Now he noticed +that the leaves about this mound had been raked together, for the ashes +lay thick in the hollow centre in the elevation. + +Cautiously Charley began to scratch among the ashes at the edge of the +pile. His fingers encountered many rough chunks of earth, partly hardened +by fire. The rain, the frost, and the cold of winter would naturally have +broken those chunks down into loose soil. So Charley knew they could not +be very old. As he scratched more of them out of the leaves, he blew the +ashes from them and examined them critically. He could think of no +connection between these chunks of earth and the fire, yet something made +him scrutinize them closely. + +All the time he was carefully digging the ashes away, and working toward +the centre of the pile. Suddenly he picked up a chunk that was quite +different from the crumbly earth masses he had been handling. This piece +was partly hardened and reddened. At once Charley saw it was clay. + +Charley continued to scrape aside the ashes. He found more and more little +chunks of clay, while the hollow place in the centre of the mound proved +to be a square, small depression that must have been made with human +hands. Even before he had it cleared of ashes, Charley knew that. The +depression was much too rectangular to be natural. It was about eighteen +inches square and almost a foot deep. In the bottom of it were charred +ends of sticks and a little candle grease, buried under the mass of ashes. + +When Charley had carefully scraped and blown out all the ashes possible, +he lay flat on his belly and examined the place minutely. Some person or +persons had dug a little square chamber, like a sunken box, right in the +shoulder of the mound. Charley decided that a candle had been placed in +the centre of the box-like excavation, leaves packed loosely about the +base of the candle, some fine, dry twigs stacked across the edges of the +excavation, and across the top of the hole other dry twigs had been +placed. Then the candle had been lighted, the open side of the excavation +closed with twigs thrust vertically into the clay, and leaves heaped over +and about the excavation. + +As Charley examined the mound, he could not but admire the devilish +cunning exhibited in the construction of this fire box. The open space +about the mound would give full sweep to the morning breeze, and the box +was located in the windward shoulder of the little mound, exactly where +the breeze would hit it hardest. The piles of leaves heaped about the box +would spread the flames on all sides. + +The candle grease in the bottom of the excavation, Charley had no doubt, +was the remains of one of his own candles, taken with the food supplies +from his cupboard. Nor did he doubt that the man who had taken it was +Lumley. He must have disappeared in the forest the moment Henry Collins +had told him what was afoot, for there could be no doubt Collins had +informed him. After the moon rose, so that he could see well, Lumley must +have come to the cabin, stolen food and candles, cautiously removed the +aerial and grounded the battery, and gone straight down the valley to set +his fires. If he could not get the money for the timber, or at least some +of it, quite evidently Lumley did not intend to allow any one else to have +it, not even the state. + +In his own mind Charley had no doubt whatever that the incendiary was +Lumley, and that he had done exactly the things Charley pictured him as +doing. Even now he must be somewhere in the forest. But Charley felt +relieved when he realized that in all probability Lumley had no firearms. +He must have fled without taking time to equip himself. Also Charley +doubted if he would remain in the forest. The forester would be certain to +scour the woods for him, and Lumley could hardly hope to evade pursuit +indefinitely. He would probably make his way out of the forest at some +distant point and try to get away. Sooner or later, Charley felt sure, the +man would be captured and doubtless sent to prison for cheating the state. +It made Charley feel bad to think that he did not have enough direct +evidence to insure Lumley's conviction for arson as well. + +An idea came to Charley. Blowing away the remaining dust and ashes, +Charley once more began an examination of the little excavation. Inch by +inch he scrutinized the surface of the pit. He found it partly baked. +Suddenly he gave a cry. He had found the distinct prints of some one's +fingers. On the second side of the excavation he found more prints, and +the third side yielded still others. Carefully Charley chopped out the +incriminating bits of clay. When he laid them side by side and examined +them under his microscope, he found they had been made, not by one person, +but by three. Apparently each side of the pit had been fashioned by a +different man. + + + + +Chapter XXVII + +Trapped + + + +While Charley was turning the matter over in his mind, the forester +suddenly appeared. Charley gave a glad cry when he saw him. + +"Did you get them all out?" he asked anxiously. + +"All will be out in a short time," was the reply. "Morton and his big gang +crossed directly into the other valley when I came here with my crew. As +soon as we had finished your job here, we hustled over to the other +valley. The fires there had spread considerably, but as there was little +wind and we had a big force of men, we quickly got them under control. The +minute I was satisfied we had them in hand, I came back to see how you +were. Jim is in charge over there, so everything will be all right. How +are you?" + +"All O.K.," said Charley, "but I guess I must have been about all in when +you got here. I don't remember much about it." + +"Yes, you were about gone. We got to you just in time. Now tell me what +you know about this fire." + +The two men sat down in the shade and Charley told his chief all that had +happened to him since the two had parted on the preceding evening. When +he showed the forester the marks in the clay, the forester was elated. + +"He's a pretty clever rascal who doesn't trip himself up somewhere," he +said. "It's an easy guess who your three fire bugs are. I have a very +great suspicion that the thumb-prints in that ball of clay I took from +your secret camp will match up with some of these marks, and that both +sets of prints will correspond with the marks on the thumbs of one Bill +Collins, though I didn't know that he was in the neighborhood at present. +And it's just as safe a bet that another set of those marks will match the +ends of Lumley's thumbs. If only he had been as considerate as his friend +Collins, and left his calling cards behind him, we'd have a complete case +against him." + +"We have," cried Charley, leaping to his feet in sudden excitement. +"Lumley left his thumb-prints in the putty he stuck in his window-sash. I +never thought of them until this moment." + +"Excellent!" cried the forester. "I suspect we can find the duplicates for +this third set of prints only when we lay hands on Henry Collins. But I +have a strong suspicion we'll have a chance to make that comparison very +soon." + +"How?" asked Charley eagerly. "What do you mean? Have the police made any +arrests?" + +"I don't know," replied the forester. "But this is the situation. Lumley +will never dare hang around in the forest, for he will know that every +man in the Forest Service is looking for him. Then, too, he can't have +much food with him." + +"Only what he took from me, I suspect." + +"That makes it certain that he must leave the forest soon. It's a good +many miles from the lumber camp to this neighborhood, so the three +fugitives must be traveling in this direction. If they keep on for fifteen +or twenty miles further, they will come out of the mountains near +Pleasantville or Maple Gap. They can board a train at either place. The +state police already are watching both stations. If Lumley and his fellows +went straight on after they started the fires, and Goodness knows they +wouldn't hang around here, they could reach the railroad in six or eight +hours. That means they would be there by this time. There is a train that +reaches Pleasantville about eleven o'clock. They would have time to make +it. I should not be at all surprised, when I get back to the office, to +find a message saying that the police had caught them." + +"Let us hope you do," said Charley. + +The forester arose. "Would you like to go see?" he asked. + +"Surest thing you know," replied Charley. + +"Then we'll hike back to the road and slip out to Lumley's house in my +car. We can get that window-sash and put it in a safe place in my office +and be back here before Jim brings his gang out." + +Rapidly the two walked back along the fire trail. "Charley," said the +forester suddenly, "just how did you manage to get that message to Jim? +It's all that saved the forest. The telephone was put as completely out +of commission as your wireless was." + +Charley then told the forester how he had used a tree for an aerial. "It +was my last chance," he said. "If it hadn't worked, the forest would have +burned. I had read about the use of trees to receive by, and I thought I +had read that messages had been sent through trees, but I wasn't sure. It +was my only chance and I took it." + +"You're a wonder, Charley. I take back everything I ever said about the +wireless. I have telegraphed for the Commissioner to come on from the +capital. I shall put this entire matter before him and urge the +installation of a wireless outfit in every district of the state forests. +No matter what is done elsewhere, we're going on a wireless basis here as +soon as we can get the outfit, just as I told you. If I can't get money +from the state for the outfit, I'll pay for it myself and have your +Wireless Club make it. This coming winter we'll start a radio school and +you shall have charge of it. Maybe Jim can help you now." + +"That will be grand," said Charley with sparkling eyes. "If only we had +the money Lumley robbed the state of, we could buy a dozen outfits." + +"We'll get every cent of it," said the forester with decision. "Don't you +worry about that. When we went to the lumber camp after Lumley last night, +I stopped all cutting. Before another stick is felled, you and I are going +in there and measure every stump. Then we'll estimate the timber that +came from those stumps and the lumber operators will pay for it or they +will face a criminal prosecution. If we catch Lumley, we've got the +operators dead to rights. He's the kind of a rat that will squeal quick +when he's caught." + +They reached the road, jumped into the forester's car and sped away to +Lumley's house. Half an hour later they entered the forester's office, +carefully carrying a window-sash. As the forester reached his desk, the +man in charge handed him a message from the state police at Maple Gap. It +read, "Have arrested three men who came out of the forest here and tried +to board a train. They give fictitious names, but no doubt two of the men +are wanted. Third has gold teeth and scar over right cheek. Do you want +him?" + +"Do we want him?" echoed the forester, as he began to write an answer. +"Well, I should say we do." + +He dashed off his message, and handed it to his assistant. "Rush that," he +directed. + +Then he took a long coil of wire from a closet and led the way back to his +car. "That's for a temporary aerial in case you decide to make one," he +said, as Charley climbed up beside him and they went whirling back to the +fire-tower in the mountains. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII + +Victory + + + +In due time Ranger Morton came out of the forest with his big crew. The +men were black with smoke and their hands and faces were blistered and +scratched. But they were a happy crew for all that. They had extinguished +what at first bade fair to be the worst fire ever seen in their district. + +By this time every man in the gang had heard the story of Lumley's +dastardly act and Charley's quick wit. Most of the men lived in or near +the forest, and a great fire might have consumed their homes just as truly +as it would have destroyed the forest. It was small wonder, then, that to +a man they had only admiration and gratitude for Charley. The last vestige +of ill-will that any of them might have had for Charley was gone. Like men +of the forest, they said little. But Charley knew that this little meant +much. He had won the good-will and respect of every man in the district. +No wonder he was happy. + +This thought did much to offset the feeling of regret that he could not +help experiencing at the realization that his days as a ranger were +numbered. When he became a patrol again, or a member of Jim's crew, for he +believed that Mr. Marlin would grant him that wish, he knew that he would +stand on a par with the men in their own estimation. So he waved good-bye +to the departing trucks with a mixture of happiness and regret. + +But he was not allowed many hours to indulge in either emotion. Very early +next morning the telephone, which Ranger Morton had promptly repaired, +began to ring. Charley answered the call and received a brusque order from +the forester to remain at the tower, as the forester was coming out to see +him. + +"I wonder if Mr. Marlin ever sleeps," said Charley to himself. "He's +probably on his way here now and I'm hardly out of bed. I'll make him a +cup of coffee and some toast anyway." + +But when Charley came to make the toast, he could find only three slices +of bread. Lumley had cleaned him out of food. It seemed no time at all to +Charley before he heard the chugging of the forester's motor in the +valley. A short time afterward two men ascended to the cabin. Charley was +surprised. + +"Let me introduce you to the Chief Forester of Pennsylvania," said Mr. +Marlin. Charley was suddenly abashed. He held out his hand and responded +to the Commissioner's greeting, but was at a joss for anything further to +say. He thought of his toast and coffee and was more than ever +embarrassed, because he had only three slices to offer. Nevertheless, he +set what he had before his guests. + +"I'm awfully sorry this is all I can offer you," he said, "but I had some +visitors yesterday who cleaned me out of food." + +"So I have heard," replied the Chief Forester, with a smile. + +"You will be glad to know, Charley," said the forester, "that those same +visitors have confessed to their crime, or rather Lumley did. When we +produced the thumb-prints in the putty and in the clay and compared them +with Lumley's thumbs, he made a clean breast of everything. It won't +surprise you to learn that he set the previous fires in this virgin +timber. He wants to be state's evidence." + +"Excellent!" cried Charley. "They won't burn any more forests--or rob any +more cabins. By the way, Mr. Marlin, did you bring me any more supplies?" + +"No," said the forester. + +Charley looked vastly perplexed, but said nothing. He didn't want to +bother the forester, but how he was to live without food he could not +imagine. Evidently his face must have mirrored his thoughts, for the +forester, after studying Charley's countenance, burst into a laugh. + +"Charley," he said, "it's clear that you don't pay much attention to your +Bible." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Why, don't you recall that we are admonished to take no thought for the +morrow, as to what we shall eat, and so on? Here you are worrying over a +little matter like food. Don't you have any ravens out in these mountains +to bring you grub if you get hungry?" + +"It isn't any laughing matter," replied Charley. "What am I going to do? I +haven't an ounce of food left in the cabin." + +The forester's eyes sparkled. "Shall we tell him what he's to do, +Commissioner?" he asked. + +The Chief Forester turned toward them with a smile. "I guess you had +better. It would be a shame to torment this young man after what he has +accomplished." + +"Very well, then. Listen, Charley. Here are your orders. To begin with, +Jim is now on deck again and you are relieved of your position as +temporary ranger." + +Charley tried hard to choke back the lump that came into his throat. +Evidently his face betrayed his feelings. + +"Look at him, Commissioner," said the forester. "I believe he's going to +pout." + +Charley bit his lip and tried to smile. + +"In the second place," continued the forester, "you are to remove your +belongings from this post and oversee the cutting of the lumber +operation." + +The smile that now came to Charley's face was not forced. + +"In the third place," the forester went on, "you are hereby appointed a +ranger in the Pennsylvania Forest Service to succeed one George Lumley." + +"Oh! Mr. Marlin," cried Charley, "you don't mean it honestly?" + +"I sure do. And there is nothing temporary about your appointment. You +are a full-fledged ranger. You have earned the place and I congratulate +you heartily on having won it." He held out his hand and clasped Charley's +warmly. + +"Now, that is all I have to say to you," concluded the forester, "but I +think the Commissioner wants to speak a few words with you." + +Charley turned to the Chief Forester and stood expectant. + +"Mr. Marlin tells me that it is your ambition to become a forester," said +the Commissioner. + +"It is," replied Charley. + +"He also tells me that you are hindered by lack of funds and some family +obligations and that you cannot see your way clear to take the regular +course of studies at the state forestry academy and so achieve your +ambition." + +"That is true, sir," said Charley. "There is nothing I would rather do +than become a forester if only it were possible. I love the forest." + +"The way you have striven to protect it is proof enough of that. How would +you like to become a forester without attending Mont Alto?" + +"Oh! Sir, if there is any way it could be done, I would work until I +dropped to accomplish it." + +"There is, and you shall have the chance. It is the policy of this +department to promote men for merit and to make it possible for good men +to advance in the service. Mr. Marlin tells me that you came into the +forest absolutely ignorant of forestry practice, but that in a short time +by great application to your work and by study at night you have become +one of the best men he has. All you lack is experience. Time will remedy +that. If you could become a forester through a continuation of such study +and work, would you like to do it? Mr. Marlin is willing to teach you the +technical branches that you would study if you went to Mont Alto. He will +take you into his office in winter and you can assist him in technical +work from time to time in the forest, thus obtaining a complete training +for the position of forester. What about it? Do you wish to do it?" + +"Oh! Mr. Commissioner," cried Charley, "I can't tell you how much I want +to do it. If you will just give me that chance, you'll find I'm no +shirker." + +"Then the chance is yours. You have earned it. Now we must hurry back to +headquarters, Ranger Russell. I hope that some day I shall be able to call +you Forester Russell." + +Charley's heart was too full for utterance. He grasped the proffered hand +and wrung it, but was afraid to say a word, for a big lump had come into +his throat. + +A moment later he was bustling busily about the cabin collecting his +luggage. His heart was singing merrily. + +"Some day," he said to himself, "we may get enough timber back on these +hills so that when a poor boy wants to build a boat he can do it, and so +that a working man can build a house without having to slave for a +lifetime to pay for it. I tell you it makes a fellow feel mighty big to +think he's going to have a hand in making life easier for so many million +people." + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Young Wireless Operator--As a Fire +Patrol, by Lewis E. Theiss + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE YOUNG WIRELESS *** + +***** This file should be named 12839.txt or 12839.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/8/3/12839/ + +Produced by PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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