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diff --git a/36838-8.txt b/36838-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b599b87 --- /dev/null +++ b/36838-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5239 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol, by Alan +Douglas, Illustrated by E. C. Caswell + + +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: Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol + + +Author: Alan Douglas + + + +Release Date: July 24, 2011 [eBook #36838] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL*** + + +E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, Emmy, and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 36838-h.htm or 36838-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36838/36838-h/36838-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36838/36838-h.zip) + + +Transcriber's note: + + Italic text is surrounded by _underscores_ and bold text + is surrounded by =equal signs=. + + + + + +CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL + + * * * * * + +Primrose Edition + +[Illustration: THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS] + +A SERIES OF BOYS' BOOKS + +By CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS + +Scout Master + + +I. The Camp Fires of the Wolf Patrol + + Their first camping experience affords the scouts + splendid opportunities to use their recently acquired + knowledge in a practical way. Elmer Chenowith, a lad + from the north-west woods, astonishes everyone with + his familiarity with camp life. A clean, wholesome + story every boy should read. + + +II. Woodcraft; or, How a Patrol Leader Made Good + + This tale presents many stirring situations in which + some of the boys are called upon to exercise all their + ingenuity and unselfishness. A story filled with + healthful excitement. + + +III. Pathfinder; or, The Missing Tenderfoot + + Some mysteries are cleared up in a most unexpected + way, greatly to the credit of our young friends. A + variety of incidents follow fast, one after the other. + + +IV. Fast Nine; or, a Challenge From Fairfield + + They show the same team-work here as when in camp. The + description of the final game with the team of a rival + town, and the outcome thereof, form a stirring + narrative. One of the best baseball stories of recent + years. + + +V. Great Hike; or, The Pride of The Khaki Troop + + After weeks of preparation the scouts start out on + their greatest undertaking. Their march takes them far + from home, and the good-natured rivalry of the + different patrols furnishes many interesting and + amusing situations. + + +VI. Endurance Test; or, How Clear Grit Won the Day + + Few stories "get" us more than illustrations of pluck + in the face of apparent failure. Our heroes show the + stuff they are made of and surprise their most ardent + admirers. One of the best stories Captain Douglas has + written. + + _Cloth Binding_ _Cover Illustrations in Four Colors_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St.) NEW YORK + + * * * * * + +CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL + + +COMPLETE ROSTER, WHEN THE PATROLS WERE FILLED, OF + +THE HICKORY RIDGE TROOP OF BOY SCOUTS + +MR. RODERIC GARRABRANT, SCOUT MASTER + + * * * * * + +THE WOLF PATROL + +ELMER CHENOWITH, Patrol Leader, and also Assistant Scout Master + + MARK CUMMINGS + TED (THEODORE) BURGOYNE + TOBY (TOBIAS) ELLSWORTH JONES + "LIL ARTHA" (ARTHUR) STANSBURY + CHATZ (CHARLES) MAXFIELD + PHIL (PHILIP) DALE + GEORGE ROBBINS + + +THE BEAVER PATROL + +MATTY (MATTHEW) EGGLESTON, Patrol Leader + + "RED" (OSCAR) HUGGINS + TY (TYRUS) COLLINS + JASPER MERRIWEATHER + TOM CROPSEY + LARRY (LAWRENCE) BILLINGS + HEN (HENRY) CONDIT + LANDY (PHILANDER) SMITH + + +THE EAGLE PATROL + + JACK ARMITAGE, Patrol Leader + NAT (NATHAN) SCOTT + +(OTHERS TO BE ENLISTED UNTIL THIS PATROL HAS REACHED ITS LEGITIMATE +NUMBER) + + * * * * * + +[Illustration: It proved to be interesting work.] + + +The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts + +[Illustration Border] + +Number One + +CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL + +by + +CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS SCOUT MASTER + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +The New York Book Company +New York + +Copyright, 1912, by +The New York Book Company + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I.--IN CAMP ON THE SWEETWATER 17 + II.--THE SUDDEN PERIL 26 + III.--GINGER PLAYS WITH FIRE 33 + IV.--A NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN SUPPER 41 + V.--WHAT WAS IT? 49 + VI.--THE BOY SCOUTS' WATER-BOILING TEST 57 + VII.--THE LOST SKY TRAVELER 65 + VIII.--A BLAZED TRAIL 73 + IX.--WHAT THE LONE CABIN CONTAINED 81 + X.--WIGWAGGING FROM THE MOUNTAIN PEAK 89 + XI.--THE HAIRY THIEF THAT WALKED ON TWO LEGS 97 + XII.--LAYING A GHOST 105 + XIII.--TAKEN BY SURPRISE 113 + XIV.--THE THINGS THAT MAKE BOYS MANLY 121 + XV.--HOW THE TRAP WORKED 129 + XVI.--THE LAST FLICKERING CAMP FIRE DIES OUT 137 + + + + +CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL + + + + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + +CAMP FIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +IN CAMP ON THE SWEETWATER. + + +A TROOP of khaki-clad boys had been marching, rather wearily perhaps, +along a road that, judging from all indications, was not very much used +by the natives. + +The afternoon was waning, so that a summer's night would soon begin to +close in around them. Dense woods lay in all directions, the foliage of +which had afforded very pleasant shelter from the fierce rays of the +August sun. "Halt!" came the loud order. + +"Hurrah! we're going into our first camp, fellows!" + +"Is that so, Mr. Garrabrant?" + +"Pull off your lids, boys, and give a salute!" + +"What a dandy old place for a camp. How d'ye suppose he came to pick +this out, Elmer?" + +"That's as easy to tell as falling off a log, Toby. We have to use water +to cook with; and just notice this fine stream running past us," +returned the boy addressed, who seemed to be the second in command of +the detachment of scouts. "Besides," he added, "you forget that we aimed +to reach the Sweetwater River by evening, so that we could start up the +current in our boats to-morrow morning. And this, I reckon, is the +stream that we're looking for." + +"Hurrah again, fellows! The day's hike is done. Now for a bully rest!" + +"Stand at attention, all! Call the roll, secretary, to see if there are +any stragglers!" the scout master commanded, as the small troop ranged +up before him. + +This young man was Mr. Roderic Garrabrant, who had only too gladly +assumed the rôle he occupied, being greatly interested in the boy +problem; and possessing a few fads and fancies he wished to work out by +actual experience. His knowledge of woodcraft was not so very extensive; +but the moral effect of his presence was expected to exert considerable +benefit in connection with the dozen or more members of the Hickory +Ridge troop of Boy Scouts. + +The small town of Hickory Ridge lay about seven miles due south of the +place where they had struck the winding Sweetwater; and the party had +tramped this distance since noon. While it might not seem very far to +those who are accustomed to long walks, there were a number among the +scouts who had undoubtedly exceeded their record on this same afternoon. + +An exceedingly tall and ungainly lad, with long legs that seemed to just +delight getting in the way at times, threatening to twist him in a knot, +drew out a little pocket volume, and in a sing-song tone started to call +off numerous names. + +Each boy answered promptly when he heard his own name mentioned; and as +they will very likely figure largely in our story, it might be just as +well to take note of the manner in which Arthur Stansbury called them +off: + +"Members of the Wolf Patrol: Elmer Chenowith, Mark Cummings, Ted +Burgoyne, Toby Ellsworth Jones, Arthur Stansbury, and Chatz Maxfield. + +"Members of the Beaver Patrol: Matty Eggleston, Oscar Huggins, Tyrus +Collins, Jasper Merriweather, Tom Cropsey, Lawrence Billings. + +"Unattached, but to form Numbers One and Two of the new Eagle Patrol: +Jack Armitage and Nathan Scott." + +"We seem to be just two shy," observed Mr. Garrabrant, with a twinkle in +his eye, as he turned toward Elmer Chenowith, who had recently received +his certificate as assistant scout master from the National Council, and +was really qualified to take the place of the leader whenever the latter +chanced to be absent. + +Elmer raised his hand promptly in salute, as he made reply: + +"Yes, sir; Nat Scott and Jasper Merriweather. They pegged out a mile or +so back; and after examining their feet, and finding that they were +really sore from walking, I gave them permission to ride on the +commissary wagon, sir." + +Now, of course Mr. Garrabrant knew all this perfectly well. He had +actually watched the pair of tenderfeet only too gladly clamber aboard +the wagon that bore the tents, food, extra clothing, and cooking outfit +for the camp. But thus far did military tactics rule the Boy Scouts, +that he was supposed to know nothing about such incidents until they had +been reported to him in the proper manner, as provided for in the +system. + +"Suppose then you notify them, Mr. Bugler," said the scout master, +turning to Mark Cummings, who, besides being the especial chum of Elmer, +was really a fine musician, and naturally had been unanimously chosen as +bugler for the new troop of scouts recently organized in Hickory Ridge. + +When the clear, penetrating notes of the bugle sounded through the +neighboring woods, there came a faint but enthusiastic cheer from some +point along the back trail. In addition, the waiting scouts could catch +the plain creaking of a wagon, accompanied by encouraging words, spoken +undeniably by a "gentleman of color." + +"Git up dar, youse ol' sleepy-haid, Andy Jackson! Wot youse t'ink we's +gwine tuh do up hyah in dis neck ob de woods, hey? Git a mobe on yuh, +Jawdge Washington! Jes' quit dat peekin' outen de tail end ob yuh eye at +me! We ain't playin' dat ere game ob politics now; dis am real, honest, +sure-nuff work. Altogedder now, bofe ob youse; or de waggin dun stick in +de mud of dis crick!" + +Then followed a few whacks, as the energetic driver applied the goad, +some startled snorts, in turn succeeded by another relay of faint cheers +from the two footsore scouts aboard the wagon. + +And presently the lumbering vehicle, with its sweating steeds, halted +alongside the site selected by the scout master as the spot for the +first camp of the scouts' outing. An opening was readily found where +Ginger, the ebony driver, might urge his reluctant team to leave the +hard road, and enter among the trees. + +Immediately a scene of great bustle, and more or less confusion ensued; +for it must be remembered that while the Hickory Ridge scouts may have +drilled in the work of starting a camp, that was only theory, and the +present was their first actual practice on record. + +The contents of the wagon were overhauled, and several tents started to +go up on spots particularly selected by the leaders of the patrols, who +had this duty in their sole charge. + +Here Elmer had a great advantage over all his fellows, since he had +spent much of his life up in the Canadian Northwest, where his father +had held a position as manager to extensive lands that were being farmed +on a colossal scale, until a year or so previous, when, being left a +snug little fortune, Mr. Chenowith had decided to return to his native +state, to settle down for the balance of his days. + +Of course the boy had picked up a considerable amount of useful +knowledge during his stay in that country of vast distances, which was +likely to prove of use to him in his experiences as a scout. + +They had elected him as president of the troop, and he had readily been +given the position of scout leader in the Wolf Patrol because of this +wide range of knowledge pertaining to the secrets of outdoor life. It +had also been mainly instrumental in securing for him the coveted +certificate from Headquarters, recognizing him as a capable assistant to +Mr. Garrabrant. + +Elmer could toss a rope, follow a trail, throw a "diamond hitch" in +loading a pack horse, travel on snowshoes, recognize most wild animals +just from their tracks, make a camp properly, and do so many other like +tricks that made him the envy of his mates, and especially Matty +Eggleston, who was the leader of the Beaver Patrol, and had much to +learn concerning his duties. + +It was a cheerful scene, as the tents were raised, and fires began to +crackle, one for each patrol, according to custom. Even the two limping +scouts forgot their recent lameness, and began to sniff the air hungrily +when Ginger started to get supper for the crowd. + +Ginger had qualified as an expert first-class cook, but the truth might +as well be stated right in the beginning that the boys quickly tired of +the greasy messes the son of Ethiopia flung together, and soon followed +the example of the Wolf Patrol, doing their own cooking, an arrangement +that pleased the good-natured but indolent Ginger perfectly. He was +always on hand, however, when the time for eating came around, being +possessed of an enormous appetite that alarmed Mr. Garrabrant more than +a little. + +Night had closed in long before supper was ready, for things somehow +worked at sixes and sevens on the occasion of the getting of the first +meal, since many essential articles had to be hunted for, entailing a +loss of time. But all this would be remedied as soon as they were in +their permanent camp, for both Mr. Garrabrant and Elmer were keen on +system and order. + +The boys were almost famished after that seven-mile hike, and could +hardly wait for the signal to "fall to." But there was an abundance for +all, and none of them was much inclined to be what Arthur Stansbury +called "finicky" that night. + +Mr. Garrabrant, however, while eating, looked suspiciously toward +Ginger, and shook his head in the direction of Elmer, as if to say that +if this mess were a fair specimen of the cook's best efforts along the +culinary line, the sooner they started in to depend on themselves the +better for their digestion. + +After the meal had been finished the boys left Ginger to clean up while +they lay around, enjoying the sparkling blaze, something that most of +them were not very familiar with. For the time being all formality was +thrown aside, and they laughed and chatted, just as normal boys are +prone to do when out upon a holiday jaunt. + +Mr. Garrabrant showed the two laggards how they had been unwise not +immediately to dislodge sundry small pebbles that had found a way to get +in their shoes, with the consequence that presently stone bruises had +formed that became painful. He made them easy with some lotion he +carried for just such a purpose. + +In this and dozens of other ways the efficient scout master expected to +teach the boys of the troop how to take care of themselves when away +from home. But the lads who had to be told _the same thing twice_ might +expect to forfeit some privilege since they were expected to think for +themselves, after being shown. + +There was also a second colored man along, who expected to take the team +back on the morrow, since the scouts would have no further need of it, +once they embarked in the boats that were to meet them here. In these +they expected to ascend the Sweetwater to a small lake called Jupiter; +and from thence by way of Paradise Creek find a passage to Lake Solitude +beyond, where they meant to camp and learn the numerous "stunts" a good +scout should know. + +Some of the lads had fair voices, and school songs were sung around the +fire, Mark doing the accompanying with soft notes on his bugle. He had +mastered this instrument, and his mates never wearied of hearing him +play. + +Ted Burgoyne was afflicted with a slight lisp that gave him no end of +trouble; though he always insisted that he spoke as correctly as any of +his companions. Ted had a strong leaning toward the profession of a +surgeon, and indeed was forever loudly wishing for a subject upon whom +to operate. The boys had considerable fun over this weakness, but all +the same they must have felt more or less confidence in his ability to +do the right thing; for whenever any slight accident occurred it might +be noticed that every one in camp called upon "Dr. Ted" to take hold; +and he nearly always proved himself equal to the occasion. + +Charlie Maxfield, or Chatz as he was universally called, was somewhat of +a queer chap. He believed in ghosts, and was always reading stories of +hobgoblins and haunted houses. Of course, with such a propensity, Chatz +could be depended on to try and frighten his chums from time to time. He +was forever "seeing things" in the dark. + +The rest of the boys had plenty of fun with Chatz, which he took in good +part; but although, as a rule, his alarms proved to be false ones +nothing seemed to disturb his deep-rooted convictions. They even said he +carried a rabbit's foot, for good luck, the animal having been killed by +Chatz himself in a graveyard, and in the full of the moon. + +Needless to say Chatz Maxfield was a Southern-born lad, as his accent +alone proved. He was a fine fellow, taken as a whole, outside of this +silly belief in ghosts, which he possibly imbibed from the small darkies +with whom he played on his father's Georgia plantation, years back. + +"I don't see any boats around here, fellows!" remarked Ty Collins, when +there came a little lull in the conversation, after Mr. Garrabrant had +been explaining some puzzling matter that one of the boys had put up to +him. + +"Why, that's a fact!" exclaimed "Lil Artha," as the long-legged +secretary, Arthur Stansbury was called by his mates--he was a devoted +amateur photographer, and even then had been busying himself with some +part of his equipment as he sat by the fire. + +Arthur was keenly desirous of learning all the various kinks that a +first class scout must know. He was somewhat of a joker in his way, and +at times a little addicted to the use of current slang; but a +warm-hearted, impulsive lad all the same. + +"They are to be on hand in the morning, boys," remarked Mr. Garrabrant. +"And of course we shall not think of leaving here until they come. Make +your minds easy on that score, Nat and Jasper. Your heels will have a +chance to get well, never fear." + +"Where's Chatz?" asked one of the other boys, suddenly. + +"He asked permission to walk back a bit over our trail," observed Elmer. +"Said he missed a buckle from his coat, which he was carrying over his +arm when he tripped. I let him take a lantern with him to see if he +could find it." + +"Lil Artha" began to laugh, and several of the other boys joined in. + +"Oh! my! what if he happens to run across one of those ghosts he's +always talking about?" suggested Toby Ellsworth Jones, whose grandfather +had been a veteran, and a soldier under the colonel who died at +Alexandria, Va., in the Civil War; whence the name of Ellsworth--Toby +was just wild on the subject of aeronautics; and while thus far +everything he attempted had proven as flat a failure as the famous +flying machine of Darius Green, still he lived in hopes of accomplishing +something that would make the name of Jones renowned. + +Several of the boys struggled to their feet at this, finding themselves +stiff in the legs after their long walk. + +"Look! there's a light coming just flying along the road right now!" +cried Larry Billings. + +"And that must be Chatz on the full run, though he wouldn't yell out for +anything!" exclaimed Mark. + +"Something must be chasing him, fellows!" declared Toby, in great +excitement. + +"Perhaps it's a wildcat!" suggested Jasper Merriweather, who was a bit +timid. + +"Here he comes, and he can speak for himself. What ails you, Charlie; +what happened to start you running?" asked the scout master, as the boy +came hurrying up, breathing hard, and showing signs of positive alarm. + +"Reckon I saw something, suh, that was mighty mysterious!" replied +Chatz; at which the entire group of scouts looked at each other, and +held their breath in awe. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE SUDDEN PERIL. + + +"II SEE you found your buckle, Chatz," remarked Elmer, noticing what the +other was holding in the hand that was not occupied in grasping the +lighted lantern. + +"Oh! yes, I picked that up where I tripped, and nearly fell flat," +replied the other, quickly. "Just as I got up off my knees I happened to +look alongside the road, where the trees grow so thick, and I give you +my word, fellows, I saw a moving white figure that had the most terrible +yellow eyes ever! I know you all laugh at me whenever I say I believe in +ghosts; but if that wasn't one I miss my guess, yes suh." + +"I'll dare you to go back with me till we find out," said Elmer, +quickly. + +Chatz hesitated; but for all his silly notions in this one line the boy +was far from being a coward. + +"All right, if you say so, I'm willing," he declared. "I'd just like to +know what that was, anyhow, if not a specter. Come on, Elmer." + +"Take me along, won't you?" asked Lil Artha, gaining his feet, as he +thrust his kodak away. + +"Me, too!" called out several others; while a few hung back, not caring +to take chances of a meeting with a real ghost. + +"You can go along, Arthur, likewise Ted and Toby. The rest had better +stay here with me to guard the camp, in case there happens to be a raid +of ghosts," remarked the scout master, in a tone that put an end to all +protestations. + +So the little party trotted off, followed by wishful glances from the +balance of those who would have liked to be with them. + +Down the road they went, Chatz keeping in close contact with Elmer, and +maintaining a discreet silence. Presently they arrived at the spot where +he had found the missing buckle. + +"Here's where I stooped down to hunt, boys," he remarked, in a low +voice; "and when I looked over yonder, I saw IT standing just back of +that fringe of brush, waving its long arms at me, and staring to beat +the band. Do you see anything there, fellows?" + +"Not a thing, Chatz," replied Artha, cheerfully. "To the foolish house +for you!" + +"What's that?" said Toby, holding up his hand, suddenly. + +"Did you see anything move?" demanded the Southern lad, eagerly, as +though he wanted to prove that his alarm had been well founded. + +"I thought I did," replied Toby, quivering with eagerness. + +"Listen, fellows," observed Elmer, with a chuckle. + +From somewhere back in the woods there came a weird sound, mournful +enough to strike a chill to the heart of anyone not familiar with its +nature. + +"Oh! whatever can that be?" cried Toby. "Sounded just like some poor +feller calling for help." + +"Elmer, you know; tell uth, pleath!" entreated Ted, with his usual lisp, +which even the alarm that was seizing hold of him now could not +dissipate. + +"Well, I declare, I'm surprised to think that none of you fellows ever +heard an owl hoot before!" laughed the scout leader of the Wolf Patrol. + +"An owl--that only a poor little dickey of an owl!" cried Toby. + +"Yes, it sounds just like the white owl we used to have up in Canada," +continued Elmer, seriously. "And ten to one now, it was what Chatz here +saw in that brush alongside the road. Of course it had staring yellow +eyes; and in the dim light he must have fancied he saw an arm waving at +him. That was only a shadow, Chatz. So come along, let's get back to the +fire." + +"Well, anyway, it looked mighty spooky," declared the Southern boy, +stubbornly. + +And he persisted in this attitude, even when some of his companions, who +might not have been one half so brave as Chatz, if ever put to the test, +began to "josh" him because of his recent alarm. + +Mr. Garrabrant, accompanied by Elmer, went the rounds to ascertain just +how the boys had erected their tents. He found little cause for +complaint, since the young assistant scout master had drilled the +members of the troop in this science, and they had it down quite pat, at +least so far as theory went. + +While the Boy-Scout movement of to-day has little to do with military +tactics, still discipline is taught; and numerous things that soldiers +employ in their daily life are practiced. One of these is setting a +guard at night, and teaching the boys the necessity of keeping watchful +when in the woods. + +Each patrol had to set a guard or sentry, and lay out a plan whereby the +various members would take turns in standing duty during some period of +the night. + +The two unattached scouts were temporarily added to the six composing +the Wolf Patrol, so that they might come under the charge of Elmer, and +profit from his instruction. + +By ten o'clock the camp had relapsed into a condition of silence. "Taps" +had been sounded on the bugle, which meant that every light must be +extinguished except the two fires; and each scout not on duty seek his +blanket. + +Of course there was more or less whispering from time to time; and +apparently it was a hard thing for some of the boys to settle down to +sleep. But both Mr. Garrabrant and Elmer knew boy nature full well, and +for this one night were disposed to overlook little infractions of the +rules. But later on they would expect to hold the entire troop rigidly +to discipline, when the time for skylarking had gone by. + +Elmer had left word with the boy from the Wolf Patrol who first went on +duty to awaken him if anything out of the way occurred. And in turn he +was to transmit the order to the fellow who succeeded him. + +When a hand gripped his arm as he lay under his blanket Elmer was +immediately awakened; nor did he evince the slightest alarm. + +"What is it?" he asked, softly, not wishing to arouse the others in the +tent, who were sound asleep, if their heavy breathing stood for +anything. + +"Something moving on the river, and I thought you ought to know," +replied the one who had crept excitedly under the canvas. + +"All right, Toby, I'm coming after you. Back out!" replied Elmer, as he +wriggled from under his comfortable blanket, and pulled on his trousers; +for the air of an August night often feels decidedly chilly, especially +after one has been snuggled beneath covers. + +He found the fires had died down, though the boys made sure that they +did not wholly go out, since they had no great love for the darkness. + +"Listen! There it goes again," remarked Toby, once more clutching the +sleeve of the scout leader in a nervous hand. + +Elmer chuckled. + +"Well, this is a funny thing," he said, as though amused. "First Chatz +takes a poor old owl with its yellow eyes for a ghost, and now you +imagine the dip of oars to be something as mysterious and thrilling. +Why, don't you make out two sets plashing at different times. Those are +the boats we expect. Perhaps the men from Rockaway down the river were +delayed; or else they preferred to do their rowing after the sun set. +But that's all it means, Toby." + +"Aw! well, I thought it my duty to let you know," observed the other. + +"And you did quite right, Toby. But I'd better try and get Mr. +Garrabrant out here without awakening the lot, if it can be done," and +saying this Elmer started toward the second tent, where the scout master +had some four boys under his especial charge. + +It proved to be just as Elmer had guessed. The two men who rowed the +boats had preferred to do their work after the heat of day had gone by. +They would not even pass the balance of the night in camp, being anxious +to get back to Rockaway, the town some five miles down the river. + +So this little excitement died away, and once more silence brooded over +the camp on the Sweetwater. The night passed without any further alarm; +and with the coming of morning the clear notes of the bugle sounding the +reveille aroused the last sleepers, and caused them to crawl forth, +rubbing their eyes and yawning. + +Mark's grandfather had been a famous artist, and the boy bade fair to +some day follow in his illustrious footsteps. He was forever drawing +exceedingly apt pictures, with pencil, a bit of chalk, a scrap of +charcoal or anything that came handy; and as a rule these were humorous +caricatures of his chums in many amusing attitudes. So he now busied +himself catching the sleepy scouts in various striking postures, to the +great delight of those who gathered around. + +Between Mark's readiness with the crayon and the eagerness of Lil Artha +to use his camera, it seemed likely that little worth remembering would +escape being handed down to illustrate the events of this, their first +outing. + +"Me for a bully good swim!" exclaimed the long-legged boy, as he started +for the nearby river. + +Others were quick to follow his example, for few healthy boys there are +to whom the opportunity for splashing in the water on a summer morn does +not appeal. + +"Keep on your guard, fellows!" called Mr. Garrabrant, who was busily +employed doing something near one of the tents. "The current is swift, +and unless I miss my guess the river is quite deep here. Elmer, you go +along and watch out that no one comes to harm," and he turned once again +to his task, confident that his assistant was capable of executing his +wishes properly. + +Ten minutes passed away, and Mr. Garrabrant, having managed successfully +to complete the little job he had set himself to execute, was thinking +it time the boys who were bathing should be recalled, when he heard +sudden cries that pierced him like an arrow. + +"Hey! look at Jasper, would you, how funny he acts!" + +"Elmer! Elmer! come here! Jasper's got a cramp! He's gone down!" + +Hurriedly did the alarmed scout master leap to his feet and start wildly +in the direction of these loud outcries. No doubt in that second of +time he saw the faces of the Merriweather boy's parents, filled with the +agony that comes to those who have lost a son by drowning; and the +mental picture sent Mr. Garrabrant flying over the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +GINGER PLAYS WITH FIRE. + + +AT the time the loud cries had come, Elmer was just leaving the water +himself, having had enough of a morning bath. He saw several of the boys +running toward a point down stream, where Ty Collins and Nat Scott were +when they shouted, and without wasting a second Elmer had sped that way. + +So fast did he run that he easily outstripped the rest, and reached the +spot where Ty and Nat stood on the bank, beckoning wildly to him, while +they stared out upon the eddying water. + +One look Elmer gave. It enabled him to glimpse something white emerging +from the foamy water, and a pair of arms beat wildly in the air. Then he +sprang in, and hand over hand made for the spot. + +Luckily he had arrived just below, so that the chances of his reaching +the drowning lad were better than would have otherwise been the case if +he had the swift current against him. + +Perhaps in all his life Elmer Chenowith never struck out with such +intense eagerness, for he had seen that something serious must have +happened to Jasper, since he was under the surface of the water most of +the time and undoubtedly gulping in great quantities of it. + +Keeping his eyes fastened on the struggling figure as best he could, +Elmer made his way furiously through the surging Sweetwater. Just at +this place, on account of a decided drop in the bed of the river, there +was a swift current and considerable foam around the rocks that partly +blocked the rapids. + +"He's got him!" shrilled Tom Cropsey. + +"But look out, Elmer; don't let him get a grip on you! Size up the way +Jasper is fighting to get hold of him! Oh! he nearly did it, then! What +ought we to do, fellows? If he grabs Elmer they'll just both drown!" + +It was Red Huggins who thus gave vent to his feelings. He generally +became so excited in an emergency that he could not collect his wits +enough to be of any great use. And it was fortunate that all of those +present were not built upon the same model as impulsive Red. + +Mr. Garrabrant had snatched up a rope as he ran. Perhaps, with rare +wisdom the long-headed scout master had even placed it there, looking to +a possible sudden need for such a thing. + +He had no occasion to ask where the thrilling event was taking place. +Every boy was staring in that one quarter, and before he even saw the +two figures in the swirl of the yeasty river Mr. Garrabrant realized the +condition of affairs. + +He found that Elmer had managed to seize the drowning boy from behind, +always the very best method of doing in such a case. Had he been unable +to accomplish this, and the frenzied Jasper seized upon him, doubtless +Elmer would have broken away, even though he might have had to strike +the other quite sharply in the face and partly stun him to do so. Better +that, than that both should go down together. + +So Elmer was endeavoring to push the other in toward shore. Sometimes +the water would go over them both with a rush, for they happened to be +in one of the roughest parts of the river. + +Mr. Garrabrant sized up the situation at a single glance. Then he ran +down the shore a dozen paces, and started to wade into the river. + +"Here, take hold of this end of the rope, boys!" he cried, as he came +upon several of the scouts who were standing knee deep in the water, +seemingly half paralyzed by the terrible nature of the scene before +them. + +Mark Cummings had just arrived on the scene. He had been dressing in the +tent at the time the alarm sounded. Regardless of the fact that he had +on his clothes, he sprang into the water alongside the scout master. + +Together they buffeted the waves, and made for the approaching pair. +Elmer saw them coming and redoubled his efforts to keep the drowning boy +afloat, and at the same time avoid being clasped in his desperate +embrace. + +Then friendly hands were laid upon them, and with three to take charge, +Jasper was borne to the land. He had collapsed before the shore was +reached, and the balance of the boys gathered around, staring in great +fear at his pallid face. + +Mr. Garrabrant knew the theory of restoring a person who has come very +near being drowned; but it chanced that Elmer had more than once had +active participation in that sort of work. So he lost no time in +stretching poor Jasper, face down, on the ground, placing his knees on +his back, and having his arms worked regularly by some of the boys, +while he pressed downward, again and again with considerable force, so +as to induce artificial breathing. + +As Jasper was not far gone he quickly responded to this rough but +effective treatment. He belched out a small Niagara of water, groaned, +trembled, and finally tried to beg them to have a little mercy on him, +saying that he was now all right, upon which the boys of course ceased +their efforts intended to bring him to. + +Breakfast was slow in coming along that morning. Ginger had been +tremendously unnerved by the exciting spectacle of the rescue of the +drowning lad, and he continuously made all sorts of foolish blunders +while trying to cook, so that in the end Mr. Garrabrant chased him away +and set Elmer and Ty Collins at the job, both of whom he knew were very +good cooks. + +Afterwards the tents had to come down, and the entire outfit be stored +away in the two boats which were intended to carry them the balance of +the way. + +Ginger sent the horse and wagon back in charge of the other colored man, +and announced himself prepared to accompany the troop into the heart of +the wilderness. He was so good-natured, and they could make use of him +to do much of the drudgery of the camp; so Mr. Garrabrant decided to let +Ginger go along, even though he was not to be trusted to get their meals +any longer. + +The boats were stoutly built, and of a good size. Both were capable of +being rowed by two pairs of oars: and, indeed, this was rendered quite +necessary by the swiftness of the Sweetwater in parts. + +Once they reached the first little lake and the worst part of the +struggle would be over; after that the going must prove much easier. + +At first the scouts considered the rowing a picnic. That lasted less +than ten minutes. Then, as the strain of the current started to tell +upon them, grunts began to be heard, and these were followed by heavy +sighs and glum faces. + +Blisters began to appear on palms that were quite unused to labor of +this severe kind. True, Mr. Garrabrant in one boat, and Elmer in the +other, tried to show the greenhorns how they could save themselves much +of this pain by proper handling of the oars; but like everything else, +experience after all was bound to be the best guide. + +A number of the lads, however, were more or less familiar with rowing, +even though there was no body of water close to the town on the railroad +known as Hickory Ridge. Of course Elmer himself took an oar, and kept up +his part of the drudgery from start to finish; and his chum Mark also +did his share with credit. + +There were places where the river widened, and the current was less +savage. Here those who tugged at the oars managed to rest up a bit for +the next hard pull. + +So the morning passed with frequent rests, for Mr. Garrabrant knew +better than utterly to weary his command in the beginning. They were, +after all, out for sport; and it would have been an unwise move on his +part to have sickened the tenderfeet scouts before they had had a fair +chance to get hardened to it. + +Just before noon the boy in the bow of the leading boat gave a yell. + +"What is it?" asked the scout master. + +"I just had a squint at a body of water, sir; and I think it must have +been a lake," replied Jack Armitage, who was in the boat with the Wolf +Patrol, Ginger working one of the oars in the other craft. + +"That must be the first lake, Jupiter they call it," Mr. Garrabrant went +on. + +"Hurrah! that means a rest, and lunch, fellows!" cried Lil Artha, who +had been resting after his turn at rowing. + +"Don't crow too soon," barked Toby, mysteriously. "The worst is yet to +come. Remember that these two lakes are joined by Paradise Creek. I've +heard that stream is worse than the river here to pull against." + +"That's where you're mistaken, Toby," remarked Elmer. "I talked with a +lumberman, and also a sportsman who comes up here every fall to shoot +wild ducks on the lake they call Solitude. Both of them assured me that +once we got to this point our troubles would be over. So cheer up, my +hearties, the pulling will be a picnic after this." + +Then they passed out from the head of the romantic Sweetwater. The lake +was a pretty little sheet of water, with shores that, as a rule, were +wooded; though in several places it looked as though farms ran down to +the water's edge. + +The boys soon clamored to get ashore and stretch their weary legs; nor +was Mr. Garrabrant in the least averse to such a change himself. It is +always inducive to cramp to sit in a boat several hours. + +Lunch was eaten under a patch of friendly trees that grew on the bank. +Then the troop was allowed half an hour to lounge around, ere once more +embarking for the afternoon row. + +Just where they had landed it was very wild. Rocks jutted up out of the +sides of the hills, and the trees grew in every crevice where earth had +gathered. + +Toby was lying on his back, looking longingly up at the bald top of a +neighboring elevation that might almost be called a mountain. + +"Say," he said to Red, who happened to be sprawled out near him, "did +you ever in all your days see such a splendid place as that for a +starter? Just think what a jolly good thing it would be to stand there +on the edge of that cliff and just give one big spring off, flapping +your wings as you jumped. Wow! I can see myself sailing through space, +and coming down as gently as a thistle ball. But how could a fellow ever +get up there in the first place?--that's what's bothering me." + +"Look here, Toby, you don't really mean to say that if you had those +silly old wings along with you, anything'd ever tempt you to take such +chances as to jump off that high place? Why, it'd be your finish sure, +if you ever did. You'd come down with an awful jar. And ten to one we'd +have to gather your poor remains up with a shovel. I'm glad Mr. +Garrabrant refused to let you fetch along all that stuff you had laid +out to bring." + +"He near broke my heart when he said that, Red," sighed Toby. "But we're +going to be up here some time, you know, and perhaps I might get a +chance to rig up some sort of flying machine. I'll never be happy till +I'm sailing through the clouds, and that's a fact." + +"Your heart, could stand it better than your blessed neck," retorted +Red. "And that's what would have happened to you, sure, if he'd let you +try to play your game of being aviator to the troop." + +"Sit still, fellows!" sang out the photographer just then; "I've got you +in just a dandy picture, the entire bunch! There, done with a click, and +thank you." + +Mr. Garrabrant sat up and looked at his watch. + +"About time we were moving, boys," he remarked, at which there were +numerous uplifted eyebrows, and not a few groans, as the unfortunate +tenderfeet looked at the red spots in the palms of their hands, unused +to hard work. + +Of course, as there was little to pack, it would be a matter of only a +few minutes ere they could be on the move again, and speeding up Jupiter +Lake toward the link that connected with the other sheet of water. + +"All here?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, as a precautionary measure; since some +of the scouts had shown a weakness for wandering whenever half a chance +arose. + +Elmer had just been in the act of counting heads. + +"We seem to be one shy, sir," he remarked. + +"It's Ginger," declared one of the scouts. "I noticed him walking off +some little time ago, sir. He told me somebody said there was gold up in +these mountains, and the poor old silly was lookin' for signs of it, I +guess." + +"Give him a call on the bugle, Mark!" said Elmer, looking annoyed; for +it would be too bad if, after all their plans, Ginger should take it +into his head to delay them now by getting lost. + +So the bugler let out a blast that could easily be heard a mile away. +Then they one and all listened to discover if any answer came floating +back. + +"I heahs yuh, suh," came the voice of Ginger from the neighboring woods. +"I'se jes' be'n havin' heaps o' fun wid dis leetle snake hyah. Glory be, +but he am de maddest critter yuh eber see, a shaking ob his tail; an' de +locust asingin' in de tree." + +"Keep away from him, Ginger!" shouted Elmer, jumping up; "keep away from +him, I tell you! My stars! that must be a rattlesnake he's been playing +with!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A NEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTEN SUPPER. + + +AND a rattlesnake it proved to be, sure enough! + +When Elmer, followed helter-skelter by every one of the others, drew +near the spot where Ginger stood, with a short stick in his hand, and +now looking very much frightened after hearing what a narrow escape he +had had, they discovered the angry poisonous reptile coiled, and buzzing +away at a great rate. + +Locusts had been singing near by during the drowsy noon hour, and that +accounted not only for the common mistake of the black man, but why none +of the others had paid any attention to the sound. Several remembered +having heard it, when their memory was jogged later. + +Elmer quickly found a longer pole with which he assailed the coiled +terror of the rocky hills, and with a lucky stroke he finally broke its +back. All the boys crowded around to look at the ugly thing, shuddering +as they noted its vicious fangs. + +"Better look out, fellowth," warned Dr. Ted. "I've heard they often hunt +in coupleth, tho' there may be another of the vermin near by!" + +But a hasty search failed to reveal a mate to the dead reptile. Mr. +Garrabrant seized upon the occasion to read a lecture to the scouts, +telling them to live up to their motto, "Be prepared," and always keep +an eye out when in the woods. + +"That's one danger we must never forget up here," he said; "and I've got +a little phial I want every scout to carry along with him constantly. +To-night I'm going to explain just how to act in case any one of you +finds himself struck by a snake, which, however, I sincerely hope will +never happen, because they're nasty things at best, and there's always a +chance that the remedy may not work in time to save the patient." + +Ginger begged for the rattle, to serve as a reminder of his narrow +escape, and so Elmer cut it off for him. + +"If I had time I'd like to skin the beast," the latter remarked, "for +he's beautifully marked, and would make a nice tie, or a pocketbook. But +in order to make a good job I'd require an hour or more, and we don't +want to carry the thing along with us until night." + +"Why do you say 'he' when you mention the rattler, Elmer?" asked Mr. +Garrabrant, who was not above seeking new information from one who had +been fortunate enough to experience the actual realities of wild life. + +"Well, you see that the skin has black diamond-shaped marks on it. If it +had been a female these would have been more along a brownish order. At +any rate, that's what I've been told out where I met with these things +frequently," Elmer stated. + +"And I've no doubt but what you're quite right, Elmer," remarked the +scout master. "I've noticed the same thing in connection with quite a +number of birds, the female being coated a modest brown, whereas the +male was a lustrous black. But we must be moving. I'm glad, Ginger, that +it isn't necessary to practice on you for snakebite." + +"Yas," muttered the black man, "an' de wustest t'ing 'bout de hull +bizness am de fack dat dey ain't eben a single drap ob snake pizen in de +hull bilin crowd. So 'deed, I is right glad myself now dat de leetle +critter didn't git tuh me." + +"And there goeth the only chance I've had this many a day to get a +little anatomical practice," Ted was grumbling; though of course the +boys understood that although his manner of talk might seem so +blood-thirsty, the amateur surgeon was only joking. + +But Ginger, after that, often watched Ted suspiciously and refused to be +left alone in camp with him. + +Ten minutes of stout rowing brought them to the mouth of Paradise Creek, +where the waters from the other lake emptied into Jupiter. Joyfully they +started to navigate these unknown regions. Elmer's boat was in the lead, +though for that matter not a single one in the party had ever before +been as far up the chains of waterways as this. + +When even the scout master realized that those who handled the oars were +becoming exhausted, he called a halt and changed around, bringing fresh +recruits forward. He himself did yeoman service pulling, and Ginger also +made his muscles add considerable value to the progress of the second +boat. + +"Dis am suah de t'ing tuh make de appatite," Ginger kept saying, as he +tugged away, with the perspiration rolling down his black good-natured +face. "Specks I done want dubble rations dis berry night, Cap'n. De +laborer am worthy ob his hire, de good book say. An' dis am sartin suah +hard wuk." + +As the afternoon slowly passed they realized that they must be getting +closer and closer to the second sheet of water. Nobody was sorry. And +when the sun hung over the elevated horizon anxious looks began to be +cast ahead. + +Finally, almost without warning, the leading boat ran out of the creek, +passing around an abrupt bend, and a shout of delight announced that the +lake had been reached at last. + +It was indeed well named. Solitude seemed to hang over the whole +picture, and if it could impress them in this way while the sun was +still shining, what gloom must follow after the shades of night had +fallen. + +"Look around on this shore for a good site for a permanent camp, Elmer," +remarked the scout master, pointing to the left. "I choose that because +we will get some shelter from the wind, in case of a sudden storm. +Across the broad lake it would be apt to hit us doubly hard. Am I +correct, Elmer?" Mr. Garrabrant went on. + +"Yes, sir," replied the boy, quickly, "I should have done just as you +did, and I think I can see a good spot for our camp; anyhow it looks +that way from here. Give way again, fellows, and I'll head the boat for +our haven." + +Ten minutes later, and the two boats had been run ashore. Then an eager +troop of aching lads tumbled out, to stretch themselves, and express +delight over having finally reached their goal. Quite a number of them +had really never before been away from home over night, so that it +required more or less assumption of gayety on their part to conceal +their real feelings. But by degrees these would grow accustomed to the +separation, and in the end it was bound to make them more manly fellows. + +Once again were the tents pitched. This time more care was taken, for +they anticipated a long stay, and ere breaking camp for the return trip +it was not unlikely that they would be visited by one or more storms. So +the stakes were driven well in, and each tent had a little gulley dug +around the upper side, so as to turn water to the right and left in case +of a flood in the shape of a down-pour. + +Other of the scouts started making fire-places from the numerous stones. +They had had practice along these lines before now, closer at home, and +the watchful eyes of the scout leaders took note of everything that was +being done. When they saw that matters were not going just as cleverly +as they could, a few words, perhaps a helping hand, straightened out the +difficulty. + +By the time the sun passed beyond an outlying spur of the mountain +things began to take on a pretty decent look. Several of the boys who +were fond of fishing had been set to work digging bait, and going in the +boats to likely spots pointed out by the experienced Elmer. Their +excited cries presently announced that there was some prospect of the +bill-of-fare that night having the magic name of "trout" among the tasty +food exhibit. + +"And my word for it we'll need all we can get," laughed Mr. Garrabrant +aside to his assistant, as he nodded his head to where Ginger was +working lustily, and smacking his lips as he kept one eye on the busy +fisherman, "because Ginger tells me he's awful fond of trout! It's going +to keep me hustling to supply all the appetites in this Camp Content of +ours; for they're developing most alarmingly." + +But really Mr. Garrabrant was joking. He had foreseen just such a +condition as this, knowing boys as well as he did, and made sure to add +good measure to the quantity of food first planned for. + +The fishermen presently brought in what catch they had made. Every one +was both surprised and delighted to see the splendid size of the trout +that had taken the bait. + +"Why, this sure is a great snap!" exclaimed Lil Artha, who had been +looking all around for various views which he anticipated capturing on +succeeding days. "We can have the toothsome trout whenever the spirit +moves, and the fishermen get busy." + +"And they pull like a house afire, too," declared Matty Eggleston, who +had been one of the anglers. "I've caught black bass lots of times, but +this is my first trout experience. Yum, yum, say, don't they just smell +fine, though? Look at Ginger walking up and down over by the shore of +the lake! He's that near starved he just can't stay around any longer +and sniff that delicious odor! Boys, ain't it near time to call us to +the fray? Oh, I'm that hollow I'm afraid I'll break in two!" + +"Supper's ready, Mr. Garrabrant!" announced Ty Collins, who had been +given a free hand as chief cook on this evening, while Elmer paid +attention to various other things. + +"Call the boys in then, and we'll see if it tastes as good as it smells. +Sound the assembly, Mark," called the scout master, himself not at all +averse to the pleasant duty of satisfying the inner man's clamorings. + +So the bugler sent out the sweet call, and even Ginger seemed to know +what it meant, for he came hurrying along to serve the dinner, a broad +grin stamped on his ebony face, and his mouth stretched almost from ear +to ear. + +"This is what I call solid comfort," observed Mark, as he tasted the +crisp trout, and decided that it was finer than any fish he had ever +eaten in all his life. + +A chorus of approving grunts and nods followed his assertion, for as a +rule the scouts were too busily occupied just then to say much. Ginger +had not been compelled to wait until they were through, under the +existing conditions that would have been next door to a crime, because +the poor old chap was really frantic for something to stop the awful +craving he had. So, after helping the entire bunch he was allowed to dip +in and sit in a retired spot, where the tremendous champing noise he +made while "feeding" might not annoy the rest. + +Afterward, when everyone admitted that "enough was as good as a feast," +they lay around taking things easy. Ginger gathered up the cooking +utensils, and the numerous pannikins and tin cups used by the troop. It +was to be his duty to wash these things after each meal, and thus the +boys were enabled to avoid one very troublesome part of camp life. And +hence they were glad to have Ginger along. + +As before, arrangements were made looking to a constant detail to serve +as sentries. There was no danger anticipated, of course, but since the +scouts wished to learn everything that was connected with life in the +open, they must carry out the game in all its parts. And guarding the +camp against a possible foe was one of these things. + +Two were to be on duty at the same time, the entire night being suitably +divided up into watches, as on board a ship. From ten o'clock up to five +meant seven hour shifts, with two boys on duty at a time. + +Elmer and Mr. Garrabrant were exempt from this drudgery if they so +pleased, but the chances were, both of them would obtain less sleep, +that night at least, than any of the others. Even Ginger was given his +"spell," though it was doubted whether he could keep awake an hour, for +he was a very sleepy individual after he had finished his task with the +tin pans. + +"To-morrow we start in with some of our tests," remarked the scout +master, as the time drew near for the bugler to sound taps. "That's one +thing I want to drill you boys in, while we're up here. We'll pit the +two details against each other, and see which can set up a tent in the +shortest order, and in the best manner. Then we'll start on the +first-aid-to-the-injured racket, and take a step further than we've ever +gone before. After that I'm going to get our assistant scout master to +show us a lot of mighty interesting things about following a trail, and +what the different tracks of such animals as may be found up here look +like. And another day some of us will hike to the top of that mountain, +while another detachment tries to climb the second rise, after which +they can wigwag to each other, in Signal Corps language, and hold a long +talk, to be verified later on in camp from the records kept. That is the +program, boys. Now, go to your blankets and sleep over it." + +They were as a rule a pretty tired lot that lay down. The two sentries +had to continue moving about to keep from going to sleep on post, which +might be considered a serious offense, and lose them no end of good +marks. + +Twice did Elmer creep out of his tent, and make the rounds in order to +ascertain whether all were going well. The last time was along about two +in the morning, and the first thing he heard was a whip-poor-will +calling shrilly to its mate not far away. + +When he came upon Chatz, who had the outer post, he was surprised to +find him exhibiting all the well-known signs by which he was wont to +indicate that he had been "seeing things" again. And knowing him so +well, Elmer hardly needed to ask what was the matter. Evidently the +ghosts that haunted Chatz must have been paying the superstitious +Southern boy another visit. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +WHAT WAS IT? + + +"IWHAT was it this time, Number Six?" asked the scout leader, as Chatz +turned quickly toward him, showing considerable alarm. + +"Oh! it's gone now. It just seemed to slide away while I was looking. +But I could hear it moving all the same; and I tell you, honest Injun, +that it was a dreadful _squashy_ sort of sound," and Chatz shrugged his +shoulders with what seemed to be a shudder, as he said this. + +Elmer hardly knew what to do or to say. Chatz was not above playing a +joke, given the opportunity, but this was really a subject on which he +felt very deeply, so that it was hard to believe he would be likely to +hold it up to scorn. + +He seemed to be wide-awake, too, so that there was little chance of its +being a dream. Sensible on all other subjects, the superstitious +Southern lad had a decided weakness for spooks, and he could imagine +uncanny objects prowling around where no one else found the slightest +indication of such a thing. + +"Where was this?" Elmer asked, cautiously. + +"Over there, in that open spot," replied Chatz, cheerfully and without +the least sign of hesitation. "You can just make out the deeper shadow +of the trees back further. I was looking that way and thinking of +something connected with my home when all of a sudden IT loomed up, +staring at me in a frightfully ghastly way, and moving its white body +slowly up and down, just like it was warning me of some coming danger." + +"Sure it wasn't that owl again, are you?" questioned Elmer, dubiously. + +"Couldn't have been any such thing, because," triumphantly went on +Chatz, "you see, there ain't a single chance for it to roost on +anything! That place is bare! I crossed it several times going for wood +yesterday afternoon before dark set in. And then besides--" + +"Yes, what else was there?" Elmer asked, encouragingly, for he began to +realize that there was at least no fake about the other's upset +condition. + +"Why, it made the queerest noise you ever heard--just a squashy sound +that I'll never be able to forget. Ugh! it was a nasty experience," and +he rubbed his eyes with his knuckles, after the manner of one just +awakened. + +Somehow this gave Elmer an idea. + +"Look here, Number Six, are you sure now that you weren't asleep, and +just dreaming that something bobbed up in front of you?" he demanded, +sternly; for in his capacity as assistant scout master he was given +certain privileges which the rest of the boys readily recognized. + +"I don't think there's any reason to believe that sort of thing," +returned the other, steadily. "Fact is, I was never more wide-awake in +my life." + +"And the thing just stood there, and waved at you, did it?" Elmer +continued. + +"Oh! I know what you think about it, but when I see a thing I can't deny +it, can I? There was something close to me a few minutes ago, something +that must have been a spook. If I hadn't had the good sense to stick my +hand in my pocket, and grab hold of that blessed old rabbit foot, I +honestly believe it would have jumped me! Now laugh again if you want +to," defiantly. + +But Elmer was himself a bit puzzled. Of course he could not think of +allowing himself to dream that what Chatz had seen could be anything +unusual. The surrounding conditions invested the most commonplace +occurrence with a mysterious atmosphere--that was all, and had it been +anyone but Chatz they might have found an easy explanation for the +puzzle. + +"Well," the scout leader said, finally, "we'll all have to borrow that +lucky charm then, when we go on duty, if it's going to scare the spooks +away. But your time is up, Number Six, so you can proceed to awaken the +scout who follows you." + +"I'm glad, and I'm sorry," remarked Chatz. "To tell the truth, I'd like +to find out if that pesky thing _could_ crop up again. You see, there's +no need of being scared about it, so long as you've got something that +keeps you from getting hurt." + +Evidently the belief of the Southern lad in that magical rabbit's foot +was firmly founded, and it would be exceedingly difficult to uproot it. +Sneers and scorn would never accomplish that result; in fact such action +was apt to only make him cling the more stubbornly to his fetish +worship. Elmer believed in going about such things in another manner +entirely. Chatz must be shown the error of his ways; and to do that most +convincingly the real nature of the object which he believed to be a +ghostly visitant from the other world, would have to be proven. + +"Wait a minute, Number Six," he said, as the other was about to head +toward the tent where part of the Wolf Patrol slept, so he could find +and arouse his appointed successor. + +"Yes, sir," replied Chatz; for, while Elmer was a chum of his, there +were times when he must recognize him only as a superior officer in the +organization to which both belonged, and show him due respect. + +"Remember, not a single word to the scout who is to succeed you," Elmer +went on. + +"Not a word will I breathe, sir, I promise you," replied Chatz, and +Elmer knew that nothing would tempt him to betray his trust, for his +sense of honor was very high, as it is with all Southern boys. + +"Perhaps we might get a pointer on this matter if the strange thing you +saw appeared to another," remarked Elmer, thoughtfully. + +"Oh! don't I just wish it would," remarked Chatz, eagerly. "Then perhaps +the rest of the fellows wouldn't think me cracked in my upper story. And +Lil Artha wouldn't be so unfeeling as to say I had rats in my belfry, +He's the one who comes on after me. Don't I just wish it would give him +a _good_ scare, though!" + +"Well, go and wake him up, then. I'll let the other sentry know that +it's time for a change," and Elmer walked away. + +A sudden idea had flashed up in his mind. Could it be possible that +there was anything in this wild yarn of Chatz's? Would the second sentry +be able to throw any light on the mystery? + +He found him squatting on the ground, near a tree, and saw that it was +Jasper Merriweather, the timid boy of the troop. At first Elmer had half +a suspicion that the other was asleep, for his head was bowed in his +hands. At the sound of his step, however, Jasper suddenly looked up with +a violent start, and Elmer saw that he was more or less frightened, for +he was shivering, even though he had a blanket wrapped around his +shoulders. + +"Oh! it's you, sir, is it?" he exclaimed, and there was a positive vein +of relief in the tones of his quivering voice that Elmer could not but +notice. + +"Why, who else did you think it could be, Beaver, Number Four?" asked +the assistant scout master, quickly. + +"Oh! I don't know," came the rather hesitating reply. "You see I guess +Chatz Maxfield has got me all worked up with his silly notions, because +I'm seeing things, just like he does, right along. I'm ashamed of +myself, that's what." + +"Do you mean just now you saw something?" asked Elmer. + +"Well," replied Jasper, rising to his feet as he spoke, with returning +confidence, "I thought I did, for a fact; and I just hid my head to shut +it out, but of course it was only what Mr. Garrabrant calls an optical +illusion. There just couldn't be anything there." + +"Of course not," the other went on, encouragingly. "H'm, what was it, by +the way, you _thought_ you saw, Number Four?" + +"That's the silly part of it, sir," Jasper answered. "It wasn't anything +that I could recognize at all, which proves that I was only imagining +things. Plague take Chatz and his ghosts! I never was very brave at my +best, but thinking of him has just about queered me. I'm glad you came +to talk to me, and show me how foolish it is to let such notions take +root." + +"But, by the way, where was it you thought you saw this wonderful thing +which you say bore no shape that you could describe?" Elmer insisted. + +"Oh! let me see, I was sitting just this way, and looking straight out +yonder. It was in that open place, sir. I guess the fire must have +flashed up suddenly, and dazzled me a bit." + +But Elmer noticed that the second sentry pointed in exactly the same +quarter where Chatz insisted he had set eyes on the ghost! This would +seem to indicate that there must be something in the story. + +"Was it a flaming red ghost, Number Four?" he inquired further. + +"Why, of course not, sir," chuckled the other. "If it had been I'd have +thought it was only Ty Collins in that red sweater he sometimes wears. +Oh! no, what I _thought_ I saw was a white object. It seemed to be there +when I hid my face in my blanket, but when I looked a minute later it +was gone." + +"Did you hear any sound?" Elmer demanded. + +"Well, yes; but after all it may have been one of the fellows snoring," +Jasper replied. "But at the time I thought it the queerest sort of noise +ever. Might 'a' been a big bulldog jumping into the water. I've heard +something like it when I pulled my foot out of a soft oozy piece of +mud." + +"All right, Number Four. Your time is up, so go and gently arouse your +successor. And please don't even whisper a word about this until I give +you permission." + +"Well, I guess I won't," Jasper quickly mumbled. "Think I'm itching to +have the laugh on me? No, siree, I'm as dumb as an oyster," and with +that he staggered off toward one of the tents to awaken Nathan Scott. + +Elmer returned to his blanket, but he had something on his mind that +kept him from enjoying any sound sleep for the remainder of that +particular night. + +Those two boys had certainly seen _something_, and while, of course, +Elmer was too sensible a fellow to allow himself to give the idea of a +ghostly visitor the slightest credence, he found himself puzzled to +account for it all. + +Because of his lying awake so long he slept later than usual in the +morning. True, he sprang up when the notes of the bugle sounded the +reveille, but most of the others had been abroad before him. + +They took a dip in the lake, though the water was so very cold that none +of the scouts cared to remain in more than five minutes. Besides, the +almost tragic occurrence of the previous day haunted some of them, and +made them a bit timid about venturing into the water, though by degrees +this fear would naturally wear off. + +While preparations for breakfast were being undertaken by those +appointed for this purpose, Elmer strolled out of the camp. He wished to +carefully examine the open patch of ground at the point where the two +sentries had been so positive the uncanny white object had appeared to +them. + +Disappointment awaited him there, however. Numerous footprints told how +those of the scouts whose duty it was to secure a fresh supply of +firewood that morning had passed back and forth directly across this +open place. If there had been any suggestive tracks they were surely +trampled out of sight by the army of boyish feet that had gone over many +times. + +Elmer shook his head. He felt that he had been hoodwinked in one sense, +but no matter, even this setback must not induce him to give up the task +he had set for himself. He owed it to Chatz and his infirmity to +discover a reasonable explanation of that ghost theory. And while the +solution might be delayed by this unfortunate trampling of the ground, +he meant to persist. + +"Nothing doing, I guess?" remarked a voice close by, and turning his +head the scout leader saw Chatz himself standing there, observing him +with a quizzical expression on his dark face. + +"Well, if you mean an explanation of the little affair of last night, +Chatz, I admit that so far I'm up against it good and hard. You see, I +hoped to find some marks here that would give me a clue, but it's all +off. The boys ran after wood and back again so many times, that if there +was a trail it's been squashed." + +"Oh! I don't think that mattered any," remarked the other, with +conviction in his tones. "You can't very well discover what there isn't, +can you? And I've always believed that spooks never leave a sign behind +them when they come and go. Why, a spook is only a vapor, you know, +Elmer. They can slip through a keyhole if necessary. And as to a trail, +why, you might as well expect to see that cloud up yonder leave a track +behind it." + +There could at least be no doubt about Chatz being in dead earnest in +his queer belief, and as Elmer turned away he was more than ever +determined to find the true solution of that strange happening, if only +to drive another nail in the coffin of the Southern boy's superstition. + +As neither of the sentries felt at liberty to mention the occurrence +until the assistant scout master gave permission, the balance of the +scouts ate their breakfast, and joked each other, in blissful ignorance +of the fact that the camp had again been visited by a hobgoblin, and +that this time not only the superstitious Chatz but another had actually +seen the misty intruder! + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE BOY SCOUTS' WATER BOILING TEST. + + +MR. GARRABRANT was full of business on this fine morning. + +He set about a host of things immediately after breakfast, saying that +they ought to take advantage of the opportunity to get in a good +morning's work. + +Several boys were sent out on the lake to try to duplicate the good luck +attending the fishermen of the preceding afternoon. Mark Cummings was +encouraged to get numerous views of the camp, and whatever was going +on--such as would afford the Hickory Ridge scouts the most pleasure in +later days, when this series of camp fires was but a hallowed memory. + +With the balance of the troop the scout master proceeded to try out +various interesting tests, to discover just how the boys stood in the +matter of efficiency. As Elmer was such an old and experienced hand in +most of these matters, he was of course debarred from entering the +competitions. It would be taking too great an advantage over the +tenderfeet scouts, who had everything to learn as yet. + +First of all the scout master decided to put ten boys at the +boiling-water test. This is one of the most interesting, as well as +amusing competitions, the scouts indulge in, and one that never fails to +evoke much laughter among those who look on. + +Each boy was given a tin pail that held two quarts of water, and which +could be carried by a bale. Besides this, he was handed just three +matches, and put upon his honor that he did not have another of the kind +upon his person. + +A spot was selected that was possibly fully eighty yards away from the +edge of the lake, and this Mr. Garrabrant did purposely, so that if one +of the competing scouts was so unlucky as to upset his pail of water +during the test, he would be greatly handicapped by having to run so far +in order to replenish the same. + +Lined up, they were to be given the word, when a rush would be made for +the lake, the buckets filled at least up to a line midway that indicated +a full quart. Then they had to hasten back to the place assigned, being +careful not to spill a drop of the fluid on penalty of losing marks for +having less than the quart needed. + +Wood had to be quickly gathered, and some sort of fire-place constructed +where a blaze must be started without the aid of paper. Then the kettles +were to be seated on the stones, and the first one that had water +actually boiling, as witnessed by the scout master, would be the victor, +and the second called "runner-up." + +"Ready, all!" called Mr. Garrabrant, and ten eager pair of eyes watched +him closely; "go!" + +Immediately there was a race for the lake. One clumsy scout fell down +and had to scramble to his feet to take his place at the tail end of the +procession. Of course the long-legged Lil Artha easily outran all his +mates. He had scooped up his water and was on the way back before the +next best arrived. + +The wise ones made sure to dip up more than they really needed, so as to +make allowances for any that might be spilled on the return flight. The +surplus could be easily tipped out before they set the kettle on the +fire. + +When the whole lot had finally reached the open spot where the +competition was to be carried out, the picture was a lively one. Mark +was on hand to take a few snapshots, and catch all the humor of the +scene. + +Now Lil Artha had his fire going, being far in advance of the others. As +they hustled to get things moving it was only natural that each fellow +cast jealous glances toward those who were getting along faster. In one +instance that caused the withdrawal of a competitor, for while paying +more attention to what Matty Eggleston was doing than his own business, +Larry Billings upset his kettle. After that he gave up with a grunt, for +it was the height of folly for him to think of running to the lake for a +fresh supply. + +Two others used all their three matches and failed to get a fire +started, so they also withdrew. + +When Arthur Stansbury placed his kettle on his hastily constructed +fire-place, long before the rest, it looked as though he had a +"walkover." + +All at once there arose a shout of boyish glee. In starting to get to +his feet, the long-legged one had, as frequently happened, caught his +ankles in a hitch, and throwing out one hand to balance he upset the +kettle, which came near putting out his fire. + +Mr. Garrabrant expected to see him leaping toward the far-off lake in +the hope of being yet in the running. To his surprise, Lil Artha +snatched up his pail and _ran away from the edge of the water_! Several +were so astonished at this that they suspended operations for a second +or two to stare after him. + +"Oh! I see what he's after, the sly fellow," laughed Elmer. "He +remembers the little stream that runs down the side of the hill right +there, and reaches the lake. It isn't half as far away as the edge of +the big water. Yes, there he comes, with a grin on his face, and a full +pail. Good boy, Number Five!" + +Once back at his fire, now burning briskly, the tall boy hastened to +spill some of the contents of his kettle, and then set the latter firmly +on the stones. Nor did he stop there. He had lost some ground, and +several had by this time succeeded in catching up with him. So down +Arthur lay, full on his stomach, where he could blow his fire, and get +it to burning more savagely, after which he fed it with the best small +pieces of splintered wood he had been able to pick up. + +When a certain number of minutes had elapsed he beckoned to Mr. +Garrabrant, who, anticipating the summons, had been hovering nearby. +Together with Elmer, the scout master hurried up. + +"The water is boiling all right," he announced, "and Number Five wins. +But keep going, the balance of you, until we learn who comes in second +and third." + +Matty Eggleston proved an easy second, while Ted Burgoyne edged in just +ahead of Mark, because, as he claimed, his "blowing apparatus worked +better." + +"But I think we ought to protest that win of Lil Artha," declared Chatz +Maxfield, although he had been one of the last in the bunch. + +"On what grounds?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling, as though he had +expected to hear something of the sort, though hardly from one who had +no chance of winning. + +"When his kettle upset he didn't go all the way to the lake to fill it +again, as he ought to have done," said Red Huggins, who had also the ill +fortune to overturn his tin vessel when the water had begun to steam, +and who naturally felt a little "sore" as he termed it, because it was +too late for him to enter again. + +"Listen while I read the terms of the competition again," said Mr. +Garrabrant. "I wrote them down so as to be prepared for any event; +that's one of our cardinal principles, you know, boys. Here it +especially states that 'any competitor who upsets his kettle at any time +during the test may have the privilege of filling the same again from +the nearest water.'" + +"Oh! I didn't think of it that way, sir!" exclaimed Red. + +"That's just it," smiled the gentleman. "You failed to grasp all there +was in that rule, while Arthur analyzed it. He undoubtedly laid his +plans beforehand, in which he proved himself a true scout, preparing for +eventualities, even though he may not have expected to meet with such an +accident. He remembered that little stream, and even the fact that there +was a small basin scooped out where a pail could be quickly dipped in +and filled. All the more credit to Arthur for his forethought. He doubly +deserves the honor he has won, and I congratulate him on his victory. It +will be an object lesson to the rest of you. In time of peace prepare +for war. And now we will turn our attention to another test. Perhaps +some of the rest may excel in that. I want everyone to do his very best, +and earn marks that will help to take you out of the tenderfoot class +and make second-class scouts." + +It was now the turn of Elmer to interest his camp-mates. He had been +looking around before this, and laid his plans, so that he was able to +lead the entire bunch to a neighboring gully, where in the soft mud +alongside a stream he had discovered several distinctly separate sets of +animal tracks. + +Here he pointed out to them the marked difference between the trail of a +muskrat from that of a mink, and even went so far as to tell a number of +things which the latter cautious animal had probably done in his passage +down the ravine in search of food. + +Mr. Garrabrant listened carefully himself, and nodded approvingly from +time to time, to show how much he liked Elmer's way of reasoning. + +"You can see, boys," he remarked finally, when the lesson was over for +that occasion, "what a vast amount of mighty interesting information can +be drawn from so simple a sign as the spoor of a little slender-bodied +mink. Elmer has made a study of the animal, and knows his ways to a dot. +I think he described all that the mink did on his way along here, just +as it actually occurred. And the deeper one dips into such woods' lore, +the more fascinating it is found. All around you are dozens of things +that strike the educated eye as deeply interesting and worthy of study, +but which would never be seen by the tenderfoot. And it is this power of +observation that we wish our boy scouts to employ constantly. Once the +fever takes hold, a new life opens up for the lover of Nature." + +After that they busied themselves around the camp doing various things +until lunch time. About the middle of the afternoon three relays, of two +boys each, were sent out in as many different directions. They were not +to take paper or pencil along, but simply to try to impress various +interesting things they happened to meet with, upon their memories, and +after they had returned to camp they would be given a chance to note +these down on paper. The one of each pair who could excel in his +description as to the number and interest of the things seen, would +receive merit marks. And later on the three victors might be pitted +against each other again. + +While the six boys were absent, for they had a couple of hours in which +to accomplish their end, those left in camp found plenty to do. Mark +spent some time in developing the films he had exposed thus far, having +a daylight developing bath along with him. In this way he could find a +possible chance to duplicate any pictures that, for some unknown cause, +failed to do justice to the subject. If he waited until they returned +home to get to work, the chances would have gone forever. + +Everybody seemed happy but Ted Burgoyne, and he went about with an +expression of gloom on his face that of course may have been assumed. + +"Didn't think you took it to heart so, Ted," remarked Elmer, as he +confronted the other, while the rest of the stay-at-homes were busily +debating some question near the camp fire. + +"Oh!" exclaimed the scowling one, disconsolately; "it ain't about losing +my chance in that blooming old competition, by falling all over mythelf +in the thtart! Oh! no, that doethn't bother me one little bit, becauth +you thee, I just knew I had no chance against thuch a hustler as Lil +Artha." + +"Then your breakfast must have disagreed with you," persisted Elmer, +"though it's the first time I ever knew you had a weak stomach, Ted." + +"You're away off again, partner," grumbled Ted. "Fact ith, to tell the +honest truth now, like every good scout ought to do, you're all too +plagued healthy a bunch to thuit me, that'th what." + +"What's that--healthy?" remarked Elmer, and then a faint grin began to +creep over his face, as he caught on to the meaning of the words. "Oh! I +see now; your heart's just set on doing good to others, ain't it? You +dream of binding up cuts, and putting soothing liniment on bruises. And +so far, not one of the boys has had the kindness to fall down the rocks, +cut himself with the ax, or even get such a silly thing as a headache. +It's a shame, that's what it is, Ted!" + +"Well, you can poke fun all you want," grumbled the would-be surgeon, +with an obstinate shake of his head, "but after a fellowth gone to all +the trouble to lay in a thtock of medicine, and studied up on cuts and +bruises and all thuch things till he just feels bristling all over with +valuable knowledge, it'th mean of the fellowth to take thuch good care +of their precious fingers and toes. What d'ye suppose I'm going to do +for a thubject, if this awful drought keepth on? Why, I don't believe +fourteen wild boys ever kept together tho long before, without lots of +things happening that would be just pie for a fellow of my build. Now--" + +But the lamentations of poor Dr. Ted were interrupted at this point, so +Elmer never really knew just how far the matter went, or if after all it +were a joke. + +Toby Jones had sprang to his feet, showing the utmost excitement, and +dancing around as though he had suddenly sat upon a wasp's nest. + +"What ails the fellow?" remarked Elmer; "he seems to be pointing up at +the top of the mountain, as if he saw something there. Well, I declare, +if that doesn't just beat the Dutch now; and to think that it was Toby, +the boy who is wild over aviation, who first discovered it"; and +meanwhile Toby had found his voice to shriek: "A balloon! look at the +balloon, would you, fellows? And she's coming right down here into my +hungry arms! Oh! glory! such great luck!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE LOST SKY TRAVELER. + + +HALF a dozen boys started to cry out at once, as they stared at the +great bulky object that was apparently settling down, after passing +around a spur of the mountain above. + +"She's coming right at us, fellows!" shouted one. + +"Ain't that a pilot hanging to the old basket?" demanded a second. + +"Nixy it ain't, Jasper. Go get your glasses, so you can see better. That +basket is plumb empty, and that's a fact. The bally old balloon's +deserted, boys!" Lil Artha declared, and as he was known to have +particularly trustworthy vision, the balance of the group accepted his +word as the right thing. + +Apparently the balloon had been steadily losing gas of late, for the +enormous bag had a collapsed look. It seemed to have gotten into some +circular current of air, once beyond the mountain, for it kept moving +around in spirals, all the time dropping slowly but positively. So that +unless a new breeze caught it, the chance seemed to be that it would +actually alight on the shore of the lake, close to the camp. + +"Get ready to man the boats if it falls in the lake, boys!" called Mr. +Garrabrant, who recognized the fact that such a balloon must be worth +considerable to his little troop in the way of salvage, and was +determined to do what he could to save it from sinking out of sight. + +But in the end it managed to drop on the pebbly beach. The very first to +touch the collapsed gas bag was the exuberant Toby Jones, wild with +delight over this remarkable happening that had come to him. + +"I claim it by right of discovery, and the first to lay a hand on the +balloon!" he shouted, as he fondly ran his fingers along the strong +material of which the air vessel was constructed. + +"Where on earth could it have come from?" more than one of the boys +asked, as they surveyed the immense girth of silken cloth with wondering +eyes. + +"There's a circus over at Warrendale," announced Ted. "Perhaps she broke +away from there in a wind storm, or else bucked the aviators out. Whew! +think of tumbling down hundreds of feet! Guess I couldn't 'a' been of +much use around there, if that's what happened to the air navigators; +the more the pity," and Ted actually looked discontented, as though +another golden opportunity had slipped past him. + +"Sounds like a good guess, Ted," remarked Elmer; "but there happen to be +several things to knock it silly." + +"As what?" demanded the boy with the long legs, who always wanted to be +shown. + +"For instance, you know where Warrendale lies, off to the east from +here," the scout leader explained, in the most accommodating way +possible, "while this thing must have come from the west! You saw it +sail over the mountain up there, and we've been having constant west +winds for several days now. Isn't that so, Mr. Garrabrant?" + +"Every word of it, Elmer," replied the gentleman, who was never happier +than when listening to this wide-awake scout substantiating his claim. + +"And besides, here's a name sewed to the balloon--_Republic_! Seems to +me, sir, I've seen that name before. Unless I'm away off it was one of +the big gas bags entered for that long-distance endurance race, which +was to come off away out in St. Louis, or somewhere along the +Mississippi River." + +"Oh! my, just to think of it, fellows!" gasped Toby, his face fairly +aglow with overwhelming delight, while he continued to fondle the +material of which the collapsible balloon was constructed, as though he +might be almost worshiping the same. + +"Why, that's hundreds and hundreds of miles away!" declared another +incredulous one. + +"Don't seem possible, does it, that a balloon could sail that far?" a +third had the temerity to remark, when Toby turned upon him instantly, +saying: + +"Say, you don't read the papers, do you? If you did you'd know that in a +drifting race a balloon went all the way without touching ground from +St. Louis up into New England, while another passed over into Canada +away up above Quebec, and won the race. Others fell near Baltimore, and +such places. There can't be any doubt about it, boys, this wanderer has +drifted all the way from the old Mississippi. But whatever could have +become of her crew?" + +The thought saddened them for the time being, but it was difficult for +Toby to subdue the excitement under which he was laboring. + +"Oh! if I only knew how to manufacture gas so as to fill her up again, +mebbe I wouldn't like to take a spin, and surprise the Hickory Ridge +people, though! Think how my dad's eyes would bulge out, fellows, when I +landed right in his dooryard, and asked how ma was? Ted, you know lots +of things--can't you tell me how to make hot air?" + +Ted did not answer, only grinned and looked toward Lil Artha so very +suggestively that the rest burst out into a howl, for the long-legged +boy was known to be something of an orator, who could speak for half an +hour if warmed up to his subject. + +"None for sale!" remarked that individual, promptly, whereat Toby +pretended to be grievously disappointed, for he gave the tall boy a look +of scorn, saying: + +"There he goes again, fellows; declining to make a martyr of himself for +the sake of science. Why, I even heard Dr. Ted offering to sew on his +finger again so neat that no one could tell where it had been separated, +and would you believe it, Lil Artha was mean enough to abjectly decline? +But I'm going to think over it, and if I can only fill this big bag with +gas I'll leave camp on a little foraging expedition, to bring back more +grub. For Ginger is eating us out of house and home, ain't he, Mr. +Garrabrant?" + +So they laughed and joked as they continued to gather around the balloon +that had seemingly dropped from the skies. Elmer alone was thoughtful. +He could not but wonder what the story connected with the _Republic_ +might be. Had the brave pilot and his assistant been thrown out in some +storm which they were endeavoring to ride out? If that proved true, then +the history of the fallen balloon must be a tragic one. + +Under the direction of the scout master they dragged the tremendous bag, +now emptied of its gaseous contents, and piled it up close to the camp. +When the time came for the return trip possibly they might find some +means for transporting the balloon to the home town, and when the fact +of its discovery was published in the great New York dailies, the name +of Hickory Ridge would become famous. + +This new event afforded plenty of topics for conversation. As usual the +boys argued the matter pro and con. They even took sides, and debated +with considerable heat the various phases of the happening. + +Some of them got out paper and pencil to figure just how many hours it +might take a balloon to come all the way from St. Louis for instance, +granting that a westerly breeze prevailed. All sorts of ideas prevailed +as to the number of miles an hour the wind had blown, ranging from five +to fifty. + +In the end, after all theories had been ventilated, the boys were no +nearer a solution of the mystery than before, only it seemed now to be +the consensus of opinion that the _Republic_ must have been entered in +some race, and possibly away out on the bank of the mighty river that +divides our republic almost in half. + +"About time some of our strollers turned up, I should think," remarked +Mr. Garrabrant, as he and Elmer sat in front of the tents, listening to +the jabbering of the disputants, though all the argument was carried on +in good temper. + +"Speak of an angel, and you hear its wings," laughed the scout leader, +as a shrill halloo came from the woods close by. + +Two of the boys who had gone forth to observe such things as they came +across, presently appeared in camp. They looked tired and hungry, and +began to sniff the appetizing odors that were beginning to permeate the +camp, for several messes of beans were cooking, and Ginger was employed +in preparing a heap of big onions for a grand fry that would just about +fill the bill, most of the boys thought. + +But while the incidents accompanying their long walk and climb were +still fresh in their memories they were made to sit down alone, and +write a list of those things they could recall, and which had impressed +them most of all. + +Presently two more weary pilgrims came in sight, limping along, and only +too glad to get back safe and sound. Ted kept an eager watch and tally +as they made their appearance. His face was seen to drop several degrees +when, in answer to the solicitous inquiries of the scout master, they +reported no accidents, and all sound. + +"There goeth another golden opportunity!" Ted exclaimed, shaking his +head in real or assumed disgust. "I never thaw thuch ungrateful fellers +in all my life. Why, it begins to look like _nobody_ would even get a +finger thcratched. I expect after all I'll just have to get Tom Cropthey +to let me pull that tooth of hith that aches like thixty. I hate to come +down to it, but thomething's got to be done to thave the country!" + +"It don't hurt now, I tell you," remonstrated Tom. "You needn't go to +coaxin' me any more, because I tell you right off that I ain't meanin' +to have it out when it acts decent like. Wait till she gets me goin' +again, anyhow. And that's straight off the reel, take it or leave it." + +The second couple were likewise settled off, each fellow by himself, and +the balance of the troop ordered not to disturb the train of their +thoughts until both had jotted down the smallest item that they had +noticed. In the end the papers would be read aloud, and many interesting +things be disclosed, showing what a fund of knowledge there lies all +around one at any time, if only he chooses to take notice of the same. + +"That leaves only Red and Larry to be heard from," remarked Mr. +Garrabrant, who believed he had great reason to congratulate himself, as +well as his boys, on the fact that thus far so little had happened to +cause trouble, no matter how much the ambitious, and only too willing, +doctor-surgeon might bewail his hard luck. + +"They ought to be coming soon, sir, because it won't be long before +dusk now. And I don't think either of those boys would care to be lost +up here after nightfall," Elmer observed, listening as though he fancied +he had caught some suggestive sound up the steep slope, that might +betray the coming of the last pair. + +"I wonder did any of the others happen to see them?" said the scout +master. "Here comes the first couple, having finished their task. This +way, boys, please; I want to ask if either of you in the course of your +wanderings happened to run across Oscar Huggins and Larry Billings? They +are the only missing scouts, and as the hour is growing late, I would +like to get a point as to where they may be." + +Neither of the returned ones, however, could give him the least +information, nor was he able to succeed any better when he asked the +other couple. Apparently the absent pair must have taken a course +entirely different from any of their comrades. + +The twilight now began to gather under the shelter of the high mountain, +and Mr. Garrabrant looked a bit worried. If the boys had been +unfortunate enough as to lose themselves, he knew that they had taken +plenty of matches along, and moreover they had been instructed in +various devices whereby they might communicate with their comrades, by +waving a burning torch, for instance, from some high elevation, certain +movements standing for letters in the Morse code, as used by the Signal +Corps of the army. + +"I think I hear voices up yonder, sir," remarked Elmer, coming up behind +the scout master, who was watching the finishing preparations for supper +that were going on at the several fires. + +"Yes, I thought so myself, and what you say, Elmer, makes me more +positive," Mr. Garrabrant observed, a smile taking the place of the +grave look on his handsome face. "Yes, there they come yonder, looking +as tired as the others. And it may be that I deceive myself, but it +strikes me both lads seem to be greatly excited over something or other. +I sincerely hope nothing has happened to injure them. I notice no limp +in their gait, and each seems to have the full use of both arms. What +can have happened to them now?" + +"At any rate we'll soon know, sir, for here they are," said Elmer, +encouragingly, as Red and Larry limped up to the camp, and with sundry +grunts sank upon a log as if to signify how utterly exhausted they might +be. + +"But tired or not, sir, we're just ready to go out again with you, after +we've had some supper," declared Red, to the utter wonderment of the +clustering scouts. + +"Then I was right in my surmise, and you _have_ run across something out +of the common, boys?" remarked Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Yes, sir," Red promptly replied, "we certainly have; and many times we +felt mad to think we came away to get help instead of staying there, and +trying ourselves to investigate, so as to find out what the groans meant +we heard coming from that lonely hut!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +A BLAZED TRAIL. + + +THERE was a chorus of exclamations from the gathered scouts, when they +heard Red express himself in this startling way. Eyes grew round with +wonder, and more than one lad almost held his breath, as he waited to +catch further particulars of the strange happening that had befallen +their two chums during their tramp. + +"Where was this at, Oscar?" asked the scout master, quickly, alive to +the importance of ascertaining all there was to be made known. + +"I think it must have been all of a mile and a half from here, sir," +returned Red, who seldom heard his real name mentioned save in school or +at home. + +"And the way is mighty rough, too, sir," Larry put in, rubbing his chin +as if it might pain him somewhat, which action caused Ted to grin, and +nod his head. + +"Thee you later, Larry," he muttered. "I bet you now, I don't let thith +chance get away from me. That boy'th badly hurt, and just won't +acknowledge it, but wait till Dr. Ted geth hold of him, that'th what." + +"Do you think you can lead us back there, in case we make up our minds +to go to-night after supper?" Mr. Garrabrant continued. + +"Easy, sir," came the answer, in confident tones. "You see, we made it a +point to mark the trail as we came along, by cutting the trunks of +trees, and breaking branches so as to catch the eye. Elmer was telling +us lately how he did once when lost in the timber in Canada, the 'bush' +he called it, and we remembered." + +"That's just fine, Oscar," commented the scout master, as though pleased +at so great a show of forethought in two of his charges. "It shows what +this business is already doing for all of you--teaching you to use your +heads at any and all times. That was well done, and I imagine we'll have +little or no difficulty in tracing your progress back, even if you are +too tired to accompany us, for we will have Elmer along." + +"Oh! but I'm bound to go, if I have to drag my game leg behind me," +asserted Red. "You see, both of us feel sore over coming away without +trying longer to find out what it was groaning so in that cabin, and we +want to make good." + +"Does it hurt you _very_ much, Red?" asked the solicitous Ted, coming up +with a face that seemed marked with feeling. + +"Sure it does, Ted," replied the other, promptly, "and I'm going to ask +you to rub some liniment on right away. Reckon I just sprained it a +little, slipping down the side of the mountain." + +"Good for you, Red!" ejaculated the pleased amateur surgeon, as he +clasped the other by the arm. "Come right along with me, and I'll fix +you up in a jiffy. Only too glad to be of thervice. And Red, you're the +only gentleman--" he suddenly paused, gave one smiling look around at +the frowning faces of his mates, and then completed his sentence: "who +hath applied to me for treatment. I'll never forget this kindneth, +never!" + +"Hold on!" remarked the scout master. "We must know a little more about +this matter before you drag your patient away; though of course we +expect him to survive the treatment. Tell us about the lone cabin, +Oscar. How did you happen on it?" + +"We had turned," Red started to say, "and were heading toward home, when +all of a sudden I thought I heard a plain human groan. Larry said he had +caught some sort of sound, too. So we began to advance in that +direction, going slow-like, because you see we didn't know what sort of +trickery we might be up against. Then we caught sight of a cabin that +was half hidden among the trees and bushes." + +"Ugh!" Larry broke in with, "it just gave us both the creeps, sir, to +see how awful lonely the old place looked, run down and neglected like. +If Chatz had been along, he'd sure have believed his pet ghost lived +there." + +"But surely two sensible chaps like you and Oscar wouldn't think of such +a thing as that?" remarked Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Oh! no, sir," replied Red, after shooting a swift look toward his +comrade in misery. "But you see, the groans kept on acomin' out of that +window, and we could hear voices too. We didn't hardly now what to do, +go on and knock at the door, or hurry back here to report. Larry, he +gave me a cold chill, I admit sir, when he just accidentally said that +it might be a ease of smallpox in that hut--you know there were some +cases this last spring to the north of the Ridge." + +"And after talking it over, you decided that the wisest thing to be done +was to make your way to camp, and throw the responsibility on my +shoulders?" said the scout master. "Well, perhaps it was far better you +did this than take chances. I have no doubt but what you might have +adopted a different course if you had not had help near by." + +"Yes, sir, that's just what I said to Larry--that you'd know best what +ought to be done; but that if we were all alone in the region, we'd +just have to go up to the door and knock." + +"And so you set out to reach camp as fast as you could?" continued Mr. +Garrabrant. + +"That's what we did sir, and in such a hurry that several times we +slipped and barked our shins, while I got a jar when I tumbled." + +"Oh! I'll fix that all right, in three thhakes of a lam'th tail, if +you'll only come over to my tent," said Ted, tugging at the arm of each +returned wanderer. + +And unable to resist his urgent plea, they allowed him to lead them +away. Later on when they once more appeared, as supper was announced by +the assembly call, the pair of wounded scouts admitted that Dr. Ted had +indeed done wonders, inasmuch that their pains had miraculously +vanished, and they felt able to undertake the rough journey again--after +they had broken their fast. + +There was much speculation during the meal as to whom Mr. Garrabrant +would select to accompany him on his trip. Of course Elmer was a +foregone conclusion, as his natural ability along the line of following +a blazed trail might come in pat. + +But the scout master settled all doubts by announcing toward the close +of the meal that he wished Red, Elmer, Arthur, Dr. Ted (in case his +services were needed), Jack Armitage and Ty Collins to accompany him. + +No one murmured, for they knew it would do no good. Larry started to ask +why he had been left out; but Mr. Garrabrant had noted his pallor, and +understood that he did not possess the sturdy physique his comrade of +the tramp boasted, and on that account had better remain in camp. + +Another thing some of the observing lads noticed, and this was the fact +that as a rule those selected, outside of Dr. Ted, were the strongest +in the troop. Perhaps, then, Mr. Garrabrant might anticipate trouble of +some sort, and wished to have a healthy band of scouts at his back, +especially since none of them carried arms of any kind--though the scout +master really did have a revolver secreted in his bag, which, unseen by +any of the boys, he now made sure to hide on his person. + +There could be no telling what they might find themselves up against. +Rumor had it that certain hard characters at one time made their +headquarters somewhere up in the woods around the lakes, and who could +say that the lone cabin might not prove to be a nest of yeggmen or +hoboes? + +"How does your thprain feel; think you can thtand it?" asked Ted of Red, +as they got up from around the fire and prepared to sally forth on their +mission of mercy. + +"If you hadn't reminded me of it just then, I'd sure never have thought +I had a game leg," remarked the other. "You're all to the good when it +comes to doctoring a fellow, Ted; if only you wouldn't talk so much +about sawing off legs and all such awful things." + +"Well, I'll be along in ease you feel it again, and I'll make thure to +carry a tin of that magic liniment," remarked the ambitious surgeon, as +he reentered the tent, to make up a little package of things he thought +might come in handy in case they found some one sick in the hut. + +Meanwhile, acting on the suggestion of Elmer, the other boys selected +such stout canes and cudgels as lay around camp. + +"Be prepared!" grinned Lil Artha, as he swung a particularly dangerous +looking club around his head until it fairly whistled through the air. +"That's the motto of the Boy Scouts, and I reckon it applies in a case +of this kind, just as much as when stopping a runaway horse. I'm +prepared to give a good account of myself, that's dead certain." + +Mr. Garrabrant had fetched out a couple of lanterns, making sure that +the oil receptacles were well filled, so that they would last through +the journey, going and returning. + +"Now we're off, boys," he remarked, with a pleasant smile. "The rest of +you stay here and look close after the camp. I've appointed Mark +Cummings to serve in my place while I'm gone, and shall expect every +scout to pay him just as much respect as though I were present. Lead +off, Oscar, we're with you." + +Red took up his place at the head of the little bunch. He carried one of +the lanterns with which he cast sufficient light ahead to see where he +was going. + +"First to take you to the seven sentry chestnuts," he said. "We named +'em that, of course, when we came on 'em. The blazed trail commences +right there, sir. We didn't think it worth while to do any more slicing +of bark after that, because we knew we could easy enough find our way +back to that place." + +And he did lead the party to the seven chestnuts, with only one or two +periods of hesitation, during which he had to puzzle things out. + +"There's the first blaze on that oak yonder," he remarked, pointing as +he spoke. "We tried to make the marks close enough so as to show by +lantern light, because we both had an idea you'd want to come on before +morning, sir." + +Elmer was at the side of the leader by this time, prepared to lend his +experience in case the other ran up against a snag. He took especial +note of the general direction in which the numerous blazes seemed to +run. And when presently Red confessed that he was "stumped" if he could +see where the next mark ought to be, Elmer had them hold up while he +walked forward in the quarter where, on general principles, he imagined +the blaze should be. And in another minute his soft "cooee" told his +comrades that he had, sure enough, found the missing mark. + +Many times did Red have to fall back on Elmer to help him out. His +blazes had apparently been further apart than he had realized at the +time he made them. But the boy who had lived in Canada, and experienced +all sorts of frontier life, knew just how to go about making the needed +discovery; and in every instance success rewarded his efforts. + +"We're getting close to the place now," Red finally announced, as he +limped along, refusing to allow Ted the privilege of rubbing his +strained leg again, because he did not want to waste the time. + +"Then you recognize some of the landmarks?" suggested Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Yes, sir, I do that," came the confident reply. "In another five +minutes I think we'll be able to see something of that queer cabin that +is half hidden in the dense undergrowth." + +"Perhaps less than five minutes," remarked Elmer, quietly. "Look yonder, +sir, and you'll just catch a glimpse of what seems to be a tiny speck of +light. I think that must spring from the window of the hut Red speaks +of." + +"You are right again, Elmer, as always," replied the scout master, +drawing in a long breath. "Now, forward, slowly, boys. Let no one +stumble, if it can possibly be avoided; for we do not know what we may +be up against. But if there is anyone suffering in that cabin, it is our +duty to investigate, no matter what the danger. Elmer, lead the way with +me, please." + +Cautiously they crept forward, foot by foot. Doubtless many a heart beat +faster than ordinary, because there was a certain air of mystery +hovering over the whole affair, and they could imagine a dozen separate +strange sights that might meet their vision once they peeped into the +little window of that isolated cabin. + +But no one would ever confess that such a thing as fear tugged at the +strings of his heart. Already the discipline they had been under since +joining the scout movement was bearing fruit; timidity was put aside +with a stern hand, and keeping in a bunch they advanced until presently +those in the lead were able to rise up from hands and knees, glueing +their eager eyes upon the little opening through which came the light +that had guided them to the spot. + +And right then and there they heard a groan, so full of suffering and +misery that it went straight to the heart of every boy who had been +drafted by the scout master to accompany him on this strange night +errand. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WHAT THE LONE CABIN CONTAINED. + + +WHEN Elmer Chenowith looked through that opening, what he saw was so +entirely different from what he had anticipated discovering that he +could hardly believe his eyes at first. + +With all the fancy of a boy, who gives free rein to his imagination, +doubtless he had fully expected to discover several gruff-looking hoboes +gathered there, perhaps engaged in torturing one of their kind, or some +wretched party who had fallen into their power. + +Nothing of the sort. The very first object Elmer saw was a small boy, +dressed in ragged clothes, and who was trying to blow a dying fire into +life again. + +This did not look very alarming; and so Elmer cast his eyes further +afield, with the result that presently another moving object riveted his +attention. Why, surely that must be a girl, for her long hair seemed to +indicate as much! What was she bending over? Was that a rude cot? + +Then the strange truth burst upon Elmer like a cannon shot. The +groans--they must indicate that a sick person lay there, and these two +small children (for the boy could not be over six, while the girl might +be eight) were trying to carry out the combined duties of nurse, doctor +and cook! + +"Oh!" + +It was Red himself who gave utterance to this low exclamation. He was +peering in at the opening over the shoulder of Mr. Garrabrant, and what +he saw was so vastly different from his expectations that he received a +severe "jolt," as he himself afterwards expressed it. + +Perhaps the sound, low as it was, reached the ears of the little girl +guardian of the sick bed. They saw her give a jump, and immediately a +pair of startled blue eyes were staring in the direction of the opening. + +"Come!" said Mr. Garrabrant to his boys, "there is no need of any more +secrecy. I think we are needed here, and badly, too." + +He led the way around the corner of the lone lodge, with the scouts +tagging at his heels, only too willing to follow. Reaching the door of +the cabin they were about to enter, when Mr. Garrabrant uttered an +exclamation of alarm. + +"Get on to the girl, would you?" gasped Lil Artha; and there was no need +of his attempting to explain, since his chums could see for themselves. + +Small though she was, the girl had snatched up a long-barreled gun, and +was now actually menacing the intruders. Her white face had a desperate +look upon it, as though at some time in the past the child had been +warned that there were bad men to be met with in those woods. As for the +little chap, he had hold of the hatchet with which at the time he must +have been cutting kindling wood; for he clutched it in his puny hand, +and looked like a dwarfed wildcat at bay. + +Elmer, as long as he lived, would never forget that picture. And as for +the other boys, not one of them could so much as utter a single word. + +"Hold on, my child!" cried Mr. Garrabrant, raising his hands to show +that they did not hold any sort of weapon; "we are friends, and would be +only too glad to be of help to you. One of us is something of a doctor, +if it happens that anyone is sick here. Please let us come in." + +Perhaps it was the kindly look of the handsome young scout master--then +again his voice may have influenced the frightened girl; or the fact +that those in the open doorway were mostly boys might have had +considerable to do with it. Then again that magical word "doctor" must +have thrilled her through and through. + +The gun fell to the floor, and the relieved girl burst into a flood of +tears. + +"It's dad!" she cried, moving a hand toward the rude cot behind her; and +as the eyes of the boys flitted thither again, they saw a bearded and +very sick looking man trying to raise himself up on his elbow. + +Mr. Garrabrant immediately went toward him, uttering reassuring words, +that no doubt did much to relieve the alarm of the occupant of the rude +bed. Wisely had the long-headed scout master caused one of the boys to +carry some food along, not knowing what necessity might arise. He saw +that hunger was holding sway in this lone cabin as well as sickness. And +while Red started the fire to going, Ty Collins proceeded to unwrap the +package of meat and bread, as well as the coffee and tea he had "toted" +all the way from camp. + +Mr. Garrabrant with a few questions learned the simple story. The man +was a charcoal burner in the summer season, while he pursued the arduous +labor of a lumberman in the winter. A few months before his wife had +suddenly died, leaving him with these two small but very independent +children. + +Abe Morris, his name was, while the boy carried that of Felix; and +whenever the cabin dweller spoke of the girl it was always as "Little +Lou." He had hated to leave the retired home where he had spent so many +pleasant years, and near which his wife was buried. And so he had +managed to get along, with the girl cooking his meals and playing the +part of housekeeper wonderfully well; while even Felix could do his +stunt of gathering firewood and looking after a few simple traps in +which he caught muskrats. + +When the boys heard that this small edition of a lad had been able to +actually outwit the shrewd animals of the marsh, they looked at each +other in dismay, as though wondering whether he might not have a better +right to the title of scout that any among them. + +Things had gone fairly well with the widower until a week back, when an +accident had brought him almost to death's door. Managing to drag +himself home, he had swooned from loss of blood. Since that time he had +suffered tortures, more of the mind than of the body, since he dreaded +the thought of what would become of his children should death claim him. + +They had done wonderfully well. When Dr. Ted got busy, he praised the +simple but clever work of that eight-year-old girl, in binding up such a +severe wound. Perhaps Little Lou may have learned how to do this from +the mother who was gone, or it might be it came just natural to her. +When children live away from the world, and are forced to depend upon +themselves for everything, it is amazing how they can do things that +would puzzle those twice their age, when pampered in comfortable homes. +Necessity forces them to reach out and attempt things, just as she +teaches the child to use its limbs, and utter sounds. + +Once they realized that these were kind friends who had come so +opportunely to their rescue, Felix and Little Lou found their voices, +and proved that they could talk, as Lil Artha put it, "a blue streak." + +And when they sat down to a supper such as they had not tasted for many +a day, both of the children of the charcoal burner were comparatively +happy. As for the man himself, he wrung the hands of Mr. Garrabrant and +each of the Boy Scouts as they took their leave, calling down blessings +on their heads for what they had done. + +"We're going to see you through, Abe," the scout master had said +positively. "We intend being up here ten days or so, and during that +time I fully expect our Dr. Ted will be able to have you hobbling around +again. Then you've got to come down to Hickory Ridge when we send a +vehicle of some sort up here for you. This is no place for a man to +think of bringing up two such fine youngsters as you possess. They must +have a chance to go to school, and I promise you all the work you want, +so that you can live in or near town. It may have been different so long +as your good wife was with you, but now it would be next door to a crime +to think of staying here, even for the balance of the summer. You will +come, won't you?" + +"Sure I will, Mr. Garrabrant!" exclaimed the rough man; who, however, +used better language than might have been expected. "And it's the +luckiest day of my whole life when those two lads discovered my shack +here. Heaven only knows what would have become of us only for that." + +They left the queer home in the wilderness with Felix and Little Lou +waving their hands vigorously after them, standing in the doorway, and +plainly seen against the firelight behind. + +And there was not one among those boys but who felt a warm sensation in +the region of his heart, such as always comes when a kind deed has been +performed. + +Mr. Garrabrant had been greatly affected by the incident; nor did he +hesitate to express himself warmly on the journey back to the camp, +which by the way Elmer managed to accomplish without even one error of +judgment, much to the admiration of his chums, who watched his actions +eagerly, desirous of picking up points calculated to enhance their +reputation as scouts. + +"Boys, you may have made other tramps, going skating, hunting, playing +baseball, and the like; but take my word for it, you never acquitted +yourselves better than on this night. I'm proud of every one of you, and +I thank you in the name of poor Abe Morris. And if there happens to be +anyone here who has been wearing his badge upside down through the day, +because he failed to find a chance to do anybody a good turn, I hereby +give him full permission to set it right." + +"Hurrah! that touches me, sir!" exclaimed Jack Armitage. "I've been +wondering all along just how in the wide world I was going to find a +chance to do my little kind deed stunt. There ain't any old ladies to +help across the street up here; and dooryards to clear up of trash are +as scarce as hens' teeth. But you've eased my mind a heap, Mr. +Garrabrant. Perhaps you'll let me do some of the running over to Abe's +cabin each day, to carry him supplies. That sturdy little chap just took +my eye, and when I get back home I'm going to get father to give Abe a +job in his flooring mill." + +"That's nice of you, Jack," replied the pleased scout master. "And it +does your heart credit. Between us all, it will be very strange if we +can't fix up that little family, and bring some happiness to their bleak +home. Think of those two brave kiddies keeping house for their father +amid such desolate surroundings. No wonder they made me think of a pair +of wildcats ready to defend their den as we bustled in. They seldom see +a living soul but their father, now that the mother has been laid away. +But we must be nearly back at camp, I should judge, Elmer? At any rate, +I admit that I'm beginning to feel leg weary, not being used to this +work of tramping over the side of a rough mountain." + +"But just think of Red, here, thir," broke in Dr. Ted, who had a helping +arm around the lame member of the expedition. "He thure detherves a +medal for what he's done. Tramping all thith distance with that thore +ankle ith--well, I wath going to thay heroic, but I guess he wouldn't +like that. Anyhow, I think pretty much all the credit ought to go to +Red." + +"Now, just you hold your horses there!" declared the party in question, +trying to repress a groan, as he had a rude twinge of pain shoot up his +left leg. "I owe all this to myself, and more, because I made the +mistake of running off without finding out what that groan meant. I've +wanted to kick myself ever since. It ain't often I play the part of a +sneak, and it makes me sore. So whenever my leg hurts I just grin and +say to myself: 'Serves you right, you coward, for running away, instead +of investigating, like a true scout should have done!'" + +"You are too severe on yourself, Oscar," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, +soothingly; for he knew the impulsive and warm-hearted nature of the boy +who was taking himself so much to task. "When your companion suggested +that perhaps there was a case of smallpox in that hut, it was your duty +to come to me and report, rather than take the awful responsibility on +your young shoulders. And I mean to see to it that you get many good +marks for what you have done this night--not you alone, but every boy +who accompanied me on this errand of mercy." + +"There's the camp fire, sir!" exclaimed Elmer, at this moment. + +"I bet you Redth glad to see it, poor old chap!" remarked Dr. Ted. + +"Shucks! I reckon I could have stood it a little while longer!" declared +the limping one; but when he presently reached the home camp, and sank +down on a blanket, the pain he had been silently enduring all the return +trip was too much for him, and Red actually fainted. + +Of course he was quickly brought to, and Dr. Ted looked to the injured +limb. + +"You'll have to lie around pretty much all the balance of the time we're +run up in thith neck of the woodth, old fellow," was his announcement; +which dictum made Red do what the pain had failed to accomplish, groan +dismally. + +Of course those who had been left behind were fairly clamorous to know +what had happened. So sitting there by the crackling fire, with all +those bright and eager faces surrounding him, the scout master, assisted +at times by Elmer, Ted or Lil Artha, described their long jaunt over the +grim mountainside, the finding of the lone cabin, just as Red and Larry +had said, and what wonderful discovery they had made upon peering in +through the open window. + +And every boy felt that a golden opportunity had come to their +organization that night to live up to the high ideals the Boy Scout +movement stands for. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +WIGWAGGING FROM THE MOUNTAIN PEAK. + + +"IANOTHER fine day for a few more tests, and such things, fellows!" sang +out Chatz Maxfield, on the following morning, after they had finished +breakfast. + +The night had actually passed without any sign of alarm. Although Chatz +had fully anticipated a return of his stalking ghost, while he stood out +his turn as a sentry, he had met with disappointment, for nothing +happened. Still, he did not wholly give up hope of meeting up with the +"misty white object" again. The jeers of his mates had begun to take +effect, and Chatz really wanted to have the thing settled, one way or +the other, as soon as possible. Either there were such things as ghosts, +or there were not. And he wished to be convinced, declaring that he was +open to conviction, if only they could prove to the contrary. + +"Yes," remarked Mark Cummings, who was near by, with others of the +scouts; "and I guess Mr. Garrabrant has laid out a bully and strenuous +old day for the lot of us, barring Red and Ginger, who are to keep camp. +He speaks of sending one bunch to the top of Mount Pisgah, as this peak +is called, while another tries to climb Mount Horab yonder. They ought +to get up there about noon, and for two hours wigwag to each other, +sending and receiving messages that are to be kept in books provided for +the purpose. Then, at night, when we all meet again around the camp +fire, we'll have heaps of fun, seeing just how stupid we've been in our +Signal Corps work." + +"Don't you forget, Mark," said Red, who was lounging on a log close by, +"that you promised to let me try a few prints from those negatives you +developed and fixed. I'm a pretty good hand at that work, so they tell +me at home, and I'd like to see how we all look up here in camp." + +"All right, Red," replied Mark, cheerfully. "You shall do the job, and +welcome. I've seen some of your work, and it's sure the best ever. I'll +fix up a place in the tent here, where you can hobble if you want to, +after you've done your printing and want to fix the pictures." + +"But you want to go easy on that leg, remember," warned Dr. Ted, shaking +a finger at his patient, just as he had seen the old family doctor do +many a time. + +"You and Jack are bound over the side of the mountain to visit the Abe +Morris family, I heard?" remarked Chatz, speaking to Ted. + +"Yeth, it is a professional visit on my part," replied the other, +pretending to look very dignified. "But Mr. Garrabrant hath promithed +that everyone of you shall have a turn to accompany me day by day, tho +ath to make the acquaintance of those two brave kiddies, as he calls +them, Felix and Little Lou." + +"I'm right glad to hear that, suh," remarked Chatz; "from what you all +tell me, I'm quite anxious to meet up with that boy and girl. And if +Jack falls through with his plan of getting Abe employment in his +father's mill, I think I know just where he would fit into a good +position." + +The two companies left camp about eight o'clock. Dr. Ted and Jack +Armitage waved them good-by, for they too were getting ready to start on +their errand to the lone cabin in the woods. + +Elmer headed one group of scouts, while Mr. Garrabrant had charge of the +other. They carried plenty of lunch along, though it was expected that +they would surely be back before evening had set in. + +The scout master was not at all positive about his thorough knowledge of +woodcraft; for as yet it was almost wholly theoretical rather than +practical with him. + +"I am not above getting lost, in spite of my book knowledge," he had +laughed, as he selected what boys were to accompany him; "and that is +why I take Matty Eggleston, Mark Cummings, and Arthur Stansbury among my +followers; because next to Elmer, they are known to possess practical +ideas concerning this traveling in unknown timber. So good-by, lads; +we'll look to have a good talk with you across the valley." + +So day after day he expected to put the scouts "through their paces," as +Lil Artha called it. To-day it was to be the great hike to the tops of +the mountains, and the wigwagging contest between the two factions. +To-morrow he meant to have Elmer give further lessons along the line of +following a trail, showing just how an experienced woodsman can tell +from many sources how long ago the party had passed; the number of which +it consisted; whether they were men, women or children; white or +Indians; and even describing some of the marked peculiarities of the +members comprising it. + +Then later on they would have swimming contests; first aid to the +injured lessons; resuscitating a person who has come near being drowned; +cooking rivalry; athletics; and many other things connected with the +open life. + +It proved a long and arduous tramp for Elmer and his companions. He had +had the privilege of choosing which mountain he would attempt to scale, +and just like an ambitious boy, had selected the one he felt sure would +be the more difficult. + +Those who followed his lead had many times to beg of him to halt and +take a little breathing spell, for the way was very rough and much +climbing of rocks had to be done in order to mount upward. + +"Wow! are we ever going to get up there?" grunted Toby, who had just +hated to come on this expedition at all, when he would much rather have +liked hanging around camp, and examining the deflated balloon; no doubt +dreaming dreams of the time when he hoped to have the chance to soar +away among the clouds in one of those gas bags. + +"Seems like that mountain top is just nigh as far away from us as ever," +complained Larry Billings, who was puffing at a great rate, as he seemed +to be rather short winded, and had to be taken to task several times for +his faulty manner of walking. + +"Oh! no, you're greatly mistaken there," laughed Elmer. "Distances are +deceptive in the mountains, to anyone not used to measuring them with +the eye. Just wait a little, and all at once you're going to realize +that we're getting up handsomely. Look across the valley, and see how +high we are right now! That proves it, Larry." + +"Hey! what's that moving, away up on that other hill, Elmer?" cried +Jasper Merriweather, the novice and real tenderfoot of the crowd; who, +under the careful supervision of the scout leader of the Wolf Patrol, +was actually doing himself proud, and gaining new confidence in his +abilities with each passing hour. + +Elmer followed the line of his outstretched finger. + +"You deserve considerable praise, Jasper, for making that discovery," he +declared, presently. "I can see what you mean now; though when I looked +across before I didn't happen to notice. Yes, that's our other squad, +climbing up just like we are, and not making any better job of it +either, I think." + +"Ho! they ain't near as far up, for a fact," said Nat Scott, with +pardonable pride, since he had developed into a pretty good climber. + +"Well, that mountain is not so tall as ours; but then it may be even +rougher, for all we know," observed Elmer. "I picked out this one +because it was so high, and I always want to tackle the hardest job, if +I've got any choice. It makes you feel all the better if you win out. +But come on, fellows, let's pitch in. Given one more good hour's work, +and I think we ought to be pretty near the crown." + +"I hope so!" sighed poor Larry, who was puffing still, and rubbing his +leg where he had hurt it a little on the previous day; though it was +nothing so bad as Red's injury, aggravated as it had been by his +stubborn determination to return to the lone hut and accompany the +relief party. + +Once more they struggled upward. Sometimes they found the going so very +difficult that they were obliged to give each other a helping hand. + +Of course the view grew finer the higher they went. + +"Say, Elmer," remarked Toby, as they halted later on to get their +breath; "d'ye suppose now we'll be able to glimpse dear old Hickory +Ridge when we get up to the top of this mole hill?" + +"Sure we will," replied the leader, cheerily. "And that alone ought to +pay us for all our trouble. We've only been away a couple of days or so, +but I reckon it seems an age to a lot of us, since we saw the home +folks." + +There was an ominous silence after that remark. Doubtless every scout +was allowing his thoughts to roam tenderly back to that beloved home +which he knew sheltered those who were so dear to his heart. And +possibly, unseen by his fellows, a tear may even have rolled unbidden +down more than one cheek. For they were but boys, after all, and same of +them had never even been so far away from the home nest before. + +Elmer proved to be a true prophet, for ere the full hour was up even the +doubting Larry was obliged to confess that they had gained a point not +far from the summit. + +This seemed to inspire the laggards to renewed efforts, so that +presently, with loud cries of delight and admiration, the whole bunch +struggled to the apex and had the view of their lives around them. + +"Ain't this just too grand for anything?" gasped Larry, as he squatted +down on a stone and tried to pick out the distant village on the ridge +where home lay. + +The others were doing the same; and all manner of exclamations followed, +as this one or that discovered familiar landmarks, by means of which +their untrained eyes could find the one particular spot about which +their thoughts clustered just then. + +It was not far from noon, and when Elmer declared that they had well +earned the right to eat the hearty luncheon carried along, he was +greeted with cries of joy: for it was a jolly hungry batch of scouts +that gathered on that mountain top. + +While they ate they discovered that their mates had also managed to +reach their goal. But no communication was attempted until they had +thoroughly rested. + +Then Mr. Garrabrant started operations himself, after which he probably +handed the flags over to the scout who was to make the first test of his +knowledge along the line of wigwagging a message, and receiving a reply. + +It proved to be interesting work, and all the boys with Elmer declared +that it held a peculiar fascination and charm about it. Of course, in +war times, such business must carry along with it more or less danger. +They could easily picture how an operator must take great risks first of +all to mount to some exposed position, where his flag could readily be +seen, and then keep up a constant signaling with another flagman far +away, while the enemy would doubtless be making every effort to break up +the serious communications that might spell disaster for their cause. + +"Anyhow, it won't take us near so long to go down the mountain as it did +to climb up here," remarked Larry, with satisfaction in his voice. + +"All the same," remarked Elmer, "every fellow has got to be mighty +careful just how he goes. No rushing things, you understand. It's easier +to take a tumble going down than coming up. And we want no more cripples +on this trip." + +About three o'clock they started to descend from the peak. Every boy had +to just tear himself away, after one last look at the distant ridge that +lay bathed in the warm sunshine. And no one had a word to say for quite +a time. + +The descent was made in safety, though several times one of the boys +would slip on a piece of loose shale; and once Larry might have had a +severe fall only that Elmer, happening to be close beside him at the +time, shot out a hand and clutched him as he was plunging headlong, +after catching his heel in a root. + +They all breathed a sigh of relief when the bottom of the mountain was +reached. After that the going was much easier, and they soon drew near +the camp. + +"Wonder if the other fellows made as quick a getdown as we did?" +remarked Toby, who was hobbling along, footsore, and with his muscles +paining from the many severe strains they had been compelled to endure +during the day; but only too glad to realize that he would soon arrive +where he could once more be in touch with that wonderful sky traveler +that had so fortunately dropped into their hands. + +"I think it will be pretty near a tie," laughed Elmer; "for just a bit +ago I had a glimpse of them, where the timber opened up, and I judged +that they were as close to home and supper as we are. Put your best leg +forward, boys, and don't let on that any of you are near tuckered out. +Where's your pride, Larry? Brace up, and look as if you felt as fresh as +a daisy!" + +Larry tried to obey; but it was hard to smile when he felt as though he +had been "drawn through a straw," as he declared. + +"Listen!" cried Elmer, five minutes later, throwing up his hand for +silence. + +"It's Ginger, and he's yelling to beat the band!" exclaimed Toby. + +"Oh! I wonder what's happened!" gasped Jasper. + +"Run for all you're worth, fellows!" said Elmer, starting off himself at +full speed. + +Quickly they broke cover, and neared the camp, to see the other party +close by, also on the run. Ginger was dancing up and down, still +whooping things up, while Red stood just outside of a tent looking +startled and puzzled. + +"What's that Ginger's yelling?" called Toby, and it thrilled them as +they heard. + +"'Twar de debble dat time nigh got me! He's gwine tuh grab us all away +in de chariot ob fire! I'se a gone coon, I is! Runnin' ain't no use;" +and Ginger threw himself on his knees with clasped hands and rolling +eyes. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE HAIRY THIEF THAT WALKED ON TWO LEGS. + + +NO wonder the returned scouts stared, hardly daring to believe their +eyes and ears. Some of them of course thought Ginger might have gone out +of his head. Only on the preceding night had Elmer been telling them +what queer antics animals out on the plains go through with, when they +have been eating the loco weed. + +There were a few who seemed to have a hazy suspicion that possibly Red +might be concerned in this strange fright on the part of poor Ginger. +True, the boy with the lame leg had apparently just dragged himself out +of the tent, and the look on his face under that fiery shock of hair +would indicate astonishment as genuine as their own; but then, how were +they to know but what this had been assumed? + +Mr. Garrabrant, however, made direct for the moaning and wabbling negro, +who had fallen on his knees, and with clasped hands was bowing back and +forth in an agony of fear. + +"Here, what's the matter with you, Ginger?" he demanded, catching hold +of the other, and while Ginger gave a little screech at first, upon +turning his rolling eyes upward he appeared to recognize the genial face +of the young scout master. + +"Oh! Mistah Grabant, am dat youse?" he cried, seizing hold of the +other's arm. "I'se mighty glad tuh see yuh, suh, 'deed an' I is. Am it +gone foh suah?" + +"What gone?" demanded Mr. Garrabrant, sternly. "See here, Ginger, have +you kept a black bottle hidden away all this time while we have been in +camp?" For he had a sudden inspiration that possibly Ginger might be +addicted to the failing that besets so many of his color. + +"'Deed an' 'deed an' I ain't touched a single drap, suh," declared the +demoralized one; "'clar tuh goodness if I has. It war dar, jes' ober +yander, whar de box ob crackers am alyin' right now. An' he scolded me, +suh, foh interferin' wid de liberties he am takin' wid dem provisions, +dat he did! Ugh! tuh t'ink dat I'd lib tuh set eyes on de Ole Nick!" + +"But what makes you think it was Satan? Perhaps it was only some +wandering hobo who thought he saw a good chance to steal something to +eat?" and the scout master sought to hold Ginger's roving eyes fastened +upon his own orbs, so as to rivet his attention, and secure a coherent +answer to his question. + +"Sho! dat was no human animal, suh!" exclaimed Ginger, earnestly. "He +done hab a cover ob red hair, an' de wickedest grin on his face yuh +ebber see. Reckon I knows de debble w'en I sees him." + +"Well, from what you say, Ginger, this queer visitor seems to have had a +very human weakness for crackers," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling. +"Was he carrying that package of biscuit when you saw him first?" + +"Yas, suh, dat an' two more ob dem same. He drap it 'case he couldn't +hold de lot, an' walk away too. Yuh see, suh, I war cleaning some fish +dat de boys dey fotched in las' ebenin', an' which we nebber use foh +breakfast dis mornin'. Den I tink I hyah some queer noise in de camp, +an' I starts up dis a ways. 'Twar den dat de hairy ole critter steps +outen de store tent, and jabbers at me. I was skeered nigh 'bout stiff, +suh, 'clar tuh goodness I was." + +"Still, you shouted, for we heard you, Ginger!" said Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Reckons I did do sumpin' dat way, boss," admitted the negro, a faint +grin striving to make its appearance on his ebony face. "Dat was jes' +when de Ole Harry, he was asteppin' into de bushes, acarryin' two ob de +boxes ob crackers in his arms." + +"Do you mean to say he walked erect, on two legs?" asked the scout +master. + +"Shore he did, suh, right along, ahuggin' de grub wid one arm, an' +shakin' his fist at me wid de udder." + +"Now you talk as though it _must_ have been a man--perhaps a wild man +who may have been living in these woods for years?" suggested Mr. +Garrabrant. + +But Ginger shook his head in an obstinate fashion, saying: + +"I knows right well dat he wa'n't dat, suh; I'se dead suah 'bout it!" + +"But why do you say that; what proof have you it was not some sort of +man, Ginger?" + +"_'Case he done hab a tail, suh!_" cried the other, triumphantly. + +Mr. Garrabrant smiled, and gave Elmer, who was close at his elbow all +the while, a knowing wink. + +"Well," he remarked, "that tail business would seem to settle one thing, +Ginger. Unless this turns out to be the long-sought Missing Link, our +visitor could hardly have been a human being. He was evidently an animal +of _some_ sort. Get that idea of the Old Nick out of your head. Listen +to me, Ginger, and try to remember; did he say anything to you?" + +"Yas, sah, he did, lots!" answered the black man, eagerly. + +"Suppose you tell us what it was, then?" suggested the scout master, +quickly. + +"Dar's wha' yuh got me, Mistah Grabant," replied the other, +reluctantly. "Yuh see, suh, I nebber did git much schoolin' down in +Virginny, whah I was bawn an' brought up. Nebber did go to college an' +larn de dead langwidges." + +"Oh! then this creature talked to you in Greek, or possibly Hebrew, did +he? In other words, he chattered in an unknown tongue! Well, how about +you, Oscar; did you happen to catch a glimpse of Ginger's uninvited +guest?" and Mr. Garrabrant turned suddenly on Red, as though wishing to +make positive that this were not a clever trick he might have been +playing on the terrified black man. + +"No, sir," came the ready response. "I was busy inside when I heard +Ginger give that war whoop! I thought he might have burned himself at +the fire, and I hurt my game pin like fun when I tried to run out. All I +saw was the coon down on his marrowbones asinging that same tune about +the 'debble.' That's all I know, sir, give you my word for it." + +"All right, I believe you, Oscar," continued the scout master, plainly +disturbed by this new mystery that had descended upon the camp, yet +pretending to make light of it because he did not wish to alarm the boys +under his charge. "And now, Ginger, can you point out to me just the +spot where your strange friend vanished?" + +"'Deed an' 'deed he ain't no friend ob mine, suh, gibes yuh my word foh +dat," replied the other, solemnly. "Right ober yandah, suh, whah dem +bushes hangs low. An' I declars tuh Moses, suh, I don't know right now +whedder de ugly ole sinner he jes' step intuh de bushes, or go up in a +cloud ob fire like de prophet ob old." + +Several of the more impulsive scouts started to hurry in that direction. + +"Stop, boys!" called the scout master instantly. "Come back here, +please. Once before you succeeded in trampling all sign out, so that +Elmer was unable to pick up any clue. Now, I want just Elmer and Mark to +go over there, to investigate. After that has been done they will report +to me. And now, let's settle down in camp, for I know you are all tired. +Supper is the next thing on the program." + +Elmer, accompanied by his nearest chum, immediately walked carefully +over in the direction of the spot which Ginger had indicated. They bent +low, and seemed to be deeply interested in certain tracks they had +found. + +Of course the boys shot many curious glances that way, but they knew +better than to disobey the positive orders given by their chief. +Discipline is one of the first things taught among the Boy Scouts. + +About this time Dr. Ted and Jack Armitage got back from a day at the +cabin. They had much to tell about what they had occupied themselves in +doing all the time, preparing things so that in a few days the family +could be moved, for Mr. Garrabrant had fully decided to take the sick +man and his "kiddies" down in one of the boats to Rockaway, where they +could be looked after until the expedition returned. + +It was getting dusk before Elmer and his chum joined the others. They +did not give out any information, and to the inquiries of their curious +mates returned only vague smiles and nods. + +Supper was eaten with more or less clatter of tongues. There were so +many interesting subjects claiming their attention that the boys hardly +knew which to discuss first. + +When, however, the meal was about done, Mr. Garrabrant asked Elmer to +step aside with him for a short time. + +"Here, let us sit down on this convenient log, Elmer," remarked the +scout master. "And please tell me what you found." + +"We had no difficulty in discovering the tracks, sir," replied the boy, +whose experience on a Canadian prairie farm and ranch made him a +valuable addition to the ranks of the Boy Scouts at such a time. + +"Was it a man or an animal?" asked the gentleman, as though eager to +have that mooted point settled immediately. + +"Oh! an animal, sir, there can be no doubt of that," replied Elmer, +smiling. "But those tracks puzzle me the worst kind. I know what the +trail of a panther looks like, also that of a fox, a wolf, a bear, a +deer, a coyote, a wildcat--but this was entirely different from any of +these. It resembled the footprint of a human being--a child--more than +anything I ever saw." + +Mr. Garrabrant smiled, and nodded his head. + +"I've got an idea," he said, "but go on, and tell me what else you +learned. Then I'll put you wise to what I suspect." + +"Well," the boy continued, "the queer thing about it is that Ginger was +quite right when he said the thing walked on two legs. I could only find +the marks of that many. Now, I've seen a bear do that stunt, and +educated dogs, but no other animal outside of a circus." + +"How about a monkey?" asked the scout master, quietly. + +"Oh! Mr. Garrabrant, how could such an animal get up here? Monkeys live +in tropical countries only. But I can see that you've got an idea. +Please let me hear it." + +"Listen then, Elmer," the other went on, seriously. "Now, I happen to +know that just a month ago a certain gentleman named Colonel Hitchens, +living on a country place he calls Caldwell, just a mile outside the +town of Rockaway, lost a pet monkey that had been taught to do a lot of +funny antics. The gentleman was an old traveler, and had brought the +animal himself from some foreign land. I remember his telling me how he +caught him, by filling some cocoanut shells with strong drink, and +getting the animal stupid." + +"Oh! that must be it, then!" exclaimed Elmer, laughing, while the look +of bewilderment left his face. "No wonder the tracks were a riddle to +me. I've never as yet had the pleasure of hunting monkeys, or Barbary +apes, or gorillas. Yes, sir, the more I think of it, the more I believe +that you've hit the truth. It must have been a monkey, hungry for some +of the things he had been used to when held a prisoner at Colonel +Hitchens'." + +"I saw the beast perform once," Mr. Garrabrant went on, "and he was +really a marvel. He was a big chap, too, hairy and ugly. When he +chattered and scowled he certainly was enough to give one a shiver. No +wonder then that he frightened poor Ginger almost into convulsions. No +wonder our factotum believed he had seen the Old Nick. But what had he +better do about it, Elmer?" + +"That's just what I wanted to speak with you about, sir," the boy +remarked, with considerable eagerness. "Now the chances are that, having +once made a raid on our store tent, this monkey will come again another +time, perhaps even to-night." + +"That sounds reasonable," replied the scout master, nodding his head. +"By the way, I just happened to remember the monkey's name. It fitted +him pretty well, too, as you'll admit when you see him. Diablo it was." + +"Just think of it, sir, just the name Ginger gave him, too. But Mark and +I have decided to set a trap to catch him. We'll fix it so that if the +monkey tries to enter the store tent again he'll set off a trigger, and +some queer results will follow. For one thing he'll find himself caught +up in the loop of a rope, and held, kicking, off the ground until we +can come to corral him. Then, if it happens to be in the night, the +falling of the trigger will set a flashlight going, and Mark's camera, +placed for the occasion, will take a picture of the trespasser." + +"That sounds fine, Elmer," laughed the scout master. "Now, I leave the +matter in your hands entirely. Do what you think best, and I wish you +success." + +"How about telling the boys, sir?" asked Elmer. + +Mr. Garrabrant thought it over a moment. + +"Perhaps you'd better take the whole bunch into your confidence," he +said, presently. "They are deeply interested, you know, and if kept in +ignorance possibly some one might stumble across your plans, and upset +every calculation." + +And so, when Elmer returned to the fire, he had the entire bunch +listening, their eyes round with wonder, as they learned what had been +discovered, and also of the bright plans their chums had arranged +looking to the capture of Diablo. + +Only Ginger was evidently disturbed. He scratched his head as he +listened, as if he could hardly believe what he saw had been of this +earth, and the idea of Elmer being so rash as to want to try and make a +prisoner of the Evil One gave the ignorant negro a cold shiver. +Doubtless he would make sure to find a snug place to sleep that night, +where nothing could get at him. His mind was still filled with foolish +notions concerning that "chariot of fire" in which he might be carried +out of this world into the Great Unknown. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +LAYING A GHOST. + + +"IWELL, Elmer," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, the next morning, as he came +out of his tent and met the young scout leader face to face, "I must +have slept unusually sound last night, for the alarm failed to awaken +me!" + +"There was no alarm, sir," smiled Elmer. + +"Meaning that we did not have the pleasure of a second visit from +Diablo, the educated monkey, is that it?" asked the scout master, +pleasantly. + +"Yes, sir," the boy went on, "Diablo must have secured enough rations in +his first raid to last him for twenty-four hours. But Mark and myself do +not think of giving our job up yet awhile. We expect to catch a likeness +of our hairy visitor, even if the trap fails to work, and hold him a +prisoner. I suppose Colonel Hitchens would be very glad to have the +beast back, if it turns out that this is Diablo?" + +"I'm sure of it, and as he is a wealthy man, no doubt he would willingly +pay a round sum to those who would return his pet," Mr. Garrabrant +declared. + +"Oh! we were not thinking of that, sir, I give you my word," declared +Elmer; "but possibly, if we did happen to succeed, the gentleman might +be willing to do something for poor Abe in return for our restoring his +pet." + +The scout master looked keenly at Elmer, and then thrust out his hand +impulsively. + +"That was well said, my boy," he remarked, with a little quiver in his +voice. "I am proud to know that you feel that way toward the +unfortunate. And I give you my word, if you are so fortunate as to +capture Diablo, I'll convince Colonel Hitchens that it is his _duty_ to +do a lot for Abe and his little flock. That boy is made of the right +stuff, I'm sure, and ought to have the advantages of an education. I'm +going to see that he has his chance." + +"Yes, sir, just to think of a kid not over six years old being able to +set a muskrat trap, and actually take skins. Why, I know a lot about the +little varmints, and I give you my word, sir, they're pretty sharp. It +takes a bright boy to outwit an old seasoned muskrat. He showed me quite +a lot of skins he had cured, of course under his father's directions." + +"And then that girl, Little Lou--think of her doing all the cooking for +the family ever since her mother was taken away?" continued the +gentleman. "She's a darling, if I ever saw one. I grew quite fond of +her, and mean to see more of them all. But I ought to be laying out the +program for to-day's work." + +"What are we to try to-day, sir?" asked Elmer, who, as second in +command, had privileges in talking with the scout master that none of +the other lads dared assume. + +"Well, as it promises to be a warm day, we might try the swimming test +for one thing," replied Mr. Garrabrant, thoughtfully. "At the same time +there is that feat of landing a big fish with a rod and a small line, +the said fish being of course an active boy, who does his best to break +away. While we're at it, we may as well go through our usual formula +whereby anyone who has been nearly drowned may be resuscitated again. +And last, but not least, we can have Dr. Ted give us his talk on first +aid to the injured. He will get back in good time if he leaves after +lunch for the Morris cabin." + +"I think Chatz is waiting to speak to you, sir," remarked Elmer, who had +been noticing the Southern lad hovering near for some little time, +looking queerly in their direction. + +"Is that so?" remarked Mr. Garrabrant. "Now I hope he hasn't been seeing +more of his hobgoblins. That is about the only weakness Charles seems to +have. Otherwise I find him a very sensible lad. If only he could be +cured of his belief in the supernatural it would be a good thing." + +"Well," laughed Elmer, "some of us would be only too glad of the chance +to cure him. Shall I go away, and let him have an interview, sir?" + +"No, remain, and hear what Charles has to say. It may be I shall need +your services. This time the tracks of the ghost may not have been +trampled out of sight, and you can give a guess at its character. I +never in all my life knew of so many queer happenings inside of so short +a time." + +The scout master beckoned toward Chatz, and obeying the mandate the +Southern boy came quickly forward. + +"You wish to speak with me, Charles, I imagine?" + +"Yes, sir," replied the other, with a frown on his brow. + +"Has something happened again to disturb you?" inquired Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Last night, I presume, since you would have spoken before, had it +happened yesterday?" the scout master continued, quietly. + +"Last night it was, sir. I saw IT again!" remarked Chatz, appearing to +swallow something that was in his throat. + +"Oh! you mean that mysterious white object which appeared to you on the +other occasion, and seemed to assume all the characteristics of a +supernatural visitor? In other words, Charles, your pet ghost?" +remarked Mr. Garrabrant. + +The boy flushed, but held his ground. + +"Of course," he said, slowly, "I understand what a contempt you have for +any such idea, sir; and indeed, I only wish it could be shown to me that +this is only some natural object, and not of the other world. I'd be too +glad to know it. I hate to think I'm given to such ideas, but they seem +to be a part of my nature, and I can't help it, try as I may." + +"Well, perhaps we may be able to assist you, Charles," returned the +genial scout master, laying a hand on the lad's shoulder in a way that +quite won his confidence. "Now tell me what you saw, when and where, +also what it looked like." + +"I think it was in about the same quarter as before, sir. My watch +happened to come late in the night this time, in fact just before dawn +broke. I heard again that blood-curdling sound, a plain 'woof'! and +raising my head I could just make it out in the darkness. It was white, +as before, and it moved! Then all of a sudden it seemed to vanish most +mysteriously." + +"Well, did the other sentry see anything, Charles?" asked Mr. +Garrabrant. + +"We had arranged it all between us, sir, Ty Collins and myself. And he +will tell you, sir, that he saw just what I did," replied Chatz, +earnestly. + +"That sounds as though you might have seen _something_, then," smiled +Mr. Garrabrant. "And Elmer, you were so successful in picking out those +other tracks, suppose you try again." + +"Shall I go now, sir?" asked the other, readily. + +"I would like you to. If you find a trail, you might follow it up a +bit. Perhaps Charles would like to accompany you." + +"Yes, sir, I would, if you didn't object," replied the Southern lad, +quickly. + +"Very well," nodded the scout master. "Report to me when you are +through, Elmer." + +So the two boys went away together. Some of the others, seeing them +bending down as though examining the ground, made a move as if to join +them, but Mr. Garrabrant was watching, and called them back. + +He saw Elmer, followed by the wondering Chatz, walk slowly away, his +head bent low, as though he were following some sort of trail. + +And the scout master laughed softly to himself as he muttered: + +"I fancy Charles is about to have a little surprise, now that Elmer has +found a trail to follow. Because, as a true believer in ghosts, he must +realize that anything that leaves traces behind can hardly claim +supernatural qualities." + +Twenty minutes afterwards, shortly before breakfast was ready, the two +boys came back again. Chatz was smiling in a queer way, but Elmer looked +like a sphinx. + +The latter, obeying a beckoning finger, hurried over to join Mr. +Garrabrant. + +"Unless my eyes deceive me, Elmer," remarked the gentleman, with a +quizzical expression on his handsome face, "you've been up to your old +tricks again, and finding out things. How is it, do you plead guilty to +the charge?" + +"I guess I'll just have to, sir," replied the boy, also smiling now. + +"Then you found a trail, did you?" + +"Yes, sir," Elmer went on, "a positive one; though the ground was that +hard a greenhorn could never have seen it. And while Chatz kept at my +side I don't think he dreamed what I was doing as we went along. Then, +about a hundred yards away I heard that same queer 'woof' he spoke of." + +"It didn't give you a shock, I warrant, Elmer?" remarked the scout +master. + +"Well, you see, sir, I've had too much to do with cattle not to +recognize the snort of a startled cow! And that was what we saw just +ahead of us. She had been lying down, chewing her cud, and our coming +had caused her to get on her feet." + +"Did she happen to have a white face, Elmer?" laughed Mr. Garrabrant. + +"Just what she did, sir," the boy replied. "Chatz looked at me, and +turned pale, then red; after which he laughed till the tears ran down +his cheeks. I think we put quite a spoke in his spook wheel, sir. He +won't be so ready to believe in supernatural visitors after this." + +"It was well done, Elmer, and I thank you for it. Now, let's to +breakfast, for we have a strenuous day before us," and the scout master +led the way to the place where a bounteous meal had been spread for the +entire troop of scouts. + +During the morning the swimming tests were started, and Mr. Garrabrant, +who was a splendid swimmer himself, took charge of matters. Some +excellent work was done, and the timid ones taught how to strike out, to +float, and to tread water, as well as various races inaugurated that +were full of fun. + +After that came the wonderful fishing contest, where the boys did what +they could to land one of their mates who played the part of a hooked +fish, fighting to get away, just as a monster scaly prize like a tarpon +might have done. + +Of course Elmer was the leader in this game, for he had had much more +experience as a sportsman than any of the rest, but there were several +who proved themselves good seconds in the trial, and who would make the +winner look to his laurels in the near future. + +That brought them to noon, and matters were allowed to simmer while they +got busy cooking a lunch to satisfy the tremendous appetites that the +vigorous labor of the morning had developed. + +Ted and Lil Artha expected to take a tramp over to the lone cabin during +the afternoon. They could not start, however, until the concluding work +of the day had been attended to. As this was to be "first aid to the +injured" the presence of the only budding doctor in camp would be +required, in order to explain many important things connected with this +valuable adjunct to scout lore. + +It was possibly nearly three o'clock before the two lads got started. +But that did not matter much, for by this time Ted had become very +familiar with the way of the blazed trail, and could follow it "with his +eyes blindfolded," as he boastingly remarked, though Elmer knew this was +hardly so. + +Some of the scouts were out on the lake, trying to coax a mess of fish +to come closer to the fire and get warmed up. The taste of browned trout +haunted them, and even Mr. Garrabrant admitted that the way Elmer cooked +the fish, they were finer than any he had ever eaten. It was to have the +salt pork in a hot frying pan, until it had been well tried out, then +having rolled each fish in cracker crumbs, or corn meal if the former +were not handy, they were placed over the fire in the pan to brown. + +Another time Elmer broiled the fish, and the boys were uncertain as to +which method they liked most. When they ate the trout cooked one way +that excelled, and next day when the other method was tried they +believed it could not be equalled. + +Evening was not far away when a shout attracted the attention of all +those in camp. Even the few who happened to be inside the tents came +hurrying out to see what it meant. + +"That must have been Lil Artha," declared Elmer immediately. "Nobody +else has so loud a whoop. Yes, there they come, he and Ted, hurrying +down the side of the mountain. They seem to be in something of a hurry, +too." + +"And look at Ted waving his hand, will you?" exclaimed Toby, beginning +to get excited himself. "He wouldn't act that way, fellers, except that +there's something gone wrong. Gee! I hope now the old man ain't been +taken sudden, and handed in his checks! That would be tough on the kids, +now!" + +Mr. Garrabrant heard what Toby said, but made no remark. He was waiting +for the coming of the two scouts who had gone across the mountain on +their errand of mercy. + +The long-legged Lil Artha could have easily outrun his comrade had he +chosen, but he made no effort to do so. Still, as they drew closer, it +could be easily seen that both boys showed unmistakable evidences of +some tremendous excitement. And, naturally, their fellow scouts almost +trembled with eagerness to learn what could have happened to affect them +in this way. + +Three minutes later and they drew up in front of the group, panting, +flushed--their eyes sparkling with suppressed news. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +TAKEN BY SURPRISE. + + +"IWHAT'S the matter with you boys?" demanded the scout master, as Ted +and Lil Artha drew up in front of him. + +"They've come in on Abe, sir, and are threatening to do all sorts of +awful things to him, the great beasts!" exclaimed the tall runner, +between pants. + +"Speak plainer, please," Mr. Garrabrant said, sternly, so as to subdue +some of the rampant excitement that threatened to impede a clear flow of +words. "Who came in on Abe--was it animals you meant, or men?" + +"Men, thir, and two of the toughest you ever thaw," Ted managed to +declare. "They were eating up all the stuff we've been at such pains to +carry over, and threatened the thick man with all thorts of trouble +because he thaid he didn't have thuch a thing as a drop of whisky in +hith place." + +"Two hoboes, most likely," muttered the scout master, as his firm teeth +came together with a snap that meant business. + +"That's what I thaid, thir, but Lil Artha, he theemed to think he +recognized the bullies as a couple of jail birds," Ted went on. + +"You see, sir," Arthur spoke up as he saw Mr. Garrabrant look +questioningly at him, "I remembered seeing the pictures of those two +rascals that broke into some house near Rockaway last Spring. They had +it posted up in police headquarters at Hickory Ridge when I went in to +pay for our dog license. And I don't soon forget faces, sir, or names +either, for that matter. Unless I miss my guess these two ugly scamps +were Jim Rowdy and Bill Harris, wanted bad in Rockville, with a reward +offered for their capture." + +"You may be right, Theodore," observed the scout master, seriously. +"They were never caught, I remember. The strange thing about it was, +that the house they entered and robbed was that of my friend, Colonel +Hitchens." + +"The same gentleman who owned the lost monkey?" cried one of the scouts. + +"Exactly. But this is a serious matter for us, boys," the scout master +went on. "Our new friends are in danger, for there can be no telling to +what extremes such unprincipled scoundrels might go, once they started. +Perhaps they may have an old grudge against Abe, for the boys say they +were threatening him. And it gives me a cold chill to think of these two +innocent children being in their power." + +"Will you go over, thir, and try to do thomething?" asked Ted, eagerly. + +"Surely," came the instant reply. "I would be unworthy to call myself a +man if I failed in my duty there. But tell us more, please, how did you +first learn of the presence of these ruffians there, and did you give +away the fact that you had discovered them?" + +"Oh! no, thir, they didn't thee us a bit!" exclaimed Ted. + +"We happened to hear loud voices, you see, sir, when we were close to +the joint," said Arthur, bent on having his share in the recital. + +"Tho we crept up, as thly as any Indian could have done," added Ted. + +"And peeked in at the window, just like we did that night we went over +in a bunch," the tall lad remarked. + +"Then we thaw what it meant," Ted continued, catching his breath again. +"Those two big bullies had been eating, and made poor Little Lou cook +nigh everything we left there yesterday. Why, they were as hungry as +hogs, I guess." + +"And they kept on shaking their fists at poor Abe, who was lying on his +cot, too weak to do anything," Lil Artha took up the narrative. "He +seemed to be atryin' to get them to let up on him, but he looked nearly +done for." + +"Then we just crawled away again," Ted concluded, "and run pretty near +all the way back, because we knew you would want uth to report. Lil +Artha wanted to tackle 'em by ourselves, but it was thilly to think we +could do anything against a pair of desperate jailbirds like that." + +"Under the circumstances I commend your discretion, Theodore," said the +scout master, "though the readiness of Arthur to take chances in a good +cause does him credit too. But let's hurry and eat supper. I can be +arranging my plans meanwhile, and selecting those I would want to +accompany me over the mountain." + +"I hope you will take me, sir!" exclaimed Matty Eggleston. + +"And me, too, sir!" exclaimed half a dozen others, in a breath. + +Even the two returned scouts were anxious not to be left behind. + +"I'm not tired a little bit, Mr. Garrabrant!" Lil Artha hastened to +declare, and Dr. Ted said ditto to that. + +"Give me time, boys, to consider," the gentleman had said, waving them +away. + +Supper was quickly announced, and they made record time in getting away +with a fine meal. No one even thought to remark upon the fact that it +tasted better than any meal ever eaten under a roof, which had come to +be a standing saying with the scouts by this time. + +Many an anxious look was cast toward Mr. Garrabrant. They saw that his +eyes had been roving around the circle, as though he might be mentally +choosing those who were to be favored with a place at his side during +this new errand of mercy across the mountain that frowned down upon the +camp. And every scout was eager to be among the lucky ones, even the +usually timid Jasper Merriweather. + +"I have decided upon the following to accompany me: Ginger will go, +because he is a man, and will be apt to inspire more or less respect in +the hearts of the two rascals. Then there are Elmer, Matty, Larry +Billings, Arthur Stansbury, Charlie Maxfield, and Theodore. I am taking +him because we may happen to have need of his professional services," +and when Mr. Garrabrant said this as though he really meant it, who +could blame Ted for unconsciously pushing out his chest a bit with +pride? + +There could be no demur to this ultimatum. So those who were fated to +remain did what they could to get their more fortunate chums ready for +the excursion. The stoutest cudgels possible were hunted up, and handed +over, with recommendations as to their convincing qualities if once +applied to a stubborn head. + +"However," said the scout master, as they were ready to leave, "I am in +hopes that we can take the rascals by surprise, so that there will not +be any real necessity for violence. The rest of you stick by the camp +while we are gone. You can wait up for us, if you want." + +"Sure we will, sir!" declared one. "We couldn't any more sleep than +water can run up hill." + +"And don't any of you meddle with the little trap we've got set by the +store tent, remember, please," Elmer flung over his shoulder as he was +marching away. + +Then they were off. + +Counting Mr. Garrabrant and Ginger, they were eight in all, surely a +strong enough bunch to overcome two men, if only they might take the +ruffians by surprise. Ginger was far from being a coward when it came to +things he could understand. This fact was known to Mr. Garrabrant, which +was the reason he took the colored man and brother along. Besides, his +heft might have considerable influence in causing the two men to submit. + +As before, they carried a couple of lanterns. The light from these came +in very handy to save the boys from many an ugly tumble, where roots lay +across their path or rocks cropped up in the way. + +They conversed in whispers only. And as they finally drew near the lone +cabin, even this style of talk was stopped by order of Mr. Garrabrant, +so that they now crept along in absolute silence. + +He had told the boys of his plans, so that each member of the little +party knew just what was expected of him. + +Presently they caught sight of a dim light ahead. Then came the sound of +loud and gruff voices. This convinced them that the two rascals had not +left the cabin. + +Creeping closer, they could finally see through the little opening. And +thus the scout master was enabled to complete the plan he had arranged. + +When he gave the word, Ginger and the boys were to jump in by way of the +open door. Meantime he expected to thrust his arm through the window and +cover the pair of desperate rascals with the revolver he had brought +along. Mr. Garrabrant gave evidence of being in deadly earnest, for he +knew that was a serious matter that confronted them, and one not to be +handled with gloves. + +When he heard Elmer give the cry of the whip-poor-will three times he +knew they were all in their places. Accordingly, he suddenly thrust his +arm through the small window that had no glass, and covered one of the +men with his weapon. + +"Stand still, both of you! The hut is surrounded, and if you try to +escape or offer resistance it will be the worse for you! Seize them, +men!" + +As Mr. Garrabrant called this out, and the two astonished scoundrels sat +there, utterly unable to collect their senses, such was the complete +surprise, through the doorway tumbled a crowd that hurled itself upon +them. Before they could grasp the fact that with one exception these +were only half-grown boys, wearing the khaki uniforms of the scouts, and +not regular soldiers, the men had their hands tied behind them. + +As they realized how completely they had been caught napping both of +them started on a string of hard words, and looked daggers at their +young captors. + +"Stop that, now!" Mr. Garrabrant exclaimed, as he made his appearance in +the hut, "or I shall be under the painful necessity of putting gags +between your teeth. Not another word from either of you, remember!" + +Perhaps they recognized the tone of authority, or it may have been that +they had no desire to force him to put his threat into execution. At any +rate, they took it out in deep mumblings after that. + +The scout master saw to it himself that their lashings were secure. Some +of the boys had carried along a new supply of food for Abe and his +family, understanding the inroads that had been made in their limited +stock. + +The sick man was full of gratitude for this second rescue on the part of +his new-found friends. He told them how these two scoundrels had come to +his cabin and taken possession--that he knew who they were, but that +some years back they had been honest charcoal burners the same as +himself. + +"Well," said Mr. Garrabrant, "they graduated from that honest class some +time ago, and have made names for themselves as yeggmen and thieves. +They are badly wanted right now in Rockaway, where some months back they +robbed a residence, and nearly killed a butler who caught them in the +act, and recognized them too. Boys, when you feel rested, we will be on +our way back to camp with our prisoners. To-morrow I shall take them +down the river in a boat, and deliver them over to the authorities." + +All of which intelligence made the gloom gather deeper on the hard +countenances of Jim Rowdy and Bill Harris. + +It took twice as long for them to make the march back to camp as when +they went toward the lone cabin. In the first place, some of the boys +were almost exhausted, particularly Ted and Lil Artha, who were covering +the ground for the second time since noon. Then again, the two men, +having their arms bound behind their backs, stumbled so often that they +had to be helped. + +But along about eleven they came in sight of the cheery camp fire, and +how very welcome it did look too. The boys greeted it with a shout, that +was answered by those who had been left behind. + +When it was seen that they were bringing prisoners back with them, Red +and those who had remained at home with the lame scout became thrilled +with eagerness to hear the full particulars. Of course the others were +just as ready to relate all that had occurred, and for some time the +clatter of tongues would have made one believe he must be somewhere in +the neighborhood of the Tower of Babel. + +Mr. Garrabrant realized that they were dealing with a pair of hard +citizens, and he was resolved to leave nothing undone looking to their +remaining prisoners. So he personally looked to their bonds before lying +down, in order to make sure they could not break loose. + +A double guard was to be stationed on this night, because of the unusual +conditions existing. It would be too bad, after all their trouble, +should any accident occur whereby these men regained their freedom. + +So when the camp quieted down finally, there were just four boys +stationed at certain points, and with orders to keep the fire burning +brilliantly all the time. The balance "slept on their arms," as Lil +Artha called it--that is, they kept those handy cudgels close beside +them, where they could be readily found in case a sudden need arose for +their services. Because Mr. Garrabrant could not be entirely positive +that the two prisoners did not have friends of a like character +somewhere up here in the wilderness, who might attempt their rescue. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE THINGS THAT MAKE BOYS MANLY. + + +MR. GARRABRANT laid his plans during the night, and when morning came he +announced them to his boys. + +"I shall take these two men down to Rockaway to-day," he said, "and +deliver them over to the authorities. Ginger will accompany me, and +between us we can pull the boat up the current again, starting possibly +in the morning. If we arrive there in good time, I may get a car and +drive over to Hickory Ridge, for there are several things I ought to see +about, that slipped my mind before." + +"And if you happen to see anybody who asks about us, sir, just tell them +we're getting along dandy," declared Lil Artha. + +"So say we all of us," sang out several others of the scouts. + +"Tell my folks they were poor prophets," remarked Jasper Merriweather. + +"In what way, my boy?" inquired the scout master; though, truth to tell, +he could give a pretty good guess. + +"Oh! ma, she said she'd give me one night to stay away; and pa, he told +her that two would see my finish. But here we're going on our first +week, and I'm feeling just fine. Not a bit homesick, tell 'em, Mr. +Garrabrant, please. And bound to stay the whole ten days, or bust." + +"Good for you, Jasper, old top!" laughed Lil Artha, patting the real +tenderfoot encouragingly on the back. + +"And Mr. Garrabrant," put in Ty Collins, who was a pretty good "feeder" +as some of the other boys often remarked, "don't you think you might +pick up a little more grub while you have the chance. You see, we didn't +count on so many mouths to feed while we were up here, and the way that +stuff is disappearing is sure a caution. I know, because I do a lot of +the cooking, you see, sir." + +"Why, yes, Tyrus, I had that on my mind," laughed the jovial scout +master. "And we'll try and find room in the boat for a nice ham, some +bacon, and a few more things that boys like. I guess I'm a good +provider, taken on the whole. You see, we didn't count on feeding Abe +Morris and his family, or these two gentlemen here, besides the +frolicsome monkey that has taken a fancy for our eatables. If I happen +to run across Colonel Hitchens I shall let him know we've got an eye out +for his runaway pet." + +The two men were allowed to eat breakfast, one at a time, and Mr. +Garrabrant and Ginger stood over them while the operation of feeding was +in progress. Much as both of the desperadoes might have liked to attempt +flight, they lacked the nerve to start trouble when those two stalwart +men were within reach. And so, although they scowled and muttered, they +made no resistance when they were tied up again. + +Mr. Garrabrant had found quite a nice little assortment of deadly +weapons upon the pair, which he had confiscated. These he meant to take +along with him, not feeling safe in leaving such things in camp, where +several of the boys were quite unaccustomed to handling firearms, and +some accident might ensue, for which he would be responsible. + +Although no one suspected it until they heard the click of his shutter, +Mark had managed to snap off the entire outfit as they stood there, +assisting Mr. Garrabrant load his prisoners into the boat. + +And it might be taken for granted that the official photographer of the +camp had seized upon an opportunity when the two prisoners' faces were +in full view, so that no one could afterwards reasonably doubt their +claim to having captured the desperate men so long wanted by the +Rockaway authorities. + +Of course the camp was left in full charge of the assistant scout +master, Elmer Chenowith, with a parting injunction from Mr. Garrabrant +that the boys were to render his representative just as much respect as +though it were himself. + +There could be no doubt about that being done, since Elmer was a +universal favorite among his fellows, and had hardly an enemy in all +Hickory Ridge. + +"I reckon, suh, we can manage to get along all right while you are +away," Chatz Maxfield had called out reassuringly, after the boat had +left the landing, with Ginger working industriously at the oars, the two +prisoners huddled amidships, and the scout master seated astern, where +he could keep his eye pretty much all the time on the slippery +customers. + +"If I wasn't positive about that, Charles, I'd never be leaving you," +was what Mr. Garrabrant replied, as he waved his hand to them. + +Presently the fast-moving boat swept around a bend, and was lost to +view. Several of the boys sighed a little, and looked a bit downcast. +Despite their assumption of freedom from homesickness they could not +help feeling that their leader would perhaps be in "dear old Hickory +Ridge" that afternoon, and might even pass by their beloved homes, which +it seemed they had not seen for an age. + +Of course Elmer, who had roved more or less, was not in this class. He +knew better than to make fun of them, however. Between himself and Mark +they had many a quiet laugh over the way the fellows made out to be so +free from care. + +"I bet you it seems like a coon's age to some of them since they said +good-by to mother and father," Mark managed to remark, as they stood +there watching the rest gaze down river after the vanished link that was +to bind them with civilization. + +"Sure it does," Elmer had agreed. "Do you know that little story about +the kid who ran away from home, and what an eternity it seemed to him?" + +"I don't seem to remember," replied the other. "What happened, Elmer?" + +"Why, he spent the day of his life, you know. He had made up his mind in +the beginning that he would never come back. Then at noon he determined +that a whole month would give his folks a good scare. The afternoon hung +on terribly. Minutes seemed hours, and at last he just couldn't stand it +any longer. He had spent his last penny, but it was getting night, and +he had never been without a home in the dark before." + +"Yes, I can understand that, because once I did it too," laughed Mark; +"but don't mind me, Elmer, go right along with the story. What happened +to him?" + +"Nothing. That's where the fun came in," replied the other. "You see his +folks understood that kid, and they just made up their minds to punish +him by not paying the slightest attention to him. So he came sneaking +into the sitting room where dad was reading the paper, and mom was +knitting. Neither of them even looked at him. He thought that mighty +queer, when he had expected to be hugged and kissed and cried over like +one who had been lost a year. + +"After a long time, when he had coughed, and moved about without either +of them paying the slightest attention to him, the boy was struck with +an idea. He would say something that _must_ make them realize the near +calamity that had happened. So he bent down to stroke the back of the +old tabby that was purring by the fire, and he says, says he: + +"'Oh! I see you still have the same old cat you used to have when I was +home!'" + +Mark burst into a hearty laugh. + +"I get the point, Elmer, all right, and I guess it applies to a few of +our fellows, but on the whole they've acted just fine. A better bunch of +good-hearted boys it would be hard to find anywhere. And I tell you this +outing's going to do every mother's son of them a heap of good. What +they learn in this camp will pay a dozen times over for the trouble it's +taken. I hope Mr. Garrabrant gets safely down to Rockaway with his +boatload of human freight. Perhaps there won't be a sensation in Hickory +Ridge when the news gets out that the Boy Scouts captured those bad men, +and sent them to the police of Rockaway with their compliments. I guess +that's going some for a new organization of tenderfeet scouts, eh?" + +"I should say yes," replied the young scout leader, emphatically. "And +after all, we've only got one more mystery to solve to have the slate +clear." + +"You mean about that monkey business, I suppose?" suggested Mark. + +"Yes; and possibly we may be lucky enough to have that settled before +Mr. Garrabrant comes back again," Elmer remarked, confidently. + +"You think then we are due for another visit from Diablo, say to-night?" + +"It stands to reason," said Elmer, "that he will have eaten up all those +crackers long before then, and knowing where we keep our supplies, you +can count on him paying another call. So many around the camp in the +daytime will keep him shy. You remember there were only Ginger and Red +at home all day, when he was here before." + +"All right," remarked his chum. "We'll try and have a warm reception +ready for our friend Diablo. He's apt to be the most surprised monkey +ever, once he hits that trigger; what with the loop snatching him up in +the air, the flashlight going off with a great dazzling glow, and the +yells of the boys as they get on to the racket. I just hope it turns out +a good picture. It'll sure be the star of the whole collection. What?" + +Elmer took charge, and proceeded to start the ball rolling. They were +not intending to have any strenuous work while the scout master was +away, but some of them coaxed Elmer to give a few exhibitions of +throwing a rope, and doing some other little tricks that he had learned +while up on that Canada cattle farm. + +He also went deeper into the track business, and the boys were so +anxious to learn all they could about this fascinating study, that they +all spent hours trying to find new footprints so that they could drag +Elmer thither, and get him to tell the sort of little animal that had +made them, what his habits were, and all about him. + +Then after lunch some words brought up the subject of picture writing. +Elmer had more or less to say about that, for he had been among the +Indians, and copied any amount of their queer methods of communicating. + +"It's just as simple as falling off a log, fellows," he said. "If a +little kid were trying to make you understand that three men had gone +down river in a boat, if he had any sense at all he'd draw a canoe with +three figures in it holding paddles. A rock sticking up would have +something that looked like foam on one side. That would tell you the +water was running so, and that the canoe was going _down_ the river. If +they were being pursued, in the boat behind a figure would be firing a +gun. Then they escape, for they go ashore and make a fire. All got away, +for there are still three of them. And that's the easy way it goes. It +just can't be too simple. A child might read it. And that's Indian +picture writing. Now, suppose some of you try it. If anybody can read it +right off the reel, then you've made a success of the job. But remember, +this isn't any rebus or puzzle." + +So for some time the boys employed themselves in practicing this simple +art, under the directions of the young scout master. They found it lots +of fun, and of course there was more or less shouting over some of the +wonderful pictures drawn, which the artists themselves could hardly +designate, after their work became cold. + +Dr. Ted and Mark had gone off with some more food, to find out how Abe +and his family were, after the exciting experience of the preceding day, +and to tell them that their unwelcome visitors were by that time safely +locked up in the Rockaway strong box. + +Mark wished to get a few pictures of the two "kids" in their native +woods. They would not look the same after they reached civilization, +where kindly women would only too willingly take them in hand, and fit +them out with new clothes. + +Toby fairly haunted the spot where the balloon lay in a heap, just as +they had piled it up. Doubtless the boy was indulging himself with +castles in the air connected with the time to come, in the dim future, +when he too might have a chance to fly through the clouds in one of +these big gas bags, or with a modern aeroplane, which would of course be +much better. + +And so the day wore on. + +As evening approached some of the boys mentally pictured Mr. Garrabrant +talking with the good people of Hickory Ridge, and in each case it was a +father or mother who so proudly heard what wonderful progress the boy +was making in learning to take care of himself when left to his own +resources. + +Things went on as usual. They had plenty of trout for supper, of which +dainty the scouts seemed never to tire. Then a huge mess of rice had +been boiled, which, served with sugar and condensed milk, proved a good +dessert. But before that was reached they had a stew made of tinned +beef, Boston baked beans and some corn, while Ty Collins showed his +skill as a flapjack maker by turning out several heaps of pretty fair +pancakes. + +Perhaps some of the scouts ate more heavily of these last than they +should, for it was noted that at various times during the night a boy +here or there would get to talking in his sleep, and show signs of +restlessness that could only come from indigestion. Nevertheless, when +the time came for retiring, Elmer gave the signal for taps to be sounded +on the bugle, as Lil Artha declared, "everything was lovely, and the +goose hung high!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +HOW THE TRAP WORKED. + + +BEFORE they turned in after the rest, Elmer and his closest chum, Mark, +spent a little time doing something mysterious over in the vicinity of +the tent in which the extra stores were kept. + +The boys understood that it had more or less connection with the +expected visit of the liberty-loving monkey, Diablo, but like good +scouts they minded their own business. + +Everyone had been warned to keep away from that same tent under penalty +of being given the surprise of their lives, and of a most unpleasant +nature at that. Of course, no one knew exactly what the scout leader had +arranged; but all the same they felt positive it would meet the peculiar +emergency. And each boy made up his mind that during his term as sentry +nothing could induce him to saunter near that marked territory. + +A tall and vigorous young hickory sapling had by accident started on its +way toward some day becoming the king of the woods right there in front +of the tent opening. And Elmer, quick to grasp the opportunities which +fortune threw at his feet, had made use of this same healthy and sound +young tree. From time of old he knew the value of hickory when one +wanted a particularly springy bow. + +He and Mark were panting a little when they finished a certain little +job which doubtless had a bearing on the game. And strange to say, the +upright hickory sapling no longer pointed toward the beckoning sky; but +stood there with bowed head in meek subjection to the will of man. + +"Think the trigger will run smooth enough?" queried Mark, as they stood +back to gaze at the evidence of their handiwork. + +"I've greased it!" chuckled Elmer. "That's what they do out West when a +big bear trap is used, and there's danger of the thing holding too well. +Do you want to step inside this loop, and give it a try, Mark?" + +"Please excuse me this time, old fellow," laughed the other. "I'm very +well satisfied to stand on the earth as I am just now, and don't hanker +about getting any nearer the clouds. I leave all that ambition to +others, and particularly animals used to climbing trees. How about the +rest of the tent, Elmer?" + +"Pegged down so solid that a mouse would have trouble crawling under," +came the immediate and confident response. + +"That means if our friend Diablo is as hungry as we believe, and is +determined to make another of his raids on our grub, he's just _got_ to +take advantage of the open door, eh, Elmer?" + +"That's just what he does," replied the scout leader. "And we're going +to get him one way or the other, going or coming. If he happens to miss +getting caught as he trips into the tent, he won't be so lucky when he +comes out. You see, at that time he's apt to have his arms full of the +things we left around loose. He's greedy, like all monkeys, and will try +to carry as much he can. Then he can't see quite so well where to step. +Flip! bang! and there you are! Lil Artha hit it closer than he thought +when he said everything was lovely and the goose hung high! We expect +_our_ goose to do just that same thing." + +"Huh! I guess this is what they call putting your foot in it, eh, +Elmer?" chuckled Mark. + +"We hope it will be, that's right. But as everything has been done to a +turn, don't you think we'd better hunt out our blankets? Perhaps Diablo +may be watching us right now, crazy to get started on his raid. And then +again, it may be he's far away from here to-night, and we'll find we've +had all our trouble for our pains." + +"But you don't think that last, honest now, Elmer?" queried Mark. + +"If I did I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble I did," returned the +other. "Take one last look over your camera, and the flashlight powder +cartridge. All O. K. is it? Then let's leave here, and trust to luck for +the rest." + +"I don't believe I'll get much sleep, for expecting to hear a racket!" +Mark declared, as they walked conspicuously away from the vicinity of +the store tent, so that the keen-eyed monkey would see them, if, as they +suspected, Diablo were hiding somewhere close by, waiting for his chance +to make another descent on the camp where all those delicious dainties +were kept, to which he had grown accustomed during the period of his +captivity--and liberty without these could not be proving all it was +cracked up to be. + +"Oh! I wouldn't let a little thing like this keep me awake," said Elmer. + +"Well, you see it's different with me," declared his chum. "I've had +almost no experience in such exciting things, while you have been +through rafts of it. But honest now, I'm hoping that our little game +pans out a success. I've laid that big bag where we can grab it up on +the run, and I saw you fixing the ropes handy. Let Mr. Diablo just give +that loop a tiny jerk when he gets his hind foot in it, and oh! my, +won't he be the worst rattled jabberer ever!" + +Now, secretly Elmer himself was in quite a little flutter of excitement; +but he knew how to hold himself in check better than did Mark. He calmly +arranged his blanket as usual, and then settled himself down as though +such a thing as being aroused in the middle of the night were unthought +of. + +And having practiced the control of his powers he did go to sleep very +shortly; absolutely refusing to allow his mind to become active by +dwelling on any subject that might agitate him. + +Silence came upon the camp. + +The fire sparkled and crackled as from time to time one of the sentries +stepped over to toss fresh fuel upon it. But acting under orders, they +refrained religiously from ever passing near the store tent. + +If one of them chanced to be particularly vigilant, he must have +discovered a shadowy figure that came slipping down from the branches of +a tree that grew not a dozen feet away from the apparently abandoned +tent. + +It made not the least noise, which would seem to indicate that it must +possess feet shod with velvet; but crouching low, after a suspicious +look around, started toward the depot of supplies. + +Passing around this tent, sniffing at various places, and apparently +seeking a means of entrance, the dusky figure finally came to the front, +where that small opening stood so very invitingly in view. + +Elmer, sleeping soundly, was suddenly awakened by a terrific screech, +angry and vehement; immediately succeeded by the shrillest scolding and +chattering he had ever heard. + +Throwing aside his blanket, he started to crawl out of the tent. Mark +was at his heels, laughing for all he was worth, and chortling: + +"It worked, Elmer, the trap went off! We've got him, I guess, all right! +Great guns; just listen to the racket he's making, will you? Oh! hurry! +hurry! before all the blood runs to his head!" + +It was only his great impatience that made him imagine Elmer dallied; +for to tell the truth, the scout leader emerged from that tent in +double-quick time. + +Both of them "scooted" for the spot where all that row was sounding; no +other word would so fully describe the manner of their progress as well +as Lil Artha's favorite expression. + +They were not alone in this forward rush. From every tent came creeping +figures, as the scouts crawled forth. And by degrees the screeching of +the monkey was actually drowned in the greater clamor of boyish shouts. + +It seemed almost as though Pandemonium must have broken loose in that +camp of the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts, for a dozen pair of sturdy young +lungs can make considerable noise once they break loose. + +It was a ridiculous spectacle that greeted them as they reached the +store tent. The bent-over hickory sapling had sprung obediently erect as +soon as the shooting of the trigger had released it from the crotch in +which its apex had been gripped. And swaying back and forth, attempting +all manner of high gymnastics, was a grotesque figure that stretched out +its arms, and made frantic efforts to reach the body of the sapling, so +as to climb up. + +"Get the bag, Elmer!" cried Mark, the second that he arrived. + +But already had the scout leader snatched that article up and prepared +to clap it around the struggling monkey, taking care to avoid being +caught by those waving hands. + +"Quick! the rope!" he gasped, after he had made a forward movement, +enclosing the gyrating body in the stout sack. + +Mark knew what he was doing, and in a brief time, during which the rest +of the boys stood around watching in wonder, the struggling monkey was +secured. + +"Here, Toby, hold this rope end for a minute!" called Mark. + +The other was only too willing to obey, for it gave him a chance to say +he had had a hand in the great capture of the hairy thief. Ten seconds +later there was a sudden brilliant flash that caused some of the scouts +to cry out, in the belief that a storm had crept upon them, with the +lightning giving advance warning of its coming. + +"It's Mark, and he took a snap flashlight picture of the crowd standing +around in pajamas!" cried Lil Artha. "Oh! my, what a sight that will be +to chase away the blues. If only my red stripes show, I'll be the happy +one." + +"How about the first flash--did it go off when the monk pulled the +trigger, Mark?" demanded Elmer. + +"Sure it did," broke in Tom Cropsey, who had been one of the sentries on +duty at the time; "and gave me a nasty scare. I never dreamed you had +fixed things up that way, Elmer; and at first I thought something had +exploded. But what can we do with the critter, now that we've got him?" + +"Oh! that's all fixed," laughed Mark. "Elmer made a stout collar which +can be fastened around his neck so he just can't get it off. To that a +rope is fastened, and Mr. Diablo will amuse the camp with his stunts the +rest of the time we stay up here on old Lake Solitude. Ready to work it, +Elmer?" + +"Yes, give me a hand here, please," replied the scout leader, who had +been cautiously taking the enmeshed body of the still struggling monkey +down from the straightened hickory sapling. + +"Why, here's luck!" exclaimed Elmer, presently. "As sure as you live +he's got a collar on right now, with a ring for a rope. There's a +trailing foot of stuff fastened to it, showing just how he got away. All +I have to do is to tie our stout line to that ring so even the clever +fingers of a monkey can't unfasten it." + +When this was done, and the other end of the rope made fast to the +sapling that had assisted in Diablo's downfall, by degrees the rope +encircling the beast was removed, and then the bag. The prisoner was +inclined to be a little savage at first, because his taste of freedom +had made him somewhat wild, and besides, these were all strangers to +him. + +But he was very hungry, and upon being offered food seized it eagerly. +After that they would have very little trouble with Diablo, though he +proved to be a treacherous rascal, and pinched more than a few of the +boys who ventured to be too familiar with him. + +The scouts were ordered back to their blankets, and once again did the +camp relapse into silence, save for the grunting of the satisfied +Diablo, as he continued to feast upon the sweet cakes with which he had +been supplied. + +In this manner, then, was the last source of trouble laid low. Ghosts +and thieves they had encountered, but in the end success had rewarded +their efforts, and it began to look as though the balance of their stay +in camp might be more in the nature of a picnic than the first few days +and nights had proven. + +When morning came the boys were early astir, and crowded around to stare +at the prisoner. But with his stomach comfortably filled Diablo was lazy +and good natured. He refused to be bothered, and curled up on the ground +like a dog, made out to sleep, though a careful examination might have +disclosed the fact that one eye was partly open, and as soon as a boy +entered the store tent he was on his feet, begging. + +But Ginger would be the one who must feel the most satisfaction over +the capture, for it would ease his mind concerning the necessity for +cutting his stay on the earth short, and accompanying the Evil One in a +"chariot of fire." + +So that day passed very slowly as they awaited the coming of the scout +master and his "ebony galley slave" who was to row the boat up-stream. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE LAST FLICKERING CAMP FIRE DIES OUT. + + +"ITHERE'S the outpost making signals, Elmer," said Mark, about three +o'clock in the afternoon. + +Two of the scouts, who were pretty well up in wigwag work, had been +dispatched to a knob part way up the mountain, from which a fine view of +the lower lake could be obtained, as well as the zigzag course of the +connecting Paradise Creek. + +"Looks like they must have sighted our scout master, then," declared +Elmer, as he left what he was engaged in doing to hasten over to where +the balance of the signal flags lay. + +Snatching one up he began to wave it in certain eccentric movements +which Red Huggins, who held the book, knew to be a query as to what the +outposts or videttes had discovered. + +"There! he's starting to answer. Everybody watch sharp, and write down +what you make it!" exclaimed the scout leader. + +Pencils and paper had been made ready, though most of the scouts carried +small note books in which they entered such things as they wished to +preserve. + +For some little time they watched each deliberate motion of the distant +waving flag, no one saying a word. When finally the sign was given that +the message had reached its end, every scout started to scribble at hot +speed. + +Then Elmer walked along the line, examining the various records. + +"Pretty well done," he said after he had completed his examination, "but +of course it was the easiest of tests, for we all felt sure the report +would be that they were in sight. They are crossing Jupiter Lake right +now. That means they will be with us inside of an hour and a half, for +Ginger is rowing stoutly, Matty says, and Mr. Eggleston seems to be +getting ready to take the second pair of oars himself for the pull up +Paradise Creek, which you may remember is no cinch, fellows." + +"That's right," declared Larry Billings, rubbing his arm, the muscles of +which had been more or less sore ever since that strain. + +"It's going to be a long hour and a half," said Jasper Merriweather. + +"Oh! rats, just go and play with the monkey, to kill time," laughed Lil +Artha. + +"I'm just wild to see what Ginger does when we take him to meet his +'debble,'" observed Toby, who had of course been hovering over that +magical balloon pretty much all the morning; indeed, so long as that was +around they could hardly get the ambitious amateur aviator to do +anything worth while. + +"Somebody coming back yonder; I saw 'em flit past that open place," +remarked Nat Scott, pointing upward. + +"Yes, that's Ted and Chatz, returning from the lone cabin. They promised +to be back early, because they didn't want to miss the fun when Ginger +came," declared the scout leader. + +Within the next half hour not only did Ted and his companion arrive, but +the two videttes and signal men reached camp. Having discharged the duty +to which they had been assigned, Matty Eggleston and Jack Armitage had +lost no time in heading once more down the mountain. + +Now an hour had gone, and the half was passing slowly. All eyes were +turned down the lake to the spot where the creek began, anticipating +seeing the boat shoot into view. + +"Hurrah! there they come!" shouted one who had climbed a tree, the +better to get the first glimpse of the returning couple. + +As the boat slipped out on the silvery surface of the lonely lake, so +well named Solitude, the cheers that arose must have been particularly +pleasing to the young man who was devoting so much of his time to the +task of trying to make the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts the best troops in +the county. + +But it was Ginger who deliberately dropped his oars, to rise to his +feet, and with his black hand over his heart, make several salaams. He +came near taking a header over the side of the boat in his eagerness to +return the compliments which he really believed the boys were meaning +for him, at which of course there was an uproarious laugh all around. + +Then came the landing. Ty Collins made sure that the boat contained a +lot of packages, and his eyes shone with pleasure as he saw that one of +them bore the unmistakable outlines of a whole ham. + +"This way, Mr. Garrabrant, we've got a surprise for you!" laughed Elmer. + +"You come along, too, Ginger," called Lil Artha, "and make the +acquaintance of an old friend of yours. He's been fretting like +everything because you were so long getting here. Diablo, here's Ginger +coming to shake hands with you!" + +Of course they had heaps of fun watching the look on the face of Ginger, +as he found himself confronting the hairy thief whom he had seen under +such strange conditions, and believed to be a visitor from a warm +country where pitchforks are said to be in fashion. + +But it required considerable urging for Ginger to actually take the +extended hand of the big monkey. Eventually, however, they became quite +good friends. Ginger was forever supplying the captive with tidbits, and +on his part Diablo seemed to recognize in the dark-skinned man a boon +companion. + +Of course, after they had their little frolic, and the story of Diablo's +capture had been fully told, the boys were eager to know whether Mr. +Garrabrant had succeeded in turning the two bad men over to the Rockaway +authorities, also if he had happened to run across any of their folks +while in Hickory Ridge. + +"Make your minds easy, boys," he had replied, laughingly. "Jim and Bill +are safely lodged behind the bars in Rockaway jail. I saw Colonel +Hitchens, and he paid me the reward that was offered for their capture, +which goes to the troop. Later on you boys shall take a vote as to what +to do with the money, though I imagine I can give a pretty good guess +where it'll go from what I heard you say before about Abe and his +kiddies." + +"Did you happen to mention the fact that we believed we had his runaway +monkey up here as a neighbor, sir?" asked Elmer. + +"I certainly did, and he at once declared that if you could only manage +to get hold of that rogue, Diablo, it would be another hundred dollars +reward," answered the scout master. + +"Hurrah!" cried Lil Artha, boisterously, "but the honor goes to Elmer +and Mark. They not only did the entire trick, but managed to get a +flashlight picture of the monkey going up in the air, with one of his +hind legs gripped in the loop of a rope. It's the greatest thing I ever +heard about! Wait till you see the picture, sir." + +"But how about Hickory Ridge, sir; I suppose it's still on the map?" +asked Elmer, who knew only too well that every fellow was just dying to +hear whether the scout master had happened to run across any of their +home folks, and what they had said in sending word. + +"Well," replied Mr. Garrabrant, with a smile and a nod around; "I've got +a pleasant surprise for you all. Having some time on my hands after I +had carried out my little business affairs, I just thought it would be +nice if I took my car and ran around to the home of every scout who is +in camp here on old Solitude!" + +"Bully for you, sir!" + +"That was mighty fine of you, Mr. Garrabrant, and did you see my folks, +sir?" + +"Three cheers for our scout master, fellows; ain't he all to the good, +though?" + +Now, Mr. Garrabrant knew boys and was not in the least offended by such +crude ways of expressing their appreciation. He knew it sprang straight +from the heart, and was prouder to have won so lasting a place in their +regard than he would have been to take a city. + +"Yes, I saw the folks of every lad, and bear messages that will please +you, I am sure," he observed. "Here they are, just as they were sent by +mothers and fathers. And you may be sure they were delighted to learn +how well things were going. They want you to stay your time out, and +come back, ruddy and brown, better fitted to take up your school duties +when vacation ends." + +After the packet of little hastily scribbled messages had been +distributed, care having been taken by the thoughtful scout master that +not a single one might feel neglected, there was a strange silence in +camp. Undoubtedly several of the boys were rather perilously near the +breaking point, as they began to once more experience the grip of that +terrible malady--homesickness. + +But Mr. Garrabrant knew, and he it was who began to play with the +captive monkey, causing more or less sport, that presently had all the +boys laughing uproariously. And so the threatened eruption was avoided. +When supper time came they had managed to recover their former +steadiness of purpose to stick it out to the end. + +But there was not a single member of the troop who did not treasure that +little slip of paper, bearing only a few cheering loving words in a +familiar hand, during the rest of the stay in camp. + +As to what else befell the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts, and particularly +those members of the Wolf Patrol in whom we have had especial interest, +time and space will not allow my attempting to narrate here. Later on +the opportunity will doubtless arise, so that we shall once more make +their acquaintance, and accompany them on other fields of outdoor life, +where they continue to imbibe the secrets of Nature that are calculated +to make them better fitted to take care of themselves, and be of service +to their fellows. + +No serious calamity came to pass as the days slipped along. They +continued to take toll of the obliging trout that dwelt in Lake +Solitude, long acquainted with the hooks and devices of civilized man. +And Mr. Garrabrant seldom allowed even a single day to pass without +endeavoring to foster in his boys the manly spirit all American lads +should possess. + +The day before they expected to break camp a party went over to the +cabin of Abe Morris and brought him back with them, he being so far +recovered, thanks to the treatment of the proud amateur physician, Dr. +Ted, that he could limp, with the aid of crutches, and the stout as well +as willing arms of the boys to lean upon. + +Of course the manly boy, Felix, and the useful maiden, Little Lou, came +along, for the hut was being abandoned forever. + +They had places in the boats when the camp was left behind. The wagon as +well as a carriage awaited them at exactly the same place where had +burned the first camp fire of the expedition, this latter being for the +use of Abe and his "kiddies," and the clumsier vehicle for the camp +luggage. + +As for the scouts themselves they scorned such a means of travel. +Browned and healthy, they felt able to walk twice the seven miles that +lay between the Sweetwater and Hickory Ridge. And besides, were they not +headed for _home_, with all that that implied in their enthusiastic +boyish hearts? + +We could not, even if we would lift the veil, betray the emotion some of +the valiant scouts exhibited when clasped again in the loving arms of a +mother or a father. But everybody declared that the change in the boys +was wonderful, and that they really seemed to have taken a great step +forward in the journey toward manliness. Jasper Merriweather in +particular hardly seemed like the same weak, timid boy. He had drawn in +a big breath of "outdoors," and glimpsed the goal toward which he was +now determined to set his course. + +And in Hickory Ridge that night, there was a consensus of opinion to the +effect that the Boy Scout movement was by long odds the best thing that +had ever happened to quicken the better element lying dormant in every +growing lad. + +Abe Morris was easily placed in a paying position, and the boys never +lost their interest in the boy Felix and Little Lou. Just as they had +declared, the rewards coming to them for having effected the capture of +the two bad men, as well as the runaway monkey valued so highly by +Colonel Hitchens, were paid over to Abe, and went toward starting the +little Morris family in a cottage of their own within the limits of the +town of Hickory Ridge. + +Doubtless the thoughts of those lads would many times go out to the camp +fires which had marked their first outing after organizing. And as they +looked over the numerous fine pictures Mark had secured, they would live +again the days when they experienced the strenuous life under canvas. + + +THE END. + + + + +The Alger Books by Horatio Alger, Jr. + +"THE TWO-IN-ONE EDITION" + + +A new edition, 5 × 7¼ inches, bulk one inch, 330 pages, from new plates, +with new illustrations, two titles or stories to each volume, sewed, +cloth bindings, with picture covers in colors, in several designs. + +The two titles or stories contained in one volume gives more reading +matter and better value for the price than has been offered heretofore +in cloth-bound Alger books. + +The following volumes, each containing the two stories as listed, are +ready to deliver: + + Vol. 1--"Strong and Steady" and "Strive and Succeed" + Vol. 2--"Bound to Rise" and "Risen from the Ranks" + Vol. 3--"Jack's Ward" and "Shifting for Himself" + Vol. 4--"Paul the Peddler" and "Phil the Fiddler" + Vol. 5--"Slow and Sure" and "Julius the Street Boy" + Vol. 6--"Facing the World" and "Harry Vane" + Vol. 7--"The Young Outlaw" and "Sam's Chance" + Vol. 8--"Wait and Hope" and "Tony the Tramp" + Vol. 9--"Herbert Carter's Legacy" and "Do and Dare" + Vol. 10--"Luke Walton" and "A Cousin's Conspiracy" + Vol. 11--"Try and Trust" and "Brave and Bold" + Vol. 12--"Andy Gordon" and "Bob Burton" + Vol. 13--"The Young Adventurer" and "The Young Salesman" + Vol. 14--"Making His Way" and "Sink or Swim" + Vol. 15--"Mark Mason's Triumph" and "Joe's Luck" + Vol. 16--"The Telegraph Boy" and "The Cash Boy" + Vol. 17--"Struggling Upward" and "Hector's Inheritance" + Vol. 18--"Only an Irish Boy" and "Tom the Bootblack" + + LIST PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A VOLUME + +More Alger books are sold and they are more popular than any other Boys' +books. Their high moral character, clean, manly tone and the wholesome +lessons they teach without being goody-goody, make Alger books as +acceptable to the parents as to the boys. The tendency of Alger stories +is to the formation of an honorable, manly character. They convey +lessons of pluck, perseverance and self-reliance. + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + PUBLISHERS, 147 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. + + + + +Won In The Ninth + +_A STORY ABOUT BASEBALL_ + +By "CHRISTY" MATHEWSON + +(FAMOUS PITCHER Of THE NEW YORK NATIONAL LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAM) + +(Copyrighted, 1910, by the R. J. Bodmer Co.) + + +The characters are college boys in everything but their ability to play +baseball. Each represents one of the leading players who are now playing +in the American and National Leagues with names slightly changed, but +the reader will soon discover that he is reading the early exploits of +one of his baseball favorites. + +The whole range of interesting features about a ball team and the game +itself is covered in successive chapters. One of them contains the +secrets of what is known as "inside baseball" and "signal work" with +illustrations showing how to do it. + +Through the twenty chapters are interwoven many of the stories of actual +plays, famous catches, thrilling episodes of games, tricks pulled off +and some that did not work, which have come within the author's +experience. + +A good story of college life runs through the book. The hero gets into +trouble and his friends get him out in the usual strenuous style of +college life stories. + +It is a live book about baseball, with live characters, and written by +the one man who knows more about the men who are playing it to-day and +the methods by which games are won than anyone else in the sport. + +"EDITOR'S NOTE--The Daily News makes no apology for placing in this +position of honor on the first page the opening chapters of a serial +story dealing with baseball events and baseball heroes. + +"The Daily News believes in clean athletic sports, believes in +encouraging them and in keeping them clean. Baseball is the national +game. It is not only the most popular sport in the United States, but it +is national in the sense that it expresses the ingenuity, the energy and +the agility of the typical American. Viewed in this light, baseball +possesses a dignity of its own and an entertaining and informing piece +of literary work about it cannot be trivial. What is elevating, what is +interesting, and what is dignified cannot but make a strong appeal to +the appreciation of every reader."--_=The Chicago News, March 21, +1910.=_ + +"The best baseball story ever written."--_=The Evening World, New York, +N. Y., March 14, 1910.=_ + +"I have read WON IN THE NINTH with much interest and it has been very +entertaining."--_=Charles W. Murphy, President Chicago National League +Baseball Club, Chicago, April 8, 1910.=_ + +"WON IN THE NINTH is a great book, and one that every lover of the game +should read."--_=Charles A. Comiskey, President Chicago White Sox +American League Baseball Club, Chicago, April 7, 1910.=_ + +_=Size full 12mo, 302 pages. Illustrated by Felix Mahoney. Cloth +binding. Gilt back. Price, 50cts. Net. Full discounts to the trade.=_ + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + PUBLISHERS, 147 FOURTH AVENUE + NEW YORK, N. Y. + + + + +OUR YOUNG FOLKS ILLUSTRATED BOOKS + +(CLOTH-BOUND, SEWED BOOKS) + +RETAIL PRICE, FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY + + +This series contains those books for young folks that are without +question conceded to be the most popular of this class. Each title has a +distinctive cover design in colors, and in addition to being equal to +the New York Book Company's other cloth-bound books each volume contains +twenty to sixty illustrations. + + +_The following books are ready to deliver:_ + + =Pilgrim's Progress= + =Robinson Crusoe= + =Alice In Wonderland= + =Through the Looking Glass= + =Black Beauty= + =Rip Van Winkle= + =Mother Goose= + =Wood's Natural History= + =Lives of the Presidents= + =Arabian Nights= + =Andersen's Fairy Tales= + =Story of the Bible= + + ASK FOR THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY'S + YOUNG FOLKS ILLUSTRATED BOOKS + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + PUBLISHERS, 147 FOURTH AVENUE + NEW YORK, N. 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T. Meade + + Vol. 2--"Daddy's Girl" and "A World of Girls," both by + Mrs. L. T. Meade + + Vol. 3--"Sue, a Little Heroine" and "Polly, a + New-Fashioned Girl," both by Mrs. L. T. Meade + + Vol. 4--"The School Queens" and "A Sweet Girl + Graduate," both by Mrs. L. T. Meade + + Vol. 5--"Faith Gartney's Girlhood," by Mrs. A. D. T. + Whitney, and "The Princess of the Revels," by Mrs. L. + T. Meade + + Vol. 6--"Grimm's Tales," by The Brothers Grimm, and + "Fairy Tales and Legends," by Charles Perrault + + LIST PRICE THIRTY CENTS A VOLUME + +The lowest price for any single title or story in the above list in any +other cloth-bound edition is double our price. The two titles or stories +contained in each volume gives more reading matter and better value for +the price than has been offered heretofore in cloth-bound books for +girls. + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + PUBLISHERS, 147 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK. N.Y. + + + + +The Famous Fiction by Great Novelists + +"THE TWO-IN-ONE EDITION" + +A new series of novels, containing the great books of the greatest +novelists, with either two novels in one volume, or, in the case of some +of the very long novels, two volumes combined in one volume. + +Size 5 × 7¼ inches, bulk one inch, 380 pages, from new plates, sewed, +cloth bindings, with decorated covers in colors and other attractive +features. + +The following volumes, each containing the two stories as listed, are +ready to deliver: + + Vol. 1--"Aikenside" and "Dora Deane," both by Mary J. + Holmes + + Vol. 2--"Lena Rivers," by Mary J. Holmes, and "Ten + Nights in a Bar Room," by T. S. Arthur + + Vol. 3--"Beulah" and "Inez," both by Augusta J. Evans + + Vol. 4--"The Baronet's Bride" and "Who Wins," both by + May Agnes Fleming + + Vol. 5--"Staunch as a Woman" and "Led by Love," both + by Charles Garvice + + Vol. 6--"Cast up by the Tide," by Dora Delmar, and + "Golden Gates," by Bertha M. Clay + + Vol. 7--"Faith Gartney's Girlhood," by Mrs. A. D. T. + Whitney, and "Daddy's Girl," by Mrs. L. T. Meade + + Vol. 8--"Soldiers Three" and "The Light That Failed," + both by Rudyard Kipling + + Vol. 9--"The Rifle Rangers," by Mayne Reid, and "Two + Years Before the Mast," by R. H. Dana + + Vol. 10--"Great Expectations," Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, by + Charles Dickens + + Vol. 11--"Ishmael," Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, by Mrs. + Southworth + + Vol. 12--"Self-Raised," Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, by Mrs. + Southworth. + + LIST PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS A VOLUME + +The two titles or stories contained in one volume gives more reading +matter and better value for the price than has been offered heretofore +in cloth-bound fiction books. + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + PUBLISHERS, 147 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK, N.Y. + + + + +_Primrose Edition_ + +_ECONOMICAL COOKING_ + +_Planned for Two or More Persons_ + +By MISS WINIFRED S. 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