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diff --git a/37167-8.txt b/37167-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1ea03c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/37167-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6215 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Woodcraft, by Alan Douglas + +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: Woodcraft + or, How a Patrol Leader Made Good + +Author: Alan Douglas + +Illustrator: E. C. Caswell + +Release Date: August 23, 2011 [EBook #37167] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOODCRAFT *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, +Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + +A SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS + + Which, in addition to the interesting boy scout + stories by CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS, Scoutmaster, contain + articles on nature lore, native animals and a fund of + other information pertaining to out-of-door life, that + will appeal to the boy's love of the open. + + + I. The Campfires 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 northwest woods, astonishes everyone by 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. + + * * * * * + + Boy Scout Nature Lore to be Found in The Hickory Ridge + Boy Scout Series + + Wild Animals of the United States--Tracking--in Number I. + Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. + Reptiles of the United States in Number III. + Fishes of the United States in Number IV. + Insects of the United States in Number V. + Birds of the United States in Number VI. + + _Cloth Binding_ _Cover Illustrations in Four Colors_ + _40c. Per Volume_ + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St.) NEW YORK + + + + +WOODCRAFT + +OR + +HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD + + + + +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: They had gone possibly another mile when Elmer came to a +halt.] + + + + + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + +[Illustration] + +WOODCRAFT OR HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD + +BY CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS SCOUT MASTER + +[Illustration] + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + NEW YORK + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I.--TWO SCOUTS IN A STORM 17 + II.--A LESSON IN WOODCRAFT 25 + III.--MORE RUMBLINGS OF COMING TROUBLE 34 + IV.--FIRST AID TO THE INJURED 40 + V.--THE MEETING IN THE OLD WAGON SHOP 48 + VI.--THE LITTLE RED BUTTON 56 + VII.--A JOB FOR THE BOY SCOUTS TO DO 62 + VIII.--FOLLOWING A TRAIL 72 + IX.--REASONING THAT LOOKED LIKE MAGIC 80 + X.--GIVING MATT TUBBS A CHANCE 90 + XI.--AT MCGRAW'S LUMBER YARD 97 + XII.--A REBELLION NIPPED IN THE BUD 105 + XIII.--RED PLANS THE PART OF THE CRAFTY FOX 113 + XIV.--TAKEN BY SURPRISE 121 + XV.--ELMER THINKS IT PAYS 129 + XVI.--LENDING A HELPING HAND 137 + + + + + WOODCRAFT + OR + HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD + + + + +_THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS_ + +WOODCRAFT; + +OR, + +HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +TWO SCOUTS IN A STORM. + + +CRASHES of thunder, sounding like the roll of heavy artillery in battle, +echoed through the forest some miles above the town of Hickory Ridge on +an August day. + +Overhead, black, sullen clouds had covered the heavens, and at any +moment now the ominous stillness of the woods might give way to the +rushing sound of the wild wind, together with a downpour of rain. + +Two half-grown lads, dressed in the usual khaki costume recognized as +the official uniform of the Boy Scouts of America, were standing there +in the midst of the heavy growth, casting uneasy looks around them. + +It is one thing to watch the coming of a furious storm from the windows +of one's home, and quite another to be caught napping, miles away from +shelter. And the smaller of the comrades had a frightened look on his +face. + +"My goodness! hear that, will you, Larry?" exclaimed this rather timid +fellow, as he instinctively caught hold of his more sturdy comrade's +sleeve, when a particularly fierce flash of lightning was succeeded by a +terrific crash. "Ain't you going to find a hollow tree somewhere, and +climb in? Why, we'll get soaked to the skin if we don't look out, I tell +you!" + +"I reckon you're about right there, Jasper," replied the other, Larry +Billings by name; and he made a wry face while speaking. "But then, you +see, there are some things worse than getting wet, and being struck by +lightning happens to be one of the same. Excuse me, if you please; I'll +take my medicine the best I can, but you remember, Jasper, among a lot +of other things we learned when we joined the scouts, we were warned +never under any circumstances to get under a tree during a +thunderstorm." + +"But that meant out in the open, where there might be only one tree," +remonstrated Jasper, whose last name happened to be Merriweather. "Here +in the woods it's a heap different, I should think. Among so many big +trees you don't think now for a minute that freak lightning's going to +pick out the very one we're in, to knock it to flinders, do you, Larry?" + +"I don't know, and what's more I ain't going to try to find out," went +on the stockier built lad, with resolution in his manner. "You and me +came away up here just to see how much we had learned about woodcraft, +and it wouldn't look right if we shied at one of the rules the first +chance. Besides," he went on, with a broad grin, for Larry was a +good-natured fellow ordinarily, "if the experiment proved to be a dead +failure, we wouldn't be given a chance to try it over again, you see. +Lightning don't often knock at the same door twice." + +"Ugh! you make me shiver, Larry!" exclaimed the smaller lad. "But what +in the wide world can we just do to keep dry?" + +"Oh! that's the least thing that bothers me," replied the other. "Being +wet ain't anything much-a-much. I've tumbled in mill races, and been +yanked out of ponds ever since I was knee high to a duck. But the worst +is yet to come, Jasper." + +"Now you're just trying to scare me, Larry, and you ought to be ashamed +to do it. You know I used to be the most timid fellow ever, and that it +was only after I joined the scouts, and went on that trip up the +Sweetwater to Lake Solitude that I began to outgrow that failing. Now +it's beginning to get a grip on me again. But tell me, whatever do you +mean by saying the worst is something more than getting our new uniforms +soaked through?" + +"Why, you see, Jasper, we're lost, that's what!" remarked Larry, +although the fact did not seem to frighten him very much, for he was +chuckling while speaking as though it looked like a big joke to him. + +But with poor Jasper the case was entirely different. + +"Well, that beats the Dutch!" he cried with genuine disgust. "The two of +us felt so dead sure we knew it all, that nothing would do for us but to +come away up here five miles or so from home, just to show everybody +that we could take care of ourselves. And now you deliberately tell me +we've gone and got lost, like the poor little babes in the woods, and +with a terrible storm going to pounce down on us right away." + +"Oh! brace up, Jasper!" exclaimed Larry, seeing the lower lip of his +comrade quivering, and his face showing signs of becoming pallid. "This +may be the making of us as scouts, you see. No fellow's worth beans +until he's proved that he can take the rough jolts as well as the smooth +things of life. Just put your teeth together, and say you're going to +grin and bear it, no matter what comes." + +"Ain't I trying to, Larry," pleaded the smaller chap, "but it seems like +my teeth keep on rattling all the while. I'm shivering, and yet it can't +be with the cold. I wish I had some of Elmer Chenowith's nerve just +now." + +"Shucks! I reckon now that you can have your share of nerve, Jasper," +declared Larry, impatiently, "if only you make up your mind to _take_ +it. Didn't Mr. Garrabrant, our fine scout-master, tell us only the other +night that was so? Just shut your teeth hard, and say over and over +again that you ain't goin' to let anything feaze you. You'll be +surprised at the feeling it gives you." + +"I wonder now, did Elmer really mean to keep tabs on what we were +doing?" remarked Jasper, after another tremendous peal of thunder had +seemed to almost split the heavens open. "You know, we thought he looked +at us kind of funny when he asked us what we meant to do this morning, +hiking out of Hickory Ridge, with our sticks in our hands and some grub +in our haversacks." + +"Oh! I don't think Elmer would bother following all this way," replied +Larry, though at the same time he might have been seen to cast an +anxious, eager glance around, as though indulging in a faint hope +himself that something of the sort had happened. + +"Well, he's the best fellow ever, you know, Larry," the smaller boy went +on, "and he's sure taken a heap of interest in my trying to make a man +of myself. He even took the trouble to come and see me twice, and go +over a lot of things with me that he said a true scout ought to know." + +"Sure Elmer is worth his weight in gold," Larry affirmed. "And now's the +time to show him his faith in you wasn't wasted, Jasper. Buck up, and +just make up your mind neither of us happens to be made of salt, so a +little juice ain't going to hurt us. As for that lightning, well, +perhaps we might find some hole to climb in, because it wouldn't hunt us +out underground." + +"Oh! if we only could!" gasped Jasper, as another flash came that fairly +dazzled both boys; to be succeeded by a sudden report that sounded as +though something had exploded near by. + +"Listen! what's that?" demanded the smaller boy, again clutching his +comrade by the sleeve. + +"Reckon she's hiking along right fast now," answered Larry, grimly. +"Come, let's walk over this way. Who knows but we might run on some sort +of shelter. And when we're up against such a snag, I tell you flat that +beggars ain't goin' to be choosers if the chance comes our way." + +"That must be rain we hear away off there," suggested Jasper, +shuddering. + +"Rain and wind together; and sounds to me like it might turn out to be +something of a howler. Hope the trees don't go dropping around us. We +might have some trouble dodging 'em if they came too fast." + +Jasper shot a quick look at his companion's face, as if to see whether +Larry could mean what he said. Then he bit his lower lip until it +actually bled. But for the time being not another expression of dismay +did he utter. Fear of ridicule had conquered over the genuine article. + +They hurried forward, both of them eagerly looking for some hollow log, +or overturned tree, that might give some promise of shelter against the +deluge that would soon be upon them. + +"You keep tabs on the right, and I'll cover the left!" remarked Larry, +but he had to raise his voice to almost a shout now, because of the +increasing roaring sound that was sweeping down upon their rear. + +"It's getting night in the woods!" cried Jasper, as the gloom increased. + +"Rats!" scoffed his comrade, derisively. "You know it ain't more'n two +o'clock. After it's all over the bully old sun will be shining again, +all right." + +"Oh! do you really think so, Larry?" asked the other, grasping at the +slightest gleam of hope, just as a drowning person might at a floating +straw. + +"Well, it'll be shining, all right," asserted Larry, positively, "and I +reckon we'll be on deck to see it, too. Hi! what's this here, Jasper?" + +"Have you struck a place for us to crawl in, Larry? Oh! I hope so, I'm +sure! Why, it's a hollow log, and with a hole plenty big enough to let a +fellow creep inside!" + +"That's right," called the other, cheerfully. "And now suppose you get +down on your knees, and push in, feet first. Then if you should get +stuck, you could crawl out again, see?" + +"But looky here, Larry," cried Jasper suddenly and suspiciously. "It's +such an awfully short log, I don't believe both of us can ever get in +it." + +"No more we can, Jasper, and all the more reason for you to crawl in +right away now," and Larry began to urge his comrade to flatten himself +out on the ground, with both feet in touch with the hollow log. + +"But how about you, Larry?" expostulated Jasper. + +"Shucks! didn't I tell you I wasn't made of sugar or salt? Rain won't +ever hurt Larry Billings. Get a move on you now, and squeeze in. That +wet old rain is mighty near here now. I thought I felt a drop right +then. Crawl, you slow tortoise! Here, let me give you a shove along." + +Jasper turned a white face upward. + +"You ain't going to run away, and leave me here, are you, Larry?" he +asked. + +"What! me?" shouted the other, indignantly. "What d'ye take me for, +Jasper? A true scout would never act that way to a chum. Not much. I'm +just goin' to snuggle down alongside the log here, and wait till the +storm blows itself out. Get a good grip on yourself now, and nothing +ain't goin' to hurt you. Give you my word on it, Jasper," and he again +started to energetically push the smaller lad into the gaping hole that +had offered such an asylum in time of need. + +"And the lightning won't strike this log, either, will it?" the boy who +was accepting the wooden jacket asked. + +"Never in the world. That's what Mr. Garrabrant told us--hunt out a +hollow log if you can, but never a tree that's standing upright. Nor a +barn either, for that matter. In you go, Jasper; why, man alive, you're +going to be as snug as a bug in a rug, don't you know." + +"But Larry, won't you please knock on the side every little while," +asked the timid one, eagerly. "It'll be so comforting to me to just know +you're still there, even if I can't see you." + +"Course I will, and right hearty, too," jollied Larry, who realized now +that the boy was pretty badly rattled by the terrific roar of the storm, +as well as by the strange gloom that had fallen on the great woods, and +in thus trying to comfort his weaker companion Larry quite forgot any +natural fear he might have himself otherwise experienced. + +"I guess I'm fixed all right now," came in half muffled tones from +inside the log, and then suddenly Jasper gave a shrill cry. "Oh! there's +something biting at my feet! Larry, pull me out, quick! There's a bear +or a wildcat in here, and it'll chew my feet up! Hurry, hurry! get me +out!" + +So there seemed nothing for it but that Larry should catch hold, and +help the panic-stricken one out of the hollow log again. When this had +been done, they just stood there in the gathering gloom and looked at +each other. + +"Reckon you'll just have to take your ducking the same as me, then," +grumbled Larry, with the resigned air of a martyr who had done his best +for a friend, and could not be blamed for whatever happened. + +"Then I will, Larry," said Jasper, trying to be brave, though still +shuddering. "Let's both run over there, and see if we can find shelter +behind the roots of that fallen tree! Oh! wait, wait, I surely saw +something moving there! Yes, look Larry, there it is again! Why, it's a +man--no, a boy! that's what it is!" + +"Sure it is," laughed Larry, with the greatest relief possible in his +voice; "and no other than Elmer Chenowith, our scout leader. He _did_ +follow us all the way up here, and it's a mighty good thing for us that +happened. It's all right now, Jasper. He'll know what to do!" + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A LESSON IN WOODCRAFT. + + +"HELLO! hello! come this way, quick, both of you!" shouted the +sturdy-looking young fellow who had appeared so opportunely on the +scene, and whose coming seemed to inspire both Larry and Jasper with +renewed confidence. + +He beckoned as he gave utterance to these words, and catching hold of +his companion's arm Larry hastened to obey. + +There was indeed need of hurrying. Already the drops had begun to come +pattering down, like shot rattling through the thick leaves overhead. +And that furious combination of howling wind and descending rain was +almost upon them. + +Stumbling along, the two boys reached the spot where stood Elmer +Chenowith, who was the assistant scout-master to the Hickory Ridge Boy +Scout troop. + +"Here, get back of this upturned mass of roots!" cried the other, as he +pushed both the scouts ahead of him. + +The tree in falling, years back, had lifted a great mass of earth with +its roots. This formed a bulwark at least seven feet in height. And as +luck would have it, the hole in the ground was just on the other side +from the direction where that wind howled now. This proved that the +previous storm, by which the king of the forest had been bowled over, +must have come from exactly opposite that quarter from whence the +present gale was springing. + +Neither Larry nor Jasper thought anything about such a thing just then, +their one anxiety being to gain such shelter as the barricade promised +to afford. But Elmer was always on the watch for curious facts in +connection with the woodcraft he studied at every opportunity, and this +matter was of considerable importance in his eyes. + +So the three lads cowered there, trying to make themselves as small as +possible. + +"We're bound to get soaked, all right," called Elmer, as the rain +commenced to come down heavier and heavier; "but then, that doesn't cut +any figure in the case. So long as we keep from being carried away by +the hurricane wind, or have a tree squash down on top of us, we hadn't +ought to complain." + +"That's what," answered Larry; "and I tell you we're both as glad as can +be to run across you up here, Elmer. This storm came on us just when we +had to admit we'd lost our grip of all the boasted woodcraft we knew, +and were at sea." + +"Don't try to talk any more just now, fellows!" called Elmer. "The old +storm's making too much racket. Wait till the worst goes by." + +Jasper was still shaking some. True, this shelter promised to be +comforting, but he found reason to fear, from words Elmer had let fall, +that the worst was yet to come, and that the storm would increase. +Otherwise, why should the scout leader, who was so well versed in +everything pertaining to outdoors, speak of it as a hurricane wind? + +So poor Jasper held on to some projection of the fallen tree, and drew +his breath in little gasps. The uplifted mass of roots protected them in +some measure from the rain, and altogether from the driving wind, but by +degrees little rivers of water commenced to descend from the trees +overhead, and these soon completed the job of soaking the trio of +scouts. + +The minutes passed, and nothing very serious happened. True, once or +twice Jasper believed he heard a crash as some weak tree yielded to the +strain, and went over. But this did not come to pass very near them, so +they did not incur any particular danger. + +"Seems to be letting up a bit!" finally remarked Larry, raising his +voice in order to be heard, for the racket was still tremendous. + +"Oh! do you really think so?" cried Jasper, excitedly. + +"There's no doubt of it," declared Elmer, with a reassuring nod, for he +understood the nervous nature of the smaller boy, and in times past had +made it his particular business to build up Jasper's courage and +determination, always wabbly. + +The crashes of thunder as a rule sounded further away, though now and +then one would break that seemed to outdo all the rest, as though the +storm might be trying to linger in the vicinity of the upturned tree. + +Then the rain slackened. + +"Not that it matters much," said Elmer, laughing; "because we're all +like drowned rats right now. But wait till it stops; then we'll build a +jolly big fire, and dry off." + +"But how about matches--Larry forgot to bring any, and I lost mine?" +sighed Jasper, dolefully. + +"Oh! that's all right," the scout leader went on. "I've got some safe +and sound in my pocket right now." + +"But if you're soaked through to the skin, won't the matches be done +for?" asked the smaller lad, who was beginning to feel better already, +now that the storm had broken, and a rift appeared in the dark clouds +overhead. + +"I could stay in the water ten minutes, and still have matches to burn," +laughed Elmer, "because, you see, I make it a point to carry them in a +water-proof safe that has been tested, and found all right. Besides, I +know how to make a fire without a solitary match, and have done it +again and again." + +"Oh! yes, to be sure, I saw you do it once!" cried Larry. + +"You mean by use of a little bow, and a stick that turns around in a +notch of some wood, don't you, Elmer?" asked Jasper, interested. + +"Just that," replied the scout leader. "I might try it now, to show you +fellows how it's done; only it generally takes a lot of time, you know; +and the sooner we have a warm blaze after this rain stops, the better. +So we'll stick to the matches this round." + +He was thinking of Jasper, who had never been very stout or strong, and +whom he could feel trembling whenever he chanced to touch the boy. +Excitement, and the wetting, might cause trouble, unless he found means +for warming the boy up ere long. + +By degrees the wind died away completely, while the rain hardly amounted +to much--in fact, what water fell was now the drippings from the trees +overhead. + +"Come, let's get a move on us," said Elmer, as he started to climb out +of the depression behind the upturned roots of the fallen oak. + +"Wow! I'm standing in water half way to my knees!" laughed Larry, to +whom the affair was something like a picnic--now that they had run +across one who knew how to find a way out of the labyrinth, dry their +clothes, and generally create an atmosphere of cheer. + +"Wait till I take a look in at this tree," observed Elmer, hurrying +around to where the broken pieces of the trunk lay. + +"Whatever is he doing now?" asked Jasper, as he saw the scout leader +clawing at the heart of the fallen forest monarch. + +"Well, I rather think he's getting some dry wood out of that log," +replied the other. "I've seen him make a fire in a rain before, and that +was the way he got hold of some tinder for a start. Yes, there he picks +up a lot, and is coming this way with it. We'll soon have a bully blaze +started, and once she gets going why there's oceans of wood lying around +loose here that will burn." + +"Yes, I guess there are oceans of it; anyhow there's been enough water +turned loose on it to swamp things. Elmer, is there anything we can do +to help?" asked Jasper, eagerly. + +"Sure there is, both of you," replied the other, readily. "Get busy +breaking up some of those dead limbs there. We'll need a lot soon, and +besides, it's going to help warm you up. Jump around, and slap your arms +across your chest, Jasper, just like you would do on a winter's day, if +cold. Here goes for a start," and as he spoke Elmer applied a match to +the little pile of loose dry tinder he had heaped up. + +A flash, and up sprang the flame, for the boy had made his preparations +carefully so as not to waste a single match. One of the first tests a +tenderfoot scout is put to, is to make a fire in the woods without +paper, and possessing only three matches. The careless new beginner +learns how to husband his resources, after he has been shown how +priceless even so common a thing as a match may become, under certain +conditions. + +When the fire had taken a good hold, other fuel was added, dry so long +as it could be obtained, and then some of the wet stuff, which readily +dried off and burned fiercely. + +"If I had only had a camp hatchet along," said Elmer, as he made Jasper +disrobe, so as to get his clothes hanging near the blaze, "I could have +done this affair up in better style; but I reckon none of us have any +reason to growl at the way things are going, eh, fellows?" + +"Well, I should say not," laughed Larry, who had followed the example of +the others, and was hanging his garments on convenient roots of the +fallen tree, where the heat would reach them by degrees. "We're lucky +all the way through, and that's a fact. It was mighty good of you to +track us away up here, Elmer. Whatever made you do it?" + +"Oh! I happened to have nothing to do, and while neither of you had the +politeness to ask me to go along, why, I thought I'd like to know just +how you made out. So I kept out of sight, and yet near enough to hear +what you said lots of times. And on the whole you did pretty well, +fellows. You can't expect to learn everything about woodcraft at once, +you know; and the time I was up in the Canada bush gave me a long start +over the rest of the bunch." + +He did not want to confess that he had been a little worried lest the +two ambitious scouts get lost in those great woods lying northwest of +Hickory Ridge; but such was really the case. And as subsequent events +proved, his fears had after all not been groundless. + +While their clothes were steaming and drying the boys jumped around, and +managed between thus exercising themselves, and keeping fairly near the +blaze, to ward off any chilliness; for after the storm the air had +become remarkably cool. + +"There's the blooming old sun peeking out!" declared Larry, presently. + +"For goodness' sake don't scare it off," said Jasper, who was now busily +engaged getting inside his clothes. "Oh! say, look here, somebody's +changed with me." + +"What's the matter?" asked Elmer; although he gave Larry a wink as he +spoke, as if he knew very well what ailed the other. + +"Why, I've got the wrong trousers, that's what! They look like they'd +been made for my younger brother," complained Jasper; then seeing Larry +smiling he continued: "Now, what are you grinning at, Larry? Trying to +play a joke on me, are you?" + +"Well, since both of us are a heap bigger than you, whose clothes d'ye +think you've got hold of anyway, eh?" demanded Larry. "Fact is, they've +shrunk, that's all. Had 'em too near the fire, after being wet. They'll +stretch again in time, Jasper. Mine are in the same fix, you see." + +Amid considerable merriment then, the three scouts finished dressing. + +"I'll never forget this, never," declared Jasper, after he had completed +this operation in the best way possible. + +"And just think what a fix we'd still be in if Elmer here hadn't taken a +notion to look us up!" observed Larry. "It's a fine thing to have a +scout leader, who feels a personal interest in his men. Because, honest +Injun, I don't yet know in just which way home lies. That's about west +over there, because the sun is heading yonder; but where's Hickory +Ridge?" + +"Give it up," said Jasper, shaking his head as though the problem were +too much for him. "I'm like you, Larry; I know the cardinal points of +the compass only because the sun happens to be shining now. When it was +dark I couldn't have told north from south." + +"Well, you must get over that failing," declared Elmer, positively. +"Now, just take a good look at all these forest trees; you notice that +nearly every one has a certain amount of green moss, as we call it, on +one side, and also that it decorates the same side of every tree!" + +"Sure enough it is, Elmer; and if a fellow only knew _which_ side, he +could always find out how he stood," cried Jasper. + +"In nine cases out of ten that moss is on the north side of the tree. If +it varies at all, it will be found on the northwest bark. Remember that, +fellows, and you need never want for a compass when in the woods," +suggested Elmer. + +"Well, now," remarked Larry, chuckling, "what a couple of silly geese we +were after all, Jasper, to think of coming away up here in the woods, +and never carry even a compass." + +"That's a fact," replied the one addressed, with a sickly grin; "but the +trouble with us, Larry, was our being so dead sure we knew all about it. +After this I'm going to buy a neat little trick of a compass, and carry +it along with me. Honest, now, I never knew it was so easy to get +twisted around. Some day I'll turn up missing on my way to school." + +"Here's a compass, all right; I seldom go without one," remarked Elmer; +"though it's mighty seldom a fellow, who is wide awake, would ever need +such a thing where the trees grow. Now, out on those tremendous prairies +where hundreds of miles of open country surround you on every side, and +one section looks exactly like another, it's a different question." + +"I've heard it said that a fellow can use his watch, if he's got one, +for a compass; how about that, Elmer?" asked Larry. + +"It's a fact," replied the scout leader, "though I don't ever remember +of being put to that test. Still, I can explain just how it's done, +though we haven't time right now to take the matter up. I reckon we'd +better be heading toward home." + +"That suits me to a dot," declared Jasper, cheerfully. + +He was feeling quite chipper after the recent terrifying experience. In +a great measure it had done the boy good. His confidence had been +strengthened, and in many ways Jasper saw how necessary it was in times +of emergency to retain both determination and assurance. + +They were soon walking briskly through the woods, with Elmer promising +that in a short time he would surely take his comrades to the road over +which they could make their way to Hickory Ridge. + +"I've got a little news for both of you," said the scout leader of the +Wolf Patrol, as they journeyed on, chattering like so many jackdaws. + +"I hope it ain't bad news then?" remarked Jasper. + +"That remains to be proven," Elmer continued, gravely. "It may turn out +good or bad, as happens to enter the active mind of one Matt Tubbs." + +"Oh! the bully of Fairfield--the fellow who did more to break up the +baseball games with our rival town than all other causes bunched +together. Now, what under the sun has Fighting Matt gone and done, +Elmer?" demanded Larry, eagerly. + +"Well," replied the scout leader, calmly, "what do you expect, but get +in line, and organize a new and rival troop of Boy Scouts!" + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +MORE RUMBLINGS OF COMING TROUBLE. + + +"WHEW! you don't say!" exclaimed Larry, frowning. + +"Takes my breath away, that's what!" gasped Jasper. + +"Seems to me that both of you look on the event in the light of what my +chum, Mark Cummings, would term a _catastrophe_!" chuckled Elmer. + +"Well, I know that Matt pretty well," grumbled Larry. "To tell the +truth, him and me have had more'n a few battles inside the last five +years. And I owe more'n one black eye to his way of carrying his fists. +If Matt Tubbs has gone and organized a gang of scouts it spells trouble +with a big, big T for our fellows. Huh!" + +"See here, why do you call the new troop a 'gang'? Is that respectful, +and the way to treat fellow scouts?" laughed Elmer. + +"You know just as well as I do, Elmer," went on the indignant Larry, +"that with such a bully as Matt Tubbs at the head of it, no collection +of scouts could ever get a charter from Headquarters. Why, the tough +crowd he trains with couldn't begin to subscribe to the twelve cardinal +laws of the organization." + +"Well, it makes me smile," said Jasper, though in reality he looked +disgusted. "Think of Matt Tubbs, the bully who uses more hard words than +any fellow I ever ran across, promising these things: To be trustworthy, +loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient to authority, +cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and last of all but hardest for Matt, +reverent! Oh! my, the world will come to an end before Tough Matt can +hold up his hand in a scout salute, and solemnly say that he believes in +that list." + +"It does seem next to impossible," remarked Elmer; "and yet sometimes +miracles happen even in these days, fellows. Who knows but what we +Hickory Ridge scouts may be given the chance, and the privilege as well, +to open the eyes of Matt Tubbs?" + +"That would sure be a miracle!" scoffed Larry, who believed that he +ought to know the subject of their talk better than Elmer, since the +latter had not been living in the neighborhood more than a year or so, +having come with his father from Canada, where Mr. Chenowith had had +charge of a great ranch and farm. + +"All right, we'll wait and see," Elmer went on, evenly. "Anyhow, I've +had the news straight that they have two patrols enlisted, of eight +fellows each. That is doing better than the Hickory Ridge scouts; +because up to now our patrols are not completed, there being but six in +each." + +"Say, that's always been a puzzle to me, why Jack Armitage and Nat Scott +were left out to start a new patrol to be called the Eagle," remarked +Jasper. + +"I thought you knew about it," replied Elmer. "But you must have been +absent at the time it was talked over. You see, it's hardest to find +fellows qualified to be scout leaders, and assistant leaders. Plenty of +raw recruits can be enlisted on the other hand. Myself and Mark happened +to be selected for the first patrol, and Matty Eggleston, with Red +Huggins, came along and qualified for the second. That gave us just six +members for each patrol, you see." + +"Yes, I'm following you, Elmer; please go on," said Jasper, eagerly. + +"It just happened that the next two boys to enlist were Jack and Nat, +both of whom knew considerable about woodcraft, and were ambitious to +learn more. When Mr. Garrabrant and myself talked it over--for I was a +duly appointed assistant scout-master by that time, you know--we +concluded that it would be wise to start a third patrol, with those two +fellows at the head, and after that fill up our three patrols to the +limit of eight each." + +"Thank you, Elmer; I get on to it now," Jasper remarked. + +"And I understand that several good fellows have applied for membership +in our troop?" observed Larry. + +"Yes, their names will be proposed at the next meeting, which by the way +comes this very night. Hope neither of you will be so leg tired that you +stay away. Before Fall comes around the church improvements will be +finished, and then we'll have a meeting room worth while. Just now that +old wheelwright's shop at the crossroads must serve our purpose." + +"Oh! there, that's too bad!" suddenly ejaculated Jasper, coming to a +halt. + +"What ails him now?" Larry remarked, surveying his companion queerly. + +"I went and forgot something; how silly of me," Jasper went on. + +"Oh! we'll agree with you, all right," grinned Larry; "but suppose you +tell us what it was? If you left anything back there where we hung our +clothes on a hickory limb, until it looked like a regular Irish washday, +why, the chances are you're out that much, because I for one decline to +cover all that ground again." + +"And I wanted to know so much!" grumbled Jasper, as he raised one of his +feet and rubbed his shoe regretfully. + +Elmer watched his actions and smiled. Evidently he had guessed what was +on the other's mind. + +"Perhaps I might tell you what it was, Jasper," he said, quietly. + +"I wish you would, Elmer," cried the other. "Did you peek in, and see +him? And was it a great big black bear, or a savage bobcat?" + +"Neither, I think," came the answer. "You would be pretty safe to call +it a 'coon, and let it go at that." + +"What, only a pesky little raccoon, and to pitch in for me like that?" +cried the other. "Why, I thought he was going to chew me all to pieces, +and I was sure it must be a wildcat at least." + +"That may have been because you were excited," the scout leader pursued; +"and I've no doubt but what the rascal clawed at you, and used his sharp +teeth pretty freely, because he was badly frightened and concerned. Even +a rat will fight when at bay. And he thought you were coming in to get +him." + +"But how do you know it was a raccoon?" demanded Jasper. + +"I saw his tracks near the log, in a spot where the rain hadn't washed +them out," Elmer went on. + +"Oh!" Jasper laughed, "I forgot that you showed us how different the +tracks of wildcats, raccoons, mink, possums, and muskrats were. I saw it +at the time, but just now they're all alike 'coons to me. But Elmer, I'm +going to study up on that subject. It seems to grip me more'n anything +else about the scout business, except p'raps that Injun picture writing. +I liked that; and me to be an artist. I can draw, if I can't excel in +other things." + +"But when you get to drawing remember that every picture has got to tell +a story, so plain and simple that a child can read it. That's the beauty +of Indian picture writing. But look, fellows, what's ahead!" + +Elmer pointed as he spoke, and the other scouts gave a hearty cheer. + +"The road!" cried Larry. + +"Now things look promising," Jasper observed; "and the walking will be +easier. But speaking of shoes, I suppose those scratches on mine will +prove my little yarn about the hollow log, when I tell it to the bunch. +If they try to make out I'm stretching things, you fellows have just got +to back me up." + +"So long as you stick to facts we will," remarked Larry; "but take care +you don't go to calling it a bobcat, or a tiger. I'll throw up my hands +at that." + +"A scout is truthful, even if it doesn't say anything about that in the +twelve articles we subscribe to," remarked Jasper, solemnly. + +"Yes," Elmer broke in, "and now that Jasper knows it was only a 'coon +that had its den in that hollow log, he will never try to say it was a +wildcat; though if he wants he can declare he _thought_ at the time he +was being attacked by a panther." + +"I somehow can't help thinking of that Matt Tubbs," Larry observed, +after they had been tramping along the road for half an hour or more, +and had covered nearly two miles of the five separating them from +Hickory Ridge. + +"Yes," Elmer admitted, "I suppose there'll be more or less talk about +him to-night at the meeting. Now, if his crowd only went into this thing +the right way, what great times we could have competing with the +Fairfield troop! But as it is, as they find themselves debarred from +becoming affiliated with the regular Boy Scout organization, I'm afraid +Matt and his cronies will try to take it out on us, by giving us all the +trouble they can." + +"Why, I wouldn't put anything past that mean chap," declared Jasper. + +"It does seem as though Matt didn't have any redeeming qualities about +him," remarked Elmer, thoughtfully; "and yet, fellows, do you remember +that just one year ago when a house burned over at Fairfield, who was +it dashed recklessly into the building, when even the regular fire +laddies held back, and pulled an old woman out alive? Seems to me that +was Matt Tubbs, queer though it sounds." + +"Right you are, Elmer," admitted Larry. "We all wondered about it at the +time, and were beginning to think Matt might be turning over a new leaf, +but the next time we met him he was just the same nasty scrapper as +ever." + +"And you know," went on Jasper, "it turned out that the old woman was +his grandmother, and not a stranger." + +"All the better," said Elmer, stoutly. "It proves that Matt must have +had some human feeling in that tough heart of his, to risk his life for +an old and infirm woman. But listen, fellows, I thought I heard somebody +shouting!" + +The three scouts stood still, and strained their ears. + +"Oh! help! help! won't somebody come to help us?" came a wailing cry, in +what seemed to be a woman's voice. + +"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Jasper, "somebody's in a peck of trouble +right around that bend in the road there!" + +"Yes, and I remember there was a house along here somewhere," Larry +cried, as the three of them started on a sprint along the road. + +When presently they turned the bend they came upon a scene that gave +them a severe shock. And even Jasper forgot all his recent thrilling +experiences in the warm impulse of his boyish heart to prove of some +assistance to those who seemed in such dire need of aid. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +FIRST AID TO THE INJURED. + + +APPARENTLY the storm that had so lately passed over this section had +played particular havoc with the farm buildings. Perhaps, with the +queer, jumping movements known to cyclones, it had dipped down in this +one quarter much more severely than anywhere else near by. + +At any rate, it had succeeded in partly demolishing a barn, scattered +several tons of fine hay--that year's crop--and upset things generally. + +The first thing the scouts noticed after that one glance around at the +damage done by the gale, was that a little group of persons seemed to be +hovering over a certain spot. + +"Somebody hurt by the storm!" Elmer called over his shoulder, for, being +a good runner, he had easily taken the lead--Jasper was not so very +strong, while Larry happened to be built much too stockily for a +sprinter. + +Then the boys received another shock. One of those bending over had +straightened up, and proved to be a stout-looking boy, with a bold, +resolute face. + +Perhaps Jasper may have been reminded of the old saying he had heard +quoted in his home many times: "Speak of an angel, and you'll feel his +wings;" only no one who knew Matt Tubbs would ever dream of comparing +that quarrelsome youth with a celestial visitor; in fact, their thoughts +would be more apt to go out in the other direction. + +Two women were wringing their hands, and crying. A man lay upon the +ground, and his groans told that he was suffering considerable bodily +pain. + +"Don't I wish Ted Burgoyne was along!" exclaimed Elmer involuntarily, as +he hurried toward the group. + +The boy mentioned belonged to the Wolf Patrol. He seemed to possess a +natural fancy for surgery, and had long ago been dubbed Dr. Ted by his +mates. And in numerous instances had he proved that their confidence in +him was not misplaced. + +That was why Elmer now felt keen regret because of a lost opportunity +for the young Boy Scout medicine man to show his skill at setting broken +bones, or binding up other injuries almost as well as any experienced +physician could have done. + +Elmer himself had made it a point to know something about such things. +He had in the past lived a wild life out in the great Canada wilderness, +where men, and boys, too, find it necessary to depend upon themselves in +great emergencies. + +Although he feared he might be somewhat clumsy, and certainly lacked the +natural talent Ted Burgoyne had always shown, the scout leader was only +too willing to do whatever lay in his power to alleviate suffering. + +In another moment he was leaning over the stricken man, whom he now +recognized as a middle-aged farmer, Simon Kent by name. The women, wife +and daughter of the farmer, had looked up eagerly as Matt seemed to +speak of the coming of others on the scene. Then their faces grew blank +again with despair. For what could a trio of mere boys do, when a doctor +was needed so badly? + +"Oh! Matt, find the horse if you can, and hurry to town for Dr. Cooper! +He couldn't have run very far away!" the older woman was saying, +doubtless referring to the horse, and not the well-known Hickory Ridge +physician. + +"Please wait just a minute or so, and let me take a look at Mr. Kent," +said Elmer, modestly. "I happen to know a little about these things, you +see, ma'am; and I've set more than one broken limb." + +The women stopped wailing for a time, and watched the confident boy as +he carefully examined the groaning farmer. + +"How did it happen?" asked Larry of Matt Tubbs, who apparently must be +some relative of the Kents, as the woman seemed to know him very well. + +"Storm blew the roof off'n the barn, and he got caught. Any feller with +peepers in his head ought tuh see that," replied young Tubbs, between +whom and Larry there had always been bad blood. + +Elmer looked up and smiled in the faces of the two frightened women. He +knew they needed encouragement, and that he could not do them a greater +benefit than to allay their fears. + +"He has a broken arm," he said, reassuringly, "and I think a couple of +his ribs are fractured, Mrs. Kent; but besides that there are only a few +bruises, and they do not amount to much. Nothing very serious, +understand. Mr. Kent isn't going to die. But I guess he'd better have +the doctor here as soon as Matt can ride to town. I'll do what I can in +the meantime, ma'am." + +Matt Tubbs had been watching what he did with apparently the greatest +curiosity. He was utterly ignorant himself about everything that +pertained to first aid to the injured, and perhaps never before had felt +so utterly insignificant as when he saw Elmer Chenowith go about the +duties of a doctor with such calm assurance. + +Jasper had run off in obedience to a request from the scout leader, and +now returned with some cold water. When Elmer had dashed a little of +this in the face of the farmer, the injured man came to his senses. His +groans ceased, though they could see from the expression on his rugged +face that he was suffering severely. + +"It's all right, Mr. Kent," Elmer hastened to say in that convincing way +of his, as the farmer looked at him inquiringly. "You've got a broken +arm, and perhaps a couple of your ribs are out of the running for a +while, but you'll pull through all to the good. I'm going to do what I +can while Matt rides off for Dr. Cooper." + +"Oh! it's you, Elmer, is it?" said the man, faintly. "But how d'ye know +I ain't got my death in that wreck of my barn? I feel like I'd been +through a threshing machine; on'y my left arm is numb." + +"I've had some experience with these things, Mr. Kent, up in Canada. +Besides, sir, we belong to the Boy Scouts movement, and one of the +things taught there is what we call 'first aid to the injured.' I could +set your arm all right, but since the doctor can get here soon, I'd +better leave it for him. He mightn't like my meddling too much with his +practice. Will you ask Matt to please find the horse, and start for +town?" + +"Oh! I'm agoin', all right," said that worthy, arousing himself; for he +had been staring at Elmer all this while, and listening to what he said +about the obligations of the scouts in time of need, as though he might +be hearing something that astonished him. + +He glanced back several times as he walked away to look for the horse, +that was doubtless in some corner of the lot beyond the demolished +barns. + +"Got something to think over, I reckon," grunted Larry, who had closed +up like a clam when Matt answered his civil question so roughly. + +Shortly afterward they heard a shout. Then Matt dashed past, riding +bareback on the horse, and using the halter to guide him along the road. +He went flying toward town, and they knew he would send the doctor +before a great while. + +"Here, fellows, Mr. Kent ought to be carried into the house," said +Elmer, turning to his chums. "We've got to make a litter to lay him on. +Come over here with me, and we'll knock one together in a jiffy." + +"Sure we will!" declared Larry, who had a warm heart, even though a bit +inclined to quarrel at times, being quick-tempered. + +There was plenty of material lying around; the storm had seen to that +when it tore things loose on the Kent farm. And presently the scouts +came back with some boards forming a very fair litter. Elmer had covered +it with several horse blankets he discovered in the partly demolished +barn. + +But the farmer was getting back his strength again. He shook his head at +sight of the litter, and a slight smile appeared on his face, much to +the joy of his sadly frightened wife and daughter. + +"I reckon I ain't so bad off as to need that, Elmer," he remarked. "Now, +if so be ye boys draw around, and take care not to handle that left arm +too rough, p'raps I could manage to get up. Arter that, with some help, +I'll hobble to the house. Don't ye look so peaked, wife; I'm better'n +ten dead men yet." + +They helped him to rise, and then, leaning on Elmer, with the others +following close behind, eager to assist, they made their way slowly to +the farm building. + +"Oh! what would we have done only for the coming of you boys?" exclaimed +Mrs. Kent, after they had managed to get the wounded farmer seated +fairly comfortably in a big sleepy hollow chair. + +Elmer was making a sling in which the broken arm could be held, to ease +the pain and the strain until Dr. Cooper's arrival. + +"Does this scouting teach you boys how to do that sort of thing?" asked +the grown daughter, who had been watching these actions of the boys +curiously. + +"It is one of the things we have to learn before we can hope to become +first-class scouts," the boy replied. "You see, no one can ever tell +when a scout may be called on to help bring back a person to life who +has been nearly drowned, or to keep another from bleeding to death after +being cut with an ax in camp; then besides, sometimes boys have to be +rescued when they get a cramp while in swimming. And when a fellow knows +how to go about these things, he may be able to help save a human life. +We think it worth while." + +"I should say it was!" exclaimed Miss Kent, enthusiastically. "After +this I'm going to take more interest in boys than I have. I always +thought they were as much alike as peas in a pod; and perhaps I oughtn't +to say it, because he's in our family, but you see, I somehow judged all +boys by my Cousin Matt." + +Elmer smiled. + +"Well," he said, nodding, "I hope that when you come to look into this a +little closer, Miss Julia, you'll understand that it stands for big +things. My father says it's the greatest movement for the uplifting of +American boys that ever happened, barring none. And I'm going to send +you some printed matter that will tell you just what the Boy Scouts aim +to do. When you know that, I just guess you'll find reason to change +your opinion of boys." + +Even the injured farmer had listened to what was said with a show of +interest. + +"Sho! Elmer," he remarked, "I've heard a heap of this thing, and didn't +take much stock in it. Thought it meant the boys was goin' to be made +into soldiers, and as I'm a man of peace I couldn't stand for that. On'y +yesterday the dominie was tellin' me it ain't got a blessed thing to do +with military tactics. And arter the able way you handled yourself +to-day, blessed if I ain't agoin' to read the stuff you send Julie. If I +had a boy I'd like him to jine the scouts. And that's as far as I've +got. But if it makes the lads clean, manly, and ekal to emergencies, +like you seem to be, it's a boss thing." + +And Elmer felt his heart glow with satisfaction, for his whole interest +was by now bound up in the success of the Hickory Ridge troop of scouts; +and anything that went to make them new friends appealed to him +strongly. + +When half an hour had gone the sound of an automobile horn was heard out +on the road. + +"There comes Dr. Cooper!" called Jasper, who had been on the lookout. + +When the physician came bustling in he looked questioningly at the three +boys. Possibly Matt may have told him the scouts were meddling with +things, and his professional instincts were shocked. But when he saw +what Elmer had done, and made an examination himself, he declared that +the extent of Mr. Kent's injuries were just as the boy had stated. + +"And I want to say, Elmer," he added, as the boys were about to hurry +away, "I believe in the first-aid-to-the-injured principle which you +boys try to live up to. If more people only kept their senses about them +in cases of accident, it would make easier work for the doctors, and +save lots of lives. Good luck to you, boys!" + +"And we shall never be able to tell you how thankful we all are for your +coming, Elmer. The first time I meet your mother, I'm going to let her +know what a fine son she has," declared Miss Julia, as she and her +relieved mother shook hands with the three scouts at the door. + +"I had two comrades, please remember, Miss Julia," said Elmer, +significantly; and taking the hint she repeated the words while bidding +Jasper and Larry good-by. + +"Well," remarked Elmer, as he and his chums once more tramped along the +road, "I notice that you two fellows have your badges turned upside down +still, to remind you that so far to-day you've found no opportunity to +do anybody a good turn. As your scout master, I want to say that you +can't get them changed any too soon; for you've just been of the +greatest help to the Kent family!" + +And both Larry and Jasper, making the usual scout salute, with the thumb +holding back the little finger of the right hand, proceeded to unfasten +their badges, and replace them right side up. + +They had earned the privilege to wear them so for the balance of that +eventful day! + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE MEETING IN THE OLD WAGON SHOP. + + +"ABOUT time to begin business, don't you think, Mark?" asked Elmer +Chenowith. + +"Just about on the minute; and I've been counting noses, Mr. +Scout-master; there are eighteen fellows present--not a single gap in +the line," answered his chum. + +"That's fine. We'll get our four new members through to-night, and have +two complete patrols, with a third well started. Suppose you sound the +assembly, Mark, and we'll close the doors. While the Hickory Ridge Troop +of Boy Scouts doesn't pretend to be a secret society, there's no reason +why we should have every Tom, Dick, and Harry gaping in at us, and +listening to all we say." + +Elmer and his closest chum, Mark Cummings, were standing inside the old +abandoned wagon-maker's shop that for long years had been a landmark at +the crossroads just outside the town of Hickory Ridge. + +Half a dozen and more lighted lanterns hanging from beams or the low +rafters dissipated the darkness of the cobwebby interior; for the once +busy shop had been deserted some years now. + +A bustling, laughing, chattering crowd of half-grown boys occupied the +place; and all but four of them were clad in the customary olive drab +khaki uniform of the scouts, met with in every part of this wide +country, between the Pacific and the Atlantic, and from the Great Lakes +of the north to the Mexican Gulf on the south. + +Mark carried a bugle at his side, and was quite a genius as a musician. +Indeed, there were few musical instruments he could not play; and when +in camp the boys looked to him to enliven the evenings around their fire +with bugle, banjo, or mandolin. + +Another member of the troop was the official drummer; but as yet he had +not secured an instrument on which to sound the long roll. But they +lived in hopes of soon supplying this need, as there was good money in +the treasury. + +When the sweet, clear notes of the bugle sounded the assembly call, the +chattering ceased. Obedience is one of the first principles inculcated +in the breast of a scout; and Elmer, as the president of the +association, had always insisted upon the meeting being conducted with a +fair amount of decorum. + +First came the roll call, when it was found that every member was +present, showing that the meeting was deemed an especially important +one. + +True, several of the boys looked a bit tired, notably Jasper, who had +hardly been able to get out of his chair after supper, and was obliged +to exert more than the ordinary amount of will power before he could +reach the place of meeting. + +A little routine program was first of all gone through with, such as +marked each meeting of the troop--a song that was patriotic in its +character sung, with considerable vim, for there were some really good +voices present; after which the commendable trait of patriotism was +further carried along by a salute to the flag which stood at one end of +the dingy old wheelwright's shop, where all eyes could fall upon its +starry blue field and warm red stripes. + +"I'm sorry to state," said Elmer, in opening the meeting, "that our +capable scout-master was unable to be with us to-night, as a sudden +business call took him to New York last night. So we'll have to conduct +the exercises without him. And as the most important part of our meeting +is the initiation of four new members who have lately expressed a desire +to unite with the Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy Scouts, it would be in +order for a motion that we proceed immediately to complete that +function." + +"I move, Mr. President, we go about that business," suggested "Lil +Artha" Stansbury, who had curled his long legs under him, and managed to +sit down on a low stool he had found somewhere; the balance of the boys +being disposed of in all sorts of ways, some on worn wooden "horses," +others on blocks of wood, makeshift benches, and even on the bare +ground. + +"Thecond the motion!" cried Ted Burgoyne, who often lisped, though he +could never be convinced of the fact, and would everlastingly and +vehemently deny it when accused. + +Of course it was quickly carried; and the usual ceremonies having been +gone through with, the four applicants were declared fairly elected +members of the organization. Phil Dale became Number Five and George +Robbins Number Six of the Wolf Patrol; while Henry Condit and "Landy" +Smith filled the vacant numbers of the Beaver Patrol. + +"This makes our two patrols complete," remarked Elmer. "It also +increases our membership to eighteen. We need several more fellows of +the right sort, and if any of you happen to know of any candidates, +bring their names before the committee between now and the next regular +meeting. But they must be boys of good moral character, who promise to +make scouts worthy of the name." + +"Hear! hear!" called out "Red" Huggins, grinning, as though he took this +as a personal compliment. + +"We can now proceed with the regular business before us. The new +members will consult with Comrade Merriweather about their suits. But of +course they understand that every cent must have been earned before they +can wear the new clothes. That is one of the things we stand for--a +scout must be independent, and able to do things for himself. It tends +to make him manly and reliant." + +"Mr. President," said the secretary, who was no other than the tall "Lil +Artha," "I would like to inform the members of Hickory Ridge Troop that +I have with me a collection of finished pictures, taken on our recent +camping trip at Lake Solitude. Some of them are rather interesting, and +will serve to revive pleasant, or unpleasant, memories. They can be seen +after the meeting closes. Please excuse me for not rising, Mr. +President. Fact is, I don't believe I could without help, for it seems +as if my lower extremities had become locked." + +There were numerous snickers at this, for it was a failing of the +good-natured "Lil Artha" to get his long legs twisted in a knot; though, +when he once started running, he could cover the ground at an amazing +pace. + +"I understand," remarked Matty Eggleston, the leader of the Beaver +Patrol, getting up so suddenly from the swaying bench upon which he had +been seated that it tilted the remaining three scouts backward, and +deposited them on the ground, to the amusement of the assemblage--"I +understand," he went on, not disturbed by the tragic occurrence, as the +boys scrambled up, and began to brush themselves off, "that several of +our number met with an interesting experience to-day while off on a +hike. The rest of us would like very much to hear an account of what +happened." + +"Yes! yes! tell us the story, Mr. President! We all want to know!" came +from a dozen of the lads, in one breath. + +Elmer smiled encouragingly. + +"If some one puts that in the form of a motion, and it is carried, +perhaps between Comrades Larry, Jasper, and myself we might be able to +spin the little yarn," he remarked. + +Needless to say the motion was carried unanimously. + +"Mr. President," said Larry, who was Number Six of the Beavers, "I +suggest that you give your version of the little adventure. If +necessary, Jasper and myself can dip in, and add some touches to it from +time to time." + +Nothing loath, for he had an object in letting the new recruits see what +splendid chances there were for _doing things_ in the scout +organization, both for themselves and others, the acting scout-master +started to tell how Larry and Jasper had conceived a laudable ambition +to test their knowledge of woodcraft, and started out with the idea of +putting it to the trial. + +He pointed out their mistakes, and showed where they could have avoided +them. He commended their pluck, and as he described the storm in the big +timber more than a few of the listening boys fairly quivered with +excitement. In imagination they could almost hear the terrific thunder, +and see the giant trees swaying in the howling wind. + +After Elmer had brought out a number of points that would serve as a +valuable lesson to the tenderfoot scouts, and which he wanted to sink +into their minds, he presently carried the story to the final stage by +telling about their arrival at the farmhouse, where they found the +family in great distress, and in need of help. + +He made a particular point of telling how helpless Matt Tubbs had +seemed, simply because he had never been instructed in the principles of +"first aid to the injured"; and went on to show how very important it +was for every true scout to know what to do in an emergency where human +life was in peril. + +When, finally, Elmer finished, there was a hearty cheer from the +assembled lads. A number of questions were asked, which either the +acting scout-master or one of his mates answered. + +"But perhaps another time, comrades, Matt Tubbs may not feel so helpless +as he did to-day," Elmer went on to say. "The fever has reached +Fairfield, and we hear they are trying to organize a troop of scouts +there, with Matt at the head. Let us hope, fellows, that when the +Fairfield Troop becomes a fact, there may be a chance for the Hickory +Ridge boys to renew their old-time rivalry with the neighboring town. +For the rowdy spirit will have to give way to order and decency before +Matt Tubbs and his cronies ever find themselves accepted as Boy Scouts." + +"They never will do it!" cried Ty Collins, who had been the chief cook +of the troop while in camp, and was known as one of the best athletes in +Hickory Ridge. + +"That's what I was saying to Elmer," echoed Larry Billings. + +"Oh! well, you never can tell," laughed the leader. "I sometimes think +none of us know just what Matt Tubbs might do, if once he took a notion +to turn over a new leaf." + +"Oh! he's just a regular bully, and that's all there is about it!" cried +Nat Scott. + +"I hope you won't say that again, Nat," remarked Elmer. "I know on the +face of things people around Hickory Ridge think that, because Matt +always started trouble when the two towns used to be rivals on the +gridiron and the diamond. But over in Fairfield, fellows, they're not +quite so sure about it. Perhaps all of you don't know that when a house +burned down, and the firemen were afraid to rush in to save an old and +infirm woman who was known to be inside, Matt Tubbs took his life in +his hands _and got her out_! It was his own grandmother, but that makes +no difference. I say that the fellow who would do that can't be all +wrong; that he must have a spark, and a pretty big one, too, of decency +in his make-up. Those are just the kind of fellows this scout movement +can help. And I believe that if once they _change about and face the +other way_, they're bound to make the best of scouts. Let's give Matt +Tubbs a fair and square chance to make good!" + +Considerable talk followed. Some of the boys were farsighted enough to +grasp what Elmer believed so firmly. Others shook their heads in doubt. +They fancied they knew Matt Tubbs like a book. He was no coward, they +admitted such a fact, but as for him ever being able to subscribe to the +twelve cardinal principles of a scout, why it was absurd; impossible! + +"Water will run up-hill before that miracle ever happens!" declared Toby +Jones, the boy who was forever dreaming about doing wonderful stunts +with a flying machine which he expected some day to invent. + +"I have no particular use foh the gentleman, suh!" remarked Chatz +Maxfield, whose manners and ways of expressing himself easily betrayed +his Southern birth. + +So the meeting progressed, and was finally brought to a conclusion. Then +there was considerable merriment as the scouts clustered about "Lil +Artha," the official photographer, as he passed around some scores of +splendidly executed prints. Quite a number of these were gems of art, +and represented natural scenery around the mountain lake where the camp +had been located. Others elicited roars of laughter, for Arthur had +snapped off some pictures that perpetuated scenes of a comical nature. + +The boys were enjoying the treat heartily, laughing, bandying remarks, +poking fun at the victims who were now held up to public view, and +mingling with perfect freedom, as the meeting had been adjourned, when +something certainly not down on the bills came to pass. + +It was as unexpected as a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. The +photographer of the troop was gathering his pictures together, and those +members who had kindly furnished the lanterns so that their temporary +meeting-place might be illuminated in a seemly manner, were starting to +secure their property, when, without any warning, there sounded a +tremendous crash. + +"What's that?" cried half a dozen of the scouts, as they looked at one +another in dismay. + +"I know!" shouted Jack Armitage, whose father owned the old smithy; +"we've been spied on by some sneak; and he fell down off that rotten +loft yonder. There he goes, fellows! After the spy!" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE LITTLE RED BUTTON. + + +A SCENE of commotion immediately followed these startling words of Jack +Armitage. There was a rush for the exit, and in the confusion, just as +might have been expected, the scouts became wedged in the doorway, so +that there was a brief delay in gaining the open air. + +Shouts outside presently told that some of the wiser ones had avoided +this combined rush, and sought the open air by the same means taken by +the unknown. They had just glimpsed some dim figure amid the cloud of +dust that followed the breaking down of the frail floor of the little +platform at the rear of the shop. It had vanished through some hole; +possibly a board or two had been previously loosened with the idea of a +hasty flight in case of discovery, to avoid unpleasant consequences. + +Elmer and his chum, Mark Cummings, had not taken part in either the +crush at the door, or the swift passage through the rear opening. + +"Well, what d'ye think of that?" demanded Mark, turning to his chum, as +the last of the jam at the door was broken, allowing the struggling +scouts a chance to get through. + +Elmer was laughing. + +"Some of those fellows will feel a little sore after that football +rush," he remarked; "you noticed that the wise ones chased after 'Lil +Artha.' He was quick to see that there would be a crush at the door, and +he went after the fellow, who lit out by the way of the back part of +the shop. Here, let's take a look and see." + +Picking up a lantern, he led the way to where they discovered a hole in +the board wall of the place. Two of the shrunken boards had been lately +wrenched loose; a very easy task indeed, for the old place was pretty +near the point of ruin. + +"Looks like he might have fixed it for use in case he wanted to vamoose +in a big hurry," said Mark, after they had examined the boards. + +"Perhaps he did," Elmer remarked. "Did you get a look at the chap, Mark? +It just happened that some one stood between me and this part of the +shop, and I couldn't see much more'n a lot of dust." + +"Same here," laughed the other. "My! what a lot of dust he did stir up. +I feel like I'm going to sneeze right now," which he proceeded to do +with great vigor, to the amusement of his friend. + +"Listen to the racket the boys are making out there," he observed, as +shouts came floating in to them. + +"Sounds like they were chasing after something," Mark went on, after +listening. "Wonder if they can grab the fellow." + +"Perhaps you'd better call them back with your bugle. No use breaking up +in such a disorderly way. And if he's given them the slip up to now, +they won't be able to find him in the dark. Step outside and sound the +recall, Mark." + +So the bugler hastened to obey orders, and the clear, penetrating notes +of the signal floated near and far in the night air. + +"Anybody could hear that a mile away, I guess," remarked the one who had +sent forth the recall. "I suppose every scout will know what it means +and come back?" + +"Well, that would be queer if they didn't," declared Elmer. "Here comes +a bunch right now, talking and arguing over the mysterious happening. +All sorts of ideas will be given, and we ought to try and find out the +truth." + +"What do you think?" asked Mark, pointedly. "Was it a hobo who had been +sleeping here in the old shop? I've heard Jack say his father threatened +to burn the shanty down because complaints came in about it being a +lodging place for tramps." + +"Yes," replied Elmer, who looked serious, "I've heard the same thing. +But between you and me, Mark, I've got my suspicions that it couldn't +have been just a common hobo." + +"What makes you think that?" asked his chum. + +"Oh! several things. I don't see why a tramp would go to all the bother +to climb up on that old shelf or loft, when he could just as well stay +right here on the ground, and make a fire in the regular place, so as to +cook his supper. Then no tramp would have lain there all that time +without making a sound. Besides, you remember we made up our minds that +the boards had been loosened in the back of the shop, so they could be +knocked off with a single kick. That would point to strategy--making +ready for a sudden get-away." + +"Elmer, you're right, I do believe, as you nearly always are," said +Mark, as if what his comrade said had sunk with conviction into his +mind. "But here come the boys. Let's find out what they think about it." + +"Yes," continued the acting scout-master, "perhaps they've sighted the +fellow, and can tell us who he was." + +But this proved not to be the case. Those who had followed "Lil Artha" +through the opening in the rear of the shop declared that the fugitive +must have had the wings of the wind, for though they had chased after +him, he managed to give them the slip. Possibly the long-legged Arthur +might have been more successful, had he been given daylight to enable +him to see where he was going; but at the time the bugle sounded the +retreat they had not been able to cut down the other's lead. + +Nor could they tell what he looked like. + +"Some stray Wandering Willie, sure as you're born," declared Toby Jones, +who was panting at a great rate after his chase. + +"And if we'd only been able to come up with him, wouldn't he have got +it?" remarked Red Huggins, ferociously. + +"Alas! I was cheated out of a thlick job, that's what, fellowth," +lamented Dr. Ted, whose sole ambition it was to run across +"opportunities" to experiment with his knowledge of medicine, or attempt +simple surgical operations. + +"See here, you're only guessing when you say it was a hobo; what proof +is there of such a thing?" demanded Elmer. + +"Hey, what's that?" exclaimed "Lil Artha," staring at the acting +scout-master. + +"That's exactly what I was saying to Chatz as we were prancing along +back here," Larry Billings remarked, nodding his head as if he agreed +with Elmer. + +"Some think it was a tramp, and the rest say it was a spy. Now, how are +we going to prove it?" asked Tom Cropsey. + +"Let Elmer tell what he thinks, fellows," Mark observed. "He convinced +me right off the reel, and perhaps he can the rest of the bunch." + +"Yes, Elmer, it's up to you to make good. Tell us what you know. We're +wanting to learn all the tricks of a scout who keeps his eyes always +open, and sees the little things that count. Please tell us!" + +So, beset from every side, Elmer had to bow to the popular will. After +he had explained how several strong points seemed to dispose of the +theory of a tramp having been hidden in the loft of the deserted +wheelwright's shop, he saw that he had carried pretty much all his +audience with him. The scouts hung on his every word, for they +understood that Elmer had passed through considerable experience while +out on that big Canada ranch and farm with his father, and knew how to +read signs as well as any Indian ever could have done. + +"I've just been up there and discovered how the rotten timbers gave way +under the fellow," spoke up Nat Scott, who was known to be of a very +investigating turn, and would let nothing continue to puzzle him long, +if he could help it. + +"Yes, we saw you drop down through the same hole he made," laughed Ty +Collins. + +"You're covered with dust, too, Nat," remarked Tom Cropsey. + +"That's a fact," grinned the investigator. + +Elmer had his eye on him. He judged that Nat must have made some sort of +discovery, for he looked pleased. He also noted the fact that the other +kept one hand behind him as he stood there. + +"You found something, didn't you, Nat?" he asked, quietly. + +"Well, sure thing," remarked the other; though he looked somewhat +surprised at Elmer being able to discover this fact so readily. + +"Which you're hiding behind you right now, I opine," continued the +scout-master. + +"That's what he is, Elmer!" declared several of the other scouts. + +"Did you find it on the ground among those broken pieces of flooring?" +asked Elmer, pointedly. + +Nat nodded his head rigorously, but he made no effort to bring his right +hand out from behind his back. + +"Perhaps now," continued the other slowly, but with a positive ring to +his voice, "it might happen to be a hat or a cap you picked up?" + +"That's right, it's a cap," broke in Jasper Merriweather, who had +slipped behind Nat, and glimpsed at what he was trying to keep hidden. + +"Wait, I'm going to turn my back on you, Nat, while you hold it up so +all the rest can see. Now, out with it. Take a good look, fellows. +Jasper said it was a cap. Does it belong to anybody here?" + +"Why, we've all got our regular scout hats, except the four new members, +and every one of them has a cap on his head right now!" declared Jack +Armitage. + +"Just so," Elmer continued. "That settles one thing; this cap you picked +up must belong to the fellow who ran away, after listening to all we did +at our meeting! Take a good look at that cap, Nat. Is it a sort of mixed +gray in color and pretty well worn?" + +"Say, that's what it just is now, Elmer," replied the other in surprise. + +"And has it got a red button fastened in front just over the peak?" + +"Hey, listen to him tell, will you, fellows. Here's the red button all +right." + +"Then the mystery is solved," laughed Elmer; "for that cap belongs to a +certain boy we happen to know right well; and his name is Matt Tubbs!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +A JOB FOR THE BOY SCOUTS TO DO. + + +"WHAT makes you so sure about that, Elmer?" asked Ty Collins, after the +scouts had expressed their wonder that the leader should be able to +speak so positively when as yet he had not even looked at the tell-tale +cap. + +"Listen, fellows," began Elmer; "all of you older scouts know that one +of the things impressed upon a new beginner is the power of observation. +Members of the organization are given tests at memorizing things they +see in a store window, after looking in for just three minutes, and then +writing out a list afterward. In that way they find it second nature to +note everything they see, so that if asked about it afterward they are +able to give a pretty good description even of little details. I'm +saying this more for the benefit of the new members than anything else, +you understand?" + +"Sure we do, Elmer; go right along, please," remarked Ty. + +"All right," continued the leader, impressively; "but it seems that +every one of the scouts doesn't happen to apply those principles of +observation and memory as much as he might. Now, to make my point plain, +there were two of you with me to-day when we came on the Kent house, +where we found things upset by the storm. And I suppose both of those +scouts had just as many chances to look Matt Tubbs over as I did; yet it +seems that neither Larry nor Jasper noticed that he wore a pair of worn +tan shoes, had on brown trousers that had been patched in the seat; +sported a new flannel shirt made of some rather flashy material that +carried a good deal of red in it; wore a sporty tie of the same color; +and had a gray cap on his head, with a little red button just over the +peak!" + +Exclamations of surprise broke out all around the speaker. + +"Say, do you mean to tell us you noticed all those details, and right +while we were all excited over the injuries of the farmer?" gasped +Larry. + +"I always said there was only one Elmer Chenowith," murmured Jasper, +throwing up both hands, as though convinced. + +"Why, there was nothing queer about that," laughed the acting +scout-master. "As I told you just now, it grows to be second nature, +after you've practiced the thing for a while. But did I prove my point, +fellows?" + +"You certainly did!" declared Jack Armitage. + +"And do any of you still have any doubt about who it was hiding away on +that rotten old shelf up there, and listening to all we did?" continued +Elmer. + +"I don't think you'd find any scout here willing to say a contrary word, +after the way you clinched things," remarked Matty Eggleston. + +"And you believe that was our old enemy, Matt Tubbs?" Elmer went on. + +"No other fellow could have made so quick a get-away," remarked Red +Huggins, as he shook his fiery head in a convincing way. "Mebbe I +haven't seen him spin down from first base many a time, and get there at +second long ahead of the ball. He can run some, that Matt Tubbs can. +Even Lil Artha will admit that." + +"But whatever made him hide here?" queried Chatz Maxfield. + +"Why, that's as plain as the nose on your face, Chatz," broke out Larry. + +"I'd thank you, suh, to make no personal allusions to my features," the +hot-tempered Southern lad broke in. + +"Oh! I didn't mean anything by that," laughed Larry. "But what else +would tempt Matt Tubbs to hide in here, except that he was aching to +watch our meeting, and find out how we did things. He reckoned we +wouldn't be so obliging as to ask him to be present, and as he's +starting a troop over in Fairfield, he wants to know how to run things, +so he can have the track greased." + +"Well, he heard some straight-out talk, then, that ought to do him a +heap of good," remarked Matty. + +"Aw! nothing would ever do that chump good; he's a bad egg all over. +Like as not he was just itching to do something to give us a big scare. +Say, perhaps he smashed that loft down on purpose to frighten us!" + +It was Tom Cropsey who offered this rather startling suggestion; but the +balance of the scouts were disposed to make light of his idea. + +"I don't think," jeered Red. "Matt Tubbs is tricky and bold, but no one +ever called him a fool, and that's what he would be if he broke that +loft down on purpose, and took that tumble. Why, he might have broken +his neck!" + +"Never!" exclaimed Toby. "When a feller is born to be hung he could drop +from the top of the highest tree, and never feaze his neck." + +"Toby knows, fellows," sang out Red. "Believe him, he's a living example +of the truth of that old saying. You remember, some of you, how he fell +off the roof of the church that night, a year ago, when we were trying +to get in the belfry to ring the bell? Some fellows would have had half +a dozen of their slats caved in, even if they saved their neck. What +happened to Toby? Why, he dropped into that big bunch of cedars and +only had a few scratches to show for it. Yes, stake your faith on Toby; +he knows what he's talking about." + +Of course shouts told that the boys appreciated getting this one on +Toby, who contented himself with shaking his fist at Red, and grinning. + +"But perhaps we don't all believe the same way," Elmer remarked, after +the clamor had died away, and all eyes were turned again on him. + +"Tell us what you think, Elmer?" asked several. + +"Let us take it for granted then," said the scout-master, "that the spy +was Matt, and that he deliberately hid in the old shop for the purpose +of watching what we did; how do we know that he had any real mean object +in view? At the best it has been only guess work, founded on his bad +reputation." + +"That counts for a heap, I've found, to my cost," declared Red, who for +years had been unusually fond of practical jokes and pranks, and several +times floundered in hot water because of this failing. + +"Well, all I can say is this," Elmer continued; "if Matt Tubbs, or any +other of the Fairfield boys, took the trouble to walk all the way over +from his home this evening, four miles and more, just to get a chance to +hide here, and see what we did, he must be head over ears in earnest in +what he's got afoot. And, fellows, we happen to know that means the new +troop Fairfield is trying to organize." + +Some nodded, as if he had carried them with him; a few shook their +heads, meaning to imply that their distrust of the bully of Fairfield +was so deep-seated that they would have to be given stronger evidence +than this if they were expected to come around to Elmer's way of +thinking. + +"Well," the leader went on, "we may never know the facts, but this I +say, that if Matt Tubbs is trying to make a start along the right +lines, we ought to do anything in our power to help him. And if the +chance opens, I promise you I'm going to do that same thing, and not +throw sticks in his way." + +"Hear! hear! that's the kind of talk that tells, Elmer!" cried Mark. + +Elmer had managed to secure possession of the cap that had been found. +He showed no manifestation of giving it back again, and from the way he +presently thrust the thing in one of the pockets of his khaki coat, it +was evident that he had use for it. + +None of the boys who noted this act thought it strange. Elmer frequently +did things that might not seem clear to them on the surface, but they +knew him well enough by this time to feel confident that there was a +motive worth while back of the act, and which in good time would be made +plain. + +The meeting soon broke up, the scouts heading toward the town of Hickory +Ridge, in regular formation of twos, with Elmer and his closest chum, +Mark, heading the line. + +By degrees their number lessened as a boy would drop out here, and +another there, when the nearest point to their several homes was +reached. + +"We had a fine meeting, eh, Mark?" said Elmer, as the two stood for a +few minutes on a corner ere separating. + +"A dandy meeting," was the reply, given enthusiastically, and with +boyish vim. + +"The addition of the four new recruits," Elmer went on, "fills out our +two patrols to their limit, and now we can begin to drum up new names +for the Eagle. By Fall we ought to have six more good fellows come +around, and finish that patrol." + +"Mr. Garrabrant will be pleased when he comes back and learns what +we've done," Mark chuckled, as if he himself were greatly overjoyed. + +"That's so, because he's got the good of the troop at heart," said the +leader of the Wolf Patrol, earnestly. "We're lucky to have such a +wide-awake scout-master as Mr. Garrabrant. A whole lot depends on what +kind of a man is in charge of the troop. They say, you know, Mark, 'as +the twig's inclined the tree is bent'; and in most cases you can judge +the kind of troop by the caliber of the scout-master. If he's weak there +can be no order kept up. If he's too severe the boys will rebel. I +reckon it takes a mighty smart man to handle twenty or thirty lively +boys, and get out the best they have in them." + +"I've often thought of that, Elmer. I like to study people, you +remember. And I think all of our boys like Mr. Garrabrant the best kind. +Going to bed now? Well, good night. See you to-morrow, if we get +together, a dozen of us, for that little hike." + +And separating, the two chums headed for their several homes. + +On the following day Elmer, upon arriving at a place of meeting in the +morning, somewhere in the neighborhood of nine o'clock, found a group of +his fellow scouts anxiously awaiting his coming. Most of them had come +direct from home, and each carried the staff that was supposed to be of +more or less help to the owner while on the road. This was just six feet +in length, stout, and in some instances made of bamboo, and in others of +clear ash; marked off in feet and inches so that it could be used also +for measuring distances, being two meters in length, and with a grip for +the hand midway between the ends. + +"Just ten here," remarked Elmer, after he had counted the khaki-clad +boys. "All who volunteered for the hike but one, and he, Red Huggins, +usually as prompt a fellow as there is in the troop, but behind time for +once." + +"Going to wait for him?" demanded one of the others, impatient to be +off. + +"We'll give him the usual ten minutes allowance," replied Elmer. "If he +doesn't show up then, I suppose we'll have to go without him." + +He had noted one thing, and this was that neither of his comrades of the +preceding day had shown up. But then Elmer had not expected they would. +Practice had made him almost immune to fatigue, after a ten mile walk, +but the same could not be said of Larry, and especially in the case of +little Jasper Merriweather. + +On the whole, considering what excitement the boys had endured on the +previous day, Elmer thought they had done very well. They must be +feeling more or less stiff this morning, and would need a lay-off. +Besides, they had not promised to get around to start on this walk. + +Impatient Chatz took out a nickel watch, and began to keep tabs on the +passing of those ten minutes. The rest chattered like magpies, and +seemed to be pleased at the idea of having a few hours with Elmer +abroad. For the young leader knew so many of the secrets of the great +out-doors, and was so ready to impart information to his chums, that it +was really a treat to be with him. + +"Five minutes gone, and no sign of him yet, suh!" announced the +timekeeper, after a short interval, during which all eyes were turned +down the road, to the corner around which it was expected the absent +member would come, should he show up at all. + +"Oh! well, there are enough of us without Red; though he's always good +company on a hike," remarked Lil Artha, who had really given up an +anticipated trip in an automobile over fifty miles of territory, just to +accompany Elmer in his hike, so great a fascination did the new life +have for the tall boy. + +"I thought I thaw him right then, fellows!" exclaimed Dr. Ted, pointing +to a place where there was a gap in the trees and fences. + +Elmer nodded encouragingly. + +"Good for you, Ted," he said. "I was wondering whether anybody would +notice that the road could be seen through that little opening, and +anyone coming discovered some time before he reached the corner. That +was Red, I do believe; for I had a glimpse of him as he passed." + +Ted Burgoyne looked satisfied. In fact, the boys had reached a point by +now when words of praise from the assistant scout-master meant a whole +lot to them, for it always signified that something worth while had been +done. + +Nothing more was said about it, but there was a heap of thinking done; +and no doubt every fellow present was making up his mind to be more +vigilant, so that he might be the next to deserve favorable notice from +the leader. + +"You were right, Ted, for there he comes now," remarked Toby, as a +figure came around the corner. + +It was Red Huggins, sure enough; and he seemed to be hurrying. + +"Knows he's late, and expects to be hauled over the coals," chuckled Ty +Collins. + +Elmer said nothing. But he was watching the coming of the late scout +with an expression of rising curiosity on his face. Truth to tell, he +noted something that none of the others had. Red Huggins looked more +than "peeved" because he was arriving late at the meeting-place, when a +scout is supposed to be always punctual to the minute. He was worried, +worked up over something or other! + +"Hurry up here, old molasses in Winter!" called Lil Artha. "Why, we were +just going to leave you in the lurch. What sort of an excuse can you +give for holding eleven comrades nearly ten minutes each? That means +more'n an hour wasted. It's a crying shame, that's what!" + +Red had by now reached them. He was panting a little, as though he might +have run some distance, in order to make up for lost time. + +"Wasn't altogether my fault, fellows," he started to explain. + +"Oh! come now, no excuses are going to pass here!" broke in Toby. + +"Give him a chance to say what he wants to, boys," remarked Elmer; and +the late comer darted him a look of thanks. + +"I was just going to start out," Red began, "when father came home. He +had been out trying a new horse he bought; and at first I thought he +might have had a runaway, he looked that excited. But one of our +neighbors came hurrying in, saying he had just heard the news over the +telephone, and asking father what it meant." + +"News! What's that? Something happened since we left home?" and the +scouts began to look at each other, while several grew a little white. + +"Yes," Red went on, rapidly; "it happened that my father was one of +those who brought the news to town. I got so stuck on what they were +saying that I clean forgot everything else; and that made me late. Then +father saw me in my scout uniform, and he said he wondered if Elmer +Chenowith, who was so smart about following a trail, could lend a +hand--that it seemed a job for the scouts, if ever there was one!" + +"Oh! speak out, and tell us what's happened!" cried Toby, catching hold +of Red by his sleeve and shaking him a little. + +"Well, you know Mrs. Gruber, the woman who lives in that little house +half a mile or so up the Jericho Road--she's got just one child, a +little girl, with the sunniest smile and the prettiest golden hair you +ever saw. Well, seems like she separated from her husband, Dolph Gruber, +because of his bad habits. Father says Dolph came home last night, made +no end of a row, struck his wife, and went away with little Ruth, saying +her mother would never see her again. And that's what he meant, fellows, +when he said it was a job for the scouts. Elmer, do you dare tackle it, +and try to get back that little girl again for her nearly crazy +mother?" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +FOLLOWING A TRAIL. + + +A DEAD silence followed these startling words of Red Huggins. + +The party of scouts looked at one another, as though their very breath +might have been taken away by the stunning news brought by the late +comer. + +Elmer was the first one to recover his wits; perhaps because his nature +proved to be a bit stronger than any of the others; and then again it +may have been through the fact that he had had much more experience in +grappling with just such situations as the present. + +"That father of yours was quite right, Red," he said. "The chances are +this is a job just suited to the scouts. For what is the use of learning +all those things about tracking through the woods, if you can't make use +of them when an occasion comes along." + +"Do we go, Elmer?" demanded Lil Artha, eagerly, his face lighting up. + +"Say yes, Elmer!" cried the impulsive Red. "Oh! father declares that +poor woman is nearly out of her mind with fear of what her bad husband +may do with the little girl. You know it isn't his child at all, really; +he is her second husband. Her name used to be Tubbs." + +"What? I didn't know that before!" exclaimed Elmer, staring at the +speaker. + +"But that won't make any difference, will it, because she happens to be +some relation to Matt?" asked Toby. "I know the girl, Ruth; and as Red +says, she's a little fairy, an angel. Let's go, fellows!" + +"Of course we'll go, and try to do the best we can to get back the +child," Elmer remarked, as he shut his teeth hard. "I've heard a good +deal about this Dolph Gruber; and every one says he's a hard nut. But +there are a dozen of us, fellows, and I reckon we ought to be a match +for one coward. I call him that because none but a miserable drunkard +and a coward would act as he has done, striking his wife, and carrying +off her child, with such a horrible threat." + +"Then let's be off right away," said Red, in his impatient way. + +"Fall in, and we'll go on the double-quick, up the Jericho Road," called +Elmer. + +Mark was along, bugle and all, even though this hike which they had +planned was not looked upon as a troop affair, and no one was under any +compulsion to enter for the long walk. + +Circumstances entirely unexpected had suddenly caused an entire change +in their program; but accustomed to meeting emergencies as they arose, +Elmer was just as ready to take up the new scheme. + +No doubt he was more or less thrilled with pleasure to think that Mr. +Huggins, who was quite an important man in the affairs of Hickory Ridge, +should consider him able to grapple with this situation. + +Others might start to scouring the surrounding country, in hopes of +cutting the scoundrel off, and effecting his arrest. But if Dolph Gruber +were as keen-witted as he was given credit for being, he would likely +avoid beaten paths, and keep to the timber, thus preventing these +searchers from getting in touch with him. + +Of course Elmer could hardly believe the man was bad enough to think of +really injuring little Ruth. He probably meant to punish his wife for +refusing to longer hand over to him some of the money she received from +relatives, by carrying her child away, and keeping the little girl +concealed, until the mother promised to come to terms, and pay a ransom. + +But at the same time his act was that of a fiend; and Elmer's boyish +heart was filled with indignation as he in imagination could see the +poor mother weeping because her little one was gone, leaving her to fear +all sorts of terrible things. + +Yes, this was surely a case for the scouts. If ever their knowledge of +woodcraft promised to be of value it must be now. Dolph could not go +very far without leaving some sort of a trail behind him. And as he was +apt to shun the roads and beaten paths through the woods, they could the +easier follow him. Half a mile is a very short distance when boys are in +a hurry. + +"There's the house right now!" called out one sharp-eyed scout, +suddenly. + +"Yes, and there's a crowd of people around, too!" declared another. +"Must have got the news around mighty quick. Say, there comes a wagon +racing along from over Fairfield way; and I just bet you it's got Matt +and his dad in it, too." + +"Just what it has, fellows," declared Ty. "Looks like we were just bound +to run across that Matt everywhere we went, don't it? And here comes a +car from Hickory Ridge, with a lot of people in it. Looky there, some of +'em are the officers. Yep, here they come right after us. Make way, +fellows, if you don't want to get run over!" + +A few minutes later, and they brought up at the cottage which had so +suddenly become such a center of interest. The phone had been used from +Hickory Ridge to inform Mr. Tubbs, who was a big contractor in +Fairfield. Others had come from various neighboring homes, for it is +amazing how such news flies on the wings of the wind. + +The boys moved around among the people for a short time. Elmer made his +way inside the cottage, to where he could hear the bereaved mother +crying, and between sobs trying the best she could to tell just how it +had happened. + +"If we only knew which way Dolph went, we might manage to head him off," +declared the police head, after a while. + +"Oh! if you only could, how happy I would be!" Mrs. Gruber cried, +stopping her crying to wring her hands entreatingly. "He is a bad man +when he drinks; and he was in a terrible temper because I said I +couldn't get him any more money--that my folks wouldn't allow me to turn +over another cent to him. Please start right away; and if you bring back +my Ruth unharmed I will pray for you every night of my whole life!" + +"But how are we to know which way he went?" questioned the officer. "You +say he struck you, ma'am, and that you fell down almost insensible. But +can you not give us some sort of clue as to which direction he took?" + +"Yes, sir, I can," came the eager reply. "Please come outside with me. +You see, I seemed to recover after a little, and being almost crazy to +know what he had done with my darling Ruth, I managed to crawl out of +the door here, though I was so dizzy I could hardly keep from falling. +Then I saw him carrying my child in his arms, and just disappearing in +the woods over there, close to where you see that dark hemlock, under +which," with another choking sob, "she used to play so often." + +"Sure of that, are you, ma'am?" asked the man in uniform, quickly. + +"Yes, yes, I assure you it is the exact truth, sir. Under that hemlock +I saw them disappear," the distracted mother cried. + +"I understand what he had in his mind," broke in a man. "That's a short +cut to the other road that leads over to Cramertown. Dolph used to live +there once. So of course he's heading that way." + +To be sure it seemed most reasonable, and not one of the men appeared to +doubt the accuracy of the guess in the least. But Elmer was not so sure. +He knew that when a man becomes by some act of his own a fugitive from +the law, he changes his ways. Cramertown, then, would be one of the last +places to which Dolph Gruber would think of fleeing, because he was well +known there. + +"Then, seems like the best thing we could do, gents," declared the +officer, with a show of cunning in his manner, "would be to jump aboard +the car again, and make around the road for Cramertown. If he ain't +there yet, perhaps he'll be along before a great while; and we can lay a +trap for Dolph. Jump aboard, those that are going. Cramertown it is, +boys. And we'll bring back the little gal, sure as you're born." + +The car was speedily filled with eager hunters, and went spinning down +the road headed for the forks some two miles away, where they could +change their course, and reach the object of their ambition. + +Some of the scouts had looked as though they wanted to accompany the +party in the car, but Elmer made no movement in that quarter, and so of +course the others would not think of taking matters in their own hands. +Besides, they were anxious to see what their leader meant to do. + +Waiting until the car and its load had vanished in a cloud of dust, +Elmer made a swift movement with his arm to his followers. Then the +entire dozen hurried off, heading exactly toward the hemlock which Mrs. +Gruber had twice stated was the point where she had had the last +glimpse of the kidnaper. + +"Now we'll see whether scout tactics are worth anything," observed Lil +Artha, to Landy Smith and Phil Dale, the two new members who had come +along to begin their experiences as scouts; although neither of them was +in the regulation uniform as yet, because the tailor, Jasper's father, +had not been able to commence their suits of khaki. + +Of course these two boys were watching everything that occurred, with +eyes round with wonder. They were of the observing kind, and would +doubtless quickly grasp the fact that a scout must keep eyes and ears on +the alert, if he hoped to accomplish anything. + +"Well, here's the hemlock, all right," observed Toby, "and now, fellows, +stand back till Elmer has a chance to look over the ground. So many feet +might tramp out the trail Dolph must have left." + +They watched Elmer as he bent over. He moved this way and that, as his +eyes scanned the ground in the most likely places. Twice he seemed to +turn over some twigs, or fallen foliage that had turned brown. + +"He sees it!" exclaimed Lil Artha; and Matt echoed the words, for he, +too, had noticed that Elmer was now actually moving on. + +"Want us to tag along after you, Elmer?" called Mark, eagerly. + +By a movement of his arm the leader announced that he did. + +"Go slow now, fellows," warned Mark. "Don't anybody overrun him, and cut +across the trail. Leave it to Elmer just now. If he wants us to help him +he'll sing out all in good time." + +"That goes, Mark," echoed Red; and in this way then the dozen scouts +began to move along through the woods, losing sight of the road, and +the cottage where the mourning mother continued to weep and pray. + +Presently they saw that Elmer had changed his course. He was no longer +heading directly into the west as at first, but had sheered more into +the northwest. + +"Begins to look like Elmer was right, and the police head wrong," +remarked Matty. + +"In what way?" asked Landy Smith, filled with curiosity as to what it +meant. + +"Why," Matt went on, "you remember that the man said he believed Dolph +was heading for the road that would take him to Cramertown. Now, Elmer, +he believed just the opposite, and that pretty soon Dolph would turn off +to go deeper into the timber. And that's just what he seems to be doing, +the slick skunk." + +"Say, this thing keeps growing more exciting, the further you dip into +it," declared Landy. "Already I'm dead sure I'm going to get heaps of +fun out of the scout business. And after a while, perhaps we'll even run +this fellow Dolph down." + +"Sure thing," asserted Toby, confidently. "Just stake your faith on +Elmer to do the little job. Yes, sir, we expect that to happen, sooner +or later." + +"And when you do, there's going to be some sort of a mix-up," continued +Landy. + +"Wouldn't be surprised," replied Toby, glancing at the new member +queerly, for he saw Landy was excited. + +"Hark to me, Toby," said the other, almost in a whisper; "if that thing +does come around, perhaps you'll all be glad I brought this little +machine along," and he exhibited a revolver to the astonished gaze of +the other. + +"Hold on here," said Toby. "You ought to know that it's against the +rules of the scouts, and our troop in particular, to carry a pistol. +Nobody but the scout-master has that privilege. And to save you from +trouble you'd better tell Elmer right off." + +Others of the boys had seen what Landy held, and of course their +exclamations reached the ears of the leader, who turned back. + +"Against the rules, Landy," he said, smiling; "but since you're a new +member, I won't throw it away. Here, let me empty out all the +cartridges. You haven't any more with you, I suppose? Well, an empty +revolver can't do any great harm. But be sure not to bring it again." + +"But it might have come in handy right now, in case Dolph Gruber turned +out to be ugly," protested Landy, regretfully replacing the shiny thing +in his pocket, with a shame-faced air. + +"Oh! well," said Elmer, as he started off again on the trail, "if twelve +husky scouts can't manage one man, they'd better call themselves squaws, +and put on skirts; that's all. Come on, fellows!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +REASONING THAT LOOKED LIKE MAGIC. + + +THE two new scouts, Landy Smith and Phil Dale, watched every action of +Elmer with wonder and the deepest interest. + +"I never knew before there was so much in this business," the former +kept declaring to Matty, who chanced to keep near him. "Why, he doesn't +seem to have any great trouble finding where Dolph went along, and yet +for the life of me I can't see a blessed sign of a footprint." + +"Well," laughed Matty, "for that matter neither can some of the rest of +us, but we're keen to learn; and I know I'm picking up new points all +the time. You see Elmer lived away out in the Canadian Great West, where +he mixed up with cowboys, hunters and all such chaps. That's where he +learned lots of things that just fit in the scouting line like pie." + +"What's he going to do now?" demanded Landy, seeing their leader coming +to a sudden halt, and waving for the others to approach. + +"He wants to show us something," replied Matty. "You see, Elmer is +anxious that every member of the troop, whether he belongs to the Wolf +Patrol, the Beaver, or the new Eagle that is being formed, shall be as +well posted in woodcraft as he is himself. So even while we're following +up this trail, bent on business, he finds interesting things now and +then to explain to us." + +As the entire group of scouts gathered around where the leader bent over +the ground, Elmer pointed downward, saying: + +"Here's something, fellows, that I thought you ought to take note of. It +may be of considerable benefit to you at some time or other, when +perhaps you're passing through a test of trail following. I suppose +every one of you can see this plain track of Dolph's shoe here?" + +"Sure!" replied a number of the boys, readily enough; for evidently +Elmer had picked out a particularly prominent impression when starting +in to paint his little lesson. + +"I'm going to hazard the declaration that this track was made about +seven this morning; that at the time Dolph was carrying the little girl +in his arms, and probably holding his hand over her mouth in order to +prevent her crying out loud so as to attract attention." + +"Well, I declare, that's a whole heap to say, Elmer," remarked Toby; +although the expression on his face was rather that of eagerness to hear +more, than doubt concerning the ability of Elmer to make good his +assertion. + +As for the two new scouts, they were beyond saying anything, but could +only gasp and exchange looks. + +"Now, you are wondering how I know those three things," Elmer went on. +"And perhaps some of you are thinking that I asked Mrs. Gruber what time +it was when Dolph came home, and acted like a brute. But I didn't; and +only know, like the rest of you, that it was some time this morning. But +I happened to remember that there was a queer little shower early this +morning. It stopped as suddenly as it began. All the way up to here I +could see signs of water in the tracks, but you notice there are none in +these footprints now. That shower quit at five minutes to seven in +Hickory Ridge. Making allowance for the difference in distance, I +reckon Dolph was right here when it let up, say at even seven." + +"Gee! that's going some!" muttered Landy, who was listening with rapt +attention. + +"Now, about his carrying the girl--that's easy. The soil is so soft +right here, that it would show even the small print of her shoes. I saw +them just back yonder, where we passed the big oak tree, but there's +never a sign here. It stands to reason Dolph wouldn't turn the child +loose; and so he must have picked her up." + +"Because she was getting worn out, do you think, Elmer?" asked Mark. + +"Well, that may have been the cause; and yet, perhaps, he had another +reason, which brings me to the third statement I made. He was holding +his hand over her mouth! I'm only making a bold stab at that, fellows, +and if you pay attention I'll try to explain on what I base my views." + +"Sure we will, Elmer; you've got us all tuned up to top notch," remarked +Red. + +"And as for me," said Landy, helplessly, "I'm in a fog, drifting about, +and not knowing where I'll land. For the life of me I can't see how you +figure out such wonderful things, Elmer." + +"Listen, then," went on the acting scout master, "up to near here the +trail led along in a direct track. I could see that Dolph was following +some line he had no doubt marked out for himself. Then suddenly he had +darted aside. That was where he grabbed up the child, if the tracks +stood for anything. Do you see where he began to move along so as to +keep this fringe of bushes in front? All right. Mark, you walk over to +that big clump, and tell me if there isn't plain marks there showing +where Dolph knelt down. You can't mistake the impression of his knees, +and where the toes of his shoes dug into the soil two feet below." + +Mark thereupon hastened to obey, while the balance of the scouts awaited +his report with mingled feelings of anxiety and hope. + +They saw him bend over as though keenly observing. + +Then Mark straightened up. His face was smiling, as he called out +triumphantly: + +"By all that's wonderful they're here, just as you said they would be, +Elmer. I know a man knelt down as well as if I saw him. And wait, here's +the tracks of little shoes again, just beside him." + +"I supposed you would find _her_ trail there," resumed Elmer, quietly, +"because it stood to reason that as Dolph crouched down behind the +bushes he would drop her on the ground; all the while, remember, +possibly holding his hand over Ruth's little mouth to keep her from +betraying him." + +"If that don't beat the Dutch!" ejaculated Landy. "Do you mean to tell +me you read all that just from the signs? After this I'll believe +anything. Why, a fellow'd think you'd been right on the spot, and +actually watched Dolph." + +"But see here, Elmer," spoke up Red Huggins, perhaps thinking to get the +leader in a hole, or else honestly seeking further enlightenment; "what +ever made Dolph act in that silly way? Do you think he was going out of +his head, and believin' the police were hot on his trail?" + +Elmer smiled. + +"I've been thinking of that, Red," he remarked, "and come to this +conclusion. He must have heard voices, or else caught the sound of +wheels over in that direction, for you see that he dropped down behind +the bushes on the east side, showing the danger must have been to the +west!" + +All of the boys turned and stared in that quarter. + +"Matty," said Elmer, "while the rest of us stay right here, suppose you +start off directly west of this. Don't go out of sight; and unless my +theory is all wrong you won't have to. Because I'll be mighty much +surprised if you don't run across a road pretty quick!" + +Of course Matty Eggleston made the utmost haste to comply with the +directions of his chief. As leader of the Beaver Patrol he was decidedly +interested in everything that pertained to woodcraft, and the way in +which Elmer was showing the wonders of the forest trailer's art +captivated him. + +The rest of the scouts stood there, all eyes following the form of their +companion as he made his way between the trees, avoiding such bushes as +impeded his forward movements. + +Would he find that the supposition of the trail follower was correct? +Was there a road so close to them, hidden by the thick undergrowth? + +Suddenly Matty whirled around. He made a gesture that told of delight +almost beyond his ability to express. And then they heard his shout. + +"Here's your old road, Elmer, I declare if it ain't, just as you said!" + +"Bully for Elmer!" exclaimed the impulsive Red. + +"Say, you've been up in this region before, haven't you, Elmer?" asked +Phil Dale, who seemed to be the "Doubting Thomas" of the little flock; +for these were things so remarkable he must believe the scout-master +knew beforehand, or else was playing a practical joke on his comrades. + +"Never in all my life," replied Elmer, and Phil believed him; then +elevating his voice the leader called out: "Go on, and get to the road, +Matty. I want you to take a look, and tell me if you can see the marks +of rubber tires there in the mud or dust." + +A minute later and the other shouted back: + +"Just as sure as you live, fellows, I've found the marks where a car +rushed past. Must have gone at a pretty sharp clip, too, because it sent +the mud flying from this little depression here." + +"Let's get over there with Matty," remarked Elmer. "We can come back +here afterward and take up the trail again." + +Two minutes later and the scouts stood on the road. It was only a +country road, and not a general thoroughfare. Few vehicles passed during +the day, and apparently it must be a sort of connecting link between +turnpikes that ran parallel. + +"The car was going in the same direction we are headed," announced +Elmer, after looking at the marks. + +"Well, I'll be blessed if I can see how you found that out," declared +Phil, as he shook his head and looked puzzled. + +"Oh! nothing could be more simple," declared Elmer. "In a case of this +kind all a scout has to do is to keep his wits about him, and look +sharp. Now, just as Matty guessed that this car was hitting up a pretty +good pace when it went past, because it threw the soft mud to some +little distance when it dashed through this puddle, so I examine some of +the splashes on the leaves here by the roadside. And as you see, +fellows, they are, without a single exception, all on this one side of +leaves and the trunks of these close-by trees. Do you get on now, Phil?" + +"Well, I declare, you _are_ a wonder, Elmer Chenowith!" exclaimed the +other, as his face lighted up. "I used to think it was only guesswork, +this reading tracks; but now I can see that it's all figured out just +like you'd get an algebra problem in school. Given one thing, and the +other must follow dead sure. Of course that car was going north! It +couldn't be anything else, because these mud splashes are every one on +the south side of the leaves and trees." + +"Well, this has been an eye-opener to me, fellows!" declared Landy, +earnestly. "And I give you fair notice right now that I'm going to know +a heap more about this fine business before I've been long in the Beaver +Patrol." + +"I say, Elmer, do you mean to tell us this car which Dolph heard coming, +and hid to escape being seen--that it was the one we saw start out for +Cramertown?" asked Red. + +"No, it couldn't have been, for a good many reasons. That car didn't +leave the cottage of Mrs. Gruber till just before we did, and that was +plumb nine. You remember, I think I proved by the rain token, that Dolph +was here at seven. So it must have been another car entirely--perhaps +some people going to Rockaway or Hickory Ridge, and in a hurry. But +Dolph, hearing them coming, and being afraid by reason of his guilt, hid +behind the bushes, and, I imagine, must have clapped a hand over little +Ruth's mouth. If the men in the machine heard a child's cry they might +want to jump out and investigate, and Dolph wasn't going to take any +chances." + +"All this is mighty interesting, Elmer," said Mark; "and we think you've +proved every point you made. What comes next on the program?" + +"Back to the trail, and keep right along. Sooner or later I expect we're +going to run this scoundrel to earth and make a prisoner of him. But +he's got several hours' start of us yet," Elmer replied, leaving the +road that had told them so much, and aiming once more for the clump of +bushes where the impression of Dolph's two knees could be so plainly +seen. + +"But unless he's a regular trotter he ain't going to keep on the go +long," remarked Lil Artha, confidently. + +"Not much," declared Ted Burgoyne. "You thee, he's got that little girl +along, and it thtands to reason Ruth ith about played out right here. +Tho, fellows, the chances are Dolph he'll have to just pick her up and +carry her. And with thuch a load why he'll thoon get tired and camp. +That's where we'll have the hunch on him." + +"Yes," Elmer went on, "I quite agree with Ted there, and expect that +before another hour at least we'll run on our game." + +Once more, then, he led the way, with an interested and enthusiastic +bunch of scouts trailing close at his heels. + +Frequently there would arise little problems that had to be solved. Now +it was an apparent absence of marks, showing that the ground had grown +more rocky, and no footprint appeared. Then again, Dolph followed a worn +trail, so that it was necessary to make sure he stuck to this. + +Elmer was equal to each and every demand upon his knowledge. When none +of the other boys could discover a sign of tracks, he pointed out to +where a stone had been overturned since the little shower had passed; or +it might be calling their attention to a broken twig, a bruised leaf +that had been trodden on, or in various other ways proved his point, as +was made clear when a little later they would again run upon the +footprints left by Dolph. + +They had now come quite some distance, and a few of the fellows were +showing signs of wishing to rest up for a brief interval. Elmer himself +could stand any amount of fatigue without giving way, but there were +untrained muscles among the scouts; and after all it was not so vital +that they rush things. + +"Here, let's rest for ten minutes or so, fellows," he remarked, as they +came to a little bluff about fifteen or twenty feet in height, at the +foot of which the trail seemed to run. + +The boys threw themselves down on the ground, some of them glad of the +chance to recuperate without having to show the white feather. It was +very thoughtful of the leader, to be sure, displaying this regard for +their natural pride. + +"He sure can't be a great ways from here, Elmer?" remarked Matty. "Seems +to me the trail has been growing fresher lately." + +"That's right, it has," replied the other, nodding his head. "One place +I found where Dolph had rested, I don't know how long, but perhaps half +an hour; for the child walked again after they started, as if refreshed +by the stop." + +"Then we're apt to run on them any old time now?" suggested Toby, +eagerly. + +"Just what we are," Elmer answered, as he kept his face turned upward +toward the top of the little bluff overhead. + +"What you looking at, Elmer?" demanded Red Huggins, half starting up. + +"Just cast your eyes up where that clump of grass grows, fellows," the +leader said, pointing his finger; "I thought I saw something moving +there, and----" + +What he meant to say remained unspoken, for just then a slice of the +edge of the bluff suddenly gave way, and amid a mass of earth a human +figure came rolling down the sharp incline! + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +GIVING MATT TUBBS A CHANCE. + + +"WHOOP! it's that Dolph, fellows!" cried Red, jumping to his feet, and +showing signs of being prepared to fight if necessary; though scouts are +supposed to resort to such methods only in cases of absolute necessity, +and then generally in defense of some one weaker than themselves. + +"Look at him turning somersaults, would you?" shouted Landy. + +"Oh! my stars, what a header! He'll break his neck, sure!" exclaimed +Toby. + +The tumbling figure, with arms and legs flying every which way, landed +in a heap close beside the bunch of startled scouts, every one of whom +was now erect, and observing the dusty intruder with staring eyes. + +"Wow! look at him, fellows! We've sure seen that gent before!" said Red, +as the unfortunate spy sat up, and dug his knuckles into his eyes as if +to clear them of the dust. + +His nose was bleeding more or less, and he showed other signs of rough +treatment; but apparently he had not been seriously hurt by his fall. + +"It's Matt Tubbs!" remarked Elmer, with a smile, as though after all he +was not so very much astonished at the phenomenon. + +"Say, however did that chump get here?" demanded Toby. + +"Yes, it's me, all right," remarked the object of their attention, with +rather a sickly grin, as he started to get out a handkerchief to apply +to his bleeding nose; "anyhow, it's what's left of me after that nasty +tumble." + +"Are you hurt bad, Matt?" demanded Dr. Ted, scenting an opportunity to +practice his arts of healing; "because if you feel that you've broken a +leg, or your collar bone, call on me for help. Won't charge you a cent +either. Glad to cut off a limb or do any little favor. Don't be bashful, +now; just thspeak up." + +"Oh! rats, I ain't hurt so bad as that! I reckon I kin get up all +right," and as he spoke Matt proceeded to prove the truth of his +assertion by scrambling to his feet, though he winced a little as he did +so. + +"Where'd you ever come from?" demanded Matty. "We felt sure you'd gone +off in that car with your father and the police, headed for Cramertown. +Say, are they near here; and did they turn back?" + +"Naw," grunted Matt. "I jumped out after I got to thinkin' about it. +Seemed to me after what I saw Elmer Chenowith do yesterday up at the +place of my aunt, that he'd be more apt to find that pesky Dolph Gruber +than a pack of noisy cops. So I just follered the bunch, that's all." + +And strange to say, Elmer felt more pride over hearing one who had been +an enemy speak these words of praise than he would have been had his +chums gone into ecstasies over his work as a trailer. He believed he +knew what was going on in that mind of Matt. And he was not at all sorry +for it, either. It might mean great things in the near future for both +the Fairfield boys, and those of the Hickory Ridge troop. + +"D'ye mean to tell us, Matt, you've been dodging after us right along, +and none of us saw you?" demanded Red. + +The Fairfield bully grinned; and as his broad face was by this time +pretty well smeared with traces of blood, he presented a queer +appearance while so doing. + +"All the same, that's just what I done, Red," he declared. "Sometimes I +was that clost I heard every word you fellers said. Then agin I dropped +back, when the cover got thinner. An' right here let me say I was +huggin' the ground all the time Elmer, he says such great things about +the trail, an' the ottermobile on that road. Never knowed there could be +so much diskivered by just peekin' at footprints. Gosh! 'twas great, +that's what." + +"Well, where are you going?" asked Toby, between whom and the Fairfield +bully there was a long standing grudge. + +"Same as you fellers, I reckon," grinned Matt. + +"He means he wants to stick along with us, boys," remarked Red. + +"Just like his impudence!" snarled Chatz, unable to bring himself to +believe there was an atom of good in this hulking Fairfield leader, who +had many a time started a fight when the boys of the rival towns tried +to compete on the diamond, the gridiron, or at hockey on the ice of the +Sweetwater River. + +Matt heard these remarks, which were none too complimentary. He seemed +to have made up his mind not to pay any attention to them, much as they +must have set his fighting blood to coursing hotly through his veins. + +His eyes were fastened on Elmer alone, as though he recognized the fact +of his leadership, and that what he said was apt to go. + +Elmer made up his mind immediately. He considered that this was too good +an opportunity to be lost. Matt, the rough and ready fighter of the +neighboring town, was at the crossroads. A very little thing would turn +him one way or the other. He might be said to be groping in the dark. +And what scout worthy of the name would forget his vows, and turn a cold +shoulder upon a seeker after light? + +So he turned toward Matt a face that was filled with encouragement; and +even before the leader of the Wolf Patrol had spoken a single word Matt +realized that his case was as good as won. + +"Would you mind telling us, Matt," said Elmer, pleasantly, "just why you +want to go along with us now?" + +"Sure not," came the ready answer. "I said, didn't I, that when I saw +what blundering fools them jay cops were, I believed there was a heap +more chance of Elmer trackin' Dolph Gruber? Well, that's one reason why +I want to go along; 'cause I reckon you're just goin' to get that +critter, while the police are waitin' for him to show up in Cramertown, +where he never meant to go at all." + +"But, Matt, there is another reason?" persisted Elmer. + +"There be," replied the bully, with one of his grins. + +"Tell us what it is," asked Mark. + +"Well, you fellers know we're startin' a troop over in Fairfield, don't +you?" Matt replied. "I've heard a lot 'bout what this here Elmer +Chenowith knowed concernin' woodcraft an' such things. When I seen him +take holt of my uncle yest'day, and fix him up just like a reg'lar +doctor might, when I didn't know the fust blamed thing to do, says I to +myself, says I, 'It's time you was findin' out all 'bout what this here +scout business means; 'cause thar's a heap more connected with it than +fightin'.' An' I want to be along to see what else Elmer kin show us, +when the trail she grows dim. There seems to be somethin' in here," and +he clapped a hand on his breast, "that just _wants_ to larn 'bout these +things. Never felt just this way afore, give you my word I ain't. Kin I +go, Elmer?" + +The scout leader gave a quick glance at his chums. Several nodded, +hardly knowing themselves why they did it, save that somehow they had +been affected by what the bully of Fairfield had just said. + +"I don't think a single scout will raise any objection to your keeping +along with us, Matt," Elmer said, seriously. "Only for the time being +you must promise to be bound by the same rules that the rest are." + +"Promise anything, Elmer, so's you let me go 'long," declared the other. +"Now what d'ye want of me?" + +"Only that you agree to obey orders," Elmer said. + +"Whose orders?" demanded Matt, quickly. + +"I happen to represent our scout-master, Mr. Garrabrant," answered the +leader of the Wolf Patrol; "and in his absence the members of the troop +look to me to command." + +Matt grinned some more, and nodded cheerfully. + +"Sure I'll do whatever _you_ say while I'm along, Elmer," he declared. +"And when we ketch up with that coward Dolph, I hope you set me on him. +I'm just boiling over for a fight; and he'll get his medicine or else my +name is Mud." + +"That's just it, Matt," remarked Elmer. "We hope not to have to fight at +all, if we can manage to get the child away from her stepfather. But one +thing I will promise you, Matt--if there should be any need of +strong-arm action, I'll call on you to do your share. You'll be on the +firing line." + +"All right, Elmer; and now forget I'm along, and just go on like you +would if I hadn't come tumbling down that pesky slope like a bag of +oats. Wow! my elbows must be skinned to beat the band." + +And Elmer knew full well that after that his every movement would be +watched by Matt with the utmost eagerness. A new world was opening up to +this rough boy of Fairfield; through the open door he was beginning to +catch enticing glimpses of things he had never dreamed existed on this +earth. And Elmer could not find it in his heart to close that door that +was ajar. + +So they started again. + +Whenever there came a brief halt, as the trailer found a temporary hitch +in his work, Matt Tubbs invariably pressed to the front, and had eyes +and ears only for the one whom he had begun to take as his pattern. And +knowing his utter ignorance along the line of reading signs, Elmer took +especial pains to explain just why he did this thing or that. + +It was an object lesson that was apt to prove invaluable to every fellow +who clustered around "the boy who knew." Besides the information they +thus picked up, the fascination of the thing appealed strongly to their +inquiring minds; and as a consequence, every fellow would make it a +point to study the gentle arts of woodcraft more and more, as +opportunities for doing so arose. + +They had gone possibly another mile when Elmer came to a halt, and +raised his hand in a way that told his companions he wanted them to +stop. + +"No noise, please, now, fellows," he said, in a low tone; and the manner +of his saying this struck most of the scouts as highly significant. + +"Thay, are we near him now?" asked Ted, in a hoarse whisper--he had been +keeping close to Matt all the while, from time to time suggesting +something in the way of relief from the aches and pains the Fairfield +boy was suffering, even to the extent of promising to bind up his +skinned elbows at the first chance. + +"I believe we are," replied the leader, in the same cautious voice; "in +fact, he may right now be within a hundred yards of where we are +standing!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +AT MCGRAW's LUMBER CAMP. + + +NO one said anything immediately. + +Although every scout had been showing more or less signs of impatience, +and was wishing that they would soon come upon the fugitive who had +kidnaped the sweet child of Mrs. Gruber, now that the critical moment +seemed near at hand they found themselves attacked with a queer little +case of shivers. + +Had Elmer's opinion been asked as to what this meant, he might have +compared it to the "buck fever" that usually assails a greenhorn on the +occasion of his getting his first chance to shoot a deer. It was sheer +nervousness, that was all. + +All eyes were turned upon the leader as though they looked to him to say +just what was next on their program. + +"I want you to settle down here and wait for me," he remarked, quietly. + +"Does that mean you're going to creep forward and try and glimpse the +camp of the enemy?" asked Mark, regretfully; for he would have liked to +share this duty with his chum, if possible. + +"Yes," replied the other. "From signs I've been noticing along the way +lately, I've got a hunch that we're close to that old logging camp I've +heard tell of ever since I came to Hickory Ridge. You know it's been +deserted now for some ten years because all the big timber was cut that +could be moved to the river. Most of this around here is second growth, +though a few big trees were left as being crooked or something else." + +"You must mean McGraw's Camp!" remarked Mark. + +"That was what they used to call it in the old days; and in those times +these woods saw some lively goings-on, I understand," Elmer continued. + +"I should just say they did," remarked Red. "I've heard my father tell +of the awful fights that used to happen every winter up here." + +"Say, I was up at McGraw's Camp once about three years ago," broke in +Toby. "My folks were out driving and we got lost, bringin' up in the +camp. Why, we even had to spend a whole night there, gettin' out the +next day. Whee! wasn't ma scared, though? She thought we was all going +to be devoured by panthers and bears. Dad, he had to sit up all night in +the shanty, keep a fire goin' and guard the door. Every little while +she'd pop up and look 'round, like she'd been dreamin' a whole army of +wildcats and other varmints had come down the chimbly flue." + +"Perhaps your knowledge of the camp may come in handy for us, if we have +to use strategy to capture Dolph," suggested Elmer; and immediately Toby +swelled out his chest as though he felt that he must henceforth assume +great importance in the carrying out of the plan of campaign. + +"Now, don't anybody move while I'm gone, remember," said Elmer, in a +general way, but with his eye fixed particularly upon Matt Tubbs. + +"Nixy for me, Elmer," remarked that worthy, in a low, husky tone. "I'm +goin' to lay right here and wait till you come back; that's me." + +"And perhaps it might be ath well, Matt, if you allowed me to thee those +elbows of yours while we're waiting," said Dr. Ted, officiously edging +closer to his prospective patient. "It happens, you thee, that I've got +thome excellent thalve along with me. Brought it, not knowing what might +happen on a hike. It'll be a good thing, and take thome of the pain out; +besides, it's just great to thstart wounds to healing." + +"Get busy then, Doc," grinned Matt, peeling off his torn coat, and +rolling up both his sleeves. + +The act disclosed the badly lacerated elbows; indeed so painful did they +appear that some of the scouts could not keep from uttering exclamations +of dismay; but Matt was made of stern stuff, and at least affected to +look at his wounds with indifference. + +Dr. Ted started to work and made considerable of an impression on the +rough bully of Fairfield, while he was softly rubbing the ointment on, +and then insisting on wrapping a piece of linen, which he pulled out +from one of his pockets, around each elbow to keep the wound clean, he +said, though Matt declared he wanted his arms free for immediate +service. + +"There, don't that feel much better?" demanded Ted, when he had +completed his job; and Matt drew the sleeves of his torn shirt down +again. + +"Right you are, Ted; and I'm 'bliged to you. Ain't nawthin' that bothers +a feller more'n a skinned elbow, I reckon; and I've had lots of 'em." + +"I've heard of one thing that beats a skinned elbow," declared Red. + +"I'd like to know," remarked Matt, looking up from under his heavy brows +inquiringly at the speaker. + +"Why, two skinned elbows, I guess!" chuckled Red, at which the other +only grinned as if able to take a joke. + +Meanwhile Elmer had made his way cautiously along in the direction of +where he believed, from certain signs, he would come upon the deserted +old lumber camp. + +Although he had not mentioned the fact to his comrades, Elmer was +positive that he had smelled wood smoke in the air; and as the gentle +breeze happened to be blowing directly in their faces, he knew from this +that there must be some kind of fire near by. + +This had been the principal thing that caused him to bring the +expedition to a halt, while he skirmished ahead, to see what lay there. + +Inside of five minutes after quitting the company of his fellow scouts, +Elmer had his first glimpse of the old collection of shanties known by +the name of McGraw's Camp. + +After that he became even more cautious in advancing closer. Not that he +fancied Dolph Gruber would be apt to be very much on the alert; for he +did not look upon the man as versed to any extent in the ways of the +woods, but just on general principles. + +He was within sixty feet of the largest building, which had doubtless +served as a lodging place for the dozen rough loggers employed here long +ago, during several winters, when all at once Elmer froze in his tracks. + +A man had come out of the building and proceeded toward a fire that was +smouldering close by. Fortunately he did not happen to notice the boy, +though Elmer saw him sweep his eyes around in a careless way. + +Although the boy had no acquaintance with Dolph Gruber, he had heard the +man described so often that he knew immediately this could not be the +same party. Gruber was tall and rather thin, whereas this fellow was +both short and fat. + +"A hobo, or a yeggman," was what flashed though the mind of the lad, as +he dropped flat behind some friendly bushes where he could conceal +himself, and at the same time observe all that went on. + +The fellow had all the ear-marks of a genuine tramp. Moreover, he +looked ugly, as if he might prove a hard customer, should he be assailed +by the scouts. + +"Getting breakfast," thought Elmer, as he noted how the man started the +fire up again; and then after it was blazing cheerily began to put on a +frying pan which must contain some sort of meat. + +"Hello! another of the same breed!" the boy whispered to himself a short +time later, as a second fellow shambled from the long log cabin, and +carrying in his hand some sort of tomato can which might contain coffee. + +"They keep late hours, all right," chuckled Elmer, noting these +preparations for a meal; "or else they're getting this stuff ready for +Dolph. That sounds more likely; and it looks as if he knew these fellows +were here when he headed this way." + +The presence of these two "Weary Willies" on the scene promised to +complicate things more than a little. Three husky looking men instead of +only one meant that the scouts would have to be pretty smart if they +hoped to outwit the trio. + +Still, Elmer had little fear of the result. He knew that with a baker's +dozen of good fellows at his back, he ought to be able to come out +ahead. But then, if his partly formed plans came out decently there +would be no need of a rumpus, for the rescue of little Ruth might be +effected through strategy, just as he had told the warlike Matt Tubbs. + +Now and then he would glance toward the big cabin. Doubtless Dolph and +the girl were inside that; and he wished he could find a way to creep +up, so as to peep in through one of the openings. If he were absolutely +sure that the two tramps would remain where they were, and not come +prowling around to the rear, Elmer might have taken the chances of such +a move. + +But there was really no need. Whatever it was the men were cooking over +the fire, it seemed to take but a short time; for the fat tramp +presently waddled off to the door of the cabin, thrust his head inside, +and bawled out something. + +And presently a man came out. He was leading a little girl with golden +hair, undoubtedly Ruth Tubbs. Elmer saw immediately that she had been +sobbing, for she put her small hands to her face as if to rub away the +tears. And he gritted his teeth when he saw the man shake her savagely, +heard him growl some sort of a threat as to what he would do if she +didn't stop crying. + +He made her sit down near the fire on a log. Then he gave her something +to eat on a piece of birch bark, which one of the tramps had stripped, +fresh and clean, from a near-by tree. + +At first the girl did not seem to want to eat, but upon being threatened +again by the brute, she made a pretense of doing so, though it could be +plainly seen that grief for her mother was taking away any appetite she +might have had. + +Elmer had seen enough from that side of the camp. If he could only +withdraw now, he wanted to move around so as to come upon the place from +the opposite side, and after that he could shape his plans of action. + +But was it safe to try and creep away while those three fellows were so +close to him? Should some movement on his part attract the attention of +either one of the ugly looking tramps, who often looked that way, an +investigation would be next in order. And while Elmer did not much doubt +but that he could easily give them the slip, as he was a good runner, +his presence there, acting in such a suspicious manner, would alarm the +trio of tough characters, so that they would be put on their guard and +flee, or else shut themselves up in the log cabin and laugh at all the +puny efforts of the scouts to get at them. + +So he was very cautious as he began to slowly push back. Inch at a time +he moved, save when very sure of his cover. All the while he kept a +vigilant watch over the parties in the open spot. + +Once Elmer's heart seemed to be almost in his mouth. This was when the +fatter one of the two suddenly craned his neck in an attitude of +scrutiny, as though he fancied he had seen something moving off there in +the underbrush. + +Of course, if he made the first move as though bent on an investigation, +Elmer meant to spring boldly to his feet and run for it, possibly in a +direction away from the spot where he had left his comrades. + +But the man did not even get up from his seat. Judging from his looks, +Elmer decided that he must be a lazy sort of fellow. And then again, why +should the tramp entertain the least suspicion that any human being +could be loitering around the old McGraw Camp, so far removed from the +railroad, and even the dirt roads leading to main thoroughfares? + +When things seemed all quiet again, Elmer continued his wriggling +movements, and presently arrived at a point where he could make better +progress, as the cover was heavier. + +At length he made a detour, approached the cabin again, and scanned its +immediate surroundings. Satisfied with what he had learned, he proceeded +to find the impatient scouts, from whom he had been absent now almost an +hour. + +They were in a state of mind approaching insurrection. Of course all +manner of dreadful things were suggested under their breath, as the boys +huddled together. Every slight sound made them start and look hurriedly +around. When a gray squirrel dropped a nut it seemed as though a gun +had gone off; and later on when he himself frisked around a neighboring +tree butt in search of a further supply, Landy Smith could hardly keep +from crying out, his nerves being all on edge with the strain. + +Chatz had looked at his watch for the twentieth time, and murmurs were +beginning to rise all along the line, when suddenly keen-eyed Mark +exclaimed: + +"I saw something move right then, fellows; there it is again. It's +Elmer, all right; and he looks as though he might have discovered +something of importance!" + +"Bully! bully!" chuckled Ty Collins; "now we'll get into action, I +guess!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A REBELLION NIPPED IN THE BUD. + + +"DID you find 'em, Elmer?" + +"What's the use asking such silly questions, when you can see right now +from the grin on his face that he did." + +"Huh! don't you be so sure, Red Huggins; perhaps he's laughing at the +way the sun reflects on your hair!" + +"Tell us what you saw, Elmer; we've passed an awful hour," said Mark, +sighing. + +"Worst ever; thought it was five times as long!" complained Toby. + +They listened attentively as the returned scout related his adventures +while taking a survey of the old logging camp at close quarters. + +"Three of 'em--three husky tramps all in a bunch! Say, that's going +some, now, fellows!" remarked Ty. + +"Ain't gettin' cold feet, I hope, so soon?" scoffed Red. + +"When I do, you'll never know it, 'cause why--you'll be about fifty +miles away, scootin' for all you're worth toward home, sweet home," +declared Ty, aggressively. + +"Yes, you see!" remarked Phil Dale, wagging his head significantly. + +"Now he's thinking of that popgun of his, Elmer, and thinks you'll be +sorry because you emptied all the cartridges out," said Tom Cropsey. + +"Oh! I'm not bothering my head a bit over that," declared the leader. +"Fact is, I'd be afraid to have that gun around if it was loaded. We're +not going to need such things to capture these fellows. Perhaps there +may be plenty of other ways to scare them into giving up." + +"But say, if it comes to a show-down, Elmer, you don't mind if I just +_point_ my cannon at 'em, do you, and threaten to blow the whole +blooming lot into the next county if they don't up with their little +hands?" Phil asked. + +"Not a bit," replied the other. "Make as much use of an _empty_ pistol +as you want, but be sure the time is ripe. Only as a last resort pull it +on the men. And now, draw in a little closer and we'll talk this thing +over. Thirteen heads ought to be some better than one." + +Every one had a chance to make suggestions. Elmer invited them to +exchange views on the subject. He could pick up a clever idea once in a +while by this means, for all boys do not think alike, and where he might +overlook something, one of the others would be sure to strike it. + +"First of all, remember that we are not up here to capture these tramps, +though, of course, it may come to that before we're through with the +thing. To get possession of little Ruth, that's our main idea," Elmer +said more than once. + +"But even if we do, won't they follow after us, and try to get the girl +back again?" asked Red, who, it could be plainly seen, was just spoiling +for action. + +"Perhaps they will if they know where to look for us!" replied the +leader. + +"Oh! I begin to see; you expect to blind the trail; or send 'em off on a +false scent! Ain't you the cute one, though, Elmer? I take off my hat to +you every time," chimed in "Lil Artha," who had been strangely quiet +during most of this discussion, though he was doing a heap of thinking. + +Matt Tubbs had listened to what Elmer had said. His face had grown dark +with one of his passionate uprisings. + +"See here," he broke out with at this point, "why don't we just walk +right into McGraw Camp, and up to that coward, Dolph Gruber? What's the +use knuckling down in this way, I'd like to know? Thirteen of us ought +to be enough to turn them three old maids down right smart. Let's just +rush the place, and give 'em the lesson all kidnapers ought to get! +Who's with me?" + +He looked straight at Red, first of all, as if aware of his hasty +temper. Indeed, that impulsive individual did make a little move as +though tempted to step over to the side of Matt. Fighting had always +come easy to Red in the old days before he joined the scouts, and it was +mighty hard work conquering the spirit that had such a strong grip on +his nature. + +Then some magnet caused him to twist to one side, and send an appealing +look toward Elmer, who shook his head in the negative. Upon which Red +fell back again with a grunt. He had declined the plain invitation to +rebel, which the stranger in the camp had thrown at his feet. + +No one else stirred. They even frowned, as though astonished at the +audacity of this one who had tried to raise the standard of rebellion +among the scouts. + +"Huh! afraid to risk it, hey?" sneered Matt. "Don't like the idea, of +running up against a hard fist, is that it, fellows? Say, is that the +sort of milksops this here scout business makes of boys? If it is, I +reckon I ain't got much use for it in mine." + +"Hold on!" + +It was Elmer who spoke just those two words, and the bully of Fairfield +turned to look in the face of the Wolf Patrol leader. He stopped +sneering, and even dropped his eyes before the accusing ones of Elmer +Chenowith. + +"You forget yourself, Matt," said Elmer, quietly. "I always thought you +were a fellow of your word; that you prided yourself on doing what you +said you would. But I see I'm mistaken. You promised me that if we +allowed you to come along you would obey orders. We scouts have +subscribed to the rules of an organization that makes obedience to +superior officers a thing of prime importance. These fellows believe in +me, trust in me. They know I will not fail them purposely. And yet you +have tried to get them to rebel, and do something I've positively +forbidden." + +Matt looked very uneasy. + +"I reckon I was away off, Elmer; excuse me," he muttered; and that was +more of an apology than any other boy had even heard Matt Tubbs utter. + +"All right; but you must learn to look at things in another light," +Elmer went on, severely. "Now, you know that there are boys here who +have been accustomed to rough-house tactics almost as much as you +yourself. A little while ago it wouldn't have needed a second invitation +to coax Red, and Toby, and several others to trot along at your heels, +and pitch into those tramps like hot cakes. But they have turned over a +new leaf. Not that they can't fight, and fight hard, if necessary; but +they are no longer looking for trouble." + +Matt scratched his head, and tried to appear as though he understood; +but it was slow to penetrate his brain; all his life he had written only +on one side of the slate; in fact, until lately he did not know there +was another side. + +"Obedience is a true scout's glory," Elmer continued, with a purpose in +view. "That man is best fitted to command who has learned to obey. So +you see, although tempted to join you, not a single one of the boys did +so. I do not think you will ever look at things the same way again, or +try to create a rebellion in camp where you have been received only on +probation." + +"That's right; I knows it, Elmer. I was dead wrong. And I'm goin' to do +just whatever you say," declared Matt, looking grimly around, as though +challenging any boy to dare throw up to him the fact that in doing this +he must be showing signs of weakness. + +"Then we'll forget all about the incident. Now, let's get back to where +we were, and see if we can hit on some plan to get little Ruth away." +Elmer went on as pleasantly as though nothing had occurred to ruffle his +temper. + +"I was wondering," said Chatz, "if given a little time, they mightn't do +all the capturing themselves, suh." + +"How is that, Chatz?" demanded Toby; "I know my skull is thick, but +somehow I just don't seem to grab that idea on the jump." + +"Yes, explain what you've got in mind, please," remarked Elmer. + +"Well, I remembered that when you were telling all you had seen, suh, +that you said the fat tramp and the tall thin one were taking a swig +every few minutes out of a couple of big whisky flasks they carried in +their pockets, and which you guessed Dolph must have fetched along for +them." + +"Oh! yes, now I begin to see," remarked Elmer. + +"Supposing now, suh, they are allowed to drain those same flasks, do you +believe they would be knocked out; and if we entered the camp it would +be to find both of them fast asleep, and dead to the world?" + +"That's an idea worth considering," Elmer declared. "But we shouldn't +depend entirely upon it." + +"If there was only some way of getting those two men away from the camp +it would make it easy sailing for us," suggested Mark. + +"They act as though they expected to stay around here for some time," +Elmer answered. "In fact, from a few words I happened to hear them let +fall, I wouldn't be surprised if they had done something or other that +made them afraid that the police might be having an eye out for two +fellows of their description. And that's the main reason they are +sticking so close to this lonesome lumber camp." + +"Suppose you outline your scheme, Elmer," Red said, humbly; "we'll fall +in line, and endorse it, no matter what it is." + +"Well, it's getting on toward the middle of the day right now, and since +some of us had our breakfasts right early, suppose we take a snack +before tackling this job," Matty suggested. + +When the question of eating comes up among a party of hungry boys it is +certain to take precedence, just as a motion to adjourn is said to be +always in order. + +"That gets me where I live," declared Red, nodding his head vigorously. + +"All in favor hold up your right hands," said the acting scout-master; +and immediately eleven hands shot into the air. + +Every one present had voted in favor of the motion save the leader and +Matt Tubbs. And even the latter looked happier than before, when, taking +a good sized roll from his haversack, Elmer divided it in half and +offered one portion to the uninvited guest. + +Perhaps, after all, it was the part of wisdom for the scouts to partake +of lunch before entering upon any more strenuous work. Boys never feel +quite so venturesome on an empty as a full stomach. At least, after the +long hike, they needed refreshments, every one thought. + +"Look at Ted, will you; he's the disappointed one," whispered Mark in +the ear of the scout master. + +Indeed, Ted did continue to frown as if he had met with a severe loss; +and yet as a rule he had never been known as a fighter. + +"Don't you see what it is," answered Elmer, amused. "He was just +beginning to believe there would be a rumpus and lots of bruises to be +taken care of. Ted is getting more and more earnest in his liking for +the profession of a surgeon." + +"Huh!" grunted Toby, who chanced to be standing close enough to hear +what passed between the two chums; "he's getting more and more cracked, +that's what. Unless he curls that disposition of his, I'm afraid he'll +get bounced from the scouts before long." + +"Why, what's his desire to be a doctor and a surgeon got to do with it?" +asked Mark, curiously. + +"Well, I'm getting afraid of that fellow, for a fact. He just keeps +thinking of those old operations he's been reading about, all the +blessed time. Plague take it, fellows, I'm suspecting that unless Ted +finds a subject to work on when the fit takes him, he'll _make_ one! +Anyhow, I'm going to be mighty careful how I let myself go out alone +with him after dark." + +Elmer and Mark looked at Toby to see if he might not be joking, but if +so, he certainly managed to keep a straight face through it all. + +"Oh! I guess there isn't any danger of that," said the patrol leader, +soothingly; "and all of us have to admit that Ted certainly knows his +business very well. He can dress a wound splendidly, and I'd be willing +to trust him to set my arm if ever I was unlucky enough to get it +broken. Don't worry about Ted, Toby; he's all to the good, and I suspect +that pretty much all of that ferocious spirit is put on for effect. He +can be as gentle as a woman when he's dressing a wound, for I've watched +him." + +As all the scouts were now through "feeding," as some of them called the +process of eating their "snacks" carried along for the purpose, the plan +of campaign proposed by Elmer was gone over carefully, so that every +fellow might be sure he understood the part he was expected to play in +the round-up. + +"All ready, suh!" announced Chatz Maxfield, finally. + +"Then we'll begin to advance, and this time we will do without the +bugle, Mark. Remember your patrol calls, and keep your ears open for my +signal. The whistle might arouse suspicions here, so I'll give the harsh +cry of the bluejay three times. Then act! Now, be off, all of you; and +Matt, you come with me!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +RED PLAYS THE PART OF THE CRAFTY FOX. + + +WHEN the acting scout-master thus asked the recognized bully of +Fairfield to accompany him, he had several good reasons for the step, +strange as it might seem to Mark and the others, who fancied that +possibly Matt should be posted at some distance where he was likely to +do no harm. + +But Elmer preferred to have him under his own eye. Moreover, the scheme +upon which he was embarked was tinged with more or less danger; and Matt +was a husky chap, capable of giving a good account of himself. + +But then Matt Tubbs was not the only one who accompanied the leader. +Elmer had chosen to take with him Ted, Lil Artha, Toby, Mark, Landy and +Tom Cropsey. This left five others, and they were also divided into two +detachments, one consisting of Matty, Phil, Chatz, Ty; while Red Huggins +made up the other all by himself. + +As to the plan of campaign, it might be well to explain what Elmer had +fashioned in his mind, as justifying their efforts. + +He had noticed, when spying around the further end of the long log +cabin, an odd tunnel underneath the walls. This, no doubt, had been made +by some woodchuck or other animal, desirous of finding a snug winter +home. + +Elmer fully believed that the passage was amply large enough to allow a +boy to crawl through. And as it was apparently situated at that end of +the building least likely to be used by the tramps, he expected that he +and his mates would be able to creep in without being discovered. + +Supposing his expectations were fulfilled; then the second detachment +was to hide as near the door of the cabin as they could. Finally, Red, +at some little distance, was to play his part in the game. + +Red had always been known as a most adroit "fox" in the games the lads +of Hickory Ridge played. Once he started out to elude those hounds set +upon his track, none had ever been successful in overtaking him. His +methods of dodging and doubling on his track were famous throughout all +the region, and in selecting him for the part of fox Elmer knew just +what to expect. + +Red was to "toll" the tramps out of the cabin and lose them somewhere in +the depths of the woods. Meanwhile, with perhaps a clear field before +them, Elmer and his scouts could easily accomplish the balance of the +affair. + +Of course there was always the question as to whether it would work. + +Following the lead of the scout master, the little squad of boys slipped +around so as to come upon the long cabin from the rear. Everything +seemed peaceful. No one was in sight, the men having apparently stepped +inside again after Dolph and little Ruth had been fed. + +This was as it should be, and Elmer had indeed figured on it when laying +his plans. In single file they approached as near as was deemed safe; +then, at a signal from the leader, the scouts dropped flat behind some +bushes. From this point on, their progress must be much slower, since +they would have to do considerable crawling. + +Before making a move, however, Elmer gave the signal that was to start +the other detachments. This, as agreed on, consisted of the harsh cry of +the bluejay, and which in the still air of the woods could be easily +heard for a long distance. + +After that things were to happen in regulation order. Elmer had +calculated just how long it might take his band to obtain entrance to +the cabin; also for the other detachment to find a hiding place near by. +Red was scheduled to commence operations just half an hour after he +heard the bluejay cry three times. And to make sure, he carried the +nickel watch of Chatz with him. + +"Come on, fellows, and be careful, every one," was the low whisper which +Elmer allowed to float back over his shoulder. + +Having been over the ground once before, and with his customary sagacity +memorized every little point that could be used to advantage, Elmer was +not in the least dismayed at certain obstacles that from time to time +had to be surmounted. + +Ten minutes after the signal had been given he led his line of creeping +scouts up to the further end of the long, low cabin. And so far as they +knew no hostile eye had taken note of their coming. + +The tunnel was close at hand. Its smooth walls told of the many times +the animal responsible for its presence had crept in and out. And Elmer +noted with considerable satisfaction that his former conception of its +capacity had not been amiss. Yes, even the stoutest of the scouts could +pass through, with a little assistance. + +Even here the shrewdness of the young scout-master showed itself. He had +arranged his schedule so that this individual, who chanced to be Landy, +always known as a fat youth, though fond of all outdoor sports, should +come last. This, it may be noted in passing, was done so that in case he +did stick in the tunnel he might not block the passage of others whose +presence was vital to the success of the plan. + +Elmer never forgot anything he heard or read, and it happened that not +so very long before he had been interested in an account of the escape +from Libby Prison of a large number of Union prisoners during the dark +days of the Civil War, and vividly remembered how there might have been +many more follow the same route only that an ambitious fat man closed +the passage, since he could neither go on nor return. + +Of course it was the intention of the scout-master himself to lead the +way. He could not think of delegating that important function to any one +else. And Lil Artha was to follow at his heels, to be succeeded by +others, Matt Tubbs coming just before Landy, on account of his size. + +Lying on his back, Elmer started in head first. This he did because the +tunnel performed a quick curve upward, after once passing under the +lower log; and as most boys are not as supple as gymnasts and +contortionists, and cannot bend backward the same as forward, he knew +this was the only way of passing through. + +Using his heels to help propel his body forward, and being gently +assisted by little pushes from his mates, Elmer readily went through the +ceremony of imitating the woodchuck that had used the hole during the +past winter. + +As he raised his head above the level of the earthen floor he took a +quick observation. The boys outside gave an inclination of continuing +the pushing movement, so that it became necessary for him to kick in a +way they would understand meant a temporary halt. + +It was not very light inside the long cabin, because there were only a +few openings that had served as windows, and even some of these had +become clogged with stray rubbish in the years that elapsed since the +logging camp knew life and bustle. + +After a brief interval, however, Elmer was able to see fairly well. Just +as he had anticipated, those who now occupied the place were down near +the door at the other end. + +First of all he made out that the three men and one little girl +comprised the entire list of occupants. This pleased him, because as yet +he had not been positive on this point; and if it proved that there were +half a dozen tough characters assembled under the roof of the log +bunk-cabin, the work which the scouts had laid out for themselves must +have been considerably extended. + +Ruth was by herself. She had eaten at the command of her stepfather, but +not with any heart in the matter, and now she was huddled in a little +bunch, possibly crying under her breath, for she did not dare do +anything more to anger the man she feared. + +The three men were sprawled out in some of the old bunks. A bundle of +dried grass made a fair mattress for fellows unused to anything better, +and they seemed quite satisfied with their surroundings. + +Elmer knew that he must not linger too long. Behind him were seven +impatient fellows, all anxious to do that great crawling stunt. So he +once more got in motion and wriggled himself into the cabin. + +Luckily the tall, thin tramp whom Elmer mentally called Skinny, even as +Fatty covered the stout, happy-go-lucky chap, had a voice like a +fog-horn; and a laugh that was as raspy as a file; so that when he got +going there was little chance of any slight sound from the end of the +long cabin being noticed. + +And as the squirrels ran haphazard all over the roof of the building, +any such sound would of necessity be attributed to them, for such a +thing as a hostile force penetrating this far into the timber would +never strike any of the men as possible. + +A touch on the arm presently warned Elmer that the first of his +followers had wormed his way through that crooked passage. Trust the +angular Lil Artha for being able to navigate a zigzag tunnel with +greatest ease. No doubt he slipped in and out with almost the handiness +with which one might crack a whip. + +Then came Toby, Mark and Tom. After that there was a slight hitch, as +though perhaps Matt Tubbs might be having a little difficulty; but they +could hear faint scratching sounds from the tunnel that proved he was +coming along. As for Landy, it did not matter materially whether he +arrived or not, so long as he did nothing to alarm the enemy. + +Everything was apparently working just as Elmer, like a wise general, +had figured on. The three men still continued to talk and argue, being +worked up over some sort of proposition that Dolph seemed to be putting +before the others. + +Several words that came to the ears of Elmer from time to time convinced +him that Dolph Gruber was fully as bad a man as he had suspected, for +there could be no doubt but that he was now actually planning to lead +his reckless companions on a raid of some sort, looking to robbery as a +reward of their enterprise. + +It must be getting on toward the time appointed when Red was expected to +take up his part of the game. + +Landy had not yet arrived, but he was heroically endeavoring to join his +comrades. Indeed, during a temporary lull in the conversation of the +trio of men at the other end of the cabin, Elmer could hear a gasping +sound from the tunnel that alarmed him not a little, lest it attract the +attention of the plotters, and lead to a search calculated to upset all +their well-laid plans. + +So he immediately pushed down into the mouth of the tunnel, and groping +around until he came in contact with the clawing hands of the stout boy, +began to gently but firmly drag him through. + +It was a tight fit, but luckily Landy made it, though only for the +assistance Elmer gave him he must have stuck there ingloriously until +the end of the affair, and thus been unable to assume his proper share +in the rescue of little Ruth. + +All were now on hand, Landy panting in a way that made Lil Artha dig his +elbow into his ribs as a warning that he was making altogether too much +noise. + +"Why don't Red start his bazoo?" whispered that long-legged worthy in +Elmer's ear, as he lay flattened out on the ground in the gloomy far-end +part of the loggers' bunk-house. + +"Never fear, you can count on Red to do his part," was what the scout +master managed to convey in the same sort of careful whisper; and +fearful lest Arthur, who was known to be rather talkative, get fairly +started, when it was most unwise to indulge in any conversation with +those enemies so close by, Elmer gave a gentle "'sh!" to signify that +silence just then was golden. + +The impatient ones were counting the seconds, and wondering how they +could ever hold out much longer. Elmer kept watching the three men, +knowing that through their actions at least he could readily tell when +the expected break had come. + +Ruth still had her face hidden in her dress, and was doubtless filled +with grief because of this cruel enforced separation from her own +mother. + +And as he thus waited, his heart beating faster than its wont, Elmer +caught a faint cry. It came from some distance off, and seemed to be +filled with the utmost distress. + +"Help! oh! help!" + +The time limit having expired, that was Red getting in his work as the +crafty fox attempting to coax the hounds on a false scent. + +The three men had started up. They were looking at each other, as +though hardly knowing what to make of it. To hear a call for assistance +in this lonely vicinity was certainly enough to bewilder, yes, and +perhaps to alarm anyone; especially men whose past had been so very +shady that they suspected everything which they could not fully +understand. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +TAKEN BY SURPRISE. + + +"HEY! what's that?" + +The tall, thin tramp had jumped up from the bunk as he cried out in this +fashion. His fat companion was also hastily scrambling out of his +comfortable lodgings. Both of them looked alarmed, but Elmer noted with +more or less satisfaction that the very one who might have been expected +to be anxious showed the least sign of consternation. Indeed, a crafty +look had come over Dolph's face, as though something pleasant might have +struck him. + +"What's the matter with you?" demanded Dolph, who, while he deserted his +bunk, did so in a leisurely manner, as if to show his indifference. + +"Didn't yuh hear that yell?" exclaimed the lean hobo. + +"Sure I did; think I ain't got ears?" replied Dolph, sneeringly. "But +what ails the two of ye? Look like ye wanted to skip out, and make +tracks." + +"But who'd be comin' away up here, 'cept they wanted tuh git us? Sense +that leetle job over in Janesville a month back, me an' Pete don't feel +jest as safe as we'd like!" went on the thin tramp. + +"Aw! go chase yourself, Simsy," scoffed Dolph. "Listen again, would ye? +D'ye mark what the cove's ayellin'? He sez he wants help as plain as can +be. D'ye think if they was any cop around they'd be tellin' us about it? +Wouldn't they rather creep up on us sly like, and nail us before we +could run? Rats! jest use yer brains and figger it out!" + +"But what is it, then?" demanded the fellow called Simsy; "if so be yuh +know, tell us, Dolph? I ain't no coward, but I ain't no fool neither. +An' if it comes tuh hangin' around, an' lettin' these jay cops git a +strangle hold on me jest tuh show my grit, I tell yuh I ain't in it." + +"Say, don't ye know the old loggin' road leads up here from the main +line? I heard afore now o' fellers in cars mistakin' the way, or +thinkin' they could cut off a heap of distance by startin' in on the +side. All right, then; a fool is born every second, they say; an' one of +'em has just gone and got into trouble tryin' to foller that old loggin' +road." + +The tall tramp looked at his fat companion; and then both turned their +eyes on Dolph as he finished speaking. Apparently his logic struck them +as sound, for the expression of fear had already begun to vanish from +their unwashed faces. + +"D'ye really an' truly reckon that's what it be, Dolph?" asked the hobo +who had answered to the name of Pete. + +"'Cause we don't wanter take any chances, yuh see," added the tall one, +shaking his little head to add emphasis to his remark. + +"'Course it is," affirmed Dolph, with a laugh of scorn that did more to +convince his mates than all his talking. "I tell ye that's some fool +feller in a car. He's run into a tree, or some fool play like that, an' +p'raps got hurted bad. Looky here, you two, how d'ye know this ain't +jest the luckiest thing for us three coves that ever came down the +pike?" + +"What way?" growled Simsy. + +"Yes, speak up an' tell us, Dolph," echoed the other. "Allers sed as how +yuh had the brains o' the bunch. Me an' Pete likes the red licker too +much. Right now we ain't all we orter be. How's it goin' tuh be lucky +for us three?" + +"Why," continued Dolph, with vehemence, "don't ye see, if so be this +happens to be a rich guy what has got hurted, we can tote him in here, +an' keep him along till he coughs up a nice little pile to his life +savers. And if ye know a good thing when ye run across it, why both o' +ye ought to put out to find him, and bring him back as quick as ye can." + +At that Pete and Simsy again exchanged looks. The love of gain was +rapidly overcoming their first fears; just as the artful Dolph had known +it would. + +"How 'bout you, ole feller; don't you jine us in this game?" asked the +thin tramp, a little suspiciously. + +"Sure I do," returned Dolph, with ready assurance; "but there ain't no +need of the whole three of us goin' out to carry one feller here. +'Sides, you remember I got a mighty sore heel after my long walk." + +"But--yuh ain't agoin' tuh clear out an' leave us?" questioned the tall +hobo. + +"Well, what sort of crazy questions are ye askin'? I'll stay right here, +an' wait for ye to fetch the feller back. Then leave it to me to work +him for the stuff. I'm some good at that sort o' thing, I reckon," and +Dolph grinned in their faces. + +"So yuh are, Dolph, so yuh are," replied Simsy. "What say, Pete, do we +start out to do the great rescuin' act, and bring the poor bubble wagon +fool here to get bleeded?" + +"Ho! I'm willin' if yuh say so, Simsy," replied the fat tramp, promptly, +the prospect of gain acting as a lure in his eyes that outweighed all +other considerations. + +Elmer had listened to all this with the utmost eagerness. One minute he +fancied that the lovely little trap he had baited so cleverly was about +to work; and then again he found himself beset with fears that it had +been all for naught; and that if the alarmed tramps made up their minds +to flee, Dolph would decide to accompany them, which in turn meant that +little Ruth must be spirited away, and another long chase follow. + +But, after all, it seemed now that things were moving along nicely. +Dolph could be thanked for greasing the ways, though of course the +fellow never dreamed how he was riding to a fall in doing so. + +"Come along then, Pete; we'll take a look in at thet squaller, an' see +how bad he's hurted." + +The tall tramp made for the near-by door of the log cabin while +speaking, and his fat mate trotted at his heels, for all the world like +a little dog--but an ugly bulldog at that, for he had the face of a +ruffian, did Pete. + +Thus they passed out, stopping at the door to listen once more, while +Dolph urged them to lose no further time. + +Meanwhile Red had been duly busy. Every minute the sound of his voice, +filled with wild entreaty, came on the breeze. + +"Help! oh! won't somebody come and help me! This way! Oh! what a +terrible fix I'm in! Help! help!" he would shout in the most dismal tone +imaginable. + +Of course Red was so situated that he could see the door of the cabin +from a distance. Thus he would know when anyone sallied forth to try and +rescue the one supposed to be in a peck of trouble. And once that +occurred, the crafty "fox" was due to exercise his wonderful ingenuity +by slipping away, and later on lifting up his wail for assistance in a +new quarter. + +Thus he would coax the two tramps hither and thither, arousing their +hopes only to dash them to the ground by a new appeal from another +section. In the end, of course, such fellows would begin to believe they +were being hoodwinked--that there must be something uncanny about the +mysterious calls, and they would be seized with a small panic that must +wind up the hunting game. + +But meanwhile ten, perhaps fifteen, minutes might have elapsed; and +surely that space of time would be enough for Elmer and his fellow +scouts to accomplish the end they had in view. + +The young scout leader always did his work with more or less system. He +had decided that they ought to let at least three minutes elapse after +the departure of the men, before attempting any move. This would take +them far enough away from the bunk-house so that any ordinary outcry +from within would hardly reach their ears. Having no other way of +determining upon the passage of time, Elmer began to count under his +breath as soon as the bulky figure of Pete had vanished from the open +door of the building. + +Three minutes does not seem a long time under ordinary conditions; +indeed, in many instances it just slips past like magic. And yet try +counting the seconds contained within that short space of time--one +hundred and eighty of them, all told--why, it seems enormous. But +steadily Elmer was putting them over, determined not to change his +plans, and give way to his natural impatience, since he had in the +beginning figured on that three-minute leeway. + +He could feel the uneasy movements of his impatient chums. Lil Artha +even went so far as to nudge him in the ribs, as though he had begun to +suspect that their cautious leader might have gone to sleep. But Elmer +gave back an answering dig that convinced the other of his being on the +alert. + +When he had finally reached the end of the probation, Elmer himself +began to make a forward movement. All the while he counted those passing +seconds he had been closely watching the figure of Dolph, so as to be +ready for action. That was the motto of the scouts, "Be prepared," and +he certainly believed in living up to it. + +Dolph had come back into the cabin. He appeared to be listening from +time to time, as though a little anxious himself concerning the nature +of that strange call for assistance; for all he had pretended to treat +it so lightly when his allies were present. + +Dolph had dropped down upon a block of wood, and was examining something +which he had taken from his pocket. Elmer was not able to get a good +look at this article, but, knowing the desperate character of the man +who sat there, and how he had now burned his bridges behind him when he +kidnaped the child of the woman he had married and tortured, the boy +could easily guess its nature. + +It was what Lil Artha would call a "gun," otherwise a revolver of the +bulldog type, dangerous enough in the hands of a reckless scoundrel who +feared arrest. + +Elmer was conscious of a new little thrill, but he mentally scorned the +thought of this being any indication of fear. Indeed, to thoroughly +disprove such a silly thing he even increased the pace with which he was +creeping across the earthen floor of the cabin. + +Dolph still sat there, his head bent low over the tool he was fondling, +as he listened for any change in the cries from outside. If he would +only kindly continue to hold that attitude for another full minute, +Elmer believed he might be in a position to make an aggressive move. + +Just then the scout leader became aware of something that gave him a +momentary spasm of acute alarm. Ruth no longer had her face buried in +her dress. Something had caused her to stop her silent weeping, and look +up. Perhaps she, too, had been attracted by those wails for help which +the Boy Scout fox was using as a means for "tolling" the two dangerous +tramps away from the cabin. + +But in raising her head Ruth had been made aware of some strange +movement back of the bent-over figure of her stepfather. She was now +staring with round-eyed wonder at the string of crawling figures that +extended from the rear wall of the cabin. + +Elmer raised his hand, and held up a warning finger. He hoped by this +means to convince the girl that they were friends, and nothing was to be +feared. But he also hoped that Matt Tubbs, whom he knew to be close at +his side, might be doing something of the same kind; and that little +Ruth would recognize her cousin. + +Whether the child could have given utterance to some low bubbling cry of +fear or joy, which reached the ears of the man, or he just happened to +look up, and noticed how she was staring past him, no one ever knew. + +Elmer became suddenly aware that Dolph had whirled around on his stool, +and was looking in sheer amazement at the peculiar spectacle of eight +figures worming their way across the earthen floor of the bunk-house and +headed straight for the spot where he himself was seated. + +He certainly could not mistake the danger that accompanied the presence +of all these strangers. And, given just three seconds in which to +collect his wits, the desperate fugitive and kidnaper would of course do +something looking toward one thing or the other--flight or resistance. + +Elmer did not mean to allow of either. He had been nerving himself for +just this crisis, and his muscles were ready primed for a quick leap. + +But, prepared as he was for the action that meant so much toward the +carrying out of his plans, there was one ahead of Elmer. This was Matt +Tubbs, who, crouching there like a tiger beside the leader of the Wolf +Patrol, had reached the limit of his endurance and submission to +orders. + +Even as Elmer started to throw himself forward, meaning to clasp his +arms about the man before he could rise, or do any damage with his +weapon, a figure shot past him. Then he saw Matt Tubbs hurl himself +bodily upon Dolph Gruber. At the same time the pistol fell to the +ground, struck on a stone, and was discharged! + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +ELMER THINKS IT PAYS. + + +SUCH a scene of wild confusion as followed. + +Six other eager lads besides Elmer and Matt Tubbs strove to get a chance +to have "a finger in the pie," as Lil Artha called it. They even pushed +among themselves, in their eagerness to land somewhere upon the +squirming figure of the struggling victim. + +Nor was this all. Four other fellows had been hiding without, screened +by some friendly bushes from the sight of Pete and Simsy when they +issued forth in search of the unfortunate who was so beseechingly +calling for help. These chaps, hearing the beginning of the racket +within the bunk-house, looked upon it as a signal for their advance. + +Through the open door they came in a confused bunch, ready to lend any +assistance in their power. But just at that moment it looked as if there +were already quite enough hands clustering around the astonished and +disgusted Dolph Gruber to attend to his case. And as Lil Artha said, +"Too many cooks sometimes spoil the broth." + +Dolph possibly as yet did not understand what it all meant. He had had a +glimpse of khaki uniforms, and may have suspected that the authorities +had summoned a company of the militia from some neighboring city to +search for the kidnaper and the missing child. + +He struggled desperately; but when some six or eight pretty husky boys +hurl their united weight on one person that individual has a slim chance +of throwing off the burden. And so Dolph had to take it out in +wriggling and grunting. + +Lil Artha had made preparations looking to this condition of affairs. +Indeed, had he been a duly elected sheriff of the county he could hardly +have been more in readiness to secure a prisoner. + +"Hold him steady, fellows, while I tie his hands behind his back!" he +exclaimed; "there, turn him over a little more; and Matt, twist that +left arm further back. That's the ticket, boys. Watch me fix him up in a +jiffy, will you?" + +He started to wrap some stout twine around and around the wrists of the +prisoner. By this time Dolph seemed to become aware of the fact that +these mysterious fellows, who had crept in through some back entrance, +and pounced upon him with such scant ceremony, were a pack of half-grown +boys. He started to roar threats at them, filled with rage at the +thought of such an indignity as being so rudely handled by mere lads. +But despite his worst efforts he could not break loose from the grip +they had upon his person. + +"Whoop! that's the way to do it, fellows!" Lil Artha continued to +declare, as he completed his job. "Talk to me about your football +tackle, this takes the cake, sure! Now for another little splice around +his legs. Sit on him, some of you! No matter if he does object; what +right has a kidnaper got we're bound to respect? Let him bawl till he +gets hoarse. We've got him, and we're going to hold him till he's shut +up in the cooler at Hickory Ridge!" + +Elmer meanwhile had not forgotten that Dolph had comrades. Doubtless his +angry shouts must have reached the ears of the two tramps, who could not +have gotten entirely beyond range of a loud voice. + +"Here, you fellows," he called to the four boys who had come darting +through the entrance of the cabin, "shut that door, and find some way to +barricade it! We may have the other men attacking us yet; and you +remember how we arranged our plans in case that happens. Quick, let's +get ready for a siege!" + +"Hurrah! that's the ticket!" cried Chatz Maxfield. "Lend a hand here, +fellows, and we'll do the thing up in style. Yes, suh, we-all have armed +ourselves with the nicest clubs you evah saw, and hope to find a chance +to use them, dusting the garments of those two hoboes." + +Every one of the quartette, besides Elmer himself, became as busy as the +proverbial bee. The door was swung shut, even though it required more or +less muscular persuasion to bring about this result, because of long +disuse. Then every description of weighty article upon which they could +lay hands was hastily piled up against the said door, until almost in a +minute it was barricaded so sturdily that a battering ram would be +needed in order to smash it in. + +"Don't stop there!" cried Elmer. "The hole at the end of the place must +be filled up and guarded. Then a couple of fellows must stand at each of +these open windows, ready to give those tramps a warm reception if they +try to force their company on us." + +"Let some of the rest of us have a chance to help!" called Lil Artha, as +he scrambled to his feet. "Oh! don't bother about Dolph; he's laced up +as tight as any old yellow pigskin ball could be at the beginning of a +game on the gridiron. This way, Toby, Mark, and Landy--bring some of +those blocks along. Everybody get busy, and prepare to resist boarders. +Reckon these are a different kind of boarders than the ones that used to +eat their grub here winters. Whoop! we can do it, and not half try!" + +Elmer believed that he had by this time managed to get things in as +decent shape as lay within his power. Supposing the shouts had reached +the ears of those two tramps--would they dare turn back and make for the +cabin at their best speed? + +He thought not. What he had seen and heard concerning both Pete and the +tall hobo caused him to suspect that their first thought would be in +connection with their own safety. They had shown this before when +desirous of running, and only giving heed to Dolph's suggestion that +there might be some pecuniary profit for them in trying to find the +unfortunate who called for assistance. + +And now, after being "tolled" from place to place by that strange voice, +until their suspicions were once more aroused, should they hear the +dreadful clamor accompanying the capture of their companion, the +possibility of their taking chances in making a bolt back to the +bunk-house were small indeed. + +Elmer was more inclined to believe that both tramps must be in full +flight at that very moment. + +But he had looked ahead for even the worst that could happen. Red +Huggins had his orders. Should the two men return to the camp, and +attempt to break in, bent on doing the boys serious hurt, his was to be +the duty of seeking help--of managing to reach some town, and bringing +the officers to the old logging camp. + +"The tunnel is filled up, Elmer; even a rat couldn't crawl through that +hole right now!" reported Mark, presently. + +Elmer was looking out through one of the small openings. If he felt any +anxiety concerning the possible coming of the two tramps his face failed +to show it as he turned upon his best chum, saying: + +"Are all the windows guarded, and do the boys understand what they are +to do if anybody tries to get in?" + +"Well, I should smile," laughed Mark, a little hysterically, for he was +filled with the excitement of the occasion. "Just let one of those +rascals try to poke his nose in here, and he's going to meet up with the +surprise of his life. Look at Lil Artha taking a fresh grip on that long +wagon-tongue of his; I bet you he's just trying to imagine himself at +bat, with two out, two men on bases, and a couple of runs needed to tie +the score. Yes, siree, he means to send the ball out of the lot for a +homer, and don't you forget it. Oh! don't I pity Pete if ever he comes +tapping at that window with Lil Artha standing guard." + +"I don't see or hear anything of the men, which looks good," remarked +Elmer, as he once more turned to glance outside, to where the trees and +the scrub adjoining the deserted lumber camp could be observed. + +"But say, Elmer, didn't you tell Red something about letting us know +what the men were doing? Wasn't he to send a signal of some sort?" Mark +went on. + +"Yes, that's so," replied the young scout leader of the Wolf Patrol; +"but then, perhaps he hasn't been able to make sure yet. You see, he had +to keep skipping around pretty lively in order to give them the slip. +But all the same, I reckon it's about time we heard something from Red." + +"Hark!" + +Even as Mark uttered this one word, there came floating to their ears +from some little distance away a strange sound. One who was unacquainted +with the woods might have believed that it was an odd mixture between a +dog howling and a baby squalling. + +Elmer chuckled as if amused. + +"Red hasn't got it down quite pat yet," he remarked, "but then, he wants +practice. I've heard coyotes and big gray wolves howl lots of times, +but that's a new one on me. Still, Red means well, and what he signals +tells us the two men have lit out for all they're worth." + +"Bully!" cried Lil Artha, who heard what Elmer had said. "We hold the +fort, and the enemy has skipped out! Now, I opine that I'm some +disappointed, because I did hope to try that nice club; but it's all +right. I'm a peaceful chap, when I can have my own way. And we've got +what we came for, fellows. Here, let's give a big three cheers for the +Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts." + +They were given with a vim and a volume of sound that must have been +heard fully a mile away. Doubtless it quickened the pace of the fleeing +tramps, who might suspect that they were being hunted by a whole +regiment of citizens, stirred to indignation by the stealing of little +Ruth. + +This made Elmer suddenly remember the girl. She had been watching the +actions of the scouts, at first with wonder and awe, but by degrees even +smiling. Perhaps the fact that they had made a prisoner of her +tormentor, Dolph Gruber, may have had more or less influence along this +line. Then again, she had of course seen Matt Tubbs by now, and knew the +newcomers must be friends. + +Elmer stepped over to the child. The smile on his face was enough to +convince little Ruth that, with the coming of these boys in their +drab-colored suits, her troubles were ended; and if she were possessed +of any lurking doubts they must have taken flight with the first words +he spoke. + +"We've come to take you back to your mother, Ruth, and I hope you won't +be afraid of us. Here's your Cousin Matt along, too; you know him, don't +you? It's all right now, Ruth; nobody can hurt you while the Boy Scouts +are here," was the way Elmer spoke; and when he held out his hand the +child readily put her own little quivering one within it, showing her +utter confidence. + +Then Matt Tubbs came up, his face wreathed in smiles. Matt was tickled +to realize that he had been along when the rescue of the kidnaped child +had been effected. More than this, Matt had seen a lot of things that +would give him occasion for much serious thought later on--things that +must have a bearing on his whole future. He had been given a practical +object lesson concerning the other side of life, the decent side, which, +up to now, had been pretty much of a sealed book to this pronounced +bully of Fairfield. + +Elmer, looking at the gentle way Matt was fondling the little girl, +nodded his head and seemed well pleased. + +"I guess I didn't make any mistake when I said there was some good in +that big hulk of a fellow," was what he said aside to Mark, who was also +watching Matt. + +"Well," replied the other, "I kind of had my doubts when you said all +that, but the way things look now, I'm beginning to believe there may be +a heap of truth in your theory. But then, everybody can't see as far as +you can, Elmer. That's the truth of it. Most of us just skim along the +surface, but seems like you dig down deep. I hope it turns out that way. +If Matt Tubbs changed his nature, and began to do the right thing, it'd +be the best job ever for the boys of Fairfield, because you know he's +the big boss over there. And say, wouldn't it make our chance for a warm +session of baseball a little later on look pretty good?" + +"That's a fact," declared Lil Artha, who had joined them in time to +catch what was being said. "That Matt Tubbs sure is a crack-a-jack when +it comes to playing ball, and the nine he had last year was as stiff a +proposition as the Hickory Ridge fellows ever tackled. Yes, siree, I +certain hope he'll be on the square after this; because it'd mean a lot +for us." + +Matt himself must have heard what they were saying, for at this juncture +he turned and grinned as he remarked: + +"Just you wait and see what comes out o' this, Lil Artha. I've got a +hunch it's time the Fairfield fellers get busy and ketch up with your +crowd. And mark my words, once we get started, you've got to do your +level best to climb up out of our reach, for we c'n go some, we +Fairfield fellers. I got a few idees since hitchin' up with this crowd. +There's goin' to be some changes right away, and Hickory Ridge has got +to look out, if she don't want to be beat at her own game. Yes, sir, +this ain't goin' to be the only troop of scouts around here. There's +another town on the map--and they call her Fairfield!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +LENDING A HELPING HAND. + + +"THERE comes Red, now," said Mark, about ten minutes later, and +presently the party mentioned came hurrying up to the door of the log +cabin, on which he beat a loud tattoo. + +"Open up here, fellows!" he called. "Danger's passed. Both those tramps +are just legging it out of this section to beat the band. Reckon they're +more'n a mile off right now. My! but they're scared. Won't stop runnin' +for the next hour. It was as good as a circus to see 'em talkin', when +they just couldn't find me out. Must 'a' begun to think it was one of +Chatz's ghosts right out of the graveyard." + +"Now, just you drop that subject, Red," remarked the Southern lad, +aggressively. "It's nobody's business what I believe in, suh, and I'd +thank you to keep your opinions to yourself. I reckon now that everyone +has his failings, and if mine happen to be a belief in spirits that's my +affair, suh. That's all foh you, Red." + +"What're we going to do next, Elmer?" demanded Toby. + +"Head for home," replied the leader, promptly. + +"Yes," added Matt Tubbs, "Ruth's ma will be countin' the minutes till we +get there, I reckon. If she's tuckered out, the little gal I mean, +fellers, just let me carry her." + +"Oh! we all can take a turn at that," remarked Lil Artha. "She's only a +featherweight, and there ain't one of us but what would want to have a +hand in toting her back. Let's be starting, boys!" + +"Say, what d'ye mean to do with me?" called Dolph, who, lying there on +the hard earthen floor of the bunk-house, had been listening to all the +talk, and wondering what he had better do to further his own interests. + +Elmer, followed by several of the scouts, sauntered over to him. + +"I was just trying to make up my mind," he said, "whether we had better +take you along with us and hand you over to the police, or leave you +here, and send them after you." + +"What's the use doin' either?" remarked the man, eagerly. "Turn me loose +and see me skip out of this section like a scared rabbit." + +But Elmer was not in the least inclined to take that view of the matter. +Dolph had a hard face. He had proven himself a cruel rascal. Elmer +remembered the way he had shaken little Ruth, and all sense of pity for +the man's condition was banished from his heart. + +"That would suit you, I suppose, from the ground up," he remarked; "but +it would be a bad job for other people. Besides, I promised the police +that if we were lucky enough to get our hands on you we'd hold you. +Here, that'll do now, Dolph Gruber; if you keep up that kind of talk +we'll muzzle you. I've seen men gagged before now, and know how it's +done. And I give you my word it doesn't feel the finest thing in the +world, either. Not another word or you get it!" + +The prisoner had formed an opinion of the young scout master. He +believed that it would be silly in the extreme to anger him, and so, +grumbling, and gritting his teeth, he allowed them to do what they +wished. + +His ankles having been unfastened, Dolph was told to get up, one of the +scouts assisting him at the same time. + +"Here, Lil Artha," said the commander, "pick out three other fellows who +have clubs as good as that one you carry. Form around the prisoner, and +act as his escort. If he tries to escape you know what to do without my +telling." + +"Say, just let him give us the least excuse for treating him to a dose, +that's all. I saw him cuff that little girl, and it showed what a big +brute he is. Don't I just hope he'll try to break away!" + +Dolph gave the speaker, no other than Ty Collins, a dark scowl, but he +did not dare express what was passing in his mind. + +So they left the logging camp. Lil Artha, who was recognized as the +official photographer of the troop, managed to snap off several views +that at future times would recall the picture of that memorable +occasion, and doubtless give them the greatest of pleasure. + +And Mark, who was really the grandson of a famous artist, and himself a +genius with a brush and crayons, would, when the humor seized him, dash +off some faithful sketches showing the passage of the eight boys through +that woodchuck tunnel, and the surprise of Dolph at discovering them +trailing across the floor of the shanty. + +At first little Ruth walked bravely along, holding the hand of her +cousin. But presently she disclosed signs of being weary, and Matt +hastened to pick her up in his stout arms. + +When half a mile had been passed over he showed that the burden was +telling on him, for the way was rough. Thereupon one of the others +insisted on having a chance to do the carrying. + +By this time Ruth had become firmly convinced that all these boys were +her best of friends, and she did not hesitate to clasp her chubby arms +around the neck of Ty Collins, Matty Eggleston, Red Huggins, and even +Lil Artha, as in succession they took charge of her. + +The march was along the old dirt road that in the end must bring them to +one where the walking would be better. Elmer conducted the campaign. He +knew just how the land lay, for he had made it a part of his business to +draw a map of the entire country around Hickory Ridge, from such sources +as he could get hold of; and hence there was not the slightest danger of +their getting lost in the timber. + +He also sent out several of the boys to act in the capacity of +skirmishers. They were to keep a bright lookout for any signs of the +enemy, meaning the two tramps, and should they discover them, certain +signals--the scream of the eagle, or the odd little bark of the beaver +perhaps--would convey the intelligence to the main company, placing them +on their guard. + +But there was no such alarm. Evidently, just as the sagacious and +observing Red had declared, Pete and his tall ally had hastened to get +away with all speed, and for aught the boys knew might be running yet. + +So in good time the expedition finally came to where the old logging +road joined another, that seemed to lead toward the home town. + +"How much further do we have to go now?" asked Toby, seeing Elmer +examining his home-made map. + +"A good five miles before us, but all over decent roads," smiled the +leader. + +"Oh, well, that ain't so much for scouts as seasoned as we are," +remarked Toby, who had been limping for a little while, though he +declared it was simply on account of having struck his toe against a +root, and not because he was tired a single bit. "But if I had them +wings of mine here now, p'raps I could take a little flap or two that'd +help along. Reckon they're goin' to work, fellers. Anyhow, my parachute, +she's just a hummer. I'm goin' to try her out right soon; might climb up +on top the church steeple and jump, if they'll let me." + +"Say, boys," remarked Red, just then, "it sure was a great shame the +people that owned the old balloon we picked up when we were camping up +on Lake Solitary claimed the gas bag, and insisted on paying us +twenty-five dollars for saving their property. I'd like to wager that by +now our inventive comrade here, Toby Ellsworth Jones, would have coaxed +his ma to pay for having it filled with gas, and gone sailing off to the +land of the moon, or somewhere." + +"Oh! I had that all laid out," grinned Toby, "and I wasn't goin' to beg +a single cent from my ma, either. Could 'a' caught all the hot air I +needed by just grabbin' what was goin' to waste in this bunch when they +got to disputin'. But I ain't cast down a bit, fellers. Plenty more +chances for a really bright genius to make his mark in the world of +science. If I live, the name of Jones will go thundering down the ages. +Since the days of John Paul in Revolutionary times, not a single Jones +has done anything worth mentionin'. But the time's near at hand when +you'll hear somethin' drop!" + +"Huh! that'll be you, then, Toby," chuckled Red, "if you try to jump off +a church steeple with your old wings on. And I reckon there'll be +something of a splash, too! Better go slow, that's what." + +Talking in this vein, and joking with one another, the scouts managed to +put the long miles behind them. Nearly every fellow had had a chance to +carry little Ruth more or less, and seemed only too proud of the +opportunity. + +"I c'n see the church spire!" shouted Phil Dale, finally. + +"He's right, boys," remarked Elmer, who had seen the same thing, off and +on, for the last five minutes, though waiting to discover whether any of +the others would pick it up. "We're going to be home soon now. Here +comes a car after us, and as sure as anything, it's got the Hickory +Ridge police force in it! Line up along the road, boys, and watch how +they stare." + +When those in the car saw little Ruth among the scouts, and also noted +that they had the kidnaper, Dolph, in custody, they gave the boys a +hearty cheer. Some of them wanted to take the child in the car, but +Elmer declined to allow it. + +"We've done all the work, and we ought to be on hand when the girl is +given over to her mother," he said. "That's all the reward we want for +our day's labor, and say, we've had just a dandy time, haven't we, +fellows?" + +A roar answered him, every scout taking off his hat, and waving it as he +gave vent to three lusty cheers. Seeing the justice of this claim, those +in the car declared they would fall in behind. It was known that Mrs. +Gruber had remained in her little cottage home, so toward that quarter +the procession started. + +And when they saw the great joy that filled that poor mother's heart as +she clasped her darling girl in her arms, every scout felt amply repaid +for what fatigue he had endured that day. It was well worth the labor. +And besides, had they not learned many things in the way of woodcraft +that were apt to be useful, and make them better scouts? + +Elmer was a proud boy when the mother of little Ruth took his hand and +squeezed it between both of her own, while she poured out thanks for +what he had done. He quickly assured her that every one of those with +him deserved just as much praise, and then laughed to see how confused +some of the fellows looked when the happy and grateful mother went the +rounds, actually kissing every fellow, just as if they might be her own +boys! + +Matt Tubbs came over to him just as the scouts were drawing together, +with the idea of returning to town, having had all the hike they desired +for that one particular day. + +"Oh! by the way, Matt," said Elmer with a twinkle in his eye, "the first +time you're in Hickory Ridge, just stop off at my house, won't you? I +think I've got a cap of yours, a gray one, with a little red button in +the front." + +Matt turned slightly red himself, and then laughed. + +"Say, I acknowledge the corn, Elmer," he remarked. "I was in that old +shop, all right, listenin' to what you fellers said. Just wanted to know +how you ran things so's I could foller suit. Picked up a heap, too, you +bet. But the blamed old loft was so rotten she just went through, and +let me down with a whoop. Some of your scouts nigh got a grip on me when +I run away. But they ain't goin' to ketch Matt Tubbs asleep any more'n +they will a weasel. No harm done, Elmer, was there?" + +"Not a bit, Matt," replied the young scout master, heartily. "Glad you +heard all you did, and if we can help you organize a troop over in +Fairfield, just you call on the Hickory Ridge scouts. Hear that, Matt?" + +The bully of Fairfield looked steadily at the leader of the Wolf Patrol; +then he laughed a little as he replied: + +"Mebbe I will, Elmer, for you've sure got me guessing some; mebbe I +will!" + +That Matt Tubbs was as good as his word about getting up a troop of +scouts in Fairfield, and what interesting events were bound to occur in +the natural rivalry between the two organizations, will be recorded in +the future volumes of this series, the next one of which will be called +"The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts Pathfinder." + + +THE END. + + + + +ADDENDA + +BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE + + + + +BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES. + + Wild Animals of the United States } + } in Number I. + Tracking } + THE CAMPFIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL. + + Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II. + WOODCRAFT, OR HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD. + + Reptiles of the United States in Number III. + PATHFINDER, OR THE MISSING TENDERFOOT. + + Fishes of the United States in Number IV. + FAST NINE, OR A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD. + + Insects of the United States in Number V. + GREAT HIKE, OR THE PRIDE OF THE KHAKI TROOP. + + Birds of the United States in Number VI. + ENDURANCE TEST, OR HOW CLEAR GRIT WON THE DAY. + + + + + +THE TREES OF THE UNITED STATES. + + +THE WITCH HAZEL FAMILY. + +The Witch Hazel is a little tree or shrub of striking growth that, when +all its neighbors are getting ready for their long winter nap, bursts +out in full bloom with clusters of stringy yellow flowers, at the same +time bearing the ripened seed pods of last year's blossoms. The seeds +have a peculiar way of popping from the pods. Take some home with you in +the late fall and see what happens. As soon as the pods feel the warmth +of the room they burst and shoot out the seeds. It is said that the +Indians used the bark of the witch hazel in treating inflammation, and +it is still popularly believed to contain healing virtue. + +The Sweetgum or Liquidambar is a tree that grows widely over the United +States. Its leaves are star-shaped and not unlike the leaves of the +maple. The coloring of the Liquidambar in the fall is very beautiful. +Its fruit is a peculiar little spiny ball. The gum was used by the +Indians to sweeten their smoking mixtures. In some sections it is called +the Alligator Tree because of the peculiarity of the bark. + + +THE DOGWOOD FAMILY. + +The Flowering Dogwood is the most beautiful sight of our May woodlands. +The wood of this tree is very hard. Nobody seems to know how it received +its common name. It is covered with clusters of red berries in the fall +and at that time its leaves turn a bright red. + + +THE OLIVE FAMILY. + +To this family belong the Ash trees, so called on account of the +appearance of the under-surface of their leaves. There is a superstition +that the ash tree is peculiarly likely to be struck by lightning. Its +wood is largely used because of its lightness and elasticity; such +articles as the handles of tools, oars, and carriage shafts are made of +ash wood. White ash sometimes grows very tall; the black ash favors +rivers and swamp-land and is not of such a sturdy growth as the white. +The fruit of both form in clusters. + + +THE BIGNONIA FAMILY. + +The Catalpa in June or July is covered with white blossoms mottled with +yellow and purple. It is often called "The Bean Tree" because its fruit +is like a long bean in form. These beans hang on a tree nearly all +winter. + + +THE OAK FAMILY. + +This is one of the handsomest of our tree families. The common white oak +grows to a height of eighty to one hundred feet, the trunk often +reaching a diameter of four feet. The leaves of the chestnut oak and +those of the yellow oak resemble the leaves of the chestnut tree. The +acorns of the red oak are very large, but the kernels are so bitter that +the squirrels leave them untouched upon the ground. The leaves of the +scarlet oak are very finely cut and assume brilliant colors in the late +fall. There are many other varieties of oaks: straggling little scrub +oaks, laurel oaks with laurel-like leaves, and the willow oaks of the +Southwestern states. + +[Illustration: WHITE OAK.] + + +THE BEECH FAMILY. + +The Indians believed that the beech tree was lightning-proof, and many +farmers seem to favor this belief. The Chestnut, which belongs in this +group, does not flower until the middle of the summer. Unfortunately for +the latter tree, a disease is spreading through certain districts that, +if not checked, bids fair to exterminate these trees. Already in certain +parts of the country where chestnuts formerly abounded hardly a living +specimen is to be found, or if alive, is in a dying condition. + +[Illustration: ELM.] + + +THE ELM FAMILY. + +This is a family of beautiful trees, widely distributed. The white elm +is one of the first trees to respond to spring's first warm days. Its +tiny flower buds burst their scales and shed them to the ground. It is +without question one of the most beautifully shaped trees, and many +reach vast proportions. The Slippery Elm is similar in appearance to the +white elm. The bark of the latter tree is soaked in water and drunk for +throat affections. The leaves of the elms turn yellow in the fall. Their +wood is largely used for carriage shafts or wherever wood that does not +readily split is needed. It is durable under water, and is, therefore, +used for docks and piles. + + +THE LINDEN FAMILY. + +These are known in this country as basswood or white-wood; in Europe +they are called Lime Trees. Their leaves are heart-shaped and the lower +surface is downy. The bees are attracted to these trees when they are in +bloom. They can easily be recognized in winter by their red buds. The +first leaves of spring are a bright green which contrast beautifully +with these buds. The wood is used for cabinet work, woodenware and paper +pulp. It does not easily warp. + + +THE MAGNOLIA FAMILY. + +This is a group of trees whose flowers are usually large and white, +green, or pink in color. Some of this family are cultivated as +ornamental trees on lawns. The Swamp Magnolia, or Sweet Bay, grows in +swampy and damp places. Although specially a southern tree, it is found +as far north as Massachusetts. It blooms in June, having a cream-color +fragrant flower, and these blossoms are sold by florists and street +pedlars. + +[Illustration: LEAVES AND KEYS OF A MAPLE TREE.] + +Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar is a large tree of this family that blooms +especially abundantly upon the southern shores of Lake Erie. It has +greenish-yellow, tulip-shaped flowers. The Indians made their dugout +canoes from these trees. + + +THE MAPLE FAMILY. + +There are more than one hundred species of this family. Maples are +especially abundant in North America. The Sugar Maple grows in eastern +North America. From its sap is manufactured maple sugar. The method of +making this sugar was learned by the American colonists from the +Indians. In the early spring, when this sap begins to flow, and while it +is flowing, the trees are tapped, the sap gathered and boiled down. +Certain varieties of maple-wood have beautifully spotted grain known as +Bird's-eye Maple. This grain, it is claimed, is produced by wounds made +by woodpeckers. This wood is prized for the manufacture of furniture. +The Red Maple is found growing along the edges of streams. It is covered +in the spring with tufts of crimson flowers and its foliage is a +brilliant red in the autumn. The leaves of the Silver Maple show no reds +in the fall, but are a uniform yellow. The Canadians have adopted the +maple leaf as their national emblem. + + +THE HORSE CHESTNUT FAMILY. + +The Horse Chestnut is a native of Asia. In May or June it is covered +with upright spikes of white blossoms. The Buck-eye is the native Horse +Chestnut. The leaves of the Buck-eye are five-fingered, while those of +the tree commonly called the Horse Chestnut are seven-fingered. Ohio is +called the "Buck-eye" state and is named after this tree. + + +THE MULBERRY FAMILY. + +The leaves of the mulberry are broad, the flowers small. The leaves of +the white mulberry are the food of silkworms. The Indian women used the +fiber of the mulberry to make garments, baskets, and matting; the +Japanese and Chinese manufactured paper from its bark. The red mulberry +is quite common and grows in over two-thirds of the United States. The +fruit is similar in appearance to the blackberry; the white mulberry is +less widely distributed. The osage orange, or bow-wood, which is a +member of this family, grows in Arkansas, Texas, and Indian Territory. +Its fruit resembles the orange in shape and size; its leaves are shiny +and it is close and spiny in growth. + + +THE PLANE TREE FAMILY. + +The common Plane is another tree from the Orient; the flowers are green, +the fruit are yellow balls which hang on the tree over winter. It grows +in rich, moist lands; the wood, which is ruddy in color, is used +extensively in the manufacture of cigar boxes. It is also called the +sycamore or buttonwood, and is easily distinguished by its bark, which +it sheds as it does the leaves; the bark drops off in large irregular +pieces, giving the tree a mottled appearance. + + +THE WALNUT FAMILY. + +The Black Walnut is abundant in the Mississippi Valley states, +especially the Middle states. The White Walnut is the Butternut; the +covering of the nut is sticky and gummy. + +[Illustration: SHELL-BARK HICKORY.] + +The Hickory, which belongs to this family, is an American tree; none of +the hickories are found abroad. The Bitternut, or Swamp Hickory, has a +kernel which is very bitter. The bark of the Shell-bark Hickory +separates and gives the trunk of the tree a very shaggy, unkempt +appearance. The Pignut is a Hickory, but is worthless as food. The wood +of the walnut was formerly much used for the manufacture of furniture. + + +THE BIRCH FAMILY. + +This is an interesting family of graceful trees. The white birch, which +is the least common, is short-lived. It grows from the St. Lawrence +southward to Delaware. The leaves have a peculiar trembling +characteristic. The Paper Birch is also called the white birch or canoe +birch. It is fond of moist places. Its bark is white outside and +composed of thin layers easily separated; these layers vary in color +from a cream to a bright orange-yellow. The Indians used the bark of +this tree for their canoes and to write their messages on. The red +birches are great lovers of water, particularly delighting to hang their +boughs over running streams. The alders and ironwoods belong here. + + +THE WILLOW FAMILY. + +This is a large tree family; the black willow may be found growing upon +the banks of streams and lakes. In the early spring days we gather pussy +willows. They are really the flower buds. Put them in water and watch +the catkins, as the flowers are called, develop. The Weeping Willow is a +native of Asia; it grew near ancient Babylon. You will remember that the +Bible tells us that the people of Israel hung their harps upon the +willow tree by the waters of Babylon. They are trees of rapid growth, +as are also the aspens and cottonwoods. The last-named trees derive +their name from the peculiarity of the seed, which is surrounded by +cotton-like fiber. The leaves of the aspen tremble even on calm days and +have given rise to the saying, "trembling like an aspen leaf." An old +tradition says that the leaves of this tree are never at rest because +aspen wood was used in making the cross. + + +THE SUMACH FAMILY. + +One of this family is poisonous and is known as poison sumach. It grows +throughout the Northern states and can be distinguished from the +harmless sumach by its white fruit, the color of the fruit of other +sumachs being red, and the fact that it likes wet ground, while its +harmless cousins like dry places. To some persons the action of the +sumach poison is virulent, causing painful itching eruptions similar to +those caused by poison ivy. + + +THE PEA FAMILY. + +The Locust is a tall tree, native to this country, flowering profusely +in May and June, being at that time nearly covered with long, hanging +clusters of fragrant white blossoms. A small tree, called the Red Bud, +or Judas Tree, belongs to this family. It is often used as ornamental +trees in parks and on lawns. In Arkansas it grows in native abundance. +The flowers, which are a deep rose color, appear in April or May, about +the time that the young leaves are putting in an appearance. They are +borne all over the tree, even on the trunk itself. The Honey Locust has +large, finer foliage than the common locust and it is armored and +protected by a multitude of sharp thorns. The locust wood is much used +in ship-building and fence posts because it resists decay in contact +with moisture. It is very strong, hard, and takes a high polish. These +trees are now preyed upon by boring insects and are not as popular as +they were formerly. + + +THE ROSE FAMILY. + +What boy of the New England or the Middle states does not know the Choke +Cherry or Wild Cherry and its fruit that he gathers and eats, although +it puckers his mouth? Did you know that these, as well as our cultivated +cherries, apples, pears, quinces, and plums, all belong to the same +flower family that gives us our roses? The Mountain Ash also belongs to +this family. Red Ash Berries help to brighten up the autumn and winter; +in fact, these trees are so attractive when in fruit that they are being +largely used for decorative purposes. In Europe they are called the +Rowan Trees, and many peculiar tales and superstitions have gathered +around them. + + +THE PINE FAMILY. + +The pines of the United States include many species, most of which are +valuable for their timber. The White Pine, which attains a great height +and favors sandy soil, heads the list. Its bark is smoother than any +other pine and its cones are long and slender. Its wood is soft, +compact, and valuable. The wood of the Yellow Pine is hard and heavy, +darker in tone, and much favored for flooring. It does not grow to such +a height as the white pine; it is found throughout the Southern states. +The Red Pine, or Norway Pine, favors Canada more than our country. The +Pitch Pine grows in sandy and rocky soil or in the cold, swampy lands. +The Jersey, or Scrub Pine, grows on sandy soil. + +The Spruces have brighter leaves than the pines and the leaves are not +grouped like the pine leaves. The leaves are borne on drooping branches; +the cones are pendent; the white spruce grows higher than any other +spruce. The cones of the red spruce are large; the resin of both the red +and black spruces are used as chewing gum. + +The Hemlock is one of the most graceful of cone-bearing trees. The +hemlocks grow rapidly and become very rugged and picturesque. Hemlock +wood warps when exposed; its bark is used in tanning. The leaves of the +balsam are a bright green color above and a silver green color below. +They are dried and made into pillows because of their fragrance. +Arborvitæ, or White Hemlock, is cultivated as an ornamental tree. It is +much used for hedges. + + + + +THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES + + + + +THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES. + + +THE SPRING FLOWERS--_White._ + +[Illustration: BLOODROOT.] + +Go into the woods some day early in April and you will find, pushing up +through the last summer's litter, a curled-up leaf. Open this leaf and +nestling within will be a white flower bud. Even when in bloom the leaf +surrounds the flower stem as though to protect it. As you pick the +flower a red juice oozes out of the stem and stains your hands. This is +the blood root and the Indians used its juice to stain their faces. Just +beyond it, bending and nodding in the wind, is the dainty little +anemone; there is sometimes a hint of pink or lavender in its white +flowers. + +[Illustration: TRILLIUM.] + +Among the rocks you will find, swinging, the little Dutchman's Breeches, +with their peculiar little flowers that look like pairs of trousers hung +on a line. Growing with it will be the saxifrage, whose name means that +it breaks rocks. This name was probably given to it because it is +usually found growing in the clefts of rocks. As spring advances, the +woods are dotted with bright little star flowers and the unpleasantly +odorous May apple and the white Trillium with its three long petals. The +feathery baneberry is in flower when the columbine blooms and when the +green-and-brown Jacks-in-the-Pulpit are preaching in the woods. The +Jack-in-the-Pulpit in shape is not unlike a calla lily. + +Other white flowers of spring are the shad bush that blooms "when the +shad run." Its red berries ripen in June. + +Pyxie or Flowering Moss--sandy woods. + +Crinkle Root--May woods. + + +THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Yellow._ + +[Illustration: YELLOW ADDER'S TONGUE.] + +If you will go down into the swampy meadowland you will find the bright, +sturdy marsh marigolds, and in the wet woods adjoining the spice bushes +glowing with their fussy little yellow blossoms, and alongside the brook +the dog-toothed violet or yellow adder's tongue, rearing their mottled +leaves and nodding their yellow blossoms. These are not violets at all, +by the way, but lilies. In the May woods are the red and yellow flowers +of the Wood Betony and the bell-shaped flowers of Solomon's Seal. Pull +up the Solomon's Seal root and see the marks on it that look like the +impression of a seal. That is how it received its name, although why +"Solomon's Seal" we are unable to answer. Bellwort is a little yellowish +lily common in the May woods. + +Other yellow spring flowers: + +Coltsfoot--Stream banks in May. + +Celandine Poppy--Woods and hills. + +Corydalis--Dry stony woodland. + +Moosewood--Wet woods. + + +THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Pink._ + +In company with the blood root and dog-toothed violets and the dainty +anemones are the pretty little pink-veined Spring Beauties, with their +slender leaves and graceful stems. Lucky are you if you chance to live +where the trailing arbutus grows, with its deliciously perfumed waxy +flowers under last summer's dead leaves. The New Englanders call it the +May Flower. The attractive blossoms of the Rhodora brighten the woods +with their splendor. This is a wild Rhododendron and belongs to the same +family as the wild honeysuckle that blossoms in the moist places in May. + +Other pink spring flowers: + +Showy Orchis--May woods. + +Wild Pink--Rocky edges of woods. + + +THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Red._ + +Heading this list comes the Columbine, and if you will gather this +flower you must be prepared to climb, for it is fond of nooks and +crannies difficult to reach. Starting up from three broad leaves the +little flower of the Wake Robin thrusts itself upon our attention; it is +not shy or retiring like the arbutus or the timid little blushing +Spring Beauty. + +[Illustration: COLUMBINE.] + + +THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._ + +First of the blues comes the fuzzy-stemmed and fuzzy-budded hepatica, +which is known also by the ugly name of "liverwort." Sometimes the +flowers fade to a white, sometimes to a pinkish lavender. The one symbol +of springtime is the violet. When the violet comes we know that winter +has gone for good. The wild geranium or cranebill grows and blossoms +sturdily when the anemones and Spring Beauties are getting scarce. + +Other blue and purple spring flowers: + +Bluets or Quaker Ladies--Meadows and roadsides. + +Larkspur--Not found east of Pennsylvania. + +Cancer Root--Wet woods. + + +EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_White._ + +Early in June you will see in the woods and fields a shrub that looks +like a young maple tree blooming abundantly with clusters of white +flowers. It is the Dockmackie, or the Maple-leaved Viburnum. If you live +on the hills of the Hudson or Pennsylvania you will have the opportunity +yearly of seeing the Mountain Laurel in flower, a shrub that is +cultivated and highly esteemed in England. The stamens of the flowers +are caught in little pockets, and as the insect alights on these they +are loosened and fly upward, shaking the pollen on to the body of the +insect. + +Blooming in the same location may be found the Wild Rhododendron, which +belongs to the same family as the Mountain Laurel. + +Another member of this family is the Swamp Honeysuckle or the Clammy +Azalea; both of these are shrubs. The latter is usually found among the +swampy coast lands. + +Still another member of this heath family, to which the Mountain Laurel +and Rhododendron belong, is the Little Shin Leaf, with its +Lily-of-the-Valley-like flowers. Growing alongside of it you are very +likely to find the Pipsissewa, with its beautiful perfume and ever-green +leaves. June is the month when the meadows are whitened by the daisies. + +Other early summer white flowers: + +Wood Sorrel--June woods. + +Sweet Cicely--Sweet-tasting root. + +Marsh Andromeda--Swampy places. + +Staggerbush--Low dry places. + + +EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Yellow._ + +In May or June hunt for the Yellow Lady Slipper or Whip-poor-Will's +Shoe, a pretty little yellow Orchid. Mr. Baldwin, writing of orchids of +New England, says: "Its preference is for maples, beeches, and +particularly butternuts, and for sloping or hilly ground, and I always +look with glad suspicion at a knoll covered with ferns, cohoshes, and +trilliums, expecting to see a clump of this plant among them. Its +sentinel-like habit of choosing 'sightly places' leads it to venture +well up on mountain-sides." + +The straggly flower heads of the Hawk Weed, or Rattlesnake Weed, that +looks like little Dandelions, will be found in the dry pine woods at +this time of the year. Its leaves are veined with purple and thought to +resemble the markings of the rattlesnake. This has given it its name. + +We need no introduction to the common dandelion that carpets our lawns +with a cloth of gold, much to the disgust of the gardener, who roots +them out as weeds. + +Another flower of the waste places is a pretty little toad flax, or +butter-and-eggs. It is probably called "butter-and-eggs" because of the +two shades of yellow. Its juice, mixed with milk, makes a good fly +poison. + +In the same localities may be found the St. John's Wort, with its +numerous little flowers, and both the moth mullein and common mullein. +The old Romans used to dip the dry stalk of the common mullein in fat +and use it as a torch. The moth mullein is tenderer than the common +mullein. The flowers are tipped with red and purple. + +Other early summer yellow flowers: + +Cinquefoil--Fields and roadsides. + +Bush Honeysuckle--Hillsides. + +Four-leaved Loosestrife--Roadsides. + +Yellow Loosestrife--Wet places. + + +EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Pink._ + +The Pink Lady Slipper, like the Yellow, is another orchid. Baldwin, to +whom we have referred before, tells us where he usually found them; he +says: "The finest specimens I ever saw sprang out of a cushion of crisp +reindeer moss high up among the rocks of the exposed hillside, and again +I have found it growing vigorously in hills upon swamps, but nearly +colorless from excessive moisture." He further says that "A lady who has +found it in the Adirondacks says she found it to have a great fondness +for decaying wood and often saw a whole row perched like birds along a +crumbling log." + +A smaller laurel with dark pink flowers blooms in June. It is called +"Lamb-killer," because of the belief that it is poisonous to sheep. + +Corydalis--Rocky woods. + +Adder's Mouth--Swamps. + + +EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Red._ + +Thoreau writes: "The Painted Cup is in its prime. It reddens the meadow, +painted cup meadow. It is a splendid show of brilliant scarlet, the +color of the cardinal flower and surpasses it in mass and profusion. I +do not like the name; it does not remind me of a cup, rather of a flame +when it first appears. It might be called 'flame flower' or 'scarlet +tip.' Here is a large meadow full of it, and very few in the town have +ever seen it. It is startling to see a leaf thus brilliantly painted, as +if its tip were dipped into some scarlet mixture, surpassing most +flowers in intensity of color." + + +EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._ + +The Blue-eye Grass, which belongs to the same family as the Blue Flag, +carpets the moist meadows at this season of the year. The Blue Flag and +Fleur-de-lis is the flower of France; the name "Fleur-de-lis," the +flower of Louis, King Louis VII having chosen it as his particular +badge. Look for it in damp meadow grounds in June. + +Early in June the wild lupine blooms, painting the hillside blue. + + +SUMMER--_White._ + +If you go into the woods where the evergreens grow in July you will find +the Little Wintergreen in bloom. Later in the year you will find the +little red Wintergreen berries. Along the roadside you will find the +daisy-like flowers of the Chamomile or May Weed. From the leaves of this +plant our grandmothers used to make Chamomile tea. + +A shrub that you will find in bloom in the July woods is the New Jersey +Tea, with its clusters of feathery flowers. At the time of the American +Revolution our forefathers used its leaves to make a substitute for the +imported tea on which Great Britain imposed a tax. + +Another flower of the summer woods and hillsides is the Cohosh, with a +stem from three to eight feet high. Its odor is supposed to be +distasteful to insects. The Elders are a mass of white blossoms at this +time of the year, and later crowned with purplish berries from which +elderberry wine is made. + +A common plant of the July roadsides is the Pokeweed. Its flowers are +less conspicuous than its fruit. It has long clusters of dark berries. +Country boys make "ink" from the juice of these berries. + +The Boneset is another wayside flower. Our grandmothers made boneset tea +from its leaves when we were in danger of colds or malaria. Its flowers +are dull white; it belongs to the same family as the Golden-rod. + +Other summer white flowers: + +Thimbleweed--Woods and meadows. + +White Avens--Edges of woods. + +Wild Cucumber--Along river banks. + +Yarrow--Roadsides. + +No article on wild flowers of the United States would be complete +without mention of "Queen Anne's Lace," while some call it "Bird's +Nest," from the habit of the curling up of the old flowers into a +nest-like shape. + + +SUMMER--_Yellow._ + +One of the most conspicuous yellow flowers is the Meadow Lily, or the +Wild Yellow Lily. + +The St. John's Wort is a common flower of this season of the year. It +seems to flourish in the waste places, while both the moth mullein and +the common mullein are close companions. + +When the white daisies are beginning to wane, the yellow daisies or +Black-eyed Susans begin to bloom. The Jewel Weed is also called by some +"Touch-me-Not," on account of the few seed pods, which burst when +touched, showing the seeds. + +At twilight and in the early morning the Evening Primrose opens its dull +yellow blossoms. During the middle of the day the flowers are closed. + +Other summer yellow flowers: + +Yellow Clover--Fields and roadsides. + +Bladderwort--Ponds and streams. + +Partridge Pea--Sandy Soil. + + +SUMMER--_Pink._ + +Probably the foremost among these is the Common Milkweed, with its dull +pink clustered flowers that later turn into a pod filled with silky +fibers, which the children love to break open and set afloat in the +wind. It is called "Milkweed" on account of the white sticky fluid which +it exhumes from the broken stems. + +Along the roadside and meadows purplish-pink flowers of the Fireweed are +in bloom. + +[Illustration: MEADOW LILY.] + +One of the most beautiful of the pink midsummer flowers is the Mallow +that makes lively our swamps with its large pale pink flowers. + +Other summer pink flowers: + +Steeplebush--Low places. + +Purple Loosestrife--Marshes. + +Meadow Beauty--Sandy soil. + +Tick Trefoil--Midsummer woods. + + +SUMMER--_Red._ + +Two lilies of midsummer are the Wild Lily and the Turk's Cap Lily; the +Turk's Cap Lily, with its drooping flowers, and the Wild Lily, with its +upright flowers, that grow in our meadows, the Wild Lily in the shady +woods. + +Here and there in the midsummer fields is a patch of the bright +flame-color orange-red Butterfly Weed. This belongs to the Milkweed +family. They present to the eye some of the most vivid patches of color +of the summer fields. + + +SUMMER--_Blue and Purple._ + +Growing in the waste places from June until September are the closed +heads of the "Self Heal," with its bluish-purple flowers and the spikes +of the dainty little vervain. + +Blooming in midsummer is the aromatic little Pennyroyal, one of the mint +family. + + +LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Yellow._ + +Without doubt the one flower that holds the foremost rank of the late +summer and autumn flowers is the Golden-rod. + +The Wild Sunflower and the Bur Marigold, or "Stick-tight," belong to the +same family as the Golden-rod, the Composite Family. + +Witch-hazel Shrubs are now coming into bloom, blooming when everything +else is getting ready for the winter nap. + +Other late summer yellow flowers: + +False Foxgloves--Dry woodland. + +Yellow Thistle--Sandy coast soil. + + +LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_White._ + +The Rattlesnake Plantain has peculiar leaves veined with white. The +Indians believed that application of the leaves of this plant would cure +a snake bite. + +One of the shrubs that blooms at this season of the year is the Sweet +Pepperbush, which is becoming popular as a cultivated shrub in our +gardens and lawns. It seems to bloom best in those localities where +there is considerable moisture in the atmosphere. + +The dry fields are now thickly covered with the white asters. + +Other late summer white flowers: + +Ladies' Tresses--Wet places in autumn. + +Pearly Everlasting--Woods and fields. + + +LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Pink._ + +A common roadside flower is the Pink Knotweed, with its branching stems +and groups of bright pink flowers. + +[Illustration: PINK KNOTWEED.] + +The Bouncing Bet is now growing sturdily, with its pinkish-white +flowers, and close to the Butterfly Weed blooms the "Joe Pye Weed," with +its dusky purplish-pink clusters, while the Golden-rod and Asters are in +flower. + +Other late summer pink flowers: + +Purple Gerardia--Low dry ground. + +False Dragon Head--Wet fields. + + +LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Red._ + +In the late summer, along the edges of ponds and streams and in the +midst of swamps, gleam the bright, ragged flowers of the Cardinal +flower, the brightest red flower of early autumn. + + +LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Blue and Purple._ + +The Blue Chicory or Succory brightens up our roadsides in late summer +when the fields are full of blue and purple Asters. There are over one +hundred different species of wild Asters, all belonging to the Composite +Family, the same family that the Golden-rod, Daisies, and Sunflowers are +members of. The Composite Family, in fact, is in majority at this season +of the year. + +Both the closed and fringed Gentian come to us in late September, with +their beautiful blue flowers--blue of a beautiful shade. + +Other late summer flowers--blue and purple: + +Blazing Star--Marsh land. + +Iron Weed--Roadsides and fields. + + + + +INDEX + + + PAGE + + Adder's Mouth, 174 + + Alder, 158 + + Alligator Tree, 149 + + Anemones, 166, 169, 171 + + Apples, 160 + + Arborvitæ, 161 + + Arbutus, 169, 171 + + Ash, 150 + Mountain Black, 160 + White, 150 + + Aspen, 159 + + Asters, 179, 180, 181 + + Avens, White, 175 + + Azaleas, Clammy, 172 + + + Balsam, 161 + + Baneberry, 166 + + Basswood, 153 + + Bay, Sweet, 153 + + Beech, 152 + + Betony, Wood, 168 + + Bellwort, 169 + + Bignonia Family, 150 + + Birch, 158 + Paper, 158 + Red, 158 + White, 158 + + Bird's Nest, 175 + + Bitternut, 158 + + Black-eyed Susans, 176 + + Black Ash, 150 + + Black Spruce, 161 + + Black Walnut, 156 + + Black Willow, 158 + + Bladderwort, 176 + + Blazing Star, 181 + + Bloodroot, 165 + + Blue-eyed Grass, 174 + + Blue Flag, 174 + + Bluets, 171 + + Boneset, 175 + + Bouncing Bet, 180 + + Bow-wood, 156 + + Buck-eye, 155 + + Bur Marigold, 179 + + Bush Honeysuckle, 173 + + Butter-and-Eggs, 173 + + Butterfly Weed, 178, 180 + + Butternut, 157 + + Buttonwood, 156 + + + Cancer Root, 171 + + Cardinal Flower, 174, 181 + + Catalpa, 150 + + Celandine Poppy, 169 + + Chamomile, 175 + + Cherry, Choke, 160 + Wild, 160 + + Chestnut, 152 + Horse, 155 + + Chestnut Oak, 150 + + Chicory, 181 + + Chokecherry, 160 + + Cinquefoil, 173 + + Clammy Azaleas, 172 + + Closed Gentian, 181 + + Clover, Yellow, 176 + + Cohosh, 175 + + Coltsfoot, 169 + + Columbine, 166, 169, 170 + + Corydalis, 169, 174 + + Cottonwood, 159 + + Cranebill, 171 + + Crinkle Root, 166 + + + Daisies, 176 + Yellow, 176 + + Dandelion, 172, 173 + + Dockmackie, 171 + + Dog-Tooth Violets, 168, 169 + + Dogwood, 149 + + Dutchman's Breeches, 166 + + + Elderberries, 175 + + Elm, 152, 153 + Slippery, 153 + White, 153 + + Evening Primrose, 176 + + + False Dragon Head, 181 + + False Foxgloves, 179 + + Fireweed, 176 + + Flag, Blue, 174 + + Fleur-de-lis, 174 + + Flowering Moss, 166 + + Four-Leaved Loosestrife, 173 + + Foxgloves, False, 179 + + Fringed Gentian, 181 + + + Gentian, 181 + Closed, 181 + Fringed, 181 + + Geranium, Wild, 171 + + Gerardia, 181 + + Golden-rod, 175, 178, 180 + + + Hawk Weed, 172 + + Hemlock, 161 + White, 161 + + Hepatica, 171 + + Hickory, 157 + Shell-bark, 157, 158 + Swamp, 158 + + Honey Locust, 159 + + Honeysuckle, Bush, 173 + Swamp, 172 + Wild, 169 + + Horse Chestnuts, 155 + + + Iron Weed, 181 + + Ironwood, 158 + + + Jack-in-the-Pulpit, 166 + + Jewel Weed, 176 + + Joe-Pye Weed, 180 + + Judas Tree, 159 + + + Knotweed, 179, 180 + + + Ladies' Tresses, 179 + + Lady's Slipper, Pink, 173 + Yellow, 172, 173 + + Lamb-killer, 174 + + Larkspur, 171 + + Laurel Oaks, 151 + + Laurel, Mountain, 171, 172 + + Lily, Meadow, 176, 177 + + Lily, Turk's Cap, 178 + + Lily, Wild, 178 + Wild Yellow, 176 + + Lime Tree, 153 + + Linden, 153 + + Liquidambar, 149 + + Liverwort, 171 + + Locust, 159 + Honey, 159 + + Loosestrife, Four-Leaved, 173 + Purple, 178 + Yellow, 173 + + Lupine, 174 + Wild, 174 + + + Magnolia, 153 + Swamp, 153 + + Mallow, 178 + + Maple, 154, 155 + Red, 155 + Silver, 155 + Sugar, 155 + + Maple-Leaved Viburnum, 171 + + Marigold, Bur, 179 + + Marigolds, Marsh, 166 + + Marsh Andromeda, 172 + + Marsh Marigolds, 166 + + May Apple, 166 + + May Flower, 169 + + May Weed, 175 + + Meadow Beauty, 178 + + Meadow Lily, 176, 177 + + Milkweed, 176, 178 + + Moosewood, 169 + + Moth Mullein, 173, 176 + + Mountain Ash, 160 + + Mountain Laurel, 171, 172 + + Mulberry, Red, 156 + White, 156 + + Mullein, Common, 173, 176 + Moth, 173, 176 + + + New Jersey Tea, 175 + + Norway Pine, 160 + + + Oak, 150 + Chestnut, 150 + Laurel, 151 + Red, 150 + Scarlet, 151 + Scrub, 151 + White, 150, 151 + Willow, 151 + Yellow, 150 + + Olive, 150 + + Orchis, Showy, 169 + + Osage Orange, 156 + + + Painted Cup, 174 + + Paper Birch, 158 + + Partridge Pea, 176 + + Pea Family, 159 + + Pearly Everlasting, 179 + + Pears, 160 + + Pennyroyal, 178 + + Pignut, 158 + + Pine, 160 + Norway, 160 + Pitch, 160 + Red, 160 + Scrub, 161 + White, 160 + Yellow, 160 + + Pink Knotweed, 179, 180 + Wild, 169 + + Pink Lady's Slipper, 173 + + Pipsissewa, 172 + + Pitch Pine, 160 + + Plane Tree Family, 156 + + Plantain, Rattlesnake, 179 + + Plums, 160 + + Poison Sumach, 159 + + Pokeweed, 175 + + Poplar, Yellow, 155 + + Poplar Tree, 155 + + Poppy, Celandine, 169 + + Primrose, Evening, 176 + + Purple Loosestrife, 178 + + Pussy Willow, 158 + + Pyxie, 166 + + + Quaker Ladies, 171 + + Queen Anne's Lace, 175 + + + Rattlesnake Plantain, 179 + + Rattlesnake Weed, 172 + + Red Birch, 158 + + Red Bud, 159 + + Red Maple, 155 + + Red Mulberry, 156 + + Red Oak, 150 + + Red Pine, 160 + + Red Spruce, 161 + + Rhododendron, 169, 172 + Wild, 169, 171 + + Rhodora, 169 + + Rose Family, 160 + + Rowan Trees, 160 + + + St John's Wort, 173, 176 + + Saxifrage, 166 + + Scarlet Oak, 151 + + Scrub Oak, 151 + + Scrub Pine, 161 + + Self Heal, 178 + + Shad Bush, 166 + + Shell-bark Hickory, 157, 158 + + Shin Leaf, 172 + + Showy Orchis, 169 + + Silver Maple, 155 + + Slippery Elm, 153 + + Solomon's Seal, 168 + + Sorrel, Wood, 172 + + Spice Bush, 166 + + Spring Beauty, 169, 171 + + Spruce, 161 + Black, 161 + Red, 161 + White, 161 + + Staggerbush, 172 + + Star Flowers, 166 + + Steeplebush, 178 + + Stick-tight, 179 + + Succory, 181 + + Sugar Maple, 155 + + Sumach, 159 + Poison, 159 + + Sunflower, Wild, 179 + + Swamp Hickory, 158 + Honeysuckle, 172 + Magnolia, 153 + + Sweet Bay, 153 + + Sweet Cicely, 172 + + Sweetgum, 149 + + Sweet Pepperbush, 179 + + Sycamore, 156 + + + Thimble Weed, 175 + + Thistle, Yellow, 179 + + Tick Trefoil, 178 + + Toad Flax, 173 + + Touch-me-Not, 176 + + Trees of the United States, 149 + + Trilliums, 166, 167 + + Tulip Tree, 155 + + Turk's Cap Lily, 178 + + + Viburnum, Maple-Leaved, 171 + + Violet, 168, 169, 171 + Dog-tooth, 168, 169 + + + Wake Robin, 169 + + Walnut, 156, 158 + Black, 156 + White, 156 + + Weeping Willow, 158 + + Whip-poor-Will's Shoe, 172 + + White Ash, 150 + + White Avens, 175 + + White Birch, 158 + + White Elm, 153 + + White Hemlock, 161 + + White Mulberry, 156 + + White Oak, 150, 151 + + White Pine, 160 + + White Spruce, 161 + + White Walnut, 156 + + White-wood, 153 + + Wild Cherry, 160 + + Wild Cucumber, 175 + + Wild Flowers of the United States, 165 + + Wild Geranium, 171 + + Wild Honeysuckle, 169 + + Wild Lily, 178 + + Wild Lupine, 174 + + Wild Pink, 169 + + Wild Rhododendron, 169, 171 + + Wild Sunflower, 179 + + Wild Yellow Lily, 176 + + Willow, 158 + Black, 158 + Pussy, 158 + Weeping, 158 + + Willow Oak, 151 + + Witch-hazel Family, 149, 179 + + Wintergreen, 174 + + Wood Betony, 168 + + Wood Sorrel, 172 + + + Yarrow, 175 + + Yellow Adder's Tongue, 168 + + Yellow Clover, 176 + + Yellow Daisies, 176 + + Yellow Lady's Slipper, 172, 173 + + Yellow Loosestrife, 173 + + Yellow Oak, 150 + + Yellow Pine, 160 + + Yellow Poplar, 155 + + Yellow Thistle, 179 + + + + +THE Campfire and Trail Series + + + 1. In Camp on the Big Sunflower. + 2. The Rivals of the Trail. + 3. The Strange Cabin on Catamount Island. + 4. Lost in the Great Dismal Swamp. + 5. With Trapper Jim in the North Woods. + 6. Caught in a Forest Fire. + + By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE + +A series of wholesome stories for boys told in an interesting way and +appealing to their love of the open. + + _Each, 12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE + NEW YORK + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Text uses both scout master and scout-master. + +Advertising page listing Hickory Ridge books, "Chenoweth" changed to +"Chenowith" to match actual usage in books. + +Page 57, "vamose" changed to "vamoose" (wanted to vamoose in a) + +Page 92, "samee" changed to "same" (All the same) + +Page 99, "more's" changed to "more'n" (a feller more'n a skinned) + +Page 153, "drank" changed to "drunk" (drunk for throat) + +Page 184, "Hawkweed" changed to "Hawk Weed" to match usage in text. + +Page 187, "Whip-poor-will's" changed to "Whip-poor-Will's" to match +usage in text. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Woodcraft, by Alan Douglas + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WOODCRAFT *** + +***** This file should be named 37167-8.txt or 37167-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/6/37167/ + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, +Emmy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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