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diff --git a/37493.txt b/37493.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dff5e5c --- /dev/null +++ b/37493.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6238 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fast Nine, 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: Fast Nine + or, A Challenge from Fairfield + +Author: Alan Douglas + +Release Date: September 21, 2011 [EBook #37493] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FAST NINE *** + + + + +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 stem + 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 Musing 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. Post Volume_ + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St) NEW YORK + + + + +FAST NINE + +OR + +A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD + + + + +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 BOBBINS + + +THE BEAVER PATROL + +MATTY (MATTHEW) EGGLESTON, Patrol Leader + + "RED" (OSCAR) HUGGINS + TY (TYRUS) COLLINS + JASPER MERRIWEATHER + TOM CROPSEY + LARRY (LAWRENCE) BILLINGS + HEN (HENRY) CONDIT + LANDY (PHILANDER) SMITH + + +THE EAGLE PATROL + +JACK ARMITAGE, Patrol Leader + +NAT (NATHAN) SCOTT + + +(OTHERS TO BE ENLISTED UNTIL THIS PATROL HAS REACHED ITS LEGITIMATE +NUMBER) + +[Illustration: It was now up to Matt Tubbs.] + + + + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + +FAST NINE + +OR + +A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD + +BY + +CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS + +SCOUT MASTER + +[Illustration] + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + NEW YORK + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1928, BY + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I.--ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE FISHING HOLE 17 + II.--A STARTLING ACCUSATION 25 + III.--WHEN THE CHALLENGE CAME 33 + IV.--THE PRACTICE GAME WITH THE SCRUB TEAM 41 + V.--BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY 49 + VI.--A QUESTION OF A SCOUT'S DUTY 57 + VII.--MORE WORK ON THE DIAMOND 65 + VIII.--THE PUNCTURED TIRE 73 + IX.--FAITHFUL TO HIS FRIEND 81 + X.--GIVING HIM ANOTHER CHANCE 89 + XI.--READY FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BATS 97 + XII.--STEALING THE SIGNALS 105 + XIII.--READY FOR THE GREAT GAME 113 + XIV.--HOW THE FIGHT WENT ON 121 + XV.--LIL ARTHA PLANTS HIS GARDEN IN DEEP CENTER 129 + XVI.--THE MYSTERY SOLVED 137 + + + + +FAST NINE + +OR + +A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD + + + + +_THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS_ + +FAST NINE; OR, A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE FISHING HOLE. + + +A PARTY of five boys, ranging in age around fifteen or sixteen, trudged +rather wearily along the bank of a small stream known as the Sunflower +River. Some miles beyond this point it merged its clear waters with +those of the broader Sweetwater, which river has figured before now in +these stories of the Hickory Ridge boys. + +As they carried several strings of pretty good-looking fish, the chances +were the straggling group must have been over at the larger stream +trying their luck. And as black bass have a failing for beginning to +bite just when fellows ought to be starting for home this would account +for evening finding them still some distance from Hickory Ridge and a +jolly supper. + +"Another long mile, and then we'll be there, fellows," sighed the +stoutest one of the bunch, who was panting every little while, because +of the warm pace set by his more agile chums. + +"Hey, just listen to Landy puff, will you, boys!" laughed Chatz +Maxfield, whose accent betrayed his Southern birth. + +"He keeps getting fatter every day, I do believe," joked Mark Cummings, +a clean-cut young chap with a clear eye and resolute bearing. + +"Now, that ain't exactly fair, Mark," complained the object of this +mirth, in a reproachful tone, "and you know it. Don't I take exercise +every day just to reduce my flesh? Why, I'm making a regular martyr of +myself, my mom says, ever since I joined the Boy Scouts, so that I can +keep my own with the rest of you. She says if I keep it up I'll soon be +skin and bones, that's what!" + +A shout arose from the entire bunch at this. The idea of that fat boy +ever reaching a point where such a term could be applied to him was +simply ridiculous. + +"What time is it, Chatz; since you seem to be the only one in the lot +who had the good sense and also the decency to fetch a watch along?" + +The Southern boy readily pulled out a little nickel timepiece, and +consulted it, but the dusk was coming fast, so that he had to bend low +in order to make sure of the right figures. + +"Half past seven, fellows," he announced. + +"Wow, won't my folks just be worried about me, though!" exclaimed a very +tall boy, whose build would indicate that he was something of a +sprinter; and whose name being Arthur Stansbury, his mates, after the +usual perversity of boys in general, had promptly nicknamed him "Lil +Artha." + +"I don't think they'll be alarmed, because they know a bad penny is sure +to turn up," laughed Mark, immediately dodging a friendly blow from the +lengthy arm of his comrade. + +"Hold on, I've lost my cap," declared the one who had dodged, but the +others made no move toward stopping; supper was a mile away, and they +felt hungry enough to eat a houseful. + +Three minutes later Mark came running after them, still bareheaded. + +"Hello!" exclaimed the lad who had asked Chatz for the time, and who +seemed to bear the earmarks of a leader among them, as Elmer Chenowith +really was, being at the head of the Wolf Patrol, and accredited as an +assistant scout master in the Hickory Ridge Boy Scout Troop--"How about +this, Mark; where's your cap?" + +"Couldn't find it, that's all," laughed the other, good naturedly; +"perhaps it went into the river. Anyhow, it's getting that dark I +couldn't see the thing, and as you fellows were in such a raging hurry I +just gave it up." + +"Oh, say, that's too bad," declared Chatz; "I'll turn back with you, +Mark, if you give the word." + +"Oh, shucks! it isn't worth it, Chatz, though I'm just as much obliged +to you as if we went. It's an old cap, anyhow, and even if it went +sailing down the Sunflower it wouldn't matter much. I've got another +besides my campaign hat. And if it doesn't rain in the morning I may +take a run over here on my wheel. Move along, fellows; I can just +imagine I smell that bully good supper that's being kept for me at our +house." + +"Yum, yum, that strikes me," exclaimed Landy, whose one weakness was a +love for eating, despite his declaration to the effect that he was daily +cutting down his rations in order to reduce his girth. "And I happen to +know they're having fried eggplant to-night. If there's one thing I just +like above every other dish it's fried eggplant, and plenty of it. Aw!" +and he sighed to think that a whole mile still lay between himself and +that beloved delicacy. + +"All I can say is, that it's mighty lucky we don't have a meeting +to-night, that's what," remarked Chatz; "because we'd never be able to +get there after this long hike. But, honest, fellows, I think it paid. +I never had more fun pulling out black bass than to-day. And whew, how +they do fight up here! Why, down in the warmer waters of my state, South +Carolina, we have the big-mouth bass, which the natives call green +trout, and he comes in as logy as an old piece of tree stump, after +about one little tussle." + +"But I reckon there are heaps of game fighters up in that old pond at +Munsey's mill," remarked Lil Artha. + +"There may be, if those fish pirates left any," declared Mark. "You know +the game and fish warden found and destroyed a lot of nets, even if he +didn't get the Italian poachers. But that's too far away from home, +anyway; and I think we'll have to leave the bass that live in that pond +to the ghost of the haunted mill." + +A general laugh followed this declaration. The scouts had recently been +on a long tramp to the mill in question, an abandoned place which was +shunned by all the country people for certain causes. But while they had +met with sundry adventures of considerable importance while there, none +of them could claim to have run across the ghost said to be in charge of +the old rookery. + +This had been a subject of great disappointment to Chatz Maxfield in +particular, for he secretly cherished more or less of a belief in +ghosts, having probably been inoculated with the weakness as a very +small boy, when he had for playmates ignorant and superstitious blacks, +on the South Carolina rice plantation that had been his home until +recently. + +"Hey! what did Matt Tubbs have to say to you, Elmer?" suddenly asked Lil +Artha. "I saw him talking like a Dutch uncle when I was waiting for you +to come along this noon." + +The boy in question was known as a bully. He lived in the neighboring +town of Fairfield, which adjoined Cramertown, so that the two might be +reckoned one continuous settlement. And strangely enough, Matt's house +was said to be half in one place and half in the other. + +Matt Tubbs had given the boys of Hickory Ridge more or less trouble in +years past. He was a natural leader, and rather a tough character as +well, ruling the fellows in Fairfield and Cramertown with a rod of iron. + +Frequently the Hickory Ridge boys had been influenced to engage in +friendly rivalry with those of the neighboring place, but it happened +that as a rule these contests broke up in a row, and more than one +pitched battle had resulted. + +For more than a year, now, Elmer and his chums had positively refused to +have anything to do with the Fairfield boys. They had even turned down +several invitations to bridge the chasm and start on a new deal, because +they believed that so long as Matt Tubbs was in control, just so long +would rough-house tactics be brought into play whenever the game went +against the Fairfield players. + +But lately Matt Tubbs had seen a new light. The organizing of the +Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy Scouts had inspired him with a desire to +follow suit. But while he could find plenty of material in the two +towns, the great difficulty seemed to be in subscribing to the twelve +cardinal principles which every candidate has to profess before he can +become even a tenderfoot scout. + +Matt had in secret hovered around the meeting places of the Hickory +Ridge fellows. In this way he had heard things that simply amazed him, +and set him to thinking deeply. Then he had chanced to have an +experience with Elmer and his followers at a time when the scouts were +called on to find a little boy who had been kidnapped by his +step-father, an ignorant and drink-crazed rascal. + +Matt Tubbs had been fascinated by the many things he had seen Elmer do +in the line of woodcraft, and then and there he had declared that he was +going to subscribe to the entire list of regulations as set forth in the +manual of the scouts. + +And Elmer had given him his hand at the time, promising to do all he +could to assist him get his troop started. + +The leader of the Wolf Patrol laughed softly when Lil Artha put this +question at him so directly. + +"I really meant to tell you all about it," he said, "but somehow it just +seemed to slip my mind, we've been having such a jolly afternoon. Fact +is, Matt being over in the Ridge on some business for his father, jumped +off his wheel at seeing me, because he had some important news." + +"Has he got his troop organized, then?" asked Lil Artha. + +"That's just what he has; seventeen fellows have already signed the +roll, with a promise of several more. That makes two complete patrols, +and then some. Matt says they're wild over it in his town. The people +are going to let them have a room in the old Baptist church, and +everybody promises to help along. I reckon the good people of Fairfield +understand that the coming of the Boy Scouts will mean a moral awakening +in their place." + +"And they need it, all right," declared Chatz, positively. "Why, suh, +I'm told that during the last seven yeahs Fairfield, that used to be a +model town, has become the toughest place in this part of the state. And +the way Matt Tubbs led his gang has been the main cause. It was a rule +or ruin policy. If they couldn't win a baseball game squarely they'd +start a little riot, and have the umpire give it to 'em, nine to +nothing." + +"Well, I rather think that's all in the past," said Elmer. "If Matt does +half he declares he means to do, it's going to be the biggest thing +that ever happened for the boys of Fairfield and Cramertown. And +something more, fellows. I just rather guess we'd better be brushing up +all we know of the great American national game of baseball. For Matt +says he and his team are going to challenge the Hickory Ridge scouts to +a big game." + +"Hear, hear!" shouted Lil Artha, executing a regular hoedown to prove +how joyful the news made him. "Why, fellows, d'ye know I'm just wild to +get in the game again against a club that really counts. All we've done +this summer has been to mow down the little chaps around the Ridge, and +it was too easy. Matt will put a team in the field worth beating, and we +all know what a player he is himself when he wants to do the right +thing. So I say bully, bully all around!" + +"Do you think his turning over a new leaf will hold good," asked Chatz; +"or is he apt to drop back into his old ways if we happen to get a good +lead, and bully the umpire into giving his side all the chances?" + +"Well, of course I couldn't say for sure," replied Elmer, "but Matt +seems dead set on cutting a straight swathe from now on, and there's the +best chance of his doing it that ever happened, because he has simply +got to choose between doing the square thing to others or getting out of +the scout movement. No crooked work will go when a fellow has faithfully +promised to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful to others, friendly, +courteous, kind, obedient to his superiors, cheerful, thrifty, brave, +clean and reverent." + +"You're right, it won't, Elmer," assented Mark, positively. "And yet if +Matt has changed right-about face, so that he can live up to that +agreement I'm ready to believe the world is coming to an end." + +"Me, too!" echoed Lil Artha, who had had several personal conflicts +with the bully of Fairfield, and distrusted him exceedingly. + +"Just wait and see," said Elmer; and the subject was dropped as they +hurried on toward the lights of Hickory Ridge that began to appear near +by. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A STARTLING ACCUSATION. + + +"Now, what d'ye suppose that fellow in the carriage is beckoning to us +for, Elmer?" asked Mark Cummings, as he and his particular chum were +walking along the main street of Hickory Ridge on the morning after the +fishing trip. + +They had been looking up a few things in one of the stores, for Mark +chanced to be the grandson of a noted artist, and had himself developed +a touch of genius along the line of caricature work. Often when he and +his chums were together, he would pull out pencil and paper and dash off +some telling and humorous drawing. If a pencil were not handy Mark could +use a crayon, a bit of chalk or charcoal, and even a piece of fresh +birch bark in case paper were lacking. + +And so he had been picking up a few things in his line, while Elmer +interested himself advising Lil Artha, who was selecting some plates for +his new camera, as well as developing fluid, prepared paper, and several +other necessities required by the amateur photographer devoted to his +work. + +The two boys had started home together, and were in the midst of an +animated conversation connected with the chances for that baseball game +before the summer vacation ended, when Mark chanced to hear some one +calling. + +"Why, it looks to me like Colonel Hitchins's rig," remarked Elmer, who +possibly knew the vehicle in question better than his chum. "Yes, I +know it is now, and the negro driver is Sam White, his coachman. He +seems to be beckoning to us, as sure as anything. I wonder what he +wants, and if it has anything to do with Diablo, the educated monkey we +had all that fun with when we were in camp up on Jupiter Lake?" + +"That's so, Elmer; will I ever forget what happened there, and how glad +Colonel Hitchins was to get his tricky pet back, after he had robbed us +of a lot of our good grub. But Sam White has started his horses this +way. Let's wait here and see what he's got to say." + +Colonel Hitchins was an eccentric and wealthy man who lived beyond the +environments of Hickory Ridge. He had once been a great traveler, and +his big house was filled with trophies from every land. It was a treat +for Elmer to examine some of the almost numberless things the collector +had gathered around him. And as a rule the colonel was favorably +disposed toward the boys of Hickory Ridge, though there were times when +some of the more malicious chaps annoyed him greatly in various ways. + +Presently Sam White pulled the two prancing horses in close to the +sidewalk. + +"Whoa, dar, youse high falutin' thoroughbr'ds from Kentucky! I reckons +you dun gits too much oats, dat's what; an' hit makes yuh too frisky. +You am de boy belongin' tuh de Cummings fambly, ain't yuh, an' yuh name +am Mark, I spect?" was the way the colored driver proclaimed his advent +on the scene. + +"Sure, I'm Mark Cummings, and you know it as well as you do your own +name, Sam. What's doing now?" remarked the boy, smiling. + +"Why, yuh see, de kunnel he sez tuh me, sez he: 'Sam, ef so be yuh sot +yuh eyes on dat Mark Cummings, I'd like yuh tuh ask him tuh come up hyah +right away, 'case I wants tuh see him!' Dat's wat de kunnel say tuh +me," the driver explained. + +Mark glanced at his chum with raised eyebrows. + +"What d'ye suppose it means, Elmer?" he asked, in bewilderment. + +The other shook his head in the negative, as though unable to hazard a +guess. + +"It might stand for any one of a dozen things," he observed. "You know +the colonel takes a heap of interest in the boys of the Ridge. Perhaps +he wants to make some offer to them that will be to their interest. +Perhaps he may even intend to ask the scouts over to his house some +night, and give them a great time. It would be just like him, you know." + +"Yes," replied Mark, smiling, "but in that case why send for me? You're +the assistant scout master, and Mr. Garrabrant is in town right now, so +he ought to be the one consulted. But I suppose I'd better jump in and +go along. Say, what's to hinder you coming with me, Elmer?" + +"Nothing that I know of," replied his chum. "And I don't suppose Sam +here would have any objections to my taking a ride with you. He knows +I've been to see the colonel heaps of times." + +Sam scratched his woolly pate, as if bewildered, and looked dubious. + +"De kunnel he sez dat Mark Cummings boy, sah, but seein' as it's you, I +reckon it'd be all right. So jes' step in kindly, as de hosses am a bit +peeved dis yar mawnin', an' wants tuh run dey haids off." + +Accordingly the two chums entered the big open carriage, Mark laying his +several packages down beside him. And in another minute they were being +carried at a spanking pace toward the fine estate of Colonel Hitchins. + +On the way they speculated along other lines as to what the gentleman +wished to see Mark about, but without being able to come to any +conclusion. But never suspecting that it could be anything serious they +presently allowed the subject to drop. + +Turning in at the entrance to the grounds they passed along a drive +where one could see the fancy fruit trees of which the owner was so +proud. + +"Looks like they were picking those splendid peaches, from the way the +leaves lie on the ground," remarked Elmer, as he pointed to a couple of +trees on which there still remained a few splendidly colored and +wonderfully large specimens of the delicious fruit. + +"Um! makes a fellow's mouth water just to see 'em," declared Mark. "And +there's Bruno chained up to his kennel back by the barns. What a big dog +he is--a Siberian wolf hound the colonel calls him. I don't believe I'd +like to meet Bruno on a dark night, and running loose." + +"Oh, he isn't a bad kind at all," remarked Elmer. "I've patted him on +the head often, of course when the colonel was along. He gets loose once +in a while, too, but was never known to attack anybody, though if a +thief tried to enter, and he was free at the time, he might jump on him +and hold him. That happened once, so the colonel told me, when he lived +outside of New York City." + +"Well, here we are at the house," observed Mark. "Come along with me, +Elmer." + +"Think I'd better, when he only wanted to see you?" asked his chum, +dubiously. + +"Yes, come along," Mark insisted. "I don't know how it is, but I've just +got a hunch that I'd like to have you with me. And the colonel is so +fond of you he'll be glad you've come." + +Thus urged Elmer also jumped from the vehicle. + +"Jes' leab dem packages dar, 'case I 'spect tuh dribe yuh bofe back tuh +town agin arter yuh done seein' de kunnel," said Sam. "An' sense de door +am open, p'raps yuh bettah jes' go long tuh de library, whar de kunnel +am asittin'." + +"That's the ticket; come along, Elmer." + +In this spirit, then, the two boys quickly reached the door of the +library, a room which Elmer knew very well, as he had spent many a +pleasant evening there. Mark knocked lightly on the door. + +"Enter!" said a voice, which they knew belonged to the master of the +mansion. + +At seeing two lads the colonel's eyebrows went up, and he glanced +sharply from one to the other in a questioning way. So Elmer thought it +only right that he should explain. + +"We were walking home together when Sam gave your message, colonel," he +said, "and so I took the liberty of coming with my chum Mark." + +The elderly gentleman smiled. Elmer was a favorite of his, and he had +taken a great interest in many of the lad's schemes and plans that had +to do with the affairs of the troop of Boy Scouts of Hickory Ridge. + +"Say nothing more about it, Elmer; I'm always glad to see you"; and yet +Elmer noticed to his surprise that the colonel did not offer him his +hand as usual. + +He asked them to be seated, and all the while his keen eyes seemed to be +roving uneasily toward Mark; and several times Elmer saw him shake his +head slightly. + +For a few minutes they talked of various things. Elmer asked how the +monkey was getting on, and the gentleman told them that Diablo had grown +so vicious that he had been compelled to send him away to the Central +Park collection of animals in New York City. + +"I hated to part from the brute very much, too, but it seemed as though +all the bad in his nature was coming to the surface, and he lost much of +the charm he used to have for me." Then to the surprise of the boys the +colonel leaned forward, adding: "Let me take your caps, boys." + +"But we can only stay a short time, sir; I promised my mother to be home +at eleven, because she wants me to go somewhere with her," Mark said, +although he could not very well refuse to let the persistent gentleman +take his cap. + +Elmer stared when he saw the colonel actually examine the head gear of +his chum. Nor was his astonishment at all lessened when he heard what he +said. + +"Oh, I will not detain you more than five or ten minutes at the most, I +promise you, boys. By the way, I see that both of you have the habit of +fastening your initials inside your caps. I suppose most boys do that +because they are apt to get their head gear mixed when they wrestle and +knock around; isn't that so, Mark?" + +"Why, yes, sir, I guess that's the main reason they put the initials +there," replied the one addressed, his eyes opening wide with surprise +at the peculiar turn given to the conversation by the colonel. + +"I suppose, now, you've always done it, Mark?" continued the gentleman, +watching the boy's face. + +"For several years, yes, sir. I've had as many as five sets of initials +in that time. And the habit has saved me a lot of caps, too. If a fellow +claims mine, all I have to do is to point at the three initials inside, +and he gives up." + +"H'm! like this, for instance," remarked the colonel, picking something +up from behind a pile of books on his table and holding it out. + +It was a fairly well-worn cap, and had evidently belonged to a boy. +Elmer immediately sat up and began to take notice. He realized that the +colonel must indeed have an object in asking Mark to drop in and see +him. + +For unless he was very much mistaken Elmer had seen that same cap +before, many times, and on the head of his chum! + +As for Mark, his eyes had opened very wide as they fastened on the +article the gentleman was holding out before him. + +"Will you kindly take this cap in your hands, my boy?" said the colonel, +and almost mechanically Mark did so, for as yet he could not find his +voice to express his mingled feelings. + +"Please examine it, now, and tell me if you have ever seen it before," +continued the colonel, whose heavy brows were lowered, as though under +their shelter he were trying to analyze the emotions that chased each +other across the face of the boy. + +Mark made a pretense of looking inside and out, but it was not +necessary, for the fellow who cannot instantly recognize a cap he has +worn for some months must be pretty dense indeed. + +"Well?" said the gentleman, with an interrogation point in the one word. + +"I know it is mine, sir, because--well, every little mark about it is +familiar, even to this little triangular tear. Besides, here are my +initials inside--just as they are in this other cap I own--M. A. C., +which stand for Mark Anthony Cummings." + +The gentleman moved uneasily. It seemed as though he might be both +surprised and annoyed because of this frank acceptance of the ownership +of the cap. + +"You're quite positive there can be no mistake--that some other boy may +not have the same initials?" he asked. + +"I don't know of a single one, do you, Elmer?" replied Mark, steadily. + +"Not that I can recall just now; and besides, Mark, I ought to know that +cap as well as you, and I'm ready to declare it's your property. I'm +only wondering how it happens to be in the possession of Colonel +Hitchins after you lost it," Elmer remarked, watching the face of the +gentleman and wondering why he looked so downcast over such a little +thing. + +"I'm sorry to hear you say it belongs to you, Mark, because you are one +of the last boys I'd dream of accusing of such a thing as robbery." + +"Robbery!" gasped Mark, his face turning a trifle white with the shock. + +"It is just that, for my premises were invaded last night by some bold +thieves, who raided my choice peach trees, and almost cleaned them of +the prize fruit that I would not have taken its weight in silver for. +And I regret to say that this morning I found this self-same cap under +those trees, where it would appear it had been accidentally dropped by +one of the fruit thieves." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +WHEN THE CHALLENGE CAME. + + +A SILENCE so dense that, as Elmer afterward said, it could almost be +felt gripped that library when the colonel made his astonishing +declaration. + +The two boys stared at each other in dismay. Then Mark once more looked +down at the cap he held in his hand, as though he expected it to be +given speech in order to indignantly deny the accusation. Twice he +opened his mouth to say something, but no sound followed. + +"Please remember, Mark, that I am not accusing you of having done this +miserable thing," continued the gentleman in a softer tone; "I cannot +find it in my heart to believe that you would be guilty of doing an old +friend such an unkindness. But I found the cap just where I stated; it +bore those initials, and I sent for you to see if you claimed it. And +now, could you tell me how it chanced to come there under my prize peach +trees that were robbed last night?" + +Mark shook his head slowly. + +"I'm sure I can't do that, sir, because I don't know," he said. + +Elmer opened his mouth to explain under what circumstances the cap had +been lost at twilight on the preceding evening, then he thought better +of it and held his tongue. It might be as well for the gentleman to +conduct the examination after his own fashion. The truth was bound to +come out shortly, at any rate. + +"Since you admit that the cap is yours, Mark, will you please tell me +when you saw it last, for if I am right in judging what Elmer just said, +you claim to have lost it?" Colonel Hitchins continued. + +"Why, yes, sir, I wore it yesterday afternoon when a party of us went +fishing away over to the old hole where the Sunflower runs into the +Sweetwater," Mark began. + +"Don't I know it as well as any lad," remarked the old gentleman, with a +faint smile. "I was brought up here, and came back home after many +years' wandering, partly on account of those recollections of my boyhood +days. Well, you did your fishing in the afternoon, you say. And if those +bass act just the same now as they used to many years ago, they began +biting just when you thought of starting back home--how about that, +Mark?" + +"Just what they did, sir; and we caught nearly all we had, a good string +apiece, from that time up to after six. Then we couldn't stay any longer +and started home. On the road, when we were about a mile or so away, and +just going to leave the little Sunflower stream, Lil Artha got to +cutting up with me, and I lost my cap." + +"Just so, as I have done many a time in the long ago. That Sunflower +River has memories for me I can never forget," declared the colonel, +sighing. + +"I stopped to hunt for it, sir," Mark continued, "but the evening was +on, and there were more or less bushes around. Besides, the fellows were +drawing farther away all the time, and I didn't care much for the cap +after all. So I began to think it might have just fallen into the river, +and I gave it up, chasing after the rest of the bunch." + +"Was that the last you thought of the cap?" + +"Why, no, sir," Mark went on. "This morning I ran over there on my wheel +and gave another hunt, but it was no use. That made me all the more sure +it must have gone sailing down the river. And you can imagine my +surprise when you hauled it out just now." + +"Strange how it came to be under my peach tree, isn't it?" asked Colonel +Hitchins. + +"Perhaps some fellow found it, sir, and wore it last night," suggested +Elmer. + +"Ah, I had quite forgotten about you, Elmer," remarked the other. "I +suppose, now, you were along with your friend last evening, and knew +about him losing his cap?" + +"I was, sir, and besides there were three others--Landy Smith, Arthur +Stansbury, and Chatz Maxfield. And more than that, colonel, I went over +to Mark's house after supper, and we sat up till nearly eleven o'clock, +arranging things about our scouts' baseball club; for you see we expect +a challenge from Fairfield troop any day now." + +The look of distress left the bearded face of the colonel. He thrust out +a hand in his customary hearty manner. + +"I want you each to shake hands with me," he said; "and Mark, I hope you +will not feel badly because with suspicion pointing so strongly toward +you, I wanted to ask you a few questions about this cap. As Elmer said, +no doubt some boy picked it up and left it under the tree, either +accidentally or in the hope of turning suspicion toward you." + +"Oh, I hope not that!" said Mark, who could not believe in his heart +that any boy in all Hickory Ridge could be so mean and tricky as to want +to get one of his schoolmates in trouble. + +"No matter, I am now absolutely sure it could not have been you, and I +shall not give the matter another thought. I would advise you to forget +it also, if you can, my boy," and he laid a hand caressingly on Mark's +shoulder. + +"I'll certainly try to, sir," returned the boy, looking up with a smile +and meeting the eyes of the gentleman squarely, as was always his wont, +"but sometimes it's hard to forget things like this. I suppose I'll just +bother my head about how my cap got under your tree when I lost it a +mile away, up to the end of the chapter. And I reckon it will never be +cleared up." + +"As your ten minutes are about up, Mark, I won't detain you any longer," +said the old traveler, "but promise me that you will come over with +Elmer next Saturday night, and look over some of my curios. I like to +have boys around me, and there's an interesting story connected with +some of the strange things I've rounded up in various unfrequented +quarters of this old world. You'll come, won't you, Mark?" + +"I sure will, colonel, and be mighty glad of the chance. Shall I take my +old cap away with me, or do you want to place it among your curios as an +unsolved mystery?" and Mark laughed as he said this. + +"I think you had better carry it off, Mark," replied the gentleman. "But +unless I am lucky enough to catch the rascals who robbed me of my prize +peaches last night, I'm afraid the truth will never be known. What +puzzles me most of all is the fact that Bruno was loose last night and +never gave the alarm. He must have been off roaming, as he does whenever +he manages to slip his collar and chain." + +He shook hands with both of them again, and when Mark felt the pressure +of the old gentleman's fingers, as well as saw the kindly look on his +face, he felt positive that Colonel Hitchins had eradicated all +suspicion of his guilt from his mind. + +Sam was waiting for them, scolding his restless horses the while. And no +sooner did the two boys jump into the carriage before the driver gave +the word, and they were being carried out of the grounds in great +style. + +On the way they met Lil Artha returning home. The tall fellow stared at +seeing his two chums seated so delightfully in the elegant carriage +which he, of course, recognized as belonging to Colonel Hitchins. He +shouted something after them, but Elmer only waved his hand out of the +vehicle as they went on. + +"How about it, Mark?" he asked; "Lil Artha will never rest until he +tries to pump it all out of you. Will you tell him about the cap, and +how it was found?" + +"Why not?" demanded Mark, instantly. "I haven't anything I want to hide +that I know of. And perhaps, if all the fellows learn about it some one +may be able to give me a pointer about who could have taken this cap +that I lost on the bank of the Sunflower last night, and left it where +the colonel found it this morning." + +"I see by the way you talk that there's small danger of you not +bothering your brain about that mystery," laughed Elmer. + +"Well, who wouldn't, just tell me that? I'll never feel easy till I'm +able to patch up some sort of an explanation, Elmer. If some fellow +picked my cap up, did he leave it there on purpose to get me in trouble, +or was it only an accident? That's the point, you see." + +"Oh, well, I hope you find out sooner or later," remarked Elmer, who +knew from previous experience how such little things worried his chum, +and would have liked very well to have influenced Mark to cross it off +entirely. "Now, let's talk about other things--that coming great game +with Fairfield, for instance, and what chances we have with our poor +pitching staff." + +"Rats!" cried Mark. "When everyone believes that you're stronger than +ever this year, and that break of yours works like a charm. I tell you +Fairfield will have her hands full trying to hit some of those Christy +Matthewson slow floaters you can waft up to the rubber. They'll nearly +break their necks trying, and it's going to be the greatest fun watching +'em." + +Talking in this vein they were soon dropped in front of Elmer's home. As +Mark lived close by he chose to leave the vehicle at the same time. + +"Why, whatever do you suppose my folks would think?" he declared, "if +they saw the Cummings hope and heir driving up with a carriage and pair? +Not that I don't expect to tell all about this cap racket, for I've +always been in the habit of letting my mother know all I do, and many +the time she's advised me as no other person could." + +Elmer sighed. He had no mother himself, and always envied this chum who +was lucky enough to be possessed of such an adviser. And fortunate +indeed is the boy who can go to his mother, or father, either, for that +matter, to seek advice in some of the puzzling little problems that are +apt to arise in the life of a lad. + +So the two chums separated for the time being. + +"See you this afternoon, then, Mark?" called Elmer, as the other started +to hurry away, for it was very near the time he had promised to be home; +and one of Mark's strong points was a scrupulous regard for his word, no +matter to whom given. + +"That's right, Elmer; call for me, and we'll go down for a practice +game. Most of the fellows are going to come out, and perhaps we can get +a scrub team to bat against us," and waving his hand once more Mark +hurried off. + +Elmer looked after him. There was the light of a sincere affection in +his eyes, as he shook his head while muttering to himself: + +"No wonder Colonel Hitchins knew that cap was no indication of guilt, +once he looked in the face of my chum. There isn't the faintest streak +of double dealing about Mark Cummings, and his face shows it. Even if +things looked ten times blacker than they do, and he said he didn't do +it, everybody would just have to believe his simple word. I'd sooner +take it than lots of people's bond, that's what"; and with this eloquent +tribute to the honesty and fair-play qualities of his friend, Elmer +turned into his own place. + +About two o'clock Elmer dropped in at Mark's home. He always liked being +there, for Mrs. Cummings was very fond of the motherless boy and made +much of him. Indeed, she never ceased being thankful that Mark had found +a chum with such high principles; for while Elmer was a boy all over, +full of fun and ready to take a joke with the rest, he had drawn a line +for himself, beyond which nothing could ever tempt him to pass. + +"Ready?" he asked, upon bursting into Mark's den, where he found the +other engaged in some sort of sketching. + +He immediately threw everything aside. With the call of the diamond in +the air what boy, who loved baseball, could resist or allow any other +pursuit to hold him in check? + +So together they presently went out, Mark having hastily donned his +baseball suit. It was the regulation Hickory Ridge uniform, and had been +carried by the players of the town for years past, long before such a +thing as Boy Scouts had ever been thought of. + +Possibly the only real mark that distinguished the members of the troop +when on the diamond was, first their badge with the significant words: +"Be prepared," such as all scouts in good standing are entitled to wear; +and second the little totem telling that they were members of the Wolf, +the Eagle, or the Beaver Patrol. + +Once they reached the field where the games were held they found fully +fifty of the town fellows on hand, some tossing the ball, others batting +flies for a host of catchers. + +It was soon arranged. Among the fellows who did not, for various +reasons, belong to the scouts there happened to be some pretty good +timber for the several positions on the field. And Johnny Kline was the +one to act as captain. Johnny was a good player, but addicted so much to +strong slang that he despaired of ever being able to make good in the +troop, and kept putting off the day when his application for membership +would go in. + +"Now we're all ready, Elmer," said Mark, who caught for the regular +team. + +"Yes, let's get down to business," remarked Lil Artha, who, besides +being a cracking good first baseman, was also a field captain. + +"Just wait a minute, please," said little Jasper Merriweather, "for here +comes Mr. Garrabrant, and he looks like he might be bringing us some +great news." + +"Hey! bet you that old challenge has arrived!" shouted Red Huggins. + +"And you win, hands down, Red," declared the fine-looking young man who +gave more or less of his time to the affairs of the troop, on account of +the deep interest he had in boys in general, "because you see that is +just what I am holding in my hand. So close in and listen while I read +it to you!" + +"Hurrah! now will you be good, Fairfield?" shouted Lil Artha, waving his +cap. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE PRACTICE GAME WITH THE SCRUB TEAM. + + +"I RECEIVED this by special messenger not more than half an hour ago," +remarked the scout master of the Hickory Ridge Troop. + +"Was it Felix Wagner, the second baseman of Fairfield, who brought it?" +asked Lil Artha; "because I saw him on his wheel pass our house just +before I came out." + +"I believe he did say that was his name," replied Mr. Garrabrant, +"though I didn't bother asking him, and might not even have remembered +it only for your mentioning the same. Hurry along, Landy, if you want to +hear the challenge read." + +"Well, I do now, the worst kind, even if I ain't on the regular team," +replied the fat boy. "Something might happen to one of our fellows, and +then perhaps they'd give me a show. I know I'm a little clumsy, but I'm +improving all the time and can run half a mile now without breathing +_very_ hard." + +"Hold your horses, Landy, and give Mr. Garrabrant a show!" called one. + +"Yes, we want to hear about the challenge; we can listen to your talk +any old time, Landy. You'll be with us some time yet," added another. + +The scout master held up his finger, and instantly every sound ceased. +Even the boys present who did not belong to the regular scouts +understood that Mr. Garrabrant enforced obedience, and were ready to +yield it with the rest. Besides, even if they did not play on the team, +they belonged in good old Hickory Ridge, and the interests of the town +were dear to their boyish hearts. + + + "MR. RODERIC GARRABRANT, SCOUT MASTER, + "Boy Scouts Troop of Hickory Ridge. + + "We, the newly organized Boy Scouts of Fairfield and + Cramertown, having made up a team composed wholly of + the members of our organization, do hereby challenge + you to a game of ball on the afternoon of Monday the + twentieth of August, to settle the question of + championship on the diamond between our different + organizations. No one not a scout in good standing to + participate in this match game. Please settle this + matter at your earliest convenience, and send us a + reply, so that the game may be advertised. It will be + played at three o'clock upon the neutral field of + Basking Ridge, the home nine there having disbanded. + + "Signed by the Committee, + "FELIX WAGNER, + "ADRIAN COOK, + "JOHN BASTIAN, + "MATTHEW TUBBS, _Chairman_." + +No sooner had Mr. Garrabrant finished reading this communication than a +great uproar broke out. Two dozen tongues wagged at the same time. +Everybody seemed to have something to say on the subject, and while most +of them applauded the tone of the challenge, there were numerous +suggestions in the air. + +Again did the scout master hold up his hand. + +"Silence!" hissed Lil Artha, with both hands motioning at the same time. + +"Mr. Garrabrant says be still, fellows!" called another. + +When it was so quiet they could almost have heard a pin drop, the scout +master once more addressed the fifty-odd boys around him. + +"Please remember," he said, pointedly, "this is a matter that concerns +only the Boy Scouts. I expect every other fellow to keep the utmost +silence while we talk it over. You are being handsomely treated in being +allowed the privilege of staying here and listening to what we have to +say. Now, scouts, what is your pleasure about this courteous challenge?" + +"I move that it be immediately accepted, and the time be set as Monday +next at three in the afternoon, and the game to come off on the Basking +Ridge diamond," suggested Mark. + +"Second the motion!" followed Lil Artha, quickly. + +"Any remarks before the motion is put?" asked Mr. Garrabrant, smiling as +he looked at the eager faces by which he was surrounded. + +"Are we to take it for granted that the Basking Ridge people would allow +us to come over and use their diamond, sir?" asked Elmer. + +"That is a point well taken," replied Mr. Garrabrant, "and I will say +for the general information that I asked the messenger about that very +thing. He assured me that the Fairfield people have the written consent +of the owner of the ground at Basking Ridge. And the people of the town +are just wild for the game to come off there. They are starved for good +baseball, since their club broke up early in the season. So that point +is disposed of. Any other question, boys?" + +"There is only to be this one game, I understand it, suh?" queried +Chatz. + +"Only this one game," replied the gentleman. + +"And the club that wins will be known as the champion team of the Boy +Scouts league in this part of the state--is that it, suh?" the Southern +boy went on. + +"I so understand it," Mr. Garrabrant answered. + +"There isn't anything said about umpires, suh; and we've found in the +past that if we want to have a square deal the umpire should never come +from either of the towns playing in the game," Chatz declared, +positively. + +"I took the pains to ask the messenger about that," said Mr. Garrabrant, +smiling, "for I realized that half of our trouble in the past has come +from having a partisan umpire. But the messenger who carried the +challenge said that Home-run Joe Mallon, who belongs to the Tri-State +League, is home in Basking Ridge, waiting for a broken arm to heal, and +that he'd gladly do the umpiring. You know he used to be an umpire long +before he got to playing ball. So that question is fixed, too. Any +more?" + +"Question! Question!" shouted a number of the scouts, eagerly. + +When the motion, to the effect that the challenge of the Fairfield nine +be unanimously accepted, was put, it met with not a single dissenting +vote, and Mr. Garrabrant called it settled. + +"The committee will go with me immediately following the game to-day, +and after we have drafted our answer we'll get it over to Fairfield +to-night, if I have to borrow somebody's car to do it," declared the +scout master. + +Then the cheers broke out in earnest. Every boy in all Hickory Ridge +would be circulating the great news before night. Little need there +would be to go to any expense in getting out posters when there was such +a splendid circulating medium close at hand. + +"Now let's start play!" called Chatz, impatient to see whether Elmer +would put in that tantalizing slow ball such as always proved such a +tempting bait to the ordinary batter, causing him to swipe the air +fiercely, besides losing confidence in himself meanwhile. + +In a short time the scrub game began. Johnny Kline was on the firing +line for the scrub, and he certainly had some speed along with him that +day, for he sent them in "scorching hot," as Lil Artha declared. + +However, it seemed as though Elmer and his chums just lived on speed, +for they nearly every one fattened their average of batted balls that +eluded the vigilant fielders. + +Of course, with everything favoring the regular team, they soon began to +pile up runs, while sensational fielding on their part cut the +hard-working scrub team out of several tallies. + +After the game had run through seven innings it was called because the +hour was getting on toward six. + +"And we have a meeting to-night at which the committee will report," +said Mr. Garrabrant. + +"How does the score stand now?" asked an outsider who had been away most +of the time after the fourth inning, and only just returned when they +came in off the field. + +"Seven to one, in favor of the scouts," some one replied. + +"It would have been a shut out only for Ty Collins out in center letting +that swift fly pass him, that Johnny Kline made his home run on," +replied another. + +"All the same it was a hard-fought game, fellows," remarked the genial +scout master, who knew the outsiders felt very sore over their inability +to hit Elmer, and whose nature it was to soften hard blows for the under +dog. + +"If it had been any other pitcher we'd have knocked the stuffing out of +him, and that's no lie," asserted the captain of the scrub nine, +defiantly. "My team had their batting eyes along, but that balloon ball +fooled us every time. It's sure the finest ever, and I see poor old +Fairfield's finish if ever she gets up against Elmer this year." + +"I see you found your old mouse-colored cap again, Mark," remarked Lil +Artha. "Glad you went back after it this morning. Was beginning to be +afraid you might put in a claim against me for a new lid, because I was +the cause of your losing that one." + +Several others heard what was said, and, of course, boy-like demanded to +know what Lil Artha meant; so he simply said Mark lost his cap while +scuffling near the bank of the Sunflower River, while they were on their +way home from fishing on the preceding evening at dusk. + +Both Mark and Elmer had arranged it between them to keep on the watch +and see if anyone appeared to be any ways surprised at Mark wearing the +familiar gray cap. But so far as they were able to notice the matter +caused only a slight passing ripple, and was then apparently forgotten. + +If the party who had found the cap, and later on deliberately left it +under the prize peach trees of Colonel Hitchins, in order to get Mark in +bad odor with that gentleman, were present, he had the shrewdness to +avoid showing any feeling of astonishment that would naturally come to +him on seeing the owner of the cap wearing it again, with the utmost +indifference. + +"Nothing doing, Elmer," whispered Mark to his chum, in rather a +disgusted tone, when they found themselves apart from the rest of the +homeward-bound players and spectators. + +"If you mean with regard to finding out who had your cap, I guess you +hit the nail on the head," chuckled the other. "Either the fellow wasn't +there, or else he was smart enough to keep a straight face, and take no +interest in your old cap." + +"Then I don't wear it again, I tell you," remarked the other. "It's +pretty punk anyhow, and whoever had it, started to tear the lining out. +Just see how it's torn, would you?" + +Elmer took the cap and glanced at the badly used interior. + +"It is, for a fact," he remarked, as a look of intelligence flashed +across his face, only to vanish again. "Looks like it had been through +the war. Are you sure the lining wasn't torn that way when you lost it, +Mark?" + +"Not one bit, I give you my word. But enough of that. The thing haunts +me if I happen to wake up in the night. D'ye know I just see before me +that one question: 'Who found Mark Cummings's cap?' But never an answer +comes, and I keep groping in the dark. Perhaps some day I may happen on +the answer, Elmer, or you may, for you're always so smart at solving +riddles." + +"Perhaps I may, Mark, and if I do you can just bank on it I'll be +telling you the first thing," laughed the other. + +"Well, I should guess you would," declared Mark. + +Then others joined them, and the conversation became general; of course, +pretty much all of the talk being in connection with the coming battle +with the strong Fairfield team that had given them so hard a tussle two +years ago. + +"But we're twice as strong now as then, boys," said Mark. "We didn't +have our prize pitcher then, and some of us have improved a heap in that +time." + +"So has Matt Tubbs and several of his nine," declared Ty Collins, who +played center. "They beat the Rochesters early in the season, when the +regulars were practicing. Don't you believe for one minute we're going +to have a walkover. The Fairfield team's a hustling lot, they tell me, +and always working for runs. They're bigger than our men every way." + +"They can be as tall as the housetops," chuckled Lil Artha, "and that +won't help one bit to meet up against Elmer's benders, or engage that +balloon ball he has learned to throw just as good as Christy Matthewson +ever did." + +"Oh, what rotten stuff!" mocked Elmer, though of course he could not +help feeling satisfied with the confidence which his teammates seemed to +repose in him. + +A short time later they reached the borders of the town, where they +divided up in smaller groups, according to where their homes chanced to +lie. + +"Remember the meeting to-night, boys!" had been the last words of Mr. +Garrabrant, and a number who did not belong to the scouts wished they +had the nerve to put in an application right away, for they did seem to +have such glorious times. + +When Elmer parted from his chum, and walked on to his own home, he was +nodding and muttering to himself somewhat in this style: + +"Yes, perhaps I _may_ have some news for Mark about that blessed old cap +before a great while goes by, because I've got my suspicions. But now +it's mum as an oyster for me." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY. + + +ON the following morning about ten o'clock Elmer was passing along the +road a short distance from his house, carrying quite a good-sized +package, when he heard his name called from the rear. + +Turning around, he discovered the tall, angular form of Lil Artha +hurrying after him and making motions as though he wanted to overtake +him. + +"Hello! were you looking for anyone?" laughed Elmer, as the long-legged +chap covered the intervening ground at a great rate and joined him. + +"Well, I was just on my way to your house to ask you something when I +glimpsed you turning the bend. So I put on a little steam, and here I +am," replied the one who was considered by all odds the best walker +among the scouts, barring none. + +"Why, yes, I'm on my way over to Mr. Bailey's with something he wants, +and which my father has just run across. Thought I'd take the short cut +through his patch of woods, as it cuts down the distance a third. If you +haven't anything else on hand just now, what's to hinder you going +along, Lil Artha?" + +"Nothing that I can see," replied the party who received the invitation, +falling into step at Elmer's side. "And if you feel tired carrying that +big package just heave it over to me; I'll spell you." + +"Oh, it looks heavier than it really is, but I'll take you at your word +if I feel that way. Now, what was it you wanted to see me about?" + +It proved that the long-legged first baseman had been doing considerable +thinking in connection with the coming game of baseball. He believed he +had discovered a way where a few little changes in the batting order and +such things would add materially to the strength of the team. + +This was a subject very close to Elmer's own heart, and he was ready and +willing to talk about it in and out of season. + +So the two boys walked along the road debating the matter seriously. Lil +Artha had prepared himself to back up his claims with all the shrewdness +of a lawyer advancing his ease before a jury, and knowing how +enthusiastic the other was when he had a subject in his mind Elmer was +very careful not to allow himself to be carried off his feet by such +eloquence. + +Such a little thing as the arrangement of the batting order has won and +lost innumerable games of baseball. Some fellows, once they manage to +reach first base, are almost certain to get around, if one or two sure +pinch hitters follow. And since Lil Artha knew the peculiarities of the +Hickory Ridge fellows much better than Elmer did, because the latter was +a comparative newcomer, he was in a position to give advice. + +Of course, as field captain, Lil Artha had the right to make changes +himself, but he wanted advice from the pitcher, with whom he worked in +common for the good of the team. + +When they came to the spot where the short cut through the woods began +Elmer turned into the path. Lil Artha had insisted on taking over the +package that was going to Mr. Bailey, and as the trail was exceedingly +narrow in places Elmer was compelled to step ahead. + +He kept turning his head as he listened to the arguments advanced by his +comrade, and occasionally made a reply. + +They were now in the midst of the Bailey woods, known all over the +region as the finest and most extensive grove within some miles of town. +On this warm August morning it was cool under those big trees, and one +of Elmer's reasons for taking the short cut now became apparent, since +the dusty road promised a hot walk as well as a much longer one. + +Squirrels barked as they played among the branches above; birds +whistled, crows flapped their wings and cawed solemnly at being +disturbed in their caucus; a timid rabbit darted out of a patch of +brush, stopped to observe the intruders, and then bounded away as though +not very much frightened; for this being close season the report of a +gun was as yet an unheard thing in Bailey's woods. + +All at once Elmer came to a sudden stop, so that Lil Artha, intent on +the point he happened to be arguing at the time, almost ran into his +comrade. + +"What's the matter--stub your toe, or get a bug in your eye?" he asked, +as he clutched the package tighter to prevent its dropping to the +ground. + +"Not a bit of it," replied Elmer; "but what in the world do you suppose +that queer sound can be?" + +Now that his attention was called to it, Lil Artha also detected the +noise which had attracted his chum's notice. + +"What d'ye think it could be, now?" he asked, turning a look of wonder +on Elmer. + +The other shook his head as though puzzled. + +"I thought I knew every animal you could find in these woods, and the +sound of his grunt or squeal, but that's a new one on me," he remarked. + +"I tell you," said Lil Artha, after listening again intently; "it must +be a pig, that's what. There, didn't that sound just like a big grunt, +and wasn't it followed by a squeal? One of Bailey's hogs had sneaked out +of its pen and is rooting around. Perhaps it's got into trouble. We'd +better investigate this thing a little, don't you think, Elmer?" + +"I think so a heap," replied the young scout leader; "because that last +grunt didn't have a piggy sound at all to me, and I give it to you +straight." + +"Then what do you reckon it was?" demanded Lil Artha, with added +interest. + +"More like a groan," remarked Elmer, starting on again. + +"A groan--you mean a real human groan?" exclaimed the tall boy. "Say, +now, that would mean somebody might be hurt over there." + +"Then the sooner we find out the better." Elmer answered over his +shoulder. + +They had little difficulty in tracing the course of the sounds. And the +further they advanced to the left of the path the louder the singular +combination of sighs, groans, and grunts became. + +"I know this place, all right," whispered Lil Artha, presently. "I've +been here more'n a few times, Elmer. There's the queerest hill just +beyond you ever saw. It's got one face shaved off just like it had been +split, and half of it carried away. Us boys call it Echo Cliff. I've +been up on it lots of times. Gee, it's sure a jump down to the tree tops +below!" + +"Yes," Elmer remarked, "I remember hearing about it now, though I've +never been up on it, Perhaps some poor fellow has tumbled over the edge, +and is lying with broken bones among the trees." + +"Ugh, you give me a cold shiver!" Lil Artha said. "But p'raps he didn't +fall all the way down, Elmer, because, seems to me those awful sounds +come right out of the air up yonder." + +"That's just what they do," muttered the other boy, in a puzzled tone; +"but come on, and we'll soon find out the worst." + +Resolutely he led the way and Lil Artha followed. No matter what +dreadful thing might suddenly meet their sight, Elmer would not be +deterred now. + +"Listen!" whispered Lil Artha, as he gripped the shoulder of his +comrade; "he's talking to himself, Elmer. Where under the sun d'ye +suppose he can be? It don't stand to reason that he's up on the top of +Echo Cliff, because that's farther off." + +Elmer gave a chuckle, and when he turned his face around his companion +saw that he seemed to be shaking with laughter. + +"I think I've got on to it, all right!" said Elmer. + +"Well, let me in, won't you?" pleaded Lil Artha. "You look like you +wanted to burst out laughing, and just didn't dare. If a human life is +in danger I don't see what there is funny about it." + +"Tell me first, is there an open place just below this Echo Cliff you +talk about?" asked the other, in the same low, cautious voice. + +"That's just what there is," Lil Artha replied, readily enough. "Many a +time I've dropped chunks of rock down, just to see 'em smash on the +ground below." + +"That settles it, then; he was trying it out," remarked Elmer, nodding. + +"Hey, what d'ye mean?" demanded Lil Artha. "Trying what out? And who +d'ye think it is? tell me that, Elmer." + +"Come here with me; I believe I see him, all right," remarked the other. +"Follow my finger now; notice that thing moving up yonder in that +little old tree? Now it kicks like all get out. You'd think a fellow had +gone up there to take lessons in swimming. Well, that's _him_!" + +"Who?" demanded the other, imperatively. + +"A fellow by the name of Tobias Ellsworth Jones, known among the boys by +the more familiar name of just plain Toby," chuckled Elmer. + +"Wow, now I'm beginning to get on, Elmer!" exclaimed the tall boy, +excitedly. + +"You remember Toby is just crazy to fly like the Wrights and all the +other bird men who sail through the air in their aeroplanes?" + +"Sure he is," commented Lil Artha; "haven't I heard him tell about what +wonderful things he was goin' to do some day, to make the name of Jones +famous? Say, honest, now, I believe you've hit her right, Elmer. Toby +_has_ been trying it out! And that big flapping thing up yonder in the +tree top must be his wonderful parachute he's been talking about this +long while. Say, I believe the silly must have dropped off Echo Cliff!" + +"That's what he did," remarked Elmer, "and instead of lighting in that +nice little open place, as he meant to, the wind just carried him into +the top of a tree!" + +"And he's caught up there right now--caught by his trousers seat mebbe, +and kicking to beat the band. I don't wonder he grunts and groans and +talks to himself. Now what d'ye think of that for a loon? Why, he might +have broken his leg if he had fallen on those stones! What're we going +to do about it, Elmer?" + +As usual Lil Artha was only too willing to have his companion take the +lead in suggesting action. Some boys seem to be just fitted to occupy +the position of guide, and their mates soon come to rely on them +exclusively. Elmer occupied that position, and so Lil Artha looked to +him in this emergency. + +"Why, we've got to get him down out of there, that's flat," returned +Elmer. "He's our comrade; and scouts must always help their fellows, or +anybody else, for that matter, when in distress. Let's move on a little +farther and give him the high sign." + +All this talking had been carried on in such low tones that the sound of +their voices could hardly have reached the ears of the ambitious +aviator, who was caught in the tree, fully thirty feet from the ground, +unable to break away, and confronted by a nasty drop if he did succeed +in separating his garments from the branch that had gripped him. + +They could now see that what Elmer had suggested was indeed the truth. A +boy was flapping at a great rate, his arms and legs going at the same +time, as he tried his best to squirm around so as to get at the seat of +the trouble, but apparently without success. + +After each tiresome struggle he would give vent to a new series of those +queer grunts and sighs, and then do some more talking to himself. + +Above him, and just barely caught on the tree top, was a strange affair +that had somewhat the appearance of a big umbrella, made out of canvas +or muslin. A number of holes had been punched through the parachute by +its descent through the branches, so that taken altogether, the brave +would-be aviator and his apparatus seemed just then to be in a state of +collapse. + +Elmer waited until the squirming had ceased, with one last groan as of +despair. Then he gave the signal of the Wolf Patrol, as only one who had +actually heard the long-drawn howl of the timber wolf in the darkness of +a Canadian Northwest night could imitate it. + +Evidently the sound stirred Toby to new life, for his movements began +again. He tried to make an answering signal, but the sound was more like +the bleat of a lost calf than anything else. However, it answered its +purpose, which was to let the comrade below, who had come to the rescue, +understand that his presence was known. + +"Hello! up there, what are you doing to that tree?" called Lil Artha, +who could not keep from trying to extract some fun out of the situation +for all its gravity. + +"Better ask the tree what it's adoin' to me!" wailed Toby, who had +managed to whip himself around so that he could now catch a glimpse of +the boys below. "Hey, Elmer, and you, Lil Artha, get me down out of this +first and have your fun afterward! I'm as dizzy as an owl in daytime, +and if my pants give way I'm going to squash flat! Come up here and grab +me, can't you? Tell you all about it later on. What I want now is +sympathy and brotherly kindness, don't you see?" + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +A QUESTION OF A SCOUT'S DUTY. + + +"HE'S right," said Elmer, energetically, as he prepared to climb the +particular tree that bore such strange fruit. "Toby's hung there so long +that all the blood's just going to his head. Come along, Lil Artha; drop +that pack and follow me up there. We can rescue him, all right, if we're +smart." + +They went up among the branches like a couple of monkeys, both being +good climbers. And presently they were close to where poor Toby was +dangling, watching their movements feverishly. His face was very red, +and he did not look very comfortable as he swung there, without any hold +above or below. + +Lil Artha was immediately reminded of the stirring piece which he had +himself recited in school more than once--about the captain's little boy +on board a ship in a harbor, who daringly climbed to the very top of the +mainmast and stood up on the main truck--"no hold had he above, below; +no aid could reach him there!" + +In that case the captain had shouted to the boy to jump far out, so that +he might strike the water, and they would pick him up, which in the end +the little fellow did, and was saved; but the same advice would not +apply with regard to poor Toby, for he could not jump no matter how much +he wished to, and it was hard ground below and not soft water. + +But Elmer sized the situation up as soon as he arrived. He saw that by +good luck the branch that held Toby up was a solid one, and would bear +considerable weight, so that it was safe to crawl out on it. + +"I'll go and get within reach of him," he said, quickly. "You brace +yourself, and be ready to pull him in when he drops. And Toby, make a +grab for that branch just below when you feel yourself going, +understand?" + +"Yes," groaned the other, "I guess I can make it all right, Elmer. But +say, what you goin' to do now?" as he saw the other taking out his +pocket knife, opening the largest blade, and then gripping the tool +between his teeth so that he might have the free use of both hands. + +"I've got to cut you loose, you know; don't worry, Toby," replied the +other, with such assurance in his steady voice that he unconsciously +gave the dangling boy new courage. "We're going to bring you down; only +try to help yourself by getting hold of that branch, see?" + +"I will, Elmer, you just bet I will!" Toby answered. + +A minute later and Elmer was bending down above Toby. He had to brace +himself against a sudden shock, for he knew what the result must be, +once Toby's weight was cast loose so that the limb could spring back. + +"Ready everybody?" Elmer sang out. + +"Sure!" answered Lil Artha, taking a new clutch on the garments of Toby, +with one of his legs twined about the tree trunk so as to better hold +his own when the shock came. + +"Ready, Elmer; let her go!" said Toby, weakly but gamely. + +Fortunately that knife blade was as keen as a razor. Elmer always made +it a point to keep his knife in the best condition possible at all +times, and this was one of the occasions where he felt amply repaid for +his foresight. + +One circular sweep, and the thing was done. + +Toby dropped like a plummet. His hands were outstretched and, as he had +planned, he gripped the branch just below; but had it depended wholly on +Toby's ability to maintain his hold, he must have gone plunging down, +banging against the various projections until he finally brought up on +the ground, lucky if he escaped broken ribs or collar bone. + +But Lil Artha was there like a young Gibraltar. He could not be moved, +since his left leg was twined around the tree trunk. So he swung Toby +inward and gave him a chance to get his breath, while Elmer was hurrying +down to assist. + +Between them they managed to right Toby, who was soon panting as he +squatted in a friendly fork of the tree. + +"Now let's get down to the ground," said Elmer, who did not seem to +think that he had done anything very much out of the common in rescuing +the ambitious would-be aviator. + +"Oh, Elmer, just wait a minute!" exclaimed Toby, entreatingly. + +"What ails you now?" demanded Lil Artha. "Can't you get your nerve back +yet? Say, we'll give you a hand down, Toby, all right. Just depend on +your fellow scouts." + +"It ain't that, Lil Artha," declared Toby; "but while you're about it, +why won't you make a clean sweep of the thing, a double rescue so to +speak?" + +"Well, now, did you ever hear the beat of that?" laughed the tall boy. +"He wants us to risk our precious lives cutting his old umbrella machine +loose above there, so he can just take chances again. That's nervy, all +right." + +"But Lil Artha," continued the other, persuasively, laying a hand on the +sleeve of the tall scout, "don't you see that it's only held slightly? +If you could cut that rope, and break that small branch off, I believe +the whole outfit would have to fall to the ground. Elmer, ain't that +so?" + +Of course Elmer was compelled to admit the fact, for the parachute was +only lightly held, after its adventurous passage through the tree tops. +So Lil Artha, grumbling somewhat, though obliging, proceeded forthwith +to climb farther aloft until he could use his knife on the cord that +seemed to be helping to retard the downward progress of the parachute. + +"Now break that branch, and she's just bound to drop, Lil Artha!" cried +Toby, who was keenly alive to the fate of his beloved airship. "There +she goes, fellows! What did I tell you? Whoop! Sailed down as soft as a +thistle ball! That's the ticket. Bully boy, Lil Artha! I will never +forget this of both of you. Some day mebbe I'll have a chance to take +you up with me in my balloon!" + +"Nixy, never, not me!" declared the tall boy, as he came scrambling down +from his elevated perch. "The ground's good enough for this chicken. If +I ever dropped from this height, whatever would happen to my bones, tell +me that? Now, let's see if you can climb down, Toby." + +Toby proved to be all right again, now that he had regained an upright +position, and the blood ceased to gather in his head. He made a decent +job of it, dropping down the tree. Lil Artha kept close beside him, to +guard against any accident, for, as he said, he "didn't want to have his +work all for nothing, and let Toby get a broken leg after he had once +been safely rescued." + +They all arrived on the ground under the tree about the same time. +Toby's first thought seemed to be in connection with his beloved +parachute, and, of course, he started for the spot where the broken +umbrella-like apparatus lay, upside down; as Lil Artha declared, "for +all the world like a duck that, being shot in the air, had fallen on its +back." + +Hardly had the unfortunate Toby taken half a dozen steps away than Lil +Artha suddenly burst out into shrieks of laughter that caused the other +to whirl around in his tracks and look at him in astonishment. + +"What ails you, now, I'd just like to know, Lil Artha?" he demanded. +"You sure act like you'd gone bug-house. Say, Elmer, is he crazy, or can +it be the reaction set in after his daring feat in grabbing me?" + +"Turn around!" yelled Lil Artha. "Let Elmer see the air hole he made. +Oh, my! Oh, me! but don't you feel cold? Ain't you afraid of a draught, +Toby?" + +Toby apparently suddenly began to understand, and as his hand went back +of him a grin broke over his face. + +"Oh, murder!" he ejaculated, "he cut out the whole seat, and these are +my newest trousers, too! Won't I get it, though, when mom sees what's +happened? And I don't dare tell her how it was done, because she +wouldn't let me keep on studying about aeroplanes and such. Whatever am +I going to do now!" + +"I'd advise you to get an awning before you show yourself in town," +jeered Lil Artha. "If any of the scouts see you, Toby, they'll sure +think you're flying a flag of truce. But don't you blame Elmer for your +troubles, hear? He did the only thing there was open to him. And if he +hadn't happened to have that sharp knife along, you might be hanging up +there yet and for some time to come; get that?" + +"Sure, and I'm making no kick," replied Toby, with a grimace. "Reckon I +pulled out of a bad scrape lucky enough. Wow! Thought at one time my +goose was cooked! But it's all right now, it's all right, boys!" + +"Yes," sang Lil Artha, "everything is lovely, and the goose hangs high, +or he did up to the time his chums happened along and yanked him down. +But it was a good thing for you, Toby, Elmer here happened to be sent +over to Mr. Bailey's house, and concluded to take the short cut through +the woods." + +"Well," remarked Toby, philosophically, and boy fashion, "I always heard +it was better to be born lucky than rich, and now I believe it." + +"Come along, Lil Artha," said Elmer; "we've got business on hand, you +remember, and can't waste any more time here. But I hope Toby won't +think of trying to drop down from the top of Echo Cliff again." + +"Not if he knows it," returned the other, whose face was scratched in +several places from contact with twigs during his crash into the tree. +"Next time I try out any of my inventions I'll make sure to pick a place +where there ain't any plagued trees. Perhaps I might try a jump from the +old church tower some fine day. That would make the people of sleepy old +Hickory Ridge stare some, hey?" + +"I sure think it would," returned Lil Artha, as he stepped off after +Elmer; "and your folks in particular. I see you're in for a heap of +trouble, Toby, with these fool notions of yours. It'll be a good thing +if you get cured before you're killed." + +"That's a fact," called out Toby, with one of his grins; "because it +wouldn't be much use after that same thing happened, hey?" + +Elmer was chuckling as he walked along. + +"Never will forget how Toby looked as he kicked, and pawed, and tried to +get hold of something," he remarked to his companion. + +"Same here, Elmer," replied the other, shaking with merriment. + +"But all the same it was a ticklish thing for Toby, and what you might +call a close shave," declared Elmer, thoughtfully. + +"Whew, I wouldn't like to take the chances of a thirty-foot drop like +that, if the branch broke or his trousers tore!" Lil Artha remarked. +"And after all Toby ought to be thankful that they were new goods and +not rotten stuff." + +"Think of his nerve in jumping off that high cliff," said Elmer, shaking +his head, as though the idea appalled him. "That fellow is getting too +daring. I wouldn't be much surprised if he did try to drop down from the +church tower some fine day if this thing isn't nipped in the bud." + +"Then perhaps we ought to tell, Elmer?" suggested Lil Artha. + +"You mean, let his folks know about the narrow call he had here to-day?" + +"Yep. Seems to me it's kind of our duty to inform his dad. Another time, +perhaps, Toby won't be just so lucky. And Elmer, if he got smashed or +had his legs broken, you and me would feel like we was guilty, ain't +that so?" + +"I'll think it over, Lil Artha," replied the other. "I hate to tell on a +chum, but this is something out of the ordinary. It may mean Toby's +life, for all we can tell. And on the whole I think his folks ought to +know." + +"He won't blab on himself, that's dead sure," remarked the tall scout. + +"Sounded like he didn't mean to, for a fact," Elmer continued. + +"Tell you what, I'd have given a heap to have been around just then, +Elmer." + +"You mean when he took the jump? It must have been a bit thrilling for a +fellow to deliberately drop off such a high place. But Toby's got the +nerve, only sometimes it seems to me he's reckless. And that's a bad +thing in anyone who wants to sail around through the air regions." + +They went on exchanging opinions, and in due time arrived at the Bailey +house, where Elmer delivered his charge to the owner of the big woods. + +On the way back they neither saw nor heard anything of Toby, though they +could easily imagine him hard at work trying to get his broken parachute +in shape, so that it might be transported back to town, and fixed up for +another exploit. + +It would not be in boy nature to keep such a remarkable story secret, +and before night it had likely traveled from one end of Hickory Ridge to +the other in about a dozen different shapes. Some even had it that Toby +had flown a mile before being caught in a tree, while others had him a +wreck, with all the doctors in town trying to patch him up. But Elmer +went straight to Mr. Jones, and gave him the true version, so that he +might not be alarmed at anything he heard. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +MORE WORK ON THE DIAMOND. + + +WHEN Lil Artha showed up on the field that afternoon, clad in his old +baseball suit that showed the wear and tear of many a battle, he had his +camera slung over his shoulder with a strap. + +"Want to take the nine in action?" asked Elmer, as he noted this fact, +and paused in his delivery of the ball to the catcher, Mark Cummings. + +"Oh, I might, if the signs were right, and they showed that they +deserved all that sort of attention," replied the tall scout, "but I've +made up my mind about one thing, Elmer." + +"What might that be?" asked the other, smiling at his friend's +seriousness. + +"I'm going to carry this little box around with me day and night, that's +what. Just the time you want it most you haven't got it along," declared +Lil Artha, with a look of sheer disgust. + +"Well, I always heard that a fellow could see all sorts of game when he +didn't happen to have a gun," laughed Elmer; "and I suppose the same +thing goes with a camera. But I can guess what's ailing you now, my +boy." + +"Of course you can," grinned the other. "Say, just think what it would +mean to you and me if we only had a picture of Toby Jones kicking the +air up in that old tree, and learning to swim! Wow, no chance of us ever +getting the blues while we had that to look at! It would have been the +funniest ever. And to think it's all lost to us, just because I was +silly enough to leave my box at home. Shucks!" + +"Don't suppose Toby would pose it over again, do you?" suggested Larry +Billings, who was passing a ball with Matty Eggleston, the leader of the +Beaver Patrol, and one of the reliables in the nine. + +"Well, hardly," Lil Artha replied. "I reckon Toby got enough of hanging +that time to last him right along. Is he here this afternoon?" + +"Sure he is, and as chipper as ever. Only grins when anybody tries to +josh him about flying. Nothing ever feases that feller. He comes up +again after every knockdown, as fresh as a daisy. Says he's going to +give the old town a sensation some day before long. And he means it, +too," remarked one of the other boys near by. + +Elmer and Lil Artha exchanged meaning glances, and presently the latter +managed to whisper to his companion of the morning: + +"Did you do it, Elmer?" + +"I asked my father what I ought to do, and he sent me over to tell Mr. +Jones the whole story, because all sorts of yarns were going around, and +he said Toby's mother might hear something awful had happened, and be +frightened." + +"And what did Mr. Jones say?" continued Lil Artha. + +"He laughed a little," replied Elmer, then looked serious like. "I +rather expect he'll put a crimp in Toby's flying business after this, +though up to now he's rather encouraged the boy, thinking it was smart +in him. Now he sees the danger. But get out in the field, and throw in a +few from first, old fellow." + +The scene was an animated one, with boys in uniform and without, banging +out high flies, passing balls, and exercising generally. It really +seemed as though every one in the town who could get off must be there +that afternoon to see how the Hickory Ridge team gave promise of playing +when up against the strong Fairfield nine. + +Girls had come down in flocks, and not a few men were present, among +whom Elmer noticed his old friend, Colonel Hitchins. + +This fact caused him to remember something, and the sight of his +catcher, Mark Cummings, fitted right in with his thoughts. Apparently +Mark had also noticed the presence of the Colonel, for after throwing up +his hand as a signal that he had had enough of practice for the time +being, he advanced toward Elmer, and was presently speaking in a low +tone to him. + +"See who's here, Elmer?" he asked. + +"Well, I notice a lot of mighty pretty girls for one thing," smiled the +other. + +"You know I don't mean them, or any particular girl," replied the +catcher, who was a singularly modest lad as well as a handsome one. +"Over yonder in that bunch--the old colonel!" + +"Oh, yes, I noticed him a bit ago," remarked Elmer. "But that isn't +surprising. He's always taken a heap of interest in boys' sports, and +used to play baseball many years ago, he says, when it was a new game. +He told me he was in a nine that played the old Cincinnati Reds the +first year they ever had a league. And that was a long time ago, Mark." + +"You're right, it was, Elmer; but when I saw the colonel it reminded me +that so far I haven't done anything about finding out how that lost cap +of mine happened to be picked up under his peach trees, when I dropped +it a mile away, over on the bank of the Sunflower." + +"I heard that two men had been arrested, charged with stealing those +peaches," Elmer remarked. + +"Yes, that's so, for they were silly enough to sell the fruit to Phil +Dongari, the man who keeps the biggest fruit store in town. Colonel +Hitchins could tell his prize peaches anywhere, so he went and bought +them back again; and getting a line on the men, had them put in the town +cooler, where they are yet." + +"Just so, Mark; that's ancient history," smiled Elmer; "but as you say +it doesn't do the first thing along the line of explaining how your cap +got under those same trees, does it?" + +"But, Elmer, I'm relying on you to get a move on and find out something +before the trail gets cold," argued Mark. + +"That sounds pretty fine, my boy," observed Elmer; "but what makes you +believe I can do anything to help out? You've got all the advantages I +have." + +"That's so," admitted Mark; "only I'm a greenhorn about following a +trail, and you know heaps. Besides, something in your manner seems to +tell me you've already got a hunch on about this thing." + +"Oh, that's the way you look at it, eh?" mocked Elmer. + +"Yes, I haven't been going with you all this time not to know how to +read your face and actions," replied Mark, boldly. "And it's my honest +opinion right now that if you chose you could put your finger on the +culprit." + +"Thank you for your confidence, my boy; but I'm not quite so dead sure +as you make out," returned Elmer. + +"But you _think_ you know?" protested Mark. + +"I believe I've got a good clew; I admit that, Mark." + +"Were you over there again?" demanded the other. + +"Now you're referring to where you lost your old cap, I take it?" Elmer +said in a noncommittal way. + +"That's just what I mean--over on the bank of the Sunflower, where Lil +Artha began kidding me, and in consequence my cap fell off. You rode +over on your wheel, didn't you, Elmer?" + +"Well, yes, I did," the other admitted; "but not like you, to look for +the cap, because at the time I went I happened to know it had been +found, and you had it at home." + +"Then why should you bother going all that way over a rough path? Hold +on, let me change that question, because I see why you wanted to look +over the ground. Did you find anything there to tell you who picked that +cap up?" and Mark looked directly in the face of his chum. + +"If I did you needn't expect that I'm going to tell you about it till +I'm good and ready," laughed Elmer. "And that will be inside of +twenty-four hours, perhaps. This is Saturday, and by Monday night I hope +I'll be in a position to show you something interesting. Just bottle up +till then, my boy. And now there's the scrub team going out, so we have +lost the toss and must take our first turn at bat." + +Mark knew that it would be useless trying to urge his chum to relent. +Elmer no doubt had some good reason for holding off longer. So, although +he was very anxious to learn the solution of the mystery connected with +his cap, Mark put the matter out of his mind for the time being and +prepared to play ball. + +The game was, as before, hotly contested. + +Johnny Kline, as captain of the scrub, bent every energy to beating the +regulars, and pitched as he had never done before. But Elmer was also in +fine fettle on this bright Saturday afternoon. His speed was better than +ever; and when in pinches he floated the ball up in one of those +tantalizing drops, he had the heaviest slugger guessing and beating the +air in a vain attempt to connect. + +The crowd numbered several hundreds, and they were as ready to applaud +any clever work on the part of the scrub players as Lil Artha's team. +And with such a host of pretty high-school girls present every fellow +strove to do his best in order to merit the hand clapping that followed +every bit of fine play. + +For five innings the score stood at nothing to nothing. Elmer was equal +to each and every crisis, and somehow the boys back of him did not seem +able to solve the puzzling delivery of Johnny Kline any better than the +scrub team did that of the scout pitcher. + +In the sixth there came a break. Lil Artha led off with a rousing two +bagger, and the next man up, who happened to be Chatz Maxfield, sent him +to third with a clever sacrifice, for which he was noted. + +Then along came Red, who was equal to the emergency, and whipped out a +tremendous fly which the fielder caught handsomely, but tumbled all over +himself in so doing; and of course the long-legged first baseman had no +difficulty in getting home before the ball could be returned to the +diamond. Indeed, Lil Artha was such a remarkable runner that once he got +his base his club counted on a tally three times out of four. + +That broke the ice, and in the innings that followed the boys took sweet +revenge on Johnny's benders, smashing them to all parts of the field +until the spectators were roaring with laughter and a halt had to be +called to let the overworked fellow in center come in to get a reviving +drink of water. + +The result of the game was a score of eleven to two, and neither of +these runs for the scrub were earned, but presented to them on errors in +the field. + +"It looks good to me," remarked Red Huggins, as he and several others of +the scouts plodded homeward after the conclusion of the game. "If we can +do as clever work on Monday as we did this afternoon, those Fairfield +giants won't have a show for their money." + +"And that's what we're going to do, just you make your mind up to it," +declared Lil Artha. "And to think what a great catch our Toby made when +he had to run and jump into the air for that liner. Shows he's all to +the good, no matter if he did get such a bounce this morning. We'd miss +him if he took a notion to fly away between now and Monday P.M.," and +the speaker cast a side glance toward the right fielder, who was limping +along, talking over the game with Ty Collins. + +"Oh, there are several good fellows just waiting for a chance to break +in!" declared Red; "Larry Billings, for instance, who can hit 'em some; +Jack Armitage, who is nearly as swift as Lil Artha on the bases; and +George Robbins, who knows how to rattle a pitcher to beat the band. I +guess we don't need to worry, since we've got plenty of good material +handy in case of accidents." + +"But Toby isn't going to fail us," asserted Elmer. "He's too good a +scout not to know his duty in this crisis. For we've just got to beat +that Fairfield crowd this time, or we'll never hear the end of it." + +"Don't worry, fellows; if we play like we did to-day we'll have their +number, all right. Wait till you see how Elmer teases their heavy +batters with that drop of his! There'll be need of a lot of dope after +the game, for the arms that swing nearly out of joint swiping the air. +Wow, don't I wish to-morrow was Monday, though!" and Lil Artha gave +further emphasis to his wrought-up feelings by a certain gesture that +was one of his peculiarities. + +"I've heard lots of people say Hickory Ridge never had so fast a nine +before," remarked Matty. + +"Thspare our blushes, pleath!" laughed Ted Burgoyne, who could never +conquer that hissing habit that caused him to lisp, though no one ever +heard him admit the fact, which he always vigorously denied. + +It was a jolly and well-satisfied party of athletes that journeyed back +to town from the field where the game was played. Even the members of +the badly beaten scrub could not but feel a certain pride in the work of +the regulars, and declared that if the boys could only do as well in the +game with Fairfield there need be no fear of the result. + +And luckily Sunday would come as a day of rest before the match game at +Basking Ridge was to take place. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE PUNCTURED TIRE. + + +IT was Saturday night. + +Elmer Chenowith had put in rather a strenuous day, all told, what with +that morning walk, the rescue of poor Toby from the tree top, and then +nine full innings of warm work pitching during the afternoon hours. + +But he fancied he did not feel half so used up as Toby, for instance, +after his fall into the branches and vain struggles for release. + +It was about eight o'clock when the telephone bell rang, and as he was +alone in the library at the time, Elmer answered the call. To his +surprise he recognized the voice at the other end of the wire as +belonging to Colonel Hitchins, for once heard those smooth, even tones +could never be mistaken. + +"Is Elmer at home?" asked the gentleman. + +"Yes, sir, this is Elmer talking with you," replied the boy, wondering +immediately what could be wanted. + +"Oh, is that so? How do you feel, Elmer, after your hard afternoon's +work? I was much pleased with your pitching, and meant to tell you so, +only I found myself called to town by a message from the head of the +police; for it seems that by some bad management they let those two +rascals slip through their fingers--the fellows who took my fruit, I +mean. Are you dead tired, my boy?" + +"Oh, not at all, sir. I took a bath as soon as I got home, and feel +first-rate right now. Did you want me for anything in particular, +colonel?" + +"Well, I'm afraid you'll think me as impatient as any boy," laughed the +gentleman, "but the fact is, that box I mentioned to you as coming from +India has just arrived this evening, and I'm going to unpack it. I had +an idea that if you weren't too tired, possibly you might like to jump +on your wheel and come over to give me a little help." + +"Of course I will, sir, and only too glad!" declared Elmer, for he knew +about what that marvelous box was supposed to hold, and fairly itched to +be on hand when its contents were exposed. + +"But are you sure you are not worn out after that hard game?" persisted +the old gentleman. + +"Well, I could ride twenty miles without much trouble if I had an object +back of it; and I certainly do want to see what you told me was in that +box of curios, colonel. My father will be in at any minute now. I'll +tell him where I'm going, and I'm sure he won't object, for he likes me +to be with you. Then I'll jump on my wheel and run across. I've got a +good lantern, you know, and there's a fairly decent road most all the +way." + +"Good! I shall expect to see you soon, then, Elmer," said the gentleman, +who had taken a deep interest in the boy. + +"I ought to be there inside of twenty minutes, I expect, sir"; and Elmer +cut off communication, because he heard his father's step in the hall. + +When he communicated the message of Colonel Hitchins to Mr. Chenowith +there was not the slightest objection raised to his going. Well did that +father know he could trust his boy anywhere, and at any hour, without +feeling anxiety as to what sort of company he was in. And the father +who has this confidence in his son is to be envied indeed. + +So Elmer got his wheel from the back hall where he usually kept it and, +passing out, was quickly on the way. His lantern lighted the road in +front of him fairly well, and since he was not apt to meet with many +vehicles at this hour he could make pretty good time. + +Just as he arrived close to the gate leading into the large property +belonging to Colonel Hitchins, he heard the well-known hiss of escaping +air that told of a puncture. + +"Well, now, wouldn't that just jar you!" he exclaimed in disgust, never +dreaming at the time what a tremendous influence that very same incident +was destined to have upon his fortunes. "Now I've either got to ask the +colonel to give me a lift home, which I certainly won't do, or else +trudge all the way back on foot, trundling my old wheel, for of course I +couldn't expect to put a plug in without daylight to work by. Oh, well, +it's all in the game. Let it go at that." + +In this manner, then, free from care and ready to take the hard with the +easy, Elmer pushed his useless machine ahead of him as he walked along +the drive leading to the house, far removed from the country road. + +As he passed the peach trees that had been shorn of their prize contents +Elmer was, of course, reminded of the lost cap; but whatever he thought, +he said nothing aloud to indicate that he had solved the mystery. + +"There's old Bruno giving tongue," he presently remarked. "What a deep +bark he has! Wonder what he would do if he broke loose right now? But he +ought to know me well enough. Still, I hope the chain holds him. And +here I am at the house." + +Once again did he enter and pass along to the library where the colonel +spent most of his time when at home. Elmer remembered that the last +occasion of his entering that room was when he accompanied Mark there, +as the other was responding to the request of the colonel that he would +call and see him. + +"Glad to see you, Elmer; and this is nice of you, humoring a cranky old +fellow like me when you deserved your rest to-night," was the way the +gentleman met him as he entered. + +"I rather guess, sir, that I'm the one to feel grateful, because of your +letting me be with you when you open that big box"; and he eyed the case +with the foreign markings, knowing that it held many almost priceless +objects, which the other had secured when last in India and left there +until he chose to send for them. + +A servant came in with a pitcher of iced grape juice and some cake. + +"Before we get to work, suppose we sample this, my son," remarked the +gentleman, smilingly; for Colonel Hitchins knew boys from the ground up, +even though he had never had any of his own. + +A little later the lid of the case, which had been loosened previously +by one of the servants probably, was lifted off, and the colonel began +to take out the costly little articles that were so snugly packed in +nests of paper and cloth. + +These he placed upon the table as he brought them forth. They were of +ebony, copper, brass, and ivory. Elmer had never before looked upon such +a queer assortment of curios. And the best of it was that nearly every +one represented some sort of adventure in which the present owner had +taken part. + +He related the story of each as he placed it there on the table and +fingered it, while allowing memory to once more recall the lively +incidents. + +Elmer never passed a more enjoyable evening in all his life. Why, it +seemed to him that Colonel Hitchins must be one of those wonderful +story-tellers he had read about in the _Arabian Nights Entertainment_. +And yet, strange though many of these narratives might be, he knew they +were absolutely true, which made them seem all the more remarkable. + +So deeply interested had the boy become that he hardly noted the flight +of time. When a clock struck eleven he drew a long breath. + +"I'm afraid I must be going, sir," he said, rising regretfully. "I +promised my father not to stay longer than eleven, but I was surprised +when I counted the cuckoo notes, for I thought it was only ten o'clock!" + +"Thank you, Elmer," said the other, as though greatly pleased. "That was +as delicate and yet positive a compliment for my powers of entertainment +as I have ever received. I will not try to detain you, because I +appreciate the confidence your father puts in you. Give him my best +regards. I expect to have him over next week with a couple of other +friends, for a hand of whist, and they will then see what you have +helped me unpack to-night." + +True to his resolve, Elmer had not mentioned the fact that his tire +being flat, he would either have to push his wheel all the way home or +leave it there and come on Monday, when in daylight he could render it +serviceable again. For he knew the genial colonel would insist on +getting the colored driver out, have him hitch up the horses, and take +his guest home; something Elmer did not care to have happen. + +Having shaken hands with the old gentleman again, Elmer made his way to +the front door and passed out. By this time he knew more or less about +the arrangements of both house and grounds, and when the idea came to +stow his wheel away until he chose to return for it, he remembered that +there was an outhouse where some garden tools were kept, just around the +main building. + +"I guess I'll see if it's unfastened, and if so I'll leave my old wheel +there. It'll be safe in case of rain, too. Wonder if Bruno will act half +crazy when he hears me moving around." + +While thinking after this strain, Elmer was softly trundling his wheel +around to that side of the mansion where he remembered seeing the tool +house he spoke of. Not wishing to make any noise that might excite the +chained hound, or be heard in the house, he kept to the turf as he +walked. + +"Now that's queer," he said to himself, as he stopped to listen. "Just +when I expected to hear Bruno carry on wild, he's as still as a clam. +And yet a while ago he was barking fiercely, too. Must have tired +himself out and gone to sleep; or else he's broken loose again, and is +taking a run over the country, as the colonel says he always does when +he slips his collar." + +However, he was not at all sorry for this silence. Had the hound, +hearing his suspicious and stealthy movements, started to baying and +yelping, he might have drawn the attention of some servant, who would be +apt to give him trouble. + +And so Elmer presently discovered some dark object looming up alongside +him; which on closer inspection proved to be the very tool house of +which he was in search. + +And better still, the door turned out to be unfastened by any lock, a +staple and a wooden pin doing the holding act. + +Groping around until he found a way to open the door, Elmer carefully +pushed his useless wheel inside. Then he as quietly closed the door +again. + +"I suppose somebody will be surprised to find a bicycle inside of a tool +house," he chuckled, as he began to fasten the door again just as he had +found it; "but if the fact is brought to the colonel's attention, trust +him for understanding how it got there, and why." + +Turning once more, he started to retrace his steps, intending to pass +around the house and out at the gate that lay some distance away. A mile +was not so very far to go, even for a tired boy. And as he had said, +that cold bath had worked wonders for his muscles. + +Elmer had gone possibly one half of the distance to the gate, when he +believed he detected something moving ahead of him. The first thought +that flashed across his mind was that it must be Bruno, who was in the +act of returning home after a little run about the country. + +He hoped the big dog would recognize him as a friend before attempting +to jump at him; for Elmer knew that Siberian wolf hounds are not the +easiest animals in the world to handle when met in the dark. + +So the boy prepared to speak, in the hope that Bruno would recognize his +voice. Better after all to arouse the house, than have the dog attack +him under the impression that he was a thief. + +Again he detected that movement as he stood perfectly still alongside +the bush. This time, however, it struck him that it did not seem so much +like a dog; and while he was trying to figure this out, another sound +came faintly to his ears. Whispers! That meant human beings, and at +least two, or they would not be exchanging remarks! + +Could it be any of the servants belonging to the house? Their actions +would not warrant such an idea, for Elmer could now see that the two +dusky figures were creeping along, bending low, and behaving in the most +suspicious manner possible. + +A sudden thought struck him so forcibly that it sent a shiver through +his whole body. What was that the colonel had said over the wire about +the two men whom he had had arrested on a charge of stealing his prize +fruit, getting away from the poorly guarded lock up in town? + +Could it be possible that these shadowy figures were those same rascals; +and had they come to the home of Colonel Hitchins, determined after +their lawless way, to get even with him for having caused them to suffer +a short time in the jail? + +Elmer could feel his heart beating like mad as he watched them drawing +nearer and nearer. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FAITHFUL TO HIS FRIEND. + + +NOW they had stopped again, and seemed to be conferring in whispers. + +If Elmer had had the least doubt before concerning their evil +intentions, it was no longer in evidence. Honest men do not creep around +the house of a rich man at such an hour of the night, and put their +heads close together. + +He flattened himself out on the ground, having dropped like a stone, +though without the least noise. + +"How lucky that I happened to come along this way!" was the thought that +seemed uppermost in the mind of the scout as he crouched there, waiting. +"If my wheel had stayed all right I would have been far away right now, +and never known a thing about this. And it was that tool house that made +me go around to the back." + +He even grew bolder, and began to speculate as to how he might creep +closer to the pair. If he could only overhear what they were saying, it +might help more than a little. And, somehow, his desire to be of some +assistance to his good friend the colonel, urged him to make the +attempt. + +To an ordinary lad it might have seemed an impossible task, for in his +clumsiness he must certainly have made some sort of sounds calculated to +arouse the suspicions of the men. + +Elmer's experiences in the Canadian Northwest had proven of great value +to him ever since he joined the Boy Scouts. And when he started to creep +forward, it was with some of the stealth of the cat gliding toward a +coveted dinner in the shape of a feeding sparrow. + +As he covered several yards of territory, Elmer noticed that he quickly +began to catch the sound of conversation. The men were talking low, but +one of them had a harsh voice, and while this had come to Elmer at first +as an indistinct murmur, presently he began to catch distinct words. + +Having attained a place behind another bush, where he could have tossed +a pebble and touched the two fellows, had he been of a mind, he strained +his ears to catch the tenor of their earnest talk. + +The man with the husky voice seemed to be scolding his companion, and +accusing him of being either timid or over-particular. + +"But ye was jest as dead set on doin' it as I was, Con Stebbins; an' now +that we got the chanct ye show signs o' the white feather. Brace up, an' +lets git busy!" he was growling. + +"Aw! what's eatin' ye, Phil?" the other remarked, with a whine. "I'd +like tuh do the job jest as much as yerself; but what if we got ketched? +It'd mean a long time in the pen, Phil." + +"I tell you we ain't agoin' to be caught," declared the heavier of the +two, in an angry tone. "Ain't I aknowin' the ropes here; didn't I uster +work for the kunnel as a gardener? That's what made me so crazy mad when +he had me locked up, jest because we went and took some o' his ole +peaches, an' sold 'em so's to get the hard stuff." + +"But how d'ye know the dorg ain't goin' tuh git back an' tackle us while +we're adoin' the job?" demanded the whining Con. + +"Didn't I tell ye that Bruno knows me, an' that when I kim hyar an hour +back I let him loose?" declared the heavy-set man, warmly. + +"But he might come back any ole time," protested the other. + +"He ain't goin' tuh," declared Phil. "I orter know his ways right well. +Every time he breaks loose he stays away the hull blessed night. It's a +picnic fur the dorg. Reckon he's got some friends he visits, an' has a +few scraps. Jest ye forgit there is sech a thing as a dorg, and leave it +tuh me to fix the game like we wants it." + +"Huh! ye sed as how ye knowed jest how the game cud be worked, didn't +ye, Phil?" went on the taller man, nervously. + +"Sure I did. All ye got tuh do is to foller me. I'm willin' tuh take the +lead. Yuh sed as how yuh had matches along, didn't yuh, Con?" + +"Plenty of 'em, Phil," mumbled the other. + +"That's good. All yuh has tuh do is to strike a match, _and then drop +it_! I wants tuh make sure both of us has a hand in it, that's all. Now, +are yuh ready to move along, Con?" asked the shorter scoundrel. + +The other seemed to want to take one more nervous look around before +consenting. Undoubtedly his nerve had failed him in the critical test, +and he was now being actually dragged into the thing by his more +determined and vindictive partner. + +Elmer had been thrilled by what he heard. When he caught the significant +word "matches" the terrible truth flashed upon him, and he realized that +these rascals, bent on revenge on the colonel because of their recent +arrest, meant to set fire to either the stables or the mansion itself. + +In either event it was a dreadful thing. No wonder the boy grew cold, +and then hot alternately. But he did not flinch. Elmer was made of good +stuff, and such an emergency as this called it out. + +He shut his teeth so hard together that he could hear the gritting +sound, and so excited was he at the moment, that he wondered whether +either of the men could have sharp enough hearing to have detected the +noise which to his aroused fancy appeared like the creaking of a +seldom-used door. + +But they gave no sign of any suspicion. Con seemed to have recovered a +little of his lost grit, and was allowing the ex-employee of Colonel +Hitchins to draw him along again. They made progress slowly, stealthily +keeping in the densest shadows, and at times almost creeping on their +knees. + +"What shall I do?" + +That was the thought that flashed through the mind of the boy as he +watched the pair of intended incendiaries moving off. He could shout, +and thus arouse the house; or after they had gone it was within his +power to hasten back to the door, and demand admittance. + +Doubtless the colonel would still be in his library, for he seldom +retired before midnight, Elmer knew. And once he found a chance to +communicate the terrible news to the owner of the place, prompt means +could easily be taken for preventing the incendiary fire. + +Then, while he was trying to decide which of these courses might prove +best, a sudden inspiration assailed the boy. It was, of course, born of +his former experiences among the "men who do things" on the broad +plains. Another lad would never had dreamed of such a bold course; or +even had it appealed to him, he must have quickly decided against +undertaking so hazardous an attempt to balk the wicked designs of these +rascals. + +But to Elmer it appealed irresistibly. He believed he could do it, +given half a chance. And, unable to resist the temptation, he began to +creep after the two shadowy figures, now almost beyond range of his +vision. + +He noticed that they were passing around the house. This would indicate +that they expected making their attack from the rear. Phil had worked on +these grounds, and apparently knew every foot of the estate. Possibly he +may, as he said, have been a gardener to Colonel Hitchins; Elmer faintly +remembered some man of about his squatty figure, whom he had seen +trimming hedges, and working among the flowers early in the spring. + +All at once the boy had a new thrill. They were certainly headed +straight for the very tool house where he had left his wheel! Doubtless +there must be some particular object in this action on the part of Phil. +Did he wish to secure some sort of tool to be used in furthering his +evil designs? + +"Oh!" + +This exclamation was forced from Elmer's lips when he suddenly +remembered something; but fortunately it was hushed to a whisper. + +"That was kerosene I smelled when I was putting my wheel away," he said +to himself. "Perhaps there is a barrel of it kept in that place for use +about the house, or making an emulsion to kill insects on the trees and +rose bushes! And Phil knows all about it if he used to be the gardener +here. He also knows that the door of the tool house is never locked, but +just fastened by a staple, a hasp, and that big nail held by a cord." + +If, as seemed probable, the two men were bent on starting a fire that +would, according to their evil way of thinking, pay the colonel back for +their recent arrest, one of the first agencies for making a fierce blaze +that Phil would be apt to think of must be that kerosene. It seems to +appeal to every rogue who means to become an incendiary. + +Elmer did not halt his footsteps. The terrible truth had thrilled, but +not dismayed him. He was, in fact, more determined than ever to balk +these villains in their intended work; though just why he kept on after +them, when by rights he should have made direct for the front door of +the house, Elmer was never able to explain to his own satisfaction. Some +subtle power seemed to just pull him along as though he were being drawn +by a powerful magnet which he could not successfully resist. + +Yes, there could not be the slightest doubt now but that his guess was +the true one; for just ahead he could see looming up the dark outlines +of a building which he knew full well must be the tool house. + +Again the men were whispering together, and the harsher tones of Phil +seemed to breathe threatenings of some sort. Evidently the more timid +Con was weakening once more, and had to be pulled on. His desire for +revenge was doubtless quite as strong as that of his companion; but he +lacked the bull-dog courage to put his evil designs into execution. + +"Oh! if they would only _both_ go inside that tool house!" Elmer was +saying to himself exultantly, as a wonderful possibility flashed before +his mind. + +Phil evidently wanted to fully incriminate his companion. It was his +desire to make the weaker rascal appear equally guilty with himself. His +expressed intention of having the taller fellow strike the match that +was to start things going, was ample proof of this. + +Would he himself enter the tool house to secure the kerosene? That would +leave the timid one outside; and possibly he might seize upon such a +golden opportunity to flee. + +If Phil suspected him of harboring such an intention, then it was +hardly likely that he would allow the other a chance to remain alone. On +the contrary, his plan would be to insist upon Con accompanying him in. +And that was just what Elmer was hoping would occur; for he had a little +plan of his own, which had come into his active mind almost like an +inspiration, and which he would then be able to put into practice. + +Now they were at the door of the tool house. Elmer was trying to +remember just what it looked like. It had a small window, to be sure, +but, unless he was mistaken, this had been protected by several stout +iron bars, apparently with a view of preventing thieves from entering at +some time in the past, when valuable things may have been kept there by +the gentleman owning the estate before its purchase by the present +occupant. + +Yes, Elmer decided in his mind, it was worth a trial. At the worst a +failure might only mean the escape of the rascals; and their vicious +plot would have been frustrated at least. + +He crept closer, still snaking his way along the ground in a fashion +that some of his former cowboy friends on the ranch farm three thousand +miles away might have recognized as familiar, since they had taught him +how to do it. + +Con was trying to beg off about entering the tool house, but Phil had +overruled his scruples, meeting every objection that was raised. + +"Yuh jest _got_ tuh do it, I tell yuh, Con," he finished, angrily. "The +thing's in our hands right now, an' yuh promised tuh stick by me. So +quit yer hangin' back, an' come along in. I know jest where tuh lay +hands on the five-gallon can, an' we kin be out agin in a jiffy. Yuh +ain't skeered, be yuh, Con?" + +"Aw! course I ain't," whimpered the other, trying to steady his +quivering voice, and probably bracing himself up under this accusation +which stirred his last drop of courage into life. "Lead off, Phil, an' +I'm with ye." + +"I'm agoin' tuh make dead sure o' that, Con; that's why I got this grip +on your arm. Come right along, the door's open, and nawthin' tuh hinder, +see!" + +The two shadows passed from Elmer's range of vision. Instantly the boy +arose, and darted silently forward. A dozen, yes hardly more than half +as many steps, carried him to the tool house. Then, quick as a flash, he +prepared to close the heavy door, and fasten it with what means were at +hand! + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +GIVING HIM ANOTHER CHANCE. + + +"HEY! what was that, Con!" Elmer heard the shorter man say, inside the +place. + +"Oh, we're found out! It's all over, Phil!" gasped the other fellow, in +a sudden panic. + +"Shut up, yuh fool! Reckon as how 'twar only the night wind. Here's the +can; take hold and we'll kerry her out! I jest gotter do it, now!" + +That was enough for the boy outside. He understood that they must be at +the farther end of the little house, and evidently bending over the +object of their solicitude. His chance had come! + +Elmer had already taken hold of the door, and laid out his plan of +campaign. He expected every act to dovetail with the others, so as to +form a complete whole. And not more than two seconds must elapse after +he once started to move, before he finished his work. + +Slam went the door shut. A low cry from within told how the nervous Con +had given expression to his alarm. Utterly regardless of consequences, +now that he had made a start, Elmer slapped the hasp over the stout +staple, and then feeling for the hanging nail proceeded to drop it into +its place. + +Things worked like a charm. The nail was shot into place in even less +time than Elmer had anticipated. He only hoped that the staples at +either end of the hasp were clinched. Then, if the imprisoned men threw +their weight against the door, it was not so apt to give. + +Elmer did not wait to hear what happened after he had shot his bolt. He +expected a great commotion would begin immediately, and the determined +Phil start to using any tool upon which his groping hands might alight +in the endeavor to batter his way to freedom. + +"Now for the house and the colonel!" was what Elmer thought, as, +turning, he made a bee line for the front door, out of which he had +passed not more than fifteen minutes before. + +The first thing he knew he was pounding at the panel, after having +pressed the electric button. On either side of the door were long panes +of stained glass; and while the boy could not have recognized anyone +coming in answer to his summons, he did discover that there was a light +within the broad hall. This would tend to prove that the colonel could +not have gone up to his room. + +Yes, now he could see some one issue from the library, and advance +toward the door. Oh, if he would only hurry! From the direction of the +tool house came sounds of heavy pounding. Doubtless the imprisoned +rascals, fearing that they had been caught in a trap, were trying to +smash their way out. What if they should strike a light, and that oil +catch on fire! Perhaps there was gasoline stored in the place as well as +kerosene! + +Now the colonel was unlocking the door. It was something unusual to have +such a loud summons beaten upon the panels of his front door; but while +some men might have shown signs of timidity, this old traveler, seasoned +to adventure, was opening up without the first symptom of alarm. + +As the door flew open he looked keenly at the figure before him. + +"What, you, Elmer, my boy!" he exclaimed. "Why, what has happened? I +hope you did not take a nasty header off your wheel?" + +"No, no, sir, it wasn't that!" cried the scout, hardly knowing what to +say first, so as to impress the gentleman with the seriousness of the +occasion. "Some men--they mean to burn your house--the two who escaped +from the lock-up, Phil Lally and Con!" + +"What's that?" exclaimed the colonel, stiffening up instantly and +showing all the signs that mark the conduct of an old war horse at +scenting battle smoke. "How do you know this, my boy?" + +"I heard them talking--my wheel was punctured, and I put it in the tool +house. Then I followed them. They were going to get kerosene to use. +They stepped into the tool house, and I slammed the door shut on them, +and fastened it! Listen, sir, that pounding you hear is them trying to +get out!" + +"Well, well, did I ever!" ejaculated the astonished gentleman. "Wait +here just a minute till I can get something." + +He turned and ran into his library as though he were nearer thirty years +of age than seventy. In the excitement of the moment he had forgotten +that time had silvered his head and given him twitches of rheumatism. +The colonel was young again, and ready to respond to the call of duty. + +Elmer listened. He could hear that terrible pounding keeping up from the +back of the house, and understood what it meant. Oh, how he hoped that +in the darkness Phil could not see to wield his ax effectively, and +might thus fail to cut a way out! For it seemed as though part of the +victory would be lost if those two rascals secured their freedom. + +Perhaps the colonel was gone a full minute. It seemed ten to the waiting +boy, who was wrongly figuring time by the rapid pulsations of his heart. + +Then he became aware of the fact that once more the gentleman had joined +him, and that he was busily engaged pushing some cartridges into a +shotgun he carried. + +"Here, Elmer, take this!" he exclaimed, thrusting the weapon into the +hands of the scout. "I know you are used to handling firearms, or I +wouldn't ask you to do it. Now, come with me, please, and we'll see if +we can't influence those two fire-makers to be good!" + +Down the steps he ran, so that Elmer was even put to it to keep at his +heels. At least the prisoners of the tool house could not have as yet +managed to effect their escape, for the battering sounds still +continued, accompanied by loud excited cries. + +Quickly the two hurried along, until they arrived on the scene of +action. + +"Look, sir, there's another of them coming!" cried Elmer, pointing to a +skulking figure among the bushes, indistinctly seen. + +"Here, you, come out of that; we've got you covered, and you can't +escape!" exclaimed the colonel, who was gripping something that shone +like steel in his right hand, and which Elmer guessed must be a pistol +of some sort. + +"Don't shoot, kunnel!" cried a quivering voice; "'deed, an' I +surrenders, suh! I reckon I's pow'ful glad yuh kim. I's Sam, suh, yuh +man Sam! Please don' pull de triggah ob dat gun, Mars Kunnel!" + +It was the coachman who had driven Elmer and Mark on the occasion of the +latter's being summoned to an interview with the old traveler. + +"Here, go and get a lantern at once, Sam, and run for all you're worth!" +called the old gentleman. "Meanwhile, the rest of us will surround the +tool house, and be ready to give them a volley if they succeed in +breaking out!" + +Sam had already turned and hurried away toward the stables, where he +must have been sitting in his room at the time the row broke out, that +drew him toward the scene of the disturbance. + +Of course, the last remark of the colonel's had been made with the +intention of its being overheard by the men who were fastened inside the +outhouse. The sounds of pounding had suddenly ceased as the colored man +started to answer the command of the colonel, and those within could +easily hear every word uttered. + +A silence followed that was only broken by low groans within. Doubtless +the more timid rascal was repenting of having been led into this +dangerous game of seeking revenge. The dreadful penalty meted out to +house burners loomed up before his horrified eyes. The only pity was +that he had not allowed himself to see this earlier, and resisted +temptation. + +"Hello!" + +That was Phil calling. His heavy voice seemed to express all the signs +of acknowledged defeat. Elmer waited to see what the colonel would do, +nor was he kept long in suspense. + +"This time you're caught in a trap like a rat, Phil Lally," remarked the +old gentleman. "I'm sorry for you, more than sorry for your poor old +mother; but since you took to drink this was bound to be your end. It +came quicker than I thought, I admit, but you've got nobody to blame +save yourself." + +An intense silence followed, broken only by occasional low whines from +the weaker rascal. Then Phil called out again. + +"Well, I reckon yuh speaks only the truth, kunnel. I allers had a job up +tuh the time I took tuh drinkin'. Sense then hard luck has follered +clost tuh my heels. An' now I sure knows it's got me. I'd like one more +chanct tuh try an' do better; but I reckon it's too late, an' I'll have +tuh grin an' bear it." + +Elmer heard him give a big sigh. Somehow the sound affected the boy more +than he would have believed possible. He had supposed that Phil must be +just naturally a bad man, wicked all the way through. Now he realized +that it all came through his one weakness, a love for strong drink. + +The colonel moved up a step closer to the door. Elmer wondered whether +he meant to throw open the barrier and hold the two scoundrels up as +they came forth. But he mistook the action of the old gentleman. + +"Phil!" he said, quietly. + +"Yes, sir," answered the gruff tones from within, but no longer filled +with a savage brutality, for Elmer could detect a quaver as of strong +emotion. Perhaps it may have been the mention of that old mother whose +heart would be broken when her boy was sent to prison for a long term. +And somehow Elmer found himself hanging on the next words of the +gentleman with an eagerness which he could hardly understand--for it +seemed to him that a human soul was trembling in the balance. + +"Listen to me, Phil," continued the colonel. "What if I gave you one +more chance to make good; do you think you could keep your pledge, if +you gave it to me, never to take a single drop again as long as you +live? Are you strong enough to do this for the sake of that old mother +of yours?" + +There was an inarticulate sound from within. It might have been Phil +talking to himself; but Elmer was more inclined to believe something +else--that the strong man was almost overwhelmed by the magnanimity of +the gentleman whom he had once served, and whose kindness of the past he +had returned so meanly. + +"How about it, Phil?" continued the colonel. "Shall I 'phone in to town +and have the police come out here to take you into custody, or are you +ready to put your signature to a pledge for me to hold?" + +"I'll do it, kunnel, I'll do it, and thank yuh a thousand times for the +chanct!" broke out the man. "Oh, what a crazy fool I was to go agin the +best friend I ever had! I'll sign anything yuh arsks me tuh, an' I'll +keep it, too, or die atryin'!" + +"I'm glad to hear you say that, Phil," went on the colonel, with a low +laugh. "You were a good gardener up to the time you began to booze and +neglect your work My new man proved a failure, and I've let him go. The +job's open, Phil!" + +"For me?" cried the man, as though utterly unable to believe his ears. +"D'ye mean, kunnel, yu'd dar take me back agin, arter the way I been +actin'?" + +"Oh, we'll try and forget all that, Phil. It wasn't you, but the devil +you took inside, that made you act that way. And since you're never +going to give way to the tempter again I guess I'll risk the chances." + +He raised his hand and removed the big nail, just as Sam came running +up, bearing a lighted lantern in his ebony grip. As the door opened a +figure issued forth. It was the short man, and his head was bowed on his +chest, which seemed to be heaving convulsively, either because of his +recent exertions with the ax, or through some emotion. + +"Is that straight, kunnel, an' do yuh mean to fergive me?" he asked, +humbly, as he stood there before the old gentleman. + +"For the sake of your old mother, yes, I'm going to give you another +chance, Phil. And let's hope you can make good. I'm not one bit afraid, +if only you stick to your word. And to prove it, here's my hand!" + +The man seized it eagerly. He was shaking with emotion now, and somehow +Elmer felt his own eyes grow moist; for he realized that he was looking +on one of the tragedies of life right then and there; and the thought +that he had had a hand in bringing this finish about, and making the +repentance of Phil possible, thrilled the Boy Scout strangely. + +No one paid any attention to the skulking figure that slipped out from +the open door of the tool house, and ran hastily off. Of course it was +Phil's confederate, the timid Con Stebbins, who, seeing an opening for +escape, had hastened to avail himself of it. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +READY FOR THE BATTLE OF THE BATS. + + +"GOOD NIGHT again, colonel," said Elmer, thinking to start for home once +more. + +"Ah, are you there, my boy?" said the old gentleman, turning around. +"Well, perhaps you wouldn't mind waiting over a little, and acting as +witness at a little business ceremony that Phil and myself want to carry +through?" + +"Certainly not, sir," replied the boy; "only I was thinking that, since +my wheel is out of the running, I will be very late in getting home, and +I promised father to leave at eleven, you know." + +"Oh, that's easily fixed, Elmer! I'll just call him on the phone, if you +think he's up still, and explain matters. And Sam here, will hitch up +the team, and take you home presently. Now, please don't object, for you +know I like to have my way. Both of you come with me into the house." + +Once in the library, Elmer saw that the man Phil was not such a +desperate looking scoundrel as he had imagined from hearing him mutter +and threaten. Indeed, he had a very decent face, which was now red with +the confusion and shame that overwhelmed him because of his recent +miserable action. + +Readily he put his signature to a paper the gentleman wrote out, and +Elmer signed his name as a witness. He knew that it all depended upon +the ability of the repentant man to make good. If he could show himself +worthy of trust, his future was safe in the hands of that fine old +gentleman. + +"I'll never forget this, kunnel," he said, brokenly, as he stood there +and looked his employer in the face firmly. "You're goin' tuh make a man +uh me. I don't deserve it a bit, either; for if I got what I +deserved----" + +"There, that will do, Phil," interrupted the colonel. "If we all got +what we deserved there'd be few of us walking down the street to-morrow, +I'm afraid. But, see here, don't you think you owe some thanks to this +bright young chap for what happened? If he hadn't just happened to +overhear you talking to your friend, and crept after you, to shut you in +the tool house, possibly you might have found a chance to carry out your +harebrained scheme, and then there could be no turning back. In my mind +you owe a great deal to Elmer Chenowith here." + +"I jest reckons I do, sir. It was mighty plucky for him tuh foller us, +and tuh do that clever trick. I'd like to shake hands with the boy, and +thank him, if so be he's your friend, kunnel," said the former gardener. + +The old gentleman had before this succeeded in catching Mr. Chenowith +over the wire, and assured him that circumstances had arisen to keep +Elmer beyond the time he had promised; but that he would send him home +presently in his vehicle. + +"And you've reason to be proud of that lad of yours, Chenowith," he had +added. "To-morrow I hope to see you, and tell you something that's +happened here, in which he bore a part manfully. Good night, now!" + +He chuckled as he turned away from the phone, knowing that Elmer's +father would now be eager to ask questions when the boy reached home. + +As the carriage lights could be seen just below on the drive showing +that Sam had hitched up as he was ordered, and there was really no cause +for further delay, Elmer shook hands with the colonel again and went +out. + +"I'll be after my wheel on Monday morning, sir," he said at parting; +"when I can see to put a plug in that tire. I hope Phil didn't smash the +whole thing when he got working with that ax." + +"If he did I'll see that you have a new wheel, my boy; and, indeed, I +think that I'm deeply in your debt as it is," replied the gentleman, +smiling. "Just think what a big difference it would have made, to myself +and Phil Lally here, if you hadn't had that puncture. I'm not the man to +forget, Elmer. Good night, and God bless you!" + +As Elmer lay back in the comfortable carriage, and was drawn homeward by +the spirited bays, he chuckled more than once at the idea of a healthy +lad like himself being thus treated, as though he were an invalid. + +"Only that the colonel seemed determined, and he does not like anyone to +oppose him, I sure would have declined this lift," he said to himself. + +But on the whole, he could not say that he would have had anything +different from the way events had come to pass, even though he had the +making of the chart. And he was inclined to agree with the colonel in +declaring that if any misfortune could ever be looked upon in the light +of a lucky accident, that puncture which he had given his tire just as +he reached the place he was heading for was such. + +When he arrived home he found his father waiting for him. And since the +gentleman's curiosity had been stirred by those words of the colonel, he +was bent on asking questions until he learned the whole facts. + +Elmer was not a boaster, and he made no attempt to show himself up in +the light of a hero. But reading between the lines of his story, his +father saw that there might be still more to hear when he met the +colonel in the morning, as he was now fully determined to do. + +Perhaps, after such an exciting experience, the boy did not sleep as +soundly as he might have done under ordinary conditions. But the event +had made a powerful impression on his mind, and the generous conduct of +his old friend toward his erring servant had served to teach Elmer one +more lesson that might at some future day bring forth good fruit. + +He did not mention the matter save to his best chum, Mark; and even he +was placed under bonds never to reveal it. The colonel had asked this as +a favor, for he did not want the story to get to the ears of Phil +Lally's old mother. + +Of course, it would soon be known that he had taken Phil back again as +his head gardener, and that all matters against the young man had been +quashed; but that was nobody's business save the two involved. + +Monday came, and about every boy in and around Hickory Ridge, upon +getting out of bed that morning, made a bee line for the window and +consulted the signs of the weather. For it was certainly going to be a +famous day for those who were fond of the great national game, since the +Boy Scouts of the neighboring town of Fairfield were due to meet their +nine in a struggle for victory. + +And not only Hickory Ridge and Fairfield, but Basking Ridge, where the +game was to be played on neutral territory, seemed baseball mad. + +Elmer himself had hardly gotten downstairs before he heard the phone +bell ring, and, as no one else was around, he answered it. Just as he +surmised, it proved to be one of his chums, Red Huggins, after him for +information. + +"How about this weather business, Elmer?" demanded the other, as soon as +he learned that he was in touch with the patrol leader. + +"Well, what about it?" returned Elmer, chuckling. "I hope none of you +think to hold me responsible for whatever comes." + +"Oh, shucks! you know better than that," retorted Red, eagerly; "but +we've heard you explain just how they know what sort of a day it's going +to be, away up there in the Canadian wilderness, and we want your +opinion right now. Ted and Toby are over at my house and I'm +commissioned to hold you up and get an answer, so's to know what to +expect. See?" + +"But see here, why d'ye want to know how the weather away up in the +Northwest is going to be to-day? Have you got any wheat planted; or do +you mean to put the steam plow into that quarter section, if the signs +are favorable?" demanded Elmer. + +"Aw, let up on a feller, Elmer, can't you?" went on the other, in what +was meant to be a wheedling tone. "We want you to make use of the +knowledge you picked up away off yonder, to tell us what sort of +afternoon it's going to be. Get that, now? Is there any rain storm in +sight? Will it be as hot as the dickens; or are we in for a cold wave? +We want to know, and we depend on you to tell us. Open up now, won't +you, and be good?" + +"Oh, is that all you want?" laughed Elmer. "Why, if I could tell you +what's sure going to happen eight hours ahead I'd hire out to the +government as Old Probs." + +"But you can hit it pretty fair, Elmer," persisted Red. "Come on, now, +and tell us. We've seen you do it lots of times, and nearly every shot +came true. Now, some of us think we're due for a rain, because the sky +was a little red this morning. And you know that old saying, 'Red in +the morning is the sailor's warning.' What do you think? Give us a drive +now. Elmer." + +"Well, I took a squint around from my window, and so far as I could +see----" + +"Yes, sir; but go on, Elmer," broke in the impatient Red, nervously. + +"It was a beautiful morning." + +"Oh, rats! We all know that much, Elmer; but the signs, what do they +say? If it pours down rain the game's all off, and that means bad luck +to our fellows," Red went on, being addicted to a belief in all sorts of +signs and tokens; just as the boy from South Carolina, Chatz Maxfield, +was a believer in ghosts, and charms, and the hind foot of a rabbit +killed in a graveyard at midnight by the light of the full moon. + +"Don't worry, Red," Elmer went on, purposely holding back the desired +information, since he owed this comrade more than one long-standing debt +because of tricks practiced by the prank-loving Red. + +"Then the signs _are_ favorable; do you mean that, Elmer?" begged the +other. + +"The sky looks good to me. The little color you saw was only the rosy +flush of a summer dawn. And the breeze seems to be coming from the right +quarter, Red. I don't think it's going to be a roasting day for August." + +"That sounds all right to me, Elmer. On the whole, then, you predict +that we'll have a decent afternoon; just the kind to spur every fellow +on to doing his best licks?" continued the boy at the other end of the +wire, with joy permeating his tones. + +"I never predict, and you know it," laughed Elmer. "All I can say is +that just now things look good. If the clouds don't come up, and it +stays as clear as it is right now, the chances are we'll not get wet." + +"Oh, rats! but you've said enough to tell me what you think, and that's +the main thing. Do we practice any this morning, Elmer?" asked Red. + +"The last thing I heard from Captain Lil Artha, he said he didn't want a +stale team on his hands this afternoon, so there'll be no regular +practice this A.M. I expect to toss a few over with Mark, just to make +sure I've got control; but as the game promises to be a pretty warm +affair, it's best everybody keeps rested up until we get in practice +half an hour before the umpire calls on us to play. Anything more, Red?" + +"No, nothing; only the boys here want me to ask you how your arm feels." + +"Fine and dandy," laughed Elmer. "Couldn't be in better shape. If those +swatters from Fairfield straighten out my curves this afternoon, it'll +only be my own fault. You won't hear me complaining I wasn't in +condition, for I am." + +"Bully boy! We all know what that means when you're feeling right. I'm +sorry for Matt Tubbs and his crowd, that's all," Red said over the wire; +whereupon Elmer, unable to stand for any more of this palaver, cut him +short by hooking up the receiver. + +When later on he went out with Mark to do a little preliminary pitching, +every boy they met seemed to fall in behind, until there was quite an +imposing procession heading for the field where Hickory Ridge athletic +contests were always pulled off. + +They understood that everything depended on the ability of the pitcher +of the Hickory Ridge Boy Scout nine to baffle these heavy hitters from +Fairfield; and hence, everyone wanted to see for himself just what Elmer +could do on the eve of the great and important battle with the bats. + +Elmer would much rather have found a chance to do his practicing in +secret; but at the same time he sympathized with these kids who were +baseball mad. So for half an hour he and Mark worked their many little +games, and exchanged signals that were supposed to be known only to +themselves, while groups of fellows lounged under the neighboring trees +and kept tabs on their actions, commenting favorably on every play that +struck them as cleverly done. + +Later on Elmer, having donned his sweater because of his heated +condition, was waiting for Mark to join him, the latter having gone off +to speak to a girl who was passing in a little pony cart, when he was +suddenly startled to have a hand laid on his arm and hear little Jasper +Merriweather say in a thrilling tone: + +"It's all off, Elmer; they've got you marked for the slaughter. If you +pitch this afternoon, those sluggers from Fairfield are going to just +knock you out of the box. It's a mean shame, that's what it is, now!" + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +STEALING THE SIGNALS. + + +"WHAT'S that you're talking about, Jasper?" demanded the pitcher, +whirling on the smallest of the scouts, whose father kept a tailoring +establishment in town and made the khaki suits worn by the Hickory Ridge +troop. + +Jasper was a very timid fellow as a rule. His chums were often joking +him about the truth of the old saying, to the effect that it took nine +tailors to make a man, and that in consequence he had a heap to pick up. +But Jasper took these things in good part, because he knew his failings +even though trying the best he could to overcome them. + +He was looking very much worried when Elmer turned on him. The hand that +had been gripping the sleeve of the pitcher's sweater fell to his side +again. Elmer noticed that the boy shot a quick glance toward a group of +fellows who, seeing practice was over for the day, seemed to be getting +their wheels out, as if intending to ride away. + +"Why, I'm afraid it's all over but the shouting for Fairfield, Elmer!" +replied the small scout, in answer to the question Elmer fired straight +at him. + +"You don't say?" retorted the other, laughing. "Well, my work must be +pretty bad, if even Jasper Merriweather calls it rotten. Whew! the boys +had better be trotting out their other pitcher, if I'm going to be sent +to the stable so easy." + +"Oh, it ain't that, Elmer, sure it ain't, because don't I believe +you're the best pitcher in the whole world?" pleaded Jasper, looking +pained that his fidelity was being doubted in the least. + +"Then whatever ails you, Jasper?" continued the other, realizing all of +a sudden that perhaps there _might_ be something worth noticing in this +strange conduct of the scout belonging to the Beaver Patrol. + +"It's the signals, Elmer; the signals you and Mark have been practicing, +don't you see?" Jasper cried. + +"Hello! so that's what troubles you, is it?" remarked Elmer, seriously. +"What's wrong with my signals, tell me, Jasper? I don't suppose you +could understand what we were doing most of the time; and even if you +did, a Hickory Ridge Scout would never think of betraying a secret +belonging to his troop. What about my signals?" + +"Didn't you see him?" asked Jasper, eagerly. + +"Well, now, I have seen a few dozen fellows this same morning, so I +don't know which one you mean," replied Elmer, shaking his head in the +negative. + +"Lon Braddock!" almost whispered Jasper, looking after the group of +fellows just starting away on their wheels. + +Elmer shook his head and smiled. + +"You've got me this time, Jasper," he remarked; "because, you see, I +don't know that I ever heard that name before. Is he a new boy in +Hickory Ridge; and does he say my work is off color?" + +"But--he don't live in Hickory Ridge at all, Elmer," expostulated the +other; "that's the trouble, you see." + +"Oh, is it? Well, I don't see, and you'll sure have to explain what you +mean. If he doesn't live in our town, perhaps he's visiting here"; and +Elmer waited to see how Jasper took this. + +"I think he came over to see Bob Harris, because they were together +pretty much all the time," Jasper went on, nodding his head with almost +every word in his eagerness to be emphatic. "You see, he is a Fairfield +fellow, Elmer!" + +"What?" exclaimed the other, suddenly stiffening up, as a consciousness +of what tremendous possibilities there might be in this morning visit of +a Fairfield boy dawned upon his mind. + +"And when I was over there a few days ago I heard Felix Wagner, the +second baseman of the Fairfield team, say that they had made a good find +in Lon Braddock, who promised to be an even better pitcher than Matt +himself." + +Elmer was showing considerable eagerness now. + +"Hold on there, Jasper," he said, in his quiet, but impressive, way; "go +slow, boy, and let me understand just what you mean. This fellow is +named Lon Braddock, you tell me; and he's a newcomer at Fairfield. That +accounts for the fact that none of our fellows recognized him as he sat +there watching me. And now, more than that, you say he's an extra +pitcher of the Fairfield Scout team. Have I got that all O. K., Jasper?" + +"Yes, that's all to the good, Elmer," declared the smaller lad, +earnestly. "And honest, now, I believe that fellow came over here this +morning just on purpose to get some points about your pitching. He knows +what signal work does in a game, and he wants to knock you out. Why, +Elmer, I tell you, before three hours every fellow on the Fairfield team +will know that code of signals you and Mark have been practicing." + +"Now you're not just guessing, are you, Jasper? Because I'm the last one +in the wide world to want to condemn a fellow on general principles. He +might have had a genuine errand over here, and just dropped around to +take my size." + +"Perhaps he did, Elmer, perhaps he did; but was there any need for him +to put it all down in a little notebook he carried, and waiting till he +thought nobody was watching him?" demanded Jasper. + +"Say, did you see him do that?" asked the other, sternly. + +"At least three times, Elmer," came the quick reply. "And every time +after he had made some note he'd nod his head and grin like he was just +tickled to death over something." + +Elmer whistled, and Mark, turning, saw him wave a hand. Apparently the +catcher must have said a hasty good-by to the pretty little miss in the +pony cart, for she whipped up her steed and Mark started toward his +chum. + +"Oh, what can you do, Elmer?" exclaimed Jasper. "He's gone off now with +Bob Harris, and pretty soon it'll be too late." + +"Too late for what, Jasper?" asked the pitcher. + +"Why, I thought, you see, that perhaps a lot of us might get hold of him +and make him give up that notebook," explained Jasper. + +"You don't say!" laughed Elmer. "What particular good would that do us, +tell me, when he's sure got everything down pat in his mind, just the +same? And we can't lock a Fairfield fellow up, even for stealing signs." + +"Then he'll get away with it!" burst forth Jasper, with almost a wail. + +"I reckon he will, my boy; but that isn't saying the knowledge he's +stolen will do him, or any of his mates, any good," chuckled Elmer. + +"But how can you help it?" demanded the smaller boy, dubiously observing +the face of his comrade and wondering why he did not seem to detect any +uneasiness there. + +"How? Oh, by switching the signals, I suppose. I'll put it up to Mark, +here. We can mix things around so that every sign stands for something +different than it did just now. And if the Fairfield fellows expect to +gain anything from thinking they're onto our signals, they're going to +be badly surprised. You'll see some bally old batting until they +understand that fact." + +"What's all this row about?" asked Mark, coming up just then in time to +overhear Elmer's last few words, which, of course, mystified him +considerably. + +"Why, we've just learned that all the time you and I were practicing our +signals a spy from Fairfield was watching us," said Elmer. + +"Is that straight, or are you just kidding me?" demanded the catcher of +the nine. + +"Which his name is Lon Braddock; and he's a newcomer, who can pitch as +well as Matt Tubbs himself. Of course, he must be a scout, or else he +couldn't play in this match game; but how a fellow can be a scout and do +such a ratty thing as that, beats me all hollow," Elmer went on. + +"Tell me the whole story, that's a good fellow," remarked the other. +"Where did you get it--from Jasper, here?" + +"Yes, I've been watching him," replied the smallest scout, nodding. "I +heard of him over in Fairfield, and he was pointed out to me as the man +Matt depended on to fool the Hickory Ridge nine in case he got knocked +out of the box himself. Besides, I saw him write something down in a +notebook as many as three or four times, and always chuckling to himself +to beat the band." + +"Well, that's a nice surprise to have thrown at your head just after we +were saying we had those signs all down pat. This means another turn at +it"; and Mark threw his coat on the grass with an expression of +disgust. + +"Hold on till that bunch of fellows gets out of sight, Mark, which will +be in a few minutes," remarked Elmer, who failed to look at the thing +with the same shade of annoyance that marked the countenance of his +friend; "but in the end this may turn out to be in our favor, you know." + +"Perhaps it may," replied the catcher; "but it's a nuisance, all the +same. Now we've just got to go and unlearn all we fixed up." + +"Easy job, Mark; just push 'em ahead one point and everything's altered. +Makes me laugh to think how those fellows will tumble into the trap. +Why, I can see one or two strike-outs every inning till they get wise. +And say, perhaps our new pitcher, Lon Braddock, will feel like kicking +himself because he was such a fool as to believe all he saw." + +"Now they're around the bend of the road, Elmer, with that strange boy +alongside Bob Harris, plying him with questions by the dozen, I reckon. +Luckily, Bob doesn't know very much about our nine, for his application +to be a scout was turned down, you remember, Elmer." + +"So it was," mused the pitcher; "which makes me suspect that perhaps Bob +knew why the man from Fairfield was over here. It's pretty hard to find +that there are traitors in your own camp. But let them keep it up; we're +going to take their number to-day, as sure as you're born, Mark. I just +feel it in my bones. I only hope Matt Tubbs didn't know about this +trick. I'd hate to think he had a hand in it; and after seeing what a +change has come over the former bully of Fairfield and Cramertown I +won't believe it, either." + +So they once more started in, passing the ball. A few of the small boys +had remained to continue their scrub ball game. They wondered what the +battery of the regular nine could be doing and stopped playing to watch; +but as Jasper had been particularly cautioned not to breathe a word of +the valuable discovery he had made, they were none the wiser for their +survey and soon went back to their happy-go-lucky game. + +It did not take the two boys long to get familiar with the new version +of the sign code. Even Mark allowed that he had it down just as pat as +the older style. + +"And just as you said, Elmer," he admitted, "if those fellows over at +Fairfield believe they're onto our signs, they're going to make a heap +of trouble for themselves, believe me. I can see a fellow whacking away +at a wide bender that he expects is going to be a swift one over the +rubber. The only trouble will be for me to keep a straight face through +the circus." + +"Oh, it won't last long," replied the other. "When a few of them have +made a show of themselves they'll talk it over and conclude the spy got +the signals mixed. But by that time the mischief may have been done. +Remember, Mark, we owe a lot to little wide-awake Jasper, here. He's +always on the watch for chances to build up the credit of Hickory Ridge +troop." + +Each of them gravely shook hands with Jasper, who turned very rosy in +the face at hearing himself spoken of in terms of praise, for there had +been times when the boy had begun to despair of ever accomplishing +anything worth while in the organization, his size seeming to be so much +of a handicap against him. + +But now hope was taking on new life within him, for he had found that +size really counts for little in many of the things a scout may do to +bring credit on himself and honor to his troop. + +It was nearly noon when Elmer and Mark turned their faces homeward. +Earlier in the day the former had walked over to Colonel Hitchins's to +get his wheel and ride it home, after putting a plug in the puncture. +He was considerably surprised, and pleased as well, to see Phil Lally +working in the garden as he passed. + +The man looked up and waved a hand cheerily, and it gave Elmer a queer +little sensation, altogether pleasant, in the region of his boyish heart +to realize that that young fellow was laboring honorably there that +bright morning, instead of languishing in jail with a forlorn outlook +before him, thanks to the kind heart and generous impulse of the man who +owned the estate. And it also pleased Elmer to feel that he, too, had +had something of a share in what seemed like the reformation of Phil +Lally. + +And when noon came around the skies still smiled, guiltless of clouds; +while a delightful breeze gave promise of a grand afternoon for the +great game. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +READY FOR THE GREAT GAME. + + +"WHAT'S the matter with this for a corker?" + +Lil Artha, the long-legged first baseman of the Hickory Ridge nine, put +this question to his mates as the big carry-all containing the team, +with several substitutes, came in view of the fine field at Basking +Ridge on the afternoon when the great game was to be decided. + +No one tried to answer. + +The reason was plain, for they were utterly overwhelmed by the magnitude +of the immense crowd that had assembled to see the anticipated spirited +contest between the rival teams of Boy Scouts. + +In every direction were great masses of people, all decked out in their +holiday attire. Girls in white and every color of the rainbow waved +parasols, gay handkerchiefs, and little flags on which the name of their +favorite team had been emblazoned. + +"Why," gasped Ted, when he could catch his breath, which had been +actually snatched away from him by his amazement, "there must be a +thousand of them here!" + +"Better say millions and be done with it," laughed Red, eager for the +fray. + +"The whole county has turned out to do us honor, it seems," remarked +Matty. + +"And because of that, fellows," put in Elmer, "every Hickory Ridge scout +ought to shut his teeth hard and make up his mind to win out; never to +give up; and if he makes an error, do something right afterward to atone +for it." + +"Right you are, my boy," remarked Mr. Garrabrant, the efficient scout +master, who fortunately was enabled to accompany the boys on this trip. +"I was just going to say something along those same lines myself when +you took the words out of my mouth. Hickory Ridge is watching you +to-day, fellows; and Hickory Ridge expects every one of her sons to do +his duty. Nobody can do more." + +"Well, here we are, safe and sound," remarked Ty, as the vehicles came +to a stop in the midst of the tremendous throng. + +"Wow! listen to that, would you?" said Toby, as cheers started that +seemed to rock the very earth. + +The team from Fairfield had arrived some time before. They were busily +engaged in building up their batting abilities by sending out hot ones +that a number of local baseball enthusiasts caught in the field. + +"Say, they're a lot of hustlers, now, let me tell you," declared Red, as +he stood for a minute watching the actions of the others. + +"Oh, they're big enough," remarked Lil Artha, indifferently; "but since +when did size count for everything in baseball? You'll see the smallest +fellow step up and knock out a homer, where a big stiff like me swings +at three wide ones and sits down on the mourners' bench." + +"Like anything you will," said Red, disdainfully. + +"The pitcher who strikes you out has got to get up early in the morning, +that's what"; since the gaunt first baseman was noted for his keen +batting eye and could pick out a "good one" as well as any in the +business. + +"Come on, fellows, let's get busy," called Elmer, as he passed a ball to +one of the others, and in almost a twinkling the whole bunch was +tossing back and forth, gradually widening out. + +Then a few of them fraternized with their opponents, as they happened to +know most of the Fairfield fellows, and in this way a number of Elmer's +team found a chance to take a turn at bat. + +It was a sight that would not soon be forgotten in Basking Ridge. They +certainly did have a splendid field for the sport; and the grand stand +was a little gem in its way, but on such an occasion it did not begin to +hold one fifth of the spectators who would have been glad of a chance to +use it. + +"Ground rules to-day, that's sure, Elmer," remarked the field captain of +the Hickory Ridge team, as he stood alongside the pitcher, receiving the +ball at intervals and returning it. + +"That goes, without a doubt," replied Elmer, as he surveyed the mass of +people packed around the diamond and the field. "And if I were you, I'd +look up Matt Tubbs right away, so as to have that matter settled." + +"Sure," said Lil Artha. "And I reckon that a hit into the crowd will +stand for two bases and no more." + +"As near as I can see, there's only _one place_ anybody can hit to-day +for a homer," declared Elmer, again surveying the field. + +"Tell me where that is," remarked Lil Artha, "because I want to know. As +field captain, it's my business to know; and as an humble batter, I +might want to look that way before the game grows cold." + +"You'll notice that none of the crowd seem to want to pack upon the +right of the center field," Elmer went on in a low tone. "If a batter +could send one out there like hot shot, that managed to escape the +fielder, it would never stop on that little down grade till he'd made +the rounds." + +"Aw, thanks!" replied Lil Artha, dryly. "I'm sorry that my specialty +happens to lie off there in left; but I'm going to twist around a little +and keep that down grade in mind. Perhaps, who knows?" and he winked at +Elmer in his comical way as he hurried off to confer with Matt Tubbs. + +Home Run Joe Mallon, the professional ball player who was home at +Basking Ridge nursing a broken arm, was on the spot, ready to serve as +umpire. He had been well known in this capacity before he broke into the +big league, and people used to say that he seldom erred in his +decisions. They called him "Honest Joe" at the time he umpired, and few +ever disputed his decisions. He might make a slight slip, but everyone +knew he decided plays just as he saw them and the rabble of the +bleachers never had any weight with him. + +Elmer and Mark found a chance to get together and confer where they +could speak their minds without others hearing. + +Later on they expected to warm up for business, but it was too soon, as +yet. After the rest of the team had started in on their fifteen minutes +of practice it would be time enough for Elmer to try out a few of his +curves and drops. + +"I had Jasper Merriweather show me the fellow," Elmer remarked. + +"Meaning our slick friend, Lon Braddock?" questioned the catcher. + +"Yes. That's Lon talking to Henry Cobb, who plays third base for the +Fairfield nine. And Mark, between you and me, I don't just like his face +or manner." + +"Same here, Elmer," declared the other quickly. + +"He's got a tricky way about him, and I warrant you that fellow is going +to give Matt Tubbs more trouble than all the rest of his team combined. +Look at him chuckling now. Ten to one he's telling Cobb how he's got the +Injun sign on our signals, and what great stunts the Fairfield batters +are going to do with your curves and slants." + +"Well, you know the old saying to the effect that the fellow laughs +hardest who laughs last; and Mark, believe me, we're going to have that +privilege. But I hope you won't give it away by jeering the unlucky +batter when he nearly kills the air swiping at one that is away beyond +the end of his stick." + +"I'll try and keep a straight face, Elmer," chuckled Mark. "Got a piece +of alum in my pocket right now, and before the game begins I mean to rub +it over the side of my mouth, so as not to be able to crack a smile. +There go our boys out in the field for practice." + +"Well, perhaps we'd better get a move on, then, and pass a few, though +after our morning work I don't feel much in need of it, Mark." + +As Fairfield had already taken the field, and there was now only fifteen +minutes left before game would be called, the battery of the rival team +was also hard at work when Elmer and Mark started in. + +Of course, neither pitcher tried his best in that preliminary bout. Well +did they know that eager eyes were watching them for points connected +with their delivery, and that these would be quickly seized upon for an +advantage. Hence they contented themselves, as a rule, in sending in +swift, straight balls simply to warm up. + +Hickory Ridge had batted against Matt Tubbs for several seasons, and yet +never had a game been actually finished. Up to the present they had +always broken up in a beautiful row, in which both sides claimed +victory. + +Elmer had pitched part of a game the preceding summer. At the time he +had proven so much of a mystery to his opponents that, seeing +prospective defeat staring his team in the face, Matt Tubbs had found +some pretext for disputing a decision of the umpire to end the battle. + +But since that time the Fairfield team had been greatly strengthened, +and in all their games thus far this season they had beaten their +opponents easily. + +On a neutral field, with a firm umpire directing matters and with all +the participants members of the Boy Scouts, it was believed that for +once a game between these old rivals might be threshed out to a +conclusion. + +Many shook their heads, remembering the Matt Tubbs of old and +prophesying all manner of evil things that might spring from this +bitterly contested game. Others, who knew something of the principles +governing true scouts, tried to take heart of hope and believe that +there must have been a great awakening in the former bully. But even +they admitted that "the proof of the pudding lay in the eating of it," +and that they would be better satisfied when the end came without a +riotous demonstration on the part of Fairfield and Cramertown. + +The Hickory Ridge boys seemed to acquit themselves very well in +practice. Numerous dazzling pick-ups were made by the infield that +brought out roars of applause from the big crowd; while those tending +the outer gardens had to make rapid speed and do some air-jumping in +order to drag down the flies that were sent out in their direction. + +Having seen both teams at work, the crowd hardly knew which looked the +better. And, as in most cases, it ended in a strictly partisan division, +each town standing loyally by its athletes, with Basking Ridge about +equally divided. + +Finally the Hickory Ridge fellows were called in from the field. The +time for practice had expired, and presently, when a few little details +were gone through with, real business would begin. + +The two teams lined up for the fray in this order: + + +HICKORY RIDGE SCOUTS. + + Ted Burgoyne Third Base + Toby Jones Right + Lil Artha First Base + Chatz Maxfield Left + Red Huggins Short Stop + Ty Collins Center + Matty Eggleston Second Base + Elmer Chenowith Pitcher + Mark Cummings Catcher + +FAIRFIELD SCOUTS. + + Felix Wagner Second Base + Adrian Cook Left + John Bastian Right + Henry Cobb Third Base + Christy Poole First Base + Angus McDowd Center + John Mulligan Short Stop + Tom Ballinger Catcher + Matt Tubbs Pitcher + +There was a wave of talk passing over the throng as the two captains +conferred. It was understood that they were deciding finally on the +ground rules that must prevail, on account of the mass of spectators +pushing in on the lines. All Basking Ridge's local police force was on +the spot, but half a dozen good-natured officers are next to useless +when up against thousands; in contests of this sort dependence must be +placed on the spirit of fair play that is generally a part of baseball +crowds, especially in smaller towns, where the players are known. + +"The game is called; now for it!" yelled the nearest spectators, as they +saw the umpire pick up his mask and step forward to announce the +batteries, while the Hickory Ridge players started for their positions. + +"And we have the last look-in, as we take the field first!" howled an +enthusiastic follower of the team that looked to Elmer as the keystone +of their arch. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +HOW THE FIGHT WENT ON. + + +"THE batteries for to-day's game will be: Chenowith and Cummings for +Hickory' Ridge; Tubbs and Ballinger for Fairfield!" + +The last word of the umpire was drowned in a roar, and the air seemed +filled with waving hats, parasols of gaudy hues, handkerchiefs, and +anything else that could be utilized for the occasion. + +Then came a dead silence. Every eye, doubtless, was at that moment +riveted on the young pitcher of the nine in the field as he sent in a +few straight ones to his catcher, just to find the plate. + +"They say he's got speed to burn," remarked one Basking Ridge spectator +who had never before seen Elmer pitch. + +"But the best thing he's got is a nasty little slow drop that's running +Christy Matthewson a close race," commented a second one. + +"Oh, shucks!" laughed a Fairfield boy close by; "wait till you see how +our fellows fatten their averages on those nice little drop balloons. +We've heard a heap about 'em, and have been practicing at hitting all +such. Why, mark my words, before the end of the fifth inning this +wonderful Elmer will be so tame he'll be eating out of the Fairfield +players' hands." + +"Wait and see. The game is young," called another fellow. + +"I should say it was, when the first ball hasn't been sent over the +rubber yet," declared still a fourth spectator. + +"Play ball!" shouted the umpire, as he settled himself back of the +pitcher. + +Again came silence as Elmer, receiving the ball from first base, rubbed +it on the leg of his trousers preparatory to shooting the first one +over. + +A shout went up. Wagner, the stout second baseman, had failed to judge +correctly and "one strike" was recorded against him. + +"But did you hear the swish of his bat?" demanded the Fairfield +enthusiast. "Say, if ever he leans up against one of those curves, +good-by to the ball, that's all." + +"Sure! Only let him lean; that's what we say. He just can't do it on +Elmer," answered a devoted Hickory Ridge lad near by. + +Then came a second strike, followed by a foul. Wagner looked puzzled. +Evidently he was watching the pitcher closely and going by his signals +to the catcher, but as these had been turned almost completely about, he +mistook every one of them and was letting himself out at what would +easily have been called balls. + +When for the third time he had a strike called on him the batter retired +amid a storm of mingled cheers and catcalls. He had allowed a good ball +to pass by him without making an effort to strike, believing from the +gestures of Elmer that it was meant to be a wide one. + +Wagner went off, shaking his head. He was evidently mystified, and the +Fairfield crowd began to sit up and take notice. + +"That's a funny thing for Felix to do," they commented. "He's the most +reliable batter in our bunch, and yet he acts as though he didn't know a +good one from a wide curve a foot from the plate. Say, that pitcher +must have him locoed." + +Next came Adrian Cook. He, too, was known as a hitter, and when he +stepped to the batter's line the fielders were accustomed to backing +off, ready for a terrific drive. + +But it began to look as though Adrian must have forgotten to bring his +batting clothes along with him, judging by the way he swiped at the +empty air twice, and then managed to pop up a measly little foul that +Mark easily smothered in his big catcher's mitt. + +"What are we up against?" the Fairfield crowd began to say. + +"Oh, that's nothing," others put in, more confident. "The boys will wake +up after a little. You wait and see them take his number. Once they +begin, the air will be full of balls and those fielders' tongues will +hang out of their mouths from chasing them!" + +So they talked, as all partisan crowds do, while Bastian toed the mark. +He looked particularly dangerous as he half crouched there watching +Elmer like a cat might a mouse he expected to devour. + +But Bastian was no better than the others who had preceded him. He had +two strikes called on him by the umpire without having even made a +motion. + +"Hey, wake up! Get out of that trance. Jack! He's feeding you good ones +and you don't know it! Now, altogether, and send one out in center for a +homer!" + +Jack did his best, just as Elmer knew he was bound to. He believed he +saw the pitcher signal that he meant to cut the middle of the plate with +the next; when in reality it was intended to be a wide one. And so he +too perished, amid the cheers of Hickory Ridge, and the groans of +Fairfield. + +By the time another chance at bat came for Matt Tubbs's band, there +would be excited conferences going on. These heavy batters would soon +awaken to the fact that the signals given to them by Lon Braddock were +all wrong; and that by trying to take a mean advantage of Elmer they +were only digging their own graves. + +Matt Tubbs was certainly at his best that day; and he had always been +known as a clever pitcher. Ted followed the fate of the three Fairfield +batters, and along the same road, for he struck out. + +Toby lifted a great fly that soared away up in the air. He was making +for second under full steam, believing that McDowd out in center field +could never get under the ball, when the cheers that broke forth +announced a clever catch. And Toby was compelled to walk back to the +bench, resolving that another time he would try to put it far over +McDowd's head. + +Lil Artha succeeded in placing a corking one that landed him on first, +to the accompaniment of riotous cheers; but he died there; for Chatz was +able only to connect with the ball after he had had two strikes called +on him, and put up one of those miserable pop fouls that make a batter +rave. + +So the second inning began. + +When Cobb had also fanned at most unreasonable balls, that could never +have been hit, his comrades stared at each other. There was a hasty +conference. Then Matt Tubbs was observed to say something to the next +batter, Poole. + +Elmer smiled broadly at Mark, and nodded. It was just as though he had +remarked the words: "It's all off, Mark, they've finally caught on to +the fact that we've switched our signals. And now to play a different +brand of ball!" + +That was exactly what the Fairfield players had decided. When such +batters made guys of themselves trying to meet balls that never came +where they expected to find them, the truth could not long remain +hidden. And now Tubbs had told his players to forget entirely everything +they had learned from Lon Braddock. They must depend on their own +judgment of balls, and nothing else. + +Poole struck a vicious one, but it fell foul clearly enough, so that +there was no chance for any disputing the umpire's decision. + +"See that!" exclaimed a spectator; "they're getting his size already. If +that had only landed fair it would have been a two-bagger." + +Elmer realized that the time had already come to play the game. The next +one he sent in was with exactly the same movement that he used to shoot +a cannon-ball express over the rubber; yet it hung there in the air in +the most exasperating manner, passing over the plate long after Poole +had struck. + +Then arose a tremendous shout as the crowd became aware of the fact that +Elmer had disclosed his long suit--that tantalizing floating drop by +which Matthewson long ago won his fame on the diamond. + +"Get that, did you, partner!" laughed the Hickory Ridge backer, turning +to the adherent of the rival nine. "Now you'll see who's going to do the +eating out of hand business. Before the ninth inning comes he'll have +your fellows breaking their poor old backs trying to connect with that +dead one. Just wait, and see the fun!" + +Poole did not get on base, but perished on a feeble little infield hit +that Lil Artha gobbled close to the bag, prancing back with ease. + +"Gee, look at that daddy-long-legs, will you!" shouted an amazed +Fairfield rooter, as he stared at the way Lil Artha got over the ground. +"Hey, if he ever gets his base he c'n just _step_ down to second! No +cutting him off by a throw." + +McDowd, the center fielder, generally a reliable batter, did succeed in +making a hit, the ball just eluding the fingers of Red at short, as he +jumped up in the air, hoping to make a dazzling stop. + +But it did him no good. Elmer just toyed with Mulligan, and after +feeding him two swift curves with which he could not connect, he gave +him one of those lovely slow balls. Now Mulligan was a crafty chap, and +he saw what was coming. Thinking to have the laugh on Elmer, he declined +to strike; and was already grinning with joy over his smartness, when +the ball seemed to receive a new impetus somehow, and went jumping by. + +"Batter's out!" declared the umpire; at which Mulligan dashed his bat +down, and walked away, also shaking his head. + +The crowd yelled like mad. This was work well worth coming miles to see. + +"He's got them all guessing," shouted Larry Billings, who was also in +uniform as a substitute. "If they strike at it, they fan the air; and if +they hold off the umpire says 'get out!' It's a cold, cruel world, +Fairfield!" + +Red was first to face Tubbs in their half of the second. He waited until +he had two strikes and three balls called; and then, knowing that the +pitcher in nine cases out of ten tries to put one straight over, Red +lined it out for a single. + +Ty stepped up with a firm manner, and gripped his bat as though he meant +business. He spoiled several good ones by knocking long fouls, and +finally walked. As two were now on bases with nobody out, the chances +for a tally looked good to the Hickory Ridge fellows. + +Amid a chorus of shouts Matty stepped up and, hitting the first ball a +tremendous swipe, sent it speeding through the air. Everybody jumped up +to see where it went. + +They saw the agile Felix Wagner near second make a leap upward. As he +came down he whirled, and sent the ball into second; and Mulligan, who +had darted thither was just like lightning in getting it down to first. +Red and Ty were thus caught between bases and a most brilliant triple +play had been accomplished. + +"Why, he caught it!" gasped the Hickory Ridge enthusiast, as though +unable to believe the evidence of his eyes. + +"You just bet he did," mocked the other fellow. "And the whole side's +out in two shakes of the lamb's tail. Zip, bang, splash; and it's all +over! That's the way we do it." + +The crowd went fairly wild, even the people from Hickory Ridge joining +in the applause that greeted this clever play. + +And so the game went on, both sides struggling like giants for an +opening; yet the third, fourth and fifth innings passed with no one +getting past that fatal second. + +The first half of the sixth opened with Fairfield looking dangerous. +Elmer had passed Wagner, it being the first time he had given anyone +transportation on four balls. Cook went out on three strikes, being led +to bite at a slow one in the critical moment. Bastian hit for a single, +and by clever running Wagner managed to reach third. + +The crowd sat up and began to figure on a run, as there was only one man +out, and almost any kind of a fly would allow Wagner to come in. + +But they counted without their host. Cobb failed to do anything, also +going out on the three-strike route. And Poole shot one straight for Red +at short, who gathered it up in fine shape, getting the ball to first +ahead of the runner. + +A sigh went up from the great crowd. With the Fairfield rooters it +signified despair; while those who were backing the other team expressed +their relief that Elmer had managed to get out of a hole successfully. + +"Now, fellows, it's time we did something," remarked Lil Artha, as the +boys settled down on the ground, and Toby was selecting his bat, it +being his turn to toe the rubber. + +"Right you are, old hoss," remarked that worthy, grimly. "We've tried +Matt Tubbs out, and got his wrinkles down pat. Just keep your eyes on +me, and see if I don't flatten out one of his benders for keeps!" + +"More power to your elbow, Toby," said Lil Artha. "Just get your base +somehow, and depend on me to chase you in." + +"And he can do it, Toby," declared Chatz, as the batter passed him. + +"Yes, I've just got to, boys," chuckled the tall captain, as his eye +roved out toward that particular place where Elmer had told him to aim; +just as though he might be picking a good spot to land his ball. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +LIL ARTHA PLANTS HIS GARDEN IN DEEP CENTER. + + +"CRACK!" + +"He did it!" yelled the Hickory Ridge fellows, as Toby started on a run +for the first sack, while Bastian was chasing the ball in short right. + +"Bully boy, Toby! You're IT!" shrieked an excited rooter, jumping up and +down as he swung his hat, and ending by dancing a hornpipe, to the +amusement of some of the crowd, though a disgusted Cramertown fellow +loudly advised him to "hire a hall." + +"Now Lil Artha, you know what to do!" called a fellow near by. + +"Does he!" echoed Larry Billings, waving his hand at the speaker. "Well, +just keep your eye on him, that's all. Oh, it's good-by to that ball. +It's going over into the next county!" + +The tall captain of the Hickory Ridge nine stood at the plate in what +some people considered a careless attitude. + +"Why, he doesn't seem to care whether he hits the ball or not," they +declared. "I think Matt Tubbs ought to have a snap with that bean pole!" + +But every batter has his favorite way of waiting for the ball. Some +swing their bats nervously, and often fail to recover in time; others +stand there like statues, with every nerve contracted, and their eyes +fixed on the pitcher. + +Lil Artha did neither. He chopped at the tuft of short grass near the +rubber, nodded at Tubbs, and then slouched there in his ungainly +attitude. But Matt Tubbs was not deceived in the least. He knew that in +Lil Artha he had the most dangerous batter in the entire nine to contend +with. His movements were like lightning, once he started. + +One, two, three balls followed in rapid succession. + +"Hey, he's afraid of Lil Artha! he's goin' to give him his base!" arose +the shout. + +It looked very much that way, and Lil Artha himself feared that he was +about to be cheated out of his chance for that little garden beyond +right center. Those agile Fairfield fellows must be thinking that triple +plays grow on bushes; and the pitcher was hoping to have another pulled +off. + +"Smash!" + +"Oh, what a hit!" + +"He leaned way out, and took a wide curve right on the nose!" + +"Look at her go, would you!" + +"A home run hit, fellows; bully for Lil Artha! He's all to the good!" + +"What would he do if he was twice as tall, hey, tell me that?" demanded +a disgusted Fairfield backer, as he watched the two figures careering +around the circuit. + +"Watch him run, boys! Why, he could get home ahead of Toby. There they +come in, neck and neck!" + +"But where's the ball?" demanded one fellow. + +"McDowd is chasing it yet. He'll get it after a while. There never was +such a long hit made on these grounds, that's dead sure. It was a +peach!" + +Two runs looked pretty big in such a bitterly contested game. + +"Even if we don't get another, that ought to win, if Elmer can keep up +his fine work," Mr. Garrabrant declared, as he sat in the midst of his +boys, and shook hands with the tall panting first baseman as he dropped +down. + +"Then we've just got to work to hold them, see?" said Red, who was +picking out a hat, as Chatz had stepped cut to the rubber. + +"Oh, don't got that notion in your heads, boys," laughed Elmer. "Perhaps +we can add a few more for good measure. Matt may be rattled after those +two screamers. Try and hit her out, Red." + +But Matt Tubbs instead of being upset by his misfortunes seemed better +than ever. He easily disposed of Chatz; and while Red did get on first +through an error of the shortstop, who threw wide, he died there. Ty +shot up a zigzag foul that Ballinger managed to just grasp, after +staggering back and forth like a drunken man in the effort to judge its +eccentric motions; and Matty's offering was taken by Cook in left field. + +So the seventh began. The Fairfield rooters, faithful to their team, +began to call out encouraging words, such as the "lucky seventh." + +McDowd started out well. He drew a pass by refusing to try to take the +slow one that just failed to cross over the rubber. Then he stole +second, though Mark got the ball down to Red in good style; but a great +slide saved the runner, according to the umpire, who was on the spot. +There was no protest against the decision, even though most of the +Hickory Ridge players thought the man was fairly out. They were much too +game to show that they could not take their medicine when the decision +went against their side. + +Elmer put on a little more speed. + +"Hey!" called out Mulligan as he stood there and heard a strike called: +"what're ye thryin' to do wid me, Elmer? Sure that wan had whiskers on +it: I heard 'em brush past me leg. Thry it again, me honey, and see what +I do." + +He tried to bunt the next one, but made a failure of the job; for Elmer +had readily guessed that such must be his orders, with that man on +second. + +So Mulligan passed away, being fed one of the teasers that he tried to +meet by stepping forward, but without the slightest success. + +Next came Ballinger, the catcher. Like most men behind the bat, +accustomed to seeing all manner of balls coming toward men throughout +the whole game, Ballinger was a fairly good man with the stick. He +believed he could pick out a good one, and do something worth while. + +His best was a high fly that Ty gathered in away out in deep center; but +after the ball settled in his hands McDowd managed to make third, again +by a slide, at which he seemed particularly clever. + +It was now up to Matt Tubbs. Adopting the tactics of his rival when Lil +Artha was at bat, Elmer sought to pass the hard-hitting pitcher of the +Fairfields. He had given two balls when Matt reached out, and took one +that was intended as a wide curve. + +It shot past Matty near second, and went buzzing out into the field. +Even then it was tagged with so much speed that before it could be sent +in home McDowd had scored, and Tubbs was nestled on the second bag. + +Then arose a fearful roar. If only Wagner had found his batting eye he +would surely send his captain home with the tying run. + +"Lucky seven, Felix! You know what we want! Everybody holler!" + +Such a terrible racket as ensued. Of course part of this came from +excitement; but there was also a desire to put heart in the Fairfield +players, as well as to rattle Elmer. + +He showed no sign of going to pieces. His manner would indicate that he +was as cool as a cucumber. Wagner was dancing around the home plate, +trying to tantalize the opposing pitcher. + +"Strike one!" called the umpire, as a good one whizzed past. + +"Get up against it, Felix. Quit your kiddin', and do business. It only +takes one to bring Matt in!" shouted a player. + +Wagner now toed the mark, and prepared to strike. The shouts died away +as quickly as they had sprung into existence. All eyes were on the +pitcher, and the lad who stood there, lazily swinging his bat forward +and back in regular rhythm, as he endeavored to gauge the coming +delivery of the ball. + +Judgment at such a critical time has to come with the rapidity of +lightning. In the flash of an eye the batter has to decide whether it is +a drop, an out curve, an inward shoot, a straight, swift one over the +rubber, or a teaser that will apparently start out well, only to hold up +in mid-air, and leave him to strike long before the ball gets within +reaching distance. + +Wagner waited and struck at a slow drop. What was more, he hit it, too, +a vicious tap that electrified the entire crowd. Again those who were +sitting down jumped up to see what had happened. They evidently expected +to see one of the fielders running like mad after the ball. Nothing of +the sort. + +Red simply threw out, and touched Matt Tubbs as he tried to get back to +second in great haste, after realizing that the ball had been shot +straight into the hands of short. + +It was, of course, a double play, unassisted. And tumultuous cheers +followed as the Hickory Ridge boys came trotting in from the field. +Nothing would do but that Red must take off his cap, and thus +acknowledge the fact that the fickle populace wished to do him honor. + +In their half of the seventh the Hickory Ridge fellows made another hard +bid for a run. Elmer, the first man up, drove the first ball pitched out +in right for a single. Mark duplicated the performance, only he seemed +rather to fancy the left garden for his planting. + +Two on bases, and none out! Catcalls and groans marked the disgust of +the rooters who wanted to see Fairfield win, while loud cheers told the +club at bat that their friends expected them to add to the score this +inning. + +But that wizard Tubbs was at it again. He mowed Ted down without mercy. +The batter afterward declared that the ball went past him with wings on +it; and that he couldn't make sure whether it passed over the rubber or +two feet outside. + +Toby had been fairly lucky in meeting the offerings of Matt; but he, +too, fell a victim. Meanwhile the fellows on bases, much as they wanted +to engineer a double steal, found not the slightest chance to do so, +with this clockwork going on between the pitcher and catcher. + +Lil Artha was up again. + +Would he duplicate his previous performance, and send out a homer? +McDowd evidently feared as much, to judge from the way he went back. But +Lil Artha fooled them all, for he dropped a little one between first and +second, and while nobody got home on the hit, he managed to gain first +through the fumble. + +Chatz had a glorious opportunity presented to him. A hit would mean two +more tallies. Chatz tried his best, and connected with a good one. With +the crack of the bat the crowd uttered a thrilling shout. Then they saw +Poole, playing just off first, gather the ball in with astonishing +cleverness, and leap for his bag. + +In the eighth it was just one, two, three for Fairfield. Elmer bad them +guessing all the time with his curves, his change to a swift one, and +then that terrible teaser that only one fellow had as yet managed to +connect with, and that to his side's undoing. + +Nor were the Hickory Ridge boys able to add more runs in their half, +four batters only facing Tubbs. + +The ninth opened. Unless Fairfield could score one run to tie, the game +would end then and there, the Hickory Ridge fellows having no need to go +in again. + +It was a tense situation when, with one man on second, and but a single +fellow out, Elmer stood up to his work, smiling, cool and satisfied that +he could do it, with the fine assistance he was receiving from his +backing. + +In vain did the next batter try to connect. One little foul was the best +he was able to do. That brought it to the last one, who chanced to be +the hard-hitting catcher, Ballinger. + +A dead silence fell upon the crowd as Elmer began to feed him slow ones. +Once Ballinger struck, and was greeted by a whoop from the excited +Hickory Ridge rooters, anxiously watching every move. The next one he +declined to touch; and lo, it went over the plate for a second strike. +Rendered desperate finally, and seeing still a third floater coming +sailing wabblingly along, Ballinger stepped forward and made a vicious +swing for it, only to have his bat pass through thin air. + +Then arose a tumultuous whoop. The game was over, and the score stood +two to one in favor of Hickory Ridge. + +While the shouts of the multitude were still ringing out, Elmer made +straight for the rival pitcher, and thrust out his hand. + +"Bully for you, Matt," he said. "It was so even that one little thing +settled it--that home run hit. And if you haven't won this game, Matt, +it's plain to be seen you've won another that counts for much more. I +say good luck to the scouts of Fairfield. They're going to make things +hum around here, I guess." + +"That's nice of you, Elmer," returned Matt, quietly, yet with a gleam of +satisfaction in his eye. "Somebody's got to lose, and next time it may +be you fellers. But I reckon as how Fairfield people knows by now that +things has changed some since these here games used to break up in a +row. Never again. We're in this scout business for keeps now, and you +got to look out, Elmer, if you don't want us to beat you when the two +troops get together for tests." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE MYSTERY SOLVED. + + +"I WANT you to go over with me to Colonel Hitchins, Mark," said Elmer, +on the morning after the great victory over the Fairfield scout nine. + +"Oh, see here, has it anything to do with that mystery connected with my +cap being found under those peach trees that were robbed?" demanded +Mark, jumping up; for his chum had found him in his den, busily engaged. + +"Perhaps," smiled the other. "And oh, by the way, Mark, perhaps you'd +better be sure and wear the very cap that was found. I might want to +show it to the colonel again for a purpose." + +He declined to say anything more, even though Mark teased him as he got +his own wheel out, and the two started forth. + +"Just you hold your horses," he said, shaking his head stubbornly. +"Sometimes it seems like a long night, but daylight always comes in the +end." + +"I take that to mean you've made some sort of discovery, then," declared +Mark; "and honest, now, Elmer, I'll be mighty glad to know the truth. +That thing has puzzled me a heap, I admit. Perhaps Phil Lally has +confessed that he found my cap, and left it there when he robbed the +trees, meaning to have me looked on as the thief." + +"Shucks, Phil Lally never saw your cap; and even if he did he wouldn't +know it from mine or some other fellow's. + +"Wait, and don't get so impatient. Unless I miss my guess, it'll soon be +old history," and Elmer led the way along the road at a hot pace. + +They soon arrived at the place of Colonel Hitchins. + +"There's Phil Lally working in the garden, and he looks satisfied with +the way things have come out," remarked Elmer, as they passed toward the +mansion. + +"Why shouldn't he be?" argued Mark. "If Phil had his deserts, he'd be on +the way to a ten-year sentence at the penitentiary right now. But the +old gentleman knew what he was doing when he gave him this last chance; +and I really believe the fellow will make good now." + +"I'm dead sure of it," Elmer added. "He's had his eyes opened, and the +thought of his old and fond mother is going to keep him on the narrow +path. But say, turn aside here, and let's take a peep at the tool house, +where I had that little rumpus Saturday night." + +"I'd like to see it," remarked the other, eagerly; for by this time he +knew all the particulars of his chum's exciting adventure, and was +deeply interested in everything that pertained to it. + +So they walked around the tool house, and even stepped inside, while +Elmer proceeded to once more relate how he had managed to fasten the two +men in, after they had entered in search of kerosene. + +"Hello!" remarked Elmer, finally, "there's Bruno wagging his tail at us; +he knows me by now, and we are pretty good friends; but, all the same, I +don't mean to get too close to him when his master isn't around." + +"He's a fine looking dog, as sure as anything," observed Mark. + +"He sure is," Elmer went on, and then added: "see him shake that old +shoe he has in his mouth! Just imagine it to be some other dog that +Bruno is fighting with. I'd hate to have those teeth set in my leg, +wouldn't you, Mark?" + +"Well, rather," came the ready reply. "But look there, do they give him +old shoes and such things to play with; I can count three close by his +kennel right now? Perhaps it's the right thing for a dog's teeth, to +chew on old leather." + +Elmer laughed out loud at the suggestion. + +"That's a new one on me," he declared; "but here comes Phil Lally from +the garden. Let's put it up to him. He's been with the Colonel some +time, and ought to be on to some of the tricks of Bruno." + +Phil Lally smiled at seeing Elmer. He had taken a great liking to the +boy; and no doubt had heard some things in connection with him from his +employer at the time they talked matters over. + +"Glad to see yuh here this fine morning, Elmer," he remarked. "And they +tell me yuh knocked the Fairfield team out yesterday, good and hard. The +kunnel says it was the best game he ever saw, barring none, and he's an +old hand, yuh know." + +"We all thought it a dandy," laughed Elmer; "and every fellow deserved a +share of the glory. I pitched my best; but where would we have been if +it hadn't happened that Lil Artha drove out that homer, fetching a run +in ahead of him? But Mark here was wondering if you fed Bruno on old +shoes; or gave them to him to keep his teeth in good condition, because +there are just three around here. We don't happen to be from Missouri, +Phil, but we want to know." + +The man laughed loudly. + +"Well, after all, it looks that ways, Elmer," he said. "But the fact is, +nobody wants to make Bruno mad by takin' away his playthings. I tried it +once, and would yuh believe it, the critter made a jump for me, and +growled so ugly that after that I jest vowed he could keep piling 'em +up, for all of me." + +"Oh, I see; then you don't toss them to him?" said Mark, while his chum +smiled, as though fairly well satisfied with the way the conversation +had turned. + +"Who, me, give Bruno them old shoes?" ejaculated Phil Lally. "Well, I +guess not. He gets 'em all hisself. It's an old trick of Bruno's. There +have been times when he's had as much as seven old shoes layin' around +here at one time. When I gets a chanct I sneaks 'em away an' buries the +same. Got a regular cemetery fur old shoes back o' the stable." + +"But where does he get them, if he's chained up here all the time?" +asked Mark. + +"What, him?" echoed the gardener. "Oh, nobody don't seem able to keep +that slick customer chained up no great time at a stretch. Sometimes +I've knowed him to slip his collar as many as four nights a week." + +"You mean he gets away?" asked Elmer, helping things along; for he began +to see Mark casting eyes at him suspiciously. + +"Always that. Bruno, he's a wanderer. He's got the habit bad; and as +soon as he gets loose it's hike for him. But I will say he always knows +when to come home, and in the morning we find him in his kennel, +tuckered out mebbe, but happy." + +"But do you mean he brings one of those old shoes home with him every +time?" demanded Mark. + +"He jest wont come home without _something_ like that in his mouth," +continued the gardener. "I've seen him adoin' of the same, and had to +laugh at the critter. Once it was a lady's hat. We reckoned that it must +a' blew off when she was goin' past in a car at a fast clip, and they +couldn't find it. But Bruno lighted on it, easy like." + +"A lady's hat!" muttered Mark, and then he faced his chum, adding: "Look +here now, Elmer, you didn't come back to see Bruno just by accident. You +had a reason for doing it? Own up now!" + +Elmer nodded his head and snickered. + +"Let me take that cap of yours, Mark," he said, and the article in +question was eagerly handed over to him. "Look here, Phil, this cap was +found under those peach trees you've heard about, and on the morning the +colonel discovered they had been raided. Luckily my chum was able to +prove that he couldn't have been here; and a lot of us knew that he had +lost this cap a mile away on the bank of the Sunflower, just as evening +set in. But it's been a dark mystery how it got here." + +Phil had turned red at mention of the peach trees. Then his glance went +past Elmer to the big Siberian wolf hound. + +"I reckon it must be up to Bruno, then," he remarked. "Let's see--yes, +he was off that night, else I'd never dared do what I did." + +"And if you examine the inside of the cap," Elmer went on, steadily, +"you'll find the lining all torn, as if he had been shaking it like he +did that old shoe just now. The marks look to me like teeth had torn the +lining. And when the colonel handed it to me, I could feel that it +seemed to be more or less wet inside." + +"Proven beyond the least doubt!" cried Mark, smiling broadly. "Bruno +came on my cap while he was scouring the country. He fetched it home, as +he does other things that have belonged to people. And when he was going +past those peach trees he got scent of the fact that some one had been +there during his absence. So perhaps he laid the cap down, to nose all +around, and forgot to pick it up again!" + +"That's just my theory to a dot," laughed Elmer; "so on the whole, I +guess, Mark, you'd better call it solved, and let the matter drop." + +"I'm only too willing," replied the other, nodding. "But don't you think +we owe it to the colonel to take him into the secret?" + +"I sure do," replied Elmer; "because he was puzzled as much as we were. +Still, you remember he was ready to own up that he couldn't believe you +guilty; no matter if a dozen caps bearing your initials were found under +his trees." + +"That shows what it means tuh have a good reputation," remarked Phil +Lally between his set teeth. "But, boys, never again for me. I've seen +what a fool road I was trampin' with that habit of mine, and I've +changed my course. I'm goin' tuh make good this time, or bust a b'iler +tryin'." + +"You'll make it, never fear, Phil, with such a good friend to help you +as the gentleman you work for. I believe in you," said Elmer, thrusting +out his hand; for something told him that the young fellow needed all +the encouragement possible at this critical stage in his uplifting. + +So they did go in to see the colonel, who was deeply interested in the +theory. Elmer had to explain how his chum's cap chanced to be found that +morning under the raided trees, when it was lost the evening previous +away over on the bank of the little Sunflower River. + +"No doubt of it, Elmer," he declared immediately. "You've proved it +beyond the shadow of a doubt. If Bruno had put his visiting card inside +the lining he couldn't have done more when he made these tears with his +sharp teeth. Seems to me as if I can see where every tooth went in. But +let's forget all about that matter now, and talk about your magnificent +victory of yesterday." + +"We may have beaten the Fairfield team by the narrow margin of one run, +sir," remarked Elmer, "but there was one fellow against us who did a +heap more than that, I give it to you straight." + +"Who was that, Elmer, and what did he do that was so great? I'm sure, +after seeing the game I fail to catch your meaning," remarked the +gentleman. + +"It was Matt Tubbs, sir; and he won a victory over himself which I take +it counts for more than just a single little tally in a baseball game. +If that had been the same old Matt Tubbs of old, we'd never have +finished that game, for he'd have ended it in a row. As it was, he shook +hands with every Hickory Ridge player, and complimented them on the +fierce fight they put up. It was just fine! And they used to say Matt +Tubbs was a rowdy who could never be made to see how he was wronging his +family, all Fairfield, and himself worst of all, by his ugly ways. Don't +tell me, anybody, that this Boy Scout movement isn't working wonders in +lots of cases." + +"I believe you, Elmer," replied the colonel, softly. "I have been pretty +much a gruff old soldier myself, and often scorned such an idea as +gaining anything worth while without a fight for it; but I'm beginning +to look at things in another light, boys, another light. Peace has its +victories as well as war; and they count most in the long run, I reckon. +I'm going to take more interest in these boys than ever I did before, +because I'm learning something in my old age." + +But the great victory over Fairfield was not the only event that marked +the closing days of that summer vacation, and in another volume we shall +have something to say about an occurrence which the Hickory Ridge Boy +Scouts were inclined to set down in their troop log-book as a matter of +history never to be forgotten. + + 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 } + Tracking } in Number I. + 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. + + + + +FISHES OF THE UNITED STATES + + +Fish are vertebrate animals living in water and having, instead of legs, +fins which are adapted to rapid movement in the water. They breathe +through gills instead of lungs. + +The principal order of fish is known as the Teleostei or bony fishes. +Other orders are the Elasmobranchii or fishes without a bony skeleton, +Ganoidei, and a small order called the Holocephali. Fishing since the +earliest recorded times has always been an industry as well as a sport +with mankind. Great commercial seaports have developed from beginnings +as small fishing towns, and fishing privileges are often incorporated in +international treaties. The most important of the American fisheries are +the cod, herring, mackerel, menhaden, halibut, salmon and whitefish +fisheries. + + +THE ELASMOBRANCHII. + +These are fishes which have no bony skeleton. In place of bone they have +an elastic tissue or gristle. There are two sub-orders--those having +round bodies, like the sharks and dog-fish, and those having flat +bodies, like the rays and skates. + +SHARKS. + +Shark is a general name applied to all the larger round-bodied +elasmobranchii. They are powerful and rapid swimmers and many of the +larger forms are found in mid-ocean. The smaller ones keep closer to +the shore. Although a few are found in Arctic regions, they do not +attain the great size there that they do in warmer waters. They are +carnivorous, that is, they feed on animal matter, and most of them have +strong teeth. The Chinese consider shark fins a great delicacy and many +are exported from California to the East. The fins are also a source of +gelatine. + +The Tope is a small shark found in tropical and temperate seas. It +averages about six feet in length. Its habit of making away with bait +and scaring off other fish makes it unpopular with fishermen. The color +of the tope is gray above and whitish gray beneath. It swims along the +bottom of the water, feeding upon fish, crustaceans, etc. This fish is +not common in American waters. + +The Hammer-head Shark. The characteristic peculiarity of this shark is +its broad, flat head, which accounts for its name. Its eyes are set on +projections from the side of the head. They have been known to reach a +length of fifteen feet. Sometimes they are seen in the North Atlantic. +They are formidable and greedy. The topes and hammerheads belong to the +same shark family. + +The Porbeagle is a shark that is found in the North Atlantic and is +known to fishermen as the Mackerel Shark. It feeds principally upon +fish. A length of ten feet is attained. It bolts its food, the teeth +being adapted to hold its slippery prey. + +[Illustration: HAMMER-HEAD SHARK.] + +The Thresher, Thrasher or Fox Shark is a cousin of the porbeagle. Its +peculiar characteristic is its long tail. Both the Atlantic and Pacific +contain these fish. A length of fifteen feet is often reached. It will +not attack man, but preys on small fishes. Swimming suddenly into +schools of these, it flaps its tail rapidly, killing and devouring +them in large numbers. These sharks are often found in companies +attacking large whales. + +The Basking Shark derives its name from its habit of lying at the top of +the water with its upper back above the water line. This is the largest +shark found in the Atlantic. It reaches a length of over thirty feet. +The oil which its liver yields is valued and it is hunted on this +account. It will not attack man. + +Dog-fish is the general name for sharks of the families Scyllidae and +Spinacidae. Dog-fish are the smaller types of sharks. They are sometimes +eaten by fishermen on the Orkney Islands, a group of islands off the +northern coast of Scotland, where they are dried for winter use. Their +rough skins are used for polishing wood and is called shagreen. The +dog-fishes reach a length of three or four feet. They frequently carry +off the fishermen's captures from the lines. + + +SKATES AND RAYS. + +These are flat-bodied elasmobranchii. Skate is the common name applied +to any one of the numerous species of flat elasmobranchii whose large, +broad fins give it a somewhat diamond-shaped form. The commonest and +smallest skate of the Eastern coast of the United States is the "Tobacco +Box." The "Barn Door" Skate sometimes reaches a length of four feet, and +the great Pacific Coast Skate is sometimes six feet long. + +The Sting Ray bears on its tail a toothed spine some eight inches long +and capable of inflicting a painful wound. Its tail is long and slim. As +a rule they are confined to warm seas, but at least one species extends +throughout the Atlantic and Pacific. + +The Devil-fish or Eagle Ray is a member of the family of Millstone Rays, +so called because of their peculiar teeth, which are adapted to crush +the shells of the mollusks on which they prey. The tail is long and +slim. Some devil-fish occasionally measure from fifteen to eighteen feet +across. Pearl and sponge divers greatly fear these ugly creatures. + +The name devil-fish is also given to the Octopus and to the Goosefish or +Angler. + +The Torpedo or Electric Ray is a name given to any one of the numerous +rays having the power of giving electrical shocks. They thus stun the +fish upon which they feed. They also use this power in self-defense. The +large torpedoes can stun a man. + +[Illustration: SAWFISH--FROM BELOW.] + +The Sawfish is a ray in which the snout is elongated and edged with +strong teeth. These sawlike edges have given the fish its name. It +strikes with this weapon and slashes open the bodies of its prey. + + +THE HOLOCEPHALI. + +This is not a large order. The name is made up of two Greek words, +meaning "all head." A few peculiar forms belong here, principally the +Chimera, popularly known as the Sea Cat. + +These fish resemble sharks. They are found in the colder sea water. +Their tail is long and thread like. The head is large and the fish's +remarkable appearance has given it the name Chimera, after the legendary +animal that Homer describes as shaped like a lion in the fore part, a +dragon in the hind part and a goat in the middle. + + +THE GANOIDS. + +There are seven living kinds of ganoid fish and all are found in fresh +water. Only six of these are found in waters of the United States. All +of them have skin with bony scales which shine as though enameled. + +The Sturgeon inhabit waters of the temperate zone of the Northern +Hemisphere. They reach a length of over ten feet and feed upon worms and +shell fish, which they pry out of the sandy or muddy bottoms with their +sharp snout. They have five rows of bony scales. Their eggs form an +article of commerce, caviar being prepared from them. The material known +as isinglass is made from the air bladders of the sturgeon. They are +found in the Great Lakes and the larger rivers. The type most commonly +found in the Mississippi is called the Shovel-nose Sturgeon. The +Columbian Sturgeon of the Pacific coast states is a large species. + +The Bow-fin or Mud-fish is a fish found in the still waters of the +United States. It is known by many names. The flesh, while eatable, is +not good. In length it does not exceed a couple of feet. + +The Gar-pike, Bony-pike, or Bill-fish. The body of this fish is covered +with bony scales. It has a peculiar snout containing sharp teeth. In the +lower Mississippi occurs a large type known as the Alligator Gar or +Manjuari. + +[Illustration: STURGEON.] + +The Paddle-fish is peculiarly characterized by its broad, thin, oarlike +snout. Many popular names have been given to it, such as Spadebill, +Spoonbill, Duckbill. It is found in the rivers of the Mississippi Valley +and reaches a length of about five feet. + +The Shovel-nose Sturgeon, or White Sturgeon, is confined to the +Mississippi and its tributaries, and is quite common in certain +localities. It has a slender body, especially so behind the fins, and +its peculiarly shaped snout has given it the name it bears. + + +THE BONY FISHES OR TELEOSTEANS. + +By far the largest and the most important order of fishes, containing +the large majority of living types. They differ from the ganoid fishes +by having soft scales and a complete bony skeleton. + + +THE YELLOW PERCH. + +The Yellow Perch is found in all the waters of the Atlantic slope. It +does not occur in the lower Mississippi valley. It frequents quiet pools +of meadow brooks, creeks, etc., preferring the stream's sides or the +sandy, pebbly bottom. The larger specimens come from rivers and creeks. +Perch seldom weigh more than one or two pounds. They feed on grubs, +worms, insects, and small fishes. They are graceful in movement and the +coloration is beautiful. The sides are streaked with dusky bands and the +fins are ruddy. + +One way to catch perch is with a pole, stout line, large float, and +heavy sinker, using a worm or minnow for bait. This will do when the +water is muddied and the fish are hungry. In clear water, use a finer +line and reel, a small float and a sinker only heavy enough to keep the +float steady. The bait should be suspended about a foot from the +bottom. + + +THE STRIPED BASS. + +[Illustration: STRIPED BASS.] + +The Striped Bass in the South is known as the Rock Fish, or the Rock. +This fish is particularly common in the open stretches of large rivers. +It is a popular food fish and it is estimated that over 200,000 pounds +of Striped Bass are eaten each year in the United States. They are +voracious feeders and when in the rivers they prey upon small fishes. +They frequent the surf of ocean beaches and rocky shores. The fisherman +holds this fish in deservedly high esteem. They are caught in creeks, +using shrimps or clams for bait. When fishing for these in the swift +tideways, menhaden bait is used. Scott, in his "Fishing in American +Waters," says: "Casting menhaden bait for striped bass from the rocky +shores of the bays, estuaries, and islands along the Atlantic coasts +constitutes the highest branch of American angling. It is, indeed, +questionable--when considering all the elements which contribute to the +sum-total of sport in angling--whether this method of striped bass +fishing is not superior to fly-fishing for salmon, and if so, it +outranks any angling in the world." The rod to use in this style of +fishing should not be longer than nine feet and should be very light, +the lines about two or three hundred yards long. The bass are attracted +by casting chopped menhaden upon the water. An oil gathers upon the +surface of the water and the fish swim toward the fishermen. + + +THE WHITE BASS. + +The White Bass, or Striped Lake Bass, is often mistaken for the Striped +Bass. It is common in the Great Lakes region and especially the Ohio. It +is found chiefly in lakes, ponds, and deeper parts of rivers. It feeds +upon small fish. As food it is highly prized. + + +THE YELLOW BASS. + +The Yellow Bass is sometimes called the Bar-fish. It frequents the lower +Mississippi, where the water is deep and sluggish. The color is yellow +and the black stripes are prominent. + + +THE WHITE PERCH. + +The White Perch is found in the waters at the mouths of rivers. Its +average length is eight or nine inches. Fish for them off a deep-sunk +pier or a bridge, baiting with a live minnow. + + +THE SEA BASS. + +The Sea Bass exists in a great many varieties and has been given many +names, such as Black-fish, Rock Bass, Black Will, Black Bass, etc. The +favorite haunts of Sea Bass are the rocky bays and sounds of the +Atlantic coasts. It feeds at the bottom and rarely comes to the surface, +being fond of lying under loose stones and in rock cavities. Its food is +made up of crabs, squids, small fish, etc. On account of the toughness +of its mouth this fish, when once hooked, is not easily lost. The best +time to catch them is between tides. In New England they average about a +pound and a half. The flesh of the Sea Bass is firm and sweet. The +fishing banks off Sandy Hook and Long Branch yield thousands of these +fish annually. The bait most often used is clams. + + +THE GROUPERS. + +The Red Grouper, or Groper, is a large fish, reaching an occasional +weight of forty or fifty pounds, but is not common on our coasts, except +in the far South. It is voracious in feeding. In the Gulf of Mexico it +is abundant. It feeds on crustaceans and small fish, and even large +crabs. As a food fish it is considered excellent. + +The Black Grouper is called the "Jew-fish." It is a common fish along +the Gulf coast. The Jew-fish attains a large size and will swallow a +hooked fish, hooks, lead, line and all. + +The Pacific Jew-fish is sometimes called the Black Sea Bass and is the +largest food fish of this coast, reaching a weight of five hundred +pounds. + + +BLACK BASS. + +Black Bass are found widely distributed over the Atlantic slope. They +are not particular in their diet, eating many kinds of food--fish, +crawfish, moths, flies, frogs, and even rats and snakes. They can leap +powerfully. It is said that the best time to take them is at night, or +when rivers are high and muddy. There are two types, the large-mouth and +the small-mouth. Bass may be caught by using artificial flies or +minnows, or live minnows, small frogs, grasshoppers, or by the use of +trolling spoon. + + +THE SUN-FISH. + +The Sun-fish is the "Sunny" or "Pumpkin-seed" of New York and New +England brooks. It is common, too, in the Great Lakes region and the +coast streams as far south as Georgia. It prefers clear, still water. + +The Red Breast is a Sun-fish which is known also by such names as the +"Brim," "Pearch," "Red-headed Bream," "Sun Perch," "Red-bellied Bream," +and "Red-bellied Pearch." + +The Blue Sun-fish is the most widely distributed of the Sun-fishes. It +is also called "The Blue Bream," "Copper-nosed Bream," and "Dollardee." + + +THE STRAWBERRY BASS. + +The Strawberry Bass is another fish abounding in names. It is called +"The Strawberry Perch," "Grass Bass," "Bitter Head Perch," +"Lamplighter," "Razor Back," "Chinquapin Perch," "Silver Bass," "Big Fin +Bass," "Calico Bass," "Goggle Eye." It resorts to deep, sluggish waters. +As a pan fish it is surpassed by few other fresh-water fishes. + +The Crappie or Croppie is closely related to the Strawberry Bass. + + +THE SNAPPERS AND GRUNTS. + +The Snappers and Grunts are the brightly colored fishes of the coral +reefs. The Red Snapper is bright crimson and is abundant in the Gulf of +Mexico and about the Florida reefs, living in holes and gullies. It +feeds upon small fish, crabs, and prawns. Snappers are always boiled or +cooked in a chowder. They are caught with a bottom bait of fish. + +The Gray Snapper lacks the brilliant color of the Red Snapper. It is +also known as the Black Snapper and Sea Lawyer. + +The Red Mouths or Grunts are small fish found in the inshore waters of +the Gulf and South Atlantic states. They resemble the Snappers and are +characterized by the red color of the inside of mouth and throat. On +account of this peculiarity they are sometimes called Flannel-mouths. +When taken they utter a peculiar sound, hence the name "grunts," +"pig-fish," and "squirrel-fish." + +The Black Grunt is brownish in color. It is found as far north as +Charleston. The Norfolk Hog-fish is brown, spotted with orange and +yellow. + +The Sheepheads have large heads, strong jaws and teeth. They are +sluggish in movement, feeding among the rocks close to the bottom. They +derive their name from their resemblance in profile to the sheep. They +are known by this name wherever found. In New York Harbor, Jersey, and +Long Island coasts they are common. Barnacles and crustaceans form an +important part of their diet and frequent old wrecks to which their food +adhered. Their teeth are fitted to crush their food. They are shy and +will take the bait more confidently if it is allowed to lie at the +bottom. When they bite, give a short, quick, but not too violent jerk. +The average weight of this fish is about six pounds. They are one of the +finest food fish. + + +THE PORGY. + +The Scuppaug, or Mishcuppauog, is a name of Indian origin. In some parts +it is abbreviated into the "scup," and in others the second syllable is +used, paugy or porgy, notwithstanding that the true porgy is an English +fish of an entirely different kind. The Southern Scup is called the +"Fair Maid." The food of these fishes consists of worms, mollusks, etc. +It is largely used as a pan fish. + + +THE WEAK-FISH. + +The Weak-fish about the Cape Cod section are called "Drummers." Further +south they are known as "Yellow Fins" and "Sea Trout." Along the shore +from Norfolk to Nantucket they are abundant, arriving in late May and +departing early in the autumn. August is the best month for Weak-fish. +They feed on small fish. Catching the Weak-fish is considered great +sport because so many can be taken in a short time. They swim near the +surface and require a line little leaded. Clams, soft crabs, or pieces +of fish may be used as bait, which they snap at. On account of the +tenderness of their mouths, care must be taken in hauling them in. At +flood tide they will be found in the channel, but at ebb they seek some +deep hole. The Indian name for this fish was the Squeteague. + + +THE HAKE. + +The Hake, known also as the King-fish, Barb, Tom Cod, Black Mullet, Sea +Mink, and Whiting. Mr. A. N. Cheney tells us that in fishing for this +fish, "A light rod and multiplying reel, a strong and very light line, a +swivel sinker, and two rather small hooks are what is required in the +way of tackle, much the same rig as is used in weak-fishing. The bait is +either shredded crab or sand-worm. The King-fish is thoroughly game; he +seizes the bait eagerly and then goes to the bottom, following up this +movement with long runs from right to left; it is really remarkable what +a determined resistance the little King-fish will make. In size he +varies from one to six pounds, the average being two or three pounds. +The time to fish for them is when the tide is running in. King-fish can +be caught along the south side of Long Island, off the Jersey coast at +Atlantic City, Long Branch, and Barnegat Inlet, and further south they +are very common." + + +THE WHITINGS. + +The Whitings are food fishes of the southern coast. They are abundant in +the spring and summer near Charleston, taking the bait readily. The bait +which seems best is pieces of drum. Deep running water is their favorite +haunt. + + +THE DRUM. + +The Drum is another large food fish. It is found most abundantly in the +Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic states. The name is derived from +the noise it is capable of making, which is similar to drumming. It +swims slowly along the bottom, where it feeds on shell-fish. + +The fresh-water Drum is called "Sheepshead" in the Great Lakes. In other +places the "White Perch," "Gray Perch," "Crocus," "Thunder-pumper." + + +THE COBIA. + +The Cobia prefers clear, deep water. One writer says of this fish that +"he looks as if harnessed with a pair of traces and his behavior on a +fly-rod is that of a wild horse." This appearance is due to the straight +stripes of brown and gray on its sides which has given it the name +"Sergeant-fish" in certain districts. + + +THE BLUE-FISH. + +The Blue-fish is known in different localities as the "Horse-Mackerel," +"Skipjack," "Green-fish." It is a widely distributed fish, but its +favorite haunts in the summer are the waters of the middle Atlantic +states. It feeds entirely upon other fish. Professor Baird says: "There +is no parallel in point of destructiveness to the Blue-fish among the +marine species on our coast, whatever may be the case among some of the +carnivorous fish of the South American waters. The Blue-fish has been +well likened to an animated chopping machine, the business of which is +to cut to pieces and otherwise destroy as many fish as possible in a +given space of time. Going in large schools in pursuit of fish not much +inferior to themselves in size, they move along like a pack of hungry +wolves, destroying everything before them. Their trail is marked by +fragments of fish and by the stain of blood in the sea." + + +THE MACKEREL. + +The Common Mackerel is found in the north Atlantic. They swim near the +surface and often at a great distance from land. Their movements can be +easily followed. They are great wanderers and are abundant sometimes in +one section, sometimes in another. The food of these fishes consists +largely of small crustaceans. The different kinds of invertebrates upon +which the mackerel feed are known as "Cayenne" and "red-seed." When +full-grown they average about eighteen inches in length. Sea birds will +gather over a school of mackerel and indicate its presence. Porpoises, +sharks, blue-fish, and cod also prey upon them. + +The Spanish Mackerel is a midsummer fish, disappearing in the autumn. In +habit they are very much like the blue-fish, and fond of leaping from +the water, living mostly at the surface. + + +THE POMPANO. + +The Pompano is highly esteemed as a food fish. It is widely distributed +through the warmer Atlantic. It feeds upon mollusks, crustaceans, and +young fish. It is caught in nets; quantities are caught in the Gulf of +Mexico. + + +THE BONITO. + +The Bonito is in habits similar to the blue-fish. It preys, as do the +latter, upon menhaden and mackerel. The tail is crescent-shaped and is a +great aid to it in swimming. It is capable of very swift motion, hunting +in schools, which are accompanied by flocks of sea gulls and other sea +birds. + + +THE SWORD-FISH. + +The Sword-fish derives its name from its long, sword-like snout. They +are most abundant on shoals and banks near the shore. They are very +pugnacious in their habits, using their sword as a weapon of offense and +defense, and do not hesitate to attack sharks and whales. + + +THE ROSE-FISH. + +This fish on the Pacific coast is known as the Rock-Cod or Rock-fish. +They are found in great abundance on the southern coast of California. + + +THE TREE-FISH. + +The Tree-fish is also found on the coast of California and is +beautifully colored and marked. + + +THE PIKE AND MUSKELLUNGE. + +The Pike is a fish of the North; it is abundant, however, as far south +as Ohio. + +The Muskellunge is found in the Great Lakes region and St. Lawrence +River. It is similar to the Pike. + + +THE PICKEREL. + +The Pickerels, another group of this family, are much smaller fishes. +The Chain Pickerel, so called on account of the peculiar chain-like +markings on its sides, is found in streams along the Atlantic coast. The +Brook Pickerel is of a similar variety. This variety of fish are not +particular as to their diet; they will eat nearly all other kinds of +fish, frogs, rats, mice, and even young ducks. They lay in wait for +their prey and take it with a spring. + +[Illustration: MUSKELLUNGE.] + + +THE SEA ROBINS. + +The Sea Robins are a nuisance to fishermen, stealing their bait. They +are also known as sculpins, grub, bullhead, seatoad, pig-fish. They feed +upon the animal life at the bottom of the water. Owing to their ugly +appearance their spines are rumored to give a poisonous wound. They are +capable of inflicting a painful injury, but not a poisonous one. + + +THE HALIBUT. + +The Halibut is a cold-water fish. These fish at times reach an enormous +size and there are traditions of fish having been caught that weigh over +600 pounds. They lie upon the bottom, and because of their flat body, +which is similar in color to that of the sand, they are able to ambush +their prey. + + +THE FLOUNDER. + +The Plaise, Summer Flounder, or Turbot Flounder. This is a fish abundant +upon the eastern coast of the United States. They feed upon small fish, +crabs, squids, sand-eels, etc. Large quantities of these fish are sold +in the markets of New York. + +[Illustration: FLOUNDER.] + + +THE COD-FISH. + +The Cod-fish; the waters off the coast of New England formerly abounded +in this fish, but now only stragglers are to be caught. From the +stomachs of Cod-fish shells of all kinds have been taken, as well as +many miscellaneous objects, such as rings, scissors, corn-cobs, oil +cans, and other incongruous things of this kind. The Tom-Cod is a +small cod-fish seldom a foot in length. + +[Illustration: COD-FISH.] + + +THE HADDOCK. + +The Haddock also has a habit of feeding on shells. Both the Haddock and +the cod will take stale clams as food, these seeming to be more +attractive than fresh ones. As food fish the Scotch smoke Haddock, and +they are then known as "Finnan Haddies." + + +THE MULLETS. + +The Mullets are widely distributed; it is a very popular fish in the +southern sea-coast states. It prefers still, shoal water with sandy and +grassy bottom. It does not take the hook well, but is sometimes caught +with bait manufactured from cotton and flour or banana. + + +THE CAT-FISH. + +The Cat-fish is very popular with the colored people in the South. + + "Don't talk to me o' bacon and fat, + O' taters, 'coon or 'possum, + Fo' when I'se hooked a yellar cat + I'se got a meal to boss 'em." + +Its spines are capable of inflicting painful wounds. Salt mackerel, +worms, or live minnows are good bait. Another thing it is well to +remember is that the cat-fish never bite when an east wind is blowing. +Professor Jordan, of Indianapolis University, says: "Cat-fishes are +vivacious and indiscriminate feeders, any of the animal substances, +living or dead, being greedily swallowed by them. They are also +extremely tenacious of life, living for a long time out of water and +being able to resist impurities in the water better than any other of +our food fishes." + + +THE HERRINGS. + +The Herring is an important food fish. Hundreds of millions of pounds of +these fish are taken yearly, and yet their numbers do not seem to be in +any wise lessened. Herrings are smoked, dried, and salted. + + +THE MENHADEN. + +The Menhaden make their appearance in the spring with the arrival of the +shad, alewife, blue-fish, and weak-fish. They swim in schools close to +the surface and crowd together, but if alarmed sink to the bottom. They +are phosphorescent at night, fond of inlets and bays and shoal waters +protected from wind. Their food seems to consist of organic matter and +vegetation contained in stagnant water. They have many enemies; whales, +sharks, sword-fish, bass, cod, weak-fish, blue-fish, bonito, dolphins +destroy them in vast quantities. They are largely used as fertilizers by +the coast farmers. They are also a source of fish oil. + + +THE ALEWIFE. + +The Alewife is an abundant river fish throughout the South. They are +also found where shad run. + + +THE SHAD. + +Shad is found along the Atlantic coast of the United States. The larger +part of the shad's life is spent in salt water, coming into the rivers +in the spring. + + +THE TARPON. + +Tarpon, Tarpum, Silverfish, or Grande Ecaille, is common on the Gulf +coast. It will take a baited hook, but is difficult to handle, and is +seldom landed. Persons have been known to be killed or injured severely +by its leaping against them from the net in which it had been caught. +Its scales are prized and are sold in the Florida shops. + +[Illustration: SALMON.] + + +THE SALMON. + +The Salmon--one remarkable characteristic is its marvelous leaping +ability. One writer, describing from observation this feat, says: "I +watched the fish with a race-glass for some ten minutes before +disturbing them. There is a very deep pool at the point where the +waterfall joins the lower level of the water. The fish come out of +this pool with the velocity of an arrow. They give no warning of their +intentions, but up they come and dart out of the surface of the water +with a sudden rush, like rockets let loose from the darkness of the +night into the space above. When they first appeared their tails were +going with the velocity of a watch spring just broken, and the whole +body sparkling as though they had been enameled, quivering so with the +exertion." + + +THE TROUT. + +The Rainbow Trout, also known as Brook Trout, Mountain Trout, Speckled +Trout, Golden Trout, is found in the streams west of the Sierra Nevada; +it feeds on worms, grubs, etc. The Black Spotted Trout is found +throughout the Rocky Mountain region. The above are Salmon Trout and are +considered inferior as game fishes to the Red Spotted Trout. The Lake +Trout reaches a large size. The Lake Superior Trout are caught usually +in the fall months in nets. + +The Brook Trouts belong to the Salmon family. They show marked +variations in color. + +The Speckled Trout is found in the lakes and streams of the eastern part +of the United States. In midsummer they haunt the bottoms of lakes, deep +pools, among rocks and roots. As the cold weather comes on in the autumn +they frequent the clear water of streams. They seldom exceed two or +three pounds in weight. They feed daintily, taking their prey from the +surface--flies, water bugs, and little fishes. They are favorites with +the fishermen; the most successful angler is the one who baits his hook +with the prey, or imitation thereof, which at that time particularly +hits their fancy. + +[Illustration: BROOK TROUT.] + +The Malma Trout is known as the Lake Trout, Bull Trout, Red Spotted +Trout, and in some places the Dolly Varden. + + +SMELTS. + +The Smelts are remarkable for an odor which they emit and which accounts +for their name. They are a small fish and are sold in large quantities +in all fish markets. + + +EELS. + +Eels: there is a much larger demand for the eel as a food in Europe than +in America, many in this country being prejudiced against it because of +its snake-like form. + +[Illustration: EELS.] + +The Moray. Two species of these eels are found along the coast of the +United States, the Spotted Moray in Florida and the Reticulated Moray +off the coast of South Carolina. + + + + +INDEX. + + + PAGE + + Alewife, 170 + + Angler-fish, 151 + + + Barb, 161 + + Barn Door, 150 + + Basking Shark, 150 + + Bass, Big-fin, 158 + Black, 157, 158 + Black Sea, 157 + Calico, 158 + Grass, 158 + Lake, 156 + Lake Striped, 156 + Rock, 157 + Sea, 157 + Silver, 158 + Strawberry, 158 + Striped, 155 + Striped Lake, 156 + White, 156 + Yellow, 156 + + Big-fin Bass, 158 + + Bill-fish, 152 + + Black Bass, 157, 158 + Grouper, 157 + Grunt, 159 + Mullet, 161 + Sea Bass, 157 + Snapper, 159 + Will, 157 + + Black-fish, 157 + + Blue Bream, 158 + Sun-fish, 158 + + Blue-fish, 162 + + Bonito, 163 + + Bony Pike, 152 + + Bow-fin, 152 + + Bream, 158 + Blue, 158 + Copper Nose, 158 + Red-bellied, 158 + Red-headed, 158 + + Brook Pickerel, 164 + Trout, 172, 173 + + Bull Trout, 174 + + + Calico Bass, 158 + + Cat-fish, 169 + + Chain Pickerel, 164 + + Chimera, 151 + + Chinquapin Perch, 158 + + Cobia, 162 + + Cod-fish, 166, 168 + + Cod, Rock, 164 + Tom, 161, 168 + + Columbian Sturgeon, 152 + + Common Mackerel, 163 + + Copper-nose Bream, 158 + + Crappie, 159 + + Crocus, 162 + + Croppie, 159 + + + Devil-fish, 151 + + Dog-fish, 150 + + Dollardee, 158 + + Dolly Varden, 174 + + Drum, 161 + + Duckbill, 154 + + + Eagle Ray, 151 + + Eels, 174 + Moray, 174 + Spotted Moray, 174 + + Elasmobranchii, 147 + + Electric Ray, 151 + + + Fair Maid, 160 + + Finnan Haddie, 168 + + Flannel Mouth, 159 + + Flounder, 166, 167 + Summer, 166 + Turbot, 166 + + Fox Shark, 148 + + + Ganoidei, 147, 152 + + Gar Pike, 152 + + Goggle-eye, 158 + + Golden Trout, 172 + + Goosefish, 151 + + Grande Ecaille, 170 + + Grass Bass, 158 + + Gray Perch, 162 + + Gray Snapper, 159 + + Green-fish, 162 + + Groper (see Grouper), 157 + + Grouper, 157 + Black, 157 + Red, 157 + + Grunt, 159 + Black, 159 + + + Haddock, 168 + + Hake, 161 + + Halibut, 166 + + Hammer-head Shark, 148, 149 + + Herring, 169 + + Hog-fish, Norfolk, 159 + + Holocephali, 147, 151 + + Horse Mackerel, 162 + + + Jew-fish, 157 + Pacific, 157 + + + King-fish, 161 + + + Lake Bass, 156 + Superior Trout, 172 + Trout, 172 + + Lamplighter, 158 + + + Mackerel, 163 + Common, 163 + Horse, 162 + Spanish, 163 + + Mackerel Shark, 148 + + Malma Trout, 172 + + Manjuari, 152 + + Menhaden, 169 + + Millstone Ray, 151 + + Mishcuppauog, 160 + + Moray Eels, 174 + Reticulated, 174 + Spotted, 174 + + Mountain Trout, 172 + + Mud-fish, 152 + + Mullets, 161, 168 + + Muskellunge, 164, 165 + + + Norfolk Hog-fish, 159 + + + Octopus, 151 + + + Pacific Jew-fish, 157 + + Paddle-fish, 152 + + Paugy, 160 + + Perch, 154 + Bitterhead, 158 + Chinquapin, 158 + Gray, 162 + Strawberry, 158 + White, 156, 162 + Yellow, 154 + + Pickerel, 164 + Brook, 164 + Chain, 164 + + Pig-fish, 159, 166 + + Pike, 152, 164 + Bony, 152 + Gar, 152 + + Plaise, 166 + + Pompano, 163 + + Porbeagle, 148 + + Porgy, 160 + + + Rainbow Trout, 172 + + Rays, 150 + Eagle, 151 + Electric, 151 + Millstone, 151 + Sting, 150 + Torpedo, 151 + + Red-bellied Bream, 158 + Breast, 158 + Grouper, 157 + Headed Bream, 158 + Mouths, 159 + Snapper, 159 + Spotted Trout, 172 + + Reticulated Moray, 174 + + Rock Bass, 157 + + Rock Cod, 164 + Fish, 155 + + Rose-fish, 164 + + + Salmon, 170, 171 + Trout, 172 + + Sawfish, 151 + + Sculpin, 166 + + Scup, 160 + + Scuppaug, 160 + + Scyllidae, 150 + + Sea Bass, 157 + Cat, 151 + Lawyer, 159 + Mink, 161 + Robin, 166 + Toad, 166 + Trout, 160 + + Sergeant-fish, 162 + + Shad, 170 + + Shark, 147 + Basking, 150 + Fox, 148 + Hammer-head, 148, 149 + Mackerel, 148 + Thrasher, 148 + Thresher, 148 + + Sheepshead, 159, 162 + + Shovel-nose Sturgeon, 152, 154 + + Silver Bass, 158 + Fish, 170 + + Skates, 150 + + Skipjack, 162 + + Smelts, 174 + + Snapper, 159 + Black, 159 + Gray, 159 + Red, 159 + + Spadebill, 154 + + Spanish Mackerel, 163 + + Speckled Trout, 172 + + Spinacidae, 150 + + Spoonbill, 154 + + Squeteague, 160 + + Squirrel-fish, 159 + + Sting Ray, 150 + + Strawberry Bass, 158 + Perch, 158 + + Striped Bass, 155 + Lake Bass, 156 + + Sturgeon, 152, 153 + Columbian, 152 + Shovel-nose, 152, 154 + White, 154 + + Summer Flounder, 166 + + Sun-fish, 158 + Blue, 158 + + Sun Perch, 158 + + Sunny, 158 + + Sword-fish, 164 + + + Tarpon, 170 + + Teleostei, 147, 154 + + Thrasher Shark, 148 + + Thresher Shark, 148 + + Thunder-pumper, 162 + + Tobacco Box, 150 + + Tom Cod, 161, 168 + + Tope, 148 + + Torpedo, 151 + + Tree-fish, 164 + + Trout, 172 + Black-spotted, 172 + Brook, 172, 173 + Golden, 172 + Lake, 172 + Lake Superior, 172 + Malma, 172 + Mountain, 172 + Rainbow, 172 + Red-spotted, 172 + Salmon, 172 + Sea, 160 + Speckled, 172 + + Turbot Flounder, 166 + + + Weak-fish, 160 + + White Bass, 156 + Perch, 156, 162 + Sturgeon, 154 + + Whiting, 161 + + + Yellow Bass, 156 + Fins, 160 + Perch, 154 + + + + +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 + + + + +THE "HOW-TO-DO-IT" BOOKS + + +CARPENTRY FOR BOYS + +A book which treats, in a most practical and fascinating manner all +subjects pertaining to the "King of Trades"; showing the care and use of +tools; drawing; designing, and the laying out of work; the principles +involved in the building of various kinds of structures, and the +rudiments of architecture. It contains over two hundred and fifty +illustrations made especially for this work, and includes also a +complete glossary of the technical terms used in the art. The most +comprehensive volume on this subject ever published for boys. + + +ELECTRICITY FOR BOYS + +The author has adopted the unique plan of setting forth the fundamental +principles in each phase of the science, and practically applying the +work in the successive stages. It shows how the knowledge has been +developed, and the reasons for the various phenomena, without using +technical words so as to bring it within the compass of every boy. It +has a complete glossary of terms, and is illustrated with two hundred +original drawings. + + +PRACTICAL MECHANICS FOR BOYS + +This book takes the beginner through a comprehensive series of practical +shop work, in which the uses of tools, and the structure and handling of +shop machinery are set forth; how they are utilized to perform the work, +and the manner in which all dimensional work is carried out. Every +subject is illustrated, and model building explained. It contains a +glossary which comprises a new system of cross references, a feature +that will prove a welcome departure in explaining subjects. Fully +illustrated. + + +_Price 60 cents per volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + +BY ROGER T. FINLAY + + +Thrilling adventures by sea and land of two boys and an aged Professor +who are cast away on an island with absolutely nothing but their +clothing. By gradual and natural stages they succeed in constructing all +forms of devices used in the mechanical arts and learn the scientific +theories involved in every walk of life. These subjects are all treated +in an incidental and natural way in the progress of events, from the +most fundamental standpoint without technicalities, and include every +department of knowledge. Numerous illustrations accompany the text. + + Two Thousand things every boy ought to know. Every + page a romance. Every line a fact. + +_Six titles--60 cents per volume_ + + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Castaways + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + Exploring the Island + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Mysteries of the Caverns + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Tribesmen + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Capture and Pursuit + + THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS + The Conquest of the Savages + + +PUBLISHED BY + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +Christy Mathewson's Book + +[Illustration] + +_A Ripping Good Baseball Story by One Who Knows the Game_ + + +This book has attained a larger sale than any baseball story ever +published. + +The narrative deals with the students of a large university and their +baseball team, the members of which have names which enable the reader +to recognize them as some of the foremost baseball stars of the day +before their entrance into the major leagues. + +One gains a very clear idea of "inside baseball" stripped of wearisome +technicalities. The book is profusely illustrated throughout and +contains also a number of plates showing the manner in which Mathewson +throws his deceptive curves, together with brief description of each. + + + _Cloth bound 5-1/2 x 7-5/8_ _Price 60c. per volume_ + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +Mrs. Meade's Books for Girls + +Primrose Edition + +Printed on fine quality book paper. Separate cover designs in colors. + + + Daddy's Girl. + A Girl from America. + Sue, a Little Heroine. + The School Queens. + Wild Kitty. + A Sweet Girl Graduate. + A World of Girls. + Polly--A New-Fashioned Girl. + + + _Each, 12 mo._ _Cloth._ _40 cents per volume_ + + Mrs. Meade's girls' books never lose their popularity. + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE + NEW YORK + + + + +_ECONOMICAL COOKING_ + +_Primrose Edition_ + +_Planned for Two or More Persons_ + +By + +MISS WINIFRED S. 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