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diff --git a/38300-8.txt b/38300-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d1e418 --- /dev/null +++ b/38300-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5010 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad, 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: Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad + or, Camping at Raccoon Lodge + +Author: Alan Douglas + +Release Date: December 14, 2011 [EBook #38300] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOY SCOUTS: TENDERFOOT SQUAD *** + + + + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: _The tree had caught Jem Shock fairly in a trap_] + + + + +Tenderfoot Squad; _or, Camping at Raccoon Lodge_ + +BY CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS SCOUT MASTER + +[Illustration] + + M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY + CHICAGO :: NEW YORK + + + + + Copyright, 1919, BY + NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + + + Made in U. S. A. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. SURVEYOR RUFUS AND HIS FRIENDS 11 + II. THE GAME POACHER, JEM SHOCK 22 + III. "HIT THE KNOT AND HIT IT HARD!" 33 + IV. SHOWING THE GREENHORNS 46 + V. THE SPIRAL OF BLUE SMOKE 55 + VI. A LITTLE WOODS MINSTREL 66 + VII. MAKING A BARGAIN WITH CONRAD 75 + VIII. A PERIL THAT LAY IN WAIT 89 + IX. THE STRANGE MESSAGE JEM LEFT 102 + X. A CABIN IN THE CLEARING 111 + XI. WHEN THE STORM BROKE 122 + XII. SCOTCH BLOOD 133 + XIII. A CALL FOR HELP 146 + XIV. SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE 155 + XV. RUFUS MAKES A STAND 166 + XVI. "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!" 177 + + + + +TENDERFOOT SQUAD + + + + +CHAPTER I + +SURVEYOR RUFUS AND HIS FRIENDS + + +"ALL aboard for Raccoon Bluff. Those who can't get aboard take the rail +route! Hi! Elmer, squeeze in!" + +"On deck, Lil Artha; but do you expect me to climb on top of that +mountain of camp duffle, and other luggage you've got piled up, so that +your car looks like a tin peddler's outfit?" + +"Oh! we've reserved just one crack for you, Elmer. That's right!" sang +out the khaki-clad boy at the wheel, "work your way in alongside George +Robbins, who's holding down the rear seat with Lil Artha. I've got Alec +McGregor beside me here. And after all, worse luck, I had to leave some +things behind that I wanted to take the worst kind." + +"What's this sticking out--a gun? You ought to know that it's the off +season for most kinds of game, Lil Artha," expostulated the latest +passenger, as, following directions, he painfully forced his way into +the heavily laden car. + +"Yes, I know, and I don't intend to do any great stunts at hunting, +Elmer. I only thought it might be good policy to fetch my little +reliable Marlin along, because sometimes it's mighty pleasant to know +you've got some means of defense handy in case of trouble." + +"Hear! hear!" ejaculated the boy answering to the name of George +Robbins, and who it may be said in passing--for the reader would soon +find it out anyway--was a regular born "Doubting Thomas," who nearly +always had to be shown, and seldom believed any statement unless it were +backed up with abundant proof. "Sometimes there are other beasts abroad +in the wild woods besides the common four-footed kind. I believe now +we've all had our experiences with tramps and yeggmen of the Weary +Willie species. For one, I'm glad you fetched your gun along, Lil +Artha." + +Meanwhile the driver had once more started the car, and they were moving +along the streets of the home town. Several groups of boys, some of whom +also wore the well-known khaki of the scouts, called out to them in +greeting, and even waved their hats with a salute. Envious eyes followed +the car as it sped along in a cloud of dust; for it was pretty generally +known that the lucky five were starting off on a week's camping trip; +and those fellows of the Hickory Ridge group of Boy Scouts could +anticipate a glorious time ahead for the favored ones. + +While the big old seven-passenger touring car, which the father of Rufus +Snodgrass had loaned them for the occasion, is speeding along, doing +very good time as long as the road is fair, a few words connected with +these lively lads may not come in amiss. + +Elmer Chenowith was the leader of the well-known Wolf Patrol, and those +boys who have had the good luck to own some of the previous stories in +this series do not need to be told that he was a capable and resourceful +lad, who through his merits as a first-class scout had received from +Headquarters the privilege of acting as assistant scout-master, a rôle +only filled by the most efficient in a troop. + +"Lil Artha" was really Arthur Stansbury. When he was very young he had +been given this nickname, and even after he suddenly shot up like a +mushroom, so that he now measured a full head taller than any of his +mates, he could not shake off the ridiculous appellation. People always +smiled when hearing it for the first time; but then Lil Artha treated +the matter as a huge joke, and often joined in the laugh when the +subject came up. + +George Robbins was a pretty good sort of a chap, only he did worry his +chums by his continual fault finding, and that everlasting desire to +have everything proved before he could "swallow" it. At one time he had +been inclined to be thin, and a rather poor hand at meal times; but of +late his folks seldom had to ring the dinner bell twice for George; +indeed, as a rule he was keeping an ear to the ground listening for the +welcome sound. + +The other two boys were new members of Hickory Ridge Troop, and had not +as yet progressed beyond the greenhorn stage. Indeed, it was partly with +the hope that various opportunities for teaching the "tenderfoot +squad"--as Lil Artha persisted in calling the pair--all sorts of useful +knowledge that scouts must sooner or later acquire, that had induced +Elmer to give up another partly formed plan and consent to accompany the +expedition into the woods. + +Rufus Snodgrass was a rather peculiar boy, taken in all. Elmer believed +he had never up to that time come in contact with just such an odd +fellow. He had been somewhat spoiled by a doting mamma, though Elmer +believed he possessed many good qualities about him, if only some +revolution could only bring them forward. + +In the first place Rufus lacked self-reliance to a remarkable extent. He +could not seem to feel confidence in himself when some sudden or +alarming emergency arose. On this account he turned out to be somewhat +of a failure as a baseball player, for when he saw a high ball driven to +his outfield his heart always sank "to his shoes," as he told himself he +never could get that fly in the wide world; and lacking confidence he +seldom did hang on to it. + +Elmer had faith to believe he could cure Rufus of this grievous fault if +only he associated with him in camp for a time. He would show him a +score of things such as go to make good scouts, and teach him how to +"hit the knot squarely in the centre," when chopping wood, to begin +with. + +Alec McGregor was a boy who had not been a great while in America. His +folks, needless to say, hailed from Scotland, and freckle-faced and +red-headed Alec had a delightful little "burr" to his tones when +talking. Like so many of his kind he was inclined to be a bit +pugnacious, and hot-tempered; still Elmer believed him to be both +warm-hearted, and as true as steel. After he had been with the scouts a +while, and picked up a few lessons in the broad principles of the craft, +the patrol leader fancied that Alec would prove one of the smartest +members of the troop. + +He had a little sister named Jessie at home, a pretty rosy-cheeked +Scotch lassie, who was the pride of his heart. The boy never tired of +chanting her praises, and often sang ballads, in which "Sweet Jessie, +the Flower of Dumblane," occupied the leading part. And Alec had a +robust tenor voice in the bargain, which his mates always liked to hear +when seated about the camp fire. + +Now as to their reason for taking this thirty-mile trip, laden down with +tent, camp duffle, edibles enough for a regiment, and all sorts of traps +in the bargain, so that the car did resemble a moving van, just as Elmer +had remarked when it stopped at his gate for him to work his way aboard. + +Mr. Snodgrass was a rich man who had latterly taken up his residence in +the town. He had come into possession of a large tract of land, partly +heavily wooded, and lying up along Raccoon Bluff, a place the boys had +often heard of, but none of them ever visited. + +Now, it seemed that Rufus had just one great ambition, which was to +become a civil engineer when he grew up. His mother had supplied him +with all the necessary instruments for the calling of a surveyor, and +for several years now Rufus had associated himself at odd times with +some people engaged in the business, doing very hard work for a boy of +his customary easy habits, simply because his heart was enlisted in the +game. + +He now believed that he could carry out the lines about a tract of +ground as well as the next one; and upon hearing his father say that he +distrusted the accuracy of a recent survey that had been given him of +the new territory purchased, Rufus became possessed of an idea which he +was now engaged in carrying out. + +His folks had readily given their consent that he should get several of +his scout chums to accompany him up to Raccoon Ridge, and assist him to +re-survey the ground. Indeed, Mr. Snodgrass, who was not blind to the +failings of his only son and heir, insisted that he coax Elmer Chenowith +to go along, as a necessary preliminary to his loaning the big car and +also paying all the expense in the way of provisions. + +The real-estate man was a good reader of human nature, and after hearing +all the fine things that were being said about the Chenowith boy he took +occasion to have a heart-to-heart talk with Elmer, in which he told the +patrol leader how much he hoped association with a fellow like him would +be worth to Rufus, and actually begged him to consent to be a member of +the little company. + +So that was the way things stood. Rufus, of course, did not know about +this secret understanding between his father and Elmer; had he done so +he might have rebelled, for he was exceedingly high-spirited. As it was +he felt that all these good fellows were only keeping him company +because of their love for outdoor life. + +It was that sly rascal, George, who had managed to get possession of the +ear of Rufus, and gain his consent to make out the list of edibles they +would likely want while away. Which fact accounted for the "young +grocery store," as Lil Artha termed it, that was taken along. But then, +no healthy boy has ever been known to be dismayed at a superabundance of +good things to eat; and as Rufus's father did not object to the size of +the bill, none of them felt he really ought to say a single word. + +They made no attempt to speed, for what did thirty-odd miles amount to +when in a car, with an abundance of gasolene to take one through? An +hour saw them well on their way. Farmhouses were now becoming "as scarce +as hens' teeth," to quote Lil Artha. As they had not started until +nearly ten in the morning, owing to various causes, it was now getting +well on toward noon. + +"What say we pull up at the next farm-house we strike, and get dinner, +if the good woman of the place will agree?" asked the driver of the +expedition, who had in the beginning laid down the law that no one was +going to spend one cent except himself, for his father had insisted on +this. + +"Suits me, all right," said George, with alacrity. "You see, I had +breakfast pretty early this morning, and right now I'm feeling about as +empty as Si Hunker's hen-coop was that morning after the gypsies camped +near his place." + +Some ten minutes afterwards they found a wayside farm-house, and the +woman, for a consideration, agreed to cook dinner for the crowd. Elmer +on his part took occasion to pick up considerable useful information +concerning the region which generally went under the name of Raccoon +Bluff, possibly because there chanced to be an unusually large number of +those "ring-tailed varmints" so destructive to corn fields, and poultry +flocks, making their dens in hollow trees around that vicinity. + +Among other things the farmer warned Elmer to keep an eye out for Jem +Shock. The oddity of the name impressed the boy, and he asked what there +might be about the said Jem to give them any cause for uneasiness. + +"Well, Jem has been a thorn in the flesh of folks up in this neck of the +woods for nigh ten years now, I guess," was what the tiller of the soil +told him. "He c'n work when he wants to, but he'd a heap rather loaf, +with a gun over his shoulder. He fishes and hunts out of season. I've +seen him spearing trout, and more'n once heard how he was known to be +taking meat home in the close season, that couldn't have been sheep or +veal. Besides that, he's a quarrelsome man, and a desperate character. I +wouldn't trust him out of my sight, for I believe he'd steal from a camp +as quick as anything. But I hope you don't have any trouble with Jem." + +Elmer hoped so, too. At the same time he found himself wondering +whether, after all, some of those country people might not be judging +the man harshly. Perhaps Jem Shock might not be such a bad character, on +better acquaintance. And Elmer decided that if the opportunity should +come to him he would take occasion to know the old poacher at close +range, so as to study him well. + +Once more they were on the move, and as this farm-house would be the +last they expected to run across, all of them were keenly on the lookout +for signs of the ridge which would mark their arrival at Raccoon Bluff. + +They had possibly gone six or seven miles since eating that glorious +farm dinner, when suddenly as they were passing slowly through a piece +of woodland where the road was a bit soft and wet, there rang out the +nearby report of a rifle, startling them all, and causing George Robbins +to involuntarily duck his head, as though his first suspicion was that +some one had fired at them. + +Then came a crashing in the bushes, and across the road sprang a buck, +whose antlers were just reaching their full growth after the late +rutting season. + +Never had the boys seen a prettier picture than when that buck bounded +lightly across the road. Lil Artha mechanically reached out a hand +toward his gun, though, of course, he never would have thought of using +the same while the law protected the game. Then the frightened animal +plunged into the thick copse on the opposite side of the woodland road, +and could be heard bounding swiftly away. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE GAME POACHER, JEM SHOCK + + +RUFUS had involuntarily halted the car at the very instant the shot was +heard, so that the boys were stationary at the time the deer leaped past +them. + +"Oh! what a beaut!" exclaimed George Robbins. + +"The equal of any Scotch stag I ever saw in the preserves!" echoed Alec, +who had stared with eyes that were round with wonder. + +"But somebody shot at him, all the same, don't you know, and the close +season on in the bargain," Lil Artha hastened to say, indignantly. + +"Hush! here he comes!" observed Elmer. + +They all heard a hasty trampling sound, as though someone might be +hurrying through the bushes close by. It came from exactly the same +quarter from which the alarmed buck had appeared. + +Then a moving figure caught the gaze of the five scouts. A burly man, +roughly dressed, strode into view. He stared at the car and its +occupants, as though he considered the boys to be mostly responsible for +his recent ill-luck. + +"Howdye, mister," sang out Lil Artha, not to be cowed by angry looks; +"are we on the right road for Raccoon Bluff, would you mind telling us?" + +Suspicion lay in the look which the man was now bending on them. He +acted as if he imagined they might be more than they seemed; for a +guilty conscience can discover a game warden in every inoffensive +traveler, especially when the culprit is suddenly caught in the very act +of trying to kill a deer out of season. + +"Raccoon Bluff ain't far ahead o' ye, if that's whar ye happen tuh be +headin' fur," he told them grumblingly; "but might I arsk what yuh +a-doin' away up here in this forsaken kentry?" + +"Oh!" Lil Artha told him blithely, "we're off on a little trip, and mean +to spend a week or so under canvas around this section. You see, the +father of the young fellow at the wheel here, Rufus Snodgrass, of +Hickory Ridge, has lately come into possession of some property up this +way, and we're going to find out if it's been surveyed right and proper. +If you see our smoke some time or other, drop in and have a little chin +with us, stranger. We nearly always have the coffeepot on the fire, and +the latch-string is out." + +Perhaps the man may have understood this sort of a genial invitation, +but all the same he gave no indication of being pleased because of it. +The look of suspicion could still be noticed about his dark face, and he +twisted his rifle about in his hands kind of nervously, as though he +wished he could keep it from being seen. + +"I reckon I ain't a-goin' tuh bother ye much, strangers," he mumbled. "I +got my own business tuh look arter. Yuh see, I'm the assistant game +warden o' this region, an' it takes a heap o' trampin' tuh kiver my +territory." + +With an odd sort of chuckle and grin he nodded his head toward them, and +then whirling on his heel vanished amidst the scrub. They soon lost +track of his retreating footsteps. + +Lil Artha laughed in his peculiar way. + +"Huh! smoked the coon out, didn't I? Game warden, did he call himself? +Whoo! to think of his colossal nerve! I bet you any warden in the State +would give a month's salary to have been here, and caught him in the act +of shooting at a deer when the law is on." + +"Then he was a braw poacher, was he?" burst from Alec. "Aweel, I can +feel for him in a way, because, to tell you the truth, lads, I've snared +my hare more than a few times across the big water. But then it's +different there, because all the game country is owned by rich dukes and +lords, and the poor man hasn't any show; while over here all he has to +do is to tramp off into the wild woods for a couple of days, and take +his chances. + +"Elmer, do you think that could have been Jem Shock?" asked Rufus just +then. + +The patrol leader showed his surprise, for up to then he did not know +that Rufus had ever heard that name; at least, the other had kept his +knowledge to himself, for some reason or other. + +"I'm pretty sure that's who he is," he told the boy at the wheel; "but +how did you know about him and his ways; when the farmer only told Lil +Artha and myself?" + +Rufus chuckled, and looked wise. + +"Oh! I plead guilty," he acknowledged. "I heard stories about Jem Shock +before I left home, but I wasn't silly enough to pass them along to the +rest of the party, because some of you might have changed your minds, +and found an excuse for not coming on the trip." + +Lil Artha snorted indignantly. + +"Now, don't get mad, Lil Artha," said Rufus, promptly. + +"Oh! I'm not riled so much because you kept your knowledge to yourself, +Rufus," the tall scout told him; "but on account of you thinking Elmer, +George and myself could be shooed off by such a little thing as that. If +you looked back at the history of the Wolf Patrol you'd find that the +boys belonging to it have all been through a heap of excitement. We've +exposed so-called ghosts, had adventures with ugly hobo bands, been in +forest fires, fought floods and--well, time wouldn't allow me to +enumerate one-half of the things that have befallen us." + +"That's enough, Lil Artha," said Elmer, seeking to soothe the +long-legged scout, and pour oil on the troubled waters. "Rufus will come +to know us better after he's graduated from the tenderfoot class. But +suppose we start on again. That incident is closed. We may and we may +not see more of Jem Shock. For myself, I'm half hoping I do, because +he's something of a character, and opens up a new type for a fellow to +study." + +"So far as I'm concerned," observed Rufus, scornfully, "I hope we never +run across him again. He looked like a bad egg to me, and his eyes had a +wicked stare in them, that I didn't like." + +"Oh! that can be easily accounted for," said Elmer, as the car once more +commenced to glide along the rough woods-road. "You see, in the first +place he had that feeling of guilt that makes a rascal look at all the +rest of the world as his enemies. Then again I half imagine Jem thinks +the game wardens are back of our coming up to this neck of the woods." + +"Game wardens, Elmer!" exclaimed Alec; "how could that be, and what +would scouts have to do with the officers of the State?" + +"Well, scouts seem to have a hand in a good many things that are +connected with keeping the laws, and making communities live on a higher +standard," the patrol leader explained. "I could tell you of dozens of +things our troop has been connected with along those lines. And why +shouldn't they enter into an arrangement with the head warden to get +evidence against some of these guides who kill deer out of season, and +hotel proprietors who offer it to their guests as 'mountain sheep'?" + +Alec apparently was a bit puzzled to understand all this, and so Lil +Artha, leaning forward, took occasion to explain it more fully as they +continued on. + +They were passing into an even wilder section of country than any thus +far encountered. Not a sign of the white man's presence could they see +except in some sections where the original timber had been cut away +years back, and a second growth now covered the land; with here and +there an old forest monarch left to overtop its neighbors like a giant +looking down on a pigmy host. + +"This just suits me to a fraction," Lil Artha was saying, as they began +to ascend what seemed to be another rise of land. "Why, it's as free +from the restraints of civilization as that Adirondack region where we +went with Toby Jones last winter, to visit his hermit uncle, Caleb, who +was living all by himself in the heart of the wilderness. My lands! if +only I thought we'd have half as much fun on this trip as we ran across +then, I'd be happy as a clam at high tide." + +"Perhaps we will," Elmer told him. "You never can tell what's ahead of +you when starting out on one of these trips." + +He was thinking at the time of Jem Shock, and wondering whether the +poacher might not take it into his head to make things interesting for +them during their stay along Raccoon Ridge. Secretly Elmer was almost +hoping he _would_ see something more of the strange man. He wondered how +Jem lived; what his ambition, providing he had any, might be; whether he +cared for a single human creature besides himself in all the wide +world--these and many more thoughts were gripping Elmer's mind, and he +could not shake them off. + +Although, of course, he did not know it at the time, still it was fated +that the golden opportunity he so eagerly sought was destined to come +his way under conditions of a peculiar nature. But of that more anon, +since it would be hardly fair to lift the curtain now, and disclose the +presence of coming events long before they were due to arrive. + +"Don't you think this must be the place they call Raccoon Bluff, Elmer?" +asked George just then, as they continued to climb the rise by means of +the winding road, so seldom used that Rufus had the greatest difficulty +in forcing the car over exposed roots and outcropping rocks. + +"I've been looking around," explained the scout leader, "and according +to what that farmer told me, I'm sure this is our destination. We can +keep our eyes on the lookout for a suitable camp site right along now. +There'll be plenty of time for us to get our tent fixed, and a lot of +other things done, before sunset comes." + +"Well, we seem to have mounted to the crest of the bluff, if that's what +this rough piece of ground turns out to be," said Rufus, with a sigh of +relief, for at times he had found it hard work navigating the rough +road, and occasionally he almost feared they would have to get out and +walk the balance of the way. + +A couple of minutes later and Elmer called out to him to stop the car. + +"I think I glimpse a dandy place for a camp over yonder!" was what the +patrol leader remarked to the others, pointing as he spoke. "And see +what a glorious view we'll have all the time we're here." + +They faced the west, where the sun was heading toward the horizon, +though a good two hours must elapse before he sank from view. Through +openings in the dense forest they could obtain fine glimpses of distant +parts. It was really as delightful an outlook as any of the scouts had +ever gazed upon. Alec McGregor, accustomed to those Scotch mountain +views, was loud in his admiration. + +So Rufus brought the car as near the camp site as was possible, and then +all of them leaped out. Filled with a burning desire to get things +started they proceeded to carry the cargo of the big touring car across +the intervening ground. + +Lil Artha, George and the leader held a brief discussion as to the exact +spot that was most suitable for erecting their waterproof tent, rendered +so through a process of tanning that changed its color to correspond +with their own khaki-hued garments. + +This important detail being finally settled they began work. Alec and +Rufus, being tenderfeet, of course had to be told about everything they +attempted; but as the spirit of willingness was strong upon them in the +beginning, they carried out orders cheerfully enough. + +Elmer was looking for that inherent weakness on the part of Rufus to +crop out, and sure enough it came to the surface before they had been a +full hour on the ground. The tent having been properly set, and a +fireplace built after the most approved scout fashion by Lil Artha, with +the two new fellows taking accurate notes so they could in turn carry +out a similar task, Rufus was set to work chopping firewood, while Alec +had been given another job connected with making a drain on the upper +side of the tent. + +"That is so the water will run aside, and not flood us out," explained +George, who was directing operations in this quarter. "You see, we may +have a whopping big storm while we're up here, and again not a drop of +rain may fall; but all the same a true scout gets things ready to meet +an emergency. That's what our motto 'Be Prepared' stands for. It's a +sort of insurance against possible loss by fire. Your house may never +burn down; in fact, you don't expect it ever will, but you take out a +fire policy all the same, if you're a wise dicky." + +"I get what you are telling me, George," admitted the shrewd Scotch lad, +"and all the while I'm understanding this scout business better. There's +a muckle mair in it that I used to ken, but I like the way it turns out; +and I'm o'er glad now I joined the ranks o' the scouts." + +Meanwhile Rufus was having his troubles a-plenty. Evidently he was not +very well posted as to the best way of handling an ax, though he swung +the tool with quite a lusty stroke, Elmer noticed. For some little time +he managed to smash a certain amount of wood, but finally he seemed to +have run across a section of hard oak that was giving him a lot of +trouble. + +He stopped several times to wipe his reeking forehead with his big red +bandanna. Elmer could see him shake his head as though he felt that he +was up against a hard proposition. For some time the scout leader did +not interfere. When, however, he saw Rufus throw the ax down petulantly, +as though determined to give the job up as a bad bargain, Elmer +concluded the moment had come for him to take a hand in the game and +pilot the tenderfoot through his initial troubles. + +As a greenhorn in camp, Rufus must be expected to do considerable of the +fuel getting; and in order to meet his duties with the least possible +friction and trouble, the sooner he learned how to handle an ax +properly, the better for his peace of mind. Besides, Elmer did not like +to see that "white flag" business. He disliked a quitter above all +things; and was grimly determined that before that camp broke up the +said Rufus would have learned a lesson or two that would be profitable +to him. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +"HIT THE KNOT AND HIT IT HARD!" + + +"HOW are you coming on, Rufus?" asked Elmer, pleasantly, as he dropped +down on the log alongside the perspiring chopper. + +Rufus laughed, a little unpleasantly, Elmer thought. + +"Oh! I guess I was never cut out for a hewer of firewood, Elmer," he +remarked indifferently. "Some fellows may take to that sort of thing, +but I incline in the direction of less strenuous employment. I can +fiddle with a surveyor's outfit all day long, tramp through the woods +and the brush, cut a path, and enjoy it all; but swinging an ax doesn't +seem to be my forte." + +"Then if I were you, Rufus," the other told him, quietly, "I'd shut my +teeth together and make it my forte. I never would let a little thing +like that get the better of me. Why, I couldn't sleep easy at night if I +did." + +Rufus moved a little uneasily at that. He undoubtedly must have guessed +that the scout-master meant to reprove him for giving up so soon. Then +he shook his head and frowned. + +"Oh! there'll be heaps of other things I _can_ tackle around the camp, +besides playing wood-chopper, Elmer, that's sure. I've given it a fair +trial, and don't seem to get the hang of the old thing. Why, it's lucky, +I reckon, I didn't smash my foot. My hands don't seem to tackle the ax +properly. Alec may be better suited to it." + +"It isn't hard, once you learn," said Elmer. + +"Well, I've given it a try, and I'm ready to call it off, though I know +you don't like to hear that kind of talk," grumbled Rufus, actually +turning redder than ever with confusion as he felt the eyes of the other +fastened upon his face. + +"That's not the spirit in which a scout who has any respect for himself +should act," Elmer told him, slowly and with a friendly slap on the +shoulder. "Deep down in your heart, Rufus, you just know that you _can_ +master such a little job as learning how to handle an ax, if only you +keep persistently at it, and never give up. A scout on being baffled +once or twice just sets his teeth together, takes a fresh grip on +himself, and says he's going to do that thing, no matter if it means +trying sixty-seven times. It's the old maxim of 'Pike's Peak, or Bust,' +which the emigrants across the great plains years ago used to paint on +their wagon-tops. And generally they got there, too, remember, Rufus." + +Then Elmer got up and took hold of the offending ax. + +"Now, if you watch me you'll see just how I swing it, and bring it down +in the exact spot I want to strike," he went on to say, after which he +made several strokes and the stubborn piece of oak that had resisted all +the efforts of Rufus to split it fell into two slabs. + +"Well, that was certainly fine," admitted the boy, wonderingly; "but +you're an old hand at it, Elmer. I'd never be able to do that sort of +work." + +"Get that notion out of your head in the beginning, Rufus," he was told, +sharply. "There's no reason in the wide world why you shouldn't make a +good axman, perhaps even better than any of us. You're strongly built, +and can put a heap of muscle in the work. At first you'll strike poorly, +until you grow accustomed to landing on a given spot. Practice makes +perfect in that particular. And now, there's one great lesson for you in +chopping wood, just as there is for every beginner. Take a look at the +stick, see which way it will split easiest; and then if there's a nasty +knot in it, as there was in the one you tackled, strike the blade of +your ax straight into the centre of that knot _again and again_, until +you succeed in making it give up the ghost. Hit the knot, Rufus, and hit +hard! That ought to be a maxim you'd find ringing in your ears every +time you feel tempted to be a quitter!" + +That last word stung, just as Elmer meant it should. Rufus flushed, and +jumped to his feet almost half angrily. + +"Here, give me that ax again, Elmer," he said between his set teeth; +"and pick out for me the toughest old chunk of oak you can find. We'll +see if I'm a _quitter_. I'll hit the knot, and hit her hard, to boot; +you watch me!" + +Elmer hastened to accommodate him. He was secretly congratulating +himself on his success so early in the game. It chanced that a second +fragment of oak lay near by, and offered a fairly good test, as it, too, +had a difficult knot in its heart. He showed Rufus just how to take the +right sort of grip on the ax, and several times corrected him when he +struck violently. Of course the blows lacked much of the accuracy that +long practice gives, and thus considerable energy was wasted; but after +he had been working away for five minutes, a lucky stroke caused the +thick bit of oak to fall apart. It had been done by keeping up a +constant pounding at the centre of resistance, which in this case was +that tough knot. + +Rufus was perspiring, and short of breath after his exertion, but there +was a look of extreme pride on his flushed face, and his eyes kindled +also. Indeed, there was good reason for his self-congratulation; he had +proven to himself that "where there is a will there is a way"; and +possibly for the first time in his life Rufus realized the power that +one may command when determined not to give in. + +"Well, I did do it, didn't I, Elmer?" he chuckled, visibly pleased. "And +next time I won't be so ready to throw up the sponge. I was a little bit +huffed because you spoke the way you did, Elmer, but now I thank you. I +wouldn't be surprised but that I'd have caught that big fly last summer +instead of muffing it, and losing the game for our side, if only I'd +made up my mind I _could_ hold it, and must." + +"That's the ticket, Rufus," the other told him. "Confidence is half the +battle, and the rest is in doing it. But you've chopped enough for a +while; better change work and give some other set of muscles a chance to +get busy." + +"Now, that isn't a bad idea, either, Elmer," Rufus went on to say. "I'd +like to take a little turn out of camp before evening comes on, because +somehow I seem to have a sneaking notion we'll run across one of the +survey lines close by here. You see, they run down from the bluff across +that wide stretch of country toward the setting sun; and by pushing +along the ridge we ought to find a slashing." + +"Well, if you can coax George, here, to go with you, Rufus," the patrol +leader remarked, "I've no objections. I can understand how eager you +must be to get your location fixed in the start; and I expect you'll +sleep easier tonight if you learn that our camp happens to be near one +of the survey lines." + +George upon being appealed to readily agreed to go with the greenhorn. +He knew why Elmer had made this arrangement; for as Rufus was quite a +novice in most things pertaining to woodcraft, the chances were he would +get lost the first thing. If given an opportunity, George, as a +first-class scout, could begin the education of the tenderfoot thus +placed in his charge; and the first lesson would be upon various methods +of learning how to make his way through the densest forest when caught +without a compass, and unable even to see the sun so as to know east +from the west, the north from the south. + +So George took great pride in explaining how the moss on the trees would +serve as an almost infallible guide, all else failing. + +"You see, in this section of country nearly all the big storms come from +the southwest," he told Rufus as they walked on. "The moss is almost +always on the north side of the trees, veering just a little toward +northeast. Notice that fact well, Rufus, and never forget it. Some time +it may save you heaps of trouble; I know it has me, and lots of other +scouts in the bargain." + +Finding that the tenderfoot seemed to show considerable interest, George +went on to tell of other facts connected with the important subject. + +"Now," he observed, soberly, "you may think I'm going to a lot of +trouble telling you all this, Rufus; but if ever you do get lost in the +woods, and keep wandering around for hours, and then have to make a +lonely camp, and sit up most of the night listening to the owls and +foxes and such things, why, you'll understand why it's so important a +thing in the education of a scout." + +Meanwhile Lil Artha and Alec were trying their hands at the woodpile; +for as the elongated scout explained to the Scotch lad, they would have +need of considerable fuel during the long evening, as they sat by their +fire and talked. + +Alec proved to have enough stamina, at least; there was a stubborn +streak in his Scotch blood that would never allow him to give up easily. +Nevertheless, Lil Artha knew Alec had faults that must be corrected +before he could reach that condition of excellence that all true scouts +aspire to attain. + +He had a hasty temper, like most red-haired, impulsive boys, and was, +moreover, a little inclined to be cruel, especially toward dumb animals. +Lil Artha, himself, had once been the same sort of a chap, and could +readily sympathize with Alec; but at that he meant the other should see +the error of his ways, and reform. So the tall member of the Wolf Patrol +took it upon himself to be a mentor; and who so well fitted for the task +as a boy who had had personal experience? No one can preach temperance +so splendidly as the man who, himself, has passed through the fire of +unbridled passions, and learned the folly of giving way to them. + +Alec was particularly interested in the subject of the reversal of his +badge. He had, of course, followed the customary habit of all scouts by +fastening this to his coat in the morning in an upside-down position, +until he found some opportunity for doing a good deed toward some one, +which act allowed him to change its position. + +"That was easy enough at home, d'ye mind, Lil Artha," he was saying, as +he rested upon his ax, and recovered his breath, "because a fellow would +be a gillie if he couldnae find mony a chance to do something for sae +sweet a bairn as our little Jessie. But it's going to be a harder task +away up here in the wilderness, I trow." + +"Oh! I don't know about that, Alec," the other told him, encouragingly. +"All you have to do is to keep your eyes about you. There are four chums +around, and if at any time, for instance, you took a notion to do my +stint of wood-chopping, that ought to entitle you to turn your badge +over, because it would be a good deed, you see." + +Alec looked queerly at him, and then laughed. + +"But it would be depriving you of your necessary exercise, Lil Artha," +he hastened to say, "and that I'd hate to do." + +"Well, seriously speaking then, Alec, there are endless ways of doing +good. You needn't be confined to lending a helping hand to human +beings; a boy who takes a stone out of the shoe of a limping mule is +just as much a benefactor as the one who helps a poor old woman across a +crowded street, or carries her heavy basket part of the way home from +market. I've bound up the broken wing of a crow; yes, and I knew a scout +who even helped one of those queer little tumble-bugs get his ball up a +little rise, after he'd watched him fall back a dozen times, and then +claim the right to alter his badge. The rest of the troop laughed at +him, but the scout-master hushed them up, and said the boy was right; +and that not only had he done a good deed toward one of the humblest of +created things, but he had learned a practical lesson in pertinacity and +never-give-upitiveness that would be of great value to him all the rest +of his life." + +"Nae doot, nae doot," muttered the Scotch lad, reflectively, as though +Lil Artha's interesting words had found a firm lodgment in his heart. "I +can see where it is a verra interesting subject, this scoutcraft, Lil +Artha. And ye ken I'm mair than glad now I took up with it." + +"And as you get to be more intimate with the little animals of the +woods," continued the experienced scout, "you come to like them as +brothers. We usually have a pet squirrel ducking about the camp, picking +up the crumbs; and birds will come, too, if you're kind to them. All +those little things help to make an outing more enjoyable, you'll find, +Alec, the deeper you dip into them." + +Alec scratched his head as though he found it just a little difficult to +understand; he had been raised under such vastly different conditions +that it would take some time to change his habits, Lil Artha realized. +Still, he liked the tenderfoot very much, and meant to do all he could +to make him see things through another pair of spectacles than those he +had used in the past. + +Already his lessons in handling the ax had borne fruit, and Alec gave +promise of soon becoming an expert at the job. His success also gave the +greenhorn a new-born ambition to excel in other branches of scout +education. Lil Artha did not believe he would have much trouble in +posting Alec; getting him to govern his temper, and be kind to +everything that had life, would be another proposition; but constant +association with such a fellow as Elmer Chenowith was bound to work a +change little short of miraculous, Lil Artha had faith to believe; for +he knew personally what the patrol leader was able to accomplish in his +quiet, persistent way. + +"After you've finished with that log, Alec," he told the other, "we'll +start our fire. I want to show you just how to go about that task, +because there are a hundred things connected with making a fire that +you'll find mighty interesting." + +"Ye don't say, Lil Artha? I didna ken that there was more than one way +to start a blaze, which was to sticket a match to the paper, and let it +go at that." + +The tall scout laughed delightedly. Really, he would find great pleasure +in showing this greenhorn how many curious ways there were of starting a +fire. Lil Artha had made this a sort of fad for some time past; and +while several tricks were still beyond his comprehension, he had +mastered a number of others; so that he could start into the woods minus +a single match, or even a burning sun glass, and make a fire in any one +of five different ways. + +"Oh! I can see where you've got a whole lot to learn, Alec," he told the +other. "I'll promise to show you some interesting things while we're up +here in the Raccoon Bluff camp. For instance, I'll make a blaze by +rubbing flint and steel together, like the old Indians used to do +centuries back on this continent. Then I've a little trick with a couple +of sticks and some dry tinder to catch the spark." + +"Ye maun show me that, for a certainty!" cried the other, "because I've +read of it in Robinson Crusoe, or some ither book of travel and +adventure amang the islands of the sea." + +"Oh! there are lots of other ways for doing it in the bargain," pursued +Lil Artha, now upon his most favored subject. "You'll think it a most +fascinating thing, Alec, I promise you. And once you wake up to the +fact that a scout can learn a thousand facts, if only he uses his eyes +and his head, you'll be more than glad you joined the troop. Why, we +live in a world of our own, and the poor ninnies outside don't have +one-tenth of the fun that falls to us." + +"There come Rufus and George," remarked Alec. "They look unco' pleased, +as if they had discovered the slashing they went to look for. I'm a +little interested in survey work mysel'. Rufus is clean crazy over it, +too, and sometimes his fash is all aboot theodolites and chains and +compasses and the like. They told me he was lazy, but if ye seed him +workin' at the business he loved, ye'd know they leed, they leed." + +Alec turned back to his work of splitting the log he had attacked. +Already he had a wedge well driven into its heart. A few more lusty +blows of the ax and he had opened another cleft further along, into +which he was able, with Lil Artha's directions, to place a second wedge. +After that it was easy to continue lengthening the split until with a +doleful crack the log fell apart, having been cleft in twain. + +"That will do for now, Alec," said Lil Artha. "You have done splendidly +for your first real lesson in wood-chopping, and I can see with half an +eye that you bid fair to beat us all at the game, given a little time, +and more experience. You've got a great swing, and seem able to hit a +space the size of a dime, every time you let fall. That's half of the +battle in chopping, to be able to drive true to the mark; because +there's energy wasted in false blows." + +Alec looked pleased. A little praise judiciously bestowed is always a +great accelerator in coaxing reluctant boys to take up their tasks +cheerfully; and wise Lil Artha knew it. + +Just then Alec happened to catch a glimpse of something moving amidst +the branches of the tree over his head. Lil Artha had turned aside, and +did not chance to notice what the other was doing, as the Scotch lad, +stooping down, snatched up a stout cudgel, and hastily threw it aloft. + +His aim must have been excellent, judging from the immediate results. +Lil Artha heard him give a satisfied cry, which, however, almost +immediately changed to a howl of alarm. Whirling around, the tall scout +saw something that might have amused him at another time, for it +possessed the elements of comedy rather than tragedy. + +Alec in hurling that stick aloft must have succeeded in dislodging some +animal from its hold on the limb. The beast in falling had alighted +fairly and squarely on the shoulders of the astonished Scotch boy, and +given him a severe case of fright. Lil Artha saw that it possessed a +long ringed tail, and hence he knew instantly that it was only a +harmless raccoon, and not a fierce wildcat, as he had at first feared. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +SHOWING THE GREENHORNS + + +"WHOO! tak' him off, Lil Artha! It's a mad cat, it is, I'm thinkin'!" + +The 'coon being presently dislodged, after having only given Alec a few +trifling scratches, proceeded to retreat in hot haste. The angry Scotch +lad, snatching up another billet of wood, was about to rush after the +frightened animal as though to vent his fury upon it, when Lil Artha +barred the way. + +"Don't do it, Alec!" he called out, holding up a restraining hand; "let +the poor thing trot along. He's more scared than you were, take it from +me." + +"But he _bit_ me, ye ken; and I don't let any fearsome wild beastie do +that with impunity, I tell ye!" snapped Alec. + +"Well, who's really to blame, Alec?" said Lil Artha, promptly. "That's +only a harmless raccoon. He must have his nest in a hollow limb of this +tree we're under. Hearing all the talk going on below here, can you +blame him for peeking, and trying to pick up a few points about eating, +and the like? He was within his rights, and you had no business to knock +him down with that chunk of wood. He happened to fall on your shoulders, +and commenced scratching and clawing when you jabbed at him so with your +hands. He only scratched you a little, and drew the blood. Elmer has the +stuff to put on that, and prevent any chance of blood poisoning setting +in. But surely you wouldn't kill that inoffensive little runt because he +allowed you to knock him out of the tree." + +Alec hung his head. + +"Aweel, it may be you're right, Lil Artha," he muttered, being conquered +by the arguments advanced by the other. "Anyway, it's too late now to +chase after him, for the beastie is lang out of sight. Perhaps I was +o'er hasty to throw. Next time I'll try to hold my hand." + +"It pays not to be too fast while in the woods," he was assured. "If now +that had happened to be a bobcat, you'd have been in a nice pickle, let +me tell you; and he might have scratched out both your eyes before the +rest of us could lift a hand to save you. Better go slow but sure, Alec. +And try to look at things once in a while from the standpoint of the +woods animal. You'll find it mighty interesting to put yourself in their +place, and figure just what you would do." + +Again Alec scratched that tousled red head of his. Plainly he was +puzzled to exactly grasp what Lil Artha meant; but then, as time passed +and he became more accustomed to this strange camp life, now so new to +him, the boy would doubtless understand many things that in the +beginning looked very mysterious. + +When, a short time later, Lil Artha began to initiate him into the +mysteries of fire-making, Alec displayed more or less fresh interest. He +knew he was going to like that sort of thing first-rate, he told the +other; which acknowledgment caused the tall scout to grin with pleasure, +since it repaid him tenfold for all the trouble he had taken thus far. + +The fire was soon burning cheerily. Somehow it seemed a great source of +joy to everyone, especially Elmer, Lil Artha and George. As veteran +scouts the crackle of a blaze instantly called up fond memories of +numerous former occasions when in the woods, and camping amidst the +solitudes they had met with all sorts of interesting and even thrilling +adventures, never to be utterly forgotten, even when they had grown to +manhood, and gone forth into the world upon their appointed life +missions. + +Next in order came the preparations for cooking the camp supper. Here +Lil Artha had fresh and glorious opportunities to show the tenderfoot +squad all sorts of things that it was of prime importance they should +early manage to acquire, if they expected to make good scouts. + +And when the ham had been nicely browned in the skillet; the potatoes +and onions thoroughly cooked; the coffee allowed to settle, after being +brought to a boil; and the rudely-built table set with all sorts of good +things besides, from cookies, jam, home-made pies, pickles, and such +articles as the crafty George had prevailed upon his dupe, Rufus, to +include in the bulky stores, it seemed as though there was hardly room +to allow their plates a chance to find crevices for lodgment. + +By this time the sun had set in a blaze of glory that called forth loud +words of sincere admiration from the entire party. Twilight was upon the +land as they sat down to enjoy that glorious spread; and both Rufus and +Alec vowed they had never in all their lives felt one-half so hungry as +right then and there. + +That supper would never be forgotten by those tenderfoot scouts. Every +fellow once new to the woods can look back to the first meal under such +conditions, and remember how wonderfully good everything did taste. The +food at home never had such tempting qualities, and his one great fear +was that the supply would not be equal to the _enormous_ demand. + +After supper came the dish washing. That was not quite so fine, +especially since Rufus and Alec had fairly gorged themselves. But Elmer +knew that it was good to start out right. + +"Oh! what's the use bothering with the old dishes tonight?" complained +Rufus, spoiled at home by a doting mother; "I'm feeling too fine to be +disturbed. Please don't spoil it all by doing anything disagreeable, +Elmer." + +His wheedling tone had no effect. The scout-master was determined that +these two new recruits must learn that duty always precedes pleasure +with a scout. After all work has been finished is the proper time to +"loaf," and take things easy. + +"We have a rule in camp that is as unbending as that of the Medes and +the Persians, Rufus," Elmer went on to say, positively. "That is, the +dishes must be cleaned up immediately after supper, by those who are +delegated with the task. I'll be only too glad to show you and Alec how +to go about it, in case you haven't had any experience; but the pot of +hot water is waiting, and none of us can settle down to an evening's +enjoyment until things are cleared away. All of us mean to take our +turns at the job, remember, but we thought the new beginners ought to be +the ones to start first." + +Rufus looked as though inclined to rebel. Just then Alec jumped up, +being more ready to give in than the boy who had always had his own way. + +"Coom alang, Rufus, and we'll wrestle with the pots and pans!" he called +out. "Between the baith of us we should be able to manage, I ken. And +then for a lang evenin' listenin' to the stories Lil Artha, here, has +promised to spin, that will, nae doot, mak' Robert Louie Stevenson's +wildest tales tak' a back seat." + +Well, after that Rufus could not hold out. He even grinned sheepishly a +bit as he got up from his comfortable position, and followed the Scotch +lad and Elmer over to where the dishpan was hung on a convenient nail, +together with a supply of towels, and several dish cloths, all seen to +by Lil Artha, who knew by long experience how necessary such things are +in a well conducted camp. + +So by slow degrees Elmer and his mates might make progress in educating +the tenderfoot squad along the lines that every well drilled scout has +to follow. Of course they would meet with many discouragements, and +sometimes feel that the task was beyond their strength, especially in +connection with Rufus, who had allowed such a multitude of tares to grow +amidst the good seed that would have to be rooted out; but it is +astonishing how much persistence and patience will accomplish, and in +the end surprising results might reward the laborers in the vineyard. + +They sat up late that night and the fire continued to crackle merrily as +fresh fuel was applied from time to time. How wonderful it all seemed to +Rufus and Alec, experiencing their very first night in camp. The moon +had already set, being young, and darkness hung over the scene. Strange +sounds, too, welled up out of that gloom to thrill the greenhorns as +they listened. Again and again did one of them interrupt the +conversation or the story-telling to demand that some fellow tell what +manner of queer creature could be making such and such a noise. + +Now it was some night bird giving a hoarse cry; again a distant loon, +doubtless out upon some lake, the presence of which they had not even +suspected, sent forth a fiendish sound like the laugh of an evil sprite +and which chilled the blood in the veins of the tenderfoot scouts; later +on they heard tree frogs commence their weird chorus, and were relieved +to learn the nature of the noisy sounds, for they half suspected a +circle of ravenous wolves might be closing in around the camp. + +And so it went on, one thing after another. Perhaps the most singular +effect of all was produced by the hooting of a big owl, doubtless +squatted in some dead treetop within a few hundred yards of the fire. +The two greenhorns really believed some man was calling out and making +fun of them. Rufus, on his part, jumped to the conclusion that the +poacher, possibly under the influence of liquor, was daring them to come +out and have a fight with him, for that tantalizing "whoo! whoo!" seemed +to breathe defiance and scorn. Alec, too, showed symptoms of "firing +up," much to the secret amusement of Lil Artha and George. + +They both quieted down after being told what sort of a big-eyed bird was +responsible for the weird noise; though from time to time as the hoots +continued to be wafted to them on the night air, the tenderfoot scouts +would move uneasily, and exhibit fresh traces of interest bordering on +rank incredulity, since it was difficult for them to really believe any +feathered creature could indulge in such a mocking monologue. + +And later still, after they had crept into their warm blankets, and +sought to go to sleep, while the three veterans after a while managed to +find forgetfulness in honest slumber, the other pair tossed back and +forth, changed their hemlock-filled pillows into new positions, sighed +dismally, and put in one of the most trying nights they had ever known. + +But then it would not be so bad on the next occasion; and before many +nights passed they, too, would be "dead to the world a short time after +hitting the hay," as Lil Artha expressed it. Every fellow has to be +broken in before he can sleep, when camping out for the first time; the +great wilderness around seems peopled with countless unseen, but +nevertheless present, creatures, which his lively imagination pictures +as seeking to steal a march upon the camp, and either to purloin all +their possessions or else eat them alive. + +Why, even experienced campers usually have a poor first night of it, +until they can again grow accustomed to the difference between their own +soft beds within the four walls of home, and this canvas covering, or +perhaps only the starry heavens above for a canopy. + +That long night seemed never to reach an end, to Rufus at least; for +even after the Scotch lad had passed into slumberland the other squirmed +about uneasily, sat up and looked around him many times; and even crept +out twice to throw additional fuel on the fire, because he hated to see +it getting so dismally dark around, with all those queer sounds welling +up in chorus--the said chorus being produced in part, if Rufus only knew +it, which he didn't, by katydids, crickets, tree-frogs, and such +harmless little creatures. + +But even the longest night must come to an end at last. Rufus, having +finally fallen into a doze, found himself aroused by some one talking, +and opening his eyes discovered to his surprise that it was broad +daylight, with breakfast cooking near by. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE SPIRAL OF BLUE SMOKE + + +ONE thing, at least, pleased Rufus when he crawled forth and stretched +himself, giving a yawn at the same time--it promised to be a fine day. +To a fellow who expected to do considerable prowling around in the +vicinity of Raccoon Bluff this was a matter of material importance; for +a heavy rain must have put a damper on his cherished plans. + +By the time the latest up had finished dressing the welcome call to +breakfast was sounding. Lil Artha performed this sacred rite, and in the +customary camp way, wishing to initiate the two tenderfoot chums in all +the mysteries that went with the ceremony. Taking the biggest frying-pan +they had fetched along, he rattled a lively tattoo upon it with a heavy +cooking spoon. And during the course of their stay it may be said in +passing that never was there a more eagerly anticipated racket, in the +opinion of Rufus and Alec, when their camp appetites developed, than +that same summons to the "festive board," as Lil Artha dubbed the rude +makeshift table. + +While they enjoyed the fruits of the cook's skill in wrestling with the +culinary outfit, and made the bacon and fried eggs vanish in a most +remarkably swift fashion, the boys also laid out their plans for the +first day. + +Of course Rufus was eager to get busy looking up the lines of the +survey; and he had already bound Alec to the task of being his helper. +The latter did not object in the least, though after a day or two had +elapsed, and the fever calmed down somewhat with Rufus, the Scotch lad +anticipated having his time more to himself; for he was eager to learn a +great many scout secrets which the accommodating lanky Lil Artha had +promised to impart to the new fellows. + +Elmer, however, had no intention of allowing those two greenhorns free +swing for a whole day. The chances were ten to one they would get lost +the first thing; and it would be too bad if a good part of their limited +stay at Raccoon Bluff was taken up in hunting missing comrades. + +"I appoint you, Lil Artha, as supervisor," he went on to say, with a +smile; "and your duties today will be to stick to Rufus and Alec like a +porous plaster. Don't let one of them get out of your sight for a +minute. You can lend a hand as much as you please; and fetch them back +to camp at midday, when we'll have lunch, leaving the big meal until the +day's work is all done." + +Rufus looked as though about to rebel. He was so accustomed to having +his own way that it came hard with him to be ordered to do anything. +Then he suddenly remembered his scout vow, and that he had solemnly +promised to bow to superior authority. Elmer was the "boss," and his +word was law while they were away from home; so, making a virtue of +necessity, Rufus shrugged his shoulders and grinned. + +"Just as you say, Elmer," he observed, a bit ungraciously, "but I never +was lost in all my life." + +"That's nothing to boast of, Rufus," remarked Lil Artha. "It only goes +to prove how many splendid opportunities you've missed. On my part I was +just as proud of my ability to look after myself as you are; and yet I +used to get twisted in my bearings a heap until I got the hang of +things. I can remember several times when I walked straight away from +camp, under the belief that I was heading for it. You see, while I could +easily tell which was north and east, I didn't know _which way the camp +lay_; because my faculty for observation hadn't yet been developed to +any great extent. It'll all come to you by degrees, if you really want +to learn." + +"Well, what am I to do this morning, Elmer?" asked George. + +"That's an easy one," chuckled the leader. "As you're such a stickler +for having everything so neat about the camp, George, with things handy +to the reach, I'll appoint you camp warden for today. You can fuss +around all you please, and by night I expect we'll find that Camp +Comfort well deserves its name." + +George looked pleased. His good qualities often more than +counterbalanced his poor ones; and being neat is something no scout +should ever feel ashamed of. + +Elmer did not mention what he meant to do himself. In fact, he had not +wholly determined that point, though he fancied that he might take a +wide turn around, and see what the country about Raccoon Bluff looked +like. + +Although Elmer had not said anything about it to the others, the fact is +he had made a little discovery that aroused his interest considerably. +Just before they sat down to breakfast he had chanced to step over to a +point where the best view was to be had, and using a pair of +field-glasses which had been brought along, took a casual survey of the +country. + +In one particular spot he believed he could see a faint column of pale +blue smoke climbing straight skyward from amidst the thick growth. Elmer +was a pretty good woodsman, and he did not have to be told that such +smoke always comes from well seasoned wood, while black smoke springs +from greener stuff. + +Some one had a fire over there, that was evident, and knew what sort of +fuel to select in the bargain; which fact made it patent that he was +educated in the ways of the woods. Elmer's curiosity was excited. He +wondered who their neighbor could be. Was it some fishing party, perhaps +camped on the shore of the unseen lake on the bosom of which that loon +they had heard cry had been swimming at the time? + +Of course there might be numerous answers to the question Elmer was +asking himself. Perhaps lumbermen were looking over the property which +had lately come into the possession of Mr. Snodgrass, with an idea of +making him a proposition for the right to cut off the big timber. Then +again, charcoal-burners sometimes worked in the season; or it might be +game wardens were abroad, with the idea of catching detested poachers at +their work. + +Then last of all Elmer thought of Jem Shock, the slippery customer whom +no warden had thus far been able to catch red-handed, breaking the game +laws; and who, it seemed, had gained an unenviable reputation for +boldness as well as knavery, so that his name, bandied about from lip to +lip, had gradually become a synonym for everything that was bad, whether +the fellow deserved it or not. + +Well, they knew that this same Jem lived somewhere in the wilderness, +since he seldom appeared in any town; and what more likely than that his +camp lay over yonder, where the blue trail of smoke lifted toward the +sky? + +Elmer felt an enticing temptation beginning to assail him. It has been +said before that he had found himself attracted toward Jem Shock, simply +because of a curiosity to know what the _real_ man might be like; for +Elmer was loath to believe all he heard about any one, knowing how +stories are magnified in the telling. + +And by the time breakfast was over with, the scout leader had decided +that he would take a little stroll, which might, there was no telling, +carry him in the direction of the blue column of smoke. + +It happened that Rufus was so busy getting ready to start out with his +surveying instruments that he had given no thought to looking around. +Lil Artha on his part would, of course, take note of the general lay of +the land; but with the ridge to serve as a guide he believed he could +always make a bee-line back to camp whenever the necessity arose. + +All was soon ready, and Alec, laden with the heavier material, called +out a cheery goodbye to the two who were being left behind. + +"I'm glad this day that I've got on the braw khaki breeks," he was +saying, "for if they were woollen ye maun rest assured it would tak all +my time picking off the beggars' lice, as ye call these little burrs. +We'll be back the noo and expectin' lunch to be served, George, +remember, lad." + +"Well, stick by Lil Artha then, if you know what's good for you, +Scotchy," called out the keeper of the camp. "And I'm glad Elmer made +each one of you put a little snack of cheese and crackers in his pocket. +If you have the misfortune to get lost that will be the only thing to +stand between you and starvation." + +Rufus sniffed in disdain. + +"Talk away, George," he told the other, "we all know that you're one of +these pessimists, and always seeing the black side of things. Who +expects to get lost? Certainly neither of us. And besides, what do we +have a guardian angel like Lil Artha along with us for? Not because of +his good looks, that's sure." + +"Oh! come along, and don't talk so much, Rufus!" the said "guardian +angel" called out, though smiling broadly at being so highly +complimented. + +"Just see Lil Artha feeling of his shoulders, will you?" George jeered. +"Now you've gone and spoiled him for any decent sort of work, Rufus; +after this he'll be spending most of his time looking for his angel +wings to sprout. But goodbye, and good luck, fellows. Look for you about +noon, remember." + +So they went off, seemingly as happy as boys could well be; for Rufus +was about to test his superior knowledge of survey work. Alec saw a +chance of having many little talks between whiles with the tall guide, +upon whom he was leaning more and more as an exponent of the jolly +times to be had in the open; while Lil Artha, himself, was always +supremely happy when he could shoulder his Marlin gun, and stalk abroad, +no matter whether he meant to do any hunting or not. + +Elmer knew very well that nothing would tempt Lil Artha to fire his gun +with the intention of breaking the law. The only reasons he insisted on +taking it along were that it might come in handy in case they met a +wildcat, always a possibility, of course; and that he loved to feel its +familiar touch upon his shoulder, where his khaki coat was well worn +from contact with it. + +For some little time afterwards Elmer busied himself in fixing certain +things of his own. George had already cleaned up the mess of breakfast +pans and dishes, so that he could devote himself to other matters. He +had already sized things up, and made a list of certain improvements +that were calculated to add to the comfort and peace of mind of the +campers. + +"While we're only going to be up here at Raccoon Bluff for a matter of +seven days or so," he had remarked in the hearing of the tenderfoot +squad, "that's no reason we ought to let things run along in a slipshod +fashion. It's a pleasure to me to have the camp look spic and span to +begin with, no matter if it does get littered up somewhat as the days go +by." + +That is just the way with scouts, as a rule. No one of them unites all +the virtues in his single person; but while owning up to certain faults, +at the same time he will be found to possess a number of splendid +qualities that add to the comfort and health of his comrades. George +could make himself one of the most disagreeable chaps going, when his +argumentative and unbelieving mood was upon him; then again, he would +suddenly blossom out in another phase, and cause all his chums to bless +him as a real public benefactor. + +Finally Elmer strode forth from the tent. + +"I'm going to take a little turn around, George," he remarked casually, +"and see what this part of the country looks like." + +"All right, Elmer," the busy one told him, "I can manage alone, I guess, +because I've got a heap to do before I'm satisfied with the way things +look. No use telling _you_ to not get lost; because that'd be next to +impossible." + +"Nevertheless," the scout-master assured him, "I mean to keep on the +alert, for when you're in the woods constant vigilance is the price of +safety. I always take observations as I go along; and notice many +queer-shaped trees, so that I'll know them again when I see them. I also +look back considerably, too, because it pays to notice how things appear +from the other side." + +"It certainly does," agreed George, very amiably; "I've had that +experience myself more than once. Thought I had taken stock of +bent-over trees and rock formations, yet on trying to follow the trail +back, they all looked vastly different from what they had before. Taught +me a lesson I've never forgotten either. Well, so-long, Elmer. I'll +expect you when you turn up. I hope though you don't happen to run foul +of that ugly poacher chap, Jem Shock. I didn't much fancy the cut of his +jib when we met him on the road; and I reckon he'd be a bad one to rile +up." + +Elmer only laughed lightly and walked off. He had cut a stout cane, and +this was the only kind of weapon he cared to carry along. It would serve +him in good stead should he happen to come across a rattlesnake, for +this was likely to happen at any time, since they had been warned by the +friendly farmer that such venomous reptiles abounded along Raccoon +Bluff. And in case a bobcat should turn up, Elmer fancied he could +defend himself against attack with that choice staff. Besides, it was +not often that a cat was to be met with in broad daylight, since they +prefer to do most of their wandering about in search of food after +nightfall comes. + +He stopped and looked back at the camp. It had a very picturesque +appearance just at that time, with the fire casting up a spiral of smoke +toward the clear heavens, George bustling around in the capacity of +campkeeper; and the whole overhung by those magnificent trees. + +Elmer dearly loved this sort of thing. Something implanted in his +nature, coming down possibly from far-back ancestors who used to hunt +game for a living, caused the boy to possess an earnest yearning to +spend a season every year in the primeval wilderness, close to Nature's +heart. It was as near the "call of the wild" as the ordinary boy ever +gets, since school duties, as well as home ties, have dominion over him +most of the year. + +Elmer prepared to enjoy himself to the full. The air was certainly +delicious at this time in the morning, though growing rapidly warmer as +the sun climbed higher. All outdoors seemed to be rejoicing with him. He +could hear the merry voices of insects all around; the croaking of frogs +in a nearby marshy spot he passed; and the constant cawing of crows in +the treetops, as they prepared to sally forth bent on finding a late +breakfast, or possibly teaching their young how to use their wings in +short flights around the home nests. + +"This is the life!" said Elmer, exultingly, as he walked along with a +brisk step, and used his eyes to notice a thousand and one things around +him, most of which would of a certainty never be seen at all by an +ordinary boy, until his senses had been sharpened, brought about through +practical scout activities. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A LITTLE WOODS MINSTREL + + +NOTHING seemed to escape the trained eyes of the scout-master, as he +walked on through the woods, across open glades, and sometimes crossing +ravines where little brooks gurgled along in a happy care-free fashion, +after the habit of wandering streamlets in general. + +One of the first things that came to his attention was the unusual +number of wild bees that seemed to be working in the flowers that dotted +some of these open places. This interested Elmer very much; and as he +stopped to watch them going in and out of the flowers, busily adding to +their stores of sweets or pollen, he was rubbing his chin reflectively +while saying to himself: + +"It looks as if there might be a hive or so around this region, away up +in some hollow tree. I'd like mighty well to spend a morning trying to +locate it, and if nothing hinders I'll get one of the boys to help me +track these little chaps to their hiding-place. I've done it before, and +ought to be able to again, if I haven't forgotten the trick that old +woodsman showed me. And I should think Alec, perhaps Rufus in the +bargain, would be pleased to see how the thing is done." + +Then as he went on a little further he discovered small tracks, plainly +outlined in the hardening mud alongside one of the streams that trickled +down toward the lower levels. + +"Hello! good morning, Mr. Mink!" said Elmer, as he bent over to examine +the tracks which he easily guessed were made by the fur-bearing animal +he had mentioned. "Been out late for a stroll, haven't you? Visiting +around, perhaps, to see how your relatives are getting on; and dodging +in and out of all these holes along the bank. Well, all I can hope is +that no bad trapper covets your sleek coat, and lies in wait for you +next winter with his sharp-edged steel trap." + +Next he discovered another track quite different in design. + +"Why, how do you do, Brother Fox?" Elmer chattered, amusing himself by +this manner of monologue, just as though the animal might be within +sound of his voice. "You were also abroad during the night, I see, and +carrying home some sort of game in the bargain, for the little foxes in +the den, judging from the scratches alongside your own tracks. Let's see +if I can find out what it was you managed to grab." + +He followed the trail fully fifty yards before making any discovery. +Then the observant boy triumphantly snatched something up from the +ground. + +"A fine, fat young partridge, I wager, you caught, old lady," he +chuckled, as he twirled the feather between forefinger and thumb, and +then stuck it in the band of his campaign hat. "Well, it was a sorry +night for the poor bird; but those little foxes just had to have +something to devour ever so often. Now, I'd like to find out whether +this was a red fox; one of those dandy blacks like we took out of the +trap when we were up at Uncle Caleb's woods cabin;[A] or a gray rascal. +I'll see if I can settle that part of it and satisfy my curiosity." + +It did not take long for a boy of such wide experience as Elmer to find +a clue on which to build his theory. Inside of three minutes he came to +a place where the returning four-footed hunter had to pass through close +quarters, in pushing under some brush. Elmer knew just where to look, +and was speedily laughing as he held up several hairs he had found +caught on a thorn. + +"As red as any fox that ever crept up on a sleeping partridge, and +snatched her from her nest in the thicket!" Elmer declared, also placing +the evidence away, for he would want to show it to the tenderfoot squad, +when telling the simple story of the wonderful things he had come +across while just taking a little ramble through the woods. + +And so it went on. One thing followed another in endless procession. The +red-headed woodpecker tapping the rotten top of a tree; the bluejay +hunting worms or seeds amidst the dead grass; the chipmunk that switched +around to the other side of a stump and then with sharp eyes watched the +two-legged intruder on its haunts curiously; the harmless garter-snake +that glided from under his foot, though _giving_ him a certain thrill as +he remembered the stories about these deadly rattlers--all these, and +many other things arrested the attention of the boy who long ago had +become possessed of the magical key that unlocks the storehouse of +knowledge in Nature's own kingdom. + +And yet Elmer did not forget to always pay attention to the course he +was taking. He placed numerous landmarks down in his memory, so that he +would know them again later on. Now it might be an odd freak in the way +of a bent-over tree, that had the appearance of a drawn bow, with some +unseen giant of the woods standing back of it, drawing the cord taut; +then again a cluster of white birches would be impressed on his mind, to +be readily recognized again in case the necessity arose. + +All this time he was heading in a direct line toward that region where +the blue spiral of smoke had been noticed in the still morning air. +Elmer, too, fancied, when an hour had passed, that he must by now be +drawing well along toward the origin of the smoke column. + +Possibly he may have questioned whether he was exactly wise in thinking +of invading the precincts of the camp, that might prove to be the home +of the man who possessed the evil reputation. + +"But my motives are all right," Elmer told himself, when this arose to +annoy him; "and I mean no harm to Jem or his people, if so be he _has_ +any family, which somehow no one ever bothered to tell me, even if they +knew. I guess Jem's been something of a mystery to the people up here. +He seems to have no friends, and it may be nobody ever did penetrate to +his camp. Well, then, I'll be the pioneer in the game. I'm not afraid of +Jem, for all his black looks. I'd just like to get to _know_ him, and +find out if he's as tough as they say." + +And accordingly Elmer, instead of taking warning from his fears and +turning back, continued resolutely along the course he had marked out +for himself. He would beard the lion in its den, and try to convince +this same poacher Jem that he had nothing to fear from a party of boys +out on a holiday. Perhaps Elmer may have also had some little scheme in +mind whereby they could do more or less good by utilizing some of those +superabundant stores which George had cleverly advised Rufus to lay in, +under the possibility of their being storm-bound up in the woods, with a +great need for much provisions. A little present of excellent tea might +quite win the heart of Jem's wife, provided he had one; and Elmer had +even known of a case where the fragrant odor of coffee had entirely +disarmed a woods bully, who had been half inclined to clean out the camp +previous to his inhaling that delicious perfume. + +Now and then the boy would pause and commence sniffing the air. He knew +that he had been walking directly up the wind for quite a while now, and +hence more than half expected that he might catch the whiff of hard-wood +smoke, telling of the presence of a fire not far distant, and dead +ahead. + +It was when Elmer was standing still and looking about him that he +suddenly heard a sound that sent a peculiar thrill through his whole +person. There was nothing so strange about the sound in itself, only the +oddity of hearing it under such peculiar conditions. + +"Why, upon my soul, I do believe that's a violin being tuned up!" he +whispered, straining his ears still more while speaking. "Yes, it is, +for I can hear the plain chords now. Perhaps some fiddler who plays at +country barn dances is passing through the woods, and has stopped over +night at Jem's shack. Why, he seems to have a knack for striking +wonderfully fine chords, it seems to me. I'll just push on and see what +it means." + +This he accordingly did, and as he began to catch the sound of music +more plainly as he kept advancing, Elmer found his curiosity rising to +fever heat. Now the notes of the weird music came floating to him on the +soft air, more and more distinctly. It seemed to the boy as though the +violin fairly sobbed with the spirit of the one whose fingers trailed +the bow across those taut strings. + +"It's wonderful, that's what!" Elmer was telling himself for the tenth +time as he kept on walking, and straining his hearing more and more. +"Why, I've heard some pretty fine players, but never anything like that! +Whoever can it be! I'd wager a heap that the gift of inherited genius is +back of that playing. I can see that he isn't an educated violinist at +all; but the notes are meant to express the language of the soul within. +Oh, I'm glad now I decided to start out; because I wouldn't have missed +this for anything!" + +He knew that he was by now close to the spot, for the sounds came very +distinctly. As he continued to advance, Elmer kept watching, wondering +what manner of person he was going to see. Could some professional +violinist have taken a notion to spend his summer up here amidst the +solitudes, communing with Nature, so as to secure new inspiration for +his work? It would not be improbable, though there was that about the +playing to suggest an utter lack of training. + +Now only a screen of bushes seemed to intervene. Once he had crept to +the further edge of these and Elmer would be able to see the one who +handled that bow so eloquently. + +Three minutes later and he found himself looking eagerly out of his +leafy screen, to receive a fresh shock. Instead of a man with the looks +of a professor, or even a lady performer, he discovered that the party +responsible for those sweet chords and sad strains that pierced his +heart, was only a flaxen-haired boy not over ten years of age! + +He sat there with his slender legs coiled up on a stump, and drew the +wonderful notes from his fiddle without any apparent effort, just as +though the music was in him, and had to find an outlet somehow. He was +barefooted, and dressed shabbily. Yet, despite these evidences of +poverty, Elmer could note what seemed to be a distinguished air about +the lad that fairly stunned him. He thought at once of Mark Twain's "The +Prince and the Pauper." Was this a real prince masquerading in dingy +apparel? + +He lay there and drank in the wonderful harmony for a full quarter of an +hour, hardly daring to move lest his actions frighten the little chap, +and cause that flood of music to cease. All the while Elmer was trying +to figure out what it could mean. Was this boy Jem Shock's child; and, +if so, how in the wide world could the child have come into such an +amazing musical inheritance? Who was his mother, and had she sprung from +some genius known to the world of melody? + +"No matter what the answer is," Elmer told himself, "that child has +genius deeply planted in his soul; and it will be a burning shame if he +never has a chance to be educated along the right channel. I'm bound to +bring this up before some of the good people at home, and see what can +be done. Oh! if only they could hear him as I am doing right now, it +would be easy to collect a sum of money to start him on the road to +becoming the most famous of American violinists. I never heard such +wonderful music in all my life. He mustn't get away from me now." + +Elmer said this last because he saw that the boy was apparently about to +cease playing. He had tucked his violin away in a much-soiled bag of +once green baize, and was climbing down from the stump, as though to +depart from the theatre he apparently liked above all other places for +his daily concert. + +So Elmer stepped forth and swiftly approached. The boy did not hear his +footsteps at first, for Elmer knew how to tread softly; but presently he +looked around and for a moment the scout leader feared he meant to dart +away. + +FOOTNOTE: + +[Footnote A: See "The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts Storm-Bound."] + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +MAKING A BARGAIN WITH CONRAD + + +"HOLD on, please, don't go away; I'd like to talk with you, and tell you +how much I've enjoyed listening to your playing." + +Upon hearing the stranger say these kind words, the boy apparently +reconsidered his intention of running off. He drew himself up proudly, +and waited. Elmer saw that while he was a very handsome little fellow, +there was no trace of weakness about his face; he had just as resolute a +chin as Jem Shock himself; and his blue eyes could evidently flash fire +if his spirit were aroused. + +So Elmer walked forward and joined the other. Standing there barefooted, +and with his clothing well worn, though neatly patched, the boy +presented a strange appearance, hugging his cherished violin in its +faded case close under his arm. Elmer would never forget the picture he +had made as he sat there drawing all those remarkable sounds from the +wooden case; he would have labeled such a painting simply "Genius," and +let people catch the idea according to their bent. + +"You play very sweetly, my boy," he told the other. "I have been +listening for a long time. Where did you learn how to handle the bow? +Who taught you to make a violin talk, and tell all the things that you +have been hearing the birds and the little woods folks saying?" + +"My mother showed me how to hold the bow, and the rest I just picked up +like, mister," the boy replied. + +Elmer was further astonished. He had expected to hear this woods boy +speak most ungrammatically; but few lads of his age, who had gone to +school for five years or over, could have expressed themselves one-half +as well. But then the same mother who had shown him how to grasp the bow +must have taken pains to teach him other things that went with the +education of a growing boy. His observation had done the rest; for just +as Elmer himself was accustomed to doing, this boy had ever heard a +thousand voices in the solitudes where he dwelt; and these elements he +was weaving into music as he dreamily drew his bow again and again +across the responsive strings. + +"Do you live near here?" next asked Elmer, who saw that the boy was +curiously looking him over, and seemed to be visibly impressed with his +khaki suit, as well as his leggings and his campaign hat. + +He noticed the glint of suspicion suddenly shoot into the blue eyes. + +"What do you want to know that for?" he asked sharply. "Are you a +warden, or a revenue officer?" + +Elmer laughed in his customary cheery way that usually proved so +catching, and made him so many friends. + +"Well, I should say not, my friend," he hastened to assure the other. +"This is the regular uniform of the Boy Scouts. Have you ever heard of +the scouts, and would you like me to tell you some interesting things +about them?" + +The boy looked him all over again, and when he saw what a frank and +engaging face Elmer had, he seemed to make up his mind that really he +ought to have no fear from so friendly a boy. + +"Yes, I would, if you didn't mind telling me," he went on to say. "Once, +a year or so ago, mother took me to a town to have my teeth looked +over--I've got better clothes than these at the cabin, you know--and +while we were there I saw a boy dressed like you are. He had a drum, and +was beating it ever so hard, making music that nearly killed me, it was +so terrible. But I didn't know he was a scout. So I'd like to hear about +them, if you don't mind." + +Accordingly, Elmer sat down on a convenient log, it being a part of the +very same tree the stump of which the boy had utilized as his rostrum, +when playing his sad airs to an imaginary audience. + +"Come and sit beside me, please," he went on to say, encouragingly; "and +first, before I start talking, I ought to introduce myself. My name is +Elmer Chenowith, and I live in the town of Hickory Ridge. Would you mind +telling me your name, because, you see, it's rather awkward for two boys +to chat without knowing how to speak to each other." + +"I'm Conrad!" the boy said simply, as he took the designated seat, and +carefully placed his precious violin on the ground beside him. + +"Conrad Shock?" continued Elmer, at which the boy shut his teeth hard, +and then almost defiantly said: + +"Yes, and Jem Shock is my father, too, if you want to know it!" + +"That's all right, Conrad," the other told him. "I have heard a lot +about Jem, but I don't believe much of what is told me. Besides, it's +none of my business, and I don't mean to meddle with anybody else's +affairs. Now I want to be friends with you. I must hear about your gift +of playing, because you have got it without a question. After I've told +you all about scouts, and what they aim to do in the world, I hope +you'll tell me about yourself, Conrad." + +"Perhaps I will, Elmer," the other replied, calmly. + +So once again the story of scout craft was told in simple language. The +boy hung upon every word as though he felt the keenest interest in all +he heard. And never could there have been a more zealous narrator than +the leader of the Wolf Patrol; for Elmer's heart was wrapped up in his +present calling as typified in the khaki, and he fairly fascinated his +young auditor by relating how the scouts took upon themselves so many +uplifting resolutions; how they learned new things every day by +observing, and remembering what they saw and heard; also how the +movement was widening in its scope continually until even the Government +at Washington had taken notice of its beneficial effect upon the youth +of the land, and was at last legislating in behalf of the organization. + +"And now," he said in conclusion, "you understand who and what we are. I +have four chums along with me, two of them new beginners whom we call +tenderfeet, because they know so little about the great book of Nature, +and have so much to learn. We came up here, partly to camp out and enjoy +ourselves as scouts always do when they get the chance. Then it happens +that the father of one of the boys has bought a big tract of land around +Raccoon Bluff, and his son wanted to survey it over, not being satisfied +with the original work. We chanced to see your father while we were on +the road, and told him this, but I'm afraid he didn't wholly believe us; +but, Conrad, I give you my word of honor as a scout that we haven't the +least idea of spying on him, or doing him any harm. Do you believe me?" + +The boy looked him in the eye, and doubtless soul spoke to soul in that +exchange of looks, for he presently said, slowly but positively: + +"Yes, you could never tell a lie if you wanted to, Elmer. And I'm going +to tell you that my father has been acting queer ever since he met you +boys on the road. I don't know what ails him, but I heard him saying a +name over and over again, and looking ever so black." + +"What was the name; can you tell me, Conrad?" + +"It was a funny one--Snodgrass," the boy replied, and Elmer shivered +when he heard him say this, for it came to him like a flash that +possibly Jem Shock might have some reason to think of that name with +anything but pleasant memories. + +"That is the name of the new boy whose father owns this property up +here," he admitted; "but he came from some other section of the country, +and has only been in our town a few months. Tell me about your mother, +for you say she showed you how to hold the bow. Did she used to play the +violin herself long ago?" + +"Oh! no, it was her father, the celebrated player, Ovid Anderson. He is +long since dead, you know. And this was his violin, too, with which he +used to charm so many thousands of people. My mother has often told me +how they would take him on their shoulders and march up the street +shouting that he was the greatest player in all the wide world. And some +day I mean to be his equal; I feel it in here," and as the boy said this +most solemnly, he placed a hand on his bosom, where his heart beat most +tumultuously, and called upon him for deeds worthy of the name his +ancestor had made famous. + +For Elmer had himself heard that name of Ovid Anderson. He remembered +that the player, long since dead, had been a Swedish violinist of +international reputation. How it came that his daughter should ever mate +with a man like Jem Shock, and be lost to the world in this wilderness, +was a puzzle too much for Elmer to understand. + +But he hoped that all in good time he might find the explanation; for +now that he had made the acquaintance of Conrad he was more determined +than ever to meet that mother, even if in doing so he had to run the +gauntlet of Jem Shock's anger. + +But Conrad was showing evidences now of a desire to depart. Elmer would +have liked to ask to accompany him to his cabin home, but he hesitated. +Still he meant to pave the way to a future meeting, and then it might be +time to ask to meet the boy's mother. + +"Our camp is up on the bluff, where the road runs. You can see the smoke +of our fire, and perhaps the tent under the trees, if you look that way. +And we'd be glad to have you and your mother, yes, and Jem Shock, too, +visit us any time, Conrad, if you felt inclined that way. Do you often +come here to play the things that you feel in your soul?" + +"Every morning when it isn't raining, and then the day is very long to +me, for I believe I would die if it wasn't for the music," the boy +hurriedly replied. "But I want to thank you for saying what you did +about my father. I know people all say he is a terribly bad man, that he +gets drunk, and beats us; but it's a whole pack of lies, that's what it +is. He never drinks a drop. He seems to hold a grudge against the whole +world for something that happened a while ago, but he is good to my +mother, and he loves me, he says, like the apple of his eye." + +"I'm mighty glad to hear that, Conrad, sure I am!" exclaimed Elmer. +"Lots of times people are given bad names when they don't deserve them +one whit. I made up my mind that I wanted to know your father, and some +day I mean to drop in at your cabin and introduce myself. Yes, and +tomorrow I'll be coming over here again as sure as anything, to listen +to you play some more. Some day you will get your chance to take lessons +from some big professor, who will fit you for taking the place your +famous grandfather filled. And perhaps I may be able to start the ball +rolling; you wait and see." + +Conrad turned white with the wild hope that surged through his ambitious +young heart. He wrung Elmer's hand eagerly as he said goodbye. The +scout leader watched him going on through the aisles of the forest, and +noticed that his course took him directly toward the place where the +smoke came from. + +Fully satisfied with the adventure of the morning, and filled with a +growing ambition to be the one to interest music-loving friends in the +wonderful genius of the great Ovid Anderson's grandson, Elmer turned in +his tracks, and commenced to head for the camp. + +"I never dreamed of such a thing happening to me, when I consented to +come up here and help Rufus make his new survey," he was telling +himself, as he walked on, never forgetting to note his surroundings, as +a true woodsman always must, no matter what his mind may be occupied +with. "And wouldn't it be a great thing, though, if we did manage to get +that boy's mother to bring him down to town, so the folks who love music +could only hear him play. Why, they'd go crazy over him, I'm sure, and +the rest would be as easy as falling off a log." + +Somehow Elmer failed to pay as much attention to animated nature around +him on his return trip as he had when going out; but then that was not +to be wondered at. He had really run across a most remarkable thing; and +it crowded most other matters out of his mind. + +When he reached camp, he found George still "up to his eyes" in work, +and enjoying every minute of the morning. The fixing up of camp was such +a pleasure to him that for the time being he seemed transformed into a +real sociable fellow, quite different from his usual complaining self. + +Elmer told him of his adventure, and George was mildly interested. He +did not happen to be much of a lover of music himself, and perhaps +thought Elmer might be overestimating the ability of a boy player. + +"Oh! there are plenty such cropping up from time to time, I reckon," he +remarked, scornfully; "but they seldom amount to a row of beans. You +thought this little chap was some punkins just because you happened to +hear him amidst peculiar surroundings. Now, the chances are when you +listen to him in a concert hall you'll be bitterly disappointed in his +genius, as you like to call it." + +"You're jumping at conclusions too fast, as usual, George," the scout +leader told the objector. "In the first place, Conrad will never be +heard on the concert stage while he is as green as he is along the lines +of musical culture. He will show what is in him to genuine critics, and +then if they prove as wild over him as I believe they are bound to be, +he'll be put under the charge of the best teacher in New York City, to +begin along the proper lines." + +As George was so busily employed, and Elmer had nothing else to do, he +started getting lunch ready later on. There was an abundance of material +to choose from, and it was really a pleasure to make the selection. So +presently savory odors began to arise in the vicinity, that, when wafted +to the olfactories of the three boys coming wearily back over their +morning trail would be sure to hasten their footsteps. + +It was easy to see that Rufus had made more or less progress along the +lines of carrying out his plans for checking up the previous survey. + +"Of course it's a whole lot too soon," he told Elmer, when he came into +camp and threw himself down to rest, "to say that the job was pretty +much of a bungle; but I'm beginning to believe that same. And before two +suns have set I'll have the figures to prove it, too." + +"What object do you suppose those civil engineers could have had in +rushing it all through, and doing a rotten job in the bargain?" demanded +George. "Could it be possible there was some crooked work back of the +survey, and that they took a money bribe to falsify the figures? In +other words, has your respected dad been stung when buying some square +miles of ground up here along Raccoon Bluff?" + +"Oh! I'm hardly prepared to go as far as that," said Rufus, hastily. +"I'd be more inclined to believe that the men who came up here just +slouched at their work and failed to do what they should. They made a +slash three-quarters of the way back in one place, we found, and then +probably guessed the rest. It's going to turn out a bad piece of work, +and they'll hear from my dad, you can wager. The Snodgrass pluck and vim +won't stand for such monkey shines one minute, as any person who knows +my father can tell you." + +Elmer suddenly remembered how the lad with the flaxen hair had said that +his father, Jem Shock, seemed to cherish a singular antipathy toward +some one by the name of Snodgrass; and that ever since meeting them on +the road, he had kept repeating it to himself, and frowning as though +furious. He wondered again whether that rich father of Rufus could at +some time in the past have wronged the same Jem in a real estate deal. +It would be very unfortunate if such proved to be the case; and might +spoil some of the plans he, Elmer, had been building up, connected with +the wonderful boy musician. + +Later on, while they were discussing the lunch, he started in and told +Lil Artha, Rufus and Alec what he had run across. All of them were +greatly interested; but the scout-master, for reasons of his own, failed +to mention that the man who was called a "poacher," and who had somehow +gained the name of a bad man, seemed to hold hard feelings against a +Snodgrass. + +Rufus was loud in his desire to help the "cause" along. + +"If ever you can coax these woods people to let the boy come to town, +Elmer," he went on to say loftily, though also with considerable +feeling, "I'll promise to interest my folks in him. And my father thinks +a lot of anybody who has musical talent. I know he took a heap of +pleasure in helping to send one young lady to Europe to complete her +voice culture; she's now singing in opera, and thinks she owes +considerable of her dazzling success to what he did for her. She's often +been at our house when we lived nearer New York." + +"That sounds good to me, Rufus," Elmer told him; "and if the opening +comes I may call on you to redeem your promise." + +At the same time, Elmer wondered whether it might not be the irony of +fate if the same man who had helped "down" the father, were to stretch +out a helping hand to the son. He also figured that Jem Shock would +indignantly refuse to accept any aid from that source. But then the +whole thing was wrapped in mystery; and Elmer, like a wise boy, decided +that it would be foolish to try to figure things out until he had a +better grip on the conditions. + +After lunch, the surveying party, considerably refreshed by their meal, +and the hour of loafing about the camp, went off again to take up the +work where they had dropped it. George, too, had found some other things +which he might as well do while his hand was in; and so Elmer had to +cast around him for some means of passing the long afternoon away. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A PERIL THAT LAY IN WAIT + + +IT was an hour and more after the surveying party had trooped forth, +bearing their paraphernalia for a good afternoon's work, when Elmer +happened to remember something. He was himself getting ready to take +another tramp, though in a different direction than his morning stroll +took him. + +"Seems to me, George," he remarked, casually, "I've heard you say you +liked honey pretty well?" + +George stopped fretting over what he was doing, and licked his lips at +the mere mention of the word "honey." + +"Finest stuff that ever was made; that is, when you get the real +article, and none of that sugar-water imitation some bee-keepers put on +the market nowadays, which tastes as insipid as mucilage. Yum! yum! +makes my mouth water when I think of all the good times I used to have +when we kept bees. But father had the misfortune to upset a hive, and +got so badly stung that he bundled the lot off at a bargain price to an +old farmer. But what makes you speak of it now, Elmer? Just to +tantalize me, because that was one of the things I had Rufus put on his +list and he forgot to get, worse luck." + +"Oh! I only wanted to say that perhaps we may find a chance while we're +up here to lay in a store of luscious honey, if we have half-way good +luck, George." + +"Does that farmer keep bees, and do you mean some of us can take a run +back to his place to buy a bucket of comb?" asked George, eagerly. + +"Better than that," chuckled Elmer. "I've noticed a great many wild bees +working in the flowers, and I think I can track them to their woods +hive. Once we find where they hold out, it won't be hard to chop the +tree down, and take our fill of the newest stores." + +"A splendid idea, Elmer, I give you my word if it isn't!" cried the +other, looking greatly pleased. "It certainly takes you to think up fine +things. And when you start to follow the honey-makers home, please let +me go along. I've always wanted to see how that dodge is worked." + +"We'll all be on deck," the scout-master assured him; "for above +everything else I want the tenderfoot squad to learn a practical lesson +on how easy it is for an experienced woodsman to find his bread and +butter and sweets by using his brains instead of hard cash. But we'll +lay our plans tonight while we sit around the fire." + +"Off for another tramp now, are you, Elmer?" George continued, as he saw +the other pick up his handy stick again. + +"Well, yes; I don't like to waste such a glorious day; and there's +really nothing for me to do around camp, since you've taken the run of +things in your hands." + +"Going off to see that wonderful child fiddler again. I suppose, Elmer?" + +"You guessed wrong that time, George, because I've laid out to follow +after our civil engineering party, and see how Rufus is getting on with +his work. He certainly is in love with it; and his father will be unwise +if he doesn't encourage the boy in every way possible. I tell you, a +host of fellows have made failures of their lives because their parents +insisted on their taking up some profession they hated." + +"Just so, Elmer," chirped George, "a case of round pegs in square holes, +so to speak. And when I get to the point of choosing what I want to be +as a man, I hope my folks won't force me to go contrary to my liking." + +Knowing George's stubborn qualities, Elmer could easily guess that the +Robbins tribe would have a pretty hard task of it bending _him_ to their +will. However, he did not say this, not wishing to either offend George +or arouse his argumentative powers, but started forth on his tramp. + +"'Course you'll just keep an eye on their trail, won't you, Elmer?" the +camp-guardian called out after him. + +"It would be silly to try any other way, George," he was told. + +So Elmer went on. The tracks left by the three surveyors could hardly +have been overlooked, even by the veriest greenhorn at trailing, for +they had none of them made the least attempt to hide their footprints. +So Elmer had an easy task of it, and indeed could employ his extra time +in observing many things around him. + +He saw the mother rabbit start out of the bunch of grass where doubtless +her offspring lay hidden, and with halting steps act as though badly +injured. Elmer laughed, and clapped his hands as though in keen +appreciation for her cleverness. + +"The same old trick birds and small animals always play when they want +to lure a trespasser away from their nest," he told himself; "by +endangering themselves in the desire to save their young. She coaxes me +to rush after her, so as to wean me away from her brood. If I started +she'd go off a little farther, and then stop once more to coax me on +again. I've seen a hen partridge do the same thing, fluttering along the +ground as if with a broken wing. Now just for fun let's see if I'm not +right." + +He had carefully noted the exact spot where the mother rabbit first +appeared, and stepping over that way parted the tall grass. Instantly +there was a hurried scurrying, as a number of small but nimble +half-grown rabbits darted this way and that, as if greatly frightened. + +"Don't kill yourselves trying to escape, little bunnies," said Elmer, +greatly amused; "because I wouldn't harm a single hair of your pretty +bodies. But I tell you the thousand-and-one lessons that a fellow can +learn from Nature's big book ought to be enough to make every boy want +to become a scout, and take up the study of outdoor life. There's +something fresh and new every day one lives." + +By then the devoted mother rabbit had vanished, doubtless filled with +consternation over the dispersal of her brood, which she would have to +call together in some fashion of her own. So Elmer walked on, observing +many other interesting things as he proceeded, for his eyes were ever on +the alert when he went into the woods and cruised on the waters. + +He guessed that he must be gradually drawing up on his three chums, for +occasionally he caught the sound of a halloo, as though there might be +an exchange of signals between Rufus and his stakeman, who went on ahead +to assist him. Lil Artha probably prowled along near by, seeing things +for himself, and with not a great deal of interest in the prosaic +operations of the surveyors. + +Suddenly Elmer heard loud excited voices. He believed be caught the +voice of Lil Artha saying, "Steady, Rufus, don't move on your +life--steady, boy!" + +Then came a loud report. Elmer knew that it was the discharge of the +lanky scout's gun. He was already plunging forward as fast as he could +go when this sound came to his startled ears. The others were close by, +for he could now hear their excited voices. + +A minute later, and Elmer, still on the full run, burst through a +thicket, and discovered the three boys. Lil Artha had his gun half +raised to his shoulder, as if doubtful whether the newcomer would prove +to be a friend or an enemy; and with true scout preparedness not meaning +to be taken off his guard. But on sighting Elmer, of course he lowered +his weapon. + +Rufus was standing there, looking as "white as a ghost," and trembling +as if he had the ague. Alec grasped his small ax, and seemed quite ready +to use the same. Something twisted and squirmed upon the ground, and as +Elmer looked, his horrified gaze made out an enormous rattlesnake that +seemed to have part of its head shot away. The chilling sound of its +rattles was what Elmer had thought to be the "chill" of a buzzing locust +upon some neighboring tree. + +In another moment Elmer was alongside Rufus. + +"Don't tell me the thing struck you, Rufus?" he ejaculated, himself pale +with apprehension. + +"It's all right, Elmer," said Lil Artha, soothingly. "Nobody hurt the +least mite, I give you my word. But if Rufus hadn't had the good sense +to stand still when I called out, I really believe the critter would +have struck at him. And it was close enough to make a hit, too." + +"I don't deserve any credit, fellows, indeed I don't!" said Rufus, +truthfully. "I was so scared that I seemed frozen stiff. Why, I couldn't +have moved hand or foot for all the money in the world. Guess that's +what they mean when they say a rattler charms people." + +"It may be so," Lil Artha went on to say, "but I've known one to get +birds to flutter within reach, just as if there was something magical in +the whirr of that buzz rattle at the end of its tail. After all, I guess +it was lucky that I _did_ conclude to fetch my gun along this afternoon. +The boys were laughing at me in the morning for lugging it when I didn't +mean to fire a shot at any game. But say, a measly rattler hasn't any +close season; he's a fit object for business, summer or fall." + +"You made a cracking fine shot, Lil Artha," commented Elmer, after +stepping closer to observe the result of the other's quick aim. + +"Oh! middling, middling, partner," chuckled the tall scout, modestly; "I +oughtn't to be proud of it; but then I own up I was some rattled for +fear Rufus would move, and make the snake shoot forward with that poised +flat head of his. But I stopped his fun all right, which ought to be +enough for me." + +"But how d'ye suppose I missed the fearsome de-il?" asked Alec, +wonderingly. + +"Oh! I happened to step aside while getting my bearings for that last +sight," explained the trembling Rufus, "and must have drawn too near +where the viper was coiled up for defense. First thing I knew was +hearing what I took to be the whirr of a locust. Then I looked down and +saw it! After that I seemed to turn to ice. I heard Lil Artha coming, +and afterwards he said something. When he fired I nearly fell over, +thinking I had been shot. Oh! I'll never forget my sensations; and after +this I'm going to keep on the lookout all the time for snakes." + +"It pays to be on the watch," assented Elmer. "The fellow who keeps his +eyes about him in the woods is doubly armed. We must drag it back with +us, and show George. He said he didn't believe there was any truth in +that farmer's story about rattlesnakes up here. We'll have to show him." + +"But, Elmer, supposing it had given me a crack, would I have had to die? +Is there any remedy for a rattlesnake's poison?" asked Rufus. + +"Oh! we'd have pulled you through all right, depend on it, Rufus," said +Lil Artha, taking it upon himself to answer the question. "I'd have +sucked the wound in the first place, making sure that I had no scratch +or abrasion about my mouth so that I couldn't be infected by the poison +that I ejected. Then Elmer here, who is a pretty good surgeon when it +comes right down to brass tacks, would have cut into the wound, and +afterwards, when it had bled freely, he'd apply some stuff he always +carries with him to neutralize the poison. Some people give whiskey, and +perhaps it does help; but science and medicine have found a better +remedy." + +"Then why are there so many fatal cases of snake bites?" asked Rufus, +determined to find out all he could on the subject. + +"Well, most of them are neglected too long," Elmer told him. "The person +who has been struck may be alone at the time; or if he has companions, +they become panic-stricken, and only think of hurrying the poor chap to +the nearest doctor as fast as they can. That's nearly always the worst +thing they could do, for in the time it takes, the deadly poison has had +a chance to circulate through the blood, and all the doctors going +couldn't save the patient." + +"That's where first aid to the injured comes in with the scouts," said +Lil Artha, proudly. "All boys who wear the khaki are instructed how to +act in order to save human life by prompt measures, whether it is in +case of near-drowning, snake bite, injury by cutting an artery with an +ax, swallowing some poisonous toadstool in place of delicious +mushrooms, and a dozen other things too numerous to mention. You'll +learn all about it in good time, Rufus." + +"I mean to, Lil Artha, depend on it," the other assured him earnestly. +"I give you my solemn word here and now that I'll begin right away. I +never want to be taken unawares again, so that I feel as helpless as a +kitten. I'm going to be aimed and equipped with the book of knowledge. I +can see that it pays compound interest for all your time and trouble." + +"Now I'm delighted to hear you say that, Rufus," Lil Artha told him; +"and I promise to instruct you at the first opportunity; Alec, too, if +he is so minded." + +"I am verra curious aboot it, and ye can count on me being a listener +whenever ye begin the lessons. Aye! it would hae been peetiful if Rufus +had been struck. I'd hae sucked his wound with ye, Lil Artha, or done +anything else ye asked." + +Rufus laid a hand on the Scotch boy's shoulder fondly. + +"I'm sure you would, Sandy," he went on to say, for sometimes he used +that name in speaking to his comrade, though always with affection. "But +after that fright I guess I'm done working for today. Let's go back to +camp." + +No one raised any objections, so they prepared to return. Lil Artha +managed to fasten a strong cord to the tail of the rattlesnake, which +Alec said he would drag after him. The long-legged scout had already +shown the two tenderfeet the cruel looking curved fangs in the partly +shattered head, as well as the sickly, green-hued poison that could be +pressed from the sack by using a stick on a certain part of the said +head. They had been greatly impressed, and likewise shocked to realize +what a narrow escape both of them had had from near-death. + +All the way back the talk was of the hidden perils that lie in wait for +unsuspecting passersby in the woods. This ranged from wildcats to +rattlesnakes and adders and scorpions. Lil Artha seemed to be a "walking +encyclopedia" of knowledge along these lines; part of this he had picked +up through personal experience, and the rest came through extensive +reading, or hearing others tell about it. A scout may find scores of +ways for learning useful things, if only he cares to bother about doing +it. + +Later on they approached the camp. + +George, who had managed to get through with his numerous odd jobs and +was resting, seemed surprised, to have them come back so soon. + +"Huh! guess you got tired of the job quicker'n you expected, Rufus!" he +called out lazily from his seat on the soft moss under a tree. "All work +and no play makes Jack a dull boy, they say. But what in the dickens is +that you're dragging along after you, Alec? Great Scott! a rattler!" + +George scrambled to his feet, filled with excitement. His eyes stared at +the four-foot reptile, which still showed signs of life; and Lil Artha +had assured Alec its tail would continue to jerk until sundown, even +though its head be cut clean off. + +"I hope it didn't strike any of you fellows?" George went on to add with +a vein of fright in his voice. + +The story was quickly told, and the convinced George had to measure the +reptile with his tape line, finding it only an inch or two short of four +feet. + +"As big a rattler as I ever saw," Elmer told them. "They have them five +feet long down in Florida, I understand, those diamond-back fellows; but +as I haven't been there I can't say anything about it. For a Northern +snake this one is certainly a whopper." + +"Lil Artha has promised to get the rattle for me," remarked Alec. "Rufus +had the first choice, but man, he said he'd never sleep easy nichts if +he had it hangin' on the wall of his room at home, thinking about his +narrow escape. But it's a verra curious thing to me, and I don't care a +bawbee about the sound. It wasn't _my_ ox that was gored, ye ken." + +George was acting now in something of a mysterious manner. Elmer noticed +this and was looking at the camp-keeper out of the tail of his eye, as +though trying to guess what was in the wind. He felt certain that +George had a secret of some kind or other, which he was holding back, +just for the satisfaction it gave him. + +Lil Artha was an observing chap, as we happen to know; and before long +he too noticed the same thing. This, however, was after he had seen +Elmer observing George closely, with a line across his forehead that +told of a puzzled mind. + +The tall scout was not the one to bother himself about trying to solve a +thing when there was a short cut to the answer. He believed that the +best way to get at the meat in a cocoanut was to smash the shell. + +"Here, what's brewing with you, George?" he suddenly demanded, facing +the other. + +George grinned, and then hastened to say: + +"What makes you ask that, Lil Artha?" + +"Because I know right well you've got something of a surprise up your +sleeve, and you're aching to spring it on us. What have you been doing +since we left camp? Now don't you squirm, and try to keep us in the +dark. Own up, George, and tell us." + +So George, seeing there was no escape, apparently, determined to let the +"cat out of the bag." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE STRANGE MESSAGE JEM LEFT + + +"WELL, we've had a visitor in camp since you fellows all went away!" +George confessed. + +Of course every one was interested. Lil Artha seemed to immediately jump +to the conclusion that the guest must have been a four-footed one. + +"Bet you now, it was a measly wildcat," he hastened to exclaim. "It's +too bad a fellow with a gun can't be in two places at the same time. I +was needed out with the tenderfoot squad; and seems like I could have +been made useful here at home. Did the varmint get away with any of our +grub, George?" + +The camp defender grinned as though amused. + +"Go a bit slow, Lil Artha, can't you?" he complained, petulantly. "Don't +rush as if you knew it all. Nobody said the visitor was going on four +feet, did they? Why, it happened to be a biped, a man!" + +"Then it was Jem Shock!" ventured Elmer, quickly, as though he had half +guessed the answer before then. + +"Just who it was," agreed George, nodding his head in the affirmative, +and looking very important. + +"What did he want?" demanded Lil Artha. + +"Hold your horses!" continued Elmer; "don't keep jumping at conclusions +so fast. In the first place, remember that we invited Jem to drop in on +us any time he was near our camp. The invitation didn't seem to give him +much joy, but later on he may have concluded to make a call. Now tell us +what he said, and how he looked, George." + +"Oh! he carried that gun of his just as we saw him before," the other +explained. "And he certainly looked pretty savage, in the bargain." + +"Savage?" echoed Rufus, "why should he act that way? Possibly because my +father owns about all this property up here. Perhaps Jem believes he may +be dispossessed of his cabin. I've heard that squatters always do get to +thinking they own the land they build on, as if possession gave them a +quit claim deed." + +"Well," continued George, steadily, and keeping his eye fixed on Rufus, +"to tell the honest truth, he seemed most of all interested about _you_, +Rufus." + +"Oh! is that so?" sneered the other; "well, that's just about in line +with what I was telling you. He knows the name of Snodgrass, +apparently." + +"I guessed he did from the way he acted after I'd told him about your +father," George went on to say. + +"Now, what could you have to say about my dad?" snapped the touchy +Rufus. + +"Well, Jem asked me first of all if one of the boys in camp was a +Snodgrass, and of course I told him yes," George explained. "Then he +asked me if I knew what your father's first name was. I told him I had +heard it, but just then, somehow, it seemed to have slipped my memory. +At that he up and asked me if it was Hiram." + +Rufus gave a little cry at hearing this. + +"It might be this man knew my father once on a time, or they may have +had some business deal together; though that's hardly likely, because +Jem Shock, poacher and farm laborer, would hardly be the one _my_ father +would be friendly with." + +"I don't know anything about that," said George, swiftly; "but when I +told him I remembered, on his mentioning it, that Hiram was your +father's name, he gritted those big white teeth of his like everything, +and his eyes certainly looked wicked enough to give a fellow a shiver." + +"But didn't he say anything to explain why he had come to the camp?" +asked Lil Artha, deeply interested in the story. + +"He asked no favor, neither would he sit down and have a cup of coffee +when I offered to make him one," George went on; "but he asked me to +give you a message which he wanted you to carry to your father when you +went home. He said: 'Tell that Snodgrass boy to say to his father that +Jem Shock never will forgive the rank treachery that handed him over to +a gang of sharpers in the land speculating business. And tell Hiram +Snodgrass, too,' he went on, 'that he ought to thank his stars his son +wasn't treated by Jem Shock as he deserved. Only for the prayers of a +good woman in his cabin, and the influence of a sweet child, Jem Shock'd +be tempted to do something wicked to wipe out the debt he owed your +father.'" + +Rufus went white on hearing this. Then the color surged back to his +cheeks and his eyes sparkled like twin fires. + +"It's all wrong, I'm sure it must be!" he cried, angrily. "I know my +father better than most people do, and I'm as certain as I breathe that +he wouldn't deliberately betray anybody who trusted in his word. There +must be some terrible mistake about it, don't you see, fellows? I'll +bring you face to face with my dad when I'm telling him about this, and +you'll hear for yourselves what he says. But nothing can shake my +confidence in his integrity; I've seen it tested too many times to doubt +him now, just because this poacher fellow dares accuse him of wrong +doing." + +It sounded very fine, this defense on the part of a loyal son, and Elmer +could only admire Rufus for showing himself so faithful. At the same +time, he knew real-estate dealers often have a peculiar code of morals, +and frequently do things that others may not exactly approve of, salving +their own consciences in some way. Elmer was a little afraid that Hiram +Snodgrass might have been tempted to turn a client over to some +combination of operators, some of whom were not just as scrupulous as an +honest man would like to have them in his dealings. + +"Was that all he said, George?" asked Lil Artha, out of pity for Rufus, +who appeared to be suffering acutely from mental pain. + +"Yes, and after delivering the message, he whirled around and walked +away with the grand air of a lord of the realm," George explained. +"Somehow, poacher that he may be, because he believes like a good many +persons that wild game isn't the property of the State, there's +something about Jem Shock that tells me he isn't a common dickey. He +hates all human kind because his nature has been soured by some wrong +he's endured, that's all." + +"Well, I'm going to find out what it all means, and as soon as I get the +chance," Rufus asserted, between his set teeth. "If it was a mistake, it +shall be righted. I tell you my father is too big a man to play mean +toward anybody. But while we're up here nothing can be done. I wish I +had a chance to ask this fellow what it's all about, so I could get the +hang of things." + +"H'm! if I were you, Rufus," suggested wise George, "I'd go slow about +showing myself to Jem Shock. He hates the sound of your name, and if you +gave him half an excuse, why he might forget his good resolutions, and +hurt you, with the idea of revenging himself on your dad. How about +that, Elmer; is my logic sound?" + +"Yes, there's no use taking unnecessary risks," admitted the +scout-master, "and common prudence demands that Rufus should keep away +from Jem. Later on, if he does find that a terrible mistake has been +made, it would be easy to come back up here and square things up with +the poacher. But it certainly pleases me to know that the home influence +is working on Jem's revengeful mind. If the mother is anything like that +splendid little clear-eyed chap I don't wonder at it, either." + +Secretly, Elmer was more determined than ever to try and make the +personal acquaintance of Conrad's mother, the daughter of that once +famous Swedish violinist whose bow had thrilled countless thousands, and +drawn genuine tears from their eyes. + +The subject was by common consent dropped then and there, though, of +course, it would remain to agitate the mind of Rufus long afterwards. +Indeed, the boy seemed to be unusually quiet during the balance of that +afternoon, and even while they sat around the crackling camp-fire after +supper had been disposed of. + +Elmer could guess the reason why. The tenderfoot had, in the first +place, been under a most severe strain when he experienced that peril +with the deadly snake. It would have an effect upon his nervous system +for some little time; and possibly he might even awaken from sleep +occasionally with a half-suppressed cry of horror, as though in his +dreams he again saw that horrid reptile with its great coils, its flat +square head drawn back for striking, and its tail elevated so that the +monotonous danger signal at the tip could continue to buzz angrily. + +Then again the boy had taken that accusation on the part of the poacher +quite to heart. It could be easily seen that he had a great affection +for his father, even though it was his fond mother who had always given +in to his whims, and come near utterly spoiling Rufus by her favors. + +"It galls him to have heard any one accuse his father of being a +trickster," was what Elmer told himself, as he noticed the soberness of +Rufus, while the others in the circle about the fire chattered away, and +seemed to be enjoying themselves hugely. + +He had not changed his own plans a particle on account of hearing about +the visit paid to the camp by Jem Shock. If anything, his resolution was +stronger than ever to see more of Conrad, and perhaps meet his mother. + +All of them were pretty tired, and, of course, as the tenderfoot pair +had secured so little sleep on the first night, it was likely they +would soon be "dead to the world" after letting their heads fall on +their crude pillows. These were made out of a slip filled with sweet +hemlock browse stripped by hand fresh from the tree, and fragrant as +could be, with the incense of the woods. This bosky odor in itself is +said to be conducive to sound slumber; at least all who spend their +vacations close to Nature's heart so affirm, and they should know. + +The night passed without any sort of alarm. Indeed, Alec and Rufus, once +they got to sleep, knew next to nothing up to the time Lil Artha aroused +them by beating on his frying-pan gong, as "the first call to +breakfast." + +They were glad to see that again the weather favored them, since there +were all the signs of a pleasant day ahead. Elmer, however, warned the +new recruits not to be too optimistic, because after the warmth of the +last few days, it was likely that some sort of storm might develop. + +It was arranged that George should change places with Lil Artha on this +day, and accompany the two surveyors as a guard. The tall scout insisted +on his carrying the gun along with him. + +"Of course you won't need it to shoot any deer you happen to scare up, +George," the owner went on to tell him, "but, as we saw yesterday, there +may crop up conditions that make the having of a shooting-iron mighty +handy. You may not need a gun at all, but if you do you want it right +there." + +Lil Artha possibly had something in mind which he wanted to do while +left behind. He kept his own counsel, however, and Elmer, knowing that +the tall scout was to be thoroughly trusted, did not ask questions. + +So along about nine in the morning, when he thought it likely he would +be apt to find Conrad seated in his favorite nook and playing some of +his dreamy airs, all of them creations of his own brain, Elmer started +forth. Lil Artha of course could easily surmise from the direction he +took that he meant to look the boy up again, but immersed in his own +affairs, he said nothing, only waved a cheery goodbye after the other. + +So Elmer strode along, and this time he paid a little less attention to +the many interesting things that cropped up on this side or that, for +his thoughts were mostly concerned with Conrad, and his quaint thrilling +music, which he yearned to hear again. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A CABIN IN THE CLEARING + + +AS the scout-master found himself drawing near the spot where he had had +his former interesting meeting with little Conrad, he listened with +eagerness to catch the first faint notes from the quavering strings of +the wonderful violin that had once been in the possession of Ovid +Anderson. + +"I'm no judge of such instruments myself," Elmer had told his chums when +speaking of the matter, "but I expect that violin must be a valuable +piece of polished wood. It certainly had an extra sweet singing tone to +me, and seemed to just _talk_ as the boy drew his bow over the strings. +I wouldn't be surprised now if it turned out to be a Stradivarius or a +Cremona, which I understand represent the finest makes of violins known +to the profession." + +When George seemed inclined to scoff at the idea, since such an +instrument was likely to be worth thousands of dollars, and would have +been sold long ago to get common necessities, Elmer had also told him +that perhaps the daughter of the famous player would have parted with +her soul before allowing that remembrance of her father leave her house. + +Then Elmer caught the first faint sound of music. It thrilled him as he +continued to hurry forward, and the sounds became stronger. Yes, and +sure enough, there was lacking now some of that sadness he had detected +in the playing of Conrad on the preceding day. Doubtless hope filled the +aspiring heart of the lad. His talk with his mother may have given him +new zeal, and the rainbow of promise was arching his heaven even then as +he played, and waited for his new friend to appear. + +"That sounds more like it," Elmer told himself, "and shows what a +creature of circumstances a genius must always be. Even this child makes +the music he finds in his own soul. But it's sweeter by far than what he +played yesterday, for there is the breath of hope and promise in every +note." + +He soon came in sight of the familiar stump, and found the lad curled up +there as before, with his violin tucked under his chin; just as though +he might be to the manner born, while his deft right hand wielded the +bow so tenderly that the daintiest sort of sound came forth at his +command. + +But he was watching at the same time, and no sooner did Elmer appear +than the playing abruptly ceased, while the boy came running to meet +him. Elmer then felt sorry that he had not remained in concealment a +while longer, so that he might have enjoyed more of that crude but +appealing music. + +"Oh! I'm glad to see you again, Elmer!" exclaimed the boy, as he held +out his hand, which the other did not attempt to squeeze too roughly, +for he remembered that those little digits had to retain their +sensitiveness to a remarkable degree in order to coax persuasive notes +to come forth. + +"But before we do any talking," said Elmer, "you must let me hear you +play again. I notice that you are in a more joyous mood today, for it +shows in your music. Please sit on your stump again, Conrad, and humor +me for a while. Afterwards we can have a nice long chat; and I'm meaning +to ask a great favor of you later." + +The boy's eyes flashed with genuine pleasure. It was evidently a treat +for him to have an audience besides the squirrels and rabbits, with +perhaps a curious old red fox that, prowling around in search of a +dinner, may have stopped to investigate the origin of those queer +squeaks and twirls, and those sobbing notes, so like a hen partridge +clucking to her brood. + +For possibly ten minutes or so he played with scarcely any intermission. +Elmer thought he could never tire of drinking in the sweet combinations +of sounds which that deft little hand tempted from the five strings of +the violin. It seemed as though the spirit of the old virtuoso must +haunt the sacred instrument, and give forth some of his choicest chords +through the medium of his descendant, heir to his undoubted genius. + +And it also seemed as though the lad's power to delineate the sounds +that appealed to him from the woods and waters was unlimited, for he +seldom repeated as he went on, making up astonishing strain after +strain. + +Elmer was more than satisfied now his first impression had not been +wrong. He felt doubly convinced that all this lad needed to develop into +one of the greatest players the world had ever known was the directing +hand of a master, who could guide him past the rocks on which his young +talent might be wrecked if not taken in time. + +"Now, that is enough for today," said Conrad, suddenly allowing his hand +holding the bow to drop; "I never try to play when something inside +tells me to stop. And I'm eager to tell you something good. My mother +wants to meet you, Elmer." + +This intelligence caused the scout-master to smile with pleasure. + +"Why," he exclaimed eagerly, "do you know, that was the favor I meant +when I said I wanted to ask you something. I have been wishing I could +meet the mother of my new little friend; for I am sure she must be a +remarkable woman." + +"So she is," stoutly asserted Conrad, faithful little soul; "and the +best mother there ever could be. All I know she has taught me, for, you +see, she used to be a school teacher once, after grandfather died, and +the money was lost." + +"You told her about me, then?" asked Elmer. + +"Why, of course; I tell her everything that happens to me!" Conrad +declared, simply. "I couldn't have a secret from my mother, could I? And +you ought to have seen how her eyes sparkled when she heard what you +said about seeing I had a chance to learn the many things I ought to +know about using a violin properly. Why, Elmer, I guess it must have +been the wish of her heart, that some one would come along and say that; +because she took me in her arms and hugged me, yes, and she cried some, +too, I know she did, for I felt hot tears on my cheek; but then it must +have been because she was so happy, for she laughed ever so hard right +afterwards." + +Elmer himself was deeply affected. He could picture that loving mother, +possessed of the knowledge that the fires of genius burned in the soul +of her child, and each night praying that in due time the opportunity +might come for that to be developed into a glorious flame; and how +overcome she might be on realizing that the one great wish of her whole +life seemed about to be realized. + +They talked on for quite a long while. Conrad with a child's natural +curiosity asked many questions about the outside world, of which he had +seen so little of recent years, since his father seemed to want to get +away from all mankind. Elmer told him many things that excited his +interest. Then finally he mentioned the fact that time was passing, and +before a great while he would have to think of returning to his chums at +the camp. + +"I'd like very much to meet your good mother before I go back, Conrad," +he suggested, at which the lad seized his hand and began to lead him +off. + +"So you shall," he remarked, briskly, "and I know she's waiting for me +to fetch you over, because she told me to be sure and do so. You'll like +my mother, Elmer, I know you will." + +Elmer could understand why a mother should be anxious to meet one who +had made such a vast promise to her boy, and which might mean so much in +shaping his destiny. + +"She wants to size me up," he told himself, with a satisfied smile, as +he walked along at the side of the chattering boy; "she wants to see if +I look like a vain boaster, or one she could trust. Well, I hope I don't +disappoint her, that's all." + +Any one who knew Elmer Chenowith well could have assured that anxious +mother she could place the most implicit trust in a boy built after his +type; his word was as good as his bond any day in his home town; and +that is where they know a boy best of all. + +Pretty soon they sighted a cabin through the trees. Smoke was coming +from the chimney, made of slabs, and hard mud that had gained the +consistency of cement by the drying process. Elmer smiled when he saw +that it was of the same blue consistency as the thin column that had +caught his attention on the preceding morning, and caused him to stroll +that way later on. Yes, and he could catch the incense of burning +hickory, than which there cannot be anything more delicious in the +nostrils of a real fire-worshipper such as Elmer. + +Their coming must have been noticed, for quickly a form appeared in the +open doorway. It was that of a small woman, evidently Conrad's mother, +for the boy quickly waved his violin toward her, and called out +joyously: + +"Here he is, mother; I've brought Elmer home with me to meet you, just +as I promised I would!" + +She greeted the scout warmly, and asked him inside where it was cool, +out of the sun. Elmer felt rather than saw her eyes fixed eagerly on his +face. Apparently Conrad's mother must have been more than satisfied with +what she saw there, for she looked very contented, and even happy. + +They were soon chatting as though the best of friends. Elmer told her +about his home, and how he felt positive there were several well-to-do +people in the town, lovers of good music, who would, if only they could +hear Conrad play, be delighted to make up a generous purse and see that +the grandson of so famous a man as Ovid Anderson was placed under the +proper teacher in New York. + +He also told about the father of one of his comrades having sent a girl +abroad to have her voice cultivated, and how after she came to sing in +opera, and turned out to be a great star, she had insisted on returning +every cent he had expended on her, so that he might pass it along to +some other poor girl or boy who had the gift of music, without the +opportunity to accomplish results through lack of means. + +Elmer was too wise to mention that name of Snodgrass when telling this; +he feared that it might be too much like flaunting a red flag before a +bull; for if Mrs. Shock shared Jem's antipathy for the Snodgrass clan, +she would likely decline to let Conrad profit by such generosity. + +It was plain to be seen that what he said interested her greatly. She +told him more or less of her hopes and fears concerning the prodigy over +whose future such clouds of uncertainty hung. Elmer sympathized with +her, too, and quite won her heart by his manner; but then that was not +an unusual thing with the scout leader, who by Nature had been gifted +with a winning way that gained him hosts of loyal friends. + +A little to the boy's surprise, too, she even ventured to speak of +herself. Naturally she must have guessed that his curiosity would be +aroused on finding the daughter of a famous man mated with one whom +people deigned to look down on, and even shun, though, for that matter, +Jem Shock wanted none of their society. + +"They do not know him as Conrad and I do," she went on, hastily, after +introducing the subject of her own accord. "I first met him away up in +the mountains. After my father died, and the property was taken from me +through an error in his will, I taught school for some years to gain a +living. Then, one fall when I was in the Adirondacks, it chanced that a +dreadful forest fire swept down from every side. I was caught in the +midst of it, and I had given up all hope of surviving; when _he_ came +and took me up in his arms. Somehow I seemed to feel that all would be +well. Oh! how strong he was, and how he braved every sort of peril in +order to carry me safely through. It was then and there that my heart +went out to him. And afterwards we were married. He has always been the +same to me, tender and kind; though latterly his life has been soured +through the treachery of one whom he trusted." + +She stopped there, sighed, and looked sad. Elmer would have liked very +much to know how they came to be there near Raccoon Bluff, which, by a +strange twist of Fate, had recently come into the possession of the very +man against whom Jem Shock believed he had such a grievance. It was too +delicate a subject, however, for him to attempt to handle; she must tell +him, if at all, through her own volition, Elmer concluded. + +But somehow it did him good to hear such fine things said of the rough +Jem; for it coincided with his belief that one cannot always tell from +the exterior what may be within the shell. If only now Rufus could +discover that it had all been a grievous mistake, and that his father +would give anything to make amends for the unfortunate past, how +delightful things would be. + +So Elmer, as he continued to talk with the little lady--for she was that +in every sense, although her dress may have been of the cheapest +material, and there was a painful lack of many comforts in her modest +cabin home--came to know her as well as if he had met her long before. +Glimpses of her life, her hopes and fears were constantly passing before +his mental observation; and he was more than glad now that he had taken +that notion to walk in the direction of the blue smoke wreaths eddying +upward in the lazy morning air several miles distant. + +Conrad had put his beloved violin carefully away. It could be seen that +his whole heart was tied up in that precious instrument. Elmer, +remembering the dispute he had had with unbelieving George, asked about +the violin, and whether it was really the former possession of the lad's +famous grandfather. + +"Yes, that is true," she told him, sighing again. "He used it all of his +last years of playing. It shared some of his most wonderful triumphs, +and he loved it as the apple of his eye. It is a genuine Stradivarius +instrument. I could have sold it for thousands of dollars, since it had +once been his means of fascinating untold myriads of music lovers; but +that would have killed me. It is all I have left to remember him by; and +besides, something told me when Conrad came that he was destined to +inherit the talent." + +Just then Elmer saw the boy spring down from his seat close beside his +mother. At the same time he heard the sound of a heavy footfall, and +guessed what that meant. Jem Shock was coming home. How would he greet +one of the boys from the camp where that son of the man he had such +cause for hating held forth? Elmer stood up. If he felt the least tremor +in the region of his heart, he certainly gave no sign of this, for his +face was wreathed in one of his most genial smiles as he waited for the +poacher to appear. + +Then a form darkened the open doorway, and with a shout Conrad rushed +forward, to be gathered up in the arms of Jem Shock, and held tight to +his breast. And seeing this Elmer somehow could not doubt but that it +was all bound to come out right in the end, no matter what clouds might +drift across the sky meanwhile. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WHEN THE STORM BROKE + + +WHEN Jem Shock discovered that he and his wife and boy were not alone in +the cabin his manner instantly changed. Elmer saw the heavy brow knit, +as though in sudden suspicion. He remembered that this man distrusted +all his fellows, and that he had even defied the majesty of the law with +regard to shooting wild game out of season, as well as catching fish by +methods called illegal. + +His manner of life would make him scan with suspicious eyes any stranger +who came to his isolated cabin home, and who might just as well as not +be some clever game warden, bent on securing evidence that would convict +him. + +"This is Elmer, and he is the good friend who promised to see that I got +a chance to play my violin the proper way," said Conrad, with a dignity +that would well have become a grown man. + +As he spoke, he took the young scout-master by the hand and led him a +pace or two forward. Elmer tried to be most cordial. He wanted to win +the good will of this man, for many reasons. First, there was Conrad, +and his possible brilliant future, if his amazing genius could be placed +under the fostering care of a master. Then there was Elmer's belief that +Jem had been badly treated by the whims of Fortune, and possibly the +greed of some man; he needed a friend if ever any one did. + +So Elmer held out his hand as he advanced. He also smiled warmly, as if +to chase away that look of distrust he could see gathering on Jem's +strong face. + +"We have met before, Jem, on the road, while our party was on the way up +here," he went on to say in as cordial a tone as he could muster. "You +remember I said then I hoped to see something more of you, and invited +you to stop in and have a cup of coffee with us, in case you happened to +be passing our camp. And now that I have made the acquaintance of Conrad +and your good wife, I hope we can be friends, Jem." + +The man still continued to frown. Under his heavy eyebrows he was +looking keenly at the speaker. Elmer's manner was surely enough to +disarm suspicion; and doubtless he would have quite won the man over +then and there only for one thing. This was the presence of a boy in the +party bearing that unfortunate name of Snodgrass; and which seemed to +represent everything that was evil, in the estimation of the poacher. + +So Jem did not make the first move to take the extended hand. If he had +suspected the other to be ready to suddenly snap a pair of handcuffs on +his wrists, he could not have held more aloof. + +"I'm not making friends with anybody these days," he managed to mutter, +"leastways when they are so thick with the son of the man who sold me +out and left me high and dry on the bank." + +"But the rest of us never heard of you before, Jem; and even Rufus says +it must be some terrible mistake, because his father would never do such +a mean trick, even if he is a real-estate operator. But, Jem, I want to +be friends with you just because of Conrad here. It would be a burning +shame if he didn't get his chance to prove that his grandfather's talent +is running in his blood. I am sure that I'll be able to interest some +really good people, all of them lovers of the best music, in Conrad; and +that arrangements can be made to put him under the charge of a leading +teacher, who will see that he has a chance to thrill the world, when he +grows older." + +The man's face lighted up for just a brief interval. Perhaps he had +dreamed of some day seeing Conrad the centre of a madly applauding +throng of well-dressed people, who would be ready to crown the lad as +the greatest genius of the decade. Then the old doubts returned again, +and he scowled darkly. + +"We may be poor," he said bitterly, "which isn't my fault, but my +misfortune; yet we're not paupers; and even to see my boy snatch the +prize he deserves I wouldn't beg money from any living man or woman. +I'll die before I accept _charity_. If I had my just dues there would be +plenty of money to fix Conrad out; as it is he must wait, and take his +chance." + +"But, Jem, this wouldn't be charity," Elmer insisted, earnestly. "It +could be done on strictly business principles, a bargain being made in +black and white, so that a record of the expense might be kept; and +after Conrad began to earn big money, he could gradually return the loan +to those kind friends who had been so deeply interested in his fortunes. +Don't shut him out from his only chance, Jem, just because one man may +have injured you. There are other kinds of people in this world, +kind-hearted people who are always looking for an opportunity to help +struggling genius. Oh! please don't decide in a hurry. Think it over, +talk it over with your wife here before you turn the offer down; because +it is given in good faith, Jem." + +Mrs. Shock listened, and her eyes grew moist. She apparently did not +think it wise to interfere while a stranger was present, but Elmer +believed her influence was bound to be thrown in favor of the +proposition. Therefore he did not quite despair, though the poacher +continued to shake his head, and keep his teeth firmly clenched, after +the manner of a stubborn man who has made up his mind, and against whom +all power cannot prevail. + +You see, Elmer, young though he may have been, was somewhat of a +philosopher. He knew that gentle influence may sometimes accomplish much +more than the most sturdy strength. He had never forgotten the moral of +that old story about the traveler who was trudging along a country road, +when the two rival elements, the Sun and the Wind, entered into a heated +argument as to which might be the more powerful, and determined to test +their assertions upon the devoted head of the pilgrim. So the wind blew +harder and harder, but only had the effect of making the traveler draw +his cloak tighter about him. Then the sun has his turn, and began to +warm up to his task, until the almost baked man was glad to throw off +his cloak, which result gave the victory to the heavenly orb. + +And so perhaps the gentle but persuasive influence of Conrad's mother +might in the end prevail against the wild gusts of the man's anger. +Elmer at least would continue to hug that hope to his heart. + +He saw that his continued presence would do no further good. It were +perhaps better that he took himself off, and allowed the seed he had +sown to germinate. Time can often work wonders, and the look Mrs. Shock +gave him somehow further aroused his confidence that all might yet be +well. + +So he said he would be going, and the last he saw of them Conrad was +waving his hand in farewell, while his mother nodded her head +significantly. As for Jem, he continued to stand there looking glum, as +though a riot of thoughts might be holding high carnival in his brain, +the old suspicion and hatred for mankind engaged in a desperate conflict +with newly awakened hopes. + +Elmer made his way back to camp, and arrived long before noon came, so +that he had plenty of time to rest and think over the situation. He +wondered whether he had succeeded in making any progress by his +morning's expedition. He had met Jem, for one thing, and told him how +much he was interested in Conrad's playing. Yes, Elmer concluded that +the game he meant to play had been advanced more or less since the +coming of another day. + +The surveyors came trooping into camp along about noon, heated and +tired. Rufus was apparently getting quite enough of that hard work, for +the time being. Besides, he admitted that he had gone sufficiently far +by then to make sure that the previous survey had been a failure, and +that the job would have to be done over again in order to get the right +lines. + +Elmer was not sorry to hear him say that, and for several reasons. First +of all, he wanted the tenderfeet to have further opportunities for +picking up more or less useful knowledge of woodcraft, while in camp; +and this could not be done if most of their time was spent in using +those instruments, and worrying about backing new lines through the +thickets and swamps that beset their course. + +Then again Elmer did not like the looks of the weather. It was beginning +to act suspiciously, as though a big storm might be brewing. The sun +still shone up there in the sky, and both Rufus and Alec only thought it +insufferably hot; but to one more experienced in such things, there was +a deeper meaning in the heavy atmosphere, the strange silence on the +part of birds and smaller animals, and the peculiar bank of clouds that +lay low along the distant southwestern horizon. + +Lil Artha sensed danger, too, for he spoke of it as they were eating +lunch. + +"Perhaps, Elmer," was the way he put it, "we'd be sensible if we took an +extra reef or two in our sail this afternoon, while we have the chance. +An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, I always did +believe; and scouts are taught that it's wise in time of peace to +prepare for war." + +"Hey! what's all this talk mean?" demanded the bewildered Rufus. "To +hear you, Lil Artha, a fellow would think we had something terrible +hanging over our heads. It must be you're prognosticating a _storm_, but +I don't see what makes you think that, when the sun never shone +brighter. Do the birds carry the secret, and have you fellows found a +way to understand their lingo?" + +"Well, in a way that's correct, too, Rufus," chuckled the lanky scout. +"When you get on familiar terms with everything that lives in the woods, +you can tell a heap. It does seem that insects, birds and animals are +given instinct in place of reasoning powers. So the squirrel knows when +it promises to be a severe winter, and he lays in an extra big store of +nuts. And in the same way something warns these little creatures when a +storm is coming, although human beings see no sign. Well, from the +change that's taken place all around us we scouts can give a good guess +that these same birds and insects are making ready for trouble; and it's +bound to come from that quarter yonder, where you can see a bank of dark +clouds hugging the horizon." + +"But, Lil Artha," protested Alec, strenuously, "I noticed yon bank o' +clouds mair nor two hours back, and I gie ye my word it hasn't moved a +wee bit in a' that time." + +"Oh! that's often the way a storm comes along," the other assured him, +in a positive fashion, as though he had no doubt concerning the accuracy +of his prediction. "Clouds will lie low for half a day, and then +suddenly with a shift of the wind spread out over the whole heavens like +magic. I promise you that before two hours have gone by you'll be +stopping your ears with your fingers so's to shut out the crash of +thunder." + +Of course, as both Elmer and George seemed to agree with what Lil Artha +said--and it was really wonderful to have "Doubting George" let an +opportunity to object pass him by, the greenhorns had to believe what +they heard. + +When lunch had been disposed of, Elmer gave orders that set the whole +five working to improve the security of the camp. Extra pegs were driven +deep down so as to hold the tent more firmly; and some bits of strong +rope were also brought into play with this same end in view. + +Rufus could not restrain his amusement, and finally burst out with: + +"Well, from the way you're carrying on, fellows, it must be you expect a +regular old hurricane to break loose in this region. I guess it would +take a whole lot of wind to tear that tent loose from its moorings now. +Besides, we're sheltered somewhat by those trees over yonder." + +"Wait and see, that's all," warned Lil Artha, not one whit abashed. +"You've never been caught in a big storm, and so you can't know how the +wind tears at a tent as if it had a special spite against the canvas. +I've seen more'n one tent carried away like a big balloon, and lodged +far up in a tree. This is only following out the scout rule of +preparedness. It's better to err on the side of safety, Rufus; just +remember that as you pass along the road. It's no sign of timidity to +get ready for trouble; the wisest of business men always insure their +property, and when the storm comes they weather it, where the more +reckless go to the wall." + +"That's sound logic, Lil Artha," commented Elmer, smiling to hear the +other give such splendid advice; for, as a rule, the lengthy scout was a +bit inclined toward that same recklessness himself. + +In many other ways did they prepare for the coming storm, particularly +in seeing that a small stock of wood was placed so that it might be kept +dry; since they might be glad of a fire later on. Their stock of +provisions, too, had to be provided for; and Rufus also covered the old +car with a tarpaulin which he had fetched along for that purpose. + +During the last half hour of work even the most skeptical found himself +forced to admit that there was no longer any doubt about the approach of +bad weather. As the dark bank of clouds advanced up the heavens the +birds again made their appearance, and flew wildly about, uttering +warning cries that impressed Rufus visibly. + +Then they began to hear distant muttering of heavy thunder that was soon +causing a distinctly felt vibration of the earth under their feet. The +wind had entirely ceased, and there seemed to be an ominous calm upon +Nature. Rufus and Alec had an apprehensive expression on their faces as +they waited for further developments. + +"Don't you think it might be safer over among the trees than here, +Elmer?" asked Rufus at one time, after the thunder had temporarily died +away. + +"Not on your life!" burst out Lil Artha, taking it on himself to answer. +"If the gale gets half as severe as I expect, you'll hear trees crashing +down like toothpicks. It'd be all your life was worth to be caught in +the woods then. An experienced hand might manage to escape, but often +the best of them get caught under a falling tree and killed outright. +That's one reason why we built our camp away from all trees but this +dwarf one that isn't apt to go down, and serves as a sort of wind-break, +you see. But listen, everybody!" + +A distant but terrifying sound stole to their ears. The lack of a +movement in the atmosphere had prevented them from catching it sooner. + +"Is that the storm coming?" asked Rufus, trying to keep his voice +steady, though there was a distinct quaver to it, despite his efforts. + +"Yes, that's the wind, and back of it is the first burst of rain," +advised Elmer. "It will be on us in a jiffy now, so we'd better get +inside, and lace the opening up. We faced the tent to the north +purposely, you see, because we knew that any storm at this time of year +was likely to jump out of the southwest." + +Hardly had they made the flap secure when the gale broke upon them. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SCOTCH BLOOD + + +AMONG other things, Lil Artha had seen to it that a pot of coffee was +made ready just before he scattered the fire, and put out the last +ember. This would keep warm for a long time, and they could manage to +make out a supper with some of the things that would not need cooking. + +With a rush and a roar the storm burst upon them. Wildly did the stout +tent sway as the wind broke against it. Rufus understood speedily enough +why the scout comrades who had had experience went to so much extra +pains to fasten it so securely. There were lots of times when, despite +all the precautions, he feared the canvas could never hold out against +that terrible wind that made playthings of forest monarchs, and seemed +capable of sweeping everything from its path. + +Never, so long as they lived, would the two tenderfoot scouts forget +that night; it would always be marked with a white stone in their minds, +such were the tortures they endured. Often Rufus would half squirm to +his knees, his face turned pale with apprehension, as he clutched the +sleeve of Elmer or Lil Artha's coat, in deadly fear that the worst was +about to happen. + +The rain descended in torrents, and the lightning flashed in a way to +fairly cause them to shut their blinded eyes; while terrific bursts of +thunder rocked the ground and made them think a salvo from the heaviest +guns known to modern warfare was being fired. + +So the time dragged wearily along, hour after hour. No one dreamed of +trying to snatch a wink of sleep while this din was going on. They sat +there, glad to know that, thanks to the admirable way in which the heavy +canvas had been waterproofed, and the addition of a fly over the tent, +they were able to keep the rain out. Of course a small amount did seep +under certain portions of the tent, despite all their precautions, and +the drain that had been dug above to carry the flood off; but they were +able to keep pretty dry, all things considered. + +With the storm came a cool air that chilled them to the bone. They had a +couple of lanterns, one of which was kept lighted all the time, and this +enabled them to see what was going on. Lil Artha set a good example, +after night came on, by wrapping his warm blanket about his shoulders, +as he sat there Indian fashion. Rufus was indeed glad to copy this +example, and found it well worth while for the additional comfort he +secured thereby; and in the end all of them did the same thing. + +Every now and then they heard awe-inspiring sounds that Lil Artha told +the tenderfeet were produced by falling trees. Each crash gave Rufus +cause for a fresh shiver; he could not help thinking of what he had +proposed concerning their being likely to find more safety if they took +up their station under the forest growth. He was glad now in every atom +of his being that those more experienced scouts had frowned down upon +such a silly proposition. + +Along about midnight, however, Elmer discovered positive signs that the +worst was over. His announcement brought a feeling of relief to Rufus +and Alec; indeed, even Lil Artha was heard to give expression to his +gratitude. George, however, grumbled, as was his habit of old. + +"Tough luck, that's what I call it, fellows," he went on, as though +wholly disgusted with the freaks of the weather. "Why couldn't this old +storm have held off till we got back home again? What business did it +have coming down on us right in the midst of our camping? Why, we +haven't begun to enjoy ourselves much yet; it's been all work so far; +and now everything's going to be soaking wet, the mud'll bother us, and +like as not a second rain'll follow the first. Things pretty nearly +always do happen in threes, you notice." + +"Oh! well, we're all alive, George, for one thing," Lil Artha told the +grumbler. "And we've still got heaps and heaps of good stuff to eat +along. Things might have been a whole lot worse than this, let me tell +you." + +"Huh! I can't just see that," continued the other, though in a fainter +tone, as if really half ashamed of his complaining manner; which had +become second nature with George, so that he often spoke in that way +without thinking how badly it sounded. + +"If only this terrible storm will stop, all would be forgiven," said +Rufus. "We may get a few winks of sleep yet before dawn comes. And I +guess the ground will dry up pretty well by noon. Besides, I'm done +creeping through the woods and among the thickets, trying to follow +those slashes made by the fake surveyors. We can lie around camp here, +until it's fit to go abroad." + +"Spoken like a true scout, Rufus," Elmer told him, encouragingly. +"That's what a fellow ought to learn the first thing after he dons the +khaki--that things are never so bad but what they might be worse. George +here never did learn his lesson in the right way, more's the pity. If +you keep on, Rufus, you'll be a better specimen of a true scout than +George is today, with all his experience." + +George did not say anything, but Elmer hoped the seed might have fallen +on fallow ground, so that it would take root and grow; for there were +times when, like most of the other fellows in the Hickory Ridge Troop, +he did get mightily tired of hearing the remarks of a natural-born +"croaker," as Lil Artha called the other. + +But Elmer was right when he said the backbone of the storm had been +broken. Inside of another half hour even Rufus was fain to admit that +the thunder had lost considerable of its fierceness, while even the +flashes of lightning came less frequently, nor were they so vivid as +before. + +"The rain has stopped, fellows!" announced Lil Artha, as he sidled along +over to one side of the tent, and cautiously began to undo the securely +fastened flap; after which he thrust his head out so as to take an +observation. + +When he drew back again the others eagerly awaited his report. + +"Why, the clouds are breaking, and I even saw a star right overhead," +announced the tall member of the little party, enthusiastically; "which +proves that the end of the concert is close by. That last thunder-clap +was some distance away. Guess we may be getting a little snooze inside +of another half hour. For one I'm going to hunt out a dry place and make +ready." + +There was considerable of a scurry on the part of everybody, with this +end in view. Rufus was heard to wish most ardently that he had still +another blanket to huddle under, for that night air, after the violent +battle of the elements, seemed to be very chilly and piercing, since +they could not enjoy the luxury of a fire. + +Nevertheless, in spite of all this, when another hour had crept along +all of the boys were sound asleep. No longer did the harsh voice of the +thunder disturb them; and the fitful glow of lightning came from far +off. The lantern had been extinguished, for they might need what small +allowance of kerosene they had fetched along with them; and therefore +darkness reigned within the sheltering tent. + +They had some hours of sleep before morning found them stirring. There +was more or less disinclination to be the first out, but Lil Artha +proved to be the martyr and presently the crackle of a fire tempted +Rufus and Alec forth; while even that sly old fox, George, opened one +eye, and began to sniff the air, as though he fancied he had gotten the +first whiff of sweet bacon frying in the pan. + +Elmer had been close upon the heels of Lil Artha, of course, and between +the two of them some of the ravages of the storm in the camp had been +repaired long before the rest put in an appearance. + +A warm and bountiful breakfast seemed to put new animation in them all. +Even that born grumbler, George, admitted the sun did shine "fairly +well," and that coffee, bacon and flapjacks with syrup, all served +lavishly as regarded quantity, made life worth living again. + +"I don't believe I was ever so hungry as this morning," Rufus candidly +declared, as he gulped down his third cup of coffee, and eyed the last +flapjack as if tempted to gorge himself, though already as full as +prudence dictated. + +"That's because so far in life you've lived on Easy Street," Lil Artha +told him, "and never have known what it meant to miss a single meal. +Some of us have gone a day without a bite, and we know how it goes on an +empty stomach. I warrant you right now some woods animals are feeling +that way too, because they couldn't get around last night as usual." + +It was strange that this casual remark on the part of Lil Artha should +be fully confirmed before a great while had passed, and in a most +convincing fashion. + +Alec chanced to be the one fated to bring the thing about. None of them +meant to wander away from camp until noon had come, and the warm sun had +had a chance to dry things out; but being a little restless, and, +moreover, inspired with a desire to ascertain if any of those ill-fated +trees had fallen close to the camp, he picked up a heavy walking stick +and stepped out. + +"Be sure you don't go farther than you can hear Lil Artha chopping with +the ax," cautioned Elmer, seeing him about to take a stroll; "and if you +fail to catch any sound, or need help, just give a whoop. We'll answer +right away." + +"Hoot, mon," said the Scotch lad, a bit sarcastically, "d'ye ken I've +cut me eye-teeth the while as a scout? I'm observing all aboot me, and +I find it mair interesting than I ever believed could be possible. I'm +o'er glad now I made up my mind to join the troop. Now I'll gang awa' +and be verra careful. And if some fearsome beastie jumps up in front o' +me ye'll hear me shout at the tap o' my voice." + +He went away, still laughing, as though he thought it a good joke. Lil +Artha continued to ply his ax industriously, meaning to lay by a good +store of firewood while at the job; though Elmer warned him that task +should really fall to the greenhorns, since neither of them seemed to be +much of a cook, and it was only fair the various duties about the camp +should be impartially shared alike by all the party. + +Hardly had ten minutes passed when the four by the fire heard a shout. +Elmer instantly answered it, thinking, of course, that as Lil Artha had +dropped his ax Alec wanted some sound to serve as a guide to locating +the camp. To the astonishment, and also consternation of the others, +they heard the Scotch lad calling: + +"Here's a hungry cat facing me, and growling like everything. Aye, but +he's wild to get at me, and I don't know just what a braw scout should +do under the circumstances. Shall I gi'e the gillie a rap o'er the head +wi' me stick; or beat a retreat like a wise general? I'm no' so taken +wi' his looks I confess that I'm wishin' to make his further +acquaintance. Hey; ye would bite me, eh? Tak' that, then, and learn +better manners!" + +Elmer snatched up another stick, while Lil Artha darted over to the tent +and immediately reappeared bearing his trusty Marlin. They knew what it +meant to be attacked by an angry bobcat, even if it was far in the +morning, and these animals usually hide during the better part of the +day, preferring the shades of night for their prowling. + +Even as the pair started toward the spot, followed in turn by George and +Rufus, as soon as the others could manage to find some sort of crude +weapon, they heard a most terrific crashing going on. There were also +short cries, now of pain and again of momentary triumph, to tell how +Alec was progressing in his task of beating off the savage attack of the +hungry wildcat. + +There was no trouble in locating the spot where all this disturbance was +taking place; the scuffling of Alec's feet, his jerky cries, and now and +then a plainly heard snarl from the enraged cat led them as truly as the +magnetic needle of the mariner's compass points out the North Star. + +When they finally came in sight of the little woods drama they were +thrilled to see how the brave Scotch lad managed to keep his four-footed +enemy at bay by means of his clever strokes with his stick. Even as they +looked he gave the beast a good blow upon the head that rolled it over; +but instantly the cat was on its feet once more, and leaping at him. +The performance was repeated, with the same result; but in case Alec +failed in his stroke, he stood a good chance of having the animal land +on his breast, when its claws and teeth would do terrible damage. + +"Get the beast, Lil Artha!" cried Elmer, seeing that even their bursting +on the scene did not appear to intimidate the enraged feline adversary +that Alec was battling with. + +He had hardly given the word than a report sounded. Lil Artha had once +been quite a smart hunter, though of late his ambition to excel along +those lines had waned. On this occasion his aim was particularly true, +for the cat was seen to be writhing on the ground, as though fatally +injured. Lil Artha immediately ran up and dispatched the dying beast +with several blows from a stone; for although a hunter by instinct, Lil +Artha could not be cruel and see anything needlessly suffer. + +"I sure hated to have to do it the worst kind," he told Elmer, as he +looked down at the now quiet beast, ferocious even in death, "because I +reckon now she's got kits somewhere near by, which was what made her act +so savage like. She smelled the food in camp, and was sneaking around in +hopes of stealing something, when Alec, he chanced to run across her, +and I guess waved his stick in a way she didn't just like. But I had to +shoot her, and you thought the same, Elmer, you know." + +"Yes, it couldn't be helped," the scout-master told him, "and besides, a +fellow need hardly ever be ashamed of making way with a wildcat, because +they are mighty destructive to all game. Why, this one beast would, in +the course of a year, devour more young partridges, quail, rabbits and +squirrels than half a dozen human hunters. And besides, I was afraid she +might get inside Alec's guard, though he did swing that stick of his in +great fashion." + +"A few scratches is all the beastie managed to gi'e me," admitted the +still panting Alec, and then, as he looked down on his now quiet +adversary, he shook his head, continuing: "faith I tauld ye to tak +yersil' awa' and leave me alone, but ye knew best. I'm awfu' sorry ye +had to be kilt, but it was no fault o' mine." + +Elmer and Lil Artha exchanged satisfied glances. They both felt that for +a tenderfoot, Alec had proven a credit to the troop, and this was +encouraging. After all, this outing seemed bound to be the making of a +couple of embryo scouts; it would bring out whatever good qualities they +possessed, and show what sort of foundation there might be for their +immediate future. + +"Come back to camp with me right away, Alec," Elmer told the other, who +was still curiously examining the dead cat, especially interested in +its savage looking claws and the cruel teeth that were exposed in the +snarl that death had set upon its face. "I want to take a look at those +same little scratches you mention. They may appear harmless enough, but +many a fine hunter has died from such simple things." + +Of course Alec was astounded. He stared hard at his hands, and shook his +head in a skeptical way. + +"I ha'e nae doot but that ye knaw best, Elmer," he finally said, "but +would ye tell me the noo how such a wee bit o' scratches could mean so +much?" + +"Blood poisoning is apt to set in," explained the other, readily enough, +as he locked arms with the Scotch lad and hurried him off toward the +camp. "You see, carnivorous animals that live upon the flesh of their +prey are apt to have their claws contaminated. Even a slight abrasion +caused by those claws is impregnated with just so much danger. Nothing +might come of it; but scouts believe in taking as little chances as +possible. I've got a phial of permanganate of potash along for just such +purposes, and we'll daub some of it on. You'll resemble a wild Indian +with the splotches, for it stains a deep purple, but safety first before +looks." + +Indeed, Alec did look rather odd after his several slight injuries had +been duly attended to, for Elmer did not spare the "painting." + +"I wish me mither could see me the noo," chuckled the Scotch boy, after +he had surveyed his mottled appearance in a tiny hand mirror one of them +had been thoughtful enough to fetch along. "Ye ken, she's often tauld me +aboot the Highland chiefs in their war-paint in the gude auld days of +lang syne. I warran ye she'd think her son and heir had copied after the +McGregor, Rob Roy, ye remimber, our outlaw ancestor." + +Lil Artha was to fetch along the defunct wildcat, for it was designed to +save the skin, and present it, when properly tanned, to Alec, who could +use it in his den at home for a small mat. Every time he looked down at +it he must be forcibly reminded of his stirring adventure, and it would +serve to encourage him in his endeavor to become a first-class scout. + +It was perhaps half an hour afterwards that Elmer heard voices, and +looking toward the spot where Lil Artha had been working with the pelt +of the bobcat, he was both surprised and thrilled to discover that the +long-legged scout was talking with a small party in whom Elmer +immediately recognized Conrad Shock! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A CALL FOR HELP + + +"WHAT'S this mean?" Elmer heard George saying, which proved that the +other had also discovered Conrad's presence. "I reckon that must be your +Boy Wonder with the fiddle and the bow, Elmer. Now, whatever brought him +away over here to visit us, do you think? Perhaps his folks don't know +that scouts are at home in the woods, no matter what sort of gay storm +crops up. Mebbe now they were afraid some of us had suffered. Well, it +was nice of them to send a messenger, anyhow." + +But Elmer was disposed to view the matter differently. He could see that +there was a look of considerable apprehension visible on the peaked face +of Conrad. Elmer scented some kind of trouble at once. The boy had +sought them out, possibly sent with a message by his mother. + +Lil Artha had entirely suspended operations with the pelt which he had +been engaged in fastening to a crude but effective stretching board, +fashioned after the directions he had received from the old scientist +and trapper some of the boys had visited a while before.[B] + +Lil Artha loved good music, in which he differed from George. Hence he +had felt considerable interest in all Elmer told them about Conrad being +the direct descendant of the famous violinist, Ovid Anderson, of whom he +had often heard. He was in truth quite eager himself to hear the child +play, though ready to take Elmer's word for it that Conrad was the +possessor of wonderful genius. + +As Elmer hastened toward the spot Lil Artha looked around and discovered +him. + +"Hi! here's your young friend come to hunt you up, Elmer!" he called +out. "He is just telling me that his mother sent him. I hope now there's +nothing gone wrong over at their place. If we can do anything, of course +we'd be only too willing." + +The boy shot him a look of gratitude at hearing Lil Artha say this. Then +he turned eagerly toward Elmer. + +"Mother sent me over to see you," he went on to say in a voice that +quivered a little despite his manly effort to control his feelings. + +"I hope she isn't sick, Conrad?" ventured the scout-master, anxiously. + +"No, it's father," the boy said after he had gulped several times. "You +see, he hasn't come home; and we're so afraid something dreadful has +happened to him." + +Elmer looked doubly concerned. + +"Do you mean he was away from home during that awful storm last night?" +he went on to ask. + +The other nodded his head, and then managed to explain further. Even the +proximity of Elmer seemed to have already done him much good; for there +was a certain atmosphere connected with the resolute scout-leader that +inspired the utmost confidence. + +"He started to go to the lake that is farthest away, for there are two +small ones, you may not know," Conrad explained. "He had some set lines +there that needed attention, and we wanted the fish for eating, too. But +father backed out once, for he said he had wrenched his leg and felt a +little lame. But in the end he decided to start, though mother didn't +just like him to go." + +"About what time was that, Conrad?" asked Elmer, in his methodical way, +eager to grasp the full details so he could figure out the answer. + +"Just about an hour before the storm came along," the boy told him. +"Father said he believed it would hold off long enough for him to get +there and back, but his leg must have kept him from walking as fast as +he generally does. So the storm broke, and we kept watching through the +window when we could see anything, for the rain and the flying leaves. +But night came, and oh! what a night we had, mother and I. It never +seemed to end. I did fall asleep somehow, but I don't believe she once +shut her eyes--poor mother." + +Elmer was fearful of the worst. A sturdy man like Jem Shock, accustomed +to buffeting the rough storms to be met with in the woods of a summer, +was not likely to stay away from those he loved unless something +terrible had happened to him. Elmer shivered as he remembered those +dreadful crashes in the depth of the forest, each signaling the collapse +of some mighty tree that had breasted the gales of a century, perhaps, +only to meet its fate in the end. + +"And then your mother thought we might help find your father, did she?" +asked the sympathetic Lil Artha; while the others crowded around, +listening with white faces to the conversation; for even the two +tenderfeet could realize how serious the conditions must prove to be. + +"Yes, that is why I am here," said the manly little fellow, whose +correct manner of speech astonished Lil Artha, himself apt to be more or +less "slangy," and even ungrammatical, in his careless boyish way. "She +knew of no one else close by to turn to; and Elmer was so kind, she +said. Oh! please come with me, and help find father. We are afraid that +he was caught under one of the falling trees; or he may have tripped in +the darkness, with that lame leg giving way under him, and fallen into +some terrible hole." + +Elmer's mind was of course made up on the instant. Indeed, such an +appeal never came to a scout camp without being immediately accepted; +for every fellow who so proudly wears the khaki has it implanted in his +heart that he must eagerly grasp such golden opportunities to prove his +worth, and be of assistance to those who are in distress. + +Elmer knew, too, that he could depend on his comrades to back him up. +Lil Artha, of course, must go along, for the tall scout's excellence as +a tracker was well known, and this might come in very handy before their +end was accomplished. + +Then it would be of more or less benefit to the tenderfeet to have a +share in his rescue work; Elmer hailed the opportunity to increase their +fund of woodcraft knowledge with eagerness. They could pick up more +valuable points through practical experience than by means of any books +or technical advice. + +As for George, he must stay by the camp. Elmer remembered just then that +George had been limping, more or less, and complained of having stubbed +his toe since breakfast. Then it would be best for him not to walk so +far, or he might be lamed for the balance of their stay in camp. + +The scout-master quickly explained his plan of campaign. George, of +course, frowned at first, and took on the look of a martyr; but then +that was his customary way, and Elmer paid very little attention to it +except to say that "a stitch in time saves nine"; and that George might +thank his lucky stars he did not _have_ to go along, but could rest +himself, and let that injured foot have a chance to get well again. + +Conrad was wild for them to get started, and so Elmer lost as little +time as possible. Before he went, however, he made sure to carry along +with him several things he thought might be needed in case they found +Jem with a broken leg--he only hoped it would be no worse than that, for +many a man had had his back broken by the fall of a tree. + +"Lil Artha, be sure not to forget the camp ax," he called out. + +Of course that excited the curiosity of the two greenhorns, and seeing +the look of bewilderment which they exchanged, Elmer took occasion to +explain just a little. + +"If Jem has been badly hurt in any way, and lies several miles away from +home," Elmer told them, "we would want to make some sort of stretcher so +as to carry him back to his cabin. A hatchet or an ax is indispensable +under such conditions; and you may have a chance to see just how it's +done." + +George saw them go away with a wry face, for he did not like to be +cheated out of any pleasure; still, when he stepped around and found how +his foot hurt if he made any unusual exertion, he must have realized on +second thoughts that Elmer knew best. + +Elmer had an idea at first of getting Conrad to head toward home, when +they were well upon the trail leading toward the lake, and which the boy +had said he could show them. Upon suggesting such a thing, however, he +immediately met with a prompt refusal. + +"No, mother told me to take you to the second lake, and I shall," Conrad +said firmly. "Oh! I can stand much more than you would believe; I am +stronger than I look. And I have been over the trail with father, many +times. What does a few miles matter when father may be lying there, and +suffering terribly? Besides, mother depends on me to take you there. +What if you went alone and could not find it, for, you see, it is hidden +in the woods, and not at all easy to see if you haven't been over the +trail before. He might lie there for hours if that happened. So I must +go." + +Of course that settled it. Elmer could not have the heart to deny the +lad the privilege he demanded. Besides, he knew that on the whole it +would be much better for them to have some one along who was acquainted +with the lay of the land. They might go astray, experienced though two +of them were in the secrets of woodcraft; for confusing trails might +deceive them, especially after the storm had washed away Jem's late +footprints. + +And so they hurried along. Little Conrad walked as though eager to even +run; and more than once Elmer had to restrain the anxious lad. He saw +that Conrad was worked up to a feverish pitch that was not good for him; +and accordingly Elmer made it his business to try and reassure the +little fellow. + +"Depend on it we'll find your father, Conrad," he went on to say in that +steady tone of his that carried weight, and could soothe even the most +troubled breast like "balm of Gilead," as Lil Artha slily told Rufus, +trotting along at his side. "And the chances are a broken leg will be +the extent of his injuries. Why, he may not even be so badly off as +that, you know. Perhaps he was called on to help some other unfortunate +family in that storm, and has been held up on that account." + +But Conrad sadly shook his wise little head. He knew Elmer only meant to +encourage him; and that even he could have little hope such a strange +thing had happened. + +"Oh! I'd like to believe that, Elmer," he said, with half a sob, "but +there is no other family near enough for such a thing to happen. But I'm +still hoping for the best. Mother told me to keep thinking that way. She +will not believe he could be taken away from us while we need him so +much. Yes, we must find him, poor, poor father!" + +All this while they were heading in a certain direction that Elmer knew +would, in due time, unless they changed their course, take them to the +cabin in the clearing, where he had met Conrad's father and mother. + +Just as he expected, however, eventually the boy brought them to a halt. + +"See," he called out, as he pointed ahead, "there is where the trail +lies. One way is home, the other the first lake, with the second one +farther away. Now we must keep right on, and listen as we go. I shall +call out, too, ever so often, for if he hears my voice and can answer he +will let us know where he lies." + +As they started to follow what was a plain trail, every one had his +senses on the alert, expecting to make some sort of discovery sooner or +later. Rufus and the other tenderfoot scout were very much excited. It +was their first experience on missionary work, and it gripped their +hearts with an intensity they may never have felt before. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote B: See "The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts Storm-Bound."] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SCOUTS TO THE RESCUE + + +EVERY step they took now was carrying them on toward the twin lakes that +nestled amidst the woods and valleys, their presence really unsuspected +by the vast majority of people living in towns within thirty miles of +the place. Elmer himself was wild to try the fishing there, for he +fancied that the bass must be enormous fellows, and as gamey as could be +found anywhere. Lil Artha, too, would be sure to want to make more than +one trip across country, and spend a few hours casting in the almost +virgin waters in the solitudes where sportsmen had possibly seldom +invaded. + +Conrad kept up amazingly, but then it was love that gave him additional +strength, and Elmer knew full well what that could do for any one. Many +times they heard some slight sound that gave them a start, for their +nerves being on edge they imagined every such noise to be a feeble cry +for help. The snappy bark of a red squirrel as he clung head downward to +the lower trunk of a tree, and watched the intruders of his sacred +realm; the sudden cawing of a startled crow; the rasping cry of a +bluejay; or it might be the distant screech of an eagle poised above +some fish-hawk that had darted down and secured its dinner which the +bald-headed robber of the air would snatch away from him presently, +after a swift pursuit upwards--all these they heard, and many times did +one of the greenhorns ask to be told what it meant. + +Still nothing was seen or heard to indicate that Jem Shock had been +overtaken by a falling tree while on his way from the first lake. They +did come across several such overthrown monarchs of the forest that had +fallen close to the trail; and once the way was really blocked by a mass +of broken limbs, together with the heavy trunk of a tree that had come +crashing down. + +Conrad darted hastily forward before Elmer could interfere, and was +looking, oh, so eagerly, and with such an expression of anxiety, for any +sign to indicate that the dear one he sought might be lying under the +wreckage. + +"Father, father!" he called out, with such a plaintive ring to his voice +that Rufus felt something rising in his throat; while Alec McGregor +might have been seen to turn his head aside, and then violently blow his +nose, as though he had taken cold. + +But there was no response. Elmer and Lil Artha went all around the +fallen tree, and even crawled underneath the same to make positive that +Jem was not there. Finally even Conrad became assured as to this, for he +expressed an eagerness to once more go on. + +So they proceeded. From the lay of the land, and other signs that his +quick eye caught, Elmer guessed that they could not be far away from the +first lake. Perhaps he was guided somewhat in making this decision by +the sight of that fish-hawk or osprey, which he knew would be apt to +hover over a body of water, since it must obtain its whole sustenance +from the lakes. + +"What's that glistening in the sunlight yonder, Elmer?" suddenly asked +Alec, who, it seemed, possessed a pair of incredibly keen eyes. + +Lil Artha laughed. + +"That's one on us, Elmer," he remarked, "when a tenderfoot is the first +to discover the presence of water. I reckon now, Alec, you've got the +making of a pretty good scout in you, if you stick at it; and they do +say the Scotch are the most persevering chaps going. That's the lake, +the first one Conrad told us about, I should say." + +"Yes, that's the first one," hurriedly admitted the boy, "and we'll soon +reach its border. You will say that it's a lovely little sheet of water, +too. Father told me he had never set eyes on one that struck him as more +beautiful. And I love to sit and look out over it when the wind dimples +the surface, or it is so quiet that you can see a picture all along the +shore, with the trees reflected in the water like a big looking-glass." + +"Then we'll have to call it Mirror Lake," said Lil Artha, struck by the +wonderful poetic way in which the small boy described things, which may +in part have come to him through his mother. + +"Yes, that is what my mother calls it," Conrad instantly told him; "for +once she crossed over with me to see the water. We shall be there very +soon now, in less than ten minutes I think." + +Nothing further occurred to startle them during the balance of the time +that was consumed in covering the ground separating them from the shore +of the lake. When Elmer and his three comrades found themselves staring +out upon that wonderfully clear and altogether charming body of water, +they felt that words must fail to describe it and do justice. Elmer had +looked upon a good many pretty lakes, both large and small, but never +one the equal of this. + +As for Lil Artha, he knew now what would be occupying considerable of +his spare time during the balance of their stay in camp. Why, even as he +looked he could see big bass "break" here and there, as though they +might be feeding on flies, late though the season was. All the sporting +blood Lil Artha possessed was on fire at the sight. He had resolved to +give up much of his love for hunting, because of the change that had +taken place of late in his ideas concerning the cruelty of such sport; +but nothing would ever cause him to lose that eager desire to match his +wits and a slender line with a fly attached to the leader against the +strength and cunning of a bronze-backed black bass, and see which could +win in the struggle for supremacy. + +"Oh! listen, please!" exclaimed the boy, anxiously, his very soul in his +voice. + +"That was only a kingfisher calling," said Lil Artha, who knew all about +such things; "see, there he flits across that little bayou, and perches +on the limb that overhangs the water. He's after his dinner, I guess, +and was calling to his mate. But lead the way, Conrad, and we'll keep +along after you." + +They began to follow the uneven indentations of the shore. Elmer knew +that this must be the favorite course taken by the fish poacher when +going to see what his set lines held. A plain trail it was, and even +Rufus or Alec might have followed it most of the way; though at times +they would have hard work to pick it out, since the heavy rain had +washed things pretty badly. + +But Conrad knew where he was going, and just at which point they were to +turn their backs on Mirror Lake, heading for its mate near by. + +"We'll like as not run across the intake or outlet of this water," Lil +Artha told the two new scouts, "because, of course, the lakes are +connected by a little stream. And sure enough, there it is right now." + +Both tenderfeet were visibly impressed with this show of knowledge on +the part of the elongated scout. Doubtless they mentally determined that +eventually they too would be able to tell just such things by using the +power of deduction that a scout's education puts into his head. + +Conrad turned sharply upon arriving at the small stream. Elmer noticed +that it ran _from_ the lake they were just in the act of leaving; and +this fact told him the other must set somewhat lower down, and have an +outlet of its own. + +All these things were interesting enough to fellows who had made a habit +of observing whatever took place around them; nevertheless, Elmer wished +the main object of their coming might be attained without much further +loss of time. He was himself beginning to grow exceedingly nervous from +the long-continued strain; and could understand just how poor Conrad +must feel. + +Lil Artha was more and more amazed to learn what a wild bit of scenery +lay within thirty miles of the home town. He never would have believed +it possible, had he been told about it by any one; but seeing is a +convincing way of settling things, and Lil Artha certainly knew he could +depend on his own eyes. + +Through small openings among the trees they quickly caught glimpses of +the other sheet of water. The second lake was about the same in size as +the first, but lacked of the wonderfully rugged surroundings that made +the other so beautiful. Still, had they not set eyes on Mirror Lake, the +boys would have quickly called this one a spot well worth a long tramp +just to see, not to mention its potentialities along the line of +fishing. + +Once again they had come across a fallen tree that lay close to the +trail, even bridging the little stream with its trunk, and forming a +picture that Elmer immediately resolved to take with his snapshot camera +before leaving the region. + +"Looks to me," remarked Rufus shrewdly, "as if the old storm must have +hit this particular section a whole lot more violently than any place +we've struck so far. Right from where we stand I can see three, yes, +four trees that have been uprooted, and tumbled over, all lying in the +same direction, too, which is odd, I should think." + +"Oh! that's a common occurrence," said Lil Artha, "I've seen hundreds of +fallen trees in a place where a hurricane passed through the timber, and +they lay like a sheaf of matches, all in the same identical direction. +You see, the same wind took them down, as it did here. But so far as I +can notice, there's no sign of anybody under this tree; how about it, +Elmer?" + +"No, he wasn't here when this fellow crashed down," admitted the other, +in a satisfied tone. "He had either passed farther along, or else had +not reached this place." + +"Then let's go on farther," pleaded Conrad. + +Lil Artha knew that their chances of finding Jem were gradually getting +less and less, as they covered more of the ground he must have passed +over. He wondered what they should do if after all their efforts they +could manage to obtain no trace of the missing man. Perhaps it would be +good policy to head for the cabin, in the hope that since Conrad had +left, his father might have managed to make his way home, and +consequently they would find him there, too weak and exhausted to start +out again. + +"We must go around the lake, to make sure," the boy was saying in a +strained tone that cut Elmer to the heart, because he could understand +how Conrad must be beginning to fear that his father was dead, since he +did not answer any of his cries. + +As they began to circle the new sheet of water, Conrad again lifted his +childish treble and kept calling that one word: "father!" He seemed to +have faith to believe that if only he could reach the ears of Jem Shock, +an answer of some kind would be immediately forthcoming. + +Again his appeals were mocked by some of the startled birds, +unaccustomed to having their solitary haunts invaded by two-legged +creatures that gave forth such doleful sounds. Step by step the little +party persevered along their course, following the shore of the second +lake. It was harder going than before, because of the density of the +growth surrounding this body of water; but Conrad kept along, always on +the lookout for signs or sounds that would assure him success was near +at hand. + +After all, it was Lil Artha who gave the word, and he thrilled them when +he went on to say: + +"I think I heard a voice just then, fellows, and it seemed to come from +over on the other side of that little bayou just ahead of us. Get a good +grip on yourself, Conrad, because mebbe we're going to find him right +away." + +The boy was really beyond the power of making any verbal reply, but the +look he threw Lil Artha, because of those cheering words, was full of +gratitude. To gain the other side of the indentation, they must go +around for quite some distance. Conrad, too, had by now managed to +remember something; and finding his voice he weakly remarked: + +"Oh, yes! I know now where we are. Father told me he always had the best +luck with a line set from that point over there. The fish seem to be +larger than anywhere else about the lake, too. Oh! and I can see that +there is another big tree down, right in sight!" + +Elmer knew that this was so, for he himself had already made the same +significant discovery. He raised his voice and gave a lusty shout. + +"Jem--Jem Shock, are you there?" was what he called. + +Then they all listened eagerly. A woodpecker tapped noisily on a dead +stump; but even the breeze seemed to temporarily stop rustling through +the tops of the tall trees, as though sympathizing with their anxiety, +and bent on giving all possible chances for their hearing any reply to +this hail. + +"There, somebody answered you, Elmer," snapped Rufus, delightedly. + +"We've found him," said Elmer, gravely. "Be brave now, my boy," as he +laid a hand affectionately on the shoulders of poor trembling Conrad. +"For one thing, he's alive, and that's enough to be thankful for." + +"Yes, oh! yes, I _am_ thankful!" cried the boy, "but please hurry, +Elmer. Oh! what he must have suffered; but he _did_ answer you, didn't +he, and so he must be alive! Poor father. We're coming!" he tried to +call aloud, though the effort only resulted in a screech; "I'm here, +father, your own Conrad! Mother sent me to find you. Just be patient, +and we'll soon reach you. Oh! if only I had wings how glad I would be!" + +Elmer and Lil Artha led the way. They quickly started around the tongue +of marshy land bordering the little bay, for the ground was low there; +and doubtless the natural outlet of the twin lakes would be discovered +somewhere in that section, the scouts concluded. + +Now they were advancing upon the fallen tree. They could see it was a +big one, and that it reached almost to the water's edge as it lay there, +a derelict of the recent storm. + +Every eye was keenly on the alert to discover a first sign of the +unfortunate poacher who had been caught, not by the stern hand of the +law, but through a freak of the storm, and pinned to the ground, so that +he was utterly helpless to free himself from the toils. + +Then Conrad gave a sudden shriek. + +"I see him!" was the burden of his shrill cry. "Oh! there, he moved and +tried to wave his hand at me! Elmer, did you see him do that? He's +really alive, and that is enough for me!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +RUFUS MAKES A STAND + + +THEY were quickly at the tree, for every one just had to keep up with +Conrad, who fairly flew along, such was his eagerness. Elmer saw +immediately that they had a pretty tough job before them, for the tree +in falling had caught Jem Shock fairly and squarely in a trap. A +good-sized limb bore him down so that he could hardly do more than +breathe. + +His face was streaked with blood from various scratches, and so he +looked considerably worse than might otherwise have been the case. At +sight of Conrad, however, he actually smiled, which was enough to prove +what a hold the lad had upon the father's heart. + +"We'll get you out of that in short order, Jem," said Elmer, promptly. +"You see, we fetched our ax along for just such a purpose. Lil Artha, +get busy, and start a cross-cut of this limb. Strike in about here. I'll +spell you if you want me to." + +"Shucks! watch the chips fly, that's all!" jeered the tall fellow, as he +immediately set to work; and the lively ring of steel smiting hard wood +rang through the aisles of the adjacent forest as well as out upon the +water of the second lake, where a loon was swimming, and watching these +newcomers suspiciously. + +Elmer noted the fact that the limb seemed to have fallen directly across +only one of Jem's legs, a rather peculiar circumstance, by the way, he +considered. There was not the least doubt in his mind but that the leg +must have been broken; indeed, he could already see that this was so. +Apparently, then, they must be ready to make that stretcher which had +already been mentioned to the greenhorns; but then such a task presented +few real difficulties to experienced scouts, trained in all the ways of +the woods, where every one had to _know_ how to do things. + +Conrad was fondling his father, who had one free arm about the shoulders +of the little chap. No doubt Conrad took occasion to tell Jem how kind +these new friends of his had been, and how readily they had responded to +his appeal for assistance. + +The scout-master wondered just how Jem would take it. That proud spirit +of his was bound to show itself. He might feel indebted to the others, +and not mind so much, but to realize that one of his rescuers was the +son and heir of the very Snodgrass whom he believed he had such abundant +cause to despise and hate, would gall him, and "cut to the quick." + +Yes, Elmer, watching, could see the different shades of feeling crossing +the strong face of the injured man, just as sometimes he had observed +clouds chasing athwart the blue sky in fleecy array. Love for the child; +pain because of his injury and long wait there by the lakeside; +suspicion concerning the presence of Rufus Snodgrass, and something like +genuine gratitude toward the rest of the scouts--all these varying +emotions Elmer could detect as they passed in review across the face of +the other. + +In the endeavor to take Jem's thoughts from his late precarious +condition, Elmer now started to talk with him, asking how it happened +that a woodsman of his long experience should be caught by a falling +tree in a storm. + +The man laughed a bit harshly, as though disgusted with himself. + +"It was an accident, pure and simple, boy," he went on to say. "Jem +Shock never believed he would be caught like a rat in a trap; but I +ducked the wrong way, my foot slipped, and before I could recover I was +down. So I've lain here for hours, hoping my Conrad might come along, +for he knew about the lakes, and where I went to look after my +fish-lines. I never once thought about you boys. Yes, I'm glad, of +course, you came, because Conrad never could have got me out alone; only +it hurts me to be beholden to _his_ son." + +And Rufus, hovering near by, heard this. His face flushed painfully, +and he bit his lips until the blood came, while his eyes flashed +indignantly. With an effort, however, he managed to get a grip on +himself. Perhaps it was the look he caught on the face of the +scout-master that brought this about. At any rate, when Rufus spoke, his +voice was fairly calm; and, moreover, there was a note of entreaty in +it. + +"Jem Shock," he said, in thrilling tones, while the methodical "chunk" +of Lil Artha's ax told how its sharp edge was biting deeply into the +hard wood of that limb by which the man was pinned down, "please listen +to me. I can understand just how you must feel while you believe my +father did you a great wrong. I don't blame you a particle either, for +feeling mean toward him. But you must know that sometimes terrible +mistakes do happen, and that even the best of men may blunder. I tell +you I am dead sure such a thing came about, and that at this day my +father is utterly unconscious of the fact that you believe he wronged +you." + +"Not quite that, youngster," said the man grimly. "He knows before now +what my opinion of Hiram Snodgrass is; because, after I learned that +he'd come to a town near by to live, I sent him a letter." + +Rufus refused to be disconcerted by this startling intelligence. + +"All right," he said, "I'm real glad you did, Jem. My father ought to +know what a cloud his name is under. I meant to tell him all about it +myself just as soon as I got home from this trip. Make your mind up +you'll hear from him before long, Jem. He'll never rest easy until he's +investigated the thing to the bottom, and found out the whole truth. If +some men bamboozled you, and let you believe he was in the bunch, my +father'll fix them, all right. They'll do the right thing by you when +_he_ gets after them with a sharp stick, or I'll eat my head. I guess I +ought to know my dad better than anybody else could, and he's straight +as a die, even if he is a real estate speculator." + +Elmer was visibly impressed with the splendid way in which Rufus stood +up for his father. He only hoped the elder Snodgrass might prove to be +just the kind of man the boy claimed. Jem Shock, too, could not but be +somewhat affected by the sturdy championship of the accused man's cause; +though a sneer found a place on his blood-streaked face, and his eye +still showed signs of coldness and unbelief. + +At least, he allowed the subject to drop as though he did not wish to +say anything further in that line, which was so unpleasant. He confined +himself to petting Conrad, and giving Lil Artha further directions as to +just how to finish his task; for, as a competent woodsman, Jem Shock +knew all about the use of an ax. Elmer could see that, despite his +agonizing condition, the man had kept his wits about him. + +Finally, the limb separated, and after that the boys, by uniting their +strength, were enabled to raise the portion that still held Jem pinned +down. He wriggled free, although the pain was so great that he almost +fainted. + +After that, Elmer took charge again. Water was brought, and a fire made +to warm it in the pail Alec had been told to carry along. Once it was +heated, Elmer proceeded to cleanse first Jem's face, so that he might +not look so terribly grim; and after that he started to get at the +broken leg. + +He found that it was indeed pretty serious, for it had swollen +dreadfully on account of the neglect; but Elmer was a pretty good +amateur surgeon, as his chums all knew, and understood just how to go +about setting the fractured bone, after carefully washing the limb. + +Alec and Rufus had their hands full just about that time. They did not +want to lose a single thing of all that was going on around them, and +were often called upon by Elmer to lend a helping hand. It was +noticeable that Rufus was always the one to do this. Jem seemed to +visibly shrink from the touch of the boy's fingers, as though they +affected him somehow; but even this aversion failed to prevent Rufus +from persevering. Evidently, he was determined that Jem should know that +the Snodgrass family did not have all the bad traits with which he, +Jem, had in his mind endowed them; and, besides, Rufus was bound to keep +in close touch with the man who had so long believed ill of his father. + +It pleased Elmer more than a little to notice this trait in the +tenderfoot. He believed Rufus had the making of a good scout, and that +association with the other fellows of the troop would in time serve to +cast out the bad traits in his character mainly produced through the +mistaken weakness of his adoring mother, who had always given in to his +every whim. + +But the wonderfully clever way in which Elmer managed to handle that +broken leg, and then bind it up carefully, was not the only thing Rufus +and Alec had to watch in their ardent desire to acquire practical +knowledge of what a scout should know. + +There was the industrious Lil Artha, working away like a trooper, and +making a rude but amply sufficient stretcher, on which the wounded man +could recline, while four sturdy boys bore him toward his home, since it +would be utterly impossible for Jem to even hobble, with that injured +limb under him. + +Both greenhorns watched the stretcher grow, and marveled at the skill +displayed by the accomplished Lil Artha, who felt proud to be the one to +show them how easy it was for a fellow who had been taught to bring his +knowledge into play when the emergency arose. + +Finally everything was done. Elmer had bound the leg up so firmly that +Jem was full of praise for his work. + +"I want to say that you boys sure know your business," he told Elmer, +still refusing to look at the persistent Rufus, who continued to hover +near him, despite all these rebuffs, for he was a stubborn fellow, it +seemed, and would not abandon his plans easily. "I've heard some about +scouts, and thought they didn't amount to much, but I reckon I'll have +to change my mind after this. A regular sawbones couldn't have done the +job neater, Elmer. I'm thanking you for it too; and I calculate that a +lot Conrad's been telling us about you must be true." + +"Oh! it is, father, it is!" ejaculated the pleased boy, with tears in +his eyes. "Elmer is just a grand fellow; and besides, he promised me +that I'd get a chance to be taught by some one who would know what to do +with me. You'll not set your foot down on that, will you, father?" + +The man smiled grimly, though this changed to a tender look as he +smoothed the fair hair of his little son. + +"We'll see, Conrad, we'll see," he told him. "Just now it don't look +like I could set one of my feet down on anything for a month or more. +But they're going to have a hard job of it getting a heavy man like me +all the way home." + +"Oh! don't you worry about that, Jem Shock!" sang out Lil Artha, +blithely enough; "we know just how to go about it; and besides, it isn't +going to be such a very tough task divided among four of us. Now, Rufus, +you can take the upper left end, and I'll look after the right. Elmer +and Alec will manage the foot of the stretcher easy enough." + +Rufus shot him a look of gratitude, showing that he readily understood +how the wise Lil Artha had purposely allotted him one of the holds that +would be apt to keep him as close to Jem's face as possible. The +elongated scout evidently considered it good policy to force Jem to grow +accustomed to the proximity of a Snodgrass; while familiarity is said to +often breed contempt, in this case Lil Artha meant that it should be the +cause of a growing confidence. + +So they gaily started forth. Conrad ran alongside, and at times +persisted in keeping hold of his father's hand. He would now and then +utter words calculated to cheer the other up, as though he feared that +the strain of the trip, on top of his father's condition after lying +there so long unattended, might cause him to show signs of a relapse. + +But they got along famously. The first lake was soon reached and put +behind them. Lil Artha cast several longing glances over his shoulder as +they left, and it did not need the aid of a prophet to tell that he was +making up his mind to be back there the first thing in the morning, to +test the voracity of the bass fighters that dwelt in those waters. + +Following the plain trail, they continued to put much ground between +themselves and the spot where they had found Jem. The man bore the +journey well, all things considered, though many times Elmer could see +him compress his jaws as if to better stand the acute pain that shot +through his bruised body. + +So they finally drew near the clearing where the cabin stood. Elmer, who +had been there once before, as will be remembered, saw familiar signs to +tell him of this fact, for he had impressed certain landmarks on his +memory. + +"Oh, listen!" suddenly exclaimed Conrad, "I hear voices, and they are +men talking, too, strangers. What can it mean, father?" + +The man on the stretcher winced painfully, and then smiled grimly. + +"Well, things generally come with a rush, Conrad," he said. "There are +some men that have been wanting to interview me for a long time now. I +reckon they've found the nerve to come away up here, just to see what's +going on. But they've got to have proof in order to convict a man of +poaching game out of season. Anyhow, I'm in no condition to resist now; +and I don't believe they'll stir up any evidence around the cabin. Woods +mutton is scarce these days." + +It was Rufus who now uttered a cry. + +"There, I can see several men now in front of a cabin," he went on to +say, "and oh! as sure as you live, one of them is my own father! Do you +hear that, Jem Shock, the Snodgrass you've been believing cheated you in +a land deal has come straight up here to see you just as soon as he got +that letter of yours. Does that look like guilt, tell me? Oh! something +is going to happen, and before long you'll be changing your mind about +the Snodgrass tribe!" + +Quickening their pace, the little procession hastened to reach the +cabin, where several men stood watching their coming, with both wonder +and interest showing on their faces. The good wife ran out to meet them, +and was soon crying copiously over the figure on the stretcher, though +Jem told her it was all right, and not to worry. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +"ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!" + + +IT was a moment of considerable suspense to the boys when Mr. Snodgrass, +bustling forward, looked down at the injured man. Jem with clinched +teeth glared up at him, but said nothing, waiting for the other to +speak. + +"I'm sorry to see you hurt in this way, Jem," said the magnate. "Just as +soon as I received your letter I went to the city, and had a little +heart-to-heart talk with Messrs. Bolten and Hall, my former partners in +that real-estate deal of some years ago. I threatened them with +immediate prosecution if they did not own up to deceiving both of us; +and Jem, here they are ready to eat humble pie, and make good that +property they defrauded you out of some years ago. Fool that I was never +to have suspected the truth; but thank Heaven, it isn't too late yet. +We'll soon fix this thing; and after they've made good, Jem Shock, I'm +going to offer you my check for fifty thousand dollars for that land of +yours; because it's doubled in value since you let it pass from your +hands." + +Rufus fairly beamed with happiness. + +"What did I tell you, Jem Shock?" he burst out with. "I knew my father +wouldn't stand for a crooked real estate deal. He's proud of the record +he's made, and lots of people think he's the only honest land speculator +there is. And now perhaps you will shake hands with him, Jem; yes, and +with me, too. The Snodgrasses aren't so _very_ bad a tribe, once you get +to know them." + +Jem had some difficulty in grasping the wonderful change that had come +about in his financial condition, when later on the two real estate men +admitted that they had played a sharp trick upon him, for which they +were genuinely sorry--Lil Artha winked several times very hard when he +heard them say this, and thought of "alligator's tears." + +Jem even offered his hand to the man he had for years been condemning as +an unworthy friend, and a treacherous dealer in land. + +Conrad was the happiest little fellow imaginable. He would run from his +father to Elmer and pat their hands; then back again to kiss his mother, +and possibly shake hands with Lil Artha, Alec and Rufus. + +"It's all happened because of the scouts coming up here to camp," he +said in the midst of his great joy. "Oh! what don't we owe to you, +Elmer?" + +"He fixed my broken leg as fine as any army surgeon could have done, for +one thing," admitted Jem Shock, now looking as though a great load had +been taken off his shoulders; "and for that alone I could always +remember the boy. Yes, it's been a great day for all of us. I'm glad now +that tree caught me, and all the time I lie around waiting for the bone +to knit, I'll be saying that I got just what I deserved for thinking +evil of any man." + +"None of that, Jem," said Mr. Snodgrass, with more or less asperity. +"You were justified in holding hard feelings toward me, and thinking me +a scoundrel. For once in my life I allowed a pair of precious knaves to +dupe me, and never suspected how matters stood until I had your letter. +But I forced them to make restitution. I stood ready to land them both +behind the bars if they refused." + +Messrs. Bolten and Hall had departed before this was said, pleading an +important engagement, and promising to do anything else Mr. Snodgrass +demanded, so long as he kept his word not to make the affair public, as +it would ruin their legitimate business to have it known that they had +been concerned in one big shady deal. Doubtless their ears must have +burned as they retraced their way in the direction of the car that had +brought them from the distant station; but then, since all was now well, +even Jem Shock could forgive them. + +While Mr. Snodgrass spent two days in camp with the boys, he had plenty +of chances of hearing Conrad play, for the boy kept his promise to come +over with his wonderful Stradivarius violin, and charm them with his +magical music. The gentleman agreed with Elmer that the child was very +precocious, and had the "touch" that had made his grandfather +illustrious. + +"It would be a great crime," he said, "if such wonderful genius failed +to find expression. If his father was unable to send him to the right +master I'd certainly insist on it myself. And between us, boys, I'm +determined on forcing Jem Shock to allow me to advance all the funds +needed to put Conrad where he belongs. It's the only way I can make up +in part for my unconscious share in his troubles." + +Later on this same thing was arranged, and Conrad, it is needless to +say, is at present studying hard under the best violin teacher in New +York. Those who watch his career are loud in their praise, and say that +when his time comes to appear in public, all such stars as Elman, +Kreisler and Maud Powell will have to take a "back seat." + +Of course since George had not been present when all these wonderful +events came about, the others were forced to give him every possible +opportunity to learn the exciting details. He asked a thousand +questions, and heard the whole story told over and over again, from the +time the expedition left camp up to the unexpected meeting between Jem +and Mr. Snodgrass, and the humbling of the pair of precious real estate +sharks. + +Indeed, it usually did take several tellings to convince so skeptical a +fellow as Doubting George, especially when there was something quite out +of the common going on. + +The balance of the scouts' stay in camp up at Raccoon Bluff was filled +with all sorts of good times. Lil Artha went fishing over at the twin +lakes, and came back with as heavy a load of fish as he could stagger +under. He announced that never before in all his varied experience had +he known such gallant fighters as those bronzed-backed warriors of +Mirror Lake. His arms fairly ached from reeling them in; and he would +never forget what a glorious morning he had had there. Of course this +caused Elmer also to long to wet a line; and as Alec expressed a desire +to see how the thing was done over in America--he had actually caught a +big salmon once upon a time in a Scotch loch--he insisted on going +along. + +This was only a part of the glorious times they enjoyed. Rufus even got +busy again with his surveyor's outfit, and did a little more work, just +to "keep his hand in," he said; but as Alec had other things on the +programme that he fancied much better than "running a line," or +"slashing" through a thicket with an ax and bush hook, he absolutely +balked on giving up much more time to that sort of thing. + +They took pictures, and Elmer made sure to get one of the tree that in +falling had arched the streamlet in such a remarkable way. Elmer also +tried a few night exposures, catching some of the prowling 'coons in the +act of stealing bait from a trap set so that when the trigger was sprung +there would be a flashlight exposure, and the startled little animal +would really take its own picture, being "caught in the act." + +Besides they paid many visits to Jem's cabin, always carrying over heaps +of good things to eat, despite the protests of Conrad's mother. Elmer +explained that greedy George had deceived Rufus, who provided the +provender for the week's campaign; and that consequently they had +brought enough along to last a whole month; which they hated to "tote" +back again, and so wished her to accept a few trifles, because Jem would +not be able to be moved for some weeks, and hence no supplies could be +laid in. + +Conrad, of course, always played for them, and even George, whose ear +for music was not of the best, for he rather preferred ragtime to +"classical stuff," admitted that the little fellow did wield a magical +bow, and could fairly make that "fiddle talk" when he got down to +serious business. + +They saw no more ferocious wildcats, though for several nights after the +storm, Rufus complained that he was kept awake by some sort of plaintive +mewing, though he was unable to exactly locate the sounds. Elmer feared +that this might be caused by a kitten left behind by the cat Lil Artha +had been compelled to slay in order to save Alec from rough clawing. He +even hunted around during the daytime, hoping to find the small beast, +but was unable to do so. Finally, the mewing was heard no more; from +which they concluded that the kitten had either succumbed to hunger, or +else, being fairly able to provide for itself, had departed for other +fields. + +The 'coons, however, afforded the campers no end of amusement by their +curious antics. George gave it as his opinion that whoever named that +particular section of country Raccoon Bluff knew his business, for never +had he seen one half so many of the "bushy-tails" as during their stay +there. + +They proved to be great pests in the bargain, stealing whatever cooked +food was left over; and becoming so tame, that it was a common +occurrence to have several prowling around at any time of the day; while +at night one of the campers found it necessary to rush out of the tent +several times during the period of darkness in order to "shoo" the +impudent rascals away. + +Mr. Snodgrass had enjoyed himself heartily during the parts of two days +he stayed with the boys. He expressed deep regret that pressing demands +of business caused him to start back to town, Rufus seeing him safely +to the nearest station, some six miles distant, as the crow flies. + +And from what they all saw of Mr. Snodgrass during his stay, the others +were inclined to believe Rufus knew what he was talking about when he so +boldly told Jem Shock that his father was as "honest as the day was +long," and "the best man that ever lived." Elmer concluded that any +father who had so lived that his boy believes this of him has a right to +be proud, and feel that "example is much better than precept." Too many +fathers, Elmer realized, act upon the theory that a boy can maintain his +respect for his parent who advises him to "do as I say, not as I do." + +When finally the time came for breaking camp, the two tenderfeet felt +sure they had made giant strides along the road that led to their +goal--the distinction of becoming a first-class scout. They had learned +innumerable things since leaving home; indeed, life looked altogether +different nowadays, because they saw ten interesting things where before +there had appeared but one. And the thirst for knowledge had gripped +them so that never again would either Rufus or Alec be content to plod +along as before, "seeing things as through a glass darkly," and not more +than half comprehending what wonders surround boys of today on every +side, if only they have the vision to notice and comprehend. + +There is really no need for us to accompany Elmer, George, Lil Artha +and the tenderfoot squad home again. But the story of their achievements +while up there in camp at Raccoon Bluff will always make a bright page +in the annals of the Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts. Of course we expect to +meet these good friends again at no far distant day, in the pages of +another volume, wherein may be detailed further of their interesting and +often thrilling adventures. Until that time comes we must lower the +curtain, and write the last words, + + +THE END + + + + +THE EDWARD S. ELLIS SERIES + +STORIES OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN; MYSTERY, ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE + + +Every red blooded American Boy and Girl will be greatly pleased with +these books. They are written by the master writer of such books, EDWARD +S. ELLIS. There is mystery, charm and excitement in each volume. All the +following titles can be procured at the same place this book was +procured, or they will be sent postpaid for 25c per copy or 5 for $1.00. + + Astray in the Forest + River and Forest + Lost in the Rockies + Bear Cavern + The Lost River + Boy Hunters in Kentucky + The Daughter of the Chieftain + Captured by the Indians + Princess of the Woods + Wolf Ear: The Indian + +_Read every one of the above Titles You will enjoy them_ + + + M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY + _Manufacturers and Publishers Since 1861_ + 701-733 SOUTH DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO + + + + +FURRY FOLK STORIES + +By JANE FIELDING + + + A series of life tales of our four-footed friends, as + related by the animals. These stories are entertaining + and pleasing to the young and old alike. Bound in + cloth and illustrated. Colored wrapper. + +_Price each 50 cents postpaid_ + + 1. Bear Brownie _The Life of a Bear_ + 2. Jackie Hightree _Adventures of a Squirrel_ + 3. Kitty Purrpuss _The Memoir of a Cat_ + 4. Master Reynard _The History of a Fox_ + 5. Scamp _A Dog's Own Story_ + 6. Wee Willie Mousie _Life from his own Viewpoint_ + + + + +THE JINGLE BOOK + +By CAROLYN WELLS + + +_Price each 60 cents postpaid_ + + A popular book of Jingles by this well-known writer. A + comic illustration on every page. Bound in cloth and + beautifully stamped in colors. Each is book wrapped in + a jacket printed in colors. + + + +LET'S MAKE BELIEVE STORIES + +By LILIAN T. GARIS + + + Delightful and fascinating stories; printed from + large, clear type on a superior quality of paper, + Frontispiece and jacket printed in full colors. Bound + in cloth and stamped from appropriate dies. + +_Price each 50 cents postpaid_ + + 1. Let's Make Believe We're Keeping House + 2. Lets Play Circus + 3. Let's Make Believe We're Soldiers + + M · A · DONOHUE · & · COMPANY + 711 · SOUTH · DEARBORN · STREET · · CHICAGO + + + + +UNCLE WIGGILY SERIES + +By HOWARD R. GARIS + + +Four titles of these famous books, fifty-two stories in each. Printed +from large, clear type on a superior quality of paper. Numerous +illustrations and jacket printed in full colors. Bound in cloth. + +_Price each $1.00 Postpaid_ + + _Uncle Wiggily and Alice in Wonderland_ + _Uncle Wiggily and Mother Goose_ + _Uncle Wiggily Longears_ + _Uncle Wiggily's Arabian Nights_ + + + + +THOSE SMITH BOYS + +By HOWARD R. GARIS + + +New and complete editions printed from new plates on a superior quality +paper. Each book is wrapped in a special jacket printed in colors. +Appropriately stamped and handsomely bound in cloth. + +_Price each 60c Postpaid_ + + _Those Smith Boys_ + _Those Smith Boys on the Diamond_ + + + + +THE DADDY SERIES + +By HOWARD R. GARIS + + +Mr. Garis has won the hearts of little folks with his stories. Each is +founded on animal lore and is told in simple language. Large, clear +text. Special jacket printed in colors. Bound in clothene. + +_Price each 35c Postpaid_ + + _Daddy Takes Us Camping_ + _Daddy Takes Us Fishing_ + _Daddy Takes Us to the Circus_ + _Daddy Takes Us Skating_ + _Daddy Takes Us Coasting_ + _Daddy Takes Us Hunting Flowers_ + _Daddy Takes Us Hunting Birds_ + _Daddy Takes Us to the Woods_ + _Daddy Takes Us to the Farm_ + _Daddy Takes Us to the Garden_ + + M · A · DONOHUE · & · COMPANY + 711 · SOUTH · DEARBORN · STREET · · CHICAGO + + + + +Boy Inventors' Series + + +The author knows these subjects from a practical standpoint. Each book +is printed from new plates on a good quality of paper and bound in +cloth. Each book wrapped in a jacket printed in colors. + +_Price 60c each_ + + 1. Boy Inventors' Wireless Triumph + 2. Boy Inventors' and the Vanishing Sun + 3. Boy Inventors' Diving Torpedo Set + 4. Boy Inventors' Flying Ship + 5. Boy Inventors' Electric Ship + 6. Boy Inventors' Radio Telephone + + + + +The "How-to-do-it" Books + + +These books teach the use of tools; how to sharpen them; to design and +layout work. Printed from new plates and bound in cloth. Profusely +illustrated. Each book is wrapped in a printed jacket. + +_Price $1.00 each_ + + 1. Carpentry for Boys + 2. Electricity for Boys + 3. Practical Mechanics for Boys + + _For Sale by all Book-sellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of + the above price._ + + M · A · DONOHUE · & · COMPANY + 711 · SOUTH · DEARBORN · STREET · · CHICAGO + + + +The Aeroplane Series + +By JOHN LUTHER LANGWORTHY + + + 1. The Aeroplane Boys; or, The Young Pilots First Air Voyage + 2. The Aeroplane Boys on the Wing; or, Aeroplane Chums in the Tropics + 3. The Aeroplane Boys Among the Clouds; or, Young Aviators in a Wreck + 4. The Aeroplane Boys' Flights; or, A Hydroplane Round-up + 5. The Aeroplane Boys on a Cattle Ranch + + + + +The Girl Aviator Series + +By MARGARET BURNHAM + + + Just the type of books that delight and fascinate the + wide awake Girls of the present day who are between + the ages of eight and fourteen years. The great author + of these books regards them as the best products of + her pen. Printed from large clear type on a superior + quality of paper; attractive multi-color jacket + wrapper around each book. Bound in cloth. + + 1. The Girl Aviators and the Phantom Airship + 2. The Girl Aviators on Golden Wings + 3. The Girl Aviators' Sky Cruise + 4. The Girl Aviators' Motor Butterfly. + + _For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of 75c._ + + M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY + 701-733 S. DEARBORN STREET CHICAGO + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Obvious punctuation errors repaired. + +Page 49, "for" changed to "from" (from the entire party) + +Page 56, "import" changed to "impart" (promised to impart) + +Page 99, "walk" changed to "talk" (the talk was of) + +Page 113, "virtuosa" changed to "virtuoso" (the old virtuoso) + +Page 132, "wind-brake" changed to "wind-break" (sort of wind-break) + +Page 186, "excitment" changed to "excitement" (charm and excitement) + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Boy Scouts: Tenderfoot Squad, by Alan Douglas + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOY SCOUTS: TENDERFOOT SQUAD *** + +***** This file should be named 38300-8.txt or 38300-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/0/38300/ + +Produced by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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