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diff --git a/38314.txt b/38314.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c5db625 --- /dev/null +++ b/38314.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5284 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Storm-Bound, 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: Storm-Bound + or, A Vacation Among the Snow Drifts + + +Author: Alan Douglas + + + +Release Date: December 15, 2011 [eBook #38314] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORM-BOUND*** + + +E-text prepared by Stephen Hutcheson, Rod Crawford, Dave Morgan, Emmy, and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustration. + See 38314-h.htm or 38314-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38314/38314-h/38314-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/38314/38314-h.zip) + + + + + +STORM-BOUND + +Or + +A Vacation Among the Snow Drifts + + * * * * * + +THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUTS + +A SERIES OF BOOKS FOR BOYS + +By Capt. Alan Douglas, Scout-master + + +The Campfires of the Wolf Patrol + + Their first camping experience affords the scouts + splendid opportunities to use their recently acquired + knowledge in a practical way. Elmer Chenowith, a lad + from the northwest woods, astonishes everyone by his + familiarity with camp life. A clean, wholesome story + every boy should read. + + +Woodcraft; or, How a Patrol Leader Made Good + + This tale presents many stirring situations in which + the boys are called upon to exercise ingenuity and + unselfishness. A story filled with healthful + excitement. + + +Pathfinder; or, The Missing Tenderfoot + + Some mysteries are cleared up in a most unexpected + way, greatly to the credit of our young friends. A + variety of incidents follow fast, one after the other. + + +Fast Nine; or, a Challenge from Fairfield + + They show the same team-work here as when in camp. The + description of the final game with the team of a rival + town, and the outcome thereof, form a stirring + narrative. One of the best baseball stories of recent + years. + + +Great Hike; or, The Pride of The Khaki Troop + + After weeks of preparation the scouts start out on + their greatest undertaking. Their march takes them far + from home, and the good-natured rivalry of the + different patrols furnishes many interesting and + amusing situations. + + +Endurance Test; or, How Clear Grit Won the Day + + Few stories "get" us more than illustrations of pluck + in the face of apparent failure. Our heroes show the + stuff they are made of and surprise their most ardent + admirers. One of the best stories Captain Douglas has + written. + + +Under Canvas; or, The Hunt for the Cartaret Ghost + + It was hard to disbelieve the evidence of their eyes + but the boys by the exercise of common-sense solved a + mystery which had long puzzled older heads. + + +Storm-bound; or, a Vacation Among the Snow Drifts + + The boys start out on the wrong track, but their scout + training comes to the rescue and their experience + proves beneficial to all concerned. + + Boy Scout Nature Lore to be Found in The Hickory Ridge Boy + Scout Series, all illustrated:-- + + Wild Animals of the United States--Tracking--Trees and + Wild Flowers of the United States--Reptiles of the + United States--Fishes of the United States--Insects of + the United States and Birds of the United States. + + _Cloth Binding_ _Cover Illustrations in Four Colors_ + _40c. Per Volume_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE (near 14th St.) NEW YORK + + * * * * * + + +[Illustration: IT SEEMED AN IDEAL SNUG RETREAT] + + +The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts + +STORM-BOUND + +Or + +A Vacation Among the Snow Drifts + +by + +CAPTAIN ALAN DOUGLAS + +Scout Master + + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +The New York Book Company +New York + +Copyright, 1915, by +The New York Book Company + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I ON THE WRONG TRACK 13 + II A STRANGE PLACE TO CAMP 23 + III THE LONG NIGHT 34 + IV SNOW-BOUND 45 + V WANDERING THROUGH THE DRIFTS 58 + VI IN THE FROZEN MARSH 67 + VII LIL ARTHA SAVES THE DAY 78 + VIII A PRIZE IN THE TRAP 89 + IX THE COMING OF UNCLE CALEB 102 + X POSSESSION NINE POINTS OF THE LAW 111 + XI THE CHIMNEY JUMPER 122 + XII SCOUTS IN CLOVER 133 + XIII THE OBJECT LESSON 146 + XIV THE QUEER ACTIONS OF ZACK ARNOLD 154 + XV A SCOUT'S EDUCATION 165 + XVI GOOD-BY TO THE SNOW FOREST 176 + + + + +STORM-BOUND + +OR A VACATION AMONG THE SNOW DRIFTS + + + + +CHAPTER I + +ON THE WRONG TRACK + + +"ELMER, do you believe we're really on the right track, or have we lost +our bearings in this everlasting snow forest?" + +"Ask me something easy, please, Lil Artha!" + +"Well, I didn't like the looks of that sassy kid who was so eager to +have you make a map from what he told us." + +"Struck me he grinned too much, boys, as sure as my name's George +Robbins. I'm beginning to smell a rat, and think he played a low-down +trick on us." + +"That is, George, you mean he purposely gave us the wrong directions, +and that instead of heading straight for the winter cabin of Toby's +jolly Uncle Caleb we're away off our base?" + +"Looks like it to me, that's all I've got to say," muttered the boy who +had called himself George, at the same time glancing apprehensively at +the snow-clad woods surrounding them on all sides. + +"Me too!" added the fourth member of the little heavily-laden party, and +whose good-natured face usually screwed itself up in an odd series of +wrinkles whenever he spoke with such an effort. + +"Well," remarked the boy called Elmer, whose last name was Chenowith, +and upon whose decisions the others seemed to depend considerably, as +though he might be a leader among them; "let's rest up a bit here, and +look the matter squarely in the face. Perhaps we can figure out where +we've gone wrong, and start on a new course." + +These four well-grown lads were all dressed in the well-known khaki +suits that designate Boy Scouts the wide world over. Of course they wore +heavy woolen sweaters in addition, for the time was just after +Christmas, and Old Winter had taken a notion to set in unusually early +that year. + +They belonged to the Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy Scouts, which lively +town was situated many miles to the south of the place where we discover +the quartette up against a puzzling question. + +Toby Jones had an old uncle who was not only a scientific man, but who +loved the Great Outdoors so much that of late he had come to spend most +of his time at his lonely cabin in the forest. Here in the summer he +studied, and experimented to his heart's content; while during the +winter he set traps, and took wonderful photographs of the snowbound +woods, as well as of the fur-bearing little animals that made their +homes there. + +The idea had struck Toby that with some of his best chums he surprise +this jolly Uncle Caleb, who was a well-known professor among +scientists. Many times the boy had received a warm invitation to run up +and visit the old gentleman, as well as fetch a friend or two along, but +until this winter Toby had somehow never entertained the idea of doing +so. + +Once it took hold of him, and he became wildly enthusiastic over it. +When he mentioned the scheme to Elmer, as well as two other scouts, they +fell in with it so quickly that the plans were soon arranged. + +Accordingly, immediately after Christmas the four lads had taken a train +for the north, and about noon dropped off at a lonely station, where the +operator was a new hand, and had never even heard of Uncle Caleb, so +that the boys hardly knew which way to turn. Just then they happened to +run across a lanky boy with a grinning face, whom Elmer "pumped," with +the result that they were directed to follow certain landmarks, turn +ever so many times until they came to a frozen creek, up which if they +headed a mile they would discover the cabin they sought. + +They had been following that same frozen stream more than two hours, and +there was not the slightest sign of anything in the way of a shack or +cabin. In fact, it looked as though they had managed to tramp into the +very heart of what seemed to be a trackless forest. In every direction +stretched that never ending array of tall and little trees, each snow +splashed; for there were several inches of the white feathery covering +on the ground, what Elmer called fine "tracking snow;" if only they had +been hunting game instead of a shelter. + +Though all of the scouts kept constantly on the alert they had failed to +detect the first sign of human presence. Not a shout or a gunshot had +they heard; in vain had they searched the snowy ground for the welcome +trail of a trapper going to or coming home after visiting his line of +snares. + +No wonder then that some of the boys had begun to believe they were +tricked by that glib-tongued native lad, who had chuckled so +disagreeably as he accepted the silver quarter Elmer thrust in his grimy +palm. + +All of them bore heavy loads. For the most part these consisted of extra +clothes of course for use in case of extreme cold weather; but two of +them also carried guns; and Toby had strapped on his pack a pair of +snow-shoes his uncle had once presented to him, but which the boy had +never found a good chance to use, though he hoped the time had now +arrived for putting them to some service. + +"I've been trying to figure things out," Elmer told them, as they sat +down on a log to rest, while trying to decide which way they should +turn; "and while I'm liable to be mistaken just as much as anybody else, +I really think we'd have a better chance to find that cabin, or run +across some sign of Toby's uncle, if we quit following this creek bed, +and turned sharply to the right." + +Now Elmer was not only the leader of the Wolf Patrol when at home, but +had long ago qualified for the position of assistant scout master of the +troop. When the regular scout master, a young man named Mr. Roderic +Garrabrant, chanced to be absent, which frequently happened, the boys +looked to Elmer to guide and direct them. + +Consequently the three who were now in his company had come to look for +great things from their chum; and Elmer often found it a difficult task +to satisfy their expectations. And so it was he had in the start given +them to understand that he could make mistakes as well as the next one, +and they must not think him infallible. + +As usual everybody seemed ready to fall in with his suggestion but +George, who had a contrary streak in his make-up, and was always ready +with objections and questions and serious shakings of the head. They +called him "Doubting George," but grown people would long ago have +dubbed him a pessimist, because he was always seeing the gloomy side of +things, and wanting to be doubly convinced. + +"But it seems to me," he started to say, "that we may be jumping out of +the fryingpan into the fire if we do that. How do we know the cabin lies +to the right?" + +"We don't," replied Elmer, without manifesting any feeling over his +opinion being questioned, for he knew George of old, and in fact would +have been considerably surprised if the other had not put up what Toby +called a "kick." + +"Would you like to direct us, George?" asked the tall scout, whose name +was Arthur Stansbury, but whom his schoolmates had in a spirit of fun +long ago dubbed "Lil Artha," which ridiculous nick-name clung to him +like a leech to this day, although he was fully a head above any of the +other fellows. + +"Oh! excuse me from taking that responsibility on my shoulders," George +hastened to say, looking almost alarmed; "if I did, and happened to +guess wrong, I'd never hear the end of it." + +"So you admit that it'd have to be a _guess_, do you?" pursued Lil Artha +mercilessly; "well, on the part of Elmer he's tried to reason the old +thing out, and both Toby'n me feel that we can't do better than try what +he says. I only hope the walking's better than it's been along this +frozen creek, where the ice is too slippery for us to make use of the +same. Why didn't we think to fetch our skates along?" + +"I did think of it," Toby told him; "but it meant more weight to our +packs; and then from what Uncle Caleb's told me about the lay of the +country up here, I couldn't figure out how we'd find any use for skates +where there was only swamp, marsh, and mebbe a few little crooked creeks +nearly always covered with a foot of snow. So I fetched these bully +snow-shoes instead. Don't I hope I'll have a chance to skim over the +snow on the same, if we're lucky enough to get a heavy fall while up +here." + +"Perhaps we may get a storm before we're ready for it," observed Elmer +drily, as he shot a dubious glance up at the gray sky that had such an +ominous look. + +Lil Artha jumped to his feet, showing signs of some excitement. + +"Hey! let's be on the hike, fellows!" he exclaimed; "if a storm dropped +on top of us right now it wouldn't do a thing to us, p'raps. We haven't +got only enough grub for a single day. I guess matches are about the +only thing we're heavy on, because we expected to eat our meals in Uncle +Caleb's cabin most of the time." + +"Well, matches are good things to have up here in the snow woods," +remarked Elmer, who was an exact contrast to George in that he always +saw the silver lining of the cloud, whereas the other scout could not +get beyond the pall. + +"You bet they are," Lil Artha went on to say, as he shouldered his pack, +which he had arranged in regular Adirondack fashion, with a band across +his forehead to assist in sustaining the weight; "though for that +matter, if we went shy of the same I reckon you could depend on me to +get fire by making a little bow, and sawing the same on a pointed stick, +South Sea Islander way. I've done it more'n once, though I never seem +able to depend on my cunning. Something goes wrong so often; or else I'm +in too big a hurry, and spoil everything. But if you're ready lead off, +Elmer. We'll trip along in your tracks, and keep it up for another hour +anyway. That rest did us all a heap of good." + +The four scouts kept pushing on steadily. Elmer in the van continued to +maintain a bright lookout for any sign of footprints in the snow that +would give them encouragement, though as time passed, and he failed to +find any such, the rosy hopes with which they had started began to +gradually fade away. + +Of course the others also kept their eyes about them, in hopes of +sighting a lone cabin, or discovering smoke rising amidst the trees. +Hope died hard, and only George grumbled when more than half an hour had +crept on without their running upon the first sign that would mean +success. + +Once Elmer had pointed out to them the tracks of a fox, and of course +being true scouts, they were all greatly interested in examining the +trail, and speculating on whether it had been of the ordinary red +variety, or a gray animal, perhaps one of those silver-black foxes, the +pelt of which is often valued at as much as fifteen hundred dollars. + +Elmer had settled this question by picking up a hair he found caught on +the split end of a branch that grew low down, and which the body of the +fox, as well as his brushy tail, must have scraped as he slipped past. +It was plainly a red hair, and even George could not find any cause for +disputing that evidence, though he was far from happy, and in a fit mood +for argument if the occasion arose. + +Several other times Elmer pointed to the unmistakable track of a +bounding rabbit, and had they had more time at their disposal the boys +would have liked nothing better than to follow these, so as to figure +out what was chasing bunny to induce him to take such enormous jumps. +But the fact of their being astray in that unknown forest, with night +not far away, and a heavy snow-storm brooding over them, rather +discouraged them from turning aside from the main thing that engaged +their attention, which of course was the finding of the trapper's cabin. + +Nobody paid the least attention to George when they heard him grunting +away in the rear, because George would not have been happy unless he was +miserable, strange though that may sound. There is generally a boy built +after that fashion in every crowd of scouts. As a rule he has some good +qualities that make his friends forgive his bad ones, and finally they +get so accustomed to his grumblings that they pay little attention to +them. In fact George's complainings had little more effect on his boon +companions than so much water poured on a duck's back would. It amused +him to grunt and object, and hurt them very little, so what was the +sense of making any trouble? + +Another fifteen minutes crept along. There did not seem to be any +particular change in things, except that the light was showing signs of +failing, and perhaps George stumbled more frequently, for he was not as +spry on his feet when carrying a pack as the other fellows. + +"Don't seem to be over this way either, Elmer," suggested Lil Artha, +finally. + +"That's right, Uncle Caleb's cabin appears to be as hard to locate as a +needle in a haystack," admitted the leader of the Wolf Patrol, cheerily; +as though it would have to be something more than this to discourage +him, because he had made it his business in life to always look at the +bright side of things; and knew that no matter how gloomy the prospect +might be it could seem much worse. + +"That settles it!" came abruptly from George in the rear. + +"What's the matter with you back there; stubbed your toe again? We'll +have to make a scout litter and carry you the rest of the way, if you +keep on falling over every old log there is," Lil Artha told him, +severely. + +"'Tain't that this time, mind you," the delinquent one answered back, +with a triumphant grin; "but what's the use trying to poke along any +further? Might as well be killed for a sheep as a lamb, any day. This +place looks like it'd make a good camp for to-night." + +"Camp?" echoed Toby. + +"Sure thing!" snapped George. "We're all tuckered out, and as hungry as +wolves in the dead of winter; night's comin' on right fast; and then if +you take a look you'll see that it's begun to snow!" and as the others +did glance hastily up they discovered the first few big flakes commence +to sail lazily down! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A STRANGE PLACE TO CAMP + + +"I'M surprised at you saying it's going to snow, George," Lil Artha +remarked, as he turned on the doubting scout; "because it'd be more like +you to tell us ten flakes didn't make a storm, and that anyway there was +always a chance of it giving us the go-by. Guess you're tired, and want +to snuggle down close to a warm fire, which would explain why you give +in so easy-like." + +"Just as you please, so long as we do camp," replied the other, as he +began to undo the straps that secured his hamper to his back. + +"Keep still, fellows!" said Elmer, in a husky whisper; "I honestly +believe I saw a bevy of partridges fly up in a tree over yonder," and as +he dropped his pack lightly to the ground, he gripped the trusty little +twelve-bore Marlin double-barreled shot-gun which he had owned for a +number of years, and occasionally found a use for. + +"Oh! partridges, fat partridges, and me as hungry as a bear!" gasped +Toby; but Elmer had already quitted his chums, and was making his way +toward the point he had indicated with his hand. + +They watched him with considerable eagerness, and waited to see what +luck attended his stalking action. + +"Since it looks like we'd have to spend a night here, like the Babes in +the Wood," Lil Artha was saying in a whisper, "it'd be real nice if +Elmer could only bag four plump birds for our supper! Let's hope he gets +a string of the same in range, and makes a double with each shot." + +"Honest Injun! I think I could devour four myself, without half trying," +Toby assured them, rubbing the pit of his stomach as though to call +their attention to the fact that it was an aching void. + +"Huh! you mightn't even get the smell of a single one cooking," George +warned him; "because I've been told partridges are wary old birds, even +up here, where they light in the trees after being flushed, instead of +going off with a whirr of their wings, like they do down our way." + +"There, he's going to let drive!" said Lil Artha, who, being something +of a hunter himself, had been closely observing the progress of Elmer +all this time. + +"Good luck to his pot-shot!" muttered Toby. + +Two reports were heard in quick succession. Then Elmer was seen to +hastily run forward, at the same time managing to reload his gun. + +"He got one, anyhow!" cried Toby, exultantly; "that fixes _me_ all +right. There, he has grabbed another up off the ground. Bully for Elmer! +He knows how to work the game, all right. What! another bird? Oh! +George, if only he had killed four you might have had one, the same as +the rest of us!" + +"Well, I like your nerve," said George, indignantly; "why should I be +singled out to get left, tell me that, Toby?" + +"Keep quiet, George, and don't get riled so easy," Lil Artha told him, +"because, as sure as you live he's hurrying over to pick a fourth bird +up. What d'ye think of that for great luck, now? Four hungry scouts, and +a fat partridge for each. I think it's a splendid introduction to Uncle +Caleb's pet game preserve, don't you all?" + +"He must have knocked over three with that right barrel," ventured Toby; +"like as not they were all sitting along a limb when he fired, and then +he picked that last one when they were on the wing, remembering that +George would have to go hungry, or only suck the racks, if he didn't get +another." + +When Elmer rejoined them he was wearing a smile of contentment such as +usually adorns the face of a successful sportsman. + +"Couldn't have been better any way you fixed it, fellows," he told them. +"There they sat, in a row, and you never saw a prettier sight. I just +hated to do such a thing, but even scouts can be forgiven for shooting +game when they're adrift in an unknown snow forest, and hungry in the +bargain." + +"I should say they could," Lil Artha added, forcibly, "and lots of other +times in the bargain. But these birds are as plump as any I've ever +seen. Just feel of the fat breasts, will you? Makes my mouth water, +thinking how fine they'll go with our coffee and crackers. How fortunate +we thought to bring a few things along in case Uncle Caleb might run +short on rations. Plenty of coffee, a little tea, some sugar, a can of +condensed milk, crackers, cheese, a pound of bacon, and a package of +self-raising flour for flapjacks. We ought to subsist for a whole day on +that bill of fare, don't you think?" + +"And as we've got our guns along," interposed Lil Artha, "with more or +less of game around us, what's the use of worrying? For one I'm meaning +to take things as they come, and squeeze what fun I can out of the +same." + +"That's the stuff!" said Toby, and Elmer nodded his approval; only +skeptical George remained silent, for he was feeling of his partridge +and with a frown on his brow that made Toby hasten to assure him the +bird was a real one, and not such as he may have seen in his dreams. + +Already Elmer was casting about to see where they had better locate +their camp. It was easy to say this would be for only one night, but how +did they know? The threatening storm might swoop down with such force +that it would virtually imprison them for a much longer stay. And so he +considered it worth while to do the best possible while they had any +choice of situation. + +Elmer had had considerable experience, having spent a year up on a +Canadian cattle ranch and wheat farm owned by an uncle, Elmer's father +having been given charge of the property. There the boy had learned +dozens of things that were apt to prove valuable to any one in the +woods. Besides, he had made it a practice to pick up information +wherever he went by asking questions, investigating for himself, and +constantly increasing his stock of knowledge. + +Looking in every quarter he presently decided that since they carried no +tent, and it would be no easy task to make a brush shelter, their best +move was to settle down in the lee of one of those cavities formed when +a hurricane had toppled a number of giant trees over, with their roots, +and the earth attached to the same, standing fully eight feet in the +air. + +There was a little choice about the matter, and Elmer picked out the one +best suited to screen them from the northwest wind. The snow would +surely come from that direction, and having a windbreak might mean +considerable. + +"Drop everything here, boys, and let's hustle to collect all the wood we +can find. Don't stop short of darkness, because maybe we'll have to keep +a fire going for several days. Just drag it handy, so we'll know where +to find it, even if the snow comes two feet deep!" + +"Whew! I sure hope it don't get us that way to start with," said Toby; +"and us not knowing whether Uncle Caleb's shack is to the north, east or +west. Don't I wish we'd run across him in the woods, and were toasting +our shins alongside a fire in his comfy little place right now! Um! But +the snow's coming faster than she was, fellows!" + +"The more reason we should get busy," Elmer told him. + +At that they started energetically to "make hay while the sun shone," as +Lil Artha said, though he must himself have been convinced that the +comparison was hardly a good one, judging from the grimace he gave when +casting his eyes upward toward the leaden sky that frowned down upon +them like a dome. + +Fortunately there was no lack of wood handy. This had doubtless been one +reason why Elmer had decided on pitching the camp where he did. Those +fallen trees had in crashing to the ground broken many large limbs off, +and all that was necessary for the campers to do was to drag these, one +after another, to a convenient striking distance from the hole in which +they intended spending the night. + +All around it they banked up the loose wood, until Toby declared they +had fully enough to do an army. + +"Don't you believe it," said Lil Artha, an authority on fires among his +fellow scouts; "you'd be s'prised to see what an enormous amount of wood +a fire eats up in a single night; and like as not we may have to hold +the fort a week, just as Elmer said. Keep on fetching it a little while +longer, boys." + +"You're on the safe side there, Lil Artha," the cautious scout master +decided; "we can't have too much burning wood, with that sky threatening +us. And to run out, with the snow piled up hip-high over everything +wouldn't be the nicest job in the world. Let's work at it for another +ten minutes. By then it will be so near dark that we can lay off, and +get our camp fixed." + +So they labored on industriously until Elmer called a halt. George was a +good enough worker, and usually did his share when the necessity arose. +His grumbling really sprang more from force of habit than a desire to +make himself disagreeable. Sometimes Elmer seriously considered whether +it would pay them to try and cure George of his fault-finding, and then +as often decided that, given time, it must surely die out. Things of +that sort generally thrive on opposition. + +To Lil Artha was given over the task of making the fire. It was lucky +indeed in this pinch that Elmer had thought to bring his pet camp +hatchet along. Though its weight had added to his weariness on the +march, he had had what he called a "hunch" that it might come in handy, +though hardly expecting to be compelled to fall back on the little tool +the first thing in order to supply fuel for a camp. + +So the tall scout began to hack at a couple of promising fragments of +thick limbs which would make good sides for the cooking fire, and upon +which their coffeepot could rest; for they had such a thing along, as +well as a skillet, both made of aluminum, and weighing next to nothing. + +Elmer, assisted by George and Toby, meanwhile started to see how some +sort of shelter could be arranged with the four rubber ponchos which +they carried. He knew how soldiers on the march are in the habit of +fastening two of these together by means of the grummet holes along the +edges, forming a little shelter called a "dog-tent," under which the +pair can at least keep the upper halves of their bodies from the rain. + +By skillful work they managed to cover the cavity behind the upturned +roots of the fallen forest monarch in such a fashion that it would shed +most of the snow, even though some might drift through the cracks. + +"A pretty good job!" Lil Artha told them, as he suspended operations in +connection with his fire, which was by now sending out a grateful +warmth, and much good cheer in addition. + +"Next thing is to get the birds plucked, and ready for the spit," +announced Toby, as he took up the one that had been apportioned to him. + +George followed suit, but was evidently a poor hand at stripping the +feathers off, to judge by the gingerly way he went at it. Lil Artha had +to show him just how to grip hold, and make things fly; but even then +George looked anything but happy. + +"And I'd feel safe in wagering," said Toby, with a laugh, as he held up +his partridge, beautifully cleaned, and ready to be broiled before the +fire, after he had split it down the back, "that if we were anywhere +near home George would be willing to spend his last dime in bribing +some boy to finish his job; but that don't go here; no work no pay. +Those who expect to dine on partridge must prepare the same. You hear me +speaking, George. But I don't mind showing you again how I do it, which +according to my notion is a better way than Lil Artha has." + +And as George, seeing his opportunity, commenced to compliment Toby, and +engage his attention, the result was that he got his partridge not only +completely denuded down to the last pinfeather, but split along the back +in the bargain. + +After that a busy scene that glowing, snapping fire saw, with the +coffeepot sending out a delightful aroma, and the four hungry boys each +holding out his game near the flames, turning it often in order to allow +every part to receive an equal share of the intense heat that was +browning the outside so beautifully. + +Finally Toby gave a groan. + +"Can't stand for it any longer, and that's a fact, fellows!" he +announced; "please fill my cup with coffee, Elmer, and let me get +started or I'll cave in. George, pass that package of crackers, will +you; and, Lil Artha, I'd like to sample that cheese if you don't mind!" + +"For goodness' sake everybody wait on Toby, and get him shut off, or +he'll give us no peace!" exclaimed Lil Artha, though he had already put +his own teeth into one half of his sizzling partridge, to find that it +was as tender as could be, and perfectly delicious. + +In another minute or two all of them were busily engaged. It was such a +pleasant duty, partaking of this forest meal, and amidst such romantic +surroundings, that for the time being they forgot all the dismal +prospects ahead of them, and were quite merry. Toby joked, and Lil Artha +laughed aloud, while Elmer joined them, and even George, placated by +having his gnawing pains satisfied, for the time being looked contented +with the world. He would not have made any objection had he been offered +a second edition of that game supper; for when his bird had been reduced +to a mere lot of well-picked bones his taste for broiled partridge +seemed as keen as ever. + +Possessed of hearty boyish appetites it can readily be understood that +they had made a pretty good hole in their limited supplies by the time +all of them admitted that they were satisfied. Toby professed to be +greatly concerned because of this growing scarcity of rations, and as +for George, his gloom had returned, since he was already talking of the +time, near at hand most likely, when the cupboard would be as bare as it +was when Old Mother Hubbard went to get her dog a bone. + +"Gee! whiz! look at it coming down, would you!" burst out Lil Artha, as +having finished attending to that clamorous appetite, he thought it +worth while to take an observation, in order to learn what the weather +might be. + +"Never saw it snow harder," admitted Toby. + +"Be over our heads by morning, see if 'tain't," George prophesied. + +"Well, p'raps you may have a chance to use those snow-shoes sooner'n you +thought you would, Toby," ventured Lil Artha, as they all crouched +there, staring out at the dark forest, and watching the myriads of big +flakes steadily falling, as though a storm of the greatest magnitude had +come down from the far northwest, where the weather man keeps this brand +of thing in tap for scouts who are incautious enough to be caught +napping, away off in a strange woods, and with only rations for one day +in their haversacks. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE LONG NIGHT + + +"LET me tell you this is going to be the queerest old camp any of us +ever found ourselves stuck in," Toby ventured to remark, some time +later. + +"I should say it was," grumbled George, as he rubbed his ears, and then +held both hands out toward the fire to warm them again. + +"I know one thing we ought to do right away," said Elmer, "and that's +get out those warm skating tuques; they'll keep the air off our heads, +and can be drawn down to protect our ears." + +"That's a good idea, Elmer," Lil Artha told him, "because I don't want +to have one of my wigwags frozen off. You see, I'm so much taller than +the rest of you it takes harder work for my poor heart to pump warm +blood all the way up; and so I'm likely to suffer from cold extremities. +Seems like that off ear is frosted right now." + +"If it is," cried George, hurriedly, as though he thought Lil Artha +meant all he said, "take my advice, and rub it hard with a lot of snow. +That'll take the frost out, and start circulation again. Brr! but this +is going to be a tough night, when you think of it." + +"I don't know," Elmer told him; "seems to me we've got a whole lot to +be thankful for, with this fine fire, and a protection against the +storm. Perhaps we may run up against something harder than this before +we're done." + +"But we haven't got a tent, and our grub is pretty skimpy, say what you +will," the grumbler went on to protest. + +"Yes, that's all very true," continued Elmer, "but how wise we were to +fetch our blankets along, for fear that Toby's uncle mightn't have +enough in stock to go around. They felt pretty heavy when we carried +them, soldier fashion, around one shoulder, and tied them under the +other arm; but here's where they come in dandy." + +"Well, believe me, it was the smartest trick we ever did," Lil Artha +hastened to comment, "and if we'd only glimpsed this sort of box ahead, +so as to lay in three times as much grub, it'd be all right." + +"It is all right as it stands," the leader went on to say, "and we'll +show how scouts can take things as they come, without making mouths. So +let's see how we're going to fix ourselves for the night." + +"Guess none of us care much to sit up late, and gabble over the fire," +suggested Toby; "though it seems a fellow can't get enough of that heat +in him." + +"I want to shut out the whole business," affirmed George, in sheer +disgust, "and I hope that after my eyes close I won't know a blooming +thing till morning." + +George was a good sleeper as a rule, and his troubles seldom kept him +from getting a fair share of rest. Nor was he like his cousin, Philander +Smith, also a member of the Wolf Patrol, and who had been known to walk +in his sleep; George, once he snuggled down, with his blanket tucked all +around him, was like a regular Indian mummy. The others, knowing this +from past experiences, paid little attention to his complaints +concerning a disturbed night, because they knew it never had any real +basis of fact. + +For some little time the four boys busied themselves getting "fixed." +George was as hard to suit as any old maid. He found something wrong +with every corner of the depression that he tried; here it was a root +that jabbed him in the ribs; in another place the point of a big stone +made it impossible for him to curl up, and maintain a comfortable +attitude. + +After he had made the complete round, the others allowing him his +choice, he was finally compelled to accept the first position he had +tested. + +"Now let's hope we've heard the last kick from you, George," Lil Artha +told him, severely, after submitting to all this fussing; "I don't see +what you've got to complain about after all. Your bones are well covered +with a pad, while mine stick out like the joints of a scarecrow. And +say, don't you think I'm going to have a tough time of it stowing these +long legs of mine away? Chances are they'll push out in the night, and +when I wake up again I'll find the lower part of poor Lil Artha as +stiff as a board. Subside, George! Give the rest of us a chance to get +settled down. If we all took as long as you did it'd be near morning +before we fixed things." + +Finally, however, they seemed to have made the best of a bad bargain. +Taking Elmer's advice they all kept as close together as possible. In +this way perhaps they might not secure a great abundance of decent +sleep, but the fact of their being in touch with each other would add to +their comfort in the way of warmth. + +Elmer, with characteristic generosity, had chosen last, and hence he lay +nearer the outside of the shelter than any of his mates. But having +known what it was to be exposed to the rigors of a cold storm, since he +had braved a Canadian winter while up on that ranch, the young scout +master also knew how to make use of his blanket as though it were a +sleeping bag. + +The hours dragged slowly along. + +Afterwards they would always look back, and shudder as they remembered +how terribly long that night did seem. And yet none of them really +suffered, save that it was impossible to sleep, only in snatches. + +This was on account of several things. In the first place, they were +jammed together in a way to which they were wholly unaccustomed; and +when one stirred on becoming cramped it aroused all the others in turn. +Then their strange surroundings had more or less influence upon them. +Not that there was any furious noise, such as would have accompanied a +summer gale; but the weird moaning of the wintry wind through the +leafless branches of the oaks, and the bending tops of the pines, made a +music that kept them thinking they heard human voices calling for help. + +Another reason why Elmer had chosen the outside place when lying down +was his desire to keep watch upon the fire. + +It was his intention to keep this going as long as possible, though a +fellow built on the order of George would have complained bitterly had +he been compelled to crawl out of his snug nest several times in order +to face that pitiless storm, and pile more fuel on the smouldering logs. + +Elmer was one of those boys who, knowing his duty, always went about it +without any brag or bluster, and could be depended on to sacrifice his +own comfort in order that his chums might benefit. In other words Elmer +was what you might call an ideal scout. He seldom had any trouble about +practicing those twelve cardinal principles that govern the working day +of a scout--to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, +kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. They came +naturally to him. + +Three times did he perform this fire-building act. The last occasion +must have been well on toward the hour of three in the morning, as he +judged from certain conditions, though he could not bother looking at +his little silver watch. + +At that time the storm was keeping it up just as wildly as ever, and +there was much more than a foot of snow on the ground, where it had not +drifted; with any quantity still to come down. + +After that Elmer must have secured better sleep, for he did not wake up +again until a movement accompanied by a voice aroused him. + +"Great Scott! let me tell you the bottom's dropped out of the mercury +tube this time, boys!" the voice went on to bellow, and he recognized +the tones as belonging to George, who had not been heard from ever since +he first curled up in the folds of his warm blanket. + +He was raising his head now, and observing his breath as it congealed in +the frosty air. Elmer knew that the time to sleep had passed, because it +was daylight. + +"How about that snow, has it stopped?" asked another voice, as Toby sat +up, and began to stretch his arms upon which he may have been lying so +that they felt more or less numb. + +"Still coming down as hard as ever," Elmer told him, shaking quite a lot +of the feathery stuff out of the folds of his blanket; and then +struggling to his feet. + +There was no lounging around that morning. It was so cold that every +fellow was glad to get into action immediately he came out of his +blanket. George begged to be allowed to lie there until the fire got +good and warm. He urged every plea he could think of, saying they would +only get in each others' way by crowding; and that too many cooks always +spoiled the broth, anyway; but Toby and Lil Artha declared they had no +use for a shirker; and if he did nothing else he could stand up and +serve as a windbreak for the "willing workers." + +The fire had gone completely out, and several inches of snow covered the +spot; but wise, long-headed Elmer had provided against such a +contingency on the evening before, for he had a handful of fine wood, +light and dry, handy, with which to make a fresh start. + +After things got to moving it was not so bad. The scouts soon felt even +a little cheerful over the situation, because a crackling fire is one of +the greatest inducements to raising one's spirits ever discovered. When +shivering with the cold, and hungry as well, the world looks pretty blue +to any one; but let that same person come in close contact with a fire +that warms him up, and things quickly take on quite a different hue. + +Then there was that fragrant odor of coffee and bacon cooking on the +fire that tickled the noses of the boys; nothing could beat that for +good cheer--"if only they had more of the same," as George constantly +reminded them, even when enjoying his share. + +"Strikes me this is a mighty slim breakfast," he remarked, as he found +that he had already caused more than half that was on his pannikin to +vanish, and yet his appetite seemed as sharp as ever. + +"You never spoke truer words, George," said Toby, soberly, "but when you +stop to think what a small amount of stuff we've got along with us, and +the bad fix we're in, you can understand that we've got to cut the +allowance down." + +"Yes," added Lil Artha, "of course you've heard of shipwrecked mariners +being in a boat, and drifting around on the big ocean for days and days. +Well, they always have to go on half rations, both with food and fresh +drinking water. Anyhow we won't have to bother our poor heads about that +last, because all we have to do is to melt snow and get what we want." + +"Hang it, I wish we could melt all the old white stuff; I hate it!" +George continued, being a poor loser. + +"And yet I've heard you fairly raving over the beautiful snow," chuckled +Lil Artha, "but then that was when you were out sleigh riding with Polly +Brett. Makes considerable difference what your condition is, how you +look at things. For my part I don't hanker after snow one bit right now. +Seen all I want to of it to last me all winter; but then what's the use +bothering your head about things that can't be changed. It's a +condition, not a theory, that confronts us, and what we want to do is to +set our minds to work wrestling with the question of how we're going to +crawl out of this difficulty and find Uncle Caleb's shack." + +"Whew! mebbe I don't wish we were there now, snug under his roof, and +telling him all about our adventure, as well as how Elmer here found a +way to pull his chums out of a hole, like he always does," and Toby, +while saying this, gave the scout master a sly look, as though begging +him to tell them some hopeful news that would buoy their sinking +spirits up. + +"I wish I had as much confidence in myself as you seem to feel in me, +Toby," was what Elmer told him, "but I couldn't say the storm is nearly +over, because it's coming down as hard as ever, and goodness knows when +it means to let up. But we're a lively bunch, you know, and we're bound +to find some way of getting out of this scrape." + +"We've been in others just as tough, remember," Lil Artha declared, "and +always did get to the top of the heap in the end." + +"That's the way to talk," Elmer continued; "confidence is always one +half of the battle. We've proved that on many a hard-fought field, +baseball, football and hockey as well. If you can force yourself to +believe you will win, the chances are improved three-fold." + +"Well," said George, drily, as he stared very hard at his now empty +platter, "I'm doing my level best to force myself to believe this +pannikin is heaped high with beefsteak and fried onions and fried +potatoes; now if I've got a third of a chance to get what I'm wishing +for, even that much would fill a long-felt want. But say, none of you +see any grub coming along on my dish do you? Well, wishing don't seem to +do any good. I'm as hungry as ever, too, worse luck. Even speaking of +such splendid eatings seems to make my mouth water." + +"Then stop it!" cried Toby; "think all you want to, but the rest of us +have feelings as well as you, and it's cruelty to animals to even +mention such things as--" + +"Hold on there! don't you aggravate things by mentioning that list +again, or I'll proceed to roll you out of this hole into the snow +drifts!" threatened Lil Artha, pretending to make a threatening gesture, +while Toby threw up both hands in token of abject surrender. + +"I'm dumb as an oyster, Lil Artha," he protested. "I haven't got another +word to say; but if there's got to be any ejecting done let's grab the +right party, and see that he gets his full dose." + +George had meanwhile managed to pick up a couple of extra crackers, and +having his mouth full did not make any reply. Lil Artha deftly snatched +the box away from him, and closing it, calmly placed it out of reach. + +"No hogging, now, George," he went on to say; "share and share alike is +the rule we've got to go by from now on. If there's any hungry feeling +swinging around, it's going to be no one-sided game. Others can feel +empty as well as the Robbins family pet. But let's hope that before +another night we'll all be sitting around a table in Uncle Caleb's +shack, as warm and cozy as four bugs in a rug." + +The mere thought of having to spend a second night amidst those enormous +snow drifts gave the boys an unpleasant feeling. They turned and looked +out from under their rude shelter. The fire itself was cheery; but +beyond this lay the piles of snow, the grim trees with their white arms +extended like monuments in the burying ground at Hickory Ridge, and with +the air full of still rapidly falling flakes, as though the weather man +up aloft had an unlimited supply of white geese to pluck on this special +occasion. + +For a short time no one said a word. They were all busy with thoughts, +perhaps connected with their happy homes, so far removed; or it might be +trying to picture the cheery scene Lil Artha had spoken of when he +mentioned that cabin of Uncle Caleb, the man of science, and the small +animal photographer and trapper. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +SNOW-BOUND + + +"I DON'T believe there ever was such a furious snow-storm as this +before!" Toby remarked, after a while, with a little pensive sigh, as +though he had already begun to repent having conceived that brilliant +idea, in the following out of which they had fallen into their present +serious predicament. + +"Oh! that's because the wish is father to the thought, Toby," Elmer told +him. "We all like to stand up ahead of the other fellows. If you were +home right now I reckon you'd just say that it was a pretty decent sort +of a storm; but being cooped up here in the woods makes things look +different." + +"How deep do you think she is on the level, Elmer?" asked Lil Artha; "as +much as three feet?" + +"Nothing like that," replied the other, quickly; "you mustn't judge by +seeing what's piled up there. That's a drift, and the eddies of wind +have been piling it up all night long. You see the snow is as dry almost +as powder, owing to the cold. It's quit falling in big flakes, and is +sifting down now in fine stuff." + +"Yes, and it gets down your back every time, if you don't look out," +complained George. "This beats my time all hollow. I wonder how it'll +end." + +Elmer purposely made out to mistake the croaker's meaning; he knew that +George was thinking of the dismal outlook by which they were confronted, +but chose to pretend it was something else that was intended. + +"What, this storm, George?" he said, cheerily; "oh! it'll wind up before +a great while. They all have their innings, you know, some longer than +others." + +"I should say this was one of the longest, then," George affirmed. + +"But after it does stop we can make up our plans, and start to carry the +same out," Elmer continued, knowing that if he kept the minds of his +companions employed in some fashion they would not find much time to +worry. "I'm going to settle down pretty soon by the fire here, and +figure things out again. This time we want to make a sure job of it. I +know the wiggly route we've taken to get here, following that little +creek, and I've settled it in my mind just which way we ought to go to +remedy our blunder." + +"It wasn't so much a mistake as false tips we received, you remember, +Elmer," Lil Artha was quick to say. + +"Yes, that skunk told us wrong just to have what he thought would be a +silly joke on scouts," Toby added. "Guess he thought we considered +ourselves some punkins because we wore khaki suits, and he was mean +enough to want to take us down a peg. I'd like to see that same chap +again. What I wouldn't do to him wouldn't be worth telling." + +"At any rate he's forced us to have a novel experience," Elmer told +them. "Only for his sending us on a false scent we wouldn't have had the +chance to know what scouts can do when storm-bound in a snow forest. +Some time, when it's all away back in the past, and you can sit and +think of it without getting furious, perhaps none of us may feel quite +so hard about that young scamp's work." + +"Huh! about that time begin to feel of your shoulders," grunted George, +"because I reckon the wings will have started to sprout. If I had _my_ +way I'd condemn that rascal to spend a whole week in a snow camp, with +only six matches along, and just enough grub to keep him from starving. +Half rations and George Robbins don't seem to agree very well." + +"Nothing seems to agree well with you this morning, George," remarked +Lil Artha; "I hope it don't turn out to be catching." + +"What do you mean by saying that, Lil Artha?" demanded the other, +suspiciously. + +The tall scout shrugged his shoulders as he went on to cautiously +explain. + +"Why, you know we were talking about shipwrecked sailors a while back, +and how they often had to go on half rations because they carried so +little in the boat with them?" + +"Yes, go on," urged George. + +"Once in a while it gets even worse than that," Lil Artha continued, +gravely, "and they have to draw lots to see who will be sacrificed, so +that the rest of the bunch can live." + +"Aw! come off, and quit that!" cried George; "you're just trying to +scare me, and it don't go worth a cent. Nobody is going to starve here +in the woods where we can find some sort of meat to eat, even crow, if +we have to come to it, or perhaps muskrat. That's a mighty poor joke, +Lil Artha, let me tell you." + +"Well, of course I'm hoping myself that things'll never get _just_ that +bad," the tall scout went on to say, "but only supposin' they did, and +the choice fell on you, I'm wondering if ever afterwards the three of us +would have to go around all our lives finding fault with everything. I +wouldn't like that, George." + +"But what about yourself?" demanded the other; "you might happen to be +the first victim after all, Lil Artha." + +"That makes me smile," he was informed, coolly; "d'ye think now anybody +with eyes in his head would be so silly as to pick out a bony scarecrow +like _me_ when they could settle on a nice plump chicken of your build?" +and he playfully dug his fingers in George's ribs as he said this. + +"Let's change the subject," Toby broke in with; "this always talking of +eatin' seems to jar on my nerves. It sets me to thinkin', and that empty +larder stares me in the face. Something's got to be done about it." + +"Sure it has," echoed Lil Artha, eying George closer so that the other +squirmed uneasily, and edged further away from him. + +"If we stay right where we are nothing will come to us, will there, +Elmer?" Toby pursued. + +"If you mean anything in the way of game we could hardly expect it," +replied the scout master. "The fellow who generally gets there is the +one who goes out and finds what he wants, and doesn't hang around home +waiting for something to turn up. That's what wideawake scouts believe +in." + +"Hurrah! that's the ticket! And when can we make a start?" demanded +Toby. + +"If there's any sign of the storm letting up by noon, we'll clear out +and take our chances of finding Uncle Caleb's shack before night-time," +he was told. + +"And as the snow's so deep," Toby rattled on, "what's to hinder me from +trying my bully snow-shoes?" + +"Nothing that I know of," Elmer remarked; "only I'm afraid you won't +find the going as easy as you expect." + +"I won't, eh? What's the reason?" asked Toby, who always wanted to be +shown. + +"You're a new beginner, in the first place, and a knowledge of how to +walk on snow-shoes is something that's got to be gained by experience. +I've been on them up in Canada; and they had to dig me out lots of times +before I learned how to stand straight. If once you slip it's good-bye +to you. Down your head goes, and you can't get up alone because of the +clumsy big shoes. They always carry a long stick to keep from taking +these headers, especially when going it alone." + +"Anything else?" asked the aspiring one, as he took up the pair of +splendid snow-shoes Uncle Caleb had sent him, and made as if to secure +his toe in place with the thong intended for that purpose. + +"Yes, there's another thing that will make it doubly hard," Elmer +informed him. "Dry snow like this is the toughest kind to walk over. +When hunters go after deer or moose on snow-shoes they always pick a +time after a thaw, when a return of the cold has frozen the wet surface +of the deep snow. Over this thin ice they can run three times as fast as +the poor deer, which breaks through with every jump, and flounders +almost helplessly." + +"That sounds almost like plain murder, do you know," Lil Artha +vehemently declared, frowning at the idea. + +"Well, if you were hungry, and that was the only way to get near a +venison mebbe you wouldn't feel so particular," George told him. "I know +right now that I wish a splendid buck was doing some of that same +floundering near us, and Elmer had a chance to settle his hash for him. +It'd sure do me a heap of good just to know we had enough grub for a +week, and then some." + +"That's a forbidden subject, George," remonstrated Elmer, who wanted to +get the minds of his chums directed in more pleasant channels; "let's +all get together and compare notes about direction. I said I had a plan, +but then I might be off my base, and some of you could correct me. Four +heads are better than one all the time." + +His scheme succeeded, for presently he had managed to get them deeply +interested in the subject of location, so that one after another put +forward some plan. + +It was about all they could do, under the circumstances, that and +keeping the fire burning. Even George so far forgot his troubles as to +suggest several things that were well weighed before being rejected. + +As it turned out, after the conference, Elmer had changed his figures a +little, and the latest plan was to head a point south of northwest when +they started forth in hopes of finding shelter from the storm. + +No one knew the grim necessity for action better than Elmer. While he +tried to assume a pleasant face in order to keep the courage of the +others up, he understood the serious character of their condition far +more than he was willing to openly admit. + +They could not expect any one to come and find them, if they continued +to stay where they were; and besides the scantiness of their provisions +entailed the necessity for doing some sort of hunting in the snow forest +in hopes of securing a new supply. + +As the morning dragged on many anxious glances were cast out to where +that fine powdery substance was showering steadily down, adding to the +tremendous quantity that was already on the ground. If it would only +begin to slacken how thankful they would be. + +On several occasions some one would exclaim that it looked as though the +snow might be coming down in lessened quantities, but no sooner did they +begin to pay close attention than the storm seemed to start in again as +furiously as ever. + +So the time drew near the middle of the day, and as yet they could not +say that there was any hopeful sign. + +"If it gets along past noon we're in for another night here, I'm +afraid," Lil Artha argued, "because, you remember the old saying, +'between eleven and two, it'll tell you what's it's going to do.' +Needn't chuckle that way, George, because I've often seen that proved. +Seems like that's a turning point most times, if there's going to be any +change." + +"All silly bosh!" George went on to say, for at least he was not given +to believing in "signs" and such things; "haven't I many a time seen a +storm go on past noon, and look as black as a pocket, only to clear +handsomely about four or five, with the grandest rainbow in the west you +ever saw? Those sayings are all bunco, Lil Artha. I'm surprised at as +sensible a scout as you admitting that you believe in any of the same. +I'm not superstitious, whatever else I may be." + +"Oh! well, it doesn't matter which one's right," the tall scout +observed; "the thing is there's always a fair chance of its breaking +around noon; and let's hope it'll be kind enough to do that same +to-day. I know Elmer wants to make a move as much as any of us, don't +you, Elmer?" + +"Yes, and I don't care how soon it comes along, either," he was told +without the slightest hesitation. + +"There's one comfort we've got," said Toby. + +"I'd like to hear it, then," George muttered, disconsolately, eying the +other half suspiciously, as though he feared another trap intended for +his unwary feet. + +"We've got stacks of coffee along, and can always have a cup to cheer us +up. I think that counts a lot. It not only warms you inside, but gives +you courage to face your troubles like a true scout." + +"And yet some scouts are never allowed to drink tea or coffee," +suggested George. + +"I'm sorry for them, that's all," Toby continued; "we don't happen to +fall in that class, do we, fellows? My folks let me have one cup every +morning; and when I'm in camp I c'n drink all I want. There, look and +tell me if you don't think it seems to be lightening in the northwest, +Elmer; because that's where all this awful snow is coming from." + +"It does look a little better, for a fact!" admitted the scout master, +after he had taken a critical observation; "of course I'm not a +weather-sharp; and my prediction may not be worth a pinch of salt; but +if you asked me I'd like as not say I really believe it was going to +break." + +"Hurrah!" shouted both Lil Artha and Toby in concert; for this was the +first time Elmer had committed himself to saying what he thought about a +possible change in the weather. + +More anxiously than ever they waited and watched. The snow did not come +down quite so heavily, and was constantly lessening in force. A stiff +wind had arisen that cut like a knife; they hoped this was blowing the +gray clouds away, and that soon the cheery face of the sun would peep +forth through a gap in the curtain overhead. All of them stood ready to +greet his advent with a rousing cheer. + +"Here, let's get our coffee started, so we can move out right away, if +things look good to us!" Elmer told them; and it seemed as though there +were four times as many cooks as the supply of food warranted, because +every one wanted to have a hand in preparing their scanty lunch. + +As one of them had said it promised to be pretty much "coffee and +point," and of course he was compelled to tell how the poor Irish during +famine times were accustomed to hanging a bit of bacon over the table, +and as they ate their potatoes they would point the same at it, as +though in imagination they might get some of the flavor that way. + +"The Irish were long on praties, and short on bacon," Lil Artha +commented, "and with us it's a case of plenty of coffee, and a famine in +other kinds of grub; but better times are coming soon, boys, when we'll +have plenty," and he managed to cast another of his wicked looks in the +direction of George, which being seen by that worthy caused him to curl +his lips in derision, and return the hint with an expression that seemed +to say: "you'll have to wait a long time before you taste _me_, Lil +Artha, and don't you forget that!" + +Things got better and better as the cooking progressed; that is to say, +overhead the clouds were plainly showing ragged signs, as though they +must presently break, and the storm be of the past. + +This fact gave the four boys some reason for cheering up. It was a bleak +immediate future that stared them in the face, but being young and full +of hope they easily found many things to pin their faith on. Youth is +apt to be buoyant, and see only the present; George's habit of +complaining, and being a pessimist, doubtless sprang from a poor +digestion, and could easily be remedied if he went on a plain diet. + +"Watch the smoke, how it goes straight up when the wind stops," Elmer +told them. "That's a good sign, and every old hunter knows it. Smoke +hugs the ground when the air is heavy with moisture, and ascends when +it's dry. I'm more certain than ever now that we're seeing the tail-end +of our storm." + +"The worst is yet to come," croaked George. + +"Smells pretty fine to me," said Lil Artha, sniffing the air, which was +charged just then with a delightful aroma of coffee. + +"I only wish all of you were as lucky as me," Toby broke in with, +showing that he could not tear his mind away from contemplating his +present. "Think how slick we'd go skimming along over the big drifts on +our snow-shoes, and not caring five cents whether school kept or not." + +"Mebbe we would, and again mebbe we'd be sorry," George told him. +"Things ain't always just what they seem. Lots of times you think you're +going to have a nice swell drink, and swich! the glass drops, and is +broken into bits." + +"Well, we've got aluminum drinking cups, so there's no danger of that +thing happening to us," practical Lil Artha assured him, for he never +bothered his head about evil omens, and all such nonsense. + +Toby, who had been bending over the fire, happened to look around +presently. Perhaps it was his intention to add some brilliant remark to +what he had already said in connection with snow-shoes; but if this were +so the thought was driven completely out of his head by something else. + +"Oh! my stars! would you see that?" he almost shrieked. + +Startled by his exclamation, and half believing that he must have +discovered at least a hungry lynx about to spring into the camp, the +others whirled around and then they in turn stared as though hardly able +to believe their eyes. + +A splendid stag had come bounding along through the deep snowdrifts, +unaware of the fact that human enemies were so near by, since the wind +carried the scent of their presence, as well as the smoke from the fire, +in another direction. He had apparently just discovered them at the +instant they all looked, for with a flirt of his antlered head he was +making off, jumping gracefully through the deep snow, and doubtless +picking his way, even though dreadfully alarmed. + +Elmer had started to look for his Marlin, but realizing the hopelessness +of getting a shot he desisted, and watched the splendid animal vanish +from view. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +WANDERING THROUGH THE DRIFTS + + +IT was a chagrined and sadly disappointed lot of scouts who turned and +looked at each other after the last had been seen of the fleeing buck. + +"What a splendid set of antlers he had!" Lil Artha exclaimed. + +"To think of how close we came to having a supply of fresh meat!" +groaned Toby, shaking his head dismally, as he put a hand on the pit of +his stomach, just as if he wished to call their attention to its +depressed appearance. + +"Was it really a deer?" asked George. "Now, you needn't all turn on me +so savagely, like you think I'm away off my base. I've known hungry +people to imagine they saw things. Ain't it always the thirsty traveler +who sees the mirage on the desert, and thinks he can hear the gurgle of +the running water as he looks at the river boiling among the rocks? +Course it is; and so I say again, was it really a deer, or did we just +_think_ we saw one?" + +Knowing the folly of trying to convince George when he chose to question +even his own eyes, the others made no attempt to swing him around to +their way of thinking. + +"That goes to show us the meaning of our motto 'Be Prepared,'" Lil Artha +continued. "Now, if either Elmer or me had happened to have a gun in our +hands how easy it would have been to bowl that fine buck over. And then +think what it would mean to all of us. Wow! after this I'm meaning to +stick even closer to my gun than a brother." + +"We always shut the door after the horse has been stolen," said Elmer, +"but even in our misfortune you can see the silver lining to the cloud +if you look." + +"Then for goodness' sake, Elmer, point it out, so George can get that +sour frown off his face. He don't believe what he sees, and yet he's +grieving worse than any of us because we didn't get that venison when we +had the chance." + +"If there's one deer up here in this forest there must be others," Elmer +told them. "You may have noticed that he went off in about the same +direction we expect to head in when we start. We may see him again, and +if that luck comes our way we'll try and be ready next time." + +Ten minutes later and chancing to look out over the snow Elmer saw a +moving object that gave him a start, until on looking a second time he +made it out to be only George, who was prowling around, looking for any +signs the deer may have left as he broke through the deep snow drifts. + +Evidently George must have been convinced, for when he came in later +there was a satisfied expression on his face; and noticing Elmer +observing him the doubter nodded his head, and simply said: + +"It was a deer all right; I saw his tracks out there!" + +They had been sitting by the fire eating their frugal lunch for +something like five minutes when the sun suddenly looked down at them, +dazzling their eyes with his bright beams glinting from all that snow. + +Of course the four boys immediately broke out into a shout, they were so +glad to see the cheerful face of the sun again. The meal was finished in +record time; but then perhaps that was not to be wondered at, for the +supply had run far short of the demand; and Lil Artha, after polishing +his pannikin until he could almost see his face in the same, jocosely +remarked: + +"The sample was pretty fine; now bring on the dinner!" + +They were so eager to get moving that they did not allow their state of +hunger to give them much concern. The rude shelter was taken down, +though they had some trouble with the rubber ponchos, as they seemed to +be frozen stiff under the accumulated snow, which from time to time had +thawed in the heat of the fire, only to congeal again later on. + +In the end, however, everything was packed as before, and having secured +their blankets over their shoulders again, the scouts were ready to make +a start. Toby had made his threat good, and had his wonderful snowshoes +on. He struck out bravely enough, and at first seemed to be able to +easily outstrip his companions. This caused him to feel an unnatural +exultation, for he began calling back at them, and derisively telling +them to "hurry up," that they were "too slow a bunch for him," and all +that sort of nonsense. + +Then suddenly this tirade ceased. + +"Wonder what's happened to him now?" Lil Artha remarked, turning a +grinning face toward Elmer, who simply replied: + +"Wait and see, and be ready to laugh, though it's never a laughing +matter to the fellow with the snowshoes!" + +As Elmer had expected would be the case they presently discovered +something floundering in the snow, which upon closer inspection proved +to be Toby's feet. He had lost his balance while negotiating a big +drift, and in spite of the assistance afforded by the long staff he +carried, had taken a plunge, so that when they arrived his feet were +where his head should be. + +Elmer knew how to go about it in order to right the novice. Toby was no +longer bubbling over with enthusiasm as he once more started off. He was +learning that even innocent looking snow-shoes may have traps concealed +about them for the unwary; and afterward he conducted his advance with +much more caution. + +In spite of this, however, the others had to rescue him regularly about +once every fifteen minutes, until finally even Toby was ready to call +the experiment off for the time being. + +"I'll get there yet, see if I don't," he assured the others, as they +gathered around to watch him take the big cumbersome things off his +feet, and sling them over his back. "Uncle Caleb'll teach me how to use +'em; and besides, Elmer, didn't you say this was mighty poor snow for a +learner to start out with? Gimme time, and I'll master the trick yet, +see if I don't." + +Elmer did not doubt in the least but what he would, because this sort of +talk showed the determined spirit that always gets there in the end, no +matter how many difficulties may be encountered by the way. + +They found it hard traveling through all that accumulated snow, even +though the pilot of the expedition made it a point to pick out the +easiest course, avoiding most of the drifts, though keeping on the +course he had laid out in the beginning. + +As they went they used their eyes to the best advantage, hoping to +discover something in the shape of game, little they cared whether it +might be a covey of partridges, a rabbit that was out of its burrow at +the wrong time, a deer, or even so small a thing as a gray squirrel. + +As the afternoon began to wear on, and their progress was becoming +slower all the while, on account of weariness, and the difficulty of +pushing through the snow, their hopes took a downward turn with the drop +of the sun toward the horizon. + +Everywhere lay that unending white blanket. The breeze had stopped, and +it seemed as though a deathly silence lay upon all the region roundabout +them, now and then disturbed when some rotten limb broke under the +weight of snow, and crashed to the ground; for in the beginning, before +it became so cold, the falling flakes had clung tenaciously wherever +they dropped, and thus the trees were in places bending double with +their burden. + +Still not the slightest sign did any of the boys discover of human +presence. If only they could have caught the ringing echo of a woodman's +ax, or hear the hello of a hunter returning to camp with game on his +back, what a thrill must have passed through their whole bodies; but to +have that terrible silence around them was discouraging, to say the +least. + +All of them were staggering more or less by now. It was the absence of +hope as much as the fact of their being tired that caused this. Could +they have glimpsed smoke curling upward a mile ahead, to tell them of +succor, doubtless even George, who was more worn out than any of the +others, would have started on a mad rush to reach the coveted camp where +comfort and plenty awaited them. + +But that was not fated to be just then. The scouts had by accident found +themselves entangled in a network of difficulties, and there were still +other experiences awaiting them before they could expect to reach the +end of their adventure. + +All of them seemed to be holding up as well as could be expected. George +could forget his weakness when he chose, and show that he had the right +sort of stuff in him, just as Elmer had known all along. He did not +complain even as much as Toby did; though perhaps that worthy was soured +by his keen disappointment in connection with his wonderful snow-shoes, +which after all had only been a delusion, a snare, and a burden up to +date. + +They knew that this sort of thing could not keep up a great while +longer, for the sun would soon be ready to set in the west, and they +must think to prepare for another dismal night in the endless snow +forest. + +Somehow no one mentioned anything about the prospect ahead now. They +dreaded it more than ever, because the conditions were gradually getting +harder all the while. When a parcel of well grown boys, with the healthy +appetites of their kind, are reduced to cutting their rations down to +one-half, they do not face the future with anything approaching +enthusiasm. + +Their manner of march was about like this: Elmer went in front, breaking +a way, as it might be described, and his was the eye that had to pick +the course, avoiding all the difficult drifts as much as possible, +though heading into the near-northwest as arranged at the time they laid +their plans. + +Immediately after him came Toby, puffing like a porpoise at times, being +short of breath; and occasionally floundering about when he lost his +footing or made a miscalculation. + +On his heels George plodded along, looking this way and that, ever ready +to call to Elmer did he but discover a moving, dun-colored object that +might turn out to be the deer they had missed. + +Lil Artha brought up the rear, though with those long waders of his it +must have been an easy task for him to have taken the lead, since they +seemed particularly adapted for carrying their owner through floods of +snow or water. Lil Artha kept his gun ready at all times. If game that +had been made to hide because of the coming of Elmer attempted to slink +away later on, the tall scout was on hand, ready to take advantage of +the first opportunity. + +So far nothing had rewarded their vigilance, much to their keen +disappointment. That there was game to be found in the forest they did +not question; but after such a heavy fall of snow it wisely remained in +den or hollow tree, waiting for a change in the weather before venturing +forth. Hunger would eventually compel most of the animals that did not +hibernate like the bear to issue forth and seek their accustomed food; +but they could abstain for days, and meanwhile what was to become of the +four scouts? + +As they moved along the stillness was disturbed by the noisy cawing of a +flock of crows that seemed to be disputing some matter. Often had the +boys watched the queer actions of crows when holding what Toby called a +"cawcus," as though trying one of their number that had been caught +doing something unfair, according to crow laws; but never had they +anticipated they would begin to observe the noisy black fellows with +hungry eyes. + +"If it comes to the worst, crow mightn't go so _very_ bad," suggested +Lil Artha. + +"Well, we haven't got to that point yet, remember!" hastily cried +George. "I'm willing to stand for nearly anything, but eating crow is +too, too much. What d'ye take us for, Lil Artha; think we're a bunch of +defeated politicians, do you, that have to pay an election wager? No +crow for me until I'm at the last gasp. Get out, you black rascals;" and +he waved his arms in order to make them fly before Lil Artha could +conclude to fire his gun. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +IN THE FROZEN MARSH + + +PERHAPS it was just as well that the crows took the alarm, and flew +noisily away. If Lil Artha had taken a shot at them and secured one or +more, there might have been a peck of trouble, not only for the crows +but some of the scouts as well. + +They pushed on for some little time after this in silence. Elmer was +constantly on the watch for a possible camping spot. He hardly expected +they would be as highly favored as on the preceding night; but then, as +no storm threatened, this was not absolutely necessary. He anticipated +that they would be able to put up some sort of barrier to keep the keen +wind off, clear a place of snow, and do the best possible with what they +found. + +"Looks like we might be on the border of a sort of marsh," suggested Lil +Artha, as he made an extra effort, and caught up with the plodding +leader. + +"Yes, I began to notice that about ten minutes ago," replied Elmer. + +"I only mention the fact," continued the lanky scout, "because it +strikes me that several times when Toby read out long descriptive +letters he had from his uncle up here the old gentleman told of getting +some of his best views when lying out in a marsh, and watching the +little animals play tag, or some game like that, build their nests, and +have their scraps. Am I right about that, Elmer?" + +"Yes, and I can see what you're hinting at, Lil Artha. You've got an +idea this may be that marsh?" + +"Correct!" admitted the tall scout. + +"And that if we've finally managed to work around, and strike Uncle +Caleb's favorite stamping grounds, there's a pretty good chance the +cabin can't be a great ways off?" Elmer concluded, while his words +brought vigorous nods of approval from the other. + +"Wish we could set up a holler that'd reach him!" ventured Lil Artha. + +"We might try a few shots and see if they had any result, though I'd +rather wait till dark before doing that," the scout master remarked, +thoughtfully. + +Lil Artha pondered over this for a minute before he made any further +remark. + +"I reckon you mean you still hope we might run foul of some sort of game +that would give us a supper?" he finally observed. + +"Well, here's the marsh, and while the snow is deep in most places, we +might manage to run across one of their queer little winter houses, you +know." + +Lil Artha must have been thinking along the same lines as Elmer, if one +could judge from the rapidity with which he took the other up. + +"You mean muskrats, don't you, Elmer?" + +"Just what I do," came the reply. "Beggars mustn't be choosers, they +say; and it looks like that, or go hungry to-night, because we haven't +got enough stuff on hand for two, much less four." + +"I wonder if they are so very bad eating?" mused the tall scout, +wistfully; for prejudice is a hard thing to conquer; and habit backed by +imagination is responsible for the choice of many a man's food. What +appeals tremendously to one may cause another to shrink. + +Elmer laughed. + +"I've heard many men say they think musquash as good as almost anything +to be had in the woods or swamps up north. The Indians always consider +them a dainty," he told his chum. + +"Oh! yes, but they are also mighty fond of baked dog," remonstrated Lil +Artha. + +"So would you be, if you'd been brought up that way. Some people can't +bear the thought of eating frogs' legs, and yet those same folks will +sit down and calmly swallow a dozen oysters or clams on the half shell. +Now, I've always said that the first man who ever gulped down a live +oyster had more nerve even than Napoleon. Then, if you only travel +around, from China to France, you'll find that things we scorn are +called dainties there. Take snails, which bring a high price in Paris +markets--have you ever eaten one in all your life?" + +"Hold on there, Elmer," exclaimed Lil Artha; "bring on your musquash. +I'm ready to give him a fair trial, and if he tastes good, after this +you won't hear me draw the line even at baked dog--or crow. Yes, I've +heard of people who say they've made a meal off crow, and liked it. Why, +down our way the black rascals live on corn, and I don't see why they +shouldn't be eatable, especially when a fellow has nothing else along." + +"Then I tell you what our programme should be," the scout master +continued, as though this ready admission on the part of the other +gun-bearer had settled the question with him; "we'll make up our minds +about stopping close by here, and on the border of the marsh. While +George and Toby are fixing camp, and beginning to gather wood, the two +of us can start out and enter the marsh, keeping within calling distance +of each other. If there's anything doing we'll bag some game for our +supper to-night. How does that strike you?" + +"Tip-top, Elmer, and because the sun is getting pretty low over there in +the west we'd better be finding that camp-site in a hurry." + +"I think I see as good a place as any right now," the scout master +declared, as he pointed straight ahead. "You can glimpse what I mean by +looking just past that birch that is bent nearly double with the snow. A +dead tree lies on the ground, and I should think it would give us all +the wood we'll need to-night. That's the main thing to make sure of." + +"And there's a heavy growth in sight, Elmer, that would serve as a +windbreak in case it got to blowing great guns before morning, which I +don't think will happen though. Shall I tell the other fellows we're at +the end of our day's tramp?" + +"Yes, because they're both about as tired as can be, and will be glad to +hear the news," Elmer replied. + +So Lil Artha fell back in order to get in communication with Toby and +George, who were plodding along with many a sigh and grunt; for their +packs were heavy, and the going rough, with all that deep snow to +struggle through. + +"Hi! hurry along there, fellows!" he called out; "we're meaning to camp +right ahead here. Plenty of wood for a fire, and a windbreak in the +bargain." + +"Tell us something about the visible grub supply, won't you, Lil Artha?" +asked Toby, beseechingly. "Is there a good grocery around the corner, +and does the butcher call for orders every morning, or just three times +a week?" + +"Oh! you have to go after your fresh meat," laughed the tall scout, "and +that's what me'nd Elmer propose doing, leaving you two to fix the camp." + +"All right," replied the weary Toby, "just as you say. Anything to +oblige; and here's hoping you run up against the best of success. A +broiled partridge, or three slices of juicy venison in the fryingpan +would about suit my taste." + +"They don't grow juicy venison up here, you ought to know, Toby; every +kind I ever heard of was as dry as tinder, and had to be cooked with +slices of bacon to make it taste just right. But considering that we've +made way with the last scrap of cured pork I guess we'll take it any old +style." + +Lil Artha did not think it wise to spring the muskrat idea too suddenly +on those unsuspecting fellows. He had a vague idea that should Elmer and +himself meet with success, and knock over several of the marsh dwellers +with the unenviable name, they might skin them, and let their chums +imagine that they were eating squirrel or rabbit or something like that. +Afterwards, when they had set the stamp of approval upon the dish, the +truth could come out. Prejudice by then would have been overcome by the +knowledge that "musquash," the Indian dish, was all right. + +When the little struggling party reached the spot Elmer had selected, +and every one had a chance to survey the situation, a unanimous approval +of his choice was the result. + +"You couldn't have done better if you'd tried," said George. + +"Don't believe there's as good a camp-site within five miles," Toby +added; but perhaps the tired condition of the boys had something to do +with this endorsement on their part; just then any place would have +satisfied their desires, which were not very exacting. + +The heavy packs were quickly hung from the lower limb of a tree under +which the camp fire was to be made. It was a pine, and beneath it the +ground seemed to be fairly clear of snow, most of what had fallen still +clinging to the tree itself. + +"Better not waste any more time, had we, Elmer?" asked the tall scout, +as he nervously handled his Marlin gun, anxious to start out after game. + +"No, get busy, please," said Toby; "don't bother about us, for we know +how camp ought to be made. All we ask is that you come back loaded down +with something to eat." + +"We don't care much what it is, if only you cut out crow," George added. + +Lil Artha gave his fellow Nimrod a quick look, as much as to say, "that +lets us out, and we can fetch home the musquash with a clear +conscience--if so be we're lucky enough to bag any." + +They went away in company. The last words George flung after the +departing comrades was a caution. + +"For goodness' sake now, don't go and get lost in that marsh, or we will +be in a bad scrape. Things are hard enough as it stands without our +getting separated. If you don't just know where the camp is located give +three yells, or fire three shots as fast as you can. We'll answer you +back, and keep hollering till you show up. Three shots, remember." + +Once the two scouts entered the frozen marsh they kept together for a +short time. + +"How'll I know a muskrat house when I see it, Elmer?" asked Lil Artha. + +"Oh! you've seen them often around home, only you forget," replied the +other, but in order to make sure, he continued: "you know, they build +their nests or houses a little after the same style as beaver do, only +of course not so big or secure. If when you're passing a marsh or swampy +tract, and spy a number of what look like irregular mounds, or heaps of +dead rushes, you can make up your mind muskrats live there. If it's a +lake or a stream they can be found in among the rocks too, but not as a +rule, because there they are apt to run up against the otter, weasel and +the mink, and there's no love lost between those sharp-toothed animals +and the muskrat. He's a hard fighter, too, as his jaws tell you, Lil +Artha, but hardly a match for a mink in a stand-up scrap. There's a +muskrat house right now; let's stop and see if the old fellow is at +home." + +Accordingly they surrounded the accumulation of dead rushes and leaves +and other refuse, after which Elmer tore it to pieces, while Lil Artha +stood guard, ready to take snap judgment should the occasion arise. + +It turned out to be a disappointment, however, for the mound was empty. + +"Nothing doing, eh?" grunted the tall scout, lowering his gun, which he +had been keeping half elevated all the while. + +"No, and I didn't believe we'd have any success here soon after I +started tearing the thing down," replied Elmer. "It showed all the signs +of being a deserted shack." + +"What could have happened to the former inhabitant, do you think?" +continued the disappointed one, to whom even musquash stew was beginning +to appeal more and more, as the chances of securing any sort of game +diminished in proportion. + +"I might guess that he chose to change his place of residence," said +Elmer, "or, it might be that Uncle Caleb fancies the old Indian dish +once in a while. But let's be moving along. The mill will never grind +again with the water that is past; and we're not going to get our supper +by standing over a muskrat house that hasn't got any owner." + +Another start was accordingly made. Elmer kept track of the direction +they were taking. He did not mean to find himself in a quandary when +they were ready to turn back again, and not be able to say where the +camp lay. Lil Artha knew he could depend on his chum in that respect, +and hence he did not concern himself in the slightest degree about such +a thing as becoming bewildered. It is a nice thing to have some one to +lean upon at all times, though the scout master often took Lil Artha to +task because of his willingness to let another do his thinking for him. + +"Let's separate a little," Elmer suggested, presently, when they had +gone along for quite some distance and found nothing at all. "We ought +to be able to keep in sight of each other easily enough; and the same +time cover a lot more ground, and in that way increase our chances." + +"I'm agreeable," chirped Lil Artha, not suspecting how great an +influence on their future fortunes even that little incident was going +to prove; "I'll swing off to the right here, and follow this swale, +while you keep straight on. I rather like the looks of things over this +way, and p'raps I'll run across a colony of those r--I mean musquash." + +"Give me the wolf call if you do," Elmer told him, smiling at the quick +way Lil Artha had corrected himself when about to give that unpleasant +name to the furry little denizen of the marsh they were seeking so +eagerly, so as to improve the looks of their larder, and satisfy a +craving they felt for making his acquaintance in a stew. + +Elmer watched the tall scout move along the swale he had mentioned. He +fancied that Lil Artha was about right when he declared it looked as +though something might be found in that direction, if signs stood for +much. + +"I certainly hope, then, he strikes it," Elmer mused as he rambled on, +dodging all the drifts whenever he could, and straining his eyes for a +sight of welcome signs; "because we need it worse than we ever needed +anything before." + +He had just succeeded in evading a bad place, and was about to look +again in order to learn where his chum might be, when without warning +there came two reports in quick succession right beyond a bunch of thick +brush and not two hundred feet away. + +Elmer immediately started toward the spot as fast as he could go. He +thought he heard loud words spoken, and was in a fever of suspense, +fearing Lil Artha might have hurt himself, until rounding the +obstruction he saw the other standing there, holding his Marlin gun +dejectedly while he stared into space. + +"Oh! Elmer!" exclaimed the tall scout, as soon as he noticed that his +companion was close to him; "a deer, as sure as smoke, and I fired +point-blank at him both times; but hang the luck, I must have missed the +beggar, for he gave an _aw_ful jump, and went off like a streak, worse +luck to me for a bungler!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +LIL ARTHA SAVES THE DAY + + +"THAT'S too bad, Lil Artha," said Elmer, "but no matter, I'm sure you +did the best you could." + +That was just like Elmer. Plenty of fellows, in the first flush of keen +disappointment, would have allowed themselves to speak more or less +bitterly, and complain that it must have been rank carelessness that +would account for such bad results. But Elmer saw that the tall scout +was already suffering keenly; and his first thought was to console him. + +At the same time he was looking about, and while the chagrined hunter +began to aimlessly open his gun so as to thrust new shells into the +barrels, Elmer went on to say: + +"Point out to me just where the deer was when you fired, Lil Artha." + +"Oh! now even you suspect that I just imagined I saw one, Elmer," sighed +the other scout, "but d'ye notice that log lying across the other, +something like a letter X? Well, he jumped clean over that when I gave +him the second shot. Oh! he was as big as a barn to me, I tell you, and +how I could ever miss him with the barrel that had the buckshot shell in +it beats my time. I ought never to go out in the forest alone; I'm a +fine duck of a hunter, ain't I? If it depended on Lil Artha to keep the +camp in game we'd all turn into living skeletons, like the one in the +sideshow of the circus last summer. Oh, rats--but not muskrats--I'm +feeling pretty sick." + +Elmer had not waited to listen to all this lament on the part of the +disappointed marksman. Pushing forward he was now at the crossed logs. +Immediately he called out in a loud voice that seemed to have an air of +excitement about it: + +"Hi! there, Lil Artha, come here, and hurry, too!" + +Upon that the tall scout jammed the breech of his gun shut, having +succeeded in reloading the same, and he lost no time in hastening to +join his chum. + +"W-what is it, Elmer?" he asked, breathlessly. + +The other pointed to his feet. + +"What do you call that, and that, and that?" he asked, impressively. + +Lil Artha stared, and over his thin face there crept a look, almost of +rapture, as he ejaculated: + +"Blood spots on the snow, as sure as anything, Elmer! Oh! then I must +have hit that deer after all! I'm glad, and then again I'm sorry. If he +had to get away from us, I'd much rather not a single piece of lead had +found him. Now he'll only suffer, and it'll do us no good at all." + +"Hold on, don't be too sure about that," remarked Elmer, as he started +to step across the logs, and follow the plainly marked red trail over +the otherwise spotless field of pure snow; "that chap has been struck +hard, and I don't believe he can go very far before he drops!" + +At hearing this Lil Artha became greatly excited. + +"Then let's chase after him right away!" he exclaimed. "Goodness knows +we need fresh meat about as much as anybody could, because we're almost +half starved, and haven't a ghost of a show at anything else. And if the +poor thing does drop think how mean it'd be to have the foxes and other +varmints gnaw at _our_ deer all night long, while we sucked our thumbs +in camp, and went hungry." + +All this while Elmer was following the trail. It was an easy task, and +even the tenderfoot scout of the troop might have accomplished such a +proposition without being coached. + +"Don't you see that it seems to be getting stronger all the while," he +explained to Lil Artha, who was close at his heels, holding his breath +with eagerness as he tried to look ahead so as to glimpse the welcome +sight of the deer fallen at last through sheer exhaustion, "and take my +word for it, we're pretty sure to get your game before we go back to +camp." + +"Well, that would tickle me more'n I could tell you, Elmer," the other +assured him, with visions of glorious feasts rising up before his mind. + +"And there he is!" added the other, quickly, "just at the foot of that +fir tree!" + +They made a spurt, and were soon bending over the deer, which they found +quite dead, though life had evidently just departed. Lil Artha could +hardly contain himself. He insisted on shaking hands several times with +Elmer, and then did the same thing with himself, bubbling over with +delight. + +"Oh! tell me I'm not dreaming, Elmer, and that I have really and truly +shot a fine deer, just when we needed it the worst kind?" + +"There's no mistake about it, old fellow, because here's your deer as +plain as anything," Elmer assured him, not a little pleased himself at +the great success that had accompanied their hunt. + +"Think how the other fellows will yell when they see it!" Lil Artha +continued, "and Toby needn't be afraid he's going to starve yet a while, +need he?" + +"I should think not," the scout master admitted; "when there's all this +fresh venison to be cooked. The country is saved, Lil Artha, and you're +the lucky one to be our George Washington. The boys will be wanting to +kneel down and kiss the back of your hand." + +"If they try any of that softy business they'll take a back seat in a +hurry, let me tell you," was what the matter-of-fact scout remarked. +"But, Elmer, ain't it queer that somehow the snow woods don't look quite +so dreary to me now? Fact is, I kind of think this is as pretty a sight +as I've seen for a long time." + +Elmer laughed at hearing that. + +"They always say circumstances alter cases, Lil Artha, and when I hear +you talking that way I know it's true. When a man's as hungry as he can +be and yet live, the world looks different to him from what it does an +hour later after some kind friend has filled him up. This deer gives you +the magic spectacles through which you view things in an altogether +different light." + +"I guess you're right, Elmer," admitted the other; "I was feeling blue, +and so I looked at everything through blue glasses. Now I'm seeing rosy. +But say, however will we manage?" + +"You mean about getting the game back to camp, I reckon, Lil Artha?" + +"That's what I'm striking at, Elmer. We must be some distance off, and I +should think the deer would weigh between a hundred-and-fifty and two +hundred pounds; a pretty hefty load for two boys, with all this snow +around. And yet to have to stop so as to cut the deer up would delay us +like fun." + +"Wait, and let's look around for a strong pole," suggested Elmer, who +had seen heavier game than this carried for miles by two husky cow +punchers or hunters. "I have some good stout cord along, which we'll use +to tie his forelegs together, and then the hind ones ditto. The pole +will pass through, and is carried on a shoulder of each. That's the way +hunters always get their shoot to camp, if there are a pair of them." + +The necessary pole was soon discovered, and they managed by means of +jumping on the same to reduce it to the required length. Then the scout +master made good use of his cord in order to secure the legs of the +deer in such a way as to afford a hold when the pole was shoved through. +Nothing now remained but to lift the game, and start over the back +trail. + +As long as the light held they would find no difficulty whatever in +keeping on the track; and should twilight rapidly change into darkness +Elmer had his bearings so that he could lead aright. + +Lil Artha had considered that he was "dog-tired" up to the time he +started that deer from where it had been lying in some brush; but this +was forgotten in the excitement of the hour. When glorious success +rewards the efforts of the hunter he seems to have been granted a new +lease of life; and weariness is forgotten. + +All the same the load was no light one, and the going very bad. Many +times they staggered, and once both of them fell down. But the snow +prevented any injury, and they were in too satisfied a frame of mind to +complain. + +"We'll have our revenge all right later on, Lil Artha!" the scout master +told his comrade as they got up and dug the snow out of their ears, as +well as shook another accumulation free from their collars. + +"That's right, we will," assented the other, "and for every tumble like +that I promise myself an additional chunk of deer meat for supper. +Another thing, Elmer, we ought to remember; the heavier the game the +more grub we'll have." + +"You know how to see the bright side of things, Lil Artha," Elmer told +him. + +"Oh! anybody can when success comes along. It takes fellows like you to +keep smiling when things are going wrong all around. But I've learned a +lesson, Elmer, and after this I won't despair, no matter how dark the +clouds look." + +"If one deer can reform a scout, what would big game like an elephant +do?" asked Elmer, "but then again I'm a little sorry too, Lil Artha." + +"What for?" demanded the panting hunter who held up the other end of the +pole that bent under the weight of the suspended game. + +"We won't have that chance to settle whether the Indians knew a good +thing when they said musquash was better than 'coon or 'possum, or even +rabbit stew!" + +"Gosh! don't waste a tear over that, Elmer. Besides, while we're up here +with Uncle Caleb, like as not we'll have plenty of chances to give that +dish a try. But honest to goodness, it doesn't seem to strike me just as +much as it did before I cracked over this bully young buck for you said +it was a fairly young one, and ought to eat tender enough." + +"I guess that's only natural," the scout master told him. "While we were +facing starvation, why stewed musquash sounded right good to us; but +with a whole carcass of venison on our hands it's plain muskrat again; +and there you are, Lil Artha." + +"How d'ye think we're getting along by now?" asked the tall scout with a +little vein of entreaty in his voice. + +"Oh! perhaps half-way there, more or less," came the reply. + +"Whew! think we can make the riffle with this mountain of a deer, +Elmer?" + +"Seems to weigh about three hundred now, don't it? That's because we're +getting more tired all the time. But since we've started it would be a +shame to stop. And think of the joy we'll be bringing Toby, and poor +hungry George." + +"That does seem to help out some," admitted Lil Artha, taking occasion +to change his end of the pole from the right shoulder to the left. + +"Keep in step with me as much as you can," advised the leader; "that +does more than you'd think to make the going easier. It's a point +everybody learns who has to carry heavy burdens this way. Coolies over +in China know it. Horses running together pull easier if they happen to +go in step. You've watched a pair trying to start, with a stalled +wagonload of freight. When first one bucks hard, and then the other, +there's nothing doing; but once get them to combine, and away she goes +on the jump." + +There was little that escaped the observation of Elmer Chenowith; and he +never failed to try and impart some of the information he picked up to +those of his chums who did not happen to be so keen-eyed. + +"It's getting dark; and I can hardly see our old tracks now!" announced +the tall scout, presently. + +"Well, we're near enough to camp to have them hear us if we chose to +give out a yell," he was told, reassuringly, "but for my part I think +we'd better keep right along as we have been doing, and surprise the +boys." + +"Oh! I thought I glimpsed a star through the trees ahead just then, +Elmer, but that couldn't be so." + +"It's the fire, and I've seen it several times, but didn't want to say +anything until you had a chance to make the discovery for yourself!" +Elmer declared. + +"Bully for that!" exclaimed Lil Artha, "and now we've just got to buckle +down to our load, for I'd be ashamed to have to call for help when we're +on the home stretch." + +He watched for that welcome glow all the while, and whenever it came it +seemed to give Lil Artha renewed strength. In this manner, then, did +they finally approach the camp under the pine tree. Presently they could +see the moving figures of their comrades, and then Elmer announced: + +"They must be getting a little worried about us, because there's Toby +standing up and looking this way as hard as he can. I think you'd better +give a whoop, so as to let them know we're coming." + +That was just like Elmer; he wanted Lil Artha to have the first say, +because the honors should be fitted to his brow. And when the lucky +hunter did give a shout no doubt there was enough of joy in it to tell +those in camp their comrades were not returning quite empty handed. + +When they saw what the two Nimrods were carrying slung on that bending +pole that rested on their sore shoulders Toby and George gave a series +of shouts themselves: + +"Lo! the conquering hero comes; get the laurel wreath ready," cried the +dancing Toby, and then adding: "A deer! Tell me about that, would you? +Oh! what great luck. Who shot it? Elmer, was it you? What, Lil Artha got +his buck after all, did he? Well, well, well, if that doesn't beat +anything I've heard this long while. And won't we have the grandest +feast to-night ever heard of? Oh! say, I'm just trembling all over, I'm +so crazy with joy, and p'raps weak, too, because I haven't had enough to +eat. Lil Artha, shake hands with me, won't you; and later on you've got +to tell us just however you managed to knock such noble game over." + +Meanwhile George, who had not said a single word, went over to where the +tired hunters had dropped their burden. He was seen to bend down and +feel of the animal, first about its antlered head, and then even down +its hind quarters to its pretty little hoofs. After that he turned to +Lil Artha, and said in a relieved tone: + +"Why, it is a deer, sure enough! I was beginning to think hunger had +made us see things that didn't have any foundation. But after I've +proved my sight by my sense of feeling I can believe it. And you shot +him, did you, Lil Artha? Well, I want to congratulate you, old fellow." + +It was just like Lil Artha, bubbling over with mischief, and feeling +ever so happy because good fortune had come his way, to look meaningly +at George, poke him suggestively in the ribs as he had done once before, +and with a wink say: + +"That's all right, George, and I'm sure I thank you; but between us +don't you think after all you're the one to be congratulated? Consider +what you've p'raps escaped by my lucky shot. But it's all right, George, +and no reason for you to lie awake nights after this, worrying. You can +keep on getting fatter and fatter, now, because the danger is past," and +then he watched Elmer getting ready to exercise his skill in cutting up +the deer, so they could have a supply of meat for supper. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A PRIZE IN THE TRAP + + +"HOW'S the wood supply?" asked Elmer, while preparations were going on +looking to their having a generous supply of fresh venison for supper. + +"Not so good as last night," replied Toby; "it's twice as hard to get, +you see; but then, George has agreed to start in again later on, and +pile up more stock. He certainly does swing that little hand-ax of yours +to beat the band, Elmer." + +"Did any of your people come from the South of Ireland, Toby?" demanded +the said George; "because you've got the gift of gab down to a fine +point, and know how to blarney a fellow first-class." + +"But you did say you would chop a whole lot more wood," protested Toby. + +"Sure I did," continued the other scout, "but it was agreed at the same +time I'd spell you in the job, and bring in as much as you did. Now, +since Elmer and Lil Artha have tramped so far, and lugged this splendid +young buck all the way into the camp, the least the rest of us can do is +to make sure of the fuel supply. And, Toby, I'm going to hold you to +your word." + +"Well, after we've dined perhaps I won't feel so weak as I do now, and +then we'll see what's to be done," Toby acknowledged. + +Elmer had made a pretty good job of cutting up the deer. It was not the +first time he had had to undertake such a task; and besides, he had +watched other hunters accomplish it frequently, up there in Canada on +the farm and cattle range. + +Before a great while the four chums were all busily engaged in cooking +meat after various styles. Some choice pieces had been thrust into the +fryingpan, with a couple of slices of bacon which Toby managed to +resurrect from some hiding place or other, and from the appetizing odor +that soon began to rise it was evident that they were going to have a +great feast. Other "chunks" of meat were thrust on the ends of long and +stout splinters of wood, and these were held out near the red ashes in +certain places, where they would get in contact with the fierce heat, +and begin to brown, hunter-style. + +It might as well be confessed right here that in the end this last +method of cookery did not appeal to the boys as much as the fryingpan +style. Perhaps they did not know just how to go about it, as experience +is needed to get the best results from anything; but in spite of their +labor they found that while the meat cooked, and even burned on the +outside, it was almost raw within. Still, hunger causes a camper to +forgive such small faults as this; and as they started on the poorer +supply to finish with that cooked in the skillet, there were few +complaints. + +All of them gorged so much that it became necessary for them to lie +around and rest for some little time after the meal was over. Indeed +Toby showed a desire to hug his blanket, and doze in the warmth of the +fire, so that George had to urge him to remember the bargain they had +made with each other, and start to collecting more wood. + +Elmer soon joined in the labor, for he knew they would need all they +were able to gather; and besides, he was so constituted that he could +not bear to lie around when others were working, no matter how tired he +might feel. + +So Lil Artha, although he really believed he had earned his rest, not to +be shamed by all this honest toil on the part of his three mates, also +strolled forth, to return several times dragging some branch he had +managed to break loose. + +The collection of firewood was not near so formidable as on the +preceding night but then as there was no storm in progress now they +might get along fairly comfortably on what they managed to haul in. + +"Lucky thing you put such a fine edge on the camp hatchet before +starting on this trip, Elmer," George remarked, pausing in his chopping +to recover his breath. + +"I wouldn't think of starting anywhere without getting everything +ready," replied the scout master. "If you look ahead, and be prepared, +you'll ease things a whole lot most of the time. As there are no nails +to strike in this wood, and every chopper is warned to keep clear of +stones, that edge ought to hold good through the whole vacation time. +And it's a great joy to see the steel eat into the wood like that camp +hatchet does. Let me take a whirl at it again, George; you've done your +share of the work in great shape." + +So it would seem that despite George's failings he had many good points +about him, and often expressed a desire to relieve a comrade who had +begun to show evident signs of weariness. Perhaps by slow degrees he +might be weaned from that exasperating habit of complaining, and forever +doubting things. + +All was quiet around them, not even the whispering of the night wind in +the snow-laden branches of the pines being heard. Toby declared it +seemed as solemn as a funeral to him, and that he did love the good old +summer-time to be outdoors, while the crickets, katydids, frogs, and +everything else kept up a friendly chorus, that helped a fellow to +sleep. Now it was so "awfully still that you could almost hear yourself +think!" he told the others, as they began to get their blankets ready +for a night's rest. + +Already one experience in bunking amidst the snow piles had given the +boys a number of useful suggestions from which they meant to profit on +this second occasion. The rubber ponchos were used, not as a curtain to +shield them from the air, but under their blankets to separate them from +the ground, and serve to keep the dampness away. The heat of the fire +was apt to melt the surrounding snow to some extent; and the warmth of +their bodies acted after a fashion in the same way; so those waterproof +rubber blankets proved invaluable. They should always be taken by those +who go to the woods, and will be found to be worth their weight in +silver every time. + +Taken in all that was not such a bad night for the boys. There was no +wind, and Elmer managed to awaken frequently enough to keep the fire +from going out; so that with the blessing of their warm blankets, which +they wrapped closely about them, the scouts did not really suffer. + +Everybody was very glad when dawn came along, dreary as the aspect might +be. It made a wonderful difference in their feelings just to know that +there was no longer any possibility of immediate starvation. George must +have dreamed that some trouble had descended upon them, because the very +first thing he did after crawling out of his blanket was to hurry over +to where they had fastened the balance of the precious venison, encased +in the hide of the deer, to the limb of a tree, and closely examine the +pack; Elmer, who was watching him, with a smile on his face, heard the +doubter say in a relieved tone: + +"Shucks! it must have been a bad dream, after all; we _did_ get a buck, +and had a bully old supper last night, because here's the rest of the +meat, as plain as anything. Must have eaten too much, and had the +nightmare; but I'm glad it was only a dream, that's right. Yes, this is +frozen fresh venison, as sure as my name's--" + +"Doubting George!" sang out Lil Artha, who it seemed had also been +watching and listening from behind the folds of his blanket; and even +Toby thrust his grinning face in sight to add to the confusion of +George. + +They bustled around without any more delay, because the air was nipping +cold, and of course they were furiously hungry again; boys always are +when they wake up, especially when camping out, and during frosty +weather. + +Breakfast was cooked in great shape. It was a duplicate of the previous +night's meal, but then what did that matter, when there was an abundance +for all? Quantity and not so much quality was what pleased those four +outdoor chums just then. There was a horrid vacuum to be filled, and +they were more concerned about how this was to be accomplished than in a +lengthy bill of fare. + +After that came a consultation--Lil Artha called it a "council of war." +They sat around the fire, which felt so good no one was in any great +hurry to abandon it, and talked the matter dry from all sides. Every one +gave expression to his opinion, and Elmer, acting as master of +ceremonies, tried to extract all that was good and worth preserving from +each proposition. + +It was determined first of all to try firing their guns several times, +to see if they could get any answer. Should Professor Caleb hear the +shots he would be very apt to reply, and in that case they would have no +difficulty in deciding as to what course to pursue. + +Should this fail to bring about any result, they must make a start; and +in the end it was determined to keep along the border of the marsh. That +was most likely to be one of the places where the old trapper and wild +animal photographer was apt to conduct most of his operations, and they +would stand a chance of running across some sign of his presence. + +So Lil Artha fired both barrels of his gun, with about five seconds +coming in between; and then Elmer discharged one of the loads in his +weapon, after waiting a like interval. In this way the required three +shots were sent forth; and Elmer assured his comrades that this had +always been reckoned a call for help everywhere, in the Far West, among +African tangles, and even down in South American wilds; so that if Uncle +Caleb were within hearing distance they would surely get a response. + +All of them listened intently after the last shot. The wind had come up +again with the sun, and was making various queer noises among the +treetops; but still it would have been possible for them to have caught +a shot, if such had sounded from any quarter near by. + +"Nothing doing, seems like!" remarked George, dejectedly, for of course +he was the very first one to get what Lil Artha called "cold feet," +because there appeared to be no immediate response to their effort. + +"Shall we try it once more, Elmer?" asked Lil Artha. + +"Just a sheer waste of ammunition, and p'raps we'll need every bit +we've fetched along," grumbled George. + +The scout master, however, decided that it would be only right to give +the scheme one more trial before utterly condemning it; so having +replaced the empty shells he and the tall boy again sent out the three +shots that would tell any who heard the signal that some one was in need +of assistance. + +There was no answer, though they listened eagerly, and once Toby +started, under the impression that he had caught a faint hello; but as +it was not repeated he concluded it may have been some distant owl +giving vent to its disappointment at not getting a full meal during the +period of darkness just passed. + +"One thing we might take for granted after this," Elmer went on to say; +"wind's in the wrong quarter to carry the sound of the shots to him. So +we could judge from that our best course is to make against the wind. It +would seem that we might have two chances of finding him that way, to +one the other." + +The others agreed with Elmer, for they could easily grasp his meaning; +George was seen to shake his head, however, and it was evident that he +did not have very much faith in such a thing as success coming to them. +And yet if it did, George could be counted on to be one of the first to +say that he always did believe they were bound to run across Uncle +Caleb, sooner or later. + +"Scouts are supposed always to be sure their fire is dead out before +they leave a camp," remarked Lil Artha, as they trudged laboriously +along, "but in this case I took notice that none of us seemed to bother +our heads even a little bit over it, and in fact we left it crackling +away right cheerily." + +"Well, with a blanket of snow two feet deep on the ground," observed +Toby, "I'd like to know how the woods could ever get afire this day. And +that blaze was such a good friend to us I didn't have the heart to throw +snow on the same. It'd seemed too much like calling a dog to you, +patting him on the head after he came, wagging his tail in a friendly +way, and then tying a tinpan to him, after which you gave him a nasty +kick to start him yelping and running. But here's hoping we meet up with +my uncle before the third night comes." + +"I should say, yes," added Lil Artha; "if this sort of thing keeps on +we'll be likely to spend all our midwinter vacation roaming around up +here, and getting nowhere." + +"And," Toby further complained, with a sad shake of the head, "we'd laid +out to have such a bully good time at his cabin, learning all about +trapping, and p'raps going out with him nights to use his flashlight +contrivance, and get pictures of the little fur-bearing animals in their +native haunts." + +"Oh! it's going to be all right," announced Elmer, who as usual saw the +bright side of the situation. "Something's sure to turn up to-day; and +before another night we'll be toasting our feet in front of a fire +indoors, with a bunk to crawl into when we're sleepy, and something else +besides dry venison at meal times." + +"Here, don't say a word against that same venison!" exclaimed Lil Artha; +"it's been a life-saver, let me tell you. And to think I was ready to +own up I'd missed my deer, only for you, Elmer. That taught me a lesson +I'll never forget, believe me. After this I'll always look for signs +when I've shot at game, and never just guess at things." + +"Nothing like making sure, every time," remarked George. + +"Guess you go by that motto, old fellow," Toby told him. "They don't +fool you very often, do they; and never twice on the same racket?" + +Along about the middle of the morning, after they had been making rather +slow progress, and laboring heavily, Elmer was seen to betray sudden +interest, and to quicken his footsteps. Then he turned, and beckoned +wildly to them. As the other toilers reached his side the scout master +pointed ahead of him, and remarked: + +"There's something moving in the snow yonder, boys; look and see if you +can make out what it is!" + +At that they all stared very hard, and Lil Artha was the first to +exclaim: + +"Seems to be some sort of small animal switching around like it might be +caught in a trap, Elmer!" + +"Yes," added Toby, "I saw it jump up then, and whatever it is the thing +looks a sort of silver gray or black. There, didn't you see again? +Elmer, do you know what it can be?" + +"Somebody, and perhaps Uncle Caleb, has planted a trap right here, and a +fox is caught in the same by its leg!" came the ready reply. + +"A fox, did you say!" echoed Lil Artha; "why, Elmer, none of us ever saw +a fox of that color before. Every one I've ever set eyes on was either +gray or red." + +"Let's step up closer," the scout master remarked, "and we'll be able to +tell more about it." + +As the four boys continued to advance the little animal struggled harder +than ever to break away, but without success. It was undoubtedly a +good-sized fox, for they could not mistake that bushy tail, and the +sharp nose as well as shrewd face. It showed its white teeth quite +savagely as they drew nearer. + +"Well, it is a fox all right," Lil Artha admitted, "though different +from any I ever saw in the woods, or even in a menagerie." + +"A good reason for that," Elmer told him, quietly; "such a silver fox is +rare, and too costly for showmen to keep, as a rule. A red fox may be +worth all the way from five to thirty dollars, but from what I've read +about the value of furs, the pelt of a genuine silver fox sometimes +brings more than fifteen hundred dollars, even in its raw state." + +"Gee whiz! you don't tell me?" exclaimed George, looking astounded; and +of course he did not believe what Elmer was saying, because it sounded +too incredible for him to swallow. + +"Oh! I've read something about these black foxes, come to think of it," +Lil Artha admitted, "and so this is one, is it? Well, Uncle Caleb must +have known he was around, and set this trap on purpose to get him." + +"Yes, that's about the size of it," added Toby, "because I happen to +know that as a rule he never bothers trying to trap any of the little +animals up around this section. He used to, just to pass the winters +away, but when he got interested in photography he said he found ten +times as much pleasure in creeping up on them, and shooting with a +camera, to anything he had ever done before with a gun. Fact is, he +seldom uses his gun except to get an occasional deer, some partridge or +a rabbit to serve him as fresh meat." + +Elmer bent over a little closer, and examined the condition of affairs. + +"We'll have to knock that fox gently on the head, I guess," he remarked. +"You can see that the trap has cut deeply into his leg, and if he was +let alone another hour or two he would be likely to gnaw that paw off in +order to get free. They often do this. You see the cruel jaws of the +trap mutilate their leg, and pain so much when they struggle that in +desperation they bite at it until they get away; and after that a +three-legged fox is found roaming the woods. Besides, it would be a +shame for Uncle Caleb to lose that splendid prize." + +"I guess you're about right, Elmer," Lil Artha observed, "and so we +leave it to you to put the poor little fellow out of his misery. It's +been a tough thing on him because Nature gave him a silver black coat. +If he'd been an ordinary red fox Uncle Caleb might never have bothered +setting this trap, and he could have gone right along making his suppers +off partridges and such nice things, or else chickens belonging to any +farmers inside of twenty miles, if there are any. I'll hold your gun +while you do the job, Elmer, because I don't reckon you'd want to spoil +a fifteen hundred dollar pelt by riddling the same with bird shot." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE COMING OF UNCLE CALEB + + +ELMER may not have exactly fancied the job, but he was one of those +fellows who can always be depended upon to perform any duty devolving on +him, no matter how disagreeable. And it was not to be thought of that +they should pass on, to let the poor little animal gnaw its foot off; as +well as disappoint the trapper when he had made such a rare catch. + +So handing his pack and gun over to the care of the others Elmer looked +about until he spied the right sort of stick with which he could +dispatch the little beast by a clip on the head, so as not to spoil the +valuable skin in any way. + +When this had been done in great shape they examined the silver fox more +closely and admired the sheen of his coveted coat, for which wealthy +people are ready to pay almost any price. + +"Shall we hang it up here above the trap?" asked Toby, presently. + +"What for?" Elmer went on to say. + +"Why, so Uncle Caleb can get it when he comes along," replied Toby; "you +wouldn't want to make him die of heart failure, would you, by letting +him see he'd made a catch of a silver fox, and that it was gone?" + +Elmer laughed at him. + +"Why, what's to hinder our camping right here, and waiting for Uncle +Caleb to show up?" he asked. + +"Well, I declare, what a lot of ninnies the rest of us were not to think +of that!" chuckled Lil Artha; "I tell you it's a good thing for George, +Toby, and me that we've got you along, Elmer. We'd be losing our heads +next, I'm afraid." + +"It wouldn't be the first time you'd lost your head, Lil Artha," George +hastened to assure his comrade. "But I want to say that I think the idea +is all to the good, and that I'm ready to camp right here, and keep on +waiting for Uncle Caleb to show up, whether it takes an hour, a day or a +week; so long as our supply of venison holds out." + +"So far as that goes," Elmer continued, "I wouldn't be surprised to see +him any old time, because after the storm he'll be anxious to look into +this trap." + +Toby stretched his neck and looked all around. + +"Don't seem to see anything of him yet," he remarked. + +"When he comes," resumed the scout master, "I think you'll find it'll be +from that direction over there. I see a good place where we can drop +down and hide; so come on, fellows." + +"Hide?" echoed George; "whatever would we want to be doing that same +for, Elmer?" + +"Just to see how disappointed Uncle Caleb looks when he gets here, and +finds all these signs around, the blood on the snow, the hair of a +silver fox in the closed jaws of the trap, and footprints everywhere," +the scout master told him. + +Toby was heard to laugh. + +"I can just imagine how he'll act," he ventured; "but then, we'll let +him know who got the pelt before he's had much time to growl." + +Elmer held the dead fox up by his bushy tail, and George was seen to +look keenly at it as he muttered: + +"Fifteen hundred dollars, and for that measly little runt? I don't +believe there's a word of truth about the story. Somebody's been +stuffing you, Elmer." + +There happened to be a pretty good hiding-place close by. It lay just +about where Elmer would have picked it out had he been given a chance. +Here they proceeded to settle down, and make themselves as comfortable +as the conditions allowed. + +"Wonder how long we'll have to wait?" Toby remarked, after they had +scraped the snow away, and made places where they could stretch their +rubber ponchos out and with blankets on top form comfortable seats upon +which to rest their tired bodies. + +"That depends a whole lot on how soon Uncle Caleb would think to start +out, and how far he has to come to get here," Elmer told him. "The +walking is tough enough for us, and yet we're young. He's a pretty old +man, Toby says, and might have a harder time of it than we would. But +then by noon there ought to be something doing, I'd think." + +George had been looking around, and now gave them the benefit of his +observations. + +"Plenty of wood handy, notice, fellows; if we have to hang out here any +length of time, why, we could make a fire, and do our little cooking +stunt all right." + +"Why, what's getting into George," remarked Toby, pretending to be +surprised; "he seems never to get enough to eat. Time was when he had a +little bird appetite, but these days he's like a hungry bear all the +time." + +"I don't know what ails me," George replied, "but it must be going on +half rations kind of frightened me, and now I'm thinking something might +happen again; so I'm bent on laying in a good supply while it lasts." + +"We'll have to look around for a whole herd of deer if you keep on that +way much longer, George. And I don't know what your folks at home'll do +when you get back again. You'll eat 'em out of house and home, that's +right," Lil Artha expressed himself by saying. + +George took this chaffing in good part. He was feeling splendidly now, +since the danger of their facing real want was of the past. + +"Oh! that's all right, boys," he told them. "It was only a little while +ago my folks were worried about me eating so little, and I guess they'll +sing the other way now. Dad'll talk about going into bankruptcy when he +watches me put away the food. Seems like I never could get enough +again. I want to eat six times a day, and then complain because meals +are so far apart." + +"Listen!" exclaimed Lil Artha. + +"What did you think you heard?" asked Elmer, after all of them had +strained their ears without any result. + +"Guess I must have been away off, and it was only a hoot owl after all; +but I thought I heard some one cough!" the tall scout declared. + +"I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that way, because it's getting +on toward time for him to show up, if he means to come along to-day," +said Elmer. + +"And now that you mention it," added Toby, "I remember Uncle Caleb does +have a sort of cough. That was one reason he took to the woods, for he +said it was going to add ten years to his life, living in the open, +winter and summer, and eating the plainest kind of food." + +After that they began to watch more closely than ever, and also listened +carefully to catch a repetition of the sound that Lil Artha believed he +had heard. + +The great woods in their white snow mantle seemed to be deathly quiet. +The air had become far less bitter, and in the sun it was thawing +slightly. Occasionally some branch would manage to dislodge its burden +of snow, which was apt to rustle through other branches on its way to +the ground. Away in the distance those crows were cawing again, as +though disputing some lucky find, or holding a council of war +concerning some contemplated movement in search of new feeding grounds. +Beyond these little breaks the silence remained profound. + +All at once Elmer gave a low "hist!" + +The others had caught the same sound, and as it was repeated again and +again they began to believe that some one must be approaching from the +very quarter in which Elmer had said Uncle Caleb was apt to come. + +"What's that queer scraping, shuffling noise mean, Elmer?" whispered Lil +Artha. + +"I bet you I know," spoke up Toby, also in a cautious tone; "snow-shoes, +and my uncle is wearing the same. How's that for a guess, Elmer?" + +"You're right that time, Toby; and there he comes!" was the scout +master's reply. + +Looking again they could all see the figure of an elderly man, dressed +in khaki-colored hunting garments, but warmly clad. He was advancing +over the surface of the heaped-up snow, and with the free movements of +one to whom the use of snow-shoes was an old story. To see the way he +lifted his feet, still dragging the long shoe made of bent hickory, and +stout gut that crossed and re-crossed diagonally from side to side, it +was evident that Uncle Caleb had spent many days and weeks in the woods +when it was impossible for him to get anywhere without the use of +snow-shoes. + +Toby watched him eagerly. He was evidently thinking that before he left +this section of the wilderness he too would be able to walk deftly, +after he had been shown the secret of manipulating the clumsy +contrivances that served to keep the pedestrian from sinking into the +drift. + +As the hunter and naturalist drew closer to the spot where he had placed +his fox trap they could see that he was getting more and more agitated. +Evidently he must have already discovered certain suspicious signs +around that gave warning to the effect that he was about to receive a +shock of an unpleasant nature. + +Uncle Caleb was almost running now. Had there been a glaze on the +surface of the snow he would have fairly flown to the spot; but as it +was he floundered more or less in advancing hurriedly. + +Now they saw him bend down to examine his trap. The presence of the +stains on the trampled surface of the snow would be enough to tell him +that there had been a victim held between those grim steel jaws of the +Newhouse trap. When he found several almost black hairs present he would +also understand that he had caught the coveted silver black fox; and +while that might add to his joy under ordinary conditions it was only +apt to provoke his additional wrath just then; for those telltale +footprints all around gave him to understand he had been robbed of his +treasure. + +He presently got up from his knees. They could see that he was shaking +his head as though he did not like the way things looked. Many winters +had Uncle Caleb spent in this vicinity, and never before had he ever +known of a case of thievery; that it should come when he had made such a +fortunate haul was doubly provoking. + +It was hardly wise to carry on the joke any further, Elmer thought; and +accordingly he gave the signal for which Toby was waiting. The latter +immediately jumped to his feet, and shouted at the top of his voice: + +"Hello! Uncle Caleb! how d'ye do? You see, I've kept my word, and +dropped in to visit you at last. And as you told me to bring a friend or +two along, I've fetched our scout master, Elmer Chenowith, also two +other bully good fellows, George Robbins and Lil Artha Stansbury!" + +The elderly recluse stared at the four boys as though he found great +difficulty in believing his eyes. It was as if they had suddenly bobbed +up out of the snow-covered earth to surprise him. + +"Why, hello! is that you, Nephew Toby?" he presently called back. "Come +along and shake hands with me. You're mighty welcome, my boy, let me +tell you; and your comrades too. I shall be delighted to meet the Elmer +I've heard so much about in your newsy letters; also your other chums." + +"But, uncle, we've got a little surprise for you, see?" and as he spoke +Toby suddenly held up the silver fox, which act caused the other to +smile broadly; "we were directed wrong by a boy, who must have had a +grouch against all scouts; and so we got lost; and then that storm +caught us; but we were hunting around for some sign of your cabin when +we came on this fox caught in a trap, and with his leg nearly cut off. +Elmer said he'd soon be gone, leaving only a paw behind; so he knocked +him on the head, and then said we'd better wait here till you came. Is +it a real silver black fox, Uncle?" + +"And are the skins worth as much as fifteen hundred dollars, sir?" asked +George, as though he could never rest again until he had settled that +bothersome matter in his mind. + +"Yes to both questions, boys," replied the scientist; "this skin may be +worth anywhere from a thousand dollars to twenty-five hundred, according +to how it is graded; and I'm delighted that you had the good sense to +save it for me." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +POSSESSION NINE POINTS OF THE LAW + + +"I HOPE you're satisfied now, George, about that pelt?" Lil Artha +whispered to the doubting scout, as they stepped back, after shaking +hands with the scientist, who was examining his prize with considerable +delight; not that Uncle Caleb needed the money he would likely receive +for the skin, if he chose to dispose of it; but it was something worth +while to be able to say he had taken one of those rare little, and much +sought after animals, a silver fox. + +"Y-e-s, I s'pose it must be so, if he says they're so valuable," George +admitted, but in a way that told how slow he was to take stock in such a +fairy tale; so that later on Lil Artha, finding Uncle Caleb had certain +articles that had been published in connection with the wonderful prices +paid for silver fox skins in the open London market, took pains to see +that the doubter read them, and was finally convinced. + +"Nothing else would have fetched me out after such a great snow storm," +the recluse told them, presently; "only I was anxious about this trap. +You see, I knew all about the ways of mink and foxes, and also how they +often gnaw a foot off in order to get free. It would have given me a +bad feeling to come here and find that owing to my delay, and the little +animal's hunger, as well as pain, it had done that same thing, and was +gone. The forepaw of a silver fox isn't worth much, only to make the +disappointed trapper say things he'd be ashamed to have any one else +hear." + +"Then we're all glad we got here in good time to nip that little escape +in the bud, Uncle," said Toby. + +"And as my cabin is more than a mile off, with the going pretty poor, +perhaps we'd better be setting out for the same right away," remarked +the scientist. "I can give a pretty good guess that you've been having +some rough times, and will be glad of a shelter to-night. As for myself, +I'll be happy indeed to have you with me. It does get pretty lonely at +times, even though I'm deeply interested in my hobby of taking +flashlight pictures of the small animals hereabout. I've even perfected +an arrangement so that lots of times they snap off their own pictures; +as you'll see later on when we get to work." + +"We've only got a few days to spend up here with you, Uncle Caleb," +ventured Toby; "and we must see all there is in a hurry. We've just +about got tired of roughing it in the snow, and a change to cabin life +will set us up again." + +"Then let's start right away, if you boys think you can hold out for +lunch until we fetch up at my place. The return journey shouldn't take +nearly as long as it did to come up here, because we can avoid plenty +of pitfalls I fell into. How about that plan, Toby?" + +"Whenever you're ready, Uncle, let us know," replied the scout. "Can I +carry the fox for you; and how about this trap? Perhaps after catching +your prize you won't want to leave it around again. If that's so let me +take care of it for you?" + +"Well, from the looks of things, it seems to me each one of you has +enough to tote right now," chuckled the elderly man; "while I have +nothing except my rifle. I'm a pretty hardy sort of an old chap, and +able to carry my share of the burdens still; so if you don't mind, +Nephew Toby, I'll look after both the trap and the silver fox." + +Which he calmly proceeded to do; and they discovered afterwards that +Uncle Caleb had an iron constitution, being able to do as much as any +grown-up of their acquaintance, possibly barring the strong man of the +circus, who could bend iron bars across his knee, and allowed an anvil +to be pounded on his chest. + +It appeared that Elmer had not been far out of the way when he +determined on the direction from which they might expect the trapper to +come. His figuring this out on the merits of the fact that their shots +had not gone against the wind, had a great deal to recommend it, as +Uncle Caleb admitted when he heard how scout tactics had been employed. + +"I've been wanting to hear a whole lot more about what Boy Scouts do," +he told them, as they trudged cheerfully along; "and while we sit +before the fire evenings, you must explain everything to me. From the +little I know about it up to date I'm inclined to believe they've at +last gotten hold of a very big idea, and one that's going to be of far +more lasting benefit to American boys than any other scheme ever thought +of in their connection." + +"And so far as I'm concerned, sir," replied Elmer, modestly, "I'll be +only too glad to give you all the information I can scare up. Our folks +believe the same way you do, and as the Hickory Ridge Troop of Boy +Scouts has been working for some few moons now, we feel that we've shown +what a great improvement belonging to the organization has made in a +good many fellows." + +"Why, here's George for instance," said Lil Artha, maliciously; "a short +time ago his people were worried because he didn't seem to eat half +enough; and now he wants the dinner bell to be jangling all day long. +That's one of the changes it's made; and I could name others, sir, +almost as remarkable." + +Even George himself had to join in the general laugh this remark from +the long-legged scout brought out. + +"I guess you're something of a joker, Arthur," observed Uncle Caleb, +turning to smile at the other. + +"That's what they all say about me," complained Lil Artha, "that I'm a +joke, a freak; as if I could help it that my legs grew at the expense +of my body. But so long as I have the brains to go along with them why +should I care whether school keeps or not? What our scout master doesn't +tell you, we'll try and fill in; because there are heaps of things +connected with our trials and victories of the past that Elmer might +fight shy of on account of a false modesty. We have to blow his horn for +him, you see, sir?" + +"And I wager you blow it right well, too," observed Uncle Caleb. + +"Oh! I manage to get some kind of music out of it, even if I'm not the +regular bugler of the troop. He's Mark Cummings, and he's away from town +right now. But how much further do we have to go before we strike your +shack, sir?" + +"Not over a third of a mile at the most," came the reassuring reply, +that caused the tired boys to pluck up new hope, and in a way gird +themselves afresh for the fray. + +They had left the marsh behind long ago. Elmer knew from this that its +border could not be a very desirable place to camp during the spring or +summer, when it was apt to be more or less overflowed, and there was +danger of malaria if one persisted in sleeping with fogs abounding +frequently of nights. + +Now that their troubles seemed all behind them, some of the scouts could +look about and even admire the scenery by which they found themselves +surrounded. Elmer could at least, and he found many interesting things +to hold his attention as they journeyed along, following in a general +way the trail which Uncle Caleb had made in coming from his cabin to +the spot where he had left the fox trap, in hopes of snaring the silver +black which he knew used that section of the woods. + +Every now and then their pilot would point out some object that was +associated with certain events in the past. Here he had met with a black +bear unexpectedly, and managed to snap off a picture of the surprised +Bruin while the animal reared up on his hind legs; and then retreated. A +little further on and he showed them where the fire had once caught him +in a trap; and how he only escaped a serious singeing by discovering a +cleft among the rocks, where he managed to crawl in, and lie until the +danger was over. Then there was the tree into which he had been chased +by a pack of wild dogs that seemed to have taken a strange dislike for +all human beings, and which he had only dispersed after killing several +of their number. + +All these things were especially interesting to the scouts. They had met +with not a few thrilling like adventures in their own experience, during +their several camping trips to the woods; though these might sound tame +after hearing of what strange happenings Uncle Caleb had experienced. + +Toby saw that George raised his eyebrows each time he heard some +interesting narrative from the recluse. He was a little afraid the +doubter might express himself in his usual skeptical fashion, and demand +further proof to back these tales up before he could give them +unqualified approval; but fortunately George had a little too much good +sense to commit such an indiscretion; it might go all very well when +dealing with boys of his own age, but he did not have the nerve to tell +an elderly man, and a professor at that, he doubted his word. + +"He's got to be broken out of that bad habit," Toby was telling himself, +every time he felt his heart apparently in his throat with apprehension +lest George make a nuisance of himself; "and seems to me his chums ought +to be the ones to do the thing up brown for George. What a nice fellow +he'd be if only it wasn't for his everlasting sneering, and letting you +feel he thought you were bluffing him!" + +Meanwhile Elmer was studying Uncle Caleb. He quickly came to the +conclusion that he would like the other very much indeed. He appeared to +be a wonderfully well-read man, with a fund of information on every +subject. Besides this, there was a quizzical gleam in his eyes that told +the scout master the other was fond of humor, and could enjoy a joke, +providing it was not along the lines of practical ones that hurt too +deeply. + +He was also a master of science, and no doubt had made a name for +himself long before he forsook the haunts of men, to spend peaceful +months here in the wilderness, studying the ways of the little creatures +whose realm he had invaded. + +Still, Uncle Caleb was a peaceful man. He never claimed to be a +sportsman, and would not use his gun save as a means of absolute +necessity, if attacked by some dangerous wild beast; or else as a means +of procuring needed fresh meat, which did not happen very often, since +he was inclined to be a vegetarian, and had all his supplies hauled up +here by wagon twice a year. + +All these things Elmer learned by degrees, and the more he came to know +of this remarkable old uncle of Toby's the better he liked him. This +business of "shooting" things with a snapshot camera, especially by +flashlight and at night-time, had always appealed more or less to Elmer; +and he rejoiced to know that he was to be thrown in the company of one +who had been more or less successful in obtaining wonderfully faithful +pictures of the small swamp and woods animals. + +The boys soon began to cast anxious glances ahead, for it was not very +pleasant work carrying all the stuff they had brought along with them to +the forest; and besides, the best part of the deer Lil Artha had bagged +so luckily for himself and friends--particularly George. + +"I don't see any sign of a cabin there, do you, George?" Lil Artha +remarked in an aside to the other, who chanced to be puffing along at +his elbow, and grunting after his customary style, though no more weary +than the other three boys. + +"No, and d'ye know I'm beginning to think there may be no cabin after +all, that's what," replied George, stubbornly. "Of course Uncle Caleb +has one somewhere or other; but he may have gotten mixed up in his +bearings, you see; and right now how do we know whether we're heading +right or wrong?" + +"Well, if you don't take the cake for seeing the wrong side of +everything," Lil Artha told him. "Of course there's a cabin, and we must +be getting close to it as we stand now. About the old gentleman making a +blunder, and wandering off, don't you know we've been following his out +track all the while. And say, what's that you can glimpse through this +little opening in the woods--in a direct line with these two birch +trees, tell me that now, George, you old humbug of a grumbler?" + +Thereupon George, only too willing to be convinced, took a long look, +and then slowly admitted that he might have been too hasty. + +"It does look a _little_ like a shack roof, Lil Artha, and p'raps I +hadn't ought to have spoken like I did; but even now that may be a +fooler. Just wait and let's make sure before we holler." + +In another five minutes all doubt with regard to this was ready to +vanish even from that wavering mind of George, because they could +plainly see one end of what seemed to be a pretty substantial log cabin, +with a broad chimney running up the back, fashioned of slabs, and +hardened mud that no doubt resembled flint. + +It seemed to be an ideal snug retreat for a man who wanted to get away +from the world, and enjoy himself after his own fancy. Here Uncle Caleb +had come for years, and his visits to the haunts of civilization had +been few and far between. As time passed on they threatened to cease +altogether, for he found more real happiness here than he could among +mankind, struggling constantly in pursuit of the mighty dollar, and +pushing others down in trying to climb. + +"How do you like the looks of it?" asked the owner of the cabin, with a +touch of pardonable pride in his voice; for he had gone to considerable +trouble in order to make the place attractive; and even though mounds of +snow covered everything around, the boys could see that he had some +conveniences, such as ordinary loggers' camps could hardly boast. + +"It strikes me as a pretty sight," Elmer candidly admitted; "and I don't +blame you, sir, for keeping up here. I should think you'd feel lonesome +sometimes, though?" + +"I do, and used to have a friend spend part of the season with me," +acknowledged the scientist; "but last fall he married, and went to +Europe, so that up to now I've been all alone, and your coming will be +doubly welcome as a break in the monotony of the thing." + +"But, Uncle, if as you say you are alone, who could that have been I +just saw at that little window?" asked Toby. + +"I certainly saw something moving inside there, too," Lil Artha +asserted, beginning to display something of excitement, as he waited for +the other to explain what already began to take on some of the elements +of a dark mystery. + +Uncle Caleb looked earnestly at the window they mentioned. It was a +small affair, and as they afterwards discovered stood just above the +kitchen table, also used during meal-time, since it was the only +contrivance of its kind in the cabin. + +"I don't happen to see anything there now, boys," he went on to say; +"but after all it wouldn't surprise me very much. A very large wildcat +has been hovering near my cabin for a week now. I've tried to get a +picture of the beast several times, but all I managed to secure has been +a rolling ball of fur for one, two glaring eyes for another, and the end +of a stubby tail for a third. Now, it wouldn't surprise me a bit if that +smart old cat has been watching me, and saw when I went off some time +ago. Prowling around it must have climbed on the roof, and then finding +it could back down the throat of the chimney, that's what he's done." + +"Whoop!" cried Lil Artha, "a wildcat in possession, and has to be kicked +out before we can use those bunks. Get your gun ready, Elmer, and we'll +ambush the sinner." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE CHIMNEY JUMPER + + +"HOLD on, Lil Artha, don't rush things so fast!" called out Toby. + +"Because this isn't our cabin, and before you knock over the uninvited +guest it might be just as well to ask permission from the owner," added +Elmer. + +All eyes were of course turned on Uncle Caleb, although, according to +the mind of the impulsive Lil Artha, there was only one thing that could +be done, which was to suddenly open the door, and when the wildcat +rushed out give him a shot. + +"I've been trying to get a picture of that cat so long," Uncle Caleb +told them, "that I'd really be very much disappointed now if he met with +his fate, and I had to go without a snapshot, even though a distant one, +to remember him by." + +"It might be arranged," suggested Elmer, quietly. + +"Put your trust in our scout master, sir, and you won't be +disappointed," Lil Artha went on to say, meanwhile looking curiously +toward Elmer, as though wondering what sort of plan he could have +conceived on the spur of the moment. + +"Tell us how, Elmer?" George demanded, at the same time eying the cabin +with a dubious manner, as though he half believed the boys who said they +had seen _something_ through the small window must have deceived +themselves. + +"Why, if the beast came down through the chimney, it strikes me he ought +to know enough to go out the same way if alarmed enough," was what Elmer +told them. + +"A good idea, my boy!" declared Uncle Caleb, "and if I had everything +ready, with my little pocket camera focussed on the chimney, I suppose I +could snap him off as he climbed out. Now I'll fix that up right away, +and when I'm ready I'll sing out. After that some of you can bang on the +door, and start shouting, which should be enough to alarm the cat and +make it think of scampering out the way it came in." + +He was as good as his word. Pushing forward until he was within thirty +feet of the cabin, with a good view of the rude chimney-top, and the +light in the right quarter to promise a good picture, Uncle Caleb waved +his hand to the others. + +"All ready here, boys!" he exclaimed after he had fixed himself. + +Elmer had spoken to Lil Artha and Toby, who were delegated to be the +attacking squad. George and the scout master accompanied Uncle Caleb, +the latter holding his gun in readiness. + +"Remember," said Elmer, in a tone that every one could easily hear, +"there is to be no shooting unless it becomes necessary. If the cat +attacks us we'll have to defend ourselves. If it chooses to go about +its business we don't expect to bother it any. Get that, Lil Artha?" + +The tall scout replied that he did, though he looked disappointed, as +though this thing of sparing so ferocious a varmint as a wildcat just +because some one wanted to catch a few pictures of the beast from time +to time, did not appeal very much to his sense of the fitness of things. +To Lil Artha the cat was without the pale of the law, because it +destroyed all sorts of useful things, from young partridges, rabbits and +squirrels to domestic fowls; and he knew there never was a time that any +State in the Union ever attempted to bar its hunters from killing every +bobcat they could find, the more the merrier. + +"Then start your racket!" Elmer told the two who were standing close to +the cabin door. + +Upon thus getting orders Lil Artha and Toby began to immediately make +all the noise they could. They pounded on the door with their fists, +together with the butt end of Lil Artha's gun; and the jargon of talk +they put up was enough to drive any ordinary cat distracted. + +Toby even partly opened the door--just a few inches for he did not want +to make the acquaintance of that cat at close quarters--and banged it +shut again, meanwhile sending a whoop through the slit. It must have +been a brave animal that could have stood out against all that +combination of sounds. + +Through the small opening Toby had glimpsed something that made him have +a chilly sensation along the region of his spine. He had caught sight +of the intruder. The cat was an exceptionally large one, and it stood +there in the middle of the floor, its hair bristling with fury, and its +eyes glaring like yellow balls. No wonder Toby slammed that door so +speedily, while his whoop ended in a yell. He almost thought he could +hear the heavy thud as the springing cat landed against the door close +to his head. + +That may have only been his imagination working overtime, and inspired +by the one glimpse he had obtained of the fierce beast. He fancied as +much himself later on, when in a condition to survey the sequence of +events calmly. + +While Toby and Lil Artha continued to whoop things up another shrill +outcry, this time from George, stilled their clamor. + +"Oh! there he is coming out of the chimney, Elmer!" was what George +shrieked in his excitement, and afterwards the others laughed when they +made mention of the fact that for once George did not seem to doubt the +evidence of his eyes, or say that he thought it might be the cat he saw. + +"I've got him!" added Uncle Caleb, who doubtless must have managed to +work his snapshot camera instantly, though no one heard the "click" of +the flying shutter on account of all the other sounds that were arising. + +The wildcat had indeed appeared on top of the chimney, having remembered +the route it had taken when entering. This alone proved that it was a +clever beast, because in the midst of such excitement many another +animal would have lost its head, and gone plunging around the interior, +trying to push through the window perhaps, and utterly forgetting that +there was such a thing as a vent in that slab and hard mud "smoke +chaser," as Lil Artha always called the chimney. + +"Look out, Elmer, he's going to jump at you!" warned the tall scout, in +a frenzied tone. + +A wildcat is possibly one of the most vicious of small beasts of prey to +be found in American forests. It will often attack a hunter without any +seeming provocation, although doubtless there is some reason for the +reckless act, such as hidden kittens near by, or consuming hunger. + +In this particular case neither of these reasons would apply, but the +animal was enraged on account of being disturbed while eating, and then +badgered by those yells on the part of the two scouts, as well as their +banging of the cabin door. George afterwards told them that they could +hardly blame the poor cat for getting its back up when abused and +shouted at in such a way; he also said that if he happened to be a wild +beast he would certainly be "mad clear through, and ready to fight at +the drop of the hat." + +Elmer was on the alert, not that he had really anticipated such a thing +as having the wildcat spring at him, but he knew enough about such +animals to be aware of their fickle temper, and that one is never to be +trusted within leaping range. An old hunter had once told him never +under any possibility to lower his gun when a bobcat was facing him, +because their spring is like a flash of lightning. And as we happen to +know, Elmer was a boy who always believed in the efficiency of the +scout's motto, "Be Prepared!" + +The cat crouched there on the top of the chimney for just three seconds. +That was the time when Uncle Caleb managed to press the button, and get +his picture. It was also when Lil Artha sent out his shrill warning, and +at the same time swung his Marlin gun around so that the stock rested +against his shoulder. + +Then the wildcat sprang, with every powerful muscle in play--sprang +straight toward the little group of three--George, Elmer and Uncle +Caleb! + +George was unarmed and being a cautious fellow he knew that the best +thing for him to do was to get out of range as speedily as possible. + +Accordingly his movement was exactly timed with that of the leaping cat; +for just as the animal quitted the apex of the short chimney, and +launched its agile body into the air, George fell flat on his face on +the ground and made himself as small as possible. + +There sounded a double report. Both Elmer and Lil Artha had fired so +near the same time that until told differently later on, George supposed +that the scout master alone had made use of his ready gun. + +Uncle Caleb knew considerable about these savage cats, and he jumped +aside even as the roar of the guns sounded. Elmer, too, had no sooner +pulled the trigger than he took a quick step to the right, and then held +his gun ready to make use of the other barrel if necessary. + +It turned out that such a thing was not needed. Halted in midair by the +double charge of shot, which at such close range must have had the same +tearing effect as so many bullets, the wildcat fell with a heavy thud to +the ground, some five feet away from where Elmer stood. He instantly +covered the beast with his gun. + +"No need of another shot, my boy!" cried the owner of the cabin, +hastily; "you've already settled him handsomely." + +The wretched invader had indeed paid the penalty for his crimes, and all +because he possessed such a terrible temper. Had he been willing to jump +in the other direction the chances were nothing would have been done to +prevent his escape, so that he might furnish Uncle Caleb with other +opportunities to snap him off when in the act perhaps of devouring a +partridge he had captured in the snow forest. When he allowed his fury +to get the better of his discretion he made the one mistake of his life. + +All of them gathered around the now dead wildcat to admire his size, and +comment on his recklessness in daring to attack a party of human beings. + +"Did you ever hear of such nerve in all your life?" remarked Lil Artha, +who was grinning all over with the satisfaction it gave him to be +instrumental in disposing of such a pest of the woods. "Why, if there +had been a regiment I reckon he'd have jumped at 'em just the same. +Mebbe cats go mad sometimes, and just don't know what they're doing." + +"I've known of similar cases before," remarked Uncle Caleb, who was +looking at the wretched beast rather sadly, Elmer thought, "and a hunter +who has had experience never trusts a cat further than he can see it. +They get those crazy freaks once in a while, and fear seems to be driven +out of their system. When a Malay or a Chinaman loses his head, and +starts to wipe out the whole town, they say he is 'running amuck,' and +they always shoot him down as they would a mad dog. This cat species +when rendered furious does the same thing, and hesitates at nothing. But +I'm sorry it had to be done. He was a splendid specimen of a wildcat. +Look at those powerful muscles, and see what a square head he has. I'd +have given considerable to have had him a little more sociable, so that +I might have snapped off several pictures showing how he secured his +food, and crept up on game. But it couldn't be helped, apparently; he +just had to go and commit suicide as it seemed. And, Elmer, you +certainly pulled a quick trigger." + +"Half the credit goes to Lil Artha, for he fired at the same time," +Elmer quickly admitted. "I'm sure both of us hit him, because you can +see how badly the pelt is cut up. It would never bring ten cents in the +market after that riddling." + +"Is it possible that there were two shots, and I never suspected it?" +Uncle Caleb observed, turning on the tall scout with a smile. "Well, I +can easily see that you boys have long ago learned how to take care of +yourselves, which is one of the best things any lad can know. All of +which increases my desire to hear more about this organization that is +doing such wonders for our American lads." + +"Do you think you got your picture of the cat, Uncle?" asked Toby. "I +heard you call out something or other about it." + +"I pressed the button while he was squatting on the top of the chimney," +the owner of the cabin went on to say, "and that should be a fine +picture. Then almost mechanically I turned the screw that brought +another section of film into play, and my recollection is that I snapped +off another shot even as the beast was in the air. I'm curious to know +if I got anything worth while with that one. It would be a great triumph +if I should develop the film and find that I'd caught the cat just as it +received your shots and crumpled up in midair." + +"That would be something worth seeing, sir," Lil Artha told him, "and +we'll hope it turns out that way." + +George had scrambled to his feet as soon as he realized that the danger +was over. He looked a little ashamed, but there was no occasion for +feeling that way. When any one is unarmed, and sees such a fury as that +wildcat certainly was coming in his direction, he would be foolish +indeed not to dodge, and even hug the ground in an effort to escape +contact with those cruel poisonous claws. + +"Gee whiz! look at the sharp teeth, would you; and then those open +claws," Lil Artha continued, as he bent down and took one of the dead +cat's feet in his fingers; "excuse me from meeting up with such a crazy +customer when walking through the woods at sundown. I might manage to +get the best of the beast, but my bully khaki suit would be in ribbons, +and mebbe my face clawed into a map of Ireland." + +"As for me," spoke up Toby, "I'd never feel easy if I knew such a terror +was always hanging around, watching for a chance to grab me when my back +was turned. And say what you will, Uncle Caleb, I'm tickled half to +death because we bagged your pet cat before he had a chance to mark any +of us. I tell you I'll enjoy my tramps around this section better after +this. If he'd got away you wouldn't have caught Tobias Ellsworth Jones +wandering fifty feet away from home base without carrying a club or a +gun along. His room is going to be a whole sight better than his +company." + +Uncle Caleb smiled at hearing what his nephew thought. + +"Perhaps you're right in saying that, Toby," he remarked, "and it may be +that in pursuing my pet hobby I'm going too much to extremes in wanting +to preserve the life of such a savage animal. Possibly your ending his +career of piracy may be the means of saving me from a very unpleasant +experience; for I was planning to push my campaign against this same +cat, and follow him into his den, to get a good flashlight picture of +what he looked like at home. It would have been a foolhardy experiment, +I begin to realize. I suppose it's all for the best, and I'll cure the +skin just to remember the adventure by." + +Lil Artha, who had pushed up close to Elmer, managed to say in a low +tone: + +"I reckon that it was you knocked the stuffing out of the beast, Elmer, +because I'm afraid I fired too low." But the scout master immediately +hushed him up, and told him never to mention it again, for he felt sure +both of them had made a hit. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SCOUTS IN CLOVER + + +"THERE used to be a time," Uncle Caleb went on to remark, as he lifted +the heavy wildcat, and started toward the door of his cabin, "when I was +considered quite a sportsman. I took every opportunity I could to be in +the woods and on the water, shooting deer, quail, partridge, snipe, +ducks, geese, brant and all such things, for my fancy seemed to run more +in the line of small game than grizzly bears or lions, tigers, elephants +and the like. But years ago I began to notice a change gradually taking +place in my feelings. I suppose many men find the same thing working +when they grow older, and the fires of youth are spent. I began to +dislike taking life of any sort, and recently I have allowed many a fine +chance to make a bag slip by, because I would sooner snap off a picture, +and live on canned goods supplied from the store." + +Of course none of the boys could fully understand this sentiment. They +viewed it from the standpoint of youth, and would never know any +different until they too grew old, and their hunting instincts became +mellowed. + +At the same time they could respect such humane motives, and understand +something of the peculiar fascination that taking pictures of wild +animals in their native haunts was apt to entail. + +"Now to see what a mess the creature may have made of my little cabin +home," Uncle Caleb went on to say, as he flung open the door and +entered, leaving the body of the late trespasser outside to be attended +to later. + +The scouts crowded in after him, and looked eagerly around. They found +that the cabin in the snow forest was quite a neat affair. Evidently the +occupant had gone to considerable trouble and expense to make it +comfortable. As he expected to spend most of his time here under this +roof, Uncle Caleb believed in having things to suit him, even to a +little bathroom off the back, which in summer was supplied with running +water from a spring on higher ground, and fed through a sunken pipe, now +disconnected on account of the freezing temperature that would have +speedily burst it. + +There were a couple of bunks built into the walls on either side of the +big fireplace, which latter came out several feet into the room. Besides +this there was a cot that was also a settee in the daytime, a large +table, several comfortable seats that were along the type of the Morris +chair Elmer had in his den at home, and various cases of books, +curiosities and such things. + +Upon the floor were a number of real imported small rugs that Uncle +Caleb must have brought from the Orient himself. The boys thought them +rather odd, though at the same time pretty; but they were later on +staggered when they learned the history of each little carpet, and what +a vast sum Uncle Caleb had paid for them in his role of collector. + +Taken in all, the interior of that cabin was about as far from +resembling the average hunter's home as anything could be. Immediately +Lil Artha quit calling it the "shack," because forever afterwards with +that cheery interior it would appeal more to him in the garb of a +miniature palace. + +Uncle Caleb was a rich bachelor, and he liked to be comfortable. +Besides, he was a man of science, and a student, rather than a hunter; +so they concluded that he was quite right in making his little home look +so pleasant. + +Just then, however, things were in something of an upset condition. The +hungry cat in prowling around and searching for something to eat had +upset a number of articles, broken a pet dish of the cabin's owner; +while there on the table was the partly gnawed strip of bacon at which +the animal had been busily at work when interrupted by their arrival on +the scene. + +"I can save the better part of it," said the easy-going Uncle Caleb, +"and besides, there is plenty more in the locker, for I lay in my +winter's stock long before the first real snow comes, so as not to be +bothered later on by trips to the town where I trade, which is many +miles away from here." + +When later on he showed them his "strong room" where his stores were +kept George in particular was noticed to lick his lips with a satisfied +smile on his face as if telling himself that there need be no fear of +hunger so long as they stayed with Uncle Caleb. + +"Choose your bunks, boys," they were speedily told, "and toss your +blankets in the ones you select. It seems that you figured pretty +closely, because if there had been another scout in the party we'd have +had to get busy building a new bed. As it is, there is one apiece all +around." + +"But how about you, Uncle?" asked Toby, solicitously; "we don't want to +push you out of your regular bed. Let me sleep on that cot." + +"No, I prefer to take it," the owner of the cabin replied; "in fact, as +a rule I have slept on the cot winters, because I can pull it up in +front of the fire on nights that are particularly bitter." + +"You must get some howlers up here, sir, I should think," suggested +Elmer. + +"Along in January we often have a terrible storm or blizzard, when it's +utterly unsafe to venture outside the door, because one can never see +ten feet away. Men have been found frozen to death close to their own +cabins, which they did not dream were so close by when they gave up in +despair. The storm that just visited us was pretty severe, but not to be +compared with some I have seen." + +"George, take your pick of bunks," said Elmer. + +Perhaps he allowed George to have the first say because of the other's +notorious habit of grumbling; the wise scout master did not want to give +him any chance to complain that he had not been treated fairly and +squarely. + +Now George was not so greedy but that he could feel ashamed. He seemed +to scent the true reason why Elmer was so kind, for a flush came over +his face, and he actually shook his head in a decided negative. + +"That isn't just fair to the rest, Elmer, and I won't have it," he said, +with a show of spirit. "The bunks are all built alike, but one may be +better than the others, 'specially of a cold night. Now I tell you how +we'll fix that up fine and dandy; I'll mark them by numbers up to four; +then I'll write that many on pieces of paper and we'll put them in a +hat. Each one draws one out, and in that way gets his bunk without any +favoritism being shown. What d'ye say to that, Elmer?" + +"Just as you like, George; and I want to tell you I admire the +independent spirit you display when you refuse to be favored above the +rest. That's the right way to show what you're made of. It speaks well +for the regard you have toward others." + +While Elmer was saying this George drew out a lead pencil stub and made +a figure on the front of each bunk, running from one to four. Then he +did the little numbering on as many small squares of paper torn from his +notebook. These latter he threw into a hat and held it so no one could +look in, though a hand might be inserted through the small opening. + +"Elmer, you draw first!" George went on to say, as he held the hat out +to each one of the others in turn. + +So the scout master accommodated him, and found that he had hit upon one +of the lower bunks. Toby got the upper, and Lil Artha drew the other +elevated bed; so that after all George was given the pick of the lot. No +one could ever begrudge him his good luck, now that he had shown such a +fair spirit. + +"It hit me about right," admitted Lil Artha, as he stood up alongside +the wall, and flung his blanket inside the second upper bunk, "because +Nature always intended that I should nest high, when She gave me this +pair of stilts. Lucky you made the bunks over six feet long, Uncle +Caleb, or I'd never have been able to turn over without drawing my knees +up to my chin. It gives me a pain whenever I think that I may go on +stretching out for nearly four years yet. My folks think of cutting the +doors higher in our house. They get tired of seeing me duck my head +every time I come into a room." + +A fire was soon built up in the open space under the chimney flue which +the cunning wildcat had used as a means for entering and leaving the +cabin. At the time there happened to be little heat among the ashes, for +the owner was averse to leaving a fire when he went away for hours, lest +he return only to find a blackened heap where his cabin with its many +precious treasures had stood. + +It was like a picnic to cook when there were so many conveniences, and +Lil Artha, who insisted on helping George, called attention to the +excellent iron frame which was intended to be placed over the fire, and +serve to hold such cooking vessels as were needed in the preparation of +the meal. + +Besides this there was a portable oven which made splendid biscuits and +bread, as the boys learned later on, when Uncle Caleb showed them how he +lived while keeping bachelor's hall alone in that wilderness, days, +weeks and months at a time. He had a small barrel of flour in his +storeroom, with such a collection of canned goods and dried as well as +smoked meats, that George declared it looked like a young grocery store +to him; and privately admitted that he would not care very much if they +had been booked to stay the balance of the winter with Uncle Caleb, +instead of just a few days. He could see all manner of "good times" in +that delightful storeroom collection. + +They had a light lunch, as the old scientist usually preferred to eat +his one heavy meal in the evening, after his thinking was done for the +day. + +"Make yourselves quite at home, boys," he told them, with a sincerity +that even skeptical George could not question; "everything I have is at +your disposal. You will find hosts of things to interest you among my +collection of curios, and the myriads of pictures I have taken the last +seven years. Some of them have been honored by being published in a +geographic magazine, and excited considerable interest among a certain +class of scientists. I'm ready to answer every question you can ask, and +it will give me the greatest pleasure imaginable to be of service to +you. All I seek in return is full confidence; you must tell me all about +what scouts do, and learn, and aim to accomplish; also what adventures +you may have encountered in carrying out these organization principles." + +During the rest of that never-to-be-forgotten afternoon the boys +manifested no desire to wander through the white forest, but stayed +indoors looking at the many interesting things owned by Uncle Caleb, +many of which he had picked up in various quarters and corners of the +world, for he had been a famous traveler in his day. + +They almost talked themselves hoarse, asking questions, and explaining +all about what duties and obligations a boy takes upon his shoulders +when he subscribes to the scout promise, and assumes the +responsibilities accompanying such a service. + +Uncle Caleb had about everything that money could purchase in connection +with his photographic fad; and among other things a daylight tank for +developing the films. + +As he was very anxious to find out whether the snapshots taken of the +wildcat on the cabin chimney would turn out to be worth anything, he +proceeded to develope the films that afternoon. + +When he held them up after washing, and let the boys see the result they +were loud in their declarations that he had really done himself proud. + +There was the one with the big cat crouching on the chimney-top, and +giving all the detail that could be desired. The other was not quite so +clear, but it seemed that he must have aimed the camera just right, and +pressed the button while the leaping animal was in midair, just +crumpling up under the two charges of shot received from separate +quarters. This last was a thrilling picture, and ought to make a fine +print. + +"They'll be a splendid addition to my collection," Uncle Caleb told the +boys, as he surveyed his prizes with kindling eyes; "I've got a good +many strange pictures but I expect these will top the list. I'll print a +copy for each one of you to carry home when you go, because in a measure +that is your cat, as well as mine." + +Taken in all, they would never be apt to forget that same afternoon. +Their genial host seemed to be so delighted to have such a wideawake +pack of boys up there with him, that he could not do too much for them. +Many were the yarns he spun connected with his nomadic life under +different suns; and since settling down to this peculiar state of +existence he had known a multitude of adventures, both great and small. + +"Right now," he told them, as the afternoon light began to fade with the +drawing near of the time for sunset, "you might say I am a marked man; +not that it gives me any great amount of concern, because I hardly +believe that Zack Arnold will ever get his courage up to the sticking +point, and attempt to carry out the wild threats he made against me." + +"I remember hearing a man speaking that name on the train when we were +nearing your station, Uncle!" exclaimed Toby; "he talked as though the +fellow might be a sort of woods guide, though a tough rascal feared by +every one, even the game wardens, who were afraid to try and arrest him +for shooting game out of season." + +"All of which is about as true as it can be," was the reply. "Six months +ago I had the misfortune to run foul of this same Zack. He was even then +half under the influence of liquor, and very abusive. I could have stood +it for myself, but when the big brute raised his hand, and knocked down +a half-grown girl who had chanced to stumble, and fall against him, in +the store, it was too much for my blood." + +"You gave him what he deserved, didn't you, Uncle?" demanded the +exultant Toby. + +"Well, I knocked him down three times in succession, for he had come at +me with a knife the second and third times. After that he lay there, and +was counted out. Now I was never proud of having upset a brawling bully +like that when half-seas over, but it had to be done to pay him for +striking that poor child. I heard afterwards that he was furious at me, +and vowed he would get even, if he had to come all the way up here to +where I held out, and settle his debt." + +The boys exchanged looks. + +"But he might take a sudden notion to visit you, when feeling in a +particularly ugly mood, Uncle," Toby remarked, soberly, "and no one +would ever know who had set your cabin on fire, and perhaps burned you +in the same." + +"Well, I thought of that and for a time never went outside these walls +without carrying a gun along; but months have passed, and he does not +show up, which I take it means he is too big a coward to risk his ears +trying to do me an ill turn. And of late I've neglected any of those +precautions. When first I saw my fox trap had been tampered with, and +that valuable prize taken, I thought of what Zack Arnold had sworn, and +was sure it must be his work. But let's forget about such an unpleasant +subject, and have a little music for a change." + +It seemed that among his many other accomplishments Uncle Caleb was +something of a musician; that is, he loved music, and could play very +well on a banjo, as well as on a guitar. The boys had found this out, +through Toby, and looked forward to having good times listening to their +genial host during evenings, as they sat before a crackling fire, and +cared not for the weather without. + +It was getting pretty sharp again, as George announced after coming in +with an armful of wood; but little they cared, with such comfortable +quarters, and plenty to eat in the family cupboard. + +As if to dismiss an unpleasant subject from his mind Uncle Caleb started +in to amuse his young guests with various popular selections, most of +which the scouts knew as well as they did their own names. From these he +presently drifted to older airs from the operas, and sentimental +serenades that afforded the boys considerable pleasure. In the end he +played a few such favorites as "Home, Sweet Home," with so much effect +that he had one or two of them secretly winking rapidly in order to keep +the tears from filling their eyes. + +"Come, we've had enough of this for the present," said the player, +suddenly, on catching sight of Toby blowing his nose with great +vehemence, "and as it's getting dark outside, suppose we start our +preparations for supper. I've got a few wrinkles I'd like to show you, +although I rather expect some of you boys will turn out such good cooks +that you'll make my little efforts look primitive." + +All the same they did not. Uncle Caleb excelled in nearly everything he +undertook, from science, music, and photographing wild animals in their +native haunts, all the way down to cookery--perhaps George and Toby and +Lil Arthur might object to using that word, and on their own account say +"_up_ to cookery." + +At any rate he certainly gave the scouts a supper they would not soon +forget; and they admitted in private afterwards that they must look to +their laurels if they did not want to be considered "back numbers." +Uncle Caleb had done his own cooking for a good many years, and being of +an investigating turn of mind, had not been content to go along beaten +paths, like most bachelors left to their own devices, but had studied +cook-books, and made a success of many fine recipes. + +After the meal was over, and things cleaned up, they gathered before the +burning logs, and looked forward to an enjoyable evening. Every one was +to have a part in entertaining the company, with story or song, as the +case might be; and Elmer had a long list of questions which he wanted +answers for, mostly pertaining to the habits of the little woods and +swamps animals in which Uncle Caleb had become so vitally interested. + +Before they could get fully settled down, however, there was a shuffling +sound heard at the door, and then came a hesitating sort of knock from +without. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE OBJECT LESSON + + +"WASN'T that a knock?" asked George, who apparently had not heard the +sound so plainly as the others. + +"Seemed like it to me," replied Toby, "but say, neighbors can't be so +plenty up here in the woods, to have one running in after supper for +enough coffee to last over breakfast. P'raps, after all, it was only a +limb scraping against the roof; or a squirrel up in the loft huntin' +nuts Uncle's laid away." + +"It is some one at the door!" remarked the owner of the cabin, quietly. + +Elmer saw him getting to his feet. There was a sparkle in the eyes of +Uncle Caleb; and his jaw seemed set in a determined way. This suddenly +caused Elmer to remember what had been recently told about the tough +hard-drinking guide who believed he had a grudge against the old +scientist--Uncle Caleb. + +"Let me go to the door for you, Uncle Caleb," said Elmer, hurriedly. + +"It is my cabin, son, and therefore my duty to answer any summons," was +the steady reply of the old gentleman; "so please stay where you are, +unless I need any assistance." + +"Great governor! what if it should be _that man_?" Lil Artha was heard +to mutter as he reached out a hand, and clutched his own Marlin, which +chanced to be standing in a corner conveniently near by. + +Every one fairly held his breath as Uncle Caleb was seen to move toward +the door. He had not thought it worth while to arm himself, and Elmer +considered this positive evidence, going to prove the other's bravery. +He himself hardly knew what to expect, and his whole frame fairly +quivered with a mixture of eagerness and dread as he saw the owner of +the cabin start to open the door, which had been secured by a simple +old-fashioned bar that fell into a brace of sockets, one on either side. + +Immediately the barrier was removed they saw a figure stagger into view. +Uncle Caleb stretched out his hand, and took hold of it. Then the sound +of muttered words came to their ears, after which the old gentleman +turned, closed the door, and led his unexpected guest toward the fire. + +The staring scouts saw that this was a very large man. He seemed to be +coarsely dressed as might a woods guide, wearing a heavy sweater under +his outer coat. No weapons were visible, and one of his arms hung limply +at his side as though it might have been broken in some sort of +accident. + +The man's face was distorted by pain, but they could see that it was +bearded, and looked bearish. In fact, every one of the boys' first +impression was that they would not care to meet this fellow while +wandering through some lonely part of the forest, and do anything +calculated to excite his anger; for he appeared to be a man with a +violent temper. + +"It's _him_, I just bet you, Elmer!" whispered Lil Artha in the scout +master's ear and Elmer nodded as though he fully agreed with the other. + +There seemed to be no need to mention names, for the memory of what +Uncle Caleb had recently told them was fresh in every fellow's mind. +Curiously they watched what was going on. Lil Artha still caressed his +gun. He had hardly made up his mind whether or not this might be a +clever trick on the part of Zack Arnold, calculated to gain him an +entrance to the cabin of the man he hated so bitterly, though without +any reasonably just cause. + +It was only the other day that Lil Artha had been reading in school of +the wooden horse which played such an important part in the capture of +Troy in olden times, being filled with the enemy, who, issuing forth in +the night-time, opened the gates of the fortified city to their allies +without. Perhaps that was what made the boy suspect the visitor might be +shamming in order to catch Uncle Caleb off his guard. + +But if this idea had seized hold of Lil Artha he soon realized its utter +absurdity. Men may go to considerable lengths in order to carry out +their schemes; but he certainly did not believe even a determined fellow +like Zack Arnold would deliberately break his arm in the effort to +divert suspicion. + +It was an ugly break, too, as was shown as soon as Uncle Caleb had +divested the other of his garments, with the assistance of Elmer, who +sprang to his side when he realized what was needed. That thick, hairy +arm was covered with blood, and the sight of it made Toby and George +shudder. + +"Get a kettle of water on the fire in a hurry, please!" said Uncle +Caleb, "because the first thing to be done is to wash this arm so we can +see how to set the bone. Toby, at the same time start that coffee to +going again, will you? A few hot drinks would take some of the chill out +of this poor fellow. He's had a terrible tumble, and is covered with +bruises, besides this broken arm. But we'll fix him up as comfortable as +we can; and he luckily managed to get to my cabin before it was too +late!" + +While the old gentleman was speaking in this way the keen black eyes of +Zack Arnold kept following his every move. Elmer wondered what must be +passing through the mind of the vindictive man just then. He did not +doubt in the least but what some terrible plan to revenge himself upon +Uncle Caleb for what the other had done to him on that previous occasion +had been the cause for his coming to this particular region, for his own +camping grounds lay many miles away to the west, where sportsmen +congregated in the season for either fly fishing or deer hunting. + +With some black plan in his mind the man had started to even up his +score with Uncle Caleb; but a strange fate had caused him to meet with a +terrible accident; and now he was compelled to actually seek shelter and +assistance from the very man he had been about to injure. + +It was a remarkable freak of fate, and Elmer found himself wondering +what the outcome of it all might be. + +Lil Artha had quietly replaced his Marlin in the corner when he first +glimpsed that tortured arm, for he realized then that there was going to +be no need of weapons. When Uncle Caleb called for a kettle of warm +water he was the first to leap to his feet and place one on the fire; +while Toby, just as eager to help, began to brew the coffee. + +This latter was ready even before the kettle began to sing, and Uncle +Caleb himself poured a brimming cup of the beverage, which he handed to +the wounded man. No doubt Zack Arnold needed some stimulant the worst +kind. He must have exhausted his pet flask on the way, for he did not +seem to have a drop about him; and when the fragrant Java beverage was +placed in his possession he swallowed the contents of the big aluminum +cup in great gulps, as though his throat might be made of cast iron, +which no hot stuff could scald. + +Uncle Caleb asked no questions. He must know very well what had brought +this revengeful guide so far out of his beaten track; but to see him +tenderly washing that arm, and then gently setting the broken bones, +after which he bound it up with a splint almost as well as any +professional surgeon could, you might have thought he was attending his +best friend instead of a bitter enemy. + +Lil Artha could hardly keep his eyes off the man's face. He, too, had +finally managed to grasp the same idea that had come long before to +Elmer; and now he wondered again and again what the outcome of this +remarkable adventure was going to be. He even chuckled a little to +himself as he saw those eyes of Zack following Uncle Caleb back and +forth, as the other went to get more bandages, or it might be the +soothing salve which he wished to rub upon several ugly black-and-blue +spots visible on the left side of the brawny woodsman. + +"Huh! I've heard before about heaping coals of fire on your enemy's +head," Lil Artha whispered to Elmer, when he found a good chance, "but I +never just understood what it meant. Now I know to a fraction. Say, did +you ever hear of such a queer thing in all your life? And I bet you he +was coming up here to make a lot of trouble for Toby's uncle, too. Well, +this _is_ an object lesson for scouts, ain't it, Elmer?" + +"Just as you say, Lil Artha, but better not try and talk any more about +it. He might hear something you wouldn't want him to. Just keep your +eyes and ears open, and you'll be well paid." + +So after that the tall scout sat still and kept on the alert. He was +enjoying things exceedingly. In fact he could not remember having ever +felt such a keen interest in anything before as he did in this coming of +Zack Arnold to the cabin of his hated enemy, and under such queer +conditions. + +When in the end Uncle Caleb finished attending to his injured guest, and +with the help of Elmer the guide's sweater had been secured in such +fashion that it gave him the required warmth, he seemed to remember +something else looking to the comfort of Zack Arnold. + +"Do you think you could manage to eat something if we cooked it for you, +Zack?" he asked, with such an earnest manner that the man writhed in his +seat, and his eyes fell in what Lil Artha believed to be utter shame, +though he quickly spoke up in reply. + +"Ye've made me feel so comfy-like, suh, that I jest reckon I _could_ +take a few bites. Hain't had nawthin' sence mornin'. Ye see, I took this +tumble 'long 'bout noon, an' I lost nigh everything I had with me in the +way o' eatin's an' same with the drinkin's. Been jest walkin' ever +sence, ahopin' I mout hold out long enuff ter strike yer shack; but I +kim near throwin' up the sponge an' lettin' the freeze do the bizness +for me." + +George saw a chance to get his hand in had come at last. + +"What shall I cook him, Uncle Caleb!" he hastened to ask. + +"I've got just two eggs left from the lot I fetched back with me," said +the old scientist, without hesitation, "and you can fry them for him +with a slice of ham. You'll find the eggs in that can where I keep my +rice, the one with the name on the front, George. And there's plenty +more coffee in the pot. In his present exhausted condition it will be +the best thing he can take, far better than liquor!" + +The guide opened his mouth as though about to say something, but his +emotions must have overcome him, for he gulped several times, blinked +his eyes quickly, and then sat there staring hard at the fire, possibly +with strange thoughts surging through his mind. + +Elmer noted these things. He felt that a revolution might be taking +place within the soul of that tough woodsman. + +"I wouldn't be at all surprised," was what Elmer told himself, as he +later on watched Zack devouring the supper George had prepared, "but +what this is going to turn out to be the making of that man. He's surely +seen a great light, and already looks at things in a different way from +what he ever did before. And if I know Uncle Caleb, as I think I do from +having studied him, the chances are ten to one he'll wait his chance, +and all he'll ask in return for what he's done will be for Zack to get +on the water wagon, and stay there the rest of his life. Well, I hope it +does turn out that way. But who'd ever think we'd run across such a +wonderful object lesson away off up here in the snow forest?" + +And yet later on, when Elmer allowed himself to survey the matter at +closer range, he was not greatly surprised; for he realized that +occasions are apt to spring up at the most unexpected times when +observing scouts can read a lesson in passing events, if only they keep +their wits about them. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE QUEER ACTIONS OF ZACK ARNOLD + + +ROOM was found for the newcomer later on in the half-circle before the +fire, and though Zack Arnold took no part in the conversation, he sat +there listening, and hearing things that must have given him many new +impressions. As a rule his eyes were fastened upon the beaming and +genial face of Uncle Caleb, who, however, made out not to notice this +attention he was receiving, though naturally he could not help knowing +it. + +The boys told their host numerous things connected with the organization +of the troop of Boy Scouts in their town, and what wonderful things it +had already done for many of those who had signed the muster roll. He +was keenly interested, and asked questions so fast that it kept them all +busy answering; for Elmer would never consent that his chums simply sit +there while he spoke for all; he wished them to have a part in the +telling. + +On his part, Uncle Caleb related a lot about his life in the past, +touching upon some of the remarkable things that had happened to him. +Strange as some of these might be reckoned, Elmer was privately of the +opinion that nothing more singular could ever have happened to the +traveler and scientist than the dramatic coming to his cabin door on +this bitter cold winter's night of one who believed himself to be the +old gentleman's enemy, sorely wounded, almost ready to die, and wholly +dependant upon Uncle Caleb's bounty for his very life. + +When later on some of the scouts manifested signs of drowsiness and +exhaustion, by sundry yawns and nods, the host declared it was time they +thought of getting some sleep. + +"I'd put you on the cot here, Zack," he told the guide, "only it isn't +as strong as it might be, and you're rather heavy. If it happened to +give way you'd get a bad wrench to that arm of yours that wouldn't be +very pleasant. So I'm going to fix you out with a bunk on the floor near +the fire. I happen to have some spare blankets, and here are some furs +that will make things feel easy for you. I don't suppose you object to +sleeping on the floor, do you?" + +At that the man grinned, for the first time since entering the cabin. + +"Won't be the fust time by a thousand thet I've slept on boards, suh," +he went on to say, "an' right hyar I wants to tell ye how much 'bleeged +I am ter yer fur all ye done by me. I don't deserve a bit o' the same. +I'm a bad man, suh, I been thinkin' all manner o' rotten things 'bout +ye, sence ye guv me what I reckons I desarved, if ever a mean skunk did; +an' thet's what." + +"Don't mention it, Zack," said Uncle Caleb, pleasantly; "I know you +looked at things from the wrong side, and at one time thought I'd done +you harm; but since then you've seen a better light; and I wouldn't be +surprised if you were coming out of your way to my cabin to tell me so, +when this accident happened." + +The big guide's jaws worked several times as though he might be trying +to say something; but it was of no use, for not a word escaped him. He +did heave a deep sigh, however, and gave his kind benefactor a long look +before allowing his eyes to drop. + +Elmer felt satisfied, for he believed the cure must be working. Indeed, +he could not for the life of him understand how any one could withstand +friendly advances from such a splendid old gentleman as Uncle Caleb. His +very eyes were full of benevolence and the kindly spirit that filled his +heart. The man who would take the keenest delight in binding up the +broken leg of a poor little rabbit that he found in distress, certainly +could not bear malice toward an uneducated woodsman, who had never had +half a chance to learn better things than entertaining an unreasonable +desire for revenge. + +Under the direction of the owner of the cabin Lil Artha made up a mighty +comfortable bed on the floor. When it was finished the scout tested his +work, and declared he would not mind sleeping there all the rest of his +stay, if Uncle Caleb thought one of the bunks would be better for the +wounded guide. + +Zack, however, would not hear of it. He declared that he preferred the +floor for many reasons. Lil Artha managed to shoot a suggestive look +toward Elmer, upon which the other shook his head in the negative. He +knew that the lengthy scout suspected Zack might be thinking of taking +French leave while they slept, and perhaps help himself to some of their +stores in the bargain. But Elmer had no such fear. + +When the boys started to crawl into their respective bunks, partly +undressing, although none of them had dreamed of bringing their pajamas +along on this wintry expedition, Zack appeared to be asleep. At least he +lay there bundled up, and seemed to be breathing heavily. + +Lil Artha, when he thought he was not noticed, managed to deftly move +his Marlin gun closer to the bunk into which he meant to clamber +presently. He acted as if he more than half suspected he might find +occasion to make some sort of use of the weapon before dawn broke again. + +But Elmer had seen him; indeed, it was very little that ever eluded +those wideawake eyes of the scout master, when out with his chums. He +managed to get a chance to whisper with Lil Artha when the others were +busily engaged making their sleeping quarters ready. + +"I'd be mighty slow to think of using that gun, if I were you, Lil +Artha," he suggested. + +The lengthy scout flushed a little, and looked somewhat confused. + +"I might have known you'd glimpse me doin' that same, Elmer," he +confessed, "but when a wildcat comes down our chimney what's to hinder +its mate from doin' likewise? And if a fellow was waked up in the night +to find that a ferocious critter had taken possession of our bungalow, +why, a gun'd be a good asset, believe me." + +Elmer looked at him, and then smiled grimly. + +"Oh! well, if that's what you've got troubling you, it's all right, Lil +Artha," he went on to say, meaningly. "I kind of imagined you were +thinking of something else. And if some one should take a notion to skip +out, remember it's no business of yours. We wouldn't want to detain any +one against his will." + +"Sure, I didn't mean to try to," acknowledged the tall scout, "'less, +f'r instance, he tried to loot the whole shebang, when I'd think it my +duty to cover him, and then call Uncle Caleb." + +"I don't think you'll find any need of doing that, Lil Artha," continued +Elmer; "fact is, all the signs point just the other way." + +"Hope so," grunted his chum; and this was all that passed between them. + +Later on the cabin became quiet, except for the heavy breathing of those +who were sound asleep. Elmer dozed. Somehow, although he was desperately +sleepy, he did not appear to be able to lose himself for more than brief +intervals at a stretch. + +Perhaps it was his strange surroundings, although Elmer could hardly +believe such to be the case, for past experiences were against it. He +could remember sleeping soundly on more than a few occasions when danger +threatened; he had helped guard the saddle band of horses on his +uncle's ranch when rustlers in the shape of horse thieves were operating +all through the vicinity; and on being given a chance to snatch an +hour's sleep had lost himself as soon as his head touched the ground. + +The wind moaned through the branches of the trees without. Now and then +Elmer believed that he could hear faint sounds that might proceed from +certain of the four-footed denizens of that great snow forest around +them, possibly searching for food while the night lasted, since they +hugged their dens in the daytime. + +Once he saw Lil Artha thrust his head out from his bunk, and stare at +the figure bundled up in those blankets on the floor. This told the +scout master that Lil Artha had not been able to quite get over the +suspicions he had formed, and which Elmer believed to be wholly +unwarranted. + +It must have been long after midnight when Elmer, chancing to once more +awaken, on glancing out from his bunk saw that Zack Arnold was no longer +lying there on his well side, and wrapped in sleep. + +The revengeful guide was now sitting up. He seemed to be intently +listening, as though to either discover whether all of the others were +sound asleep, or else trying to catch some signal from without. + +A dreadful thought flashed into Elmer's mind, though he quickly +dismissed it as unreasonable. It was of course possible that Zack may +have coaxed others to accompany him on his mission of revenge; but if +he had company why should he appeal to his bitter enemy when in +desperate need of succor? That alone stamped the idea as next door to +absurd; and so Elmer put it out of his mind as impossible. + +At the same time the actions of the guide were certainly queer, to say +the very least of it. He was now getting slowly and painfully to his +feet, repressing a groan while so doing; because with one arm tied up +and useless it is not always the easiest thing in the world to get up +off the floor, and out from a mess of clinging blankets. + +Once he was on his feet the actions of the man became even more +suspicious. He crept toward the door, turning his head several times as +though to make sure that no one was watching him. Here he fumbled for a +brief time, managing presently to take aside the bar. Then he gently +opened the door, and as the wind was from the north, and the opening +faced the south, the cold air did not enter when he had done this. + +Elmer, still watching, half expected to see the guide step out and +depart. He was even debating with himself as to whether his duty might +not compel him to raise his voice in protest against such an act, since +the chances were the man would not be able to survive the exposure in +his present weakened condition, without his rifle, and with no food to +sustain him. + +He saw that Lil Artha had that long neck of his "rubbering," as he +himself would have termed it; doubtless his gun was alongside him in +the bunk, and even then he had hold of it. + +To the astonishment of Elmer, however, the man did not pass beyond the +doorsill. He seemed to have drawn some object from a hidden receptacle +about his person, where it must have escaped observation when his +benefactors were helping him. And giving this a swift toss Zack Arnold +hurled it far out amidst the snow drifts; after which he backed into the +cabin, softly closed the door, glanced hurriedly around to see if he had +been observed, but seeing nothing, because Lil Artha had hastily drawn +his head back as might a cautious old tortoise when threatened with +peril; after which the guide replaced the bar. + +Five minutes after all this queer happening had taken place Zack was +once more bundled up in his blankets, and apparently bound to go to +sleep, this time in real earnest. + +After that Elmer seemed to find no difficulty whatever in getting asleep +himself. Why, it really seemed as though a great load had been removed +from his mind; and the first thing he knew George was calling him to get +up, because breakfast was almost ready. + +It was a most unusual thing for the scout master to over-sleep. Some of +the others, notably Toby and George, joked him about it; but Elmer +noticed that Lil Artha did not say a word. + +Later on, after they had all partaken of the fine meal that George +prepared, he doing his level best to show Uncle Caleb that there were +other cooks as well, Elmer caught Lil Artha making certain gestures in +his direction. He could manage to guess what it all meant, and believed +the other wanted a chance to talk with him outside. + +"I wonder what the weather promises for to-day; and I think I'll step +out to see how things look," Elmer presently remarked carelessly. + +"I'll go along and give you the benefit of my vast experience as a +weather prophet!" exclaimed Lil Artha, jumping up; "the rest of you stay +inside, because too many cooks spoil the broth, and two of us ought to +be enough to settle this job with the clerk of the weather." + +It happened that George was still busy with some of his dishes, about +which he saw Uncle Caleb was unusually particular, in that he used two +separate waters in washing the same; while Toby was busily employed in +looking over some traps he had discovered hanging from a nail, and +evidently seldom used; so that neither of them dreamed of leaving the +comfortable cabin, and braving the outside air just then. + +"What's all this about, Lil Artha?" demanded the scout master, after the +door had been carefully closed behind them. + +"Why, I happened to know that you saw that ugly looking guide moving +around in the middle of the night, Elmer; and I thought you must have +noticed that he threw something away when he was standing there in the +doorway?" + +"I did see him do that, and I knew you were on the job, too, Lil Artha," +Elmer went on to say; "but if you've made a discovery, hurry up and +tell me what it is, because I haven't thought to put my sweater on, and +it's pretty chilly here." + +"Well, I was that curious to know what it could be the fellow threw +away," continued the tall scout, "the first thing this morning, before +any of the rest of you had peeped an eye open, I got up, and came out +here to look around." + +"And did you find anything?" asked Elmer, his own curiosity aroused by +now. + +"I had to go back and forth a heap before I came on a little hole in a +snow drift that looked like something had dropped in there," continued +Lil Artha, in a highly mysterious fashion. "So I began to dig down, and +pretty soon my hand touched this!" + +He thereupon drew something from its place of concealment, and held it +up before the eyes of his astonished companion. + +"Why, it only looks like a piece of common gaspipe!" exclaimed Elmer. + +"Just what it is," Lil Artha went on, in an awed tone; "but say, Elmer, +the same is crowded chock full of some sort of stuff that may be +dynamite for all I know. It's a sure-enough infernal machine, one of the +crude bombs that you read about in the New York papers, such as Italians +use when they want to make some rich merchant or banker hand over +blackmail money. Look at it yourself, and then you'll know what fetched +that skunk of a Zack Arnold up here to this region. He meant to blow +Uncle Caleb's cabin to flinders, that's what he did; and p'raps with +the owner inside of the same. Huh! no wonder he didn't want that thing +to be discovered on his person! I sure don't blame him a little bit!" + +And Elmer, as he examined the miserable contrivance which would explode +with so great a power for harm, felt a thrill pass all over his body. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A SCOUT'S EDUCATION + + +"WHAT do you make of it, Elmer; is it a sure enough bomb?" demanded Lil +Artha, whose face was working strangely under the violence of his +emotions. + +"Looks like it was that, and nothing else," admitted the scout master, +slowly, with a wrinkle across his forehead, as though he might be +considering weighty matters, as indeed he was just then, for one so +young. + +"And there can't be any doubt but what he meant to blow up the cabin of +the man he forced himself to believe was his enemy, the kindest-hearted +gentleman you and the rest of us ever met up with--tell me that, Elmer, +didn't he?" + +"Hold on, Lil Artha, don't explode!" cautioned Elmer, soothingly. "I +understand how you feel about this ugly business. Yes, that must have +been the scheme that brought Zack away up here in the dead of winter. +Whether he meant to do Uncle Caleb bodily injury or not we've no means +of knowing. Let's hope that the limit of his revenge was confined to the +destruction of the cabin, and all the valued treasures it held." + +"Well, that would be arson, and the law sits down mighty hard on anybody +who deliberately, and 'with malice aforethought,' as I've heard my dad +say, sets fire to the property of another. He deserves being kicked out, +and we'll have to attend to his case, the whole bunch of us." + +The excited scout made a quick movement, as though about to rush into +the cabin, waving the piece of gas-pipe which had been fashioned into a +rude but deadly bomb with a fuse to it; Elmer, however, tightened his +grip on his chum's sleeve. + +"Wait! Don't be in such a hurry, old fellow. Let's reason this thing out +a little before you spill the fat in the fire!" he told Lil Artha, in +that quieting voice of his that carried such weight with the other +scouts. + +"But, Elmer, don't you see he's a regular firebrand!" urged the tall +boy, twisting a little, as though struggling to get loose from the +detaining hand; but only in a faint-hearted fashion, because as always +the influence of the scout master predominated. "How do we know but what +right now he's figuring on doing us all some mean trick? We're friends +of Uncle Caleb, and he must look on us as his enemies." + +"You forget something, Lil Artha," urged Elmer. + +"Oh! yes, in my hurry I'm always forgetting things; but tell me what +I've let slip now, Elmer." + +"It was yesterday that Zack was heading toward this cabin, breathing all +sorts of ugly threats against Uncle Caleb, wasn't it?" Elmer continued, +in that smooth argumentative tone he knew how to use so well, and which +as a rule was so wonderfully convincing. + +"Why, of course it was, Elmer," admitted the other, weakly, yet +curiously. + +"And something has happened since then, you know, Lil Artha?" + +"Oh! sure, several things," replied the tall scout. + +"Zack Arnold had an accident, and found himself facing what might be the +end of his evil career," continued Elmer. "Now, life is sweet even to +such a man; and he couldn't but feel alarmed at the idea of being frozen +in the snow forest, because of his broken arm, and having no way to +supply himself with food or fire. Then in his desperation he forgot +everything else, and came to the cabin of the man he had been calling +his enemy. You know what sort of a reception he got, Lil Artha?" + +"You bet I do, Elmer; it couldn't have been warmer if he'd been a +life-long comrade of Uncle Caleb!" + +"All right, then," the scout master told him, emphatically; "and you can +depend on it Zack has had an experience unlike anything he ever ran up +against before. I've been watching him, and trying to figure out what +might be passing through his brain; and the fact of his throwing this +bomb as far away as he could shows that he's heartily ashamed of ever +entertaining the notion that Uncle Caleb was an enemy of his." + +"Do you really think so, Elmer? And could such a scoundrel ever reform?" +asked Lil Artha, half skeptically, just as though he were Doubting +George. + +"Of course I wouldn't like to stake my reputation on it," Elmer +continued; "but all the signs point that way. The man is just now in a +daze. He never met with anything like this before, and hardly knows what +to make of it. In other words, Lil Artha, he has arrived at the +cross-roads, and the next few days will either see him turning over a +new leaf, or going back to his old ways again. It must depend pretty +much on Uncle Caleb." + +"I reckon it will, Elmer!" muttered the tall scout, beginning to drift +across the line, and agree with what the other advanced. "And don't you +think we ought to let Uncle Caleb know about this gas-pipe thing?" + +"Yes, but I don't think it'll make any difference with his way of +treating the man. Uncle Caleb has sized Zack up to a dot, and he's +trying to get the whip-hand over him by sheer kindness. And I think he +will, sooner or later. It wouldn't surprise me if it all ended in Zack +turning right-about face, and caring for Uncle Caleb just as much as he +thought he hated him. Such men when they do change never make a half-way +job of it; they go the whole thing." + +"Shall I call Uncle Caleb out here now while we're at it, Elmer?" + +"I'll do it, and you wait here," the scout master told him. + +"All right, then; you know how to go about it better than I do. I'll be +ready to spring my little surprise on our host," said Lil Artha. + +So Elmer stepped over, and opening the door quietly, caught the eye of +Uncle Caleb, when he crooked his finger. The meaning of this gesture +could not well be mistaken, and presently the old scientist joined them +outside the cabin, making some excuse as he passed out. + +When Lil Artha showed him the queer piece of gas-pipe that had been +charged with some high explosive apt to carry great destruction with it +when discharged, Uncle Caleb did not appear to be greatly astonished. + +"I imagined it might turn out to be something of the sort, boys," he +informed the scouts; "and it was my full intention to look around later +on, so as to discover what it was Zack threw away last night; for I saw +him standing there in the doorway just as both of you seem to have done. +You've saved me the trouble of making the search, Lil Artha. But let me +hide this ugly thing. I wouldn't like Zack to know it had been found so +soon." + +"Then you won't turn him out for coming up here on such a terrible +errand?" asked Lil Artha, weakly. + +Uncle Caleb looked at him, and smiled. Lil Artha understood then what +was in the mind of the kindly scientist, who loved his fellow men so +well that he could even believe the worst of them must have _some_ good +in him, however small, if only one could discover its location, and +coax the wavering spark to glow into a steady flame. + +"I don't believe Zack ever had a chance," he told them, seriously, "and +I'm going to give him one right now, if it's in my power. As scouts, +neither of you would surely deny it to him, I'm certain. Besides, it's +going to give me considerable pleasure in studying the working of the +germ that has been planted in his heart by this piece of good luck. +Perhaps that broken arm may mean everything to Zack Arnold. A year from +now we'll take stock, and see how things come out. In the meantime say +nothing, and leave it all to your Uncle Caleb." + +Willingly both boys declared that they were only too glad to do so. They +asked, and readily received permission, to tell George and Toby, when a +chance came. And as they entered the cabin later on, to see Zack still +following Uncle Caleb with his wondering, yes, even admiring glance, it +struck the scouts that perhaps the sensible old scientist had made a +study of human nature as he had the habits of wild animals, and knew +full well what he was doing. + +During the balance of that day he treated the wounded man just as though +the intruder might be one of the family. Uncle Caleb was too wise to +gush over the injured guide; he simply showed Zack that he had a deep +interest in his welfare, and meant that he should have every care while +unable to look out for himself that could be expended on him. + +Elmer, who was observing these things closely, without betraying the +fact that he had more than a passing interest in them, told himself that +it would not be surprising if when they came to leave the cabin in the +forest a pact had been arranged between Uncle Caleb and Zack Arnold, by +means of which the big guide was to stay up there the balance of the +winter, and act as a side partner to the man he had once been so foolish +as to consider his enemy. + +"There'll be no chance for him to hobnob with his real enemy, which you +can take it from me is strong drink," the scout master told the other +boys when they talked matters over, away from the cabin that afternoon; +"and before spring comes, I wouldn't be surprised if Uncle Caleb has +weaned him from his old habits, so that nothing can ever tempt him to go +back to them again." + +"I hope you're right, Elmer," ventured George; "I don't feel quite as +strong as you do about it, because I just can't, that's what; but it'd +be splendid if Uncle Caleb did reform that beast." + +"And I think it's just wonderful," Toby admitted, having heard the whole +story with great eagerness and interest; "I never knew Uncle Caleb was +such a splendid sort of a man. And honest now, I don't see how any +fellow could hold out against his winning ways. No wonder Zack keeps +watching him all the time; I tell you he's as near hypnotized as anybody +could be." + +And so they concluded to let the matter rest, confident that the good +man of the lonely cabin in the snow forest knew what he was doing, and +that the chances were he was not making any mistake. + +The boys now proceeded to enjoy themselves to the best of their ability, +each according to his bent. Of course all of them were keenly interested +in the remarkable success with which the scientist was meeting in his +effort to secure amusing and instructive flashlight pictures of the +woods animals at night. He showed them how he set his snares, so +cleverly arranged that when the fox or the mink came to take the +tempting bait that had been cunningly placed, he was compelled to pull a +cord that released the hammer by which the fulminating cap was +detonated, and the flashlight cartridge set going, thus causing the +little animal to take his own picture. + +That very night every one of the four scouts accompanied Uncle Caleb to +set several of these ingenious traps. The novel experience appealed to +all of them; and even Lil Artha, usually an ardent hunter, was heard to +admit that it afforded all the excitement necessary for enjoyment, +anticipation and realization combined, without having to destroy the +life of the cunning little creatures that, in roaming the woods, and +seeking their natural food supplies, were only working out their +individual destinies. + +"Anyhow," Lil Artha confided to Elmer, later on, when they were +returning to the warm cabin where Zack had been left in full charge, "I +don't believe I'd like to become a regular fur trapper, though once on +a time I did seem to hanker after such a life. It's all well enough to +shoot game when you're hungry, just like you'd knock over a chicken when +the dominie is coming to dinner; but this thing of trapping little +things like mink and muskrats just for the money their skins bring in +the market doesn't strike me as quite right. I'd never see a lady +wearing a fur coat again without feeling queer, like all the innocent +little animals I'd gone and slaughtered were parading before me. Nixey +for mine, I give you my word." + +Elmer did not make any reply in words, but the satisfied glance he gave +the speaker was eloquent enough. Truth to tell he was well pleased with +the change that was working in Lil Artha. At one time the tall scout had +shown signs of becoming so infatuated with hunting that quite a savage +desire to slay things had begun to manifest itself in his disposition. +Already had the mild influence of Uncle Caleb begun to make itself felt. + +Zack Arnold would not be the only one benefitted by contact with the +owner of the cabin. Some of the scouts would return home with new ideas +concerning things. Already Elmer could see where this midwinter holiday +trip was going to repay them a dozen-fold for all it cost. He was +satisfied with the promising results, and would not have had things +different, could the choice be his for the taking. + +While they were gone Zack had tidied up the cabin after a rude fashion, +considering that he did not know much about keeping things looking nice +in the first place, and had only one arm to work with in the second. But +it was the fact that he was beginning to take a decided interest in +things that pleased Uncle Caleb, who was not slow to commend his +thoughtfulness, and Elmer could see the glow that flashed into the eyes +of the big guide, telling that he had already begun to desire to do that +which would commend itself to his kind benefactor. + +"And it's going to be all right," Elmer told himself, as he lay down +later in his bunk, watching the two men who were still sitting by the +fire, talking about the habits of animals, for Zack having been a guide +all his life was brimfull of such lore; "he's got Zack going, and +nothing can stop him now. It must give a fellow a mighty nice feeling to +know that he's changed such a life, and for better things. But if we +only knew all that has happened in Uncle Caleb's past I reckon we'd find +that this is just one little incident in a long string." + +And that night neither Elmer nor Lil Artha dreamed of keeping watch +because of the presence of so desperate a character as Zack Arnold under +the same roof that sheltered them. Indeed, so greatly had their opinions +changed that they would have been willing to put considerable trust in +the loyalty of the rough guide. His very face did not seem one-half so +repulsive, now that it no longer showed the marks of passion and pain. +In fact, Elmer could see where in good time Zack might turn out to be a +pretty fair looking sort of a man; for once when he allowed a smile to +cross his face he was rather attractive. + +So the night wore away, and another day dawned. The boys, knowing that +their vacation was moving swiftly along, and feeling that they must +crowd everything possible into the few remaining days, had laid out a +plan of campaign that would make this a busy period. And Uncle Caleb was +ready to join them in any undertaking that had for its object the +satisfying of their desire for rollicking fun, or their education along +the line of a more intimate acquaintance with the little woods folks in +whom he took such a decided interest. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +GOOD-BY TO THE SNOW FOREST + + +IT happened that very afternoon Lil Artha met with an adventure that +stirred his red blood at quite a lively rate, and for a little time +caused quite a lively excitement around the vicinity of the cabin. + +Elmer, Toby and George had gone off with Uncle Caleb to investigate some +freak of Nature in which the old scientist was interested. Lil Artha at +the time was suffering from a chafed heel, and thought the long walk +through the deep snow was more than he cared to undertake; so he had +promised to remain home and look after preparations for supper. + +As it was too early to think of commencing that job, he had wandered +forth for a little stroll, not meaning to go far away from the cabin. Of +course such a thing as danger never once appealed to the boy; and with +those new thoughts concerning hunting and destroying animal life in +possession of his mind, he certainly was not going to shoulder his +shotgun, which he had left in a corner of the cabin. + +In the midst of his wandering he suddenly heard a strange scratching +sound that gave him a thrill. Looking up in the quarter from which it +seemed to come, Lil Artha was astonished to see a pair of yellow eyes +glaring down at him, and recognize the gray coat of a ferocious wildcat. + +He instantly jumped at the conclusion that this must be the mate of the +animal they had killed after it had forced an entrance into the cabin, +to steal Uncle Caleb's smoked meat, and then savagely attacked them. +Yes, there could be no doubt about it; and the cat was evidently of a +mind to spring upon him, and through means of its terrible claws seek to +have revenge for the loss of its mate. Some feline instinct doubtless +told the beast that this boy must have been concerned in the death of +the partner of its joys and sorrows, which we happen to know was the +actual truth. + +Lil Artha's first thought was to turn and sprint for the safety of the +cabin as fast as he could go. Then it struck him as a dangerous thing to +turn his back on such a treacherous foe as a wildcat; for there could be +no question but what the animal would immediately make its leap, and +land on his shoulders. + +Lil Artha realized that the best thing for him to do was to keep his +face turned toward his four-footed enemy. If only now he could pick up a +suitable cudgel he might be able to give a decent account of himself; +but to struggle with that terror of the snow forest, with only his bare +hands, did not please him at all. + +He shot a hasty glance all around him. The snow happened to have blown +away in that particular spot, where one of the boys had been chopping +fuel; and there Lil Artha discovered just the sort of stick he believed +he could wield to good advantage in keeping his feline foe at bay. + +Giving a wild shout, in hopes of alarming the beast more or less, he +sprang toward the coveted trophy, with outstretched hand. And when his +eager fingers closed about the end of the three-foot club Lil Artha felt +considerably better. + +It appeared, though, that his work was cut out for him. The cat actually +leaped directly for him, and never would the boy forget how terrible the +sight of that flying figure passing through space appeared to his +excited mind. + +By a nimble jump to one side Lil Artha managed to avoid contact with the +extended claws of the cat; and the disappointed animal, upon landing in +a heap, instantly whirled around and again sprang toward him. This time +the boy struck with his club, and managed to knock his assailant over, +though the now thoroughly aroused animal seemed more determined to get +at him than ever. + +So the battle raged, Lil Artha all the while shouting at the top of his +lungs, though he hardly knew what for, since his chums and Uncle Caleb +were more than a mile distant, and could hardly hear him at best. + +He fought with all the dexterity he could command. When he struck at the +raging beast he knew that should he manage to make a miss nothing could +keep him from having the cat fasten itself on his breast, tearing and +biting with fury. Time and again did he bring that good club against +the hairy form of his enemy, and send the wildcat bowling over; but it +surely had the nine lives such tough animals are usually credited with, +for on every occasion it managed to once more regain its feet, and +crippled as it may have been come stubbornly straight at him again. + +Lil Artha was getting winded, just as he might have been after knocking +a dozen tremendous fouls, when playing in a hotly contested game of +baseball. He felt a cold chill pass over him as he began to wonder +whether he might not be tired out by this beast that seemed never to +know when to give in; and what might not happen then? + +Once more he had brought his stick against the creeping cat with such +good will that the animal was knocked fully six feet away; but to his +despair it immediately recovered, and started back toward him. + +Just then Lil Artha heard a loud report, and saw the cat roll over in a +heap. As the relieved scout looked in the direction from whence that +shot had come he saw Zack Arnold standing there, his face drawn and +white with pain; for in handling Lil Artha's gun so as to relieve the +boy of his fierce antagonist he must have given his broken arm a severe +wrench, that for the moment made him feel sick and faint. + +And Lil Artha, seeing how things were, threw an arm about the big guide, +weak by reason of his pain, and helped him back to the cabin. After that +Lil Artha forgot that he had expressed any doubt concerning the +reformation of Zack Arnold. The guide had proved his change of heart by +that action; and it would serve to cement the bonds of the new +friendship that had sprung up between him and Uncle Caleb, as well as +the old scientist's boyish guests. + +Later on, when the others returned from their trip, the boys full of the +interesting things they had seen, great was their surprise to hear how +Lil Artha had been concerned in a stirring adventure. The report of the +gun had been wafted to their ears, but of course they expected that it +was only Lil Artha doing a little hunting on his private account near +the cabin, though Uncle Caleb did not fancy the boy taking any such +liberties with his familiar four-footed friends. + +They all had to go out and examine the body of the dead wildcat, +remarking that if anything it surpassed its mate in the way of ferocity, +and blind recklessness, in attacking a human being without any +particular provocation, and in broad daylight at that. + +"I'm sorry it had to be," remarked Uncle Caleb, with a sigh, "for I +expected to have considerable enjoyment later on in trying to get these +cats to play photographer for themselves; but no one is to blame in +either instance. If attacked by such a fierce creature I myself would +shoot to kill without any hesitation. After its mate was destroyed I +suppose this one would never have given me any peace. And at any rate it +afforded Zack a chance to prove that he was not ungrateful; which after +all is the best part of the whole affair, barring your escape from being +clawed, Lil Artha. Are you sure the claws or teeth of the cat didn't +scratch you the least bit, because in that case I'd want to take due +precautions. Blood poisoning might set in if the cuts were neglected, +all depending on the condition of your own blood." + +The tall scout had examined his hands and face thoroughly before the +others of the party returned home, for he was not wholly ignorant +concerning the possible results that sometimes follow wounds received +through carnivorous animals. He knew that Elmer always made it a +practice to carry with him a small phial of permanganate of potassium, +to be freely used as a wash in such cases, as calculated to cleanse the +wound of all foreign matter, and neutralize any poison that might come +from contact with claws impregnated with it. + +He assured the anxious woodsman that he had escaped even the slightest +scratch, and could consider himself especially fortunate, in which the +other heartily agreed with him. + +Again did they spend another happy evening around the cheery fire. As +the flames glowed and crackled they coaxed Uncle Caleb to tell more +incidents connected with his explorations in faraway Thibet, when he was +the first white man to enter the Forbidden City and interview the Head +Llama, whose existence had up to that time been pretty much of a sealed +mystery to the civilized world. + +Another peaceful night followed, and then came dawn again. This was to +be their nest to last day in the snow forest, because on the second +morning they must prepare to turn their faces toward home again, seek +the little station, signal to a passing train, and be carried back to +familiar scenes. + +In many ways all of them would be sorry when the time for separation +arrived; and so they had planned to do divers things during these two +days, which it was sincerely hoped would turn out pleasant ones. The +weather had moderated, and even a thaw set in late the preceding day, +but as the wind whipped around once more into the northwest the surface +of the snow became covered with a sheet of ice that was almost thick +enough to bear the weight of a small boy. + +Toby was wild with eagerness to be shown how to use those wonderful +snow-shoes which Uncle Caleb had given him for a present; and so the old +woodsman showed him just how to attach them to his toes, so as to leave +the balance of the foot free to bend at his will, though really Elmer +had explained this thing to Toby before. + +Under the guiding care of first Uncle Caleb, and when he grew tired, of +Elmer on the old scientist's snow-shoes, Toby was enabled to perform +quite creditably, and in the end felt that he knew fairly well how to +spin over the ice-crusted drifts in a way that would hardly have shamed +those Canadian cousins of his who belonged to the famous Teuque Bleue +Snow-shoe Club up in Montreal, and wrote him such glowing accounts of +the long trips they took over Mount Royal, and into the bush, in the +dead of winter. + +The boys had not forgotten how they had been almost reduced to a diet of +musquash at the time Lil Artha so fortunately shot his deer; and upon +invitation from Elmer, who was genuinely desirous of learning whether +the dish could be as palatable as some hunters and Indians declared, +Uncle Caleb told them they could get a number of the little animals with +the glossy fur, and he himself promised to prepare the stew. + +Well, they ate it, and George even came in for a second helping, but on +the whole it was the consensus of opinion that they did not really +hanker after "musquash," which might please some palates, and serve as a +means to ward off actual starvation, but did not seem to appeal to them +very strongly. All of which was fortunate indeed for the furry denizens +of the marsh, because there would be no further loud calls for a +repetition of the dish. + +The last day was pretty much taken up with seeing all they could of +Uncle Caleb and trying to grasp the results of his labors in the cause +of science and natural history. Each of the boys was given a sheaf of +prints to carry back with him, many of them most interesting revelations +concerning the hidden lives of the four-footed neighbors of Uncle Caleb, +whose habits were so little known to the average person. And even George +admitted that he would not have missed what he had learned while up in +the great snow forest, with this observing relative of Toby for a good +deal. It had broadened his knowledge of many things, and given him a +much higher estimate of human nature in seeing how kindness had won the +game over an evil desire for revenge. + +It was all settled, and Zack Arnold was going to stay there as the side +partner of Uncle Caleb. He did not appear like the same man when on that +last morning he shook each one of the four scouts by the hand and hoped +he would see them again. There was a look on his face that surprised +George and Lil Artha, who at one time had expressed themselves so +strongly to the effect that they did not believe any good could ever +come out of so tough a customer. + +"I'll never say that again, as long as I live!" George admitted, later +on; "after this I'm going to look for the spark of good in every hard +case, instead of only seeing the evil." + +"I sure have had a lesson I'll never forget," added Lil Artha; "and when +you get right down to facts that Zack Arnold isn't such a bad fellow +either. What he don't know about the woods you could put in a thimble; +and I can see that after Uncle Caleb has had him with him six months +he's going to turn out something more than half-way decent." + +Fortunately they did not meet with another snow storm while on the +homeward road but on arriving at the little station they had only to +await the train. The same little urchin from whom they had received the +false information grinned at them. Lil Artha was for giving him the +drubbing he richly deserved; but Elmer counselled differently. + +"After all it was a lucky thing he gave us the wrong directions," he +told the other scouts. "We have had a whole lot of experiences that +would never have come to us otherwise. And then you shot that fine young +buck, remember, Lil Artha. So, taking pattern from Uncle Caleb, suppose +we wash the incident from the slate." + +And what did Lil Artha do but approach the grinning urchin, and actually +thank him for the trouble he had taken to direct them, stating that they +had had the "time of their lives," and tossing him a silver quarter as a +reward for his being so solicitous about their welfare. The last thing +they saw as the train carried them away was that country boy standing +there, staring at the coin he held in one hand while he scratched his +head in perplexity and evidently wondered what it all meant. So Lil +Artha had taken a page from the diary of Uncle Caleb, and applied the +kind-hearted old scientist's methods to his own case. + +The four scouts reached home in safety, and with plenty to interest +those of their comrades of the troop who had not been along. It is to be +hoped that at some not far distant day in the future we may be permitted +to chronicle still further of the happenings that came the way of Elmer, +Toby, Lil Artha, George, and others belonging to the Hickory Ridge Troop +of Boy Scouts. + + +THE END + + + + +The Mountain Boys Series + + + 1. PHIL BRADLEY'S MOUNTAIN BOYS + 2. PHIL BRADLEY AT THE WHEEL + 3. PHIL BRADLEY'S SHOOTING BOX + 4. PHIL BRADLEY'S SNOW-SHOE TRAIL + +These books describe with interesting detail the experiences of a party +of boys among the mountain pines. + +They teach the young reader how to protect himself against the elements, +what to do and what to avoid, and above all to become self-reliant and +manly. + + _12mo. Cloth. + 40 cents per volume; postpaid_ + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +The Campfire and Trail Series + + + 1. IN CAMP ON THE BIG SUNFLOWER. + 2. THE RIVALS ON THE TRAIL. + 3. THE STRANGE CABIN ON CATAMOUNT ISLAND. + 4. LOST IN THE GREAT DISMAL SWAMP. + 5. WITH TRAPPER JIM IN THE NORTH WOODS. + 6. CAUGHT IN A FOREST FIRE. + 7. CHUMS OF THE CAMPFIRE. + 8. AFLOAT ON THE FLOOD. + +By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE. + +A series of wholesome stories for boys told in an interesting way and +appealing to their love of the open. + + _Each, 12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume_ + + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + +THE "HOW-TO-DO-IT" BOOKS + +BY J. S. ZERBE + + + +CARPENTRY FOR BOYS + +A book which treats, in a most practical and fascinating manner all +subjects pertaining to the "King of Trades"; showing the care and use of +tools; drawing; designing, and the laying out of work; the principles +involved in the building of various kinds of structures, and the +rudiments of architecture. It contains over two hundred and fifty +illustrations made especially for this work, and includes also a +complete glossary of the technical terms used in the art. The most +comprehensive volume on this subject ever published for boys. + + * * * * * + +ELECTRICITY FOR BOYS + +The author has adopted the unique plan of setting forth the fundamental +principles in each phase of the science, and practically applying the +work in the successive stages. It shows how the knowledge has been +developed, and the reasons for the various phenomena, without using +technical words so as to bring it within the compass of every boy. It +has a complete glossary of terms, and is illustrated with two hundred +original drawings. + + * * * * * + +PRACTICAL MECHANICS FOR BOYS + +This book takes the beginner through a comprehensive series of practical +shop work, in which the uses of tools, and the structure and handling of +shop machinery are set forth; how they are utilized to perform the work, +and the manner in which all dimensional work is carried out. Every +subject is illustrated, and model building explained. It contains a +glossary which comprises a new system of cross references, a feature +that will prove a welcome departure in explaining subjects. Fully +illustrated. + + * * * * * + +_12mo, cloth. Price 60 cents per volume_ + + * * * * * + + THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY + 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. Archaic spellings such as +"grummet," "develope," and "fryingpan" were retained. In addition, +varied hyphenation was retained as in "shot-gun" and "shotgun." + +First advertising page, "Chenoweth" changed to "Chenowith" to match +actual book usage (Elmer Chenowith, a lad from) + +Page 179, "touch" changed to "tough" (such tough animals) + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK STORM-BOUND*** + + +******* This file should be named 38314.txt or 38314.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/8/3/1/38314 + + + +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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